We'll Give You an Auto Part, You Tell Us What It Connects To

By: Justin Cupler
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
We'll Give You an Auto Part, You Tell Us What It Connects To
Image: Jorge Villalba/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Thousands of parts make up a modern automobile, and these parts range from the tiniest of screws to large components, like an engine block. Having a basic idea of how the parts connect is essential for both mechanics and DIY weekend warriors. Many parts have more than just one connection point, and connecting them in the wrong way can cause severe damage to the vehicle, especially when dealing with electrical components. 

Whether you're dealing with a cylinder head or a delicate fuel line, knowing where these parts connect is crucial for repairing and maintaining a car. Connecting them incorrectly means you could find yourself stranded on the side of the road after you thought you fixed the issue.

Do people tell you you're mechanically inclined? Do you think you know what every car part connects to? Find out if you know as much as you think you do by taking this car part quiz. Make sure to share it with your friends to see who can brag that they know the most about vehicles. 

21 - wheel bearing
kool99/E+/Getty Images
What does the wheel bearing connect to?
The rim
The wheel hub and wheel knuckle
The tires
The brake caliper
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The wheel bearing provides the smooth movement needed between the wheel hub and knuckle. This circular bearing sits between the wheel hub and knuckle to make the wheels rotate easily and friction-free.

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7 - piston rings
Samad Malik Photography/Moment/Getty Images
What do the piston rings connect to?
The connecting rods
The pistons
The gas pedal
The muffler
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The piston rings snap into small grooves in each piston. They prevent fuel from dripping out of the cylinder and into the oil and hold the compression caused by internal combustion in the cylinder, which gives the engine the power to move the vehicle.

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3 - camshafts
Wiki Commons by ThyssenKrupp Presta Chemnitz GmbH
What do the camshafts connect to?
Serpentine belt
Alternator
Timing assembly
Muffler
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The camshaft or camshafts sit inside the engine block of in the cylinder head, but their mechanical connection is to the timing assembly, be it a belt, chain or series of gears. This timing assembly spins the camshaft, which opens and closes the exhaust and intake valves in the correct timing.

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13 - serpentine belt
Allstate via YouTube
What does a serpentine belt connect to?
The wheels
Between the engine and the rear differential
The pulleys on each accessory (alternator, air-conditioning compressor, power steering pump, etc.)
The fuel pump
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The serpentine belt transfers the engine's power to the vehicle's various accessory systems, like air conditioning, power steering, the alternator and more. If this belt breaks, one or more of these systems will stop working.

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4 - timing belt
Wiki Commons by Petar Milošević
What does the timing belt or chain connect to?
Timing system pulleys or sprockets
The top of the engine
The cylinders
The valve cover
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The timing belt or chain connects to a series of pulleys or sprockets that keep the entire engine in the correct timing. They synchronize the crankshaft, water pump and valves with the electronic ignition components.

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12 - oil pan
Falcon's Garage via YouTube
What does the oil pan connect to?
The bottom of the engine block
On top of the engine
On the right side of the engine
Near the gas tank
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The engine oil pan bolts to the bottom of the engine and holds all the oil the engine requires. Its placement is the reason why it is so important to not hit speed bumps too fast, as this can cause the car to "bottom out" and damage the pan.

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30 - muffler
Pixabay by IgorShubin
What does the muffler connect to?
The exhaust system
The engine
The emissions system
The cylinder head
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While its exact position varies by vehicle, the muffler always connects to the exhaust system at some point. The muffler helps keep noise to a minimum.

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15 - alternator
Kypros/Moment/Getty Images
What does the alternator connect to?
The front of the engine block via a bracket
The rear of the engine
The crankshaft
The camshaft
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The alternator uses a bracket to mount it to the front of the engine. This aligns it with the crankshaft pulley and allows a serpentine belt to transfer the engine's power to it.

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20 - brake pads
schlol/E+/Getty Images
What do the brake pads connect to?
Only the rotors
The wheels
The wheel hubs
Rotors, calipers and caliper brackets
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The brake pads contact several components in normal operation. They sit within the brake caliper bracket and are held in place by the brake caliper. When the caliper squeezes the pads, they contact the rotors to stop the vehicle.

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19 - brake rotors
Richard Goerg/Photographer's Choice RF/Getty Images
What do the brake rotors connect to?
The wheel hub
The rims
The struts
The brake lines
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The brake rotor connects to the wheel hub, typically via a small screw. Over time, the heat caused by braking can create a strong bond between the hub and rotor, forcing you to hit the rotor with a mallet to free it.

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25 - rear differential cover
FordTechMakuloco via YouTube
What does the rear differential cover connect to?
The wheels
Wheel bearings
Rear differential housing
Differential ports
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The rear differential cover connects to the differential housing to protect the rear differential from dirt. This cover also keeps the differential oil in place and lubricates the moving parts.

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28 - oil drain plug
Peter von Panda via YouTube
What does the oil drain plug connect to?
The engine
The oil pan
The transmission
The gas tank
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The oil drain plug screws into one of the lowest parts of the oil pan. Unscrewing this plug allows you to drain the oil for an oil change.

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1 - cylinder head
Pixabay by stux
Where is the cylinder head located?
Top of the engine block
Under the engine
Behind the engine
On the side of the engine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The cylinder head sits on top of the engine block, directly above the pistons. It houses the exhaust and intake valves, and in some engines, the camshafts.

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16 - inner tie-rod ends
Dan Brockett via YouTube
What do the inner tie-rod ends connect to?
Steering rack and outer tie-rod ends
The front hubs
The front struts
The steering wheel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The inner tie-rod end is the connection point between the steering rack and the outer tie-rod end. These components not only allow flexibility, but also allow you to fine-tune the alignment by twisting them.

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27 - transmission shift linkage
The Daninator via YouTube
What does the transmission shift linkage connect to?
Gas pedal and transmission
Transmission and steering wheel
Gear shifter and transmission
Transmission and front wheels
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The transmission shift linkage is the mechanical connection between the transmission and gear shifter. It transmits the gear you choose inside the vehicle to the transmission. In some modern cars, manufacturers replaced this mechanical connection with an electric one.

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22 - transmission
Douglas Sacha/Moment/Getty Images
What does the transmission connect to?
The flywheel or flexplate
The side of the engine
The wheels
The bottom of the engine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The transmission connects to the rear of the engine via the flywheel or flexplate. It transfers the power from the engine to the wheels.

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32 - accelerator pedal
DonNichols/E+/Getty Images
What does the accelerator pedal connect to?
The engine
The fuel pump
Accelerator cable or sensor
The Accelerometer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The accelerator pedal delivers the driver's desired power to the engine via a mechanical or electrical connection. In mechanical setups, the accelerator pedal attaches to an accelerator cable to deliver this input. In newer vehicles, a sensor is used to deliver it.

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11 - valve cover
Pixabay by srbasham
What does the valve cover connect to?
The top of the cylinder head
The engine block
The oil pan
The starter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The valve cover acts as the shield for the top of the cylinder head. It prevents debris from getting into the moving parts and keeps the oil contained in the cylinder head.

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14 - steering wheel
Dulcie Wagstaff/Moment/Getty Images
What does the steering wheel connect to?
Steering hub
Tilting assembly
The turnorometer
The steering column
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The steering column transfers the steering wheel input to the steering rack. This is what turns the wheels in the direction in which you turn the steering wheel.

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35 - torque converter
J & G Transmissions via YouTube
What does a torque converter connect to?
The transmission input shaft and flexplate
The engine
The torque shaft
The crankshaft
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The torque converter connects to the engine flexplate and the transmission input shaft to transfer power from the engine to the transmission. The torque converter goes into a lockup mode at highway cruising speeds.

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23 - drive shaft
ECS Tuning via YouTube
What does the drive shaft connect to?
The rear wheels
The transmission and rear differential
The engine and rear differential
The rear differential and rear wheels
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The drive shaft connects the transmission to the rear differential. It connects to both the transmission and rear differential to transfer power. In some sports cars, this shaft transfers power from the engine to a rear-mounted transmission.

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29 - catalytic converter
briansmobile1 via YouTube
What does the catalytic converter connect to?
The exhaust system
The emission-control system
The engine
The muffler
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The catalytic converter connects to the exhaust system, but its exact positioning varies by vehicle. This component converts all the toxins in the exhaust into less harmful fumes.

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5 - wrist pins
REALSTREETPERFTV via YouTube
What do the wrist pins connect to?
The steering wheel
The front wheels
The gear shifter
The pistons and connecting rods
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The wrist pins connect the pistons to the connecting rods. They allow the piston to tilt forward and backward as the connecting rod pumps up and down inside the cylinder.

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33 - master cylinder
electronicsNmore via YouTube
What does the master cylinder connect to?
The brake booster
The brake pedal
The wheels
The engine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The brake master cylinder bolts to a brake booster, which uses a vacuum to increase the power your brake pedal inputs to stop the vehicle. You can generally find this assembly near the rear driver's side of the engine compartment.

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2 - exhaust and intake valves
Wiki Commons by DL24
What do the exhaust and intake valves connect to?
The engine block
The camshaft or pushrods
The pistons
The oil filter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The intake and exhaust valves sit in the cylinder head, but they make a mechanical connection to the camshaft in an overhead-cam engine or the pushrods in an overhead-valve engine. The intake valves allow gas and fuel into the engine, and the exhaust valves allow the fumes from the burned fuel to flow into the exhaust.

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24 - center-support bearing.ng
The Other Guy via YouTube
What does the center-support bearing connect to?
The crankshaft
The driveshaft
The wheels
The cylinder head
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The center support bearing connects to the rough center point of the driveshaft, supporting it and allowing it to rotate freely. When this bearing goes bad, you'll hear a loud grinding noise while driving.

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31 - wheels
gilaxia/E+/Getty Images
What do the wheels connect to?
Wheel hub
Lug nuts
Brake rotors
Axles
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the wheels do contact the rotors and lug nuts, their physical connection to a vehicle is via the wheel hubs. Always torque wheels to their proper specification to avoid damaging the hubs or their bolts.

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8 - pistons
Yaroslav Mikheev/Moment/Getty Images
What do the pistons connect to?
The crankshaft
The connecting rods
The camshafts
The engine block
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The pistons make their mechanical connection with the connecting rods. The connecting rods transfer the energy created by internal combustion from the pistons to the crankshaft.

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9 - connecting rods
Yaorusheng/Moment/Getty Images
What do the connecting rods connect to?
Pistons and crankshaft
Camshaft and pistons
Valves and cylinders
Muffler and catalytic converter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The connecting rods form the connection between the pistons and the crankshaft. They transfer the energy from internal combustion to the crankshaft, which helps move the vehicle.

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17 - outer tie rod ends
Backyard Chevy via YouTube
What do the outer tie rod ends connect to?
The shocks
The steering wheel
The inner tie-rod end and wheel knuckle
The inner tie-rod end and strut
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The outer tie-rod end is the outermost steering component before the wheels -- it connects the inner tie-rod end and wheel knuckle. The outer tie-rod end turns the wheels and includes a ball joint for flexibility.

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6 - main bearings
High Performance Academy via YouTube
What do the main bearings connect to?
The crankshaft
The camshaft
The pistons
The fuel filter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The main bearings connect to the crankshaft and allow it to rotate free of friction in the cylinder block. Without these bearings, the crankshaft would erode and fail over time.

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26 - struts
GStyles via YouTube
What do struts connect to?
Upper strut tower and steering​ knuckle
The frame
The wheels
Strut control mounts
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The upper portion of the strut connects to the strut tower in the front fender, and the lower portion of the strut connects to the steering knuckle. The strut twists to allow the vehicle's wheels to turn.

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34 - starter
Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
What does the starter connect to?
The starter bracket
The top of the engine
The flywheel or flexplate
The crankshaft
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The starter contacts the teeth on the flexplate or flywheel to spin the engine. This spinning helps start the engine.

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10 - crankshaft
schlol/E+/Getty Images
What does the crankshaft connect to?
Flywheel or flexplate
The cylinders
The valves
The cylinder head
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The crankshaft connects to the flywheel or flexplate (varies by vehicle). This is the key connection from the engine to the transmission that drives the vehicle.

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18 - brake calipers
kenneth-cheung/E+/Getty Images
What do the brake calipers connect to?
A bracket and the wheel knuckle
The wheel knuckle and the strut
The wheel well
The rotor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the caliper does touch the brake rotor, its actual connection point is a bracket that connects to the wheel knuckle. In some cases, the bracket and knuckle are one piece.

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Jorge Villalba/E+/Getty Images