success stories business is good for jean-paul (j.p ... · may 2009 volume 7, number 4 $5.95 pm...

May 2009Volume 7, Number 4$5.95www.autosphere.ca

PM 4

0014

105

Business Is Good for Jean-Paul (J.P.) Desroches

SUCCESS STORIES

70847_PZ_PZ9-009_4C.inddphopersberger / lbyatt4-28-2009 8:51 PM PrePress_G5_M4WS9

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10 AIA NewsGrow From Within…

12 Essential SkillsThe Value of Problem Solving

14 Success StoriesRecession. What Recession?

16 Knowledge HelpsHDAP Services Their Customers Better…

18 Car Care ClinicsBack By Popular Demand

20 AAPEX Value with New Features

22 Good Corporate NeighbourGiving Back

24 Maintenance Wheel Cylinders

26 Fuel Pump FailureCorrosion Plays a Big Part

27 DiagnosisAlternators and Charging Systems

F E A T U R E S

I N E V E R Y I S S U E . . .

12 148

26

4 Editorial Competitiveness

6, 17, 29Around the Industry

8,9 New Products

29 Advertisers

C O V E R P A G E

We’d like to share one of the world’s best kept secrets.

[ Blue Streak Import Parts ]

Parts for import vehicles

28 Water PumpsFailures Happen

30 Garage Business Paging Dr. Redinger

2 0 0 9 E V E N T S C A L E N D A R

May 20-23Canadian Skills CompetitionCharlottetown, PEI❚ www.skillscanada.com

May 31-June 2Automechanika Middle EastDubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Dubai, UAE❚ www.messefrankfurtme.com/automechanika

June 7-9APRA European Symposium at ReMaTec ShowAmsterdam RAI Exhibition Centre, The Netherlands❚ www.apra-europe.org

June 11Shad’s R&R 36th Annual Golf TournamentKleinburg Golf & Country Club, Kleinburg, ON✆ Luc Champagne 514-945-1299❚ [email protected]

We’d like to share one of the world’s best kept secrets.

[ Blue Streak Import Parts ]

Parts for import vehicles

May 2009Contents May 2009

June 2417th annual AARO Charity Golf TournamentCardinal Golf Club, Newmarket, ON✆ Bonnie Black 1-800-268-5400❚ www.aaro.ca

18

July 15-17PAACE Automechanika MexicoCentro Banamex, Mexico City, Mexico❚ www.paaceautomechanika.com

22

| www.autosphere.ca | May 2009 | CASP | 3

S ure you can! You need to innovate be-cause of business pressures. So, how do you go about this? Well, for starters

you need to be creative—you need to think differently than your competitor. You’ve heard the statement “Think outside the box”—well, that’s exactly what you need to do. You need to think of new ways to service your custom-ers; you need to motivate your team and listen to their ideas and suggestions—lots of good ideas come from listening to others. Maybe take time each week to meet with your people and have a “creative session”—just let the ideas pop out.

Rémy L. Rousseau [email protected]

How do you stack up against your

competition? Are you the leader

or the follower? If you’re a follow-

er, think about why you’re in this

position… and, more importantly,

if you can change it!

Is Your Competitive Is Your Competitive Streak Showing?Streak Showing?

Publisher & Editor Rémy L. Rousseau

Associate Publisher Shirley Brown

Contributing Editors Pierre Bissonnette, Brian Early, Jack Kazmierski, Pierre Lalonde, Dave Redinger

Production Management Valérie St-Cyr [email protected]

Graphic Design Monique Desbiens [email protected]

Revision Shirley Brown

Administration Wendy Allain [email protected] Boivin [email protected]

Circulation Management Nancy Belleville [email protected]

Printer Solisco

Sales Luc Champagne [email protected]

Nathalie Plouffe [email protected]

Réjean A. Rousseau [email protected]

Garth Vogan [email protected]

SubscriptionOne-year: $27.95 Two-year: $49.95 Three-year: $59.95

Published by Publications Rousseau2938, terrasse AbénaquisLongueuil QC, J4M 2B3T : 450-448-2220 F : 450-448-1041

[email protected] www.autosphere.ca

CASP Magazine is dedicated to serving the business inte-rests of the maintenance and repair industry. It is published eight times a year by Publications Rousseau & Associés Inc., a member of AIA Canada. Material in CASP may not be reproduced in any form without written consent from the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising and disclaims all responsibilities for claims or statements made by its advertisers or independent colu-mnists. All facts, opinions and statements appearing within this publication are those of the writers and editors them-selves, and are in no way to be construed as statements, positions or endorsements by Publications Rousseau & Associés Inc.

Printed in Canada ISSN no. 1710-3924. Publications Mail Agreement no. 40014105. Return un-delivrable Canadian addresses to Publications Rousseau/ Circulation Department, 2938 terrasse Abenaquis, Suite 110, Longueuil QC J4M 2B3

edItOrIAL

FSC PO

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Competitiveness

Be betterYou can’t be equal to your competitor—you must be better! That’s the way to get ahead of the competition and stay there. You have to really focus on what you need to do to be ahead of the pack—you need to maximize your talents. There are a lot of opportunities out there just ready to be seized, opportun-ities that will increase your business, you just have to fi nd them.

One of those opportunities could be teaching your customers to “think green.” Teach them that under inflated tires cost them more at the fuel pump and that having regular maintenance on their vehicle could mean less emissions entering their breathing space. Simple things yes, but do your customers know about them?

Be creativeYou need to think of new methods to help your business that are useful and inventive—

in other words, “creative,” and you have to make them visible. You need to come up with a concept, design it for the best possible impact for your busi-ness, then build the design and

use it to get ahead of your competitor, i.e. put it in effect and measure the value you put into your business with these new efforts.

Forget your fear of trying something new—that new process just might work better for you than the old one. Thinking outside the box could add up to 360° thinking—and that’s the best possible way of getting ahead of the competition and being better at what you do.

Don’t be equal—be better!

I invite you to visit our website and read all the current information about the automotive aftermarket—www.autoshpere.ca.

4 | CASP | May 2009 | www.autosphere.ca |

all the people. all the products. all the industry. all in one place.

Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo 2009

AAPEX is where you can reach all the key decision-makers in your target market all in one place. AAPEX, representing the $405 billion global automotive aftermarket, engages more than 132,000 professionals from around the globe. At AAPEX, you will find all the products and meet all the people to help grow your business.

NOVEMBER 3-5, 2009Tuesday - Thursday

Sands Expo Center Las Vegas, NV

aapexshow.com

APX09_0398_FP_0309.pdf 3/4/09 2:48:37 PM

New Strategic Marketing Manager at Osram Sylavania

Osram sylvania announced the appoint-ment of Luigi Leto to strategic Marketing

manager for consumer and automotive prod-ucts. the company’s head office location in Mississauga, Ontario will be his base.

In his new position, Leto will oversee all channel marketing strat-egies and activities for

both the consumer products and auto-motive lighting sales channels. Both the retail product manager and merchandising analyst positions will report to him. Leto was manager of customer service for Os-ram sylvania for over two years. He started with the company in 2000 in logistics.

For his work on a major retail conver-sion, Leto received the prestigious OsrAM star Award. He obtained a york university Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics for Commerce.

One of nAsCAr’s most demanding brak-ing tracks, Martinsville is known for fre-quently wearing on two things: brake sys-tems and driver patience.

All Joe Gibbs racing toyotas debuted an entirely new raybestos brand short track/road Course sprint Cup braking system featuring ultra lightweight calipers, increased brake pad volume, and larger rotor diameter. the detailed system com-bines advanced friction technol-ogy with optimized caliper design. said denny Hamlin, the #11 Fedex toyota driver, “It’s defi nitely better than what we’ve had in years past.”

the ultra-lightweight aluminum alloy six-piston calipers are the stiffest and light-est calipers available for short track/road Course in all of nAsCAr. the calipers also feature asymmetric body design, ad-vanced between-piston and crossover cool-ing features.

the system’s exclusive new r602 pad shape offers the largest brake pad volume

VandeSande New BESTBUY President

Howie MacKenzie, BestBuy chairman, announced that Jeff VandeSande has ac-

cepted the presidency of BestBuy. He will report to the Board of directors through the chairman of the Board and be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the organization.

Vandesande brings many years of aftermarket experience to his new role. Most recently, he was the general manager, Ontario region for nAPA. Prior to that, he was president of Grant Brothers sales, Heavy duty & trad-itional divisions.

New Raybestos Brake System Debuted at Martinsville

Industry news

in all of nAsCAr, providing 13% more pad volume and 5% more pad area than any other competitor’s short track pack-age. the short track system also features

the largest rotor diameter—a 72-vane cast-ing that reduces hot distortion of the rotor, and features a new metallurgy achieving a 35% increase in tensile strength at oper-ating temperature.

Hamlin nearly made the new raybestos system the winner at Martinsville, but was passed by Jimmie Johnson near the end of the race and had to settle for a close second.

NAPA’s Adaptive One Hybrid Ceramic Disc Brake Pads

traditional brake pads with matching

friction typically involve tradeoffs when it

comes to stopping power, low noise, and

dusting. nAPA BrAKes’ new Adaptive

One brake pads are entirely different—the

inboard and outboard pad

in each set has its own

specially engineered fric-

tion material.

Adaptive One takes the

best features of semi-metallic

and ceramic friction and combines

them into one set of disc brake pads

through the use of dual hybrid ceramic

formulations. Adaptive One’s inboard pad

is specially formulated for optimal stop-

ping performance, while its outboard pad

is specially formulated to reduce noise

and dusting, thus providing the best at-

tributes of stopping power, noise abate-

ment, and low dusting, without sacrifi cing

performance.

each Adaptive One disc brake pad is

specifi cally designed to react differently

during the stop by supplying the appro-

priate levels of stopping performance. so

whether the pads are hot or cold, or the

driver is aggressive or conservative

behind the wheel, Adaptive One

provides consistent pedal feel.

Helping to provide Adaptive

One with a safe and ultra-quiet

braking experience is the nrs

noise Abatement system from

nuCAP Industries. this patented

technology projects teeth (or hooks) from

the disc plate into the friction material,

locking the two components together and

eliminating any chance of edge lift and

pad shear between the disc plate and fric-

tion—a key design element in providing

safe and quiet braking performance.

One brake pads are entirely different—the

best features of semi-metallic

and ceramic friction and combines

them into one set of disc brake pads

whether the pads are hot or cold, or the

driver is aggressive or conservative

behind the wheel, Adaptive One

provides consistent pedal feel.

noise Abatement system from

nuCAP Industries. this patented


new Products

2009 WIX Filters Catalogues

wIX Filters’ 2009 Passenger Car/Light Truck Application Catalogue covers all pas-

s e n g e r c a r a n d light truck models from 1985 through 2009 for oil, air, cabin air, fuel, and transmission fi lters in its 496 pages. wIX has increased its cabin air filter count by 37% in the past year, from 120 to 164 sKus. the catalogue also features a cabin air locator guide to assist techni-

cians in fi nding these sometimes hard to lo-cate fi lters, and also includes comprehensive listings for motorcycles and AtVs.

wIX Filters’ Interchange and Product Num-eric Catalogue covers new products, inter-changes, and a complete listing of all 4,400 wIX Filters products with dimensions, thread sizes, gasket information, and an application summary throughout its 680 pages.

the new product section features 528 new or proposed sKus that have been introduced or will be introduced in this year, and more than 8,300 new interchanges from the 2008 catalogue.

For your copy, please contact your WIX dis-tributor or visit www.wixconnect.com.

Timing Component Kit with Water Pump Included

yes, water pump and other component fail-ures do happen and result in a failed timing belt. to prevent this, replace all the com-ponents at one time. Gates timing system replacements kits include water pumps be-

cause 90% of the labour to change the water

pump has already been done with the timing belt job

replacements kits include water pumps be-cause 90% of the labour

to change the water pump has already been done with the timing belt job

and technicians consider it good practice to replace the pump at this time.

each timing Component Kit with water Pump (tCKwP) contains an Oe-quality tim-ing belt, idler, water pump, and tensioner. the pulleys included in the tCKwP are made to demanding Oe-standards. tCKwPs allow you to service the entire timing system. Prop-erly functioning timing systems improve fuel economy.

these component kits are competitively priced; they’re of Oe construction and every-thing you need is in one package with the same warranty as standard tCK’s. Phone your Gates’ representative at 519-759-4141 or visit www.gates.com.

Bosal Expands VFM Import Exhaust Program Coverage

Bosal added 14 new part numbers to its VFM Import exhaust Program and now of-fers 58 sKus and covers more than 334 of the most popular makes/models from Acura to Vw. the new additions include reson-ators and front pipes.

Bosal’s VFM line covers a sig-

nifi cant percentage of Bosal’s most popular selling applications and represents more than 30% of current exhaust sales. the VFM ex-haust is very competitive with similar value programs and is priced 15-20% less then Bosal’s Premium Oe direct-fi t exhaust Pro-grams.

Bosal VFM muffl ers and resonators are made to OeM specifi cations for vehicle specifi c fi t, form, and function. they feature a direct-fi t, one piece configuration, which eliminates labour-intensive pipe bending, welding and cutting, and results in higher quality instal-lations and better customer satisfaction, says Bosal. the systems also meet specifi c vehicle requirements for backpressure, emissions, sound levels, and computer controls.

speak with your Bosal representative or go to www.bosal.com.

Rislone Helps Engines Last Longer

Consumers are holding on to their cars/light trucks longer now, so keeping those vehicles running smoothly becomes a concern. ris-lone engine treatment and rislone engine

cians in fi nding these sometimes hard to lo-cate fi lters, and also includes comprehensive

Interchange and Product Num- covers new products, inter-

changes, and a complete listing of all 4,400 wIX Filters products with dimensions, thread sizes, gasket information, and an application

the new product section features 528 new or proposed sKus that have been introduced or will be introduced in this year, and more than 8,300 new interchanges from the 2008

fers 58 sKus and covers more than 334 of the most popular makes/models from Acura to Vw. the new additions include reson-ators and front pipes.

Bosal’s VFM line covers a sig-

treatment Concentrate remove sludge and other harmful deposits from en-gines, improving oil circulation for longer engine life. the treat-ments also reduce friction and wear, especially at en-gine start-up.

rislone engine treat-ment is a high quality penetrating lubrication oil combined with protect-ive engine additives and special cleaning agents. the formula is designed to penetrate into valve seats, bearing surfaces, piston rings, and ring grooves—sludge and varnish forming areas. these deposits are gradually removed and held harmless in suspension until they are trapped in the fi lter or removed with the next oil change. regu-lar use of rislone engine treatment, as part

of oil and fi lter changes at the proper intervals, will keep deposits to a min-imum.

rislone engine treatment and engine treatment Concentrate work with all petroleum-based

motor oils, including conventional, high-mileage and synthetic formulas. the engine

treatment is safe for use with PtFe-based engine treatments and will not alter the PtFe coating. A single bottle of rislone engine treatment or rislone engine treatment Con-centrate is designed to treat 4 to 6 litres of oil. Both products can also be used to “top off” the system between oil changes.

Visit www.rislone.ca or talk to your Rislonerepresentative.

PosiTek Semi-Metallic Brake Pads

these pads are of advanced semi-metallic mix with transfer fi lm formulation. they are all integrally molded with a positive mold process plus post-cured with no brake-in re-quired. the pads are all slotted and cham-fered; include constraint multi-layer shims and come with installed hardware and sensors as per Oe specifi cations.

the Positek pads are 100% asbestos free; ‘BeeP’ tested and road tested. Phone NewTek today—1-800-650-1700.

treatment Concentrate remove sludge and other harmful deposits from en-gines, improving oil circulation for longer engine life. the treat-


Grote Introduces Breakthrough

LightForm Technology Grote produced the LightForm—a

game changer that will dramatically alter the way the industry uses lighting, while challenging all our imaginations in the process. the new technology signals an evolutionary change in vehicle and trans-portation lighting.

At less than 1 mm thick, LightForm is a highly-advanced, thin-fi lm, solid-state lighting device and a most environmentally-friendly lighting technology. with less ma-terial, mounting a LightForm lamp can be accomplished via a peel-and-stick method.

“we can achieve the same FMVss 108 photometric requirements for a P2-rated marker lamp, with just 2% of the material used in a traditional Led lamp, all while eliminating the installation cost and time as-sociated with drilling holes, affi xing mounting brackets, and utilizing traditional fasteners,” stated dominic Grote, VP sales & Marketing.

He also said their engineers have already subjected the product to a rigorous battery of stress tests including salt baths, extreme humidity, heat, and cold. www.grote.com

Black Magic Titanium Wheel Cleaner

spring is fi nally here and your customers will want to get their ride all cleaned up from the winter’s grunge. One of the areas that are really hard hit in the cold and snow sea-son is the wheels, and shell Lubricants can make them look like new again with Black

Magic titanium wheel Cleaner.It gently and effectively cleans the wheels

and removes grime, road fi lm, grease, brake dust, and oil in one easy step. Black Magic is equipped with powerful cleansing agents for quick and effective cleaning—without scrub-bing! It can be used on all wheel types, in-cluding high-end performance aluminum and chrome wheels.

talk to your local Shell Lubricants repre-sentative or rachel Agnew at shell: 905-335-5577 or [email protected].

Composite Bearing Race & Seal Driver Kits

stinger Kits give technicians the versatility needed for the job, while offering unmatched

mech-a n i c a l strength and durability when compared to the com-petition.

the three new bearing race and seal driv-er kits greatly simplify the installation of tapered bearing races and seals on vehicle applications without causing damage to the component or housing. Consisting of various size discs and drive handles, the OtC stinger kits are designed to fi t precise manufacturing diameters in order to give technicians the versatility needed for the job, while offering unmatched mechanical strength and durabil-ity when compared to the competition.

the tapered side of the driver is used to install races, then invert the driver to the fl at side to install seals. the tools are manu-factured with the highest quality material, reducing deformation of tools and ensuring a long life of repetitive use in the shop.

For additional information regarding the new stinger bearing race and seal driver kits (P/n 4408; P/n 4409; P/n 4507) from OTC, please call 1-800-533-6127 or visit www.otctools.com.

Grote Introduces Breakthrough

produced the LightForm—a game changer that will dramatically alter the way the industry uses lighting, while challenging all our imaginations in the process. the new technology signals an evolutionary change in vehicle and trans-

At less than 1 mm thick, LightForm

Black Magic Titanium Wheel Cleaner

spring is fi nally here and your customers will want to get their ride all cleaned up from the winter’s grunge. One of the areas that are really hard hit in the cold and snow sea-son is the wheels, and shell Lubricants can make them look like new again with Black

mech-a n i c a l strength and durability when compared to the com-petition.

new Products


“S ince I took offi ce, I’ve become an advocate for improving the industry’s performance…

I’d really like to see the industry sell much, much more in goods and services. I’m going to turn this task into the theme ‘Grow From Within’ which has been seen in AIA material lately,” says Watt.

Grow From Within “The context of ‘Grow From Within’ is a recognition that programs like BCCA, MAP, the AIA Market Research Study that we’re doing are predicated on the fact that there’s much more work, products, and services needed by the Canadian fl eet of vehicles than is currently being done. There’s a lot of existing opportunity and we need to take advantage of it. We need to find the work and convince the con-sumer they need it in the best interests of safety, being ‘greener,’ or simply their own well-being and comfort. As an industry, we must get better at fi nding that work and convincing the consumer to invest in their vehicles. If we do that, we will Grow From Within!”

Sounds good—but, just how are we going to do that? “Well, I’d like to put the spot-light on an initiative that has, for the last two years, come out of the AIA Quebec Division,” says Watt. “That Division has organized and conducted activities that invite the Automotive Service Providers (ASP) and their Jobber suppliers to attend events which give them insight into how to improve their business.”

Found and sold workWatt fi rmly believes there’s work out there to be found and sold and a key reason it’s not being found and sold is the ASP’s process (or lack of it) for fi nding and sell-ing it! The next question: What should we do? “The bottom line—we must reach out to ASPs and help them get better at doing this! More events like the ones in Quebec are a way of doing this—they had 500 attendees—mainly ASPs and Jobbers,” explains Watt.

“In a group of people, there are usually some proactive, energetic, entrepreneurs amongst them. These are the folks that’ll take an idea and run with it. So if you bring a group together, give them really good insights and really good invent-ive ways on how to grow their business, some will take this information and be off and running! The more people we reach out to, the higher the number of people

that’ll pick up these good ideas and do something constructive with them.”

More events can happenAIA believes that more types of events like the Quebec division’s could be held across Canada… maybe through the AIA Divisions and various ASP organizations. They were certainly most success-ful in Quebec, so why not in the rest of Canada?

“The solution to the consequent growth of the automotive aftermarket is in the hands of the automotive service provider,” says Watt. “How do we encour-age, help, or provide the ability for these ASPs to improve? We need to bring them together and give them information and insights they currently don’t have. In my chairmanship, I believe that AIA will con-tribute the most in this aspect.”

Up for the challenge?We’d like to put a ‘notion’ in your head! What if you found and sold another $150 per transaction (parts and labour)? We know other organizations do it, why can’t you? Go ahead, put it down on paper, fi nd out how big that number is. You won’t be-lieve it, but it can be done. Are you up to the challenge? Try it!

Send the number you come up with to sg-

[email protected] and we’ll report back what you answered!

AIA News

Grow From Within…John watt, current AIA chairperson, has a lot on his plate with Be Car Care Aware,

the ongoing fi ght for right to repair, the economy, executive gatherings, speaking

engagements, and… his daytime job!

John Watt, current AIA chairperson

Shirley Brown [email protected]


C urrent research is showing that ONE out of every four industry professionals working in mechan-

ical or collision repair in Canada is using thinking skills effectively in his or her work-place. Three out of four could improve their effectiveness by improving their thinking skills. These fi ndings come from a fi eld study looking at the level of think-

ing skills demonstrated by a sample of nearly 500 automotive service and repair personnel of varying backgrounds. “For shop owners, the results show some im-portant revelations,” says Kaesy Russnak, TOWES Production Offi cer with the Bow Valley College team that conducted the research. “This was the fi rst time out with a survey of this kind and shop owners only stand to benefi t from these prelimin-ary fi ndings. Shop owners, who are hiring apprentices or maintaining qualifi ed staff, may benefi t from their future involvement in these types of studies which help reveal how common occupational tasks are com-pleted. The fi ndings may relate back to, and help employers refl ect on, how work is being completed in their own shops.”

The research, which also looked at oral communication skills, further suggest that industry workers may well rely on

oral communication skills to cope with the

need to think effectively in the workplace. Although more research is needed to determine the extent of potential think-

ing skill gaps, this benchmarking study provides first insight into understand-ing the basket of skills being employed across the automotive repair and service industry.

“For the industry,” says Russnak, “this survey shows an emerging picture. There needs to be more work completed in the area of thinking skills which will also need to include increasing awareness for em-ployers and trainers on how these skills translate into the day to day work being done at the various types of automotive repair and service facilities across the country.

“The good news, however,” concludes Russnak, “is that there are useful resour-ces such as those provided through CARS that help employers identify potential areas of concern and meet some of the training or skill building needs of the industry.”

For more information on Essential Skills and the automotive repair and service in-dustry, contact Ed Nasello at ednasello@

cars-council.ca.

the research:• About 500 volunteer participants sur-

veyed, 80% from mechanical repair, 20% from collision repair.

• First-ever national survey on oral communications and thinking skills for automotive occupations conducted by the renowned researchers of the tOwes department of Bow Valley College on behalf of the Canadian Automotive repair and service (CArs) Council.

• Researchers used newly developed suitable Essential Skills survey tools for thinking and Oral Communication skills in online and paper-based formats based on the essential skills framework, authentic workplace materials, relevant industry scenarios and common occupational tasks for occupations in the Automotive repair and service industry.

• They determined what Essential Skills profi ciency level requirements for the industry should be, based on existing skills gap materials.

• Look for the CARS Essential Skills Assessment Report coming soon to www.carsyouth.ca.

tOwes department of Bow Valley College on behalf of the Canadian Automotive repair and service

• Researchers used newly developed Essential Skills

for thinking and Oral Communication skills in online and paper-based formats based on the essential skills framework, authentic workplace materials, relevant industry scenarios and common occupational tasks for occupations in the Automotive repair and service industry.

• They determined what profi ciency level requirements for the industry should be, based on existing

tOwes department of Bow Valley College on behalf of the Canadian Automotive repair and service

• Researchers used newly developed Essential Skills survey tools Essential Skills survey tools Essential Skills

for thinking and Oral Communication skills in online and paper-based formats based on the essential skills framework, authentic workplace materials, relevant industry scenarios and common occupational tasks for occupations in the Automotive repair

• They determined what Essential Skillsprofi ciency level requirements for the industry should be, based on existing

Essential Skills

The Value of Problem Solvingshop owners across the country are searching for problem

solvers to resolve issues in the workplace. Problem solving

is the backbone of thinking skills. Identifying problems and

using good critical analysis leads to good decisions. those

good decisions result in satisfi ed customers and fewer come-

backs. so by improving those very thinking skills, each shop

owner increases profi t margins across the board.

By: CARS Council www.cars-council.ca


P r O F I L e

B usiness is good for Jean-Paul (J.P.) Desroches. While others struggle to stay afl oat in these tough econom-

ic times, this soft-spoken businessman hasn’t had to lay off any of his employees and is even thinking of expanding his shop to handle more business.

Desroches owns J.P.’s Service Centre in Midland, Ontario—a small town about two hours north of the city of Toronto. He got into the auto industry at the tender age of thirteen when he worked with his dad at a local car wrecker. Fixing cars is in his blood and everyone in the Midland area (and be-yond) knows that Desroches is the one to see when the family car needs tender loving care.

Secrets of successDesroches’ business philosophy is based on the notion that you need the right kind of clients. “We’re pretty selective,” he says. “We try to stay away from older vehicles. We used to cater to anybody who came through our doors, but today we’re basic-ally trying to stay with anything ten years and newer.”

Some might argue that in these diffi cult times you should take whatever business comes your way, no matter the age of the vehicle, but Desroches disagrees. “We’ve had to fire some of our customers,” he says. “Some of my technicians have told me that I’m too selective, but the bays are always full.”

J.P.’s Service Centre boasts fi ve bays, fi ve techs, one apprentice and one service advisor. Everyone has been kept busy dur-ing this recession, so Desroches must be doing something right.

“Business hasn’t really slowed down for us these past few months,” Desroches says. “This winter our apprentice was in school, we had our techs on the fl oor, and every-

one was busy. I haven’t had to lay anybody off. The bays were busy and my guys got their 40 hours in per week.”

Spring is in the air, and J.P.’s Service Centre is getting even busier. “We’re doing very well,” Desroches says. “In fact, right now we have one apprentice and a co-op student who is dying to start an appren-ticeship. I’m thinking about taking him on, and I think we probably will.”

The bays are humming with activity and Desroches’ techs are currently putting in between 42 to 45 hours a week. They would love to work more, but Desroches refuses to keep the shop open on weekends.

“The number of people holding onto their vehicles, rather than replacing them, is growing,” Desroches says. “That’s due in large part to today’s economy. So the busi-ness is there for us.”

Success Stories

Recession. What Recession?dedication to customer care and a little help from CArQuest have

allowed this small-town shop to stay busy at a time when others are

dealing with a lack of work and layoffs.

“I haven’t had to lay anybody off. the bays were busy and my guys got their 40 hours in per week.” – J.P. desroches

Customer careDesroches’ sincere approach to busi-ness attracts customers looking for quality and honesty... as well as that old favourite, customer care. Desroches actually takes the time to show his customers just how much he cares about them and their vehicles.

“I think one of the reasons why we’re successful is due to the fact that I take the customer under my wing and ac-tually educate them,” Desroches says. “We take the customer into the shop, show them what we’re doing and ex-plain what needs to be done and why. I think the fact that we take the time to educate the customer goes a long way to earning their trust.

“The customer knows he doesn’t have to worry about his car and that he’s bringing it to the right place. When our clients see that we take the time to do the job right the fi rst time and that we care, they keep coming back.”

A little help...Desroches is honest enough to admit that his success is, in part, due to the ad-vice he has received over the years from experts like CARQUEST. “I’ve been with them on and off since the day I started,” he says, “but I got involved seriously with CARQUEST about ten years ago.”

Desroches’ business card proudly dis-plays the TECH-NET logo. Not familiar with the program? Consider CARQUEST’s explanation of the benefi ts: “TECH-NET


P r O F I L e

Professional Auto Service is an elite per-formance network with members hav-ing a common goal of being world-class automotive service facilities. The program is designed to drive business to service dealer bays—not just sell auto parts. The program has been a success by combin-ing high-quality CARQUEST replacement parts, fi rst-class consumer marketing pro-grams, business-building solutions, and state-of-the-art technician and business management training.”

Desroches can vouch for the effectiveness of the TECH-NET program. “It’s a great program with many benefi ts,” he says. “It’s

designed to help small shops like mine succeed with help lines, tips to steer us in the right direction, business advice, as well as courses for the techs and for the advisors who work up front.”

CARQUEST also organizes get-togeth-ers for shop owners, allowing them an opportunity to network and learn from each other. “They put us on a cruise about a month ago and we got a chance to talk to other CARQUEST custom-ers, learn how they do business, what works for them, and we got a chance to exchange a lot of great tips and ideas,” Desroches says.

The program also offers small business owners like Desroches an opportunity to access a wealth of business information. “CARQUEST knows that if shop owners like me succeed, so will CARQUEST,” he says. “That’s why they’re happy and willing to offer solid advice and the guidance you sometimes need when you’re in business for yourself.”

Future expansionDesroches is currently battling the Town, trying to get them to supply his property with the water and sewer service he would need in order to expand his shop. “I would love to build a new shop,” he says.

Currently, Desroches collects rainwater into a cistern that supplies the water needed for the shop’s washroom facilities. Bottled drinking water is brought in for his staff. He also has to make do with a septic system. It’s almost diffi cult to imagine a modern shop succeeding with such primi-tive conditions, but Desroches has man-aged to fi nd a way to make it work.

The addition to the property would serve as a warehouse and a storefront for a tire operation. “We need the extra space to store tires,” Desroches says. “Right now we’re buying from local tire shops, which is not very profi table. It’s not good business.”

Only time will tell if the Town will cooper-ate and allow this small-town entrepre-neur to expand the business he’s been building for the past twenty years. In the meantime, Desroches continues to keep his staff busy doing what he, and they, love most: caring for the customers who have learned that they can trust and count on J.P.’s Service Centre, and the man behind the name, Jean-Paul Desroches.

Jack Kazmierski [email protected]

Jean-Paul (J.P.) Desroches has been able to keep his employees

busy and his bays humming with activity during a time of

economic slowdown.

PHOT

O: JA

CK K

AZM

IERS

KI


A d V e r t O r I A L

K haled Abu Dagga, one of the owners of Hamilton Discount Auto Parts, says they are the best at servicing

their installer customers… he and some of his staff are also licensed technicians. In fact, when he started in business, he ran a repair facility before it became an auto parts store.

“Yes, I’m a licensed technician and that’s what taught us here at Hamilton Discount to be better than many others in the mar-ket at selling parts,” states Khaled. “We provide a lot of technical information for our customers. We do a lot of homework in order to provide them with the correct parts. Many customers don’t know exactly what part they’re looking for, so along with our expertise, we’re able to show them the part in our on-line catalogue. If our customers need any help with a part, we will dig out all the information they need or, if there are any issues they should be looking out for. We give them the information they need in order to do the job correctly.”

Khaled and his partner Naji Arafat have two locations for Hamilton Discount Auto Parts—the newest one at 100 Parkdale Ave. and the other is on Catharine St. at Wilson in Hamilton, Ontario. In all, they have 20 employees. They carry a large inventory, have a vast knowledge of auto

parts and have become very successful in their venture ever since they opened their stores, the fi rst one in 2003.

Belonging to a great networkTwo years ago, Hamilton Discount Auto Parts joined the Uni-Select network and have been extremely happy with their services. “Belonging to one of the most successful companies in North America means a lot to us,” says Khaled. “We feel that with Uni-Select behind us we have great support to do better for our custom-ers. I really like dealing with Uni-Select.

“For my installers, the SAX Program is the best one on the market. For us as jobbers, it’s the support we get from the ware-house—anything we need is there for us as business people. You’ll never fi nd a better company with which to do business.”

Workshops and programs “There are many workshops available under the Uni-Select banner for our in-staller customers… some under the SAX banner, some under The Cooling Depot,” says Khaled. “In addition, we hold clinics with our suppliers for our clients and they are always well attended whatever the category—ride control, belts and hoses, etc. The people doing the clinics for us are very well trained and show our installers step-by-step methods so they understand

how the parts work.”

New business through Uni-Select“As I said, Uni-Select helps us in business wherever they can, and since I’ve been with them, because of their programs, I’ve been able to gain some of the National Account business… something I didn’t have before. It’s new business that I would not have had if I were not a Uni-Select member. We were successful in business before, but we are now more success-ful because of the Uni-Select support. Whatever we need, it’s there.”

When asked what changes needed to be made in order for he and his customers to be more successful, Khaled replied, “I’ve got to be honest with you, I don’t know if I can do anything any differently! Our busi-ness is successful, it’s run properly, we cer-tainly help our customers both with parts and technical advice… we absolutely do everything we can for our customers. I don’t think I’ve missed anything, but you can be sure I will look!”

It seems that Khaled and his business have been successful since day one. He’s always up for changes, but also believes that if ‘it ain’t broke, don’t fi x it!’ And it’s working for Khaled Abu Dagga and both Hamilton Discount Auto Parts stores.

Knowledge Helps

HDAP Services Their Customers Better…what’s a great position for a jobber to be in to ser-

vice his installer customers best? Being a licensed

technician certainly would fi t the bill.



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Industry news

NAPA’s Ottawa Regional Trade Show

despite difficult economic times within the Automotive and Automotive Aftermarket industries, nAPA Auto Parts and CMAX Paint and Body shop supplies made a very positive presence

within the Ottawa region with the Ot-tawa regional nAPA trade show held at the Aberdeen Pavilion at Lans-downe Park in Ottawa on April 16.

supported by no less than 22 stores covering the region of Barry’s Bay and Pembroke as far east as rockland

and Cornwall, the event was a huge success, displaying the parts, equipment, and services of 50 nAPA approved suppliers. Approximately 500 automotive enthusiasts attended this one day sale event and were able to benefit from special pricing as well as door prizes awarded to key purchasers.

the event was also supported by MacPherson’s Auto Centre featuring the #31 nAPA stock car seen at Capital City speed-way, a dragster by Ogilvie’s Garage in Jasper, Ontario; and “the Canadian thunder,” a 6000 hp Pulling tractor owned by the Cayer family and sponsored by Pennzoil.

BESTBUY’s Supplier of the YearBestBuy distributors’ 55th annual shareholder meeting was

held in Vancouver recently. shareholders from across Canada elected their 2009 Board of directors. returning directors in-clude Chairman Howie Mackenzie, Vice Chairman doug squires, secretary/treasurer Farrukh Alam, dale devlin, Brad nahorney, Gary thibault, Claudio sceppacerqua, and new director Alex trichas.

At a special dinner, Mackenzie presented the 2008 Horace J. Pratt supplier of the year Award to terry Howard of Visteon Corporation in recognition of excellence in service, sales perform-

ance, and support, as well as the wil-liam elton Outstanding shareholder Award presented to rod Anderson of Peterborough Automotive in recogni-tion of outstanding performance and support of BestBuy.

the organization also presented its annual contribution to support the Hospital For sick Children in the amount of $15,000, brining the total support dollars to $600,000.Terry Howard of Visteon Corp. accepts the Supplier of the Year Award from Chairman Howie Mackenzie.

William Elton (l) presents Rod Anderson (r) with the Outstanding Shareholder Award while Howie Mackenzie looks on.


Car Care Clinics

Back By Popular Demandnot all service repair centres in Canada do what eccles Auto

service of dundas, Ontario does… but he fi nds it pays off!

each year, he hosts a Car Care Clinic—mostly for women—

presented by Kelly williams at his shop. Feel free to take some

hints from this and hold a clinic at your own repair shop.


E ach year, Kelly goes to Bruce’s shop to head up a Ladies Car Care Clinic… but this year, some men

attended. Their fi rst clinic in 1986 was in a different era—many men were DIYers, but today’s vehicles have changed and so have their owners. With that thought in mind, Bruce said, “Kelly likes to change it

up each year. In the classroom setting, she always shows the attendees how to check the oil and check the tire pressure.”

This year, she wanted people to perform these checks on their own vehicles, so outside they went—in March! Kelly says that in carrying out her clinics, she has

been fi nding that many drivers have un-derinflated tires. Now when checking their own tires and fi nding them not up to manufacturers’ recommended pressure, they are learning that this is something they need to do to improve fuel mileage and tread wear.

Vehicle maintenance“This year we had ten ladies and four men at the clinic. Kelly does a great job—she breaks technical things down into simple terms so all can understand and not be overwhelmed. I also teach my clients about their vehicles when I talk to them in my offi ce. I try to explain to them that it doesn’t matter if they want to buy a new car, lease a car, or rent a car, it’s still costs so much a month—you have to factor maintenance into the budget. This is something many people do not do—budget for car maintenance! These days we don’t ‘repair’ a lot of vehicles; we ‘maintain’ them. People have to learn to maintain their vehicles from the fi rst day they get them,” states Bruce. >


As well as teaching the folks who came to the clinic about maintaining their vehicles, they were all given nice prizes that were donated by Eccles’ suppliers. The top gift was a woman’s watch do-nated by ACDelco, and everyone left with a ‘Care Package’ that will remind them of their clinic time at Eccles Auto Service. The package contained a tire pressure gauge, fuel line treatment—which the attendees had learned about during the session—written information about car maintenance, sun block, plus other items to keep in the car. A body maintenance kit (waxes and cleaners) was also given away.

Show-and-tell plusThe Car Care Clinic commences at seven in the evening and it is usually over by about nine. “It’s a lot of ‘show-and-tell’ on Kelly’s part,” says Bruce. “She puts together a great list of questions and an-swers; she goes through things like ‘this is what old oil looks like, this is what new oil looks like,’ ‘here’s what bad brake fl uid looks like and why it is bad,’ ‘here’s what

old brake pads look like, here’s a set of new ones,’ etc. Kelly really goes over the bad versus the good. She would tell the attendees what a serpentine belt looks like and then ask them to show her where it is under the hood. She gets people in-volved. Kelly talks about so many things like bad wiper blades: ‘You know the sun is bad for you, it’s also bad for rubber components on your vehicle.’ She talks about tire life and why winter tires are great for your car.”

Kelly also had clever driving tips as well. As a former race car driver, she knows what she’s talking about. “One pointer Kelly gave was: most people get involved in an accident because they stare at what they’re going to hit instead of staring at where they need to go. Because most vehicles have ABS, you need to focus on where you’re going to put your car, not on what you’re trying to avoid. Point the car where it needs to go—the opening.”

Get groups togetherBruce mentions that some women have

told him they would like to bring out their entire women’s group. That is some-thing he can do for next year now that he knows the situation, and of course, this could escalate to other groups—not just women! Teenagers are another group that could be interested in taking a course such as this. They don’t really know the ins and outs of the vehicle they drive; they usually take it for granted that it’s in good running order because it be-longs to their parents. They need to fi nd out for themselves… they will likely own one in the not too distant future.

May is Be Car Care Aware Month, but you can have one of these Car Care Clinics anytime. It doesn’t take a lot of work and you’ll fi nd that the people who attend will appreciate it. In fact, if they weren’t your customers before, they likely will be after the clinic. I’m sure Bruce Eccles would take the time to talk to you about them—he’s a big champion of Car Care Clinics. Email him today at bruce@

ecclesautoservice.com.

www.carcarecanada.ca

SuperiorCustomerService

ApplicationSpecific Sourcing

OE Quality & Fit

Broad Vehicle & Part Coverage

ProductEnhancementsand Solutions

For nearly 100 years, Beck/Arnley has been a leading specialty supplier of premium quality, genuine foreign nameplate parts with the look, fit and performance of original equipment. Beck/Arnley offers broad vehicle and part coverage, product enhancements and solutions, and superior customer service, making life easier for professional import technicians. Because of Beck/Arnley’s commitment to excellence, the Beck/Arnley® brand is favored by import technicians everywhere, every time.

For nearly 100 years, Beck/Arnley has been a leading specialty supplier of premium quality,

Parts Made Right. Life Made Easy.TM

© 2009 Beck/Arnley Worldparts, Inc.

To learn more and find a distributor, visit www.beckarnley.com.


O nline registration for AAPEX is al-ready open at www.aapexshow.com. To make the registration process

simple and quick, attendees now can use either their e-mail address or alumni num-ber to retrieve their registration data from the previous year and avoid the hassle of re-entering information.

AAPEX/SEMA Matching ProgramShow organizers also have introduced a new AAPEX/SEMA Matching Program that uses a buyer’s demographic information and specifi ed product interests to gener-ate a list of AAPEX exhibitors that manu-facture those products. Buyers can then use this list to contact specific product manufacturers and set up appointments during AAPEX. Buyers are reminded to complete the demographic information and product interest section of the regis-tration form in order to fully benefi t from using the Matching Program.

New featuresThe AAPEX event, which annually draws approximately 2,000 exhibitors that oc-cupy 4,500 booths, will have several new features this year including electronic interactive “you are here” kiosks to help buyers easily locate exhibitors and prod-ucts on the show floor. The kiosks also can be used for on-the-spot product and exhibitor searches, to access a schedule of demonstrations and to identify new prod-ucts. Buyers will be able to print maps of the show fl oor and other search informa-tion directly from the kiosks.

Other new features on the exhibit fl oor include a live, multimedia AAPEX Demo Area that will offer exhibitors an oppor-tunity to demonstrate their products and services, and a Car Care Fair area that

will show buyers how to host a Car Care event and the benefi ts of participating in National Car Care Month.

Expanded AAPEX Inside Track Education Program The AAPEX Inside Track Education Program also will be expanded this year to include approximately 24 sessions. Sessions will cover a range of topics includ-ing the current credit market, telematics, the Obama Administration Stimulus Plan, changes in the vehicle market, technology trends, an aftermarket outlook, customer retention, selling parts for imports, shop profitability, and marketing on a shoe-string budget.

www.aapexshow.comBuyers should visit the AAPEX Web site to network with exhibitors and to view an exhibitor list, the latest educational offerings, and the products to be dis-played at AAPEX. Hotel arrangements also can be made from the AAPEX Web site. Show organizers recently announced that room rates for this year’s event will be 25 to 45 percent lower than last year, and that nearly all Las Vegas hotels are offering substantially discounted hotel room rates.

AAPEX again will be co-located with the SEMA Show, which will be held the same week at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

AAPEX is jointly sponsored by the Auto-motive Aftermarket Suppliers Associa-tion (AASA), the aftermarket segment association of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), and the Automotive Aftermarket IndustryAssociation (AAIA).

AAPEX Adds Value

with New Features

the Automotive Aftermarket Products expo (AAPeX) brings

all the products and people to one place, and this year, a

number of new features will make the AAPeX experience even more valuable for buy-

ers. AAPeX—the world’s largest business-to-business event in

the automotive aftermarket industry—will be held tuesday,

nov. 3 – thursday, nov. 5, at the sands expo Center, in Las

Vegas, nevada, usA.



Atlas Tire Wholesale Inc.

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TELFAX

(905) 670-9791(905) 670-0581

EAST140 McLEVIN AVE., # 6 & 7

SCARBOROUGH, ON M1B 3V1

TELFAX

(416) 292-8202(416) 292-8177

[email protected]

IDEAL FITMENT FOR:

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S A M P L E S I Z E S

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POTENZA G019 GRID

Purchase via your Car Manufacturer / Bridgestone National Account Programs

TIRE DEALERS:

Competitive prices on direct billing.

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT & RUN-FLAT TIRES:

We maintain a large and comprehensive inventory to meet all your requirements.

NATIONWIDE SERVICE:

Competitive shipping across Canada. E-mail us for our freight policy and toll free

contact numbers.

B2B WEBSITE - VIEW INVENTORY AND PLACE ORDERS:

Visit www.tiredistribution.com and register today.

YOUR SOURCE FOR BRIDGESTONE

Additional Sizes Available

Limited Treadwear Warranty

Limited duration replacement with comparable new Bridgestone tire at pro-rated cost if

warranted kilometers not attained; actual tread life may vary. Certain limitations and

restrictions apply. See authorised retailer for full warranty details before you purchase.

CAR DEALERS:

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Subaru

C ARQUEST is giving away a total of over $150,000 worth of tools (wholesale value) to a total of

37 schools in Ontario. The retail value of these tools is much higher, and cash-strapped schools are happy and eager to benefi t from CARQUEST’s generosity.

The company is converting lines to CARQUEST-branded tools and was faced with the question of what to do with their remaining stock. After discussing the mat-ter at length, senior management decided to give the tools away to Ontario schools with a tech program.

The right thing to doInventory from all 130 CARQUEST stores in Ontario, as well as stock from the distri-bution centre in Toronto, was collected and

divided equally amongst the schools with absolutely zero cost to the schools. Brian Taylor, VP and GM, Ontario of CARQUEST Canada says, “We just think it’s the right thing to do.”

The number of schools to benefi t from the donation was capped at 37 in order to offer each school as close to a complete set of tools as possible.

Teachers from the 37 schools were invited to CARQUEST’s Toronto offi ce for a light dinner and an opportunity to learn about the company, as well as tour the impres-sive distribution centre. Schools as far away as Windsor, Sarnia, Timmins, and Ottawa will benefit from the tool give-away.

Jack Kazmierski [email protected]

Good Corporate Neighbour

Giving BackA total of 37 Ontario schools will benefi t from CArQuest’s generous donation.

PHOTOS: JACK KAZMIERSKI

Jeff Mitchell, joint venture sales manager, CARQUEST Canada; Brian Taylor, VP and GM, Ontario, CARQUEST Canada; Glenn Schaefer, D.C. sales manager, Ontario, CARQUEST Canada.

Brian Taylor takes the teachers on a tour of the distribution centre.

Glenn Schaefer addresses the 35 teachers before the tour of the distribution centre.


Yes, we can!Yes, we can!

You Can Make a Difference! You Can Make a Difference!

Yes, we can make a difference for the tens of thousands of Canadians afflicted by neuromuscular disorders! Since 1954, Muscular Dystrophy Canada (MDC) has been committed to improving the quality of life for tens of thousands of

Canadians with neuromuscular disorders, and funding leading research for the discovery of therapies and cures.

Since 1973, SHAD’S R&R Golf Tournament has supported these efforts by donating over $3.4 million to Muscular Dystrophy Canada. Now entering its’ 36th year, the automotive aftermarket continues to fulfill founder

Fred Shaddick’s original mission of, “For the Kids”.

If you would like to make a donation to SHAD’S R&R “For the Kids” campaign, please feel free to contact a member of the SHAD’s Board at one of the e-mail addresses listed below. If you would like to make a direct on-line contribution, please visit www.muscle.ca/shads

SHAD’S Board of DirectorsBill Blair [email protected] Brad Shaddick [email protected]

Ken Coulter [email protected] Luc Champagne [email protected] Holland [email protected] Ray Osika [email protected]

John Vanstone [email protected]

Did You Know? In 2008, MDC was able to fund over $3 million worth of equipment and over $4 million in cutting edge research.

Did You Know? That the cost for a wheel chair can range from several hundred dollars to over $30,000.

JUNE 11JUNE 11

“Chip in”and helpthe kids.

Join us for our 17th AnnualAARO Charity Golf Tournament

at theCardinal Golf Club in Newmarket

Wednesday, June 24, 2009.

Both AARO and the Bloorview Kids Rehab Centre are not-for-profit

organizations. All proceeds from this worthwhile and tax-deductable

fundraising event are donated to the Bloorview Kids Rehab Centre. The

success of this event is dependent upon the generosity of our sponsors

and participants.We urge you to join us for this hugely successful and

highly anticipated annual industry event. Both sponsorship packages and

participant’s packages are available. For information please go online to

www.aaro.ca or contact Bonnie Black toll-free at the AARO office.

17th ANNUAL AARO CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

1-800-268-5400

W hen the brakes are applied, hy-draulic pressure from the mas-ter cylinder pushes the pistons

outward and the brake shoes contact the drum to bring the vehicle to a stop.

Upon releasing the brake pedal, the brake shoes retract the return springs; pull them away from the drum and then the wheel cylinder pistons return to their normal position.

The internal components of a wheel cylin-der are relatively simple—a couple of moving pistons, a spring, two rubber seals or cups, and, at each end, dust boots. The pistons slide inside the bore on a fi lm of brake fluid on a smooth surface, which prevents the cups from leaking. The boots are found at each end of the wheel cylin-der—they prevent dirt, dust, and moisture from entering the bore. The most common wheel cylinders are made of cast iron and some are aluminum.

It’s OK to replace one wheel cylinder, but I recommend replacing both. I always use this logic—it’s common sense to replace both to avoid problems occurring with the old wheel cylinder.

The internal components of a wheel cylin-der are relatively simple—a couple of moving pistons, a spring, two rubber seals

Maintenance

Wheel Cylinderswheel cylinders are neither complicated nor high-tech, but

they play an important role when a driver pushes on the brake

pedal to stop the vehicle. A failing or leaking wheel cylinder

can be dangerous and the driver may experience a loss of

brake pedal because of the loss of hydraulic pressure in

that circuit.


Pierre Lalonde www.affi niagroup.com

Verifi cation proceduresWheel cylinders last a long time but will fail eventually and that’s why your cus-tomer relies on your expertise when in-specting the rear brakes. The brake split on front wheel drive vehicles is 80% on the front, therefore shoes will wear at a slower rate. You need to keep in mind the year of the vehicle and its mileage when replacing brake shoes. Wheel cylinders are not expensive and, to prevent future unwanted consequences, it would be wise to approach the owner and recommend the replacement of both wheel cylinders.

A visual inspection is satisfactory—any sign of fl uid around the boots will usually indicate they are on the verge of failing. Another procedure is to push the pistons slowly inside the bore—if you feel sticking or seizing, replace them.

Causes of failureThe reasons wheel cylinders fail are fairly simple: normal wear, excessive mileage, overloading the vehicle, and dirt and

contaminated brake fluid—the major cause of all hydraulic leaks.

Contaminated brake fluid will wear out the seals and cups and also the smooth fi nish inside the bore. The smooth fi nish helps prevent the brake fl uid from bypass-ing the seals or cups.

Here is another simple way of checking brake fl uid from the wheel cylinder when it’s off the vehicle:

1. Carefully remove the dust boot at one end and then the piston; inside the bore there will be a small amount of brake fluid.

2. Let the brake fluid drip on a clean surface on your work bench. Make sure your hands are clean, then rub a small amount of brake fluid between your fingers—the fluid should have a smooth texture. If it feels like sandpaper, it indicates that the fluid will have to be replaced.

Safety & reliabilityDo not substitute quality when you pur-chase wheel cylinders—we all know there are inferior brands on the market. A word of advice: we’re talking safety, and

skimping on quality is just not worth it. It can also mean costly comebacks.

Good quality wheel cylinders will meet OE specifications SAE J431 G3000 or 30,000 PSI tensile strength for utmost safety and reliability. The quality of the SBR cups provides superior Seal Ability, the same for the EPDM rubber boots. Good quality bleeder screws are hardened and zinc plated.

After the installation of the wheel cylinders, be sure to bleed the brakes as per the OE procedures. Always road-test the vehicle.

Affi nia has the most complete PREMIUM wheel cylinder coverage in the aftermarket and all our wheel cylinders meet OEM specifi cations. I’d also like to add, for the antique buffs, that we carry quite a few wheel cylinders for older vehicles and trucks.


B ecause of our road conditions—mostly in Ontario and East to the coast—corrosion plays a big part

when fuel pumps fail. The wires for the pump are very tiny and go from outside the fuel tank to inside the pump, so when they become corroded, their contact will be bad. Since the pump works with the computer controls, a lot of time they will stop working because of the corrosion.

PressureAs you all know, fuel pumps deliver fuel to the injector and today’s pumps are very effi cient with pumps that push up to 80 pounds of pressure and deliver that to

Fuel Pump Failure

Corrosion Plays a Big Partwhen something happens with the fuel pump in vehicles, it’s usually very hard to diagnose and

often very expensive for the parts and labour.

the injector. The computer then decides which injector should open at the correct moment. The fuel pump is always on—when you turn the key in the ignition, the pump starts. Let’s say that for example that the pump pushes 50 pounds and the vehicle needs 60 pounds—that vehicle is not going to start! Where the other 10 pounds went is what you need to fi nd out, and this is very hard to diagnose.

You have to make sure you’re missing those 10 pounds—you have to open the fuel line for a gauge and study the electric-al wiring diagrams which can be a prob-lem if a technician is not good at reading

these diagrams. Most of the faults will be found in the wiring—mainly corro-sion. The fuel fi lter is also sometimes

the culprit and can be expensive.

Can you hear the pump?Let’s take another example—a customer goes to start their car to go to work. It

won’t start so he gets it towed to

your garage to find the prob-lem. First you

must ascertain that the vehicle has battery

power and the engine turns over. Of course, you should make sure that there is gas in the tank—

you never know, it could have a faulty fuel gauge. Then you need to check that there is electricity at the spark plugs;

check to see that there is a signal to the injector; then check

to see if there is pressure coming up

to the injector. Listen for a noise from the pump that will tell you it is working and then you must check to see if it has suffi cient pressure. To fi nd that out, you need to open the fuel delivery line and install a fuel pressure gauge on the line. Check the owner’s manual to find the specifi ed pressure—not all vehicles have the same amount. If there is not enough pressure, you must determine why! Is the fuel fi lter blocked? Is the pump turning fast enough?

Let’s say you need 14 volts to get the pump to run at maximum speed of 5,000 rpm. Somehow there are only 11 volts because you have a bad ground that takes away 3 volts. The pump is turning, but not at 5,000 rpm—it’s only turning at 3,500 rpm. This is insuffi cient pressure and insufficient fuel delivery volume due to the bad ground. Since the wires are small, as they age, they arc and burn and do not give the correct amount of electricity—there is too much resist-ance for them.

It’s not always the pump!There is a history of fuel pumps being re-turned in pretty large numbers and when checked, there was nothing wrong with them… it was another item that was at fault! Pumps are usually very well made and don’t fail very often. Some vehicles have a lot of trouble with pumps but it’s usually the wiring system that fails.

So, I guess if you’re in doubt to start with—check the wires and don’t forget to clean the tank.

Electric fuel pump

Pierre Bissonnette [email protected]

Pierre Bissonnette was the technical instructor for a major aftermarket manufactur-er. He holds a teaching certifi cate in andragogy – which is the art and science of helping

adults, whose general education has been cut short, in their learning process.


A lternators are actually AC gener-ators, and their primary benefits are much greater output—particu-

larly at low rpm—higher overall effi ciency, and more compact construction.

Two primary typesWhile there are different internal wiring designs out there, alternators can be generally categorized as one of two major types—internally regulated and externally regulated. Familiarity with both types will greatly aid your diagnostics, as testing procedures differ between them.

Internal affairsSince the 1970’s, most Asian imports, and nearly all General Motors vehicles, have used internally regulated alternators. Particularly in older applications, these alternators have needed only battery volt-age and key-switched power connections to operate (ground is generally provided through the housing), simplifying both wir-ing and testing. If power is present at both the main “B+” terminal and the “IGN” trigger terminal, key on, yet the alternator isn’t charging, the fault likely lies in the alternator.

Be aware, however, that many alterna-tors require 12V power at a second “B+ Sense” terminal in order to function, that the IGN feed circuit may not go through the charging indicator in the dash (just because the light comes on, don’t assume that the IGN terminal is powered), and

Diagnosis

Alternators and Charging SystemsPrior to the advent of alternators (a 1960’s innovation that can be attributed to Chrysler), most

vehicle charging systems utilized a dC generator. Looking much like belt-driven starter motors,

dC generators had weak low-rpm performance, and required fussy and unreliable mechanical

voltage and current regulators to control their meagre output.

that newer alternators will often have additional wires that allow the engine computer to alter charging rates to im-prove fuel efficiency. Consult a wiring schematic to be certain.

Thinking outside the boxExternally regulated alternators are less common these days—unless you’re under the hood of a Chrysler product. Many Fords, up unti l the mid-nineties, and virtually all Chryslers (exclud-ing rebadged Mitsubishi models) use externally regulated alternators.

Eighties and nineties Chryslers often in-corporated the regulator into their fender-mounted “SMEC” units, while other automakers (like Ford) used stand-alone external regulators. Virtually all newer Chryslers have the regulator built into their engine computers.

Straightforward testingIn Chryslers, diagnosis at the alternator is relatively straightforward; power at the B+, key or ASD relay-switched 12 volts at one of the two fi eld terminals, and pulse-width modulated ground at the other fi eld terminal (other manufacturers may modu-late the positive side, but the principle is the same).

Briefly grounding the negative field terminal with the engine running (“full

fi elding”) should cause the alternator to charge as proof of function, but do not do it for long, as excessive system voltages—and possibly damage—will result. (It is also possible to do this test with some internally regulated alternators.)

My experience with Chrysler charging sys-tems suggests that the computer seldom fails—engine and chassis ground issues

are the most common electrical faults when the alternator itself checks out OK.

Shared faultsBoth styles of alternator have common failures—mechanical, such as bearings or loose/damaged/corroded connections (watch for loose belts, too); and internal electrical, like open or shorted windings, worn brushes, and failed diodes (required to convert the AC current produced into useable DC).

Charge lamps on while running (where the lamp’s circuit is actually the trigger source), unusual noises or noise levels, or excessive AC ripple—measured by set-ting your multimetre to “AC Volts” (less than 0.5 VAC, measured across the bat-tery terminals, is generally considered acceptable)—are also indicators of faulty alternators, and should result in their replacement.

Brian [email protected]

Familiarity with both types will greatly aid your diag-nostics, as testing procedures differ between them.

This 1999 Taurus uses an internally regulated alternator. This externally regulated alternator is on a 2000 Neon. Internally regulated alternator on a 2004 Chevy Silverado.


A s you are certainly aware, the water pump can be driven by either the timing belt (on some of the newer

vehicles) or the fan belt in order to trans-port the rad coolant all the way though the engine and then back into the radi-ator. Since the water pump has a rotor on one end and a shaft with pulley on the other, the rotor is the part that moves the coolant when the belt spins the pulley.

Needless to say, cars can have problems with the cooling system—one of the most common being water pump failure. However, they are pretty tough custom-ers and often last from about 96,000 to 128,000 km. But other things can dam-age the pump—coolant contamination and cooling system corrosion. The good news is that you can prevent both by regu-larly checking coolant chemical balance. If the coolant is no longer effective, it needs to be changed. Also, fl ushing the cooling system on a regular schedule will help re-duce coolant contamination failures.

And still moreOther causes of pump failure could be…

• The automatic belt tensioner—is it oscillating excessively?

• The shaft—is it broken? This is usually caused by imbalance (rapid acceleration and high rpms).

• Pulley misalignment.

• Broken housing.

• Bearing failure.

• A broken belt.

• A defective fan clutch.

• Continuous seepage from the weep hole which indicates a failed seal.

So you go over all the symptoms of the possible failures above if the failed culprit is not readily visible. Then you need to install a new water pump.

InstallingBefore installation, clean out the cool-ing system. Gates has some great tips in their Water Pump catalogue that will help immensely if this is something new and different for you. They suggest that you disconnect the fan, fan clutch, hoses, and belts and remove the old water pump. Next, you should inspect the impeller cav-ity in the engine block. You need to clean it thoroughly, removing sediment build-up and scale—don’t forget the gasket surface. They also recommend that you replace the timing belt and components, if the water pump is timing belt driven. Be sure to identify whether it is a standard or reverse rotation pump—they are not inter-changeable. You need to tighten the steel back plate bolts and coat the new gaskets with gasket sealer. Don’t strike the pump shaft in order to force the pump. Tighten the mounting bolts to manufacturer’s torque specs.

If the water pump has a fan clutch and

belt, take a good look and replace them if you think something is wrong. Don’t over-tighten the belts. Test the automatic belt tensioner according to the manufacturer’s instructions. See that the pump shaft rotates freely before reinstalling pulleys, fans, clutches, belts, and hoses. Check for leaks. Check the fan blades—if they are bent, cracked, or if rivets are loose, replace the fan.

Manufacturer’s recommendationsYou should follow the manufacturer’s re-pair manual in replacing the water pump and ALWAYS put in new coolant after a water pump installation. Again, see what the manufacturer recommends, don’t mix types of antifreeze, and don’t use coolant additives.

On the import side of water pumps, Beck/Arnley also offers a full line and suggests replacement tips as well. In fact, they rec-ommend replacing the fan clutch to pre-vent heating problems. They also say that cooling system failures can be avoided with proper maintenance and replace-ment of critical components.

Another avenue to look at when sourcing a water pump is remanufactured pumps such as the high quality ones from Fenco.

Our thanks to Gates, Beck/Arnley, and Fenco for the information provided for this article.


• Continuous seepage from the weep hole which

So you go over all the symptoms of the

belt, take a good look and replace them if you think something is wrong. Don’t over-tighten the belts. Test the automatic belt tensioner according to the manufacturer’s instructions. See that the pump shaft rotates freely before reinstalling pulleys, fans, clutches, belts, and hoses. Check

Water Pumps

Failures HappenAs part of the cooling system, the water pump is pretty

important in keeping the vehicle running in good order. summer

is coming, and you need to be on the lookout for symptoms that could

suggest the water pump needs replacing. this is also good preventive maintenance.


Industry news

Advertisers Index

www.aapexshow.com AAPEX 5, 20www.aaro.ca AARO 24www.altrom.com Altrom Group 17www.atlastire.com Atlas Tire Wholesale 7, 21www.auto-value.ca Auto Value 13www.autosphere.ca autosphere.ca 31www.beckarnley.com Beck/Arnley 19www.bluestreak.ca Blue Streak 3www.mapcanada.org MAP Canada 29www.napacanada.com NAPA Auto Parts 11www.napaexcellence.ca NAPA Centre of Excellence 9www.pennzoil.com Pennzoil 2www.redlinedetection.com Redline Detection 25www.muscle.ca/shads Shad’s R&R 23www.uni-select.com Uni-Select 16www.valvoline.com Valvoline 32

APRA & ATRA to Co-locate Their Expositionstwo leading international associations have agreed to co-locate

their respective expositions at the riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, nevada on november 1-2, 2009. this development brings together the Powertrain expo run by the Automatic transmission re-builders Association (AtrA) and the International Big r show run by the Automotive Parts remanufacturers Association (APrA).

For details on exhibiting, please contact the respective associations. Jeanie Magathan, senior vice president of APrA, may be reached at [email protected] or 703-968-2772, ext. 104. diane Bland of AtrA may be reached at 805-389-0353 or [email protected].

www.aaro.ca AARO

www.altrom.com Altrom Group

www.atlastire.com Atlas Tire Wholesale

www.auto-value.ca Auto Value


Dave Redinger is a mechanic with over 40 years experience. He owns and operates his own shop in the Toronto area. Dave hosts the Neighbourhood Mechanic show,

heard on Chum 1050. The Neighbourhood Mechanic can be seen on Dave’s national Television show on E Channel. Both shows deal with automotive issues.

Dave Redinger [email protected]

R ecession is a dirty word, and there’s no doubt that many are suffering due to the current economic down-

turn. But not everyone hurts during a recession. In fact as pocket strings tighten up, those of us in the repair industry tend to flourish. So let me ask you, are you ready for an increase in business?

About-faceOver the last few years we have seen a tremendous change in the way we do busi-ness. As an independent, we discovered several years ago that we were failing. Our company failed to grow, we were lacking the access to technology we needed and wanted, we weren’t getting the mark-up on parts that we should have, and we weren’t getting the support we needed from our jobber. In short, we were sliding into the abyss.

Then, about three years ago we read an ad describing the AUTOPRO program from NAPA. Intrigued and interested, we

met with them, liked what we heard and signed on. That was step one in an about-face we never regretted.

Beyond breakdownLet’s face it: NAPA is in the business of selling parts. The powers-that-be at NAPA are smart enough to realize that a strong customer base is going to grow their parts business. The better NAPA customers do, the better NAPA does. So they’re eager and happy to help you and me improve the way we do business.

NAPA introduced us to the various man-agement programs they offer. The ob-ject—to convert our shop from a break-down shop to a maintenance shop. What’s the difference, you ask?

A breakdown shop waits around for the tow truck to drop off work. No truck, no work. A maintenance shop, on the other

you should be running your shop more like a dentist’s offi ce.

Garage Business

Paging Dr. RedingerAlthough recessions are never welcome or wanted,

they can also be a time of prosperity and opportunity

for those of us in the aftermarket.

hand, takes a more proactive approach to business. In fact, a maintenance shop is run like a dentist’s offi ce in that reminders are sent out to customers on a regular basis, and work is booked in advance so that the shop is always humming with money-generating activity.

Imagine having pre-ordered parts in stock for a repair that you know is scheduled to come in. How effi cient is that!

Better for businessWe’re in our third year as an AUTOPRO shop. Result: our sales are up over 30% this year. I don’t know if this fi gure is the result of doing a better job, more busi-ness because people are planning to keep their cars and investing in them, or if we just screwed up so badly last year that we couldn’t help but see better numbers this

year. More than likely, the 30% is a com-bination of all of the above.

The bottom line—get your head out from under the hood. Take a look at your cur-rent operation. How profi table are your labour sales? How profitable are the parts sales? Where can you cut expenses? These are just a few of the questions you should be asking.

And if you can’t get the help you want or need from your jobber, why not think about moving on? Maybe it’s time for pro-fessional help.


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