TECH TIP FOR AUGUST, 1995

I AM REALLY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SEND OUT THIS "TECH TIP", AS IT REPRESENTS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD REPORTS FROM MY CUSTOMERS WHO WISH TO SHARE THEIR SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS WITH THE INDUSTRY IN GENERAL.

THIS TECH TIP COMES COURTESY OF STACEY AT FLEMING AUTOMOTIVE, WHO REPORTS THAT HE HAD A 1991 DYNASTY /3.3L ENGINE, TOWED IN AS A "NO START". HIS CHECKS SHOWED THAT HE HAD SPARK, FUEL, EVERYTHING HE SHOULD NEED FOR THE ENGINE TO START BUT IT WOULDN'T. HE THEN FOUND THAT HE HAD NO INJECTOR PULSE, WHICH LED HIM DOWN A WHOLENEW PATH.

HE STARTED QUESTIONING A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, WHO WORKED AT CHRYSLER, AND ONE OF THEM SUGGESTED HE CHECK THE ALARM CIRCUIT. HE SAID "BUT THE CAR DOESN'T HAVE AN ALARM". THAT DOESN'T APPEAR TO MATTER, AS THE SBEC (Single Body Engine Controller) CONTAINS A CIRCUIT WHICH OPERATES IN CONJUNCTION WITH A FACTORY INSTALLED ALARM SYSTEM AND THIS CAN MALFUNCTION EVEN IF THE ALARM WAS NEVER INSTALLED.

WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO STACEY, WAS THAT THE ENGINE CONTROLLER (WHICH HAD GONE DEFECTIVE) WAS WAITING FOR A SIGNAL TO TELL IT THAT THE ALARM HAD BEEN PROPERLY TURNED OFF, AND WHEN IT DIDN'T GET THE SIGNAL, IT DECIDED THAT THE CAR WAS BEING STOLEN AND SHUT OFF THE FUEL INJECTORS. THANK YOU TO STACEY FOR HELPING TO AVOID A RASH OF BALD, BLOODY PATCHES ON THE TOP OF HEADS.

THIS IS NOT AN ELECTRICAL TECH TIP, BUT I AGREE WITH JOE AT J&W MOTORS, THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. JOE REPORTS DOING A BRAKE JOB ON A HONDA AND INSTALLING BRAND NAME AFTER-MARKET BRAKE PADS, WHICH CAME COMPLETE WITH SELFADHESIVE METAL/RUBBER ANTI-NOISE BACKERS. ABOUT 3 MONTHS LATER THE CUSTOMER RETURNED SAYING THAT THERE WAS A RATTLE IN THE RIGHT FRONT AND THAT WHEN HE BRAKED, THE CAR TURNED LEFT. JOE FOUND THAT THE ANTI-NOISE BACKER HAD COME UNSTUCK AND SLID DOWN THE PAD TO WHERE IT COULD CONTACT THE HUB. IN THE COURSE OF 3 MONTHS IT HAD COMPLETELY CUT THROUGH THE HUB. NO WONDER THE CAR TURNED LEFT ON BRAKING.

THE PAD AND THE CALLIPER PREVENT THE BACKER FROM MOVING SIDEWAYS OR UP BUT THIS SET OF PADS HAD NOTHING TO PREVENT THE BACKER FROM SLIDING DOWN TOWARD THE HUB, SHOULD IT COME LOOSE. SINCE THIS INCIDENT JOE REPORTS A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON A CHEVROLET PRODUCT. JOE FEELS THAT UNLESS THERE IS A RIDGE OR A BUMP ON THE PAD TO PREVENT DOWNWARD MOVEMENT, THAT IT IS SAFER NOT TO INSTALL THEANTI-NOISE BACKERS.

THE NEXT ITEM IS FROM ME, 2 LOCAL SHOPS AND ONE IN HAMILTON, AND CONCERNS A TOPAZ WHICH OVER ABOUT 45 DAYS MANAGED TO BURN THE MAIN WIRING PLUG OUT OF 4 ALTERNATORS. NOW THIS IS THE ALTERNATOR WHICH LIKES TO BURN THE PLUG UP ANYWAY, BUT 4 IN A MONTH AND A HALF IS A BIT MUCH.

AFTER BEING CHECKED AND TOWED FROM HELL AND BACK IT CAME DOWN TO THE BATTERY! NOW THE BATTERY WAS ALWAYS FLAT WHEN A GARAGE SAW IT AFTER ONE OF THE FIRES, BUT CAME UP AND CHECKED OUT PROPERLY AFTER BEING RECHARGED. BUT!! THE BATTERY WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR TO CHARGE AT A HIGH AMPERAGE RATE ALL THE TIME, WHICH LEAD TO THE PROBLEMATIC PLUG OVERHEATING AND CATCHING FIRE. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BATTERY HAS (SO FAR) SOLVED THE PROBLEM.

THREE YEARS AGO, IN THE AUGUST '92 TECH TIP, I OUTLINED A WAY TO LOCATE A BATTERY WITH THIS FAULT. WHICH WAS TO CHARGE THE BATTERY, START THE CAR, LET IT RUN FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND CHECK THE CHARGE RATE IN AMPS. IF THE RATE WAS ABOVE 15 AMPS (FOR LOW OUTPUT ALTERNATORS) OR MORE THAN 25% OF THE RATED OUTPUT OF THE ALTERNATOR, AND THE RATE WAS NOT FALLING, THEN THE BATTERY SHOULD BE REPLACED. I WISHED I HAD REMEMBERED MY OWN TECH TIP BEFORE THE FOURTH ALTERNATOR.

IF ANYONE HAS ANYTHING THEY FEEL IS IMPORTANT TO SHARE PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I WILL PUT IT IN THE NEXT TECH TIP.

NOW TO IMPORTANT STUFF I AM TAKING MY FIRST VACATION SINCE I OPENED THE SHOP. I WILL BE GONE FROM SEPT. 1 - 11. SINCE THERE IS A STATUTORY HOLIDAY IN THERE, THE SHOP WILL ONLY BE OPEN FOR 4 DAYS WITHOUT MY PRESENCE. RAYMOND, DAN AND KIM WILL ATTEMPT TO KEEP EVERYTHING MOVING PROPERLY, BUT IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T MEET WITH YOUR APPROVAL, PLEASE BE PATIENT AND CALL ME ON THE 11TH.