ASA Announces North Carolina Venues for Service Information Workshops
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced it will host three free Service Information Workshops in North Carolina. Designed to educate shop owners and technicians about the availability of service information to automotive repair shops, the next workshops will be held in ….
Air Springs and Suspensions
ed air suspension to their SL sedans and limousines. Air springs returned in 1974 for the rear suspension of the new GMC Motor Home RV26. This time the springs came from Firestone and the compressor was driven by an electric motor. The mid 1980s saw a revival of air suspension at all four corners for
Transmission Service and Clutch Replacement Essentials
You’ve probably all heard of the 15-minute clutch replacement time for a classic Volkswagen Beetle. The “fact” that you could pull the engine, change the clutch parts and reinstall everything with just a penknife and screwdriver and do that on the side of the road. Then there are the tall tales of pulling the engine
You Can Tune a Carburetor, but You Can’t Tuna Fish
I don’t know where the term “master engine tuner” originated, but I suspect it parallels that of “master piano tuner” because both disciplines transform apparent discord into apparent harmony. In this day of electronically managed engines, we forget that mechanically controlled spark advance curves and carburetor mixtures don’t compensate for changes in barometric pressure and
Tech Tip: Proper Tools Essential for Handling TPMS Issues
Just as the sports world claims you can’t identify the players without a program, the tire industry chants that you can’t fix a problem without the right tools. The world of tire pressure monitoring systems, or TPMS, is no different. In fact, having the proper tools is critical to servicing vehicles equipped with TPMS. While technology has done its best to ….
Tech Tip: The Great Oil Debate
Are oil changes every 3,000 miles really necessary? It depends on how a vehicle is driven. Some newer cars and SUVs have sophisticated "oil monitors" that estimate oil life based on miles driven, idle time, engine rpm, load and operating temperature. Using these inputs, the computer turns on a service reminder light when it estimates the oil needs to ….
Tech Tip: As the Weather Heats Up, So Does the Demand for Cooling System Service
The hottest summer weather is almost upon us, so over the next couple of months you’ll likely see a surge in servicing cooling system parts such as thermostats, water pumps, hoses, radiators and radiator caps. The parts can fail during hot weather because many cooling systems today have very little reserve cooling capacity. If the cooling system has not been maintained ….
ASA Launches Clean Air Watch on Taking the Hill Website
The Automotive Service Association has launched a new section on its legislative website. The Clean Air Watch section can now be accessed from the home page of TakingTheHill.com and contains important bills, regulations and noteworthy items that pertain to clean air. Air quality is an increasingly important issue to the automotive repair community ….
Management: Recoup Delivery Fees as a ‘Cost of Doing Business’
The ripple effect of escalating gas prices continue to widen, and all segments of our industry are caught in the current. In your world, car count continues to drop as fewer miles are driven, consumers have less money available for necessary vehicle repairs, and preventive maintenance is being put on the back burner. At the distribution level, many WDs and jobbers have calculated ….
Mitch Schneider: Left-Handed Compliments
I suppose when you do what we do, you should learn to accept a compliment graciously without questioning its intent, regardless of when or how that compliment is offered. After all, it isn’t every day someone manages to commend you for everything you’ve spent a lifetime working to accomplish in a tight, two-page missive. But, here I sit…two-page missive opened, unfolded and resting on top of my computer, wondering how in the world to make any sense out of it ….