- FE analysis
- Acronym for Finite-Element Analysis
- Feasibility Study
- A study about a project's feasibility. The study addresses issues including the project's benefits, costs, effectiveness, alternatives considered, analysis of alternative selection, environmental effects, public opinions, and other factors.
- Featherbed frame
- Famous Norton motorcycle frame design by the McCandless brothers. It was introduced in 1950 and was given its name by factory rider Harold Daniell
- Feather edge
- See
- Feather-edge
-
- The tapered edge of the paint where it meets the metal. The edges should be tapered or slanted so that no edge will be felt when a finger is passed over it.
- To sand the edges of a repaired area until they merge into the surrounding paintwork.
- Feathering
-
- A type of tire wear in which the tread is worn down to a very thin edge
- The application of gentle pressure on the throttle or Brake pedal
- Feather key
-
- A key with parallel faces whose ends may be round or square. It usually fits into a groove on a shaft and in a mating hole to secure the shaft in place.
- A parallel key fastened in either the shaft or in the hub of a member sliding on it. When fastened in the shaft, it must be long enough to hold or drive the sliding member in any of its positions on the shaft. When in the sliding member the key need only be as long as the hub.
- FEBIAC
- Acronym for Fédération Belge des Industries de L'Automobile et du Cycle 'réunies' (Belgium)
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- (FERC) The Federal agency with jurisdiction over interstate electricity sales, wholesale electric rates, hydroelectric licensing, natural gas pricing, oil pipeline rates, and gas pipeline certification. FERC is an independent regulatory agency within the Department of Energy and is the successor to the Federal Power Commission.
- Federal engine
- An American engine which meets US Federal emission standards and certified by the EPA for use in any state except California
- Federal Highway Administration
- (FHWA) The U.S. federal agency responsible for the administration of federal highway funds. FHWA coordinates highway transportation programs in cooperation with states and other partners to enhance the country's safety, economic vitality, quality of life, and the environment. Major program areas include the Federal-Aid Highway Program, which provides federal financial assistance to the States to construct and improve the National Highway System, urban and rural roads, and bridges. This program provides funds for general improvements and development of safe highways and roads. The Federal Lands Highway Program provides access to and within national forests, national parks, Indian reservations and other public lands by preparing plans and contracts, supervising construction facilities, and conducting bridge inspections and surveys.
- Federal Power Commission
- (FPC) The predecessor agency of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The Federal Power Commission was created by an Act of Congress under the Federal Water Power Act on June 10, 1920. It was charged originally with regulating the electric power and natural gas industries. It was abolished on September 30, 1977, when the Department of Energy was created. Its functions were divided between the Department of Energy and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, an independent regulatory agency.
- Federal side impact standard
- Effective with the 1997 model year, all passenger cars are required to comply with Standard 214, side impact protection, as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations. Simply put, the entire structure, floor to roof, of all cars must now be reinforced according to strict regulations. Interestingly, this standard does not yet apply to light trucks (e.g., Minivans, compact Pickups, SUVs).
- Federal Test Procedure
- (FTP) Test cycle(s) used in the U.S. for emission testing and certification of engines and vehicles. The chassis dynamometer cycle for light duty vehicle testing is commonly referred to as FTP-75. The engine dynamometer cycle for testing of heavy-duty (HD) engines is known as HD FTP, or FTP Transient cycle.
- Federal version
- A vehicle that complies with U.S. emission standards which are less restrictive than the standards in California. Also called a 49-state car.
- Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
- (FIA) The international umbrella motoring organization to which national motoring organizations are affiliated and racing is sanctioned. This includes FIA Formula One World Championship (the world's premier racing series also called Formula One racing or F1), International Sports Car Championship (BPR), International Touring Car Championship, and through the Concorde Agreement (agreement to operate racing series under the FIA's guidelines and rules) for participating country's car clubs. Events take place worldwide. The current president is Max Mosley and the V.P. of Marketing is Bernie Eccelestone who controls the series.
- Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile
- (FISA) The international governing body of motor sport
- Feedback
-
- The return of part of the output of a system to the input. Negative
feedback causes self-adjustment of the system and therefore
Stability. Positive feedback causes instability.
Also see
- The information that a computer-controlled fuel system returns. The Sensor measures the oxygen content of the engine's exhaust in order to keep the fuel-air ratio very close to the ideal proportion for combustion. Such tight control of the fuel-air ratio is required for the proper operation of three-way catalysts.
- Information on current operation of a system or device used by the control system to modify future operation.
- In electrical motors and controls, it is the voltage information received by a feedback circuit. Depending on a predetermined potentiometer setting, an electric motor control can correct the voltage to deliver appropriate speed and/or torque
- The return of part of the output of a system to the input. Negative
feedback causes self-adjustment of the system and therefore
Stability. Positive feedback causes instability.
- Feedback carburetor
- (FBC) A Carburetor regulated by a closed loop system (an oxygen sensor, various other sensors, a computer, a duty-cycle Solenoid or solenoid-controlled valve and a catalytic converter) providing and adjusting the air/fuel mixture quality to operate a catalytic converter
- Feedback carburetor actuator
- A computer-controlled stepper motor that varies the Carburetor air/fuel mixture
- Feedback control system
- (FCS)
- A computer-controlled fuel system employing a stepper motor or a dithering Solenoid that controls air-fuel mixture by bleeding precise amounts of air (determined by the computer) into the main and idle system of the Carburetor
- Control system that is constantly correcting the condition. Also called a closed loop system.
- Feedback potentiometer
- A variable resistance device which monitors the position of the shaft to which it is affixed and reports the position to the control head
- Feed check valve
- A one-way control valve positioned between the supply pump and the storage container.
- Feedstock
- Any material converted to another form of fuel or energy product.
For example, corn starch can be used as a feedstock for
Ethanol production.
Also see
- Feed the bears
- Trucker slang for receive a ticket as in "Looks like that chicken hauler likes to feed the bears."
- Feel
- The detection of the operation of a vehicle and its components.
Brake feel involves detecting how effectively the
brakes work; Road feel conveys to the driver the way
the Suspension responds to the road.
Also see
- Feeler blade
- A thin blade of spring steel of an exact thickness for measuring small gaps or clearances between parts, usually made in sets of various thicknesses pinned together at one end to form a feeler gauge
- Feeler gauge
-
A thin strip or blade of hardened steel, ground to an exact thickness, that is used to check Clearances between two parts. Thicknesses increase by 0.001 inch.
Feeler gauge
Also see
- Feeler strip
- A metal strip of a specific thickness from which single feeler blades can be cut, appropriate when frequent measuring is required, to avoid using worn blades
- FEMA
-
- Acronym for The Federation of European Motorcyclists Associations on http://www.fema.ridersrights.org/
- Acronym for Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Female
- A fitting inside another part. Usually where two parts form a connection of some kind, the female part is the socket or hole into which another piece is inserted.
- Female end
- The receptacle into which the Male end is inserted.
- Female thread
- The internal thread on fittings, valves, machine bodies, etc. like that within a nut. Male threads are found on bolts and screws.
- Fender
-
- A covering over the wheels to prevent mud from splattering. The British term for this part is wing.
- British term for Bumper.
- Fender arch
- A smoothly shaped, rounded widening of the wheel arch area to extend the wheel arch further from the body and allow wider tires to be installed. The British term is wing arch
- Fender beading
- A strip used to cover the seams between fenders that are not normally detached and adjacent body panels. In most cases, this strip is chromed and permanently attached (i.e., it is destroyed when it is removed and cannot be reused)
- Fender bender
- A Car accident in which only minor damage is done to body panels.
- Fender bumping hammer
- A body hammer with a one-sided, fairly long head that is lightly curved and terminates in a rounded section; it is used to reach fender curves from the inside
- Fender extension
- A smaller panel in the bottom front area of the front fender that extends the fender toward the front panel and the Wheel housing
- Fender landing section
- A horizontal flange at the top of the Flitch plates that provides the seating for the fenders; in most cases, it also includes the mounting threads or spot-welds for attaching the fenders
- Fender mirror
- A rear-view mirror mounted on the fender. It used to be a common placement, but now the outside mirror is mounted on the door.
- Fender mounting
- The top flange of the sidewalls in the engine compartment and its vertical extensions at the front and rear; the fender is welded or bolted to this edge along its entire length
- Fender punch
- A hole punch with a specially shaped head to fit over awkward fender panels, rain gutters, and wheel arches
- Fender skirt
- A plate designed to Cover a portion of the rear fender wheel opening. It was available either as stock equipment, as an optional extra, or as an aftermarket item.
- Fender splash apron
- A panel on the inside of the fender to prevent splashing water from reaching certain areas of the fender, Wheel housing, and A-post; as opposed to wheel house panels, it is usually flat and mounted in an upright position behind the front wheels
- Fender strengthening buttress
- A horizontally closed section of triangular shape in the upper rear edge of the inner fender area that adds rigidity to this area
- Fender support bracket
- A sheet metal brace used to attach the bottom edge of the fender to the body, to keep it from flexing and vibrating
- FERC
- Acronym for Federal Energy Regulatory Commission -- The federal agency that regulates interstate gas pipelines and interstate gas sales under the Natural Gas Act. Successor to the Federal Power Commission, the FERC is considered an independent regulatory agency responsible primarily to Congress, but it is housed in the Department of Energy.
- FERC guidelines
- A compilation of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's enabling statutes; procedural and program regulations; and orders, opinions, and decisions.
- FERC Order 380
- Issued in 1983, it invalidated contract requirements that a gas utility pay a pipeline for a certain amount of gas even if it could not take the gas. This paved the way for utilities to buy gas directly from producers and marketing companies.
- FERC Order 436
- Issued in April of 1985, it set up a voluntary open-access transportation program that allowed pipelines to offer transportation service not linked to gas sales service, making it easier for utilities and gas customers to purchase gas directly from producers and marketing companies and have it transported by pipelines.
- FERC Order 451
- Issued in 1987, it provided the opportunity for sellers of gas from older wells to receive a more market-sensitive price.
- FERC Order 500
- Issued in late 1989, it was an addendum to FERC Order 436 and provided mechanisms for settling certain contract liabilities incurred by pipelines that could not take all of the gas they had ordered from producers.
- Ferguson four-wheel drive
- A transmission system in which power is distributed through a special Viscous coupling differential, 37% to the front wheels and 63% to the rear wheels
- Fermentation
- The enzymatic transformation by microorganisms of organic compounds such as sugars. It is usually accompanied by the evolution of gas, as in the fermentation of glucose into Ethanol and CO2.
- Ferrari
-
A vehicle brand of which the V-12 (All Front Engined) (1947-70) models are milestone cars.
Click image for books on
Ferrari
- Ferritic
- Something containing less than 5% of stainless fasteners, mainly type 430, it is magnetic and not hardenable by heat treatment. Though containing no nickel, ferritic stainless has a high chromium content providing greater corrosion resistance than martensitic stainless but much less than austenitic. It is mainly used by the automotive and building industries for decorative trim, architectural hardware, handrails, moldings on various products.
- Ferrous metal
- Metal containing iron or steel. Non-ferrous metals are Aluminum Alloys, Brass, copper, or magnesium.
- Ferrule
- A cap (cylindrical metal piece with a hole at each end) attached to the end of the cable outer Housing to protect the cable housing from fraying.
- Festoon bulb
-
A light bulb in the form of a small glass tube with caps at each end providing the contacts
Festoon bulb