MINI Turbocharger Failure Caused By Oil Supply Line Blockage
Find out how to repair a MINI Cooper turbocharger failure caused by an oil supply line blockage. The symptoms are loss of performance and turbocharger noise.
Zombie Cars
Way back, when we used points and condensers, cars didn’t need brains, but that all changed in the mid-1970s with some imports and pretty much on everything else by the time the ‘80s came around.
Rental Car Revelation
Underhood Service Editor Andrew Markel discusses life on the road behind the wheel of some of today’s latest models.
Aftermarket TPMS Sensors and Scan Tools
The aftermarket has grown rapidly to accommodate all the high-production road vehicles with various TPMS sensors, hardware kits and quick service scan tools with features and software to service any TPMS system.
BMW Recognized for Engine-Building Excellence
The success of the BMW Group at the International Engine of the Year Awards sheds a spotlight on the engine-building excellence of the German automaker.
Diagnostic Dilemma: The Case of the Missing Code
When doing mobile diagnostic work, no-code stalling complaints are a major part of your agenda. In most cases, the client shop is simply too busy to duplicate the failure or, in some cases, a long test drive will yield nothing in the way of useful scan tool data. With many no-code stalls, all you’re going
Secondary Ignition: The Art of Spark
What is a coil? From the beginning of the internal combustion engine, several different ignition systems have been used to create a high-energy spark. The most popular system, and the one that’s in use today, is a step-up coil. A coil is nothing more than a transformer, and like any transformer, it has two separate
Diagnosing Catalytic Converter Failure Symptoms
Although construction can vary according to engine application, the common three-way catalytic converter contains a reduction and oxidation stage. To create maximum surface area, each stage is generally a ceramic or stainless steel honeycomb substrate covered with a rough silica and alumina wash coat. Both stages of the converter are coated with precious metal catalysts
7 Reasons Direct-Injection High-Pressure Fuel Pumps Fail
Don’t be scared by direct fuel injection diagnostics. In theory, these systems operate on the same principles as port fuel injection, but direct injection can inject more precise amounts of fuel into the combustion chamber so the engine can run leaner and more efficient. The key to direct injection is a high-pressure fuel pump. This
What To Do With Used Hybrid Batteries
The nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery is the best and most common hybrid battery so far, and the sheer volume of them is staggering. NiHM batteries have been in use for well over 15 years, and out of the more than 7 million hybrid cars on the road worldwide, 90% have NiMH battery packs. Then,
Ford: Smoke From Vehicle When Starting
Vehicle: 2005 Ford Taurus SE, 3.0L Complaint: The customer says smoke comes from vehicle when starting. Cause: Confirmed the customer’s complaint and found smoke coming from the vehicle when the engine was started. Inspected the vehicle and found an unusual smell coming from the starter motor. With the ignition in the start position, used a
R-1234yf Safety Procedure Checklist
Remember that R-1234yf is only mildly flammable. To become flammable, the mixture of air and refrigerant in a closed area like a vehicle cabin would need to be between 6.5% and 12.3% of the chemical vapor. This mixture must then experience a significant amount of energy to ignite it. In some lab tests, a spark
