The mysterious “check engine” light.

If you have had your car or SUV long enough, that annoying “check engine” light has probably made an appearance on your dash board. The first time I saw it, I popped the hood and “checked” the engine. It seemed ok to me. My car was running fine. So like most experienced car drivers, I ignored it or I tried too. The really insidious thing about that little innocent light is that it really gets to you after a while. After a long drive at night with that light shining at me like a laser beam, I considered putting it out its misery with my tire iron. Which brings up the question, what is it there for. Well here is a basic answer. The “check engine” light is connected to the car's engine fuel management computer. This is the computer that runs the fuel injectors, reads the engine sensors, etc. The oxygen sensors are used by the ECM to determine how accurately it's injecting the fuel, and adjusting the way the fuel is injected to compensate for changing conditions. When the computer inside the ECM detects that there is something wrong, the ECM turns on the “check engine” light. For example, a bad sensor or engine operating parameter that exceeds a preprogrammed set point then the ECM turns on the light to let you, the driver, know that something is wrong and needs to be corrected. It doesn’t mean something cataclysmic is about to happen, just that the computer that runs a lot of the functions in your engine is getting some bad information. Most of the time this means an oxygen sensor has failed and needs to be replaced. In a lot of states, your car will not pass the inspection when the light is on. So you have to fix it before you can get a new inspection sticker.

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Air Conditioning fan only works on full blast!

I'm a bit stumped here.

Got a Chevrolet Cavalier 1999 and I just started to use the heater the other day to clear things. It works but only on the 3rd setting which is full blast. The first two settings, the fan doesn't come on at all??? Very odd.

Does anyone have any idea's?

I actually have the same problem in a 1995 Ford E250 cargo van I bought..The Air Conditioner and the heat fan only works on the highest setting. Also, I notice there is an excessive draw on the battery charge as well as the running temperature of the vehicle with the fan running. ie the charge indicatorbegins to drop and the temp gauge begins to increase. Could these problems
be related? Any idea how easy/difficult and what the cost is for me to replace the fan resistor block myself? Also, check the fan resistor block. While you're at it, lubricate the fan motor because if it's binding, the added current draw will damage the block again.

Battery and alternator charging question.

Hello. I suspect my alternator is not charging my battery. I haven't used this car since April of this year so the battery had run down to 2 V (I measured it with a volt meter). The battery had been connected to the car.

I got it charged about a week ago at a car repair place. When I got it back, I measured the battery voltage with my voltmeter to be 12.75 V (with the engine not running).

I haven't used it all that much since then (few trips around town) but now the battery voltage is about 12.25 V (with the car not running). When I test the voltage with the engine running, it's slightly less than when it's not running. Shouldn't it be more since the alternator is sending it
current?

What I want to do is get an ammeter and hook up the ammeter between the cable from the alternator to the positive post on the battery. Then get the car running and see if any current is flowing from the alternator to the battery. The question I have is what should be the current (roughly speaking) flowing from the alternator to the battery?

Are there any easy tests that will tell me if the alternator rather than the battery is faulty (or vice-versa) such as turning on the lights when the engine is running? If the lights dim when the engine is running, does that automatically mean the alternator is not charging? Could the problem be the battery's not holding the charge that the alternator is sending it?

Thank you for any help in answering any of the questions I posed! Take care,



No ammeter necessary. If your battery voltage is less with the car running than it is with the car not running, your alternator isn't charging your battery. That doesn't always mean the alternator is defective (you could have a wire loose or something somewhere) but it does mean your charging system isn't working and needs to be repaired if you plan to drive the car for any length of time.

Robinair Cooltech Refrigerant Recovery Machines.

Our Most Popular R-12 Model, Updatedand Improved...All the advantages service technicians around the world appreciate in this unit have been enhanced with improvements which make A/C service even simpler.The Robinair CoolTech 12 is fast and accurate! One Hook-Up — All service work is done in one fast,continuous operation through the standard high and low side hook-ups to the vehicle, so there’s no switching hoses or changing tanks.Heavy Duty Compressor — Our field proven compressor pulls from both the low and high sides to recover all refrigerant from the vehicle quickly. 6 CFM Vacuum Pump — Our Cool-Tech pump has the power to quickly evacuate the system prior to recharging. Electronic Scale — Permanently mounted inside the
cabinet with protection against shock impact from movement over rough surfaces, the scale charges by weight and measures recovered refrigerant. The Robinair CoolTech 12 is easy to use!
No Special Training Needed — Prompts on the alphanumeric display lead you through programming, tell you what function is currently in process, and reminds you to change the filter-drier, vacuum pump oil, etc. Automatic Refrigerant Refill — Refrigerant is recovered into and charged out of an internal storage vessel; the unit maintains a constant 12 to 15 pounds
of refrigerant in this vessel, filling it automatically from a disposable source tank as needed. Automatic Oil Drain — The unit drains system oil that was removed during recovery. A display signal reminds you to empty the bottle, while an on-board oil injector lets you replace the lost oil at the push of a button.

Will my air compressor run an air sander and a paint sprayer?

I'll be painting motorcycles (tanks,fenders)using a HVLP paint gun. Also running a National Detroit air sander...the paint gun requires 15cfm@ 29psi, Will a 60 gallon "single stage" air compressor rated at 13.3 cfm @ 90 psi run it or do I need an 80 gallon "2 stage"? I know the difference in 1 and 2 stage pumps, I don't want to run out of air and screw up a paint job...or have to wait on air to build up. Thanks

Thanks for your question.

Are you sure your paint gun requires 15 cfm? That sounds really high. Your average paint sprayer should not need more than 6 cfm and the air compressor you have should have no problem. A single stage 60 gallon air compressor will have no problem with your air sander either. Good luck with the paint job!

Air Drills

An air drill is great complement to your air tool collection. This tools are inexpensive and generally have a lot more power than their cordless cousins. If you already have an air compressor, you problably just use for it for an air ratchet wrench and an impact wrench. An air drill will add even more versatility to your air tool collection.

Air Ratchet Wrenches

Red Hill Supply carries both Chicago Pneumatic and Ingersoll Rand air ratchet wrenches. These are great air tools for working on your car or boat. They are easy to fit into tight spaces and are perfect for engine work. Take a look the different sizes and models available. No tool box should be without an air ratchet wrench.