Dave, you should follow through on these videos, even if it’s just a minute or two summary at the end of here’s what ultimately happened and here’s a clip of the vehicle running and driving at the end. Lots of these videos end of cliff hangers!
"I don't want to spend any more of his money until he knows that this is what it's going to really cost" This is one of the golden customer service skills spot on
My father, who was an aerospace engineer for NASA for over 4 decades, had a saying, "You only get one chance to do it right the first time." A motto ingrained into my soul since my earliest days, rest in peace Pops!
Dave, I was a mechanic for many, many years. NIASE Master and dealer wrench, now retired. The hardest part was not fixing the cars, I found the hardest part giving disappointing news to customers, especially when I could tell they didn't have the money. It was never fun to tell them the bad news. I always thought it better for myself to explain to the customer of the issues rather than a Service Writer being the delivery of the news. I appreciate how carefully and thoughtfully you deal with this issue. Much respect!
He's Been Doing it long enough to understand that doing a half ass job just makes everyone unhappy & miserable. Life's too short ! Do it Right the first time. Allways the Right way to go !!! You always end up spending more doing it the second time than if u had just done it right the First time. 😉
Yep. He wants to do it right the first time. This person didn't do it right the first time and now he gotta fix it. The knowledge he has and his son is amazing.
Yeah I know the exact tone in his voice. I was a boat tech for 3 years before becoming a wireman and our master tech used to sound like this all the time. If one of us made a mistake he wouldn't get mad at us he'd just get that disappointed tone.
Came across this site by accident, happy I did. As a former A&P Aircraft Mechanic in the 70's and 80's I really enjoy watching honest good mechanics at the top of their game.
All this kid can do is learn from his mistakes. Hopefully it does not deter him from any further mechanical ventures. Working on your own stuff is a very valuable skill, especially nowadays.
@@Mayamax3You expand your limitations by diving in and tackling new projects, sometimes that results in a failure. It is however a pretty bad idea to practice and have your failures on valuable vehicles/engines. Play around with beaters for sure, not the daily.
The knowledge on this man is insane, he called the guy and went through every option down to the cleaning of the engine. And pointed it out that’s crazy
Dave, As a mechanic and engine machinist/ builder since 1988, I applaud your sincerity, integrity, and no compromise values of your shop. When you turn out quality, you can look everyone in the eyes and smile. Kyle Johns
So….love this vid too…I also strikes me that there is no stupid reality show crap in this channel….no fake personality conflicts…no contrived drama….no fake “breakout” stars…..just real mechanics doing real work for a great boss….I’d be a shame if this channel ever went that way….
I am really impressed with Dave and his way of doing business. His customer skills are spot on. There's no BS going on here, just the hard facts. Kudos to Dave's Auto Center.
Rebuilding an enging is very tedious. I have been working on my personal cars since i started driving. In my 40 and took a stab at in after my work van hydrolocked in my driveway. I did not know what was wrong with it until i had the rod on a table all i knew was it ws knocking like hell one day after i started it. It almost went flawless. I had a rod cap het loose and spun a bearing 2 miles from home about 3 month after the build. Was able to just replace it with no other damage. I found this channel during the rebuild and keep watching since. I got to say i want to take apart my trailblazer engine now, and my wifes town and country after i buy her a newer car. Its a fun process and very rewarding when you can clear all the problems and lights all at once and your engine sounds smoother than you ever remembered.
I worked for Cummins Illinois Engine Sales/Chicago for several years starting in the '70's and they were a superb engine rebuild shop for Cummins (obviously). We rebuilt EVERYTHING Cummins, ground our own cranks, completely machined blocks, rebuild heads and all engine subassemblies and every engine received a full, several hour dyno test before it left. When Cummins Engine Company started their ReCon program it was based a lot on what was done at our facility. Cummins Illinois is no more, bought out by Cummins Engine in early '90s' and is a mere shadow of what it used to be. So, I'm very familiar with what you guys do Dave, keep up the good work!
I'm no diesel guy..but that must what old timers were talking about .when they mentioned Cummins Engine. Was very stout / tough Engines..Kool story also I love hearing. About historical times
When I did an automotive industrial course at tech 30 years ago which was an introductory course at tech in New South Wales in Australia ,it was a prerequisite course to becoming a diesel fitter or mechanic & you could become a mechanic who services light vehicles as well,one of my teachers was going through with us how backyarders who are like that tend to get dirt in engines when they rebuild them & while they might go alright for a while they end up failing or wearing out prematurely. He was emphasising how important it is for everything to be clean including the bolts because if the threads are dirty on the bolts & inside of the engine block, etc you will not be able to set the proper preload on the bolt & they may come loose. For bolts which are bathed in oil such as the connecting rod cap bolts he suggested doing what the manufacturers tell you to do which was to coat the threads in oil prior to refitting the bolts to get the proper preload of the oil bathed bolts. Even when I repaired power tools it was the same deal, everything had to be clean !
@@RussellBooth1977 I had a mechanic do a head gasket job; a few weeks later, the oil light came on driving at freeway speed and the engine became very noisy; I had the vehicle towed to a different mechanic who determined the engine needed a rebuild; he found grit in the oil pump pressure relief valve, which caused the valve to jam, causing complete loss of oil pressure.
I can really appreciate someone like you Dave, going through it all and even during the final moments of the video saying "I don't want to spend any more of his money until he knows that this is what it's really going to cost". I wish you guys were up here in Chicago, we need more people like you in the world. Thanks again.
My LS3 dropped a seat at about 200k miles. It just barely tapped the top of a piston and it happened while I started it up so I immediately shutdown and it didn't do any more damage. Pulled the engine, disassembled it, took it to a shop to be machined and measure the journals, cylinders, etc. Ordered all the appropriate parts for it and had it all sitting in my living room. I'd already had the same shop rebuild the good head and order me a new head to replace the one that dropped the seat. Sitting on over $10k parts and labor and decided "I can take an engine out, put it back in, disassemble it, and while I can put one together, I don't know the decades of knowledge to do it RIGHT." So I went to the builder with everything and said "you've already done the machine work, I ordered everything from GM and sized on the measurements you took. I understand if you don't want to warranty it but bro, one mistake and I'm out DOUBLE the money and there aren't any LS3 engines available anywhere now." They built it for me and it's been perfect ever since. GLAD I made the choice because I knew that I've learned a ton in my life but as I work in IT and meet other IT guys all the time who don't REALLY know what they're doing, I recognized I didn't REALLY know how to put an engine together. You can't replace 30 years of work, muscle memory, the micron-level touch in our fingers. It can only be hard won through doing the work and doing it well. I went as far as I could go and I wasn't afraid to say so.
A great well written synopsis. With things mechanical, even 30 years experience will only get you so far because every good mechanic can still have unknown 'never seen this before' surprises that can challenge any level of expertise. Lol
On the other hand I've had "professionals" screw up even basic stuff like massively overfilling a transmission I had a shop rebuild. Just because someone does it a hundred times doesn't mean they will do the job right if they do sloppy work. Trusting the wrong people, which is part of what went wrong here, is very expensive in automobiles.
@@0utc4st1985 There are no guarantees. Even in a high end shop most of the fluid changes and simpler odd jobs will be done by low paid entry level mechanics. If they have an ability there and are consistent in doing good work then they move up fast. Personally I ALWAYS check the work on even proactive maintenance. Dip stick oil level, crush washer and tightened oil plug, are there belt buckle scratches on the fender? Most reputable shops don't like repairs to come back so internal job checking is more likely to take place. I agree with your point though.
@@randmayfield5695 Putting twice the fluid as it's supposed to have, putting an obviously wrong length of TV cable, not paying attention to the spark plug cables when reinstalling it so the fan chops up one of them......yeah, I don't buy your premise. A fish rots from the head down mate. Most shops in my experience just want your money and try to shove it out the door as fast as possible with zero QA.
I just left a comment with a similar experience, although yours is probably better articulated, I’ll paste it here. I’m a full time mechanic…I had my own motor go on me in my Cummins, 12V, friend had a 24V motor he was selling, the price was right, bought it, swapped the mechanical fuel pump over (which is a bit of a job, gotta pull the cam and swap the front cover, as well as retime the pump), resealed the 24v, and rolled in bearings…but you better believe before I bought that engine, I did a compression test and stuck a bore cam down every hole I could think of, and when it went back together everything got torqued to spec…and I didn’t touch that oil pump…cause oil pumps are scary. Engines now in my truck running fairly happy, few little issues, but it gets me around and it’s good for laughs(…especially cause I put a rowdy cam in and a big turbo on.) That being said, that 12V is sitting in the garage, and it’s gonna get sent out to the machinist and rebuilt for some serious power. Even though I think I could rebuild it from the crank up, and would probably enjoy doing it, and probably know those engines better than anything else…I’m still gonna pay the machine shop to do the reassembly for me. I don’t wanna have those questions in my head ‘did I torque this, did I do this right’ etc. Even when I can hop on identifix and get every single torque spec and sequence, I would rather pay the professional engine builder to do it.
When I dealt with the shop that did work for me, I didn't haggle over price, just paid what they asked and went with what they said I should do. I got the feeling from them that I was very much in the minority. It's a shame.
@dv6195 true but when you find the honest tech or tradesman YOU PAY THEM. Im ex ASE tech commercial carpenter. No i dont need ur cheap $$ to do mechanic work. I only do it 4 those who cant afford it/cars value=shop costs too much. But im honest and ill do it RIGHT. So i may be cheaper than shop but u want a toming belt? Maybe pay me 1000$. Cause its still 2,000$ less than a shop
@@User0000000000000004this is correct way. Once u find the honest ppl PAY THEM overpay them. It will help them remember you. I treat everything with 110% effort and to any rules about it no matter how trivial and thats the person u want. Do it RIGHT the 1st time
So much more intriguing than a crime investigation or murder mystery, these episodes are so captivating. Great job! I hope this works out well for the owner (and the next owner).
Just listen to the curtesy and politeness in that call coming from Dave.. " thank you for taking my call" and " I appreciate your business".... man, not only engine builders can learn a lot from Dave, but everybody, simple politeness and kindness, such a pleasure listening to Daves interaction with his costumes..
As far as the comments to the service writer...I dont mind when someone is firm and direct with me when I miss something, it helps so much to know where you sand with your boss. Constructive correction with respect...beautiful. Man I wanna for for this guy.
Top notch shop owner and don’t forget top notch technicians. Masters of their craft. Honesty and skill. Two things almost impossible to find in the same building these days.
@@Zippadeedoodaa-nt8om What is your reputation??? What if someone claimed you a derogatory term such as a pedo do you think that it would only be that your on camera? Something to think about? 😳
I been taking notes from every video to make myself a better mechanic. I love the way this guy questions and explains the why and how behind everything. I also have seen many engines installed and never once did any mechanic do a cleaning first when it got back from the machine shop. This channel will be the reason why every mechanic will up their game.
I've worked in the automotive industry off and on for over 10 years, and I have to tip my hat to Dave and his team for their grit, integrity, and just all-around passion for the industry. I enjoy the breakdown videos alot. The back and forth with customers can be a bit nuts sometimes, super solid the way dave deals with it. Alot can be learned here.
I rebuilt the C4 and 302 in my 72 F100 2 years ago. I had never done a full rebuild before. I bought books on it, watched TH-cam videos, and was extremely meticulous with the job. It's been 2 years and it's still running strong. Going to pull the top end apart and inspect the camshaft, lobes, etc this summer to determine if I have any premature wear before adding a supercharger; it has about 12k miles on it so far so I suspect it is entirely broke in, to include the timing chain slacking some(I advanced it 4 degrees just to compensate for timing chain wear over time). Anyway, I wish everyone luck who rebuilds one themselves. It is a labor of love and a very enjoyable process, but you must take your time and do it correctly the first time. Do not be afraid to pull it apart many times if necessary.
I worked for a flooring company called Unlimited coatings, Dave was nice enough to let us do his entire shop and the showroom which polished. Dave is an amazing mechanic and a super nice gentleman. I appreciate the experience we had at that job.
I have a 5.9 cummins that i work on myself. Im not a mechanic and I don't wanna do the job, but I don't have the money to take it to a shop. Thank god for you tube, definitely understand why guys try and do the work themselves.
Everyone should strive to be as meticulous and honest as Dave, it makes sense he has one of the most reputable engine shops in the country. I hope to build something this awesome before I kick the bucket
I cannot get enough of Dave's content. I wish I had known about him when I started my career. I would have packed up and moved out and begged for a job. Learn it from the best from day 1.
💯 percent. I got my start at a local dealership and the guy I apprenticed under was a bi-polar egomaniac and I found out he did some shady stuff to customer’s cars to drum up more work. I was only making $8/hr (this was in ‘05). I learned a lot, but ultimately I packed up and took a different career path. I enjoy working on cars. Had I had a mentor like Dave, with integrity, patience, wealth of knowledge, and actually investing in his employees,… this industry is hurting for great Techs. Every shop I deal with lately comments on that.
I wish I could work for this guy. I know nothing about engines but I feel like I'm learning a lot just watching. The way he explains everything by breaking it down makes it easy to learn.
ALL of the time I have spent watching Dave's videos has been time well worth it. Enjoyable as well as educational. Key is that Dave is a very moral person/ business-owner as well as a most knowledgeable in this business. A pleasure to watch and learn. Thanks Dave!
Wow. What a shame. So many guys with the best of intentions end up like this because they simply do not know what they do not know. I used to be in the tractor business and learned how t rebuild gas & diesel engines. Never had a return due to this kind of issue. That was long ago when I was just a young buck. These days I watch Dave's expertise here and will likely end up having his crew rebuild my current engine when the time comes. God Bless all of you good folks.
This is unreal how you show every step of the troubleshooting process. By far one of the best auto care channels on TH-cam. Dave I love how you arched back to the "That's what we are here on earth doing learning from our mistakes". God bless you Dave, in a time where mechanic shops are pulling fast ones on folks, you are here bring the Truth to the mechanic world.
Problems with projects like this one has, comes from too many different mechanics having their hands on the build. Something always doesn’t get done or fixed or checked because of poor communication and just too many points of possible issues if the correct procedures aren’t followed. That’s why it’s essential to find a shop with the equipment and with mechanics experienced in repairing the exact problem that you have and having a single pair of hands and eyes in charge of the job.
Dave's continually shows me that a shop can really be on the up & up. I love how you have open communication both with the customer, and your service writer to educate about what's needed and what's got to happen. Like they say, a rising tide lifts all ships. Knowledge without communication can come across as piracy to the consumer, so kudos to Dave.
The problem with most shops is the lack of communication but the way you handle these situations in and of itself is enough for me that God forbid anything happens to my engine, I’ll box her up and send her to you guys all the way from NC
Another ‘can of worms’ taken care of by your dedication and honesty, Dave. The biggest takeaway I got was communication, communication, communication! Enough said. Great watching you guys. Cheers!
I’ve been watching your videos for a while now Dave. I’m 56 years old and I’ve been in this industry my entire life. I have been a shop owner since 2007. During my 20s I worked in a shop in Phoenix as a heavy line technician and an r&r guy. We had a full machine shop much like yours. The machinist was the best engine builder I’ve ever met. He built a lot of dragster engines for the race car guys along with street cars. I received most of my knowledge from him. It’s rare to find a high quality shop and a really good engine builder nowadays but it’s obvious you are one. I wish our shops were closer together. I have pretty much gotten away from doing engines and transmissions anymore because of the crap that most builders sell.
Way back in college (early 90's) my grandfather and I "rebuild" my 2.2 engine in my Dodge Aries K. Blown piston. Got it running, messed up the vacuum tubes, and it burnt a quart of oil every 2 weeks. Lesson learned.
I feel bad for the customer but you know what is great? The fact that we have this technology nowadays where you can email the man shots from your video camera and borescope pictures. It's another great tool to ensure the customer (and technicians too) that everyone involved is being totally honest and honorable. Love this channel. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
@@COBRO98 Of course they shouldn't have to, and they don't have to. I'm just saying that it's a nice piece of technology to have that you're able to use if you want. As far as my cancer diagnosis goes: I guess I wouldn't demand video evidence but I would probably review some CAT scans and MRIs with him or her or whatever tests they run. I would certainly be looking at pictures and videos if my surgeon told me that I absolutely needed a new knee or a new hip..... of course I would want to see that. And I bet the doctor wouldn't have an issue showing me. But I wouldn't HAVE to see it necessarily. That's all I'm saying.
Excellent video!!! This engine was actually saved from much worse damage.. It is a good thing the client asked for A Simulated test, before running this vehicle... Good job guys!!!
I love Dave, he reminds me of a true old school New Englander. I'm from Massachusetts and my family has had a shop going in Sudbury since 1952, my dad started it and now after two generations his grandson is running it. I was just out there in Idaho visiting my grandkids in Sun Valley where my son lives. I drove by Dave's place on I15 on our way to visit friends in SLC, but couldn't stop in and visit because of our tight schedule. Next time I'm out there I just wanna shake your hand. Your a good example of what a fair, honest businessman is. My Dads motto at our shop was "test work, not guess work" and "do it right". Lastly , I've learned a lot about diesels and procedure by watching your videos.
DAVE. You make me think of my friend that work for two trucking companies for about 40 years he's the very best. His name is Lloyd RHODES. He built a mustang engine when he was 17 years old 289 triple gasser nothing could catch it
Just rebuilt the motor in my subaru, used all your advice with cleaning practices, making sure you’re replacing the contaminated parts and not using junk parts. Makes me feel good the subaru fired right up!
Hi Dave many thanks for your fascinating videos of what you do in your shop. It is clear that you and your family have a real passion for what you do. It is also fantastic to see how you implement your Christian principles within your business with both the customer and your employees. You really do care about what you do. It was lovely to see you giving back to the next generation of young mechanics as they toured your shop and listened to your advice. May God richly bless you in days to come as you continue to serve him in your daily life. Watching in Northern Ireland.
These instructionals make me think and use my automotive knowledge in a way that works for how I learn. I love using my limited knowledge to learn new things automotive and that's why I enjoy Dave's channel so much. The more you learn about a topic the more you realize how little you know.
We all make mistakes. When I was 18 I replaced a blown head gasket with out checking if the head needed resurfacing/skimming to save money. Needless to say it went again very quickly. Lesson learned for life.
I love that he is not one of those crusty old impatient types. He is understanding and patient. He takes the time to educate the customer without making them feel stupid. Dave and his crew are as real as it gets.
What I'm about to say is pretty irrelevant. We just lost a very good friend, and his name was Dave too. He loved anything with an engine ANYTHING. Such a smart and very misunderstood guy. We rebuilt a couple motors together and always worked on cars/trucks together. He was my human google but better! Thank you for posting these videos as it reminds me of our dear friend. I have a gut feeling our friend Dave somehow in his afterlife showed me Daves Auto Center. Life is too short, and life happens so fast. I miss him so much. Thank you for being apart of my life Dave and thank you for leading me to this channel.
Sorry for your loss Brother. I had a family friend who could recite from memory every single word Edgar Allen Poe ever wrote published or unpublished. He was brilliant. Drank himself to death at age 50 on Poe's day of death. He called it too. Life throws you tribulation and trials.. Blessings Brother.
I prime the oil pump through the top of the oil filter housing on every Cummins do . Worked for the dealer. 50 plus years experience. Always picked up prime instantly Reed . Master tech. Also oil gallery plugs as you stated . Had one pop out behind the camshaft timing gear . On my own truck when cold. Went to zero instantly. Reed. Enjoy your videos
When I studied an introductory automotive industrial course at tech 30 years ago in New South Wales in Australia which was a prerequisite to becoming a diesel fitter or a diesel mechanic or you could become an automotive technician who services & repairs light vehicles one of my teachers was talking about how a lot of backyard engine builders worked in dirt meaning that once the engine is rebuilt,it might go alright for s while but it will likely wear out or fail prematurely. He was talking about how the bolts & the threads in the engine block & cylinder head, etc should be cleaned & free of dirt, maybe blow the threads out & also clean them with a thread tap or a die nut because dirt will cause the bolts to come loose or the specified torque figure cannot be achieved when torquing up the bolts if they're dirty. Also that generally a manufacturer will instruct you to coat bolt threads such as bearing cap bolts with oil prior to installing & torquing up the bolts since they're oil bathed. I know that I have rebuilt a few engines or I have done some major work on them & none of them have failed even when I have had half of the engine stripped down & outside in the backyard. It's the same as when I repaired power tools as an apprentice, everything had to be cleaned in a parts washer,all the old grease had to be removed from a gearbox of a grinder or a jackhammer because if any metal shavings or bits if needle roller bearing was left in the gearbox & piston assembly some of that grease would work itself down into the piston assembly & tear up the new piston seals
Dave I feel your frustration. Worked as a automotive machinist for 40 years. I always dreaded working behind someone else. They always think that they are saving money, but spend more in the long run.
Dave I am very impressed by the way you treat people in your daily business dealings. You are always positive and encouraging to your customers and your employees. What a blessing you are. God bless you and your family😂
It’s good that you’re doing videos like this, because it shows people how involved and technical the job really is. It’s not just pushing buttons to fix cars, and the customer rarely sees how much physical effort and technical knowledge is required for this kind of work.
Dave you DEFINITELY would have been a surgeon in another life good sir. You have the expertise and precision of a surgeon with a lifetime of experience in your trade.
Only one way to learn and he seems like a nice young guy. I hope it doesn’t deter him from trying this again. Now he knows who to go to and get a better start. Never be afraid to fail because you’ll never succeed if you never take chances.
This is my favorite yt channel. I wish I could work with Dave. I'm sure the learning would be constant. My first job out of high school was rebuilding cylinder heads out of machine shop.
I own an '04 Dodge Ram 2500 similar to this one - HO motor with the NV5600 transmission. It was just shy of 350K miles, and the motor was just done. Tons of blowby, exhaust gas and oil was dumping out of the blowby tube, rough idle, loss of power, rolling coal like a locomotive. I found a reputable diesel engine rebuilder - the only one of his kind within a several hundred mile radius of me, and decided to go for the full overhaul rather than buying a new truck. It was an out of frame complete overhaul. New pistons, bored .20 over I believe (rods & crank were still good as new), new valves, all new fuel system including new common rail, pump, and injectors, a new aftermarket exhaust manifold, plus a Valair dual disc clutch (didn't charge me any labor for the clutch), and probably a bunch of other things I can't remember. All for $16K and some change. So far so good. If I lived in Utah I'd have brought mine to Dave for sure!
What an impressive operation! The repair is sometimes the easy part. These are hard conversations to have with customers. Hats off to you and your team Dave!
I've seen a few shorts of Dave's channel.... This is the first full video I have watched.... Dave is very matter of fact and borderline rude! But, he gets to be like that... He is the MAN when it comes to engine's and I love how he doesn't sugar coat anything! Really like this guy!!!
It's refreshing to see an honest shop owner that provides good advice at a time where money is tight. If the gentleman was wise he would keep the truck rather than sell it. Todays trucks are pretty much junk being bogged down with emissions and technology. Hopefully you can convince him otherwise. Older is simpler and more dependable.
Besides not getting it cleaned the main issue just wasnt following the directions exactly, the loose bolts most likely werent torqued to the right spec, same with the oil pump. Its good to learn how to do these things the right way.
So many people pay no attention to torque values. Lots of mechanics will slap your wheels back on and go to town torquing your wheel lugs with an impact. Meanwhile they make them so tight that it can distort your rotor causing uneven brake pad wear, put additional stress on wheel bearings causing them to fail sooner, etc. There’s a reason why OEMs specify specific torque values on various bolted components.
How about all that water though? This is a really bad situation. The owner wanted to assemble his engine himself, but he didn't read what he needed to read. Rule #1, no room for dirt in an engine. I've never assembled a bottom end, but I've done a few valve jobs, intakes, cams etc. How to rebuild a small block Chevy is a great book, so is the how to hotrod a SBC book. David Vizard knows his stuff. I replaced a cam, and had the whole thing assembled timed and ready to fire while I was "speed learning". Learned enough to know I needed to swap the cam to something that would work for me. The first one would have sounded cool, but it would have sucked badly as a daily driver.
I have 2 5.9 cummins with the coolant bypasses installed. Both trucks pull equipment all throughout the sierra overpasses in 100 degree weather with a/c running. Pulling a 6% grade I've never seen the coolant temp over 200. Prior to the bypass it would constantly get very hot and would need to get out of the throttle to let cool. So first hand experience they 100% work very well.
When I started as a technician back in the early 80’s, the man who taught me everything I know always said, “Do it right the first time”. When you cut corners it always comes back to bite you.
This audible, visible, and very palpable contention involved in these conversations with customers, and between the desire to build something great and do it right, and generally leave a project in much better condition than it was when handed to you... is so very real and felt in many service businesses. I've agonized like this over software projects for twenty years. I've increasingly been drawn to mechanic and automotive work (hobbyist, working on my own and family's), and it's also what would deter me from going out to get certified or ever consider opening up shop.
Dave, you should follow through on these videos, even if it’s just a minute or two summary at the end of here’s what ultimately happened and here’s a clip of the vehicle running and driving at the end. Lots of these videos end of cliff hangers!
Yea , totally agree. 👍
Yeah, it's like watching an action movie but going home 15mins before the end.
I agree also.
I concur
@robertmiller341 surely more of Dave is a win for everyone
"I don't want to spend any more of his money until he knows that this is what it's going to really cost" This is one of the golden customer service skills spot on
Yes 100% would make a great channel even more so!
My father, who was an aerospace engineer for NASA for over 4 decades, had a saying, "You only get one chance to do it right the first time." A motto ingrained into my soul since my earliest days, rest in peace Pops!
Was your dad ever on the moon?..
@@Shane-zx4psif he went to the moon, he'd be an astronaught, not an engineer.
@@alanjordan9772. I’m kidding with you dude, I’d be proud also👍
@@Shane-zx4psI'm not a dude, I'm a space station.
@@alanjordan9772 I know you are.🤔
Dave, I was a mechanic for many, many years. NIASE Master and dealer wrench, now retired. The hardest part was not fixing the cars, I found the hardest part giving disappointing news to customers, especially when I could tell they didn't have the money. It was never fun to tell them the bad news. I always thought it better for myself to explain to the customer of the issues rather than a Service Writer being the delivery of the news. I appreciate how carefully and thoughtfully you deal with this issue. Much respect!
I was the same and always undercharged
@@Maurice-c6z Yeah, I was the same way.
He’s not angry man he’s a man that doesn’t like shabby work. I completely understand this man. Good job.
I had 25 years with vw! I know where he is coming from!
He's Been Doing it long enough to understand that doing a half ass job just makes everyone unhappy & miserable.
Life's too short ! Do it Right the first time. Allways the Right way to go !!! You always end up spending more doing it the second time than if u had just done it right the First time. 😉
Yep. He wants to do it right the first time. This person didn't do it right the first time and now he gotta fix it. The knowledge he has and his son is amazing.
Vee dunes VW I prefer older diesel @@bentetzner4263
Yeah I know the exact tone in his voice. I was a boat tech for 3 years before becoming a wireman and our master tech used to sound like this all the time. If one of us made a mistake he wouldn't get mad at us he'd just get that disappointed tone.
Came across this site by accident, happy I did. As a former A&P Aircraft Mechanic in the 70's and 80's I really enjoy watching honest good mechanics at the top of their game.
All this kid can do is learn from his mistakes. Hopefully it does not deter him from any further mechanical ventures. Working on your own stuff is a very valuable skill, especially nowadays.
Yes, but you have to know your limitations or you're going to go broke practicing.
@@Mayamax3 That is why you practice more difficult procedures on beater project car when you have money to drop and not do it with your main vehicle.
Couldn't agree more
It could be fun to watch them build his motor so he can learn the process in doing it right... invaluable teaching moment in life...
@@Mayamax3You expand your limitations by diving in and tackling new projects, sometimes that results in a failure.
It is however a pretty bad idea to practice and have your failures on valuable vehicles/engines. Play around with beaters for sure, not the daily.
The knowledge on this man is insane, he called the guy and went through every option down to the cleaning of the engine. And pointed it out that’s crazy
Unfortunately, Dave is a dying breed of man.
That’s normal to do if you’re a good shop 😊
@@adansegura8909few and far between
Dave's "Disappointed dad look" sends me straight back to the days of my youth and my lousy report cards.
😂
Me X12 lol
I felt that😂
Einstein had lousy report cards too
You Sir are no Einstein...@@pzm958
Dave,
As a mechanic and engine machinist/ builder since 1988, I applaud your sincerity, integrity, and no compromise values of your shop. When you turn out quality, you can look everyone in the eyes and smile.
Kyle Johns
So….love this vid too…I also strikes me that there is no stupid reality show crap in this channel….no fake personality conflicts…no contrived drama….no fake “breakout” stars…..just real mechanics doing real work for a great boss….I’d be a shame if this channel ever went that way….
Every shop needs to watch these videos and see how its truly done
I am really impressed with Dave and his way of doing business. His customer skills are spot on. There's no BS going on here, just the hard facts. Kudos to Dave's Auto Center.
Rebuilding an enging is very tedious. I have been working on my personal cars since i started driving. In my 40 and took a stab at in after my work van hydrolocked in my driveway. I did not know what was wrong with it until i had the rod on a table all i knew was it ws knocking like hell one day after i started it. It almost went flawless. I had a rod cap het loose and spun a bearing 2 miles from home about 3 month after the build. Was able to just replace it with no other damage. I found this channel during the rebuild and keep watching since. I got to say i want to take apart my trailblazer engine now, and my wifes town and country after i buy her a newer car. Its a fun process and very rewarding when you can clear all the problems and lights all at once and your engine sounds smoother than you ever remembered.
Be careful the head bolts on trailblazer engines like to break off into the block
I worked for Cummins Illinois Engine Sales/Chicago for several years starting in the '70's and they were a superb engine rebuild shop for Cummins (obviously). We rebuilt EVERYTHING Cummins, ground our own cranks, completely machined blocks, rebuild heads and all engine subassemblies and every engine received a full, several hour dyno test before it left. When Cummins Engine Company started their ReCon program it was based a lot on what was done at our facility. Cummins Illinois is no more, bought out by Cummins Engine in early '90s' and is a mere shadow of what it used to be. So, I'm very familiar with what you guys do Dave, keep up the good work!
That's a great story. I work on Cummins everyday on the semis.
@@StrongerThanBigfoot Yep, we had about 12-15 bays for trucks too.
I'm no diesel guy..but that must what old timers were talking about .when they mentioned Cummins Engine. Was very stout / tough Engines..Kool story also I love hearing. About historical times
When I did an automotive industrial course at tech 30 years ago which was an introductory course at tech in New South Wales in Australia ,it was a prerequisite course to becoming a diesel fitter or mechanic & you could become a mechanic who services light vehicles as well,one of my teachers was going through with us how backyarders who are like that tend to get dirt in engines when they rebuild them & while they might go alright for a while they end up failing or wearing out prematurely.
He was emphasising how important it is for everything to be clean including the bolts because if the threads are dirty on the bolts & inside of the engine block, etc you will not be able to set the proper preload on the bolt & they may come loose.
For bolts which are bathed in oil such as the connecting rod cap bolts he suggested doing what the manufacturers tell you to do which was to coat the threads in oil prior to refitting the bolts to get the proper preload of the oil bathed bolts.
Even when I repaired power tools it was the same deal, everything had to be clean !
@@RussellBooth1977 I had a mechanic do a head gasket job; a few weeks later, the oil light came on driving at freeway speed and the engine became very noisy; I had the vehicle towed to a different mechanic who determined the engine needed a rebuild; he found grit in the oil pump pressure relief valve, which caused the valve to jam, causing complete loss of oil pressure.
I can really appreciate someone like you Dave, going through it all and even during the final moments of the video saying "I don't want to spend any more of his money until he knows that this is what it's really going to cost".
I wish you guys were up here in Chicago, we need more people like you in the world. Thanks again.
This is why garages don't like to take work they haven't done. It's a recipe for a complaint (or worse) when things go south.
My LS3 dropped a seat at about 200k miles. It just barely tapped the top of a piston and it happened while I started it up so I immediately shutdown and it didn't do any more damage. Pulled the engine, disassembled it, took it to a shop to be machined and measure the journals, cylinders, etc. Ordered all the appropriate parts for it and had it all sitting in my living room. I'd already had the same shop rebuild the good head and order me a new head to replace the one that dropped the seat. Sitting on over $10k parts and labor and decided "I can take an engine out, put it back in, disassemble it, and while I can put one together, I don't know the decades of knowledge to do it RIGHT." So I went to the builder with everything and said "you've already done the machine work, I ordered everything from GM and sized on the measurements you took. I understand if you don't want to warranty it but bro, one mistake and I'm out DOUBLE the money and there aren't any LS3 engines available anywhere now." They built it for me and it's been perfect ever since. GLAD I made the choice because I knew that I've learned a ton in my life but as I work in IT and meet other IT guys all the time who don't REALLY know what they're doing, I recognized I didn't REALLY know how to put an engine together. You can't replace 30 years of work, muscle memory, the micron-level touch in our fingers. It can only be hard won through doing the work and doing it well. I went as far as I could go and I wasn't afraid to say so.
A great well written synopsis. With things mechanical, even 30 years experience will only get you so far because every good mechanic can still have unknown 'never seen this before' surprises that can challenge any level of expertise. Lol
On the other hand I've had "professionals" screw up even basic stuff like massively overfilling a transmission I had a shop rebuild. Just because someone does it a hundred times doesn't mean they will do the job right if they do sloppy work. Trusting the wrong people, which is part of what went wrong here, is very expensive in automobiles.
@@0utc4st1985 There are no guarantees. Even in a high end shop most of the fluid changes and simpler odd jobs will be done by low paid entry level mechanics. If they have an ability there and are consistent in doing good work then they move up fast.
Personally I ALWAYS check the work on even proactive maintenance. Dip stick oil level, crush washer and tightened oil plug, are there belt buckle scratches on the fender? Most reputable shops don't like repairs to come back so internal job checking is more likely to take place.
I agree with your point though.
@@randmayfield5695 Putting twice the fluid as it's supposed to have, putting an obviously wrong length of TV cable, not paying attention to the spark plug cables when reinstalling it so the fan chops up one of them......yeah, I don't buy your premise. A fish rots from the head down mate. Most shops in my experience just want your money and try to shove it out the door as fast as possible with zero QA.
I just left a comment with a similar experience, although yours is probably better articulated, I’ll paste it here.
I’m a full time mechanic…I had my own motor go on me in my Cummins, 12V, friend had a 24V motor he was selling, the price was right, bought it, swapped the mechanical fuel pump over (which is a bit of a job, gotta pull the cam and swap the front cover, as well as retime the pump), resealed the 24v, and rolled in bearings…but you better believe before I bought that engine, I did a compression test and stuck a bore cam down every hole I could think of, and when it went back together everything got torqued to spec…and I didn’t touch that oil pump…cause oil pumps are scary. Engines now in my truck running fairly happy, few little issues, but it gets me around and it’s good for laughs(…especially cause I put a rowdy cam in and a big turbo on.) That being said, that 12V is sitting in the garage, and it’s gonna get sent out to the machinist and rebuilt for some serious power. Even though I think I could rebuild it from the crank up, and would probably enjoy doing it, and probably know those engines better than anything else…I’m still gonna pay the machine shop to do the reassembly for me. I don’t wanna have those questions in my head ‘did I torque this, did I do this right’ etc. Even when I can hop on identifix and get every single torque spec and sequence, I would rather pay the professional engine builder to do it.
Absolutely needs a part 2! I. Still waiting to see what is gonna happen with that cracked crank M156 (6.2 AMG Mercedes V8)!
That Mercedes is a total loss. LOL. Junk
Prob one of the coolest customers. Very understanding. I love having customers like that, they understand that your being honest and straight forward.
When I dealt with the shop that did work for me, I didn't haggle over price, just paid what they asked and went with what they said I should do. I got the feeling from them that I was very much in the minority. It's a shame.
Hard to find now a days no trust in any industry really
@dv6195 true but when you find the honest tech or tradesman YOU PAY THEM. Im ex ASE tech commercial carpenter. No i dont need ur cheap $$ to do mechanic work. I only do it 4 those who cant afford it/cars value=shop costs too much. But im honest and ill do it RIGHT. So i may be cheaper than shop but u want a toming belt? Maybe pay me 1000$. Cause its still 2,000$ less than a shop
@@User0000000000000004this is correct way. Once u find the honest ppl PAY THEM overpay them. It will help them remember you. I treat everything with 110% effort and to any rules about it no matter how trivial and thats the person u want. Do it RIGHT the 1st time
I wish there were more small to medium size business owners like this. The piece of mind it gives you as a customer is worth every cent
So much more intriguing than a crime investigation or murder mystery, these episodes are so captivating. Great job! I hope this works out well for the owner (and the next owner).
Engine crime drama is what this engine would have turned into.
Quite a great compliment, thank you very much 👍
Would be interesting to know what happened to the F250 diesel with the bad fuel system and the angry owner.
Just listen to the curtesy and politeness in that call coming from Dave.. " thank you for taking my call" and " I appreciate your business".... man, not only engine builders can learn a lot from Dave, but everybody, simple politeness and kindness, such a pleasure listening to Daves interaction with his costumes..
As far as the comments to the service writer...I dont mind when someone is firm and direct with me when I miss something, it helps so much to know where you sand with your boss. Constructive correction with respect...beautiful. Man I wanna for for this guy.
Idk about anyone else but this dudes one of the smartest honest mechanic/shop owner ive ever seen!!!
Top notch shop owner and don’t forget top notch technicians. Masters of their craft. Honesty and skill. Two things almost impossible to find in the same building these days.
You are perhaps the most ethical repair shops I have ever watched! You are a testament to your integrity and honesty! Kudos!
Very true my friend. Even here in Australia mechanic have lost their morals.
He's on camera, what do you expect?
@@Zippadeedoodaa-nt8om What is your reputation??? What if someone claimed you a derogatory term
such as a pedo do you think that it would only be that your on camera? Something to think about? 😳
I been taking notes from every video to make myself a better mechanic. I love the way this guy questions and explains the why and how behind everything. I also have seen many engines installed and never once did any mechanic do a cleaning first when it got back from the machine shop. This channel will be the reason why every mechanic will up their game.
I've worked in the automotive industry off and on for over 10 years, and I have to tip my hat to Dave and his team for their grit, integrity, and just all-around passion for the industry. I enjoy the breakdown videos alot. The back and forth with customers can be a bit nuts sometimes, super solid the way dave deals with it. Alot can be learned here.
I rebuilt the C4 and 302 in my 72 F100 2 years ago. I had never done a full rebuild before. I bought books on it, watched TH-cam videos, and was extremely meticulous with the job. It's been 2 years and it's still running strong. Going to pull the top end apart and inspect the camshaft, lobes, etc this summer to determine if I have any premature wear before adding a supercharger; it has about 12k miles on it so far so I suspect it is entirely broke in, to include the timing chain slacking some(I advanced it 4 degrees just to compensate for timing chain wear over time). Anyway, I wish everyone luck who rebuilds one themselves. It is a labor of love and a very enjoyable process, but you must take your time and do it correctly the first time. Do not be afraid to pull it apart many times if necessary.
Thanks for the share 👍
I worked for a flooring company called Unlimited coatings, Dave was nice enough to let us do his entire shop and the showroom which polished. Dave is an amazing mechanic and a super nice gentleman. I appreciate the experience we had at that job.
I have a 5.9 cummins that i work on myself. Im not a mechanic and I don't wanna do the job, but I don't have the money to take it to a shop. Thank god for you tube, definitely understand why guys try and do the work themselves.
One of the greatest quotes that my grandfather ever told me was, “There’s never time to do it right, but, there is ALWAYS time to do it twice.
Huh???
Everyone should strive to be as meticulous and honest as Dave, it makes sense he has one of the most reputable engine shops in the country. I hope to build something this awesome before I kick the bucket
I cannot get enough of Dave's content. I wish I had known about him when I started my career. I would have packed up and moved out and begged for a job. Learn it from the best from day 1.
💯 percent. I got my start at a local dealership and the guy I apprenticed under was a bi-polar egomaniac and I found out he did some shady stuff to customer’s cars to drum up more work. I was only making $8/hr (this was in ‘05). I learned a lot, but ultimately I packed up and took a different career path. I enjoy working on cars. Had I had a mentor like Dave, with integrity, patience, wealth of knowledge, and actually investing in his employees,… this industry is hurting for great Techs. Every shop I deal with lately comments on that.
Appreciate him taking the time to help the guy work on his own rig. Sometimes you just have to take it to a specialist to do what you can't.
I wish I could work for this guy. I know nothing about engines but I feel like I'm learning a lot just watching. The way he explains everything by breaking it down makes it easy to learn.
This is why you pay a professional tradesman to build it .experience is priceless. Dave's the best 😊 amazing tradesmen 😊.
Thanks 👍
ALL of the time I have spent watching Dave's videos has been time well worth it. Enjoyable as well as educational. Key is that Dave is a very moral person/ business-owner as well as a most knowledgeable in this business. A pleasure to watch and learn.
Thanks Dave!
Wow. What a shame. So many guys with the best of intentions end up like this because they simply do not know what they do not know. I used to be in the tractor business and learned how t rebuild gas & diesel engines. Never had a return due to this kind of issue. That was long ago when I was just a young buck. These days I watch Dave's expertise here and will likely end up having his crew rebuild my current engine when the time comes. God Bless all of you good folks.
Sir you are a surgeon- for engines. Extremely impressive watching how you guys conduct business!
Great work!!
Dudes a good leader, the guy who comes in an asks the critical questions.
This is unreal how you show every step of the troubleshooting process. By far one of the best auto care channels on TH-cam.
Dave I love how you arched back to the "That's what we are here on earth doing learning from our mistakes". God bless you Dave, in a time where mechanic shops are pulling fast ones on folks, you are here bring the Truth to the mechanic world.
Problems with projects like this one has, comes from too many different mechanics having their hands on the build. Something always doesn’t get done or fixed or checked because of poor communication and just too many points of possible issues if the correct procedures aren’t followed. That’s why it’s essential to find a shop with the equipment and with mechanics experienced in repairing the exact problem that you have and having a single pair of hands and eyes in charge of the job.
Dave's continually shows me that a shop can really be on the up & up. I love how you have open communication both with the customer, and your service writer to educate about what's needed and what's got to happen. Like they say, a rising tide lifts all ships. Knowledge without communication can come across as piracy to the consumer, so kudos to Dave.
I really like the analogy between the surgeon and the engine assembler.
At least it's only stuff; doctors and dentists routinely destroy the health of their patients.
@@petesmitt Theres good and bad ones out there everywhere! You have to be picky and know who you are working with for sure!
@@dadigitechman 💯Fact!
@@DanielGutierrez-zu9fv Tell that to my brother, dead at 46 due to an entirely preventable surgical error, u turnip..
@@DanielGutierrez-zu9fv I've forgotten more about medical malpractice after decades of study than you'll ever know..
The problem with most shops is the lack of communication but the way you handle these situations in and of itself is enough for me that God forbid anything happens to my engine, I’ll box her up and send her to you guys all the way from NC
Another ‘can of worms’ taken care of by your dedication and honesty, Dave. The biggest takeaway I got was communication, communication, communication! Enough said. Great watching you guys. Cheers!
I’ve been watching your videos for a while now Dave. I’m 56 years old and I’ve been in this industry my entire life. I have been a shop owner since 2007. During my 20s I worked in a shop in Phoenix as a heavy line technician and an r&r guy. We had a full machine shop much like yours. The machinist was the best engine builder I’ve ever met. He built a lot of dragster engines for the race car guys along with street cars. I received most of my knowledge from him. It’s rare to find a high quality shop and a really good engine builder nowadays but it’s obvious you are one. I wish our shops were closer together. I have pretty much gotten away from doing engines and transmissions anymore because of the crap that most builders sell.
Way back in college (early 90's) my grandfather and I "rebuild" my 2.2 engine in my Dodge Aries K. Blown piston. Got it running, messed up the vacuum tubes, and it burnt a quart of oil every 2 weeks. Lesson learned.
so much of this is way over my head as a DIY guy but it's super cool to learn these intricate details about engines and engine repair
Its really wholesome to hear the way you talk about your sons. I wish my dad was as proud.
I feel bad for the customer but you know what is great? The fact that we have this technology nowadays where you can email the man shots from your video camera and borescope pictures. It's another great tool to ensure the customer (and technicians too) that everyone involved is being totally honest and honorable. Love this channel. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Mechanics shouldn't have to do that. Do you expect video evidence from your doctor when he tells you that you have cancer, of course not
@@COBRO98 Of course they shouldn't have to, and they don't have to. I'm just saying that it's a nice piece of technology to have that you're able to use if you want. As far as my cancer diagnosis goes: I guess I wouldn't demand video evidence but I would probably review some CAT scans and MRIs with him or her or whatever tests they run. I would certainly be looking at pictures and videos if my surgeon told me that I absolutely needed a new knee or a new hip..... of course I would want to see that. And I bet the doctor wouldn't have an issue showing me. But I wouldn't HAVE to see it necessarily. That's all I'm saying.
Excellent video!!! This engine was actually saved from much worse damage.. It is a good thing the client asked for A Simulated test, before running this vehicle... Good job guys!!!
Thank you very much!
I love Dave, he reminds me of a true old school New Englander. I'm from Massachusetts and my family has had a shop going in Sudbury since 1952, my dad started it and now after two generations his grandson is running it. I was just out there in Idaho visiting my grandkids in Sun Valley where my son lives. I drove by Dave's place on I15 on our way to visit friends in SLC, but couldn't stop in and visit because of our tight schedule. Next time I'm out there I just wanna shake your hand. Your a good example of what a fair, honest businessman is. My Dads motto at our shop was "test work, not guess work" and "do it right". Lastly , I've learned a lot about diesels and procedure by watching your videos.
DAVE. You make me think of my friend that work for two trucking companies for about 40 years he's the very best. His name is Lloyd RHODES. He built a mustang engine when he was 17 years old 289 triple gasser nothing could catch it
David, your doing the right thing. You should tell us how much labor on each job is and how much each technician gets paid. Doing the job.
Just rebuilt the motor in my subaru, used all your advice with cleaning practices, making sure you’re replacing the contaminated parts and not using junk parts. Makes me feel good the subaru fired right up!
Dave you are the man. Extremely talented in your profession. Love how you don’t hold back.
Hi Dave many thanks for your fascinating videos of what you do in your shop. It is clear that you and your family have a real passion for what you do. It is also fantastic to see how you implement your Christian principles within your business with both the customer and your employees. You really do care about what you do. It was lovely to see you giving back to the next generation of young mechanics as they toured your shop and listened to your advice. May God richly bless you in days to come as you continue to serve him in your daily life. Watching in Northern Ireland.
These instructionals make me think and use my automotive knowledge in a way that works for how I learn. I love using my limited knowledge to learn new things automotive and that's why I enjoy Dave's channel so much. The more you learn about a topic the more you realize how little you know.
There’s an old saying, “A man got to know his limitations.”
Clint Eastwood?
@@davidsmith385…dirty Harry, I think
We all make mistakes. When I was 18 I replaced a blown head gasket with out checking if the head needed resurfacing/skimming to save money. Needless to say it went again very quickly. Lesson learned for life.
As a teenager broke many a valve on double overhead cams. We didn’t have the Web.
I love that he is not one of those crusty old impatient types. He is understanding and patient. He takes the time to educate the customer without making them feel stupid. Dave and his crew are as real as it gets.
What I'm about to say is pretty irrelevant. We just lost a very good friend, and his name was Dave too. He loved anything with an engine ANYTHING. Such a smart and very misunderstood guy. We rebuilt a couple motors together and always worked on cars/trucks together. He was my human google but better! Thank you for posting these videos as it reminds me of our dear friend. I have a gut feeling our friend Dave somehow in his afterlife showed me Daves Auto Center. Life is too short, and life happens so fast. I miss him so much. Thank you for being apart of my life Dave and thank you for leading me to this channel.
Heartwarming! Rest in peace
RIP to what sounds like a good dude.
Sorry for your loss Brother. I had a family friend who could recite from memory every single word Edgar Allen Poe ever wrote published or unpublished. He was brilliant. Drank himself to death at age 50 on Poe's day of death. He called it too. Life throws you tribulation and trials.. Blessings Brother.
@@GeneralSullaI’ve been in a few PITS & have been cut by a few PENDULUMS!!!
Made this $18000 mistake. Sure hurts down deep .38 sandwich sounded really good for 5 years. You guys do REAL WORK
I'm not a mechanic so I can't believe I watched the whole thing!! An excellent video. " You da man Dave ".
I prime the oil pump through the top of the oil filter housing on every Cummins do . Worked for the dealer. 50 plus years experience. Always picked up prime instantly Reed . Master tech. Also oil gallery plugs as you stated . Had one pop out behind the camshaft timing gear . On my own truck when cold. Went to zero instantly. Reed. Enjoy your videos
This needs to be a TV show
No. TH-cam is more powerful.
Dave doesn’t sugarcoat anything! He’s straight to the point
When I studied an introductory automotive industrial course at tech 30 years ago in New South Wales in Australia which was a prerequisite to becoming a diesel fitter or a diesel mechanic or you could become an automotive technician who services & repairs light vehicles one of my teachers was talking about how a lot of backyard engine builders worked in dirt meaning that once the engine is rebuilt,it might go alright for s while but it will likely wear out or fail prematurely.
He was talking about how the bolts & the threads in the engine block & cylinder head, etc should be cleaned & free of dirt, maybe blow the threads out & also clean them with a thread tap or a die nut because dirt will cause the bolts to come loose or the specified torque figure cannot be achieved when torquing up the bolts if they're dirty.
Also that generally a manufacturer will instruct you to coat bolt threads such as bearing cap bolts with oil prior to installing & torquing up the bolts since they're oil bathed.
I know that I have rebuilt a few engines or I have done some major work on them & none of them have failed even when I have had half of the engine stripped down & outside in the backyard.
It's the same as when I repaired power tools as an apprentice, everything had to be cleaned in a parts washer,all the old grease had to be removed from a gearbox of a grinder or a jackhammer because if any metal shavings or bits if needle roller bearing was left in the gearbox & piston assembly some of that grease would work itself down into the piston assembly & tear up the new piston seals
Dave I feel your frustration. Worked as a automotive machinist for 40 years. I always dreaded working behind someone else. They always think that they are saving money, but spend more in the long run.
“The most EXPENSIVE lessons are the EASIEST to REMEMBER!!!!”
"I don't want to spend any more of his money." That one line explains your success.
Dave
I am very impressed by the way you treat people in your daily business dealings. You are always positive and encouraging to your customers and your employees. What a blessing you are. God bless you and your family😂
Wouldn't it be a wonderful world if everyone ran a shop like dave..
It’s good that you’re doing videos like this, because it shows people how involved and technical the job really is. It’s not just pushing buttons to fix cars, and the customer rarely sees how much physical effort and technical knowledge is required for this kind of work.
Definitely need a part 2 for this video for sure!
Anyone who lives within distance to get service done by this dude should count their blessings. A real master of the trade
I don't know much about engines, but I love to watch those videos.
Man this guy is the real deal he's honestly honest and food for biz. If I ever get something built it'll be this guy
Being a former RAM Dodge tech and cummins guy. All aftermarket thermostats are garbage I only put cummins thermostats in
But who are the OEM for the thermostats that Cummins use ?I know of only 3 makers of thermostats; AC Delco, Western Thompson & Calsonic.
Dave you DEFINITELY would have been a surgeon in another life good sir. You have the expertise and precision of a surgeon with a lifetime of experience in your trade.
Please post an update to this one, thanks. Keep up the great content. 👍
Only one way to learn and he seems like a nice young guy. I hope it doesn’t deter him from trying this again. Now he knows who to go to and get a better start.
Never be afraid to fail because you’ll never succeed if you never take chances.
This is my favorite yt channel. I wish I could work with Dave. I'm sure the learning would be constant. My first job out of high school was rebuilding cylinder heads out of machine shop.
I respect this young kid for trying. He just needed some one to show and teach him. Most people wouldn’t even attempt that repair.
Looking forward for the Part 2!!
Such a nice guy, I wish every mechanic was like himS honest and knowledgeable
Dave, you have the best darn videos on YT. PERIOD!!!!!
Straight forward & no BS... Love your channel Dave!
I own an '04 Dodge Ram 2500 similar to this one - HO motor with the NV5600 transmission. It was just shy of 350K miles, and the motor was just done. Tons of blowby, exhaust gas and oil was dumping out of the blowby tube, rough idle, loss of power, rolling coal like a locomotive. I found a reputable diesel engine rebuilder - the only one of his kind within a several hundred mile radius of me, and decided to go for the full overhaul rather than buying a new truck. It was an out of frame complete overhaul. New pistons, bored .20 over I believe (rods & crank were still good as new), new valves, all new fuel system including new common rail, pump, and injectors, a new aftermarket exhaust manifold, plus a Valair dual disc clutch (didn't charge me any labor for the clutch), and probably a bunch of other things I can't remember. All for $16K and some change. So far so good. If I lived in Utah I'd have brought mine to Dave for sure!
What an impressive operation! The repair is sometimes the easy part. These are hard conversations to have with customers. Hats off to you and your team Dave!
I've seen a few shorts of Dave's channel.... This is the first full video I have watched.... Dave is very matter of fact and borderline rude!
But, he gets to be like that... He is the MAN when it comes to engine's and I love how he doesn't sugar coat anything! Really like this guy!!!
It's refreshing to see an honest shop owner that provides good advice at a time where money is tight. If the gentleman was wise he would keep the truck rather than sell it. Todays trucks are pretty much junk being bogged down with emissions and technology. Hopefully you can convince him otherwise. Older is simpler and more dependable.
Besides not getting it cleaned the main issue just wasnt following the directions exactly, the loose bolts most likely werent torqued to the right spec, same with the oil pump. Its good to learn how to do these things the right way.
So many people pay no attention to torque values. Lots of mechanics will slap your wheels back on and go to town torquing your wheel lugs with an impact. Meanwhile they make them so tight that it can distort your rotor causing uneven brake pad wear, put additional stress on wheel bearings causing them to fail sooner, etc. There’s a reason why OEMs specify specific torque values on various bolted components.
How about all that water though? This is a really bad situation. The owner wanted to assemble his engine himself, but he didn't read what he needed to read. Rule #1, no room for dirt in an engine. I've never assembled a bottom end, but I've done a few valve jobs, intakes, cams etc. How to rebuild a small block Chevy is a great book, so is the how to hotrod a SBC book. David Vizard knows his stuff. I replaced a cam, and had the whole thing assembled timed and ready to fire while I was "speed learning". Learned enough to know I needed to swap the cam to something that would work for me. The first one would have sounded cool, but it would have sucked badly as a daily driver.
This is the best engine channel on you tube
I have 2 5.9 cummins with the coolant bypasses installed. Both trucks pull equipment all throughout the sierra overpasses in 100 degree weather with a/c running. Pulling a 6% grade I've never seen the coolant temp over 200. Prior to the bypass it would constantly get very hot and would need to get out of the throttle to let cool. So first hand experience they 100% work very well.
When I started as a technician back in the early 80’s, the man who taught me everything I know always said, “Do it right the first time”. When you cut corners it always comes back to bite you.
I learned: it's ok to not 'know' > go gather knowledge & find out - the right way.
You can immediately tell you guys have tons of experience and don't do a half-ass job. Great videos guys!
he is ever so fortunate to have you on the job!!
This audible, visible, and very palpable contention involved in these conversations with customers, and between the desire to build something great and do it right, and generally leave a project in much better condition than it was when handed to you... is so very real and felt in many service businesses. I've agonized like this over software projects for twenty years. I've increasingly been drawn to mechanic and automotive work (hobbyist, working on my own and family's), and it's also what would deter me from going out to get certified or ever consider opening up shop.