Air Care News
August 1995
Repair report card under way
The development of the Repair Report Card
is well under way and a baseline report will soon be mailed to registered repair facilities. This initial
draft report is exclusively for repair facilities, to provide a preliminary idea of the level of their
repairs.
Once completed, the Repair Report Card will list all registered repair facilities. This report card
will allow the State of Colorado to monitor the performance of individual emissions repair facilities and
will rank the facilities in order of repair effectiveness. Air Care Colorado will provide this list
(called the Emissions Repair Guide) to the
public at the time of initial consumer vehicle failure.
Filling out the Vehicle Repair Form (VRF) on the back of
the Vehicle Inspection Report is the only way to ensure your facility receives credit for
successful repairs. The final listing will provide the following information for each registered repair
facility in the form of a shop report card:
Number of vehicles submitted for a retest: This will allow the consumer to gauge how
much experience your facility has in I/M 240 repairs. Filling out the VRF records your experience for
the customer. Consumers may want to look for repair facilities with experience fixing I/M 240 specific
repairs.
Percentage of vehicles passing the 1st retest: A high percentage in this category reflects
well on the repair shop.
Percentage of vehicles receiving a waiver: The occasional vehicle cannot be repaired within
the cost limit. However, if your percentage is low in this category, this is a great opportunity
for advertising.
Percentage of vehicles needing more than 2 retests: Once in a while a repaired vehicle will fail
a second test. However, if your technician has received I/M 240 repair training, this is not a problem.
I/M 240 training teaches the technician to baseline the vehicle when it arrives and baseline it when it leaves.
This allows the technician to gauge how effective the repairs have been. If the emissions reduction is not
great enough, you can dig deeper into the diagnostic charts before the customer takes the vehicle back for a
retest.
Repair Effectiveness Index: This calculation is based on emissions reduction, including a
retest penalty. This number is used to rank the repair facilities. It will not be listed on the baseline
report. In simple terms -- the greater the overall emissions reduction the greater your index number.
However, there are penalties for more than one retest; each retest lowers your index number. If your
technician performs repairs only so the vehicle barely passes the test, the emissions reduction will be
very little. If your technician is not repairing the vehicle correctly your customer may fail the test
next time. If your technician repairs the vehicle correctly, the emissions reduction will
be greater, thus your index number will be large. Large numbers go to the top of the list.
As a tool to help consumers make educated decisions regarding their
vehicles, the Repair Report Card will be invaluable. It also plays a large role in holding the repair industry
accountable for repairs.
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Diagnosing and repairing today's emissions failures can be frustrating,
time consuming, and may become even tougher as the cut points are reduced. The Air Care Colorado Aspire Hotline
(1-800-AIR-1201) provides invaluable information for technicians.
With over 14 years as a nationwide hotline service, and in-depth experience
and expertise in I/M 240 diagnosis and repair, Aspire is uniquely qualified to provide service and support for
Colorado's enhanced emissions program. Instant access to the state's inspection and repair data provides information
on common failures and corrections. The objective of Aspire is to provide the caller with quick, accurate information
that will enable you, as a technician, to repair vehicles right the first time.
Specialists answering the calls have an average of 18 years "hands on"
automotive experience. Each operator has had at least 10 years experience diagnosing and repairing computer controlled
vehicles in the areas of drivability, engine performance, emissions systems and electrical troubleshooting.
Each call gives you access to a technical library, including over 15 years worth of
factory service manuals, tech service bulletins, and aftermarket repair and wiring manuals. Aspire is the hotline provider
of ALLDATA-LINK, an on-line information service providing access to over one million pages of service information,
images and illustrations. Aspire is easily reached by telephone, fax or modem, for $2.25 per minute -- no minimum, no
monthly fee. You pay only for the time you use.
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1987 vehicle failed for CO: An untrained technician had diagnosed the vehicle as needing a carburetor overhaul.
At a local dealership, the trained technician diagnosed the vehicle as needing a vacuum hose repair to the electric
bleed valve. He was able to repair the vehicle for one-third the cost of the carburetor overhaul.
Late 80's vehicle with feedback carburetor failed CO at 56 gpm: Using diagnostic charts the technician found the
fuel control had no command from the computer. The technician investigated the critical circuits and discovered the
vacuum hoses to the two vacuum switches that govern the computer's ability to control fuel were switched. By
switching the two hoses back to their proper position, CO returned to normal, but a severe ping surfaced. Use of the
charts led the technician to investigate a potential NOx problem caused by the original CO failure. Carbon
build-up was the culprit.
Mid-80's GM with computer controlled carburetor failed for CO: The technician received the vehicle after the
initial test and by following the diagnostic routine in "EDGE" (the advanced technician training course
for emissions failure repairs) determined that the carburetor was too rich at cruise, yet would pass the old test.
After the carburetor repair the vehicle passed its emissions test.
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