Quickie: 001

1998 Buick Century 3.1M

The complaint is long crank time on a start, black smoke once started and stalling at low engine speeds.

Where would you start?

Pull the vacuum hose from the pressure regulator and look for signs of fuel. There should be no sign of fuel at the vacuum port. If there is fuel the regulator is bad and extra fuel is being pulled into the engine.

The MIL is also on so trouble codes should be checked. If caused by the fuel problem they can be cleared after the repair.

P0172 indicates a rich fuel condition

P0300 indicates rough engine running

P1133 indicates too little activity from the O2 sensor

All those were probably set by the fuel problem but we should watch the O2 activity after the repair to verify the sensor is good.

That is about as easy as it gets.

Kenneth Hayes

deranger@ipa.net

GM Flashing 3

GM and the Snapon Pass Thru Pro II

We'll continue from our previous posts on flashing GM. In part 1 we established an account and subscription on the GM server. In part 2 we used that subscription, an IBM Thinkpad laptop and the Cardone Flash2 All-Makes Reprogrammer to perform a PCM calibration update on a 2002 Chevy Malibu. In part 3 we'll replace a faulty PCM with a remanufactured unit and do a fresh programming install using the Snapon Pass Thru Pro II.

I have the Snapon software installed on a Toshiba laptop running Vista. Make sure the Snapon J2534 device is connected to the pc. Test the vehicle battery. Replace or charge as needed. Remember the battery needs to remain between 12.5 and 14 volts during the process. Connect the Pass Thru Pro II to the OBDII connector under the dash and open the flash program on the pc. Choose "flashing" and GM. Choose "GM J2534 Website" and log on to your account. Read the terms and conditions and choose "accept". Choose "service and programming information". Choose "TIS2 Web Service Programming". You will probably see the news available message. Click "ok". Choose "Service Programming System". Click "start SPS" and cross your fingers. Hah, it worked! Click "skip". Choose the tool you are using. In this case, J2534 PassThruPro. Choose "replace and program ECU". Now even if you are going to replace a module other than a PCM don't let ECU throw you off. You would still make this choice. Choose "next". Follow the instructions, turn the key on. Click "next". "Chevrolet", "2004", "LD Truck", "Trailblazer EXT", "5.3". Click "next". You should see the vin retrieved. This one did not retrieve so we will enter the vin. Be sure it is entered correctly. The next screen then shows you all the possible modules you can "replace and program". So lets choose "next".

Now choose PCM, Normal and "Next". Turn off the key and replace the PCM. I turn the charger off at this time as well. I like to get the PCM up into an area where I have good access and that is possible here without too much trouble. These things are buried sometimes.

Loosen the hex head bolts in the center of each connector and you can remove the wire connectors from the PCM. There are weather seals at each connector and they tend to stay with the PCM so be sure you put them back on the connectors before fastening them to the new computer. Speaking of weather sealers... when I disconnected the wiring from the PCM I noticed a drop of water. You should always give things a closer look so:

There is water standing in the area around the PCM pins and a lot of corrosion damage. Now I am not surprised the vin could not be retrieved. The fault causing me to replace the PCM was that it could not read the correct O2 sensor output for Bank1 Sensor1. I'm surprised now that it could do much of anything correctly. Now we'll want to clean the female terminals in the connectors very carefully before installing them on the replacement PCM. We don't want any of the corrosion to remain. We'll also need to figure out what allowed the water in and what we can do to prevent this happening again.

Now before we put the connectors onto the replacement PCM we want to look at all the pins to make sure they are all straight and in good condition. A pin slightly bent can quickly become broken when you push a connector in place and pull it down with the hex bolt. This looks good so lets get it installed.

Ok, charger back on. Key on. Click "next" and hope I haven't timed out my GM server connection. Looks good. A calibration for the new PCM shows up. Select that and click "next". A description of the programming about to be installed.

Click "next". Instruction to remove #19 and #51 fuses from the rear fuse block. Ok. Click "next". We are programming. Done. We may have to relearn crankshaft position. We need to turn off the key and put the fuses back in. Exit the Snapon software. Make sure I am clear under the hood for an engine start. Turn off the charger. Disconnect the J2534 device from the vehicle.

The engine starts but there is a security light and service engine light. Now I remember there could be a code for the crank relearn but there isn't. There is a U0107 for a data problem between the PCM and the Throttle Control. There is a P1626 security code. When I clear the codes the truck will not restart. We can do a security relearn and should get a start. It goes like this:

Turn the key on, engine is off. Turn the key to start and release to on. The truck won't start. When the security light goes OFF, turn the key off. Wait 5 seconds and do all that again exactly the same way two more times. After the third time the key is off and you have waited the 5 seconds it should start on the next crank.

It worked except I finally gave up on the security light going off that third time and tried it anyway. I cleared codes and no lights have returned. I just need to test drive tomorrow after getting the PCM back in place. If no more lights pop on I'll wrap it up by seeing what I can do to prevent any more water damage.

Whew! I love my job!

Kenneth Hayes

AKA Deranger

GM Flashing 2

Cardone Flash2 All-Makes Reprogrammer and GM

We'll continue the GM Flashing from part 1. You should now have a GM server account and a current subscription. You'll need those to access the GM software to allow the flash to be done. Your pc will link you to GM and your J2534 device will link your pc to the GM vehicle. There are minimum pc requirements for the GM applications and the Cardone Flash2. You should check that your pc meets those. I'm using an old IBM Thinkpad w/XP Pro that works fine. I was happy to see that because it was an ebay purchase for $200. A very inexpensive investment.

The Cardone Flash2 software comes with installation instructions and I'd say it is idiot proof since I had no particular problem with it.

I do remember that after the software install I had problems with the Flash2 being recognized by the pc until I realized the Flash2 must be powered up (connected to the car obdII connector or to the a/c adapter) before opening the Flash2 program.

Now once you get the pc ready and the J2534 device ready, you have to get the car ready. You must have a good battery on the car and it must be fully charged. Test the battery. If it is bad, replace it. If it needs a charge, charge it. It has been my own experience that even with a good, fully charged battery most cars won't maintain voltage in the correct range throughout the programming process without some help. Many technicians use a booster pack connected to the battery and have good results with that. I've had better results with a charger connected and running at low charge. I should say at this point that the Cardone Flash2 instructions say do not leave the charger connected to the vehicle. I commonly get several interruptions during a flash session that extend the key on time. I also find complications arise in the process itself that extend key on time. Using a battery with a booster and no charger left me aborting the flash several times in a session to recharge the battery. Weighing the options I decided to start leaving the charger on low and have never had a problem from that. I can't say every charger would be fine to use. I suspect some would be a bad idea. Take a look at this 2002 Malibu charging system noise with engine running and alternator doing the work:

Now look at this from the shop charger on the 2 amp maintainer setting:

The 10 amp setting has about twice the a/c noise as the alternator output but this 2 amp setting keeps the battery up and is a very clean output. Does any of that matter? I'm not sure but it does work so I'm staying with it.

Now lets get started making all this work together. I'll turn the charger on the 2 amp maintainer setting. The pc is up and running. You should cancel automatic updates and any automatic shutdown you may have set. It is best to have your reprogramming pc do only that. You don't want it to be doing software updates, checking email or running other activities at the same time as you are performing a flash.

Make sure the usb cable from the Flash2 is connected to the pc. Connect the Flash2 data cable to the car's OBDII connector under the dash. Double-click the Flash2 icon on the desktop. The disclaimer screen will come up. If you agree to not hold Cardone responsible for anything you tear up then you click "agree". Click the GM icon in the OEM Reprogramming section.

At the next screen choose Flash2 Reprogramming.

On the next screen there is a choice to do the flash on-car or off-car. If you have purchased the extra leads you can flash an ecm with no car involved. I use the off-car for the convenience of other shops. They can bring me the ecm they need flashed and keep the car in their own shop. As long as the ecm is the same part number I can even reprogram a used module to work on a different vehicle. It is very easily done with most GM vehicles. For my own non-professional customers I prefer to do a flash on-car. Sometimes you need to be able to access more than one module and sometimes other issues arise such as security relearns. I think of it like this, I used to repair and overhaul carburetors. Actually I still do but it isn't very often any more. When a customer brings in only the carb for repair they can't get a complete job. With the complete car I can see that the carburetor is properly removed, installed, make adjustments and address any issues the car may have that affect the carb operation such as a misfire or vacuum leak. An off-car ecm flash is similar to that, the job can need further work to be complete.

Our volunteer vehicle for the example will be a 2002 Malibu w/3.1 engine. We'll choose on-car reprogramming. The next screen contains warnings such as no charger connected, disable popup blocker, close other programs, check connections, etc. Pay attention to the warnings and use good judgement. Click "next" when ready and you will be asked to turn the ignition on. Click "ok" when that is done. The next screen will allow a battery test to determine if voltage is in range for the flash procedure. The test can be skipped but I recommend it. The battery should be at least 12.5 volts and no more than 14 volts. The test will give the voltage reading and a pass or fail result. Because the car has automatic headlamps and they are on with the ignition key we get a "fail" message.

If I disable the automatic headlamps and wait a couple of minutes I get a "pass" but the voltage is at the minimum allowed.

Now I could crank the charger up a notch but since it is a controversial issue anyway I chose to add a booster pack to the mix. With the charger on 2 amp, a booster pack connected and the auto headlamps disabled I have a 12.8 volt battery test result so we'll click "next". A few more important instructions to read through and then we'll click "next" again. Choose GM or Saturn. We'll choose GM. Choose cd/dvd or web link. We are using the web link. After clicking "next" the GM server screen will come up and you can enter your user name and password. Scroll to the bottom of the "terms and conditions", choose "accept" and click "continue". Click "service and programming information". Click "TIS2 Web Service Programming". I always get a message popup that says there is unread news. Click "ok". Choose Service Programming System on the left of the next screen. Another popup, whatever is a current news message. Click "ok". Now always read your instructions that come up on each screen, especially when you are new to the process. On this next screen click "start sps".

SPS is a java program so make sure you have a late version of java installed. If your version is too old it won't work. Sometimes it doesn't work anyway.

I could dress this all up but it would be dishonest. The truth is that flashing can be very frustrating and is not for the faint of heart. Occasionally things go very smoothly, more often they do not. Now this could be a java error or a problem with my own computer. It could be a problem with the GM side of the application. "Details" is meaningless jargon to me so first a reboot is tried with no help. Next a system restore to a couple days earlier. That didn't work either. Uninstalling Java and then reinstalling Java did the trick.

Once the SDS application loads you will be offered an installation for Tech2 GM scan tool, skip that step. Select the J2534 device and choose either to reprogram an existing module or to replace and reprogram a different module. If you choose the first option you can only reprogram if an update exists. The second option allows programming over any current program.

In this case we will be updating a current module.

In the next few screens we'll select make, model year, vehicle type and make. The pc will communicate with the ecm and determine the vin. Check that the vin stored and communicated matches the vin of the car. The pc will check with the GM server and return a list of modules you can access. In this case it is only the PCM. Select programming type "normal" and click "next". A wealth of information is on the next screen. You can see the current PCM calibration is 12218554. You can see several calibration updates in history and what those updates were for. You can see that an update is available for the car. Update calibration 12588232 is to correct a misfire at 70 mph.

Select 12588232 and click "next". You'll see a brief summary of the situation.

What you see next is a visual of the reprogramming process. The update has been downloaded from the GM server to the pc and now the pc is loading the updated programming into the ECU through the J2534 Flash2 device. It is a very critical time. I had the pc lock up once during this process and destroy a PCM. I had to replace it. The programming had not proceeded far enough that the PCM would re-establish communication.

Once the programming is complete you'll see any specific instructions that may apply to the system. This one may need crankshaft variation relearned or set code P1336/P0315. If on restart I see this code then I will know to perform a crankshaft relearn.





We are done with the GM server and can cancel, returning to the Flash2 pc software to exit. The Flash2 software will ask us to leave the J2534 device connected for 30 seconds for a final burn of the new programming. Just follow the instructions. Now before exiting the software completely we can verify the new programming calibration using "analyze" mode.

Notice the calibration is now 12588232 or the most current available at this time. We have verified the flash was successful. We aren't done yet. Let's turn off the charger, disconnect the booster pack, replace those automatic headlamp relays and see if the car starts. Eureka! Sometimes a security relearn has to be done before the car will start. This one started fine so we want to notice if the Service Engine light is off. Remember we were warned there may be a crankshaft relearn to be done. Not in this case. The light is off and we are finished. There that wasn't so bad. It always feels good when you are done. I hope this gave you a good idea of what is involved in a flash session and what can happen. Next we'll cover a GM flash using the Snapon J2534 device, Pass Thru Pro II if there is interest.

Kenneth Hayes

AKA Deranger

Preventative Maintenence-do you do it based on miles or hours or both?

This week Pat Goss discusses why Preventative maintenence should be done based on Time and not Mileage. Listen to the audio clip below.

GM Flashing

GM Flashing with Cardone Flash2 All Makes Reprogrammer

You'll need to set up an account on the GM server and then get a current TIS2 Web subscription. Go to http://www.acdelcotds.com/acdelco/action/subscribehome

The Cardone Flash2 is a J2534 device so choose subscribe now under that option.

I should mention that no matter what brand of J2534 device you use you will need to use these steps to establish the GM TIS2 Web account and flash GM vehicles. After the Subscribe Now you'll be sent to the login page. If you have no account then choose "click here" and follow instructions to set up an account. Login and password are case-sensitive so be aware of that.

Once the account is setup you'll get an email to verify and then can access your new account from the Login page. After the login you'll be directed to the "terms and conditions of use" page. If you scroll, at the bottom is a choice to accept and then to continue. Now that you have an account you'll need a subscription. If you accepted the use terms and clicked on continue you should be at a page that allows you to choose "Service Information" (GM may make changes to the site so this can only be a guide at best). Choose "Subscribe Now" for J2534 reprogramming, choose your subscription type and follow the instructions. You'll get a confirmation email. Once the subscription is current you are ready to use the Flash2 or other J2534 device.

Watch for part 2 in this series. We'll need to get the Flash2 up and running.

Kenneth Hayes

AKA Deranger

Alignments- What you need to know about them.

This week pat Goss talks about alignments, when you need them, what type and maybe you don't need one when you think you do. Learn how to shop smart when looking for  a good alignment. Listen to the audio clip below as he explains all this.

Hey Look! I found the Loose Nut!

This week on the lighter side of Automotive repair we have an interview that Pat Goss did with the author of the book"Hey Look! I found the Loose Nut!" In this book the author Scott "Gonzo" Weaver Gives us a humorous look at what goes on at a repair shop. This book will make you take a second look at how you've been treating your automobile repairman. "Gonzo" runs a repair shop in Oklahoma and is  seen in his very own chat room found off his web page at http://gonzostoolbox.com/ on Sunday evenings 7:00pm CDT.

BTW: Gonzo has joined our mailing list here on carfix_online a few weeks ago.

Lauren Fix at CES(Consumers Electronics Show)

More Gadgets from Lauren Fix "The Car Coach" !

Chrysler's new Transmission the "Turboencabulator"

Just announced today in breaking news, Chrysler has introduced a new type of transmission. Data is very sketchy right now (data sheet picture on left)but reports say it will use the "modial interaction of magneto-reluctance and capacitive directance". A variation of a magnetically controlled transmission.

Allen-Bradley will manufacture controls. Dodge Power Transmission manufactures the gears and bearings. Reliance Electric will manufacture the motors, and Rockwell Software a division of Rockwell Automation the firmware.

The video below goes on to explain what is the"differential girdle spring" and "dingle arm" the terminology that describes how it will function.

Checking the Headlights and repairing them

This week we have Pat goss again on telling us what we need to do to keep our headlights working well.




Listen by click on the audio clip below.

What causes cooling system overheating

This week we have Dale Donovan in a short video explaning the causes of engine overheating and a very basic test that will help determine if there is a blown head gasket.

Automotive Terms, Myths & Don't Do's

This week Pat Goss has some remarks about some automotive terms that might have once been apply to cars, just don't anymore. They often become myths and you need to know about them so you can avoid them! Listen to what he has to say in the audio clip below.

Diesel caravan continued from last week-Fixing the injector pump!

This is the final series of Dave Rock's Diesel Caravan's new engine. What he found wrong.



Next Part:

Pat Goss on why rotors get warped

This week we have another clip of Pat Goss discussing why brake rotors get warped on honda's or for that matter any vehicle. What should you do to prevent this.

Click on the image below then open to listen.

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Removing/Replacing the diesel caravan motor (Parts 1-6)

Dave Rock took a VW Diesel engine and put it into his Caravan a few years ago. He calls it the worlds most fuel efficient caravan. Now it's time to replace that engine and he shows you how in this video. He does it in such an easy going practical way, it's worth just viewing, even though most of us would never get involved in such a project, especially the conversion part! See the whole series as he removes, tests the VW engine and puts it back into the newer caravan and then a problem develops and Dave Asks for your help!
All parts are shown here in this blog(Parts 1 through 6)

Remove diesel caravan motor Part I



Remove diesel caravan motor Part II



part III: Remove 3.0 engine for a diesel conversion



Part IV: Here is where he Starts the vw diesel motor on a chain



Part V: Diesel vw motor is installed into a caravan



part VI: my diesel is leaking, HELP ME !

Tom Torbjornsen-with some winter tips!

Tom Torbjornsen has a few Winter Tips for you. You can listen to more of Tom on Sunday nights from 10pm EST. to midnight on his radio show "Americas Car Show" on stars two, Sirius 108 and XM 139!

Did You Know that being stuck in the snow causes fluid oxidation?

This week Pat Goss tells us what can happen to your transmission fluid when your stuck in the snow and you spin your wheels! Listen to the clip below as he explains the relationship of oxidation of the fluid and how it increases with temperature, as you spin faster to get out of the snow and what you should do to prevent this.

Official Toyota recall notice- Updated 02/05/2010

This is the official document sent to Toyota Dealer Principals, Service Managers, Parts Managers and describes what is to be done for your car when you bring it in for the recall.

Safety Recall (Special Service Campaign) – A0A
Accelerator Pedal Modification Campaign Vehicles Equipped with Accelerator Pedals Manufactured by CTS Corporation



http://cid-e9d50e31a0403643.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/carfix%5E_online/toyota%5E_recall.pdf

What to do If you experience Sudden Acceleration

Recently there has been lots of information on what to do if your car experiences sudden acceleration. Watch the video clip below where Bobby Likis shows what to do about it, to his hometown news reporter in Pensacola Florida. This is a very simple operation which will allow you to regain control of your automobile.

Lauren Fix with more car tips!

Lauren Fix is here again talking about car care tips including a new "synthetic" oil filter from Royal Purple and how to stop theives from getting your expensive GPS with a "Maplock".

Lauren Fix on Wiper blades

This week we have what I call the "Kim Komando" of the automotive world Lauren Fix, here to tell us a little bit about Wiper Blades. It's a bit different then having Pat Goss from motorweek!

Lauren Fix is a Buffalo, New York based journalist and a former race car driver, and was one of the co-hosts Talk 2 DIY Automotive on DIY, providing demonstrations and tips for auto repair.

From what I gathered Fix is her real last name and she is often called "The Car Coach" .The picture above is taken from her book she recently wrote.

A bazaar concept- "Winter Tires"

Opening moments from "Goss's Garage" with Pat talking about a bazaar concept in Winter Tires for your car. Listen to the audio below.

How to use Chevron Techron to clean your fuel injectors

Some methods of cleaning fuel injectors can be too aggressive and actually
cause damage to the injectors if not used properly. Below is a listed process, that is fairly straight forward and easy to perform.
You will most likely notice an improvement in performance and fuel economy.

1. Go to your auto parts retailer and purchase 2 bottles of Chevron Techron.
2. Run your fuel tank down to just below ¼ tank.
3. At the gas station add 1 full bottle of Techron to your tank and fill up with
premium fuel.
4. Run that tank of premium fuel down to a ¼ tank.
5. Fill up again with a second full tank of premium, with NO Techron.
6. Let the second tank of premium fuel run down to a ¼ tank.
7. Now add the second full bottle of Techron to your tank along with a third tank of
premium fuel.
8. Let the third tank run down to about ¼ tank to get the full strength of the
Techron past the injectors before filling up again.

Changing a V-belt- (Unconventional)

Now here is an interesting way to change a V-Belt on a VW! It goes without saying "don't try this one"!

How to determine the correct amount of air to put into your tires

This week we have Dale Donovan from the "Carshow" showing us how to determine the correct amount of air to put into your tires.

Automotive MythBusters-The Automotive Tune-Up(Parts I & II)

Another in the series of "Myth busters" from Dave Rock. Here he does a pretty good job of explaining what he sees in the term "Tune -Up". Does he get it all right? You be the judge and send your comments to the mailing list.

Note: This is only Part I so it ends abruptly. Part II is shown below Part I.



Click on the video below for Part II:

How to unclog a heater core to get good heat.

Dave Rock is at it again with some backyard "Bubba Fixes" for a clogged heater core. Here in this video he gives us 3 different methods, the second one he says can be dangerous. Will they work? It depends on how they are clogged. They certainly are worth a try.

Comments? Send them to the mailing list as always!

Do you know the difference between exclusionary and inclusionary warranties?

One of the most important and misunderstood parts of buying an extended warranty is the difference between exclusionary and inclusionary contracts. Do you know the difference?

With an exclusionary contract everything within a system that isn’t covered is spelled out so you know exactly what is and isn’t covered. An inclusionary contract simply tells you the systems and parts that are covered and the only way you know what isn’t covered is when you make a claim.

And never buy a warranty without seeing and carefully reading the actual contract first.

"Myth Busters"- Batteries!

In this video Dave Rock started a new series of what he calls "Myth Busters". So far he has one on Motor oils, Cooling systems and this one I am showing here on Batteries. The main reason I decided to go with this one, is that the information is more accurate from what I can tell!
As always, find something he shows that is not up and up send your comment(s) to the mailing list.

Why so much to fix my Heat?

Well, actually that question didn't pop up in this particular case because the Vehicle owner had an aftermarket Warranty. But that made it worse because this particular Warranty company will pay for ONLY what's needed NOW. More on this later.

Subject Vehicle is a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 Pick-up Truck.
The Customer concern was that the Heat did not work right.
Upon inspection we found that the Airflow was way out of kilter.
When checking we found that there was only a very small of air coming out of the Defrost Duct and Floor Duct, all the time, even with the Blower on High! It didn't even try to change when any of the other Modes were selected.
And the air was barely luke-warm.

When troubleshooting this fully Electronically Controlled HVAC Systems' Controls, it was determined that the Defrost/Floor Mode Door was unresponsive, probably a broken Door as this is a Common Problem on this Year/Make/Model (Y/M/M) . In fact, ALL of the Mode Doors on this Y/M/M have a history of breakage but the Def/Floor Door is the most common and Dodge has upgraded the Door and Lower case.

Further testing revealed that the Heater Core was also internally restricted.

OK, so far these findings explain the Def/Floor not changing and the air not being heated enough but we still didn't know why the airflow was so weak and farther testing was getting us nowhere.

We filed a claim with the Warranty Company and asked them to leave the Claim "open" because we would need to perform more inspection and testing when we got the HVAC Case out and dis-assembled.


This is not the correct illustration for this Y/M/M but's the only one I could find on short notice. It does give a good idea about the airflow through a typical HVAC Case thugh.










This is why it's so expensive to fix the HVAC when the Case needs to be removed.
The entire Dash, instrument Panel and Steering column need to removed to gain access to the Case.
After that we still had work to remove the Case.










Here is a view of the Dash, Instrument Panel and Steering Column laying on the floor next to the work bench.













The HAVC Case is then disassembled for farther inspection and testing and later repair.
















Yikes! We found not just one but TWO broken mode Doors! Pictured here is one of the Mode Doors.
If you look at the top-right you'll be able to see the plastic simply snapped at the upper hinge.

And what about that pesky low airflow condition? Well, the other broken Door was the Fresh air/Recirculation Door. When broke, it fell down onto the Blower Motor inlet effectively sealing out nearly any air intake at all. Sorry I didn't get a pic of that one, had to get back to work...




Here is larger view of one of five Electric Actuators that drive the Mode Doors in both directions and stop at whatever position the Computer decides.











Oh yeah, why did I mention that this particular Warranty Company just makes things worse?
Because these Y/M/M has known problems with this issue *and* this Vehicle obviously will break the other Doors in the future it would be just plain SMART to replce ALL of the Doors now while it is apart and save any future costs of the high labor bill to do this again.
They denied the claim for the other doors "because they are not broken"

And the Customer did not want to pony-up the bucks either because it would be covered again by the Warranty Company.

SHEESH!!! What a waste of money when the others fail...

Enjoy,

Mike.







Michael E. Nixon All rights reserved

Do you ever think about your tires?

Pat Goss ask the question "do you ever think about your tires?" he also tells us about how to do a proper patch on a tire along with some other ramblings. Is the information all up and up? Listen in by clicking on the link below.

New- MICHELIN® Smart Jumper Cables

MICHELIN Smart Jumper Cables automatically adjust polarity which means you can connect the clamps to either positive or negative connections. Conventional jumper cables require that the clamps are specifically connected to the positive and negative battery terminals. Failure to properly attach conventional jumper cables can result in sparking, shorting, exploding batteries, engine fires, and expensive electrical system damage.

Tell me more about the automatic polarity adjustment feature:

The circuitry takes the residual power of the battery and identifies its polarity. Once the polarity is determined, the circuitry adjusts the polarity and switches the cables (if needed) and correctly routes the power.
The auto polarity adjustment is performed by five circuits – two voltage polarity recognition circuits (one for the battery to be rescued; the other for the battery providing the power supply) a logic recognition circuit, a driving circuit and a relay switching circuit.
• The voltage polarity recognition circuits recognize polarity then send a signal to the logic recognition circuit.
• The logic recognition circuit receives the polarity information then sends a control signal to the driving circuit.
• The driving circuit receives the logic recognition signal and in turn drives the relay switching circuit.
• The relay switching circuit enables the two batteries to be accurately coupled. In the event the system detects a connection problem, this circuit switches off the current conductors for safety.

. Built in surge protector which reduces the chance of a spike when removing cables

I like to see the product, is there a video? Click below.

http://www.pylonhq.com/Video/SmartCables.swf

How to plug a leaking car tire

This week we have Dave Rock once again explaining how to plug a leaking tire. What he didn't say is that a plug is supposed to be a temporary repair and the tire should be repaired with a plug/patch which is done from the inside of the tire. For the most part I didn't see anything wrong with this video, but if you do, let us know on the mailing list!

Paintless Dent Removal Scam

This week we have Pat Goss explaining that there is a new scam going around dealing with Paintless Dent Removal or PDR. Listen to the audio clip as he explains.

Tom Torbjornsen- Engine Rebuilding Facility

Tom Torbjornsen , host of "America's Car show" visits an engine rebuilding facility in his hometown. He shows us a few tidbits on what goes on there!

A "safe" sealer for your A/C?

This is the first I have heard of a "safe" sealer for A/C systems. If anyone has any experience with it let us know on the mailing list!

Motor oil- difference between house brands and major brands

The question often comes up is there a difference between the cheaper house brand of motor oil and the major brand which are more expensive? Also apply the above question to gasolines? Are non major brands of gasoline ok to use?

Pat Goss gives us his views on this as the very same question is asked by a caller on his show.

2003 Kia Rio clutch replacement lesson from Dave Rock

Another car repair video from Dave Rock. This one is rather long about 15 min. Remember Dave is the "King of Bubba fixes" and he is very good at finding short cuts or what he refers to "redneck repairs" so don't take the information as being what's in the book or repair manual. I think he did a great job on this one which is not your average car repair.

As always, comments are welcomed on the mailing list!

What exactly is Hypermiling?

What exactly is Hypermiling? It is all about making adjustments to increase your gas mileage. Listed below are some Hypermiling Techniques that would do just this - no matter what car you are driving.

These tips were handed over by an auto expert Pat Goss, owner of Goss’ Garage in Seabrook, commentator for PBS’s ‘Motorweek’.

DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT Goss says: Going slow can save gas. Goss says that once you go above 38 mph, you lose mileage. For every 5 mph above 55, he tend to lose 10 percent of your fuel economy.

DRIVING WITHOUT BRAKES: Maintain a steady speed if traffic is heavy. Goss says: Do it when possible — but be careful especially in the Beltway.

TURN OFF YOUR CAR AND COAST: To save even more fuel when decelerating, shift to neutral and turn off the engine while coasting to a stop.Goss says: Highly dangerous. You don’t have your car under control, says Goss.

OPTIMIZE YOUR ROUTE : To avoid traffic, try different routes. It so happens that a longer but smoother route saves a whole lot more gas. Goss says: “Basic driving techniques. I teach this the first day,” Goss says.

WATCH YOUR TIRE PRESSURE: Some hypermilers recommend over-inflating tires as flat ones require more energy. Goss says: It works but is very risky. “When you over-inflate a tire, you can compromise its traction and . . . make the tire wear out more rapidly. He adds that it is “very negligent to recommend that someone do that.”

STAY ON TOP OF OIL CHANGES: Use thinner oil.Goss says: Goss reasons: It can have a significant effect on fuel economy, especially as the oil ages.The viscosity of engine oil is always increasing. . . . The thicker the oil is the harder it is to push through the engine.

Chrysler Wi-Fi Hotspot Announced

In what the company claims is an industry first, Chrysler announced Uconnect web, a system that brings wireless Internet connectivity to any Chrysler, Dodge, or Jeep. It turns the car into a WiFi hotspot that provides secure, real-time entertainment and information to all vehicle passengers. The hotspot range will extend approximately 50 feet from the vehicle in all directions, and will combine both WiFi and 3G cellular connectivity. Since this is ultimately a cellular service, despite its emphasis on WiFi, the pricing will be complex.







The U.S. Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the router module is $449. Autonet Mobile offers wireless Internet account service at $29 a month, available in 12-, 24- and 36-month service plans. There is a one-time $35 service activation fee. Uconnect web will be powered by Autonet Mobile, and will be available in August as a dealer-installed Mopar accessory.

Testing for Parasitic Drain

Hi all! 10/23/09

I checked-in to the list today at lunch time and saw a few replies about my suggestion
to use an ammeter instead of a test light when testing for a parasitic drain on a battery.

I learned this lesson the hard way almost thirty years ago.

You see, I was trying to diagnose why a certain Oldsmobile was having the Battery
run-down every 3 or 4 days.
Following the conventional wisdom of the era, I had a test-light installed in series between
the battery and a disconnected cable.

The Lamp glowed brightly!

I proceeded to follow conventional wisdom (again) by pulling one fuse at a time until the
test-light went out.
Eureka! That fuse was for the Rear Suspension Load Leveling feature, really nothing
more than Air Shocks, a Compressor, Height Sensor and Module.
OK, now what?
I re-installed the fuse and the light was brightly lit again.
Thinking the most logical failure would be the Module itself, I disconnected it.
Lo and Behold! The light went out! Yay!!!

After replacing an expensive Module I retested again with the Test-Light.
To my horror it was brightly lit!
Disconnecting the new Module made the light go out again!

After my steaming bright red face explained this to the shop owner, he handed me
the phone number to a brand-new (to me) service. A technical hot-line for Auto
repair mechanics.
Now remember this was almost thirty years ago, electronics were just beginning to
to become "the force" that they are today.

The consultant politely listened to my dilemma and then asked one solitary question.
"Why are you using a test light"?
He explained that this particular Module needs to have FULL voltage and current in order
to settle the rear suspension to the proper height before it will shut-down and go to sleep.
With a test-light in series this could never happen. He suggested I retest using an Ammeter
and wait for five minute to see what would happen.
Well, needless to say, the system leveled and shut-off.
No more drain!!!

I've used an Ammeter ever since for this test!

After seeing today's replies I decided to put together a quick blog showing this phenomenon
on a typical car we had in the bay.
It is a 1999 Chevy Malibu, 3.1L engine, Auto Trans.
It was not in for any sort of Battery problem so I knew it would be a perfect candidate.
I was able to do these tests and take the pics in-between jobs and waiting for parts.

In the first pic you'll see I have test-light in series with the Battery.
You'll also observe that the Light is lit brightly even though the flash of camera almost
drowned it out.
After 15 minutes IT WAS STILL BRIGHTLY LIT!!!

(remember to click on the image for a larger view)

















Hmm....
Now that's interesting!

Now let's see what happens when I use the Ammeter in my Fluke 88 DMM

















The drain started out high, about 300 mA (0.3 Amps) then within about a minute fell
to what you see, 62 mA (0.062 Amps).

I now know for sure that this car DOES NOT have an issue with parasitic drain on the
battery.

If I had *trusted* the test-light method I would have wasted a great deal of time and
parts money and maybe even risked the trust of a customer.

Michael was asking about using an inductive Amp Clamp to get a quick idea about the
possibility of too much parasitic drain.
First you would not be able to trust an Amp Clamp that measures anything over about
10A.
The one I use is this:
















It is a *Low Current* probe capable of measuring very low Amperage's.
I use it primarily for use with an oscilloscope to measure Fuel Injector, Fuel Pump, Ignition
Primary events.
It is fast enough and accurate enough to give me good results.
To use it you connect it's leads to your DMM or Oscilloscope and convert it's output to Amps.
The problem with using it for parasitic drain testing is it's "nose size".
I can't fit it around most battery cables...

If you would like to peruse this tool more you can go to http://aeswave.com/Products
/Product.asp?i=59 for more info.

All in all there are many myths that can get you trapped in a diagnostic boondoggle that
does nothing but cost you time and money.

Hopefully I've been able to clear up at least one of them with this post...

Master Nimrod,

Mike.

SuperBumper!

This week we have Pat Goss from Motorweek talking about a really good product called Superbumper. Watch the video below to learn more.

Technical info on oil burning and head gaskets( "Sleuth" affair)

In this video Dave Rock gives us some information about oil burning and head gaskets. However some of the information is just not completely correct. Watch the video and then go to the mailing list and post what you think is wrong. If your not on our mailing list and would like to participate then go to http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/carfix_online/
and sign up. We are always taking in new members!


Most of the information he gives is true, but he tries to over simplify one specific test. Can you identify it?

A 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air crashes into a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety (IIHS), a 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air was crashed into a
2009 Chevrolet Malibu—in a head-on frontal-offset test, at 40 mph.


Watching the modern Malibu, the hood area deforms
significantly but the passenger area looks almost entirely intact. Shift your eyes over to the 1959 Chevy and it’s the stuff of old highway-safety and shock-and-scare films, just melodrama and implied gore. There’s plenty of car gore though, with the Bel Air’s steering column slammed forward into the driver, the A-pillar completely mangled, and the dash pushed back to finish the punch. Trim pieces fly, shards of non-safety-glass fly forward, and…well, that’s probably enough of a spoiler.


In case there’s any doubt based on the description above, according to safety engineers at the scene, the driver of the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu would likely have suffered slight knee injury. The driver of the 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air would have died instantly.

Belt wear Gauge for Serpentine belts

According to the Car Care Council, one out of five vehicles needs a new belt. That’s an astounding fact when you consider that there are over 240 million vehicles on the road today, according to R.L. Polk & Co.


Since the late 1990s, auto manufacturers have phased out Neoprene belts and begun installing EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) belts on new models.


EPDM is a superior technology with better performance characteristics but, like any wear part, these belts don’t last forever. It can be harder to detect when these new belts are worn, because as EPDM belts age, they don’t show wear the same way as Neoprene.


To help you accurately diagnose belt wear in EPDM belts, Gates has developed a Belt Wear Gauge so you can determine the appropriate time for belt replacement. Order one free at





http://www.gatesprograms.com/beltwear/beltwear_gauge_thank_you





See the video on how to use this belt gauge at..





http://www.brentonftp.com/video/twoguys/flv/player.php?movie=Gates_Belts_807

How to remove clearcoat paint scratches from your automobile

Once again we have Dave Rock giving us some information about How to remove clearcoat paint scratches from your vehicle. Is it another "Bubba fix"? You be the judge!

Tire Pressure Monitoring systems with Goss & Davis

This week we have Pat Goss and John Davis from Motorweek taking about TPMS, and adding air to your tires and some of the problems associated with these systems, along with why it is a good idea to use nitrogen fill in tires.

RE: Bad fuel filters causing check engine light to come on

A few weeks ago many of you disagreed with Pat goss on what he said about many check engine lights being on do to clogged fuel filters. I recently asked Pat to confirm and explain why he feels this is so. Here is his response. I thought it was a very good explanation. What do you think?

We see a lot more fuel filter problems. For one thing the ethanol attracts and absorbs water to the fuel system which in turn causes corrosion on metal parts. Ethanol can also strip minuscule particles of plastic from the surface of plastic fuel tanks and parts. Both problems are especially bad if the driver does not use Isopropyl alcohol dry gas to control moisture.

But the larger issue is that ethanol is hygroscopic so there is more water in most fuel tanks. Some water can be absorbed into the gasoline but some will settle to the bottom of the tank. When water is present there will usually be growth of micro organisms such as water bottom blooms, mold, fungus, bacteria and algae that live in a mostly anaerobic state in petroleum products. They are water or airborne and enter through vents, condensation or with fuel from underground storage tanks.

These life-forms mostly live in the water at the fuel-water junction layer and feed on hydrocarbons in the fuel or starch-like substances in the ethanol. Some create hair-like mats on tank bottoms, others are slimy and are suspended from the fuel at the fuel-water interface. Like all living things they produce waste which causes sludge, acids, and other nasty stuff that can damage fuel system parts.

These organisms reproduce at an astounding pace but as individuals are short lived and quickly die. Because they are microscopic they and their excrement can pass through the sock on the end of the fuel pickup tube but are trapped in the fuel filter's much finer pores. This is what makes the average fuel filter look muddy. Again, ethanol comes from a starch and offers a potentially better food source for a wider variety of micro life-forms. More critters means more dead carcasses and more poo which means shorter fuel filter life.

Also when too much moisture accumulates in the tank it can lead to phase separation of the ethanol causing damage to both metal and plastic. The residue from this reaction clogs filters as does the rust from the moisture reacting with metal parts.

In the past we had much less of this. Although MTBE was hazardous to us it didn't cause nearly the problems to the cars that we see with ethanol.

What is this?

Can you identify this device and what is it used for?

Scroll down for the answer!

The answer!
A Vibrating Reed Tachometer: Which is a tachometer consisting of a group of reeds of different lengths, each having a specific natural frequency of vibration; observation of the vibrating reed when in contact with a moving mechanical device indicates the frequency of vibration for the device.

In other words it is an older type of Tachometer, again consisting of a group of reeds of different lengths, each having a specific natural frequency of vibration; observation of the vibrating reed when in contact with a moving mechanical device indicates the frequency of vibration for the device.