In the new ATSG training seminar, out now from AVI, you will find a lot of great material that will help you out with your transmission needs.  With a 2006 […]

Parasitic drains can be measured with ammeters with the battery cable. Now the problem with taking the battery cable off to install the ammeter is that, sometimes electronic modules are the source of the parasitic draw. In this technical tip clip instructor Dave Hobbs talks about some other tricks for diagnosing these problems. He talks about the class two message monitor– a feature available on the Tech Two and also the Master Tech– it basically tells which module’s active and which module is inactive. He also goes on to cover using a parasitic draw tool in order to not disrupt the circuit while using an ammeter. Watch this clip to learn how to use the class two message monitor and or a simple knife switch that can actually be used for some neat tricks in diagnosing some stubborn, hard to find, parasitic battery drains.

The time to change to and from snow tires is both a regional and personal decision. Whenever it takes place, a changeover brings with it a need for consumers to make some decisions. To purchase or not purchase a second set of wheels needs to be followed with questions about TPMS sensors.

By Tom Ham. What do you say when your customers ask how many miles are on your car? Are you a member of your state’s automotive trade association? When is the last time you checked your shop for heating and air conditioning leaks? Check out the latest Auto Shop Monthly Management Tips from the Automotive Management Network to get inside secrets on managing your shop and increasing your bottom line.

If you are going to AAPEX and SEMA in Las Vegas, AVI invites you to join us October 29th and 30th from 5:00-7:00pm for a night of food, networking and refreshments. Get to know people in the industry and make some great connections for the future.

If your going to be in Vegas at the AAPEX show but missed out on signing up for our event, now is the time to do so! The AVI Training Conference is only a few days away! If your already planning to be at AAPEX or SEMA our training event is a must see. Join us for world class technical training in Vegas along side AAPEX at the Sands Expo Center, October 31 – November 1, 2011!

AVI On Demand is unleashing a new training package built just for your shop. Power Play is our newest training bundle designed for your shop to help get your techs up to speed on the newest technology out there.

Ramp up your understanding of Heating and A/C systems with the A7 Test Prep Program, coming soon from AVI. Dive deep into the extensive refrigeration system, heating system, engine cooling system, and manual and automatic HVAC control system diagnostic information.

With a 25 volt electrolytic, 3,300 microfarad capacitor, Dave takes a look at what capacitors do. Using a fluke meter Dave runs tests the capacitor and shows you what symbols to look for, and shows you various schematics in this tip clip.

With a 25 volt electrolytic, 3,300 microfarad capacitor, Dave takes a look at what capacitors do. Using a fluke meter Dave runs tests the capacitor and shows you what symbols to look for, and shows you various schematics in this tip clip.

By Gary Groms. I’m no doubt showing my age, but the phrase, “it’s not your father’s Oldsmobile” keeps popping up in my head each time I get a call to solve some type of modern-day Diagnostic Dilemma.

Are you gonna be in Vegas for AAPEX? Well, if you are you had better be at our training event, but either way Team AVI invites you to stop past our booth at the AAPEX Show and see whats new in the world of technical training at AVI.

If your going to be in Vegas at the AAPEX show but missed out on signing up for our event, now is the time to do so! The AVI Training Conference is only a few days away! If your already planning to be at AAPEX or SEMA our training event is a must see. Join us for world class technical training in Vegas along side AAPEX at the Sands Expo Center, October 31 – November 1, 2011!

Watch this excerpt from the AVI training program on Ford 6.0 Powerstroke Diagnostics, taught by instructor Tony Salas, to gain insights and tips on diagnosing Biodiesel and Ultra low Sulfur fuel related problems on these engines.

By Andrew Markel. Join Andrew, a former technician and service writer, and uncover nine great tips you should consider when performing TPMS work. Find out how to create more revenue, boost productivity and best of all, reduce customer comebacks.

By Bob Cooper. When your service advisors recommend additional services that are outside of the customer’s original concern, and the customer initially declines those additional services, in most cases, your advisors should call the customer back at the appropriate time to re-offer the services. For example, ask your service advisors to follow up and say something along the lines of, “Hi, Jim? This is Bob at Elite Auto Service. Do you have just a moment?

By Scott ‘Gonzo’ Weaver. Do you remember a time when we didn’t have a malfunction indicator light on the dash? If you do, then you would also remember the thick, heavy smog of California’s valley cities and the stench from an exhaust pipe while sitting at a traffic light. Technology and the family vehicle have come a long way from the days of belching high amounts of NOx, CO and HC out of the tailpipes.

Taking proactive steps to serve the mobile air conditioning industry, the Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide has successfully become the first Section 609 certification provider to certify a new technician training program to SAE J2845 under the SAE J2911 program.

We have a new training course bundle along with several classes being added to the selection of online training courses available at AVI OnDemand. We have a brand new training bundle – the new Shop Training bundle contains 26 hours of online training. Inside this Bundle, you will find a little of everything from technical training to management training, that will help train yourself and your employees.

The AVI Training Conference will take place alongside the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) to give attendees the opportunity to participate in two industry events at one time and one place. AVI’s Training Conference is slated for Monday, Oct. 29 and Tuesday, Oct. 30 during AAPEX 2012, set for Oct. 30 through Thursday, Nov. 1. Both events will take place at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas.

Let’s go ahead and do an A/C system leak test now with our equipment and electronics, we can also put on our glasses and look at refrigerant for dye presence in the vehicle. In this tip clip excerpt from the A7 HVAC Test Prep class, Delphi Product and Solutions instructor Dave Hobbs discusses and demonstrates various leak detection strategies for automotive A/C systems.

In this technical tip clip from the Electronic Stability control training program, Dave Scaler talks about some tips and tricks to consider when working with ESC systems on Lexus vehicles. He discusses the reset procedures and the tips that you need in order to get those vehicles properly rest and on the road again.

By Gary Goms. Most of us working in the automotive service trades are very familiar with Murphy’s Law and how it affects our shop’s cost of doing business. Murphy’s Law says, “Everything that can go wrong usually will go wrong.”

By Joe Marconi. How many times during the day does a customer stop by or call, and ask to only speak with you, the shop owner? Do you know why? It’s because in general, the experience the customer has when dealing with the owner of a business is much different than when dealing with an employee. The owner goes out of his or her way to make the customer feel special and important. The owner has a vested stake in the customer relationship, and an attitude of appreciation is expressed toward the customer. The customer picks up on this, and thus the tendency is to seek out the owner. You, the shop owner, have a culture of ownership.

Ramp up your understanding of Heating and A/C systems with the A7 Test Prep Program, coming soon from AVI. Dive deep into the extensive refrigeration system, heating system, engine cooling system, and manual and automatic HVAC control system diagnostic information.

The Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide has announced the dates for its fall Mobile A/C Boot Camp. The two-day boot camp is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 28 and Saturday, Sept. 29 at the MACS Worldwide training facility in Lansdale, PA (suburban Philadelphia).

In this tip clip excerpt from Bob Pattengale’s training course ‘Getting to know VCI,’ Bob demonstrates the usefulness of the tool’s demonstration mode. Demonstration mode’s power lies in its capability to allow you to go anywhere in the tool just as if you were connected to the car allowing you to check ahead of time to see if your software will perform a specific function before the vehicle even arrives at your shop, saving you and the customer time and headaches.

Dave Hobbs of Delphi Product and Service Solutions talks to us about the benifits, concerns and procedures involved in splicing and repair A/C lines and hoses in this tip clip excerpt from AVI’s A7 HVAC Test Prep course.

By Gary Goms. During the past century, ignition coil configurations have evolved from oil-filled canister to epoxy-filled to e-core to waste spark and to the most modern coil-on-plug or “pencil” coils. Whatever the configuration, an ignition coil creates a spark by transforming amperage into volts.

By Frank Walker. As you may know, the air conditioning compressors in many hybrid vehicles are operated by an electric motor instead of a drive belt. The motor’s insulated windings are immersed in the compressor’s lubricating oil. The oils used in these compressors are formulated to have high dielectric properties, that makes them non-conductive.

Registration is now open for the 2012 AVI Training Conference in Las Vegas! Head out to industry week for top notch training and more at AAPEX October 29th – 30th […]

Bosch trainer Bob Pattengale brings you up-to-speed on the Mastertech VCI in the Getting to Know your Mastertech VCI class, coming soon from Automotive Video. He reviews the VCI hardware, demonstrates how to setup and connect the hardware to your PC. He goes on to review Shop foreman Pro and the new ESI 2.0. Bob get you up to speed on the basics then dives into some hands on diagnostics and case studies to show you how to use the VCI in real work situations using several different vehicles.

If you are ASE certified, we know you are serious about your career. You might be looking for something new, more challenging, or even a better job. That’s where ASE Jobs can help you. You already know that Team AVI takes ASE Test Prep training seriously and provides great training tools for technicians to succeed. Now let AVI and ASE Jobs help you find the right job where you can successfully apply what you have learned.

Join Dave Hobbs of Delphi Product and Service Solutions as he discusses some signs of low refrigerant in moodier automotive AC systems. He goes on to discuss how environmental factors such as ambient air temperature, and the AC system’s ‘cycling switch can cause low refrigerant like symptoms.

Bill Fulton presents this tip clip video on what would seem to be a basic, simple problem. A 2.4 liter Toyota in a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck with an intermittent misfire under load. You can feel a slight hiccup, jerking, bucking type sensation and know there are a lot of things that could create that problem– dirty injectors, contaminated mass airflow sensor, lean density misfire, excess of EGR, secondary ignition problem. Watch to find out.

By Scott ‘Gonzo’ Weaver. By the early 1990s, almost all import automotive manufacturers had a successful variable valve timing (VVT) system in production. These systems offered higher performance from smaller displacement engines at higher rpm. As these vehicles exceeded their new car warranties, technicians learned the ins and outs of these systems and how regular oil changes could increase the life of VVT components. Now, the VVT is playing a direct role in vehicle emissions and the way gases are burned in the combustion camber.