How A Car Engine Works – Part 2

While the cylinders are the core of the car engine (see How A Car Engine Works – Part 1) , there are a number of peripheral systems that are necessary for them to continue functioning. Let’s start by looking at a few parts of the cylinder in greater detail. Intake and exhaust camshafts In order [...]

How A Car Engine Works- Part 1

The car engine is the heart—or perhaps rather the stomach—of the car. In the engine, gasoline is burned to produce energy; this energy is then converted into motion. An engine has a number of components that work together to ensure this intricate piece of machinery continues to function smoothly. First, there are the cylinders, in [...]

Car Basics For Dummies

This entry marks the start of a new series on the basics of how cars work. Now, I drove for a long time before I learned how an engine works. Phrases like “blew a gasket” and “torque converter” might as well have been old Icelandic sayings. Looking under the hood of my car felt a [...]

Hypermiling Basics

Hypermiling. The first time I heard the word, I imagined some strange engine malfunction, or perhaps a kind of car-induced anxiety attack, the automotive equivalent of hyperventilating. Of course, neither of these vague impressions was remotely correct. In reality, hypermiling is many things: extreme cost-cutting strategy, environmentally friendly practice, competitive sport, and 2008 Word of [...]