Dictionary of Automotive Terms Abbreviations

DICTIONARY OF AUTOMOTIVE TERMS - "Am"

AM: Acronym for Amplitude modulation.

AM1: Acronym for Air Management 1, AIR Bypass

AM2: Acronym for Air Management 2, AIR Diverter

AMA: Acronym for Alberta Motor Association -- An Automobile Association in the Canadian province of Alberta affiliated with the American Automobile Association

AMB: Acronym for Ambient

Ambient: Surrounding on all sides.

Ambient air: Air outside and surrounding a vehicle or equipment.

Ambient Air Quality Standards: See
National Ambient Air Quality Standards

Ambient air temperature: The temperature of the surrounding air.

Ambient noise

Random uncontrolled and irreducible noise at a location, or in a valve or circuit.
The noise existing in the passenger compartment or any other environment.

Ambient sensor: A device which samples and detects changes in the temperature of the air outside the vehicle.

Ambient switch: An outside air temperature sensing switch which prevents operation of the compressor and the recirculating air mode below an outside temperature of 5°C.

Ambient temperature

The surrounding air temperature. The temperature of fluid (usually air) which surrounds an object on all sides.
Temperature of the atmosphere, outside of any fuel containers or tanks.
The temperature of the surrounding medium, usually used to refer to the temperature of the air in which a structure is situated or a device operates.

Ambient temperature switch: A control device in an air conditioning system which delays the compressor action when the outside temperature is low.

Ambiophony: Technique of sound reproduction which creates an illusion to the listener of being in a very large room.

Ambulance: Ambulance

A vehicle designed for carrying sick or injured people.

AMC: Click logo for books on
AMC

Acronym for American Motors Corp an organization which merged with Chrysler Corporation. Includes the following models: Alliance, AMX, Eagle (-1988), Encore, Gremlin, Hornet, Javelin, Matador, Pacer, Rebel, and Spirit

Amendments of 1990: See
Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990

American Automobile Association: (AAA) A U.S Automobile association

American Automobile Labelling Act: (AALA) regulations requiring vehicle manufacturers to include content information on vehicle labels for cars and trucks for sale in the U.S. after October 1, 1994.

American Battery Manufacturers: See
Association Of American Battery Manufacturers

American Free Trade: See
North American Free Trade Agreement

American Free Trade Agreement: See
North American Free Trade Agreement

American Industrial Classification: See
North American Industrial Classification System

American Industrial Classification System: See
North American Industrial Classification System

American Motors: Click logo for books on
AMC

A vehicle brand of which the 1968-70 AMX models are Milestone cars.

American Petroleum Institute: (API) Was established on March 20, 1919 to work with the federal government to promote the use and trade of petroleum products, oil, and natural gas. API site

American produced: See
North American produced

American Society for Testing and Materials: (ASTM) Society for developing and publishing agreed standards. A non-profit organization that provides a management system to develop published technical information. ASTM standards, test methods, specifications and procedures are recognized as definitive guidelines for motor fuel quality as well as a broad range of other products and procedures.

American standard pipe thread: Type of screw thread commonly used on pipe and fittings to assure a tight seal.

American Standards: Dimensional standards for fasteners, etc., developed by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. (ASME)

American Standard Wire Gauge: See
Brown and Sharpe Wire Gauge

AMFA: Acronym for Alternative Motor Fuels Act of 1988

AM/FM: A radio capable of receiving Amplitude modulation (AM) and Frequency modulation (FM) signals.

AMI: cronym for advanced metering infrastructure

AMIA: Acronym for Asocicion Mexicana de la Industria Automotriz".

Amidship: The middle portion of a ship or car.

Amilcar: A vehicle brand of which the 1925-1948 Supercharged Sports models with required application are Classic cars.

Ammeter: An electric instrument used to measure the rate of electrical Current flow scaled in amperes.
Also see
Recording Ammeter

Ammonia: Chemical combination of nitrogen and hydrogen (NH₃). Ammonia refrigerant is identified as R-117.

Ammonium Bases: See
Quaternary Ammonium Bases

Amorphous silicon: An alloy of silica and hydrogen, with a disordered, noncrystalline internal atomic arrangement, that can be deposited in thin-film layers (a few micrometers in thickness) by a number of deposition methods to produce thin-film photovoltaic cells on glass, metal, or plastic substrates.

Amp: Uncommon abbreviation for Ampere. It is preferred to use A.

Amperage: The strength of an electric current in amperes. Electron or current flow of one coulomb per second past a given point in circuit.
Amperage rating: The strength of an electric current in amperes.

Ampere

(A) A unit of measurement used in expressing the rate of electrical Current flow in a circuit. It is determined by dividing the Voltage by the Resistance.
A unit of electric current equivalent to flow of one coulomb per second
The unit of measurement of electrical current produced in a circuit by 1 volt acting through a resistance of 1 Ohm.
That current which, if maintained in two parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible cross-section, and placed one meter apart in vacuum, would produce between the conductors a force equal to 2x10^-7Nm^-1.

Also see
Absolute ampere
Kilovolt Ampere

Ampere-hour

Measurement of the ability of a Battery to deliver a stated amount of Current for a stated period of time. The higher the amp/hr. rating, the more powerful the battery.
Unit of charge equal to 3600 coulombs or 1 ampere flowing for one hour.

Ampere hour capacity: A measurement of storage Battery ability to deliver a specified Current over a specified length of time.

Ampere-hour efficiency: In an accumulator, the ratio of the ampere-hour output during discharge to the ampere-hour input during charge.

Ampere-hour meter: (Ahm) A meter designed to record the product of current and time (ampere-hours) for a given circuit or passing at a given point. If the voltage is constant, the meter can be calibrated as an energy (kilowatt-hour) meter.

Ampère's law: The relation between the magnetizing field H around a conductor, length l, carrying a current i, given by the formula

Ampere turn

The magnetomotive force produced by a current of one ampere in a coil of one turn
A term used to measure magnetic force. Represents product of amperes times number of turns in coil of electromagnet

Ampere-turns: See
Back ampere-turns

Ampère's rule: Ampère's rule

Rule giving the direction of the magnetic field associated with a current. If the conductor is grasped with the right hand, the thumb pointing in the direction of the current, the fingers will curl around the conductor in the direction of the field. Also called right-hand rule.

Ampère's theory of magnetization: A theory based on the assumption that the magnetic property of a magnet is due to currents circulating in the molecules of the magnet.

Ampere-turn: (At) SI unit of magneto-motive force, which drives flux through magnetic circuits, arising from one ampere flowing around one turn of a conductor.

Ampere-turn amplification, gain: Ratio of the load ampere-turns to the control ampere-turns in a magnetic amplifier.

Ampere turns: Term used to measure magnetic force. Represents product of amperes times number of turns in coil of electromagnet.

Ampere-turns per meter: SI unit of magnetizing force, magnetic field intensity.

Amp/hr. rating: Measurement of the ability of a Battery to deliver a stated amount of Current for a stated period of time. The higher the amp/hr. rating, the more powerful the Battery.

Amplification Gain: See
Ampere-turn Amplification Gain

Amplifier: A device used to increase the electron flow in an electric or vacuum circuit. It produces a greater electrical signal such as the radio signal. Most automobile radios have a built-in amplifier; but a few have a separate amplifier which is sometimes located in the trunk.
Also see
Acoustic amplifier
Audio-frequency Amplifier
Balanced Amplifier
Booster Amplifier
EGRVenturiVacuum Amplifier
Ignition Amplifier
Quiescent Push-pull Amplifier
Signal Amplifier
VenturiVacuum Amplifier

Amplitude modulation: (AM) A type of radio wave in which the amplitude changes rather than the frequency.
Also see
Quadrature Amplitude Modulation
Frequency modulation

AMPS: Acronym for advanced mobile phone system.

Amps: See
Cold cranking amps

Amputee spinner: Amputee spinner

A device which is attached to a steering wheel to allow a disabled person to steer a vehicle.

AMR: Acronym for automated meter reading

AMS: Acronym for Air management system.

AMSL: Acronym for above mean sea level.

AMVIR: Acronym for Association of Motor Vehicle Importers Representatives (Greece).

Amyl Ethyl Ether: See
Tertiary Amyl Ethyl Ether