Notes
Technical notes.
Intercoolers, spark plugs and transmission shifts, worked through with the physics shown and the sources listed.
August 2025
Why “smooth” transmission shifts aren’t always better
Where the heat goes in an automatic shift, worked through, and why a
shorter, firmer shift with engine torque briefly reduced puts less of it into the
clutch and the fluid.
August 2025
Do you really need an intercooler upgrade on your EcoBoost?
How hot a turbo makes charge air, what that heat costs an EcoBoost,
and how to judge an intercooler by its effectiveness.
March 2025
Ruthenium spark plugs: should you use them on your EcoBoost?
What NGK’s combustion stability and flame kernel tests show and leave
out, and why a faster early burn means less spark advance.