The modern automobile is made up of various parts and components, all of which works together to achieve a definite purpose or carry out a task. these parts and components are assembled together in groups to achieve a goal, the group of automotive parts and components is called the "system".
The knowledge of these various automotive systems and the understanding of how they work will help a car owner and driver to confidently predict the source of some faults and be able to discuss with there mechanic.
LETS UNDERSTAND WHAT A PART,COMPONENT, ASSEMBLY AND SYSTEM MEANS.
PART: a part is the smallest removable item on a car, its normally not disassembled.
COMPONENT: the word component is used to refer to a part of a particular system, example is the spark plug a component of the ignition system.
ASSEMBLY: an assembly is a set of fitted parts designed to carry out a function.
SYSTEM: An automotive system is group of related parts,components, assemblies that carryout specific function or task. for example; is the braking system which comprise of various parts and components including the brake pads, rotor disc, brake shoe, clipper, drum, brake pedal and several more, the work of the brake system is to help you slow your vehicle down and stop easily by the help of the parts under the brake system.
There are several number of the automobile systems, some of which are working in partnership with another system or individually to accomplish a particular purpose. bellow is a list of the major systems of an automobile.
- The Engine; including the lubricating and cooling system.
- The Fuel system; including the evaporative emission.
- The Ignition system;
- The computer system; including the ECU/ECM
- The electrical system;including the starting, charging, lightening systems
- The Exhaust system;including the emission control.
- The Drive Train; including the transmission.
- The body and frame system
- The suspension steering and brake system.
There are several other systems that also play crucial roles in the modern automobile, examples are ; supplementary restraint system(the seat belts and air bags), climate control system (provides comfortable interior environment to ride in), and the sound system.
THE ENGINE
The Engine is the unit that provides power for the propelling of the automobile and other systems of the car. the engine found in most vehicles are the internal combustion engine in which the engine converts chemical energy to mechanical energy needed to propel the vehicle, the internal combustion engine burns fuel to produce heat energy that expands the gas in the engine cylinder ,the expansion of the gas will increase the internal pressure which cause the movement of the engine parts(piston and connecting rod which will rotate the crankshaft) and a rotational motion is generated in the process to drive the vehicle and its other parts.
In most common vehicles the engine is located at the front of the body to improve safety during head-on collision, while in some other cars usually sporting cars, the engine is located at the rear part to increase handling and performance.
The engine also incorporate other systems such as the cooling and lubricating system, both of which are working together with the engine. The cooling system helps to regulate and maintain the engines temperature to remain at the normal working temperature level. and the lubricating system helps to supply lubricants to the moving parts of the engine and keeps them lubricated to work efficiently, the lubricating system also supports the cooling system.
THE FUEL SYSTEM
The fuel system helps store and supply the accurate mixture and volume of fuel for an efficient burning(combustion) in the engines combustion chamber. the fuel system controls the air-fuel ratio with changes in the engine working condition(engine speed, temperature and other variable conditions). The fuel system also includes the evaporative emission system where the raw fuel vapours that would have escaped to the atmosphere are stored and used up by the engine under normal conditions.
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THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The electrical system is a complex system of the automobile and under it are several other systems or subsystem such as the ignition, charging, lightening systems etc. the work of the electrical system is to generate and store voltage by the charging system, supply the right amount of voltage to several electrical components and systems such as lightening, ignition, starting system, sound system and many more. the source of power for the electrical system is the battery, the battery stores up the electrical power from the charging system. the alternator is a component of the charging system that helps recharge the battery. the staring system comprise of the starting motor that turns the engine fast enough for the fuel and ignition system to takeover.
THE IGNITION SYSTEM
The ignition system is responsible for production of spark on the spark plugs to ignite the air-fuel mixture injected into the engine cylinder. the ignition takes place in the combustion chamber. it uses an ignition coil that produce a high voltage surge which operates the spark plugs to produce the spark.
THE COMPUTER SYSTEM
The computer system is the system that monitors, regulate, and control the various systems with the help of electrical and electronic devises. The use of computer systems has help to improve the vehicles efficiency and dependability, also most of these systems have self diagnostic compatibility as a result of the computer system. We can therefore say the computer system of a car acts the same way as the human nervous system.
The parts of the computer system that helps it accomplish the monitoring, regulation and control of the other systems are the sensors, control module and the actuators.
The sensors acts as an input device, they can produce and modify electrical signals with a change in a condition, such as motion, temperature, pressure, etc the sensors acts as the sensory organs(eye, nose, ear and skin) of the computer system.
The control module is the electrical circuit that receives signals from the input devices(sensors) and use it to control various output devices. the control module acts as the brain of the computer system.
The actuators are the output devices, they receive messages from the control module and act as the control module directs them, depending on the strength of signal sent by the control module, they act as the hand and arms of the computer, example of an actuator is the electric motor that can move parts when the control module sends in electrical power.
THE EXHAUST SYSTEM
let me start by saying; without the exhaust system the pollution(sound and air) caused by the engine will be so harmful and unbearable. So the exhaust system is responsible for the silencing of the engine noise. A subsystem of the exhaust system is the emission control system which helps to control and reduce the amount of harmful gasses produced from the burning(complete and partial burning) that took place in the engine.
THE DRIVE TRAIN SYSTEM
The drive train system transmits the rotational motion from the engines crankshaft to the wheels through a series of differentials and gears in the transmission box, axles and drive shafts.the parts of the drive train includes the clutch(in manual transmissions), torque converter(in automatic transmissions), transmission (manual and automatic),axles and drive shaft.
THE BRAKE AND SUSPENSION SYSTEM
The braking system helps to slow down and bring the vehicle to a stop safely. the two types of braking system includes the mechanical and the hydraulic braking system. the hydraulic braking system is the most common and its the primary braking system, while the mechanical braking system is the supplementary and is mostly used as the emergency brake system, in case the hydraulic system fails.
The suspension and steering system deals with the controlling and safe handling of the automobile.
The suspension system helps to keep the vehicle in a stable state while driving on an unstable road, it absorbs and reduce the shocks of bumps and portholes.
The steering system helps to control the direction of the vehicle while its moving.
THE FRAME AND BODY SYSTEM.
The frame acts as a support to the vehicle on which all the vehicles components are mounted on, just like the human body has a skeleton, the frame acts as the skeleton for the automobile.
The body serves as an enclosure for the automobile systems and the frame.
The chassis is reffered to the frame and everything mounted on it except the body. the components of the chassis include the engine,transmission,tires,frame and drive axles
The body and frame system construction are of 2 types; the body over frame and the unibody construction. In the body over frame construction the chassis parts are bolted to the frame, and the body also is placed and bolted upon the frame. In the unibody construction the frame and the body is built together and then the other chassis parameters are bolted on the unibody.
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