Carley’s Corner: No Time for Training? Read This
I may not fix cars for a living anymore, but I do make my living writing about auto repair. For me, training is absolutely essential to keep my knowledge up-to-date. So I can’t imagine how anybody who spends the better part of his or her day hunched over a fender can get by without it.
Selling Services: Brake Line Repair: Tubing, Hoses and Fluid
Corroded brake lines and flare nuts have been a problem since hydraulic brakes were first installed on vehicles. Improved materials and processes have improved serviceability, but in the Northeast and Midwest where salt and other agents are used to de-ice roads, it is still a problem. Brake Tubing 101 Beginning in the 1930s, the Bundy
Carley’s Corner: A Love/Hate Relationship With Computers
Anybody who uses a personal computer can probably relate to what I am about to say: I love my computer because of all the cool things it can do for me, and I hate my computer because it drives me nuts. Like many Americans, I own more than one computer. I have my office computer
Service Guide: F-Series New Model 2004
A bold new look and some subtle changes probably best describe the 2004-and-up Ford F150. To the technician, it is the subtle changes that he or she needs to be aware of. Starting with the 2004 model year, Ford launched a new body style for the F150. The new body style truck is a new
ShopRx Automotive Service Solutions for the Professional Technician and Service Manager
Tired of having your service bay tied up because you are missing a $2.00 part? ShopRx, an automotive service supply company, will help improve your efficiency with shop fastener and hardware systems essential to your business.
Management: Simple Ways to Make Sure Your Shop is ‘Top of Mind’ with Your Customers
You’ve just finished your customer’s vehicle, but don’t let a simple, cost-effective advertising opportunity slip away. We’ve used a three-step in-house advertising plan for years, and we’ve always had a favorable response from our customers. Here are the nuts and bolts of the plan.
Subaru Engine Repairs: Attention to Detail Critical in Head Gasket Replacement
To say the first Subaru brought to our shores in 1969 by Malcolm Bricklin was different would be an understatement. The Subaru 360 was a shrunken version of a VW bug, with a small two-cycle engine in the back. It fit into a market niche that probably didn’t exist at the time in the U.S.;
Tech Tip: Diagnosing Ignition Misfires
A flashing Check Engine light and a P0301 to P0312 diagnostic trouble code is a sure-fire indication that one or more cylinders are misfiring. Occasional misfires may pass unnoticed, but a steady misfire is hard to miss. The engine usually feels rough, lacks power and uses more gas than usual.
Ignition Misfires
A flashing Check Engine light and a P0301 to P0312 diagnostic trouble code is a sure-fire indication that one or more cylinders are misfiring. Occasional misfires may pass unnoticed, but a steady misfire is hard to miss. The engine usually feels rough, lacks power and uses more gas than usual. Sometimes a misfire may feel
Diagnostic Dilemmas: Internal Engine Diagnostics
The nuts and bolts of measuring cylinder leakage In OBD II diagnostics, most of us know that an external component like a faulty fuel injector, ignition coil, spark plug or spark plug wire is usually responsible for a P0300-series cylinder misfire trouble code. Nevertheless, even with more sophisticated onboard diagnostic strategies, the PCM usually can’t