Dictionary of Automotive Terms Abbreviations

DICTIONARY OF AUTOMOTIVE TERMS - "Pe"

PE

Acronym for Power Enrichment
Acronym for Polyethylene
Acronym for Polyellipsoidal

Peaking: A condition, usually in the cushion rubber, resulting from local material starvation and excessive flow from adjacent areas.

Peak inverse voltage: Amount of voltage a diode can take in reverse direction without being damaged

Peak power: The point of maximum torque

Peak pressure period: The phase of diesel combustion lasting from about five degrees before top dead center to about 10 degrees after top dead center, the majority of diesel fuel burns during this period

Peak revs: The point of maximum engine speed

Peaky: An engine that is able to deliver useful power only at high revs and needs frequent shifting. Compare Flexible

Peanut: A small Motorcycle Fuel tank which holds about five litres (one gallon) usually found on a Chopper.

PECV: Acronym for Power Enrichment Control Valve

Pedal: A lever operated by the foot. It is distinguished from a footplate. A footplate allows you to rest your foot, but no action takes place. However, when you place your foot on a pedal, some action could take place.
Also See
Accelerator
Accelerator pedal
Brake pedal
Clipless pedal
Clutch pedal
Dead pedal
Depress the gas pedal
Depress the throttle pedal
Ease up on the throttle pedal
Ease up on the gas pedal
Foot pedal
Free pedal play
Gas pedal
Loud pedal
Low brake pedal
Parking brake pedal
Pumping the gas pedal
Pumping the throttle pedal
Pump the gas pedal
Pump the throttle pedal
Quill pedal
Spongy brake pedal
Spongy pedal
Step on the gas pedal
Step on the throttle pedal
Throttle pedal

Pedal clearance: The distance between the pedal and the floor, when the pedal is fully depressed; reference points may vary

Pedal cleats: An attaching bracket secured to the sole of a cycling shoe. The cleat locks into the body of the pedal holding the foot securely. Cleats are supplied by the pedal manufacturer.

Pedals, clipless: See
Clipless pedals

Pedal float: The amount that the pedal cleat can spin while still clipped into a Clipless pedal

Pedal free play: The distance a pedal moves until a slight resistance is felt.

Also See
Clutch pedal free travel
Free pedal play

Pedal free travel: See
Clutch pedal free travel
Free pedal play
Free travel

Pedal, platform: See platform pedals

Pedal play: See
Free pedal play

Pedal pulsation: The vibration of the brake pedal when depressed, caused by a defective disc or drum (or when ABS is activated)

Pedal ratio: On a brake pedal, the ratio of foot pedal travel to pedal pushrod travel.

Pedal reserve: The amount of brake pedal travel still available when the brakes are applied.

Pedal, toe clip: See toe clip pedlas

Pedal to the metal: To fully apply the Accelerator for a fast take-off.

Pedal travel: The total stroke of a pedal, i.e., the distance the pedal moves

Peddle Run: A truck route with frequent delivery stops

Pedestal pivot: A semi-cylindrical (half-round) pivot used with pivot guided rocker arms. A pedestal pivot restricts the rocker arm so it pivots around one axis or in a single plane-the plane of the valve stem and pushrod

Peel

The action of rapid Acceleration so that the tires slip on the road surface (i.e., the wheels are turning, but the vehicle is not moving very much) which may result in a strip of rubber on the road surface. See Peel rubber.
The action of paint coming off. See Orange peel.

Peelback: A method of separating a bond of two flexible materials or a flexible and a rigid material that have been bonded with an adhesive. The flexible material is pulled from the mating surface at a 90 or 180 degree angle to the plane in which it is adhered. The stress is concentrated along the line of immediate separation. Strengths are expressed in pounds per inch width (piw)

Peel rubber: Rear wheels slipping on the highway during Acceleration. Also called Burn rubber".

Peen

Also spelled pein

To flatten out the end of a Rivet, etc., by pounding with the round end of a hammer.
The ball-shaped, or narrow wedge-shaped end of a hammer head opposite the flattened striking face.

Also See
Ball peen hammer
Wide-nose peen hammer

Peen hammer: Also spelled pein hammer. A body hammer with a peen of triangular section with a fairly sharply shaped end. Compare Ball pein hammer

Peening: The flattening or shaping with a peen hammer

Peerless: A vehicle brand of which the 1926-28 Series 69; 1930-31 Custom 8; and 1932 Deluxe Custom 8 are Classic cars.

PEFC: Acronym for Proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Peg: See
Highway peg

Pegs

Studs or nipples which may be used for alignment of parts or the placement of a part.
Footpegs, often called pegs, are where the motorcycle rider's feet rest. Some motorcycles have floorboards instead of pegs. With pegs, the rider usually rests the balls of his feet on the peg, whereas a floorboard is large enough to accommodate the whole foot.

Pegaso: A vehicle brand of which all models from 1951-58 are Milestone cars.

PE headlight: A headlight with a gas discharge lamp and a polyellipsoidal reflector

Pein

Also spelled peen

To flatten out the end of a Rivet, etc., by pounding with the round end of a hammer.
The ball-shaped, or narrow wedge-shaped end of a hammer head opposite the flattened striking face

Pein hammer: Also spelled peen hammer. A body hammer with a pein of triangular section with a fairly sharply shaped end. Compare Ball pein hammer

Peining: The flattening or shaping with a pein hammer

Pellet catalyst: See
Pellet-type catalytic converter

Pellet-type catalytic converter: The first type of automotive catalytic converter, introduced in the USA in 1975. It consisted basically of a sheet steel catalyst container surrounded by thermal insulation and a sheet steel outer shell. The catalyst container was fitted with one or two beds of ceramic pebbles (pellets) coated with a catalyst. This type of catalytic converter suffered from poor service life due to vibration-induced attrition of the catalytic coating; this also produced additional particulate emissions and the pellet bed caused high exhaust back pressure, resulting in poor engine performance. Pellet-type catalytic converters have been superseded by monolithic converters

Peltier effect: When direct current is passed through two adjacent metals, one junction will become cooler and the other will become warmer. This principle is the basis of thermoelectric refrigeration.

PEM: Acronym for Proton exchange membrane

PEMFC: Acronym for Proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Penalty: See
Residual penalty
Stop-and-go penalty

Pencil: See
Glow pencil
Grease pencil

Pencil-type glow plug: See
Sheathed-type glow plug

Pencil-type injector: An early GM injection nozzle

Pendulum impact test: The standard test methods are the Izod and Charpy tests; the specimens have a standard notch machined in them, and the impact energy absorbed in breaking the specimen is recorded

Penetrating oil: A special oil with very thin Viscosity that is used to free rusted parts (esp. nuts and bolts) so that they can be removed.

Penetration: The extent that the fusion goes into the base metal as measured from the surface of the base metal.

Penny-farthing: An early bicycle which had a large front wheel (which was both the driving wheel and the Steering wheel) and a smaller rear wheel. Its name comes from two British coins -- the large penny and the small farthing.

Pensky-Martens: A closed-cup test for flash points of oil.

Pentane: (C5H12) A low boiling paraffin hydrocarbon.

Pentanes plus: A mixture of hydrocarbons, mostly pentanes and heavier, extracted from natural gas. Includes Isopentane, natural gasoline, and plant condensate.

Pent crown piston: A piston design with a sloping, pent-roof shaped piston crown to improve the flow of the fuel/air mixture and to increase engine compression

Pente: See
Contre pente
Flat pente
Outboard contre pente
Outboard flat pente

Pent-roof: A combustion chamber whose upper surface resembles a shallow peaked roof. Usually used with four valves per cylinder.

Pent-roof combustion chamber: A combustion chamber whose top is angled like a roof

Percolation: A condition in which the fuel actually boils due to excess heat. Percolation prevents proper atomization of the fuel causing rough running. Also see Anti-percolation valve.

Percussion welding: The type of resistance welding in which the heating comes from an arc produced by an electrical discharge and instantaneous pressure applied during or immediately following the heating.

Perf: See
Hi Perf.

Perfect scavenging: The scavenging parameter of two stroke engines. In an ideal scavenging process, the fresh mixture is considered to push the combustion products out of the cylinder without mixing or exchanging heat. This process continues until all burnt gases have been expelled and the cylinder is completely filled with a fresh mixture

Perfluorocarbons: (PFCs) A group of man-made chemicals composed of one or two carbon atoms and four to six fluorine atoms, containing no chlorine. PFCs have no commercial uses and are emitted as a byproduct of aluminum smelting and semiconductor manufacturing. PFCs have very high 100-year Global Warming Potentials and are very long-lived in the atmosphere.

Perfluoromethane: A compound (CF4) emitted as a byproduct of aluminum smelting.

Performance

The general way a vehicle, machine, or material is able to accomplish its purpose.
The ability of a vehicle to accelerate and reach top speed.

Also See
Engine performance tester
High-performance
Manufacturer's performance ratings

Performance characteristics of materials: The specific values for materials, obtained by standard test methods and available for the selection of appropriate materials

Performance handling system: A suspension system that can be improved by adding appropriate front and rear anti-roll bars, nitrogen-filled gas shock absorbers, and special springs

Performance ratings: See
Manufacturer's performance ratings

Performance test: See
Operational test

Performance tester: See
Engine performance tester

Performance tuning: The act of improving a vehicle's performance in general or engine performance in particular, such as upgraded suspension, higher engine output and/or torque, or drag-reducing measures, such as the addition of spoilers

Perimeter frame: Sometimes called a Space Frame. A steel frame making up the chassis of a vehicle. The engine, transmission, body panels, and interior are all attached to the frame. Most cars today do not use a frame but are instead made with unibody construction.

Perimeter hot gas tube system: System that has a tube located on the surface of the outer portion of the cabinet to prevent condensation from forming.

Period: See
Blowdown period
Dwell period
Induction period
Injection period
Saturation period

Period of roll: The time occupied in performing one complete roll of a ship as from starboard to port and back to starboard

Periphery: The outside edge or circumference.

Peristaltic pump: A type of positive displacement pump.

Permanent four-wheel drive: A British term for Full-time four-wheel drive. A permanently engaged four-wheel drive (with lockable or limited-slip differentials).

Permanent magnet

The permanent magnet does not need electricity to function and will retain its magnetism over a period of years.
Material which has its molecules aligned and has its own magnetic field; bar of metal which has been permanently magnetized.

Permeability: The ease with which fluid flows through a porous medium.

Peroxide: See
Lead peroxide

Perpendiculars: See
After perpendiculars
Between perpendiculars
Fore perpendiculars
Forward perpendiculars
Length between perpendiculars

Perpetual motion: A situation where a device will turn forever because there is no friction between the moving part and the stationary part. Although friction can be greatly reduced, it can never be eliminated. Thus a perpetual motion machine is impossible.

Perpetual motion machine: A device which will turn forever because there is no friction between the moving part and the stationary part. Although friction can be greatly reduced, it can never be eliminated.

Personalized license: A license plate chosen (at a cost) by a vehicle's owner, rather than one allocated by the agency giving out the license. The letters and numbers may spell out a person's name or occupation or even some cryptic reference.

Personal license: A license plate chosen (at a cost) by a vehicle's owner, rather than one allocated by the agency giving out the license. The letters and numbers may spell out a person's name or occupation or even some cryptic reference.

Perspex: See
Polymethyl methacrylate

Petal: See
Main petal
Subsidiary petal

Petcock: A small valve or tap which is used to control the flow of liquid. You may find one at the bottom of a Radiator to permit draining the radiator. A petcock may also be found on the line coming from the Fuel tank in small engines and Motorcycles. It allows you to cut the flow of Gasoline going to the Carburetor. On some Motorcycles, the position of the petcock lever may permit draining the last part of the Fuel tank as a reserve position. In units where the Carburetor is fed by gravity feed from a Fuel tank, turning off the petcock when the unit is not in operation may prevent gasoline from leaking past the carburetor's Needle and seat and into the Crankcase to dilute the oil.

Petrochemical: An intermediate chemical derived from petroleum, hydrocarbon liquids or natural gas, such as: Ethylene, Propylene, Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene. Also includes organic chemicals, cyclic intermediates, plastics and resins, synthetic fibers, elastomers, organic dyes, organic pigments, detergents, surface active agents, carbon black, and ammonia.

Petrochemical feedstock: Chemical feedstocks derived from petroleum principally for the manufacture of chemicals, synthetic rubber, and a variety of plastics.

Petroil lubrication: A lubrication method for two-stroke engines where the oil is added to the fuel and lubricates the moving engine parts as the air/fuel mixture passes through the crankcase

Petrol: A British term for Gasoline.

Also See
Lead-free petrol
Leaded petrol

Petroleum

Raw material from which Gasoline, Kerosene, lubricating oils, Propane, diesel fuel, etc. are refined. Consists primarily of hydrogen and Carbon; but also contains other elements. Its source is decomposed organic matter which has been buried. Some used to think that the action of ice ages moved soil over great forests of tropical vegetation. The Current suggestion is that great bodies of water flooded tropical vegetation in a cataclysmic event.
A broadly defined class of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures including crude oil, natural gas liquids, natural gas, lease condensate, unfinished oils, refined products obtained from the processing of crude oil, and natural gas plant liquids. Volumes of finished petroleum products include nonhydrocarbon compounds, such as additives and detergents, after they have been blended into the products.

Also see
Liquified petroleum gas

Petroleum Administration for Defense District: (PADD) A geographic aggregation of the 50 States and the District of Columbia into five Districts, with PADD I further split into three subdistricts. The PADDs include the States listed below:

Petroleum Fuel: Gasoline and Diesel fuel

Petroleum gas: See
Liquified petroleum gas

Petroleum jelly: A whitish jelly-like substance obtained from petroleum, used as a lubricant and as a protection against corrosion. A semi-solid oily product produced from de-waxing lubricating oil basestocks.

Petroleum products: Petroleum products are obtained from the processing of crude oil (including lease condensate), natural gas, and other hydrocarbon compounds. Petroleum products include unfinished oils, liquefied petroleum gases, Pentanes plus, aviation gasoline, motor gasoline, naphtha-type jet fuel, kerosene-type jet fuel, Kerosene, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, Petrochemical feedstocks, special naphthas, lubricants, waxes, petroleum coke, asphalt, road oil, Still gas, and miscellaneous products.

Petroleum refinery: An installation that manufactures finished petroleum products from crude oil, unfinished oils, natural gas liquids, other hydrocarbons, and alcohol.

Petroleum Supply: A set of categories used to account for how crude oil and petroleum products are transferred, distributed, or placed into the supply stream. The categories include field production, refinery production, and imports. Net receipts are also included on a Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) District basis to account for shipments of crude oil and petroleum products across districts.

Petrol pump: A British term for Gas pump. A pump which dispenses gasoline at a gas station

Petrol station: A British term for a Gas station or Service station

Petrol tanker: A British term for a Tanker truck -- a specially equipped truck for transporting gasoline and other fuels

Peugeot: Click image for books on
Peugeot

A vehicle brand of which the 1925-1948 models, with required application, are Classic cars. Also includes 405 (1987-current) and 505 (1979-91)