Competition Time!

We are launching a competition for one lucky person to win a GearWrench® 12 Piece Combination Ratcheting Wrench Set (9412 – List Price £85.00).

For your chance of winning, all you have to do is subscribe to our blog (CLICK HERE) and your email address will be entered into a draw to win the wrench set.

Closing date for entrants is 5pm on 10^th May – so make sure you subscribe today! For those who have already subscribed to the blog, don’t worry – your email address will automatically be entered!

Good Luck!

Note: Winner will be notified by email within 10 days of close of draw. Terms & Conditions apply

NEW VAG Hub Bearing Tool – Developed with a little help from some friends…..

We have recently launched a tool for replacing hub bearings on certain cars that include the Polo, A2, Ibiza, Cordoba, Fabia, Roomster and Fox. The NEW 08125500 - Wheel Hub Bearing Fitting Kit was developed and tested with the help of one of the countries leading independent Volkswagen specialists - “Volks” from Coventry. 

Proprietor Rob Howard says…”Over the years we have done hundreds of these tricky hub bearings and this tool will really help, now that it can be used on the car quickly and safely”. Rob adds “Without this tool the hub bearing is likely to be damaged when you re-fit it into the hub.” Praise indeed and seeing how many people trust Rob and his team to look after their VW group cars from all across the Midlands; that’s good enough for us!

VOLKS Service, Repair & Recovery, Unit 2 Arches Industrial Estate, Spon End, Coventry, CV1 3JQ 

Tel: 02476 676407

Injector Removal – A real pain in the cylinder head…….

When it comes to common rail fuel injector removal, it is true to say that performing such a job can be a real nightmare and if the injector is not pulled perfectly straight out of the cylinder head, then any deviation can cause the injector to lock into head which can then lead to broken off injector tips……Big trouble!

The NEW 18580000 - Hydraulic injector puller kit is designed to apply 10 Tonnes of vertical pulling force, to help in the removal of seized fuel injectors on modern diesel engines; this kit is compact, so very useful where there is not enough clearance above the injectors for traditional slide hammer pullers to operate.

Inject......arrghhh! - Desperate DIY'ers Attempts

We had to share the above image with you to show you what measures certain people have gone to  remove a stubborn injector using washers, nails, screws, bolts....you name it! Anyone care to own up to the above contraptions?!! 

Please CLICK HERE to watch a video of the hydraulic injector puller kit in action

To make common rail injectors last longer (often more than double their standard life) before failing, we recommend using a high quality diesel additive and if you are struggling to find a good one… give United Diesel a call on +44(0) 1939 291155, or visit their website: www.uniteddiesel.co.uk

The cost of Engine Oil – Professor Rob’s wise words

Engine oil - we all have to use it but who can say which type is best for a car. In the current economic climate you may think that cheaper oil is a good option but the truth is that splashing out a little more on motor oil is actually a good thing as the life of an engine can be affected by the quality of the oil used. There is a reason why certain oils in the market are cheaper and quite simply it’s because they aren’t as good. There are two basic types of oil - The first being high quality based oil with fewer additives - the more costly choice; and secondly, poorer quality based oil with lots of additives that are considerably cheaper. Both types meet spec when new – but when exposed to a running engine and elements such as EGR, many additives dissolve away and then there is only one stable solution that keeps on working. Don’t scrimp on oil quality – it will shorten engine life!

Success at The CV Show

We have had a busy few days at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham this week, the only specialist road transport and logistics exhibition in the UK. 

We joined forces with Automotive Tools and showcased a selection of products including the unique SP9550 -  5 Gas Diesel Analyser that generated huge interest from a number of well known vehicle manufacturers to several small garages.

The star of the show was the new Hydraulic Injector Puller – 18580000 – CLICK HERE to see a video of the puller in action. This created a lot of interest, providing a great solution to a common problem and several were sold during the show!

It was great to meet and have a chat with many end users, who provided complimentary comments on our customer service and products. A big thanks goes out to all those guys who came to see us on the stand and gave some valuable feedback that we can use for future product development.

To find out where else you can see us this year – CLICK HERE

Steering Sensors and the vital need to reset them

SPe - Screenshot
Steering Wheel Calibration

When visiting a garage recently, Prof Rob arrived as the owner was working on a Citroen C4 that had a problem with its steering. Most new cars today have a version of stability control or ESP and for this to work correctly after any repair, it is vital that the steering position sensor is reset. 

It was positive to see that the owner reset the sensor as soon as he had fixed the steering problem – avoiding the risk of any danger to the cars stability once the owner had driven away. As any vehicle ECU relies on accurate information to safely control the car – resetting the steering sensor is easily done – so don’t forget………..reset!

Another interesting evening from the guys at CES UK

The latest diesel evening hosted by CES UK, not only saw an attendance of over 80 people but also provided visitors with a whole host of information about Common Rail Diesel systems and handy troubleshooting tips.

The presentation given by Steve McCann, MD at CES UK was informative and well received as were the talks made by suppliers Bosch and Delphi, as well as our very own Jason Bavin, Regional Sales Manager for the North.

Topics discussed included how to diagnose particular problems with a diesel engine and Delphi gave an interesting talk on injectors, how they work and how to remove a seized one. Seeing some of the contraptions that people had made in the past to try and remove a seized injector was a real eye opener. The mechanic who had welded a bolt to the top of an injector in a vain attempt to then use a hook to attach this to the bolt and pull out the stuck injector was just one highlight of the night!

The new Hydraulic Injector Puller Kit we have recently launched has been designed to assist in the removal of seized injectors as it applies 10 Tons of vertical pulling force where normally there is not enough clearance above an injector for traditional slide hammer removers to work efficiently.  

Note: The 18580000 Hydraulic Injector Puller Kit should be used in conjunction with other methods to remove seized fuel injectors; on its own it might not be the complete solution.

If you are looking for further information to fault-find and repair the majority of Common Rail problems, then come along to a CES Diesel Evening that are taking place throughout the country. For further details please click here.

An Industry Tip from Professor Rob – Diesel Common Rail Woes

In the past I have been witness to a number of poor running vehicles that have been mis-diagnosed and the customer has had to fork out for expensive replacement parts like fuel pumps and injectors when there is nothing wrong with them and then their car STILL runs badly! Arrghhhhh! 

To avoid any unnecessary costs, look out for a common issue relating to this problem and that is the fuel cooler……..The fuel cooler can be mounted under the car near the jacking points and is in a position where it can get easily crushed, creating a host of woes for the diesel engine, as the damaged cooler blocks returning fuel to the tank, causing back pressure problems. So if you are ever in doubt, it is always a good idea to check the fuel pressures manually.

DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) Regeneration

Date: 29/03/2011

Time: 11.12am

Location: Vehicle Investigations Unit - SP Headquarters

Problem: Blocked DPF on a Peugeot 307 HDI

As you may know, DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) regeneration, continental name for task FAP (Filter Anti-Particulate) regeneration is a modern electronic service task relating to a number of later diesel vehicles. Basically, it is the forced cleaning of a filter inside the exhaust system that catches and traps soot and dependant on driving styles, it can self clean but often the filter can still become blocked, causing a dash light warning to come on advising urgent action.

First things first, all system errors, faults or trouble codes must be read, rectified where present and cleared for this to occur, so use the SPe to do this, (if on a vehicle fitted with a fuel additive tank – top up the tank with fluid and electronically reset the counter & reset codes for low additive level first). Then find a clear or open space, select the DPF/FAP regeneration service task on the SPe and follow the info on screen that will guide you through the process.

It will ask for at least ¼ tank of fuel to undertake the task, a hot engine and you supply the patience; you enter the task and then the tool takes over, gradually loading up and revving the engine – which builds up terrific heat and pressure in the exhaust system and burns the blockage internally out of the filter. Information appears on the screen letting you know what’s going to happen – so you just wait for 10 minutes or so for the process to be completed. However, please ensure no other vehicle (or valuable item) is close to the exhaust tailpipe – the output during this phase can burn paint away!

Verdict: Case closed – Problem solved by Professor Rob