Looks like just an advert but there is what looks like sample content (or at least sample quality) on his YouTube channel here:
https://youtube.com/@howacarworks
Enthusiastic feedback in some of the video comments.
The art of auto engineering
11–20 of 131 posts
Re: The art of auto engineering
#12I paid for these and found it really interesting and well made.
However, there have not been any new videos for a while, and there are some glaring bits that need covering (gearbox? suspension?).
Re: The art of auto engineering
#13Good stuff, but to do all this "at home" requires ample garage space and a solid investment in tools and equipment. It also helps to have non-busy roads in the vicinity, in order to do "test flights" after the fixes. It is certainly helpful as a guide to understand the basic automotive systems and not get scammed at repair shops, but for most people to start wrenching on their car confidently, not so much.
I went from zero knowledge to changing my timing belt with the aid of the mfg manuals and YouTube videos.
A general series like this really helps putting individual YT videos into context.
A YT video on changing the timing belt might show me all the steps, but not how the engine internals look and what "interfering" means.
Re: The art of auto engineering
#14just a promotional video . make it free that would work ....
Why not pay 20 bucks to an indy content creator?
Re: The art of auto engineering
#15Oh no! I come to procrastinate on HN and find my own site at #2. After many years, it's still not ready to share!! I've got so much more I want to do with it.
Even though I'm sure it looks abandoned, I have been working hard on getting back into this. The last couple of months I've been developing a 3D viewer for mechanical components that lets you disassemble/rebuild/step through processes. I wish I could share it but I'm not there yet. Babylon JS is amazing though.
EDIT:
I'll throw down some random notes because I've never really talked about this:
- I've learned a LOT over the three years since I made these videos - about cars, life, boats, love, fabrication, quaternions and myself.
- I made these videos in a backstreet garage in Budapest. A personal situation arose and I left Hungary and tried to get going again back in the UK.
- I built a new garage/studio in the UK and kitted it all out in preparation.
- Then lockdown struck and I had to get involved in a real-world business that I co-owned. The people who did my video production couldn't travel, and when they could, the UK had become so difficult that they had no desire to stay. So I had to find a new team which wasn't easy.
- I also had to rebuild my own life and that took a lot of time and effort. I didn't have the energy to go back into videos - it's something that I did at a certain time of my life, and I knew that I needed to be stronger to revisit it or I would risk my own happiness.
- I feel a combination of emotions - I am immensely proud of what we achieved with this, and I'm embarrassed by my failure to finish it. That said, I don't think I've ever been more excited by this project.
Edit 2: Go and watch Tim Hunkin's Secret Life of... series @ https://www.youtube.com/@timhunkin1 You'll be glad you did!
Re: The art of auto engineering
#16Good stuff, but to do all this "at home" requires ample garage space and a solid investment in tools and equipment. It also helps to have non-busy roads in the vicinity, in order to do "test flights" after the fixes. It is certainly helpful as a guide to understand the basic automotive systems and not get scammed at repair shops, but for most people to start wrenching on their car confidently, not so much.
You can rent tools and the space to do this for a fairly low amount of money.
Look for DIY workshop/garage services.
Re: The art of auto engineering
#17Would be nice to have similar course for EV
Are you looking into fixing the drivetrain or the "car stuff" around that? I'd rather not fiddle around with the 400 V system of my EV, but I think most of the other things are still the same.
There's an aura of mystery around EVs (e.g. people assume they're all some self-driving black box magic), so it may be useful to teach how they work even if people aren't going to do DIY repairs.
Re: The art of auto engineering
#18Re: The art of auto engineering
#19Oh no! I come to procrastinate on HN and find my own site at #2. After many years, it's still not ready to share!! I've got so much more I want to do with it. Even though I'm sure it looks abandoned, I have been working hard on getting back into this. The last couple of months I've been developing a 3D viewer for mechanical components that lets you disassemble/rebuild/step through processes. I wish I could share it b…
Using an NB Miata is interesting: they're common donor cars for modern Locosts. That crowd might appreciate this as the ultimate workshop manual.
Re: The art of auto engineering
#20Would be nice to have similar course for EV
Are you looking into fixing the drivetrain or the "car stuff" around that? I'd rather not fiddle around with the 400 V system of my EV, but I think most of the other things are still the same.
Any similar course for EVs would start with high-voltage safety. If you're doing any high-voltage work, you'd start by physically isolating the high-voltage battery from the rest of the car by pulling the main isolation fuse. Then, you'd check everything with a voltage detector just to be absolutely sure. And you'd wear electrical insulating gloves whenever touching anything that could potentially be live.
All high-voltage components in your EV are well protected and clearly marked in bright orange: there isn't much danger of accidentally running in to them when working on anything else.