Diagnostic Strategies of Modern Automotive Systems

In this section, we'll cover diagnostic equipment usage. As an automotive activity, diagnosing modern vehicles has become extremely high-tech oriented and difficult. Few professions involve so much from their practitioner. A modern technician has to master a multitude of disciplines, including electronics, optics, mechanics, programming, computer science and many others. Such highly technological activities require a keen analytical mind. But as in any human endeavors, proficiency comes with practice and patience. The techniques presented in this section combined with the necessary hands on practice are designed to sharpen the technician's abilities to perform profitable and fast diagnostics. With patience and practice, any vehicle can be repaired. Enjoy!Edition 4.0, Section 3, Equipment Usage & Repair Strategies, Copyright 2004, 2021, All rights reserved. Section 3 Table of Contents* CURRENT RAMPING STRATEGY - (what's current ramping and how it works, oscilloscope (DSO) and a low/ high amperage clamp-on amp probe, magnetic field, fuel pumps, current ramping a fuel pump, determining the fuel pump speed, commutators, FP waveforms, ignition coil current ramping, Coil-On-Plug current ramping, ignition coil waveforms, current ramping an injector, low Amp probe usage, current ramping compression test)* HESITATION LACK OF POWER REPAIR STRATEGY - (strategy and operation, fuel delivery test, spark reserve test, exhaust pressure, ignition and valve timing, guidelines for a multi-channel scope, visual inspection, ECM in control, air-fuel ratio, 5-gas analyzer, HC, CO, CO2, O2 and Nox analysis, fuel flow, fuel volume analysis, ignition waveform)* FUEL FLOW VOLUME GUIDELINES - (Fuel Volume usage for Dometic cars, Fuel Volume usage for Asian cars, Fuel Volume for Continuous injection cars)* IGNITION COIL WAVEFORM INTERPRETATION - (Parade ignition analysis, Super-imposed, Bar-Graphs, Raster ignition analysis, single cylinder)* IGNITION SYSTEM TESTING STRATEGY - (Ignition current waveform interpretation, low resistance or shorted primary ignition, shorted ignition coil, full coil saturation, Ignition testing strategy, ignition waveform interpretation, coil On-Time, Firing line, Dwell, Turn-Off, Spark line, the main 5-types of misfires, triggering device misfire, CRK and CAM, ignition testing procedures, cranking Kilo-Volts, firing line KVs, WOT KVs, Idle baseline, Pre-Loading, Individual spark line, Distributor, DIS and COP) * A/F RATIO (lean/rich) REPAIR STRATEGY - (Fuel trim diagnostic, air-fuel ratios, ECM in control, Pressure and Volume, Spark issues, O2 not switching) * MINIMUM AIR RATE ADJUSTMENT - (why do we need a Min. AR adjustment, ECM strategy, IAC strategy, Adjustment procedure, a stalling engine, idle re-learn procedure, battery reset)* NO FUEL PRESSURE/VOLUME REPAIR STRATEGY - (No pressure volume symptomatic diagnostic, fuel system operation, fuel systems types, returnless fuel system, variable speed fuel pumps, duty-cycle control, steps to diagno...