Tech Tip: 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 the engine cranks but won’t start, and they depress the service valve on the ….
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
Tech Feature: Servicing Jeep and Ford Feedback Carburetors
Lately, it seems, more people are "going retro" by rehabilitating older cars and trucks. Perhaps it’s the longing for the simplicity of a bygone era or perhaps it’s the sentimental attachment to a particular vehicle that’s driving the retro movement. Although in the Rustbelt East, the survival rate of these vehicles is probably very low, their survival rate is very high in the arid West ….
Diagnostic Dilemmas: Servicing Jeep and Ford Feedback Carburetors
Lately, it seems, more people are “going retro” by rehabilitating older cars and trucks. Perhaps it’s the longing for the simplicity of a bygone era or perhaps it’s the sentimental attachment to a particular vehicle that’s driving the retro movement. Although in the Rustbelt East, the survival rate of these vehicles is probably very low,
Under Pressure: Piston Service For Light Truck Diesels
The diesel engine market has been rapidly changing in recent years. Higher fuel prices and changes in emission regulations have brought about a whole new generation of clean diesel engines in both the light- and heavy-duty truck markets. According to the Diesel Technology Forum (www.dieselforum.org), particulate emissions from new on-highway diesel engines have been reduced
Carley’s Corner: Training Is Not a Dirty Word
When some technicians hear the word “training,” it doesn’t interest them in the least. They think it means giving up an evening or a Saturday to sit through a long, boring lecture that may or may not teach them anything new. Maybe they’ve been duped into attending a “training clinic” that turned out to be
Oxygen Sensors: Are You Up to Date on the Latest Designs?
If you’re a technician who works on late-model import vehicles and diagnoses engine performance and emissions problems, you probably have a good understanding of how oxygen (O2) sensors work. You know that all late-model engines have at least one or more “upstream” O2 sensors in the exhaust system to monitor the air/fuel mixture, and one
Cleaning Carbon from TDI Intake Systems
Volkwagen has been selling diesel-powered cars in the U.S. for almost 30 years. Turbocharged versions have been available for 25. That is a lot of experience and a testament to the development of a reliable, efficient and durable powerplant. The introduction and development of the TDI (turbocharged direct injection) brought the VW diesel into the
Tech Tip: Servicing GM’s 3800 V6 Engines
The Buick 231 cu. in. 3.8L V6 engine has had a production run lasting more than 30 years. Like the small block Chevy V8, this engine has undergone many changes over the years to keep it abreast of changing consumer expectations and emissions regulations. The first Buick 3.8L was offered in the 1975 model year Skyhawk, Apollo, Century and Regal. The engine was based on an earlier 198 cu. in. V6 that Buick introduced back in ….
Carley’s Corner: A Silver Lining in Every Cloud
The economic news lately has not been good. There has been a significant downturn in the economy this year, and the prospects for a turnaround anytime soon don’t seem very promising. To make matters worse, gasoline is over $3 a gallon, utility rates are up, food prices are up, virtually all costs of living are