The second most common engine installation error is damage to the new engine by a foreign object. This is generally because you’ve failed to clean the intake properly. Without a clean intake and EGR, chances are good that carbon or other debris will be sucked into the intake and damage the engine before your customer even gets to drive the car.

The simplest option here is to buy a new intake manifold, manifold gasket, EGR valve and EGR valve gasket. With new (or reman) parts, you don’t need to worry about carbon buildup or debris from your old engine, as it’s already been taken care of for you by the supplier. With that being said, not every customer is going to jump for joy at the thought of spending even more money, so cleaning the original intake is the more common option.

In the list of most common engine installation errors, nothing ranks higher than failing to diagnose the original problem correctly. Diagnosis is a pain. It’s tedious. Often, it’s a process of eliminating likely suspects to arrive at an accurate conclusion. Getting it right the first time is imperative, especially when dealing with something as costly as installing a new engine.

Don’t Be a “Parts Changer”

The term “parts changer” came about as a direct result of the difficulty inherent with accurately diagnosing engine problems. A parts changer is someone who does nothing but throw parts at a car until the problem is fixed. Don’t be a parts changer, even when you find cheap engines and swapping parts seem cost effective, it’s not.

You can’t afford it. It’s inefficient, doesn’t address the actual problem in most situations and is costly to both yourself and your customers. Correctly diagnosing the cause of engine problems can be time consuming, but it pays off in the end with less frustration and a happier customer.

Determining the Actual Cause

When it comes to engine problems, there are seven broad categories with various causes. These are:

Hesitation

Stalling

Lack of Power

Exhaust Smoke

Detonation

Consuming Too Much Oil

Rough Idle

Avoiding This Engine Installation Error

To determine what the actual underlying problem is, follow these steps:

1. Visual Inspection: Whether you’re sure you know what the issue is or you’re just digging into a situation where you’re baffled, it all begins with a visual inspection. Something as simple as a damaged vacuum tube can cause massive problems. Look everything over and look it over well.

2. Drive It: Get behind the wheel and actually drive the car (as long as it’s drivable, of course). Often, being able to drive through a problem will give you additional clues and insight into the issue at hand.

3. Check the Exhaust: A car’s exhaust provides many clues about what’s going on within the engine. Get a handle on how the exhaust is behaving. Is the problem creating rhythmic misfiring? If so, it might be something as simple as a valve spring.

4. Listen to the Engine Operating: Mechanics need a good ear. Listen to the engine – is it pinging? Detonation might be something serious, or it could be something like insufficient ignition advance (in some vehicles).

5. Use Computer Diagnostics to Your Advantage: Modern vehicles are equipped with computers that can give you a ton of vital information. Don’t be afraid to hook up your diagnostic scanner to the OBDII plug. Check out the stats and information displayed by the computer during engine operation.

6. Education Is Key: If you haven’t already, consider starting your ASE certification process. While OJT is great, there’s a lot to be said for a formal education and with ASE training, you’ll be able to pinpoint most problems accurately without spending a ton of diagnostic time (which your customer will appreciate).

7. Know the Common Problem Areas: In general, engine problems aren’t necessarily “engine” related. They’re usually associated with major components. For instance, rough idling can be related to a problem with the fuel injectors, while pinging might be associated with an HEI module. Minor pinging might be something as simple as a manifold vacuum leak and stalling while decelerating can be due to an issue with the IAC motor.