1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:05,520 Speaker 1: Ron an Adium. It's only going to continue in that. 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: You know, the vehicles aren't going to get any easier 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: in terms of batteries, their connections, their components. Battery resets 4 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: are going to become a very big part of the business. 5 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 2: On the new lead. 6 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: The Car Doctor both dealer puts the goal impopable impopo. Oh, 7 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: so you're saying, Mercedes is telling you that you have 8 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: to buy a new computer from them and they'll flash 9 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:35,160 Speaker 1: it for four thousand dollars. Welcome to the radio home 10 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: of ron an Aiuan, the Car Doctor. Since nineteen ninety one. 11 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: This is where car owners the world overturned to for 12 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: their definitive opinion on automotive repair. If your mechanics giving 13 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 1: you a busy signal, pick up the phone and call in. 14 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 1: The garage doors are open, but I am here to 15 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: take your calls at eight five five five six ninety 16 00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: nine hundred and now he running, Hey, welcome aboard, and 17 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 1: this is the radio show where if you're we're gonna 18 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: get a car fixed, this is the place, or so 19 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: they tell me. They tell me that a lot. I 20 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 1: had someone walk in the shop the other day. They said, Hey, 21 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: is Ron and any in here? I said no, and 22 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 1: they looked at me. I listened to his radio show 23 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:21,400 Speaker 1: all the time. Well, I'm sure he'll be glad to 24 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: hear that. And finally they they just looked at me 25 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: and they realized. They said, you're him, aren't you. Yeah, 26 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: but don't tell anybody. So this must be the place. 27 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: And he had a question and listen. I try not 28 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: to do the radio show at the shop, I really do, 29 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,839 Speaker 1: because it's just I'd spend all day just answering questions. 30 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: I'd never get anything done. So this is the place 31 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:44,199 Speaker 1: to ask questions, which I'm glad to do it here. 32 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: I'm glad to do it in the shop at a 33 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: slow moment, but I have yet to find that slow 34 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: moment when there's nothing to do. They way to do 35 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: it here is if you're if you're interested is eight 36 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: five five five six zero nine nine zero zero. That's 37 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: a twenty four to seven phone number again, eight five 38 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: five five six zero nine nine zero zero. You can 39 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: call We're live on the air Saturdays two to four 40 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: pm East Coast time, or East Coast guys, we're here then, 41 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: but you can call a five five five six zero 42 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: nine nine zero zero, leave a message and executive producer, 43 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: chief cook and bottle washer, Tom Ray, we'll call you 44 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: back and get you in Q for the next live broadcast, 45 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: and you know, we appreciate you doing it here. You know, 46 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,079 Speaker 1: we got a lot of questions out on Facebook, We 47 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: get a lot of questions everywhere. But frankly, the problem 48 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 1: is trying to answer all of them. You know, it's 49 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 1: it's unsurvivable. It's an insurmountable task. So we try to 50 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: do everything here in one central location so that everybody 51 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: can benefit from it and we can get everybody's needs 52 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: met here on air. So just keep that in mind. 53 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:43,959 Speaker 1: Speaking of which, let's let's open up the phones early 54 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: and let's go over and talk to John in Vernon, 55 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: New Jersey. I think that is with an seven GMC yukon. John, 56 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:51,639 Speaker 1: Welcome to the car doctor, sir. How can I help? 57 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 3: Thank you? Sarah. 58 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 4: I guess you're that guy. 59 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm that guy. I'm at tag, I'm at what 60 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: can I do for you? 61 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 4: Got a question? In two thousand and seven two seven 62 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,239 Speaker 4: GMC yukon five point three Leader it's got a misfire, 63 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 4: but on the scanner it's showing it's just kind of 64 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 4: randomly missing cylunder one cylinder fives under eight and the 65 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 4: friend of mine that looked at it and said, well, 66 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 4: that's kind of strange. So I changed the throttle body 67 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 4: with the sensor, just thinking maybe that has something to 68 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 4: do with it. Nothing nothing corrected, crank sensor underneath by 69 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 4: the starter change that nothing corrected. Car runs down the road, 70 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 4: it runs fine, but it's gotta miss. 71 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: So, so whose scan tool are you using? 72 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 4: It was just a friend that has a he's basically 73 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 4: a diesel mechanic, but he just kind of threw it 74 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 4: on there and. 75 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, do you know what? Do you know what brand? What, 76 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: what level of tool? Or was it? 77 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 4: Don't I apologize. I think it was a decent one 78 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 4: because it was a big screen and it was dissecting things. 79 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: Okay, so so what fault codes does it show us? 80 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 4: The one that I think it's a seven E is 81 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 4: an Edwards A as an Apple popping up, which is 82 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 4: like a random I think the random engine code, okay, 83 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 4: And the misfire wasn't showing an actual code number. It 84 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 4: wasn't saying a the definitive number. Hey, this is what 85 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 4: to look for. And that's why he thought it was 86 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 4: very strange. 87 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: All right. So what I want you to do is 88 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 1: I want you to get the scan tool back on it. 89 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: All right, you haven't. You haven't changed any other parts 90 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: with this, John, Everything is now okay, So put the 91 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: old throttle body back on if it's easy enough to do. 92 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: Put the crank censor back in, and and and that 93 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: way we eliminate the possibility of new parts that we 94 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: don't know if they were good or bad to begin with, 95 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 1: affecting the diagnosis. All right, let's let's let's go backwards 96 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: a minute. All right, so let's go back to square one. 97 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: Then I want to put the scan tool back on it. 98 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: Clear the code started up if it's if it's showing 99 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: a misfire on multiple cylinders, but it hasn't. It hasn't 100 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: turned on the check engine light yet. I kind of 101 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: want to know why if I if I pull a 102 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: if I pull a plug wire off of cylinder one, 103 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:14,159 Speaker 1: how long does it take to show me an actual misfire. 104 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: I want to make sure that the computer is capable 105 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: of diagnosing this before I count on it to do 106 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 1: a diagnosis. If I have questions in my mind, the 107 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: other thing, the other thing you can look at, depending 108 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 1: upon his scan tool. Hence the what what scan tool 109 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 1: is it? Question? There's there's a section of programming or 110 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: software I should say in all OBD two vehicles called 111 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: mode six. Mode six is there is the mechanical explanation 112 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: or how can I put it better than that? It's 113 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 1: the mathematical calculation of each circuit as it's tested. So 114 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: for conversation's sake, we could look at Mode six cylinder 115 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: misfire data, all right, and you will see it will 116 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: tell you the minimum value is x. Let's say the 117 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: minimum value is three hundred. That means it can't see 118 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 1: if it sees three oh one, it's not gonna it's 119 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: gonna set a missfire. If it sees two ninety nine, 120 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: it won't set a missfire, all right, but it's still 121 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 1: going to have a miss. So we can look at 122 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 1: mode six data and if we see a couple of cylinders, 123 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: and if I'm ahead of you, just tell me. But 124 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,359 Speaker 1: we can look at mode six data and look to 125 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: see if we see cylinders to ninety nine, ninety eight 126 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: to eighty two to eighty three, they're never going to 127 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: set a code, right because the threshold is three hundred. 128 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,840 Speaker 1: Does the car have a miss? Yeah? But it's it's 129 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:48,720 Speaker 1: not setting a light yet, So we can actually look 130 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: at what's causing or leading up to the setting of 131 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 1: the light before it happens. All right, Mode six, Well 132 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: think of it like this. You ever get sick in 133 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: your life, yes, sir, all right, Monday morning you wake 134 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,480 Speaker 1: up scratchy throat. Tuesday you've got the running nose. Wednesday 135 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 1: you're sick. You're not going into work. Right Monday, your 136 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:13,679 Speaker 1: Mode six counter went, well, he's approaching threshold. Tuesday had said, 137 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: he's even closer Wednesday. Wednesday you cross the line, then 138 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: go your check engine light came on, and now you're done, right, 139 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: And that's the reality of it. So I can find 140 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 1: marginal cylinders, all right, you know, I want to see 141 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 1: you know which cylinder is acting up? Is one cylinder 142 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 1: affecting the others? Is one cylinder got the highest misfire 143 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: on it? And by that I mean if I look 144 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: at mode six data, and the same can be said 145 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 1: for if I look at misfied data. If I look 146 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: at misfied data, and I've got all eight cylinders, show 147 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: me misfires. But cylinder one is misfiring thirty two thousand times, 148 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: and cylinder two is misfiring ten thousand times, and then 149 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: it goes down from there. I'm looking at numbers one 150 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: the hardest first, right, and let's just touch on this 151 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:08,119 Speaker 1: if we can. What makes an engine missfire? There's the test, 152 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: that's your question. What's the answer you're asking me. 153 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 4: I can't answer that. I don't know. 154 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: Okay, Well, do you have a lawnmower? Yes, Okay, if 155 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 1: your lawnmower's misfiring, how do you diagnose it? 156 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:20,559 Speaker 4: Spark plug? 157 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: Well, spark plug spark so ignition can be a source 158 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: of a misfire, right, Okay, If the lawnmower had a 159 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: burnt valve or a compression problem, that would make it 160 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 1: missfire mechanical, right, And if the carburetor was partially plugged, 161 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 1: the jet was restricted dirt in the system, that would 162 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 1: make it missfire. Right. So the truth is, a modern 163 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: day engine still misfires for one of three basic reasons, mechanical, ignition, 164 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: or fuel. Right now, knowing this, we're going to throw 165 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: a couple of wrenches into the works. But we understand 166 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: that now you and I know this, everybody else too, 167 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 1: right in that a computer could be the cause of this. 168 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 1: But if, for example, the computer was cutting off injector 169 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 1: pulse to number one cylinder. It's a fuel related misfire 170 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: caused by electronics, but it's still got fuel in the equation. 171 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 1: You see what I'm saying. 172 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 3: Yeah. 173 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: So, so if you determined that your truck is misfiring 174 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 1: because of lack of fuel, don't just assume it's an injector. 175 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: You need to test the circuit, right, all right, you know, 176 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 1: just just some basics. Do me a favorite, Just see 177 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: if he has mode six. Don't change any more parts, 178 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 1: and then call me next week and we can we 179 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: can do a deeper dive. 180 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 3: All right, I appreciate it. 181 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: You know, misfires can be tricky. I'll tell you a 182 00:09:57,440 --> 00:09:59,679 Speaker 1: real quick story and then I'm going to go. We 183 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: had a we had a car years ago that had 184 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: a a a random misfire fault, all right. Went through 185 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 1: diagnostics left, right and sideways, and found that the serpentine 186 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 1: belt was slipping on the balancer under load right, And 187 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: the cause of the misfire was a bad tensioner. And 188 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 1: you say to yourself, how does that happen? How does 189 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: a computer note when an engine's misfiring. It looks at 190 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 1: crank rotation. So it fires cylinder one, then it fires 191 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: cylinder eight, then it fires cylinder four. And it looks 192 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,199 Speaker 1: at the number of degrees of rotation, how smoothly and 193 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: how quickly it transitions from cylinder firing event to cylinder 194 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: firing event to cylinder firing event. If the if the 195 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 1: belt is slipping and hopping and skipping, the crank stutters 196 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 1: on rotation, believe it or not? 197 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 4: Right, mechanical, Yeah, that well. 198 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: In a sense, Yeah, that's a mechanical problem. But it's 199 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: something extraaneous and it's really far down the road of 200 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: diagnostics and what if. But my point is, I'm just 201 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 1: trying to teach you look at everything, consider everything. If 202 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:14,160 Speaker 1: you can prove that it's cylinder one as the culprit, 203 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 1: the first thing I'm gonna do is, I'm gonna take 204 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: the spark plug from one, move it to a different cylinder. 205 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take the coil from one, move it to 206 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 1: a different cylinder. I'm gonna take the wire from one, 207 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 1: move it to a different cylinder. I'm gonna magic marker 208 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 1: each of my components. I'm going to write down exactly 209 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: who I moved where, and then I'm gonna put it 210 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 1: all back together. And run it and see if the 211 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: misfire stays on cylinder one, I know it's not ignition. 212 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 1: I'm down to fuel and mechanical. Right. If it goes 213 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: to cylinder three, and that's where I put the spark plug, 214 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: I know it's a bad plug. Right, Okay, things like that. 215 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 1: So you got your tools, go use them, all right, 216 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 1: I'll talk to you next week. You're very welcome, John, 217 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,079 Speaker 1: You're very welcome, sir. Be well a five five five 218 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 1: six zero nine nine zero zero running any of the 219 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 1: car doctor, I'll be back right after. 220 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 2: This vehicle not taking you where you want to go, 221 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 2: Well call Ron. He's the expert at making your vehicle 222 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 2: take you where you need it. Eight five five five 223 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:14,959 Speaker 2: six zero nine nine zero zero. And now back to Ron. 224 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 1: So we had a twenty thirteen Buick Verano in the 225 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: shop this week. And you know, sometimes auto repair is 226 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: about the details. It's the smallest little thing that you 227 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 1: see or don't see. First time in to the shop. 228 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 1: First time customer Libby came to us her grandfather. I 229 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 1: think her grandfather actually listens to the radio show, and 230 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 1: he sent her in. Again, we're the guys, so here 231 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:44,679 Speaker 1: we are, we're being the guys, and it had a 232 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: couple of issues. It It was, you know, there was 233 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:52,080 Speaker 1: an oil consumption problem, and there was a concern over 234 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 1: overall vehicle quality. There was some noises in the back, 235 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: some noises up front while driving after a couple of 236 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: thirty minutes, and just all kinds of sh going on 237 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 1: with it. So you know, you bring it in. We 238 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: you know, we when we intake a new vehicle for 239 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: the first time or a new customer for the first time, 240 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:11,319 Speaker 1: we always put everybody through this this this, this look right. 241 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,319 Speaker 1: We do a safety checklist and a code scan. What's 242 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: going on with the car, you know, listen, no different 243 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 1: than going to the doctor, heart rate, blood pressure, you know, 244 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 1: in some cases blood testing, and you know what's going 245 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 1: on with you, what's going on with the vehicle. And 246 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 1: overall it wasn't a terrible car, you know, for a 247 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: for a twelve year old vehicle, it only had sixty 248 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: thousand miles on it. They had purchased it two years 249 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:36,680 Speaker 1: prior with thirty eight thousand miles on it. But it 250 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,079 Speaker 1: had an oil consumption issue and it had a repetitive 251 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:42,960 Speaker 1: P double O one four setting in an exhaust cam 252 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 1: circuit fault for the exhaust cam solenoid system, and the 253 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 1: oil consumption is what got me. The oil consumption. I 254 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 1: told Chester, and I told I told Libby. I said, 255 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 1: you know, the oil consumption is the biggest problem with 256 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 1: this vehicle because you know, not only is the vehicle 257 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 1: burning oil, it's not leaking it. There is a there's 258 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 1: an external oil leak on this vehicle. It's bone dry, 259 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,320 Speaker 1: you know. It's when an engine burns oil like that. 260 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 1: It's going out through the exhaust and it's it's coding 261 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: the catalytic converter, and it's coating the oxygen sensors, and 262 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 1: it's going to create a problem somewhere down the road 263 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 1: in the life of this vehicle. I just can't tell 264 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: you if it's going to happen. It's sixty thousand miles, 265 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 1: eighty thousand miles, one hundred thousand miles, but it's it 266 00:14:24,600 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: would make sense right that the life of those components 267 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: is compromised because you know, catalytic converters don't do well 268 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: swallowing oil on a regular basis. They just don't. So 269 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: you know, where do you start do you? Where do 270 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: you how do you fix this car? How do you 271 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: make this car usable? Or do you. One of the 272 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: other things that I didn't like about this car was 273 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:53,120 Speaker 1: the right front lug nut. One of the right front 274 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: lug nuts holding the right front wheel on was missing 275 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 1: the stam steel cap. You know, lugnuts are such an 276 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: important detail to a vehicle, and they are right. It's 277 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: the littlest thing. But like I started this conversation with you, 278 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 1: it's the little details. It's the details that count. One 279 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: of the right front lug nuts was missing its chrome cap, 280 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: the stamp steel cap they put on it. And you know, 281 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 1: the problem becomes that that's a different size. The lugnut's 282 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: supposed to be nineteen millimeter, well now it's eighteen and 283 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 1: a half. And the lug wrench won't fit it. So 284 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 1: the problem becomes and somewhere along the way, the previous 285 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 1: repair shops shop or shops had had used a lug 286 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 1: socket and twist it and round it off the lug 287 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 1: and my question becomes, how do you get that off 288 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 1: on the road? What genius would let that out of 289 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 1: the shop. I mean, there comes a point where you 290 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: have to say to somebody, hey, you know, one of 291 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 1: the lugnuts is bad. We've got to change it. I 292 00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 1: don't think it even is going to object to be 293 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: to changing a We have an eight, nine, ten, twelve 294 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: fifteen dollars lugnut, whatever it is, if it's explained in 295 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: the way that you know what, if this car gets 296 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 1: a flat on the road, whether it's two o'clock in 297 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: the afternoon or two o'clock in the morning, you're gonna 298 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 1: have a difficult time, if at all, being able to 299 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 1: get this lugnut off and change the flat and move 300 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 1: on your way. The road is of every unforgiving place. 301 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: I have to remember that. That's a good ronism for 302 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: coffee cups and T shirts at the website. The road 303 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: is of every unforgiving points. So we ended up putting 304 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: twenty lugnuts on this car because when looking at the 305 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 1: other wheels, I would venture to guess probably eight or 306 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 1: nine lugs were missing, and four or five of the 307 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: other lugs the capture rattling around and loose. And I said, 308 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 1: you know, Chester, I said, let's just do this, right, 309 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 1: Let's just put twenty lugnuts on the car. And if 310 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: we're gonna drive this thing, let's at least know we 311 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 1: can make it as safe and reliable as we can. 312 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: So we adjust the lugnut problem. We changed all the 313 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: lugs we were able to, and to their credit, Dorman 314 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: Dorman Products dot com. Dorman makes solid lug nuts, which 315 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: I think is a genius idea. Right, we can, we can, 316 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,879 Speaker 1: you know, put a solid lugnut on. There's no problem 317 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:11,399 Speaker 1: with a cap coming loose anymore. They're gonna work and 318 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,639 Speaker 1: they're gonna hold their original dimension nineteen millimeters all day long. 319 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 1: So that solved that problem. The oil consumption was on 320 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 1: my list, and you know, how do you deal with that? 321 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 1: You know, General Motors had problems with this is a 322 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:28,520 Speaker 1: two point four liter egotech and GM had problems back 323 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: in the day with this engine. This has a tiny 324 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:35,360 Speaker 1: little orifice, probably forty thousands in diameter in the intake manifold, 325 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 1: and that's part of the PCV or positive crank case 326 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 1: ventilation system that lets the engine breathe. You know, I'd 327 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:45,639 Speaker 1: be willing to bet that it's partially restricted. But you know, 328 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 1: do you take it apart on a bet? Well, no, 329 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: I don't think you do. And there's a way around 330 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,160 Speaker 1: it if you want to be certain. But I'll tell 331 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: you what. Come back after the break and I'll give 332 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: you the rest of the story because this is something 333 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 1: you just don't want to miss because you're if you're 334 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,760 Speaker 1: driving a two point four liter Ecotech, I can save 335 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:08,439 Speaker 1: your money a five, five, five, six zero nine nine 336 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:09,959 Speaker 1: zero zero. I'm on an aiding in the car. 337 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 3: Doctor. 338 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 1: I'll be back all right after this. So and here 339 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:50,679 Speaker 1: we are again, we're talking about this twenty thirteen buiqu Perrano. 340 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:52,919 Speaker 1: You know, how do you revive this car? How do 341 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 1: you revive this car? So lots of little issues, but 342 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,960 Speaker 1: good bones. Right, the basics are there. The vehicle is 343 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 1: a decent vehicle. And you look at what it would 344 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:03,120 Speaker 1: cost to replace a decent running vehicle today, it's probably 345 00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:07,639 Speaker 1: a minimum of twenty five thousand dollars. So solve the 346 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 1: lugnut problem. We talked about that, the oil consumption. You 347 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 1: can't solve the oil consumption easily. There's a couple of 348 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:18,399 Speaker 1: things you can try, all right, now. GM had issues 349 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:21,199 Speaker 1: with this engine, the two point four Ecotech, with sticking 350 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 1: rings in the piston groups. As a matter of fact, 351 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 1: there's more than a few bulletins that talk about and 352 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,920 Speaker 1: GM had extended the warranties on these engines. But obviously 353 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:32,439 Speaker 1: this vehicle's out of warranty, even the extension now. But 354 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:35,600 Speaker 1: they were replacing piston and ring assemblies by the dozens, 355 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:40,159 Speaker 1: by the hundreds, by the thousands, and we're not going 356 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: to do that to a twelve year old going on 357 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: thirteen year old vehicle. It doesn't pay so sticky rings 358 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:50,640 Speaker 1: in the piston groups. Hotshot Secret, one of our sponsors, 359 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: as a matter of fact, to be fully transparent and clear, 360 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: makes a product called stition eliminator. Stiction is the idea 361 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: that oil gets dirty and burnt and gummy and varnishy. 362 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,360 Speaker 1: You know, it's a carbon based product oil and stiction 363 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:08,359 Speaker 1: eliminator helps break it down and flush it out. So 364 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:11,680 Speaker 1: we added some stiiction eliminator to this engine. We'll see, 365 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: let's see what the results are. You know, if anything 366 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 1: can help break up and free up the rings, because 367 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: listen the answers there right. It was a thirty eight 368 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 1: thousand mile car when they bought it two years ago. 369 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 1: The car was ten years old. It went thirty eight 370 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 1: hundred miles a year. That's not a lot. That means 371 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 1: it's sad. A lot that means things have a habit 372 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 1: of getting sticky and stuck. And I guarantee you the 373 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: oil change maintenance on this car was not great because 374 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: people tend to think, well, I don't drive it a lot. 375 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 1: I only need to change the oil once a year, 376 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: once every year and a half, maybe once every two years. 377 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: And here's the danger of it. Heck, some people would 378 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 1: probably wait for the oil life monitor. Come on, God 379 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: only knows when that would happen. You would hope at 380 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: least once a year, but not always. So we put 381 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 1: a bottle of stiction eliminator in it. More at hotshotsecret 382 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 1: dot com. We'll see what that does. I'll report back 383 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 1: in the future. I also put an FC two nineteen 384 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:04,400 Speaker 1: oil fill cap on it. That's the part number out 385 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:08,119 Speaker 1: of ac Delco FC two nineteen. It's a vented oil 386 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:12,120 Speaker 1: fill cap. And what happens is if crank case pressure 387 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 1: builds up too high as a result of a partially 388 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 1: restricted or restricted PCV orifice and to prevent the rear 389 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: main seal from popping out or leaking oil, which they're 390 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:27,239 Speaker 1: known to do, that FC two nineteen will vent at 391 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:32,960 Speaker 1: a certain pressure and help keep the engine from hurting itself. 392 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 1: So that's another trick that we resorted to for this vehicle, again, 393 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:41,720 Speaker 1: trying to keep it on the road. The last was coolant, 394 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: and again this car showed up. We have very little 395 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: service history. The service invoices that were presented with the 396 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:52,680 Speaker 1: car very nicely typed out. But as I told Livy, 397 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:54,199 Speaker 1: I said, you know what, I'm more impressed with the 398 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 1: car than the place that was working on it, simply 399 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 1: because they typed a nice invoice, but they missed a 400 00:21:58,359 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: lot of the basics. And I don't know why that 401 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:04,560 Speaker 1: guide her. Accordingly, the coolant bottle was empty and it 402 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:08,359 Speaker 1: took almost a gallon if I recall correctly, no leaks. 403 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 1: We pressurized the system, didn't find any leaks. Is the 404 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: engine burning oil or was it just pure neglect? I 405 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: don't know. I know that I can't send a young 406 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: driver out on the road with some unknowns because the 407 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:24,640 Speaker 1: other complicating factor is this individual lives about an hour 408 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: away from the shop, so it's not something my arm 409 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 1: would reach easily to solve any small detail. What would 410 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 1: we do for you know, when we suspect coolant leaks? 411 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:36,320 Speaker 1: Of course, we put a bottle of caseal in it. 412 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 1: And you know, as much as this may sound like 413 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 1: an advertising hype, it's not. It's real. From the shop 414 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 1: twelve year old vehicle, sixty thousand miles on it. We're 415 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 1: trying to revive it through whatever economic means we can 416 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 1: without going completely crazy, because to put an engine in 417 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:59,439 Speaker 1: it to diagnose some of these other issues at a 418 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: hardcore level, we're going to spend more money than the 419 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:04,360 Speaker 1: value of the car. Or perhaps we're just better off 420 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 1: replacing it. I don't know. Let's go simple first. I 421 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,359 Speaker 1: think the best part of this repair, by the way, 422 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:13,800 Speaker 1: casel dot com is you guys already know that. I 423 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: think the best part of this repair is I got 424 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 1: to give Libby and her sister a class and how 425 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 1: to change or how to add oil to an engine. 426 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:23,120 Speaker 1: And you know it's it's so, it was so. I said, 427 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:24,399 Speaker 1: first you have to open the hood. She says, how 428 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:27,439 Speaker 1: do you do that? Well, I'm thinking, oh boy, I 429 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 1: got my work cut out for me. And I explained 430 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 1: to her, you know, pop the hood release and then 431 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 1: line up with the emblem and it's just a little 432 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 1: to the left of the emblem. You know what. It's 433 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:41,320 Speaker 1: very uplifting to teach somebody that doesn't even know how 434 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:43,920 Speaker 1: to get their hood open, and in six minutes teach 435 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 1: them how to open the hood. Take the oil cap out. 436 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: We gave her a little funnel, We gave her a 437 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 1: you know, a five pack of oil with a cardboard box. 438 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 1: And you know, that's what we need to do more of. 439 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: You know, don't just fish for the person, teach the 440 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 1: person how to fish. Because when she left, she was empowered. 441 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:04,920 Speaker 1: She was comfortable with opening the hood, she was comfortable 442 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 1: with pouring a cord of oil in it because I 443 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: and I taught her how to check the oil level 444 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:10,919 Speaker 1: looking at the dipstick. And Libby's gonna get back to me. 445 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:13,000 Speaker 1: She's going to report back in a couple of weeks 446 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 1: and tell me how the car's doing. And the whole 447 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:21,440 Speaker 1: point of this is, you know, details count oil consumption, 448 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: coolant loss, coolant consumption, don't know lug nuts, all the 449 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,879 Speaker 1: little things that nobody took the time to explain. Somebody 450 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:31,359 Speaker 1: wrote me an email and it's down here in my pile. 451 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 1: They want to know, Hey, Ron, I love your expression. 452 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 1: Good mechanics aren't expensive, they're priceless. But how do you 453 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 1: find a good mechanic? And look, I'm not saying it's me. 454 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:42,400 Speaker 1: If it's one thing I've been over my thirty plus 455 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 1: years on radio, I've never been self serving. I've never 456 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:46,800 Speaker 1: sat up here and told anybody to ever bring your 457 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: car to my shop. And that's not what I'm here for. 458 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:52,320 Speaker 1: But what I'm trying to express is it's the devil's 459 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:55,160 Speaker 1: in the details. It's the shop that finds the twisted 460 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:58,399 Speaker 1: the one twisted lugnut, the low coolant level that nobody 461 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 1: picked up on, the pentotential for engine loss because of 462 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,440 Speaker 1: oil consumption, to come up with a better solution than 463 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:06,920 Speaker 1: just ah, put an engine in it. Let's try this. 464 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:09,679 Speaker 1: I think that's how you find a good mechanic. I 465 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:13,640 Speaker 1: think the devil is in, you know, working things through 466 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 1: to the point where they make sense, where you offer 467 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 1: people alternatives, especially in tough economic times, especially on an 468 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 1: older vehicle. I think the biggest question I got, or 469 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 1: I get, is how often do you change oil? And 470 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,919 Speaker 1: I thought of that with Libby's car, because you know, 471 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 1: thirty eight thousand miles, ten years old. I would love 472 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 1: to have seen some service records, but they had none 473 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: because they bought it from a used car a lot. 474 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: And I guarantee you that the reason they got rid 475 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:48,119 Speaker 1: of this car, as nice as it was, the undercarriage 476 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 1: had no rust. The top of it need a little 477 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 1: paint work here and there, but that doesn't make a 478 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: car run and make it reliable. That's cosmetic. I guarantee you. 479 00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: The oil consumption was what what bit them, all right, 480 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 1: That was the dog that bit the leg. And I 481 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 1: think with a little ingenuity and a little effort, we 482 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 1: can keep cars going longer and not necessarily having to 483 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:12,359 Speaker 1: overhaul engines initially and trying some of these alternatives as 484 00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: they may actually help and work. So just just my 485 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 1: two cents, how do you find a good mechanic, give 486 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:21,720 Speaker 1: them the details and watch how they work. Eight five 487 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: five five six zero nine nine zero Zero'm running any 488 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 1: in the car doctor. I'll be back right after this. 489 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: And one more time. Here we are again. Let's go 490 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 1: to Brad and Iowa. Brad, Welcome to the car Doctor. Sir, 491 00:26:46,840 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 1: how can I help Hi? 492 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,119 Speaker 3: Ron, I've got a question for you, and it's gonna 493 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:57,160 Speaker 3: be controversial, I guarantee you, okay. But I have several vehicles, 494 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:00,439 Speaker 3: a couple of which I got drive during the summer 495 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 3: only that are kind of fun vehicles, and I don't 496 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,879 Speaker 3: put many miles on them usually, and then I store 497 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:09,120 Speaker 3: them in the winter time. And I live in Iowa. 498 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:11,879 Speaker 3: So we get cold winters and we go through all 499 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:15,160 Speaker 3: the humidity ups and downs and on and on and on. Well, anyway, 500 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 3: my one little fun car, and I've got several miatas, 501 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:20,920 Speaker 3: and some of them have be eight engines in them, 502 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 3: believe it or not, not stock of course, but anyway, 503 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:30,880 Speaker 3: they get driven very little. I parked them through the winter, 504 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:34,000 Speaker 3: and then spring comes around, I get them up, and 505 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:38,200 Speaker 3: then of course you look online and stuff, and everybody 506 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 3: tells you, oh, you need to be changing the oil 507 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:42,359 Speaker 3: before you take it out of the garage, you know, 508 00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 3: and this and that. Well, for example, last year, one 509 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:48,359 Speaker 3: of the cars I probably drove less than one hundred 510 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:51,199 Speaker 3: and fifty miles. Another one I drove maybe less than 511 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 3: a thousand miles. And I pulled the dipstick and I 512 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 3: looked at it, and it looks like you put it 513 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:59,000 Speaker 3: in there yesterday, And it's like, Okay, do I really 514 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:01,880 Speaker 3: need to change the oil on this? I mean there's 515 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 3: almost zero miles you know on the thing. You won't 516 00:28:05,640 --> 00:28:07,399 Speaker 3: you won't go change. 517 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 1: And well, yeah, but you won't and you won't like 518 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 1: my answer. Bread. Okay, Uh, I've just you know what 519 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 1: we're gonna We're probably gonna agree to disagree. I want 520 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 1: to talk to you about my hot rod. Okay, all right, 521 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 1: I've got a I've got I've got a small block 522 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:23,159 Speaker 1: fifty five that I did fifteen years ago. Looks like 523 00:28:23,359 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 1: it's new, like the day I rolled it out of 524 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 1: the rolled it out of the shop the first time 525 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:30,360 Speaker 1: it was done. I look at oil changes in storing 526 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:32,919 Speaker 1: a classic vehicle, but I look at the whole vehicle. 527 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:36,640 Speaker 1: Do you do you rag your exhaust? 528 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 3: Yes? 529 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:39,920 Speaker 1: Okay? Good? 530 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 3: Do you mean do you mean in storage? You mean 531 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:42,320 Speaker 3: all right stuff? 532 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 4: Yeah? 533 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 3: I don't put rags in it, but I stuffed, you know, 534 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 3: like uh oh, scratch pads in there or something get 535 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:51,400 Speaker 3: up there? Right. 536 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:54,320 Speaker 1: I worry about mice. I also I worry about condensation 537 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 1: more than anything else. I've been known to put rags 538 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:59,240 Speaker 1: in a couple of rubber gloves over the exhaust tips 539 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 1: when it's all right. And you know, you can learn 540 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:04,280 Speaker 1: a lot at the racetrack. You look at those guys 541 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:06,720 Speaker 1: with their engines. They'll rag the headers and they'll they'll 542 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 1: also close off carburetion and you start to understand why. 543 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:11,800 Speaker 1: And they're worried about the brie in small particulate. But 544 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: I always worry about condensation on a vehicle that sits. 545 00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:16,920 Speaker 1: I actually had occasion once on the hot rod where 546 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:19,680 Speaker 1: I pulled the valve cover off in the middle of January, 547 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: and you'd be you'd be disappointed to see how much 548 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:25,520 Speaker 1: moisture was up there between the hot and the cold 549 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:27,480 Speaker 1: and the cool down and the humidity and everything else. 550 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:29,600 Speaker 1: That the oil just naturally attracts water. And then you 551 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:34,000 Speaker 1: start it comes spring and all that moisture boils out, 552 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:35,280 Speaker 1: and then you go to check the oil and the 553 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:40,320 Speaker 1: oil level looks good. You know, I understand what you're saying, 554 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 1: and I agree with you. It doesn't look bad the 555 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:46,280 Speaker 1: way I the way I oil change the hot rod 556 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: has been working for me. I will change it at 557 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:51,959 Speaker 1: the beginning of the season. I will change it at 558 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 1: the end of the season, regardless of how many miles 559 00:29:54,240 --> 00:30:00,080 Speaker 1: I go, and that's it. I'll rag in between. I 560 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 1: always start the season with a fresh oil change. I 561 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 1: always end the season with a fresh oil change. I 562 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:06,440 Speaker 1: don't care how many miles I went. I look at 563 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 1: what it would take to reproduce that car, and for 564 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:12,520 Speaker 1: the couple of bucks, I just sit there and say, 565 00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:16,840 Speaker 1: you know what, it's It's just good insurance. It lets 566 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:20,880 Speaker 1: me sleep at night. Now, the one other factor, the 567 00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:23,760 Speaker 1: one other factor that I like to point out is 568 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:26,040 Speaker 1: and and and in your case, what would it take 569 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 1: to reproduce that V eight miata? Right? 570 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 3: Oh, it's yeah, well it's it's a special one. Yeah. 571 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:37,360 Speaker 1: Yeah. And then the other factor is, you know, are 572 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:40,520 Speaker 1: you starting these cars during the winter months? 573 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:41,720 Speaker 3: No? 574 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 1: All right, I do. And I'll tell you why. Talk 575 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:47,040 Speaker 1: to an engine builder. All the engine builders I've ever 576 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:49,920 Speaker 1: talked to, the number one component they worry about with 577 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: engines that sit, well, there's two. They worry about piston rings, 578 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 1: and they worry about valve springs, and valve springs getting 579 00:30:57,440 --> 00:31:02,040 Speaker 1: getting metal memory. As one said to me, that it 580 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:05,160 Speaker 1: will alter the spring. So the idea that you're going 581 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:09,160 Speaker 1: into the garage once a month, cranking it over, starting it, 582 00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:11,400 Speaker 1: letting it run for twenty minutes. You know, there's a 583 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 1: maintenance to keeping an older vehicle, to keeping seals lubricated, 584 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:20,160 Speaker 1: to keeping things supple, to keeping things fresh. I you know, 585 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 1: and you can surely do it your way. I've heard 586 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:26,920 Speaker 1: all the arguments about the oil looks clean, but I've 587 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: also seen the guys that suffer premature engine failure, and 588 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:32,440 Speaker 1: when they get the oil analyzed, they realize the oil 589 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 1: was broken down and it wasn't as good as it 590 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 1: could be. Your eye is no barometer in terms of 591 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: how good the oil is. But when it's dark and dirty, 592 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 1: that tells me it's time. So I don't think, well, what. 593 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:49,320 Speaker 3: About good about oil that's you've got, that you had 594 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 3: in storage, that's then in a jug that's never been opened, 595 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 3: and let's say it's five years old sitting on the shell. 596 00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:57,520 Speaker 3: The reason is there are things that break down in 597 00:31:57,520 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 3: that oil that sit there over that length of time 598 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:02,120 Speaker 3: that makes it not any good anymore. 599 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:04,240 Speaker 1: I'll tell you what real quick in a minute. I 600 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: don't have a degree in oilology, but I have talked 601 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 1: to oilologists, and I think that's their title, and they 602 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 1: will tell you that oil and the additives fall out 603 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:16,840 Speaker 1: of suspension over time sitting on the shelf. And the 604 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: last fellow that I talked to was from driven racing Oil. 605 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 1: I can't think of his name, it'll come to me 606 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:26,560 Speaker 1: after a while, but this gentleman explained to me that 607 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:30,080 Speaker 1: oil additives fall out of suspension, and oil older than 608 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 1: two two and a half years old should probably not 609 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 1: be used. And his argument was clear, and I thought 610 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:39,880 Speaker 1: it was a fair explanation. So again, I'm back to 611 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: what does it cost to reproduce some of these vehicles? 612 00:32:42,720 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 1: And I sit there and I say, you know what, 613 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:47,000 Speaker 1: for the price of a quart of oil? Am I 614 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 1: happy that it's so expensive? No, but it's just something 615 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 1: I got to deal with because it's part of the hobby. 616 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 1: So I wouldn't use five year oil. I just don't. 617 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 1: I just don't think it's necessary. Just my two cents bread. 618 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 1: But I appreciate the question, and I appreciate your honesty 619 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:03,440 Speaker 1: and listening to me. I'm running any and the car 620 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:08,800 Speaker 1: doctor we're back right after this. Why this car is automatic? 621 00:33:09,840 --> 00:33:11,080 Speaker 1: It's systematic. 622 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 4: It's a dramatic. 623 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:28,200 Speaker 1: What's greased lightning? And to pick up that conversation and 624 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 1: to close it out in my mind, you know driven 625 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:34,440 Speaker 1: racing oil? Right? I use it in the hot rod. 626 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:36,040 Speaker 1: I have used it for fifteen years. It keeps the 627 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 1: hot rod running fresh and strong, and I can't say 628 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:43,040 Speaker 1: enough good about it. They've actually researched oil needs on 629 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:46,240 Speaker 1: an engine by engine basis, on a case by case basis. 630 00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 1: They have some of the best advice and they make 631 00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: the most sense. I'm at their website a lot. I'm 632 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:55,520 Speaker 1: just having a mental fluck on the Oh uh Speed, 633 00:33:55,640 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 1: lake Speed, his name will come to me the general 634 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:03,480 Speaker 1: that's the oilologist, and I love the expression. That's probably 635 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:05,520 Speaker 1: not even the right term, but he's got a degree 636 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 1: in engine oil. You know, it's really fascinating to listen 637 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: to some of these guys and they will explain how 638 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:15,960 Speaker 1: oil breaks down and you know, what goes wrong and 639 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 1: the little things that we don't think about. Lake Speed, Yeah, 640 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 1: that's it, Lake Speed, Tom, Thank you so much. I 641 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:25,200 Speaker 1: think that's the coolest name I ever heard. But we've 642 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:27,839 Speaker 1: actually had lake on the show going back a couple 643 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:29,719 Speaker 1: of years. I bet you it's ten years ago. We 644 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:33,439 Speaker 1: should probably reach out and try this again. But it's 645 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: the information that he has stored in his head and 646 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 1: the way they look at oil and the way they 647 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:41,960 Speaker 1: break it down. You know, oil's by time and mileage. 648 00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 1: And I don't care whether it's a classic or you know, 649 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:49,320 Speaker 1: an everyday vehicle. Six months, six thousand miles, six months period. 650 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:51,279 Speaker 1: Change it before the season, change it at the end 651 00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:53,160 Speaker 1: of the season. You're going to run it during the 652 00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:55,840 Speaker 1: off months in the winter. You're not gonna hurt that engine, 653 00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:58,200 Speaker 1: because the sadness of having to do an engine in 654 00:34:58,239 --> 00:34:59,880 Speaker 1: a classic that you may not be able to do 655 00:34:59,920 --> 00:35:02,360 Speaker 1: it anymore is just not worth the price of a 656 00:35:02,360 --> 00:35:04,800 Speaker 1: missed oil change. I'm running any in the guard doctor. 657 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:07,759 Speaker 1: It's been another absolute pleasure this week, till the next time. 658 00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:11,360 Speaker 1: Good mechanics aren't expensive, they're priceless. See you