Double Hit
It’s not difficult to torque wheel fasteners properly, but it’s not difficult to foul up the job, either. We’re not using double talk here; we’re shootin’ straight from the hip. The easy part of proper wheel fastener torquing is knowing the vehicle manufacturer torque specifications for a particular passenger car, light truck or medium truck,
Alternator Diagnosis: High-Draw Accessories Merit Changes in Test Procedures
As the saying goes, “Old habits die hard.” Among the old habits that die hard is the way we test alternators. In the past, the job of the alternator or generator was simply to recharge the battery after start-up and carry minor accessory loads such as ignition, lighting, radio, heating or air conditioning clutch, and
Suspension Vibration Diagnosis
The song “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys may have been a big hit in its day, but there’s no such thing as good vibrations or noise when it comes to a customer’s vehicle. Vibrations are annoying and may be a warning signal that something is amiss. So don’t ignore such symptoms. Investigate any unusual
How Much Maintenance
How much maintenance is really necessary to keep a vehicle in good, running condition, safe and reliable? It’s a controversial subject for which there is no simple answer. Maintenance recommendations and requirements vary depending on the year, make and model of the vehicle, the type of driving it undergoes, the environment in which it operates,
Looming Mandate: Without Help, Shops Face Dark Future
…How Will You Cope?
Diagnostic Solutions: Identifying Ignition Switch Failure Symptoms
Although the basic ignition switch has remained unchanged for many years, the way it supplies electrical current to modern on-board electronics has made it a key factor when diagnosing intermittent failures in various electronic operating systems. Going back into automotive history, the ignition switch’s sole purpose on early imports was to energize the primary ignition
Battery Breadkown
A battery breakdown is bad news. If the battery can’t supply enough amps to crank and start the engine, your customer’s vehicle isn’t going anywhere (except maybe downhill powered by gravity). A good battery is absolutely essential for reliable starting and for powering the vehicle’s onboard electronics and electrical systems when demand exceeds the charging
Alternator Altercation Electricity Fundamentals
Electrical principles, like voltage, amperage and resistance, can be described as cars passing along the roadway. Voltage was referred to as the vehicle’s speed, amperage as the number of vehicles on the road at the same time, and resistance as potholes in the road’s surface. Basically, electricity is a supply of atoms with an excess
Electrical System Service
Electrical System Service
Diagnostic Dilemmas: Battery-Related Driveability Issues
Any experienced automotive trainer will tell you that the automotive starter battery is the foundation of a vehicle electronics system. Of course, most of us nod our heads in agreement and then proceed to diagnose a driveability problem without first testing the battery’s condition! Unfortunately, short-cut procedures don’t work on the really tough no-code engine
Electrical System Service
Diagnosing Activated PSM Warning Light in Instrument Cluster
Handling the Load
It takes a lot of amps to power the lights, electric defrosters, wipers, power windows, power seats, power liftgates, the ignition system, fuel injectors, fuel pump, cooling fan, A/C compressor, heater fan, heated seats, audio system and navigation systems on today’s late-model vehicles. Since alternators can generate only so many amps, their output may depend