Articles Index

The Crescent Wrench

The Crescent Wrench is a versatile tool that should be in every tool box. Did you know that Crescent was actually the brand name for one company's adjustable wrench?

What does OEM stand for, and what does OEM mean?

You may hear the acronym "OEM" tossed around, but do you know what it means? Do you know what OEM stands for? OEM has a specific meaning when you're talking about auto parts, truck parts, and accessories. Here is the definition of OEM.

What is a Helical Gear?

What is a helical gear? It's in your transmission. See this photo of a helical 4th gear to see for yourself.

Tools for Auto Repair: The Open End Wrench

No auto repair tool kit is complete without a set of open end wrenches. When you are repairing your car, a tool that "sorta fits" isn't cutting it. Open end wrenches are exactly sized to fit the bolt you are working on. This prevents damage to your car and damage to your knuckles.

The Allen Wrench

You always need to have the right tool for the job in auto repair. If a bolt on your car needed to be really tight, they might have used an allen bolt. You'll need an allen wrench to take it off. Be sure you know what you're looking at and how to use it.

Push Screw

Trim panels can be held on with these type of push screws.

Air Conditioning Dye Test

Warm air conditioning can be caused by a leaking air conditioning system, causing a freon leak. A common air conditioning leak test is a pressurized dye test.

What is a reverse-threaded bolt?

What does reverse threaded mean? Does my car use a reverse threaded bolt? When threads are reversed it can be confusing, so be sure to find out which ones go which way. we can at least help with a definition of reverse threads along with a barrel of other auto repair tips.

Money

It's all about the money, but in the Automotive Empowerment Zone, it's all about saving money.