The straight-five engines are not commonly adopted in the motor industry. During the last two decades just Audi (2.2 as well as 2.3-litre), Volvo (2.0-litre, 2.3 turbo as well as 2.4-litre), Honda (the Acura TL), Mercedes diesel and Fiat group (2.0 as well as 2.4-litre Super Fire series) used such a design. But, the straight-five engine relates to its own share of benefits.

This kind of engine bridges the gap occurring between the 4 and 6-cylinder engines. Due to this it may provide the best cylinder capacity to achieve optimized efficiency. When you compare it with the 4-cylinder engines, this engine saves you one balancer shaft.

When you compare it with the 6-cylinder engines, this engine is sufficiently short to be placed transversely within the engine compartment present in front-wheel-drive cars and drives the inline gearbox directly. You can easily derive this engine from the modular designing comprising of the 4 as well as 6-cylinder inline engines.

This would save you the development expenses. Moreover, it also diminishes the investment for the new production line. This really indicates how fine and worthy they are. The Fiat, Mercedes as well as Volvo’s 5-pots are created in the form of the modular engines.
It is interesting to note that the inline-5 fires one time at every 144° crank angle. Due to this it has a distinctive crankshaft designing. This would give you a clear picture about it.

The resultant first order as well as the second order force remains balanced. Due to this it doesn’t require the twin-balancer shafts like a large 4-cylinder engine. But, it produces the end-to-end vibration as in the 3-cylinder ones. Both the engine ends would vibrate in an up and down way with respect to the center of the engine.

The use of a balancer shaft having counter weights which move in opposite direction of the pistons is the way to tackle this situation. The balancer shaft should be offset with either engine sides. This results in incomplete vibration cancellation.

The car’s aerodynamic efficiency gets determined by its Cd or Coefficient of Drag. The coefficient of drag does not depend on area. It just indicates the influence to the aerodynamic drag through the object shape. The circular flat plate is known to have Cd 1.0.

However, after adding of the turbulence effect about its edge, this gets approximately 1.2. It is interesting to note that the most aerodynamic efficient shape remains water drop, having a Cd of 0.05. But, a car can not be made like this. The typical modern car has about 0.30. Let us examine this topic in detail.

Drag remains proportional to frontal area, drag coefficient, and the square of the vehicle speed. A car going at a speed of 120 mph needs to fight with four times the drag as compared to a car going at a speed of 60 mph. The drag also influences the top speed.

In case we require raising the top speed involved in Ferrari Testarossa from the mark of 180 mph to the mark of 200 mph as in Lamborghini Diablo, without changing its shape, then we should raise the power from the point of 390 hp to the 535 hp mark. In case we rather put time as well as money for the wind tunnel research, then reducing its Cd from 0.36 to 0.29 would work in the same way. This would give you an accurate picture about it.

During the 60s, the motor racing engineers began to consider aerodynamics with full serious efforts. They found that in case they decrease the slope of the car back to 20 degrees and less, then the air flow would follow the roof line in a smooth way. This would considerably decrease the drag.

This design got named as “Fastback”. Due to this several racing cars, like Porche 935 / 78, developed a very long tail as well as lowered the back to achieve the desired results.

Vehicles with automatic transmission come with a computerized gear shifting. This computerized part is known as the Transmission Control Module (TCM). The location of the TCM in most vehicles is the back of the engine.

The working of the TCM is simple. It gets many sensor signals which allow it to determine the exact running conditions of the vehicle. The control unit of the engine sends these sensor signals. TCM interprets sensor signals and accordingly decides the timing and method of gear changes. Using these signals the TCM can control the whole gear shifting process in accordance with the current driving conditions of the vehicle.

The working of the TCM becomes more crucial when the vehicle is going up or down. For example, if the vehicle is going down on a steep slope then the gear will automatically shift as the driver uses a brake. If the driver presses the accelerator then the TCM will not do anything with this shifting of the gear.

It ensures security of the vehicle irrespective of any possible wrong judgment of the driver. The same is the case when a vehicle is going up like driving upward on a hill. In this situation the TCM will automatically chose the appropriate gear. The possibility of accidental wrong decisions of driver is minimized.

Apart from this automatic gear shifting the TCM has many other important functions. It helps in making the vehicle fuel efficient. Using various sensors it can properly regulate the use of the fuel in the vehicle. Moreover, it can also regulate the power of the vehicle. It ensures optimum fuel efficiency and maintains the required power with the help of sensors that clutch receives.

Another vital function of the TCM is to store information regarding the transmission system of the vehicle. Storing large amount of information gives intelligence to the TCM. With the help of these data it can effectively control gears, check wastage of the fuel, and regulate the power of the vehicle.
The TCM is a vital equipment of any modern vehicle.

You need to show extra care while buying a used car. It is not an easy task to get a good deal. You need to give extra attention to even small details.

Following are three tips that you can follow while buying a used car. There are many other things to consider about. However, these three tips are most important.

Inspect Thoroughly: First thing which you need to do is complete self inspection of the used car you intend to buy. It is an extremely important step. If you don’t have that much idea about automobiles, then you can ask some knowledgeable friend to go for testing. Check the engine, fluid leaks, scratches, and any possible cracks in the car. You can also take your own mechanic with you for engine to exterior and interior inspection. Your known mechanic can give you better input than the one employed by the seller.

Test Drive: Test drive is a natural thing almost all car buyers want to do. However, unlike new car, buying used car requires more attention during test drive. Make sure, there is no vibration in the car while driving, there is no shake during high speed driving, and all functions meant for drivers are working fine. You can also make a list of stuffs to check during test driving. Remain alert as a single error may waste your hard earned money.

History of the Car:  Whether you are buying car from a dealer, or from a private person you should ask for history report of the car. Check about oil changes, different types of servicing, and all routine maintenances. History of the car can give you the perfect idea about the condition of the car. Match history with original documents given by the owner.

These three tips are what you need to consider for avoiding investing your money in a bad car.

As there are ever increasing number of car models,the world of auto accessories is likewise infinite.They have not only to serve the functional purpose; they have to do with the appearance as well.You can even find an ever increasing world of accessories on the internet world.People have their varying preferences and to fulfill their demands there are so many online shops.

The online shopping for car accessories helps you save your time besides helping saving your money.You get competitive prices there.

Here are a few accessories that go with almost every model of cars and add to the charm of using the cars.

LED bulbs for example help any car look beautiful.But these are not only for show.The real function is to help you visualize the roads and traffic better while you drive in nights.They enhance the visibility even in bad weather.

To enhance the visual value of your car are the mats.You may look for a variety of mats in various colors,styles and designs. They are readily found on any online or local store.

Seat covers add to the charm of the interior of your car.They help in keeping the seats clean apart from giving you a better feel sitting in the car.The varieties are unlimited with mind blowing finishes,colors and fabrics and synthetics.

You must have felt a need to keep your pets not harming your cars.There is a solution to this problem.It is called pet barrier and is available on stores.You can carry your pet with no anxiety now while you are on your way driving the car.

There is no better accessory than one that adds strings to your time spent inside the car.It is the music system.There are the most possible varieties in functions and the advanced technologies with the DVD players and other music accessories these days.You can even watch movies moving in the car with a tiny to a larger screen in the car.These accessories don’t take any space in your car.

So use internet now to browse for what auto accessories you can add to your car!

From the next year you will be able to ride Ariel bikes. The company has decided to manufacture bikes once again. The company started bike manufacturing in the year 1898 and now making a comeback in the two wheel industry in 2012.

The company has planned to manufacture 200 units in the first year plus promises to make them rather fast.

Simon Saunders, Ariel boss, said, “They’ll be quick, but won’t necessarily feel it. There are lots of 202mph bikes out there, but most people can’t put the power down. We want all of the performance to be achievable, not academic – we’re not chasing big numbers. Like the Atom, no two bikes will be the same – we want to offer more than a superbike or track bike. If a customer tells us they want something set up for touring, we’ll make it.”

As you can see there are two different bikes in the sketch. Although there will be some standardized parts, such as a Honda engine, which is yet to be named.

The price of bikes would start from £20,000 and order books will open later in the year.

Porsche a name that doesn’t require any introduction, the company launched its new coupe 911 Carrera GTS. It has wide body, rear wheel drive riot with 408hp but at reasonable price. It is a unique combination of features and parts.

Performance

It gets latest direct injection VarioCam Plus 3.8-litre flat-six, it produces 408hp with its complementary inclusion of Porsche’s official Powerkit upgrade.  With lower down torque, the GTS hits faster, harder so even the 325lb ft peak actually has not changed the engine feels more responsive.

The coupe can reach 0-62mph in just 4.2 sec but regardless of gear box.

Handling and Ride

The company uses same plan with its 911 racing cars that is practical as well as cool. The new GTS is able to deliver awesome speed. The steering is fabulous without slack and beautifully weighted. It Active Suspension Management is standard.

Interior

You can save your money with new GTS because it has unique Alcantara cabin as standard. It’s fantastic and pimping out with red leather plus carbonfibre. However buying a car is not a cheap option but you will experience the strange with it.

Safety and Economy

According to the company the new coupe will deliver 27.3mpg for standard six-speed manual and 27.7mpg for the seven-speed PDK. It emits 242g/km CO2 and 240g/km respectively.

It is equipped with safety kits such as six airbags for the coupe, four airbags and rollover protection for the Cabriolet, brake assist and stability control.

Specification

Engine- 3.8 S Powerkit

Power- 408hp

Torque- 325

Top Speed- 188-190

A transmission gives torque and speed conversions from one source of rotating power to some other device by making use of gear ratios. It is also referred to as gearbox.

In simple words transmission is used to indicate a whole drive train, that includes gearbox, prop shaft, clutch, final drive shafts and differential. Sometimes the distinction between a gearbox and transmission is made. The gearbox is a device used for converting torque and speed. On the other hand, the transmission is a gearbox type that could be shifted to change speed: torque ratio dynamically, like a vehicle.

These are quite commonly used in the motor vehicles. Here a transmission adjusts the internal combustion engine output to drive wheels. These engines require operation at a comparatively higher rotational speed that is not suitable for starting, slower travel and stopping. The transmission decreases the high engine speed to the slow wheel speed, and thus increasing the torque in this process. These transmissions are also required in fixed machines, pedal bicycles and any other devices where torque and rotational speed need adaptation.

A transmission quite often comes with multiple gear ratios. They have the ability of switching between them as the speed varies. This switching can be performed manually using the operator or done automatically. The directional control for forward as well as reverse can also be given. The single ratio transmissions are also there that simply change the torque and speed of the motor output. Sometimes even the direction is also changed.

In the applications of motor vehicle, the transmission is generally connected to engine crankshaft. The transmission output is transmitted to one or more than one differentials via driveshaft. This in turn is used for driving the wheels. The differential can also cause gear reduction but the primary purpose of it is to vary the rotation direction.

You are curious to know more about gear coupling. You want to know why it is used. You can not wait to grab complete details relating to it. Then this article is the right one for you.

The gear coupling is a very innovative mechanical device. It helps in torque transmission between two non collinear shafts. It contains the flexible joint that is fixed to both shafts. These two joints get connected to the third shaft known as spindle. The joints contain a gear pair that is internal or external having gear ratio of 1:1. The external gear’s outer diameter and tooth flanks are crowned which allows angular displacement between two gears.

The gears could be considered equivalent to the rotating splines having modified profiles. An interesting thing to note is that they are known as gears due to the relatively larger teeth size.

Gear couplings as well as universal joints find their application in similar processes. The gear couplings provide more torque densities as compared to the universal joints fitting any given space. On the other hand, universal joints produce lower vibrations. Gear teeth found in the gear coupling produce high backlash which allows the angular misalignment. It there is excessive backlash then it can result in vibrations.

The gear couplings find their limit in angular misalignments, the spindle angle relative to connected shafts axes, of 4-5°. The universal joints can give higher misalignments. The gear couplings having single joint are used for connecting two nominally coaxial-shafts. In this use the device is known as flexible coupling.

Single joint permits minor misalignments like installation errors or shaft alignment changes because of operating conditions. An important thing to note is that these gear coupling types are normally limited in the angular misalignments of about 1/4-1/2°.

The internal combustion engine having multiple pistons which move in horizontal plane is called flat engine. There are two banks having cylinders placed on either side of a common crankshaft. It is commonly called the boxer.

Flat engines have lower centre of gravity. There can provide a driving configuration with good control and stability. Their designing is also wider as compared to other engines and can cause complications in the fitment of engine within bay of front engined cars. In case of motorcycles, the width of flat engine can cause restrictions in cornering. Flat engines are suited well for aircraft engines.

BMW Motorrad utilized flat-twin air cooled engine in many motorcycles prior to 1980. It still makes use of this layout. It is found in many of its models till now. Porsche 911 makes use of flat-engine (six-cylinder) and is placed at the car’s rear.

The extra width has no interference with the front wheels steering. Moreover, it saves weight as prop-shaft is not used.