I’m not aware of a vehicle sold in the US today that doesn’t use throttle by wire technology. What is it? The videos below will explain that in as much detail as you could possibly want. To briefly describe it, throttle by wire uses sensors and motors to open and close the fuel injection’s throttle body. Previously, on both carbureted and fuel injected motors, this was done via a cable linkage between the accelerator and the carburetor or throttle body. Why go to throttle by wire? Theoretically at least, it’s more reliable, more precise and allows greater monitoring capabilities of emission control systems and engine performance.
Let’s say you had an inline four motor with gear driven dual overhead cams and four valves per cylinder. Let’s say that motor revved to 14,200 RPM; wouldn’t it be cool to cut away part of the valve cover and watch the cams in action at redline?
BMW thought so, so they filmed the above video as part of the S1000 RR’s development testing. Enjoy it guilt free, because it’s really science you’re watching here, not motor porn.
Lately it seems that there are three certain things in life, death, taxes and a weekly Toyota recall. Toyota has announced the recall of nearly 8,000 Tacomas that have a problem with their drive shaft . A report recently surfaced stating that a crack formed in the rear joint, causing the drive shaft to shake loose and may drop straight out of the truck. These “cracks may have developed during the manufacturing process.” Whatever the cause of this issue, it makes us ask ourselves, “How can one company self-destruct themselves in less than one month?” This most recent recall for the Tacoma’s drive shaft isn’t nearly as big of a problem as the previus recalls but how does Toyota expect to recover from all of these problems. Anyone who may be affected by this recall can call Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 for more information. Toyota dealers will also perform a ten minute inspection of the trucks and if they find any problem they will replace the drive shaft free of charge. Tell us if you would still buy any Toyota.
The Red Green Show officially went off the air in 2006, but the indelible legacy it left on DIY gearheads lives on and to this day, duct tape is second only to Bondo as the destitute crowd’s favorite repair tool. Among those most heavily influenced by Red Green’s jury rigging is a member of RideLust’s own staff (who shall remain nameless) that attempted a half-assed repair job of their own on an aging Volvo. Hilarity later ensued at the inspection station (followed immediately by a rejection sticker) and in honor of the laughs they elicited we’ve assembled an assortment of our favorite moments in Possum Lodge engineering.
If a Lamborghini employee called me on the phone and offered me free a behind-the-scenes tour of the Sant’Agata factory, it would take me about 0.00003 seconds to say yes. Unfortunately, I’m in San Francisco and Lamborghini is located in that country shaped like a boot across the pond. Thankfully the National Geographic Channel have solved the age-old conundrum, sending the team from their series called “Ultimate Factories” off to Italy. The new episode that follows the construction (all by hand, of course) of a brand new Murciélago SV from start to finish. I secured a few short clips that speak for themselves, so make the jump for a preview of the episode (which airs October 1st on the National Geographic Channel).
Your neighbor’s candy apple red Tri-Five Chevy with a Corvette-derived smallblock might be a pretty sick way to update a tired, neglected jalopy, but not everyone wants to roll in such conspicuousness. And to be honest, as long as it’s a big-ass engine stuffed into an unlikely place, one really shouldn’t be picky. So if your tastes run more towards sleepers (or Q-ships, for you Bond aficionados), and especially if you have a thing for oil-burners, this Mercedes 190D might have your number. What it doesn’t have is it’s original mill, discarded by some mad-scientist types at Mercedes in favor of a modern OM651 diesel out of the current C-Class, good for 204 HP and 368 ft-lbs of torque. That’s torquier than a phalanx of tractors, so it’s no wonder it is swift. How swift? Make the jump to find out.
Last week’s golf cart from hell not bonkers enough for you? Does it have 3 too many wheels? Well, have we got the solution for your one-wheeled fantasies – and we ain’t talking about wheelies. We’re talking ’bout this here monowheel, one of the nuttiest vehicular contraptions we’ve ever seen. And of course, it’s Death Wish-worthy!
Today’s Implement of Destruction: Batty British Monowheel
This might just be the single most efficient way to cover one half of your body in road-rash humans have yet invented.
The government’s top Clunker Executioners have released instructions to dealerships on how to administer lethal injections to their potential clunkers. The procedure sounds so brutal, so inhumane, so … irreversible, that we are hiding the details after the jump. We recommend keeping anyone who faints at the sight of oil to avert your eyes. Click through to read how it all works.
It’s that time again. Rust or Lust is back, and while we approved of the refined SC300 last week, this week we’re looking at a totally different animal – the last of the F-body Camaros. Better crank up the AC/DC and bust out your muscle shirt, because we’re taking a quick trip down the Highway to Hell.
This real-life tale of mechanical ennui is brought to you today by my buddy Alec, via gmail chat, concerning a little encounter he had with a neighbor downstairs.
Not the actual car ...
Alec: So I have a new neighbor downstairs. I ran into her outside the place this morning, with the hood of her car open. I asked her what was up, she said the temperature gauge was really high. so first, I looked at her coolant: not even a drop. Then, I thought, I wonder what the oil looks like: pull the dipstick, and it was bone dry. she says, “yeah, I have this free fluids change deal from my dealership, I guess I should get around to that one of these days…”
