Your car’s transmission sends power to the driven wheels, but the wheels themselves need assistance to operate effectively. If they were forced to rotate at the same speed, it would place a strain on the axle and hamper your car’s ability to turn. A differential helps prevent these issues by…
Most vehicles have drive shafts to transmit engine and transmission torque to the wheels. Usually, people refer to the longitudinal shaft — running front to back— as the “drive shaft,” and the transverse — from the differential to the wheel — as an “axle shaft.” Front-wheel-drive vehicles have two axle…
Lawn mowers are a vital tool for anyone responsible for a yard, but they have their share of problems — generally when you need them most. Luckily, many issues are easy enough to solve. You just have to know the operational basics and some of the more common DIY lawn…
Taking care of your convertible’s top should be high on your list of car maintenance tips for summer, especially if you live in the kind of climate where sun damage is unavoidable. Although modern vinyl and cloth roofs are tougher than they used to be, there are still a number…
Automobiles have thousands of individual parts, ranging from screws, nuts and bolts to body panels and drivetrain components. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Ford and Nissan often turn to outside suppliers to provide them with parts. So it’s not shocking that, according to Popular Mechanics, GM is embracing an emerging…
The internal combustion engine is going strong after nearly 150 years. Lenoir, Otto and Benz, pioneers of engines and automobiles, would be astonished to see where their creations have gone. The evolution of modern engines has been nothing short of amazing. Naturally, a go-fast-go-big mentality drove most internal-combustion-engine innovations, but…
The English language can be perplexing, and much of this has to do with the way words are spelled. In many cases, spelling is phonetic, and you can figure out how to spell a word simply by listening to how it’s pronounced. But that’s certainly not always the case. Many…
More often than not, batteries die at the most inopportune times. Sometimes you get the usual warning signs for a weak car battery, like an engine that’s slow to turn over or an illuminated check engine light. Sometimes, though, you get no signs at all, so it’s always a good…
Your car battery is critical to keeping your vehicle running. It sends power to the starter to turn over the engine and receives generated electricity from the alternator to maintain power. If you’re able to extend the life of your car battery, you may avoid an untimely failure. Most car…
The fuel pump is the heart of the fuel injection system. Without it, fuel won’t leave the tank, and your engine won’t run. Although it’s by no means a regular occurrence, fuel pump failure is not unusual in older vehicles. Unfortunately, it’s not always the easiest part to replace. The…