Auto Service Professional - February 2016

February | 2016 | Vol. 6, No. 1

O2 sensor

heaters

BRAKE TECH TPMS PROFITS DIAGNOSTIC CHALLENGES

February | 2016 | Vol. 6, No. 1

The Technicals

Oxygen sensor heaters Page 14 | How do you know if that heater fault code is real?

Complete brake service tips Page 22 | Service guidelines to aid in your diagnosis

Profting from TPMS service Page 40 | Emphasize safety and create value in the minds of consumers

Some diagnostics hurt your brain...

Page 52 | Fixing diffcult and perplexing problems

Departments Straight Talk Doing the right thing | Page 4

Quik-Link Your connection to free information | Page 60

Technical Service Bulletins From an Audi fap to an abused power outlet | Page 8

Tool Review Sonic CV boot clamp tool | Page 63

Tech tips From brake service to crank pulley bolts | Page 59

The Toy Chest New and innovative equipment for your tool chest and shop | Page 65

3 | February 2016

Straight Talk

Doing the right thing Mike Mavrigian | Editor

Y

ears ago, I wrote an article for our sister publication Modern Tire Dealer.

I had the opportunity to spend a bit of time with the folks who ran a community-help program that was conducted by a tire dealer in cooperation with a local radio station, all based in a western New York state metropolitan area. The program was called “Captain Friendly.”

A full-size van, emblazoned with the tire dealer’s name, was provided by the dealer and driven by one of its technicians. The van cruised the freeways in and around the town, constantly on the lookout for stranded motorists. A radio station’s traffc helicopter also few around the area, providing traffc reports and helping to spot stranded vehicles. The helicopter was manned by an experienced ex-military chopper pilot and a local police offcer who provided the traffc reports. Once the chopper spotted a motorist in distress, the offcer radioed the tire dealer’s van with the location. The van then pulled up to the vehicle and offered assistance. This may have involved an out-of-fuel problem, a blown tire or other malady.

In addition to a selection of tools and miscellaneous parts, the van carried spare gas, which was provided free to the motorist. If a failed tire was the issue, the tech would change the wheel and tire (assuming the stranded driver had a spare). Basically, the tech would help in any way he could to get the vehicle back onto the road. If the problem was one that could not be addressed roadside, the tech called a tow

truck and waited with the motorist until the truck arrived.

While motorists weren’t pressured to have the vehicle towed to the tire dealer’s location, in most cases, that’s where the vehicle was towed, primarily because the motorist would be so impressed by the good-Samaritan approach that he or she felt comfortable in having their vehicle repaired at the dealer’s shop.

Bear in mind that this was before everyone had a cell phone. When a driver was forced to pull over to the roadside, if they couldn’t fx the problem on their own, they were simply stuck, hoping that a police car would happen upon their emergency.

All of the tire dealer’s roadside help was provided free of charge. Naturally, any repairs performed at the tire dealer’s shop would be charged in the normal fashion.

My time in the van involved stopping to aid six stranded motorists, with issues ranging from blown tires, to out of gas, to an engine overheat. Cars were refueled

4 | February 2016

Circle 101 on Reader Service Card

Straight Talk with enough gas to get them safely to a gas station. In all three tire failure cases, emergency spare tires were installed, with each motorist immediately driving to the tire dealer for a new replacement. An engine overheat was temporarily addressed with a hose repair and a coolant top off, with that driver immediately going to the same tire dealer’s shop for a cooling system inspection and subsequent repairs.

I spent two days with the team, one day in the van with the technician and one day in the helicopter. Aside from a brief experience in a Huey while I was in ROTC back in my college days, this was my frst time in a small helicopter (a Bell Jet Ranger chopper designed for two people, with my hapless butt crammed in the middle between the pilot and traffc cop).

My day in the chopper was a memorable experience. The day was severely overcast, with high winds and driving rain. The chopper was violently tossed around like a terrier shaking a rat. The pilot was cool and

Circle 102 on Reader Service Card

calm, deftly working the collective and tail rotor, while I mustered every bit of effort to keep from barfng all over the cockpit.

The public-assistance program conducted by that tire dealer was impressive. Not only did they provide a great service to those in need, but they generated a huge amount of positive exposure for the shop. Every one of those who were helped was extremely grateful, and eagerly spread word-of-mouth praise for the dealer. Today in my area, there is an insurance company that patrols the streets using an SUV offering roadside assistance. You can bet its name has gotten a lot of good exposure from the company’s logo on the side of the vehicle.

Granted, not all shops may be capable of providing such a service, but it’s something to consider. Such a program is a win-win for everyone involved. Plus, the warm and fuzzy feeling that you get from helping someone in distress is something that you never forget, knowing that you did the right thing when it mattered. ●

6 | February 2016

Circle 103 on Reader Service Card

Technical Service Bulletins Audi AUDI FLAP This bulletin applies to 2006-2008 and later Audi TT models. One or more of the following DTCs may be stored in the ECM data memory: – P0642 (sensor voltage circuit A, low voltage) – P2004 (intake manifold runner control bank 1, stuck open) – P2008 (intake fap for airfow control, electrical malfunction) – P3137 (intake manifold runner control circuit bank 1, basic settings nor carried out) – P3138 (intake fap for airfow control, control difference) The intake fap motor V157 or intake manifold runner position sensor G336 may be inoperative (both are included in one single unit).

If the part number of the actuator is 06F 133 482 (model year 2005) or 06F 133 482E (model year 2006 and later), no further work is required. These are the update part numbers.

If intake fap motor V157 (06F 133 482 or 06F 133 482E) is not installed, replace the intake fap motor and perform basic setting Channel 142.

level, a “check engine oil level” may message appears on the MID or the navigation screen. The low oil pressure indicator on the instrument panel may also be on.

The probable cause is a faulty oil pressure switch. The new switch is available as P/N 37240-R72-A01. The O-ring is P/N 91319-R70-A01.

1. Start the engine and turn the steering wheel fully to the right and shut the engine off.

2. Raise the vehicle on a hoist.

3. For easier removal of the engine oil pressure switch, disconnect the rocker arm oil pressure switch connector.

4. Disconnect the engine oil pressure switch connector and remove the pressure switch.

5. Remove any liquid gasket from in or around the switch hole.

6. Apply a very thin layer of liquid gasket to the threads of the new switch and install a new O-ring. Install the new switch, torquing to 13 ft.-lbs.

7. Reconnect the engine oil pressure switch connector and the rocker arm oil pressure switch connector.

The updated fap motor V157 should be installed on 2006-2008 TT models.

Honda BLAME THE SWITCH This bulletin applies to 2009-2011 Honda Ridgeline models. With a normal engine oil

8 | February 2016

3515 Massillon Rd., Suite 350, Uniontown, OH 44685 (330) 899-2200, fax (330) 899-2209 Website: www.autoserviceprofessional.com Editor: Mike Mavrigian Mike.Mavrigian@bobit.com Managing Editor: Lori L. Mavrigian Lori.Mavrigian@bobit.com Senior Editor: Joy Kopcha Joy.Kopcha@bobit.com Associate Editor: Ann Neal Ann.Neal@bobit.com Contributors: Bob Weber/Automotive Technical Writer Jeff Taylor/Diagnostics & Driveability Specialist Bob Rodriguez/Hybrid & Alternative Fuel Specialist Jacques Gordon/Technical Contributor Advisory Board: Dan Paddy/Dan Paddy Service, Seville, OH Frank Dannemiller/Mobile Service & Repair Co., Wadsworth, OH Bob Fall/Fall Automotive Machine, Toledo, OH Scott Gressman/Gressman Powersports, Fremont, OH Ken Styer/Ohio Technical College, Cleveland, OH Greg McConiga/O’Daniel Automotive Restorations, Ft. Wayne, IN Art Director: Neal Weingart Neal.Weingart@bobit.com Production Manager: Karen Runion Karen.Runion@bobit.com Publisher: Greg Smith Greg.Smith@bobit.com Sales: Dan Thornton djtinc@gmail.com (734) 676-9135, mobile (313) 410-0945 Michele Vargo Michele.Vargo@bobit.com (330) 899-2200, fax (330) 899-2209 Marianne Dyal, The Dyal Company Marianne.Dyal@bobit.com (760) 451-9216 Customer Service/Subscription Service phone: (888) 239-2455 / fax; (888) 274-4580 email: bobitpubs@halldata.com

Auto Service Professional is a Bobit Publication Executive offces: 3520 Challenger St. Torrance, CA 90503 Chairman (1961-2014): Edward J. Bobit CEO & President: Ty F. Bobit Chief Financial Offcer: Armand Del Duca VP & COO: Cyndy Drummey

10 | February 2016

Technical Service Bulletins Other modules may set U0208 (loss of communication with MSM).

Engineering is aware of this concern and is working on a long-term resolution. In the meantime, the memory seat module logic fuse can be removed for at least 10 seconds.

This action will remove power from the MSM and reset the module. After the module has been reset, power seat and mirror function will return.

Ford GTDI WASTEGATE ISSUE Some 2012-2013 Ford Edge and Explorer vehicles equipped with the 2.0L GTDI (gasoline turbocharged direct injection) engine may exhibit DTC P1015 or P1016.

1. Inspect all hoses routed to the turbocharger wastegate regulating valve solenoid for disconnection or damage. Repair as needed.

2. If no hose problem is found, replace the turbocharger wastegate regulating valve solenoid. Torque the two 8 mm retaining bolts to 90 in.-lbs. If equipped, remove the shield covering the flter and discard.

The new turbocharger wastegate regulating valve solenoid is available as P/N CB5Z-9E882-A.

Dodge and Jeep HOT MOPAR This bulletin applies to 2010 Dodge Caliber, Journey, Avenger, Sebring and Jeep Compass/Patriot vehicles equipped with a 2.4L engine, built before April 20, 2010.

If the concern involves no A/C above 50 mph and/or the engine running hot/overheating, inspect the primary thermostat housing for a resin material debris blocking the cylinder head coolant port.

Removing the restriction will correct the issue.

Audi ABUSED POWER OUTLET

Cadillac CADDY GRIPE Some owners of 2014 Cadillac CTS sedans may comment that the power driver seat is inoperative. They may also complain that the power outside mirror is inoperative. Do not replace the memory seat module (MSM) for this concern.

Using the GDS2, request DTC information from the memory seat module. It may report “no communication” with the MSM.

According to Audi, with regard to 2009 Cabriolet A4 models, if the cigarette lighter/12-volt accessory outlet will not heat, the retaining tabs in the lighter socket are pushed out too far from the socket to hold the lighter element in place for the heating process. Generally, this is caused by using the lighter socket as a power outlet for accessories such as cell phone chargers, radar detectors, etc. Remove the cigarette lighter fuse and remove the heater element. Using a fat blade screwdriver, bend the retaining tabs inward. Reinstall and test. ●

13 | February 2016

Powerplant

Oxygen sensor heaters

How do you know if that heater fault code is real?

By Jacques Gordon Jacques Gordon has worked in the automotive industry for 40-plus years as a service technician, lab technician, trainer and technical writer. His began his writing career writing service manuals at Chilton Book Co. He currently holds ASE Master Technician and L1 certifcations and has participated in ASE test writing workshops.

To understand the heater in an AFR sensor, it will help to review how an oxygen sensor works. There are three types of oxygen sensors: the passive Nernst cell, the powered titania sensor and the AFR or wide-band oxygen sensor.

The basic oxygen sensor is based on the Nernst cell, named for the German physicist who developed the equations that defne how it works. In physical chemistry, a hen the check engine light is on Nernst cell is a semi-permeable wall made and the scan tool displays oxygen of a material that conducts ions. Electrical sensor codes, you already suspect contacts are attached to each side of the that the real problem might be something wall. When there are different concentraother than the oxygen sensor. When the tions of the same gas on either side of the codes indicate a problem with the oxygen wall, a voltage is generated. sensor heater, that narrows the possibilities In a standard O2 sensor, the cell wall is a quite a bit. However, if it’s Sensor 1, even if thin wafer of zirconia that reacts to different concentrations of oxygen in an engine’s you determine the circuits and power supply are good, simply installing a new sensor hot exhaust stream (660 degrees Fahrenheit isn’t a complete fx because the powertrain or 350 degrees Celsius). When there is a high concentration of oxygen on one side control module (PCM) won’t automatically work with the new sensor heater. They must of the wafer and a low concentration on the other, the oxygen on the “high” side will be introduced to each other frst. cause ions to fow through the wafer to the The air/fuel ratio sensor (AFR), also called a wide-band oxygen sensor, was frst “low-oxygen” side. The fow of ions creates a voltage that’s picked up by the electrodes introduced about 15 years ago, and since about 2005 it’s Sensor 1 in just about every attached to each side of the wafer. This type of sensor can generate about 1 volt, engine. An oxygen sensor only indicates and it’s completely passive. whether the engine is running rich or lean The sensor’s zirconia wafer is shaped of stoichiometric (lambda = 1), while the like a thimble, and the outside wall is AFR sensor actually measures the amount exposed to exhaust gas while the inside of oxygen in the exhaust. This allows the wall is exposed to ambient air. One elecPCM to precisely control the engine’s air/ fuel ratio rather than just correct for a rich trode is attached to the sensor body so it’s grounded at the exhaust pipe. That means or lean mixture. The AFR sensor is a very that only one wire is needed to send the sophisticated measuring device that must voltage signal to the PCM. A hollow sheath be kept at a constant temperature to meaaround that wire provides outside reference sure accurately, so the heater is critical to air to the inside of the thimble. its operation.

W

14 | February 2016

Courtesy of Robert Bosch Corp.

Powerplant

In comparison to thimble and planar types, the wide-band sensor (bottom) produces a current signal that the PCM converts to a voltage signal for diagnostics.

A titania sensor is very different. When heated, the electrical resistance of titania changes as the concentration of oxygen surrounding it changes. A titania sensor does not generate voltage... it changes the output voltage of the current fowing through it.

The sensor element is a fat wafer with electrodes on either side, so it’s sometimes called a “planar” sensor. The PCM supplies a constant reference voltage to one electrode and measures the voltage drop through the element at the other electrode. Since the reference voltage is typically 5 volts or higher, this sensor produces a nice fat signal that reacts much faster than a Nernst cell, and it doesn’t need reference air either, so it’s smaller and less vulnerable to contamination. But like the zirconia sensor,

the output signal is not linear; it rises or falls sharply on either side of stoichiometry, so it’s still only capable of indicating a rich or lean air/fuel ratio.

Air/fuel ratio sensors have a Nernst cell and a second cell right next to it called an “oxygen pump” or pump cell. The two cells are built on a fat strip of zirconia, so it’s sometimes called a “planar” oxygen sensor.

Be careful not to confuse it with the titania sensor.

Just like the basic O2 sensor, the Nernst (sample) cell generates a voltage when there’s very little oxygen in the exhaust.

However, instead of using that voltage signal for fuel control, it’s sent to a control circuit that operates the pump cell, which is basically another Nernst cell operated

15 | February 2016

Powerplant in reverse. When current is applied to the pump cell, oxygen ions fow out of it and into the sample cell. A controller supplies current to the pump cell, and it’s programmed to keep the output of the sample cell at 450 millivolts. This creates a closedloop control system, and the PCM simply monitors the amount of current supplied to the pump cell to know how much oxygen is in the exhaust.

In addition to being extremely fast, this type of sensor can actually measure the amount of oxygen in the exhaust over a very wide range rather than just detect a rich/lean condition. This allows the PCM to control air/fuel ratio over a range from 10.3-to-1 (rich) to about 23-to-1 (lean).

In earlier AFR sensors, the sheath around the wiring harness forms a sealed conduit that supplies ambient air to the pump cell.

These sensors are vulnerable to contamination, especially if the sheath is damaged (that’s one reason we’re told not to repair the wiring harness).

Newer AFR sensors are confgured differently so the sheath is no longer needed.

These sensors are different from each other and require different control circuits, so they’re not interchangeable.

Sensor heaters Basic four-wire O2 sensors are still used as catalyst monitors and labeled sensor S2 on bank 1 or bank 2 (B1S2 or B2S2). The heater brings the sensor up to operating temperature quickly so it can begin working as soon

as possible. The PCM monitors the heater circuits continuously, checking resistance for an open circuit or short to ground.

If a problem is detected, the PCM will set a code and turn on the malfunction indicator light (MIL), but the sensor can still produce a signal if the exhaust gas keeps it hot enough.

AFR sensors might also produce a signal without the heater, but that signal would be completely useless because it’s not voltage... it’s a measure of the current sent to the oxygen pump. Temperature affects resistance and resistance affects current fow, so the sensor’s fat zirconia strip must be held at a constant temperature to generate an accurate signal. The sensor is heated to about 1,200 degrees F (650 degrees C), double the temperature of a basic heated oxygen sensor.

Sensor heaters can draw a lot of current, so battery voltage is usually supplied directly to the heaters through a relay and a fuse. The heaters’ ground circuit is controlled by the PCM. A basic four-wire sensor heater is usually turned on all the time, but the AFR heater’s ground circuit is pulse width-modulated to keep the temperature constant regardless of exhaust gas temperature.

There is no temperature sensor in these heaters, so how does the PCM keep the AFR sensor at a constant temperature? Remember that temperature affects resistance, so the PCM can calculate the sensor’s temperature by monitoring the resistance in

Stay current on lambda, titania and AFR sensors A regular oxygen (lambda) sensor signal rises and falls as the A/F ratio toggles between rich (high) and lean (low). A titania sensor signal also toggles rich/lean, but lean is high and rich is low. The AFR sensor signal does not toggle between rich and lean because it does not

produce a voltage signal.

It produces a current signal that the PCM uses to maintain a specifc air/fuel mixture.

However, when reporting oxygen sensor readings for on-board diagnostics or for a scan tool, the PCM mathematically converts that current signal to a voltage

16 | February 2016

signal. At stoichiometry, the oxygen sensor PID will hover near 3.3 volts. If the PCM commands a rich mixture for acceleration, there is very little oxygen in the exhaust and the sensor PID will be less than 3.3 volts. A lean mixture will produce a PID above 3.3 volts.

Circle 104 on Reader Service Card

Courtesy of Robert Bosch Corp.

Powerplant

Courtesy of Snap-on Solus Ultra

the heater circuit. General Motors (GM) calls this Resistance Calculated Oxygen Sensor Heater Temperature (RCOHT). The same principal is used to measure coolant temperature, but in this application the measurements must be extremely fast and infnitely more precise.

The heater circuit has a calibration resistor built into the wiring harness or sensor connector.

When the sensor is frst installed and connected, the PCM is commanded to read the resistance in the (cold) heater circuit to know the calibration of that resistor. It will then use that resistance value to calculate

the sensor’s actual temperature under all conditions.

Even with a calibration resistor, the heater’s resistance varies by a few hundredths of an ohm from one AFR sensor to another.

That’s why the PCM and the AFR sensor heater must be calibrated to each other.

That’s also why there is no heater resistance specifcation, so measuring heater resistance is not a good way to confrm a good/ bad oxygen sensor heater. In addition, that’s the other reason we’re told not to repair an AFR sensor’s wiring harness; the resistance might change.

When replacing an air/fuel ratio sensor, you’ll need a scan tool capable of commanding the PCM to relearn the sensor heater’s resistance.

On some models, simply clearing the trouble codes and turning off the MIL will do the job. Some scan tools won’t enter the clear-code mode if no codes exist. In that case, just turn on the ignition and disconnect any convenient sensor to create a code. On some On this 2013 Honda Acura 2.4L engine with the scan tool reading models the relearn must enhanced (OEM) data, the air/fuel sensor signal is reported as be done with the sensor both voltage and current. It is interesting to note that they don’t at ambient temperature. cycle up and down when the rpm is steady.

18 | February 2016

Circle 105 on Reader Service Card

On many GM models it can be done with When certain faults are detected, such the sensor hot, and the PCM will relearn the as high current draw in the heater circuit, real value at the next cold-start. the PCM will suspend heater operation to protect itself. This can be a challenge to Heater monitors diagnose correctly, because if the PCM does When chasing sensor heater codes, frst not ground the heater circuit, it can be make sure the heater monitors have run. hard to tell if the problem is in the circuit On most models it’s the frst monitor to or the PCM. run, and the other monitors might not run Here’s a test you won’t fnd in any service if that one doesn’t or if it fails. Typically manual. Unplug the sensor and connect that monitor will run during a 40 mph to a small light bulb to the heater circuit. A 50 mph cruise with the engine at normal side-marker bulb will do nicely, and make operating temperature, but the monitor sure you’re connected to the heater circuit enabling criteria are different for each manufacturer, so it’s important to look that up in the service information.

The PCM monitors the oxygen sensor heater circuits for both voltage and current.

On most models, the voltage monitor runs continuously and the current monitor runs at least once per drive cycle after specifc With the scan tool reading enhanced (OEM) data on a 2013 Acura, the enabling criteria are tool reports heater duty cycle and sensor plus/minus signal voltage. met. Newer Chrysler Control current for the oxygen pump cell can fow in either direction models are a little depending on what’s required to keep AF lambda at 1.00. different; the heater monitor runs after a complete (defned) and not the sensor circuit. Clear the codes drive cycle with the engine off and coolant and turn off the MIL, then turn on the ignitemperature has decreased more than 60 tion switch. degrees F (16 degrees C).

If the bulb lights or pulses, the circuit has The voltage monitor simply checks for power and the PCM is attempting to operate battery voltage in the heater circuit. The the heater. current monitor checks to see if current The generic OBD-II codes for oxygen in the circuit is within a specifc range. sensor heater malfunctions are useful, Depending on the model, it can range anyand the manufacturer-specifc codes are where from 0.2 amps up to about 8 amps or even more helpful. Still, the real challenge more. is telling the difference between a failed Most manufacturers list that spec in sensor and a faulty PCM. their service information, so you can The key to that is understanding the check heater current yourself with a curcontrol strategy, diagnostic monitors and rent probe. On AFR sensors, you can also enabling criteria, so start by looking up the see heater current duty cycle with an amp description and operation and searching for probe and a DVOM or with a scope, but you TSBs in your service information system. probably won’t fnd a specifcation.

Then proceed with confdence. ●

20 | February 2016

Courtesy of Snap-on Solus Ultra

Powerplant

Circle 106 on Reader Service Card

Photo courtesy of Advics North America Inc.

The Chassis

Brake rotor temperatures can rise to extreme levels during braking. The example shown here depicts extreme rotor heat testing at Advics’ testing facility. During extreme braking conditions, rotors can experience upwards of 1,200 to 1,400 degrees F.

Complete brake service tips Service guidelines to aid in your diagnosis

By Mike Mavrigian

B

rake service requires more than simply replacing rotors and pads. Rather than repairing the obvious issue(s), we need to determine the cause of the concerns to avoid repeating the problem.

Taking the time to inspect the system will

avoid comebacks and result in a satisfed customer. This brief article provides service guidelines as well as a variety of tips to aid in your diagnosis.

Pre-installation wash We’ve addressed this in the past, and will continue to do so. Whether you’re dealing

22 | February 2016

The Chassis with new or used rotors, always clean the disc surfaces thoroughly. While spray brake cleaning solvent is viable and certainly helps to remove surface contaminants, it’s best to hand-wash and scrub the discs with a mix of hot water and Dawn dish washing liquid and a bristle brush. The Dawn brand specifcally seems to work best for removing oils and particles from the machined surfaces. You can certainly follow up with brake cleaning solvent, but don’t rely on the solvent alone. Seriously, wash with Dawn and then dry. Even leading rotor manufacturers recommend the use of Dawn.

Drilled or slotted rotors You may wonder why some rotors are drilled with a series of holes and/or feature slots that have been machined into the disc surfaces. This approach was initially developed in aircraft and most notable motorsports applications. Cross-drilled holes or slots improve brake “bite” while allowing gasses that are created between the pad

The machined grooves seen on this Dodge Charger police car aid in self-cleaning the pads. The increased surface area created by the grooves also helps to dissipate rotor heat.

and disc to evacuate (think of tires with tread designs that prevent hydroplaning on a wet road).

In addition, the holes or slots help to clean

Rotor cleanliness is an absolute must when performing a new rotor and pad installation. The disc surfaces must be cleansed of all oils and particulates. Washing and scrubbing with hot water and Dawn dish washing liquid is highly recommended.

23 | February 2016

The Chassis

Rotors that feature cross-drilled holes and grooves are designed to reduce hydro-gassing between the pads and disc surfaces, as well as aid in pad debris removal. These features can promote superior braking by reducing gas buildup and increasing the coeffcient of friction.

the surfaces, reducing pad material buildup on the machined disc surfaces. Slotted rotors (with no cross-drilled holes) offer a more aggressive pad bite and greater strength (a prime consideration for racing conditions), while holes are a bit more “pad friendly.�

A combination of holes and slots are a good compromise for superior braking and extended pad life. In case you wondered, holes and/or slots are not for appearance only. They do serve a function, providing the placement and size of the holes/slots have been properly engineered for a given application.

Never modify a rotor. If the customer

wants drilled or slotted rotors, buy them as needed. Holes and/or slots are precision machined. Trying this on your own can lead to disc fractures and out-of-balance conditions.

Rotor runout Whenever servicing used rotors, always take the time to make a few measurements, even if the customer hasn’t complained about a bouncing brake pedal. Measure lateral runout, disc thickness and measure for thickness variation.

Poorly machined or abused rotors, or rotors that have been warped as a result

24 | February 2016

Circle 107 on Reader Service Card

The Chassis

In order to conduct lateral runout and thickness measurements, a dial indicator and thickness gauge are mandatory. The dial indicator requires a mount that will attach rigidly to a nonmoving surface, such as the fexible-locking mount shown here. While a common micrometer can be used to measure thickness, a specialty rotor thickness caliper such as the one shown here features one pointed anvil and an opposing fat anvil, for more accurate measurement.

of uneven or over-tightening of the wheel fasteners, can easily create a pulsating brake pedal. Aside from the annoying feel of this, if the pedal is pulsating/bouncing, this means that the pads are not in a consistent full contact with the disc surface, which results in a varying contact patch between the disc and pad, which reduces braking effciency. Measuring lateral runout is a simple process, and there’s no reason to avoid the task.

With the wheel removed, install all of the wheel fasteners to secure the rotor to the hub. Installing only two or three fasteners can result in an erroneous runout reading.

This is especially critical when dealing with thin-hat rotors. Uneven and incomplete defection at the hub can easily result in warped discs that display excessive runout.

Always install and fully torque to

specifcation all of the wheel’s fasteners.

In order to avoid damaging the nut seat surfaces, it’s also a good idea to install conical washers between the nuts and rotor hat surfaces.

As an example, by installing only two nuts on a fve-bolt hub, you might obtain a runout reading of, say, 0.005-inch. By installing three nuts the reading might be 0.003-inch. But by installing all fve, the reading may be 0.002-inch, which would be within spec.

Mount a dial indicator to a stationary area that doesn’t move in relation to wheel rotation (frame, strut, etc.). Dial indicator mounts are available with magnetic bases or clamp-on designs. Position the dial indicator’s plunger at 90 degrees to the disc surface, and push the plunger in to provide about 0.050-inch preload. Then zero the

26 | February 2016

Circle 108 on Reader Service Card

Photo courtesy of Raybestos Brakes

The Chassis

Whenever checking rotors for lateral runout, always install all wheel fasteners and torque to specifcation. Installing only a few fasteners can easily result in a mis-reading that can indicate a runout issue where none exists. You must duplicate the installed wheel condition.

gauge face. The plunger should feature a small roller bearing at the tip to provide a consistent reading. The plunger tip should be placed about 1/2-inch inboard from the outer edge of pad contact. Slowly rotate the rotor and locate the low spot, then zero the gauge again.

Using a Sharpie, make a reference mark on the disc at the lowest reading location.

Slowly rotate the rotor, observing the gauge, noting the highest reading. The difference represents the amount of runout.

Vehicle manufacturer specifcations may vary, but as a rule of thumb, the maximum allowable runout is about 0.002-inch to 0.001-inch for most applications.

Depending on the rotor design, you may be able to correct for runout using an

on-car lathe, or you may need to simply replace the rotor. However, before replacing a rotor that you suspect of having excess runout, make a matchmark on the rotor hat and a corresponding wheel stud, then remove the rotor and reinstall at the next clockwise position and re-check runout.

You may have a situation where tolerances between the rotor and the hub are creating the excess runout. Continue to relocate the rotor on the hub, checking runout with each change.

You may be able to install the rotor with the high point of the rotor aligned with the low point of hub runout.

Measure disc thickness, but avoid making any decision based on only one measurement location. Measure for disc thickness in

28 | February 2016

Circle 109 on Reader Service Card

Photo courtesy of Raybestos Brakes

The Chassis

Seen here is a specialty micrometer designed for rotor thickness measurement. The combination of one pointed and one fat anvil provides a more accurate measurement as opposed to a traditional micrometer that has two opposing fat anvils.

eight locations. Refer to the minimum service limit (this should be visible on the rear cavity of the rotor hat). Even if one measurement location is within the allowable thickness, measuring for thickness variation at several spots may locate a thickness that is too close to minimum. This is sort of a

double-check of fndings that result from checking runout.

Generally speaking, allowable thickness variation should be no more than 0.0002inch (some OEs may spec a tolerance range of 0.001-inch to as little as 0.0004-inch).

It’s best to monitor both runout and thickness variation at the same time.

Checking lateral runout and thickness variation applies to all vehicle applications, and should not be limited only to vehicles that exhibit a brake pulsation issue.

Hot spots

All rotors should indicate minimum acceptable thickness, as this example that displays a 16 mm minimum thickness.

In the days of old (not that long ago), brake pads were made of relatively soft materials that contained asbestos and other material mixes. They tended to wear the rotor evenly. Today, many pad materials contain ceramic, designed to transfer a

30 | February 2016

Circle 110 on Reader Service Card

The Chassis

Ideally, if rotor disc resurfacing is required, this should be accomplished with an on-car lathe.

This eliminates variables such as potential hub runout. Once machined, the rotor must always be installed in the same clock position. If an on-car lathe is used, be sure to place matchmarks on the rotor hat and hub to avoid stack-up of lateral runout.

small amount of pad material to the rotor.

If the rotor has no excess runout, the transfer is evenly deposited on the disc

Cleaning rotor hat faces by removing rust buildup is critical to promote a fush-mount of the wheel to reduce the chances of lateral wheel runout, but caution is needed. The use of a wire brush is a safe option, while using a power tool and an abrasive disc requires great care, since a too-aggressive approach can cause an uneven surface and resulting runout.

face. If the rotor has excessive runout, the transfer takes place unevenly, resulting in higher build-up at the point(s) of higher runout. This results in varying degrees of friction between the pad and rotor (causing a “slip-stick�).

The excess, or uneven buildup, can also be caused by improper caliper piston return, rusted or sticking caliper slides or even worn/loose hub bearings. If you see uneven bluing wear on the discs, suspect this uneven pad transfer, resulting from too much runout or the aforementioned caliper issues.

Remember: Excessive rotor runout can be caused by worn or loose hub bearings and may not be caused by the rotor itself.

Rotor coatings Everyone can agree that a rusty rotor hat looks horrible on vehicles that feature wheels that allow the rotors to be visible.

Yes, you can paint the rotor hats with a high temperature paint (paints are available

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A cracked rotor indicates a poorly manufactured rotor that was improperly cast with impurities and or poorly heat treated. This is yet another reason to avoid bargain-basement rotors.

that are designated as “brake paint”), but I’ve tried several brands and have never had long-term success. Eventually, surface rust will appear.

Today, various rotor manufacturers offer rotors that feature coated hats (coatings vary; some are powder coated, some are ceramic coated, and some are coated with a “proprietary” process) that does provide long-term rust prevention.

Calipers Obviously, caliper pistons must be compressed in order to allow room for the installation of new pads. Avoid using large

channel lock pliers to push a piston. This can cause the piston to slightly cock in its bore, and you stand a chance of burring the piston contact face. Always use a dedicated piston compressor tool that provides a full-width fat face against the piston. In cases where the original pads have been severely worn down to minimum thickness, the piston(s) have been operating beyond their intended bore path. Foreign material, road debris, rust, etc., can build up on the piston walls. Pushing the piston fully back into its bore can result in lodging debris in the bore, resulting in a sticking piston that isn’t able to freely travel within its bore.

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Extreme-duty emergency vehicles require optimum braking performance and consistent reliability. Whenever servicing any emergency vehicle, such as a police car, don’t scrimp on rotors or pads... always use the specifc materials specifed for the application.

In cases where pads have been allowed to wear dangerously thin, closely inspect the piston(s) and boots. If the pistons cannot freely run through the intended bore path, it’s best to simply replace the caliper. Of course, rebuilding is often an option, but considering the relatively reasonable price of reman calipers as opposed to the labor involved in rebuilding in-shop, replacing the calipers is usually the best route both in terms of expense and shop time.

Before rebuilding or installing new or reman calipers, always check the bleed valve frst, to verify that it threads easily.

You want to avoid going through the time involved in caliper and pad installation only to fnd out that you have a problem with the bleed valve as you begin to bleed the system. Also, check the hex size of all bleeder valves before you begin installation. It’s common, especially for some

remanufactured calipers, to have bleed valves that feature a different hex size.

Knowing that you have the correct line wrench(s) handy from the start will save time and aggravation.

In some cases, during the remanufacturing process, correcting damaged bleed valve female threads may have resulted in re-machining to a larger size, which may change the size of the hex (for example, original calipers may have featured bleed valves that require a 10 mm line wrench, but the reman caliper may feature a bleed valve hex size of 5/16-inch, etc.). Check this from the start to avoid the need to travel back and forth to your tool chest.

Sliding calipers that ride on smooth-wall guide pins must be inspected for cleanliness and smooth engagement of the pins to their bores. If guide pin boots are damaged, this is a clear indication that the pins are

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The Chassis probably scored or rusty. Simply replace with new pins and new boots, applying a thin coat of high-temperature caliper pin grease prior to installation. Never install guide pins dry. If a caliper is not properly aligned to the rotor, this can result in dragging brakes. Caliper misalignment is usually caused by a distorted caliper bracket or severely warped rotors.

Master cylinders When you encounter a low, sinking or spongy brake pedal, one suspect is the master cylinder.

The cylinder may be bypassing, allowing fuid to leak past the piston seals internally, preventing a pressure buildup. This applies to all vehicles.

Master cylinders feature lip cup seals. This Calipers that feature pistons on opposing sides, such as the fourpiston caliper shown here, feature a fxed mounting position and do design allows for the slide on a bracket. If uneven pad wear is found with a fxedseal to improve as the not mount caliper, suspect one bank of pistons for sticking issues. Also pressure increases. check the pad backing plate clearance to determine if one pad is Another feature of dragging on its guides, preventing proper pad alignment and return. this seal is that it does not create a vacuum when the piston procedure for master cylinders is done at retracts. low pressure. Lip cup seals are more likely As the pedal is depressed, the piston is to fail under low pressure. pushed in the forward direction. The lip cup Perform an isolation test. Use the proper seal, attached to the primary piston, gener- tool that won’t damage the fexible hydraulic ates pressure in the primary chamber frst, brake hose, clamp off all brake hoses. Press which in turn, forces the secondary piston down on the brake pedal, and if the pedal is forward, building pressure in the secondary low or spongy, remove the brake lines from chamber. As the pressure increases in both the master cylinder, and install threaded chambers, the edges of the seal are pressed plugs in the outlets (not plastic plugs). against the bore of the master cylinder. As Press down on the brake pedal and release pressure increases, sealing is improved. the pedal and wait approximately 10 seconds.

In the manufacturing process, the testing This allows the quick take-up valve to open

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Circle 112 on Reader Service Card

Photo courtesy of Raybestos Brakes

The Chassis

Prior to replacing pads, the caliper pistons must be retracted in order to provide room for the new and thicker pads. Never use channel pliers directly against the piston surfaces. Place a spare pad against the pistons and use a C-clamp to compress, or use a dedicated piston compressor tool that engages the pistons with a fat plate.

and the air to escape through the master cylinder compensating port, and the fuid in the reservoir to enter the bore of the master cylinder. Once air stops coming up into the reservoir, or the pedal becomes frm, apply light pressure to the pedal, and observe if the pedal continues toward the foor.

When the master cylinder ports are plugged, and the air is bled out of the bore, the pedal should be high and hard under low pedal or high pedal effort. If the pedal sinks under either condition, the seal is damaged and the master cylinder should be replaced.

ABS glitch after hub replacement?

Here’s a useful tip from Raybestos. This applies to all ABS-equipped vehicles. The

ABS light may be on and/or false ABS activation may occur following wheel bearing hub replacement on only one side of an axle.

If you diagnose a bad hub bearing on one side of a vehicle and the ABS wheel speed sensor or tone ring is integral to the bearing, you may need additional repairs to restore proper ABS functioning. In many cases, replacing one hub bearing will cause the driver to feel ABS false activation when coming to a slow stop on dry pavement.

False activation is usually described as a pulse in the brake pedal when not expected. The pulsation comes from the ABS valves cycling the supposedly lockedup wheel. This is due to the difference in signal strength from the wheel speed

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Photo courtesy of NAPA

The Chassis

Tapered pad wear indicates caliper misalignment and is not to be blamed on the pads. Closely inspect the caliper mounting to check for a bent bracket, debris or faulty hardware that causes the pad to be cocked and not parallel to the disc surface.

sensors (WSS) side to side. The problem is usually associated with air gap difference or wiring and/or connector integrity.

In many cases, removing the WSS from the other side, if possible, and cleaning the mounting surface may repair the problem.

The rust build-up actually lifts the WSS from the bearing, increasing the air gap and weakening the signal. Another possible issue is play in the bearing causing sine wave frequency change and or AC voltage variation. The new bearing will have little to no play, while the remaining hub has acceptable play but can still affect signal strength. Again, the difference in signal from side to side may be enough to trigger false activation. If WSS

Uneven pad wear, where the pads on the same axle show different rates of wear, indicate a sticking caliper, where the caliper is not able to respond and return properly, causing one pad to wear more quickly. Pad wear should be viewed as a diagnostic element. Instead of blaming the pads, look for the cause of the uneven wear.

is integral and not serviceable, replacing the hub bearings in pairs may be the only answer. The ABS system is activating as designed, so no warning light will be illuminated in most cases. At least discuss this with the customer to prevent unnecessary surprise repairs in the future and prevent the dreaded “It never did this before you worked on it” conversation.

In some cases, the issue may not be caused by an air gap concern. Citing certain 1996-2005 Audi models as an example, the ABS light may be on under light braking when the wheels are not locking up.

Check for damaged wheel speed sensors or mismatched tires. Out of specifcation wheel speed sensor air gaps are not the likely issue. The most likely problem will be tiny cracks in the ABS tone rings found at the outer CV joint, or inside the rotor or wheel hub.

The best way to identify a crack or damaged tone ring is to use a lab scope. With the scope attached to the sensor, turn the ABS ring. A normal wheel speed sensor will show a smooth, round, uninterrupted sine wave that increases in amplitude and frequency as the wheel speed increases. If a crack in the tone ring is present, a notch or a fat spot on the wave form will be present.

If a scope isn’t available, clean the tone ring and inspect carefully with a bright light. Cracks normally form at the base of the teeth. ●

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Profting from TPMS service Emphasize safety and create value in the minds of consumers

Here are some examples of TPMS sensors on the market today. Pictured clockwise from the top are the Standard Intermotor PA1-008, Schrader PA6-GF85, Group 31 Smart Sensor, Denso 092BE62, Oro-Tek OTI-002 A, VDO REDI-Sensor SE 10002A, Dill REDI-Sensor 7001 HP-R and the Steelman Select Sensor. (The VDO SE 10002A is the same sensor as the Dill 7002A.)

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By Bob Weber Bob Weber is president of Virginia-based Write Stuff. He is an award-winning freelance automotive and technical writer and photographer with over two decades of journalism experience. He is an ASE-certifed Master Automobile Technician, and has worked on automobiles, trucks and small engines. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and numerous other automotive trade associations. He has worked as an auto service technician, a shop manager and a regional manager for an automotive service franchise operation.

T

ire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) are a signifcant advance in driving safety, but most motorists are unaware of the system’s importance or what to do when the warning light comes on.

You owe it to your customers to replace malfunctioning sensors, but it is not always an easy sell. Motorists generally detect no problems — no noises, no vibrations, no major drop in fuel economy, no bulging tires.

They may balk at paying for something that seems unnecessary and may even ask you to simply disable the light so that they may go on their way.

That is why it’s important to educate your customers on the benefts of replacing sensors. Once informed, the job may sell itself.

The Car Care Council reports 70% of the vehicles on American highways are being driven with one or more low tires.

A national survey commissioned by Schrader International Inc., a TPMS manufacturer, showed that: • nearly one-half of drivers (46%) could not correctly identify what the TPMS icon symbolizes, • one-third (32%) admit they don’t know what the icon represents; and • one in 10 (10%) incorrectly identifed it as some other warning.

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The Chassis pressure icon is a cross-section of a tire with an exclamation point in the center.

Most consumers have never seen a crosssection of a tire.

Recently, on some vehicles, the driver information center (DIC) spells out a low pressure warning and many systems even report which tire is the culprit. And some have tire fll alerts (horn chirp and/or lights fash when tires are flled to the proper pressure).

Numerous states are also getting involved.

For example, in 2010, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) implemented a mandatory pressure check on vehicles whenever any emissions service is done, and several states now include a properly functioning TPMS system as part of their periodic motor vehicle safety inspections.

Photo courtesy of Schrader International

The survey also found that, while nearly all drivers (96%) agree that driving a car with under-infated tires is a safety issue, nearly half (44%) admit they rarely check their tire pressure.

The National Highway Traffc Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates tire failure causes approximately 11,000 crashes a year. Under-infated tires or worn-down treads are a major cause of failure.

NHTSA’s Crash Causation Survey found there was an issue with a tire before the crash occurred in nearly 10% of crashes (one in 11).

While driving, tires get hot from friction created as the tire constantly fexes.

You can replicate the effect by repeatedly stretching a stout rubber band; it warms up quickly. Do this long enough and the rubber band may eventually break. Tire heat damage may lead to tread separation.

In the late 1990s, Ford Explorers had high failure rates of certain 15-inch Firestone tires leading to loss of control and vehicle rollovers which caused injuries and deaths.

The U.S. Department of Transportation investigated the issue. That investigation resulted in the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act, passed by Congress in 2000. Part of the TREAD Act requirements was a way to monitor drops in tire pressure. That gave birth to the tire pressure monitoring system. When the TPMS warning symbol appears, it means one or more tires are at least 25% lower than specifed. In a tire that requires 35 psi, that represents about 9 psi low.

Beginning on Sept. 1, 2007, all light vehicles (excluding motorcycles and trucks with dual wheels) have been required to have tire pressure monitoring systems.

NHTSA estimates that when all passenger vehicles are equipped with TPMS, it will reduce the number of annual motor vehicle crash fatalities by about 120 and the number of injuries by about 8,500.

Many motorists don’t recognize the icon.

It does not look like anything familiar. The temperature icon is a thermometer. The low fuel icon is a gas pump. The low tire

Here is an example of the newer, snap-in replacement TPMS sensor from Schrader.

Can you proft from TPMS service?

There has been some information from NHTSA about properly infated tires increasing fuel economy and that TPMS sensors contribute to it. However, there is little proof to back up the claim that the system saves motorists money. Trying to sell customers on the money-saving prospect probably won’t land the job.

Writing in our sister publication, Modern Tire Dealer, Kevin Rohlwing, the Tire Industry Association’s (TIA) senior vice president of training, stated that safety is the key to selling the job.

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Whenever a tire is serviced, such as for repair or replacement, the washer, seal, nut and cap should also be replaced to ensure there are no leaks. It is cheap insurance.

Safety is still by far the most important beneft of TPMS, which means retailers must continue to focus on the role that proper tire infation plays in the operation of the vehicle.

Sure, there are some additional benefts like reduced rolling resistance and a slight improvement in fuel economy. But the average consumer can quickly see that the return on investment is virtually impossible to realize when it comes to dollars and cents using the data contained in the NHTSA report.

While TPMS can potentially improve tire service life and tread wear, those particular benefts still depend on motorists who regularly rotate their tires, not to mention check and adjust the infation pressure before the light is illuminated on the instrument panel.

Lazy consumers who spend hours looking for the remote control rather than getting up to change the channel are not going to put a gauge to every tire until it’s too late.

TPMS gives them the warning they need that prompts them to pay attention to their tires before the pressure gets to the point where a tire failure is imminent.

The safety benefts of TPMS are immeasurable when lives hang in the balance, so that’s the message a motorist needs to hear.

TIA recently launched a quarterly

consumer education program that revolves around the association’s new tagline, “Tire Safety Starts Here.”

In the frst video, “Tire Safety Starts with Proper Tire Repair,” TIA shows motorists why tires should be removed from the rim before they are repaired. The second installment is titled “Tire Safety Starts with TPMS” and it is focused on the safety benefts related to this technology. There is a brief mention of the potential fuel savings and tread wear improvement, but the emphasis is on safety because that is the only concept that will convince most consumers to spend the money to maintain, repair and replace the TPMS on their vehicles.

Consumer education continues to be the missing link for TPMS because the general public is unaware of what it does, why it’s there, and how it can save the lives of motorists. And by failing to create value in the minds of vehicle owners, the industry is now faced with millions of vehicles that will soon require new sensors and millions of drivers that will only see dollars and cents when faced with the decision to maintain the system.

Progressive retailers who have embraced TPMS technology and taken the time to explain the benefts to their customers over the past few years are more likely to reap

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the rewards of a new revenue stream, while those who have complained and resisted should not expect to see any positive changes in sales.

But TPMS should never be about money or proft. It started as a national movement to improve safety on the highway and somewhere along the line the message was distorted and the motorist ignored. The industry has gone to great lengths to convince retailers that there was a pot of gold at the end of the TPMS rainbow.

TPMS service and the law There is still one area of TPMS service that many auto service professionals are confused about.

It is the “make inoperative” words in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Must auto service providers repair a faulty system before the vehicle can be returned to the customer?

According to the law, “A manufacturer, distributor, dealer, or motor vehicle repair business may not knowingly make inoperative any part of a device or element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment in compliance with an applicable motor vehicle safety standard prescribed under this chapter….”

What, exactly, does that mean to an auto service professional? When asked, a surprising number of techs think that the only illegal action is to purposely disable the TPMS. Many also believe that they may not legally release a car back to the customer if the warning light is on.

In a written letter to NHTSA, TIA asked for clarifcation on several key points.

TIA’s letter outlines four different TPMS scenarios that service professionals regularly face. Each scenario includes how the “make inoperative” provision of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (49 USC 30122(b)) applies to each situation.

In the frst scenario, TIA asked if a retailer can replace an inoperative TPMS valve stem sensor with a standard rubber snap-in valve stem and still comply with the “make inoperative” provision.

NHTSA’s response was that as long as

Photo courtesy of Huf North America

The Chassis

Huf North America Automotive Parts Manufacturing Corp. offers two universal Intellisens TPMS sensors with two variants (315 MHz and 433 MHz in both metal and rubber valves) to cover a multitude of OE part numbers.

the TPMS part was inoperative before the customer brings the vehicle to the repair business, “a motor vehicle repair business would not be violating 49 USC 30122(b) by removing an inoperative or damaged TPMS sensor and replacing it with a standard snap-in rubber valve stem.”

However, a repair business that goes on to make any other element of the TPMS inoperative, for example, by disabling the malfunction indicator lamp, would violate the “make inoperative” provision.

“This is exactly why our training programs have always stressed the importance of checking the status of the TPMS prior to service,” said Rohlwing. “If a valve stem sensor is not functioning prior to servicing the tires and wheels, then the retailer cannot violate the ‘make inoperative’ provision because the system was already inoperative. This increases the importance of documenting an inoperable TPMS prior to any work being performed on the vehicle, especially now that the batteries in the sensors are starting to die.”

The second scenario focused on the purchase of aftermarket winter tires and wheels and the customer’s refusal to purchase new TPMS sensors or pay for the labor to transfer the original sensors to the aftermarket wheels.

NHTSA responded that if the TPMS is functioning at the time of the aftermarket tire and wheel purchase, “a service provider would violate the ‘make inoperative’ prohibition of 49 USC 30122(b) by installing

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The Chassis new tires and wheels that do not have a functioning TPMS system.

To avoid a “make inoperative” violation, the service provider “would need to decline to install the new tires and rims, use the TPMS sensors from the original wheels (if they are compatible), or convince the motorist to purchase new TPMS sensors and ensure that the sensors are properly integrated with the vehicle’s TPMS system.”

“We are admittedly surprised by NHTSA’s response that aftermarket tires and wheels must include TPMS sensors,” remarked Roy Littlefeld, TIA executive vice president.

“Based on the language in the April 2005 fnal rule, we believed that the presence of the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) would notify the driver that the TPMS was not operable as a result of their decision to decline new sensors or pay for the additional labor to install the original sensors in the aftermarket tire and wheel assemblies. While we have some genuine concerns regarding consumer backlash, it is clear that the Federal government is requiring retailers to make sure the TPMS continues to function following the purchase of aftermarket tires and wheels.”

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The Chassis In the third scenario, TIA asked if a service provider violates the “make inoperative” provision if they inadvertently break a non-defective sensor and cannot locate an immediate replacement. TIA asked if it was a violation to allow the vehicle to return to service because arrangements were made to obtain and install the replacement part at a future date.

NHTSA’s response was, “As a general matter, a violation of the ‘make inoperative’ prohibition does not occur until a repair business allows or intends a vehicle to be returned to use… this would be true regardless of whether arrangements have been made for future repair.”

“While there will be some debate over the circumstances related to inadvertent damage, there are no questions regarding the release of the vehicle,” said Rohlwing.

“If the actions of the service provider made a functioning TPMS inoperable, then it cannot be returned to service until the problem is solved.”

The fourth and fnal scenario describes a situation where a vehicle is released to the consumer without an illuminated MIL and then it illuminates after the vehicle has been driven. According to NHTSA,

Replacement sensors may have to be programmed after installation before returning the vehicle to the customer.

“The mere illumination of the malfunction indicator lamp after the vehicle has been released by a motor vehicle repair business to the driver would not itself be a violation of the ‘make inoperative’ provision.”

“Based on NHTSA’s response, we are advising tire retailers to document the status of the TPMS before and after any tire or wheel service,” concluded Rohlwing. “If the electronic TPMS relearn or diagnostic tool includes the functionality to produce a print-out on the status of the system, we recommend that retailers give a copy to the consumer and retain a copy for their own records following service.”

Of course, offering to repair the malfunction is the best solution.

Making sense of sensors

Some replacement sensors may be programmed prior to installation.

Estimates put the total number of TPMS sensors currently found in the U.S. at over 100 million. If your business does not offer TPMS service, it is missing business.

Many of the original TPMS sensors are reaching the end of their projected service life. The batteries, which are intended to last up to 10 years, are dying. The batteries are not replaceable.

There was a time that the only source for replacement sensors was the automobile dealer’s parts department. There was a wide range of designs and stocking all of them at an aftermarket shop would be insanely costly. Sending someone to fetch a replacement sensor, though unproductive, was the

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The Chassis only option. This tied up an employee as well as inconvenienced the customer, particularly if they were in your waiting room.

Fortunately, the aftermarket has risen to the challenge and offers replacement sensors of all designs.

When it comes to selecting a replacement sensor, you have three basic choices: 1. Direct replacement, or “part for part” replacement sensors, can be obtained from original equipment as well as aftermarket providers, and typically do not require any programming or confguring with a TPMS tool.

2. Multi-protocol sensors, as the name suggests, come “pre-loaded” with many sensor protocols in a single sensor body.

Again, no confguring is required, but a TPMS tool is needed to do the “re-learn.”

3. Programmable sensors typically represent fewer SKUs, but are able to cover a

greater range of vehicles. The sensors are blank or in need of confguration before use.

There are two basic types of sensors: Onepiece and two-piece.

A one-piece sensor has the housing and valve molded together. The valve is not removable. The items that should be serviced on this style of sensor include the valve core, hex nut, grommet, cap and washer. If the valve is broken or corrosion has occurred, this sensor is not serviceable and the entire sensor will need to be replaced.

Two-piece: A two-piece sensor has a removable valve stem that can be separated from the sensor housing. The serviceable items on this style of sensor are a replacement valve, valve core, hex nut, grommet and cap. With this type we also have two different valve confgurations.

OE manufacturers recommend replacing the two-piece, snap-in rubber valve whenever the sensor is removed from the wheel.

Circle 117 on Reader Service Card

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Photo courtesy of Bartec USA LLC

The rubber snap-in valve is attached to the sensor module by a hex nut (or Torx screw).

When two-piece, clamp-in sensors are removed from a wheel, the sensor should be ftted with a new rubber grommet, aluminum retaining nut, special nickel-plated valve core and valve cap. It is important that all components be torqued to appropriate values to prevent air leaks and valve damage. Attempting to reuse the original rubber grommet, valve core and retaining nut may result in an air leak.

There are three types of sensor relearns: stationary, OBD and auto learn.

Stationary relearn sensors need an activation tool with the car in “relearn” mode.

New IDs can be programmed without driving the vehicle.

This pie chart shows a breakout of the three types of replacement TPMS sensors.

OBD relearn requires an activation tool in conjunction with an OBD scan tool to program new sensor IDs into the vehicle. New IDs can be programmed without driving the vehicle.

With the auto learn sensor, the vehicle can learn a single new ID and in some cases multiple new IDs without the use of a tool.

The vehicle must be driven a prescribed time in order to turn off the light.

Charting the way You do not need to memorize the various relearn protocols. Each carmaker provides the necessary information. But there is a

more convenient way: the TIA TPMS Relearn Chart.

The TPMS chart is divided into domestic and import vehicle sections and includes relearn requirements, relearn summaries, OEM sensor part number, and replacement sensor and seal kit part numbers for Schrader International, Dill Air Controls Products, Myers Tire Supply, 31 Inc. XtraSeal, Continental VDO and NAPA. It also includes the sensor numbers for Orange Electronics and Standard Motor Products.

The chart lists the torque specs for the sensor nut, Torx bolt, worm gear and vehicle wheel fasteners.

The 2015 TPMS Relearn Chart includes troubleshooting tips to help technicians when the relearn is not working, revised relearn summaries so that they are more easily understood, pictures and part numbers for common multi-app, programmable sensors on the market and a valve reference page with pictures and part numbers of the various type of TPMS valves.

“The TPMS Relearn Chart is a durable, easy-to-use source of information that is specifcally designed to be handled and used by technicians on the shop foor.

With the annual updates, technicians are always prepared to service whatever vehicle drives into their shop,” said TIA Director of Automotive Training Development Sean MacKinnon.

The bottom line Granted, you won’t get rich (or even keep the lights on) by installing replacement kits that cost you about $5 and retail out at $10. Ditto for replacing complete sensors. But it may prevent a come-back that may take rather than make money. It also ensures customer satisfaction and that translates into repeat business.

Complete diagnostics and sensor replacements produce some parts and labor income.

Most important, customers learn from an informed service pro and willingly opt for TPMS sensor replacement. The customer profts from excellent service. You boost your bottom line a bit with professional TPMS service. ●

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The Tech Bench

Some diagnostics hurt your brain...

Fixing diffcult and perplexing problems

By Jeff Taylor Jeff Taylor boasts a 31-year career in the automotive industry with Eccles Auto Service in Dundas, Ontario, as a fully licensed professional lead technician. While continuing to be “on the bench” every day, he is also heavily involved in government focus groups, serves as an accomplished technical writer and has competed in international diagnostic competitions as well as providing his expertise as an automotive technical instructor for a major aftermarket parts retailer.

I

enjoy working through diagnostics, with my favorite being driveability concerns. The most common diagnostics that I perform relate to check engine lights, and lately some of those have been very challenging. I still get pattern failures

that are for the most part easy to solve and diagnose, but I don’t shy away from the more demanding problems that other shops or techs claim can’t be fxed. I have never been afraid to take on these tasks, maybe because I have a different attitude toward these repairs. I want to be the guy who can say, “I fxed it.”

I have had many of these issues come into my bay for diagnostics over the last 12 months. A couple really stood out as diffcult and perplexing, and both had had lots of time spent on them by other shops or other techs.

2007 VW Beetle The frst vehicle was a 2007 VW Beetle 2.5 (BPS engine code). The problem: The check engine light (CEL) is on, and the car is due for its emission test. This car had been at

The check engine light was glowing away on this troublesome Volkswagen Beetle.

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The Tech Bench fuel (I also noted that the code set at a low rpm). I wrote down the MAF sensor’s part number to have our dealer verify that it was the correct model for this engine combination (Bosch made a number of MAF’s that look the same and ft just fne, but have different calibrations). After a quick call, I confrmed it was the correct MAF sensor, so I needed to look elsewhere.

I traditionally check for CEL codes using OBD-II: it’s the system that turns on the CEL light, so I trust what it tells me. But I wasn’t getting anywhere quickly with the data OBD-II was giving me, so I installed my VAG COM scanner to see if there were any specifc VW codes that would help me in any way.

There were two VW-specifc codes, 16555 and 17559. The 16555 is the VW equivalent of an OBD-II P0171 and the 17559 translates to an OBD-II P1151. Both these codes pointed to the fact that this engine was experiencing a lean condition, but the There were many new parts, such as this MAF second VW code 17559 also told me that the sensor and it had the correct part number. lean condition was only at idle.

Most European cars express fuel trim another local shop and the customer tells a values in two terms: additive or Idle O2 story of many dollars being spent, the CEL Adapt (the additive value is the fuel trim still being on, but also adds that the vehicle variation at idle either adding or removing runs and drives just fne. He just wants the fuel) and multiplicative or Run O2 Adapt CEL light off so that it will pass its emission test.

The frst thing I did was look over the invoices from the previous repairs to gain some insight into what’s been done; in this case the vehicle kept setting a P0171 lean code. The other shop had replaced the MAF sensor, changed the fuel pump, fuel flter, plenum gasket, air intake snorkel and the A/F sensor. But after all these repairs the P0171 would return within a day with the CEL on.

After a thorough visual inspection that didn’t expose anything obvious, I plugged in my scanner to see what codes were set, and it was a P0171. I looked quickly at the freeze frame data and it defnitely showed that the vehicle was adding These VWs have robust EVAP fttings and connectors.

53 | February 2016

The Tech Bench

Again, these VWs don’t typically have EVAP leak issues from the lines or connectors.

(the multiplicative value is the fuel trim variation at all other engine speeds but idle either adding or removing fuel).

So using the scanner I went to the VW measuring block that would show me the additive and multiplicative (fuel trims): group 32 in this case.

With the car at idle the additive number was high at +7.9%, and the multiplicative was OK at 0%. Everything was pointing to a vacuum leak, but these engines have very few vacuum lines, and the ones it did have

were connected and made of hard plastic with good connectors that don’t often fail.

I was starting to think an injector O-ring or the lower intake gasket could be the concern, so I attached my smoke machine to the intake snorkel. To my surprise there was no smoke at all under the hood. The engine was tight and sealed.

The only spot that revealed any smoke was the tailpipe and the right rear wheel area. Yes, the right wheel well had smoke coming out of it! This didn’t make a lot of

The scanner showed that the VW was running lean at idle and adding fuel.

The same data group after the repair and a city stop-and-go road test verifes the repair.

54 | February 2016

The Tech Bench sense, but after putting the car up on the hoist and removing the wheel and inner fender the actual issue was revealed. The plastic vacuum supply pipe to operate the EVAP leak detection pump was damaged, it was chewed through by something. The car did have a vacuum leak… it just wasn’t in the engine compartment.

After repairing the chewed line and clearing the codes, both the additive and multiplicative were good at 0% and 0%, and after an extended city road test (lots of stop and go) with no CEL light the issue was fxed and the vehicle returned to the customer.

2009 Ford F-150 Another memorable diagnostic was on a 2009 Ford F-150 with 176,000 miles and a 5.4 V8 Triton engine. The complaint: CEL is on, sometimes the CEL will fash and it had lacked power under load and when driving hard at highway speeds. These issues had

been ongoing for almost nine months and it always had the same code: P0302.

Ignition coils, plugs, and even an injector had been changed over a nine-month period, but the problem always came back and with the same P0302 code. The original tech was convinced that the truck needed a timing chain or cam phaser because of the mileage and the fact the engine was noisy.

I was asked to get involved and help solve the problem.

I wasn’t so sure about a cam timing or phaser concern that was expressed by the previous tech. It had never set a cam code or had any other misfre codes on the same bank, something I would expect if there was a cam timing or phasing issue.

I took the truck for a road test to verify the complaint and it defnitely had a power concern, the CEL did fash and you could feel the truck missing. If you continued accelerating hard, the truck actually started to slow down.

Circle 119 on Reader Service Card

The Tech Bench went to the power balance display during the road test. It verifed that it was only cylinder Number 2 that was causing the misfre.

I went through all the basics, testing cylinder compression both running and static, a cylinder leak down and all with normal results.

We all know that a Ford misfre can be a bit of a bear to diagnose, due to the fact that the misfre monitor may initiate failure mode effects management (FMEM) to prevent catalyst damage.

When a Ford enters FMEM, it will shut off the fuel injector to prevent raw fuel in the misfring cylinder form entering the catalytic convertor and overheating it.

The FMEM will keep that injector shut off for 30 seconds on a 2009 model, and after those 30 seconds it looks to see if the misfre is still occurring.

If it is, it repeats this cycle until the misfre A misfre on a Ford is usually a pretty simple repair of either a spark plug or the more common ignition coil issue. stops.

Knowing this I hooked My initial road test feeling was that this up my small two-channel scope to the truck had a partially plugged exhaust. I Number 2 injector and Number 5 injector returned to the shop, scanned it and, yes, on the opposite engine bank as a reference. it had a P0302. I looked at the freeze frame Performing a road test quickly verifed that data and fuel trims. Fuel pressure and the engine was going into FMEM and shuttemps were all in the normal range. ting off the control circuit to the Number 2 My initial suspicion was still a plugged fuel injector. The next step was to scope the exhaust, so I checked the back pressure by cam and crank sensors to see if there were removing the pre-cat O2 sensors and it had any anomalies that could cause a miss, and a reading of less than 1/4 of a psi on both the patterns showed me nothing out of the the left and right. That value for back pres- ordinary (I was grasping but didn’t want sure is well within spec, so that blew up my to miss anything). I knew that the injectheory of a plugged exhaust. tor was OK; it was new and had even been Next I hooked up my Ford scan tool and moved to another cylinder just to verify it

56 | February 2016

The Tech Bench

The road test showed that it was the Number 2 cylinder that was causing the fashing check engine light.

was OK. The PCM was only detecting a misfre on the Number 2 cylinder; at this point I was confdant in saying that the issue wasn’t mechanical or a fueling issue: it had to be ignition.

But how could it be ignition? All the parts of the cylinder Number 2’s ignition system had been changed and were now new genuine Ford parts. But the same problem persisted. In town this truck never misfred, only during hard acceleration or under heavy load did it act up.

I went back to something that I hadn’t looked at for a while. I visited the Motorcraft website and started to look for the OBD-II information that Ford provides there.

Remember that it is the OBD-II system

that is turning on the CEL light. I found the information that I was looking for under the header “OBD-II Theory & Operation” (Ford and most manufactures provide this information free on their diagnostic websites). Looking through the document I found the section on misfre monitor, and after reading it carefully, I saw something that I had missed: that an ignition coil’s primary circuit failure can also cause fuel injector deactivation (FMEM).

The primary ignition circuit is in the PCM, so I hooked up my current probe to the Number 2 ignition coil and went for a road test and fnally saw the problem, it was a bad driver circuit in the PCM. The PCM was not able to supply the ignition

57 | February 2016

The Tech Bench

The culprit in this case turned out to be a bad coil driver in the PCM. Don’t forget that you will need both ignition keys to reprogram the new or good used PCM.

coil’s primary side the 5.5 amps of current required to properly fre the coil after the rpms got above about 2,500. The result was the PCM activated FMEM and shut off the injector.

I checked all the powers and grounds one

Here is an example of an ignition coil ramp on a properly operating coil with a good PCM, able to deliver the required 5.5 amps.

more time before installing a new PCM. The next road test provided a great feeling as the truck smoothly accelerated with lots of power, no misfres and no CEL. It was fxed.

Not all repairs are easy or straight forward. We are at a point in our industry of great change, in the way that things are repaired and diagnosed. There are occasional silver bullets on the Internet, and there are repair information databases devoted to collecting common repairs and fxes.

But these things are just tools; you have to understand how to use them and when.

You need to have a vast understanding of how systems work, or how they were designed to work, but even then you need to have never-ending persistence to overcome all the road blocks that can prevent you from unravelling the most diffcult repairs. ●

58 | February 2016

The Tech Bench

Tech tips From brake service to crank pulley bolts SUBARU BRAKE CLICK If you experience a one-time tap or click noise from under car after a cold start, the cause could be a metal brake line contacting the underbody. The ABS performs a self-test on start-up about 10 to 15 seconds after the engine start and speed sensor input is detected. The actuation of the internal ABS valving during the selftest sends a pulse of brake fuid pressure throughout the brake system. The tap or click noise may be caused by brake line contacting the underside of the foor when this pulse occurs. Insulating or slightly repositioning the brake line to gain added clearance will eliminate the noise.

SQUEAKY SAAB If the owner of a 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X complains about a squeaking brake pedal, Saab says that the problem may be contaminated brake fuid, which can swell the master cylinder’s piston seals. Raise the hood and place an ear near the master cylinder while someone applies and releases the brake slowly. If you hear the squeak, fush and refll with fresh DOT 3 brake fuid. Then apply the brake a number of times slowly while listening for the squeak.

If the squeak is still present, replace the master cylinder.

FORD’S A DRAG If you experience a 2007 Ford Edge or Lincoln MKX with dragging brakes and premature pad wear, raise the car on a hoist with the engine running and the transmission in park. Try to spin all four wheels.

If all four wheels are dragging, the brake switch could be the culprit. Try removing the switch by turning it clockwise. If the brake pedal rises and the brakes suddenly

release, replace the brake switch with an updated part number 8T4Z-13480-A. When installing the new switch, make sure that the brake pedal is in its normal rest position. The problem can be verifed with a scan tool and monitoring brake switch input while turning the wheels. The IVD light on the dash may be on due to pressure in the hydraulics with no actual switch output. If only the rear brakes are dragging, the problem lies with the parking brakes.

With the brake pedal fully released, adjust the equalizer until both rear wheels turn freely. There should be no slack in the parking brake cable. Also, since the rear parking brake shoes are located inside the rotor hat, yank the rotor and check for debris that could be causing the pads to drag.

MAKING LIFE EASIER If, for whatever reason, you need to remove and reinstall the crank pulley on a GM LS engine, you must replace the pulley bolt, as the original is torque to yield and should not be re-used. However, the OE bolt spec requires a tedious torque-plus-angle tightening procedure. Instead of dealing with this, use a new ARP crank bolt. The bolt is reusable and ARP specs a straight torque value with no angle tightening required. Granted, the spec is high (around 240 ft.-lbs.) but it will last and avoid the headache of tightening in tedious stages. ●

59 | February 2016

Advertiser Index

You’re mere seconds away from receiving product information at your fngertips. free product information. Just go to the Of course, you can always use the Reader website(s) listed to the right of each Service Card to the right and send it to us, advertiser below and you’re there! Instant and we’ll connect you to the advertiser.

Advertiser

Page

R.S #

Quik-Link

31 Incorporated

7

103

www.aspquiklink.com/11103

31 Incorporated

49

117

www.aspquiklink.com/11117

ACDelco

IFC

Advance Auto Parts

OBC

122

www.aspquiklink.com/11122

ADVICS North America Inc.

33

111

www.aspquiklink.com/11111

Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Inc.

45

115

www.aspquiklink.com/11115

Blackburn OEM Wheel Solutions

19

105

www.aspquiklink.com/11105

Centric Parts

25

107

www.aspquiklink.com/11107

Clore Automotive

47

116

www.aspquiklink.com/11116

CRP Automotive

43

114

www.aspquiklink.com/11114

Dealer Strategic Planning Inc.

51

118

www.aspquiklink.com/11118

Drew Technologies

21

106

www.aspquiklink.com/11106

Federated Auto Parts

5

101

www.aspquiklink.com/11101

Ford Parts

9

Jiffy-tite Company

55

119

www.aspquiklink.com/11119

Lang Tools

64

120

www.aspquiklink.com/11120

Mahle Service Solutions

31

110

www.aspquiklink.com/11110

O’Reilly Auto Parts

37

112

www.aspquiklink.com/11112

OTC Tools

27

108

www.aspquiklink.com/11108

Philips Automotive Lighting

6

102

www.aspquiklink.com/11102

Rotary Lift

29

109

www.aspquiklink.com/11109

STEELMAN Select TPMS, by JS Products

41

113

www.aspquiklink.com/11113

TechSmart by SMP

17

104

www.aspquiklink.com/11104

VDO TPMS Replacement Parts

IBC

121

www.aspquiklink.com/11121

60 | February 2016

Tool Review The Dutch-made Sonic Tools’ CV boot clamp tensioner tool, P/N 805018, provides a grip handle for a secure hold during clamp tightening.

The grip handle is easily removed where clamp access is tight.

Sonic CV boot clamp tool Not just another clamp tool

By Mike Mavrigian

to review? That’s what I thought at the beginning. onic Tools is a manufacturer based in This specialty tool is superbly designed the Netherlands, with a U.S. headfor the task. Instead of relying on grip quarters in Alabama. I admit that I power to compress and cinch the clamp, no only recently became aware of the frm. The squeezing is needed. The design features a width and breadth of their line rivals any of ratchet tension winding mechanism. Simply the major tool providers that you may have place the jaw tips onto the clamp and insert dealt with. From screwdrivers to pneumatics a 3/8-inch drive ratchet. Turn the ratchet to tool storage and everything in-between, clockwise (tightening mode) to easily and they make it. Their catalog is absolutely accurately squeeze the clamp tight to mind-blowing. proper tension.

It’s obvious that someone invested a bit Total control of time in the design of this little guy. The Choosing only one tool from their extentool provides total control, with no handsive line seemed insurmountable, but I numbing stress. Once you begin to tighten, decided to initially try a seemingly simple the jaws remain in place and tension is tool to start off, their CV boot clamp created as you tighten with the ratchet. tensioner tool (P/N 805018). How can a It’s that simple. The futed grip is easily band clamp tool seem interesting enough unthreaded and removed if it’s in the way,

S

63 | February 2016

Tool Review

Clamp installation was easy due to the use of a ratchet. The futed grip handle provides a steady hold, but where access is limited, the grip handle can be removed.

depending on the access to the boot clamp, eliminating the need to, say, remove a brake caliper in order to gain access to the clamp.

I tried this out on a 2013 Kia Soul. The tool made the job so easy (and fun) that I

Circle 120 on Reader Service Card

was a bit bummed out that I didn’t have a reason to install more clamps on additional vehicles. The tool is designed to accommodate 1/4-inch to 3/8-inch clamp widths, and features a handy built-in cutter to cut a band to the appropriate length. Materials and construction are defnitely rated for severe duty in a pro shop environment.

We’ll defnitely take a look at a few of Sonic’s other tools in the future. By the way, they offer a way-cool and very extensive line of high quality tool chests and cabinets. While you may already have a favorite tool supplier, do yourself a favor and check out Sonic’s lineup. You’ll be amazed at the incredible variety. ●

Sonic Tools (North American Headquarters) 480 N. Dean Rd., Suite H7 Auburn, AL 36830 844-40SONIC (407-6642) www.sonictoolsusa.com

The Toy Chest Hunter’s new Auto34S tire changer The new Auto34S tire changer from Hunter Engineering features a spacesaving, functional design and an air powered, push-button control that operates all diameter functions from a single point. The ergonomic Auto34S has a memory button that saves the tire diameter setting and returns the mount head to the same spot until reset. Hunter says an improved press head allows for better grip on all tires, especially extreme low profle tires. An integrated wheel lift eases the service of large assemblies, reducing operator fatigue and risk of damage.

HUNTER ENGINEERING CO. Circle 160 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11160

In-vehicle systems tester OTC, a Bosch Automotive Service Solutions brand, has released the Multi-media Interface Tester (MIT) to help diagnose vehicle communication issues on Ford, GM and Hyundai vehicles. The MIT sends a clean signal to a vehicle’s Bluetooth or auxiliary connection to confrm whether or not the vehicle is communicating properly. It is updatable though a USB connection, and more OEs will be added as coverage becomes available.

BOSCH AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE SOLUTIONS Circle 161 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11161

New MultiFit wheel balance weight Wegmann automotive USA’s Perfect Equipment brand has released Perfect MultiFit, a line of zinc clip-on wheel balance weights that can downsize inventories to two clip styles: one weight for most steel rims and one weight for most alloy rims. The company says the Perfect MultiFit allows businesses to signifcantly reduce stock

while keeping SKU complexity to a minimum, making installation, logistics and storage quicker and more effcient. The Perfect MultiFit features 22 part numbers with just two weight series: Type 84U uncoated zinc weight for most steel rims and Type 63 coated zinc weight for most alloy rims.

WEGMANN AUTOMOTIVE USA INC. Circle 162 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11162

Dolly makes tire displays safer The TruStack Tire Dolly from Chariot Concepts allows retailers to build stable, secure and portable tire displays. Workers can easily load the 18-pound round platform dolly, roll it to the installation area, and move it between bays as needed. The dolly features a unique center anchor for cinching tires into permanent position with a lashing strap. It has side guides for strapping down boxes. The dolly can be steered with one hand.

CHARIOT CONCEPTS LLC Circle 163 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11163

ACDelco offers GM OE transfer cases Nine General Motors original equipm en t (O E) ne w transfer cases for GM full-size pickup trucks are now available through ACDelco. The transfer cases cover Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks from model years 2007-1999.

ACDelco says one of many benefts of the new transfer cases is a simpler “plug and play” installation system that saves time and money. There is no programming required during installation, no specifc tooling requirements and no extra work, according to the company.

ACDELCO

65 | February 2016

The Toy Chest Bendix brake program is revamped Mat Holdings Inc. has refreshed the Bendix brake program. The company says the Stop by Bendix brand is a premium offering of brake pads, discs and drums that covers 99% of vehicles in North America.

Bendix Fleet MetLok is the severe duty line of brake pads and discs designed for applications like towing, heavy hauling and frequent stopping.

The Bendix Premium line uses 100% copper-free friction formulations with comprehensive coverage for late model vehicles. Bendix Premium Brake Discs will be sold in pairs. Packaging in pairs will be available where weight doesn’t exceed 35 pounds.

MAT HOLDINGS INC. Circle 164 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11164

Remanufactured diesel particulate flters Cardone Industries Inc. has introduced A1 Cardone Remanufactured Diesel Particulate Filters. The company says the remanufactured flters provide an alternative for light- to medium-duty trucks and passenger cars at a signifcant cost savings over new flters.

Each unit is fow tested to on-car exhaust levels to verify it meets OE performance specs for performance and reliability.

CARDONE INDUSTRIES INC. Circle 165 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11165

New diesel injector-seat cleaning kit

seat cleaning, two-stage brushes for seat and inner seat-hole cleaning, and bore brushes for all bore and tube wall cleaning.

INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS OF AMERICA INC. Circle 166 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11166

Clore unveils portable battery charger Clore Automotive Inc. has added Pro-Logix PL2410, a 10/6/2 amp 12/24 volt portable battery charger, to its Solar product line. The new battery charger is fully automatic and has the ability to properly charge all lead acid battery types. Clore says the Pro-Logix PL2410 uses advanced microprocessor-controlled logic to precisely deliver a fully automatic charging routine designed to optimally charge and maintain each battery serviced.

CLORE AUTOMOTIVE INC. Circle 167 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11167

Air compressor for GMC and Ford vans The Underhood Lite air compressor system from the VMAC (Vehicle Mounted Air Compressors) division of Mangonel Investments Corp. is now available for the GMC Savana Vortec 4.8L V8, Vortec 6.0L V8 VVT, and Vortec 5.3L V8 FFV. The Underhood Lite air compressor is also available for the Ford Transit 3.7L Ti-VCT V6 Van. The company says it is a fraction of the weight of most air compressors.

Innovative Products of America Inc. (IPA) has introduced a 17-piece cleaning kit specially designed to clean diesel injector seats and bores on most light-, medium- and heavy-duty diesel motors. The #8090B-8090S Professional VMAC Diesel Injector-Seat Cleaning Kit features helix Circle 168 on Reader Service Card brushes with a specially engineered tip for deep www.aspquiklink.com/11168

66 | February 2016

The Toy Chest underbody or wheel applications. The new impact wrench, part number ARI2064B, features 1/2-inch anvil, six pre-set torque settings, and a four-pole motor with super torque 625 ft.-lbs. breakaway; 480 ft.-lbs. reverse; and 300 ft.-lbs. forward tightening.

New wiper blade program Robert Bosch LLC has introduced the Clear Advantage Wiper Blade program. The new program reduces the SKU count from 19 in the previous program to 12 part numbers, while increasing the vehicle coverage to more than 98%. Blade lengths range from 13 to 28 inches. In addition, the new Clear Advantage program features the Click-On adapter system, which covers all popular hook and pin connections as well as the increasing range of OE connections.

ROBERT BOSCH LLC Circle 169 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11169

ACDELCO TOOLS Circle 171 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11171

5-piece T-bit tool set

Dodge Ram exhaust system Kooks Custom Headers has added 2009-2015 Dodge Ram applications to its V8 1500 series truck exhaust line. The company says the new exhaust system’s features include 3/8-inch thick flanges; handground exhaust ports; scavenging spikes in the collectors; and true merge in the y-pipe for optimal power output. All Kooks’ Dodge Ram exhaust systems come standard with the zero-failure technology of Stage 8 Locking Fasteners’ ball-and-socket style connections.

KOOKS CUSTOM HEADERS Circle 170 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11170

ACDelco Li-ion 18V impact wrench ACDelco Tools has added a Li-ion 18V impact wrench featuring patented electronic torque clutch technology to its line of ACDelco-licensed power tools.

The company says at 3.63 lbs., it is the most compact and powerful wrench available for

Ken-Tool’s latest fastener socket driver set is designed for use on MorTorq fasteners. The KenTool 30260 5-piece MorTorq driver set includes a 3/8-inch driver and M0, M1, M2, M3 and M4 drive heads and a steel storage rail. The company says the fastener’s design allows for uniform torque delivery, which combats tool slippage and “rounding out” of the fastener head and the drive tool. The higher surface contact area also makes fastener removal easier, including improved removal of corroded or seized fasteners.

KEN-TOOL CORP. Circle 172 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11172

Kafko adds 275-gallon tote Kafko International Ltd. has introduced a 275-gallon tote to its Oil Eater Original cleaner-degreaser line for high-volume users. The company says the powerful, eco-friendly, water-based cleaner features a unique formula that eliminates the need for multiple cleaning solutions. It quickly and safely dissolves grease, oil and grime from machinery, motors, tools, concrete foors and much more. It also can be used in parts cleaning and pressure washing machines, says the company.

KAFKO INTERNATIONAL LTD. Circle 173 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11173

67 | February 2016

The Toy Chest Hydraulic engine mounts for Audi Wulf Gaertner Autoparts supplies the third generation of made-in-Germany Meyle brand hydraulic engine mounts for Audi platforms MLB/MLP/PL48 A4 B8/A5/A6/A7/Q5 from 2007 model year onward, enabling independent workshops to offer electrically switchable engine mount repair on all applications of this popular model series. The company says damping and insulating characteristics are geared to match each specifc vehicle model.

WULF GAERTNER AUTOPARTS AG Circle 174 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11174

Premium infator gauge 31 Inc.’s X-tra Seal TRD2000 Premium Infator Gauge comes with a certifcate of calibration from the factory. The pressure range is 0 psi to 138 psi. The clear analog gauge display shows both psi and kpa readings. The built-in defator ensures precise infation. The company says the dual foot angled lock on chuck with rubber grip makes it quick and easy to use.

while the other tool features a slotted “fork” tip for digging under clip heads.

GENERAL TECHNICIAN EQUIPMENT Circle 176 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11176

Tracer kit fnds A/C leaks Tracer Products says its Tracerline Opti-Pro EZ-Shot A/C Kit (Part No. TP8616) makes it easy for technicians to fnd all air conditioning leaks the frst time and every time, quickly and easily. At the heart of the A/C kit is the Opti-Pro, a cordless, true UV (violet light) LED leak detection fashlight that provides optimal fuorescent dye response and contrast so all leaks glow brilliantly, according to Tracer Products, a division of Spectronics Corp.

TRACER PRODUCTS Circle 177 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11177

New Clamp-in VDO Redi-Sensor

Continental Commercial Vehicles & Aftermarket’s new Clamp-in VDO Redi-Sensor TPMS 31 INC. Sensor expands Circle 175 on Reader Service Card application covwww.aspquiklink.com/11175 erage by 3 million vehicles. The new sensor, Part No. SE10002A, delivers the same coverage as the popular VDO Redi-Sensor SE10002, plus provides new coverage for over 3 million additional vehicles Master Pry tools have LED lights through model year 2016, with even more coverGeneral Technician Equipment’s (GTE) Master Pry age pre-stored for future model years. As with LED kit includes two tools with precision edges all VDO Redi-Sensors, SE10002A is ready to for scraping and light panel separating, an angled use, right out of the box. wedge-profle tip, and a hand-friendly textured CONTINENTAL COMMERCIAL VEHICLES & grip surface to prevent the tool from slipping. The AFTERMARKET kit number is P/N GTEDP1. One tool features a Circle 178 on Reader Service Card straight edge tip for prying behind panel edges, www.aspquiklink.com/11178

68 | February 2016

The Toy Chest Remote-controlled work light Hella Inc.’s remote-controlled Optilux RC360 LED work light delivers powerful lighting while using only 90W of power. The light can be rotated a full 360 degrees, both vertically and horizontally, via remote control. The company says the work light features nine high performance LEDs that deliver a clear, cool white light at 6,500K color temperature.

Highly effcient refectors create an even beam pattern and excellent long-range illumination.

HELLA INC. Circle 179 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11179

ensure the wheels are balanced safely, and eight large rollers with automatically adjustable angles to ease the handling of tires with deep treads. The dolly can be moved into position easily, whether in or outside the workshop, thanks to four large swivel wheels with brakes. The dolly has a high-quality steel frame for intensive use.

CHICAGO PNEUMATIC TOOL CO. Circle 181 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11181

Rein Automotive stretch bolts for BMW

Permatex brake cleaning wipes The Permatex division of Illinois Tool Wo r k s I n c . h a s introduced Permatex Brake Cleaning Wipes for use in brake service repair and maintenance applications. The wipes also can be used for cleaning brake drums, abutment clips, slide pins, calipers, and brake hardware as well as other parts and tools. The water-based cleansing wipe is designed to remove oil residue and contaminants from the rotor surface. The company says the formula helps to promote proper pad wear-in, and contains no VOCs. The wipe also leaves a corrosion protection coating that prolongs rotor life and helps prevent brake squeal.

PERMATEX Circle 180 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11180

CP87120 1.2-ton wheel dolly from Chicago Pneumatic Chicago Pneumatic Tool’s new CP87120 1.2 ton dolly has two handles for fast and easy maneuvering, and its width is adjustable to accept wheel diameters from 39.4-78.78 in. (1,000-2,200 mm). It has a fast turnable wheel attachment to

CRP Automotive has added Rein Automotive brand aluminum stretch bolts for BMW engine applications.

The company says the stretch bolts are designed as replacements for the one-time-use-only fasteners used by BMW to mount components such as transmissions, oil pans, water pumps, power steering pumps and alternators to their engine assemblies.

CRP AUTOMOTIVE Circle 182 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11182

New premium diesel engine motor oil GoldenWest Lubricants has added a premium diesel engine oil to its Prolong Super Lubricants brand. The new Prolong 15W-40 Diesel Motor Oil features the company’s proprietary Anti-Friction Metal Treatment (AFMT). The company says AFMT technology bonds to metal surfaces and creates a protective layer that reduces friction, provides excellent wear protection and increases fuel effciency.

GOLDENWEST LUBRICANTS INC. Circle 183 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11183

69 | February 2016

The Toy Chest Muck Daddy hand cleaners Amyris has introduced Muck Daddy brand hand cleaners. Instead of standard petroleum-based ingredients, Muck Daddy hand cleaners contain two ingredients bioengineered by Amyris from sugarcane. The company says Myralene 10 quickly and safely dissolves grease, oil, grime, adhesive, ink and scuffs.

Squalane is a high-end skin care ingredient to keep hands hydrated. The hand cleaners are available as a lotion cleaner with pumice and a textured scrubbing wipe (pictured).

AMYRIS INC. Circle 184 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11184

user interface that makes even the most complex balancing applications fast and simple. Features include direct balancing mode selection, Direct Tape-A-Weight measurements, behind-the-spoke balancing, auto start hood, dual operator mode, and match balance.

HENNESSY INDUSTRIES INC. Circle 186 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11186

Lisle heavy-duty pickup tool

Monroe releases next-generation OESpectrum shocks and struts Tenneco’s Monroe OESpectrum shocks and struts use an advanced active control system that doubles the number of internal ride tuning points available in many conventional shocks and struts. Tenneco says its next-generation, OE-inspired impact control valve, located at the base of each OESpectrum unit, isolates road impacts for exceptional control and helps deliver a better “on-center” feel versus original equipment units. A second tuning input flters out unwanted noise, vibration and harshness commonly transmitted to the passenger compartment in many driving situations.

Lisle Corp.’s heavy-duty pickup tool extends from 7-1/2 inches to 26 inches and will lift up to 5 lbs.

The company says the 1/2-inch diameter nickelplated neodymium magnet is fush mounted in a 3/4-inch diameter housing for extra strength and reduced radial attraction, making it easier to work around ferrous metal obstructions. The head swivels more than 180 degrees for hardto-reach spots.

LISLE CORP. Circle 187 on Reader Service Card www.aspquiklink.com/11187

Rotary Lift offers AR18 four-post alignment lift

Rotary Lift’s AR18 four-post alignment lift has a lifting capacity up to 18,000 lbs. and an adjustable runway to lift cars, Class 5 trucks and everything in between.

The company says modular spacers enable it to hoist TENNECO INC. vehicles with wheel Circle 185 on Reader Service Card bases from 63 inches up to 177 inches (162 www.aspquiklink.com/11185 inches for four-wheel alignment). Opt for the extended-length model to increase wheelHennessy’s Coats 1150-2D balancer base to 198 inches. The AR18 is compatible has easy-to-use features with the newest alignment systems and has long Hennessy Industries Inc.’s Coats 1150-2D wheel free-foating slip plates and stainless steel radius balancer combines the accuracy and durability gauges to make alignment jobs easy to manage. of Coats’ Direct Drive system with an exclu- ROTARY LIFT sive set of easy-to-use balancing features. The Circle 188 on Reader Service Card company says 1150-2D offers a redesigned www.aspquiklink.com/11188

70 | February 2016

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