PWR Car and Commercial

05/09/2026

02/09/2026

Sometimes it pays to get another opinion… 😬

This customer accidentally put AdBlue into the diesel tank and, after taking it to two different workshops, was quoted between $16,000 and $20,000 to repair it.

Someone recommended he give me a call.

On my first inspection, I found the fuel tank hadn’t even been drained and the fuel filter hadn’t been replaced 🤦‍♂️

Before condemning thousands of dollars worth of fuel system components, I wanted to start with the basics.

Tank drained and cleaned, fuel filter replaced, fuel system thoroughly flushed, followed by some cleaning of the injectors.

And the result?

It started. 👌

Instead of a $16,000–$20,000 repair bill, the final cost came in at just under $2,000.

There are definitely times when AdBlue contamination can cause serious and expensive damage to a diesel fuel system, but that doesn’t mean you automatically replace everything without first finding out what has actually been damaged.

Diagnose first. Replace what’s actually required.

01/09/2026

Hyundai have come a long way 👌

I still remember working on the old 1997 Hyundai Excels over 20 years ago… fast forward to today and I’m servicing Hyundai hybrids like this one.

Cars have changed massively over the years, and so has the equipment and knowledge needed to work on them. Hybrid and EV technology is becoming a normal part of everyday motoring, not something unusual anymore.

One thing worth knowing in WA — EVs and hybrids should now have the identifying EV/Hybrid labels fitted to the front and rear number plates. They’re there to alert emergency services that the vehicle has a high-voltage system.

From a 1997 Excel to a 2025 hybrid… definitely a bit different under the bonnet these days 😅

24/08/2026

Sometimes replacing the part the fault seems to point towards isn’t the same as diagnosing the fault 🔧⚡

This bus had an FR 1125 fault and had already had a new regulator fitted by another “mechanic” in an attempt to fix it.

Unsurprisingly, it didn’t fix the problem.

I was then asked to take a look. After tracing the circuit and getting into a pretty awkward area around the alternator, I found the actual fault.

The wiring had rubbed through against the alternator housing, arced out and eventually burnt through completely, leaving an open circuit.

Wiring repaired, secured away from the alternator and the fault sorted.

Parts swapping can get expensive. Proper diagnosis usually doesn’t.

21/08/2026

You can tell the weather is starting to change when more and more people start reporting their air con isn’t working ☀️❄️

This one was very low on gas, and as soon as I saw the compressor I had a pretty good idea why.

The Vibrasorber hose had been leaking, allowing the refrigerant to slowly escape.

New Vibrasorber fitted, system pressure tested for leaks and regassed. Air con back to blowing cold again 👌

Definitely getting to that time of year!

20/08/2026

Rear air con not talking to the front unit on this one 🔧

After some fault finding, I traced the communication issue to a broken wire inside the turntable section.

With the amount of wiring running through the articulation, repairing the original cable wasn’t the best option. The customer decided to go ahead with running a new communication cable between the front and rear units instead.

Sometimes electrical faults aren’t where you expect them to be — finding the actual cause is the important part. 👍

18/08/2026

It’s been a while since I’ve done a clutch on a Sprinter! 🔧

Most Sprinters we see here in Australia are autos, so it was actually good to get stuck into a manual one again.

Gearbox out, old clutch and flywheel removed, new clutch and flywheel fitted along with a new concentric slave cylinder.

Even had to dig deep into the toolbox and bring out the old Sykes-Pickavant clutch alignment tool — haven’t needed that one for a while! 😅

Some tools might spend years sitting in the box… then suddenly earn their keep again.

17/08/2026

Definitely got his money’s worth out of this cabin filter 😂

Safe to say this one was a little overdue for replacement!

A good reminder that cabin filters are a service item too. When they get this blocked, it can restrict airflow through the heater and A/C system and put extra strain on the blower motor.

Out with the old and in with a fresh one 👍

12/08/2026

Customer had been losing coolant and wasn’t sure where it was coming from.

After checking it over, I found the water pump bearing had failed, causing the pump to leak coolant.

New water pump fitted along with a new drive belt, fresh coolant and the system checked for leaks.

Another coolant leak found and sorted before it turned into a much bigger problem. 🔧