Canadian Technician February 2010

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Popular Mechanics

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FEBRUARY

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VOL. 15 NO. 1

Departments Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Service Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Reader Rides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Out & About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 EyeSpy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Idea of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Auto Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

16

Columnists The Greenwood Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

By Bob Greenwood Management S.O.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

By Kelly Bennett

22

It’s Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 By guest columnist James Martins The Car Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

By Rick Cogbill

Features Popular Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The depiction of automotive technicians in popular culture throughout the decades has been equal parts amusing, bizarre and even – dare we say it – cutting-edge cool.

Isn’t it Shocking? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

30

Upon initial inspection, a vehicle’s suspension system may look fine – but looks can be deceiving.

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CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 3

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Editorial

The sweet smell of success New car smell triggers trip down memory lane.

By David Menzies

The Canadian International Auto Show returns to Toronto this month. There will be futuristic concept cars and mundane minivans; exciting exoticars and sedate sedans. I love attending the auto show not for the sights, but for the scents. Is there anything sweeter than new car smell?

Before they’ve been ravaged by time, all cars are equals when it comes to scent. A Kia is a Nissan is a Cadillac is a Rolls-Royce. When they’re new, cars universally emit a descriptiondefying scent. It’s a seductive aroma comparable to the most fragrant rose or the sweetest ice wine.

My first memory of new car smell dates back to 1970. I was eight years old and being raised by my grandparents.

One August day, my grandfather purchased a new car – a golden-hued 1970 Ford Fairlane 500, a welcome replacement for our dilapidated blue beater.

To be sure, that Fairlane was a nondescript Ford that didn’t stand out from any other car on the road. But my grandfather loved that new car. More accurately, he loved the idea of owning a new car.

When I first laid eyes on that Ford, I jumped into the driver’s seat and excitedly pressed the preset buttons on the AM radio. My beaming grandfather got in the passenger side and tousled my hair.

For my grandfather, that scent of freshly minted vinyl and plastic and polymers wasn’t sterile or artificial. Rather, this aroma represented the sweet smell of success.

It was only later in life that I was able to fully comprehend how important newness was to him. Growing up in poverty in Scotland, he never owned anything new.

After WWII, he immigrated to Canada; I imagine Canada in 1946 had the smell of newness, too.

FEBRUARY 2010

Fast-forward to September 1985. This was the second time I experienced New Car Smell. I was 23 and working as a reporter in Alberta. My previous vehicles were a used Camaro and a used Civic. I was so eager to become a new car owner with the acquisition of an ’85 Honda CRX. I clearly remember taking delivery of that car at an Edmonton dealership. I could hardly wait to hit the road. Yet, driving along the highway on that sunny Saturday afternoon with the motor revving and Billy Idol blasting from the stereo, an odd thing happened: tears began welling in my eyes.

Initially, I found this incomprehensible. What was there to be sad about? I had my first full-time job. My own apartment. And finally, this fantastic new Honda.

Then it hit me: that unmistakable new car scent was making me unravel. I hadn’t experienced this aroma for more than a decade. Somehow the scent of newness was unleashing a flood of memories.

Suddenly, I was that eight-year-old boy again sitting in the backseat of my grandfather’s Fairlane 500. We were on summer vacation, heading south to New Hampshire. The backseat was strewn with Marvel comics, a box of Cherry Blossoms and a can of Tahiti Treat. But the overwhelming scent wasn’t of newsprint or chocolate or soda – it was of newness.

Like all good things, the new car scent of that Ford didn’t last forever. Each week, the scent grew fainter. My grandfather, cursed with a bad heart, was also fading.

Soon, the scent of newness was gone; my grandfather was gone.

Even so, my grandfather did experience New Car Smell – even if it was just once.

And surely this scent – then as now – represents a sensory realization of a dream come true.

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CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 5

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Service Notes VOLUME 15

Goals for a new decade Three objectives for our industries.

By Allan Janssen I’ve given up on New Year’s resolutions.

Which is not to say I’ve given up on self-improvement. Believe me, there’s too much work to be done to abandon that project entirely. But there’s something rather ambiguous about resolutions. A few years ago, I started making New Year’s goals.

They’re a lot easier to track.

By the end of the year you’ve either accomplished them or you haven’t.

And this January, since the year ends in a zero, I’ve made even bigger goals for the coming decade. I’d rather not go into details, but if I’m not driving a Bentley by 2020 (and yes, I’m talkin’ the Continental GTC convertible), you’ll know something went wrong.

It’s got me thinking, though, that maybe as an industry we need to identify a few goals for the coming decade. Here, let me get us started: 1. Establish a national program of affordable and accessible training classes for certified technicians.

These courses, supported by all the major service chains, will be developed by leading trainers, based on the latest service information available, and cover a wide variety of subjects. Available in every city from coast to coast, they will set standardized repair and inspection procedures, and establish minimum competency levels. Advanced classes will be available in select cities for the bright lights among us who demonstrate exceptional skills. Classes are run during the day when students are fresh and ready to learn. Furthermore, they offer so much value that shop owners won’t hesitate to pay the fee to send their very best techs.

2. Establish a credible accreditation program for shops.

Now, I know this is a controversial one.

FEBRUARY 2010

Some people are dead-set against any attempt to regulate who can and cannot operate a business. But I’m talking about a voluntary program which audits shops for competency and ethics, investigates consumer complaints, and offers a stamp of approval to operators that meet its high standards. I want something so visible and transparent that every consumer in the country knows about it, and they wouldn’t even consider going to an unaccredited shop. I want shop owners to covet this accreditation so much that they work diligently to meet its benchmarks for cleanliness, fairness, and competency.

Seriously, folks, how else are we going to separate ourselves from the shady operators who are damaging the reputation of the industry as a whole?

3. Earn the respect of every Canadian vehicle owner for the importance of our work and the value of our contribution to the economy as a whole.

I want us to be toasted in bars and praised in the streets. I want parents to encourage their children to follow in our footsteps. A pipe dream? I don’t think so.

In fact, I think this could be the easiest one of all, provided we get Numbers 1 and 2 right. If we give our customers peace of mind, fixing their cars right the first time at a fair price, ultimately saving them money and giving them the freedom of mobility that literally drives their lifestyle, we’ll be heroes of the modern economy.

Hyperbole? Maybe. But a man’s gotta have goals, don’t he?

Do you have any “New Decade Resolutions” for our industry? Send them along and I’ll add them to the list. You can reach me at ajanssen@newcom.ca.

NUMBER 1

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 2010. 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

Applied for ABC Membership

Canadian Business Press

“Popular Mechanics” by Mike Carter www.mikecarterstudio.com

CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 7

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Canadian Car Owner can help increase your profits… …and build customer loyalty For just 30¢ a copy you can give Canadian Car Owner to each one of your customers.

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LETTERS

Addressing the “Two New Tires on the Front Syndrome” I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the December 2009 Service Notes column (“Rude… and wrong too!” by Allan Janssen.)

While our company focuses on the distribution of tires to major retailers, we have also tailored programs to the garage sector. The “put the two new tires on the front syndrome” constantly rears its ugly head. Maybe we, in the tire industry, need to do a better job in the area of education with the smaller tire retailers.

Unfortunately it always seems to boil down to time and cost restraints.

Having informative editorials published in respected trade magazines is a great asset to everyone. We might still win this battle!

Richard Bender, VP Tire Discounter Group Orangeville, Ont.

… but what about tire rotation?

With regard to new tire installation and

the fact that two new tires have to be placed on the rear axle of a front-wheel drive vehicle, does this mean there’s no point doing tire rotation anymore since the purpose of this operation is to balance the wear between the four tires?

When we perform a tire rotation, we usually take the front tires that are slightly worn and exchange those with the rear ones (which, because of the vehicle’s configuration, didn’t work that hard.)

This is a technicality that needs to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Of course, this doesn’t excuse the poor serv-

ice at the counter. The boss might appreciate being informed about this incident.

Michel Roger Transmission Pepin Drummondville, Que.

On the other hand…

I’m writing to disagree with the premise of, “Rude… and wrong too!” – and I hope many of my fellow technicians will chime in as well. I’ve enjoyed reading Canadian Technician for over three years, but this is the first time I’ve felt strongly enough about an issue to actually write a letter.

RIDES

Reader

Check out this red rocket that was sent in by Trevor Ditchfield, a licensed mechanic at a Fountain Tire shop in Calgary. Trevor has long been a crew chief and part-time driver on Hobby Stock (formally Enduro class) car 45, driven by “Mad Murray” Speers.

Trevor is now also tuning for Car 54, a 1981 Cutlass, driven by Murray’s brother “Crazy Cam” Speers. Smokin’!

You can see more Reader Rides on our website at www.canadiantechnician.ca. And if you have a photo of a hot or unusual ride, feel free to send it in. We’ll publish it up for all to enjoy!

FEBRUARY 2010

CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 9

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

www.v a lvo 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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LETTERS

Though the point of having new tires on the back to maintain vehicle control is valid, I can cite far more reasons (not to mention more important reasons) to make a case for putting new tires on the front of a vehicle. My references for the most part are with front-wheel-drive as this is the primary drive set-up of most cars on the road today.

The best tires should always be on the front of a vehicle (as in any vehicle) for the simple reason that these are the steering wheels. The primary control of a vehicle is through the steering.

The front tires do the majority of the work, from accelerating, to steering – and most importantly – stopping.

As you well know, the front brakes of a vehicle do 80% of the work in stopping a vehicle. What good would there be in having bald tires on the primary working wheels while the rear tires coast along? Therefore, the majority of loss-of-control issues that occur can be cured by having the best tires on the front wheels.

I assure you that you’ll never see anyone deliberately understeer a car as it is extremely uncontrollable and, realistically, pointless. You’re not going to plow enough debris in front of the tires to slow you down any faster than if you’d done a solid threshold brake from the beginning. On the other hand, an oversteering vehicle is very controllable with some practice. And living in Canada, we all get ample practice in the wintertime.

Put it this way: if you’re under-steering into oncoming traffic (around a right hand corner, for example) you ARE going into oncoming traffic. You may be able to regain traction, but it will require turning into the slide (oncoming traffic) and/or slowing down. If you are over-steering around that same corner, you have potential to do something other than go into the other lane. You may not have to slow down; a small steering correction may be all that’s required. And it likely won’t mean crossing over the centreline.

With the best tires as the driving tires and the steering tires, you’re maximizing your chances at maintaining control of your vehicle through most controllable situations.

If your idea was valid, we’d almost never rotate tires as the front tires wear faster than the rear one; thus you’d be putting the good tires on the front on every rotation.

I’ve been in the trade for over 15 years now and this is the first time I’ve heard this opinion. I’ve been in dealerships for the majority of that time... maybe the aftermarket sector has a different viewpoint or different experiences. Please fill me in with any other thoughts you might have on this – I’m sure the discussions will be interesting.

Ryan Braaten Hyundai of Regina Regina Editor’s Note: Well, what do you say, readers? Do you install that pair of replacement tires on the front or the rear? Please send your responses to david@canadiantechnician.ca.

FEBRUARY 2010

CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 11

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DUELER R H/T (D684 4 II)

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&

About

Supplier News

AirCare’s future up in the air Consultants to decide fate of B.C.’s emissions testing program.

C

onsultants will decide if AirCare, British Columbia’s vehicle emissions testing program, will breathe its last gasp come 2011.

TransLink, the transportation authority that oversees AirCare, notes that a team of consultants will estimate what air quality and health benefits would result if mandatory testing and upgrades of older vehicles are extended beyond the 2011 deadline. The consultants plan to run computer models to project the impact on regional air quality.

AirCare was originally meant to wind down by the end of next year because the program’s air quality benefits have been diminishing as new vehicles become more efficient and cleaner-burning. Under the AirCare program, which was established in 1992, more than 14 million inspections have been conducted.

Currently, there’s no net cost to TransLink in operating AirCare – the $20 million in fees collected annually from motorists ($45 biannually) cover the program’s costs, says David Gourley, AirCare’s operations manager.

Gourley notes about 50,000 vehicles fail their AirCare tests each year. About 80% of those vehicles are sufficiently

repaired to receive a pass while the remaining 20% are either taken off the road or sold to consumers outside the greater Vancouver area.

Since new vehicles are exempt from testing for seven years, AirCare now only applies to about half of all vehicles on the province’s roads. But TransLink notes “the gains achieved through the introduction of emission control technologies must be maintained in the future to counteract continued population growth and to prevent degradation of air quality in the region.”

John McCafferty, owner of John’s Thistle Auto in Ladner, B.C., says terminating AirCare won’t have a significant impact on his business.

“We only get about three or four repairs a week thanks to AirCare testing,” he says.

Still, McCafferty is concerned that a lack of emissions testing in the future might lead to some consumers ignoring emissions-related problems with their vehicles.

“If the ‘check engine’ light comes on and they aren’t forced to take it in, I think they’re just going to ignore it,” he says.

The consultants plan to release their report on AirCare’s future next month.

Father knows best?

“Here’s a scary sight,” writes Matthew Morrone of Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, Porsche of Halifax. The car in question is a 1997 Saturn missing both fuel tank straps. And double-yikes – the car belongs to Matthew’s father.“He wanted to fashion straps out of some thin stainless steel band,” notes Matthew.“I told him if he ever wanted me to touch the car again, he must do a proper repair and I’d install the OE dealer straps myself. After that was done, he wanted an MVI but the car still required a lot more attention than he thought. A good length of rope – tied into each rear door and fashioned like a hammock – was supposedly a good enough fix.”

Matthew’s advice to papa? “Sell the heap!”

Have an interesting picture to share? Please send it along to EyeSpy, c/o Canadian Technician, 451 Attwell Drive, Toronto, Ont. M9W 5C4.

Or email your high-resolution image to the editor: david@canadiantechnician.ca

FEBRUARY 2010

Top first-year NAIT student honoured Jamie Ruryk of Automotive Parts Distributors (APD) presents an award to Travis MacKey, a student at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton. The award is presented annually by APD to the student of a first-year class for outstanding excellence. MacKey was NAIT’s top first-year student in 2009.

3M alliance aims at vehicle paint market A new strategic marketing agreement forged between St. Paul, Minn.-based 3M and Japan’s ANEST IWATA aims to offer an easy-to-use vehicle painting kit for body shop use. The kit combines a high-performing spray gun and sustainable paint preparation system into one package.

Under the agreement, ANEST IWATA will incorporate 3M’s Paint Preparation System (PPS) into an introductory kit with their paint guns, including the new Supernova WS-400/LS-400 spray guns – devices that are ergonomically-designed to reduce painter fatigue while offering compatibility with new waterborne paints.

3M claims PPS simplifies the painting process for body shop workers with patented technology that reduces volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, minimizes clean up, and decreases paint waste, while also allowing for spraying at any angle – up, down or sideways.

Global Media Award for Firestone Firestone Industrial Products received a Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Global Media Award during the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas for its new Ride-Rite LS product.

The Ride-Rite LS product is a tri-tube mono-flow shock absorber that is an upgrade to the company’s Ride-Rite air helper springs. The product is designed to deliver superior performance under a full range of load and temperature conditions.

Through a partnership with Rancho (the off-road suspension and shock division of Tenneco), the new load adaptive shocks were developed specifically for Firestone air spring applications.

By directly connecting the shock absorber to the helper spring, pressure within the air spring is used to automatically control the shock’s performance. This results in low damping when the vehicle is unloaded to deliver a comfortable ride and increased damping when the vehicle is loaded for improved control.

The Global Media Award is decided upon by a voting panel of 28 journalists from leading consumer and trade publications representing 16 countries.

CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 13

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OUT & ABOUT

Affinia files petition for brake rotor standards Company also drops lawsuits targeting Dura, CRW. Affinia Group Inc., a designer, manufacturer and distributor of automotive aftermarket components, has filed a petition requesting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) begin rulemaking towards adoption of a firstever federal motor vehicle safety standard for brake rotors.

Late last year, Affinia settled the false advertising lawsuits it had filed against Dura International and CRW Inc. The parties agreed to resolve their differences by entering into mutual consent judgments which prevent them from advertising that their rotors meet or exceed original equipment performance standards unless they possess scientifically reliable and objectively verifiable engineering tests.

The petition for a safety standard is the latest step in Affinia’s ongoing campaign to highlight issues affecting aftermarket auto parts.

The new safety standard Affinia seeks from NHTSA would require all rotors to meet minimum performance standards for structural strength and crack-resistance under rigorous laboratory testing.

The proposed rule would also for the first time require rotors to be stamped with identifying markings, including a “DOT” (U.S. Department of Transportation) symbol representing the manufacturer’s certification that the part meets the new standard.

Besides the NHTSA petition, Affinia’s awareness campaign –launched in mid2008 – has included scientific investigation, public awareness statements and education efforts, lobbying for support from industry organizations, and presentation of laboratory test findings to appropriate government officials.

Affinia isn’t alone in this awareness initiative. The Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) has issued its own call to action to the industry through its “Know Your Parts” campaign.

Affinia says the campaign is necessary because until recently, manufacturers of replacement brake parts consistently designed and built their products to match the design specifications and to meet or exceed the performance and durability of the original equipment

Failing the test: a cracked Dura rotor.

parts that they were meant to replace.

As a result, meeting or exceeding OE specifications came to be understood by consumers and auto technicians alike as the de facto standard for replacement brake parts.

However, in the last 18 months, a number of companies have been importing and distributing aftermarket brake rotors that are lighter, thinner and cheaper than their OE counterparts.

Affinia also has identified numerous instances in which importers or distributors of lightweight rotors have falsely asserted in advertising or on their Internet sites that the rotors meet OE specifications and performance levels. The endusers of these rotors have no way of knowing that such assertions are inaccurate. This means replacement rotors are being selected based on price on the assumption that all replacement rotors provide an adequate level of performance, durability, and safety.

Bruce Eccles of Eccles Auto Service in Dundas, Ont. loves his 2002 Polaris all-terrain vehicle. While it’s a blast to go off-roading on the weekend, this 500cc ATV truly shines as a workhorse around the shop.

For example, if an immobile vehicle needs to be brought into a bay, Bruce simply pushes it in with the Polaris. This means that his technicians don’t have to stop work to act as beasts of burden.

“A pickup truck takes three guys to push it in,” says Bruce.“But why take the guys away form the shop and risk somebody getting hurt?”

Vehicle bodywork isn’t damaged given that the front-end of the ATV has a steel plate affixed with two tires.

As a bonus, in the wintertime, Eccles attaches a plow to the Polaris to clear the snow off the sidewalks surrounding his shop.

“This thing is unbelievable,” he says.“It has more than paid for itself just in terms of labour savings alone.”

Do you have a great idea that has helped you save time or money? Have you come up with a way to get more customers into your shop? Are you employing a strategy to get the most out of your workforce? Then please share your brainstorm with the readers of Canadian Technician. Send along your story and/or photo to: david@canadiantechnician.ca and we’ll publish the best ones in future issues.

14 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

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OUT & ABOUT

Auto parts shop told to stop accepting Canadian Tire money Ontario store threatened with legal action.

Stephen Martel thought he had come up with a unique way to promote his Cochrane, Ont. auto parts store. Instead, Martel was served with a cease and desist letter from Canadian Tire’s lawyers.

At issue: recently, Martel decided to accept Canadian Tire currency as a form of payment at his Martel Auto Parts store.

He advertised his program by putting a sign in the window of his shop stating he was happy to accept Canadian Tire money for purchases. Over the course of the program, he took in approximately $200 worth of Canadian Tire cash.

Canadian Tire was not amused. The Toronto-based company warned Martel that such a marketing initiative was akin to trademark infringement. As well, Canadian Tire alleged that Martel’s actions were hurting the local Cochrane Canadian Tire store.

While Martel acquiesced to Canadian Tire’s wishes – he says he doesn’t have the resources for a courtroom battle – he believes he’s being unfairly targeted by the retail giant.

For example, Martel notes when he Googled the phrase, “We accept Canadian Tire money,” he discovered “hundreds” of retailers across Canada – including an Oakville, Ont. jewelry shop and a video rental store in Halifax – embracing the same marketing ploy he once promoted.

Says Martel: “Why is Canadian Tire just going after me and not all these other places?”

Martel has his own theory: he says he had a business dispute with the Cochrane Canadian Tire store owner, Kevin P. Smith. As a result, Smith is still upset with him.

As well, Martel claims he saw Smith take a picture of his sign, presumably to send it along to Canadian Tire’s head office. Shortly thereafter, Martel says he was served with legal papers.

16 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

For his part, Smith says he has no personal grudge against Martel whatsoever.

However, he notes that Martel is a direct competitor given that both Martel Auto Parts and Canadian Tire sell automotive replacement parts. And Smith says Canadian Tire money is meant to drive customer traffic to his store, not Martel’s.

“I need to maintain my customer base,” Smith says.

Even so, a question remains: why did Canadian Tire HQ go to the extent of

sending its lawyers after Martel while hundreds of other retailers continue to openly accept Canadian Tire dough?

Canadian Tire spokesman Lisa Gibson says the company has indeed issued several cease and desist letters to other retailers accepting Canadian Tire money.

“He [Martel] is not the first; he’s not the only one; and he won’t be the last,” she says. “This [accepting Canadian Tire money] is a trademark violation and the reality is he’s a competitor.”

Auto shop tragedy: man killed when lift fails A Knoxville, Tenn, man was killed in an accident last month at a Knoxville auto repair shop.

According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, investigators said 38-year-old Phu Viet Bui was crushed when a lift he was operating malfunctioned and a 15-foot-long flatbed trailer being hoisted by the lift fell.

Lt. Doug Stiles of the Knoxville Police Department said investigators determined a chain had failed on the mechanical lift, causing the elevated flatbed trailer to fall off.

The victim was standing under the lift operating the device when the failure occurred. Stiles said the victim suffered a severe head injury.

Police said the victim didn’t work at the Bao Repair Shop, but had a brother who does.

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By Bob Greenwood

There are so many skill-enhancing choices available to those employed in the automotive aftermarket.

By Bob Greenwood

Opportunities

U

ndeniably, today’s automotive aftermarket is more sophisticated than ever. Yet there are still too many people in this industry who cling to the old ways of doing business. They operate on the antiquated premise of, “Just make a sale, deliver it and everything will be OK.” Well, such a system is not OK. Very little is ever written about the 18 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

ABOUND! myriad career choices available within the automotive aftermarket for personnel currently working in this sector today.

And the choices that are available allow one to pursue further education and career development.

Most of us are surely aware of the traditional aftermarket homegrown company sales and product seminars. But I’m referring to courses that will lead anyone

who puts in the effort and investment to truly further their knowledge and broaden their skills.

Education today must not only speak to a company culture but also a personal culture. The willingness to continually learn is an attitude. To enhance one’s stature within the aftermarket isn’t just about attending a course or two during your career and then calling it a day.

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Rather, you must approach your career with the mindset that continuous education is a must if you want to stay on top of this rapidly changing sector.

Of note, there are two types of aftermarket education.

The first and most common education encompasses courses that are put on across the country by independent companies lasting a few hours in an evening to four days in length. These courses tend to be specific to certain aftermarket issues and include business management development, establishing efficient internal business processes, developing business soft skills, and in-depth technical training courses. These courses are continuously updated based on immediate aftermarket issues and trends. As well, these types of classes are necessary when it comes to maintaining a professional awareness of the aftermarket industry.

The second type of education is the one formally obtained at a college. This type of education is rarely mentioned and isn’t well known by current aftermarket personnel – especially independent shop managers, service advisors, technicians, aftermarket sales representatives and warehouse employees. Yet, there are many options that allow for the upgrading of skills and additional career choices within the aftermarket.

A superb example of such an education is what’s offered at Georgian College located in Barrie, Ont. Georgian College has rapidly become Canada’s formal automotive school of education by offering two distinct automotive “legs”. These include CAI (Canadian Automotive Institute) which is Canada’s Automotive School of Business and CAPE (Centre for Automotive Parts Expertise). Both programs are very unique in their own right.

The business side resides at CAI with a focus on marketing, management, and the operations of various sectors within the auto industry. CAI is celebrating its 25th anniversary and the institute offers two full-time programs, namely, the Bachelor of Applied Business Automotive Management degree and the Business Administration Automotive Marketing diploma.

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“ Continuous education is a must if you want to stay on top of this rapidly changing sector.”

I’ve had the privilege of being personally involved with CAI as the institute uses the AAEC E-Learning site as part of its curriculum. As well, I annually address the students on current aftermarket issues.

The engineering side at Georgian College is CAPE, with the focus on automotive product design and manufacturing. I had a personal tour of this new wing last month at Georgian and was amazed by the high tech level of the entire complex, including total thermal heating and cooling of the building. This centre has all the latest features and technology including their own wind tunnel to test parts and vehicle designs. CAPE also has unique plastic mould machines, which lets the students design a product from scratch while the computer builds the mould for students to test their products.

It is the most complete facility in Canada.

As well, CAPE covers the production of the parts that go into the cars and trucks. Mechanical technologists work on the engineering team planning the process to get something made – everything from the assembly line design to testing of the product. Job titles include quality control, process technologist, and mechanical designer. CAPE truly specializes in the automotive world.

Georgian College also offers online learning. The Automotive Business Studies Certificate of Achievement is aimed at individuals who are either

already in the automotive industry and are looking to upgrade their skills, or those who are just beginning their careers in the automotive profession. This flexibility in delivery allows students to maintain their jobs, stay at home and receive academic credit for completed courses.

These courses may be taken individually or as part of the certificate program.

Successful completion of six courses is required to qualify for the Automotive Business Studies Certificate of Achievement. These online courses are full credit courses which can be applied to the Business Administration Automotive Marketing diploma program.

Courses include Introduction to the Canadian Aftermarket, Customer Relationship Management, Introduction to Automotive technology, Concepts of the Automotive Industry, Business Ethics, Automotive Interpersonal Human Resources, Introduction to E-Commerce, Leasing, Financing, and Insurance just to name a few. (More information regarding Georgian College with direct links to CAI and CAPE can be viewed on our website at www.aaec.ca or visit www.thecai.ca.)

Those employed in the aftermarket industry have always had problems understanding their roles. But the depth of this sector is truly incredible as it offers so many exciting parameters in skill and career choices. If we would only take the time to explore and use our imagination, we would not only see the aftermarket in a different light, but also attract talented people to the sector from high school.

Bottom line: it’s time to communicate throughout our industry and education system that opportunities truly abound in the automotive aftermarket.

Bob Greenwood (AAM) is founder and president of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre (www.aaec.ca). You can reach him by phone at (800) 267-5497; by fax at (905) 331-6180; or by email at

greenwood@aaec.ca.

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MANAGEMENT

S.O.S. Embracing the GREATER Than You project

In this series of fictional letters from a new shop owner to his former boss, management trainer Kelly Bennett discusses basic business principles that apply to the automotive repair industry.

Good leadership is crucially important. But how can you lead others if you can’t lead yourself?

and rketing g the ma n i n n a l w p u to kno ding pre o let yo ce regar t i v d d e a t n n. e a h t’s Bria I also w ks for t right: i n ever. ll. Than : d a e y e h w l s t l s f e e e f K e u m o W g a r Dea started inking. ure you of the g ay of th t. I’m s New Year e ahead w c r e o e w j m h e o t n r l e p e , e h e l Wel a whol I now f ets in t ou (GTY) am. It’s ut ego g r Than Y budgets.

I B e t l n . a a a e e i h r r c ch t a G n u a m fin manager than we y first e very choose m at I hav a better omething h s d t e i m t d e o a m c I e r o b e t r t n tha op. You curred ing bett see Bria y own sh s. It oc meone be love to tarted m e proces ea of so s h d t i I would I d e e e h c n t n i ed about i a e month s I’m pump and expl on’t lik s – d i t h f d y t i e l g d l s n a r a e , O’ u us GTY as four yea adership u recomm about le as been books yo ught the h o d l b e t a n I r I r e a v . . e e u y o wa ou’ve l o read s ct for y things y I’ve als TY proje the best o much. s been a G f o e m t s d e e p e the b have hel u say ar e-mails would yo t a h W . ip leadersh e? g a s e s wi –Erol

Dear Erol: Erol, you’re most welcome. I think the old saying “It is better to give than receive” is accurate. I’ve found the time I’ve invested in communicating with you has given me a lot of personal satisfaction. I’m thrilled you’re doing the same with Brian. I suspect one day Brian will have an employee leave and start his own shop and he’ll do the same. It’s kind of like the movie Pay it Forward. I’m pumped that you’re keen on the whole area of leadership. It’s my favourite topic. In fact, I spent 15 years 20 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

attending management workshops and took in all sorts of great management seminars – financial, human resources, time management, systems and procedures, selling, marketing and more.

As for leadership, what I’ve learned in the past few years since I got on the leadership bandwagon is I really don’t know much about the subject. The saying that the more you learn, the more you don’t know is painfully accurate.

However, I took some time after reading your email and I came up with

what I’ve found to be the most practical things I’ve learned about leadership. As I was thinking about it, it occurred to me how much this subject has helped me with not only my business, but with my family and the organizations I work for as a volunteer. #1. The area of leadership that is nearest and dearest for me is self leadership.

Simply put, we must learn to lead ourselves before we can lead others… and that’s a lot easier said than done.

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Larry Dickison

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This led me to think about my life, and I realized that I hadn’t done a great job leading myself. At one leadership training session I attended, the instructor asked us to draw two horizontal lines beside each other on a piece of paper. The first line was titled “Leading Myself”, while the second one was called, “Leading Others.” He asked us to score ourselves on a scale of one to 10 pertaining to where we thought we were at with self leadership (10 being the highest.) Then we were asked to rate how we were doing in terms of leading others. The second line was lower of course. You have to increase the first line before working on the second line. He made it clear that it wasn’t important where you were. Rather, the important thing was what were you planning to do to improve?

I compared it to hooking a scanner on a car and pulling the codes. You can continue with the diagnosis and then carry out the repair. The line was my scan; then I had to take an inventory where I was at and how to get closer to 10. I won’t tell you how I ranked myself, but it was low.

improvement. They eventually moved out on their own – they just got too frustrated seeing how poorly things were being run and finding out their opinions were falling on deaf ears.

Recently, I was at a shop consulting these folks and it became clear the manager was a much stronger leader than the owner. The employees I spoke with had huge respect for the manager, but not the shop owner. They all wanted the manager to be given the reins to prevent the owner from constantly “messing up.”

In fact, the manager is one of the most motivated, positive, hardworking and dedicated employees I’ve ever met.

But he’s very frustrated. He told me the owner constantly pulls him down and he now prefers working in the shop when the owner isn’t there. In fact, he dreads even having a conversation with him.

My advice to the shop owner was to let him lead. The owner gave him lots of responsibly, but almost no authority.

This happened in many repair shops. I know if the dissatisfaction continues the manager will surely leave.

#2. The second epiphany I had about that exercise: you cannot lead someone who’s higher than you on the scale. If someone on your team is much better at leading than you are, in most cases they’ll eventually end up leaving. I’ve seen this many times in our groups. We have several members who worked for other shops and got really frustrated by the lack of leadership and the corresponding lack of

#3. Always be on the learning curve. If you’re at a standstill and stagnant as a leader, both you and your team will lose energy. When you continue to learn more and change more as a leader – and share new knowledge with your teammates – they’ll follow. Staying ahead of the curve is essential.

What’s very effective for me is attending management groups, reading books,

FEBRUARY 2010

and watching movies.

When I feel discouraged or when I feel as if my team is less focused or perhaps I’ve been too soft on them, I watch Coach Carter. This film proves you can’t always be a nice guy or too soft – everyone needs a push from time to time.

When I feel my vision has become foggy, I watch Cinderella Man. That film depicts a great boxer who lost track of what he was fighting for, which caused him to hit rock bottom. But he picked up the pieces, wasn’t too proud to ask for help, and went on to accomplish great things once again.

And when I feel I’m just going around in circles and running into numerous obstacles, I watch Evelyn – an amazing true story about a father who loses custody of his three kids.

I watch a movie every week for inspiration. I also try to avoid negative stuff, so steer clear of movies that insult my intelligence.

Finally, one area that I know I need to improve upon is self-discipline. While I really enjoy walking, I just never seemed to make it a priority. I just got back into it a few months ago. In fact, I’ve actually walked more in the last four months than in the last four years. Walking has now become a compulsive habit. And such regular exercise helps reduce stress while bringing clarity to my mind.

Thanks again for your kind compliments. As always, I’m only an email away.

Kelly

Kelly Bennett is a certified management trainer and has been coaching automotive repair shop owners since 1990. You can reach him at kellythecoach@aol.com.

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Popular Mechanics I

t’s nothing short of fascinating to observe how various professions are portrayed through the prism of pop culture. From movies and TV shows to novels and advertising, depictions of certain professions are either universally positive (firefighter) or repugnant (who mourns for the ever-vilified meter maid?)

As well, there are certain professions that receive the lion’s share of massmedia attention. After all, there’s a fair degree of inherent drama if one is employed as a homicide detective, heart surgeon, high stakes lawyer, soldier or athlete. No surprise that these professions are overrepresented in TV shows and movies. On the flipside, there aren’t many films or TV shows depicting the day-to-day drama one encounters work22 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

The depiction of automotive technicians in popular culture throughout the decades has been equal parts amusing, bizarre and even – dare we say it – cutting-edge cool.

By David Menzies ing at the local Taco Bell.

But what of the profession of automotive mechanic? (For the purpose of this article, we shall forgo the “technician” descriptor because when it comes to the vast majority of consumers, a person who fixes cars is – and forever will be – a mechanic.) Unarguably, mechanics don’t occupy the same amount of pop culture real estate as those toiling in other professions. But by the same token, the trade

hasn’t been completely ignored. In fact, in certain instances, the auto mechanic has ascended to the top of the pop culture pulpit, being portrayed as an uber-cool hipster (Ayyy… Arthur Fonzarelli, anyone?)

So, fasten your seatbelt as you take a road trip into the realm of fiction and fantasy as we examine how mechanics have been depicted throughout the decades on the silver screen and the boob tube.

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TWO-LANE BLACKTOP (1971) Cult film director Monte Hellman followed up his legendary westerns The Shooting and Ride in the Whirlwind with another classic, this time set on the paved highways of early 1970s America.

Two drifters (identified only as The Driver and The Mechanic) engage various competitors in drag races along America’s back roads in their seemingly unbeatable ’55 Chevy. They eventually meet the driver of a 1970 Pontiac GTO and they agree to have a cross-country race to Washington, D.C. The prize: the loser’s car.

However, instead of the film turning into a white-knuckle race to the finish line à la Cannonball Run, the participants act as if they’re stuck in cruise control mode. Apparently, they are so in love with their cars and the race itself that they never actually want the contest to end.

Two-Lane Blacktop is surely the most existential road movie ever made. As the film progresses, it becomes apparent the characters are all searching for something – the problem is, they don’t know what.

LESSON LEARNED: The Driver tends to get all the glory by winning drag races. But without The Mechanic’s talent for maintaining and tweaking the ’55 Chev, The Driver is nothing.

THE MECHANIC (1972) How’s this for irony? The one film in the pop culture cannon actually entitled The Mechanic has precious little to do with the world

Page 23

of automotive mechanics.

Rather, Charles Bronson plays cold-blooded assassin Arthur Bishop, whose specialty is making hits look like accidents. The plot involves Bronson taking on an apprentice, Steve McKenna (Jan-Michael Vincent), to teach him the tricks of the trade.

(Spoiler alert!) Steve, alas, ends up betraying Arthur, poisoning the veteran hitman with a glass of tainted wine.

However, in the film’s final scene, it is indeed the titular Mechanic who gets the last laugh, thanks to some ingenious automotive tinkering. When Steve returns home to retrieve his Mustang, he discovers a note hanging from the car’s interior rearview mirror. The document was left behind by Arthur prior to his assassination.

“Steve,” reads the note, “if you read this, it means I didn’t make it back. It also means you’ve broken a filament controlling a 13second delay trigger. End of game. Bang! You’re dead.”

Cue fireball. (An innovative kill to be sure, but methinks The Mechanic could’ve accomplished the same goal by rigging a ’72 Ford Pinto so that it would remain stuck in reverse gear. But I digress… ) LESSON LEARNED: Don’t screw with a mechanic. He can always exact vengeance – even from beyond the grave.

CHICO AND THE MAN (1974-1978) Along with such shows as Good Times, Kung Fu and The Jeffersons, Chico and The Man was another example of racial diversity coming to primetime TV in the ’70s thanks to Chico (Freddie Prinze) being Hispanic.

As an added bonus, during the three seasons Prinze was with the show, his charismatic and wisecracking Chico emerged as one of the coolest characters on the small screen. Indeed, some of Chico’s sayings went on to become popular catchphrases, such as “Is not MY job” and “Loooking goood!”

HEY LOOK, THERE’S A T40 BIT SOCKET. FEBRUARY 2010

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Popular Mechanics The sitcom revolves around Chico (selfdescribed as a “Super Mexichanic”) getting a job at Ed’s Garage. The curmudgeonly Ed, a.k.a. “The Man” (Jack Albertson), initially wants nothing to do with Chico. But Chico earns his stripes when a customer comes in looking to replace a missing hubcap. While Ed tells the man he doesn’t have the type of hubcap he needs, Chico saves the day by indeed affixing a matching hubcap on the Mustang’s barren wheel. Later, it’s revealed that Chico simply removed a hubcap from the other side of the car when the motorist wasn’t looking. (Granted, it’s a clever ploy and good for a laugh, although I fear such a depiction doesn’t exactly enhance the reputation of the automotive aftermarket.)

There was also a degree of farcical fantasy in the show when it came to the depiction of auto shops in general. In one episode, Chico and Ed attempt to get rich quick by patenting their new invention: motorcycle training wheels. In another episode, “The Strike”, Chico joins the Mechanics Union and ends up picketing Ed’s Garage. A Mechanics Union? Perhaps Chico and the Man was taking place in an alternate universe.

Still, Chico’s ingenuity helps turn around Ed’s Garage. And he proves so endearing that Ed eventually considers him the son he never had (although Ed would never admit that, mind you.)

LESSON LEARNED: Hiring a mechanic lacking in experience but full of ambition can indeed prove beneficial on several levels.

soon emerged as the sitcom’s biggest star. And while initially depicted as a high school dropout, Fonz would go on to acquire his high school diploma at night school, eventually becoming an auto mechanics instructor. (“Professor Fonzie?”)

Still, The Fonz represents a pinnacle of coolness for mechanics, thanks to hugelypopular catchphrases such as “Whoa!” and “Aaayyy!” In fact, in the mid-’70s, one of the most popular posters this side of Farrah Fawcett was the leather jacket-clad Fonz giving his trademark thumbs up.

If anything, the uber-hip Fonz was the “anti-Goober”, the mechanic/village idiot from The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. Apology accepted.

LESSON LEARNED: Even without formal training, some people are born mechanics. After all, so cool was The Fonz he could fix things without tools (case in point: Fonzie routinely repaired the jukebox at Arnold’s Diner simply by whacking it on the side.)

HAPPY DAYS (1974-1984) Unarguably, the most iconic character from Happy Days was Arthur Fonzarelli, a.k.a., “The Fonz” (Henry Winkler). While Fonzie was introduced as a minor character in the first season, he

DEATH RACE 2000 (1975) Thirty-five years after its debut, Death Race 2000 is as prescient as it is campy: many of the issues jokingly touched upon – from “reality-based TV” to fatal road rage – have come to fruition. While Death Race 2000 remains no better than a B movie at best, the film has proven disturbingly prophetic.

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Popular Mechanics Starring David Carradine (Frankenstein) and a pre-Rocky Sylvester Stallone (Machine Gun Joe Viterbo), Death Race 2000 is about a cross-country road race wherein crossing the finish line is secondary to the number of innocent bystanders assassinated en route. Hit-and-run driving is no longer a felony – it’s the national sport.

The race to New Los Angeles is contested by five drivers who all make use of Village People-like motifs (both apparel and cars): Cowgirl Calamity Jane; Matilda the Hun (“that adorable swastika sweetheart”) accompanied by her “humble Nazi navigator” Herman “The German” Fox; the narcissistic Nero the Hero; and so on.

Navigators apparently do double-duty as mechanics for the cars. But in the perversely bizarre world of Death Race 2000, cars aren’t tinkered with to make them safer. Rather, the mechanical mandate is to make the vehicles as deadly as possibly – a goal that is adroitly achieved by affixing spears, blades and even machine guns to the front bumpers. All the better to inflict maximum maiming.

As well, fixing the cars makes for risky business. When Frankenstein instructs his navigator/mechanic to “get back there [to the engine compartment] and retard spark four three degrees,” this is accomplished while the car is tearing down the highway.

LESSON LEARNED: Ignoring the “Safety is Job 1” rule is folly – even during a Death Race. Case in point: Calamity Jane’s mechanic decides to do some undercar maintenance on the highway rather than within a shop’s bay. Alas, he gets creamed by Matilda the Hun.

CORVETTE SUMMER (1978) Car-obsessed high school student Kenny (Mark Hamill) dreams of being a Corvette mechanic (at one point the mechanical phenom brags how he overhauled his first transmission as a 10-year-old.)

In shop class, Kenny creates a highly-customized ’Vette. Alas, his beloved Chevy is eventually stolen, prompting Kenny to embark on an odyssey to reacquire his prized wheels.

In retrospect, the true star of the film – the customized Corvette – might’ve passed for cutting-edge cool back when disco

26 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

ruled the airwaves. Yet, by today’s standards, this ’Vette is so garishly customized it actually borders on the grotesque.

LESSON LEARNED: Perhaps Ed (Eugene Roche) was correct when he opined: “I’ve been around automobiles all my life.

They’re mechanical devices. They always let you down. You buy ’em, you drive ’em, you break ’em, you fix ’em, you sell ’em.

Goods in the marketplace. Don’t get too attached to [a] car.”

GREASE (1978) What mechanic wouldn’t love a film with the tagline, “Grease is the word”? Ostensibly, Grease is a boy-meets-girl/boyloses-girl/boy-gets-girl musical. However, the boy also has another love interest: his car. In fact, in one scene, Danny (John Travolta) actually sings a love song to his beloved Ford (“Greased Lightning”): “You are supreme; the chicks’ll cream; for Greased Lightning!”

To compound the delightful absurdity, a dozen mechanics wearing silver-hued jumpsuits perform cartwheels and pirouettes around the Ford. Just another typical day down at the shop, really.

Still, Grease is surely a musical intent on capturing a mechanic’s heart. While there’s an excess of pop songs about cars, how many tunes go so far to actually laud car parts? Examples: “We’ll get some overhead lifters and four barrel quads, oh yeah”; “A fuelinjection cut-off and chrome-plated rods, oh yeah”; “With new pistons, plugs and shocks I can get off my rocks.” (Talk about autoeroticism…)

LESSON LEARNED: For some mechanics, certain fix-up projects can blossom into labours of love.

THE ROAD WARRIOR (1981) Set in Australia, The Road Warrior (a.k.a. Mad Max 2) depicts a post-apocalyptic world, wherein the most precious commodity is oil. The titular character is played by Mel Gibson, an ex-police officer and owner of “the last of the V8 Interceptors.”

Max eventually befriends an enclave of survivors, one of

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whom is a mechanic (Steve J. Spears.)

Clearly, the mechanic is a key player in keeping the enclave’s vehicles running and the oil drills pumping. Better yet, he’s also involved in the film’s funniest exchange of dialogue.

When the group’s leader, Pappagallo (Michael Preston), asks the mechanic, “How’s the rig?” (a Mack truck acquired by Max was heavily damaged by the denizens of the evil Humungous), the mechanic recites a litany of problems: Mechanic: “Got a cracked timing case cover. It’s broken a couple of teeth off the timing gear. The radiator’s damaged at the core. It’s got a cracked water pump. It’s got a fractured injector line…”

Pappagallo: “Well, what does all that mean?”

Mechanic: “What does that mean? Twenty-four hours!”

Pappagallo: “You got 12!”

Mechanic: “OK.” LESSON LEARNED: Always overestimate the time needed to complete repairs. That way, when the job is completed faster than promised, you’ll look like a miracle-worker.

CHRISTINE (1983) Christine is just another one of those boy-meets-car/boy-dumpscar/car-tries-to-kill-boy movies. The plot centres on wimpy high school student Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon), who sets about restoring a ’58 Plymouth Fury. But as the car inches toward a complete restoration, Arnie also starts to change, becoming increasingly arrogant. He also becomes overly protective of Christine, at one point warning: “Whoa! You better watch what you say about my car – she’s real sensitive.”

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It soon becomes apparent the only way Arnie can revert back to his good ol’ lovable loser self is to destroy Christine.

But Christine is a Mopar monster that doesn’t take kindly to rejection, as witnessed by the film’s tagline: “She’ll possess you.

Then destroy you.

She’s death on wheels.”

And Hell hath no fury like a Fury scorned.

LESSON LEARNED: Some repair jobs can really come back to haunt you.

BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985) Back to the Future is a time travel saga played for laughs.

Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) takes a trip 30 years back in time to 1955, and must ensure he doesn’t alter the time line and eradicate his future existence in the process.

McFly’s discovery that the time machine invented by Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) is actually a modified sports car makes for an amusing scene.

“Wait a minute, Doc,” says a gobsmacked McFly. “Ah... are you

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Popular Mechanics telling me you built a time machine... out of a DeLorean?”

Responds Doc Brown: “The way I see it, if you’re gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?”

Alas, it must be noted that while Back to the Future has aged gracefully, the same cannot be said for the DeLorean DMC-12. A futuristic-looking ride in the ’80s, the stainless steel DeLorean is now about as cutting-edge as a kitchen sink.

LESSON LEARNED: Even if you’re a genius capable of bending the time/space continuum, it doesn’t hurt to be proficient in auto mechanics.

MONSTER GARAGE (2002-2006) Hosted by Jesse James, Monster Garage is essentially a game show for those with mechanical, fabricating or modifying expertise. Teams are given a set budget and a strict time-limit to transform du rigueur vehicles into original creations that are equal parts awe-inspiring and outrageous. (Examples: a Toyota Tundra was reconfigured to allow it to discharge a motorcycle at high speeds; a police cruiser was remodeled to make it resemble a donut shop; a Chrysler PT Cruiser was altered to function as a wood chipper.)

LESSON LEARNED: No job is impossible.

PIMP MY RIDE (2004-2007) For owners of dilapidated beaters, being selected to appear on the reality TV program Pimp My Ride was akin to winning the automotive version of the Powerball lottery.

Each episode opens with an elated young car owner being offered the opportunity to have his or her car restored, revamped and re-imagined. Better yet, each car is custom-modified to reflect the personalities and/or interests of the owners. Thus, a Need For Speed gamer has his car redone to look like one of the rides from the videogame. Meanwhile, a surfer’s Volkswagen Bus is refurbished to include a functional clothes dryer.

28 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

The Cinderella-like transformations are truly awe-inspiring. And clearly the mechanics in Pimp My Ride aren’t simply people who fix things. Rather, they are skilled artists.

Each show ends with the owner being reunited with their vehicle. It tends to be an emotional reunion given that the car is always transformed from dud to stud.

LESSON LEARNED: A skilled mechanic is capable of making dreams come true.

Richard Henry “Hank” Yarbo (Fred Ewanuick) is essentially the

CORNER GAS (2004-2009) Canadian version of Goober: The Next Generation. Indeed, he is Dog River’s village idiot. (For example, in one episode, he goes to see a movie aimed at six-year-old kids five times in one week.)

Hank doesn’t appear to have what it takes to make it as a full-time auto mechanic, given that he often takes on completely unrelated jobs (census taker, crossing guard) to supplement his meager income.

He also has various other skill-sets in addition to being proficient at automotive repairs, and in some episodes he is tackling everything from plumbing and woodworking to gardening and knitting.

Hank’s “dream job”? Rodeo clown.

Alas, thanks to his incompetence, Hank is usually “awesomely unemployed” as he routinely describes his work status.

LESSON LEARNED: Perhaps that old saying is true: “Jack of all trades, master of none.”

Do you have a favourite TV/movie mechanic that is worth noting? Please send your suggestions to david@canadiantechnician.ca

FEBRUARY 2010

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Isn’t it

SHOCKING? Upon initial inspection, a vehicle’s suspension system may look fine – but looks can be deceiving.

By Jeff Taylor

W

hen technicians perform a regular service, we’re always on the lookout for leaks and worn-out parts. Tires, brakes, belts and front-end components are quick and easy to inspect. Most techs will quickly notice a strut or shock that has burst a giblet, but if the part isn’t leaking, most techs pay little if any attention. Unless the customer has a specific complaint such as a noise or a rough ride, suspension systems often get ignored. The facts don’t lie. Aaron Shaffer of KYB America notes that 86% of all vehicles residing in a scrap yard still have their original shocks and or struts. I was shocked to hear this stat (sorry… bad pun).

Industry insiders tell me that suspension service is one of the most undersold areas of the modern service operation.

There are a number of reasons for this.

Research points to a lack of training by the service writer/office personnel; believing there is wear and tear on something that looks just fine (in other words, a part that isn’t leaking or broken); and 30 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

finally, a fear that the recommended services are going to scare the customer away because of cost.

The suspension system of the modern vehicle is as complicated as the modern engine; all the power that is generated by the engine is completely useless unless the driver can safely transmit it to the road. A vehicle’s suspension has to keep the tire’s contact patch on the road surface; it has to provide the ability to steer with good handling and stability characteristics and it has to provide for the passengers’ comfort. When the wheels roll down the road, the contact patch transmits the forces of the road in an up and down motion. If there was nothing to counteract such vertical acceleration forces, the vehicle would lift off the road (thanks to a loss of contact) then gravity would bring it crashing back down. This is not only uncomfortable, but you wouldn’t have much control if the wheels aren’t in contact with the road. The frame/chassis needs to move along the road fairly uninterrupted

(passenger comfort/safety) while absorbing the energy transmitted by the wheels. During vehicle design, the ride and the handling (acceleration/braking and cornering ability) characteristics are considered. The engineers have to compromise on the following: road isolation (the absorption of bumps), road holding (maximum tire contact) and cornering (body roll and weight transfer). These vehicle dynamics are dealt with by the suspension.

Vehicle suspension systems can be broken down into four main areas, each with its own sub-components.

The complete chassis or all the weight that is supported by the suspension.

The suspension components, shocks/struts, control arms, ball joints, springs, etc.

The steering system for vehicle control.

The wheels and tires that provide the friction on the road surface.

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SHOCKING?

Concentrating on the suspension components and sub systems, I’d like to focus on the springs and damper assembles. There are basically four different spring designs: the coil spring, the leaf spring, the torsion bar and the air spring.

The designs have changed over time with advances in materials, and metallurgy, but the basic concept is the same. The spring is used to absorb the motion that is created in the wheels by the road surface (a vertical motion). While this may seem an easy task it really isn’t. Springs are really first-rate at absorbing energy, but they are quite poor are giving it back in an automotive application. Think physics here just for a moment: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. This is where we need some sort of damper or absorption unit.

The shock absorber or strut assembly has to control the energy that is created and stored by the action of the springs (from that vertical motion). If the spring is left to do this on its own, it will do so at an uncontrollable rate and at its own frequency until all the energy is used.

A vehicle without some sort of damper would experience bouncing and lack of road contact resulting in poor driver control. The shock/strut is there to control this spring motion and slow it down. The shock only acts as a damper and doesn’t support any of the vehicles weight. The strut not only has to damp-

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en, but it is also holding the vehicle up as a structural member. The damper is attached between the sprung (chassis) and the un-sprung weight (suspension parts/wheel assembly). The spring’s energy or motion is turned to fluid motion and heat in the hydraulic fluid of the damper. The damper is a simple oil pump; oil is forced through a series of orifices at a regulated rate by a piston.

Due to the small size of the orifices the oil is forced through by the piston’s travel, the spring’s oscillations are slowed. The damper has two cycles of operation: compression, which occurs when the piston is moved down by trying to compress the fluid; and rebound, which occurs when the piston moves up, thereby forcing the fluid back through the valves.

The common shock/strut provides more resistance on the rebound stroke (the reaction to the heavier sprung mass) than the compression stroke, as this reaction is dealing with the lighter un-sprung mass.

A velocity sensitive damper, typical on most vehicles, has three valves or stages and the faster the suspension moves, the greater the resistance the damper provides. The first and second stages absorb most of the movements created by the spring. The third stage uses a larger orifice and only takes effect after the first and second valves are bypassed. The third stage is rarely used.

The first and second stage valves are actually very thin metal washers or discs only two- to three-thousandths of an inch thick.

They bend or defect to allow the oil to flow during a damping event. It is estimated that in 50,000 km, these washers have bent 75 million times. Anything that has completed that many cycles or bending is bound to suffer from some metal fatigue, and that’s exactly what happens in the shock/strut. The valves tend to open and close too quickly and this results in a rough ride.

There are no visible signs that the damper isn’t working as designed. The customer may not notice that in a hard brake application the vehicle nosedives badly or that during hard acceleration the rear-end squats down. Rarely do they complain that the car corners poorly or seems to sway on the highway, yet these are all characteristic of worn-out damper units.

This is one of the reasons that shocks/struts are one of the most undersold areas in the modern repair facility. We can’t see what’s worn-out, like a bad ball joint or tie rod end. It comes down to the education of the techs/counter personal and the customer to understand that these parts do indeed wear out and they’re not meant to last for the life of the vehicle. The average customer that drives 80,000 km (the industry recommended service interval for shocks/struts) hardly notices the decline in the damper’s performance. It happens slowly over time. It is up to the educated tech to pay attention not just to the obvious leaking strut/shock, but to the odometer that is telling us that the pieces we can’t see are also worn-out.

Bob Greenwood

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Jeff Taylor is a technician at Eccles Auto Service in Dundas, Ont. FEBRUARY 2010

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It’s Your Turn

The case for mandatory vehicle inspections It’s time we got serious about the number of unsafe clunkers on the road.

By James Martins Tragedy was narrowly averted near my hometown recently when a vehicle violently veered off the road, plummeted into a ditch, and rolled end-over-end until finally coming to a halt. The battered and broken vehicle landed upside-down, and the rattled driver was lucky to emerge from the wreck with only minor injuries. Alas, the same couldn’t be said for the vanquished vehicle: it was a complete write-off.

Police said the accident wasn’t due to the usual circumstances: excessive speed and/or excessive inebriation. Rather, mechanical failure was the culprit for this particular mishap.

While operator error indeed accounts for the majority of accidents on the nation’s roads, I’m never surprised to hear about those mishaps that resulted thanks to a poorly-maintained vehicle.

Indeed, not a week goes by when I don’t do a double-take upon seeing some of the vehicles that wobble into my shop for repairs. And as a regular reader of Canadian Technician, I always look forward to checking out the EyeSpy segment. Often, the EyeSpy shots of accidents-waiting-to-happen cause my jaw to drop. Sometimes, I even break into a hearty laugh. But I say this with a degree of embarrassment, because at the end of the day, these cars are not laughing matters.

Currently in Canada, only New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island require passenger vehicles to be inspected for safety. New Brunswick’s inspections are bi-annual for all vehicles three years and older (until recently, the inspections were annual). Such inspections cost

FEBRUARY 2010

the car owner $25 – a small price to pay for safety, I’d say. And much like British Columbia’s Vehicle Inspection Program, if the vehicle fails, there’s a two-week window to get repairs completed or an entirely new inspection must be performed on the owner’s dime.

“Finland has been coducting vehicle safety inspections since 1917.”

Other places around the globe also have standard vehicle inspections similar to New Brunswick, ranging from Singapore and Turkey to Austria, Germany, and Australia. Finland has been conducting vehicle safety inspections since 1917 – back when the local Ford dealership was selling the Model T. The difference in British Columbia and other jurisdictions, of course, is that the vehicle inspection is only performed once – when the vehicle is first registered in the province – as opposed to an annual or biannual frequency.

I have to wonder: why don’t we have a nationwide standard safety inspection for vehicles?

Is it due to the costs involved? Or do our elected representatives feel there isn’t a valid reason for such a program? Or maybe implementing such a scheme is politically unpopular? Yet, given that lives are potentially at stake, I can’t see a down side.

Examining the details of Canada’s

Economic Action Plan, $7.8 billion is going toward the Housing Construction Stimulus mandate, and measures include the Home Renovation Tax Credit. An additional $7.5 billion is going toward the Action to Support Business and Communities (bailouts for the automotive, forestry, and manufacturing sectors.)

Granted, the auto repair sector hasn’t experienced the same sort of wallop the construction sector has endured. But even though automotive aftermarket employment rates haven’t dropped significantly, technicians and auto shops are still suffering.

Indeed, due to our wonky economy, it’s no surprise to report that the volume of repair and maintenance work has noticeably decreased. People are less inclined to spend money on their rides in bad times, especially when the going labour rate can be as much as $120/hour. But this ultimately means too many vehicles are left ill-maintained, unrepaired and possibly in a state of existence that is blatantly unsafe. All of which greatly increases the odds of a vehicle getting into an accident due to mechanical failure.

The time has come for a mandatory vehicle safety inspection program in all provinces. To ensure less fortunate people can afford to have their vehicles fixed, maybe we need a “Vehicle Repair Tax Credit”.

It’s something to seriously consider… assuming we really do care about road safety.

James Martins is an automotive technician at Canadian Tire in Kelowna, B.C.

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continued from page 38

frozen pasta in the toaster oven. With any luck it’d be thawed out by noon.

A little later, Re-man Riley stopped by for a coffee. Things were slow over at Block Busters, the rebuild shop where he worked. “What’s cooking today, Slim?”

“Not much,” I replied. “Care for some soggy lasagna?”

“Naw, I’ll pass.” Riley carried his coffee cup over to the office door and peeked into the bays. “Hey, is that a 3.8 in that car Beanie’s working on?”

I nodded. “We replaced the upper intake plenum – leaking coolant into the cylinders.”

Riley chuckled. “Another connecting rod bites the dust.”

My eyebrows shot up. “What do you mean by that?”

He shrugged. “Just that almost every 3.8 I ever saw in our rebuild shop had a bent con rod caused by a leaky plenum. You know – hydro-locking and all that.” He slurped some coffee and grimaced. “Sheesh, got anything to neutralize this wicked brew?”

“We used to,” I said dejectedly, “but donuts are off the menu right now.”

I went to find Basil and told him what Riley had said. “Is it possible for a bent rod to cause a miss at idle, but not at higher speed?”

Basil tugged his left earlobe. “It’s possible. I wouldn’t bet the farm on this, but the theory is that because of the bent connecting rod, the piston has already gone past TDC by the time the spark fires. Therefore, the ECM sees this as a misfire. Then when the timing advance kicks in at higher r.p.m., the cylinder begins to contribute enough to smooth things out.”

We had Beanie check the compression, and sure enough, the second cylinder was slightly lower than all the rest. With a borescope we could also see that the piston wasn’t coming up as high as it used to. “I don’t think our customer is going to be happy about this,” said Beanie.

Basil rubbed his chin. “It might be a good idea in the future to do a compression test on these leaky plenum jobs before going any further.”

All of a sudden, smoke poured into the shop as Tooner burst through the lunchroom door, a tray of flaming lasagna in his gloved hands.

“Fire in the hole!” he hollered as he crashed through the outside door and into a snow bank. Apparently, he’d snuck in and turned up the temperature setting on the toaster oven when I wasn’t looking, and then forgot about it.

“Sheesh,” said Beanie thoughtfully. “Ashes Monday again, and it’s not even Tooner’s turn.”

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Rick Cogbill is a licensed technician and former shop owner in Summerland, B.C. To read more about Slim and the gang, check out Rick’s book A Fine Day for a Drive at www.thecarside.com.

WORLDPAC

FEBRUARY 2010

WorldPac ...........................................40 www.worldpac.ca 800-463-8749 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 37

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The Car Side

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By Rick Cogbill

The trials of a miss-bent youth.

How to mend a lame Impala… and other food for thought.

“Well, Beanie, what did you bring us today?” I tucked a crumpled Christmas napkin under my chin in anticipation.

“And hurry it up… I’m hungry.”

Basil nodded in agreement as he added a touch of honey to his tea. “After last week’s disaster…” – he glanced significantly in Tooner’s direction – “…I’m looking forward to today’s offering.”

“Hey, watch it,” growled Tooner. “Keep this up and you’ll get nothing from me but store-bought junk.”

Not a bad idea, I thought. The last time Tooner baked cookies, he almost burnt his house down. As a result, we refer to his day as Ashes Monday.

The crew at Slim Shambles Auto Repair had made a New Year’s resolution – instead of buying greasy donuts, we’d take turns once a week bringing goodies for coffee break. This week it was snacks à la Chef Bean.

Beanie coloured slightly as he opened up a large paper bag. “I apologize, guys, but I was too busy to cook this weekend.

So I just grabbed something out of the freezer.” He plunked some frozen lasagna on the table and stared at it. “Should I give it a few minutes in the microwave?”

Basil sighed and reached for his lunch kit. “It’s those late nights again, isn’t it, Beanie? When are you going to start keeping sensible hours?”

Tooner snorted. “Sensible? These rowdy young upstarts don’t know the meanin’ of the word. I’m tellin’ ya, Bean, quit partyin’ yer life away or you’ll end up a loser!” He waggled a finger in Beanie’s

38 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

direction. “An’ I speak from experience.”

“Hey,” protested Beanie. “I wasn’t partying. Samantha dragged me to a bowling marathon. I was throwing gutter balls until 4 a.m.!”

It was time to change the subject.

“Hey Beanie, how’s that intake job coming? You must have it running by now.” A 2002 Chevy Impala with a 3.8L V6 was hibernating in Beanie’s bay, suffering from a bad case of an upper plenum replacement. The EGR port had melted, allowing engine coolant into the combustion chambers.

Beanie sank back in his chair. “I’ve got it back together, but it has a misfire at idle on cylinder #2.” He frowned. “The

funny part is, once I raise it off idle, it smoothes out.”

Tooner chewed on a piece of beef jerky. “Have you checked for fouled spark plugs, or tried swapping the injectors around?”

Beanie nodded. “Done all that. Checked the whole ignition system as well.” He sighed. “Got any other suggestions?”

We gave Beanie a list that included cleaning the MAF sensor, flushing the injectors, checking the O2 sensor action, and even pulling off the valve covers to check for broken springs. As he shuffled off to continue his testing, I threw his

continued on page 37

FEBRUARY 2010

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