Tech To Tech
Working In An Information Vacuum
It’s time to bring the tale of the pinging Suzuki Sidekick to a close. Last month, we finished with a valve adjustment that improved the idle vacuum to 18" from 14" and the cruise vacuum to 5" from 2". These improvements, however, still seemed low.
The test drive revealed the pinging problem was repaired. Although the power seemed fine, we were never able to duplicate power loss. The customer had complained that power loss always took two hours to occur. He had a specific four-wheel drive circuit and the Sidekick would fail to climb a hill it had managed many times before. Time to send him on the test drive to see if we were finished.
We ran a fuel gauge into the cab to make sure fuel pressure loss wasn’t causing loss of power. He was taking a long four-wheel drive vacation the following week, so it was important to resolve all problems. Remember, eliminating fuel pressure as a possibility can only be accomplished by checking the pressure when the problem occurs.
When connecting a fuel pressure gauge, I recommend traveling with a good fire extinguisher for safety. Also, check the routing of the test line to be sure it is away from exhaust manifolds and sharp sheet metal. Immediately after connecting, check the line for leaks. I started the Sidekick and checked the fuel rail connection. It was fine. When I got in the Sidekick, the dash was covered with fuel! AAAAUGH! I shut it down and threw the gauge out of the car! The gauge I’ve used a thousand times before had sprung a leak. I suppose taping the gauge to the outside windshield would have been a better idea. At the very least, the gauge should have been outside the car before I started checking. Well, after a thorough cleanup, we sent the owner on his test drive.
The report the next day was great. No pinging, no loss of power and fuel pressure was fine. The customer was thrilled. He still had some concern about the 5" of vacuum at a 40 mph cruise. He had a friend who had the same Sidekick with the same engine. He requested I check his friend’s Sidekick to see how it compared. His friend came in that afternoon and the test revealed the same exact vacuum as the first Sidekick. This sure seems low for cruise vacuum, but it is a small 16-valve engine.
This brings up my favorite topic: lack of information. It seems we are always working in an information vacuum. Too often, we have to make assumptions based on experience that may or may not be valid. Some information providers have recognized this problem and published specifications beyond the factory stuff. Target Training has produced manuals with specifications they have measured on real cars. Other sources are the "for techs only" forum on CompuServe or iATN on the Internet. The iATN forum has more than 2,000 techs ready to answer your questions and share knowledge. Out of 2,000 techs, surely one has a Sidekick he would be willing to check if you asked.
The call from the Sidekick owner came in the middle of the next week. The Sidekick ran great at first, but as the mileage piled up, the pinging and loss of power returned. Hmmm! Did the valves recede and lose adjustment? This seems like the only logical possibility, since the valve adjustment worked before. The customer was scheduled to drop the Sidekick off the next Monday. Monday came and went. No Sidekick. I never get too excited about a no-show; many things happen in people’s lives. They almost always show up sooner or later.
A week later, the Sidekick owner called. He was so discouraged he had sold the car! So after all that work (and you following this repair through three articles), there is no real closure. I was really disappointed. I was sure the valves had receded and a valve job was in order. Now, I’ll never know for sure.
There is another interesting point here. The owner was surprised when I expressed my disappointment. He assumed that I too was at the end of my rope. I never him gave any indication I was giving up. My shop has a fixed diagnostic charge policy (four hours). He had already happily paid the diagnostic charge and the charges for labor, valve adjustment, etc. He knew that he would not be charged any more for diagnostics. He had also invested a fortune in his Sidekick, with custom suspension, custom exhaust, giant tires and regearing the differentials. He had just hit the wall.
I explained that I thought the valves were the reason why the problem reoccurred. He asked what a valve job would have cost. When I told him, he regretted selling the car. We all know the cliché about the word "assume," and yet we continue to make false assumptions every day. We often assume customers are unwilling to pay for certain repairs and fail to offer them the option.
For some reason, fruit-and-fiber types with old air-cooled Volkswagens seem to be attracted to my shop. Go figure. Well, the techs are more than a little sick of patching oil leaks and such on these vehicles. A while back, a young guy with multiple facial piercings showed up with a battered VW bus, wanting a new engine.
Needless to say, the bus needed everything replaced down to the rotted heat exchangers. There is no way this van is worth the repairs and no way this kid has the cash he’ll need. Also, the guys didn’t even want to work on this one. So, I high-balled the repair. I priced everything at full list and jammed the labor so even the most resistant tech would have to reconsider.
When I showed the owner the estimate, he didn’t bat an eye and said, "Do it." When I told him I needed a substantial down payment (this is policy when customers are spending more than a vehicle is worth), he paid the whole bill in advance. I started feeling guilty and asked him if he was sure he wanted to invest such a large amount into a probable money pit with no resale value. He thanked me for my concern and explained this vehicle was a member of his family. Would I shoot my wife, he asked, if she broke her leg?
The repair went great and he even OK’d necessary extras that came up. I’m still pondering the wife question. The point is, never evaluate the customer’s needs and wants from your point of view! Always determine the necessary repairs, then prioritize them using safety first. Offer the customer an accurate estimate. Let the customer decide what they want! We need to give good professional advice. If our customers choose an alternative route, either decline the repairs (a patch job) or be sure to document your recommendations on the repair order and note that the customer chose the alternative.
About the author: Mark Warren is the owner of Mark’s Auto, an Automotive Service Association (ASA) member shop in Tucson, Arizona. Warren discusses underhood diagnostics and other service considerations monthly in Tech to Tech. If you have a comment for Mark Warren, you may write him c/o AutoInc., P.O. Box 929, Bedford, TX, 76095-0929, for fax to (817) 685-0225. Mark’s email address is 76727.3631@compuserve.com
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AutoInc. Magazine ®, Vol. XLIV No. 11, November 1996