2006 Ford Explorer Pointers
Photo 2). Another change for the 4.6L in 2006 is that it no longer uses a knock sensor. Both, the 4.0L and the 4.6L use a PCM-controlled heated PCV valve. The PCV valve on the 4.0L SOHC engine is located in the back of the left valve cover, mounted horizontally, and is well hidden from
Maintenance Essentials…, OBD II & Chassis Checks
All cars need maintenance. The fact is mechanical devices wear and fail in normal use, and deteriorate over time, so being able to diagnose a future failure has become a part of the automotive repair and service industry. Customers always ask how long it will be before a component will fail, and are usually not
Tech Feature: Getting Up to Speed on Hybrid Vehicles
Hybrids are hot. As the price of gasoline goes up, so does the demand for new vehicles that can squeeze more miles per gallon from every drop of gasoline. Hybrids do that by combining the best of both worlds: electric power for low-speed, stop-and-go driving, and gasoline power for highway cruising and long-range driving.
A/C Tech Feature: The Future of R-134a
With all the talk about global warming and climate change, many people are wondering what the future holds for R-134a as an automotive refrigerant. R-134a was introduced back in the early 1990s as an "ozone safe" replacement for R-12. Unlike R-12, R-134a contains no chlorine, so it can’t harm the ozone layer that protects us from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation.
Hybrids: Basic Service & Safety Procedures
Hybrids are hot. As the price of gasoline goes up, so does the demand for new vehicles that can squeeze more miles per gallon from every drop of gasoline. Hybrids do that by combining the best of both worlds: electric power for low-speed, stop-and-go driving, and gasoline power for highway cruising and long-range driving. Current
A/C Update: The Future of R-134a
Alternative Refrigerants Loom on the Service Horizon
MACS Reminds Technicians that United States Clean Air Act Section 609 Certification is the Law
Section 609 of the United States Clean Air Act requiring all service technicians to be certified in proper refrigerant recovery and recycling has been law since 1990, yet many service professionals still are unaware of the requirements or have ignored them.
CAFs: Searching for Hidden Services
They call it the “hidden filter” because many motorists don’t realize their vehicles have separate air filters for the passenger compartments. Cabin air filters first appeared back in the mid-1980s. The earliest applications were on Audi and other European makes. Today, about 80% of all new import and domestic vehicles have a cabin air filter
Flashing Signals / Reprogramming PCMs
You don’t have to be Microsoft A+ certified to flash reprogram automotive PCMs, but the process requires a certain amount of know-how as well as special tools and access to the latest OEM software upgrades (which are not free!). What’s more, it’s not a risk-free endeavor. Certain precautions must be undertaken before you begin, and
Tech Tip: ‘Beemer’ Steamer – BMW Hose Leak
Without warning, our otherwise tranquil morning was interrupted by a horrendous screech of brakes, as a late-model, metallic blue BMW M3 slid into the service drive. Steam was billowing out from underneath the engine compartment.