Auto Diagnostic Tools
- Professional mechanics use auto diagnostic tools during tune-ups and inspections.yellow car, a honda japanese sport car model image by alma_sacra from Fotolia.com
If you have ever taken your car in for a tune-up or an inspection, your local mechanic probably hooked the vehicle up to a number of gadgets. These gadgets are standard auto diagnostic tools mechanics use to locate and identify car malfunctions. Some tools are used to help mechanics see hard-to-reach locations, while others help professionals scan an auto's entire electrical system. - Inspection cameras are hand-held video cameras that allow the user to see inside hard-to-reach areas of a car. The inspection camera is small and located on the end of a snake-like structure, allowing the camera to twist and wind its way around and through tight spaces, including hoses. The camera also enhances auto diagnostic safety since it prevents the mechanic from having to reach into potentially dangerous areas.
- Auto mechanics often rely on hand-held current limiters to gauge whether a particular electrical circuit within an auto is sapping too much energy supply from the vehicle's battery. The system, which resembles a complex remote control, hooks directly into the auto's electric circuits, including fuse boxes, alternator leads and fan motors. By connecting the device, the mechanic can locate any anomalies within the car's electrical system.
- One of the most commonly relied on diagnostic tools is the code reader. This is a hand-held digital device that plugs directly into your car and receives a special, standardized code called OBD-II that your car outputs. This code will alert you to any problems with critical systems in the car, such as engine and emissions problems. By reading the code on an OBD-II code reader, you can determine the source of your vehicle's problems.
- Car breaks operate using a system of hydraulics. This means that breaks operate using pressurized liquid, which if there is a leak, means that the breaks could malfunction. That is why it is important to use a test and bleed kit to determine whether there is anything wrong with a vehicle's break system. The kit allows mechanics to test the break pressure. If there is an abnormally low amount of pressure, this signals something wrong with the hydraulic break system, and further inspection must be done.
- The internal workings of an automobile can generate a lot of heat. However, if the engine generates too much heat, the car may stall, or worse, present a fire hazard. That is why it is important to test the temperature of car's parts while the car is running. To do this, mechanics use an infrared temperature gun. By pointing the gun at the interior of the vehicle, the mechanic can safely get a read of the temperature to ensure that it is not above the common threshold.
