Dictionary of Automotive Terms Abbreviations

DICTIONARY OF AUTOMOTIVE TERMS - "Sw"

SW

Acronym for Station wagon.
An abbreviation for switch which is found on the coil terminal connected to the ignition switch

Swage: To shape metal by hammering or pressure with the aid of a form or anvil called a "swage block"

Swaged: A method of locking a part in place by permanently deforming a portion of it or the surrounding material.

Swage line: A narrow profiled line in outer body panels, e.g., above the upper edge of the wheel cutouts, that helps to enhance the flowing lines of the bodywork

Swaging: Enlarging one tube end so end of other tube of same size will fit within.

Swaging process: See
Cold swaging process

Swamp cooler: Evaporative type cooler in which air is drawn through porous mats soaked with water.

Swan neck: The course followed by a vehicle when the driver passes the correct point for taking a right turn and needs to make a bigger effort to correct the position when completing the turn

Swansea: The location for the British Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. Sometimes Swansea is a substitute for this agency.

Swarf: Loose chips of metal produced when grinding

Swash bulkhead: Longitudinal or transverse nonwatertight bulkheads fitted in a tank to decrease the swashing action of the liquid contents as a ship rolls and pitches at sea

Swash plate

A plate serving the purpose of a Swash bulkhead, but not extending to the bottom of the tank.
A rotating disc or face plate on a shaft that is inclined at an oblique angle to the axis of rotation and either imparts reciprocating motion to push rods or plungers parallel to the shaft axis, as in a swash plate pump or, conversely, converts reciprocating motion to rotation (replacing the crankshaft), as in a swash plate motor

Swash plate-wobble plate: Device used to change rotary motion to reciprocating motion. Used in some refrigeration compressors.

Sway bar: A round bar which connects the left wheel suspension assembly with the right side. It may be found at the front and/or rear. Its main function is to keep both wheels rolling at the same rate when meeting bumps; but it also affects handling. A front anti-roll bar increases understeer and a rear bar increases oversteer.
Also see
Anti-roll bar.

SWB: Acronym for Short Wheel Base

Sweat: To join metal pieces by clamping them together with solder in between, the applying heat

Sweating

Joining two pieces of metal together by placing Solder between them and then clamping them tightly together while heat, sufficient to melt the solder, is applied. Method of soldering in which the parts to be joined are first coated with a thin layer of solder.
Condensation of moisture from air on cold surface.

Sweep: See
Quick Sweep
Return sweep

Sweeper: A type of seal used along moving surfaces, e.g., door windows, that is often provided with a lip to ensure sealing.
Also see
Window weatherstrip

Sweeping leaves: Trucker slang for Bringing up the rear as in "Who's that sweeping leaves behind me?"

Sweet gas: Natural gas that no longer contains hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). Contrast Sour gas

Sweet water: Term sometimes used to describe tap water.

Swelling

A paint fault condition that occurs when an excessively rapid thinner is used in a paint and the soft paint sinks into cuts.
An increase of volume conditioned by the absorption of liquids, vapors or gases in the coating film of plastics.

Also See
Sand scratch swelling

Swept area: The area of a brake drum or rotor that contacts the brake linings.

Sweptside: Dodge's term for a pickup truck style in which the side of the bed blends smoothly with the doors and fenders

Swept volume: That part of the cylinder capacity that is swept by the pistons on their up and down strokes (i.e., the volume through which a piston moves in one stroke) formed by the bore diameter and the piston stroke. Also called displacement volume.
Also see
Displacement.

Swing: See
Low pivot swing axle

Swingarm: A motorcycle or bicycle suspension member pivoted at one end and supporting the wheel at the other. In most cases the swingarm is more accurately described as a pivoted fork, as the wheel is supported on both sides. It works in conjunction with the shock absorbers to absorb the impact of bumps in the road. It attaches the rear wheel to the frame of the bike with a single pivot point. It connects to the frame near the rear of the motorcycle engine.

Swing arm suspension: An independent suspension system in which each axle pivots near the center of the vehicle and the movement of the axle changes the angle of camber. Also called Swing axle

Swing axle: An Independent rear suspension system in which each driving wheel can move up or down independently of the other. The Differential unit is bolted to the Frame and various forms of Linkage are used upon which to mount the wheels. Drive axles, using one or more Universal joints, connect the Differential to the drive wheels. When cornering hard, cars with swing axles are prone to wheel jacking which can lead to large positive Camber at the outside rear wheel and can induce sudden Oversteer.
Also see
Low pivot swing axle

Swinging caliper: A type of floating caliper with wedge-shaped disc pads (only one of which is activated by hydraulic pressure from the piston, the other being fixed), which can pivot on its hinge pin to equalize the pressure on both pads

Swinging shackle: See
Shackle

Swirl: A rotary or swirling motion given to the charge mixture as it enters a cylinder by offsetting the inlet tract

Swirl chamber: A small chamber or cavity in the cylinder head to promote swirl in the indirect injection combustion system of a diesel engine

Swirl Combustion: A combustion chamber configuration which uses curved mixing ridges in the intake ports and/or a re-entrant piston bowl (a bowl whose top edges curve inward). Some swirl combustion chambers have a larger rim around the outside of the piston and a more compact combustion chamber or bowl. The swirl is used to reduce particulate emissions.

Swirl combustion chamber: See
Twin swirl combustion chamber

Swirl marks: A circular pattern produced by an orbital sander on a paint surface; it must be hand-sanded with a sandpaper of finer grit, otherwise it will remain visible through the respray coat

Switch: A device that opens and closes an electric circuit.
Also See
Actuating switch
Ambient Switch
Ambient temperature switch
Antenna Changeover Switch
Auxiliary Switch
Battery master switch
Battery Regulating Switch
Brake Light Switch
Branch Switch
Bus-coupler Switch
Deceleration Switch
Dimmer switch
Dipper switch
Door pillar switch
Fuel cut-off switch
Fuel pump shut-off switch
Fuel pump switch
Glow plug starter switch
Hall-effect switch
Hall vane switch
Hamlin switch
Hazard flasher switch
Hazard warning switch
Headlight dimmer switch
Horn switch
Icing Switch
Idle Tracking Switch
Ignition switch
Interior light switch
Jamb switch
Kickdown switch
Kill switch
Lateral Acceleration Switch
Lean Authority Limit Switch
Low-pressure Cut-out Switch
Manifold Vacuum Zone Switch
Mercury switch
Neutral Drive Switch
Neutral safety switch
Oil pressure switch
Oil Thermal Vacuum Switch
Park safety switch
Ported Vacuum Switch
Power cut-off switch
Power window lock-out switch
Pressure differential switch
Pressure Sensing Switch
Pressure Switch
Quick Make-and-break Switch
Quick-break Switch
Remote starter switch
Single-pole Double-throw Switch
Single-pole Single-throw Switch
Snow chain switch
Solenoid starter switch
Starter inhibitor switch
Starting switch
Stoplight Switch
Superheat Switch
Temperature Vacuum Switch
Tether kill switch
Thermal Switch
Thermal vacuum switch
Thermostatic Switch
Thermostatic Vacuum Switch
Thermo-time switch
Toggle switch
Vacuum control switch
Vacuum Switch
Valet switch
Warning Switch
Wash/wipe switch
Wash wipe Switch
Wide Open Throttle Switch

Switch Assembly: See
Brake Fluid Level Warning Switch Assembly
Parking Brake Warning Switch Assembly

Switch control cable: See
Starter switch control cable

Switchgear: An electrical device that opens and closes electrical circuits.
Also see
Truck type switchgear

Switching: See
Electric air switching valve

Switching sensors: Sensors that turn on and off in response to specific conditions

Switching Tractor: See
Yard horse

Switching transistor: Used in some electronic ignition system, it acts as a switch for high current in response to a low voltage signal applied to the base terminal

Switching valve: See
Air switching valve
Electric air switching valve
Secondary Air Switching Valve
Vacuum Switching Valve

Swivel: To turn or swing about a point
Also See
Steering knuckle
Impact swivel ball universal joint

Swivel angle: See
Kingpin inclination

Swivel axis: See
Kingpin axis

Swivel axis inclination: See
Kingpin inclination

Swivel ball: See
Impact swivel ball universal joint

Swivel ball universal: See
Impact swivel ball universal joint

Swivel ball universal joint: See
Impact swivel ball universal joint

Swivel caster: Wheelchair caster

Small wheel assembly found on the front of a shopping cart or the front of a wheelchair. The stem or fork is set at an angle and is allowed to pivot.

Swivel pin: See
Kingpin

SWU: Acronym for separative work unit