How It Works

Numerous systems go into making a high-performance car, and while a powerful engine is almost always one of them, engineers never forget about the suspension. What's a lot of power good for if it handles like a sloppy mess? The McLaren 720S uses a very neat system, although it's mighty complex...

There's heartache and joy that come with owning, and caring for, an older vehicle. It's helpful if you can sort out a number of problems on your own, it will save you cash and trips to your local mechanic. One of the more seemingly puzzling aspects of old-car ownership occurs when you drive a...

Water injection systems aren't new to the automotive world, but the idea of using water recovered from an exhaust system is. Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained dedicated an entire episode to describing how such a system could help create more horsepower and remove water storage tanks from cars...

Car owners are told to get oil changes, rotate their tires, and top off fluids, but we often don't hear as much about alignments. However, that doesn't mean they're not an important part of vehicle maintenance. A video from Learn Engineering aims to explain why we should be mindful of alignments...

McLaren's top-mount exhaust pipes on the 600LT certainly look cool, but there are actually multiple reasons why the British marque opted for the design. Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained had the opportunity to speak with the 600LT's chief engineer, and he answered numerous questions about the...

The BMW M4 GTS is one of few production cars to use a water injection system. The M4 GTS sprays water into the intake manifold to cool down air for its engine. How in the world does water help make more horsepower? That's the question Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained answers in this episode...

For those who dream of tearing apart race cars, but may not ever have the chance, we have the video for you. YouTuber Driver61 published a video last week that shows the teardown process of a Formula 1 car's gearbox, and what's inside to make the race car tick. Specifically, this is a transmission...

Watching oil spill out over the valve cover is never a good time. Why do we often have a mess to clean up when doing an oil change? There's actually a right and wrong way to pour oil, believe it or not. A video from FCP Euro, a company that specializes in European car parts, explains why the way...

The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ is the current king of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, in no small part thanks to its wild active aerodynamic system the company calls Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva 2.0. A video published last October by the Italian firm shows exactly how the system works when a...

Air filters are one of the easiest and quickest components to swap out for an aftermarket part, and plenty of companies claim their design will increase horsepower, torque, and improve acceleration. Do they? Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained is here to answer that question. For the test, he...

After years of Subaru treating the world to special, more-powerful WRX STI models, the Japanese automaker finally delivered one to the U.S. The Subaru WRX STI S209 debuted in January at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit with the company's most potent production engine so...

If you've ever wondered what makes up the famed rotary engine from Mazda, now is the chance to dive in. Engineering Explained showed off an incredible 3D-printed rotary engine scale model, and host Jason Fenske walks us through what makes the peculiar powertrain tick. Specifically, this is a...

Valve Timing Electronic Control, better known to enthusiasts as VTEC. We hear a lot about the system, but what is it exactly and how does it work? Jason Fenske, engineering mastermind behind YouTube's Engineering Explained, has tackled the system in one of his latest episodes. As usual, he breaks...

Everyone likes to find ways to save money. With respect to your car, there are times when you can opt for lower octane fuel, more affordable oil, and non-OEM parts. But should you skimp when it comes to buying tires? Recently, Engineering Explained looked at the performance variation as your tires...

Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained is here to tell you all about what happens as your tires wear down. While you think it's a simple reduction in grip, there's a whole lot more to process. In fact, certain tires can see an increase in grip as the tire wears down. Confused? You won't be for...

V-8 engines are one of the most common styles of engine across the entire automotive industry, especially when the goal is to produce a lot of power with a smooth delivery. So, how does such an engine work? Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained is here to shed light on how a V-8 engine operates...

Do you remember when BMW was self-described as the Ultimate Driving Machine? Those days are long gone but BMW still cranks out a few hits. It's nevertheless clear that BMW's core demographic has changed, and thus the automaker has to put out a video explaining how to use its own dual-clutch...

The pushrod engine is a rather archaic piece of engineering, but automakers have stuck by it to this day. Notably, Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles and General Motors still shove pushrod V-8 engines under the hoods of hundreds of thousands of vehicles. Why has the pushrod engine failed to die, especially...

When most of us pull up to the pump, we are in vehicles that require gasoline. A portion of us sidle up to diesel pumps. In the future, maybe we'll we'll drive vehicles with RCCI engines and we'll need to hit both pumps. The Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) engine is a concept...

While the engine of your car might be its heart, it's the battery that provides the juice to get that engine moving. By now, you probably know plenty about how your engine works. Do you know anything about your battery, though? If not, you're going to need to watch this video from Engineering...