A Field Guide to Automotive Technology Paperback - 2009

From the publisher

Open the hood of your car and you'll find a confusing mishmash of wires, tubes, and mechanical devices. What are all of those things? Written for mechanical novices who may not know their catalytic converters from their universal joints, A Field Guide to Automotive Technology will help them gain a basic understanding of how their automobiles function. How does an airbag know when to deploy? What is rack and pinion steering? And where exactly does a dipstick dip? Even seasoned gearheads will learn from this guide as it traces the history and development of mechanisms they may take for granted. A Field Guide to Automotive Technology has more than 130 entries, each with a clear photo to make recognition easy. Devices are grouped according to their "habitats"--under the hood, inside the car, and more--to help the reader identify the technology in question. Once the "species" is discovered, the entry will tell you its "behavior"--what it does--and how it works, in detail. This guide also includes sidebars on related technical issues, such as how to mix up a batch of homemade windshield wiper fluid. It even discusses other vehicles found on our nation's highways--buses, motorcycles, bicycles, and more--as well as a few off-road vehicles.

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