Automotive Topics
- 4WD
- Abbreviation of Four Wheel Drive.
- 4WS
- Abbreviation of Four Wheel Steering.
- Absorbed Glass Mat Battery
- A type of lead acid battery where the electrolyte is absorbed in a matrix of glass fibres holding the electrolyte next to the lead plates.
- Ackermann Steering
- A double-pivoting steering system.
- Active Suspension
- A suspension that uses sensors to determine conditions and responds to these different conditions by making compensatory adjustments to the suspension.
- Aerodynamic Drag
- Resistance of a vehicle body to motion through the air. A smooth surface has less drag than a rough one.
- Aerodynamic Noise
- Sound generated by turbulent flow is just as if the field were generated by a distribution of quadrupole sources.
- Aerodynamics
- Lists all Aerodynamics topics in the Encyclopaedia
- Aerodynamics Calculations
- Lists all Aerodynamics Calculations in the Encyclopaedia
- Aerodynamics Conversions
- Lists all Aerodynamics Conversions in the Encyclopaedia
- Aftermarket
- All products and services used in the repair and maintenance of vehicles after the vehicle has been sold.
- Air Filter
- A device for removing impurities from the air.
- Airbag
- A bag that is inflated when an impact is detected to restrain a vehicle passenger.
- All Terrain Vehicle
- A vehicle used in rough surface conditions.
- Alloy Wheel
- A generic term used to describe any non-steel road wheel. The usual alloys are either aluminum or magnesium.
- Alternator
- An electric generator for producing alternating current.
- Anti Dive Suspension
- Front suspension kinematic characteristic which reduces the amount of pitch under braking forces.
- Anti Lift Suspension
- Rear suspension kinematic characteristic which reduces the amount of pitch under braking forces.
- Anti Lock Brake System
- A system that can modulate the brake pressure under hard braking conditions to avoid a brake locking and resultant skidding.
- Anti Squat Suspension
- Rear suspension kinematic characteristic which reduces the amount of pitch under acceleration.
- Anti-Dive Suspension
- The resistance to a vehicle's tendency to dip down in front when the brakes are applied.
- Antifreeze
- Compounds of glycol or alcohol, that lower the freezing point of cooling water systems.
- Anti-Roll Bar
- A bar between the two wheels on an axle used to control roll by attempting to keep the two wheels at the same position in bump / rebound.
- Anti-Squat
- A measure of a vehicle′s resistance to rear suspension squat due to weight transfer during acceleration.
- Auto-Ignition Temperature
- Minimum temperature at which the vapour/air mixture over a liquid spontaneously catches fire.
- Automatic Transmission Fluid
- Fluid for automatic, hydraulic transmissions in motor vehicles.
- Automobile
- A self-powered vehicle that travels on land typically with three or four wheels and with 2 to 9 seats.
- Automotive Terminal Post
- A round post made of lead used on engine starter batteries.
- Auxiliary Power Unit
- A device that converts high density fuel into electrical power.
- AWD
- Abbreviation of All Wheel Drive which also means Four Wheel Drive.
- B100 Biodiesel
- 100% biodiesel.
- B20 Biodiesel
- A blend of biodiesel fuel with petroleum-based diesel where 20% of the volume is biodiesel.
- Baffle Plate
- A metal plate that acts as a baffle.
- Balance Pipe
- A pipe connecting two points of a system to even out pressure fluctuations.
- Ballast
- Any liquid or solid weight placed in a vehicle to change the weight distribution or trim.
- Bargeboard
- The finish board covering the projecting portion of a gable roof or part of the car body mounted vertically located between the front wheels.
- Berlin Eye
- Refers to the eye of a leaf spring when the eye is upturned.
- Biodiesel
- Diesel fuel derived from renewable lipid feedstocks, such as vegetable oils and animal fats.
- Biodiesel B100
- 100% (neat) biodiesel. The mono alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from renewable lipid feedstocks, such as vegetable oils and animal fats, diesel engines
- Biodiesel B20
- A blend of biodiesel fuel with petroleum-based diesel where 20% of the volume is biodiesel.
- Blueprinted Engine
- Ensuring the dimensions of the parts in the engine are more accurate and, therefore, closer to the original engine blueprint values.
- Brake Bias
- The distribution of braking between front and rear wheels.
- Brake Caliper
- The disc brake component that straddles the rotor and houses the piston, cylinder and brake pads.
- Brake Disc Rotor
- The rotating disc attached to the wheel axle and is clamped with brake pads to decelerate the vehicle.
- Brake Fade
- A reduction in braking performance due to the brakes overheating.
- Brake Graunch
- The name given to the noise made by the brakes when they are just slipping when starting (or stopping) from rest. The brake graunch is mainly exhibited on the vehicles fitted with automatic transmission, but can also occur on manual vehicles e.g., on a steep hill. It is caused by brake pad stick-slip when static and dynamic friction is very similar. The term 'creep/groan' is also used to describe the brake graunch.
- Brake Horse Power
- This is the useful power available at the flywheel of an engine.
- Brake Judder
- Brake judder is the phenomenon where with medium to heavy braking from high speed, severe vibration is felt throughout the whole vehicle. It is often attributed to a mode of vibration in which the front suspension executes a predominantly fore and aft vibration with the two road wheels in-phase with each other. Excitation is often provided by the oscillatory forcing generated when applying the brakes to a brake disk that has disk thickness variation.
- Brake Mean Effective Pressure
- This is the average effective cylinder pressure that does useful work calculated from the brake horse power.
- Brake Pipes
- Pipes used to carry hydraulic brake fluid under pressure.
- Brake Servo
- A device which multiplies the driver′s physical effort in applying the brakes using the engine manifold vacuum.
- Brake Specific CO
- The ratio of the rate at which carbon monoxide leaves the engine exhaust manifold to the brake horsepower.
- Brake Specific Fuel Consumption
- The ratio of the engine fuel consumption to the engine power output.
- Brake Specific HC
- The ratio of the rate at which hydrocarbons leave the engine exhaust manifold to the brake horsepower.
- Brake Specific NOx
- The ratio of the rate at which oxides of nitrogen leave the engine exhaust manifold to the brake horsepower.
- Brake Squeal
- High frequency continuous tone when brakes are applied, this may be a single or multiple tones. The sound is generated by vibration on the surface of the disc itself.
- Brakes
- A device used to reduce the speed of a vehicle or object.
- BSCO
- Abbreviation of Brake Specific CO.
- BSHC
- Abbreviation of Brake Specific HC.
- BSNO
- Abbreviation of Brake Specific NOx.
- Bumper
- An automobile bumper helps absorb the energy in an impact.
- Camber Angle
- Wheel angle relative to ground in front/rear view.
- Camber Thrust
- If a tyre is cambered left, it will produce a lateral force towards the left known as camber thrust, even when simply rolling in a straight line.
- CANbus
- A protocol developed by automobile manufacturers enabling a vehicle′s on-board computer diagnostic system to output standardized data streams.
- Carburetor
- A device through which air and fuel are atomized and drawn into the engine.
- Carburetor Choke
- A temporary restriction in a carburetor throat that reduces the flow of air and enriches the fuel-air mixture to aid in starting the engine.
- Caster Angle
- The angle between upper and lower ball joints in side view, about which the wheel turns.
- Chapman Strut
- MacPherson strut used in a rear suspension.
- Charge Cooler
- A device which cools a gas between the compressive steps of a multiple stage compressor.
- Chassis
- The mechanical parts of a vehicle attached to a structural frame, including axles, brakes, driveshafts, and suspension components.
- Clean Diesel
- An evolving definition of diesel fuel with lower emission specifications.
- Closed-Loop Fuel Control
- A mode where input air/fuel ratio to an engine is controlled by using an exhaust oxygen sensor as the input reference.
- Clutch
- Coupling that connects or disconnects driving and driven parts of a driving mechanism.
- Coachwork
- The vehicle body - especially the comfort and luxury appointments as distinguished from the operational chassis.
- Coil Over Shock
- Standard assembly of spring and damper, where spring perches are at each end of damper.
- Coil Spring
- A steel spiral spring used to isolate a vehicle from the road.
- Cold Cranking Amps
- The current required by the starter motor to crank an engine in cold weather.
- Cold Filter Plugging Point
- A measure of the ability of a diesel fuel to operate under cold weather conditions and is defined as the lowest temperature at which diesel fuel will pass through a fine wire mesh screen of the test apparatus.
- Compressed Natural Gas
- Natural gas compressed to a volume and density that is practical as a portable fuel supply.
- Compression Ignition
- Ignition of a fuel charge by the heat of the air in a cylinder, generated by compression of the air, as in the diesel engine.
- Compression Shackle
- A short arm connecting the rear of the leaf spring to the frame which limits travel by compression.
- Computer Aided Engineering
- A technique for using computers to help with all phases of engineering design work.
- Cone Clutch
- The friction surfaces are on inner and outer cone surfaces.
- Constant Velocity Joint
- A special type of shaft coupling that allows the smooth transfer of power from an input shaft to an output shaft at all angles.
- Contact Patch
- Area of a tyre that actually touches the road.
- Control Arms
- A part of the suspension system designed to control wheel movement precisely.
- Cranking Amps
- The current required by the starter motor to crank an engine.
- Crumple Zones
- Exist at the front and rear of the vehicle to help absorb the impact of a collision.
- CV Joint
- Abbreviation of Constant Velocity Joint.
- Cylinder Head
- The detachable part of the top of the cylinder block that seals the cylinder and forms the top of the combustion chamber.
- Damper
- Device used to reduce unwanted vibrations of a system.
- Diesel Engine
- An internal-combustion engine in which the fuel is injected into the cylinder near the end of the compression stroke and is ignited by the heat of the compressed air in the cylinder.
- Diesel Particulate Filter
- A device which physically captures diesel particulates preventing their discharge from the tailpipe.
- Differential
- Geared device between the driven wheels to allow varying rotational speeds of the wheels around corners.
- Disc Brake
- A type of brake in which two friction pads grip a steel disc that is attached to the wheel, with one pad on each side.
- Disc Clutch
- A disc on the end of the input shaft with a friction surface and a disc on the end of the output shaft.
- Downturned Eye
- Refers to the eye of a leaf spring when the spring turns down to form the eye.
- Driveline
- An assembly of one or more driveshafts with provisions for axial movement, which transmits torque and/or rotary motion at a fixed or varying angular relationship from one shaft to another.
- Driveshaft
- An assembly of one or two universal joints connected to a solid or tubular shaft member used to transmit rotational power.
- Drivetrain
- All of a vehicle′s components that create power and transmit it to the wheels, including the engine, transmission, differentials, and any interconnecting shafts.
- Drum Brake
- A brake that uses an enclosed rotating drum or can and stationary pads.
- ECU
- Abbreviation of Electronic Control Unit.
- EGR
- Abbreviation of Exhaust Gas Recirculation.
- Electric Vehicle
- A vehicle with one or more electric motors for propulsion.
- Electronic Control Unit
- A generic term for any embedded system that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in a motor vehicle.
- Engine
- A machine which produces power to do work, particularly one that converts heat into mechanical work.
- Engine Bay
- The enclosure in which an engine is installed in a vehicle.
- Engine Configurations
- Various configurations of engine have been developed over the years for power, low noise and vibration, economy or weight.
- Engine Excitation Mechanisms
- The physics behind the vibrations generated by the internal mechanisms of an internal combustion engine.
- Engine Oil
- Liquid that reduces friction or wear, or both, between the moving parts within an engine; removes heat, particularly from the underside of pistons; and serves as a combustion gas sealant for the piston rings.
- Engine Orders
- Engine orders are simply the amplitudes of the frequency components which are the multiples of the rotating frequency.
- Engine Radiated Noise
- Some empirical noise prediction models have been derived from a sample of 1m radiated engine noise measurements.
- Engineering Design
- Lists all Engineering Design topics in the Encyclopaedia
- Equivalence Ratio
- Actual air/fuel ratio divided by the air/fuel ratio at stoichiometry.
- European Automobile Manufacturers Association
- The Association des Constructeurs Européens d’Automobiles and more often referred to by the abbreviation ACEA.
- Evaporative Emissions
- Hydrocarbon vapours that escape from a fuel storage tank, a vehicle fuel tank or vehicle fuel system.
- Exhaust Gas Oxygen
- The concentration of oxygen in the exhaust of an engine is used in closed-loop fuel control systems to indicate rich or lean air fuel ratios.
- Exhaust Gas Recirculation
- A portion of exhaust is introduced into the intake of an engine primarily for NOx reduction.
- Eye Diameter
- The inner diameter of the eyelet at each end of a leaf spring.
- Flexible Fuel Vehicle
- A vehicle that can be run on any blend of unleaded gasoline with up to 85 percent ethanol.
- Flooded Cell
- A design for lead-acid batteries where the electrolyte is an ordinary liquid solution of acid.
- Flywheel
- The wheel on the end of the crankshaft that gives the crankshaft momentum to carry the pistons through the compression stroke.
- Foot Brake
- Vehicle brake applied with the foot.
- Fossil Fuel
- A fuel such as coal, oil or natural gas that was formed through the decomposition of ancient plant and animal life.
- Four Wheel Drive
- All four wheels are driven by the engine.
- Four Wheel Steering
- A mechanism that allows the rear wheels to steer along with the front wheels.
- Four-Stroke Engine
- An engine operating on a cycle which is completed in four strokes, or two revolutions of the crankshaft.
- Front Wheel Drive
- A vehicle designed to have power applied to the front wheels.
- Fuel Cell
- A device that converts the chemical energy obtained from a redox reaction directly into electrical energy.
- Fuel Consumption
- Definitions of fuel consumption calculations.
- Fuel Cycle
- The processes involved in extracting a fuel in its native form, converting it to a useful product, transporting it to market, and consuming it at its final destination.
- Fuel Injector
- Electro-mechanical device that precisely meters fuel into an internal combustion engine.
- Fuel Pressure Regulator
- Maintains fuel pressure to fuel injector to help insure proper quantity is delivered to engine.
- FWD
- Front Wheel Drive - a vehicle designed to have power applied to the front wheels.
- Gallon
- This unit of volume is defined in the British and American system of units. Note 1 UK gallon = 1.2 US gallons.
- Gearbox
- A mechanical device that provides a torque-speed conversion between an input and output shaft.
- Gross Vehicle Weight
- The maximum loaded weight, including the vehicle itself, passengers, and cargo, for which a vehicle is designed and as specified by the manufacturer.
- Handbrake
- Vehicle brake that is applied by hand to hold the vehicle when stationary.
- HC
- Abbreviation of Hydrocarbon.
- Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning
- Lists all Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning topics in the Encyclopaedia
- Heavy Duty Engine
- An engine that is designed to allow operation continuously at or close to its peak output.
- HEV
- Abbreviation of Hybrid Electric Vehicle.
- Hot-Stuck Piston Ring
- A piston ring that is stuck when the piston and ring are at room temperature, and inspection shows that it was stuck during engine operation.
- Hybrid Electric Vehicle
- A vehicle powered by two or more energy sources, one of which is electricity.
- Hybrid Vehicle
- A vehicle that combines a conventional propulsion system and a rechargeable energy storage system.
- IC Engine
- Any engine, either reciprocating or rotary, in which the fuel is consumed in the interior of the engine rather than outside of the engine.
- Ignition Quality
- The ability of a fuel to ignite when it is injected into the compressed-air charge in a diesel cylinder quantified by the cetane number.
- Inactive Length
- The central portion of a leaf spring that is prevented from flexing by the U-plate.
- Independent Suspension
- A suspension system that allows each wheel on a vehicle to move up and down independently of the other wheels.
- Inertia Fuel Shutoff
- A switch that shuts off the fuel delivery system when activated by predetermined acceleration.
- Inherently Low Emission Vehicle
- Any vehicle that is certified to meet transitional low-emission vehicle standards established by the California Air Resources Board and does not emit any evaporative emissions.
- Institution of Electrical Engineers
- The IEE is an innovative international organisation for electronics, electrical, manufacturing and IT professionals, with specifically tailored products, services and qualifications to meet the needs of today′s technology industry.
- Intelligent Transportation System
- An advanced technology approach to traffic management.
- Intercooler
- A device which cools a gas between the compressive steps of a multiple stage compressor.
- Internal Combustion Engine
- Any engine, either reciprocating or rotary, in which the fuel is consumed in the interior of the engine rather than outside of the engine.
- ITS
- Abbreviation of Intelligent Transportation System.
- Joint Angle Limits
- The limits, set in the input, on the driveline joint angles through the critical range, to control feasible driveline geometry.
- Kingpin Angle
- The angle of inclination from the vertical to the kingpin axis in the front view.
- Kingpin Axis
- The axis about which a road wheel is steered.
- Kingpin Lower Point
- The point of contact when you extend the kingpin axis to the ground.
- Kingpin Offset
- The offset from the centreline of the shock to the kingpin axis.
- Kingpin Upper Point
- The anchor point of the top of the shock absorber.
- Limited Slip Differential
- Differential with mechanism to limit the amount of differential speed between the two outputs.
- Liquefied Natural Gas
- Natural gas that has been refrigerated to cryonic temperatures where the gas condenses into a liquid.
- Liquefied Petroleum Gas
- A flammable mixture of hydrocarbon gases used as a fuel, primarily mixes of propane, butane or both.
- Litre
- A derived SI unit of volume.
- litres per 100km
- Unit of fuel consumption used in the automotive industry.
- Low Emission Vehicle
- A level of standards for tailpipe emissions.
- LPG
- Abbreviation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas.
- L-Post
- A style of battery terminal.
- MacPherson Strut
- Suspension system which uses a lower control arm and a damper/strut which is designed to take bending loads.
- Mass Air Flow Sensor
- A device mounted in the engines air induction system that provides an electrical signal representing the instantaneous rate of mass air flow.
- mile per gallon
- Fuel consumption.
- Module
- The measurement that architects use to determine the proportions of a structure, for example, the diameter of a column.
- Multiple Disc Clutch
- Multiple plates on input and output shafts are brought together to transmit torque. The multiple plates increases the frictional area.
- Natural Gas Vehicle
- Vehicles that are powered by compressed or liquefied natural gas.
- Naturally Aspirated
- An engine that draws air in without the assistance of a supercharger or turbocharger.
- Neutral Steering
- Handling characteristic between understeer and oversteer.
- Open Differential
- Standard differential with no limited slip or torque sensing features, allows unlimited wheelspin.
- Open Loop Fuel Control
- A mode where engine input air/fuel ratio is controlled by measuring the mass of input air and adding the proper mass of fuel to obtain a desired ratio.
- Overdrive
- A transmission ratio below 1:1.
- Oversteer
- The tendency of a vehicle to turn more than the apparent steering angle.
- Partial Zero Emission Vehicle
- A vehicle that meets SULEV tailpipe emissions and has zero fuel evaporative emissions.
- Petrol
- A volatile, flammable liquid mixture of hydrocarbons, obtained from petroleum and used as a fuel for internal-combustion engines.
- Petrol Engine
- An internal-combustion engine in which the fuel is petrol that is drawn or injected into the cylinder along with air and ignited with an electric spark.
- Petroleum
- An oily, thick, flammable, usually dark coloured liquid that is a form of bitumen or a mixture of various hydrocarbons, occurring naturally in various parts of the world and often separated by distillation into petrol, naphtha, benzene, kerosene and paraffin.
- Propshaft
- A driveshaft on a rear wheel drive vehicle that transfer rotational power from the engine-gearbox at the front to the differential at the rear.
- Pushrod
- A metal rod that transmits the motion of the camshaft to the valve actuators
- Radiator
- A device that cools the liquid in the cooling system by allowing it to circulate through a series of water channels, which are exposed to air ducts
- Radiator Fan
- A fan to provide cooling air toward the radiator.
- Range Extender
- A device that extends the range of an electric vehicle by converting an energy dense fuel into electricity.
- Rear Wheel Drive
- A vehicle designed to have power applied to the rear wheels.
- Rebound
- The motion of the suspension as the strut is extending.
- Roll Bar
- Abbreviated name for Anti-Roll Bar.
- Run-Flat Tyre
- A tyre which can run for a certain length of time without air in it.
- RWD
- Rear Wheel Drive - a vehicle designed to have power applied to the rear wheels.
- Shock Absorber
- A unit that adds damping to the relative motion of two parts.
- Shunt
- The transient response of the body to changes in the engine mean torque transmitted to the road wheel by the driveshafts.
- Sipes
- Narrow slits in the tread blocks that allow the tread block to flex and so increase grip.
- Sleeve Valve Engine
- In the sleeve valve engine the conventional valve train was replaced by a ported cylinder liner that was then rotated to align with ports in the block so as to achieve the timing for the intake and exhaust strokes for the four-stroke cycle.
- Slick Tyre
- A tyre that has no tread on it′s surface.
- SOFC
- Abbreviation of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell.
- Solid Axle
- Suspension where left and right wheels are rigidly connected except torsionally.
- Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
- A fuel cell that employs a solid, ionically conductive material as electrolyte.
- Space Frame
- A series of structural members assembled to create a skeletal system that supports the interior systems as well as the exterior skin and driveline components of a vehicle.
- Spark Plug
- Electrical device that fits into the cylinder head of an internal-combustion engine and ignites the gas by means of an electric spark.
- Spark Plug Fouling
- A deposit on the electrodes of a spark-plug of essentially non-conducting material that may, but will not necessarily, prevent the plug from operating.
- Spark Plug Whiskering
- A deposit of conductive material that tends to form a bridge between the spark-plug electrodes or to a ground, thus shorting out the plug.
- Specific Fuel Consumption
- The amount of fuel needed to provide a given power for a given period.
- Spiral Wound Lead Acid Battery
- Instead of having the electrodes as flat plates, the electrodes are rolled up in a spiral.
- Splayed Springs
- Leaf springs that are not parallel to the centreline of the vehicle in the plan view.
- Spring Top Leaf Thickness
- The thickness of the topmost leaf in a multiple-leaf spring.
- Steering Offset
- The distance from the point where the steering axis intersects the ground to the longitudinal line that runs through the centre of the tyre′s contact patch.
- Sump
- The engine oil reservoir.
- Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle
- A level of standards for tailpipe emissions.
- Suspension
- A system consisting of small particles dispersed in a liquid. The system of springs, links and absorbers that suspends a vehicle above its wheels.
- Tension Shackle
- A link attached to the rear eye of a leaf spring and to the frame of the vehicle.
- Tetraethyl Lead
- An octane enhancer.
- THC
- Abbreviation of Total Hydrocarbons.
- Tie Bolt
- A fastener which passes through the leaves of a leaf spring, holding it together.
- Toe-In
- Setting the front wheels to toe in will mean that when driven the wheels will tend to be aligned.
- Toe-Out
- Setting the front wheels of a front wheel drive car to toe out will mean that when driven the wheels will tend to be aligned.
- Torque Converter
- A fluid coupling used in automatic transmissions to transmit power from the engine to the wheels.
- Torsion Bar
- A type of spring that twists as it is compressed or stretched.
- Total Hydrocarbons
- All of the hydrocarbon emissions from an internal combustion engine.
- Transaxle
- A transmission and differential combined in one integrated assembly.
- Transitional Low Emission Vehicle
- A vehicle that is certified to meet the TLEV emission standards established by the California Air Resources Board.
- Tubeless Tyre
- A tyre which does not have a separate tube.
- Turbo Lag
- The delay between opening the throttle and a turbo producing boost.
- Turning Circle
- The diameter of the circular path created by the wheel furthest from the center of the turn.
- Two-Stroke Engine
- An internal-combustion engine that has one power stroke per revolution.
- Tyre Aspect Ratio
- The ratio of section height to section width multiplied by 100.
- Tyre Tread Pattern
- The design cut into a tyre surface to improve grip, particularly in wet conditions.
- Universal Joint
- A mechanical device which transmits torque and/or rotary motion between two shafts that are not in a straight line.
- Universal Terminal Post
- A style of battery terminal, with a round post similar to the automotive post, but with a threaded stud in the center of the post.
- Unsprung Weight
- All parts of the vehicle that are not supported by the suspension system, wheels, tyres, brakes, etc
- Upper Control Arm
- The control arm that extends downward from the frame of the vehicle to connect with the axle.
- V10 Engine
- Ten-cylinder engine with the cylinders arranged in two banks of 5 and the shape of a V when looking along the line of the crankshaft.
- V16 Engine
- Sixteen-cylinder engine with the cylinders arranged in two banks of 8 and the shape of a V when looking along the line of the crankshaft.
- V4 Engine
- Four-cylinder engine with the cylinders arranged in two banks of 2 and the shape of a V when looking along the line of the crankshaft.
- V6 Engine
- Six-cylinder engine with the cylinders arranged in two banks of 3 and the shape of a V when looking along the line of the crankshaft.
- V8 Engine
- Eight-cylinder engine with the cylinders arranged in two banks of 4 and the shape of a V when looking along the line of the crankshaft.
- Vacuum Pump
- Device used for creating vacuums.
- Valve Regulated Lead Acid Battery
- A lead acid battery that uses pressure valves that open only under extreme conditions.
- Vee Engine
- One with two banks of in-line cylinders mounted with an angular separation on a common crankcase.
- Vehicle
- A means of transport, generally meaning an automobile.
- Vehicle Emissions
- Harmful pollutants to the health and the environment include particulates, hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, lead, and various oxides of nitrogen.
- Vehicle Noise
- The noise produced by a land based vehicle that is radiated to the surrounding environment (exterior noise) or that is observed by the occupants of the vehicle (interior noise).
- V Engine
- One with two banks of in-line cylinders mounted with an angular separation on a common crankcase.
- Viscosity Index
- An arbitrary measure for the change of kinematic viscosity with temperature.
- Viscous Coupled Differential
- Limited slip device which uses sheared fluid between two plates to limit wheelspin.
- VRLA Battery
- Abbreviation for Valve Regulated Lead Acid Battery.
- Watts Link
- Lateral locating device for a solid axle.
- Wet Clutch
- A clutch immersed in a cooling lubricating fluid, which also keeps the surfaces clean and gives smoother performance and longer life.
- Wheel
- The Mesopotamians are credited with the invention of the wheel.
- Wheelbase
- The distance between the centres of the front and rear wheel axles as viewed from the side of the car.
- Winchester Gallon
- The US gallon, equivalent to 3.785411784 litres.
- Zero Emission Vehicle
- A level of standards for tailpipe emissions.
- Zero-Offset Steering
- A steering system whose geometry has a scrub radius of zero.
