Issuu

Our Canadian Technician of the Year Rui Silvestre of Master Mechanic High Park in Toronto DECEMBER 2017

Sealing options How getting back to basics solved a gasket dilemma

Getting all charged up Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40063170

Getting a handle on modern charging systems

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DECEMBER 2017 | VOL. 3 NO. 10

CANADIAN AUTO REPAIR & SERVICE MAGAZINE

20 FEATURES Canadian Technician of the Year

After reviewing nominations from across the country, we give this year’s award to Rui Silvestre, a technician at Master Mechanic High Park in Toronto.

Gaskets: Sealing options

A gasket conundrum during the restoration of a 1974 Ford Bronco brings a multitude of opinions into play. The solution means going back to basics.

Talking Tech: Charging systems

COLUMNS

Service Notes

There have been successes this year… and failures too.

Greenwood’s Garage

Technology will change everything about your business.

The Car Side

Some vehicles come with a flood of problems.

What you’re seeing when examining new charging systems might not be an anomaly. It might be normal operating procedure.

DEPARTMENTS Letters................................................................... 6 Eye Spy ................................................................. 6 In the News ........................................................... 8 By the Numbers ................................................. 12 Baywatch ............................................................ 26 Advertiser Index ................................................ 29

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December 2017

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SERVICE NOTES CANADIAN AUTO REPAIR & SERVICE MAGAZINE

EDITOR | Allan Janssen (416) 614-5814 allan@newcom.ca CONTRIBUTORS | Alysa Beech, Rick Cogbill, John Fraser, Bob Greenwood, Jeff Taylor, Thomas Zimmermann. ART DIRECTION | Tim Norton/Janet Popadiuk (416) 614-5810 tim@newcom.ca MANAGING DIRECTOR, AUTO DIVISION & NATIONAL SALES | Kathryn Swan (416) 510-5221 kathryn@newcom.ca NATIONAL SALES | Juan Diez (416) 510-5203 juan@newcom.ca QUEBEC & EASTERN CANADA SALES DIRECTOR | Denis Arsenault (514) 947-7228 denis@newcom.ca ADVERTISING PRODUCTION MANAGER, PRINT/DIGITAL | Alicia Lerma (416) 442-5600 ext. 3588 alicia@newcom.ca PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER | Phyllis Wright (416) 510-6786 pwright@annexnewcom.ca CIRCULATION MANAGER | Lilianna Kantor (416) 614-5815 lily@newcom.ca CARS magazine is published monthly except for January and July by Newcom Business Media Inc., 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9. The magazine serves the Canadian automotive repair and service industry. Subscriptions are free to those who meet the criteria. For others: single copy price: $7.00 plus tax; one-year subscription in Canada: $53.95 plus applicable tax; 2-year subscription in Canada: $84.95 plus applicable tax; one-year subscription in U.S: US$95.95; single copy price: US$10.00; one-year subscription in all other countries: US$97.95. Copyright 2017. 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 CARS. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising which in his opinion is misleading, scatological, or in poor taste. Postmaster: send address changes and undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Dept., CARS, 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9.

VP, PUBLISHING | Melissa Summerfield VP, EDITORIAL | Rolf Lockwood PRESIDENT | Joe Glionna CHAIRMAN | Jim Glionna CORPORATE OFFICES HEAD OFFICE 451 Attwell Dr., Toronto ON M9W 5C4 Telephone: 416-614-2200 Facsimile: 416-614-8861

REGIONAL OFFICE 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 Telephone: 416-442-5600 Facsimile: 416-510-5169 Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations Newcom Media – Publications at 80 Valleybrook Customer Number: 4006214 Publication Mail Agreement #40063170 Print edition ISSN 2368-9129 On-line edition ISSN 2368-9137

Seeking success stories

We’ve followed our share of important stories

this year. I much prefer the celebrations over the cautionary tales.

By Allan Janssen It is fitting that in this issue, the last of the year, two very big stories are drawing to a close. Both started in the summer and wrap up in this issue. But that’s where the similarities end. One of the stories is about a technician who made some pretty big errors – ones that cost him his livelihood and, for the next five months, his freedom. They also cost someone their life. Of course I’m speaking of Joe Ramono, the disgraced Scarborough shop owner whose trial for fraud and criminal negligence causing death began in June. I’ve been following the story pretty closely since his arrest in 2012, and judging from the hundreds of comments I’ve received on the subject, it really struck a nerve with readers. Many of you agree that this is a very important story for the automotive aftermarket in Canada. Without exception, you have condemned the practice of selling fake safeties to unscrupulous vehicle owners. The story of Joe’s fraudulent vehicle inspections and the horror they caused, were chronicled in dozens of news stories over the year. You can read how it ends on page 8. The other story also began in the summer with a call for Canadian Technician of the Year nominations. Every year we look for the best and brightest among you, the technicians that go the extra mile for their customers, and exhibit the kind of professionalism that modern vehicle repair demands. Thank you for all of your nominations. You suggested candidates from all across the country, and after carefully reading your submissions, and conducting some follow-up

interviews, we found our winner in Rui Silvestre, right here in Toronto. Rui’s story began when he followed his passion for cars and problem solving into the automotive service trade. He excelled over the next decade to become a reliable employee, a gifted diagnostician, and, ultimately, a proud part owner of the thriving shop in Toronto’s west end. He’s a natural at connecting with customers and addressing their concerns. He’s committed to continuous learning, and he seeks out the best training classes, not only for himself, but for his entire crew. He’s the diagnostic guru who can find the underlying engine problems that elude others. He would make an excellent ambassador for the industry, which is why we’ve named him the Canadian Technician of the Year for 2017. You can read his story on page 17. There’s value in learning what we can from the cautionary tales that are out there. The stories, like Joe Ramono’s, that remind us of our duty to serve the motoring public competently, and help ensure the safety of everyone that travels our public roads. But given the two stories that have preoccupied me this year, I have to say I much prefer to write about people like Rui. His successes are the successes of our entire industry. His attitude and dedication serve as an inspiration to apprentices and younger technicians who are still building their reputations. I want to hear more stories like his, so please don’t hesitate to send them in. Let me know what you think. You can reach me at allan@newcom.ca.

December 2017

LETTERS Shops need to raise prices if they’re going to survive

Our trade has taken some odd turns!

I’ve been in this industry for approximately 40 years and I’ve seen many shop owners drop the ball when it comes to pricing. Nobody questions a lawyer or a dentist when they charge $400 for an hour’s work. Is an auto technician’s time worth any less? They have to have the skills of an electrician, a plumber, a welder, a mechanic, and a computer technician all rolled into one. In my opinion there’s no reason why dealerships and independent shops shouldn’t be charging $190 to $200 per hour for labor, and paying their techs between $65 and $75 dollars per hour, with a benefits package thrown in. Instead, the price bickering between shops is disgusting. Shops drop their prices to steal a job, not realizing that they’re devaluing their work. This industry needs an overhaul. We’d better wake up fast or a lot of us will be extinct!

I’ve been a mechanic for 55 years and a repair shop owner for 42 years, and I’m sometimes quite shocked at the silly notions people have about cars and car maintenance. Take Ontario’s College of Trades, for example. Is it really such a surprise that it turned out to be nothing but a cash grab that put thousands of highly skilled ‘Old Timers’ with multiple licenses into limbo? Or take vehicle emissions programs. That’s a problem that the car manufacturers and oil companies could have taken care of years ago. Instead, they downloaded the grief onto the beleaguered car owner. Then there’s all the talk about annual

vehicle inspections. Rather than trouble car owners with this, I think vehicle manufacturers should be forced to design better products. Forget about the puny brakes that don’t last, those $1,000 plastic bumpers, and the fancy wheels that won’t survive the nearest pothole, never mind the highway! And now everyone’s talking about driverless cars, for heaven’s sake! That may offer more profit for the carmakers but there will be less repair work for the repair shops. It is small comfort, but at least there will always be the pesky ‘Check Engine Light’ and those puny brakes to keep us going. Mac McCulloch, MacPat Rotac Service Centre Arthur, Ont.

EYESPY

Darryl Saundry Vedder Motors Chilliwack B.C.

Tax fight needs to continue Concerning the federal government’s plan to change the tax code to hurt small businesses, Danny Bell said it perfectly (“Risk Should Bring Rewards,” Letters page, November 2017). After 42 years in the trade, my skin is no longer thick enough to stand the punishment that the various levels of government are dishing out! Please continue to fight that war for us. Personally, I’m getting burned out! Barry Makins Makins Automotive Orillia, Ont.

Not exactly air tight! Dwayne Hogg of Barrie AutoCare Centre was more than a little surprised to see this homemade exhaust pipe. Yes, that is a stove pipe… and, in case you were wondering, yes, it leaks. Have an interesting picture to share? Send a high-resolution image to allan@newcom.ca

What’s on your mind? We want to hear from you about anything you read in CARS magazine. Send your email to allan@newcom.ca

6 CARS

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NEWS

Ontario technician gets jail time Convicted of fraud for certifying a defective vehicle that killed a 27-year-old woman, Joe Ramono will spend five months in jail.

Joe Ramono leaves Ontario Superior Court in Peterborough, Ont. after a court date this summer.

Abigail MacNaughton, 27. The 1995 Dodge Ram 2500, driven by then 21-year-old Billy Towns, went out of control in 2012, slamming into a Honda sedan on a Peterborough County road.

By Adam Malik Joe Ramono, the Ontario technician who was convicted of certifying a seriously defective vehicle before it was involved in a deadly crash, has been sentenced to five months in jail. In addition, he will have to serve 48 hours of community service when he gets out, and he’ll be on probation for two years, during which time he will not be allowed to work as a vehicle technician, nor inspect vehicles. In handing down the sentence on Oct. 27, Ontario Superior Court Justice Stephen Bale said Ramono had been in a position of public trust, and that he exploited that trust for personal profit. Bale said Ramono put motorists at risk when he issued a safety certificate for a 1995 Dodge Ram 2500 despite the fact that it had holes in the floor, a compromised frame, and excessive free play in the steering. Less than a month after it was certified, the truck was involved in a crash that took the life of 27-year-old Abigail MacNaughton. Ramono was charged with issuing a fraudulent document and criminal

8 CARS

negligence causing death. He was found not guilty of the latter charge. In passing sentence on the fraud conviction, however, Bales said his intent was to “deter both this offender and like-minded individuals from committing the same or similar crimes.” Ramono had his head lowered throughout the proceedings, except for when the judge asked him to stand when the verdict was delivered. Ramono did not speak, other than to acknowledge that he understood Bale’s decision. Defence lawyer Glenn Orr said his client is remorseful and he asked the judge to allow Ramono to continue working as a technician. “It’s one thing to lose part of his privileges – to lose them all is sort of a death penalty to his career [and] to his life,” Orr said. Bale agreed. “He needs to work, and motor vehicle mechanics is the vocation,” he acknowledged but he said it was “unlikely” that Ramono would be licenced to conduct inspections anytime soon. He acknowledged that permanently impeding Ramono from pursuing his

trade as a mechanic would be too harsh a sentence. “I accept that he is doing his best to support his wife and himself without the illegitimate income to which he had been accustomed,” he said, adding that the effect of five years of litigation was also a consideration in his sentencing. Assistant Crown Attorney Lisa Wannamaker had sought six to nine months in jail, followed by three years of probation, and a large number of hours of community service. Ramono was handcuffed in the courtroom and led away following Bale’s verdict. For Sharri MacNaughton, whose daughter died in the crash, it was a victory. “I’m quite pleased after all this time. After five years, I’m glad to turn the page. But I’m really happy for the outcome. I really am because they need to be accountable. My daughter died,” she said following the sentencing. “Justice has been served. My daughter did not die in vain. She caught a bad guy.” MacNaughton was also happy for the service and repair industry as it meant an unscrupulous member was out of business. But she knew Ramono was a “bad apple” in an industry where there are many good people. “I know there’s a lot of mechanics out there who take pride in their work,” she said. “I’m glad this man is being held accountable. www.autoserviceworld.com

AIA may welcome repair shops as full members He first hinted at the idea in September at The Grand Forum, an annual event hosted by AIA’s Quebec division. In a subsequent interview with CARS magazine, Champagne said the topic has been broached several times in By Allan Janssen decades past, but the timing makes sense now. The Automotive Industries Association “Traditional wholesalers were the of Canada (AIA) is considering founding members of AIA, and at one extending membership privileges to point they seemed to have different independent repair and service shops. positions than their customers on some The association, which is celebrating issues. But this has changed. We’re at 75 years of advocacy for the a point now where we are pointed automotive aftermarket this in the same direction,” he said. year, is currently reviewing its “We have adapted, one step at membership policies. And AIA a time, to include first suppliers, president J.F. Champagne says then retailers, then mass merchanaccepting automotive service disers, service provider associaproviders (ASPs) as direct tions, and collision industry members is a distinct players,” he said. “Slowly, in a possibility. J.F. Champagne piecemeal way, we have opened

Recent review of membership policies suggests accepting ASP members would not be ‘an uncomfortable stretch.’

up. It was time for a full overhaul.” He said it only makes sense, given the converging objectives of aftermarket players, and the pivotal role that automotive service providers play in the health of the industry. “In most of our activities, products and services, the direct or indirect target of our efforts has always been ASPs anyway, with things like our notice to consumers (about warranty work), right to repair, employment kits, and engagement around apprentices,” he said. “I don’t see a new model as being too disruptive.” He insisted the intention is not to replace any other automotive associations that are currently representing service providers, but merely to give a membership option to ASPs that have been associated with AIA Canada in the past.

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December 2017

NEWS

Skilled trades celebrated in Abu Dhabi

PHOTO BY RAY LAVENDER

Alberta tech wins Medallion of Excellence at biennial WorldSkills competition

Aaron Taves stays cool under pressure at the 2017 World Skills Competition in Abu Dhabi. He won a Medallion of Excellence for earning in excess of 700 points.

All those late evenings studying the Hyundai 1.6L engine at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology really paid off for Aaron Taves. The 20-year-old Fountain Tire technician from Camrose, Alta., put his hardearned knowledge to work at the WorldSkills competition in October. And while he didnâ€™t medal in the auto service competition, he finished in the top third of competitors and scored enough points to earn a Medallion of Excellence.

Coming January 2018 10 CARS

www.autoserviceworld.com

Over 1,300 apprentices and skilled trade workers from around the world, including 31 Canadians, gathered in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., for the biennial competition that celebrates 51 different skilled trades like bricklaying, mechatronics, landscaping, hairdressing, cabinet making, cooking, and auto body repair. The automotive service competitors were tested in six main areas: transmission and drivetrain, suspension and steering, engine mechanical, driveability diagnosis, body electrical, and braking systems. Aaron first learned about SkillsCanada through his local high school and once he got a taste of competition, he couldn’t stay away from it. He has now competed in no fewer than seven skills competitions – at the provincial, national, and international levels, and has won medals in

six of those competitions. He’s been preparing for WorldSkills 2017 since he earned a spot on Team Canada in early 2016. En route, he also participated in EuroSkills 2016 in Gothenburg, Germany and at the Canadian WorldSkills Team Trials in Edmonton earlier this year. Held every two years, WorldSkills is the world’s largest professional

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Fan Pulley Brackets

Team Canada at the opening ceremony in Abu Dhabi. The team received 13 Medallions of Excellence, and one bronze medal.

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Vacuum Switching Valves

Power Back Door Actuators

Inverter Water Pumps

Hydraulic Belt Tensioners

Free Wheel Hubs

Manual Transmissions

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Canadian mechatronics competitors Theodor Willert and Avery Bird put the final touches on their robotic production line on Day Four of competition. Their efforts would earn them a bronze medal at WorldSkills 2017.

Clutch Hydraulics

education event, billed as the pinnacle of international excellence in skilled trades and technologies. In total country points, Canada placed 13th out of the 57 countries who scored points in the competition. Taves placed 11th out of the 36 automotive technology competitors, and earned a Medallion for Excellence by scoring 716 points out of a possible 800 in his competition.

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December 2017

NEWS

By the NUMBERS Stats that put the North American automotive aftermarket into perspective.

852

Number of Canadians who were killed on the job in 2015, the most recent year for which data is available. Another 232,629 lost time due to a work-related injury or disease. Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada

$100

The minimum amount motorists who drive more than 25,000 km per year could save each year by driving on low rolling resistance tires, which cut fuel consumption by two to four per cent, rather than conventional tires.

Millennials are the least likely to respond positively to product recall notices. Compared to boomers, they’re more than twice as likely to ignore recall notices. Stericycle Expert Solutions

Tire and Rubber Association of Canada

2.4 million

Percentage of employees who feel engaged at work, or who express feelings of involvement or commitment to their workplace. The majority of workers are dissatisfied with their work situation.

32%

Gallup Engagement Survey

The forecast global production of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in 2022 – up from 179,000 in 2015. In the same time frame, batterypowered electric vehicles are projected to grow from 273,000 units to over 1.3 million.

30%

Percentage of Canadian consumers who would replace their current vehicle with a self-driving car right now if they were readily available. DesRosiers Light Vehicle Study

— IHS Automotive

Kia Niro

Tesla Model X / Cadillac Escalade

Most reliable car for 2017, according to Consumer Reports. All but two models on the ‘nice’ list hail from Japan – including the Subaru BRZ, Toyota 86, Lexus ES, Lexus GS, Toyota RAV4, Lexus IS, Toyota Prius V, Toyota Prius C, and Infiniti Q70. The only other non-Japanese model was the Audi Q3.

Tied for the least reliable cars of 2017, according to Consumer Reports, based on notes from some 640,000 vehicle owners. Others on the ‘naughty’ list were the Volvo XC90, Ford Focus, Ford Fiesta, Fiat 500, GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Camaro, Mercedes-Benz GLC, and Jaguar F-Pace.

Percentage of consumers who say they would want monetary benefits in exchange for handing over any data related to their vehicle. About 45% of auto executives believe they don’t need to offer anything in exchange for that data.

Consumer Reports

KPMG 2017 Global Automotive Executive Survey.

12 CARS

84%

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GREENWOOD’S GARAGE

The

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categories

Get ready for an exciting ride. Vehicle technology is about to change everything about your business! By Bob Greenwood, AMAM

14 CARS

The progression of vehicle technology is not just affecting the way cars operate and get serviced… it will make a dramatic difference in the way a typical repair shop measures what it does. Like it or not, aftermarket managers will have to relearn parts of their businesses all over again. As commodity margins decline and vehicle software grows more sophisticated (and, quite frankly, invasive), they must have a clear understanding of what metrics they need to follow. In particular, the labor component will soon have to be calculated in a completely new way. To continue to measure it the way you used to will leave too much money on the table. I suspect that a completely redefined labor measurement will come into general use within the next year or so. Maintenance labor will be just that, pure maintenance work based on the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended service intervals. It will also include the repair or replacement of worn out

and broken parts. Diagnostic labor, on the other hand, will involve brain power. If the technician needs to analyze any kind of anomaly or interpret computer data, that will justify a diagnostic charge. Essentially the technician needs to figure out what the underlying problem is, what caused it, and how to fix it. Inspection labor will be restricted to the kind of detailed inspections that are requested by customers. Reflash (or reprogramming) labor will be generated whenever a vehicle requires software upgrades via an OEM website. Calibration labor will be a new category. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) rely on a wide array of sensors. These sensors must be properly lined up and calibrated after any significant repair has taken place. This will become an additional specialty within your shop, and it will be done by a technician who gets special training on various software platforms. These labor categories will become the backbone of the services you offer to consumers. You will have to know the mix of each of these labor categories within your particular shop, given your clientele www.autoserviceworld.com

and they types of vehicles they drive. This underlines the importance of measuring efficiencies within each category. Each one will require specific training, and you will have to make sure you have the right people with the right skills in place to handle all of your clients’ needs. The efficiency measurement of each category will also help you establish the number of vehicles (“car count”) and billed hours per repair order that you will require to ensure you are running a profitable and professional operation. Measuring the “effective” rate will be critical in the labor mix measurement. How many sold hours should you be getting from each labor category to justify your staffing levels and the ongoing training their work will require? All that being said, another big change coming to the industry will be the way labor rates are set for each category. Labor rate multiples will change from what they are now. The underlying considerations will no longer be the technician’s hourly wage. It will be based on the shop’s average total cost per billed hour. Each labor rate level will revolve around a percentage of the average cost per billed hour. Once all of your expenses have been reviewed and firmly established, the only way to reduce your average cost per billed hour is by increasing the number of billed hours in the shop. This will affect the shop’s efficiency level. The more efficient a shop is, the more competitive it can be – not only in its labor rate but also in the value it can offer to its clients. I believe shop efficiency is going to be a huge topic in 2018. Ever wonder why Amazon can offer products at dramatically lower prices than their competitors? It’s all about efficiencies. The same is now coming into play in our industry. And billed hours are the key. So what is all of this leading to? Better job quoting skills are going to www.autoserviceworld.com

play a critical role at the front desk. Service advisors will have to determine how every job must be done and what kind of labor it will require. As you can see, personnel development and business measurement will become more intertwined than ever before. All of these things combined will affect the net profit of the business. Our industry is changing rapidly and dramatically. And the underlying reason is changing vehicle technology, and the importance of improved technician competency. We will need top-notch techs to properly fix and maintain our clients’ modern vehicles. And it’s not just the technician who needs educating. Your clients will also have to learn how their vehicles work, and why they require a whole new set of repair and maintenance skills. Client education is going to be a critical skill set that the best shops excel at. This is just the beginning of a whole raft of changes that are coming to the aftermarket within the next year or two. What will happen to the shops that don’t have a culture of learning, or have the required nimbleness and flexibility to change the way they operate? Well, time is not on their side. The changes that are coming will separate the good shops from the bad. The successful operations in any given market will become obvious. Will you be among them? Management must stay ahead of the wave, seek out the business knowledge and skills necessary to keep the business moving forward. Be prepared for quite a ride over the next couple of years. It will be a great one for those shops that understand where we’re headed!

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COVER STORY

At the

top

of his

game

Toronto tech excels in the bay and behind the counter.

PHOTO BY KEVIN SARASOM

By Allan Janssen

From left, Ray Lavender and Nick Del Vasto of Snap-on Tools of Canada hand over the key to Ruiâ€™s brand new Snap-on toolbox. Snap-on has been the premium sponsor of Canadian Technician of the Year since its inception in 2004.

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:

ui Silvestre, a talented diagnostician and a partner in the business at Master Mechanic High Park in Toronto, has been named the Canadian Technician of the Year for 2017. He earned the title for his skill as a technician, his dedication to continuous learning, and the kind of exceptional customer service that has propelled his shop to become a leader in the 39-store Master Mechanic franchise. Rui was chosen from a field of candidates from across the country. The award, sponsored by Snap-on Tools of Canada and Total Canada, seeks to CONTINUED Ă†

www.autoserviceworld.com

December 2017

COVER STORY recognize a skilled technician who is a leader in the shop, the industry and the community. “This is really awesome,” he said when he learned of the award. “It’s a real honor!” A framed certificate and a brand new Snap-on toolbox were presented to him last month, at a shop ceremony that featured a ‘wall of doughnuts’ and an elaborate fondant cake depicting Rui at work in the bay. “Snap-on is pleased to celebrate the successes of great technicians like Rui,” said Ray Lavender, marketing communications manager for the tool and equipment company that has sponsored the award since its inception in 2004. “They are the future of this

The 2017 Canadian Technician of the Year Rui Silvestre.

Meet the runners-up Out of a strong field of candidates, the Canadian Technician of the Year judges singled out four other nominations for special mention. Jeffrey Colton Colton’s Garage Flesherton, Ont.

Ken Butts Wrenchmasters Autopro Red Deer, Alta.

Jeffrey comes by his trade honestly. His grandfather and his father were both techs. His best advice to young technicians is to seek the best training they can find. “This is an ever-changing job. You’ll always be learning and training, if that’s not for you, you’re in the wrong business!”

A volunteer firefighter, Ken has been licensed for about 18 years. He leads by example, has a positive attitude at work, and is always willing to help others in the shop. He’s also a big believer in training. “I never took a course where I didn’t learn something,” he says.

Corey Haight Sil’s Complete Auto Care Centre Oakville, Ont.

Corey is described as methodical, mentally prepared for anything, and always ready for training. Licensed since 1994, his approach to customer service can be summed up in a single concept. “It all boils down to trust,” he says. “In this business, honesty is the only way to go.”

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Dwayne Wolfe Perfect Performance La Crete, Alta.

Dwayne got into the trade at age 16 doing odd jobs around a gas station. Now 40 years old, he’s a gifted technician who enjoys the complicated jobs that frighten others away. He’s equally happy working ‘on’ the business as ‘in’ it, having sought extensive business training over the years.

www.autoserviceworld.com

PHOTO BY KEVIN SARASOM

Rui is congratulated by Pragati Upadhyay and Bart Chimienti, territory managers for Total Canada, Inc., a sponsor of Canadian Technician of the Year.

CARS editor Allan Janssen presents Rui with his Canadian Technician of the Year certificate.

industry, and it is their hard work and dedication to excellence that we really need to promote and reward.” Nick Del Vasto, a long-time Snap-on franchisee who has worked Toronto’s downtown for decades, said Rui is a great choice for Canadian Technician of the Year. “He cares all the way around. He cares about the customer and the job. He’s the real deal,” he said. “And he’s a good customer, too. He keeps on top of what’s new, and is eager to learn about new technology as soon as it is out. He’s always improving and evolving.” In fact, it was Del Vasto who was instrumental in helping Rui find the job at the shop owned by Josie Candito, about 10 years ago. “He was pushing a broom, as an apprentice at another shop roughly 10 years ago. He told me he was looking for something else, and I introduced him to Josie,” he said. “I think it is pretty clear it has worked out very well for both of them.” Josie said Rui brought a lot to the shop when he joined. “We changed a lot because of him,” she said. “He brought a lot of new ideas. He knew what kind of equipment we needed, what kind of training, what kind of talent development, inspection standards… on and on. From the start, he put his whole heart into this job.” She said she cried when she learned

that he’d won because she knew he was so deserving. Bart Chiamenti, a territory manager for award sponsor Total Canada, said the oil company is proud to be associated with the kind of excellence that Rui represents. “We need more great people like him,” he said. “He’s a credit to the industry.” Keeping up with changes in the industry has always been a top priority for Rui. “In this industry, change is constant,” he said. “That’s why training is so important. We tend not to see cars until they're about three years old but when we do, we have to know how to fix them.” To fill the gaps in his knowledge, he does a lot of reading after hours, browsing the Internet and immersing himself in journals. These days he spends as much time at the counter dealing with clients as he does in the bay diagnosing electrical problems. For the latest winner of our Canadian Technician of the Year award, it’s the mix of work that keeps every day interesting. “My end game was always to be part of a good shop or have my own,” he said. “And this is the best of both worlds. I consider the shop my own. I mean, it’s Josie’s, but she’s brought me in. To me this is home. I can’t see myself being anywhere else.”

www.autoserviceworld.com

Total Canada

YOUR ENGINE CAN ENDURE MORE TOTAL Canada produces and commercialize high performance lubricants for the entire automotive sector. TOTAL offers innovative products that meet the requirements of the largest car manufacturers. For more information, consult our website at www.total-canada.ca.

Keep your engine younger for longer

December 2017

Sealing What gasket would work best for a leak-prone 1974 Bronco? Time to get back to basics!

options

By Thomas Zimmermann As we all know, every automotive technician is full of opinions. And often those opinions are strongly held. But when it comes to automotive repair, eventually opinion must give way to fact. That lesson became clear to me during a recent gasket conundrum when a very tricky sealing problem brought a multitude of opinions into play. Eventually, we found that the best way to proceed was to set preferences aside, go back to basics, and simply look at the facts. The job involved a 1974 Bronco, which the original owner had decided to restore. It had been tinkered with over a period of 17 years, disassembled and reassembled more than once, and moved cross-country several times in various states of completeness. By the time I was brought in, it was just a metal shell and seven Rubbermaid bins full of parts. To add to the challenge, not all of the parts in the bin belonged to the Bronco. Sprinkled in the mix were bits of a Porsche race car, parts from a family station wagon, and remnants from a few small engines. Needless to say, it was a challenge! After a few months of weekend work piecing things together, all the doors were working properly, the windows were in, and the engine was back in its cradle. It fell to me to bolt up brand new exhaust headers, using brand new fasteners. The tech who had built the engine insisted on using thick copper performance gaskets. In his opinion, they would seal better. I went along with that because I didn’t have strong feelings about using one type of gasket over

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another. The copper gaskets had already been purchased, so off I went. I installed the gaskets, torquing the header bolts in the correct order and to the specified torque value. All seemed to be tight. When we had connected the battery and made sure there weren’t any electrical meltdowns, the engine was flashed up for initial run in. With the engine running, I slowly made my way around the open engine bay, looking for leaks of any kind. Passing by the header on the left side, I noticed what I thought was dark sooty-like material near the rear flanges. So soon? It was not a tragedy, but it wasn’t good either. There was a similar issue on the passenger side. A little exhaust leak wasn’t going to cause problems for run-in, but would definitely have to be addressed. That’s when the opinions started

flying. “Well, maybe they need to be retorqued after cool down,” was one suggestion. Yeah. We tried that, and it didn’t help. “Maybe the copper has annealed and just needs to be heated?” was another, but that wasn’t the answer either. After dispensing with the notion of eliminating the gasket altogether, we were left with three options.

Copper Copper gaskets are generally around 0.043” thick and are purported to provide a leak-proof seal even on irregular surfaces. Because they’re a solid metal, this type of gasket won’t shrink. They also tend to wear quite well, aiding in the prevention of premature exhaust leaks due to loose header bolts. Some copper gaskets are embossed, which utilizes a slight depression surrounding the mating holes that crush slightly to improve the seal. Others are flat, typically for use in drag race engines for better pressure retention between the cylinder head and header. www.autoserviceworld.com

Multi-Layer Steel When these first appeared on Asian import vehicles in the late 90s and early 2000s, technicians wondered if multilayer steel (MLS) gaskets could hold a seal in critical spots for extended times. But even in demanding environments like cylinder heads and manifolds, they work just fine… and here’s why. Multi-layer gaskets can accommodate different expansion and contraction rates. This is particularly important where there is a steel block and aluminum head – as is quite common in today’s smaller, hotter engines that offer more power per cylinder. MLS allows movement between mating parts while continuing to provide the necessary sealing. Typically made of stainless steel with a rubberized coating between each layer, MLS gaskets can have as few as two layers, and as many as five layers for passenger car and light truck applications. For heavy duty applications, it could go as high as seven layers. It all depends on the sealing demands and the likely movement between parts. MLS typically offers better seal longevity and less overall downtime.

Fiber gaskets Those who think, ‘A fiber gasket is a fiber gasket is a fiber gasket,’ may be a little out of date. Modern fiber gaskets are sophisticated and are made for a wide range of applications. They can be made of plant material (cellulose), sponge rubber, gum rubber, nitrile, graphite or a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene referred to as PTFE (or more commonly known by the brand name Teflon). The list is quite extensive, addressing many different sealing demands. For a long time, another fiber material – asbestos – was used extensively for gaskets because it offered excellent heat resistance, sealing, and insulating. However, the associated threat of asbestosis has reduced its use to almost nil. It was, in fact, a high-density fiber gasket with a steel core that is typically www.autoserviceworld.com

used for this particular exhaust system. The fiber promised to crush well, and take up some of the irregularities and warpage in mating surfaces to provide a good seal. So which one was right for the Bronco? Well, at first none of them. No matter what we installed, the rear two flanges on both sides would leak. That’s when we decided to get back to basics. We removed the headers completely and inspected them carefully. We found that they’d been manufactured poorly, with the rear two flanges nowhere near as flat and square as they should be. Clearly they should have been checked with a straight edge before installation! The words of my former master mechanic’s voice rang in my ears: make sure you double check parts before you install them! With a little heat, a metal file, and a lot of elbow grease on the affected flanges, we managed to straighten them out. Eventually we had four happy, flat holes per side. After checking them for flatness, we wrestled the headers back into position. Ultimately, the fiber gaskets we used sealed all the holes just fine, but in retrospect I’m convinced that if we’d checked the headers for warpage or damage earlier, an MLS gasket or the copper one we started with would have worked just as well. Whenever you’re faced with many varying opinions, remember that those opinions can lead you astray. Doing a little bit of research and discovering the facts are your best resource. And, as a great rule of thumb, when all else fails, go back to the basics, check everything twice, and rely on what you can verify!

K. Thomas Zimmermann is an automotive and heavy duty technician based in Cochrane, Alta. You can reach him at ThomasZimmermann@shaw.ca.

www.vdo.com/usa

VDO: coverage, quality and peace of mind When you choose VDO, you can be confident you’ve made the right call. VDO radiator and condenser fan motors and cooling fan assemblies are ready to install right out of the box. Every one is built and tested to OE specs and is backed up by real OE engineering expertise. And, when it comes to coverage, no one beats VDO! • Radiator and Condenser Fan Motors • Cooling Fan Assemblies For more information, call: 800-564-5066 or email: salessupport-us@vdo.com

VDO – A Trademark of the Continental Corporation

December 2017

TALKING TECH

State of

charge Don’t rush to judgment when examining new charging systems. What you’re seeing might be normal. By Jeff Taylor

The alternator output is controlled by the voltage regulator. On a smart charging system, the voltage regulation is controlled by the PCM.

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ecently one of our techs was given a full size 2011 Chevrolet pickup with a charging system concern. The dash message read: “Service battery charging system.” He opened the hood, hooked his voltmeter to the battery, and with the truck running called out that it needed an alternator. I asked him how he came to that conclusion so quickly. He said it was clear because the vehicle would not charge for about 30 seconds, and then would suddenly start charging. It had to be the alternator. Plus, the dash message confirmed it. I was skeptical of the quick diagnostic. There had been no check of the battery’s state of charge (SOC), no ripple or diode check, and not even a scan tool involved. I started to explain that the vehicle he was working on has a ‘smart’ charging system. He may simply have observed its normal operational characteristics. In other words, it might not indicate a faulty alternator. We agreed that a few other tests would have to be conducted before we could say for certain if we had a faulty www.autoserviceworld.com

component on our hands. The idea of a smart charging system got its roots back in the 80s when the manufacturers started to downsize their engines. These smaller engines made less torque and the sudden increase of load on the accessory drive belt system instigated rough idle, vibrations, and even stalling in extreme cases. Power steering switches, AC request signals, and pressure switches were introduced to aid in idle quality but there was no way of alerting the engine what load the alternator was experiencing. Chrysler was the first of the so-called “Big Three” to control alternator voltage regulation using the powertrain control module (PCM). This was the dawn of the smart charging system. Most major auto makers have followed Chrysler’s lead. GM has its Electrical Power Management (EPM) system, with a number of variations, operating modes, and default voltage values if there’s a failure. The system has only one goal: maintain battery voltage while providing the best possible tailpipe emissions and fuel economy. Voltage must be maintained to keep power flowing to all vehicle accessories and electrical demands. The alternator must sustain this charge in the battery, and it does so by rotating a magnetic field created by the rotor inducing an AC electrical voltage in the stator windings. The stator windings send this AC voltage to a set of rectifying diodes to produce the DC voltage that the battery requires. This process is kept in check by the voltage regulator, which controls the current that the rotor receives, adjusting the strength of the magnetic field and, in turn, the alternator output. Controlling the voltage regulator operation is fundamental to smart charging. Starting in the late 90s, through to the early 2000s, GM began to partially control and monitor the alternator operation using the PCM. Wiring diagrams for these years show that some GM alternators had two wires in a four-wire connector and those two wires went directly to the www.autoserviceworld.com

The charging system needs to maintain the battery voltage so it can provide power for all the vehicles electrical needs.

PCM. This wiring layout lead to some confusion, as techs thought GM was controlling the alternator in a way that was similar to Chrysler’s. Yes, this early system has two PCM connected wires, but that’s the only similarity. GM uses one wire for the warning light circuit (GM calls this the “L terminal” or charge indicator control) and the other wire controls the voltage regulator turn on signal (GM calls this the “F terminal” or generator field duty cycle signal). This simple smart charging system only controls the turn-on signal to the voltage regulator. After that, it provides charging feedback to the PCM. GM did this to prevent the alternator from charging during initial engine start-up, improving cold start idle and lowering emissions caused by high charging demands on a cold catalytic convertor.

After the PCM decides that the conditions are correct for alternator operation, the PCM will send a signal to the voltage regulator on the F line and charging will be initialized. Once the alternator is charging, the F terminal will provide a signal at 400Hz, back to the PCM, reporting what duty cycle the voltage regulator is applying to the field windings. This data can be seen in a scan tool but it’s important to remember that the charging feedback signal is not PCM controlled. You are only seeing what the voltage regulator is doing. If there’s an alternator issue, the L terminal of the alternator will report this to the PCM. The PCM will then tell the correct module via the Class 2 serial data network to display this information on the dash to alert the vehicle CONTINUED Æ

December 2017

TALKING TECH operator. The L terminal status can also be looked at using a scan tool. In the mid 2000s, GM decided it would go to an entirely smart charging system: Regulated Voltage Control (RVC). The three main reasons for the change was to extend battery life, better maintain the battery’s SOC, and reduce the charging demands on the powertrain system. Automotive batteries are temperature sensitive. Controlling the charging voltage in relation to the battery’s actual temperature is significant. A cold battery is less responsive both chemically and electrically. This means it supplies less voltage when cold and needs a higher charging voltage. The opposite happens when a battery is warm; it has an increased voltage output but needs less voltage to charge. GM used a thermistor, built into the voltage regulator, to know what the underhood temperature was. It then adjusted the charge rate accordingly. But with batteries located all over the vehicle, a better system was developed that concentrated on maintaining the battery’s state of charge at greater than 80%. RVC harnesses information from a battery current sensor, system voltage, and a calculated battery temperature in order to supply the battery with the correct voltage. This keeps it properly charged, and extends battery life. The RVC system will allow different charging voltages – from as low as 12.5 volts on a fully charged warm battery to as high as 15.5 volts if needed. The first hint that you’re working on or diagnosing an RVC system is the inductive current probe attached to one of the battery cables. There are two current probe designs: the stand-alone RVC (SARVC) and the RVC. The SARVC was only used for a few years and is a dedicated module (also known as the generator battery control module or GBCM). The SARVC makes the charging decisions and tells the PCM what to do via the Class 2 serial network. The RVC sensor is a typical 3-wire, 5-volt sensor using a Hall Effect current sensor to send a 128Hz PWM signal to

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The RVC inductive current clamp sends its information to the BCM and then the BCM tells the PCM what needs to be done to maintain a specific battery state of charge.

the body control module BCM. The brain of the RVC system is the BCM, and it relays its charging decisions to the PCM. The PCM controls the voltage regulator using a PWM signal. When in operation, the charging voltage will fluctuate almost continuously (10 to 20 mV per minute depending on SOC) and under a wide variety of operating conditions from driving to idling. Because the goal is battery life and fuel economy, as many as nine charging modes are possible with the RVC system but pickup trucks generally have only six modes, including: • Start-up mode (14.3 volts for 30 seconds) to get the battery back to 80% SOC fast; • Headlight mode to send extra voltage to the lights (13.9–14.5 volts); and • Economy mode to increase fuel economy by lowering the charge rate (12.5–13.1 volts). Because the RVC system is so good at controlling the charging system, the alternator's output can be customized for many scenarios, even acting as an engine brake by increasing the charge rate during a brief deceleration if it was in economy mode. Controlling the alternator’s output

isn’t the only thing the EPM can do. It also has the ability to shed loads or make adjustments in an effort to maintain the battery’s 80% SOC. Long periods of heavy load at idle may drop the alternator output below 12 volts. If this happens the BCM may ask the PCM to increase the engine RPM or even shut things off (rear defroster for example, or the AC) in an attempt to control battery voltage. Each vehicle will have its own specific load shedding protocols. If there’s a charging system failure, trouble codes will likely be set and diagnostics will involve a scan tool. There are bi-directional controls that can aid in diagnostics. P0621 and P0622 are common, and normally caused by the small F and L wires that are prone to breaking just outside the connector. Depending on the wire that has broken (F or L), the alternator may still charge, but only at a fixed 13.9 volts. The same thing can happen if the RVC sensor gets damaged; again a fixed charging voltage can result. In many cases the alternator is just fine and replacement doesn’t fix the issue. This charging system isn’t new but it has been refined. It works well and is reliable but parts do fail. Most of the concerns we experience are operator complaints, stating that the volt gauge will fall from 14V to 12V on the highway. After inspecting the system and finding no faults, we have to be able to explain how this smart charging system operates, and that the concerns may simply be normal system operations. No repairs are required. So before we rush to condemn an alternator or other component, it’s imperative that we understand how the system works. Making a proper diagnostic produces a satisfied customer.

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

www.autoserviceworld.com

Made in Germany. Made for you.

BAYWATCH BA

Line extensions

Two new SKUs have been added to the Bosch QuietCast Brake Pad product line. The new part numbers feature friction formulas specific to the application, and include synthetic lubricant and a hardware kit for all applications. Seven new SKUs have also been added to the Bosch Blue Disc Brake Pad product line, featuring OE-style, multi-layer shims that provide superior noise dampening characteristics. And eight new part numbers have been added to the Bosch rotating machines product line. www.bosch-automotive.com

Porsche oil

I use it! "Motor Oil Saver not only saved the motor, it saved a customer!" Rocco Marciello RMP Motors Etobicoke, Ontario CA

German motor oil and additive specialist Liqui Moy has developed a new oil specially formulated for Porsche. New Synthoil Energy A40 SAE 0W-40 is officially approved by Porsche for all vehicles that require an oil with the Porsche A40 standard. The viscosity area 0W-40 is greater than in many conventional oils for cars. This offers greater performance reserves if the motor is under heavy strain. www.liqui-moly.com

Cabin air filters Mahle Aftermarket has introduced Mahle Original CareMetix cabin air filters, which incorporate S5 broadband technology to protect against harmful and allergenic substances. CareMetix filters feature five layers of protection to eliminate odor, pollen, soot and fine particulates. The filters are constructed with S5 broadband technology that encompasses a high-performance particulate filter layer, a molecular layer, an engineered activated carbon layer, a bio-functional layer with activated carbon, and a protective layer. www.mahle-aftermarket.com

Fuel systems catalog

#iuseit See the whole success story:

www.iuseit.us For further information or technical support please call 1-888-MOLYOIL (665-9645)

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Carter Fuel Systems has released a newly-designed parts catalog for 2017. Available in both print and online versions, the new 933-page catalog provides a comprehensive, trilingual listing of Carter products available for the United States, Canada and Mexico. It also provides multiple resource sections, including a how-to guide on flushing the fuel tank, product tutorials on high pressure gasoline direct injection (GDI), mechanical, electrical and universal fuel pumps, as well as in-depth details on Carterâ€™s exclusive CleanScreen Technology. carterfuelsystems.com www.autoserviceworld.com

Timing belt kits

Oil clean-up

CRP Automotive now offers cost-effective timing belt and tensioner kits with the latest additions to its ContiTech Black Series Kits. All ContiTech timing belt kits feature genuine ContiTech belts as well as the associated wear components that the technician will need to replace during the belt service. The ContiTech Black Series Kit has been developed as a viable, cost-effective option for servicing older and higher mileage vehicles. Kits include timing belts, water pump, tensioners, idlers, and hydraulic tensioners. www.contibelts.com

Permatex has a brand new product designed to absorb oil spills and clean soiled surfaces. The Fast Orange Grime Magnet is a soap-infused sponge that quickly absorbs oil and other petroleum products from vehicle surfaces, garage floors, and shop tools, as well as hands and arms. It works with or without water. Constructed from renewable, plant-based foam, the Fast Orange Grime Magnet can absorb 14 times its weight in petroleum products. www.permatex.com

Winter wiper

Emissions control

Bosch has introduced Snow Driver, a new windshield wiper that it says provides advanced winter dependability. To protect against snow and ice buildup, a patented beam design features an aerodynamic grooved spoiler for reliable and consistent wiping performance across the entire windshield. Additionally, a specially coated wiping edge allows for a clean and quiet wipe and provides added flexibility for improved visibility in the changing winter elements and conditions. www.BoschAutoParts.com.

The Walker Emissions Control product line now covers an additional 21 million passenger-vehicle repair opportunities as a result of Tennecoâ€™s introduction of 103 new direct-fit catalytic converter, premium muffler/muffler assembly, pipe, resonator and hardware part numbers. Among the new parts are 27 additional direct-fit Walker CalCat catalytic converters, 23 direct-fit Walker Ultra converters, and 29 premium, stainless-steel Walker Quiet-Flow SS mufflers/ muffler assemblies. www.walkerexhaust.com.

www.autoserviceworld.com

December 2017

BAYWATCH BA

Performance gaskets Mahle Aftermarket has unveiled a new line of Mahle Performance gaskets for high-performance engines. The line

initially covers select gaskets for the most popular engines modified for increased output. Mahle Performance will serve as the over-arching brand under which gaskets – and in the near future performance engine parts like piston rings and Clevite engine bearings – will go to market. www.mahle-aftermarket.com

GET THE FULL AFTERMARKET PICTURE! MORE NEWS, MORE PRODUCTS, MORE FEATURES

New chassis parts Mevotech LP has added over 875 new part numbers to its catalogue in 2017, including 143 SKUs for its Terrain Tough Xtreme (TTX) line, and 678 SKUs for its Supreme line. Mevotech has also launched new part numbers in their hub bearing assembly lines with 10 new parts from the TITAN-XF engineered line of hub assemblies. On top of all that, 17 new SKUs have been added to Mevotech’s BXT brand of hub assemblies. www.mevotech.com

Ride control products Gabriel has added new models to its ReadyMount Fully Loaded Struts, Max Control Shocks, ProGuard Shocks, Load Carrier Shocks, and Top Mounts lines. In addition, the company is adding new models to four of its Ultra lines: Ultra Struts, Ultra Shocks, Ultra Cartridges, and Ultra Spring Seats. Following the recent 50th anniversary, the HiJackers Shocks are also increasing their coverage. www.gabriel.com

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