re: [alfa] Quarts, pints, litres etc

["Chris Landry" <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> "The empty Alfa four cylinder will hold 7 1/2 to 8 quarts, including
> the cam galleys.  Pour half a quart in there before you replace the
valve
> cover."
> 
> Now half a quart is a pint.  There are 8 pints to a gallon, 2 pints to
a
> quart  and hence
> 4 quarts to a gallon.
> 
> Seems to me when using units you should use the smallest one.  Nobody
says
> "half a
> hundred" they call it "fifty".  Maybe it is an American thing?  What
is
> the correct unit
> for a half  gallon?  Two quarts or 4 pints?  (The American gallon is
quite
> a bit shy of
> the Imperial gallon, it being only worth 80% of the real one!)
> 

In the US, oil comes in quart containers so saying "half a quart" is
like saying "half a unit".

> 
> Note: I used the word "engine".  Most Americans use the word "motor",
when
> they refer to
> the thing under the bonnet (hood for our colonial friends) that powers
the
> car.  But the
> electric gizmo that turns the engine/motor over to bring it to life,
> noboby calls it a
> "starter-engine" - Why?
> 

Technically, a engine is a type of motor that uses a fuel (as opposed to
electricity, or hydraulic power, etc).
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