Abbreviated Words Dictionary for Car Tuning Related

I know when it comes to car tuning a lot of what you read is complicated and sometimes all the terms used are not easy to understand. That’s why I decided to create abbreviated words dictionary for every level of car enthusiasts out there.

 

AP: The Cobb Accesport is an engine management solution upgrade. You have the ability to unlock power hidden within the vehicle by replacing conservative factory settings with more aggressive calibrations. You can upgrade path with pre-loaded Off The Shelf (OTS) maps or use custom mapping for any modification level.

 

AWR: Anthony Woodford Racing is a company that offers custom prototyping, race car engineering, and restoration services to automotive manufacturers, racers, and collectors.

 

BOV: Blow Off Valve operates on the intake side. When the throttle closes (like during an up-shift), the compressor is still pumping air for a short time, which now has nowhere to go. The intake pressure will rapidly spike, and the pressure valve opens to release this pressure spike. If the compressed air is vented to the atmosphere, the valve is usually referred to as a BOV. If the air is re-routed back into the intake (before the compressor), then the valve is usually referred to as a bypass valve or diverter valve.

 

BPV: By Pass Valve operates on the intake side. When the throttle closes (like during an up-shift), the compressor is still pumping air for a short time, which now has nowhere to go. The intake pressure will rapidly spike, and the pressure valve opens to release this pressure spike. If the compressed air is re-routed back into the intake (before the compressor), then the valve is usually referred to as a bypass valve or diverter valve.

 

CAI: Cold Air Intake are designed to draw as much cold air as possible, giving them their name. They are usually placed in the fender of the car under the side of the engine. It can also be called a cool air intake because the design is such that it places the air filter as far away from the heat of the engine as possible. Due to the intake having more piping, it is usually more expensive and difficult to install besides giving more horsepower and torque than the SRI.

 

CEL: Check Engine Light indicate malfunction of a computerized engine-management system. It is found on the instrument panel of most automobiles. When illuminated, it is typically either an amber or red color. When the CEL is lit, the ECU stores a fault code related to the malfunction, which can be retrieved with a scan tool and used for further diagnosis. The malfunction indicator lamp usually bears the legend check engine, service engine soon, or a pictogram of an engine.

 

CP-E: Custom Performance Engineering manufacture serious performance products in the US and always offer a lifetime warranty. Thirteen years in the business, the company engineer, manufacture, market, distribute, and install all of these parts.

 

DP: The stock Downpipe on your vehicle contains one catalytic converter. Replacing your downpipe is a common upgrade that results in some very impressive power gains over your restrictive OEM unit while giving your car a louder, more aggressive exhaust note. When buying you will have the choice between short or long downpipe, they are referred to as either being cat-less or as having a high flow cat.

 

ECU: An Engine Control Unit is an electronic device that controls a series of actuators on an internal combustion engine to ensure optimal engine performance. It does this by reading values from a multitude of sensors within the engine bay, interpreting the data using multidimensional performance maps and adjusting the engine actuators accordingly.

 

EWG: An External Wastegate is a separate self-contained mechanism typically used with turbochargers that do not have internal wastegates or used for regulating boost levels more precisely than internal wastegates in high power applications. An external wastegate requires a specially constructed turbo manifold with a dedicated runner going to the wastegate or may be part of the exhaust housing itself.

 

FMIC: Front Mount Intercooler purpose is to cool air that has compressed in either a turbo or supercharger. It is mount on the front of the car far from the heat of the motor. This place allows the FMIC to blow a lot of fresh air from the front of the car.

 

FSB: Front Sway Bar (also called anti-roll bar, anti-sway bar, stabilizer bar) is a part of many automobile suspensions that helps reduce the body roll of a vehicle during fast cornering or over road irregularities. It connects opposite (left/right) wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring. A sway bar increases the suspension’s roll stiffness—its resistance to roll in turns, independent of its spring rates in the vertical direction.

 

HTP: Hi Tuned Performance began nearly 17 years ago primarily as an engine rebuilder but expanded over the next several years to include transmissions and all general repair, eventually adding body and collision work as well as paint to their services. The last 6 years have seen the inclusion of high performance upgrades, fabrication, and a move to manufacturing with a strong focus on research and product development. Their two main divisions include a full auto repair shop and also a performance division whose focus includes welding & fabrication, research & development, and manufacturing of the product line.

 

IWG: An Internal Wastegate is a built-in bypass valve and passage within the turbocharger housing which allows excess boost pressure to dump into the exhaust. A pressure signal from the intake manifold controls the opening of the internal wastegate. Many OEM turbochargers are of this type because it includes simpler and more compact installation. There are some disadvantages like a limited ability to bleed off boost pressure due to the relatively small diameter and less efficient performance under boost conditions.

 

JBR: James Barone Racing is a leading manufacturer of high-quality aftermarket parts for the Mazda community. They create quality performance products at the best values, and they give outstanding customer service and free shipping. They are partner with other members of the Mazda community in selection, design, and testing of new products to make sure they meet their needs. They control every step in the engineering and fabrication process to ensure the highest standards of workmanship.

 

NVH: Noise, Vibration, and Harshness is basically a measure of how much unpleasant aural and tactile feedback the car delivers as you drive. It is caused by the car’s mechanical and electrical systems, as well as the car’s interaction with road surfaces and its passage through the air. The main sources of NVH in a car are its engine, drivetrain and tires, as well as the sound of airflow along its body.

 

OCC: The Oil Catch Can take what is being sent out through the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve, and separate the actual oil that may come out, collect it, and send just air and vapors back to the intake manifold. The goal is to avoid getting oil into the intake manifold.

 

OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer refers to the manufacturer of the original equipment, that is, the parts assembled and installed during the construction of a new vehicle.

 

PCV: The Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve is designed to regulate and remove fumes from the engine crankcase, and to alleviate crankcase pressure which could cause oil leaks or seal damage. The PCV system sending both air, vapors, and oil back in the intake manifold. It’s a way for gases to escape in a controlled manner from the crankcase of an internal combustion engine.

*Note: The PCV of the Mazdaspeed 6, from the first day out of the dealer, is deficient. I really recommend to buy an OCC or to replace the PCV to help the engine.

 

PM: The Passenger Mount is a mount that holds the engine to the body or to the engine cradle (sub-frame) of the car. In a typical car, the engine and transmission are bolted together and held in place by three or four mounts. The PM is located on top of the engine on the passenger side.

 

RMM: The Rear Motor Mount is a mount part that holds the engine to the body or to the engine cradle (subframe) of the car. In a typical car, the engine and transmission are bolted together and held in place by three or four mounts. The RMM is located at the bottom rear of the motor.

 

RSB: Rear Sway Bar (also called anti-roll bar, anti-sway bar, stabilizer bar) is a part of many automobile suspensions that helps reduce the body roll of a vehicle during fast cornering or over road irregularities. It connects opposite (left/right) wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring. A sway bar increases the suspension’s roll stiffness—its resistance to roll in turns, independent of its spring rates in the vertical direction.

 

SRI: Short Ram Intake looks to increase power by reducing the amount of restriction on the intake air. In many vehicles, the intake air passes through a resonator and silencer box to help reduce induction noise. This restriction can limit airflow. A short ram eliminates the resonator and filter box, giving the air a short travel distance and hopefully increasing power.

 

TIP: Turbo Inlet Pipe replaces the OEM turbo inlet with a better flowing unit. The silicone inlet also increases the diameter for better flow and increases reliability. That in itself makes a huge difference on how much nicer the car drive, respond, and sound.

 

TM: The Transmission Mount is a mount that holds the engine to the body or to the engine cradle (subframe) of the car. In a typical car, the engine and transmission are bolted together and held in place by three or four mounts. The mount that holds the transmission is called the TM

 

TMIC: Top Mount Intercooler purpose is to cool air that has compressed in either a turbo or supercharger. Unlike the FMIC it is mount on the top of the motor and is less efficient.

 

UTQG: Uniform Tire Quality Grading, is a rating system originated in the US as a way to help consumers make more informed tire-buying decisions. Tire manufacturers give their own tires a grade for treadwear, traction, and temperature. Together, these numbers make up a tire’s UTQG rating—a three-digit number plus two letters. For example, 000 A A.