Category: Car Diagnostics
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Guidelines on Diagnostic trouble code
A Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) indicates a fault possible with any monitored system. The code format is fixed and corresponds to the type of fault. A trouble code will turn on the Check Engine Light (malfunction indicator lamp or MIL) to alert the driver the vehicle has a problem. To diagnose the fault, a code…
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Using a laptop as an automotive scan tool
With the development of the technology, modern automobiles now are all equipped with an On-board Diagnostics system (OBD). There are two kinds of OBD. One is OBD-I, the other is OBD-II. As you can guess OBD-II is an improvement over OBD-I in both capability and standardization. It is an advanced management system that professionals and…
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Useful tire wear analysis
Tire wear can mean a lot of issues, including improper aligned wheels, worn out steering or suspension parts. So, it is important to find the root cause anytime you notice unusual tire wear, if you suspect that the steering or the suspension is the criminal, inspect them thoroughly to find out what’s causing the problem.…
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Dealing with your annoying car emission
For better understanding, before we begin with our topic, I’ll introduce two valves which have very important roles to play in a car’s emission system. They are EGR valve and PCV valve which stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation and Positive Crankcase Ventilation respectively. EGR valve regulates the flow of spent exhaust gas back into the…
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How can I know if it is the time for a wheel alignment?
What is a wheel alignment? An alignment involves adjusting three main angles of your tires to ensure the car is tracking straight, or driving where you point the steering wheel. Over time, your car’s suspension endures enough abuse from the road to shuffle and jostle things out of their original position. Given enough time on…
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My engine misfires, how and why?
To understand fully what an engine misfire is we need to understand what it means. If the engine is running perfect and all of the cylinders are “firing” you could say there is no misfire. Once the air fuel ratio inside the combustion chamber in any of the cylinders gets interrupted, the engine will misfire.…
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How to choose a diagnostic tool that works best for you
People may ask what’s the best car diagnostic tool that actually works? But there isn’t the best or cheapest car diagnostic tool. We should probably already know that there’s no real substitute for the car diagnostic tools that a professional diagnostic technician has at his or her disposal. Those tools, of course, typically consist of…
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Matters that needs attetion in using car diagnostic tools
Automobile diagnostic tools are used to diagnose the engine, brake, vehicle parts and so on. They can be plug into the standardized socket on most vehicles and trucks manufactured after1996. In the fact, using a scan tools can save you many hours of headache in determining the problem with any car. Besides, they are very…
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Does the cooling system really matters?
It is said that perhaps 70 percent of the energy a gasoline engine produced is converted into heat and the heat created by a car driving down the freeway is enough to heat two average-sized houses! Your cooling system takes care of the heat and protects your engine from overheating to avoid inner damage. It…
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Why does my car steering wander?
You are enjoying your drive on a nice, flat interstate. The only annoying thing is that it is windy and you need to saw the steering wheel back and forth, tacking like a sailboat, to stay in your lane. Actually, when you have time to make a short top, you realize there’s no wind, the…