Reducing Risks And Premiums
By Mark Battersby All insurance premiums are based on the risks involved. Insurance companies evaluate the situation to determine the risk of potential loss that they will have to assume and base their rates on the results. Therefore, any steps that a shop owner or manager can take to lower their risks not only helps
Rotors and Pads: Analyzing Replacement Options
Although the industry has seen anti-lock braking systems (ABS) become standard equipment on modern imports, the majority of brake service still focuses on the replacement of brake pads and rotors. Rotor replacement, of course, has changed because new rotors have become a more cost-effective method of resolving pedal pulsation and brake shimmy problems associated with
Parking Brakes: The Forgotten Fourth Pedal…Or the Seldom-Used Stick
How Much Is Really Enough?
A/C Update
The Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) 25th Anniversary Convention and Trade Show is a great event for shop owners and technicians to learn about the latest trends in air conditioning technology and to see the latest A/C service products and equipment. This year’s show was held in Las Vegas February 1-3. One question that came
Odds & Ends: Book Report
The last open road Author, vintage racer and vehicle enthusiast Burt “BS” Levy gives a fun, fictional account of the American racing industry of the 1950s in his book, the last open road. Originally published in 1994, the last open road is Levy’s first story in a three-novel series of books featuring 19-year-old Buddy Palumbo,
The Forgotten Fourth Pedal…Or…The Seldom-Used Stick
On some vehicles it is the forgotten fourth pedal. The emergency or parking brake is a critical component of the brake systems that should not be ignored. Though most motorists seldom use their parking brakes, it is a required safety device and must work properly when called upon to keep a vehicle stationary. The main
Brake Tech Update: Uncovering Brake Fluid Leaks on Acura Integras
The brake fluid level on 1994 Integras may be low in the ABS reservoir, and fluid may appear to be leaking from under the label on the ABS accumulator. The likely cause is that the ABS accumulator internal O-ring is damaged, allowing brake fluid to leak out. Diagnosis: Remove the label from the ABS accumulator.
Buyer Beware: Selling or Installing Counterfeit Parts
… Could Leave You Accountable
Engine Maintenance: Head Gasket Failure Symptoms and Diagnosis
Over the last decade, the engines that have been used in the Honda and Acura line of cars and SUVs not only deliver many miles of service, but their performance level sets a standard that few car makers in their class have been able to match. Additional proof of both the reliability and potential of
The Origins to a Breakdown
It’s interesting to see the look on a technician’s face as a vehicle gets towed into a shop on the back of a truck. That’s the opening scene for a no-start problem. You can usually tell when a technician thinks it’s good, and you can definitely tell when he thinks it’s bad. Not many techs