Dealership repairs/mechanics

[HoustonHelix]

Do dealerships have "special" diagnostic equipment and special manuals that we consumers don't have access to?

I basically am ahaving amisfire on one cylinder that I can't resolve - I already got new (and tested) plugs, wires, injectors and can't seem to resolve the problem. Can't seem to figure out a vacuum leak if ever there is one.

I have since given up and plan on taking my car to the dealership and pay whatever their hourly rate is ($!) and fix the problem once and for all.

Do dealerships have access to certain resources that help them diagnose and pinpoint problems, or do they resolve by process of elimination like we do?

[philly rs]

the only thing they have u don have is the training to work on those cars... and not to mention the high tech stuff some of us cant afford. some of the "fixes" we do they have no clue about....they are trained to do the work a certain way..... alot of the things they have to do tests, u can order and find online.

[Morley]

What year/type vehicle are we talking about here?
As far as I've found, GM dealership mechanics are on par with a semi trained chimp. Once my warrenty was up they never touched my car again.

[hotrod_chevyz]

Depends on what dealership your talking about. Some have good workers who know whats going on, some dont.

[Morley]

Originally Posted by hotrod_chevyz

Depends on what dealership your talking about. Some have good workers who know whats going on, some dont.

I've lived from one end of this country to the other, north & south and have yet to see, find or hear of a dealership's maint. department that is worth 2 farts.

[wrightz28]

One thing they have, oscilliscopes. Most of which now are hand held units. If I were shopping around for shop, I would be looking at one of the independent ones with the big old "octopus" scope.

[instantkevin]

actually dealerships do have access to information that we dont. most dealerships have a little hidden away library for master manuals to all the vehicles of the parent company. just as you can buy the Chilton/Haynes manual for your car they have the super thick dealer manual, written by the manufacturer. if the service associates at your dealership arent jerks, they will let you go talk to the record keeper guy and look thru the manuals (like I once did). the info in there is much more specific and written in plain english (as you wouldn't expect), and they tell you step-by-step how to install/repair things (with diagrams).

you can actually find those master service manuals in public librarys also.

im sure dealerships also have compiled certain information to make their lives easier, like all the diag codes and definitions, etc.

but those books are rarely used by the techs (time is money for them). they do the same stuff we do, they just have better tools.

[philly rs]

pretty much what i was saying...u can get what they have, but they have high end tools

[ikeyballz]

yeah... not to mention, i have a bunch of friends who work @ those dealers as 'the semi trained chimp' and they dont enjoy what they do much..even if they knew what to do, they'll half ass it cuz the managment sucks + pay sucks +etc.etc. you know, the typical work gripe..

not to mention they sometimes make things worse (joyrides, etc)

[MrPbody]

Unfortunately, dealerships aren't what they "used to be". When I was younger, I was a "heavy line, front-end/brakes" tech in a couple of dealers. They paid us well, allowed us our freedom, and respected our expertise. Somewhere in the early '80s, it became fashionable for service managers to have business degrees. Before that, the service manager was usually the older, best tech "with people skills" in the dealership. He/she could talk to technicians and customers alike. He would understand what the tech was saying, and knew how to put it in "lay" words.
Today, there are several layers of people between the customer and the tech. Most of those have no clue what the tech does, so they make it up as they go along (typical salesmanship).

We've seen in current dealers, there IS expertise on the last two or three years of vehicle (in that brand), but not much beyond that.

Have you checked the mechanical condition of the engine yet? I read about all the electronics tests, but didn't see any results of a leakdown, or at least a static compression test. With a small block, you could have one valve a tad tight, and that can cause your misfire. A burned valve will, most certainly.

A vacuum leak is easy to find. While the engine is running, spray ether (starting fluid) around the throttle body, manifold flanges, vacuum trees, etc. Be sure none gets near the air box (will give false "positive"). If the engine revs slightly when you spray, you found one!

Just to say, the problem may not be electronic in nature.

Jim