Saturn: Engine Does Not Crank, Dimmer Switch To Blame
Model: 2002 Saturn LW200, 2.2L Complaint The customer states the engine does not crank. Cause Confirmed the customer’s complaint and found the engine did not crank. Performed a visual inspection of the battery cables and found no obvious faults. Used a multimeter to measure the voltage across the battery terminals and found the measured voltage
Ford Reflash: Setting Up Your PC
You’ve just finished up a job on a Ford vehicle, and you’re about to try and start it up. However, it needs programmed first. You’ve decided to use a J2534 tool, but there are certain things you’ll need to consider before purchasing that subscription at www.motorcraftservice.com. Choosing a PC The PC you choose for reflashing
Working On Wipers
It’s right after a major snowstorm, and there’s ice and snow on everyone’s windshield. You’re at the shop waiting for the phone to ring. The phone leaps off the receiver and it’s Captain Chaos; he’s managed to find a second use for his wiper blades. Apparently, Captain Chaos was in too much of a hurry
Random No-code Failures: Jeep Cherokee, Ford Crown Victoria
Random no-code failures can be the most frustrating problems to diagnose because the condition usually cant be duplicated in the shop and the “fix” often cannot be verified by test-driving. In this instance, I use the word “random” to describe a condition that might occur only once in two weeks. Sometimes I’ll find something suspicious
Legendary Spark Plugs: The Six Toughest Vintage Spark Plug Replacements
1. AMC Pacer: The Pacer was supposed to get a GM Wankel rotary engine. If this were the case, the four plugs would have been easy to access. But thanks to emissions problems, the Pacer would get the regular AMC straight six. This forced the engineers to put plugs 5 and 6 under the windshield.
Battery Service and Diagnosis
A good battery with an adequate charge is absolutely essential for reliable cold starting. A weak battery, or one that is rundown, may not deliver enough amps to crank the engine when temperatures plunge and the oil thickens. Cold weather can be hard on batteries, but so can hot weather because it increases water loss
Toughest Spark Plug Changes
We have all been there before: scratched arms, busted knuckles and an aching back caused by a difficult spark plug replacement job. If you think they are getting tougher every year, you are right. Every new engine design is putting the plugs deeper in the heads, and items like intake manifolds are getting in the
TPMS Signals: Why You Should Go Outside
As TPMS is becoming more common on vehicles, more misinformation is starting to develop as consumers and shops try to understand the systems. One of these TPMS misconceptions is sensor signals. A sensor is a transmitter of information that sends pressure and temperature data to the vehicle. Some signals also include information that identifies the
Chevrolet: Navigation Information Not Displaying Accurate Location
Customers may complain the navigation radio is not displaying the correct vehicle location icon on the map accurately after a radio or battery has been replaced or after battery power has been removed from the radio. The vehicle location icon accuracy may be degraded if the GPS signal is not available and the GPS displayed
What’s a Battery?
The first documented battery that used two dissimilar metals with an electrolyte between them was invented in 1800. Known as the voltaic pile after its inventor, Volta, this early battery consisted of copper and zinc discs piled on top of each other, separated by a layer of cloth or heavy paper soaked in a
Installing Spark Plugs: Torque and Gap Are Critical
When installing spark plugs, a technician must be aware of the torque specifications for that particular plug. Remember that either overtorquing or undertorquing a spark plug will affect the quality of the installation and the performance of the vehicle’s engine. If a spark plug is undertorqued, it will be loose in the cylinder and, as
The Benefits and Innerworkings of Throttle-By-Wire
A simple cable linking the gas pedal to the throttle plate just wasn’t good enough for engineers, who have now complicated the design with throttle-by-wire. Why do engineers do these things to us? That expensive throttle body can’t be cheaper than a little throttle cable — or can it? Does this design provide any advantages
