Tech Tip: Timing Belt Replacement – Safeguarding Your Customers’ Vehicles From Major Engine Damage
Although better materials and manufacturing technology have extended the timing belt replacement intervals on many nameplates, timing belt replacements remain one of the most profitable scheduled maintenance services.
Management: Loss Leader, Lost Cause?
It seems like there are always certain services that are routinely performed by repair facilities at a loss. Sure, they might generate enough revenue to pay for the direct expenses of doing the job, such as parts and technician labor, however, they often fail to make their needed contribution to the overhead expenses of owning the shop to begin with. It’s that failure to contribute to the bottom line profits that make the service a "loss" to the company.
Loss Leader: Lost Cause?
It seems like there are always certain services that are routinely performed by repair facilities at a loss. Sure, they might generate enough revenue to pay for the direct expenses of doing the job, such as parts and technician labor, however, they often fail to make their needed contribution to the overhead expenses of owning
VW OBD II Revisited: Good Vehicle Service History Helps Determine Causes of Repeat Failures
After 10-plus years of dealing with OBD II, it should be apparent that we are on a learning curve that probably has no end. Almost daily we have a VAG model come into the shop with a check engine light on, or a “state OBD II failure” form. Although we have the latest scanner software
Servicing Ford 4-Cylinders: Contour, Escort, EXP, Focus, Probe, Ranger & Tempo
Ford has used a variety of four cylinder engines over the years, ranging in displacement from 1.6 to 2.5 liters (see engine application chart on page 22). All of these engines are overhead cam engines, some with a single cam others with dual cams, and all have timing belts that need to be replaced at
Tech Tip: Water Pumps – Why They Fail and When to Replace Them
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 value of the mechanical energy coming out of the engine. The remainder of combustion heat must then be dissipated into the atmosphere through the exhaust, lubrication and cooling systems.
Selling Services: Selling the Scope to Your Customer
While replacing a blown head gasket and re-torquing the head bolts, you reach into your tool box and grab your 1/2-inch impact and rattle the bolts down. Just kidding! You would reach for your torque wrench and accurately follow the manufacturer recommendations for torque patterns and values. To guarantee a quality repair, an accurate torque
Timing Belt Replacement: Safeguarding Your Customers’ Vehicles From Major Engine Damage
Although better materials and manufacturing technology have extended the timing belt replacement intervals on many nameplates, timing belt replacements remain one of the most profitable scheduled maintenance services. They continue to be profitable because many other scheduled services like spark plug replacements, filter replacements, coolant changes and transmission fluid changes can be packaged with a
Tech Tip: Basic Cylinder Head Gasket Installation Tips
For a successful repair, the cylinder head gasket must seal fuel, air, vacuum, hot pressurized combustion gases, coolant, as well as high and low pressure oil. The following tips will help ensure that a quality repair is made.
Mileage Maintenance
A mere 0.7 of a mile does not sound like much, it is about 3,700 feet, or less than one-third the distance around Daytona International Speedway. On average, the U.S. population of vehicles will get 20 miles per gallon (including light trucks and passenger vehicles). A 0.7 of a mile improvement represents only a 3.5