My dad was part of the "real" mechanic from years ago which could diagnose a car by sound or feel. There are so very few left.

On thing I do remember from him I asked the difference between HP and Torque. Th answer is so simplistic and beautiful. Torque definition is a twisting motion but when it applies to HP and torque. torque means the amount of work an engine can do. HP means how quickly it can do it.

 

Torque and hp are directly inter-related to each other. I like to picture a drum with rope wound up on it, turning and raising a weight. Torque applied to the drum (the engine) winds up the rope, raising the weight upwards. 550 lbs raised one foot in one second requires one horsepower to do it..

 

It is like the saying goes "HP sells cars, TQ wins races".

Or like they also say "HP is what you talk about, TQ is what you actually feel".

When a car is accelerating, you are actually feeling TQ.