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The Stories Spark Plugs Have to Tell (VIDEO)

Description In the days of carbureted engines, mechanics would always take a moment to examine the spark plugs they were replacing as part of a routine tune-up. The plugs often provided valuable information as to how well the engine was performing and whether there...

Service Managers: Buy Brake Fluid by the Pint

If you’re in charge of ordering the supplies for your shop, volume discounts are great when they come along. Sniff them out where you can. But brake fluid is different! Buy it in bulk, but buy it in the smallest containers you can get away with. The reason? Brake...

Six Ways to Best Protect Yourself from Keyless Car Theft (For Now)

In 2023, a record number of vehicles were stolen in the United States; 1,020,729 vehicles to be exact. While that number has declined over the past couple of years (850,708 in 2024 and 659,880 in 2025), car thieves haven’t given up. In fact, they’re finding more...

Don’t Forget to Season the Automobiles, Mechanics!

I guess after you watch the following video, you won’t need much commentary. I thought this was common knowledge, but as I’ll explain in a moment, I may be wrong.I thought it necessary because a good friend at an independent repair facility recently bemoaned the fact...

Coolant Service – ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)

Description Technician A and Technician B are discussing proper cooling system maintenance. Technician A says that time and mileage should be considered but are not the only factors to consider when recommending a cooling system service to a customer. Technician B...

What are Frits? (And Why Does Almost Every Car Have Them?)

It’s a pretty safe bet that most younger techs haven’t heard of frits before. Not one single customer, ever, has come into your shop looking for some help with a frit problem. So while this article won’t help you turn bays faster or improve your diagnostic skills,...

Cat DTC Diagnosis (P0420) – ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)

Description Technician A and Technician B are discussing the troubleshooting procedure for a P0420 (Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold) DTC. Technician A says that the presence of any other codes should be considered first before replacing the converter. Technician B...

What Shape Is a Piston?

At this late date, if you work in a standard automotive facility servicing late-model vehicles, it’s probably infrequently you even see—let alone think about—pistons. However, if you are in a rebuild shop, a race environment, or the antique space, seeing a set of...