2004 Underhood Service Repair Market Industry Profile
Welcome to the 2004 Underhood Service Repair Market Industry Profile, our in-depth report of the independent automotive repair market. Our profile below highlights many elements that are a part of doing business in today’s repair shops. The information presented is a good indicator to make short-term predictions about these independent automotive repair shops. It’s also
News: Underhood Service
CARQUEST Selects 2004 TECH-NET Professional/ASE Technician of the Year Raleigh, NC – Richard Robb of Elkhorn, WI, has been named the 2004 TECH-NET Professional/ASE Technician of the Year. Owner of Hi-Tech Automotive, Robb is an ASE-certified master automobile technician with L-1 certification. He was selected for the award after meeting the criteria set by CARQUEST
Team ASE – in the Air, Over Land and in the Water
What Would You Do?- Readers Respond
Editor’s Notebook: Wanted! All Skilled, Expert Technicians
Newly released numbers from the National Car Care Month inspection campaign paint a vivid image of the maintenance landscape of this nation’s vehicle fleet. And, it’s not a pretty picture. Inspection lanes conducted throughout the country this past April revealed an 87% failure rate among vehicles that were inspected. Concurrently, the number of miles driven
The Fuel Injector Market and System Configurations
Looking back into automotive history, it’s hard to believe that carburetors were still being installed on import vehicles as late as 1989! But carburetors require all sorts of external vacuum and electronic gimmickry to control the cold-starting, fast idle, hot idle and low-speed cruise functions. Electronic fuel injection has since replaced carburetors in all import
Carburetor Repairs & Recalibrations
As a follow-up to “Dusting Off Fuel System Fossils” in April’s edition of Underhood Service, I will share many driveability concerns and emissions failures that I’ve repaired by rebuilding, and sometimes modifying, certain carb circuits. But before diving into a carburetor rebuild or recalibration, be certain that you understand the system you’re working on, including
Aftermarket Update: Underhood Serivce, July 2004
ASA Offers Right to Repair Course Beford, TX – In an effort to educate the automotive service and repair industry about the availability of service information, the Automotive Service Association (ASA) now offers a three-hour seminar, “You Have the Right to Repair.” The course will be offered at several ASA affiliate events this year and
How Engine Oil Becomes Engine Sludge
Fresh engine oil is a clear, free-flowing liquid blend of base stock and additives that contains no fuel, water, coolant, dirt or other contaminants. In engines that have failed prematurely, the oil has very often been transformed into a high viscosity deposit of brown or black goo, commonly referred to as “sludge.” When regular engine
Ford Timing Belts & Chains
Timing belt and chain replacement is one service that isn’t going away any time soon. Most Ford engines with overhead cam timing belts have a recommended replacement interval of 60,000 miles to 120,000 miles depending on the application (see the chart on page 54). So if a customer is driving a vehicle that is more
Editor’s Notebook
With the month of June comes graduation ceremonies and commencement speeches that are filled with emotion and congratulatory remarks, words of encouragement, and challenges to graduates to fulfill their dreams, make their mark on society and change the world to make it a better place. These “dreams foster goals, and achievement brings success” messages should