If you’re hoping to snag a career as a car mechanic, then you might already know a few fun facts about cars. You might know, for example, that the first-ever car, created in 1885, could go at the adorably slow pace of 16 km/ hour. Or you might know that there are over a billion cars in the world today. Or that the fastest car in the world is currently the SSC Tuatara (which can reach 331 mph or about 533 hm/ hour).
Want to hear about a few other fun facts? Read on to check out some crazy facts about car engines!
Real Horses Don’t Exactly Produce One Horsepower
If you’re considering car mechanic training, then you’ve probably heard the term “horsepower” before. It’s one of the ways the power of an engine is measured. So, given the term “horsepower”, you might think that one horsepower is about equal to the power of a real horse. However, that’s not exactly the case.
When inventor James Watt was working on his improved version of the steam engine, he came up with a clever marketing ploy to get people to understand how powerful they were. He studied how much the average horse could pull, and turned it into a measurement. However, while there is some accuracy to his numbers, some horses can be quite a bit stronger. In fact, some horses can produce about 24 hp!
There’s a World Record for Engine Removal and Replacement Among Pros with Car Mechanic Training
Part of earning your auto mechanic certification means getting the necessary training, skills and knowledge to be able to remove and replace a car engine. Usually, it takes 8-15 hours to pull out a car engine and replace it with a new one. The exact amount of time will vary depending on the vehicle’s age, model, and—of course—your skill level and experience. However, that’s not to say that it’s impossible to go faster under the right circumstances.
In 1985, a group of UK Royal Marines on a BBC show called “Record Breakers” were able to pull out and replace the engine of a Ford Escort in just about 42 seconds. They were able to swap the engine and make it operational to drive in a stunningly short amount of time. Now, that’s something an auto mechanic team might be aiming to do and beat! Things might be more complicated now than it was back then, however.
Believe It or Not, a Car Engine Can Cook!
Now this might seem ridiculous, but it’s true! You can actually cook on a car engine (although it’s not recommended that you do!). When a car engine gets hot enough, it can act as a grill and get warm enough to heat up food.
Food is meant to be wrapped in aluminum foil to prevent any contamination or spills from occurring. Of course, this is not the best or safest way to prepare food or treat an engine. A quick stop at a drive-through or pit stop for a proper meal is definitely the better option during road trips.
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