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