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SA: API classification for straight mineral oil used in early gasoline engines.

Saddle: 1. Seat on a bicycle. 2. Metal piece on a centerpull brake. See yoke.

Saddlebag: A large bag or one of a pair which hangs down from the saddle or straddles the rear wheel of a bicycle or motorcycle.

SAE: Acronym for "Society of Automotive Engineers" on http://www.sae.org/. It publishes automotive research papers and defines various automotive standards of measurement.

SAE horsepower: A simple formula of long standing is used to determine horsepower. The formula is: (bore diameter) squared times (number of cylinders) divided by 2.5. This formula is used primarily for licensing purposes and is not very accurate for determining actual brake horsepower. Also called rated horsepower. Compare SAE gross horsepower and SAE net horsepower. Also see horsepower.

SAE gross horsepower: A production engine's actual power available at the flywheel or output shaft (usually crankshaft) as tested with an absorption dynamometer. It differs from SAE net horsepower in that many of the accessories (such as alternator, water pump, etc.) are not attached. Engines before 1973 were primarily measured with these "gross" numbers. Since 1973, "net" figures were published. This confusion caused many people to suppose that their engine had been seriously de-tuned when they saw that the same engine in 1972 had 400 hp but in 1973 had only 235 hp. (This example is from the Cadillac 500 cubic inch engine). Compare SAE net horsepower. Also see brake horsepower and horsepower.

SAE net horsepower: The brake power (power available at the flywheel or output shaft -- usually the crankshaft) of a fully equipped engine fitted with all the accessories necessary to perform its intended functions unaided. In 1973, automobile manufacturers began publishing their engine specifications in "net" horsepower and "net" torque instead of "gross" figures. In many cases the published numbers were significantly lower in 1973 than in 1972. Some of the decrease was attributed to the addition of pollution equipment, the lowering of compression, and the use of regular unleaded gasoline instead of premium leaded fuel. However most of the decrease in number was a switch to "net" figures. Compare SAE gross horsepower. Also see brake horsepower and horsepower.

Safety: See active safety, driveshaft safety strap, passive safety, safety rim, safety factor, safety hub, safety pressure cap, safety rim, safety valve.

Safety ledge: A raised area (hump) around the circumference of the bead seat area of passenger wheels. Its function is to prevent the tire beads from becoming unseated during hard cornering or while running with low air pressure. A must with tubeless passenger tires.

Safety rim: A wheel rim with a ridge on the inner edge of the ledge on which the tire bead rides. The ridge holds the tire on the rim in case of a blowout.

Sales: total automotive product sales (vehicles, automotive parts, including OE and aftermarket).

Salvaged: !!!.

Sand scratch swelling: solvents present in surface scratches that cause the old finish to swell.

Sand scratch: See sand scratches.

Sand scratches: The marks left in metal or in the old finish by abrasives. They may also show in the finish coat due to lack of filling or sealing.

Sanding block: A block of rubber or plastic to which the sandpaper is fastened, offering the operator a good grip. The block should be used for most sanding jobs because it distributes the pressure evenly and gives a more uniform surface.

Safety, active: See active safety.

Safety factor: Providing strength beyond that needed, as an extra margin of insurance against part failure.

Safety hub: A device that is installed on the rear axle to prevent the wheels leaving the vehicle in the event of a broken axle.

Safety hubs: See safety hub.

Safety pressure cap: See pressure cap.

Safety rim: A rim having two safety ridges, one on each lip, to prevent the tire beads from entering the drop center area in the event of a blowout. This feature keeps the tire on the rim.

Safety strap: See driveshaft safety strap.

Safety valve: A valve designed to open and relieve the pressure within a container when container pressure exceeds a predetermined level.

Sampling: See constant-volume sampling.

Sand blast: Cleaning by the use of sand propelled at high speeds in an air blast.

SAS: Acronym for "Scandinavian Automotive Suppliers" on http://www.sfkg.se/index.htm.

SASE: Self-addressed stamped envelope. Often used in advertisements where the seller will provide information if potential buyers will send a SASE enclosed in their query letter. Also see SSAE.

Saturation period: The length of time the breaker points are closed and current is flowing through the primary windings of the coil.

Saw the elephant: !!!.

Saybolt viscometer: An instrument used to determine the fluidity or viscosity (resistance to flow) of an oil.

SB: Oil with some additive protection, for early gasoline engines only.

SC: Oil for 1964 and previous model years.

Scale: The accumulation of rust and minerals within the cooling system.

Scatter shield: A steel or nylon guard placed around the bell or clutch housing to protect driver and spectator from flying parts in the event of part failure at high rpm. Such a shield is often placed around transmissions and differential units. See clutch explosion.

Scavenging: The removal of the exhaust gases from the cylinder by using the momentum of the exhaust gases in a long exhaust pipe or by taking advantage of the pressure waves set up in the exhaust pipe by the discharge of the gases.

Schrader valve: A bicycle tire valve similar to the type found on automobile tires. Also see Presta valve.

Scientific Research and Experimental Development Program: (SR&ED) This program provides generous incentives for industrial research and development in Canada. The program allows individuals and companies to deduct 100 percent of qualified current SR and ED expenditures and capital SR and ED expenditures.

Scissors jack: A device for lifting a corner of the vehicle. As it is applied, the arms are in the shape of the letter "X" or a diamond.

Scoop: See airscoop.

Scooter : !!!.

Score: 1. A scratch or groove on a finished surface. It is usually caused by dirt or some other object which mars the finish. Cylinder walls, for instance, can be scored by broken rings or a piston pin clip which has come loose. 2. (SCORE) An acronym for "Supplier Cost Reduction Effort."

SCR: Acronym for "Silicon Controlled Rectifier."

Scrap pile: Discarded tire casings having service life exhausted through wear or damage.

Scrappage: a vehicle registered in the previous year but not re-registered in the current year.

Screamer: !!!.

Screw: 1. A spiral path along a cylinder. 2. A fastening device. A screw is like an inclined plane wrapped up. It can take a rotating force and change it into a much larger straight-line force. Also see bleed screw, idle air bleed screw, idle mixture screw, idle speed screw, Phillips head screw, Robertson screw, and self-tapping screw.

Screwdriver: A device used to remove or install screws.

Screw extractor: A device used to remove broken bolts, screws, etc., from holes.

Scrub radius: The distance from the point where the steering axis intersects the ground to the longitudinal line that runs through the center of the tire's contact patch. Also called "steering offset." See negative offset steering.

SD: Improved oil for 1968 and previous model years.

SDC: Acronym for semi-drop center rim.

SE: 1. Further improved oil for 1972 and previous model years. 2. Acronym for "special edition."

Seal: Any device designed to keep substances from going out of where it should belong. Also see apex seal, grease seal, oil seal, and valve oil seal.

Sealed beam: See sealed beam headlight.

Sealed beam headlight: A headlight lamp in which the lens, reflector, and filament are fused together to form a single unit. They are relatively inexpensive, but when one component breaks, the whole unit is replaced. Newer vehicles use the more expensive composite type with separate bulb and lens which can be replaced individually in the event of failure. Only a few types of bulbs are used in the composite headlight, but the lens differs because it is shaped to the contour of the vehicle.

Sealed beam unit: See sealed beam headlight.

Sealed bearing: A bearing that has been lubricated at the factory and then sealed, it cannot be lubricated during service. It is sealed to keep out contaminants.

Sealer: 1. A substance you can add to the liquid in the cooling system to seal leaks. Also called "stop leak." 2. Other kinds of sealing compounds are used to coat surfaces before installing hoses or gaskets. These are effective in preventing leakage but usually make the hose or gasket hard to remove. 3. An intercoat between the top coat and the primer or old finish, giving better adhesion.

Seamed tubing: Tubing made from steel strip stock that is curved until its edges meet, then welded together. Contrast seamless tubing.

Seamless tubing: Tubing made from solid blocks of steel that are pierced and drawn into tube shape. Contrast seamed tubing.

Seat: 1. A surface upon which another part rests or seats. Example: valve seat is matched surface upon which valve face rests. See valve seat. 2. Minor wearing of the piston ring surface during initial use. Rings then fit or seat properly against the cylinder wall. 3. The cushions on which the driver and passengers rest. Also see bench seat, bucket seat, power seat, rumble seat, saddle, and split bench seat. 4. A metering control that is regulated by a needle. See needle and seat.
Seatbelt: A passive restraint system which encircles the hips to prevent the occupant from being ejected from the vehicle. Often the seatbelt is part of the shoulder harness. The use of seatbelts is mandatory in every province and state in North America and in most every country.

Seat belt tensioners: !!!.

Seat cluster: On a bicycle, the conjunction of top tube, seat tube, and seatstays near the top of the seat.

Seat cushion: The part of the seat upon which one sits or leans against.

Seatpost: On a bicycle, the part to which the saddle clamps and which runs down inside the seat tube.

Seat skin: !!!.

Seatstay: On a bicycle, one of the two parallel tubes that run from the top of the seat tube back to the rear axle.

Seatstays: On a bicycle, the two parallel tubes that run from the top of the seat tube back to the rear axle.

Seat tube: On a bicycle, the tube that runs from just below the saddle down to the bottom bracket.

Secondary brake shoe: See primary brake shoe and trailing brake shoe.

Secondary circuit: The high voltage part of the ignition system.

Secondary compression: A term that is used in two-stroke engines. Primary compression takes place in the crankcase and is then pushed up into the combustion chamber where secondary compression takes place as the piston squeezes the mixture. If the crankcase seals are poor, primary compression will be reduced resulting in reduced secondary compression so that it may be difficult to start the engine.

Secondary failure: The failure which occurs as a result of a primary failure (e.g., the primary failure is a nail hole; but as the tire is run flat, the secondary failure may be a tire roll-off.

Secondary, reverse shoe: The brake shoe that is installed facing the rear of the vehicle. See trailing brake shoe.

Secondary wire: See secondary wires.

Secondary wires: The high voltage wire from the coil to the distributor tower and from the tower to the spark plugs.

Section height: The vertical measurement from the bead seat of a tire to the top of the crown when it is mounted, inflated and not under load. (Overall diameter less nominal rim diameter, divided by two.)

Section repair: 1. Reinforcement made to the casing when an injury has extended through the tread or sidewall of a tire. The damaged cord is removed and a new cord is replaced in the form of a repair unit or patch. 2. A major repair in the sidewall or tread of a tire. This repair unit must have cord material for reinforcement, made specifically for the type tire-bias-ply or radial.

Section width: The measurement across the tire width at the widest point when mounted and inflated (not under load), excluding any decorative mouldings.

Sector: See worm and sector.

Sedan: An enclosed four-door body type, it has permanent back panels and top with full-width cross seats front and rear, and passenger capacity from five to seven depending on wheelbase. Longer-wheelbase models accept extra passengers in fold-down auxiliary seats. Sedans usually have quarter windows in the rear quarter in addition to windows in all four doors. Trunk racks often were standard offerings. Called saloon in U.K. According to Car and Diver, the term "sedan" refers to a fixed-roof car with at least four doors or any fixed-roof two-door car with at least 33 cubic feet of rear interior volume, according to measurements based on SAE standard J1100. Also see close-coupled sedan, convertible sedan, imperial sedan, and Landaulet sedan.

Sediment: An accumulation of matter which settles to the bottom of a liquid.

Seize: 1. The condition when two items bond together so that they cannot be removed easily. 2. The condition when a piston bonds itself to the sides of the cylinder wall because of the lack of lubricant. See freezing.

Selective transmission: The conventional manual transmission of today in which any gear may be selected at will as opposed to the very early progressive transmission in which the gears had to be selected in order.

Self-aligning torque: A torque which is created by the tire when the vehicle corners. The force created at the tire patch acts toward the rear of the actual center of the wheel. This action is called "pneumatic trail." It has the same effect as positive caster and can be increased by increasing the positive caster. Thus the trail distance (distance from the point at which the cornering force acts to the center of the wheel or steering axis) is a moment arm that results in a torque that tends to decrease the existing slip angle and force the wheel back to the straight-ahead position. This self-aligning torque is transmitted through the steering mechanism to the steering wheel and can be felt as steering effort or road feel.

Self-cleaningTread: A tread pattern with tapered grooves and ribs, bars, etc., arranged in a manner that resists packing loose materials, (mud, etc.) in the grooves.

Self-energizing brake shoe: A brake shoe (sometimes both shoes) that when applied develops a wedging action that actually assists or boosts the braking force applied by the wheel cylinder. Also see primary brake shoe.

Self-levelling suspension: See automatic levelling.

Self-tapping screw: A screw which cuts its own thread into the hole.

Self-vulcanization: Vulcanization at room temperature or above, activated by chemical agents without the application of heat from an outside source.

SEMA: Acronym for "Specialty Equipment Market Association," the aftermarket and reproduction vehicle parts organization.

Semi: See tractor.

Semi-centrifugal release finger: See clutch semi-centrifugal release fingers.

Semi-centrifugal release fingers: See clutch semi-centrifugal release fingers.

Semi-drop center rim: (SDC) A rim having a demountable flange, for use on light commercial application. A slight depression in the center of the rim facilitates tire mounting and removal.

Semi-drop center rim taper: A rim where both bead seats are tapered 5°.

Semi-elliptic leaf spring: See semi-elliptic springs.

Semi-elliptic spring: See semi-elliptic springs.

Semi-elliptic springs: A type of leaf spring that takes its name from the shape which is part of an ellipse.

Semi-floating axle: Type of axle commonly used in modern car. The outer end of the axle shaft does two things: (1) it supports the weight of the vehicle and (2) it is the means of propulsion. The inner end of the axle shaft which is splined, "floats" in the differential gear. In this design a single bearing is placed between the axle shaft and the axle bearing; to remove the axle the wheel must first be removed.

Semi-tractor: See tractor.

Semi-trailer: See trailer.

Semi-trailing arm: A type of independent rear suspension where the pivot axes are usually at about 25 degrees to a line running straight across the car. This arrangement gives rear-wheel camber somewhere between that of a pure trailing arm (which has no camber change relative to the body) and a swing axle (which has large camber change).

Semi-trailing arm suspension: See semi-trailing arm.

Sending unit: A device used for transmitting a signal to a gauge.

Senna, Ayrton: !!!.

Sensor: An electronic detection device. See oxygen sensor.

Sensing device: See electronic sensing device.

Separation: The parting of retread rubber from the buffed casing or the parting or debonding of any adjacent parts of the tire (ply to ply, ply to rubber, etc.), usually due to excessive heat.

Separation solid tire: Rubber pulling away from steel bands.

Separator: See separators.

Separators: Wood, rubber or plastic sheets inserted between the positive and negative plates in a battery to prevent contact. Also see vapor separator and water separator.

Sequence: The order in which events take place. See cylinder sequence.

Serial number: The individual, consecutive numbering of a product during production. It may be a combination of letters and numbers. Also see batch number.

Series: 1. A particular type of an automobile make and model. For instance, in 1952 Cadillac fielded three series: a 62 (with a 126 inch wheelbase); a 60 (with a 130 inch wheelbase); and a 75 (with a 147 inch wheelbase). 2. The alignment of electrical components. See series circuit. 3. A numerical representation of a tire's aspect ratio. A 50-series tire has an aspect ratio of 0.50.

Series circuit: A circuit with two or more resistance units so wired that the current must pass through one unit before reaching the other. In contrast with parallel circuit.

Series parallel circuit: See series-parallel circuit.

Series-parallel circuit: A circuit of three or more resistance units in which a series and a parallel circuit are combined.

Service manual: A handbook published by a vehicle manufacturer or a specialized publishing company that contains instructions and specifications for the maintenance and repair of specific cars. They also include wiring diagrams and troubleshooting guides. Most service manuals deal with only one make, model, or year, and nearly all are intended for professionals or the very experienced amateur.

Service station: outlets which sell gasoline and are operated by the major oil companies.

Service writer: At many dealerships, the person responsible for writing repair orders (work orders) is the service writer. He communicates to the mechanic and service manager the problems in your vehicle that you have outlined. He also estimates the nature and cost of repairs and gives you an idea when the work will be finished.

Servo: An oil operated device used to push or pull another part, such as tightening the transmission brake bands.

Servo action brake: See servo action brakes.

Servo action brakes: Brakes so constructed as to have one end of the primary shoe bearing against the end of the secondary shoe. When the brakes are applied, the primary shoe attempts to move in the direction of the rotating drum and in so doing applies force to the secondary shoe. This action, called "servo action," makes less brake pedal pressure necessary and is widely used in brake construction.

Servos: !!!.

Settling: pigment in the paint collecting at the bottom of the spray gun container.

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Page Updated Sun May 20, 2001 8:08pm EDT