d i a g n o s i n g honda ignition systems

N O V E M B E R 1 9 9 8 V O L . 1 1 N O . 1 1

INFORMATION FOR THE PROFESSIONAL AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR TECHNICIAN

D i a g n o s i n g

HondaIgnitionSystems

4 November 1998

Christopher M. Ayers, Jr.President/Publisher

Steve LaFerreEditorial Director

Karl SeyfertEditor

Vince FischelliElectronics Editor

Sam BellRandy BernklauLester BravekPat EtzwilerChip KeenJorge MenchuPaul WeisslerJoe WoodsContributing Editors

Michele MeekerProduction Manager

Sandy AlexanderCirculation Director

Lori ScanlonGeneral Manager

Tim LeiherDesigner

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Import Service (ISSN 0896-5722) ispublished monthly by GeminiCommunications, Inc., 306 North Cleveland-Massillon Road, Akron,Ohio 44333. Periodicals postage paidat Akron, Ohio and at additionalmailing offices. Title registered U.S.Patent Office. Copyright © 1998Gemini Communications, Inc. No partof any page may be reproduced with-out permission of the publisher. Thepublisher and editors of this maga-zine accept no responsibility for state-ments made by advertisers herein orfor the opinions expressed by authorsof bylined articles or contributed text.Price per copy: $5.75 includespostage and handling. Subscriptions:$48 per year; Canada, $52; foreign,$87 payable in advance. Postmaster: Send address changes toImport Service, Circulation Dept., 306North Cleveland-Massillon Road,Akron, Ohio 44333-9302.

D E P A R T M E N T S

November 1998 Vol. 11 No. 11

Editor’s Notes 6

Tech Tips 18

Front Counter Mechanics 26

Classified Advertising 44

Information Station 47

Advertisers’ Index 50

Test Bench—MAC Tools ScanalizerThe Scanalizer consists of two main componentparts—a control unit and a fuel management unit.These components allow you to test the fuelsystem on recent vehicles (import or domestic)equipped with electronic fuel injection. 30Counterwobbling The Flailing Reciprocals—Part TwoHow does crankshaft RPM turn into vibrationsand how can we ‘unwobble’ them? We’lltake you through the process of crankshaft,connecting rod and piston balancing. 34

Diagnosing Honda Ignition SystemsWhen all of the information isn’t available, youhave to use the information you do have to workbackwards, using deductive reasoning to fig-ure out what you don’t know. Let’s take Hondaignition systems as an example. 8Circuit Savvy—Part Two: Series CircuitsThe resistance of some electronic componentsmay either increases or decreases when they areturned ON. These components are said tohave dynamic resistance, which affectsseries circuit diagnosisis. 20

A GEMINI COMMUNICATIONS PUBLICATIONwww.gemini-comm.com

left for work a littleearlier than usual

the past Monday morn-ing. I wanted to get ahead start on whatpromised to be a busierthan usual week. I gotout of the house with-out tripping over myshoelaces, started thecar and began my nor-mal 30 mile commute tothe office. By the time Iwas half way to the

office, my mind had completely drifted intothoughts of the tasks that lay ahead.

I’ve made the same trip a few thousand times overthe past 10 years. At this point, I hardly stop to thinkabout the dips and turns in the road along the way.My car is like an old horse that knows its way backto the barn, because we’ve never run off the road orinto another vehicle during any of my extended day-dreams. One of us had to be paying attention towhere we were going.

The stress of keeping both of us on the road all byitself must have finally become too much of a bur-den for my old car to bear. There are many ways thata car can let you know when it’s in distress. Mine letme know in a very obvious manner by suddenly los-ing power as we were passing a truck.

To say it lost power would be an understatement.What it really did was lose all of its power. The onlything that was keeping the crankshaft turning andthe pistons moving up and down was the fact thatthey were still connected to the drive wheelsthrough the transmission and the clutch. This wasthe true definition of front wheel drive.

As soon as I stepped on the clutch pedal, thefamiliar dashboard warning lights came on to let meknow that the engine was well and truly dead. I triedrestarting the engine several times as I maneuveredthe rapidly slowing vehicle to the side of the road.No luck. So much for getting an early start on aMonday morning.

It seems I’m not the only one who’s had the oppor-tunity to contemplate the passing traffic from theside of the road recently. According to a surveyreleased recently by the American AutomobileAssociation (AAA), a large number of motorists haveexperienced mechanical or operational breakdownsin the last year. The survey also indicated that manyof these breakdowns could have been prevented ifdrivers had properly maintained their vehicles.

At least 28 percent of 1,500 motorists surveyedsaid they had at least one problem in the last yearthat disabled their vehicle. The survey also foundthat while 74 percent of vehicle owners said they

were familiar or very familiar with the manufacturer’srecommended maintenance schedule, only abouthalf of all respondents regularly followed those rec-ommendations.

Those who said they had at least one breakdownin the last 12 months were as follows:

• Tires—28 percent of drivers said they had a flattire, 9 percent in the month preceding the July survey.

• Battery—22 percent reported needing a jumpstart, 6 percent in the month preceding the survey.

• Tows—13 percent needed their vehicle towed, 3percent in the month preceding the survey.

The survey, which was conducted for AAA byWestgate Research in St. Louis, also proved thatmotorists don’t know as much about their vehicle’smaintenance and operation as they thought.

While 65 percent of respondents said they shouldhave their vehicle’s tires rotated every 10,000 milesor less, 67 percent spent nothing on tire rotation inthe last year. In addition, 38 percent didn’t knowtheir vehicle’s correct tire pressure.

More than 43 percent of drivers didn’t know therecommended gasoline octane level for their carsand 38 percent most often bought mid-grade or pre-mium gasoline even though only 10 to 15 percent ofall vehicles require high-octane fuel.

In addition, 40 percent of motorists felt that tokeep a car’s warranty in force maintenance servicehad to be performed at a new car dealership and 49percent said only vehicle manufacturer parts couldbe used as replacement parts.

There are several obvious misconceptions at workhere, which may have contributed to the mechanicalmisfortune experienced by the members of the AAAsurvey group. Cars are much more reliable than inyears past, but they still need routine maintenance.Winter’s coming, and a mechanical breakdown dur-ing freezing temperatures can be more than anannoyance. Spend a few moments reviewing main-tenance requirements with your customers.

Down Is UpA couple of important words got turned around in

the last paragraph of the August 1998 Import Servicearticle “Hot Coolant To Cold Cash.” Of course weknew that it’s necessary to pressurize a cooling sys-tem to raise the coolant’s boiling point.

New GuyThis month’s cover article was written by Marlowe

Peterson. Marlowe has over 20 years of experienceon Honda and Acura vehicles, including eight yearswith a national techline service. Turn the page forMarlowe’s take on Honda ignition systems.

—By Karl Seyfert

6 November 1998

editor,s notes

I

8 November 1998

uring a complicated diagnosis, the mostimportant piece of information needed could

be an answer to the question “What does the systemwant?” It’s great to get a response from your meter orscope that tells you something is wrong, or differentthan what you’d expect, but if you don’t know whatto expect, life can get a little complicated. Maybeyou can find a diagram that gives you the powertransistor wiring or something more than wiresgoing into an empty box. Maybe you can find a flowchart that correctly explains a step by step proce-dure that leads you to “this part has failed.” Butmore often than not you won’t be so lucky.

When all of the information isn’t available, youhave to use the information you do have to workbackwards, using deductive reasoning to figure outwhat you don’t know. Call it filling in the blanks ifyou like. Let’s take Honda ignition systems as anexample. For the last 10 years or so, the ignition sys-tem circuit diagram in Honda factory service manual

has looked very similar to what we see in Figure 1on the next page. The diagram includes all of thewires in the circuit, but it shows an empty box for theigniter. Swell! What more does the diagram tell us?

• The wiring diagram shows a Black/Yellow wireconnected to the ignition switch.

• A White/Blue wire goes to coil negative.• A Blue wire goes to the tach.• A White wire goes to the PGM-FI PCM.

Now I’ll assume you understand what coil posi-tive and negative are, and you probably understandthe function of the tach output. But, how does thisthing work? What is that White wire and what doesit do? In the photos and captions on the followingpages, we’ll explain how to diagnose the Hondaignition system. But before we do, we’ll start you outwith an appetizer plate that’s overflowing withHonda ignition system diagnostic tips.

—By Marlowe Peterson

D i a g n o s i n g

HondaIgnitionSystems

D

9November 1998

Problems and Solutions• In many cases, a Honda ignition system problem

will set a diagnostic trouble code (DTC). Codes 4, 8or 9 deal with the Crank, TDC and Cylinder Positionsensors, respectively. These are PM (permanent mag-net) signal generators. Randy Bernklau’s article inthe May 1998 Import Service included some goodwaveforms from these sensors that you should havefiled away for future reference.

• Honda has also issued TSBs dealing with topdistributor bearing failures. These failures relate todistributor shaft wobble that can affect the sync andform of these sensor patterns. The ECU will set acode if the air gap comes and goes because the patternwill not be consistent. It will also set a code if the sen-sors are out of sync because the reluctor hit its polepiece and moved it ever so slightly on the shaft. Haveyou ever installed a timing belt on a 1988-89 Prelude,then had a Code 9 (Number 1 Cylinder Position) whenyou were done because you had the intake andexhaust cams off one tooth in relation to each other?

• Many times you’ll get one of thesecodes, but the patterns will look fine.You’ll get 200mv (CYP), 400mv (TDC), and1000mv (CKP) AC on these sensors whilecranking the engine, so you decide toreplace the ECU. The ECU is never theproblem when one of these codes is set. Atleast I’ve never seen it, ever.

• A reluctor tip that has been nicked by arotor screw falling out is enough to set acode. The OE Honda rotors are shippedwith thread locker on the threads of thescrew, and it’s there for a reason. If youremove a rotor and reuse it, add threadlocker to the rotor screw threads to keepthe rotor in place.

• A code may be set if the reluctor gap isbridged with metal filings from a failedbearing. The filings will “short out” the sig-nal. If there are metal filings on any of thepickup coil mounting screws, the bearinghas failed and the distributor is junk.

• Let’s say you had a Code 8 (TDCPosition sensor). So you installed a new orremanufactured distributor and now youhave a Code 4. Yup, get another distribu-tor. Again, ECUs don’t set these codes.The service manual instruction to “substi-tute a known-good ECU” is not going tohelp either.

• Code 15 (Ignition Output Signal)means the WHT trigger wire (YEL/GRN onsome models) that runs from the igniter tothe ECU has lost its voltage at one or bothof its terminals at the ECU. This leaves thedistributor as one wire and splits into twofor two separate ECU terminals.

• Code 15 almost always means the igniter hasfailed. The voltage on this wire comes from the ignit-er, so with the WHT wire off the igniter and all theother wires attached, the igniter terminal that theWHT wire was attached to should read 10-11 voltswith the key ON. If there was no voltage with thewire attached, but the terminal has voltage with thewire removed, the WHT wire is shorted to ground.Test it again with the ECU unplugged.

• If the wire now has 10-11 volts when attached tothe igniter, the ECU is shorted internally. I’ve neverseen an ECU short internally, even when an A/Cevaporator drain hose falls off and leaks water intothe ECU (pre 1992 vehicles).

Quick Tips• Check the wires at the igniter for fit. Make sure

the pins fit tightly and that the wires aren’t frayedwhere the female ends are attached.

• The igniter is grounded through the distributor byits attaching screws. If in doubt about this connection,

Main Fuse Box

Ignition Coil

A

BIgniter Unit

TDC/Crank/CYL Sensor

PGM-FI ECU

TDC

Crank

Except

1500 type

CYL

Tachometer

SparkPlugs

SparkPlugWires

PGM-FI ECU

Distributor Assembly

No. 31 (60A) No. 31 (50A)

Radio Noise Condenser

Battery

+Bat -A

IG1

Ignition Switch

Figure 1

Without disassembling anything, we can check theyellow/green igniter trigger while cranking the engine. The 4.23millisecond reading means the ECU is toggling the igniter, whichalso means the ECU has power and ground and the pickup coilsare functioning. If the igniter is being triggered, don’t waste yourtime checking the pickup coils. DTCs 4, 8 or 9 indicate distribu-tor pickup problems. If there is no spark from the coil, an igniteror coil (or both) will fix the problem. We need to determine whichis needed. Honda ignition coils should read 0.6-0.9 ohms primaryresistance and 9000-15000 ohms secondary resistance. If a coilreads open or shorted on either, pitch it. Even if the readings areright, you still may have a bad coil. There’s a big differencebetween static ohmmeter readings and actual current flowingthrough the coil.

While cranking the engine, we should read 8-10 degrees dwellon a four cylinder scale, or RPM, or pulse while probing theWhite/Blue wire that goes to coil negative. If you read about 3000RPM while cranking, you’re not hallucinating. RPM readings fromthis or the tach terminal on Honda ignitions will be much higherthan you’d expect. We don’t want to see zero! An inductive tachthat takes a trigger from a spark plug wire works great. This 1.4 mil-lisecond pulse is misleadingly low because the high tension toweris intentionally grounded to prevent a spike to the meter—or me!

With a conven-tional test lightattached across thecoil (one lead at coilpositive and the otherat coil negative) thetest light should flashvery brightly duringcranking. If it flashes

12 November 1998

place a DMM on one of those screws and crank theengine. When tested between the screw and batterynegative, you should not read any voltage drop.

• Coil resistance should be 0.6-0.9 ohms on theprimary windings and 9-15K ohms on the secondarywindings.

• The sensors inside the distributor should alwaysread the same resistance, no matter what year Hondayou’re working on. If the spec is 300-500 ohms forone sensor, they should all be 300-500 ohms. So, youhave at least one other sensor to check your meteragainst if you’re in doubt. And don’t forget what the“M” on your DVOM means. 300 ohms on one sensorand 300M ohms on another are not the same.

• Honda spark plug wires should have no morethan 25K ohms resistance per wire.

• If the plugs or wire boots are wet with oil,remove the valve cover and replace the plug tubeseals.

• To check for spark from the coil, take the cap endof a plug wire and hold it to the coil. Then use yourspark tester on the other end of the wire.

• When removing or replacing the distributor cap,remove the plug wires from the plugs so you havesome room to move the cap straight off the cap.Tilting the cap as you remove or install it may breakthe coil tower pin inside the cap. You’ll hear a“click” sound which means you broke the tip.

• 1992 Civic computers are failing for some reason.If one of these vehicles has no spark or injector pulse,go right to the ECU and check powers and groundsand AC inputs from the distributor sensors. ♦

Honda Ignition Systems

November 1998

but there is no spark between the outputpost and your left index finger (do youfeel lucky?), the coil is bad. If there is noflash, but there was a 4-5 millisecondpulse on the igniter trigger while cranking(8-10 degrees dwell on a 4 cylinder scaleis also acceptable), the igniter is faulty.

Here we can see the igniter pinsinside the distributor. Starting on the left,the shielded wire (black shield up to theorange boot) is the igniter trigger. Whenattached to the igniter, this wire shouldread 10 volts with the key ON. TheBlack/Yellow coil positive and igniterpower supply is next. This should read 12volts with the key ON and light a testlight. The short White/Blue tracer wireruns from the igniter to coil negative. Thisshould also have 12 volts with the keyON. The last wire on the right won’t affecthow the car runs because it’s the tach sig-nal wire. There is a 2000 ohm resistorinside the igniter between coil negativeand the tach terminal. If you touch theigniter trigger wire with a grounded testlight and the key ON, the coil should fire,even on a suspect igniter.

Don’t tell me you don’t have a sparktester! This reformulated spark plug getsthe job done quite nicely, thank you! AnyHonda ignition coil should produce aspark that’s strong enough to jump a 1/2-

inch plug gap. While you’re watching thespark jump the tester, run a jumper wirebetween chassis ground and the blade ofa screwdriver. Move the screwdriverblade along the section of the plug wirethat fits inside the valve cover. If sparkjumps through the boot while crankingthe engine, replace the spark plug wire.

The Black/Yellow wire is the only onethat will light a test light with the key ON.If you momentarily touch and release theYellow/Green igniter trigger wire with atest light, you should fire the coil. When Isay test light, I mean one of those oldfashioned ones with an incandescentbulb inside, not the LED style. It takesvery little current to light an LED testlight, so it won’t work for our purposeshere. If the Black/Yellow wire is deadwith the key ON, go right to the ignitionswitch. The fuse is ahead of the switch(on the battery side).

This particular Honda distributor hasall of the wires in one connector.Distributors with two connectors have theBlack/Yellow key ON power supply wireand Blue tach output wires in a separateconnector. The five or seven wire multi-plugs are very predictable if you knowwhat’s going on. Notice that six of thewires have a “dancing partner.” The twosolid color wires (Orange and White) at thebottom are the Cylinder Position Sensor

14 November 1998

wires. Move up one space in each row. The Orange/Blue stripeand White/Blue stripe handle the Top Dead Center Sensor (see attrend yet?). The two Blue wires (one with a Green tracer and onewith a Yellow tracer) are responsible for the Crankshaft PositionSensor. The single Yellow/Green wire at the top left is our ignitertrigger, and has no “dancing partner.”

This NEC igniter is something you should know about. A heatsink bolts to the igniter, which is then mounted inside the distrib-utor. Be sure there is a film of dielectric grease between the twowhen you assemble them to the distributor. The grease transfersheat from the igniter to the distributor housing. Starting with theterminal that’s all by itself on the far left side of the igniter, ignit-er terminal identification goes like this:• The tach output terminal usually has a solid blue wire attached.This wire has a tendency to fade to a green color over time.

• The top left terminal is coil negative. This almost always has aWhite wire with a Blue tracer attached to it. Again, fading maymake it appear yellow/green. This wire goes from the igniter tocoil negative and does not leave the distributor (which makes itdifficult to check without removing the cap).• The top center terminal is the igniter power supply. The wireattached here is the same Black with Yellow tracer wire that goesto coil positive. This wire should have 12 volts with the key ONand should light a test light.• At the top right is the igniter trigger terminal. The wire attached hereis usually White or Yellow with a Green tracer. The igniter may facethe opposite way around when it’s installed. Always start with theBlue tach terminal wire on one side. The next wire is always coil neg-ative, then B+ in the middle (Black/Yellow) and the White orYellow/Green wire to the ECU last.


November 1998

Someone once told me “I’m a knowl-edgeable technician and I know what I’mdoing. I only use meters to check values.”So I showed him this little set-up. Noticehow the meter leads are attached. Themeter negative is attached to battery neg-ative. The positive lead is in one end of a15,000 ohm spark plug wire and the otherend of the plug wire is attached to batterypositive. The DMM shows 12.74 volts, buttry to make that 12.74 volts do anything!The DMM’s low impendence doesn’t loadthe circuit enough to produce the expectedvoltage drop. Here’s one instance where atest light can tell you more of the story.

The Service Check Connector on this1996 Civic is just above the ECU. Theblue two wire connector plugs into a softrubber “garage” connector to keep it outof harm’s way. Jumpering the two wirestogether and turning on the key willrecover codes from the PCM, as well asSRS, ABS and automatic transmissioncodes. Any suitable jumper will suffice,but a poor connection will yield inaccu-rate results. Invest in the Honda connec-tor 07PAZ-0010100 to simplify this. Itassures that you’re at the right connector,and it beats the heck out of wrestling witha paper clip for clearing ABS codes.

Any rusty looking dust or metal flakesinside the distributor means the top bear-ing is failing. There is no mechanicaladvance, so there should be no residue inhere. It must be clean. Note the springfrom the coil high tension terminal. Toavoid losing or damaging the distributor

spring or carbon contact on other models,keep the cap straight when removing thecap. Since the pickup coils are perma-nent magnets, any metal filings will clingto them. If they’re covered in metalflakes, replace the distributor or the subassembly (pickup coils already installed).

November 1998

The Check Engine light should comeON for two seconds when the key is firstturned ON, then go out. The SRS andABS lights remain for 4-6 seconds.During any diagnosis, make sure theCheck Engine light comes ON with thekey. If not, start by checking power andground circuits at the ECU. If you have a1988-89 Prelude, first go to the “MitsubaRelay Assy Main” above the left kickpanel and “dump the water out of it.” Oncars with computers under the seats, theLED will display codes without a jumper,but those vehicles could only recall onecode. LEDs on computers under the car-pet on the passenger side firewall stillread single flashes, up to 20, but canstore multiple codes. On later modelswhere the codes are displayed by the“Check Engine” light, they’ll display longand short flashes with no real breakbetween the long and short flash. A code41 (four long flashes, one short) can easi-ly be mistaken for a code 5 (five shortflashes).

To prevent damage to the distributorcap, take the plugs wires out of the valvecover before removing the distributorcap. When you use your spark tester tocheck for 1/2 inch of spark at the end ofyour plug wire, also check for any sparkleakage from the side of the boot. The

plug wire “cap” should fit snugly andstay on the receptacle machined into thetop of the valve cover. The wire shouldnot be wet with oil or water. If there is oilon the boot, remove the valve cover andreplace the valve cover gasket and sparkplug tube seals on the engine side of thevalve cover.

Put a drop of thread locker on the dis-tributor rotor screw threads before youreinstall it. If the screw falls out, you’lllikely end up needing a distributor. Thescrew will be attracted to the magneticpickup coils, and will probably fallbetween a reluctor tip and pickup coil.The slightest imperfection caused by thisaction is enough to disrupt a sensor sig-nal and trigger a “Check Engine” lightwith a code 4, 8, or 9. When that hap-pens, distributor replacement is usuallynecessary. Don’t forget to put the plasticshield back in after replacing an igniter.Leaving a pickup coil exposed to hightension voltage will shorten its lifeexpectancy.


18 November 1998

TECH TIPS

Tech Tip

winners

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the editors

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the

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technical

staff.

Tech Tip

winners

are selected

monthly by

the editors

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Service and

the

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Winning Tech Tip entrants will receive $100 from NAPA Echlin, except

for those Tech Tips appearing in the March Tech Tips Special. The

authors of Tech Tips appearing in the Tech Tips Special will receive a 12-

function collapsible pocket tool from NAPA Echlin. A cash prize of $2500

will be awarded to the entrant submitting the best 1998 Tech Tip. You

may also submit Tech Tips online at <http://www.gemini-comm.com>.

This month’s Tech Tips pages are the first to contain electronically sub-mitted tech tips. Several techs have pointed their browsers to the Internetaddress listed above and we have printed their tech tips here. We won’ttell you which tips are electronic and which are “paper-based.”

If the idea of receiving a $100 check in the mail still gets your heartpumping a little faster, crank up you computer and get to work. We’relooking forward to hearing from you.

Some 1992-93 Acura Vigor models may exhibit hesitation and stum-bling symptoms, along with setting a PGM-FI Code 4. Don’t be tricked intocondemning the Crank Sensor, PCM and/or the wiring harness.

To properly diagnose these symptoms:• Disconnect the four-pin green connector from the back of the alternator.• Reset the PCM, then test drive the vehicle.• If the symptoms go away reconnect the alternator.• If the problem returns, repair or replace the defective alternator. Voltagespikes from a defective alternator can interfere with the Crank Sensor signal.

Kevin LozaMaster Tech Auto CareBellflower, California

There have been many charging system problems on late modelNissans that are equipped with the company’s new-style alternator.Every unit that I have seen in the last six months has had the same prob-lem: stuck alternator brushes.

The only way to fix this problem is to replace the brushes. Remove theunit for disassembly. Remove the brush holder and the old brushes. Usea scribe to remove any irregularities from the brush way inside the brushholder. Install new brushes and springs (if necessary) and reassemble.

This may sound like an easy fix, but it can be a huge hassle if you don’tknow what you’re looking for.

William KarrValley West Auto And Truck ElectricArcata, California

Editor’s Note

Don’t Be Misled

Nissan Charging System Symptoms

19November 1998

Any Isuzu Rodeo, Amigo or Trooper equippedwith a 4ZE1 (2.6 liter) engine may exhibit a low idlespeed and surge on warm restarts. The intake gasketsare prone to leaking, especially near the number 4cylinder and cause the MAF sensor to deliver thewrong input to the ECM. Additionally, a very lowidle speed on a warm restart may be due to a ther-mostat with the wrong temperature range.

The TVSV on top of the thermostat housing isdesigned to open and boost the idle speed in theevent of overheat, thus increasing the water pumpflow. Too high of a temperature thermostat mayincrease the base idle speed with the overheat TVSV,and if the air bypass screw is adjusted at this time,the next restart idle speed may be after the overheatTVSV has closed, causing a very low idle speed.

To inspect, fully warm the engine and restrict thevacuum hose running from the TVSV and the intakeducting. If the engine slows, chances are a thermo-stat with the wrong temperature range was installed.Always inspect for basic overheat conditions, just tobe on the safe side.

Start taking notice when servicing NissanPathfinders and Pickups equipped with the VG30Eengine. We have notice many of these models show-ing their age. The fan hubs and blade supports arecracking and should be replaced at once, before anydamage or injury can occur.

When lifting a Mitsubishi Montero or Dodge Raider,be very careful if you are using a frame contact hoist.When the tires leave the ground, the unsupported rearaxle drops far enough to cause the flexible rear brakehose to suspend most of the rear axle’s weight. A dam-aged rear brake hose might not be immediately appar-ent, but a later failure could result.

If a frame contact hoist is your only method of get-ting one of these vehicles into the air, a chain mustbe attached to the undercarriage, wrapped aroundthe axle, then back up to another attaching point onthe undercarriage. This limits the axle travel whenlifted into the air. (This must be done while the vehi-cle’s suspension is still in a loaded state on theground.) Following this simple precaution will keepthe rear brake hose from getting strung as tight as apiano wire, and possibly snapping while the vehicleis in the air!

Brad PetersenJon Woods AutomotiveSan Diego, California

Several manufacturers recommend the use of largemetal stationary binding clips to hold the timing beltin position when installing a new timing belt. Thebinding clips are clipped to the timing belt on oneside, and the timing sprockets on the other. Theseclips are necessary because the camshaft(s) mayhave a tendency to jump out of position while thebelt is being moved into position. Movement of thecamshaft sprockets is caused by the spring pressureof partially opened valves. When the timing belt isremoved, the valves will want to close and thesprockets will turn.

After getting my hands and fingers smacked severaltimes using this method on several single and doubleoverhead cam Nissan and Mitsubishi engines, I decid-ed to find a better way. I now use plastic tie wraps tohold the timing belt in position as I work it into posi-tion around the timing belt sprockets.

Before you start, get as many timing marks as pos-sible lined up, then start working in a clockwisedirection to slip the timing belt into position. Whenyou get to a timing sprocket, make sure the timingmarks are lined up, then hold the timing belt in posi-tion with a tie wrap. When you have the timing beltcompletely installed, try turning the crankshaft for-ward and backward several degrees before recheck-ing you timing marks. When you are sure that every-thing is lined up properly, remove the tie wrapsbefore turning the crankshaft two complete revolu-tions. Now recheck your timing marks. If you did thejob right, you’re half way home with no rappedknuckles to show for your trouble.

Jose CamposB.C. Auto RepairBronx, New York

When the timing marks are lined up, opened valves maygive the cam sprocket the urge to turn at an inopportunemoment. Temporarily link the timing belt and camsprocket using a tie wrap through the sprocket holes.

Idle Speed And Warm Restart Woes

Nissan VG30E Fan Blades

Mitsubishi Montero Lift Warning

Be Safe

20 November 1998

Part Two:

Series Circuits

Cir

cuit

Savvy

n the first article in this series, we discussed seriescircuits that had a fixed load resistance value,regardless of whether the load was ON or OFF. Thismade calculations of circuit characteristics withfixed load resistances a cut and dried affair. If thecircuit is performing normally, voltage readings,voltage drops, and load current calculated withOhm’s Law, are the actual values that will be foundif the circuit is measured while the load is turnedON. However, some components do not have thesame resistance value when they are ON. Theirresistance either increases or decreases when theyare ON. These components are said to have dynam-ic resistance. Voltage and current measurements ofcomponents that exhibit dynamic resistance will notjive with calculated values if we insert the compo-nent’s OFF resistance into the Ohm’s Law equation.What’s the reason?

Two Kinds Of ResistanceExamples of components with a static (fixed) resis-

tance value include: carbon resistors, solenoids andrelay coils. These components present the sameresistance in a circuit (called fixed resistance)regardless of whether they are ON or OFF. The actu-al change in resistance in coils and relay coils whilethey are carrying current can usually be ignored forpurposes of calculations. An ohmmeter (preferably adigital ohmmeter) is used to measure their resistancewhile they are OFF. Then Ohm’s Law is used to

determine the voltage drop and load current. Themeasured values of voltage and current in the circuitare the same as the calculated values when the cir-cuit is ON. This theory was covered in Part One ofthis series of articles.

It also explains how engineers design vehicle cir-cuits and pick the right components for the circuit.The benefit of this information to techs is in under-standing the relationship of voltage, current andresistance in a circuit so that we can understand anddiscuss a circuit in terms of Ohm’s Law. This verifieswe know how a circuit works and we have a reason-able chance of determining the reason that the volt-age readings, voltage drops and load current mea-sure at incorrect levels. A successful vehicle elec-tronics troubleshooter has the ability to determinewhat is wrong in a circuit simply by interpretingvoltage, current and resistance measurements thatdeviate from normal.

A component with dynamic resistance has twodifferent resistance values, depending uponwhether the component is OFF or ON. When thecomponent is OFF, there is no current is flowingthrough the component, and the fixed resistanceis present in the circuit. But when current is pass-ing through a component with dynamic resis-tance, a totally different resistance value is felt inthe circuit. The amount of dynamic resistancemay be considerably higher or lower than thefixed resistance.

i

21November 1998

Components with dynamic resistance, such aslamps and DC motors, have a higher resistance tocurrent flow when they are in operation. They havea low fixed resistance when measured with a DMMwith the circuit OFF. When they are operating(drawing load current), their resistance changes—sometimes dramatically. This produces significantdifferences in voltage and current readings in thecircuit compared to what is calculated when usingOhm’s Law and fixed resistance.

If the fixed (OFF) resistance value is used to cal-culate voltage drops and current values of a compo-nent with dynamic resistance, the calculated valueswill not compare with what is found in the circuit.Only Ohm’s Law can explain why this is so becausedynamic resistance cannot be measured directlywith an ohmmeter. It must be calculated usingOhm’s Law.

Incandescent Lamps Have Dynamic Resistance

Measure the filament resistance of any automotiveincandescent lamp with a digital ohmmeter asshown in Figure 1. This measurement is termed thelamp’s fixed or “cold” resistance. There are twothings to keep in mind when checking an incandes-cent lamp’s cold resistance:

• Always use a digital ohmmeter because it will notexcite the filament and affect the true cold resistance.Never use an analog ohmmeter because this type ofmeter pushes more current through the lamp, excitesthe filament and changes its cold resistance reading.

• The resistanceyou find in theincandescentlamp you selectfor this test willvary dependingon the lamp partnumber. Youwill also findthat the resis-tance of several

different incandescent lamps with the same partnumber will vary by a few ohms from lamp to lamp.This is due to slight differences in lamp filamentlength, thickness and impurities in the tungstenused for the filament. Our lamp reads 17 ohms forthe purposes of this explanation.

How much current flows through the lamp if theresistance is 17.0 ohms and the voltage is 14.50volts? Use Ohm’s Law to find current.

I = E ÷ R= 14.50 V ÷ 17 Ω= 0.85 amps

However, when the lamp is placed in a circuit andthe current is measured, the current reading is foundto be 0.135 amps. That is much lower than what wefound with Ohm’s Law using 17 ohms (fixed) resis-tance. If measured current is much lower thanexpected and voltage has stayed the same, lampresistance must have increased when current beganto flow through the lamp. This happens becauseincandescent lamps have dynamic resistance,(called “hot” resistance in lamps). As lamp hot resis-tance increases when the lamp is ON, lamp currentdecreases. Use Ohm’s Law to determine how muchresistance the lamp has when current is flowing andthe lamp is fully ON.

If lamp current is 0.135 amps how much resistancedoes the lamp have when it is ON? Plug in 14.50 voltsand a lamp current of 0.135 amps into Ohm’s Law forresistance to find lamp hot resistance.

R = E ÷ I= 14.50 V ÷ 0.135 A= 107 Ω

A lamp has dynamic resistance and it can only becalculated with Ohm’s Law.

Practice - PracticeIf lamp current is .255 A at 14.2 V, what is the

lamp resistance?

If lamp current is .180 A at 13.8 V, what is thelamp resistance?

If lamp current is .096 A amps at 15.0 V, what isthe lamp resistance?

DC Motors Also Have Dynamic Resistance

The principle of dynamic resistance in DC motorshas a direct bearing on testing DC starter motors forcurrent draw. If a starter motor is checked for resis-tance with a digital ohmmeter, a reading of 0.0 ohmswill result because a DC starter motor has no mea-surable fixed resistance. The motor winding is con-structed of large diameter copper wire whose wirelength is so short as to have no measurable resis-tance with a digital ohmmeter. A reading of 0.0ohms would be a normal ohmmeter reading for atypical starter motor. The actual fixed resistance of astarter motor could be in the range of 0.000145ohms, which is much less than the resistance of theohmmeter test leads themselves.

An actual motor resistance of 0.000145 ohms doesn’tmean the starter motor is shorted. What it does mean isthat the wires in the starter motor have no resistance thatis measurable with a conventional digital ohmmeter. Anexpensive laboratory-quality ohmmeter that is capableof measuring the specific resistance of copper wire

11

12

13Figure 1

VΩ COM

17.0

OHMS

24 November 1998

would be needed to measure this low resistance.If a DC starter motor actually had no resistance, there

would be no opposition to current through the motor.Starter motor current could be as high as the voltagesource could produce. If the voltage source could pro-duce 1000 Amps, starter current would be 1000 Ampsand would likely burn up the starter motor.

We already know that starter current draw is not1000 Amps when measured during cranking. Amore realistic cranking current is in the range of100-150 Amps. Again, Ohm’s Law tells us a DCmotor presents some resistance to starter currentbecause we commonly measure 100-150 Amps forstarter draw on vehicles with normal cranking. DCstarter motors produce a tremendous increase indynamic resistance that is considerably higher thantheir 0.0 ohm fixed resistance reading obtained witha digital ohmmeter. Ohm’s Law allows us to calcu-late the dynamic resistance of a starter motor in nor-mal cranking RPM.

Use Ohm’s Law To Calculate Resistance

A simple starter circuit is shown in Figure 2. TheDC Current Clamp is used to measure starter drawand indicates 0.125 volts. This translates to 125 mV.Since the current clamp is calibrated to interpret 1Amp as 1 mV, a reading of 0.125 V (125 mV) repre-sents 125 Amps of starter draw. We also must have thecranking voltage of the battery to calculate starterresistance. We will use 10.5 volts for cranking voltage.

R = E ÷ I= 10.5 V ÷ 125 A= 0.084 Ω starter motor resistance

during cranking

Practice - PracticeIf cranking voltage is 9.80 volts and starter cur-

rent is 142 amps, what is the dynamic resistance ofthe starter motor?

If cranking voltage is 9.95 volts and starter cur-rent is 95 amps, what is the dynamic resistance ofthe starter motor?

If cranking voltage is 10.20 volts and starter cur-rent is 118 amps, what is the dynamic resistance ofthe starter motor?

As soon as the starter motor begins cranking theengine, dynamic resistance develops inside thestarter motor to limit starter current to a safe levelsufficient to start the engine without toasting thestarter motor. DC blower motors also have dynamicresistance. A typical blower motor winding hasabout 0.3 ohms of (fixed) resistance when mea-sured with a digital ohmmeter. If Ohm’s Law is

used to calculate blowermotor current we wouldfind blower current at 48amps if B+ is measuredat 14.5 volts.

I = E ÷ R= 14.5 V ÷ 0 .3 Ω= 48.33 A blower motor current

You won’t find manyvehicles that need 50amp fuses to protect

their blower motor circuits. The dynamic resistanceof the blower motor winding must be greater thanits fixed resistance reading. When measuring actu-al blower motor current with a DC current clamp,a current of 12 amps is measured. What is the actu-al dynamic resistance of the blower motor whendrawing 12 amps. Use Ohm’s Law for resistance.

R = E ÷ I= 14.5 V ÷ 1 2 A= 1.2 Ω blower motor resistance

More Practice - PracticeIf a blower motor is drawing 14 amps at 12.7

volts, what is its dynamic resistance?

If a blower motor is drawing 21 amps at 14.25volts, what is its dynamic resistance?

If the dynamic resistance of a blower motor onhigh speed is 0.9 ohms, how much current will ithave at 14.4 volts?

If the dynamic resistance of a blower motor onhigh speed is 1.038 ohm, how much current will ithave at 13.5 volts?

You do not have to use Ohm’s Law to troubleshootlamp circuits or starter motor problems. We have usedthese as examples to see how dynamic resistanceaffects a circuit and how Ohm’s Law is used to calcu-late dynamic resistance. This was a training exerciseto show how Ohm’s Law can be applied to series cir-cuits that have components with dynamic resistance.Our next article will delve into parallel circuits. ♦

—By Vince Fischelli

Answers:

11. 56 ohms; 12. 77 ohms; 13. 156 ohms;

14. 0.07 ohms; 15. 0.10 ohms; 16. 0.087 ohms;

17. 0.90 ohms; 18. 0.68 ohms; 19. 16 A; 20. 13 A

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Figure 2

Starter SolenoidContacts

VΩ COM

B+ from Start Switch

Starter Motor

+

-

DC CurrentClamp

.125

DC VoltsStarter SolenoidWindings

Series Circuits

26 November 1998

Measuring JobProfitabilityMeasuring JobProfitability

front Counter Mechanics

How do you decide if a job is profitable? Youcan always rely upon your instincts, then checkyour bank balance at the end of the month. But ifyou want a more reliable way of life, you’ll use sometype of measurement.

A common gauge of job profitability is percentgross profit (a.k.a. gross margin percentage) which issimply the amount of money you make on a jobexpressed as a percentage of the sale.

For example, you install an oxygen sensor for $150plus tax. It costs you $35 to buy the oxygen sensor,and it costs you $25 to buy an hour of your techni-cian’s time:

Example 1

$150 sale- $35 cost of oxygen sensor- $25 cost of technician labor (one hour)

$90 gross profit (margin)

Percent Gross Profit = $90 divided by $150 = 60%

Each shop has its individual needs, but in today’sauto repair business, 60 percent gross profit is agood rough average for what it takes to pay youremployees and yourself decent wages and benefits,keep your training and equipment current, meet allyour other expenses, and have the business show aprofit.

It’s a mistake, though, to run your business by try-ing to make 60 percent gross profit on every job youdo. Look at what happens to the example above ifyou replace a Toyota TCCS computer instead of anoxygen sensor, and want to maintain 60 percentgross profit:

Example 2

$1,440 sale- $550 cost of TCCS computer- $25 cost of technician labor (one hour)


Percent Gross Profit = $865 divided by $1,440 = 60%

Scale

court

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pson D

rug S

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27November 1998

Certainly $865 is a tidy gross profit. You’d behappy to do jobs like this all month long. The prob-lem is, in order to maintain the 60 percent grossprofit, the TCCS computer has to be sold for nearly$1,400. Your customers will question a price likethat. When they call the dealer, they will be told thatthe list price on the computer is slightly less than$800. You lose the sale, and you lose your customer.If you lose enough sales and enough customers, itwon’t matter how high your percent gross profit is,it won’t be enough to cover expenses.

Let’s look at another example — the diagnosis of abad oxygen sensor:

Example 3

$85 sale- $25 cost of technician labor (one hour)


Percent Gross Profit = $60 divided by $85 = 70.1%

A 70 percent gross profit looks great. It’s a whole10 percent more than the target amount. If you donothing but this type of job all month long, you’ll bedoing really well — or will you? The fact is, youprobably won’t.

Your Numbers May Not Tell The Whole Story

The problem with basing your pricing decisionsupon percent gross profit is that it’s only part of theequation. It accounts for how much money youmake on a sale, but it doesn’t account for how muchyou need to make on a sale. For that, you need toknow other expenses.

Expenses can be divided into two categories: fixedand variable. Fixed expenses are the ones that occurlike clockwork — rent or mortgage payments, utili-ties, laundry, insurance — they come due whetheryou’ve made any money or not. Variable expensesare the ones that depend upon sales volume —resale parts bills and technician wages — the moresales you have, the higher the amount of variableexpenses.

In the examples given above, the variable expens-es (also known as cost of sales) have been subtractedfrom the sales amounts to calculate the gross profit.

Calculating Annual Fixed ExpensesThe next step in gauging job profitability is calcu-

lating annual fixed expenses. For that, pull out yourcheck register or last year’s income tax statement. Ifyou’re using your check register, add up all thechecks you wrote during the year that weren’t writ-ten to pay for resale parts or technician wages. If

you’re using your income tax statement, add up allof the business expenses that aren’t technicianwages (these will be listed on Schedule C if yourbusiness is a sole proprietorship, or on Form 1120Sif your business is an S corporation). For the pur-poses of this article, say fixed expenses for the yeartotal $180,000.

Next, calculate the total number of hours that yourtechnicians spend working on cars in a year. In thisexample, say you have 2 technicians that work 8hours a day. However, 2 hours are lost each day toother activities, so they only work on cars for 6hours each day. They work 5 days a week. Becausethey have two weeks off each year for vacation andholidays, they work 50 weeks out of the year. Thiscomes out to 3,000 actual technician hours per year:

2 techs X 6 hours/day X 5 days/weekX 50 weeks/year = 3,000 tech hours/year

If your annual fixed expenses are $180,000, andyour technicians spend 3,000 hours working on carsduring the year, you need to make $60 per techni-cian hour to cover your fixed expenses:

$180,000 divided by 3,000 tech hours = $60/tech hour

This is the break-even point per tech hour. In thisexample, you must make $60 for every hour eachtechnician works on cars just to keep the doors open.

Analyzing Job ProfitabilityNow that you know what it costs to keep the doors

open, you can base pricing decisions upon a moreaccurate gauge: gross profit per technician hour(GP/TH).

The power of analyzing job profitability by usingthis measure can be seen by comparing the threeexamples given above:

Example 1 (oxygen sensor installed)

$150 sale- $35 cost of oxygen sensor- $25 cost of technician labor (one hour)


Percent Gross Profit = $90 divided by $150 = 60%

Gross Profit per Tech Hour = $90 divided by 1 hour= $90 GP/TH

Example 2 (Toyota TCCS computerinstalled)

$1,440 sale- $550 cost of TCCS computer- $25 cost of technician labor (one hour)


Percent Gross Profit = $865 divided by $1,440 = 60%

Gross Profit per Tech Hour = $865 divided by 1 hour = $865 GP/TH

Example 3 (oxygen sensor diagnosed)





Net profit is calculated by subtracting fixedexpenses from gross profit. Since your break-evenpoint per technician hour is $60, you made $30 netprofit in Example 1, $805 net profit in Example 2,and no net profit at all in Example 3.

As noted, the $865 gross profit in Example 2 willdrive customers away. Let’s see how it works if theTCCS computer is sold for $800 instead of $1,400:

Example 2 (Toyota TCCS computerinstalled)

$840 sale- $550 cost of TCCS computer- $25 cost of technician labor (one hour)




Net Profit per Tech Hour = $265 minus $60 = $205

The percent gross profit on this job is only half ofwhat’s needed on average, but the net profit per techhour is nearly seven times that of Example 1. At thisrate, you would make an annual net profit of$615,000:

$205 net profit/tech hour X 3,000 tech hours/year = $615,000 net profit/year

In Example 3, you would need to charge $115 tomake the same net profit as you do in Example 1:

Example 3 (oxygen sensor diagnosed)





Net Profit per Tech Hour = $90 minus $60 = $30

At $30 net profit per tech hour, you would make anannual net profit of $90,000:

$30 net profit/tech hour X 3,000 tech hours/year = $90,000 net profit/year

Obviously, it’s not practical to calculate the GP/THon every job you do (unless you have a computerthat does it for you), but if you perform a GP/THanalysis of the jobs that you do the most of, and ofthe big jobs that you have the most to lose on, yournet profit at the end of the year should be where youwant it to be. ♦

—By Chip Keen

28

Measuring Job Profitability

November 1998

30 November 1998

Test Bench

ach time I receive a piece of test equipment forevaluation, I conduct my own type of unscien-tific test sequence. To put it simply, I try to see

how far I can go without reading the instruction man-ual. Perhaps you’ve heard the old expression “Whenall else fails, read the instruction manual.” I losepatience if I’m forced to waste time with a ponderousinstruction manual that does little or nothing to helpme understand the task at hand. It may be wrong-headed, but if the manual’s a tough read, I’d rather tryto figure it out on my own first.

There must be lots of technicians out there whothink like me, because the most up-to-date automo-tive test equipment requires very little training orpouring through instruction manuals before it can beused to its fullest potential. Marketing guys call itintuitive design or a user-friendly interface. I’d callit a good thing for impatient types like me.

If you can read, you can use the MAC ToolsScanalizer. It’s as simple as following the simple andclear instructions on the control unit’s LCD screen.The Scanalizer’s on-screen prompts take youthrough a logical testing of the vehicle’s fuel system,from product identification to operating proceduresand troubleshooting. If a further explanation orinstructions are needed, and the information can’tbe crammed on the unit’s LCD screen, the Scanalizerwill refer you to the Reference Manual and User’sGuide that accompany it. I only spent enough timereading the Users Guide to come across the state-ment “To avoid property damage and bodily injury,read this manual completely before beginning

hookup or testing.” I’m sure the lawyers would beupset if they were to learn that I had already testedseveral cars before I came across that sentence.

The Scanalizer consists of two main componentparts—a control unit and a fuel management unit(FMU). These two components allow you to com-pletely test the fuel system on most any recent vehi-cle (import or domestic) equipped with electronicfuel injection. Tests can be conducted in a logicalsequence (Quick Test), or you can pick only the teststhat are appropriate for a particular problem or vehicle(Single Test). The following list will give you an ideaof the tests the Scanalizer is capable of performing:

• Fuel Pressure Gauge• Fuel Pump Leak Down• Pressure Regulator• Injector Electrical• Injector Static Flow• Injector Dynamic Flow• Injector Pressure Drop• System Flow• Fuel Pump Volume• Dead Head Pressure

I burned through several rolls of film performingand documenting each of these tests. We won’t beable to show you every step. But in the photos andcaptions that follow, we’ll give you enough detail todemonstrate some of the Scanalizer’s capabilities. Ifyou would like more information about this tool,Circle No. 122 or contact your MAC Tools distributor.

—By Karl Seyfert

Mac Tools

ScanalizerE

31November 1998

1The first step is to hook up to battery power (you’ve gotyour choice of a direct battery hookup or a cigarettelighter adapter). The Scanalizer asks a series of questionsto identify the vehicle. This information is needed to loadthe vehicle’s fuel system information and specificationsfrom the unit’s database.

2The Scanalizer includes an assortment of harness con-nectors and hoses which adapt it to a variety of vehicles.Electrical leads can be connected directly to the injectors,or backprobing at the PCM. The injectors are easy toreach on this Subaru (shown here), but so is the PCMunder the passenger floor.

3The Scanalizer instructed me to turn to page 41 of theReference Manual for terminal locations in the PCM con-nector. I backprobed the PCM connector as shown here togain remote control of the injectors and the fuel pump relay.An extension harness connects the PCM backprobe adapterto the control unit.

4The FMU taps into the fuel rail. Many of the vehicles youwill be working on are equipped with a fuel pressure accessport, and three hose adapters are provided for this purpose.This Subaru doesn’t have an access port, so we installed atee with the appropriate fitting at the fuel rail, thenattached the FMU.

5From here on, I followed the on-screen instructions. Duringthe Fuel Pump Gauge test a bar graph displays fuel pressurevalues in real time, alongside the minimum and maximumvalues. The Fuel Pump test evaluates the fuel pump electricalsystem and tests its ability to supply fuel to the injectors.

6The Leak Down Test turns the fuel pump on momentarilyto pressurize the fuel system, then checks for pressureloss over a 60 second period. When manufacturer’s spec-ifications are available, they are displayed alongside theresults of this test. If the vehicle fails the test, theScanalizer provides possible causes.

7The Pressure Regulator Test checks the fuel system’s abilityto maintain the correct fuel pressure under static anddynamic conditions. The static (engine off) test is followedby a simulated dynamic (engine running) test. To simulatea running engine, we added 18 inches of vacuum at the fuelpressure regulator.

8The Injector Electrical Test measures the resistance andinductance of the fuel injectors. The results of this test canbe displayed for individual or all injectors. Results can bedisplayed numerically or graphically. When manufacturer’sstandards are available, they are displayed alongside theresults of this test.

9The Injector Static Flow Test measures the static (wideopen) flow of each injector. Each injector is opened elec-trically, then the FMU measures fuel pressure drop tocalculate flow through each injector. This test helpslocate dirty or clogged injectors, injector imbalance orincorrect injector installation.

10The Injector Dynamic Flow Test measures dynamic orpulsed flow to identify sticking or sluggish injectors. TheScanalizer opens and closes the injectors, and pressuredfuel is injected into the cylinders. To prevent damage to theconverter, don’t repeat this test without starting the engineto clear excess fuel.

12The Fuel Pump Volume and Dead Head Pressure Testscheck the fuel pump’s performance. If the vehicle fails theSystem Flow test, run these tests to check fuel pumpvolume and dead head pressure. A blocked fuel returnline lets the Scanalizer measure maximum fuel pumppressure and volume.

11The System Flow Test measures the fuel system’s ability todeliver enough fuel at wide open throttle. This test spotsweak fuel pumps and fuel delivery problems under load.This is the first test with a running engine. The pressureregulator vacuum hose is plugged, followed by a shortwide-open throttle.

Scanalizer

32 November 1998

November 1998 33

o engine vibrates when it’s shut down, so howdoes crankshaft RPM turn into vibrations and howcan we ‘unwobble’ them? The first and most famil-iar shake comes from the effect of a sequence ofpower strokes: as the piston pushes the connectingrod down to turn the crankshaft, the connecting rodand the engine load in turn push the piston side-ways against the cylinder wall, cushioned by a thinlayer of oil.

It doesn’t stop there, of course. The cylinder wallstry to turn the entire engine away from the directionof the load, causing the engine to lean sidewaysagainst the engine mounts. If we put the car inreverse, stand on the brake and repeat the test, theforce on the reaction member counteracts the enginetorque and the reversed output shaft twists theengine backwards. This is, of course, the time-hon-ored way of making a fast and dirty (and perfectlyreliable) check for a bad engine mount.

The power strokes, however, are not as steady andconstant as we’d like. They actually deliver signifi-cant torque to the crankshaft for only about the first90 or 100 degrees of crankshaft rotation, so thetorque pulses with each combustion event. The onlyways to make this torque delivery smoother are touse a larger flywheel (you’ve noticed that small

34 November 1998

How do you balance an

engine perfectly?

Remove everything you can

that wobbles,

set up ‘counterwobbles’ for

everything else!

Will that make it perfect?

No. Tough

— but not hopeless!

Counterwobbling

It’s apart. Now what?

N

the Flailing Reciprocals Part two

35November 1998

engines use proportionately larger flywheels thanlarger ones need) or to have more cylinders. Addingextra cylinders or more massive flywheels to enginesis not something you can do, so the best correctionpossible is to make sure all the cylinders are firingequally, with no misfires, no low compression inindividual holes and so on.

When a good machine shop balances an engine,they will first weigh pistons to come up with a setthat vary by as little as their measurement apparatuscan distinguish. Piston ring weights don’t vary muchwithin a set, and there’s no way to grind them downto match, but some shops will mount the rings onthe pistons they will eventually stay with just to getthe balance as close to perfect as they can.Connecting rods are balanced in two steps, weighingthem at each end and grinding off very smallamounts to get the same weight. Even then, it issometimes necessary to grind off small symmetricalsections to bring all of the slugs and rods down tothe mass of the lightest one. Matching the lightestpiece is simply the easiest way to get the weightsequal; in principle you could add weight to thelightest as well as subtract it from the heaviest, butthat is considerably more difficult.

The crankshaft itself is not balanced alone. It can’tbe: the counterweights offset the spinning mass ofthe connecting rods and pistons (with some compli-cations we’ll discuss later).

An out of balance condition in an engine is muchmore important as the speed of the engine increases,because imbalance is a form of inertia and increaseswith the square of the RPM. As Gary Lewis explainsin his book Engine Service, a one-ounce imbalanceat 500 RPM becomes a 45-pound imbalance at 5000.

No vehicle comes from the factory with an enginethat is that far out of balance, of course, but it is pos-sible to end up with a sizable vibration if youreplace a piston and connecting rod, or a crankshaftor a flywheel. A poorly remanufactured clutch pres-sure plate could obviously do the same harm!

Most general repair shops don’t check engines forbalance after major work, and can’t. The equipmentto do so is too expensive for occasional work, soabout the only places doing it are major machineshops. Still it is a good idea to know what you get forthe balancing.

In the first part of this engine-balance article(October 1998 Import Service), we saw how imbal-ance vibrations come from in an internal combus-tion engine and how different engine configurationseither produce or cancel out different types of vibra-tions. That’s all well and good, but you really can’tconvert a V-6 to a straight-six or add balance shaftsto a four cylinder. So this month we’ll look at whatyou or your machine shop can do to optimize thebalance of a specific engine.

Right up front, I have to say the engine manufac-turers do a much better job of balancing engines atthe factory, so the benefits of balancing are less thanthey were when large-displacement V-8 enginesoccasionally came straight from the factory with pis-tons that varied considerably in mass. Clearly evenif you had a V-12 engine, it would vibrate noticeablyif several pistons or other reciprocating/oscillatingcomponents varied in weight. Geometric design, oursubject last month, is only part of the engine bal-ance; craftsmanship during manufacture is the other,and the one you or your machine shop can replicateor improve on.

Weighing

Piston

On

Digital Scale

Figure 1

36 November 1998

Looking For The Light PistonThe first step is also the most important: weighing

each piston to find the lightest (Figure 1). You cando this either with a high-precision, gram-weightscale or on a balance scale, but you’re going to want

to know the pistons’ weight later anyway, so the firstmay be the better. While there is usually very littleweight difference between piston rings or betweenpiston wrist pins and retainers, there could beenough difference for a tolerance stackup - if thelightest rings happened to end up with the lightestpin on the same piston. Obviously if you’re usingindividual piston replacements but not all, you haveto weigh everything; and the same is true where apiston is reconditioned with shims or ring spacers.

Once you have identified the lightest piston, metalis carefully machined off the others to make themidentical to the first (Figure 2). Most pistons are castwith balancing “pads” just below the wrist pin bore,small areas of extra metal available for individualmass-adjustment. Good practice calls for matchingthe weights to within one gram of one another,which seems like a very small amount until yourecall that the effect of the imbalance increases withthe square of the crankshaft rotational speed. Withfaster-turning engines, that can mean a significantimbalance at high engine speeds.

Notice that you can even do this if you’ve re-boreda cylinder oversize. True enough, an overboredcylinder will have slightly more power than the oth-ers, but for most people most of the time, this will beimperceptible in use—as long as the engine is mass-balanced! Ideally, of course, you’d bore every cylin-der to the same size and use all new rods, pistonsand pins everywhere, but some engines and vehiclesjust aren’t worth it, and some customers will rea-sonably choose economy over power-delivery bal-ance perfection. In any case, write down and recordthe final weight of a now-standardized piston, pin,rings and any retainers; you’ll need it later (Figure 3).

Counterwobbling the Flailing Reciprocals

Removing Material From Piston Balancing Pad

Matched Set Of Balanced Pistons

Figure 2 Figure 3

Diagnose European cars withor without self diagnostics.Perform external diagnosis,independent of ECU with parallel applications.

Connect via serial communica-tion using standarized OBD II,OEM protocols and CAN (controlled area network).

Complement your diagnosticstrategy with Multi-Gas pro. A portable, Bar 97 conforming,graphing emission analyzerwith concentrations expressedin %, ppm or grams per mile.

Fast, Confident

Diagnostics

Autodiagnos introduces the Multi-Tester pro.

A major advancement in European diagnostics.

An all-in-one serial, parallel,

ABS and ignition troubleshooter

for European cars.

C o n t a c t u s f o r y o u r n e a r e s t d e a l e r :A u t o d i a g n o s , I n c . 3 0 6 N . C l e v e l a n d - M a s s i l l o n R o a d , A k r o n , O h i o 4 4 3 3 3V : 3 3 0 6 6 8 1 5 1 8 F : 3 3 0 6 6 8 1 5 8 8 W : w w w . a u t o d i a g n o s . c o m

“Euro Techs”

Looking for diagnostic capabilities

previously exclusive to dealer

proprietary tools?

Still need the advantage of Parallel connections

when self-diagnostics lets you down?

Swedish Technology Continuously Developed

November 1998

Balancing connecting rods israther trickier, because the rod’smovement is partly reciprocat-ing and partly orbital, that is,the top (small end) moves most-ly up and down while the bot-tom (big end) moves mostly in acircle around the crankshaftcenterline. This calls for twobalancing operations, one foreach end. You support the rodhorizontally resting at each endin the center of the bore. Firstcorrect the small end weight;this is the reciprocating massand can have the most notice-able effect (Figure 4). When youfind the lightest small end,grind the heavier ones to match.Most connecting rods have asmall amount of sacrificialmetal at the top of the rod forbalancing purposes; those thatdo not must be carefully ground

over the top surface, being care-ful not to remove so much inone place as to weaken the rod.The target balance is to havethem all within one gram, justas with the pistons. Record thisnow-standardized weight, too.

The second operation to bal-ance the connecting rods is onthe big end, at the crankshaftbore. We’re now talking aboutrotating rather than reciprocat-ing weight. Nonetheless, theone-gram weight standardremains. With the same horizon-tal scale setup used previously,this time check the weights ofthe large ends of the connectingrods (Figure 5). Grind or sandthem equal to the lightest,removing metal at the bottom ofthe bearing cap, where there isordinarily a boss of sacrificialmetal for the purpose (Figure 6).


Weighing Connecting Rod “Small End” On Digital Scale With Fixture

Weighing Connecting Rod “Big End” On Digital Scale With Fixture

Figure 4

Figure 5

If you have to remove any weight from the largeend, however, keep in mind that this will make thesmall end very slightly heavier, because the pivotpoint is at the center of the bearing, not at theperimeter. So if you must change the big-endweights, you’ll have to recheck and possibly correct

the weights at the small ends. This sounds like itmight go on forever or until you’ve ground the metalcompletely away, but it is very rare to have to repeatthe sequence more than once before you find your-self within the one-gram standard. People with a lotof experience grinding rods can sometimes findtime-saving techniques that can shorten this proce-dure for them, but our objective here is more forunderstanding than for how-to. As with the pistonsand the upper ends of the rods, record the weight ofthe lower rods with the note that this is rotatingweight (all the rest was reciprocating).

Whirling, But CalmlyBalancing the crankshaft itself is a bit more com-

plicated since the bare crankshaft can’t be balancedby itself. After all, at work it bolts to the connectingrods, the harmonic balancer and the flywheel, flex-plate or torque converter. Setting up the crankshaftfor balancing, however, is where those numbers yourecorded earlier come in. You use them to calculatethe amount of bob weights you’ll bolt to the con-necting rod throws on the crankshaft before spin-ning it up in the balancing machine (Figure 7).

In each case, you use all of the rotating weight, thelarge end of the connecting rods, and a fraction ofthe reciprocating weight, the fraction varyingdepending on the configuration of the engine. A V-8engine, for instance, calls for exactly 50 percent ofthe reciprocating weight; odd-fire V-6 engines usedifferent fractions depending on the angle betweenthe firing pulses. In-line six cylinder engines don’trequire any bob weights at all—you’ll recall our dis-cussion of the straight-six’s inherent balance. Theengine manufacturer or the balancing machine man-ufacturer can supply information about what frac-tion of the reciprocating weight to use for eachengine design (Figure 8-9).

November 199840


Removing Material From Connecting Rod “Big End” Crankshaft Balancing Bob Weights

Figure 6 Figure 7

42 November 1998

Weight is removed by drilling holes radially intothe counterweights of the crankshaft, many of whichalready have such balance drillings from the factory.In some cases, particularly for industrial engines, itis impossible to remove weight without weakeningthe crankshaft, and for them it is possible to drill outa section of counterbalance weight and fill it with aheavier metal. Obviously, this is a very specializedapplication.

When possible, it’s best to include the flywheel onthe crankshaft when spin-balancing. Obviously youcan’t do this with a torque converter because itsinternal components will not sit perfectly concentricwith the crankshaft when dismounted from thetransmission. While it is a good idea to include aclutch pressure plate in the balancing operation (andto mark its clock position on the crankshaft!), there’s

no way to include the disk. If you balance a crank-shaft with the flywheel, don’t forget the harmonicbalancer and a check that all the external weights aresecurely welded to the flywheel. Some flywheelssimply won’t fit on the balancing machine, and forthem a special flywheel-balancing machine may beneeded (Figure 10-11).

Is it worth the money for the extra work? That’s thecustomer’s call, naturally, but there is almost alwaysa perceptible difference from how the engine feelswithout the procedure. Besides that, a balancedengine will last substantially longer than one thathas not been so prepared because of the reduction ininternal stresses. ♦

—By Joe Woods


Balancing Bob Weights Assembled On Crankshaft Computer-Controlled Crankshaft BalancingApparatus In Motion—Minus Flywheel

Flywheel Balancing Apparatus

User Interface—Computer-ControlledCrankshaft Balancing Apparatus

Figure 8 Figure 10

Figure 9 Figure 11

Photo

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ike M

avrigan

November 199844

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45November 1998

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47November 1998

Sealed Power PlatinumPromotion PayoutReaches $50,000

Allen Stephens received a $10,000 check inSeptember as the latest winner in the Sealed Power®

Platinum Cash Giveaway Promotion from Federal-Mogul. With Stephens’ $10,000 cash award, Federal-Mogul has given away $50,000 through the Platinumprogram. Participants also have the chance to win trippackages for two to the 1999 National Hot RodAssociation Winternationals in Pomona, Calif. Thepromotion, which runs through December 1998, hasserved as the introduction of the company’s popularnew line of Sealed Power Platinum Engine Kits.

Available for a vast array of popular domestic andimport applications, Sealed Power Platinum EngineKits include all of the premium engine parts requiredfor a complete rebuild. These products includeFederal-Mogul® Engine Bearings and Pistons; SealedPower® Piston Rings, Valves, Valvetrain Componentsand Oil Pumps; Gaskets; and National® Oil Seals.

Each Platinum Kit includes a 100,000-mile limitedwarranty covering parts and labor, as well as a vari-ety of other consumer-oriented value-added items.Among these is a heat-resistant Platinum “Seal ofAssurance” engine decal to help repair professionalspromote the quality and value of their work.

To enter the Sealed Power Platinum Cash Giveaway,engine repair professionals must complete and submitthe official entry card included in their Sealed PowerPlatinum Kit. Award drawings are made at the begin-ning of each month during the promotion.

For additional information regarding the SealedPower Platinum Cash Giveaway, contact your Federal-Mogul supplier or write to: Sealed Power Platinum,Federal-Mogul Customer Communications, P.O. Box1966, Detroit, MI 48235. The company’s complete lineof original equipment and replacement parts is fea-tured online at www.federal-mogul.com.Federal-Mogul CorporationCircle No. 123

Company Kicks OffMajor Marketing

CampaignThe Radiator Specialty Company is launching a

major marketing campaign designed to enhance aware-ness of its Solder Seal®/Gunk® brand of automotivechemicals. The “Gotta Have My Gunk” campaign pro-motes a specially selected assortment of 10 products.

“The campaign, and the significant investment it

represents, reflect Radiator Specialty’s commitment toproviding aggressive brand, product and customersupport,” said Rick Johnson, executive vice presidentof sales and marketing at Radiator Specialty. “It alsodemonstrates our commitment to the industry and tothe traditional channels of the automotive aftermarket,in particular.”

Additional promotions include a T-shirt with theslogan, “Gotta Have My Gunk” on the front and theSolder Seal®/Gunk® logo on the back. The shirt will beavailable by mail for just $4.99.

“We think the T-shirt may become a collectible,“Johnson said. “The Gunk® name is an icon in the indus-try, and we are promoting it in a fun, lighthearted way.”Radiator Specialty CompanyCircle No. 124

New Wagner CatalogsWagner Brake Products’ two new catalogs (WC8900

for 1992-98 model vehicles; WC8800 for 1981-91) cov-ering domestic and import passenger car and lighttruck applications from 1981-98 are now availablethrough suppliers and sales representatives.

The 580-page WC8900 includes more than 1,200new parts, including 522 remanufactured loadedcalipers, 277 remanufactured bare calipers, 89 reman-ufactured antilock brake system (ABS) modules and70 remanufactured ABS modulators.

Both catalogs offer special sections on ABS compo-nents, disc and drum brake hardware, parking brakecable and a plate to lining and shim cross reference.

Visit Wagner on the Internet at www.wagner-brake.com.Wagner Brake Products

Arizona’s DennyMandeville is NAPA/ASE

Tech Of The YearMore than just an award winner, Denny Mandeville,

owner of Canyon Automotive, a NAPA AutoCareCenter in Sedona, Arizona, is totally immersed in theautomotive aftermarket.

Information Station

All of his technicians have earned ASE certification,including four master certifications. Mandeville him-self is an ASE-certified master technician in the auto-motive and medium/ heavy duty truck categories andis certified in the L-1 category. He is also anAccredited Automotive Manager (AAM), graduatingfrom the Automotive Management Institute andholds college degrees in marketing and fire science.

He is also president of theASA Verde Valley Chapterand past president of theNorthern Arizona chapter. Heis also active in education atthe high school level, includ-ing a school-to-work programwhere he helps teach youngpeople about the industry. “Ilike to clear up any miscon-ceptions about our industryamong teens,” he says. “Weneed bright young people toengage in the kind of mental-ly challenging work we pro-vide everyday.”

Mandeville also advocates bringing more womeninto the automotive aftermarket. Because of new tech-nical demands, he believes women would excel due tothe emphasis on critical thinking and problem solv-ing. “I believe they make excellent techniciansbecause they think differently than men,” he said.

“Our industry needs technicians who have aninquisitive mind, who are ready to explore and whoare prepared to think things through. The automotiverepair industry today requires little brute strength. Wespend 80 percent of our time doing the diagnosticsand 20 percent doing the actual repairs.”

The Sedona business owner and technician believesthat as consumers understand the changing demandsof the industry, they will show greater respect towardsautomotive technicians because of the skills andtraining required to diagnose and repair today’s cars.

He should know. From a field of more than 420,000qualified technicians Denny Mandeville was selectedby industry leaders and automotive trade publicationeditors as the 1998 tech of the year. It’s an honor thatfits the man.NAPA AutocareCircle No. 125

Fight Brake Squeal WithBWC’s Pro Pack Brake

Pad KitsBeck/Arnley Worldparts Corp. (BWC) is fighting

brake squeal with its Pro Pack brake pad kits.Because every component in a braking system has to

be in top condition to per-form like new — withoutannoying squeal — eachBWC Pro Pack kit con-tains brand new QE qual-ity pads, shims and hard-ware. Everything for atrouble-free brake job.Beck/Arnley WorldpartsCorp.Circle No. 126

Hella Offers Full Line of Pierburg Fuel Pumps,

EGR Valves, and Vacuum Pumps

Hella, Inc., the exclusive distributor of Pierburgaftermarket products in North America, is now offer-ing a full line of Pierburg Fuel Pumps, EGR Valves,and Vacuum Pumps. A key benefit of Pierburg FuelPumps is minimum noise, even during hot operation.

This is made possi-ble by a gear ringdesign and the use ofa full rubber sleevewhich surrounds theunit. The pumpsalso provide contin-uous flow rates athigh temperatures.Pierburg’s compre-hensive applicationcoverage requiresonly 10 SKUs and

replaces 60 of the leading competitor’s part num-bers — all with 100% compatibility. Pierburg EGRValues and Vacuum Pumps meet or exceed the OEMspecifications for quality, reliability and service life.Hella, Inc.Circle No. 127

Federal-MogulPerformance “Big Dawgs”Series To Include Six

Free TechnologySessions at PRI

The “Run With the Big Dawgs” PerformanceTechnology Series will return to the PerformanceRacing Industry Trade Show in 1998 - but with a differ-

48 November 1998

Information Station

November 1998

ent format and no entry fee. The‘98 PRI Show will take placeDecember 3-6 at the Indianapolis,Ind., Convention Center.

Federal-Mogul Performance,sponsor of the Series, will presentsix free 45-minute ”Big Dawgs”seminars on Thursday, December 3.Seating for each session is on a first-come, first-served basis. Technicalliterature and other support materi-als will be provided.

Visit the Federal-MogulPerformance Web site atwww.goracing.com/federal mogul.Federal-Mogul CorporationCircle No. 128

AlliedSignal NowOffers Bendix®

Import QuietLoaded Caliper

Due to the popularity of itsaward winning Bendix® IQ discpads, AlliedSignal AutomotiveProducts Group is now offeringthe Bendix® IQ Loaded Caliper.Bendix® IQ Loaded Calipers areavailable for the most popularimport vehicles on the road.

The Bendix IQ Loaded Caliperis a true “bolt-off/bolt-on” prod-uct, saving time and extra work forinstallers. It is specifically engi-neered to address the most com-mon complaint following discpad service on import vehicles -noise. The calipers come loadedwith Bendix IQ disc pads, the lat-est breakthrough in braking tech-nology. The Bendix exclusive,TitaniuMetallic stripes provideoutstanding initial braking

performance “out-of-the-box.”Bendix IQ outlasts the competi-tion (both afiermarket and O.E.) interms of lining life. Testing hasshown IQ to be as quiet as O.E.and quieter than the leading after-market competitor.

Visit the AlliedSignal Inc. web-site at www.alliedsignal.com.Allied Signal, Inc.Circle No. 129

Victor ReinzMolded RubberValve CoverGaskets OfferSuperior Fit,Sealing,Durability

When engines were simple towork on and operating tempera-tures were modest, the selection ofvalve cover gaskets was not partic-ularly critical. Even low-grade off-brand gaskets might last a year ormore, and they were not labor-intensive to replace.

Now, however, the situation isquite different. Operating tem-peratures and pressures areextremely high, and labor timesto replace valve cover gaskets onsome transverse V-6 engines canrun several hours. So the choiceof valve cover gaskets is morecritical than ever.Victor Reinz offers a family of

molded rubber valve cover gas-kets, under the name Victo-Tech®, that are the most durable,reliable, and best-sealing valvecover gaskets available today.These valve cover gaskets aremade from a variety of com-pounds designed and manufac-tured specifically by Victor Reinzfor valve cover applications. Visittheir website at www.dana.com.Victor Reinz SealingProducts/Dana Corp.Circle No. 130

50 November 1998

Crown DebutsHigh Quality

RemanufacturedElectronic Fuel

InjectorsCrown Remanufacturing, Inc.

has just introduced its new line of

Remanufactured Electronic FuelInjectors. Called Injection Tech byCrown, the new line representsone of the most advanced pro-grams in the business. The lineoffers complete coverage for thehottest import applications,including Acura, BMW, ChevroletSprint, Honda, Isuzu, Jaguar,

Mazda, Nissan, and Toyota, andfeatures a 12-month/18,000 milewarranty. All catalog data is basedon OE specs and competitiveresearch. Interchange informationis available on major brands.Crown Remanufacturing, Inc.Circle No. 131

BWDAutomotiveCorporation

Features Borg-Warner BrandDIS ControlModules

Borg-Warner brand DIS ControlModules use double 15-mil wire toconnect from lead to substrate,resulting in lower voltage drop and

better connections for improvedreliability.

The control also features copperheaders under the Power Darlingtonto improve heat dissipation. A com-bined control I/C requiring fewerconnections improves signal tonoise ratio and reliability.

Voltage spike protection withinthe Power Darlington extends life.Other advantages include a MetalOxide Varistor (MOV) and a sepa-rate voltage regulator featuringinternal over-voltage protection,reducing failure due to voltagespikes. Visit their website atwww.bwdautomotive.com.BWD AutomotiveCircle No. 132

Import Service • Advertisers’ Index • November 1998Advertiser Page No. Circle No.AC DELCO 5

Allied Signal, Inc. 7 103

Autodiagnos 37 114

Blue Coral/Slick 50, Ltd. 15 106

CARQUEST Corporation 2nd cover, 3 101, 102

Clevite Engine Parts 41, 3rd cover 117, 121

Continental Teves 14 105

Crown Remanufacturing 36 113

DENSO 43 118

Fluke Corporation 49 119

iATN 40

NAPA 4th cover

NAPA Echlin 16, 17 107, 108

Pennzoil Products 26 a-d 111

Radiator Specialty 10, 11, 13 104

Snap-On Diagnostics 22, 23 109

Subaru of North America Corporation 33 150

Toyota Motor Sales 38, 39 115, 116

Veejer Enterprises 50 120

Volkswagen Parts & Service 29 112

VOLVO Cars of North America, Inc. 25 110

Information Station / Ad index

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