When driving a car with a manual transmission, you know that the clutch is an essential part of the vehicle’s operation. It decouples the engine from the transmission, allowing the car engine to move independently.

Cars with automatic transmissions lack a clutch that would otherwise disconnect the engine from the tranny. They use a torque converter (TC) instead. It is a donut-shaped component that is located directly between your car’s engine and transmission. It transfers torque to the wheels of your vehicle. The faster your engine spins, the more torque the TC sends.

To illustrate, suppose that you were stopped at a red traffic light. While your engine idles, it moves slowly and sends a small bit of fluid to the torque converter. Even though the TC uses that fluid to send torque to your wheels, the small amount requires only light pressure on your brake pedal to prevent moving forward. If you were to accelerate, your engine would spin faster and send more fluid to the TC. In turn, the torque converter would send more torque to the wheels. You would need to apply more braking power in order to stop your car.

A Look Inside The Torque Converter

The TC is comprised of three main parts: the pump, turbine, and stator. The pump is made up of fins. Fluid enters the TC through the component’s middle and is flung outward by the pump’s fins as it spins. As the fluid exits, it creates a vacuum that draws more fluid into the torque converter.

The turbine, made up of blades, is attached to your vehicle’s transmission. As the turbine spins, it spins the tranny. The spinning activity is created by the fluid which enters the turbine from the outer perimeter and exits near the middle. However, before it exits, the fluid needs to change the direction in which it is flowing. That causes the turbine to spin.

Between the pump and the turbine lies the stator. It is responsible for changing the direction of the fluid (again) as it leaves the turbine on it way back toward the pump. The manner in which it accomplishes this is abrupt. The stator uses a clutch to connect to your transmission. As a result, it can only rotate in one direction. As fluid comes into the stator from the turbine, its direction is brusquely changed.

The activity taking place within the torque converter plays a dual role while you’re driving. First, it decouples the engine from the transmission, which allows you to bring your vehicle to a stop without letting the engine die. Second, it transmits torque to the wheels as you press down on your accelerator. That allows you to gain speed.

Late-model vehicles have an additional component on the torque converter called a lockup clutch. This allows the left and right sides to lock together, effectively rotating at the same rate. The result is better fuel efficiency and less slippage.

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Everyone’s life now-a-days revolves around their car. They use it to get to work, get home, take their family where they need to go, and to get away from it all. Without our cars we are in so much trouble. So what happens when your vehicle starts to make noises? Well, you start to worry. Is it just a normal wear and tear noise or is there something wrong with it?

Make no mistake machines have all kinds of noises and cars are no exception. As they get older they make more noises and these noises are divided between good and bad. Good noises are what you’d expect to hear out of your car. If your vehicle is over ten years old then it’s going to make some form of creaking, grinding, or vibration that’s related to its age. These are often non problematic and just the noise that your car makes.

Bad noises are noises that occur when they shouldn’t. Grinding, vibrations, and other noises can indicate problems if they happen when they shouldn’t and you might want to get your machine checked out. Typically you can make an educated guess of where the problem is based on where the noise is coming from and what happens when the car makes the sound. This may sound difficult to pin down but it’s easy when you think about it.

When your car is making sounds while you are braking it’s most likely a brake problem. Either your brakes are low, or they’re completely worn out. If you hear a noise while you go over bumps or into dips then you will need to have your suspension checked out. Whether you hear these noises in these places or somewhere else it’s a good idea to have your car taken in to have it checked out.

You’re going to want to catch any problems you car my have as soon as possible. You don’t want to wait until the small problem has caused a more serious and expensive problem. Your car may stop working causing you some serious headaches, or it can even malfunction while you’re driving your car causing a car accident.

Most engine related noises that aren’t healthy are usually accompanied by a performance impact. These can be poor gas mileage, rough acceleration, very hard starts, not starting, and rough idling. None of these are to be played around with and if something is happening you should address it. The average family only has one car and can’t afford to buy another, or do without it.

There are a few things you can do to keep these things from happening though. First off change your oil when you’re supposed to and get the tune ups at recommended dates. Have your brakes, suspension and undercarriage checked every few months for problems. Finally drive easy, your car is your friend and if you take care of it it will take care of you.

Knowing your life depends on your car running at it’s best its easy to see why taking care of it is so important. Keep it in good shape, and have it check regularly. Also, make sure to listen and feel for any problems that may arise. If changes or noises pop up take it in for a check up asap.

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With summer finally upon us, millions of drivers are remembering one of the drawbacks of warm weather: a baking car interior. Left in the sun, the inside of your vehicle can heat up to the point that it practically seems like an oven. Even if you leave your automobile in the shade, the temperature inside can rise sharply. By the time you climb back into your car, turning on the air conditioner may not make much of an impact. Below, I’ll provide four tips that you can use to keep your vehicle’s interior below oven temperatures during the summer.

#1 – Crack Your Windows

Before leaving your vehicle to roast in the sun, crack each of your windows a half-inch. This helps the inside temperature in two ways. Hot air can escape easily throughout the day. Second, the circulation will allow even the lightest breeze to push the heated air out of your automobile. It's important to remember that heat builds pressure. If you don’t crack your windows, you might come back to your car and wonder how they burst.

#2 – Invest In Tinting

Tinting your windows does more than merely keep prying eyes from peering inside. It can play a key role in lowering your interior's temperature while your automobile sits in the summer sun. This is especially true if you use it in conjunction with leaving a half-inch crack around the perimeter.

Keep in mind that every state has slightly different rules regarding tinting. Some limit the darkness of the tint you can use while others restrict it to the rear windows. Check with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to make certain you’re complying with the law.

#3 - Buy A Shield For The Windshield

You’ve probably seen these in other vehicles. Several companies make shields that you can put on your dashboard as you leave the car. The cheap kind usually cost less than - they are made from cardboard and they unfold to block most of the windshield. Shields that are more expensive are made from materials that not only block the sun’s rays, but also reflect them.

These shields can lower the temperature in your car by over 20 degrees Fahrenheit, which will reduce the load you place on your air conditioner.

#4 – Park In The Shade

When shade is available, park under it (when you can do so legally). Lots of times people fail to plan ahead with their parking - looking for the spots closest to the door and giving no thought to the sun exposure. An hour spent on the baking asphalt of a parking lot can cause your interior's temperature to rise dramatically. Park in the shade, even if it means having to walk a little further. You'll be glad once you get back to your vehicle.

There’s a lot you can do to keep the inside of your car cool during the summer. Crack the windows, have them tinted, buy a windshield blocker, and park in the shade. A little planning upfront can provide plenty of comfort later.

More people than ever are working on their cars at home rather than paying a tow truck to haul them to a nearby repair shop. The fact is, OEM parts can be purchased easily online and shipped directly to your door. If you have a little experience with working under the hood, you can often repair your vehicle in less time for a lower cost.

Having said that, attention wanes and accidents happen. It’s not uncommon for a simple maintenance item (for example, replacing a battery) to cause serious injuries. With this in mind, here are four tips that all but guarantee your safety while you're working on your car.

#1 – Keep A First Aid Kit Nearby

Again, accidents happen. Even if you have a lot of experience working under the hood of your vehicle and know nearly everything your mechanic knows, you can still become injured. Make sure you have a first aid kit within immediate reach. Nobody plans to get cut or get burned by battery acid, but it happens. Be prepared in the event they do.

#2 – Know Your Limits

Chances are, you can’t lift as much weight as you think. Nor do you have the flexibility you once had. Know your limits when you change your tire or take out the cylinder head. Some parts are heavy or require aggressive straining. Be extra careful if you have persistent knee problems or a bad back. Also, some of your vehicle’s components may be positioned in a way that you need to twist your body to reach them. Keep in mind that optimism about your flexibility can leave you with severely strained muscles.

#3 - Don't Wear Loose Clothes

There are many moving parts under your car’s hood. Pulleys and belts can easily ensnare loose sleeves, jewelry, and hair. Don’t wear loose clothing. Take all pieces of jewelry off, including your watch. Tie back long hair before beginning to work on your car.

#4 - Be Careful of Hot Things

When your car is on, many of the parts become extremely hot. If you’re not wary, you can suffer bad burns. It's worth noting that it's not just your engine and transmission that get hot. Your catalytic converter, radiator, and various pipes all need to cool down before you put on your weekend mechanic’s hat.

Just because it’s easy to purchase OEM parts online doesn’t mean you can ignore basic auto repair safety. Know your physical limits, be careful of hot components, avoid loose-fitting clothes, and keep a first aid kit within reach. It does little good to save a few dollars repairing your own vehicle if you’re injured in the process.

Most of us drive vehicles with automatic transmissions. They’re more convenient for daily commuting and they’re more prevalent; automakers equip the majority of their fleets with them. Having said that, cars with manual transmissions are generally more fun to drive, especially on highways and roads uncongested with traffic. The magic is in the control given to the driver. In effect, the motorist chooses which gears to hit and when to hit them, allowing him or her to maximize engine performance.

Even though manual trannies are becoming rarer each year, they continue to be the main ingredient in performance vehicles. In this article, we’ll take a quick tour through manual transmissions. I’ll describe the basics regarding how they work, including how moving the shift knob through the gears translates into drive power to the wheels.

Keeping Below The Redline

Your vehicle’s engine has limits; it’s generally referred to as the “redline.” When you put pressure on the gas pedal, you’ll hear the engine grow louder as the RPMs climb. The redline is the point past which your engine becomes in danger of failing – or blowing apart under the stress.

Most engines enjoy their peak performance at approximately 5,500 RPMs. For efficiency the goal is the reach as close to that level as possible with out ever crossing it. That’s what a manual transmission does. It lets the driver set the gear ratios that allow the engine to operate within its optimal RPM range without exceeding the redline.

Gears & Clutches

In a manual 5-speed or 6-speed, the driver controls the gear ratios through the clutch, a component that connects the engine with the transmission. The connections is severed once the clutch pedal is applied. When the clutch pedal is released, the connection is reestablished. When connected, engine powers the revolutions of the output shaft which in turn powers the layshaft. The teeth of the gears interlock so that the spinning of the gears coincide with the spinning of the engine.

How The Shift Knob Contributes To Gear Selection

From a top-down perspective, the positions of the shift knob look similar to an “H” formation. When you move the stick shift into one of the possible positions, it powers the gear selector fork. That fork powers a collar within the tranny. The collar is outfitted with dog teeth that fit into the grooves of the 1st through 5th (or 6th) gears. Depending upon the position into which you move the shift knob, the corresponding gear will be engaged.

A car’s manual transmission follows a beautifully graceful design. That is not to suggest its design is simplistic. On the contrary, like a Swiss watch, the gears, dog teeth, and other components adhere to a well-honed precision. For car aficionados, that level of precision translates into irreplaceable engine performance.