Questions tagged [automotive-design]

The way that the manufacturer of any given vehicle determined to engineer it.

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1979 firebird custom rack and pinion design

I am attempting to convert my firebird to a rack and pinion steering system, so I can introduce later modifications. https://www.unisteer.com/products/1975-81-firebird-trans-am-power-rack-and-pinion-...
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Do we know anything about the decision making involved with for example Jaguar Land Rover security system?

It has been in the news for a few years that Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) cars are being stolen via exploits in the wireless security system. The most recent story is that JLR are denying they are the ...
1 vote
1 answer
390 views

Why is rain not a consideration for sedans' rear windows?

I recently bought a new car and was very surprised to find that it has no rear windscreen wiper. On further investigation, I discovered that in general, car manufacturers only include rear wipers on ...
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3 answers
210 views

Car with floor-integrated battery pack

Are there any other electric cars with a floor-integrated battery pack other than the Tesla?
2 votes
1 answer
533 views

ODB Wiring: How to identify signal ground vs chassis ground?

I am rewiring an odb port that was ripped out of my 2018 hyundai santa fe. The issue I was having was that there are multiple same colored wires. I was able to isolate each wire by using a diagram of ...
0 votes
1 answer
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What makes Maseratis and Aston Martin motors sound the way they do

It's clear these manufacturers design their motors to sound good and the buyers expect them to sound like they sound. But mechanically, how do they manage to have such a distinct sound? Could other ...
14 votes
5 answers
2k views

Factors Limiting EV Battery Acceptance Rate on DC Fast Chargers

There is a bunch of, relatively speaking, inexpensive EVs with 200-250 mile (320-400 kM) range -- e.g., the Kia Niro, Subaru Solterra, Volvo C40, and late model Nissan Leafs. All, in my experience ...
2 votes
3 answers
346 views

Why do cars and motorcycles use such low tyre pressures?

Cars and motorcycles typically use tyre pressures of 30-40 PSI. By the standards of literally almost every non-car non-motorcycle type of vehicle that uses pneumatic tyres, this is ridiculously low: ...
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2 answers
265 views

Why some motorcycles designs pull air for the intake through its chassis?

I couldn't find this answer nowhere, but i'm very curious about why some motorcycles have a carburetor intake connected to their chassis. In the image below we can see how the chassis is designed with ...
2 votes
1 answer
302 views

What are these protrusions on lights?

I've seen these small bumps on a number of cars' lights (both front and rear) and was wondering why they are there. The ones pictured below are from a Toyota Auris. Others I have seen are smaller, ...
4 votes
5 answers
49k views

Effects and factors of wheelbase in the design of a motor vehicle

How does varying wheelbase during automobile design affect the properties of the vehicle that is going to be built (both two-wheelers and four-wheelers)? I know that greater wheelbase means less ...
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is a sprag unit and what does it do?

I know a sprag unit is used in the transmission. What is it and how does it work? Is it used anywhere else or is it strictly a thing used in transmissions? Are there different kinds of sprags?
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3 answers
312 views

Why aren't automatic transmissions lubricated the same way as manual transmissions?

I know that you cannot tow a vehicle with an automatic transmission the same way as a manual. This is because the automatic transmission will not be properly lubricated. I read in the comment to this ...
1 vote
2 answers
732 views

Re-wiring OBD port

I was reading online about thieves 'hacking' the OBD2 port on push button start vehicles and there seems to be little discussion around OBD2 port locks or moving OBD ports. I was wondering if any has ...
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1 answer
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Which components of this Kia Sorento are the circled?

I would like to know what these components are?
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42 views

Help with Vehicle model?

Need help in identifying this 3 wheeled model. Thanks!
1 vote
1 answer
367 views

BMW i3 Range-Extended REx exhaust pipe? But where?

I have a similar puzzle regarding: the BMW i3 Range-Extended REx exhaust pipe, where is it? See also, https://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=197 BMW i3 is an electric car, so the exterior ...
3 votes
4 answers
6k views

Why is the roll center of the car suspension designed lower than the car's cg?

Why is the car roll center always designed to be lower than the car's center of gravity In my humble opinion, despite the fact that the car suspension will be harder to install and that there will be ...
5 votes
5 answers
2k views

Why is there no vent option for combined defrost/face?

I've wondered about this one question for the better part of twenty years: why is there no option for you to set the air vent to split between face and defrost? That is, the airflow options on (...
2 votes
0 answers
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Books to learn about how a car works, in a well structured manner [closed]

Lets assume that I want to build a custom vehicle using spare parts lying around in a mechanic shop. I don't know squat about how cars work. What books do you suggest I read in order to understand ...
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Regulation if stop lamps may require an activated ignition or not

Where can I find a regulation for Europe or Germany, if stop lamps may require an activated ignition or not? I saw that the stop lamps of some cars are still fully functional without the ignition key ...
2 votes
3 answers
123 views

I design custom motorcycle tanks, will the weight of the body filler used offset the balance?

I have done a couple of custom 3D tanks, utilizing body filler mostly, then carving out. I don't use loads of it, but if one side of the tank has the design, can it offset the balance? I just do not ...
7 votes
6 answers
75k views

1 Piece versus 2 Piece Drive Shaft

A guy on a Nissan forum asked why he should keep his 2 piece drive shaft in his truck instead of changing over to a 1 piece version. This was the answer I gave him: The 2 piece drive shaft (DS) is ...
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0 answers
49 views

Hybrid car design: simplifying the gasoline motor

Although in the popular mind a hybrid car is a gasoline car with an electric motor, I imagine that there's some space for simplifying the design of the gasoline motor, once you have the electric once. ...
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1 answer
3k views

Automotive engine compartment parts and connection diagram

Is there is a site that can show me the complete engine compartment part locations and connections? I need a site that can show me the same that the auto parts store have, that once you input the car ...
2 votes
1 answer
84 views

Water in vehicle tyres

Why are some vehicles tires filled with water? What is the reason behind it. Is it done for all the vehicles or only heavy vehicles?
-1 votes
2 answers
39 views

Automobile research [closed]

I am looking for a project in field of automobile engineering.So if any one can suggest what are the areas in which there is scope for development/improvement in automobiles
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3 answers
61 views

Redundent radiator

A 2000 town car limo was build just in tolerance for the 4.6 engine capability. Even at brand new it would overheat if you push it to hard. It is older and less efficient and it over heat in general ...
22 votes
3 answers
5k views

How do the latest automatic transmissions match the efficiencies of manual gearboxes?

Most people know that for old or even somewhat old cars, manual transmissions are more efficient. Recently automatic cars have become almost as efficient or even as efficient as manuals. I was ...
9 votes
2 answers
15k views

Keep Alive Memory (KAM)

What is "Keep Alive Memory" (KAM) and how is it different from RAM? From what I read over the internet, it is kept alive even after the ignition is OFF, but isn't that what a ROM is supposed to do?
0 votes
2 answers
243 views

Is it possible to have a car without direct control of the wheels?

Would it be safe and legal to design a car which uses only power steering and where the steering wheel doesn't have a direct mechanical effect on the wheels? I say that because If i was Elon Musk, I ...
0 votes
2 answers
685 views

Different distance between the end of the front fender and the beginning of the front door on FWD and RWD cards

Why the distance between the end of the front fender and the starting point of the front door of a vehicle is different in RWD and FWD cars? I am talking about the gap marked with red in this pic: ...
4 votes
3 answers
2k views

Why do Formula 1/Indy cars use high profile tires?

I apologise for this being slightly off-topic for the stack, but it seemed the best stack for the job. Aesthetically speaking, larger rims are preferred these days -I recently bought a Porsche with 18&...
4 votes
0 answers
88 views

Is there any advantages of the mounting side (left or right) of the motor in a FWD vehicle?

Almost every FWD I have dealt with has the engine on the left side and the transmission on the right. Hondas with the D17 Engine has it the opposite which made me curious. Does the mounting side of ...
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Design of a double A-arm suspension

Can a double A-arm suspension have its arms bent as shown in the sketch below? The sketch is taken to be viewed from the the front.
5 votes
1 answer
6k views

What is a stress riser?

What is a stress riser and why is it important to avoid them during engine construction or rebuild?
2 votes
1 answer
11k views

Automatic Transmission RPM changes from 1st to 2nd gear

So this is a Corolla 2005 model, with an automatic transmission. I am just curious about how my car works. If I increase my RPM when I am in 1st gear, to say about 3k (by aggressively pressing down ...
4 votes
2 answers
4k views

Does Mazda's Skyactiv-G engine avoid EGR altogether?

It looks like Mazda sees high compression-ratio engines as the way forward to boost fuel economy and specific power on their midsize gasoline engine lineup (13:1 is an impressive achievement). ...
8 votes
4 answers
15k views

Designing an Ackermann steering mechanism

I'm designing a car with an Ackermann steering mechanism. According to everything I have read about Ackermann steering, if I set up my steering mechanism like this: ... then I should get behaviour ...
10 votes
3 answers
3k views

How did luxury cars provide smoother rides without active suspensions?

It seems all luxury cars have active suspensions now, so it's not a fair comparison to "non-active" cars. But I was recently driving a mid-2000 Mercedes E-class over the same roads I normally travel ...
30 votes
3 answers
393k views

what is difference between DOHC and SOHC?

I want to know the SOHC and DOHC configurations. On what factors an engine manufacturer decides to go with SOHC or with DOHC, what should I choose? DOHC or SOHC?
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

Position of brake calipers different between wheels

I noticed when looking at a Porsche 918 the other day that the brake calipers are not the same position on the front wheels as the rear ones. I then noticed that they are laid out the same on a BMW M3....
9 votes
2 answers
3k views

How do seat belts function?

How do belts function (work)? A diagram could be useful and a description of how seat belts function. How do you pull the belt? How do you buckle the belt properly?
7 votes
2 answers
4k views

Cast or Forged Wheels, is there any real-world difference?

One-piece alloy wheels can be either cast, or forged and milled from a billet. The latter process supposedly makes for a slightly denser and stronger structure and eliminates any bubbles that may have ...
7 votes
2 answers
31k views

Oil Cooled vs Water Cooled

These both are cooling mechanisms. One uses oil to cool whereas other uses some kind of water-based coolant. What are advantages and disadvantages of both in both technical and ownership point of view?...
6 votes
2 answers
3k views

Why do vehicles handle better with heavy loads? [closed]

Inspired by comments here: I'm not the only one who has experienced an improvement in ride and road-feel with a heavily-laden vehicle. I'm recalling a long drive I made a decade ago in my otherwise ...
0 votes
1 answer
61 views

Where do you go to find illustrations of car parts?

I am trying to learn more about car engines but for the life if me can't find good illustrations of how some of them look (specifically a 2013 Nissan Juke) where do you go to get information and ...
2 votes
1 answer
115 views

Designing IC engine [closed]

I am trying to design a theoretical internal combustion (IC) engine. The ultimate goal is to achieve 3000 hp with this engine, for which I know I will need low bore x stroke ratio, high compression, ...
10 votes
5 answers
17k views

What are the problems in building 2 stroke engines with a large displacement?

I understand (from preliminary research) that when engine gets bigger, with a higher displacement that it is practically not possible to have a two stroke engine. What are the implications in ...
15 votes
6 answers
10k views

Why is the speed of a motorcycle measured at the front wheel?

I have been thinking about this, from quite long ago. Why is speed always calculated from the front wheel? Let's just consider the following situation:- You are in a race, and you have given full ...