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View Full Version : Glossary of Unfamiliar Terminology



DaveMack
16-06-2007, 12:41 PM
Just thought I'd start a thread where terminology some of us (I'm sure I'm not the only one who reads these forums and comes across terms that they are unfamiliar with) are explained.

I think, for the sake of those who might genuinely need help in this area, it is best if this is kept strictly as a "Glossary of terms explained" rather than a chance to sling the sh*t at someone who asks a question.

I'll start the ball rolling by exposing my ignorance:

"Swallowtail" as in MkI Swallowtail. I'm sure it's something to do with body shape, but for the life of me ... I cannot see the diff between a MKI described as a "Swallowtail" and one that is not.

Dave

deemoE36
16-06-2007, 01:32 PM
good point Dave, i dont see any difference myself, also VAG im guessing means Volkswagen auto group or something?

shaneth
16-06-2007, 02:23 PM
Great idea Dave. Ive stickied it so please keep this on topic other wise itll be edited mercilessly as alot of people would like to know these things even if it is easy for some. Heres a few i have learnt recently and some i have also known for a while. Feel free to contribute

RSB = Rear Sway Bar
CAI = Cold Air Induction
LSD = Limited Slip Differential
DV = Diverter Valve (this is a new one to me a i was from a Japanese car background)
BOV = Blow Off Valve
TIP = Throttle Intake Pipe.

Golfer
16-06-2007, 02:43 PM
With regards to the "Swallowtail", this was posted by Golf Loon and explains the difference between the Swallowtail and the later Mk1 Golfs...


Check out this thread http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/newforum/upload/showthread.php?t=77&highlight=swallowtail

You are looking at the back panel under the numberplate. On the 1975 built cars and early 76 it curves up at the ends like a swallows tail to meet the lights. On the later cars it is a straight line.

The cars also have several other cosmetic differences, bonnet without a line across the front, no cutout for fuel sender under rear seat, different fuel tank and unique clips up in the headlining by the tailgate.

They are pretty rare everywhere and are worth good bucks overseas.

Golf Loon
16-06-2007, 03:18 PM
VAG : Volkswagen Audi Group (now includes SEAT and Skoda). They also own a few others like Bugatti.

phaeton
16-06-2007, 06:29 PM
Wrong wrong :D

VWAG or VAG stands for Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft

Aktiengesellschaft is the Germany equivalent of stock trading company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aktiengesellschaft

The origins of the Volkswagen Audi Group name comes from a time when VW & Audi UK worked together V.A.G UK ;)

Wand Weaver
16-06-2007, 09:21 PM
Some things I find often catch people out are different names for the same item. Depending on where you got your car info from to begin with - you may be familiar with one, and not the other.

A damper is the same as a shock absorber.
A swaybar is the same as an Anti-Roll Bar. A third, less commonly used name is a Stabiliser Bar.
A Propeller Shaft (or "Propshaft") is the same as a Driveshaft.

"HID" is often treated as synonymous as "Xenon", but this is technically a fallacy. HID refers to "High Intensity Discharge" lamps - a generic term that covers more than one type of light. The "Xenon" HIDs seen in cars are Metal Halide lamps - it would theoretically be possible to substitute the Xenon gas for another inert gas like Argon, but the warm-up time would be considerably longer. These are distinguished from "regular" incandescent lights by the lack of a filament - HIDs generate light by heating a gas/metal mixture by means of an electrical arc.

Bazzamon
17-06-2007, 12:50 AM
A Driveshaft is found on front & rear wheel drive cars carrying the drive from the front or rear or both diffs to the wheels. A 'prop' shaft generally runs from the front of the vehicle to the rear under the centre of the vehicle e.g. convensional gearbox to the rear diff. So all Synchros,or '4 motion's have 4 drive shafts & one prop shaft. ........ Bazz Is this correct?

rayray086
17-06-2007, 03:23 AM
RSB = Rear Sway Bar

Also commonly abbreviated as ARB = Anti-Roll Bar.

FF = Front-engined Front-wheel drive
FR = Front-engined Rear-wheel drive
MR = Mid-engined Rear-wheel drive
RR = Rear-engined Rear-wheel drive
4WD = 4-Wheel Drive (permanent rear-wheel drive with a function to drive the front wheels as well)
AWD = All-Wheel Drive (permanent drive on all four wheels)

HP = Horsepower
kW = kilowatts
Nm = Newton metres

Wand Weaver
17-06-2007, 04:30 PM
A Driveshaft is found on front & rear wheel drive cars carrying the drive from the front or rear or both diffs to the wheels. A 'prop' shaft generally runs from the front of the vehicle to the rear under the centre of the vehicle e.g. convensional gearbox to the rear diff. So all Synchros,or '4 motion's have 4 drive shafts & one prop shaft. ........ Bazz Is this correct?

American usage of the word 'Driveshaft' covers both the longitudinal shaft (front to back) which is known as a 'Propeller Shaft' by the British, as well as the transverse ones spanning from the differential to the driven wheels.

The transverse shafts connecting the differential to the driven wheels are generally called a 'Halfshaft' by the British (and thus all British publications). You'll sometimes hear the F1 ITV commentators referring to "Halfshaft Failure".

I guess I wasn't clear enough in my earlier post - sorry for the confusion.

delta|triangle
27-06-2007, 02:13 PM
And GTI is Grand Touring Injection. I have read that it was VW who coined the term, is that right?

very interesting thread

PoloGTi
09-08-2007, 07:52 PM
Conversions:

Power:
Power (kW) = Power (HP) x 0.7457
Power (HP) = Power (kW) x 1.341

Torque:
Torque (Foot Pound) = Torque (Newton Meter) x 1.356
Torque (Newton Meter) = Torque (Foot Pound) x 0.7374


SMIC = Side Mount Itercooler
FMIC = Front Mount Itercooler
TMIC = Top Mount intercooler

Soundofav6
09-08-2007, 08:27 PM
Interesting and essential thread.. good work.

I learnt a new word.
"suitcase" = mid muffler.

DaveMack
11-06-2008, 11:35 AM
Bumpety bump. Instead of just posting up with items like this ... USE THE DAMNED SEARCH FUNCTION! :mad:

Dave

DaveMack
14-01-2009, 03:30 PM
Bump

Thought it might be time to resurrect this ol' thing and demonstrate a bit more of my ignorance ... in other words, ask for some help with terminology definitions ... such as:

1. 'Shave' (as in 'a shaved panel').

My guess is that unwanted (or considered unnecessary) items are removed from a panel, holes are filled & sanded and a respray makes the whole thing look very smooth and uncluttered.

Any additions / alterations to that summation welcome.

Um ... I'm sure I'm far more ignorant than just that one item ... I'll have to add stuff as it occurs to me.

Dave

gareth_oau
14-01-2009, 04:09 PM
ABS - most people recognise this as "Anti-skid Braking System"

however, Topgear magazine recently published that it stands for "Antiblokiersystem" (originally developed in 1929 in France for planes)

h100vw
14-01-2009, 04:56 PM
TIP Turbo inlet pipe
in K-jetronic the K stands for Kontinuous
Gavin

Coxy09
26-06-2009, 07:55 PM
IMO.....???? Anyone?

Manaz
26-06-2009, 08:11 PM
IMO.....???? Anyone?

In My Opinion...

maca
26-06-2009, 08:20 PM
What about 'Bump'?

What does it mean when people use that?

Bug_racer
26-06-2009, 08:22 PM
ABS - most people recognise this as "Anti-skid Braking System"

however, Topgear magazine recently published that it stands for "Antiblokiersystem" (originally developed in 1929 in France for planes)

Anti-lock braking was first designed for trains in the early 1900s

from http://www.autoweb.co.uk/article/537

gareth_oau
27-06-2009, 02:42 AM
wikipedia also supports the 1929 date for planes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-lock_braking_system

I guess the great internet encyclopedia is only as good as the quality of the website

Coxy09
02-07-2009, 07:02 PM
What about 'Bump'?

What does it mean when people use that?

Correct me where im wrong....isnt it so that it keeps a topic at the top of a thread or something???

ea2001
02-07-2009, 07:36 PM
SU as in the carburettor, Skinners Union

CAV as in diesel engine parts, Charles Anthony Vandervelle

darkfriend
01-06-2010, 11:13 PM
Hi all,

I know that GTI stands for Grand Touring Injection... but how about GTB, GTS, GTO... any other GTs out there. They are still used but what do they mean?

thanks

darkfriend
01-06-2010, 11:27 PM
oh just found this : from wiki

Among the many variations of GT are:

GTO (Gran Turismo Omologato) a homologated car for racing (used by Ferrari, Pontiac and Mitsubishi).
GTS (Gran Turismo Spider) a convertible GT car. For example the Ferrari 348 GTS.
GTB (Gran Turismo Berlinetta) a coupe style GT. For example the Ferrari 328 GTB.
GTV (Gran Turismo Veloce) a fast GT car. For example the Alfa Romeo GTV6.
GTI or GTi (Gran Turismo Iniezione) a fuel injected GT, first used on the 1961 Maserati 3500 GTI.
GTE (Grand Touring Estate) An estate wagon GT. For example the Reliant Scimitar GTE
GT/E (Einspritzung - German for fuel injection) used on the Opel Manta GT/E.
GTA (Gran Turismo Alleggerita (lightened)/Automatic) For example the Alfa Romeo GTA (Allegerita), Ferrari 456 GTA (Automatic).
GTAm (Gran Turismo Alleggerita Modificata) a modified, lightened GT car such as the Alfa Romeo GTAm.
GTC (Gran Turismo Compressore/Compact/Cabriolet/Coupe/Crossover) for example Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GTC (Compressore), Opel Astra (compact), Bentley Continental GTC (cabriolet), Ferrari 330 GTC (coupe), Opel Antara GTC (crossover)
GTD (Gran Turismo Diesel), used by Volkswagen in sport oriented Golf version and Peugeot in lowered Diesel 505 models.
GTR or GT-R, (Gran Turismo Racing), as in the McLaren F1 GTR, Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, and Nissan GT-R
HGT (High Gran Turismo), used by Fiat in sport oriented cars version.

Rocket36
01-06-2010, 11:57 PM
GTS can also be Gran Turismo Sportivo....

DonJuan
24-06-2011, 08:48 PM
Conversions:

Power:
Power (kW) = Power (HP) x 0.7457
Power (HP) = Power (kW) x 1.341

Torque:
Torque (Foot Pound) = Torque (Newton Meter) x 1.356
Torque (Newton Meter) = Torque (Foot Pound) x 0.7374


SMIC = Side Mount Itercooler
FMIC = Front Mount Itercooler
TMIC = Top Mount intercooler

i never knew these conversions... must have this as an app!

SMOK3Y
20-09-2011, 08:11 AM
i use these

Power conversion online. (http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/power)

Torque conversion online. (http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/torque)

Martytronic
06-08-2012, 01:23 AM
What about 'Bump'?

What does it mean when people use that?

When a person posts in a thread that's been a bit inactive (and thus fallen off the first forum page - as the threads are listed in chronological order of the ones with the most recent activity in them) - and thus bumping the thread back to the top of the thread-list. Not car-related, but forum-related :P

jets
24-10-2016, 08:45 PM
This is a very old thread but read it for the first time today.
DTC----Diagnostic Trouble Codes
CEL---- Check Engine Light
VNT---- Variable Nozzle Turbine
MIL---- Malfunction Indicator Light
VGT---- Variable Geometry Turbo