Mississippi Court Agrees Tire, Not Alcohol Caused Crash
Three young friends had been out drinking on a summer night in 2000 when their speeding sports car blew a tire and careered off a rural Mississippi highway, killing one and injuring the other two. The young men’s families – and a jury – blamed the accident on a faulty tire on the Chevrolet Camaro rather than excessive speed and the beer the men had been drinking.
Tech Tip: GM Drivers Rattled By Engine Noise
Some GM truck, SUV and minivan owners may complain about a rattle-type noise coming from the engine area at approximately 1,800 to 2,200 rpm. The rattle-type noise may be caused by torsional vibration of the balance shaft. To fix the problem, follow the service procedure below for installing a new tensioner assembly kit.
Tech Tip: Put a Damper on Booming Astro Van Harmonic with Rear Axle Parts
Some 1995-2004 Chevrolet Astro Van and GMC Safari owners may complain about a “boom” noise inside the vehicle while driving at speeds between 60-65 mph. This condition is most noticeable from behind the driver’s seat. The noise may result from an engine-firing harmonic, which becomes noticeable at torque converter clutch (TCC) lock-up. A new rear leaf spring damper kit (one per spring) has been developed, to be used in conjunction with a pinion nose damper tuned to 86 Hertz (Hz) to reduce the resultant noise level.
Mark Martin Crew Chief Alan Gustafson Wins NASCAR MOOG ‘Problem Solver’ Award
Mark Martin and the #5 Cheez-It/CARQUEST Chevrolet continued their string of strong finishes and the team’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, received the NASCAR MOOG “Problem Solver of the Race” Award following the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday.
Gearing Up for Timing Belt and Chain Work
Timing belts are a maintenance item on engines that have them, but what about timing chains? On most overhead cam engines that use a timing chain to turn the cams, there’s usually some type of chain tensioner or adjuster to keep the chain tight and to compensate for stretch as the chain ages. But on pushrod V6 and V8 engines, there is no chain tensioner to compensate for chain stretch. Consequently, after tens of thousand of miles, the chain loosens up, starts to make noise as it rattles against the front cover, and causes cam timing to retard. At this point the timing chain needs to be replaced.
VIEW POINT: Read the Instructions
Can reading the directions save time?
Ride Control Clinic
The more you know, the more you sell.
Matt Kenseth’s Crew Chief, Drew Blickensderfer, Captures NASCAR MOOG ‘Problem Solver’ Award at Auto Club 500
Drew Blickensderfer, crew chief for the #17 Carhartt Ford Fusion driven by Matt Kenseth, captured the second NASCAR MOOG "Problem Solver of the Race" Award of 2009 for what his driver called "perfect adjustments" in the final 100 laps of the recent Auto Club 500 in Fontana, CA ….
Tech Tip: Can Loaded Brake Calipers Boost Productivity?
Some technicians and parts professionals like loaded and semi-loaded calipers because almost everything they need comes in one box. They don’t have to worry about mismatched parts from different suppliers and the complete assemblies are quick and easy to install. Most importantly, they see fewer comebacks because of brake noise or other problems. Also, the assembled caliper can save time and make difficult brake jobs more profitable ….
Selling Services: Loaded Brake Calipers…Can They Boost Productivity?
Some technicians and parts professionals like loaded and semi-loaded calipers because almost everything they need comes in one box. They don’t have to worry about mismatched parts from different suppliers and the complete assemblies are quick and easy to install. Most importantly, they see fewer comebacks because of brake noise or other problems. Also, the