This afternoon I mentioned to Kyle that I got rides in two fast bugeyes
yesterday Brian's and Frank's) and that Frank let me drive his little blue
beast on the way back from the store. His immediate (and expected) response
was "What did they do to theirs that's different, and can we do any of the
same things to ours?".
At that point we got into a discussion of the basics of four stroke engines,
which lead to valves, which lead to how a cam works. From there we discussed
what lift and duration are and how each changes the way an engine runs, how it
moves the HP and torque around, etc. This of course lead us to some of the
things you can do to a head to make it work more efficiently and how headers
help an engine scavenge the exhaust better. We also covered the effects of a
lightened flywheel.
He's really a bright kid - he asked very good questions and made intelligent
comments. Of course he also asked that if the cam spins twice as fast as the
crank, would it be even better if it spun at three or four times the
rate? Hmmm, I said I'd draw it for him later and explain why twice is
plenty.
I love having a gearhead son...
- David Booker
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