DICTIONARY OF AUTOMOTIVE TERMS - "Ga"

g:

A unit of measurement for lateral acceleration, or "road-holding." One "g" is equivalent to 981 cm (32.2 feet) per second every second, the rate at which any object accelerates when dropped at sea level. If a car were cornering at 1.0 g—a figure that very few production cars are able to approach—the driver's body would be pushing equally hard against the side of the seat as against the bottom of it. Most fast sedans accelerate about 0.8 g.

G7:

Seven industrial countries consisting of the United States, Japan, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Canada, whose leaders have met at annual economic summits since 1975 to coordinate economic policies.

Gage:

A standard SAE designation of wire sizes, expressed in AWG (American Wire Gage). The larger the gage number, the smaller the wire. Metric wire sizes are expressed in cross-sectional area, which is expressed in square millimeters. Sometimes the spelling "gauge" is also used to designate wire size. However, it is becoming standard to use "gage" for wire size and "gauge" for instruments. Americans often use "gage" for instruments.
Also See:
adjusting gage
compression gage
dial gage
feeler gage
fuel gage
gas gage
oil gage
oil pressure gage
plain gage tubing
temperature gage
tire gage
vacuum gage

Gage tubing:

See:
plain gage tubing

Gain:

See:
steering gain

Gaiter:

A dust boot

Gal.:

Abbreviation for "gallon." A US gallon (3.785 liters) is 20% smaller than an Imperial gallon (4.546 liters).

GALFAN®:

A trademark for a special type of hot-dip galvanized steel sheet with a coating consisting of a zinc alloy containing 5% aluminum and rare earths

Gallery:

A channel or tube usually found within the engine block for the transfer of fluid or gas. See oil gallery.

Gallon:

A US gallon (3.785 liters) is 20% smaller than an Imperial gallon (4.546 liters).

Galvalume®:

Trademark for a special type of hot-dip galvanized steel sheet with a coating consisting of 55% aluminum, 43.4% zinc and 1.6% silicon

Galvanic:

Concerned with an electrical current

Galvanic cell:

Cell which converts chemical energy into electrical energy by irreversible chemical reactions

Galvanic action:

Wasting away of two unlike metals due to electrical current passing between them. The action is increased in the presence of moisture.

Galvanic corrosion:

Corrosion due to the action of a galvanic cell. Compare bimetallic corrosion

Galvanize:

The action of plating with zinc by hot dipping or electrodeposition to protect from rust.
Also See:
hot-dip galvanize

Galvanized body:

See:
fully galvanized body

Galvanized coating:

Zinc or zinc based coating applied by galvanizing

Galvanize differentially:

The action of obtaining different coating thicknesses on the two sides of the sheet of iron.

Galvanizing:

The application of zinc coatings on the surface of a metal, by hot dipping or electrodeposition.
Also See:
cold galvanizing
dry galvanizing
electrolytic galvanizing
high-build galvanizing
mechanical galvanizing
rack galvanizing
spin galvanizing
wet galvanizing

Galvanizing bath:

A bath for hot-dip galvanizing or electrogalvanizing

Galvannealing:

A thermal process which gives improved adhesion to hot-dip galvanized steel sheets

Galvanometer:

An instrument used to measure the pressure, amount of, and direction of an electric current.

Gamma layer:

Part of the zinc-iron alloy layer on hot-dip galvanized iron and steel containing 21-28% iron

Gangway:

A narrow hanging staircase used by persons entering or leaving a vessel from the pier or boat

Gantry:

A structure with an overhead beam, used for lifting out an engine. Compare engine hoist.

Gap:

1. The distance between the center terminal (electrode) and the outer terminal (electrode) through which the spark must travel in a spark plug.
   Also See:
   spark plug gap
   air gap.
2. The distance between the points in contact breaker points.
   Also See:
   point gap.
3. The distance between two vehicles travelling down the road as they go in the same direction. Generally a safe distance is a minimum of two seconds behind the vehicle in front.
4. The distance between the two ends of piston rings.

Also See:
air gap
annular gap
contact breaker gap
contact gap
door gap
electrode gap
end gap
piston ring end gap
piston ring gap
plug gap
point gap
points gap
ring end gap
ring gap
spark air gap
spark gap
spark plug gap
surface gap

Gap bridging:

A formation of carbon or other deposits across the spark plug gap which shorts out the plug

Gap coil tester:

See:
spark gap coil tester

Gap insurance:

This covers you against additional losses not covered by your auto insurance in the case of an accident in which the vehicle is totaled. Most auto insurance will cover the actual cash value of the vehicle and what is owed on the lease contract, including early termination fees. Gap insurance is most important in the early years of a lease when the difference between the value of the car and what is owed are greatest. Some manufacturers now include Gap insurance in their leases.

Gapper:

A device for determining the distance between two metal contacts.
Also See:
feeler gauge.

Gapping:

Adjusting the distance between the electrodes of a spark plug or the points of contact breaker points.
Also See:
plug gapping.

Gap spark plug:

See:
surface gap spark plug

Gap style:

The arrangement or shape of the spark plug electrodes

Garage:

1. A building in which a motor vehicle is kept.
2. The premises on which motor vehicles are repaired or serviced and/or where fuel is sold.
3. To keep in a garage

Garaged:

A reference to a vehicle which is kept in a garage, as in My car is always garaged. The abbreviation in advertisements is gar'd.

Garage jack:

A powerful hydraulic jack used in garages

Garages:

See:
Morris Garages

Garbage:

Trucker slang for "produce" (bananas, lettuce etc.) as in "I sure am glad I'm not takin' this load of garbage to Hunt's Point."

Garbage wagon:

A scornful term used by some outlaw bikers to describe a touring motorcycle

Garboard strake:

The strake of bottom shell plating adjacent to the keel plate.

Gar'd:

An abbreviation used in classified advertisements for "garaged"

Garden gate:

A nickname for the plunger-sprung frames used on Norton motorcycles from the late 1930s

Garnish molding:

The upper molding on a door panel used to retain the door trim panel to the door assembly

Garter:

See:
lip seal with garter spring

Garter spring:

A long, thin coil spring with ends joined to form a ring.
Also See:
lip seal with garter spring

Gas:

1. A non-solid material. It can be compressed. When heated, it will expand; and when cooled, it will contract (such as air.)
   Also See:
   hot gas welding
   inert gas system
2. A common term for gasoline. The British term is "petrol."
   Also See:
   unleaded gas
3. A term for LPG or propane.
   Also See:
   bottled gas
   compressed natural gas
   oxygen-LP gas flame
   oxyhydrogen gas
4. A term referring to the exhaust gases.
   Also See:
   exhaust emissions.
   end gas
   exhaust gas recirculation
   exhaust gas analyzer
   exhaust gas purification system
   exhaust gas
   raw exhaust gas
   spent gas
   
5. To apply the throttle.
   Also See:
   depress the gas pedal
   ease up on the gas pedal
   pumping the gas pedal
   pump the gas pedal

Gas analyzer:

See:
exhaust gas analyzer

Gas-arc:

See:
inert gas-arc welding

Gas-arc welding:

See:
inert gas-arc welding

Gas brakes:

See:
pumping the gas brakes

Gas burner:

Competition vehicle with engine set up to operate on standard pump gasoline instead of an alcohol, nitro, etc., mixture. Also called "gasser."

Gas cap:

A vented covering on the top of the tube leading to the fuel tank. Also called "fuel cap."

Gas chamber:

A pressure chamber of a single-tube shock absorber

Gas damper:

A gas shock absorber

Gas discharge headlight:

A motor vehicle headlight with a gas discharge lamp

Gas discharge lamp:

A discharge lamp in which light is generated by gas discharge

Gas discharge light:

A discharge light in which light is generated by gas discharge

Gas-driven generator:

A generator which turned by a gas engine.

Gaseous:

Referring to gas

Gaseous discharge lamp:

A gas discharge lamp

Gaseous discharge headlight:

A gas discharge light

Gases:

See:
CFC gases
exhaust gases
greenhouse gases
residual exhaust gases

Gas fade:

Brake fade caused by hot gases and dust particles that reduce friction between the brake linings and drum or rotor under hard, prolonged braking

Gas filter:

A device for screening the gasoline to remove the impurities.
Also See:
fuel filter.

Gas flame:

See:
oxygen-lp gas flame

Gas flow:

The flow of the air/fuel mixture or the exhaust gases in an engine

Gas forced-air heat pipe:

High efficiency gas furnace that uses vertical liquid filled pipes. The pipes are heated by a burner at their base, and the liquid boils and vaporizes within the pipe. The furnace blower circulates air over the pipes for heating.

Gas gage:

See:
gas gauge.

Gas gauge:

An instrument, usually located on the dashboard or center console, which indicates the amount of fuel in the fuel tank. Most gauges have a needle which fluctuates between "E" (empty) and "F" (full). Others show a digital readout of how many gallons or liters left in the tank. Also called "fuel gauge."

Gas guzzler:

A vehicle which uses a lot of gasoline per distance travelled.

Gasket:

A material made of asbestos, cardboard, cork, paper, rubber, or soft metal placed between two metal parts to insure proper sealing.
Also See:
base gasket
blown head gasket
cylinder head gasket
head gasket
liquid gasket
oil pan gasket
rocker cover gasket
sump gasket
tappet gasket
valve cover gasket

Gasket, foam:

Joint sealing material made of rubber or plastic foam strips.

Gasket kit:

A collection of gaskets required to overhaul an engine or part of an engine.
Also See:
bottom end gasket kit
carburetor kit
top end gasket kit

Gasket punch:

A tool used to cut out holes in a sheet of gasket material to shape a gasket to size.

Gasket scraper:

A scraper with a sharp chisel edge for removing old gasket material from a surface before installing a new gasket

Gas metal-arc welding:

Welding using a continuously fed consumable electrode and a shielding gas. Also called "sigma welding."

Gas, noncondensable:

Gas which will not form into a liquid under the operating pressure-temperature conditions.

Gasohol:

A blend of gasoline and ethanol alcohol that usually is 90% gasoline and 10% ethanol. Ethanol is the alcohol found in intoxicating beverages. It may attack rubber and plastic parts of fuel systems not designed to handle alcohol-blended fuels, but it is not poisonous to human beings like wood alcohol or methanol.

Gasoline:

A hydrocarbon fuel used in an internal combustion engine. Gasoline is refined from crude oil which is made up of fossilized plant and animal remains. In Britain it is called "petrol."
Also See:
ethyl gasoline
lead-free gasoline
leaded gasoline
oxygenated gasolines
premium gasoline
pump gasoline
reformulated gasoline
regular gasoline
unleaded gasoline

Gasoline pump:

A device which pulls fuel from an underground storage tank into a vehicle's gas tank.

Gas pedal:

The device actuated by the operator's foot for increasing or decreasing the amount of fuel entering the combustion chamber. Also called "throttle pedal" or "accelerator."
Also See:
accelerator
depress the gas pedal
ease up on the gas pedal
pumping the gas pedal
pump the gas pedal
step on the gas pedal
take foot off the gas pedal

Gas pockets:

Cavities in weld metal caused by trapped gas.

Gas prop:

A gas-assisted strut like a hatch strut, hood strut, or tailgate strut

Gas pump:

A device at a service station which pulls gasoline from a storage tank (usually located underground) into the vehicle's gas tank. Commercial units also record the amount of fuel dispensed as well as the cost.

Gas purification:

See:
exhaust gas purification system

Gas recirculation:

See:
exhaust gas recirculation

Gasser:

A vehicle which uses gasoline in the engine to run.
Also See:
gas burner.

Gas shock:

A gas-assisted shock absorber

Gas shock absorber:

A gas-assisted shock absorber

Gassing:

The small hydrogen bubbles rising to the top of the battery electrolyte during battery charging.

Gas spring:

A pressurized, nitrogen-filled sphere, used in Hydragas and hydropneumatic suspension systems

Gas station:

A place where gasoline is dispensed.

Gas system:

See:
inert gas system

Gas tank:

The container for holding or storing fuel. Also called "fuel tank."

Gas-tight:

Sealed to prevent the passage of gas

Gas tungsten-arc welding:

Welding using a tungsten electrode and a shielding gas.

Gas turbine:

An internal-combustion rotating engine with one main moving part: the rotor with pinwheel-like blades attached. Air is compressed by the first rows of blades and delivered to the combustion chambers, from which the exhaust is directed to pass the remaining blades and to generate the power. Power is extremely smooth due to the absence of explosions and reciprocating parts.

Gas valve:

Device in a pipeline for starting, stopping, or regulating flow of gas.

Gas welding:

A welding process widely used in body repair shops (now being gradually replaced by MIG welding). Also called oxyacetylene welding.
Also See:
hot gas welding

Gate:

1. The slotted guide for the gearshift of an internal combustion engine.
2. The slotted guides in a shift drum.
3. A tailgate.

Also See:
J gate transmission shifter
shift gate
waste gate

Gate transmission:

See:
J gate transmission shifter

Gate transmission shifter:

See:
J gate transmission shifter

GATT:

Acronym for General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

Gauge:

This is the British and Canadian spelling while in the United States it is sometimes spelled without the "u" (gage). It is becoming standard to use "gage" for wire size and "gauge" for an instrument.

1. An instrument that registers the quantity of a substance
   Also See:
   ammeter
   boost gauge
   fuel gauge
   gas gauge
   in-dash gauge
   oil gauge
   oil level gauge
   oil pressure gauge
   oil temperature gauge
   outside temperature gauge
   temperature gauge
   tire gauge
   tire pressure gauge
   turbo gauge
   vacuum gauge
   voltmeter
   water temperature gauge
2. A tool for measuring clearances, pressures, sizes, etc.
   Also See:
   adjusting gauge
   B & S gauge
   brake gauge
   caliper gauge
   compression gauge
   compression tester
   depth gauge
   dial gauge
   disc brake gauge
   feeler gauge
   frame gauge
   ignition gauge
   screw pitch gauge
   sighting point gauge
   spark plug gauge
   thread gauge
   thread pitch gauge
   throttle gauge
   tire tread gauge
   tram gauge
   tread depth gauge
   vernier gauge
   wheel alignment gauge
3. A measurement of tubing.
   Also See:
   plain gauge tubing

Gauge, compound:

Instrument for measuring pressures both above and below atmospheric pressure.

Gauge, high-pressure:

Instrument for measuring pressures in range of 0 psia to 500 psia (101.3 kPa to 3600 kPa).

Gauge, low-pressure:

Instrument for measuring pressures in range of 0 psia to 50 psia 10 kPa to 350 kPa.

Gauge, manifold:

1. Chamber device constructed to hold both compound and high-pressure gauges. Valves control flow of fluids through it.
2. The one essential diagnostic tool required for every air conditioner service procedure. A typical gauge set includes high and low side gauges and valves for checking, measuring and controlling pressure and vacuum, and a third valve for controlling discharging, evacuation and charging procedures. Also called "gauge set"

Gauge port:

Opening or connection provided for a service technician to install a gauge.

Gauge, pressure:

Reading in pounds per square inch (psi) above atmospheric pressure.

Gauge set:

See:
gauge, manifold

Gauge tubing:

See:
plain gauge tubing

Gauge, vacuum:

Instrument used to measure pressures below atmospheric pressure.

Gauntlet:

A long-sleeved leather glove used by motorcyclists to prevent wasps from flying up the sleeve, as one did to me.

GAWR:

Acronym for "Gross Axle Weight Rating."

Gaylord:

A vehicle brand of which the 1955-57 models are milestone cars.

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