TECH TIPS FOR JUNE, 1996

THE FIRST THING TO COVER THIS MONTH IS THE POOR ATTENDANCE AT THE TRAINING SEMINAR WE HELD ON MAY 30/96 AT OAKVILLE. THERE WERE 74 PEOPLE REGISTERED, BUT 5 PHONED TO SAY THAT SOMETHING HAD COME UP AND THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT. I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED TO SEND ONE BUS HOME BEFORE THE TRIP EVEN STARTED, AND TO ARRIVE AT THE SEMINAR WITH ONLY 30 PEOPLE.

APART FROM THE WASTED EXPENSES, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH LESS IF I HAD KNOWN IN ADVANCE THAT THERE WOULD BE 30 PEOPLE, THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD SEMINAR WHICH INTRODUCED A NEW METHOD OF ON-VEHICLE TESTING AND I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT MORE THAN 30 MECHANICS IN THE COUNTY NEEDED THE TRAINING!

I WILL GET DOWN OFF MY "HIGH HORSE" BY SAYING THAT EVERY DAY YOU PUT OFF TAKING FORMAL TRAINING IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS IS ONE MORE DAY THAT YOU WON'T BE REACHING YOUR POTENTIAL AS A MECHANIC.

A COLLEAGUE DOWN ON THE EAST COAST REPORTS THAT ON SOME OF THE LATE 80'S CHRYSLER PRODUCTS WITH THE 2.2/2.5L ENGINE, IF THE COOLING FAN RELAY SHORTS OUT YOU WILL SEE A CHARGE RATE OF ABOUT 8 VOLTS AT IDLE, RISING TO 16+ AS THE RPM INCREASES. THIS IS BECAUSE THE ALTERNATOR IS CHARGING INTO A DEAD SHORT AND THE REGULATOR IS DOING ITS VERY BEST TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE 2 SIDE EFFECTS OF THIS CONDITION, FIRST IF YOUR CUSTOMER IS TRAVELLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AFTER ABOUT 20 MILES THINGS LIKE THE ALTERNATOR, BATTERY AND WIRING WILL START TO BURN.

SECOND BECAUSE THE ALTERNATOR IS IN FACT WORKING ABSOLUTELY PROPERLY, THERE WILL BE NO WARNING ON CARS EQUIPPED WITH IDIOT LIGHTS, AND IF I KNOW THE DRIVERS AS WELL AS WE ALL DO, ON THE CARS EQUIPPED WITH GAUGES, THEY WILL BE IGNORED UNTIL THE SMOKE IS COMPLETELY OUT.

ATTACHED IS THE SECOND INSTALMENT OF THE " CHRYSLER COMPUTER CONTROLLED CHARGING SYSTEM", WHICH AS I SAID LAST MONTH WILL BE ONLY A REVIEW FOR THOSE WHO TOOK THE SEMINAR.