The Future of Diagnostics Is In The CAN
Since model year 2003, a growing number of domestic and import vehicles have been built with a new onboard communications protocol called CAN (Controller Area Network). CAN is essentially an engineering standard for how computers and modules talk to one another via the serial data bus in a vehicle’s wiring system. It’s a high-speed standard
Diagnostic Dilemmas: Diagnosing Rodent Damage
Of all the technical innovations of the past century, the plastic-insulated copper wire is one of the most dependable components found in the modern automobile. Sure, this summer I had three different cases of the copper wire actually being broken inside the plastic insulation. In the first two instances, I had the intake air temperature
Tech Tip: Use Proper Torque When Installing Wheel Fasteners
It’s not difficult to torque wheel fasteners properly, but it’s not difficult to foul up the job, either. The average foot-pounds of torque needed to keep today’s wheel fasteners safely in place is between 65- and 80-foot-pounds.
Tire Tech Tip: Is There Still a Need for Dedicated Winter and Summer Tires?
Technology appears to have closed the gap between the types, but will we ever see one ultra tire that delivers high levels of traction, braking, handling and wear in every weather condition, every part of the country, every month of the year?
New Corteco Website Provides Easy Access to Reference Materials and Support
A new website designed to provide easy access to information on premium-quality aftermarket products, including engine gasket kits, engine and transmission mounts, cabin filters, transmission kits, and power steering kits and components, has been introduced by Corteco, the aftermarket business of Freudenberg-NOK, and can be viewed at www.Corteco-na.com.
Double Hit
It’s not difficult to torque wheel fasteners properly, but it’s not difficult to foul up the job, either. We’re not using double talk here; we’re shootin’ straight from the hip. The easy part of proper wheel fastener torquing is knowing the vehicle manufacturer torque specifications for a particular passenger car, light truck or medium truck,
Government Regulations and Braking Performance: How Uncle Same Sets the Standards
Everybody wants safe brakes, right? You want the assurance that any brake linings you install on a customer’s vehicle will provide adequate braking and meet all applicable safety standards. But guess what? There are no federal safety standards for aftermarket brake linings. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 105 and 135, which are issued by
A/C Update: The Logic Behind Automatic Temperature Controls
Many new cars and trucks now have automatic temperature control (ATC) systems that not only regulate cooling but also heating for year-round passenger comfort. Most of these systems have their own computer that may be built into the control panel head, located elsewhere or integrated into the body control module. One thing’s for sure: the
Getting Tanked: Flex Fuel Engine Modifications Allow for Alcohol-Based Fuel
In case you haven’t heard, Flex Fuel technology is really starting to take off in the U.S., becoming more popular in late-model vehicles than technicians may realize. If you haven’t had any training on these vehicles, you may find some of the technical changes OEMs have made to the engines will alter the way you
Bad Gas Update
How bad can it get? When the price of gasoline soared to over $3 a gallon after hurricane Katrina, people were shocked. They actually began to change their driving habits to conserve fuel by eliminating unnecessary trips, sharing rides to work, staying home in the evening instead of going out and doing what little they