- p
-
- A tire designation for Passenger, as used in rating tires such as P185R13.
- A tire designation for speeds up to 150 kph (95 mph) as in P195PR78 (the first P is passenger, but the second P is the Speed rating.
- The designation for park on the gear selector of an automatic transmission.
Also see
- PA
-
- Acronym for Pressure Air (Honda)
- Acronym for Power antenna.
- P/a
- An abbreviation for Power-assisted
- Pace car
- A vehicle which leads the pack of racers during the first part of the race (usually one lap) so that the racers can warm up their engines, etc. The pace car never runs the actual race. They also lead during parade, pace lap, caution periods, and restarts.
- Package units
- Complete refrigerating system including compressor, condenser, and evaporator located in refrigerated space.
- Packard
-
A vehicle brand of which several models with required application are classic cars:
Click image for books on
Packard- 1925-34 all sixes and eights
- all 12-cyl. models
- 1935 Models 1200-1208
- 1936 Models 1400-1408
- 1937 Models 1500-1508
- 1938 Models 1603-1608
- 1939 Models 1703-1708
- 1940 Models 1803-1808
- 1941 Models 1903-1908
- 1942 Models 2004-2008 plus 2023
- 1946-47 Models 2106 and 2126
- all Darrin-bodied models
- 1953-56 Caribbean models
- 1946-50 Clipper and Custom Eight
- 1954 Pacific sedan and convertible
- 1954 Panther Daytona
- 1951-56 Patrician 400
- Packed_gland
- A cylindrical recess that accommodates a number of rings of packing around the shaft or shaft sleeve of a Pump. Pumps used for high-temperature fluids are provided with jacketed, water-cooled packed glands. Also called stuffing box.
- Packing
- Sealing device consisting of soft material or one or more mating soft elements.
Reshaped by manually adjustable compression to obtain or maintain a leak-proof seal.
Also see
- PAD
- Acronym for Program Associated Data.
- Padding disc
- An insert in the crankcase area designed to reduce the internal volume of the crankcase and thus to increase the precompression ratio; this helps to increase the output of a two-stroke engine
- Paddling the lead
- The act of filling repair areas by smoothing the body lead layer until a smooth surface is achieved
- Pad wear indicator
- Mechanical or electrical devices which warn the driver when the lining material on the
brake pads has worn to the point that they should be replaced.
Also see
- Pagoda roof
- An unusual roof design, introduced on the Mercedes-Benz SL Hardtop, which was slightly lower in the center than at the sides
- Pagoda-style roof
- An unusual roof design, introduced on the Mercedes-Benz SL Hardtop, which was slightly lower in the center than at the sides
- PAH
-
- Acronym for Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
- Acronym for polyaluminum hydroxide
- Acronym for Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons
- Paint
-
- A liquid or paste consisting of a suspension of a Pigment in oil or water, etc. When spread over a surface, it dries to form a hard, thin covering colored by the pigment. The primary purpose of paint is to help in the preventing of rusting. A secondary purpose is to provide a variety of color.
- The act of spray painting a surface.
Also see- Acrylic paint
- Barrier paint
- Bituminous paint
- Candy apple paint
- Candy paint
- Coach paint
- Dust-free paint
- Finishing paint
- Flame paint
- Heavy paint
- Light paint
- Liquid paint
- Low-bake paint
- Metallic paint
- Nitrocellulose paint
- Overlay paint
- Polyurethane paint
- Pyroxylin paint
- Refinishing paint
- Soft paint
- Solder paint
- Solid paint
- Tire paint
- Two-pack paint
- Two-tone paint
- Zinc-rich paint
- Paint chip book
- A Color chart
- Paint color matching
- The process of determining the correct paint shade with the aid of color charts and special mixing devices and through spectral analysis
- Painting line
- The route taken by the bodywork of a newly manufactured vehicle on its way through the paint shop
- Paint shop
-
- The production stage in an automobile manufacturing plant during which the bodywork is treated with paint.
- A separate paint repair shop, usually near a body repair shop (i.e., for damaged vehicles)
- Palladium
- A white, ductile, malleable, noble metal of the platinum family; atomic number 46, atomic weight 106.4; resembles platinum and together with other platinum metals is used as a catalyst in automotive exhaust converters. Compare Platinum metals
- Palletized construction
- The process of building a vehicle where the workers assemble a complete Chassis at a comfortable workbench height, in a well-lighted area, away from the main line -- not underneath a moving body. Working conditions and product quality are vastly improved.
- Palm spinner
-
A device which is attached to a steering wheel to allow disabled people to insert a hand into its bracket in order to steer a vehicle.
Palm spinner
- Pan
- A thin stamped Cover that is bolted to the bottom of the Crankcase, it forms a Sump for the engine oil and keeps dirt, etc. from entering the engine.
- Panamax
- A water-borne vessel (i.e., ship) designed small enough for passage through the Panama Canal
- Pancake engine
- An engine in which the Cylinders are on a horizontal
plane, this reduces the overall height and enables them to be used in spots where vertical height
is restricted.
Also see
- Panel
-
- A flat piece of metal that is stamped to create a body Component such as a door panel.
- A plastic molding; e.g., interior trim of doors.
Also see- A-panel
- Access panel
- Aperture panel
- Back panel
- Body panel
- Bonnet landing panel
- Closing panel
- Cluster panel
- Corner panel
- Cowl panel
- Cowl side panel
- Dashboard
- Dash panel
- Deck panel
- Door panel
- Front panel
- Full panel
- Grille face panel
- Grille panel
- Header panel
- Headlight mounting panel
- High crown panel
- Hinge panel
- Hood landing panel
- Inner fender panels
- Instrument panel
- Kick panel
- Lamp panel
- Low crown panel
- Lower Back Panel
- Manual panel cutter
- Off-the-dolly panel beating
- On-the-dolly panel beating
- Parent panel
- Patch panel
- Pattern panel
- Pressed panel
- Quarter light filler panel
- Quarter panel
- Quarter window filler panel
- Radiator support panel
- Rear corner panel
- Rear deck panel
- Rear panel
- Rear Quarter Panel
- Replacement panel
- Rocker panel
- Roof panel
- Scuttle panel
- Scuttle side panel
- Seat well
- Shelf panel
- Side bumper panels
- Side panel
- Solar Thermal Panels
- Splash panel
- Squab panel
- Straightened panel
- Sunroof aperture panel
- Trim panel
- Under sill panel
- Wheel house panel
- Wheel panel
- Windshield corner panel
- Windshield header panel
- Windshield panel
- Panel beater
-
- A person who beats out the dented bodywork of a damaged vehicle.
- A Panel hammer
- Panel bonding
- A new repair process using a special adhesive to glue body panels in place instead of spot-welding them
- Panel cutter
- An air-operated tool used to cut out old panels. It is a relatively coarse tool and is thus
suited mainly for cutting sheet metal in areas where minor distortion along the cutting lines does
not matter.
Also see
- Panel hammer
- A special hammer for metalworking that has two different fly-shaped heads for different purposes, e.g., cross-pein and shrinking hammer.
- Paneling
-
- A combination of separate sheet metal panels to form a complete assembly, e.g., the outer panels of the body or even the panels surrounding the engine
- A plastic molding; e.g., interior trim of doors.
Also see
- Panel picking
- The act of straightening very fine indentations or marks of very small diameter on a panel surface with a pick hammer
- Panel puller
-
A tool with a slide hammer and hook or self-threading screw tip to pull dented doors, fenders, and other sheet metal panels back into place. After drilling a hole in the deepest part of the dent, the hook or screw tip is inserted to pull out the dent by means of slide hammer impact. Also called Knocker
Slide Hammer Dent Puller
- Panhard
- A vehicle brand of which the Dyna for 1946-67 models are milestone cars.
- Panhard rod
- A rod or Linkage on the axle which runs from side to side. Usually one end is attached to the body and the other end is connected to the axle. Also called a track bar.
- Panhard rod mounting box
- Box section used to mount the Panhard rod of the rear axle
- Pan head
- A type of screw with a dome shaped head. Flat top surface rounded into cylindrical sides, and a flat bearing surface. The recessed pan head has a rounded top surface blending into cylindrical sides and a flat bearing surface.
- Pannier
- A luggage bag used in pairs and fastened alongside one or both wheels of a
motorcycle or bicycle.
Also see
- Panniers
- Luggage bags used in pairs and fastened alongside one or both wheels of a
motorcycle or bicycle.
Also see
- Panoramic windshield
- A windshield style popular in the 1950s and '60s that featured recessed screen pillars, giving a wide, unobstructed view of the road; entry for the front passengers was awkward, since the screen pillar comers projected into the door opening
- P. ant
- Abbreviation for Power antenna.
- Panting
- The pulsation in and out of the bow and stern plating as the ship alternately rises and plunges deep into the water
- Panting frame
- The frames in the forward and after portions of the hull framing to strengthen against shell Panting
- Paper air cleaner
- An Air cleaner that makes use of special paper through which the air to the Carburetor is drawn.
- Parabolic dish
- A high-temperature (above 82°C) solar thermal concentrator, generally bowl-shaped, with two-axis tracking.
Also see
- Parabolic reflector
- An old headlight reflector in the shape of a parabola, now replaced by ellipsoidal reflectors
- Parabolic trough
- A high-temperature (above 82°C) solar thermal concentrator with
the capacity for tracking the sun using one axis of rotation.
Also see
- Paraffin
-
- A British term for Kerosene a solvent for removing grease
- A light-colored, wax-free oil obtained by pressing paraffin distillate.
- The wax removed from paraffin distillates by chilling and pressing. When separating from solutions, it is a colorless, more or less translucent, crystalline mass, without odor and taste, slightly greasy to touch, and consisting of a mixture of solid hydrocarbons in which the paraffin series predominates.
- Paraffins
- Group of saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons, including Methane, ethane, Propane and Butane and noted by the suffix -ane.
- Parallel
-
- The same distance apart at every point.
- Two or more electrical components each receiving the same voltage resistors connected in parallel. Opposite to Series.
- To connect in parallel
Also see
- Parallel action locking pliers
- A locking pliers with parallel action jaws, e.g., for pinching off hoses when servicing cooling systems
- Parallel circuit
-
- An electrical circuit with two or more Resistance units so wired as to permit Current to flow through both units at the same time. Unlike the Series circuit, the Current in the parallel circuit does not have to pass through one unit to reach the other. A method or pattern of connecting units in an electrical circuit so that they are connected negative-to-negative and positive-to-positive. In a parallel circuit, current can flow independently through several components at the same time.
- Arrangement of electrical devices in which the current divides and travels through two or more paths and then returns through a common path.
Also see
- Parallel connection
- A way of joining photovoltaic cells or batteries by connecting positive leads to positive leads to keep the voltage output the same, but increase the amperage. Some 12-volt vehicles running two batteries to give more winter starting power must connect the batteries in parallel. If they were Connected in series the output would be 24 volts and fuses would blow or components would burn out.
- Parallelism
- The same thickness of brake discs all the way around. The relationship between one friction surface of
a brake disc and the other.
Also see
- Parallel middle body
- The amidships portion of a ship in which the contour of the underwater hull form is unchanged
- Parallelogram steering linkage
-
A Steering system using two short Tie rods connected to the Steering arms and to a long center link. The link is supported on one end on an Idler arm and the other end is attached directly to the Pitman arm. The arrangement forms a parallelogram shape.
Parallelogram steering linkage
- Parallel parking
- The action of bringing a vehicle to a stop behind another vehicle (or between two vehicles) so that your front bumper is right behind the rear bumper of the vehicle in front of you. The technique of parallel parking involves driving beside the other vehicle and then backing up while turning the steering first to the right and then at the correct time turning it to the left. It is one of the testing requirements for obtaining a license.
- Parallel trailing link suspension
- A front suspension layout used primarily by Volkswagen on rear-engined cars
- Parallel twin
- A type of engine usually found on two-cylinder motorcycles where the cylinders are beside each other and on the same side of the crankshaft. An Opposed twin has two cylinders that are on either side of the crankshaft.
- Parallel-twin engine
- A two-cylinder engine with its cylinder placed side-by-side in an upright position
- Parent panel
- The panel left in place on the car to which a new panel is welded after all the rusted metal has been cut out
- Park
- (P)
- One of the positions of the gear selector for an automatic gearbox; when engaged (after the vehicle has come to a complete standstill) the driving wheels are locked.
- To leave a vehicle in a particular place.
- A Parkade.
Also see
- Park and Ride
- Provision of long stay parking areas at the edge of a built up area which are linked by frequent bus (or other public transport) services to the City center and potentially other locations.
- Park Avenue
-
A model of automobile manufactured by the Buick division of General Motors from 1991-2005
Click image for books on
Park Avenue
- Park brake extension
-
A device which is attached to the parking brake to help disable people to operate the parking brake more easily.
Park brake extension
- Parkbrake warning light
- A light on the instrument panel that illuminates when the parkbrake is applied; on most new cars it has been superseded by a multifunction brake warning light
- Parking brake
-
- Hand or foot operated brake which prevents vehicle movement while parked by locking rear wheels, or Transmission Output shaft. One type applies the rear Brake shoes by mechanical means and the other type applies a Brake band to a Brake drum installed in the Drivetrain.
- The secondary brake system used to hold a stationary vehicle from moving. The system is applied with a hand or foot lever, and operates on only two wheels.
- The mechanically actuated portion of a drum brake or disc brake caliper, used to prevent the vehicle from rolling when it is parked, applied by a lever, pedal, or rod
- Parking brake console
- The reinforcing member incorporated in the center tunnel area of the floorpan to provide the mounting support for the handbrake
- Parking-brake equalizer
- A device to equalize pull between the parking-brake actuator and two wheels.
- Parking brake lever
-
- A lever inside the drum brake which spreads the brake shoes outward; the long end is connected to the parking brake cable, the opposite end to one brake shoe and to a push bar which acts on the other shoe.
- A lever inside the passenger compartment attached to the end of the parking brake rod and which activates the parking brake cable.
- Parking brake warning switch assembly
- A unit used to actuate a warning device indicating the parking brake application mechanism is not in the fully released position.
- Parking disc
- A marker displayed on the inside of a parked car showing time of arrival or latest permitted time of departure in a British parking lot
- Parking lamp
- An energy-saving vehicle illumination mode on British cars for long-term roadside parking; includes only one front sidelight and one taillight; the parking light can be switched to illuminate the left side or the right side
- Parking light
- An energy-saving vehicle illumination mode on British cars for long-term roadside parking; includes only one front sidelight and one taillight; the parking light can be switched to illuminate the left side or the right side
- Parking lot stencil
- A printing device which is placed on the ground so that information like handicap parking signs can be made.
- Parking meter
- A coin-operated timing device that indicates how long a vehicle may legally remain parked
- Parking ticket
- A written fine for a parking offence, especially where a vehicle has exceeded the time limit for parking
- Park light
- A low intensity light which is often incorporated into the front signal lights. The park lights are to be illuminated when the vehicle is still running, but pulled off the road. However, many people drive with them on -- an action which is illegal in some parts of North America.
- Park safety switch
- A switch which allows the starter to be engaged only when the automatic shift lever is in either park or neutral
- Partial flow filter
- A Bypass filter
- Partial oxidation
- Fuel reforming reaction where the fuel is partially oxidized to carbon monoxide and hydrogen rather than fully oxidized to carbon dioxide and water. This is accomplished by injecting air with the fuel stream prior to the reformer. The advantage of partial oxidation over steam reforming of the fuel is that it is an exothermic reaction rather than an endothermic reaction and therefore generates its own heat.
- Partial pressures
- Condition where two or more gases occupy a space and each one creates part of the total pressure.
- Partial respray
- A respraying of only part of the bodywork, opposite to Full respray or Complete respray
- Particulate
- A small, discrete mass of solid or liquid matter that remains individually dispersed in gas or liquid emissions. Particulates take the form of aerosol, dust, fume, mist, smoke, or spray. Each of these forms has different properties.
Also see
- Particulate catalyst
- A Pellet catalyst
- Particulate emission
- An emission of solid particles of carbon and unburnt hydrocarbons from the exhaust system
- Particulate emission limit
- The weight of particulate emissions in the exhaust of diesel engines, specified in grams per mile
- Particulate ignition temperature
- In diesel filtration tests, the exhaust gas temperature at which there is an equilibrium between particulate burn-off and deposit build-up
- Particulate matter
- (PM)
- Suspended solids of carbon and unburnt hydrocarbons from the exhaust system
- A generic term for a broad class of chemically and physically diverse substances that exist as discrete particles (liquid droplets or solids) over a wide range of sizes. A NAAQS pollutant.
- Particles formed by incomplete combustion of fuel. Compression ignition (diesel) engines generate significantly higher PM emissions than spark ignited engines. The particles are composed of elemental carbon, heavy hydrocarbons (SOF), and hydrated sulfuric acid (sulfate particulates).
- Particulates
-
- (PM) Suspended solids of carbon and unburnt hydrocarbons from the exhaust system
- Small pieces (particles) of matter; dust is a common particulate.
- Particulate Trap
- Diesel vehicle emission control device that traps and incinerates diesel particulate emissions after they are exhausted from the engine but before they are expelled into the atmosphere.
- Part-load enrichment
- Extra fuel injected during throttle opening to enrich the mixture during transition. Usually occurs during closed-loop operation
- Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles
- (PNGV) established in 1993, this partnership, between the United States Federal Government and the Automotive industry, was founded to establish global technical leadership in the development and production of affordable, fuel-efficient, low emission vehicles that meet today's performance standards.
- Part number
- (p/n, PN) A reference number attributed to a particular part. Each company uses its own system of numbering the parts.
- Parts car
- A vehicle that has been damaged beyond repair or Restoration, or that has deteriorated badly. It is useful only as a source of parts. It may be Driveable though unsafe, but it usually is not in driveable condition.
- PAS
-
- Acronym for Power-assisted steering
- Acronym for Passive Anti-Theft System
- Pascal's law
- A principle which states that when pressure is exerted on a confined liquid, it is transmitted undiminished. The law is particularly valid for Hydraulic systems. Discovered by Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
- Pass
-
- The act of overtaking a vehicle which is traveling in the same direction you are.
- The act of going past a vehicle which is traveling is the opposite direction from you.
- Weld metal created by one progression along the weld.
- Acronym for Personalized Automotive Security System
Also see
- Passenger car
- A four-wheeled motor car powered by an engine and designed for passengers and/or their luggage.
Also see
- Passenger car wheel
- A one-piece wheel made of sheet steel. The rim and disc are welded together or made of light-alloy (cast or forged), and designed for tubeless tires. Rims for passenger cars are almost exclusively designed as 5° drop center rims incorporating a safety bead seat (double hump and combination hump are most common; flat hump designs are less common) and a J-flange. The B-flange type is reduced in height and used on passenger cars with small rim diameter and rim width
- Passenger-miles traveled
- The total distance traveled by all passengers. It is calculated as the product of the occupancy rate in vehicles and the vehicle miles traveled.
- Passenger-side air bag
- An air bag restraint system designed to protect the front passenger; introduced on some cars in the early 1990s, it usually occupies the space normally provided for a glove compartment
- Passenger vehicle
- Four wheeled motor vehicle that also includes mini-vans and sport utility vehicles.
- Passing
-
- The action of overtaking another vehicle going in the same direction you are.
- The action of going past another vehicle which is going in the opposite direction you are.
- Passing gear
- An Automatic transmission gear that
shifts a vehicle into a lower gear for a short burst of extra power to pass other cars on the
highway. The gear is engaged by sharply depressing the Gas
pedal. When the pedal is released, the vehicle returns to normal to normal driving gear.
Also see
- Passing lane
- The outside lane (far left lane in North America, etc. or the far right lane in Britain, Australia, etc.). Also called the fast lane
- Passivate
-
- To reduce the reactivity of a chemically active metal surface by electrochemical polarization or by immersion in a passivating solution
- A process of surface treatment for neutralizing stainless steels. An oxydizing solution, such as nitric acid is applied to the surface. This strengthens the normal protective film which helps in resisting corrosion. It also removes any foreign substance which might cause local corrosion.
- Passivating
-
- Technical definition: a process of dipping a metal object into a nitric acid solution to rapidly form a chromium oxide on the surface of the material, creating a passive film that protects stainless from further oxidation called a passive film. The purpose of passivating is to remove both grease left from manufacturing and traces of steel particles which may have rubbed off manufacturing tools onto the object. Contrasts with commercial definition of cleaning.
- Commercial definition: cleaning. A wide range of cleaning methods using different mixtures containing nitric, phosphoric and other acids or simply exposing cleaned stainless objects to air for a period of time will result in a "passivated" condition. For metal objects that have been properly cleaned, it is impossible to determine the method of cleaning or passivation that was used.
- Passive film
- The major characteristic of stainless steel is its ability to form a thin layer of protection, called a "passive film," on its outside surface. This film results from a continual process of low-level oxidation, so oxygen from the atmosphere is needed for the passive film to exist. Once formed, it prevents further oxidation or corrosion from occurring. Even if chipped or scratched, a new passive film on stainless will form.
- Passive safety
- Any device which automatically provides protection for the occupants of a vehicle such as the bumpers, Seat belt, padded dash, Laminated windshield, head restraints, collapsible steering column, air bags, etc. In contrast with Active safety.
- Passive safety features
- Items in a vehicle which do not require action on the part of the driver to avoid a hazard,
e.g., crumple zones, bumpers, side impact beams, and roll-over bars.
Also see
- Passive solar heating
- A solar heating system that uses no external mechanical power, such as pumps or blowers, to move the collected solar heat.
- Passive state
- A state for the fuel cell internal components normally entered when the power plant is purged with steam, air or nitrogen, or per the manufacturer's instructions when the power plant is turned off or prior to when the power plant is turned on (initialization).
- Patch
-
- To repair a component.
- The added part used to repair a component, e.g., a rubber disc glued to a tube to cover a nail hole.
- The footprint of a tire in its contact with the ground.
- Patching
-
- A repair method for welding up local corrosion damage by using smaller panels made up from sheet metal.
- A repair method for gluing a rubber patch to a tube which has a hole in it.
- Pattern Nuts
- Special nuts usually furnished in plain or chamfered face unless otherwise specified, and threads are unified Coarse or unified Fine, Class 2B. (also small and extra small)
- Pattern panel
- A body panel made by somebody other than the original manufacturer, usually for repair purposes; this also includes panels remanufactured after the factory has discontinued making and supplying those parts.
- Pavement markers
- Three-dimensional markers, reflectorized or non-reflectorized, epoxied onto pavement.
- Pavement markings
- Traffic markings such as lines, arrows, bicycle symbols, and words like "only" and "school".
- Pawl
-
- A bar, pin, or Stud that can be moved, pivoted, or slid into engagement with teeth cut on another part, such as the parking pawl on the Automatic transmission that can be slid into contact with teeth on another part to lock the rear wheels.
- A catch at the bottom of a lever which connects with a toothed rack to hold the lever in position (e.g., with a handbrake lever or in ratchets).
- An arm pivoted so that its free end can fit into a notch, slot, or groove at certain times in order to hold a part stationary
- Payload
-
- The actual weight of cargo being carried, including packaging, etc. (GVW -- Unladen weight = payload).
- The revenue-earning cargo of a commercial vehicle.
Also see