Driveshaft Diagnostics and Service
Driveshaft problems can be spotted from the moment you put the vehicle in gear to pull it into a bay. As the power is transmitted from the transmission to the rear axle, the slack from worn or damaged components is taken up, resulting in a sudden crunch or pop.
Brake Pulsation: Flange Diagnostics
The hub flange is ground zero for pulsation problems. Runout in the flange will be magnified by the rotor. But, when do you replace a flange, stub axle or an entire hub unit? The answer can be confusing and will take some math and a micrometer.
Better Diagnostics: Using Your Brain Effectively
Did you know that when you stop learning new things you also forget the things you already knew? This chilling fact is an area of great concern for the technician population, which is getting a little older on average each year. I have personally witnessed excellent diagnostic technicians who have decided that they already know everything they need to know and begin to lose their “diagnostic processes” as new technologies enter their bays.
Bushings: Diagnostics And Inspection
According one recent tire dealer survey of the top tire sizes sold, only one 15-inch size cracked the top 10. Since tires are changing and not the roads, something has to give. These stock wheel and tire packages with less sidewall are being use to reduce hysteresis losses that lead to rolling resistance. If there is less sidewall to flex, less fuel is consumed by the engine to flex the sidewall.
BMW E65-E66 Air Ride Diagnostics
For the BMW 7 Series E65/E66 manufactured between 2001-’08, engineers went with an innovative rear air ride system. The Dynamic Drive system that uses active anti-roll bars to keep the vehicle level was standard on these models. Some of these vehicles have optional Electronic Dampener Control (EDC) that tunes the compression and rebound of the dampener to the movement of the wheels and body for the best possible ride.
Remote Diagnostics On Cars: The Future, or Future Headache?
When I talk to technicians and shop owners about “remote diagnostics,” I find that there are many different levels of understanding as to what that term means. It’s clear that for many, the perception is that remote diagnostics means the ability to read codes. Well, if that is all we are talking about, it is true that a number of cars can generate a health report that includes things like DTCs, mileage and oil life.
Car Diagnostics And Testing: Proper Shop Procedures
Close isn’t good enough if you want to establish credibility in your local market. Today’s professional technician can’t just grab a component hanging from a branch of the proverbial parts tree and see if that will fix the problem. It requires a diligent effort of testing and diagnostic time to analyze the maze of electronic data.
Air Ride Diagnostics: Reservoirs And Compressors
Air-ride systems look for information like vehicle speed, ambient air temperature and ride height. From this information, a system can calculate how long the compressor should run to fill the reservoir. If it is taking too long to fill a reservoir, the air-ride module will set a code, alert the driver, and put the system in a safe mode.
Power Steering Dynamics And Diagnostics
Twenty-five years ago, when the power steering failed, diagnosing the system was easy. The most difficult problem to diagnose was the “morning sickness” that plagued some vehicles when they were cold. Today, the introduction of speed sensitive steering, electric power steering and computer controls have made power steering diagnostics more demanding.
Winter Air Ride Diagnostics
To the untrained technician, a winter air ride problem might lead you down the path thinking there is a leak in the system. However, chances are there are no detectable leaks. These types of faults are usually set by parameters from the air ride module for a certain action to cause an expected result. Think of it as an EVAP system.
