Preamble

Approximate time to complete this lesson: 30 minutes.

Lesson 8 Video

To begin Lesson 8, watch this video (12 minutes, 16 seconds).

Review of Lesson 8

Part 6: Terminology

Avoid misleading terms
Recyclers, collision repair shops, and insurance companies often complain that parts descriptions are too subjective and/or too open to interpretation. The following table developed by the Automotive Recyclers Association identifies commonly used subjective jargon and terms and suggests the alternative terms to use instead.

 

Common Subjective Terms and Jargon	Replace with
One hour repair time	A, B. or C letter grade and damage code
Part Checked OK	A, B, or C
Clean	Don’t use
Decent	A, B, C condition code
Fair	A, B, C condition code
Good	A, B, C condition code
Good Condition	A, B, C condition code
Looks Good	A, B, C condition code
Looks OK	A, B, C condition code
Mint	A, B, C condition code
Nice	A, B, C condition code
Ready	A, B, C condition code
Rough	A, B, C condition code
Runs Good	A, B, C condition code
Tested	A, B, C condition code
Useable	A, B, C condition code

* As an inventory specialist it is your responsibility to help educate your customers on the correct application of these terms. As a business owner or manager you need to ensure that your sales people are communicating the right information to the collision repair facility. If the customer does not understand, or has not received any instruction in the use and application of these terms, work with them and help educate them on what the codes mean and why they are important. It is only through consistent application of these parts grading standards will they have any effect at reducing errors and returned parts.

Parts Inspection

Quality Control Visual Inspection of Mechanical Parts

Part Name / Visual Inspection

Wheel Rim

• The lip should not be bent
• The rim should not have heavy rust
• The bolts should not be damaged or deteriorated

Alloy Wheel

• The wheel must not be abraded
• The finish must not be in poor condition or chipped
• The bolt holes must not be deteriorated

Tire

• Tire must not have excessive wear
• The tire must be uniformly worn
• The tire should not have cracks or cuts
• The tire must not have suffered distortion

Wheel Bearing

• Bearings must not be noisy
• The wheel stud must not be broken
• The wheel bearing must not be too corroded or have excessive rust
• The ABS sensor must not be damaged
• The threads must not be damaged and the bolt must not be damaged inside the part

Strut

• The strut must not be broken or crooked
• The strut must not have rust bubbles
• The tower must not be damaged and the bearing must be functional
• The spring must not be damaged
• The strut must not have leaking oil
• The ABS connector, the strut rod or the brake line must not be broken

Drive Shaft

• The drive shaft must not be broken or damaged
• The thread must not be damaged
• The bellows must not be defective
• The strips must not be damaged
• The lock on the inner yolk must not be damaged
• The location of the lock must not be damaged

Upper and Lower Control Arm

• The control arm must not be broken, crooked or damaged
• The control arm must not have rust bubbles
• The ball joint or its protector must not be broken or damaged
• The inner bushing must be in good condition
• The brackets must be intact

Leaf Spring

• The leaf spring must not be broken, crooked or damaged
• The bushings must not be damaged
• The centre brackets and bolt must be in good condition
• The brackets must be intact

Exhaust Manifold

• The tubing must not be broken by overheating or have undergone distortion
• The bolt must be not be broken in the threads
• The threads of the oxygen sensor must be in good condition

Oil Pan

• The pan must not be broken or rusted
• The drain cap must not be damaged

Engine

• The engine block and cylinder head must not be broken, damaged, or have visible oil or antifreeze leaks
• The oil must not have a burnt smell and must have a good color
• The engine must not be seized
• Frost plugs must be in place
• The timing belt must not be damaged

Transmission

• The transmission must not be broken or damaged
• Transmission oil must not smell burnt and must have a good colour
• The torque convertor drive must not be damaged
• The bolt must not be broken inside the threads or the threads must not be damaged
• The kick-down cable must be in good condition
• The wiring and the condenser must be in good condition

Transfer Case

• The transfer case must not be broken or damaged
• The oil must not smell burnt and must have a good colour
• The transfer case must turn by hand

Axle Shaft

• The drive shaft must not be rusted
• The balancing weights must be in place
• The cross struts must be in good condition and turn smoothly
• The yoke must be in good condition
• The shaft must not be cracked
• Check if the centre bracket bearing is working properly

Differential

• The differential must not be broken or damaged
• The brackets must be in good condition
• The differential must be in good condition
• The differential must not have oil leaks
• The differential must turn smoothly by hand
• The differential must not have rust
• It must be complete with axles
• The axles must not twist when rolled by hand

Alternator

• The fan and housing must not be broken
• The alternator must turn easily by hand
• The threads must be in good condition and not have any broken bolts
• The pulley must turn right
• The condenser must be in good condition

Starter

• The starter must not be broken or damaged
• It must not be rusted
• It must have an assembly bolt
• The gear must have friction when turning it
• The starter must not have wear on the bushings
• The condenser must be in good condition

A/C Compressor

• The compressor must not have any oil leaks at the assembly joints
• It must turn well
• The wiring connector must be in good condition
• The pulley must turn without involving the clutch

Steering Rack

• The steering rack and pinion must not have any oil leaks on the bellows side of the input seal
• The treads of the bolts and hoses must not be damaged
• The steering rack and pinion must turn from one side to the other
• The bushing must be in good condition
• The brackets must not be broken and in good condition

Power Steering Pump

• The pump must not have any oil leaks
• The pulley must smoothly turn smoothly
• The fluid reservoir must not be cracked or broken
• The oil must not smell burnt

Steering Gear Box

• The steering gear box must not have any oil leaks
• The bolt threads and hose attachments must be in good condition
• The steering box must turn easily by hand
• The support brackets must not be broken

Steering Column

• The column must be complete with all its components
• The wires or connectors must not be cut or damaged
• Plastic covers must be present and in good condition
• The steering wheel must first have been locked in the centre with a clip in order not to break or damage the clock-spring
• The ignition key should be attached to the steering wheel
• The levers for the turn signal and headlights must be in good condition
• The hazard button must not be broken
• The steering wheel must not be damaged

Radiator

• The radiator fins must not be crushed
• The radiator must not have verdigris (bright bluish-green encrustation or patina formed on copper or brass by atmospheric oxidation, consisting of basic copper carbonate).
• The threads for the hose attachments must be in good condition
• The fastening brackets and grommets must be in good condition
• The hose connectors must not be deformed

A/C Condenser

• The condenser fins must not be crushed
• The condenser must not be deformed
• The hoses and threads must be in good condition
• The support brackets must not be damaged

Fuel Tank

• The tank must not be perforated or damaged
• The tank must not have heavy rust
• The gas intake opening and ventilation intake must not be damaged or broken

Fuel Pump/ Tank Gauge Unit

• The electrical wires and connectors must not be cut, repaired, missing or damaged
• Pipes and hoses must not be cut, broken or damaged and their threads must be in good condition
• Gauges must not be broken or damaged

Wiper Motor & linkage

• The motor must not be broken or damaged
• The electrical connectors must not be cut or damaged
• Must not have heavy rust
• The motor must not smell burnt
• Linkage must not be broken or damaged
• The ball joints must not have wear and they must be complete with arms
• The plastic bushings must be in good condition

Fans (motor, radiator and condenser, engine fan & cooling fan)

• The brackets must not be broken or damaged
• The fan blades must not be broken or damaged
• The blades must turn easily by hand
• The fan motor must not be broken
• The motor connector must be in good condition

Ventilation Blower

• The motor must not be broken or damaged
• The ventilation cage must not be broken or damaged
• The electrical connectors must not be cut or damaged
• The motor must turn easily by hand

Ignition Coil

• The ignition coil must not be broken, cracked or damaged
• The electrical connectors must not be cut or damaged
• The spark plug wires must not be broken or missing
• Attachment fasteners must not be broken or missing

ABS Module

• The module must not be broken or damaged
• The electrical connectors must not be cut, broken or missing
• The part must be complete / not detached

Continue To Module 2, Lesson 9