Saturday, April 30, 2011

Butler Pennsylvania plans Jeep Heritage Festival.

Butler Pennsylvania may not be known to many in the automotive world. Butler is in fact birthplace of the Jeep. History has been skewed a bit to overlook Butler, but they're out to change that. When the U.S. Army put out the word for creating a new staff car just prior to World War II, American Bantam, based in Butler answered the call with their prototype  Bantam Reconnaissance Car as it became affectionately know throughout the world as the Jeep. American Bantam's design was the selected design and though enhanced a bit, went in to production. Along with being produced by Willys and Ford. Butler, PA and American Bantam produced nearly 3000 Jeeps and other war effort materials from 1940-1941. American Bantam had been building small British Bantam vehicles in the years prior to the war and after the wars end, continued to produce military products until closing in 1956. However, they never produced another vehicle after Jeep production ended in 1941.

August 12th through the 14th will be the 1st of what is being planned to be an annual event. The Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival. Events will include an all Jeep parade through downtown Butler, PA. Trail rides, A Jeep playground, camping, show & shine, and how to clinics. Not only that but there will also be live entertainment and much more. Plans are also set for Guinness Book to be on hand to have the parade be marked as a record setter.

We'll be covering most of the events live. So stay tuned!

For further information, please visit bantamjeepfestival.com/

Fit for a future King.

Just like the millions that got swept up in Royal Wedding Fever, we were no exception. Though for different reasons. The cars! There is no denying the Royal Family has some of the most stunning vehicles at their disposal. And of course, a wedding with all of its pomp and circumstance is the perfect time to polish up the vintage Rolls Royce. It was quite a special treat to see so many of the vintage state cars out in the open. Everything from vintage horse drawn carriages to Rolls Royces and Bentleys, even a vintage Daimler state limo. Both Prince William and Prince Harry rode to Westminster Abbey in the Queen's Bentley state limo. While Prince Charles and Camila rode in a 1950s vintage Rolls Royce state limo. And Kate Middleton and her father in the same 1970s vintage Rolls that was attacked by protesters a few months back. The real treat was when Prince William and Princess Kate emerged from the gates of Buckingham Palace in a stunning dark blue 1969 Aston Martin for a parade lap.

Said Aston Martin has it's own unique ties to the Royal Family. It was given to Prince William's father, Prince Charles as a 21st birthday present from the Queen. What a gift. It's also special because it's been rebuilt to run greener in a sense. It's been converted to run on alcohol from vineyards owned by the Royal Family. Neat stuff.

Porsche on board to celebrate 125 years of the automobile.

Coming up next weekend in Stuttgart, Germany. Porsche will be teaming up with Mercedes Benz and Audi to stage a 125 car parade through Germany's car crazy town. 2011 marks the 125th birthday of the automobile and what a great way to mark the occasion. Porsche will be pulling 45 of their most historic cars. Porsche's presence will include everything from 1948 Porsche 356 no.1 to a 917 that won LeMans in 1970 to a Carrera GT to a 356 Cabriolet police car. Many of the cars will be driven by current and former Porsche  factory race drivers which is an added bonus. All of the festivities will kick off in the Porscheplatz in the center of Stuttgart. This will certainly be a birthday to remember.

Source: Porsche

Press release:

The "125 years of the car" birthday procession kicks off on the Porscheplatz

Porsche classic cars on the streets of Stuttgart


Stuttgart. On Sunday 8 May 2011, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, will be teaming up with Mercedes-Benz and Audi, two other car brands also based in Baden-Württemberg, to stage a car procession through Stuttgart. 125 vehicles, contemporary witnesses all, will bring the history of the three carmakers to life – in some cases with well-known drivers at the wheel. The Zuffenhausen sports car manufacturer will be putting 45 current and historic vehicles from more than six decades of Porsche history on the start line.

The “125 years of the car” procession will get under way at 11.00 a.m. at the Porsche museum, which will be offering visitors free admission on the day. Matthias Müller, Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG, will head the birthday procession in a Porsche 911 Turbo S – together with his Mercedes-Benz and Audi opposite numbers. Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE, will be driving the first Porsche prototype, the Type 356 “No. 1”, developed by his father Ferry Porsche in 1948.

Current and former Porsche AG works and racing drivers will also be taking part in the drive through the town. For example, racing legend Hans Hermann will be piloting the Porsche 917 KH on the streets of Stuttgart, the same car he and Richard Attwood drove in the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hours when they won the first ever overall victory for the Zuffenhausen company. The three times winning Porsche 908/03 Spyder is being withdrawn from the Porsche museum’s exhibition for Porsche works driver Marc Lieb. Finally, the 612 hp (450 kW) Carrera GT high performance sports car, once limited to 1,270 units, will be driven by double world rally champion Walter Röhrl.

In addition to a “police presence”, the car procession will also give an outing to the Swabian sense of humour. Stuttgart “Tatort” (Crime Scene Investigation) Inspector Richy Müller will be switching on the blue lights on the Porsche 356 C Cabriolet. In the Sixties, this classic car was used by the Württemberg motorway police. And cabaret artist Christof Sonntag will be behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 Targa (Type 964).

The destination of the procession that will start at Zuffenhausen’s Porscheplatz is the Schlossplatz in the centre of Stuttgart. Here there will be an opportunity on Sunday afternoon to admire all the participating vehicles at close quarters. Porsche will also be showcasing itself on the Schlossplatz as part of an innovation exhibition true to its “Porsche Intelligent Performance” philosophy: more power with lower consumption, increased efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions. Three modern day Porsche vehicles await the visitor there, providing an impressive demonstration of alternative driveline technologies: the Porsche Boxster E, the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid and the Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Monday, April 25, 2011

P0420, P0430, P0421 Catalyst Efficiency Codes

So many techs fear these group of codes because they have been bitten before by them. In my opinion, these are some of the easier codes to solve if you attack it systematically. The first step is to know the enemy. The general code set criteria is as follows; When the the downstream oxygen sensor is within 80% of the activity of the upstream oxygens sensor during a catalyst test the code is set. The key to this is graphing our scan data. Years ago scan data was much too slow to trust graphing it. But, todays datastreams and professional scantools make this a trustworthy venture. Here is a snapshot of`data that was graphed.
In the above we have the following pids graphed. Engine speed, upstream oxygen sensor, downstream oxygen sensor, and throttle position voltage. As you can see we are raced up at 2514 rpm. Is this catalytic converter doing a good job right now? No, not really at all. What I stress here is look at the symmetry between upstream and downstream sensors. They are almost identical. Are we within 80% activity? Looks like it. Now, before you plunk that money down for a catalytic converter there is a couple of things to do. I always take the car for a thorough test drive and recheck oxygen sensor activity out on the road. There are many converters that need a hard test drive to verify operation or "light off". The other test procedure I do is either introduce carb spray or propane into the system to make sure both upstream and downstream oxygen sensors go full rich. Sometimes, I can get away with just "flashing" the throttle a couple of times and checking. Confirm that the vehicle is at operating temperature-bad thermostats,  radiator flow, or improper fan operation can play havoc with catalyst operation. The final item to check is fuel trim. Make sure your fuel trims are tight. Fuel trims that are elevated either way will cause catalyst issues.
As you can see in the above snapshot our fuel trims are excellent. Always check fuel trims at an idle, raced up 2500 rpm no load, and at cruise steady throttle out on the road. There is usually a reason behind catalytic converter failure. The reasons can range from a converter that has been digesting misfires, bad fuel trims, and oil contamination. I see the oil contamination issue quite a bit on those pre cat (where the cat is part of the exhaust manifold or directly after the exhaust manifold) vehicles. If you have any of these issues the new converter will go belly up in short order.  So now you are ready to order the catalytic converter. Not yet, definitely run a tsb (technical service bulletin) search to see if there are updated parts or reflashing pertaining to your issue. Now you are ready to get prices on the catalytic converter. A call to the OE dealer gives you a price of $842.31-geez the car is only worth $2000.00. A call to the parts house or a converter supplier and the price is $231.28. Why the big difference? First off make sure the aftermarket one is a direct fit. Nothing like giving the cheaper price only to find out you need the $95.00 adaptor kit and have to be  Michaelangelo with the welder to get this to fit. The second is make sure that the converter you are getting is OBD2 C.A.R.B (California Air Research Board) certified and they can supply the paperwork supporting this. I have seen too many times the shop sells the cheap converter only to have me come back multiple times and the converter to be exchanged two times before it is realized this cheap converter is in fact cheap. I have also seen where the manufacturer will hide behind that the fuel trim is off, the vehicle is not reaching operating temperature, the oxygen sensors are incorrect when there is a problem. This is why I always document everything. There are certain vehicles I do not recommend aftermarket catalytic converters on period. They are 2001 and up GM cars, Honda vehicles, and Subaru vehicles. It seems the aftermarket cannot make the proper converter for these applications, you get what you pay for. 
Another item to be wary of is exhaust leaks ahead of the catalytic converter on codes that never seem to be fixed. An exhaust leak ahead of the converter no matter small will introduce outside oxygen into the exhaust stream. Causing problems and ruin your day. A smoke machine can be used to find small leaks. So what if you have a A/F ratio sensor upstream instead of a conventional sensor. Just look at the downstream sensor graphed and use the hints I have given to diagnose these cars. Most techs think that the catalyst monitor is run during steady highway speeds. That is true of most cars. But, late model GM vehicles will run it at an idle after a highway run. Know your enemy, check your drive cycle routines to determine when it looks at converter status. I hope this helps the next time you have one of these in your bay.

Ottotest Update

I had a chance to use the Ottotest on a 2002 GMC Sierra Denali Pickup. This truck was loaded with every option. First thing I did was do a DTC health check with the Ottotest. This is where the scanner polls all the modules for communication and codes. The Ottotest did this procedure with ease and then gave me a summary of how many modules it saw and how many had codes. One interesting note here is that if there was a module that didn't communicate you would have to go back into the module log to see which module didn't communicate. The truck was in the shop for no DRL (Daytime Running Lamp) operation. The Ottotest did a great job of showing me everything I needed to diagnose this issue. The bi-directional functions were excellent. The other item of mention here is I was able to graph BCM and ABS data on this truck. This was a big complaint of mine. So, I tried graphing BCM and ABS data on my 2001 Dodge Durango-still nothing. What is with that? I can graph GM data but not Chrysler? I also tried another Hyundai vehicle recently to see if I could get Air Bag codes and data-no dice. I checked for recent scantool updates, there were none. I reported all this back to Blue Streak via the feedback function on the scanner. Let's hope they are listening. 

Monday, April 18, 2011

Suddenly it's 2012. The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle

It's finally here. The arrival of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle. I loved the original Beetle and the New Beetle so much that I've owned at least a dozen or more of them. I've anxiously been awaiting the arrival of VWs proclaimed 21st century Beetle for the last year or more. I actually think it was one of the best kept car design secrets in probably the last 50 years. I mean how can you keep such an iconic car design secret from spy photographers and the likes? Any way, back to the Beetle at hand. VW of America won't officially be unveiling the Beetle until later this afternoon on New York City (just in time for the New York Auto Show) but that isn't stopping us thanks to VW of Germany who already posted up the press release and photos.

By now everyone knows that the 1998-2010 New Beetle was a home run for Volkswagen. Even if it did get a little long in tooth. With such a unique design, how can you improve it? Of course VW did in a way keep with the original Beetle's idea of minor changes every year.

For the 2012, VW went literally back to the drawing board and was able to capture what I think is a closer rendition to the original Beetle than anything else has come to in the past. VW admits that this Beetle is more masculine than it's predecessor but still has its charm. This time around the Beetle is larger in every way. "The new car is 1,808 mm wide (84 mm wider), 1,486 mm tall (12 mm lower) and 4,278 mm long (152 mm longer)".

But it doesn't stop there. VW was able to keep many of the Beetles classic design cues and bring them full circle into the 21st century.  "Some of the Beetle’s longstanding characteristics remain: these include its round headlights (optional bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights are available for the first time in this model series), the flared wings, the shapes of the bonnets, sides and door sills and – more than ever – the large wheels (up to 19 inch) that can be integrated. A new feature is the rear spoiler that is homogeneously integrated in the design (standard for TSI engines with 118 kW / 160 PS and 147 kW / 200 PS); it aggressively maintains contact with the road on this Volkswagen, which has a top speed of up to 225* km/h, depending on the engine, and is available in the three equipment lines "Beetle", "Design" and "Sport". Incidentally, the top surface of the rear spoiler is always black, while its underside is painted in body colour. These colours – 12 different hues – will make everyday car driving more vibrant with names such as "Saturnyellow" and "Denim Blue".

VW's design DNA is clearly evident in the Beetle. Especially in the bumper area. But you can also see some Audi and Porsche flair mixed in with the LED day time running lights, optional red leather seating surfaces, and the addition of an optional stopwatch. 

VW is also touting the 2012 Beetle as the most fuel efficient Beetle in history. Thanks to an optional TDI turbo diesel engine, a 2.0 Turbo 4 cylinder. The Beetle is pushing almost 40 mpg! Check the press release below for more details!







Plus, as usual we will keep you updated on more news on the 2012 Beetle as it comes out.


Press Release:

Initial Facts: The Beetle

An icon debuts in Shanghai, Berlin and New York
World debut of the Beetle for a new era. The Beetle!

Volkswagen presents new generation Beetle on three continents simultaneously

Wolfsburg / Shanghai / Berlin / New York, 18 April 2011 - A look back to the start: at the beginning Volkswagen built one of the most successful cars of all time and did not even give it a name. Why should it? After all, it was the Volkswagen! People loved it, and on all of the world’s continents the small car was nicknamed according to precisely what it looked like: Beetle, Käfer, Vocho, Coccinelle, Fusca, Maggiolino or 甲壳虫! It embodied the automotive concept itself and symbolised the democratisation of mobility. 21.5 million cars were sold. Then the New Beetle arrived in 1998. It introduced a new automotive feeling to the world and brought with it Beetle Mania. In 2010, the Final Edition completed the New Beetle series that had sold more than one million cars. And now? A look forward. The future of the most famous car in the world begins now. In a completely new generation. It’s The Beetle! And because Volkswagen and the Beetle call the globe their home, the new car is celebrating a transcontinental world debut – simultaneously in Shanghai, Berlin and New York .


Technological goal: high-tech in harmony with the environment
Beetle is an icon. This car tells a story. Only someone who knows its history could make a new generation of this Volkswagen a reality. The task ahead for the engineers was very clear. They had to develop a high-tech car that was still affordable, did not leave any stone unturned, integrated the communication technologies of our times and of course achieved the lowest environmental impact. It also had to be a car that places driving fun at the forefront. The new generation Beetle would have to be a very agile, dynamic performer, and the people who developed the Golf GTI would also be able to achieve this.
No previous Beetle was this fuel efficient. High performance no longer suffices by itself: At 4.3* l/100 km (European 1.6 TDI) and 33* mpg (American 2.0 TDI), the new Beetle is the most fuel-efficient Beetle ever.

Design target: "Design a new original!"
The most recognisable automotive design in the world. Coke bottle, iPhone, Ray Ban Aviator, Beetle – how does one reinvent a design that is so recognisable and independent? There is a clear answer to this: It is necessary to understand the product and the brand; then it works! Volkswagen Design Chief Walter de Silva (Group) and Klaus Bischoff (Volkswagen Brand) "understand" both and therefore they set this as the objective for the Beetle: "Design a new original!"
Challenge as a thrill. The team began its task under Bischoff’s guidance. The challenge of designing a new Beetle was inspiring. The designers knew that they wanted to develop the original Beetle profile more than on the 1998 New Beetle. They also made very dynamic proportions a high priority. An interesting aspect was that more than a few team members actually own their own air-cooled Beetles. It has also become a cult car among younger designers at Volkswagen. And that is how the final design of the 2011 Beetle came to be in Wolfsburg – a car of today as well as a design tribute to the automotive seed of an entire corporate group. And unmistakable indeed: If one were to take the first Beetle and the new Beetle and place them in a room together – shining light just over the roofs and viewing them from the side – one would see that the lines of the rear sections are nearly identical.

No standing still: "We remade every part."
Bolder, more dynamic, more masculine. A comparison to the 1998 New Beetle shows this: nothing remained as it was on the old car: "The Beetle is now characterised by a clean, self-confident and dominant sportiness. The car not only has a lower profile; it is also substantially wider, the front bonnet is longer, the front windscreen is shifted further back and has a much steeper incline. All of this creates a new dynamism," explains Klaus Bischoff. While the New Beetle was defined by three semi-circles (front wing, rear wing, domed roof above it), the new model has broken free of this geometry. The roof profile actually runs distinctly lower and can be considered a continuation of the Ragster concept car shown in Detroit in 2005 – a type of hot rod based on the New Beetle. The new Beetle is bolder, more dynamic, more masculine.
The figures confirm this: The new car is 1,808 mm wide (84 mm wider), 1,486 mm tall (12 mm lower) and 4,278 mm long (152 mm longer). This has resulted in entirely new proportions. The gain in length meant that the roof could be extended further, the front windscreen could be shifted back, and the rear section could follow the contour of the original Beetle. The new focal point is the C-pillar. In parallel, the development team increased the car’s track widths and wheelbase. All of this gives the Beetle a powerful appearance with muscular tension.

Typical Volkswagen, typical Beetle: a new DNA
2011 styling. Despite all of its individuality, the styling follows the Volkswagen design DNA created by Walter de Silva and Klaus Bischoff. It clearly expresses itself in the horizontal image of the front bumper, front air inlet, straight lines of the bonnet edges, the precisely drawn line between the A-pillar and C-pillar and the styling of the rear lights.
Beetle, Microbus, original Golf. And yet it was possible to preserve all of the Beetle’s typical styling characteristics. This should come as no surprise; after all, it was vehicles like the Beetle, Microbus and original Golf that had a decisive influence on Volkswagen’s "design DNA." Of course, some of the Beetle’s longstanding characteristics remain: these include its round headlights (optional bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights are available for the first time in this model series), the flared wings, the shapes of the bonnets, sides and door sills and – more than ever – the large wheels (up to 19 inch) that can be integrated. A new feature is the rear spoiler that is homogeneously integrated in the design (standard for TSI engines with 118 kW / 160 PS and 147 kW / 200 PS); it aggressively maintains contact with the road on this Volkswagen, which has a top speed of up to 225* km/h, depending on the engine, and is available in the three equipment lines "Beetle", "Design" and "Sport". Incidentally, the top surface of the rear spoiler is always black, while its underside is painted in body colour. These colours – 12 different hues – will make everyday car driving more vibrant with names such as "Saturnyellow" and "Denim Blue".

An original interior like no other
The cockpit makes a visual impression. Is it possible for a cockpit to make an impression? Are you kidding? By its very nature! Car drivers sit in the cockpit. Sometimes for hours at a time. And yet, there are cars whose cockpits do not leave any lasting impression. They have a "look alike" appearance, as the marketing people say – one easily mistaken for another, lacking charisma. The Beetle’s cockpit, on the other hand, is unique, unmistakable, cool, classic and designed with a passion for detail. This cockpit is perceived as something special.
Everything within reach and sight. The shape and use of colour in the painted or carbon-look front facia panel of the dashboard hark back to the design of the first Beetle, yet the new car does not have a retro look. In Europe, for example, this facia is styled in "Schwarz uni" (Black) on the base model ("Beetle"); in the "Design" equipment line, it is always painted in the specific exterior colour. Customers choosing the "Sport" level get the carbon look ("Carbon Fibre"). Regardless of which colours are used, Volkswagen drivers will be able to locate every interior feature with their eyes closed.
And yet everything has been redesigned. Three round instruments arranged in front of the driver (tachometer, speedometer, fuel gauge) provide all key information; integrated in the speedometer (middle position) is a multifunction display. From the "Design" equipment level, the adjustable air vents and the instruments have chrome bezels. This also applies to the audio/navigation systems optimally located in the driver’s visual field on the dashboard, framed by two air vents. This also includes the controls for the climate control system. Everything is within grasp and sight.
Comeback of the glovebox. Similar to the original Beetle, the new car has an extra glovebox integrated in the front facia whose lid folds upward (the standard glovebox that is also integrated opens downward). Another classic feature: the optional auxiliary instruments above the selected audio/navigation system: oil temperature, clock with stopwatch function and boost pressure gauge. Also new: the steering wheels specially designed for the Beetle with optional painted accents in the spokes depending on the equipment line. Details like these clearly indicate that the occupants are in a Beetle – there’s no mistaking it.
Air-cooled Beetle. New Beetle. The Beetle. A distinguishing feature of The Beetle – the third generation if you will – is that its interior ergonomics and packaging are based on completely new parameters. While drivers in the air-cooled Beetle travelled in a very low-slung seat, and drivers of the New Beetle felt as if they were chauffeured because the bonnet was so far forward, the latest Beetle now offers an agile, driver-oriented coupé experience. Every feature is within easy reach. In addition, Volkswagen has once again succeeded in implementing a quality of materials that goes beyond all class limits. The car’s styling, ergonomics, operability and quality interact to create a new, friendly car with a highly individual nature.
The New Beetle was a cathedral inside. In front, the Beetle is now somewhat lower in profile, since the domed roof of its predecessor has been eliminated. It now offers 1,044 mm interior height instead of the previous 1,082 mm. However, the 38 mm will hardly be missed, even by very tall drivers, since the New Beetle’s interior was a "cathedral" among compact cars. Meanwhile, in the rear seating area, the longer roof section results in a distinctly larger feeling of space. The bootspace is significantly larger; it now holds 310 instead of 209 litres. As usual, the car has a split, folding rear seatback, and a wide opening bootlid making it is easy to load and unload.

More optional features: individualising the Beetle
"Beetle", "Design" and "Sport". The new Volkswagen will be available worldwide in the three equipment lines "Beetle", "Design" and "Sport". Each of these versions has a very unique character. In addition, individual markets themselves will emphasise certain aspects. Volkswagen will announce individual parameters of these customisation levels at an international driving presentation for journalists. In addition to the three equipment lines, the Beetle can be customised with a wide choice of optional features. An overview of certain key features:
Bi-xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights. Volkswagen is offering the Beetle with bi-xenon headlights for the first time. 15 LEDs frame the xenon module on the outer perimeters of the headlights; they implement the daytime running lights and parking lights.
Panoramic roof. It is transparent, and it can be tilted or opened. Therefore, the exact name is: panoramic tilt/slide glass sunroof. Much more important: It is 80 percent larger (glass surface area) than on the previous model. Incidentally, the insulating glass blocks 99 percent of UV radiation and 92 percent of heat energy.
Radio-CD and radio-navigation systems. The New Beetle was exclusively available with radio-CD systems specially designed for this model. No navigation systems were offered. Now, Volkswagen is taking a completely different approach and is offering all of the systems available in other model series such as the Golf, Jetta or Passat on new Beetle as well. Standard in the Beetle is the RCD 310 with 8 loudspeakers, which is a very good audio system (includes dual tuner). The top audio system is the RCD 510 with integrated CD changer, interface for SD cards and touchscreen. An attractively priced entry-level radio-navigation system is the RNS 315 with 5-inch touchscreen (400 x 240 pixel), CD player, SD card slot and dual tuner. The top radio-navigation system model is the RNS 510. It offers refinements such as a 6.5-inch touchscreen, DVD player, voice control, SD card slot and 30 Gigabyte hard drive.
Premium sound system by Fender. Anyone knowledgeable about the world of rock music is familiar with such greats as Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. The first played Fender guitars, while the latter still does. Now, the legendary producer of US musical instruments and amplifiers – in a joint venture with Panasonic – is exclusively sharing its know-how with the Volkswagen brand. The result is an optional Fender sound system that is being offered in the Beetle with an additional woofer and 400 Watts of output power. Those choosing this sound system also get adjustable interior ambiance lighting. Besides providing indirect illumination, it also includes two light rings around the loudspeaker boxes in the doors. In Europe, the Beetle is the first car to offer a Fender sound system.
Keyless Access. The Keyless Access locking and engine starting system is appearing for the first time in the Beetle; it operates without a door or ignition key. When one of the front door handles is touched, the system detects access authorisation from a transmitter carried in the person’s jacket, trousers or hand bag; it then unlocks the Beetle and enables an engine start via the engine start button. Locking of the Volkswagen is from the outside, also activated by touching one of the two door handles; in this case, however, a specially marked surface is used.
All round safety. Let’s get to the point. In The Beetle, Volkswagen is building an automobile that is one of the safest in terms of both active and passive safety. Naturally, the ESP electronic stabilisation programme is standard, as is an effective network of six airbags that protects in the passenger compartment. Naturally, the car body – much of it laser-welded and galvanised – exhibits one of the best torsional rigidity values in the segment at 26,000 Nm/º. Naturally, because safety is a fundamental quality in a Volkswagen.

Engines: top fuel economy of 40* mpg and 4.3* l/100km
US diesel with 140 PS. When it comes to engines, all signs point toward sustainability. In the USA, the Beetle will be offered as a turbodiesel for the first time. The Beetle 2.0 TDI (103 kW / 140 PS) meets all USA emission limits and attains 40* mpg fuel economy in the Highway cycle, 29* mpg in City driving, and 33* mpg combined. As a result, the Beetle is a good choice as one of the most fuel-efficient cars in its class. Incidentally, the Volkswagen not only has excellent fuel economy values in the version with a 6-speed manual gearbox, but also – and this is a technical debut in the Beetle as well – with the optional 6-speed dual clutch transmission.
US petrol engines with 170 PS and 200 PS. Fuel economy values were also improved in the 2.5-litre five cylinder petrol engine, which was already a success in the previous model. The manually shifted Beetle attains 22* mpg (City), 31* mpg (Highway) and 25* mpg (combined). Its counterpart with a 6-speed automatic comes in at 22* mpg (City), 29* mpg (Highway) and 25* mpg (combined) – this represents an increase of up to 10* percent in fuel economy. Pioneering: even the Beetle 2.0 TSI with 147 kW / 200 PS of power attains a combined fuel economy of 25* mpg. The large TSI is also available with an optional 6-speed DSG.
World engines with 105 PS, 140 PS, 160 PS and 200 PS. In markets such as Asia, Australia, Europe and New Zealand, the new Beetle will be offered exclusively with charged engines. All engine versions – all of them with four cylinders – are being used for the first time in this model series. The car exhibits significantly reduced fuel consumption and emission values compared to the previous model thanks to the switch to turbo-petrol (TSI) and common rail turbodiesel direct injection engines (TDI). The three charged petrol engines of the Beetle output 77 kW / 105 PS, 118 kW / 160 PS and 147 kW / 200 PS. The two diesel engines develop 77 kW / 105 PS and 103 kW / 140 PS (TDI engines are not offered in China). All five engines may be combined with a dual clutch transmission as an option.
Engines with 160 PS and 200 PS in detail. Even the fast moving 225* km/h Beetle 2.0 TSI with 200 PS of power consumes just 7.4* l/100 km (equivalent to 173* g/km CO2) with a manual transmission. Also extremely economical is the 1.4 TSI with 160 PS shifted by a 7-speed DSG; in the Beetle it consumes just 5.9* l/100 km (139* g/km CO2). Fuel economy data like this makes the Beetle 1.4 TSI DSG (top speed: 207* km/h) a pleasant surprise in the engine programme. By comparison, the previous model with 110 kW / 150 PS attained a value of 8.9 l/100 km in the automatic version. Despite 10 PS more power, fuel consumption was reduced by 3.0* l/100 km or 34* percent.
Differential lock for top petrol engine. To ensure that the power of the two strongest Beetle versions is applied properly to the road in quickly approached curves as well, the models with 160 PS (European version) and 200 PS (worldwide) come with a factory-installed XDS electronic differential lock. This system extends the familiar EDS functionality. XDS improves handling in fast curve driving and calibrates the car toward more "neutral" steering; it does this by using active brake intervention to prevent wheelspin of the unloaded wheel on the inside of the curve, and this improves traction.
Engines with 105 PS and 140 PS in detail. The most fuel-efficient petrol engined model is the Beetle 1.2 TSI with BlueMotion Technology (including Stop/Start system and battery regeneration) and 105 PS with a top speed of 180* km/h. It has a combined fuel consumption of 5.5* l/100 km (129* g/km CO2). The comparable previous model (75 kW / 102 PS) consumed 7.5 l/100 km. Savings: 2.0* l/100 km or 27* percent. An extremely sustainable performer is the Beetle 1.6 TDI with 105 PS. At 4.3* l/100 km (equivalent to 112* g/km CO2), this diesel version is the most fuel-efficient Beetle ever built with BlueMotion Technology. Its fuel consumption is 20* percent lower than even the existing TDI engines which have always been very fuel efficient. Incidentally, on the Autobahn, the new Beetle 1.6 TDI with BlueMotion Technology can reach a top speed of 180 km/h – in this case, fuel economy is not gained at the cost of performance. This is especially true of the even higher performance TDI with 2.0 litre displacement and 103 kW / 140 PS. This torque-strong turbodiesel (320 Nm from 1,750 rpm) takes the Beetle to a top speed of 198* km/h and combined fuel consumption of just 4.9 l/100 km (equivalent to 129* g/km CO2). This means that the Beetle for a new era will once again show how it can "go, and go and go ..."

Key facts summary

Name: The Beetle
World debut: 18 April 2011
Market launch, North America: September / October 2011
Market launch, Europe: October / November 2011
Market launch, Asia: February 2012
Market launch, South America: late 2012 / early 2013
Character: iconic automobile
Equipment lines: "Beetle", "Design", "Sport"
Engine power range: 77 kW / 105 PS to 147 kW / 200 PS
Lowest fuel consumption (combined), Europe: 4.3* l/100 km (1.6 TDI)
Fuel economy (combined) USA: 33 mpg* (2.0 TDI)
Engine specifications: all petrol engines are charged TSI engines (except 2.5-litre engine for USA); all diesels are new common rail TDI engines; all engines meet Euro-5 emissions standard; all US engines fulfil BIN5 / ULEV PZEV
Debut of original Beetle: 1938
Debut of New Beetle: 1998
Total units built to date: more than 22.5 million
Designers: Walter de Silva (Group), Klaus Bischoff (Brand), Exterior: Marc Lichte (team leader), Cris Lesmana, Nisan Kucam. Interior: Tomasz Bachorski (team leader), Ingo Brückmann. Colour and trim: Oona Scheepers (team leader), Susanne Gerken
Exterior dimensions: 4,278 mm length, 1,808 mm
width, 1,486 mm height, 2,537 mm wheelbase
Cargo capacity: 310 litres


* = All fuel consumption and driving performance data is preliminary data (forecast values as of March 2011).

Notes:
TDI, TSI, DSG and Twincharger are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG or other companies of the Volkswagen Group in Germany and other countries.
Features and technical data apply to models offered in Germany. They may differ in other countries.


Source: Volkswagen

Sunday, April 17, 2011

A Quick Word of Thanks

There were many people I would have liked to thank over the years and I promised myself I would if I ever got the chance. Well, my new motto is why wait? Of course, I have to thank my family. My Dad of course who started me on my automotive journey. What started out as just wanting to spend some time with him expanded into a career for myself. The "shop" was the hub for my formative years growing up. It was where I spent summers as a kid, afterschool as a teenager, and "overnights" as a twenty something. I learned about life in an automotive repair shop. I want to thank my Mom for teaching me never to take the easy way out. That has proven usefull in business and in life. My brother for showing me the lighter things in life. My wife for putting up with my ocd and intense behavior. Also, when she is updating me on the days events and I am thinking about that amp ramp pattern on that ignition coil instead of listening to her. Is it good, bad, hmmmm. She puts up with a lot.
Then there are my techline bretheren that I spent years with. Cesar, Jose, Mike, Peter, and my good friend Joey "Bag of Donuts" who is without a doubt the most intelligent all around person I know. These guys I still keep in touch with and trade automotive war stories. I have to thank Chris and Ray from Motormouthradio who shout out my website and talk me up from time to time on their radio show. These guys have more fun doing a radio show than I thought possible.
I have to thank all the great instructors and trainers I have had throughout the years. I have had some really good ones. The best though is John Thornton. His knowledge and teaching style is far superior to anyone else. If you ever have a chance to catch John in action do so. You won't be disappointed.   

Sunday, April 10, 2011

1996 Ford Contour

I am called to Mr. H's shop for a full day of diagnostics. In fact he has so many for me this day I get my own parking lot. I feel special. One of the cars is a 1996 Ford Contour 2.0L with 63,146 miles on the odometer. Car came in with a P0135 code (Bank 1 Sensor 1 Heater Malfunction). Mr. H tried a new upstream oxygen sensor and the code came back immediately. Time to do a little testing. Since this car only has one bank the chances of the wrong oxygen sensor being changed is cutdown. You don't know how many times I have seen this, especially Nissan vehicles. Sure enough the correct oxygen sensor was changed. First things first. Lets make sure we have battery voltage going to our problem child key on engine off. So I backprobe the heater power wire right at the upstream o2 sensor.

Not exactly battery voltage. Now we know why we were setting the heater code. No battery voltage means no heater operation. Time to break out the wiring diagram.
Now we have some directions. Looks like this circuit has a fuse labeled HO2S that feeds both the upstream and downstream heater circuits for the oxygen sensors. Ok, lets check the fuse. this fuse is located in the underhood fusebox. Checking the fuse with a DVOM tells me the fuse is getting battery voltage and the fuse is good. Now what? Lets divide and conquer. We have a connector and a splice joint between the fusebox and the o2 sensors. I always choose connectors over splice joints whenever possible. Reason being connectors are usually easier to find than splice joints. But first look at the fusebox picture.

There is a hole drilled in the side of the fusebox with a snipped butt connector end attached to a wire. When I see this I always get worried. It usually means someone has been trying to "reengineer" the factory wiring instead of repairing it correctly. My catch phrase for this usually goes something like this-"A 100 years of automotive engineering gone in a second." Now, the integrity of the factory wiring is suspect. I follow this rogue wire around the left front strut tower along the firewall to its destination. Of course this wire was not attached to anything. It was defying the laws of gravity in spots.
And there is our destination of the orphan wire. "Expertly" scotch locked to a wire going to the PCM (Powertrain Control Module). Oh boy. Is this our problem? Is this another problem? Was this the remanants of some long ago disabled anti theft device? Well lets get back to testing. As I was saying I always like connectors over splice joints. So I go after C100-located right behind the left front strut tower.
I locate the heater power feed wire at C100.

As you can see I have the same voltage at the o2 sensor at the power side of C100. The power side being the one that is on the power feed side from the fusebox. So now I know my voltage drop is from the underhood fusebox to C100.  Remember, divide and conquer. Do I have a rotted wire under the fusebox? It is located right next to the battery. I can't get the rogue wire out of my head. I know it is linked. Hmmm. I start wiggling the HO2S fuse and.....
My meter still stuck in C100 starts to read battery voltage and every voltage in between. Bingo! I pull the fuse out and my first clue is that it pulls out rather easy. I tweak the fuse a bit and reinstall. Same result. I then inspect the fuse cavity.

It doesn't look like much. I removed the fuse next to it for comparison. The terminal is spread open causing contact issues. There is our voltage drop. Now I know where that rogue wire was going at one time. That extra added bulk at the terminal opened it up. Now that there is just a fuse in there (as intended) there is a poor connection. A couple of tries and I was able to close up the terminal sufficiently. A quick run of oxygen sensor amperage on the scanner and a test drive reviewing mode 6 data confirmed the repair.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Ottotest Update

 Well, I started to incorporate my new Ottotest into my testing. I had a chance to use it on a 2004 Hyundai Sonata with an airbag lamp on. The Ottotest claims that it does SRS ( Supplemental Restraint System) code retrieval and data. Well, it doesn't. This is not uncommon. Snap On makes the same claims as well. This is very unfortunate because I see a lot of Hyundai/Kia problems and this was one of the main reasons I purchased this tool. Although, there was a new update just released this week that I did download after seeing this car. Did it address this issue? We will find out that is for sure. Stay tuned.........

The Arsenal

There it is. What I use out in the field. From my newest tool the new Ottotest to my oldest my old reliable Fluke 88 complete with "ghosting" characters. Each tool has its own specific uses. In addition to all this hi tech tooling, I cart around a fair share of jumper wires, homemade harnesses, test leads, fuel pressure gauges, and common hand tools. In addition, I have access to some factory scantools when I need to. You never know what you are going to need so I pack everything all the time. I use Alldata for an information system along with OE websites. My laptop is loaded with a VE (Volumetric Efficiency) calculator program that I use all the time. In addition I use AES Wave and Annowave to save and annotate downloads from my tools. This proves extremely useful to show "before and afters" to my customers. I am always looking to add tooling. Right now, I am looking to add a 4 channel pc based labscope to the stable. I also use powerpoint presentations when I visit new shops to illustrate what I can do for them. There are always new tools coming out all the time, I would love to have them all. So if anybody wants to donate a Ford IDS or a Nissan Consult to JWR Automotive Diagnostics feel free to do so.