THS

Automotive General Engine Diagnosis

Technology

Engine Diagnosis

General Engine
Diagnosis
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The automotive technician needs to be
Automotive familiar with the functions and
Technology components of a work order.
NOTE: See JS1-L1-U2 for a sample work order.

Engine Diagnosis • The work order serves several functions.

Itemizes the repairs by listing the cost of parts and labor

Can be used to authorize the repair

General Engine Has the necessary information on how to contact the

Diagnosis owner and serves as documentation for future reference

May also specify limited warranties and liabilities of the

shop

May serve as a reference for recent service history for

warranty or legal purposes
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The automotive technician needs to be
Automotive familiar with the functions and
Technology components of a work order.
• A work order typically has the following components.

Engine Diagnosis Customer name, address, and phone number (home or

work with extension number)

Date

Invoice number
General Engine
Diagnosis Year, make, model, vehicle identification number (VIN),
and mileage of the vehicle

Name/initials of the service writer and technician

Customer authorization signature to allow repairs

Description of customer concern

Vehicle service history information

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The automotive technician needs to be
Automotive familiar with the functions and
Technology components of a work order.
Related technical service bulletins (TSB)

Engine Diagnosis Technician's notes that includes diagnostic procedures

performed, the results of diagnosis, and any important
observations or remarks

Component or system defect responsible for the concern

General Engine Service performed to successfully correct the concern

Diagnosis
Labor procedures and costs based on the parts and labor
estimation guides

Outside labor procedures and costs that include if a shop

sent a particular part out to another shop for repairs

Listing of each part that includes name, description, and

cost
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The automotive technician needs to be
Automotive familiar with the functions and
Technology components of a work order.
Sales tax, which is usually calculated on parts only

Engine Diagnosis Total that represents the final price that the customer will
pay for all charges related to the repair

General Engine
Diagnosis
 THS
The automotive technician needs to be
Automotive familiar with the functions and
Technology components of a work order.
• Work orders may be handwritten or prepared by entering
codes in a computer terminal and then printed.
Engine Diagnosis
• Depending on the part, the following information may be
required for ordering repair parts.

Make, model, and model year (found on the driver’s side

door jamb) of the vehicle
General Engine
Diagnosis VIN

Engine information that includes engine size, in cubic

inches or liters, the number of cylinders, and the type of
fuel system

Wheelbase

Number of doors
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Procedure for identifying and interpreting
Automotive engine concerns
Technology • Ask the owner/driver to describe the engine concerns.

When did the concern first occur?

Engine Diagnosis Is the malfunction indicator light (MIL) on or flashing?

Is the concern continuous or intermittent?

What are the driving conditions when the concern occurs?

General Engine Is the vehicle making any unusual noises or vibrations?

Diagnosis
What is the recent service history of the vehicle?
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Procedure for identifying and interpreting
Automotive engine concerns
Technology • Perform a road test to verify the information provided by
the owner/driver.

CAUTION: Road test a vehicle only with the

Engine Diagnosis instructor’s approval. Before performing a road test,
inspect the vehicle to ensure that the vehicle is safe
and that a road test will not cause damage to the
vehicle.

General Engine The road test should be performed by the individual who
Diagnosis will perform the repairs.

Ask the owner/driver to ride along during the road test.

The owner/driver can assist in identifying the source of
any problems.

Drive the vehicle at all speeds and engine power levels

that could have a bearing on the owner/driver’s concern.
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Procedure for identifying and interpreting
Automotive engine concerns
Technology Record all abnormal conditions.

• Engine performance conditions

Engine Diagnosis • Engine noises or vibrations

• Exhaust smoke

CAUTION: Safety should be of prime importance

during all road tests. Never drive in an unsafe
General Engine
manner in order to identify a problem.
Diagnosis
• Record the vehicle’s identification numbers (VIN,
certification labels, and calibration information).
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Procedure for identifying and interpreting
Automotive engine concerns
Technology • Research service information related to the
owner/driver’s concern.

Technical service bulletins (TSB)

Engine Diagnosis
Vehicle service information and service precautions

• Connect a scan tool and check for stored diagnostic

trouble codes (DTCs).
General Engine • Based on the information gathered, determine what
Diagnosis diagnostic procedures should be performed to locate the
concern.
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Procedures for performing a preliminary
Automotive engine inspection
Technology CAUTION: The steps in this procedure that require the
engine to be running must be performed outdoors
because they must be done without exhaust ventilation
equipment connected to the tailpipe.
Engine Diagnosis
• Perform a visual engine inspection. Make sure to record
all observations.

Inspect the spark plug wires for wear and damage.

General Engine Inspect the primary wiring for wear and damage. Look for
Diagnosis wiring that is bare, burned, or disconnected.

Inspect the battery terminals for damage and debris.

Inspect the air filter for dirt and damage.

Inspect the drive belts for wear and damage.

Check the oil level and condition. Inspect for oil leaks.
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Procedures for performing a preliminary
Automotive engine inspection
Technology Check the coolant level and condition. Inspect for coolant
leaks.

Inspect for fuel leaks.

Engine Diagnosis
Inspect for any other leaks.

• If the vehicle uses excessive oil, perform the following

steps to check for external oil leaks and record all
observations.
General Engine
Diagnosis Check external surfaces and parts for leaks.

Check for worn or damaged seals and gaskets.

NOTE: It may be necessary to power wash the engine

to make it easier to detect the source of a leak.
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Procedures for performing a preliminary
Automotive engine inspection
Technology Raise the vehicle and check under
the engine for signs of leakage.

CAUTION: When lifting a vehicle, always use proper

Engine Diagnosis lifting equipment and observe all safety precautions.

NOTE: A fluorescent dye can be added to the engine oil

to help in detecting the source of a leak. The dye makes
the oil glow a different color under an ultraviolet light.
General Engine
Diagnosis • If the source of an external leak cannot be found,
perform the following steps to check for internal oil leaks.

Start the engine and allow it to reach normal operating

temperature.

Observe the color of the smoke coming out of the exhaust

system. A blue color indicates oil in the combustion
chamber. Record observations.
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Procedures for performing a preliminary
Automotive engine inspection
Technology • While the engine is running, listen for abnormal engine
noises or vibrations. Make sure to record all
observations. Shut off the engine and allow it to cool
completely.
Engine Diagnosis
• Start the engine. Perform a visual inspection of the
exhaust system. Make sure to record all observations.
Shut off the engine.

General Engine With the engine started cold, check the exhaust color,
Diagnosis sound, and odor.

With the engine at idle, check the exhaust color, sound,

and odor.

With the engine at 2,000 rpm, check the exhaust color,

sound, and odor.

• Determine the necessary action to correct any problems.

Include further diagnosis and/or repairs.
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Evaluating engine noise
Automotive
• Locating and evaluating engine noise is a very difficult
Technology diagnostic job. A technician’s stethoscope, or probe, is
helpful in successfully evaluating engine noise. The
stethoscope can be moved around until the exact
location of the noise is determined.
Engine Diagnosis
• Important engine sounds

Defective rod bearings produce a knocking sound.

• The rod bearing knock sounds loudest at the lower

General Engine part of the engine.
Diagnosis
• The rod bearing knock also sounds loudest at a
particular engine speed. During the road test, the rod
bearing knock will be speed sensitive, becoming
quieter as speed is increased or decreased. When
rod bearing noise becomes more severe, it will tend
to lose this speed sensitivity.
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Evaluating engine noise
Automotive
A knock at the piston (wrist) pin sounds somewhat like a
Technology rod bearing knock but will be much higher in the engine
than the rod knock.

• In some cases, the location of the knock may be the

Engine Diagnosis only way to determine if it is coming from a rod or
from a piston pin.

• In other cases, the rod bearing and piston pin

produce two different types of noise.

General Engine NOTE: Distinguishing between a wrist pin knock and a

Diagnosis rod bearing knock is not crucial. Repairing either
component requires disassembly and measurement of
the engine.

A piston slap sounds much like a wrist pin knock.

However, unlike a wrist pin knock, a piston slap quiets
down as the engine warms up. Correction of the piston
slap also requires engine disassembly and measurement.
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Evaluating engine noise
Automotive
A main bearing knock sounds more like a dull thud than a
Technology knock. A main bearing knock comes from lower in the
engine. The knock is loudest when the engine is under a
moderate to heavy load.

Engine Diagnosis Some engines use timing chains. A twangy sound coming
from the front of the engine is usually the result of a noisy
timing chain.

Valves sometimes produce a clicking sound that comes

from high in the engine. The valve clicking sound has a
General Engine
higher frequency than a bearing knock.
Diagnosis
• Generally, if internal noises are heard in the lower part of
the engine, disassembly of the engine is required.
Noises coming from near the head may be caused by
combustion chamber deposits that have come loose and
are contacting the tops of the pistons at each stroke.
This may require removal of the cylinder heads.
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Diagnosing excessive oil consumption
Automotive
• Most vehicle manufacturers consider oil consumption of
Technology less than 1 qt every 1,000 miles to be normal. Oil
consumption can be reduced below this level, but the
cost of doing so is very high. The gain in engine
performance may not be worth the expense.
Engine Diagnosis
• Oil consumption almost always occurs as a result of oil
leaking out of its normal location.

Oil may leak out of the engine through a seal or gasket

onto the ground. Even a relatively small oil leak can
General Engine
cause the loss of 1 qt of oil over 1,000 miles of vehicle
Diagnosis
operation.

Oil may leak into the combustion chamber or into the

induction system where the oil will be burned with the
normal air/fuel mixture.

Excessive engine blowby or a fuel leak into the oil pan

can dilute the oil.
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Diagnosing excessive oil consumption
Automotive
• Locating and eliminating the route by which the oil is
Technology leaving the engine stops excessive oil consumption. Oil
can be leaving the engine by several routes in an older
vehicle.

Engine Diagnosis • Oil leakage is classified as either external or internal.

External leakage can be detected visually.

• Usually external oil leaks at the engine gaskets are

the easiest to find. The problem can usually be
General Engine detected during a visual inspection of the gaskets.
Diagnosis Some vehicles require that the engine be removed
before the gaskets can be replaced. Check for the
proper procedure in the service information.

• The leakage can be so slight that the source is not

apparent or so massive that the source of the leak is
covered with oil.
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Diagnosing excessive oil consumption
Automotive
• In some cases, the engine must be washed off and
Technology run in short cycles to prevent large leaks from
flooding the leak area. At other times, the leak area
can be washed and coated with a tracing powder to
pinpoint an oil seep. An aerosol foot powder is often
Engine Diagnosis used for this purpose.

Internal leakage is very difficult to detect. In fact, internal

leakage will often continue without being detected.

• Oil can leak into the induction system at many

General Engine locations in the engine. One must be sure to find all
Diagnosis leaks and recommend procedures for repairing the
leaks. If any leaks are missed, the job will not be
completely successful.

• Oil can enter the intake manifold at any point where

oil is close to a leaking intake manifold gasket.
Intake manifold vacuum will suck the oil into the
manifold and deliver it to the cylinder with the air/fuel
mixture.
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Diagnosing excessive oil consumption
Automotive
• Oil can enter the intake runner through defective
Technology valve guides.

The intake stroke applies its vacuum directly to the intake

valve stem. If the valve stems or valve guides are worn,
Engine Diagnosis or if the valve stem seals are defective, oil can be drawn
into the intake runner at the cylinder intake port. This oil
would then be delivered to the cylinder and burned.

General Engine
Diagnosis
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Diagnosing excessive oil consumption
Automotive
One sign of this condition is a heavy blue smoke
Technology coming from the tailpipe immediately after the vehicle is
started. The volume of smoke will slowly be reduced as
the engine warms.

Engine Diagnosis Diagnosis of oil entering the intake runner through

defective valve guides can be complicated by a low
compression reading on the affected cylinders. The low
reading is caused by the oil coking on the backs of the
intake valves. A cylinder leakage test will show that
compression is at the proper level.
General Engine
Diagnosis
The intake valve seals can be replaced without
removing the cylinder head. Care should be taken in
making this decision because only the seals can be
replaced; there may be guide wear present that cannot
be repaired without disassembling the cylinder head.
The recommended procedure here is to recondition the
cylinder head.
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Diagnosing excessive oil consumption
Automotive
• Oil can enter the induction system as a result of a
Technology vacuum.

At a point between the exhaust stroke and the intake

stroke, the exhaust valve will still be open though the
Engine Diagnosis piston has reached the top of its stroke. At this point,
the weight of the exhaust gases moving out of the
engine can cause a vacuum in the combustion
chamber. This vacuum is momentary but can be strong
enough to pull oil through the exhaust valve guide.
Once pulled through the exhaust valve, the oil will be
General Engine burned by the hot exhaust gases in the exhaust
Diagnosis manifold.

Cylinder head reconditioning can remedy the oil

consumption problems created by this vacuum.
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Diagnosing excessive oil consumption
Automotive
• Oil can enter the combustion chamber through
Technology pistons and piston rings.

Worn or broken piston rings can allow oil to be drawn

past them into the combustion chamber when it is in a
Engine Diagnosis vacuum.

When combustion occurs, gases are blown past the

rings into the crankcase, thus pressurizing the
crankcase. This pressurization increases any oil
leakage in the engine.
General Engine
Diagnosis Pistons that are cracked, “holed,” scuffed, or otherwise
damaged can result in oil consumption and/or ring
damage.
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Diagnosing excessive oil consumption
Automotive
Defective pistons or piston rings can cause low
Technology compression readings in the affected cylinders. A
subsequent cylinder leakage test will also indicate
leakage and the air will be heard escaping at the oil fill
hole.
Engine Diagnosis
These problems can be remedied by reconditioning the
short block.

• High-mileage engines that consume excessive amounts

of oil often have multiple problems.
General Engine
Diagnosis A diagnosis of such vehicles will reveal that the entire
engine assembly is worn.

If any part of the assembly is repaired in order to reduce

an oil consumption problem, the repair could place
additional strain on another part of the engine. Therefore,
high-mileage engines are best completely reconditioned
the first time; any partial reconditioning may actually
increase oil consumption.
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Procedure for inspecting, removing, and
Automotive installing engine covers
Technology • Remove the engine components that are blocking
access to the engine cover.

• Unfasten the cover and lift it off. If the cover does not
Engine Diagnosis come off easily, tap it with a rubber hammer to loosen it.

• Inspect the cover for damage and warpage.

• Remove the old gasket, seal, or sealer.

General Engine
• Clean the cover thoroughly with a parts washer or soap
Diagnosis
and water. Be sure to remove all debris and gasket
residue.

• Use a gasket scraper to remove debris and gasket

residue from the mating surface.

• Install the new gasket, seal, or sealer as specified in the

service information.
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Procedure for inspecting, removing, and
Automotive installing engine covers
Technology • Install the cover and refasten it per specifications.

• Install the engine components that were removed to

access the engine cover.
Engine Diagnosis
• Connect the exhaust ventilation equipment.

CAUTION: Be sure to use approved exhaust

ventilation equipment when operating a vehicle in
General Engine an enclosed area.
Diagnosis
• Start the engine to ensure that the cover does not leak.

• Shut off the engine and disconnect the exhaust

ventilation equipment.
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Diagnosing oil pressure problems
Automotive
• No oil pressure
Technology Much of the time, severe engine damage results before a
complete lack of oil pressure is detected.

Engine Diagnosis When engine problems such as crankshaft damage are

discovered, make sure that the damage is not caused by
a defective oil system. If engine components are
repaired, but the oil system problems go uncorrected, the
same damage is likely to occur again.

General Engine The oil pressure can fall to zero when the oil level in the
Diagnosis engine drops below the level of the pickup screen.

• This drop in the oil level may be the result of an oil

leak or simply the failure to change or add oil to the
vehicle.

• Another possible reason for a drop in oil level is oil

filter damage caused by a foreign object.
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Diagnosing oil pressure problems
Automotive
• Low oil pressure
Technology
Low oil pressure is usually caused by one of the following
problems:

Engine Diagnosis • A plugged pickup screen or tube

• An internal oil leak in the pickup tube above the oil

level in the engine

• A leak in the oil gallery in the block or head

General Engine
Diagnosis • Oil that has been diluted with fuel

First, check the oil level and the condition of the oil. If the oil
level is low or if the oil seems very thin or dirty, change the
oil and the filter and recheck the oil pressure. If changing
the oil corrects the condition, diluted oil was likely the cause.

NOTE: Oil becomes diluted as a result of a defective

fuel pump. A defective fuel pump is often indicated by
fuel leaking from the fuel pump base.
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Diagnosing oil pressure problems
Automotive
If the pressure remains consistently low after the oil
Technology change, replace the oil pump and examine the pickup
screen. Replace the screen if it is plugged and inspect
the condition of the timing chain and sprocket. Very often,
excessive wear or defects in the timing chain and
Engine Diagnosis sprocket cause fragments of the sprocket to fall into the
engine base and clog the screen.

If the oil pressure is low at idle but normal at highway

speeds, the problem may be an internal oil leak or a
malfunction in the oil pressure indicating system. Use a
General Engine direct-reading oil pressure gauge to measure the
Diagnosis pressure.

• If the direct-reading gauge gives a normal reading,

replace the oil pressure sending unit.

• If replacing the unit does not correct the problem,

look for an internal oil leak.
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Diagnosing improper exhaust sound, color,
Automotive and odor
Technology • Valve action is heard at the tailpipe. If valve leakage is
suspected, idle the engine and listen at the tailpipe for a
miss in the regular pattern of exhaust sound. Listening
at the tailpipe is followed up with other tests to verify
Engine Diagnosis
problems.

• Blue smoke coming from the vehicle tailpipe is a sign of

oil consumption. Blue smoke is visible only when the
situation becomes serious.
General Engine
Diagnosis • Black smoke is generally caused by rich air/fuel
mixtures. The emission control systems in newer
vehicles eliminate black smoke caused by a rich air/fuel
mixture. If black smoke is seen coming from the tailpipe,
a complete test of the exhaust stream should be made
using an infrared exhaust analyzer.
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Diagnosing improper exhaust sound, color,
Automotive and odor
Technology • In vehicles equipped with catalytic converters, a rich
air/fuel mixture can sometimes be detected by a “rotten
egg” odor at the tailpipe. The presence of this odor does
not always indicate a catalytic converter problem. Some
Engine Diagnosis
high-sulfur fuels can produce this odor even when the
mixtures are normal.

General Engine
Diagnosis
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Diagnosing leaks and overheating
Automotive problems in the cooling system
Technology • Leaks in the cooling system

Internal leaks will almost always contaminate the engine

oil.
Engine Diagnosis
• If the engine oil is contaminated, the problem is either
a leaking head gasket or a cracked cylinder head or
engine block.

General Engine • Occasionally, the transmission oil cooler can leak,

Diagnosis causing the transmission fluid to be contaminated
with coolant and the coolant to be contaminated with
transmission fluid.
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Diagnosing leaks and overheating
Automotive problems in the cooling system
Technology External leaks are relatively easy to detect. When
pressure is applied to the system, all leaks should
become apparent.
Engine Diagnosis • Leaks at hoses can usually be stopped by tightening
the clamp.

• When components such as the water pump develop

leaks, they must usually be replaced.
General Engine
Diagnosis • A leaky radiator or heater core can often be repaired
by a radiator shop.

A cooling system pressure tester is used to find leaks by

applying pressure to the system.
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Diagnosing leaks and overheating
Automotive problems in the cooling system
Technology • Overheating problems

If the engine overheats, the cooling system has failed to

remove sufficient heat to prevent the coolant from boiling.
Engine Diagnosis
The cause of the overheating problem must be found and
resolved to prevent severe engine damage.

CAUTION: During overheating, temperatures within a

General Engine cooling system can exceed 400°F and pressures can
Diagnosis exceed 25 psi. If the radiator cap is removed when the
system is overheating, extremely hot coolant will spew
out of the system with considerable force. Do not
attempt to remove the cap from a hot cooling system.
Wait until the system has cooled. Failure to do this
may result in serious injury.
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Diagnosing leaks and overheating
Automotive problems in the cooling system
Technology Some of the common causes of overheating are listed
below:
• Low coolant level – This may be due to leaks in various
Engine Diagnosis components as previously discussed or failure to refill
coolant.
• Poor coolant condition – Coolant should feel slippery
between the fingers, have a good color, and not be
clouded by contamination. For more information on
General Engine coolant condition, see Unit 5, Lesson 4.
Diagnosis
• Thermostat that is stuck (does not open)
• Defective cooling fan or missing fan shroud
• Defective or incorrect water pump
• Belts in bad condition or with improper tension
• Defective hoses
• Clogged or leaking radiator
• Combustion gases leaking into the cooling system
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Automotive
Technology

Engine Diagnosis

General Engine
Diagnosis