Oil Pump function, types and how it works in car engine
The oil pump is one of the important components of a car engine lubrication system. The oil pump system creates pressure on engine oil and circulates the oil throughout the engine lubrication system. The oil pump will suck the engine oil from the oil pan (oil crankcase) to be pumped so that the engine oil in the lubrication system line has pressure.
The pressure on the oil finally makes the engine oil move throughout the lubrication system and lubricates the engine parts. After lubrication occurs, the engine oil will fall and be collected back into the oil pan to be recirculated.
Oil pump types and it parts
When we talking about oil pump in automobile, the model used in the oil pump also affects the parts of oil pump itself. Currently, it is known that there are three types of oil pump engine that are commonly used in todays car engines.
1. Trochoid Oil Pump
The trochoid oil pump consists of two main parts: the inner rotor (drive gear) and the outer rotor (driven gear). The two rotors are attached to a casing with holes, namely the inlet (oil in) and outlet (oil out).
The number of teeth on the inner rotor equals the teeth on the outer rotor minus one. These two rotors are installed in a non-centered state in the casing. The inner rotor rotation will move the outer rotor to rotate in the same direction.
Because the number of teeth in the inner rotor is less than the outer rotor, a room will be formed, used to suck oil from the inlet hole and press the oil towards the outlet hole. The change in chamber volume as the rotor rotates causes a pumping action on the oil.
2. Internal gear oil pump
This type of internal gear oil pump is similar to a trochoid oil pump. There is inner and outer gear, but what separates it is the space between the inner and outer gear. The existence of a limiting space will increase the oil pressure and volume. As a result, the amount of pressure generated will be even greater.
The inner gear (drive gear) is directly connected to the engine crankshaft. The inner gear will rotate according to the crankshaft rotation. At the same time, the outer gear (driven gear) will rotate in the direction of the inner gear rotation (the driven gear rotates in the same direction as the drive gear). This type has a simple construction with reliable capabilities.
3. External gear oil pump
This external gear type oil pump also has a drive gear and a driven gear, but the location of this gear is not in one other gear. Each gear has the same and similar shape paired parallel to the other gear.
When the drive gear rotates, it also rotates the driven gear. At the same time, the effect of sucking oil from the inlet hole and pumping oil into the outlet hole will also co-occur as the drive gear, and the driven gear rotates.
Also read:How the oil pump in a car works
As already mentioned in the types and parts of oil pump in a car, the oil pump has two gears (drive and driven) and a casing that has an inlet and an outlet hole. In addition, the drive gear is connected to the engine crankshaft, camshaft, or attached to the timing belt as the driveshaft.
Therefore, the drive gear will rotate and turn the driven gear when the engine starts and rotates. The effect of rotating the drive gear and the driven gear will make the oil suction into the pump at the inlet hole and produce compressive power through the outlet hole.
However, before engine oil enters the oil pump, the engine oil will flow through the filter in the oil pan called the strainer. This filter prevents large debris from being sucked into the oil pump.
That way, the engine oil that enters the oil pump is clean from large debris. The oil filter will prevent the oil pump from being damaged. After that, the engine oil is circulated throughout the engine lubrication system to lubricate all working engine components.