What is an Engine Connecting Rod and Why Do You Need Them?

When buying a car, whether new or used, what is the most important thing that you need to take a look at? If you make a list of things that are the most important to the least, here is what you would probably get:

  • The engine
  • The transmission
  • The suspension
  • The body

In short, the engine can be described as the heart of the car, and one that you would need to keep running properly.

What is an engine connecting rod?

Any motor cannot function without an engine, and an engine cannot operate without a backbone. The engine connecting rod forms the backbone of the engine, and is one of the most important pieces that makes it function. It is used to connect the pistol with the crank or the crankshaft in the engine.

Why Do You Need a Good Engine Connecting Rod?

To know how these could help you, understand how they work first.

The piston creates a push or pull which is transmitted to the crankshaft. Then, its work is to convert power also called reciprocal motion into rotational power. Therefore, this will cause the engine to rotate because of these critical things. Without them, an engine cannot function properly.

BrianCrowerRodVQ35DEVQ35HR

They have essential functions that enable the engine to work efficiently. Some of these functions include:

  1. Rotating the Crankshaft.

The crankshaft’s function is to convert reciprocating motion into rotating power that is needed by the automobile. This is aided by the piston which pushes and pulls this converting power to the crankshaft. The piston moves a thousand times in a minute. Thus it has to run as smoothly as possible. All this cannot happen without the connecting rod.

  1. Withstanding pressure from the piston.

For one, it is a light-weight choice for you, and one that your car will love. Your car’s engine experiences a lot of pressure from the load of the piston. The rotating process also causes the engine to heat up, in turn causing the temperature to rise. The combustion process puts a lot of strain on the con rods. But they are built to withstand all this pressure and temperature.

  1. Fluid movement

The movement between the crankshaft and the piston causes the connective rod to offer fluid movement. Without them, there would be no mechanical movement between the piston and crankshaft.

  1. Aids in building a high-performance automobile

As said earlier the engine cannot function without the connective rod. The most important feature that should be considered most is uniformity in shape. There are four different types of connective rods. They include:

1) Marine type

2) Fixed designed

3) Articular

4) Blade

Choosing the right rod is critical. Even though there is no need to replace them regularly, it is recommended that they are routinely checked for damage or distortion. The operating environment is not always friendly, thus the quality if the material should be top notch.

The material should be the high quality most preferably made of steel 4340. Aluminium is also a good option but, as an engineer or owner of a car one, should weary of counterfeits. However, identifying a counterfeit by sight is not easy, one of their qualities is that they break easily. And that’s all there is to it.