Wednesday, February 3, 2010

1962 Motorcycle Mechanics Article: Spark Plugs - what they are and how they work









The simple function of the spark plug is to provide ignition at the right moment - when the fuel / air mixture is compressed by the piston.

The diagrams printed here demonstrate what happens inside the cylinder. The distance the piston travels up or down the cylinder is called the "stroke," and there are four strokes. These can be explained as:

Induction - When the piston goes down, drawing in mixture through the open inlet valve;

Compression - When the piston rises, compressing the mixture into the combustion chamber at the top of the cylinder;

Power - When a spark from the plug ignites the mixture, causing it to burn rapidly, forcing the piston down, this movement being transmitted through the connecting rod to the crankshaft;

Exhaust - When the piston rises again, expelling the burnt gases from the cylinder through the opened exhaust valve.

1962 Spark Plugs - what they are and how they work 6-Page Article available at www.DadsVintageAds.com


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