Diagnostic Dilemmas: Solving Late-Model Charging System Dilemmas
This month’s Diagnostic Dilemma involves a pristine 1995 Buick Park Avenue with a customer complaint of dimming instrument cluster lights, a flickering voltmeter needle, a driveability bucking complaint and a dead battery. The alternator had been replaced due to an indication of excessive AC ripple on the shop’s hand-held battery and charging system tester. A P1630 trouble code was present, indicating a high/low condition with battery voltage.
Electronic Specialties Introduces FUSE LEAD Automotive Test Leads
Electronic Specialties introduces a new product, FUSE LEAD Automotive Test Leads. FUSE LEAD is designed to prevent your DMM’s internal fuse from blowing. According to the company, this set of test leads can save time and increase productivity. Blowing multi-meter fuses is very common and its one of those simple, yet painful things. Ironically, the fuse blows in just microseconds, but replacing that fuse can take a quite a while.
Tool of the Month: New VERDICT M2 Two-Channel Scope/Meter
The new VERDICT M2 Two-Channel Scope/Meter (EAK0301B14A) from Snap-on provides high-speed component testing for a quick and confident diagnosis. It combines a two-channel, high-speed lab scope and a digital graphing meter to deliver 20 megasamples/second/channel and 3MHz bandwidth for accurate testing of high-speed signals used in the latest automotive technology, said the company.
New Snap-on Data Bus Fault Finder Diagnoses Scan Tool Communication Failures
Today’s vehicles have 15 to 20 computers talking to each other on shared circuits that can ultimately fail. The new Data Bus Fault Finder (EEFF500) from Snap-on is the essential tool to diagnose Data Bus communication failures. When the Data Bus fails, the scan tool loses communication with the vehicle’s network of onboard computers.
Snap-on’s D-TAC ELITE Takes Multi-Tasking to the Next Level
Multi-tasking has become a lot easier with Snap-on’s new
D-TAC ELITE (EECS306C) diagnostic station. Service technicians can diagnose multiple problems with this device, which includes a diagnostic charger, battery, starting and charging system tester, engine starter, Digital Multi-meter (DMM), cable voltage drop tester and flash-reprogram device.
Tech Update: Can ‘Add-Ons’ Affect CAN Systems? Yes, They Can!
Get any teenager their first car and the first thing they want to do is modify it with new wheels, a different exhaust, seat covers or, the most important and popular upgrade, the stereo. You know, when they have to get to school with all their buddies in the car, they’ve got to have those tunes. They can’t be seen around town with a dull factory radio or wimpy stock wheels.
Diagnostic Dilemmas: Harnessing in a Wiring Fault
During the summer, the speedometer on the Taurus would quit on an intermittent basis. Of course, when the speedometer would quit, the automatic transmission would default into an intermediate gear and fail to shift into the higher ranges. Although a local transmission shop installed a new VSS and performed other repairs as well, the Taurus ran only a few days before the problem resurfaced.
Top 5 Tools: Michael Gabriel, Classic Motor Cars Inc.
Michael Gabriel, owner and technician Classic Motor Cars Inc. Oxnard, CA Fluke DMM — Very accurate and easy to use. PicoScope — Easy to use, like the large screen and color. Snap-on Wrenches and Pliers — Light, but very strong. Redline Detection Smoke Pro — Easy to use and inexpensive to operate. Snap-on Toolboxes —
Snap-on’s Hybrid MultiMeter Gives Technicians a Competitive Edge
As more hybrid vehicles start coming in for repairs, professional technicians will need the most advanced and innovative tools to safely service them. Snap-on’s EEDM604C Auto Ranging DMM for hybrid vehicles requiring CAT III 1000V and CAT IV 600V will give you the competitive edge.
Tech Feature: Acquiring Data on Scan Tools, Part II
Technical contributor Gary Goms discuss the importance of choosing the right scan tool, using scan tool database systems, graphing data, storing data for future use, analyzing scan tool data and using bi-directional controls.