The Technical Services team at Wells Vehicle Electronics has introduced a free diagnostic training video that the company says can help automotive repair professionals save hours in identifying and troubleshooting intermittent, “no code” cylinder misfires on Ford vehicles through the use of Mode 6 diagnostics.
The latest in a series of dozens of free Wells video case studies, “No-Code Misfire Mode 6 Diagnostics” is available via www.wellsVE.com as well as the on the “Wellstech” channel on YouTube.
The new video documents each step in the diagnosis of a 2002 Ford Expedition experiencing intermittent misfires when operated under heavy loads. The misfires did not occur frequently enough to trigger a diagnostic trouble code.
“Technicians and do-it-yourselfers who have faced this issue on Ford vehicles know that it can take a long time for a code to set,” said Wells Technical Services Manager Mark Hicks. “Using Mode 6 on a generic OBD II scan tool can help you quickly pinpoint the problem cylinder without waiting for a code or investing in a manufacturer-specific scan tool to access the misfire data.”
Mode 6 (identified as “$06” on many scan tools) is a process identifier that monitors and displays misfire information by cylinder prior to the setting of a code. The video shows how to access Mode 6 using most OBD II scan tools and then quickly interpret the data provided by the vehicle’s engine control module. Using this information, the Wells team was able to identify the problem cylinder and diagnose the issue as a damaged spark plug and boot.
The Wells video library is a popular online training resource in the aftermarket, with an average of approximately 140,000 views per month and nearly 3 million total views by automotive technicians, counter professionals and others. The videos, which have achieved YouTube “Partner” status based on their popularity, are produced in-house by Wells employees who are also ASE-certified technicians. To view the complete Wells video library, click here.
In addition to Web-based video training and an array of interactive resources offered, Wells offers a toll-free technical support hotline featuring Master and L1 ASE-certified technicians. This service is available at 1-800-558-9770, Option 3 (7:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. CST), or by email at [email protected].