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June 24th, 2011Riveted or Pressed Fit Ball Joint Removal.
April 25th, 2011
Ball joints are a common cause of problems in the suspension and steering systems of new vehicles. They can be easy to replace if they need to be or else they can be difficult to replace if they are riveted or pressed into place. If you have ones that are simply bolted in place or threaded in take a look at this Ball Joint Replacement and Inspection. That article will tell you how to properly diagnose and replace bolted on or threaded in ball joints.
This article will focus on the pressed in or riveted in ball joints. These ball joints are sometimes very difficult to remove and if you are not confident that you have the skills to replace your ball joints, then you should not attempt this and simply take your car to a trained technician.
Removal is the most difficult part for the most part. Most new ball joints will have bolts to hold them in place, unless they are the pressed in kind.
The Procedure
- Park your vehicle and allow for a couple days of work. This task can take some time and you may need to purchase extra parts that break.
- You can now jack your vehicle up and support it on jack stands. If you don’t have a jack and jack stands this ATD7500 Jack Pack comes with a jack and 2 stands.
- Remove the front wheels to gain access to your ball joints.
- You are now going to need to locate your ball joints and what you have to remove to gain access to them. More than likely you will have to remove the brakes and set them aside. Remove whatever is needed to gain access to the ball joints.
- With everything out of the way you can remove the nut on the ball joint. You will then want to hit the side of the control arm or spindle where the ball joint is attached. This will shock the metal and cause the control arm or spindle to simply fall off the ball joint.
- Now do the same if you have another ball joint that you are going to be replacing.
- The easy part is now done. You will now need to take extra care. We will go over the procedure for removing the rivets first if your ball joint is riveted.
Riveted Ball Joint Procedure
- You will want to locate the heads of the rivets. With the heads located you are going to want to take a center punch and make a dent in the center of each head of the rivet. This is very important to make sure you are centered. If you don’t have a punch this ATD720 20pc Punch and Chisel Set will work.
- With the rivet heads center punched you will want to take a drill and drill bit and drill a small hole through the head straight down into the rivet. Do not go all the way through the rivet though. This MKT6213DWBLE Cordless Drill will work.
- After making the small hole it is now time to take a chisel that you got in the above set and cut the head off the rivet. The hole will help make this easier and it will also weaken the rivet. Make sure to get the head off flush to the mounting hole. You will need to do the same to the rest of the rivets.
- It is now time to take out the heavy duty tools. You will need to use a heavy duty air hammer such as this ING121Q 3000 Bpm Air Hammer and the right size punch for your air hammer to punch out the rivets. Use the air hammer to push out the rivets from the top to the bottom. If the rivets are not coming out stop and look. You may have material that is left from when you cut the head off or you may have to drill the hole a little bit bigger to weaken the rivet more. Remove all of the rivets in the same manner as above.
- With all the rivets removed you can remove the ball joint.
- Take your new ball joint which should use nuts and bolts to fasten it and install it following the instructions.
Press Fit Procedure
- If you have press fit ball joints you are going to need some special tools. You will need a ball joint press such as this OTC7249 Ball Joint Tool Set. This set will work for many applications and if you need a specialized set check out tooldesk for your needs.
- With the proper tool and the proper adapter for the ball joint press you can now set up the tool to remove the ball joint. Follow the instructions in the kit.
- You are now ready to remove the ball joint. You will simply turn on the end with a socket or wrench. Make sure to watch and see if the ball joint is coming out. If the ball joint is not coming out STOP. You can risk breaking the tool.
- If your ball joint is not coming out you will need to apply some heat to the control arm or spindle, wherever the ball joint is mounted. YOU CAN ONLY HEAT THE CONTROL ARM IF IT IS STEEL OR CAST IRON NEVER HEAT AN ALUMINUM CONTROL ARM SO TEST IT FIRST. Use a blow torch to heat around the ball joint. Use care. The heat will expand the metal holding the ball joint in place. Now try pressing out the ball joint. If it still doesn’t come then you will need to apply heat and use ice or something cold on the ball joint.
- With the ball joint removed you can move onto the next ball joints and remove them as well.
- To install the ball joint you will want to follow the instructions and set up the tool for installation.
- Use the tool to install the new ball joint in place.
Back Together
- You are now ready to go back together with your vehicle. You will want to first torque the nuts that hold the ball joints to the suspension. Install a new cotter pin.
- You can reinstall anything you removed to gain access to the ball joints.
- Reinstall the tires.
- If your ball joints are greaseable make sure to grease them or check to see if they are full of grease.
You just finished installing new ball joints in your vehicle and saved yourself some money. Make sure to test drive your vehicle and listen for any squeaking or other noises that were not present before.
Written by: Cody Mammenga an NDSCS Student
Rear Brakes W/H Integral Parking Brake
April 14th, 2011
Installing rear brake pads on a vehicle equipped with an integral parking brake may be difficult if you don’t know what you are doing.
For those who do not know an integral parking brake means that your caliper piston does two jobs. First it applies pressure to the pads when you press the brake pedal. Second it has a ratchet mechanism to apply pressure when you press the parking brake. How this system works is the caliper piston instead of just pushing out like it would on a normal system, rotates while it comes out. The rotation is how the parking brake applies. This is what makes changing brake pads difficult on these vehicles if you don’t have the correct tool. You need a tool that rotates and presses the piston in at the same time.
Before you even attempt to work on the rear brakes I recommend buying a brake kit like this LIS25000 Rear Caliper Set. This set will allow you to push in the piston while twisting it.
The Procedure
- Park your vehicle where you can work on it.
- Block the front wheels either using a block of wood or something else to prevent the vehicle from rolling in either direction when you are lifting the vehicle.
- Find a suitable position to jack in the rear of the vehicle. Use a jack and lift the vehicle up and support it with jack stands. If you don’t have a jack and jack stands this ATD7500 Jack Pack contains a jack and two jack stands.
- Remove the lug nuts that hold the tires in place.
- Remove the tires and set aside.
- You are now looking at the rear brakes. You will want to locate the caliper mounting bracket bolts and remove them.
- With the bolts removed you will want to remove the parking brake cable that is connected to the caliper.
- Lift the caliper off the rotor and support it using a clothes hanger or some zip ties to prevent damage to the lines.
- Remove the rotor from the spindle. You will want to determine if you can turn the rotors or not. If you can’t turn the rotors then you will have to replace them. Under no circumstances should you put on new pads with worn rotors.
- With your rotors in place that have either been replaced or turned you can turn your attention to the caliper. You can remove the two bolts that are holding the sliding part of the caliper on.
- Slide the caliper apart and set the mounting bracket to the side.
- Remove the pads from the caliper and the mounting bracket.
- You are almost ready to install your new pads; first you must depress the caliper piston. This is where this LIS25000 Rear Caliper Set comes in handy. You simply will set up the tool like it describes in the instructions. Before depressing the caliper piston you MUST LOOSEN THE BLEEDER SCREW. This is very important, if you don’t loosen the bleeder you can send old dirty fluid to an ABS controller which may damage a $1200 ABS controller.
- With the bleeder loosened you can depress the piston until the piston is all the way into the bore. Make sure that the notches in the piston are verticale because they have to line up with pins on the brake pads.
- You can now tighten the bleeder screw.
- Bolt your mounting bracket into place and torque it to the specifications. You will need a torque wrench such as this ATD101M Torque Wrench.
- Install your new brake pads into the mounting bracket.
- You will now want to grease the slid pins. USE ONLY BRAKE GREASE. MINERAL BASED GREASE WILL SWELL UP NEOPRENE SEALS.
- Slide the caliper on the mounting bracket and insert the guide pins.
- Insert the bolts that hold the pins in place and torque them.
- You will now move onto the next side.
- Refill the master cylinder with the correct brake fluid.
- You can reinstall the tires and torque the lug nuts in place.
You just finished installing new rear brake pads on your vehicle. You will want to make several firm stops to set in the brake pads and rotors. Go from 55 MPH to 0 MPH with a firm braking action; do this several times to make sure your brakes are seated properly.
Written by: Cody Mammenga an NDSCS Student
GM V6 Intake Gasket Service
March 27th, 2011
Intake gaskets can be a very costly failure if you do not service them immediately upon finding them worn. The intake gaskets on GM 3.1 liter, 3.4 liter, and 3.8 liter are very well known for having troubles. These are some vehicles that have intake gasket problems. So if you have a vehicle with one of these engines in them, make sure that you ask your dealership about some of the updated gaskets and intake manifolds to help prevent the failure.
We will discuss how an intake gasket fails. Generally the intake gasket fails so that you will have engine coolant leaking into the engine. This is bad because a liquid is not only uncompressible and can hydro lock a motor but it does not mix with oil. If you run the engine long enough with this leak then you will have a lack of lubrication because there will be water in your oil and water does not have the lubrication properties of engine oil.
Next we will discuss some of the symptoms a vehicle with leaking intake gaskets may exhibit. It may lack power or just sound different. A good indication is if your vehicle coolant level is going down and you don’t see any coolant leaking onto the driveway. This is because it is going inside your engine. It is best to remove the spark plugs and read them. If you look at the plugs and they are white this is a good sign of coolant.
Also if your engine becomes locked up do not try to continue to start it. This is because there is enough coolant in your cylinder that the piston cannot compress it. If you continue to try to crank the engine you can cause severe engine damage. It is a good idea to remove all of the spark plugs and clear the cylinders by cranking the engine. We will now go into the procedure for replacing your intake gaskets.
The Procedure
- Park your vehicle.
- Allow for a couple days of work if needed due to parts being broken that may need to be replaced.
- Remove all of the spark plugs in the engine. If you don’t have a spark plug socket this ATD1380 106Piece Socket Set should contain the correct socket and the sockets that you will need to do this job.
- With all of the spark plugs removed it is a good idea to crank the engine over. WAIT BEFORE CRANKING THE ENGINE OVER DISABLE THE SPARK AND THE FUEL. To disable the spark disconnect the connector on the coil. To disable the fuel locate the fuse for either the fuel pump or the fuel injectors and remove this. You can now safely crank the engine over to clear out any water inside.
- You are now ready to start the removal process. The first thing to remove is the air cleaner tube. You will have to disconnect the intake air temperature sensor and then loosen the clamp. Set it aside.
- Next remove all of the sensors connected to the throttle body. Move the connectors out of the way.
- Remove the vacuum lines attached to the throttle body.
- Remove the throttle and cruise control cables from the throttle body. Remove the cruise cable by pushing the plastic piece until it pops off the throttle arm. To remove the throttle cable, open the throttle all the way and hold the arm. Then move cable out of the groove and slide the little pin out with the cable. You can release the throttle.
- You now need to remove the cables from the throttle body. To do this, use a flat blade screwdriver. If you don’t have a flat blade screwdriver this ATD6265 8 pc Screwdriver Set contains a screwdriver that will work. Use the blade to pry up on the little tab that is holding the cables in. Then simply slide the cables up and out. Do this for both.
- Remove the EGR shield out of the way it consists of two bolts.
- You are now ready to remove the injector connectors. Simply push in on the metal clip and pull up on the connector. Make sure to pull up on the connector and not on the wires otherwise you risk damaging the wires. Remove all the injector connectors.
- Remove the EVAP Purge valve connectors and any other electrical connectors that are attached to the intake manifold.
- Remove any brackets that look like they are going to be in the way for the intake removal.
- Now all that is left should be to remove the fuel rail. To do this you will want to take off the cap on the regulator. Then take a screwdriver and rags and gently depress the Schrader valve. Fuel will come out that is why you have the rag handy. Make sure to use extreme caution at this point.
- Remove the bolts holding the fuel rail in place.
- You will then need to remove the two fuel lines connected to the fuel rail. Simply squeeze in on the plastic tabs and pull up.
- Now you can gently pull up on the fuel rail. The injectors should come out with the fuel rail. YOU HAVE TO BUY NEW INJECTOR O-RINGS FOR THE BOTTOM OF EACH INJECTOR!
- Remove all of the bolts holding the intake manifold in place. Consult a service manual for the specific locations of your bolts and the number of bolts.
- With all of the bolts removed you will be able to pull the intake manifold off. This is the upper intake manifold and on some vehicles specifically the GM 3.8 liter engines it needs to be replaced with new intake gaskets. It is plastic on the 3.8 liter engine and warps. Consult your local shop to see what needs to be done.
- Since you have the vehicle apart this far it is also a good idea to remove the lower intake manifold. To do so simply remove the bolts holding it in place.
- With the lower intake manifold removed you will want to place rags in each port on the cylinder heads and rags in the valley to prevent you from accidentally dropping anything in either of those places.
- Now comes the time consuming part. You will need a can of brake cleaner and a gasket scraper such as this ATD8560 3pc Scraper Set. Use the brake cleaner and the scrapers to remove any and all gasket material. Take care to not scrape any of the material into the engine. Also don’t gouge any grooves into the aluminum this could cause leaks. On the plastic intake manifolds you don’t have to scrape you simply have to either get the new gaskets or a new intake manifold.
- With everything all clean and dry it is time to install the new intake gaskets. Start with the lower intake gaskets. They will come with instructions on if you need to place silicone at the corners of the gasket or not so follow the instructions.
- Set your lower intake manifold in place.
- You will now need to look up the torque on the bolts. You will also need to know if they need some kind of thread locking compound or not applied to the threads.
- With the torque and what should be applied to the threads you can start threading the bolts in by hand. Get them all finger tight.
- It is now time to torque them. There is a certain torque procedure for your specific vehicle consult the manual for it. Also you will need to know how many torque stages you will need. Torque the bolts, if you don’t have a torque wrench this ATD100M Torque Wrench will work.
- Next you will need the same information for the upper intake manifold.
- Set the gaskets in place and the upper intake manifold.
- Follow the torque procedure and use your torque wrench to torque the bolts to the manufacturer’s specifications.
- Now you are ready to reinstall the fuel rail. WAIT BEFORE REINSTALLING THE FUEL RAIL YOU WILL NEED TO INSTALL NEW O RINGS ON THE BOTTOM OF EACH INJECTOR. Then apply silicone based grease in a thin film to the injector O-ring.
- Slide the fuel rail in making sure that all of the injectors are seated in place. Torque down the bolts.
- Reinstall the fuel line connections.
- Now simply reverse the procedure.
- When you are finished you will want to replace the spark plugs with new ones. Your old spark plugs will be coolant fouled and should be replaced.
- With the new spark plugs you will also want to change your oil. Your current oil will be full of coolant which is not a good thing. So change the oil and filter.
- You can now fill the radiator. Fill it with a mix of Dexcool and water at a 50/50 mixture.
- Start the vehicle and allow it to run. You will have to bleed the air from the cooling system so open the bleeder valve located on either a heater hose or the thermostat housing. Once coolant starts to come out of the bleeder valve you can close the valve.
- Shut the vehicle off and wait for it to cool. If you don’t wait you can be severely burned. Once the vehicle is cooled off you can remove the radiator cap. Top off the radiator.
- You will also want to fill the overflow tank to the correct level.
- Now you can test drive your vehicle. Take it on a good long test drive to insure that you don’t have any overheating.
- After your test drive check your oil level and look at the oil it should be black and not look milky. If it is milky you still have an intake gasket leaking.
- You will also want to check your coolant rating. To do so use a refractometer such as this ATD3705 Coolant-Battery Refractometer.
You just finished replacing intake manifold gaskets on your GM 3.1 liter, 3.4 liter, or 3.8 liter engine. Your vehicle should now be trouble free and run much better.
Written by: Cody Mammenga an NDSCS Student
Replacing a Ford V6 Timing Chain
March 20th, 2011
Replacing a Ford V6 timing chain is a fairly difficult task if you don’t know what you are doing. It can become a head ache if you don’t do the procedure correctly.
The timing chain is what drives the camshaft and in Ford’s case the camshaft position sensor. If you have a timing chain that is worn or stretched it can cause a lot of problems.
This procedure is a basic outline of what most Ford V6 timing chain’s are like. This should give you a good idea of how to replace it. I recommend investing in a service manual before you decide to undergo this task for your specific applications. This procedure works for most latemodel Ford V6 engines that use pushrods.
The Procedure
- Park your vehicle where it can sit for at least a couple days. This is for if you break something or need a part. That way you have a couple days to work on the vehicle.
- Disconnect the negative terminal on the battery; this will prevent you from accidentally shorting out any wiring. It is also a good idea to remove the positive cable as an extra safety precaution.
- You will now need to locate what all is in front of the timing cover. Generally you will need to remove the alternator, A/C compressor, power steering pump, and water pump.
- Once you look at what all you have to remove buy a timing cover gasket kit that should contain the gaskets for your application.
- I recommend a good metric socket set for this task. If you don’t have one this ATD1380 106 Piece Socket Set should contain the majority of sockets that you will need.
- Start at the top which is generally the alternator. Remove the cable on the back of the alternator.
- Remove any other electrical connectors in the way of removing the alternator.
- Remove the bolts that hold the alternator in place.
- It is now time to remove the alternator. You will need either a dead blow hammer such as this ATD4082 3pc Dead Blow Hammer or a pry bar such as this WMRW2025 5pc Pry Bar Set. If you are using a hammer hit on one side of the alternator trying to pop it up and out. If you are using a pry bar pry up and under the alternator, just make sure to pry on something solid.
- With the alternator out of the way the next step is to remove the A/C compressor. Remove any electrical connectors connected to the compressor.
- Remove the bolts holding the compressor in place.
- Gently lift the compressor out of the way. Be careful so that you don’t damage any of the A/C lines and set it out of the way in the engine bay.
- Now keep working your way down. It is time to remove the power steering pump. I recommend leaving the lines connected and removing all the bolts. Then supporting the pump out of the way. This is the best method since power steering lines tend to leak once you have removed them.
- Now you should only have the water pump and timing cover remaining. You will have to go onto your radiator and loosen the drain plug. Use a catch pan such as this LIS17952 4.5-Gallon Drain Pan to catch the coolant.
- Once the coolant is drained you can retighten the drain plug.
- Now remove the upper and lower radiator hose. It helps to use a hose clamp pliers such as this AST9409 Hose Clamp Pliers.
- With the hoses out of the way you can locate the water pump. You will have to remove any electrical connectors that are located in the way and remove anything else that is preventing you from removing the water pump.
- Remove the water pump bolts and set the pump aside. If you have a vehicle with a lot of miles on it and the original water pump, now would be the time to replace it as some preventative maintenance since you have everything all apart.
- The next steps get very involved. YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS IN YOUR MANUAL OR LIKE I WILL OUTLINE.
- Ford uses a camshaft position sensor that is run in the timing cover and it runs the oil pump. There is a very specific procedure for removing this. The best method is to locate top dead center on the compression stroke. Use your manual or other articles that I have written to determine TDC on the number 1 cylinder.
- Mark the outside of the camshaft position sensor with a marker. Mark it with a line that goes onto the cover. Everything has to go back perfect otherwise you will have to take your vehicle to Ford and have them recalibrate your camshaft position sensor.
- You can remove the bolt holding the sensor in place. Make sure that you have marked the outside. DON’T REMOVE THE SENSOR YET OR MOVE IT AT ALL!
- As you pull the sensor out you will want to make alignment marks all the way down as you pull the sensor out. There is a long shaft that needs to stay in alignment. So pull gently up and out marking the shaft the full length with an alignment mark.
- CAREFULLY SET THE SENSOR ASIDE MAKING SURE THAT THE SHAFT CAN’T BE SPUN OR TURNED. It would be a good idea to tape the shaft to prevent it from rotating.
- Remove the bolts holding the oil pump in place and remove the oil pump.
- Remove the front harmonic balancer bolt. You will need to use an impact to remove the main bolt. If you don’t have an impact this ING2130 Impact Wrench will remove the bolt.
- Remove the bolts holding the pulley on using the same impact and the correct socket.
- You will now need a balancer puller kit to remove the balancer pulley. This KDT41600 Puller Kit will work. Follow the instructions in the puller kit on how to remove the pulley.
- You are now ready to remove the camshaft position sensor. Set that aside.
- Remove the timing cover bolts.
- You will now need to work the timing cover off. Use your pry bar and a dead blow hammer to gently remove the timing cover. It is a pain to remove sometimes. Make sure to not pry on the gasket surface.
- Now you are looking at the timing chain and gears. Make sure the timing marks line up.
- Remove the bolt holding the gear in place.
- Remove both gears and the chain together at the same time.
- You can now follow the instructions on installing your new timing chain and gear.
- Before installing any item you will need to scrape the gasket surfaces cleaned. I recommend using a gasket scraper such as this ATD8560 3pc Scraper Set. Scrape the surfaces clean and feel free to use some brake cleaner to aid in the cleaning.
- You are now ready to reinstall everything. Make sure the gasket surfaces are clean. Apply a thin bead of silicone gasket maker to the oil pan part. Make sure to get in the corners.
- Make sure the timing gears are positioned like they were when you removed the camshaft position sensor. You can then reinstall the timing cover with the new gasket. Torque the bolts in place using a torque wrench. If you don’t have a torque wrench this ATD101M Torque Wrench.
- Now install the camshaft position sensor. Make sure that all the alignment marks are lined up and that you didn’t turn the sensor at all. Make sure it doesn’t turn during the installation as well. Tighten the hold down bolt.
- Reinstall the oil pump make sure that you line up the camshaft position shaft with the oil pump don’t turn the shaft but line up the gears on the oil pump and torque that in place.
- Now reverse the rest of the installation process. Make sure to clean and dry any gasket surfaces and install any gaskets that you get in the kit.
- When everything is completely installed you can go ahead and fill the radiator. You will need to bleed the cooling system.
- Remove the bleed screw that is on the heater hose and start the vehicle. Once coolant comes out of the bleed screw, close it.
- Then open the radiator and top it off.
You just finished installing a new timing chain. Make sure that you take it easy for a little while making sure everything is broke in. Also check for leaks and repair as necessary.
Written by: Cody Mammenga an NDSCS Student
Understanding the PCV System
March 1st, 2011
The PCV system on modern vehicles plays a major role in the proper operation of the engine. It is a very simple system and often time is forgotten about in diagnosis. The PCV or Positive Crankcase Ventilation system if working incorrectly can lead to many problems in driveability.
The PCV system works by allowing fresh air from your intake tubing to blow through the engine. This clean air then mixes with hydrocarbons and then passes into your intake manifold to be burned. The PCV system prevents pressure from building up in your engine and is also an emission device.
If you have a PCV system that is not working correctly you can have many problems with your vehicle. We will discuss some of these problems but first we must understand the components of the PCV system.
- The first component is the tube that travels from your intake to the valve cover of your engine.
- Next there is a spring loaded valve on your other valve cover generally that allows crankcase pressure to escape.
- After the valve there is a tube that runs into your intake manifold.
Now that we understand the parts of the PCV system we can discuss some of the problems that can occur with your PCV system and what they can lead to.
One of the most common problems that can happen to your PCV system is that you can break a line or have a restricted line. If you have a broken or restricted line this can lead to a vacuum leak or excessive crankcase pressure. With excessive pressure you can have oil leaks or have oil be blown back into the intake manifold.
Another problem very similar to this is that the spring loaded valve doesn’t work. This will lead to some of the earlier problems.
A PCV system can lead to some other problems such as MAF codes or other induction sensors. This is due to the fact that if the system is not working correctly it can blow oil back into the intake and this oil can coat your MAF sensor and cause all kinds of problems.
After discussing some of the problems and symptoms of a PCV system not working correctly we can go into the diagnosis procedure.
- You will have some reason or complaint to check the PCV system before starting this, or else you simply want to make sure that it is working.
- After deciding you are going to check your PCV system it is time to start the diagnosis. The first thing to look at is the hoses. Make sure that all of the hoses look like they are connected and in good shape. If you see any kinked or broken hoses replace them.
- Next you will want to check to make sure there are clamps on the hoses. Some hoses do not require clamps but if they have a clamp on them make sure it is snug and doesn’t move. Replace clamps as necessary.
- The last thing that you will need to look at is the PCV valve itself. There are several tests that can be done to check to see if it is working. The most common is the rattle test. You will shake the PCV valve and if it rattles it is good, I do not like this test because it is not always true. The test I prefer is the paper test. Have the engine running and simply take a piece of paper and remove your oil cap. Set the piece of paper on the oil cap and it should be sucked down and held in place by vacuum. If not your PCV valve is not working. Another similar test would be to remove the PCV valve and hose and hold your finger under the valve it should suck your finger against the valve if it is working correctly, this is with the engine running.
Now that we have gone through some of the diagnosis of your PCV system we can discuss how to replace any part of the PCV system.
- Park your vehicle.
- Diagnose the problem and what you have to do to fix it. The first item we will discuss how to fix is a broken hose.
- Use a plier such as this ATD636 Slip Joint Pliers to remove any clamps holding the hose in place.
- Remove the hose.
- Reinstall the new hose.
- Use the pliers to position the clamp in place.
- If you have a PCV valve that is faulty simply remove the hose that goes to the PCV valve itself.
- Remove the PCV valve.
- Install the new PCV valve.
- Reconnect the hose to the PCV valve.
You just finished diagnosing and fixing your PCV system on your vehicle. I hope this helps you to better understand how to work on the PCV system on a vehicle.
Written by: Cody Mammenga an NDSCS Student
Heater only works on one speed?
February 21st, 2011 
A common problem among vehicles is heating concerns. In this article we will discuss what occurs when your vehicle’s blower motor won’t run or will only run on one speed. We will discuss how you can test this and fix the problem.
When your blower motor doesn’t work most people just assume that the blower motor is at fault. This is not true and can lead you to waste money on replacing a blower motor that will not fix your problem. In order to understand how to diagnose and fix the problem we must first understand how a blower motor circuit works.
A blower motor circuit is fairly simple. I will just discuss a basic circuit and your particular application may vary but should be very similar. The basic blower motor circuit consists of the adjustment switch for fan speed, wiring, a resistor/relay block, and your blower motor.
- The blower motor switch is a simple switch that allows the user to select which speed your blower motor will work on. This switch selects which wires will be used.
- After you have selected the speed the voltage travels through the specified wiring for that switch.
- The voltage then travels to the resistor/relay block. This is where the magic happens. The resistor/relay block contains multiple resistors wired together in different ways. Depending on the speed you have selected your voltage will go through any number of resistors. Say for instance you have a 5 speed fan. On low the voltage will travel through all of the resistors which would be 4, on medium low it will travel through 3 of the resistors, on medium it will travel through 2 of the resistors, on medium high it would travel through 1 of the resistors, and on high it will bypass the resistors and just send direct voltage to the motor. The adding of resistors causes voltage to drop and spins the motor slower this is how you have the speed change.
- After being regulated by the resistor/relay block the voltage travels to the motor.
Now that we understand how the blower motor circuit works then we can understand how to diagnose the system.
This diagnostic procedure will guide you through the steps of how to diagnose your blower motor circuit and will discuss some possible causes of the problems.
- Park your vehicle.
- Before starting any diagnostic procedure you will want to check your battery. Since your battery is what powers all the electronics on your vehicle it is the best place to start. Grab the clamps and see if you can wiggle them by hand, if you can you have loose clamps and should tighten them.
- After checking the clamps move onto battery voltage, you will need a multimeter such as this ATD5519 AutoRanging Multimeter. Connect the leads to the battery posts and check DC Voltage. You should have a reading greater than 12.4 volts this will designate a charged battery.
- You will then want to move your dial to see what speed the fan works on and whether it works on any speed.
- After moving the dial it is time to check out your switch and make sure it is getting battery voltage and sending voltage out. This is where a manual comes in handy, if you don’t have a manual then call your local service shop and ask if they would print you off some wiring diagrams. Once you have the diagram you can now locate which wires are for what.
- Remove the trim until you can gain access to the back of the blower motor switch.
- I recommend using a test light such as this ATD5513 Test Light for testing. Before testing anything take your test light to the battery post and make sure it works. You will first want to test the power to the switch. Locate the wire and connect the clamp from your test light to a good ground. Then probe the back of the connector that is the wire that supplies voltage and you should light up the test light. If you don’t then you are not getting voltage to the switch.
- After testing for voltage you will then need to test the individual speeds. Again ground your test light and simply probe the correct wire for the correct speed. The test light should light up. Then move the dial to the next speed and continue to test. If it won’t light on a given speed then your switch is bad and not connecting the circuit.
- Once you have tested the switch you will either have found the problem or will need to move on to the next item in the circuit the resistor block. To test the resistor block you will need to locate the output wires for each speed using your diagram. Again you will ground the test light to a good ground and probe each one while moving the switch. The test light should light on every one and as you get to a higher fan speed it should light up brighter. If it doesn’t light up or you only have a high fan speed then your resistor block needs replacement since it is bypassed on high speed.
- If the resistor block tests out good and you don’t have any fan speed or a slow fan speed for all speeds you can assume that the blower motor is at fault since everything else has tested out ok.
Now that we diagnosed your blower motor circuit we can discuss how to replace your resistor block or blower motor.
- Disconnect the negative terminal of your battery. This will prevent accidental shorting of a wire or component.
- Locate your blower motor and resistor block they are generally under the passenger side of the dash. If you find the blower motor you can follow the wires that go into it and they should be coming from another area which would generally be the resistor block.
- Once you have located your resistor block or blower motor whichever is at fault, you will need a ¼ ratchet such as this SKT1325 25 Pc 1/4 Inch Socket Set. Remove the bolts or screws holding the resistor block or blower motor in place.
- With the screws removed you will then need to remove the electrical connectors from the motor or resistor block.
- Simply pull the blower motor out or resistor block out and reinstall the new unit.
- Reverse the procedure and reinstall the new unit.
You just finished diagnosing and repairing your heater in your vehicle. You should now have heat on every fan setting.
Written by: Cody Mammenga an NDSCS Student
BRAND NEW BARTEC WHEELRITE TECH 400 PLUS
February 12th, 2011
Just released the BRAND NEW Bartec Wheelrite WRT400P. This is the newest TPMS tool introduced by Bartec on the market. It has so many features that have made it superior to the previous models offered by Bartec. The new WRT400P is very simple to use. We will discuss some of the new features that this product contains and how Bartec made the unit very easy to use.
The WRT400P does everything that the Tech 300 and Tech 300 Plus did and more.
One of the main features of the Tech 400 Plus is that it has the ability to install new TPMS sensors into the vehicle and have the computer relearn this sensor thus shutting off the check engine light. The Tech 400 Plus can do this through the use of engine management software or through the OBD II connector. This is a huge step up on the competition.
Another key feature of the Tech 400 Plus is that it decodes the TPMS data to insure that you are reading the correct data and not reading some other RF signal. This helps the technician to insure they are fixing the problem. Along with this the Tech 400 Plus allows the operator to transfer the data from the tool onto a PC to save or print for records or for the customer.
The Tech 400 Plus also allows the operator to view the correct part number for the sensor, service information, and much more information to help them correctly replace the faulty TPMS. Then upon replacement the Tech 400 Plus can determine if the sensor is the correct sensor for that application so it will prevent mistakes and comebacks.
Features:
- Bartec large, easy to read display
- Make-Model-Year look-up
- Downloads TPMS data directly to the vehicle
- Uploads and can clear diagnostics, and inform the operator if he will require the spare
- Rechargeable battery
- Decodes and displays sensor data including: Sensor ID, PSI, Battery State, Temperature
- Software designed to sensor specifications
- Displays the replacement part number
- Audit Mode – easily download TPMS sensor data to a PC or laptop for printing
- Compact and ergonomic
- Most complete sensor coverage
- Upgradeable via USB port
- Sold as a complete kit
Not only is the Bartec Tech 400 Plus sold with a vast majority of information about the vehicles on the market today, but it can easily be updated every year to get the latest and most up to date information about servicing TPMS on brand new vehicles.
For more information on servicing TPMS check out this article, How TPMS works.
For all of your TPMS tools check out TPMS at tooldesk.com.
Written by: Cody Mammenga an NDSCS Student
Cleaning your throttle body.
February 8th, 2011
Cleaning your throttle body.
A dirty throttle body can cause many different vehicle related concerns. It can cause a lack in power, hard starting, poor idling, stalling, and many more problems. Overtime your throttle body will begin to gain carbon and after time will cause some driveability concerns.
The carbon on the throttle body causes a lack of air or restrictions to airflow. This will affect your vehicle’s performance. It is normal and should not require a whole lot of skill to fix. This article will discuss the procedure to fix your dirty throttle body.
The Procedure
- Park your vehicle and disconnect the negative terminal on the battery. This will prevent you from accidently shorting any components on your vehicle.
- Locate your throttle body. It will be located in your air intake. Look for throttle cables connecting to it. Or else on newer vehicles they will have an electronic controlled throttle plate. Simply locate your air filter and follow the piping to the engine and you will find the throttle body.
- You need to remove the intake tubing to gain access to the throttle body. You may have to disconnect some electrical connectors. You may also have to remove some hoses, make sure to label the hoses with a piece of tape so you know where they go.
- With everything removed or disconnected from the intake tubing you will need to locate the clamp holding it in place. This clamp will need to be removed using a screwdriver or torx bit depending on your application. If you don’t have a screwdriver this ATD6251 18 pc Screwdriver Set contains regular Phillips, Flat blade, and some Torx screwdrivers.
- After removal of the clamp you can slide the intake tubing off. You may need to wiggle it and break it free depending on how long it has been on your vehicle.
- Now you are looking at the throttle body. You will want to disconnect any electrical connections and any cables connected. To remove the cables simply hold the throttle open and they should snap up and off.
- With all the electrical connections and cables removed you will need to remove the bolts or nuts holding the throttle body in place.
- After removing the bolts or nuts gently remove the throttle body. Be careful if you plan to reuse the old gasket.
- You are now going to need a can of throttle body or carburetor cleaner.
- Use the cleaner and spray the throttle body on the inside. You may need to use a rag and scrub or a brush, just use care and try to remove all of the carbon on the inside of the throttle body and on the throttle plate itself. An old toothbrush works well to get into the hard to reach areas.
- Once you have the throttle body cleaned and the throttle plates take a blow gun such as this MILS148 Lever Hook Blow Gun and blow the throttle body out. This will dry the throttle body off and help get any dirt off of it.
- If you have a new gasket scrape off the old gasket and install the new one with the throttle body, I recommend getting a new gasket, but if not simply install the throttle body.
- Torque the bolts or nuts in place to the manufacturer specifications.
- Reinstall the throttle and cruise cables.
- Reinstall the electrical connectors that were on the throttle body.
- You are ready to reinstall the intake tubing make sure the clamp is on the intake tubing and slide it back into place.
- Tighten the clamp until it is snug.
- Reconnect any electrical connections and or hoses that you removed from the intake tract.
- Reinstall the negative battery clamp and tighten it down.
You can now test drive your vehicle. It may idle higher than normal since the computer is not used to having the clean throttle body, but after time it will learn and recalibrate itself. Your vehicle should be much more responsive, idle better, and just overall run better. It also may smoke a little when you first start it, this could be from some left over cleaner inside the throttle body and is not a concern.
Written by: Cody Mammenga an NDSCS Student
Replacing Valve Guide Seals
January 30th, 2011
Changing valve guide seals in the vehicle.
A common problem among vehicles especially older vehicles is leaking valve guide seals. They are a cheap item but the labor rate a shop can charge may make it very expensive. The task of changing your valve guide seals is actually fairly straight forward and can be accomplished in a weekend with a couple special tools.
A valve seal is a simple seal. There are several different kinds of valve seals depending on the time in which your vehicle was manufactured. The most effective kind of valve seal is the positive style seal, this fits over the valve guide itself and is stationary. The next seal is the umbrella style seal, this seal rides with the valve stem and prevents oil from going down the guide. The last style of valve seal is the o-ring. This was extremely common on older style engines and was the least effective of any of the seals. You don’t have to worry if you have o-ring style seals they were still effective at sealing the guide, it is just over time they become brittle due to heating and cooling.
If you have leaking valve seals on your vehicle it is likely that you will have an oil consumption problem. Another sign would be that if you have a puff of blue smoke on start up when your vehicle has sat overnight. This is because the oil from the valve train can leak down the guide and onto the top of the piston this will make your blue smoke on start up.
This procedure will discuss how to install new valve guide seals on your vehicle with the heads in place. It is also going to assume that you have a pushrod style motor, it is similar on a overhead cam motor but you may have to remove the cam and that you will need the timing chain procedure to reinstall, but the principle and procedures are similar.
Before starting this procedure you will want to know that you may cause serious engine damage if you do not follow these exact steps. You can risk having a valve fall into the cylinder and damage the piston. Make sure to follow all of the steps.
The Procedure
- Park your vehicle where it can sit for a weekend. Also make sure to allow plenty of time, even though it may be a relatively simple task, it is very time consuming.
- Disconnect the negative terminal on your battery.
- Remove the upper intake manifold. Tip I recommend buying little plastic baggies and labeling them and putting the bolts in them so you know which bolts are for what. I also recommend placing masking tape and numbers on vacuum hoses and fittings to make installation easier.
- Remove anything that is in the way of you getting to the valve covers and getting them removed.
- With the valve covers accessible remove them and set aside.
- You will then need to remove the spark plugs from all of the cylinders.
- The next step is to loosen up all of your rocker arms on your engine. You may have a rocker shaft, in this case remove all of the bolts in an even pattern until the rocker arm shaft can be removed. If you have individual rocker arms then simply remove the nuts and set the rocker arms aside. It is a good idea to label which cylinder and whether or not it is an intake or exhaust rocker arm and set them aside. This will ensure that your rocker arms will go back on the original cylinder they were from.
- With the rocker arms removed you now are looking at the valves. Take a soft faced hammer such as this ATD4082 Dead Blow Hammer and give the retainers on all of the valves a good hard hit. This will help break the keepers loose and make removal of the keepers much easier.
- You will next have to install an adapter from a compression tester into the spark plug hole of one of the cylinders. If you don’t have a spark plug adapter this ATD5639 Compression Tester Kit contains many popular sizes.
- With the proper adapter in the spark plug hole, you will now want to connect your air hose from your air compressor. I recommend using at least 100 pounds of shop air. This is used to keep the valves from falling into the cylinder when you remove the retainer.
- You are now ready to remove the retainer. You will need a tool such as this KDT3271 Valve Spring Compressor to compress the valve spring. This tool is simple to use simply latch the long arms onto the bottom of the spring and make sure the inside contacts the retainer. Then snug it up and thread the handle on top and compress the spring. Compress the spring until you can remove the keepers. I recommend using a little magnet such as this LIS31000 Magnetic Pick Up Tool to remove the keepers.
- With the keepers removed you can unscrew the valve spring compressor and remove it. Unless you have an o-ring style seal then you will need to remove the seal before you can remove the retainer. Then if you have an o-ring seal you can simply oil your new o-ring and slide it in place and install new keepers. It is important that you install new keepers. You can now pull the retainer off and set it aside along with the valve spring.
- You will then have to remove the umbrella or positive style seal. If you have an umbrella you can simply pull the seal off and install the new one. If you have a positive then you will need a special plier which is included in this KDT41910 Valve Service Kit to remove the seal. Then you can use the same tool to install the new seal making sure to lubricate it with oil.
- With the new valve seal in place you can reinstall your valve spring and retainer, use the spring compressor and compress the spring. Install new keepers in the grooves and remove the compressor.
- Move onto the next valve and do the same procedure. Make sure you have air in the cylinder when you are doing this otherwise the valves will fall into the cylinder and you will have to remove the head to get them out.
- Before installing the rockers go around and hit each valve retainer with your soft faced hammer several times. This will make sure that all of the keepers are in place and insure that you will not drop a valve.
- Once all of the valve seals are installed you are ready to reinstall your rocker arms. If you have a rocker shaft you simply have to install the rocker shaft and torque it to spec. You may then have to adjust the valves depending on your setup. It is a good idea to get some information on how to adjust the lash on your rocker arms if you need to. If you have rocker arms and hydraulic lifters then you will want to set the rockers on and just start the nut. Then turn the engine until cylinder number one is on top dead center compression stroke. To make sure you are on compression and not exhaust since the marks will line up for both make sure both your push rods are down indicating a cam that has lobes facing away. Then if you have a manual it will tell you what cylinders and valves you can adjust the lash on with cylinder number one on compression. You will have to torque the retainers to a certain torque, and then according to the service information you may have to make a certain number of additional turns after that. Just make sure to follow the service information on this.
- You then simply have to install new gaskets on the valve cover and intake manifold and reinstall everything in the reverse order.
You just finished installing new valve guide seals. Your engine should now run much better and not use oil.
Written by: Cody Mammenga an NDSCS Student
