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Car Workshop Jargon | How Does It Work? Pt 2

Car workshop jargon is likely to throw up words that many of us aren’t that familiar with or certainly wouldn’t use in every day conversation – track rod ends, manifolds, flywheels – but McAfee Cars Ballymena want to help you to understand what happens to your car when it goes into the workshop. Car mechanics can be complex but here we’ve put together a guide to help you with the basics and most common terms used in car workshop jargon. You can also read our previous article here which covers other areas including filters, suspension & belts.

Brakes – goes without saying that’s it’s crucial to have these checked and maintained regularly

  • Brake pipes – carry the brake fluid to the braking components at the four wheels.
  • Brake pads – friction material which presses against the brake discs or drums to slow the vehicle down.
  • Brake disc – a metal disc attached to the wheel hub which works along with the brake pads to slow the car down.
  • Brake calliper – the piston which presses the brake pads and discs together.

Track rod ends – these are fitted to the end of the steering rack. They connect to the wheel hubs and make them turn with the steering.

Spark plugs – engines operate by mixing fuel and air together and then compressing them in a cylinder where this mixture is then ignited by a spark plug.

Car workshop jargon
Spark plug

EGR valve – ‘Exhaust Gas Recirculation’ is designed to help control pollution by recycling some of the fumes produced by the engine. The valve redirects a small portion of the fumes from the exhaust back into the engine and uses them in a complex system that controls the temperature that fuel combustion takes place at, therefore improving fuel economy.   

DPF – Diesel Particulate Filter. This filter is fitted to the exhaust pipe of diesel cars and helps to reduce the impact that they are having on the environment by trapping soot that is produced by the engine.

Turbo – Gases passing through the exhaust, drive a system of fans that suck and compress more air into the engine. Engines work by burning fuel and air, so more air means increased performance.

We hope this has helped to give you an insight into car workshop jargon. You can also watch a couple of very useful videos about how to top up your window washer fluid here and how to check your car tyres’ air pressure here. If you have any other questions regarding your car please get in touch with us and we’ll do our best to answer them.

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Car Workshop Jargon – How Does It Work?

Car workshop jargon – How does it work? If you drive then this article should be useful to help you understand your car and ‘how it all works’ just that little bit better. Many motorists have a very limited knowledge of car mechanics but just a little bit of knowledge and an understanding of how the different parts work could help your driving experience and help you look out for potential problems. Here at McAfee Cars Ballymena we’re going to guide you through some familiar car parts and what their job is.

Some common terms used in car workshop jargon:

Filters – Most vehicles will have 3 different types of filters fitted to them.

  • Air filter – this filters the air coming into the engine and so prevents dirt and debris getting into the engine and causing problems.
  • Fuel filter – over time some debris can build up in the fuel tank. The fuel filter is fitted so it stops these particles from getting into the engine.
  • Pollen filter – this one helps you have a much more pleasant trip as it helps remove pollen and dust from entering the cabin of the vehicle.

Suspension – all of the suspension parts work together to give you a much more pleasant and smooth drive while also protecting the vehicle.

  • Springs – large metal springs which take the shock and roughness out of driving surfaces.
  • Shock absorbers and struts – these work together to dampen vibrations by slowing down the rebound of the springs, making it a smoother journey especially on rougher roads.
  • Suspension bushes – these connect the body of the car to the suspension arms which again minimize noise and vibration through the vehicle.

Gearbox – the gearbox transmits power from the engine to the wheels.

Clutch –  the link between the engine and gearbox. When the clutch pedal is depressed it stops the drive between the engine and the gearbox, allowing you to change gear.

Belts –

  • Timing belt – keeps all the components of the engine running together at the correct pace and is essential to the smooth running of the engine.
  • Fan belt (alternator belt) – fan belts are flexible rubber belts that are used to power components such as the air conditioner compressor, power steering pumps and water pumps. For example the fan belt connects the engine cooling fan to the alternator and crankshaft pulley.
  • Water pump and coolant – driven by the fan belt, the water pump circulates the coolant around the engine and radiator to keep the engine cool.

We hope this helps you to understand better some of the terms used in car workshop jargon. There are some jobs you can do yourself like checking your vehicle’s oil. You can watch a short instructional video here if you’re not sure how. If you have any queries about your vehicle, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at McAfee Cars, Railway St, Ballymena. We’ll do our best to help.