Doing Business On and Off the Bench COLUMN BY JOEY CLINE Almost every indus- try in the U.S. has been affected by the recent economic situation. The rebuilding industry is no exception and perhaps has been plagued more than others due to high energy costs which include escalat- ing gas prices. Due to the higher cost of driving, people are reluctant to go out more. People are buying less, which results in cutbacks of manufacturing and the need for transportation of goods. These and many other situations lessen the demand for rotating electrical units. So, what can one do to possibly work around these unavoidable problems? Over the past several years, many rebuilders have seen their automotive unit sales decline or diminish altogether. To overcome this problem they have turned their focus to other areas in the rebuilding industry such as rebuilding agriculture and heavy duty units. While this has been a great footing, be warned that it may be sinking in the very near future. This year has seen perhaps the two largest automotive remanufacturers with established and potent distribution chains gobble up many companies that will make them viable contenders for the agriculture and heavy duty markets. Every day that I walk through my shops looking at quality issues, I always have the attitude of what separates my product from everyone else’s. Let’s face it, in today’s market one can buy rotating elec- trical units on about every corner. Consider this challenge; make a list of every service and product that you offer to your potential customers. Now, mark off every service and product that can be performed or bought in a 20 mile radius of your business. What do you have left? Could your business survive off those things alone? One of the greatest ways to separate your business from others is to stay informed and continuously learn about your industry and the ever chang- ing technology that surrounds it. After all, if you were the only one in the world that knew how to make a trillion dollars, then you would be the only trillionaire in the world! Testing November is a challenging time for a lot of technicians across the world. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) offers its fall certifica- tion tests. This is a great opportunity for rebuilders to learn and show their true professionalism to the world. I have included an official ASE test question for those that would like to put on their think- ing caps. Let’s see how you do. The horns in the circuit shown in (Figure 1) only blow when a jumper wire is connected between terminals no. 1 and no. 3 of the horn relay. Technician A says that a bad horn relay could be the cause. Technician B says that a ground in the circuit between the horn relay and the horn switch could be the cause. Who is right? (A) A only (B) B only (C) Both A and B (D) Neither A nor B Next month we will look at the correct answer to this question. Too Many CCAs Sometimes the information you come across leaves you wondering what the author is saying. Case in point: Delco Remy recently released instruction sheets 10511648 and 10511649. They are also considered as service bulletins 1B-216 and 1M-153. These bulletins are really nothing more than basic instruction sheets for the installation of the 28-, 29-, 38- and 39MT gear reduction heavy duty starting motors. The part of the bulletins that have left many in the industry scratching their heads is the wording, “Excessive available CCA can damage starters.” CCA rating is the current a bat- tery can supply at 0 degrees F (-18C). The following maximum battery recommen- dations are also given: 28MT 12V_ 1100CCA 28MT 24V 900CCA 29MT 12V 2500 CCA 29MT 24V 1250CCA 38MT 12V_ 1875 CCA 38MT 24V 900CCA 39MT 12V 2500 CCA 39MT 24V_ 1250CCA Most people in this industry have been taught, and believe, that you can never have too much battery power; that only the lack of battery power can cause prob- lems. Although there are many who will never be convinced this is true, having more than the recommended battery CCAs available to the starter can or will damage it. What will this excessive power do to the starter? Well, first let’s think about something that you can relate it to in your shop instead of some scientific formula that leaves you scratching your head. Have you ever applied 12 volts to a 6-volt starter? It sounds like a top fuel dragster taking off compared to a Honda Accord. What I want you to think the most about though, is how fast and hard the starter drive engages. How many times have you seen the damage to the drives, not to mention the flywheel, caused by this rapid engage- ment? In the illustration, the voltage was increased, causing rapid engagement. What I want you to see, not from an elec- trical viewpoint, but rather the mechani- cal view point, is the mechanical integrity of the starter being severely taxed by this rapid engagement. Impact loading of the starter drive and pinion gear to the fly- wheel, which can cause chip