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Inside Global (Generic) OBD-II

The engine control module (ECM) could just as correctly be referred to as the emissions control module. Its primary function is to ensure that tailpipe emissions remain at or below the emissions standards to which the vehicle was originally certified. The ECM turns on...

Time-Saving Tip for Bleeding Stubborn Brakes (VIDEO)

Description Some brake jobs can turn into headaches when small air bubbles get trapped within the caliper itself. To resolve the problem, you could pump the brakes over and over, or you could try this handy suggestion to free the air bubble and move on with the brake...

Shop Profile: Hansville Repair

It’s a small village, but Hansville, Washington makes a grand first impression. As Hansville Road crests a hill and descends into town, a breathtaking panorama unfolds—Puget Sound, Whidbey Island, and distant Mount Baker stretched across the windshield like a...

Mastering the Numbers

Running an auto repair shop is about more than just fixing cars. While providing top-notch service is essential, managing a truly successful business also depends on understanding and acting on the financial barometers of the operation. One of the most important of...

Don’t Overlook This Step When Servicing Brakes (VIDEO)

Description A brake service job isn’t complete unless the reservoir cap’s diaphragm has been pushed back into place. This simple step is easy to forget, but it helps to reduce brake fluid contamination and ensure proper system function.Related Videos

Watch This Video On Dry Sump Oil Systems

Recently, I was talking with Shop Press head honcho (Chief Bottle Washer—Ed.) Lemmy about something I wasn’t familiar with: dry sump oil systems. If you’re a newer tech who hasn’t worked on any high-end sports cars, you also might not be familiar with these systems....

Junkyard therapy. It’s my kind of therapy.

Junkyard therapy. It’s my kind of therapy.

For some folks it’s fishing. For others it’s golf. But when I feel like dropping off the grid for a couple hours of “me” time, I head out for a walk in the park—in the junkyard. Actually let me clarify that, because not all junkyards are the kind of junkyard where I...
The worst cars are the best classrooms

The worst cars are the best classrooms

In my line of work it helps if you like cars. It helps even more if you love ‘em. Which I do, and far more than they deserve to be loved as inanimate objects. That misplaced affection—along with the fact that I bore easily—also helps explain why I’ve had so many....
March Automotive Horoscopes

March Automotive Horoscopes

Aries: The rhythm in your current workflow gives stability and predictability. Don’t lose it! Your service writer will have plenty of work for you soon. Lean on your focus to plow through your list of tasks, and use any down time to organize your personal space. You...
TECHNICIAN CHALLENGE: The Mystery Box

TECHNICIAN CHALLENGE: The Mystery Box

TECHNICIAN CHALLENGE: The Mystery Box Description So much in the repair world relies upon feel—but it’s not so often you don’t have sight to aid you in your work. Watch as a few Dormanites attempt to identify auto parts using just the sense of touch and...
Your customers are using their HVAC systems wrong

Your customers are using their HVAC systems wrong

“Hey, you. Yeah, you driving with your windows all fogged up on the inside. I’ll betcha 10 bucks there’s one setting on your ventilation system—you know what, let’s make that two—that you’re using completely wrong for the conditions you’re driving in.” You probably...