Engine Disassembly & Reassembly and Cleaning

Vocabulary flashcards related to engine disassembly, reassembly, cleaning, and crack detection.

Engine Hoist

A tool used to lift and remove engines from vehicles, often used for RWD vehicles where the engine is removed from the hood opening.

Memory Saver

A device installed before disconnecting the battery to prevent the vehicle’s computers from losing their stored memory.

Refrigerant Reclaimer/Recycling Machine

A machine used to safely capture refrigerant from A/C systems before disconnecting pressure hoses.

Crankshaft Position Sensor

A sensor attached above the flywheel or flexplate that must be removed before separating the engine from the bell housing.

Engine Cradle and Dolly

A tool used to support the engine when it is removed from the bottom of a FWD vehicle.

Torque Converter

A component in vehicles with automatic transmissions that must be unbolted from the flexplate during engine removal.

Flywheel Lock

A tool used to prevent the flywheel from turning when loosening or tightening bolts.

Interference Engines

Engines where the valves will hit the pistons if the timing belt or chain slips, skips, or breaks.

Freewheeling Engines

Engines where the valves will not hit the pistons when valve timing is off, but the keys and keyways in the camshaft sprocket may be damaged.

Sludge

A buildup of residue in the engine, often indicating a poor maintenance schedule.

Caustic Soda

A strong detergent commonly found in solvents effective in removing carbon, but harmful to aluminum parts.

Water-Soluble Soils

Easily cleaned contaminants including dirt, dust, and mud.

Organic Soils

Contaminants that contain carbon and cannot be effectively removed with plain water, including petroleum by-products and combustion by-products.

Scale

Buildup of minerals and deposits inside the cooling system from heated water containing mineral deposits.

Parts Washers

Machines used to remove grease, oil, and dirt from the metal surfaces of engine parts, often using solvent cleaners.

Soak Tanks

Tanks, either cold or hot, used to soak parts in chemical cleaners to remove dirt and grime.

Hot Spray Tanks

Machines that work like dishwashers using a hot jet spray to clean parts quickly with a soap solution.

Thermal Cleaning Ovens

Ovens that use heat to bake off or oxidize dirt and other contaminants from engine parts.

Abrasive Blasters

Machines that use compressed air to propel abrasive media (shot and grit) to clean parts.

Peening

A process of hammering on a surface to pack the molecules tighter and increase resistance to fatigue and stress, often done with steel shot.

Parts Tumbler

A cleaning alternative that can save labor when cleaning small parts by rotating and tilting parts with various cleaning media.

Vibratory Cleaning (Shakers)

Machines that use a vibrating tub filled with abrasive material to scrub parts clean, often flushed with solvent.

Ultrasonic Cleaning

Cleaning method utilizing high-frequency sound waves to create microscopic bubbles that burst into energy to loosen soil from parts.

Salt Bath

A unique process that uses high-temperature molten salt to dissolve organic materials, including carbon, grease, oil, dirt, paint, and some gaskets.

Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI)

A crack detection method using a magnetic field to identify cracks in cast iron units by sprinkling iron filings on the surface.

Die Penetrant

A crack detection method using penetrant, cleaner, and developer chemicals to reveal cracks as red lines on the surface.

Sludge

Thick, gel-like substance formed from a combination of oil, fuel, water, and other contaminants, usually found in the engine oil pan, caused by poor maintenance and can lead to blocked oil passages and engine damage.

Gum

Thicker and more solid substance than varnish, formed from incomplete fuel combustion or oil additives, accumulates on surfaces like fuel injectors and intake valves, reducing fuel flow