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Low-mileage JDM automatics: Worthwhile or worthless? (VIDEO)

Description Nick and Lemmy check out a flex plate from an imported Japanese automatic transmission with very few miles under its belt. Even so, Nick explains why nobody really wants these transmissions or parts… and why many of them end up in the scrapyard.

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,...

The real history behind the fake turboencabulator (VIDEO)

The real history behind the fake turboencabulator (VIDEO)

I forget when I first saw the turbo encabulator video, but it was a long time ago, early in my life as a wrench. I came to understand most mechanics had seen it and was a bit of an in-joke, but had no idea it neither originated in the automotive industry nor was the...
Whaddya call two hybrid Toyotas?

Whaddya call two hybrid Toyotas?

No, it’s not a dad joke. Mike Principato and I recently were wondering what the plural of “Prius” is, because we needed to reference multiple vehicles in some copy. Now, even though we get paid to sling words around this joint, we don’t work in Latin too much, and I...
Detroit geology: all about Fordite, an automotive gemstone

Detroit geology: all about Fordite, an automotive gemstone

Ever heard of Fordite? Fordite, often called Detroit agate or motor agate, isn’t a rock at all. In fact, it has nothing at all to do with geology—but it’s not very different than a sedimentary rock. Unlike sedimentary formations, Fordite is not composed of layers of...
Can ICE vehicles be outlawed?

Can ICE vehicles be outlawed?

Since I was small, one of the things I’ve found marvelous about cars in America is the concept that old cars are always allowed. By this, I mean that once a car rolls off the assembly line in the USA, its owner can use it to traverse the roads of the nation and...