Jay, Author at Clore Automotive

Featured

Module Reprogramming: Resources and References

We worked a show earlier this month and had hundreds of conversations with store owners, shop owners and technicians. A very hot topic during those conversations was advanced vehicle system service, including module reprogramming, ADAS recalibration and more. It definitely feels as though these services have reached critical mass, with more and more shops bringing these services in-house than ever before. In particular, we spoke to dozens of shops that either had recently moved reprogramming/reflashing in-house or were planning to make this change soon. So, knowing that many of our readers are progressing through the same evolution and decision making process, we thought that, this month, we’d pull together some useful resources related to this complex service area, one which is growing in importance and adoption. When it Comes to Programming, Not All Vehicle Are Created Equal This article does a great job of illustrating a key aspect of module reprogramming: each vehicle make has different procedures when it comes to module reprogramming. It is critical that you familiarize yourself with the specific requirements of each vehicle make you service. This includes the electrical environment recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, which can vary significantly from one to another (we have

May 2, 2025 No Comments

Products

JNC325: The All-Around Champ for Vehicle Owners

On Easter Sunday, my neighbor had a dead battery on her late model GM SUV… of course, it never happens at a good time. She put out an SOS, I told her I had what she needed to get back up and running, and, when she returned from church that evening, I walked over with our trusty JNC325. Seconds later, first attempt, we had her vehicle up and running. I then provided her with a refresher course on unit usage, proper connections, etc. and left the unit with her until she resolved the root cause of her electrical system problem. Needless to say, she needed to use it several times over the following days. Long story short, she absolutely loves it and asked where she could buy one. A quick rundown of her favorite aspects of the unit are: Super powerful: she started her vehicle on the first try every time. Any Jump-N-Carry user would expect nothing less! Very lightweight and compact: makes it easy to store the unit in her vehicle and transport it. Long cable reach is super handy: the 24” cable length allows easy connections and safe positioning. Easy recharging: quick, hassle-free recharging using the included wall

April 30, 2025 2 Comments

Clore Stories

Blizzards are No Match for the JNC660

“I worked a weekend for AAA and had 6 Jump-N-Carry JNC660 packs with a blizzard and white out conditions. I kept a fully charged pack in the tow truck and one in the service truck. I jump started 25 vehicles in that storm and they never let me down and would spin the vehicles over like a brand new battery. I’m sure the JNC660 had more life to jump start more vehicles, but I would swap out packs to keep them fully charged at any given moment. I ended up with 60 service calls that weekend and was overwhelmed by your product. Thank you for making a product you can count on.” KevinNew York, NY JNC660 – 12V Jump Starter

April 30, 2025 No Comments

Resources

No-Start Case Study – Motor Age Wrench Tales

Here’s a really nice video case study from Sadel Martinez and Brandon Steckler on the Motor Age YouTube channel, discussing how they resolved a no-start condition on a 2020 BMW X5. When the X5 was towed in, Sadel encountered codes and conditions that were new to him. This presented a great opportunity to create a valuable case study. They start by breaking down how Sadel approached the issue, documenting the diagnostic process he used to pinpoint the root cause of the no-start condition. They describe how Sadel first connected his scope to capture what was happening on this vehicle. His initial scope capture revealed the best next steps in his diagnostic path. They then break down his next steps and follow it through to a conclusive diagnosis and repair. This is a great video resource that reinforces so many of our common themes of 13 years of publishing this blog: having a logical diagnostic plan, driving your diagnostic process to the root cause, don’t over look the basics, be sure you understand the system you are working on and always reference available schematics and system information. It was a very involved diagnosis and they got there in the end. We

April 29, 2025 No Comments

Featured

Lithium Jump Starters: Safe, Smart and Effective Usage Tips

We get many emails and phone calls related to the use of lithium jump starters. The specific topics of interest vary, but they typically fall within a handful of areas related to effectiveness and safe use. Here are a few examples: What do I need to know? Where can I use them? How do I take care of them? How do I keep them safe? We’ve all seen news stories related to lithium battery safety issues, which drives many of these questions from our customers. Prospective buyers are concerned to be sure they understand the best ways to use these products to keep themselves and their property safe. So, this month, we thought we’d break this topic down to help prospective customers better understand these products and best practices to employ them to overcome dead batteries in the safest manner possible. The More Things Change, The More Safety Basics Stay the Same Even though your lithium jump starter is quite different as compared to your JNC660, the fundamentals of the jump starting application are largely unchanged, so that means all of the basic building blocks of jump starting safety remain the same: Always wear protective eyewear Always make sure your

March 28, 2025 4 Comments

Clore Stories

ES1224 – Keeping Vehicles of All Sizes Moving

“When the power inverter in my Kenworth W900 runs the battery dead, I use my ES1224 jump box to power up the battery so that I can continue to work. My ES1224 has also helped me to jump my girlfriend’s 2014 Chevy Cruze. When the car went into limp mode, the jump box supplemented the battery so that we could get the car back home.” JudBridgeport, WV Truck PAC ES1224 3000 Peak Amp 12/24V Jump Starter 3000 peak amps in 12V mode 750 cranking amps in 12V mode 1500 peak amps in 24V mode 370 cranking amps in 24V mode 60-inch #2 AWG cables Industrial Grade HotJaw™ clamps AWS Advanced Warning System DC Power Outlet One-year limited warranty

March 26, 2025 No Comments

Resources

AGM Batteries – Helpful Service Bulletin

AGM batteries continue to grow in terms of OE usage in new vehicle starting systems, driven largely by the increasing prevalence of Start-Stop Systems in today’s North American carpark. For many reasons, AGM and Start-Stop AGM batteries are best tailored to meet the specific needs of these systems, with their improved cycling capability and longer life in these demanding applications. We receive many calls and emails related to AGM batteries, usually asking what they’re all about, how are they better than traditional designs and how best to manage them when they are encountered. So, when we saw this piece in January, we knew we wanted to share it with our audience. Here’s a great primer on the topic of AGM batteries by the team at UnderhoodService.com. They put together a FAQ related to AGM batteries as it relates to their use in GM applications, but honestly, it is applicable to virtually any AGM battery application. That said, we do have a few points of clarification or correction we’d like to add: “Additionally, AGM batteries require less frequent charging in storage. While flooded batteries need a topping charge every six months if out of vehicle to prevent the buildup of sulfation,

March 25, 2025 1 Comment

Featured

Spring is Springing: Are You Making it Count?

Here in KC, it’s been a nasty winter, at least compared to our normal. For many of you living in truly cold and snowy parts of the US, Canada and the world, this comment might bring a snicker. But, we were at -10˚F last Thursday morning when we headed to work and we’d say that’s cold by almost any standard. The good news is that, by Sunday, the worm had turned in our area and we’re now experiencing highs in the mid-60s, which is great while it lasts. There’s been much commentary about the sudden change here, particularly as it relates to cars, SUVs, trucks and other toys in garages around town. That got us to thinking about readying your vehicle for better weather and prepping a vehicle electrical system for the great warmup. So, this month, we’re sharing what we’re doing to take advantage of the better weather and setting ourselves up for a great driving season. Of Course, We’ll Start with the Battery In places that get cold (or very cold) in winter, there often isn’t time or energy to check under the hood and observe the condition or your vehicle’s working components. In these cases, if there

February 28, 2025 No Comments

Products

When You’ve Got a Serious Starting Task, Turn to BRUTUS

Yes, we call it BRUTUS. There’s a reason for that – it provides extreme starting power, every day, without exception. It is actually our Model No. HT1224AGM. That’s the part number you’d order to get one, but we suspect that, once it’s deployed in your operation, you’ll start calling it BRUTUS also. As in, “Nothing else will turn that thing over? Go grab BRUTUS.” Or, “It’s way too cold to mess around. Don’t bother trying anything else. Just grab BRUTUS.” This thing is truly awesome. 12/24V operation… two Group 31 AGM batteries… 1400 CCA in 12V mode… 10’ 1/0-gauge welding cable leads… 10’ pneumatic wheels that allow it to travel easily over virtually any surface … automatic charging system with a separate charging channel for each battery. That’s the HT1224AGM. All those features sound great, but what do they really mean for the crew keeping things running in an intermodal facility, in a heavy equipment auction yard, or in a Class 8 truck dealership? First, this unit will start anything you throw at it, with the versatility of tackling both 12 Volt and 24 Volt starting tasks. Second, with non-spillable AGM batteries installed, you don’t have to worry if Billy

February 28, 2025 No Comments

Resources

Key Programming Issues – Maybe It’s Not the Key

So, you go to reprogram a key and it doesn’t work. Try again and get the same result. Now, you’re wondering, “What’s going on here?” Well, this post by Travis in Wisconsin offers one additional thing to watch out for during this service. In this great piece, he lays out the issues he was having while trying to resolve a key identification issue on a 2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude. Here’s the problem he was brought in to address: “This 2014 Jeep Cherokee was an all keys lost vehicle. Before I was called, a locksmith programmed an aftermarket key that would lock and unlock the vehicle by RF button pushes and start the vehicle if the key/fob was pushed against the stop/start switch. The proximity portion of the key did not work. No codes in the vehicle and running the key locator function in the RFA module showed 0 keys in the vehicle.” He tried to program not one, but two, OE keys and still saw the same issues. Both failed to program. He checked everything and nothing seemed amiss. Then, he played a hunch and, suddenly, both OE keys programmed successfully. Hint: He might as well have been playing In

February 26, 2025 No Comments

Jay

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