other Announcing My New Book, "The Hack Mechanic Guide to European Automotive Electrical Systems"

[thehackmechanic]

(I'm going to use my 2002FAQ free spin card to announce my new book. I hope that's okay. After this post, I'll switch to paid advertising. The link to pre-order the book is http://www.bentleypublishers.com/automotive-reference/automotive-reference/hack-mechanic-guide-to-european-automotive-electrical-systems.html. The coupon code for 35% off list is "FriendOfRob")

My friends, I can finally answer the question about what I've been working on for the past 15 months at Bentley Publishers. I am proud to announce my new book, "The Hack Mechanic Guide to European Automotive Electrical Systems." Although the word "European" is in the title, and some things ARE European-specific, the book covers much of what you need to know to work on the electrical system of ANY vintage or modern internal combustion car. 

 

There is a LOT of 2002-appropriate content in this book. In fact, I used my '72tii (and my Bavaria) as the subject car for much of the battery, ignition, alternator, and fuse box sections.

 

The book opens with battery basics -- why a fully-charged battery reads 12.6 volts and not 12V, why, when the alternator is charging it, the battery should read about 14V, and how to use a multimeter to test for these conditions so you can know whether a jump-start or a new battery will save you or whether the car will die again in a mile unless you replace the alternator as well.

 

It then teaches you about how electricity works in a car, telling you enough about circuits and Ohm's Law to let you calculate how much current actually flows through a short circuit so you can understand why wires melt when there's no load device in the circuit to add resistance.

 

Following that are detailed practical hands-on chapters on how to use a multimeter to troubleshoot common automotive electrical problems related to the alternator, ignition system, and relays present in all cars, including a chapter on finding parasitic drains that can cause the battery to run down overnight.

 

The book then steps into the modern world and discusses computers, buses, and control modules, OBD-II, the difference between code readers and scan tools, the dynamic analog signals (sine waves and square waves) used by modern sensors, and the tools needed to detect and measure those signals (automotive multimeters and oscilloscopes).

 

The book closes with eleven detailed chapters on how to test sensors in newer cars such as oxygen sensors, cam and crankshaft position sensors, and wheel speed (ABS) sensors.

 

The link to pre-order the book is http://www.bentleypublishers.com/automotive-reference/automotive-reference/hack-mechanic-guide-to-european-automotive-electrical-systems.html.

 

AND... I have a promotional code for you, my friends, good for 35% off list price. The code is -- and I cannot fully convey the depth of my love for this -- FriendOfRob (case not important, but if I write it here without case capitalization, it looks like "friend-o-frob"). The code will be valid for a while, but not indefinitely.

 

So be a FriendOfRob (or a "friend-o-frob"), pre-order the book, and never have to lose sleep wondering how to measure voltage drop again!

Edited March 12, 2016 by thehackmechanic

[JohnS]

Sweet!  just placed a pre-order.  Thanks Rob

[TobyB]

That's brilliant, Rob- that's a book that's been needed for a long time.

 

Do you have a chapter on how to get the smoke back in? 

 

hee

 

t

[thehackmechanic]

Ah yes, the Lucas "Replacement Wiring Harness Smoke." Generally not interchangeable with German smoke. It's old smoke. The war, you know. There's still bad blood. 

 

[Alec]

Ordered one! I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully I'll be able to get this one signed at an event to match your other book!

 

Too bad it won't be out in time for me to help diagnose why my engine temperature guage jumps up and down with the turn signal.

[yeewiz]

Rob, very nice, I just placed my order.  And ordered your Memoirs book too.  Thanks for keeping me entertained and educated! 

[Blads1]

Hi, Rob just finihed to read 'Memoirs of a Hack Mechanic 'and I liked it!!! So I just use the pre order for your new book 'guide to European Automotive Electrical Systems 'I will thank you for the promotional code !!!

Just place my pre-order..

Thank You again !

Pierre

[Blads1]

Hi, Rob just finihed to read 'Memoirs of a Hack Mechanic 'and I liked it!!! So I just use the pre order for your new book 'guide to European Automotive Electrical Systems 'I will thank you for the promotional code !!!

Just place my pre-order..

Thank You again !

Pierre

[steve k.]

Does it explain on why anyone on the right mind would try to do a positive ground car?

 

And also why disconnecting a tachometer from the coil on the Triumph would allow the car to start.

 

I am glad you got another book. I just need to figure out how to get the one i have autographed/

 

steve k.

[thehackmechanic]

Hey, Steve K., I do actually answer one of those questions but not the other.

 

While researching the book, I stumbled upon a great book, "Classic British Car Electrical Systems" by Rick Astley (no, not THAT Rick Astley). See http://www.amazon.com/Classic-British-Electrical-Systems-understanding/dp/1845842154. In it, he actually answers the question about the history of positive ground, though I can't remember the answer off the top of my head.

 

But, regarding the tach, in the ignition troubleshooting section of my book, I say that, on nearly every vintage car, the tach gets its signal from the DIN "1" or "-" terminal of the coil, which is also the terminal that is receiving the trigger signal of the ignition points. It's an old troubleshooting trick, when you're having what appear to be ignition problems, to look at the tach and see what it's doing. If, when the car stumbles, the tach drops to zero along with the stumble, it likely means that the coil itself isn't firing. I had this happen with my Bavaria, and it turned out the condenser screw on the side of the distributor was loose, so the path to ground for the primary circuit was intermittent.

 

But the point is that if the tach itself is bad, particularly if it's shorted to ground, it can pull the whole ignition down with it. This is why I say that, in the book, if the coil is being fed 12 V on the DIN terminal "15" side, and if the points are electrically and mechanically opening and closing, but there's no spark, before you throw away the coil, try disconnecting the tach.

 

--Rob

[KenH]

Rob,

 

Just placed a pre-order, thanks for the promotional code.

 

Looking forward to giving the book a good read.

 

Ken

[RAS-2002]

Hey Rob,

That's beyond neat; super-cool!

Just placed a pre-order (thx for the code).

If it's half as good as Hack Mech Memoirs (which I loved), it'll be excellent.

Good luck; I hope it's wildly successful.

-Bob

[wegweiser]

I can't wait to get it! My father already said he was going to pre-order one for me, as a gift!

 

I have the best Dad. 

[Posaune]

Nice.  Did the pre-order.  I'm about 1/3 of the way through the other book and am enjoying it quite a bit.   Good luck.

[JayMac]

Just ordered my copy. Thank you for the use of the code can't wait to get it and put it to the test because I can make a box of rocks look smart and have massive issues as well as the electrical to deal with. Who knows after the read I may find out that I don't have a big electrical issue. Looking forward to it.