Group 9 - GM Inline Four Cylinder Engine
Contents |
Executive Summary
Introduction
Gate 1: Request For Proposal
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Work Proposal
Approach for Disassembly
The product assigned to Group 9 is a 2.2 Liter GM inline 4 cylinder engine. Group 9 plans on collaborating with group 24 who have the same engine to work on. The planned components for dissection are the belt drive system,camshaft and crankshaft. Group 24 has revealed they will work on the headers and pistons. As a group, step by step photographic documentation will be taken throughout the disassembly/reassembly processes. In addition to the documentation, clear labeling of all the components will ensure a smooth reassembly process. The engine components are to be dissected using a combination metric wrench set, pliers and Allen wrenches. English/customary units will be be necessary because automobile engines are made to internationally compatible therefore the fasteners are in metric. Estimated time for dissection is approximately 3 to 4 hours spread over 2 weeks. Along the way of the project, group 9 expects to do some outside research because overall the group is not experienced with engines. Four of the five members of group 9 do not have previous knowledge of the function of engine components, where components are located, and how to disassemble/reassemble. Another challenge will be working and coordinating efforts and schedules with group 24. Group 24 must disassemble their components before group 9 can begin the disassemblly process. Space in the lab will also be a challenge, as the engine is fairly compact and workspace is limited. Reassembly will be challenging due to the complexity of the components.
Capabilities and Shortcomings
As a whole each member of group 9 has certain strengths to contribute. Bryan is the only person on our team with knowledge and experience with engines, the components that are part of the engine and disassembling/reassembling. Richard is experienced in 3D modeling with CAD and Pro Engineer. Michael has HTML knowledge and is quick at learning coding and related skills. Christine has experience as being leader of a group. Adi is always available and quick to respond and initiate conversation via e-mail and telephone. Despite the strengths group 9 still has shortcomings. All members in Group 9 except for Bryan have no prior knowledge of how engines work. As a group it is imperative to further develop knowledge of the internal combustion engine, dissection and assembly processes. Along with research of the internal combustion engine it is also important to know how all the parts function, if the engine was intact and working. Regardless of this shortcoming group 9 has a strong interest in the subject and view the assignment as a challenge. Ideally the interest in the subject will stimulate progress.
Management Proposal
Group Roles
The group will work on the project together so that all members will have a chance to edit the wiki, solid model, disassemble, etc. The purpose of the roles is simply to make certain people accountable for certain part of the project. Roles are expected to overlap once the project is underway, but accountability will remain as agreed upon by the group. As stated in the work proposal, the members in group 9 are expected to help one another with each part of the project. Team work is a major part in successfully meeting the challenge posed. Working together will result in an efficient outcome. Group 9 are efficient individuals but have not worked with one-another previously. To resolve this conflict each member is responsible for certain aspects of the project but will also be available for extra help and questions when another member is unsure of something. The biggest conflict group 9 will face is meeting regularly with all members present due to the differences in schedules and living arrangements. All members except Bryan live on campus so meetings will be held on campus. Group 9 has decided to meet every Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. to ensure the conflict is resolved.
"Project Manager" - Christine Menton
- In charge of keeping the group on task and makes sure that everyone adheres to the plan (proposal, gannt chart, etc)
- Leads general meetings and breaks up tasks among the group so the schedule is maintained.
- Makes sure group work is presentable and formatted well (final editor).
- Leads the group in gates 1 and 5.
"3D Modeling and Tech Expert" - Richard Lipcyznski
- Leads the team in the 3D modeling of the parts.
- In charge of the component listing/summary.
- Leads the group in analyzing the product and formulating design revisions.
- Leads the group in gate 3.
"Dissection Leader" - Bryan Papaj
- Leads the group in dissection and reassembly.
- Makes sure group gets to the lab and that everyone stays informed as to what were doing.
- Makes sure parts are labeled or easily identified so reassembly will be easier.
- Takes pictures of all the parts.
- Leads the group in doing Gates 2 and 4.
"Wiki Leader" - Michael Huffman
- In charge of learning about how to edit wiki, embed pictures, format, etc.
- Instructs the group how to properly use wiki.
- First editor of the content published on wiki page.
- Makes sure wiki is constantly updated with group progress.
"Communication Liaison" - Adityavikram Rajawat
- Contact point between our group and the professor/teaching assistants.
- Takes notes at group meetings and sends information through e-mail.
- Keeps group connected on days when members are missing from meetings.
- Takes over as Project Manager in Christine's absence.
- Ambassador to other groups, specifically group 24.
- Ensures group 24 removes their components so group 9 can begin disassembly.
Meeting Info
As stated in the group roles, group 9 plans to meet at least once a week on Wednesdays at 5:00 p.m. Group 9 We will meet in the classroom and go over to the library in Capen or computer lab in Bell Hall. This meeting will be to review group progress and assess current standings. Tasks for the upcoming week will be divided up amongst the group by the Project Manager (Christine), or in her absence the Communication Liaison (Adityavikram). Notes for the general meeting will be taken by Adityavikram and sent out to everyone by e-mail so there is no confusion as to what everyone is doing. The general meetings will be supplemented by additional meetings when needed. Group 9 plans to begin dissection starting on Monday October 12, 2009. Lab and dissection progress will be cataloged during these meetings.
Work will be managed directly using a Gannt chart which tracks progress and deadlines. Completed tasks are in blue.
Initial Product Assessment
Intended Use of the Product
The intended use of this product is to take air and fuel in and turn it into work. The work will then be transmitted through the transmission to the axles in order to drive the wheels of a car.
Is the product for home or professional use?
This product is intended for both home and professional use. The GM 2.2 L engine is made specifically for use in an automobile. Automobile engines are used by home owners and professionals alike. Homeowners maintain their engines to a certain degree(oil changes, air filter). Professionals are more knowledgeable of engine maintenance and can diagnose and fix larger problems with engines.
What are the different functions of the product?
The main function of this product is to produce mechanical work. This is its only function.
How the Product Works
How do you think the product works?
The engine takes electrical energy, air, and fuel in. It then compresses the fuel and air mixture, ignites it, which makes it combust into thermal energy, which does work on the pistons crankshaft. This work done on the crankshaft is relayed to work out of the system.
What types of energies are used?
The engine uses electrical, chemical, thermal, and mechanical energy in it's function.
How are these types of energies transformed and modified?
The process starts with electrical energy in the spark plugs. Air and fuel inside the cylinders is compressed and ignited which creates thermal energy. The extreme pressure inside the cylinder forces the pistons down which turns the crankshaft. The energy is now mechanical which can be used to power the drive shaft. Due to the internal combustion for the small amount of fuel intake, there is a much greater output in terms of mechanical work.
Product's Functionality
Is the product currently functioning?
The product is not currently functioning. An engine requires many other outside parts to operate. This system of parts will not available to us throughout the project.
If there are any problems, what do you think they are coming from?
Since we do not have all of the parts necessary to even start the engine it is clearly seen that it would not function anyway. The engine block itself has a large hole cut out of the side of the piston wall. If the pistons are not allowed to compress the gas/air mixture the combustion would not occur. There are also many other parts cut open into cross sections such as the oil filter. Since those parts do not form a closed system the engine would have too many problems and therefore fail to operate.
Product Complexity
How complex is the product?
Defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary complex is a whole made up of complicated or interrelated parts. Based on this definition the GM 2.2 L 4 cylinder inline engine is complex. It is complex because of the multiple number of interrelated components, advanced systems and complicated processes. Group 9 estimates that there are at least 5 different systems within the engine and roughly 100 individual components including fasteners.
For the individual components how complex are they?
The individual components are are not very complex by themselves. Most of the components are just metal or plastic pieces joined together in an elaborate way to create the complex system that is the engine. The form of the engine is determined by the function it creates.
Materials Used in the Product
What materials are clearly visible?
This product is primarily composed of various metals. It is mostly made of steel, hardened plastics and aluminum. Steel is easily recognizable because it has a rough finish, poor shine and is very heavy. Hardened plastics have a dull finish and rather light but durable. Aluminum has a shiny and smooth finish, is relatively light but at the same time strong. Rubber and copper are used in the wires for insulating and conducting properties respectively.
What materials do you think are not visible but present?
Group 9 can assumes the above materials of steel, aluminum, plastic and rubber are present but not visible. Some examples based on previous knowledge are :
- Engine block is steel
- Pistons are aluminum
- Pulleys are hardened plastics
- Gaskets are rubber for sealing purposes
Product Satisfaction
If you had to use this product, would you be happy with it?
It is unsure to say if group 9 would be happy to use the GM 2.2 L engine. Since the engine does not function there is no way of knowing if the engine is efficient, quiet or noisy, and also substantial if placed in an automobile. If the engine was working properly, group 9 would be happy with it because it is a rather well designed engine for mass produced automobiles.
Is the product comfortable to use?
The product is comfortable to use in a car. Standalone, this product is rendered useless. Cars are a very comfortable mode of transportation (especially compared to walking) and the engine just supplies work to it. The engine in no way makes the trip uncomfortable. It can however be inconvenient when it doesn't work.
Is the product easy to use?
This product is easy to use in a car, but again on it's own this product is rendered useless. Starting a car is very simple, you just turn a key. Using an engine is a very easy way to power a car and makes long distance transportation far more easy and convenient.
Does the product require regular maintenance? If so is the product easy to service?
This product does require regular maintenance, which is serviced by professionals. This makes servicing the engine fairly easy to the owner of the vehicle but it can be costly and time consuming.
Alternatives to the Product
What other alternatives to your product are there? How do these alternatives compare?
Our engine is quite standard but there are countless numbers of other engines out there. There are many alternatives, including different sizes, different fuel types, and different cylinder sizes. The larger engines will give more performance, but less fuel efficiency compared to our engine. Different fuel type engines include hybrid, electric, bio-diesel, and diesel.
What are the differences in cost?
Other fuel type engines such as a hybrid are usually more in cost compared to a gasoline engine. However, the hybrid engine will save more money over a longer period of time because their needed fuel is much less. Engines with more cylinders produce more power, and also have more fuel intake. Again, with more power comes more cost.
What are the advantages?
There are different performances for different cylinders. Our engine is a 2.2 liter inline 4 cylinder but there are 1.6L, 2.4L, etc., all with 4 cylinders. Advantages of a larger engine or better performing engine are increase in output in the form of speed/torque. The 2.2L is a good blend of performance, efficiency and cost.
What are the disadvantages?
The disadvantage of a more powerful engine is less fuel efficiency and for a hybrid/electric the costs are much higher and less performance.
Gate 2: Preliminary Design Review
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Intro
The product that group 9 has to dissect is a 2.2 Liter GM inline 4 cylinder engine. Group 9 collaborated with group 24 who have the same engine to work on. Group 9 decided to take apart the belt drives, crankshaft, and camshaft. Group 24 took apart the headers and pistons. Group nine used photographic documentation throughout the disassembly/reassembly processes. In addition to the documentation, clear labeling of all the components was used to ensure a smooth reassembly process. Dissection time was about 3 hours spread over 2 days.
Causes for Corrective Action
The dissection of the product went mostly according to plan with only a few deviations. The collaboration with group 24 went smoothly, they began by dissecting their part of the engine first after which group 9 picked up from where they had left off. Everyone within group 9 contributed their part and worked well together, Bryan the dissection leader led the team through this gate. Everyone worked on the product and met on time as outlined in our proposal. Group 9 found that it was a very intricate process and that it would be essential to photograph and document all steps. Sometimes the group would reach a point at which the group was not certain on how to proceed but after much discussion and analyzing group 9 was able to move ahead and continue successfully.
Our one main challenge and perhaps the only noteworthy one (the rest too minor to go into detail with) was removing the camshaft. It seemed as if it would not fit through the openings it was resting in. Bryan did some further research on the subject of camshaft removal and learned that it was necessary to remove the oil pump drive prior to the camshaft. After the removal of the oil pump drive the camshaft was removed with ease. This could have been prevented by previous knowledge of the engine, and how to take apart a camshaft. This delay in completion therefore caused the difficulty level to be increased. This allowed us to stay on track with the group's Gantt chart.
Product Dissection Assessment
Tools Required
The dissection of the product did not require any special tools; various sized sockets, needle nose pliers, and a Torx T-30 were necessary to disassemble the engine. Engine fasteners and bolts were used to suspend the engine which allowed for the dissection of the engine from every angle. Bolts, and torx screws were used as fasteners in the engine.
Difficulty Description
For each step we list a difficulty from 1 to 5. One being easiest, task accomplished on first try with little effort. Five being the most difficult with many attempts required to perform the task correctly. The belt drives, crankshaft and camshaft were easy to take apart because it was mostly bolts holding it together. This engine is intended to be a structured disassembly. Taking it apart is not easy, but it is straightforward.
Dissection Procedure
Group 9 began the dissection of the engine where Group 24 left off. Group 24 dissected the top of the engine including the piston/cylinder system and the header. Group 9 worked on the remaining parts consisting of the crankshaft and camshaft systems which is where the dissection begins.The following steps were used to dissect the engine. Number 1 is the first step and number 17 is the last step. Please refer to the images below for clarity.
1. Removed the (3) water pump pulley bolts with a 13 mm socket [2]
2. Removed the water pump pulley by hand [1]
3. Removed the serpentine belt tensioner bolt with a 16 mm socket [2]
4. Removed the serpentine belt tensioner by hand [1]
5. Removed (3) idler pulley minor bolts with a 16 mm socket [2]
6. Removed (1) idler pulley major bolt and washer with 19 mm socket [3]
7. Removed idler pulley by hand [1]
8. Removed (3) water pump bolts with a 14 mm socket [2]
9. Removed the water pump by hand [1]
10. Removed (2) bolts from camshaft gasket with Torx T-30 [4]
11. Removed (6) bolts from the timing chain cover with a 8 mm socket [2]
12. Removed crankshaft and timing chain cover together by hand [3]
13. Removed (3) camshaft plate bolts with a 10 mm socket [1]
14. Removed the camshaft plate by hand [1]
15. Removed (1) oil pump drive bolt with a 10 mm socket [2]
16. Removed the oil pump drive by hand [1]
17. Removed camshaft by hand see corrective action for high difficulty [5]
 Original condition all components intact |
 Idler pulley and serpentine belt fastener |
 Crankshaft in the Engine Block
|
|---|---|---|
 Timing chain cover |
 Engine block at an angle |
 Engine block front view
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Gate 4: Critical Project Review
Product Reassembly Plan
Group 9 begins their reassembly process with an empty engine block; their tools which includes a socket set, rubber mallet, and Torx screwdriver; and all of the disassembled components mentioned below. For each step a difficulty from 1 to 5 was assigned. One being the easiest, task accomplished with little effort, and five being the most difficult with many attempts required to perform the task correctly.
| Step | Procedure | Difficulty | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reattach the water pump with (2) 13 mm bolts using a socket. | 1 |  |
| 2 | Reattach the water pump pulley with (3) 13 mm bolts using a socket | 1 | .JPG) |
| 3 | Replace camshaft by hand by inserting it into the slot and fixing it in place with a rubber mallet. | 2 | |
| 4 | Reattach the oil pump drive by twisting it into slot by hand. Insert (1) 10 mm bolt to secure it with a socket. | 1 |  |
| 5 | Reattach camshaft plate with (3) 10 mm bolts using a socket. | 1 |  |
| 6 | Reattach camshaft gasket with (2) Torx screws using a Torx screwdriver. | 1 |  |
| 7 | Reattached timing chain guide. | 2 |  |
| 8 | Insert the crankshaft and timing chain cover simultaneously while ensuring to fit the peg of the camshaft into the gear of the timing chain. | 5 |   |
| 9 | Reattach timing chain cover with (6) 8 mm bolts and (1) 1 inch bolt onto the gear using a socket. | 1 | |
| 10 | Reattach idler pulley with (3) 16 mm bolts and (1) 19 mm bolt using a socket.. | 1 |  |
| 11 | Reattach the serpentine belt tensioner with (1) 16 mm bolt using a socket. | 1 |  |
Reassembly Analysis
Does your product run the same as it did before you disassembled it?
When we were assigned the GM inline four cylinder engine as our product, it was not in working condition. After reassembling the product back to it's original state we were able to rotate the crankshaft with all of it's connected parts rotating simultaneously as well. This made sure that the product was in the same running condition as assigned initially.
What were the differences between the disassembly/reassembly processes? Were the same sets of tools used? Were you able to reassemble the entire project?
For the most part, the disassembly and reassembly processes were almost exact but in reverse order except for a few alterations. Reinserting the crankshaft turned out to be a very difficult procedure and quite different from how we extracted it in the disassembly. When dissecting the engine, the crankshaft had to be maneuvered and removed by hand which did not prove to be very difficult. Reassembling it however, was a precise and tedious process. The heavy weight of the crankshaft/timing chain cover component complicated things when we tried to reinsert it and had to align it exactly to fit correctly. It was also slightly tricky to match the timing chain gear to its chain correctly while simultaneously placing the crankshaft in its slot. Besides the addition of the rubber mallet, the same tools were required for the assembly of the engine which include a set of socket wrenches and a Torx screwdriver. After approximately three hours, Group 9 was able to successfully reassemble our half of the engine just as we were presented with it.
Are there any additional recommendations your group would make at the product level (operation, manufacturing, assembly, design, configuration, etc.)?
The main recommendation Group 9 is suggesting for the GM 2.2L 4-cylinder inline engine is an overhead camshaft configuration. As mentioned in the design revisions an overhead camshaft configuration is more efficient and produces more power than an in-block camshaft. Also, disassembly and reassembly of the camshaft and its surrounding components is much more difficult than an overhead mounted camshaft. Group 9 experienced the difficulties of reassembly when the camshaft would not line up properly with the timing chain gear. It is much more difficult to make adjustments when the camshaft is sitting deep inside the engine block than sitting on top of the headers. Group 9 had to make small adjustments to make the timing chain gear fit on the end of the camshaft and it would be easier to adjust on the outside of the engine block.
