Automotive Archives - Page 160 of 179 - Tomorrows Technician
Honda Electrical System Diagnostics

Honda charging systems won’t present many problems for the experienced tech, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind. It’s our experience that the charge indicator lamp on the dash does a good job of keeping the system in check – of course, that assumes the light is working as it should.

TPMS Sensor IDs: Why, Where and When

  To understand any TPMS relearn procedure, you have to understand this: Sensors only transmit, they do not receive. The vehicle doesn’t ask a sensor for information on how it’s doing. I know what you’re thinking: a sensor does receive signals when the vehicle is in relearn mode, when the technician is holding a TPMS

Tips For Spark Plug Removal

Before attempting to remove the spark plugs on a vehicle, first determine any special instructions by the vehicle’s manufacturer for accessing the spark plugs because engines can vary widely by make and model.

How Ford’s Grille Shutters Control Airflow

Some newer Ford vehicles feature active grille shutters – a system that optimizes aerodynamics by using vents to control airflow through the grille to the cooling system and engine compartment.

Honda Element Brake Job

It may look like a car that was never removed from the box it came in, but the Honda Element isn’t boxy when it comes to the brakes. Based on the CR-V platform, there is also nothing tricky when it comes to service. But, its brake system is hardware intensive with floating shims, abutment clips and pad separator springs in the front.

Timing Chain Replacement: Diagnosis And Repair

Timing chains, with their thinner width, reduce overall engine length and are more durable than timing belts, requiring no scheduled maintenance. Timing chains do make more noise, have higher weight and higher cost than timing belts, though.

Tech Tip: FIAT 500 Rear Axle Alignment

Rear axle alignment shims are available in a kit containing two shims and replacement spindle mounting bolts. The front shim is used to correct an out of specification toe-in condition, and the rear shim is used to correct an out of specification toe-out condition.

Air Ride Diagnostics: Reservoirs And Compressors

Just about every Asian and European luxury import nameplate manufacturer has a 7- to 10-year-old vehicle on the road with an air-ride suspension at all four corners. Chances are you will be servicing one of these vehicles sooner rather than later.

Pattern Failures Of MAF And MAP Sensors

Pattern failures are those failures that happen over and over again – and the same applies to how customers describe these failures. Customers might unknowingly give you the answer to their problem without needing to open the hood. In this article, we will look both at the failures of these sensors and the actual customer explanations that directly related to a failed MAP or MAF sensor.

Honda Electrical System Diagnostics

Honda charging systems won’t present many problems for the experienced tech, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind. It’s our experience that the charge indicator lamp on the dash does a good job of keeping the system in check – of course, that assumes the light is working as it should.

Proper Coolant Selection Prevents System Degradation

Coolant is easily analogized to blood, both being liquids that are essential to the functioning of an entire complex system. The analogy extends even ­further though because, like blood, coolant has different types, and it’s not a stretch these days to say that swapping an OAT with an HOAT, or vice versa, is on the level of transfusing Type A blood with Type B.

Converter Codes: How Long Will The Light Stay Out?

Even if the converter is operating below 95% efficiency or the oxygen sensor is bad, the chances of the light coming right back on are slim. If you clear the code, the light might stay off for a while until the system goes through two readiness cycles. This might take a couple of days or a couple of weeks. But, no good deed goes unpunished because the customer will be back and your quick fix will be forgotten.