MACS Show: Technical Session Coverage
Once a year, the Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) hosts a trade show for A/C shop owners and technicians. This year’s event in Orlando, FL, provided a wealth of service information to those who attended the technical sessions. For those who couldn’t be there, we pass along some of the highlights from the technical sessions.
Chrysler Neon 2.0L
When Chrysler introduced their new Neon models back in 1995 under the Dodge and Plymouth nameplates, they said they were launching a new generation of “fun-to-drive” entry-level cars that would appeal to a wide range of people. Everything was new about the Neon: a brand new body, a brand new chassis and two new engines,
OBD II Diagnostics:Tips And Tricks to Make the Process Easier
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) can be a golden light of opportunity for your shop. If the light comes on, it means the Onboard Diagnostics II system (OBD II) has detected an emissions-related problem. OBD II is designed to turn on the MIL if a problem occurs that may cause emissions to exceed federal limits
Mass Air Flow Operation Strategy
When diagnosing hot-wire air flow meters (A/F meters) on Subarus and similarly equipped Asian vehicles, technicians may find that, while the meter passes all recommended test procedures, the engine exhibits driveability conditions associated with lean air/fuel mixture ratios. In these cases, it’s best to form a diagnostic strategy based on the relatively simple operating principles
Understanding Operating Strategies
As driveability technicians, we’ve been taught to solve diagnostic problems by gathering and analyzing data. Data usually comes in three basic forms, the first of which is sensory data that we can see, hear, smell or feel. The second form is measured values gathered by using test equipment like lab scopes and multimeters. The third
News: Babcox Memorial Scholarship Applications Now Being Accepted
Bedford, TX — The Automotive Management Institute (AMI) is calling for applications for the 2004 Tom B. Babcox Memorial Scholarship. AMI’s resource development effort, EXCEL, in conjunction with Babcox Publications, established the $1,000 scholarship, which is awarded annually to an Automotive Service Association (ASA) Mechanical Division member who strives to be, or is presently, working
Engine Series: Proper Maintenance Can Extend an Odyssey
We all know that some vehicle owners don’t adhere to preventative maintenance schedules for their vehicles. So when a customer’s vehicle is in for a major problem or service, take advantage of in-depth system inspections. It may be one of the few times that you get to check the vehicle for severely worn parts. Although
Heater Service: A Year-Round Opportunity
Nothing is more annoying than a heater that blows cold air – except maybe one that leaks. So if you’re dealing with a heater problem, be it a leaker or one that doesn’t seem to put out much warmth, keep reading because this article can help you solve your heater blues. Before we get into
Dusting Off Fuel System Fossils:
For many technicians these days, the sight of a real working carburetor may be as alien as the rover roaming the dusty Martian surface. But consider the opportunities that these die-cast, zinc alloy, fossil fuel-metering Martians present to us technicians. Opportunities abound, to repair emissions failures by re-calibrating the main circuits and diagnosing high carbon
Head Gasket Replacement
During some point in their service lives, most import engines built with cast-iron cylinder blocks and aluminum cylinder heads will need a cylinder head gasket replacement. The vulnerability of aluminum-head engines to head gasket failure is caused by the aluminum cylinder head expanding approximately 1.5 times more than the cast-iron block. Although measured in thousandths