Top Five Tools
John Conley, ASE master tech L1, owner/technician Bumper To Bumper Automotive, Inc. Norwood, MA It’s probably hard to pick the top five tools, I have many favorites. I treat tools like employees; They work for me. If I had to pick five I would have to say: Hunter Alignment System DSP 600 — In only
Good Good Vibrations
Wouldn’t it be great if various vibrations in the car were something that we could measure, sort through, select one, and assign numbers to it that can be used to find its source? Wouldn’t be even better if we could determine by the numbers whether the vibration was a balance issue or excessive runout with
Subaru Brake System Service
Over the last 25 years or so, Subaru has been the top- selling all-wheel-drive car here in the Pacific Northwest. For beachcombers and skiers alike, as well as rock hounds and hikers, having all-wheel drive is a big plus. Stop-and-go commuting, and difficult mountain driving take their toll on both drivers and vehicles. Of all
Directions: Greetings on the New Year
With a new year comes new challenges. The staff here at Underhood Service takes a look at some of the issues that we feel will have an impact on your shop in 2007. Many of these issues will be addressed in management or technical articles throughout this year. Although these issues are not ranked by
Under Pressure:TPMS Diagnostics
Have you ever noticed the sides of at least one tire excessively bulging on the car ahead of you in traffic? Of course you have. You’ve likely also found a high number of improperly inflated tires on vehicles that roll into your shop on a regular basis. Improperly inflated tires are commonplace. The National Highway
What Were They thinking?
hey pick the size of the parts? What prevented them from making them bigger? What kind of tests did the parts and the vehicle have to endure to be judged ready for the market? These are all questions that go into the design of the brake system for the vehicle. These decisions are the responsibility
Timing Belt Replacement: Tried and True Repair Method Works Every Time
and below the intake manifold. When this unit fails, it tends to look like the head gaskets are blown. The oil mixes with the coolant and so on, leading to catastrophic engine bearing failure. Saab recommends flushing the cooling system with Shout, a cleaning agent found in many stores. Saab also recommends changing the timing
Diagnostic Oddities
This article is dedicated to some Ford specific issues that, after being brought to light, can save your shop thousands of dollars in wasted time and liability. There may be some other makes out there with some similar designs and quirks, but the only technical references will be for Ford vehicles. By Glen Beanard Giddy
Cordless Tools: Is it Time to Cut the Cord?
Power tools have certainly changed over the last 40 years. You’ve seen the ads — cordless tools changing the world, one battery, more power, durability, etc. I can remember when the world consisted of two professional air tool manufacturers (who shall remain nameless). Now, there are at least 12 that come quickly to mind, with
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems Present a New Service Opportunity
Changing technology always brings with it a need for new tools, and today’s new Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) are no exception. In 2000, Congress passed legislation called the TREAD (Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation) Act in response to tire failures that were causing SUV rollovers. Many of these tire failures were blamed on