jon928se

+928 Dan

Are you on a mission to teach Americans to speak the Queen's English ?

ew928

Think I've got 2 coils in my car.
Hope they last a long time and don't go into Lucas mode.

auzivision

An engine is not a motor, but a coil is a spring…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coil_spring
http://www.car-stuff.com/coilsprings.htm

S4ordie

See, here is the insidiousness of incorrect terminology in that it becomes pervasive and hence people believe it to be so, as well as, accurate.

a spring is a flat surface that is often coiled. For example, mechanical watches use a spring as the tension device that makes the movements funtion. So too a spring can (still flat) be layered upon one another to increase tension and rebound. Think leaf springs.

A coil is round and often sprials in a helix.

Just because a term is often used, even in non-authoritative references like car websites and to some extent, Wikipedia, does not make it factual or correct. It just means it is commonly used, albeit incorrectly.

S4ordie

I'd just be happy if it was any English, just the right terminology

auzivision

Nothing insidious about it… According to Webster’s Dictionary… any device or elastic body that recovers to its original shape when released after being distorted by force is a spring.

If they aren't an authoritative source; I don't know who is.

Sorry for the Hijack Hans… carry on.

S4ordie

It is the original and engineering definition that should be the authoritative source.

Ask a right thinking mechanical engineer to model a spring and a coil.

Technically what many think is a spring is indeed a coil. Though the terms are used interchangeably in common vernacular, they are indeed separate and different.

I'm done. Sorry about the divert.

auzivision

I guess well have to agree to disagree

http://search.globalspec.com/Product...on%20spring%20

http://www.uspto.gov/go/classificati...67/defs267.htm