Forklift Engines
Forklifts are classified as small-engine vehicles, the same class in which lawnmowers are classed. The engines of the forklifts all follow the principles of internal combustion. Different forklift brand names and models would have varying engine design and layout. Forklifts are made more toward producing high torque rather than for speed. They generally are geared to low speeds. The engine runs the drive wheels of the forklift. The engine is also required to lower and lift the forks through a series of chain pulleys. The majority of forklift engines that are modern are fueled by propane since they would be utilized for indoor applications, where diesel and gasoline engines would be inappropriate due to the exhaust they create.
A four-cylinder engine-block is typically found in a forklift. Much similar to the engine in small cars, forklift engines have cylinders which contain pistons connecting to a camshaft. The head of each and every cylinder consists of an exhaust hatch, a spark plug and an exhaust hatch, each of them spring-loaded and one-way.
Engine Function
Propane passes through the opened throttle-plate in a fine spray, when the operator starts up the forklift engine. This fine spray mixes with air coming from the mass air intake prior to moving into the head intake hatches of the cylinder. Each one of the four pistons is staggered to rise in a precise sequence, compressing the mixture of propane and air as every piston rises to the top of the head. With really precise timing, the battery and alternator of the engine create an electrical current that passes through the spark plug. The fuel ignites causing an explosion that drives the piston back down to the bottom of the cylinder, causing a continuous turning of the camshaft. An air pressure imbalance in the cylinder causes the exhaust to be drawn out through the exhaust hatch when more fuel passes into the cylinder. Propane burns a lot cleaner compared to gasoline and diesel and the exhaust is not as harmful.