Andrew Markel, Author at Counterman Magazine - Page 5 of 5
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WATCH: 3 Tips for Extending Belt Life in Your Customers’ Vehicles

All three tips relate to how the belt interacts with the pulleys.

WATCH: What to Do When a Shop Returns a Timing-Belt Kit

A lot of returns on timing belts come from the shop not installing all of the components inside the kit.

WATCH: Timing-Belt Kits Include Everything Needed to Get the Job Done Right

Make sure you look through your parts catalog to see what’s included in some of these kits.

WATCH: Counter Pros Should Ask this Question When Selling a New Alternator

When a shop asks for a new alternator, be sure to ask them, “Does it have a decoupler pulley?”

Cavitation ‘Bubbles’: The Archnemesis Of Water Pumps

The tiny “bubbles” of water pump cavitation can kill the pump. While you will never actually see the tiny bubbles of cavitation in pumps, you can see the damage of cavitation that looks like metal eaten by termites.

Measure Rotor Thickness, Runout: Stop Pulsation Comebacks Before They Start

It is critical to measure thickness and runout in a brake rotor and wheel flange even if new rotors are going to be installed.

Opinion: Cheap Brake Jobs Are Not Cheap

Brakes should not a loss leader for shops, says Brake & Front End Editor Andrew Markel. In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, you could get all four brakes relined for $19.99 (springs and hardware extra). If you calculate what that means in 2012 dollars, it would cost $282 according to the Consumer Price Index. So