 O  |
|
|
| Occurrence |
|
Any event that resulted in a loss or damage to the insured or the insured's property.
|
|
| Ocir |
|
Orange County International Raceway.
|
|
| Octane |
|
The hydrocarbon substance in gasoline that reduces engine knock or pinging, which is a noise caused by premature ignition of fuel in the cylinder combustion chamber. The higher the octane number, the less chance of premature ignition. High octane, which has a rating above 91, is useful only when recommended by the manufacturer.
|
|
| Odometer |
|
Indicates the number of miles a vehicle has been driven. It is illegal to tamper with the odometer reading.
|
|
| Odometer Rollback |
|
The illegal practice of rolling a vehicle's odometer back to indicate that it traveled fewer miles than it actually has.
|
|
| Odometer Rollover |
|
Occurs when the vehicle's mileage exceeds the mechanical limits of the odometer - usually 99,999 miles. This must be certified by the seller, under the Truth in Mileage Act.
|
|
| Off Camber Turn |
|
A corner with negative banking (the inside edge of the corner is higher than the outside edge). Seldom if ever seen on ovals, but some road courses have them.
|
|
| Off Line |
|
Driving off the best racing line. Drivers will go off line to attempt a pass or to move out of the way of faster cars.
|
|
| Off Road |
|
[1] A form of racing which runs on an unpaved, ungraded course.
[2] A phrase used in advertisements for racing parts and supplies to refer to the fact that a part may not be legal for use in a car that is driven on public roads.
|
|
| Offset |
|
[1] The difference in weight between the left and ride sides of the car.
[2] A physical offset of the body between the wheels, accomplished by making the right side suspension parts longer then the left.
[3] An offset of the engine to the left side of the car body. (4) Wheels can and are offset from the hub they are mounted on.
|
|
| Oil (E.G. 10w-30) |
|
Engine oil comes in various ratings: SAE 5W-30, 10W-30, 10W-40, etc. For example, a 10W-30 rated oil will flow like a light SAE 10-weight oil at low temperatures. The "W" signifies that it is a "winter" rated oil. The "30" designation means that at engine operating temperatures, the oil will behave like a heavier SAE 30-weight oil. Low viscosity at colder temperature allows the oil to circulate more quickly and protect vital engine parts. Higher oil viscosity at elevated temperatures prevents direct metal-to-metal contact.
|
|
| Oil Pump |
|
An engine-driven pump that delivers oil, under pressure, to the engine's moving parts.
|
|
| Oil Ring |
|
The lowermost piston ring that scrapes off excess oil from the cylinder walls and returns it to the oil pan via vents in the ring and piston.
|
|
| Oil, Synthetic |
|
Oil that is not derived from raw petroleum. Synthetic oil has superior engine protection properties compared to conventional mineral oil. Synthetic oil costs 3-5 times more than mineral oil.
|
|
|
|
| Open Wheel |
|
Formula One and Indy car style race cars which are designed to have the suspension, wheels and tires exposed, no fenders.
|
|
| Open-End Lease |
|
Also called a Finance or Equity Lease. The lessee is responsible for the difference between the agreed-upon residual value and the fair market value of the vehicle at the end of the lease, if the vehicle is worth less than anticipated. For example, if the vehicle has a market value of $8,000 at the end of the lease, and the residual value was set at $10,000, then the lessee owes the leasing company the difference of $2,000. The lessee has the right to an independent appraisal of the vehicle, at his or her own expense. The payments for an open-end lease are generally lower than those for a closed-end lease.
|
|
|
|
| Opportunity Cost |
|
The cost of using money one way as opposed to using it in another, more economically advantageous way. For example, the loss of interest experienced as a result of removing money from a savings account to be used as a down payment on a vehicle.
|
|
| Optional Equipment |
|
Equipment or features that can be added to a particular model which are not part of the standard package. These usually involve additional cost and can be ordered individually or as part of a package.
|
|
| Otto Cycle |
|
The four operations of intake, compression, power and exhaust (4-cycle engine). Named for inventor Dr. Nikolaus Otto.
|
|
| Out Brake |
|
A driver gains time and position on an opponent by applying the brakes later and deeper into a corner.
|
|
| Outside Groove |
|
The outside racing line. Sometimes a car will handle and perform better on the outside/inside line and a driver opts not to use the optimum groove.
|
|
| Oval |
|
An oval-shaped track such as Atlanta Motor Speedway.
|
|
| Ovals |
|
An elliptical race track, as opposed to a road race.
|
|
|
|
| Overdrive |
|
A transmission gear with a ratio below 1:1, which improves fuel economy by reducing engine revolutions per minute at highway speeds. On a five-speed manual transmission, the fourth and fifth gears are overdrive. On a four-speed automatic transmission, the fourth gear is overdrive. When an overdrive gear set is engaged, the output shaft turns at a higher rate than the input shaft, reducing engine revolutions at cruising or highway speeds.
|
|
| Overflow |
|
Usually refers to the line from the radiator cap's relief valve.
|
|
| Overhead Cam (Ohc) |
|
The camshaft is on top of the cylinder head on overhead-cam engines. Single overhead-cam (SOHC) engines have a single cam above the cylinder head. Dual overhead-cam (DOHC) engines have two cams above the cylinder head. All overhead-cam engines are also overhead-valve (OHV) engines, which means the intake and exhaust valves sit atop the cylinder head.
|
|
| Overhead Valve (Ohv) |
|
An acronym for overhead valve. This simply means that the intake and exhaust valves are above the cylinder head. OHC means overhead cam. The cam is above the cylinder head. SOHC engines have a single cam over the cylinder head. DOHC engines have two cams above the cylinder head. All OHC, SOHC, and DOHC engines are also OHV.
|
|
| Oversteer |
|
A situation that occurs when the rear wheels contribute to steering the vehicle more in a given direction. This often occurs under hard braking while turning. The rear of the vehicle loses adhesion and starts to rotate in the direction of steering. Oversteer can be used to better place the vehicle coming out of a corner. Usually, oversteer is undesirable because it is difficult to control and can result in a disastrous spin. Most cars are designed not to oversteer under normal conditions.
|
|
| Overtake |
|
A term commonly used by announcers meaning a pass.
|
|
|
|
