Engine Compartment Archives - Page 2 of 72 - UnderhoodService
Drive Belt Checklist: What Are You Missing?

You might have only one chance to sell a customer a new serpentine belt. With belts lasting roughly 90,000 miles, proper inspection at the time of failure is critical not only for selling the belt, but also for ensuring add-on sales and better customer satisfaction.

VIDEO: Why Are There Certain Coolants For Certain Vehicles?

Andrew Markel explains how coolant is not meant to be mixed or switched. There are certain coolants for certain vehicles that must be used for long engine and gasket life. Sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper.

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VIDEO: Coolant Temperature Sensor Diagnostics

If you have a vehicle in your shop with the fans running all the time, there may be a problem with the coolant temperature sensor. Andrew Markel explains. Sponsored by Bosch Automotive Service Solutions.

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Selling Timing Belt Replacement Jobs

When pricing the job, don’t overlook additional and necessary related sales. The timing belt drives the water pump on these engines. Although very ­reliable, I would consider it a bad bet to think the pump will last 180,000 miles.

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Sealing Modern Water Pumps

Over the past 20 years, we have seen water pumps and cooling systems evolve to improve start-up emissions. We have also seen a revolution in the material used for engine blocks, cylinder heads and cooling system components. Today, coolant may flow through an iron block, aluminum cylinder head and plastic thermostat housing.

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Preventive Cooling System Service: Keeping P0128 Codes Away

Of the engine’s two vital fluid systems, lubrication and cooling, the cooling system might need more routine maintenance. If we don’t inspect and service the cooling system as required, the system might fail well before the next extended interval oil change is due. With that said, let’s explore a few ways to inspect cooling systems on extended maintenance interval vehicles.

VIDEO: Overheating In The Summer Heat

Andrew Markel shows how you can diagnose the overheating vehicles that will be coming to your shop in the hot weather. Sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper.

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Ultimate Underhood: Heated Air Intake

The heated air intake was used on many 1970s vehicles to reduce startup emissions on carbureted engines. The systems typically used a thermostat that would open a vacuum switch. The vacuum would act on a diaphragm of a vacuum pot that would pull shut a door to divert the intake air.

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Dodge/Jeep TSB: No A/C Over 50 MPH, Engine Runs Hot

This bulletin involves inspecting the primary thermostat housing for a resin material (debris) blocking the cylinder head coolant port. Models: 2010 Journey, Avenger, Compass, Patriot and Caliber.

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VIDEO: Three Steps To Diagnose A Poor Heater Performance Complaint

A poor heater performance complaint from a car or truck owner can be caused by low coolant, a blocked heater core or an open thermostat. Andrew Markel discusses the diagnostic strategies for solving a cold driver complaint. Sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper.

5 Tricks To Solving Belt Noise

Engineering a belt system is one of the most difficult jobs for OEMs. There are contact, frictional, centrifugal and peripheral forces that must be taken into account. If they get it right, the belt will be quiet, efficient and last 100,000 miles. If they get it wrong, the belt will be noisy or rob the engine of power. For technicians, the job is even tougher. Variables that the engineer did not factor in can put the belt and your diagnostic skills to the test. But there are four techniques you can use to solve belt noise problems.

Engineered Accessory Drive Serpentine Belt Replacement

You might not be able to see it, but an accessory drive belt is always both speeding up and slowing down. When a piston accelerates downward after the ignition of the fuel and air, the crankshaft speeds up and then slows down as it reaches the bottom of the stroke. These changes in speed are minimal, but big enough to cause problems.