An engine is an air pump, and a lot of room for improvement can still be found in dealing with the way the engine handles that job. After generations of cars carrying just two valves, one for intake ...

Without variable valve timing, these intake and exhaust valves would operate in the same manner regardless of the engine’s RPM (revolutions per minute) speed or the driving environment. This isn’t ...

It's springtime! Time to start working on your project car, learn a new wrenching skill, discover what everything is under the hood (and how it works), or just spruce up your daily driver. All month, ...

In order to set a stage for what follows, let's first revisit some of the fundamentals involved in how valve timing relates to power output. And to further clarify how "power" is defined in the ...

The tough guy in you says to stab that cam in retarded a few degrees for maximum top-end horsepower, while your more practical alter ego suggests advancing it a hair for improved low-end torque and ...

The bike that won the title of “world’s fastest production motorcycle” at the turn of the century could soon sport a bit of tech that will support hi-rev performance at lower emissions… but at what ...

Engines are complex bits of machinery. At their core level, yes, it's easy to understand what is happening. Air and fuel enter the engine where they are ignited and combustion occurs resulting in ...

Most modern variable valve-timing (VVT) systems use a cam phaser that rotates the position of each cam­shaft relative to the timing chain. Think of making a record turntable go faster or slower by ...

While the engineering community continues to explore the benefits of electric and hybrid vehicles—i.e., the environmental and renewable energy factors—the automotive market is still dependent on ...

Despite current efforts to revisit light-vehicle fuel economy standards enacted during the Obama administration, there have been no changes to the law, and there might not be for years, as the wheels ...

Brian Cooley is CNET's Editor at large and has been with the brand since 1995. He currently focuses on electrification of vehicles but also follows the big trends in smart home, digital healthcare, 5G ...