Service Station & Garage Management March 2010

Service Station & Garage Management .com

SSGM Read by Automomotive Repair Shop Owners and Technicians Since 1955

MARCH 2010

How to Up-Sell the Filter • Diagnosing the Scan Tool Market • Toyota’s Recalls

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WESTERN CANADA (800) 644-9129 EASTERN CANADA (800) 463-8749 USA (800) 888-9982 ext.5470

March 2010

Vol. 40 No. 2

what’s inside

EDITOR Tom Venetis (416) 510-6790 tom@ssgm.com TECHNICAL EDITOR Jim Anderton jim@ssgm.com PUBLISHER Marc Gadbois (416) 510-6776 marc@ssgm.com SALES MANAGER Jay Armstrong (416) 510-6745 ACCOUNT MANAGER Jim Petsis (416) 510-6842 CIRCULATION MANAGER Selina Rahaman (416) 442-5600 ext 3528 srahaman@bizinfogroup.ca SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Roshni Thava (416) 442-5600 ext 3555 ART DIRECTOR Ron Taylor PRODUCTION MANAGER Steve Hofmann (416) 510-6757

See Page 12

PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER Phyllis Wright

See Page 29

VICE PRESIDENT CANADIAN PUBLISHING Alex Papanou

Up-Selling the Filter Filter makers have enhanced product lines to meet all driver, vehicle needs . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Diagnostic Tools Simplicity, wireless connectivity and specialization will meet all challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Belts You won’t believe what is being done to engine belts today. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Tire and Wheel Michelin redefines the L/T standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

CAT What is the fix for the much talked about Toyota recalls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Departments Editorial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Jim’s Rant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Garage of the Year Nomination Form . . . . . . . . . . 30 Baywatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Internet Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Advertiser’s Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Last Word. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

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Actually, Ultra is much better.

Fits like O.E. because we make O.E. Constructed from durable stainless steel materials with the right loading of precious metals, Walker® Ultra® converters are EPA-compliant for vehicles 1996 and newer.

Ultra converters not only meet strict O.E. specifications for fit and performance – they exceed them.

www.walkerexhaust.com © 2010 Tenneco

|| TOM’S EDITORIAL

Want to make money?

How about working with dealerships to get more ongoing maintenance work?

S

By Tom Venetis, Editor

The reality, as many already know, is both sides have been working together for some time; that many independents often have good, even great working relationships with dealership maintenance operations, helping them by taking work the dealership bays cannot do or dealerships helping the local independent fix a troubling issue on a new vehicle.

6 SSGM March 2010

ome interesting statistics came across my desk recently that point to possible new revenue opportunities for independents.

Dennis DesRosiers published a recent Decade in Review which noted the differences in dealership revenues versus gross profits. What he found was while new vehicle sales continue to dominate dealership revenues, with 61.4 per cent of all revenues being generated this way in 2009, it was not, contrary to popular perception, where the gross profits are coming from. His reading of the market statistics finds new vehicle sales account for 25.8 per cent of a dealership’s gross profits; but fixed operations, which DesRosiers includes, service work and parts wholesale, accounts for 10.4 per cent of revenue and 38 per cent of profits.

None of this is new to the independent marketplace. It has known for some time that profits come from ongoing maintenance work; and I have written several times last year about how dealerships will move aggressively to maintenance work to maintain profitability, particularly in a time of dealership closings and reduced vehicle sales from continuing economic uncertainty.

But what I’d like to suggest is there are opportunities for independents for further revenue growth by working together with dealerships for ongoing maintenance work or even sourcing some parts. Now before everyone pulls out the pitchforks and torches, let’s step back for a moment and take a look at this honestly.

Yes, for many years there has been a mantra amongst independents that dealership operations are the enemy, the dark forces of the independent universe that need to be fought. The reality, as many already know, is both sides have been working together for some time; that many independents often have good, even great working relationships with dealership maintenance operations, helping them by taking work the dealership bays cannot do or dealerships helping the local independent fix a troubling issue on a new vehicle. In many smaller towns in Canada, this kind of relationship has been a fact of life for years.

A successful working relationship between dealerships and independents will be based on quality of work, the integrity of the operations and customer relationships. Dealerships, while certainly in competition with independents, cannot do all the work that will be needed on today’s vehicles, old and new. Independents must be there to offer a helping, and profitable hand to dealerships, just as dealerships can help independents by not only sending work their way but in supply them with parts or key repair information. Done right, it is mutually beneficial relationship that will let independents tap into the growing profits available from people who are now keeping vehicles longer and investing more in maintaining them.

What do you think?

Have your say and speak your mind! letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com www.ssgm.com

Some of your service technicians probably use K&N products in their own cars and trucks, so why don't you sell them too? Customers love K&N Air Filters for their dependable performance and long life.

Shops that install and service K&N products find that they are easy to sell and are a great accessory item to suggest to someone looking to personalize or add performance.

K&N filters are not new. Your service department probably already sees plenty of them installed on your customer's cars. That's because K&N has sold over 30 million reusable air filters in the past 40 years. K&N premium filters can increase parts revenue and can grow your service business through installation and air filter cleaning services. K&N products are hard to find at a repair shop, but progressive service and repair shops have realized that selling K&N makes sense.

40% of surveyed K&N customers want to be able to have them installed by their service provider. If they can't get it done at your service shopp, then they will turn to an independent provider. K&N has created a K&N Authorized Dealer and Installer program to help consumers find a K&N installer in their local area. This can drive new customers to you and increase traffic in your service department.

In 2009 K&N made over 1,500,000 consumer referrals under this program. knfilters.com allows Canadian consumers to search by postal code to find a local K&N dealer.

- Go to KNFILTERS.COM/DEALER for more information - Register to become a K&N Authorized Dealer and Installer - Check your dealer referral listing on knfilters.com - Receive a free K&N welcome kit - Sign up to receive electronic product data notifications - Receive assistance in finding a K&N supplier - Contact us at 877-AIR-FILTER or knfilters.com

- Designed to increase horsepower and acceleration - Drops right in the factory air box - Washable / Reusable - K&N Million Mile Limited Warranty速 - Average retail price over $50 - Available for 97% of Canadian cars and light trucks

- Guaranteed to increase horsepower - Replaces factory airbox with custom tube and filter system - K&N Million Mile Limited Warranty速 - Average retail price over $300 - Detailed installation instructions - Opportunity for 90 minute install service charge - Available for most cars and light trucks

|| News Briefs Tenneco announces Walker, Dynomax promotion

Tenneco announced a “Muffler for Life” promotion that will reward automotive repair professionals who install premium Walker and Dynomax emissions control products during April and May. Qualifying professionals will be able to earn major-retailer gift cards valued at up to $60.

Available exclusively to members of Tenneco’s Expert Plus dealer loyalty program, the “Muffler for Life” promotion will enable installers to earn $15, $30, $45 or $60 retailer cards for qualifying sales of Walker Quiet-Flow SS stainless steel replacement mufflers and welded assemblies, Walker directfit catalytic converters, and Dynomax Ultra Flo SS, Ultra Flo Welded and Super Turbo mufflers.

Tenneco will help build demand for Walker and DynoMax products throughout the promotional period through a concurrent $40 mail-in rebate offer to consumers who purchase a Quiet-Flow SS stainless steel muffler or welded assembly.

For additional information regarding the Walker “Muffler for Life” promotion and Walker emissions control products, please contact your Walker supplier or write to: Walker Marketing, Tenneco Inc., One International Drive, Monroe, MI 48161. Additional product information is also available at www.walkerexhaust.com.

Recently NGK Spark Plugs Canada Limited escorted some PartSource customers to the Richard Petty Racing Experience weekend at Walt Disney World. In attendance for the event were: Tom Parkyn, Jamal Udin Daya, Alexandre Girard, Emanuel Arruda, Ganeshram Pall, Jacek Zapalowicz, Curtis Forstey and from NGK Canada Dean Weber, Jeff Sauvé and Bob Matthews.

8 SSGM March 2010

Scarborough team triumphs in tech competition

A team of two automotive tech students from Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School in Scarborough, Ont., defeated 19 other Toronto-area high school teams to win the coveted tech competition at the Canadian International AutoShow, and a trip to the National Automotive Technology Competition in New York City in April.

James Bachiller and John Gonsalves performed a number of timed technical tasks and attempted to start a 2010 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible that had been rigged with a no-start condition by automotive instructors from Centennial College.

By finishing first, the pair will be representing Canada at the National Automotive Technology Competition in New York City in April.

In addition to the all-expenses-paid trip, Bacmiller and Gonsalves received a trophy and equipment from sponsors. Toronto’s Danforth Tech finished second due to the efforts of students Cameron Elpkick and Tauriq Shaikh, while Central Tech earned third place, ably represented by Jonathan Bagni and Michael Mallette.

The winning schools will also receive a General Motors vehicle, which will be used for technical training. General Motors of Canada generously donated two brand-new vehicles as prizes.

This was the 11th year for the contest, organized by Centennial College, which promotes automotive technology as a rewarding career path.

Last year’s winners from Northview Heights Secondary School placed second in New York City, while a team from Central Tech beat all of the U.S. teams and collected prizes worth $250,000 in 2008.

The Toronto skills contest enjoys support from the industry. Sponsors include: Toronto Automobile Dealers Association, Canadian International AutoShow, Volkswagen Canada, General Motors Canada, Snap-On/ Sun Tools, Consulab, Canadian Tire, Ryder Truck, Thomson Nelson, Pearson Education, Auto-Know Inc., TecMate and Centennial College.

Updated A/C & Cooling Systems specifications manual released

MACS has updated the A/C & Cooling System Specification Reference manual to include service and repair information on vehicles 1996-2010.

The reference manual is designed for the A/C system service technician and includes refrigerant charge capacities, compressor lubricant type, capacity and OEM specification, oil viscosity ratings, component locations, compressor clutch air gap specification, cooling system capacities and antifreeze/coolant type, automatic temperature control system diagnostic trouble codes: definitions, retrieval and clearing procedures, pressure cap and thermostat specifications, serpentine belt routing diagrams and engine oil, transmission/transaxle, differential and fuel tank capacities.

The MACS A/C & Cooling System Specification Reference manual covers domestic and imported cars, vans, light trucks and sport utility vehicles.

The manual may be ordered at www.macsw.org in the online store or call 215/631-7020 and dial “0” to order.

Hankook Tire Canada promotes two executives, expands operations

Hankook Tire Canada Corp. announced the promotion of William Hume and Jeff Bullock, and the addition of two new employees.

National sales director, William (Bill) Hume was promoted to vicepresident of Hankook Tire Canada.

With more than 20 years of experience, Hume joined Hankook Tire Canada in 2007. Bryan Woo, president of Hankook Tire Canada stated, “We are extremely pleased to announce the promotion. Bill is an integral part of Hankook Tire Canada and his performance has been a contributing factor to our growth. We see a bright future with his continued support.”

“Hankook is a great company with strong values and impressive customer relationships,” added Hume. “We have a great team and I am looking forward to another record-breaking year in Canada.”

Hankook Tire also promoted Jeff Bullock to national sales operations www.ssgm.com

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.

|| News Briefs director. Bullock is the longest serving employee at Hankook Tire Canada.

In his new position he will focus on further developing Hankook’s sales/ distribution network.

To keep up with customer demand, Hankook also announced the expansion of its sales force. Michael Flynn joins Hankook Tire to provide service to customers in Ontario. Daryl Gray will contribute to expanding the network of Truck Based Radial (TBR).

ACDelco ‘Real Rewards’ spring, tool buck promos

The 2010 ACDelco Real Rewards Spring Promotion will run from March 1 until April 30, 2010. Registered Independent Service Centres have two months to earn points. New ISCs have until April 30th to register for this promotion via ACDelcoCanada.com. See your ACDelco Distributor or call the ACDelco Info-Line at 1-800-26-DELCO (33526) for more information.

ACDelco’s Belts and Hoses Tool Bucks Program is being offered again in 2010. Technicians can earn Professional-Grade Tools and other great rewards just by saving and redeeming ACDelco belt sleeves. This promotion runs until December 31, 2010.

Technicians can redeem their earnings multiple times throughout the year.

Registration forms available on TechConnectCanada.com.

Canadian automotive association ushers in new board

The Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA) has announced its new board of directors.

Members of the AIA attending the 69th AIA Annual General Meeting in Toronto, Ont. elected a new slate of directors proposed by the AIA Nominating Committee.

The term for the Board of Directors will be from January 2010 until the Spring of 2011.

Executive Committee: Brad Morris, Grote Industries, Chairman of the Board, Mauro Cifelli, Vast Auto Distribution Ltée, First Vice Chairman, John P. MacDonald, Ideal Supply Company Limited, Second Vice Chairman, 10 SSGM March 2010

John R. Watt, Petro-Canada Certigard, Immediate Past Chairman and Marc Brazeau, AIA President.

Directors at Large: Tony Kuczynski, Canadian Tire Corporation, Jeff VandeSande, Bestbuy Distributors, Gaetan Dussault, Du-So Pièces d’Auto, Greg Sims, OK Tire Stores Inc., Bob Sinclair, Dixie Electric Ltd., Denis Mathieu, Uni-Select Inc., Robert Hattem, NAPA Inc., Rick Berg, 3M Canada and Mario Tremblay, DuPont Automotive Finishes.

Wakefield agrees to purchase production facility from BP

Wakefield Canada Inc. announced it has signed an agreement with BP Lubricants USA Inc. to purchase the Castrol Canada blending and packaging plant located in Toronto, Ontario.

The plant is located adjacent to the Wakefield offices, in Toronto.

BP Lubricants announced its decision to explore options for the future of the BP Lubricants facility in Toronto earlier this year, and Wakefield was one of several interested parties to submit proposals.

BP Lubricants chose Wakefield and signed a non-binding letter of intent with Wakefield and the two companies have been working since then to arrive at an agreement.

Under the terms of the agreement, Wakefield will assume ownership of the plant and manufacturing responsibility for the plant, blending and packaging most Castrol products for the Canadian marketplace.

Wakefield will continue to have exclusivity with respect to sales, marketing and distribution of Castrol consumer and commercial lubricants in Canada.

Castrol Canada Inc. is a part of the BP Group, one of the world’s leading energy companies. BP believes that this alliance will provide the opportunity to combine the global technology and marketing leadership of BP with the local entrepreneurial capabilities of Wakefield. This alliance will ensure the continuing success of the Castrol brand, which is already a market leader in the intensely competitive Canadian automotive lubricant market.

Ideal Supply voted third time as “Best Managed Company”

Ideal Supply Company Ltd. announced that for the third year in a row it has earned the status as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies. The company was a winner of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies program in 2007 and continues this excellence as a Requalified member again in 2009.

Canada’s Best Managed Companies award is recognized as a mark of excellence for Canadian-owned and managed companies with revenues over $10 million. Hundreds of companies compete each year for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates management skills and practices.

“We believe that there are three vital building blocks to sustainable growth: strategy, capability and commitment.

Ideal Supply has demonstrated it is a model of success in all three areas and is duly awarded one of Canada’s Best Managed,” said John Hughes, Partner, Private Company Services Group with Deloitte, a national sponsor of the Best Managed program.

A distributor of NAPA auto parts and electrical supplies, Ideal Supply was recognized for its capability to address various business challenges, including new technology, brand management, leadership, leveraging core competencies and hiring outstanding talent to facilitate growth. These practices and investments have enabled the company to offer “best-in-class” service to their customers – automotive aftermarket installers, industrial facilities and electrical contractors.

Based in Listowel, Ontario since 1926, this privately-owned company has successfully grown to 28 branch locations throughout southwestern Ontario.

Visit our re-launched/re-designed www.ssgm.com for more videos and updated news www.ssgm.com

|| Filters

How to better sell filter technology Proliferation of filter makes, designs present opportunities for up-selling to premium technologies

By Tom Venetis, Editor

F

ilters, from the lowly oil filter to the air filter, are the bread-andbutter of an independent shop.

They are the most reliable generator of continued revenues. They are also hard to up-sell. Tires are an easy up-sell opportunity as the benefits of premium, high-quality tires are apparent the first few minutes the vehicle is on the road.

For most vehicles owners, however, it is not obvious as to why they must invest in a premium filter when a low-cost, generic filter seems to do the job just fine.

Recent filters technologies and a greater range of filter options from major aftermarket manufacturers have

The Fram Xtended Guard oil filter is uses filtration media that is arranged in two plies and reinforced with a metal screen to deliver up to 10,000 miles of engine protection.

12 SSGM March 2010

now made this up-sell opportunity easier, while at the same time giving a greater range of options to independents to meet customer needs.

Making the up-sell by focusing on improved filtration technology

During the AAPEX 2009 show in Las Vegas, Bosch announced it was adding to its oil filter lineup a Bosch Premium oil filter. Known already for its popular and well-regarded Purolator line of oil filters, Bosch plans to aim the Bosch Premium filters squarely at drivers looking a premium level of driving performance, according to Remon Nunez, director of filtration with Bosch.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Its filtration media is based on the exclusive Bosch Filtech technology which utilizes a blend of natural and synthetic fibers to provide OE quality oil filtration and engine wear protection by screening out more harmful contaminates than conventional filters.â&#x20AC;?

The synthetic blend offers several advantages. Using a cellulose-based media with synthetic fibers makes for a stronger filtration media which can last longer than cellulose-based media alone; and refining the mix between the synthetic and cellulose combination provides manufacturers like Bosch a means of tweaking the performance of the filterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capabilities to remove contaminates more effectively.

Since 1954 when they patented the first spin-on oil filter, Wix Filters has been a leader in oil filter technology and performance for passenger cars, light trucks, heavy trucks and buses, and off-highway vehicles. www.ssgm.com

REMAN REMAN Brake Calipers

REMAN Master Cylinders

REMAN CV Drive Shafts

REMAN Water Pumps

REMAN Steering Pumps / Gears REMAN Rack & Pinion

Fenco Reman Products

DynaPak New Products

• • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • • •

brake calipers clutches - covers, discs cv driveshafts heavy duty truck clutches master cylinders power steering pumps rack + pinion units semi-loaded calipers steering gears water pumps

clutch bearings clutch kits clutch hydraulics cv driveshafts cv boot kits flywheels hub bearing assemblies master cylinders water pumps

Quality Automotive Products since 1949

FENWICK AUTOMOTIVE PRODUCTS Canada USA web

1.800.293.0760 1.800.387.0371 www.fencoparts.com QS9000 / ISO9002 Certified

Warehouses across North America

|| Filters

Most of K&N’s canister type automotive and marine oil filters come with a 1-inch nut welded to the top of the canister so they can be easily wrenched-off with a standard tool, while most of their canister type motorcycle and ATV oil filters come with a 17 mm nut.

“For example, the Bosch Premium filter is designed to provide extra high-efficiency with good capacity,” Nunez says. “In filter language, ‘efficiency’ means the ability of the filter to trap microscopic contaminates, while ‘capacity’ translates into the amount of dirt and pollutants the filter can hold.

Some conventional filters use media that may allow small particles to enter the engine which can shorten engine life. Bosch’s Filtech technology can screen out more contaminates than a conventional filter.”

This move to blended media to improve filtration capabilities in oil filters is seen in the Fram oil filters designed for higher-end vehicles with extended drain intervals. Jay M. Buckley, technical training manager with Honeywell Consumer Products says the company’s Fram Xtended Guard oil filter is able to hold three times as much dirt as a standard oil filter because the media used is blend of full-woven glass double-ply synthetic wrapped around a stainless steel screen.”

The filter is also bigger so it can hold up to 28 grams of dirt which is what is needed for extended drain intervals, Buckley adds.

Much of the drive to improve the filtration media in oil filters has in fact come about because of the way vehicles are being designed with smaller and tighter engine compartments. It is a point that Bruce Coffey, technical expert with Wix Filters, a member of the Affinia Group, makes when commenting on his company’s designs for oil filtration media that take into account not only longer drain intervals but the smaller sizes needed for oil fil14 SSGM March 2010

ters to fit into many of today’s vehicles.

The filtration media has be blended and designed in such a way to provide maximum dirt and contaminate capturing abilities in such smaller filter casings.

“The size of the typical oil filter has been reduced over the years due to consolidation and less space being available under the hood for the oil filter,” Coffey says. “Smaller oil filters mean there is less filtering media to work with while attempting to improve filter capacity. Therefore, the media must be optimized for capacity while maintaining the necessary efficiency to protect the engine.”

But one thing that has to be remembers is all of the oil filter makers have now made the job of selling the premium-quality easier by also covering all the bases in the filtration market, from what some call entry-level or standard oil filters right on up to the premium brands. Each filter type has different has different filtration capabilities and can be aimed at the different driving habits and needs of vehicles owners.

Selling the air filter

Air filters are often the hardest product to up-sell as most vehicle owners know very little about them and what they exactly do, beyond filtering out particles and debris that can harm an engine. Makers of air filters suggest one way to better sell the such filters is to emphasize how a premium-quality filter will not only trap dust and debris more effectively, but will not restrict the airflow into the engine while capturing that dust and debris.

Tim Martin, vice-president of K&N

The Bosch DistancePlus includes an advanced synthetic fiber media with a greater capacity to hold and remove dirt.

Engineering Inc., said is for service writers and technicians use a countertop airflow demonstrator right at the service counter. The idea is to have a premium air filter and a generic air filter side-by-side and to then show how the premium air filter does not restrict the air flow as much as a generic one.

“When the customer sees that air flow difference you have an easier time helping that customer see how less restricted air flow can help in engine performance,” Martin adds. “The engine does not have to work as hard to pull air into the engine and the air coming into the engine is denser which means that it can improve the performance of the engine.”

“The important factor with today’s vehicles is providing a consistent air flow pattern through the vehicle’s air induction system” says Wix’s Coffey.

“These systems contain a mass air flow sensor that is used to very accurately control delivery of fuel to the engine to obtain the optimal air/fuel mixture.

Factors such as pleat spacing or excessive amounts of wetting agent on the filter can yield inaccurate readings from the mass air flow sensor, causing poor engine performance.”

SSGM

REFERENCE LIST Affinia Group/Wix www.wixfilters.com Bosch www.bosch.com Honeywell Consumer Products/Fram www.fram.com K&N Engineering Inc. www.knfilters.com www.ssgm.com

No matter where the vehicle is designed, engineered or manufactured, WIX速 more than likely has an oil, air, fuel or cabin filter for it. And not just any filter, one that continues to break typical aftermarket stereotypes for fit, form and function. In this great big world of foreign nameplate products, WIX means quality in any language.

See the WIX distributor nearest you or visit wixfilters.com.

WIX FILTRATION PRODUCTS - 1035 Industrial Road, Ayr, Ontario N0B 1E0 - 519.622.4545

|| Diagnostic

In Good Repair Diagnosing the Scan Tool Market

T

he diagnostic scan tool is without a doubt one of the single most important pieces of equipment in any given shop. Long gone are the days when the only electronic component in a vehicle was the radio in the dashboard. Today’s vehicles are internally complex and the number of onboard computer systems operating everything from the firing of the sparkplugs to operating the door locks is mind-boggling.

OBD-II ushered in a new era of standardization when it comes to onboard diagnostics, and now nearly fifteen years after its introduction — as OBD-II applies to vehicle models made after 1996 in the U.S. — an entire equipment market has sprung up to help technicians with arguably the most important aspect of a repair: the diagnosis of the many trouble codes ODB-II produces.

The trend over the last several years by diagnostic tool makers is to make the myriad of codes a vehicle produces simple to understand and quickly point to the problem with the vehicle.

Simplicity, Faster Access

In 2008, OTC Tools released its Pegisys Wireless Automotive Scan Tool.

The device is capable of reading and

clearing codes on domestic, Asian and European vehicles. It features include communicating with the vehicle wirelessly through its AirBridge Wi-fi technology, accessing training and repair information (either through the Internet or some other subscriptionbased service), a touch-screen interface, an integrated high-speed scope and the ability to reflash a vehicle’s ECM. “What the Pegisys does is put a multimedia device in the hands of the technician. Meaning that apart from reading codes and clearing codes, and providing repair information, this Pegisys essentially is a ruggedized computer,” says John Mills, national technical trainer for SPX Canada Inc. “It also has audio capabilities, stereo speakers as well as earphones and microphones jacks on the tool. Most shops have access to computers but by developing the Pegisys it puts [the computer] right there on the tool for the technician.

Through wireless communication the technician can access the information right on the tool without having to go to another computer elsewhere in the shop.”

Wireless capabilities are becoming a key feature in most new diagnostic tools for an obvious reason: technicians work best when they can access

Pegisys features an innovative Graphical User Interface (GUI) combined with Fast Touch screen control and the SpeedScroll keypad.

16 SSGM March 2010

By David Halpert, Assistant Editor With files from Tom Venetis, Editor information quickly wherever they are.

Being tethered to a standalone PC or laptop plugged into an Ethernet connection means valuable time is lost as the technician moves back and forth from the vehicle to the computer. As well, the tools also utilizes multi­media capabilities for getting technical information and training to technicians faster, thereby speeding up the vehicle diagnosis and repair.

Simplification of complex diagnostic data is behind Bosch’s KTS 670 scan tool, launched at the 2009 AAPEX show. The KTS 670 is a successor to the company’s KT 650. Using a tablet design for ease-of-use with a touch screen interface, the KTS 670 includes a dual-channel multimetre that allows a technician to check two oxygen sensors are at once and a dual-channel multiplexer for better control of the diagnostic oscilloscope which facilitates analysis of the signals on the communications lines to the control unit.

As well the dual-channel multiplexer supports all combinations of diagnostic interfaces, such as K/L Line, SAE and CAN varieties, and the tool makes things even simpler by automatically detecting the control unit and reading out to the technician the actual data, fault memory and control unit-specific

Bosch’s KTS 670 scan tool offers a dual-channel multiplexer that supports all combinations of diagnostic interfaces, including K/L Line, SAE and CAN variants. www.ssgm.com

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|| Diagnostic

Ross-Tech’s diagnostic solution is compatible with VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda models through 2009, including models using a direct CAN connection for diagnostics and has a database of 12,000 fault codes.

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data. The KTS 670 can also be networked with other diagnostic testing tool through its LAN/WLAN connection and speeds up diagnostic work through the improved ESI diagnostic and information platform.

“The goal is to get the car in the shop, repair it and charge for the service,” says Charles Gonwa with the Bosch Diagnostic Business Unit. “The ability to do scripted-testing of individual systems and their components has streamlined diagnosing. The ability of the tool to ID the vehicle properly and thus retrieve the correct diagnosis software has helped.”

To further speed up and simplify the diagnostic process for technicians, Bosch also announced at AAPEX 2009 that Bosch and AllData adopted the iShop3 standard for the Bosch Shop Foreman Pro portal. Under the moniker “Enhanced Diagnostics Solutions,” the system allows technicians to use a vehicle’s DTCs to automatically get repair information from AllData Repair and then incorporate this information into Shop Foreman Pro. The benefit in this seamless integration of service information into diagnostic tools is faster access to service information, which means having to turn away fewer vehicles because of a tricky diagnosis or unusual trouble code.

“If the shop continues to pass on repair jobs because they do not have the proper means to diagnose complex

vehicle systems, the might as well close shop,” adds Gonwa. “Knowledgeable technicians plus the proper tools equals profits.”

Specialization, New Revenue Opportunities

While functionality, access to information and simplicy will play into a shop owner’s decision on which scan tool to invest in, an owner’s choice of scan tool will still be based on the majority of vehicles they work on in their shop. If the shop works on all makes, all models, then the tool will obviously have to work on a wide range of vehicle. However, a service centre looking to expand the type of vehicles they service or to specializes in Asian or European vehicle repairs exclusively will lean towards specialized diagnostic scan tool.

It has to be remembered that OBDII only applies to domestic vehicle nameplates, mainly the Big Three.

Much of the standards for North American vehicles (fault codes, diagnostic test modes, operating standards for scan tools, etc.) are set by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

Cars manufactured in Europe, however, follow EOBD (or Europe On-Board Diagnostic), a comparable, albeit different, version to OBD-II that has been in effect since model year 2003 for diesel vehicles and 2001 for gasoline vehicles.

See Diagnostic, page 32 www.ssgm.com

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|| Belts

Streeeetch

that belt

New compound technology stretches the life, flexibility of today’s newest belt designs

I

f a customer drives a 2008 Hummer H3 equipped with the LH8 5.3 litre engine into your shop in the coming weeks, you may be at a loss for words if you try to figure out the front of the engine. Effectively, where there use to be a belt tensioner near the air conditioner compressor, you will find … nothing. You will look a second

fig. 1

fig. 2 20 SSGM March 2010

time and when you finally find the belt, you will wonder “How did they figure that one out?”

That GM V8 engine uses a new type of belt that can stretch and it is appropriately called Stretchy (fig. 1).

It looks like any conventional belt, but its characteristics are obviously different. It is not built the same way as other belts on the market today and the belt’s wear times and characteristics are different, as well as how the belt is mounted in the vehicle. And it is starting to appear in wide range of vehicles.

For instance, on the GM 5.3 litre, the Stretchy belt drives the air conditioning compressor: it has been used since 2009 in the Chevrolet Silverado – Sierra, Colorado – Canyon, Trailblazer

fig. 3

By Jean-Françouis Nadeau, contributor to L’automobile

and Yukon – Envoy SUV and the Cadillac CTS-V (compressed).

Chrysler has used the Stretch belt since 2007 in every 2.7 litre V6, appearing in the Chrysler 300, Sebring, Dodge Charger and Magnum to drive the power steering pump. Ford has put it to work for the steering pump on its 3.5 (Flex, Lincoln, Edge, etc) and 3.7 litre V6 engines (Mazda CX-9).

It also drives the A/C compressor on the Mazda 3 and Subaru four banger. (fig. 2).

New chemical component

The secret behind this new Stretchy belt is polyamid, one of the numerous forms of polymers used in automotive parts and in tires. It can be compared to the polyester product used in tires.

However, polyester does not have the same elastic properties as the polyamid, because of its elasticity, is more suitable to become the base liner of the Stretchy belt. The Stretchy belt is then coated with a new chemical mixture of elastic rubber called EPDM, standing for “Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer.”

The good news with this EPDMcoated expandable belt is its capacity to maintain the proper tension for as long as 240,000 kilometres when ideal conditions are met. The EPDM rubber coat will resist deterioration and attack from water, chemicals, antifreeze, pollution and oxygen. It will remain flexible within a very large temperature range, from –50°C up to 140°C. Howwww.ssgm.com

Belts ||

fig. 4

fig. 5

fig. 6

ever, certification and maintenance of the belt should start around 80,000 km just to avoid any surprises.

But what should a technician do if the belt is removed for whatever reason, say before the 80,000 km? Some manu-

facturers like GM or Mazda do not recommend giving a second chance to the belt once it has been taken off. On the other hand, Chrysler and Ford say the belt can be reused if there are no problems found with the belt. Dismounting

fig. 7

fig. 8

is pretty easy. Ford recommends using a simple tool, a nylon belt. By treading the tool between the stretchy and the ribbed pulley (fig. 3), you only have to turn the crank (fig. 4), and pull towards you (fig. 5) to disengage both. For reinstalling, Chrysler basically recommends using a nylon “tie-wrap.” First, position the belt on the crankshaft pulley – it has holes in it – and solidly fit the tie-wrap around the pulley and the belt at 10 o’clock (fig. 4). Next, place the belt on the other pulley and turn the crankcase clockwise. The Stretchy belt will gradually fit into the grooves of both pulleys. Once the tie-wrap reaches 3 o’clock, you may cut it off: keep turning for a few degrees and the belt will be positioned (fig. 6). Double check the process to make sure the belt is properly mounted on both pulleys.

Some manufacturers (Ford, Subaru) will specify a special tool for the job but the tie-wrap will do the job most of the time.

New

EPDM – Neoprene Old

fig. 9 www.ssgm.com

Conventional belts made with neoprene need to be inspected starting at around 85,000 km for signs of wear.

At this point in the life-cycle of the belt, determining wear is quite simple: tension is inadequate or the belt is cracked, shredded or glazed. Determincontinued on page 22 March 2010 SSGM 21

|| Belts

fig. 10 fig. 11

ing wear of neoprene belts was a visual affair, (fig. 3) and a typical industry standard was that three cracks within three inches (7.6 cm) would trigger a conventional neoprene belt change.

Finding the wear of an EPDM Stretchy belt is a more complicated affair. The visual characteristic will not be significant enough for many to notice. In fact, the belt might not show any visual wear at all and may run up to 160,000 km and look almost new

(fig. 4). A technician may not find any cracks, but the belt will wear thinner, just like a tire does over time and use.

After 160,000 km, the thickness of the rib will be reduced by 10 per cent and the belt will be longer than the OE length. At this point, the stretchy belt will loose its tension and could induce slipping. It can even wear down to the polyamid liner, loosing grip on the pulleys, just like in picture 5.

To diagnose an EPDM Stretchy

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belt, Gates has developed a gauge that will validate the rib thickness (fig. 5).

You simply put that gauge between two ribs of the belt and feel the gauge on your fingertip. If you feel the gauge first, maximum wear is not reached and the belt is still good (fig. 6). To make sure, measure all the sipes depth. Once you feel the ribs instead of the gauge, your belt is history.

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|| Tire & Wheel

Michelin LTX M/S2:

Bibendum redefines the L/T standards Translated and written by Michel Poirier-Defoy, Editor, L’automobile

C

arolina was the location where Michelin presented to a small group of select tire specialists and automotive journalists late last year the second generation of its legendary LTX M/S. The LTX goes back to the early-nineties when it was designed for light trucks, but soon gained in popu-

LTX M/S2 contact patch is larger then the previous generation and the winter-like tread profile cannot be denied.

From left to right: Nadine Lussier, communications manager, Barbara Weber, light truck product manager and Rob Cunningham, product pesearch manager.

Wet braking with the LTX M/S2 in the Silverado 2500 HD was impressive.

24 SSGM March 2010

larity in the SUV segment of the market as these vehicles took on ­growing market share. The new LTX M/S2, available across Canada throughout the Michelin network will feature no less than 38 sizes.

Belts, siping and silica

While designing the LTX innards, the Michelin engineers added an extra steel belt, a feature that is also found in the off-road BF Goodrich Terrain tires. This added steel belt gives the LTX loading capacities reaching some 13,500 pounds when built to the 10-ply load E specs. This allows the new tires to cope more effectively with the stronger and heavier chassis designs on today’s new vehicles.

The tread design is quite similar to a winter tire with each block carved with the familiar sawtooth siping. Michelin announced it would add a winter compound formula for some sizes and turn the LTX into a full snow product by the fall. Four longitudinal ribs leave enough void area to provide plenty of grip to handle mud, snow and sleet.

While light truck eight- and 10-ply rated sizes are still legal in Quebec — where Law 42 states drivers must place winter tires on their vehicles from December 15 to March 15 — Michelin wanted to make sure the new-generation LTX would be available with the snowflake-mountain logo to meet the new legislative requirements in the Quebec marketplace.

The tire’s tread design provides a smooth ride which has been a Bibendum trademark for ages, and the side blocks help reduce noise and vibrations.

In the last decade, the introduction of silica in the compound has become a household item for passenger products, enabling them to stop in shorter distances and providing a longer tread life. The new LTX joins the club and

the overall contact patch is now larger and cornering ability is also improved.

On the road again

Out of Asheville, North Carolina, we traveled a few hundred kilometres on the famous Blue Ridge highway in the Smoky Mountains, a region where pothole is not a word in the dictionary.

Our trek was a mix of four-lane highways, twisty and narrow back roads and city boulevards. It turned into a long windshield wiper test with rain pouring constantly — but the LTX M/S2 lived up to the promises made by Michelin.

Our final destination was Michelin’s test center in Laurens, a huge 4,000acre Fort Knox sibling property where tires are put to torture and one must be credentialed to enter. We carried our own testing with the LTX M/S2 by matching it against its two familiar competitors — Bridgestone and Goodyear. On the wet braking strip, our Michelin mounted Silverado HD regularly took 10 per cent less distance to come to a full-stop, and on the figure-eight skid pad, it provided better lateral grip and its overall lap times were faster that its competition.

When we decided to really push the LTX to its limits, we experienced a lot of under steer and had to ease off the throttle to regain control. The competitors did the exact opposite, turning in easily but drifting sideways rally-style until the truck went around sharply.

Still, it has to be said that the chances are slim that most drivers will ever push the tires to the same extremes we did on the test track.

The LTX M/S2 is available across North America in 38 sizes from 225/70R16 up to 275/60R20 in P-Metric (with three extra load) and 15 LT sizes from the very popular 235/85R16E up to 275/65R18E.

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|| JIM’S RANT

Toyota’s Troubles O

By Jim Anderton, Technical Editor

The popular press are having a field day, but few if any will ask or understand the most important points.

h, to be a Toyota executive right now … hard times. With the biggest recall in the company’s history underway, the corporate CEO testifying before a hostile U.S. Congress and TV coverage of distraught owners who claim that their cars ran away like a spooked thoroughbred, you just have to wonder. I’m wondering how much of this circus to believe. As Technical Editor, I’ve looked closely at the recall situation, (the details are in this month’s CAT feature, page 28) and I’m frankly not seeing a smoking gun. With eight million cars worldwide and some 270,000 in Canada, this is as important as the Ford/Firestone fiasco a decade ago and as internal documents leak out, there will be more accusations about who knew what and when.

The popular press are having a field day, but few if any will ask or understand the most important points. One is the scale of the recall. I’ve yet to see this represented as a percentage of Toyota’s fleet currently on the street, or a comparison of overall recall activity among other automakers. I’d like to know how this ranks relative to the industry as a whole. I’m also having a hard time getting outraged about accelerators hanging on floor mats … if it was the carpet or console, yes, but moveable objects can always jam a pedal. I once took a driving school in a Ford Mustang and the first thing they made me do was remove the floor mats for this reason … trimming a floor mat just doesn’t sound urgent enough for a full blown panic. The same goes for the Prius brake software upgrade. The lurch phenomenon was commonly seen when two-channel ABS became widespread and owners were told “that’s just the ABS.” Later systems improved, but ABS still generates lawsuits on occasion. Upgrading software is a common service procedure these days; so again, do it during scheduled maintenance and as an owner, I’m fine.

The sticky drive-by-wire pedal is a classic part defect issue, but the reason why it’s so widespread is simple: it’s a common part. As manufacturers strive for a lower part count and more interchangeablity between models, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that many models are involved.

Stories like that of Ms. Rhonda Smith of Tennessee who claims that she “lost all control” of her 2006 Lexus and took a terror ride to 160km/h and more are quite true. She likely froze and had no idea what to do, which was to step on the brake hard and hold until stopped. The days when you could burn out your brakes trying to stop a runaway car ended with disk brakes, let alone four wheel disk brakes with ABS. It sure sounds dramatic on TV, however.

This doesn’t absolve Toyota of responsibility for this dangerous defect. But the last time the unintended acceleration issue bubbled up, Audi took the knee to the groin and we ended up with the starter/brake interlock as a result. Look for an interlock that disables the drive-by-wire throttle when braking hard to become mandatory … and another issue to troubleshoot five years down the line. Maybe Toyota can engineer a monitor that shuts down the engine when the owner panics … after all, it is a long reach for the ignition key.

What do you think?

Have your say and speak your mind! letterstotheeditor@ssgm.com 26 SSGM March 2010

www.ssgm.com

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CANADIAN

AUTOMOTIVE Technician

Talking Toyota The Toyota recall is the biggest news to hit the automotive industry this year … here’s the technical reality behind the headlines

By Jim Anderton, Technical Editor

D

on’t let the spin doctors fool you: Toyota’s recall is a big deal, but not for the reasons you see on CNN. It’s actually three separate recalls involving three separate issues, two for the accelerator pedal itself and one for braking.

affected by a recall for a brake surge issue experienced during steady brake application on slippery surfaces. The fix involves a software upgrade. Toyota Canada has identified 3,273 Prius units and 2,010 HS250h vehicles in this recall.

No other Toyota or Lexus vehicles are involved.

Floor Mats

ABS Software 2010 Prius 2010 Lexus HS250h

Floor mats are probably the least glamorous of accessories, but in a worst-case scenario they can “hang” an accelerator pedal. In the U.S., Toyota is recalling some Highlander, Corolla, Matrix and Venza models to modify the accelerator pedal to address this issue. The firm is also studying a possible floor pan modification and will include it, if necessary, in the campaign. Although Toyota Canada is matching the U.S. recall effort, the firm notes that different floor mats are supplied in our market, and will be performing the accelerator pedal modification only to Venza models here as part of a separate recall to replace accessory Venza mats. While the Canadian vehicles are different, Toyota Canada will inspect all models noted in the recall.

Floor Mats 2007 - 2010 Camry 2005 - 2010 Avalon 2004 - 2009 Prius 2005 - 2010 Tacoma 2007 - 2010 Tundra Certain Highlander, Corolla, Venza, and Matrix models

ABS Software

Owners of Toyota’s Prius and Lexus HS 250h hybrids are 28 SSGM March 2010

Accelerator Pedal

This is the big one. The injection molded drive-by-wire accelerator pedal assembly found in many Toyota vehicles can stick when depressed. This is caused by warpage of the meshed wiper portion of the Hall-effect sensor end of the pedal in the presence of moisture. The fix involves measuring the clearance of individual assemblies on the bench and installing a shim-like reinforcing plate. The pedal assembly removes with two bolts and a connector, making this a relatively quick “re and re.” Kits should by in all dealer service departments by the time you read this.

Accelerator Pedal Some 2009 - 2010 RAV4 2009 - 2010 Corolla 2009 - 2010 Matrix 2005 - 2010 Avalon 2007 - 2010 Camry 2010 Highlander 2007 – 2010 Tundra 2008 - 2010 Sequoia www.ssgm.com

Brake Override

and most are 2007 model year and newer, so these vehicles won’t populate your bays in large numbers yet. Correctly identifying a customer’s Toyota as not part of the recall can be as important as finding affected vehicles if your customer is concerned. By now you’ve likely already faced the questions … for more answers, check Toyota Canada at www.toyota.ca and Transport Canada’s site at www.tc.gc.ca.

Brake Override 2007 - 2010 Camry 2005 - 2010 Avalon 2009 - 2010 Venza 2008 - 2010 Sequoia 2005 - 2010 Tacoma

For Jim’s interview of Toyota Canada Managing Director Stephen Beatty about the recall, check out the videos at www.ssgm.com

Although not part of the current recall, Toyota is installing a brake interlock system which will override the accelerator position Hall-effect sensor and reduce engine RPM if the brake and accelerator are depressed together. The upgrade will become standard issue on most new production vehicles by the end of the year.

Unrelated but concurrent recalls

During the major recall period, Toyota is also recalling some 2010 Camry models to correct a power steering hose/brake line contact issue and some 2010 Tacoma four-wheel drive pickups to inspect for a small lot of front drive shafts with cracks which could lead to shaft failure. Toyota will begin notifying Tacoma owners by mail starting in mid-March.

What’s the issue for the aftermarket? With sloppy reporting by many mass-media outlets in print and broadcast, many Toyota owners who aren’t affected by the recall are concerned anyway. No vehicle older than 2004 is involved www.ssgm.com

March 2010 SSGM 29

2010 SSGM Garage of the Year Presented by:

?

I Nominate: _________________________________________ Garage Name ________________________________________ Owners Name ________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________ Phone (_____) ________________________________________ The reason I believe this nominee deserves this award is: ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ My Name: __________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________ Phone (_____) _______________________________________

Nominate your choice online at www.ssgm.com or complete and mail this form at left to: SSGM Garage of the Year 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, North York, ON M3C 4J2 or fax to: 416-510-5140

Who has the best shop in Canada?

The 2010 SSGM Garage of the Year, presented by Total Lubricants, seeks to recognize the very best independent service provider in the Canadian automotive aftermarket.

Anyone can nominate an automotive service provider. The award recognizes excellence in the areas of good business practice, training, customer satisfaction and community involvement.

Make copies and simply ask your customers, suppliers, members of your community or even competitors to complete this form. Return all your nomination forms by fax or mail to SSGM by September 20, 2010, or be nominated on-line at ssgm.com.

The finalists will be identified in the October issue of SSGM and the winner will be announced in the December issue.

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|| DIAGNOSTIC Diagnostic, from page 18 But it isn’t so much a difference in standards that deters shop owners from working on foreign nameplate vehicles so much as it is having access to information from European vehicles during the diagnostic phase of a repair.

“The simplest thing to talk about is the mindset of the manufacturer. North American manufacturers are more open with information to the technicians in the aftermarket. For instance, when they go and bring the information out the OBD-II ports, the U.S. government requires certain criteria are met,” says Bruce Ruhf, director of operations and marketing for Ross-Tech, “Ford, Chrysler, and GM say ‘We can add a lot more information out of OBD-II.’ Basically, they want to supply more information to the technicians.

“The European manufacturers take a very different approach. They say, ‘The law says I must provide this, and that’s all we’re going to do and everything else is proprietary to us.’ So the big difference between North American versus Europe is that the Europeans are much tighter with their information and they hold their information [more so] than the Big Three.”

So what does this mean for the technician? In simple terms, a generic OBD-II scan tool when hooked up to a European car may present no fault codes, but the car still runs poorly.

Ruhf illustrates the following example with Ross-Tech’s VAG.Com Diagnostic System (VCDS) that specializes in

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Volkswagen and Audi models: a fuel pump relay has been pulled from a 2001 Audi TT producing a no-start condition in the car. If you were to run a generic OBD-II scanner on that car you’ll likely get zero faults. However, since the car’s not running it reports to the scan tool that the problem is not emissions related and therefore, there’s no report on OBDII. Hook up a factory scan tool specific to that vehicle make, and you’ll get 15 faults in the car.

So specialized tools have an advantage for shops which is why Ross-Tech’s tools works on Volkswagen and Audi vehicles manufactured from 1990 to 2010 and can access those codes that will be missed by generic scan tools. The same goes for Autologic US’s own scan tool, which is made to work with such European vehicles as BMW, Volvo, Land Rover and Mercedes Benz and provide greater depth of information for a range of specialized diagnostic codes unique to these foreign nameplate vehicles. An added feature of the company’s’ tool is regular software updates that can be customized to meet specific technician requests.

“Let’s say a technician is working on a Mercedes Benz and the seat weighing sensing device needs to be calibrated on the passenger side, and it is on a 2009 or 2010 vehicle and it is not on your tool yet,” says Gary Deluca, president and CEO of Autlogic US. “We will work with our engineering group to add that functionality and download that update.

The updates are made two or three times a day.”

Deluca adds working on all makes, all models are becoming more difficult because of the increasing number of tools needed to diagnose and repair vehicles. Specialization offers an opportunity to not only to reduce the number of diagnostic tools needed, but to charge for such specialized service. So having the right specialized tool can be a profit centre, one that can pay handsomely over the long-run. SSGM

REFERENCES Bosch Diagnostics www.boschdiagnostics.com OTC Tools, A Division of SPX www.otctools.com Ross-Tech www.ross-tech.com Autologic www.autologic.us

To see more videos go to www.ssgm.com

-6

VU[HYPV

32 SSGM March 2010

www.ssgm.com

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If you would like to become a sponsor of or make a donation to SHAD’s R&R “For the Kids”, please contact one of our board members directly.

Shad’s Board of Directors: Chairman: John Vanstone – john.vanstone@specialtysales.ca Directors: Brad Shaddick – brad.shaddick@federalmogul.com Bill Blair – blair.assoc@rogers.com Ken Coulter – ken.coulter@specialtysales.ca Ray Osika – ro8997@gates.com Mike Holland – mike@hollandenterprisesinc.com Luc Champagne – lucchampagne13@videotron.ca

This ad space generously donated by the publisher.

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Firestone Industrial offers Coil-Rite kit Moog master chassis catalog released

Firestone Industrial Products Company, LLC offers its Coil-Rite air helper spring kits for 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Series trucks, fitting 2WD and 4WD models.

The 2009 Dodge Ram Coil-Rite kit (part #4185) is a no-drill application designed to increase vehicle stability, improve braking effectiveness, steering and balance, and keep headlights properly aimed.

Firestone’s Coil-Rite springs, which are installed inside the vehicle’s existing coil springs, also help level the vehicle and reduce tire wear. A pair of CoilRite air springs supports up to 1,000 pounds of load leveling capacity. Coil-Rite air helper springs are part of Firestone’s Complete Suspension Solutions, which also offer Ride-Rite, Sport-Rite and Level-Rite air helper springs.

Firestone Industrial www.ride-rite.com

Federal-Mogul Corporation has published a Moog brand master chassis catalog featuring more than 800 new parts, extensive new coverage of late-model foreignnameplate applications, and hundreds of additional parts photos.

The catalog (#F3834-2), covering thousands of applications from 1991 through the 2009 model year, is now available through leading replacement parts distributors across North America. Among the new parts highlighted in the new catalog are more than 200 sway bar link kits, 192 tie rod ends, 123 control arms, 76 ball joints, 68 control arm bushing kits, and 43 strut mounts. Federal-Mogul also has dramatically expanded MOOG coverage of sway bar bushing kits, coil spring seats/isolators, pitman arms, drag links, and other components. The new catalog also includes eight of the latest Moog Problem Solver Bulletins, each featuring an exclusive solution to a leading chassis repair challenge facing today’s automotive service professionals.The complete library of MOOG Problem Solver Bulletins is available online at www.moogproblemsolver.com.

Federal-Mogul www.federalmogul.com

Corsa Performance debuts exhaust system for 2010 Taurus SHO Corsa Performance Exhausts, a TMG Performance Products company, has developed a premium performance exhaust system engineered specifically for the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO 3.5L EcoBoost V6. The Corsa Taurus SHO cat-back exhaust system (part number 14315) features a dual rear-exit design with Single four-inch Pro-Series tips. The exhaust system — which bolts directly to stock flanges and also fits the 2010 Lincoln MKS equipped with the EcoBoost V6 engine — includes Corsa’s engineered XO-Style Crossover Pipe for improved flow and sound. Corsa’s Taurus SHO exhaust also features their patented Reflective Sound Cancellation(tm) (RSC(tm)) technology to improve the vehicle’s sound by eliminating in-cabin resonance and drone while still delivering an acoustically styled, bold note at full throttle.

Corsa Performance Exhausts www.corsaperformance.com

34 SSGM March 2010

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SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Federal-Mogul introduces Anco rear wiper blades Federal-Mogul Corporation has introduced a comprehensive new line of Anco rear wiper blades covering more than 95 per cent of rear integral blade applications. Featuring original equipment look and fit, Anco rear blades provide improved wiping performance as well as fast, easy installation without the need for extra connectors. The new product line includes 11-, 12- and 14-inch wiper lengths and all four common arm connection types. Anco rear blades are now available for rear integral blade applications for each of the following global nameplates: Acura, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Pontiac, Saab, Scion, Subaru, Suzuki, and Toyota.

Federal-Mogul Corporation www.federalmogul.com

Cliplight introduces manifold pressure gauge sets Cliplight Mfg has introduced the Vision and Firefly refrigeration manifold (pressure) gauge sets with sight glasses for diagnostics in air conditioning, refrigeration, and appliance equipment. The Vision’s manifold makes refrigerant/ oil inspection quick and easy with a deep-well see-thru sight glass feature that uses ambient light for illumination.

The Firefly combines a builtin 2x magnifying sight glass with both white or blue LED backlighting to illuminate refrigerant, contaminants and whether the system has UV dye. The backlight is operated

by an ergonomically placed on/off switch that illuminates the sight-glass for more accurate refrigerant system diagnostics. The back-light increases refrigerant visibility by 75 per cent when combined with the magnification feature. Other gauge features include: Conical piston manifold valves that allow even-flow throttle adjustment and minimize refrigerant surges that are common among ordinary piston or valve designs. Class-1.6 steel case construction with a bronze tube and brass socket. Face dials also display R-410A, R-22, and R-404A refrigerants.

Cliplight Mfg www.cliplight.com

GE debuts GE Nighthawk Platinum halogen headlights

Matco releases MST4544 low clearance pulley puller

GE Lighting, a unit of GE’s Appliances & Lighting business, introduced the Nighthawk Platinum, a new halogen headlight that puts 90 per cent more light on the road compared to GE’s standard halogen headlights. Whiter light can improve visibility by providing better contrast for street signs and lines on the road.

The Nighthawk Platinum bulbs have a blue coating to create a whiter light than regular halogen bulbs.

GE Lighting www.ge.com

www.ssgm.com

Matco Tools has introduced a Low Clearance Pulley Puller, the MST4544. This tool is adjustable and works in close quarters for removing most automotive pulleys, has curved serrated jaws for positive grip, a forcing screw with live center to reduce friction and heavy duty tool steel construction degrees.

Matco Tools www.matcotools.com March 2010 SSGM 35

SSGM BAYWATCH New Products

Bosch releases portable nitrogen tire filling system Bosch Wheel Service is pleased to announce the introduction of the fully automatic NTF Nitrogen Tire Filling System. The NTF is userfriendly and quickly fills four vehicle tires simultaneously.

The fully automatic Bosch NTF 715 is easy to use – the technician simply hooks the hoses up to the vehicle’s tires, programs the unit and the machine can quickly deflate and then fill four vehicle tires with nitrogen. And, with the optional “dually” hose installed, the NTF 715 can fill even more tires at the same time. To ensure long machine life and optimal nitrogen purity, the Bosch NTF 715 has four filters – a water separator, oil separator, carbon filter bed and fine particulate filter – all help reduce contaminants reaching the 5.1 CFM, fully-aged, large bore membrane.

Bosch Wheel Service www.boschdiagnostics.com

Bosch launches QuietCast brakes, program

Bosch launched a major brake program and introduced QuietCast Premium Disc Brake Pads. QuietCast pads feature a rubber-core shim that promotes silent operation. The brake pad program, with 789 part numbers, will provide 95 per cent coverage for all makes and models of Asian, Domestic and European automobiles, light trucks and SUVs throughout the United States and Canada. The QuietCast brake pad program offers platform-specific ceramic, semi-metallic and nonasbestos organic (NAO) formulations, rubber-core shims and Molded Shim Technology (MST) on selected applications.

Bosch www.bosch.com

Rislone expands engine treatment product family Rislone Engine Treatment has expanded its engine treatment product line and now includes: Rislone Engine Treatment, p/n 34100, the original engine treatment; Rislone Engine Treatment Concentrate, p/n 34102 in a concentrated form; Rislone Rear Main Seal Repair, p/n 34250 which stops most common oil leaks; Rislone Smoke Away with Stop Leak, p/n 34326, reduces exhaust smoke; and Rislone High Performance Oil Treatment, p/n 34471 which increases oil pressure and power. Rislone engine oil products work in all diesel and gasoline engines using petroleum-based motor oils, including conventional, high-mileage and synthetic formulas.

Each bottle treats four to six litres of oil.

Rislone Engine Treatment www.rislone.ca

36 SSGM March 2010

TerraClean announces availability of Power Steering chemical TerraClean announced the availability of its Power Steering chemical line up as complementary products to its recently released equipment range.

TerraClean Power Steering Cleaner and TerraClean Power Steering Fluid and Conditioner have been launched in conjunction with TerraClean’s TerraSteer Machine. TerraClean Power Steering Cleaner cleans the power steering system of the vehicle and suspends harmful contaminates, while TerraClean Power Steering Fluid and Conditioner conditions seals reduces power steering noise.

TerraClean www.terraclean.net www.ssgm.com

Automotive Internet Directory

Visit these companies directly at their web addresses or check out the growing list of Hot Links at www.autoserviceworld.com. To find out how your organization can be included in this directory and on the web, contact aross@jobbernews.com

AUTOMOTIVE PARTS & ACCESSORIES Goodyear Engineered Products www.goodyearep.com/aftermarket www.goodyearbeltsandhose.com The officially licensed belt of NASCAR. Gatorback, the quiet belt. You can never replace Goodyear quality.

NGK Spark Plugs Canada Limited www.ngksparkplugs.ca The World Leader in Spark Plugs, Oxygen Sensors and Ignition Wire Sets.

Used by 87% of the World’s OE Manufacturers S.B International Inc. www.sbintl.com “We keep engines humming”

HAND CLEANERS GOJO Industries, Inc. www.automotive.gojo.com GOJO is a leading manufacturer of skin care products and services for many marketing including automotive and manufacturing. GOJO continues to pursue a commitment of creating well-being through hand hygiene and healthy skin.

REFRIGERANT Duracool Refrigerants Inc. www.duracool.com Nationally Distributed by: Deepfreeze Refrigerants Inc. The Leaders in Hydrocarbon Refrigerant Technology Guaranteed In writing not to harm any Mobile A/C System You can feel the Difference that Quality Makes “Our Formula Never Changes”.

WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTORS & BUYING GROUPS The E.R.I. Group www.theerigroup.com Canada’s Premier Machine Shop Buying Group

Kerr Machine Shop Group Inc.

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT AIR LIQUIDE CANADA INC. www.airliquide.ca Your one-stop shop for all your industrial gases and welding supplies.

www.kerrmachineshopgroup.com Buying group for machine shops and performance shops.

WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTORS & BUYING GROUPS Bestbuy Distributors Limited

www.bestbuyautoparts.ca Independent buying group and warehouse distributor that allocates its profits to member shareholders and provides unbeatable value for independent jobbers.

Advertisers’ Index Advertiser

Page #

website

ACDelco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.ACDelcoCanada.com Affinia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.wixfilters.com Aisin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.aisinaftermarket.com/ssgm Barton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.bartonauto.com Bridgestone/Firestone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.firestone.com CRP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.proserieskit.com Fenwick Automotive Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.fencoparts.com GE Nighthawk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.gelighting.com Imperial Oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.imperialoil.ca K & N. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.knfilters.com Lankar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.lankar.com Robert Bosch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.boschdiagnostic.com Sayco. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.canbuilt.ca Valvoline Oil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,31. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.valvoline.com Walker Exhaust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.walkerexhaust.com WORLDPAC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.worldpac.com www.ssgm.com

March 2010 SSGM 37

|| L AST WORD

Small Town Success

By John Edelman, co-owner of Haldimand Motors Limited, Cayuga, Ont. http://haldimandmotors.com

O

ur setting is definitely very unique.

A town of 1,500 people situated half-and-hour away from any major city, it is here where my wife, Arda, and I built our vehicle repair and sales facility. Today, 25 years later, the business has gone from a two-bay repair shop on a one-acre lot to a 130 bay repair shop across 20 acres.

Even during tough economic times it seemed to be a good idea to invest in a major expansion, since the cost of doing the expansion was much more reasonable to accomplish at the time.

Our new facility has 62 bays, including 60 two-post hoists and two alignment racks. The 45,000 square-foot facility is fully heated and air conditioned through a geothermal system, and after researching all the equipment on the marketplace, we chose to partner with Bosch for virtually all of our new

equipment.

Car sales also make up a major part of our business and presently we stock anywhere from 500-600 vehicles and sell around 6,000 vehicles per year.

How do we attribute a success of this magnitude in such a small community?

It comes down to practices of honesty and integrity. We’ve put these principles into place since our inception.

The mechanics we employ are also part of a team of technicians and each technician team is given incentive pay as they come up with two new ideas to make their workplace or working habits more efficient each week. They then implement those ideas and put them into action. At first, this was met with some resistance but now it has become a way of life.

We also have incentives for technicians keeping the bays clean, as well as the benches and tool boxes. When a workplace is clean the efficiency of that workplace is much higher.

We believe in giving back to the community. Each September our staff work with us to hold a large charity event at the dealership called “The Great Tricycle Race.” This past year was their 13th anniversary and over 5,000 people showed up for the event, which raised money for over 40 organizations in the county.

Relationships with your customers are critical to the continued growth of any business, and for that we are very grateful to our customers who have voted us the number one used car dealership for the last 10 years in Hamilton.

SSGM

A side-by-side comparison showing the original two-bay garage purchased in 1984 (inset) and what Haldimand Motors looks like today.

38 SSGM March 2010

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You’ve been using our products for years...You just didn’t know it.

Meet the AISIN Family Meet the AISIN Family

AISIN WORLD CORP. OF AMERICA 24330 Garnier Street, Torrance, California 90505-5327

www.aisinaftermarket.com/ssgm