This may seem like an odd topic to cover during this time of year when most of you are experiencing mild to warm weather, but warming up your car isn't just for the chilly months. If you're like most people, you may let your car warm up when it's cold outside to clear the windshield … Continue reading Tech Tip Tuesday: Should you let your car warm up?
Tech Tip Tuesday: Instant Step Stool!
Ok, so it's not really a magic, instant step stool, but it's close. By airing down the tires of a vehicle, particularly a truck or SUV, you can lower the front or rear of the vehicle by several inches which may be just enough to get to whatever you're doing. You can let the air out … Continue reading Tech Tip Tuesday: Instant Step Stool!
S10 Ball Joint Replacement
If you're up to replacing these riveted ball joints I'll assume you feel comfortable removing the components necessary to get to the ball joints. This post will cover my preferred method of replacing riveted ball joints specifically. Let's get dirty! First, you'll want to get the control arms free from the steering knuckle. On this … Continue reading S10 Ball Joint Replacement
Tech Tip Tuesday: Bending Brake Lines
Rust. It's a mechanic's worst nightmare. Rust eats through body panels and frames, corrodes bolt heads beyond recognition, seizes bolts and parts together so they can only be removed with a torch, and eats away steel brake, fuel, and transmission lines like there's no tomorrow. If you're wrenching in the north, you're no doubt intimately familiar … Continue reading Tech Tip Tuesday: Bending Brake Lines
In the Garage: Finding Henry
I was looking for a truck. Not an expensive late model luxo barge, but also not a little budget beater wrung to within an inch of its life by a high school kid learning to drive a stick for the first time. I wanted a classic truck! Something I could use to haul my mower … Continue reading In the Garage: Finding Henry
Tech Tip Tuesday: Checking for Tire Leaks
Finding a slow leak in a tire can be tricky business, especially if you can't find an easily visible screw or nail head. I like to use a simple mixture of dish detergent and water in a spray bottle to find a slow leak. You can also use a dunk tank which is what most … Continue reading Tech Tip Tuesday: Checking for Tire Leaks
Check Your Cabin Air Filter!
My what what filter? Many, but not all, late model vehicles come with a cabin air filter which filters the air circulated by your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system. These are usually located behind the glove box or at the base of the windshield under the hood. You can check your owner's manual … Continue reading Check Your Cabin Air Filter!
Tech Tip Tuesday: DIY Timing Pointers
If you're mechanically inclined enough to tackle a timing belt or chain, you probably know that when you're replacing a timing belt or chain, it is absolutely critical that the camshaft(s) and crankshaft be synced and timed properly. This is usually done by a series of marks on each timed gear or sprocket that … Continue reading Tech Tip Tuesday: DIY Timing Pointers
Another Notch in the Belt…
Fortunately this notch wasn't caused by too many bacon cheese burgers, but rather lots of studying. Upon earning my 22nd ASE certification, the gears started spinning in my little brain and I wondered about the general public's understanding of exactly what ASE certification is. ASE's website has a great deal of information including statistics detailing … Continue reading Another Notch in the Belt…
Tech Tip Tuesday: Honda A/C compressors
Sometimes installing an A/C (air conditioning) compressor can be a pain; wrestling a 20lb. compressor above your face, contorting your arms in all sorts of unnatural positions, needing three gorilla mitts where only the hand of a preschool child will fit, all while trying to get just ONE bolt started so the whole thing won't fall … Continue reading Tech Tip Tuesday: Honda A/C compressors
The Service Station Blog 