It’s been asked of every new mechanic for more than a century. Does it matter in 2025?
“Can you drive a stick?”
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HOT OFF THE PRESS
What’s Torque-to-Angle All About?
It’s like torquing a bolt, but with an extra twist.
Hybrid A/C Compressor Oil-ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)
On a hybrid vehicle’s air conditioning system that utilizes a high voltage electrical compressor, can only the oil specified by the vehicle manufacturer be used in the compressor or is PAG oil acceptable for use in an electric vehicle’s compressor?
Troubleshooting a “No A/C Compressor Engagement” Fault
Why a compressor clutch doesn’t engage, and tips to find the cause quickly.
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.
What are Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and Why are They Important?
A nationwide framework of safety regulations has transformed vehicle design and saved countless lives since its introduction in 1968.
Betcha Haven’t Serviced the Tool You Use on Every Job
The most dangerous piece of equipment in a shop is often the most neglected.
The Other Way to Use a File that Many Mechanics Don’t Know (VIDEO)
Need a smooth finish on a part you’re cleaning up with a file? Lemmy shows how draw filing can achieve a clean result with a totally different method of holding a traditional file.
Commercials That Make Technicians and Dealers the Stars of the Show
Here are some outlandish—and not so outlandish—examples of mechanic and dealership TV commercials.
Store stuff in your glove box? Thank automobile pioneer Dorothy Levitt (VIDEO)
Ever wonder why virtually all cars and trucks have glove boxes? A visionary woman and her little book about driving changed in-vehicle storage over a hundred years ago.
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SHOP STUFF
Auto care news and advice you can use.
Service Writers: Don’t Leave Your Greatest Diag Tool in the Shop
Techs can’t solve the problem that can’t be found
Time-Saving Tip for Bleeding Stubborn Brakes (VIDEO)
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 bleed process.
Shop Profile: Hansville Repair
71 years of success started at the end of the road.
Do You Know the Right Way to Use Rasps and Files? (VIDEO)
Any technician will have a few files in the toolbox for material removal jobs. But are you using these tools with the correct technique?
Mastering the Numbers
A practical approach to auto repair shop management.
VIDEOS
Compression Testing | ASE Practice Questions (VIDEO)
All four cylinders are below specification by about the same amount. After performing a wet compression test, values remained unchanged. What could cause this condition?
When a Voltmeter Isn’t Enough (Video)
Many high-end scan tools come with a capable digital storage oscilloscope. Time to put that tool to work.
Which Is Faster: A Spark Plug Firing or a Fuel Injector Spraying? (VIDEO)
Did you know that a modern fuel injection system can fire off multiple sprays in the same time it takes for a spark to jump across a plug?