New SPAL USA Web Store Now Open for Business
SPAL USA’s Web store is open for business. Created to address the growing demand for online access to SPAL USA’s high-quality line of automotive products, the SPAL USA Web store provides users with a single point of purchase for its fans, blowers and other automotive accessories.
Hybrid Service: Tools to Service Hybrids
As the price of gasoline goes up, so does the demand for fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles. Currently, there are about 1.1 million hybrid vehicles on the road. Within five years, hybrids are expected to account for 20 to 25% of all new car and light-truck sales. So sooner or later, you’ll be tooling up to work
Shop Profile: Bobby’s Muffler and Tire Center Takes Pride in Prompt Service
Have you ever met a tire dealer so honest he could make Abe Lincoln blush? Ask anyone in Franklin, VA, population 8,600 tops, about the ultra-modest owner of Bobby’s Muffler and Tire Center Inc., who sells tires and service in the town where he was born and raised. They will tell you about a man who had $125 in his pocket when he opened his doors and a desire to make his business the talk of the town. They’re talking about Bobby Cutchins.
Tech Tip: Diagnosing a Cylinder that is Misfiring
A flashing Check Engine light and a P0301 to P0312 diagnostic trouble code are sure-fire indicators 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 like a vibration. A misfire also will cause a huge increase in hydrocarbon (HC) emissions out the tailpipe, which can cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
Directions: What Dreams May Come
The new year gives the auto industry a new opportunity to deliver an exciting crop of vehicles. Many in the industry are hoping that next 12 months are better than 2007. This is especially the case for the Michigan-based automotive manufacturers, as the year 2007 seemed to be one endless stream of setbacks, bad news
Exterminating Electrical Parasites
Any electrical circuit that is wired “hot at all times” has the potential to become a parasite to the battery. There are some wanted parasites on the vehicle that are necessary to have, and some that are not. We’re going to find out how to “fingerprint” and track down the unwanted ones systematically. A parasitic
Tech Feature: Crate Racing Engines
For many performance engine builders, the end of the year may be much busier than expected. While there is no racing going on in most parts of the country, there’s still plenty of preparation for next year. No doubt, some engine builders have been able to keep racing off their minds lately – even while watching "Dancing With The Stars," where two time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves won the coveted Mirrorball Trophy – still others will end the racing season (or kick off the new one) in Orlando for the Advanced Engine Technology Conference (AETC) and the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show.
Mitch Schneider: Going Up?
Not long ago, someone bounced an e-mail my way. It appeared as if by magic in the middle of an otherwise pleasant and uneventful day; a day punctuated by surprisingly few e-mails, which can be a blessing on such a day. Realistically, I could have ignored it as it was not originally meant for me, and hindsight would suggest that might have been a better choice. But, e-mails, like ringing telephones, are particularly difficult to ignore, at least for very long.
Seventh Annual National Tire Safety Week to Take Place in April
The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) announced that the Seventh Annual National Tire Safety Week will be held April 20-26, 2008. The annual event is an initiative of the Rubber Manufacturers Association’s "Be Tire Smart – Play Your PART" program, a year-round effort designed to help drivers learn the simple steps they can take to ensure that their tires are in good working condition.
Mitch’s World: Going Up?
Not long ago, someone bounced an e-mail my way. It appeared as if by magic in the middle of an otherwise pleasant and uneventful day, a day punctuated by surprisingly few e-mails, which can be a blessing on such a day. Realistically, I could have ignored it as if was not originally meant for me,