Tech Tip: Shifty Camaro Strands Salesman
As a traveling salesman, Gerry spends a lot of time on the road in his 2002 Chevrolet Camaro. Just last week he was in Southern California when he started having transmission problems. Gerry called and said that the MIL lamp came on and the car wasn’t shifting correctly. I suggested he take the car to a local transmission shop owned by a friend of mine. I also prepared Gerry for what may be an expensive repair.
OTC Introduces Complete Line of Cam Tool Kits for the GM Vehicle Family
OTC, a business unit of SPX Corporation, is proud to introduce its new line of GM Cam Tool Kits used specifically for servicing timing belts, chains, head gaskets, or completing valvetrain repairs and even water pumps on GM vehicles.
Volvo: Sometimes You Learn the Hard Way: Fixing Volvo Oil Leaks Right the First Time
The customer’s Volvo has an oil leak. You think you do everything right. You add dye and see the rear main oil seal leaking. The repair goes smoothly, the customer is happy…for about two weeks. Then the rear main oil seal is leaking again, and he wants to know why. This is not an isolated
Selling Services: Cooling System Colors
All types of antifreeze contain corrosion-inhibiting chemicals to protect bare metal surfaces from electrolytic attack. Though automakers disagree on which chemical additives work best in their vehicles, essentially any kind of antifreeze will work in any vehicle. But how well will it protect the cooling system? And for how long? And will it void the
Timing Belt Replacement: Tried and True Repair Method Works Every Time
and below the intake manifold. When this unit fails, it tends to look like the head gaskets are blown. The oil mixes with the coolant and so on, leading to catastrophic engine bearing failure. Saab recommends flushing the cooling system with Shout, a cleaning agent found in many stores. Saab also recommends changing the timing
Troubleshooting MIL Issues: OBD II & “CAN” Scan Tool Diagnostics
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) is one of the most misunderstood warning lights on vehicles today. Most motorists have no idea what the light means or why it’s on. Some think the MIL light is an oil change reminder light. Others realize something must be amiss to cause the light to come on, but don’t
Under Pressure
According to the U.S Department of Transportation, cooling system failures are the number one cause of vehicle breakdowns on the highway. Many of these breakdowns are attributed to coolant leaks (hoses, radiators, bad radiator caps, etc.), water pump failures, thermostat failures and defective cooling fans. An industry survey conducted in 2003 by 1-800-Radiator reported that
Codes & Converters
It is a moral dilemma that many shops encounter on a regular basis. It starts when a good customer comes in with the engine light a blaze. Running your usual diagnostics, you encounter a catalytic converter efficiency code, slow to responded oxygen sensor or some proprietary fuel trim code. Other than the light, the customer
The Future of Diagnostics Is In The CAN
Since model year 2003, a growing number of domestic and import vehicles have been built with a new onboard communications protocol called CAN (Controller Area Network). CAN is essentially an engineering standard for how computers and modules talk to one another via the serial data bus in a vehicle’s wiring system. It’s a high-speed standard
SKF Drive-By-Wire Technology Showcased In Novanta Concept Car
The bright orange Novanta concept car has a futuristic yet contemporary look that is more evolutionary than revolutionary. The car is built on a SAAB 95 chassis with a 3.0L V6 engine and automatic transmission. It’s fully driveable (unlike many concept cars) but lacks basic amenities that would be on a real production car such as air conditioning, windshield wipers, external mirrors and cup holders.