Olympian ideals
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• Everything from stick-on, wide-angle mirrors to computer systems was on display at the Automotive Aftermarket 91 exhibition at Olympia last month, and many were applicable to commercial vehicles.
MRM-TEX displayed three products for protecting onboard computers: Antizap Service Minder, jump leads and Memory Minder.
Service Minder is claimed to iron out electrical surges that can destroy on-board computers. It is connected across the terminals of the battery while the vehicle is being worked on and is claimed to offer protection even if welding is taking place. Only 12V versions are currently available (at 139.95 ex-VAT) but the company expects to have a 24V version in the near future.
Antizap Jump Leads have the same internals as Service Minder to protect both vehicles from damage caused by voltage spikes. The 12V version costs £44.95 (ex-VAT); a 24V version should he available soon.
When a vehicle's battery is disconnected the correct time and memory in the radio can be kept by using Memory Minder, This introduces a voltage into the vehicles' electrical system via the cigar lighter. This is solely a 12V device and costs £4.95 (ex-VAT), For more information on all MRM-TEX products circle Turbo 70.
Levermore was showing an extended range of tools including improvements to SE sockets and the Craften range of open ring spanners. They can be opened to pass over items like injector pipes and then closed to form a complete ring. The opening arrangement also acts like a rachet.
Sizes range from lOmm to 22mm, with the largest retailing at £19.95 (ex-VAT).
Other products on display from Levermore included its Oiltite Stick and K-Poxy, both costing around Z. Oillite is rubbed across the perforated surface of an oil or fuel tank to stop the leak. The compound is forced through the holes and forms a plug on the inside of the tank. K-Poxy is an epoxy putty stick containing both compounds needed to form the material. The required amount is cut from the stick and worked by hand until the compound is thoroughly mixed and then applied. For more information on Levermore products circle Turbo 71.
Workshops that do not perform MoTs but prepare vehicles for the test may find Gunson's CO meter useful. The Castester Midi uses the exhaust pulses passing through a form of nonreturn valve to improve its accuracy, which is said to be about 0.2% in the range 0-8% CO.
Power for the unit comes from the (12V) vehicle battery and it costs 154.90 (ex-VAT). For more information circle Turbo 72.
The Keldan Inject'r Tester is described by its importer. Albion, as "an electronic stethoscope". With the engine running a clamp or probe is put
onto any injector and the dial turned until it illuminates, say, the eighth light. The other injectors are then tested and their readings compared with the original. A faulty injector will emit a different sound from one that is working properly and thus highlighted.
If the faulty injector is only one light away from a good one then a cleaner can be used. Two or more away and it must be removed for cleaning. inject'r Tester's trade price is about £100 hex-VAT). For more information circle Turbo 73.
A new get-you-home hose repair called Valseal was demonstrated by Healey Williams. It comprises a length of pliable rubber tape with a length of Velcro at the end. The rubber is wound round the leaking pipe several times and the Velcro used to secure the end. In the demonstration a punctured hose containing water at over 200kNim2 (30psi) was sealed. Velseal retails at £2.99 for two; circle Turbo 74 for details.
Image Windscreen Repair System has an improved vacuum/pressure pump and two extra resins for repairing cracks and pits. The new pump is claimed to be easier to use and to be calibrated to ensure the correct volume of liquid is used.
Using the new resins an 87% success rate is claimed on windscreen cracks up to 300mm and pits up to the size of a 50p piece. Each repair is said to cost less than 70p in materials. The kit costs £325, and on-site training is given. For more information circle Turbo 75.
Fix-A-Flat is an environ mentally friendly, nonflammable emergency tyre repair aerosol. The company claims that the rubber adhesive used is clean and will not degrade the tyre, allowing a
permanent repair to be carried out later. A tyre repaired with Fix-A-Flat has no speed restriction hut the compound is limited to wheels of 16in arid below. It costs £5.95 from most accessory shops. For more information circle Turbo 76.