Miata Mailing List: October 1999, Message #72

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>>Check the Miatapower archives for Shiv's post on drivetrain loss a year or
so ago.  
>>Very interesting and logical.  A rough summation:  it's a combination of
both a fixed 
>>amount and a proportion of the power....

I've read stuff Shiv has written.  What are his qualifications?  Who is he?

His summation sure was interesting reading, but he seemed to make an
assertion that a 20 hp Miata engine wouldn't be able to spin the wheels or
move the car.  People make a lot less than a horsepower, though, and I know
I've rotated the drivetrain assembly on my car (I've even pushed the car on
level ground.)  So, either I have the strength of 40 men, or the drivetrain
on a car does NOT make 15 or 20 horsepower dissappear into a black hole
somewhere.  Think about it - could you jack up the back of your car and
rotate the rear wheels by hand?  Can you push your Miata along level ground?
Not very fast, sure, but I bet you could.

- Bill