By: Larry Hammer | Wednesday, April 10th, 2024 at 10:07 am in On The Line The 2013 Ford F150 equipped with a 3.5L EcoBoost engine was running perfectly. With the exception of a drop in fuel economy, there was no indication of a problem until the Check Engine light in the dash illuminated. A system […]
Diagnostic Challenges That Can Elude an Experienced Technician
By: Larry Hammer | Tuesday, January 9th, 2024 at 11:49 am in On The Line Vehicles today incorporate a maze of electronic components that must be considered when troubleshooting a performance related symptom. A vast arsenal of test equipment is necessary to communicate with the electronic systems and components. Systems are so connected that it […]
Oil Consumption: It May Be a Normal Characteristic
By: Larry Hammer | Tuesday, September 12th, 2023 at 11:53 am in On The Line When dealing with oil consumption complaints, how much should be considered as too excessive? Is the engine consuming an excessive amount of oil or should the amount consumed be considered a normal characteristic? This is especially a concern with the […]
TURBOCHARGED ENGINES: Are You Recommending the Required Services?
By: Elvia Vega | Thursday, July 20th, 2023 at 12:35 pm in Tech Tips Turbocharged engines are becoming commonplace as the vehicle manufacturers are utilizing smaller displacement engines fitted with turbochargers. Turbochargers and direct fuel injection can make a smaller displacement engine behave like a larger displacement engine, while accomplishing better fuel economy. With this […]
ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS OR LOW VOLTAGE: Both Can Create Intermittent Electrical Challenges
By: Larry Hammer | Monday, June 27th, 2022 at 11:29 am in Tech Tips Low voltage conditions or the integrity of an electrical connection can pose some challenging events for the technician attempting to make an accurate diagnosis. In the world of automotive diagnostics, electrical problems have proven to be the most challenging, especially intermittent […]
A Difficult Diagnosis: When Multiple Conditions Create Similar Symptoms
By: Larry Hammer | Thursday, July 21st, 2022 at 11:45 am in On The Line Customer complaints of rough idle, misfires, crank but no start or long crank time symptoms can be a challenge with today’s technology. Random or multiple misfire codes may be stored in memory. Symptoms that seem like an ignition related issue […]
SERVICING DIESELS: Identifying Normal Characteristics
By: Larry Hammer | Tuesday, September 20th, 2022 at 12:57 pm in Tech Tips A major part of the diagnostic process is identifying an issue from a normal characteristic. Following are some examples of customer complaints that could be mistaken as a problem when they may be a normal occurrence for the application. Customer complaints […]
Maintenance Intervals: Lack of Service Can Lead to a Catastrophic Event
By: Larry Hammer | Thursday, October 20th, 2022 at 3:24 pm in On The Line Neglecting maintenance intervals can result in performance issues and internal engine damage due to sludge deposits restricting the flow of lubricant to vital engine components. Evidence of lack of maintenance will normally show up in the oil filter and related […]
Servicing Diesels Lack of Maintenance Promotes Costly Repairs
By: Larry Hammer | Friday, December 30th, 2022 at 10:15 am in On The Line Failure to provide timely maintenance on a turbo-charged diesel engine can result in some expensive repairs, especially if it involves replacing a turbocharger or engine. The inexperienced may not realize how important some of the basic services are when servicing […]