In the 1950s, the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment became involved with the development of CS, a riot control agent, and took an increasing role in trauma and wound ballistics work. For a much more in-depth look at how an internal combustion engine operates, you may want to read How Car Engines Work. This might seem odd, since cars use internal combustion engines that rely on the combustibility of gasoline to make them go. According to USA Today, some luxury cars from Ford and GM, such as the 2009 Lincoln MKS and the Cadillac STS, have been specifically manufactured to use regular unleaded fuel. If it’s only a recommendation (as it will be in most cases), you can safely use regular unleaded fuel; however, you may take a small hit on performance. ­High-octane gas isn’t necessarily better than regular grade. In the final stroke of the cycle, the piston moves upward to push the exhaust gas out of the cylinder.

The piston then moves upward, toward the top of the cylinder, compressing the air and fuel mixture as it does so. As the piston moves to the bottom of the cylinder, a mixture of fuel and air flows in. Premium fuel is just gas that contains a mixture of hydrocarbons that are slightly less combustible than those found in lower octane gas. It’s entirely possible that the manufacturer of the car doesn’t even recommend premium gas. Once the exhaust gas has been pushed out, the entire cycle begins again. With the first of the famous “Duntov” cams, dual four-barrel carbs, lightweight valves, and larger intake and exhaust ports, it was good for 225 bhp at 5,200 rpm. Another good way to address fuel efficiency and oil dependency? Good idea, right? Well let’s find out if your daydreams have any truth in them. Use the right tools: The tools you use can significantly affect the quality of your paint job. Sometimes, the answer is quite simple: Lighter cars use less fuel.

The answer has to do with the way in which expensive high-performance engines, the kind that you often find in most luxury cars, are manufactured. Find out why that matters on the next page. So, why would you pay extra money for gas that doesn’t ignite quite as well as less expensive gas? A disguised 1956 Chevrolet prepared and driv­en by Corvette engineering guru Zora Arkus-Duntov set a new Pikes Peak hill-climb record on Labor Day 1955, and hot-rodders were quickly discovering how well the new engine responded to performance modifications. The Chevrolet small-block V-8 was already well on its way to becoming a performance legend when the 1956 models were introduced. We’ll discuss the topic of performance in a little more detail later within this article. The more accessible something is to use, the more time we save, and the more time we save, the more time we have to enjoy some of life’s more pleasurable tasks.

If premium unleaded fuel is a requirement, of course, you have to pay the extra money for premium fuel every time you fill up. With gas prices fluctuating and the economy in an unpredictable state, drivers are constantly looking for ways to save money at the pump. Some ways automakers have improved efficiency are a bit more controversial. S. President Obama proposed new fuel-economy standards that asked the auto industry to make 5 percent-a-year gains in efficiency (or 3.5 percent for trucks). Historically, carmakers weren’t thrilled with the idea of higher fuel efficiency standards. Small changes to tires, low-friction lubricants and minor aerodynamic changes to car designs are all ways to make incremental changes to fuel efficiency. Considering that the industry has made just over 2 percent gains a year since 2007, this is no small feat. With a 4 year old and an almost 2 year old, you can guess how long this stayed on the fridge before they insisted on taking it down to play with it (about 30 seconds). To put it in the simplest of terms, each of the vehicle’s pistons moves up and down within a cylinder. With stricter fuel efficiency standards like the ones President Obama has put forward being adopted worldwide, automakers have no choice but to explore ways to squeeze themselves to adopt new technology, cleaner sources of fuel and inventive designs for the future.