Professional Motor Mechanic April 2021

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PROFESSIONAL

APRIL 2021

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

SPRING HAS SPRUNG Advice on how to refresh the workshop after a long and difficult year Also inside...

Getting to know the Automotive Support Group

TECHNICAL TIPS AND CLINICS ‘HOW TO’ GUIDES AND BEST PRACTICE ADVICE BUSINESS ESSENTIALS AND TRAINING UPDATES

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Contents Regulars 6-7

NEWS & VIEWS

8

TROUBLESHOOTER

10

CLUTCH CLINIC

13

BELT FOCUS

14-18

TECH TIPS

21-24

BUSINESS & TRAINING

27-30

SPECIAL REPORTS

46

COMPETITION

47-49

WHAT’S NEW?

VOLUME 22 ISSUE 4 APRIL 2021

Features 33-38 HYBRID & ELECTRIC VEHICLES

41- 42 TYRES, WHEELS & ALIGNMENT

Editor’s Picks 24

SUPPORT WHEN IT’S NEEDED MOST PMM speaks to Dave Massey, a founding member of the Automotive Support Group

27

MANUFACTURE, MOTORSPORT, AND A MOMENTOUS MILESTONE Celebrating 100 years of the Witham Group

34

RESOLVERS UNWRAPPED Uncovering the importance of EV resolver sensors

38

WHEN SHOULD I START? Tom Denton analyses the big EV training question

44-45 A/C & THERMAL MANAGEMENT Total Average Net Distribution 59,921, 1st July 2019 – 30th June 2020

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VIEWPOINT

Playing catch-up

Editor DANIEL ARON Digital Manager KELLY NEWSTEAD

Y

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 Twitter: @pmmmagazine Copyright © 2021

ou will probably be well aware by now that there is a significant skills shortage within the automotive industry. The uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) is waiting for no one, including the maintenance and repair sector. Last year, it was widely reported that in the second quarter of 2020, new registrations of alternative fuel vehicles surpassed that of their diesel counterparts for the first time. Q3 produced similar statistics, and although this doesn’t speak for the make-up of the total car parc, it does suggest a trend, and that trend will have a huge effect on the aftermarket.

The pandemic seems to have only accelerated the electric revolution. A hypersensitivity to clean air, a reduction in journey distances, the opportunity to install infrastructure, and government funding policies have all been touted as factors that could be contributing to the resilience of EV sales. To top it all off, November saw Boris Johnson move the cut-off date for the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles from 2035 to 2030. Suddenly, time really was of the essence to ensure that the aftermarket was ready for the EV onslaught.

Whilst the pandemic appears to have boosted electric hopes from a sales perspective, it may have had quite the opposite effect on producing suitably qualified maintenance technicians. According to the Managing Director of Autotech Training, Simon King (page 36): “The number of certificates for working on electric vehicles issued in 2020 fell by 85% compared to the previous year.” He then goes on to say that according to the IMI, if we had maintained 2019 levels of training, the industry would be on track to provide the minimum number of skilled technicians required to meet the 2030 deadline. The question now is this: how does the industry compensate for this derailment in EV training?

As things stand, the answer is to look to other industries for support. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) recently announced that it has signed an Armed Forces Covenant (page 6) that will provide an injection of ex-military personnel into the automotive industry to fill the EV skills gap. Similarly, on page 33, Steve Carter speculates on the possibility of sourcing technicians from the industrial sector. All of this suggests that not only is the race on to find these professionals, but also that the automotive industry won’t be able to solve the problem on its own.

Despite the appeal to other sectors to help resolve the skills shortage, now’s the time for independent garages to step up to the plate. Tom Denton says as much on page 38 in his article outlining exactly what you need to take into account when you’re starting your own EV transition. Tom stresses the urgent need for qualified technicians, but also warns readers that it’s important to approach the move in the same way you would any other professional decision. In all the EV excitement, it is easy to rush in without considering the bigger picture.

Therefore, make sure you analyse exactly how your new-found skill set will fit in to any business strategy or future plans you may have. After all, the training is only the beginning.

Enjoy the issue and have a great month.

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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NEWS

& VIEWS

GET YOUR DAILY FIX OF INDUSTRY NEWS AT WWW.PMMONLINE.CO.UK

IAAF Chief Executive Wendy Williamson to retire in 2021 IAAF Chief Executive, Wendy Williamson, has announced that she is retiring later this year.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has signed a ground-breaking Armed Forces Covenant, pledging its commitment to advocate for recruitment and retention of ex-military personnel across the automotive industry.

H

eading up the Federation for more than seven years, Wendy has successfully led the IAAF through a number of changes, ensuring it remains at the forefront of the industry and as an umbrella under which companies can unite. She will leave the Federation in August this year.

During her tenure as Chief Executive, she has lobbied against extending the MOT frequency and new scrappage scheme proposals, and ensured the automotive aftermarket’s voice is heard on all matters relating to its prosperity including type approval, block exemption and cyber security, both in the UK and throughout Europe.

Wendy has worked in the automotive aftermarket for over 30 years, having spent the bulk of her career in a variety of roles at The Unipart Group including a number of years heading up TTC (Truck & Trailer Components).

She went on to lead the aftermarket section for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), before joining IAAF in 2014.

As well as the campaigns mentioned above, Wendy has seen the IAAF grow its membership over the past seven years and introduced a range of new products and services

6 APRIL 2021 PMM

Ex-military personnel set to tackle EV skills shortage

specifically suited to its evolving network.

Wendy said, “I am so proud of what the IAAF has achieved in the past seven years and this is due to the collective effort of members and the Federation, working together and striving towards the same goals. The Federation has continued to lead the market and support businesses through all environments and I truly believe the industry is more united than ever before as it looks forward to a challenging but exciting future.

“I would obviously like to thank everyone, the IAAF team of Mike, Ann and Tina, the board, IAAF council and wider membership for all their support.”

“I truly believe the industry is more united than ever before as it looks forward to a challenging but exciting future.”

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he pledge commits SMMT to promoting best practice, fostering a culture and ethos of inclusivity, and making the commercial case for automotive companies to also sign up to the Covenant. The signing reaffirms the work done through Mission Automotive, an initiative dedicated to placing ex-servicemen and women in jobs across the sector, set up in partnership with the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the forces’ charity Mission Motorsport, and supported by the Ministry of Defence.

Making the process as easy as possible, SMMT has helped members create tailored

engagement programmes, guiding and aligning their interactions with the Armed Forces community across brand, corporate and HR areas to support their own business strategies. Some 55 SMMT member companies already work with the armed forces community, employing veterans, service leavers and their spouses across all parts of the automotive supply chain.

As the UK looks to secure battery gigafactory investment ahead of the 2030 phase-out of ICE cars and vans, the automotive industry hopes to help fill the skills gap by offering opportunities for development and mapped-out career paths which translate military skills into qualifications required by the sector. Many service personnel are uniquely suited to this industry, with experience of high voltage equipment and other technologies. Veterans, therefore, are potentially some of the best candidates for roles working in electric and hydrogen vehicle engineering.

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NEWS

& VIEWS

Bosch celebrates 100 years of Bosch Car Service 2021 marks the 100-year anniversary of the Bosch Car Service network, with the company set to celebrate throughout the year.

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ax Eisenmann & Co., an automotive repair workshop based in Hamburg, became the first official Robert Bosch AG Installation and Repair Workshop in 1921. Bosch’s founder, Robert Bosch, had recognised early on the necessity of a repair shop network. As the number of car owners increased, so too did the demand for specialised expertise. Bosch Car Service is now thought to be the world’s largest brandindependent workshop network, with more than 15,000 companies in 150 countries.

As members of the Bosch Car Service network, workshops

receive support in the form of diagnostic technology, effective spare part logistics, and marketing measures. Network partners benefit from the high availability of the company’s original parts, as well as qualified automotive mechatronic technicians. A qualification system through the Bosch Service Excellence

“With Bosch Car Service workshops, car owners will always have a competent contact for services and repair.” programme, including regular audits and workshop tests, also ensures the quality of the network’s workshop partners.

Furthermore, these workshops benefit from a company that employs over 72,000 people in R&D and, in 2019, invested €6.1 billion in

this area.

“Networking, automation, and new drive solutions – vehicle complexity is growing steadily,” explained Thomas Winter, Head of Workshop Concepts at Bosch Automotive Aftermarket. “This means new challenges for workshops. Bosch is a reliable partner when it comes to accommodating these increasing requirements – and, with Bosch Car Service workshops, car owners will always have a competent contact for services and repair.”

Bosch Car Service is celebrating this 100-year success story with an optimistic look at the future: the objective is to further consolidate the global network with new partner workshops, and more closely coordinated customers and service stations on the basis of digital solutions and smart use of data.

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TROUBLESHOOTER

What a drain Scantec Automotive’s Ross Kemp explains how his team came to uncover the culprit of parasitic battery drain on a Mercedes C220 CDi Sport.

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e were recently asked to investigate an intermittent parasitic battery drain on a Mercedes C220 CDi Sport. The customer reported that the vehicle could often go for days without issue, whereas on other occasions the battery would drain in a matter of hours. It was also stated that the battery had been replaced three times by other workshops.

own supply voltage, but also relating to missing messages from those modules that have since given up trying to function.

Having a quick scan over the stored faults didn’t shed much light on the issue, and as suspected, most of the faults stored were related to either battery voltage and/or missing CAN network messages. However, one fault stored in the ZGW (central gateway) did spark a little interest – ‘U116000 BUS keep awake unit was detected’.

Finding the fault codes Ross Kemp

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Initial basic testing showed a good healthy battery and charging system, and an initial global scan of the vehicle revealed 31 control modules all responding correctly, with a total of 42 fault codes stored.

The number of fault codes wasn’t a surprise here. When the vehicle voltage drops to a critical level (normally about 9V) and depending on whether the vehicle is awake or dormant at the time, differing control modules will shut down or cease to function, and will therefore drop off the network.

Subsequently, this can cause those other modules that are still holding on for dear life to post fault codes not only relating to their

Checking the network Now, in most battery drain cases, the first questions I want answered are: Is the drain present relevant to the vehicle’s network status or not (namely, is the drain due to the vehicle being awake when it shouldn’t be)? Or, is the drain irrelevant to the network status?

Initial checks showed that the vehicle was correctly shutting down in the expected timeframe and maintained an average drain of approx. 25mA. Therefore, we knew the vehicle could and would shut down correctly if all the conditions were correct for it to do so. We left the vehicle over several hours

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��� whilst monitoring minimum and maximum drain and on rechecking, still with approx.

25mA showing, we noticed that at some point the drain had risen to over 6A, confirming the customer’s reported symptoms.

So, as mentioned above, was this issue relevant to the network?

A check against the manufacturer wiring diagrams confirmed that this vehicle utilises six different networks (PT CAN, Telematics, 2 x Interior, Chassis and dynamics CAN). Now, we don’t normally like to use current clamps for battery drain monitoring (due to accuracy and drift issues), however, at 6A we were not overly worried about accuracy at this stage.

We connected up one of our scopes to a current clamp on the main battery negative lead and a further three channels to monitor the PT CAN and the two Interior CAN networks.

We locked up the vehicle and noted initially that the vehicle assumed sleep mode correctly with a more than acceptable drain level.

However, after reviewing several hours of data, we could see that sporadically the drain would rise all of a sudden up to approximately 2.8A, four seconds later the two interior CAN networks would then wake up, one second later the current would rise steeply to over 10A, settle back down to 6A, and then within roughly five seconds, the drain and network activity would drop off and resume back to our 25mA or so (Fig 1).

This event was seen several times, always with the same order of events and would last anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds. This made sense with the customer’s original comment (that sometimes they could go days without issue and other times the battery could flatten in a matter of only a few hours) as 6A won’t take long!

Now, looking at the current waveform and seeing the large initial in-rush of current of over 10A, and then dropping to a steady 6A (with what looked like a rotational current signal), we were convinced that this was a motor powering up. The only motor relevant to the interior CAN that we could think of was the heater blower motor.

Identifying the culprit A quick check of the wiring diagrams suggested that this could only be caused by the air conditioning (A/C) control module; although the heater blower motor module

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ultimately runs the fan motor assembly (which could have been malfunctioning and causing the motor to run), the fan motor module is a LIN slave and therefore is incapable of waking the interior CAN. However, the A/C control module can wake the interior CAN and does command the fan module as it’s the LIN master.

Wiring diagrams showed only one terminal 30 (battery) fuse for the A/C module in the front SAM fuse box, so we removed the fuse, locked the vehicle back up, and started our recordings again.

We were somewhat surprised to find the exact same symptoms occurring! We decided to take it one step further and this time, as well as monitoring overall battery drain current and interior CAN, we also monitored the current through the heater blower motor and the LIN network at the heater blower module.

When the problem reoccurred, we noted (as expected) that the main current draw seen initially mimicked exactly that of the heater blower motor and that the LIN network became active (Fig 2). This confirmed to us that clearly the A/C module was responsible for this unwanted activity.

However, what was really strange was that we had removed the fuse!

With belt and braces called for, we removed the A/C control module completely from the vehicle and retested the system. This time round, there were no unwanted battery drains and/or no network wakeup events occurred.

With a new A/C control module fitted and programmed to the vehicle with all faults reset and the vehicle left several days, we confirmed there was no further parasitic battery drain present.

But had we missed something? Well, kind of. What we didn’t realise was that there was one wire running between the A/C control module and the front SAM that had absolutely no designation or terminal markings. It was in fact supplying power to the A/C module – unusual for Mercedes to have a power supply not marked as such, but that is why we enjoy what we do. Every day is interesting and presents a multitude of challenges.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SCANTEC AUTOMOTIVE, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ001

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CLUTCH CLINIC

HOW TO Replace a clutch and flywheel on a Vauxhall Mokka In this month’s Clutch Clinic, Schaeffler REPXPERT Bob Carter is replacing a clutch and dual mass flywheel (DMF) in a 2013 Vauxhall Mokka fitted with a 1.7 CDTI engine.

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hen it entered the workshop, the Vauxhall Mokka in question had covered more than 102,000 miles and the driver reported that the clutch was ‘slipping’. A short road test confirmed the problem, and a clutch replacement and DMF test was advised.

The scheduled time for this repair is 6.5 hours and the equipment required is listed below: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Vehicle lift (two post is preferred) Engine support Transmission jack Oil drainer Gearbox oil dispenser SAC Tool kit DMF Testing tool Clutch vacuum bleed tool

Step-by-step replacement guide With the vehicle positioned on the ramp and the front wheels removed, remove the steering column to the steering rack pinch bolt located in the driver’s foot well, and disconnect the steering column from the rack. Open the bonnet, disconnect the battery terminals and remove the battery, as well as the ECU clipped to the side of the battery carrier, then unclip the wiring loom from the battery carrier, which should give good access to the top of the gearbox. Clamp the flexible part of the hydraulic clutch pipe and disconnect the pipe from the concentric slave cylinder (CSC) by releasing the clip, then remove the gear cables from the linkage by levering them off, and stow them in the bulkhead area.

Install an engine bridge to support the weight of the engine and then hold the coolant

10 APRIL 2021 PMM

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radiator in position by attaching two cable ties through the radiator and fixing them to the engine bridge, thereby preventing the radiator from moving when the front subframe is lowered. There is also an ABS wiring loom attached to the ABS unit that needs to be unclipped to allow some additional free play on the loom when the subframe is lowered.

Remove the retaining nuts that hold the engine wiring loom bracket to the top of the bell housing, detach the small bracket by the CSC and then take out the top bell housing bolts. Remove the front bumper cover to gain access the front subframe bolts, but take care when disconnecting the wheel arch trim clips as these can easily be broken, then remove the wheel arch liners and underbody tray.

Disconnect the exhaust rubber from the subframe and the exhaust at the downpipe flange, then unbolt the steering rack and anti-roll bar from the subframe. Remove the cross-support bar from the subframe and the gearbox side subframe bolts and loosen the opposite side, which will allow the gearbox side of the subframe to drop low enough to clear the gearbox.

Drain the gearbox oil. Disconnect the bottom ball joint and pull out the drive shaft from the gearbox; stow with cable ties out of

the way. With the engine supported, remove the rear gearbox mounting and the bolts for the front mounting, which stays attached to the subframe. Refit and torque in the oil drain plug. Remove the top gearbox mounting and lower the engine and gearbox slightly to allow the gearbox to clear the body and subframe (Fig 1).

Support the gearbox using a transmission jack and remove the final bell housing bolts, noting their designation, and ease the gearbox away from the engine. Once clear, with the help of a second person to lift the gearbox over the side of the lowered subframe, the gearbox can be removed and placed away from the vehicle.

At this point, it was evident that the clutch had reached the end of its service life as the three small yellow springs on the selfadjusting clutch mechanism had extended, indicating it was near the end of its adjustment.

Remove the clutch assembly from the flywheel by removing the six bolts and ease the clutch assembly off the DMF. Whenever undertaking clutch replacement, it is best practice to establish the extent of the wear to the DMF by measuring it against its specification. In addition to excessive wear, any scoring, heat damage or excessive grease loss would also require DMF replacement. In this case, although the customer had requested that the DMF was changed, when the clutch was replaced, comparison with the specification provided the reassurance that the flywheel did indeed need changing (Fig 2).

Remove the six flywheel bolts and then the DMF, which provides the opportunity to check for any leaks from the engine (oil or coolant) that could contaminate the new flywheel and clutch assembly, and to rectify

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them if required.

Remove any clutch dust from the engine using brake and clutch dust cleaner before mounting the new flywheel, as this could contaminate the new components, and check the new flywheel is correct by comparing its dimensions and the ring gear teeth. Mount the new DMF ensuring any alignment dowels are correctly positioned and secure it into place using new flywheel bolts, which must be tightened in an even and sequential process and torqued to the manufacturer’s specification.

Now, remove the CSC from the bell housing on the gearbox, but first remove the black plastic three-way adaptor from the gearbox by releasing the small spring retaining clip, and then ease it away from the gearbox (Fig 3 & 4).

Next, look for a black rubber seal that should stay with the pipe (Fig 5). If it is not there, look for it within the three-way adaptor, because if it is not removed it will act like a one-way valve and is likely to cause the new CSC to burst on bleeding the clutch!

Remove the black plastic bush that positions the CSC pipe as it passes through the bell housing, as well as the three retaining bolts from the CSC, and remove it from the input shaft and gearbox. Check there are no oil leaks from the input shaft oil seal, rectifying if necessary, and clean the bell housing using brake and clutch dust cleaner.

Then, ensuring it is mounted squarely, fit the new CSC and tighten the bolts correctly, without the use of power tools. Bolt down progressively and torque down carefully because if the mounting is misaligned, the back plate will not be secure and will leak.

Refit the black plastic location bush onto the pipe and position correctly in the bell housing. Apply a light smear of brake fluid on the new seal, and ease the connector into position until the spring clip locates correctly.

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��� Lightly smear some high melting point grease on the gearbox input shaft, then locate the new clutch plate onto the input shaft, moving it back and forth a couple of times, which will both evenly distribute the grease on the input shaft and ensure the clutch plate splines are of the correct fitment. Remove the clutch plate and wipe off any excess grease.

Now, fit the new clutch to the DMF, but first ensure the clutch plate is fitted the correct way with ‘Gearbox Side’ or ‘Getriebe Seite’ stamped on the centre of the clutch plate facing the gearbox.

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Use the Special Tool (SAC tool) to install the clutch (Fig 6), as this does three things: gives perfect alignment, prevents the risk of de-adjustment and operates the clutch before the gearbox is reinstalled. This avoids the risk of a rejected warranty claim and the need to do the job again.

One final process before installing the gearbox is to flush out the old clutch fluid from the system by draining it into a waste container and replenishing it with new clean clutch fluid via the reservoir. When the new fluid is flowing through the system, clamp the hose, and the gearbox is now ready for installation. Finally, check that the gearbox alignment dowels are installed correctly in the engine block and that the spacer plate is aligned correctly.

Lift the gearbox into position over the subframe, support the gearbox with the transmission jack, but ensure the gearbox is positioned correctly on the jack so it will align correctly with the engine as it is eased into position. When in position, secure it using an accessible bell housing bolt.

Re-assembly is in reverse order of removal, but remember to refill the gearbox with the correct quantity and specification of oil and torque all bolts to the manufacturer’s specification. Bleeding the clutch is best done using a vacuum bleeding tool (Fig 7). This is recommended by vehicle manufacturers as it eliminates the risk of over pressurisation and makes it a straightforward one-man operation.

When the assembly is complete, as the battery has been disconnected, reset all electrical devices and carry out a full road test to ensure a complete and successful repair.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SCHAEFFLER PRODUCTS, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ002

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BELT FOCUS

Mitsubishi maintenance The technical team at Gates explains why technicians should be vigilant when approaching maintenance on Mitsubishi 4D56 diesel engines.

Vehicle information Engine: Mitsubishi 4D56

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he Mitsubishi 4D56 diesel engine has earned a reputation as a reliable workhorse, largely fitted to Mitsubishi L200 2.5L pickups. Unfortunately, many owners have discovered that failure to stick to the maintenance schedules on these engines, especially in relation to the belt drive systems, can be an expensive mistake. The combination of a synchronous drive on the balancer shafts, as well as the hydraulic tension system on the camshaft drive belt, means the maintenance of Mitsubishi 4D56 diesel engines can be a little tricky.

Balancer shaft drive belt Gates recommends technicians replace the drive belt on the balancer shafts each time the camshaft drive belt is changed.

Should the drive belt on the balancer shafts fail, it is highly likely that debris from the belt will fall down into the camshaft drive. If the camshaft drive belt system is contaminated by this belt debris, premature drive belt failure is likely, which could mean disastrous consequences for the engine.

KEY 4D56 MAINTENANCE TIPS

Model:

Mitsubishi L200 2.5L

Camshaft drive belt In an effort to save money, some car owners will decline the option to replace the hydraulic belt tensioner at a scheduled drive belt replacement. Gates recommends technicians advise their customer that this component should always be replaced with the belt because there is no guarantee that the hydraulic belt tensioner will have a longer life expectancy than the belt.

When installing the tensioner, make sure to remove the locking pin after the pulleys and belt have been installed and note that once removed, a specific procedure must be followed. After removal, manually rotate the crankshaft two turns and make sure that the protrusion of the hydraulic tensioner rod over the housing is within the 2.3 to 7.6mm range.

■ Replace the drive belt on the

■ ■ ■ ■

■

balancer shafts when the cam belt is changed Overhaul the timing belt drive with a belt kit Remove the locking pin after the pulleys and belt have been installed Tension roller lever pivot bolt torque must be within tolerance levels Premature failure of timing belt drive systems can cause catastrophic engine damage Digital installation instructions supplied with Gates Power Grip Kits are engine specific, as are the route diagrams, and accessible via mobile phone, tablet, laptop or PC

Time to torque The tightening torque of the tension roller lever pivot bolt must be within the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended tolerances.

These are identified as between 42 to 56Nm. Insufficient tightening torque will create insufficient clamping force that can cause bending loads on the bolt shaft. This in turn, can lead to fatigue and subsequent fractures of the component. Remember that there’s a washer (see Fig 1) between the pivoting part of the bolt and the engine block; if the bolt is over-tightened, the washer could be deformed.

If the washer is deformed, it will come into contact with the end plane of the hole in the pivoting arm of the tensioner lever. This is bad news as it will block rotation. As a

Washer

consequence, the tensioner will not be able to provide the level of tension that it was designed to produce. As a result, the belt will experience a rapid acceleration of wear. A level typically expected after around 50,000 miles, will be exceeded very much earlier.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE GATES RANGE OF BELT KITS, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ003

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TECH TIPS

CASE STUDY Timing chain rattle: Mazda 6 The IVS 360 diagnostic team presents a case when a customer needed support with a 2007 Mazda 6 that was exhibiting timing chain rattle on start-up.

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he IVS 360 ™ team recently supported a customer with a 2007 Mazda 6, which was making a rattle noise on start-up. Here is the essential cause and repair guidance that was provided to the customer to get the vehicle back on the road fast:

Cause and repair guidance The following vehicles are affected by this fault: ■ Mazda 6 (2007-12), 2.2D ■ CX7 (2006-12), 2.2D ■ Mazda 3 (2008-13), 2.2D Fault: DPF light flashing on the instrument panel cluster.

IVS 360 DIAGNOSTIC SUPPORT All Opus IVS mechanical repair solutions come with live repair guidance from IVS 360 OE-brandspecific master technicians.

Customers can quickly and easily request support from the team directly through their DrivePro device. Using the diagnostic software and extensive product knowledge, the IVS 360 team can then identify the cause and steps needed to fix vehicle faults. Opus IVS’ experts dial in directly and in real time to vehicle communication systems to diagnose, program and calibrate vehicles, eliminating customer uncertainty.

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Fault code: P1336 – Camshaft crankshaft sensor range performance PCM – Engine Control Module Symptoms: Timing chain rattle on vehicle start-up.

Possible causes: Timing chain could be stretched or may have loosened.

Repair steps:

“All Opus IVS mechanical repair solutions come with live repair guidance from IVS 360 OE-brand-specific master technicians.”

■ Now, check the tension on the timing

chain. Check the timing chain for any slack by pushing on the chain on the tension side. You should not be able to feel any slack.

■ Connect the DrivePro device and then

read out the DTC for the engine. If the code P1336 is set and the DPF light is flashing while the engine is running, you should check timing chain as described below.

■ Next, remove the valve cover. Once this

has been removed, the timing chain, camshaft gears and valve train will be exposed.

■ If any slack is felt then the timing chain

kit will need to be replaced. It is also advisable to replace the oil pump chain at the same time.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OPUS IVS DIAGNOSTIC SOLUTIONS, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ004

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TECH TIPS

BEST PRACTICE Getting on with gasketing Henkel, the engineering adhesives manufacturer, presents its top tips to help improve your gasketing skills.

G

Assembly

askets are used to prevent leakage of fluids or gases by forming impervious barriers and nowhere more so than in the automotive industry. For successful gasketing, it is necessary for the seal to remain intact and leak-free over a long period of time. The gasket must be resistant to fluids and/or gases and withstand the operating temperatures and pressure to which it is subjected.

There are two different gasketing techniques: ■ Compression gasketing ■ Liquid gasketing Gaskets can fail for any of the following reasons as they are subject to environmental factors such as temperature, different pressures, relative movements, etc: ■ Gasket displacement ■ Relaxation and creep ■ Surface irregularities ■ Flange bowing ■ Flange deformation

■ Assemble flanges and tighten bolts as

soon as possible If the rate of cure is too slow due to passive metals or low temperature (below 5˚C), apply a LOCTITE activator to the flange surface before the gasketing adhesive.

How a LOCTITE anaerobic gasket cures

��� ■ Apply the relevant LOCTITE gasketing

adhesive as a continuous bead onto one flange surface. Place the bead close to the inner rim of the flange and encircle all holes (Fig 2)

■ LOCTITE anaerobic flange sealants

remain liquid as long as they are in contact with oxygen ■ They cure to a solid thermoset plastic in the absence of air whilst in contact with a metal surface Disassembly ■ Remove bolts with standard hand tools ■ Use jacking-screws or cast-integral bosses

and recesses to prise flanges apart (Fig 3)

RIGID FLANGES – anaerobic flange sealant Rigid flange sealing typically relates to metal-to-metal assemblies where the sealing gap is zero or small (up to 0.25mm) and the product is often not visible. The LOCTITE® anaerobic flange sealants are suitable for this type of gasketing. They provide self-forming seals that fill all voids – surface roughness and imperfections; provide total contact; cure to a durable seal with adhesion to both flange surfaces; eliminate flange face corrosion and of course, offer an instant seal.

��� ■ Adhesives can also be applied by roller

onto large flanges Available formulas ■ LOCTITE 510 – high temperature and

chemical resistance ■ LOCTITE 518 – excellent oil resistance,ideal

for use on iron, steel and aluminium flanges Application Firstly, remove old gasketing adhesive and ensure components are clean and free from contaminants such as grease and oil (Fig 1).

16 APRIL 2021 PMM

■ LOCTITE 5800 – excellent chemical and

temperature resistance of cured products and superior oil and water/glycol resistance; hazard label free

��� FLEXIBLE FLANGES – silicone flange sealant Flexible flanges are suited for large gap applications and assemblies (over 0.25mm), where movement can occur. Flanges can be made from different materials and the sealant product is usually visible once the seal has been formed. Finally, this type of flange can be used at T-joints where three different parts are joined at one point, for example timing cover to cylinder head and cam cover.

016_PMM_APR21_Layout 1 01/03/2021 11:52 Page 17

The LOCTITE silicone flange sealants are suitable for this type of gasketing. They are single-component products that fill voids – eliminating the need for a fine surface finish. No shimming is required so there’s no need for re-torquing; they provide an excellent seal and permit disassembly if required.

Application Firstly, remove old gasketing adhesive and ensure components are clean and free from contaminants such as grease and oil. Next, apply as a continuous closed bead onto the chamfered flange surface around dowel and bolt holes (Fig 4)

���

Available formulas ■ LOCTITE SI 5990 – high temperature resistance and hazard label free; typically used where operating temperatures are up to 350˚C and for electrical insulating applications ■ LOCTITE SI 5660 – excellent resistance to water/glycol and hazard label free; ideal for applications involving large gaps; typical applications include transmissions and cast metal housings ■ LOCTITE SI 5980 – excellent resistance to oil and hazard label free; ideal for applications involving large gaps; typical applications include timing gear covers and oil sumps where good oil resistance and the ability to withstand high joint movement are essential Assembly ■ Assemble and tighten flange assembly before silicone skins over

How a LOCTITE Silicone Gasket cures LOCTITE silicones cure with atmospheric moisture releasing byproducts while forming a flexible elastomer (Fig 5) H2O released by-products

���

Silicone cures from the outside inward

Disassembly ■ Remove bolts with standard hand tools ■ Use standard tools to cut the bead or jacking-screws to lift flanges apart FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ005

018_PMM_APR21_Layout 1 26/02/2021 15:34 Page 18

TECH TIPS

Replenish and refresh With the help of the MEYLE TV professionals, changing the oil for a DCT 450 automatic transmission is no problem at all.

T

ransmission oil undergoes a natural ageing process as the oil wears out and the additives diminish over time. Naturally, this means that there is a need for oil changes for both manual and automatic transmissions in order to prevent damage to the transmission and maintain transmission function and driving comfort.

MEYLE acknowledged the fact that changing oil can be tricky and therefore offers easy oil change solutions.

Consequently, the spare parts manufacturer has produced over 60 oil change kits, which include the components required for an oil change: filters, seals, screws, drain/intake plugs, magnets and the amount of transmission oil the application calls for.

MEYLE even demonstrates how easy it is,

performing the oil change for DCT 450. Please note that this information is intended for use by trained professionals. It offers a simplified overview and does not describe the full process. The vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines and instructions should be read and followed carefully, and they always take precedence over the general process shown here.

Step-by-step guidance

Undo the drain plugs and let the gearbox oil drain out. Attention: Depending on the model year, two or three drain plugs can be installed.

■ Switch through all the gears and hold

each gear selection for at least 20 seconds. Read out the fault memory and store the data. This might help at a later stage to check if a fault was already present before the oil change.

���

18 APRIL 2021 PMM

■ Jack up the car and remove the undertray.

■ Check the drain plugs for damage and

replace if necessary. Tighten them to 43Nm. ■ Now, undo the filter housing carefully and

take it off.

���

018_PMM_APR21_Layout 1 26/02/2021 15:32 Page 19

■ The new filter housing needs to be filled

with gearbox oil prior to installation. Place the new filter in the new filter housing, then fill the housing with supplied gearbox oil. Lightly oil the new O-ring with the supplied gearbox oil prior to installation.

■ Screw the new filter housing with the new

filter onto the filter console by hand until resistance is felt (Fig 1). In order to gain better access, the front-left wheel housing might need to be removed.

■ Tighten the oil filter housing with 15Nm.

Do not exceed this torque value.

Attention: Overtightening the filter housing may cause cracks in the oil filter console and often causes oil leaks.

■ Take out the oil level control plug. The

“It’s important to note that due to the twochamber layout inside the gearbox, only pour the gearbox oil through the top filling opening.” oil filling plug. It’s important to note that due to the two-chamber layout inside the gearbox, only pour the gearbox oil through the top filling opening. Filling oil through the control plug may cause severe oil starvation and could even lead to substantial gearbox damage!

a diagnostic tool. Then, start the engine.

■ Switch through all the gears and hold each

gear selection for approximately 20 seconds. Read out the gearbox oil temperature. The temperature should reach a value between 35 and 45°C. ■ Switch off the engine and recheck the oil

level (refer to point 8 and 9). Top up the gearbox oil if necessary.

■ The oil change is complete. Reinstall the

parts in reverse order and carry out a test drive. Read out the fault memory and erase if necessary.

■ Fill using the supplied gearbox oil until

the oil exits the oil level control screw opening (Fig 2).

plug is located next to the drive shaft.

■ Tighten the oil filling plug and the oil ■ Remove air filter housing and take out the

■ Reinstall the air filter housing and connect

level control plug to 43Nm.

TO WATCH THE COMPLETE VIDEO TUTORIAL ON MEYLE’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ006

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND THE 12V BATTERY Did you know nearly all electric vehicles (EVs) still have a 12V lead acid battery, as well as their lithium-ion battery?

Acting as a secondary power source to ensure the uninterrupted function of safety critical systems or in case of a traction battery failure, but also to power features when the vehicle is off, like the central locking systems, VARTA AGM or EFB batteries provide the perfect 12V solution. With the increase of many electrical comfort and efficiency systems on board, a reliable power source is vital.

12 VOLT BATTERY IN ELECTRIC CARS In electric vehicles all these consumers are supplied by a lead-acid battery

Visit VARTA Battery World for more details

Lithium-ion batteries are considered the successor of lead-acid technology when it comes to the drivetrain of hybrids and EVs. However, they are not as inherently robust as other rechargeable technologies and require continuous monitoring.

Lithium-ion cells need protection from being overcharged and deep discharge.

This is where already proven solutions like AGM and EFB play to their strengths. They step in when the high voltage battery fails or switches off, serving as an additional power supply to buffer the electrical system. They ensure that important safety functions, such as ABS and ESP, are working at all times. AGM and EFB batteries are far from being obsolete. Their construction and behaviour, as well as their lack of electronics, makes them a reliable and robust power source today and in the future.

VARTA BATTERIES POWERING YOU TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE

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BUSINESS

& TRAINING

Time for a spring clean

I

t is very easy to let the cleanliness standard of the workshop slip when it’s in use almost every day. Arguably, workshop cleanliness is increasingly important as the pandemic rolls on, not just due to the need to keep the virus at bay, but also to promote a business online. Customers are reliant on online reviews and information to make the decision on where to take their vehicles, so you need to be able to present an organised and efficient business.

A weekly cleaning routine is recommended, and floors in particular should be well-maintained to prevent accidents and protect the health of the workforce.

Machine technology is essential Scrubber dryers are recommended as they are cost-effective and efficient. Don’t be put off by the assumption that your garage space is too small to accommodate this cleaning method. There are plenty of compact or ‘push’ scrubber dryers available. The Kärcher BR 40/10C, for example, has a working width of 400mm and a tank capacity of 10L, with no compromise on cleaning capability.

Cleaning agent is added to the fresh-water tank and fed ready-mixed to the scrubber head, where the brush system channels it towards the floor. The brushes then scrub the floor to remove the dirt. The squeegees behind the brushes recover the dirty water, collecting it in the dirty water tank. As well as being significantly more efficient than

Daniel Hennessey, Key Account Manager for Automotive at Kärcher UK, discusses the best products and processes for keeping garages spick and span as we transition from winter to spring. manual cleaning, a scrubber dryer leaves the floor dry, so it can be walked on immediately.

Depending on the flooring, the scrubber dryer should be fitted with a disc or a roller scrubbing head. Generally, roller systems suit structured floors commonly found in workshops. Roller brushes penetrate the surface of the floor more effectively, with higher contact pressure (seven times greater) and a higher rotational speed that thoroughly removes stubborn stains. The high rotational speed also means the brushes clean themselves by propelling dirt away. The hardness of the brush material will depend on the amount and type of dirt and the hardness of the floor surface.

Maintenance vs. deep cleaning To tackle a heavily soiled floor that requires deep cleaning you should employ the twostep method. As a first step, the user applies a cleaning solution with a higher concentration (5-20%) to the flooring. While the solution is reacting with the dirt, the surface is scrubbed several times. In a second step, the loosened dirt is collected by the machine's squeegee.

For light soiling, maintenance cleaning using the one-step method should be sufficient –

the cleaning solution (0.5-3%) is applied to the floor, after which the surface is scrubbed and the loosened dirt is vacuumed as part of the same process.

Alternative cleaning methods High-pressure cleaners can also be used to clean workshop floors and are often already present on-site. A surface cleaner is an essential accessory to contain the water and prevent fixtures and equipment from being covered in moisture. A nozzle bar with angled self-propelling power nozzles rotates in the round casing (which serves as a splash guard) dislodging the dirt from the ground.

This can be instantly diverted into the existing drain system or vacuumed using a wet/dry vacuum cleaner. High-pressure cleaners can also be used for cleaning parts, containers and facades, as well as being the quickest and easiest way to clean sanitary facilities.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE KÄRCHER BR 40/10C MENTIONED ABOVE, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ007

PMM APRIL 2021 21

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BUSINESS

& TRAINING

The deal is done…

Neil Pattemore weighs in with his analysis on the Brexit deal and how he sees it affecting the aftermarket.

A

lthough Brexit was a bit like an elephant giving birth – it took a long time after conception, made a lot of noise as it happened, and created an ‘elephant in the room’ during its development – Brexit has finally been achieved!

There have already been many discussions and articles about what Brexit may eventually lead to, but for the UK aftermarket it could have been much worse than it has turned out to be. However, as is often the case, the devil is in the detail and there are implications that may impact our sector that do not specifically relate to the automotive industry, but if they do, could prove more problematic for parts importers than workshops.

The snazzily entitled agreement document, ‘Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the One Part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the Other Part’ was published on Christmas Eve, and is 1,246 pages long within which contains the various details of the wideranging conditions – although the details of how some of these will be implemented remains a work in progress. Thankfully, this document is colloquially being called the ‘Trade and Cooperation Agreement’ (TCA).

This has passed into UK law as the European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020 (EURA), which became law in the first hour of 31st December 2020 after a oneday passage through the Westminster Parliament. So, how does all this legislation impact the UK independent workshop?

There are several key areas to consider:

Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is helping businesses understand where a product was manufactured and how to determine the ‘economic nationality’ of a good for international trade. Businesses need to know about them because the TCA means they can trade with the EU without paying tariffs – but only if their product meets the relevant Rules of Origin. This is already creating some problems for parts manufacturers and importers, so may cause delivery delays and an increase in the price of replacement parts created by the costs of the declarations and compliance.

Data Data is potentially more problematic.

Essentially, it falls into two categories – technical data and personal data. The use of technical data in the workshop is continuing to increase and now intrinsically forms the basis of the diagnosis and repair of a vehicle. The TCA contains explicit reference to technical data, so this is unlikely to be a problem:

Technical Data – NOTING the importance of facilitating new opportunities for businesses and consumers through digital trade, and addressing unjustified barriers to data flows and trade enabled by electronic means, whilst respecting the Parties' personal data protection rules.

Title III, Chapter 2 (of the TCA) ensures that technical (as well as personal) data can be exchanged between the UK and EU member states, as long as the necessary security and authentication requirements are met.

However, personal data was never a TCA topic. This was a unilateral gift of the EU, but this is time-limited: four months, extendable to six months from January 2021. This is designed to provide the EU with more time to conclude its formal decision concerning the UK’s ‘adequacy’ for personal data protection (although the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are already approved by the EU). Under this interim solution, transfers to the UK are to be considered as if they were still transferring

Generally speaking, this is good news. Trade in goods will be tariff and quota free, although the TCA does set out the ‘Rules of Origin’ which will determine whether specific goods qualify for this tariff- and quota-free treatment.

UK Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has issued a statement on how the Department for Business Energy and

22 APRIL 2021 PMM

©Martin Lee/AdobeStock

Replacement parts

©Lightboxx/AdobeStock

022_PMM_APR21_Layout 1 26/02/2021 15:44 Page 23

within the EU – so no other transfer mechanisms, such as standard contractual clauses (or supplementary measures), are required for those transfers for the moment.

For the workshop, this may not become a problem, but this may also depend on where their customers’ personal data is being held.

Employing foreign nationals Until the end of June 2021, the existing rights of EU, EEA or Swiss citizens remain, but the UK Government has also already introduced a UK points-based immigration system from 1st January 2021. EU citizens moving to the UK to work need to get a visa in advance. EU citizens applying for a skilled worker visa need to show they have a job offer from an approved employer sponsor to be able to apply – what has been dubbed the ‘Australian rules’ system.

UK vehicle type approval, and repair and maintenance information (RMI)

©Martin Lee/AdobeStock

The TCA limits some technical barriers to trade by allowing businesses selling certain low-risk products to self-certify that their goods meet the relevant UK or EU standards.

However, the UK and the EU have agreed specific facilitations on some key industry sectors, including motor vehicles, to streamline conformity assessment in these sectors.

The agreement puts a number of measures in place to minimise technical regulatory divergence and encourage the use of international standards. Where possible, this aims to avoid businesses trading in the UK and the EU having to comply with two different sets of rules and regulations.

However, the agreement makes no provision for phasing in, so customs formalities will apply to GB goods moving into the EU and Northern Ireland from 1st January 2021. The UK had already announced it would phase in these processes for EU goods over a six-month period. This is more a problem for UK exporters, than for UK companies importing from the EU. For the UK aftermarket, some compliance and cost issues remain for parts manufacturers and importers, but over time, these are likely to be minimised as the details of the processes and agreements are ironed out. At the workshop level, Brexit should not create specific issues and what potential problems currently exist should be resolved in the coming months.

However, the next ‘elephant in the room’ is now the TCA’s ‘Annex TBT-1: Motor Vehicles and Equipment and Parts Thereof’ and how the independent aftermarket will continue to be able to access RMI. This annex directly references the UNECE Working Party (WP) 29 which creates the

regulation for the worldwide vehicle type approval requirements. However, this UNECE vehicle type approval regulation is a significant threat to the independent aftermarket, as it does not include the rights of access to RMI for the aftermarket.

Although the UK currently uses EU vehicle type approval legislation as the basis for access to RMI and to support competition in the aftermarket, this could be circumvented by the requirements of the UNECE Regulations. How the UNECE Regulations and RMI requirements will be resolved in UK legislation is yet to be clarified.

In the longer term, how the UK and its legislation evolves – with its objective of more freedom to choose how we trade – may have alleviated one ‘elephant in the room’, but this may be replaced by another coming over the hill!

TO FIND OUT HOW THE DEAL MIGHT AFFECT YOU, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ008

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BUSINESS

& TRAINING

Support when it’s needed most If you were to glean one positive that has come out of the events of the past year, what would it be? It’s a tough question, but one that Dave Massey, a founding member of the Automotive Support Group (ASG), has spent time considering. PMM sits down with Dave to discuss how the Facebook group he helped create fits into his answer.

PMM: Thanks for agreeing to take time out of your day for this.

Perhaps, the best place to start is how the Automotive Support Group first came about?

Dave Massey (DM): No problem at all.

The group was born as a direct result of the pandemic. When the first lockdown was announced last year, everyone was worried. I certainly panicked; in fact, we all did.

So, six of us – Steve Scott, Tom Denton, Andy Savva, James Dillon, Andy Crook and myself – rang each other and decided that we needed to do something about it. We kicked it all off on one Zoom meeting. It was all quite instinctive, really. It was an instinctive reaction to try to help other technicians like us weather the storm.

And, if I’m being completely honest with you, setting up the Automotive Support Group also came as a welcome distraction. It kept all of us so busy that we didn’t spend too much time worrying about our own

24 APRIL 2021 PMM

situations. Everything was so up in the air at that point that we found safety in creating this online community.

PMM: When the six of you started the group, what was the intention?

Did you have a goal?

DM: For us, the two key areas we wanted to focus on were firstly, mental health, and secondly, financial advice. At the time, the government had been setting up all these funding schemes to protect small businesses and it was a little daunting, so we wanted to make sure everyone knew what was available to them. We also saw that mental health was going to be (and still is) a huge concern within our industry, so we wanted to provide a safe haven for technicians as best we could.

Another thing we had to consider was advertising, and this is something I really would like to stress: it has always been our intention for the group to be entirely noncommercial. This was crucial to the founding

Dave Massey

“I would love to think that the legacy of the group will be for its members to get out there, learn, and work hard.” members’ vision for what we wanted to accomplish. It would be a completely independent, profit-free, support group, without commercial bias or influence.

As I say, we wanted the group to act as a safe haven and source of support. Which also means we don’t tolerate any form of bullying or rude behaviour. It’s nipped in the bud straight away. That’s not to say that the member would get booted off immediately.

Instead, we would try to educate them and change their approach to the group.

024_PMM_APR21_Layout 1 26/02/2021 14:56 Page 25

With this ethos in place, we try to let the group police itself as much as possible. The quality of the group should really be accredited to its members.

PMM: Do you think there has always been a need for the ASG? DM: In my opinion, I believe this group has galvanised the entire industry. I really do. The good nature and charity has always been there, but because of the difficulties as a result of lockdown, it’s brought everyone a lot closer together.

Our industry has a history of working in tough conditions and has always been quite susceptible to suffering. It’s not easy working in a garage environment. So, I think the need was there, it’s just never been as focussed as it has been during the pandemic.

I would also say that the size of the group speaks for how much it was needed. When

we first launched it, the group grew quicker than we ever thought possible. We hit 3,000 members within two weeks, which is exceptional growth and far more than we had anticipated. Today, we are around 6,400, which is a huge number of people looking for support.

PMM: So, what would you say is the next step? What does the future hold for the group?

DM: Well, many of the founding members are automotive trainers of some description, and we felt that we could provide valuable insight to others. We have created a pool of resources that they can dip into when they have the time. Our hope is that this will help guide those that need it.

More broadly, it was always the intention to disband the group once its purpose had been served. At one point, the admin team discussed shutting down the group after Christmas. But,

thankfully, we realised that the need for the group may be even greater as the talk of second waves and variants started to circulate.

Now, we have decided to be as flexible as possible with this. We are letting the group members lead our decision. If the members need us, then we will be there to support them.

PMM: Finally, what would you like the group’s legacy to be?

DM: I would love to think that the legacy of the group will be for its members to get out there, learn, and work hard. What we really want is to set them up for success by instilling a healthy attitude towards progressing their business, career, and life in general.

TO VISIT THE AUTOMOTIVE SUPPORT GROUP ON FACEBOOK, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ009

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SPECIAL REPORT

Manufacture, motorsport, and a

momentous milestone PMM talks to lubricants manufacturer, Witham Group, as the company gears up for a year of centenary celebrations.

W

hat Nigel Bottom, Managing Director of the Witham Group, doesn’t know about lubricants probably isn’t worth knowing, despite modestly proclaiming: “I’m not a technical person”. It’s a passion and knowledge for oil that’s seasoned and ingrained over a lifetime. You see, Nigel is the third Nigel Bottom, Managing Director of the Witham Group

generation of Lincolnshire-based Witham Oil & Paint Ltd and Witham Motorsport, part of the Witham Group of companies that he has taken over running since 2004.

Nigel grew up with the family business.

When asked to sum up what sets Witham’s lubricants and paints apart, he explained, “We’re linked to the quality end of the market and have been recognised for many years for doing the right thing, using the right materials that are of the highest quality specification for OEM approval.”

Turning 100 This year, Witham celebrates its 100th anniversary, and the company shows no signs of resting on its laurels. As well as manufacturing its own range of lubricants called Qualube, the business is developing more environmental ranges such as Prolan, a workshop range made from sheep’s lanolin as opposed to fossil fuels.

The company is also working on new technologies, such as BlendTek. BlendTek uses ultrasound and solar energy to blend

lubricants faster, reducing energy consumption and creating a carbon-neutral blending process. Witham is also developing a rapidly expanding motorsport division, representing the UK’s top-flight motorsport scene as the official importer and distributor of Motul automotive products.

However, despite the company’s technical developments, there’s one thing that won’t change: its passion for people, quality, and the environment. As Nigel said proudly, “Looking after our customers, our teams and our community, and ensuring all our products are made to the highest standards, will always be at the very heart of what we do, both now, and long into our exciting future ahead.” 씰

PMM APRIL 2021 27

027_PMM_APR21_Layout 1 26/02/2021 17:42 Page 28

SPECIAL REPORT Witham is Motul's sole automotive lubricant partner in the UK

The history Named after the River Witham, which was used to transport the company’s raw materials back in the 1920s, Witham Group quickly diversified from manufacturing bicycle oils and candles into meeting the needs of the new industrial age, producing lubricants that would power the steam engines and vehicles of the day.

Shortly after the company’s inception, Nigel’s grandfather Les Bottom was brought in to look after sales, while his dad Geoff joined in the 1960s to work within the factory, then becoming Sales Director and Chairman of the Group before his retirement in 2004. In 1991, Witham’s reputation for quality was cemented when it received the Royal Warrant from Her Majesty the Queen; an official stamp of approval for goods and services supplied.

Working to better the industry As well as his Witham responsibilities, Nigel is a former president of the United Kingdom Lubricant Association (UKLA) and is the current Chair of the Technical Committee within the Union of the European Lubricants Industry (UEIL), the trade association in Europe representing independent businesses in the lubricants industry.

Comprised of 600 lubricants companies across Europe, Witham’s association in the UEIL gives it the credibility to produce lubricants to the very highest technical specifications. “Together we are bigger than the major international global brands,” said Nigel, “and the UEIL gives us free and open access to technical information of new specifications from, for example, the automotive manufacturers.”

Adapting to the times Over the years the company has grown and diversified significantly.

“I suppose we were very much known and recognised as a specialist agricultural and road haulage lubricant company and everything linked within those industries,” explained Nigel. In fact, as much as 50% of Witham Group’s business was involved in some way in the agriculture industry. But from that the company pivoted into adjoining industries: plant, marine and horticulture, as well as a burgeoning paint division manufacturing and selling its own-brand

28 APRIL 2021 PMM

Woco. And the company grew from there.

Perhaps inevitably, Witham Group was bound to become more involved in the automotive industry. “We already supply a lot of passenger car engine oils, brake fluids, gear oils and many other lubricants and greases for garages across the UK, as well as useful workshop products like cleaning solutions, spill kits, and rust prevention ranges, under our own Witham (Qualube) brand,” Nigel said.

“We also support garages with bulk tanks, high quality Motul merchandise like signage, display materials, clothing etc, as well as floor and specialist paints for workshops.”

Racing pedigree Witham Motorsport is a subdivision of the company dedicated to the UK’s four-wheeled motorsport scene, and has partnered with French lubricant manufacturer, Motul.

Witham is Motul’s sole automotive lubricant partner in the UK and distributes its lubricants to a growing variety of customers, from race teams and drivers, to engine builders, online retailers, garages, mechanics and distributors, and of course, to the end user and enthusiast.

Speaking about why Witham Group chose to partner with Motul in the UK, Nigel commented, “If you want to develop a brand of motorsport lubricants, and there’s many that have tried and failed after throwing a huge amount of money at it, it will never be as good as the likes of Motul.

“What I like about the brand is that it has a product specifically for racing. A lot of companies make lubricants for high performance cars, then they say that can go into a racing car. Motul backward engineers it. The company makes products for the cars on the track first. It’s the Formula One way of doing it. We’ve inherited a mega brand with a huge investment in marketing

globally. When you talk to the professionals, people know a lot about Motul.”

In motorsport, every millisecond counts, and while teams spend a lot of time thinking about tyre pressures and alterations to the front wing, “oil will make significantly more impact than many of those other small things, but it’s probably the most overlooked”, said Nigel.

Like many of the best partnerships in life, common goals and shared values are one of the hallmarks of success, and it’s something that unites Motul and Witham Group. “We have a lot of respect for Motul and a lot of similarities,” added Nigel. “The family ethos, family ownership, how the company speaks and talks about lubricants, and being ethical and honourable. That’s why Motul came to us for its UK partner.”

One aspect of Witham that you don’t often get dealing with a much larger corporation is a friendly voice on the other end of the phone.

Nigel takes great pride when talking about the company’s technical support. “We want our customers to gain the benefit of our experience and understanding of all aspects of lubricants and paint application,” he said. “No matter whether you have a question about paint or pistons, Witham is only too happy to answer it.”

As the company enters its 100th anniversary, its forefathers’ passion for quality products, on time deliveries, and people is still very much the driving force behind the company today, as it looks ahead and prepares to support its customers in an ever-changing industry.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WITHAM GROUP AND ITS LUBRICANT BRANDS, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ010

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SPECIAL REPORT

‘We weathered the storm’ Joe Toakley, Area Manager for the South, discusses how the company has managed to traverse the past year with relative ease despite the threats posed by both the pandemic and Brexit.

B

eing a UK-based business operating under one roof from our central midlands-based facility means that we have almost complete process control. And this has stood us in good stead over the past few years when the world has been plagued by the threats of the global COVID pandemic and Brexit uncertainties.

30 APRIL 2021 PMM

Literally everything, from old core acceptance through to the boxing of fully tested, shelf-ready product happens in one place. That, careful and strategic planning and the fact that we hold over £5million worth of stock at any one time, means that now Brexit has finally happened and is starting to affect many businesses within the UK aftermarket, it’s really only had a minimal impact on Shaftec.

Joe Toakley

Our business model means that the company is able to guarantee constant availability enabling our customer’s businesses to carry on, whilst competitors may struggle to get a full supply of parts into the country.

In order to safeguard the interests of our customers – and in turn their customers, the garages – all business plans over the past few years have taken Brexit into consideration. To enhance efficiency, bolster productivity and amplify our square footage, we consolidated the entire business into one facility in 2015.

In 2018, we further increased our capacity by 8,000ft2 by adding a mezzanine floor meaning we now have 50,000ft2 of production and storage space in total.

This all means we have the room to keep an extremely healthy supply of finished stock. It also means that we have space to keep an impressive amount of any ancillary parts that we do source from OE suppliers in Europe, for example, brake caliper seals.

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And, because we’ve been planning for this for years, it virtually eliminates any problems we might otherwise have encountered with shipping delays.

All of this preparation was incredibly important when it came to ensure that we didn’t run into any problems supplying our customers throughout 2020. We’re well aware of the fact that if garages don’t get the right parts at the right price when they need them, then the supply chain breaks down – impacting everyone – including us as remanufacturer and supplier. With this in mind, we invest heavily in our forecasting ability, and work closely with our partner TecAlliance so that we can offer our customers the most reliable and up-to-date technical data.

Our mantra is that range and availability are key. I don’t think this message has ever been more important, as it has meant we weathered the storm of the past year. Even at the height of the pandemic, our availability

levels remained good, and we’ve been able to thrive; coping admirably with the increased demand we saw in the latter part of 2020.

As we move further into 2021, we have everything in place to continue to be a supportive supplier across our key areas for UK garages. We are focusing on new-torange parts to keep pace with the everchanging car parc – especially with regards to electric steering. Production is running at capacity. Any expected shipment delays of

ancillary parts have been factored in and will not affect production levels and in line with this, shelf stock levels are extremely healthy.

Business looks incredibly positive for 2021 and beyond, as we work with the rest of the supply chain to grow and prosper.

TO FIND OUT MORE ON SHAFTEC’S STOCK AVAILABILITY, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ011

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©Maridav/AdobeStock

HYBRID

& ELECTRIC VEHICLES

End of an

ERA Steve Carter, regular PMM contributor and electric vehicle (EV) expert, maps out the landscape as we bid farewell to the internal combustion engine.

W

e are likely living in the last decade of the combustion engine vehicle. Many governments around the world – including our own – have announced the ban on sales of new combustion vehicles by 2030 with more and more vehicle manufacturers (VMs) announcing that they will stop producing ICE (internal combustion engine) cars within the next 10 to 15 years.

The pressure to go EV is not only coming from governments, but also from the need for the manufacturers to reduce their CO2 emissions across the entirety of their car and light van ranges, with this target system already in full flow. For 2021, the average fuel efficiency target is 68mpg. For 2025, the average is 83mpg, and for 2030, the figure is 133mpg. It does not take a rocket scientist to realise that this last figure is just not possible as things currently stand. So, it is clear that the automotive industry’s direction of travel is to electrify as quickly as possible.

A few months ago, the new CEO of VAG revealed that the most challenging aspect of his position was persuading institutional investors to invest in his company. This was because more and more of these investors regard most legacy VMs as having a significant proportion of their value as stranded assets (combustion engine and gearbox plants) that will not be needed in the near future.

It was also noted at the same investors meeting how easy it is for automakers with no stranded assets to borrow money very cheaply.

I am certain he was talking about Tesla.

On a recent ONS steering committee meeting, which was looking at the requirement to bring EV knowledge and skills into the current apprenticeship scheme, it was announced that several VMs had been asking for EV-only apprenticeships. The justification for this request being that to train a technician in all the aspects of the modern ICE vehicle and then the same for an 800V 850kW 1,100hp EV is just not possible in three years.

The challenge The question is: Where are these future technicians going to come from? Current statistics indicate only 6% of all technicians are certified to EV level 3 or above.

Unfortunately, there are a significant number of colleges that I have come across who appear to be completely oblivious to these future training requirements. Until all automotive colleges revaluate and upskill their staff, we are not going to see a lot of new EV techs coming from this source.

For independent workshops, where will your future technicians come from? Will every ICE technician have the capability and motivation to become EV certified? Bear in mind that training is now required under the Electricity At Work Regulations, for any technician working on high voltage vehicle systems. In the future, we may see candidates coming from the industrial high-voltage industry. Would it be easier to train a person from this field?

As a panellist on a recent webinar talking on this very subject, I asked the audience whether they thought the independent aftermarket was underestimating the impact EVs will have on the market; 95% thought that this was the case. The independent workshop has a lot to consider. One thing is for certain, the longer that garage owners and technicians take to upskill, the bigger the gap between OEMs and independents will be.

TO FIND OUT MORE, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ012

PMM APRIL 2021 33

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HYBRID

& ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Resolvers unwrapped When approaching electric vehicle (EV) diagnostics, it’s easy to focus all your efforts on the high-voltage system. However, Pico technician Ben Martins argues that the low-voltage system must also be carefully considered. Here is why…

T

here’s no getting around it, electric vehicles (EV) are here to stay and will continue to grow in popularity as the shift from fossil fuels to electric becomes more apparent. The introduction of high voltage batteries brings with it new complexities and technologies that may be unknown to some.

Understandably, training is imperative when working on these vehicles and information found online must not be used as a training replacement.

When it comes to EVs, people often get a little caught up on the high-voltage system.

However, the fact is that the vehicle can’t operate at all without the various inputs and outputs from the low-voltage system. One such input is the resolver sensor.

The role of the resolver The resolver sensor determines the position of the rotor, enabling the inverter to trigger the insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) which allow the current flow to the correct winding. The resolver is a relatively simple device that has no moving parts, which makes it a typically reliable component.

However, even the most reliable parts can fail and when a resolver has an issue, it can cause several knock-on effects that can trigger additional fault codes unrelated to the resolver. Therefore, the ability to test them correctly is a must.

“Even the most reliable parts can fail and when a resolver has an issue, it can cause several knockon effects that can trigger additional fault codes.”

34 APRIL 2021 PMM

��� The trouble with testing resolvers is that ideally you need to check all three circuits at the same time. This is made more difficult as the circuits are floating with no common ground, which means that to truly visualise the signals, you have to use differential probes or an Automotive 4000-series PicoScope with floating inputs.

Just to clarify, it is only the 4425 and 4425A PicoScopes that have this floating input. Any other automotive PicoScope has a common ground, like most other available scopes. I have added an illustration (Fig 1) to

explain why you can’t use a commonground scope to measure a resolver.

If you use a common-ground scope connected across all three circuits you will cause a dead short between them, which will introduce fault codes. If you use a single ground to chassis, the measurement won’t be useful as it will provide insufficient detail to verify the resolver.

As I said previously, if you don’t have a PicoScope 4425A or 4425 you can use three differential input probes to test these resolver circuits (Fig 2).

How to test the resolver Underneath it all, a resolver is a fairly simple sensor. Coils form a stator around the rotor, which is directly connected to the motor’s output shaft. The stator is formed from three separate windings, consisting of an exciter winding and two output windings.

An alternating current at around 10 kHz is passed into the exciter coil, which is then induced into the rotor. The sine and cosine windings are arranged 90° apart so that the amplitudes of the induced currents are

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dependent on the relative angle of the rotor.

The rotor is shaped with lobes (the number of which varies between manufacturers). These create a change in the intensity of the output winding, depending on the rotor position.

If you follow the guided test in PicoScope 7 Automotive, and connect as shown in the diagram, you would expect to see the pattern in Fig 3.

Even with this signal, though, it’s not easy to determine how the vehicle can establish the position of the motor. This is where having all three signals is vital, as we can introduce a math channel that removes the 10 kHz frequency created by the excitation coil to see the actual positioning (Fig 4). To understand the math behind the waveforms, please see the further guidance in the guided test, and for all things maths, please see the ‘Math is Cool’ section on the Pico forum.

Another factor we have to consider is the number of poles present on the resolver, as this will dictate how many cycles there are for one rotation of the rotor. This is one of the many reasons why we should always use genuine parts, as the wrong resolver could lead to big problems!

I know it still isn’t clear how the position is determined, but it can be made simpler by plotting the sine and cosine waveforms against each other.

As you can see in Fig 5, a circle begins as each cycle completes. The confusing part comes when there are multi-pole resolvers with more than one cycle to complete one rotation of the rotor. This all depends on the number of poles in the stator and the number of lobes on the rotor. Unless we know the part number or remove the sensor and count the poles and lobes, there is no real way of knowing. However, from a diagnostic point of view, the information provided in this waveform is extremely useful in verifying the sensor’s output.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PICO’S EV SOLUTIONS, WWW.RDR.LINK/AZ013.

IF YOU WANT TO DISCUSS ANY HIGH-VOLTAGE APPLICATION, EMAIL SUPPORT@PICOTECH.COM

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HYBRID

& ELECTRIC VEHICLES

An upskill race Following the news that the ban on petrol and diesel car sales has been brought forward to 2030, the automotive industry is gearing up for its biggest challenge to date – the need to retrain technicians to service the electric/hybrid vehicles which are set to deluge the sector. Simon King, Managing Director of Autotech Training, explains.

O

n the need to make training a priority, the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) penned an open letter to the industry that brought several worrying statistics to light, one of the most prevalent being that COVID-19 may have derailed efforts to train the critical mass of vehicle technicians needed to service the electric/hybrid car parc.

The number of certificates for working on electric vehicles issued in 2020 fell by 85% compared to the previous year.

According to the IMI, if we had carried on with 2019 levels of certification, we may just have reached the minimum number of vehicle technicians needed by the time the ICE ban comes into effect in 2030.

Simon King

36 APRIL 2021 PMM

We are now, unfortunately, way off that mark and there is a lot of ground that needs to be covered.

Pressing the reset button For years, the rapid acceleration of the automotive industry has largely left the skill set of the current workforce behind. But never have we faced such a vital need to press the skills reset button.

While instilling confidence within the consumer and generating new revenue streams by having a workforce that can service electric/hybrid vehicles is important, the need to safeguard the safety of employees is crucial. And let’s face it, if vehicle technicians are not adequately trained, it will only be a question of time before somebody without the right knowledge puts a spanner in a high voltage area. Consequently, garage owners could find themselves liable.

As a company, we are committed to driving up skills within the industry, from investing in our own vehicle technician and MOT tester contractor network, to creating dedicated training and academy divisions.

We specifically created Autotech Training to help upskill the industry, and this division

has been delivering high quality MOT and technical training courses since 2016.

However, at the end of last year, in a bid to support the electric/hybrid vehicle transition within the aftermarket, we made our most substantial training investment to date.

The pinnacle of this investment was the opening of our dedicated EV training suite within our new headquarters.

Certified to deliver IMI Levels 1 to 4 Electric/Hybrid vehicle courses, the EV training suite also supports our on-site EV training offering, which can be delivered on the premises of any garage or business looking to equip their employees with the relevant knowledge, while keeping their time away from business to a minimum.

We also pledged that every contractor working within our network of temporary vehicle technicians and MOT testers will be trained to a minimum Level 2 Hybrid & Electric Vehicle IMI standard by the end of this year – and we’re well on the way to achieving this goal.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT AUTOTECH TRAINING, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ014

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CONTRACTOR CASE STUDY: LUKE HODGKISS Luke Hodgkiss has worked as a vehicle technician within the company’s contractor network for over two years.

Here is what Luke had to say about the training on offer: “Autotech Recruit gifted me a voucher to the sum of the IMI Level 3 Hybrid and Electric Vehicle training course. Prior to attending the course, I carried out the online training for hybrids, plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV), and electric vehicles (EV). While I was able to do this in my own time, this course also gave me the essentials right through to the physics of EVs. “The EV training suite is the size of a small class room which easily fits a vehicle, tools and diagnostic equipment, with space to work freely around the car.

The Level 2 course is completed first,

covering the fundamentals of hybrids and EVs. It breaks down each section into makes, models and types of hybrid, PHEV, and EV, as well as covering the systems they use, whilst incorporating the seven-step safety procedures that enable technicians to carry out the work safely. The teaching is split between classwork, and on the EV itself to apply the theoretical knowledge.

“The Level 3 course focuses on in-depth diagnostics of the systems within an EV. For instance, most people won’t know that there are two different electric circuits inside an EV: a 12V and a highvoltage circuit. Which means understanding the volts and amps that we test and how to diagnose them safely is key to moving from Level 2 to Level 3. The course showed me how to

read the information from the vehicle sensors and ECU to confidently ensure that the vehicle has been repaired correctly first time. Level 3 also includes how to safely isolate the high-voltage system from the rest of the vehicle, and correctly re-instate the high-voltage system and check its functioning using the diagnostic equipment. It also covers, in detail, how electrical circuits operate, and how the high-voltage and lowvoltage circuits interact with each other.

“Having the chance to do a course as in-depth as this one has been very rewarding, not only giving me an industry standard qualification, but also adding another string to my bow for future contracts with Autotech Recruit.”

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HYBRID

& ELECTRIC VEHICLES

When should I start?

Tom Denton, founder of the Automotive Technology (AT) Academy and prolific publisher of automotive training textbooks, weighs up what you need to consider before diving into electric vehicle (EV) training.

A

re electric vehicles coming? Are they going to be a big part of our future? Should we be preparing now? The answer to the first two questions is yes, but the third requires a little more thought. The trend towards electric vehicles (EVs) is real, but it is not the first time that new technology has made us adapt.

However, this time it feels like there is a push to get all technicians qualified as soon as possible. But, should we be investing in EV training and equipment right now?

Before I answer this, let’s set it in context by looking at the state of the market, what training is available and what equipment will be needed.

State of the market Almost 20% of all new cars sold in the UK last year were either fully electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles. In the UK, there are over 75,000 low, ultra-low and zero-emission cars, which is about 2% of all vehicles. There are around 550,000 hybrids (HEV), 150,000 plug-in hybrids (PHEV) and 100,000 battery electric vehicles (BEV) now in use (according to SMMT figures).

The number of vehicles on UK roads is now over 40 million. High voltage vehicles, therefore, make up about 5% of the total; one in 20. Currently, 5% (roughly 13,000) of UK automotive technicians are EV trained. It is predicted there could be over 10 million EVs

38 APRIL 2021 PMM

on the road by 2030; one in four (according to the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles).

The UK will need around 70,000 qualified technicians to support this.

Why do the training?

Vehicle high voltages are defined as being greater than 30V AC, or 60V DC. Even these levels can cause serious injury or death due to electric shock. The need to comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 is often overlooked. There are several parts that apply to high voltage vehicles but regulation 16 is key: “No person shall be engaged in any work activity where technical knowledge or experience is necessary to prevent danger or, where appropriate, injury, unless he possesses such knowledge or experience, or is under such degree of supervision as may be appropriate having regard to the nature of the work.”

You (or your staff) must be trained and up to date with the systems being worked on.

Current EVs are around 400V DC – this will kill you. Some are now running over 800V – this will kill you even quicker. If you are trained, then working on EVs is not dangerous.

What training is needed?

To set the context here, the training required to work on EVs does not take more than a few days if the technician is fully qualified/experienced in ICE vehicles.

Tom Denton

There are five ‘Electric/Hybrid Vehicle’ awards at four levels: ■ 1: Awareness ■ 2: Hazard Management for Emergency and Recovery Personnel ■ 2: Routine Maintenance Activities ■ 3: Repair and Replacement ■ 4: Diagnosis, Testing and Repair Level 1 is aimed at occupations such as sales and valeting. Level 2 is working on the low voltage systems of high voltage vehicles. Level 3 is about working on the high voltage systems with them switched off. Level 4 is for those working on high voltage systems, with them still switched on – battery repairs for example.

There are already lots of excellent training courses available. The times vary but Level 1 is usually half a day. Level 2 is about two days, and Levels 3 and 4 are also two days if previous levels are completed first. Some courses last four days and take an experienced technician through Levels 3 and 4.

Any qualification/award soon becomes out of date. The IMI Professional Register and its recent addition of IMI TechSafe™ is the way to deal with this.

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Full selection of safety equipment (EINTAC)

IMI TechSafe IMI TechSafe registration ensures that complex automotive technologies are safely and correctly repaired by qualified technicians. To be registered as IMI TechSafe, you must: ■ Successfully complete an appropriate qualification or IMI Accredited solution ■ Join the IMI Professional Register and TechSafe ■ Complete CPD from a specified range over a specified time to maintain registration

What extra kit is needed?

If you work on electric vehicles, then additional equipment will be needed, but not as much as you may think.

A multimeter (minimum CAT III rating), scanner, high voltage gloves, a few insulated tools, warning signs and safety fencing is essential. However, you probably have a suitable multimeter and scanner. My VCDS for example, will show high voltage fault codes and live data on the Golf GTE shown at the beginning of this article.

For EV diagnostics, you will need equipment like the PicoScope EV kit. You may already have something similar, but whatever it may be, it must be suitable for high voltage applications.

When should I do the training and buy the equipment?

The investment in EV equipment and training is not as much as you think. Some garages and repair shops are already specialising in EVs and doing very well. Others are turning EV work away.

Would I invest now? Yes! Is it ok to wait a year or two? Yes!

EV diagnostic equipment (PicoScope)

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TOM DENTON, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ015

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TYRES, WHEELS

& ALIGNMENT

How to keep track of your tyres CAM Systems provides tyre management solutions to professional tyre fitment workshops, as well as a number of independent garages. Here is how the company’s CAMEO system has the potential to open up new revenue streams for those businesses interested in the area.

T

here used to be a time when garage owners could offer a small menu of services. However, with increased competition, businesses are now looking to diversify their offering to include new services such as tyres, fitting and alignment to go alongside the traditional underthe-bonnet repairs. CAM Systems sees this diversification by traditional garages as part of the industry’s ongoing evolution. But to keep up with it, it is important for businesses to invest in the right technology. So, alongside the tools required for the range of jobs on offer, garages also need to invest in digital solutions, which includes relevant software packages.

Investment in digital technology enables garage owners to have access to platforms like CAMEO, a business management system that covers sales and ordering, stock control, integrated accounts, purchasing, pricing, workshop diary and customer/supplier management. Having all this data under one ‘digital roof’ can be daunting, but the way it is presented by this system enables technicians to easily access a job and know its status at any time.

CAMEO has the potential to benefit workshop efficiency with a reduction in key-to-key times, as well as improved transparency with customers as they can be given more insightful updates on any work carried out on their vehicle. In addition, the fact that the system is scalable means it can

be set up to meet the current demands of the business with the option to expand when and where appropriate.

One business that has benefited from digital technology to support its diversification is The Auto Workshop. After introducing CAMEO, this independent garage was able to meet all its mechanical ordering and fitment needs, and because of the system’s specialism in tyre management, it has allowed the business to expand into tyre sales. This addition has

opened up new sales avenues and enabled the garage to become one of the initial First Stop franchisees in the UK. From a customer facing perspective, the use of tablet technology on the front desk to welcome customers, inspect their vehicles, and gather data for future service opportunities within a GDPR allowance, ensures easy access to future sales opportunities for the business with that customer. The business has also benefited from the software because it has supported the introduction of web sales and service points, which has led to increased efficiency as members of the team do not have to manually input data from these opportunities because the customer is driving the system.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CAMEO MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ016

PMM APRIL 2021 41

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TYRES, WHEELS

& ALIGNMENT

HOW TO ���

Replace a rear wheel bearing on a Jeep Grand Cherokee

Charles Figgins, Technical Marketing Manager at Febi Bilstein, tackles the rear wheel bearing replacement procedure on a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

T

he Jeep Grand Cherokee WK model was reported to have good off-road capabilities and an excellent tow capacity; many owners use their vehicles for this purpose. In this article, the vehicle in question had covered over 200,000 miles. It was reported that a droning noise could be heard while driving which increased under load and during cornering.

After an initial road test and inspection to confirm the symptoms, the noise was identified as coming from the right rear wheel bearing which would require replacement.

The preassembled Febi wheel bearing kit 172491 was chosen for this repair. This comes complete with wheel and axle studs, and the bearing is preloaded and greased ready for assembly to the vehicle (Fig 1).

First, the wheel was removed, followed by the brake caliper assembly, which was then supported as a means of avoiding excess strain on the brake hose. Next, the brake disc was removed. This revealed the parking brake shoes, which needed to be removed. All the springs and fixings, along with the brake shoes, were then also removed, with all the positions noted for ease of reassembly.

Note: The parts were inspected for any unusual wear, and the security of the linings were checked as these are prone to detaching from the metal part of the shoe. These should be replaced as necessary.

The handbrake actuator lever was removed from the cable, inspected, and checked for excess corrosion and freeness of operation (Fig 2).

42 APRIL 2021 PMM

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With all the brake components removed, the four retaining nuts that retain the bearing assembly to the axle were unbolted. The bearing assembly then came away, leaving the ABS wheel speed sensor in place (Fig 3).

However, the brake shoe backing plate and brake caliper carrier remained attached. In some instances, there is a possibility that the half shaft also remains attached, which then requires sliding out of the bearing and reinserting back into the differential in the axle.

While working on a bench, the caliper carrier and back plate were carefully prised apart from the original bearing assembly and inspected for damage and all mating surfaces were cleaned. Once all the parts were ready for assembly, they were fitted to the new bearing assembly along with the Oring seal positioned in the retaining groove on the bearing (Fig 4).

Note: Failure to fit the O-ring can cause axle oil to leak past the bearing, affecting the brake shoe linings.

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��� “Failure to fit the O-ring can cause axle oil to leak past the bearing, affecting the brake shoe linings.”

The mating surface of the axle was cleaned, and the new bearing assembly was inserted onto the drive shaft and the axle housing. It was ensured that the parking brake cable was fitted through the back plate.

With the bearing in place, the four retaining nuts were tightened.

The parking brake shoes were then reassembled along with the actuator, and a suitable brake grease was applied at any necessary contact points between the shoes and back plate.

The brake disc and the brake caliper were cleaned and reassembled, then the foot brake and parking brake were applied several times to check operation. After this, the wheel was refitted, and the fine adjustment of the parking brake shoes was carried out.

Note: If any adjustment is required, remove the plug from the access hole in the brake back plate (Fig 5). Then, loosen the parking brake cable adjustment nut until there is slack.

A suitable adjusting tool should be inserted through the back plate access hole to engage a tool in the teeth of the adjusting wheel. Rotate the adjuster until a slight drag can be felt when the road wheel is rotated.

Push and hold the adjuster lever away from the adjuster wheel with a thin screwdriver. Back off the adjuster until the brake drag is eliminated. Repeat the adjustment on the opposite wheel and refit the plug. Adjust the parking brake cable and lower vehicle.

Operate both the parking brake and foot brake to make sure they hold the vehicle stationary. Finally, release the parking brake lever and road test.

TO FIND THE PART YOU NEED FROM FEBI BILSTEIN, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ017

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A/C

& THERMAL MANAGEMENT

Degrees of

separation Nissens, the automotive thermal systems expert, explains why technicians should avoid mixing PAG with universal oils at all costs.

P

olyalkylene glycol (PAG) oil is the most common lubricant used in modern automotive air conditioning (A/C) systems running on R134a and R1234yf refrigerants.

It is a fully synthetic oil that provides efficient and universal lubricating capacity, is conductive, highly hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air), and is available in several viscosities (46/100/150).

Due to their advanced mechanical construction and moving components, as well as the fact that they operate at high temperature and pressure, A/C compressor manufacturers specify the precise type and quantity of lubricant that is required for the correct operation, functionality and long service life of their components.

It will come as little surprise therefore that a common reason for A/C compressor failure is the use of oil of a different specification to that stipulated by the compressor manufacturer. If the system is topped-up or filled with a universal Polyaphaolefins (PAO) oil with a viscosity of 68, where the original was PAG oil, for instance, despite the fact that in general the characteristics of PAO and PAG oil seem be similar, their viscosity is

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different. This can lead to serious problems and ultimately compressor failure, which, in most cases, will lead to the rejection of any subsequent warranty claim.

As good practice, the oil within the A/C system should be topped-up at the scheduled service interval and replaced entirely when the compressor is changed. To avoid the use of the wrong specification oil, manufacturers generally pre-fill their compressors, which also stops dirt, debris and moisture from entering the system. Technicians should therefore check the oil specification dictated by the vehicle manufacturer in order not to mix incompatible formulations.

What's the problem?

The two oils do not mix completely and cannot create a long-lasting homogenous mixture, which is needed to ensure the correct lubrication of the mechanical parts within the compressor. Although initially the oils may visually seem well-mixed, after a short period of time, when the compressor is not running, the two oils will separate (as indicated in Fig 1). When the compressor then starts from cold, separated oil of a higher density and viscosity will lead to less

effective lubrication of the precisely engineered internal components, such as between the piston and cylinder, so increasing friction and causing the compressor to overheat and potentially seize.

In addition, universal oils do not mix the same way with the refrigerant as PAG oil does, thus the lubricant’s circulation in the system may be restricted, so as well as exposing the compressor components to potential damage, the system’s other components, such as the expansion valve or seals, could also be at risk.

Recommended solution Always follow the compressor or VMs guidelines for the right specification of lubricant, but helpfully, Nissens compressors are always pre-filled with the right quantity and viscosity PAG oil and double endcapped, so there is no need to add any extra oil to the compressor.

Double end-capped PAG oil is chemically inactive and stable, offering exceptionally good lubrication characteristics, high moisture tolerance at high temperatures, and does not react chemically to form harmful acids/compounds. To further assist workshops, Nissens compressors are always delivered with an installation guidebook describing the correct installation procedure and are covered by a comprehensive warranty.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE NISSENS RANGE OF COMPRESSORS,

From left to right – Before mixing PAO and PAG oils, directly after mixing, and then one hour after mixing. The difference in viscosities between PAO and PAG oils means that the oils are quick to separate even after mixing.

44 APRIL 2021 PMM

WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ018

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Keep your cool The effects of lockdown and warmer months mean air conditioning (A/C) servicing could soon be in hot demand. Delphi Technologies’ technical advice will help technicians keep their cool in the rush.

L

ong-term inactivity as a result of lockdown has had a detrimental effect on brakes, batteries and tyres, but with the warmer months now edging into sight it’s soon going to be evident to many drivers that the lack of use has also impaired their vehicle’s A/C systems.

For technicians, Delphi Technologies has compiled comprehensive servicing advice, as well as some of the most common issues associated with A/C failure.

Lack of lubricant One of the most common causes of A/C failure is a lack of lubrication. This can happen when there’s a refrigerant leak in the system from either a hose, O-ring, compressor, condenser, or evaporator. Whilst most vehicle manufacturers are now factory installing dye in their A/C systems because access is much tighter in modern vehicles, detecting leaks can be tough.

If dye is already included, inspect the system with a detection light. Even if the system is empty, the fluorescent glow should remain at the source of the leak. Otherwise, dye will need to be mixed into the refrigerant oil and added to the system to identify the culprit. Technicians just need to remember to use a dye compatible with the system they are working on. Also, today’s systems are very sensitive to oil overcharge, so care must be taken not to overfill the system.

Oil and lubricant balance A second common cause of A/C failure is if a newly installed compressor is not oilbalanced with the correct type and amount of lubricant. When installing a compressor, always follow the instructions provided with the part, or in the vehicle’s service manual.

Technicians should also rotate the compressor clutch at least four times by hand after adding oil to the compressor. This will distribute the oil through the compressor, lubricating the components and preventing a dry start-up.

Air and moisture Air and moisture in the system is also a threat. To operate at its best, an A/C system should contain less than 2% air by weight.

For every 1% increase in the amount of air, there will be an equivalent reduction, approximately 1%, in cooling performance.

More than 6% air can cause a noticeable decline in cooling performance, and worse still, potentially lead to the evaporator freezing-up. To avoid this, technicians should vacuum the system for a minimum of 45 minutes prior to recharging. Failure to do

this can lead to moisture and oil reacting, making the oil acidic – this leads to corrosion and premature failure of the system.

Best to ensure regular service While there’s no set period for maintenance components, it’s critical to service them regularly. Take the receiver drier as an example; when the system is exposed to the atmosphere it can very quickly become saturated from humidity in the air. If this occurs, the desiccant is no longer effective and will not provide future protection. It should be replaced every time the system is opened, and as a minimum every two years.

Cabin filters can also become easily clogged, reducing the effectiveness of the filter, and in turn the performance of the heating and cooling system. To prevent this, filters should be changed every 12 months, or six months if a vehicle is mainly used within urban areas.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES RANGE OF A/C COMPONENTS, WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ019

PMM APRIL 2021 45

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COMPETITION

Get your caffeine BOOST! Carwood is offering PMM readers the chance to win a Nespresso® by Krups Vertuo Plus XN903140 coffee machine and a set of branded mugs to give you the energy you’ll need to power through a busy day in the workshop.

WIN!

46 APRIL 2021 PMM

C

reated in 1966, Carwood has more than 50 years’ expertise in the car, commercial vehicle, off-highway, motorsport and defence industries. With remanufacturing at its core, it takes only the very best bits of the old and combines them with the new for an environmentally and cost-friendly part that performs just like the day it was born, if not better.

Today, its remanufactured portfolio spans OEM-approved diesel fuel injectors and pumps, diesel particulate filters, turbochargers, engines, HVAC, starters, alternators and other coil-wound electrical components, including electric motors for the latest hybrid and electric vehicles.

However, Carwood also understands that there are times when nothing but new will do. Which is why the company also offers an all-new range, including rotating electrics for automotive, competition and specialist road cars, HVAC components, and a full range of specialist bus and coach parts. All of these are backed by expert diagnostic,

technical and customer support.

Either way, new or reman, and whatever the product or vehicle, the remanufacturer is committed to providing the very highest quality, sustainable parts, at the right price, to the right place, at the right time. So, as well as that caffeine boost, Carwood can boost your workshop efficiency, profits and customer loyalty, too.

How do you enter?

To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, all you have to do is WWW.RDR.LINK /AZ020

and answer the following question: In what year was Carwood created?

A) 1955 B) 1966 C) 1977 Deadline for entries is 10/05/2021. T&Cs apply.

See website for details.

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WHAT’S NEW?

FO MORE IN in e Just typ llowed fo k lin www.rdr. de nique co by the u ht ig ra get st shown to . fo in to more

■ TURBO SYSTEM TESTER SET This 13-piece turbo system tester set from Laser Tools (part number 7981) is designed to charge the turbo system with low-pressure, regulated workshop air to indicate the presence of leaks within the system.

■ ELECTRIC VEHICLE FLUID RANGE Castrol has announced the launch of Castrol ON, the brand for its range of advanced fluids for EVs. The range includes e-Transmission Fluids, e-Coolants and e-Greases.

Advanced e-Transmission Fluids are reported to extend the life of the drivetrain system and enable EVs to go further on a single charge. eCoolants are said to keep batteries cooler, even in extreme conditions, and enable them to tolerate ultra-fast charging (>150kW), while eGreases are claimed to enable EVs to perform more efficiently by minimising temperature spikes, whilst also enhancing the durability of components and lowering weight.

WWW.RDR.LINK /A Z021

The kit includes 12 stepped adaptors for the following pipe sizes: 31-38mm, 46-51mm, 55-60mm, 65-70mm, 7580mm and 85-90mm. The pressure gauge is provided with an adjustable regulator and a shut-off valve to help prevent over pressurisation.

The set is supplied in a foam-lined storage case.

WWW.RDR.LINK /A Z023

■ SEASONAL PROMOTION With over 690 offers inside, more than 118 product releases and eight pages of clearance deals, Sealey’s Spring Promotion is one to watch with discounts up to 85% off list price. It launched in March and is valid to 31st May 2021.

The promotion contains the following sections of products: hand tools, lighting and power, storage, jacking and lifting, welding safety equipment, motorcycle tools, pressure washers and compressors. There are also sections for air and vehicle service tools, machine shop, consumables, bodyshop, shot blasting, garden equipment products, plus lots more.

WWW.RDR.LINK /A Z024

■ EMISSIONS ANALYSER VCI ■ WHEEL ALIGNMENT EQUIPMENT The EXACT Linear PLUS is CORGHI’s latest addition to its 3D wheel alignment range. LPF ‘Low Pass Filters’ are integrated to eliminate sunlight reflections and each acquisition is differentially processed by two consecutive images to eliminate measurement problems in sunlight conditions or in the presence of light reflections.

An integrated lift with worm gear and safety system enables positioning accuracy. In addition, the camera movement kit allows the operator to work from pit level to over two metres via the keyboard.

The lift level automatic tracking function is an optional extra and the integrated safety mechanism is patent pending.

WWW.RDR.LINK /A Z022

Garage equipment specialist Crypton has launched a Vehicle Communication Interface (VCI) for its emissions analyser, allowing workshops and MOT centres to deliver more efficient, accurate and reliable emissions test results.

The company’s DAD-C1 Bluetooth VCI unit has been designed to make the emissions testing process easier for garages. Integrated into the emissions testing equipment, the VCI can instantly transfer testing metrics, such as battery rpm, removing the need for time-consuming manual data entry. This is part of a larger trend of developing MOT equipment that can be directly connected to the MOT Testing Services (MTS) system.

WWW.RDR.LINK /A Z025

PMM APRIL 2021 47

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WHAT’S NEW?

■ OIL FEED PIPES Turbocharger remanufacturer Carwood has launched a range of oil feed pipes. The programme, which consists of more than 200 part numbers, completes the brand’s turbocharger line-up. Together with its existing range of remanufactured turbochargers, technical support, online cataloguing, and next-day delivery, the company can now offer its customers a full-service turbo solution.

The programme covers both fast-moving and specialist applications for car and light commercial vehicles. This includes the latest generation vehicles, where thanks to the trend for downsized engines, oil feed pipes will play an ever more important role.

WWW.RDR.LINK /A Z026

■ SMART SECURITY SERVICE SOFTWARE STANLEY Security has launched STANLEY Interactive, a smart business solution enabling garages to manage all their security systems from an app.

Designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses whose owners are frequently time poor, the product provides a fast, cost-effective means of managing business security – intruder detection, CCTV, lights and more – whether on-site or at home.

Customers choose from one of three packages: Intruder Detection, Video Surveillance (CCTV) or Total Security, which provides both intruder detection and video surveillance with additional smart features. The company supplies, installs and maintains the equipment, with the customer managing the systems through the app. For added protection, STANLEY Security also offers a 24/7 monitoring service, through its own professional central station that can dispatch emergency services or alert the business owner.

WWW.RDR.LINK /A Z027

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■ WET/DRY VACUUM CLEANERS SIP Industrial Products has announced that it is now a distributor of DEWALT® wet/dry vacuum cleaners. The company will have four heavy-duty vacuum cleaners available through various promotions, and the SIP Dealer Network.

The DEWALT DXV15T Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaner is built with a toolbox-style design that means portability in a range of applications where flexibility is key, such as construction, site work, larger garages and workshops, factories, and on-the-move tradesmen. Whereas if you need something slightly more heavyduty, then the DXV20S and DXV30SA are worth considering.

WWW.RDR.LINK /A Z028

■ ENGINE OILS Three engine oils have been launched to sit within the Texaco Havoline ProDS range, each with manufacturer approvals.

The ProDS RN SAE 0W-20 and ProDS RN SAE 5W-30 are both sold with Renault approval, and have been developed with advanced additive technology to meet Renault’s low emission and fuel efficiency requirements. The third oil, ProDS V SAE 0W-30, is approved by Volkswagen, and suitable for use in a wide range of VW and Audi cars and light-duty vans.

The company has also recently released its Havoline DCT Fluid, which is suitable for wet clutch DCT transmissions and launches to European markets with manufacturer approvals from both BMW and Volkswagen.

WWW.RDR.LINK /A Z029

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ADVERTISEMENT INDEX

3D Group UK ........................................................ (page 25)

MAM Software Ltd .............................................. (page 23)

Autel ........................................................................ (page 4)

Morris Lubricants .................................................. (page 12)

Autodata ................................................................ (page 48)

PMM Online .......................................... (inside back cover)

Autodata ................................................................ (page 49)

Powerprobe ............................................................ (page 39)

Autowave ................................................................ (page 7)

rdr.link .................................................................... (page 31)

BEN ...................................................................... (page 26)

Remy Automotive UK Ltd .................................... (page 19)

Contitech Power Transmission Systems Ltd ........ (page 17)

Ring Automotive .................................................... (page 26)

Energizer Group Ltd .............................................. (page 43)

Polybush ................................................................ (page 37)

Ferdinand Bilstein UK Ltd .................................... (page 40)

Robert Bosch Ltd .............................................. (back cover)

Garage Equipment Association ............................ (page 31)

Schaeffler (UK) Ltd .............................. (inside front cover)

Jack Sealey Ltd ...................................................... (page 32)

WD-40 Company Ltd ............................................ (page 29)

Kalimex Ltd .......................................................... (page 39)

Witham Motorsport .............................................. (page 15)

SIGN UP NOW TO GET THE

LATEST ISSUE DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX! TO SIGN UP FOR THIS SERVICE, ENTER YOUR DETAILS AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESS: WWW.RDR.LINK/AZ030

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