P0170 Code: Indicates a Fuel Trim Malfunction (Bank 1), the computer is having issues maintaining the optimal air-fuel mixture. Common Symptoms: Check Engine Light, rough idling, poor acceleration, misfires, reduced fuel economy, black smoke, or fuel odor. Main Causes: Vacuum leaks, faulty MAF or O2 sensors, fuel delivery issues, exhaust leaks, or computer problems. Diagnosis… Read More »
Having a good OBDII scan tool can help greatly when it comes time to troubleshoot a vehicle with a transmission problem. A good scan tool will display the error code that points to the problem a vehicle is having. Not all scan tools can read transmission codes with only certain units with features to read… Read More »
If you have a Honda with a P1457 OBDII engine error code, there is a problem with the Evap system. The Evap system takes the gas vapors from the gas tank and feeds them into the engine to be burnt away. This is for emissions and usually does not affect the engine unless the purge… Read More »
Having a good OBDII scan tool with ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) is a nice thing to have when troubleshooting ABS vehicle problems. There are many ABS OBDII scan tools available from low-cost to high-end units. Everyone will have a different requirement from an automotive scan tool. For example, a DIY mechanic will not have the… Read More »
There are several methods to test if a fuel pump has failed; it is usually tested with a fuel pressure gauge to see if it is outputting the correct PSI, but there are other methods. While using a fuel pressure gauge is the recommended method to troubleshoot a bad fuel pump, there is an old-school… Read More »
If you have a car that when the gas pedal is pressed and you are accelerating, there is a jerking motion, this can be caused by several things. Possible causes include air intake, gas delivery, spark, timing, and transmission issues. Each category, such as fuel delivery, needs to work correctly, or it can cause issues.… Read More »
The OTOFIX D1 Lite is a new Bi-Directional OBDII scan tool for 2023 that has many features and advanced options. Bi-Directional scan tools are much better at troubleshooting compared to standard OBDII scan tools, since they have the option to not only read a vehicle computer but send commands back. The OTOFIX D1 Lite is… Read More »
If you have tested the purge valve solenoid on your vehicle and it tests bad, it is best to replace it, but in some scenarios, it may not be possible, such as having low funds. A bad purge valve is a common failure in a vehicle’s Evap system. The EVAP system is for emissions which… Read More »
If you have a vehicle that is giving a P0031 error code, there is a problem with an upstream sensor located on the exhaust. Fixing a P0031 error code falls into the DIY mechanic job, with many at-home backyard mechanics solving the issue. Of course, if in doubt, be sure to take your vehicle to… Read More »
GM Chevy 3.1L V6 Engine Mounted Sideways Firing Order Diagram GM Chevy 3.1L V6 Engine Mounted Forward Firing Order Diagram The GM Chevy 3.1L is a popular V6 engine used in many GM and Chevy vehicles. It was introduced in 1988, and after several upgrades and variations, it is was last used in 2005 Whichever… Read More »
The Ford 2.0L EcoBoost is a popular 4-Cylinder engine used in many small Ford vehicles. It was introduced in 2008 Ford Explorer America concept car, and used in many cars, trucks, and small vans. The engine was Redesigned in 2015 with more power but the firing order and cylinder locations are the same. Whichever year… Read More »
The Ford Triton V10 6.8L is a popular heavy-duty V10 engine used in many trucks, vans, and buses. It was introduced in 1997, and after several upgrades and variations, it is currently still in use. The Triton V10 6.8L has two main versions, the 2-valve and 3-valve. The original 2-valve version had issues with the… Read More »
The Ford 351 Windsor 5.8L is a popular V8 engine known for its high performance and was used in many Ford cars and trucks. It was introduced in 1969, and after several upgrades and variations, it was used until 1996. While the Ford 302 engine is very similar to the 351 Windsor, the firing order… Read More »
Ford 3.0L Engine Mounted Forward Firing Order Diagram Ford 3.0L Engine Mounted Sideways Firing Order Diagram The Ford 3.0L is a popular V6 engine used in many Ford cars and trucks. It was introduced in 1986 and after several upgrades and variations it was used until 2008. The engine can be mounted sideways or forward.… Read More »
The Jeep 4.0 inline-six is an iconic engine and one of the most popular motors ever produced. It was discontinued in 2006 but is still wildly used by many Jeep owners and continues to be a great motor with many enthusiasts. It was originally developed and built in the 1980s, expanding upon the long history… Read More »
Chrysler Pentastar 3.6L Engine Mounted Forward Firing Order Diagram Chrysler Pentastar 3.6L Engine Mounted Sideways Firing Order Diagram The Chrysler 3.6L engine is a popular V6 engine used in many Dodge vehicles. It was introduced in 2009 and continues to currently be used in several cars, trucks, and Jeeps. The engine can be mounted sideways… Read More »
The Chrysler 3.7L engine is a popular V6 engine used in many Dodge vehicles from 2002-2012. It was introduced in 2002 with the Dodge Ram 1500 and also later used in several other cars and trucks. All Chrysler 3.7L engines have the same firing order, cylinder locations, and Bank-1 and Bank-2 sides of the engine.… Read More »
The Chrysler 4.7L engine is a popular V8 engine used in many Dodge vehicles from 1999-2010. It was introduced in 1999 with the Jeep Grand Cherokee and also later used in several other cars and trucks. All Chrysler 4.7L engines have the same firing order, cylinder locations, and Bank-1 and Bank-2 sides of the engine.… Read More »
The Chrysler 3.8L engine is a popular V6 engine used in many Dodge minivans. It was introduced in 1991, with the last redesign in 2010. All Chrysler 3.8L engines have the same firing order, cylinder locations, and Bank-1 and Bank-2 sides of the engine. Vehicles That Have the Chrysler Dodge 3.8L Engine 1991–1993 Chrysler New… Read More »
If you have a vehicle with a P0053 error code, the onboard computer (ECM) is seeing a problem with an oxygen sensor. The official definition is “Heated O2 Sensor (HO2S) Heater Resistance (Bank 1, Sensor 1).” There are usually four oxygen sensors on a V6 or V8 engine and two on a four-cylinder engine. What… Read More »
The Chrysler Dodge 3.5L engine is a SOHC V6 engine used in many cars and trucks from 1993 to 2010. The original Chrysler 3.5L was produced between 1993–97 and came with an aluminum head and iron block. The redesigned Chrysler 3.5L was an all-aluminum engine built from 1998–2010. All Chrysler 3.5L engines have the same… Read More »
The Dodge 318 (5.2L) was a very popular engine used in many cars and trucks. The original 318 (5.2L) LA Engine was built between 1968-1991. The newer 318 (5.2L) Magnum was built between 1992-2003. Both the old LA and newer Magnum versions of the Dodge 318 have the same firing order and cylinder locations. Below… Read More »
A few years ago, I had a 2000 Dodge Ram truck that was not regulating the voltage correctly and overcharging the battery. Having worked on many older 70’s, 80’s, 90s Dodges in the past at first, I thought it was no big deal just needed to swap out the external voltage regulator. To my surprise,… Read More »
The Dodge 6.4L 392-cubic-inch HEMI is a notoriously powerful engine with only the 6.2L Hellcat producing more horsepower. The 6.4L HEMI engine was first made available as a crate engine in 2007 and in 2011 it became available in certain production vehicles. Below are the firing order, cylinder locations, and which side of the engine… Read More »
The Dodge 6.2L Hellcat engine is a high performance supercharged variant of the notorious Hemi engine. It is currently the most powerful engine produced by Chrysler and arguable ever. Below are the firing order, cylinder locations, and which side of the engine is Bank-1 and Bank-2. Vehicles That Have the Dodge 6.2L Hellcat Engine 2015–2023… Read More »
A P0455 code is a “Evap System Large Leak Detected” The EVAP system sends fuel vapors from the gas tank to the engine to be burnt away so they don’t escape into the atmosphere. Common causes include a bad gas cap or other leaking EVAP component. A P0455 OBDII code points to a leak a… Read More »
P0449 Code is an “Evaporative System Vent Control Circuit Malfunction.” The Evap system takes gas vapors form the gas tank and feeds them into the engine to be bunt away. The most common cause of a P0449 is a bad vent valve or wiring. If you have a Chevy Silverado or Sierra with a P0449… Read More »
If you have an engine with a compression problem you need to know if it is the valves or piston rings. This can be an issue since you may only need to pull the head instead of puling the entire engine apart. Knowing if the rings or valves are bad will point to the fix… Read More »
If you have a suspected bad fuel pump relay and need to temporarily jump it for testing, it is quick and easy to do. A better method in many cases is to look in the fuse box for a relay with the same part numbers and temporarily use it. Using another similar relay is commonly… Read More »
Locating an electrical short in a car or truck can be difficult and time-consuming. Wiring issues can be hard to find and locate, but by using a simple test light method, you can narrow your search dramatically. This process will save you time and money and is a quick way to find an electrical short… Read More »
A P1101 error code is a common problem with Chevy Cruze that points to an issue with the airflow going into the engine. A sensor called a MAF (Mass Air Flow) located at the air intake of the engine measures all the air flowing in and reports the information back the the computer. When the… Read More »
The Foxwell NT624 Elite is an OBDII Scan tool that has many advanced features and options. From resetting a throttle position sensor to simply scanning and erasing for error codes, the Foxwell NT624 is a very nice OBDII scan tool. This makes it a good fit in a professional shop or for the at-home DIY-type… Read More »
If you have a vehicle and the alternator keeps gin bad, failing, or burning out, it can be caused by several things. While alternators can fail, they should not fail constantly, and more than two failures usually indicate there is an issue. How Often Should an Alternator Fail? Most alternators are built to last 90,000… Read More »
If you have a Honda Acura and the VSA light comes on with a yellow exclamation (!) and triangle, this has to do with the driving stability. There is a switch to turn on or off the VSA system; if it does not work, there is an internal error with the VSA system. It is… Read More »
If you need to connect an exhaust pipe and do not have a welder, there are a several methods to get the job done. While welding joints together is often done by shops, using U-bolts and other connection techniques is also wildly used. In fact, whole exhaust kits can be bolted together without welding and… Read More »