Diagnosing Intermittent Stalling Issues
Intermittent driveability problems of any kind are always a challenge to diagnose. When a customer brings you a vehicle and complains of a stalling problem, you may not have much to go on other than their description of what’s happening and when it happens. The more information you can get out of them the better,
Emissions Update: Understanding How Wide Ratio Air/Fuel (WRAF) Sensors Work
Instead of giving a simple rich/lean indication, wide ratio air/fuel sensors measure the “actual” air/fuel ratio. A WRAF sensor can measure mixtures that range from extremely rich to extremely lean (even straight air!). This ability allows the PCM to control fuel mixtures much more precisely, to handle much leaner fuel mixtures, to reduce emissions and
Tech Tip: Evolving Ignition Control Systems
The key to diagnosing many cranking, no-start and stalling problems found on the late-model import is to understand how the crankshaft and camshaft position sensors function and what their mechanical relationship is to each other. During the past 30 years, ignition control systems have evolved from distributor-type, to distributorless, to coil-on-plug ignition systems. Similarly, fuel injection systems have ….
Evolving Ignition Control Systems
Require Knowledge of Crankshaft & Camshaft Sensor Function
Tech Tip: Diagnosing Intermittent Stalling Issues
Intermittent driveability problems of any kind are always a challenge to diagnose. When a customer brings you a vehicle and complains of a stalling problem, you may not have much to go on other than their description of what is happening and when it happens. The more information you can get out of them the better, because you’ll likely need all the details you can get to narrow down the list of possible causes ….
Matco Tools Introduces the MCTB100 CAN Test Box Kit
Matco Tools’ MCTB100 CAN Test Box (CTB) is a diagnostic tool which connects to a vehicle’s OBDII connector and is used to easily diagnose electrical faults. When a scan tool fails to establish communication, the OBDII system seems not to respond, or a CAN-Bus system related fault code is registered, this tool allows testing at ….
Tech Feature: Catalytic Converter Diagnosis
The catalytic converter is probably the most important emission control device on a vehicle because it cleans up the pollutants in the exhaust. Thanks to fuel injection, oxygen sensors in the exhaust manifolds, and a feedback fuel control system, emissions are kept to a minimum. Even so, some pollution is still produced and must be eliminated by the converter. So the converter must be in good condition and working correctly to keep tailpipe emissions to an ….
Catalytic Converter Diagnosis
The catalytic converter is probably the most important emission control device on a vehicle because it cleans up the pollutants in the exhaust. Thanks to fuel injection, oxygen sensors in the exhaust manifolds, and a feedback fuel control system, emissions are kept to a minimum. Even so, some pollution is still produced and must 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
Tech Tip: Misfires May Cause Engine to Feel Rough, Lack Power and Use More Gas
When you have a misfire code for a particular cylinder, you can focus on one of three things: an ignition problem, a fuel injector problem or a compression problem. Ignition problems that can cause misfires include worn or fouled spark plugs, bad plug wires, moisture on the plugs or plug wires, or a weak or dead ignition coil ….