Motor Mythbusters (2021)
In our quest to separate fact from fiction, MythBusters has put hundreds of cars through extreme tests in the search for truth. We've gone from debunking extreme Hollywood car stunts to cooking steaks under the hood... and we've barely scratched the automotive surface. Motor MythBusters steers its attention to the questions and myths under the hood of every car lover's mind.
Seasons & Episode
Tory, Faye and Bisi are curious to test an automotive myth from a famously fast film franchise that claims you can increase boost and win a Cuban mile drag race from a turbocharged engine with just a length of wire and soda can tab. Would this low-tech technique work in the real world?
The Motor MythBusters team sets out to fulfill Tory’s childhood dream of building a full-scale Flintstones car and test if it’s possible to overcome the friction and inertia of a two-ton, wood and stone vehicle using just the power of their feet.
Bisi, Faye and Tory test the myth that an EV can drive through a flash flood and continue to operate. They build a five foot pool, design the car so Tory can control it without being electrocuted, then drive it into the water to see if it can survive.
The Motor MythBusters test a common automotive myth often seen in movies. The team finds out if it’s possible for someone to loosen a vehicles brake lines so precisely that the brakes will fail after two complete stops, like in the movie ‘Strange Brew’.
Tory, Faye and Bisi test a survey that claims birds prefer pooping on red cars more than other colored cars. They consult with an ornithologist, do field research and design their own experiments to find out if birds really do see red when they poop.
Tory, Bisi and Faye test an explosive classic mafia movie myth. The team buys a 1981 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz to test if there is a plate under the driver's compartment that could withstand a car bomb, similar to the claim made in the movie 'Casino.'
In true Ferris Bueller fashion, the Motor MythBusters find out if it's possible to roll miles back on an odometer. Testing a variety of cars from different eras, they learn how odometers work and then drive them in reverse to see if they wind backwards
The Motor MythBusters test the dangerous myth that trailer sway can be corrected by accelerating. Bisi, Faye and Tory add remote control to a truck, load up a trailer, initiate sway and find out if a sudden boost of speed will stop a trailer fishtailing.
Bisi, Tory and Faye test the myth that adding a turbo to a hybrid car will make it more fuel efficient. The team buys a 2011 Honda CR-Z, installs a turbo, and drives it on a flat road and in the hills to see if it gets better mileage compared to the original stock car.
In true hot rod fashion, the team tests the myth that chopping the top of a vehicle will make it go faster. They buy a '70s Dodge van, cut out 12 inches from the roofline down, and then see if that modification gives it more speed on a quarter-mile track.
Tory, Bisi and Faye investigate the myth that when an electric vehicle's battery is depleted, its performance is reduced and acceleration decreased. To test it, they hit the track and run a series of tests pitting an EV at full charge versus 25%.
Choosing which type of gas to use in your can be a difficult decision, but the least popular is passing gas. The team tests the myth that opening the window closest to the person who farted is the best way to remove the odor from the vehicle.
The team tests the myth that urine can be used as a substitute for anti-freeze. They take a truck to the track, pour pee in the radiator, and see if they can drive it without overheating. Then they test other household fluids to see if they might work.
The team tests multiple EV myths worthy of giving someone range anxiety. They take a Ford Mach-E to the track and test how the battery life and range are affected by using the AC and heater, mechanical braking versus regenerative braking, and charging a cell phone.
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