oversteer a problem of rear-wheel drive cars in which inadequate road adhesion by the tires causes a partial or full spinout during a turn.
passing gear in an automatic transmission, a low gear that is automatically engaged to provide a short burst of speed when the accelerator is sharply depressed.
pinging see knocking.
piston the cylindrical plug that moves up and down inside the cylinder to compress the fuel-air mixture and to force the connecting rods to rotate the crankshaft.
piston rings the metal rings installed in grooves in the pistons to prevent fuel-air leaks into the crankcase.
points the current-regulating, metal terminals in the distributor.
power brakes a brake system that employs hydraulic or vacuum pressure to assist in braking.
power steering a steering system that employs hydraulics to facilitate steering.
power train the drive train.
pressure cap the radiator cap.
push rods the rods that extend between the camshaft lifters and the rocker arms and are pushed up by the cam lobes.
rack-and-pinion steering a steering system in which a pinion on the end of the steering shaft meshes with a notched bar or rack, noted in sports cars for its quick response.
radiator at the front of the engine, the squarish receptacle that cools fluid passing through it by means of numerous air ducts.
rear obstacle warning system a system of sensors on a rear bumper that detects obstacles while moving in reverse and flashes or sounds an alarm to the driver.
remote car starter a transmitter, usually placed on a keychain, which can start a car or unlock doors from up to 500 feet away, most often used to prewarm the interior of a car on a cold day or precool it with the air conditioner on a hot day.
resonator a small, secondary muffler that further reduces exhaust noise on some car models.
rings piston rings.
roadster an open, two-seater car with a retractable top.
rocker arms arms that rock or pivot on shafts as the camshaft rotates, opening and closing the valves.
rotor located on top of the distributor shaft, the device that conducts current in sequence to the spark plug terminals.
rpm revolutions per minute.
running rich a condition in which too much gas and too little air is consumed by the engine, resulting in sooty or black exhaust.
SAE abbreviation used with oil gradings, meaning Society of Automotive Engineers.
sedan a two- or four-door car, seating four to seven passengers.
shift-on-the-fly referring to the ability of a vehicle to shift into four-wheel drive without having to stop and lock the front hubs first.
shimmy a distinct vibration or side-to-side shaking of the front wheels, caused by a bent rim, a shifted tire belt, a loose suspension part, or a loose steering linkage part.
shock absorber a device placed at each wheel to help limit bounce and compression when driving over bumps or when stopping quickly.
slant engine an engine in which the cylinder block is slanted from the vertical.
sludge an engine-fouling conglomeration of oxidized oil, gas, and water that reduces lubricating efficiency.
spark plug a plug that screws into the cylinder head and delivers a spark to the combustion chamber to ignite the fuel-air mixture.
spoiler see airfoil.
springs any springlike devices, such as coil springs, leaf springs, or torsion bars, that absorb road shock.
stabilizer bar a shaft between the lower suspension arms that reduces swaying or lurching of the car on sharp turns or curves.
starter the small electric motor that turns the crankshaft to start the engine.
steering linkage the interconnections between the front wheels and the steering wheel.
stroke the distance of one stroke of a piston from the top to the bottom of a cylinder, or vice versa.
strut a shock absorber and mounting plate.
subcompact a very small, two-door, two-passenger car.
supercharger a device that pressurizes the air-fuel mixture to increase engine power.
suspension system collective term for the springs, shock absorbers, steering linkage, stabilizers, and torsion bars.
swaybar part of the suspension system, a stabilizing bar or rod mounted between wheels to reduce body lean when turning. Also known as an antiroll bar.
synchromesh a system that matches engine and gear speed to prevent grinding of the gears when shifting.
tachometer the rpm or engine speed gauge on the dashboard.
tailpipe the last portion of the exhaust system.
telematics generic term for remote services, such as Onstar, that work via GPS systems, mobile phone, and remote sensors.
toe in to align the front wheel so that they point inward slightly, for better handling at high speeds.
torque the turning or rotational force produced by an engine at the crankshaft.
torsion bar a bar that produces spring by twisting, especially over an uneven road.
transaxle on front-wheel drive or rear-engine cars, a unit that combines the functions of the transmission, differential, and clutch at the drive axle to eliminate the need for a driveshaft.
transmission the gear box that, through various gear ratios, transmits power from the engine to the drive axle.
transverse engine an engine mounted between the drive wheels, as in frontwheel drive cars.
tune-up a maintenance procedure in which parts of the ignition system are adjusted or replaced. A typical tune-up may include an adjustment of the idle speed, the fuel-air mixture and the timing, the gapping and replacement of spark plugs and points, and the replacement of the rotor and condenser.
turbocharger a supercharger powered by hot exhaust gases.
undercoating a rustproofing material applied underneath a car.
understeer a specific type of tire slippage common to front-wheel drive vehicles. In slick conditions, the vehicle continues on a straight path even after turning the steering wheel.
valves the engine devices that open and close to allow or stop the flow of fuel and air or exhaust gases.
V-8 an eight-cylinder engine, with the cylinders mounted in two rows forming an angle or V.
venturi in the carburetor, the narrowed passageway that creates a vacuum to draw fuel from the float bowl.
water jackets the engine channels through which coolant flows to cool the engine.
water pump the device that pumps coolant and water through the cooling system.
wheelbase the distance down the center from front axle to rear axle.
Zev zero emission vehicle, an electric or alternate- powered car producing no polluting exhaust.
Zipcar trade name of a company that, through membership, makes cars available for sharing at designated locations throughout the United States.
aviation
aerodynamics the branch of physics concerning the laws of motion of air under the influence of gravity or other forces.
aileron any one of the hinged movable surfaces or flaps on the trailing edge of a wing, used for executing banks or rolls.