A wise Mechanic once told me, "I take care of a customer's car as they take careof it." Since then I ensure my vehicle is clean inside and out before taking it to a Shop regardless if it's just tires.
Especially for inspections. I have 5 kids and they are super freaking messy. I shampoo and scotch guard my carpets monthly and vacuum weekly but it always seems to have crap everywhere. I'm about to get the wife a hoopty so the srt doesn't get trashed
@@bdog4u2 You haven't realised yet that kids have the ability to teleport crap to within inches of their locality without thinking? Think, getting the kids all dressed up nice to go to a party, never out of your sight, but somehow, one of them manages to get 'spagetthi sauce' on their dress/shirt or other part of their clothing. One of lifes mysteries that parents have never been able to solve.
@@stoopingfalcon891 Spaghetti sauce from prior 'disaster' makes it into the room, goes unnoticed stuck to the shelf for several days, then during the fuss of getting dressed up nicely, it rubs off on the clothing. Source: was curious kid who had this happen and was determined to find the source.
@@stoopingfalcon891 Oh, and the kicker: I wasn't the one eating the spaghetti sauce. Someone dropped a glass jar of sauce, it _exploded,_ thus covering the entire kitchen.
People expect so much free shit from you it's crazy it's like can let you just change my oil, rotate my tires, change my filters too. What do you mean you won't do all that I just bought 4 new tires that only had a 1%over cost mark up on it
@@hcgtiger4724 "the hardest skilled trade"... know how I can tell you've done literally NO OTHER "skilled trade"? If you aren't making enough money that's a you problem
@@jacobpie3692 Not even close, do some real research. These little fly by night quick lube shops where ray works have a labor rate not much higher than $100/hr. If for some reason a fully certified top technician decided to work there (which they wouldn’t), they would only pay him at most $40 per billable hour. That means if a job pays one hour book time and it takes the tech three hours, he gets $40. If you knew anything about the industry you would know book times suck, have been slashed over the years, and are difficult to beat in most cases especially when you work on everything under the sun. Top paid Porsche techs don’t even make near $80-$90 per hour.
This customer deserves a thumbs up . They cleaned the van before bringing it in for repairs and they didn't place an unnecessary rush on the job . Ray can take his time and do it right .
This man here works his ass off and has a good attitude towards all the tasks that I have seen here on his channel and I known for a fact that in this industry that he has chosen you never graduate from the school of hard knocks as I did for 27 years he does good work I wish there were auto techs that was a caring about the job like him there are a lot of slap sticks out there that don’t care your a good man have a great day
If there's one thing I've learned watching your videos is that I need a LOT more of 3 things: 1) Tools 2) Patience 3) Even more patience You are a Zen Master of Patience. When things get frustrating I ask myself, "What would Ray do?"
An extensive vocabulary full of creative swear words helps at times but when your around other people its better to project a more controlled persona. :)
I have had the shop, where I take my cars for service, comment that the parts they put into my cars are always the best as they know the vehicles are well taken care of. Pay a few $$s more but we’ll worth it.
When I was a young mechanic in the early 1980s a guy brought a car in that needed repair work on the front suspension and the owner of the garage gave me the job and I said that car should be in the junkyard, needless to say the owner said never put down a customers car because that may be all he can afford so at that point I did what was suppose to be done on every vehicle after that and never said a vehicle should be in a junkyard again
For Safety Reasons there is a point of no Return on vehicles. Would you want to fix the front end and then have the frame crack in half from corrosion a month later. Don't be afraid of telling your customer the truth about their vehicle.
Ya well my 1966 Chevelle convertible and my 1972 ford mustang boss 351 ho got scrapped. Where were you?Drove both cars, at hiway speed.Only 300-400k today.
@@anonymousxish my 69 chevelle still going. Frame good. Had a 76 corolla that was an ohio winter car. The frame cracked in half on one side. Car was 8 years old. Lots of road salt. My chevelle has minor rust. Bottom corners of back windows and directly behind rear wheels. Little behind front wheels. Floor is solid.
Beeing a mechanic too, i only can state, Ray is a outstanding guy who loves what he does, very obviously. There are people who just do a Job and there are those who ate Mechanic ,sleep Mechanic, life Mechanic, and those are the people who makes a difference. May the Goods of Mechanic allways guide your tools , Ray. 🙂👍
Love watching your vids Ray, as a tech of over 30 years myself i cringe at some of these so called youtube mechanics, but i feel very comfortable watching your vids, as you work just like i did and treat the cars as if they were yours. Keep up the great work it is appreciated
Ray I watch you daily. I have been doing all my own car repairs for over 40 years and you help dramatically on the scan tool analysis. Appreciate it all
If only all mechanics were like you Ray,you set the example for all other mechanics to follow. Great work as always,as a backyard mechanic for 30 years now im learning something everytime i watch your videos 👌👍
I know exactly what you mean Phillip. I wonder why some people ever took up the profession as they seem uninterested in doing a good job for a fair price to them and the customer
That's not really a rare breed at all. There are tons and tins of good, honest mechanics. It's the few nonmechanics that claim to be mechanical that make people think they're getting ripped off.
@@mikeznel6048 The trouble is finding the good mechanics from the scam artists. its a well known fact that you should never send your mother/wife/girlfriend into a mechanic's workshop as they always fiddle them senseless because quite a lot of mechanics are of the opinion that women are fools that deserve fleecing. I have caught out a few "mechanics" over the years which is always embarrassing for them and me. There is a culture in some workshops of if you come here, then you deserve to be striped.
WORM CLAMPS DAMAGE MY SOUL! Also,the amount of people who don't understand what it's like to appreciate when a customer visibly cares for their car is outstanding.
Having managed and worked on a small fleet of these vans (and not being a trained automotive technician), it's nice to see an actual technician deal with the pain in the butt aspects of these things. It makes me feel a little better knowing it wasn't just me being an idiot.
I'm in hamden,ct with 6 vehicles. No crap boxes in my humble opinion. 68 retired oldest vehicle has over 300,000 miles. Your time and effort is greatly appreciated. .
I'm with you man. I'm in construction and when a customer wants an a class job but when I walk into the house and see that their home looks like a landfill then I have less want to make it a plus. Not that I don't want to do a plus work on the job. But I think to myself they won't appreciate or take care of the good work that I can do.
Just don't make it even worse, please. A bad job is another f'd up thing the person has to look at forever. They're trying to bring about *some* kind of improvement and/or stop more destruction from happening, which is why they hired you!
Gotta love customers that bring in Clean Vehicles for repair always makes me smile when a customer had a clean vehicle because they keep it clean makes me want to do a better job For them because i see pride and that gives me more OF a reason to take pride in my repair work as well @Rainman Ray's Repairs
I find it hard to believe I've spent hours watching your videos since discovered your channel. Your narration makes the videos very entertaining. But its like reliving what I retired from 6 years ago from turning wrenches for over 45 years. But I keep getting pulled back into what I guess I miss doing. Glad I sold all my tools. My hands stay cleaner watching you.
Nice work. Lady that works for us at home here, just had her water pump go bad, I was trying to explain how much it took to replace the water pump. Perfect timing, this showed her exactly what it took. Thanks for the video.
This was a flashback to when I did the whole cooling system on my Astro Van. I used it for work and I really didn't want to go back in there to do anything else in the future, so I did all the hoses, water pump, thermostat and radiator. It was pretty awkward to work on, but for the remaining years I owned the van the cooling system was never a source of problems.
As a complete mechanical dunce (although I did change the generator back in the 60's on my old VW!!), I am amazed at the skills and knowledge of Mr. Ray! 👏 I will never again complain about the costs of a good mechanic! It is also amazing that an "engineer" expects anyone to work on these engines!! 🙄
I ziptie random shit under my car or in the engine bay and see if they can find it. One guy came out and was like is there a reason for the pack of Newports ziptied to the bottom radiator hose?! I was like nope just keeping you on your toes!
Finally…proper use of a torque wrench. Gentle on the push / pull until the click no further. So many times I see people yank on it and you can plainly see they have gone further than the click.
I’m in Aus and I enjoy seeing all types of vehicles that we never see. I was a vehicle mechanic in the Aus army many years. I am retired these days. I would like to know where you are moving to regarding your future videos etc. cheers Moto Guzzi
It's extremely refreshing to see a repair Tech that cares about the work he does. I've been screwed by laziness the last 3 times I've brought my car in for service. (Rear axle seals, body work & electrical) Which why Ive been doing my own regular service for years.
Went to my local Tesco store this afternoon for some shopping, and this random guy walking past me dropped his wallet. Lost it completely when I heard him say 'gravity'. 😂😂🤣🤣
That's how you know you've found a fellow viewer. It's like a code or a sonar beacon. Right up there with a Dave Ramsey viewer who replies with "Better than I deserve." Ray is better.
Had days where just seemed to drop everything all day. Been saying heavy gravity day for a couple of decades. Maybe it made its way to him. Grew up just north of him
Watching all the removal of the parts just to get to the component that needed replacing reminded me of how much I used to depend on chilton and Haynes manuals to repair my own vehicles. I had a friend who was an ace auto mechanic that would kindly diagnose the problem and if I could tackle it I would do it myself. This was back in the 80's and 90's era.
Most definitely coming back for every part of this series. I have one of these vans and even though it doesn't need work on it yet....it will eventually. Very informative and helps bring confidence up when starting a repair job on a vehicle.
Exactly, worm clamp type (cheap junk ) clamps will leak over time. The OE spring clamps take up for expansion and contraction of the neck and hose. I have seen many techs throw them away and replace them with gear worm clamps. Such a shame they are asking for problems. We always kept a selection of these spring clamps in stock for replacement of rusted ones or where worm type clamps were installed before us.
After a few frustrating experiences with gaskets that come in the box of a typical NAPA water pump, I've started getting separate gaskets like you did here. Often the leak is right at the gasket anyway, if no weep hole leak is found.
Thanks Ray! I’ve had a pair of pliers that I inherited from my father in law 20 years ago and had no idea what they were used for. I always suspected that they were task specific and my suspicion was correct. Now I know that they are “hose clamp”pliers. Awesome!
Hey, Ray! Go down to your local blue or orange store and pick up a large plastic concrete/mortar mixing pan. They make great drain pans for cooling system work.
The undercarriage on this van is just As clean as the interior this van is Extremely well Loved and cared for that is impressive for the Age @Rainman Ray's Repairs
I recall back in the 60's & 70's model automobile you at age of 16 could do almost anything under the hood with simple instructions and a 6 pack of beer. You have to now days go through so much for the simple fixes we had nothing to remove but now the way the auto manufacturers design them makes it impossible for anyone but a total professional like yourself to do. Keep up the good work and I hope you are making a good income. I am 64 years young and how things have changed dramatically
"Adhesion" is a good choice of words. I work on the railway in the UK. One year we had an issue with leafs on the rail causing trains to skid. The railways media spin doctor issued a press release saying the train were suffering from "Seasonal Low Adhesion Problems". The word "Adhesion" and all of its versions has been enshrined into railway folklore ever since
I am so glad I found your channel....as a woman that is often "hoodwinked" by mechanics, I enjoy learning from your videos. Are you in FL? I would drive to you for my Odyssey that needs some attention!
@@vladimirskitchen1820 Thanks. I will spam them with ads for cordless phones, so they can get rid of that stupid loud ring tone speaker and put a cordless phone in the shirt pocket of those who run away from their desk phone.
Rainman i just love your videos man. I used to be a mechanic years and years ago and you just take me back. Keep making videos. Customers are always wrong. You do good work 👏
I hope you're going to clean the antifreeze off the AC clutch. I had a 2007 Volvo 18 wheeler in 2007 had coolant hose clamp break and the shop that replaced it spilled a bunch of antifreeze on the air fan clutch. They said quote "it will burn off". It did in about 300mi and took the clutch with it. 5 days with no income it was replaced at Volvo under warranty. However, at a loss of about $800/day and a hotel for all 5 days. They didn't cover the loss.
I'm lucky to have a local shop that specializes in Honda products that I trust, but they are expensive. We need more honest mechanics like you with a good work ethic. Happy new year.
I have a local Toyota specialist like that too. Worth the extra (still less than dealer) to know it's done right and they'll be brutally honest if needed but happily give me a list/quote of recommendations to do "now/ very soon" and " sooner rather than later" and "keep an eye on"
It is the year, 2785. The master mechanics still go "toodeloodelooo" when the phone rings. The tradition is passed from one mechanic to the other, but no one remembers where it came from. When you ask them, they may tell you that this simply is the way they commemorate the elders of the mechanics guild.
3 Piece Long Reach Hose Grip Pliers, around $30. I love them. I haven't split a hose end with them, unlike with pry bars. Okay! LOL! I'm used to hearing Shiny, phone sounds, gravity, etc. It's the unexpected things that make me laugh and startle the cats. This video it was "Ding! Fries are done!" And now I have that song in my head! Stay safe.
I have a few of these in the fleet I work on (17 and 21 models, converted into mini school buses) and under the hood looks almost identical. Even the weird Coolant Res looks almost exactly the same. Fuse Box UNDER the master cylinder, fantastic design that I see they've been doing for a while. Really great when the Power Steering Res (also above the fuse box, and looks identical to modern models) starts to leak onto the electrical bits.
We are into a mini lockdown around these parts so I needed my Rainman fix this morning. -10C and overcast so I'm not about to go out anyway. Like #586.
Once again thank you for a good educational video. For the time I have been watching you never let any thing get in your way including when you left your last job. Thanks and keep the videos coming.
A lot do, but they're usually plastic. Plastic doesn't age well in engine bays, so I usually just pull the bottom hose to avoid breaking them. I've never had to replace one, but I think you'd probably need a whole new radiator as manufacturers prefer to sell assemblies. Safer to avoid plastic drain cocks then to tell the boss you broke one..
Hi Ray- im a lift guy. a seal kit for a hydraulic cylinder on a lift is around a hundred bucks. comes with a couple seals and wipers. Will be glad to answer any lift related questions
Quickie on the @Felpro gaskets: the metal part is stamped, then surface treated (so that the rubber adheres to the metal) and the blue silicone rubber is injection molded onto the metal
Helpful hint ... Spray trim adhesive on the pump and set the gaskets on .. using bolts as a guide to center gaskets . clean engine area while glue is setting .. Gaskets stay on and allow easier install .. 20 years and use the method daily at the dealer
When a replacement part includes low quality gaskets, I tend to wonder what else on the component did they save pennies on? Especially parts that are such a process to install.
@@shawnwimberly9294 Maybe, but if I'm going to do the job I'm not going to chance having to re-do it. On my vehicles if it's cheap and easy I might let it slide, but on someone elses vehicle and always for things costly and/or hard to do there's no place for anything but the best. FelPro Blue for the win.
The fel pro blue gasket material is exactly the style of gasket that he did not use, more of a paper/cardboard kinda gasket. Perfectly suitable for sealing those two flat surfaces. Not sure if you were unintentionally agreeing with me, or being argumentative not knowing what fel pro blue gasket material looks like?
Just watched this one. Cracked up there. I replaced the water pump on my suburban last week and it was verbatim what you did on this van. Messy disassembly, seating the gaskets, "ringing the bell," and I even dropped one of the gaskets down the front of the radiator...
Nice tidy job Ray. You looked like you were enjoying the water pump replacement and associated works to replace the pump. I really do believe having a well kept vehicle does put you in the right mind set. I am looking forward to Part 2 & maybe Part 3 if there is one.
Wow Ray! That IS an amazing looking van indeed! I got bribed with dog pets yesterday myself from this couple traveling to Houston in a 2014 Chevy bourbon w/ a V8 vortec. Their p/s pump literally exploded ( internally ) right in front of my eyes when the customer was showing me the problem! I was tasked to replace it. What was very strange was that the entire time the pump was acting like an " out of balance washing machine " with no humming or belt squealing, then all a sudden a loud pop/boom and no p/s and the pulley showed no signs of resistance to the belt. Upon taking off the pulley, the entire pulley shaft with pulley just came right out! It had been SHEERED OFF! I'd never seen that before in my life!! 🤯
I would say that the owner of the van is a very smart person. You can't get a more honest repair then when someone is willing to record the job and broadcasts it for the world to see. Love the content keep up the great work and thank you for the educational videos and great entertainment.
Think about it! Smart? Riding on tyres like that. I've seen and dealt with the results of riding on tyres like that so, everyone, forgive me if I'm not so gushing in your praise of this 'caring owner'.
You mention the heater hoses going back on faster and easier than they came off. A friend needed work done, I was in his driveway, so tools in a bag, no toolboxes. It took me about 90 minutes to get to and remove the part in question. We drove down to the parts store to have it tested and replaced. It only took about 30 minutes to put everything back together. He expressed astonishment when I told him I was finished. "It took so much longer to take apart!" "Sure," I said, "I don't use all the parts when I put things back together!"
Love your videos, Ray. One question, I thought those old screw-type hose clamps were no longer recommended (Pat Goss, Motorweek) since they can damage plastic parts when over-tightening? I know you were careful, but what about the next guy?
What I say is whenever something is a pain when working on a car is however many times I swear shows how gifted the car is and the mysterious things that are wrong with it and end up getting knuckles scraped and cut
As he was installing the water pump and belt tensioner I thought back to his test drive and wondered if it would come back to bite him. Did he check the tensioner and idler before reinstalling them?
Ray, I take better care of the mechanical of my cars than the interior. It's my rolling office but never has customers in it. As an air conditioning and building tech I go all over and my truck is a mess but I keep everything under the hood as good as possible. The condition of the interior does not reflect the condition of the important parts for me. Keep up the good work my man!
Im the same way. The van I don't try as hard on because it will just get dirty again. They know when you clean it to send you on construction the next day and make sure it's a muddy site lol. My personal vehicles are very clean though
I would think that new hoses should go with the new pump so that all is back to factory. Also, why not drain the rad upon first step of the process. Seems that it could be a much neater job with no flooding. A rad flush should go as well with all the new parts. I see the pump/thermo/hoses and rad flush and fill as one operation. A customer POM (Peace of mind) job. You're not over selling the job but just giving them an all new system especially on an old model as this one. I would even add the belt in there as part of the job but you are already doing that one anyway as you saw it's age.
@@TheGuruStud Are you saying, "Because it doesn't matter?" If so I say you are wrong. Customer satisfaction is essential in keeping a business open and profitable. If you don't care about your customer's admiration then you might as well close shop.
I walked by a person in a store humming on a song, and my first reaction was "I did not hear the phone ring". You, good sir, live rent free in my head!
The tab on the lower radiator hose is designed to capture the clamp and make sure it is held in the correct location. I don't understand why you replaced it and all the other radiator hose clamps with worm/screw clamps. Every worm clamp ever made works its way loose eventually. If you must replace the hose clamps, a double ear clamp is a much more secure device.
What gets me is that you've now had a few cars come in that are viewer cars. I would be one as well if I lived closer. This one is from Miami, which is several hours from you. That's nuts and awesome, but it is a massive testament to the value of being good at your work AND simply recording it. You're no nonsense and down to earth, you don't bring political/religious issues up, you are honest and up front, you actually solve problems instead of reading from a book, and you do quality work. Every single repair shop in the country would be lucky to have even one tech like you. People like you bring real tangible value to your place of employment, and yet you got in trouble at the dealership for just recording your work. Stupid. We need a few more Rays in the world.
I have a harbor freight flex head ratchet like that, looks just like it. I love that ratchet, it is almost always my goto, I have other name brand ratchets, but that little ratchet works well, I have used cheata pipe on it quite a few times and thought i would break it but never did. They increased the tooth count to be more like snap on which i love, it was one of my fav features of the snap on ratchets, That high tooth count helps with positioning.
the time a mechanic says something like 'I'll treat this car as bad as the owner" is the time I'd find another mechanic. A mechanic charges the same sky high prices, whether it's a beater, or a not, so he/she should do the best job he/she can on either vehicle.
Your a good guy, great attitude. Some folk including myself can't afford new cars but the 16 year old car I own I take excellent care of and I would like to think that when it's being worked on by a mechanic he recognises it's my pride and joy and takes care as you do
I have a Fiat Panda. Small but well formed. Cam belts are awkward but no worse than many other FWD cars. They are very modular and generally easy to work on. On rare occasions that engine has to be removed it’s actually an easy job.
This Van is like my 2003 Silverado LB7. I am having a capable of 1000hp engine, DT750 Allison with 6 speed, sportsman CP3(650 Hp), upgraded transfer case, Stock over S475 turbo. All of this to make a 650HP daily driver. It is totaling around $40k but it is cheaper than a new one without having the DEF, DPF or EGR.
Hmmmm, don't you know about taking candy from strangers in a van? I thought you were smarter than that Ray! At least "fReE cANdy" wasn't spray painted on the side so I think we can forgive you this time.... (What kinda candy?) "Click!"
I just moved back here in Florida about a year ago. I love doing work to my own car, but other things I feel somewhat under qualified. My car definitely needs more work. I was wondering if I could get the location of your shop and I’ll bribe better candy for you to munch on, in exchange for you doing a full inspection of my car and fixing whatever needs to be done. Much love broski🤙
As a master tech for 15 years, I do quality work on any vehicle I work on. I get paid the same, regardless of how the customer takes care of their vehicle. Only a lazy, crappy tech would use the condition of a customers vehicle, as an excuse to do sub par work.
Here you will find Part 2 Unlisted/Early Release th-cam.com/video/NYuoZFTLZsI/w-d-xo.html
You could profit from using your reputation to build a network of trustworthy mechanics. Like the “good contractors list” or “Angie’s List.”
I'm honestly interested in where you got that extendable rod you use as a hood prop among the other uses it has.
@@splitsecondmagician I use my cane.
This channel is awesome!
@@splitsecondmagician You don't choose your hood prop. Your hood prop chooses you.
A wise Mechanic once told me, "I take care of a customer's car as they take careof it." Since then I ensure my vehicle is clean inside and out before taking it to a Shop regardless if it's just tires.
Just don't put that tire shine shit on it. lol
Especially for inspections. I have 5 kids and they are super freaking messy. I shampoo and scotch guard my carpets monthly and vacuum weekly but it always seems to have crap everywhere. I'm about to get the wife a hoopty so the srt doesn't get trashed
@@bdog4u2 You haven't realised yet that kids have the ability to teleport crap to within inches of their locality without thinking? Think, getting the kids all dressed up nice to go to a party, never out of your sight, but somehow, one of them manages to get 'spagetthi sauce' on their dress/shirt or other part of their clothing. One of lifes mysteries that parents have never been able to solve.
@@stoopingfalcon891 Spaghetti sauce from prior 'disaster' makes it into the room, goes unnoticed stuck to the shelf for several days, then during the fuss of getting dressed up nicely, it rubs off on the clothing. Source: was curious kid who had this happen and was determined to find the source.
@@stoopingfalcon891 Oh, and the kicker: I wasn't the one eating the spaghetti sauce. Someone dropped a glass jar of sauce, it _exploded,_ thus covering the entire kitchen.
Business owner needs to thank Ray for the positive vibe on a industry that's seen as shady by many with good reason.
It's the hardest skilled trade that's the last paid and you wonder why people get ripped off here n there.
People expect so much free shit from you it's crazy it's like can let you just change my oil, rotate my tires, change my filters too. What do you mean you won't do all that I just bought 4 new tires that only had a 1%over cost mark up on it
@@hcgtiger4724 "the hardest skilled trade"... know how I can tell you've done literally NO OTHER "skilled trade"? If you aren't making enough money that's a you problem
@@hcgtiger4724 lol $80-90/hr for your avg mechanic in the US, lol NOT the least paid.
@@jacobpie3692 Not even close, do some real research. These little fly by night quick lube shops where ray works have a labor rate not much higher than $100/hr. If for some reason a fully certified top technician decided to work there (which they wouldn’t), they would only pay him at most $40 per billable hour. That means if a job pays one hour book time and it takes the tech three hours, he gets $40. If you knew anything about the industry you would know book times suck, have been slashed over the years, and are difficult to beat in most cases especially when you work on everything under the sun. Top paid Porsche techs don’t even make near $80-$90 per hour.
This customer deserves a thumbs up . They cleaned the van before bringing it in for repairs and they didn't place an unnecessary rush on the job . Ray can take his time and do it right .
I think its normal to clean your car before bringing it to Service?
Cleaned, no rush but drove on illegal tyres hmmmmm
And here I have a truck in the bay that looks like it went mud bogging last night lol
@@norfolkngood8960 My comment above in a nutshell.
@@loewenstark2969 You would think so , but watch some more of these video's and see all the trash and mold .
I do a bit of complaining about my job but i would never want to be a full time mechanic, hats off to you ray and all the other mechanics out there 👍
Yep, no kidding. I get tired just watching Ray’s videos
WHOA WHOA WHOA.. Let me get this straight. You took candy from a stranger then got in his van?!?
😂😂😂😂
Haha
And they paid him...
Lmao, didn't even think of that until I read your comment. Have a thumbs up from me.
And even fixed the strangers van!
This man here works his ass off and has a good attitude towards all the tasks that I have seen here on his channel and I known for a fact that in this industry that he has chosen you never graduate from the school of hard knocks as I did for 27 years he does good work I wish there were auto techs that was a caring about the job like him there are a lot of slap sticks out there that don’t care your a good man have a great day
If there's one thing I've learned watching your videos is that I need a LOT more of 3 things:
1) Tools
2) Patience
3) Even more patience
You are a Zen Master of Patience. When things get frustrating I ask myself, "What would Ray do?"
He definitely is.. I don't know how he keeps so calm.. Even when he is pissed he's not that angry
An extensive vocabulary full of creative swear words helps at times but when your around other people its better to project a more controlled persona. :)
I have had the shop, where I take my cars for service, comment that the parts they put into my cars are always the best as they know the vehicles are well taken care of. Pay a few $$s more but we’ll worth it.
When I was a young mechanic in the early 1980s a guy brought a car in that needed repair work on the front suspension and the owner of the garage gave me the job and I said that car should be in the junkyard, needless to say the owner said never put down a customers car because that may be all he can afford so at that point I did what was suppose to be done on every vehicle after that and never said a vehicle should be in a junkyard again
For Safety Reasons there is a point of no Return on vehicles. Would you want to fix the front end and then have the frame crack in half from corrosion a month later. Don't be afraid of telling your customer the truth about their vehicle.
Always stand under a loading bearing frame.
Ya well my 1966 Chevelle convertible and my 1972 ford mustang boss 351 ho got scrapped. Where were you?Drove both cars, at hiway speed.Only 300-400k today.
@@anonymousxish my 69 chevelle still going. Frame good. Had a 76 corolla that was an ohio winter car. The frame cracked in half on one side. Car was 8 years old. Lots of road salt. My chevelle has minor rust. Bottom corners of back windows and directly behind rear wheels. Little behind front wheels. Floor is solid.
Beeing a mechanic too, i only can state, Ray is a outstanding guy who loves what he does, very obviously. There are people who just do a Job and there are those who ate Mechanic ,sleep Mechanic, life Mechanic, and those are the people who makes a difference. May the Goods of Mechanic allways guide your tools , Ray. 🙂👍
Love watching your vids Ray, as a tech of over 30 years myself i cringe at some of these so called youtube mechanics, but i feel very comfortable watching your vids, as you work just like i did and treat the cars as if they were yours. Keep up the great work it is appreciated
Ray I watch you daily. I have been doing all my own car repairs for over 40 years and you help dramatically on the scan tool analysis. Appreciate it all
Which tool did you buy? And do you wish you bought something else?
I do my repairs as well, I have learned a bunch from watching these videos.
Agree. Watch more of this channel than any other recently. Learn something every time.
The more I watch your videos, the more glad I am that I retired from the mechanic biz in 2009. Keep up the good work Ray
Amen
The only business where you’re expected to work for free.
Love your profile picture man. Thats a good one.
Thanks Mike, that’s my side job now 😉
@@craiglyles4755every company expects you to work for free nowadays if we're being realistic
If only all mechanics were like you Ray,you set the example for all other mechanics to follow. Great work as always,as a backyard mechanic for 30 years now im learning something everytime i watch your videos 👌👍
You my friend are a rare breed, a mechanic who cares, respect from the uk, 😁👍
I know exactly what you mean Phillip. I wonder why some people ever took up the profession as they seem uninterested in doing a good job for a fair price to them and the customer
@@insertnamehere5146 keep up the good work pal ,😁👍
That's not really a rare breed at all. There are tons and tins of good, honest mechanics. It's the few nonmechanics that claim to be mechanical that make people think they're getting ripped off.
@@mikeznel6048 The trouble is finding the good mechanics from the scam artists. its a well known fact that you should never send your mother/wife/girlfriend into a mechanic's workshop as they always fiddle them senseless because quite a lot of mechanics are of the opinion that women are fools that deserve fleecing. I have caught out a few "mechanics" over the years which is always embarrassing for them and me. There is a culture in some workshops of if you come here, then you deserve to be striped.
@@mikeznel6048 I'll take the shade tree mechanic who will deliver his best whether my car is tidy or not.
WORM CLAMPS DAMAGE MY SOUL! Also,the amount of people who don't understand what it's like to appreciate when a customer visibly cares for their car is outstanding.
Having managed and worked on a small fleet of these vans (and not being a trained automotive technician), it's nice to see an actual technician deal with the pain in the butt aspects of these things. It makes me feel a little better knowing it wasn't just me being an idiot.
I'm in hamden,ct with 6 vehicles. No crap boxes in my humble opinion. 68 retired oldest vehicle has over 300,000 miles. Your time and effort is greatly appreciated. .
I'm with you man. I'm in construction and when a customer wants an a class job but when I walk into the house and see that their home looks like a landfill then I have less want to make it a plus. Not that I don't want to do a plus work on the job. But I think to myself they won't appreciate or take care of the good work that I can do.
Just don't make it even worse, please. A bad job is another f'd up thing the person has to look at forever. They're trying to bring about *some* kind of improvement and/or stop more destruction from happening, which is why they hired you!
Gotta love customers that bring in Clean Vehicles for repair always makes me smile when a customer had a clean vehicle because they keep it clean makes me want to do a better job For them because i see pride and that gives me more OF a reason to take pride in my repair work as well @Rainman Ray's Repairs
I find it hard to believe I've spent hours watching your videos since discovered your channel. Your narration makes the videos very entertaining. But its like reliving what I retired from 6 years ago from turning wrenches for over 45 years. But I keep getting pulled back into what I guess I miss doing. Glad I sold all my tools. My hands stay cleaner watching you.
Nice work. Lady that works for us at home here, just had her water pump go bad, I was trying to explain how much it took to replace the water pump. Perfect timing, this showed her exactly what it took. Thanks for the video.
This was a flashback to when I did the whole cooling system on my Astro Van. I used it for work and I really didn't want to go back in there to do anything else in the future, so I did all the hoses, water pump, thermostat and radiator. It was pretty awkward to work on, but for the remaining years I owned the van the cooling system was never a source of problems.
As a complete mechanical dunce (although I did change the generator back in the 60's on my old VW!!), I am amazed at the skills and knowledge of Mr. Ray! 👏 I will never again complain about the costs of a good mechanic! It is also amazing that an "engineer" expects anyone to work on these engines!! 🙄
I always vacuum and quickly detail my interior before i drop off a vehicle for service. I always figured i would be respected more by the repair tech
I ziptie random shit under my car or in the engine bay and see if they can find it. One guy came out and was like is there a reason for the pack of Newports ziptied to the bottom radiator hose?! I was like nope just keeping you on your toes!
@@DanTheMan454 Part of me found that hilarious... The other part of me was upset that you'd do that with $14!
Do you scrub the rubber off your tires like the owner of this van? ;-)
@@dashcamandy2242 🤣🤣
Finally…proper use of a torque wrench. Gentle on the push / pull until the click no further. So many times I see people yank on it and you can plainly see they have gone further than the click.
I’m in Aus and I enjoy seeing all types of vehicles that we never see. I was a vehicle mechanic in the Aus army many years. I am retired these days. I would like to know where you are moving to regarding your future videos etc.
cheers Moto Guzzi
It's extremely refreshing to see a repair Tech that cares about the work he does.
I've been screwed by laziness the last 3 times I've brought my car in for service. (Rear axle seals, body work & electrical)
Which why Ive been doing my own regular service for years.
"There's a lot of meters" !!!! Greetings from Sweden. Thanks for all great videos and have a great 2022!
tjena tjena
Working on them Van's is like fighting a Octopus 🐙. Great videos by the way.
Went to my local Tesco store this afternoon for some shopping, and this random guy walking past me dropped his wallet. Lost it completely when I heard him say 'gravity'. 😂😂🤣🤣
Doo do Doo...dont steal.
Must've been a fellow viewer...
That's how you know you've found a fellow viewer. It's like a code or a sonar beacon. Right up there with a Dave Ramsey viewer who replies with "Better than I deserve."
Ray is better.
Had days where just seemed to drop everything all day. Been saying heavy gravity day for a couple of decades. Maybe it made its way to him. Grew up just north of him
Watching all the removal of the parts just to get to the component that needed replacing reminded me of how much I used to depend on chilton and Haynes manuals to repair my own vehicles. I had a friend who was an ace auto mechanic that would kindly diagnose the problem and if I could tackle it I would do it myself. This was back in the 80's and 90's era.
Most definitely coming back for every part of this series. I have one of these vans and even though it doesn't need work on it yet....it will eventually. Very informative and helps bring confidence up when starting a repair job on a vehicle.
I was always told that a spring clamp is preferable to a band clamp on hoses because when the rubber ages and shrinks they continue to hold.
Exactly, worm clamp type (cheap junk ) clamps will leak over time. The OE spring clamps take up for expansion and contraction of the neck and hose. I have seen many techs throw them away and replace them with gear worm clamps. Such a shame they are asking for problems. We always kept a selection of these spring clamps in stock for replacement of rusted ones or where worm type clamps were installed before us.
After a few frustrating experiences with gaskets that come in the box of a typical NAPA water pump, I've started getting separate gaskets like you did here. Often the leak is right at the gasket anyway, if no weep hole leak is found.
Thanks Ray! I’ve had a pair of pliers that I inherited from my father in law 20 years ago and had no idea what they were used for. I always suspected that they were task specific and my suspicion was correct. Now I know that they are “hose clamp”pliers. Awesome!
I was skeptical on hose clamp pliers... until i used some, worth it
Hey, Ray! Go down to your local blue or orange store and pick up a large plastic concrete/mortar mixing pan. They make great drain pans for cooling system work.
NOOOO not a worm clamp Ray... very inferior to the tension band type which hold the same tension as the hose deteriorates.
I’m not a fan of them either
I was cursing those as well. They are going to leak after a time.
Worm clamps are the worst. Don’t know why anyone would replace the spring style clamp with those worm style.
The undercarriage on this van is just As clean as the interior this van is Extremely well Loved and cared for that is impressive for the Age @Rainman Ray's Repairs
"I wouldn't trust my life to an o-ring." Hard learned lessons in Florida history.
Wow😁
Nice one
wow, a Canadian spec van. Nice shape for the age, We regularly see full size vehicles with 400+ km here!
That’s not a fan shroud.. it’s a fan Culvert.
Great place for an electric fan replacement.
I recall back in the 60's & 70's model automobile you at age of 16 could do almost anything under the hood with simple instructions and a 6 pack of beer. You have to now days go through so much for the simple fixes we had nothing to remove but now the way the auto manufacturers design them makes it impossible for anyone but a total professional like yourself to do. Keep up the good work and I hope you are making a good income. I am 64 years young and how things have changed dramatically
I’ve been binge watching your videos lately. They are fantastic, funny, and informative. Keep up the great work and have a Happy Happy New Year!
Same i love his videos
Love your videos and the approch you take. One note remove your wedding bad because one day it will get caught. It's dangerous.
That loose leather wrap on steering wheel would drive me crazy.
"Adhesion" is a good choice of words. I work on the railway in the UK. One year we had an issue with leafs on the rail causing trains to skid. The railways media spin doctor issued a press release saying the train were suffering from "Seasonal Low Adhesion Problems". The word "Adhesion" and all of its versions has been enshrined into railway folklore ever since
anyone else notice he did not put in the bleed bolt next to the theromstat? ossum vids bud
I can't stop looking at the spotless throttle body plate!
I am so glad I found your channel....as a woman that is often "hoodwinked" by mechanics, I enjoy learning from your videos. Are you in FL? I would drive to you for my Odyssey that needs some attention!
Pitstop Auto
@@vladimirskitchen1820 Thank you!
Honestly I’d ship me and my W30 over from Europe to have this man look it over :p (if I had the money and time)
@@vladimirskitchen1820 Thanks. I will spam them with ads for cordless phones, so they can get rid of that stupid loud ring tone speaker and put a cordless phone in the shirt pocket of those who run away from their desk phone.
@@erik_dk842 Now why would you do that. That's a stupid thing to do.
Rainman i just love your videos man. I used to be a mechanic years and years ago and you just take me back. Keep making videos. Customers are always wrong. You do good work 👏
I hope you're going to clean the antifreeze off the AC clutch. I had a 2007 Volvo 18 wheeler in 2007 had coolant hose clamp break and the shop that replaced it spilled a bunch of antifreeze on the air fan clutch. They said quote "it will burn off". It did in about 300mi and took the clutch with it. 5 days with no income it was replaced at Volvo under warranty. However, at a loss of about $800/day and a hotel for all 5 days. They didn't cover the loss.
At least the customer didn't mix other coolants with the dexcool.
I'm lucky to have a local shop that specializes in Honda products that I trust, but they are expensive. We need more honest mechanics like you with a good work ethic. Happy new year.
I have a local Toyota specialist like that too. Worth the extra (still less than dealer) to know it's done right and they'll be brutally honest if needed but happily give me a list/quote of recommendations to do "now/ very soon" and " sooner rather than later" and "keep an eye on"
With the belt off I used a strap wrench on the water pump pulley and a large cresent to easly remove the fan.
It is the year, 2785. The master mechanics still go "toodeloodelooo" when the phone rings. The tradition is passed from one mechanic to the other, but no one remembers where it came from.
When you ask them, they may tell you that this simply is the way they commemorate the elders of the mechanics guild.
Thank you. I needed that chuckle.
Or they do but answer only when pressed. When they do answer, it is the Adeptus Mechanicus....and I mean Ray...not 40k
Like the instinctive howls of a wolfpack, DOOODELLLOODELOOOO!!! 😂
3 Piece Long Reach Hose Grip Pliers, around $30. I love them. I haven't split a hose end with them, unlike with pry bars.
Okay! LOL! I'm used to hearing Shiny, phone sounds, gravity, etc. It's the unexpected things that make me laugh and startle the cats. This video it was "Ding! Fries are done!" And now I have that song in my head!
Stay safe.
Concerning the fluid coupling fan always store in upright position cause it will leak if stored flat on the ground.
What?
I have a few of these in the fleet I work on (17 and 21 models, converted into mini school buses) and under the hood looks almost identical. Even the weird Coolant Res looks almost exactly the same. Fuse Box UNDER the master cylinder, fantastic design that I see they've been doing for a while. Really great when the Power Steering Res (also above the fuse box, and looks identical to modern models) starts to leak onto the electrical bits.
We are into a mini lockdown around these parts so I needed my Rainman fix this morning. -10C and overcast so I'm not about to go out anyway. Like #586.
Once again thank you for a good educational video. For the time I have been watching you never let any thing get in your way including when you left your last job. Thanks and keep the videos coming.
HMMM...i wonder if the radiator has some sort of valve to easily drain the coolant before you start taking hoses off?
A lot do, but they're usually plastic. Plastic doesn't age well in engine bays, so I usually just pull the bottom hose to avoid breaking them. I've never had to replace one, but I think you'd probably need a whole new radiator as manufacturers prefer to sell assemblies. Safer to avoid plastic drain cocks then to tell the boss you broke one..
Hi Ray- im a lift guy. a seal kit for a hydraulic cylinder on a lift is around a hundred bucks. comes with a couple seals and wipers. Will be glad to answer any lift related questions
Quickie on the @Felpro gaskets: the metal part is stamped, then surface treated (so that the rubber adheres to the metal) and the blue silicone rubber is injection molded onto the metal
Helpful hint ... Spray trim adhesive on the pump and set the gaskets on .. using bolts as a guide to center gaskets . clean engine area while glue is setting .. Gaskets stay on and allow easier install .. 20 years and use the method daily at the dealer
When a replacement part includes low quality gaskets, I tend to wonder what else on the component did they save pennies on? Especially parts that are such a process to install.
Mechanical knowledge has many levels.
Supply and demand or Ingersoll Rand.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with that other style of gasket.
@@shawnwimberly9294 Maybe, but if I'm going to do the job I'm not going to chance having to re-do it. On my vehicles if it's cheap and easy I might let it slide, but on someone elses vehicle and always for things costly and/or hard to do there's no place for anything but the best. FelPro Blue for the win.
@@P_RO_, exactly. I've never had a problem with FelPro gaskets. In my opinion, good gaskets are cheap insurance.
The fel pro blue gasket material is exactly the style of gasket that he did not use, more of a paper/cardboard kinda gasket. Perfectly suitable for sealing those two flat surfaces. Not sure if you were unintentionally agreeing with me, or being argumentative not knowing what fel pro blue gasket material looks like?
Just watched this one. Cracked up there. I replaced the water pump on my suburban last week and it was verbatim what you did on this van. Messy disassembly, seating the gaskets, "ringing the bell," and I even dropped one of the gaskets down the front of the radiator...
Not a mechanic, so may be a dumb question: When you remove things like fill tubes and dipstick tubes, how do you keep dirt out of the engine?
normally you stick a shop towel into the exposed inlet/outlet
Nice tidy job Ray. You looked like you were enjoying the water pump replacement and associated works to replace the pump. I really do believe having a well kept vehicle does put you in the right mind set. I am looking forward to Part 2 & maybe Part 3 if there is one.
Wow Ray! That IS an amazing looking van indeed! I got bribed with dog pets yesterday myself from this couple traveling to Houston in a 2014 Chevy bourbon w/ a V8 vortec. Their p/s pump literally exploded ( internally ) right in front of my eyes when the customer was showing me the problem! I was tasked to replace it. What was very strange was that the entire time the pump was acting like an " out of balance washing machine " with no humming or belt squealing, then all a sudden a loud pop/boom and no p/s and the pulley showed no signs of resistance to the belt. Upon taking off the pulley, the entire pulley shaft with pulley just came right out! It had been SHEERED OFF! I'd never seen that before in my life!! 🤯
Sheared
Glad you used a torque wrench on the water pump bolts. Nice work, Ray.
Since I deliver engine oil for a living to shops like yours, I'm always eyeballing your oil tank levels. Lol
I would say that the owner of the van is a very smart person. You can't get a more honest repair then when someone is willing to record the job and broadcasts it for the world to see. Love the content keep up the great work and thank you for the educational videos and great entertainment.
Think about it! Smart? Riding on tyres like that. I've seen and dealt with the results of riding on tyres like that so, everyone, forgive me if I'm not so gushing in your praise of this 'caring owner'.
Only thing I would’ve suggested was put on a new belt regardless because it’s a pain in the neck to replace a belt otherwise fantastic job
And tensioner if it has significant miles on it.
You mention the heater hoses going back on faster and easier than they came off. A friend needed work done, I was in his driveway, so tools in a bag, no toolboxes. It took me about 90 minutes to get to and remove the part in question. We drove down to the parts store to have it tested and replaced. It only took about 30 minutes to put everything back together. He expressed astonishment when I told him I was finished. "It took so much longer to take apart!" "Sure," I said, "I don't use all the parts when I put things back together!"
Love your videos, Ray. One question, I thought those old screw-type hose clamps were no longer recommended (Pat Goss, Motorweek) since they can damage plastic parts when over-tightening? I know you were careful, but what about the next guy?
Not just overtightening but they usually leak 6mo. to a year later.
The spring clamps aren't called constant tension clamps for NO reason.
What I say is whenever something is a pain when working on a car is however many times I swear shows how gifted the car is and the mysterious things that are wrong with it and end up getting knuckles scraped and cut
As he was installing the water pump and belt tensioner I thought back to his test drive and wondered if it would come back to bite him. Did he check the tensioner and idler before reinstalling them?
He checked when he took the belt off.
I must say, you get the best camera angles. That straight on shot was excellent
(9:03) Sometimes it seems manufacturers love to design a dipstick from hell into their vehicles.
Ray, I take better care of the mechanical of my cars than the interior. It's my rolling office but never has customers in it. As an air conditioning and building tech I go all over and my truck is a mess but I keep everything under the hood as good as possible. The condition of the interior does not reflect the condition of the important parts for me. Keep up the good work my man!
Im the same way. The van I don't try as hard on because it will just get dirty again. They know when you clean it to send you on construction the next day and make sure it's a muddy site lol.
My personal vehicles are very clean though
I would think that new hoses should go with the new pump so that all is back to factory.
Also, why not drain the rad upon first step of the process. Seems that it could be a much neater job with no flooding.
A rad flush should go as well with all the new parts. I see the pump/thermo/hoses and rad flush and fill as one operation.
A customer POM (Peace of mind) job. You're not over selling the job but just giving them an all new system especially on an old model as this one.
I would even add the belt in there as part of the job but you are already doing that one anyway as you saw it's age.
B/c it doesn't matter.
@@TheGuruStud Are you saying, "Because it doesn't matter?"
If so I say you are wrong.
Customer satisfaction is essential in keeping a business open and profitable.
If you don't care about your customer's admiration then you might as well close shop.
I walked by a person in a store humming on a song, and my first reaction was "I did not hear the phone ring".
You, good sir, live rent free in my head!
Keep the video coming Ray
A day without your humor isn't a good day
The tab on the lower radiator hose is designed to capture the clamp and make sure it is held in the correct location. I don't understand why you replaced it and all the other radiator hose clamps with worm/screw clamps. Every worm clamp ever made works its way loose eventually. If you must replace the hose clamps, a double ear clamp is a much more secure device.
What gets me is that you've now had a few cars come in that are viewer cars. I would be one as well if I lived closer. This one is from Miami, which is several hours from you. That's nuts and awesome, but it is a massive testament to the value of being good at your work AND simply recording it. You're no nonsense and down to earth, you don't bring political/religious issues up, you are honest and up front, you actually solve problems instead of reading from a book, and you do quality work. Every single repair shop in the country would be lucky to have even one tech like you. People like you bring real tangible value to your place of employment, and yet you got in trouble at the dealership for just recording your work. Stupid.
We need a few more Rays in the world.
I'd never let a Demiturd work on my vehicle! Period!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have a harbor freight flex head ratchet like that, looks just like it. I love that ratchet, it is almost always my goto, I have other name brand ratchets, but that little ratchet works well, I have used cheata pipe on it quite a few times and thought i would break it but never did. They increased the tooth count to be more like snap on which i love, it was one of my fav features of the snap on ratchets, That high tooth count helps with positioning.
the time a mechanic says something like 'I'll treat this car as bad as the owner" is the time
I'd find another mechanic. A mechanic charges the same sky high prices, whether it's a
beater, or a not, so he/she should do the best job he/she can on either vehicle.
You're completely off base. You missed the whole point of that. If you get it, you get it and if you don't, you don't.
I've seen a bunch of these kinda comments... either you get it or you don't
Your a good guy, great attitude. Some folk including myself can't afford new cars but the 16 year old car I own I take excellent care of and I would like to think that when it's being worked on by a mechanic he recognises it's my pride and joy and takes care as you do
A van owner with candy... This might be the last rainman vid!!! When he takes the van he's going to take you too! 🤣
Just watched this video for the first time loved the send off on it " Just want to remind you to GET IN YOUR HOME" keep leaving the best parts in
Watching this repair is the most convincing reason not to own a van.
@@steveb6371 Audi / VW is the worst German junk car line in existence so yeah compared to the absolute bottom…
I have a Fiat Panda. Small but well formed. Cam belts are awkward but no worse than many other FWD cars. They are very modular and generally easy to work on. On rare occasions that engine has to be removed it’s actually an easy job.
This Van is like my 2003 Silverado LB7. I am having a capable of 1000hp engine, DT750 Allison with 6 speed, sportsman CP3(650 Hp), upgraded transfer case, Stock over S475 turbo. All of this to make a 650HP daily driver. It is totaling around $40k but it is cheaper than a new one without having the DEF, DPF or EGR.
Hmmmm, don't you know about taking candy from strangers in a van? I thought you were smarter than that Ray! At least "fReE cANdy" wasn't spray painted on the side so I think we can forgive you this time.... (What kinda candy?) "Click!"
Yeah if you see one of those vans with "Free Candy" or "CNN Producer" on the side, if you are a kid, you do NOT get in to that van.. :)
@@JohnDoe-bd5sz hahahahhaha CNN
I just moved back here in Florida about a year ago. I love doing work to my own car, but other things I feel somewhat under qualified. My car definitely needs more work. I was wondering if I could get the location of your shop and I’ll bribe better candy for you to munch on, in exchange for you doing a full inspection of my car and fixing whatever needs to be done. Much love broski🤙
South Florida near Sarasota.
As a master tech for 15 years, I do quality work on any vehicle I work on. I get paid the same, regardless of how the customer takes care of their vehicle. Only a lazy, crappy tech would use the condition of a customers vehicle, as an excuse to do sub par work.
Correct. Just because someone doesn't vacuum the carpets doesn't mean they don't care for the mechanical components.
Every time I step on the brakes I trust the o-rings
my hose clamp pliers are the cable style. slip the end over squeeze them until they lock then set them down and go after the hose with both hands