One of the foremost common amplifier establishment issues we regularly troubleshoot includes the inaccessible turn-on wire. The latter is mindful of turning your amplifier on and off. The remote turn-on wire is ordinarily a Blue wire with a white stripe found behind the head unit. 

Read More: Best Electrical Wire

Knowing how and where to legitimately interface the inaccessible wire for your amp is as vital as wiring the control and ground wires. This is since in the event that it isn’t associated accurately, your amplifier will not turn on indeed in the event that it has great control and ground associations, or it may always draw control until the battery is totally drained.

How and Where to Connect Remote Wire for Amplifier:

So, in the event that you’re not sure where to snare up the remote wire for your amplifier, you’re within the right place. We have you covered. 

To begin with and preeminent, it must be noted that there are a few ways to urge your intensifier to turn on and off remotely indeed in the event that your head unit does not have an inaccessible turn-on wire. One of the cheapest and most straightforward ways is to run a jumper wire from the control terminal to the farther turn-on terminal. 

Be that as it may, this method isn’t suggested at all since it’ll keep your amp running until the battery is drained. Running a jumper wire from control to an inaccessible turn-on isn’t by any means a permanent solution. Be that as it may, it can be utilized as a brief workaround to induce your intensifier to turn on and off without a genuine inaccessible wire from the head unit.

Another basic and simple workaround to turn an amp on and off remotely is to put a flip switch up front, run one wire to the control source, and the other wire to where the farther wire is assumed to be. Once more, the drawback to this procedure is simply ought to make beyond any doubt you turn your switch off each time you get out of the vehicle; something else, the speaker will keep running and deplete the battery.

There are also some other ways more professionally to get it done. Two of them are given below:

• Hook it up to the ACC wire:

Generally talking, there are commonplace circuits in a car: Start, Adornment, and Always-on. The last mentioned is continuous no matter what. Your car employs this circuit in order to keep a clock set, hold customized settings, keep preset stations, and all sorts of other setup data. 

The start circuit, on the other hand, is on when the key is turned on (in a run or begin position). These circuits control the motor gadgets and are off within the adornment position, and don’t cut out when the motor is cranking. 

Last but not slightest, there’s the adornment circuit which is used for things just like the radio, wipers, and most aftermarket add-ons. It’s only fueled when the key is within the accessory or run position but usually cuts off when the motor is turning. Typically, what you need to associate your amp’s inaccessible wire to.

• Tap into any switched power source:

Hooking up the inaccessible turn-on wire to the Adornment wire isn’t the way to induce your amp to turn on and off consequently. Really, you’ll be able to utilize nearly any 12v exchanged source. If your speaker for illustration is mounted within the trunk, you’ll be able to interface its turn-on wire to the fuel pump wire.

What does the remote turn on the wire do?

Basically, all the farther turn-on wire does is that it yields a positive 12 volts when the head unit is turned on. The inaccessible turn-on wire gets a 12v DC flag from the manufacturing plant electrical framework when the start is ON position. This flag is exchanged through the farther turn-on wire to the speaker turn on the circuit. 

When the speaker faculties this voltage, it turns the enhancer on. Moreover, when there’s no voltage within the wire, the amplifier closes off. Some newer amplifiers don’t require a farther turn on the wire since they’re highlighted with auto-turn on innovation, which can sense the flag coming from the head unit through the RCA or speaker level inputs. Be that as it may, in case your amp doesn’t have that feature, then you certainly got to snare up the farther turn-on wire.

The active fuel management system (AFM) is a technology used to reduce the amount of gasoline and diesel consumed by the engine and it is one of the technologies that contributes to better vehicle performance.

In addition, this system can help us save money on expensive gasoline prices by reducing fuel consumption. AFM technology allows you to switch from eight to four cylinders during the combustion cycle. Thus, the number of working cylinders is reduced at high speeds or when it is not necessary to have all eight cylinders in use.

When it comes to how to disable the active fuel management system, there are some factors that you need to consider before making a decision. If you are looking for how to reduce fuel consumption, you should use this technology carefully.

In addition, the AFM has some disadvantages. When the cylinders are off, there is a high amount of vibration and noise that can be very unpleasant for the driver’s ears.

Must Read: 10 Best AFM Disablers

The Ways to Disable Active Fuel Management

Installing the disabler is the first and most important step in turning off an AFM. That is not an easy process, to say the least. Disablers can be installed in the following manner:

How to connect:

It’s necessary to turn the engine off first. The OBD-II port must then be hooked into the disabler. The OBD-II port is located under the steering wheel. The steering wheel is also located underneath the dashboard..

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Checking the Blue Light:

When the device is connected, a blue light should be visible. The gadget must be reconnected if the blue light does not appear. It’s possible that the port’s fuse has to be checked if that fails.

To check that the disabler is working effectively, the car should be started and driven for a time once it has been successfully linked.

Disabler Installation Tips: A Few Pointers to Keep in Mind

Before inserting the disabler, the vehicle’s engine must be turned off.

The disabler must be unplugged if the vehicle is not to be utilized for longer than four or five days. When the vehicle is driven, it should be reinstalled.

When the car is taken to a mechanic for a diagnostic, the same rules apply. The OBD-II port must be utilized for diagnostic purposes since the car will be scanned. Because of this, disconnecting the disabler from the port is preferable.

Only if the vehicle’s valve train is in good functioning order should a disabler be placed.

After installing the disabler, the AFM will be disabled and the computer will no longer be able to return to 4-cylinder mode. For as long as the driver desires, the 8-cylinder mode can be used. AFM will also enhance the exhaust sound, giving the vehicle a race car feel.

In certain cases, removing the AFM rather than turning it off is preferable. It’s not cheap to get rid of the AFM, though, since you’ll need a deletion kit and other parts. The procedure is time-consuming and complicated. The only alternative left is to use a deletion kit when the lifter fails to function.

It is possible to use a disabler if the situation is dire and it is impossible to satisfy the conditions for installing a deletion kit and its components. The solenoid pack of the AFM must be linked and all the codes must be in order to achieve this goal.

It doesn’t matter if it’s the original valley cover or a non-AFM one, this may be done. The solenoid pack has to be attached to the harness and installed. For the time being, this will suffice.

Once the disabler is ready, disabling the AFM is a cinch.

The Price of AFM

There are a wide variety of AFM disablers on the market from various manufacturers. The more expensive a disabler is, the less efficient it is at disabling an AFM. There is a direct correlation between price and quality. Between $150 and $250, on average, the disablers are sold.

Should I Disable or Delete AFM?

We recommend deactivating AFM unless you have failing lifters. It’s more expensive to remove AFM than it is to install it, because you’ll need to replace a lot of components and gaskets, as well as a lot of work, if you’re not doing it yourself.

If you desire, you can always switch it back on at any time after disabling it. The manufacturing warranty is maintained and you may reinstall it if something goes wrong as a result of disabling it.

Install a disabling device if lifters fail, or replace the lifters and install the device. If you have to get to the lifters to replace them, the only reason we mention eliminating it is because doing so doesn’t involve a lot of more effort.

We advocate changing the oil pump in both cases, however I suppose I should remark that few people do so unless they are entirely erasing the system. The decision is entirely up to you, although it’s not a terrible idea to disable it in the first place.

What Are the Disadvantages of Using the Advanced Flight Management System?

Despite the fact that the AFM system contributes to improved fuel efficiency, there are certain issues linked with it. The following are some of the disadvantages of employing an Active Fuel Management system:

It is possible that oil will pass through the piston and into the combustion chamber. In the event that oil is burned off or accumulates in the combustion chamber, it has the potential to become a severe problem in the future.

The majority of automobile owners do not love the sensation of having half of their cylinders shut off or of having their autos converted from full on to half off.

Lifters that are not operating properly: The AFM system continually keeps the lifters operational by deactivating and reactivating them on a regular basis. It’s possible that the lifters may need to be replaced soon.

Last Words

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to turn off your car’s AFM, you’ll at least be prepared. Get a decent disabler, follow installation instructions, take precautions, and disable the AFM so that you can enjoy your drive!

That’s all for today. Thanks a lot for reading out. Have a nice day. See you soon!

Cylinder heads do increase horsepower, but they do not do so in a linear fashion. In other words, the power gained from changing one cylinder head is not equivalent to changing another cylinder head.  

In general, there is a formula that can be applied to make an educated guess about what type of gains you can expect from a given cylinder head.

Must-Have Aspects to Look into!

1. The power gains do not rise in direct proportion to the increase in airflow but rather to the square of this figure.  If you double the size of an engine’s exhaust ports, for example, its output might go up by 30%.

2. An engine with 2 intake and 1 exhaust valve per cylinder will be more peaky than one with 4 valves per cylinder.  It will also have a lower peak power output because it can’t flow air into and out of the cylinder as easily when the intake and exhaust valves are open at the same time.

3. Most stock cast-iron cylinder heads are severely choked down in an effort to improve low-speed fuel economy and cold-start emissions, so it’s pretty difficult to get 160 hp out of one.

4. A high-flowing cylinder head with small intake valves will have low torque at low rpm because it takes longer for incoming air to fill the combustion chamber.  A big-valve engine with stock cylinder heads could be a better choice for towing or hauling.

5. The flow data do not predict the maximum power potential of a head because you can increase airflow with larger valves and more aggressive valve timing and porting, but ultimately there is no substitute for cubic inches (displacement).

6. A good set of aftermarket heads will do very little if the rest of the engine is still in stock. Give it lots of air by fitting larger fuel injectors, headers, and an exhaust system with a free-flowing muffler.

7. If you do all your own work on your engine, do cylinder heads first. If you take them to a shop for porting, do the rest of the engine before you take them back, or you’ll have spent all that money for nothing. Other upgrades will do more good, particularly if they are connected to the cylinder heads in some way.

8. A high-performance aftermarket head is not a bolt-on affair, no matter what it says on the box. To do the job right, you have to do a significant amount of machine work. If you do not want to do that yourself, take them to a competent shop and pay them to do it.

9. The ultimate upgrade for your engine is a new cylinder head with oversized valves and high-flowing exhaust ports.

10. Cylinder heads do increase horsepower, but they do not do so in a linear fashion. In general, there is a formula that can be applied to make an educated guess about what type of gains you can expect from a given cylinder head.

11. The best thing about switching to aftermarket cylinder heads is that it will do more for your engine than any upgrade you can do yourself.

12. When it comes to cylinder heads, bigger is better because the larger the valve, the greater the airflow potential and thus increase horsepower.

13. A high-flowing cylinder head is a good upgrade when used with other performance parts such as headers, free-flow exhaust, and larger fuel injectors.

14. Most stock cast-iron cylinder heads are severely choked down in an effort to improve low-speed fuel economy and cold-start emissions, so it’s pretty difficult to get 160 hp out of one.

15. When shopping for aftermarket cylinder heads, do not look at the peak figures but rather where the power curve starts to flatten out.

16. The biggest bottleneck in a high-flowing engine is not the cylinder heads because they do not limit how much air can pass through them or exhaust flow.

17. A good set of aftermarket heads will do very little if the rest of the engine is still stock and other upgrades such as fuel injectors do more good than just cylinder heads by themselves.

18. An engine with too little intake manifold vacuum has the throttle plates partially open all the time, which is not efficient and will do nothing to increase power or fuel economy. You should also do something about this if you do cylinder heads on your own because it is one of the problems you will encounter.

19. A high-flowing cylinder head does not do much for an engine that is choked by an undeveloped intake manifold vacuum.

20. When shopping for aftermarket cylinder heads, do not look at the peak figures but rather where the power curve starts to flatten out.

21. Cylinder heads do increase horsepower, but they do not do so in a linear fashion. There is a formula to apply to make an educated guess about what type of gains you can expect from a given cylinder head.

22. Suppliers often do not tell the whole story when it comes to describing their aftermarket cylinder heads, and some even use terminology you do not understand.

23. When it comes to cylinder heads, bigger is better because the larger the valve, the greater the airflow potential, which will increase horsepower

24. The best thing about switching to aftermarket cylinder heads is that it will do more for your engine than any upgrade you do yourself.

25. Most stock cast-iron cylinder heads are severely choked down in an effort to improve low-speed fuel economy and cold-start emissions, so it is pretty difficult to get 160 hp out of one.

26. A good set of aftermarket heads will do very little if the rest of the engine is still stock and other upgrades such as fuel injectors do more good than just cylinder heads by themselves.

27. An engine with too little intake manifold vacuum has the throttle plates partially open all the time, which is not efficient and will do nothing to increase power or fuel economy. You should also do something about this if you do cylinder heads on your own because it is one of the problems you will encounter.

28. A high-flowing cylinder head does not do much for an engine that is choked by an undeveloped intake manifold vacuum.

29. When shopping for aftermarket cylinder heads, do not look at the peak figures but rather where the power curve starts to flatten out.

30. Cylinder heads do increase horsepower, but they do not do so in a linear fashion. There is a formula to apply to make an educated guess about what type of gains you can expect from a given cylinder head.

31. Suppliers often do not tell the whole story when it comes to describing their aftermarket cylinder heads, and some even use terminology you do not understand.

34. When it comes to cylinder heads, bigger is better because the larger the valve, the greater the airflow potential, which will increase horsepower

35. The best thing about switching to aftermarket cylinder heads is that it will do more for your engine than any upgrade you do yourself.

36. Most stock cast-iron cylinder heads are severely choked down in an effort to improve low-speed fuel economy and cold-start emissions, so it is pretty difficult to get 160 hp out of one.

37. A good set of aftermarket heads will do very little if the rest of the engine is still stock and other upgrades such as fuel injectors do more good than just cylinder heads by themselves.

38. An engine with too little intake manifold vacuum has the throttle plates partially open all the time, which is not efficient and will do nothing to increase power or fuel economy. You should also do something about this if you do cylinder heads on your own because it is one of the problems you will encounter.

39. A high-flowing cylinder head does not do much for an engine that is choked by an undeveloped intake manifold vacuum.

40. When shopping for aftermarket cylinder heads, do not look at the peak figures but rather where the power curve starts to flatten out.

50. Cylinder heads do increase horsepower, but they do not do so in a linear fashion. There is a formula to apply to make an educated guess about what type of gains you can expect from a given cylinder head.

51. Suppliers often do not tell the whole story when it comes to describing their aftermarket cylinder heads, and some even use terminology you do not understand.

52. When it comes to cylinder heads, bigger is better because the larger the valve, the greater the airflow potential, which will increase horsepower

54. The best thing about switching to aftermarket cylinder heads is that it will do more for your engine than any upgrade you do yourself.

55. Most stock cast-iron cylinder heads are severely choked down in an effort to improve low-speed fuel economy and cold-start emissions, so it is pretty difficult to get 160 hp out of one.

56. A good set of aftermarket heads will do very little if the rest of the engine is still stock and other upgrades such as fuel injectors do more good than just cylinder heads by themselves.

57. An engine with too little intake manifold vacuum has the throttle plates partially open all the time, which is not efficient and will do nothing to increase power or fuel economy. You should also do something about this if you do cylinder heads on your own because it is one of the problems you will encounter.

58. A high-flowing cylinder head does not do much for an engine that is choked by an underdeveloped intake manifold vacuum.

59. Stock cast-iron cylinder heads do not do much for power or fuel economy when an engine has too little intake manifold vacuum at idle because the throttle plates are partially open all the time, which is not very efficient and will do nothing to increase power or fuel economy.

60. Cylinder heads do increase horsepower, but they do not do so in a linear fashion, and that is why you need to do something about an engine with too little intake manifold vacuum at idle when doing cylinder heads yourself because it is one of the problems you will encounter.

61. The best way to find out what type of gains you can expect from a given cylinder head is to do some research before you buy anything.

62. The larger the valve, the greater its airflow potential, which will increase horsepower. There is a formula to apply to make an educated guess about what type of gains you can expect with any particular cylinder head.

63. Bigger is better when it comes to aftermarket cylinder heads because the larger the valve, the greater its airflow potential, which will increase horsepower.

64. This is not very efficient and will do nothing to increase power or fuel economy. Do cylinder heads increase horsepower? Do not look at peak figures but rather where the power curve starts to flatten out.

In recent years, there have been vast developments in car design. There has been more focus on creating an aerodynamically stable vehicle in which airflow is the most important feature. These changes in technology have enabled automobile engineers everywhere to make an aerodynamically suitable car by incorporating aero elements in its design, features that actually originated with racing cars. 

One of those key features is a rear diffuser, which can be found in both economic and luxury vehicles. Continue reading to find out the function and importance of this element, which may make you consider getting a diffuser.

What is a Car Rear Diffuser?

The main function of a car rear diffuser is to increase the vehicle’s downforce and increase its grip on the road surface, thereby reducing the aerodynamic drag. The air pressure beneath the car is affected by the diffuser, helping the air pressure regulate as the vehicle continues to move forward. It’s a very similar concept to an airplane wing or the rear spoiler of the car, as all of these make use of Bernoulli’s Principle to decrease the air pressure and increase the speed of the air.

How Does It Work?

As the car moves forward, air at high speed passes under the car at low pressure. When this low-pressure air reaches the rear of the vehicle through the diffuser, the air expands in a chamber. 

The Venturi effect happens as the air expands, in which the air pressure is increased, and the airspeed is significantly reduced. The difference between the high pressure at the rear and the low pressure under the car creates a vacuum that sucks the air out of the vehicle. And with low air pressure under the car and high pressure above it, increased downforce is therefore created, and aerodynamic drag is reduced.

Aerodynamic drag is when the vehicle cuts through the air as it moves, facing the wind from the opposite direction that reduces the car’s efficiency. Once the aerodynamic drag is reduced, the car’s performance goes way up.

On that note, an aerodynamic grip or downforce is a phenomenon that happens when increased air pressure is applied on any given surface. In vehicles, downforce creates traction between the tires and the surface of the road, enabling the car to remain stable. Most cars on the market nowadays are actually designed to provide a decent amount of downforce; however, a car rear diffuser is an excellent way to maintain superior downforce without compromising on performance.

Major Components of a Car Rear Diffuser

There are three important parts of a high-quality and functional car rear diffuser, which are the following:

• Vertical Fins

Vertical fins help the airflow maintain a smooth path (also referred to as laminar airflow) out to the rear of the car. Without these vertical fins, the airflow under the vehicle can become quite turbulent, which will affect the stability of the car. Laminar airflow is necessary in order to decrease turbulence and increase drag.

• Smooth Underbody

While this is not an inherent technical part of a car rear diffuser, it is a significant contributor to its efficacy. The smoother the underside of the car, the quicker the air flows to the rear, and the aerodynamic drag lowers significantly easier to work in tandem with the diffuser.

• Expansion Chamber

An expansion chamber is meant to create a difference in air pressure between the rear of the car and its underside. This difference in air pressure is what creates a vacuum that sucks the air out of the back and creates an aerodynamic grip.

If you have an OBD2 scanner, you need it to work! You need it to communicate what’s going on in the car, because if it is not, what is its purpose?

An OBD2 scanner is a magnificent diagnostic tool. When you turn it on, you need it to check on the health of various systems of your vehicle. But at times, you will get a “No-communication” error. Why could this be?

There are various reasons why this could be happening. In this article, we will look at the five common reasons for the lack of communication in your scanner. We will also give you possible solutions to these issues.

Top reasons why your OBD2 scanner is not communicating 

Compatibility issues

OBD2 scanners have standard protocols on which they run. For example, some Ford scan tools are only compatible with SAE J1850 VPW and PWM and Ford MS-CAN protocols. For them to communicate with a car, the car should be able to support these protocols. Different car manufacturers use different protocols depending on the region or make of the car.

However, some vehicles have non-standardized protocols, e.g., MUTT, OBD1. This then means that OBD2 scanners will not read these car details as they do not support these protocols.

Solution

If the compatibility issue is a result of outdated software, check the scanner to see if it can be updated to a version that supports your vehicle protocols. If the issue is that your car manufacturer installed specific protocols to read PIDs, you will need to buy a scan tool that can diagnose your car.

Ignition Key not placed in the Run position

For most OBD2 scan tools to run successfully, they need the ignition key to be in the run position. Others require the engine to be running for the OBD2 tool to communicate properly with all vehicle systems.

Solution

A good practice to have is to start your vehicle before you can initiate diagnostics. Make sure that all the modules shown on your dashboard are fully running and the car is on, then run the scanner. 

Voltage issues in the OBD2 connector

All OBD2 scan tools are set up in a specific way to be able to access power. They run on 12-v power that’s on pin 16 with the ground on the 4th and 5th pin. This is specific to all OBD2 scan tools. As stated earlier, the ignition key should be placed in a run position for power to run through the scan tool.

However, there will be communication issues if power is not running through the scan tool.

Solution

To check if there are voltage problems in the scanner:

First, use a voltmeter to measure DC. Place the negative lead on pin 16 and the negative on either pin 4 or 5. Check to see if it is reading 12-v. If it has a voltage reading to it, but it’s below 11, this shows that there are charging issues. You should check to see if there is an issue with the battery or charging system.

If, after reading for voltage, none was picked up, there is most likely a blown fuse. With the guidance of a technician, check the fuse panel for any blown fuse and replace it.

ECM Hung

An ECM is a small circuit board in your car with software that tells the car how to run. It controls a large number of sensors from fuel, the AC, etc., in a car to make sure the care is operating at maximum. As such, it can tire.

Although rare, the ECM (engine control module) can hang. Your car can be on but is unable to establish communication with the ECU. In such a case, the OBD2 scanner will also be unable to communicate properly.

Solution

To solve this, you need to reboot the ECM. It’s a simple procedure, as shown below, so do not worry. 

Step 1: Disconnect both battery leads.

Step 2: Step on the battery pedal. It is done to discharge all capacitors available.

Step 3: Once you reconnect the battery, the ECU should be up and running efficiently and proper communication established.

Before starting this procedure, it is important to consult a technician or the vehicle manual to know if there is anything specific to look out for.

Miscommunication

This is a case of reading the wrong data!

Most scan tools work after they have established a link with a particular vehicle. They do this by getting car PIDs (Parameter IDs). While establishing a communication with a car, this scan tool will automatically assume that it is in the last vehicle it had been used in. However, this may not always be the case.

And while the scan tool is evaluating data, it can miss some PIDs because it is trying to communicate with the wrong vehicle.

Solution

This is an easy fix.

Immediately you install the scan tool, scan for PIDs so that your tool can be up-to-date with the information of the vehicle you are using. The query process takes about a minute, but this is dependent on the vehicle. 

Most OBD2 scan tools automatically scan for vehicle PIDs. But in case this is not the case, do it manually. Some scan tools rely on a vehicle’s VIN to determine the validity of its PIDs.

Conclusion

Just like any other system in the car, the OBD2 scanner, too, will have its issue. Ironic since its work is to diagnose the vehicle. However, communication issues for your scanner are not common, and they are also not difficult to fix.

Besides, You need to check on scanner software to establish whether there are updates available that would make it work more efficiently for your vehicle and others. If you are not sure how to check on communication issues, always call a trusted technician, or refer to its user manual, and you should be sorted.