Like the military, gear/petrol-heads have their own language of acronyms and slang that probably totally confuse the uninitiated.  Years ago I put together a glossary for TitanTalk.com, where I’m a moderator, and it became very useful to those just joining the fold.  So rather than explain every mechanical colloquialism in my posts, I’ll just compile them here for your easy reference.  So next time you read “I used a BFH to remove the FCAB“, you’ll know what I’m on about.

NOTE: I recently installed a plugin that allows hover text over these terms.  If you see a dashed underline of an acronym, you can simply mouse-over it to see the short definition.

Use ctrl+F to quickly search page with your browser.

2WD => Two Wheel Drive
4×2 => Two Wheel Drive
4WD => Four Wheel Drive (usually refers to a part-time transfer case)
4×4 => Four Wheel Drive (usually refers to a part-time transfer case)
A2AIC => Air to Air Intercooler
A2WIC => Air to Water Intercooler
ABS => Anti-lock Brake System
ABLS => Active Brake Limited Slip
AFPR => Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator
AFR => Air/Fuel Ratio
ALMS => American Le Mans Series
ATF => Automatic Transmission Fluid
Auto-X => Autocross
AutoX => Autocross
AWD => All Wheel Drive (usually refers to a full-time transfer case)
BBK => Big Brake Kit
BCM => Body Control Module
BGB => Big Green Book (Toyota Shop Manual)
BFH => Big F*%king Hammer
BFW => Big F*%king Wing
BMW => Bayerische Motoren Werke
BMWCCA => BMW Car Club of America
BOV => Blow Off Valve
brake judder => Brake pedal pulsation, caused by warped rotors
BT => Big Tow package
BW => Bimmer World
CAI => Cold Air Intake
CAN => Controller Area Network
cap => capacitor, also can refer to a bed cover
cat => catalytic converter
cat-back => an exhaust system that replaces all factory parts from the catalytic converters back.
CC => Crew Cab
CCA => Car Club of America
CDV => Clutch Delay Valve
CEL => Check Engine Light
COTA => Circuit of the Americas
CR => Club Racing
CST => California Super Trucks (suspension manufacturer)
CTD => Cummins Turbo Diesel
CV => Constant Velocity, as in CV Shaft or CV Joint
CVs => Constant Velocity Joints
DBW => Drive By Wire (throttle)
DCX => NY stock exchange symbol for DaimlerChrysler
DE => Driving Experience or Driver Education
diff => differential
DIN => the standard 2″ size stereo head unit (1.5DIN is 3″ and 2DIN or Double DIN is 4″)
DME => Digital Motor Electronics
DMM => Digital Muliti-Meter
DOHC => Dual Overhead Cams
DP => Down Pipe
DR => Donahoe Racing (aka DRE, shock and coilover manufacturer)
DRL => Daytime Running Lights
DSC => Dynamic Stability Control
DSM => Diamond Star Motors (joint venture between Chrysler & Mitsubishi)
DSSR => Double Shear Selector Rod
DTM => Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (German Touring Car Masters)
dyno => dynamometer
e-locker => electronic locker, a differential that is locked electrically
ECM => Engine Control Module
ECU => Engine Control Unit
EFI => Electronic Fuel Injection
EGR => Exhaust Gas Return
EGT => Exhaust Gas Temperature
FFV => Flexible Fuel Vehicle
FI => Forced Induction (super-charged or turbo-charged)
FCAB => Front Control Arm Bushing
FCABs => Front Control Arm Bushings
FPR => Fuel Pressure Regulator
FSFB => Front Sub-Frame Bushing
FSTB => Front Strut Tower Brace
FWD => Front Wheel Drive
GTS => German Touring Series (NASA Class)
H2R => Harris Hill Road (Raceway)
HANS => Head and Neck Support
HE => Heat Exchanger
HFM => Hot-Film Mass air-flow sensor
HID => High Intensity Discharge
HK => Harman Kardon
HP => Horse Power
HPDE => High Performance Driving Experience
HU => Head Unit (car stereo)
HVAC => Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning
IACV => Idle Air Control Valve
IC => Intercooler
ID => Inside Diameter
IFS => Independent Front Suspension
IM => Intake Manifold
IRS => Independent Rear Suspension
ITB => Individual Throttle Bodies
JDM => Japanese Domestic Market
KC => King Cab
LCA => Lower Control Arm
LHD => Left Hand Drive
LR => Little Rocket
LSD => Limited Slip Differential
LTPWS => Low Tire Pressure Warning System
MAF => Mass Air-Flow sensor
MAP => Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor
MDF => Medium Density Fiberboard
MIG => Metal Inert Gas
mod => modification
MPG => Miles Per Gallon
MPH => Miles Per Hour
MSR => MotorSports Ranch
MTF => Manual Transmission Fluid
MY => Model Year
NA => Naturally Aspirated or North America
NASA => National Auto Sport Association
NAV => Navigation, usually referring to the factory NAV option.
NB => Narrow-band (Oxygen Sensor)
NBO2 => Narrow-band Oxygen (O2) Sensor
NLA => No Longer Available
NVH => Noise, Vibration, and Harshness
O2 => Oxygen (Sensor)
OBC => On Board Computer
OBD => On Board Diagnostic (aka OBD-II)
OD => Outside Diameter
OE => Original Equipment
OEM => Original Equipment Manufacturer
OHC => Over-Head Cam
OR => Off-Road package
OTD => Open Track Day
PC => Pro-Comp (suspension/wheels/tire manufacturer)
PCA => Porsche Club of America
PCV => Positive Crankcase Ventilation
PFC => (Apex’i) Power FC
PFTE => Teflon
posi => posi-traction (limited slip differential)
pumpkin => differential
PRG => PreRunner Greg
PS => Power Steering
PSI => Pounds per Square Inch
RE => Rogue Engineering
reso => resonator
RF => Rockford Fosgate or Randy Forbes
RHD => Right Hand Drive
ROW => Rest of World
R&R => Remove & Replace (or Reinstall)
RSM => Rear Shock Mount
RSMs => Rear Shock Mounts
RSTB => Rear Strut Tower Brace
RSFB => Rear Sub-Frame Bushing
RSFBs => Rear Sub-Frame Bushings
RWD => Rear Wheel Drive
RWHP => Rear Wheel Horsepower
SAS => Solid Axle Swap (replacing IFS with SFA)
SAW => Sway-A-Way (shock and coilover manufacturer)
SC => Supercharger
SCCA => Sports Car Club of America
SE30 => Spec E30 (NASA Racing Class)
SE36 => Spec E36 (NASA Racing Class)
SE46 => Spec E46 (Racing Class)
SES => Service Engine Soon
SFA => Solid Front Axle
SM => Spec Miata (Racing Class)
SMG => Sequential Manual Gearbox
SMT => Sequential Manual Transmission
SOA => Spring Over Axle
SOHC => Single Overhead Cam
SRA => Solid Rear Axle
SRF => Spec Ford Racer
SRS => Supplemental Restraint System (air bags)
SS => Stainless Steel or SuperSprint
SSK => Short Shift Kit
SSV => Speed Sensitive Volume
SUA => Spring Under Axle
TAB => Trailing Arm Bushing
TB => Throttle Body
TBI => Throttle Body Injection
TBS => Throttle Body Spacer
TC => Turbocharger
TC(A) => Total Chaos (Arms)
TDC => Top Dead Center
TDE => The Driver’s Edge
TIG => Tungsten Inert Gas
TORSEN => Torque Sensing (LSD)
Torsen => Torque Sensing (LSD)
TPI => Tuned Port Injection
TPM => Tire Pressure Monitoring system
TPS => Throttle Position Sensor
TQ => Torque
TRD => Toyota Racing Development
TSB => Technical Service Bulletin
TT => Time Trial or Twin Turbocharger
TWS => Texas World Speedway
UCA => Upper Control Arm
USDM => US Domestic Market
VDC => Vehicle Dynamic Control
VTEC => Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (Honda proprietary)
VVT => Variable Valve Timing (generic)
W2W => Wheel to Wheel (Racing)
WBO2 => Wide-band Oxygen (O2) Sensor
WG => Wastegate
WHP => Wheel Horsepower
WOT => Wide Open Throttle
X-case => Transfer Case
X-member => Cross-Member
YMMV => Your Mileage May Vary