AUTOPEDIA everything you need to know PT.3 (B)

Clutch disk: in a manual transmission, it's a spinning plate located at the end of driveshafts facing the engine and covered with an organic material surface. when the clutch is engaged. the disk is gradually forced against the flywheel. causing the engine and the tranmission to turn at the same speed with a smooth transition
Clutch pedal: it's the 3rd pedal on the left of the brake pedal located on the floor of manual transmission cars. when it is depressed. it disengages the clutch allowing the driver to change gears.
coil springs: large metal coils that cushion and absorb the shocks and bumps as the car is driven. they work with the gasfilled shock absorber to keep the car on an even keel while given you the smoothest ride possible.
Combustion: it is the burning of fuel/air mixture in the combustion chamber generating power in an engine.
Combustion chamber: part of cylender within an engine block where fuel/air mixture are compressed by piston and ignited by spark from the spark-plug.
Compression ratio: ratio between the two volume extremes of the combustion chamber. this cylenders's cubic volume is measured when the piston is at the top and buttom of it's stroke. the higher this ratio, the higher octane rating required by your engine to prevent pre-ignition under load.
Connecting rods: metal rod that connects the pstion to the cranckshaft and converts the up and down motion of a piston into a circular motion of the crankshaft. under tremendous load and extensive wear the rod can break and break throught the engine block , this is called "throwing a rod".
Constant veloctiy joints: found mostly in FWD cars and on some RWD cars with independent rear suspension systems. these special joints transmit engine power while allowing full steering and suspension movements. they are covered in a black accordion boots that protect joints and hold grease.
Control arms: the upper or lowers A shaped suspension components that are on the fraim and support the ball joints and steering knuckles.
Coolant: solution that raises the boiling point and lowers the freezing point of water in cooling system to prevent rust and corrosion , lubricate the system components, it is often called antifreez.
Cooling system: system the stores and circulates the coolant through the engine to prevent overheating. some cars have air-cooled engines in which air rushing by metals heat dispensing plates is sufficient to cool the engine.
Cranck case: lower part of engine block that houses the crankshaft and it's surrounding parts. the car's oil pan.into which the drain plug is screwed is attached to the cranck case.
Cranking: act of engaging starter by turning the key into the ignitionswitch making the engine to turn over. in the past this was done bye means of hand cranck.
Cranckshaft: main rotating shaft in engine transfering the piston up and down motion into a smooth circular motion of the cranck shaft that is then used to drive the transmission and eventually the wheels.
Crankshaft pulley: a grooved wheel attached at the front end of the shaft that is connected by an accessory belts to the fan,alternator,power steering pump, water pump, air conditioning compressor. and other devices so that rotating cranck shaft can drive these other parts as well.the shaft pulley usually has timing marks on it which is necessary for adjusting time with timing light. also called a harmonic balanced wheel.
Cranckshaft sensor: trigger device that tells the ignition module when to fire the spark plug on car with distributorless ignition systems.
Cruise control: optional feature that keeps your car cruising at a present speed unless overridden by the brake pedal.
Cylender: a hollow tube shaped pipe in the engine block where pistons rides up and down to compress the fuel/air mixture that drives the engine.
Cylender head: part above the engine block that contains the combustion chamber and the valves. the spark plug screw into the top or the side of the cylender head. on most cars a valve cover, camshaft cover, rocker-arm cover is located on top of cylender head.