Lift truck Engines
Forklifts are classified as vehicles with small engines, the same class in which lawnmowers are classed. Forklift engines all follow the principles of internal combustion. Different lift truck models and brand names would have varying engine layout and design. Forklifts are designed more toward producing high torque rather than for speed. They usually are geared to low speeds. The engine powers 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 forklift engines which are modern are powered by propane as they would be utilized for indoor applications, where diesel and gasoline engines will be unsuitable because of the exhaust they generate.
Typically, the forklift is a four-cylinder engine-block. Forklift engines are similar to automobile engines since they hold pistons connecting to a camshaft. The head of each cylinder consists of an intake hatch, an exhaust hatch and a spark plug, each of them spring-loaded and one-way.
Engine Function
Propane passes through the opened throttle-plate in a fine spray, once the operator starts up the forklift engine. This fine spray mixes with air coming from the mass air intake prior to moving into the cylinder's head intake hatches. Every one of the four pistons is staggered to rise in an exact sequence, compressing the propane and air mixture as each piston rises to the top of the head. With very precise timing, the engine's battery and alternator create an electrical current that passes through the spark plug. The fuel ignites resulting in an explosion which drives the piston back down to the bottom of the cylinder, resulting in 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 cleaner than gasoline and diesel and the exhaust is not as harmful.