Iphampu kaphethiloli yezimoto ihlukaniswe izingxenye ezimbili: iphampu yamafutha kanye nephampu yedizili. Iphampu yamafutha ifakwe ngaphakathi enjinini. Umsebenzi wayo ukuthumela uwoyela wenjini ezingxenyeni zokungqubuzana zenjini ukuze uwoyela wenjini ujikeleze endaweni yokuthambisa ukuqinisekisa ukuthi injini igcobe kahle. Iphampu yamafutha ngokuvamile iyiphampu yegiya, eyakhiwe ngomzimba wephampu yegiya nokunye. Lapho injini isebenza, i-camshaft ishayela igiya lokushayela lomzimba wepompo ukuze lijikeleze. Igiya linyakazisa uwoyela odongeni lwangaphakathi lwepompo ukusuka endaweni yokufaka uwoyela iye endaweni yokukhipha uwoyela, yenze umfutho ophansi futhi ikhiphe ukumuncwa, bese uwoyela ethangini likawoyela limuncwa endaweni yokufaka uwoyela. Amafutha endaweni yokukhipha uwoyela anqwabelana kakhulu, ngakho umfutho uyanda, futhi uwoyela ucindezelwa engxenyeni ngayinye yokungqubuzana ukuze kutholakale ukuthambisa okuphoqelelwe.
Iphampu ye-diesel ingumzimba wepompo ofakwe ethangini likaphethiloli ukuze uhambise uphethiloli ku-generator futhi unikeze amandla ukuze imoto ishayele. Umsebenzi wayo ukuhlinzeka ngophethiloli odingwa umjovo ngamunye kanye nomjovo wokuqala obandayo. Ngokuvamile kunezinhlobo ezimbili zamaphampu kadizili kagesi asetshenziswa ezinhlelweni zokujova uphethiloli olawulwa nge-elekthronikhi, okungamaphampu edizili kagesi angamarola namaphampu kadizili kagesi ane-vane. Iphampu ye-diesel kagesi yohlobo lwe-roller iqukethe igobolondo, i-cylindrical roller kanye ne-rotor. Ama-roller amahlanu angakwazi ukuslayida ngokujulile emgodini we-rotor, futhi kukhona ukuhlukana okuthile phakathi kwe-rotor nezindlu. I-rotor ijikeleza ngaphansi kokushayela kwe-DC motor, futhi ngaphansi kwesenzo samandla e-centrifugal, ama-roller acindezelwa ebusweni obungaphakathi bomzimba wepompo ukuze akhe amagumbi okuvala amahlanu azimele. Lapho uzungezisa, umthamo womgodi ngamunye wokuvala ushintsha ngokuqhubekayo, futhi uma usendaweni yokufaka uwoyela, ivolumu iyakhuphuka ukuze yakhe i-vacuum ethile, futhi uphethiloli ohlungiwe udonswa epompo. Endaweni yokuphuma kawoyela, ivolumu iba mncane, ingcindezi iyakhuphuka, futhi uphethiloli udlula ku-DC motor bese uphusha i-valve yokuhlola ukuze iphume. Lapho ipayipi likawoyela livalekile noma isihlungi sikaphethiloli sivimbekile, umfutho kaphethiloli udlula inani elishiwo, ivalvu yokunciphisa ukucindezela iyavuleka, bese uphethiloli ugeleza ubuyela ohlangothini lokungena uwoyela. Iphampu ye-vane diesel iyiphampu lapho ama-vanes ku-rotor slot axhumene ne-pump casing, futhi uketshezi olumuncwayo lucindezelwa lusuka ohlangothini lokungena kawoyela luye ohlangothini lokukhipha uwoyela.
