Professional Motor Mechanic

Why understanding the basics of diagnostics is so important

|Date: March 20, 2014

Why understanding the basics of diagnostics is so important

Accurate and efficient diagnosis of vehicle complaints requires a sound understanding of basic diagnostic ...

Accurate and efficient diagnosis of vehicle complaints requires a sound understanding of basic diagnostic techniques and a good handle on the capabilities of your own scan tool. A technician within a ...

March 20, 2014
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Hybrid technology – diagnosing high voltage systems

|Date: February 26, 2014

Hybrid technology – diagnosing high voltage systems

Advances in the motor industry mean that many people find it hard to keep up with the technology. The gen ...

Advances in the motor industry mean that many people find it hard to keep up with the technology. The general consensus seems to be that these “advances” just mean that the vehicle manufacturers want ...

February 26, 2014
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Troubleshooting double clutch failure

|Date: January 26, 2014

Troubleshooting double clutch failure

GENERAL REPAIR GUIDELINES? Before proceeding to any repair work on the double clutch, ask your customer s ...

GENERAL REPAIR GUIDELINES? Before proceeding to any repair work on the double clutch, ask your customer some basic questions to pinpoint possible causes of damage. If the car is roadworthy, carry out ...

January 26, 2014
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How to test Air Mass Meters while they’re still on the vehicle

|Date: January 13, 2014

How to test Air Mass Meters while they’re still on the vehicle

Believe it or not, potentially faulty Air Mass Meters can be checked whilst the component is still fitted ...

Believe it or not, potentially faulty Air Mass Meters can be checked whilst the component is still fitted to the vehicle. Although it may not be possible to conduct the same extensive testing that AMM ...

January 13, 2014
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A scope: A key to diagnostic dilemmas

|Date: January 07, 2014

A scope: A key to diagnostic dilemmas

It’s not such a long time ago that oscilloscopes were once the reserve of scientists, with their use main ...

It’s not such a long time ago that oscilloscopes were once the reserve of scientists, with their use mainly focused on measuring complex signals in laboratories. As we all know, though, the cost of so ...

January 07, 2014
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EGR valve testing – the key steps

|Date: December 09, 2013

EGR valve testing – the key steps

These days, Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) systems are commonplace on a wide range of petrol and diesel ...

These days, Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) systems are commonplace on a wide range of petrol and diesel engines in an attempt to reduce nitrogen oxide exhaust emissions. Due to the harsh operating en ...

December 09, 2013
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Eradicating a misfiring Mercedes ML

|Date: December 04, 2013

Eradicating a misfiring Mercedes ML

VEHICLE: Mercedes-Benz ML YEAR: 2000 ENGINE: 2.7 612.963 SYSTEM: EDC15 Customer complaint This vehicle ca ...

VEHICLE: Mercedes-Benz ML YEAR: 2000 ENGINE: 2.7 612.963 SYSTEM: EDC15 Customer complaint This vehicle came into the workshop after paying a visit to another local garage in the area. They had done a ...

December 04, 2013
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Vehicle troubleshooting: VW Passat 3C (Electronic Steering Column Lock unit)

|Date: October 30, 2013

Vehicle troubleshooting: VW Passat 3C (Electronic Steering Column Lock unit)

On the 2005-2011 VW Passat (3C), a common cause for the vehicle not starting is the Electronic Steering C ...

On the 2005-2011 VW Passat (3C), a common cause for the vehicle not starting is the Electronic Steering Column Lock unit. The symptoms for this particular problem can be recognised by the dash steerin ...

October 30, 2013
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DPFs – how to perform a ‘forced regeneration’

|Date: October 07, 2013

DPFs – how to perform a ‘forced regeneration’

TOOL USED: SOCIO 400 DIAGNOSTIC UNIT, AVAILABLE FROM TECNODIAGNOSTICS 1. Open the software and click into ...

TOOL USED: SOCIO 400 DIAGNOSTIC UNIT, AVAILABLE FROM TECNODIAGNOSTICS 1. Open the software and click into ‘Car-MPV’. 2. Select your vehicle. 3. Once vehicle is selected you will then see the full syst ...

October 07, 2013
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Rover 45 with MIL illuminated but no running issues

|Date: October 02, 2013

Rover 45 with MIL illuminated but no running issues

VEHICLE DETAILS: Rover 45 ENGINE CODE: K16 YEAR: 2004 SYMPTOM: MIL illuminated, no running issues This ca ...

VEHICLE DETAILS: Rover 45 ENGINE CODE: K16 YEAR: 2004 SYMPTOM: MIL illuminated, no running issues This car came to us with the MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp) illuminated, but no reports of any runni ...

October 02, 2013
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EMS – Air Mass Meter fitting tips and in-house product testing

|Date: September 19, 2013

EMS – Air Mass Meter fitting tips and in-house product testing

Modern engine management systems are designed to ensure that engines run cleanly and efficiently in a div ...

Modern engine management systems are designed to ensure that engines run cleanly and efficiently in a diverse range of driving conditions. In order to meet these demanding requirements placed upon the ...

September 19, 2013
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Vauxhall Vectra suffering from loss of power

|Date: September 06, 2013

Vauxhall Vectra suffering from loss of power

The customer in question was a new one to my workshop, and he had called to discuss a problem with his Va ...

The customer in question was a new one to my workshop, and he had called to discuss a problem with his Vauxhall Vectra. The vehicle was a ’57 plate, 2.2 direct petrol injection model which was experie ...

September 06, 2013
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Ford Transit Tourneo keeps ‘cutting out’

|Date: July 15, 2013

Ford Transit Tourneo keeps ‘cutting out’

VEHICLE: Ford Transit Tourneo ENGINE: 2.0TDCi FIFA YEAR: 2005 SYSTEMS: Delphi The Tra ...

VEHICLE: Ford Transit Tourneo ENGINE: 2.0TDCi FIFA YEAR: 2005 SYSTEMS: Delphi The Tra ...

July 15, 2013
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Vehicle troubleshooting – intake manifold pressure error

|Date: June 20, 2013

Vehicle troubleshooting – intake manifold pressure error

Potential complaints• Fluctuating idle speed• Loss of power• Jerking on acceleration• Malfunction Indicat ...

Potential complaints• Fluctuating idle speed• Loss of power• Jerking on acceleration• Malfunction Indicator Lamp illuminated• Diagnostic Trouble Code P0105 – P0109 Error messages relating to the intak ...

June 20, 2013
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Diesel injector coding – Ford Mondeo 2005

|Date: June 10, 2013

Diesel injector coding – Ford Mondeo 2005

The first question that most technicians ask is why injectors actually need coding. The answer is that du ...

The first question that most technicians ask is why injectors actually need coding. The answer is that due to tolerances when the injectors are manufactured the injected fuel quantity may deviate betw ...

June 10, 2013
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