What is a crankshaft?
Q: What is a crankshaft?
A: A crankshaft is the part of an engine that converts the up and down motion of the pistons into rotation.
Q: How does a crankshaft convert piston motion into rotation?
A: The crankshaft has one or more offset shafts that connect to the pistons. When the piston moves up and down, it pushes the offset shaft, which in turn rotates the crankshaft.
Q: What is the purpose of a flywheel?
A: A flywheel is usually connected to a crankshaft to smooth out its rotation.
Q: What is a vibration damper on a crankshaft?
A: A vibration damper is a device that is sometimes mounted on the other end of a crankshaft to reduce vibrations of the crankshaft.
Q: Why do large engines usually have several cylinders?
A: Large engines usually have several cylinders to reduce pulsations from individual firing strokes.
Q: What are counterweights on a crankshaft?
A: Counterweights are used to offset the piston and improve balance. This allows higher RPMs to be reached and more power produced, although it adds weight to the crankshaft.
Q: Why are counterweights important on some engines?
A: Counterweights are important on engines to achieve smoother operation at higher RPMs and to produce more power.
