Technical articles

Click on a link to see a digital version of your favourite technical articles published since September 2009:

July/August 2010

Frank Massey gets to the bottom of boost problems on a Volkswagen Passat

James Dillon explains quick tips for diesels with a look at relative compression tests

The Test Bench team reviews the Kylie Minogue-like ContiSys OBD tool

Texa's OBD Log device gets rated by our garage team

Diesel specialist Julian Goulding explains how to get started on common rail

Battery expert David Shield takes the mystery out of AGM technology

May 2010

James Dillon - Hybrid systems
James discusses the form, function and dangers of hybrid technology

Frank Massey - TFSI engines
Frank Massey's son David takes a look at a common fault with the popular 2.0-litre TFSI engine found across the VAG range

Rob Lewis - Air con testing
Delphi technical trainer and former Top Technician contestant Rob Lewis explains oxygen-free nitrogen testing procedures

Auto Airconditioing Reporter - Air con freewheel pulleys
Ron Henselmans from specialist European air con magazine Auto Airconditioning Reporter explains the root cause of a common air con problem

Tony Kitchen - Digital field monitoring
Technical trainer Tony Kitchen takes a look at alternators and gets to grips with electrical testing techniques

April 2010

James Dillon – EOBD systems
James looks into EOBD interrogation and finds out how to use EOBD successfully, what to do and what to avoid to get to the real root cause of problems

Dave Garratt – lift safety
Garage Equipment Association chief executive Dave explains the hidden dangers of short-platform scissor lifts and how to use them correctly

Frank Massey – lambda sensors
Frank delves into the world of lambda sensors and explains how, and how not, to test them correctly

Richard Perriman – alternator pulleys
Top Techician 2009 champion Richard Perriman AAE AMIMI shares the hints, tips and thirst for knowledge that won him the national repair crown by getting to grips with alternator pulleys

March 2010

James Dillon – electrical testing
James explains why electrical fault-finding need not cause a headache and explains how to properly and accurately test electrical system without falling into the common testing traps

Frank Massey – Ford Transit repair case-study
Frank delves deeper into the rail pressure on a diesel-engine Ford Transit to get to the bottom of yet another tricky repair problem

February 2010

Mark Banks – Audi A8 repair cast-study – page 09
Top Technician 2008 winner Mark Banks takes inspiration from Arnie to silence some trouble on a 2004 Audi A8 Quattro that just keeps coming back

James Dillon – managing misfires – page 12
James looks at piezo-electric injectors and provides a step-by-step guide on how to manage misfires

Dave Garratt – diesel emissions – page 16
The world of diesel emisseions analysis is changing. Dave takes a look at a 5-gas diesel analysis and the results you could be seeing on vehicles in your workshop

Frank Massey – Vauxhall Corsa repair case-study – page 18
Frank Massey explains the problems caused by poor quality parts, why they may be causing more havoc than you realized and when it actually pays to give up on a repair

December/January 2010

James Dillon – dealing with customers
James investigates a sporadic lack of power on a 2003 Ford Focus TDCi and says it’s important to remember you’re being paid by the customer to correctly diagnose and repair their car, not to provide a quick fix

Frank Massey –Audi A3 repair case-study
Frank’s ADS Workshop tackles an Audi A3 with a string of niggling problems caused by a suspected invasion of electronic gremlins

Dave Garratt – OBD systems
The Garage Equipment Association has been receiving queries from garages looking to improve their diagnostic service or who are entering into diagnostics for the first time. Chief executive Dave looks into On-Board Diagnostics, aka OBD

November 2009

James Dillon – piezo injectors
James takes a look at why Volkswagen is moving away from Pumpe Duse diesel systems and towards common rail before giving you the lowdown on solenoid and piezo-style injectors

Frank Massey – repairing older vehicles
Simple repairs to simple 15-year-old cars – things were better in the good old days, weren’t they? Not necessarily explains Aftermarket’s technical expert

Dave Garratt –Roots blower superchargers
Like direct petrol injection, some modern technology is not really a new idea at all. Here, Garage Equipment Association boss Dave Garratt takes a look at the return of the Roots blower supercharger

October 2009

James Dillon – electrical systems
James looks at electrical fault-finding – by tackling a non-functioning horn on an Audi A4 – and shows why electrical know-how is an essential but often overlooked skill when diagnosing and repairing the modern vehicle

Dave Garratt – compressed natural gas systems
Advances in technology mean it’s not just hybrid vehicles that are gaining in popularity. The Garage Equipment Association’s boss Dave Garratt explains how and why compressed natural gas is spreading fast

Frank Massey – Peugeot 206 repair case-study
Frank’s ADS Workshop encounters a Peugeot 206 suffering from poor starting, high idle speed and an owner who’s suspicious of a dealer’s involvement

September 2009

James Dillon – hybrid vehicles
The Rise of the Machines predicted in the latest Terminator film is probably not something to look forward to. Fortunately, the rise of the hybrid vehicle is much less frightening. James explains what to do if a hybrid invades your workshop

Dave Garrat – MOT test lanes
You’ve decided to become a VTS but where do you begin? The Garage Equipment Association’s Dave Garratt reveals all

Frank Massey – in-car computer control
The loss of an Air France Airbus in a crash in the South Atlantic prompts Frank to examine the role of computer control in cars and how understanding it can help you make more effective diagnosis