Ignition Archives - Page 4 of 6 - Import Car
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Over the years, GM has saved a bundle on manufacturing the 3.1L engine by using the production line tooling it originally developed for the 2.8L V6. By simply changing the bore diameter, the displacement of the same engine block could now be increased for more power and torque.

Tech Tip: Chevy Malibu Suffers Engine Hesitation, Stalling, RPM Drop

Some Malibu owners may comment on the engine having a severe hesitation or a drop in RPM during parking lot maneuvers or during a deceleration. In a few instances, customers may comment on occasionally experiencing a stall at idle when the engine is fully warmed.

Service Solutions: The ‘CKP’ Script

The signal of the position or rotation speed of the crankshaft position sensor (CKP) contains a lot of information about the engine. When the engine is operating, the engine cylinders push on the crankshaft journal. This is why the crankshaft briefly accelerates after top dead center (TDC) on the expansion (or combustion) stroke. If the fuel did not ignite in the cylinder there would no acceleration.

Tech Tip: Ignition Coil Polarity Check on Early Model Vehicles

On classic and antique vehicles, you can test for correct polarity of the ignition coil by using a voltmeter.

Memory Lane: Reverse Technology: Engineering the 6-Volt Alternator

Not having an engineering degree does have its advantages – your thought process is wide open with no restrictions and no rules. However, my final working 6-volt alternator design proved to be a lot more expensive than I could have imagined.

Tech Tips: Using The Oscilloscope: Ignition Coils

Excerpt from Delphi Training Course ‘Common OBD II Failure – The Misfire Monitor’

Pulling Codes: Hit or Miss? Part II

This article will continue the work we started in the June 2011 Pulling Codes article. Part I outlined how we used relative compression to find a fault mechanically. In this article, we will focus on exhaust waveforms (tailpipe analysis) to gather data. In order to have an understanding of this concept, one must envision the four-stroke cycle at the time the plug fires as a reference.

Book Report: Automotive Electrical Performance Projects

For the automotive professional with electrical experience, Automotive Electrical Performance Projects by Tony Candela is a great edition to their technical library as it details a variety of popular performance project upgrades. In this “Performance Projects Series” title from CarTech books, brilliant color photos and explanatory step-by-step captions detail the installation of the most functional and beneficial upgrades for enthusiasts of varying skill levels.

Tech Tip: Kia Has Intermittent MIL On with No Fault Code Stored

In affected vehicles, an intermittent short to ground in a circuit only intended for testing purposes may cause the MIL to illuminate and a DTC P1330 (Spark Timing Adjust) to be stored. As soon as the fault disappears, the MIL may turn off and the fault code can also be immediately erased by the engine management system, making it hard to diagnose the concern.

Coil on Plug Ignition: The Wired Differences

For late-model vehicles, the norm is one ignition coil per cylinder, commonly known as coil on plug. The task of providing voltage potential to each spark plug is performed so reliably that it’s easy to take for granted. An underhood comparison of a variety of vehicles, however, reveals there are subtle differences among coils. For example, each individual coil may be connected to two, three or four control wires.

Tech Tip: Kia Optima Won’t Rev, Sets Code P0350

On some Kia Optima vehicles, a P0350 code is set, indicating a faulty ignition coil circuit. At times the engine runs bad and won’t rev up; that is when it sets the code.

Wrangling in Jeep Spark Timing Dilemmas

Every once in a while I get a Diagnostic Dilemma that takes me back to the basics of how modern engine management systems work. This month’s happened to be a 1992 Jeep Wrangler equipped with the 4.0L engine and manual transmission. Of course, a vehicle of this vintage and configuration has to be about as basic as modern technology can get, right? Well, there are always exceptions.