Posts

All you need to know about vehicle aerodynamics

-
Image
Understanding Vehicle Dynamics is key to unlocking the performance of any racecar. So here’s how it all works A less understood but fundamental branch of motorsport engineering is racecar vehicle dynamics First, let’s obtain a clear definition by breaking it down into it’s constituent words – ‘Vehicle’, self explanatory, and ‘Dynamic’, which is an adjective indicating something that is in a state of change. So, vehicle dynamics refers to the characteristic behaviour of a vehicle in response to a change in its external environment. That change could be in the form of longitudinal or lateral acceleration, roll due to a steering input or a wheel deflection due to a road input – anything that acts to induce a change to move the car away from its equilibrium can be classified as vehicle dynamics. The fundamental task of a vehicle dynamicist when optimising a vehicle’s performance is to ultimately maximise the longitudinal and lateral accelerations the vehicle is capable of generating throug...
Post a Comment
Read more

5 - F1 facts you may not know.

-
Image
  Formula 1 cars are work of art. They have had some of the loudest, most powerful engines ever seen and grip levels unheard of anywhere else. The car can turn, squeeze and literally just manipulate normal air to make the car go faster than anyone around the corners. Whoever does the best gets to spray the elusive champagne on the top of that podium... they are engineering genius at it's brilliant best. 1. EACH CAR IS MADE UP OF EIGHTY THOUSAND SEPARATE COMPONENTS No wonder drivers say they always feel guilty upon crashing the car, those poor mechanics have to replace and reinstall countless different gizmos, wires and parts. An F1 car is an extremely compressed cocktail of hydraulic systems, carbon, fuel, tyres, inertia and mechanical devices which all has to package into a minimum of 720KG. That's why you can see so many bits hanging out or exposed after (a usually very expensive) crash; one slight misjudgement of the braking zone and the house of cards can come crashing down...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to get into motorsport?

-
Image
Want to go racing? Every kid who has grown up watching Formula 1, on indeed any four-wheeled form of racing, has always secretly harboured a wish to stop watching and get behind the wheel of the car in question. But even while we were growing up and secretly harboured a desire to hop into an Adrian Newey-built, Rory Byrne-engined racecar and try our hands out at tackling the tunnel at Monaco, we knew it was perhaps one step too much for us to handle. If you want to go become a racer, you might as well figure out how to do it right. Get your basics right: go-karting There's simply no escaping it. We've come across a lot of aspiring racers who seem to rethink at the thought of participating in karting. "What are these little things," they say with disgust and anger. Well, here's a caveat for the lot of you - karting will make you a better driver come what may. There isn't a single one among the current crop of F1 drivers who hasn't started his motorsport car...
Post a Comment
Read more

Things you need to know about car exhaust.

-
Image
Basic Function of an Exhaust System:  These little explosions from the exhaust aren’t just all lights and force, however. They create the energy your car uses, but they also create two other things: gases and sound. The exhaust system in your car handles two byproducts, by moving the gases away from you and your passengers, and reducing noise. That’s what it’s really all about. Essentially, your car’s exhaust system is a series of tubes and chambers designed to move gas away from the engine and reduce the noise that it makes. There are six gases produced by the basic function of your car’s engine: nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide, water vapor, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons. Those first three aren’t really much of a problem; they’re pretty benign to you as a person. Those last three, however, are very toxic and if they reached you in the cabin of the vehicle, then you’d have a very bad day. Components of exhaust:-  •The Exhaust Manifold •Headers •The Oxygen Sen...
Post a Comment
Read more

What Happens When You Push the Sport Button?

-
Image
So many choices - eco, normal, sport. So what exactly changes as you move over into "S" Sport Mode.   Sport Mode can vary by vehicle. Activating Sport Mode triggers a series of adjustments throughout your car from the gas pedal all the way to the tires. Sport mode is designed to enhance acceleration, so you’ll see a noticeable difference in how your throttle responds and enables your car’s ability to achieve more rapid acceleration. Most automatic transmissions are built to shift at lower RPM, but Sport Mode overrides this to allow the engine to rev higher. By shifting at a higher RPM, you’ll be able to accelerate longer and more quickly than your car typically allows. Most cars nowadays utilise electric power steering as opposed to a hydraulic pump. With electric power steering, the steering feel is able to be changed on the fly, to give it a sportier, and more weighted, feeling. Kind of like a race car. Adjustable shock absorbers are typically found on higher-end luxury and...
Post a Comment
Read more

Cylinder Deactivation Technology.

-
Image
Car makers are continually developing new technologies to minimise fuel consumption and, in addition to clever turbocharging, direct injection and advanced valve timing, cylinder deactivation is another economy boosting trick. In India, Volkswagen & Skoda adapted the technology for use on its 1.5 TSI EVO Petrol Engines, VW TROC, Skoda Koraq & Upcoming Taigun GT, Kushaq has this technology.  Volkswagen calls it Active Cylinder Technology(ACT). Volkswagen is the first carmaker to implement this fuel saving cylinder deactivation technology on four  cylinder engines, as it was previously the preserve of large eight or 12 cylinder engines.   Audi’s calls it Cylinder on Demand.  RSQ8,Rs7 have Cylinder on Demand Tech in India. Cylinder Deactivation technology is technically called as variable Displacement technology.  Variable Displacement is an automotive engine technology that allows the engine displacement to change, usually by deactivating cylinders, for im...
Post a Comment
Read more

POP AND BANG MAPS Explained

-
Image
Pops, bangs and flames; everyone likes that, don’t you? Representation of flames from exhaust.(Not Pops &Bangs)   It's because of  ECU remaps  that make your exhaust pop, bang, and kick flames from the tailpipe when you lift off the throttle are hugely popular these days. Some sports models come out of the factory with crackling exhausts, with brands like AMG, BMW M Series & Mini JCW..... SO HOW DOES IT MAKE THE POPS AND BANGS? “Pops and bangs is simply a calibration feature within the ECU where we set up a specifically targeted, very lean misfire once you lift off the throttle.” Normally during engine deceleration the injectors are switched off to prevent fuel from entering the combustion chamber. When applying a pop and bang patch to an ECU we request the injectors to stay open for a short period of time after the throttle plate has closed. The spark timing maps are then adjusted so that the fuel is ignited substantially after TDC (Top Dead Centre). This results...
Post a Comment
Read more

India’s growing Sub Compact & Midsized SUV’s Culture.

-
Image
SUVs are the new aspirational Indian car. SUVs have been considered a greatly aspirational type of vehicles because of their high price a few years ago, which made their owners limited to only the upper-class and elite like actors, politicians and industrialists. The advent of the Compact & Mid Size SUVs, a more affordable option of these vehicles, has helped many mainstream buyers afford them and led to the fastest-ever development of this car segment. Most of the cities are filled with bad roads. So buying a car with higher ground clearance to take you through potholes and mud makes sense. According to the market survey, an average Indian car buyer loves SUVs. Be it for the commanding seating position or the road presence, we Indians are buying more and more utility vehicles. Sub Compact SUV: The subcompact SUV segment is one of the most competitive segments in the industry. Automakers are increasingly looking at offering vehicles which have SUV-like appearance and for easy manoe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to travel safely during Covid Pandemic.

-
Image
Before you set off on the road, ask yourself if your trip is essential. Travelling by road might seem the best option at the moment. Travelling in one’s own car seems to be the safest way to go long distances. Protect yourself and others during your trip. How to plan for a trip? 1) Watch out for restricted areas. There are still multiple restrictions in place regarding the movement of vehicles, and directives at the national, state and even district level are constantly evolving. Map out your route and know all the containment zones that’ll be on your route. Highways are largely free-flowing now, but it’s best to use Google Maps or the like for real-time status. 2) Get an E-Pass. An e-Pass is basically travelling clearance from the authorities and it can be applied for on government portals. Depending on the place of origin and destination, an e-Pass might be essential even for intra-state travel. How to apply E-pass? For Applying E-Pass Click on the link https://serviceonline.gov.in/...
Post a Comment
Read more