Federal-Mogul Reports Strong Fourth Quarter 2010 and Full-Year Results
Federal-Mogul Corp. has reported higher sales, gross margin, net income and EBITDA for the fourth quarter and full-year 2010. The company’s sales in the fourth quarter increased $180 million to $1.6 billion with growth in all business segments and all markets, led by a 20 percent OE and 12 percent U.S. aftermarket sales increase versus
How Piston Rings Affect Horsepower
The rings seal the pistons to prevent air and oil from being drawn past the rings into the combustion chamber during the intake stroke. During the compression stroke, the rings make sure the air/fuel stays in the combustion chamber and is fully compressed before it is ignited. During the power stroke, the rings prevent pressure
Be Careful With Your Email
As technology infiltrates every aspect of your business, you need to know that email has become the most popular communication tool at the office. That makes it all the more important to approach email as you would any other type of communication. For example, there may be people in your shop who don’t treat their
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: February 2011
Making the Most of Every Job Quote Often times when my people are quoting a job, I will ask if the customer wanted gaskets, to which the reply is typically, “uh, I don’t know.” That’s just a lost sale every time the phone hangs up if you ask me it’s only selling part of
Cylinder Sleeve Installation Procedures
Dry sleeves have long been used to repair damaged and worn cast iron and aluminum engine blocks. If a cylinder has excessive taper wear, or is cracked, scored or otherwise damaged, boring out the damaged cylinder and installing a repair sleeve can often save the block. Likewise, if all of the cylinders are heavily worn,
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: January 2011
Keeping Gaskets In Their Place Can’t get a hard to reach gasket to stay in place even using various types of sealers? Try this trick that worked for me. Simply tie the gasket in place with sewing thread through available bolt holes/studs and/or any area that can be used for a temporary tie off. Once the gasket has
HDRG Names Camerota Truck Parts 2011 Heavy Duty Remanufacturer of the Year
Camerota Truck Parts was awarded theprestigious “Mike Hill Heavy Duty Remanufacturer of the Year Award" during the Heavy Duty Remanufacturing Group (HDRG) Summit, a division of the Automotive PartsRemanufacturers Association (APRA), in Las Vegas on January 17, 2011. According to APRA/HDRG President Bill Gager, the panel’s decision to award Camerota Truck Parts of Enfield, CT,
Is Equipment Leasing Catching On In The Industry?
Manufacturers and distribution groups sell their wares to automotive shop owners who need to upgrade equipment or add services. The owner typically pays cash, goes to his bank for a loan or, in some cases, leases the equipment or software. Basically, the buyer is motivated to make a capital improvement because it will make him
Prestolite Performance Awards 2010 Camaro to National Guardsman in Modern Muscle X Contest
When Matt Pierson answered the phone on Friday, Jan. 7, the last thing he expected to hear was that he was chosen as the winning recipient of a new car through Prestolite Performance’s Modern Muscle X campaign. The news could not have come at a better time for the self-described “Chevy guy.” After returning on
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: November 2010
Cleaning Up Cam Bearings After Installation Once in a while you may get an engine block that has an imperfect or misaligned cam bore. Rather than taking the time to scrape the newly installed cam bearings to fit by hand I took old cam cores and made cutter cams. Verifying the cores are straight, I
Can Diesel Performance Help Boost Your Business?
Most people associate diesel engines with truck and tractor pulling events, not traditional motorsports. There are no diesel-powered NASCAR races or Indy cars. But diesels are making inroads in other types of racing. Diesel-powered race cars and trucks are setting land speed records at Bonneville, winning endurance races at LeMans, and running over 200 mph
Federal-Mogul Announces Enhanced Organization for North American Aftermarket
The company has appointed Bob Egan to the position of vice president, customer relations for the global aftermarket. Egan will report to Jay Burkhart, senior vice president, global aftermarket, in his new position. The change is effective immediately. “Bob will assume responsibility for the development of our strategic partnerships with our key customers worldwide,” said
Diesel Performance: Camshafts, Lifters and Valvetrain
Diesel performance is nothing new. What is new is the level of interest in diesels for all kinds of racing; everything from traditional truck and tractor pulling to drag racing, even sports car and endurance racing. Diesel engines are a different type of animal when compared to gasoline engines. While both use the same four-stroke
Zwicker To Present ‘Embracing the Future’ at Big R Show
Automotive Parts Remanufacturers Association (APRA) President Bill Gager announced that Shawn K. Zwicker, Leader of New Business Development at Cummins, Inc. in Columbus, Indiana will speak on “Embracing the Future” at the Opening Session of the International BIG R Show on October 31, 2010 at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel. “Growing environmental concerns and the
Small Businesses Seen as Engine for Economic Recovery
“For months, our member companies and small businesses across the country have struggled to gain access to capital and credit,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA’s President and CEO. “In many cases, tougher credit access has nothing to do with the SEMA member’s business and everything to do with the bank’s difficulties in meeting current lending to
Timing Chains, Sprockets and Gears
Look back at the events in your life an examine how timing has played a part in the outcome. When you showed up at party and met the girl who would eventually become your wife? When you stayed late at work and missed the 18-car pile up on the interstate? Even without realizing it, your
Competition Is Good, Healthy, Necessary Because It Makes Us Better
While the two tennis greats were friends behind the scenes and theirfriendship is still going strong today, the on-court adversaries playedtough. When asked what effect their rivalry had on their careers, they bothresponded that it made them better competitors. “It made our careerslonger and better,” said Navratilova. “I don’t think either of us wouldhave lasted
Northwood University Announces First Blended Automotive MBA Degree
The first MBA program designed to address the parallel business challenges and emerging opportunities facing automotive dealership and aftermarket manufacturing and distribution professionals will be launched in January by Northwood University’s DeVos Graduate School of Management. Applications are now being accepted for this exclusive degree program. The DeVos MBA for Automotive Professionals will be the
Jasper Engines and Transmissions’ Longest-Serving Associate Dies
Jasper Engines & Transmissions mourns the loss ofits longest-serving associate, Gervase Schwenk. Gervase succumbed tocancer Sept. 8, at the age of 86. “Notonly do we lose a good friend, unbelievable businessman and chairman,but truly a gentle giant who was extremely humble and cared more aboutothers than he cared about himself,” said JASPER President Doug
Using Games and Play to Boost Productivity
Back in 2004, we wrote a Herman Trend Alert called "The Future of Gaming." The future is here today. According to a recent study from Pew Research, 97 percent of teens and more than half of all adults play video games. Moreover, Gallup’s recent research suggests that more than 70 percent of employees are “somewhat