What information will the insurance company need?

Always be totally truthful when you answer the insurance company's questions, and if you're in any doubt as to whether a piece of information is relevant, tell them anyway. If you need to make a claim, and there's something important that you forgot to state when taking out your policy, the insurance company may not pay out.

Although some insurance companies may ask for additional information, most of them will ask for the following:

■ Your name, address and postcode.

■ The names of any other drivers who will drive the car.

■ The dates of birth of all drivers including yourself.

■ The occupations of all drivers including yourself.

Every year that you're insured without making a claim, your insurer gives you a discount, up to a maximum of around 60-65 per cent after five or six years. If you make a claim, you lose one or two years' worth of discount, so think about whether it's worth putting in a claim to cover the cost of repairing minor damage, especially if you have to pay an excess.

Some companies offer 'no-claims discount protection' for an extra fee. Read the small print carefully before deciding whether this option is worthwhile.

Read your policy document so that you know what to do if you have to make a claim. If you're involved in an accident, or if your car suffers damage, inform your insurance company as soon as possible. You'll have to fill in a claim form, giving details of exactly what happened. Make sure that you give as much information as possible, and if you're involved in an accident try to obtain the name and address of an independent witness.

It's important to provide as much detail as possible when making a claim, but always be truthful. Also bear in mind that if you admit responsibility for an accident at the scene, it will be difficult to change your mind later!

In some cases it can take a long time for an insurance claim to be settled, particularly if there is a dispute about who was to blame.

UNIT 12

BREAKDOWN ORGANISATIONS

A breakdown can prove to be expensive if you find yourself stranded at the roadside. Garage recovery charges can be very high, especially if you suffer a breakdown on a motorway. If you have to call out a recovery vehicle, you'll almost certainly find that the call-out charge will be more than the cost of a year's membership of one of the breakdown organisations. If you're not a member of a breakdown organisation, a local garage will usually only recover your car to their premises, in which case you'll still have to pay to get your car fixed. If your car can't be fixed quickly, you'll be stranded without transport.

Task 1. Words to remember:

1. breakdown ['breɪkdaun] (n.) – поломка механизма, машины; авария;

2. stranded ['strændɪd] (adj.) – в затруднительном положении;

3. to suffer ['sʌfə] (v.) – страдать; испытывать, претерпевать;

4. premise ['premɪs] (n.) – исходное состояние;

5. whichever [wɪʧ'evə] (pron.) – какой угодно, который;

6. to entitle [ɪn'taɪtl] (v.) – давать право.

You'll find that there are a number of packages available from the various motoring organisations, and you should be able to find one that suits your requirements. Some will guarantee to take your car and passengers to your home or to your destination, whichever suits you best, whilst others may only transport your car to the nearest garage. You may also be able to choose an

option which will provide assistance if you have trouble starting your car at home, and some packages will provide full cover if you take your car abroad.

Your insurance company may offer annual membership of one of the motoring organisations at a discounted rate, which may be worth considering, and membership of a motoring or motorsport club often entitles you to a discount. Many new cars come with free membership of one of the motoring organisations for the first year of ownership, or sometimes longer.

Obtain information from several breakdown organisations, and read everything carefully before deciding which package is most suitable. Always check carefully to see what's included, and make sure that you're aware of any limits on the

The majority of breakdown call- outs result cover – occasionally, there's a limit on the age

in the problem being fixed at the roadside of the car that can be covered, or there may

be an extra charge for older cars.

The larger motoring organisations, such as the AA and the RAC, offer a range of additional benefits and discounts to members, such as route-planning services, and a vehicle inspection service that will provide a report on the condition of any car that you may be thinking

of buying. It's comforting to know that help is never far away, even in the worst of conditions

Think of membership of a breakdown organisation as a second insurance policy – you're buying the peace of mind that goes with knowing that assistance is never far away should the worst happen.

APPENDIX 1

GLOSSARY

The following guide is intended to help you to understand some of the more common terms.

ABS – Anti-lock Braking System. Uses sensors at each wheel to sense when the wheels are about to lock, and releases the brakes to prevent locking.

Air bag – An inflatable bag that inflates in the event of a sudden impact, to protect the driver and/or passengers from injury. Driver's air bags are usually mounted in the steering wheel and passenger's airbags are usually mounted in the dashboard. Some cars also have side-impact air bags, which may be mounted in various different locations.

Air conditioning – A system that enables the temperature of the air inside the car to be lowered, and dehumidifies the air. This allows more comfort and rapid demisting.

Air filter – A renewable paper or foam filter that removes foreign particles from the air that's sucked into the engine.

Airflow sensor – A sensor used in an engine management system to measure the amount of air being sucked into the engine.

Alternator – An electrical generator driven by the engine. It provides electricity for the car's electrical system when the engine's running, and to charge the battery.

Antifreeze – A fluid that's added to water to produce engine coolant. The antifreeze stops the coolant freezing in cold weather, and prevents corrosion inside the engine.

Anti-roll bar – A metal bar used in front and/or rear suspension systems to reduce the tendency of the car's body to roll from side to side. Not all cars have them.

Anti-seize compound – A grease coating that reduces the chances of seizing on components subjected to high temperatures and pressures.

Axle – A spindle on which a wheel revolves.

Ball bearing – A bearing consisting of two hardened metal rings, with hardened steel balls between them.

Balljoint – A maintenance-free flexible joint used mainly in suspension and steering systems to allow for movement of the components, Consists of a metal ball and cup, with a rubber seal to retain the grease.

Battery – A 'reservoir' that stores electricity. Provides the power to start the engine, and power for the electrical systems when the engine's stopped, and is charged by the alternator when the engine's running.

Bearing – A metal or other hard-wearing surface against which another part moves, and which is designed to reduce friction and wear. A bearing is usually lubricated.

Big-end – The lower end of a connecting rod which is attached to the engine's crankshaft. It incorporates a bearing, and transmits the movement of the connecting rod to the crankshaft.

Bleed nipple (or valve) – A screw, usually hollow, which allows fluid or air to be bled out of a system when it's loosened.

Bore – A term used to describe the diameter of a cylinder in an engine.

Brake backplate – A metal plate bolted to the rear suspension, which carries the rear brake components.

Brake bleeding – A procedure for removing air from the brake hydraulic system.

Brake caliper – The part of a disc brake-system that houses the brake pads and the hydraulic pistons. The caliper straddles the brake-disc,

Brake disc – A rotating metal disc coupled to a roadwheel, which is clamped between two brake pads in a disc brake system. As the brake disc slows down due to friction, so does the roadwheel.

Brake drum – A rotating metal drum coupled to a roadwheel. The brake shoes rub on the inside of the drum. As the brake drum slows down due to friction, so does the roadwheel.

Brake fade – A temporary reduction in braking power due to overheating of the brake friction material.

Brake fluid – A hydraulic fluid resistant to high temperatures, used in hydraulic braking systems and some hydraulic clutch systems.

Brake pad – A metal plate, with a pad of hard-wearing friction material bonded to one side. When the brakes are applied the hydraulic pistons in the brake caliper push the pads against the brake disc.

Brake servo – A vacuum-operated device that increases the force applied to the brake master cylinder by the brake pedal. Vacuum is supplied from the inlet manifold on a petrol engine, or from a vacuum pump on a diesel engine.

Brake shoe – A curved metal former with friction material bonded to the outside surface. When the brakes are applied the hydraulic pistons in the wheel cylinder push the brake shoes against the brake drum.

Breather – An opening or valve that allows air or fumes out of a system, or fresh air into a system.

Bucket tappet – A bucket-shaped cam follower usually fitted to the top of a valve.

Bump stop – A hard piece of rubber or plastic used in many suspension systems to prevent the moving parts from touching the body during suspension movements.

Caliper – See Brake caliper.

Cam belt – See Timing belt.

Camber angle – The angle at which the wheels are set from the vertical when viewed from the front of the car. Negative camber is when the wheels tilt inwards at the top.

Cam follower (tappet) – A component used to transfer the rotary movement of the camshaft lobes to the up-and-down movement required to operate the valves.

Camshaft – A rotating shaft driven from the crankshaft, with lobes or cams used to operate the valves, via the valve gear.

Camshaft lobes – Eccentric sections on the camshaft used to operate the valves via the valve gear.

Camshaft sensor – A sensor used in an engine management system to provide information on the position of the camshaft.

Carburettor – A device that's used to mix air and petrol in the correct proportions required for burning by the engine. Superseded on modern cars by fuel injection systems.

Castor angle – The angle between a front wheel's steering pivot axis and a vertical line through the centre of the wheel.

Catalytic converter – A device fitted in the exhaust system that reduces the amount of harmful gases released into the atmosphere.

Centrifugal advance – System for controlling the ignition timing using weights rotating on a shaft in a distributor which alters the ignition timing according to engine speed.

Choke – Either the device that reduces the amount of air entering a carburettor during cold starting (in order to provide extra petrol), or a term to describe the passage where the throttle valve is located in a carburettor.

Circlip – A ring-shaped sprung steel clip that locates in a groove to prevent lateral movement of cylindrical parts and shafts.

Closed loop – A term for an emissions control system using a catalytic converter where the engine management system controls the air/fuel mixture to allow the catalytic converter to operate at maximum efficiency.

Clutch – A friction device that allows two separate rotating components to be coupled together smoothly, without the need for either rotating component to stop moving.

Coil – See Ignition coil, Coil spring

A spiral coil of sprung steel used in many suspension systems.

Combustion chamber – Shaped area into which the air/fuel mixture is compressed by the piston, and where the mixture is ignited. The combustion chamber may be formed in the cylinder head, or sometimes in the top of the piston.

Compression ratio (CR) – A term to describe the amount by which the air/fuel mixture is compressed as a piston moves from the bottom to the top of its travel. 10.0:1 CR means that the volume of mixture at the top of the piston travel is one tenth of the volume at the bottom of the piston travel.

Condenser – A component in an air conditioning system that condenses gaseous refrigerant into a liquid.

Connecting rod (con rod) – A metal rod in the engine connecting a piston to the crankshaft. The connecting rod transfers the up-and-down motion of the piston to the crankshaft.

Constant velocity (CV) joint – A joint used in driveshafts where the speed of the input shaft is exactly the same as the speed of the output shaft no matter what the angle of the joint.

Coolant – A liquid consisting of a mixture of water and antifreeze, used in a car's engine cooling system.

Coolant (water) pump – A pump driven by the engine that pumps the coolant around the cooling system.

Coolant sensor – A sensor used in an engine management system, or possibly in several other systems to provide information on the temperature of the engine coolant.

Cooling fan – Electric or engine-driven fan mounted at the front of the engine compartment and designed to cool the radiator.

CR – See Compression ratio.

Crankcase – The area of the cylinder block below the pistons, which houses the crankshaft.

Crankshaft – A cranked metal shaft that translates the up- and-down motion of the pistons and connecting rods into rotary motion.

Crankshaft sensor – A sensor used in an engine management system to provide information on the position and/or speed of the crankshaft.

Cubic capacity – The total volume inside an engine that's swept by the movement of all the pistons.

CV joint – See Constant velocity joint.

CVT – Continuously Variable Transmission. An automatic transmission with no fixed gear ratios. The gear ratios are constantly varied using a system of conical pulleys and a drivebelt.

Cylinder – A metal tube in the engine, in which a piston slides. The cylinders may be bored directly into the cylinder block, or cylinder liners may be fitted.

Cylinder block – The main engine casting, which houses the cylinders, crankshaft, pistons and connecting rods.

Cylinder head – The casting at the top of the engine that houses the valves and associated components. The cylinder head is bolted to the cylinder block.

Cylinder head gasket – A gasket fitted to provide a leak-proof seal between an engine's cylinder block and cylinder head.

Cylinder liner – A metal tube that fits inside the cylinder block to form the cylinder.

Damper – See Shock absorber.

Depreciation – The reduction in value of a car as time passes.

Derv – Abbreviation for Diesel-Engines Road Vehicle. A term often used for diesel fuel.

Diagnostic light (engine warning light) – A warning light on the instrument panel that illuminates when a fault code has been stored in the engine electronic control unit memory.

Diaphragm – A flexible membrane used in some components such as brake servos. The diaphragm spring used on clutches is similar, but is made from sprung steel.

Diesel engine – engine that relies on the heat produced when air is compressed to ignite the fuel, and so doesn't need an ignition system. Diesel engines have a much higher compression ratio than petrol engines.

Differential – A system of gears which provides drive to two wheels, but allows the wheels to turn at different speeds, for example during cornering.

Dipstick – A metal or plastic rod with graduated marks used to check the level of a fluid.

Direct injection – A type of fuel injection system where the fuel is injected by a fuel injector directly into the combustion chamber.

DIS – Direct Ignition System or Distributorless Ignition System. An ignition system that uses an electronic control module instead of a distributor.

Distributor – A device used to distribute the ignition HT circuit current to the individual spark plugs. The distributor may also control the ignition timing.

Distributor cap – A plastic cap that fits on top of the distributor, inside which the rotor arm rotates to distribute the HT circuit current to the correct spark plug. The cap contains electrodes (one for each cylinder).

DOHC – Double OverHead Camshafts. An engine with two camshafts, where one operates the inlet valves and the other operates the exhaust valves.

Drivebelt – A belt, usually made from rubber, used to transmit drive between two pulleys or sprockets. Often used to drive the camshafts and engine ancillaries.

Driveshaft – Term used to describe a shaft that transmits drive from a differential to one wheel.

Drivetrain – A collective term used to describe the engine/clutch/gearbox/transmission and other components used to transmit drive to the wheels.

Drum brake – See Brake drum.

Dual fuel – A term used for a car that is capable of running on two different fuels, normally LPG and petrol though some cars can run on CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) and petrol. Dual-fuel cars have two fuel tanks, one for each fuel.

Earth strap – A flexible electrical connection between the battery and the car's body, or between the engine/transmission and the body, to provide an electrical earth return to the battery.

EBD – Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, An electronically controlled braking system that ensures the braking force is distributed evenly between all four wheels to keep the car stable when braking. Usually combined with the ABS system.

ECU – Electronic Control Unit. A unit that receives electrical inputs from various sensors, processes the inputs, and produces electrical outputs to control one or more actuators.

EFI – Electronic Fuel Injection.

EGR – Exhaust Gas Recirculation. An emissions control system that recirculates a proportion of the exhaust gases back into the engine, where they are burnt with fresh air/fuel mixture.

Electrode – An electrical terminal, eg, in a spark plug or distributor cap.

Electrolyte – A solution of sulphuric acid and distilled water that conducts electrical current in a battery.

Emissions – Harmful substances (gases or particles) released into the atmosphere from a car's systems (usually the exhaust, fuel system or engine breather system).

Emissions control – A method of reducing the emissions released into the atmosphere. Various different systems are used.

Engine management system – A system that uses an electronic control unit to control the operation of the ignition system and fuel injection system, improving engine efficiency and reducing emissions.

Engine warning light – See Diagnostic light.

EVAP – An emissions control system on petrol-engined cars which stores vapour from the fuel tank and then releases it to be burnt, along with fresh mixture, by the engine.

Exhaust manifold – A device used for ducting the exhaust gases from the engine's cylinder head into the exhaust system.

Expansion tank – A container used in many cars' cooling systems to collect the overflow from the system as the coolant heats up and expands.

Fan belt – Another term for a drivebelt. The name arose because on older cars a drivebelt was used to drive the cooling fan. Electric cooling fans are used on most modern cars.

Fault code – An electronic code stored in the memory of an electronic control unit which gives details of a fault detected by the self-diagnostic system. A diagnostic light on the instrument panel will usually illuminate to indicate a fault.

Fault code reader – An electronic tool used to translate fault codes into a form that indicates where the fault lies.

Feeler gauges/blades – Thin strips of metal of a measured thickness used to check clearances between components, such as a spark plug gap.

Final drive – Another term used to describe a differential assembly.

Firing order – The order in which the pistons in the cylinders of an engine reach their firing points.

Firing point – The instant at which the mixture in the cylinder of an engine ignites in the combustion chamber.

Flat-engine – A form of engine in which the cylinders are positioned horizontally opposite each other, usually with an equal number on each side of the crankshaft.

Flywheel – A heavy metal disc attached to one end of the crankshaft in an engine, used to smooth out the power pulses from the pistons.

Four-stroke – A term used to describe the four operating strokes of a piston in a car engine.

Free play – The 'slack' in a linkage or an assembly of parts - for example, the distance the brake pedal moves before the master cylinder is actuated.

Friction disc – A metal disc with friction material attached to both sides used in a clutch assembly to progressively couple two rotating components together,

FSH – Full Service History. A written record which shows that a car has been serviced from new in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

Fuel filter – A renewable filter that removes foreign particles from the fuel.

Fuel injection – A method of injecting a measured amount of fuel into an engine.

Fuel injection pump – A device that controls the quantity of fuel delivered to the fuel injectors in a diesel engine, and also controls the instant at which the injectors inject fuel.

Fuel injector – A device used to inject fuel into an engine. Some engines use a single fuel injector, whilst some use one fuel injector for each cylinder.

Fuel pressure regulator – A device that controls the pressure of the fuel delivered to the fuel injectors in a petrol fuel injection engine.

Fuel pump – A device that pumps fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel system.

Gasket – A compressible material used between two surfaces to give a leak-proof joint.

Gearbox – A group of gears and shafts in a housing used to keep a car's engine within its safe operating speed range as the speed of the car changes.

Glow plug – An electrical heating device fitted to a diesel engine to help it start from cold, and to reduce the smoke produced immediately after start-up. Each cylinder usually has its own glow plug.

Head gasket – See Cylinder head gasket.

Heater matrix – A small radiator mounted in the engine's coolant circuit that provides hot air for the car's heating system. Hot coolant flows through the matrix, which heats the surrounding air.

HT (high tension) circuit – The electrical circuit containing the high voltage used to fire the spark plugs in an ignition system.

HT (high tension) leads – Electrical leads which carry the HT circuit voltage to the spark plugs.

Hydraulic – A term used to describe the operation of a component or system by means of fluid pressure.

Hydraulic lifter (or tappet) – A valve lifter where the valve clearance is taken up hydraulically using oil pressure. This eliminates the need for valve clearance adjustment.

Idle speed – The running speed of an engine when the throttle is closed - ie, when the car is at rest and the driver isn't pressing the accelerator pedal.

Ignition coil – An electrical coil that generates the HT circuit voltage in a petrol engine ignition system to fire the spark plugs.

Ignition system – The electrical system that controls the spark used to ignite the air/fuel mixture in a petrol engine,

Ignition timing – A measure of the instant in the cylinder firing cycle at which ignition spark (provided by the spark plug) occurs in a petrol engine. The firing point is usually a few degrees of crankshaft rotation before the piston reaches the top of its stroke.

Independent suspension – A suspension system where movement of one wheel has no effect on the movement of the other, eg, independent front suspension or independent rear suspension.

Indirect injection – A type of fuel injection system where the fuel is injected by a fuel injector into a swirl chamber (diesel engine) or the inlet manifold (petrol engine) before entering the combustion chamber.

Inertia reel – Automatic type of seat belt mechanism that allows the wearer to move freely in normal use, but locks when the car decelerates suddenly or the wearer moves suddenly.

Injection timing – The instant in an engine's cylinder firing cycle at which fuel injection occurs.

Inlet manifold – A ducting, usually made of metal or plastic, which directs the air or air/fuel mixture into the engine's cylinder head.

In-line engine – An engine in which the cylinders are positioned in a row, instead of in a vee or flat configuration.

Input shaft – The shaft that transmits drive from the clutch to the gearbox in a manual gearbox, or from the torque converter to the transmission in an automatic transmission.

Jump leads – Heavy electrical cables fitted with clamps to enable a car's battery to be connected to another battery for emergency starting.

Kickdown – A device used on an automatic transmission that allows a lower gear to be selected for improved acceleration by fully depressing the accelerator pedal.

Knocking (Pinking) – A metallic noise from the engine often caused by the ignition timing being incorrect or a build up of carbon inside the engine. The noise is due to pressure waves that cause the cylinder walls to vibrate.

Knock sensor – A sensor that senses the onset of knocking and sends an electrical signal to the engine management system, to enable the ignition timing to be adjusted to prevent it.

Lambda sensor – See Oxygen sensor.

Laminated windscreen – A windscreen that has a thin plastic layer sandwiched between two layers of toughened glass. It will not shatter or craze when hit.

Lean – A term used to describe an air/fuel mixture containing less than the optimum amount of fuel.

LHM – A special type of mineral-based hydraulic fluid used in Citroen hydraulic systems.

Locknut – A nut used to lock another threaded component in place to prevent it from working loose.

Lockwasher – A washer designed to prevent a nut or bolt from working loose.

LPG – Liquefied Petroleum Gas. A mixture of liquefied petroleum gases, such as propane and butane, which are obtained from crude oil. Used in some engines as an alternative to petrol and diesel fuel.

MacPherson strut – An independent suspension component, which combines a coil spring and a shock absorber so that the swivelling, springing and shock absorbing for a wheel is carried out by a single assembly.

MAP sensor – Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor. A sensor that measures the pressure in the inlet manifold of a petrol engine and sends an electrical signal to the engine management system.

Mass airflow sensor – A sensor used in an engine management system to measure the mass of air being sucked into the engine.

Master cylinder – A cylinder containing a piston and hydraulic fluid, directly coupled to a foot pedal (or brake servo). Used for transmitting fluid pressure to the brake or clutch operating mechanisms.

Mixture – The air/fuel mixture burnt by an engine to produce power. In a petrol engine, the optimum ratio of air to fuel for complete combustion is 14.7:1.

MoT – The Ministry of Transport test – is an annual test of automobile safety, roadworthiness aspects and exhaust emissions which are applicable to most vehicles over three years old in the United Kingdom if they are used on public roads.

Multi-point fuel injection – A fuel injection system that has one fuel injector for each cylinder of the engine.

Multi-valve – An engine with more than two valves per cylinder. Usually four valves per cylinder (two inlet and two exhaust valves), or sometimes three valves per cylinder (two inlet valves and one exhaust valve).

NO_x – Oxides of Nitrogen. Toxic emissions found in the exhaust gases of petrol and diesel engines.

OBD – On-Board Diagnostics. A system that monitors the operation of the engine management system and records a fault code if any fault occurs within the system that may affect the exhaust emissions.

Octane rating – A scale rating for grading petrol. The higher the octane number, the more energy a given amount of petrol will produce when it's burnt by the engine.

OHC – OverHead Camshaft. An engine layout where the camshaft is mounted above the valves. Because the camshaft operates the valves directly (via the valve gear), an OHC engine is more efficient than an OHV engine.

OHV – OverHead Valve. An engine layout where the valves are located in the cylinder head, but the valve gear is operated by pushrods from a camshaft located lower in the cylinder block. Rare for modern engines.

Oil cooler – A small radiator fitted in the engine oil circuit, positioned in a cooling airflow or surrounded by coolant, to cool the oil. Often used on diesel engines and high-performance petrol engines.

Oil filter – A renewable filter that removes foreign particles from the engine oil.

Open-loop – A term for an emissions control system using a catalytic converter where the engine management system has no control over the air/fuel mixture.

O-ring – A type of sealing ring made of rubber. An O- ring is usually clamped between two surfaces (often into a groove) to provide a seal.

Overhead camshaft – See OHC.

Overhead valve – See OHV.

Oxygen sensor (lambda sensor) – Provides information on the amount of oxygen present in the exhaust gases. Used in a closed-loop catalytic converter system to enable the engine management system to control the air/fuel mixture.

PAS – Power-Assisted Steering. See Power steering.

Pinion – A term for a gear with a small number of teeth, which meshes with a gear having a larger number of teeth.

Pinking – See Knocking.

Piston – Cylindrical component which slides in a close-fitting cylinder. The pistons in an engine compress the air/fuel mixture, transmit power to the crankshaft via the connecting rods, and push the burnt gases out through the exhaust valves.

Piston ring – A hardened metal ring which spring-fits in a groove running around a piston. The piston ring ensures a gas-tight seal between the piston and the cylinder wall.

Plug – See Spark plug.

Power steering – A system that uses hydraulic pressure to provide assistance when the driver turns the steering wheel.

Pre-ignition – See Knocking.

Pressure cap – Acts as a cooling system safety valve by venting steam or hot coolant if the pressure rises above a certain level. Also acts as a vacuum relief valve to stop a vacuum forming in the system as it cools.

Propeller shaft – The shaft which transmits drive from the manual gearbox or automatic transmission to the differential on a front-engined, rear-wheel- drive car or to the rear and/or front differential on a four-wheel-drive car.

Pulse air – An emissions control system that introduces fresh air into the exhaust manifold through tubes, to raise the temperature of the exhaust gases. This in turn causes the catalytic converter to warm up more quickly.

Pushrods – Used on OHV engines (where the camshaft is mounted remotely from the valve gear) to operate the valve gear. The camshaft lobes act on the pushrods, which transfer the rotary movement of the camshaft lobes to the up- and-down movement required to operate the valves via the valve gear.

Rack-and-pinion – A form of steering mechanism where the steering wheel moves a pinion gear, which in turn moves a toothed rack connected to the roadwheels.

Radial tyre – A tyre where the fabric material plies (under the tread) are arranged at right-angles to the circumference of the tyre.

Radiator – A cooling device, located in a cooling airflow, through which a hot liquid is passed. A radiator is made up of fine tubes and fins to allow rapid cooling of the liquid inside.

Refrigerant – The substance used to absorb heat in an air conditioning system. The refrigerant is changed from a gas to a liquid and vice versa during the air conditioning process.

Release arm or lever – The device that transmits the movement of the clutch pedal to the clutch release bearing.

Release bearing – A bearing used to operate a clutch. It allows for the fact that the release arm or lever moves laterally, and the clutch components are rotating.

Rev counter – See Tachometer.

Rich – A term used to describe an air/fuel mixture containing more than the optimum amount of fuel.

Rocker arm – A lever used in an engine's valve-operating mechanism which rocks on a central pivot, with one end moved up and down by the camshaft and the other end operating a valve.

Rotary (Wankel) engine – An engine that has a triangular shaped rotor instead of the pistons used in a conventional engine, The rotor rotates in a housing shaped like a broad figure-of-eight, Some Mazda cars have this type of engine,

Rotor arm – A rotating arm in a distributor, which distributes the HT circuit voltage to the correct spark plug. An electrode on the rotor arm distributes the voltage to electrodes in the distributor cap, which are connected to the HT leads.

Running-on – A tendency for the engine to keep on running after the ignition has been switched off. Often caused by incorrect ignition timing, the wrong grade of fuel, or a poorly maintained engine.

Self-diagnostic system – A system that monitors the operation of an electronically-controlled system, and stores a fault code in the system electronic control unit memory if a fault is detected.

Semi-trailing arm – A common form of independent rear suspension.

Servo – A device for increasing the normal effort applied to a control. A brake servo increases the effort applied by the driver to the brake pedal.

Shim – A thin spacer, often used to adjust the clearance between two parts; for example, shims located under bucket tappets control the valve clearances.

Shock absorber – A device used to damp out the up-and-down movement of a wheel when the car hits a bump in the road.

Single-point fuel injection – A fuel injection system that has a single fuel injector.

16-valve – A term used to describe a four-cylinder engine with four valves per cylinder, usually two exhaust and two inlet valves. Gives improved efficiency due to improved air/fuel mixture and exhaust gas flow in the combustion chambers.

Slave cylinder – A cylinder containing a piston and hydraulic fluid, which receives hydraulic fluid pressure from a master cylinder, via a pipe, and uses movement of the piston to operate a mechanism.

Sliding caliper – A brake caliper that slides sideways in order to clamp the brake pads against the brake disc. A sliding caliper needs only one piston to operate both brake pads.

SOHC – Single OverHead Camshaft. An OHC engine with a single camshaft.

Solid rear axle – A rear suspension system where movement of one roadwheel directly affects the movement of the other.

Spark plug – A device that provides the spark in a petrol engine's combustion chamber in order to ignite the air/fuel mixture. The HT circuit voltage jumps between two electrodes on the spark plug, creating a spark,

Spark plug gap – The air gap between the electrodes on a spark plug.

Starter motor – An electric motor used to start the engine. A pinion gear on the starter motor engages with a large gear on the engine's flywheel, which turns the crankshaft.

Steering gear – A general term used to describe the steering components. Usually refers to a steering rack-and-pinion assembly.

Steering rack – See Rack-and-pinion.

Stroke – The total distance travelled by a single piston in a cylinder when it moves from the bottom to the top of its movement.

Strut – See MacPherson strut.

Stub axle – A short axle that carries one roadwheel.

Subframe – A small frame mounted underneath a car's body that carries the suspension and/or drivetrain assemblies.

Sump – The main reservoir for the engine oil. Bolted to the bottom of the engine.

Supercharger – A device that uses an engine-driven turbine (usually driven from the crankshaft) to drive a compressor which forces air into the engine. This increases the air/fuel mixture flow into the engine and increases the engine's power,

Suppressor – A device used to reduce or eliminate electrical interference caused by the ignition system or other electrical components.

Suspension – A general term used to describe the system that insulates a car's body from the roadwheels, and keeps all four roadwheels in contact with the road surface.

Swirl chamber – A device used in some types of diesel engine to swirl the fuel around to mix it with air before the mixture passes to the combustion chamber.

Synchromesh – A device used in a manual gearbox to synchronise the speeds of two gears to produce smooth, quiet engagement of the gears.

Tachometer (rev counter) – Indicates engine speed in revolutions per minute.

Tappet – See Cam follower.

Tappet adjustment – See Valve clearance.

TDC – See Top dead centre.

Thermostat – A device which aids engine warm-up by preventing the coolant from flowing through the radiator until a pre-determined temperature is reached. The thermostat then regulates the temperature of the coolant.

Throttle position sensor – A sensor used in an engine management system to provide information on the position of the throttle valve,

Throttle valve – A flap valve on a petrol engine, controlled by the accelerator pedal, located between the air cleaner and the inlet manifold. It controls the amount of air entering the engine.

Tie-rod – See Track-rod.

Timing belt (cam belt) – Toothed drive belt used to transmit drive from the crankshaft to the camshaft(s).

Timing chain – Metal flexible link chain that engages with sprockets, used to transmit drive from the crankshaft to the camshaft(s).

Toe-in/toe-out – The angle at which the front wheels point inwards or outwards from the straight-ahead position when the steering is positioned straight-ahead. Toe-in is when the front edges of the wheels point inwards.

Top Dead Centre (TDC) – The exact point when a piston is at the top of its stroke.

Torque – The turning force generated by a rotating component.

Torque converter – A coupling used in an automatic transmission between the engine's flywheel and the transmission. The driving torque is transmitted through oil inside the torque converter.

Torque wrench – A tool used to tighten fasteners to an exactly measured torque (tightness).

Torsion bar – A metal bar which twists about its own axis. Used in some suspension systems.

Torx – A type of fastener, usually a screw or bolt, which needs a specially-shaped (Torx) socket or key to remove and refit it. Torx fasteners come in various standard sizes.

Track-rod (tie-rod) – A metal rod that connects the steering gear to a hub carrier. The track-rods move the front wheels when the steering wheel is turned.

Trailing arm – A form of independent suspension where the roadwheel is attached to a pivoting arm, with the wheel mounted to the rear of the pivot.

Transaxle – A combined gearbox/differential assembly from which two driveshafts transmit the drive to the wheels.

Transmission – A general term used to describe some or all of the drivetrain components excluding the engine. Commonly used to describe automatic gearboxes.

Turbocharger – A device that uses a turbine driven by the engine exhaust gases to drive a compressor which forces air into the engine. This increases the air/fuel mixture flow into the engine and increases the engine's power.

Twin-cam – Abbreviation for twin overhead camshafts - see DOHC.

Universal joint – A joint that can move in any direction whilst transmitting torque. Used in propeller shafts and some driveshafts. Not suitable for some uses because the input and output shaft speeds are not always the same for all angles of the joint.

Unleaded petrol – Petrol that had no lead added during manufacture, but still has the natural lead content of crude oil.

Vacuum pump – A pump driven by the engine that creates vacuum to operate the brake servo on a diesel engine.

Valve – A device that opens or closes to stop or allow gas or fluid flow.

Valve clearance – The clearance between the top of a valve and the camshaft, necessary to allow the valve to close fully and to allow for expansion of the valve gear components with temperature. Often adjusted by altering the clearance between the tappet and camshaft.

Valve gear – A general term for the components which are acted on by a camshaft to operate the valves.

Valve lifter – See Cam follower.

Vee-engine – An engine design in which the cylinders are arranged in two rows forming a 'V' when viewed from one end. For example, a V8 has two rows of four cylinders each.

Voltage regulator – A device that regulates the output of the alternator.

Wankel engine – See Rotary engine.

Water pump – See Coolant pump.

Wheel alignment – The process of checking the toe-in/toe-out, and sometimes the camber and castor angles of the wheels. On most cars only the toe-in/toe-out can be adjusted. Incorrect wheel alignment can cause tyre wear and poor handling.

Wheel balancing – The process of adding small weights to the rim of a wheel so that there are no out-of-balance forces when the wheel rotates.

Wheel cylinder – A slave cylinder used to operate the brake shoes in a drum brake.