Dictionary of Automotive Terms Abbreviations

DICTIONARY OF AUTOMOTIVE TERMS - "Cu"

Cubby hole: A glove compartment on older cars, often without a lid.

Cube: Abbreviation for Cubic Capacity -- the interior volume of a truck body, semitrailer, or trailer, measured in cubic feet.

Cubes: A colloquial term for cubic inches, or Cubic inch displacement of an engine.

Cube van: A truck with a large compartment behind the driver's cab and used for moving various products.

Cubic capacity: See
Displacement.

Cubic centimeter: (cc) Metric measurement of engine Displacement. 1000 cc = 1 liter (litre) which is about 61 cubic inches (61.02374409). Thus a 428 cubic inch engine is 7 liters (428/61) and a 2 liter engine is 122 cubic inches (2 x 61).

Cubic inch: A measurement of volume equal to 16.387 cc

Cubic inch displacement: See
Displacement.

Cubic inch engine: An engine which is measured in cubic inches rather than cubic centimeters.

Cub scouts: Trucker slang for Sheriff's deputies as in "Cub Scouts at the 97 so you better watch out."

Cu. ft.: Abbreviation for cubic feet

Cu. in.: Abbreviation for cubic inch (also C.I.).

Cult car: A car which has many enthusiastic owners, but may not necessarily be a classic or milestone car.

Cunningham: A vehicle brand of which the 1925-1948 models are Classic cars. The 1951-55 models are Milestone cars.

Cuno filter: A Filter made up of a series of fine Discs or plates pressed together in a manner that leaves a very minute space between the discs. Liquid is forced through these openings to produce a straining action.

Cup

A type of lip seal used on hydraulic pistons.
The common hydraulic piston seal in master and wheel cylinders. By design, hydraulic pressure assists the sealing action.

Also See
Adjustable cup
Agitation cup
Bearing cup
Bearing shell
Cup washer
Fixed cup
Vacuum suction cup
Viscosity cup

Cup chuck: An attachment to a lathe (i.e., chuck) shaped like a bell or cup that is screwed to a mandrel and can grip bits. Also called Bell chuck

Cup dent puller: See
Suction cup dent puller

Cup expanders: Metal discs formed to fit inside piston cups and to keep the lips of the cups in tight contact with the cylinder walls while the hydraulic system is not pressurized

Cup holder: A device to hold a coffee cup or pop bottle. Also called Beverage holder

Cup seal

Synthetic rubber seal with a single lip used for sealing hydraulic and pneumatic pistons
A circular rubber seal with a depressed center surrounded by a raised sealing lip. Cup seals can contain high pressure in one direction, but do not seal in the other.

Cup-shaped wire brush: Circular wire brush on an arbor for use with an electric drill

Cup washer: A washer that is dished.

Curb: A stone or cement ridge between the road and the sidewalk. In Britain it is called "kerb"

Curber

A person who buys cars needing a lot of work and fixes them, then sells them privately from his own residence.
A person who steals a car, falsifies the registration information, and sells it from a place not near his own home. You need to contact him on his cell phone where he informs you that you need to meet him at some parking lot or on the curb of a residential area.

Curb idle: Normal idle rpm. Computer controlled on many modern vehicle

Curb-idle port: See
Idle discharge hole

Curb-idle stop screw: A screw which provides an adjustable stop for the throttle lever

Curb weight: The weight of a vehicle without passengers or payload, but including all fluids (oil, gas, Coolant, etc.) and other equipment specified as standard.

Cure

A process of vulcanizing raw rubber through the application of heat, pressure, and time to permanently shape and set the rubber at the degree of hardness desired to protect it from the effects of normal operating temperatures and wear.
To change the properties of an adhesive by chemical action. Usually accomplished by the action of heat, pressure, and catalysts, alone or in combination
Also See
Chemical cure

Cure time: The time required at a reference temperature for a compound to reach optimum physical properties.

Curing

Process of heating or otherwise treating a rubber or plastic compound to convert it from a thermoplastic or fluid material into the solid, relatively heat-sensitive state desired in the commercial product. When heating is employed, the process is called Vulcanization.
The final drying stage where the paint reaches maximum strength.

Curing agents: Substances used in friction materials to ensure the various elements bond together properly into a brake block.

Curing gum: A soft, tacky rubber compound used in retreading and repair to facilitate bonding between different rubber compounds and between plies, etc.
Also See
Cushion gum

Curing rim: When retreading a tire, a special rim that supports the inflated tire during the curing process.

Curing time: The length of time required for paint or plastic to harden.

Curing tube: In retreading a tire, a heavy tube within the tire that provides pressure to force the Casing against the matrix during the curing process.

Current

The movement of Free electrons through a Conductor. The strength or rate of movement of the electricity is measured in amperes.
Also See
Alternating current
Charging current
Direct current
Discharging current
Electric current
Spark current
The most recent model vehicle (i.e., made in the same year as the present calendar).

Current collector: The conductive material in a fuel cell that collects electrons (on the anode side) or disburses electrons (on the cathode side). The current collectors are microporous (to allow for fluid flow through them) and lie in between the Catalyst/electrolyte surfaces and the bipolar plates.

Current density: A vector-point function describing the magnitude and direction of charge flow per unit area, generally expressed in amperes per square meter.

Current for low temperatures: See
Test current for low temperatures

Current regulator: A device for controlling the current output of a generator (which increases with engine speed) by opening a switch when the current exceeds a certain value, thus protecting the generator from damage due to excess current.

Current relay: Device which opens or closes a circuit. It is made to act by a change of current flow in that circuit.

Current transformer: An electrical device which reduces AC current to a predetermined level

Curtain: See
Side curtain

Curve: A gradual bend in the road. A sharp bend is a corner.

Also See
Advance curve
Torque curve

Cush drive: A motorcycle transmission shock absorber, usually a rubber cushion in the rear hub

Cushion: See
Air bag
Air cushion
Impact cushion
Seat cushion

Cushion clip: Cushion Clip

A C-shaped wire used to secure a vehicle's seat upholstery to the metal frame of the seat. Also called hog ring

Cushion gum: A soft, tacky rubber compound used in retreading and repair to facilitate bonding between different rubber compounds and between plies, etc.

Custom

A restyled or modified vehicle.
A new body mounted on an existing Chassis.

Customer: A person who is at least potentially able to purchase something. Good customer service involves providing the customer with the best answers to his questions and the best choices to meet his needs or wants.

Customize

To restyle or modify a vehicle.
To mount a new body on an existing Chassis.

Customs duties: Customs duties levied on imported goods under the Customs Tariff.

Custom wheel: A special wheel with attractive styling, usually alloy, available as an aftermarket accessory, designed to make a car look more sporty

Cut: See
T-cut

Cut-and-shut: A British term for a process of shortening a vehicle by cutting out a section of the chassis and/or bodywork.

Cutaway: A drawing which shows some of the exterior part and at the cutaway the interior parts and their workings are shown.

Cut gears: See
Straight cut gears

Cut-in: The temperature value or the pressure value at which the control circuit closes.

Cut in front: The action of an overtaking (passing) vehicle which pulls back into the lane of the overtaken (passed) vehicle. Usually it is a derogatory expression of a vehicle's action which does not allow for much distance between the two vehicles. Also called, cut off as in "He cut me off so I had to jam on the brakes to avoid hitting him." Proper driving etiquette states that you should not pull in until you see the front of the overtaken vehicle in your rear-view mirror.

Cut-in speed: The speed at which the generator has to rotate to produce a voltage which is greater than that across the battery terminals

Cut off: See
Cut in front
Deceleration fuel cut-off
Fuel cut-off switch
Inertia fuel cut-off switch
Power cut-off switch
Power cut-off

Cut-off/shut-off: See
Overrun cut-off/shut-off

Cut-off switch: See
Fuel cut-off switch
Power cut-off switch
Inertia fuel cut-off switch
Power cut-off switch
Fuel cut-off switch
Inertia fuel cut-off switch

Cutout

A form of Bypass valve, located in the Exhaust line, that can be used to divert the flow of exhaust from one pipe to another. Often used to Bypass the Muffler into a straight pipe. See Exhaust cutout.
A device to connect or disconnect the Generator from the Battery circuit. When the generator is charging, cutout makes circuit, when generator stops, cutout breaks circuit. Also referred to as cutout relay, and Circuit breaker.
A portion of a Panel which has been removed so that a cover can be inserted.
A circuit-breaker, especially one in the charging circuit of a generator output is less than the battery voltage, so that the battery does not drain into the generator. Also called a cutout relay.
Temperature value or pressure value at which the control circuit opens.

Also See
Exhaust cutout
Low-pressure cut-out
Valve cut-out
Wheel cutout

Cutout relay: A device to connect or disconnect the Generator from the Battery circuit. When the generator is charging, cutout makes circuit, when generator stops, cutout breaks circuit. Also referred to as Circuit breaker.
Also See
Cutout

Cutter: A small pincer with sharp jaws for cuning and stripping wires, etc. The British term is "end cutters" or end cutting pliers.
Also See
End cutters
Manual panel cutter
Metal cutter
Milling cutter
Mini tube cutter
Monodex-type cutter
Panel cutter
Sheet metal cutter
Side cutters
Taper cutter
Tube cutter
Valve seat cutter
Variable hole cutter

Cutters: See
End cutters
Side cutters

Cutter stock: Flux Stock. A petroleum stock which is used to reduce the viscosity of a heavier residual stock by dilution.

Cut thread: A thread produced by removing material from the surface with a form cutting tool. This method keeps the unthreaded portion of the shank equal to the major diameter of the thread.

Cutting: See
Acetylene cutting
Arc cutting
End cutting pliers
Flame cutting
Heavy-duty diagonal cutting pliers
Heavy-duty end cutting pliers
High leverage diagonal cutting pliers
High leverage end cutting pliers
Hole cutting snips
Oxygen acetylene cutting

Cutting compound: An abrasive paste which is used to remove oxidation in the surface of paint in order to bring back the shine.

Cutting disc: An abrasive wheel of an angle grinder

Cutting flame: A process in welding where cutting takes place by a rapid oxidation at a high temperature produced by a gas flame accompanied by a jet action which blows the oxides away from the cut.

Cutting line: A line established by the factory along which welded-up assemblies must be cut when replacing a sheet metal part, in order to maintain structural strength in the finished repair

Cutting pliers: See
End cutting pliers
Heavy-duty diagonal cutting pliers
Heavy-duty end cutting pliers
High leverage diagonal cutting pliers
High leverage end cutting pliers

Cutting snips: See
Hole cutting snips

Cutting torch: An oxyacetylene torch for cutting through metal, used by welders.