Is the era of the do it yourself repair over? I don’t think it is over but it is definitely on life support, today’s cars have a number of computers, brakes, Heating AC, body, engine, among others and soon it will take a special tool to replace your wiper blades. The average DIY does not have a lab scope or scanner or several other special tools necessary to do even minor repairs. The auto techs of today need special skills and knowledge never even dreamt of ten years ago and the tool boxes they have cost more than my first house. Ask the management of any auto repair shop if they, not all but a few, have an attitude and are hard to manage and you will get an ear full. The truth is that it is something they have to live with the good ones are hard to come by and have a good reason to be a little cocky and expect a few extra perks. Today’s cars are lasting longer, it is not unusual to see used vehicles with well over a 100K for sale, and a decent used vehicle is becoming harder to find. If you buy one of these it is going to need repairs, there are many vehicles that can still be worked on in the driveway but they are becoming few and far between. Also our nation is getting older and many senior citizens cannot do their own repairs because of health concerns. The second part of the problem is a good repair shop is getting almost impossible to find it almost seems as if they are not ripping off the motoring public they can’t stay in business, and good service is a thing of the past. Many of you are not old enough to remember the Texaco add where 4 guys come out to fill your tank one to put in gas, one to wash the windows, one to air the tires, and one to check under the hood. I worked in a service station in this era and we never provided that kind of service but it was a more then what you see now.I don’t have an answer for this problem, and I don’t see any relief in the future Hybrid cars are going to be hard to find a shop for let alone do any repairs yourself. There is one bright side tire pressure should no longer be a concern as that is the only thing we will be able to do, no I forgot about nitrogen, well wax the car then, no many finishes do not require wax. There has to be some excuse I can use to go hide in the garage or buy a new tool but I don’t know what it is going to be.

It seems like anytime someone mentions doing a voltage drop check a ton of questions arise. Believe me it is not that difficult. Remember you are only going to check the available voltage from one point in the system to another. Place the positive probe at the supply side and the negative at the other, read the voltage, it will read the amount of voltage lost between the two points. Anything over .10 is too high, most DVOM fluctuate at least .03 at zero. The first time you check a defective wire you will discover how simple it is. The readings are usually over 2 volts or more. If you suspect a battery cable end of causing problems check from the post to the cable and you will see what I mean if it is corroded. This is also a excellent tool the check for a bad battery cable to the starter, older Fords are a main concern here as they require 12+ volts at the starter and are prone to cable problems, but anytime on any model you think you are having a voltage problem this will work. Also if you are searching for a bad ground, more prevalent today than ever before, simply start at a known good ground and the farthest away ground you can find and work your way back.To check supply voltage ground the negative terminal and check the positive terminal of the item. To check for a voltage drop across the load do the same except the positive goes to the ground side. I have never found this test very useful as it is complicated to figure out the correct drop in the item. Don’t forget that many items are also ground side controlled, almost all 5 volt sensors are.

I receive many new topics about no-starts. I find that a lack of information is the greatest problem when trying to diagnosis these no-starts. Just the fact that your vehicle will start is not enough info. Does the engine turn over, does it crank faster than normal if so it may be a timing belt failure. Is the cranking speed slower than normal, what is the condition of the battery and charging system? If possible load test the battery or what is the volts meter reading at the battery and at the starter. Do voltage drop test, more on this later. Do you have spark, always check for spark first as fuel injected vehicles will not supply fuel pressure without spark. Check fuel supply not only pressure but also volume, a quick check is to spray carb cleaner into the throttle body and it may not run but if it is a fuel problem it should try to start. Using caution, if it is performing as it should there will be a lot of pressure and volume, it should fill a pop can in about 2-3 seconds, many times I have felt there was adequate fuel supply but when checked with a the proper test equipment there was a problem. Cranking vacuum is also a tool when trying to diagnosis a no-start. The amount of vacuum is not as important as if there is any vacuum present. As with many other no start tests if you check many of these items when they are performing as they should you will have a baseline. The more info you have the easier it will be to solve the problem and a little luck also helps.

Wife backs her car out this morning and you notice a puddle, not large but none the less a puddle. Upon investigation you decide it is antifreeze. Has to be fixed so the dog doesn’t have it for lunch. So the search begins when she returns home. There are several methods you can use to find the leak depending upon the severity and location. The first is the tried and true searching a hot engine with the cooling system still pressurized. Of course this results in a burn or two from crowded engine compartment. You don’t find a leak. The common method it to pressurize, with a coolant tester, a cold engine, antifreeze leaks with less resistance on a cold engine than hot. Do not exceed the pressure of your cap. You can usually hear the leak if it is too small to locate. While you have the tester out check the cap as many leaks are caused by a cap that does not release pressure correctly, this can also affect the heater worse, if the cap is not holding pressure. My preferred is dye in the cooling system, after running the engine to circulate the dye use a black light to locate the source. It’s amazing how easy a leak is to trace back to its origin by using this method. If the leak is small you may have to run the vehicle or even drive it for a few days to locate the source. Check the cooling system regularly if you have to drive it as today’s cars have a low cooling system capacity. Check first for low coolant when a heating system looses efficiency or has heat at all.

If you have an older rice burner, and are having idle problems. Before getting too involved with the problem check the air duct from the air cleaner to the throttle body.It will usually be worse when put in gear. This is caused by the flex of the engine opening the gap. The hole is usually on the bottom of the tube and it is difficult to find at times. Running your hand over the tube may help or it may have to be removed. It may have to removed to repair it anyway. Duct tape is not a good choice as it will not hold to the material if you also use some contact cement it will stand up better. New ducts are not that expensive and I have usually found a good used one. Other causes are a dirty Idle Air Control, Dirty throttle body if you have to remove the duct I would clean the throttle body as a part of maintaince. More on cleaning the throttle body later. On some models there is also a problem with several filters. A severe vacuum leak can also be the cause but it has to quite large as usually this would increase the idle.

A few emails about replacing the lube in your differentials and transfer case with transmission fluid. This should only be done if you vehicle is designed for lighter fluid use, or you could cause some very expensive to repair damage, 80-90 is still the fluid of choice by most pickup manufactures. Synthetic is the way to go with a total fluid replacement, more expensive but worth it. I have always been impressed with how quiet the drive line is after a synthetic change.Do not overfill the diff or trans as this will cause foaming and again will cause some lubrication problems resulting in repairs. This is a common mistake, a little more will not lubricate more efficiently, this is not the case and the same is true for engine oil. PS Several questions on why the synthetics quiets the drive line when you would think that is is thinner it would be nosier?First it just plain is a more efficient lubricant.It also clings to the gears as they pass out of the lube so they are lubricated as they make first contact on the way down to the lubricant level.

The secret of effective diagnosis and troubleshooting is to have a logical, well-ordered system. Following a logical step-by-step procedure will get you to the root cause of a problem quickly and efficiently. Repair manuals will have a diagnostic tree that goes in a logical progression. It will ask a question, usually yes or no, and depending on the answer will branch off in two or more directions. The last box in the tree will have the problem and how to correct it. The example shown is a simple one. A more complicated system will have branches going into specific tests and then have 2 or more branches from there depending on test results.You will need some basic test equipment to perform your diagnosis. A 12-volt test will tell you if a circuit has power or, when hooked up in reverse, will tell you if a ground circuit is good. A good volt-ohm-meter (VOM) will be needed to perform specific voltage and resistance tests. You can get a good meter at any Radio Shack or Best Buy store. A digital meter is an excellent choice because they are easier to read than an analog meter. I have both digital and analog meters in my toolbox because sometimes an analog meter is best for a certain job. Most VOM’s have an ammeter that will test the alternator output and test for current draws. Make sure the one you buy has it.If you have an older car with a point equipped ignition system, you will need a dwell meter as well to measure and adjust the dwell angle of the points. As with any piece of equipment, read the instructions that come with your meter. It will tell you what the various functions are and how to connect the meter to the circuit for accurate test results. Most meters have a fuse in them to protect them from an incorrect connection. Make sure the one you buy has one and get a couple of spare fuses. You will, at some point, hook it up wrong and be very thankful you have the spares. I know I have.Most of the troubleshooting on today’s cars will be electrical in nature. A good wiring diagram is essential to properly troubleshoot any electrical circuit. They usually come in two parts, a schematic and the wiring diagram. The schematic shows the different components of a system and how they relate to each other. The wiring diagram shows the actual wire colors and connections.For testing the mechanical side of the engine, you will need some more specialized equipment. A vacuum gauge with several adapters can be used to test manifold vacuum and test vacuum operated circuits. A hand vacuum pump is handy for testing vacuum operated components such as EGR valves and heating and air conditioning systems.Once that is done, you need to check the basics. I don’t know how many people get burned looking for a complicated answer when it’s a simple answer. If your house started leaning to the left, you wouldn’t check the roof first. You would check the foundation. Same thing with a car, the foundation has to be sound before you look anywhere else.With a drivability problem, the first thing you should check is the spark plugs. They will tell you a lot about the condition of the engine if you know how to read them. Check to make sure they are the correct plugs for that car. Don’t automatically get the same ones that were in there. Check them. Maybe the guy who tuned it up before you put the wrong ones in. Use AC Delco plugs in GM, Champion in Chrysler, Motorcraft in Fords and NGK’s in Japanese cars.After the spark plugs you need to check the ignition wires, distributor cap and rotor.Sponsored LinksMake sure the plug wires are tight on the plugs and there are no cracks or burns on them. A quick test is while the car is running, spray water from a spray bottle on them. If the car starts to stumble or run rough, or you see sparks arcing, you need new wires. Look inside the distributor cap for cracks and burns. If you see any, replace it. The same goes for the rotor. If the tip is burned out, replace it.If in doubt, replace any of these parts. The cost is small and you will know that they are in good shape to continue troubleshooting. These are the most common causes of misfires and rough engine performance. The next thing to check is the vacuum lines. Make sure they are connected and in good shape. Trace the whole line for cracks, breaks and collapsed areas.Murphy’s Law stipulates that a cracked or broken vacuum line will be in the most hidden place in the car. After that you need to check for loose electrical connections. Unplug the connectors and look at the terminals. Dirty, loose or corroded connections will cause a world of strange symptoms and intermittent problems.Check the filters as well. A new air and fuel filter will solve quite a few drivability problems.Do the same thing for electrical problems. Check the fuses and fusible links first. Check connections to see that they are clean and tight. Check light bulbs to see if they are just burnt out and the correct type. I had a customer bring a car in and said every time he stepped on the brake his dash lights came on. What he did was put the wrong type of bulb in his brake light and it would feed back into the dash. A dishonest mechanic would have had a field day with this one. He would replace the bulb and charge 5 hours labor locating and repairing a short.In short, check all the stupid things first. Don’t take anything for granted. Car won’t start? Check the gas gauge first. That one burned me a couple of times.When you look for an electrical problem look at it from all angles. Literally look at it forward and backwards. Will it be easier to trace from the component to the fuse box or vice versa? If you are tracing a wire, is the connector buried in the dash? Look at the wiring diagram and find another location to make the same test in a more accessible location. You’ll get the same results in a much shorter time.Lastly check the computer for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC’s). For this you will need a scanner or a service manual that explains how to pull the DTC’s up manually. If you get a bad injector circuit code, don’t assume it’s a bad injector. That code is telling you it’s in the injector circuit and that includes the wiring, injectors, dropping resistors (on older EFI cars) and computer. Any one of which will throw that code. Get your wiring diagram out and check the whole circuit. Too many parts get replaced because “the computer said it was the fuel pump.” Don’t get burned buying an expensive part only to have it not fix your problem.When you have found the problem and completed making the repair, check it again. Make sure it is fixed. Sometimes one fault will cause another one that you couldn’t see at first. For example, there is a shorted wire between the injector and the computer. You fix the wire and take it for a ride and it still misses. Well you didn’t see that the shorted wire burned out the injector. When you test the circuit again, you will see that the injector needs to be replaced also. Double-check your diagnosis; double-check your work and double-check the repair.Troubleshooting a problem can be tough, even in the best of circumstances, but by following some simple rules, using the right test equipment properly and some common sense, you will locate and repair most problems with your vehicle yourself.

For some time you have heard me preach to block off the hoses on an ABS system, when depressing calipers, to prevent dirty fluid from entering the ABS controller. Time to amend this statement, be very careful what you use to pinch the hoses. The hoses in the newer vehicles are stiffer and prone to damage from certain tools. I have doubts if any tool is OK to use on some hoses. But if you must use one there are several types of plastic with rounded edges that may be OK to use. 2 other methods one is to remove the bleeder screw and compress the piston slowly may not keep all the fluid from returning but will help, just be sure to not let the system rebound and allow air into the system. This is not a problem for a shop but the average DIY does not have the scanner necessary to bleed brakes on an ABS system. You also can remove the hose but this will require bleeding. But it will also make it easier to replace the brake fluid as I suggest is done on all brake repairs. This is one upsell service I agree with. I have also heard of replacing the fluid before brake work is started therefore eliminating the problem of dirty fluid. Have some doubts about this method as it is difficult to remove all the fluid without the proper scan tool. I have never tried this method but next time I do brake repair i will try to do it without use of the scanner and see what develops, more on this later.

Have doubts about your battery and are leery of going to a parts store to have it checked as they may try to sell you one when yours is OK. A second opinion in some cases may have the same result after all it is there job to sell parts. Take your volt meter and with the caps removed (not all battery caps may be removal) and a fully charged battery, at least 12.9-13.2 volts. Start at the positive end and the positive probe into the first cell and the negative into the second should read 2.2 volts keep moving on towards the negative moving both probes one cell and at the end go to the negative post. Not a fool proof method but at least it will give you a starting point. You can also ,key on engine off, turn on all lights, AC fan on high (I do not recommend turning on wipers as this may scratch your windshield) radio and then check it again with a load. The voltage is not as important as there should be no difference between the cells. If there is then go for the full load test and explain to the parts person that you have already performed a cell test but don’t divulge the results it may help keep them honest

I hate to say it but winter is just around the corner Sept is half over tomorrow. This will be the first of several topics covering getting your vehicle ready for winter.If your car doesn’t start it doesn’t really matter if the coolant is clean or not so let’s cover battery maintance first.With the sealed battery’s in the newer vehicles there is no need to maintain the water level but if you have an older battery and need to add water used distilled do not use well water or any water that contains a lot of minerals this will clog up a battery quickly.Keep the battery clean not just free from corrosion but also dirt and crud. Containments on the top of a battery can cause a parasitic drain.Cleaning the battery is simple remove the negative cable first. If you have a post type never pry up use a flat bladed screwdriver to separate the cable end. Coke does work but a mixture of water and baking soda is best (do not use on older battery’s it may enter the battery causing problems). Plain old soap and water and a medium bristle wire brush work just fine. There are also several different brushes for different connections sold at parts stores. I but a set or two of detail brushes at the cheap tool store these work great I have also used my dremel with a small wire brush. As always wear eye protection and a mask is not a bad idea either. If you have a GM that has two cables mounting to the battery with one bolt be sure to clean in between the connections also the bottom of the face of the bolt on all GMs. Also check the condition of the battery cables are they bubbled up or swollen? Are the grounds connections clean and tight don’t forget the ground connection at the engine? When you are all done spray some clear lacquer on the connections this will help keep them clean and make them easier to clean next time. Not a bad idea to stop by your local parts store and have it tested either.