All Abouth Cars

Understeer and oversteer are two such arcane terms used by reviewers. These terms describe how it handles when you push it beyond the limit of tyre grip. It's worth remembering, people who drive more slowly will not fall victim to over- or understeer and, on modern cars, there is a raft of safety equipment to make absolutely sure the below eventualities do not happen. Still confused? Let us help ... Understeer - what is it? This is when the car's front wheels lose grip through a corner due to excessive speed. This causes the front end to push towards the outside of the corner and for steering to become useless. Understeer - what causes it? Understeer occurs when front tires start slipping. This happens when the front tires are asked to turn while also managing a lot of braking or speed. If you 're going rather fast or braking very hard and trying to turn the wheel, the extra momentum can cause the front tires to slip in the direction you are traveling so, instead of...

A compressor bypass valve (CBV), also known as a pressure relief valve or diverter valve, is a manifold vacuum-actuated valve designed to release pressure in the intake system of a turbocharged vehicle when the throttle is lifted or closed. This air pressure is re-circulated back into the non-pressure end of the intake (before the turbo), but after the mass flow sensor. A blowoff valve, (sometimes "hooter valve" or BOV) performs the same task but releases the air into the atmosphere instead of recirculating it. This type of valve is typically an aftermarket modification. The blowoff action produces a range of distinctive hissing sounds, depending on the exit design. Some blowoff valves are sold with a trumpet-shaped exit that intentionally amplifies the sound. Some turbocharged vehicle owners can purchase a blowoff valve solely for the auditory effect even when the function is not required by normal engine operation. Motor sports governed by the FIA ​​have made it illegal t...

Step 1 Heel and toe is mostly used to change down in the anticipation of a corner. Diagram 1 (below) shows a driver accelerating in the third gear, approaching the top of the power band with the road speed increasing. Diagram 1 : Accelerating in third gear As you approach the braking point of a corner, cover the brake pedal with the ball of your right foot. The brake is the priority of the two pedals, so ensure a good contact and no risk of your foot slipping off. In some cars it is very difficult to heel and toe due to the pedal position. It's useful to wear racing boots or tan soled shoes to increase your pedal feel and reduce the chances of your foot sliding off the brake. Step 2 When you reach the braking point, press the brake pedal and reduce your road speed to a point where it is possible to change down without over-revving the engine (see Diagram 2 below). In this example, the driver is in the third gear, reducing the speed before a shift into second. ...

Double clutching is a method of shifting gears used primarily for vehicles with unsynchronized manual transmission, such as commercial trucks and specialty vehicles. While double clutching is not necessary in a vehicle that has a synchronized manual transmission, the technique can be advantageous for smoothly downshifting in order to accelerate. With this method, instead of pushing the clutch in once and shifting directly to another gear, the driver first engages the transmission in neutral before shifting to the next gear. The clutch is pressed and released with each change. Technique The double clutching technique involves the following steps: The accelerator (throttle) is released, the clutch pedal is pressed, and the gearbox is shifted into neutral. The clutch pedal is then released, the driver matches the engine speed to the gear speed either using the throttle (accelerator) (or when changing to a lower gear) or waiting for the engine speed to decrease (when changing to a ...

This is a quick guide to the modifications to get more from any diesel engine. While it is possible to go to much further, most of these diesel tuning suggestions are relatively cheap, quick and simple. Engine Upgrades Diesel Remap & Tuning Boxes   As diesel engines use compression ignition, the two main areas we are looking for for diesel tuning is the injection system and air intake. Adding a tuning chip or external tuning box allows you to get more from your engine. Diesel engines often come in several performance variants, and are tuned to run on a wide range of fuel qualities. Modern diesel tuning systems - either the external diesel tuning box or internal chip remapping will dynamically adjust the engine parameters to give better power at all rev ranges. As a bonus, since you have more power available, you will often find you use less fuel overall - unless you have a very heavy right foot. Choosing between an external tuning box and a diesel remapping i...

Despite the increasing number of online resources and shifting dealer strategies, car shopping is still a headache. There's a long list of confusing topics when choosing the right one, but all-wheel drive (AWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) seem to consistently confound salespeople and car shoppers alike. Often, these terms are used interchangeably, but are they really the same? In the motoring world, they actually refer to very different systems, which can produce radically different results on and off-road. But let's get to the point: what's the difference between the four-wheel drive and the all-wheel drive, how will each affect your daily driving life, and which badge belongs to your car? Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) Let's start with the old-school version. 4WD, sometimes referred to as Four by Four or 4 × 4, is typically used on off-road vehicles - or at least vehicles with all-terrain capabilities. Unfortunately, 4WD does not fit nicely in one-sentence explanation, bu...

Already lauded as the most powerful muscle car ever backed by a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI engine that serves up 707 hp and 650 lb.-ft. of torque-the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat has now laid claim to the title of the fastest muscle car ever. That came after the car recently laid waste to the previous quarter-mile record and reeled off an expired time (ET) of just 11.2 seconds at 125 mph. And to be clear, that new benchmark was both certified by the NHRA and set with the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat wearing stock Pirelli PZero tires. After mounting drag radials at all four corners, the car delivered a 10.8 second run at 126 mph. Said Tim Kuniskis, President and CEO, Dodge and SRT Brands: "It was not long ago that a 10-second car was a full-on race car. The new 2015 Dodge Challenger raises the bar to a level some of us never thought we'd see. With the new Challenger SRT Hellcat, we're reaching deep into our history and bringing back the notion of the muscle c...

Four Stroke Engine The four-stroke engine was first demonstrated by Nikolaus Otto in 18761, hence it is also known as the Otto cycle. The technically correct term is actually a four-stroke cycle. The four-stroke engine is probably the most common engine type nowadays. It powers almost all cars and trucks. The four strokes of the cycle are intake, compression, power, and exhaust. Each corresponds to one full stroke of the piston; Therefore, the complete cycle requires two revolutions of the crankshaft to complete. Intake During the intake stroke, the piston moves downward, drawing a fresh charge of vaporized fuel / air mixture. The illustrated engine features a poppet intake valve that is drawn by the vacuum produced by the intake stroke. Some early engines worked this way; However, most modern engines incorporate an extra cam / lifter arrangement as seen on the exhaust valve. The exhaust valve is closed by a spring (not illustrated here). Compression As the piston ris...

HOW THE TURBO ANTI-LAG SYSTEM WORKS Bang-bang (also known as ALS which stands for Anti-Lag System) is an engine management technique that allows to minimize the turbo lag time. As you may be aware of, turbochargers display what is known as lag time, which is the time needed for the turbine to reach its full throttle from the intermediate rotational speed state. The duration of a turbocharger's lag depends on many factors, including its inertia, airflow efficiency, back pressure, etc. The issue is partly dealt with by fitting a turbo dump valve, which acts every time the driver lifts his foot from the throttle. The dump valve will evacuate the pressure air coming from the turbocharger while the inlet manifold is closed so that the turbine does not stall and avoid possible damage to its bearings. In racing cars it is very common to fit the oversized turbochargers in order to be able to produce enough boost pressure and ensure sufficient engine output. Big turbochargers exhibit sig...

Turbo lag is the time between mashing the throttle and feeling the torque rush from a turbocharged engine. The lag comes from the time it takes the engine to create enough exhaust pressure to spin the turbo and pump compressed air intake into the engine and is the longest when the engine is in a low-load, low-load cruising situation. If you're wondering why someone does not make a turbo that makes full boost from idle to redline, there's a very simple answer for that: like all engine parts, a turbo needs to be matched to a specific rpm range to function correctly. A turbo that's small enough to make a significant amount of boost under low-rpm situations would be overspeed and possibly explode as soon as a full throttle was hit. The opposite is also true-a turbocharger that makes the most peak power will make virtually no boost until well into the engine's powerband. Most turbo setups are a compromise between these two scenarios. Five Ways to Reduce Turbo Lag There ...

When looking for a used sports car, the passage of time does wonders to help reduce the cost of entry. Like luxury cars, the best used sports cars - in most cases - suffer from severe depreciation that puts them in the realm of the possible for those with a more modest car-buying budget. For the price of a well-equipped family sedan you can easily find yourself driving around in a used sports car that will offer outstanding performance and exceptional handling. Sometimes, you'll pay even less than that to get your road-going excitement. Let's take a quick look at 10 of the best used sports cars currently on the market. 2009-2010 Porsche Cayman S The Porsche Cayman S is the best-kept secret in the German brand's line-up, as this entry-level compact coupe is in many ways a better drive than the range-topping Porsche 911. Starting in 2009, examples of the Porsche Cayman S The first-in-a-row fuel injection, which allowed its 3.4-liter, six-cylinder engine to jump to 320 ...

"Honey, the stick has a line on it!" Is a phrase the implications of which every auto enthusiast parent recognizes. Yes, it means your favorite sports car, which was good enough when it was just two of you, probably will not cut it anymore. You'll need a more spacious set of wheels. Now, let's say you truly love to drive and the specter of recruitment to the land of dual sliding doors and fold-flat seats has robbed your special moment of some of its joy. With this list of fourteen fast family cars we're here to tell you-cheer up! There are other ways. Audi S6 A 420-horsepower turbocharged V8 capable of launching an all-wheel drive four-door luxury sedan to 60 from zero in 4.5 seconds and still returns 20 miles per gallon combined? Yes, this is the heart and soul of the Audi S6. Further, it gets top safety scores from both the IIHS and NHTSA. Additionally, it's absolutely brimming with cutting-edge technology and is so classy-looking you'll absolutely be...

SUVs have long since evolved past the idea that they should be all about rugged off-road experiences requiring four-wheel drive, locking differentials, high ground clearance, and the sheer and utter ability to go absolutely anywhere. In many ways, the SUV category has become just as varied as the passenger car category. With this revelation, it comes as no surprise to find a number of SUVs on the market with driving dynamics chief among their palette of attributes. Yes, there really is a very credible slate of SUVs that think they're sports cars. Here's a list of them. Acura RDX Updated for the 2016 model year, the sporty Acura RDX luxury crossover SUV is an extremely competent handler with strong acceleration and a thoroughly modern look. Key features include Smart Cruise control, lane keeping assist, and remote engine start. The 3.5-liter V6 engine has been upgraded to produce 279 horsepower and 252 ft-lbs of torque (up from 273/251). A six-speed automatic is standard, a...