Shop Press - Auto Repair News & Ideas

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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FEATURE STORY

Hot Off the Press

Stainless doesn’t mean stain-proof; just ask Tesla Cybertruck owners

Two years ago, I posted a piece wondering if stainless steel cars were finally having their moment. I wrote about the introduction of the Tesla Cybertruck and the announcement of a new DeLorean, both of which were to be clad in stainless steel body panels. I also...

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.

Fuse box-compatible circuit breakers are the ultimate spares when space is limited

My brother and I both work in vehicle repair, and he sure got my attention when he gave me a set of resettable blade “fuses” to try out. These devices are actually fuse-shaped circuit breakers, and my new kit of six breakers goes up to 30A in 5A increments—just right...

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

Easy tests for diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) contamination (VIDEO)

Description DEF is easy to contaminate, and fortunately, it's also easy to test. Check to be sure that your customers' DEF is up to spec with these simple tests.Related Videos

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...

EVs go through tires quicker: here’s what that means for your shop.

Recently, my Shop Press colleague Andy wrote a piece about vehicle weights increasing and whether your lifts can handle it. Much of that increase in weight is due to hybrid and electric vehicles, which can be especially heavy with their batteries and motors. That...

Separate gasket – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

Description Which of the following is LEAST LIKELY to require a separate gasket for installation?A) EGR valve B) Exhaust manifold C) Oxygen sensor D) TurbochargerMore ASE Practice Questions

Dead Battery? (Video)

Diagnosing the cause of a battery drain can be a challenge today.

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Rules of the torque wrench, explained

Rules of the torque wrench, explained

A helpful video investigation of proper (and improper) torque wrench techniques and habits.

The cars of Stephen King stories: books and film adaptations

The cars of Stephen King stories: books and film adaptations

It’s much more than just Christine.

Shop Profile: Top Auto Center

Just when you thought The Golden Rule was out of style, this independent repair shop and used car sales center proves otherwise.

SHOP STUFF

Auto care news and advice you can use.

Watch This Video on the Inventor Who Put Lead in Gasoline

Watch This Video on the Inventor Who Put Lead in Gasoline

He also synthesized chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Sketching Skodas

Sketching Skodas

Stevan Ivanov strives to give a little-known brand its rightful place in automotive history.

Turbocharger repair and replacement: What you need to know (VIDEO)

Turbocharger repair and replacement: What you need to know (VIDEO)

Not so long ago, forced induction was mostly limited to high-performance sports cars and diesel trucks. Join Lemmy and Nick for a deep dive into modern forced induction systems and the parts that keep them running.

Better ops with SOPs

Better ops with SOPs

Why you should use standard operating procedures for customer communications.

Cars that make you think of something specific

Cars that make you think of something specific

Chances are you’re going to have a Pavlovian response when seeing one of these vehicles.

ABOUT SHOP PRESS

Shop Press is the news and idea hub for everything related to working on cars and trucks, focusing on repair, technology, and wrenching lifestyle. With interesting stories from around the world, features on creative people and solutions, and all kinds of other stuff that’ll make you use your mind and your hands.

SHOP STUFF

Auto care news and advice you can use.

The Tightwad’s Way To Install Any Wheel Bearing Race

The Tightwad’s Way To Install Any Wheel Bearing Race

Stop beating your sockets to death.

Using voltage to locate electrical faults

Using voltage to locate electrical faults

Understanding how voltage is used in an electrical circuit can help your troubleshooting.

How do you handle billing shop supplies?

How do you handle billing shop supplies?

You ARE accounting for them, right?

Fixing cracked plastic parts with a hot staple tool (VIDEO)

Fixing cracked plastic parts with a hot staple tool (VIDEO)

When plastic parts break, sometimes replacements can be prohibitively expensive or hard to find. Learn how to use a hot staple tool to salvage broken plastics for auto repairs and other projects.

How stop drilling can help to save cracked parts (VIDEO)

How stop drilling can help to save cracked parts (VIDEO)

Learn how stop drilling can help to prevent cracks from propagating with a little know-how and a drill.

VIDEOS

Fronting & facing and staging orders: the fast track to the wholesale parts counter

Fronting & facing and staging orders: the fast track to the wholesale parts counter

Putting up freight and pulling orders is more than busywork. It’s tuition.

Watch how magnetizer/demagnetizer tools work in this excellent video

Watch how magnetizer/demagnetizer tools work in this excellent video

Demagnetizers demystified.

Tool review: Klein 3255 bull pin

Tool review: Klein 3255 bull pin

You can’t beat it. Well, actually, you can.