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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...

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

Book review: “Pump and Circumstance”

Recently I was organizing my books on a new bookshelf and came across one that I had almost forgotten about. I picked it up after seeing an exhibition called “See the USA: Automobile Travel and the American Landscape” at the Building Museum when I lived in D.C. The...

Piston rings – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

Description Which of the following statements about piston rings is incorrect? A) End gaps must be evenly spaced around the piston B) Rings are installed on the piston using a ring compressor C) Rings must be installed facing the correct vertical direction D) End gap...

The most important fluid in the car and how to test it.

Of all the fluids a vehicle needs, the brake fluid is arguably the most important. Inspecting your customers’ brake fluid is vital to the continued safe operation of the braking system. It’s a service you should perform not only when you’re servicing the brakes but as...

Automotive professionals vs. popular auto myths! (VIDEO)

Automotive professionals vs. popular auto myths! (VIDEO)

Automotive professionals vs. popular auto myths! (VIDEO) Description Spend any amount of time in the auto repair industry, and you’ll hear customers sharing strange ideas about the “right” way to drive and care for their vehicles. We assembled a list of common and...
The pros (and more than a few cons) of chrome

The pros (and more than a few cons) of chrome

My Shop Press colleague Lemmy and I have had an ongoing debate about chrome. Since I’m a lover of antique cars, particularly Tri-Five Chevys, you can guess that I’m a pretty big fan of chrome. I think it makes any car look luxurious and stylish. Lemmy, on the other...
Dash warning lights: feature or bug?

Dash warning lights: feature or bug?

Warning lights are something we’re all familiar with—all too often, they’re the reason a customer steps into your shop. Mechanics of a certain age will remember a time when the phrase “idiot light” was used to describe a dash light. The derisive term referred to the...