Carley’s Corner: Changing Automotive Technology Makes ‘Right To Repair’ Act a Must for Independent Repair Shops To Survive
The past few years have seen rapid change in automotive technology. More and more hybrid models are being introduced, with nearly 1.5 million already being sold to date. Direct gasoline fuel injection is replacing port fuel injection on more and more engines. Many late-model engines are also equipped with variable valve timing (VVT) to improve
Breathe Easier with Fresh Cabin Air Filters in Your Car
If you are driving a vehicle with cabin air filters you are in luck, especially if you reside in a metropolitan area where air pollution levels are high or if you suffer from a respiratory condition such as asthma or seasonal allergies. Cabin air filters capture potentially harmful particulates so they are not recycled into the passenger compartment and compromise the driving comfort of the people in the vehicle.
Tech Feature: Servicing Diesels in Your Shop
Is there a diesel in your service bay? Maybe not now, but there definitely will be in your future. You’re going to see trucks as well as SUVs and passenger cars. Mercedes-Benz produced a 3.0L V6 diesel-powered SUV for the 2008 model year and Volkswagen has a Twinturbo 5.0L V10 diesel engine in its Touareg. As the automakers focus on better fuel economy, you might say the diesels are coming again.
Aftermarket Jam: Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance Makes Beautiful Music at 2009 Convention
The convention also featured 18 business seminars, all accredited by the University of the Aftermarket.
Tech Feature: Manifold Makeover – Increasing Engine Power
An intake manifold is more than the plumbing that connects the carburetor or throttle body to the ports in the cylinder head. It is an integral part of the induction system that has to match the airflow characteristics of the cylinder head and camshaft, as well as the displacement and rpm range of the engine. A well-designed manifold that is properly matched to the engine’s requirements will make more torque and horsepower than a manifold which is mismatched to the engine.
Electrical System Testing Tools and Equipment
One day we are fat, dumb and happy using a piece of wire with a 12-volt bulb on the end of it to test things with. Now we are faced with deciding between using the 10 meg-ohm computer safe test light, the power injector or a logic probe complete with polarity protection, audible alarm, light and 20-foot memory cord. Geeesh! How did things get so confusing so fast? Progress my boy! That is the root of our problem here! As the cars and systems have gotten more and more complicated, so have the tools and equipment needed to work on those cars ….
Electrical System Tools and Equipment
Neutrons, Electrons, Klingons? As today’s cars and systems have gotten more and more complicated, so have the tools and equipment needed to work on those cars. The professional technician is expected to be able to understand electrical theory, electronics, physics, as well as understand and interpret readings from complex electrical test equipment.
Tech Tip: OBD II Engine Diagnostics
Anybody can plug a scan tool into a vehicle and read codes. But do they know what the codes mean, how to diagnose the fault or, most importantly, how to fix the vehicle? The problem with reading OBD II codes is that the code tells you only that a fault has occurred. It does not tell you why the fault occurred, what might be causing the problem, or what needs to be repaired or replaced ….
OBD II Engine Diagnostics: Not as Simple as it Seems
Anybody can plug a scan tool into a vehicle and read codes. But do they know what the codes mean, how to diagnose the fault or, most importantly, how to fix the vehicle? The problem with reading OBD II codes is that the code tells you only that a fault has occurred. It does not
Tech Feature: Servicing Jeep and Ford Feedback Carburetors
Lately, it seems, more people are "going retro" by rehabilitating older cars and trucks. Perhaps it’s the longing for the simplicity of a bygone era or perhaps it’s the sentimental attachment to a particular vehicle that’s driving the retro movement. Although in the Rustbelt East, the survival rate of these vehicles is probably very low, their survival rate is very high in the arid West ….