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PROFESSIONAL
APRIL 2020
MOTOR
F R T E R E A
T T O H E
D E
S E R V I C I N G ■ R E P A I R ■ D I A G N O S T I C S ■ M O T
THE TRADE MAGAZINE FOR SERVICING AND REPAIR PROFESSIONALS
ELECTRIC DREAMS The evolving makeup of the electric powertrain
TECHNICAL TIPS AND CLINICS ‘HOW TO’ GUIDES AND BEST PRACTICE ADVICE BUSINESS ESSENTIALS AND TRAINING UPDATES
Also inside... Lessons in leadership from The Garage Inspector
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Contents Regulars 7-10
NEWS & VIEWS
13
TROUBLESHOOTING
16
BELT FOCUS
19-22
TECH TIPS
25
TRAINING GROUND
26-30
BUSINESS & TRAINING
32
SPECIAL REPORT
VOLUME 21 ISSUE 4 APRIL 2020
Features 37- 43 ENGINES & TURBOS
47-52 A/C & THERMAL MANAGEMENT 35
PIT STOP
72
MECHANEX MONTHLY
75
GIVEAWAYS
77-81
WHAT’S NEW?
Editor’s Picks 28
HOW TO HARNESS TALENT Autotech Recruit provides crucial insight into how best to use the Apprenticeship Levy
32
A DAY WITH THE INSPECTOR PMM sits in on one of The Garage Inspector’s
65 -70 TYRES, WHEELS & ALIGNMENT
renowned training courses
43
BEYOND ENGINE FLUSH Independent garage Regency Autos presents the benefits of an EDT treatment
55 -62 HYBRID & ELECTRIC VEHICLES Total Average Net Distribution 60,820 1st July 2018 – 30th June 2019
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VIEWPOINT
Editor DANIEL ARON
Leading from the front
Editorial Assistant LAURA GUALDI Digital Manager KELLY NEWSTEAD
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Account Manager ALEX DILLEIGH Group Manager ROBERT GILHAM Magazine Designer GEMMA WATSON Group Production Manager CAROL PADGETT Production Assistant STEPHANIE STAPLETON Distribution Manager KARL CLARK Publisher BRYAN SHANNON
Subscriptions
PROFESSIONAL MOTOR MECHANIC is a business magazine for firms and individuals involved in all aspects of the motor trade. It is published eleven times a year and is available nationally FREE to the trade through leading motor factors. It is also available through the post at a cost of £30. EUROPE and OVERSEAS 1 year (11 issues) £50 Airmail 1 year (11 issues) £65 Printed by Walstead Peterborough Published by HAMERVILLE MEDIA GROUP Regal House, Regal Way, Watford, Herts, WD24 4YF. Tel: Watford (01923) 237799 Fax: (01923) 246901 E-mail: pmm@hamerville.co.uk Sales enquiries: pmmsales@hamerville.co.uk Website: www.pmmonline.co.uk Facebook: /ProfessionalMotorMechanic
he phrase ‘leading from the front’ has been used in many contexts. Sporting pundits are often quick to describe a particularly inspiring captain as such, and the concept behind the expression no doubt has its origins in the military – I’m envisioning the first soldier out of the trenches, or the tip of the arrowhead. The idea conjures up an image that you would naturally associate with the emboldened leader of whichever organisation you happen to be a part of. However, the phrase does not necessarily ring true in the context of an independent garage – certainly not if it’s taken at face value. In fact, this point was pressed upon the delegates of The Garage Inspector’s training course, ‘Effective Leadership & Quality Management Essentials’; an event I had the pleasure of attending at the beginning of February (page 32). Andy Savva, The Garage Inspector himself, strongly believes that, in order to direct a business, you have to be able to view it at a distance with an eye on the end goal. He explained, “You need to have a vision and be able to communicate this to your team. Not only that, but then you have to develop this into individual goals for the members of your team to provide them with motivation.” The key word here is ‘motivation’. Realising what motivates people and how to go about doing so is half the battle when it comes to running a profitable business. Only empathetic leaders really understand this notion. Very few people respond well to being shouted at and dressed down; the hollering, wailing Gordon Ramseys of this world are not best placed in a garage environment. As soon as demotivation takes hold, it becomes an exhausting uphill struggle to get the workforce back on track, especially when it’s a small organisation, as most independents are. According to Andy, motivation stems from positivity, which means leaders need to be positive. That’s not just being positive in what is said, but also in what is done. During the course, one of the most memorable examples Andy mentioned was how he conducted himself on a Monday morning, back when he had his garage business. Firstly, he would make sure that he was at least an hour early. Secondly, he would make the effort to talk to every one of his staff members, and ask how their weekend had been. This is such a simple action, but one that shows empathy and promotes a positive atmosphere. In this sense, then, you could argue that a successful garage owner should be ‘leading from the front’. By placing yourself amongst it and being positive, you are, in effect, adhering to this principle. However, I think the phrase needs to be revised slightly. A more appropriate expression would be ‘leading by example’. It is a subtle difference, but one that may well prove crucial to achieving your business’ end goal. Andy covers far more in his courses than has been mentioned here, so please do take a look at the article. And, who knows, maybe you will take the lead and sign up to attend?
Twitter: @pmmmagazine
Enjoy the issue and have a great month.
Copyright © 2020
Associate member
Daniel Aron Editor
The publishers and editor do not necessarily agree with the views expressed by contributors, nor do they accept responsibility for any errors of translation in the subject matter in this publication.
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GET YOUR DAILY FIX OF INDUSTRY NEWS AT WWW.PMMONLINE.CO.UK
NEWS
& VIEWS
Autotech Recruit celebrates 10th anniversary with rebrand ATIEL changes quality process in response to VLS investigation ATIEL, the representative body for manufacturers and marketers in the European lubricants industry, has changed its quality management policy to ensure that ATIEL member products are now included in compliance programmes for the first time.
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he change comes in response to a Verification of Lubricant Specifications (VLS) investigation, which was referred to ATIEL in 2019. Case 160 involved a 5W-30 Fully Synthetic SN/CF Oil that was making technically conflicting claims concerning ACEA engine oil sequences and OEM specifications, which were not technically feasible. After months of investigation and dialogue, the named party failed to provide the Candidate Data Pack, putting them in breach of the ATIEL Code of Practice. VLS reported the company to ATIEL for breaching
its undertakings under the ATIEL Code of Practice. Previously, ATIEL members only had to sign a letter of compliance which confirmed that their products conformed to the correct standards; their products were not subject to compliance testing – only non-member products were. However, the investigation into Case 160 highlighted that this process may not be stringent enough to uphold industry standards. At a meeting of the ATIEL Quality Management Committee, it was decided that the policy would be changed so that all products would be subject to sampling and testing, including member products, to ensure that industry standards are maintained and products really can deliver what they claim. Andrew Goddard, Chairman of VLS, commented, “This case demonstrates that VLS will strongly pursue cases as an independent trade body, and refer them to other European industry bodies to ensure that lubricant products are fit for purpose.”
Autotech Recruit has started the new decade by announcing an enhancement to its management team and a company rebrand.
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he company has moved to larger premises and has increased the management team, in line with business growth. The existing divisions of the company – Autotech Recruit, Autotech Training and Autotech Apprentice – have now been repositioned under an umbrella group: Autotech Group. The new branding now clearly defines each of these three divisions under the Autotech Group, a modern, professional brand family. Easily identifiable, each logo will stand out across the many marketing channels that the company uses to reach its clients in the industry. Currently working with over
80% of Motor Trader’s Top 200 dealerships, Autotech Recruit has launched several initiatives in response to demand from OEMs and dealerships, such as its Manufacturer-Led Programme, supplying manufacturer-trained vehicle technicians on a temporary basis to the UK’s authorised repairers. “The Training and Apprentice divisions of Autotech Recruit were originally developed as part of the company’s organic growth, in line with industry demands,” Stephen Kirk, Managing Director, explained. “However, with garages increasingly seeking skilled workers, coupled with the progression of vehicle technology, it is vital that all technicians have access to high quality training and, for younger generations, apprenticeship programmes, which will ensure that the future of the industry is sustained.”
From left to right: Autotech Recruit’s Managing Director, Simon King, CEO Gavin White. and Autotech Training and Autotech Apprentice Managing Director, Stephen Kirk
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NEWS
& VIEWS
FOLLOW THE LATEST BREAKING STORIES ON TWITTER @PMMMAGAZINE
Council-licensed taxis fitted with illegal tyres Four councils in the North West have been exposed for issuing licences for taxis fitted with illegal unmarked and unsafe part-worn tyres.
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Hayley Pells, Director of Avia Autos
Avia Autos joins the IAAF The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has welcomed Automechanika Garage of the Year 2019, Avia Autos, to its list of members.
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small, independent workshop operating in South Wales, Avia is accredited by the RMI, IGA and the Motor Ombudsman. The business is keen to address common industry issues, prepare for the future of motoring, and help educate its customers by bringing potential problems to light. Hayley Pells, Director of Avia Autos and PMM contributor, commented, “The core business of Avia remains the repair and maintenance of light vehicles. Our growing concern for the future of technical information access, the support of the ‘Your
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Car Your Choice’ campaign, and the IAAF’s representation of the industry prompted Avia’s desire to join the IAAF.” Hayley is already familiar with the work of the IAAF after speaking at its Annual Conference in December 2019. Wendy Williamson, Chief Executive of IAAF, said, “Technicians such as Hayley and her team are at the heart of everything that we as an industry do. They’re out in the field, day in, day out, communicating with motorists and receiving a firsthand insight into the issues that we need to continue to resolve. It’s great to have Avia Autos’ support as a member.”
“Technicians such as Hayley and her team are at the heart of everything that we as an industry do.”
he Motor Vehicle Tyres Regulations of 1994 govern the sale of partworn tyres, but these are rarely adhered to. The National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA), which represents national and independent tyre distributors across the UK, reiterates its call for an outright ban on part-worn tyres. John Stone, owner of NTDAmember Stone Tyres, and founder of the Independent Tyre Fitters Alliance, deliberately fitted a vehicle with four illegal part-worn tyres. He then submitted it to St Helens, Liverpool, Wirral and Sefton council-approved test centres for a taxi compliance test. Each council’s approved test centre passed the vehicle as safe, despite part-worn tyres dating from 1999, 2001, and 2003 being fitted on the taxi. The fourth tyre
was an illegal part-worn winter tyre, imported from Germany some 10 years ago. No tyres were marked as ‘Part Worn’, as they are required to be by law. “The lack of care from our local councils is appalling, and raises serious questions about taxi passenger safety,” said John. “Part-worn tyres are not safe, yet some councils are awarding licences to vehicles running on illegal and potentially unsafe tyres – the licensing of vehicles running illegal part-worn tyres needs to be stopped now.
“Some councils are awarding licences to vehicles running on illegal and potentially unsafe tyres.” “Full credit to the council of St Helens – when I approached them with my findings, they took the issue very seriously. I’m pleased to say that on the back of this campaign, St Helens MBC has agreed to ban the use of part-worn tyres on all licensed vehicles.”
John Stone, owner of Stone Tyres
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Consumer deterrents must be addressed to unlock EV potential, says Horiba Mira As the government brings its ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars forward to 2035, Horiba Mira is reiterating that cost perception, charging infrastructure and consumer ‘range anxiety’ remain key barriers that automakers must tackle in order to boost sales of electrical vehicles.
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s part of the UK’s mission to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, Boris Johnson announced that Britain would be accelerating its ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by five years to 2035, with the policy also including hybrid vehicles. The announcement came as figures from Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that sales of electric vehicles were up 204% to 4,054 units in January, compared to 1,334 compared with the same month last year. Despite this, a recent study by Deloitte showed that just 11% of
consumers would consider buying an EV as their next car. As such, Horiba Mira is highlighting the importance of tackling the current issues deterring consumers from opting for such vehicles. This includes customer perception on the higher price tag of EVs, a lack of driver understanding on infrastructure and charging methods, and ‘range anxiety’ – the fear that an electric vehicle has insufficient range to reach its destination. Ben Gale, Global Solution Leader at Horiba Mira, said, “To meet the government target, there will need to be a societal shift. EV sales and usage in the
UK are still well behind that of other nations such as Norway. “To realistically change this, the industry, together with the government, must take urgent action to address the reasons why more people still aren’t ready to make the switch to EVs. “This includes putting in place the adequate charging infrastructure. The industry also has a massive job to do in educating the customer about charging methods and cost perception. Although EVs maybe more expensive at present, many consumers are unaware that they are likely to hold their value far more than their ICE counterparts.
According to Horiba Mira, one area contributing to ‘range anxiety’ among consumers is the current method of establishing range, which the company says is not a true reflection of realworld driving conditions. When it comes to thermal efficiencies, for example, vehicles are tested at just one ‘optimal’ temperature, thus producing insufficient or inaccurate range data. Ben added, “If, as an industry, we really want to improve consumer confidence and trust in the performance of these vehicles, we must look at overhauling how range is determined in the first place. “Inevitably, this will raise the credibility and attractiveness of EVs, boosting much-needed sales for automakers while supporting measures to clean up air quality and reduce CO2 emissions. “With EVs being paramount to the survival and growth of the global automotive industry, the sooner such an approach is adopted, the better.”
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NEWS
& VIEWS
GET YOUR DAILY FIX OF INDUSTRY NEWS AT WWW.PMMONLINE.CO.UK
Douglas Macmillan Hospice named as Klarius’ Charity of the Year
Metelli and FAI announce partnership for UK aftermarket distribution Richard Bennett, Managing Director of Metelli UK, announced that on 2nd March 2020, FAI Automotive took over the distribution of Metelli products for the UK aftermarket.
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ichard reintroduced Metelli to the UK over a decade ago, and FAI – with 40 years’ worth of aftermarket experience – offers the capability to expand the brand further within the wellestablished marketplace. Jonathan Alexander, Commercial Director of FAI Automotive, sees the new partnership as an opportunity to expand into product lines that aren’t currently stocked, and to build a larger, joint customer base. He commented, “FAI is always looking to expand its
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horizons. Although more than 50% of our business is now undertaken overseas, the UK still remains our most important market – it’s our home base. “With huge support from our head office, we are able to drive the partnership with Richard Bennett, who will remain the Metelli Country Manager for the UK & Ireland, working alongside the FAI UK sales team.” All commercial terms remain as they were under Metelli UK. There will be accounting changes and all orders should be redirected to FAI through ordering systems as of March 2nd.
In September 2018, Klarius established a Works Council, an initiative to improve employee engagement and feedback within the company and externally with the local community. The Works Council members chose Douglas Macmillan Hospice (Dougie Mac) to be the Charity of the Year for 2019, and have again for 2020.
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atalie Parry, Finance and Administration Coordinator at Klarius, lead the effort, and said, “I’m delighted that together we have managed to raise over £6,000 for Dougie Mac in our Community Programme’s first year. It’s a wonderful local charity, which has supported many friends and relatives of staff members, as well as some who have retired.” John Bennett, Chair of the Works Council, added, “Dougie Mac is more than just a hospice. I’ve had friends benefit
directly from it. It improves the lives of people with lifelimiting illnesses, and provides physical, emotional, spiritual, and social support for both them and their families.” Mark Brickhill, Group CEO of Klarius, commented, “I’m very proud of Team Klarius, and we aim to do even more in 2020 to support the outstanding work of the exceptional team at Dougie Mac who do so much for our local community.” Lauren Beresford, Corporate Fundraiser for the charity, accepted the cheque presented by Natalie on behalf of Team Klarius, thanking them and saying: “It is so very important that local businesses and their employees get involved and help fund our work. “We support around 3,500 people and their families in North Staffordshire and Stokeon-Trent each year, which costs over £12 million. Our services rely on local fundraising, so a massive thank you to all the team at Klarius.”
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TROUBLESHOOTING
Bad vibrations Pico technician Steve Smith examines a BMW 320D M Sport xDrive Touring after the owner complained of significant cabin vibrations when travelling at motorway speeds.
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s a technician, there are a number of customer complaints that you know are going to be a real challenge, one of which is cabin vibration. Complaints of cabin vibration are subjective and depend on a number of human factors, such as tolerance levels, expectation and misinterpretation. Tackling complaints of Noise-VibrationHarshness (NVH) is no different from how we approach any diagnostic challenge. We use a process that will deliver results, which we can apply to make an informed decision on how to proceed to be able to form a conclusion. Note, however, that the conclusion may not be a fix but that it can still be satisfactory to all parties involved! If I could give one tip to anyone faced with such a challenge, keep notes and capture/save objective data. The following case study is one such example.
Customer’s description The customer reports that vibration can be felt through the vehicle at approximately 75mph. The symptom has been present for over two-and-a-half years, and they have made numerous attempts to resolve the issue.
Technical description Verifying the customer complaint is an essential step in the diagnostic process and with complaints of vibration, it is absolutely paramount. Given that vibrations are subjective (a matter of opinion), a tip here is to road test the vehicle with the customer and ask them to indicate when they experience their concern. Typically, at this stage of the diagnosis, you should be gathering vital pieces of information without applying any test equipment. However, I would like to break from tradition at this point in the process. If you are lucky enough to have the chance to do a road test with the customer, I advise you have the NVH kit connected to
the vehicle during this verification process. You can find information on how to connect and collect data in this case study in our NVH video series – WWW.RDR.LINK/AP010. When our customer indicated that they could feel the vibration, we were prepared to capture an objective measurement that we could save for review, and more importantly, to obtain evidence. This may sound a little odd but one man’s vibration is another man’s harshness (once again, a matter of opinion). Our initial NVH capture (with the customer present) (Fig 1) highlighted a firstorder front and rear tyre speed/frequency vibration (FT1 and RT1). The vertical axis was the largest offender (red bars within the bar graph). We had also captured a secondorder engine vibration (E2), which we could discount while the vehicle develops the power to maintain the road speed. On this occasion, I agreed with the customer. An objectionable vibration was clearly evident through the floor pan and
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TROUBLESHOOTING
driver’s seat cushion, but I could not sense anything via the steering other than brake judder when applying the brake (a point worth adding to your notes).
Diagnosis With the customer complaint verified, we confirmed the vehicle’s ID and specification. Confirmation of vehicle specification is of utmost importance when it comes to vibration complaints! There is often an understandable temptation for customers to modify their vehicle with fashionable accessories that may add a ‘nice cosmetic touch’ but lack the fundamental quality control and engineering that was intended for the vehicle at the point of design. I am referring here to wheels and tyres. You could argue that nothing changes the look of a vehicle more than wheels and tyres (and I would agree), but I would also argue that nothing transforms a vehicle’s handling, performance, drivability and noise/vibration levels than inferior wheels and tyres. The customer interview highlighted that a number of wheel balance procedures, wheel alignments, tyre replacements (including wheel straightening) had all been actioned over the complaint period which spanned more than two years. I think it’s worth mentioning here once again, how vital the customer interview has become to the diagnostic process. Quite often customers don’t have time to be questioned, they simply want answers, and this is why we need to drill down with targeted, open questions such as:
“It’s worth mentioning here once again, how vital the customer interview has become to the diagnostic process.� are openly admitting to our customer that there is a fault and it’s a long road back home if we choose this path.
í˘˛ When did you first notice the problem? I like this question as it places a time stamp on when the vibration became objectionable. It also leads on from question one (above) if the reply is “ever since I purchased the carâ€?. It may also lead you to historical vehicle events if the customer replies “ever since the accident repairâ€? or “since my last serviceâ€?. We fondly refer to these answers as ‘the ever since syndrome’.
í˘ł Has any work been carried out on the vehicle recently?
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This question has the potential to guide you to areas of the vehicle that you may not have considered if the customer is prepared to surrender this information. But be careful here, a customer may not consider a puncture repair as work carried out; mistakenly believing a puncture repair is a simple process not worthy of a mention. I cannot think of a single repair that could be more of a game changer when it comes to vibration than a puncture repair!
How long has the problem been evident?
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This is a great question for customers who are new to their vehicle as they are in a transitional period from a vehicle they knew to a new vehicle. If the customer has been using the vehicle for less than two months, I would ask about their previous vehicle. If they have moved from an SUV to a sports convertible their complaint about vibration/harshness, while justified, is a vehicle characteristic. Note! We cannot repair or improve upon characteristic vehicle behaviour. If we try, we
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When do you experience the problem? Here is your opportunity to ask additional, specific questions during the customer’s reply. For example: “The problem only occurs on the motorway�, where we can add “at what speed?� They may answer 60mph, which leads to our follow up question: “Can you still feel the problem at 70mph?�, etc. This feels more like an engaging conversation than a question and answer session. If we look back, we have asked six questions in total and gained a huge amount of key information.
Moving on, the basic inspection confirmed no visible signs of damage to suspension components, alloy wheels or tyres. On the subject of tyres, in a perfect world, all the installed tyres should be the same brand/speciation with near identical construction date (stamped on the tyre wall), ‘approved’ for the vehicle and on recommended rims. In reality, this is near impossible, however, it should not be overlooked. Working with multiple vehicle manufacturers has opened my eyes to the importance of ‘approved tyres’. In this case study, the tyres were Star-rated, which ensures they are BMW approved for performance, deformation and Radial Force Variation (RFV). RFV is often either overlooked or not even considered when diagnosing cabin vibration. However, it has proven to be the main cause of tyre speed related vibration orders (T1, T2 and T3). Luckily, the Hunter Road Force Balancer has the ability to measure rim and tyre run-out (under load), presenting the operator with the optimal tyre-to-rim phase match, as well as the preferred wheel/tyre orientation on the vehicle. The video at WWW.RDR.LINK/AP011 describes how this is achieved and I hope it can help cure nuisance vibrations that conventional wheel balancing techniques fail to resolve. Prior to diving in, it is paramount to take a step back and check for technical bulletins (recalls, campaigns, etc.). After doing this, it appeared that none were relevant, and so based on the vehicle history and symptoms we could move on to possible causes.
Possible causes â– â– â– â– â– â– â–
Wheel/tyre imbalance Excessive tyre RFV Deformed wheel/rim Incorrectly mounted tyre Brake disc/hub imbalance Wheel centre to hub alignment Drive shaft deformation, run-out or imbalance â– Excessive wear in suspension components, resulting in the transmission of inherent vibration
The action plan The action plan was predominately governed by accessibility, probability and cost.
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1. Zoning of vehicle to narrow down offending vibration 2. Confirmation of wheel balance 3. Wheel and tyre run-out measurements 4. RFV measurement
To recap: â– There is a cabin vibration at motorway
speeds â– The NVH software has captured a first-order
tyre speed related vibration (vertical axis) â– The peak vibration occurs at 83mph â– The replacement tyres that have been installed are approved for the vehicle (Star-rated) â– Numerous wheel balance procedures have been carried out on the vehicle to deal with the problem One question that is often raised when we have identified a vibration is: How do we find out which corner of the vehicle is responsible for the vibration? In other words, how can we zone in on the vibration? For those lucky enough to own an NVH advanced kit (with a 4-channel PicoScope), we have the distinct advantage of placing an accelerometer at each corner of the vehicle to measure our offending vibration (first order tyre vibration in the vertical [Y] axis). The capture (Fig 2) highlights the vertical
vibration levels captured by each accelerometer placed on this vehicle. Note how the red bar graph indicates the highest level of vibration which corresponds to the LH front chassis in close proximity to the road wheel. However, I think we can agree that all FT1 and RT1 bars indicate a high level of vibration in close proximity to all road wheels. The keen-eyed amongst us may also have recognised that, while the NVH software has separated the front and rear tyre vibration levels of this BMW, the values are almost identical in terms of amplitude and frequency (18.6 Hz). This is because the overall diameters of the wheel and tyre assemblies are near identical even though the tyre sizes differ. With near-
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identical diameters, the front and rear road wheels will rotate at near-identical frequencies. Our NVH software, however, will still list front and rear tyre frequencies separately even with such minuscule differences (Fig 3). ■Front tyre 225/40R19 = 66.26cm ■Rear tyre 255/35R19 = 66.11cm ■Diameter difference = 66.26 – 66.11 =
0.15cm At this stage of the diagnosis, the application of the four accelerometers failed to yield a conclusion as to the offending zone of the vehicle. Or did it? What could cause such high levels of firstorder tyre speed related vibrations at all four corners of the vehicle? What about four imbalanced wheels or deformed alloy wheels? Given that the road wheels had been balanced numerous times (and we had no access to an RFV balancer), the alloy wheel run-out was the next step in the diagnosis.
GRAB A COPY OF NEXT MONTH’S PMM TO FIND OUT WHAT STEVE UNCOVERED. IF YOU CAN’T WAIT UNTIL THEN, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP012
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BELT FOCUS
HOW TO Nissan Juke timing belt kit installation The technical team from Dayco runs through the procedure for installing the Dayco kit KTB532 on a Nissan Juke 1.5L diesel.
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he 110hp 1.5L (K9K) diesel engine in the 2012 Juke is used extensively across the Dacia/Nissan/Renault model line-up, so is likely to be familiar to workshops throughout the country. However, it is also high on the European warranty log, so clearly presents challenges for technicians undertaking the installation. As changing the timing belt requires the auxiliary belt to be removed, Dayco recommends that all the power transmission system’s components – primary and auxiliary, as well as the water pump – be replaced at the same time. As with all primary drive system jobs, always check the timing marks before removing the timing belt, and ensure the work is undertaken when the engine is cold – ideally, the vehicle will not have been run for at least four hours.
The procedure Start by removing the engine cover, followed by the front right wheel and cowling, to expose the auxiliary drive system. With a
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spanner, slacken off the belt tensioner before removing the belt and the tensioner. After removing the lower engine mount rod, securely support the engine before removing the upper rod, along with the entire upper engine mount. Release the retaining clips of the timing belt casing, and remove its upper and lower parts. This will reveal the five retaining bolts of the upper engine mounting flange, which should then be removed to give access to the timing drive assembly;
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camshaft, injection pump, water pump and crankshaft pulleys and the belt tensioner. Turn the crankshaft clockwise to just before TDC for cylinder 1, and after removing the plug on the front of the engine block, insert the crankshaft locking tool (1489) and rotate the crankshaft pulley bolt clockwise so that it rests on the tool. Insert the camshaft locking pin (1430) on the flange of the camshaft pulley before removing the crankshaft auxiliary drive pulley. Remove the timing belt tensioner, the belt itself, and the alternator, followed by the plastic cowlings attached to the top and front of the engine. This allows access to the water pump, which can then be removed. After flushing out the cooling system to remove any debris, accurately position the gasket and apply mastic to the two left retaining bolts (Fig 1), before fitting the new water pump.
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Slacken off the bolts of the camshaft pulley, allowing it to turn on its slots but remain centred. Then, turn the camshaft pulley completely clockwise until it rests on the locking tool. Fit the new belt tensioner and bolt supplied in Dayco kit KTB532, paying attention to the correct positioning with its tab located in the corresponding recess (Fig 2). Then fit the new Dayco high tenacity ‘white’ timing belt, ensuring the correct direction of rotation and that the reference marks on the belt correspond precisely to those on the toothed wheels of the camshaft, injection pump and crankshaft (Fig 3). With an Allen key, position the pointer and temporarily tighten the belt tensioner. After checking they are not at the end of the slots, tighten the camshaft pulley bolts to a torque of 15Nm. Then, remove the camshaft and crankshaft timing tools. Turn the crankshaft clockwise through two
í˘´ rotations and check the engine timing using the tools. Loosen the bolts of the camshaft pulley so that it can again turn on the slots but remain centred. Loosen off the belt tension bolt and reposition the pointer (Fig 4) before tightening to a torque of 25Nm. Check that the timing is correct by torqueing the camshaft pulley bolts to 15Nm, removing the timing tools, and turning the crankshaft clockwise through two rotations and reinserting the tools. Providing that the timing is correct, refit
components in the reverse order of their removal, but change the original crankshaft pulley bolt for the new one supplied with the kit and replace the auxiliary belt with Dayco 6PK1130/1195. Dayco also recommends that the condition of the crankshaft pulley and auxiliary belt tensioner are assessed and, if necessary, replaced with Dayco DPV1260 and APV3180, respectively. Finally, refill the cooling system with the correct quantity and specification of coolant, start the engine and, if needed, bleed the circuit and carefully check for leaks. Also, ensure that the radiator fan is operating correctly. Then, once the engine is cold, check the coolant level again. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT DAYCO’S RANGE OF TIMING BELT KITS, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP013
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TECH TIPS
AUTODOCTA í˘˛
í˘ą JEEP WRANGLER – RATTLING NOISE FROM FRONT AXLE WHILST DRIVING
SKODA YETI – GAS DISCHARGE HEADLAMPS NOT ILLUMINATING WHEN SWITCH IN ‘AUTO’
As one of the UK’s leading suppliers of technical information to the automotive aftermarket, Autodata has over 65 skilled technicians with a comprehensive understanding of those common problems that take up valuable garage time to investigate. In this regular column, Autodata’s Technical Team share their fixes to common problems raised through Autodata’s technical helpline, available to all UK customers.
FAULT: We are having trouble finding the source of a rattling noise coming from the front of a 2015 Jeep Wrangler when driving over rough roads. We heard the noise during the road test, so tightened all the nuts and bolts on the suspension. However, we cannot find the source of the rattling noise. Is this something that has been reported before?
FAULT: The left-hand headlamp is not illuminating when the headlamp switch is in the ‘AUTO’ position and trouble code 00979 is stored in the multifunction control module fault memory. We have carried out some basic wiring checks and have swapped the bulb from the right-hand headlamp, but the fault persists. Do you have any ideas where to start?
FIX: Yes, the fault you describe affects all Jeep Wrangler models built in 2015. The cause of the noise is due to incorrect specification of the front brake caliper sliding pins. Inspect the front brake caliper sliding pin heads for grooves (Fig 1.1). If grooves are not present, fit modified front brake caliper sliding pins. Carry out road test to ensure the noise has been eliminated.
FIX: The problem affects all Yeti models with gas discharge headlamps up to 03/10. We strongly advise that all personnel take extreme caution and adhere to all safetyrelated guidelines when working on high voltage components. If all voltage supplies and earth connections are correct, we suspect the fault is likely to be due to a faulty gas discharge headlamp igniter unit. Ensure the power supply is disconnected before commencing any repair work. Fit a new gas discharge headlamp igniter unit to the headlamp assembly (Fig 2.1). Erase any trouble codes, and check the operation of the headlamp to ensure the fault has been fixed.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ONLINE, GO TO WWW.RDR.LINK/AP014
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TECH TIPS
HOW TO Vauxhall Corsa D headlamp bulb replacement Hella provides a step-by-step guide on how to replace the halogen headlamp bulbs on a Vauxhall Corsa D 2006-14. Replacing the halogen bulb in the right-hand low beam (driver’s side):
í˘ľ
í˘ą í˘ś 1. Remove the air intake pipe (Fig 1)
í˘˛ 6. Remove the connector (Fig 6)
í˘ˇ
Replacing the halogen bulb in the left-hand low beam (passenger side): 1. Remove the filler tube container for the windshield washer system 2. Remove the cover cap from the headlamp housing 3. Unlock the locking clip 4. Remove the wiring harness connector 5. Unlock and remove the bulb, as performed for the right-hand side 6. Insert a new bulb suitable for the recess, and clip into place 7. Reassemble in reverse order 8. Perform a functional test 9. Check the headlamp adjustment, and correct if necessary (Fig 9)
í˘š
2. Release the fixing clamp from the suction hose (Fig 2)
í˘ł 7. Remove the bulb (Fig 7) – technicians should note the locking tabs
í˘¸ Hella recommends that bulbs are always replaced in pairs, as this creates an upselling opportunity for technicians. This also ensures that the bulbs are of the same brightness, and are more likely to last the same length of time.
3. Release the air filter housing from the holders, and then tilt by 90° (Fig 3)
í˘´
4. Unlock the locking clamp (Fig 4) 5. Remove the headlamp cover cap (Fig 5)
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8. Insert a new bulb suitable for the recess (Fig 8), and snap/clip into place 9. Attach the connector 10. Correctly position the headlamp cover cap, and lock the locking clamp 11. Reinstall the air filter housing and the suction hose
HELLA’S WEBSITE, TECHWORLD, IS DEDICATED TO ASSISTING TECHNICIANS WITH DETAILED FITMENT GUIDES. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TECHWORLD, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP015
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TECH TIPS
TECHNOLOGY SPOTLIGHT Lessons on lambdas Vehicle electronics supplier, Elta Automotive, is now supplying the VOLT brand product range. The brand brings more to the table than just components, as it shows here with in-depth, technical advice on lambda sensors.
L
ambda sensors were first fitted to cars in 1977 to improve the efficiency of combustion engines and help to reduce harmful exhaust emissions such as carbon monoxide. The sensors operate by measuring the amount of oxygen in the exhaust, with an efficient engine requiring a specific amount of air and fuel in its cylinders at combustion – the perfect ratio being 14.7:1 (14.7 parts air to one part fuel). This perfect mixture is called ‘lambda’ and this is where the unusual name originates. The levels calculated by the lambda are sent as data to the ECU, which then calculates and determines how best to achieve the ideal mixture of air and fuel at combustion. An incorrect air/fuel mixture will be either rich or lean: ■ In a rich mixture the air is high in
unburned fuel, though low in oxygen ■ A lean mixture has the opposite balance
and is high in oxygen due to a lack of fuel being injected Many vehicles now feature a pre-cat lambda sensor and a post-cat lambda sensor. Whilst the pre-cat lambda sensor communicates to the ECU regulating the air/fuel ratio, the post-cat lambda sensor performs a diagnostic role, monitoring the catalytic converter.
Symptoms of lambda failure Before a vehicle fails an emission test or the engine check light appears, drivers may notice increased fuel consumption and/or a rough idle – both are signs of a failing sensor. Once the sensor fails, the OBD may display either code P0131 or P0134.
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Antifreeze contamination Visual signs: The sensor nose will have a grainy white/light grey coating. Cause: Coolant with antifreeze may have entered the combustion process and reached the lambda sensor. Solution: Check the head gasket for leaks and repair if required.
Engine additive contamination Visual signs: The sensor nose will be contaminated with white or red deposits. Cause: Excessive use of any engine or fuel additive can contaminate or block the lambda sensor. Solution: Cleaning the fuel system prior to replacement is required.
Oil contamination Visual signs: Look for oily black deposits left on the sensor nose. Cause: The vehicle may be burning excessive oil. Solution: Thoroughly check the engine for leaks including the usual seals that are prone to failure. Once repaired, replace the sensor.
Lead contamination Visual signs: The sensor nose may be contaminated with shiny grey deposits. Cause: Not as common now, usually caused by leaded fuel attacking platinum parts or the sensor. Solution: Replace any leaded fuel in the system with unleaded.
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Fuel contamination Visual signs: If fuel is burning too rich, a black soot may be seen on the sensor nose. Cause: A damaged sensor or fault in the fuel system can result in a high air-to-fuel ratio, producing black soot. Solution: Measure exhaust gases to ensure the fuel system is working. Check the sensor heater control and sensor heater.
Causes of failure Many will simply fail due to age. The lifespan tends to be 45,000 miles for an unheated sensor; a heated sensor can typically last closer to 100,000 miles. Damage to the heater element, vibration or damage to the connectors and/or wires should also be considered. Other less obvious causes can be identified by examining the visual appearance of the failed sensor.
Installation advice The lambda sensor requires careful installation to ensure its longterm reliability. Therefore, plugs and cables should be kept clear of heat sources and care should be taken so as not to cross-thread or over-torque it. VOLT recommends the following fitting procedure: 1. When replacing the exhaust system or catalytic converter, always take the opportunity to install new sensors, as the existing items are extremely fragile and can be easily damaged. 2. Clean the thread in the exhaust pipe with a cleaning tap. 3. Apply copper grease on the sensor thread only. Do not grease the sensor nose. Although most lambda sensors are pre-greased, the extra grease will prevent thread galling and reduce friction, which could lead to over-torque (especially with a stainless steel thread). 4. Tighten the sensor to the prescribed torque, using a torque wrench with a suitable lambda sensor socket. Over-torque is especially dangerous when sensors have a heater element, as it could crack the internal ceramic wall, causing the sensor to fail. For vehicles with two lambda sensors, VOLT always recommends replacing both, as each will have covered the same mileage and been subject to identical driving conditions/standards, and if one has failed, it is likely the other will also do so.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON VOLT’S RANGE OF LAMBDA SENSORS, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP016
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BATTERY BEST PRACTICE
Battery fitment is getting more complex for workshops, and installing a replacement battery on a new vehicle can take well over an hour. This is due to the increasing number of batteries being installed in difficult-to-reach places, such as under the seats or behind panels inside the cabin, rather than beneath the bonnet. Luckily, the VARTA Partner Portal exists to give technicians a helping hand with complex installations. VEHICLE: Land Rover Discovery Sport (L550) 2.0 4x4 (177 KW/241 PS), 2016 – 2020 BATTERY REPLACEMENT TIME: 42 minutes VARTA’s technical team recommends using the VARTA Partner Portal to accurately change the battery. Below is an example of the step-by-step fitting instructions that can be accessed from the portal. Here, we look at a battery replacement on a Land Rover Discovery, which takes 14 steps to remove the old battery and install the new replacement.
Removal
BEFORE STARTING THE BATTERY REPLACEMENT Where fitted, disable the satellite anti-theft system (by setting it to ‘maintenance’). Make sure the ignition switch is set to ‘off’. Before disconnecting the battery, switch off all the electrical accessories, bearing in mind the following recommendations:
í˘ą Remove the protective cover (Fig 1) í˘˛ Remove the cover (Fig 2) í˘ł Remove the crossmember of the
engine compartment í˘´ Disconnect the battery’s negative
ě”°
ě”°
ě”°
ě”°
ě”°
To visit the VARTA Partner Portal, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP017
Fig 2
Fig 3
Fig 4
terminal (Fig 3) í˘ľ Disconnect the battery’s positive
terminal í˘ś Disconnect the breather pipe í˘ˇ Unscrew the battery locking screw,
and lift the battery out (Fig 4)
ě”° Make sure you have the car radio security
code, if provided Bear in mind some data (e.g. time, computer trip, and the settings of certain accessories) will be reset to zero Wait for the necessary power latch time required for the electronic units – the time may vary from five to 15 minutes depending on the vehicle If the battery needs replacing, make sure the new one is suitable for vehicles with a start-stop system It can take anywhere between four to six hours in standby mode (with the instrument panel switched off) for the system to reset Once the battery has been replaced/disconnected, it is recommended to run diagnostics on the electronic control units and remove any faults found
Fig 1
Mounting í˘ą í˘˛ í˘ł í˘´ í˘ľ í˘ś í˘ˇ
Refit the battery in its slot, then tighten the battery locking screw Connect the breather pipe Connect the positive terminal and tighten the nut to the specified torque (6 Nm) Connect the battery’s negative terminal and tighten the nut to the specified torque (6 Nm) Assemble the crossmember of the engine compartment Fit the cover Fit the protective cover
BATTERY REGISTRATION (only for the Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) equipped version) ě”° Register the battery replacement ě”° Check for possible trouble/fault codes in the electronic modules in order to read and
delete them
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TRAINING GROUND In the modern workshop, training and development is a crucial element in staying competitive and keeping up with technology. PMM offers a helping hand by providing details of some of the training and events that should be in your diary.
AUTOTECH RECRUIT ROLLS OUT ON-SITE EV TRAINING Following the news that the sale of petrol and diesel cars could be banned by 2035, the need for vehicle technicians to be skilled in electric and hybrid vehicle servicing has become even more prevalent. According to the IMI, just 5% of UK vehicle technicians have been trained in electric vehicle servicing. Critically, these untrained technicians could be putting themselves at risk, due to the high voltage nature of electric cars. Now, in a bid to help the industry become conversant in electric and hybrid vehicles, Autotech Training, a division of employment and training solutions provider, Autotech Recruit, is rolling out its onsite Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Training programme across the UK. Over a two-day period, Autotech Training, together with industry acclaimed training specialists, will deliver a blend of IMI Level 2 and Level 3 courses directly to vehicle technicians in their place of work. Aided by the latest electric or hybrid vehicle, the training will encompass the individual requirements
of each garage to ensure the level of training delivered directly meets their needs, and conclude with an online test to assess each technician’s knowledge. Autotech Training’s on-site solution was created to meet the needs of garage owners who, while already feeling increased pressure due to high workloads and lack of skilled technicians, are largely unwilling to send their employees on training courses, for even a day, due to the loss of revenue through empty bays. Working in partnership with industryrecognised training providers and awarding bodies including ZF Aftermarket Technical Training, ABC Awards, Bosch and the IMI, Autotech Training provides a range of automotive qualifications to workshops and individuals in the UK’s automotive aftermarket and government organisations.
REPXPERT ACADEMY LIVE TRAINING DATES BLACKPOOL 25th April WARWICK 3rd October SWANSEA 21st November THE DATES LISTED ON THIS PAGE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE SO FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION, WWW.RDR.LINK /A P019
UPCOMING TRAINING DATES FROM THE GARAGE INSPECTOR NEWCASTLE
7th & 8th April FLEET
FOR MORE INFORMATION,
2nd & 3rd June
WWW.RDR.LINK /AP018 WWW.RDR.LINK /A P020
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BUSINESS
& TRAINING
FORWARD to the PAST
I
t may seem hard to believe, but the first vehicles were battery powered before the automobile powertrain became based on an internal combustion engine, gearbox and transmission system. We have all become increasingly used to working on electro-mechanical systems, but now the emphasis is changing back to be more focused on the electrical aspect – not so much about being ‘back to the future’, as being ‘forward to the past’! A briefing paper from the European Parliament published in 2018 illustrated why these changes in powertrain are necessary: “Transport is the only sector in the EU that did not record any significant decline in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from 1990. GHG emissions in the EU transport sector have increased since 2014. In 2016, they were 25% above 1990 levels (including international aviation, but excluding maritime shipping). Of all means of transport in the EU, road transport generates the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions (72.9% in 2016), and is responsible for around 20% of the EU’s total GHG emissions.” As we are all aware, the world is changing to include different forms of powertrain in today’s and, more importantly, tomorrow’s vehicles. In fact, vehicle manufacturers are currently in a race to introduce everincreasing levels of electrification to the point that by 2025, the majority of new vehicles will have technologies that will power the vehicle without having to use the internal combustion engine.
The rise of the hybrid Hybrid vehicles will introduce a range of new issues for both legislator and workshop – these will have an increasing impact on the type of work that will be required for these new vehicle powertrains. Ultimately, the vehicle powertrain will be fully electric, which in turn may become a fully autonomous vehicle – a combination of both electrical and electronic systems. However, before we reach this point, hybrid systems will become the most viable and popular powertrain. These hybrid vehicles are defined
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Whilst electric and hybrid vehicles are set to be the future of the automotive industry, there is much work to be done before they become the new normal. Neil Pattemore explains… as “a vehicle where one of the propulsion energy converters is an electric machine.” However, vehicle type approval legislation defines several categories of hybrid vehicles with these snappy little acronyms: ■ OVC-HEV – an off-vehicle charging
hybrid electric vehicle, able to be charged from an external source ■ NOVC-HEV – a vehicle with at least two different energy converters and two different energy storage systems (onvehicle) for the purpose of vehicle propulsion ■ OVC-FCHV – an off-vehicle charging fuel cell hybrid vehicle able to be charged from an external source ■ NOVC-FCHV – a non-off-vehicle charging fuel cell hybrid vehicle with at least two different energy converters and two different energy storage systems (on-vehicle) for the purpose of vehicle propulsion In the short-to-medium term, hybrid vehicles will increasingly include ‘mild hybrids’. These are also known as power-assist hybrids, battery-assisted hybrid vehicles, or BAHVs, and generally have an internal combustion engine equipped with a motor/generator in a ‘parallel’ configuration, which allows the engine to be turned off whenever the car is coasting or braking and restart quickly. Mild hybrids may employ regenerative braking and some level of power assist to the internal combustion engine, but mild hybrids do not have an electric-only mode of propulsion.
“Hybrid vehicles will introduce a range of new issues for both legislator and workshop.”
From a legislative aspect, all of these hybrids still use the vehicle’s internal combustion engine, so in all cases, there are exhaust emissions that remain subject to type approval legislation. In theory, however, the overall emissions should be lower. Although there are no differences in the exhaust emission limits applied to hybrid vehicles, the problem for the workshop is how to control the engine of a hybrid vehicle to allow it to be diagnosed or the emissions tested. These ‘in-service’ emissions from hybrid vehicles (particularly OVC-HEVs) are becoming a contentious subject; the design of the vehicles should produce lower overall emissions, but it seems that when independent tests have been conducted, this has not been shown to be the case. It has been widely reported that many hybrid vehicles are driven on their internal combustion engine only, as drivers do not always have the facility to recharge them. Equally, hybrid vehicles are not subject to an emissions test during MOT servicing. In a report from TMC, test results showed that “plug-in hybrids in the sample achieved an average of 45 miles per gallon compared with their average advertised consumption of 130 mpg. This average fuel use is equivalent to actual CO2 emissions of 168 grams per kilometre (g/km). That compares with the cars’ advertised emissions (which determine the drivers’ benefit-in-kind tax rates), which averaged 55g/km.” Moreover, PHEVs in TMC’s sample, tended to emit more CO2 in real-world driving than ordinary diesel company cars. Earlier this year, TMC analysed real-world fuel consumption and CO2 data of 20,000 conventional fleet diesels. The diesels’ emissions averaged 159g/km compared with the PHEVs’ average of 168g/km.
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Testing, testing… Is this the new ‘diesel gate’? What should the legislator do? The answer is in the new ‘Worldwide Harmonized Light-duty vehicles Test Procedure’ (WLTP), which has applied to the type approval of new passenger cars across the EU since 1st September 2017. Hybrid vehicles must complete the test several times; they start up with a full battery, and the test cycle is repeated until the battery is empty. The combustion engine operates for a longer time each cycle, and emissions are measured with each cycle. This is followed by a measurement with an empty battery, in which the drive energy originates solely from the combustion engine and regenerative braking. This multi-stage measurement can not only be used to determine fuel consumption and CO2 emissions more precisely, but the electrical range and total range as well. The CO2 value to be determined is then calculated as the ratio of the electrical range to the total range. On a separate legislative issue, there is a more generic legislative requirement for technicians who are working on electricallydriven vehicles to ensure that they have the required level of competence to work on these increasingly high voltage systems, known as the rechargeable electric energy storage system (REESS). It is the direct responsibility of the business owner to ensure that their employees are sufficiently trained and equipped to work on these vehicle types, even if this work does not directly relate to the high voltage battery. This imposes compliance for both the Electricity at Work Regulation (EWR) 1989, and the Safety at Work Act 1979. On a more positive note, the European Commission has confirmed that electric vehicles still need to support access to their in-vehicle systems for repair and maintenance, clarifying the misconception that if there were no emissions, then the OBD connector would not need to be fitted. FOR MORE INFORMATION ONLINE, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP021
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BUSINESS
& TRAINING
How to harness TALENT Mandla Ndhlovu, Head of Training & Apprentice at Autotech Recruit, explains how garages can utilise the Apprenticeship Levy pot to effectively harness the next generation of automotive talent.
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T
he automotive industry is dramatically changing, triggered by the accelerated rise of new technologies, environmental policies and consumer demands for digitalised vehicles. Autonomous driving, electrification and greater connectivity will undoubtedly continue to transform the industry, and, in order to service these new breeds of cars, vehicle technicians will need a very specific skill set. The skills requirement to manage the increasing sophistication of these vehicles is already leading to many older technicians putting retirement plans into motion rather than embarking upon new training. Couple this with the reported 5,000 automotive jobs currently unfilled, it is vital that the automotive industry acts now to create a pipeline of new talent that will sustain the future of the sector. Greater engineering and technological abilities will be needed to excel within the industry; however, it is important to remember that these skills will also be in demand by industries which, just a couple of decades ago, were not on the same radar as the automotive sector. Gaming and computing industries, which hold great allure to young people with their online culture, will increasingly become competing sectors when it comes to acquiring talent, so demonstrating the current and future technical advancements of vehicles to this generation is critical.
Apprenticeships have, for many years, offered a solution to harnessing fresh talent. However, the government’s drive to reach their objective of three million apprenticeships across all UK sectors with the launch of the 2017 Apprenticeship Levy has, so far, fallen short. To date, only 8% of the funding, paid in by companies with a payroll bill of over £3m, has been utilised and put back into developing apprenticeships. Critically, if unused 24 months after investing, these funds will ‘expire’ and be reclaimed by the Government, rather than being redistributed.
Busting the Apprenticeship Levy myths A vast amount of the UK’s independent garages and workshops fall under the £3 million threshold, but they are largely unaware of the opportunity they have to draw on funds from this pot. Through the levy, the Government will aid small companies by contributing up to 95% of an apprenticeship’s costs. In addition, to avoid the chance of the levy pot becoming a stealth tax, levy-paying employers do have the option of transferring up to 25% of a company’s total levy pot over to other companies/organisations to help with apprentice training costs. However, many automotive company managers and garage owners simply do not have the time or resources to scope out accessing the fund, and could be reluctant to
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employ an apprentice due to a lack of experience, as they need people to hit the ground running. But, there are specialists and tools available that can help simplify the process and offer guidance along with support accessing available funding.
Getting the apprenticeship framework right Larger automotive businesses, over the £3 million threshold, may already be actively seeking apprenticeships and utilising their levy pot. However, they need to understand that the responsibility is on them for the development and success of their apprentice – from choosing the training provider, to assigning the apprentice a mentor in the workplace to ensure it is successful. Otherwise, they may find that the apprenticeship could cost more than the funds in their digital levy account. Due to the rapid acceleration of the industry, many training providers are yet to keep up with the new apprentice standards, including electric and hybrid vehicles. Considering that within
and prepared for the end point assessment – otherwise they could end up footing the bill for any subsequent re-assessments.
From left to right: Mandla Ndhlovu, Head of Training & Apprentice, and Stephen Kirk, Managing Director of Autotech Training & Autotech Apprentice
the next two decades all new vehicles purchased will be fully electric, it’s an alarming fact that some training providers do not cover this as a module. Without the skills to service these vehicles an apprentice will quickly need retraining as soon as they qualify! Consequently, employers need to scope out training provider courses and the syllabus to ensure their apprentice will be receiving the most current level of training. Likewise, attention needs to be paid internally, to ensure the time an apprentice spends within a workshop is efficient. Employers should also take control of assessments and ensure that the apprentice is ready for their apprentice standard gateway
Safeguarding the future of the industry Recent analysis by education think tank EDSK suggests that the majority of the Apprenticeship Levy is being put towards existing adult workers, instead of promoting the training of young people in skilled roles. Whilst ensuring that the current workforce remains agile is critical, we must create a culture of ongoing learning. The skills shortage is one of the most pressing issues facing the automotive industry, and the Apprentice Levy must be utilised effectively to ensure that the future of the UK’s automotive industry is sustained. FOR MORE INFORMATION ONLINE, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP022
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BUSINESS
& TRAINING
Save the
DATE C
apitalising on deferred jobs can be lucrative, so it’s essential for garages to ensure that they are actively keeping in contact with customers to secure the work. Autowork Online, MAM Software’s garage management software, includes a feature that helps garages do just that; the most proactive users are recouping hundreds – if not thousands – of pounds worth of extra work.
What is deferred work? The deferred work feature can automatically send out SMS and email reminders to customers for jobs they have previously turned down, eliminating the need to manually follow up on leads. A customer might have been given an estimate for a particular job, and decided to go ahead with parts of it but postpone others. For example, they might have visited the garage to have new discs fitted, but, at the same time, the technician finds the tyres are close to the legal limit. The customer can choose to leave the tyres until a later date, and thanks to the deferred work feature, Autowork Online will send a reminder when it’s time to schedule in the work.
How garages are benefitting Brackmills MOT Centre (pictured) is an Autowork Online user that is reaping the benefits of the deferred work feature. Owner Mo Hussein explained that before
30 APRIL 2020 PMM
Encouraging customers to book in work that’s not urgent is a challenge for any garage. An MOT centre might issue advisories on a vehicle, but because they’re not essential to passing the MOT, they quickly move down a driver’s to-do list. MAM Software explains how Autowork Online’s deferred work feature can help garages to chase up customers and maximise profits. using deferred work, his business wasn’t actively pursuing customers after they’d turned down work on their vehicles: “We weren’t encouraging bookings before because we didn’t have the option to store conversations that we had with customers. This meant we couldn’t schedule any of the work, and it was instead down to the customer to try and remember when they were due to have the job carried out. “We’re an MOT centre, so whenever a vehicle fails, we price up both the failures and the advisories. Ideally, we want customers to book in for the job there and then, but this often isn’t the case. Deferred work ensures that we don’t miss out on the job further down the line.” Staff will ask a customer when they are looking to get the work completed. By using the deferred work feature, technicians can move the job to the relevant part of their diary, and the system will automatically contact the customer at a later date. “We are able to use this feature successfully because we use it alongside
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How much money can garages recoup? selling our services. Customers generally see an advisory as something that’s non-essential, but it is important to remember that it has been issued for a reason. This is work that needs to be carried out,” said Mo. “As a business, you’ve got to bear in mind that this work needs to be actively encouraged. I’ve got a fantastic team who are proactive in getting customers to book work in. There needs to be urgency in relaying the message that expresses how important it is to get the work done.”
There’s real potential for garages to increase their profits by proactively pursuing deferred work. Figures obtained by MAM Software show that in the six months leading up to January 2020, the average garage recovered 5.5 jobs per month, worth a total value of £1,989. On average, a job recovered by a garage is worth £367. The data, which spans the period from August 2019 to January 2020, shows that the most proactive user recovered £69,555 (exclusive of VAT) of work in a single month, while another garage booked in 46 jobs it may
otherwise have lost. Brackmills MOT Centre has successfully recovered many of its deferred jobs in the past six months, and Mo believes there is a solid business case for continuing to use the feature. “What they have been advised on is only going to get worse, so it’s work that needs to be done – if we’re not getting the job then someone else is,” Mo concluded.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON AUTOWORK ONLINE, WWW.RDR.LINK/AP23
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SPECIAL REPORT
PMM sits in on a leadership training course led by one of the aftermarket’s biggest names, Andy Savva, a.k.a. The Garage Inspector.
A day with THE INSPECTOR
A
with the information that Andy has gathered over the years, and serves as a ‘bible’ on how to achieve success in business (the lessons Andy teaches extend beyond the garage industry – yes, editors included). The day was split into two halves, and as the name of the course might suggest, the first half would focus on effective leadership, and the second, quality management.
ndy Savva is a familiar face to many within the industry, and has been a contributor to PMM for many years. His career has seen him rise through the ranks of responsibility within a garage business and now he has turned his hand to teaching based on his wealth of knowledge and experience. Eager to get a taste of his highly regarded business training days, we took a trip to Fleet to sit in on The Garage Inspector’s ‘Effective Leadership & Quality Management Essentials’ course.
PART ONE: ‘Effective Leadership’
Course structure There are plenty of courses to choose from when it comes to The Garage Inspector’s training programme – you can find out exactly what these are in the link at the end of the article – and all are geared towards garage owners and technicians who want to better their business. The course PMM attended was fully booked and had delegates from independent garages across the south of England. Andy, as always, warmly welcomed everyone in, recognising familiar faces and greeting new ones. Keen to establish camaraderie and break down any barriers within the group, Andy insisted that the delegates introduce themselves to the room, giving each person
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30 seconds to explain who they are. This simple, non-descript icebreaker set the tone for the rest of the day as it emboldened all those who participated. Andy structures his courses around invaluable workbooks that attendees are then able to take home after the course comes to an end. Each one is packed cover to cover
Leadership is a topic that many will have some understanding of; you will no doubt have heard about a number of great leaders: Winston Churchill, Barack Obama, Gandhi, the list goes on. Andy certainly refers to these revered figures as he talks, but he goes a step further and identifies the traits they have in common, really homing in on what makes people follow them and whether there are any transferrable qualities into the garage environment. Andy really excelled when delegates raised leadership questions within their own businesses. For example, one delegate mentioned that they were coming up against a stubborn owner who was unwilling to listen to the wants of their employees. Andy provided advice on how to approach this tricky situation and explained why he would
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act in this way. Similarly, another delegate said that despite owning a garage, they often found themselves personally carrying out diagnostics processes. This raised the complicated question: can you direct a company from the workshop floor? Subsequently, this generated further questions, such as: chat is the difference between a leader and a manager? With its own dedicated section in the workbook, the question generated a huge amount of discussion. However, Andy highlighted a particular aspect that really makes the difference: having a goal. He explained, “You need to have a vision and be able to communicate this to your team. Not only that, but then you have to develop this into individual goals for the members of your team to provide motivation.” Throughout the morning, Andy was incredibly encouraging and ensured that everyone was involved; an act of leadership in itself.
“Andy makes you dig deep, think hard, and challenge yourself.”
are not just talking about ‘waste’ in the physical sense, although there is an element of that, too. Andy is in fact referring to time, efficiency, problem solving, and more besides. Putting these ideas into the context of his own previous successful business, Brunswick Garage, Andy explained, “At Brunswick, what we tried to ensure was a flow, removing anything that might cause even the slightest of hold-ups. It got to the point where I put tape on the dustbins to prevent any overspill. This meant the floor remained clean and gave technicians an indication as to when the bins needed emptying. Both clean and an efficient use of time. For us garages, time is everything.” After further intense discussion and an
eye-opening organisational exercise, the day’s course came to end. For many of the delegates, they would stay on for the next day, which would cover ‘Customer Excellence and Reception Management’. However, before parting ways, PMM spoke to Tina Drayson, of CCM, who happened to be in attendance: “I have been fortunate enough to attend some of Andy’s other courses on previous occasions. I knew from experience, that I was in for an intense couple of days. Andy makes you dig deep, think hard, and challenge yourself. “Today, I have had the pleasure of meeting some amazing, like-minded people, sharing stories, woes and ideas. I can’t wait to catch up with them in the future. “When you attend these courses, it becomes clear that Andy has put in an incredible amount of time, effort and energy into them. This comes across in the way he delivers and engages with every person there. Andy talks from experience having managed his own successful garage. Every scenario, he has suffered, experienced, lived and found a solution for. “We can get so set in our ways, doing what we believe is best, that we forget that we can all improve. A good manager will always try to learn and evolve. So, even if it is the only investment you make this year, these courses are a must. You will not regret it.” TO BOOK A COURSE, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP024
PART TWO: ‘Quality Management Essentials’ After a pause for lunch, the course continued full steam ahead. The afternoon session would see a transition to the second half of the programme, ‘Quality Management Essentials’. Much of this encompassed the ideas that Andy had learned whilst completing his business degree at Loughborough University. The main ethos that Andy promoted was ‘Kaizen’ – which literally means ‘Good (Kai) Change (Zen)’. He stressed that to run a successful garage, you must adopt a practice of “continuous improvement”, starting with a look at your business, followed by the process of removing any ‘waste’. Here, we
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PIT STOP
In need of a refuel? Did you know? The exact origins of April Fools’ Day remain a mystery. Some historians speculate that it dates back to 1582, when France switched to the Gregorian calendar. People who were slow to get the news, or failed to recognise that the New Year had moved to 1st January and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through to April, became the butt of jokes and hoaxes. These pranks included having paper fish placed on their backs and being referred to as “poisson d’avril� (April fish), which is said to symbolise an easily caught fish – a gullible person!
Garage gags Where do Volkswagens go when they get old? “The Old Volks home!� Why can’t motorbikes hold themselves up? “Because they are two-tyred!� Fancy a crack at a joke? Send us your (clean) attempts to pmm@hamerville.co.uk
í˘ą Which racer holds the record for the most Grand Prix wins? a. b. c.
Michael Schumacher Lewis Hamilton Sebastian Vettel
í˘˛ What is often seen as the smallest unit of memory? a. b. c.
Terabyte Gigabyte Kilobyte
í˘ł Who is often credited with creating the world’s first car? a. b. c.
Karl Benz Henry Ford Siegfried Marcus
Name the novel
Quiz answers: 1:A, 2:C, 3:A Name the novel answer: A Tale of Two Cities
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RANGE FOCUS Engine and turbocharger treatments Looking after the engine and turbocharger is the best way to avoid premature failures, according to JLM Lubricants. Here, the company runs through its lubricants range, and explains how these products can help reduce costs, emissions, and the need for component replacement.
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regime of preventative maintenance using products developed specifically for the trade helps maintain a clean and efficient engine and turbo, which in turn helps to reduce emissions and running costs. JLM Lubricants has expanded its product range to incorporate a number of engineered formulations that deal with engine and turborelated issues.
PETROL GDI CLEANER GDI engines (TSI, TFSI etc.) are increasingly suffering from injector problems, due to the increased carbon buildup associated with this type of injector. This unique and patented formula is the first intank additive that targets GDI contamination to clear and prevent future carbon build-up. With over 50% of petrol engines based on GDI technology, this is an overdue solution to a growing problem.
TURBO ASSEMBLY PRE-LUBE
DIESEL TURBO CLEANER This formulation lowers the combustion temperature of soot particles that have contaminated the turbo, in particular VGTs. When added to the fuel it helps to restore engine performance and efficiency, without having to replace the turbo. It’s particularly suited to low mileage vehicles used for short journeys.
If the turbo is permanently damaged, replacement is the only option. However, after installation it can take up to 30 seconds for oil to fully circulate and lubricate the vulnerable parts of the new turbo. This can cause damage, which reduces the life of the turbo, leading to early failure. Using the Turbo Pre-Lube prevents oil deficiency damage and dry running at start up. It’s compatible with all engine oils.
DIESEL EXTREME INTAKE CLEANING SYSTEM There’s nothing like a thorough clean to revive tired engines and turbos. This product enables workshops to clean the air intake, combustion chamber, intake valves, injectors, and variable turbo vanes of a dirty diesel engine. The compact toolkit delivers a powerful duo of clean and flush fluids, which gently dissolve contamination that has built up inside the engine. There’s also a secondary benefit for the EGR valve; as there is no aggressive burn effect, the engine continues to run smoothly during the cleaning process, which lasts around two hours.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ONLINE, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP025
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TIMING is everything Crankshaft and camshaft sensors – also known as engine speed and position sensors – are a vital part of the engine management system. Ron Merralls, Assistant Technical Manager at NGK Spark Plugs, takes readers through their functions, importance, and how to recognise any potential issues.
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he crankshaft and camshaft sensors provide information about engine speed, as well as the exact position of crankshaft pistons and camshaft valves. Because timing is everything, supplying this information to the engine control unit (ECU) enables the fuel injection and ignition systems to function efficiently. The sensors use either the Hall effect or inductive principle, and are not interchangeable. Some are designed to operate ‘dry’, and some work with oil. Hall effect sensors have integrated electronics, an external 5V power supply, and a square output signal (0V/5V). They can detect a ‘position’ even when the trigger wheel is stationary. Compared to inductive type, they have less sensitivity to electromagnetic interference, and changes in the air gap between the sensor and trigger have no direct effect on the signal. They have three pin connectors. Inductive sensors generate a signal, have no external power supply, and have a wave-
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form output signal. A signal is generated only as the ‘trigger wheel’ passes by. Voltage rises as the trigger wheel increases speed. The mounting distance between the sensor and trigger wheel is important; they have two or three pin connectors, the third being a shielding ground connection. Regardless of design principle, the sensor delivers the input signal for the ECU. Without that signal the engine runs poorly; resulting in hard starting or vehicle breakdown.
Crankshaft sensors Linear movements of the pistons are converted by the crankshaft into rotary motion, which is monitored by the crankshaft sensor. A ‘trigger’ – a ‘toothed wheel’ with evenly spaced teeth except for two – rotates with the crankshaft. The sensor monitors this, and signals are produced. It tracks the rotational speed of the crankshaft, the most practical purpose being to display RPM on the
dashboard display. It also measures the angular position of the crankshaft, which is required for accurate timing of fuel injection and ignition. If the crankshaft issue is preventing an engine from starting, a DTC (diagnostic trouble code) such, as P0335, will usually be stored. Other symptoms include the engine stalling, dying, or generally performing poorly. In the case of hard starting with the inductive type, output voltage generated by the sensor relies on trigger wheel speed, distance (gap) between sensor and toothed rotor, and the number of functioning windings in the sensor (deterioration). If the gap is too large or the sensor is weak, the engine may run at idle speed and above. On occasion, a non-starting engine might start if the vehicle is bump started.
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Camshaft sensors Much of the preceding information is applicable to camshaft sensors; the component measures the relative rotational position of the camshaft. The camshaft, driven by the crankshaft via timing belt, chain or gears, rotates at half-crankshaft speed. The position of the camshaft is (together with the crankshaft position) used to determine the combustion cycle of the pistons within the cylinders, intake, compression, power, or exhaust. They are installed in or near the cylinder head, and are used in petrol and diesel engines with electronic injection systems. Twin cam engines often have two camshaft sensors, and they may also be used to monitor the function of variable valve timing. With a failed camshaft sensor, the ECU in many cars may be able to keep the engine running at least. DTC P0340, P0011 and P0021 are not unusual to find when diagnosing a fault. If there is some reference to ‘synchronisation’,
‘timing’ or ‘valve timing’ as well as the sensor, you should suspect timing belt, chain or associated tensioner problems. After sensor replacement, many vehicles require a ‘learning’ procedure. A scan tool may be required, sometimes with a vehicle model-specific procedure. For some vehicles, the ECU will ‘learn’ the new sensor characteristics after several drive cycles. Although camshaft and crankshaft sensors generally have no dedicated replacement interval, typical reasons for failures are
connector corrosion, heat, or vibration damage causing broken wires. Unseen failure will be internal aging. When operating correctly, these components are generally taken for granted. However, timing is everything, and upon failure, the support they give to other systems is lost. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT NGK AND ITS OFFERING, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP026
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PRODUCT FOCUS EGR and solenoid valve tester SP Diagnostics, the automotive tool specialist, presents its latest piece of equipment that has been developed specifically for the testing of EGR and solenoid valves.
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he EGR and solenoid valve tester, from SP Diagnostics, enables technicians to test the integrity of EGR valves and other 12V solenoids, such as vacuum solenoids, boost pressure control valves and actuators, petrol injectors, carbon canisters and even relays. Due to the tool’s variable frequency, EGR valves can either be cycled to ensure correct operation or to clean it during its cyclic mode. In high frequency mode, the valve can be opened progressively, allowing more efficient manual cleaning. The tool can be used to help diagnose a faulty EGR valve that is causing problems with the exhaust flow and operation of the EGR system, which in turn, can lead to performance reduction, such as loss of power, reduced acceleration, and decreased fuel efficiency. This often culminates in an increase of vehicle emissions. EGR valves can become stuck either open or closed; commonly caused by a build-up of soot particles and carbon deposits, also sometimes by dirt in the fuel. These symptoms are found more often in urban driving conditions, as the engine has not built
sufficient heat to burn the deposits off, whereas longer distance and motorway driving generally have a beneficial effect on the EGR system.
Common symptoms of a faulty or sticking EGR valve ■ A rough idle when starting the vehicle, or
during brief stops at low speed, can be caused when the EGR is stuck open, allowing exhaust gases to flow into the intake manifold. ■ Increased fuel consumption is due to the valve being stuck open. This creates a lower temperature, leading to the fuel not burning at the optimal engine temperature, resulting in reduced efficiency. This can
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also lead to increased vehicle emissions. ■ Stalling when the engine idles, sometimes
referred to as a rough idle, is often caused by the EGR valve being stuck open and is allowing exhaust gases into the EGR system. ■ Engine knock noises can be caused if the EGR is stuck in the closed position. As at low engine RPM the fuel ignites early when it meets the high temperature. Also, a second ignition can occur after the normal ignition. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS PRODUCT, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP027
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Beyond ENGINE FLUSH With ‘emissions’ being the buzzword of the times, independent garages should be looking to improve the efficiency of their customers’ vehicles. EDT Automotive has the treatment to do this, as PMM discovers.
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n the six years since EDT Automotive began trading, the company has been exposed to wide-ranging opinions concerning the topic of engine flushes, highlighting both the public and the industry’s love/hate relationship with the treatments. The concept of introducing a chemical additive to the engine to purge it of accumulated deposits is by no means new – engine flushes have been around for a long time, and have been controversial ever since their introduction. However, as an engine decontamination specialist, EDT Automotive is keen to distance itself from such criticisms by highlighting the important differentiators that exist between conventional passive pour-in engine flushes that rely on the engine’s old oil for circulation and then gravity to drain contaminants, compared with the enhanced pressure and heat-based treatment EDT’s equipment offers. As company founder David Holmes explained, “The main difference with EDT is that it is very much a machine-controlled engineering process which adds no chemicals or contaminants.
“Our machines are specifically designed to carry out a deep clean, utilising a bespokedesign mineral oil with proven cleaning capabilities, which is heated to 40˚ and injected into the engine at 40psi. This process efficiently and effectively cleans the engine’s oil system via a reverse-flush, preparing it to receive new oil which is free from the residue normally left after conventional servicing. “The machine filters down to 1 micron, which is 25-times finer than a vehicle’s own filter system – the filters are one-use only to prevent contamination, and there are also three internal filters. Unlike pour-in solutions, the engine must remain off during the cleaning process, which is far safer for the vehicle.” The treatment goes through four fullyautomated cycles, which last roughly 12 minutes in total once connected, leaving the technician free to take care of other jobs around the workshop. During the final cycle, fluid is purged from the engine by compressed air, which thoroughly removes all debris and contaminants. According to David, “these processes simply do not happen during a pour-in flush.”
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An EDT deep clean also leads to multiple benefits for customers, which, as David explained, provides a valuable upsell opportunity for garages: “The principle is a simple one: petrol and diesel engines run better with clean engines. The end user will feel the difference; the vehicle’s emissions are reduced by 69%, fuel savings of up to 26%, increased brake horsepower, increased torque, a much quieter running engine, plus extended engine life. These benefits are well recognised by customers and garages, as evidenced by EDT’s excellent TrustPilot reviews – WWW.RDR.LINK /AP028. “To date, over 124,000 vehicles have been treated in the UK,” David added. “The technology employed by EDT has been around for roughly 25 years, so there’s a real pedigree behind us that our partners and their customers can rely on.” This specialist decontamination process is only available via the company’s nationwide network, but David says that he is still actively looking for additional garage partners to help realise his vision to have an EDT garage within one hour of all potential customers.
Regency Autos To see the treatment in action, PMM recently visited EDT customer, Regency Autos, in Cambridge. The garage has been using the machine for a little over a year now, and couldn’t be more complimentary of the product and the effect it has had on the business. On the topic of the treatment, John Deegan, owner of Regency Autos, had this to say: “It’s a really great product. Normally when you service a vehicle, the customer will go away and not be able to tell what work has been carried out. When we use the EDT treatment, however, we’ve had customers phone us back saying that their car is now driving exceptionally well. It really does make a difference. “I have to admit, when EDT first approached me, I was very sceptical. I thought I would let them do the demonstration and then they’d be on their way. EDT carried out the demo on two of the staff’s cars, and both drivers couldn’t believe the difference to the vehicles’ driveability. So, we took on the machine and have since been receiving really
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GARAGE PROFILE: REGENCY AUTOS Established over 28 years ago, the family business offers a wide variety of services. The team, led by John, will do everything from servicing and MOT, to diagnostics and engine tuning. Always keen to progress, the garage has recently started to hold training evenings in its new extension building, the first of these focusing on ADAS. Separate to the garage business, John’s sons are also accomplished racing drivers, regularly competing in national events.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE RACING TEAM’S SUCCESSES, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP029
good results and great customer feedback. I’ve been really impressed.” John’s son, Lee Deegan, often uses the machine whilst he’s carrying out regular services. He explained exactly how the EDT treatment should fit into the day-to-day: “This is a process you can just have running whilst carrying out a regular service. When we’re servicing, we will drop the oil out of the vehicle, and if the customer has agreed to the EDT, then we’ll begin the treatment and go around the car checking other components: tyre pressures, locks and hinges – all your general checks really. “There are a lot of treatments out there. For example, we use Terraclean as well, but the
two machines are very different. Terraclean does your fuel, but EDT is all about the engine oil. I think this is something garages don’t realise. They assume all these machines do the same thing, and it’s just not the case. “We certainly haven’t had another oil cleaner quite like it.” After witnessing the treatment in action, it quickly becomes clear that its operation is not complicated. As it happened, the most difficult part of the process was locating and accessing the oil filter on the vehicle – a Vauxhall Vectra Exclusiv Cdti 150 from 2008. Lee went on to explain that the machine can be operated by anyone, from a new apprentice, to a master technician, without a huge amount of tuition: “It’s very straightforward, any level of technician can use it. I will often get our apprentice to carry out the treatment, and because the process is so simple, I only had to teach him once and then he just got on with it.” The EDT treatment has clearly made an impression on the team at Regency Autos, and it continues to do so. Being a wellestablished business that continues to thrive and grow – recently building an extension specifically for wheel alignment – the garage has seen plenty of treatments in the market over the years, but Regency vouches for the fact that the EDT treatment goes beyond a simple engine flush. TO ARRANGE A DEMONSTRATION OF EDT’S ENGINE CLEANING EQUIPMENT, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP030
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Effective protection Cabin air filters are the main barrier against nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, preventing drivers from potentially dangerous irritations and discomfort. Filtration specialist Mann+Hummel believes it has the ideal solution.
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he combustion of diesel fuel in the vehicle engine at high temperatures produces various pollutants, such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, which are released into the atmosphere via the exhaust gases. Each hour, several hundred thousand litres of this polluted outside air pass through the vehicle’s ventilation system into the interior, bringing with them particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and other harmful gases that pose a threat to the health of the vehicle’s occupants. This means that the air in the interior of the vehicle is often much more polluted than the ambient air. Thorough purification of the outside air by means of a cabin air filter is therefore essential, especially for frequent drivers, allergy sufferers, and children. Filtration specialist Mann+Hummel has developed effective protection against harmful gases and particulate matter with its Mann-Filter cabin air filters with activated carbon. The activated carbon in the brand’s combined filters and FreciousPlus cabin air filters reduces the nitrogen oxide concentration in the vehicle interior to almost zero. The CUK 31 003 combined filter, for example, removes 95% of the toxic gas, which is reported to greatly reduce nitrogen oxide concentration
“Change cabin air filters in accordance with the service schedule to ensure proper air purification in the vehicle interior.” in the vehicle interior. This combined filter is available for various Audi models. Breathing in nitrogen oxides in high concentrations can irritate mucous membranes and cause shortness of breath and pulmonary edema. People with chronic respiratory diseases in particular, for example asthmatics or allergy sufferers, have to contend with increased pollutant concentrations. There is also a link between
nitrogen oxides and cardiovascular diseases. An hourly average value of 200 micrograms per cubic metre of air is defined throughout Europe for nitrogen dioxide, which belongs to the nitrogen oxides family. This limit may be exceeded 18 times during the calendar year. The annual limit is 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air. However, these limits are exceeded in many European cities, resulting in high nitrogen dioxide values regularly polluting the air. Another factor is particulate matter containing particles with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres. Its sources include the abrasion of tyres and brake disks. These minute particles can penetrate deep into the lungs. Ultrafine particles can even enter the bloodstream via the pulmonary alveoli and can cause respiratory diseases and cancer. To prevent any of the above from becoming a serious threat to your customers, it is important to change cabin air filters in accordance with the service schedule to ensure proper air purification in the vehicle interior. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MANN-FILTER CABIN AIR FILTERS, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP031
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BEST PRACTICE Flushing the compressor The lifetime of a compressor is only guaranteed when the correct amount of recommended oil is used. If contaminated by foreign oil or additives, such as the wrong or too much UV dye, the refrigerant must be flushed before new parts are installed, as Denso explains…
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compressor is lubricated by oil, which mixes with the refrigerant gas R1234yf – or R134a if the vehicle was built before European Union legislation came into play. When the vehicle starts up, it forces the refrigerant gas and oil mix around the system. As the mixture flows around the system, oil coats the inner surfaces of the pipework, condenser tubing, and remaining components. The remainder is for lubricating the compressor while in operation, which relates to decanting the new and old compressor. A replacement compressor supplied by Denso contains the correct amount and type of oil for the entire system – half of the oil remains lining the pipework, condenser tubing and remaining components. The remainder is used to lubricate the compressor while in operation. When technicians check for leaks, only 35cm3 of UV leak dye should be added to a system containing up to 1kg of refrigerant and 2cc, for a 500g system. However, it can only be added once, as too much would degrade the lubricative quantities of oil.
When does the system need flushing? The nature of the repair dictates whether flushing should be carried out – when flushing is necessary, it is, in essence, cleaning the system. The flushing process uses refrigerant in liquid form – liquid is eventually compressed into gas. However, Denso’s philosophy is that where metal particles are suspected to be present and contaminating the system, following catastrophic internal compressor failure, for example, best practice is to change the entire system, as flushing will not guarantee the removal of those metallic particles. When flushing, technicians should use dedicated flushing equipment and correct type of refrigerant, without using an air conditioning service station.
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Condensor 20%
Oil distribution Evaporator 20%
Installation tips If the system has been flushed, the Denso compressor can be installed directly. Turn the compressor systematically by hand to distribute oil evenly – this will avoid damage during start-up. For some applications, it is necessary to add oil; for example, when single and dual evaporator cycles have the same part number, or when the oil quantity of the new compressor differs from the vehicle specifications. If this is the case, technicians should check the data from the vehicle manufacturer to confirm the correct oil amount. However, oil should never be added to the compressor – it should always go into the condenser, receiver dryer or second evaporator cycle. Technicians are urged to stick with Denso’s recommended oil type, ND-oils, and are advised never to mix or use a ‘universal oil’, as doing so likely shorten the life expectancy of the new compressor and cause severe damage. Denso will refuse a warranty claim if an investigation proves that there was
Dryer
If flushing is not 20% required, contamination. After installing a Hoses technicians 10% new compressor, it is essential to should use the ‘run it in’, the purpose of which 50% Compressor following being to distribute the oil and start Filling level 30% - 50% calculation to up lubrication to prevent damage after determine the correct the new component is fitted. amount of oil to drain from the new Denso compressor: Procedure C=A-B A = Total amount of oil in new Denso compressor B = Amount of oil drained from the old compressor C = Amount of oil to remove from the new compressor The total amount of oil in the new compressor (A) is 120cm3. The total amount drained from the old compressor (B) is 50cm3. The amount of oil to remove (C) from the new compressor is A-B (120-50 = 70cm3)
Set the temperature to ‘max cool’ and switch blower to ‘max speed’. Then start the engine and maintain engine RPM at ‘idle’. Switch on the air conditioning for a minimum of five minutes without increasing the engine speed. After five minutes, the compressor oil will have travelled around the system thoroughly. Only after conducting this procedure is it safe to increase the engine speed and test the air conditioning. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DENSO’S RANGE OF A/C COMPRESSORS, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP061
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Plugging a LEAK Leaking cooling systems are annoying and eliminating leaks can be very time-consuming. Using a stop leak solution is a quick fix; simply add the additive to the coolant and it should block any small leakages. Liqui Moly explains how the company’s own Radiator Stop Leak formula does the job.
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mall plastic particles are the secret ingredient of the additive. They circulate within the system together with the coolant. If the pressure drops as a result of a leak, the particles collect in this area to quickly seal the leak. The remaining particles continue to circulate within the cooling system, ready to seal the next leak. Consequently, it is possible to eliminate leaks in the radiator (e.g. caused by stone
“The product works very well for small cracks, however, bigger holes are beyond the capabilities of this additive and require a complete repair.”
chip) in a simple, straightforward way. It is not necessary to replace lines or the radiator. The particles are small enough not to collect in the pump or block the filter. When added to a sealed cooling system, Liqui Moly’s Radiator Stop Leak constantly circulates within the system to immediately seal any developing leaks. It is claimed that vehicle users don’t even notice that they would otherwise have a leaking cooling system. The product works very well for small cracks, however, bigger holes are beyond the capabilities of this additive and require a complete repair. Another great chemical tool for radiators is the company‘s Radiator Cleaner. Deposits in the cooling system prevent the exchange of heat and can block the thermostat. The product dissolves these deposits
effectively, without being aggressive to other materials; it does not contain any aggressive acids or lyes, and is acidneutralising and compatible with rubber and plastics. Finally, it is worth mentioning that it can also be used as a preventative measure during service to eliminate deposits before they become a serious problem. Simply add this to the coolant and allow the engine to idle for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the degree of contamination. During this time, the active ingredients dissolve the deposits and contamination, which can then be drained simply together with the coolant. In this instance, it is only necessary to flush the radiator with water and refill it. TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE LIQUI MOLY RANGE, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP032
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Choose WISELY
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lobally, research suggests that there will be 125 million electric cars on roads by 2030, and many of them will use electric compressors in their air conditioning (A/C) systems. Environmental legislation is leading A/C original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to use more environmentally friendly refrigerants. Among this new legislation is European directive 2006/40/EC, which fully came into effect in 2017. This legislation applies to mobile air conditioning (MAC) systems and, in the words of the European Commission, “stipulates that air conditioning systems in motor vehicles type-approved after 1st January 2011 may not be filled with fluorinated greenhouse gases with a global warming potential (GWP) higher than 150.”
From R134a to R1234yf Compliance with this directive led to the development and adoption of R1234yf, a class of hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerant that the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirmed has a GWP of 1.0. In addition to this, R1234yf has a low ozone depletion potential (ODP). Developed to be a replacement for R134a refrigerants, R1234yf is now the industry standard for new vehicles,
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The complexity of choosing the right oil for the electric compressors in A/C systems means that OEMs and mechanical engineers often don’t make the most effective choice. Dr Liz Dixon, Global Technology Director of the Shrieve Group, explains why polyalkylene glycols (PAGs) are the lubricant of choice for hybrid and electric vehicle A/Cs. and R134a is being phased out. Unfortunately, the R1234yf chemical structure that ensures a low GWP can also cause issues with refrigerant stability, as the HFO R1234yf molecule is more chemically reactive than R134a. To counter this, the right lubricant is vital for long-term operation. So, how do you select this lubricant?
The preferred chemistry Of course, the core properties of a good lubricant – viscosity, lubricity, and thermal stability – have remained central to selection for many years. But, with R1234yf’s molecular structure causing a high level of chemical reactivity, the lubricant must have the correct stability properties to counteract the refrigerant’s inherent reactivity, as well as appropriate miscibility properties. In this regard, PAG lubricants have the most preferential properties.
Electrical systems require further consideration of the lubricant’s electrical properties. Historically, PAGs have exhibited higher levels of electrical conductivity than the industry considers acceptable, and these levels are largely the result of factors such as residual catalyst, acidity and water in the lubricant. This has created a perception of PAGs being unsuitable for use in semihermetic and hermetic systems. The fact that many PAG-based solutions have exhibited such electrical properties is due to how they are formulated and processed. If these PAGs are processed under more stringent conditions to achieve higher levels of purity, you get less contaminants and a resultant lubricant that is perfectly safe for use in hybrid and electric compressor systems. This is something that the chemistry specialists at Shrieve considered when developing ZEROL HD,
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which overcomes the concerns associated with previous PAG chemistries. ZEROL HD is a double end-capped, PAG-based lubricant that is specifically designed to meet the long-term needs of electric compressors that use R1234yf refrigerants. It is also suitable for use in beltdriven systems that employ R1234yf. The lubricant is available in several viscosity grades and has been optimised with specifically developed additive technology to enhance system performance, efficiency, stability, and longevity. Crucially, Shrieve extends its expertise to the development of ZEROL HD, ensuring that it is effectively manufactured to remove the residual contaminants that affect the lubricant’s conductivity. Because of this, ZEROL HD demonstrates 35kV dielectric strength and 1010 Ohm-cm electrical resistance, making it more than suitable for use in electrically driven systems. With these properties, the product is an example of a PAG that is a universal fit for both
mechanical and electrical MACs, as well as a preferential alternative to polyol esters (POEs).
POE shortcomings As the use of electric compressors has increased, there have been moves towards POEs being used as MAC lubricants. The problem with this is that POEs have inferior chemical stability compared to the ZEROL HD and PAG. As a base fluid choice, they stabilise R1234yf refrigerants poorly. There are also long-term impacts, which can be seen when looking at how POEs and PAGs react to water ingress. Although PAGs absorb water from their environment, the ingressed water also hydrogen-bonds to the PAG molecules without causing a chemical reaction. This hydrogen bonding prevents the water from freely existing in the system and reacting with system components, so the bonded water molecules won’t contribute to problems such as metal corrosion. The same cannot be said of POEs, which undergo a chemical reaction when exposed to
water. The water can cause the esters to break down into their constituent parts, which produces acidic by-products that cause further chemical instability in the system.
Conclusion High quality PAG chemistries outperform POEs in R1234yf electric MAC systems in almost every case, which is why Shrieve urges compressor OEMs and mechanical engineers to use them as the lubricant of choice. The challenge ahead for the industry is to stop the flow of ineffective aftermarket lubricants based on inferior PAG and POE chemistries from undermining long-term compressor performance. It’s only by focusing on great chemistry and working with specialists that we can combat misinformation, and ensure that PAG solutions support the growing market for EVs. FOR MORE INFORMATION, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP033
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HYBRID
& ELECTRIC VEHICLES
More than
COMFORT Electric powertrains have been a major catalyst for change in the automotive industry, and this has been felt all the way down at component level. Traditionally, the A/C compressor has had the role of ensuring driver comfort, but with the rise of hybrids and EVs this is now changing.
A
/C compressors are at the heart of the refrigerant circuit. They condition the cabin and control the temperature of probably the most important component in the electric vehicle powertrain: the battery. After all, keeping the traction battery at the right temperature has a crucial impact on the service life, charging speed, and cruising range of the electric vehicle. This being said, traction motors and power electronics must also be cooled. This is transforming the role of the A/C compressor. While it was previously responsible for comfort in the cabin, it is now a component of the powertrain, protecting it from damage and ensuring the operational
“The extended functionality of the A/C compressor in the area of e-mobility is boosting the significance of the A/C service.”
safety of the vehicle. Electric vehicles have to use electrically driven compressors because the circumferential ribbed belt cannot be used as a drive, as in the case of a combustion engine. But, hybrid vehicles, or vehicles with a combustion engine, also benefit from electrically driven compressors, since they can be operated on a demand basis, thereby reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. “The extended functionality of the A/C compressor in the area of e-mobility is boosting the significance of the A/C service, thereby creating greater service volumes for workshops,” explained Olaf Henning, Corporate Executive Vice President and General Manager Mahle Aftermarket. “It is up to workshops to inform drivers of hybrid and electric vehicles about the consequences of a system failure. These range from reduced cruising range or vehicle stoppage, to damaged components. Of course, we support our customers by providing them with information, training, and our proven A/C service and diagnostics solutions.”
Technical insight Despite the changing role of the component, the reasons for the electric compressor to fail are similar to the reasons associated with mechanical ones. The most prevalent being the poor or lack of maintenance to the component, which will often manifest in one of the following practices: the use of the wrong oil/lack of oil, or a refill with an incorrect refrigerant. You will likely notice a failing compressor due to a number of symptoms: ■ ■ ■ ■
Overheating battery Reduced battery performance Overheating traction motors Overheating of power electronics
Mahle recommends that technicians carry out regular A/C servicing using the company’s AC Service Solutions to prevent any potential failures. There is an opportunity here for garages to sell this service to their customers, since it’s no longer just a comfort topic, but helps prevent damage to the vehicle. TO FIND OUT MORE, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP034
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HYBRID
& ELECTRIC VEHICLES
Are we beyond 12V?
A
s far back as 1859, the lead acid battery has proven to be an integral component in almost every type of automotive vehicle, including hybrid and electric. Even though hybrid and electric vehicles make use of lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride batteries to store energy and propel the vehicle, the reliable 12V battery is still utilised to power the vehicle’s 12V electrical system.
The future Despite the 12V’s loyal service, the automotive industry’s search for the next evolution in battery technology continues as pressures to switch from combustion engine vehicles to hybrids and EVs mount. The definitive objective is to invent a battery capable of storing large amounts of electrical energy while requiring a relatively short period of time to fully recharge. The following examples offer a quick snapshot into some of the new strategies and elements being explored:
The influx of new hybrid and electric vehicles has sparked increased efforts to develop battery technology. So, does this spell the end of the 12V? PMM, in conjunction with Autodata, investigates the new power supply contenders. ■ Solid state batteries replace the electrolyte
■ Fluoride-ion battery technology claims to
found in current batteries with a solid substance to enhance energy mass. Because operating temperatures are low, any risk of fire or explosion is reduced. These batteries are thought to have a longer lifespan and are also considered cheaper to produce than existing batteries.
store up to 10 times more energy when compared to current lithium-ion batteries. However, currently, fluoride-ion batteries only work at high temperatures, so this temperature limitation needs to be addressed before this can become a realistic solution.
■ Silicon-based batteries use silicon in
lithium-ion batteries. In so doing, the charge capacity is increased, which results in a battery that lasts considerably longer between recharge times. Silicon as a material is abundantly available, which also makes this a very viable option.
BATTERY BREAKDOWN: 12V LEAD ACID Consisting of no moving parts whatsoever inside, the 12V lead acid battery encompasses six galvanic cells, individually capable of holding 2.1V. Each cell incorporates a positive lead dioxide coated plate and a negative lead plate, divided by a grid as well as 1. Galvanic cell 4. Grid 2. Positive lead dioxide coated plate 5. Separator an insulating material called a separator. 3. Negative lead plate 6. Lead plate The entire structure is encapsulated in a hard-plastic container filled with a liquid solution (electrolyte) made up of sulphuric acid and water. After a charge greater than 2.1V is applied to each cell, a chemical reaction inside the battery is triggered, creating electrical energy ready for use.
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Clearly, there is still room for improvement and the teachings of the past indicate battery perfection can be a slow and calculated progression. Significant advances in future battery technology are unlikely to be overnight and the industry could expect timing of these advances to run into multiple years or even decades.
Training on the job Autodata’s battery disconnection and reconnection module provides technicians with all the information they need to efficiently and successfully work with today’s batteries. Features include diagrams that show the locations and procedures for disconnecting batteries; instructions on preparing the battery for disconnection; and a list of electrical components that need to be reset after the battery has been reconnected.
TO FIND OUT MORE, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP035
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HYBRID
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ELECTRIC AVENUE Following on from the article in PMM January, this month, HEVRA’s Pete Melville deconstructs current EV battery technology into its constituent parts.
A
battery consists of two electrodes – these are connected to the positive and negative terminals on the outside of the battery, and some chemistry in between. The battery does not store electricity as such, but instead a chemical reaction occurs inside during charging, and the opposite reaction when discharging. The cell voltage depends on the chemistry – all lead-acid cells are 2V (open circuit voltage of 2.1V), Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) are 1.2V, and lithium ion or lithium polymer are generally around 3.2-3.8V depending on the exact chemistry used. In order to increase the voltage, such as in our 12V car battery, we need to join cells together in series, i.e. 6 x 2V cells.
Upping the voltage Using a higher voltage means we can use less current to make the same power, reducing the thickness of the required wiring and increasing efficiency. Hybrid cars normally use a high voltage battery between 150V and 300V, and plug-in vehicles are normally 300-400V.
58 APRIL 2020 PMM
Nickel-Metal Hydride, or Ni-MH, is a popular rechargeable battery technology often found in household rechargeable batteries. It is considered inexpensive and safe compared to other battery technologies, and was used in some electric vehicles of the 1990s, such as the GM EV1 and the Toyota RAV4 EV. The patent for the Ni-MH battery was purchased by oil giant Chevron-Texaco, who, in 2002, decided it would not licence the technology for electric vehicle use, in order to protect the sales of oil-based fuels. However, the company would allow the technology to be used for hybrids, and it is still used in some today. The Chevron ruling could have been a stumbling block for electric vehicles, but a newer technology, lithium ion, came along. This not only avoided the oil company’s patent licensing, but it was also better. Firstly, it has a higher energy density, meaning for a given size and weight of battery, it can store more electrical power. Secondly, it had faster charging capability, making it more suitable for topping up on long journeys. Thirdly, the self-discharge is virtually non-existent, so you can park a car at the airport for a week (or a year) and it won’t have lost a noticeable amount of its battery charge. Lithium-based batteries are used for all modern electric vehicles, and some hybrid vehicles.
Lithium ion The exact mix of materials used for the electrodes and the electrolyte in the Li-Ion battery can make a difference to its energy density, charging and discharging rate, rate of degradation (wearing out) and cost. Each manufacturer has its own recipes with its own benefits, and it’s thanks to little tweaks that have allowed cars such as the Renault Zoe and BMW i3 to double their battery capacity without making the battery any bigger. In order to get the required voltage, we need to string lots of batteries together in series. Typically, an EV battery has 80-100 cells in series. We can also put cells in parallel to increase the capacity without changing the voltage. For example, a battery may be described as having 92S4P configuration, which means it has 92 cells in series, and four in parallel (368 in total). In order to build the battery pack, most manufacturers build a few cells together into a module. The module may also feature circuitry to measure the cell voltages and temperatures. The battery pack is then made from several of these modules. Also within the battery pack is the heating and cooling system (if fitted), the contactors (relays) for switching the pack on and off, and an ECU that controls the battery
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functions, such as cell balancing. Imagine an old car with two 6V batteries making a 12V system. If you connect a 12V battery charger, this will, in theory, charge both batteries equally. However, imagine if one battery is at 5V and the other at 7V. The charger will deem the total (12V) to be satisfactory, but charging will risk overcharging and damaging the battery that is already at 7V, whilst the other battery at 5V is not going to store much energy. For this
reason, it is important to balance cells, in order to protect the battery and to squeeze in the full capacity. In this example, a resistor is connected across the 7V battery to reduce its voltage, therefore reducing the risk of overcharging, whilst also putting more energy into the other battery. In reality, the differences are generally a few millivolts, and the resistors have high values and therefore small current flows.
HEVRA SUPPORTS INDEPENDENT GARAGES WITH HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE SERVICE AND REPAIR, HELPING WITH MARKETING, TECHNICAL SUPPORT, TOOL HIRE, TRAINING AND REGULAR NEWSLETTERS AND ARTICLES. FOR MORE INFORMATION ONLINE, GO TO WWW.RDR.LINK/AP036
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HYBRID
& ELECTRIC VEHICLES
TECHNOLOGY SPOTLIGHT Regenerative braking
Steve Carter
Regular PMM contributor Steve Carter highlights how the braking systems on electric vehicles have adapted as the technology has progressed.
I
n my previous article in the October edition, I looked at how the air conditioning system on an electric vehicle is fully integrated into the operation of the battery thermal management system, as well as the vehicle’s own climate control – providing both heating and cooling for passengers and the battery alike. Moving on, I will now investigate the braking system on electric vehicles, often referred to as regenerative braking. More
recently, this has been further enhanced and refined into ‘one-pedal driving’. This configuration in some of the latest vehicles now engages the brakes through wire systems to control all the various inputs and outputs to the control units, with FlexRay replacing the CAN-Bus network system. All hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles have batteries of varying sizes and power delivery modules to control the following:
Pictured: A simulation model of an electric vehicle regenerative braking system
60 APRIL 2020 PMM
■ Conversion of the DC to three-phase AC
currents to drive the motors, and then the conversion back to DC to recharge the drive battery when decelerating ■ The torque and RPM of the motor for
driving as required Most of the electric motors we use are of the synchronous permanent magnet type, which means they will become generators when rotating force is applied during deceleration. Now, if we look at some of the latest electric vehicles, such as the four-wheel drive models, there is one powerful motor/generator (MG) on each axle. The car’s kinetic energy is applied to these MG units, which subsequently generates the AC current that can then be converted into DC current to recharge the battery and increase the vehicle’s overall range. From my own experience, I
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can vouch that I have regenerated 25% of the overall distance of a 156-mile journey. In the first generation of hybrid vehicles, the battery was so small (1kWh) that there was a limited amount of energy that could be recovered, which meant that the regenerative braking was quite poor. However, with the development of plug-in vehicles, the battery size has increased to about 14kWh. This obviously increases the amount of power the car can recover. With more and more regenerative systems now available, the manufactures are looking for more ways to control this function progressively. For example, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has selective levels of regenerative braking – achieved by the driver flicking paddles behind the steering wheel: Level 0 is the equivalent of freewheeling, whilst level 5 is significant deceleration. However, the level of regen is dependent on the state of charge of the battery. With a
high state of charge and selecting level 5 regen, the vehicle would show virtually no sign of slowing down, as there is no capacity for the battery to receive more charge. Therefore, the driver would need to apply the foot brake. A driver of this vehicle might well believe that there is a fault with the braking system as regenerative braking by the paddles would appear to be inconsistent. Yet, no fault exists, it’s just the way the system works. With the latest range of electric vehicles now offering battery sizes of between 60 to 90kWh, we now have significant storage opportunities for regenerative braking and most manufacturers are taking this opportunity to integrate this into ‘one-pedal driving’. The gradual release of the accelerator pedal will now increase the rate of regen and the speed with which the car slows. There is now no need to put your foot on the brake pedal, in fact, the pedal is now only used to stop the car moving forward at the
end of the Junction. To control all these systems and the information from the various sensors, as well as provide a failsafe backup, a more robust and larger bandwidth network system was needed. The Audi E-tron and Jaguar I-Pace are both using FlexRay networks to control the regenerative braking and electric motors on their EV vehicles. I would like to highlight that this is only a very brief overview of what ‘one-pedal driving’, brake-by-wire and regenerative braking are, and how they will affect your business. Hopefully, you have appreciated the complexities of these systems and the need to fully understand them before any work can be carried out on any vehicle using them. FOR A FULL CATALOGUE OF STEVE’S ARTICLES, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP037
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HYBRID
& ELECTRIC VEHICLES
HYBRID
101 PMM sits down with Neil Kidby, Sealey’s Product Category Manager, to bring it back to basics when approaching hybrid vehicle maintenance. PMM: So, how old is hybrid technology? Neil Kidby (NK): Most people see hybrid technology as a new idea. However, the first hybrid car was actually designed in 1898 and was exhibited at the Paris Exposition of 1900. It was the Lohner-Porsche Elektromobil, that was designed by a 23-year-old engineer, unknown at the time, named Ferdinand Porsche. Exposition records show that Porsche’s vehicle could travel 38 miles solely on electricity, and could reach a maximum speed of about 35mph. Thus, the hybrid vehicle was born. Development over the following decades was very slow, due to technology becoming a limiting factor, as well as the resistance from supporters of conventional fuels. In 1994, Akihiro Wada, Executive Vice President of Toyota, posed a challenge before
a special team of company engineers: build a car with double the fuel efficiency of conventional vehicles. Three years later, Toyota introduced the Prius in Japan as the world’s first mass-produced petrol/electric hybrid car. All major car manufacturers now offer a hybrid vehicle as part of their range. PMM: What types of high voltage vehicles are out there? NK: A conventional hybrid vehicle is the most common high-voltage vehicle that garages will encounter. It is primarily powered by an internal combustion engine that is assisted as and when it is required by a high-voltage motor(s). To supplement this, electric motors will also recover energy during braking, recharging the high-voltage battery.
“Technicians will need an exclusion area to keep untrained people away from the vehicle being worked on, and signs to warn of high voltage.” A plug-in hybrid vehicle operates on the same principle, but has a much larger storage capacity due to the high-voltage battery and can be charged from an external power source for longer periods of running without the use of the petrol engine. Finally, a full electric vehicle has only electric motors for propulsion and has a much larger battery. These batteries can weigh over 300kg. External charging is required for the high-voltage battery, but energy recovery via the motors works on the same principle as on a hybrid. A range extended electric vehicle is a full electric vehicle, but uses a small internal combustion engine to charge the high-voltage battery if required. This engine cannot be used for vehicle propulsion; it addresses the ‘range anxiety’ felt by many drivers. PMM: How high is the voltage exactly? NK: Using the Toyota Prius Gen 2 as an example, the battery voltage is 201.6V DC, with the component weighing 53kg. Newer vehicles use a lithium ion battery which has a higher voltage, and in some cases, can be up
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to 800V DC. This DC voltage is increased and converted into AC three-phase current to power the motor generator units. Anything over 60V DC and 30V RMS AC presents a serious risk, and can lead to injury or even death. Fortunately for the vehicle technician, there are warning signs, and all high-voltage cables are coloured orange, with the earth return also running through these cables. An additional safeguard is that any component containing high voltage will have a warning label on it. PMM: What equipment does a technician need to work on a highvoltage vehicle? NK: Technicians will need an exclusion area to keep untrained people away from the vehicle being worked on, and signs to warn of high voltage. Sealey can provide these solutions. The company’s HP55K1COMBO exclusion zone kit has 25m of chain, six posts, warning signs for the vehicle and keys,
and a warning sign for the working area. Also available are grade 0 (1,000V) high-voltage gloves (HVG1000VL), and an electrician’s insulating mat (HVM17K02) that provides 17,000V protection and should be used in conjunction with the gloves. A somewhat more unusual item, but exceptionally important, is the high voltage rescue pole (HRP45). In case of an accident, it can be used as a means of recovering the casualty, providing 45,000V of insulation protection. Last but not least, Sealey also supplies a category III voltmeter (TA302), built to a specific standard to ensure safe working when approaching the voltage and high current found in high-voltage vehicles. I would also recommend investing in VDE tools as these are insulated, and are easily identifiable by their distinct colouring. FOR MORE INFORMATION WWW.RDR.LINK /AP038
HYBRID QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS Q WHAT IS THE DANGER WHEN WORKING WITH HYBRIDS? A There is enough high voltage to cause harm or death.
Q WHAT IS THE RISK? A Coming into contact with the high voltage.
Q CAN WE REMOVE/REDUCE THE RISK? A Yes! The high-voltage battery can be isolated.
Q DO I NEED TO BE TRAINED OR QUALIFIED? A Yes. Training courses are available from a variety of sources, including the IMI (WWW.RDR.LINK /AP039).
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TYRES, WHEELS
& ALIGNMENT
With around 7% of MOT failures caused by tyre defects, manufacturer Falken Tyres presents the most common tyre faults that cause MOT failure, and urges garages to highlight the importance of regular customer checks.
TYRED out
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ecent DVSA statistics indicate that tyre defects are the fourth most common cause of MOT failure, accounting for over two million failures annually in the UK. As well as creating a major safety risk, drivers may also face a £10,000 fine and 12 penalty points. “Awareness of tyre safety and maintenance in the UK can be significantly improved,” explained Andreas Giese, Senior Manager Corporate Planning and Product Planning of Falken Tyre Europe. “With a palm-sized contact patch being the only thing keeping a car on the road, we’re calling on garages to encourage regular customer checks and to highlight defects so motorists can better understand the risks and avoid costly and inconvenient MOT failures.” “Simple checks conducted regularly can help prevent inconvenient and potentially costly MOT failures, prolong the life of their tyres, save on fuel cost and – most vitally – keep themselves, passengers, and fellow motorists safe,” said Andreas.
“Simple checks conducted regularly can help prevent inconvenient and potentially costly MOT failures.”
Here, Falken highlights some of the most common tyre-related causes of MOT failures.
Worn tread Shockingly, tyres worn beyond the 1.6mm legal minimum tread depth are the most common culprit of MOT tyre failure – research shows that one in four tyres are already illegal when replaced. Treads have been expertly engineered to effectively disperse water away from the contact patch, and as the tyre becomes worn, this becomes less efficient, resulting in reduced grip. Motorists can check to see if they are road legal by placing a 20p piece inside the tyre treads at different places across the tyre’s width. If they can see any of the coin’s outer rim, then a new set of tyres is legally required. While 1.6mm is the legal minimum, there is pressure from within the industry to increase this to a 3mm.
Cuts and bulges in tyre sidewalls Potholes, kerbs and sharp objects can cause a tear, gouge, bulge or bubble in the tyre sidewall, which compromises the tyre’s structure and its ability to withstand pressure. Should the sidewall be damaged, motorists are at greater risk of a high-speed blowout or serious accident. It will also result in an immediate MOT failure.
Steering clear of kerbs and damaged road surfaces, as well as ensuring the correct tyre pressures are being used, will help avoid sidewall damage. Motorists should inspect their tyres for abnormalities on a regular basis, especially in winter and early spring when potholes are prevalent, and contact a tyre expert if they notice anything unusual.
TPMS malfunction A Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) uses electronic sensors to measure tyre pressure, indicating a drop or increase in pressure through a dashboard warning light. Many don’t realise the TPMS system is inspected as part of the MOT – if found faulty, it will result in test failure. Motorists should be reminded to reset the TPMS when changing tyre pressures and to get the system serviced when changing tyres. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON FALKEN TYRES’ OFFERING, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP040
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TYRES, WHEELS
& ALIGNMENT
SCAN ahead Pro-Align, the wheel servicing equipment specialist, has launched a vehicle diagnostic health check system. Here, PMM investigates how the new Hunter Quick Tread Edge can help garages increase their revenue and improve customer service.
T
he Hunter Quick Tread Edge is a drive-over tread depth scanning system that is able to scan the entire width of the tyre, from edge to edge. To obtain the tyre scan results, users simply drive the vehicle over the equipment’s scanning plates, allowing the tyre tread depths to be measured across the whole width of the tyres. In total, the system takes more than 280,000 data points to produce accurate 3D images of all four tyres on a vehicle, including tread grooves and patterns. The scanning plates can be installed as
either a surface mount or flush mount system, giving added flexibility. Regardless of which option is selected, workshops can be sure of ongoing accuracy as well as low servicing and maintenance costs, thanks to its corrosionresistant stainless steel construction and selfcleaning air knife. With full compatibility with HunterNet, results can be shown instantly to customers, and records can be stored to create a detailed customer history to aid with upselling and future marketing efforts. “The Hunter Quick Tread Edge is an incredibly exciting new product that we’re very proud to be launching in the UK,” commented Greg Thompson, Group Account Director at Pro-Align. “The equipment provides the most comprehensive and detailed tyre tread results available from an automated drive over system. Not only does this eliminate the guesswork that comes with manual inspection, but it’s also fast, reducing labour costs and increasing tyre sales opportunities. “Unfortunately, tyre safety remains a serious concern in the UK, with hundreds of road casualties caused each year as a result of illegal and dangerous tyres. “The Quick Tread Edge is easy to integrate into a normal workshop environment and simple to use. Alongside the potential commercial benefit it brings to the workshop, it also raises awareness of the issue of dangerous and illegal tyres with customers – this is a positive step forward for the wider road safety agenda,” Greg concluded.
“As an automated driveover system, there’s no need for manual tread depth measurements.”
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One of the key features of the Quick Tread Edge is the speed, accuracy and transparency of the tyre tread depth scan results. As an automated drive-over system, there’s no need for manual tread depth measurements, which are not only time consuming, but are also open to scrutiny from an accuracy perspective. When connected to HunterNet, garages can show customers their scan results instantly. This can be achieved either via a terminal on the sales advisor’s desk, via a large Flightboard in the customer waiting area, or results can even be sent directly to a customer’s mobile phone. While Quick Tread Edge is available as a stand-alone system, it can also be integrated into the Hunter Quick Check Drive system. This provides workshops with the ultimate automated vehicle health check diagnostic system, assessing the wheel alignment settings and tread depths of every vehicle entering the workshop, no matter what job they are booked in for.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE HUNTER QUICK TREAD EDGE, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP041
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TYRES, WHEELS
& ALIGNMENT
HOW TO Replace wheel bearings on a 2008 Ford Focus REPXPERT Alistair Mason takes PMM readers through the process of replacing the front and rear wheel bearings on a 2008 Ford Focus.
T
he front wheel bearing is commonly known as a generation two bearing. This compact bearing is identified by the hub/drive flange being part of the bearing inner race. Also, at the back of the inner race, a rounded forming is present. The bearing pre-load is set by a machine that orbitally forms the back of the inner race. The rear of the bearing also houses the encoder ring for the ABS system. It’s easy to make errors with these types of bearings, one such error being to press the bearings into the hub assembly by pressing on the hub flange which, consequently, damages the bearing. The correct method is to press on the bearing outer race. By using a generation two bearing tool, the technician can ensure that they are pressing directly onto the bearing outer race during installation. Some generation two
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bearings have a retaining clip that will only be installed successfully by using the correct tooling. Another advantage is that the hub assembly remains on the vehicle, thus, reducing repair times. With a scheduled repair time of almost one-and-a-half hours for the front wheel bearing and nearly three-quarters-of-an-hour for the rear, this is a simple repair for any independent workshop.
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Front wheel bearing Before getting to work, the generation two wheel bearing tool, as well as a two-post vehicle lift and locking wheel bolt tool, will be needed. To begin the removal process, slacken the wheel nuts and then raise the lift to waist height before removing the wheel and centre hub bolt. Disconnect the flexible brake hose from the retaining bracket (Fig 1), and then undo the two brake caliper carrier bolts. Remove the caliper itself and secure it to the spring. Remove the brake disc and then the bottom ball joint retaining nut, release the ball joint from the hub assembly, ease the assembly outwards and take away the driveshaft from the hub (Fig 2). A purpose-built generation two bearing tool is now required to remove the bearing; start by selecting the correct size plates/clamshells that mount behind the drive flange, and locate against the front face of the hub carrier and secure into position (Fig 3).
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Using the large centre bolt, mount the outer press/force plate and pins and locate the pins onto the flange plate/clamshells (Fig 4).
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í˘¸
í˘´
Select the correct extraction adaptor that sits on the inner race at the back of the bearing, which must pass the ABS sensor when being drawn through. Then lubricate the centre bolt and, finally, mount the nut and tighten (Fig 5).
í˘ľ
seated correctly, and that it is not in contact with the ABS sensor. Locate the new bearing assembly at the face of the hub, then insert the centre bolt with press/force plate and pins. From behind, mount the nut on the centre bolt and tighten, ensuring the installation adaptor is located properly. Then, ease the tension onto the bearing, making sure it draws in squarely. Using a long ratchet or breaker bar, tighten the centre bolt, which will draw the bearing assembly into the hub carrier. Once tight, remove the installation tool and visually inspect that the bearing is seated correctly (Fig 7).
í˘ˇ Using a breaker bar, tighten the centre bolt. Whilst tightening the centre bolt, the bearing will be drawn out of the hub assembly. Keep a hand on the bearing and tool, as this could fall when removed. With the bearing removed, ensure the bearing mounting surface is clean and remove any loose rust if required. Before fitting the new bearing assembly, clean the area at the back of the hub. If any debris is left in the hub housing, it could prevent the bearing from seating correctly. Fit the appropriate plates/clamshells to the new bearing assembly that presses on the outer race of the bearing (Fig 6), and secure. Mount the correct installation adaptor at the back of the hub assembly; check that it is
from behind the brake back plate, disconnect the ABS sensor, and remove the wheel bearing assembly (Fig 9).
í˘š
In reality, the bearing corrodes into the hub, so insert the torx bolts back into the bearing and use these to knock out the bearing assembly from behind the back-plate. To install the bearing, clean the hub and then insert the component, confirming that the four bolt holes line up (Fig 10).
� Rebuild in reverse order of removal, torque bolts to the manufacturer’s specification, and remember to test the brake pedal before driving the vehicle, as the calliper has been removed.
Rear wheel bearing For this section of the vehicle, a vehicle lift, torx socket and locking wheel bolt tool will be required. Removing the bearing should be straightforward: start by removing the rear wheel and brake drum (Fig 8). Next, remove the four external torx head bolts accessed
“By using a generation two bearing tool, the technician can ensure that they are pressing directly onto the bearing outer race during installation.�
Insert the new external torx head bolts, tighten evenly, torque to the manufacturer’s specification, and connect the ABS sensor. Finally, fit the brake drum and wheel, then torque correctly.ON THE REXPERT GARAGE PORTAL – FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SCHAEFFLER PRODUCTS AND FITTING INSTRUCTIONS, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP042
PMM APRIL 2020 69
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TYRES, WHEELS
& ALIGNMENT
DOUBLE UP PCL, the pneumatic and inflation solutions provider, recently announced that it has extended its warranty on its MK4 product range from 12 months to two years.
A
fter considerable investment in the digital Accura MK4 and linear Airforce MK4, PCL has backed this up with a warranty expansion. The range’s longevity within the garage environment has significantly increased, providing extra durability for indoor and outdoor applications. The Accura MK4 is now claimed to be as robust as the toughest linear unit, whilst the linear is as light, accurate and easy to use as the digital inflator. A biomorphic shape provides additional comfort for the user on both models. A key factor in the handheld Accura and Airforce MK4’s enhanced reliability is a two-
stage valve, with no requirement for a small plug filter in the inlet to preserve valve life. It is not uncommon for plug filters to fail and clog up, slowing down the airflow, meaning more service time and wasted technician resources. In addition, the two-stage valve extends the life of the product, with tests showing it can cover more than 10 times as many cycles as its main contender. The Accura MK4, with its short slimline body design, LCD backlit screen and selectable units of pressure reading, is a very light metal-bodied digital gauge and is a versatile digital handheld product. The MK4 was developed off the back of
“The range’s longevity within the garage environment has significantly increased, providing extra durability for indoor and outdoor applications.” the MK3 to deliver greater accuracy, speed and reliability than its predecessor. It is still available with a wide range of tyre valve and hose connectors to suit all applications. PCL Sales Director Lee Wright commented on the warranty news: “PCL is firmly committed to combining the same features and benefits that have stood the test of time with advancements in digital and mechanical technology. Major investments have resulted in an excellent range of products, and PCL is so confident in its reliability that we wanted to pass some benefit on to the customers with an extended two-year warranty. We are extremely proud of our Accura MK4 and Airforce MK4 tyre inflators, which have become industry standard in garages, petrol forecourts and tyre shops.” FOR MORE INFORMATION ON EITHER OF THESE RANGES, WWW.RDR.LINK /AP043
70 APRIL 2020 PMM
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PROFESSIONAL MOTOR MECHANIC
MECHANEX
THE REGIONAL TRADESHOW FOR AUTO REPAIR PROFESSIONALS
B I G G E R A N D B E T T E R I N 2 02 0 ! The UK’s only regional tradeshow dedicated to garage businesses is back again in 2020, with a fresh approach and a host of exciting new content.
2020 SHOW DETAILS Sandown Park, 10th & 11th November It’s an unmissable opportunity to attend FREE seminars, sample the latest products on the market, and take advantage of exclusive show special offers. So, why not bring the full workforce along and make a day of it?
GET SOCIAL To keep up to date with all things MECHANEX in 2020, be sure to visit WWW.MECHANEX.INFO, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
MECHANEXShow
@MECHANEXShow
072_PMM_APR20_Layout 1 11/03/2020 11:30 Page 2
FIND OUT MORE AT:
WWW.MECHANEX.INFO EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME The automotive aftermarket is evolving at an alarming rate, so it’s more important than ever that you stay on top of the latest technology, training, products and information available to your business. Attending MECHANEX – the only regional show dedicated to the specific needs of garages in the UK – is the perfect way to ensure that you are up to speed.
FREE SEMINAR PROGRAMME Essential technical and business information, tailored to independent garages, delivered by industry experts. The new-look seminar programme at MECHANEX will cover a number of key areas – all of which are essential for staying competitive.
EMBRACING FUTURE TECHNOLOGY – Keeping up with the pace of change and getting to grips with electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles PRACTICAL DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES – Vehicle troubleshooting and fault finding in today’s aftermarket TALK OF THE TRADE – Back again in 2020, this ‘open forum’, featuring a panel of industry experts and outspoken garage owners, is aimed at encouraging visitors to join the debate and have their say on a variety of industry topics. Got something to say? Don’t be shy!
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GIVEAWAYS
The best things in life are free... Check out the fantastic freebies on offer this month. To enter the prize draw, and to see what other competitions are currently running, go to
WWW.RDR.LINK/AP044
10 500-POINT BONUS CARDS Valeo is giving away 10 500-point bonus cards for its Valeo Specialist Club. The specialist club is a rewards programme for mechanics that offers incentives for loyalty. The club is available online or as a smartphone app; purchased products simply need to be scanned to earn points, which can then be redeemed against a wide selection of items. The club covers products for both passenger cars and commercial vehicles, and allows garages to sign up using one or multiple accounts to reward individual teams. You can sign up to the Valeo specialist club at WWW.RDR.LINK/AP045, or by downloading the club app.
25 KNEELING PADS Comline is offering 25 of its new XL kneeling pads to PMM readers – perfect for protecting your knees when working on a vehicle. Adorned in the brand’s distinctive blue and yellow livery, the XL kneeling pad is a great addition to any garage. The Comline brand has the aftermarket firmly at its core, and continues to focus on meeting the needs of motor factors, technicians and vehicle owners in over 50 countries worldwide. From day one, Comline has stood for consistent, reliable performance and genuine value for money for the aftermarket.
6 MUGS FUCHS Lubricants is offering readers the chance to win one of six stylish mugs to help technicians enjoy their favourite brew. As well as stylishly branded mugs, FUCHS has a comprehensive portfolio of lubricants for all automotive applications, including a wide range of OEM-approved products. Many of the company’s automotive oils are also sold in the iconic Lube Cube packaging solution. This gives customers the option of buying its leading products in a recyclable cardboard box rather than a plastic container. Not only is the Lube Cube environmentally superior, but it is also easier to store in the garage as it can be stacked on top of another, and it costs less to dispose of. The company also offers technical support, as well as an online ‘product assistant’ tool, helping professional technicians select the correct oils.
75 APRIL 2020 PMM
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WHAT’S NEW?
■ PACKAGING REDESIGN Engineering adhesives manufacturer, Henkel, whose brands include Loctite, Teroson, and Bonderite, has introduced new packaging to prevent product imitations. Product imitation poses a real danger. In the case of a threadlocking adhesive, for example, the outcome could be catastrophic; if the counterfeit product was used to lock a threaded assembly in a piece of equipment that is operation-critical and the mechanism failed, the cost savings would pale into insignificance when considered against potential revenue losses, reputational damage and safety issues. The poor performance of the forged product could nullify the very reason why the threadlocking adhesive was used in the first place – to ensure long-term reliability and extend the life of the equipment it is used on. To assure customers that the product they are buying is indeed the real thing, Henkel has taken important anti-counterfeiting steps. The first is the introduction of a new, patented bottle design that is very hard to replicate; it has distinctive shoulder and foot rims with edges that are textured, and the Loctite logo is recessed in the shoulder moulding. Henkel is also moving away from video coding batch and traceability data onto the bottom of bottles. The method it now employs is laser etching, which applies a permanent mark that is chemically resistant, cannot be wiped off with solvent, and doesn’t fade over time. WWW.RDR.LINK /AP046
■ DPF CLEANING MACHINE Delphi Technologies has launched the Hartridge DPF200 Master. The latest addition to its DPF cleaning range, it is said to be quicker, safer and more effective than other cleaning solutions such as detergents and forced regeneration. With a strong return on investment, the product offers workshops a profitable route into the fast-growing cleaning market, as well as another value-added service they can offer their customers. Using Hartridge’s DPF200 Master, workshops can quickly and safely clean blocked particulate filters. As well as helping to improve the vehicle’s fuel economy and emissions performance by extending the filter’s service life, it avoids the need for a complete filter replacement, ensuring a much more cost-effective service and avoiding unwanted vehicle downtime in the future. The easy-to-use software is built into the machine automatically, and includes flow testing and unique ‘failed cell’ detection diagnostic steps so that a faulty filter can be identified prior to cleaning, avoiding costly time wasting. WWW.RDR.LINK /AP047
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WHAT’S NEW?
■ CATALOGUE APP Now available for download, the Gates Automotive Catalogue App adapts the flexibility provided by smartphone and tablet operating systems to create a simple, fast and flexible tool. Offering an improved user experience, the Gates Automotive Catalogue App delivers enhanced features and service features not available via desktop or mobile browsers, including: ■ ■ ■ ■
A barcode scanner Additional search functionality A select and compare tool Automatic search log history
The app is available to download for free, from the iOS App Store and Android Playstore. WWW.RDR.LINK /AP048
■ INDUCTION
■ ORBITAL SANDER AND POLISHER The Laser Tools spot repair orbital sander and polisher (part number 7683) is a compact yet powerful air tool that is powered from the workshop’s compressed air supply. It is compact, weighing just 0.5kg. Its balanced action and selection of sanding pads makes the tool suited to smaller repairs, letting the operator contain the sanding action to just the damaged area. It is supplied as part of a comprehensive kit that is ideal for spot refinishing and SMART repair. The kit also contains: ■ Three different sized sanding pads ■ Two foam polishing heads ■ Abrasive sanding discs (in the three sizes) WWW.RDR.LINK /AP050
HEATER
The Powerduction 10R is the latest in the range of induction heaters from GYS. The product has a power output of 1,200W, yet is light and ultra-compact, weighing just 3kg. With a handy shoulder strap, this machine is versatile and ideal for workshop use. Other features include: ■ Instant heating ■ 15 times more powerful than the mechanical or flame process ■ Quick start – less than a minute to unlock a rusty and seized M10 bolt ■ Precise heating and localised action ■ No impact on other surrounding materials ■ Reduced danger to the operator ■ No flame WWW.RDR.LINK /AP049
78 APRIL 2020 PMM
■ WIPER BLADE RANGE EXTENSION Traditional wiping systems spray the washer fluid from the engine compartment bulkhead or hood, resulting in uneven distribution of fluid across the windshield. The Valeo AquaBlade wiping system prevents this, providing better visibility and therefore increased safety – the fluid is not projected onto the windshield, but is distributed along the entire length of the blade. As a consequence of the brand’s success, the company has expanded its offer, with a focus on premium brands. January saw the Aquablade range extend to include Mercedes E-class, GLE-Class, S-Class and SL-Class applications. WWW.RDR.LINK /AP051
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■ PRODUCT CATALOGUE Stanners Equipment has launched a catalogue showcasing its full range of products and equipment for 2020. The catalogue features a number of products, such as a steel and aluminium dent pulling range, and a quick pull and quick jig range. The catalogue gives helpful information about the products and their benefits to technicians, as well as details regarding aftersales services and training. It can be viewed and downloaded from the Stanners website. Alternatively, you can also request to be sent one in the post. WWW.RDR.LINK /AP052
■ SUMMER WORKWEAR A change of season means a change in what you wear on-site. That’s why the LITEWork range from Snickers can help you keep cool while working in sunny, warm and humid environments. The ergonomic, body-mapping trousers, shirts, shorts, mid-layer jackets and windproofers have the comfort and functionality of other Snickers workwear stretch garments, but give extra freedom of movement. They are super-light, quick-drying garments with ventilation and moisture transport features that keep you looking smart and feeling cool during warm weather. WWW.RDR.LINK /AP053
■ BATTERY TESTER By means of BAT 115, Bosch provides automotive workshops with a battery tester suitable for quick and reliable testing of all common six and 12V starter batteries and featuring a good price-performance ratio. The simplicity of the battery test routines quickly provide accurate and reliable measurement results. Using the integrated thermal printer, the test results can be printed for the customer or for record keeping at the workshop. Besides battery diagnosis and battery status display, the workshop can also use the BAT 115 tester to check 12 and 24V starter and charging systems. It is suitable for passenger car, LCV, motorcycle and recreational craft batteries featuring a cold cranking current between 40 and 2,000A. The tester can be used for lead-acid, EFB, gel, fleece and (flat or spiraltype) AGM batteries. WWW.RDR.LINK /AP054
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WHAT’S NEW?
■ JACK PAD ADAPTOR Designed to take into account the many derivatives of many modernday Porsches and avoid any kind of damage to the sills whilst maximising jacking stability, the jack pad adaptors (part number PF57560) from Powerflex fit the following applications: ■ Porsche 911, 964, 993, 996, 997, 991 ■ Boxster 986/987 ■ Cayman 987C The lifting aids occupy the jacking points found beneath these models, and have been developed to slot home to improve both location and stability, while protecting the underside of the vehicle from any accidental damage from the metal edges that many jacks have. WWW.RDR.LINK /AP055
■ EXHAUST SYSTEMS Klarius has released emissions control components that fit popular crossovers, estates, hatchbacks, hybrids and saloons. All parts are available for next-morning UK delivery, with a two-year warranty as standard. Vehicle applications covered include: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
Peugeot 208 1.2 Jaguar 2009-15 XF 3.0 Volkswagen Golf 2.0 2003-08 Toyota Prius 1.8 Ford Fiesta 1.2 Fiat Doblo 1.4 2014-18 WWW.RDR.LINK /AP057
■ BATTERY ANALYSER
■ TYRE RANGE The Laufenn-Plus range from Hankook offers greater performance and stability on both wet and dry roads due to its optimised tread compound. The S FIT EQ+ is equipped with a Hydro-Flow block tread pattern which, together with its four main grooves and streamlined tread block arrangement, reduces aquaplaning. The use of an improved second-generation silica compound has led to a significant reduction in braking distance, especially on wet roads. Variable depth tread grooves allow quick water run-off and improved wet grip. A base rubber layer below the tread helps to reduce rolling resistance and increase fuel efficiency. The tyre contour prevents irregular wear by distributing the weight evenly across the entire tread width. WWW.RDR.LINK /AP056
80 APRIL 2020 PMM
The RBAG750 from Ring Automotive enables the user to carry out a complete health check of the battery and electrical systems of a 12V and 24V vehicle, including motorcycles, cars and trucks. Batteries can be tested in or out of the vehicle, and reverse polarity protection is built in. It uses an intuitive graphical interface making it easier and quicker for technicians to diagnose faults. The microprocessor control can analyse and test the battery capacity without applying a load, providing fast, accurate results on batteries up to 1,700CCA. The unit can store up to 80 vehicles test results at once, allowing multi-vehicle testing before downloading, which is ideal for large dealerships and workshops. Results can be printed using the built-in thermal printer or downloaded to a computer. WWW.RDR.LINK /AP058
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MORE IN FO Just type in www.rdr. link foll owed by the u nique co de shown to get straig ht to more info.
■ FILTER CAMPAIGN Comline has announced the launch of a campaign focusing on the importance of cabin and activated carbon filters. This arrives as the company tries to communicate exactly why a regular change of cabin filter is essential for the driver and vehicle occupants to ‘Stay Protected’. The core of the ‘Stay Protected’ campaign is a video and infographic poster, focusing on the potential health issues that the cabin filter aims to negate. Both the video and poster quickly build a clear understanding as to why it’s essential for any motorist to change their cabin filter in-line with their regular service intervals. WWW.RDR.LINK /AP059
■ JACK LIGHT The need to lift the correct lifting points recommended by the vehicle manufactures has become even more important over the years. The Smart Light from Compac allows this by increasing the visibility of the correct lifting points. The light is activated by the sensor, and a timer automatically turns off the light again. Easy to fit on the side of a jack, the angle of the light is adjustable. The LED light can also be used as a headtorch. WWW.RDR.LINK /AP060
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ADVERTISEMENT INDEX
Absolute Alignment Ltd .................................................. (page 45)
Mann & Hummel UK Ltd .............................................. (page 50)
AC Tronics Ltd ................................................................ (page 21)
Melett .............................................................................. (page 39)
Atlas Copco .................................................................... (page 45)
Mewa ................................................................ (inside back cover)
Automotech Services ...................................................... (page 71)
Mobiletron UK Ltd .......................................................... (page 71)
BM Catalysts Limited ...................................................... (page 18)
Morris Lubricants ............................................................ (page 31)
Castrol UK Ltd .................................................................. (page 6)
OESAA ............................................................................ (page 40)
Contitech Power Transmission Sys Ltd .......................... (page 23)
Pneumatic Components Ltd ............................................ (page 67)
Dayco .............................................................................. (page 57)
Powerprobe UK .............................................................. (page 45)
Delphi Automotive .......................................................... (page 11)
Ring Automotive .............................................................. (page 59)
Elta Automotive Ltd .......................................................... (page 4)
Robert Bosch Ltd .......................................... (outside back cover)
Energizer Auto UK Ltd .................................................... (page 63)
RoTronics Battery Management Solutions ...................... (page 29)
FAI Automotives plc ........................................................ (page 42)
Schaeffler UK Ltd ............................................ (inside front cover)
Ferdinand Bilstein UK Ltd .............................................. (page 36)
Shaftec Automotive Components Ltd .............................. (page 17)
Flex Fuel UK Ltd ............................................................ (page 76)
SIP Industrial .................................................................. (page 74)
Garage Equipment Association ........................................ (page 9)
SP Diagnostics ................................................................ (page 79)
Hickley Ltd ...................................................................... (page 49)
Steigentech Michelin ...................................................... (page 46)
Jack Sealey Limited ........................................................ (page 54)
Supertracker .................................................................... (page 81)
Kalimex Ltd .................................................................... (page 81)
Walker Products Europe .................................................. (page 61)
Karnetic Ltd .................................................................... (page 12)
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