Cars - http://maxpages.com/carsinhistory/B

bit adapter: A tool (like a screwdriver) with a hollow socket (instead of the blade) to accept a variety of bits

bite: [1] A vehicle's ability to adhere to the road (especially to a racing track). [2] The ability of a tool to secure itself to a fastener as in I want my wrench to get a good bite on that bolt.

bituminous paint: Black or dark colored tarry paint which contains bitumen. Used for the protection of exposed metal parts.

BL: Acronym for "British Leyland"

black and white checkered flag: A flag which is waved at the finishing line in races to indicate the winner.

black box: [1] A recording device which reveals conditions just prior to a crash. [2] A control unit

black chromium plating: An electroplating deposit of a black chromium layer for decorative purposes

blackening: See bulb blackening

black flag: A flag which is colored black and is waved at a race. It indicates that the driver must return to his pit for consultation. It means that the driver has violated a serious racing rule such as spilling fluid on the track or was speeding on the pit road.

Blackhawk: The 1925-1948 models are classic cars.

blackwall: Tires which do not have any white or red coloring. See whitewall and red line.

bladder: A hollow bag which can be inflated. In some instances, fuel tanks will become rusty inside. A possible cure is to install a bladder. This is done by flushing out the rust chips, applying an acid solution to remove any oil/gas residue, and coating the inside with a plastic compound. When done correctly, this plastic coating does not dissolve when it comes in contact with gasoline.

blade: [1] A straight narrow flat part like the end of a screwdriver or knife. [2] The part of a windshield wiper (blade rubber) which contacts the windshield. [3] One of the vanes of a rotor or impeller

blade connector: A plain metal tongue for forming electrical connections

bladed impeller: A rotating part of a centrifugal pump that has blades or vanes

blade rubber: The rubber strip that fits into the arm of a windshield wiper

blanking piece: A flat piece of metal which closes off a tube. Also called a "blanking plate"

blanking plate: A flat piece of metal which closes off a tube. Also called a "blanking piece"

blanking plug: A rubber stopper for filling in the holes of bodywork such as drain holes in the floorpan

blast cleaning: The removal of corrosion, dirt, paint, etc. by a blast of abrasive particles. Also see bead blasting and sand blasting

bleed: [1] To remove air bubbles from hydraulic lines and components of a system. Also see air bleed, air bleed screw, and compensating jet. [2] To reduce the air pressure in tires that have been run, warmed up, and thus increased from their starting pressure -- an action which should be avoided.

bleeder: The valve or screw used to vent the air out of a liquid-filled system. See brake bleeder and pressure bleeder.

bleeder screw: A screw used to release the air from a system like the brake system. Also see idle air bleed screw.

bleeder valve: The device which vents air from the brake system.

bleed screw: A screw used to release the air from a system like the brake system. Also see idle air bleed screw.

bleed valve: The device which vents air from the brake system.

bleeding: [1] A lower (older) color coming through a fresh coat of paint. [2] The action of venting air from a liquid-filled (hydraulic) system. [3] Reducing the air pressure in tires that have been run, warmed up, and thus increased from their starting pressure -- an action which should be avoided.

bleeding a system: Remove air bubbles from a brake system, a fuel injection system, or a cooling system so that they won't impede the flow of liquid through that system.

bleeding the brakes: This refers to the removal of air from the hydraulic system, bleeder screws are loosened at each wheel cylinder, (one at a time) and brake fluid is forced from the master cylinder through the lines until all air is expelled.

blem: An abbreviation for blemish.

blemish: A tire with a slight imperfection in appearance that will not affect tire life or safety. Also called a "blem."

blind rivet: A pop rivet

blind spot: An area not visible from the driver's seat. It is usually the area behind the rear quarter and not visible in the mirrors. When approaching another vehicle in a lane beside you, avoid being in its blind spot. Also do a shoulder check before switching lanes to check for vehicles in the blind spot

blister: [1] A bubble on a paint surface. [2] A localized bubble on the surface of a tire, normally caused by a separation between plies or between surface rubber and a ply.

blistering: The formation of bubbles on the paint surface.

BLM: Acronym for the "Bureau of Land Management."

BLMC: Acronym for "British Leyland Motor Corporation"

block: That part of the engine containing the cylinders. Also see cylinder block, EN-block, brake pad, block heater, die, monoblock, rubbing block, and sanding block.

block heater: A devices which, during very cold weather, keeps the engine warm when the vehicle is not being used -- thus making cold starts easier. The free end is plugged into 110 volt AC wall socket. It is especially important for starting diesel engines at very low temperatures.

blocking ring: See balk ring

block sanding: The process of using a wooden block wrapped in sandpaper to sand the material.

blood alcohol content: The amount of alcohol in the bloodstream as a result of drinking liquor

blood alcohol level: The amount of alcohol in the bloodstream as a result of drinking liquor

bloom: A surface film on rubber, caused by the migration to the surface of sulphur, wax, or other unreacted ingredients of the compound. It may be protective to the tire and detrimental only if appearance is a major factor.

blooming: A formation of an undesired thin surface film or a milky white haze or mist on paintwork. It is caused when paint is applied during humid, cold conditions as moisture is trapped in the wet film

blow: To become defective either by leaking or burning through

blow back: Because of a sticky valve or the intake valve closing late, some of the air-fuel mixture is blown back through the carburetor

blowby: The mixture of fuel-air which is lost past the piston rings and causes fumes that form acid and sludge in the crankcase and smoking from the oil filer hole. Generally there is a loss of engine power. Most are removed through the PCV system.

blow-by: The mixture of fuel-air which is lost past the piston rings and causes fumes that form acid and sludge in the crankcase and smoking from the oil filer hole. Generally there is a loss of engine power. Most are removed through the PCV system.

blowdown: The escape of gases between the opening of the exhaust valve and the piston reaching bottom dead center, or in a two-stroke engine between exhaust port opening and transfer port opening.

blowdown period: In a two-stroke engine, it is the time between the exhaust port opening and the transfer port opening which should be sufficiently long enough to allow time for the cylinder pressure to drop below the crankcase pressure, so that the exhaust gases can be expelled more easily

blower: [1] Also called a "supercharger" or "turbocharger." This is a pump which forces air into the cylinders at higher than atmospheric pressure. The increased pressure forces more air into the cylinders than what would be drawn in normally. In this way the engine can burn more fuel and thus produce more power. There are two main types of blowers: the turbocharger, which uses some of the waste heat energy in the exhaust gases to drive a compressor and pump the air; and the belt-driven or shaft-driven supercharger which uses engine power to pump air. [2] A fan for an interior heating and ventilating system or even for an air-cooled engine

blow gun: A paint spray gun with a wide nozzle which is fed by air pressure. It is used to blow out crevices in material that is otherwise hard to reach.

blowlamp: A British term for blow torch

blown: [1] An engine equipped with a turbocharger or supercharger. [2] An engine which is ruined. Usually the piston is seized. Also see blown head gasket.

blown head gasket: A gasket that has a break between the opening for the cylinder and an opening for the coolant. The coolant will leak into the combustion chamber. This condition can be diagnosed by a loss in coolant and white smoke out the exhaust.

blowoff valve: A one-way valve that opens to the atmosphere above a certain set pressure to relieve excessive internal pressure buildup; often used with a turbocharger installation to limit boost pressure to the engine.

blow out: To clean a dirty or blocked pipe by blowing compressed air through it

blowout: A sudden rupturing of tire body, causing complete loss of air pressure which flattens the tire.

blow-out: A sudden rupturing of tire body, causing complete loss of air pressure which flattens the tire.

blow-over: A respray of doubtful quality, often poorly prepared and carelessly masked.

blow torch: A tool which is attached to a bottle of flammable gas. The gas is ignited to give an intense flame for brazing and soldering. The British term is "blowlamp"

blue book: A listing of the current prices for used cars, based on age, condition, and optional equipment. Available at banks, loan offices, libraries, and insurance companies.

blueing: The blue color that appears on chrome pipes when subject to intense heat. In some cases, it can be removed; but most often it is permanent.

blueprinting: Dismantling engine and reassembling it to exact specifications and tolerances. This process may help to improve engine performance, smoothness, and reliability. Sometimes called "balancing."

blue smoke: The color of the exhaust which indicates that the fuel mixture is too rich

blushing: The formation of a whitish or misty appearance on the finish color.

BMC: Acronym for "British Motor Corporation"

BMEP: Acronym for brake mean effective pressure

BMW: Acronym for "Bayerische Motoren Werke." The 1925-48 models 327, 328, 327/328, and 335 are classic cars. The 507 models for 1957-59 are milestone cars.

BMW roundel: The little black, blue, and white BMW checkerboard logo.

board: A printed circuit board

board test: A test of a printed circuit board

boat trailer: A trailer for carrying a boat

bodge: A British term to describe work that is done poorly or with defective materials

bodily harm: Physical injury to a person caused by an accident

bodily injury: Physical injury to a person caused by an accident

body: [1] The main portion of an automobile. Often it refers just to the outside shell. [2] The main part of a housing. [3] The shank of a bolt.

body assembly: The building up of the automobile body from its various components

body builder: A person who builds automobile bodies, i.e., coachbuilder.

body-colored: Something that is painted the same color as the body. Also see color-coded

body component: Any structural part that makes up the body of a vehicle.

body construction: The manufacturer of a vehicle body

body file: When patching hole in a body panel and filling it with body putty, a body file which is a hand tool) is used for smoothing the putty to conform to the contour of the body

body filler: A substance (often with the name Bondo) which is a paste used to fill minor imperfections in a body panel. It hardens and is shaped to fit. It can also be painted to match the rest of the vehicle.

body flange: A point on the body where two panels overlap, forming a small step

body framing: An assembly of the body components

body glass: The windshield, backlight (rear window), and side windows of a vehicle

body hammer: A hammer with a large flat pounding surface for removing dents

body-in-white: In the process of building a vehicle, this is a body shell after everything is welded but before it is painted

body jack: A hydraulic tool for pushing or pulling body panels into shape

body lead: An alloy of lead and tin which is used to fill dents and seems in a body panel to establish a smooth surface. When heated it flows easily to fill the imperfections

body panel: The sheet metal that forms the outside body pieces.

body putty: A malleable material designed to smooth on dented body areas, upon hardening, the putty is dressed down and the area painted. Also called "bondo."

body rattle: A noise in the bodywork usually cased by loose parts, badly fitting doors, hood, or trunk lid

body repair: After a vehicle has suffered an accident or has corroded panels, the body needs to be repaired to bring it back to like-new condition

body roll: The rocking or tilting motion of a vehicle when it goes around the corner

body sealer: A tar-like substance which is used to seal body joints

body shell: The bare skeleton of a vehicle with all the wheels, doors, hood, trunk lid, etc. removed

body shop: A service outlet specializing in vehicle body repair work.

body side molding: A protective stripe along each side of the vehicle running from the leading edge of the front fender, along the door panel(s) to the rear end of the back fender. It may be solid plastic or rubber attached directly to the panels while others are attached to a metal strip which in turn is attached to the panels.

body spoon: A tool with a flat contoured working surface like a spoon. It is used to slap out dents and is sometimes used in place of a dolly when it is too difficult to reach behind the panel

body stripe: A decorative stripe applied to a motorcycle fuel tank or the outside of a car to enhance the appearance. Sometimes model names are also part of the stripes.

body styling kit: An additional set of bolt-on parts (like spoilers, air dams, fender skirts, laker pipes, wings) which are intended to improve the looks, performance, and efficiency

body tub: The bare body shell (minus the doors, trunk lid, hood, fenders) which is lowered onto the chassis at the time of assembly

bodywork: The complete body structure mounted on the chassis of a vehicle with a separate chassis, and the complete sheet metal panel for unibody vehicles.

bog: A hesitation usually experienced when starting out.

bogie: An assembly of four wheels on two axles with common suspension, usually on heavy commerical vehicles, trailers, and older Ski-Doos

bogie wheel: One of the suspension wheels on an older Ski-Doo

boil: The process of change from a liquid to a gas through the application of heat.

boiling point: The exact temperature at which a liquid begins to boil or changes to a gas (i.e., vaporizes). The boiling point of a liquid decreases with increasing altitude, and increases with pressurization. The coolant in a modern radiator/coolant system can be as high as 260°F (127°C). See dry boiling point and wet boiling point.

bold-up: The application of retread or repair rubber.

bolster: [1] A supporting brace. [2] The act of supporting

bolt: A securing device upon which a nut is threaded. It usually has a nut-type head. It is usually measured not so much by the size of the wrench required to secure the bolt; but by the diameter of the threads, the thread pitch, the length of the bolt under the head, and the strength of the bolt. See binder bolt.

bolt and nut: A pair of objects with matching screw threads. When either the bolt or the nut is turned, it moves with great force. Often used as fixing devices. The nut is the circular piece that looks like a ring with threads on the inside hole. The bolt is the shaft with threads. Also see pivot bolt.

bolt hole: The hole in metal through which a bolt must be inserted or screwed in place. See wheel bolt hole.

bolt hole circle: See wheel bolt hole circle.

bolt-on: Accessories which are easily secured to an automobile with just a few bolts rather than having to be welded in place. Usually done by the owner.

bolt-on fender: A fender which is secured with bolts rather than being welded in place

bolt-on goodies: Accessories which are easily secured to an automobile, but are often for show rather than function

bolt-on kit: A group of parts available in one package which the owner can attach himself.

bolt-on wing: British term for bolt-on fender

bomb: A vehicle which is in very poor shape, "The car is a bomb and not worth a nickel." In contrast, it can mean a vehicle which has great acceleration, "The car flew down the track like a bomb."

bond: [1] A state of adhesion. [2] The act of connecting two components by means of a glue or adhesive

bonded brake lining: brake lining that is attached to the brake shoe by an adhesive rather than by rivets.

bonding agent: A material which provides adhesion

bonding method: A procedure of joining two components with adhesive

bondo: See body putty.

bone: See A bone, T-Bone, backbone frame herringbone gears wishbone.

bonnet: British term for vehicle hood.

bonnet badge: British term for hood badge

bonnet bump rubber: British term for hood bump rubber

bonnet bumper: British term for "hood bumper" or hood bump rubber

bonnet landing panel: British term for hood landing panel

bonnet liner: British term for hood liner

bonnet lock: British term for hood lock

BonnetPin: British term for hood pin

bonnet pin kit: British term for hood pin kit

bonnet release: British term for hood release

bonnet stay: British term for hood rod

bonnet support: British term for hood rod

bonnet tape: British term for hood tape

book: See blue book.

booming: [1] A noise caused by interruptions to the flow of air such as an open windows. [2] Low pitched resonance, especially in the exhaust. [3] Thumping sound coming from large stereo woofers

boost: [1] The amount of positive pressure created in an intake system above normal atmospheric pressure by a turbocharger or supercharger. Normal atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi. A blower providing 10 psi boost increases the pressure to 24.7 psi. Boost is sometimes measured in atmospheres where one atmosphere equals 14.7 psi. Thus 24.7 psi is about 1.7 atmospheres. [2] The action of jump starting one battery from another. [3] To increase power, charge, or pressure, etc.; or to amplify volume, audio sound, etc.

boost control valve: See blowoff valve

booster: [1] A radio device which amplifies the signal or the audio output to the speakers. Because of its size it is mounted in the glovebox, under the dash, in the center console, under the seat, or in the trunk. [2] A device incorporated in vehicle system (such as brakes and steering), to increase the pressure output or decrease amount of effort required to operate, or both. See brake booster, power booster, spring booster, and vacuum booster.

booster battery: A second battery used in commercial vehicles to give a little more power when starting.

booster cable: See jumper cables

booster coil: A secondary ignition coil which increases the intensity of the spark

boost gauge: An instrument which indicates boost pressure

boost pressure: Pressure in the intake system of a supercharged engine when the supercharger operates. See the first definition of boost.

boost sensor: A sensing device in a supercharger. It is located in the choke tube which sends a signal to the ignition control unit according to pressure conditions. In turn, the control unit adjusts the ignition timing for the best performance.

boost valve: A valve in a hydraulic system which increases the pressure

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