TECH TIPS FOR SEPTEMBER, 1998

SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS I HAVE ARRANGED FOR A TECH SEMINAR IN OAKVILLE AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. WELL I'M GOING TO DO IT AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME THERE WILL BE NO TRANSPORT PROVIDED. THE SEMINAR IS AT THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS HALL, WALLACE RD. OAKVILLE ON SEPTEMBER 14, 1998 STARTING AT 7:00pm. THE LECTURER IS MOHAMMAD SAMII, WHOSE TECH TIPS I HAVE BEEN REPORTING TO YOU OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE SEMINAR COST IS $5.00 (PAY AT THE DOOR) AND WILL COVER HOW COMPUTERS INTERACT WITH STARTING AND CHARGING SYSTEMS.

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND THE SEMINAR (AND YOU SHOULD), JUST SHOW UP AT THE HALL WITH YOUR $5.00 IN HAND, AT 7:00pm ON SEPTEMBER 14, 1998. THE INSTRUCTION TO GET THERE ARE: QEW EAST TO THE THIRD LINE EXIT AT OAKVILLE. SOUTH ON THIRD LINE TO SPEERS. LEFT ON SPEERS FOR 1 BLOCK TO WALLACE AND TURN RIGHT. THE HALL IS ON THE RIGHT AT THE FIRST BEND. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

SOME OF THE FORD "CARGO" TRUCKS USE A CUMMINS 5.9L (190hp) ENGINE. OUR EXPERIENCE IS THAT THESE ENGINES WEAR OUT THE BUSHING IN THE DRIVE END OF THE STARTER. THE STARTER WILL KEEP WORKING UNTIL THE HOUSING IS DESTROYED. WE HAVE DONE 3 OF THESE IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND NOT ONLY ARE THE HOUSINGS HARD TO FIND, THEY ARE VERY EXPENSIVE! DELCO SAYS ABOUT $300.00 FOR THE HOUSING. THIS MAKES TAKING THE STARTER OFF AND HAVING THE BUSHING REPLACED ON A REGULAR BASIS, A REALISTIC MAINTENANCE ITEM. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT HOW MANY HOURS WERE ON THE UNITS BUT I WOULD THINK THAT ANY TRUCK THAT WAS 2 YEARS OLD WOULD BE A CANDIDATE FOR THE STARTER TO BE SERVICED.

OVER THE LAST 2 OR 3 MONTHS, SEVERAL OF MY CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD CHARGING SYSTEM PROBLEMS ON CHRYSLERS, WHICH HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE BAD CONNECTIONS TO THE COMPUTER, MOSTLY ON THE GROUND CIRCUIT BUT ALSO ON THE SENSE CIRCUIT. THIS MEANS THAT INSTEAD OF CONDEMNING THE ALTERNATOR FIRST AND THEN THE COMPUTER, IT'S NECESSARY TO REALLY CHECK THESE VEHICLE'S CONNECTIONS, PARTICULARITY AS THEY AGE. SPEAKING OF MOHAMMAD SAMII, IN HIS FEB/98 ARTICLE HE POINTS OUT THAT NISSAN, TOYOTA AND SOME OTHER ASIAN BRANDS, DUE TO A PECULIAR DASH WIRING DESIGN, WHICH PUTS SOME, BUT NOT ALL WARNING LIGHTS IN SERIES, CAN ILLUMINATE THE NO© CHARGE INDICATOR AS WELL AS THE BRAKE, CHECK ENGINE, LOW COOLANT AND EVEN THE ABS INDICATOR LIGHTS, IF THE ALTERNATOR STOPS CHARGING. IT WOULD FOLLOW THAT IF ANY SERIES LIGHT WAS TURNED ON BY ITS WARNING SYSTEM, THAT ALL THE CONNECTED LIGHTS WILL COME ON. MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT THE ENGINEERS WERE THINKING OF. HAVING ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON WILL CERTAINLY GET YOUR ATTENTION, BUT WHAT HELP IS IT TO TELL YOUR WHAT SYSTEM IS AT FAULT? ON FORD RANGERS 1993-94, A LOW BATTERY CONDITION CAN BE CAUSED BY ROAD SPLASH ENTERING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR BELT TO SLIP. FORD HAS A RE©DESIGNED SPLASH PANEL FOR THE LEFT HAND FENDER TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM.

A GENERAL MOTORS TBS # TBS 43-64-07A, SAYS THAT A LOW CHARGE RATE AT IDLE, WITH EVERYTHING ON, IS PERFECTLY NORMAL, AND IS NOT A CAUSE FOR CHANGING THE ALTERNATOR. THEY SAY THAT AT IDLE THE OUTPUT FROM THE ALTERNATOR CAN BE AS LOW AS 35% OF WHAT IT IS RATED FOR AND THEREFORE IT IS NOT A SURPRISE THAT THE CHARGE RATE WILL BE LOW AND THE LIGHTS MAY DIM. THEY GIVE A LIST OF THE TYPICAL ELECTRICAL LOADS FOR THEIR CARS, AND IF YOU CONSIDER THAT WE LIVE IN CANADA WHERE VERY SHORTLY WE WILL SEE WINTER, THE LIST BECOMES MORE RELEVANT.

REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER..............25 AMPS

HEADLIGHTS (LOW)..................15

HEADLIGHTS (HIGH).................20

HIGH BLOWER.......................20

WINDSHIELD WIPERS.................6

IGNITION..........................6

BRAKE LIGHTS......................5

NOW PICTURE YOUR CUSTOMER, WHO'S CAR HAS A 100 AMP ALTERNATOR, SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT IN A DECEMBER SNOW STORM WITH A POTENTIAL OF A 82 AMP LOAD. ANY WONDER THAT THE CHARGE RATE IS LOW?