Nothing looks worse than a relatively clean $50,000 car with black, grimy wheels. European luxury sedans are notorious for having dirty front wheels because of the black dust that’s generated by their disc brake pads. The dust sticks to the alloy wheels giving them an unsightly appearance.
Most of us remember the "good old days" when an engine’s air/fuel (a/f) ratio was controlled by a mechanically operated carburetor. Due to the inherent design limitations of mechanical systems, however, carburetors don't respond efficiently to changes in barometric pressure, temperature and humidity.
The brake fluid level on 1994 Integras may be low in the ABS reservoir, and fluid may appear to be leaking from under the label on the ABS accumulator. The likely cause is that the ABS accumulator internal O-ring is damaged, allowing brake fluid to leak out.
The lubricants that are used in manual transmissions, transaxles, differentials and transfer cases include a variety of different oils. Most of these lubricants are long-lived and hold up well for tens of thousands of miles. But none will last forever. The combination of heat, shearing action and oxidation eventually breaks...
If you've wondered how much work a water pump must do, remember that only about 30 percent of the heat energy produced by combustion results in mechanical energy. That estimate, of course, is a mathematical comparison between the heat value of the gasoline going into the engine, and the heat...
Read any good brake pads lately? Don't make the mistake of replacing brake pads without reading the old pads to spot potential caliper problems that could cause brake problems down the road and a possible comeback.
Some 1998-’99 Passat 2.8L models with 01V transmissions may exhibit delayed upshifts under partial load after a cold start.
Do you have a customer who has a car that just can’t seem to pass a vehicle “smog test” to obtain a vehicle registration sticker? Depending on the state or county, vehicles need a smog check test every other year in order to re-register the car or truck with that...
It's obvious that certain vehicles consume more gasoline than others, but keeping the vehicle in top tune and cultivating smart driving habits can help get maximum gas mileage from almost any vehicle - highly important today with soaring fuel prices. And if a vehicle is running sluggishly, idling rough and...
It’s no secret that today's passenger vehicles present a variety of challenges for brake technicians. In fact, brake-related comebacks - commonly due to noise, pedal feel or durability issues - remain a leading concern for aftermarket service providers.
