Camshaft

A camshaft is a long metal shaft with ovals (also called cams) on it. Those ovals control the opening and closing of valves on the engine, like the intake and exhaust valves. Inside the engine, the combustion of gasoline and air creates a lot of power to make the car go, but it also needs to be controlled and directed. That's where the camshaft comes in. It takes the power from the engine and makes sure it opens and closes the valves in the right order and at the right time. That lets the engine run smoother and more efficiently.