Automotive Terms Dictionary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

SAE
Acronym for the Society of Automotive Engineers. A professional organization that sets standards for measuring horsepower and torque and for many automotive products such as fasteners, lenses, and lubricants.

SB
South Bound, can be used in describing direction of traffic.

Sealed Beam Headlamp
A one piece, hermetically sealed headlamp in which the filament is an integral part of the unit and the lens itself is the bulb. Sealed beams are relatively inexpensive and when one burns out or the lens cracks, the whole unit is replaced.

Special Import Measures Act (SIMA)
helps to protect Canadian producers from harm or injury caused by the dumping of goods into Canada by foreign exporters or the subsidizing of goods by foreign governments.

Spark Plug
Placed in engine's cylinder head, when engine's cylinder is in the upper position spark plug is used to ignite fuel

 

Spoiler
An aerodynamic device, normally on the rear of the vehicle, that changes the direction of airflow in order to reduce lift aerodynamic drag. A spoiler either reduces drag or create a downward force on the car. It is called a spoiler because it "spoils" the normal air flow over the car.

Springs, Torsion Bar
A long straight bar that is fastened to the frame at one end and to a control arm at the other. Spring action is produced by a twisting of the bar.

Steering Ratio
A predetermined ratio of the steering gears. Usually, the lower the steering ratio, the quicker the response.

Stroke
The distance the piston travels from bottom dead center to top dead center within the cylinder.

Strut
The main support member in a MacPherson suspension system. The strut also serves as the shock absorber.

Supercharger
Supercharging is the compression of an engine's intake charge above atmospheric pressure by means of an air pump driven by a crankshaft. This is not to be confused with a turbocharger which is an air pump that is exhaust driven. A supercharger can provide boost faster than a turbo and over a much broader engine rpm range. The disadvantages of supercharging are higher power demands, more mechanical noise and more complex control requirements.

Suspension System
Includes springs, shock absorbers/struts, and linkage used to suspend a vehicle's frame, body, engine and drivetrain above the wheels.

SUV
Sports Utility Vehicle.