EatonKyleH
New member
So you may or may not have noticed I spend a lot of time responding too and trying to help other 3rd gen forum members diagnose problems. Really it is something I quite enjoy doing... particularly electrical diagnosis.
I am a ASE certified Master Tech and ASE L1 Advanced Level Specialist and have focused most of my career on electrical and advanced driveability diagnostics and repair. And no I don't think that makes me any better than anyone here but simply that it does make me a candidate to write a guide I've found to be largely missing and likely very beneficial to this community that I've enjoyed being part of. Again this will be in no way a pathetic attempt to show off and if you've ever talked to me or received assistance from me I hope you'd agree I try to keep a professional and friendly tone.
Most people seem to think that electrical diagnosis is very complex as I once did. However I've been extremely surprised by the ease at which some forum members with little to no electrical experience have been able to pick it up and diagnose problems rather than guess at them after walking them through some basic procedures with very basic tools they often times already have.
I once hinted in a thread that I would possibly write a 3rd gen specific electrical diagnostic, testing, and logic guide and received a lot of interest in it. After some brainstorming I have now freed up a few days to focus on it and write this sucker.
WHAT IT WILL BE:
A straight up all 3rd gen specific guide to electrical diagnosis. All wiring diagrams will be 3rd gen, all examples 3rd gen, all 3rd gen sensors and component testing... all pictures taken from factory manuals, my customers vehicles, and my personal vehicle. The most advanced tool I'll incorporate is a DVOM and super basic scan tool like a scangauge.
The basics:
A quick volts, amps, ohms chat in a way that applies to fixing cars and is less about theory and laws. Straight up wiring diagram reading. Tools. Terminology. Basic logic.
Basic testing procedures:
Testing grounds, testing for power, testing for parasitic draw, voltage drop testing, resistance testing, etc. Testing for spark, fuel pressure, injector pulse, ECM timing and rpm signals.
Component testing:
Relay jumping, How to test various sensors and components. (the knock sensor, MAF sensor, ignition coils, alternators, starters, the cam position sensor, coolant temp sensor, so on and so on) Many people apply the resistance check to everything which is not the correct way to test every type of sensor.
Common CEL diagnosis:
Common codes and how to test effectively and simply with basic tools
Examples:
Problems seen on 3rd gens, how we figured it out step by step and why it all adds up. Pictures, diagrams, and examples.
Tricks to get you home:
Macgyver kinda stuff. Bypassing fuel and starting systems. Intended to get you home in a bad situation... not stealing stuff.
Logic:
What to test and why. Easiest testing first. Isolating the problem circuit.
WHAT I NEED FROM YOUUU!!!
Please comment here or PM me with anything related you'd like me to cover.
What sensors do you want to see tested, what circuits do you want gone over in testing and diagrams? What do you want to get more familiar with?
Over time I hope to compile enough information presented in a simple enough way that most will at least learn something and be able to either apply it with their own testing, aid others, or just understand the lingo your mechanic might use to tell you what is wrong.
If it sounds interesting to you let me know that you'll dig it. It will be a decent investment of my time but I'll be more happy to write it if people care.
THANKS and I'll post it up when I have a good amount to show in 2 weeks then be editing it and adding to it from there.
I am a ASE certified Master Tech and ASE L1 Advanced Level Specialist and have focused most of my career on electrical and advanced driveability diagnostics and repair. And no I don't think that makes me any better than anyone here but simply that it does make me a candidate to write a guide I've found to be largely missing and likely very beneficial to this community that I've enjoyed being part of. Again this will be in no way a pathetic attempt to show off and if you've ever talked to me or received assistance from me I hope you'd agree I try to keep a professional and friendly tone.
Most people seem to think that electrical diagnosis is very complex as I once did. However I've been extremely surprised by the ease at which some forum members with little to no electrical experience have been able to pick it up and diagnose problems rather than guess at them after walking them through some basic procedures with very basic tools they often times already have.
I once hinted in a thread that I would possibly write a 3rd gen specific electrical diagnostic, testing, and logic guide and received a lot of interest in it. After some brainstorming I have now freed up a few days to focus on it and write this sucker.
WHAT IT WILL BE:
A straight up all 3rd gen specific guide to electrical diagnosis. All wiring diagrams will be 3rd gen, all examples 3rd gen, all 3rd gen sensors and component testing... all pictures taken from factory manuals, my customers vehicles, and my personal vehicle. The most advanced tool I'll incorporate is a DVOM and super basic scan tool like a scangauge.
The basics:
A quick volts, amps, ohms chat in a way that applies to fixing cars and is less about theory and laws. Straight up wiring diagram reading. Tools. Terminology. Basic logic.
Basic testing procedures:
Testing grounds, testing for power, testing for parasitic draw, voltage drop testing, resistance testing, etc. Testing for spark, fuel pressure, injector pulse, ECM timing and rpm signals.
Component testing:
Relay jumping, How to test various sensors and components. (the knock sensor, MAF sensor, ignition coils, alternators, starters, the cam position sensor, coolant temp sensor, so on and so on) Many people apply the resistance check to everything which is not the correct way to test every type of sensor.
Common CEL diagnosis:
Common codes and how to test effectively and simply with basic tools
Examples:
Problems seen on 3rd gens, how we figured it out step by step and why it all adds up. Pictures, diagrams, and examples.
Tricks to get you home:
Macgyver kinda stuff. Bypassing fuel and starting systems. Intended to get you home in a bad situation... not stealing stuff.
Logic:
What to test and why. Easiest testing first. Isolating the problem circuit.
WHAT I NEED FROM YOUUU!!!
Please comment here or PM me with anything related you'd like me to cover.
What sensors do you want to see tested, what circuits do you want gone over in testing and diagrams? What do you want to get more familiar with?
Over time I hope to compile enough information presented in a simple enough way that most will at least learn something and be able to either apply it with their own testing, aid others, or just understand the lingo your mechanic might use to tell you what is wrong.
If it sounds interesting to you let me know that you'll dig it. It will be a decent investment of my time but I'll be more happy to write it if people care.
THANKS and I'll post it up when I have a good amount to show in 2 weeks then be editing it and adding to it from there.
