Feature Articles

Midnight Oil Trainer Series

Midnight Oil Trainer Series

Readers of this magazine already know Jorge (pronounced “George”) Menchu from the articles he’s written for us and for other (lesser) aftermarket magazines.

Can We Open Standards Update

Can We Open Standards Update

What are your plans for the computers in your shop? Are you going to replace them? Network them? Banish them forever? What will you use the computers in your shop for in years to come?

Audi Climate Control Part Two

Audi Climate Control Part Two

We’ll examine the elimination of a few of the system’s earlier trouble-areas, explain how to read and understand the built-in fault-codes and explore some of the more common problems with the later systems.

Snap-on Scanner — Asian Software Update

Snap-on Scanner — Asian Software Update

As the carmakers include more features and new kinds of driveability and emissions controls into their cars, scanner manufacturers have to follow the lead of the carmakers and make their tools fit the cars on the road.

Four-Valve Heads

Four-Valve Heads

While the four-valve cylinder does have the advantages of high rpm for racing and other high-speed purposes, that’s not what they’re for in most of the ordinary cars we see in the shop.

Trip Wire: Merkur Heater Controls

Trip Wire: Merkur Heater Controls

A’87 Merkur XR4ti with no heater fan on all speeds except High. The customer also mentioned that he had recently begun to notice a few drops of oil on his garage floor and an occasional hesitation problem on moderate acceleration, primarily in second and third gears.

Tech Tips

Tech Tips

Fishless Antenna Replacement; Timing Cover Tip; Valves and MAP Sensor; Timing Belt Heads-up; Cranky Crank Pully Bolts; (Don’t) Lean On Me

The End Is Near! Predicting Fuel Pump Failure!

The End Is Near! Predicting Fuel Pump Failure!

Sometimes they sputter for a while first, and sometimes they just drop dead in an instant, but every automotive fuel pump will eventually fail. For most motorists, this means a no-start or (making no slur against a certain carmaker) a fount-on-road-dead. Then the fix-it job for most cars is neither cheap nor quick.

Guru Jim Linder and LTS

Guru Jim Linder and LTS

This begins several articles we’ll do about independent training services – training, that is, with no direct connection to and no dependence upon any carmaker, toolmaker, parts manufacturer or reference information provider.