Understanding the Four-Stroke Cycle
A four-stroke engine completes a full cycle in four distinct strokes:
1. Intake: The piston moves down, drawing in air (or air-fuel mixture).
2. Compression: The piston moves up, compressing the air/fuel mixture.
3. Power: The compressed mixture ignites, driving the piston down.
4. Exhaust: The piston moves up, expelling the burnt gases.
Crankshaft Rotation and Strokes
* One full rotation of the crankshaft corresponds to two complete strokes (intake & compression, or power & exhaust).
* Half a stroke is equivalent to one-quarter of a full crankshaft rotation.
Degrees of Rotation
Since a full circle has 360 degrees, half a stroke represents:
360 degrees / 4 = 90 degrees
Therefore, half a stroke of a four-stroke engine corresponds to 90 degrees of crankshaft rotation.
