@johnds6621 Thank you for your kind word. I am honored to be mentioned along with South Main Auto. I have been watching those guys for years & they do great work. Thank you for watching the video & taking the time to leave a comment. Keep wrenching! Kenny
I had the exact same thing happen on my 2004 Cadillac Deville. It was a 10 amp fuse that had a break in the filament that would intermittently work and was throwing transmission torque converter solenoid codes. At a cold start, it would act up but it would work fine after warming up. I had even scheduled an appointment at a transmission shop as I thought I had bad solenoids in my transmission. I decided that before I took it to the shop I would double-check my fuses and find the fuse associated with the solenoid and was able to find there was a tiny crack in the filament that was giving me the trouble. Needless to say, I was able to pop a new fuse in and I was back on the road. Good video Kenny. Praying for your wife bro.
Wow! I'm glad you thought to check the fuses. You may have saved yourself a good chunk fo $$$. Smart move. Thanks so much for thinking of Meg. We are believers in the power of positive thinking, especially Meg. Thanks for watching & leaving a comment. Keep wrenching. Kenny
My first "fuse project" was a Honda CT90 when I was 15. My uncle sold me the bike as it had no compression and no electrical power after sitting for 2 years. The Honda shop wanted to do a top end rebuild, battery and new coil, etc., $600 in 1977. I bought it for only $35. I recharged the battery, replaced the blown fuse and added 2 tablespoons of oil to the cylinder. After 3000 miles, I traded it and $650 for a '71 Challenger.
After watching the previous video, I immediately thought "bad ground". The other shop would have replaced the transmission, and when the problem continued, found & replaced the fuse, and never confessed that the transmission never needed replacing.
The brilliance of your diagnostic abilities never ceases to amaze me. The scanners and diagnostic tools are very helpful, of course. But I’m sure you could figure out and solve these mechanical and electrical problems even without those tools - it just might take a little longer. All your years of working on cars have led you to a profoundly deep and intimate understanding of how these automotive systems work and why they fail. Sadly, I estimate that fewer than one percent of existing auto mechanics possess your level of skill. And far fewer than that possess your high level of integrity and honesty. How fortunate it is for those customers who live near enough to you to avail themselves of your services when needed. My highest praises and admiration go out to you. Blessings to you and your family.
@carmenolivieri279 I have had several younger technicians that have are very driven to learn. One of them works at American Motor Works, Chris, he is amazing. He won't stop learning until he figures it out. I personally enjoy learning as much as I love teaching. Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate you watching the video & taking time to comment. Keep wrenching. Kenny
I think it's always been hard to find a good mechanic. Much more in this era. He may be honest but can't wrench, takes too long to do a job so he cuts corners or doesn't make enough money to buy correct tools, can wrench but can't diagnose? You can't fix anything if you can't properly diagnose; mechanic, doctor, engineer. I'm so glad I found this channel. Very rewarding to watch Kinney do the right thing under the car and at the point of sale.
Reminds me of my pre obdll chevy cavalier. Everytime I would step on the brake pedal when parked and key out of the ignition my headlights, dash lights and tail lights would iluminate. Took a while to sero in on a dual element light bulb for my rear brake light was the problem. A piece of solder had broken off and lodged it self between the brake element and the tail light element. This caused the brake pedal to energize the other lights when depress. This was the first and last time I ever ran into this. When you looked at the bulb it looked fine at a glance.
If you look at the prongs you will notice that one is dirty and the other is clean, how the dirt or grime gets between the contacts is uncertain but it happens. sometimes just pulling the fuse out and put it back in scrubs a clean spot. I will clean the fuse prongs if they look dirty and put back in, the fuse shows good because the bridge is good but does not mean the contacts are good. That was a good find
Nice job Kenny. No owner in their right mind would (or should) spend up to $5K on a 18 year old truck. Most people would send it to the junkyard. For the price of a .35 fuse,you saved your customer a whole world of trouble.
This episode reminds me of a family car that we owned back in the 70s. 1968 Chrysler Newport. The blower motor for the heating/ac system would not work. The fuse for the blower was not blown. Dad figured out a work around (somehow) to just plug the wire for the blower into the cigarette lighter socket. Only high speed worked, but at least it kept the windows from fogging up. A few years later I decided to investigate it more thoroughly. The fuse connections for the blower fuse were corroded. So Kenny is spot on for checking the fit of the mini fuse in the fuse box. Great detective work!
Had similar issues with my 2006 f150. Wouldn't start when below freezing. Had fuel pump and module on crossmember replaced prior. Checked fuel pump fuse. Tested good with ohm meter. Replaced fuse anyway and haven't had problems since. Old fuse spade lugs looks discolored. You da man! I did hear years ago from ford tech at my dealership that the different types of metal used for electrical connections in most vehicles react differently with each other, sometimes causing poor connections. Enough voltage to measure but not enough to power circuits.
Once back in the day at Ford dealership training school, the engineer (yes, long ago the teachers were actual engineers from Ford and FMC operated the classrooms) teaching the class bugged a car by cutting the leg off of the load side of a fuse. Took us a while to troubleshoot that one lol.
That's why you are a master automotive technician and it separates the men from the boys they need their weewee held when they take a leak thank you for your videos and hopefully your wife is doing well and have a blessed day today 🙏
Years ago my BIL bought fuses from Harbor Freight for his 300zx. They didnt blow when they were supposed to, and melted the entire main wiring harness. The car has been sitting in his driveway so long it's actually sunk into the asphalt. Don't buy cheap no name fuses folks.
Measuring correct, or almost correct. voltage is often not enough. What really matters is current flow under load. The Test Light is just the first step in diagnosis and it can really trick you. You were brilliant to check the schematic and notice that this fuse was the over current protection for way down the line for the transmission control solenoids.
You can see damage inside the fuse, it was making intermittent contact, a lucky find based on analyzing the common mode intermittent failure affecting all the solenoids.
I have found a fuse that ohmed out fine using a Fluke multimeter but was actually bad. It wasn’t an ATO fuse, this was a ceramic cartridge type fuse. I finally found the problem by noticing a significant voltage drop across the fuse under load.
@@NeuronioJr I’m not sure I would do it as a matter of course, but if you had the time and the fuses it would not hurt. But if I was to replace all the ATO fuses I would get the new kind with the LED that lights up if the fuse blows.
@@rickschlosser6793 Thanks, I will see if I can find those here, I live in Brazil, here isnt easy to find foreign autoparts, specially Volvo older models, thanks for the reply!
Use an ohm meter and check the resistance of the fuse. Sometimes the fluke meters are too sensitive on resistance. Thats why I keep an old Simpson 260 around
The fuse had enough contact area to allow "some" voltage to go through but not enough area to allow the needed current to pass through for the solenoids. I had this problem in the late '70s when I put a SEARS cruise control on my van. Even though my digital VOM(digital had just come on the market) showed 12v , it did not allow enough current to pass through the "small" wire I had used to clamp into. After going to SEARS , the technician allowed me to use his test light which would NOT pass the 12V through because of the higher amp drawing bulb used in the test light.
Good call I remember once I found a fuse in the same state and you could see it melted the plastic but would be ok with the test light until it got hot and shorted again from powering it up.
Great job Kenny, ran across a similar situation years ago when we had the round glass fuses on our cars. I had an intermittent issue with my power windows on my 1966 Pontiac Bonneville coupe. When you hit a bump it would work fine but the minute you hit another bump it would not work. When you first started the car it would work. When you used the windows for a few times it would stop. I was going crazy with it. Until they stopped working. I changed the fuse with another brand new fuse and the problem disappeared until I junked the car in 1979 . Wish I didn’t . But live and learn. I was curious about the fuse and I carefully cracked the glass and the fuse fell apart and the filament was not fully soldered to the metal end cap . So when it was cold it would be fine but when it got hot it would separate from the end cap. Drove me crazy.
My wife had a Saturn , dealer said transmission was bad. Took it to several mechanics and they all said the transmission was bad. I took it to a Transmission shop, and they were honest and said the transmission was good. I was incredulous at this point. I ask him to recommend a mechanic, and he did, and he said it was the Transmission! I went to one last Mechanic and told he to check the catalytic converter, and found it clogged. I made the dealership change it and everything was fine. Thank god for a honest transmission shop owner.
You are a dam good machanic and gos a step be on i had that problem with a ac blower fuse look good but test bad turn out the leg was broke off from the fuse part
A proper mechanic does what you have done. The scanner tells you half the tale. Then the mechanic's brain interprets the scanner's results. Good on yer.
i love my ford wiring diagrams book. often i'll think i found the circuit and its on another page. random wiring diagrams online can suck. the book also shows locations for connectors and so much more. your knowledge of voltage drop and great schrodinger like troubleshooting and simplistic diagnostic approach is what knocked it out. Thats very cool. oh and "weberauto" has some mindblowing videos about fuse and comparisons, theres a whole lot to it. too much to explain...
You deserve the Smarty-pants award for the day....put your right hand over your left shoulder and pat yourself on the back...its called using your smarts... enjoy the videos. Please let us know at end of each video the time for diagnosis and then repair cost....those trips to Mexico, suggest a detour to the car wash!
Kenny, your videos are more of a diary of your troubleshooting adventures than they are rigidly structured teaching aids. But that's fine. Yours are interesting and entertaining. I say this after finding an online forum talking about motor oil, and your channel was mentioned, saying you didn't know what you were talking about when it came to oil. This annoyed me; they can have their own opinions, but judging you on one particular subject is unfair, you give general advice and often admit that you make mistakes, too. I just wanted to let you know that I for one appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos. Or in other words... _Keep Wrenching, Kenny!_
Very informative.It's a shame the headliner is ripped and wipers are dry rotted and customer is only worried about $4500 transmission repair.truly hope the customer is thrilled also.
Good job, Kenny 👏 I'll slam other hack shops and Stealerships. I'm so sick of fixing other people's mistakes (professionals, my *ss). I do it for the customers' gratitude...
@ginog5037 I get that some of the shops just don't have the experience to diagnose the customer's complaint. They really need to be honest and tell the customer that. In the long run, they will end up with more customers due to their work ethic. Until then, we just keep fixing the screw up. Thanks for watching & leaving a comment. I appreciate you. Keep wrenching 🔧Kenny
@WrenchingWithKenny These hack shops/Stealerships sure have the experience in making insane invoices and crazy estimates. This repair must make you feel great to same the customer thousands and thier time (finally getting their truck back), hope they appreciate it. You won points with the man upstairs, glad your wife is doing much better. Take care brother 🙏
You can see in the center of the old fuse; it is blown, yet still in tact. Not enough metal touching inside the fuse, causing resistance. If you still have this fuse you should do a resistance bench test against another 10amp fuse. Can also see the casing is disfigured, and looks like the connection portions are disfigured. Good show
Great diagnose! I like how you always start looking for small cq inexpensive causes. From an electronics standpoint I'm curious how much current flows in that particular circuit and I'd like to run it through an ammeter while testdriving through all gears, reverse, lockup, etc: testing all of the solenoids and see if there is a situation where the current is approaching or exceeding 10 Amps. To me this fuse looks like slowly and partly blown. Cheers
The key to testing fuses correctly, is to shove at least 5 amps plus through them and then monitor the voltage drop. This procedure mirrors the real life scenario and gives definitive results. Ohmic testing is ok for static situations where no power is applied.
I've ran into that once before,fuse tested good but still sending no power. Finally I pulled it out and just installed a new one. Proof, we had power 😮. Crazy but it was that simple lol😮😅
In the late 70's BIL had a early 70's Cutless. He called because it would only up shift by running it to high RPM. I said sounds like a bad vacuum modulator. He said transmission shop thought that but it tested good. I found a short piece of vacuum hose near the carburetor had split wide open. 1 inch piece of vacuum hose later and everything was good.
There is a video testing harbor freight blade fuses. All held beyond their rating. Apparently they are made in China and quality control isn’t good. I’m wondering if that is what you have. You aren’t slamming other shops if you don’t use names.
@@WrenchingWithKenny You are a really good down to earth mechanic...Allways seem to be on the right track no matter what situation...Keep wrenching bud!
@WrenchingWithKenny I love your videos Kenny! Have been a huge fan of your diagnostic approach for a while. Keep up the great work. It’s not easy doing this I try myself so I wanted to personally take the time to thank you. 🙏
@TourettesMobileMechanic Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment & watching the channel. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Hey Kenny. Ignore the haters. You don’t name other shops, when sometimes you could. You just point out other’s mistakes. Not everyone has the experience you do, or care as much. Keep wrenching.
Seen it International trucks had a problem for awhile with fuse connected to the batteries that would melt. The ECM would lose power Had more than one get towed in. Replace the fuse it fire right up, Sometimes just messing with it they would start and run for a short bit till the vibration made it lose connection again
I had a similar problem with the AC in a 1976 Toyota. The AC would work in the morning but not in the afternoon. The fuse element was cracked. It would make contact when it was cool, but when hot, the two halves would bend and not make contact.
I've worked with electronics since the '70s, and have seen strange fuses occasionally (thankfully!). I fought an intermittent rear turn signal on a 2005 Chrysler minivan, even replacing the bulb... which turned out to act just as flaky, and probably from the same pack as the problem one. Bought a new pack of bulbs; problem solved.
Several years ago I brought my 03 Avalanche in for a rear main seal, and since it had 235000 on it I had them do a trans rebuild. Shifted great after that but would NOT lock up at highway speeds. Brought it back and the shop even replaced the valve body and it still didn’t fix it. Wish I’d known this back then. And there wasn’t any shift issues prior, I was JUST being proactive since the trans was going to be out anyway.
@jimmuller6962 yikes! Maybe it was something simple that didn't get diagnosed at the time. I'm sorry that happened to you. Thanks for watching the video & leaving a comment. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Has to be high resistance. (Like maybe the fuse blew but the ends still touch slightly, or partially blown?) Great catch Kenny. I would never have found that one...but now I know to double check. Thank you.
@Stevenayala2324 Lunch is always appreciated. I definitely saved him a ton of money. He really appreciated it. Thanks for watching & leaving a comment. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Interesting coincidence: Two weekends ago, I was trying to diagnose an evap issue on my '06 Freestyle. I was using a Hyper Tough (Walmart) Bluetooth OBD-II dongle for a scan tool; it pairs with your phone. On a previous attempt at a firmware update, I think I ruined the dongle when I interrupted the download. I connected the tool again after many hours of using it successfully, and then, boom--no-start. I went through my interior fuses until I discovered that the circuit for my TCM, back-up lights, and [one other thing] wasn't getting power. So I cross-referenced the under-hood fuses with that circuit and found that there was a 10-amp fuses under the hood that fed all the circuits mentioned above! I pulled it and saw immediately that it was clearly blown. So, could it be someone like me? Poking around in a manner they ought not to? Such as using a dangerous piece of diagnostic equipment? (Mine seems to be made by Innova. They had another that was made by Autel; that's not the one I'm talking about. I have the HT500. Probably going to toss it.)
The other shops have no interest in finding the true problem as firing the parts cannon gives them a greater profit. So the choice is high dollar replacement or a simple fix. Sort of like the Boeing Starliner contract.
Hi Kenny the fuse is broken but it's with the vibration of the car overtime it's disconnecting. If you look at the fuse you can see that it is broken but when you test the fuse the light comes on?😂
Hey Kenny! 👋 The owner will be happy until he remembers how long it was at that shop and not in his garage, all because of a 10 amp fuse! 🥰🤬 😁 Mike in San Diego. 🌞🎸🚀🖖
Recently had someone reach out for a 2000 Chevy Xpress that would go into limp mode and then a restart would temporarily help. Customer installed a new PCM but no fix. Upon arrival there were lots of hacks in place (customer was jack of all trades) but I went for the trans fuse #20 by the kickpanel which tested good. When the van was driven hot, the problem became worse. I decided to check fluid levels and it was overfilled 5 or 6 inches on the dipstick.
@grumpy2.0 Yup! The fact that the other shop said they needed a transmission still boggles my mind. Thanks for watching & leaving a comment. Keep wrenching 🔧 Kenny
I had the same thing happen on the fuse for the HVAC controls on my 2003 Chevy Tahoe recently. I also couldn't find anything wrong with the fuse and started to speculate that maybe oxidation of the aluminum prongs had occurred or something.? Where aluminum wire is present in residential electrical fuse boxes they put antioxidant paste at the connection to avoid heat buildup due to oxidation potentially causing high electrical resistance and a fire. My fuse was an original OEM fuse.
I have had a fuse go high resistance before. 12 volts on each side until a load is put on it. Has anubody this? A while back, my radio decided to quit. The fuse checked good. I put it back in and the radio has worked since. Also, my electric power steering failed. I found 3 fuses related, they all checked fine. i put them back in, and the power steering has been fine since. My guess is that 11 year old fuses, undisturbed, got a bit of corrosion, which was wiped clean by removing / inserting the fuses. Thoughts?
@drewthompson7457 could be. If it happens again you should replace them with quality fuses. Thanks for watching & leaving a comment. Keep wrenching! Kenny
@@WrenchingWithKenny : this summer, used contact cleaner on all the fuses, and worked them in/ out a couple of times. Maybe good for another 11 years.....
Transmission shops are unfortunately not that good with other issues. I had a very bad experience with one. My 1969 Cutlass stated leaking transmission oil. The shop said I needed to rebuild the tranny. So they did that. It still leaked oil! So I gave them another used tranny and they rebuilt that one to. That one also leaked! I was low on money so I could not afford to buy a third tranny. A couple of days later the police calls me and says my cars is blocking the road! It was in the middle of town and the keys was inside the ignition and it had stalled, I guess when they were trying to drive the car inside a parking garage under a apartment house only 300 yards from my house. I knew how to start it with a jumper battery and took it home. I took the car to my parents house and jacked it up. It took me a couple of seconds to find the leak. It was a fitting between the cooling line and the tranny that had cracked! Needless to say I never paid that bill and the shop never called me either! If a customer car gets stolen, I think I would call the owner to let him know!!!! It makes be believe he knew the problem and though he could screw me over multiple times because I was a young kid!
Guys like you are a dying breed. South Main auto LLC is a great guy to look over other shops mistakes and fixes them. Keep up the good work.
@johnds6621 Thank you for your kind word. I am honored to be mentioned along with South Main Auto. I have been watching those guys for years & they do great work. Thank you for watching the video & taking the time to leave a comment. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Your not slamming anyone your doing a thorough job and found the issue
They would of put a transmission in and still charged the customer for the failed fix.....good job kenny
And 600 for tge fuse
6 months for a fuse, disgusting!
It's called diagnosing the problem. AKA troubleshooting!
Diagnostic fee was well worth the money on this one .
Magnificent! A genuine mechanic!
This video really needs to go viral. I really like the channel wwk, keep up the good work.
@Jabberwocky4k thank you for your kind words & for watching the channel. I do appreciate you. Keep wrenching! Kenny
I had the exact same thing happen on my 2004 Cadillac Deville. It was a 10 amp fuse that had a break in the filament that would intermittently work and was throwing transmission torque converter solenoid codes. At a cold start, it would act up but it would work fine after warming up. I had even scheduled an appointment at a transmission shop as I thought I had bad solenoids in my transmission. I decided that before I took it to the shop I would double-check my fuses and find the fuse associated with the solenoid and was able to find there was a tiny crack in the filament that was giving me the trouble. Needless to say, I was able to pop a new fuse in and I was back on the road. Good video Kenny. Praying for your wife bro.
You got sharp eyes!
Wow! I'm glad you thought to check the fuses. You may have saved yourself a good chunk fo $$$. Smart move. Thanks so much for thinking of Meg. We are believers in the power of positive thinking, especially Meg. Thanks for watching & leaving a comment. Keep wrenching. Kenny
My first "fuse project" was a Honda CT90 when I was 15. My uncle sold me the bike as it had no compression and no electrical power after sitting for 2 years. The Honda shop wanted to do a top end rebuild, battery and new coil, etc., $600 in 1977. I bought it for only $35. I recharged the battery, replaced the blown fuse and added 2 tablespoons of oil to the cylinder. After 3000 miles, I traded it and $650 for a '71 Challenger.
After watching the previous video, I immediately thought "bad ground". The other shop would have replaced the transmission, and when the problem continued, found & replaced the fuse, and never confessed that the transmission never needed replacing.
My thoughts exactly.
The brilliance of your diagnostic abilities never ceases to amaze me. The scanners and diagnostic tools are very helpful, of course. But I’m sure you could figure out and solve these mechanical and electrical problems even without those tools - it just might take a little longer. All your years of working on cars have led you to a profoundly deep and intimate understanding of how these automotive systems work and why they fail. Sadly, I estimate that fewer than one percent of existing auto mechanics possess your level of skill. And far fewer than that possess your high level of integrity and honesty. How fortunate it is for those customers who live near enough to you to avail themselves of your services when needed. My highest praises and admiration go out to you. Blessings to you and your family.
@carmenolivieri279 I have had several younger technicians that have are very driven to learn. One of them works at American Motor Works, Chris, he is amazing. He won't stop learning until he figures it out. I personally enjoy learning as much as I love teaching. Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate you watching the video & taking time to comment. Keep wrenching. Kenny
I think it's always been hard to find a good mechanic. Much more in this era. He may be honest but can't wrench, takes too long to do a job so he cuts corners or doesn't make enough money to buy correct tools, can wrench but can't diagnose? You can't fix anything if you can't properly diagnose; mechanic, doctor, engineer. I'm so glad I found this channel. Very rewarding to watch Kinney do the right thing under the car and at the point of sale.
@brettvaugh1058 thank you for your kind words. I appreciate you watching the channel & leaving a comment. Keep wrenching 🔧 Kenny
Reminds me of my pre obdll chevy cavalier. Everytime I would step on the brake pedal when parked and key out of the ignition my headlights, dash lights and tail lights would iluminate. Took a while to sero in on a dual element light bulb for my rear brake light was the problem. A piece of solder had broken off and lodged it self between the brake element and the tail light element. This caused the brake pedal to energize the other lights when depress. This was the first and last time I ever ran into this. When you looked at the bulb it looked fine at a glance.
Needle in the haystack...has been found... nice very nice
Excellent integrity fantastic diagnostic win win for mechanic and customer 😊😊😊
@pamelavance648 It really came down to diagnostics. Thanks for your kind words. Keep wrenching! Kenny
The most simple thing can make so many problems and drive you crazy figuring it out . Good video
If you look at the prongs you will notice that one is dirty and the other is clean, how the dirt or grime gets between the contacts is uncertain but it happens. sometimes just pulling the fuse out and put it back in scrubs a clean spot. I will clean the fuse prongs if they look dirty and put back in, the fuse shows good because the bridge is good but does not mean the contacts are good. That was a good find
You just earned a customer for life. Great job, that would of drove me nuts trying to find it!
Nice job Kenny. No owner in their right mind would (or should) spend up to $5K on a 18 year old truck. Most people would send it to the junkyard. For the price of a .35 fuse,you saved your customer a whole world of trouble.
You aren't bashing anyone. You don't name the other shop, and good job on the catching the problem. Hop the Mrs is doing better
Keep on doing what you're doing kenny
I would certainly be happy if I was that customer. Thanks Kenny.
Wow- rebuild and waiting six months or new 10A.
Another shop ripoff scenario.
Nice job K!
This episode reminds me of a family car that we owned back in the 70s. 1968 Chrysler Newport. The blower motor for the heating/ac system would not work. The fuse for the blower was not blown. Dad figured out a work around (somehow) to just plug the wire for the blower into the cigarette lighter socket. Only high speed worked, but at least it kept the windows from fogging up. A few years later I decided to investigate it more thoroughly. The fuse connections for the blower fuse were corroded. So Kenny is spot on for checking the fit of the mini fuse in the fuse box. Great detective work!
@jamesbrumgard9066 Thanks for sharing your experience. Your dad was pretty smart & made it work. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Had similar issues with my 2006 f150. Wouldn't start when below freezing. Had fuel pump and module on crossmember replaced prior. Checked fuel pump fuse. Tested good with ohm meter. Replaced fuse anyway and haven't had problems since. Old fuse spade lugs looks discolored. You da man! I did hear years ago from ford tech at my dealership that the different types of metal used for electrical connections in most vehicles react differently with each other, sometimes causing poor connections. Enough voltage to measure but not enough to power circuits.
Once back in the day at Ford dealership training school, the engineer (yes, long ago the teachers were actual engineers from Ford and FMC operated the classrooms) teaching the class bugged a car by cutting the leg off of the load side of a fuse. Took us a while to troubleshoot that one lol.
That's why you are a master automotive technician and it separates the men from the boys they need their weewee held when they take a leak thank you for your videos and hopefully your wife is doing well and have a blessed day today 🙏
Years ago my BIL bought fuses from Harbor Freight for his 300zx. They didnt blow when they were supposed to, and melted the entire main wiring harness. The car has been sitting in his driveway so long it's actually sunk into the asphalt. Don't buy cheap no name fuses folks.
WOW! That is an absolute shame. Thanks for watching the video & commenting. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Measuring correct, or almost correct. voltage is often not enough. What really matters is current flow under load. The Test Light is just the first step in diagnosis and it can really trick you. You were brilliant to check the schematic and notice that this fuse was the over current protection for way down the line for the transmission control solenoids.
Good job and diagnosis! Thanks for sharing.
You can see damage inside the fuse, it was making intermittent contact, a lucky find based on analyzing the common mode intermittent failure affecting all the solenoids.
I have found a fuse that ohmed out fine using a Fluke multimeter but was actually bad.
It wasn’t an ATO fuse, this was a ceramic cartridge type fuse.
I finally found the problem by noticing a significant voltage drop across the fuse under load.
I've seen it too. It does happen.
Do you recommend replacing all the fuses that were never replaced as the car is 20+ years old and its on limp mode since they could be compromised?
@@NeuronioJr I’m not sure I would do it as a matter of course, but if you had the time and the fuses it would not hurt.
But if I was to replace all the ATO fuses I would get the new kind with the LED that lights up if the fuse blows.
@@rickschlosser6793 Thanks, I will see if I can find those here, I live in Brazil, here isnt easy to find foreign autoparts, specially Volvo older models, thanks for the reply!
Use an ohm meter and check the resistance of the fuse.
Sometimes the fluke meters are too sensitive on resistance. Thats why I keep an old Simpson 260 around
@cw3fixinjunk475 Thanks for the recommendation & watching the video. Keep wrenching! Kenny
The fuse had enough contact area to allow "some" voltage to go through but not enough area to allow the needed current to pass through for the solenoids.
I had this problem in the late '70s when I put a SEARS cruise control on my van. Even though my digital VOM(digital had just come on the market) showed 12v , it did not allow enough current to pass through the "small" wire I had used to clamp into. After going to SEARS , the technician allowed me to use his test light which would NOT pass the 12V through because of the higher amp drawing bulb used in the test light.
Good call I remember once I found a fuse in the same state and you could see it melted the plastic but would be ok with the test light until it got hot and shorted again from powering it up.
Great job Kenny, ran across a similar situation years ago when we had the round glass fuses on our cars. I had an intermittent issue with my power windows on my 1966 Pontiac Bonneville coupe. When you hit a bump it would work fine but the minute you hit another bump it would not work. When you first started the car it would work. When you used the windows for a few times it would stop. I was going crazy with it. Until they stopped working. I changed the fuse with another brand new fuse and the problem disappeared until I junked the car in 1979 . Wish I didn’t . But live and learn. I was curious about the fuse and I carefully cracked the glass and the fuse fell apart and the filament was not fully soldered to the metal end cap . So when it was cold it would be fine but when it got hot it would separate from the end cap. Drove me crazy.
@jimdooner4375 Wow! Thanks for sharing your experience & watching the video. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Awesome!!------Now I love that mailbox!!!!!!!LOL😃😃
I have never seen that before, I always test them on the back , still installed thank you now I will pull them out, give them a look
Wow, nice job Mr. Wrench. You are awesome. You have taught so many, so much. Keep up the superb work.😊
@dennisvandergriff7757 Thank you for your kind words & for watching the channel. I appreciate you. Keep wrenching! Kenny
My wife had a Saturn , dealer said transmission was bad. Took it to several mechanics and they all said the transmission was bad.
I took it to a Transmission shop, and they were honest and said the transmission was good. I was incredulous at this point.
I ask him to recommend a mechanic, and he did, and he said it was the Transmission! I went to one last Mechanic and told he to check the catalytic converter, and found it clogged. I made the dealership change it and everything was fine. Thank god for a honest transmission shop owner.
You are a dam good machanic and gos a step be on i had that problem with a ac blower fuse look good but test bad turn out the leg was broke off from the fuse part
There is such a thing as a "partially blown fuse" and the one you showed is a prime example!
The question is, why is it partially blown?
Resistance increases from heat & oxidation
@@neiliewheeliebin Exactly! And causes erratic electrical current thus confusing things.
nice one Kenny ,that's great you have a customer for life and he will tell others .
Not slamming anyone good job on the diagnosis.Brother
A proper mechanic does what you have done. The scanner tells you half the tale. Then the mechanic's brain interprets the scanner's results. Good on yer.
Excellent troubleshooting, thanks for sharing!
@csflmich2239 Thanks! I appreciate your kind words. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Good morning Mr Kenny. Happy hump day 🎉 thank you for the great video. Please tell Mrs Kenny I said hello 🎉😊
i love my ford wiring diagrams book. often i'll think i found the circuit and its on another page. random wiring diagrams online can suck.
the book also shows locations for connectors and so much more.
your knowledge of voltage drop and great schrodinger like troubleshooting and simplistic diagnostic approach is what knocked it out. Thats very cool.
oh and "weberauto" has some mindblowing videos about fuse and comparisons, theres a whole lot to it. too much to explain...
Good catch!
You deserve the Smarty-pants award for the day....put your right hand over your left shoulder and pat yourself on the back...its called using your smarts... enjoy the videos. Please let us know at end of each video the time for diagnosis and then repair cost....those trips to Mexico, suggest a detour to the car wash!
A little probing can turn some amazingly simple fixes , that can drive you nuts , while trying to locate problems !!! Way to go WWK.
To check this particular fuse, need to use a higher current incandescent lamp...
You the man ,Kenny.
@gto3370 Thank you for your kind words & for watching the channel. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Kenny, your videos are more of a diary of your troubleshooting adventures than they are rigidly structured teaching aids. But that's fine. Yours are interesting and entertaining.
I say this after finding an online forum talking about motor oil, and your channel was mentioned, saying you didn't know what you were talking about when it came to oil. This annoyed me; they can have their own opinions, but judging you on one particular subject is unfair, you give general advice and often admit that you make mistakes, too.
I just wanted to let you know that I for one appreciate the time and effort you put into your videos.
Or in other words...
_Keep Wrenching, Kenny!_
I work on mostly tractors and have found this a few times that aside you are true old school
Very informative.It's a shame the headliner is ripped and wipers are dry rotted and customer is only worried about $4500 transmission repair.truly hope the customer is thrilled also.
Hi Kenny excellent video I had the same issue on a Tahoe the fuse was for the fuel pump
@mikedavidson2117 Thanks for sharing for experience & watching the video. Keep wrenching 🔧 Kenny
You should measure the resistance of that fuse compared to a new fuse.
Good job, Kenny 👏
I'll slam other hack shops and Stealerships. I'm so sick of fixing other people's mistakes (professionals, my *ss). I do it for the customers' gratitude...
@ginog5037 I get that some of the shops just don't have the experience to diagnose the customer's complaint. They really need to be honest and tell the customer that. In the long run, they will end up with more customers due to their work ethic. Until then, we just keep fixing the screw up. Thanks for watching & leaving a comment. I appreciate you. Keep wrenching 🔧Kenny
@WrenchingWithKenny These hack shops/Stealerships sure have the experience in making insane invoices and crazy estimates. This repair must make you feel great to same the customer thousands and thier time (finally getting their truck back), hope they appreciate it. You won points with the man upstairs, glad your wife is doing much better. Take care brother 🙏
Awesome . You do some great investigation.
You can see in the center of the old fuse; it is blown, yet still in tact. Not enough metal touching inside the fuse, causing resistance. If you still have this fuse you should do a resistance bench test against another 10amp fuse. Can also see the casing is disfigured, and looks like the connection portions are disfigured. Good show
@mikeschaner5853 When I get a minute I definitely want to check the fuse out. Thanks for watching. Keep wrenching! Kenny
If another shop doesn't really do the troubleshooting like they should then they deserve to get called out.
Great diagnose! I like how you always start looking for small cq inexpensive causes.
From an electronics standpoint I'm curious how much current flows in that particular circuit and I'd like to run it through an ammeter while testdriving through all gears, reverse, lockup, etc: testing all of the solenoids and see if there is a situation where the current is approaching or exceeding 10 Amps. To me this fuse looks like slowly and partly blown. Cheers
@musicteacha Thank you for your kind words & for watching the video. I do appreciate you. Keep wrenching! Kenny
The key to testing fuses correctly, is to shove at least 5 amps plus through them and then monitor the voltage drop. This procedure mirrors the real life scenario and gives definitive results. Ohmic testing is ok for static situations where no power is applied.
I've ran into that once before,fuse tested good but still sending no power. Finally I pulled it out and just installed a new one. Proof, we had power 😮. Crazy but it was that simple lol😮😅
In the late 70's BIL had a early 70's Cutless. He called because it would only up shift by running it to high RPM. I said sounds like a bad vacuum modulator. He said transmission shop thought that but it tested good. I found a short piece of vacuum hose near the carburetor had split wide open. 1 inch piece of vacuum hose later and everything was good.
There is a video testing harbor freight blade fuses. All held beyond their rating. Apparently they are made in China and quality control isn’t good. I’m wondering if that is what you have. You aren’t slamming other shops if you don’t use names.
Great job!
Nice Job!
Wow! Good job bud
@woody95124 Thanks for your kind words & watching the video. Keep wrenching! Kenny
@@WrenchingWithKenny You are a really good down to earth mechanic...Allways seem to be on the right track no matter what situation...Keep wrenching bud!
Awesome Kenny!! ❤
@WrenchingWithKenny I love your videos Kenny! Have been a huge fan of your diagnostic approach for a while. Keep up the great work. It’s not easy doing this I try myself so I wanted to personally take the time to thank you. 🙏
@TourettesMobileMechanic Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment & watching the channel. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Hey Kenny. Ignore the haters. You don’t name other shops, when sometimes you could. You just point out other’s mistakes. Not everyone has the experience you do, or care as much. Keep wrenching.
Excellent video
You are the man Kenny. 💪
Seen it International trucks had a problem for awhile with fuse connected to the batteries that would melt. The ECM would lose power Had more than one get towed in. Replace the fuse it fire right up, Sometimes just messing with it they would start and run for a short bit till the vibration made it lose connection again
@campermike8879 that's interesting too. Thanks for sharing your experience & watching the video. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Common sense prevails, can’t teach that. Great job.
What about the transmission being over full? Won't that cause a problem down the road?
Can you imaging buying a running vehicle with bad transmission for cheap! Turned out it was a 0.50 cent fuse 😂
I had a similar problem with the AC in a 1976 Toyota. The AC would work in the morning but not in the afternoon. The fuse element was cracked. It would make contact when it was cool, but when hot, the two halves would bend and not make contact.
I've worked with electronics since the '70s, and have seen strange fuses occasionally (thankfully!). I fought an intermittent rear turn signal on a 2005 Chrysler minivan, even replacing the bulb... which turned out to act just as flaky, and probably from the same pack as the problem one. Bought a new pack of bulbs; problem solved.
Had a fuse cost me like that also. But I was the one checking it. Had it towed and it was a big 30amp fuse the whole time.
Several years ago I brought my 03 Avalanche in for a rear main seal, and since it had 235000 on it I had them do a trans rebuild. Shifted great after that but would NOT lock up at highway speeds. Brought it back and the shop even replaced the valve body and it still didn’t fix it. Wish I’d known this back then.
And there wasn’t any shift issues prior, I was JUST being proactive since the trans was going to be out anyway.
@jimmuller6962 yikes! Maybe it was something simple that didn't get diagnosed at the time. I'm sorry that happened to you. Thanks for watching the video & leaving a comment. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Has to be high resistance. (Like maybe the fuse blew but the ends still touch slightly, or partially blown?) Great catch Kenny. I would never have found that one...but now I know to double check. Thank you.
Dirty contact is common with fuses
That fuse looked melted on one leg to me....High resistance......😳😏🇬🇧
@EnglishTurbines Absolutely! I hope all is well across the pond. Keep wrenching! Kenny
If I was that customer I would buy you lunch and some beer
@Stevenayala2324 Lunch is always appreciated. I definitely saved him a ton of money. He really appreciated it. Thanks for watching & leaving a comment. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Interesting coincidence:
Two weekends ago, I was trying to diagnose an evap issue on my '06 Freestyle. I was using a Hyper Tough (Walmart) Bluetooth OBD-II dongle for a scan tool; it pairs with your phone.
On a previous attempt at a firmware update, I think I ruined the dongle when I interrupted the download.
I connected the tool again after many hours of using it successfully, and then, boom--no-start. I went through my interior fuses until I discovered that the circuit for my TCM, back-up lights, and [one other thing] wasn't getting power.
So I cross-referenced the under-hood fuses with that circuit and found that there was a 10-amp fuses under the hood that fed all the circuits mentioned above!
I pulled it and saw immediately that it was clearly blown.
So, could it be someone like me? Poking around in a manner they ought not to? Such as using a dangerous piece of diagnostic equipment?
(Mine seems to be made by Innova. They had another that was made by Autel; that's not the one I'm talking about. I have the HT500. Probably going to toss it.)
The other shops have no interest in finding the true problem as firing the parts cannon gives them a greater profit. So the choice is high dollar replacement or a simple fix. Sort of like the Boeing Starliner contract.
@ivanhorban340 maybe. Thanks for watching. Keep wrenching! Kenny
Hi Kenny the fuse is broken but it's with the vibration of the car overtime it's disconnecting. If you look at the fuse you can see that it is broken but when you test the fuse the light comes on?😂
Do fuses sometimes develop cracks that only have an air gap when heated up?
Hey Kenny! 👋
The owner will be happy until he remembers how long it was at that shop and not in his garage, all because of a 10 amp fuse! 🥰🤬
😁
Mike in San Diego. 🌞🎸🚀🖖
@alphamegaman8847 Yikes! You make a very good point. Thanks for watching & leaving a comment. Keep wrenching! Meg
@@WrenchingWithKenny Glad you are feeling better! 🥰
You're not slamming other shops, you're saying ASE certified technicians should their jobs at $90/hour rate
That's cheap. Where you at? Here it's well over 100
@kurtvogler8417 True! It's over $100 here in Durham NC too. Keep wrenching! Kenny
$5000 transmission protecting a $1 fuse
Recently had someone reach out for a 2000 Chevy Xpress that would go into limp mode and then a restart would temporarily help. Customer installed a new PCM but no fix.
Upon arrival there were lots of hacks in place (customer was jack of all trades) but I went for the trans fuse #20 by the kickpanel which tested good.
When the van was driven hot, the problem became worse. I decided to check fluid levels and it was overfilled 5 or 6 inches on the dipstick.
Do you know common reasons for limp mode on older S60 Volvo? Thanks
I've seen this myself. They make and break with warming up and cooling down
@grumpy2.0 Yup! The fact that the other shop said they needed a transmission still boggles my mind. Thanks for watching & leaving a comment. Keep wrenching 🔧 Kenny
I have had the same thing happen
I had the same thing happen on the fuse for the HVAC controls on my 2003 Chevy Tahoe recently. I also couldn't find anything wrong with the fuse and started to speculate that maybe oxidation of the aluminum prongs had occurred or something.? Where aluminum wire is present in residential electrical fuse boxes they put antioxidant paste at the connection to avoid heat buildup due to oxidation potentially causing high electrical resistance and a fire. My fuse was an original OEM fuse.
Way to go Kenny!! Can't wait to com see you.
I have had a fuse go high resistance before. 12 volts on each side until a load is put on it.
Has anubody this? A while back, my radio decided to quit. The fuse checked good. I put it back in and the radio has worked since.
Also, my electric power steering failed. I found 3 fuses related, they all checked fine. i put them back in, and the power steering has been fine since. My guess is that 11 year old fuses, undisturbed, got a bit of corrosion, which was wiped clean by removing / inserting the fuses.
Thoughts?
@drewthompson7457 could be. If it happens again you should replace them with quality fuses. Thanks for watching & leaving a comment. Keep wrenching! Kenny
@@WrenchingWithKenny : this summer, used contact cleaner on all the fuses, and worked them in/ out a couple of times. Maybe good for another 11 years.....
You're not slamming anyone Kenny, if they are incapable, or otherwise unable; but you are...... That's just doing a better job, no slander at all.
Clean up the contacts on the spade tips, of the fuse.
Transmission shops are unfortunately not that good with other issues.
I had a very bad experience with one.
My 1969 Cutlass stated leaking transmission oil.
The shop said I needed to rebuild the tranny. So they did that.
It still leaked oil! So I gave them another used tranny and they rebuilt that one to.
That one also leaked! I was low on money so I could not afford to buy a third tranny.
A couple of days later the police calls me and says my cars is blocking the road!
It was in the middle of town and the keys was inside the ignition and it had stalled, I guess when they were trying to drive the car inside a parking garage under a apartment house only 300 yards from my house. I knew how to start it with a jumper battery and took it home.
I took the car to my parents house and jacked it up. It took me a couple of seconds to find the leak. It was a fitting between the cooling line and the tranny that had cracked!
Needless to say I never paid that bill and the shop never called me either!
If a customer car gets stolen, I think I would call the owner to let him know!!!!
It makes be believe he knew the problem and though he could screw me over multiple times because I was a young kid!