Coolant Service
It’s Getting Hotter Out There; Know How to Keep Your Customers Cool Coolant testers, pressure testers, flushers and exchangers. These are the tools and equipment shops need to keep their customers’ cooling systems cool. We’ve had an unusually hot summer this year. Record high temperatures across the country have left many vehicles steaming alongside the
Diagnostic Solutions: Profitable Radiator Service…Targeted Troubleshooting Procedures Are a Must
Unlike their soldered-brass predecessors, today’s aluminum-core, plastic-tank radiators are not only environmentally friendly, they are lightweight, easy to service, less costly to produce, and very efficient at keeping modern, high-output engines operating at optimum temperature. Because of their affordability and because they can be inspected while removed for a timing belt replacement or other front-mounted
Kia Maintenance & Service Solutions
MASTER CYLINDER DIAGNOSIS Easy Fixes For Elusive Intermittent Problems While Kia offers a 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, well-documented maintenance is an important part of keeping that warranty valid. With regular maintenance required at 30,000 miles and timing belts at 60,000 miles, owners will be looking for quality service. Rather than delve into the service nuts and
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
Component Connection: 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% 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
Clearing Up the Cooling System Confusion
Would you believe cooling system failures are the No. 1 cause of mechanical breakdowns on the highway? That’s what statistics published by the U.S. Department of Transportation tell us. It’s not surprising considering how badly most cooling systems are neglected these days. In April, the Car Care Council offered motorists free vehicle inspections at more
Component Connection:Becoming a Better Belts & Hose Inspector
Accessory drive belts and coolant hose replacements are perhaps the most popular and lucrative add-on services in the independent repair shop. Because belt and hose inspections are included in auto manufacturers’ scheduled maintenance charts, service writers at most well-managed shops recommend a belt and hose inspection along with tuneup, oil change, starting, charging, cooling, air
Universal Coolants: The Ultimate Answer?
For nearly a decade, vehicle manufacturers have been introducing and using a variety of extended-life coolants. The only thing these coolants have in common is that they all seem to differ in formulation and color. There are orange coolants, green coolants, blue coolants, red coolants, yellow coolants, even pink ones. The proliferation of different coolant
Temperature Control Essentials: Pinpointing the Causes of Cooling System Failures
Managing heat is definitely a hot job these days. The cooling systems in most late-model import passenger cars have been downsized to reduce weight and bulk. At the same time, most new cars and trucks are now factory equipped with air conditioning, which puts an added strain on the cooling system’s ability to manage heat.
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