SSGM Service Station and Garage Management READ BY AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP OWNERS AND TECHNICIANS SINCE 1955
SEPTEMBER 2012
Winter Readiness • Hybrid Training • Engine Flushing
www.ssgm.com
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It started with a spark... but it’s our entire product line that has everybody talking.
For more information, visit densoaftermarket.com/ssgm ©2012 DENSO Sales California, Inc. All rights reserved. First Time Fit® is a registered trademark of DENSO Sales California, Inc.
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SSGM what’s inside September 2012
Vol. 42 No. 7
Service Station and Garage Management
EDITOR Tom Venetis (416) 510-6790 tom@ssgm.com TECHNICAL EDITOR Jim Anderton jim@ssgm.com CONTRIBUTING WRITER Nestor Gula PUBLISHER Marc Gadbois (416) 510-6776 marc@ssgm.com SALES MANAGER Jay Armstrong (416) 510-6745 ACCOUNT MANAGER Jim Petsis (416) 510-6842 CIRCULATION MANAGER Selina Rahaman (416) 442-5600 ext 3528 srahaman@bizinfogroup.ca SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Roshni Thava (416) 442-5600 ext 3555 ART DIRECTOR Ron Taylor
See Page 14
PRODUCTION MANAGER Steve Hofmann (416) 510-6757
See Page 32
PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER Phyllis Wright
Winter Maintenance Selling winter maintenance begins with customer education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Engine Flush
VICE PRESIDENT CANADIAN PUBLISHING Alex Papanou PRESIDENT BUSINESS INFORMATION GROUP Bruce Creighton
Don’t Panic! Today’s cleaners are safe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE
Hybrid Training More training resources are available for those who work on hybrid vehicles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Shop Profile RDV Mechanical tackles challenges North of 60. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Tire Test Pirelli puts new winter tires to the test in Russia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Departments Editorial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Jim’s Rant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Baywatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Internet Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Advertiser Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
*For BlackBerrys: Go to your BlackBerry messenger and select Scan Barcode. *For iPhones: Use the App Store to download Beetagg Reader Pro.
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“We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.”
In association with CANADIAN
AUTOMOTIVE Technician
Inc.
HEAD OFFICE Business Information Group 80 Valleybrook Drive Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Contact us via one of the following methods: Telephone: 416-442-5600 Facsimile: 416-510-5169 Website: www.ssgm.com Service Station and Garage Management is published by BIG Magazines LP, a div. of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., a leading Canadian information company with interests in daily and community newspapers and business-to-business information services. Subscription rates: Canada $51.95 + HST + applicable taxes per year; $82.95 + HST + applicable taxes for 2 years; single copy price $7.00 + $0.42 HST + applicable taxes. USA $91.95US per year; single copy price $10.00US. All other foreign in US $93.95 per year. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. US office of publication: 2424 Niagara Falls Blvd, Niagara Falls, NY 14304-5709. Periodicals Postage Paid at Niagara Falls, NY. USPS #009-192. US postmaster: Send address changes to Service Station and Garage Management, PO Box 1118, Niagara Falls, NY 14304. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Dept., Service Station and Garage Management, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Totonto, ON M3B 2S9. Postmaster: please forward forms 29B and 67B to 80 Valleybrook Drive, Totonto, ON M3B 2S9. Printed in Canada. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in full without the consent of the copyright owner. From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us. Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations Publications Mail Agreement #40069240 Print edition ISSN 0381-548X On-line edition ISSN 1923-3396 Member of
Inc.
o o of e b er ree e or
www.ssgm.com
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THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF SERVICE? THE PARTS. Start the job right with genuine Motorcraft® parts, the only parts manufactured specifically for Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Take our replacement spark plugs, designed for maximum reliability. For the best quality and more satisfied customers, choose Motorcraft® parts from your local Ford Store. See dealer for details.
Motorcraft® spark plugs are designed gned es to fit nearly all competitive makes e and and models for most automotive many specialty applications.
Motorcraft® is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. ©2012 Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. All rights reserved.
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|| Tom’s Editorial
The 55 MPG
Future T By Tom Venetis, Editor
If technicians are startled by the number of systems in today’s vehicles, they are going to be stunned by what is likely to be found in 2025 vehicles. Think of how different cellular phones are today from what their cousins were capable of only a decade earlier.
here are going to be some very big changes to automotive technologies coming over the next 20 years. During the month of August, the Obama Administration finalized new standards for vehicle fuel economy. By 2025, all new cars and light-duty trucks produced in the United States will be mandated to achieve the equivalent of 54.5 MPG. Combined with previous standards set by the administration, it will effectively double the fuel efficiency compared with what is currently on the road today. Vehicle makers and parts manufacturers will invest heavily in innovative technologies and radical new engine designs to meet those standards. There is going to be an emphasis on more advanced computer control systems to improve engine performance and fuel consumption. Aftermarket parts suppliers will keep pace. The impact to our industry will be immense. First off, technicians and apprentices in the coming years will have to familiarize themselves with a new range of vehicle technologies. Their skill sets will change in order to work on the new engines that will come down the assembly lines. They will also need to be ready to spend a lot more time working with complex vehicle electronics. If technicians are startled by the number of systems in today’s vehicles, they are going to be stunned by what is likely to be found in 2025 vehicles. Think of how different cellular phones are today from what their cousins were capable of only a decade earlier. The change is startling. For independents, these new mileage standards will bring profound changes to their business operations. It will not mean the standard oil change and tire rotation will disappear, although you will likely be dealing with new oil formulation specifications and more advanced TPMS systems. Instead, there is going to be a greater emphasis on diagnostic work, on technicians spending more time using advanced computer-based tools to access the onboard computer systems for even the most basic of maintenance and repair work. Along with the investment in tools, there is going to have to be a greater investment in technician training focusing on the electronics as well as the mechanical aspect of vehicle maintenance and repair. You may likely see a technician spending as much time going through complex diagnostic screens, electronic schematics and downloading needed vehicle updates to maintain these news engines as you will see them spinning a wrench. What can be said for certain is the technicians of 2025 and beyond are not so much going to be different breed from what we see today. It is just they are going to be doing a lot of different and more complex things.
What do you think? Have your say and speak your mind! letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com 6 SSGM September 2012
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www.ssgm.com
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|| News Briefs WORLDPAC’s Bob Cushing Announces Passing of Peter Klotz
Peter Klotz
It is with a heavy heart I announce the passing of Peter Klotz, our vicepresident, Advanced Planning and Global Supply. All of us on the WORLDPAC Team are deeply saddened by the loss of a special colleague, friend and admired teammate. Peter was with us for a short seven years and his contributions were instrumental in our success and will continue towards our future success. His overall dedication, commitment, knowledge and experience in building WORLDPAC to be an industry leader will be missed. Peter was a key driver of several strategic projects including our Global Sourcing initiatives, developing Quality Control Assurance standards and recruiting key global suppliers. Peter was greatly admired and well respected throughout the industry. He started his automotive career at Denso, as vice-president, Aftermarket Planning Group. Peter introduced the Denso independent aftermarket program known as ‘Denso First Time Fit’ brand products. He was an active member and contributor with the Auto International Association (AIA), vicechairman of the AIA Executive Leadership Council and Chairman of the Awards Committee. All of us at WORLDPAC will greatly miss his fun loving spirit. We all have been fortunate enough to know and work with Peter, a very dear friend to all of us. 8 SSGM September 2012
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Identifix Direct-Hit Subscriber Base Grows
Identifix, Inc. announced three significant milestones for the company’s online tool, Direct-Hit. Direct-Hit has exceeded 35,000 subscribers, with the number of vehicle look ups reaching 15 million per year. These numbers are up from 25,000 subscribers with 12 million look ups in 2010. In addition, Identifix reports that the number of Hotline Archives has reached 525,000, which represents a 25,000 increase in Hotline Archives over the past six months alone. “These new milestones are a result of technicians’ ongoing need for diagnostic and repair information and the value they see in not only what DirectHit delivers, but the speed at which we make it available,” said Jeff Sweet, president at Identifix. “We never stop listening to our customers, whether they’re telling us what fixed the vehicle they looked up, or letting us know what we can do better. Our customers’ feedback enables us to enhance our online tool with relevant content for our current subscribers, which also helps to attract new customers that want to be more productive.” Direct-Hit delivers diagnostic and repair information faster than any other online system by eliminating the frustration of time-consuming factory flowcharts with short-cut tests and confirmed fix procedures created from over 3.8 million calls to the Identifix Repair Hotline. Collected from over 100,000 technicians in the field, these fixes are validated by the company’s staff of over 45 ASE Master L1 Carline Specialists.
Cardone Industries Appoints New CEO
Cardone Industries announced the appointment of Kevin Cramton as Chief Executive Officer. Cramton, who will assume his duties in September, will succeed Michael Cardone Jr. Cardone will remain as Chairman and owner of the company. Cramton brings to Cardone more than 25 years of experience in the general and financial management of leading and growing businesses. Most
recently, he served as CEO of Revstone Industries, a major supplier of highly engineered automotive components. Before that, he served as Managing Director of RHJ International (Ripplewood Holdings), a publicly traded investment holding company where he was responsible for overseeing portfolio companies. During his tenure at Ripplewood Holdings, Cramton chaired the Board of Niles, an Asian automotive electronics manufacturer, where he led the business to record profitability following a successful 20-year career as a Ford Motor Company executive whose assignments carried him all over the globe. “We are tremendously excited that Kevin Cramton has agreed to join our company and our board,” said Michael Cardone Jr. “He brings an outstanding record of values-based leadership, managerial expertise, and experience with both privately and publicly held businesses. The Cardone Family looks forward to working with Kevin and our board as we continue to invest in the growth opportunities for the Remanufacturing Industry.” “I am very excited to join Cardone as we develop and execute a strategy to continue to grow the business and better serve our customers,” Cramton said. “Cardone’s values and its business approach make it an attractive place to work and provide a strong base for future growth. “I look forward to working with the Cardone Leadership Team to create a stronger company for all our stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, shareholders, and our employees.” Cramton holds both a BA and an MBA from Michigan State University, and he is a graduate of the London Business School Executive Management Program (ADP).
VL Communications Redesigns Tire Ordering Tools
Tire and service shop software developer VL Communications announced it has redesigned its tire ordering solution. AB Link is a new module added to the company’s popular AB Magique software package which enables service www.ssgm.com
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|| News Briefs writers to search for and online order tires and on the popular iPhone or iPad. Orders are invoiced automatically by the system and sent to shipping. “Some customers reported cutting down on phone orders expenses and shop owners are expressing extremely positive sales impact [using the software],” says Karole Lauzier, vice-president of VL Communications. “One of our customers became the number one tire store within [their banner program] soon after implementing AB Link”
Mister Transmission Announces Another Win Your Repair Winner
On July 1st, Mister Transmission informed another customer that they won their repair. The Win Your Repair program is in its third year. It first began in January 2009. The contest allows all Mister Transmission customers an opportunity to enter their name for a chance to win back the cost of their repair (up to $2,000). A winner’s name is pulled every quarter. The contest is open to all Canadians. This years’ summer winner is from Oshawa, Ontario. Mr. Spenser Gray brought his vehicle into the Mister Transmission on Bond Street in Oshawa, for a transmission repair. Mr. Gray submitted his ballot online and his name was pulled for this July’s winner. He was presented a cheque this past month from Centre Manager Chris Lavender of Oshawa’s Mister Transmission, Spenser was reimbursed up to $2,000 of his transmission repair (including taxes).
General Motors of Canada Invests in Canadian Research and Development
General Motors of Canada outlined its commitment to significantly invest in research and development (R&D) activities in Canada. Between 2009 and 2016, GM is making investments totaling $850 million in R&D in Canada, which will provide long-term sustainable benefits to GM and the Canadian automotive sector through 2016 and beyond. 10 SSGM September 2012
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“GM has long been a Canadian technology and innovation leader and these additional investments will build our expertise in strategic and important technologies even further,” said Kevin W. Williams, president and managing director, GM Canada. “Since 2009 alone, employees at our Canadian Engineering Centre have generated nearly 100 records of invention which allow us to offer better solutions for our customers, helping GM to design, build and sell the world’s best vehicles.” “General Motors of Canada has made great strides since 2009 when our Government pledged its support to help it restructure. We are encouraged that, thanks in part to that support, GM is now making important investments in the future of the auto sector and manufacturing in Canada,” said Prime Minister Harper. “Such investments in R&D bring long-term benefits to Canada, driving made-inCanada innovation, increasing our ability to compete internationally and creating high-paying, stable jobs.” “The commitment, perseverance and skills of our auto workers have helped companies like GM fuel the continued recovery of our auto sector — an industry we’ve been proud to partner with because it supports 485,000 good jobs for Ontario families. GM’s continued investments in research and development will no doubt create even more good jobs down the road,” said Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. Since 2009, GM has increased its investments in R&D and engineering in Canada, including growing activities at the Canadian Engineering Centre in Oshawa, Ontario. GM is committing to further leverage Canada’s expertise in strategic and important technologies by expanding activities in light-weighting materials, mechatronics, software and communications. Cutting-edge technologies like these are critical to the development of tomorrow’s vehicles and the sustainability of Canada’s automotive sector. GM has also enhanced supplier partnerships on R&D to drive innovation through the supply chain and increase automotive R&D capacity in Canada. For example, GM has part-
nered with multiple suppliers to develop light-weighting initiatives for the next generation of vehicles. These suppliers will then be able to leverage their global footprints to supply Canadian technology to operations around the world.
Magnum Gaskets Opens Distribution Centers in California, Canada
Modern Silicone Technologies Inc. (MSI) is taking the next step in its expansion plan for Magnum Gaskets by opening two new distribution centers in Gardena, California and Mississauga, Ontario Canada. The full premium line of Magnum Gaskets will be stocked in these new locations in addition to existing distribution facilities in Clearwater, Florida and Virginia Beach, Virginia. This comes at a time when other parts manufacturers have been closing regional warehouses in an attempt to reduce cost. MSI has been the premier supplier of hi-tech molded rubber, plastic and metal gaskets to major aftermarket brands and original equipment manufacturers for almost twenty years. “When the Magnum Gaskets brand was introduced earlier this year, it meant that the aftermarket would still have access to the top quality, “Made in USA” gaskets that installers and wholesalers had demanded for years,” said Derek Data, director of strategic development for Magnum. “Now, our valued customers on the west coast and in Canada will also see gasket availability return to the high levels they expect and deserve. Both of these distribution centers will offer convenient will-call services, as well as local and regional deliveries. Most importantly, when people purchase Magnum Gaskets they will find the complete gasket set contents and world class technology they expect from any major brand.” More than 90 per cent of Magnum products are designed, manufactured and packaged in the U.S.A. The complete Magnum Gasket line covers more than 80 per cent of sales in manifold, valve cover and oil pan gasket categories for domestic and import cars and light trucks from 1955 to 2012. The www.ssgm.com
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|| News Briefs Magnum line includes Magnum MaxDry STL steel carrier intake manifold gaskets, available for popular applications, such as GM V6 and V8 engines.
Mazda Expands Canadian Presence with New Parts Distribution Centre
Mazda Canada Inc. (MCI) announced the opening of its new Western Regional Operations and Parts Distribution Centre (PDC). The centre, located in Langley, British Columbia, supplies Mazda automotive parts to Canadian Mazda dealers in four provinces in Western Canada. It also hosts a dealer training centre for service technicians and is the new home of Mazda Canada’s Western Regional office. This 125,000 square foot facility, which is the second Mazda PDC in Canada, creates 13 full-time jobs in the local area. “Mazda is excited to open this new Parts Distribution Centre, which effectively doubles our parts distribution reach in Canada. This enables us to fulfill dealer and customer orders quickly and more efficiently, as well as provide a regional supply of parts and training opportunities,” said Kory Koreeda, president, Mazda Canada Inc. “This distribution centre will enhance customer service and satisfaction levels throughout Western Canada, as well as reduce our carbon footprint through more efficient delivery planning and tracking, all of which are important Mazda commitments.” The launch of the Langley PDC is the final milestone in a $20 million Parts Distribution Center Network expansion project that Mazda North American Operations announced in July 2010. The expansion creates a network of seven Parts Distribution Centers in North America–five in the U.S. and two in Canada–and reinforces the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction.
Rick Schiedel joins Gem-Car
Gem-Car announced that Rick Schiedel has joined Gem-Car. Rick brings a wealth of knowledge and operational experience to his position as sales representative and coach in Western 12 SSGM September 2012
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Ontario. Schiedel has been involved in the automotive industry in one form or another throughout his 25 year professional career. Upon completing high school, he took a job as a mechanics apprentice where he spent several years working on the bench in the Kitchener-Waterloo area at various garages and dealerships. He later took a position with a GFI Control Systems, a manufacturer of an automotive natural gas and propane conversion system. While there, Schiedel did work in research and development along with calibration and performance diagnostic work on various automotive applications. In 2004, Schiedel started his career in sales with Mitchell 1. Schiedel has become familiar with many different ways business owners approach their businesses and is always looking for the best way help improve shop profitability and efficiency through shop management systems.
Bosch Updates Part Finder App Now Available For Android Devices
Users of an iPhone, iPad or Android phone or tablet who need a Bosch part for a vehicle can get the information they need right from their mobile device. In addition to the initial Apple version of its Vehicle Part Finder app, Bosch has now released an Android version of the app. Bosch products currently covered in the Vehicle Part Finder app include spark plugs, wiper blades, oxygen sensors, fuel pumps, battery chargers — and now air management sensors, gasoline fuel injectors and glow plugs – providing part numbers along with images, features and technical attributes for vehicles operating in the United States and Canada. “The addition of Android mobile devices expands the penetration of the Part Finder app significantly, as these devices gain in popularity. All functions available in the iPhone and iPad app are now available in the Android version as well,” said Otto Stefaner, project manager for Bosch. “The app is a real boon for customers, service and sales personnel. Anyone who needs to
find a Bosch part number from these selected product lines can do so quickly and easily.” “The Bosch NA Vehicle Part Finder for an Apple iPhone or iPad can be downloaded from the Apple iTunes App Store. The app for Android devices is available from the Amazon App Store for Android or from Google Play. “The app features both Browse and Search functions so users can find part information by entering vehicle year, make and model, or simply by entering
the Bosch part number if they already know it,” Stefaner said. Separate from the mobile app, the Bosch Vehicle Part Finder on the www.boschautoparts.com website now features rotatable and scalable 360º images for oxygen sensors, fuel pumps and other engine management components. The user clicks the 360° symbol to open the image player. The player shows a 360° view of the part and includes options to zoom in on the image, advance the 360° “movie” manually, image by image, and also offers a full-screen viewing option. More 360° images for additional product lines will be rolled out in the future. A special tab has also been added to view a product warranty statement. Warranty data has been loaded for most products found on www.boschautoparts.com.
Toyota to Expand Lexus Production in Canada
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc. (TMMC) announced that it will invest more than $100 million and hire approximately 400 employees to increase Lexus RX production at its Cambridge, Ontario facility. Overall Lexus RX capacity will increase by 30,000 vehicles to 104,000 units, including 15,000 RX450h vehicles, the News continues on page 24 www.ssgm.com
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Get more motor out of your motor. Move up from your old OE plugs to Autolite® XP Xtreme Performance® plugs. Made for any vehicle, import or domestic – they enhance performance, help maintain peak fuel efficiency, and last up to 160,000 kms with a five-year limited guarantee. To learn about XP and all Autolite parts, visit autolite.com or call the Autolite Hotline: 1-888-553-3726. MOVE UP
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© 2012 Fram Group Operations LLC
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|| Winterization
Winter
Selling
Educating the vehicle owner about preparing for winter driving By Tom Venetis, Editor
S
elling winter maintenance presents a challenge for service operations in Canada. The vast geography of the country along with the demographics of the diving population today makes it tough for a service operation to sell the winter maintenance package of old. Ask anyone in their sixties or older and that person will likely remember when winterization packages were the norm. Even before the first leaf began to change colour, independent service operations and their dealer-based cousins would send out reminders for preparing one’s vehicle for the coming winter months. Local newspapers would carry advertisements offering a range of winter preparation packages for vehicle owners While such package have not vanished entirely, they are less common. One reason is geography. While those living in Northern Canada or some distance outside major metropolitan centres know how quickly winter can arrive, those living in such cities as Toronto or Vancouver often never see a snow fall or extreme cold temperatures; or if they do, it is fleeting. For these vehicle owners, winter maintenance seems an unnecessary expense. Then there is the fact that many of today’s new vehicles are designed to have longer drain intervals for everything from motor oils to coolants. The reality is regardless of where one lives or how much snow manages to accumulate on the ground, winter maintenance is an essential service. ⇒
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|| Winterization It comes down to education
What independents have to learn is selling winterization is not about selling on price, bundling several maintenance services together at a discount to attract someone. That will only get you a few vehicle owners who likely will not remain repeat customers. What sells winterization is the education you provide to the vehicle owner as to why they must get their vehicle ready for winter. Let’s take tires. That seems like an easy sell. You put out a display of winter tires from the major tire makers, place an advertisement in the local newspaper and wait for the customers to roll into the service bays. Now, if you live in Toronto you know that last winter was something of a bust. The city saw little snow fall and few terrible cold snaps. Vancouver saw its usual rain. In this kind of winter environment, it is not surprising that many service operations complained of poor winter tire sales. Customers told them they did not need winter tires because there was no snow or ice on the roads. This is where the knowledge of the technician and service writer comes into play. Bill Hume, vice-president of Hankook Tire Canada says the first thing service operations and their front-line staff need to do is tell vehicle owners to stop calling them ‘Snow Tires,’ a term
that was popular thirty years ago and used still by some older vehicle owners and even a few younger ones. “It is more accurate to call them ‘Winter Tires’, because they are designed and dedicated for the winter season, regardless if there is a lot of snow on the ground or not. What is fundamental is not just the obvious aggressive tread pattern you will see on the winter tires, but it is the unique rubber compounds and components used in the tire.” As Hume mentioned, let’s begin with the tread pattern. All Season tires are designed to operate best in the Spring, Summer and Fall months, and the tread patters are made to give drivers the needed grip and handling for both dry and wet conditions, as well as a comfortable and quiet ride. Winter tires, as you will point out to a vehicle owner, have a tread pattern and design that is completely different. “Winter tires have many more sipes that give the tire an improved ability to grip and ‘bite’ into the road surface for improved control and grip,” says Jame de Chave, marketing manager with Yokihama Tire (Canada) Inc. “The straight and lateral grooves are there to evacuate the snow, slush and water, and maintain a continuous contact with the road. Winter tires also come with blocks that provide a biting edge for snow, slush and ice.”
Like belts, hoses need to be inspected before the winter months set in. Weak or failing hoses are more likely to fail in the harsh winter cold. 16 SSGM September 2012
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Winter tires use rubber compounds that are specifically made to remain ‘soft’ in cold weather, Hume adds. All season tires are made with material that is ‘harder’ so they can last longer while providing needed handling and traction on dry and wet surfaces. But there is a downside which becomes apparent when the temperature begins to dip, Hume says. “As the summer temperatures of 25 degrees Celsius begin to tapper off in September and October, with highs of only 10-15 Celsius being reached in the mornings and dropping down to near freezing in the evenings, traditional rubber compounds become stiff, just like other materials,” Hume continues. “The harder the rubber compound, the less traction and grip it will have on the road surface.” The analogy Hume uses is that of a hockey puck. As temperatures drop towards seven degrees Celsius and below the rubber in All Season tires stiffen and lose their ability to provide needed traction and grip on roads now covered with ice or snow. That is why service writers and technicians need to emphasize that is it not important that there be snow on the ground for a vehicle owner to switch to winter tires. It is the temperature that is important. When temperatures drop bellow that seven degree Celsius mark, you need to make the switch to winter tires.
Over time belts made with older materials will show visible signs of wear and degradation, like this belt showing signs of cracking. This should be replaced before the temperature drops and leaves a vehicle owner stranded in the snow. www.ssgm.com
12-09-11 7:20 AM
Winterization || “A winter tire is made of rubber compounds that do not get stiff or hard as you see in an All Season tire,” Hume says. “That means the tire is better able to grip on dry, wet and icy surfaces. Trying to get through a cold winter with an all season tire product is not your best option.”
Don’t Neglect the Batteries
Canadian winters are tough on many vehicle components. One that is often neglected by vehicle owners is the battery. In fact, you should probably ask when was the last time the vehicle had the batteries checked. You may be surprised that, in some cases, it might be never; or at least, not anytime they can remember. And it almost never occurs to them to check the battery before temperatures begin to drop or the first heavy snows start to happen, suggests Alayne Crawford, manager of public affairs with CAA Canada. Batteries, she continues, should be checked at least every three to four years and to make sure they are fully charged. There is a reason for this and it should be explained to vehicle owners. Batteries that lack a full charge or are in a discharged state are prone to freezing in very cold weather. If this happens, that freezing will damage the plates inside the battery. Another thing to do is to check the battery to see if the battery has sufficient cranking and
cold cranking amps. Cold cranking amps is the number of amperes a car battery can deliver for 30 seconds when it is dropped to a temperature of nearly minus-18 degrees Celsius, while maintaining near 1.2 volt per cell. Cranking amps is the number of amps a battery can put out when it is at zero degrees Celsius for 30 seconds. If there are any problems with those numbers or the battery is discovered to lack sufficient reserve power, vehicle owners will find themselves in some trouble when the cold weather hits and they try to start their cars. This is where today’s electrical system diagnostic analyzers and battery testers come into play. Unlike older units, today’s diagnostic testers and analyzers give a lot more information and let technicians and vehicle owners see what exactly is happening with the battery and connectors. In some cases, these testers will print out the diagnostic information. This printout can be shown to the vehicle owner so they can visually confirm the health of the battery and if it should be replaced or charged.
Belts, Hoses and Coolants
Whenever we speak about winterizing a vehicle, we often make sure to tell the owner the obvious things they need to do: make sure the windshield wipers are in good condition, use the right
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September 2012 SSGM 17
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© 2012 Tenneco
8/3/12 1:27 PM
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|| Winterization
The Bosch BAT 131 is designed for testing all types of 6V and 12V starter batteries, including lead-acid, gel and fleece batteries/ AGM. The load free test procedure provides fast, precise and reliable measurement results between 100 and 2000 CCA.
Bosch’s Clear Advantage blades have eliminated the metal or plastic brackets, joints or hinges of conventional wiper blades, which means there is less chance winter’s snow and ice will build up.
antifreeze, check the battery and tires. But do most drivers know that belts and hoses are components that must checked as well? Winter places an added stress on belts and hoses. They must operate in an environment where they will suddenly go from a sub-zero temperature to high heat and stress only to drop back down into freezing temperatures
Yokohama’s new iceGUARD iG51v winter tire features jagged and angled grooves that help grip the road surface while also helping evacuate and drain snow and ice. 18 SSGM September 2012
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again, often several times a day. If there is a problem with a belt or hose, it could leave the driver stranded on the side of the road. “Cold engine starting is concern,” says Randy Chupka, director of marketing for Gates Canada Inc. “Typically the battery load is depleted from the cold and immediately after start up, the alternator is running under full load to recharge the battery, as well as run high electrical loads from rear defrosters elements, HVAC fans, AC pumps (defog), heated seats, and lights. Water pumps work a little harder in the cold weather as well, with slightly higher fluid viscosities. All of these factors place enormous strain on the Accessory Belt Drive System (ABDS) so it is essential that the belt is properly maintained. Recent studies indicate that one in five vehicles is in need of replace… no better time to perform maintenance prior to the winter season.” Older belt technologies using Neoprene will show obvious signs of wear on belts include cracks or holes, glazing or incorrect alignment. Belts made with more advanced EPDM are made to last
longer, but they do wear, but not in a visibly obvious way. EPDM belts lose rubber material over time and a wear gauge needs to be used to find out if the belt has to be replaced. Wipers are another wear item that vehicle owners need to have checked and replaced regularly, even if on the surface things look fine. “Winter takes its toll on wipers, and technicians should check wipers regularly for cracking, tearing or to see if they have taken a ‘permanent set,’” says Ezequiel Allegrina, group product manager, wiping systems for Bosch. “When a wiper develops permanent set, the rubber remains bent to one side which diminishes the “flip-over” capability of the wiping edge between the upstroke and downstroke, causing streaks and generally poor wiping performance. These factors can lessen optimal wiping characteristics.” Coolant replacement can be a particularly tricky issue for some vehicle owners. The days of buying off the shelf coolant are gone as coolants are formulated for specific vehicles. Many vehicles use Organic Acid Technology which are silicate free and other vehicles demand Hubrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT) coolants and others use phosphated HOAT mixtures. Vehicle owners also need to be educated on the need to regularly change the fluid and to have the proper coolant/glycol mix. Many drivers will sometimes try to convince themselves or will tell the technician that coolants are made to last for years and coolant flushes and replacement are really just money-grabs by service shops. To be blunt, they are wrong. What they have to understand is just as your motor oil and filter have to be regularly changed so do coolants. Over time, coolant mixes can become diluted with water and their chemical components can break down. It is generally agreed that every two year, a complete coolant flush should be done and in the fall the coolant/glycol mix needs to be checked and adjusted if need be. SSGM www.ssgm.com
12-09-11 7:20 AM
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12-09-11 7:21 AM
|| Engine Cleaning
Engine Don’t go screaming in terror. Today’s engine flush formulations are safer than ever. Tom Venetis, Editor
W
henever the words ‘Engine Flush’ are uttered one can expect a certain amount of trepidation on the part of most technicians. They will likely recount horror stories about engine flushes that have gone terribly wrong, of resulting engine damage and why engine flushes should be avoided.
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They were right to feel that way, as older methods of doing an engine flush was a high-risk gamble. You did an engine flush with the upmost care and only as a last resort, if the engine had been so horribly neglected that there was no other choice in the matter. Better to properly maintain your engine and use high-quality lubricants, as both
will likely produce a long-lasting and problem-free engine over the lifetime of the vehicle. That’s true. Proper engine maintenance and high-quality lubricants will maintain an engine. However, that does not mean the problems an engine flush addresses go away; or that an engine flush can be foregone entirely.
www.ssgm.com
12-09-11 7:22 AM
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12-09-11 7:25 AM
|| Engine Cleaning
Over time, deposits and residue build up in an engine leading to decreased performance and fuel efficiency. An engine flush is recommended to remove these kinds of deposits.
Age and Buildups
It would seem that with today’s long drain interval motor oils and advanced formulations the days of contaminate build-up in engines is a thing of the past. The reality is contaminate buildup still happens. It is a question of age and time, and what happens to
Valvoline’s Complete Oil System Cleaner is recommended for use without any additional tools, equipment or adaptors. This product was specifically formulated to clean optimally without the added time, complexity or mess of traditional engine cleaning systems. 22 SSGM September 2012
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motor oil over its lifetime circulating inside the engine. What vehicle owners have to remember are motor oils must accomplish certain key things: disperse heat, lubricate and keep the engine clean. Joe Price, brand marketing manager with Valvoline says over time motor oils will lose their ability to do these key things. As that happens,
Liqui Moly’s Engine Flush removes deposits, residues from all four-stroke gasoline engines and diesel engines. It dissolves sludge and lacquer, and isolates solid particles and liquid contaminants.
there is a build-up in contaminates that if left untreated will begin to impact engine performance and fuel efficiency. “The build-up of deposits in the oil systems is a ‘natural’ process,” adds Steffen Niemietz, application engineer at Liqui Moly. “These deposits hamper the proper lubrication [of the engine] which leads to increased wear, increased fuel consumption and the risk of severely damaging the engine. This is similar to arteriosclerosis where narrowing of the blood vessels may lead to a heart attack.” What an engine flush does is break down these deposits and allows them to be removed safely from the engine. The problem with earlier engine flush treatments was how they accomplished this process. Valvoline’s Price says much of the resistance to engine flushes was older treatments used solvents to remove contaminates from the engine’s interior. Those solvents proved to be a major problem. First, solvents have a negative effect on elastomers which are used in the make-up of the seals within an engine. These seals are made to prevent fluids from leaking from major components into areas of the engine where they are not supposed to be. Solvents used in these early engine flush treatments had the unfortunate effect of reacting with the elastomers and reducing the elasticity of the seals which caused them to fail. More problematic was how a solvent worked to remove contaminates. Solvents worked by ‘stripping’ contaminates from the engine surfaces. To visualize this, think for a moment of how one goes about removing layers of paint or varnish from wood during a home renovation. One applies a chemical that slowly loosens those layers of paint and varnish so they can be taken off in long strips. Now imagine for a moment of those same long strips floating around inside an engine. “Those large strips will then float through the engine system and potentially drop into the oil pan and then get sucked up into the oil pump and into the engine which then locks-up,” Price says. It was this scenario that caused www.ssgm.com
12-09-11 7:24 AM
Engine Cleaning || those hairs on the back of a technician’s neck to stand on end and why, for the longest time, engine flushes were avoided. The potential for engine damage was too great to contemplate for many.
pickup screen after the service is comEngine flushing products pleted. have developed The additive formulations that remove package is held within a light base contaminate build-up oil carrier. This light without ‘stripping’ it off the base oil adheres and walls of the engine. protects the critical wear surfaces thereby eliminating any dry New Detergents start concerns after the service. So what has changed and why has Liqui Moly’s Engine Flush product, engine flushing become something a according to Niemietz, uses “concentechnician should make part of a regu- trated detergents and dispersants to lar maintenance schedule? Contami- ‘solve’ the deposits and oil thinner to nate build-up will happen over time keep things flowing. Obviously, this and it will have to be addressed. combination is not meant to stay perWhat has happened is that makers manently in the oil. So Engine Flush of engine flushing products have devel- must be applied immediately before oped formulations that remove con- the oil change. Pour it into the engine taminate build-up without ‘stripping’ with the old oil and let the engine idle it off the walls of the engine. Instead, for a couple of minutes to allow the a complex blend of detergents now agents to take effect. Then the oil has remove and breakdown contaminate to be drained, together with the ‘solved’ build-up. deposits. The fresh motor oil Valvoline’s Price says these gets into a clean engine and new detergents provide a much can deliver its full performance. safer way of eliminating contamiThe formulation is optimized nates from engines and avoid the to remove the dirt – metaphoriproblems ‘stripping’ while at the cally speaking – layer by layer. same time protecting the elasThis results in parts floating in tomers in engine seals. It is this the (old) oil, and there are no kind of detergent mix which is chunks able to clog anything.” found in the company’s newest While there are no hard Complete Oil System Cleaning and fast rules as to when Service product. such an engine flush proceAccording to Valvoline, dure should be used, Liqui the cleaning solution Moly’s Niemietz sugbreaks up, dissolves gests that it should be and then suspends used every 60,000 sludge, deposits and kilometres and varnish within 10 materials for Valminutes of run time. voline’s Complete The dispersant packOil System Cleaner age keeps the particsuggests a use every ulates of sludge and 15,000 miles as part deposits suspended in of a regular mainthe solution and are tenance schedule. evacuated through Regardless of when the drain plug port. a technician decides These dispersants to use it, today’s prevent residual parengine flush should ticulates from accunot cause one’s hair mulating at the bot- CRC Industries’ Complete Fuel System & Combus- to stand on end tom of the pan and tion Chamber Cleaner cleans fuel system compo- at the back of the SSGM then plugging up the nents, including the combustion chamber. neck.
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ENJOY
7/25/12 1:00 PM
12-09-11 7:24 AM
|| News Briefs News continued from page 12 hybrid electric version of the popular Lexus. The investment will take Toyota’s annual production capacity in Canadato 500,000 units. This is the second major investment announcement for Toyota’s Canadian manufacturing operation this year. In March, TMMC announced an investment of $80 million in its Woodstock, ON plant. The announcement increases Toyota’s direct job creation in Canada this year to 800 new jobs for a total of 7,300. “For almost nine years now, Canada has had the only Lexus production outside of Japan,” observed TMMC chairman Ray Tanguay. “New jobs, along with new technology, is great news for Canada.” Toyota is targeting early 2014 for expanded Lexus production. “This is a big and ambitious project with new technology, exacting standards and tight timelines,” commented TMMC
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President, Brian Krinock. “Our Team Members have demonstrated time and time again that they thrive on these kinds of challenges.” In 2011, the Governments of Canada and Ontario partnered with Toyota on a multi-project suite of initiatives designed to sustain and grow Toyota’s manufacturing footprint in Canada and encourage the production of greener, more fuel-efficient vehicles. Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development and Innovation, Brad Duguid, commented, “Our government understands the critical role of manufacturing in the Province’s development and growth. Toyota’s announcement strengthens Ontario’s position as North America’s leading jurisdiction for automotive assembly.”
Auto-Camping Ltd. Endorses Gem-Car Auto Repair Shop Software
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Camping Ltd. has endorsed GemCar’s shop management software system. Gem-Car Elite is an intuitive program that has comprehensive features, some of which cannot be found in other garage management software. Gem-Car ties in with Auto-Camping’s online electronic parts catalogue and parts ordering system, and enables easy inventory management along with quick and accurate quotations. Customers can send automated service reminders and promotions by mail or e-mail. Gem-Car provides the ability to set appointments by bay, control profitability using the preventative maintenance module. The Gem-Work state-of-the-art graphic inspections sheets and the punch clock module all contribute to increase sales and profits. All future software updates are free of charge. Gem-Car is a bilingual system. Field representatives are available throughout eight provinces to support the user.
SSGM
www.ssgm.com
12-09-11 7:18 AM
2000
1965
Valvoline launches MaxLife®, the first motor oil for high mileage engines
Valvoline introduces the first & best selling racing oil of all time
1866
Dr. John Ellis invents motor oil
1939
Valvoline develops X-18, a single grade oil which could be used in place of 18 different specified automotive lubricants
1996
Valvoline launches DuraBlend™, the first synthetic blend motor oil
2012
Valvoline launches NextGen™, the first national branded recycled motor oil
Valvoline invented the engine oil category almost 150 years ago – and we haven’t stopped pushing new innovations since. NextGen™ motor oil is the latest in a long line of category-changing introductions. Made with 50% recycled oil, NextGen™ delivers 100% Valvoline engine protection. NextGen™ motor oil is great for engines and better for the environment, it exceeds industry specifications with reduced environmental impact compared to non-recycled motor oil. Naturally, NextGen™ is supported by the full force of Valvoline’s innovative marketing programs.
Welcome to the Next Generation in motor oil.
Learn more about NextGen™ at NextGenMotorOil.ca © 2012, Ashland Inc. TM Trademark of Ashland or its subsidiaries in various countries.
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3/21/12 3:38 PM 12-09-11 7:26 AM
|| Jim’s Rant
More bad design bruises N
By Jim Anderton, Technical Editor
You would think OEM’s would make a small effort to make studs and bolts that can be removed without mashing knuckles, setting fire to the wiring harness or spending three hours on a simple exhaust fix.
ormally I don’t complain too loudly about OEM design practices; but as I write this, I’m bothered by a nasty little oxy-acetylene induced groove in my right hand. This is a result of one of the most badly designed common service areas in modern cars and light trucks today: the exhaust manifold. These things run hot, damn hot; and you would think that knowing this, OEM’s would make a small effort to make studs and bolts that can be removed without mashing knuckles, setting fire to the wiring harness or spending three hours on a simple exhaust fix. The picture of the exhaust manifold flange below is a case in point. I’m not going to tell you what brand of vehicle this was, because my point applies to all manufacturers. No amount of heat could loosen the badly rusted exhaust flange studs, which promptly broke off under my Vise Grips. This meant work with the right angle die grinder to produce the surface you see here. You can just make out the outline of the studs, which is good, because this was followed by four-step drilling of the stud then use of a bottoming tap to clean out the threads. Naturally, there was no room to work, and the design of the manifold made it tough to use a through bolt or stud with a nut on top. 2½ hours later, I had threads to work with, all to fix a misaligned and leaky downpipe flange. How do you tell a customer that the simple job took three hours? If you’re “on the book” you don’t, but that time has to be accounted for somewhere. And I was lucky … if this was an exhaust manifold change, I’d have to deal with equally rusted manifold bolts, with no way to extract the broken stubs out of the head inside the engine bay. If it happens, I’ll use the “gas axe” to cut off the bolt heads, just to make sure it leaves enough stud to grip. Ever notice that bolts and studs snap off flush with flanges and heads? Here’s my appeal to automotive engineers everywhere: • Stop using studs on exhaust flanges! There are clamp rings or you could use open “forked” flange bolt holes to retain regular bolts or “T” bolts. That way we could torch off the nut, withdraw the bolt and replace. • If you must use studs, leave enough room above the flange to run a tap or drill bit, and make the runners long enough to let us get at it without flaming half the engine compartment. • Design bolts and studs with a weak spot near the heads … so if they break we can remove the pipe or manifold and have something to grab when we apply heat • We know you use bolts with threadlocker already applied … how about antiseize? • Do you have to put the oxygen sensor where I’ll either damage the wiring or can’t get tools around the flange? I damn near drilled a hole through the sensor on this job. I know OEM’s count pennies when costing the assembly of a new car or light truck, but these solutions have been done before. My first car was an Austin Mini, and its downpipe was held to the manifold by a vee-groove clamp like the type used for big commercial water pipes … and that was a very cheap car, so it can be done. Hopefully, before my hands look like Frankenstein.
What do you think? Have your say and speak your mind! letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com 26 SSGM September 2012
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|| Hybrid Training
Sparking interest More training resources are available for those who work on hybrid vehicles Andrew Brooks
E
problem, we use that as a ‘teaching moment,’ ” Overbeck says, “even if it’s something that we’ve read up on already or even been taught about.” Overbeck is a big fan of Craig Van Batenburg’s pioneering work with his “Up Your Voltage” training class on hybrid technology, which he took three years ago. “We didn’t start to market ourselves as hybrid specialists until after that class,” he says. To this day, if Van Batenburg brings his master class somewhere close by — and especially if there’s something new to be learned — Overbeck makes sure techs of his who
haven’t had the course get the chance to go. That brings up one of the values of training on new hybrid technologies. The course is a week long and a week is a long time for anyone to be down a tech. But Overbeck insists it’s one of the costs of keeping current in a fastchanging, competitive environment, and worth every hour and every penny. “Sure it’s tough to have someone out of the shop for a week. But it’s like anything else — you have to buck up and do it. It’s a small price to pay. Besides, it’s over before you know it.”
All photos courtesy of Matt Overbeck
xperience is the best teacher, especially when what’s being taught is something so different from what’s gone before that the knowledge you already possess doesn’t provide much of a guide to what to expect. That’s why Matt Overbeck, general manager of Overbeck Auto Services in Cincinnati, Ohio, and founder (in January 2011) of its subsidiary company Cincinnati Hybrid, always uses a new problem with a customer’s hybrid vehicle as an educational opportunity for everyone in the shop, himself included. “Whenever we get a new or unique
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www.ssgm.com
12-09-12 9:39 AM
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12-09-11 7:30 AM
|| Hybrid Training Van Batenburg, who runs the Automotive Career Development Center, was convinced early on that opportunities to train techs to service hybrid vehicles were lagging badly, even if many independent shops in the early days didn’t themselves see an immediate need to make a serious effort to get their techs up to speed. The question was more than merely one of what was best for business, says Van Batenburg, who points out that the electrical side of hybrid technology remains poorly understood by techs — and that the battery produces voltage high enough to kill someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. The notion that direct experience is critical in understanding how to service hybrids is definitely shared by Overbeck, who bought himself a Toyota Prius so that he’d understand firsthand what the technology can do and what it takes to keep a hybrid in running order. Of course he was helped by the fact that he has a degree in mechanical engineering, something shop owners obviously can’t demand from their techs. But proper training is a reasonable expectation and shop owners have to be prepared to invest money and time to see that their technicians receive it, even if hybrids still make up a relatively small portion of the vehicle pool.
Honda Civic Hybrid system being tested.
A slow start?
For Bob Stathis, co-owner of Status Auto and Tire in Toronto, the low volume of hybrid work is still holding up efforts to get technicians up to speed. Part of the problem, Stathis believes, is the lack of any sense of urgency on the part of the potential trainees themselves. “Technicians in the GTA don’t seem eager to educate themselves,” he says. “I think this has to do with the low volume of hybrid vehicles in the GTA.” Stathis says around one per cent of the business is devoted to servicing hybrids right now. But that number is growing, and Stathis himself clearly believes in the value of the training, even at this early stage: he teaches the “Automotive Hybrid Technologies” evening course in the Continuing Education depart30 SSGM September 2012
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A new HV battery in a Gen 1 Prius.
ment at Toronto’s Centennial College, where he’s been on the faculty since 2009. (He himself bought a five-yearold Prius a few years ago so he’d see first-hand how hybrids work and what can potentially go wrong as they get older.) “After taking the hybrid course my students are able to understand hybrid operation, various operating systems, manufacture specific systems—and most importantly safety — when servicing hybrids,” Stathis says. “I also teach various C of Q automotive ser-
vice technician courses during the day at various levels.” Stathis says the cost of the training offered by Centennial College, and by implication other similar programs, is well within the training budget of most shops. And training is also available in the U.S. from different companies — the “Up Your Voltage” course offered by Van Batenburg’s Automotive Career Development Center (ACDC) being perhaps the most notable example. “Most automotive shops view training as a cost or burden. In reality techwww.ssgm.com
12-09-12 6:57 AM
Hybrid Training ||
Ford fusion hybrid battery and controls.
nician training is an investment just like new shop tools or equipment,” Stathis says. He notes that there are now many excellent online and classroom training resources available to technicians. “Things have progressed from years ago when training was scarce and usually ended with long sales pitch from a parts manufacturer.” The online alternative is often touted as superior to in-person, inclassroom training as it reduces a tech-
Honda Civic Hybrid with the CVT Transmission removed.
nician’s time away from shop, costs less, is less inconvenient for the trainee and can be pursued at the learner’s own pace. All true enough, but especially with the new technologies that hybrids are based on, face-to-face learning is
still the best choice. “I’ve taken both classroom and online training,” Stathis says, “and in my opinion classroom is the best by a far margin. There’s nothing wrong with online training, but the student must properly prepare their online environment as if it was a classroom.” Some of the down sides to online learning include distractions and connection problems. A classroom environment allows — you could say forces — the student to focus entirely on the subject and the teacher is able to get instant feedback to verify that the material has been absorbed by the students. Overbeck echoes that assessment, based on his own personal experience as a student in Van Batenburg’s hybrid training course. “Until you get your hands on and you’re faced with taking a battery out or a transmission apart — well, my confidence level would have been nowhere near what it is without having that level of training first. Taking some ownership is important.” SSGM
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CVT Transmission dissasembled ready to pull the start clutch. September 2012 SSGM 31
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|| Shop Profile
RDV Mechanical Tackles Challenges North of 60 Harsh climate, location tests the mettle of vehicles, the skills of technicians By Chris Talbot
F
rom the beauty of the Northern Lights to the sights of wood bison and the adventures of white-water kayaking, running a garage in Canada’s North provides some great lifestyle benefits impossible to find elsewhere. At the same time, for RDV Mechanical of Fort Smith, Northwest Territories it comes with a set of unique challenges. As one of five garages serving the needs of the 2,500-person community that lies just over the Alberta border, RDV Mechanical provides repair services for both automotive and heavy equipment. Dwayne Venema, owner of the two-year-old garage, says his two biggest challenges in running RDV are maintaining a consistent supply of parts and maintaining his customer base. Fort Smith’s remote location and sometimes harsh winters present challenges to vehicle owners unheard of in Canada’s largest urban centres. As small as the community is Venema is not without competition. His two-bay garage competes against four other garages in town, some of which focus strictly on automotive or small engines while others offer a broader range of services. For Venema, who is a Red Seal Certified automotive service technician and certified for on- and off-road heavy duty equipment, his range of services provide a way to maintain a business in an area with a small potential customer base. “In the North, being that Fort Smith is a small community of 2,500 people, the more diversified the business can be, the better the business will do because there’s more work,” Venema says. “If you say ‘I’m just heavy duty,’ you might get by; or ‘I’m just automo-
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tive,’ you could probably make a go of it. But when you have a limited customer base, you want to be able to draw as much business as you can.” RDV is a two-man operation with two vehicle bays — one outfitted with an 11,000-pound hoist and another with a 9,000-pound hoist. Venema and his apprentice, Andrew Turner, keep busy with a steady stream of business from town residents, as well as contracts with the Government of the Northwest Territories, Parks Canada and nearby Aurora College. The duo work on everything from cars and trucks to heavy duty commercial vehicles.
The One-Stop Shop
Although RDV’s specialties are automotive and heavy duty, Venema also sublets space in his shop to Tri-Star Small Engine Repair, a one-man oper-
ation run by Kelsey Frauts. Tri-Star complements RDV’s operations by servicing only small engines, steering clear of RDV’s services. Frauts, who learned small engine repair through an apprenticeship program in high school, spends most of his time servicing snowmobiles — a common mode of transportation on the trails around town. He also services motorcycles, lawnmowers, chainsaws, ice augurs, ATVs and any other small engine. According to Frauts, approximately 60 per cent of his work is on snowmobiles. “The winters are longer than summer, so it makes sense,” Frauts adds. Combined, RDV and Tri-Star provide a one-stop shop for most repair needs. One of the services the shop doesn’t offer, but that is provided by a competitor in town, is glass repair. Most of Fort Smith’s roads are paved, but there are still many of gravel roads, so cracked windshields are a common site in town. “Having a cracked windshield is just about a fact of life in the North,” Venema said. “If you want to keep them perfect, you’re probably going to be putting a new windshield in on an annual or bi-annual basis.” The expert mechanic said he is busy enough with his current business and doesn’t want to expand into glass repair, encroaching on his competitor’s market.
Go North, Young Man
Dwayne Venema, owner of RDV Mechanical
Vehicle maintenance comes with its own share of challenges in the North due to colder weather. As many town residents have moved to the town from southern Canada, one common job www.ssgm.com
12-09-11 7:31 AM
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|| Shop Profile RDV does is block heater installation. During the winter months, days frequently drop below –30 Celsius, and the noted low on record is –49.4 Celsius. The cold causes a lot of no-start problems during the winter, which can keep the RDV staff busy. “The extreme cold here is very hard on velocity joint boots,” Venema adds. “I’ve seen after-market replacement shafts fail within two years due to the boots failing due to the –40 weather. The rubber just gets cracks.” Another common problem during the winter is power steering hose failures, particularly in newer vehicles equipped with a power steering cooler. At –40 Celsius, viscosity of the thin power steering fluid thickens until the return side can’t move it back to the reservoir, building up pressure that eventually blows connections and hoses apart. Venema says there are also a significantly high number of high pressure hose failures for similar reasons. During the summer months, one of the biggest problems is dealing with damage caused by gravel and mud. “In areas where there are predominantly gravel roads, you’ll find accelerated front-end wear, accelerated tire wear. You’ll wind up with wheel balance issues due to mud in rims, particularly rear wheels. It can wreak havoc with brakes, as well. It’s just generally harder on everything,” Venema says. Mud causes plenty of brake noise issues because it embeds itself in brake pads, and customers look to the garages to deal with their squeaky brakes. One problem that Venema says his customers don’t have as frequently as vehicle owners in southern Canada is rust. “Here in the North, you don’t see the corrosion issues you see in, say, the Toronto area or jurisdictions where they put huge amounts of salt on the road,” Venema adds. Cars simply don’t rust out as quickly as in large urban centres, he said.
Finding Labour and Getting Training
Hiring skilled labour and getting training are problems that many businesses in the North struggle with to one 34 SSGM September 2012
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Dwayne Venema, owner, and Andrew Turner, apprentice, of RDV Mechanical.
degree or another. Only a small few people make the Northwest Territories their home, and for garages, good mechanics are often drawn to the diamond mining companies because of the high wages. “Skilled tradesmen are in very high demand. Those jobs pay extremely well in the North. It is literally impossible for a business of this nature to compete wage-wise and benefits-wise against the diamond mines, which is why my operation will probably never grow beyond myself and my apprentice,” Venema says. Training and education is also a problem, as it’s impossible to get automotive training North of 60. Although the local Aurora College campus provides the first two years of the heavy equipment service technician program, students have to head south to Edmonton or Grande Prairie to complete their training. Any automotive training has to be done elsewhere. Turner, who has been working as Venema’s apprentice for the last year, will begin his heavy equipment training at Aurora College in the fall, and he plans to go south once the time comes to complete his education.
Word Travels Fast
Word-of-mouth advertising also plays a big role in businesses in Fort Smith. Reputation is everything, and any bad word-of-mouth can be very unforgiving and have a significant impact on business, Venema says. Information and rumours spread through the town quickly, and it’s
important to maintain good relations with customers or risk losing them. In a limited customer base, poor customer relations can be devastating to a local business. “People need to walk out the door like they’ve been treated with respect and treated fairly,” he adds. Without a good parts supplier, a garage is dead on its feet. Keeping a steady supply of parts is a major logistical problem that Venema has to continuously work on and be aware of. The parts supplier he deals with is Kingland Freightliner in Hay River, the nearest town that is over 270 kilometres to the northwest. RDV has parts trucked from Hay River to Fort Smith twice a week, so Venema has to plan his orders in advance for upcoming repair jobs. “Your biggest challenge in running a garage in a small, isolated community is your parts supply. You’ve got to be working with parts suppliers that are very knowledgeable and that will follow through for you. If you wind up getting shipped the wrong parts, it can cause real logistical problems,” Venema says. In an emergency, parts can be flown in same day, but the cost to do it is considerable. “We time things. There’s a lot of logistics. You have to make sure the stuff is coming. It’s not like living in the city where you’ve got your parts supplier within town.… Those types of circumstances don’t exist in the North, so relationships with your parts suppliers are paramount, as well.” SSGM www.ssgm.com
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|| Russia Tire Story || Russia Tire Story
Ken Block provides thrills to numerous codrivers and sprayed snow on the spectators with this ex-WRC Focus.
New products coming this Fall P
irelli is one of two tire companies in the world whose tire research and development is ongoing, and was one of the leaders in tire innovation throughout the last century. The Milan-based firm did wonders with its Cinturato, had little competition and was involved in every form of motorsports. Not very long ago, having a red and yellow Pirelli Fitment guide was close to having all the answers at the tip of your fingers. Those who attended the famed Pirelli University enjoyed a long career in the tire business. By 1990, times had changed and Pirelli did not rule the top spot anymore. Japanese tire manufacturers stormed into the market with solid tire innovations and a new business philosophy. Then tire producers from everywhere joined the fast rising global market over a span of 20 years. Every large corporation in the world relies on its leaders and projects that bond the
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working force: Pirelli was no exception. The Italian firm started a spirited comeback a decade ago and now sits as one of the Top 3 in the tire business. It first started with a financial cleanup. Pirelli went public and became a Although it remained the tire manufacturer capable of delivering the best products for high performance and luxury cars and SUVs, the Italian firm started a courageous comeback a decade ago. profitable company to its shareholders. Tire R & D kept the labs working and Pirelli set its sights on new markets as offices were opened and plants built or bought in China, Romania and Russia. New business coming from a
Pirelli, back on top By Michel Poirier-Defoy, Editor L’automobile company with such brand awareness is bound for success. Using state-ofthe-art Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) Pirelli delivers more than nine million tires only from its two new facilities in Russia. Motivating the troops was easy when Pirelli came back to motorsports, especially earning the F1 contract. The plant in Turkey manufactures the precious rubber along with the tough WRC rally tires, those of Superbike, GP2, GP3 and many series like the Ferrari Challenge and World Challenge. The former director of the Turkish plant in Izmit, Andrea Pirondini, now the direttore in Russia, told SSGM how much supplying the most famous racing circus was a challenge for the design team in Milan. This new era triggered the return of Pirelli among the top tire companies. The level of research and development has never been so high and has www.ssgm.com
12-09-11 7:32 AM
Now, We Do It All!
ValvolineŽ now offers a full line of Valvoline Professional Series automotive service chemicals. With Valvoline Professional Series, you get a comprehensive line of professional-grade products, services and solutions all backed by industry leading marketing programs. Valvoline Professional Series delivers maximum value to consumers and helps grow your bottom line. Š, 2010, Ashland Canada Corp.
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|| Russia Tire Story
marked benefits, seen in the quality of the products now being produced; and while ranked 5th in the world, Pirelli is looking for a place on the podium by 2020.
First Launch in Russia
With production growing by leaps and bounds in the ex-USSR, it was a perfect fit to have the first modern era tire launch in St-Petersburg. Only a few
days before the Australian GP, media was greeted by F1 local hero Vitaly Petrov. Next day, American rally racer Ken Block entered the picture at the helm of a Ford Focus ex-WRC. All this was because two new Pirelli products will take to the roads next Fall. However, somebody had decided there was an embargo that prevents us from naming the tires. Why fly somebody halfway around the world to have him
Canadian Distributors
Orazio Mastracchio is the new communications manager for Pirelli Tires of Canada.
Well, some guys have to volunteer for the job! Just before slip-sliding in an X5. 38 SSGM September 2012
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www.ssgm.com
12-09-11 7:32 AM
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|| Russia Tire Story
The all-new Pirelli Scorpio Winter.
The new Pirelli Winter Carving.
learned that the next-gen version is on the drawing board. The second winter tire was not for SUVs only, but more mainstream and a long list of dimensions. There is something of a trend around the world, and Pirelli, like some of its competitors, is presenting a studded application. The name was familiar but the product pretty different: we long to test that tire on Canadian roads. Now, before filling your orders for winter tires, phone your Pirelli rep for more details.
Playing tourist
If you can translate, you will learn what products are heading our way next Fall!
review the tires a few months later for retailers about to fill their winter tire orders in the coming weeks? So, read between the lines. First of all, launching a tire in a Nordic country around a ski resort was not the proper place for a sports car shod with UHPT. We were driving back and forth from our hotel and using the Igora Park facility for 40 SSGM September 2012
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skidpad, slalom and hillclimb – yes the ski mountain itself. We were steering Cayennes, Rovers, X5s and M-B. The tire was impressing on all counts, on dry highways, on sheer ice and in deep melting snow. We spoke with the engineer in charge of winter products, Jaap Leendertse, and learned it is a whole new generation of product, stuffed with new technology and materials. We even
Russia is quickly opening its frontiers and culture to visitors and there is a lot to witness for a North American. The rich Tsar period can be witness at the Hermitage Museum, worth all the Louvres and Smithsonian of this world. But more can be learned talking with its people. Waiting for a red light to change, there was a BMW X6 on my left and on my right two guys tinkering under the hood of an old Lada. The mamouchka (mother) is still darkly dressed and seldom smiles. On the other hand, the dadouchka – daughter – wears tight jeans and high heels, sends SMS on her cell phone, listens to rock, chews gum and eats at McDonald’s. Russia, just like Pirelli, is in fast forward. SSGM www.ssgm.com
12-09-11 7:33 AM
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12-09-11 7:34 AM
SSGM BAYWATCH New Products
New Valspar MAX Anti-Rust New Open End Box Speed Wrench Set The new Snap-on 10-piece Ratcheting Open End Box Wrench Set (SRXRM710) includes speed open end that provides quick, ratchet-like action, a Flank Drive wrenching system on box end provides up to 20 per cent more turning power with less risk of tool or fastener damage, up to 80 gear teeth for minimal movement in tight areas and box ends that are offset 15 degrees for clearance. Snap-on www.snapon.com/handtools
Valspar MAX Anti-Rust aerosol paint features a twist and lock cap design, which makes the spray painting experience, easier, faster and cleaner, Valspar MAX Anti-Rust features include, high-quality enamel for interior and exterior uses, dries to a rust-resistant finish, resistant to moisture and chemicals and abrasion. Valspar www.valsparpaint.com
The Best... Service, Products, Value
Ken-Tool introduces the Blue Cobra Truck Tire Service Kit
NOCO is the #1 Mobil Distributor Official supplier to the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Belleville, Kingston, Cambridge, Niagara Peninsula, Stratford and surrounding areas.
Ask about our VIP Program!
orderdesk@noco.ca
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noco.ca 1-800-414-6626
Ken-Tool now offers the truck service industry the Blue Cobra Truck Tire Service Set. The new Service Set (PN 35442) centers on Ken-Tool’s acclaimed Blue Cobra Truck Tire Demount Tool, and includes six other needed components to service most 22.5-in. and 24.5-in. truck tires quickly and easily. Ken-Tool www.kentool.com www.ssgm.com
12-09-11 7:34 AM
SSGM BAYWATCH New Products
Leak Detection Flashlight Slashes Inspection Time Tracer Products has unveiled the Tracerline TP-8690 OPTIMAX 3000, a portable, blue light LED fluorescent leak detection flashlight. The OPTIMAX 3000 makes it easier than ever to find air-conditioning and fluid leaks. Now, technicians can pinpoint all leaks the first time and avoid comebacks due to undetected leaks. It uses super-hi-flux LED technology to deliver 15 times brighter leak detection light than regular LED lamps. Its power equals that of 150-watt lamps that must be plugged into an AC power source, and it has an inspection range of 20 feet (6.1 m) or more. Powered by a rechargeable NiMH battery, the unit has an LED lifetime of 50,000 hours. Tracer Products www.tracerline.com
Beck/Arnley Adds European Antifreeze/Coolants to Line of Genuine OE Quality Fluids Beck/Arnley has added three new premium antifreeze/coolants to its line of genuine OE quality fluids that are specifically designed for European vehicles such as Audi, BMW, Land Rover, MINI, Volkswagen and Volvo. Beck/Arnley’s premium European antifreeze/coolants are based on monoethylene glycol, contain no nitrates, amines or phosphates, and offer reliable protection for use in aluminum and iron engines. Beck/Arnley www.beckarnley.com
www.ssgm.com
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SSGM Service Station and Garage Management
.com
Automotive Internet Directory
Visit these companies directly at their web addresses or check out the growing list of Hot Links at www.autoserviceworld.com. To find out how your organization can be included in this directory and on the web, contact aross@jobbernews.com
AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS Allan’s Automotive Electronics Ltd.
www.allansautomotive.com Phone: 780-469-8060 Your Automotive Test Equipment Repair Specialist Tool Sales and Service. We provide service and warranty for most makes of automotive test equipment.
AUTOMOTIVE PARTS & ACCESSORIES Aisin World Corp. of America, Inc. (AWA), a leading Tier One automotive components supplier and one of the world’s largest manufacturers of aftermarket parts. AISIN’s original equipment technology and know-how is used to ensure product quality and reliability. To learn more about our products, request a catalogue today. www.aisinaftermarket.com Goodyear Engineered Products www.goodyearep.com/aftermarket www.goodyearbeltsandhose.com The officially licensed belt of NASCAR. Gatorback, the quiet belt. You can never replace Goodyear quality. NGK Spark Plugs Canada Limited www.ngksparkplugs.ca The World Leader in Spark Plugs, Oxygen Sensors and Ignition Wire Sets. Used by 87% of the World’s OE Manufacturers S.B International Inc. www.sbintl.com “We keep engines humming”
AUTOMOTIVE RECYCLERS Carcone’s Auto Recycling and Wheel Refinishing www.carcone.com With over 32 years of experience Carcone’s Auto Recycling & Wheel Refinishing is your one stop for quality recycled products and wheel refinishing needs. Call today at 1-800-263-2022 or visit us on line at www.carcone.com Standard Auto Wreckers View Our Online Inventory @ www. standardautowreckers. com or call 416-286-8686. Experienced Shipping Department to Ensure Parts Arrive Safely.
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SERVICES The Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd www.aaec.ca AAEC - BEST - Business Evaluation Support & Training - Instructing and Coaching with the Proven Business Management Tools that drives a shop’s Bottom Line, Team Culture and Marketplace Credibility.
HAND CLEANERS GOJO Industries, Inc. www.automotive.gojo.com GOJO is a leading manufacturer of skin care products and services for many marketing including automotive and manufacturing. GOJO continues to pursue a commitment of creating well-being through hand hygiene and healthy skin.
REFRIGERANT Duracool Refrigerants
www.duracool.com Nationally Distributed by: Deepfreeze Refrigerants Inc. The Leaders in Hydrocarbon Refrigerant Technology. Guaranteed In writing not to harm any Mobile A/C System. You can feel the Difference that Quality Makes. “Our Formula Never Changes”.
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT AIR LIQUIDE CANADA INC. www.airliquide.ca Your one-stop shop for all your industrial gases and welding supplies.
WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTORS & BUYING GROUPS Bestbuy Distributors Limited www.bestbuyautoparts.ca Independent buying group and warehouse distributor that allocates its profits to member shareholders and provides unbeatable value for independent jobbers. The E.R.I. Group www.theerigroup.com Canada’s Premier Machine Shop Buying Group Kerr Machine Shop Group Inc.
www.kerrmachineshopgroup.com Buying group for machine shops and performance shops.
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX Advertiser
Page #
Website
Advertiser
Page #
Website
Auto-Camping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.autocamping .ca
NAPA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19,39. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.napacanada.com
Bestbuy Distributors Limited. . . . . . 27. . . . . . . . . . . www.bestbuyautoparts.com
Noco Lubricants Canada Inc. . . . . . . 42. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.noco.com
BMW Canada Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.bmw.ca
Philips Automotive Lighting.
CARS Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.carsessentials.ca
North America. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31. . . . . . . . . . www.philips.com/automotive
Cardone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.cardone.com
Ross-Tech LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.VCDS-ProKit.com
Denso. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. . . . . . www.densoaftermarket.com/ssgm
Tenneco, Monroe Shocks & Struts. 23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.monroe.com
Equus Products Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.equss.com
Tenneco, Walker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.walkerexhaust.com
Ford Motor Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ford.ca
Valvoline Oil Canada. . . . . . . . . . . 5,37. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.valvoline.com
Fram Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.autolite.com
Veyance Technologies Canada. . . . . 29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.goodyearep.com
Liqui Moly GmbH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.liqui-moly.de
VL Com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.vlcom.com
Mister Transmission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15. . www.mistertransmissionpartners.com
Wakefield Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.wakefieldcanada.ca
Mitchell 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.prosdemandit.com
WORLDPAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. . . . . . . . . . . . www.worldpac.com/2012ss
44 SSGM September 2012
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SSGM BAYWATCH New Products
Corsa Offers Limited Edition C5/C6 Diamond Black Tip Exhausts Corsa Performance Exhausts announces it will offer limited edition Chevrolet Corvette C5 and C6 exhaust systems with custom Diamond Black tips. The exhaust tips feature a Diamond Black finish on CORSA’s trademark Pro Series Tips, which are manufactured from high-quality, 304L polished stainless steel and laser etched with the Corsa logo. Corsa’s black tip exhaust systems have a straightthrough, 2.5-inch nonrestrictive design to maximize airflow as well as improve performance and fuel economy. Corsa Performance Exhausts www.corsaperformance.com
Pontiac Vibe Ball Joint, Control Arm SKUs Among Moog Steering, Suspension Coverage Federal-Mogul has once again expanded its Moog line of replacement steering and suspension components. Among the 16 new MOOG parts are the aftermarket’s first lower front ball joints for latemodel Pontiac Vibe passenger cars and nine new control arms covering a variety of popular foreign nameplate and domestic applications. The brand’s latest first-to-the-aftermarket front lower ball joint (No. K500174) covers 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe 2.4-liter models. This premium ball joint features the brand’s full-ball socket configuration for more responsive steering and all-metal “gusher” bearing technology for
longer life. Federal-Mogul engineers also integrated a grease fitting for maintaining and extending service life, and a highly durable “grease release” polyurethane boot, which directs contaminants out of the socket and away from brake components during lubrication. Additional new Moog parts include front lower control arms with Moog ball joints for 19992004 Honda Odyssey minivans as well as millions of General Motors passenger cars – including the Buick Skylark, Chevrolet Beretta and Cavalier, and Oldsmobile Achieva – ranging from the 1982 through 1996 model years. Federal Mogul www.FMe-cat.com
Innovative CJTalk Speaks OBDII DTC Codes The new CJTalk from Injectronic is the first talking OBDII scan tool. It both speaks codes and captures Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) as a bitmapped graphic file viewable live via USB connection on a desktop or laptop PC or saved for later use. The unit works across ISOs, CAN, J1850PWM and VPW protocols with future software updates available over Internet. The CJTalk’s spoken code feature is perfect for dimly lit service bays where reading a small display can be difficult at best. The economical, intuitive unit does not have a display or keypad keeping costs down while making it easier to “plug and play.” Instead, the CJTalk features a color-coded LEDs array providing simple, clear readiness and cycle verification. Using the included headset, the user will hear a clear list of DTCs. Data is stored on an internal flash memory card. The unit also can clear DTCs at the flip of a switch. Injectronic www.cj-talk.com
www.ssgm.com
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SSGM BAYWATCH New Products
Beck/Arnley Adds Two New Automatic Transmission Fluids Beck/Arnley announces it has added two new automatic transmission fluids to its line of genuine OE quality fluids specifically designed for Asian vehicles and formulated using the same technology that OEMs use. Type Z-1 is for Honda and Acura, and Type WS is for Toyota, Lexus and Scion. The fluids are chemically balanced to help protect seals and “O” rings, provide corrosion, rust and wear protection and to give oxidation resistance for prolonged life. Beck/Arnley www.beckarnley.com
Airtex Knock Sensors Incorporate BetterThan-OE Design for Durability Airtex Vehicle Electronics now offers a broad new line of replacement knock sensors featuring a variety of design enhancements that ensure better-than-OE performance and durability. Breakage of brittle piezos ranks as a leading cause of premature failure of many OE and equivalent replacement knock sensors. Airtex engineers identified a significantly more robust sintered piezoceramic technology that virtually eliminates fractures. In addition, an extra-strength epoxy is used to lock the Airtex piezos in place for durability. Airtex Vehicle Electronics www.AirtexVE.com
Mahle Clevite Introduces Victor Reinz Engine Gaskets Mahle Clevite Inc. introduced new Victor Reinz Multi-Layered Steel (MLS) cylinder head gaskets. Featuring a durable black coating, these new gaskets are now available for Ford 6.0L and 6.4L Power Stroke engines. The new Victor Reinz head gaskets with Black Diamond coating technology are constructed of five stainless steel layers, utilizing Dana’s patented integrated push rod locators and are coated with a Victor Reinz proprietary fluoroelastomer (rubber) coating. The new coating seals and impregnates into the mating component surface where it decreases friction forces, and allows controlled sliding of the mating components relative to the gasket without fretting or damage to aluminum engine components. Mahle Clevite Inc. www.mahle-aftermarket.com 46 SSGM September 2012
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ElDON DUNN POWAY TRANSMISSIONS
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