January 2012 MasterTechnician

January 2012 Volume 6 | Issue 1

Solutions for Professional Automotive Repair Technicians a mastertechmag.com online publication

Ticking Away

Also Inside: Tackling MRS Sleeping Giant Scan Tools Revisited

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Contents

Ti c k i n g Away

Feature Stories 06 Tackling Maintenance Reminder Systems

by Christian Strohm Some of the most common procedures for shutting off the light on Japanese vehicles, and also why you should bother from a business perspective.

16 Sleeping Giant

by John Anello

John tackles a complaint of hard starting when hot with a 1990 Chevy Celebrity with 3.1L engine.

24 Scan Tools Revisited

by Henry P. Olsen

The best pro-level versions are incredibly powerful now, but there are much less expensive specimens that are very practical, too.

Cover Story 32 Ticking Away Kerry Jonnson

With every new system comes greater complexity and more testing to diagnose any problems.

4 Master Technician Online

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Christopher M. Ayers, Jr. President/Publisher: cayers@mastertechmag.com Bob Freudenberger Editor: bfreud@mastertechmag.com John Anello • Steve Campbell • Paul Cortes Kerry Jonsson • Phil Fournier • Chip Keen Greg McGoniga • Tony Molla • Tom Nash Henry Olsen • Matt Ragsdale • Dave Russ Contributing Editors: bfreud@mastertechmag.com Christopher-Michael Ayers Art Director/Project Mgr.: ayersc3@mastertechmag.com Joann Turner Circulation Manager: jturner@mastertechmag.com Editorial, Circulation, Advertising Sales & Business Office: Master Technician Magazine 134B River Rd. • Montague, NJ • 07827 P.330.620.3929 Master Technician is published by Master Technician, LLC. The publisher and editors of this magazine accept no responsibility for statements made herein by advertisers or for the opinions expressed by authors of bylined articles or contributed text.

The current Issue of the Master Technician Emag is free to qualified automotive repair shop owners, managers & technicians. Contact ayersc3@mastertechmag. com for more information. All other content is available on a subscription basis. Visit www.mastertechmag.com for subscription information.

If you have a letter to the editor, a Tech Tip or a story idea: Email: bfreud@mastertechmag.com, or visit: http://www.mastertechmag.com/more/contact_us/

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e c n a n e t n i s a m M e t g s n i y l k S c r a e T d n i em R

hm

n Stro

istia

by Chr

Reminding consumers that their vehicles req uire fluids other than gasoline is the job of the Maintenan ce Indicator. Turning the light off can take tim e away from seemingly more important jobs, especially con sidering some of the button voodoo many modern car s use. This article will expand upon some of the most com mon procedures for shutting off the light on Japane se vehicles, and also why you should bother from a busine ss perspective.

What’s in a light?

accomplished. Sure, some customers are understanding when you explain that it was a simple oversight and they can return to the shop to have it cleared for free. But what about the customers who won’t call, and likewise, won’t ever return?

The maintenance-required light should be thought of as a final step to any service, just like the last fluid-level check prior to closing the hood. When your customers leave the shop, they have the expectation that something was done to their cars.

Many maintenance indicators are simple If the indicator comes on shortly after odometer counters calibrated to turn on leaving, it casts doubt on what was actually after a certain number of miles since last 6 Master Technician Online

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Posted: D e c e m b e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 1 | K e y w o r d : M R S

it was turned off. This can be somewhat of a paradox when your shop’s oil change recommendation is 3,500 miles, but Toyota’s maintenance indicator turns on at 4,500. Should you try to convince your customers that the Toyota-programmed light is incorrect? Consider explaining to your customers that the light functions more like the “low-fuel” light, where it’s the longest you possibly can go without service before risking problems from neglect. If you’re in the habit of clearing the light properly at your shop’s 3,500 mile interval, your regular customers should never see the indicator.

Many customers have a misconception about the roles of the MIL and the maintenance required light. Certainly, you’ve heard a customer calling to make an appointment because the car “just needs a tune up and oil change, or something,” because the MIL is on. It takes time to explain to customers that the check engine light is a malfunction indicator, not something routine maintenance will correct. On the other hand, the maintenance required light can inadvertently stress out a customer who was recently in for service -- “But now there’s a light that says maintenance required! Why?!”

subsection at the left, and you should see a link on the right for “Maintenance Indicator Reset.” But what about the tricky luxury cars with on-screen displays like Nissan or Infiniti? What about “intelligent,” logic-driven reminder systems that can only be reset with a scan tool? We’ll cover those more in detail later, but you should always strive to turn the indicator off!

Basic reminder systems Unfortunately, the days are gone when you could stick the key into the gauge cluster to reset the reminder from red back to green.

But if you become familiar with your shop’s most commonly seen vehicles, resetting the maintenance-required indicator can become nearly as easy. In addition to being simple to reset, these basic reminder systems are controlled by mileage alone.

We all know how much of a pain it can be to look up the reset procedure for the indicator, especially since it’s often different from vehicle to vehicle. Luckily, an online resource like ALLDATA should have the Use special service tool majority of procedures a few clicks away. #00012 to reset the Choose the vehicle, click the “Maintenance” maintenance indicator on this 1992 Honda Accord. www.mastertechmag.com

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Most manufacturers do not allow the vehicle owner to customize the reminder interval, and they only publish how the light will perform in the owner’s manual. A modern Honda Civic from 2001-2005, for example, will go for 8,000 miles before the light stays on! In fact, it doesn’t stay lit all the time.

After the key-on bulb check, the light will remain for an additional two seconds. It isn’t until after 10,000 miles that the light actually remains on as a constant reminder. You can imagine the problems this generation Civic can develop from a negligent owner.

Of course, it is also published that owners should check under the hood every time they fill up at the gas station. We all know how many hoods are open at the gas station when we go to fill up: just about zero!

Clear this particular Honda system with the key off. Then, while holding the odometer/ trip reset button, turn the key on and continue to hold the button. You will notice that the reminder indicator will remain on after the bulb check. Once the light goes out, the trip reset button can be released, and the reminder indicator is now set back to zero.

at all times. This is much more sensible than the above-mentioned Honda system, which doesn’t stay on until 10K. It’s even more sensible when you consider that the Prius has an electric motor to help the internal combustion engine.

Clear the 2004-2009 Prius reminder system by starting with the system set to OFF, then hold the ODO TRIP button on the dash while pressing START twice without pushing the brake pedal (equivalent of key on, engine off). Wait until the odometer reading displays “000000,” then release.

The reminder is now set back to zero.

Some vehicles modify the typical “press and hold” reminder reset methods, which can waste valuable time. Before you give up, try a modified method by cycling to the TRIP A display. This works with the 3rd generation Prius (2010-2012). From the TRIP A display, turn the car OFF, and then hold MPH/KPH while you turn it back on until the reset occurs. Being on TRIP A makes all the

The Toyota Prius reminder system (for 20042009 MY) is also a basic reminder system, but it will start trying to remind customers before they are due for scheduled maintenance.

The Prius should receive service every 5,000 miles, and the indicator will start blinking after key-on at around 4,500 miles. Once the The TRIP RESET button is located customer hits 5,000, the light will remain on on the dashboard, not where you might think it might be 8 Master Technician Online

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MRS

difference, and this technique is required in owner’s manual about how to program and some modern Honda products as well. clear the reminder system.

There are some vehicles that are equipped with a customizable maintenance schedule that utilizes the in-dash touch screen. Often referred to as a Multi-Function Display, these touch screens can be connected to the vehicle’s PCM and display more information about various dash warning indicators. Not only that, but the MFD may be the only source of information about maintenance schedules, and it can often be ignored completely, or adjusted by the customer so the interval is unrealistic. Since every indash MFD is different, be sure to consult the

Many newer Nissan and Infiniti models have a more complicated on-board, customizable maintenance reminder system. This can be customized by the vehicle owner to remind about oil changes, oil filter change, tire rotation, and“other” service. For whatever reason, they do not combine the oil and filter in the same reminder, so you will have to repeat the following process for both oil and filter separately. While this particular system lets you recommend your shop’s official oil change interval at 3,000, for example, it is not quite as simple to clear as the abovedescribed Honda and Toyota systems.

These images are from a 350Z, but the system is also used on other Nissan and Infiniti vehicles. First, find the SQUARE and CIRCLE buttons, somewhere in view of the driver. Their location varies from car to car, unfortunately. You may need to close the vehicle door before you can proceed; sometimes the DOOR AJAR indicator will not let you reset the reminder.

Start with the Prius off. Hold the ODO TRIP button, and with your foot off the brake pedal, press the START button two times while continuing to hold the reset button. After a few seconds, the odometer should display “000000” to indicate the reminder has been reset. It will not turn back on until another 4,500 miles have passed.

10 Master Technician Online

Find these two buttons: SQUARE and CIRCLE. They will be used in navigating the heads-up display and for commanding the indicator to reset. Their location varies by vehicle. www.mastertechmag.com

1. Start the engine.

6. Press SQUARE to choose a system to reset and see the following screen:

2. Press SQUARE to dismiss any pending warnings (like Trunk/Door ajar) – this may not work in all vehicles.

3. When you see the information screen (MPG, Distance Till Empty, Ambient temperature, etc.), keep pushing SQUARE until you see the SETTING screen:

4. Press CIRCLE to highlight “MAINTENANCE”, then press SQUARE to get to the screen here:

7. Press CIRCLE to highlight “RESET”, then press SQUARE to get to the screen below:

Only 1,700 miles overdue for their oil change. Not too bad.

8: Press CIRCLE to highlight the current mileage, then press SQUARE to set it to zero, as seen below:

5. Press CIRCLE to highlight whatever you’re going to reset.

TAKE NOTE: Nissan has separate reminders for engine oil, and the oil filter. www.mastertechmag.com

The reminder is now reset! Press SQUARE to return to the reminder list and reset others, or just turn the vehicle off to verify that the reset is successful.

January 2012 11

MRS

“Dummy lights” –not quite maintenance reminder systems A system of reminding owners that their vehicles needs attention may be as simple as a single dash indicator for cooling system temperature or low oil volume. These systems are more common on the domestic market, but a new 2011 Subaru Outback has adapted these simple reminders. The 2011 Outback does not have a maintenance required light, nor does it have a temperature gauge. Instead, Subaru has installed an engine temperature indicator. The light looks like a small thermometer, and will glow blue when the vehicle is “cold” – not yet in closed loop. It will turn off when the engine is at operating temperature. If the engine is starting to overheat, the light will turn back on as a red blinking light. The vehicle has overheated if the light remains solid red.

and may confuse some people. I can only foresee a series of Subaru owners ignoring the oil pressure indicator because “it’s just the oil level indicator, no big deal.” The level indicator glows amber instead of red, and its icon sports a squiggly line beneath the oil can. If this light illuminates after bulb check and remains lit, the vehicle is two quarts low. If the light illuminates while driving, the level is about one quart low. As for effective vehicle maintenance, a level indicator may actually protect the engine better than mileage-based basic reminder light. On the other hand, without a maintenance required light, the owner may believe his or her vehicle only requires a periodic addition of oil rather than an oil and filter change, or true service.

“Intelligent” reminder systems

Many of Honda’s modern vehicles, typically 2005 and newer, utilize a “Maintenance Likewise, the 2011 Outback utilizes a low Minder” system that attempts to infer oil level indicator. This light is nearly identical necessary maintenance from drive cycles to the “genie lamp” oil pressure indicator, and calculated load over time. On the gauge cluster, there will be an amber wrench icon (just like Mercedes!) for maintenance required on all Hondas equipped with Maintenance Minder systems. There are some potential “gotcha” issues with this reminder system.

This is not the oil pressure indicator lamp! Instead of a maintenance required light, Subaru’s 2011 Outback has an oil level indicator.

12 Master Technician Online

First, from your perspective as a repair shop, when you reset the indicator using the vehicle’s press-and-hold reset method, you are ONLY resetting whatever Minder is www.mastertechmag.com

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January 2012 13

MRS

currently displayed. For example, if Minder “B1” is displayed, when you press-and-hold to reset the indicator, you will have told the computer to reset its calculations for main service item “B” and sub service item “1”. This is perfectly adequate if you have only serviced the vehicle equivalent to “B1;; however, what if you recommended replacement of the engine air filter, cabin air filter, and an automatic transmission drain and fill based on your inspection? For most cars, filter replacement is sub service “2” and the transmission fluid is sub service “3” – neither of which are currently displayed. WITHOUT HONDA’S FACTORY SCAN TOOL, THERE IS NO WAY TO CLEAR THE REMINDERS FOR THESE MAINTENANCE MEASURES. The Maintenance Minder system is NOT smart enough to realize you’ve replaced the filters and fluid, and may turn the light on for those services shortly after the vehicle leaves your shop.

never return to your shop so you could “just clear it.”

This poses a problem for your shop’s credibility as a Honda specialist repair facility. In the customer’s eyes, if his or her next service reminder shows “A23,, you have either failed to do what you said you did, or whatever you DID do was inadequate to fix what you addressed last visit. You can “just clear it” and tell the customer not to worry about it, invest in the Honda HDS factory scan tool so you can avoid this problem, or become a slave to the reminder system! What if the customer consults his or her manual and learns that the now-required services had already been purchased based on your shop’s recommendation. The customer may

A lot of our job as service managers or technicians is to identify a vehicle’s needs based on the customer’s expectation.

Not all customers want to do preventive maintenance; their cars might only arrive by tow truck, with a noise, or with an obvious malfunction. These folks “fix it when it breaks,” and their cars are not the ones running strong and as reliably as possible in the high mileages. Someone who does everything by the scheduled maintenance book may wonder why his or her car has problems. Going beyond the minimum is required, and it is our job to explain why.

While some service item intervals have been

14 Master Technician Online

Furthermore, at our shop, we find that the Maintenance Minder system tends to recommend too little service, too late.

At 45k, a 2008 Acura TL displayed “B1” maintenance required. The transmission fluid was a terrible brown, and there was no telling when the Minder would “think” the car needed a service. Most customers are inclined to believe what their cars are telling them, if only because it makes it seem that the vehicle doesn’t need much service. Anyone in our industry knows that manufacturer recommendations are MINIMUM required to maintain the warranty, not for the longevity of the car beyond 120k.

Beyond the factory minimum

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increased due to new technologies, many have not. In attempts to reduce “yearly cost of maintenance” sticker numbers and increase new car sales, manufacturers are recommending less and less service by turning the fluid changes into fluid inspections. Some owners may not take their vehicles to shops that can reliably recommend appropriate service based on those required inspections.

It is important to help your customers understand normal oil consumption rates and why the extended oil change intervals of 5k, 7.5k, 10k, or more only make sense in a perfect world of owner diligence. The 20102012 Toyota Prius (3rd Generation) must truly experience some cognitive dissonance between the published oil change interval and the acceptable amount of oil consumption.

According to the owner’s manual, a 3rd gen Prius can consume up to 1.1qt of oil every 600 miles and be considered operating normally.

That is 1.83qt of oil every 1000 miles! If your customer’s engine consumes more than

44% of Toyota’s maximum acceptable rate of consumption, that Prius will be out of oil before its 5k inspection.

How likely is this? Not very, but keep in mind that as customers continually stretch the life of the 0w20 synthetic up to and beyond the 10k change, there WILL be guaranteed engine wear. The engine WILL consume oil, and eventually the customer’s car will have a problem. Maybe after thousands of miles the Prius may consume the upper limit of “acceptable consumption,” which, by the way, still means the car is bone dry every 2,400 miles. By then, it won’t be Toyota’s warranty department’s problem.

While the reminder light can sometimes be an annoyance, it’s necessary in some fashion to keep the owners aware of their vehicles’ needs. Take the opportunity at every maintenance appointment to coach your customers in proper vehicle service. Go beyond the maintenance required indicator.

Wear more than fifteen pieces of flair.

This Honda Civic wants a major service: Oil change and multipoint inspection (B), tire rotation and balance (1), valve clearance inspection and spark plug replacement (4), and coolant system service (5). But what if you find something during the inspection that needs service, like the automatic transmission fluid? You will need the HDS factory scan tool to reset that reminder! www.mastertechmag.com

January 2012 15

S l e e p i n g Giant

Sleeping Giant

by John Anello, “The Auto Tech on Wheels”

I got a distress call from a shop for a complaint of a hard starting when hot with a 1990 Chevy Celebrity with 3.1L engine (Figure 1). The old engine would run great when first fired up cold and had plenty of power, but as it warmed up it started to hesitate and run erratically. If it was shut off hot, it would be very hard to restart. The shop had already replaced the fuel pump, TPS, MAP sensor, and the PCM, but nothing seemed to resolve the problem. At this point the shop decided to call me in for a second opinion.

high) stored in memory (Figure 2). These codes were created by the shop when they were unplugging sensors to locate the cause of the problem. It is not uncommon to find codes in a system that are unrelated to the real problem -- techs have created them

When I arrived, the engine was cold and it started up and ran with no problems present. I proceded to pull codes from the PCM and found a Code 15 (Coolant Sensor Figure 1: 1990 Chevy low) and a Code 33 (Manifold Air Pressure Celebrity 3.1L 16 Master Technician Online

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Posted: Dec e m b e r 1 2 , 2 0 1 1 | K e y w o r d : h a r d s t a r t h o t

during diagnosis. But it is still important to investigate them to validate if they were falsely set and then clear the codes to see if they return. The present codes must be cleared because there are certain controllers that may put the system in a default or back-up mode if they are not cleared from memory. Some systems may even place a default reading in the data parameter field dealing with a sensor error code that could throw you for a loop. It’s interesting that all this is relevant even on a 21-year-old car.

I proceded to view some main data parameters that would point me in a sensible direction. These consisted of RPM, Coolant Temp, Manifold Air Temp, Throttle Position, Manifold Air Pressure, Battery Volts, Block

Figure 2: ECM trouble codes stored in memory www.mastertechmag.com

Learn and Intergrator. I watched these parameters as the vehicle was warming up.

When the engine reached about 200 deg.

F. it began to surge and run very erratically.

The fuel adjustment ratcheted up to 156 Block Learn, 180 Intergrator, and the MAP reading increased to 2.10V due to loss of partial engine vacuum from the way the engine was running ( Figure 3). The Block Learn and Integrator was the old OBD I terminology for the OBD II Long-Term and Short-Term Fuel Trim. The value of 128 was used as the 0% neutral position of fuel trimming. As the values increased beyond 128, fuel was being added, and at any value below 128, fuel was being subtracted. But looking at numbers changing on a screen does an injustice when diagnosing a vehicle.

The human mind is not great at number crunching and to get a better overview you really need to put these rapidly changing parameters into a graphing program.

I set up my scan tool in a graphing format and placed four graphs on the screen (Figure 4). I chose to superimpose the TPS and MAP sensors on one graph, and the Block Learn and Integrator on another so I could see the visual relationships they held with one another. As I power-braked the engine in Drive near WOT (Wide Open Throttle), I could see how the MAP value leveled off close to five Volts indicating a loss of intake manifold vacuum. I could also see how the PCM went into open-loop fuel control by momentarily putting both the Block Learn and Integrator at a value of 128. When the the PCM saw January 2012 17

S l e e p i n g Giant

Figure 3: ECM data parameters

Figure 4: Viewing data parameters in graphing mode 18 Master Technician Online

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January 2012 19

S l e e p i n g Giant

that the O2 sensor was in a lean state, it immediately increased the Integrator value to near 180.

Figure 5: Checking fuel pressure with a guage

The main focus of the PCM is to achieve fuel control, and when it cannot meet its goal fine tuning the fuel requirements using the constantly moving Integrator, it will quickly kick in Block Learn to make a major adjustment in fuel delivery. When I released the throttle the PCM reverted to its stored Block Learn value of 155 and then started to add more fuel by moving the Integrator as high as 180 again. The O2 sensor still could not reach a threshold above 600 mV. This engine had a fuel starvation problem that the PCM could not overcome.

Figure 6: Scope checking the voltage trace of both injector banks 20 Master Technician Online

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I kept it simple realizing that all the computer parameters were within their ranges. This had to be a fuel delivery issue such as low fuel pressure, or even clogged injectors. I next placed my fuel pressure guage on the engine (Figure 5) and saw that the fuel pressure was within specifications at about 36 psi, but I did not know if the PCM was doing its job of properly delivering the pulse width needed to keep the injectors open long enough for sufficient fuel delivery.

Looking at a fuel pulse-width parameter on a scan tool is not a true indication of actual fuel delivery, but rather the pipe dream the PCM hopes to deliver if the injector driver is working properely. This could only be further diagnosed using an oscilloscope.

format. I placed my scope leads on each injector driver circuit and viewed both voltage patterns in superimposed format on my scope screen (Figure 6). Both patterns seemed okay at first glance, but a closer look revealed that both injector patterns were elevated at about 300mV and the PCM was unable to properly pull the injector field coil circuits fully to ground. This could be an indication of a poor PCM ground, a bad injector driver, or a shorted injector circuit.

The voltage trace only gives you a portion of the picture and you really need a current waveform to see what’s going on.

I next placed two current probes on the injector circuits so I could superimpose both injector patterns on one screen. This This PCM controlled the injectors using I did at the PCM, which was located at the two separate drivers each managing two right front engine compartment (Figure 7). sets of three injectors each in group-firing As I was looking at the current waveforms

Figure 7: Installing 2 current probes at the ECM connector to check current at each injector bank www.mastertechmag.com

January 2012 21

S l e e p i n g Giant

of both injector banks, I immediately saw the problem that was creating the lean condition (Figure 8). One bank of injectors was pulling close to 13 amps, while the other bank pulled only about 3.5 Amps.

These were high-impedance injectors, and normally required about 900 mA of current each, so one bank of injectors must have had at least one partially-shorted injector coil causing the PCM to limit both banks to a predetermined grounding threshold to control injector current. The end result was a lean fuel output.

reached a certain operating temperature, which caused a domino effect taking down a whole injector driver circuit within the PCM. It was like a sleeping giant that was rudely awakened, and his only mission was to cause harm. There were no hostages to be taken, but only a mission of self-destruction. A scan tool can only be used as a window viewer to see what is going on within the PCM, but it may not necessarily provide you with the invasive testing you need that measuring equipment and scopes can perform. The key to any successful diagnosis is to build an arsenal of equipment that can take you to the next level.

This was an unforeseen problem that did This is providing that you have the proper not arise until the bad injector coil winding training to know how to use the equipment.

Figure 8: Scope checking the current trace of both injector banks 22 Master Technician Online

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January 2012 23

S ca n Tools

Scan Tools Revisited: What’s the PCM Seeing & Doing?

These wonderful diagnostic devices have been around since the early ‘80s. The best pro-level versions are incredibly powerful now, but there are much less expensive specimens that are very practical, too.

by Henry P. Olsen The PCM (Powertrain Control Module) monitors and controls just about every aspect of a modern vehicle’s operation including such things as throttle activation, air/fuel mixture, ignition spark advance, variable valve timing, drivetrain response, etc. The PCM is performing operations that would have been all but impossible not that many years ago, but you still need to remember it is just a computer. The input data from the various sensors must be correct if the PCM is going to provide helpful output commands.

An old saying from the computer world that very much applies to an automotive PCM is “garbage in, garbage out.” If the input data from the various sensors the PCM monitors contains errors (“garbage in”), the 24 Master Technician Online

PCM will process the faulty data, then send commands that are not appropriate (“garbage out”). When the PCM detects a malfunction with any monitored system, it will set a DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code) and turn on the MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp), but you can also have malfunctions that will not set a code. Therefore, you should not assume that because the MIL is not lit that everything is okay. Whenever you’re diagnosing a vehicle, you should always check for any DTCs and review all of the data stream readings to be sure that everything is within the correct operating range. Sometimes the computer is referencing data that contains enough out-of-range readings to create a driveability problem, yet it may not trigger a DTC, or turn on the MIL. www.mastertechmag.com

Posted : J a n u a r y 5 , 2 0 1 2 | K e y w o r d : s c a n t o o l s

Diagnostic Scan Tools The scan tool is always the first thing to use in a MIL-on, or a driveability-complaint situation. There is a large selection of scan tools for everyone from the do-it-yourselfer to the professional technician at prices that range from very inexpensive to multithousands of dollars. Many modern scan tools have a vast library of repair solutions that can provide the user with the information he or she needs for a solid diagnosis.

question that must be answered is whether the problem is in the sensor or its heater circuit, or something else altogether that put the sensor’s signal out of range, such as engine misfire that was caused by a vacuum leak, clogged or sticky fuel injectors, low fuel pressure, etc. There are scan tools on the market that can in many cases tell the user what repair is needed by means of a built-in library of repair solutions, and top-of-the-line scan tools have data stream specifications, wiring diagrams, TSBs, and factory recalls programmed into them.

Do-it-yourselfers want a scan tool that is affordable and makes it easy to diagnose what caused the MIL to come on. It would also be a big plus if the tool also helped determine what repairs are needed to solve the problem. Professional technicians, on the other hand, need a scan tool with advanced capabilities that is both affordable when they buy it and when they update it for future models. Pros also need a tool that will allow them to perform services such as reprogramming a PCM, or the ability to reset TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems).

Amateur, but maybe pro, too The typical low-cost code scan tool can show the user which DTC the PCM has recorded that caused the MIL to turn on, but it cannot give the actual repair needed to solve the problem. A typical DTC example would be a MIL on for a problem in the oxygen or air/fuel ratio sensor system. The www.mastertechmag.com

A low-cost scan tool like this Actron Auto Scanner Plus with CodeConnect supplies the user with an impressive amount of diagnostic ability.

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We should mention that inexpensive scan tools (typically less than $300) may be marketed to do-it-yourselfers, but they can be useful and convenient for professional techs, too. Perhaps the shop owns a full-fledged pro-grade aftermarket tool, or perhaps even several factory units dedicated to particular makes. That’s as it should be, but suppose you need to do a diagnosis right now, and another tech is already using the big guns.

Or, maybe you suspect that the problem is pretty simple (most are related to the basics, after all), so you just need ordinary OBD II capabilities. You can afford to have a lesser unit right in your own tool box with which you can get a quick answer and knock the top off a high percentage of the troubles you’re likely to encounter.

For example, the Actron Auto Scanner Plus and the OTC 3111 OBD II & ABS Scan Tool with CodeConnect can allow anyone access to the diagnostic and repair information needed to quickly know what repairs will typically solve the problem. This tool can read the codes, provide the user with the code definition, and display all the live engine data, plus it will arm the user with a comprehensive database of over three million verified fixes for issues that could cause the PCM to set a DTC. In many cases, the information and repair solutions provided

by CodeConnect can allow the user to make the correct repairs without wasting time and money going down the wrong diagnostic path, and perhaps even installing “knowngood” parts.

26 Master Technician Online

Scan tools with these kinds of capabilities can also be ideal for service writers because they provide the data that results in an accurate estimate without the need to borrow (and learn to use!) the shop’s state-of-the-art scan tool. They can also clear codes, and in some models record, graph, and play back data, display ABS codes and definitions.

Even though I have access to an array of high-tech and expensive testing equipment, was pleasantly surprised when I tried out the Code Connect feature: A couple of examples of problems that we fixed quickly with the information it provided: • A 2002 Chevrolet Impala 3.4L with Code PO 171 (Fuel Trim Too Lean on Bank #1). The top reported fix was

The CodeConnect feature of the OTC #3111 OBD II and ABS scan tool can give techs the answers they need to repair almost any OBD II problem. www.mastertechmag.com

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S ca n Tools

the repair of a bad/leaking PCV hose The federal government has mandated (another frequently reported fix that that the automakers must provide the same was to replace the MAF). technical support to aftermarket repair shops, including access to the information • A 1997 Chevrolet Corvette with Code and equipment necessary to reprogram any P1416 (Air injection System, Bank #2). emissions-related PCM, that they provide The top reported fix was to replace to their dealerships. This mandate covers the air injection reaction check valve all 2004 and newer vehicles, but many (others were to replace air injection automakers have decided to include vehicles back through 1996. reaction air pump, or pump solenoid).

The SAE J2534 PCM reprograming process is The data and information that is at your fingertips from scan tools with this kind of a very important part of modern vehicle repair. information system reduces guesswork and the potential for misdiagnosis.

Big dogs The professional-level scan tools that I am most familiar with are the OTC/SPX Nemisys, Genisys, and the Pegisys/PC Scan.

These have an even more comprehensive database of repairs programmed into them than the information that is available with CodeConnect, and it gets more extensive with each price level. The Nemisys has CodeAssist plus DataStream specifications, the Genisys adds wiring diagrams, Fast Fixes, and a more comprehensive version of CodeAssist. It also offers the options of a four-channel lab scope and a five-gas exhaust analyzer. The Pegisys and the PC Scan have all of the above, plus Repair Trac from Identifix, the option of an internet direct connection to Direct-Hit Technician, a very powerful combination that has TSBs, recalls, Hotline Archives, and wiring diagrams.

28 Master Technician Online

The OTC Nemisys is an entrylevel professional scan tool has an even more advanced version of CodeConnect called CodeAssist, plus it allows the user to record data and access to the data available through Mode 6. www.mastertechmag.com

It allows any repair shop to perform a J2534 PCM reflash. J2534 is used to update the calibration of the PCM whenever the automaker releases new programming. Your ability to perform such a reflash allows you to avoid the indignity and inconvenience of outsourcing

this work (which is known as “sending it down the road”). The above-mentioned OTC PC Scan and the Pegisys (with the use of a laptop computer) are SAE J2534 compliant tools, so they give you this capability.

Holy Grail?

The Genisys scan tool is perfect for diagnosing the engine, drivetrain, ABS, or TPMS problems that come into your shop.

The OTC Pegisys is one of the most advanced scan tools on the market. www.mastertechmag.com

Ownership of a factory/O.E. scan tool gives you the ultimate in capabilities.

They outperform even enhanced OBD II aftermarket tools, and can take you deep into complicated CAN situations with latemodel systems, such as those for security, HVAC, entertainment, etc. The trouble is, unless you specialize in only a make or two, purchasing numerous O.E. tools and keeping them up to date would cost a fortune. That’s why most independent shops go aftermarket, which will do the job in 90+% of the cases. For the real careerwrecking mysteries, they typically call in a dedicated, full-fledged diagnostician, such as MTO’s esteemed contributors John Anello (“The Auto Tech on Wheels”) and Kerry Jonsson, who’ll likely use a factory tool or lab scope to find the trouble quickly, and charge you a flat fee (which you can add to the customer’s bill). You could enlist such help over 30 times for the price of one factory scan tool.

Another good option is to start using Identifix/Direct Hit, which our editor believes is a necessity for any shop.

January 2012 29

S ca n Tools

So, even though aftermarket scan tools Mode 6 won’t be able to do absolutely everything, they can there are ways to handle crazy All pro-grade and even some inexpensive diagnostic dillemas without going broke. scan tools allow access to the very-useful OBD II Mode 6. The data available in this mode is what the PCM looks at to determine if there is a problem that will lead it to set a DTC and turn on the MIL. You could call it the “impending problem revealer.” Mode 6 data can be used for diagnosing faults when the vehicle has failed a smog test or has a driveability problem, but has not yet set a DTC. A good example of this data is the counting of engine misfires. Whether or not the MIL is on, when you’ve got a car with The PC Scan system is the future of scan tool technology. a rough idle, or that’s failed an emissions It combines an advanced scan test, you can look at each cylinder in turn. tool with a modern PC so you Usually, most will show near zero misfires, can diagnose and repair any but one (or possibly two adjoining in the PCM-related problem that case of a blown head gasket) will show comes into your shop. It can even allow you to reprogram a hundreds or thousands of misfire events.

OBD II PCM. So, you can go right to that cylinder, replace the plug (or, wire in older models) and see if the problem goes away. No? Then you know which cylinder to do a compression test on.

Mode 6 can also be used to verify repairs by making sure all the monitored systems pass the OBD II diagnostic self-checks.

MAF trouble?

This is a sample of the wiring diagrams that are available with the Direct Hit feature of the Pegisys and PC Scan tools.

30 Master Technician Online

The proper diagnosis of a mass air flow sensor can be challenging. One of the tricks that technicians with advanced skills are doing is to find out if the MAF is providing the PCM with accurate data by comparing the actual sensor readings to what they www.mastertechmag.com

should be if the unit was operating within the designed parameters. The technician simply takes the vehicle on a test drive while recording the RPM and sensor readings on their scan tool while doing a few WOT acceleration runs. Once they’re back at the shop they can plug the MAF and RPM readings into a MAF calculator spreadsheet to determine if they’re correct. As long as they are within 20% of the expected flow rate, the MAF is probably not the problem.

A MAF sensor that is giving readings that are out of the proper range can cause driveability problems such as low power, pinging/spark knock, and poor/no idle (typically caused by a perforated duct between the sensor and the throttle body), or codes such as P0171

and P0174 (Fuel System Too Lean, Bank #1 or #2). Any faulty data from a bad MAF will cause the PCM to send incorrect commands to the engine components it is controlling, which can result in incorrect air/fuel mixture, ignition timing advance, cam timing, or EGR flow.

Keeping an eye on tire pressure Some scan tools offer optional tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) diagnostic capabilities, and allow you to decode the data from a dead or broken pressure sensor/ transmitter and transfer it to a new one.

They also make it easy to perform a sensor relearn after the tires are rotated.

So, even if you just perform maintenance or tire services, you can’t do without an upto-date scan tool anymore. The good news is that you no longer have to spend a lot of money for a tool that’ll do just about anything you’re likely to need.

The TPMS tool function that is available for the Genisys can allow you to diagnose a vehicle The TPR tool allows you to with tire pressure monitoring reset. relearn, or register a system malfunctions.

TPR sensor. www.mastertechmag.com

January 2012 31

Ti c k i n g Away

Ticking Away

Increasing fuel efficiency and horsepower while reducing harmful emissions is a tough job for any automotive engineer.

“Variable Displacement” is one way General Motors chose to achieve this.

Of course, with every new system comes greater complexity and more testing to diagnose any problems.

by Kerry Jonsson

All manufacturers would like to design their engines to easily pass federal fuel emissions and efficiency standards and make enough horsepower to beat their competitors. Even automotive engineers have pipe dreams.

In the past, General Motors has tried other forms of “Variable Displacement” as a way to maintain power when it is needed and reduce it when fuel economy is more important. In the early ‘80s the 4-6-8 Cadillac was a failed attempt at this. Cylinders were shut down to reduce fuel consumption when cruising with minimal load. The electronics of the time weren’t up to the task, however, and there were nothing but problems.

fuel consumption,and increased efficiency when not running on all eight cylinders by cutting oil flow to the lifters, allowing them to collapse and reducing valve lift to nothing.

This meant the cylinder is not slowed down while drawing in the charge. The cylinder is only allowing the air inside to expand and contract, reducing compression losses.

Finally, spent gasses are not stuffed into the limited volume of the exhaust system. All of this reduces what’s known as “pumping losses.” What are pumping losses, exactly?

“Sucking” in the charge, compressing it, and expelling it when spent takes horsepower. Of course, the twisting force General Motors introduced the new 5.3L generated during the power stroke is “M” engine (eigth VIN digit “0”) in 2005. It greater. Multiply this affect by number of had a unique, innovative feature that reduced cylinders and you understand why more 32 Master Technician Online

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Posted: J a n u a r y 1 2 , 2 0 1 2 | K e y w o r d : t i c k i n g a w a y

cylinders make more power. But with more cylinders, you need to inject more fuel. When you shut off an injector, you reduce fuel consumption, but it still takes horsepower to put that dead cylinder through the four phases of an Otto-cycle engine, particularly on the compression stroke. By disabling the valve train, those pumping losses can be greatly reduced. It’s all about what’s called “volumetric efficiency”. In the end, however, you don’t get something for nothing.

In the back of the VOLM, you’ll see the oil pressure switch sticking up. Under it is a filter screen. Remove it and see if it is clogged. Lack of timely oil changes?

Left: The heart of the variable displacement system is the VLOM (Valve Lifter Oil Manifold) assembly. It contains four solenoids that shut off oil to both the intake and exhaust valves of specific cylinders. It reduces mechanical “pumping losses” of the engine. www.mastertechmag.com

January 2012 33

Ti c k i n g Away

Variable valve timing has been around for decades. The idea is that oil pressure passes through an actuator, and a solenoid is used to close off the return flow. As the pressure builds in the actuator, it changes the relative position of the intake and/or exhaust camshafts, thus moving the engine’s volumetric efficiency to another rpm range.

This produces noticeable improvements in engine performance and efficiency, but there is a price to be paid when things are

Left: The bosses sticking up from the lifter valley area are the passages that supply oil from the VLOM to each cylinder. Notice how they are only for cylinders #1, #4, #6 and #7. While you’ve got it apart, make sure the passages are clear.

34 Master Technician Online

not going right. The trapped oil tends to produce sludge, especially when oil change intervals aren’t adhered to.

The same thing can happen on any system that relies on oil quality and pressure to perform correctly. This is why proper oil change intervals are especially critical on today’s engines. When you have variable valve timing or a variable-displacement/lifter function, one of the first steps you should take is to check the last time the customer had an oil change, oil type (mineral or synthetic), and the oil level. Although trouble codes are helpful in diagnosing a problem, they will probably not help you with a lifter tap other than showing a misfire code for the offending cylinder. Changing a noisy lifter may fix the problem, but only temporarily.

That lifter can fail again if allowed to run dry due to clogged oil passages.

The way General Motors engineers developed this engine was to only disable certain cylinders: #1, #4, #6 and #7 (By the way, bank #1 is on the driver’s side, and the firing order alternates from side to side). If you have a misfire on any other cylinder, it can’t be caused by the cylinder shut off solenoid, although you can have lifter problems just like in any other cylinder.

Since the variable displacement system is dependent on oil pressure it is important to know how the oil is supplied and controlled.

Never before have I seen such detailed oil pressure specs from GM. At minimum, there www.mastertechmag.com

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January 2012 35

Ti c k i n g Away

must be six psi at idle, 18 psi at 2,000 rpm, and 24 psi at 4,000rpm. The pump is of the radial type mounted on the front of the block around the nose of the crankshaft. It supplies oil to the crankshaft first. Coming up from the back of the block on the driver’s side of the lifter valley is the oil supply to the lifters.

It passes through a filter screen in the valley cover. This cover has passages that direct the oil through solenoids downward into the block and onward to the lifter bores. It is referred to as the VLOM (Valve Lifter Oil Manifold) assembly. Remember, this is only for cylinders #1, #4, #6, and #7. All other cylinders lifters

are fed directly through passages in the block, not the lifter valley cover.

The cylinder shut-off solenoids are mounted in the VLOM, and are controlled by the PCM. When the PCM grounds a solenoid, it cuts oil flow to the intake and exhaust lifters for that cylinder. When the cam lobe comes around to push on the extended-length lifters, they collapse and neither valve will open. The injector is also shut off to that cylinder.

When the solenoid is de-energized, oil flow is restored to the lifters and they quickly pump up and start opening the valves.

Below: If you have a pressure transducer, you can compare the misfiring cylinder to a good one and see if you have the same pattern. You should be able to determine if it is a sticking intake or exhaust lifter.

36 Master Technician Online

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January 2012 37

Ti c k i n g Away

Obviously, the misfire monitor is suspended for each cylinder that is disabled. It is turned back one when the cylinders are reactivated.

If the lifter stays collapsed even though the solenoid is de-energized, a misfire code is set. You may hear the obvious lifter tap, but it depends on what position the lifter gets stuck in. Instead of a complete failure, you may only have limited valve lift, which can lead to a misfire without the tapping noise.

Whenever you are presented with a misfire to diagnose, you have to decide where to begin. You should check for injector pulse with a noid light, and use your high-kV spark tester to verify that the cylinder has fuel and fire. Another old trick is to spray starting fluid into the intake and crank. If it starts momentarily now, you know fuel is the problem. You’ll should also pull a plug and

check it. Don’t just throw a coil at it and see what happens.

In the old days, it was simple. You would put a vacuum gauge on the intake manifold and watch the needle bounce. Very few people know how to read a vacuum gauge anymore, and the one on your manual vacuum pump is not accurate enough for engine pumping diagnostics -- the needle will bounce even with a normal engine. You need to use a real engine vacuum gauge. This may tell you that there is a problem with pumping, but you still need to find out which cylinder is at fault.

You can use the misfire monitor on your scan tool, or, better yet, do an old-fashioned compression test on each cylinder and compare readings, and perhaps perform a dynamic compression test as well.

Here’s the collapsed intake lifter for the #4 hole. This was a severe one with the lifter being completely stuck in the compressed position. The cylinder heads need to be removed to fix it.

38 Master Technician Online

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If you have invested in a pressure transducer and an oscilloscope, you can get a picture of the pressure in the cylinder. This can help you isolate if the problem is with the intake or exhaust valves. If you are somewhat more sophisticated, there is software out there that allows you to tap into the intake manifold to measure the intake pulses with your transducer and match it to the firing order to isolate the cylinder. That is another in-depth subject that would take up an entire article itself, so we will leave it for another time. Looking at the pressure reading in the cylinder, you can see if the intake and/or exhaust valve is not opening.

sure we verified that the problem was in the valve train. On this engine, it is important to know for sure since you will need to remove the cylinder heads (!) because the overhang of the head covers the lifter housing. It would be a good idea to change all of the lifters or at least the ones that can shut down a cylinder. Look at the pressure transducer voltage pattern in our example and you’ll see a low-voltage peak during compression. The pattern starts with the relative flat horizontal line indicating atmospheric pressure followed by a drop in voltage from the vacuum of the intake stroke. The low compression spike is next and finally the exhaust pulse.

A conventional compression test, a “running” compression test, and monitoring the signal voltage from a pressure transducer are all good for determining if a cylinder is working properly. If you are doing a regular compression test, remember you should only crank the engine about five pulses of you gauge. With a running compression test you can simply hold down the pressure release button on your gauge and watch for the peak as the needle bounces. Of course, you know to compare problem cylinders with good ones.

A tool that may be new to you is the pressure transducer. It converts the pressure reading inside the cylinder into a signal voltage that you can view on a DMM, or, better yet, a graphing multi-meter or oscilloscope.

The intake valve lifter for #4 cylinder had collapsed. The pattern shows what happens when the intake valve doesn’t open and the exhaust does. It’s why you see the drop in voltage indicating vacuum after the compression stroke when you should see exhaust pulses, which are much closer to atmospheric pressure. Okay, the heads are coming off and there is the necessary discussion with the customer about how we should replace everything while we are in there, and also on the importance of oil changes with these new sophisticated valve trains. Synthetic oil and additives such as moly, (molybdenum disulfide) is a dry-film lubricant that will keep the lifters slippery even after the oil supply is reduced for cylinder cancellation. The customer is not going to In our 5.3L we found that #4 cylinder was be happy, but we think we’ll see him sooner misfiring. We could clearly hear the lifter tap, rather than later for the next oil change. but chose to test the cylinder anyway to make www.mastertechmag.com

January 2012 39

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Volume No. 3

Inside the Insider

Just Say No to Taxes

by Scott S. Shields, CPA

Just Say No to Taxes It is amazing how any size business can reduce its income tax debt by taking advantage of existing deductions, tax credits, and government programs.

Page 1

Prepare to Pass Taking an ASE Test is easy. Passing one, not so much. So how do you maximize your chances for success? It’s all in the preparation.

Page 1

Issue No.1

As the end of the year approaches -- a lot faster than most of us would like -- I spend a great deal of time with my clients doing yearend tax planning. It is amazing how any size business can reduce its income tax debt by taking advantage of existing deductions, tax credits, and government programs. If your business is a “pass through entity,” such as a partnership, Limited Liability Company (LLC), or an S Corporation, the business benefits will pass to your individual personal tax return reducing the tax debt on your Federal Form 1040.

(Continued on page 2)

Prepare to Pass

by Tony Molla, VP Communications, ASE

iShop 3.0 What is it?

And, why should it matter to you?

Page 8

The Best of the Test In 2012, we’ll be introducing a number of new and improved services which begin with the official launch of the enhanced computer-based testing program...

Page 10

What began over four decades ago as a modest attempt to offer four automobile certification exams on a pilot basis has grown in an industry-recognized program embraced by technicians, manufacturers, the aftermarket, and employers alike. Today the non-profit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) offers more than 50 certification tests in a dozen specialized areas, and nearly 400,000 automotive professionals proudly hold ASE credentials. Offered in the U.S. and Canada, and to our armed forces at military bases around the globe, ASE certification is internationally recognized as one of the best professional credentials in the automotive industry.

Research shows that ASE Certification is not only good for the individual—it’s good for the businesses that employ them. In fact, many shop owners recognize the value ASE provides and offer incentives like salary increases, bonuses and they often cover the cost of testing, provided you pass the test. For many, that’s the catch, but it’s not that difficult of a bar to reach if you know what to do.

(Continued on page 4)

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Questions/Comments: Contact Us via Website or Call Chris Ayers Jr 484.472.8441

July 2011

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