I know how a manual transmission works, but I always wondered how automatic transmissions deal with a car braking to a stop at a traffic light, for instance. I know (or suspect) it has something to do with the torque converter, but what it is actually doing to “disconnect” the motor from the wheels is probably pretty complicated.
Suggested by JimmieG
The old saw in the car world is that engines produce power, which goes into an automatic transmission, magic happens, and sadness comes out. The automatic transmission doesn’t actually “disconnect” the motor from the wheels, as there is still some engine braking done with automatic transmissions. Here’s a short video explaining how traditional torque converter automatics work. Obviously this is completely different from CVTs and dual-clutch gearboxes.
Why American car brands cant stick to a nameplate? (Like Corolla, Camry or accord)
Why german engineering is so sought after if their cars are expensive to fix and don’t last long
Why can’t the car display what’s wrong instead of a dumb check engine?
Suggested by Hector David Salinas
1. American car brands absolutely stick to nameplates. Corvette, Mustang, Suburban, and F-series all pre-date Corolla, Camry, and Accord, in some cases by a couple decades.
2. German cars will last forever if you keep up with maintenance. They are expensive to fix because all cars are expensive to fix now.
3. The vast majority of drivers know less than nothing about how their car operates or what things mean. A check engine or service engine soon light lets the driver know they need to schedule an appointment, but if the dash said “O2 Sensor Fault” or “Cylinder One Misfire” they’re more likely to ignore it. There’s also the fact that most dealerships make a huge profit on service, and the automaker is in the business of making their dealer customers happy.
Why is car culture hella straight? Why do straight men look at LGBTQIA+ folks like aliens when we are in the same space?
Suggested by Scoobie2
Not only will I not make excuses for my fellow straights, I will continue to push them to be more accepting. We, as car enthusiasts, need to do everything in our power to open the arms of car enthusiasm to embrace the LGBTQ community, and push out the bigots. I co-founded Radwood, and one of my friends told me the first time they felt comfortable being out in public as a trans woman was at a Radwood event, which remains one of my proudest achievements. For queer-focused car spaces, look up Out Motorsports, they’re great people!
Why do automakers make interference engines when they get destroyed if a timing belt or chain breaks?
Suggested by Bruno
There are significant engineering benefits to designing an interference engine. While there is risk of catastrophic engine failure with a snapped timing belt, this can typically be avoided by changing the belt on the manufacturer recommended interval. Interference engines offer a higher compression ratio, more power, better fuel economy, and lower exhaust emissions, on average, than their non-interference counterparts.
