Someone who knows how engines work can hopefully explain this to me:

Why is it that when I am at a standstill in drive (AT) and turn my steering wheel slightly, the engine revs a little...maybe 200 rpm??
I think my ol' civic did it too.
Thnx

 

Power steering. The power steering pump is run off of the engine crankshaft (connected by a belt with pulleys), therefore it robs a little of the power that the engine makes.

 

Its the engine reacting to then power steering.