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Glossary of Technical Terms REF•15
REF
G
Gap The distance the spark must travel in
jumping from the centre electrode to the side
electrode in a spark plug. Also refers to the
spacing between the points in a contact
breaker assembly in a conventional points-
type ignition, or to the distance between the
reluctor or rotor and the pickup coil in an
electronic ignition.
Gasket Any thin, soft material - usually cork,
cardboard, asbestos or soft metal - installed
between two metal surfaces to ensure a good
seal. For instance, the cylinder head gasket
seals the joint between the block and the
cylinder head.
Gauge An instrument panel display used to
monitor engine conditions. A gauge with a
movable pointer on a dial or a fixed scale is an
analogue gauge. A gauge with a numerical
readout is called a digital gauge.
H
Halfshaft A rotating shaft that transmits
power from the final drive unit to a drive
wheel, usually when referring to a live rear
axle.
Harmonic balancer A device designed to
reduce torsion or twisting vibration in the
crankshaft. May be incorporated in the
crankshaft pulley. Also known as a vibration
damper.
Hone An abrasive tool for correcting small
irregularities or differences in diameter in an
engine cylinder, brake cylinder, etc.
Hydraulic tappet A tappet that utilises
hydraulic pressure from the engine’s
lubrication system to maintain zero clearance
(constant contact with both camshaft and
valve stem). Automatically adjusts to variation
in valve stem length. Hydraulic tappets also
reduce valve noise.
I
Ignition timing The moment at which the
spark plug fires, usually expressed in the
number of crankshaft degrees before the
piston reaches the top of its stroke.
Inlet manifold A tube or housing with
passages through which flows the air-fuel
mixture (carburettor vehicles and vehicles with
throttle body injection) or air only (port fuel-
injected vehicles) to the port openings in the
cylinder head.
J
Jump start Starting the engine of a vehicle
with a discharged or weak battery by
attaching jump leads from the weak battery to
a charged or helper battery.
L
Load Sensing Proportioning Valve (LSPV) A
brake hydraulic system control valve that
works like a proportioning valve, but also
takes into consideration the amount of weight
carried by the rear axle.
Locknut A nut used to lock an adjustment
nut, or other threaded component, in place.
For example, a locknut is employed to keep
the adjusting nut on the rocker arm in
position.
Lockwasher A form of washer designed to
prevent an attaching nut from working loose.
M
MacPherson strut A type of front
suspension system devised by Earle
MacPherson at Ford of England. In its original
form, a simple lateral link with the anti-roll bar
creates the lower control arm. A long strut - an
integral coil spring and shock absorber - is
mounted between the body and the steering
knuckle. Many modern so-called MacPherson
strut systems use a conventional lower A-arm
and don’t rely on the anti-roll bar for location.
Multimeter An electrical test instrument with
the capability to measure voltage, current and
resistance.
N
NOx Oxides of Nitrogen. A common toxic
pollutant emitted by petrol and diesel engines
at higher temperatures.
O
Ohm The unit of electrical resistance. One
volt applied to a resistance of one ohm will
produce a current of one amp.
Ohmmeter An instrument for measuring
electrical resistance.
O-ring A type of sealing ring made of a
special rubber-like material; in use, the O-ring
is compressed into a groove to provide the
sealing action.
Overhead cam (ohc) engine An engine with
the camshaft(s) located on top of the cylinder
head(s).
Overhead valve (ohv) engine An engine with
the valves located in the cylinder head, but
with the camshaft located in the engine block.
Oxygen sensor A device installed in the
engine exhaust manifold, which senses the
oxygen content in the exhaust and converts
this information into an electric current. Also
called a Lambda sensor.
P
Phillips screw A type of screw head having a
cross instead of a slot for a corresponding
type of screwdriver.
Plastigage A thin strip of plastic thread,
available in different sizes, used for measuring
clearances. For example, a strip of Plastigage
is laid across a bearing journal. The parts are
assembled and dismantled; the width of the
crushed strip indicates the clearance between
journal and bearing.
Propeller shaft The long hollow tube with
universal joints at both ends that carries
power from the transmission to the differential
on front-engined rear wheel drive vehicles.
Proportioning valve A hydraulic control
valve which limits the amount of pressure to
the rear brakes during panic stops to prevent
wheel lock-up.
R
Rack-and-pinion steering A steering system
with a pinion gear on the end of the steering
shaft that mates with a rack (think of a geared
wheel opened up and laid flat). When the
steering wheel is turned, the pinion turns,
moving the rack to the left or right. This
movement is transmitted through the track
rods to the steering arms at the wheels.
Radiator A liquid-to-air heat transfer device
designed to reduce the temperature of the
coolant in an internal combustion engine
cooling system.
Refrigerant Any substance used as a heat
transfer agent in an air-conditioning system.
R-12 has been the principle refrigerant for
many years; recently, however, manufacturers
have begun using R-134a, a non-CFC
substance that is considered less harmful to
the ozone in the upper atmosphere.
Rocker arm A lever arm that rocks on a shaft
or pivots on a stud. In an overhead valve
engine, the rocker arm converts the upward
movement of the pushrod into a downward
movement to open a valve.
Adjusting spark plug gap
Plastigage
Gasket