OnDemand5.com/ShopKey5.com Newsletter
March 2014   

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.


NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Access ProDemand or ShopKey Pro Using Your Existing Login

ProDemand and ShopKey Pro are now available to all OnDemand5.com and ShopKey5.com subscribers using your existing username and password. You no longer need to request an updgrade. It's now easier than ever to start using the new product. Just click the appropriate link below to give the new product a try.

Click here to log into ProDemand. Click here to log into ShopKey Pro.

Want to know more about ProDemand or ShopKey Pro?

Join us at one of our training workshops where we show you how the new product works. Workshops are held each week at varying times. You only need to attend one 45 minute session to learn the basics of using the program. There is also a question and answer session at the end to help you with anything else you need to know. Click the appropriate link below to visit our training site and to sign up for a workshop.

Informative ShopConnection blog posts about the new product:


Reserve Your SureTrack™ Username Now

Click here for more information on SureTrack.

SureTrack adds to the power of ProDemand and ShopKey Pro with an exclusive combination of expert knowledge and detailed parts replacement records, all wrapped in an interactive community. Designed to help automotive shops increase accuracy and efficiency from diagnosis to completed repair, the industry's most comprehensive repair information resource is just a few clicks away.

Since SureTrack is a tool for the individual tech, you will need a separate username and password in order to ask questions, share tips or upload content. It is very easy to set up your SureTrack user account by just launching SureTrack from ProDemand or ShopKey Pro and then clicking the Create Account link at the top of the SureTrack screen. Remember that you can use your existing OnDemand5 or ShopKey5 login to access the new repair programs.

Key Advantages of the SureTrack Community
  • Notification system lets you know when someone has replied to your question.
  • Easy to find your own content.
  • Follow posts and get notified when replies are made.
  • Key additional data provided when you search for tips and fixes.
  • Ever growing collection of waveform and PID graphs, upload your own too.
  • All users who participate must set up a profile. No more anonymous posts.
  • Your profile can travel with you if you change shops.
Click here for more information on SureTrack.



Click here to log into ProDemand. Click here to log into ShopKey Pro.



New Mitchell 1 Shop Connection Blog

Click here to visit the Mitchell 1 Shop Connection Blog

Mitchell 1 has a new blog site dedicated to providing the latest updates on our products as well as interesting and informative industry news and stories. Much the same content as you're used to getting here in the OnDemand5/ShopKey5 newsletter but expanded to cover more products.

Contents include:
  • Product Highlights
  • SureTrack Real Fixes
  • Product Update Information
  • Product Tips & Tricks
  • Quick Product How-To Videos
  • Industry News and Insights
  • Automotive Repair Articles from Motor Age and Other Sources
  • And Much More

Click here to visit the Mitchell 1 Shop Connection blog now.


Internet Explorer 9 or Newer Compatibility

Before installing or upgrading to Internet Explorer 9 or newer, please read our page of information detailing what to do and issues that may occur with this update. Some users will get Internet Explorer updates automatically from Microsoft.

Click here for more information.


Diagnosing Diesel No Start Problems

Click here to read the complete article at Motor Age.

Low oil can cause a no start? It just might.

Albin Moore/Motor Age -- From time to time I get phone calls asking for information. I really love the calls that start something like this: "My diesel pickup won't start. I parked it at my house last night, and this morning it's dead. It won't start, what's wrong with it?"

I always get a chuckle from calls like this. Obviously, the vehicle owner is having a problem, but with the information supplied, there is not enough information to even come close to guessing the cause of the complaint.

My diesel experience goes back to the 1960s when things were simple. All that was needed to get a diesel engine started was the proper amount of heat in the combustion chamber and the proper amount of combustible fuel, injected into the combustion chamber at the proper time. Is it any different today with the electronic diesels? Not at all; the basics still apply and by keeping those basics in mind, a seemingly hard no start problem can be simplified.

Starting with the basics, let's discuss the two most basic needs of diesel engine operation: proper combustion chamber heat and the proper amount of fuel injected at the proper time. I find it easier to understand big problems with this approach, by understanding the basics of how a system works. I will try to break "diesel no start" down to the small problems, then flow the small problems together to create a work flow that will be easily understood.

The Need for Heat

When asked what makes heat in the combustion chamber, most techs will reply "proper compression" or "proper glow plug operation." These are great answers, but when I'm faced with this question, I always start with the proper cranking speed. I might move on to the compression and proper glow plug operation, but without the proper cranking speed, the engine compression is a moot point.

Most diesel engines need a minimum cranking speed of 150 rpm. If the starting system is not capable of turning the engine fast enough, do some testing and find out why. The technician might need to start with an inspection of the batteries, which will include a load test of the batteries, some voltage drop testing of the negative and positive sides of the starter circuits and maybe a current draw test on the starter. If all these tests pass, then check for something binding inside of the starter or the engine. Until the engine will crank fast enough, any other testing is a waste of valuable time.

Source: Motor Age


Cleaning Up Diesels! - The Trainer Video Series

Click here to visit Motor Age.

How Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) Works

Motor Age -- Diesels are a popular choice in Europe, accounting for nearly 50% of the fleet. Yet here in the U.S., market share is still in the single digits. And you may find the reasons why rather interesting. Some sources point to the fact that diesels have a dirty reputation. Consumers think of diesel engines as noisy, cantankerous and smelly. Others point at emissions, as reason diesels haven't caught on here in the States.

Another major reason is far simpler. Gasoline in the U.S. is cheaper than diesel at the pump. Not so in Europe, where the roles are reversed. Why? Forget the fact that diesel is a less refined product and therefore cheaper to produce than gasoline. That has little to do with it. The main reason is taxation. Taxes on diesel are higher than those levied on gasoline in the U.S., and are the exact opposite overseas. So vehicle choice is as much a matter of economics as it is anything else.

Yes, diesels are more efficient; up to 40% more than their gasoline cousins. But they are typically more expensive in a given model line, too. And to recoup that initial investment through fuel savings alone can take three to four years!

But adding more diesels to the U.S. fleet is paramount to the OEMs ability to meet pressing fuel efficiency requirements mandated by CAFE. And they are going to make diesel passenger cars more attractive by bringing down the cost difference and building them cleaner and quieter than ever.

As techs, we don't control design or cost. But we do need to understand function and service. And one service that you may not be yet used to is checking and servicing the selective catalyst reduction system. No problem, though, as we show you how in this month's edition of the Trainer.

For more info on Peak BluDEF diesel exhaust fluid, visit http://www.peakauto.com/products/bluedef/

For more info on the 2014 Chevy Cruze diesel, visit http://www.chevrolet.com/cruze-compact-car.html

Source: Motor Age



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.


SURETRACK REAL FIXES   ^  

SureTrack Real Fixes

Mitchell 1's long running a tip contest ended on July 31, 2013. We will be focusing on the new SureTrack system available in the new ProDemand and ShopKey Pro programs and will probably have a contest there in the future. We would like to express our gratitude to all have participated in the tip contest in the past. If you have not tried the new products and SureTrack, click here request your upgrade.



  • Click here for the archive of OnDemand5/ShopKey5 tip contest winners.


Click here to visit the Mitchell 1 product users forum.
Want to discuss subjects on running your shop?

Join the free Mitchell 1 product users forum today. Click here to check it out.



Click here to visit the RepairCert.com web site.
Click here for information on training resources available for OnDemand and ShopKey repair users.




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