| Editor's Notebook |
 | Editor's Notebook - January 2009
Welcome to Editor's Notebook, our quick-read section containing feedback from readers, small pieces of repair info too small to be a feature article, and anything else that tickles our collective fancy. Think of it as the AFW junk drawer.
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| Vehicle Maintenence |
 | Oil Change Service - Part Two
-by Ralph Birnbaum
Last month we expressed our support for regular oil change services. This month, we want to look at some common oil change mistakes, and list a few additional reasons why extended maintenance intervals can lead to serious problems.
Oil change. Zzzzzzzzzzzz Nodding off? No-brainer, right? In terms of skill level, the oil change is often considered to be an act so simple that any bozo can do it. Inexperienced new-hires at the local repair shop often cut their teeth in the ... |
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| Scope Essentials |
 | Scope Essentials - The Scope Screen
Last month we kicked things off with a look at why the scope provides us with useful information unavailable from other electrical testers. This month, we move on to a discussion of how the scope screen is laid out in divisions that let us accurately measure the two critical components of every waveform: time and voltage.
This series of scope articles is based on excerps from Getting to Know the Automotive Labscope , available for sale in the AFW bookstore for $59.95. Both English and Spanish
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| Onboard Diagnostics |
 | Mode 6 - Part One
I was leery of Mode 6 for a long time. Early on, it wasn't well supported by scan tools, and a lot of the info needed to decode the Mode 6 data wasn't easy to get. It also looked like a sure fire way to complicate simple problems; a distraction when DTCs, datastream, and Freeze Frame are usually enough to diagnose common shorts and opens in sensors and actuators.
Don't get me wrong, the idea is certainly a good one: Mode 6 is designed to display individual test results for non-continuous mo
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| Charging Sysytem Quick Tests |
 | Five Step Charging System Test
by Ralph Birnbaum
Sometimes, you'll be asked to evaluate a battery and charging system, and all you'll have handy is a DMM. In fact, if you are a DIYer and don't own an expensive charging system analyzer, the DMM will have to do.
Fortunately, the relationship between vehicle voltage and amperage is predictable, allowing us to make a fast and accurate assessment of charging system performance, using the vehicle's electrical accessories as a load tester.
The best part of all, is that this ...
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| Affordable Equipment |
 | Homemade Brake Bleeder
I change the brake fluid in all my cars every two years. Hydraulic components last much longer with this regimen, brake lines don't deteriorate internally, and I don't worry about boil/freeze problems caused by high moisture content in the system.
Regular flushing also protects those expensive ABS components.
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| Tool Tips |
 | Tool Crib-Fluke 88 Missing Display Segments
I like my Fluke 88. It has treated me well over the years. Poor thing has been kicked, dropped, drop kicked, and drowned, and keeps on tickin'. Periodically, however, a few of the segments in the LCD display will dim or disappear altogether. When this happens, I clean the LCD contacts to restore all segments.
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