Selling Timing Belt Replacement Jobs
When pricing the job, don’t overlook additional and necessary related sales. The timing belt drives the water pump on these engines. Although very reliable, I would consider it a bad bet to think the pump will last 180,000 miles.
Rear Main Seal Diagnostics Q&A
Solving why the seal failed in the first place is critical to preventing a labor-intensive comeback. Here are six questions you should be asking yourself before, during and after a rear main seal job.
Air Conditioning Odor Causes
Air conditioning odors typically result from the uncontrolled growth of bacteria and other microorganisms in the evaporator. Research by independent laboratories has found fungi such as Aspergillus, Cladesporium, Penicillium and others growing on cooling coils and other A/C system areas.
GM: Exhaust Smell in Cabin: Codes P0299 and P2263
Some owners may complain of an exhaust smell in the cabin and reduced engine power. Under acceleration, a hissing or whistling noise can be heard coming from under the hood. Also, codes P0299 and/or P2263 are present.
IMSA: The Series Born Out Of Spite
The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) was founded in 1969 by John Bishop with the assistance of NASCAR President Bill France, Sr. Some say that the formation of IMSA was the result of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) moving their Runoffs (The Olympics of Racing) away from the NASCAR-owned Daytona Motor Speedway to Road Atlanta in 1969.
Power Steering: To Flush Or Not To Flush
Whenever a technician is performing a repair on a power steering system component, the question is always whether there is a need to flush the entire system. It takes a bit longer and costs a few dollars, but a thorough flush of the power steering system is key to a successful repair.
ACURA: Oil Consumption On Manual Transmission Vehicles
In this updated TSB from 2013, Acura discusses how some 2011-’13 TSX models with manual transmissions can develop an oil consumption problem. The TSB states: “If you do not see any other factors contributing to oil consumption, consider engine braking as the possible cause.”
Diagnosing Belt Slippage
A belt is merely an indicator of the condition of the components with which it is connected. Like a brake pad or tire, it is designed to wear. But, the wear can be impacted by the total system.
Servicing TPMS Sensors
Most TPMS sensors are held in using just a screw or a nut, but if not assembled or torqued properly, the results can be catastrophic. Carelessness can result in a broken sensor or even a customer stranded with a flat tire.
How Long Is a Labor Hour?
Any tech will tell you that a labor hour can stretch to half a day if a lot of research is involved. Conversely, it can last 15 minutes if you know what you’re doing. Most labor guides typically don’t take into account how much research, diagnosis and equipment setup is needed for a given job — not to mention the time it takes to recover your 10 mm socket that just fell down into the engine compartment.
What is an Import Car?
When I started working on cars in the 1990s, repairing import vehicles was far different than domestics. If you looked under the hood of a Nissan pickup, it might have eight spark plugs for four cylinders. In 1990, Toyota put an engine on its side and placed it under the passenger seat of a minivan. Volkswagen even made a V6 with a single cylinder head.
BMW Extended Warranty On S63 Direct Injection High-Pressure Fuel Pumps
BMW has extended the warranty on the high-pressure fuel pump for the 2012 X5 M and X6 M models with the S63 engine. The warranty covers the pump for 10 years or 120,000 miles. BMW is not recalling the pump and no reason was given for the extension of the warranty.
