Bloodhound SSC

The Car : http://www.bloodhoundssc.com

http://www.dont-panic.co.uk/fictional-vehicles-recreated-irl/

Cosmic Motors : http://www.cuded.com/2013/01/cosmic-motors-by-daniel-simon

Lamborghini is cool! : http://www.rsvlts.com/2013/05/13/the-lamborghini-egoista-concept-will-give-you-nightmares-wonderful-nightmares

Maintaining your car's transmission fluids

As a car owner, you need to maintain the various parts of the vehicle regularly to keep it in good working condition. Don't neglect checking the various fluids running through your car - they are just as important as the bigger components like the engine.

Engine Oil

Before you check the oil, take your car out for a short drive. Turn off the engine and wait a few minutes for the oil to settle into the sump.

The dipstick is usually positioned near the front of the engine and sometimes has a brightly coloured handle to help you locate it. Remove the dipstick and clean it with a rag or towel, then put the dipstick back into the hole. Pull it out again and get a reading.

The reading should be between the maximum and minimum levels. The colour of the engine oil should be a light golden brown and have a consistency slightly thicker than cooking oil.

If the level is low, add only enough oil to bring it up to the full mark. Add a little at a time and recheck the level after each addition.

Power steering fluid

Power steering assists in the steering of the car. The fluid level can be checked by removing the screw top lid from the fluid reservoir. Like the transmission, this fluid should also be checked when up to operating temperature.

Brake fluid

On newer cars, you can usually check brake fluid level without removing the cap on the master cylinder by looking through the translucent plastic reservoir.

It is normal for the brake fluid level to gradually decrease as the brakes wear. It is not necessary for the level to hover around the maximum mark. But if it gets repeatedly low on fluid, you might have a leaky braking system at hand.

To add brake fluid, wipe the cylinder free of dust and debris, as you do not want any of that to find its way into the brake fluid. Avoid getting water in the braking system at all cost.

Battery water

Some cars have what is called a maintenance-free battery which is sealed and doesn't need refilling. If your car is using the traditional battery with six cells, it will need occasional refilling. Fill the battery cells with distilled water, which is without the contaminants and trace elements that can cause a corrosive buildup around the battery terminals.

The Helicopter Motorcycle : http://www.thisiswhyimbroke.com/transforming-helicopter-motorcycle

Top 10 fastest cars : http://ohsnapnews.com/top-10-fastest-cars-in-the-world-2013

This is how to drive a car : http://damnsnaps.com/2011/06/this-is-how-to-drive-a-car

how the gears in a car transmission work : http://www.videochilly.com/video-that-explains-how-the-gears-in-a-car-transmission-work

The Smoking Tire : http://www.thesmokingtire.com

First Solar Car Race In South America : http://smilepanic.com/the-first-solar-car-race-in-south-america

No 'extra' in the tank, please

The warning not to put anything else other than the recommended petrol in the fuel tank is not to be ignored. And the issue of tainted petrol that surfaced in the internet just goes to show why.

Water woes

According to internet reports, some drivers found that their cars developed engine problems after their tanks were filled at a particular petrol station. One affected driver said that his car shook and its engine emitted loud sounds as he was driving back home after refuelling. The car continued jerking when he tried driving it again the next day.

Another motorist said his car started to shake, and the engine began to rumble after he reached home. He thought his car engine was faulty and wanted to send it for repair, but the next day, the car couldn't start.

The oil company in question later confirmed that water had gotten into one of its petrol tanks at that station. However, it was unclear whether the problem had been caused by individual or heavy downpours.

The above episode goes to show that using tainted petrol is no laughing matter. Water in the fuel line causes the car to run jerkily and eventually stall. It may also damage components in the fuel injection system.

Diesel in petrol

Mixing petrol and diesel is also a no-no. If you've added diesel into a petrol vehicle, it's likely that the engine won't run. And even if it does, you might experience pinging, exhaust smoke, loss of power and oil contamination - symptoms which shouldn't be ignored. If these signs continue for some times, it's possible that the pistons, along with the crankshaft and bearings, might be damaged.

To remedy the problem of contaminated petrol, you need to drain the fuel tank, change the fuel filter, flush the lines to remove the tainted fuel, and refill with petrol.

Petrol in diesel

In Europe where diesel cars are growing in popularity, there are more reported instances of "misfuelling", where car owners are wrongly refuelling their diesel cars with petrol.

Petrol acts as a solvent when added to diesel, reducing lubrication, and possibly causing damage to the pump through metal-to-metal contact.

The newer common rail diesel engines are less tolerant of contaminated diesel. You shouldn't turn on the ignition or start the engine, as the electric fuel pump will circulate the contaminated diesel through the whole system.

You could end having to do expensive major repair works like replacing the entire fuel system, and repairing the engine itself. In extreme cases it may be cheaper to get a new engine.

'Wrong' octane petrol

Using high-octane petrol in a car that doesn't require it hurts your wallet at most, and leaves the engine unaffected. But doing it the other way round isn't such a good idea.

Some vehicles that specify for high-octane fuels will operate on lower octane petrol, although power might be reduced. Others risk engine damage, which means you might end up having to drain the tank and add the correct fuel.

>>1

Five Indian car models flunk independent crash tests

A Tata Nano car seen during an independent crash test at an undisclosed location in India. The model and four other entry-level vehicles - the Suzuki-Maruti Alto 800, Ford Figo, Hyundai i10 and Volkswagen Polo - failed the test.

New Delhi - The Tata Nano, billed as the world's cheapest car, and several other top-selling small models from India have failed their first independent crash tests, a global safety group said.

   The five entry-level vehicles - including the country's best-selling small car, the Suzuki-Maruti Alto 800, as well as the Ford Figo, the Hyundai i10 and the Volkswagen Polo - scored no stars out of five for protection.

   The tests, carried out by the New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP), saw the basic models, all without airbags, driven at 64kmh into a block simulating a head-on collision.

   The NCAP tested only the basic models of the cars in question and it said the Figo and Polo would provide much better protection if fitted with airbags. But the Nano, the i10 and the Alto had "inadequate" structures that meant that even airbags would "not be effective in reducing the risk of serious injury".

   Global NCAP secretary-general David Ward called them "gratuitously dangerous" and blamed lax regulations that created an incentive to make cheap but structurally unsound vehicles.

   "The changes of surviving a crash are extremely low. It's either death or very serious injury," he said.

   NCAP also tested the cars in a crash simulation according to United Nations standards - at the slightly slower speed of 56kmh - and none passed.

   "It's worrying to see levels of safety that are 20 years behind the five-star standards now common in Europe and North America," said Global NCAP chairman Max Mosley.

   Tata said its cars passed "all Indian safety regulations, including the frontal barrier crash test at 48kmh", while Maruti Suzuki had no immediate reaction.

   Hyundai said its "vehicles are designed and built to meet all the prescribed safety standards set by Indian regulatory authorities".

   Ford said safety was "one of the highest priorities in the design of our vehicles".

   Volkswagen said it had withdrawn its Polo model without airbags and it stressed that the with-airbags version was certified as the safest in the segment.

AFP

Blink it on!

In case you haven't noticed, there's an array of warning lights on the dashboard that light up every time you start the car. When all is well, the lights go off and you drive off. But if a certain light remains illuminated or start flashing - you know you've got trouble.

You can read the car owner's manual for an explanation of each warning light, but here are some of the more common ones.

Brake warning

The brake light, which appears as either the word "brake" or as a circle with an exclamation mark surrounded by brackets, can indicate a few different things. It will come on if the hand brake on. The light can also indicate a low level of brake fluid, or that the brake system is failing.

ABS warning

The anti-lock braking system (ABS) warning light comes up when a problem is detected with this system. Since this affects the car's safety, it's best to check the car checked if this warning light shows up.

Check engine

This symbol (often in the shape of an engine with the words "check engine soon") means something is wrong with the vehicle's emissions control system. This could mean an emission failure or that the catalytic converter is close to overheating.

In such an instance, it's important to take the car to a mechanic right away since a diagnosis can only be made through the use of a vehicle diagnostic computer. Ignoring a flashing check engine light could start a fire, and result in costly repairs.

Battery light

The charging system light (usually a battery symbol or the word "alt" or "gen") illuminates when the vehicle electrical system is no longer being supplied power by the alternator. This warning light rarely means there's serious mechanical damage, and you have enough time to take appropriate action - which is, to get to a car workshop to replace the battery.

Oil pressure

The oil pressure (usually an oil can symbol or the word "oil") shows up when there is a drop in engine oil pressure. Of all the warning lights, this one has the greatest potential for serious mechanical damage, and unfortunately, it also gives you the shortest time to react.

This light should go out once the car has started, and if it lights up while you're driving, stop and switch off the engine immediately. Don't try to drive any further than necessary, as doing so will significantly increase the extent of any engine damage.

Engine temperature

The engine temperature light is usually represented by a thermometer symbol or the word "temp". You will see this light up or start flashing when the engine temperature has exceeded the safe maximum.

If the temperature continues to rise, it can lead to permanent engine damage. Should there be stream coming out from the engine, pull over and let the car cool down. Call for assistance and don't attempt to open the bonnet for at least 30 minutes. Boiling coolant can cause severe burns, so be careful when opening the hood, and never remove the radiator cap when the engine is hot.