Alignment Lifts: Consider Your Customer Base When Purchasing an Alignment Lift
If you do wheel alignment work, you need an alignment lift for raising vehicles off the ground. A lift is essential because you have to get under the vehicle to inspect the steering and suspension before you check the alignment. You can’t align worn parts, so it’s important to always make sure the tie rod
Tech Feature: Returnless Fuel Injection Systems
If you’ve tried to find the fuel pressure regulator on many late-model engines by looking in the engine compartment, you won’t find it there because the regulator has been relocated to the fuel tank. Engines with “returnless” electronic fuel injection (EFI) systems have the regulator inside the fuel tank. The regulator is part of the fuel pump assembly and is usually located downstream of the in-tank fuel filter.
Oxygen Sensors Read the Amount of Unburned Oxygen in the Exhaust
The O2 sensors located in the exhaust manifolds provide the essential feedback for the fuel control loop that regulates the air/fuel mixture. On V6, V8 and V10 engines, there is one O2 sensor in each exhaust manifold. On four and straight six engines, there is usually only one O2 sensor in the exhaust manifold.
Point of No Return: Returnless Fuel Injection Systems
If you’ve tried to find the fuel pressure regulator on many late-model engines by looking in the engine compartment, you won’t find it there because the regulator has been relocated to the fuel tank.
Tech Tip: Brake Lathes Continue to be a Profit Center for Busy Shops
A brake lathe has long been an indispensable piece of equipment for shops that do brake work. A bench lathe is necessary to resurface rotors and drums. An on-car lathe is also a great tool for turning troublesome rotors on vehicles that are sensitive to rotor runout issues, and those with captured rotors. But with cheap offshore rotors flooding the aftermarket, and some new cars now being equipped with lightweight rotors that are too thin to turn, you may be questioning the need for a brake lathe ….
OBD II Engine Diagnostics: Not as Simple as it Seems
Anybody can plug a scan tool into a vehicle and read codes. But do they know what the codes mean, how to diagnose the fault or, most importantly, how to fix the vehicle? The problem with reading OBD II codes is that the code tells you only that a fault has occurred. It does not
Carley’s Corner: Highlights of the AAPEX & SEMA Shows
Every year in early November, Las Vegas hosts two huge automotive shows, the Automotive Aftermarket Products Exposition (AAPEX) at the Sands Convention Center, and the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The two shows this year drew more than 100,000 attendees from all over the world. These are the
Timing Tools
Before you replace a timing belt, chain or gear set on some engines, you will have to look up the timing reference marks. Some engines have multiple timing marks that can cause confusion if you don’t know which ones to use or how to line them up. Many engines also require special tools when changing
Tech Feature: Diagnosing Fuel Pumps and Injectors
One of the first questions that should always be answered when diagnosing a fuel-related complaint on a fuel-injected engine is, “What is the fuel pressure?” All too often, technicians assume fuel pressure is “good” without actually measuring it with a gauge. If the engine runs, they assume the injectors are getting adequate fuel pressure. If
Mode $06 Diagnostic Update
Mode $06 has been around since the introduction of second-generation onboard diagnostic (OBD II) systems back in the mid-1990s. Essentially, Mode $06 is the raw test data the OBD II system uses to evaluate the operating status of various components in the engine management and emission control systems
Diagnosing Wheel Speed Sensors
Wheel speed sensors (WSS) provide essential wheel speed information not only for anti-lock brake systems (ABS), but also for traction control and stability control systems. Some vehicles even compare the wheel speed sensor readings against the vehicle speed sensor (VSS) to make sure all of these sensors are accurate and working correctly. In some situations,
Brake Fluid Testing: Bleeding and Flushing Minimizes Internal Corrosion in the Brake System
Brake fluid is something that should always be changed when the brakes are relined or when replacing a caliper, wheel cylinder, brake line, hose or master cylinder. But what about at other times? Should brake fluid be replaced for preventive maintenance? Most brake experts say yes! DOT 3 and DOT 4 brake fluid contains glycol