Lift truck Engines
Forklifts are classified as small-engine vehicles, the same category wherein lawnmowers are categorized. The engines of the forklifts all follow the principles of internal combustion. Various forklift brand names and models will 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 forklift's drive wheels. The engine is also required to raise and lower the forks via a series of chain pulleys. The majority of modern forklift engines are powered by propane since they would be used for indoor applications, where diesel and gasoline engines would be unsuitable due to the exhaust they generate.
A four-cylinder engine-block is typically found in a lift truck. A lot like the engine in small cars, the engines of the forklift have cylinders that contain pistons connecting to a camshaft. Each and every cylinder head consists of an intake hatch, an exhaust hatch and a spark plug, each of them spring-loaded and one-way.
Engine Function
Once the driver starts up the forklift engine, propane passes through the opened throttle-plate in a fine spray and mixes together with air which comes from the mass air intake prior to moving into the cylinder head intake hatches. Every one of the four pistons is staggered to rise in a precise sequence, which compresses the air and propane mixture 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 which passes through the spark plug. The fuel ignites causing an explosion that drives the piston back down to the bottom of the cylinder, leading to a continuous turning of the camshaft. In the cylinder, an air pressure imbalance causes the the exhaust hatch to draw out exhaust when more fuel passes into the cylinder. Propane burns a lot cleaner compared to gasoline and diesel and the exhaust is not as harmful.