Professional Motor Mechanic

Scope School Part 2 – Oscilloscope diagnostics made easy

|Date: September 25, 2014

Scope School Part 2 – Oscilloscope diagnostics made easy

This second instalment in an exclusive trilogy of oscilloscope guidance clinics from Steve Smith of Pico ...

This second instalment in an exclusive trilogy of oscilloscope guidance clinics from Steve Smith of Pico targets those that fall into the category of users who are competent, but don’t yet fully know ...

September 25, 2014
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How to avoiding timing belt issues

|Date: August 21, 2014

How to avoiding timing belt issues

The correct installation of drive system components is of paramount importance, even on a relatively simp ...

The correct installation of drive system components is of paramount importance, even on a relatively simple engine such as Vauxhall’s 1.7-litre diesel unit. However, too many of these units suffer fro ...

August 21, 2014
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10 tips for belt replacement success

|Date: August 05, 2014

10 tips for belt replacement success

The technical team at Contitech offer their advice.... 1. Read the instructions ...

The technical team at Contitech offer their advice.... 1. Read the instructions ...

August 05, 2014
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How to replace a cambelt on a Renault GU9 engine

|Date: July 14, 2014

How to replace a cambelt on a Renault GU9 engine

The Renault GU9 engine is fitted to a wide range of vehicles and used by several vehicle manufacturers to ...

The Renault GU9 engine is fitted to a wide range of vehicles and used by several vehicle manufacturers to power their light commercial vans.Technically speaking, the cam belt replacement procedure on ...

July 14, 2014
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Myths and truths of starter motor faults

|Date: November 11, 2013

Myths and truths of starter motor faults

Myth 1: 'I replaced the starter motor as it has burnt out' After continued attempts at turning the igniti ...

Myth 1: 'I replaced the starter motor as it has burnt out' After continued attempts at turning the ignition key with the engine turning over, but failing to start, the conclusion is frequently reached ...

November 11, 2013
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How to solve manifold ‘warping’ on the Daewoo/Chevrolet Matiz

|Date: September 25, 2013

How to solve manifold ‘warping’ on the Daewoo/Chevrolet Matiz

THE PROBLEM A common problem on the 800cc Daewoo/Chevrolet Matiz is corrosion to the alloy cylinder head ...

THE PROBLEM A common problem on the 800cc Daewoo/Chevrolet Matiz is corrosion to the alloy cylinder head and distortion (warping) of the plastic inlet manifold, resulting in a coolant leak between the ...

September 25, 2013
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Belt tensioner failures – 1.7 turbo diesel system on various GM models

|Date: August 27, 2013

Belt tensioner failures – 1.7 turbo diesel system on various GM models

Problems in the market persist with the failure of the belt tensioner on the 1.7 litre turbo diesel engin ...

Problems in the market persist with the failure of the belt tensioner on the 1.7 litre turbo diesel engine used in many Vauxhall/Opel and Isuzu vehicles following the prescribed belt and tensioner cha ...

August 27, 2013
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Clock spring installation – Chrysler Voyager and Grand Voyager

|Date: February 04, 2013

Clock spring installation – Chrysler Voyager and Grand Voyager

Malfunctioning of the clock spring (also known as Air Bag Squib) on the Chrysler Voyager and Grand Voyage ...

Malfunctioning of the clock spring (also known as Air Bag Squib) on the Chrysler Voyager and Grand Voyager models is not an uncommon problem, to the point that Daimler Chrysler issued a safety recall ...

February 04, 2013
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Dual Mass Flywheels – the importance of a full failure check

|Date: January 21, 2013

Dual Mass Flywheels – the importance of a full failure check

When a car comes into the workshop with a potential problem, it pays to take time to run through a check- ...

When a car comes into the workshop with a potential problem, it pays to take time to run through a check-list before making your diagnosis as there are a number of things to consider when you think yo ...

January 21, 2013
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Timing belt failure diagnosis and rectification

|Date: January 11, 2013

Timing belt failure diagnosis and rectification

The 1.7-litre diesel engine that has been a permanent fixture in a number of configurations in theVauxhal ...

The 1.7-litre diesel engine that has been a permanent fixture in a number of configurations in theVauxhall/Opel Astra, Combo, Corsa and Meriva for more than a decade is one that will be very familiar ...

January 11, 2013
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Drive belts – workshop questions and answers

|Date: October 23, 2012

Drive belts – workshop questions and answers

What's the most common cause of a noisy Auxiliary Belt Drive System (ABDS)? ...

What's the most common cause of a noisy Auxiliary Belt Drive System (ABDS)? ...

October 23, 2012
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CAN Bus fault finding tips and hints – Part 1

|Date: June 26, 2012

CAN Bus fault finding tips and hints – Part 1

Since the introduction of the CAN (Controller Area Network) Bus in production cars in 1991, this technolo ...

Since the introduction of the CAN (Controller Area Network) Bus in production cars in 1991, this technology has grown from luxury models to virtually all levels of vehicle today. In the past few years ...

June 26, 2012
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CAN Bus fault finding tips and hints – Part 2

|Date: June 26, 2012

CAN Bus fault finding tips and hints – Part 2

In the previous article on this subject, we illustrated how to recognise a healthy CAN Bus using a PC-bas ...

In the previous article on this subject, we illustrated how to recognise a healthy CAN Bus using a PC-based oscilloscope to observe the CAN frames, and using a simple ohmmeter to check the bus connect ...

June 26, 2012
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How to replace a timing belt on Various Daewoo models

|Date: June 26, 2012

How to replace a timing belt on Various Daewoo models

Although perhaps not the most common of vehicles, there are still many Daewoo’s traveling the length and ...

Although perhaps not the most common of vehicles, there are still many Daewoo’s traveling the length and breadth of the country, so they are not infrequent visitors to the service bays of the independ ...

June 26, 2012
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Dealing with idler pulley failures on various GM models

|Date: June 26, 2012

Dealing with idler pulley failures on various GM models

One of the reoccurring repair issues that has become a problem for the independent workshop is the failur ...

One of the reoccurring repair issues that has become a problem for the independent workshop is the failure of the idler pulley on the 1.7 diesel engine fitted to many General Motors (GM) vehicles such ...

June 26, 2012
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Technical best practice advice tailored to help independent trade automotive professionals.