This FAQ consists of
1. General Car Terms (Nicknames, acroynyms)
2. Car Maintenance
3. Buying and selling a used car
4. Accident Procedure
5. How do cars work?
General Car Terms
Antifreeze - Solution in an engine cooling system that lowers the coolant’s freezing point and raises its boiling point.
Ball Bearing - A class of bearing in which the moving surface is separated from the stationary surface by elements in the form of balls.
Bleeding - Separation of liquid lubricant from a grease.
Bodily injury liability - For injuries the policyholder causes to someone else.
Bottoming (out) - Suspension (springs) moves to the extreme end of travel and hits a compression bumper; felt as a thud.
Brake fade - Reduced braking power accompanied by the smell of overheated brakes.
By-Pass Filtration - A system of filtration in which only a portion of the total flow of a circulating fluid system passes through a filter at any instant or in which a filter having its own circulating pump operates in parallel to the main flow.
Collision - For damage to the policyholder's car from a collision.
Combustion Chamber - The space between the piston and cylinder head in an internal combustion engine where the charge of fuel plus air is burned to produce power.
Compound - Substance formed by the combination of two or more elements with differing physical and chemical properties than the combining elements.
Comprehensive - For damage to the policyholder's car that doesn't involve a collision with another car. Covered risks include fire, theft, falling objects, missiles, explosion, earthquake, flood, riot and civil commotion.
Coolant - Fluid used to remove heat. Commonly found in an engine’s cooling system.
Crankcase - The housing in which the crankshaft and many other parts of the engine operate. On a two-cycle engine, the area in which the fuel/oil mixture is drawn before being transferred to the cylinder.
Deductible - The portion of a claim you pay out of pocket before the insurance company pays. A higher deductible will lower your premium and you do not have to carry the same deductible for comprehensive and collision coverages.
Detergent - Additive to keep engine parts clean. In motor oil formulations, the most commonly used detergents are metallic soaps with a reserve of basicity to neutralize acids formed during combustion.
Detonation - Uncontrolled burning of the last portion (end gas) of the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder of a spark-ignition engine. Also known as “knock” or “ping”.
Differential - Set of gears that transfers the power from the drive shaft to the drive wheels and allows those wheels to turn at different speeds.
Drag - Resistance to movement caused by oil viscosity.
Drum - A cylindrical container that holds 55 gallons of oil or approximately 400 pounds of grease type products. There are also half-size drums that hold approximately 30 gallons of oil.
Emissions - Term used generically to refer to the various components of the engine’s exhaust.
Engine Deposits - Hard or persistent accumulation of sludge, varnish and carbonaceous residues due to blow-by of unburned and partially burned fuel, or the partial breakdown of the crankcase lubricant. Water from the condensation of combustion products, glycol, carbon, residues from fuel or lubricating oil additives, dust and metal particles also contribute.
Filter - Any device or porous substance used for cleaning and removing suspended matter from a gas or fluid.
Four Stroke Engine - An internal combustion engine that requires two revolutions of the crankshaft to complete all four cycles.
Friction - Resistance to motion of one object over another. Friction depends on the smoothness of the contacting surfaces, as well as the force with which they are pressed together.
Gears - Toothed machine parts for transmitting power from one shaft to another.
Grease - Lubricant composed of an oil or oils thickened with a soap, soaps or other thickener to a semi-solid consistency.
Hesitation - Momentary lack of engine response as the throttle is opened gradually. Can occur at various speed and load conditions.
Horsepower - A measurement of an engine’s power, equal to 550 foot pounds of torque per second.
Liability Insurance - Insurance coverage to protect against claims alleging that one's negligence or inappropriate action resulted in bodily injury or property damage.
Lubrication - Control of friction and wear by the introduction of a friction reducing film between moving surfaces in contact. May be a fluid, solid or plastic substance.
Misfire - Temporary loss of power; engine quits at sharp, irregular intervals. May happen at different speeds but usually worse under load.
Multi-viscosity/Multi Grade Oil - Engine or gear oil that meets the requirements of more than one SAE viscosity grade classification, and that can be used over a wider temperature range than a single grade oil.
Octane Number - A measure of a fuel’s ability to prevent detonation in a spark-ignition engine.
Oxidation - Occurs when oxygen attacks fluids. The process is accelerated by heat, light, metal catalysts and the presence of water, acids, or solid contaminants. It leads to increased viscosity and deposit formation.
PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) Valve - An emissions control device that allows gases from the crankcase to be reintroduced into the intake.
Rough idle - Engine runs unevenly at idle; car may vibrate.
SAE Grade - Numbers applied to automotive lubricants to indicate their viscosity range.
Spongy (soft) brake pedal - Brake pedal feels mushy and lacks a precise, firm feel as the brakes are applied.
Stall - Engine stops running. Occurs most often at idle or during deceleration.
Supercharger - A device for increasing the pressure and hence the mass of air and fuel burned on each firing stroke. Driven by the crankshaft; therefore, displacement is fixed and directly related to engine RPM’s.
Synthetic Lubricant - Fluid made by chemically reacting materials to produce a lube with a specific chemical composition, which has planned, and predictable properties.
Torque - The twisting force with which the engine’s crankshaft actually rotates, measured in foot-pounds.
Turbine - A device consisting of blades attached to a disc or rotor, which converts flow into rotary action.
Turbocharger - A device for increasing the pressure and hence the mass of air and fuel burned on each firing stroke. A turbine of exhaust gases drives a compressor; therefore, efficiency is variable and related to exhaust pressure.
Vapor Lock - Condition wherein the fuel boils in the fuel system forming bubbles that retard or stop the flow of fuel to the engine.
Viscosity - Measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow.
Car Maintenance
Maintenance Basics
Scheduled Maintenance:
Regular maintenance is health insurance for your car. It needs regular maintenance to retain its safety, dependability, performance, fuel economy, and emission control capabilities. Regular maintenance makes economic sense, too. Low-cost maintenance can prevent high-cost repairs. Maintenance also helps to prolong the life of tires, brakes, and other vehicle parts. Regular maintenance is also called "preventive maintenance" - or PM - because it helps to prevent costly and dangerous breakdowns and repairs. Moreover, the maintenance recommendations for a new car are the basis of the manufacturer's warranty. The carmaker agrees to warrant the vehicle against defects for a specified time or mileage if the new-car buyer has the scheduled maintenance performed.
What Maintenance Is Required And When?
The best source of maintenance information for your car is your vehicle owner's manual. A list of maintenance services and the time or mileage intervals at which they should be performed is part of every owner's manual. The manufacturer wants to help you keep your car in good working condition, but no carmaker can know exactly how every vehicle it sells will be used. That's why every owner's manual has different maintenance schedules for different driving conditions.
You may live in a part of the country where the weather gets very cold in the winter or very hot in the summer, or both. You may drive only short distances a few times a week, or you may drive regularly for long periods of time at highway speed limits. Perhaps you drive in prolonged stop-and-go traffic. Maybe you live and drive in a very dusty climate. Perhaps you regularly tow a trailer or carry heavy loads. All of these driving conditions and requirements affect the maintenance needs for your car.
What Is The Right Maintenance Schedule For Your Car?
For many years, carmakers identified their maintenance schedules as "regular service" and "severe service" schedules. These labels are not as widely used today as they were in the past, but the concepts still apply. Your car's maintenance requirements are determined by how you use the vehicle.
"Regular service" as defined in owners' manuals usually turns out to be very mild service. "Severe service" means just what it says, but for most motorists, it turns out to be more normal or regular than "regular service." Here is a typical explanation of severe service from a vehicle owner's manual:
Are any of these true for your vehicle?
• Most trips are less than 4 miles (6 kilometers)
• Most trips are less than 10 miles (16 kilometers) and outside temperatures are below freezing
• The engine is at low-speed most of the time (as in door-to-door delivery or stop-and-go traffic).
• You operate your vehicle in dusty areas.
• You tow a trailer or regularly carry the maximum vehicle load
If any one (or more) of these is true for your driving, follow Schedule 1.
The manufacturer does not explicitly label Schedule 1 as severe service, but looking at it reveals that it calls for oil and filter changes every 3000 miles. The regular service, Schedule 2, calls for oil and filter changes less than half as often: every 7500 miles.
"Severe Service" Is Really Normal Service
You might say, "But I don't tow a trailer," or "I don't drive around in hot dusty deserts." Maybe so, but if any one of those driving conditions listed above is common for you, you're putting your car through severe service. And with today's traffic, how many people don't regularly get caught in stop-and-go traffic? That's severe service. So are frequent short trips for shopping and family errands. In fact, regular, lengthy driving at highway speed limits is easier on your car than short-trip, slow-speed, stop-and-go driving. Your car's engine needs to get up to full operating temperature to burn off moisture condensation in its lubrication system and to prevent sludge formation. Highway cruising also is much easier on the brakes and transmission than around-town driving is. When most people stop to think about it, they realize that they really are operating their cars in severe service.
But that's not a problem. Severe service is really normal service, but you can get several hundred thousand miles of normal, reliable service from your car with proper maintenance. So get out your owner's manual and take a look at the maintenance schedule that gives you maximum protection for your vehicle investment. If you're not the original owner of your car and can't find the owner's manual, you can often order a replacement through a new-car dealer's parts department. Remember, regular maintenance is health insurance for your car.
Get Started With Basic Maintenance
To help you get started developing a maintenance schedule for your car, here are some general guidelines:
Maintenance Item/Mileage
Inspect lights and check tire pressure - At least monthly
Oil & filter change and chassis lubrication - 3,000 to 5,000 miles or 3 to 4 months
Underhood belt and hose inspection - 3,000 to 5,000 miles or 3 to 4 months (every oil change)
Tire rotation and wheel balancing - 6,000 miles or every other oil change
Brake inspection - 6,000 miles or every other oil change
Replace air filter - 12,000 to 24,000 miles or as indicated by inspection
Replace fuel filter - 24,000 to 100,000 miles
Automatic transmission service - 24,000 to 100,000 miles
Wheel alignment check - 12,000 to 24,000 miles or as indicated by tire wear
Cooling system flush and refill - 40,000 to 100,000 miles
Belt and hose replacement - 60,000 to 100,000 miles or 5 to 8 years
Engine timing belt replacement - 60,000 to 100,000 miles (when equipped) or 5 to 8 years
Air conditioning performance check - Annually, usually in the spring
What Else Does Your Car Need?
The services listed above are only the general services that apply to most vehicles. You may need more frequent checks and replacements than the intervals listed above. Additionally, your car may have some unique maintenance requirements specified by the manufacturer. Many overhead cam engines have engine timing belts that require scheduled replacement. If such a belt breaks for lack of replacement, expensive engine damage may result. Some carmakers also call for periodic flushing and refilling of the brake hydraulic system.
Check your owner's manual or dealership for more accurage services that may be specific to your vehicle.
Underhood Inspection & Maintenance
These are the most simple but basic maintenance operations you can perform for your car.
Frequent inspection of under-the-hood components and fluid levels is one of the most simple but important maintenance operations that you can perform. You don't have to be a dedicated do-it-yourselfer or car enthusiast to do these basic checks. You can-and should-do some of these checks each time you fill the gas tank. Checking the engine oil level and looking at the coolant level and windshield washer fluid can all be done in the time it takes the gas pump to fill your tank. The other basic inspection points can be done once a month in about 10 minutes. And . . . you won't even get your hands dirty.
Safety First
Just as it is on the highway, safety is paramount when you do any maintenance on your car, even basic inspection. Car service is not highly dangerous work, but carelessness or lack of knowledge might cause some inconvenience from time to time. In some cases, unawareness might cause injury of some degree or damage to your vehicle or tools.
To help you maintain your car safely, these articles contain highlighted safety information in boldface type. This information is presented in the form of WARNINGs and CAUTIONs that precede instructions for jobs where you should be especially careful.
A WARNING points out a danger area that requires special attention to avoid possible injury.
A CAUTION points out a procedure that, if not followed carefully, might result in damage to your car or tools.
Take Care Of The Environment
Almost every fluid used in an automobile has some health or environmental warning associated with its use and restrictions on how to dispose of it properly. Professional service technicians are trained to change fluids properly and handle them safely. Professional garages and service centers have the equipment and facilities to store used fluids and recycle or dispose of them safely and in accordance with government regulations.
WARNING: Wear safety glasses and rubber gloves when adding any fluids to your vehicle.
If you add any fluid to your car, pay attention to any warning labels on the container and follow directions carefully. Dispose of fluids in an environmentally safe manner, as directed on container labels. Do not pour automotive fluids of any kind down sinks or storm drains. Check with your local waste disposal company for more information on safe handling and disposal of automotive fluids.
Buying and selling a used car
use these links:
Buying a used car.
Selling a used car
Accident Procedure: I got into an accident! What do I do?
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How do cars work?
Everything you've ever wanted to learn about cars and car components can be found here.
How Stuff Works (AUTOS)
Here are some of the more popular ones:
ENGINE
Engines
Turbocharged Engines
Rotary Engines
Diesel Engines
Difference between turbo and superchargers
Mufflers
TRANSMISSION
Automatic Transmission
Manual Transmission