It’s been asked of every new mechanic for more than a century. Does it matter in 2025?
“Can you drive a stick?”
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The very best way to remove grease from auto upholstery
This surefire solution really stinks.
Airbag direction – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)
When placing an airbag on a workbench, which is the safest direction for it to face? We have the answer.
A different type of timed event: the Bobby Bosch Relay Race
Your daily work is also a cruel automotive penalty.
How to use a lockout kit (VIDEO)
Powerful tools—if you know how to use ‘em.
Drag racing semi-trucks (VIDEO)
Smokin’ tires and smokin’ stacks!
Bump steer – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)
You know what bump steer is. Where does it originate?
When NOT selling helps business
You don’t want to sell every job. Trust me.
Why “topping off” a gas tank can be an expensive mistake (VIDEO)
When the pump automatically shuts off after filling a vehicle’s tank, many people are tempted to add a little more gas. Unfortunately, this can do more harm than good, and the repair bills could add up quickly.
Why don’t you keep gloves in your car’s glove box? (VIDEO)
It isn’t the “registration and insurance card box,” after all.
Brake drum – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)
What do you check during drum brake service?
How to choose a memory saver tool for cars and trucks
These simple tools can be worth their weight in gold if you know how to use ‘em.
Welding tips for automotive repair: What you need to know (VIDEO)
Any auto repair shop worth its salt has at least one welding rig to handle all kinds of jobs.
Virgil Exner: The creator of Chrysler’s “forward look”
Exner was responsible for the look of cool cars of the late 1950’s, not just at Chrysler, but at other automakers as well.
Noisy disc brakes – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)
What causes brake noise?
Fuel pump designs are changing. Do you know what kind of fuel pump you’re troubleshooting?
Many vehicles today have made the switch to DC brushless fuel pumps. They don’t work like the older brush-type pumps do.
Mechanic trivia: Which vehicle has a longer passenger side wiper blade? (VIDEO)
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?
The Shop Press Automotive Paragon series: a recap
Let’s review some of the icons and oddballs we’ve featured here so far.
Minimum rotor thickness – ASE practice questions (VIDEO)
What does “MIN THK.” really mean?
Battery date codes are painfully unstandardized and you’re better off without them
Don’t waste your time with codebreaking. Just grab a paint pen.
Using a spaghetti trick to keep zip ties organized (VIDEO)
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.