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Set-up: 1. Premature vulcanization of a rubber compound during processing or storage. 2. The action of a gel-like substance which goes from a liquid to a rubbery solid or when a paste turns solid.

Sew up tire: See sew-up tire.

Sew-up tire: A bicycle tire with an inner tube stitched inside the casing; also known as a tubular.

SF: Further improved oil for 1980-1988 model years and previous years.

SG: Improved oil for 1989 model years and previous years.

Shackle: A swinging support which is used to attach the ends of a leaf spring to the frame of the vehicle. The shackle is needed to take care of the changes in length of the spring as it moves up and down.

Shaft: A long smooth-surfaced piece of metal with a circular cross section. See clutch shaft, cross shaft, distributor shaft, halfshaft, input shaft, output shaft, pilot shaft, prop shaft, propeller shaft, rocker arm shaft, and splined shaft.

Shaft drive: !!!.

Shake: See cowl shake.

Shallow angle: An angle that positions the bicycle frame tubes relatively farther from vertical and closer to horizontal than do steep angles.

Shallow angles: Angles that position bicycle frame tubes relatively farther from vertical and closer to horizontal than do steep angles.

Shave: 1. Removal of some chrome or decorative part. 2. Removal of metal from the contact surface of the cylinder head or the block.

Shear pin: A cylinder shaped item that is made of a substance which will break when subject to great pressure. In this way the main component which is more expensive will not be damaged. The pin can usually be easily replace. Also see spiral wrapped pin.

Shelby: The 1965-67 350GT and 500GT are milestone cars. See also AC Shelby Cobra for the AC Shelby Cobra.

Shelf life: A time limitation for the storage of uncured retread materials (usually 6 months), beyond which certain properties are lost. Storage of materials in a cool, dark, dry environment insures quality.

Shield: A relatively broad protective device which keeps away unwanted liquid or vapor. See laminated windshield, scatter shield, splash shield, static shield, and windshield.

Shift fork: See shift forks.

Shift forks: The devices that straddle slots cut in sliding gears. The fork is used to move the gear back and forth on the shaft.

Shift lever: See gearshift.

Shift gate: The mechanism in a transmission linkage that controls the motion of the gearshift lever. The shift gate is usually an internal mechanism; however, in some transmissions -- including Ferrari five-speeds and Mercedes-Benz automatics -- the shift gate is an exposed guide around the shift lever.

Shift linkage: The rods, levers, etc. used to transmit motion of the shift lever into movement of the gears in a gearbox.

Shift on the fly: !!!.

Shift point: This refers to the point, either in engine rpm or road speed, at which the transmission should be shifted to the next gear.

Shift rail: shift rails.

Shift rails: Sliding rods upon which the shift forks are attached. Used for shifting the manual transmission.

Shifter: A device for changing the gearing on a transmission. See index shifters.

Shifters: See index shifters.

Shim: A thin spacer installed between two units to increase the distance between them.

Shimmy: The front wheels shaking or vibration from side to side because the front end is out of alignment or the tires are out of balance or the suspension has worn components. Also see caster wobble.

Shipments, value of: summation of value of shipments produced by establishment, receipts of custom and repair revenue.

Shock: See shocks.

Shock absorber: Properly called a damper, this is an oil filled device used to control spring oscillation in the suspension system. At least one shock absorber is found at each wheel. Also see adjustable shocks.

Shocks: An abbreviation for "shock absorbers." See adjustable shocks.

Shoe: See brake shoe, pole shoes, and primary brake shoe.

Short: See short circuit.

Short block: The lower portion of an engine below the cylinder head.

Short circuit: An electrical problem in which the "hot" or positive wire touches ground. It takes a "short" path to ground instead of going through the prescribed component. Usually a short circuit (also called a short) will burn out a fuse or a component.

Short track: !!!.

Shorty: !!!.

Shoulder: 1. The outer edges of tread. 2. The outer edges of a road.

Shredded wire: Short pieces of fine steel wire mixed into a tread or undertread compound.

Shrinkage: The shrinking of automotive paint as it dries. All automotive paints shrink, and if scratches or surface imperfections have not been properly filled, they will show up as the paint shrinks into them.

Shrink fit: A fit between two parts which is very tight. The outer or encircling piece is expanded by heating so it will fit over inner piece. Sometimes the inner piece is contracted by chilling. As the two pieces reach operating temperature or room temperature, the outer piece shrinks and the inner piece (if it was chilled) expands. As a result, the two pieces fit tightly.

Shrink tube: A thin plastic tube which shrinks in diameter when heated. It is used primarily in covering exposed wire splices.

Shroud: A metal enclosure around the fan, engine, etc., to guide and facilitate the flow of air.

Shunt: An alternate or bypass portion of an electrical circuit.

Shunt winding: A wire coil forming an alternate or bypass circuit through which the current may flow.

Siamesed: Arrangement of ports when intake or exhaust valves are in pairs which allows two-into-one passages to be cast into the cylinder head. For example, with the usual valve arrangement in a four-cylinder engine the head can be designed so only two ports connect to the intake manifold and only three to the exhaust manifold. Also, when the engine cylinders are connected solidly together (as in the Vega block) instead of being totally surrounded by water jackets, the cylinders are said to be siamesed.

SIC: Acronym for "Standard Industrial Classification" on "http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSGF/am00655f.html". Industry class that represents a level of organization of production by type of specialization. Currently the 1980 Standard Industrial Classification is in effect identifying each industry at the 4 digit level.

Siddeley: See Armstrong-Siddeley.

Sidecar: !!!.

Sidedraft carburetor: A carburetor in which the air passes through the carburetor into the intake manifold in a horizontal plane. Contrasts with a downdraft carburetor.

Side impact air bag: !!!.

Side impact intrusion beam: !!!.

Side ring: A demountable metal flange to hold the tire on the rim base. It can be self contained, locking into the gutter, or may be held in place by a lock ring, depending on the type.

Sidewall: That portion of a tire between the tread and bead. See tire sidewall.

Silencer: A muffler.

Silver solder: Similar to brazing except that a special silver solder metal is used. It is used primarily on bicycle tubing.

SIMA: Acronym for "Special Import Measures Act."

Single barrel: See single-barrel carburetor.

Single-barrel: See single-barrel carburetor.

Single barrel carburetor: See single-barrel carburetor.

Single-barrel carburetor: A carburetor with one throttle opening or barrel from the carburetor to the intake manifold. Also see carburetor, double-barrel carburetor, and four-barrel carburetor.

Single bead: A tire built with only one wire bundle in the bead.

Single coat: A coat of paint, with each stroke overlapping the previous stroke by 50%.

Single fan: !!!.

Single leading brake shoe: The use of a single hydraulic plunger and a common pivot point which expands two shoes against the drum with equal pressure whether braking from forward or reverse direction. The leading brake shoe is usually called the "Primary Shoe" and trailing shoe is called the "Secondary Shoe." Also see double leading brake shoe.

Single overhead cam: (SOHC) See overhead cam.

Single-overhead cam: (SOHC) See overhead cam.

Single rate spring: A spring with a constant spring rate. For example, if a 100-pound force deflects the spring by one inch, an additional 100 pounds will deflect it one more inch, and so on until the spring either bottoms or fails. The opposite of progressive rate spring.

Singles: !!!.

Sintered bronze: Tiny particles of bronze pressed tightly together so that they form a solid piece. The piece is highly porous and is often used for filtering purposes.

Sintered metal brake pad: !!!.

Sipe: Fine lines or grooves cut into the tread of tires. They allow the tire to flex and give better traction on wet surfaces.

Sissy bar: !!!.

Six banger: Six cylinder engine.

Six-speed transmission: A manual transmission with six forward gears. See Hurst six-speed shifter.

Skewer: A pin with a loop at one end for insertion and removal. See quick-release skewer.

Skid: A sideways slip or slide of a wheel through failure to grip the ground. Also see anti-skid.

Skid depth: See tread depth.

Skid lid: A helmet.

Skidpad: A large area of smooth, flat pavement used for various handling tests. Roadholding is measured by defining a large-diameter circle (Car and Driver magazine uses 300 feet) on the skidpad and measuring the fastest speed at which the car can negotiate the circle without sliding off.

Skin: The outer surface or body panel. See skins.

Skins: 1. Colloquial term for tires. 2. A covering for skis on a snowmobile.

Skirt: 1. A cover for the rear fender cutout. See fender skirt. 2. The portion of the piston below the rings and bosses. It absorbs the thrust caused by the crankshaft as it makes contact with the cylinder wall. Also see piston skirt.

Skirt expander: See piston skirt expander.

Skive: The action of cutting into something or cutting away rubber from an injury in preparation for a section repair.

Slack: !!!.

Slant engine: This is an in-line engine in which the cylinder block has been tilted from a vertical plane.

Slap: See piston slap.

Sleeve: A cylindrical insert. See liner, cylinder sleeve, dry liner, dry sleeve, and wet sleeve.

Sleeve nut: See inner cap nut.

Sleeve valve: Consists of metal sleeves located between the piston and cylinder wall. When moved up and down, holes in the sleeves coincide with inlet and exhaust parts to provide passage for the gases at the right time.

Slewed axles: Axles that are not parallel.

Slick: A very wide tire, without a tread pattern, designed to provide a maximum amount of traction. It is used for racing on dry surfaces.

Sliding fit: See running-fit.

Sliding-fit: See running-fit.

Sliding gear: A transmission gear that is splined to the shaft. It may be moved back and forth for shifting purposes.

Slinger: See oil slinger.

Slingshot: A form of dragster using a rather long thin frame with a very light front axle and wheel assembly.

Slip angle: The difference in the actual path taken by a vehicle making a turn and the path it would have taken if it had followed exactly as the wheels were pointed. The slip angle is the result of the tire carcass's flexibility and is the angular difference between the direction the wheel is travelling and the direction of the tread. If the slip angles of the rear tires are greater than the slip angles of the front tires, the vehicle is said to be oversteering. Also see tire deviation angle.

Slip joint: A joint that will transfer driving torque from one shaft to another while allowing longitudinal movement between the two shafts. A variable length connection that permits the driveshaft or axle shaft to change its length as the shaft moves up and down.

Slip-on: !!!.

Slip ring: One of several conductive metal rings attached to the rotor shaft in an alternator that periodically changes the direction of current flow.

Slip stream: a racing technique in which one vehicle tucks in closely behind another (catches a tow). The total aerodynamic drag acting on the two vehicles is actually less than the drag that acts on each vehicle when they are separated by greater lengths; this allows both vehicles to gain straightaway speed. The lead vehicle cuts into the air acting as a wind break for the following vehicle, and the closeness of the second vehicle reduces the turbulence normally generated at the rear of the first vehicle. Also called drafting.

Slipper piston: a piston with the lower edge cut away so that the piston skirt is short on the two sides not used as thrust surfaces. Such a design lightens the piston making it easier to accelerate and decelerate, wastes less power, and is easier on the bearings. Cutting away the skirt also allows the connecting rod to be made shorter but leaves enough room between the counterweights and the pistons so the overall height of the engine can be reduced.

Slow leak: A tire which loses its air pressure over a period of time. It is usually caused by a small puncture, a leaking tire valve, or a tire that is not properly seated on the rim.

Sludge: A thick, black, mushy, greasy deposit found throughout the interior of the engine. Caused from a mixture of dust, oil, gasoline, water, and blowby being whipped together by the moving parts. Some engines oils have detergent to break down sludge. A composition of oxidized petroleum products along with an emulsion of oil and water, forming a pasty substance that clogs oil lines and passages and interferes with engine lubrication. Sludge is formed in engines with neglected oil changes.

Slush box: A derogatory colloquial term for an automatic transmission used by those who prefer a manual transmission.

Slushbox: A derogatory colloquial term for an automatic transmission used by those who prefer a manual transmission.

SMMT: Acronym for "Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders" on http://www.smmt.co.uk/index.asp.

Smog: Fog made darker and heavier by chemical fumes and smoke. A fog-like layer, often brown in color, that hangs over many areas under certain atmospheric conditions. Smog, a contraction of the words smoke and fog, is compounded from smoke, moisture and numerous chemicals produced by combustion (from power plants, automotive engines, etc.) and from natural and industrial processes. Formation of smog is aided by the presence of sunlight which reacts with many chemicals and combustion products such as hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen to form other more noxious compounds.

SMPI: Acronym for "sequential multi-point electronic fuel injection."

Snap ring: A split ring or clip that is snapped into a groove in a shaft or in a groove in a hole. It is used to hold bearings, thrust washers, gears, etc., in place. An internal snap ring is used in a groove in a housing; an external snap ring fits in a groove cut on the outside of a cylindrical piece such as a shaft.

Snicking: !!!.

Snipe: A long extension applied to the handle of a wrench in order to increase the leverage in removing a stubborn bolt or nut.

Snowbird: !!!.

Soapstone: Lubricant used to prevent sticking between tire and tube.

Society of Automotive Engineers: (SAE) See SAE.

Socket: A hollow part or piece adapted or contrived to receive and hold something. As a tool, it is usually barrel-shaped. See ball joint, cigar lighter, socket wrench, and spark plug socket.

Sock filter: !!!.

Socket wrench: A socket wrench is made up of a ratchet and a variety of sockets. The ratchet end fits into the sockets. The end is usually one of three common sizes: 0.25" (6.35 mm), 0.375" (9.5 mm), and 0.5" (13 mm). The socket (a cylinder) completely covers all the corners of the head of a bolt or nut. Some sockets have six faces while others have twelve.

Sodium cooled valve: See sodium-cooled valve.

Sodium-cooled valve: An exhaust valve with a hollow stem that is partially filled with metallic sodium. When the valve gets hot enough (138°C), the sodium melts and moves up and down in the valve stem. The sodium absorbs heat from the hot valve head and carries it away to the outer part of the stem and then into the valve guide in the cylinder head and next to the cylinder head itself. This circulation cools the valve head and thus the valve is allowed to run at a lower temperature.

SOHC: Refers to an engine with a single overhead camshaft to operate both intake and exhaust valves. See overhead camshaft and engine type.

Solder: A compound of two or more metals (such as lead and tin) which have a relatively low melting point. With the application of heat, it is used to join wires or two pieces of metal together. Also see braze, flux, silver solder, sweating, and tinning.

Soldering: Joining two pieces of metal together with a lead-tin mixture. Both pieces of metal must be heated to insure proper adhesion of the melted solder. Also see silver solder.

Solenoid: An electrically operated magnetic device used to operate some unit. A movable iron core is placed inside a coil of wire which moves because of magnetic attraction when electric current is fed to the coil. When current flows through the coil, the core will attempt to center itself in the coil. In so doing, the core will exert considerable force on anything it is connected to. Also see clutch solenoid, idle stop solenoid, and starter solenoid.

Solid: Anything which does not have a tendency to flow (such as vapor or fluid). See solids.

Solids: 1. The ingredients ( pigments and binders) of the paint that remain on the surface after the solvents evaporate. 2. Industrial tires made without an air chamber.

Solo seat: !!!.

Solvent: A fluid that dilutes, liquefies or dilutes another liquid or solid. Solvents include thinners, reducers and cleaners. Examples: Alcohol thins shellac; gasoline dissolves grease.

Sone: A measurement of the noise level of a fan. The lower the sone rating, the lower the noise level.

Souped up: A vehicle is souped up when it is tuned to produce the maximum amount of power.

Souping: Hopping up or increasing engine performance through various modifications.

South pole: The magnetic pole in a magnet toward which the lines of force emanate; travel is from North to South pole.

Space frame: A type of frame construction which has high rigidity for its low weight. It is used with some racing and low production cars. It is made up of several lengths of tubing welded into a strong, light web-like structure to which the engine, suspension, and other components are attached.

Spacer: 1. A component which moves two items further apart. Sometimes it is just a washer and at others it is a metal or plastic cylinder or a block of rubber or plastic. 2. A band on demountable rims which fits between two rims in dual mounting to provide clearance between the duals. 3. An obsolete circular metal plate having a bolt hole circle and center bore and fitting between the faces of disc wheels to provide additional dual clearance.

Space saving tire: A spare tire which is smaller than normal and has limited use only when a flat tire occurs.

Spanner: Although a British term for a wrench, it is also used for many bicycle tools in the U.S.A. and Canada. Also see pin spanner, C-spanner, and chainring nut spanner.

Spare tire: An extra wheel and tire assembly which is stored in the vehicle in the event of a flat tire. See space saving tire.

Spark: The bridging or jumping of a gap between two electrodes by a current of electricity. One of the essential factors in a combustion engine (Fuel, Air, Proper proportion of mixture, compression, timing, Spark). Also see jump spark.

Spark advance: Causing the spark plug to fire earlier by altering the position of the distributor breaker points in relation to the distributor shaft. Also see advance.

Spark arrester: A device which hinders flames from exiting the exhaust pipe.

Spark gap: The space between the center and side electrode tips on a spark plug. Also see gap.

Spark knock: See preignition.

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