Under the Hood: Surprises in the Air – Servicing A/C Systems
As vehicle owners in many parts of the country begin using their air conditioning systems for the first time this year, some will be surprised to find their A/C
system is not functioning properly or isn’t blowing out cold air like the summer past.
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.
Tool Rules: Breathing New Life into Pneumatic Tools
Air tools save technicians time, but require their own maintenance to ensure they’ll provide support. People who have made a professional career out of using air tools, such as Rich Evans of Huntington Beach Bodyworks, will tell you that there are two enemies of pneumatic equipment — Dirty Air and Moisture.
The Real World: Prepping the Future
Vehicle manufacturers are searching for the ultimate Alternative-Fuel Vehicle
Special Report: A Case of Bad Gas
Bad gas comes in many different varieties. There’s the kind you get when you gulp down a double bean burrito. But not so funny is the kind that comes out of a pump nozzle in filling stations across the country. According to some sources, there’s more bad gas out there than the industry is willing
Report Card: Finger Pointing and Waving Magic Wands
An editorial opinion piece on the high fuel prices by Ed Sunkin
Special Report: Alternative Fuel – E-FUEL Unveils World’s First Home Ethanol System
Technology Expected to Alter Gasoline Dependence, Greatly Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Component Connection: A Little Homework Goes a Long Way
A Study in Starter Failures – In the early days of the automobile, starting an engine consisted of first retarding the spark and adjusting the hand choke to optimum fuel mixture. The next step was to pull a cylinder onto compression stroke and “snap” the piston past top dead center with the hand crank. Modern starters, of course, use an electric solenoid to close the circuit between the battery and starter motor and to keep the drive pinion engaged with the flywheel until the engine achieves idle speed.
Component Connection: The Dirty Little Secrets of Filters
It’s important to know that, although most filters meet original equipment (OE) standards, not all filters are created equal in terms of reliability and overall capacity.
Undercover: Brakes 101
Topics To Cover –
Inspection checklist, Servicing, Rotors and Drums, Linings and Brake Fluid