Category: Wheel Tracks Academy
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Thermodynamics and Theology
Thermodynamics is a word we’ve probably all heard but don’t use much. Certainly, many of us aren’t sure what it means. It would be good if we did because, after all, it’s the law. Actually, there are four laws of thermodynamics, of which two are worth talking about. The first law is most likely to…
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This, That & the Other
Cheyenne Martindale took off like a rocket out of Bradford last year! Her destination was Lincoln Technical Institute. She graduates this September and her grade point average is in the 90s; in other words, she is loving it. She is difficult to catch up to, so her dad gave me a few details. The transition…
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How Do You Make Antifreeze
One of the most effective coolants for water-cooled engines is, you guessed it, water. Water is a good heat conductor and has a high heat capacity, meaning it can absorb a lot of heat. However, as we all know, it freezes solid at low temperatures, becomes ineffective as a coolant and downright destructive as it…
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The Planetary Gearset
In my last article, I wrote up the basics of the automatic transmission. One of the key components that I talked about was the planetary (or epicyclic) gearset, and in this article I will get into a little more detail of their history and versatility. First off, why are they called “planetary” gearsets? According to…
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The “Automagic” Transmission
One of my coworkers, when I was in the auto industry, jokingly called automatic transmissions “automagic” transmissions. At the time when they first came out, I imagine they did seem a little like magic — no clutch, no gearshift, and the car just did it all itself. There was no actual magic involved, just some impressive…