Shop Press - Auto Repair News & Ideas

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

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Hot Off the Press

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...

Rust belt vs salt belt: Do you know the difference? (VIDEO)

Description The Rust Belt and the Salt Belt may sound similar, and you might even hear them used interchangeably, but they are distinct names that any automotive professional or enthusiast should know. Take a few seconds to get the real story on these terms.Related...

Buy once, cry once: Don’t cheap out on these auto repair tools (VIDEO)

Description Auto repair pros probably know the expression “buy once, cry once,” and for some tools, techs should buy the best they can afford. In other cases, cheap and basic versions will be just fine. So which tools are worthy of serious investment? Nick, Miriam,...

Engine knock – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)

Description An engine exhibits a knocking noise. During a cylinder power balance test, the noise abates. Technician A says the noise is likely worn big-end bearings on the connecting rod. Technician B says the noise is likely piston slap. Who is correct?More ASE...

“Can I borrow a…”

I recall being very alarmed at how far the door spring traveled. As a teenager in my first job at a dealer, I was working on a small S-10 truck that needed door hinge pin bushings. I levered that door spring out of its perch with a slotted screwdriver like a goon and...

A visit to Elite JDM (VIDEO)

Description Recently we took a trip to Dorman Proving Grounds manager Nick D'Alessio’s personal shop, Elite JDM. While we were there, we shot some videos about some fascinating things we found in his shop. We decided to put those four videos together in a playlist for...

Why you shouldn’t throw out zip tie tails after a project (VIDEO)

Description Before you toss those zip tie scraps in the trash, consider saving them for plastic repair jobs. In many cases, the plastic used in zip ties will bond with common automotive plastics with the help of a soldering iron.Related Videos

Commercials That Make Technicians and Dealers the Stars of the Show

Here are some outlandish—and not so outlandish—examples of mechanic and dealership TV commercials.

HOT OFF THE PRESS

The cars of Stephen King stories: books and film adaptations

The cars of Stephen King stories: books and film adaptations

It’s much more than just Christine.

Shop Profile: Top Auto Center

Just when you thought The Golden Rule was out of style, this independent repair shop and used car sales center proves otherwise.

Are you servicing your car’s oil correctly?

Are you servicing your car’s oil correctly?

It might be time to rethink oil changes.

SHOP STUFF

Auto care news and advice you can use.

The Tightwad’s Way To Install Any Wheel Bearing Race

The Tightwad’s Way To Install Any Wheel Bearing Race

Stop beating your sockets to death.

What does horsepower really mean? (VIDEO)

What does horsepower really mean? (VIDEO)

The essential unit of automotive power has an unexpected history.

Sketching Skodas

Sketching Skodas

Stevan Ivanov strives to give a little-known brand its rightful place in automotive history.

Turbocharger repair and replacement: What you need to know (VIDEO)

Turbocharger repair and replacement: What you need to know (VIDEO)

Not so long ago, forced induction was mostly limited to high-performance sports cars and diesel trucks. Join Lemmy and Nick for a deep dive into modern forced induction systems and the parts that keep them running.

Better ops with SOPs

Better ops with SOPs

Why you should use standard operating procedures for customer communications.

ABOUT SHOP PRESS

Shop Press is the news and idea hub for everything related to working on cars and trucks, focusing on repair, technology, and wrenching lifestyle. With interesting stories from around the world, features on creative people and solutions, and all kinds of other stuff that’ll make you use your mind and your hands.

SHOP STUFF

Auto care news and advice you can use.

Dealers make house calls. Why not you?

Dealers make house calls. Why not you?

Can independent repair shops benefit by offering mobile service to an increasingly immobile America?

Photo gallery: Auto repair (and a few motorcyclists) in Indianapolis, Indiana

Photo gallery: Auto repair (and a few motorcyclists) in Indianapolis, Indiana

Shop Press photographer Mike Apice recently visited Indiana, exploring the local scene and a few repair shops. Here’s a bit of what he saw behind his lens.

Using voltage to locate electrical faults

Using voltage to locate electrical faults

Understanding how voltage is used in an electrical circuit can help your troubleshooting.

How do you handle billing shop supplies?

How do you handle billing shop supplies?

You ARE accounting for them, right?

Fixing cracked plastic parts with a hot staple tool (VIDEO)

Fixing cracked plastic parts with a hot staple tool (VIDEO)

When plastic parts break, sometimes replacements can be prohibitively expensive or hard to find. Learn how to use a hot staple tool to salvage broken plastics for auto repairs and other projects.

VIDEOS

Watch how magnetizer/demagnetizer tools work in this excellent video

Watch how magnetizer/demagnetizer tools work in this excellent video

Demagnetizers demystified.

Tool review: Klein 3255 bull pin

Tool review: Klein 3255 bull pin

You can’t beat it. Well, actually, you can.

What does horsepower really mean? (VIDEO)

What does horsepower really mean? (VIDEO)

The essential unit of automotive power has an unexpected history.