The Case of the Missing Starter
I was called last fall by a client who owns a heavy-duty diesel shop to diagnose a no-cranking condition on his father-in-law’s 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe. Because his work is mainly with heavy-duty trucks, my client knew he was lacking both in tooling and technical background when he didn’t hear the familiar click of a starter
Spark Plug Replacement Do’s and Don’ts
Tooling has changed from the old 13/16-inch spark plug socket to a multiplicity of 5/8-inch long, short, intermediate and swivel, thin-wall sockets needed to replace spark plugs on many modern engines. Similarly, tightening spark plugs with the old flex-head, long-handled, 3/8-inch drive spark plug wrench is asking for trouble on engines that don’t have long-reach
Remy Adds Delco Remy 38SI To Its High-Output Alternator Portfolio
Remy International has announced the launch of the Delco Remy 38SI, its latest high-output alternator. With this high-efficiency, mid-range amperage alternator, Remy offers customers a comprehensive portfolio of high-output products. With a number of innovative features, the 38SI is a unique product offering, according to Remy. Some of the features include: • Remote sense that
CTEK Takes The Mystery Out Of Battery Technology With New Educational Articles
CTEK Power, Inc. has released the first two in a series of 10 educational articles on battery technology for consumers. The series is designed to help take the mystery out of batteries, battery chargers and battery maintenance. The first article, “Why Do Vehicles Have Batteries?,” helps consumers understand all the functions that a battery performs.
OTC Releases Smart Battery Tester
OTC has launched the 3200 Smart Battery Tester, offering near-instant battery, charging and starting system test results with a technician’s iOS or Android device. The tester clips onto a battery’s terminals and provides battery voltage and cold cranking amps (CCA) on-screen, and also displays a QR code. Using the OTC 3200 app and a smart
The Why, Where, When of TPMS Sensors
To understand any TPMS relearn procedure, you have to understand this: Sensors only transmit, they do not receive. No vehicle asks a sensor for information on how it is doing. I know you’re thinking a sensor does receive signals when the vehicle is in relearn mode and the technician holds a TPMS tool to the
Think Like Sherlock Holmes To Avoid The Wrong Diagnostic Conclusions
As a boy, I read most of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Sherlock Holmes was a genius-level detective who could break a case by analyzing seemingly insignificant clues like the ash from a cigar. In contrast, Inspector Lestrade, who was Holmes‘ competitor from Scotland Yard, would inevitably arrest the wrong person by jumping to a premature
Most Common Causes of Misfire Codes
A flashing check engine light and a P0301 to P0312 diagnostic trouble code (DTC) is a surefire indication that one or more cylinders are misfiring. Occasional misfires may pass unnoticed, but a steady misfire is hard to miss. The engine usually feels rough, lacks power and uses more gas than usual. Sometimes a misfire may
Honda Electrical System Diagnostics
This month, we’ll be taking a look at the charging and starting system on the Honda line of vehicles. Hondas are always welcome at our shop, as they are good, reliable cars that fix well and for which there is good service information and parts availability. Honda charging systems won’t present many problems for the
Pattern Failures of MAF and MAP Sensors
Pattern failures are those failures that happen over and over again — and the same applies to how customers describe these failures. Customers might unknowingly give you the answer to their problem without needing to open the hood. In this article, we will look both at the failures of these sensors and the actual customer
Pulling Codes: Signal No Longer Detected, The Story of Code P0340
This article will document the infamous P0340 code — Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Malfunction. This is a code that involves the CMP signal, and, in many situations, one may be tempted to replace the sensor right away. This article will attempt to provide a game plan of attack. It’s always wise to start with a
Reflashing & Reprogramming Tools
In the first half of 2014, NHTSA has issued more than 15 recalls where the fix was to reflash a module on a vehicle. In the same time frame, more than 100 TSBs have also been issued where the solution is to reflash a module. These recalls and TSBs cover a wide variety of problems
