|
Welcome to the OnDemand5.com/ShopKey5.com newsletter.
This newsletter is provided to share information about our users, their shops, automotive industry news, things going on at Mitchell 1 as well as tips for using the OnDemand5.com and ShopKey5.com products. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, or ideas for what you'd like to see in it, please .
In this issue:
Missed a previous edition or want to read an article again? Just go to the Newsletter Archive page for a list of links to past headlines.
ProDemand™ and ShopKey®Pro Now Available
FASTER, EASIER, SMARTER
ProDemand and ShopKey Pro are now available to all OnDemand5.com and ShopKey5.com subscribers at no additional charge. For more information and to request ProDemand™ or ShopKey®Pro to be added to your account, click the link below:
Click here to request your free upgrade to ProDemand or ShopKey Pro.
- FASTER - eliminating the need for multiple information look-ups. By returning relevant content in one look-up, ProDemand and ShopKey Pro quickly give the technicians everything they need to complete the job.
- EASIER - allowing the technician to effortlessly navigate from procedures to TSBs to specifications to wiring diagrams and more. ProDemand and ShopKey Pro bring the information to the technicians so they can focus on the vehicle.
- SMARTER - intelligently cross referencing components, phrases, and codes in the database. Technicians don't have to know the OEM specific term because ProDemand and ShopKey Pro will find the information regardless of term entered.
Want to know more before you sign up?
Join us at one of our training workshops where we show you how the new product works. Workshops are held twice per day, every weekday at 12pm Eastern/9am Pacific and 5pm Eastern/2pm Pacific. You only need to attend one 45 minute session. Click the appropriate link below to visit our training site and to sign up for a workshop.
Now Includes Improved Estimator/Quotes module, VIN Decoder and SureTrack Preview
Click here to request access to ProDemand or ShopKey Pro.
|
|
New Mitchell 1 Shop Connection Blog
Mitchell 1 has a new blog site dedicated to providing the latest updates on our products as well as interesting and informative industry news and stories. Much the same content as you're used to getting here in the OnDemand5/ShopKey5 newsletter but expanded to cover more products.
Contents include:
- Product Highlights
- SureTrack Real Fixes
- Product Update Information
- Product Tips & Tricks
- Quick Product How-To Videos
- Industry News and Insights
- Automotive Repair Articles from Motor Age and Other Sources
- And Much More
Click here to visit the Mitchell 1 Shop Connection blog now.
|
Internet Explorer 9 or 10 Compatibility
Before installing or upgrading to Internet Explorer 9 or 10, please read our page of information detailing what to do and issues that may occur with this update. Some users will get IE9 automatically from Microsoft.
Click here for more information.
|
Motor Age 2013 Top Shops Contest
Motor Age has kicked of their 2013 Top Shops contest. Shops around the country enter the contest each year with a chance to be featured on the cover of their December issue. The contest runs from June 3rd through August 30th, 2013 so enter now. Judges will review all of the entries, with a winner being announced this fall. Mitchell 1 is a proud sponsor of this contest.
- Click here for more information on the contest including the entry forms.
Growing Your Diagnostic Skills
Every tech has to start at the beginning. Here are tips to help you make the transition from general repair to drivability specialist.
Motor Age -- We all had to start somewhere. No one was born a drivability expert, though some are gifted with a natural talent for reasoning through even the most difficult of diagnostic challenges. I, for one, was not so gifted and had to work at developing my diagnostic techniques. And if I can do it, so can you.
Don't Be Afraid!
In days gone by, carburetors dumped a poorly atomized air/fuel mix into a common chamber in the intake. From there, the hungry cylinders drew in the mixture through the intake valve (each cylinder had only one) into the combustion chamber. A mechanical switch called "points" was used to interrupt the flow of current to the single ignition coil, and from there the secondary voltage was routed to each cylinder by a distributor rotor that was mechanically driven. The spark ignited the compressed mixture, and it exited through the exhaust valve. All the valves were opened and closed by a single camshaft. Not a lot to it but these early designs had one unique and common factor. They didn't need a computer to run.
But they weren't that good at utilizing the energy released during combustion either. Today's engines are much more efficient, producing more power on less fuel than ever before. Computer controlled systems allow precise control of factors that impact efficiency. And often it's that word "computer" that scares techs away from drivability issues.
Don't be one of them. No matter how involved or complicated the technology might seem to be, it's still an internal combustion engine (ICE) that needs compression, ignition and fuel in just the right amounts and at just the right time to perform properly. Sure, there may be more complex ways of controlling it all, but with a little thought, a good service information (SI) source, and a bit of continuing education, you can learn to adapt with the change.
A Foundation To Build On
Before you can tackle a drivability problem, you first must have a solid core understanding of how an engine works. No, you don't have to have an engineering degree, but you do have to know more than "suck, squeeze, blow and go."
Source: Motor Age
Pumps, Jackets and Heat Exchangers
The quality of the chemicals used here varies, but the treatment does not.
Richard McCuistian/Motor Age -- What we do in this business is keep America rolling by maintaining transportation resources, and our job is to repair or to prevent concerns. Without automobile technicians, everything that travels on the world's highways eventually would grind or rattle to a halt, and civilization would come to an end. Vehicles provide so much that we take for granted, including personal freedom. Imagine yourself without an operable set of wheels to get my point.
The quality of the chemicals used here varies, but the treatment does not.
When it comes to maintaining those rides, a wise vehicle owner will recognize the axiom that a dime's worth of prevention is worth a hundred dollars worth of cure, and nowhere is that more pertinent than in the water jackets and heat exchangers of a car's powerplant. While most customers think regularly about their oil, coolant condition typically is forgotten until the temperature gauge swings too far to the high side or rusty stuff begins to paint underhood parts and find its way to the pavement.
The challenge of educating customers is more demanding every year. Many owners are fairly savvy, but there are others I've encountered who don't even know what model year their vehicle is, let alone whether it has a four cylinder or a V6. They usually can tell me it's a Chevy, a Nissan or a Dodge, and that it's a pickup or a sedan, but very little beyond that. The point is that if these folks don't know their vehicle any better than what I've just described, they aren't likely to understand the importance of cooling system maintenance until they've experienced steamy side-of-the-road trouble that leads to a large repair bill. Some of them simply wait until their car is exhibiting symptoms before having anything done, and that leads to disaster.
Source: Motor Age
Did you know...
 When you post a tip or question in the OnDemand5/ShopKey5 Live Tips system, there is a spell checker available. It is the right-most button on the tool bar above the text box. Just click the button before you click the post button.
Click here for more hints on using OnDemand5 and ShopKey5.
|
OnDemand5/ShopKey5 Live Tip Contest Winners
Mitchell 1 is running a tip contest for a limited time in OnDemand5.com and ShopKey5.com. Below are the latest winners of the contest. Each of these tips earned the tech a $100 prize. Click the links below to see the complete tips and for more information on how you can enter.
Please note: The tip contest will end after July 2013.
|
|
|
|
|
Want to discuss subjects on running your shop?
Join the free Mitchell 1 product users forum today. Click here to check it out.
|
|
Click here for information on training resources available for OnDemand and ShopKey repair users.
|
|
