Always heard you need a scan tool for everything, but my ears caught a failing injector first.

Tbh, everyone swears by electronic diagnostics, but listening to the engine idle saved me hours. Picking up on that specific knock is a skill no tool can replace.

3 comments

3 Comments

emmap912d ago

Totally get what you mean about listening to the engine idle. In my experience, tools are great for codes, but your ears pick up the early weird sounds. My old Corolla had a tiny click that turned out to be a sticky valve, way before any light came on. Catching that saved me a big repair bill later. It's a skill you build over time, just paying attention. Scans have their place, but they don't hear the small changes.

-1

dylan_ward2d ago

My old truck had a rough idle that sounded like a faint popcorn maker. Turned out to be a vacuum leak the scanner missed for weeks. Learning that particular rumble saved me from chasing down the wrong fixes. Now I always tell people to note when a new sound starts and what you're doing when you hear it.

oliver_morgan512d ago

Not sure most folks can actually catch the serious stuff just by listening. @dylan_ward got lucky with that vacuum leak but it's not always that simple.