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Welcome to the OnDemand5.com/ShopKey5.com newsletter.
This newsletter is provided to share information about our users, their shops, automotive industry news, things going on at Mitchell 1 as well as tips for using the OnDemand5.com and ShopKey5.com products. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, or ideas for what you'd like to see in it, please .
In this issue:
Missed a previous edition or want to read an article again? Just go to the Newsletter Archive page for a list of links to past headlines.
ProDemand™ and ShopKey®Pro Now Available
FASTER, EASIER, SMARTER
ProDemand™ and ShopKey®Pro are now available to all OnDemand5.com and ShopKey5.com subscribers at no additional charge. For more information and to request ProDemand™ or ShopKey®Pro to be added to your account, click the link below:
Click here for more information and to request access to ProDemand™ or ShopKey®Pro.
- FASTER - eliminating the need for multiple information look-ups. By returning relevant content in one look-up, ProDemand™ and ShopKey®Pro quickly give the technicians everything they need to complete the job.
- EASIER - allowing the technician to effortlessly navigate from procedures to TSBs to specifications to wiring diagrams and more. ProDemand™ and ShopKey®Pro bring the information to the technicians so they can focus on the vehicle.
- SMARTER - intelligently cross referencing components, phrases, and codes in the database. Technicians don't have to know the OEM specific term because ProDemand™ and ShopKey®Pro will find the information regardless of term entered.
Click here to watch a recorded webcast introduction from 11/17/11.
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Internet Explorer 9 Compatibility
Before installing or upgrading to Internet Explorer 9, please read our page of information detailing what to do and issues that may occur with this update. Some users will get IE9 automatically from Microsoft.
Click here for more information.
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All Choked Up - Testing an Engine's Ability to Breathe
Just like you, an engine can't run very far if it can't breathe.
Motor Age -- It was easy in the old days. If you wanted more power, you simply added more inches, cubic inches, that is. But carmakers today are faced with increasingly stringent standards for emissions and fuel economy. One of the great challenges here in the U.S. is the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards requiring a corporate average of 35.5 miles per gallon by the 2016 model year, and stretching out to over 54 miles per gallon by 2025.
To the credit of the engineers and designers, so far the goals have been met. Engines are being downsized, but the technology they contain allows them to produce the same amounts of power their big brothers were just a few short years ago. Computer controls allow engineers to alter intake tracts across the operating range, change the valve timing to maximize efficiency at low and high speed, all in addition to the precise control they already had over fuel mixture and ignition timing.
But even with the high tech advances, a gasoline engine is still a gasoline engine. More simply, it's an air pump and the more air we can pack into it, the more fuel we can burn, and the more power we can make. If a restriction forms at either end of the engine (intake or exhaust), it won't be able to bring in all the air it's capable of, and performance will suffer. And don't let the word "restriction" limit your thinking. Anything that impacts airflow through the engine can be a "restriction". There's the obvious, like a clogged air filter, and the not so obvious, like retarded cam timing.
But first things first. How do you know if reduced breathing causes the drivability issue you're chasing?
Click here to read the complete article.
Gone in 60 Seconds - GM Passlock Diagnosis
Thieves stay current on modern anti-theft systems so they can steal cars. You need to stay current to fix them.
Motor Age -- There is good and bad news to report on regarding auto theft. First, the good news. Auto theft is down nationwide. It has dropped from an average of one vehicle being stolen every 33 seconds in 2008 to one stolen every 43 seconds in 2010. The bad news? Automotive theft deterrent systems are more complicated and harder to work on than ever.
Hey, that good news didn't sound so good either, did it? One vehicle every 43 seconds is staggering and the rate is higher than that in states like California where eight out of the top 10 cities for auto theft nationwide are located. Ever wonder how likely it is to catch the bad guy and get your car back? The statistics say that 88 percent of the time the crime goes unsolved. It's true that a lot has changed since the 1974 movie "Gone in 60 Seconds" was running in theaters.
Today, the Corvette is no longer the No. 1 stolen car. That honor now goes to the 1994 Honda Accord followed by the 1995 Honda Civic. For Detroit iron, the high honor for most stolen domestic vehicle falls to the 1999 Full size Chevy / GMC pick-up truck at No. 4. Why don't new and expensive vehicles make the top 10 list? They don't for mainly two reasons.
The No. 1 reason is popularity. Thieves today want popular vehicles that bring higher prices at the chop shop. More vehicles on the road of a particular model mean higher demand for good used body parts. The second reason you don't see the higher priced newer vehicles stolen is difficulty in pulling off the theft. While thieves will use bold methods like carjacking, flat bedding, etc., the preferred method is beating the locks and antitheft system during the dark of night.
Click here to read the complete article.
How To Get Featured In The Newsletter
Would you or one of your techs like to be profiled in the newsletter? How about your shop? We're looking for techs and/or shops to feature in this spot. This is an opportunity to let other techs know about you and your shop. You can share information on what your specialties are, what special conditions you have to deal with in your area, anything interesting about your shop or even what you like to do in your free time.
We will also list your shop's information such as location, phone number, web site, or any other information you'd like to provide.
- Send your story and photos for consideration to . Please also include your account number.
- Click here for an example of a past Tech Profile.
- Click here for an example of a past Shop Profile.
Did you know...
 When you post a tip or question in the OnDemand5/ShopKey5 Live Tips system, there is a spell checker available. It is the right-most button on the tool bar above the text box. Just click the button before you click the post button.
Click here for more hints on using OnDemand5 and ShopKey5.
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OnDemand5/ShopKey5 Live Tip Contest Winners
Mitchell 1 is running a tip contest for a limited time in OnDemand5.com and ShopKey5.com. Below are the latest winners of the contest. Each of these tips earned the tech a $100 prize. Click the links below to see the complete tips and for more information on how you can enter.
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