Chill Out
R-134a is the refrigerant that will replace R-12 in all new automotive air conditioning systems by the year 1995.
Air Conditioning Leak Tests
So a so-called “slow” leak in an air conditioning system is no longer the insignificant matter it was when refrigerant cost a buck a can, and you weren’t afraid to get a suntan.
Tech Tips
Invest In Your Future; Subaru Axle Installation; Nissan Valve Adjustments; Candle Wax Remedy; Smoke Gets In Your Eyes; Volvo Distributor Seals
Double Clutch
In our never-ending search for an excuse to escape from the office and get our fingers dirty with the greasy fun stuff over at the shop, Karl and I decided to tear our own cars apart for an article on clutch replacements.
Driveability Clinic: Charcoal Canisters
We’ll discuss what the evaporative emission control system does and how it works. A better understanding of this system’s operation should make diagnosis easier when the system it stops doing its job.
Armored Division
The head gasket serves as an armored division between the cylinder head and the engine block.
Porsche 944
Common repair items on Porsche 944 vehicles is a case in point, so we want to offer a few cautions before we start.
Legendary Acuracy
All that it usually takes to bring memories of those experiences flooding back is to remember the name of the car you were driving.
Improving Your Odds
Taking the ASE tests for automotive certification can be an intimidating experience.
Honda Roundtop
Honda stood by our old friend the carburetor longer than most auto manufacturers.
Carside Manner
The lessons he taught best way, by example, not by words. The impression left by those lessons has stayed with me to a degree he himself will surely find surprising when he reads this.
Tech Tips
Isuzu Parts Substitutions; Bouncing Subaru Tach Needle; Toyota Horn Contacts; Radio Interference; Corroded VW Connectors; Honda Headlight
Trans Mission
Each time you repair an automatic transmission, it’s no exaggeration to say that you are embarking on a potentially perilous mission.
Tech Tips
Toyota Tech Tip Treasure Trove; Nissan Transmission Pan Bolts; Hyundai Excel Transmissions; Acura Water Pumps; Volkswagen Knocking Noises; Visual Aid
Still Answering The Bell
My boss’s BMW 535iS has returned to its corner for some sorely needed attention. I’ve heard of long term test vehicles before, but this is ridiculous.
Pick Up Game
Isuzu recently announced that it would leave our small car market altogether, to concentrate on utility vehicles.
No Spark
Suppose an engine won’t start and we need to find out why. More than a short glance is required to make the correct diagnosis.
Electrical Gremlins
If you remember our overview article on Alliance/Encore models in last November’s issue, you know we promised a follow up article highlighting common electrical problems with a French flavor.
Carside Manner
What I’d like to know is whether or not the owners of automobiles in this country go to some type of ownership seminar to teach them what to say when their cars break.
Mercedes-Benz Diesel Glow Plugs
Mercedes diesel engines have used one of two basic glow plug system types over the years: Serial and Parallel.
Eye in the Sky
Voltage drop testing has always been an important diagnostic tool for technicians. If anything, voltage drop tests have grown in importance as more and more vehicle functions have become electrically controlled.