January 2004 Issue
Issue Summary:
The M6HA and BAXA family originated in the 1997 Honda Prelude and the 1998 model Honda Accord. Other members of this family include MAXA, B7XA, MDWA, B7TA, B7YA, M7ZA, B6VA and M7WA.
Back to the 40s and 50s
The F4A42 hit the streets in 1997 in the Mitsubishi Mirage. Since then it has grown into a F4A51 and has found its way into larger Mitsubishi models as well as Hyundai vehicles. This month we’re going to explore some valve-body-related issues, look at valves that can be installed incorrectly and provide some explanations about valve function.
Manual Updates for a Couple of Mazda Valve Bodies
On occasions technicians may find themselves fighting a loss of line-pressure rise with a GF4A-EL transaxle. The transmission has been unplugged and line pressure still does not rise, verifying that there is, in fact, an internal transmission concern. The pressure-control solenoid has been replaced, the pump and spool valve have been inspected and determined to be in proper working order, and the pan has not been pushed up into the newly installed filter.
The Value of Information
Has your computer hard disk ever crashed or the computer just refused to boot up anymore? What happens to all the information that’s in there? In many instances it’s gone. If you can’t find an expert who can somehow drag that information off your existing hard drive and you haven’t backed it up, you’re done. All of your customers are gone along with their service records, warranty and follow-up information.
Checking Valve Bodies With a Homemade Hydraulic Test Stand
There are several ways to check valve bodies for wear: wet air tests, wiggle tests, deflection measurements, vacuum gauges or the hydraulic test stand, the last of which is the focus of this article. In our shop I needed to be able to measure the leakage accurately and record the findings before and after the repair, and be able to print the results on paper to hand to my customers.
The End of the Season
It is 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, and I am about an hour away from Daytona Beach, Fla., where I will compete in the final race of this season. The sanctioning body is the Grand American Road Racing Association, the road-racing division of NASCAR. This series, on premier race tracks in the United States and Canada, features 10-12 races per season, all televised on the Fox Speed Channel.
