Dialogue

https://www.dailyesl.com/community/automechanic/

My car was acting up recently and wasn’t running right, so I took it to a mechanic to
have it checked. Everytime I tried to start the car, the engine would turn over for a
second or two and then die. The mechanic pulled the car into his garage to look things
over. The mechanic popped the hood, checked to see if all the hoses and belts were in
working order, and then tested the car battery and battery cables. After taking a
look at things for a few minutes and trying to get the car going, the
mechanic diagnosed the problem as a bad alternator. He said he could fix the problem
by replacing the alternator with a new ($130) or a rebuilt alternator ($80). Just
diagnosing the problem cost $65, and the labor was $50. I asked the mechanic to go
ahead and do the repairs, and he said that there was a 30-day warranty on parts and
labor. Some mechanics might overcharge you for repairs, but the mechanic I go to
is fair and does great work.
VOCABULARY: What to Ask a client:

When does the problem occur:

Is the day temperature cold or hot?
When? …. only rainy days
Is the vehicle engine cold or warmed up?
Time of day: At what time of the day?
.. first start of the day?
at certain speeds?
at idle in park? at idle in gear at a stop?
when turning or braking? or going over bumps?
Or only while accelerating?
constantly occurs ? or intermittently
When it doesn´t stat : Was it parked or did it cut off driving?
STARTING PROBLEMS
 Idling is when a driver leaves the engine running and
the vehicle parked. Every day in the U.S., millions of
cars and trucks idle needlessly — sometimes for hours
backfires — and an idling car can release as much pollution as a
moving car.
PRACTICE THE CONVERSATION
Customer: “My A/C doesn’t work all the time. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t work, or it just
quits!”

Technician: “When does the problem occured?”

Customer: “Well, whenever I drive around town, to the store or take the kids to school or soccer, it works fine.”

Technician: “So, it doesn’t happen with short drives around town?”

Customer: “No. But, it seems like whenever I’ve driven the car to the lake cabin or out of state this summer it
stopped working.”

Technician: “So, the A/C always works when you first start driving, but at some point, it stops working when
you are on an extended drive or a long trip?”

Customer: “The funny thing is that my husband says that he’s never had any A/C problems in this car when he
takes it to work or on business trips! His normal commute is pretty far and sometimes he’s driven it pretty far
when he’s traveled to other business locations.”

Technician: “When you say that it has stopped working, do you mean it shuts off? Are the indicators on the
buttons still illuminated, and can you see a temperature display?”
Customer: “Well yes, the buttons and display are always still on, and the cold air feels good.
But, the air flow decreases way down to where you almost feel nothing coming out of the
vents!”

Technician: “So when the cooling stops, the amount of air reduces significantly, but not the
temperature at the vents and the A/C light is still ON?”

Customer: “Yes, the A/C light is still ON when it’s not working!”

Technician: “What control settings are you using when you’ve experienced the diminished air
flow?”

Customer: ”Well, normally I leave the temperature set to about 75° F and not a lot of fan speed
on the DUAL setting control. I usually have the air recirculation button ON because I have
allergies. My husband always turns it OFF. When it starts to shut off, I usually try turning up
the fan speed and adjusting the temperature colder, but that usually doesn’t help much.”

Technician: “Have you noticed anything else when this has occurred?”
Customer: “Well, yes. Sometimes I’ve seen moisture on the floor. And I’ve seen an
excessive puddle of water under the car like it’s leaking after it’s been parked.”

Technician: “So after you’ve had a No Cooling episode and you’ve parked the car for a
while you noticed a large pool of water under the car. What do you do to get the A/C
working again?”

Customer: “Well, nothing! Usually after we’ve parked the car for a while by the time we
get back on the road, it seems to be working again as long as it’s not too hot and I don’t
have to drive very far.”

Technician: “So, when the cooling has stopped and you’ve parked the car for a while
(shopping, long visit, etc.), the cooling works again when you start on your return trip?”

Customer: “Yes, like I said, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t! I brought it in
so you could find out what is wrong and what’s leaking and to get the A/C fixed.”
 History:
How long have you owned the vehicle?
How long have the symptoms been present?
Have any other technicians investigated the issue?
Has the vehicle been in an accident or been to a panel shop recently? Have any
remapping or programming changes been made to the vehicle? Has the battery been
replaced recently?

Has the vehicle been in an accident?

Has the battery been replaced recently? When was the car last serviced?
Symptoms:
When did the symptoms start? Did any warning lights come on and if so, how
long have they been on? How does the vehicle drive? Have you noticed any
changes in fuel economy? Is the vehicle blowing smoke, and if so, what color?

Frequency:
When did you first notice this problem? How often do the symptoms appear?
Can you replicate the issues and, if so, how?

Conditions:
Does the fault occur at any particular time? What temperature is the engine
when the fault occurs? Do you notice any particular speed or engine load
when the symptom appears? Do any particular conditions make the problem
worse, for example, rain, cornering, or night-time?
Diagnosing car problems by sound
 Common Engine Noises Vocabulary:

Metallic
High pitch, low pitch
Squeal, scrapping, screech, grinding
Clank, thump, thud
Knocking, pinging
Rattle, clicking, chirping, whistling
Rotating noise
Where is noise coming from:
From a specific wheel
Front, rear, under car, inside car
From engine

Car Noises That Indicate a Problem

The Sounds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZGpjvjaoJA
Brakes - Screeching/grinding

Belt - Chirping/squealing Steering Fluid - Groaning/whining

Wheel bearings - Low rumbling CV Axle - Front end clicking

Sway Bar links - Clunking Exhaust shield - Rattling/buzzing

Exhaust leak - Loud running

A chirping noise can mean there's an issue with your
serpentine belt or wheel bearings. Problems with
components like the belt tensioner pulley, rocker arms,
and u-joints can also cause a chirping noise.
While the transmission is the most likely cause,
whining while accelerating can also be caused
by low power steering fluid or more serious
damage like faulty alternator bearings, a
malfunctioning water pump, a broken piston
or a bad AC compressor.
A continuous rumbling noise when idling
may be caused by an improper mixture
of fuel and air
Piston Ring Noise

Sounds like: Clicking noise during acceleration.

Common causes: Low ring tension, broken rings, or worn cylinder

walls

Valvetrain Noise

Sounds like: Regular clicking noise at half-speed.

Common causes: Excessive valve clearance or

defective valve lifter.
If the clunk happens when you drive over bumps, there
might be a problem with your car's suspension, or part
of the exhaust could be loose. However, if your car
clunks when you're turning corners, it could be a
problem with the steering, wheels and tires, or a worn-
out wheel bearing.
These noises could be coming from
your suspension and steering system. Over time
components like control arm bushings, tie rods,
ball joints, sway bar link ends, springs, struts,
strut tops, or shocks can wear and can cause
pesky noise
Several components in the exhaust can
wear out over time, work loose, or even
come away from their fixings. Where
your exhaust system isn't airtight and
properly sealed, the gases escaping
from those holes, leaks or corroded
areas can be incredibly loud.
Diagnosing car problems by smelling
1)Burnt or burning rubber The smell of burnt or burning rubber could be
associate with the tires, the smell could indicate that
one of the belts in your vehicle’s engine bay is
rubbing against something or that an accessory drive
pulley isn’t rotating with the belt just slipping around
it. You should call a tow truck and bring the car to a
service center. If a belt snaps in your vehicle while
you are driving, it could lead to a dangerous situation
leaving you stranded.
2)Hot or Burning Oil

If you smell hot or burning oil in your vehicle it could

mean that motor oil is leaking onto your exhaust
system. If this is the case we highly recommend to
pull over and turn off your engine as the oil could set
your vehicle aflame.
3)Gasoline or Diesel In the event that this smell starts to come from your vehicle, it
could mean one of two things. The first being that your car’s fuel
to air mixture is too rich hinting at a problem with your engine
or that you have a gas leak somewhere in your vehicle. Both
problems should be dealt with immediately. Usual places leaks
can occur are with the fuel injectors, fuel lines, or with the fuel
tank.

The sweet smell of syrup could be a sign that the car is leaking
coolant. Engine coolant actually has a sweet aroma to it thanks
4)A sweet syrup-like smell to the additives used, while this may vary from manufacturer to
manufacturer, this smell shouldn’t be taken lightly. This means
that a part of the cooling system in your vehicle has been
damaged and is in need of attention. If the leak is small you can
still keep your car going by checking on the coolant level
regularly and by topping it off. However, if you find that the
leak is major, it is best to call a tow truck to avoid further
damaging your vehicle.
5)Rotten Eggs
If you notice a rotten egg smell coming from your vehicle
while it is running it could be that your catalytic
converter is on its way out. Part of what a catalytic
converter does is convert hydrogen sulfide in the
exhaust to sulfur dioxide. If this fails this means that
your exhaust is no longer capable of doing this process
properly and thus will need to be fixed. You should
addressed it as soon as possible.

6)Mold or mildew The smell of mold will make your car an unpleasant
place to be. Start by feeling your carpets and floormats
for dampness. If they're wet, it could be that there's a
leak somewhere that's letting water into the interior. An
old, dirty cabin air filter could also be the culprit, but
fortunately it's quick and inexpensive to swap in a new
one. Another potential is in the air conditioning system,
with water buildup on the evaporator or in an air vent.
Let´s practice
 1)Burnt or burning rubber
2)Hot or Burning Oil
3)Gasoline or Diesel
4)A sweet syrup-like smell
1 belts
1 accessory drive pulley
motor oil is leaking onto your
2 exhaust system.
5)Rotten Eggs
3
a problem with your
engine
3 gas leak
4 leaking coolant
6)Mold or mildew 5 catalytic converter
6 air filter
6 air conditioning system
6 carpets and floormats
 Seeing Things?
One of the easiest ways to
diagnose a car problem is to use
your sense of sight. Watch for
smoke coming from your tailpipe
or hood, and keep an eye out for
puddles under your car.

Diagnosing car problems by sight

 Blue smoke coming out the
tailpipe may mean a failing
gasket, O-ring, or seal

•White smoke from the tailpipe can indicate water or

antifreeze in the engine cylinder, meaning you have a
failed head gasket.

•If black smoke is coming out the tailpipe,

it could indicate a problem with the fuel
•Black smoke from under the car's hood can indicate
injection system, the fuel pump, the
burning oil, which may mean a leaking gasket.
engine computer, or the carburetor.
•A brown oily puddle under your •A pool of red fluid under your
car may indicate an engine oil car can mean you have a
leak or a lubrication leak. transmission or steering fluid
leak.

•Blue fluid usually means a leak in the windshield

washer system.
•A puddle of bright green, slippery fluid can mean a
radiator leak.
•A clear puddle may be water from your air
conditioner or a power steering fluid leak.
Fluid observations:
Fluid leaks – drips, puddles, spray
Color, clearness
Have you been adding any fluids?
Engine Troubleshooting:
Excessive oil consumption, High oil sump level
External oil leaks, High oil temperature
Piston ring failure, Glazed cylinders seal failure
Worn cylinder lines or sleeves
Diagnosing car problems by feeling
Physical actions occurring:

shakes

Steering is stiff or
noisy

shimmy

bouncahes