AMSOIL has expanded the boundaries of lubrication science and redefined the performance possibilities of engines, equipment and machinery in automotive, commercial and industrial applications since 1972.
MAX Life Cycle Products @ Oil-Changes-Your-Way.com
Independent "Lifetime" AMSOIL Dealer since 1982
(816) 722-9630 in Saint Joseph, MO.
Glossary of Vehicle Maintenance Acronyms and Common Terms Glossary of Vehicle Maintenance Acronyms and Common Terms
   

Acronyms for Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance Acronyms for Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance

ACEAAssociation of European Automotive Manufacturers
AGMAAmerican Gear Manufacturers' Association
APIAmerican Petroleum Institute
ASLEAmerican Society of Lubrication Engineers
ASMEAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers
ASTMAmerican Society for Testing and Materials


BPTBorderline Pumping Temperature
BTUBritish Thermal Unit


CARBCalifornia Air Resources Board
CCSCold Crank Simulator
CECConseil Européen de Coordination pour les
CMAChemical Manufacturers Association
cPCentiPoise
cStCentiStoke
COCCleveland Open Cup


DINDeutsche Industrie Norm


EGRExhaust Gas Recirculation
EHD or EHL  Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication
EMAEngine Manufacturers Association
EPExtreme Pressure


ILMAIndependent Lubricant Manufacturers Association
ILSACInternational Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee
ISOInternational Organization for Standardization


JAMAJapanese Automobile Manufacturers Association Inc.
JASOJapan Automobile Standards Organization


MSDSMaterial Safety Data Sheet


NLGINational Lubricating Grease Institute
NMMANational Marine Manufacturers Association


PAOPolyalphaolefin


SAESociety of Automotive Engineers
STLESociety of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers
SUSSaybolt Universal Seconds
SSUSaybolt Universal Seconds


TANTotal Acid Number
TBNTotal Base Number


VIViscosity Index
VIIViscosity Index Improve


ZDPZinc Dithiophosphate

 

Common Terms for Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance Common Terms for Vehicle and Equipment Maintenance

Alphabetical Index

 A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  R  S  T  V  W  Z


A 
AbrasionMaintenance Common Ter<cite></cite>m - Abrasion The wearing, grinding, or rubbing away by friction. Abrasion is usually due to the presence of foreign matter such as dirt, grit or metallic particles in the lubricant.
Absolute ViscosityMaintenance Common Term - Absolute Viscosity The product of Kinematic Viscosity and Density. Absolute Viscosity (n) = Kinematic Viscosity (y) x Density (p).
AcidMaintenance Common Term - Acid Corrosive solution formed by the combination of hydrogen and oxygen atoms with metal or metallic radicals. Acidic solutions may be neutralized with a base or alkaline solution.
Acid NumberMaintenance Common Term - Acid Number A measure of the amount of KOH needed to neutralize all or part of the acidity of a lubricant.
AdditiveMaintenance Common Term - Additive Material added to a base stock to change it's properties, characteristics or performance.
AdhesionMaintenance Common Term - Adhesion The property of a lubricant that causes it to cling or adhere to a solid surface. Wear occurring when surfaces contact, weld together and shear off.
Air EntrainmentMaintenance Common Term - Air Entrainment The incorporation of air in the form of bubbles dispersed in a fluid. Common when an improper amount of antifoam agent is added to reduce foaming.
Ambient TemperatureMaintenance Common Term - Ambient Temperature Temperature of the air surrounding the point of application.
AnhydrousMaintenance Common Term - Anhydrous Free of water.
AntifoamMaintenance Common Term - Antifoam Additive used to suppress the foaming tendency of lubricants in service. Improper amounts of antifoam will lead to air entrainment, which also leads to lubrication problems.
AntifreezeMaintenance Common Term - Antifreeze Solution in an engine cooling system that lowers the coolant's freezing point and raises its boiling point.
Antioxidant
Oxidation Inhibitor
Maintenance Common Term - Antioxidant An additive that retards oxidation of lubricants.
AntiwearMaintenance Common Term - Antiwear Additives that form thin tenacious films on loaded parts to prevent metal-to-metal contact.
Apparent ViscosityMaintenance Common Term - Apparent Viscosity A measure of the viscosity of a non-Newtonian fluid under specified temperature & shear. Viscosity is expressed in units of centipoise (cP).
AshMaintenance Common Term - Ash Metallic deposits formed in the combustion chamber and other engine parts during high temperature operation.
Ash - SulfatedMaintenance Common Term - Ash - Sulfated The ash content of an oil, determined by charring the oil, treating the residue with sulfuric acid, and evaporating to dryness. Expressed as % per mass.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
B 
Ball Bearing~ Maintenance Common Term - Ball Bearing ~ A class of bearing in which the moving surface is separated from the stationary surface by elements in the form of balls.
Bases~ Maintenance Common Term - Bases ~ Compounds that react with acids to form salts plus water. Alkalis are water-soluble bases used in petroleum refining to remove acidic impurities. Oil soluble bases are included in lubricating oil additives to neutralize acids formed during the combustion of fuel or oxidation of the lubricant.
Base Stock~ Maintenance Common Term - Base Stock ~ The base fluid, usually a refined petroleum fraction or a selected synthetic material, into which additives are blended to produce finished lubricants.
Base Number~ Maintenance Common Term - Base Number ~ The amount of acid needed to neutralize all or part of a lubricant's basicity.
Bearing~ Maintenance Common Term - Bearing ~ An object that supports weight and reduces friction by allowing a surface to rotate or slide when under load.
Biodegradable~ Maintenance Common Term - Biodegradable ~ Ability of a material can be broken down, within given parameters of time and environment, by naturally occurring bacteria into simple substances, which do not harm the environment.
Bleeding~ Maintenance Common Term - Bleeding ~ Separation of liquid lubricant from a grease.
Blow-by~ Maintenance Common Term - Blow-by ~ Passage of unburned fuel and combustion gases past the piston rings of internal combustion engines, resulting in fuel dilution and contamination of the crankcase oil.
Boundary Lubrication~ Maintenance Common Term - Boundary Lubrication ~ Lubrication between two rubbing surfaces without the development of a full fluid lubricating film. It occurs under high loads and requires the use of antiwear or extreme-pressure additives to prevent metal-to metal contact.
Brinelling~ Maintenance Common Term - Brinelling ~ Denting caused by impact of one bearing component against another while stationary.
By-Pass Filtration~ Maintenance Common Term - By-Pass Filtration ~ A system of filtration in which only a portion of the total flow of a circulating fluid system passes through a filter at any instant or in which a filter having it's own circulating pump operates in parallel to the main flow.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
C 
Carbon Residue~ Maintenance Common Term - Carbon Residue ~ Coked material remaining after an oil has been subjected to high temperatures.
Cavitation~ Maintenance Common Term - Cavitation ~ The formation and collapse of vapor bubbles within a liquid.
Centipoise (cP)~ Maintenance Common Term - Centipoise - cP ~ Unit of measure for apparent viscosity.
Centistoke (cSt)~ Maintenance Common Term - Centistoke - cSt ~ Unit of measure for Kinematic Viscosity.
Cetane Index~ Maintenance Common Term - Cetane Index ` A value calculated from the physical properties of a diesel fuel to predict its Cetane Number.
Cetane Number~ Maintenance Common Term - Cetane Number ~ Measure of ignition quality of a diesel fuel. The higher the Cetane Number, the easier a high-speed, direct injection engine will start, and the less "white smoking" and "diesel knock" after start up.
Cetane Number Improver~ Maintenance Common Term - Cetane Number Improver ~ An additive that boosts the Cetane Number of a fuel while improving combustion efficiency and increasing power in a diesel engine.
Channel Point~ Maintenance Common Term - Channel Point ~ See pour point. As you reduce the temperature of an oil toward the pour point, you reach a point where you can run your finger through an oil and it will not fill in the trench you leave behind. Example: the gearing in the rear end of a car. Although the gears might move, the gear oil will not flow back into the gear to lubricate it readily.
Chemical Stability~ Maintenance Common Term - Chemical Stability ~ The tendency of a substance or mixture to resist chemical change.
Cleveland Open Cup C.O.C.~ Maintenance Common Term - Cleveland Open Cup - C.O.C. ~ An apparatus used to determine the flash and fire points of petroleum products other than fuel oils and those having an open cup flash below 79°C/175°F.
Cloud Point~ Maintenance Common Term - Cloud Point ~ The temperature at which a cloud of wax crystals appears when a lubricant or distillate fuel is cooled under standard conditions. Indicates the tendency of the material to plug filters or small orifices under cold weather conditions.
Coefficient of
Friction
~ Maintenance Common Term - Coefficient of Friction ~ Number obtained by dividing the frictional force resisting motion between two bodies (F) by the normal force pressing the bodies together (L). m = F ? L
Cohesion~ Maintenance Common Term - Cohesion ~ That property of a substance that causes it to resist being pulled apart by mechanical means.
Cold Cranking Simulator C.C.S.~ Maintenance Common Term - Cold Cranking Simulator - C.C.S. ~ An intermediate shear rate viscometer that predicts the ability of an oil to permit a satisfactory cranking speed to be developed in a cold engine.
Combustion Chamber~ Maintenance Common Term - Combustion Chamber ~ The space between the piston and cylinder head in an internal combustion engine where the charge of fuel plus air is burned to produce power.
Compatibility~ Maintenance Common Term - Compatibility ~ A lubricant's ability to be mixed with another lubricant without detriment to either lubricant. Also, the ability to come into contact with other components or materials without detrimental effects.
Compound~ Maintenance Common Term - Compound ~ Substance formed by the combination of two or more elements with differing physical and chemical properties than the combining elements.
Compression Ignition~ Maintenance Common Term - Compression Ignition ~ Ignition of fuel by the heat generated in compressing the air charge, as in the diesel engine.
Compression Ratio~ Maintenance Common Term - Compression Ratio ~ The ratio of the volume of combustion space at the bottom dead center to that at top dead center, in an internal combustion engine.
Consistency~ Maintenance Common Term - Consistency ~ The degree to which a semi-solid material such as grease resists deformation.
Contaminant~ Maintenance Common Term - Contaminant ~ Any material that is unwanted or adversely affects the fluid power system and/or its components.
Coolant~ Maintenance Common Term - Coolant ~ Fluid used to remove heat. Commonly found in an engine's cooling system.
Copper Strip
Corrosion
~ Maintenance Common Term - Copper Strip Corrosion ~ Qualitative measure of the tendency of a liquid to corrode pure copper.
Corrosion~ Maintenance Common Term - Corrosion ~ Destruction of a metal by chemical or electo-chemical reaction with its environment.
Corrosion Inhibitor~ Maintenance Common Term - Corrosion Inhibitor ~ Additive that protects lubricated metal surfaces from chemical attack by water or other contaminates.
Cracking~ Maintenance Common Term - Cracking ~ Refining process in which large molecules are broken down into smaller molecules. Cracking takes place to some extent whenever high molecular material is heated strongly, but can be increased by catalysts.
Crankcase~ Maintenance Common Term - Crankcase ~ The housing in which the crankshaft and many other parts of the engine operate. On a two-cycle engine, the area in which the fuel/oil mixture is drawn before being transferred to the cylinder.
Crankcase Dilution~ Maintenance Common Term - Crankcase Dilution ~ When unburned fuel finds it's way past the piston rings into the crankcase oil, where it dilutes or thins out the engine lubricating oil.
Crude Oil~ Maintenance Common Term - Crude Oil ~ Naturally occurring petroleum, before any refining or treatment.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
D 
Demulsibility~ Maintenance Common Term - Demulsibility ~ The measure of a fluid's ability to separate from water.
Density~ Maintenance Common Term - Density ~ Mass per unit of volume.
Detergent~ Maintenance Common Term - Detergent ~ Additive to keep engine parts clean. In motor oil formulations, the most commonly used detergents are metallic soaps with a reserve of basicity to neutralize acids formed during combustion.
Detonation~ Maintenance Common Term - Detonation ~ Uncontrolled burning of the last portion (end gas) of the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder of a spark-ignition engine. Also known as "knock" or "ping".
Differential~ Maintenance Common Term - Differential ~ Set of gears that transfers the power from the drive shaft to the drive wheels and allows those wheels to turn at different speeds.
Dispersant~ Maintenance Common Term - Dispersant ~ Additive that helps keep solid contaminants in crankcase oil in colloidal suspension, preventing sludge and varnish deposits on engine parts. Usually nonmetallic ("ashless"), and used in conjunction with detergents.
Distillation~ Maintenance Common Term - Distillation ~ Separation of a mixture of liquids with different boiling points by progressively raising the temperature. In a refinery distillation unit the temperature rises continuously from the top to the bottom of the column and different fractions or cuts are drawn off at different heights.
Distillation Test~ Maintenance Common Term - Distillation Test ~ The basic test used to characterize the volatility of a gasoline or distillate fuel.
Drag~ Maintenance Common Term - Drag ~ Resistance to movement caused by oil viscosity.
Dropping Point~ Maintenance Common Term - Dropping Point ~ Temperature at which a grease passes from a semi-solid to a liquid state under specified test conditions.
Drum~ Maintenance Common Term - Drum ~ A cylindrical container that holds 55 gallons of oil or approximately 400 pounds of grease type products. There are also half-size drums that hold approximately 30 gallons of oil.
Dynamic Viscosity~ Maintenance Common Term - Dynamic Viscosity ~ Viscosity of a liquid as measured in a rotational instrument, as distinct from the kinematic viscosity where the liquid falls through a capillary tube under its own weight.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
E 
E.G.R. Valve
Exhaust Gas
Recirculation
~ Maintenance Common Term - E.G.R. (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) Valve ~ System to reduce automotive emission of nitrogen oxides (Nox). It routes exhaust gases into the intake manifold where they dilute the air/fuel mixture and reduce peak combustion temperatures, thereby reducing the tendency for Nox to form.
Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication
EHD or EHL
~ Maintenance Common Term - Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication (EHD or EHL) ~ Lubrication characterized by high unit loads and high speeds in rolling elements where the mating parts deform elastically due to the incompressibility of the lubricant film under very high pressure.
Elastomer~ Maintenance Common Term - Elastomer ~ A rubbery type of material.
Emissions~ Maintenance Common Term - Emissions ~ Term used generically to refer to the various components of the engine's exhaust.
Emulsifier~ Maintenance Common Term - Emulsifier ~ Substance used to promote or aid the formation of a stable mixture, or emulsion of oil & water.
Emulsion~ Maintenance Common Term - Emulsion ~ Mixture of two liquids, which are not soluble with each other, such as oil and water.
Engine Deposits~ Maintenance Common Term - Engine Deposits ~ Hard or persistent accumulation of sludge, varnish and carbonaceous residues due to blow-by of unburned and partially burned fuel, or the partial breakdown of the crankcase lubricant. Water from the condensation of combustion products, glycol, carbon, residues from fuel or lubricating oil additives, dust and metal particles also contribute.
EP
Extreme Pressure
~ Maintenance Common Term - EP (Extreme Pressure) ~ Lubrication regime where surfaces are sliding against each other under heavy load. The expression was coined for the condition present in hypoid gears in automotive rear axles.
EP Lubricants~ Maintenance Common Term - EP Lubricants ~ Lubricants that impart to rubbing surfaces the ability of carrying greater loads than would be possible with ordinary lubricants without excessive wear or damage.
Erosion~ Maintenance Common Term - Erosion ~ The wearing away of a surface by an impinging fluid or solid.
Ester~ Maintenance Common Term - Ester ~ An organic compound formed by the reaction of an acid (organic or inorganic) with an alcohol.
Ethanol~ Maintenance Common Term - Ethanol ~ Ethyl alcohol mainly formed through fermentation. (alcoholic drinks, component in ?gasohol?)
Ethylene Glycol~ Maintenance Common Term - Ethylene Glycol ~ A colorless, syrupy liquid, used as an antifreeze in cooling and heating systems.
Evaporation Loss~ Maintenance Common Term - Evaporation Loss ~ The loss of a portion of a lubricant due to volatization.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
F 
Fillers~ Maintenance Common Term - Fillers ~ A term normally used to denote something non-chemical added to an oil or grease, i.e., moly, graphite, zinc oxide.
Film Strength~ Maintenance Common Term - Film Strength ~ The ability of a lubricant film to withstand the effects of speed, temperature and load without breaking down.
Filter~ Maintenance Common Term - Filter ~ Any device or porous substance used for cleaning and removing suspended matter from a gas or fluid.
Fire Point~ Maintenance Common Term - Fire Point ~ The temperature where a lubricant, when subjected to a source of ignition or flame, ignites & continues to burn.
Fire Resistant Fluid~ Maintenance Common Term - Fire Resistant Fluid ~ A fluid, difficult to ignite, that shows little tendency to propagate flame.
Flash Point~ Maintenance Common Term - Flash Point ~ The temperature to which a combustible liquid must be heated to give off substantial vapor to form a momentarily flammable mixture with air when a small flame is applied under specific conditions.
Fluid~ Maintenance Common Term - Fluid ~ Liquid, gas or combination thereof.
Fluid Friction~ Maintenance Common Term - Fluid Friction ~ Occurs between the molecules of a gas or liquid in motion, and is expressed as shear stress. Unlike solid friction, fluid friction varies with speed and area.
Fluid Power~ Maintenance Common Term - Fluid Power ~ Energy transmitted and controlled through use of a pressurized fluid within an enclosed circuit.
Foam~ Maintenance Common Term - Foam ~ An agglomeration of gas bubbles separated from each other by a thin liquid film. If an oil is said to not foam, the small air bubbles will quickly combine, become larger bubbles, and then break to vent to the atmosphere. If this action occurs slowly, the oil is said to foam.
Four Ball Test~ Maintenance Common Term - Four Ball Test ~ Machine used to evaluate a lubricant's antiwear qualities, frictional characteristics, or load carrying capabilities. There are four steel ½-inch balls. Three of the balls are clamped together in a cup filled with lubricant while the fourth ball is rotated against them. Two test procedures are based on this same principle - the Four Ball EP Test (ASTM D-2596) and Four Ball Wear Test (ASTM D-4172).
Four Stroke Engine~ Maintenance Common Term - Four Stroke Engine ~ An internal combustion engine that requires two revolutions of the crankshaft to complete all four cycles.
Fretting~ Maintenance Common Term - Fretting ~ Wear resulting from small amplitude motion between two surfaces; may produce red or black oxide.
Friction~ Maintenance Common Term - Friction ~ Resistance to motion of one object over another. Friction depends on the smoothness of the contacting surfaces, as well as the force with which they are pressed together.
Fuel Dilution~ Maintenance Common Term - Fuel Dilution ~ The amount of unburned fuel present in the lubricant. This test will indicate problems such as fuel line, injector, carburetor and pump leaks. Fuel dilution is accurate down to less than 0.5%.
Full Film Lubrication~ Maintenance Common Term - Full Film Lubrication ~ Complete separation of mated surfaces. No metal-to-metal contact.
Full-Flow Filtration~ Maintenance Common Term - Full-Flow Filtration ~ A system of filtration in which the total flow of a circulating fluid system passes through a filter prior to component delivery.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
G 
Gears~ Maintenance Common Term - Gears ~ Toothed machine parts for transmitting power from one shaft to another.
Gravity~ Maintenance Common Term - Gravity ~ The mass/volume relationship of lubricants used in determining volume requirements for specific mass of products (packaging).
Grease~ Maintenance Common Term - Grease ~ Lubricant composed of an oil or oils thickened with a soap, soaps or other thickener to a semi-solid consistency.
Gum~ Maintenance Common Term - Gum ~ A rubber like, sticky deposit black or dark brown in color resulting from the oxidation of lubricating oils from unstable constituents in gasoline, which deposit during storage or use.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
H 
High Temperature
High Shear
Rate Viscosity
HTHS
~ Maintenance Common Term - HTHS - High Temperature High Shear Rate Viscosity ~ A measure of a fluids resistance to flow under conditions resembling highly-loaded journal bearings in fired internal combustion engines, typically 1 million s-1 at 150oC.
Horsepower~ Maintenance Common Term - Horsepower ~ A measurement of an engine's power, equal to 550 foot pounds of torque per second.
Hydrocarbons~ Maintenance Common Term - Hydrocarbons ~ Compounds of hydrogen & carbon of which petroleum products are typical examples. Also known as organic compounds.
Hydrodynamic Lubrication~ Maintenance Common Term - Hydrodynamic Lubrication ~ The formation of a continuous lubricating fluid film between mating surfaces of sufficient pressure to prevent contact
Hydro Finishing~ Maintenance Common Term - Hydro Finishing ~ A process for treating raw extracted base stocks with hydrogen to saturate them for improved stability.
Hydrolytic Stability~ Maintenance Common Term - Hydrolytic Stability ~ Ability of additives and certain synthetic lubricants to resist chemical decomposition (hydrolysis) in the presence of water.
Hypoid Gear Lubricant~ Maintenance Common Term - Hypoid Gear Lubricant ~ A gear lubricant having extreme pressure characteristics for use in hypoid type gears (as in the differential of an automobile).
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
I 
Incompatibility~ Maintenance Common Term - Incompatibility ~ When a mixture of two or more substances shows physical properties or service performance characteristics, which are inherently inferior to those of either of the individual products before mixing.
Inhibitor~ Maintenance Common Term - Inhibitor ~ Additive that improves the performance of a petroleum product by controlling undesirable chemical reactions, i.e., oxidation inhibitor, rust inhibitor, etc.
Insolubles~ Maintenance Common Term - Insolubles ~ Contaminates found in used oils due to dust, dirt, wear particles or oxidation products.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
J 
Journal~ Maintenance Common Term - Journal ~ Part of shaft or axle that rotates or angularly oscillates in or against a bearing or about which a bearing rotates or angularly oscillates.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
K 
Keg~ Maintenance Common Term - Keg ~ Container which would typically hold 16 gallons of oil or approximately 120 pounds of a grease-type product. Also called a "quarter drum".
Kinematic Viscosity~ Maintenance Common Term - Kinematic Viscosity ~ Measure of a fluid's resistance to flow under gravity at a specific temperature (usually 40°C or 100°C).
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
L 
Laminar Flow~ Maintenance Common Term - Laminar Flow ~ Rigid conventional petroleum lubricant motor oil molecules move heat along hot surfaces. The surface of the oil film gets overburdened with heat while the core of the oil stream gets a free ride. ~ It's called Laminar Flow ~, it is not an efficient system, and it keeps engine surfaces HOTTER...
Lubrication~ Maintenance Common Term - Lubrication ~ Control of friction and wear by the introduction of a friction reducing film between moving surfaces in contact. May be a fluid, solid or plastic substance.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
M 
Material Safety Data Sheet  MSDS ~ Maintenance Common Term - MSDS - Material Safety Data Sheet ~ Vital information regarding the safe handling and storage of a product.
Micron~ Maintenance Common Term - Micron ~ A millionth of a meter, or 0.0000394 inch.
Mineral Oil~ Maintenance Common Term - Mineral Oil ~ Term applied to a wide range of products that is typically used when referring to petroleum-based lubricants.
Mini Rotary Viscometer~ Maintenance Common Term - Mini Rotary Viscometer ~ An instrument used to measure the borderline pumping temperature (BPT) of engine oils from 0°C to -40°C. BPT is the lowest temperature at which engine oil can be supplied in adequate amounts to the oil pump inlet.
Multi-Viscosity
Multi Grade Oil
~ Maintenance Common Term - Multi-viscosity/Multi Grade Oil ~ Engine or gear oil that meets the requirements of more than one SAE viscosity grade classification, and that can be used over a wider temperature range than a single grade oil.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
N 
Naphthenic~ Maintenance Common Term - Naphthenic ~ A type of petroleum fluid derived from naphthenic crude oil, containing a high proportion of closed-ring methylene groups.
Neutralization Number~ Maintenance Common Term - Neutralization Number ~ A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of an oil.
Newtonian Flow~ Maintenance Common Term - Newtonian Flow ~ Occurs in a liquid system where the rate of shear is directly proportional to the shearing force, as with straight grade oils which do not contain polymeric viscosity modifier. When rate of shear is not directly proportional to the shearing force, flow is non-Newtonian, as it is with oils containing viscosity modifiers.
Nitration~ Maintenance Common Term - Nitration ~ Process where nitrogen oxides attack petroleum fluids at high temperatures, often resulting in viscosity increase and deposit formation. Nitration only occurs in applications where fuel is used.
NLGI~ Maintenance Common Term - NLGI ~ National Lubricating Grease Institute, an industry group that monitors grease and sets penetration standards for grading greases.
NLGI Number~ Maintenance Common Term - NLGI Number ~ A scale for comparing the consistency (hardness) range of greases.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
O 
Octane Number~ Maintenance Common Term - Octane Number ~ A measure of a fuel's ability to prevent detonation in a spark-ignition engine.
Organic Acid~ Maintenance Common Term - Organic Acid ~ An organic compound, with acid properties, obtained from organic substances such as animal, vegetable and mineral oils, i.e., a fatty acid.
Oxidation~ Maintenance Common Term - Oxidation ~ Occurs when oxygen attacks fluids. The process is accelerated by heat, light, metal catalysts and the presence of water, acids, or solid contaminants. It leads to increased viscosity and deposit formation.
Oxidation Inhibitor~ Maintenance Common Term - Oxidation Inhibitor ~ Substance added in small quantities to an oil product to increase its oxidation resistance, thereby lengthening its service or storage life. Also called an antioxidant.
Oxidation Stability~ Maintenance Common Term - Oxidation Stability ~ Resistance of an oil product to oxidation and, therefore, a measure of it's potential service or storage life.
Oxygenated Fuels~ Maintenance Common Term - Oxygenated Fuels ~ Fuels for internal combustion engines that contain oxygen combined in the molecule, e.g., alcohols, ethers and esters. Term also applies to blends of gasoline with oxygenates, e.g., Gasohol, which contains 10% by volume of anhydrous ethanol in unleaded gasoline.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
P 
Paraffin~ Maintenance Common Term - Paraffin ~ Hydrocarbons belonging to the series starting with methane (CH4). Paraffins are saturated with respect to hydrogen. High molecular weight paraffins are solid such as paraffin wax.
Particle~ Maintenance Common Term - Particle ~ A minute piece of matter with observable length, width and thickness, usually measured in micrometers.
PCV Valve
Positive Crankcase
Ventilation
~ Maintenance Common Term - PCV Valve ~ An emissions control device that allows gases from the crankcase to be reintroduced into the intake.
Penetration~ Maintenance Common Term - Penetration ~ A test in which a cone is dropped into a grease sample to measure the penetration or how hard or soft the grease is at room temperatures. The cone penetrates farther in a soft grease and therefore has a higher penetration number. This penetration relates to an NLGI number. A number 0 grease is called an NLGI 0 grade and will be "softer" than an NLGI 1 or 2 grade.
pH~ Maintenance Common Term - pH ~ A measure of acidity or alkalinity. Values of pH run from 0-14; 7 indicating neutrality, numbers less than 7 indicate increasing acidity, and numbers greater than 7 indicate increasing alkalinity.
Pitting~ Maintenance Common Term - Pitting ~ Surface cavities, may be related to fatigue, overload or corrosion.
Pneumatics~ Maintenance Common Term - Pneumatics ~ Engineering science pertaining to gaseous pressure and flow.
Poise~ Maintenance Common Term - Poise ~ Unit of viscosity, defined by the shear stress required to move one layer of fluid along another over a total thickness of one centimeter at a velocity of one centimeter per second. This viscosity is independent of fluid density, and directly related to flow resistance.
Polishing
Bore
~ Maintenance Common Term - Polishing ~ Excessive smoothing of the surface finish of the cylinder bore or cylinder liner in an engine to a mirror-like appearance, resulting in depreciation of ring sealing and oil consumption performance.
Polymerization~ Maintenance Common Term - Polymerization ~ Chemical combination of similar type molecules to form larger molecules.
Pour Point~ Maintenance Common Term - Pour Point ~ An indicator of the ability of an oil or distillate fuel to flow at cool operating temperatures. It is the lowest temperature at which the fluid will flow when cooled under prescribed conditions.
Pour Point
Depressant
~ Maintenance Common Term - Pour Point Depressant ~ Additive used to lower the pour point or lower the temperature fluidity of a petroleum product.
Preignition~ Maintenance Common Term - Preignition ~ Ignition of the fuel/air mixture in a gasoline engine before the spark plug fires. Often caused by incandescent fuel or lubricant deposits in the combustion chamber, it wastes power and may damage the engine.
Propylene Glycol~ Maintenance Common Term - Propylene Glycol ~ A non-toxic liquid used as a coolant/antifreeze in cooling and heating systems.
Pumpability~ Maintenance Common Term - Pumpability ~ The low temperature, low shear stress-shear rate viscosity characteristics of an oil that permit satisfactory flow to and from the engine oil pump and subsequent lubrication of moving components.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
R 
Refining~ Maintenance Common Term - Refining ~ Series of processes to convert crude oil and its fractions into finished petroleum products, which may include thermal cracking, catalytic cracking, polymerization, alkylation, reforming, hydrocracking, hydrofoaming, hydrogenation, hydrogen treating, Hydrofining, solvent extraction, dewaxing, de-oiling, acid treating, clay filtration, deasphalting, etc.
Re-refining~ Maintenance Common Term - Re-refining ~ A process of reclaiming used lubricant oils and restoring them to a condition similar to that of virgin stocks by filtration, clay adsorption or more elaborate methods.
Ring Sticking~ Maintenance Common Term - Ring Sticking ~ Freezing of a piston ring in its groove in a piston engine or reciprocating compressor due to heavy deposits in the piston ring zone.
Rust~ Maintenance Common Term - Rust ~ Slow oxidation of iron.
Rust Preventative~ Maintenance Common Term - Rust Preventative ~ Compound for coating iron surfaces with a film that protects against rust. Commonly used to preserve equipment in storage.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
S 
SAE Grade~ Maintenance Common Term - SAE Grade ~ Numbers applied to automotive lubricants to indicate their viscosity range.
Saybolt
Saybolt Universal Seconds  SUS or SSU 
~ Maintenance Common Term - Saybolt ~ The most common viscosity measurement prior to the international acceptance of centistokes, SUS measurements are now obsolete. To convert measurements from SUS at 100°F to an approximate value in cSt at 40°C (ISO viscosity grade), divide the SUS value by 5.
Scoring~ Maintenance Common Term - Scoring ~ Scratches on mechanical parts in the direction of motion caused by abrasive contaminants.
Scuffing~ Maintenance Common Term - Scuffing ~ Abnormal engine wear due to localized welding and fracture. It can be prevented through the use of antiwear, extreme-pressure and friction modifier additives. See adhesion.
Semi Fluid~ Maintenance Common Term - Semi Fluid ~ Any substance having attributes of both a liquid and a solid. Similar to semi solid but being more closely related to a liquid than a solid.
Shearing~ Maintenance Common Term - Shearing ~ Relative slipping or sliding between one part of a substance and an adjacent part.
Shear Stability~ Maintenance Common Term - Shear Stability ~ Ability of a lubricant to withstand shearing forces without being degraded lower viscosity or consistency.
Sludge~ Maintenance Common Term - Sludge ~ A thick, dark residue, normally of mayonnaise consistency, that accumulates on nonmoving engine interior surfaces. Generally removable by wiping unless baked into a carbonaceous consistency, its formation is associated with insolubles overloading the lubricant.
Solid~ Maintenance Common Term - Solid ~ Any substance having definite shape that it does not readily relinquish. More generally, any substance in which the force required to produce a deformation depends upon the magnitude of the deformation rather than the rate of deformation.
Stoichiometric~ Maintenance Common Term - Stoichiometric ~ Ratio of fuel to air where the exact proportions for complete reaction of both, with none left over, are present.
Stoke St~ Maintenance Common Term - Stoke ~ Kinematic measurement of a fluid's resistance to flow defined by the ratio of the fluid's dynamic viscosity to density.
Supercharger~ Maintenance Common Term - Supercharger ~ A device for increasing the pressure and hence the mass of air and fuel burned on each firing stroke. Driven by the crankshaft; therefore, displacement is fixed and directly related to engine RPM's.
Surface Tension~ Maintenance Common Term - Surface Tension ~ The contractile surface force of a liquid by which it tends to assume a spherical form and to present the least possible surface. It is expressed in dyne/cm or ergs/cm.
Synthetic Lubricant~ Maintenance Common Term - Synthetic Lubricant ~ Fluid made by chemically reacting materials to produce a lube with a specific chemical composition, which has planned, and predictable properties.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
T 
Thermally Stable~ Maintenance Common Term - Thermally Stable ~ Ability to withstand temperatures without decomposing. Not to be confused with oxidation stability where oxygen must be present and oxidation rather than decomposition.
Thickener~ Maintenance Common Term - Thickener ~ The metallic soap or other material used to combine with oil or other lubricating fluid to make a grease.
Torque~ Maintenance Common Term - Torque ~ The twisting force with which the engine's crankshaft actually rotates, measured in foot-pounds.
Total Acid Number TAN~ Maintenance Common Term - TAN - Total Acid Number ~ The quantity of base, expressed in milligrams, that is required to neutralize all acidic constituents present in one gram of sample.
Total Base Number TBN~ Maintenance Common Term - TBN - Total Base Number ~ The quantity of acid, expressed in terms of the number of milligrams that is required to neutralize all basic constituents present in one-gram sample.
Total Solids~ Maintenance Common Term - Total Solids ~ The total amount of solids contamination, both suspended and non-suspended present in the lubricant. This test is indicative of carburetion problems (too rich or too lean), if the oil filter has reached the saturation point and is no longer able to remove contamination from the system, and if the air intake system is functioning properly and allowing enough air into the unit for complete burn to take place.
Tribology~ Maintenance Common Term - Tribology ~ Science of the interactions between surfaces moving relative to each other, including the study of lubrication, friction and wear.
Turbine~ Maintenance Common Term - Turbine ~ A device consisting of blades attached to a disc or rotor, which converts flow into rotary action.
Turbocharger~ Maintenance Common Term - Turbocharger ~ A device for increasing the pressure and hence the mass of air and fuel burned on each firing stroke. A turbine of exhaust gases drives a compressor; therefore, efficiency is variable and related to exhaust pressure.
Turbulent Flow~ Maintenance Common Term - Turbulent Flow ~ Synthetic Lubricants are better heat transfer agents than conventional petroleum lubricants are, so the components heat bill adds up to less. Flexible synthetic lubricant lubricant oil molecules allow heat to swirl away from the hot surfaces and into the core of the oil stream... • It's called Turbulent Flow • Synthetic lubricants are used exclusively in jet engines because of their extraordinary performance characteristics and ability to function dependably at severe temperature extremes.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
V 
Vapor Lock~ Maintenance Common Term - Vapor Lock ~ Condition wherein the fuel boils in the fuel system forming bubbles that retard or stop the flow of fuel to the engine.
Varnish~ Maintenance Common Term - Varnish ~ A thin, insoluble, non-wipeable film occurring on interior engine parts.
Viscosity~ Maintenance Common Term - Viscosity ~ Measure of a fluid's resistance to flow.
Viscosity Index V.I.~ Maintenance Common Term - Viscosity Index ~ Relationship of viscosity to temperature of a fluid. High viscosity index fluids tend to display less change in viscosity with temperature than low viscosity index fluids.
Viscosity Index Improver V.I.I.~ Maintenance Common Term - Viscosity Index Improver ~ Additive to "improve or increase the viscosity index". A VI improver increases an oil's resistance to thinning as it is heated. It is commonly used in multi-viscosity or multigrade oils. Since a VI improver increases the viscosity as well as the viscosity index, it must be taken into consideration when formulating oil. (Example: taking an oil in the SAE 30 range, adding a VI improver could give an oil like a SAE 40)
Viscosity Modifier~ Maintenance Common Term - Viscosity Modifier ~ See V.I.I. Additive, usually a high molecular weight polymer that reduces the tendency of an oil's viscosity to change with temperature.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
W 
Wear~ Maintenance Common Term - Wear ~ Damage resulting from the removal of materials from surfaces in relative motion.
BACK Back To Maintenance Common Terms Index to INDEX 
Z 
Zinc - ZDP~ Maintenance Common Term - Zinc ~ Commonly used name for zinc dithiophosphate, an antiwear/oxidation inhibitor chemical.

Vehicle MAX Life Cycle Products @ Oil-Changes-Your-Way.com

E-MAIL This Page To A Friend This Page to A Friend:

Vehicle MAX Life Cycle Products @ Oil-Changes-Your-Way.com

     END of Page Content 

DISCLAIMER:

Remarks on this web page have not been written deliberately to offend nor is it my intention to misinform. If you have any comments or remarks to make about this web page whether they are regarding mistakes, inaccuracies, bad links or anything else then Please E-MAIL Me.

   
= 5 Decades and Thousands of Miles Ahead of The Competition
Protection you demand. Performance you deserve.
Specialized Lubricants Engineered for What You Drive and How You Drive.®
Protection you demand. Performance you deserve.™
Thank You for Visiting My Website
AMSOIL Product User since 1975
Independent "Lifetime" AMSOIL Dealer since 1982Vehicle MAX Life Cycle Products @ Oil-Changes-Your-Way.com