ASE 25 Year Medallion
I received my ASE 25 year medallion today. This was a pleasant surprise because I didn’t even know that one existed. When I took it into work with me and showed the other mechanics in the shop they were also not aware that the shiny little medal existed.
It’s nice to know that ASE is keeping track of how long the technicians that participate in their program have been certified. It’s even nicer that they recognize these technicians with a medal that has a magnetic backing so you can stick it on your toolbox.
When it comes to being an automotive mechanic there is no substitute for experience. The longer you turn a wrench the better at it you become. This is mainly because every day you learn something new. These learning experiences build up in your brain and you are able to call upon them when needed.
Taking ASE tests Read more
Setting Ignition Timing
standard timing light
Setting ignition timing on cars today is usually not required. I still own 2 timing lights and find it necessary to adjust the engines timing on rare occasions. This is only possible on vehicles that still have distributor type ignitions.
Although most vehicles nowadays have direct ignition my 2004 Chevrolet Blazer with a 4.3 L V-6 engine still has a distributor and you can adjust base timing. Remember only engines equipped with a distributor may need to have their ignition timing set or adjusted.
Although the computer still controls ignition timing on distributor ignition, having the base timing correct is critical for proper performance and fuel economy. If the base timing setting is wrong the advance curve settings can also be wrong.
On modern vehicles with distributor type ignition the timing is advanced as rpm’s increase. These controls are the function of the computer and the curve is not adjustable. To set the base timing there will be different procedures to follow to disconnect the computer from the distributor so that the setting can be adjusted. Read more
Improper Ignition Timing
Timing Tester
Improper ignition timing can cause several car problems. Anything from hard starting to lack of power might be traced back to the root cause of incorrect base ignition timing.
In rare occasions I have also seen a hard start condition from this as well. Often when people are having poor performance from their engine they may wonder if it is an issue with the engine timing.
You have to remember that poor engine performance can also be caused by poor compression, overheating, incorrect valve timing that can be caused by a timing belt that slipped one notch. Clogged catalytic converters and probably about 20 other things can also cause this condition.
How to test for improper ignition timing
When the ignition timing is not correct there are a few tests that can point to the car problem. Read more
Distributor Cap and Rotor Ignition
Distributor Cap and Rotor
This post is for people that still have a distributor cap and rotor ignition like me instead of the more modern ignition systems such as direct ignition or coil on plug type systems. Some vehicles including my 2004 Chevrolet Blazer still use a distributor cap and rotor to fire off their spark plugs.
This type of ignition system can cause car problems like an engine misfire or shudder under load. Caps and rotors have been around for a long time and for the most part they are extremely reliable. There is no shame in having a distributor ignition.
Sure your friends may say your vehicle is old-fashioned as they point and laugh at you while you’re in the parts store buying replacement parts. When this happens remind your friends that your cap and rotor only cost $28 while their individual coil that has failed might cost $200. A direct ignition coil and module assembly could cost around 350 bucks.
Problems with cap and rotors
The reason I’m writing this article is that I continue to see a common problem that develops on vehicles that use a distributor cap and rotor ignition systems. Read more
Coil On Plug Ignition Problems
High Performance Coils
The coil on plug ignition system has been out for quite a while and seems to be gaining in popularity. Although the system does seem to be extremely reliable I have ran into a few problems with individual coils. Note that I have some replacement and high-performance ignition parts available below the article.
The problems I have seen included an intermittent rough engine idle that would set a check engine light code for random misfire. I have also seen a few completely dead coils that set misfire codes for specific cylinders. If you set a p0303 code this would indicate a malfunction needs to be diagnosed on the number three cylinder.
In my worst-case scenario I had an extremely intermittent engine miss on a Ford van that would only misfire when the engine was extremely hot. It set a code for a random misfire which did not help me narrow down which cylinder had the problem. This was a V10 gas engine and the cost of replacing 10 coils just to find the bad one would have been huge.
I tried purchasing one new coil and then rotating it through each individual cylinder to see if the problem was solved. Read more
All About Fog Lamps
Fog Light Kit
Note at the end of this all about fog lamps article will be links to some of the most popular fog light kits and replacement halogen bulbs for factory installed systems. But first didn’t you ever wonder about your cars fog lights. Why they are constructed different than headlights. Why they are mounted in positions that are far lower than regular headlamps.
When I first started to drive at 16, no cars had factory mounted driving lights. This was an aftermarket accessory that I quickly added to my vehicle so it would look cool. To my surprise not only did they look cool but they actually came in handy. I found myself driving through foggy areas often as I lived near cranberry bogs in a low lying area of New Jersey.
A side note when you are adding auxiliary lights you must make sure that your alternator and wiring are heavy duty enough to handle the increased wattage. In the case of my 1974 Dodge charger the fog lights were too much for the standard wiring and charging system. After an electrical fire that melted all the lighting circuit components I upgraded the alternator and installed new heavy gauge wiring. After the upgrades all was good. Read more
300ZX Air-Conditioning Problems
300ZX AC Problems
I had a few 300ZX air-conditioning problems with my 1988 Z. in case these are problems that are inherent in these vehicles I will describe them below. When I got this car it had r12 Freon in the system as you would expect from an older vehicle such as this.
Me being an automotive mechanic that has converted many systems, I was prepared to do the same to this vehicle. I did have a 1 pound can of r-12 Freon that I used to bring the system up to its proper level when I first got the car. I was expecting that someday I would have to convert the system to the new R-134a. To my surprise I did have problems with the air-conditioning system but never had a refrigerant problem so I never converted the system.
I have put a page together on my you fix cars website that has more tips and directions for people that want to convert from r12 to 134a. There is more to the procedure then just dumping one and installing the other. In fact if you do not follow the recommended procedure your air-conditioning system will probably not blow cold for long.
Nissan blower motor problems Read more
Car AC Compressor Replacement
AC Compressor
When Car AC repairs are required one of the worst-case scenarios is having to replace the AC compressor due to an internal failure. When I say internal failure I’m talking about the compressor coming apart inside and spreading metal throughout the air-conditioning system.
Often both professional and driveway mechanics will just try to replace the compressor by bolting on a new part. This is an invitation to further repair and ongoing problems with the air-conditioning system. The small metal pieces that are hiding throughout the lines and other components will circulate and continue to cause problems.
Proper compressor diagnosis
In most cases when a compressor suffers internal damage the telltale sign would be the noise generated from the compressor itself while the clutch is engaged. You do want to take some time and verify that the noise is actually coming from the AC compressor and not another belt driven accessory. Read more
Why Properly Torque Bolts
Beam Torque Wrench
Professional mechanics, driveway mechanics and most people that work on cars hate taking the time to torque bolts properly. As a professional mechanic myself I don’t like it either. First you have to break out your torque wrench and maybe even get it calibrated.
Next you have to find the actual torque specification in an online car repair manual for the bolt that you are going to tighten. Then you’ll have to take extra care and get your torque wrench on the bolt and finally torque it to specification. This is a lot of effort when you can just put a wrench on that very same bolt and just pull on it for two grunts and a groan.
Not applying proper bolt torque would be considered a shortcut that can reduce the quality of the car repair and may cause a repeat failure or additional repairs to be performed. This is more critical in some areas such as intake manifold bolts. If these are not torqued properly they can allow coolant to run inside the engine and damage expensive internal parts. Read more
