Larry Carley, Author at Tire Review Magazine
Servicing Wheel Bearings and Locking Hubs on 4WD SUVs and Light Trucks

Automatic hubs are used on many 4×4 trucks to disengage the front wheels when four-wheel drive is not needed. Learn to spot and diagnose problems with this troublesome piece of equipment to prevent comebacks.

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Cartridge Wheel Bearing Service

Wheel bearing service on import front-wheel-drive cars with cartridge-style wheel bearings can be a challenge if you don’t have the proper tools. The wheel bearings are pressed into the knuckle making them impossible to remove unless you have a hydraulic press or a puller designed to push the wheel bearings out of the hub. Import

Good or Replace? Testing Today’s Batteries

A weak battery, or one that is rundown, may not deliver enough amps to crank the engine when temperatures plunge and the oil thickens. While cold weather can be hard on batteries, so can hot weather because it increases water loss from the electrolyte inside the battery. That’s why batteries in hot climates usually don’t

Diesel Oil Requirements

Modern clean diesel technology brought with it the need for higher-quality motor oils. The American Petroleum Institute (API) introduced the current CJ-4 oil standards back in 2006 so diesel motor oils would be compatible with 2007 model year engines equipped with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and exhaust aftertreatment systems, and would be designed to burn

Making Money with Mode $06

Nothing is more frustrating than “fixing” a customer’s vehicle and then have it come back a few days or weeks later with the check engine light on and the same fault code or a new fault code. You look bad, lose your customer’s confidence in your ability to fix their vehicle, and in states that

Antifreeze: Premixed Or Straight?

Antifreeze is a product that is in every liquid-cooled vehicle’s cooling system. Most brands of antifreeze are made of Ethylene Glycol (EG), although some brands use Propylene Glycol (PG) because it is somewhat less toxic if ingested. Antifreeze is mixed in equal parts with water to create a coolant solution that provides both freezing and

Intake Manifold Gaskets: A Service Rundown

Back in the days when most ­engines had cast iron blocks, heads and manifolds, the intake manifold could be easily sealed with simple and relatively inexpensive die cut fiber-faced metal gaskets (solid or perforated core). Sealer was usually required to ensure a leak-free installation. But in the late 1980s and early 1990s, fuel systems and

Cabin Air Filters Serve A Dual Purpose

Cabin air filters, like other filters, are a maintenance item that needs to be inspected and replaced on a regular basis. Yet, in spite of the aftermarket’s efforts to educate the public, many motorists still don’t know their vehicle even has such a filter. It’s out of sight and out of mind for many motorists.

Late-Model Vehicles Place High Demands On Batteries

Long, cold winters are hard on car batteries, but long hot summers can be even harsher. Batteries in hot climates like Arizona, New Mexico and Florida typically need to be replaced a year or two sooner than those in states with more moderate climates. The reason is that heat causes the electrolyte inside the battery

Strategy of TPMS Diagnostics

The first step in any TPMS diagnostic strategy is to figure out whether or not your customer’s vehicle actually has a TPMS problem. Why? Simply put, there are a number of factors that can cause a TPMS warning light to illuminate or flash – and some are hard to uncover. The light should illuminate when

A/C Cooling Loss Caused by Numerous Factors

It may be hard to think about A/C refrigerant this time of year, but when warmer weather arrives, the demand for refrigerant always jumps. Refrigerant is the working gas inside an A/C system. Refrigerants are gases that condense and change to a liquid at a certain temperature and pressure. They are normally a gas at

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Loads, Faults and Drains

A good battery with an adequate charge is absolutely essential for reliable cold starting. A weak battery, or one that is rundown, may not deliver enough amps to crank the engine when temperatures plunge and the oil thickens. Cold weather can be hard on batteries, but so can hot weather because it increases water loss

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