CONTENTS:
Check Engine Lamp On?
Our E-mail Address: samgauto@samscars.com Our Phone Number Is 508-999-3213
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Believe it or not your gas cap may be loose. As strange as that sounds,
if your vehicle is a 1995 or newer model, a loose gas cap can cause the
check engine light on the dash to illuminate. The check engine lamp has
been on all vehicles since 1981. The lamp is illuminated by a computer
when a fault is detected by the vehicles electronic on board computer system.
There can be upwards of 300 different codes that can be logged when the
check engine lamp is on. Often times a customer will call us reporting
the light is on and ask us what the cause is. Until we hook up our lap
top computer we do not know which code is stored. On 1995 and newer model
vehicles the federal government has mandated that the vehicles on board
electronics monitor the integrity of the fuel supply system. If the fuel
tank or several other fuel related components do not hold vacuum,
code PO440 for "evaporative emissions leak" will be stored. At that
moment the computer in the car will command the check engine lamp to illuminate.
The EPA does not want fuel evaporating from the fuel tank and venting into
the atmosphere. This is known as evaporative emissions. (Remember a few
years back when all the small gas station hoses were changed over to larger
nozzles with a boot? That boot pulls the gas vapor from your fuel tank
into an underground storage tank when you are refueling the car. Likewise
the EPA does not want fuel vapors leaking past a loose fuel cap).
While your driving your vehicle, many tests are being performed by the on board computer in your car. The computer performs specific tests to check the integrity of the vehicles sensors and electronics. When the evaporative emission test is run the computer tries to apply vacuum to the fuel tank. If the test passes the light is not turned on. Some times we will connect our lap top computer to a car and find an evaporative emission code and a subsequent inspection will reveal a loose gas cap. Often a customer will say that they gassed up several days ago and they don't understand why the light was not on right after refueling. This is due to the computers strategy, ( the program that determines when the evaporative emission test will run). The evaporative leak detection strategy is based on applying vacuum to the fuel system and monitoring vacuum decay. The evaporative emission test does not run during every trip you take. Lets use a 1996 Buick Lesabre V6 as an example. The 96 Lesabre repair manual states that the evaporative emission test will only run if the following "enable criteria" are met: 1). Engine temperature at start up is between 40F and 86F.
When all these criteria are met, the computer will apply vacuum to the fuel system. If the system fails to hold vacuum, code PO440 is stored for evaporative emissions and the check engine lamp is illuminated. Wow! That's a lot of criteria to meet before that test is run on the fuel system. Due to criteria #5 alone we can see that the test will never run with a full tank (100%) of fuel. This means that even if the cap is loose or missing after a fill up, the test won't run (so the light won't come on) until the fuel tank is down to 85% full. This is the reason why the light will not come on right away if the fuel cap is loose or missing. Keep in mind that although a loose fuel cap is the most likely cause of this code, the following items will cause the test to also fail: Disconnected or faulty fuel tank pressure sensor, disconnected or damaged evaporative purge line, disconnected or damaged evaporative vent hose, disconnected or damaged fuel tank vapor line, disconnected or damaged purge solenoid or vent solenoid, open ignition feed circuit to the vent or purge solenoid, damaged evaporative emission canister, leaking fuel sender assembly o-ring, leaking fuel tank or filler neck. Repair facilities charge a small fee to connect a lap top computer to read and clear the code and turn off the check engine light. The computer itself can turn the light off if the evaporative test is run and the test passes. The light will then be off but the code will store in memory as a "history code" until 40 consecutive engine warm-up cycles have occurred without fault. Think cars are getting too technical? We think so too, but this is the industry we have chosen to be in so we roll with the punches and stay up to date by constantly attending the latest training so we can continue to properly service your vehicle.
General Motors recently spent 1.4 billion dollars to acquire 20% ownership
of Fuji Heavy Industries, the producer of Subaru cars and trucks. This
ownership venture is expected to lead to joint development and production
of vehicles and related technology. Fuji will remain a sole entity with
GM as its largest shareholder. GM also owns 49% of Isuzu and 10% of Suzuki.
In 1998, GM generated 161 billion dollars from all its business globally,
which included sales of 8,165,000 vehicles. GM employees approximately
391,000 people worldwide.
Our service technicians will be attending night school during the months of April, May and June. The technicians will be taking the nationally recognized Aspire Curriculum. The Aspire course is being presented by Massachusetts Bay Community College. The course is difficult and requires a large time commitment since the classes run 4 hours per night, two nights a week, for ten weeks. We are glad that our technicians have taken the initiative to further their automotive education. The classes will end mid June.
The National Car Care Council recently announced that 83% of all vehicles in the U.S. are in need of some kind of service work. The Car Care Council sponsors free Car Check Lanes every year in October. The lanes are often held in large mall parking lots. Motorist are encouraged to drive through the check lane where local automotive technicians volunteer to check your vehicle's fluids, tires, lights, drive belts, hoses, etc. After the lanes were held across the country in 1999, the council found that the vehicles most common failures were: Antifreeze-coolant (low or dirty) 45%
Does your car take care of you by taking you safely to work every day? Be sure to take Care of your car too.
 For the 5th Consecutive year now Mark and Glenn Giammalvo have been commissioned to write technical articles for the national automotive publication, Motor Age Magazine. Some of the articles planned for this year are: "Electrical Intermittents" and "Drive Axle Diagnosis and Service". Although the articles are technical in subject matter, it is interesting to read about some of the difficult service problems they have encountered. We will add each article to our web site as they are written. Be sure to check out the articles on our web site at: www:samscars.com or ask to see a copy the next time you are in. Hats off to Glenn and Mark.
(Obituaries Courtesy The Standard Times) We were saddened by the loss of former employee: Frank A. Queripal. Frank was employed by us as an automotive technician for 20 years. Prior to that time he worked for Elm Motors. He was a resident of Dartmouth for the past 35 years. Mr. Queripal attended New Bedford schools and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He enjoyed working on cars in his spare time and was also a ham radio operator. We were also saddened by the loss of the following customers: Clement P. "Bob" Brodeur, born in New Bedford, he had lived 35 years in Rochester. Mr. Brodeur was the owner and operator of C.P.Brodeur Inc., a dealer of Caterpillar engines. He enjoyed boating and socializing with friends. David A. Loveridge lived in New Bedford most of his life. He
was a communicant of St. Mary's Church. Mr. Loveridge owned and operated
Dave Loveridge Plumbing and Heating for 25 years until he retired five
years ago. He served with the Army during the Vietnam War. He was a member
of American Legion Post 1,
Marion Hogan, lived in Fairhaven since 1946. She was a
parishioner of St. Joseph Church. Mrs. Hogan was a member of the Third
Order of St. Francis at Our Lady's Chapel, New Bedford.
Hemiterio G. "Emy" Souza, born in New Bedford, he lived in the
area all his life. He was a communicant of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.
Mr. Souza was an office manager at John Alden Cash & Carry, a division
of Laurans-Standard Grocery. He was a member of the Holy Name Society of
Mount Carmel Church and the YMCA. Fond of playing golf and traveling, he
was a
Theodore F. Ring, born in Bridgeport, Conn., he lived in Fairhaven
50 years. Mr. Ring served in the Army Corps of Engineers amphibian command
in New Guinea and the Philippines during World War II. He received the
Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Ribbon with two battle stars,
American Theater of
George Wilfred Holden, born in New Bedford, he lived in Acushnet since 1950 and wintered in Tampa, Fla. He was an Army veteran of World War II. A 32nd-Degree Mason and Shriner, he was a member of the Alpaca Club, a license plate collectors club, and the Scottish Rites. Charles Daignault, a lifelong New Bedford resident, He was a communicant and usher at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. He received the Marian Medal. Mr. Daignault was a machinist at J.C. Rhodes until he retired. He was an Army veteran of World War II; he served in Northern France, the Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe. He received the Purple Heart and European African Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbon. He was a member of the Holy Name Society, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Seniors and Polish American Veterans. Pasquale Angelini, born in Italy, he came to New Bedford as a baker in 1947 and opened Jerry's Bakery, which he operated for 17 years. Mr. Angelini was a Realtor for 15 years and the owner of Jerry's Salvage Store for 20 years. He was an avid cook who also enjoyed gardening. Dr. Robert E. Kelleher, born and raised in Lynn, he moved to
the
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