Tech as Close as Your Phone

I am excited to tell you about a brand new technology for the automotive diagnostics world. You may have this technology in your pocket right now and don’t even realize it. Although it’s not a new technology, the automotive diagnostic application is. I can barely wait to demonstrate this technology to Liberty High School students at the next Career Fair Day. As recently as last fall this automotive diagnostic technology was undiscovered. After reading this article you will be equipped to perform some modern automotive diagnostic tests that most shops are not even aware of. Let me explain.

The modern automotive vehicle is the most complex, complicated, sophisticated piece of technology that you interact with on a daily basis. The vehicle’s electrical system is one of its most complex systems. Today, successful automotive technicians spend many hours per year in training to equip themselves for the task of diagnosing and repairing these modern marvels. Last month I attended another advanced electronics circuit diagnostic class. Dean, my instructor, is the lead diagnostic technician in his father’s automotive repair business in southern California. His shop is very successful and employees 15 technicians. Because of the scope, quality and reliability of their work, many governmental agencies outsource work to him.

As Dean tells the story, he was attempting to diagnosis the infamous dreaded parasitic load complaint when a fireman entered the shop and began watching. A parasitic load generally manifests itself as a dead battery in the morning. The customer usually says something like, “I installed a new battery but I still have to jump start my vehicle every day.” During the course of Dean’s diagnostic routine, the fireman said, “I have something that may help you.” When he returned from his truck he pointed his technology at the power distribution box that Dean was testing and said, “These two fuses have a much higher heat signature that all the others.”

By happenstance a new technology was introduced into the automotive diagnostic world and you are among the first to know. The fireman used a Forward Looking Infrared Camera (FLIR) that he uses to look behind walls to identify a fire’s location and determine if there are individuals trapped inside. The problem for us is his FLIR Camera has a hefty price tag of about $10,000. With a little research, Dean discovered the Samsung 6 and the Samsung 6 GS cell phones already have a FLIR camera installed. Some of the guys in class had these cell phones and uploaded the FLIR App at break. Within a short time, we thought of many potential automotive diagnostic uses for this technology. Maybe we can use this technology to diagnosis a restricted radiator or AC condenser. Currently we use an infrared thermometer for this purpose. On a properly functioning radiator or AC condenser there should be a minimum 30 degree drop in temperature between the inlet and outlet. Now I may be able to point a FLIR camera at these components and see the gradual transition in color. I wonder if I can aim the FLIR camera at a coolant thermostat housing and determine if the engine overheating problem is a stuck closed thermostat? I’m also thinking the FLIR camera might be useful for catalytic converter diagnostics. If a converter is efficiently oxidizing exhaust emissions, the exit temperature will be greater.

I’m certain it can be used to diagnosis vehicle braking problems. If a vehicle drifts during braking, I can use the FLIR image to see if one brake is preforming more work than the others. If a vehicle seems to be blowing through front brakes like a NASCAR stock car at Bristol, maybe the brake master cylinder has failed and the rear brakes are not being applied. The heat signature will tell. As you can see, it’s just physics and the diagnostic potential is endless. Hope this tip helps. At minimum it should be fun for you all to try.