Engine Diagnosis
Also called engine checking
Engine diagnosis finds out what is wrong before anyone starts spending your money. We take the history, road test the car, read fault codes and live data, then run mechanical tests such as compression and cylinder leakage where the symptoms call for it. You get a written finding and a repair quote. Diagnosis is not a repair: at the end of it the fault is still there, but you know exactly what it is and what fixing it involves.
Signs you need this
- Check engine light is on, flashing, or keeps returning
- Loss of power, rough running or stalling
- Knocking, ticking or rumbling from the engine
- Smoke from the exhaust, in any colour
- You have been quoted major engine work and want it verified
Not all of these have to be present, and one of them on its own can mean something else entirely. That is what the diagnosis is for.
What the job includes
- Structured history taking and a road test to reproduce the symptom
- Fault code and live data reading, where the car supports it
- Compression and cylinder leakage testing when the symptom is mechanical
- Visual inspection for leaks, damage, poor previous repairs and wiring faults
- Written findings with the evidence and a separate repair quote
How we do it
Take the history
When the fault appears, what changed before it started, and what work has already been done are all recorded.
Road test the car
We reproduce the symptom on the road, because an engine idling in a workshop hides most load related faults.
Scan and read data
Codes and live sensor values are read and interpreted together, since a code names a circuit, not a faulty part.
Run mechanical tests
Compression, leakage, fuel pressure or a borescope inspection are used to separate a mechanical fault from a control fault.
Report and quote
You get the findings in writing with the test figures, the recommended repair, and the cost before anything is dismantled.
How we work
The same on every job, which is why we can write it down.
Diagnosis before quote
We find the fault first. A price given over the phone for a noise nobody has heard is a guess.
The price is agreed first
You approve the work and the cost before a spanner is picked up. Extra work means another call.
Parts you can check
We tell you whether a part is genuine, OEM, aftermarket or used, and what each one costs.
Old parts returned
Ask and we will hand back whatever we replaced. It is the simplest proof that the job was done.
Book engine diagnosis
Fill this in and a person will call you back to confirm the time and the price. Only your name and one way to reach you are required.
You send this
Takes a minute. No payment, no obligation.
We call you
To confirm the car, the time and the location.
Tell us the car and the symptom
We will arrange a mechanic at your location, or a slot at the nearest workshop. No payment until the price is agreed.