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How to interpret automotive wiring diagrams
We use wiring diagrams in many of our diagnostics, but if we are not careful, they can sometimes lead us to make decisions that are not accurate, which can lead to wasted diagnostic time, unnecessary...
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Pinpoint high pressure leaks with UV vapor
The MotorVac Cool Smoke® HP (#500-0150) delivers dense visible smoke and an OEM-approved UV dye at any pressure from 3 to 60 psi to reliably detect turbo and exhaust leaks in gasoline or diesel...
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Give every customer the full benefit of your training, experience
Much of the work we do every day is “routine,” isn’t it? Oil changes, tire services, and routine repairs are the norm. The driveability and electrical challenges that come in are relatively few in...
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When an ignored automotive cooling system acts like a battery
I've said it for years that if my body was a car, its value wouldn’t be so adversely affected by its age than it would be by its mileage! High mileage and vehicle age are things we must take into...
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Learning the Digital Storage Oscilloscope
Everyone is familiar with the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words.” It is thought the modern use of the phrase stems from an article by Fred R. Barnard. He claimed it was an old Chinese proverb...
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What you need to know to select the proper oil for your diesel engine
There is no shortage of challenges for those who design the vehicles we drive. Ever-tightening safety and emissions regulations, combined with increasing customer demands, keep automotive engineers...
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MAHLE Service Solutions launches ArcticPro A/C recovery unit
The MAHLE Service Solutions ArcticPRO® ROU250 is a recovery only unit designed to safely remove the new mildly flammable R1234yf refrigerant even if it is contaminated. It will also safely recover...
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New video training program elevates Motor Age reader
Motor Age aims to help readers stay up to date with the newest industry developments, and its latest training offering is making that mission even easier.This summer, the UBM Automotive Group announced...
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NASCAR driver Julia Landauer teams up with TechForce
Julia Landauer, NASCAR powerhouse, female racer and advocate for women in S.T.E.M., has signed on as an official partner of TechForce Foundation and its FutureTech Success™ campaign. This industry-wide...
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Remedy for high oil consumption
A typical cause for burning oil, is that the inside of the engine gets dirtier and dirtier in the course of time. The piston rings no longer seal properly, resulting in dirty combustion, which produces...
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Is oil analysis right for your shop?
I recently brought oil analysis to my automotive repair shop. I’ve learned quite a bit about applying oil analysis to my daily operations, and thought I would share my experience. Oil analysis is used...
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Don't let tunnel vision get in the way of your diagnostic process
In this month’s Tech Corner, I would like to share an experience I had when still full-time as a technician. It’s an experience I’m sure most of you have also enjoyed, or not, depending on your outlook...
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Fixing vehicles right requires a sharp wit and grit
One day I got a very terse call from the vice president of the company where I was responsible for fleet maintenance back in the late ‘70s. It seemed that an almost new (1978) Dodge one-ton we had was...
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Tackle an A/C curveball with a solid diagnostic process
I was called to a shop early in the summer for a complaint of no air conditioning operation on a 2010 Nissan Sentra with a 2.0 Liter engine (Figure 1). The shop had done all the preliminary checks such...
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Getting put through the diagnostic wringer with CAN Interior Bus issues
Pushing through a diagnosis with a plan of attack is the best course of action to keep you focused and making diagnostic decisions accurately and efficiently. These decisions should be based on your...
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Notable Nissan diagnostics
I often see the Nissan Murano, not because it is prone to problems but because it is a popular and reliable vehicle. Here are a few of the more interesting ones I’ve run into.Nissan Number 1The first...
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Diving into diesel diagnostics
I hate working on diesels. A few years ago while working as a diagnostic tech for a mom and pop repair shop I was introduced to a landscaping company’s fleet of not-so-well cared for 6.0 Powerstroke...
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How I developed critical thinking skills to solve diagnostic dilemmas
My wife often comments that I have book sense but not a lick of common sense. I guess she’s right, to an extent. I learned a long time ago that feigning ignorance was a surefire way of getting out of...
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First master 12 Volts before tackling high voltage drive systems
High voltage drive systems aren’t really new anymore; after all they’ve been on the market in the United States since late 1999. Shortly after those first hybrid vehicles entered the market,...
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Ground Circuits: Part 9
Measuring generator electron current engine RUN In electrical system design, testing and evaluation of operating conditions there are two circuit parameters of utmost importance to consider - voltage...
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