Tech Tip: Cranky Honda Civic Starter is a Grind
A Honda Civic owner may complain that the starter motor intermittently grinds while cranking the engine. The cause may be that the female terminal at the starter solenoid may have spread apart, causing a loss of current to the solenoid.
Tech Feature: Cooler ‘Heads’ Prevail – Pouring Over GM’s LT1 Engine and Reverse-Flow Technology
The LT1 engine was used in a variety of General Motors models, including 1992-’96 Corvette (Y-body), 1993-’97 Camaro and Firebird (F-body), and 1994-’96 Chevy Caprice and Impala (B-body), Buick Roadmaster and Cadillac Fleetwood (D-body).
DENSO Sales California Releases New 2009 Starter and Alternator Catalog
DENSO Sales California has announced the availability of a new 2009 Starter and Alternator catalog (#SA-CAT-0409) for its First Time Fit Starter and Alternator line. The expanded catalog includes 105 new part numbers, 165 additional product photos and 163 new applications covering more than 10 million additional units in operation (UIO).
Tech Tip: Servicing a Malfunctioning Automotive Ignition Switch
The automotive ignition switch, formerly a straightforward device used to connect battery voltage to various circuits and prevent theft of the vehicle, has recently been switched up.
Tech Tip: Wintertime Heater Operation Guidelines
Wintertime heater operation presents numerous questions and problems. Here are some guidelines for professional technicians to ensure the heating efficiency of their customers’ vehicles when the weather turns cold. Verify coolant level and condition. If the system is low, the heater core is the first to lose coolant flow, causing a lack of heat in the passenger compartment. Old coolant can cause ….
Evolving Ignition Control Systems
Require Knowledge of Crankshaft & Camshaft Sensor Function
Diagnostic Solutions: Charging System Diagnostics & Troubleshooting
Although checking charging voltage at the battery terminals is the most popular method for testing an alternator, a charging voltage test seldom reveals less common problems like open or shorted alternator diodes, intermittent high or low charging rates, charging system wiring problems, intermittent cranking/no start complaints or intermittent dead battery complaints. In addition, testing charging
Starting/Charging System Diagnosis: Fixing Faults the First Time Eliminates Comebacks & Returns
How many starters and alternators are replaced unnecessarily every year because of misdiagnosis? Nobody knows for sure, but suppliers of both new and remanufactured rotating electrical parts tell us more than half of their warranty returns have “no fault found” when the parts are examined. Many of these returns are from DIYers who lack diagnostic
Tech Feature: Engine Diagnostics…What to do When an Engine Won’t Start
In today’s world of high-tech electronics, onboard diagnostics and scan tools, you would think engine diagnostics would be easier than ever. Yet some technicians struggle when confronted with an engine that cranks but refuses to start. Most no-starts do not generate any fault codes, so how do you proceed to find out what’s causing the
Diagnostic Solutions: COP Ignition Systems
For a number of reasons, the trend of modern engine management technology is leaning toward using coil-on-plug (COP) ignition systems. One reason is that COP ignitions are very compact and are very adaptable to individual cylinder tuning. With the exception of a few designs that incorporate a driver or “module” into the COP assembly itself,
Tech Feature: Laser Ignition Technology
Since the earliest days of the internal combustion engine, spark plugs have provided the ignition source for the air/fuel mixture. Over the years, spark plugs have gotten smaller, and the use of exotic metals in their electrodes has extended plug life to 100,000 miles or more. But spark plugs still have a conductive center electrode
Rotating Electric Update
Question: There is a lot of talk in the industry regarding returns on non-defective parts. So, how can repair shops and technicians reduce the number of warranty returns on rotating electrical parts? Answer: Misdiagnosis of starting and charging problems is the main reason many starters and alternators are returned. The issue isn’t the quality of