Spark Plug Fouling Diagnostics
Spark plugs are the “canary in the coal mine” of the combustion chamber. The electrodes and porcelain can show short- and long-term problems if you know what to look for.
MLS Gasket Update
The days of getting away with composition gaskets in extreme combustion situations were back when the deck surfaces on blocks and heads were thick and strong, and the heads were clamped with 5-6 head bolts per cylinder. However, all that changed when car makers became extremely weight conscious for MPG reasons and they started removing material out of blocks and heads.
The No-Code Conundrum: The Art Of Diagnosing What The PCM Can’t See
Doing mobile diagnostics, I obviously get more than my share of no-code driveability problems. Case in point, I was asked by a client shop to “take a quick look” at a stalling complaint on a 2003 Ford Explorer with a cable-operated throttle.
CES Technology: The Big, The Bold And The Survivors
Do you remember the internet “bubble” in 1999 that caused financial ruin for many due to business plans that never had a plan to make money? Right now investors in autonomous vehicle technology are many; the money involved is breathtaking; and the risk is enormous for all but the few who will survive.
Window Regulator Servicing Tips
Understand these eight tips to help you better understand how to repair window regulators.
HFO-1234yf: Regulations And Requirements
SAE standard J2843, for “R-1234yf (HFO-1234yf) recovery equipment for refrigerants used in mobile air conditioning systems,” establishes the minimum equipment requirements for the recovery, recycling and recharging of R-1234yf.
Fuel Injector Function Testing
If a fuel injector is not operating within set parameters, it can cause driveability symptoms and codes that can point to components other than a faltering fuel injector.
Timing Chain Stretch: It Could Be Neglected Oil Changes And The Wrong Oil
Timing chain stretch is not the stretching of the timing chain, it is an elongation of the timing chain caused by wear to the chain’s components. The most common cause of timing chain stretch is lack of maintenance and regular oil changes.
Using A TPMS Tool As An Information Database In The Bay
It might be tempting to think that your shop does not need to invest in a modern TPMS tool, but newer TPMS tools are a repository of information.
Piercing And Probing Wires With The Least Damage Possible
The Hippocratic Oath states a doctor shall “do no harm.” The technician’s oath is the same, but we “do no harm” to a vehicle we are trying to diagnose or repair.
Evaporative Vapor Emissions Control
These EVAP monitors can be run in two different ways. Ford, GM and some Asian imports use a vacuum to run the monitor. Chrysler, most European and a few Asian products use pressure to run the monitors.
TPMS Service: Taking Temperature Into Account
Ambient temperature affects tire pressure, and in the new world of TPMS, where the vehicle is constantly vigilant of tire pressure, these sometimes subtle changes in pressure could trigger the TPMS. For each 10° F of ambient temperature, tire pressures will change about 2%, or about 1 psi.
