Thorough Brake Inspections Are Comeback Preventers & Profit Builders
How many times have you seen a hand-painted sign in a shop window that advertised a menu-priced brake pad replacement for “$XX.95 per axle.” Of course, a menu-priced brake replacement would be good if a simple brake pad replacement would cure all of the root causes of a brake performance complaint. Unfortunately, menu-priced brake pad replacements are a customer comeback in the making because the customer often leaves with the same squeaking, grinding, pulsation, grabbing or pulling complaints that brought him to the shop in the first place.
Mazda6 Case Study: Data Gathering Is Critical To Your Alignment Diagnosis
About a year ago, I got a request from a private vehicle owner to help diagnose a steering problem on a 2010 Mazda6 iSport. Given the power of the Internet, it seems that this person had somehow discovered one of my older columns on alignment problems. While I’m not fond of dealing with technical
Intermittent Engine Misfire Analysis
Even for an experienced diagnostic technician, Âattempting to diagnose an intermittent misfire Âcondition that occurs only under specific driving conditions can be a frustrating exercise. Let’s begin by getting the basics out of the way. As we know, the general causes of a misfire fall under the Âgeneral headings of 1.) ignition, 2.) fuel density, 3.) compression and 4.) timing failures.
Engine Coolant Temperature Diagnostics
While old-school cooling system service often Âfocused on coolant leaks and overheating engines, let’s begin thinking “new-school” by looking at modern cooling systems through the eyes of the engine coolant temperature (ECT) sensor.
Toyota Charging System Diagnostics
According to my experience, I estimate that replacing the alternator solves 95% of all charging system failures. If that’s true, what happens in the remaining 5% of charging system failures that results in customer comebacks?
Under the Hood: Cooling System Diagnostics
Heed the Telltale Signs of Component Failure Springtime brings with it the vacation season when many families will hitch a boat or camping trailer to their fully loaded family car, SUV or pickup truck and travel to some remote wilderness hideaway. Needless to say, both the parents and their vehicle’s cooling system will be stressed
Tips on Choosing the Best Ride Control for Customers
Shocking Evidence During the fall of 1989, when I was working as a mechanic for an off-road desert racing team, we raced the famous Mint 400 held in Las Vegas. At that time, the 400-mile road course consisted of bumps, jumps and basketball-sized rocks just waiting to break a suspension system. About 50% of all
Maintaining Proper Fluid Levels
Several factors are driving modern fluid maintenance services. And these influences will shape the work you perform at a shop or dealership upon graduation. One of the biggest changes over the years is the increase in a vehicle’s service life. Today’s modern vehicle’s service life often extends to well over 200,000 miles and good fluid
Under the Hood: ‘Tanking’ Fuel Systems
Diagnosing Failing Fuel Pumps
Under the Hood: ‘Plugging’ Away at Ignition Diagnostics
Whatever the configuration, an ignition coil has three parts: a primary circuit, a secondary circuit and a soft-iron core
Undercover: It All Adds Up: The Math Behind Brake Replacement Service
We need to occasionally analyze and re-evaluate how we package and price brake friction replacements. In this exercise, we’ll use product pricing and labor time numbers.
Service Advisor: Tips on Solving Alternator Failure Issues
Catastrophic failures are usually due to an alternator malfunction, but can also be caused by a faulty drive belt or blown fuse.