A Cheatsheet for Becoming a Car Expert

A CHEATSHEET FOR BECOMING A CAR EXPERT ABS A-line This line traces over the roof, from the front to the back, and forms the vehicle's shape. ABS Anti-Lock Braking System. This is a system designed to prevent skidding, especially in wet conditions. Beltline This line can be found extending under the windows from the front and the Brightwork These are any functional or aesthetic reflective additions to the car. back. Carburettors Used in petrol engines to mix the petrol and air for delivery to the combustion chamber. Character line A strip around the vehicle that generally features to give the car a distinctive and notable appearance. Cladding These are panels around the car edges that can be aesthetic or functional. Combustion chamber The area at the top of the engine cylinders where the fuel is introduced and either ignited (petrol) or compressed (diesel). ogo Compressor A system used by some manufacturers to improve the power of engines by forcing air into the combustion chamber at greater pressure. Cylinder One of a group of chambers in the engine within which the combustion process takes place. Most configurations are either 4, 6 or 8 cylinders. Disc Brakes A disc rotates with the wheels, straddled by a caliper that can squeeze the surfaces of the disc at the edge to slow the wheels. Drive Train - All parts of a vehicle that create power and transmit that power to the wheels. Exhaust Drum Brakes - A braking system that uses a metal drum. Brake shoes press against the drum to slow or stop the car. Front wheel drive The power of the engine is transmitted to the front wheels by driveshafts. Engine management system An extremely sophisticated computer which monitors the condition of the The pipe through which the waste gasses from the combustion process are removed from the engine and car. engine at all times. Fuel Injection system The pipe through which the waste gasses from the combustion process are removed from the engine and car. Gearbox Transmits the power from the engine to the wheels, It acts to transmit different levels of power. Glow plugs Used in diesel engines to heat the combustion chamber so that the diesel compresses and expands rapidly. Grille The metal grate at the front which provides cooling as well as being a signature look. Hip point The distance between the pivot point of a person's hips, the vehicle floor, and the ground. Horsepower The common unit of engine-power. One horsepower equals 550 foot-pounds per second. Intake Charge The mixture of fuel and air that combusts in the engine to create power Leaf Spring Suspension made from thin, curved steel. Absorption of bumps is increased by the curved shape. 0=0=0 Live Axle Overhang The distance from one wheel to the end, they are front and rear, respectively. Pillar Oversteer A fault in the set up of the steering system Pillars will connect the roof of the vehicle to the body A solid axle that means when one wheel turns, the opposing wheel must also turn. when a car steers round a corner more sharply than the driver intends. Pinion A type of gear that has small teeth that mesh with other, larger gears. Powertrain A group of components used to power Rear wheel drive Revs An Engine Revolution (rev) occurs every The power of the engine is transmitted to the rear wheels only. The front wheels are used for steering. the wheels that are calibrated into either time the pistons in the car travel up and down the cylinders. The more the revs, the more power. front or rear-wheel drive. RPM Rubbing strip RPM Revs Per Minute. The higher the number Protective strips that are moulded to fit around the door. Scoop These vents protrude from the vehicle and to allow cooling. Sill Any extensions to the body of the vehicle. of Revs over a minute. Spark Ignition (SI) engines Use petrol as the fuel to drive the car. Spark plugs Used in petrol engines to ignite the petrol Spoiler Stroke An attachment that alters the forces at work on the car, creating less lift and/or cooling the engine. The distance between the extremes of the and air mixture to drive the car. pistons' movement as the engine revs. Swage line The body of the vehicle curves in a signature way for either appearance or function. Supercharger Suspension systems Absorbs shock from the road. Also helps An air compressor used that increases power by forcing more air into an engine than it can inhale on its own. Torque A measurement of the force with which the engine turns of wheels of the car, The greater the torque, the faster the car! the car travel around corners safely. 2 4 R Track This is the distance measured Transmission A gearbox with a number of selectable ratios, used to match the engine's rpm and torque to differing vehicle requirements. Turbo - A device which uses the exhaust gases to drive a turbine which forces more air Turn-in The moment of transition between driv- side-to-side between the base of the ing straight ahead and cornering. wheels. into the combustion chamber. V-Type Engines The cylinders are divided into two angled Understeer Wheelbase Wheel well A fault in the steering which causes the car to turn around a corner less sharply than the driver intends. The wheel sits in the wheel well under the body of the car. The distance between the center of the banks, forming a 'V'. front wheels to the center of rear wheels. DESIGN 911UK PORSCHE SPECIALIST