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ACCELERATOR PUMP: A small pump located in the carburetor that feeds fuel into
the air/fuel mixture during acceleration.
ADVANCE: Setting the ignition timing so that spark occurs earlier, before the piston
reaches top dead center (TDC).
AFTER TOP DEAD CENTER (ATDC): The point after the piston reaches the top of its
travel on the compression stroke.
AIR BAG: Device on the inside of the car designed to inflate on impact of crash,
protecting the occupants of the car.
Figure 1 Typical type of air
AIR CLEANER: An assembly consisting of a housing, cleaner assembly on most of
filter and any connecting ductwork. The filter today's cars
element is made up of a porous paper, sometimes
with a wire mesh screening, and is designed to
prevent airborne particles from entering the engine
through the carburetor or throttle body.
AIR PUMP: An emission control device that supplies fresh air to the exhaust
manifold to aid in more completely burning exhaust gases.
AIR/FUEL RATIO: The ratio of air-to-gasoline by weight in the fuel mixture drawn
into the engine.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE: Term used to describe a full time four wheel drive system or any
other car drive system that continuously delivers power to all four wheels. This
system is found primarily on station wagon cars and SUVs not utilized for significant
off road use.
ALTERNATING CURRENT (AC): Electric current that flows first in one direction, then
in the opposite direction, continually reversing flow.
ALTERNATOR: A device which produces AC (alternating current) which is converted
to DC (direct current) to charge the car battery.
ASE: Acronym for the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. ASE is
usually affiliated with being a Certified Technician. ASE provides a testing system to
recognize a technicians skills and abilities in specific mechanical areas, such as
drivetrain, engine performance, electrical, etc.
AXLE CAPACITY: The maximum load-carrying capacity of the axle itself, as specified
by the manufacturer. This is usually a higher number than the GAWR.
AXLE RATIO: This is a number (3.07:1, 4.56:1, for example) expressing the ratio
between driveshaft revolutions and wheel revolutions. A low numerical ratio allows
the engine to work easier because it doesn't have to turn as fast. A high numerical
ratio means that the engine has to turn more rpm's to move the wheels through the
same number of turns.
BACKFIRE: The sudden combustion of gases in the intake or exhaust system that
results in a loud explosion.
BACKLASH: The clearance or play between two parts, such as meshed gears.
BACKPRESSURE: Restrictions in the exhaust system that slow the exit of exhaust
gases from the combustion chamber.
BALL BEARING: A bearing made up of hardened inner and outer races between
which hardened steel balls roll.
BEFORE TOP DEAD CENTER (BTDC): The point just before the piston reaches the
top of its travel on the compression stroke.
BELTED TIRE: Tire construction similar to bias-ply tires, but using two or more layers
of reinforced belts between body plies and the tread.
BIAS-PLY TIRE: Tire construction, using body ply reinforcing cords which run at
alternating angles to the center line of the tread.
BLOW-BY: Combustion gases, composed of water vapor and unburned fuel, that leak
past the piston rings into the crankcase during normal engine operation. These gases
are removed by the PCV system to prevent the buildup of harmful acids in the
crankcase.
BOOK VALUE: The average value of a car, widely used to determine trade-in and
resale value.
BRAKE PAD: A brake shoe and lining assembly used with disc brakes.
BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE: A valve on the master cylinder which restricts
hydraulic brake pressure to the wheels to a specified amount, preventing wheel lock-
up.
BRAKE SHOE: The backing for the brake lining. The term is, however, usually
applied to the assembly of the brake backing and lining.
BREAKER POINTS: A set of points inside the distributor, operated by a cam, which
make and break the ignition circuit.
CALIFORNIA ENGINE: An engine certified by the EPA for use in California only;
conforms to more stringent emission regulations than Federal engine.
CAMBER: One of the factors of wheel alignment. Viewed Figure 7. Camber angle
from the front of the car, it is the inward or outward tilt of (front view)
the wheel. The top of the tire will lean outward (positive
camber) or inward (negative camber).
CETANE RATING: A measure of the ignition value of diesel fuel. The higher the
cetane rating, the better the fuel. Diesel fuel cetane rating is roughly comparable to
gasoline octane rating.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT: The malfunction indicator light that the vehicle's on board
computer illuminates when it senses a fault in a monitored system.
CHECK VALVE: Any one-way valve installed to permit the flow of air, fuel or vacuum
in one direction only.
CHOKE: The valve/plate that restricts the amount of air entering an engine on the
induction stroke, thereby enriching the air:fuel ratio.
CIRCLIP: A split steel snap ring that fits into a groove to hold various parts in place.
CIRCUIT: Any unbroken path through which an electrical current can flow. Also used
to describe fuel flow in some instances.
CLEARCOAT: A transparent layer which, when sprayed over a car's paint service,
adds gloss and depth as well as an additional Figure 9 Exploded view of typical clutch
protective coating to the finish.
CONNECTING ROD: The connecting link between the crankshaft and piston.
CONTROL ARM: The upper or lower suspension components which are mounted on
the frame and support the ball joints and steering knuckles.
COOLANT: Mixture of water and anti-freeze circulated through the engine to carry off
heat produced by the engine.
CRANKCASE: The lower part of an engine in which the crankshaft and related parts
operate.
CURB WEIGHT: The weight of a car without passengers or payload, but including all
fluids (oil, gas, coolant, etc.) and other equipment specified as standard.
CV-JOINT: Constant velocity joint.
Figure 11. Basic cylinder block
CYLINDER BLOCK: See engine block. (engine block) casting
DIESELING: The engine continues to run after the car is shut off; caused by fuel
continuing to be burned in the combustion chamber.
DIODE: An electrical device that will allow current to flow in one direction only.
DIRECT CURRENT (DC): Electrical current that flows in one direction only.
DISPLACEMENT: The total volume of air that is displaced by all pistons as the
engine turns through one complete revolution.
Figure 13 Typical
DISTRIBUTOR: A mechanically driven device on an distributor assembly
engine which is responsible for electrically firing the
spark plug at a pre-determined point of the piston
stroke.
DOWEL PIN: A pin, inserted in mating holes in two different parts, allowing those
parts to maintain a fixed relationship.
DRIVE CYCLE TEST: A function of the vehicle on board computer that includes the
testing of the monitored systems that requires a start up -- from a cold engine to a
warm engine -- and the vehicle being driven.
DRIVE TRAIN: The components that transmit the flow of power from the engine to
the wheels. The components include the clutch, transmission, driveshafts (or axle
shafts in front wheel drive), U-joints and differential.
DRUM BRAKE: A braking system which consists of two brake shoes and one or two
wheel cylinders, mounted on a fixed backing plate, and a brake drum, mounted on an
axle, which revolves around the assembly.
DRY CHARGED BATTERY: Battery to which electrolyte is added when the battery is
placed in service. Figure 14 Performing a resistance
check using a DVOM
DVOM: Digital volt ohmmeter
ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM: The computer control system that regulates fuel
delivery, ignition timing, engine idle speed and on some vehicles the transmission
shift points.
ELECTROLYTE: A solution of water and sulfuric acid used to activate the battery.
Electrolyte is extremely corrosive.
ELECTRONIC IGNITION: A system in which the timing and firing of the spark plugs
is controlled by an electronic control unit, usually called a module. These systems
have no points or condenser.
ENGINE: The primary motor or power apparatus of a car, which converts liquid or
gas fuel into mechanical energy.
ENGINE BLOCK: The basic engine casting containing the cylinders, the crankshaft
main bearings, as well as machined surfaces for the mounting of other components
such as the cylinder head, oil pan, transmission, etc..
FILAMENT: The part of a bulb that glows; the filament creates high resistance to
current flow and actually glows from the resulting heat.
FIRING ORDER: The order in which combustion occurs in the cylinders of an engine.
Also the order in which spark is distributed to the plugs by the distributor.
FLAME FRONT: The term used to describe certain aspects of the fuel combustion in
the cylinders. The flame front should move in a controlled pattern across the cylinder,
rather than simply combusting immediately.
FLAT ENGINE: Engine design in which the pistons are horizontally opposed. Porsche,
Subaru and some old VWs are common examples of flat engines.
FLAT RATE: A dealership term referring to the standard fee charged by a technician
for a particular repair or diagnostic service versus the actual labor time.
FLAT SPOT: A point during acceleration when the engine seems to lose power for an
instant.
FLOODING: The presence of too much fuel in the intake manifold and combustion
chamber which prevents the air/fuel mixture from firing, thereby causing a no-start
situation.
FLYWHEEL: A heavy disc of metal attached to the rear of the crankshaft. It smoothes
the firing impulses of the engine and keeps the crankshaft turning during periods
when no firing takes place. The starter also engages the flywheel to start the engine.
FOOT POUND (ft. lbs. or sometimes ft. lb.): The amount of energy or work
needed to raise an item weighing one pound a distance of one foot.
FREEPLAY: The amount of travel in a clutch pedal or brake pedal before movement
of the clutch or brakes take place. This adjustment is critical to the proper operation
of the clutch or brakes.
FREEZE PLUG: A plug in the engine block which will be pushed out if the coolant
freezes. Sometimes called expansion plugs, they protect the block from cracking
should the coolant freeze.
FRONT END ALIGNMENT: A service to set caster, camber and toe-in to the correct
specifications. This will ensure that the car steers and handles properly and that the
tires wear properly.
FRONTAL AREA: The total surface area of the front of a car that is exposed to air
flow.
FUEL FILTER: A component of the fuel system Figure 17 The fuel filter is
containing a porous paper element used to mounted in-line with the fuel
prevent any impurities from entering the engine hose
through the fuel system. It usually takes the form
of a canister-like housing, mounted in-line with the
fuel hose, located anywhere on a car between the
fuel tank and engine.
FULL FLOATING AXLE: An axle in which the axle housing extends through the wheel
giving bearing support on the outside of the housing. The front axle of a four-wheel
drive car is usually a full floating axle, as are the rear axles of many larger (3/4 ton
and over) pick-ups and vans.
FUSE: A protective device in a circuit which prevents circuit overload by breaking the
circuit when a specific amperage is present. The device is constructed around a strip
or wire of a lower amperage rating than the circuit it is designed to protect. When an
amperage higher than that stamped on the fuse is present in the circuit, the strip or
wire melts, opening the circuit.
FUSIBLE LINK: A piece of wire in a wiring harness that performs the same service as
a fuse. If overloaded, the fusible link will melt and interrupt the circuit.
GAS ANALYZER: A tool used to test the exhaust emissions of a vehicle. Gases tested
include CO (carbon monoxide), CO2 (carbon dioxide), HC (hydrocarbons), O2 (oxygen)
and sometimes NOx (oxides of nitrogen).
GAWR: Gross axle weight rating. The total maximum weight an axle is designed to
carry.
GCW: Gross combined weight. The total combined weight of a tow car and trailer.
GEAR RATIO: A ratio expressing the number of turns a smaller gear will make to turn
a larger gear through one revolution. The ratio is found by dividing the number of
teeth on the smaller gear into the number of teeth on the larger gear.
GEARBOX: Transmission
GEL COAT: A thin coat of plastic resin covering fiberglass body panels.
GENERATOR: A device which produces direct current (DC) necessary to charge the
battery.
GVWR: Gross vehicle weight rating. The total maximum weight a car is designed to
carry including the weight of the car, passengers, equipment, gas, oil, etc.
HALOGEN: A special type of lamp known for its quality of brilliant white light.
Originally used for fog lights and driving lights.
HEADER TANK: An expansion tank for the radiator coolant. It can be located
remotely or built into the radiator.
HEAT RANGE: A term used to describe the ability of a spark plug to carry away heat.
Plugs with longer nosed insulators take longer to carry heat off effectively.
HEAT RISER: A flapper in the exhaust manifold that is closed when the engine is
cold, causing hot exhaust gases to heat the intake manifold providing better cold
engine operation. A thermostatic spring opens the flapper when the engine warms
up.
HEATER CONTROL VALVE: The device that controls the flow of hot engine coolant
through the heater core.
IDLE MIXTURE: The mixture of air and fuel (usually about 14:1) being fed to the
cylinders. The idle mixture screw(s) are sometimes adjusted as part of a tune-up.
IDLER ARM: Component of the steering linkage which is a geometric duplicate of the
steering gear arm. It supports the right side of the center steering link.
INCH POUND (inch lbs. or sometimes in. lb. or in. lbs.): One twelfth of a foot
pound.
INJECTOR: A device which receives metered fuel under relatively low pressure and is
activated to inject the fuel into the engine under relatively high pressure at a
predetermined time.
INPUT SHAFT: The shaft to which torque is applied, usually carrying the driving gear
or gears.
Figure 18 Typical intake manifold
for a 4-cylinder engine
INTAKE MANIFOLD: A casting of passages or
pipes used to conduct air or a fuel/air mixture to
the cylinders.
JUMPSTART: Utilizing the sufficiently charged battery of one car to start the engine
of another car with a discharged battery by the use of jumper cables.
KEY: A small block usually fitted in a notch between a shaft and a hub to prevent
slippage of the two parts.
KNOCK: Noise which results from the spontaneous ignition of a portion of the air-fuel
mixture in the engine cylinder caused by overly advanced ignition timing or use of
incorrectly low octane fuel for that engine.
KNOCK SENSOR: An input device that responds to spark knock, caused by overly
advanced ignition timing.
LIMITED SLIP: A type of differential which transfers driving force to the wheel with
the best traction.
LITHIUM-BASE GREASE: Chassis and wheel bearing grease using lithium as a base.
Not compatible with sodium-base grease.
LOAD RANGE: Indicates the number of plies at which a tire is rated. Load range B
equals four-ply rating; C equals six-ply rating; and, D equals an eight-ply rating.
LOCKING HUBS: Accessories used on part-time four-wheel drive systems that allow
the front wheels to be disengaged from the drive train when four-wheel drive is not
being used. When four-wheel drive is desired, the hubs are engaged, locking the
wheels to the drive train.
MISFIRE: Condition occurring when the fuel mixture Figure 20 McPherson struts
in a cylinder fails to ignite, causing the engine to run combine shocks and springs in one
roughly. assembly
OCTANE RATING: A number indicating the quality of gasoline based on its ability to
resist knock. The higher the number, the better the quality. Higher compression
engines require higher octane gas.
OFFSET: The distance between the vertical center of the wheel and the mounting
surface at the lugs. Offset is positive if the center is outside the lug circle; negative
offset puts the center line inside the lug circle.
OHM: The unit used to measure the resistance of conductor-to-electrical flow. One
ohm is the amount of resistance that limits current flow to
one ampere in a circuit with one volt of pressure. Figure 21 Checking
resistance using an
OHMMETER: An instrument used for measuring the ohmmeter
resistance, in ohms, in an electrical circuit.
OUTPUT SHAFT: The shaft which transmits torque from a device, such as a
transmission.
OVERHEAD VALVE (OHV): An engine configuration in which all of the valves are
located in the cylinder head and the camshaft is located in the cylinder block. The
camshaft operates the valves via lifters and pushrods.
OVERSTEER: The tendency of some cars, when steering into a turn, to over-respond
or steer more than required, which could result in excessive slip of the rear wheels.
Opposite of understeer.
PARTS WASHER: A basin or tub, usually with a built-in pump mechanism and hose
used for circulating chemical solvent for the purpose of cleaning greasy, oily and dirty
components.
PASSIVE RESTRAINT: Safety systems such as air bags or automatic seat belts
which operate with no action required on the part of the driver or passenger.
Mandated by Federal regulations on all cars sold in the U.S. after 1990.
PAYLOAD: The weight the car is capable of carrying in addition to its own weight.
Payload includes weight of the driver, passengers and cargo, but not coolant, fuel,
lubricant, spare tire, etc.
PCV VALVE: A valve usually located in the rocker cover that vents crankcase vapors
back into the engine to be reburned.
PERCOLATION: A condition in which the fuel actually "boils" due to excessive heat.
Percolation prevents proper atomization of the fuel causing rough running.
PITMAN ARM: A lever which transmits steering force from the steering gear to the
steering linkage.
PLY RATING: A rating given a tire which indicates strength (but not necessarily
actual plies). A two-ply/four-ply rating has only two plies, but the strength of a four-
ply tire.
PRESS FIT: The mating of two parts under pressure, due to the inner diameter of
one being smaller than the outer diameter of the other, or vice versa; an interference
fit.
PRESSURE PLATE: A spring-loaded plate (part of the clutch) that transmits power to
the driven (friction) plate when the clutch is engaged.
PRIMARY CIRCUIT: The low voltage side of the ignition system which consists of the
ignition switch, ballast resistor or resistance wire, bypass, coil, electronic control unit
and pick-up coil as well as the connecting wires and harnesses.
PROFILE: Term used for tire measurement (tire series), which is the ratio of tire
height to tread width.
PUSHROD: A steel rod between the hydraulic valve lifter and the valve rocker arm in
overhead valve (OHV) engines.
QUARTER PANEL: General term used to refer to a rear fender. Quarter panel is the
area from the rear door opening to the tail light area and from rear wheelwell to the
base of the trunk and roof-line.
RACE: The surface on the inner or outer ring of a bearing on which the balls, needles
or rollers move.
REAR MAIN OIL SEAL: A synthetic or rope-type seal that prevents oil from leaking
out of the engine past the rear main crankshaft bearing.
RELUCTOR: A wheel that rotates inside the distributor and triggers the release of
voltage in an electronic ignition.
RETARD: Setting the ignition timing so that spark occurs later (fewer degrees before
TDC).
RING GEAR: The name given to a ring-shaped gear attached to a differential case, or
affixed to a flywheel or as part of a planetary gear set.
Figure 24 Typical rocker arm and shaft
ROCKER ARM: A lever which rotates assembly
around a shaft pushing down (opening) the
valve with an end when the other end is
pushed up by the pushrod. Spring pressure
will later close the valve.
SECONDARY CIRCUIT: The high voltage side of the ignition system, usually above
20,000 volts. The secondary includes the ignition coil, coil wire, distributor cap and
rotor, spark plug wires and spark plugs.
SEMI-FLOATING AXLE: In this design, a wheel is attached to the axle shaft, which
takes both drive and cornering loads. Almost all solid axle passenger cars and light
trucks use this design.
SERPENTINE BELT: An accessory drive belt, with small multiple v-ribs, routed
around most or all of the engine-powered accessories such as the alternator and
power steering pump. Usually both the front and the back side of the belt come into
contact with various pulleys.
SHIMMY: Vibration (sometimes violent) in the front end caused by misaligned front
end, out of balance tires or worn suspension components.
SHORT CIRCUIT: An electrical malfunction where current takes the path of least
resistance to ground (usually through damaged insulation). Current flow is excessive
from low resistance resulting in a blown fuse.
SKIDPLATE: A metal plate attached to the underside of the body to protect the fuel
tank, transfer case or other vulnerable parts from damage.
SLAVE CYLINDER: In automotive use, a device in the hydraulic clutch system which
is activated by hydraulic force, disengaging the clutch.
SLUDGE: Thick, black deposits in engine formed from dirt, oil, water, etc. It is usually
formed in engines when oil changes are neglected.
SNAP RING: A circular retaining clip used inside or outside a shaft or part to secure a
shaft, such as a floating wrist pin.
SPARK PLUG: A device screwed into the combustion chamber of a spark ignition
engine. The basic construction is a conductive core inside of a ceramic insulator,
mounted in an outer conductive base. An electrical charge from the spark plug wire
travels along the conductive core and jumps a preset air gap to a grounding point or
points at the end of the conductive base. The resultant spark ignites the fuel/air
mixture in the combustion chamber.
SPLINES: Ridges machined or cast onto the outer diameter of a shaft or inner
diameter of a bore to enable parts to mate without rotation.
SPONGY PEDAL: A soft or spongy feeling when the brake pedal is depressed. It is
usually due to air in the brake lines.
STABILIZER (SWAY) BAR: A bar linking both sides of the suspension. It resists sway
on turns by taking some of the added load from one
wheel and putting it on the other. Figure 26 Starter motor
assembly location
STARTER: A high-torque electric motor used for the
purpose of starting the engine, typically through a
high ratio geared drive connected to the flywheel ring
gear.
STROKE: The distance the piston travels from bottom dead center to top dead
center.
TACHOMETER: A device used to measure the rotary speed of an engine, shaft, gear,
etc., usually in rotations per minute.
TDC: Top dead center. The exact top of the piston's stroke.
TIE ROD: A rod connecting the steering arms. Tie rods have threaded ends that are
used to adjust toe-in.
TIMING CHAIN: A roller chain that is driven by the crankshaft and operates the
camshaft.
TIRE ROTATION: Moving the tires from one position to another to make the tires
wear evenly.
TOE-IN (OUT): A term comparing the extreme front Figure 27 Wheel toe-in (top
and rear of the front tires. Closer together at the view)
front is toe-in; farther apart at the front is toe-out.
TRACK: Distance between the centers of the tires where they contact the ground.
TRACTION CONTROL: A control system that prevents the spinning of a car's drive
wheels when excess power is applied.
TRANSFER CASE: A gearbox driven from the transmission that delivers power to
both front and rear driveshafts in a four-wheel drive system. Transfer cases usually
have a high and low range set of gears, used depending on how much pulling power
is needed.
UNDER LOAD: Used to describe the condition of a vehicle when climbing a steep
incline or hill. When the vehicle is placed under a higher than normal amount of load
when carrying excessive cargo.
UNIT BODY: Design in which the car body acts as the frame.
UNLEADED FUEL: Fuel which contains no lead (a common gasoline additive). The
presence of lead in fuel will destroy the functioning elements of a catalytic converter,
making it useless.
UNSPRUNG WEIGHT: The weight of car components not supported by the springs
(wheels, tires, brakes, rear axle, control arms, etc.).
VACUUM MODULATOR: A device used to control the transmission shift points based
on the amount of load placed on the engine.
VALVE CLEARANCE: The measured gap between the end of the valve stem and the
rocker arm, cam lobe or follower that activates the valve.
VALVE GUIDES: The guide through which the stem of the valve passes. The guide is
designed to keep the valve in proper alignment.
VALVE STEM SEALS: Synthetic rubber seals that are used to control the oil that
lubricates the valve stems in the valve guides. Worn valve stem seals can cause blue
smoke from the exhaust when first starting the engine.
VALVE TRAIN: The system that operates intake and exhaust valves, consisting of
camshaft, valves and springs, lifters, pushrods and rocker arms.
VAPOR LOCK: Boiling of the fuel in the fuel lines due to excess heat. This will
interfere with the flow of fuel in the lines and can completely stop the flow. Vapor lock
normally only occurs in hot weather.
VARNISH: Term applied to the residue formed when gasoline gets old and stale.
VISCOSITY: The ability of a fluid to flow. The lower the viscosity rating, the easier the
fluid will flow. 10 weight motor oil will flow much easier than 40 weight motor oil.
VOLT: Unit used to measure the force or pressure of electricity. It is defined as the
pressure needed to move one amp through a resistance of one ohm.
VOLTAGE REGULATOR: A device that controls the current output of the alternator or
generator.
VOLTMETER: An instrument used for measuring electrical force in units called volts.
Voltmeters are always connected parallel with the circuit being tested.
WATER PUMP: A belt driven component of the cooling system that mounts on the
engine, circulating the coolant under pressure.
WEAR INDICATORS: A metal tab mounted on disc brake pads that touch the brake
rotor when the brake linings need replacement.
Figure 31 Water pump mounting onto front of the
engine block
WHEEL ALIGNMENT: Inclusive term to describe the front end geometry (caster,
camber, toe-in/out).