Descriptionary

cruise control a device that automatically main­tains a car's speed at a preset level and is disengaged by the brake.

curtain side airbags airbags that are mounted above side windows in the front and back and inflate in a side impact, protecting passengers from flying glass and from head injuries.

cylinder in the engine block, the hollow pipe in which the piston is housed and moves up and down.

cylinder head above the engine block, the part of the engine that encloses the cylinders and contains the combustion chambers and, in most cases, the valves.

dead axle an axle that does not deliver power to a wheel.

detonation see knocking.

diesel engine an engine without a carburetor that burns diesel oil rather than gasoline.

dieseling a condition (unrelated to diesel engines) in which the engine continues to sputter after the ignition has been turned off. Also known as afterrunning.

differential located between the rear wheels, an arrangement of gears that drives the rear axle and allows each of the wheels to turn at different speeds when cornering.

dipstick a metal stick used to check fluid levels in a fluid reservoir.

disc brake a brake system consisting of two pads that squeeze opposite sides of a rotating disc to slow a car or bring it to a stop.

disk brakes brakes of padded calipers that grab a disk on the wheel to slow or stop the car.

distributor the device that distributes a propor­tional amount of electricity to each spark plug, in sequence.

distributor cap an insulated cap with a central ter­minal for the coil wire and a series of outer terminals for the spark plug wires, with voltage delivered to each by the rotor.

double clutching releasing and depressing the clutch while in neutral to facilitate coupling of the fly-wheel and the clutch disk, used mostly in truck- driving.

double-overhead-cam engine an engine having two camshafts in each cylinder head to activate the valves.

downshift to shift to a lower gear to help slow the car and help prevent brake wear.

driveshaft the spinning shaft that transmits power from the transmission to the differential.

drive train collective term for the clutch, transmis­sion, driveshaft, differential, and rear axle.

dual carbs having two carburetors on one engine.

DUI driving under the influence of alcohol.

DWI driving while intoxicated.

dynamometer a device used to measure engine power.

ECU electronic control unit.

electrical system the system that generates, stores, and distributes current to start the car and to power electrical equipment, comprising the alternator, bat­tery, regulator, wiring, ignition distributor, and igni­tion coil.

electrolyte the battery's mixture of sulfuric acid and water.

engine block the main framework or block contain­ing the cylinders and other engine parts. Also known as the cylinder block.

engine flywheel in manual transmissions, a spin­ning metal plate at the end of the crankshaft that engages and disengages with the clutch disk.

ethanol an alternative fuel, often made from corn, that can be used to either supplement or replace gasoline.

exhaust manifold a device that, through several passages, receives exhaust gases from the combustion chambers.

exhaust system the system through which exhaust flows, from the exhaust manifold to the catalytic con­verter to the muffler and out the tailpipe.

fan between the radiator and the engine, a spinning fan that draws cooling air through the radiator.

fan belt the rubber belt that connects the fan with the alternator.

fastback a car with an aerodynamically slanting roof.

firewall the protective, insulated wall dividing the engine compartment from the passenger interior.

Flexcar trade name of a company that, through membership, makes cars available for sharing with others in designated spots throughout major cities in the United States.

flex fuel vehicle any vehicle designed to run on either gasoline or ethanol or a mixture of the two.

float bowl in the carburetor, the reservoir that holds a small quantity of gasoline to be vaporized.

fog lamps specialized lights that cast a low, broad beam and reduce reflected light, increasing visibility in fog, mist, and haze.

four-barrel a four-barreled carburetor, with the third and fourth barrels operating only at high speed or when accelerating, as in a large V-8 engine.

four by four (4x4) a vehicle equipped with four- wheel drive.

four-stroke cycle the four—down, up, down, up— piston strokes that complete the intake, compression, power, and exhaust cycle.