Diagnostic Tip #1 Check It While It’s Working -EricTheCarGuy

1. Great video as usual Eric. I don't have a scan tool yet but will get one of the TOY0B1 Blue tooth scan tools so will have fun with that. Also not sure but it mite be an idea if you can do screen shots that might be a cool way to store info at normal operating velicle so you can compare if something goes wrong with it. Keep up the great work. Cheers!

2. This is a good tip for the hood latch cable and release mechanism, too. One of ours is feeling a little "rough" so I decided to figure out how it actually worked while it was still working so that I now know how to pop it from underneath if it ever gets stuck.

3. OK?

4. If your vehicle isn't equipped with powerful modern onboard diagnostic systems, acquire a Factory Service Manual instead. It'll contain normal baseline settings for pretty much everything. Sometimes you have to figure things out the old fashioned way. Use every tool available. Great tip on Eric's part. The more data you have, the better.

5. It's diagnostic check: tip it while working

6. Want to hear your 2cents on my problem. 99 Dodge 1500 with the 5.9. Codes are PO300 multiple missfire, PO301 and 307. When I leave work I have to climb a steep hill. The warmer the outside temp. is, the worse the truck runs. Some days it shakes violently, and sounds like it's backfiring through the intake, other days the CEL starts flickering, but seems to run fine. I don't want to fuck up my go to work truck. Spark plugs, spark plug wires and distributer cap are a year old. Also by warmer I should say I'm in central Alberta Canada. So around 5 C, not sure what that is in F. Would back fire through intake be a lean condition or vacuum leak. And yes I'm the cheap prick that you dread to deal with. Spent many hours gong through your vids

7. Watching you go through that reminds me of when I set up my aeroforce interceptor gauges.

8. Thanks Eric, this is some of the best advice I have gotten anywhere. If I had done this a couple of years ago it would have saved me a lot of time with a recent repair. I have a 2002 BMW 325i and do all my own maintenance. It saves a ton of money and I generally enjoy wrenching on cars.

   Over the past few years I have had periodic DTC 0171 and 0174 codes (system too lean), usually showing up just before the required 2-year CA emissions test. For those that aren't familiar, this means that the engine is needing to add more fuel than it should according to the MAF airflow measurement. This USUALLY indicates a vacuum leak letting in unmetered air, and in the past I have always been able to find the old/cracked/broken rubber or plastic part connected to the intake manifold.

   This time there I couldn't find any leaks, even after hours of disassembly, inspection, and reassembly. I used to get frustrated when I would break some of the parts while working on it, but I have accepted that if a rubber or plastic part breaks when you gently move it it needed replacement anyway. I broke down and bought a new MAF ($225, ouch). Before I put the new part in I measured the MAF reading at idle, then I quickly measured it again with the new sensor. It turns out that the old sensor was reading about 20% low, compared to the new one.

   If I had known what the "right" value was at idle then I would have been able to quickly diagnose the problem. I am assuming that at any given temperature and a fixed idle speed the airflow requirement is pretty much a constant for any particular engine.

9. Hey which parts house do you use?

10. I have been forced t watch a commercial for the Cadillac CT6 about 50 times. You Tube, PLEASE run some other commercial, anything else.

11. i thought i was the wierd one, checking my sensor readings for the fun and getting an idea of it. now i know eric does it as well.
    my MIL is off but IAT operates at 90F-95F which i think is a little too high provided that MAF is just a thin wire. Intake is stock and just replaced the old foam insulation around the resonator box. any comments. more videos relating fuel trim. books on amazion about fuel trims but i am not too energetic, so more videos.

12. What's that "Misfire Cycle Count", and does it mean? Why is it counting so many misfires? Misfires aren't a good thing as far as I know…

13. On one of you're earlier videos (five tips on how to change your oil) I asked a question in the comments below, but you never answered.
    My question was about the spray that you used to clean the area after you put back the oil pan plug. What was that spray?

14. My scan tool isn't as fancy, fuel trims show as % instead of Lambda what I was taught or how HDS shows at work. I hooked mine up at my brand new 2015 Civic, and found 6% is normal. So now when I look at someone else's vehicle I can say ok it's running at say 8% it's lean, or 1% is rich. Other wise it shows everything else as I've been accustomed to. I just wish it had EGR values lol that can come in handy lol

15. This also why I recommend that anyone who can afford it to buy a scan tool that data logs. Dumping a data log off into an Excel file and saving it for later can be really handy.

16. nice Im looking for another one.

17. Here's one for ya. Got a '07 Silverado LT2 . Periodically I do just this, to make sure everything is good. Plugged in the scanner the other day, and it will not download any PIDs! WTF – gotta love GM. Always something!

    It shows me that all the monitors have run, so it will pass inspection, but getting into the live data has now become impossible. Suppose I could disconnect the battery for a bit and reconnect, but I'll wait until after I get a sticker to do that … just in case. 🙂

18. can you do a video on a 200-300 scan tool that has monitoring capabilities i wish i could afford a high end on like that but i want to get one for my boyfriend but dont know what are good brands

19. If "you're" a tech…..

20. love the 60fps video! so nice.

21. Should was spelled Shuld.

22. Dont forget to put some gas in that odyssey eric

23. This reminds me a lot of Brendan Gregg's USE (Utilization, Saturation, Errors) method for troubleshooting problems in complex computer systems. One of the first steps is to gather performance metrics from a working good system, seeing which respond to load, so you can know how much of the capabilities are being used and when the workload saturates the capacity. Without knowing what normal looks like its really hard to figure out which stats are abnormal when troubleshooting a problem.

24. anyone know a cheap scan tool for under 30$ on ebay for a 2007 honda accord ?

25. I must say I enjoy watching your videos please keep up the good work its inspirational much kudos my friend

26. What's a good app for looking at the readings?

27. it's cold in your shop 44*

28. Will we see some Turbo Videos?

29. That is the scan tool of scan tools. Wish I could afford it

30. error in description; your instead of you're.

31. hey ericthecarguy I have a 04 civic and my hood wont close all the way I replaced the hood latch but still won't close. Any thoughts ?

32. great

33. I have an older iPhone that I'll sometimes link to my wifi scanner and monitor some sensors while driving. Conveniently mounted to the left of the dashboard with a phone holder in the vent

34. Eric….dude dont say you don't care around the car!!!!……you'll jinx it!!!!

    #Positive Mechanical
    Encouragement! !!

35. Great Idea to get known goods. Always handy when making a diagnosis.

36. Had to do a similar procdure tothis yesterday on a toyota

37. i'm really liking these Tuesday videos! They have some really helpful info!

38. hey Eric, how do you like the j series v6? I have the 3.2 in my 06 TL and I love it, very quite and smooth with a great balance if power! was wondering how you felt about these engines?

39. I bet eric doesn't have some 2 drive down the road while he looks at his tool  I bet he looks at his tool while he is driving          while I was typing that I didn't mean for it 2 sound quite like that lol

40. Ericthecarguy- I'm a rollercoaster mechanic by trade, but many of the same diagnostic thought processes are the same between many types of mechanics. You're spot on with this video. My coaster, like many others, is computer controlled. Like a car, the ride relies heavily on sensor input to a PLC. One thing we teach new mechanics is to observe the sensors, valve positioners, and encoders during normal operation. It will help tremendously when the ride breaks down. Once again, thanks for you great videos.

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