Parts, Tools & Tips

New products, fitting tips & technical advice to ease fault-finding and installation

Lighting Replacement And Upgrades

HELLA’s lighting range – Standard, Performance, Design, Long Life and Xenon – feature icons and QR codes to give additional information on service life or light colour, as well as showing the correct applications and vehicle types. Its Standard bulb is aimed at the driver who values safety at affordable pricing; ideal for customers with family cars, for instance. These halogen bulbs are available for nearly all types, including H1, H4, H7, H11, H15, as well as the up-and-coming H18 and H19 versions.

Performance bulbs are available as Performance +60% or +120%, providing 25 or 50 metres more visibility where needed, with references H1, H4 and H7.

For the professional driver, Hella recommends workshops suggest HELLA’s Long Life range, as it has an extended lifespan, lasting up to three times longer than is required by ECE regulations, which reduces the need for maintenance. These bulbs are available in H1, H4, H7 and H11.

White Light combines style and comfort, with up to 30% more light than a standard halogen lamp and last up to 300 hours. The White Light range is available in H1, H4 and H7.

HELLA’s Xenon range provides a like-for-like substitution.

Beware of LED replacement bulbs

The problem with using LED replacements for traditional halogen bulb applications is that, unlike the upgrade examples mentioned, LED bulbs do not currently qualify for R37 approval and therefore carry no ‘E’ mark, making them illegal for road use.

When it comes to actual LED headlights, as it presently stands, the only viable option should they need to be replaced, is to change the entire unit, rather than an individual light source.

01295 662400 hella.sales@hella.com

Remote Transmission Cleaner

A new automatic transmission cleaner, CAT-601S, is available from Launch Tech, helping workshops effectively and profitably maintain vehicle automatic transmission systems.

The Launch CAT-601S features remote technician control, automatic transmission fluid (ATF) sampling, and an optional Automatic Transmission Flush (ATF) database to help identify the right connector and fluid for the vehicle. The machine is supplied with a range of vehicle specific connectors.

Flushing cycles are key to maximising lifespan of automatic transmission. Prior to exchanging the old fluid, CAT-601S performs an automatic flush cycle, purging all accumulations and deposits from the entire transmission, and refills with new ATF throughout the transmission and associated torque converter and oil cooler lines.

Service functions include old oil sampling, which extracts a sample of oil from the gearbox for testing before commencing the oil exchange process. The system can also automatically start cycle cleaning on engine ignition once detergent is added.

The transmission cleaner’s exchange function will add new oil into the gearbox and automatically drain the old oil to the oil tank. CAT-601S can support filling or draining fixed transmission oil, and empty new or recovered oil tanks.

www.launchtech.co.uk

High Failure Parts

SMP Europe’s new range of NOx sensors, consisting of 26 part numbers that cover a wide range of popular European vehicle manufacturers, add to a programme that already covers a wide selection of high failure parts.

Most engines feature two sensors, one upstream and one downstream. Commonly NOx sensors fail due to a build-up of soot, ECU water intrusion and/or damage to connecting cables. SMP Europe’s enhanced testing ensures that components are capable of performing to high standards over a long service life in the harshest of operating conditions. The company has invested heavily over recent years in its testing laboratory, with machinery that can simulate a wide range of conditions, including temperature degradation, salt mist and vibration. This is combined with on-vehicle testing to guarantee product performance capability. www.smpeurope.com

Finding The Correct Part Just Became Easier

Partsfinder, the online parts search engine from the bilstein group, provides quick access to 62,000+ products from febi and Blue Print, from ABS Sensors to Water Pumps.

Users can enter a few keywords to access detailed product information including repair kit references and safety data sheets, and existing customers can order online. It is free to use, with no registration required, although registered users can access additional functions such as an expert filter.

Users can now easily share information on individual parts with others using the WhatsApp sharing button. Simply click the icon on the article detail page. A ‘Parking Space’ facility allows you to store up to 99 vehicles for quick access and you can add information to ‘Favourite Articles’ if there is a spare part you need frequently.

BEWARE OF FIRE JUICE!

Technical support specialist to the trade, Colin Benzie from Kalimex, the UK distributors for the JLM Lubricants’ range of additives, tells autotechnician how quality fuel system cleaners can help motorists save money by preventing contamination issues and warns readers of the rise of cheap ‘Fire Juice’ that contain no active ingredients.

“Driving patterns undoubtedly influence the need for a fuel system cleaner. Vehicles used for short distances and/or stop start journeys will struggle to meet their full operating temperature. As any mechanic will tell you from an inspection of these vehicles, key components such as injectors and valves become contaminated. Millions of motorists will fall into these driving categories yet they are unaware they’re unwittingly building up expensive- to- treat problems further down the line. Contaminated injectors and valves cause fuel inefficiency with failed components adding to the workshop bill. Whilst a premium forecourt fuel may be a solution, using a high-quality fuel additive roughly every two to three months or, every 2,000 to 3,000 miles will do the trick nicely.”

“As always, the mechanic is the crucial person in these situations when a motorist is none the wiser about the role their driving patterns are playing in valve and injector contamination. The mechanic is a trusted expert, able to advise on subtle changes to driving patterns and why a quality additive should be used on a regular basis – at vehicle servicing and repair and in between workshop visits. High quality additives such as the JLM Lubricants GDI Cleaner and Emissions Reduction Treatment, will, if used on a prescribed regular basis, help extend the life of the engine – in particular, critical components such as injectors and valves. For the professional mechanic, they offer another regular repeat income stream.”

“Recent years have seen the rise of 'cheap as chips' lubricants and additives – something that Darren Darling, founder of the DPF Doctor Network refers to as ‘Fire juice’. And fuel system cleaners have not escaped this roster.

“But it’s a fact proven by independent testing and of course motorist dissatisfaction that budget brands cut back on key ingredients to save money. We have seen fuel system cleaners with zero cleaning properties. An Extreme Clean (Petrol/Diesel) additive such as the one developed by JLM Lubricants has the highest concentrations of the key cleaning ingredients. There’s a reason bargain basement products exist but it’s not to offer a proven solution to the motorist or maintain the good reputation a mechanic has built over many years.” www.jlmlubricants.com