Canadian Technician March 2010

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VOL. 15 NO. 2

Departments Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Service Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Reader Rides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Out & About . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 EyeSpy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Idea of the Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Auto Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

26

Columnists The Greenwood Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

By Bob Greenwood

30

Management S.O.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

By Kelly Bennett It’s Your Turn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 By guest columnist Bob Kowal The Car Side . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

By Rick Cogbill

Features Refrigerant: The Next Generation . . . . . . 26 The only constant in the world of AC refrigerants is change.

Here’s what you need to know.

Why Synthetic is the Real Deal . . . . . . . . . 30

38

Synthetic oil is vastly superior to its conventional cousin.

Here’s what you should tell skeptical consumers who might have a hard time justifying the extra cost.

Our new international calling card. by

MARCH 2010

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CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 3

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Editorial

Without you, we’re nothing Our second annual Readers’ Issue is slated for June.

And we want to publish your stories.

By David Menzies Last year, we decided to give something back to our readers. Namely, the entire magazine.

So it was with that spirit the June 2009 edition of Canadian Technician came to be. It was our first Readers’ Issue, filled cover-to-cover with submissions from our cherished subscribers.

Judging by the feedback, it was immensely popular with you. So, operating under the proviso of, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” this June, we shall present Readers’ Issue II: The Sequel.

But this specialized editorial vehicle needs a unique grade of fuel – namely, copy from our readers. And that’s where you – and your diverse opinions, observations and rants – come in. We want to publish your stories.

Should you require some inspiration to get your creative processes revving, please consider some of the pieces we ran last year: • In “Welcome to My Repair Nightmare,” Bill McLennan of Remmington Park Motors in Surrey, B.C., reminisced about the engine overhaul he performed on a Dodge Caravan just two months after starting his own business.

Alas, thanks to a Lemony Snicket-like series of unfortunate events, that routine minivan overhaul eventually morphed into the “repair from hell.” It didn’t help matters that the Caravan’s owner might’ve been Satan himself.

• Susan Eaton, co-owner of AE Auto Parts in Thornhill, Ont., wrote of her passion for art. Thanks to embracing her hobby, Susan is now an accomplished painter and her works appear at local art galleries.

• Allan Haberman, a technical training specialist based in Winnipeg, wrote a cautionary tale that is self-explanatory by its title: “Tool Insurance: Your Livelihood’s Safety Net.” MARCH 2010

• In “Future Shock,” Craig Shoemaker of DC Automotive in Woodstock, Ont., peered into his crystal ball and came to the somewhat sombre conclusion (based on myriad factors) that the automotive aftermarket will need fewer – not more – technicians in the years ahead.

• On the flipside, Allan Mantyla, of Mike Heino Auto Repair in Sudbury, Ont., wrote the upbeat “It’s A Wonderful Trade,” a fond look back at the mentor who helped Allan along when he first got started in the auto repair business three decades ago.

As you can see, the topics presented in our last Readers’ Issue ran the gamut. But one factor was constant: you’re all a delightfully opinionated bunch and you obviously have a burning passion for this business.

So, what are you waiting for – the return of the Pontiac Firebird? Tell us the good and the bad; the funny and the frustrating. We know you like to vent, so why not do so as a published author read by a national audience consisting of your peers?

As for your submission, it can be an essay, an opinion piece, a fictional short story, a Top 10 list, a joke, a photograph, an illustration… you name it.

Oh, and to sweeten the deal, one of the published pieces will be drawn at random and the author will be awarded a prize to be announced later.

And don’t fret if your prose is a bit rough around the edges. While you all excel at mending motors, our forte here at Canadian Technician is ensuring the words work.

So, put down that scan tool, set aside some quiet time, and get writing. But hurry – deadline for submissions is April 26.

Please send your submissions to david@canadiantechnician.ca.

Sign up now at www.winwithmobil1.ca for your chance to win!

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CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 5

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Service Notes VOLUME 15

Time to spruce up the shop?

“The dealer threat” isn’t going away... in fact, despite the economy, it could be ramping up.

By Allan Janssen Before its recent troubles, Toyota inked a plan to spend US$2.2 billion in dealership improvements over the next two years.

That was mid-2009, during one of the industry’s worst years. And this investment is on top of an estimated US$3.3 billion already spent on new dealerships and facility facelifts over the past five years.

Who knows what’s been done with that plan, now that more than 8 million Toyotas have been recalled for brake, steering, and accelerator-pedal problems.

My guess is Toyota will – ahem – accelerate full-speed ahead with their upgrades.

As much as all the car companies have consolidated their dealer networks and have put the least profitable ones out to pasture, they’re still committed to the business model of having customers come to a central location to be wined, dined, and made to feel fine when choosing a new vehicle.

The cozy showrooms, the comfy chairs, the wireless connections, and the complementary designer java are all in place. Now they’re going one step further: they’re building opulent facilities designed to bring out not only the beauty of their products but the strength and elegance of their brands.

Do yourself a favour and check out the newest palatial dealerships – either in person or on the Internet. Some of them are architectural wonders. The latest thing: LEED-certified facilities to prove their Earth-friendliness. I predict it won’t be long before we have themed facilities that showcase vehicles in unique and marvelous settings, whether it’s the wonder of a rainforest, the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, or the rah-rah appeal of a sports hall of fame. Think of the marketing opportunities!

This isn’t so much a game of oneMARCH 2010

upmanship as it is a business necessity, given the modern consumer’s heightened expectations for service and convenience.

Did you think the Internet would really spell the end of dealerships? Increasingly we’re seeing that it’s really being used as a research tool before a buyer heads over to the dealership to kick the tires.

The ultimate goal is undoubtedly to lock the independent aftermarket out of the service work. This isn’t a new strategy. We noticed this trend a decade ago. But it’s worth pointing out that even in the most challenging times for new-car sales, this kind of investment gets the stamp of approval from head office because it’s a good investment strategy.

The aftermarket neighborhoods I’ve driven through recently are far more inviting than they used to be. And almost all the shops I’ve visited are trying hard to make the customer feel at home. But as an industry, we still have a long way to go to match the dealership experience. We’ll never truly catch up, of course. We simply don’t have the real estate or investment dollars. But shop owners who want to build a loyal clientele have got to start thinking about their customers’ creature comforts and their basic expectations for cleanliness, professionalism, and convenience.

Despite the tough times for carmakers, “the dealer threat” as we’ve discussed many times in these pages, isn’t going away any time soon.

If your facility needs a facelift – and I implore you to ask for some impartial advice if you’re not sure – consider putting a plan together. It doesn’t have to be US$5.5 billion like Toyota’s. And it doesn’t have to be done overnight. But it’s part of the cost of staying in the game. And it will pay dividends as you improve the retail experience of your best customers.

NUMBER 2

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: $42.00 ($40.00 plus $2.00 GST); one-year subscription in U.S.: US$60; one-year subscription in all other countries: US$90.

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.

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“This Looks Like a Job For...” By Wayne Moore Phone (905) 632-8770 www.canadiantechnican.ca/covers CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 7

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LETTERS Tire debate keeps on rolling…

Who are all these “experts” coming up with the idea of putting the best tires on the back? I’ve been a licensed automotive tech for 19 years and this idea of putting the older, more worn, dryer tires on the front of a front-wheel-drive vehicle makes absolutely no sense.

I guess I’m not one of these “experts”.

The whole idea of good contact with the road starts with the tires. Moving, stopping, and steering is ALL done with the front wheels in a FWD vehicle. I’ve yet to hear of a tire being rated or sold to a consumer by its ability to maintain control in an over-steer situation.

Try telling the person who just rearended someone that couldn’t quite stop in time that it was a good thing the best tires were on the back. Try to tell the person that steered left on a slick road only to end up going straight into a snow bank.

Mike Mikolic Jordan Service Centre Jordan, Ont.

Do the “experts” have a recommendation of what the cutoff would be for tread depth on the two remaining tires with less tread before this should happen? Or, as another person inferred, do we just stop rotating tires since the front tires will generally be worn more than the rear tires?

John Rossini Service Manager, ToyotaTown London, Ont.

I can understand the reasoning of placing two new or best tires on the back of the vehicle if the customer only purchases two tires. But there needs to be some clarification.

Everything depends on how much tread is left on the tire. If the difference between the front and the back is less then 2/32, then it doesn’t matter where you put the tire – in fact, you should put the better

one in the front to be able to wear the tread equally. After that depth, you should place the new one in the back to increase vehicle stability.

I’ve watched a video where two identical cars were rolling on a wet pavement.

The first one had the better tire in the back and the second had the subpar tire in the back. When the two vehicles went into a curve, the second one wasn’t able to make the turn and it jackknifed.

I also think that most technicians are used to putting the better tire on the drive axle of a car, so a rear-wheel-drive car gets the better tire on the back and a front-wheel-drive car gets the better one

RIDES

Reader

Not the same old Saab story This extremely rare 1974 Saab Sonnet is the pride and joy of Christian Skovbjerg, a Swedish Saab Master Technician and the owner of Aktive Motors Inc. in Oakville, Ont. Christian picked up this Saab two-seater awhile back for a relative song and then put hundreds of hours into restoring the car (it had been languishing in an underground parking garage for several years.) During the winter, the car is on display inside his shop. But Christian loves driving his ’74 Sonnet on good weather days. And he says his baby blue bombshell is a real head-turner.“People are always catching up to me on the highway and looking at the car up and down, trying to figure out what it is,” he says.“As you can see, it’s not your typical Saab car, that’s for sure.”

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! Send a pic of your ride to david@canadiantechnician.ca.

MARCH 2010

CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 9

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LETTERS on the front.

But in the end, the tires on a well-maintained car should wear equally.

Alain Chenard, technical adviser Robert Bernard Pneus Mécanique Chambly, Que. I agree 100% with Ryan Braaton of Regina.

I have also been in the service industry for 15 years at a private shop and new tires should always go to the front.

Ryan Garrick Goodturn Ride Centre Hamilton, Ont. Re: Ryan Braaton’s comments. When replacing only two tires on a vehicle, if the tires on the rear have more than 50% of tread left on them, by all means put the new ones up front. But if they are more than 50% worn on the rear, then replace the rear tires.

My personal opinion is that Mr. Braaton should stay with selling cars and leave the tires up to the independent tire dealer.

R. Glenn Falconer Mr.Tire Ltd. Sydney/Westville, N.S. I have worked in the automotive service industry since 1988 and just recently entered the heavy truck industry. For many of the same reasons Ryan Braaton stated, I have been taught that the best two tires should always be on the front. I’m glad Ryan provided his input to this as well.

Steve Minard General Manager Dunlop Sterling Western Star (Medicine Hat) Ltd. Medicine Hat, Alta.

I have to agree with Ryan when it comes to putting replacement tires on the front of the vehicle. When I was doing my training that’s how we were taught. I worked at a couple of dealerships over the years and had a few guys argue this. I’ve also had this conversation with a tire tech. I think the industry is wrong and this issue needs some second thought.

Adriaan Bakker, Tech/Owner Janke Auto Tech Vernon, B.C.

10 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

It seems to me that if a car comes into a shop and is sold two new tires and the remaining two are bald, then the repair centre needs to do a better job at selling all four tires – even if that means going to a less expensive line losing some of the profit margin. After all, our customers’ safety is really our main goal.

If the customer simply won’t go for all four tires, then it doesn’t really matter where you put the new ones because the vehicle’s safety and performance will be seriously compromised.

Furthermore, on the subject of tire rotation, it seems some repair centres are a little confused regarding the purpose of a tire rotation. Contrary to seemingly common belief, tires are not to be rotated in order to put the best tires on the front (although that seems to be the trend.)

Rather, the sole purpose of tire rotating is to promote even tire wear to maintain equal traction, braking and road feel ability to all four wheels. If this is done on a vehicle from when tires are new and rotated every 8,000 to10,000km, tire rotation works very effectively.

Jordan Clampitt Steering and Brake Technician Neighbourhood Auto Plus London, Ont.

“Popular Mechanics” a popular read Re: “Popular Mechanics” by David Menzies (February 2010) Awesome read, Menzoid.

All-righty, some other mechanics from film and TV you missed that should’ve received a mention: • Sgt. Rizzo from M*A*S*H*.

• The two mechanics from The Mask.

• Either Harrison Ford in his ’55 Chev or Mike in the Deuce from American Graffiti.

• From The Bachelor Party, the guy who stole the Yuppie’s Porsche and hopped it up.

• Jackie Chan in Cannonball Run – great insight into the technology to come... well, sort of.

• Cooter from Dukes of Hazzard (the TV series, not that wimp from the movie.)

• D-Day from Animal House... just for how he “fixed” the Lincoln.

• Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemount

High... similar kind of repair on a Camaro.

Goes to show you – one can have a “boss set of tools” and still do a crappy job.

Again, it was a joy to read. And you’re a treat to hear on The Charles Adler Show.

Daniel Green Canadian Automotive Institute Barrie, Ont.

“New Car Smell” editorial passes the sniff test Re: “The Sweet Smell of Success” editorial by David Menzies (February 2010.) It’s probably safe to say that new car smell is a universal language in the sensory department. This story was a beautiful read. David, along with your excellent writing talent, you surely make your grandfather proud. And thanks for triggering my own fond memories regarding new car smell.

Also, I got a real kick from your “Popular Mechanics” cover story. Good job! I’m definitely going to revisit a couple of those old flicks. And hey, what about My Cousin Vinny from 1992? The court room scene is good for a laugh.

Robert Mathies Essex, Ont.

Debtors bad; article on debtors good One of our clients forwarded your article to me entitled. “Dealing With Debtors” (August 2009). While I don’t condone some of the activities of Mr. Cannon, it made for good reading.

Hopefully some of your readers will look at this profit drain more seriously.

Thanks for shedding some light on the subject.

Brad J. Lohner, President & CEO Priority Credit Recovery Inc. Edmonton

How to reach us We love to hear from our readers.

Whether its darts or laurels, please send along your opinions to editor David Menzies at david@canadiantechnician.ca.

MARCH 2010

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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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&About

The “Mister” in Mister Transmission passes away Chain founder Bruce Brillinger remembered as a brilliant innovator.

By Farrah Cole

I

t should come as no surprise that the co-founder and creator of Mister Transmission loved horses. After all, most horses are fast and strong, lean and reliable; and like most transmissions, cannot go the distance without the right people taking care of them.

Bruce Brillinger passed away on Jan. 5, 2010 at the age of 73 after a battle with cancer. Born Sept. 26, 1936, he co-founded Mister Transmission with his late partner, Jerry Etkin, in 1962 in Richmond Hill, Ont. The two were soon forced to open more stores as demand for Mister Transmission services increased following an ad they placed on a local country and western radio station with the popular jingle, “Hey Mister, you’re a friend of mine.”

Randy Moore, current president and CEO of Mister Transmission who joined the business in 1977, remembers his friend and boss with fondness.

“Bruce and I became very close over the years,” Moore said. “He was like a second father – he always gave me advice when I didn’t need it.”

Moore says despite Brillinger’s success in the transmission business, he never let his success go to his head. He describes his friend as humble, approachable and down to earth. He says Brillinger was very definitive about what type of business Mister Transmission was to continue to be.

“Bruce was innovative in finding ways to repair automatic transmissions back in the day at a much lower price point that made (Mister Transmission) profitable, but gave us a great opportunity to help consumers,” says Moore.

MARCH 2010

He says it was Brillinger’s commitment to expert service, quality repairs and a nationwide warranty that really separated Mister Transmission from every other garage out there, standards the business embraces today.

“The most important thing to Bruce was integrity-to deliver the product to the consumer right the first time,” says Moore. “And to deliver a fair and honest price to the customer and to repair what was required to the customer and nothing more.”

While Brillinger hadn’t worked in the shop since the early ’70s, he was heavily involved in keeping the business solely specialized in transmission repairs.

Despite opportunities to expand Mister Transmission’s services, Brillinger was adamant about staying true to his vision.

“He was an innovator because of the hardcore specialist (Mister Transmission) became,” Moore says.

“Mister T”: Bruce Brillinger

Brillinger is survived by his wife Gayle, four children and nine grandchildren.

Getting Belted “I opened the door to fix the door handle,” writes Sean Conroy of Conroy's Collision in Whitemouth, Man.“Someone had wired the linkages together and done this ‘repair’ to the seatbelt retractor. He punctured the seatbelt to put the bungee cord through it and then tied it to the door’s inner structure. That loose belt must have been really annoying to make him go through all that trouble.”

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

CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 13

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OUT & ABOUT

Tech has 100 years on his odometer Moncton area shop owner Ralph Northrup is a centenarian who still hasn’t quite retired.

By Linda Hersey In 2010, as in 1929 when Ralph Northrup of Moncton first started fixing cars, customers are concerned about price.

Northrup, who turned 100 Jan. 3, has four words of advice for today’s shop owners: “Don’t charge too much.”

Back in his early days on the bench, mechanics (no one dreamed of calling them “technicians” back then) made $0.75 an hour, he says. Maybe $1 an hour if they were good. And a complete engine overhaul cost “very little.”

He has lived his whole life by the concept of working hard for a fair wage. He was still working in his garage when he was 91 years old, and even now he says he “didn’t really retire.” He still is contacted regularly by people who want to know where they should be taking their cars to be fixed.

“I always worked hard,” he says. “I did the work of three men.”

The second youngest child of eight, born to Allen and Luella Northrup of Belleisle Station, Kings County, N.B., he entered the workforce early. His father

had been hit and killed by a train when Ralph was just two years old. At the tender age of 11 he got a part-time job at a farm. At 15 he started full-time work – summers at a cheese factory and winters

Ralph Northup: 100 years young.

as a cook at a lumber camp.

When he was 19, he found his calling as a mechanic first at Swift Canadian in Moncton, and eight years later at the Golden Ball garage in Saint John.

“I was there when war broke out,” he says. “I took over the Golden Ball in ’39 and they sent me over to a garage in Halifax.”

In 1941 Northrup relocated to Amherst where he was in charge of the motor department at the aircraft plant there.

Eventually returning to the hub city, he worked as a mechanic at Lounsbury’s Garage – still keeping his eyes peeled for a good opportunity.

“In 1946 Norman Dryden and I opened up Dryden Motors,” Northrup recalls. “I was there for 13 years as shop foreman.

Then I bought my little farm on Shediac Road and built my own garage – Ralph’s Auto Repair.”

And so it went. He and his wife Roberta raised six children. And apart from hockey and the occasional trip out west and or to the United States to see family, Ralph didn’t have any hobbies.

“I didn’t have time for anything,” he says matter-of-factly. “I was too busy working all the time.”

His children have gone on to have children of their own – there are now five generations in the family. And after Roberta died 18 years ago, Ralph started to slow down. He’s taken residence at The Briarlea nursing home in Moncton where he enjoys the routine, socializing with both residents and staff.

A non-drinker and non-smoker, he credits good eating and hard work for his longevity.

But, even after six hip replacements (four in one side and two in the other), you get the sense he’d still like to turn a wrench again if he could.

A NOT SO INDECENT PROP-OSAL There’s nothing like a sweet set of wheels when it comes to taking part in a summertime cruise event. But for Sal Eldin of Superior Tire in Toronto, his heavily-modified 1993 Ford Thunderbird SC (which now looks more like a pseudo-1950 Ford) performs double-duty. Not only is this car a fun boulevard cruiser, but when parked upon his shop’s property, it actually functions as a lure to would-be customers.

“It gets a lot of looks and people are always asking questions,” says Sal. Better yet, some of those curious bystanders end up becoming customers – be it purchasing a set of tires or simply getting an oil change.

Although Sal has sunk more than 200 hours of bodywork and fitting into his retro-cool chariot, he says it’s all been worthwhile given that his car has served as such an adroit attention-generating prop for his shop. And hey, it sure beats an oversized inflatable gorilla!

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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Now, We Do It All!

ValvolineÂŽ now offers a full line of Valvoline Professional Series automotive service chemicals. With Valvoline Professional Series, you get a comprehensive line of professional-grade products, services and solutions all backed by industry leading marketing programs.

Valvoline Professional Series delivers maximum value to consumers and helps grow your bottom line. Š, 2010, Ashland Canada Corp.

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OUT & ABOUT

The kids are all right Toronto high school students Bachiller and Gonsalves off to New York to represent Canada in tech contest.

The 10 Volkswagen bugs on display at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto last month were plagued with

bugs. This isn’t to say that Volkswagen Canada was displaying a bunch of lemons. Rather, these New Beetles were We’re #1: James Bachiller and John Gonsalves from Jean Vanier Secondary.

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purposely rigged not to function as part of the National Automotive Technology Competition which involved several Toronto-area high school students.

When the smoke had cleared and the brake dust settled, it was the team of James Ryan Bachiller and John Gonsalves of Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School that was standing tall. The duo beat out 19 other high school squads to capture the competition’s first prize.

The pair of 17-year-olds performed a number of timed technical tasks and was able to start a 2010 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible that had been rigged with a no-start condition by automotive instructors from Centennial College, the event’s organizer. Each two-person team was given 80 minutes to diagnose a number of deliberately rigged problems on the fleet of 10 Volkswagens.

For finishing first, Bachiller and Gonsalves receive an all-expenses paid trip to New York City next month. Once in the Big Apple, the pair will represent Canada at the U.S. National Automotive Technology Competition.

Of note, Canadian high school teams have been doing very well at the New York competition in recent years.

In 2009, a team from Northview Heights Secondary School placed second overall in New York. And in 2008, a team from Central Tech took home the competition’s top prize – along with almost $250,000 in prizes and scholarships in the process.

“If this [rate of success] keeps up, I’m worried there might be a ‘No Canadians Rule’ at future New York competitions,” said a chuckling Dave Samalea, a professor with Centennial College’s School of Transportation.

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TRIUMPH S

Muscular Dystrophy Canada Ambassador Danielle Peers Carries Olympic Torch Edmonton, AB - Muscular Dystrophy Canada Ambassador and Paralympics’ bronze medalist Danielle Peers wheeled the Olympic Torch through Edmonton streets on Wednesday, January 13, 2010. Danielle used a wheelchair equipped with winter tires and a specially designed torch holder to make the 400-metre trek down Groat Road.

Triumphs are discovered everyday by those affected with neuromuscular disorders.

Together with your support, we’re providing assistance to find personal triumphs everyday.

Please consider supporting the 37th Annual Golf Tournament on June 10th with all proceeds to Muscular Dystrophy Canada.

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OUT & ABOUT

Supplier News Wakefield wins management award

Land Rover vehicles generate most complaints Edmunds.com uses NHTSA data to rank number of complaints per vehicle.

Edmunds.com, an online resource for automotive information, recently obtained and analyzed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaint database. A key finding: despite being the subject of intense scrutiny, Toyota ranks 17th among automakers in the overall number of complaints per vehicle sold.

According to the database, which consists of complaints filed by individuals and isn’t checked for accuracy by NHTSA, Toyota was the subject of 9.1% of the complaints from 2001 through 2010 (through Feb. 3). During this period, the company sold 13.5% of all new cars in the U.S. “No one should overlook the issues raised by the Toyota recalls, but it is

important to keep things in perspective,” says Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl.

“A broader view shows that consumer complaints reflect an industry issue, not just a Toyota issue. As Toyota’s experience in recent months clearly demonstrates, it is no longer an option for car companies to dismiss consumer complaints, even if the event is difficult to replicate or diagnose.”

Land Rover, according to the data, scored the dubious achievement of garnering the most consumer complaints per market share. Land Rover had 0.6% of complaints compared to only 0.1% market share from 2001 through 2010.

As for the other makes, refer to the chart below:

AUTOMAKER RANK (IN ORDER OF MOST COMPLAINTS PER MARKET SHARE) PERCENT OF COMPLAINTS IN NHTSA DATABASE PERCENT OF SALES IN US MARKET LAND ROVER AMERICAN SUZUKI MOTOR CORP. ISUZU MANUFACTURING SERVICES OF AMERICA VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC JAGUAR CARS LTD VOLVO CARS OF N.A. LLC. CHRYSLER LLC MAZDA NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC. FORD MOTOR COMPANY GENERAL MOTORS CORP. NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, LLC SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO. TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC. PORSCHE CARS NORTH AMERICA, INC. SMART USA DISTRIBUTOR LLC MARCH 2010

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

0.6% 0.9% 0.3% 4.1% 0.4% 1.1% 16.3% 1.7% 1.3% 18.3% 25.3% 5.8% 4.2% 1.7% 1.1% 6.8% 9.1% 1.0% 0.1% 0.0%

0.1% 0.4% 0.2% 2.4% 0.2% 0.7% 13.0% 1.5% 1.2% 17.6% 24.5% 5.9% 4.4% 1.9% 1.3% 9.4% 13.5% 1.5% 0.2% 0.0%

Wakefield Canada Inc., the exclusive Canadian distributor and marketer of Castrol lubricants, was recently named as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies in a competition sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC Commercial Banking, National Post, and Queen’s School of Business.

“Today’s marketplace is not just about the investment in the product; it is also about the investment in the people. Wakefield Canada invests in their team to build up a strong and stable company,” said Deloitte’s John Hughes.

“Our customer-based philosophy directs our efforts. The entire employee base, from the field staff across the country to the senior management group is highly focused and understands our goals. Over the first five years we have created a very effective operation and internal culture,” said Bob MacDonald, Wakefield’s president.

Established in 1993, the Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies is a national awards program recognizing Canadian companies that have implemented world-class business practices and created value in innovative ways.

NGK treats PartSource customers to racing weekend

NGK Spark Plugs Canada Limited recently escorted a contingent of PartSource customers to the Richard Petty Racing Experience at Walt Disney World. In attendance for the event were: Tom Parkyn, Jamal Udin Daya, Alexandre Girard, Emanuel Arruda, Ganeshram Pall, Jacek Zapalowicz and Curtis Forstey. Also on hand for the weekend-long event were NGK Canada representatives Dean Weber, Jeff Sauvé and Bob Matthews.

Klarius buys Quniton Hazell group Automotive aftermarket manufacturing and distribution business Klarius recently completed the purchase of the Quinton Hazell automotive group from U.S.-based Affinia.

Quinton Hazell is headquartered in Leicester, England, with manufacturing and distribution assets in France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Schriver wins Bridgestone Photo Contest Bridgestone Canada has announced its winner of its 2009 Bridgestone Photo Contest. Amy Schriver, a photography student at the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design in Fredericton, was named the winner of the contest that is now in its eighth year. Schriver’s winning photo was chosen from more than 250 other entries submitted by photography students from across Canada.

Hankook Tire announces promotions, additions William (Bill) Hume, (pictured) Hankook Tire Canada Corp.’s former National Sales Director, has been promoted to company VP. Hankook has also promoted Jeff Bullock to National Sales Operations Director. As well, the company has also announced the expansion of its sales force.

Michael Flynn joins Hankook to service Ontario customers while Daryl Gray will contribute to expanding the network of Truck Based Radial.

CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 19

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By Bob Greenwood

How do you know if your shop is succeeding by embracing the preventive maintenance business model? Do the math!

By Bob Greenwood

THE FINE ART of Preventive Maintenance Number-Crunching I

n the December issue, I wrote about the critical measurement of billed hours per invoice. When we have achieved a trustworthy relationship and we are counseling the consumer/client professionally, shops will begin to achieve the average billed hours parameters that I outlined.

My next measurement criteria will show how the shop, as a collective unit, is progressing to the transition.

There are two additional numbers every shop owner should know. And every shop owner must diligently monitor these numbers. Unfortunately, the industry rarely talks about this data-gathering and monitoring, because we’ve all been weaned on methods of measurement that only serve to measure individual performances, not the shop as a whole.

Many shop owners have heard and learned about shop “proficiency.” This number is a unit measurement of one individual and is an important number to understand when counseling a technician

20 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

with regard to self-improvement.

However, the two pertinent numbers I’m referring to measure how much is available to the entire shop based on its current competency and how much of that available work is being captured. If the shop is achieving the right percentage, it is telling us the trustworthy relation-

“ The first number every shop owner should know is the shop’s potential based on current staffing arrangements/competency.”

ships are in place overall; that our business processes at the front counter and back end are working properly; and that the shop is collectively capturing a sufficient percentage of preventive maintenance work.

The first number every shop owner should know is the shop’s potential based on current staffing arrangements/competency. To calculate this figure, complete the following steps: Total hours per week worked divided by total days per week worked equals total average technician hours per day.

Average technician hours per day multiplied by the number of days per year equals the number of technician hours worked per year.

The number of technician hours worked per year multiplied by the number of technicians equals the number of hours available per year to produce labour.

Note: apprentice technicians count as one-half of a technician for this measurement. Example: two licensed techni-

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cians/journeymen and one apprentice in the shop equals 2.5 techs overall.

Total technicians’ hours per year available to produce labour divided by 12 equals the available labour hours per month for all technicians.

Available technician hours per month multiplied by the hourly maintenance labour/door rate equals the shop’s potential labour dollars per month in the maintenance department of the shop.

This potential number is a key number to know about the shop.

Everyone seems to always want to do more, but they neglect to measure how much is available in their shop to realize how much more they can do with their current staffing arrangements and competencies. Lesson learned: if the staff is not qualified and trained to achieve more, the shop is NOT going to do more.

This isn’t the staff’s fault – it’s management’s fault for not understanding the current business format that management had established.

Once the potential number is set, then the next measurement can be calculated.

This figure is called the site efficiency number. It’s the measurement as to how well the entire team is doing as a collective unit. This team is made up of all technicians and front counter staff working together.

You take the actual average monthly labour sold for the past year and divide it by the potential (#5). This number is the

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shop’s efficiency percentage. This number should be a minimum of 75%; however, the utopian number is 80%.

When the shop is achieving a consistent 75% average, the shop has succeeded at transitioning itself to the preventative maintenance world and is capturing the current clienteles business. Consider that the average shop floats between 54% to 62% site efficiency. It still runs a breakdown and repair business and it hasn’t transitioned the business to benefit from the new aftermarket business model based on preventive maintenance.

Here’s is a final “mind-bender” equation to calculate: take the actual labour produced per month and divide it by the average total hours per month for all technicians (#3) and this will show you the

actual labour/door rate.

It’s called the shop’s effective rate. It’s out of this sum that the shop pays its technicians and overhead. Ouch!

The so-called labour rate/door rate that everyone talks about is a smoke and mirrors show in our industry. It doesn’t exist. You can achieve 100% or even 150% proficiency but consistent site efficiency at that level doesn’t happen.

Not only do you need to do the math, but you have to properly interpret what the math is telling you.

And keep in mind that moving your shop from a breakdown and repair business model to the preventive maintenance realm is a transition process that takes time. It is by no means something that can be accomplished overnight.

Refer to my Jan. 4 and Jan. 26 blogs at my website, www.aaec.ca, to help you get started with the transition process.

Bottom line: 2010 will be an exceptional year in the aftermarket for those shop owners who understand exactly how the new and improved aftermarket functions.

Good luck with your transition!

Bob Greenwood AAM is founder and president of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre www.aaec.ca.

You can reach him by phone (800) 267-5497; fax (905) 331-6180

greenwood@aaec.ca.

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MANAGEMENT

S.O.S. The Magnificent

SEVEN

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.

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.

our elps put a sure h e d i ” on f o l s se. It n yourse of purpo ater tha e e r s g n “ e ou s e y h a rning. T rked for ocus on ly: gears tu am. I wo ps one f y l l m e l h i t etter t o e b s g r Dear Kel u were a really fact, I big pict t email that you you. In y r g at the t o n i f i l k would a t o t c Your las o s n e L j ive. mployee e the me GTY” pro perspect of his e dn’t hav e i ally a “ n d e o r n u io s l w Y a lives in i o w at I nding d about h ur wing. to me th to respo went on under yo s s k y e n a m mana w h l k a t a o occurred o s you t ss that prove a r years, ears and had a bo past fou lp me im e e h e c h n m t o o o t r r I for 14 y f e s v l I was. ank you hand, o s of too an than help. Th he other th dozen r t i u I w o n y s O e a m technici r . o e m d as hi our rol provide t been f as good assume y it hadn’ you have o f t , i s e l s m i ever be s a e m d my e busin inspire o all of ’t be in ds have gently t I wouldn es not ng metho i w n o i n a k r t I , all do r fact, smoothly act, you f n u n r I ager. In s ! g n. Also, t hear ake thin reak dow oject. om of my try to m ipment b u “GTY” pr e q w e y m n f the bott e o e t. You h b h n to seems w ch weig e pieces sen Bria ed so mu expensiv part: it n i y m a t o g t o e l have cho d ngs r g a p h h and that t i that I had two the doom and say concern eek, we t w d u e o t s s lets e a Now, for e m L y r o b p c x plan.

Dear Ab e just and he e ding to so let m g like a n r today ” i e , d i p n l go accor i u r h o a s s e r or email t leade the doct of this ansparen I was at the risk bout “tr a t A l l . a t n e o ght m ome fr have tau on the h so well too? g n i o g s t un eling aren’ sonal co r e p o d you ter, do l –Ero

Dear Erol: Wow, what an email. I’m not sure when I leave here today that my head will fit through the door after reading the first part of your missive.

As for the rest, I can assure you I’m not immune to all of what you’re saying. I feel your pain; in fact, I can recall many days in which I just wanted to yell, “Stop the 22 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

world – I want to get off!”

In fact, one day, years ago, I had to walk away from it all. I left the shop and went for a long walk. I sat on a bench and started to take inventory about what was going wrong in my life. I looked at this long list of things in my life that were broken and needed immediate attention before everything would spiral out of hand.

After my walk, I went back to the shop put my list on my desk and headed over to the schedule to see how things looked for the day and the rest of the week. I thought, “Wow… look at this list of all of these broken cars.” I thought about the list back on my desk and I felt pangs of guilt: I knew how to fix broken-down cars, but I wasn’t certain how to fix the MARCH 2010

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Larry Dickison

CanTech March-2010.qxp:CT Oct 05 cj.qxd

stuff in my life that was broken.

I decided to do a little math with the vehicles on the schedule. I put a big “R” beside all of the appointments that were repairs; I put an “M” beside everything that was maintenance work. I was stunned when I tallied it up: almost 90% of the work was repairs. I didn’t include oil changes as maintenance items as I knew from previous research that most oil changes tend to be overdue and that the cars were primarily in the shop for some sort of repair.

Well, a light turned on pretty quickly.

With all of those repairs on the schedule two weeks out there was a huge problem that I hadn’t recognized before. Namely, I was always proud of the fact that we were booked two weeks out, but I was really always two weeks behind – and I never actually realized it.

Now I look at my schedule and see appointments a few months out and every single one of them is maintenance. One of the smartest things we ever did was to start reviewing our customers’ vehicle service histories for the last 12 to 18 months. We would compare that review to their vehicles’ maintenance schedules.

Vehicle manufactures have spent a lot of time laying out what needs to be done in terms of preventive maintenance.

Following these guidelines helps keep the vehicle from breaking down and extending the life of the vehicle.

While some customers religiously follow maintenance schedules, I can attest that the vast majority of drivers don’t pay MARCH 2010

attention to the good ol’ “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” philosophy. Too bad, because when things do breakdown, naturally, these same customers need us right away and they want the repair completed yesterday.

I knew the solution to this mindset

“One of the smartest things we ever did was to start reviewing our customers’ vehicles service histories.” started with us. We had to educate ourselves first. After all, we are the experts and we owe it to our customers to know what needs to be done in order to educate them. The manufactures have done their homework and have given us roadmaps. What we had to do was pay attention and act.

Once we had reviewed the history and knew what had been done and then compared that to what the maintenance schedule recommended should be done, we scheduled appointments with our customers. We needed to consult with them when they picked up their vehicles. We would tell them to be prepared to spend about 25 minutes with us just to review

the work that had been completed over the course of the previous 18 months.

Of course, not everyone bought into the concept and some said they simply didn’t have the time to spare. Yet, most of them not only said they would sit down with us, but they actually thanked us for being so concerned and going that proverbial extra mile. They were genuinely appreciative that we had taken such n interest in the wellbeing of their vehicles.

Upon meeting these customers, we’d provide them with a list of everything that had to be done and they could see exactly what they needed to spend on their vehicles. We also calculated their repair costs on a per kilometre basis and we compared that with the industry average cost for that kind of vehicle.

We then gave them a copy of the manufacturer’s recommendations; everything that had been done was highlighted. We then carefully planned out what needed to be done over the next 12 months. We showed them a plan that listed all the dates for their next four visits and what had to be done on each visit.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “How in did we ever find the time?” Well, we hired a high school student to come over after school to do all the research for us. Students from the automotive department were the best. We showed them how to pull a car’s service history and then compare it with the information gleaned from the manufacturer.

Each day, we’d get a couple of dozen done. Those would all go into a file and our advisor would do the estimating midmorning and mid-afternoon during lull times. Pre-booking so many appointments afforded us more lull time, by the way.

Then, we’d have customers come in for their consultations from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. I would fill in on the counter as our advisor would do the consultations.

Embracing this system, we did an average of four per day – that works out to 20 per week or 400 per month.

Bottom line: this system works.

By the way, we embraced this method because I came to realize that repairs are “bought” whereas maintenance is “sold.”

When people came in with grinding brakes, a muffler hanging down, or they were towed in, we didn’t have to sell those customers repairs. Rather, they were buying whatever it took (for CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 23

CanTech March-2010.qxp:CT Oct 05 cj.qxd

the most part) to get their broken vehicle fixed.

However, when the vehicle appeared to be running fine they don’t usually buy anything. We have to educate the customer and then advise them what they have to do. To paraphrase the old Fram oil filter slogan, “You can pay me (a little) now or pay me (more) later.”

As well, we endeavor to educate our customers by informing them of the seven main benefits of maintenance:

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• Maintain the vehicle warranty; • Increase the longevity of their vehicles; • Increase the resale value of their vehicles; • Reduce the risk and hassle of a breakdown; • Provide increased safety; • Provide more peace of mind; • Gas consumption is often reduced.

As for your personal problems, these are essentially repair versus maintenance issues, too. Getting out of shape takes

time – it never happens overnight. It boils down to one bad decision after another about what we eat, how much we eat, when we eat and whether we make time for exercising. I used to eat too many snacks at night watching TV. However, now I make certain I go for a walk almost every night after dinner and I never eat past 7 p.m. This regimen has made an enormous difference for me. By the way, people who are in great physical shape don’t attain such a state overnight, either.

Shaping up requires one good decision after another.

As for family matters, believe it or not, a harmonious life on the home front boils down to a repair versus maintenance mindset, too. Relationships take time, planning and lots of hard work. Kids today have way too many distractions – TV, computers, videogames, cell phones, and so on. It occurred to me these distractions for my kids was my fault given that I gave them all the distracting technology in the first place. Each time I’d buy something, I made it clear that I had bought it for myself. I paid for it and therefore I owned it. That meant I could take it back anytime I wanted. Trust me, taking a child’s cell phone away or restricting access to the DVD player until chores were completed or until family time commenced made our home life far saner. (Need suggestions? Check out a really cool book called 365 TV Free Activities You Can Do With Your Child. It sure helped out my family.)

Well Erol, I need to get off of my computer and head into town. Remember, the solution rests with making one good decision after another. Put another way, have you ever seen a turtle walking on the beach ever so slowly? You get caught up in a few things and when you look for the turtle it is now many, many yards away.

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.

24 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

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refrigerant: The Next Generation The only constant in the world of AC refrigerants is change.

By Jeff Taylor

I

f there’s one constant in the automotive world, it’s change.

We see an enormous amount of change every year; sometimes it’s small and subtle (such as a different fastener design.)

But sometimes change can be quite profound and it demands our full attention.

Case in point: all those whiz-bang hybrids rolling into our shops – those cars aren’t your grandfather’s Oldsmobiles.

But with summer’s hot and humid weather on the way (trust me – those days are coming) are you ready for the changes that are currently being proposed in the air conditioning refrigerant realm?

It has been some time now since CFC12 (R12) was put out to pasture. The problem: although R12 was an excellent refrigerant in the mobile air conditioner (MAC), it was damaging the ozone layer.

Governments around the world decided the automotive industry had to change this refrigerant, even though it was

26 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

superb at providing the sort of relief from the heat so many consumers expect and demand.

In any event, a substitute for R12 had to be found. And so it was that in the early ’90s HFC-134a (R134a) was concocted.

The global automotive industry quickly agreed that R134a was a suitable replacement for R12 and vehicles were redesigned to accommodate this new refrigerant.

However, R134a wasn’t without its own unique problems since it wasn’t a direct replacement for R12. That meant that compressors, oils, hoses and other components had to be redesigned. For those in the service industry, this new reality meant we had to purchase new AC machines for recovery and charging; new leak detectors; new retrofit kits; and new refrigerant identifiers. As well, over time, we had to develop better methods for leak detection.

And wouldn’t you know it? Turns out that while R134a isn’t eating away at our precious ozone layer, it is, however, a greenhouse gas. And that’s not so good for the environment, either.

The Kyoto Protocol defines the effects of a greenhouse gas by its “global warming potential”, or GWP. GWP is a scale that gives CO2 a base GWP number of 1 and relates this number to other gases. In the case of R-134a, it has a GWP of a whopping 1300 (to put that number in perspective, the old R12 had a GWP of just 90.)

The Kyoto Protocol was a commitment to lower greenhouse gases and the European Union (EU) decided one way to live up to this pledge is a mandatory phasing out of R134a. To meet these obligations, the EU set a GWP limit of 150 on replacement refrigerant. The EU also set 2011 as the last year that R134a can be installed as a factory fill in new cars. The total phase-out of R134a is slated for 2017.

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And here is where the problem begins.

Although the EU is the only jurisdiction that has these deadlines in place and there’s no global push for a R134a replacement (as there was for the R12 of yester-decade), it’s worth noting that California and a handful of other states are keen to lower greenhouse gas emissions, too. To accomplish this goal, these states will award carbon credits, even though an R134a replacement has yet to be mandated.

Of note, Kyoto was signed in 1997 and since then there’s been a number of replacement refrigerants (six being bona fide alternatives) developed. But not one of these contenders has emerged as a favourite.

Of the alternatives, the three best solutions are: • R152a: With a GWP of 140, R152a meets the criteria. But it’s also flammable. And for safety reasons, it requires a redesign of the AC system so that the refrigerant would be isolated from the passenger compartment using an exchange system (heat pump or a secondary loop.). All of which adds to cost and overall weight. As a result, most manufactures have given up on R152a as a viable alternative.

• R744: This is carbon dioxide (CO²) and it has a GWP of 1 so it has a very minimal environmental impact. However, it requires very high pressure to work (up to 2000 psi or 10 times greater than an R134a system). It has been used in industry, shipping, and stationary refrigeration units for years so the technology is not new. Behr, Valeo, Delphi, Nippon Denso, Visteon, and others have developed components/systems that all work with R744.

Data from the R744 proponents shows that R744 has the ability to perform better than R134a systems. The R744 camp claims it’s more efficient in cooling capacity and cool-down under dynamic conditions. The compressors are smaller due to a charge of 400g on average. Because it is also more efficient, this results in better fuel economy. Indeed, the average AC unit accounts for about 5% of a vehicle’s total fuel usage and the R-744 system is 14% to 25% more efficient then current R134a systems. It’s also safer for passengers, as it isn’t flammable. Meanwhile, the total charge of 400g makes it tough to attain a dangerous concentration inside the vehicle, and sensors could easily alert the occupants if a dangerous level was reached.

R744 also provides better passenger comfort. Current R744 systems can cool down a passenger compartment from 70°C to 25°C faster than R134a systems, reaching comfort level eight minutes faster. The system can also run in reverse in the wintertime to provide an alternate heating system since it works as a heat pump. This is very valuable for hybrid/electric vehicles that lack the waste heat of vehicles with a traditional the combustion engine.

MARCH 2010

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“The results showed that 1234yf has the lowest GWP impact regardless of region, and is a possible • HFO-1234yf: Honeywell, DuPont and INEOS-Fluor saw that a total redesign of the AC system was massive and expensive to develop. If these companies could come up with another viable solution that would be cost-effective and still meet the GWP of less than 150, then any market share lost due to the European R134a ban could be replaced.

According to Barbara Minor, engineering fellow at DuPont, the goal is “to try and match R134a as close as possible to minimize the transition costs and the work the OEMs would have to go through to make the transition.”

HFO-1234yf represents the first global effort to meet the GWP set out by the EU. But the three blends developed all failed due to flammability or toxicity.

While the tri-partnership dissolved, Honeywell and DuPont continued development. Together they developed HFO1234yf. HFO-1234yf works and behaves similarly to R134a, so redevelopment costs are lower and most components, hoses, seals etc. will work just fine. Of note, the Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. has a “no retrofit “policy when it comes to R134a.

“The results showed that 1234yf has the lowest GWP impact regardless of region, and is a possible global solution that could even possibly replace HFC134a in use in the existing legacy fleet,” says David Diggs, global business director of Honeywell’s refrigerant business.

Needless to say, the debate regarding alternative refrigerants continues and a clear-cut choice has yet to emerge. Both sides are acting as if they are in divorce court—slowly playing their hands and

28 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

global solution that could even possibly replace HFC134a in use in the existing legacy fleet.”

finding fault with each other’s position.

Complicating the issue is the fact that all the arguments pertaining to each refrigerant have merit.

As it stands now, the largest stumbling blocks to R744 as an alternative are: the costs; the effects of the changeover from R134a; and that there are no provisions for existing users.

Yet another factor complicating the debate is the large investment China has in the fluorspar industry. Fluorspar is the mineral source of fluorine, used in HFC refrigerants. China is the world leader in fluorspar so it has a vested interest in promoting the chemical.

Honeywell’s Diggs says that the resulting higher pressures of an R744 system cause higher “indirect” greenhouse gases whereas DuPont’s Minor is concerned about the sealing ability, flexible connection reliability and the inefficiency of the R744 system.

“There will be a very significant transition cost,” say Minor.

Indeed, the big stumbling block to HFO-1234yf is the fact that it’s flammable and when this refrigerant burns, it gives

off toxic gases. Still, it is a very close replacement for R134a and changeover costs would be lower. And it addresses the existing fleet concerns.

If and when there’s going to be replacement refrigerant, we are going to have to take into consideration the entire carbon footprint that will result – not just in the use of it, but in the manufacturing, retrofitting, and the legacy fleet affected.

The current debate re: R744 seems to be more politically-motivated in Europe as opposed to business-driven. If the new systems are successful across the pond, will we see it here? The feeling now is that if the Europeans manage to hit the target date of 2011 with limited setbacks, U.S. and Asian manufactures will follow the European lead sooner rather than later.

There’s also a feeling that the Chinese manufacturers would be the last to follow due to their considerable investment in the flourochemical industry. The only move that shows any favouring of a viable alternative happened last December when the German company ixetic stated it had an order from a “renowned car manufacturer” for its R744 system (that order was likely placed by a German automaker.)

In the meantime, the refrigerant debate will surely rage on until someone steps up to the plate and makes a commitment. There will be a lot of eyes watching the introduction of new systems in Europe and how the change in technology there will eventually affect our service bays here.

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

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“I got to choose from several career options when I joined. I’ve always loved working with new technology so this job was a natural fit. Here, there’s always something new on the horizon.”

Leading Seaman PATTY LEE

FORCES.CA FIGHT WITH THE CANADIAN FORCES

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«Quand je me suis enrôlée, j’ai eu à choisir parmi plusieurs possibilités de carrière. Comme j’ai toujours aimé travailler avec les nouvelles technologies, la décision s’est prise naturellement.

Dans mon métier, il y a toujours quelque chose de neuf à découvrir. » Matelot de 1re classe PATTY LEE

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Why Synthetic is the Real Deal T

he motor vehicle version of synthetic oil traces its lineage back to Lt. Col. Albert J. Amatuzio, the founding father of AMSOIL Inc. Amatuzio witnessed the merits of synthetic oil firsthand when he served as a jet fighter squadron commander. Synthetic oil was originally developed for (and is still used exclusively in) jet engines. And with good reason: synthetic oil adroitly reduces friction as well as wear and tear on engine parts.

The superior performance of synthetic oil is primarily due to the substance’s ability to consistently and dependably perform at severe hot and cold temperatures.

As well, synthetic oil can better withstand rigorous and lengthy engine operation without suffering from viscosity breakdown. All of which is oh-so-critical when it comes to aviation: needless to say, if oil breaks down some 30,000 feet above terra firma, a pilot can’t exactly pull over for a pit stop.

Amatuzio surmised that car motors could benefit from synthetic oil in much the same way jet engines do. And so it

30 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

Synthetic oil is vastly superior to its conventional cousin. Here’s what you should tell skeptical consumers who might have a hard time justifying the extra cost.

By David Menzies was that in 1972, AMSOIL introduced the first synthetic motor oil for automobiles.

The rest, as they say, is history: in the years that followed, all the major oil companies rolled out their own versions of synthetic black gold, too.

And yet, almost four decades after the first synthetic oil was unveiled, this particular cup of Texas Tea makes for a tough sell. In North America, full synthetic oil accounts for less than 10% market share of the overall oil market, whereas conventional oil accounts for about 76% (synthetic blends, high mileage oil and uncertified low-tier oil account for the rest.)

The reason for the sluggish growth of the synthetic product is primarily due to one reason: sticker shock. A synthetic oil

change is typically more than double the price of a conventional oil change.

The same consumer who doesn’t bat an eyelash when it comes to spending $5 for his daily dose of designer coffee will gasp with incredulity when told that a synthetic oil change is going to set him back $100.

The task at hand: the automotive aftermarket must communicate the message that when it comes to oil, a motorist indeed gets what he pays for. True, synthetic oil is costly in the short term, but it offers long-term benefits.

Consider the following talking points that might help you win over skeptical consumers when it comes to making them true believers in synthetic oil.

MARCH 2010

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“As a Canadian Forces Army Mechanic, my weapons are my wrench and training. When I repair a vehicle it’s ready for anything, which keeps my team safe, and mission-ready.”

Master Corporal SHAUN MACKENZIE

FORCES.CA FIGHT WITH THE CANADIAN FORCES

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« En tant que mécanicien des Forces canadiennes, ce sont ma formation et mes outils qui m’arment pour faire face à toutes les situations. Quand je répare un véhicule, mon équipe peut partir en mission en confiance. » Caporal-chef SHAUN MACKENZIE

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1. Not All Oil is Created Equal Oil is the lifeblood of any car. Yet, some motorists seem to espouse the mindset of “Oil is oil.” In truth, a consumer can be forgiven for buying into such a misconception. After all, be it conventional or synthetic, all oil looks the same, feels the same, and smells the same. But appearances can be deceiving. Put another way, would anyone dare opine that “wine is wine?” While it’s true all wine consists of liquefied grapes, one needn’t be a snobbish oenophile to realize there’s a profound difference when one compares a 1999 Dom Perignon selling for $95 a glass versus a bottle of Thunderbird retailing for three bucks.

Thus, much like the process a skilled vintner uses when it comes to making a fine glass of vino, behind that litre of synthetic oil, considerable chemical science went into making this particular fluid a superior-performing lubricant.

“Synthetic oils will tend to resist breakdown,” notes Raihan Khan with Imperial Oil’s passenger vehicle lubricant division. “At -40, conventional oil turns to molasses, so the pump finds it hard to circulate oil throughout the engine. It might take five minutes for conventional oil to flow properly, but at that temperature, synthetic will start flowing instantly.”

2. Better fuel economy Ian Hutchison, brand manager for Castrol Automotive Products, notes that because synthetic oil allows an engine to perform more efficiently, this ultimately means the vehicle will experience superior fuel economy. Case in point: Hutchison says his Land Rover notches 5% better gas mileage when using synthetic versus conventional oil.

3. Synthetic isn’t as costly as you think On average, a conventional oil change costs anywhere from $30 to $45 whereas a synthetic oil change is in the $75 to $100 ballpark. At first blush, the numbers indicate that synthetic oil is double or even triple the cost of conventional oil.

But not so fast: because synthetic oil lasts longer – especially under extreme

32 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

“The better the lubrication the longer the engine life.

You will pay more for synthetic, but in the long term, your engine will benefit.”

driving conditions – it doesn’t have to be changed as frequently as conventional oil.

Instead of changing the engine oil every 5,000 km using the conventional product, many observers say the synthetic alternative is good for at least 8,000 clicks.

Matt Mannette, marketing manager for Coastal Blending and Packaging (which manufactures oils under the Irving and Cobra brand names), says the price of synthetic isn’t as expensive as one may think over the long haul because synthetic boasts a longer lifespan.

“If you’re running conventional oil, maybe you’re paying $30 for oil that is good for 3,000 miles,” says Mannette. “A conventional oil change will cost twice the price, but it’s good for 8,000 to 9,500 miles. This is where I see consumers benefiting the most – since synthetic lasts longer, it’s also a time-saver because you don’t have to get the oil changed so often.”

4. “Extreme driving conditions” amounts to daily commuting Synthetic oil truly excels in extreme driving conditions because it doesn’t congeal as fast as conventional oil. But a reference to extreme driving conditions doesn’t pertain to competing in the Daytona 500 or the Jeep Jamboree. Rather, commuting in stop-and-go traffic, idling the car for long

periods of time and towing a trailer all amount to “extreme driving conditions” – especially during extremely hot or cold temperatures.

5. Longevity Synthetic oil will extend the life of an engine. Period. Because synthetic is so slippery, it will reduce engine wear and reduced engine wear ultimately leads to greater longevity. Says Imperial’s Khan: The better the lubrication the longer the engine life. You will pay more for synthetic, but in the long term, your engine will benefit.”

Coastal’s Mannette says the longevity factor is especially important given that consumers are holding on to their vehicles longer. From 2000-2004, the average age of a car was 8.5 years; from 2005-2009, the average age was 9.2 years.

“Synthetic oil is an investment in your vehicle,” he says.

6. Sometimes a synthetic oil must be used Never assume a consumer has bothered to read his owner’s manual. With certain makes and models, there’s no choice when it comes to oil: a synthetic grade must be used (this information will be found in the owner’s manual.) For example, General Motors recommends the use of Mobil 1 synthetic oil for the Chevrolet Corvette.

7. Suggestive Selling 101 Next time a consumer comes into your shop for an oil change, take a page out of the McDonald’s playbook a la “Do you want fries with that?”

Castrol’s Hutchison says it is wrong to assume most consumers understand the differences between conventional and synthetic oil. And market research indicates that by simply asking the consumer if he’d consider the synthetic alternative, this can result in a sale.

“Just by asking the question, we have seen 15% [of oil-change customers] change their minds and go with synthetic instead of conventional oil,” says Hutchison “Oil is the lifeblood of an engine, it touches every part of the motor. But don’t assume everyone realizes this.”

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It’s Your Turn

The Trouble with Apprentices Why the so-called “team concept” has me steaming.

By Bob Kowal

I’d like to warn journeymen about the socalled “team concept.” I’m in the process of finding out what it really means. My boss said being a journeyman would be much better for me (more money and less work.) What a crock! The only thing I get to do is to go home earlier because I have no jobs to take apart or to put together.

The boss hires apprentices at $14/hour to take apart the job and put it together.

The job is meant to be done by the journeymen – start to finish – so it’s done right the first time. Now I get the cleanup guy coming to me and asking where the bolts go that he found in the car when I didn’t take it apart or put it together. What do you say to that? How am I supposed to know where the bolts go thanks to mistakes made by the $14/hour person?

We now have comebacks because these so-called apprentices only know how to change bumpers and door handles. They’re in charge of putting a car together safely. Do you feel safe?

I hear complaints all the time that there are no journeymen left. This is because we have pencil pushers who have never worked on the bench a day in their lives. The pencil-pushers tell the boss this is how “everybody is doing it” and that thanks to the “team concept”, we’ll pool the hours and our paycheques will get bigger.

But what they don’t tell you is that the apprentices’ wages are deducted out of those pooled hours. The apprentices get

MARCH 2010

paid whether they rack up 160 hours of flat rate or not. This means I’m also paying to train the shop’s staff – but train them to do what? Again, what a crock!

This is why the industry is losing journeymen. Pencil pushers cannot tell someone with real experience how to be efficient if they’ve never been on the bench.

If you think I’m offside here, then why doesn’t an institution like NAIT teach the hour-sharing “team’’ concept to all the new apprentices? I certainly didn’t learn

following words, spoken by a shop owner, continue to haunt me: “Why would I pay you to do it when I can pay an apprentice to do the same job for half the price?”

I’m the last of a dying breed – a journeyman with a conscience. I know there are many economical reasons for the lack of journeymen across Alberta, but the real reason is that a worker can get paid as much as me for taking door handles off.

But I’m the one fixing your frame and putting in your air bag. Which procedure do

“This is why the industry is losing journeymen.

Pencil pushers cannot tell someone with real experience how to be efficient if they’ve never been on the bench.”

this “team” stuff in school. I learned to take pride in my work, start to finish, and that if I’m signing my name on the work order, I’d better make damn sure the lady driving her kids in that car is safe.

I hope this new breed of journeyman we’re turning out can competently work on cars. This journeyman door handle master will do wonders putting in your crumple zones and air bags. Indeed, the

you think should have priority?

I’m now applying for a job as a pencil pusher – resume attached. Other licensed mechanics should be made aware of the apprenticeship problem, because I’m a licensed red seal auto body mechanic thinking of becoming a janitor!

Bob Kowal is based in Edmonton.

CANADIAN TECHNICIAN 33

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Vehicle lift Rotary Lift has unveiled the Y-Lift, the first in a series of new vehicle lifts with faster speed that are designed to help improve technician productivity and increase shop productivity. Rotary Lift’s new Y-Lift (model YA12) is a drive-on hinged lift that uses a patented design and unique Y-shaped legs to provide faster rise/descent speeds and greater vehicle access than traditional scissor lifts. Its innovative weight-sensing control system maximizes rise speed based on the weight of the vehicle being lifted. For most vehicles, the rise time will

be around 37 seconds, which is at least 33% faster than comparable scissor lifts. The faster rise time means technicians using a Y-Lift can start servicing a vehicle sooner. And when they’re done, the Y-Lift also offers speedier descent than many scissor lifts, so techs can

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Page 34

move on to the next job more quickly. Although it somewhat resembles a parallelogram lift, the Y-Lift provides true vertical movement.

As a result, the lift has a compact footprint that fits in smaller service bays. The Y-Lift is designed for vehicle alignments and general service work. www.rotarylift.com

Ultra-premium synthetic oil Castrol has launched Castrol Edge, a product that the company describes as its best-ever synthetic oil. Castrol Edge features an advanced proprietary formula for performance and protection in extreme conditions and is available in Canada in three popular grades: 5W-20, 5W-30 and 10W-30. The oil comes packaged in 1-litre bottles as well as 4.4-litre jugs. Castrol claims Edge exceeds the world’s toughest industry-agreed standards. As well, this new synthetic oil provides maximum protection for everyday use, especially in extreme conditions such as towing, hauling, high and low temperatures, rapid acceleration and stop-and-go traffic. Using the industry standard Sequence IVA test, Castrol says Edge provided eight times better wear protection than the top competitor. www.changeyouroilchangeyourlife.com Parts cleaner The new Oil Eater 45-gallon water-based parts cleaner features a thermostat pre-set to deliver an optimal cleaning temperature of 110˚ F. According to the manufacturer, this temperature enhances solution cleaning effectiveness and minimizes liquid waste. As well, 1,000W heaters shorten heat-up time and the filter system keeps the solution clean, which prolongs fluid life. The unit is made of heavy-duty industrialgrade high-density polyethylene plastic for long, trouble-free operation. Other key features include separate heater and pump switches with illuminated on/off indicators, industrial grade pumps with Viton seals, a flexible spigot and hi-flex nylon flow-through brush for taking care of the toughest jobs. www.oileater.com

Weld system The world is our inspiration Arkema Canada Inc. Fluorochemicals Group 905-331-5500 or 1-800-567-5726

forane-na.com arkema.ca

Walter Surface Technologies has announced its new Air Force AFWeld, a system to prevent weld porosity and reduce the costs of welding operations while minimizing the environmental impact.

Thanks to the addition of special and natural ingredients, the new AF-Weld anti-spatter emulsion retracts in the presence of heat, leaving the immediate welding area clean and void of liquid. This effectively prevents anti-spatter liquid from chemically interacting with

34 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN ARK-60-01.indd 1

MARCH 2010 2/10/2010 7:48:56 PM

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the metal during fusion and thus negates impurities and porosity in the weld. This aids welders in making “clean” welds. This new refilling spray bottle system is also a money-saving way of dispensing the Walter Spatter-Block product line for aiding welders’ clean-up and minimizing post-welding efforts. www.walter.com

Green windshield washer fluids Daimer’s non-toxic Eco-Green products clean windshields and won’t harm vehicle surfaces, roads or the environment. These all-natural, plantbased windshield washer fluids are available in concentrations up to 1500:1 for blenders, distributors, vehicle fleets, trucking, bus companies, the military, auto repair and parts stores, and others serving the transportation industry. The biodegradable chemical is available in five formulas, including two for winter (concentrated Windshield Wash Winter Formula Super Concentrate and ready-to-use Windshield Wash Winter Formula RTU), two for summer (Windshield Wash Summer Formula Super Concentrate and Windshield Wash Summer Formula RTU), plus a year-round Windshield Wash All Season Formula RTU. Daimer claims that unlike conventional windshield washer fluid, these products won’t harm the environment. www.daimer.com MARCH 2010

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Send us your completed crossword and we will select a winner by random for 1,000 copies (250 each quarter) of Canadian Car Owner magazine to be given free to your customers. If your name is not selected, you can purchase an annual subscription for only $300!

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Congratulations to Bryan Rashleigh of Subaru Mississauga in Mississauga, Ont. for solving our November, 2009 puzzle.

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QUESTION OF THE MONTH: Would you recommend a career in the automotive aftermarket industry for your son or daughter? Why or why not?

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continued from page 38 me. Somewhere in the middle of it were my ice cream bars.

“Time for a little defrostin’,” grunted Tooner. “An’ I thought this shop was a preventive maintenance facility!”

After lunch I found an old ice pick in my toolbox and handed it to Quigley.

“Here – you’re the appliance fix-it guy. Basil and I will cover the front counter for you.”

Loud banging and muffled curses emanated from the lunchroom as Quigley fought with the iced-up freezer compartment. I was about to check his progress when the front bell jingled, announcing Rep Tyler’s arrival to pick up his Buick. He was upbeat as he paid his bill.

“Heck, with that new tranny fluid and filter, I’ll bet the old rig’ll be good for another hundred thousand clicks!”

I cleared my throat.

“Ah, Rep, we need to talk to you about that. Have you ever heard about something called ‘preventive maintenance’?”

Rep’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Yeah, I heard of it. Sounds like a money grab, if ya ask me.”

“Not at all,” said Basil with a smile. “It’s a proven scientific fact that long-term effects and cost comparisons usually favor preventive maintenance over performing maintenance actions only when the system fails.”

We stared at Basil in confusion.

“Huh?” said Rep. Basil was in his glory.

“Of course, preventive maintenance is the logical choice if, and only if, the following conditions are met,” he said while holding up an index finger. “One – the overall cost of the preventive maintenance action must be less than the overall cost of a corrective action.” He lowered his voice.

“Of course, in the overall cost for a corrective action, one should include ancillary tangible and/or intangible costs, such as downtime costs, lawsuits over the failure of a safety-critical item… ” I stopped him before he could hit us with condition two.

“Let me call Quigley, Rep. He’s much better at explaining this stuff than we are.”

I hollered for Quig, and moments later he stormed through the lunchroom door, chest heaving and hair sticking out in all directions as rivulets of sweat streamed down his face.

“Whaddya want now?” he snarled.

I gulped.

“Er, could you explain to Rep here about the …” I looked around, but our customer was gone. “Where’d he go?”

Basil pointed down the street where Rep was sprinting away like a madman. I know we take preventive maintenance quite seriously around our shop, but next time I’ll ask Quigley to leave the ice pick behind when he comes out to greet a customer – it tends to give the wrong impression.

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.

MARCH 2010

Page 37

ADVERTISER INDEX AAEC ..............................................................35 www.aaec.ca 800-267-5497 AIA Canada ....................................................24 www.aiacanada.com 800-808-2920 Arkema Canada ..............................................34 www.arkema.ca 800-567-5726

Atlas Tire Wholesale Inc.

Atlas Tire Wholesale Inc...........................6,18,25 www.atlastire.com 905-670-9791 West, 416-292-8202 East Bars Products – Rislone ..................................27 www.rislone.ca Beck / Arnley ..................................................16 www.beckarnley.com 1-888-464-2325 Blue Streak-Hygrade ........................................3 www.bluestreak.ca Delphi Products..............................................39 www.delphi.com Honeywell – Fram ..........................................12 www.fram.com Imperial Oil – Mobil.......................................4,5 www.mobil.ca 800-567-3776 National Defence .......................................29,31 www.forces.ca 1-800-856-8488 Snap-On Tools of Canada...................................2 www.snapon.com 800-734-2676 Valvoline...................................................11,15 www.valvoline.com 1-800-TEAM-VAL Wakefield Canada – Castrol ..............................8 wakefieldcanada.ca 1-800-268-5339

WORLDPAC

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

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The Car Side

Page 38

By Rick Cogbill

Be it a vintage car or a vanquished coffeemaker, an ounce of prevention is worth a kilo of cure.

It was so quiet you could almost hear a fresh layer of dust settling on the dogeared motor manuals that stood side by side like long-forgotten soldiers guarding a sagging bookshelf.

“How much longer?”

Tooner’s hoarse whisper in my left ear broke the silence. I almost jumped out of my coveralls.

“Quiet!” I hissed, peering through the blacked glass of the coffee carafe. “I thought I saw another drip coming, but now I’ve lost count!”

He sniffed and straightened up.

“Fine,” he growled. “By the time that hunk o’ junk leaks out enough brew t’ fill my cup, coffee break’ll be over!”

Basil opened his thermos and waved it in Tooner’s direction.

“You should follow my example and bring your own,” he said with a grin.

“Much more reliable.”

I abandoned my hopeless vigil and fumbled in my pocket for some loose change. Soft drinks aren’t good for my health, but I needed my morning caffeine fix.

“Maybe it’s plugged,” I said. “When’s the last time we cleaned it?”

Beanie looked up from his custom car magazine.

“The coffee pot? That hasn’t been cleaned since I started working here!”

Quigley sighed. “Okay, okay… I’ll take a look at it.”

Dragging ourselves back out to the shop, we resumed the jobs that awaited us. Beanie had the honor of changing the transmission fluid on an older model Buick. Hot, smelly oil spilled into the drain bucket as he partially loosened the last few bolts of the pan.

“Phew!” Beanie wrinkled up his nose.

“That’s one burnt tranny. I’ll bet the filter is plugged up solid.”

“No doubt.” I glanced at the repair order stuck to his toolbox with a magnet. “That figures – this is Rep Tyler’s old car. He doesn’t like to fix anything until it breaks.”

38 CANADIAN TECHNICIAN

Maintaining the Maintenance Mandate

Beanie shook his head.

“Well, you should tell him that a little preventive maintenance is a whole lot cheaper than replacing the transmission.”

With the price of new cars, most of our clients had bought into our preventive maintenance program. But Rep Tyler wasn’t one of them.

At noon we walked into the lunchroom, only to discover a bright and shiny coffee maker gurgling away merrily on the lunch counter. I stared at the steady stream of coffee draining into the carafe.

“Quigley!” I gasped. “What did you do?

Is this a new one?”

Our service writer’s face was grim as he wiped his blackened hands on an old dishtowel.

“Nope, that’s the old one. But you

won’t believe the crud I found inside that thing.” He shuddered. “There was so much moldy residue I’m surprised the coffee didn’t come out green!”

Tooner frowned.

“I thought it tasted a little funny lately… ” I was amazed at the transformation.

“This calls for a celebration, boys!”

I opened the fridge to look for some ice cream bars that I’d stuffed in the freezer last summer. But when I tried to open the door of the freezer compartment, it wouldn’t budge.

“Uh, Toon, have you got a screwdriver handy?”

After much prying we finally got it open.

I stared at the solid block of ice in front of

continued on page 37 MARCH 2010

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Page 39

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Page 40

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