What the Heck is an Engine Ignition Analyzer?
The short answer is that it’s our modern take on an old type of tool. The long answer is… longer.
What the Heck is an Engine Ignition Analyzer? Read More »
Technical Articles
Why Hold the Throttle Open During a Compression Test?
Almost every compression testing guide tells you to hold the engine’s throttle wide open during a compression test, but most won’t tell you why it may (or may not) matter.
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Long Term Fuel Trim and Short Trim Fuel Trim
Long and short-term fuel trim are very useful indicators of engine performance relative to the manufacturer’s specifications, but before we get into what they tell you, we’ll go over what they are.
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Testing Oxygen Sensors
There are a few different tests for oxygen sensors (also known as lambda sensors), some of which can be run without dedicated tools. The most effective tests tend to be done under normal operating conditions, on a sensor installed on an engine system, though there are some tests which can be done off-vehicle.
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How to Test Glow Plugs
Glow plugs are installed on many diesel engines to help with cold starts. They usually fail because of corrosion, overheating, mechanical damage, or metal fatigue, and their failure can cause a variety of problems. The easiest way to test a glow plug is by using a clamp-meter, though digital multimeters can also do the job, and glow-plug testers also work.
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What are Wasted Sparks?
One of the questions we hear most often is ‘what is a wasted spark?’. Wasted sparks are also known by many other names, including ‘waste sparks’, ‘exhaust sparks’, which adds to the confusion.
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How to Use a Battery Tester
Most battery testers have two clips (or test leads), you first attach these to the battery’s terminals (connectors), then you press a button (or switch), and a few seconds later, the tester displays or prints a result indicating the battery’s condition. The details of how you use a battery tester depends on what kind of battery you have, the electrical system it is connected to, and which tester you plan to use. Some battery testers require disconnecting the battery from the vehicle, while others have different limitations. Most battery testers only work on one, or a few different types of batteries. We describe how to use five different battery testers below:
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