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Shop Press is the news and idea hub for everything related to working on cars and trucks, focusing on repair, technology, and wrenching lifestyle.

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Can’t break that crank bolt loose? You need a crank socket (VIDEO)

How to test for blown fuses in a car or truck | Fast and easy method Description Crank fasteners are often a real pain to remove. And sometimes, even expensive impact wrenches and large breaker bars struggle to remove them. A crank socket is just the ticket for these...

So you want to restore a classic or build a kit car? Think twice.

For reasons that have more to do with personality than pragmatism, I recently considered anew the possibility of restoring a classic car, or perhaps building a kit car. It’s an itch I’ve thought about scratching since the days when Popular Mechanics regularly featured...

EGR system – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

Description Under what conditions would the EGR system be expected to be operational?A) Cold engine, full throttle B) Hot engine, idle C) Hot engine, full throttle D) Hot engine, part throttleMore ASE Practice Questions

A low-tech favor you can perform for every customer (and yourself)

In the modern age, it’s plenty easy to pull a vehicle’s service history; even the smallest shops have implemented shop management software. Paper tracking has become less and less important as time has marched on. Similarly, customers are less and less likely to keep...

ASE test prep requires more than sample questions (VIDEO)

Description Do you have a study guide to prepare for your ASE exams? Which parts of that study guide do you use the most? Dorman Training Center instructor Pete Meier explains why you need to look at more than the sample question section in the back of the...

The TPMS tool that pays for itself

If you’re a regular Shop Press reader, you’ve met Chris before. (He’s hilariously identified some dash lights and also is better at identifying auto parts by feel than anyone else I know.) I’ve worked here for a while, but his tenure bests mine. The other day we were...

Tapping V6 – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

Description Two technicians are examining a tapping sound coming from a V6 engine. Technician A says the noise could be caused by a bent pushrod. Technician B says the noise could be caused by escaping exhaust gas. Who is correct?More ASE Practice Questions

Buy once, cry once: Auto parts that are worth the extra cost (VIDEO)

Description We’ve all heard the expression “buy once, cry once,” and for some auto parts, those are words of wisdom. For others, the extra costs are unnecessary, and economical parts can be used instead. It’s up to you to explain the differences to your customers....

The best auto racing movies to convert non-racing fans

The best auto racing movies to convert non-racing fans

by | Mar 23, 2023

There are two kinds of people in the world: race fans and people who haven’t watched these movies. If you’re not a fan, auto racing may seem like sort of the Earth-borne equivalent of space exploration: an oddly unsatisfying venture hallmarked by astronomical costs...
Is your shop ready for the 4-day work week?

Is your shop ready for the 4-day work week?

by | Feb 16, 2023

You’re probably already familiar with a growing movement to shorten the typical work week to just four days. Business journals, TV news, and social media outlets have covered the subject exhaustively in the last year or so, often in the same breath as “COVID-19” and...
A day in the life of a service writer (VIDEO)

A day in the life of a service writer (VIDEO)

by | Jan 19, 2023

A day in the life of a service writer (VIDEO) Description The hardest job in an automotive shop might just be that of the service writer. Taking heat from the boss, the techs, and the customers isn’t easy. That the role is for dynamic individuals becomes...
It’s totally fine to run your fuel tank down to empty

It’s totally fine to run your fuel tank down to empty

by | Jan 5, 2023

One of the pieces of automotive wisdom that’s been repeated by publications and mechanics alike for ages is that it’s not good to run a fuel tank below some arbitrary fill point, like a quarter of a tank. At some point, that probably wasn’t bad advice. But today? It’s...