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2 days ago | 
vehicleservicepros.com | Brandon Steckler
The Trainer #159: Increased Engine Efficiency Through Forced InductionTurbocharging and supercharging are not only about higher engine output. It's mostly about tailpipe emissions.
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1 week ago | 
vehicleservicepros.com | Brandon Steckler
A 2008 Mazda 3 entered the shop with the driver complaining of it running rough after cold starts, and a MIL illuminated. The only DTC stored was P0300 "Random misfire detected."The vehicle had been in another shop recently, but had left there running in good condition. What would you recommend doing next, given the data bullet points in last month’s challenge? Given this information, what would you do next?
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1 week ago | 
vehicleservicepros.com | Brandon Steckler
Mastering Diagnostics episode #23 is here! And this time, Motor Age Technical Editor, Brandon Steckler is going to demonstrate the importance of realizing diagnostic tool limitations. Being a sound diagnostician is all about being a scientist. That is, collecting data to form hypotheses. This naturally leads to collecting further data that will prove or disprove your hypothesis and lead you closer to the root cause fault.
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1 week ago | 
vehicleservicepros.com | Brandon Steckler
Communication faults are frequently among the most difficult to solve, but when the fault is both intermittent and instantaneous, we are now talking about a whole new level of challenge.
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1 week ago | 
vehicleservicepros.com | Brandon Steckler
Like anything else in the world of diagnostics and driveability in particular, a sound understanding of the component's functionality is an absolute must if you want to maintain accuracy and efficiency. Why not begin with the wide-range air/fuel (WRAF) ratio sensor? After all, it’s responsible for the tight control of today’s fuel injection control systems.
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4 weeks ago | 
vehicleservicepros.com | Brandon Steckler
Service RepairSeal Hunting on a 2013 Jeep Wrangler Welcome back to another edition of "The data doesn't lie," a regular feature in which Brandon Steckler, technical editor for Motor Age, poses a puzzling case study. Figure 1-The relative compression test is frequently featured in Motor Age magazine as a go-to test for preliminary driveability diagnostic approach.
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1 month ago | 
vehicleservicepros.com | Brandon Steckler
Service RepairMastering Diagnostics #22: Introduction to the Internal Heat Exchanger (IHX)A/C systems have become notably smaller but still have to perform. Reducing the carbon footprint is the goal with R1234yf, but the IHX optimizes the performance of the refrigerant Welcome back to Mastering Diagnostics! This is episode #22 and Brandon takes us through the operation of the internal heat exchanger (also known as an IHX).
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2 months ago | 
vehicleservicepros.com | Brandon Steckler
SponsoredMastering Diagnostics #21: Leveraging scan tool functions to build a VVT diagnostic game planIn this episode of Mastering Diagnostics, Motor Age Technical Editor Brandon Steckler outlines how a preliminary plan and robust service information system keep you from wasting time. Where great driveability diagnosticians shine above the rest is not so much what they know about the vehicles they are addressing. It’s how they learn to leverage the tools they have to build a diagnostic game plan.
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2 months ago | 
vehicleservicepros.com | Brandon Steckler
Service RepairCold starts cause Mazda 3 to misfireA 2008 Mazda 3, with a 2.3L engine entered the shop with a complaint of rough-running and an MIL illuminated. The only DTC stored: random misfire detected. Figure 2- Suspect of a lean condition, additional hydrocarbon in the form of propane was used as an experiment for enrichment. The performance of the engine (via exhaust gas analysis) will be evaluated with the enrichment occurring. This will help determine the next step to take.
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2 months ago | 
vehicleservicepros.com | Brandon Steckler
Service RepairSolved: A rough running Ford EscapeA shop was facing a 2018 Ford Escape with a turbo-charged, four-cylinder engine. The vehicle suffered from a poor idle concern, intermittent cylinder No. 3 misfire at idle, but no DTCs stored. The rounded exhaust valve pocket and elevated intake manifold pressure come together like puzzle pieces inferring excessive valve overlap. Due to this valvetrain’s configuration, valve clearances are adjusted by way of selectable shims.
