I went in with 6 spark plugs didn't start so they cranked and cracked it tell my stater died gave me a call letting me know I needed a new one. I was pissed and walked in and said did you put 6 new plugs in I saplyed them. Them yes. Me looks through my window sees 6 spark plug boxes unopened. Let's just say they forgot to add all 6 plugs somehow. The boss thought I was nuts looked through videos and came back 50 minutes later. He said we owe you a starter and he will do the work personally and put the new plugs i came with in and he was extremely sorry. This was at a toyota shop and lets say 2 somebody's lost there job that day.
Great job Ray. I stumbled across this channel a few months ago and really enjoy the content and the variety of vehicles you work on. As a Honda/Acura technician of 29 years, I noticed very little oil coming from the engine as you were draining it out. Had you pulled the spark plugs from cylinders 1,2,and 3 on the rear bank, I bet you would have found one or more of them oil fouled. These vehicles are known to have carbon build up on the piston rings causing them to stick. The solution is to pull pistons 1-3 and possibly piston 4 on the front bank depending on what the plug looks like and clean the pistons and replace the rings and plugs. Depending on age and mileage, you would want to replace the timing belt and water pump components as well as they are due every 7 years or 105,000 miles whichever comes first. I love how you keep your cool in situations and also love the commentary. I wish more techs could present themselves like you do. Keep up the good work.
Ray, now that the court case has been settled, I just want to say a big "thank you" for that Honda engine cover you sold to me. Expensive, a little bit, but what a beautiful used engine cover. Worth every penny I paid you. Thanks
Ray, you really know how to bring humor into the work you do. I'm sure that gets you through those difficult times you run into. Who'd thunk auto repair could be so entertaining?
You gotta make a good time out of it, or you end up hating your job. I know guys that get so angry and impatient working on cars, and they end up breaking stuff and rushing jobs that just make more work and expenses. Throwing tools doesn't make them easier to find, thats for sure. I always end up in the bargaining stage when I work on my Jeep lol... promising things to it, if it would just let go and let the bolt turn. 😆 Changing a steering stabilizer shouldn't take 2 days... but sometimes it does.
@@gwoody4003 the frustration of auto repair certainly isn't new. I remember back in the fifties the repair shop that worked on my dad's car and truck introduced him to rough service bulbs since the repair guy was known to chuck trouble lights when he got frustrated with a job at hand.
@@bradkline4023 😆 i dont understand people who wreck their own stuff when they get mad. Working in the dark isn't gonna make it easier. My buddy has punched dents in his truck... then got even more angry thats theres a dent now.
The common honda long crank is the starter becoming full of gunk. It makes it struggle to retract the gear. Usually only happens on first start of the day or when it's cold in northern climates. It's quite the distinctive squeals
Same thing happens with my 8th gen si. I honestly like the slower longer cranking. The car is 11 years old and it's never been replaced so idk why that would bother anyone if it still works
Changed the oil for the first time on my used 2014 GMC Yukon XL Denali a few years ago. Took a strap wrench and collapsed the filter into itself before it came out. Hand tight is the perfect click for an oil filter...
18:05 offfff love it. That is brilliant. Been through court as a single father and have had numerous attempts at intimidation by lawyers and security. I loved just smiling and being polite and seeing how much it annoyed them as they were trying to get a reaction out of me.
Ray, Heres a little tip for removing oil filters. If you have a punch, poke a hole in the filter and let the oil drain out of it before you remove it. That way you don't have oil come spilling out of the filter when you remove it.
I have been changing my own oil for 30+ years, and it seems like every time I buy a car, the first oil change it's like Hercules installed the oil filter. I swear it must be these quick lube places. Every subsequent oil change, I can take the filter off with my hand, and have never had a leak. That, and tire shops that install lug nuts with an impact driver with no torque limiter (I've watched them put it on and just let it eat) are 2 of my pet peeves.
This is one of the main reasons I never take it to a oil change place. It’s so hard to get the filter off again. It doesn’t need to be righted to 200 ft pounds and I don’t understand why they always do that. Maybe to deter people from trying to take their filter off themselves.
Same here! I've been changing my own oil since '87. Never had a filter leak from being too loose. Had to destroy a few from being on too tight though. My long screwdriver makes a nice T-bar for that but it's always messy. And sharp.
Understand the whole oil filter thing. It's like what part of hand tight do they not understand? Someone threatened me with a torque stick once and has since caused me PTSD and severe anxiety attacks every time I see one. So over the years though my kung Fu with an impact have been honed to a fine art. If I am breaking out a torque stick it's because I am gunning them on a too bit far on the light side because I can't get a good feel for it. At the end of the day I'm still hitting them with a torque wrench.
I absolutely love your attitude when things don't got your way. But with being a mechanic you already know it's never going to go your way. Great vids.
You are such a good engineer. I think it takes a lot of discipline to work in a repair shop and to have the ability to work on so many cars - different makes or models. Well done and keep up the gear content.
Cussing, worrying, and violence against metal parts that will never know you are upset will get you no where, except for the headaches, ulcers, etc...you do well with a great attitude Ray, keep it up.
I remember back before smog control lots of old cars never serviced. First we'd drain the oil. Remove the coil(very important). Then fill it up with gasoline in place of the oil. Turn it over for a bit with the starter. Drain and flush till clear . Change all the cables, coil, thermostat,plugs plus whatever else popped up or fell off. Then the rest of the car once we were sure we had a power plant. Old fords mostly straight 6s late fifties thru mid sixties. Some 54' Porsches and a 65' Austin Healey 3000 mk3. Was working at it early to mid 70s. Our work vehicles were a 65 Ford pickup with a 300 straight 6, 4 on the floor. Later I forget what year model it was I had the last year without smog. It was a 300 straight 6 with automatic transmission on the column. I loved both those trucks.The next year they went V8 due to loss of power due to smog control on the sixes. Those old straight 6 s were the easiest engines to work on. One thing on the van the sixth cylinder was in the cab and hard to change that plug.
3:50 I love when the plug turns hard all the way out, and you find the monkey before you cross threaded the plug and all the threads came out stuck to the plug...time to get the helicoil kit...
Since they've never had it serviced, you should have also recommended the Honda V6 100k timing belt service. Usually includes, T-belt, T-belt tensioner, water pump, (coolant flush by proxy), spark plugs, & drive belt(s).
You have a better, (younger), memory than I. That many parts would have to be labeled if I were responsible for them. I find a piece of vacuum hose works well to install spark plugs in the recessed holes.
Being from the Northeast I’m always amazed at the undercarriages of these older cars you work on. Where I live it’d be a rusty sh*tbox bucket. I know it’s because he lives in the South and the cars don’t see harsh Winters or road salt but man it still surprises me.
You just reminded me that my oil plug in my 2014 Odyssey is still finger tight for the last 7,000 miles. Haven't fallen off yet. Already got new set of oils and filter to change oil. Hopefully I remember to properly tighten it.😂
With the amount of oil leakage into the spark plugs, I got a feeling you'll see this Honda back pretty soon Ray. Customer probably thinks Ray's shop is trying to sell him a service he doesn't need, which he definitely does as his vehicle is slowly working up to a lubricating chassis.
@@BudMasta Not unless there’s a problem with the spark plugs or threads sealing correctly. But it will lead to other problems as already outlined by other commenters.
SOMETIMES, but not always, a customer just can’t afford it right now. SOMETIMES shops try to oversell. These two problems exacerbate each other. In any event, speculating which is the case here is just that... speculation. I’m confident Ray recommended what was clearly needed. I’ve worked at shops where the guys and gals up front exaggerate the needed in the hopes that the customer will at least buy some of it or at most buy all of it. A smart customer is educated enough to know whom he can trust. Relationship must be built for that to happen.
Nice set of trash piles. Your work area is much more organized than I am. One of these decades I'll learn to get organized. My wife has been waiting for me to do so for the past 48 years. Little did she know when we were dating. Oh well, our dating was done remotely. The first year we were in the same school, then I moved to another state but we continued to date.
"Hasn't had the car serviced in 13 years." I was not surprised that he declined to get things fixed. If you can't bother to bring your car in every now and then you're probably not the sort of person that's gonna shell out the money to repair the things that have gone wrong in that time span.
In my next life I'm coming back as a Ray-type mechanic. I have to say, many people are not aware of the problems mechanics face when finding parts, especially pre-loved ones in serviceable condition. Thanks for the guided tour.
I once had a customer threaten to sue my shop over "incomplete service" because their Oil Life read 99% and not 100%. As soon as the vehicle moves an inch the Oil Life dropped to 99%!
With my 2011 HHR, it seems to drop a point about every 100 miles, based on its programmed level. So when the computer reaches ~68%, it's usually on the mark ~3K, ready for the next change. 🤫🤔👍
What’s fun about my car is the engine cover is also my air filter, so it’s probably one of the only times not having the cover would matter for more than a cosmetic reason
I love your videos. The one thing I think you should mention with an oil filter change is to make sure the old gasket is not still on the engine. Had a bad experience with that.
He has mentioned it... in nearly every video in which he does an oil change. This is not a new revelation - it is the most commonly discussed part of auto maintenance, yet every a-hole thinks he's the first to dazzle the world with this brilliant nugget of knowledge.
He won’t learn much you will find out he’s a little shady he doesn’t diagnose write a lot of times he gases and just throws parts that he doesn’t use the proper tools use a meter just a guessing game
"Internet knows best." Yup, just add a capful of brakefluid to the oil. Rejuvenate them gaskets right back! (Note: It does not work if the gasket has already failed. It merely extends the life of working gaskets)
This is the second video of yours l have seen. I am impressed with your outlook, honesty and knowledge. Thanks for the video. I am going to subscribe to your channel. Autumn!
Merci beaucoup for your instructive videos. i like it when you say cllliiik and mocking the sound of the phone in the shop. You're a great honest funny mechanic/technician. Keep-up the good work lad ;)
i had a REALLY bad senior moment. i actually thought for a couple of minutes that the motor was sitting on its side; i did finally realize it was just the camera angle
Customer: "Hey, I want my sparkplugs checked" Mechanic: "Sure, I'll check if they are good!" *10 min later* Mechanic: "Yea, I suggest you replace the spark plugs" Customer: "No, I don't think I will."
As a lifelong personal mechanic I wish more people understood Murphy. He needs to be in a disclaimer on the title and service Manual. The things I had to do as a service writer to convince owners that if it comes off,your probably going to fix it at some point... The things that arent designed to come off will probably need to be fixed too...
Little known fact, a lot of cars require a specific rpm to be exceeded upon cranking to enable injection and subsequent engine start. For example audi diesels need 250rpm or higher to begin injection. A common fault on tired starter motors is slower than normal cranking speed, thus "hard" or "long cranking" starting symptoms are observed. Ofcourse can be attributed to other electrical issues resulting in slower cranking also ie weak battery, bad earth, connections you get the idea.
When that much oil is bathing the spark plugs and gravity has moved it into the cylinder, I make a point of cranking the engine without the plug in place to expel the oil on to a well placed shop towel. Don’t want to hydro lock the engine!
The front valve cover is very easy to remove and replace the seals, but the rear cover is a different story, Ray maybe should have given two different quotes for each side
Ray, you are an undisputable professional and from my perspective, an Auto Tech Rockstar. As a mechanic from way back, and with what I hope, similar scruples, I appreciate your honesty, style, and professionalism. I think it'd be nice to sit down with you over a couple of beers and just shoot the breeze. Please don't stop the "click", "gravity", and phone mimicry. Especially, don't stop telling what I call "war stories". The one about the frivolous lawsuit, and the other one about the Diesel truck owner who claimed that you caused a problem, then handed you $20 after he understood the reality of the situation were great. Anyway, stories like that give fascinating insight into your kind of work and the kind of crap someone in your position has to deal with more often than maybe most people realize. I live in Niceville, Florida and handle most of my own work. If I needed to, I'd do my best to come down to your side of the state to have whatever major work that may need done somehow added to your schedule.
Hey, I used to have family in Niceville! My uncle was retired USAF, he settled there after his last post at Eglin. My grandmother lived in Crestview, and the ongoing family joke was that we could leave my aunt and uncle's house and arrive at my grandmother's house half an hour before we left. They eventually moved to Ft. Walton Beach. I loved visiting the panhandle growing up. Sure, all the tourists prefer Miami, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, but if I were to head south after I retire, I'd be looking at Okaloosa or Walton counties. The lifestyle is laid back, the people are nice, and I haven't indulged in the bliss of a Shoney's breakfast buffet since 1996.
It really is a great place, nice, for sure. I'm missing the Mullet Festival (probably another covid thing), but other than that it is still a fairly laid-back place to live. And being in, and now with the Air Force for over 30 years, I've had the pleasure of living in several different areas of the country. Out of all of them, this is the only one for me and my family.
I totally enjoyed your ramblings, yes all of it. My comment on the misplacement of the plastic cover which serves no purpose which ended up in court was very interesting. Trivial much. The fact he accused you guys that you were going to sell it on the black market, you have more patience then I my friend.
"I had someone sue me because I forgot the cosmetic cover" I fix computers. We had someone who'd cracked the bezel around his keyboard and touchpad, so we had to replace it. The new one didn't come with those little stickers that tell you what screen size you have, how much memory, etc. He sued us, because we couldn't peel those stickers off his old bezel, and attach them to his new one. (They're designed to be removed, so the glue is basically useless once they've been peeled off)
I relize that this was 2 years ago, but the lesson remains the same. Change your oil. One of the things that happens when you do not change your oil is that the rings get stuck and the engine starts burning oil. This vehicle will die a smokey, premature death for want of basic maintenance.
Those big plastic covers are also STUPIDLY expensive to replace. Had the one on my car I was bummed the brand logo (which was a separate stick-on thing) fell off and the dealer said it was a $170 part. Ultimately a friendly (but frustrated) email to the corporate carmaker (because I was like 300 miles past bumper-to-bumper) they decided to do a good-faith replacement of the engine cover as the badge was not available separately. My research suggests a lot of people just toss them eventually because they are easily broken and so expensive to replace. Some are also a PITA to remove and break if you pull the wrong way. I don't know in what universe it would be worth going to court over that though...that's some special nuttiness. I did have a shop (unintentionally, I believe, because it sucks to pull off) break one of the plastic things that holds mine so I added some yellow label tape with directions how to properly remove it (unclip from back, not front, in my case) and try to remember to pull the plastic cover off before I take it in (so they don't have to mess with it, and I can reinstall later)
The truth is, Ray broke down under Small Claims Court Interrogation and admitted he took the engine cover as a trophy because he's a serial engine cover stealer. He's lucky the judge gave him a break and probation, and time served as mechanic at his current employer.
What I have seen is inner plastic fenders missing parts after a shop visit. Which likely is not trophy theft, but the realization that getting rusted screws out down there without breaking them or the threads is impossible! 3.5 L engine and 13 years on the same spark plugs means one thing: Gasoline is too cheap in the US.
So, if I break my phone trying to smash the lik button, dose that mean I can sue you for pain and suffering? Lol. Great videos, keep up the good work! Learning a lot from ya.
The pain and suffering of the engine cover being gone, oh the agony. Glad you proved this person wrong in court. What a jerk, just wanting free money to live it up for a few years.
HI AH, RAY AGAIN... YOU SAID NOT SERVICES IN 150 000 MILES??? WHAT DO THEY THINK IT'S A ROBOT THAT FIXES IT"S SELF... AND OIL ON SPARK PLUGS AND YOU NEEDED A POWER TOOL, TORQUE IS 10 LBS , TORQUE IS ON WALL SUPPOSED TO BE ON ALL GARAGES , FOR ALL PARTS ON VEHICLE, I EVEN POINTED OUT TO ONE... AND EVEN FORGOT A COLLAR OVER INNER TIE ROD AND SAY HUHHH, WHERE... WT FRACK, AND THEN GUY WENT AND TOOK HIS 15 MIN BREAK, I PAID FOR THAT TOO... WHILE I COULD HAVE FINISHED IN 5 MIN... YOU TAKE YOUR TIME, AND YOU DO A GREAT JOB... ALL I HAVE SEEN YOUR REPAIRS... WOW...
I'm not breaking my phone by smashing the thumbs up, Mr. Rainman. I'd break my 30$$ usb Human Interface Device with extra klicky klicky things and super colourful illumination action lighting. I use a 5000$ computer to watch YT rather than a shoddy 200$ phone....
Ray, This is just me but.... I would have shown the owner that spark plug socket with the plug in it showing him the oil leak. After he declines all the service tell him to check the oil weekly because it looked like only a couple litres/quarts came out. Years ago when I was putting many miles on vehicles and only buying new every 4 years, I would take into consideration what it needs and write it down, do one problem a week as I could afford it. That way my vehicles where safe for wife and kid to be in it. The ones that let the vehicles go like that one will never service it, likely just keep complaining that the service is to much and the vehicles are junk.
Hey Ray just a thought.when you do the valve cover gaskets.just a thought I would check the valve clearances.could cause starting issues.i had same issue on 4 cylinder honda accord a few years back.and I wish I had your patience with cars.i do try but my god some times cars can drive you to your limits.
Spot on. It was my guess for the long crank/running rough. Very common on the 3.5's . Done so many, I just do the exhausts ,it's a bitch to check clearance ln the back ones on later 3.5s , I just loosen em 3/4 turn.
@@motorbreath3 glad we came to a same conclusion.and yeah the 3.5 is not the best engine to work on.done head gaskets on one once and was not a great job.not 100% sure but I think they use a very similar engine for outboards aswell.
I appreciated your way to do your own job so many costumers but sometime went your have one tell it for taking a intake cover and accuses yourself for nothing that's bad , but you need to keeps your cold blood in these cas ,and continue what's your going better , i'm saying mecanics only nothing else , thanks for our great video your help me a lot .
Dirty engine covers drive me nuts. I always wash and clean them and hit him with a light coat of Lexol. Having a pretty engine makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
I love his torque calibrated arms with built in voice assist “click”.
Maybe we should find an electronic torque wrench company that will replace their “beep” with a “Click”!🤣
@@derfstang480 i've only been watching his videos @ 3 days, but he is hilarious - and very helpful.
Alright, I'll tighten this bolt a little then get the torque wrench. So I apply it and instant click. Did I over do it a little or get it spot on?
Just tighten it till it snaps the bolt then back it off a quarter-turn...
Pretty sure it came from AvE. I could be wrong
I held the door for him and said "Have a Nice Day!" ............. lol you ae a class act Ray! 158k today - keep up the great videos.
I'd be embarrassed to walk into court claiming pain & suffering over a forgotten engine cover.
Yes, but you're obviously not a snowflake.
Clients are scammers. Once you realize that you approach interactions differently.
I went in with 6 spark plugs didn't start so they cranked and cracked it tell my stater died gave me a call letting me know I needed a new one.
I was pissed and walked in and said did you put 6 new plugs in I saplyed them.
Them yes.
Me looks through my window sees 6 spark plug boxes unopened.
Let's just say they forgot to add all 6 plugs somehow.
The boss thought I was nuts looked through videos and came back 50 minutes later.
He said we owe you a starter and he will do the work personally and put the new plugs i came with in and he was extremely sorry.
This was at a toyota shop and lets say 2 somebody's lost there job that day.
Typical Democrats, what are you going to expect from them....
@@PeteNice29 so true
Great job Ray. I stumbled across this channel a few months ago and really enjoy the content and the variety of vehicles you work on. As a Honda/Acura technician of 29 years, I noticed very little oil coming from the engine as you were draining it out. Had you pulled the spark plugs from cylinders 1,2,and 3 on the rear bank, I bet you would have found one or more of them oil fouled. These vehicles are known to have carbon build up on the piston rings causing them to stick. The solution is to pull pistons 1-3 and possibly piston 4 on the front bank depending on what the plug looks like and clean the pistons and replace the rings and plugs. Depending on age and mileage, you would want to replace the timing belt and water pump components as well as they are due every 7 years or 105,000 miles whichever comes first. I love how you keep your cool in situations and also love the commentary. I wish more techs could present themselves like you do. Keep up the good work.
Ray, now that the court case has been settled, I just want to say a big "thank you" for that Honda engine cover you sold to me.
Expensive, a little bit, but what a beautiful used engine cover. Worth every penny I paid you.
Thanks
Ray, you really know how to bring humor into the work you do. I'm sure that gets you through those difficult times you run into.
Who'd thunk auto repair could be so entertaining?
You gotta make a good time out of it, or you end up hating your job.
I know guys that get so angry and impatient working on cars, and they end up breaking stuff and rushing jobs that just make more work and expenses. Throwing tools doesn't make them easier to find, thats for sure.
I always end up in the bargaining stage when I work on my Jeep lol... promising things to it, if it would just let go and let the bolt turn. 😆
Changing a steering stabilizer shouldn't take 2 days... but sometimes it does.
@@gwoody4003 the frustration of auto repair certainly isn't new. I remember back in the fifties the repair shop that worked on my dad's car and truck introduced him to rough service bulbs since the repair guy was known to chuck trouble lights when he got frustrated with a job at hand.
@@bradkline4023 😆 i dont understand people who wreck their own stuff when they get mad. Working in the dark isn't gonna make it easier.
My buddy has punched dents in his truck... then got even more angry thats theres a dent now.
The common honda long crank is the starter becoming full of gunk. It makes it struggle to retract the gear. Usually only happens on first start of the day or when it's cold in northern climates. It's quite the distinctive squeals
Hmmm...🤔. Couldn’t have anything to do with excessive oil buildup in this case, could it? Naaah....
I'm having hard starts, but ONLY after driving. Its never once done it on a cold start. Similar engine.
Same thing happens with my 8th gen si. I honestly like the slower longer cranking. The car is 11 years old and it's never been replaced so idk why that would bother anyone if it still works
oh he got the self lubing starter then too
@@xxtovarichxx
Probably crank sensor
Would have loved to had been there when the guy lost in court. Warms the heart.
Changed the oil for the first time on my used 2014 GMC Yukon XL Denali a few years ago. Took a strap wrench and collapsed the filter into itself before it came out. Hand tight is the perfect click for an oil filter...
I work in the factory that builds the Rotary Lifts. I paint them. VSG Rotary Lift in southern Indiana.
18:05 offfff love it. That is brilliant. Been through court as a single father and have had numerous attempts at intimidation by lawyers and security. I loved just smiling and being polite and seeing how much it annoyed them as they were trying to get a reaction out of me.
Enjoyed the parts tour, a graveyard of parts.
Parts are parts -
You can't just chop all hoses and wires like they used to anymore.
I appreciate your wit and mechanical wisdom.
Ray, Heres a little tip for removing oil filters. If you have a punch, poke a hole in the filter and let the oil drain out of it before you remove it. That way you don't have oil come spilling out of the filter when you remove it.
I have been changing my own oil for 30+ years, and it seems like every time I buy a car, the first oil change it's like Hercules installed the oil filter. I swear it must be these quick lube places. Every subsequent oil change, I can take the filter off with my hand, and have never had a leak. That, and tire shops that install lug nuts with an impact driver with no torque limiter (I've watched them put it on and just let it eat) are 2 of my pet peeves.
This is one of the main reasons I never take it to a oil change place. It’s so hard to get the filter off again.
It doesn’t need to be righted to 200 ft pounds and I don’t understand why they always do that. Maybe to deter people from trying to take their filter off themselves.
Same here! I've been changing my own oil since '87. Never had a filter leak from being too loose. Had to destroy a few from being on too tight though. My long screwdriver makes a nice T-bar for that but it's always messy. And sharp.
Understand the whole oil filter thing. It's like what part of hand tight do they not understand?
Someone threatened me with a torque stick once and has since caused me PTSD and severe anxiety attacks every time I see one. So over the years though my kung Fu with an impact have been honed to a fine art. If I am breaking out a torque stick it's because I am gunning them on a too bit far on the light side because I can't get a good feel for it. At the end of the day I'm still hitting them with a torque wrench.
@@JackCarregan Because they aren’t properly educated 😀
Thank you !
7:15 best singing ever haha
Keep up the great work :D
I absolutely love your attitude when things don't got your way. But with being a mechanic you already know it's never going to go your way. Great vids.
Always entertained and smile at your kind use of words.
You are such a good engineer. I think it takes a lot of discipline to work in a repair shop and to have the ability to work on so many cars - different makes or models. Well done and keep up the gear content.
This bastard did nothing well
Cussing, worrying, and violence against metal parts that will never know you are upset will get you no where, except for the headaches, ulcers, etc...you do well with a great attitude Ray, keep it up.
I remember back before smog control lots of old cars never serviced. First we'd drain the oil. Remove the coil(very important). Then fill it up with gasoline in place of the oil. Turn it over for a bit with the starter. Drain and flush till clear . Change all the cables, coil, thermostat,plugs plus whatever else popped up or fell off. Then the rest of the car once we were sure we had a power plant. Old fords mostly straight 6s late fifties thru mid sixties. Some 54' Porsches and a 65' Austin Healey 3000 mk3. Was working at it early to mid 70s. Our work vehicles were a 65 Ford pickup with a 300 straight 6, 4 on the floor. Later I forget what year model it was I had the last year without smog. It was a 300 straight 6 with automatic transmission on the column. I loved both those trucks.The next year they went V8 due to loss of power due to smog control on the sixes. Those old straight 6 s were the easiest engines to work on. One thing on the van the sixth cylinder was in the cab and hard to change that plug.
3:50 I love when the plug turns hard all the way out, and you find the monkey before you cross threaded the plug and all the threads came out stuck to the plug...time to get the helicoil kit...
Since they've never had it serviced, you should have also recommended the Honda V6 100k timing belt service. Usually includes, T-belt, T-belt tensioner, water pump, (coolant flush by proxy), spark plugs, & drive belt(s).
Thats $800 for the belt pump and labor alone
@@ninjamaster3453 Not at my local shop.
Nice to see an honest mechanic!
Honest customers are nice too
I catch my self saying “click” at often times when i have a hard time getting a fixture loose. What a hoot. Thanks 😊
You have a better, (younger), memory than I. That many parts would have to be labeled if I were responsible for them. I find a piece of vacuum hose works well to install spark plugs in the recessed holes.
Being from the Northeast I’m always amazed at the undercarriages of these older cars you work on. Where I live it’d be a rusty sh*tbox bucket. I know it’s because he lives in the South and the cars don’t see harsh Winters or road salt but man it still surprises me.
You just reminded me that my oil plug in my 2014 Odyssey is still finger tight for the last 7,000 miles. Haven't fallen off yet. Already got new set of oils and filter to change oil. Hopefully I remember to properly tighten it.😂
With the amount of oil leakage into the spark plugs, I got a feeling you'll see this Honda back pretty soon Ray. Customer probably thinks Ray's shop is trying to sell him a service he doesn't need, which he definitely does as his vehicle is slowly working up to a lubricating chassis.
It usually ruins the plug wires too
Isn't that going to leak into the cylinder and combust with the gas and smoke all over the place?
@@BudMasta Not unless there’s a problem with the spark plugs or threads sealing correctly. But it will lead to other problems as already outlined by other commenters.
SOMETIMES, but not always, a customer just can’t afford it right now. SOMETIMES shops try to oversell. These two problems exacerbate each other. In any event, speculating which is the case here is just that... speculation.
I’m confident Ray recommended what was clearly needed.
I’ve worked at shops where the guys and gals up front exaggerate the needed in the hopes that the customer will at least buy some of it or at most buy all of it.
A smart customer is educated enough to know whom he can trust. Relationship must be built for that to happen.
Ship the pos.
Nice set of trash piles. Your work area is much more organized than I am. One of these decades I'll learn to get organized. My wife has been waiting for me to do so for the past 48 years. Little did she know when we were dating. Oh well, our dating was done remotely. The first year we were in the same school, then I moved to another state but we continued to date.
Greetings: I like all of the rambling. The best is the part of presentation in court. Thx 4 the share. Bsafe
Long crank on my 3.5 was the fuel pump. By "long", it was 2-3 second vs instantaneously starting.
Ceased holding the pressure in the line. Easy peasy.
I have that same blue point set. It's a big hit whenever someone needs to borrow it.
"Hasn't had the car serviced in 13 years." I was not surprised that he declined to get things fixed. If you can't bother to bring your car in every now and then you're probably not the sort of person that's gonna shell out the money to repair the things that have gone wrong in that time span.
Owners like that are the reason I'm scared to buy a used car!
He needs to just buy a new car before something more severe happens.
Lol when you said "plastic" took me back to The Indian in the coubord. loved that book and movie.
In my next life I'm coming back as a Ray-type mechanic. I have to say, many people are not aware of the problems mechanics face when finding parts, especially pre-loved ones in serviceable condition. Thanks for the guided tour.
I once had a customer threaten to sue my shop over "incomplete service" because their Oil Life read 99% and not 100%. As soon as the vehicle moves an inch the Oil Life dropped to 99%!
With my 2011 HHR, it seems to drop a point about every 100 miles, based on its programmed level. So when the computer reaches ~68%, it's usually on the mark ~3K, ready for the next change. 🤫🤔👍
Yes you made the parts on the floor, the oil change, the non repairs of the Honda Pilot and the engine cover story all interesting. Have a nice day!
First thing I do with an engine cover on my vehicles is remove the engine cover and put it in storage! Hate those things. Your videos are fun.
What’s fun about my car is the engine cover is also my air filter, so it’s probably one of the only times not having the cover would matter for more than a cosmetic reason
I love your videos. The one thing I think you should mention with an oil filter change is to make sure the old gasket is not still on the engine. Had a bad experience with that.
He has mentioned it... in nearly every video in which he does an oil change. This is not a new revelation - it is the most commonly discussed part of auto maintenance, yet every a-hole thinks he's the first to dazzle the world with this brilliant nugget of knowledge.
Great sense of humor! Thanks Rainman!
6:50 “it’s only my first day out here” 🤣🤣
He won’t learn much you will find out he’s a little shady he doesn’t diagnose write a lot of times he gases and just throws parts that he doesn’t use the proper tools use a meter just a guessing game
"Internet knows best." Yup, just add a capful of brakefluid to the oil. Rejuvenate them gaskets right back! (Note: It does not work if the gasket has already failed. It merely extends the life of working gaskets)
This is the second video of yours l have seen. I am impressed with your outlook, honesty and knowledge. Thanks for the video. I am going to subscribe to your channel.
Autumn!
Merci beaucoup for your instructive videos. i like it when you say cllliiik and mocking the sound of the phone in the shop. You're a great honest funny mechanic/technician. Keep-up the good work lad ;)
Hell yeah! I'm seeing a Honda on this channel finally!
Wish we lived in the same state I would definitely trust you working on my car
i had a REALLY bad senior moment. i actually thought for a couple of minutes that the motor was sitting on its side; i did finally realize it was just the camera angle
Ray you crack me up with your human torque wrench and your telephone ring imitations 🤣🤣🤣
That car owner is INSANE, I'm glad that you guys won.
Love how nobody's hears green day in the background
Love your Exxon Valdez reference.
Customer: "Hey, I want my sparkplugs checked"
Mechanic: "Sure, I'll check if they are good!"
*10 min later*
Mechanic: "Yea, I suggest you replace the spark plugs"
Customer: "No, I don't think I will."
As a lifelong personal mechanic I wish more people understood Murphy. He needs to be in a disclaimer on the title and service Manual.
The things I had to do as a service writer to convince owners that if it comes off,your probably going to fix it at some point...
The things that arent designed to come off will probably need to be fixed too...
“Plastech” in a exactly what you’d expect Honda to call something 😂
I like watching your your videos I have learned so much from you and you have a great day
Court news was captivating. 🖒🤠
NAPA AutoCare not using NAPA oil filters? Your videos are great Ray.. thanks for taking the time to post them.
Just found you on TH-cam really enjoy your videos and con tell you really, really enjoy doing the trouble shouting and fixing the problems
Little known fact, a lot of cars require a specific rpm to be exceeded upon cranking to enable injection and subsequent engine start. For example audi diesels need 250rpm or higher to begin injection. A common fault on tired starter motors is slower than normal cranking speed, thus "hard" or "long cranking" starting symptoms are observed. Ofcourse can be attributed to other electrical issues resulting in slower cranking also ie weak battery, bad earth, connections you get the idea.
ray is the man!!! first mechanic ive seen tells it like it is. cmon ppl we can do better on vehicle maintemancr!!!
A 2011 car that he's owned for 13 years?? Great Scott!, dude's a time traveler...man that's heavy.
When that much oil is bathing the spark plugs and gravity has moved it into the cylinder, I make a point of cranking the engine without the plug in place to expel the oil on to a well placed shop towel. Don’t want to hydro lock the engine!
The front valve cover is very easy to remove and replace the seals, but the rear cover is a different story, Ray maybe should have given two different quotes for each side
Ray, you are an undisputable professional and from my perspective, an Auto Tech Rockstar. As a mechanic from way back, and with what I hope, similar scruples, I appreciate your honesty, style, and professionalism. I think it'd be nice to sit down with you over a couple of beers and just shoot the breeze.
Please don't stop the "click", "gravity", and phone mimicry. Especially, don't stop telling what I call "war stories". The one about the frivolous lawsuit, and the other one about the Diesel truck owner who claimed that you caused a problem, then handed you $20 after he understood the reality of the situation were great. Anyway, stories like that give fascinating insight into your kind of work and the kind of crap someone in your position has to deal with more often than maybe most people realize.
I live in Niceville, Florida and handle most of my own work. If I needed to, I'd do my best to come down to your side of the state to have whatever major work that may need done somehow added to your schedule.
Hey, I used to have family in Niceville! My uncle was retired USAF, he settled there after his last post at Eglin. My grandmother lived in Crestview, and the ongoing family joke was that we could leave my aunt and uncle's house and arrive at my grandmother's house half an hour before we left. They eventually moved to Ft. Walton Beach.
I loved visiting the panhandle growing up. Sure, all the tourists prefer Miami, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, but if I were to head south after I retire, I'd be looking at Okaloosa or Walton counties. The lifestyle is laid back, the people are nice, and I haven't indulged in the bliss of a Shoney's breakfast buffet since 1996.
It really is a great place, nice, for sure. I'm missing the Mullet Festival (probably another covid thing), but other than that it is still a fairly laid-back place to live. And being in, and now with the Air Force for over 30 years, I've had the pleasure of living in several different areas of the country. Out of all of them, this is the only one for me and my family.
I totally enjoyed your ramblings, yes all of it. My comment on the misplacement of the plastic cover which serves no purpose which ended up in court was very interesting. Trivial much. The fact he accused you guys that you were going to sell it on the black market, you have more patience then I my friend.
Rear leaks are usually from cam thrust cap o-rings. These engines also love to spit out spark plugs and melt the coil tubes.
You can hear the difference in your voice after watching one of your 07/23 videos this morning.
Bluepoint bit set, huh. it is nice having the long torx bits.
The insurance did want that steering column from the Subi. LOL Someone's going to jail for insurance fraud.
"I had someone sue me because I forgot the cosmetic cover"
I fix computers. We had someone who'd cracked the bezel around his keyboard and touchpad, so we had to replace it. The new one didn't come with those little stickers that tell you what screen size you have, how much memory, etc. He sued us, because we couldn't peel those stickers off his old bezel, and attach them to his new one. (They're designed to be removed, so the glue is basically useless once they've been peeled off)
I definitely don't understand the useless plastic covers on engines. My first reaction on opening the hood of today's cars is "where's the engine?"
It's a roof for the mouse nest
watching this video has caused me emotional distress
I relize that this was 2 years ago, but the lesson remains the same. Change your oil. One of the things that happens when you do not change your oil is that the rings get stuck and the engine starts burning oil. This vehicle will die a smokey, premature death for want of basic maintenance.
That much oil and the sparks were that tight? Impressive.
Don't forget to have a good day 👍
Those big plastic covers are also STUPIDLY expensive to replace. Had the one on my car I was bummed the brand logo (which was a separate stick-on thing) fell off and the dealer said it was a $170 part. Ultimately a friendly (but frustrated) email to the corporate carmaker (because I was like 300 miles past bumper-to-bumper) they decided to do a good-faith replacement of the engine cover as the badge was not available separately. My research suggests a lot of people just toss them eventually because they are easily broken and so expensive to replace. Some are also a PITA to remove and break if you pull the wrong way. I don't know in what universe it would be worth going to court over that though...that's some special nuttiness.
I did have a shop (unintentionally, I believe, because it sucks to pull off) break one of the plastic things that holds mine so I added some yellow label tape with directions how to properly remove it (unclip from back, not front, in my case) and try to remember to pull the plastic cover off before I take it in (so they don't have to mess with it, and I can reinstall later)
Pain and suffering over a missing engine cover.........GOOD GRIEF!!!!
you should DRY ice clean that intake for the customer HAHAHAHAHA
I have a feeling that oil has leaked into the starter drive preventing a quick release after starting.😎
The truth is, Ray broke down under Small Claims Court Interrogation and admitted he took the engine cover as a trophy because he's a serial engine cover stealer. He's lucky the judge gave him a break and probation, and time served as mechanic at his current employer.
What I have seen is inner plastic fenders missing parts after a shop visit. Which likely is not trophy theft, but the realization that getting rusted screws out down there without breaking them or the threads is impossible! 3.5 L engine and 13 years on the same spark plugs means one thing: Gasoline is too cheap in the US.
I hate spending money on my van sometimes. But I hate breaking down more because of not spending money on my van.
So, if I break my phone trying to smash the lik button, dose that mean I can sue you for pain and suffering? Lol. Great videos, keep up the good work! Learning a lot from ya.
Give it the ol reach around! Life of voice assisted click!
here in the uk small claims is actual loss, and no damages other than that
The pain and suffering of the engine cover being gone, oh the agony. Glad you proved this person wrong in court. What a jerk, just wanting free money to live it up for a few years.
HI AH, RAY AGAIN... YOU SAID NOT SERVICES IN 150 000 MILES??? WHAT DO THEY THINK IT'S A ROBOT THAT FIXES IT"S SELF... AND OIL ON SPARK PLUGS AND YOU NEEDED A POWER TOOL, TORQUE IS 10 LBS , TORQUE IS ON WALL SUPPOSED TO BE ON ALL GARAGES , FOR ALL PARTS ON VEHICLE, I EVEN POINTED OUT TO ONE... AND EVEN FORGOT A COLLAR OVER INNER TIE ROD AND SAY HUHHH, WHERE... WT FRACK, AND THEN GUY WENT AND TOOK HIS 15 MIN BREAK, I PAID FOR THAT TOO... WHILE I COULD HAVE FINISHED IN 5 MIN... YOU TAKE YOUR TIME, AND YOU DO A GREAT JOB... ALL I HAVE SEEN YOUR REPAIRS... WOW...
Come in on Saturday or Sunday.
Ancient Astronaut Theorists say "NO". LOL
To bad labor rates are $85-$110 an hour. Is a Rip-off more shops would be busy.
I'm not breaking my phone by smashing the thumbs up, Mr. Rainman. I'd break my 30$$ usb Human Interface Device with extra klicky klicky things and super colourful illumination action lighting. I use a 5000$ computer to watch YT rather than a shoddy 200$ phone....
That guy who sued maliciously for profit should be banned from ever getting mechanic service in his life.
Ray, This is just me but.... I would have shown the owner that spark plug socket with the plug in it showing him the oil leak. After he declines all the service tell him to check the oil weekly because it looked like only a couple litres/quarts came out. Years ago when I was putting many miles on vehicles and only buying new every 4 years, I would take into consideration what it needs and write it down, do one problem a week as I could afford it. That way my vehicles where safe for wife and kid to be in it. The ones that let the vehicles go like that one will never service it, likely just keep complaining that the service is to much and the vehicles are junk.
Hey Ray just a thought.when you do the valve cover gaskets.just a thought I would check the valve clearances.could cause starting issues.i had same issue on 4 cylinder honda accord a few years back.and I wish I had your patience with cars.i do try but my god some times cars can drive you to your limits.
Spot on. It was my guess for the long crank/running rough. Very common on the 3.5's . Done so many, I just do the exhausts ,it's a bitch to check clearance ln the back ones on later 3.5s , I just loosen em 3/4 turn.
@@motorbreath3 glad we came to a same conclusion.and yeah the 3.5 is not the best engine to work on.done head gaskets on one once and was not a great job.not 100% sure but I think they use a very similar engine for outboards aswell.
I appreciated your way to do your own job so many costumers but sometime went your have one tell it for taking a intake cover and accuses yourself for nothing that's bad , but you need to keeps your cold blood in these cas ,and continue what's your going better , i'm saying mecanics only nothing else , thanks for our great video your help me a lot .
6:30 Now you know what it's like for the rest of us to change the oil in our driveways. ;)
Dirty engine covers drive me nuts. I always wash and clean them and hit him with a light coat of Lexol.
Having a pretty engine makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Yo dawg.. I heard you liked extensions so I put an extension on the extension to extend the extension.🤣
You do have patience , without it you’d be out somewhere Hunting Wabbits😂🤣