Check out this shorter A/C Condenser video with the saw cut in the side of the unit. Customer States...WAIT...look at this! Can't make this stuff up! th-cam.com/video/9nHSh5ZYFmY/w-d-xo.html ⚠⚠⚠Ray's Auto Clinic Clearance Sale at www.RainmanRaysRepairs.com We're liquidating the hooded sweatshirt lineup as the weather is getting warmer. Add a hoodie to your cart and receive 20% off the entire order. No checkout code needed.
Ray, if I understand those zero angle ratchets correctly, they are basically a very small sprang clutch just like what is used in an automatic transmission.
Ray or Lauren, I have a question, you have license plates in your office. I just had to cancel my Massachusetts Red Sox plates as the car was totaled. I would like to send you one for your collection, if you would like. Please let me know. Thanks.
Thanks for taking care of this right away my friend. I know you are busy, and you know how I hate the heat. Thanks for squeezing me in. Ray is the best!
@@charleskadletc2431 Didn't charge you is a little crazy. He's my friend, but this is business. The fact that I know it was done right and that my truck won't blow up is good enough for me 😀. I'm sure he took a little off the top for me. I mean he could have charged me 7-8 hours. But he didn't. So all it good in the world.
@@charleskadletc2431 Any time you avoid dealerships, you're already getting a huge discount. Any time you deal with a backyard cash job, you get no guarantees. Every time you nickel and dime good service, don't expect the same level of good service in return. Hope that makes sense or hope you think about that the next time you look for a HUGE DISCOUNT.
I had to have the condenser replaced on my 2014 Silverado, while I was traveling in central FL last month. The same issue you showed. They did the job while I waited in the lobby, 1.5 hours labor charge. I could not get into the local Chev/GM dealer until the following week. A shout out for Yarbrough an independent shop in Sebring FL. They treated me very well! Shame on GM for not taking care of this!
It's not every day when you learn about an OEM part's manufacturing being defective in the long term and surpassed by less expensive non-OEM units, so thanks for this particular heads-up Ray. It's so nice to have an honest and experienced technician in your corner looking out for a consumer's best interests, wish I had one locally.
We replace these constantly at the dealership. GM is on like the 2nd revision now. This one in the video looks like the original. The first revision had the foil tape on it and still leaked at the same spot. The latest revision removes the tape, and its redesigned again. The build quality is awful on the latest one though. The transmission cooler lines rarely clip into the new condenser, you have to transfer the fittings from the old condenser. Also, the plugs on the bottom of the reviever drier come from the factory 2 or 3 turns loose. It will pass the leak test on the 1234yf machine, but leak under pressure. Ask me how I know, had one bite me and from then on I check every one. Just thought to add some backstory to another shotty GM design
If we passed on criminal liability to the engineering departments for litigation there would be quality testing out of this world with designs that would be 50 years old and still not touched.
Yeah, a GM truck with A/C issues? First check that area. We thought that would have been fixed when they changed over to 1234 (VERY expensive stuff), but it wasn't. GM doesn't like upgrading their parts.
Just did the condenser in my 2015 Silverado. took the condenser out from the front. It took no time at all. Took the upper cover off, grill out, took off the 4 bolts holding the upper rad support off and out out it came. didn't have to touch the radiator, or anything on the engine side of the rad except the AC lines.
To anyone who’s new here or even just for those who may not frequent the videos or comment sections often - This video is a genuine masterclass on automotive education. From the content and order of operations and depth of explanations, to the way Ray works the camera and us as the audience. Fantastic job as always Ray. It’s videos like these that turned me into a subscriber and daily viewer.
I was a tech in 1970 at a Chev dealer and I found that on the 350 engine in the "A" frame (largest like Impala) the #8 spark plug was impossible to get to. the flat rate was high and I found a workaround. i got a floor hole plug, they are about 1 1/2 inch and I drilled the fender skirt to gain access to the plug. I put the plug in after. I showed the service mgr how we can save money for our customers and he gave me a bunch of crap about taking money from his income. i didn't stay there long.
Remember that from the times waaay back when. Had a bad taste for the GM products since. To be fair, every auto mfg has problems since all products are being developed throughout their production cycle. Thanks to Total Quality Management.
My daughter has a 2016 Suburban, I had the condenser replaced about a month ago under her extended warranty, I still had to pay about $300 that the warranty company would not cover. Now I am leary that they used an original GM replacement condenser, it is probably going to fail again in another 10 years or so. I will get an aftermarket unit and do it my self (I have the gauges and vacuum pump, and about 15 lbs. of R-134A left) Thank you Ray!
Hey Ray, my '14 Silverado 5.3 is now ten years old (bought new) no problems with AC so far. No problems with anything so far. Enjoyed this one and learned some too.
Had that condenser issue on my 2014 silverado. Also, instead of taking the fan shroud off, I took the metal bar off across the top. The bolts are hidden underneath on each side. I found that really easy. Only took me about 1.5 hrs to replace condenser and get everything back together.
Sitting at a layover with an automotive engineer. He consulted with the Big 3 automakers. Later with Toyota and Honda. Biggest difference separating the automakers was their build philosophy. The Big 3 is about cost containment vs. quality. They choose cost savings over quality.
@@davidbertram4608thats what pisses me off the most. Charging 90k for a truck that 10 years ago would be 40k new drove me to toyota and honda. At least they value quality and sure you pay for it but you get what you pay for with them. USDM since like 1990 took a hard nose dive in quality and hasnt snapped out of it. They are losing market share and try to make up for it with cheaping out on build and charging JDM prices. They lose market share even more because of it and they are fast approaching a point where even the idiots that are ok with a 1000$ car payment wont be able to afford it. But they are too big to fail so cant wait for the next round of Gov bail outs.
Wow have radiator changed! I had a 75 Mustang II with the 302 Cleveland modified that came with an all brass radiator. Accidentally punched a hole in the bottom, the fix was using silver solder and a copper penny. One of the many ways Dad proved he knew a trick or two. Thank you Dad, rest in peace.
And that is why I don’t buy GM products, at 45,000 miles the heads had to be pulled and the valve train replaced, at 65,000 had to rebuild the transmission, they would not replace it with new, because the time part of the warranty expired, up until that I was a loyal GM customer, Ray, you were smart to get away from working at the dealership
I was a GM guy also having 5 Gm vehicle's. 2 trucks & 3 cars. I knew everyone at the dealership by name as I spent 1-2 days a month there. I simply didn't know any better as I thought it normal for parts to constantly fail & both service & warranty work constantly necessary! Untill someone gave me a lemonaid car guide book which showed HONDA to be a better line of vehicle's. Today 25 years later I have 3 Honda's in the driveway & I know no one at the dealership service department. I can't remember who gave me the lemonaid car guide book but Thank You whoever you were!
I like old GM shit (pre-2011). My mom's 2009 Suburban towed a trailer of shop crap over 18 hours with the trailer axle over 1000lbs over rating and the car's rear axle over 500lbs over and the engine definitelt ob its way out. 3 years later at over 200k mi the engine finally wore out, only to be replaced with a crate motor from Napa. The last major issue it had was a cracked wire insulation corroding and disconnecting the body control module. My 1995 blazer wore its engine out at 195k mi after 29 years on the road, only to be replaced by a crate motor from Carquest. Its last major issue was the crank poaition sensor but that's fixed now and it's going strong. I don't care for anything after 2011.
Well if G.M doesn't stand buy their products neither should the consumers.They have beautiful trucks but I prefer ford's that's what I have always owned was the ford trucks and vans
I love it when Ray trolls the re-res. LOL And good on you for not charging the full price because you can get it done sooner. To be perfectly honest, you would be justified charging the full amount, but not doing so speaks to your character. Good on you!
I had one of theses “fixed” parts from Napa. I sent it back and purchased an aftermarket part for an 02 avalanche. I was pissed ac delco let that pass. My impala an 02 is separate from the trans and radiator. Thank goodness. I have been a gm family since the 40’s. My father say many quirk’s and a local mechanic of his, repaired/ rethought the design. He had many followers for a good honest guy. Had lots o work and did well. Remember “WORD OF MOUTH” will always make or break you, and good honest auto -techs are like gold, hard to find and great to hang onto. Rock on Ray.
This makes me appreciate my 2005 Dodge a lot more than I already did. My condenser is off to the side by itself with it's own individual fan. Super easy to work on or take out.
I remember there being A LOT more room in the engine bay when I changed the radiator on my old 2003 Silverado😲 Manufacturers definitely love their plastic shrouds😆 Have a good one Ray😁
GM WCT here, I learned long ago (mostly in the last few years) not to get too upset by poor engineering or the results of cost cutting measures. Perfect example, lifters on the DOD engines, at one point recently we had three almost new vehicles in the shop (one that hadn't even had its first oil change) in the shop with the heads off getting new lifters. It is what it is. Job security.
I was not aware I have been watching you this long, but I do remember your cries against the piss-poor response to such a terrible design flaw. I think it may have been that very video that made me a subscriber, as your honesty and integrity shone through. Still here with you Ray, although I must say, I was a little concerned after your short clip a couple of days ago, I thought this may have been the beginning of the end of Rainman Ray. Sooooo glad it wasn't.
Great job on this one, Ray. I was surprised to hear you weren't going to charge 8 hours for the job. Maybe it's just because this is your friend, but I don't think you should charge less just because you know a better/faster way. Your experience and expertise make you more valuable as a mechanic, not less valuable. Don't sell yourself short! I understand some people may see it as dishonest to charge more hours than you actually spent, but that's only because they're thinking of it too literally. The labor "hours" should be thought of as a measure of difficulty or expertise required, not a literal measure of time.
Hourly rate is exactly that when you are the customer. If Ray charged book hours he would be no better than the other thieves in the industry. If He wants more--he increases the hourly rate, and the customer can make an informed decision.
I moved from NYC to escape and came to Florida in 2010. Just for info: Hurricane season begins 6/1. Technically it ends Sep/30. It makes a difference for homeowners insurance, etc.
All of Rays videos are great. Also liked the upgrade of the aftermarket part. Ray had the where with all not to go OEM. GM.. what are you thinking? You guys remember that 11-12 hour video when Ray replaced the whole air box on that Ford F150 because of a bad temperature sensor? When others make it a $30 dollar part and easy to get to? Ray tried several solutions to save the customer big , big , bucks. But Ford wouldn’t let him. Generally.. Ford does a good job when they realize their mistakes. But not that time. Come on Ford.
I can hear in your commentary about the condenser factory failure. I too shared dismay with GM back in the 80s when the 6.2 diesel came out, there was coolant leaking from the head gasket/block area. After MANY R&R of heads they discovered a flaw in the head gasket design. But that procedure under warranty was a losing battle. Who ate it, besides the customer...well, the technician, of course. Thanks Ray for another of your great videos. Your customer will have many thousands of miles to look forward to with your repair. Good Job!
My neighbor is complaining that his a/c isn’t functioning properly so I just looked at it and it is leaking again. By watching you I ordered a condenser from the same supplier you use. I’m doing it tomorrow. I watch your video so I can get it done easier. I was a technician for 35 years mostly gm
Ray I guess it was cheaper than making a separate coil. I know of a mechanic that was so good at his job that with billable hours he was making more than the manager at that time.pass the time savings on to the customer Nice Ray
@robertamantea7639 No, I have the 5.3. I believe they all use the same condenser. I've been lucky with it so far. I've only had to replace the oil cooler line under warranty. and routine maintenance. It only has 58K miles it.
Once again I will explain the no backlash ratchet.... We have been using them for years in the aerospace industry. We call them Hi-lok ratchets. It is not a magnet that makes them work. They utilize a one way bearing.
Hey Ray I sent you a little something today that I was reminded of with this video. Keep up the good work. I look forward to your videos daily and I'm glad you're feeling better. Side note I'm a 30-year veteran medically retired commercial industrial HVAC technician but your content keeps me coming back for more.
I watched the short video from a few years ago regarding the condenser. If you listen to your voice very good you can hear that you are much happier now, than you were then when you were working at the dealership. Very nice to notice and realise that! And GM should be SO ashamed of themselves.....No words for that off course
Funny. Watching you remove condenser coil. TH-cam went to commercial. “ have you ever thought WHY DID THRY DESIGN LIKE THIS? Commercial for Engineering school
Cheers Ray as for years of being a mechanic you sure are able to pinpoint problems with air conditioning for sure best wishes cheers Declan from Galway Ireland 👋👋🙏🙏
If the engineering division at all of the major automakers were smart, they would hire experienced mechanics to be an integral part of the engineering team. Engineers can design things to make them work. Mechanics can assist the engineers to design things to make them readily repairable. I can recall a time in my life in the 70s when the big three (Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler) designed in obsolescence. For example, prior to the 70s, nearly all tie rods had zerk fittings on them to grease the tie rods. Around the 70s timeframe they came out with "greaseless fittings" as a marketing gimmick. The sad reality is that the greased tie rod that lasted forever got replaced with the sealed tie rod that lasted a **planned** 70,000-100,00 miles. The big three eventually/mostly learned their lesson, but not before the Japanese started taking massive market share. The Japanese shot ahead of American car makers largely due to the father of TQM (total quality management), namely W. Edwards Deming.
YES I totally agree with you. I’ve had 3 Chevy trucks with the same issue in 2 months in time ,,,,I wish I could have been with you at that dealership to back you up. Would have been an interesting debate for sure…..anyway great stuff to prove the issues actuality…🇺🇸👍🚘
Excellent video! Being a silveryrado fellow, I found this most valuable info and instruction. My 98 is diff. of course, but if I were to purchase a model of this year, you can bet I will have my UV light along. Thank you.
One of the banes of Dealerships, Talented mechanics ( Like Ray) learn how to demolish a "Book time" of 7 hours and can do it in half the time, Dealership still charges full Book time, Then the mechanic heads to another book time job and knocks that out in half time, Before you know it the mechanic does 3 jobs in an 8 hour day and the Dealership bills for the full book time for all 3. Tell me again why people don't trust Dealerships ??
Because that's what GM book time calls for. Dealerships don't have a say in how long a job takes and how many hours it pays. Techs don't set the times or prices. All we do is get the job and fix it. Manufacturers conduct labor studies on their own and that's how times are determined. Usually techs are not rewarded for doing jobs faster, the brands usually find that out and cut times drastically so in the end it does get cheaper for the consumer but we lose out. Not every dealership is out to screw the consumer over. Contrary to popular belief, there are good dealerships out there. Just hard to find one unfortunately
My dad found a flashlight with a swiveling magnetic clip on top of my transmission skid plate. It's the best little worklight - fits everywhere, nice and bright, can stick under the hood, you name it.
@5:30 That is exactly what happened to my 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 with the 5.3L V8. Was replaced after the expiration of the extended warranty that I purchased when I bought the vehicle. Cost me big bucks at the chevy dealer. Mechanic showed me the leaking area when he got that condenser pulled out. Said that it was a defect. Common problem.
I took the radiator and condenser 250 bucks out as an assembly. It was time for a cooling system service anyway. I did replace the hoses. Yes, the coolant tank leaked on mine, a napa dorman unit fixed that. Aside from this the vacuum pump 350bucks, transmission 6200 bucks and regular maintenance it has been a good truck. 2016 with 198000 miles. Still rocking the AFM system.
Hey ray what i did notice is you put all the bolts and screws back in not like some dealers and other shops . I had a clutch replaced and they put half the bolts in the bell houseing and this as on a 1 ton 4×4 . You do good work.
I had one of these trucks with a crack in the ac line right off the compressor. I replaced the line, and my guy came back within 6 months and had the same line with a crack in it. GM sent me a bracket to tether the two lines together to reduce movement in the lines. That was their fix.
The joys of mechanicship: Contortionist,love being burned,cut, endure pain,anger management while trying not to have a hissy fit,plus being a critic of previous repairs of other borderline mechanics....
really made me think lol, i own a 2018 silverado 1500, and i hope my ac works when i need it but do have extended warranty, thank you for this educational video
With the known problem, GM still hasn't fixed it, that's why i own a 87 and a 98 Silverado, the rest of my fleet are Dodge 2500's and Ford power strokes, not 1 minute of trouble, we've got a good shop staff, and they keep on the maintenance schedule, take care of your vehicle's, and they will take care of you. Good video Ray, you saved your friend a lot of money.
In 2019 our surge tank broke in 2017 sonic when we were on a road trip. We had to have it towed to the closest dealership. They charged us over $300.00 to fix it. I could have bought the part for about $30.00 in fixed it myself, but we were to far from home. MY WIFE WAS LIVID! She wrote a letter to the Chevy corporate office. She told them that part is only 2 years old and it shouldn't have broke! They reimbursed us around $125.00, and we had to us it within a year. Had the oil changed and othe things done, but it still was very frustrating!
Yep. I have a 2014 LTZ and my condenser wrapped the bed after factory warranty and I believe it was $700 for the fix. I'm on my second radiator, also. 107K miles.
The heat transfer is still there but the thermal expansion difference between the AC and trans cooler sections is handled by the beefier construction..
I had a 2014 Silverado 1500 that I had to have the AC condenser replaced. It would only hold a charge for almost a month. I had my mechanic do the fix and you are right that it is a 7 - 8 hour job. $1600 later and I had cold AC again.
I actually have a 2015 silverado it 98k miles. Imma have to check mine to make sure i dont have a leak also. Thank you for all the great video an some pointer on where to look for dealership fails lol. Have a great day an il see ya in the next video ray.
I just did an AC kit on a 2017 Police Tahoe. Same reason; compressor was also not compressing properly so we replaced all of it (except the evaporator as it was fine). Good ol' 1234YF. The condenser was fun to replace as I had to remove the pushbar and its mounts from the vehicle in order to break it down to get to the condenser. I don't think the whole time was 7 hours though.
when they paid 4.5 hours for this job i was doing them in 1.5. took longer to evac and recharge than to do these condensers. had a senior master tech show me how to do them quickly and correctly with out taking the front end off. only ones in that line that were a bear to do was the escalade and Yukon denali
Had to do this same job on my mom's 2014 Silverado about a year ago. Not exactly the same part but the have the same construction with the same failure point.
16:12 wow thats about what i did on my sons 2007 acura tl to change the altonators. Cooling package has to come out, i squeezed by the condenser did not pull it.. That was fast for a 7 hour job.
I always just take the 2 radiator bolts out and push it forward and slide the condensor out from behind it. I never did the take the fan out method. I just left it there.
My 2014 Silverado w/5.3 had a compressor failure just past warranty, then another compressor 50,000 miles later, and just last year the condensor failed at the weld point. No other failures.
very great video ray and enjoy every one that you make every day cause they help other people with there car problems... what dose the right tool look like for taking them ac lines off
Check out this shorter A/C Condenser video with the saw cut in the side of the unit. Customer States...WAIT...look at this! Can't make this stuff up! th-cam.com/video/9nHSh5ZYFmY/w-d-xo.html
⚠⚠⚠Ray's Auto Clinic Clearance Sale at www.RainmanRaysRepairs.com We're liquidating the hooded sweatshirt lineup as the weather is getting warmer. Add a hoodie to your cart and receive 20% off the entire order. No checkout code needed.
Ray, if I understand those zero angle ratchets correctly, they are basically a very small sprang clutch just like what is used in an automatic transmission.
Ray or Lauren, I have a question, you have license plates in your office. I just had to cancel my Massachusetts Red Sox plates as the car was totaled. I would like to send you one for your collection, if you would like. Please let me know. Thanks.
@@scolley0616 please do, we would love to have it! Did you find the address on the home page in the “about” section?
@@RainmanRaysRepairs got it.
Is it possible to braze the weld and seal the leak?
Thanks for taking care of this right away my friend. I know you are busy, and you know how I hate the heat. Thanks for squeezing me in. Ray is the best!
Hope Ray didn't charge you, or hope he gave you a HUGE DISCOUNT. 😊
@@charleskadletc2431 Didn't charge you is a little crazy. He's my friend, but this is business. The fact that I know it was done right and that my truck won't blow up is good enough for me 😀. I'm sure he took a little off the top for me. I mean he could have charged me 7-8 hours. But he didn't. So all it good in the world.
@@charleskadletc2431 Any time you avoid dealerships, you're already getting a huge discount. Any time you deal with a backyard cash job, you get no guarantees.
Every time you nickel and dime good service, don't expect the same level of good service in return.
Hope that makes sense or hope you think about that the next time you look for a HUGE DISCOUNT.
It's great when you can sit back in the comforts of your own home and watch your vehicle get worked on by an honest and professional service tech.
6:31 Rays gonna stick it to you
Charge 3 times the normal price and sell ya parts ya don't need,
Pick up the tab next time, its payback time!
I had to have the condenser replaced on my 2014 Silverado, while I was traveling in central FL last month. The same issue you showed. They did the job while I waited in the lobby, 1.5 hours labor charge.
I could not get into the local Chev/GM dealer until the following week.
A shout out for Yarbrough an independent shop in Sebring FL. They treated me very well!
Shame on GM for not taking care of this!
It's not every day when you learn about an OEM part's manufacturing being defective in the long term and surpassed by less expensive non-OEM units, so thanks for this particular heads-up Ray. It's so nice to have an honest and experienced technician in your corner looking out for a consumer's best interests, wish I had one locally.
We replace these constantly at the dealership. GM is on like the 2nd revision now. This one in the video looks like the original. The first revision had the foil tape on it and still leaked at the same spot. The latest revision removes the tape, and its redesigned again. The build quality is awful on the latest one though. The transmission cooler lines rarely clip into the new condenser, you have to transfer the fittings from the old condenser. Also, the plugs on the bottom of the reviever drier come from the factory 2 or 3 turns loose. It will pass the leak test on the 1234yf machine, but leak under pressure. Ask me how I know, had one bite me and from then on I check every one. Just thought to add some backstory to another shotty GM design
Maybe it's designed by some military general. War equipment is not expected to last long on the front lines of a battle.
If we passed on criminal liability to the engineering departments for litigation there would be quality testing out of this world with designs that would be 50 years old and still not touched.
Jeez, some real quality control issues.
It took them a long time to find a spot that's such a pain to get too, to hide the defect!
Yeah, a GM truck with A/C issues? First check that area. We thought that would have been fixed when they changed over to 1234 (VERY expensive stuff), but it wasn't. GM doesn't like upgrading their parts.
Oh Ray, don’t skip the intro, because I’m super glad to be here! 😄
I’m super glued to Ray’s videos.
Great example why an experienced mechanic might remember known defects and be able to quickly and properly repair them. You rock Ray.
Just did the condenser in my 2015 Silverado. took the condenser out from the front. It took no time at all. Took the upper cover off, grill out, took off the 4 bolts holding the upper rad support off and out out it came. didn't have to touch the radiator, or anything on the engine side of the rad except the AC lines.
To anyone who’s new here or even just for those who may not frequent the videos or comment sections often -
This video is a genuine masterclass on automotive education. From the content and order of operations and depth of explanations, to the way Ray works the camera and us as the audience.
Fantastic job as always Ray. It’s videos like these that turned me into a subscriber and daily viewer.
2016 GMC 1500 Denali. Same exact issue. Replaced the condenser myself.
I was a tech in 1970 at a Chev dealer and I found that on the 350 engine in the "A" frame (largest like Impala) the #8 spark plug was impossible to get to. the flat rate was high and I found a workaround. i got a floor hole plug, they are about 1 1/2 inch and I drilled the fender skirt to gain access to the plug. I put the plug in after. I showed the service mgr how we can save money for our customers and he gave me a bunch of crap about taking money from his income. i didn't stay there long.
Remember that from the times waaay back when. Had a bad taste for the GM products since. To be fair, every auto mfg has problems since all products are being developed throughout their production cycle. Thanks to Total Quality Management.
@@milantrcka121, you gotta remember, these cars were designed to be assembled...ONCE!
Greed
My daughter has a 2016 Suburban, I had the condenser replaced about a month ago under her extended warranty, I still had to pay about $300 that the warranty company would not cover. Now I am leary that they used an original GM replacement condenser, it is probably going to fail again in another 10 years or so. I will get an aftermarket unit and do it my self (I have the gauges and vacuum pump, and about 15 lbs. of R-134A left) Thank you Ray!
Ray you called that one dead on the money. Good job brother.
Hey Ray, my '14 Silverado 5.3 is now ten years old (bought new) no problems with AC so far. No problems with anything so far. Enjoyed this one and learned some too.
Had that condenser issue on my 2014 silverado. Also, instead of taking the fan shroud off, I took the metal bar off across the top. The bolts are hidden underneath on each side. I found that really easy. Only took me about 1.5 hrs to replace condenser and get everything back together.
Sitting at a layover with an automotive engineer. He consulted with the Big 3 automakers. Later with Toyota and Honda. Biggest difference separating the automakers was their build philosophy. The Big 3 is about cost containment vs. quality. They choose cost savings over quality.
Yea but they don't pass the savings to the consumer hence a hundred thousand dollars truck, no thanks
@@davidbertram4608thats what pisses me off the most. Charging 90k for a truck that 10 years ago would be 40k new drove me to toyota and honda. At least they value quality and sure you pay for it but you get what you pay for with them. USDM since like 1990 took a hard nose dive in quality and hasnt snapped out of it. They are losing market share and try to make up for it with cheaping out on build and charging JDM prices. They lose market share even more because of it and they are fast approaching a point where even the idiots that are ok with a 1000$ car payment wont be able to afford it. But they are too big to fail so cant wait for the next round of Gov bail outs.
Wow have radiator changed! I had a 75 Mustang II with the 302 Cleveland modified that came with an all brass radiator. Accidentally punched a hole in the bottom, the fix was using silver solder and a copper penny. One of the many ways Dad proved he knew a trick or two. Thank you Dad, rest in peace.
And that is why I don’t buy GM products, at 45,000 miles the heads had to be pulled and the valve train replaced, at 65,000 had to rebuild the transmission, they would not replace it with new, because the time part of the warranty expired, up until that I was a loyal GM customer, Ray, you were smart to get away from working at the dealership
I was a GM guy also having 5 Gm vehicle's. 2 trucks & 3 cars. I knew everyone at the dealership by name as I spent 1-2 days a month there. I simply didn't know any better as I thought it normal for parts to constantly fail & both service & warranty work constantly necessary! Untill someone gave me a lemonaid car guide book which showed HONDA to be a better line of vehicle's. Today 25 years later I have 3 Honda's in the driveway & I know no one at the dealership service department. I can't remember who gave me the lemonaid car guide book but Thank You whoever you were!
I like old GM shit (pre-2011). My mom's 2009 Suburban towed a trailer of shop crap over 18 hours with the trailer axle over 1000lbs over rating and the car's rear axle over 500lbs over and the engine definitelt ob its way out. 3 years later at over 200k mi the engine finally wore out, only to be replaced with a crate motor from Napa. The last major issue it had was a cracked wire insulation corroding and disconnecting the body control module.
My 1995 blazer wore its engine out at 195k mi after 29 years on the road, only to be replaced by a crate motor from Carquest. Its last major issue was the crank poaition sensor but that's fixed now and it's going strong.
I don't care for anything after 2011.
The reason you can’t get a new transmission is Gm does updates to the remanufactured transmission. So your getting something better then new.
01 silhouette 281k, original drivetrain, ice cold ac. I did a dexcool delete and did intake gaskets, but still going strong
Well if G.M doesn't stand buy their products neither should the consumers.They have beautiful trucks but I prefer ford's that's what I have always owned was the ford trucks and vans
I love it when Ray trolls the re-res. LOL And good on you for not charging the full price because you can get it done sooner. To be perfectly honest, you would be justified charging the full amount, but not doing so speaks to your character. Good on you!
Thats for off camera haha
I had one of theses “fixed” parts from Napa. I sent it back and purchased an aftermarket part for an 02 avalanche. I was pissed ac delco let that pass. My impala an 02 is separate from the trans and radiator. Thank goodness. I have been a gm family since the 40’s. My father say many quirk’s and a local mechanic of his, repaired/ rethought the design. He had many followers for a good honest guy. Had lots o work and did well. Remember “WORD OF MOUTH” will always make or break you, and good honest auto -techs are like gold, hard to find and great to hang onto. Rock on Ray.
This makes me appreciate my 2005 Dodge a lot more than I already did. My condenser is off to the side by itself with it's own individual fan. Super easy to work on or take out.
You know you watch the videos faithfully when you remember that video from long long ago. 😁
I remember there being A LOT more room in the engine bay when I changed the radiator on my old 2003 Silverado😲 Manufacturers definitely love their plastic shrouds😆 Have a good one Ray😁
03, part of the Golden Era of GM trucks from 99-06 aka GMT800. Never get rid of that gem.
GM WCT here, I learned long ago (mostly in the last few years) not to get too upset by poor engineering or the results of cost cutting measures. Perfect example, lifters on the DOD engines, at one point recently we had three almost new vehicles in the shop (one that hadn't even had its first oil change) in the shop with the heads off getting new lifters. It is what it is. Job security.
I was not aware I have been watching you this long, but I do remember your cries against the piss-poor response to such a terrible design flaw. I think it may have been that very video that made me a subscriber, as your honesty and integrity shone through. Still here with you Ray, although I must say, I was a little concerned after your short clip a couple of days ago, I thought this may have been the beginning of the end of Rainman Ray. Sooooo glad it wasn't.
Great job on this one, Ray. I was surprised to hear you weren't going to charge 8 hours for the job. Maybe it's just because this is your friend, but I don't think you should charge less just because you know a better/faster way. Your experience and expertise make you more valuable as a mechanic, not less valuable. Don't sell yourself short! I understand some people may see it as dishonest to charge more hours than you actually spent, but that's only because they're thinking of it too literally. The labor "hours" should be thought of as a measure of difficulty or expertise required, not a literal measure of time.
Hourly rate is exactly that when you are the customer. If Ray charged book hours he would be no better than the other thieves in the industry. If He wants more--he increases the hourly rate, and the customer can make an informed decision.
I moved from NYC to escape and came to Florida in 2010. Just for info: Hurricane season begins 6/1. Technically it ends Sep/30. It makes a difference for homeowners insurance, etc.
Actually, Hurricane season officially ends November 30th.
Hi Ray. You can see that missing red clip in the 26:00 minute of the video on the right side below the surge tank
Good eyes.
I saw it.
Nice find. That was driving me crazy. I would've had to find it. 😁
I remember the fit you threw when you found the saw cut between the ATF cooler and the condensor section.
All of Rays videos are great. Also liked the upgrade of the aftermarket part. Ray had the where with all not to go OEM. GM.. what are you thinking? You guys remember that 11-12 hour video when Ray replaced the whole air box on that Ford F150 because of a bad temperature sensor? When others make it a $30 dollar part and easy to get to? Ray tried several solutions to save the customer big , big , bucks. But Ford wouldn’t let him. Generally.. Ford does a good job when they realize their mistakes. But not that time. Come on Ford.
I can hear in your commentary about the condenser factory failure. I too shared dismay with GM back in the 80s when the 6.2 diesel came out, there was coolant leaking from the head gasket/block area. After MANY R&R of heads they discovered a flaw in the head gasket design. But that procedure under warranty was a losing battle. Who ate it, besides the customer...well, the technician, of course.
Thanks Ray for another of your great videos. Your customer will have many thousands of miles to look forward to with your repair. Good Job!
My neighbor is complaining that his a/c isn’t functioning properly so I just looked at it and it is leaking again. By watching you I ordered a condenser from the same supplier you use. I’m doing it tomorrow. I watch your video so I can get it done easier. I was a technician for 35 years mostly gm
Ray I guess it was cheaper than making a separate coil. I know of a mechanic that was so good at his job that with billable hours he was making more than the manager at that time.pass the time savings on to the customer Nice Ray
The more I see of the "new and improved" Silverados the more I love my 2002 Z71.
I am waiting for this to happen on my 2017 Suburban. I'll be watching this video again someday. Thank you for the help in advance.
do you have the 6.2?
@robertamantea7639 No, I have the 5.3. I believe they all use the same condenser. I've been lucky with it so far. I've only had to replace the oil cooler line under warranty. and routine maintenance. It only has 58K miles it.
@@dogdooley4495 this one has 63000 miles so get ready 😁
Once again I will explain the no backlash ratchet.... We have been using them for years in the aerospace industry. We call them Hi-lok ratchets. It is not a magnet that makes them work. They utilize a one way bearing.
Hey Ray I sent you a little something today that I was reminded of with this video. Keep up the good work. I look forward to your videos daily and I'm glad you're feeling better. Side note I'm a 30-year veteran medically retired commercial industrial HVAC technician but your content keeps me coming back for more.
Really appreciate your honesty on the manufacturer build mistakes which they still haven’t fixed.
The weather is mild, we need rain and wind before hurricane season to do what home owners refuse to do. Clean out loss limbs.
Ray for the win looking after the customer as always
Mom and step dad had a 17. It never was recalled but he did get rid of it within 2 years.
Son’s 2018 had the same problem, luckily he had the used car extended warranty and the dealer repaired at no cost!
I watched the short video from a few years ago regarding the condenser. If you listen to your voice very good you can hear that you are much happier now, than you were then when you were working at the dealership. Very nice to notice and realise that! And GM should be SO ashamed of themselves.....No words for that off course
I have a 2017 Silverado with 83K, also blue with 5.3 and have had no AC problems.
Funny. Watching you remove condenser coil. TH-cam went to commercial. “ have you ever thought WHY DID THRY DESIGN LIKE THIS? Commercial for Engineering school
Great video as always Ray.
Took my daughter's Escalade in for a service here in Washington State, I noticed our mechanic uses the BG products as well.
Cheers Ray as for years of being a mechanic you sure are able to pinpoint problems with air conditioning for sure best wishes cheers Declan from Galway Ireland 👋👋🙏🙏
Hey Ray, ever get the feeling that engineers watch mechanics videos just to get "improvement" ideas on how to make things harder for mechanics?
If the engineering division at all of the major automakers were smart, they would hire experienced mechanics to be an integral part of the engineering team. Engineers can design things to make them work. Mechanics can assist the engineers to design things to make them readily repairable. I can recall a time in my life in the 70s when the big three (Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler) designed in obsolescence. For example, prior to the 70s, nearly all tie rods had zerk fittings on them to grease the tie rods. Around the 70s timeframe they came out with "greaseless fittings" as a marketing gimmick. The sad reality is that the greased tie rod that lasted forever got replaced with the sealed tie rod that lasted a **planned** 70,000-100,00 miles. The big three eventually/mostly learned their lesson, but not before the Japanese started taking massive market share. The Japanese shot ahead of American car makers largely due to the father of TQM (total quality management), namely W. Edwards Deming.
i usually remove the upper radiator support on these trucks makes things easier to get to and less chance to damage things
YES I totally agree with you. I’ve had 3 Chevy trucks with the same issue in 2 months in time ,,,,I wish I could have been with you at that dealership to back you up. Would have been an interesting debate for sure…..anyway great stuff to prove the issues actuality…🇺🇸👍🚘
So good to see you on your own being your own boss now. The quality defiantly shows vs those shops you were at.
I still wont let you forget you welded a balljoint into a control arm though....
I had a 2018 and I never had that issue. I really liked that truck too.
2017 Silverado. It's blue so you know it's good.
😂😂" it's blue Dabba dee dabba da"😂😂😂
Vote blue.
@@Michael-yi4mc vote red
@@dakotabowes2387 👍Only if you run for office.
Excellent video!
Being a silveryrado fellow, I found this most valuable info and instruction. My 98 is diff. of course, but if I were to purchase a model of this year, you can bet I will have my UV light along. Thank you.
Thank you for letting us know that you didn't have to replace the o-rings.
One of the banes of Dealerships, Talented mechanics ( Like Ray) learn how to demolish a "Book time" of 7 hours and can do it in half the time, Dealership still charges full Book time, Then the mechanic heads to another book time job and knocks that out in half time, Before you know it the mechanic does 3 jobs in an 8 hour day and the Dealership bills for the full book time for all 3. Tell me again why people don't trust Dealerships ??
Because that's what GM book time calls for. Dealerships don't have a say in how long a job takes and how many hours it pays. Techs don't set the times or prices. All we do is get the job and fix it. Manufacturers conduct labor studies on their own and that's how times are determined. Usually techs are not rewarded for doing jobs faster, the brands usually find that out and cut times drastically so in the end it does get cheaper for the consumer but we lose out. Not every dealership is out to screw the consumer over. Contrary to popular belief, there are good dealerships out there. Just hard to find one unfortunately
The dealership doesn't determine how much you're charged.. the manufacturer does. Stop talking about things you don't understand
Steelership
Because you expect a dealershit to do it right and not take shortcuts?
Ray pulled the golden ratchet he pulled out of a old car motor very rare they choose people
My dad found a flashlight with a swiveling magnetic clip on top of my transmission skid plate. It's the best little worklight - fits everywhere, nice and bright, can stick under the hood, you name it.
@5:30 That is exactly what happened to my 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 with the 5.3L V8. Was replaced after the expiration of the extended warranty that I purchased when I bought the vehicle. Cost me big bucks at the chevy dealer. Mechanic showed me the leaking area when he got that condenser pulled out. Said that it was a defect. Common problem.
Thanks Ray, I may need this video in the future
I took the radiator and condenser 250 bucks out as an assembly. It was time for a cooling system service anyway. I did replace the hoses. Yes, the coolant tank leaked on mine, a napa dorman unit fixed that. Aside from this the vacuum pump 350bucks, transmission 6200 bucks and regular maintenance it has been a good truck. 2016 with 198000 miles. Still rocking the AFM system.
Ray that doge in the background is becoming a fixture of your shop! Taking up real estate!😂
Looking good, love the long format and the detail. Thank you for taking the time to make the video.
Love that snappy 1/4" long neck, my most used tool in my arsenal.
Had this issue on my 2014 Silverado luckily still under warranty so dealership fixed it at no cost to me
Not just the Silverado, it is also an issue with the Yukon. I had the same issue repaired on my 2016 Yukon a couple years ago.
Yes my 2017 Condenser has been a failure.
Thank You General Motors
That is a nice looking air filter! I have a washable one that dust is falling out when I remove it to clean it every couple of months.
Hey ray what i did notice is you put all the bolts and screws back in not like some dealers and other shops . I had a clutch replaced and they put half the bolts in the bell houseing and this as on a 1 ton 4×4 . You do good work.
I remember the other video, you have mentioned here. Crazy how far you have become since then
I had one of these trucks with a crack in the ac line right off the compressor. I replaced the line, and my guy came back within 6 months and had the same line with a crack in it. GM sent me a bracket to tether the two lines together to reduce movement in the lines. That was their fix.
The joys of mechanicship: Contortionist,love being burned,cut, endure pain,anger management while trying not to have a hissy fit,plus being a critic of previous repairs of other borderline mechanics....
Uh I believe a hissy fit is anger.
@@tomdixon1213 you just have to think in an Orthodox manner and figure things out ahead of time or call a lifeline
Does the lifeline tell you to Google it?
really made me think lol, i own a 2018 silverado 1500, and i hope my ac works when i need it but do have extended warranty, thank you for this educational video
With the known problem, GM still hasn't fixed it, that's why i own a 87 and a 98 Silverado, the rest of my fleet are Dodge 2500's and Ford power strokes, not 1 minute of trouble, we've got a good shop staff, and they keep on the maintenance schedule, take care of your vehicle's, and they will take care of you. Good video Ray, you saved your friend a lot of money.
In 2019 our surge tank broke in 2017 sonic when we were on a road trip. We had to have it towed to the closest dealership. They charged us over $300.00 to fix it. I could have bought the part for about $30.00 in fixed it myself, but we were to far from home. MY WIFE WAS LIVID! She wrote a letter to the Chevy corporate office. She told them that part is only 2 years old and it shouldn't have broke! They reimbursed us around $125.00, and we had to us it within a year. Had the oil changed and othe things done, but it still was very frustrating!
Every video is a very good video!!
Yep. I have a 2014 LTZ and my condenser wrapped the bed after factory warranty and I believe it was $700 for the fix. I'm on my second radiator, also. 107K miles.
The heat transfer is still there but the thermal expansion difference between the AC and trans cooler sections is handled by the beefier construction..
Good for you for doing it right.
I had a 2014 Silverado 1500 that I had to have the AC condenser replaced. It would only hold a charge for almost a month. I had my mechanic do the fix and you are right that it is a 7 - 8 hour job. $1600 later and I had cold AC again.
Looking forward to this one Ray......
Welcoming back!
I actually have a 2015 silverado it 98k miles. Imma have to check mine to make sure i dont have a leak also. Thank you for all the great video an some pointer on where to look for dealership fails lol. Have a great day an il see ya in the next video ray.
My '15 is at 98K as well. No issues yet.
Yet.
I just did an AC kit on a 2017 Police Tahoe. Same reason; compressor was also not compressing properly so we replaced all of it (except the evaporator as it was fine). Good ol' 1234YF. The condenser was fun to replace as I had to remove the pushbar and its mounts from the vehicle in order to break it down to get to the condenser. I don't think the whole time was 7 hours though.
Yes, a 2014 chev with 5.3 l condenser . 2 years ago!
when they paid 4.5 hours for this job i was doing them in 1.5. took longer to evac and recharge than to do these condensers. had a senior master tech show me how to do them quickly and correctly with out taking the front end off. only ones in that line that were a bear to do was the escalade and Yukon denali
You've got a MASSIVE low over Lake Erie, and a high over Texas. The 2 are funneling heavy northwesterly winds right down into the Tampa Bay area.
I have a 2016 silverado with 131k on it a/c is all original and still blows cold
Had to do this same job on my mom's 2014 Silverado about a year ago. Not exactly the same part but the have the same construction with the same failure point.
16:12 wow thats about what i did on my sons 2007 acura tl to change the altonators. Cooling package has to come out, i squeezed by the condenser did not pull it..
That was fast for a 7 hour job.
I always just take the 2 radiator bolts out and push it forward and slide the condensor out from behind it. I never did the take the fan out method. I just left it there.
That's a beautiful blue
Blue November wave!
I've done mine 2x and I just remove the upper radiator support and pull it all from the top, I do this in my driveway no special tools
My 2014 Silverado w/5.3 had a compressor failure just past warranty, then another compressor 50,000 miles later, and just last year the condensor failed at the weld point. No other failures.
very great video ray and enjoy every one that you make every day cause they help other people with there car problems... what dose the right tool look like for taking them ac lines off
Wow I really like that shade of blue. That is very nice looking.. Just get it with a duramax
da Big Chill is Backkkkk! great video, Ray... You sure can work fast and accurately! wowow!
Hey Ray, thanks for the videos! Pulling tha ttube out, its like Neo waking up for the first time from the matrix.
Ray is the iceman cool under pressure😊
I do them, top rad support comes out, radiator stays in. Get these done 1 - 2 hours usually.
I agree with u Ray with condenser leek. 😮😮