Several enquires about the use of a vacuum gauge. I think I covered this before but it is important. I mentioned a vacuum transducer hooked to a lab scope, this will display the vacuum in a wave form. It is very useful to locate a bad cylinder and eliminate the need to check compression in all the cylinders valuable time saver in today’s cramped engine compartments. It takes some trial and error to understand the wave but after using it you will find it an invaluable tool. Burn time as shown on a scope is also a useful tool in locating a bad cylinder. Do not short out any cylinders to see what they look like as this can cause a lot of problems.A vacuum gauge can also tell you the condition of the engine check a known good engine to obtain the correct vacuum and anything under this is usually an engine problem. Usually low compression or just a worn out engine. A bouncing vacuum gauge is also a telltale sign of a problem usually valves or one cylinder not performing correctly. Valve timing can also cause low vacuum. With older engines the carb and timing has to be correctly adjusted before checking for low vacuum. Cranking vacuum on a no start can also tell you if you have a valve timing problem among other problems anything above 3 In is usually Ok but here again check a known good engine for comparison. The altitude of your location is the reason for checking for a known good value.
All posts by John
Techs & Tools
I took some heat for my topic on the Gates belt inspection tool. One of the reasons I do this is to stir the pot and bring forth controversy. As I have said before Techs have a hard time agreeing on anything that has more than one option. One item of discussion that I agree with is that the vacuum gauge is also a tool that is not high tech but is a very useful diagnostic tool. Yes, there is a vacuum transducer that connects to a lab scope to help in locating a miss but to quickly determine engine condition or help diagnosis a no start you can’t beat the ease of use of a vacuum gauge. I also agree that we use a lot of flashy tools that could be performed by a simpler one. One case in mind is the non-contact stat many times we could use a regular stat but we grab the non-contact, because of ease of use and why have it if you are not going to use it. A recent tools magazine showed a techs new tool box and it was over 6 feet high, how do they access those top drawers without a stool, it was at least 15 feet plus long. I would guess he had more invested then my first house cost. But then our tools were worth about the price of a car so with that in mind they are about equal. I do wish I still had a shop so I could justify buying some of the cool new tools. Labor rates exceeding $100 an hour in many places, with the cramped engine compartments and complicated systems in today’s vehicles today’s techs need every tool they can put their hands on to make their job easier.
Gates Belt Tool
Gates came out with a gauge to use in inspecting there new belts, they have a square groove, and can wear without the tell tale signs of a regular belt. I have waited for this tool for some time, I know I need to get a life; it is a little plastic rod with a thumb hole on the end. I was totally disappointed in today’s shops there is a ton of sophisticated very expensive equipment and this is what I am expected to use to check one of the major parts on a vehicle. Next to brakes and steering I feel the belt is an important part of the vehicle. This does not even look like it would be a decent selling tool as I think to buy something customers like to touch or at least see what they are buying. IE Transmission fluid looks dirty, fuel filters are rusty but this little plastic thingy looks like it belongs in the drawer with the obsolete tools that you just can’t bring yourself to throw away. It is designed to be a selling tool but I still think the old visual inspection is still the best way to. I can see it being used if you have a noisy belt and cannot locate a cause and want to eliminate the belt as it will take some time for us to learn the traits of this new belt.Look on the bright side I got something free from gates and it brightened my day.
Vortec No Start
The vortex engine is perhaps the best engine GM has with the exception of the 3.8 and in my opinion that can’t be beat. However the Vortec has some problems mainly with the fuel. The pressure and volume has to be right on specs. If you have spark and you have to have spark or at least a tach signal for the PCM to power the fuel pump relay and is improbable but not impossible to have a tach signal and no spark. Check the fuel supply. If you have a Vortec engine that will not start cold at times but always starts hot it is usually a fuel problem and it may be a filter but this should also cause problems at highway speeds. Spray carb cleaner into the throttle body and if it starts it is a fuel problem. I have a refillable spray can that I put fuel in but as most DIY will not have this carb cleaner will work just do not use too much 3 or 4 short squirts should do it. It may not start but if it tries to you know you are on the right track. The other problem the Vortec has is the lines in the fuel distribution system crack or the poppet valves stick this usually causes a no start or extended crank with a hot engine it may also set a rich fuel code. You do have to remove the upper manifold to check this Distribution rail, or octopus, it has come down it price some but it is still expensive. You can pull the plugs and check for excessive fuel in a cylinder and this is an indication of a stuck poppet valve.FYI If you have a jerking problem that feels like a transmission or torque converter problem replace the fuel filter 9 times out of 10 it will solve your problem.If your engine not a Vortec, starts fine cold but has an extended crank time hot check the Fuel regulator.
Daytona
With Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt on the front row for Daytona is there any doubt that Rick Hendricks is going to continue where he left off last year. Jeff Gordon was the odd man out and I don’t think he looked that great in the Shootout. Did you notice where my black horse Kasey Kahne was running before the last accident, I just hope Petty can keep bringing in the resources necessary to give him the tools he needs? Carl Edwards was running well until he too was caught up in the mess. I hope Carl can have a better year but Rousch has some problems that need to be addressed and I don’t know if they have figured the problem out completely as of yet. They keep talking about new engines but none of them seem to work out on the track. Ford is the only big three not to borrow from the government so I hope the cat in the hat can keep them happy. Good news there were 54 entries for the 500 so maybe there is still some teams that have the monies to run of course it always seems like after Daytona many of them fade into the sunset. Speaking of underfunded teams I hope NASCAR does something about the start and park, true they need to fill the field but let’s try and do it with teams that are competitive.
Lead Wheel Weights
Why do we still use steel weights to balance wheels? I just read that the largest lead polluter in California is wheel weights. We still continue to use them and there are several alternatives that are very close to the same price. Stainless steel being the most obvious and they would not react with aluminum wheels the way lead does. There is also a powdered weight that I don’t know much about. They are both a quality replacement at about the same cost. I do think that car washes are at the root of the problem as the wheel cleaning brushes tend to remove the weights. They do still come off due to improper installation and they do not attach as securely to the thinner wheels on many vehicles today. I would think there would be a attachment method that would be more secure but, and I may be wrong here, NASCAR uses the same method at around 200 MPH. 3M also has a new system as they call it that looks like the best alternative, I couldnt find a price but it comes as a kit and they glue on.Years ago when I was younger I used to balance my tires by turning the tire on the rim until it became very close to balanced. I finished it with a small weight always on the inside, when necessary, as I didn’t like the appearance of the weight on the outside. I don’t recall ever doing this for a customer as the cost would probably been higher than the tire. I do agree that we need to protect our environment for our grandkids but we tend to let some things slip through the cracks and others we expend to much energy.
Toyota Recall
I have to give Toyota an atta boy for stopping production and or sales due to throttle issues. Of course they may have just needed a reason to slow down production as the sticking throttle seems to be a none issue. Supposedly it occurs over time as the linkage wears, if so then some of the responsibility could be placed on the consumer. If the throttle requires extra effort to move then have it checked if it is a recall or not. 2.3 million vehicles will be affected after they just recalled 1.09 million vehicles for floor mat interference with the throttle they earlier recalled 4.6 million for the same problem. Only a small percentage of the vehicles will be affected, 1 in 100,000, as only the parts built by CTS Corp. are causing problems. The local dealer is advertising a free inspection, as it should be, but if your vehicle is affected they will give you a car to drive until a repair is available. I remember the days of the Explorer or as it came to be called the exploder when they were rolling over and it ended up to be a tire issue, still have some doubts over that conclusion. Remember the pinto and the Chevy pickups with side tanks that would burst into flames when involved in an accident. Although none of these occurred while the vehicle was still in production but they seemed to drag their feet on the recalls. I hope the big three take note of this action by Toyota and finally wake up and put the safety and customer satisfaction first in future recalls.
Goodbye Colorado & Pontiac
As most of you know I have been looking for a newer pickup and one of the models I was considering was a Colorado. Now they are going to discontinue the model along with the GMC Canyon. I had changed my mind about a Colorado after reading they had one of the highest rated warranty in that class of pickup. It never really found its place as the larger brother of the Silverado at nearly the same price with fewer options. It also had a low towing capacity and an interior that was lacking a lot of the goodies of the Silverado. I do like that size pickup however I think I am going to stick with my original choice which is a Dakota. The Ranger has terrible crash ratings and the back is not large enough for car seat which is my reason for trading. If I could find the right S10 I may consider it but it is still a little too small. Why would GM drop Pontiac do they know I own 2 of them a 1986 Sunbird convertible and a 2005 Bonneville, my 4th Bonneville. I don’t think you can find a better road car and the mileage is great also the 3.8 engine is unbeatable. They were the brand of the 442, Judge and the Firebird. With a history like that I would thing they would build on it instead of 2 luxury cars the Caddy and the Buick. Don’t get me wrong the older Rivera was a great car, my wife had one, it had the 3.8 and was also a great road car. I know they must cut the number of models but at least keep the marketing spread among models.
Cold Weather Starting
Where I live it has been bitterly cold, wind chills in the -45, but nice weather is coming this week. So a few words about some maintenance that should be done during the break. Check your tires they seem to drop in pressure during cold weather more so with aluminum rims. Check the wiper blades and washer fluid, the washer fluid may be frozen and the blades may have been damaged during snow and frost removal.  Check all fluids PS, transmission and coolant, paying extra attention to the coolant as during extreme cold anti freeze will leak where it normally would not. Give the lights a quick walk around older bulbs were affected by the cold but the newer halogen and LED seem not to be. Inspect the belts for glazing that may have been caused by snow build up.  Check the key cylinders and lube if necessary if you have remote unlock this is critical as they are used infrequently and can become sticky very quickly.Some advice about cold weather starting, with fuel injection it is not necessary to do anything but turn the key or in some cases push the button. If you have auto start this is the best way to start a cold engine the compute or PCM knows what the engine needs to start.
Where Are The Convertibles
Whatever happened to the rag top? I have a 1986 Pontiac sunbird that we enjoy driving in the summer. It was a mid life crisis purchase that I bought with the head gasket out and body in tough shape. We repaired the body painted it and repaired the engine, the interior was in perfect shape the top needs a little work but we never drive it with the top up except to store it for the winter. In 1965 the first year of the Mustang there were 500,000 convertibles sold many due to the popularity of the Mustang. Back then many had manual tops and were drafty. Approximately 75,000 will be sold this year and many of them are luxury the BMW Z4, Mazda Miata, Lexus a couple Bentleys and Rolls Royce an Audi. Ford Mustang and Chrysler Sebring are the only two made in the US, GM does not have one as does Toyota and Korea. I am only considering cars with a rear seat no matter how small. The older convertibles were a Sunday drive to enjoy the scenery and the breeze. The newer are pleasant to drive and the hard top German models are like a hardtop. I think the hustle and bustle of today’s society killed the convertible no one takes the time to enjoy a drive anymore. They don’t know what they are missing, of course being retired I have a little more time to stop and smell the roses.