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FEATURE STORY

How Often Should You Really Flush Coolant? (VIDEO)

How Often Should You Really Flush Coolant? (VIDEO)

How do you know when it’s time to flush coolant? Technicians may have different views on the subject, but Dorman Training Center instructor Pete Meier explains how using a test strip at every service is a surefire way to get an accurate picture of the coolant’s health.

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Hot Off the Press

Colin Chapman: The Philosopher of Motion (Part 2)

In Part 1 of this piece, we looked at Colin Chapman’s career up to the mid-60s. In this part, we’ll pick it up in 1965.Lotus wins the Indianapolis 500 In 1965, Chapman and Clark teamed up and made more racing history, this time across the pond at the Brickyard. Their...

How Often Should You Really Flush Coolant? (VIDEO)

Description How do you know when it’s time to flush coolant? Technicians may have different views on the subject, but Dorman Training Center instructor Pete Meier explains how using a test strip at every service is a surefire way to get an accurate picture of the...

Colin Chapman: The Philosopher of Motion (Part 1)

Car designers have a lot of brain synapses firing. Some designers are driven by the pursuit of beauty, while others are motivated by the pursuit of speed. Giorgetto Giugiaro, Marcello Gandini, and Battista Pininfarina, though responsible for cars that raced, were...

Maximum Voltage Reading – ASE Practice Question (VIDEO)

Description Technician A is using the min/max function of a digital voltmeter to test the battery and charging system on a customer’s vehicle. He notes a max reading of 17.2 volts has been recorded. Technician B says that the alternator has failed and is overcharging....

The Story of Dagmar Bumpers

If you’ve read my work here on Shop Press, you know I’m a sucker for chrome and mid-century automotive design. This week, I'd like to take a look at one of my favorite examples of that era: "Dagmar bumpers," the colorfully common slang used to describe the...

Should You Charge More When Dealing with Tire Sealant? (VIDEO)

Description Aerosolized tire sealant is widely available, and in some vehicles, it is used in place of a full-size spare. While this “tire repair in a can” might be the best solution in a jam, it creates a messy, stinky situation for a tech changing the tire for a...

An Ode to “Car Talk”

Back in the early aughts, I lived in the Washington, D.C. area for about nine years. Since my parents live in Pennsylvania, this necessitated many three-and-a-half-hour drives (as little as three, if I was lucky) back home for holidays or just a regular visit. At the...

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Diesel Engines and Racing

Diesel Engines and Racing

You may be surprised at how diesels have made a name for themselves in motorsports.

Do I Need a Tune-up?

Do I Need a Tune-up?

When a customer rolls into your shop and asks for a “tune-up,” what’s your first reaction?

Dead Battery? (Video)

Dead Battery? (Video)

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

Check Engine Light On?

Check Engine Light On?

Grab a generic OBD-II scan tool and take these first steps to turn it off and keep it off.

Inside Global (Generic) OBD-II

Inside Global (Generic) OBD-II

You don’t need an expensive scan tool to diagnose the cause of an illuminated check engine light.

Bitten by a misfire

Bitten by a misfire

Formal education teaches you theory and the real world teaches you the rest.

Choosing the right brake fluid

Choosing the right brake fluid

Just because it says “DOT 4” on the bottle doesn’t mean it’s the correct DOT 4 for the vehicle.