Undercover: Stopping Power — Servicing Ford’s Hybrid Braking System
In traditional vehicles, the energy used to decelerate the car is lost as heat when the driver applies the brakes. Hybrids, on the other hand, can recover a substantial portion of what would otherwise be “lost energy” and store it in the battery for later use. This is known as regenerative braking.
Under the Hood: Ford Engines — Big Things Come from Small Packages
Exploring Ford’s EcoBoost direct injection gasoline engine technology
Undercover: Talking to Drivers About ABS
The purpose of anti-lock brakes is to maintain steering control during a panic stop. The idea is not so much to stop quicker, but rather be able to steer around the problem.
Under the Hood: Exterminating Pesky Electrical Parasites
A parasitic draw on the battery means that, while the key is in the off position, something is pulling amperage from the battery.
Undercover: Herding Cats Can be ‘Exhaust’ing
Real life has proven that the life span of a catalytic converter varies as greatly as the life span of the vehicle itself. One catalytic converter may not fail in 200,000+ miles, while another won’t even make it out of the vehicle’s base warranty. One thing is for sure, they aren’t going away as long as vehicles are powered by fossil fuels. So let’s talk some about how they work, then move on to spotting one that is misbehaving.
Gomer, Goober & Grease…
Professional Advice for Students Starting Out in Their Careers
Service Advisor: On-Car Rotor Resurfacing: Are You Doing it Right?
One of my favorite pieces of shop equipment is the on-the-car brake lathe. Not only do they resurface the rotors to the center line of the wheel bearings, they speed the job up in some cases – making it a win/win situation.
Service Advisor: No Escaping Hybrid Service
The hybrid Escape and Mariner vehicles are full hybrid vehicles, meaning that, at times, the vehicle will run 100% on electric power only. In fact, it is capable of traveling up to 25 mph (40 kph) without ever starting the engine.