What is Transmission all about ?

The job of a car's transmission is to make sure that the right amount of power goes to your wheels to drive at a given speed. It works by shifting gears in a very similar fashion to what you see on a multi-speed bicycle. On a bicycle, if the chain is off, the car won't go, and if the chain is in too high a gear, you'll have trouble getting started from a stop. The same principle applies to your transmission, and if you don't keep it well-maintained, you'll lose fuel economy or maybe not even be able to drive at all. 

There are two major types of transmissions in most cars on the road today: automatic and manual. Several other types of transmission have also been gaining ground in recent years. The dual-clutch transmission and The continuously variable transmission (CVT). An electric cars often don't have a transmission at all. 

Before we delve into the way the manual and automatic transmissions work, we should define some key terms:

• Gear: a set of toothed wheels that work together to determine or alter the relation between the speed of a vehicle's engine and the speed of its wheels; it is also the term used to describe each of the gears a driver can select, which is in fact a ratio of the selected gears on the input and output shafts.
• Gear ratio: the ratio between the rates at which the input and output of a set of gears rotate
• Clutch: a mechanism for connecting and disconnecting a vehicle's engine from its transmission system
• Transmission: a mechanism for transmitting power from a vehicle's engine (or motor) to its wheels
• Shift lever: a control lever which the driver uses to manage the current gear (or gear range) of a vehicle's transmission
• H pattern: an arrangement of gears, usually designated on the shift lever knob, where in the gears are arranged in a series of parallel rows, reminiscent of an "H" with extra legs

Manual Transmission :
Manual transmissions often feature a driver-operated clutch and a movable gear selector. Most automobile manual transmissions allow the driver to select any forward gear at any time, but some,only allow the driver to select the next-higher or next-lower gear ratio. This second type of transmission is sometimes called a sequential manual transmission.

Manual transmissions are characterized by gear ratios that are selectable by locking selected gear pairs to the output shaft inside the transmission.

The driver selects gears in a manual transmission by moving a shift lever, which engages a linkage that controls the movement of the gears along the input shaft. Moving the lever forward or rearward chooses between the two gears available on a given linkage; cars with four gears, or speeds, use two linkages; cars with five or six speeds use three linkages. The driver changes between linkages by moving the shift lever left and right.

To engage a gear in a manual transmission, the driver pushes in the clutch pedal, disconnecting the engine from the input shaft of the transmission. This frees the gears on the input shaft to move, as when the engine is sending torque through the input shaft, the gears on it are engaged. Once the clutch has disconnected the power from the engine to the transmission, the user selects the appropriate gear (i.e. first, third, reverse) and releases the clutch, re-engaging engine power to the input shaft and propelling the car with the selected gear ratio.

Contemporary automotive manual transmissions are generally available with four to six forward gears and one reverse gear. Tractor units have at least 10 gears and as many as 24.

Automatic Transmission :
In an automatic transmission, the same essential process is going on within the transmission itself, but it's all done behind the scenes. One of the primary differences between an automatic transmission and a manual transmission is that automatics don't use clutches (typically, anyway). Instead, the automatic transmission relies on a torque converter to de-couple the engine and the gear set.

The torque converter is why automatic transmission cars "creep" forward when idling and in "drive", as a small amount of the engine's torque is being supplied to the transmission's input shaft.

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11 Tips To Increase Longevity Of Your Car

In view of the present market, soaring of fuel prices along with your dream car getting more expensive by the day, is nothing unusual. So, you may want to get the most out of your beloved car while keeping its running and repair costs to the minimum.

You don’t have to be an auto expert to achieve that milestone. Instead, you need to learn few useful tips. So, here are some tips to increase your car’s longevity for a smooth ride ahead.

Choose the best
Firstly, while buying car one must always choose a model of good make. You must not compromise on this and purchase the best you can afford(To know more about tips on buying new car, click here).

Gentle start
Start up your car properly and drive conservatively. Jackrabbit starts and hard braking do more than wear the obvious parts more quickly, leading to more repairs down the road.

Drive regularly
The second trick is to driving regularly and as much as you can. Not driving your car regularly can be as damaging as driving it too hard and recklessly. If not more, it may weaken the battery of your car.

Minimize clutch usage
Avoid using the clutch as far as possible because holding on the clutch for extended periods or touching the clutch pedal unnecessarily may weaken clutch springs and also wear it prematurely, which is not cheap to replace.

Tyre inflation
Make a habit of checking tyre pressures, whenever you are out on a ride. Under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance and reduce fuel consumption by up to 10%, besides effecting stability during the drive. Excessive pressure, on the other hand, results in faster wear of treads, giving a hard and bumpy ride.

Keeping your tyres properly inflated, therefore, can increase fuel mileage and help reduce flats caused by uneven tyre wear.

Understand warning lights
Serious damage could also be caused if you don’t pay heed to the warning lights, such as the oil pressure light and charging light. These lights come up when you turn on the ignition and fade away after a few seconds of engine operation. You should sense a problem if either a light doesn’t come on during ignition or doesn’t go away even when the engine is started.

Tune engined
Keeping your engine tuned always helps. Also remove excessive items from the vehicle. Experts say an extra 100 pound in your car could reduce MPG by up to 2%, while piling a lot of luggage on the roof rack can reduce fuel economy by up to 5%.

Idling
Prolonged idling creates excess emissions and wastes fuel. According to a conservative estimate, fuel worth Rs 1,000 crore is wasted every year in Delhi alone by vehicles idling at its 600 traffic signals. Therefore, start the car and immediately drive away.

Regular maintenance
To top it all is regular maintenance, particularly changing the engine oil. Oil and air filters prevent dirt and harmful particles from damaging the engine and should be changed at least twice a year or every 3,000-5,000 km. Also, the engine should maintain the amount of oil it is programmed to receive. Negligence in this aspect will lead to a deteriorating engine performance, resulting in falling mileage.

Servicing on-time
Modern cars, in fact, are believed to be exceptionally well made. In the past decade alone, maintenance intervals for things such as spark plugs, emission and cooling systems have been stretched out to 100,000 miles. Still the need for periodic maintenance hasn’t changed.

Vehicle care
Vehicle maintenance is the most important aspects to its safety, longevity and value. Your owner’s manual lists specific time or mileage intervals between major and minor services. Make sure all these jobs are done in time.

Moreover, in a country such as India driving conditions are poor in rural and Sub-urban areas, which lead to a fast wear and tear of your vehicle. This can be prevented only by proper maintenance. A well maintained vehicle will not desert you when you need it most!

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How Car Suspension Works

While driving your vehicle, you may have come across uneven surfaces and broken roads. As you drive through such path, what keeps you safe and provide a smooth drive is the suspension of your car.

Upward force from road and Car pressure force downwards are in balance, on smooth roads. On uneven paths the upward force may exceed the downward force, leading to toppling of the car. The automobile suspension transforms the direction of the ensuing force from upward direction to the direction that corresponds to movement of the car.

Automobile Suspension increases(maximizes) the friction between tires and the road and to provide steering stability with good handling and to ensure the comfort of the passengers. In luxury cars, the significance of automobile suspension acquires newer heights since a smooth ride requires complete absorption of bumps.


The Technical Part :

A bump in the road causes the wheel to move up and down perpendicular to the road surface. The magnitude, of course, depends on whether the wheel is striking a giant bump or a tiny speck. Either way, the car wheel experiences a vertical acceleration as it passes over an imperfection.

As the wheel is jumping, it may sometimes lose contact with the road completely. Then, under the downward force of gravity, the wheels can slam back into the road surface. What you need is a system that will absorb the energy of the vertically accelerated wheel, allowing the frame and body to ride undisturbed while the wheels follow bumps in the road.

A suspension system comprises springs, shock absorbers and linkages. This suspension connects an automobile to its wheels. The suspension systems not only help in the proper functioning of the car's handling and braking, but also keep vehicle occupants comfortable and make your drive smooth and pleasant. It also protects the vehicle from wear and tear.

To know more about suspension visit here.

Source: How stuff works

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Tips on Buying New Car

Buying your first car is an important milestone for all of us. When approached properly, it is usually a time-consuming, frustrating, yet exhilarating process, and it's best to devise a plan before you head out to the car lots.
I did some R&D over this issue and concluded on the following tips. These may be useful when you are planning for your first car.

Before You Buy A Car

The beginning is not the point at which you start looking at cars. The beginning is the point at which you start doing some research. Before you begin searching for the perfect first car, you should first ask yourself:

• How much money can i spend on a car ? (includes car price, titling and registration)
  
• What kind of car best suites my needs ? (it includes anything from 'number of passengers' travelling or 'mileage' if you are on long-drives frequently)
• Should i buy a new or used car ? (depends on person-to-person status and needs)
• How long do i plan to keep the car?

Once you are done with these questions, you can start thinking of the exact models and makes of cars you're interested in. Do some research on these vehicles, such as reading up on their safety ratings, as well as the rate of theft for those particular vehicles.

Check out the Car

Before you make the purchase…

• Test-drive the car.
• Have a certified auto mechanic inspect the car.
• Look over the exterior of the car for any damages, like dings or scratches.
• Make sure the spare tire and equipment are where they should be, and that the tire is inflated to the manufacturer’s specifications.
• Make sure all the hubcaps and body moldings are in place.
• Make sure all electrical items properly function.
• Check the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the car to ensure it matches the one on the contract.
• Ask the salesperson to demonstrate each accessory, like setting the clock or turning on the lights.
• Ask the salesperson how to check the oil, coolant transmission fluid and battery.
• Make sure you have the owner’s manual, warranty forms and all legal documents. Read these materials carefully before you drive away.
• If you find a used car you like, consider requesting a vehicle history report for it and find out if the vehicle is salvaged, has been in an accident, or has had odometer changes.

The Paperwork

• Don’t sign any papers until you’ve negotiated the details of a deal. Shop around at several dealerships, and narrow your choices to several cars. Don’t make the mistake of having your heart set on one car–it may reduce your bargaining power.
• Compare dealer costs with prices listed. This will show you how much bargaining room you have on the basic car and individual options.
• Consider bringing an experienced car shopper to help you negotiate.
• Get a firm quote in writing from the dealer.
• Keep negotiations separate. Consider questions about financing, service contracts, trade-ins, or other extras after you have settled on a price.
• Shop around for financing and service contracts, and carefully compare the terms. Read and understand the contract thoroughly before signing it.

Congratulations!

You've just bought your first car! If you purchased the car from a private seller, you'll need to take a few more steps to handle the titling and registration process.

However, if you purchased it from a dealership, all of the paperwork has been handled for you. You'll be given a temporary license plate to use until your permanent one arrives.

Avoiding Common Customer Complaints

Most used cars are sold “as is.” “As is” means just that–any repairs are your responsibility.

“I thought I had a 72-hour return period to return the car.”
You do not have a 72-hour return period unless specifically stated in your contract.

“The salesperson promised!”
Your contract generally has a clause which releases the dealership from any verbal promises made by the salesperson or other employees. Get it in writing or the dealership will not consider it part of the agreement.

“The price or finance rate on the contract wasn’t what was verbally agreed upon.”
Make sure to read over the contract before you sign it to ensure it’s what you verbally agreed upon. Never sign a contract with blank spaces.

“I found the same car at another dealership for a lot less.”
A business has the right to charge whatever they choose. Comparison shop before you sign a contract.

Regardless of the route you choose, try to take someone along who's been through the buying and selling process. Prices are usually negotiable, so you'll want someone who knows the ropes to accompany you. And, if your Uncle Billy just happens to be a mechanic―well, he should be your first choice.

I tried to put together most of the basic criteria one must follow when purchasing a first car. Yet, every individual has their own maiden expirience in this deal. So, if i missed out on anything or you wish to add , all are welcome.

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What does bhp mean ?

Brake horsepower(bhp) is measured by taking a drum filled with a fluid and attaching that to an engine. The power required to turn the drum is the brake horsepower - as the drum is ‘braked’ by the fluid.

Apparently they can do it via an electronic system now.

The maximum horsepower of an engine is determined by achieving a braking horsepower equal to the output of the engine.

The unit, horsepower, was originated by James Watt (1736-1819), the Scottish engineer who developed the first practical steam engine. When Watt offered to sell his steam engines to farmers and miners, he was probably asked how many horses they would replace.

He concluded that an average draft horse could steadily exert a 150 pound force while walking at a speed of 2.5 miles and hour. The horse thus performed work at the rate of 33,000 foot-pounds per minute, or 550 foot-pounds per second. Watt defined this rate as 1 horsepower.

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