GLOSSARY

Additive

a chemical product that is added to gasoline or oil to alter and enhance the way they work. One additive might keep engines cleaner while another will increase the octane rating of gas. The chemicals are added by the manufacturer and some are available to consumers.

Air/Fuel Mixture

a mixture of atomized gasoline and air. On it's own gas doesn't burn very well. It needs the oxygen from air. For complete combustion to occur the air/fuel ratio need to be 14.7 to 1 by mass.

Alternator

a device used on engines that produces electricity from mechanical energy. The electricity is used to run lights, radios and other devices as well as to keep the battery(s) charged.

Amps

A unit of electrical measure. It defines "how much" electricity flows in a given amount of time.

Ash

a natural residue of combustion, the soft solid material left after burning.

Atomize

to break up a liquid into a fine mist. One of the functions of a carburetor or an injector.

Battery

a collection of connected cells used to provide electricity. A 12 volt battery consists of 6 cells

Booster

a gasoline additive used to increase it's octane rating

Byproduct

a secondary result of some process, sometimes undesirable. As an example, a byproduct of combustion would be ash and carbon

Carburetor

an engine component that controls the amount of gasoline and air entering that engine. It also atomizes the gas. Normally a carburetor produces a slightly rich air/fuel ratio (from 14 to 1 up to 12 to 1)

Carbon

a byproduct of incomplete combustion, actually a form of carbon called carbon black.

Cell

a series of positive and negative lead plates immersed in a bath of electrolyte capable of producing electricity. A single cell produces about 2.2 volts. Two or more cells connected together makes a battery.

Combustion

the process of burning a compressed air/fuel mixture. The energy produced by combustion is converted into mechanical movement.

Combustion Chamber

The upper end of a cylinder where the air/fuel mixture is compressed and ignited.

Compression

a part of engine operation in which an air/fuel mixture (or just air in some fuel injection engines) is squeezed into a smaller area. This helps to create more power during combustion.

Condensation

a process in which water changes from a gaseous to a liquid form, moisture in the air converting back to water

Cylinder

in a combustion engine, the chamber in which the piston and rings ride. This is where the air/fuel mixture is compressed and ignited and the resulting energy is converted into mechanical movement.

Deposits

undesirable byproducts of combustion (carbon, ash) that remain in the combustion and exhaust chamber. Deposits can interfere with the flow of fuel and exhaust, stick rings into the grooves and create hot spots.

Detergents

a gas or oil additive used to help remove deposits from an engine.

Detonation

An uncontrolled burning of fuel. Detonation occurs after the spark. This condition can rapidly destroy an engine.

Discharged

a battery that no longer produces electricity. A 12 volt battery is considered fully discharged if it reads 10.5 volts or less (called cut off voltage)

Disperse

to spread throughout, such as two stroke oil completely mixing with gas as opposed to settling at the bottom.

Electrolyte

a liquid (such as battery acid or salt water) that is capable of conducting electricity

Engine Cleaner (internal)

a product designed to loosen and remove deposits (Engine Tuner, Power Tune).

Ethanol

a type of alcohol made from corn or other plants used in the production of gasohol.

Extended

gasoline that has been mixed with another product (gasohol is one example). This is done to enhance it properties or to combat high fuel costs.

Exhaust Chamber

the part of a two stroke engine next to the combustion chamber(s) that collects exhaust and passes it into the mid section (for expulsion from the engine)

Gasohol

a mixture of gasoline and alcohol (usually ethanol). At one time this was used to combat the high price of gasoline.

Gassing

the production and release of hydrogen and oxygen during battery charging. This appears as bubbling.

Grid

a structure used in battery construction. It provides support for lead paste (in making a plate) and provides a point for electrical connection to other plates.

Hot Spot

deposits in the combustion chamber that have soaked up too much heat. They can heat up to a point where they glow red. Such spots can cause serious engine damage.

Hydrometer

a test device used to check the charge condition of a battery. Fluid from a cell is drawn into the hydrometer and it shows how much charge that cell has.

Injector

in fuel injected engines the device which meters and atomizes gas. An injector helps allow the precision control of the air/fuel mixture

Insulator

something which does not conduct electricity. In a battery sheets of insulators are used to separate the plates.

Isolator

an electronic or mechanical device which allows an alternator to charge two or more batteries while keeping the batteries electrically separated from each other.

Lead Paste

an oxide of lead (lead and oxygen) mixed with water and sulphuric acid. This mixture is applied to grids and then processed into battery plates.

Lean

an air fuel mixture that contains too much air, a ratio that is higher than 14.7 to 1 by mass.

Lube

lubricant, either grease or oil. Many times refers to gearcase lubricant.

Maintenance

periodical actions required by all engines. Includes changing lube and oil, greasing , tuneups, adjustments and replacing normally wearing items.

Octane

the rating of a gasoline to resist uncontrolled burning caused by temperature and pressure (we want the burning to be controlled by the ignition system). Higher compression engines require higher octane gas.

Over Charge

forcing too much electricity into a battery during charging. Results in electrolyte loss, plate damage and high battery voltage (over 13.2 volts).

Phase Separation

a separation of ethanol from the gasoline in gasohol. This happens when the water content in gasohol exceeds .7% and combines with the alcohol.

Piston

a component of an engine that travels up and down in the cylinder. Along with the rings it compresses the air/fuel mixture on the up stroke and after ignition it converts the produced energy into mechanical movement.

Plate

a grid structure coated with lead. In a cell it reacts with an electrolyte to produce electricity. Depending on it's chemical makeup a plate can be positive or negative.

Preignition

An uncontrolled burning of fuel. Preignition occurs before the spark. This condition can rapidly destroy an engine.

Regulator

an electronic device that limits the amount of charge voltage from an alternator. It prevents an engine from over charging a battery.

Rich

an air fuel mixture that contains too much gas, a ratio that is lower than 14.7 to 1 by mass (in carbureted engines below 14 to 1)

Ring

an engine part that works with the piston to seal the combustion chamber. It sits in a groove cut into the piston (ring groove) and rides on the cylinder wall.

Separator

an insulator (usually plastic) that electrically isolates a battery plate from the one next to it. Separators are also formed in the battery case to keep cells isolated from each other.

Sticking Ring

a ring that is stuck in the ring groove due to deposits or mechanical damage. It is no longer able to fully contact the cylinder wall and won't fully seal the combustion chamber. End result is lower compression and power loss.

Sulphation

an undesirable process in a battery in which the normally soft lead becomes hard and inactive. This is caused by leaving a battery discharged, under charging a battery or adding too much acid.

Sulphuric Acid

a mixture of hydrogen, sulphur and oxygen atoms (chemically h2so4). It is diluted with pure water to make an electrolyte for batteries.

Viscosity

The flow characteristic of oil at a given temperature. If it flows too easily it won't provide proper engine protection, it can be squeezed out of bearings too easily. If it too resistive to flowing it won't properly coat all the areas requiring oil and will require extra force to move it, creating extra wear and heat.

Volts

the "pressure" at which electricity is pushed through a circuit. The difference in potential between the positive and negative.

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