Professional_Tool_And_Equipment_News_March_2020 - 8

EDITOR'S NOTE

A/C service is just
around the corner
Prepare your shop for the spring rush
with the right A/C service tools,
equipment, and knowledge.

Sara Scullin
Editor

Tyler Fussner
Assistant Editor

By David Brierley, Managing Editor
David@VehicleServicePros.com

P

unxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog from Pennsylvania, did not see
his shadow this year, indicating an
early spring if you believe the lore.
But believe it or not, spring is just
around the corner, and with it will come
warmer temperatures.
As the days heat up, drivers will begin
to use the A/C in their vehicles. After not
being used most of the winter, some systems will run into problems - and that's
where you come in. For automotive technicians, springtime is synonymous with A/C
repair. Is your shop ready for the rush?
Having the proper tools and equipment to service A/C systems is essential.
With the 2021 deadline approaching for
newly built light duty vehicles to stop using
R-134a refrigerant, more automakers are
switching to R-1234yf, so a refrigerant identifier will come in handy if you're not sure
what type of refrigerant is in the vehicle
you're servicing.
A recovery/recycle/recharge (RRR)
machine is another must-have item for
shops servicing A/C systems. With the different refrigerant types on the market, your
shop should have one that handles R-134a
and one that handles R-1234yf - or one
that can handle both.
On today's advanced vehicles, a button or switch rarely offers direct control
of any system. Instead, pressing a button
or twisting a knob on the HVAC control
panel sends a command to a computer, and

8

PTEN

MARCH 2020

VehicleServicePros.com

the computer controls the different components to adjust the temperature, pressure,
and direct the airflow where it needs to be.
This added layer of complication and programming makes a scan tool a necessary
piece to many A/C repair puzzles.
Don't forget the hand and specialty tools
that are needed to service A/C compressors and other underhood components.
There are many specially designed tools
available to streamline this type of work
and make accessing parts and components
less difficult.
When A/C troubles arise that are not
easily remedied, an A/C system analyzer
can help find the problem faster. Tricky
A/C problems can be difficult to pinpoint,
however, and sometimes knowledge -
whether from training, prior experience,
or both - can be the best tool. Check out
this month's Tool Briefing (p. 30) for ideas
on how to use creative, outside-the-box
thinking to diagnose a difficult A/C issue.
As we ease into the spring months,
consider your A/C arsenal. What are your
"secret weapons" when it comes to vehicle
A/C service and repair?

Have any questions or comments? Want to see more
or less of something in the pages of PTEN? Let me
know! Give me a call or send me an email.
david@vehicleservicepros.com
920-563-1622

Emily Markham
Assistant Editor

Kayla Oschmann
Assistant Editor

Barry Hoyland
Contributing Editor
PTEN Editorial Advisory Board
Technicians
John Harris,
Brooks-Huff Goodyear, Timonium MD
Eric Moore,
DeMary Trucks, Columbus, OH
Lou Fort,
K.A.R.S. Inc., Huntingburg, IN
Shop Owners
Phil Fournier,
Phil's Auto Clinic, Hemet, CA
JD Goad,
Goad's Body Shop, Lexington, VA
Edwin Hazzard,
Southeast Mobile Tech, Goose Creek, SC
Barry Hoyland,
VSSCA, Camarillo, CA
Pete Rudloff,
Pete's Garage Inc., Newark, DE
Equipment Manufacturers
Chad Schley,
Schley Products/SP Tools
Jim O'Hara,
Clore Automotive
http://www.VehicleServicePros.com
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