|
|
A-Pillar
is the pillar on either side
of the front windshield.
C-pillar is the pillar
between the rear side windows and
the rear windshield that supports
the roof.
Crankase are the castings
that contain the crankshaft,
gearbox and primary drive.
Crankshaft is the piston and
crankshaft assemblies, also known
as the engine's reciprocating
assembly. The piston and rod
reciprocate, or move up and down,
in the cylinder, while the
crankshaft changes the piston's
linear or straight-line motion
into usable rotary or spinning
motion; piston move up and down
together with 360 degree
crankshaft, alternating with a
180 degree crankshaft .
Detergent
Fuel additive that is designed to
keep fuel injectors clean,
thereby improving engine
performance and fuel economy. See
'TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.'
Disc brakes are round
discs that are squeezed by brake
calipers. Disc brakes are exposed
to air, and therefore maintain
cooling better, which decreases
brake fade and improves stopping
reliability.
Displacement is the size
of the engine.
DOHC (dual overhead cams)
having two camshafts, which are
located above the cylinder
head.
Electronic Fuel Injection
is a fuel system that relies on
electronics to gather, blend and
distribute a fuel mixture to each
cylinder.
High-octane
Good anti-knock properties of
gasoline.
High-Performance
Engine
An engine that compresses gas and
air into a smaller volume before
igniting the mixture. Offers more
horsepower for a smaller weight
engine. Requires higher octane or
it will knock.
Horsepower is a measure of
the rate at which work can be
done -- derived from the ability
of the average horse to lift 100
pounds over 330 feet in 1 minute,
that is, 1 horsepower. Horsepower
is the measure of continuous
moving power of the vehicle and
its top-end speed.
Hydrocarbon
An organic chemical containing
only carbon and
hydrogen.
|
|
|
Knocking
When an gas-air mixture
ignites by compression rather
than the spark of the spark plug
a knocking noise is heard in the
engine, especially during
acceleration -- bad for the
engine. Also caused pinging.
Mid-Grade
Usually gas with an octane number
of 89. Posted with bright yellow
stickers at the pump.
MPG
Miles per gallon. The gas mileage
or a car -- how far the car goes
on a gallon of gas.
Octane Number
A number that is used to measure
the antiknock properties of
gasoline. Higher numbers are less
likely to cause knocking. Octane
is often short for Octane Number,
but is literally and 8-carbon
alkane. See FTC
page.
Overdrive is a
transmission gear that reduces
the power output needed to
maintain driving speed, which
gives the engine a break and
improves fuel economy.
Preumium
The highest octane gas for
everyday automobile driving --
usually 92 or 93. Posted with
bright yellow stickers at the
pump.
Regular
Lower-octane rated gasoline
is rated 87-octane. Posted with
bright yellow stickers at the
pump. It handles the least amount
of compression before igniting.
Technically it is 87% octane and
13% heptane.
Tetraethyl lead (TEL)
Additive discovered during WWI
that improves the octane rating
of gas, but clogs the catallytic
converter and is bad for the
environment. TEL was very harmful
and even fatal to some workers in
gas plants, who were accidentally
poisoned during processing.
TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline
Helps keep engines cleaner than
gasoline containing the "Lowest
Additive Concentration" set by
the EPA. Clean engines help
provide optimal fuel economy and
performance and reduced
emissions. Use of TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline helps reduce
deposit-related concerns that
could clog fuel injectors, which
could cause engine hesitation and
stalls. Developed by automotive
companies: BMW, General Motors,
Honda and Toyota.
Torque is a measure of the
power that gets a vehicle going
from a standstill. Higher torque
means you are thrown back in your
seat when the driver hits the
gas.
Vapor Lock
Interruption of flow of fuel in
an internal combustion engine
caused by gas bubbles in the
intake.
Wheelbase is the distance
between the front wheels and the
rear wheels. Cars with a very
short wheelbase may feel harder
to handle, while a longer
wheelbase usually adds
stability.
|
Around
Town & Beyond
...
