Diagnostic Oddities
This article is dedicated to some Ford specific issues that, after being brought to light, can save your shop thousands of dollars in wasted time and liability. There may be some other makes out there with some similar designs and quirks, but the only technical references will be for Ford vehicles. By Glen Beanard Giddy
Shop Management: Doctor’s Orders
Doctor’s Orders By Glen Beanard, Technical Contributor John is sitting in a doctor’s exam room after having several tests run. The doctor enters the room and informs John that he has been diagnosed with a high blood pressure condition. The doctor explains the condition to John. He informs him that he must make an immediate
Welding Equipment: Sparks and Arcs
MIG, TIG, stick, gas, gasless, oxy-acetylene, deep penetration, spot welding, plastic welders, pulse technology, high strength steel — if it seems like welding has gotten more complicated than you remember — it has! Today’s auto industry faces many challenges that are shaping and changing the way we stick two pieces of metal together. Once upon
Tech Tip: With Inflation-in-a-Can, ‘Temporary’ is the Operative Word
Even for the most skeptical motorists, inflation-in-a-can is a valid answer to experiencing a flat tire at the wrong time in the wrong place. But there are many caveats that must be followed explicitly when connecting a can of sealant and quite a few psi to the valve stem.
2006 Volkswagen GTI – All the Essentials of the Original Hot Hatchback and More
With the 2006 all-new GTI, Volkswagen is offering the fifth generation, or complete redesign, of this historic model. The "Mark 5" edition, as it is referred to by Volkswagen internally and by true GTI enthusiasts, continues the automaker’s reputation of providing affordable German engineering with distinct European styling and high-value equipment levels.
Selling Services: Selling the Scope to Your Customer
While replacing a blown head gasket and re-torquing the head bolts, you reach into your tool box and grab your 1/2-inch impact and rattle the bolts down. Just kidding! You would reach for your torque wrench and accurately follow the manufacturer recommendations for torque patterns and values. To guarantee a quality repair, an accurate torque
Performing Hyundai Maintenance and Profiting From It
Like so many other late-model vehicles, the Hyundai vehicle lineup won’t necessarily keep your bays busy with “repair” work, but can present you with profitable maintenance opportunities. We can no longer afford to let any opportunity for service go unnoticed, and hope that the customer will come back for the next job. It’s an important
Universal Coolants: The Ultimate Answer?
For nearly a decade, vehicle manufacturers have been introducing and using a variety of extended-life coolants. The only thing these coolants have in common is that they all seem to differ in formulation and color. There are orange coolants, green coolants, blue coolants, red coolants, yellow coolants, even pink ones. The proliferation of different coolant
Matching Your Techs with the Right Job
Just a single decade ago, many industry experts speculated that 80% of the workflow passing through an independent repair shop would involve some type of high-level diagnostic process. Today, it’s obvious that, with the infusion of electronic operating systems, high-level diagnostics is now approaching that level of total workflow. Nevertheless, many others continue to ridicule