THE LAWNMOWER PROJECT
A lawnmower engine is very similar to a car engine. Read the following article and answer the questions:
1. What is the basic principle behind any reciprocating internal combustion engine?
2. Give another name for the four-stroke combustion cycle.
3. Briefly describe each of the four strokes.
4. What are three advantages to the use of a reciprocating internal combustion engine?
5. After we have dismantled the lawnmower's engine draw sketches of the following parts including a brief description of each:
Cylinder
Spark plug
Valves
Piston
Piston Rings
Combustion chamber
Connecting Rod
Crank Shaft
Sump
6. Discuss three basic problems with engines:
A. Bad fuel mix
B. Lack of compression
C. Lack of spark
The lawnmower has a 3.5 Hp rating.
Read the following article and answer the questions:
7. What is horsepower?
8. What does the horsepower rating mean in terms
of performance?
In a car the electricity for the spark comes from the battery. Most small lawnmowers, chainsaws, trimmers and other small gasoline engines do not need a battery. Instead, they actually generate the power for the spark plug using a magneto.
Read the following article and answer the question.
9. Describe a magneto and how it works in detail.
Read the following article and answer the question:
10. What is the function of a carburetor?
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