Descriptionary

lubrication system the system that lubricates mov­ing parts in the engine, comprising the oil, oil pan, oil pump, oil filter, and oil gauge.

lug nuts the large nuts that lock the wheel onto a car.

MacPherson strut a combination spring and shock absorber, for superior shock dampening.

manual transmission a transmission requiring a stick shift and clutch to change gears.

master brake cylinder the cylinder that holds brake fluid and compresses it through the brake lines to the brakes when the brake pedal is engaged.

misfiring a malfunction in which the fuel-air mix­ture in one or more cylinders fails to combust.

muffler a device in the exhaust system that muffles the noise of escaping exhaust.

octane rating the rating that reflects a gasoline's antiknock properties; the highest octanes produce the least amount of engine knock or ping.

odometer the dashboard mileage meter.

oil filter a filter that removes dirt and other contam­inants from oil as it circulates through the lubrication system.

oil pan the pan that stores oil, located below the crankcase.

oil pump a crankcase pump that draws oil from the oil pan through the lubrication system.

Onstar an automotive service with an on-call staff, an onboard global positioning system receiver, an embedded mobile phone, and an engine inter­face. The service provides directions to lost drivers, unlocks doors by remote control, monitors engine performance, notifies drivers of mechanical prob­lems, contacts emergency personnel when an airbag is deployed, and tracks stolen vehicles. The remote staff may be contacted with the push of a button.

overdrive a special gear, such as fifth gear in a five- speed transmission, that allows the drive wheels to turn faster than the engine, to facilitate coasting and fuel saving at high speed.

overhead cam a camshaft situated above the cylin­der head instead of below the cylinders, to remove the need for valve-activating push rods.

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.