In the US alone, there are about two cars per household. That’s almost 300 million cars on the road.
With most Americans driving a car on a daily basis, it’s a pretty sad reality that almost none of them understand how a car works. Few people know the difference between a radiator and an alternator.
And fewer people than ever before are taking 10 minutes and changing their own oil. Instead, they’d rather overpay to have someone else do it while they sit on their phone.
So how do cars work? And why is it important for the common driver to know basic facts about cars and their components? Keep reading to set yourself apart from the crowd and learn just a little bit about that $20,000 hunk of metal in your driveway.
Overview of the How Cars Work
The modern marvel of cars is the internal combustion engine. It’s the thing that enabled personal vehicular travel for the past century. And it’s still the foundation of your car in 2021.
Combustion engines work by producing heat and converting that heat into energy to power certain parts of the vehicle In the gas of a vehicle, the car’s fuel tank is filled with gasoline.
Gasoline is ignited, creating a constant stream of intense heat. This heat becomes energy, in the form of torque. This torque then causes the axels to turn, which rotates the wheels.
The wheels grip the road as you drive, propelling the car forward. Turning a car on and pressing the gas pedal is essentially a glorified Rube Goldberg machine. You initiate the process, and all of the systems under the hood begin performing their individual functions, in a matter of milliseconds, in order to move a giant, metal vehicle.
How the Combustion Engine Works
That was the simple explanation. Obviously, there’s a lot more detail to include to understand the full process of a car speeding down the road.
The center of attention is the engine, as it powers all the other systems. The engine starts when you turn the ignition. Gasoline is mixed with oxygen, and the spark from the ignition (coming from the spark plug) lights the mixture.
You are essentially causing a miniature, contained explosion to produce ample amounts of heat and energy.
Each engine comes equipped with cylinders, typically between two and 12. The cylinders have pistons inside them that move up and down. The heat from combustion pushes the pistons in the engine.
These pistons are connected to a crankshaft that spins. As the pistons move up and down, the crankshaft continues spinning. The spinning crankshaft is what turns the wheels.
On rear-wheel-drive vehicles, the crankshaft is only turning the rear wheels. With all-wheel drive, all wheels are turned by the crankshaft. The more cylinders in your vehicle, the more pistons you have moving up and down. The more pistons, the more power to accelerate and maintain higher speeds.
That’s why you see commercials for big trucks boasting about having umpteenth cylinders.
Engines Need Support
In order to work properly, the engine needs support from other components of the car. For example, the air filter is in place to provide oxygen to the combustion process of fuel. The filter allows air through, but blocks debris that might clog the engine.
The carburetor is what processes the mixture of air and fuel. Its job is to maintain the perfect balance of the two, to ensure effective combustion and maximum energy.
The transmission is what is used to transfer the energy from the engine to the wheels. It adjusts the gear ratio between the car’s drive wheels and the engine as the vehicle changes speeds.
You also have other components that are dependent on the engine to work. The alternator uses the energy produced from the combustion engine and converts it to electrical energy. This electricity then powers things like lights, the radio, the dashboard, and power windows and steering.
Car Maintenance Skills You Should Know
There are many types of cars on the road today. But all of them need some basic maintenance to keep them on the road for longer periods of time without breaking down.
One of the most essential is the oil change. Clean oil is vital to the functionality of your engine. It prevents dirt and debris from building up in your engine. They also remove the sludge that builds up in the engine over time.
The task is simple, requires a few basic tools, and some oil designed to work with your car. While it might take a while the first time, since it’s a brand new task, it will only take a few minutes each time going forward.
You should also know how to swap your air filter. Outside air needs to enter the engine, but does so by passing through a filter to keep out debris. Debris buildup on the filter can prevent enough air from getting in, choking the engine over time. Filters are cheap, and tools aren’t always needed for replacement.
Lastly, know how to change a tire. If you ever need to swap one after a flat, you want the confidence knowing you can handle that task on the side of the road.
Knowing how car tires work, and how to change them means you can replace or upgrade your tires at any time. Slapping some fresh 4×4 wheels on your pickup truck is a powerful, yet simple upgrade. Head to https://www.ozzytyres.com.au/news/4×4-mag-wheels-for-sale/ to grab some for yourself.
How Do Cars Work With Ignorant Drivers?
So how do cars work? With billions of drivers across the globe, you’d be hard-pressed to find more than a handful that could answer your questions (professional auto mechanics don’t count).
It should be a requirement to learn how cars work when getting your license and driving a car for the first time. Maybe we’d see fewer accidents as a result. Maybe not.
Until then, you can hold your head up high, with the knowledge that you know more than most people. Looking for other informative articles like this? Head over to our blog now to keep reading.
With most Americans driving a car on a daily basis, it’s a pretty sad reality that almost none of them understand how a car works. Few people know the difference between a radiator and an alternator.
And fewer people than ever before are taking 10 minutes and changing their own oil. Instead, they’d rather overpay to have someone else do it while they sit on their phone.
So how do cars work? And why is it important for the common driver to know basic facts about cars and their components? Keep reading to set yourself apart from the crowd and learn just a little bit about that $20,000 hunk of metal in your driveway.
Overview of the How Cars Work
The modern marvel of cars is the internal combustion engine. It’s the thing that enabled personal vehicular travel for the past century. And it’s still the foundation of your car in 2021.
Combustion engines work by producing heat and converting that heat into energy to power certain parts of the vehicle In the gas of a vehicle, the car’s fuel tank is filled with gasoline.
Gasoline is ignited, creating a constant stream of intense heat. This heat becomes energy, in the form of torque. This torque then causes the axels to turn, which rotates the wheels.
The wheels grip the road as you drive, propelling the car forward. Turning a car on and pressing the gas pedal is essentially a glorified Rube Goldberg machine. You initiate the process, and all of the systems under the hood begin performing their individual functions, in a matter of milliseconds, in order to move a giant, metal vehicle.
How the Combustion Engine Works
That was the simple explanation. Obviously, there’s a lot more detail to include to understand the full process of a car speeding down the road.
The center of attention is the engine, as it powers all the other systems. The engine starts when you turn the ignition. Gasoline is mixed with oxygen, and the spark from the ignition (coming from the spark plug) lights the mixture.
You are essentially causing a miniature, contained explosion to produce ample amounts of heat and energy.
Each engine comes equipped with cylinders, typically between two and 12. The cylinders have pistons inside them that move up and down. The heat from combustion pushes the pistons in the engine.
These pistons are connected to a crankshaft that spins. As the pistons move up and down, the crankshaft continues spinning. The spinning crankshaft is what turns the wheels.
On rear-wheel-drive vehicles, the crankshaft is only turning the rear wheels. With all-wheel drive, all wheels are turned by the crankshaft. The more cylinders in your vehicle, the more pistons you have moving up and down. The more pistons, the more power to accelerate and maintain higher speeds.
That’s why you see commercials for big trucks boasting about having umpteenth cylinders.
Engines Need Support
In order to work properly, the engine needs support from other components of the car. For example, the air filter is in place to provide oxygen to the combustion process of fuel. The filter allows air through, but blocks debris that might clog the engine.
The carburetor is what processes the mixture of air and fuel. Its job is to maintain the perfect balance of the two, to ensure effective combustion and maximum energy.
The transmission is what is used to transfer the energy from the engine to the wheels. It adjusts the gear ratio between the car’s drive wheels and the engine as the vehicle changes speeds.
You also have other components that are dependent on the engine to work. The alternator uses the energy produced from the combustion engine and converts it to electrical energy. This electricity then powers things like lights, the radio, the dashboard, and power windows and steering.
Car Maintenance Skills You Should Know
There are many types of cars on the road today. But all of them need some basic maintenance to keep them on the road for longer periods of time without breaking down.
One of the most essential is the oil change. Clean oil is vital to the functionality of your engine. It prevents dirt and debris from building up in your engine. They also remove the sludge that builds up in the engine over time.
The task is simple, requires a few basic tools, and some oil designed to work with your car. While it might take a while the first time, since it’s a brand new task, it will only take a few minutes each time going forward.
You should also know how to swap your air filter. Outside air needs to enter the engine, but does so by passing through a filter to keep out debris. Debris buildup on the filter can prevent enough air from getting in, choking the engine over time. Filters are cheap, and tools aren’t always needed for replacement.
Lastly, know how to change a tire. If you ever need to swap one after a flat, you want the confidence knowing you can handle that task on the side of the road.
Knowing how car tires work, and how to change them means you can replace or upgrade your tires at any time. Slapping some fresh 4×4 wheels on your pickup truck is a powerful, yet simple upgrade. Head to grab some for yourself.
How Do Cars Work With Ignorant Drivers?
So how do cars work? With billions of drivers across the globe, you’d be hard-pressed to find more than a handful that could answer your questions (professional auto mechanics don’t count).
It should be a requirement to learn how cars work when getting your license and driving a car for the first time. Maybe we’d see fewer accidents as a result. Maybe not.
Until then, you can hold your head up high, with the knowledge that you know more than most people. Looking for other informative articles like this? Head over to our blog now to keep reading.
0 Comments