Boy if you could find the name of that book I'd really appreciate it

you might be interested in howacarworks.com. I stumbled across these videos on youtube earlier this year when I was researching the topic. I was unwilling to pay because it was more for my own curiosity than an actual need to learn but it seemed pretty thorough.

Man, that site has come a LONG way in the past couple of years. I haven't seen it since probably 2015. Back then, the diagrams were super useful, and the content easily understandable. Now it looks like a Mechanics University!

Thanks for the link!

I would second this.

There is a great WW2-era training film from the US military on how rifles work.

Don't want to link it as I am at work, but it's on YouTube.

It follows the same philosophy--start with a tube. Add a bolt. Add a trigger. Add a magazine. Etc.

Yeah, I remember watching those. Here are the links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcVeslwTvAw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJnhr08aIJs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJGu8prreZM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Tx8OO3JGU

This is a transferable pedagogy. Want to learn a complex system? Start at the sources of the system graph and make your way to the sinks.

I would love to know the name of this book, sounds perfect for learning about combustion engines.

I'm hoping someone else remembers it and furnishes the title.

I was a kid when I read it, and the book was already old, so publication date circa 1970-80. Best I can do. I trawled through book cover images but no love.

- - - -

edit to add: It's probably "Auto Mechanics Fundamentals" by Stockel. I'm still looking for pictures of the insides of the book, but going by what I can see here, it's very likely:

https://archive.org/details/automechanicsfun00stoc/page/n5

The typography matches my memory, and the description in the introduction sounds spot on, eh? Cheers!

Is this it? Looks to be around the right time frame, and the reviews mention exploded view diagrams https://www.amazon.com/Auto-Mechanics-Fundamentals-Construct...

I bought a copy of "Auto Mechanics Fundamentals" based on this thread and I think it is definitely the book you're remembering. The exploding can image you describe is on page 9 and the first chapter builds up an engine from first principles like you've talked about. Thank you for recommending this, it's a great resource!

How Cars Work by Tom Newton OR Auto Mechanics Fundamentals by Martin T. Stockel

Maybe?

Just going by description and the "red book" it seems like its Auto Mechanics Fundamentals:

>>> "It is the aim of Auto Mechanics Fundamentals to provide a thorough understanding of the design, construction and operation of automotive units. Each unit is approached by starting with basic theory, then parts are added until the unit is complete. By following this procedure, the function of each unit is explained, and its relationship to the complete car is made clear. Hundreds of illustrations were drawn especially for this text. Important areas are featured in these drawings, and many are exaggerated to place emphasis on parts being discussed. Unfamiliar words are defined immediately following the words. In addition, the Dictionary of Terms in the back of the book defines more than 1,100 terms..."

https://www.amazon.com/Mechanics-Fundamentals-Construction-O...

(This one is blue but there is another version in red)

I just previewed a few pages from "How Cars Work", and it listed this 'money saving tip' that I found pretty funny: "Don't ... make eye contact with police officers while driving"

Nice! My parents have this book, and I read some of it as a teen!

Internal Combustion Engines by Ganeson

Commenting to save this one.

If you want to save for the future, you can just "favourite" the comment. If you don't see the favourite link, click on the timestamp to see the comment in its own page, and it should be there. You can also favourite the whole thread.

+1 - I want to come back to this thread and read things.