Want to Become a TPMS Expert?
Even if you consider the extra stress TPMS has introduced into our lives, we cannot overlook the benefits. The consequences of improper tire inflation are numerous.
The Humble Mechanic’s Top 5 Favorite Tools
I know you guys share your favorite tools in the Top 5 Tools column, so I thought it would be fitting to kick things off by sharing with you my Top 5 Favorite shop tools. And I snuck an extra one in there, so it’s really more like six.
Electronics Continue to Change the Game
The new electronics packages in vehicles have changed and added challenges to the way we do business, says writer Mitch Becker. They have also created a lot of frustration.
Fuel Pumps and Scan Tools – A Match Made in Heaven
With a scan tool, it’s possible to verify if the modules controlling the fuel pump are receiving the correct data, such as oil pressure, crank position and key position. Some late-model imports have even turned the fuel pump into its own module or node on the high-speed serial data bus.
Spray Guns: Ensuring Success in the Paint Shop
Today’s quality spray guns are precision instruments. Quality spray guns can be used for many years, so do your research up front.
12 Tool and Equipment Manufacturers Earn TechShop’s 2015 Top 5 Tools Award
Award-winning companies are determined based on the number of times a company or product is mentioned by shop owners and technicians in the 2015 issues of TechShop in the Top 5 Favorite Tools section.
The Ins And Outs Of Sanders
Sanders are required tools in today’s collision repair shop. Whether you’re prepping a panel for paint or removing imperfections before delivery, having the quality tool and quality abrasive in your hands makes the difference between an unhappy and a satisfied customer.
On-Car Wheel Balancing And Wheel-To-Hub Indexing
Off-car wheel balancers do an excellent job of measuring dynamic unbalance and many also measure tire/wheel uniformity, radial runout or calculate radial force variation to help eliminate vibration and verify the assembly is balanced and round when rolling.
13 Alternator & Battery Testing Tips
If only battery voltage is present at the battery on a running engine, does this mean the alternator is “bad”? No, it does not. All too often the alternator is condemned by technicians due to this test alone. And that’s just tip No. 1. Check out the other 12.
Machining Rotors – Are You Giving Away This Service?
You may believe that machining rotors is unprofitable when compared to installing new rotors, but the opposite is true. Labor in a shop does not take up inventory and does not have to be delivered by a parts store. You just have to make machining a line item on the repair order, instead of giving it away with every brake job.
U0100 Code: ECM/PCM Communication
In this Pulling Codes case, we document a U0100 code – a no communication issue with the PCM on a 2010 Dodge Caravan. With scan tools and scopes, contributor Carlton Banks diagnoses and solves the vehicle’s mysterious issues.
Maximizing Tools: It’s Just A Phase; Oscilloscopes Help Find Intermittent or No-Code Problems
As cars become more technologically advanced, the number of electronic units, sensors and actuators steadily increases. However, control modules may not recognize all faults. In order to accurately and correctly diagnose problems, it may be necessary to rely on data from a DMM or an oscilloscope.
