Air Ride Height Sensor Diagnostics
Some ride height sensor modules connect to the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus or other SAE or ISO bus or ride control module. The module can connect directly to the ABS/ESC module on a CAN bus or it can be part of the overall CAN Network in a loop that connects various modules in the vehicle.
ABS/ESC Brake Solenoid Diagnostics
The ABS computer or HCU is a node on a high-speed vehicle bus. This means that the information can be typically accessed through the OBDII DLC. The ABS controller/modulator is the heart of any ABS or ESC system. The modulator gets the brake pressure from the master cylinder. Inside are the valves and solenoids that control the pressures to the wheel. During normal operation, the pressure from the master cylinder goes through the HCU unaltered.
‘Exploring’ Service Needs On The Ford 4.0L V6 Engine
Rated at a rather anemic 210 horsepower, the 4.0L SOHC V6 is not exactly a high output engine. It also has an unusual overhead cam drive setup. Unlike most other OHC V6 and V8 engines that drive both overhead cams directly from the crankshaft with a belt or chain, this engine has an intermediate jackshaft in the middle of the block where a pushrod cam would normally be located.
ASRW Moves To Two Expo Days, Three Education Days
Beginning with the 2013 event, Automotive Service & Repair Week (ASRW) will become a two-day expo, with three days of education. The show floor will be open Thursday, Oct. 17 and Friday, Oct. 18 from 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily. The ASRW Conference Program will take place Wednesday, Oct. 16, through Friday, Oct. 18, and the event remains at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.
Tuning In To The EFI Market
There are many variables that need to be calculated and calibrated when it comes to electronic fuel injection (EFI), but simple fuel flow is just the beginning. EFI goes far beyond a replacement for a carburetor, and the electronic part of the equation is where these systems seem so complicated. Many EFI systems give you the ability to control a wide range of parameters of the vehicle, so it’s more involved than simply controlling fuel flow.
Scan Tool Diagnostics And Your Shop’s Needs
A scan tool is absolutely essential for diagnostics on today’s vehicles. You need a scan tool not only for diagnosing engine, emissions and transmission problems, but also for troubleshooting virtually any system that has electronic controls. You might acquire one or two factory scan tools for the makes you service most often, but you’ll also need some type of general-purpose aftermarket scan tool that can handle a broad range of vehicle makes.
Diagnostic Solutions: Hubs/Bearings, CV Shafts & U-Joints
Thanks to advanced technology, modern vehicles operate with fewer noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) complaints than ever before. Consequently, when a noise, vibration or harshness issue arises, it’s most likely to be caused by worn drivetrain components like universal joints, constant velocity (CV) joints or wheel bearing hub assemblies. In any case, NVH complaints can often be the most challenging to diagnose when a tech or service writer can’t duplicate the exact driving conditions under which they occur.
Loaded Shocks & Struts: More Application, Better Solution
When loaded struts were first introduced, the target market was the DIY crowd. However, it was clear that being able to source a spring and related hardware in one box was a big advantage for shops. These units can be a productivity gold mine that can help you bill more hours in a bay by eliminating the disassembly and assembly when transferring the spring and upper plate.
Diagnostic Dilemmas: Approaching No-Code Diagnostics
Thanks to the increasing reliability of modern vehicles, most diagnostic technicians are seeing fewer pattern-failure driveability complaints. For that reason, many techs won’t gamble expensive shop time chasing an illusive no-code driveability complaint. Instead, many will write “no problem found” on the repair order and move on to the next vehicle. Unfortunately, at some point in time, the intermittent, no-code driveability will either be solved or the vehicle will be traded or sold for scrap.
2014 Corvette LT1: The Engine Under the Hood
The art and science behind its combustion system makes the Corvette LT1 one of the most advanced V8 engines in the world.