What Repair Shops Should Know About Selling Filters
Consumers want the long-term benefits of choosing a premium filter, but they also want a reward now for making a smart choice.
GM: Transmission Not Moving Or Excessive Slipping
When a GM 6L80/90 transmission finds its way into your shop with a complaint of no forward or reverse movement, or is slipping badly in all ranges, initial inspection may reveal a cracked or split sump filter. However, filter quality may not be the underlying issue.
Millennial Marketing: Focus On Messages, Not Differences
Focusing in on what makes a demographic different and trying to tailor your business to service these false needs could actually backfire and be perceived as patronizing, or “not authentic” by a customer. People know when they are being played.
Car Diagnostics And Testing: Proper Shop Procedures
Close isn’t good enough if you want to establish credibility in your local market. Today’s professional technician can’t just grab a component hanging from a branch of the proverbial parts tree and see if that will fix the problem. It requires a diligent effort of testing and diagnostic time to analyze the maze of electronic data.
AGM Batteries And Testing
Two of the greatest changes we’ve seen in starting/charging systems during the past few model years have been the expanded use of the Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) battery as standard equipment and the accelerating pricing structures of both AGM and conventional flooded-cell batteries.
Desmodromic Valves: A Temporary Innovation
In the 1950s, engineers wanted to increase engine speed so more power could be produced. But, they had reached the limits of valve spring technology. Since the science of valve springs was in its infancy, higher engine speeds would cause the valve spring to float and cause the valve to not follow the lobe of the camshaft.
Vehicles And Cyber-Security: The Secret Handshake
It seems as if when the prefix “cyber” sits in front of a word right now it instantly gets attention. No combination of “cyber” is getting more attention in the automotive world right now than cyber-security. That is probably fitting. This topic has the potential be put the cyber-brakes on connected cars and the efforts of the aftermarket to maintain the kind of access to vehicle networks we “think” we are going to need going forward.
GM Battery Maintenance: Cold Weather Or Long Stand Time
Inside the battery, the electrolyte is generally composed of 35% sulfuric acid and 65% water. When a lead acid battery is inactive (not actively discharged and charged), the acid, being heavier than water, will settle toward the bottom. This leaves a low acid concentration near the top, and higher concentration at the bottom. This condition is referred to as acid stratification.
Diesel Oil PC-11 Will Soon Be Changing
PC-11 will now define two separate heavy-duty diesel lube oils. PC-11A is scheduled to be commercialized in March 2017. This oil performance category will address pre-2017 engine designs and all the various XW-40 and XW-30 grade oils on the market since much is known about their actual field performance.
Accessory Belts, Tensioners And Misfires: A Balancing Act
Ever been amazed how complex some belt routing diagrams can be when all they are driving is an alternator, A/C compressor and maybe a power steering pump? The belt might be 8-feet long and loop around one or two idler pulleys.
Mazda: Manual Transmission Shifting Difficulties
A Mazda may have hard shifting or “pop out” of third gear. This is caused by a failure of the related clutch hub(s). To correct the problem of hard shifting, the shape of the 3-4 and 5-6 clutch hub has been changed. A surface treatment has now been added to the 3-4 clutch hub to prevent 3rd gear from jumping out.
Spark Plugs: The Lost Art Of Gapping
For a long time, the copper core plug ruled the roads. For under a dollar, you could buy a plug that would fit, but you had to gap the plug the correct distance between the electrodes yourself. This was due to differing ignition system designs with different output voltages.
