Canadian Technician June 2009

Canadian Mail Sales Product Agreement #40063170 Registration 10833. Return postage guaranteed. Newcom Business Media Inc., 451 Attwell Drive, Toronto, ON M9W 5C4

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Our First Ever Readers’ Issue!

Almost everthing contributed by you ALSO: ■ Making sense of Mode $06 ■ Better motoring through chemistry ■ What went wrong?

When the repair estimate keeps growing ■ Check out our redesigned website www.canadiantechnician.ca

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JUNE 2009

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VOL. 14 NO. 5

Departments

Reader Contributions

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

It’s A Wonderful Trade . . . . . . . . 11

By Allan Mantyla

Service Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Eye Spy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 What Went Wrong? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Reader Rides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Auto Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Survey Says …

What was the best advice you ever received about the trade? . . . . . . . .17 What vehicle would you recommend to customers? . . . . . . 18 What made you get into the business? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 What’s your favorite car to work on and why? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Should repair estimates be free? 32

8

Welcome to My (Repair) Nightmare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

By Bill McLennan Picasso, Eat Your Heart Out . . . . 14

By Susan Eaton Tool Insurance: Your Livelihood’s Safety Net . . . . . . . . 17

By Allan Haberman Future Shock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

By Craig Shoemaker

11

The Fantastic Five . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

By Richard Dansereau Making Sense of Mode $06 . . . . 30

By Jeff Taylor Better Motoring Through Chemistry . . . . . . . . . . . 34

By Christine Henderson The Car Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

By Rick Cogbill

28

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CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 3

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Editorial

Now comes the hard part Bill C-273, a.k.a., the “Right to Repair” bill has passed second reading. Now what?

By David Menzies

Talk about a pleasant surprise; talk about a landslide.

No, I’m not referring to that Game 7 shellacking of the Washington Capitals by the Pittsburgh Penguins last month.

Rather, I speak of Bill C-273, a.k.a., the “Right to Repair Bill,” that was passed by Parliament in mid-May by a vote of 248 to 17. While the bill was expected to pass second reading, few industry-watchers predicted it would receive such resounding support.

The good news is that obviously the vast majority of MPs are fully cognizant that as cars and trucks have become increasingly more advanced over the years, the use of computer control units is essential to their operations. Yet, independent Canadian auto repair shops have faced significant difficulties in accessing the tools, software, and information required for repair. As we all know, this has ultimately limited consumer choice and challenged the effectiveness of emissions and even public safety regulations.

It’s also crystal clear that the pre-vote strategy adopted by several automobile manufacturers, calling for a letter of intent for a voluntary agreement, was seen as nothing more than a stalling tactic. The last thing the aftermarket repair industry needs is an unenforceable voluntary agreement that isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.

Indeed, as noted by New Democrat industry and auto sector critic Brian Masse (Windsor West) – who originally introduced the private member’s bill two years ago – “No environmental or consumer protection rule is voluntary. No public safety measure is voluntary. A law is the only real protection for vehicle owners that is available.”

As Bill C-273 heads to the committee stage, the really hard work begins. After all, any interested party can challenge the bill JUNE 2009

or request amendments. And rest assured many OEMs will be vigorously lobbying behind the scenes for significant changes. A committee report to Parliament should be ready sometime in late September.

What sort of outcome can we expect to see? Scott Smith, director of government and industry relations with AIA Canada, says the dream scenario would be to have Bill C-273 passed along with the necessary legislation required to enforce the new law. Should it pass third reading in October or November, Bill C-273 would then be referred to the Senate and proclaimed law by next spring.

The “nightmare scenario,” however, would involve Bill C-273 being watereddown to the point it becomes completely ineffective. As well, if a federal election is called before it’s ratified, Bill C-273 will perish on the order table.

Smith says it’s impossible to predict what the outcome will be since the debate around Bill C-273 has been “so fluid.”

Some have changed their mind about supporting the bill, others have supported it with strong reservations and still others have expressed reasoning that sounds so elitist it’s almost laughable. In a letter to MP Ken Dryden (York Centre), a Toronto Chrysler dealership representative opined: “If consumers can’t afford to do repair work at dealerships, then they shouldn’t be on the roads.” (My immediate response to such arrogance is perhaps best summed up the old Steve Martin catchphrase: “Well, exc-uuuuuse, me!”)

Given this sense of entitlement exists, let’s all hope Bill C-273 gets passed into law as soon as possible. After all, at the end of the day, Bill C-273 is really all about correcting a colossal wrong and doing the right thing.

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Service Notes

The ultimate ‘It’s Your Turn’ In this, the first ever Readers’ Issue, we’ve turned the printing press over to you… and you haven’t let us down!

By Allan Janssen One of the very first issues of this magazine featured a picture of an apprentice and his boss leaning into an engine, discussing the finer points of automotive repair. It was a staged photo. I was visiting the place and I needed something to illustrate a training story, so I asked them to pose.

I liked the picture because they had both taken the task so seriously.

The boss, who was playing the role of the trainer, pointed his finger in a teacherly manner. The apprentice had a studious look on his face and it was clear to me that he was, if not learning something, at least hoping to.

And so I ran the picture.

Within days of it hitting the streets, I started to get calls and e-mails about it.

“What were you thinking?” was the most common sentiment. “That trainer is wearing a tie!” I learned that someone so foolish as to dangle a hanging piece of clothing – particularly one tied in a neat bow around the neck – above a running engine could find himself in a tight and potentially fatal situation if said clothing accessory ever became entangled in the fan.

That’s how I learned that Canadian Technician readers are not casual readers.

You read (and regard the photographs) carefully. And you’re not at all shy to weigh in with your opinions. Many of you are completely comfortable writing a letter to the editor, or contributing a column or a feature article yourself. You were so good at sending things in, in fact, that we began to leave space for you.

It is not every trade magazine that can count on a page or two of letters in each issue. We also began to receive so many pictures of unusual sights in the shop that we made it a regular feature. EyeSpy was born. Same thing for Reader Rides.

JUNE 2009

We got plenty of responses to our crossword puzzles, too, each one with an interesting answer to the “question of the month.”

Our regular features like “A Question of Ethics” and “What Went Wrong” drew on your willingness to weigh in on difficult subjects, and made them some of the most practical stories in the magazine.

Sometimes they even became fodder for our online discussion site, the Canadian Technician Forum (www.canadiantechnician. ca/forum) where hundreds of you congregate and converse.

In fact, every time we gave you an opportunity to contribute to the magazine, you took it. I guess what I’m saying is that you’re an opinionated bunch, and we love it. Probably three or four times a year we get an opinion column that we publish under the banner “It’s Your Turn.”

So you can think of this issue as the ultimate “It’s Your Turn.” This first-ever Readers’ Issue is comprised of material you’ve contributed over the past few months. Our thanks to all of you who sent us a letter, or a joke, or a picture, or a column… or just an opinion.

Congratulations, too, to Richard Dansereau of LAD’s Automotive in Calgary.

We picked his name out a hat, and he’s won a diagnostic tool from Ridgid, the official sponsor of this issue.

At the risk of imposing on you yet again, we’d love to hear what you thought of the issue. Send in your thoughts. We said when we started this magazine that we’d listen to you… and we’re still listening.

Check out our new website where you can vote on this issue in our online poll.

Just go to www.canadiantechnician.ca.

I hope to see you there!

VOLUME 14

NUMBER 4

EDITOR David Menzies david@canadiantechnician.ca (416) 614-5824 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Allan Janssen ajanssen@newcom.ca (416) 614-5814 PUBLISHER Martyn Johns mjohns@newcom.ca (416) 614-5826 CIRCULATION MANAGER Lilianna Kantor lkantor@newcom.ca (416) 614-5815 DESIGN & PRODUCTION Tim Norton production@canadiantechnician.ca (416) 614-5810 GROUP PUBLISHER Mark Vreugdenhil mark@canadiantechnician.ca (416) 614-5819 DIRECTOR, QUEBEC OPERATIONS Joe Glionna PRESIDENT Jim Glionna PUBLISHED BY Newcom Business Media 451 Attwell Drive Toronto, Ont. M9W 5C4 Canadian Technician is published monthly except for January and July by Newcom Business Media, Inc., 451 Attwell Drive, Toronto, Ont. M9W 5C4. The magazine serves the Canadian automotive repair and service industry. Subscriptions are free to those who meet the criteria.

For others: single copy price: $5.30; one-year subscription in Canada: $35.70 ($34.00 plus $1.70 GST); one-year subscription in U.S.: US$40; one-year subscription in all other countries: US$65. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher. The advertiser agrees to protect the publisher against legal action based upon libelous or inaccurate statements, unauthorized use of photographs, or other material in connection with advertisements placed in Canadian Technician. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising which in his opinion is misleading, scatological, or in poor taste. Postmaster: Send address changes to Canadian Technician, 451 Attwell Drive, Toronto, Ont., M9W 5C4. Printed in Canada. Second class mail: Postage paid at Toronto. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Agreement #40063170. ISSN 1710-7644.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program toward our mailing costs. PAP Registration No. 10833.

Kenneth R. Wilson Award Winner Member

Canadian Business Press

“Readers’ Issue…” by Wayne Moore Phone (905) 632-8770 www.canadiantechnician.ca/covers CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 7

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EYE SPY

Over the years, you’ve sent in photos from the shop floor documenting the unusual and the inexplicable; the beguiling and the bizarre. We’re pleased to say the hits just keep on coming.

Feast your eyes on these beauties…

“This 1989 Ford Aerostar had rear heater hoses leaking.

Deteriorated, steel lines had been cut and patched with heater hose and multiple clamps. These pictures are of the hoses that go to the rear heater core. The crimp fitting has deteriorated and had one clamp on it and the quick connect fitting wasn’t latching on properly; the O ring was leaking and was crushed to hold on with a gear clamp. It’ s unknown how long this was in place before the vehicle was brought to us for a proper repair job.”

Michael Hoffman, Automotive Brake Renew & Tune Up, Kelowna, B.C.

“We had already diagnosed a leak in the pipe at the hose connection on top. Supply of the sender unit was over the weekend, so they drove away. Vehicle was towed in late the following week because they couldn’ t start it. Someone had unstrapped the tank, which was full of gas. The tank fell and ripped the wiring back into the frame. Then they proceeded to epoxy the seal ring to the tank and attached the wires together, but not to the right mate.”

“We had a customer come into our shop complaining that his steering wasn’ t right in his Chevy Tahoe. He said that when he turned corners, his steering wasn’ t working as it should – it was hard to turn. We put it up on the hoist and upon closer inspection realized the customer had somehow gotten a bungee cord wrapped around his steering column. Every time he turned a corner, the steering column would pull the bungee cord tighter, hence making turning difficult. We had a good laugh at this one as never in my 23 years as a mechanic have I seen this before.”

Hart Transmission, Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.

“This came into our shop and the customer was complaining his alternator wasn’ t charging. He popped the hood and showed us this light contraption that the previous owner had installed to bring his charge rate down. After a good laugh, we pulled this thing out and wired in a proper regulator.”

Brent Cross, Penner Automotive, Campbell River, B.C.

Dan Mc, OK Tire & Auto Service, North Battleford, Sask.

8 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

JUNE 2009

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“A customer brought in his truck because his brake caliper was sticking on the left front. We removed the wheel and found his latest repair – he had taped the tie rod back together in the socket!”Martin, Marty’s Automotive, Fort Erie, Ont.

“This is a 2001 Chevy Venture that came in on a tow truck (the guy couldn’ t stop the van anymore.) There’ s no outer pad anymore and the rotor is worn out so much that there is no rotor, either. The most interesting thing is that the caliper did not leak.

I saw something similar with a Honda Odyssey without the outer pad. But this Venture is without the rotor as well.”

Nazariy Dubas, Sumin Auto, Toronto

“Here’ s a car that showed up at my shop one winter day.

The wheel bearing had crapped out, but the owner didn’ t want to pay for a tow. So, he took the back roads (about 11 km). He said he could go 50 km/h before it started feeling unsafe. Of course, the roads are snow-covered. Hope you find this amusing.”Laglace Auto JUNE 2009

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“Believe it or not, this car was driven in because of a noise complaint. Yet another reason to have a mandatory yearly inspection law in Ontario.”

Cam Brookhouse, Brookhouse Auto Tech n Tire, Hamilton, Ont.

“This is an air filter from a 2006 Mazda 3. Notice not only the nest, but that part of the filter has been eaten.”

Kenji Karasawa, parts advisor, Scarboro Mazda, Toronto

“This vehicle is a 1995 Chevy Blazer. The customer had come in for a yearly inspection and mentioned he had done some exhaust repair work himself. Mind you, we did replace it with the proper tailpipe!”

Brad Briggs, Service Manager, Canadian Tire, Miramichi, N.B. CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 9

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It’s a wonderful trade Negativity about our industry is unproductive and unnecessary.

By Allan Mantyla In the late 1970s, I entered this wonderful trade… and I’m so glad I did.

I had the good fortune of working with a veteran mechanic who graciously shared his experience, knowledge, and patience with me – a cocky, young, knowit-all, inexperienced apprentice.

Thank you, Mr. Tom Moore!

Not only did Tom teach me how to repair cars, but he taught me to do it with passion and pride.

He was a master at customer relations.

He was never put out when a customer came back after a tune-up complaining about a rough idle. Old Tom would just go out to the parking lot with a screwdriver in hand. He’d turn the mixture screw in a quarter turn, and then back it out a quarter turn. The customer was always amazed at how better the car ran. That’s how Tom earned their loyalty.

At trade school, all the talk seemed to be about how dumb we were to have picked this trade. Other students complained about how poorly we were paid and treated. But Tom had already opened my eyes to the marvelous world ahead of me.

After three years of apprenticing I finally got that slip of paper in the mail declaring I was a Class A mechanic. I took it straight to Tom. Imagine my surprise when Tom shook my hand and told me how glad he was, but it was time for me to move on and broaden my knowledge. I was let go!

I had no trouble finding another job. I was hired on the spot when I said I’d been trained by Tom. I guess it serves me right that eventually I was assigned to train a cocky, young, know-it-all apprentice. But Tom had shown me how to be patient, and in time, this young fellow became not only a good mechanic, but a good friend.

After swinging wrenches and bringing young talent into the trade, I spent a while

JUNE 2009

training for a company called Allen Test Products. I travelled all over North America teaching mechanics how to read scopes and introducing them to the concept of electronic fuel injection. What a ride! A new car every six months, an expense account, and getting all the newest and advanced test equipment available.

Eventually it came to an end, though, and I went back to my roots, swinging wrenches at a dealership until I got the opportunity to buy an independent shop.

Not having enough money, I got a partner and we purchased this business which I still run. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, of course. Six months into it, the building was sold and we had to find a new location. With much scrambling, we were up and running with no down-time at all. Six months later, my partner and I had a bit of a falling out so I bought his half of the business.

Putting in a lot of 20-hour days, I built that business up, and what a wonderful journey it’s been! I’ve seen it all – from

point ignition to computer-controlled coils; from tube tires to directional runflat tires. It never got boring.

Why did I decide to write this article?

Well, this morning I took in a co-op student and as he was standing around wondering what to do, I started to reflect back to the day when I started.

I believe it’s our job to take the young and inexperienced and show them what a wonderful trade this is. I’m tired of all the bellyaching about how bad the pay is, or what a drag training is, or how other techs stab you in the back. These things are all avoidable if you have the right attitude.

Sadly, Tom has since passed away. But every morning, I think about how fortunate I am to be getting a paycheque for doing what I love.

I never ask what the trade owes me but what I owe the trade. Thank you so very much, Tom, for setting me in the right direction!

Allan Mantyla is president of Mike Heino Auto Repair in Sudbury, Ont.

CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 11

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Š 2009, Ashland Canada Corp. *Source: Thomas Penway Research Poll of ASE Mechanics in the United States

www.v a lv o li n e . c o m

Only one person works on his car.

And only one oil works in his engine.

More ASE-certified top mechanics use Valvoline in their own cars.* <TRWP]XRb RP] dbT P]h ^X[ cWTh fP]c CWTh RW^^bT cWT ^]T fXcW P _a^eT] aT_dcPcX^] U^a `dP[Xch _a^cTRcX^] P]S P WXbc^ah ^U X]]^ePcX^] EP[e^[X]T

100 YEARS UNDER THE HOOD.

TM

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Welcome to my (repair) nightmare How a routine engine overhaul on a Dodge Caravan morphed into an horrific experience!

By Bill McLennan

I

still vividly remember my worst carrepair nightmare story – a hair-raising experience that occurred just two months after I started my business.

The nitty-gritty details: Prior to opening my own shop, I had spent four years working at a Chrysler dealership. My landlord at the time owned a Dodge Caravan equipped with a 2.6-litre Mitsubishi engine. One day, he requested to have the engine overhauled.

Nooo problem, I thought. I knew that engine well. and contrary to popular opinion, that Mitsubishi powerplant was indeed a good engine – as long as you knew how to work on it properly.

I removed the engine, overhauled the unit without any problems, and put it back in under the bonnet. I then road-tested the minivan. The overhauled engine was purring like a kitten. I returned the vehicle to my landlord and that was that. Or so I thought.

Two months later, I received a frantic phone call from the landlord.

“It will not run!” he clamored.

Naturally, I made arrangements to have it towed in and upon further inspection, I determined it had thrown a rod.

There was a lot of oil, but the bearing spun. Rats! I obtained a recycling yard block and proceeded to overhaul the engine again.

Just to be sure there wouldn’t be any new problems, I installed an oil pump.

The pump came with instructions to fill it with petroleum jelly before installation I road-tested the Caravan and just as before, it was running smooth as silk.

Mission accomplished.

Not quite. Three weeks later, I get “The Phone Call.” It’s my landlord again, and it seems this time the van lost power and simply stopped running.

I popped the hood and discovered the

JUNE 2009

engine had seized. There’s an excess of oil in it, so it must’ve been a defective pump. I figure this is a warranty claim, but I’m informed by the folks at the parts store that pumps aren’t meant to be packed with petroleum jelly and that I was obviously an incompetent idiot to do so.

I vehemently protested. I’m then asked to show them the documentation that

says to pack the pump with petroleum jelly. Talk about Murphy’s Law: you always keep the garbage around for months just in case you need it, but when you do need some proof, it’s AWOL. So, what to do now? Given the irate customer was in fact my landlord, I ate the cost of the engine and obtained another powerplant. I’m just about to overhaul it when I get a phone call from the landlord. He becomes very abusive on the phone, and begins ranting about my “incompetence” and how this was costing him so much lost time and money. During his harangue, he mentioned that he had used Castrol 50w racing oil SAY WHAT?! I found out that when he got the van back from me, he drove down to Blaine, Wash. and had the 50w Castrol put in. I explained to him that the vehicle required 10w30 oil and that by putting 50w in he had starved the bearings and

blown the engine!

We eventually reached an agreement that he would get the running recycled engine installed and he would have to pay for the engine and I would eat the labour. I didn’t want to do this but others (translation: my wife) prevailed upon me to accept this deal because it was the landlord. That, and the fact that I should’ve had the oil analyzed when the first engine blew. If I had taken this step, I would’ve realized what was going on.

So, horror show over? Nope.

Like Dracula rising from the grave, my nightmare continued – namely, my landlord’s cheque bounced.

Incensed, I take him to court. I win and the court orders him to pay up, but he skips town. I’ve since moved the shop, although to this day, I have yet to be paid.

So, what did I learn? First and foremost, I now automatically trust my instincts. Second, I now know that if an engine goes south, I’m going to get the oil analyzed. Third, I now realize it is folly to expect all parts stores to live up to their warranties – if there’s any way they can refuse to honor a warranty, a loophole shall indeed be discovered. (Yes, I know the pump didn’t cause the failure; however, the parts store didn’t even consider that it could have.) My labor rate now reflects this reality.

Another thing I learned: never, ever trust a customer. After all, when I built the engine, I spelled out when to change the oil and filter and what oil weight and grade to use.

One final lesson I learned under the proviso of “no good turn ever goes unpunished.” On my list of people I prefer not to have as customers, I’ve added the vocation of landlord.

Bill McLennan is the owner of Remington Park Motors in Surrey, B.C.

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Picasso, eat your heart out Thanks to my kids, I’m now a part-time artiste – and lovin’ it!

By Susan Eaton

W

hen the opportunity presented itself to trade in a ledger for a paint brush, I laughed. I mean, draw something more complex than a stickman?

Paint something that doesn’t look like a Rorschach test? That’ll be the day.

After all, my dance card is pretty much full. I’m a mother of two boys, seven and nine. And I work full-time with my husband, Andy.

Andy is the operations manager and I’m the business manager (I love the nittygritty numbers side of the business – give me a set of financials and I’ll rip them apart and tell you what you’re really doing!). Even so, I know it’s important to have a life outside of the repair shop… it’s just a matter of finding the right extracurricular activity.

By way of background, I feel as though Andy and I are truly blessed, given that we’ve been able to send our kids to the Toronto Waldorf School. From kindergarten through all the grades at Waldorf, part of the curriculum is lived through what is called wet-on-wet watercolor.

Being a mom, I was curious to learn about the techniques my sons used when it came to putting paint to canvas.

Something just compelled me to find out more, especially since the paintings coming home were so beautiful.

Eventually, I decided to take the plunge and, like my sons, learn how to paint. I found some evening art classes that specialized in the wet-on-wet discipline, and I truly loved it! A bit of blue pigment on one side, some yellow on the other side, mix them together and voila! – a lovely shade of green. Indeed, I soon learned that the combinations are virtually endless – by adding a dab of red, brown starts to form. Wow! I thought. There’s a fair degree of science behind the beauty.

In fact, I lived for Tuesday evening art classes during the seven-week run of the course. The instructor put a bug in my ear, saying she thought the three-year program “would be a real good fit for me.”

14 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

Although I loved to paint, I was skeptical I truly had the right stuff in terms of taking it to the next level. After all, at this stage, I was only painting with my kids at home (and in truth, that was the most important thing about my art hobby – spending time with my sons.)

I got even more enthused about art after another evening class demonstrated how to use egg tempera – a raw pigment just like Leonardo daVinci would’ve employed centuries ago. I was smitten! It was just so cool to paint like this! Indeed,

the high I experienced from Thursday nights, stayed with me all week – and it had nothing to do with inhaling paint vapors. Rather, I had caught the art bug and I was lovin’ it.

Eventually, I reexamined the threeyear program. It wasn’t just about art – it was about therapy and helping others. I decided to make a commitment so that I could truly succeed. It meant sacrificing an evening and a full day each week, along with homework and study sessions.

But it was worth it.

Today, I’m enrolled at Arscura, School for Living Art, and I haven’t been able to

look at the outside world quite the same way again. I am slated to graduate in 2011 with an Art Therapist degree. And art has changed my life: I used to be the last one to bed working on the shop’s financial numbers; now I get lovingly lost creating a painting.

And art is therapeutic. Thus, if you’ve had “one of those days” in which you had to deal with a problem employee or an irate customer or some infuriating government bureaucrat, just by managing what the universe has created, I’ll bring you back to your roots and help you remember why you love your life and why you do what you do.

The true magic of a paintbrush in hand is all about creating something out of nothing.

Most importantly, when it comes to spending family time painting with my kids, I now understand what they’re learning in school and how it lives inside them. Believe it or not, they don’t know what a Nintendo or Xbox is as there’s never a need for nonsensical video games in our house. Last Christmastime, they used up an entire set of watercolor pencil crayons just by creating art in their sketch pads every morning.

Both Andy and I love our work.

Andy loves people and cars, and he loves helping people who have problems with their cars. That’s why he’s in this business to begin with. As for me, I love wrapping up the year-end financial statements. But that’s not all there is. Painting is work too; I just think we require different kinds of work in our lives. And some work – the best kind of work – results in joy and fulfillment. I think embracing something you are passionate about is one of the secrets to striking a balance in life.

Susan Eaton is co-owner at AE Auto Plus in Thornhill, Ont. JUNE 2009

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Tool insurance: your livelihood’s safety net Even if you never end up making a claim, having sufficient tool insurance coverage is essential.

By Allan Haberman

E

veryone in this business knows how valuable tools are. But just imagine the heartbreak and the loss of livelihood you would suffer if someone were to burglarize your place of employment and make off with your cherished toolbox?

Indeed, what would you do if you came into work bright and early one morning and discovered that all your tools had vanished overnight?

Any one of us could be placed in such a dire position. Thieves know the value of professional shop tools. And they do target auto repair shops. Given the potential security risk, the following questions arise: are you properly insured? Would the policy you have cover the full cost of what’s in your toolbox? Do you know exactly what’s in your toolbox? Did you update your itemized contents list the last time you made a trip to the tool truck? Do you even have tool insurance? And does your employer insure your tools in case of theft or fire in the shop?

These are the questions to be asked (and answered) in order to ensure you’re properly covered. Not knowing the answers could cost you more than just a one-time monetary hit. After all, you need your tools to earn a living. Having access to your tools pays the mortgage and feeds your family.

Therefore, knowing whether your tools are properly insured is crucially important.

The first step is to check with your employer to see if the shop has coverage

SURVEY SAYS: What was the best advice you ever received about the trade or the business, and who was it from?

“From my uncle:‘There are 24 hours in a day; eight hours are for sleep; eight are for fun and eight are for work.

Don’t mix them up.’”

Maurice J. Gallant, Laker Auto Repair, Mississauga, Ont. JUNE 2009

Itemizing all the tools in your box is a prudent move should you ever need to make a claim.

for employees’ tools included in the shop’s insurance policy. If yes, what’s the limit of coverage per employee? Is there a deductible? And if so, how much is the deductible and who’s responsible for paying it?

Furthermore, what will it cost to purchase additional coverage if the base limit is too low? As well, if the shop doesn’t have coverage, are you able to get a better rate from the shop’s insurance provider than from your own insurance company?

Don’t assume your tools are covered under your homeowner’s policy. This isn’t always the case, so you must contact your agent for verification.

Once you have established that your tools are indeed properly insured, you must take an inventory so you know precisely what’s in your tool box. (Think about this: when was the last time you took inventory of your tools?) Take pho“From my grandfather:‘Look, listen and learn. You can never know it all.”

Bill Hann, City Tire & Auto, Corner Brook, Nfld.

“If it ain’t broken don’t fix it.”

Grant Cormier, Mighty Auto, Bedford, N.S. “From Smokey Miller, Master Mechanic:‘Run it by hand until you can afford the equipment.’”

Glen Inglis, Waycon International, Guelph, Ont. “An old boss once told me that you should always treat the customer the way that you would like to be treated.”

Dennis Kokovai, Serbu Tire, Windsor, Ont. “From a Grade 10 shop teacher:‘When in doubt – don’t.’”

Mel Palmer, Belleville Tire & Auto Centre, Belleville, Ont.

tographs of your tools – or better yet – videotape the contents of your box/boxes.

This not only makes it easier for you to keep track of your tools, but you will also have an excellent record on hand should you ever have to make a claim.

As well, do you have a receipt for every tool in that box? For that matter, do you have a receipt for the toolbox itself? A picture – or a receipt – is worth a thousand words.

It is also prudent to mark all your hard tools with an engraver. Use your initials or something unique that you can identify later. Record serial numbers from all electronic tools or any tool with a serial number and put those numbers on a memory stick. Store the memory stick in a safe place – not your toolbox, of course. Rather, put it in a safe at home or get a safety deposit box. And make certain to update the information whenever you make a purchase – especially a major purchase.

Just like any other type of insurance product on the market, you hope you’ll never actually need to use it but you’ll be glad it’s there just in case you ever need to make a claim. So go out and invest in some good insurance coverage… and here’s hoping you won’t have to deal with an adjustor in the near future.

Allan Haberman is a technical training specialist with Blue Streak Hygrade Motor Products.

“From my father:‘Beware of deadbeats!’”

William Kamaraus, Kamaraus Garage Ltd., Beausejour, Man. “From Mike Austin at Master Mechanics:‘Don’t be scared to charge for your knowledge.’”

Cheney Katernych, Mercedes-Benz of Regina, Regina, Sask.

“From my grandfather:‘Don’t believe it – or un-believe it – until you see it!’”

Laura Dubois, Piston Ring Service, Winnipeg, Man. “My grandfather always said, ‘If a job is worth doing it’s worth doing right.’”

Jim Walker, Bourgeois Motors, Midland, Ont. CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 17

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Future shock Why our industry will need fewer – not more – technicians in the years ahead.

By Craig Shoemaker Over the years, I’ve read with interest many articles pertaining to the future of this industry. A major concern expressed

by several shop owners and industry gurus is that not enough young people are being attracted to the automotive service

and repair business. And if this doesn’t change soon, the thinking is the consequences could be quite dire.

Indeed, many observers think this situation is the single greatest issue facing the automotive repair industry today. The general consensus is that we’ll need a major influx of new people in this industry to repair and maintain the everincreasing number of automobiles out on the road today and tomorrow.

In fact, industry experts predict the average age of vehicles on the roads will increase. As well, the inherent complexity of the modern automobile will continue at the same rapid pace we’ve witnessed over the past decade. These factors would seem to indicate that we desperately need more people and bigger shops to handle the anticipated uptick in business.

Alas, allow me to put forth a contrarian viewpoint: I don’t think the above predications will in fact come to fruition For starters, I haven’t seen an increase in my car counts. And from what I’ve heard, other shops – including dealerships – haven’t witnessed an upswing in business either. Indeed, in the years to come, I’m thinking we’ll need fewer people in this industry than we have right now.

SURVEY SAYS: What vehicle would you recommend to customers who are in the market for a new car? Why? “Honda and Toyota. Those vehicles are the best on fuel, great resale value, and very little maintenance is required.”

Lori Button, Dowal Auto Service, St. John’s, Nfld.

“Any of the Japanese makes – Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, etc.”

Ron Jarvis, The Mad Mechanic, Nanaimo, B.C. “I would recommend an Audi because it is a reliable make and all models are stylish.”

Brad Gammon, Wheel City Windsor, Windsor, Ont.

18 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

JUNE 2009

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What do I base this viewpoint on? Well, we need only examine the past to get an indication of what the future might hold.

And by “the past,” I’m actually referring to a few hundred years ago, long before the automobile was invented.

In the 1700s, 75% of the population was employed in the agriculture industry. In 1765, James Watt invented the steam engine. At first it was considered a novelty without any practical purpose as far as farm workers were concerned. It took several decades, but eventually the steam engine replaced most of these agricultural workers. This was the first large-scale example of technology replacing workers.

Workers were displaced, never to work in the agriculture again.

At the same time, vast industries were created to service the transportation infrastructure. Large farms went into the business of producing and raising horses; other large farms serviced the feeding and caring for these horses. As well, industries were established for the making and maintaining of carriages. All of these industries were thriving concerns. Then, in 1885, Carl Benz invented the world’s first commercial automobile.

Mr. Benz wasn’t taken seriously at first.

The carriage-makers believed this new invention was merely a passing fad. But ultimately it replaced carridges. Again, many workers were displaced, never to work in these once-thriving industries ever again.

Fast-forward to the 1970s. U.S. Steel at this point was the largest steel producer in the world. The company employed

“The Ford Escape is put together very well.”

Linda Legault, Bilar’s Garage, Thorsby, Alta.

“I am biased toward Chrysler automobiles due to my dealership experience. As for imports, I’d go with Honda and Toyota.”

Mike Hoffman, Automotive Brake Renew, Kelowna, B.C. “Toyotas are reliable and are good quality vehicles.

Toyotas are also mechanic-friendly and easier than most to repair.”

Ray Hempler, Ram Automotive, Mission, B.C. “Any Honda car. Hondas are well-built, reputable, have excellent powertrains, and deliver great gas mileage.”

Richard Petrowski, Rick’s Performance “Sorry to say, but with imports, Honda and Toyota are well-made and don’t seem to have code problems.”

Bert Sinkgraven, Windmill Automotive, Brampton, Ont. JUNE 2009

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about 130,000 people and produced vast quantities of steel. But modern technology soon came to the steel industry. Within approximately 10 years, U.S. Steel laid off about 100,000 of those workers. Not only did U.S. Steel stay in business, but the production of high-quality steel actually increased and so did profits.

Approximately 100,000 highly paid workers were never able to get jobs in the steel industry again.

Next, let’s look at General Motors. GM

employed approximately 100,000 workers five years ago. Present-day GM employs approximately 60,000 workers. Yet GM still has excess capacity. From what I have come to understand, GM – if required – could build double the number of vehicles with the same number of employees that they currently employ.

Does anyone think the 40,000 workers that have been displaced will ever regain their high-paying jobs working for the Detroit Three again?

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incorporated into vehicles of the future.

And that future isn’t all that far away.

Don’t get me wrong: I don’t believe Mr. Roboto will eventually replace me when it comes to servicing an automobile. But I do believe technology will make the newer vehicles better than ever.

So, what does the future hold for us? I believe it will be far different than it was even a decade ago. I don’t expect this change to occur over night. It will take time, but just like technological innova-

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I could continue citing examples of technology changing an industry, often displacing a large number of workers in the process. I believe we in the automotive repair industry are experiencing this same type of change right now, thanks mainly to the modern-day automobile being increasingly better built. As well, electronics will continue to replace mechanical components.

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tions, it will happen at a faster clip. And like those other industries previously noted, the change encountered will displace workers that will never again work in this industry.

I don’t want to sound like a doomsayer.

I’m just stating a position based upon historical facts. After all, this is my industry and it’s my business to try to predict where this industry is headed. Taking an informed view will allow me to better position my business to take advantage of the changes yet to occur.

Like all products (and our product is labor) or service, the vast majority follows a simple business guideline. This guideline is called a bell curve. When any new product or service is first introduced into the marketplace, acceptance is slow. It takes a while before this service or product becomes commonplace. As time marches on, popularity of the new product or service will continue to increase. After a while, at the height of its popularity, some other product or service will come along rendering the status quo obsolete. At this point the popularity of the product or service fades. If you were to plot this guideline on a sheet of paper it would look like a bell, hence the term bell curve.

You might not agree with me. But stop and think about what I’ve said for a few days. Don’t respond with a kneejerk reaction or label me a crackpot. Instead, think about what’s happening in our industry.

Think back to when you first got into this business. What type of work were you doing? What type of work do you do now?

What type of work don’t you do anymore?

I sometimes hear some of the older people telling me “just wait ’til we get back to the good old days.” I believe the change we’re witnessing isn’t temporary. and “the good old days” are gone for good.

This isn’t to say everything is doom and gloom. Things will just be different. I believe some of us can make a very good living in this industry. There just won’t be as many of us as there once was. This is why I’ve taken the time to plot a course for the future of my business, so that I can take advantage of these changes. I very much plan on remaining gainfully employed in this industry. And here’s hoping I’ll be seeing you in the future, too.

Craig Shoemaker is the owner of DC Automotive in Woodstock, Ont. JUNE 2009

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The Fantastic Five Want to bolster your shop so it can ride out the current economic storm? Then embrace these five crucial management tips.

By Richard Dansereau

U

pon visiting many shops across Canada, it became evident there’s worry in the air these days. It’s often opined that independent shops are “recession proof.” But this is true only if you have the right formula for your shop.

If you want to survive and even thrive during this economic downturn, then consider this five-step plan:

Step 1: Stay Positive In difficult times it’s very hard to stay positive in our personal lives and at work. If you’re driving to the shop, you might mull to yourself: “What an awful night! I wonder what sort of crappy day awaits.” Well, guess what? You’ve just purposefully ruined your day.

How does this happen? Negativity tends to breed more negativity. And when negative energy is allowed to escape, everyone has a bad day. This will invariably translate into poor client communications.

Therefore, a smart shop owner should really ponder what he’s selling. If you think it’s parts and labor, you’re only partially right. Just consider fast-food titan McDonald’s. In addition to burgers and fries, McDonald’s is selling an experience which includes such attributes as a high level of cleanliness, a toy in every Happy Meal, Nintendo games and play areas, and even an iconic mascot, Ronald McDonald.

Clearly, going to McDonald’s – especially for the small fry segment – is a lot more than just having a quick bite.

In your shop, you have to wonder what drives clients to you. Is it that $34.95 oil change special, or is it the fact that you offer up precious moments to listen to your clients’ concerns? It is important to know something special about each client and turn the discussion into something really positive. It’s your job to make them come out of your shop with a smile – or even a laugh. And it all starts with the owner.

JUNE 2009

3/13/2009 2:50:33 PM

Step 2: Manage Without Managing Here’s a truism every manager needs to know: Managing people doesn’t work; managing systems and procedures does.

I’m actually a recovering micro-manager. I used to be the type of guy who would tell people what they needed to do because I knew they were going to mess up. Of course, every time I wasn’t there to help, they would mess up. This made my vacations a source of stress rather than relaxation. But one day I experienced an

epiphany: maybe I was the problem.

That’s when I made a concerted effort to stop trying to help and simply allow my staff to make the mistakes they needed to make. You have to wonder how the best managers and owners learned how to be the best. Strong decision-making includes mistakes and all owners and managers have made their share. Put another way, there’s nothing wrong with honest failure.

When I stepped back to let my team do the work, I was absolutely elated by the noticeable reduction in errors. My fear of CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 23

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SURVEY SAYS: my employees “messing-up” had increased anxiety in my team, and this in turn hurt productivity and created a poor workplace environment.

So, how can things improve? Well, here are your manager’s job duties: a. Measure Performance It’s important to have a system that measures things like productivity, efficiency, average invoice, and average estimates. Without these key measurement tools in place, how will you even know if you’re improving? b. Enact Systems and Procedures Instead of following behind someone to make sure they don’t make a mistake that will cost you money, how about mandating some written guidelines for your business that everyone can understand and buy into. c. Inspire, mentor and coach A lot of kids look up to talented hockey players such as Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin. If you were a coach trying to build a winning team, would you tell a superstar to slow down so all the other kids can catch up? Or would you inspire the kids that aren’t doing as well to emulate your star player?

Step 3: Create the WOW! Factor Ask yourself: what makes you different? If you “sell” oil changes, what makes you different from the quick lube or the big box store down the street? They charge $19.99; you charge $34.95. To a new customer you are much more expensive and they’re going to want to know why. If you can’t provide a sufficient answer, you’ll always be too expensive.

You have to understand that the reason these clients deal with you differs from the reason they get their oil changed at a big box store. If you’re a maintenance shop, you don’t sell oil changes! You sell preventive maintenance that will save your clients money. Is the title line of your oil change still called “oil, lube and filter?”

Then maybe it’s time to rebrand that service. How does “maintenance service” or “inspection and fluid service” sound?

Anybody can do an oil change but do they 24 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

have the skill level to identify potential future problems? I’m betting they don’t.

Step 4: Dig Deep Into Your Database of Clients Electronic databases have been around for a couple of decades. Such databases are a lifeline for any service business.

Advertising for clients will return limited results, depending on the campaign. It usually ends up driving less than 1% of the total reach to your door. The best automotive shops get new customers via referral, based on word of mouth. This is the best and most inexpensive system of finding new clients. Not only does it find you new clients, it finds you the right clients.

You want them to tell others, “This shop is a great place to go… not only do I get my car washed, they come and pick me up from work when it is done.” When you have that type of a system in place, people will flock to your shop.

Step 5: Communicate, Communicate, Communicate If you don’t have a system of consistent communication with your clients, it’s time to get one. Consistent communication shows clients you’re still in business. If you book their next appointment, why not follow up a week in advance? If they don’t show up, call them and ask if you can rebook for another day. There are all kinds of inexpensive ways to keep your clients coming back by using the database you already have. If you’re unsure how to communicate with them, create scripts and follow them during phone conversations. How about checklist sheets for service advisors to ensure they have done all that they can with their clients?

In the final analysis, the only way to implement all of these steps is to create positive attitudes and inspire your team.

Don’t ignore problems until they fester and breed negativity. Now is the time to refine your processes and your team, so when economic times improve, you’ll be ready to reap the rewards of your discipline and hard work.

Richard Dansereau is the owner/general manager of LAD’s Auto Repair in Calgary.

What Made You Get Into the Business?

“I enjoyed cars.”

Wayne Hughes, Phillips Auto Sales, Charlottetown, P.E.I. “Twas the only job I could find.”

Gary Ashcroft, Best Buy Auto Repair, Oakbank, Man. “I was interested when young and I like challenging problems.”

Craig Spiece, Craigs Complete Car Care, Riverview, N.B. “I was racing and rallying back in the late ’60s and early ’70s.”

Ron Jarvis, The Mad Mechanic, Nanaimo, B.C. “I love automobiles.”

Brent Martin, Midtown Truck Service, Vancouver “I had taken chef training and it was hard to find work. A friend was entering a pre-apprentice course, so I joined him to occupy my time. He never became a tech!”

Mike Hoffman, Automotive Brake Renew & Tune Up, Kelowna, B.C. “I had an interest in automobiles and electrical systems.”

James Schmit, C & M Motors, Davidson, Sask.

“I enjoy automobiles and I have a ‘how does it work’ curiosity.”

Ken Fedun, Auto Electrical Service, Weyburn, Sask.

“I love automobiles, especially Chevys.”

Joseph Huckbone, Pike Wheaton Chevrolet Oldsmobile, Red Deer, Alta.

“I joined the family business.”

Rudy Graf, Graf Auto Centre, Toronto “I enjoy the work.”

Jeff Jordan, Jordans Auto Repair, Sorrento, B.C. “I have a love of cars – rebuilding, customizing, racing and repairing.”

Bob Irvine, J & B Raceworks, London, Ont. “The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology cancelled the class I was going to take and my dad needed a service advisor. That was back in September, 2005.”

Brittney Thorburn, Tipaskan Service, Edmonton “It was an opportunity to start a business with my son and do something that we both loved.”

Tom Terfry, Northend Auto, Port Colborne, Ont. “Our shop has been a family business since 1952. And I love it.”

Keith King, Kings Motors, Govan, Sask.

JUNE 2009

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What went wrong?

We surfed the Internet to find consumer complaints about repair shops. Obviously we don’t know all the details of what happened, but just looking at the consumer’s point of view, can you determine what went wrong?

Mounting repairs has customer livid “I was 100 miles from home when my car died. I was towed to a dealership where I was told the problem was a loose battery connection – a $70 fix. Fifteen minutes later I was told that my engine was hydrolocked. A half hour later they said the timing belt needed replacement. A half hour later they said the spark plugs were fouled. I was there for more than 10 hours and the final bill came to over $1,000! I’m sure these people saw I was from out of town and decided to take me for as much as possible!” So... what went wrong?

This scenario is screaming lack of communication between the service advisor and the technician, not to mention weak communication with the client. A proper CCF (customer communication form) along with a proper client interview should’ve told the technician to look for something beyond the battery cable to begin with. Furthermore, a minimum inspection procedure that covers all common problems associated with the complaint, as well as potential maintenance items, needs to be implemented.

Ivan Brown Integra Tire & Auto Centre Edmonton Alta.

This is a case of classic premature diagnosis that blew up in somebody’s face! I hate when that happens, and I suspect we’ve all been there before. The sad part is that the guy was from out of town and they were likely trying their best to get him back on the road and maybe rushed the diagnosing. It’s difficult in a case like this to say whether the guy was ripped off as there are a lot of cars out there that are held together with baler twine and optimism. When the vehicle finally packs up, the end result can look and sound just like this. The only way out is careful diagno26 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

sis, but then the customer would likely complain you’re taking too long and “mining” the car for work! Some days you just can’t win.

Ward Zintel Perfection Automotive Saskatoon, Sask.

This sounds like one of two things: One, the technician could not diagnose the problem correctly and started changing parts until the car ran. If it was just a loose battery connection, the tech should have had the car running in his bay before going to the service writer with his findings. The second scenario is – just as the customer suspected – he was being ripped off. There are few exemptions for

not being able to provide an accurate diagnosis in this day and age. We have a scanner, computer information, power probe and a host of other equipment at the shop where I work.

Bruce Brannan Moon Repair 100 Mile House, B.C. Working in a small town, we run across this situation frequently. Our normal course of action is to repair the vehicle and if other repairs are noticed, I’ll tell the customer he’ll make it home but the vehicle needs to be looked at by their regular mechanic. This puts him at ease. In fact, this has sometimes even generated a letter to the local newspaper editor praising the

Here’s another scenario: I went to a repair shop to buy four new tires for my Camry. They told me that it would take about a couple of hours, so I went to a mall to wait. Four hours later they were finally installed and I could pick up my car. I paid for the job ($599) but before I left, I decided to take a look at my brand new tires. I was very frustrated to see that it still had the same four old, worn out tires! Apparently another car that looks like mine came in to get an oil change...

But it got my new tires and I got the oil change. The service guy canceled the credit card transaction, and tried to book me in for the next day, but I was so frustrated I just went home.

I was told the owner would call me within 48 hours. It’s been a week and I still have not heard from these people!

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town and the shop that helped them out. You can’t buy that kind of publicity. No matter how slow you are, treat customers honestly and it will pay off sooner or later.

Don Marsh Carline Automotive Services Alliston, Ont. The problem is who’s at fault, the service advisor for poor communication or the technician for a rushed diagnostic and poor communication. Or perhaps management for not training everyone in the first place.

Carlo Sabucco Sil’s Auto Diagnostic Centre Mississauga, Ont. It would appear the person at the service counter has very poor management skills and the technician has very poor diagnostic skills. The way in which the client was informed on what was wrong was conducted poorly.

Doug Lowther Doug’s Mountainview Auto Service Penticton, B.C. I would speculate, based on the limited information provided, that it is just a case of incompetence. If I were to attempt to rip someone off, there would have been only one phone call made, with one large quote given.

Todd Huggard TechSupport West Diagnostics Edmonton

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SURVEY SAYS: What’s your favorite car to work on and why?

“Honda Civic. It’s easy to work on and simple.”

Perry Vandergulik, Jem Auto Services, Coquitlam, B.C. “Old, classic muscle cars – lots of room under the hood.”

Aaron Moss, Randy’s Automotive, Waterford, Ont. “The Chevrolet Cavalier is easy to repair and parts are easily obtained.”

Craig Spiece, Craig’s Complete Car Care, Riverview, N.B. “The Toyota Camry and Corolla are both well-engineered.”

Cliff Martin, Midas Auto Service, Charlottetown, P.E.I. “Toyota Corolla – reasonably-priced parts are always available and the Corolla is easy to work on.”

Alexander Novak, Farrell’s Ultramar, Antigonish, N.S. “Toyota. Well-engineered and fairly easy to work on. I own three!”

Jack Shea, John’s Quality Auto Service, Lindsay, Ont. “Any Honda model because they are designed to be serviced.”

John Robinson, HJM Auto, Victoria, B.C. “I prefer Jeeps and Chrysler products.”

Mike Hoffman, Automotive Brake Renew, Kelowna, B.C. “Chevy trucks are user-friendly and there’s lots of info.”

Theo Goverall, Whitecourt Autopro, Whitecourt, Alta.

“My own ’83 Camaro. I learn from working on it. Working on it improves my skills and my car at the same time.”

Josh Pohlmann, Keith & Herb Alignments, Saskatoon, Sask.

I think what went wrong is the customer failed to perform apparently any basic maintenance prior to embarking on a road trip. A loose battery clamp? A timing belt? Fouled plugs? Perhaps a cooling system test may have caught the issue that caused the “hydrolocked” engine? All this falls somewhere into a PM schedule. So the basic issue may be a shop at home that isn’t meeting the customer’s needs. Or it could possibly be consumer ignorance (a little customer education may be called for here.)

Trevor Howe Prince George Motors Prince George, B.C. There are a number of different scenarios that could be the reason behind this complaint, and all of them come back to communication and operational dictates. Probably the best way to have handled this would have been for the service writer to say “Our preliminary diagnostic will cost up to $250. And at this point we should have a good estimate of what the full repair will entail and what it will cost.” Only when everything has been diagnosed should the service writer present the full estimate to the customer. The service writer might also have offered to arrange for a hotel room, or drop them off at a park, mall, or tourist attraction, so the customer isn’t hanging around the showroom wringing their hands and checking on the tech every five minutes.

Sean O’Gorman Glenn’s Import & Domestic Courtenay, B.C. JUNE 2009

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RIDES

A running feature in Canadian Technician that always gets a tremendous response is Reader Rides. No surprise here – it figures that people who work on cars for a living would cherish certain makes and models, too.

Here’s a selection of some of the sweetest and most unusual rides to be sent our way.

VAN-TASTIC

Al G. Smith, owner/operator of Hibre Auto in Grahamdale, Man., customized this 1991 Plymouth Voyager. It is stock except for the chop-and-cut job. Al says he got tired of smelling the tires he was hauling so he moved the tailgate up and removed the side windows to create a cargo box. The sliding door and seat remain, so it’s still classified as a five-passenger van. For safety he installed a roll bar and extra bracing. The cargo box is finished with a spray liner.

Says Al:“I’ve had lots of looks driving this around!”

HERE COMES DA JUDGE

Bruce A. Christian, owner/manager of Automotive Connection in Winnipeg sent in this picture of “one of my babies” – a 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge 455HO. The muscle car sports a topical lime hue (the original paint job) and the mint-condition car tends to turn heads wherever it goes.

SMOKIN’ HOT CHALLENGER

Larry and Darlene Delaurier of OK Tire in Pembroke, Ont., sent in thus photo of their 1974 Dodge Challenger 500. This Mopar monster boasts a Stroker motor, 727 transmission, and a 410 Dana rear end. We imagine that it’s fortunate the Delauriers are in the tire business given the amount of rubber this Dodge leaves behind on the track.

ALL SHOW AND ALL GO

Jay Hughes, of Jay’s Auto in Waterdown, Ont., sent in this picture of a 1955 Chevrolet (406 fuel injected). Jay restored the Chevy himself and he occasionally takes it to the track. Its best time in the quarter mile: 10.9.

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FANTASTIC FORDS

Ron Provost, of Toyota On Front in Toronto, picked up a 1953 Ford F-100 (a 50th anniversary edition) to keep his 1967 Mustang company.“In this picture you can see them at home relaxing, soaking up the sun, and creating traffic jams around my home.” He points out they’re older than most Canadian Technician readers, and he openly wonders why he has turned cars into a hobby, considering he’s surrounded by cars every day at work.“I’ve been working around cars 12 to 14 hours a day for almost 30 years... I guess I’m just nuts!”

THE ROYAL TREATMENT

Gary Savoie of New Brunswick sent in this shot of his 1938 Chrysler Royal Coupe. It has been fully-restored with a metal body.

“There aren’t many of these babies left!” he points out.

A RARE MINI

Don Dunlop, a generalist at Mr. Mini, a shop that specializes in fixing Minis in Stoney Creek, Ont., sent in this shot of his 1966 Sunbeam Imp MK 2 Deluxe.

“Fugly may not be one of the most powerful, but it is one of the rarest Minis,” he says.“It has a 1-litre rear engine and rear-wheel drive. An ex-racer, he now just cruises around town... to a lot of strange looks and head scratching.”

CORVETTE SUMMER

This 1974 Corvette Stingray (nicknamed “Bettie”) is on fire with a 454 big block, modified that generates 375 horsepower and 483 ft-lb of torque. Tina Boisvert of Boisvert Service Garage worked on the restoration job with her brother and completed the project in the fall of 2005. Tina predicts:“With original leather interior and an amazing paint job, Bettie is going to turn heads at car shows this year!”

MAGNIFICENT MUSTANG

Cory A. Marinus, owner and technician at Cory’s Engine Repair in Fox Creek, Alta., sent in this shot of a 1969 Ford Mustang Shelby 428 CJ in mint condition.

“This will be our next project – it’s got a few techs around here excited!” says Cory, noting the car is completely rust-free.“It just needs some T.L.C. It’s been stored inside for the last 25 years.”

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Making sense of Mode $06 Here’s what to do when the check engine light keeps illuminating.

By Jeff Taylor

H

as this ever happened to you? You’ve just completed some repairs on a vehicle and then fixed a check engine light (CEL) that had set a P0300 misfire code. The vehicle ran great when you were done.

The owner picked up the vehicle after paying his bill and all was well until... the CEL came back on. There was the usual phone call that they had just spent all this money to have that light turned off and now it’s back on again.

So, what do you do? Have them bring it back if they haven’t already shown up? Do you pull the tech off the job he’s currently working on to come over and rescan the vehicle, only to find a totally unrelated code? The customer really doesn’t know the difference. But you do. Let’s say it’s a 30 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

P0420 cat efficiency code that shows up at this point. How could you have avoided this problem? Well you could’ve used Mode $06.

Mode $06 has been around for quite a while (the phase-in period began back in 1994). But it really hasn’t been embraced by the average tech. Mode $06 looks really complicated, gives the illusion of being a foreign language (hexadecimal num-

bers) and it has been really hard to find any information on it. The good news is it’s now much more user-friendly with the mandating of CAN. Mode $06 is one of 15 OBDll modes that are reserved for global diagnostic scan tool operation. It was designed by engineers for engineers to diagnose specific emission related failures. That explains why it’s so complicated.

Those failures are on the OBDll noncontinuously monitored systems. This is important to understand. Basically, vehicles with OBDll have two types of emission monitors: continuous and non-continuous.

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ence in the monitors is really in the name, but a really quick way to tell is in how they set trouble codes. First, a non-continuous test only runs once per drive cycle.

Secondly, almost all non-continuous monitors use a two-trip consecutive failure to turn on the CEL. This is where the rules are bent a tad. For example, Ford reports its misfire data in Mode $06 which is really useful but is the result of a continuous test. A continuous monitor is continually testing as long as conditions are met, such as misfire, fuel trim, and comprehensive component. The monitor is always looking for a failure and won’t wait until it sees the problem twice.

Meanwhile, the non-continuous monitors only run when all of their enable conditions have been met. This is a key point.

For the vehicle to perform a test on itself, several conditions have to be just right or the test can’t happen. This list of conditions is very vehicle/engine specific. You need to examine if there’s a problem in another system. If another monitor has not passed, it may disable the testing of many if not all of the non-continuous monitors. Some vehicles only need the CEL on a non-continuous monitor to run.

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information site or by visiting the factory website.

The list of non-continuous monitors is large and growing as systems are added that affect emissions. I’ve found 22 now (I’m sure there are more) but the big ones that usually bite us are EGR, EVAP, CAT, AIR and Thermostat.

When all of the conditions have been met and the PCM decides that the time is right to perform a test, it will run the monitor. When it’s done it will post the results of the test(s) in Mode $06. This data is kept here until another test is done and the data is updated or the data is erased, usually by simply clearing a code. We can see these results if we attach a scanner and look at the Mode $06 data. This is the nice part: the scanner only has to be able to get us the generic side; we don’t need a factory scanner. In fact, some factory scanners don’t even show Mode $06, (Tech2). This is the point where things can get difficult if not outright onerous.

You’ll notice the PCM is using binary numbers and when it reports that info to us in Mode $06 it uses hexadecimal numbers.

Once the PCM sends out the results of the Mode $06 data in HEX form a couple of things can happen: the scanner will give us exactly what the PCM saw CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 31

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(raw.HEXvalues) or the scanner may perform the mathematical operation of conversion, giving you the decimal numbers that we’re typically used to seeing.

Confused yet? Well, it is fuzzy to be sure, so let’s try and clear things up.

Binary is the base of 2, hexadecimal is the base of 16 and what we like to see is decimal, a base of 10.Whenever you see a number that is preceded by a $ sign on your scanner, the value that follows is going to be in a hexadecimal number format. Because the system is based on 16 , the letters A B C D E F are used along with 0 to 9 so you can see a number like $4FFE. This is 20478 (I’ll explain how to get this number in a minute.)

So, now we have our scanner hooked up and we are trying to look at the Mode $06 data. We see the report and it may look like this on a 2001 Honda: TID $05 CID $81 Min Value $100 Max Value $1F4 Current Value $1F3 When you see data like this, the first thing you’ll think of is, “What the heck?

What do these numbers mean? And what is a TID or a CID?” Well, allow me to provide you with some more information. First the data you’re seeing is in HEX($) and this must be converted. Second, we will need to go to our information service to find out

SURVEY SAYS: Should repair estimates be free? Why or why not??

“No. Free estimates consume time and money – and time is money. We gain nothing if the person takes the estimate and goes elsewhere. If the estimate is accepted, we then waive the estimate fee.”

Armando Carlos, Coiteux Hyundai, Montreal “In our shop, if we get a brake job out of an estimate we don’t charge. Time is money.”

Bert Sinkgraven, Windmill Automotive, Brampton, Ont. “Yes, shops should give free estimates. In most cases, if you give a free estimate the customer will get the work done at that repair shop.”

Fred Fleming, Kelwood Corner Service, Kelwood, Man. “Yes, estimates should be free. I’m a service advisor and I’m already paid hourly. Estimates are a good way to keep customers coming back for regular maintenance.

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what monitor the TID and CID relate too.

The TID is the Test ID (really the monitor); the CID is the Component ID (what we are testing). Before the implementation of CAN, the manufactures were allowed to set the TIDs and CIDs as they wanted. After CAN, they have rules and new names. We now have MIDs and TIDs. MIDs are monitor IDs and are standard across all manufacturers and are arranged in order of priority (O2 monitors first).

TIDs are test IDs, and these can still be set by the manufacturer as they wish.

Getting back to our example of: TID $05 CID $81 Min Value $100 Max Value $1F4 Current Value $1F3 After visiting our information service, we can say that we’re looking at the CAT monitor for this Honda (TID$05 CID $81).

We’ll need to convert the raw HEX numbers into something that makes sense to us. If you have access to a Windows-based PC, then use its built-in HEX to decimal scientific conversion calculator. It’s in Programs under Accessories. Type in the HEX value, and then hit the DEC button.

The number will now be decimal format.

Put those numbers into the data so it will look like this: TID $05 CID $81 Min Value 256 Max Value 500 Current Value 499 Now we’re starting to see something

that is of value to us. The car is on the verge of failing this test, the result is 499 and the max limit is 500. It is really close to setting a P0420 code, and if the next test is above the limit, it will set a pending code. If the next test after that is also a fail, the CEL will come on. Remember it needs two consecutive failures to turn on the CEL on a non-continous monitor.

One more thing that is very important: this test/monitor will not run if there are any misfire codes (we saw this on our information site) and we had a P0300.

This monitor was shut off and after our repair it was able to run again and it did so twice (failing both times), turning on the CEL and setting the code. It sure would’ve been nice if we had looked at those Mode $06 values and test results before we had cleared the codes after repairing the misfire, wouldn’t it? We could’ve made a note on the invoice and explained the situation to the customer before they left. It takes a little of the pressure off the tech when the CEL comes back on and you can say, “We warned you about that – it may require more diagnostics.” .

Free estimates work well when customers are shopping around (i.e., price matching.)”

Sarah Bobocel, Winn Automotive, Kelowna, B.C. “I have no problems with free estimates unless diagnosis is involved. Then I expect to be paid for my time. I don’t believe I should diagnose for free.”

Jim Beck, Diamond Service, Saskatoon, Sask.

“No. A small fee should be required because of time lost to provide the estimate. We are still paying a technician to do the estimate.”

Tanya Kinnear, Bordertown Pontiac Buick GMC, Amherst, N.S. “Repair estimates should be free unless they take more than 10 minutes or if parts need to be dismantled. Then a nominal fee should be charged.”

Richard Petrowski, Rick’s Performance, Winnipeg “No, for the simple fact that a technician’s time is too valuable to the business to have a lineup down the street for free diagnosis. Simple repair estimates can be done by the advisors or managers at no cost.”

Darryl Gosseye, Fowler Pontiac Buick GMC, Brandon, Man.

“Not always. Small estimates, yes. It just takes a lot of time, but a free estimate is good if you can get the work.”

Steve Paugh, McGibbons Auto & Truck Repair, Cranbrook, B.C. “Sometimes. Only if the estimate is for a straightforward job and doesn’t involve any diagnostics or disassembly.”

Ron Jarvis, The Mad Mechanic, Nanaimo, B.C. “There should be a charge for repair estimates, fully communicated to the customer during service check-in.

The estimate is a result of diagnosis and a part of any repair.”

Jeff Marshall, McMaster Pontiac Buick GMC, Orangeville, Ont. “No. Scan equipment costs and everything is electrical these days. No one works for free and it takes time to do an estimate.”

Dave Stronks, Dad’s Transmissions, Lethbridge, Alta.

“No – because a technician’s time shouldn’t be given away. However, if work is done, the fee can be waived.”

Jeanette Bouvier, Parkview Motors, Gravelborg, Sask.

Jeff Taylor is a technician at Eccles Auto Service in Dundas, Ont.

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Better motoring through chemistry Using the right oil, fuel and coolant additives can bolster engine performance – and your bottom line.

By Christine Henderson If you look around your shop right now, there’s little doubt you’ll gaze upon several bottles, cans, and sprayers full of lique-

fied product designed for any number of uses. Some lubricate and others clean, while some are designed to protect or

Equipment Sales Specialists Hofmann Canada (a division of Snap-on Equipment), the global leader in automotive equipment has immediate openings for Equipment Sales Specialists in Western Canada.

Description: Responsible for growth and development of sales in the automotive equipment market. Equipment sales include wheel alignment, automotive lifts, wheel balancers and tire changers to service centers and dealerships.

Requirements: ■ Demonstrated ability to build strong business relationships with customers ■ Strong written and verbal communication skills ■ Proficient computer skills relative to corporate and business unit applications and needs ■ Automotive (service) experience/background ■ Ability to travel as necessary to meet objectives Competencies: ■ Relationship building ■ Technical/automotive service support skills ■ Motivation and drive; ability to work independently ■ Willingness to adapt quickly to changing markets ■ Professional sales background, appearance and attitude ■ Strong interpersonal skills ■ Unquestionable integrity If you consider yourself a true sales professional and desire immediate consideration for this career, please email your resume and contact information to: tara.laird@snapon.com

34 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

even improve existing automotive systems. And making each product work for you – and your client – can really bolster your bottom line.

Additives are a chemical not be overlooked. They can be beneficial both to the client and to your total sales invoice. A simple oil or fuel injection additive can increase gross profits on an oil change by a surprising amount. The secret lies in choosing the right product for each client and situation.

The flashy bottle of magic fluid that claims that you can run your car without oil is one of the most marketed types of additives. If you think that it sounds too good to be true, you may be correct.

Studies conducted by Consumer Reports show that while some of these products claim a vehicle will continue to run for up to 30 minutes after draining the oil, the bravado fails to make mention that nobody drained the oil filter prior to the test. That small amount of oil when coupled with the bottle of lubricant is enough to keep the engine alive.

Other additives are marketed as the miracle cure to all your vehicle woes. While many people likely realize such whizbang claims aren’t realistic, flashy marketing campaigns do tend to move the merchandise nonetheless.

Yet, does this mean all additives are scams? Certainly not. You can honestly and reliably sell many of these products to your clients, while enjoying the profits that can be made by selling them. The key is finding additives that actually work.

The most important tip when selling additives is to make sure that the customer is informed about them and that they are sold prior to invoicing the client.

Keep in mind that if the client hasn’t authorized such an extra expense, he reserves the right to refuse to pay for it.

Not only will that cost you any profit on the additive and the oil change, but it will JUNE 2009

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likely cost you repeat business from the client as well.

Suggesting additives is a job best left to the service advisor. When estimates on larger jobs are issued, the price of the additive should be included. Let’s look at a few of the more common and useful additives.

Fuel injection cleaners are often worth their weight in platinum. While no fuel injection cleaner poured into the gas tank is going to work like a proper fuel injection flush, using a fuel injection cleaner will keep fuel rails and injectors working efficiently between tune-ups. Such products make for a great investment for the client given the increase in fuel mileage that typically results due to fuel injection cleaners. Such a product can be sold with an oil change.

Coolant additives can reduce operating temperatures. They minimize cavitation of the cooling system, while reducing the amount of air it causes. They can also improve heat transfer and help lubricate seals. This is a great product to recommend for those vehicles with a history of cooling system problems, or for high-performance vehicles where added protection can be invaluable.

However, one coolant additive that should be used sparingly is any type of cooling system sealer or stop leak.

Because of its mud-like consistency, it has a tendency to plug the bottom half of the heater core. Now, that’s a dual zone heating problem just waiting to happen.

Coolant additives should be recommended with every coolant system flush or anytime a repair is made to the cooling system.

Transmission additives can be a lifesaver. These additives reduce slip, rough shifting, and can alleviate hesitations while minimizing overheating and extending fluid life. Transmission additives are especially useful in larger vehicles where the transmission load is greater than average, like motorhomes or vehicles used for towing. These additives can be sold with any type of transmission service.

Oil additives can reduce oil burning and help keep valves clean to improve their ability to seal. They can also help minimize noise from the engine compartment. They provide increased engine protection and can also boost oil viscosity.

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They can be sold with every oil change.

Additives designed for power steering systems can make pumps run less noisily while lubricating seals. They also prolong the life of the fluid. They can be sold as needed by the vehicle, or with power steering fluid flushes.

While it seems that clients generally want to feel an immediate difference for any dollars spent, these products have to

be sold as a part of the vehicle’s preventative maintenance schedule. Maximizing their use will benefit both you and your clients. To paraphrase the old DuPont advertising slogan: “Better things for better living – and more profit – through chemistry.”

Christine Henderson is the owner of Henderson Auto in Hampton, Ont.

*Based on a severe sludge cleane upp test using SAE 5W-30. **As measured in ASTM Sequence IVA engine test using SAE 5W-50.

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CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 35

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FRAM OIL CHANGE. ®

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A foolishly annoying person.

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2. Roald ____ , British novelist and screenwriter.

3. Automobile manufactured by the Holden division of GM in Australia, formerly known as the Commadore.

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11. To get rid of window condensation.

12. Violent uprisings 15. Nissan car, now available as both a sedan and a coupe.

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www.fram.com O FF IC

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A Honeywell Car Care Product © 2009 Honeywell International Inc.

* Answers may be published in Canadian Technician.

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continued from page 38 management the better.

My thoughts were interrupted by the guys coming back with their test results.

First off was Bert. “We got 170 pounds on all cylinders, Bean,” he said. “The spark plugs are worn out, but I don’t think that’s the problem. This thing doesn’t misfire at all.”

Jason’s report carried more promise.

“That fuel filter is filthy, man. I don’t think it’s ever been changed!”

I looked at the dirty fuel he showed me in the bottom of a plastic container.

“Hmm, you got a point, Jas. Let’s change it and go for a test drive.”

Narley began jumping up and down.

“Bro, let me drive. I know a great place to ollie this puppy big time!”

I looked at the scratches on the back of his clipboard. “Ah, maybe not, Nar… I need you here.” Narley sniffed and dropped his board. As he skated away I could tell he wasn’t happy with me. I sent Jason out with the car.

But when Jason returned, he shook his head. “Nope, that’s not it. Narley could beat this thing on his board.”

Since the Check Engine light hadn’t returned, I sent Alvin off to one of the school computers to check up on any technical service bulletins. All he found were some references to an updated fuel pump. “Should we get Professor Thomas to order up a new one? There was a lot of rust in the fuel, you know.”

I was getting nervous. Fuel pumps aren’t cheap, and I didn’t want to be the

one responsible for putting in an expensive part that wasn’t needed. “Uh, what other information have we got to work with, guys?”

Bert looked over his notes. “Well, fuel pressure is within spec, and the timing looks fine.” He tugged on an earlobe. “The manifold vacuum readings are a little funny, though. We’ve got 12 inches at idle and only seven at cruising speed. What would cause that?”

“Cam problem, dude,” said Narley as he rolled by on his board.

Jason grunted. “Don’t know if I’d trust his diagnostic skills.”

Alvin started jumping up and down again, waving frantically. “Alvin,” I sighed, “if you have to go to the bathroom, you don’t need my permission.”

He blinked in confusion. “N-no. I was just going to say that I noticed some very strange long-term fuel trims on the scanner. They’re bouncing from -18% to +20%.”

Someone suggested a vacuum leak, but we couldn’t locate one. I also had the guys drop the exhaust, just in case it was plugged. Narley loved the loud noises, but the condition didn’t change.

On my way home that afternoon I stopped by the shop. The guys were playing cards in the lunchroom, so I told them about the Focus.

“The manifold vacuum is too low, Beanie,” said Slim as he stared at his cards. “Should be over 20 inches. You’ve got a cam problem.”

Both Basil and Tooner nodded in uni-

son. “Yep,” said Tooner. “I’d be checking for a jumped timing belt.”

“Timing belt? Why do you say that?”

My boss laid down his cards. “Read ’em and weep, boys. I win again.” He turned to me. “If your cam is out of sync with your crankshaft, you’ll get these low vacuum readings. It also reduces engine power substantially.”

The next day, we pulled the timing cover on the Focus. “So Narley was right.

The cam is out two teeth on the belt!”

Jason whistled in amazement. “How did he know that?”

“I did some checking,” said Bert.

“Turns out he’s the top diagnostician at his shop. Some kind of wonder kid.”

“Now I feel bad,” I said. “Maybe we should let Narley take the test drive once we replace this belt. Speaking of which, where is he?”

A loud crash from the alignment pit caught our attention. Rushing over we found Narley lying at the bottom beside his skateboard, a silly grin plastered on his face. “Whoa, dudes, what a bail! Guess my air time was a little sketchy, eh?”

I looked at Alvin. “On second thought, you drive.”

Special thanks to Prof. Thomas Brown from Toronto’s Centennial College School of Transportation for this month’s technical solution.

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Dude, where’s my solution?

This being the Readers’ Issue, Rick Cogbill has taken the month off and let Beanie write The Car Side.

By Beanie Pulling into the parking lot of the vocational college, I desperately scanned the sea of cars. “Dang! There’s nowhere to park!”

Finding a bare patch of weedy grass next to a light standard, I abandoned the truck, grabbed my books, and hoofed it across the pavement.

After crashing through the double doors of the Automotive Trades Building, I paused to catch my breath before sneaking up to the classroom door window. I needed to get the lay of the land.

Prof. Thomas was writing on the blackboard with his back to the class. Easing the door open silently, I snuck through and found my seat next to Narley Jacobs.

“Dude!” whispered Narley. “That’s the third time this week. Man, if old Tom-Tom catches you…”

“Keep it down!” I hissed, burying my head in a textbook. Prof. Thomas whipped around and bored his eyes into me as the seconds ticked slowly by.

“Students,” he finally declared, “today we move from theory to the practical. Out in the shop we have a 2002 Ford Focus which is causing no end of consternation to its owner.” He walked over to my desk and slapped his long pointer down on the edge of my book. “You, Beanie, will be in charge of the crew. I want a full diagnostics report by the end of class, as well as a recommended course of repair.”

I began to sweat under his blistering gaze.

“Y-yes, sir!” I glanced around the room.

“Well, you heard him, guys. Let’s go!”

Ten minutes later we were all gathered around the small car parked forlornly in the middle of the shop. Everyone had shop coats on and tool tags in hand.

“Okay, gentlemen,” I began, “here’s the scoop. This Focus runs smooth enough, but it’s slow to accelerate. In fact, it only hits a top speed of 100 kilometres per hour. Plus, you have to drive over 200 kilometres before the MIL comes on…” I 38 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

was interrupted by an upraised hand waving frantically from the back of the group.

“Yes, Alvin?”

Alvin Bentley pushed his glasses back up on his nose. “What’s the trouble code, Bean?”

I checked my clipboard. “Says here PO192 – a lean condition code.” I looked up. “You should grab the scanner and check anyway.”

While Alvin scurried away to the tool crib, I pointed to my right. “Bert, you pull the plugs and check the compression.

Jason, start checking out the fuel system.”

Narley sauntered over to my side.

“Dude, what about us?”

I dug into my pocket and found two

loonies. “We’ll supervise. Here, go buy a couple of drinks from the pop machine in the cafeteria upstairs.”

Narley’s eyes grew wide. “Sick! An indoor session! Dude, I’m totally gonna grind that handrail with my clipboard on the way back.”

I sighed. It was hard to keep Narley’s attention focused on anything beyond skating.

Narley and I drank our Cokes while the crew did their jobs. Hmmm, I thought, so this is how Slim feels back at our shop. He hands out the jobs and we do all the grunt work. It occurred to me that the sooner I worked my way up into continued on page 37 JUNE 2009

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