When we have problems inside a door, we must remove the interior door panel. This may be no small task. Removal techniques are as plentiful as vehicles on the road. Service data for the vehicle is necessary for specific detail, but these guidelines may help us prevent damage.

A fuel pressure gauge is one of the most useful diagnostic tools we can own. With this simple tool, we read fuel pressure and fuel volume. This provides far more information than many people realize.

Anyone serious about repairing an automobile soon realizes the importance of diagnosis. Testing allows us to eliminate possible causes, without changing parts. One of the first diagnostic tools we should add is a fuel pressure gauge. With this tool and a little knowledge, we can solve many fuel system problems.

For many years, the automotive alternator changed very little. The output increased to help keep up with growing demand for current, but the alternator worked much the same. That has now changed, with electrical power management. Current GM alternators may look similar to past models, but they cost a lot more and are far more difficult to diagnose.

Articles, on jump starting a vehicle, will normally include as many warnings as they do instructions. This is for a good reason. Jump-starting a vehicle can be dangerous. It is also potentially very damaging to both vehicles.

In part one, we introduce the fundamental of voltage-drop testing. This segment, explains more examples of this powerful tool.

Electrical testing prevents expensive guess work. With knowledge and simple tools we can electronically eliminate possibilities instead of replacing parts. This is far superior to parts swapping as a new part is NOT a known good part. We could replace a component, with a defective part, misleading us.

Sensors provide the PCM with information, which is processed and used to operate the vehicle. When a sensor fails, or reports suspicious information, the engine computer issues a warning. A check engine light often means a sensor is not reporting acceptable data.

Evaporative emissions or EVAP systems, vent fuel tanks and help contain fumes produced by fuel. Self-testing is mandatory. Chrysler uses pressure, rather than a vacuum to tests their systems and this can create problems unique to them.

Evaporative emission systems perform a few simple functions.  Venting the fuel tank when needed and disposing of the fumes are the primary purposes.  They use an incredible amount of complexity to address these tasks, largely due to Government regulation.  This leads to many check engine lights, perhaps more  than any other system on the vehicle.

Joe replaces the spark plugs in his vehicle. Next day, the check engine light comes on. The plugs look fine, so he replaces the plug-wires. A brightly glowing indicator says the problem is still present. Cap and rotor replacement shows the same result. Joe is slowly learning a lesson about cause and effect. Proper diagnosis is simply far less expensive than other methods.