More Vans May Be Cruising Back on the Roads
In a recent news article by Associated Press writer John Porretto, General Motors Corp. and nearly two dozen outfitters plan to spend more than $2 million in an effort to revive demand for big, souped-up conversion vans. No longer decorated with beads and shag carpeting, conversion vans have evolved into sophisticated vehicles for families and
Aftermarket Update
Free PR and Check-Up Forms for National Car Care Month Events Freebies abound for service providers offering in-house vehicle check ups during National Car Care Month in April. First, the official check-up forms are free from the Car Care Council. Simply estimate the number needed and call 1-240-333-1088 or order online at www.carcare.org. Second, there’s
Tuning into Specialty Niche Markets
If you are thinking of expanding your shop to include restoration, performance modifications or even customizing ‹ now may be the time. There are plenty of niche market opportunities for your shop to go along with your regular business, provided there is an interest by you and your team. If you, the shop’s decision maker,
Diagnostic Dilemmas: The Effects of Warm-Up Laps on a Running Engine
Most diagnostic technicians have experienced the frustrations of troubleshooting temperature-related engine performance problems. All too often, the true nature of the problem is concealed by the very fact that it occurs only at specific engine temperatures. If the engine quickly passes through the critical temperature range needed to duplicate the problem, the problem can easily
World Perspectives
Federal -Mogul Aftermarket group awarded “2004 Vendor of the Year”.
Aftermarket Update: Lighting Problems Top Recent GM Recalls<
General Motors Corp. will recall nearly 1.7 million vehicles in North America, including nearly 1 million sport utility vehicles, to fix tail lights that could loosen and flicker. According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA), GM said in early November it will recall 946,817 SUVs, which would include 2002 to 2004 model-year
Flash! Reprogramming Vehicle Computers
Typically, when someone brings up the subject of “flashing” you get two reactions. The technologically informed service professionals think about added revenue and service, while rowdier folks think about doing something that could land them in front of a judge. I think we can all agree that the first group is far better off, and
Searching for the Diagnostic Path
Most recently, I’ve found myself dealing with an increasing number of random, multiple-code complaints that involve computer operating strategies and networking communications issues in which the multiple trouble codes or DTCs tend to be symptomatic, rather than indicative, of a component failure. A basic illustration of what I’m talking about is a simple DTC 44,
GM Timing Belt & Chain Service
Some overhead cam engines in General Motors vehicles use timing belts to drive the cam (the 2.0L for example), some use chains (2.3L Quad Four, Cadillac’s Northstar dual overhead cam 4.6L V8, the Aurora Northstar 4.0L V8 and Chevy’s Vortec 4200 inline six), and some use a combination of both (Chevrolet’s 3.4L V6). The rest
Hot Heads for Cool Cars
The numbers are not huge yet, but there is a growing demand for high-performance cylinder head work and other engine modifications on a variety of sport compact cars. The most popular nameplates are imports such as Honda, Acura and Mitsubishi, but coming on fast are Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, Subaru and Volkswagen – plus domestic models