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Harmonic balancers – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

Description Technician A says a defective harmonic balancer can affect the accuracy of ignition timing readings. Technician B says a defective harmonic balancer can damage the crank. Who is correct?More ASE Practice Questions

Technicians vs. DIYers: How well can you gauge tire pressure? (VIDEO)

Description After seating the bead on a new tire, the valve core needs to be installed and the tire inflated to the correct pressure. Some techs can air up a tire, install the core and land right on the target final pressure… but it’s not as easy as it looks. In this...

Smarter, not harder: relative compression testing

Pete Meier, one of our Dorman Training Center instructors, is a pretty smart cat. Since the day I’ve met him, he’s made it clear that the lab scope is one of his favorite tools and that not using one is a mistake. Now I’ve put a lot of miles on my DVOM over the years,...

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...

What’s the next big powerplant fad?

What’s the next big powerplant fad?

Some engine styles aren’t always in fashion, you know. As technology stamps its way down the path of progress, things change, and what worked yesterday doesn’t always work today. Engines were fairly staid for a long time, and depending on when your life started, what...
How long should a car last?

How long should a car last?

Have you priced a car recently? The Monroney sticker on every car has a bigger number at the bottom each year, but since COVID-19 disrupted supply chains, it seems that prices have really gone haywire. According to Lendingtree, the average car loan is 69.7 months in...
Can we please update the Check Engine light?

Can we please update the Check Engine light?

If you have a cell phone in your pocket, your “phone” app probably has an icon that looks like an old-timey handset, like you’d find on a corded phone. That icon, of course, works best for those who understand that link. However, more often I am seeing an icon which...