Tech Tips: Using The Oscilloscope: Ignition Coils
Excerpt from Delphi Training Course ‘Common OBD II Failure – The Misfire Monitor’
Pulling Codes: Hit or Miss? Part II
This article will continue the work we started in the June 2011 Pulling Codes article. Part I outlined how we used relative compression to find a fault mechanically. In this article, we will focus on exhaust waveforms (tailpipe analysis) to gather data. In order to have an understanding of this concept, one must envision the four-stroke cycle at the time the plug fires as a reference.
Book Report: Automotive Electrical Performance Projects
For the automotive professional with electrical experience, Automotive Electrical Performance Projects by Tony Candela is a great edition to their technical library as it details a variety of popular performance project upgrades. In this “Performance Projects Series” title from CarTech books, brilliant color photos and explanatory step-by-step captions detail the installation of the most functional and beneficial upgrades for enthusiasts of varying skill levels.
Tech Tip: Kia Has Intermittent MIL On with No Fault Code Stored
In affected vehicles, an intermittent short to ground in a circuit only intended for testing purposes may cause the MIL to illuminate and a DTC P1330 (Spark Timing Adjust) to be stored. As soon as the fault disappears, the MIL may turn off and the fault code can also be immediately erased by the engine management system, making it hard to diagnose the concern.
Coil on Plug Ignition: The Wired Differences
For late-model vehicles, the norm is one ignition coil per cylinder, commonly known as coil on plug. The task of providing voltage potential to each spark plug is performed so reliably that it’s easy to take for granted. An underhood comparison of a variety of vehicles, however, reveals there are subtle differences among coils. For example, each individual coil may be connected to two, three or four control wires.
Tech Tip: Kia Optima Won’t Rev, Sets Code P0350
On some Kia Optima vehicles, a P0350 code is set, indicating a faulty ignition coil circuit. At times the engine runs bad and won’t rev up; that is when it sets the code.
Wrangling in Jeep Spark Timing Dilemmas
Every once in a while I get a Diagnostic Dilemma that takes me back to the basics of how modern engine management systems work. This month’s happened to be a 1992 Jeep Wrangler equipped with the 4.0L engine and manual transmission. Of course, a vehicle of this vintage and configuration has to be about as basic as modern technology can get, right? Well, there are always exceptions.
Service Solutions: Lessons Learned Regarding ‘Old School’ Ignition Diagnosis
Recently, I’ve been confronted with driveability complaints on older vehicles that appear to defy conventional wisdom. Diagnosing such problems usually forces me to re-examine the fundamentals of engine
Tech Tip: Mazda Information Display Freezes in the Cold
Certain Mazda owners may complain of a problem with their vehicle’s information display during sub-zero temperatures. Some vehicles may experience no illumination from the information display when the ignition is turned on. Also, the clock runs too fast and may gain more than 20 minutes per week. To correct this condition, follow the Repair Procedure in this Tech Tip.
Diagnostic Dilemmas: The Market Value for a Repair to an Older Vehicle
It’s a sign of the times that many people are bringing older vehicles into shops for repairs that they would not have considered several years ago. So it’s not unusual to see people spending more to repair a vehicle than its market value.
Jimmie Johnson Becomes First-Ever 5-Time Consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Driving Bosch-Powered Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
In the closest contest in NASCAR “Race for the Chase” history, Jimmie Johnson became the NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion for an unprecedented fifth consecutive year, driving his Bosch-powered Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.
Tech Feature: Diagnosing Automotive Lab Scope Dilemmas
Although digital storage oscilloscopes or “lab scopes” have now become standard equipment for most modern automotive repair shops, they still possess a mystique that tends to intimidate many technicians. Right off the top, a lab scope is basically a voltmeter that displays voltage signals along a time base. The vertical scale measures the amplitude or amount of the voltage and the horizontal scale measures an incremental time line along which the signals are displayed.