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
Mitch’s World: If it Wasn’t for Bad Luck…
About the worst thing that can happen around here is a week where all kinds of bizarre things accumulate. Aside from the absolute chaos it inflicts on everyone including me, the crush of dealing with multiple crises makes it almost impossible to identify where one calamity ends and another begins. The ability to cope with
40-Year-Old Volvo
Starring at an auto show near you, it’s “The 40-Year-Old Volvo,” a tale of a 1966 1800 that just keeps running, and running, and running. . . By Debbie Briggs, Contributing Writer When Irvin Gordon bought his sporty red 1966 Volvo 1800, or P1800 as it’s known in Europe, on June 30, 1966, he had
BMW Tech Tip: Solving Steering Wheel ‘Twitch’
You may get a customer complaining of a very slight "twitch" that can be felt in the steering while holding the steering wheel lightly with one hand and giving the brakes a quick tap. The steering wheel will twitch slightly only once, with no disruption in the stability of the car, and no pull to either side. Before you dismiss the owners as "nit-picky whiners," you should know their complaints may have merit and BMW has offered a solution.
Mitch Schneider: Personal Axe Grinding Shows Ignorance, Especially When Done in ‘First Person’
After almost 41 years of working as a shop owner and a professional technician, I’d like to think I’ve gotten pretty good at dealing with broken stuff. However, every once in a while something occurs that shakes my confidence to its very foundation.
Tech Tip: Expedition/Navigator Unintended Brake Assist
Some 2003-2006 Ford Expedition or Lincoln Navigator vehicles may exhibit excessive pedal travel and/or low brake pedal effort due to the mechanical or electronic brake assist being activated.
EcoFuel World Tour Visits Tenneco Inc.
The power of natural gas came to Tenneco Inc.’s Monroe, MI, facility during a recent visit by the EcoFuel World Tour. Sponsored by Tenneco, the tour’s VW Caddy is outfitted with the company’s exhaust and ride control technologies, which are designed to meet the needs of tomorrow’s alternative fuel applications.
Raybestos Rookie of the Year Program Celebrates 10th Anniversary
2007 marks the 10th consecutive year of Raybestos brand brakes’ sponsorship of the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Program, and like the rookies that this program is designed to salute – Raybestos brand brakes is just getting started.
Building Hot Rod and Muscle Car Engines
Sometimes the best opportunities are cleverly hidden in plain view. As one example, when Chris Lafferty of Lafferty Engine Creations was asked why he opted to expand beyond race engines into the hot rod and muscle car arenas, he said, "Just look outside." His North Carolina facility sits squarely in the middle of both NASCAR and cruisin’ country.
Choosing the Right Tools for Diesel Engine Service
Diesel engines are a popular alternative to gasoline engines because of their good fuel economy and torque. The main difference with working on diesels versus gasoline engines is that diesels have no ignition system. There are no spark plugs or ignition coils, but they do have glow plug start-up systems to help the fuel ignite when a cold engine is first cranked.