At The Counter Archives

Shop Press is the news and idea hub for everything related to working on cars and trucks, focusing on repair, technology, and wrenching lifestyle.

From the creative minds at:

FEATURE STORY

Hot Off the Press

Virgil Exner: The creator of Chrysler’s “forward look”

I’m a sucker for the sleek, smooth, and aggressive look of late 1950’s automobiles. As such, I owe a debt of gratitude to one man: Virgil Exner. In the 50’s, Exner was the head of styling at Chrysler, and he spearheaded the “Forward Look” of their cars, a look that...

Noisy disc brakes – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

How to test for blown fuses in a car or truck | Fast and easy methodDescription All of the following could cause noisy disc brake operation EXCEPT: A) Glazed pads B) Grease contamination on the pads C) Broken anti-rattle clipsD) Foreign matter embedded into the pad...

Fuel pump designs are changing. Do you know what kind of fuel pump you’re troubleshooting?

Whether you used a fuel pressure gauge or relied on the Fuel Rail Pressure PID on your scan tool, a reading of zero when testing fuel pressure is a bad thing. What are your next steps? Do you jump the relay to see if the pressure builds? Do you use an amp probe and a...

Mechanic trivia: Which vehicle has a longer passenger side wiper blade? (VIDEO)

Description Almost every vehicle on the road has a longer wiper blade on the driver side. On older vehicles, you’ll also see two of the same size wipers working together. But can you think of any models that have the longer wiper blade on the passenger side?Related...

The Shop Press Automotive Paragon series: a recap

If you read Shop Press regularly you've noticed we’ve been running a series for the past couple of years. It’s called “Automotive Paragons,” and it’s a series where we look at automotive entrepreneurs, designers, and engineers who were exceptional, ahead of their...

Minimum rotor thickness – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

Description Technician A says the minimum rotor thickness specification etched into a disc is the minimum thickness beyond which a brake rotor should not be used. Technician B says the number indicates the minimum thickness to which the rotor can be machined. Who is...

Battery date codes are painfully unstandardized and you’re better off without them

While diagnosing an electrical issue last week, I suspected that the battery was tired. The terminals were banged up, the case was covered in grime, and the manufacturer’s decal was peeling and faded. It barely passed a quick health check, so I started looking for a...

Using a spaghetti trick to keep zip ties organized (VIDEO)

Description Chefs know a helpful hack to keep spaghetti from falling out of an opened bag, and the same idea happens to work perfectly for zip ties. Give it a try next time you have a pack of zip ties that doesn’t have a resealable closure.Related Videos

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

by Shop Press Staff | Jun 25, 2024

Low-mileage JDM automatics: Worthwhile or worthless? (VIDEO) Description Nick and Lemmy check out a flex plate from an imported Japanese automatic transmission with very few miles under its belt. Even so, Nick explains why nobody really wants these transmissions or...

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

by Andy Greaser | Jun 20, 2024

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

Harmonic balancers – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

by Shop Press Staff | Jun 18, 2024

Harmonic balancers – ASE practice questions (VIDEO) Description Technician A says a defective harmonic balancer can affect the accuracy of ignition timing readings. Technician B says a defective harmonic balancer can damage the crank. Who is correct? More ASE...

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

by Shop Press Staff | Jun 13, 2024

Easy tests for diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) contamination (VIDEO) Description DEF is easy to contaminate, and fortunately, it’s also easy to test. Check to be sure that your customers’ DEF is up to spec with these simple tests. Related Videos Easy tests for...

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

by Jonathan Roth | Jun 6, 2024

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

Separate gasket – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

by Shop Press Staff | Jun 4, 2024

Separate gasket – ASE practice questions (VIDEO) Description Which of the following is LEAST LIKELY to require a separate gasket for installation?A) EGR valve B) Exhaust manifold C) Oxygen sensor D) Turbocharger More ASE Practice Questions Separate gasket...