Tech Tip: Variety of Oil Blends Required to Meet Today’s Engine Requirements
Years ago, an import shop could consider its shelves well-stocked if it contained a selection of single-viscosity oils in detergent or non-detergent blends. Today, a shop owner is confronted with stocking a variety of multi-viscosity oils, including 0w-20, 0w-40, 5w-20, 5w-30, 10w-30, 10w-40, 15w-40 and 20w-50, not to mention stocking some of these viscosities in synthetic and non-synthetic bases. Although the number of oil ….
Get the Drift: The Ins and Outs of Sport ‘Drifting’
Drifting is not a sport for SUVs. If it were, it would probably be called “rollovering.” Nor does it lend itself very well to cars with front-wheel drive. Drifting is all about sliding around curves with the rear wheels smoking all the way. Drifting sounds like an activity dreamed up by the tire manufacturers to
Tech Tip: How Can You Tell if a Wheel Bearing is Going Bad?
The classic symptom of a wheel bearing that is failing is cyclic noise. Most often a bad bearing will produce a chirping sound or a growl that changes in proportion to vehicle speed. If a bad bearing is suspected, the wheel bearings should be inspected to see if there is any play. On late-model vehicles with sealed wheel bearings or bearing cartridges, there should usually be little or ….
Tech Tip: Diagnosing Ford Explorer Rear Wheel Bearing Noise
Some 2002-2005 Ford Explorer Mercury Mountaineer and 2003-2005 Lincoln Aviator vehicles may exhibit a noise from the rear wheel hub bearings. Previous service procedures required replacement of the wheel hub bearing assembly. This new service procedure allows replacement of just the wheel bearing to repair the noise condition. To replace the rear hub bearing and wheel bearing retainer ring, refer to the following manufacturer’s Service Procedure ….
Servicing Wheel Ends
The trucking industry has a confusing term it uses called “wheel ends.” The term covers (brakes, hub caps, tires, seals, lubricant, bearings and spindle nuts. A 16 wheeler truck can mean more than 10 wheel ends units that can go bad. While the scale of these vehicles is rather large, the basics are the same
CrossOver SUVs: Rear Suspension Dynamics
Higher gas prices are increasing sales of cross-over SUVs. These smaller SUVs have ditched the live axle in favor of rear independent suspension. While the designs are often borrowed from a car-type platform, some do have more travel in order to boost the off-road and load capabilities. Where the car ends and the truck begins
Diagnostic Solutions: Engine Oil Changes
No Longer A ‘Generic’ Service; Variety of Blends Required To Meet Today’s Engine Requirements Years ago, an import shop could consider its shelves well-stocked if it contained a selection of single-viscosity oils in detergent or non-detergent blends. Today, a shop owner is confronted with stocking a variety of multi-viscosity oils, including 0w-20, 0w-40, 5w-20, 5w-30,
Right On the Mark: Lining Up Timing Belt Service for First-Generation Kias
This month, we’re going to take a look at timing belt replacement on the increasingly popular Kia line of vehicles. Kia has made strong inroads into the market by offering high-quality vehicles at an affordable price. As underhood car techs, we’re prepared to handle any of these cars: You have the required skills and, with
Handy Tools: No Longer Out of Sight or Out of Reach
Have you ever dropped a nut or a bolt into an open intake manifold? Or dropped a fastener and watched it disappear into a crevice in the engine compartment? Or tried to find a wiring connector, plug or fastener by feel on the backside of an instrument cluster up under the dash? These are all
Tech Tip: School Bus Inspection and Maintenance
Now that school is out, school bus inspections and maintenance is taking place in preparation for the next session in the fall. Many school districts are outsourcing the maintenance of their buses. This could be your chance to increase your shop’s customer base. While the coach work (body) of buses is changing to incorporate features like air conditioning, the tires, wheels, brakes and suspension the have not change much in 20 years. The biggest changes are under the hood ….