Here's a guy with an amazing understanding of car issues and fixes freely giving of his time and experience to help us folk's who most of us can't read a dipstick. I've nothing but the highest respect for people like this. 5 minutes watching/listening to his advice could save you a fortune. Please keep posting your video's you deserve every thumbs up and subscription.. Best wishes to you and the BOSS 🍀Mr's Wizard🍀 from the Emerald Isle 🍀❤️🍀👍👍👍👍
All of our local mechanics use the parts cannon, which can get very expensive. My former mechanic told me I needed a new catalytic converter, took it to my buddy, who is a mechanic, replaced the O2 sensors, and the light went off. So the other mechanic would have charged me $2000 for new catalytic converter‘s, when all it needed was new O2 sensors.
I hate to say it but, for me they are typical Honda reliability but the only thing they would be good for is a chassis/drivetrain swap onto a decent body. But assuming they are unibody, they would only be good for parts on other Hondas. The last couple decades Honda has gotten weird.
So I know that Honda is reliable and everything but it did have some transmission problems. What about this Honda? I’m looking for a car right now, but I would like to have all wheel drive.
My wife and I have a 2006 Element. It has been as reliable as a church. We bought it in 2011 with 85,000 miles. It now has almost 170,000 miles and I am on my third set of tires, and brakes. I had the alternator replaced some years ago, and the A/C recharged. I change the oil and filter on schedule and have had no major issues in twelve years. It is the all wheel drive version with the 4 speed automatic.
If you work on your own car then.. Yes you can take of cat, blow out with compressor from other end ect. Someone even powerwash theirs with good results (not with gas engine powerwasher, it could shred everything). Dry it out, put back on and use some cat burning fuel additive on longer drives. However if you own shop then you don't have time, money to waste and experiment without any guarantee! Remember that owner also wants their car back! And if your experiment doest go well, now owner is talking shit about your shop to other potential costumers ect.
Once I heard a mechanic tried soaking the Cat in a solution of dishwashing liquid and water over nite to clean out the honeycomb Cat he claimed it worked and saved you some $$$$ to clean out carbon and in some cases oil in the exhaust.
Had a catalytic converter go on my e36 bmw about 20 years ago, the so called bmw specialist too 6 weeks and stripped down engine to find this!!! And they had years and years of experience!!! Live and learn
UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE !!!!! My car has been sitting for months because I thought my motor was bad. After watching this video I took out the O2 sensors and lo and behold, THE CAR DRIVES FINE !!!! Thank you so much for this video, you just saved me thousands !!!
This is an important lesson on why it is important to find a shop that you trust. I moved to a new state and took my Toyota MR2 to the closest Toyota dealer for routine service because it was still under warantee. The MR2 was a mid engine sports car. The service advisor opened the frunk, no engine, opened the trunk, no engine. He looked baffled. I was at a Toyota dealer and the service advisor couldn't find the engine on a recent Toyota model! I took this as a warning, grabbed the keys, and took the car to a dealer on the other side of town who gave me great service.
I thought that you might have done an intake manifold vacuum test to confirm this diagnosis; but the borescope test is just as effective. Keep up the great work.
I have a 2003 Honda Element with 207,000 miles. Best vehicle I have ever owned. I had the clunk in the back - tried to fox it with a Moog part as the dealer didn’t have the bushing in stock. The Moog is not as good as the OEM. Last weekend I replaced both rear struts with Monroe quick struts, new anti sway bar bushings (OEM) along with the bolts and new shackles to hold the bushings in place (OEM) - finally I changed both sway bar links with OEM. The knocking sound is gone and the car handles much better. One thing for the Wizard - the upper control arms on these Elements go bad - specifically the bushings fail. The one on the lift in this video - the rear wheels are tilted in slightly. I replaced mine with adjustable upper control arms. Now mine can be properly aligned. My Element was eating tires until I swapped the rear upper control arms out.
Man, I wish I had a shop around as good as yours. My Explorer has been acting up for months and every shop just says, "There is no code so there isn't anything we can do." That doesn't help me get to work or around town. Every shop should work to the same standards you and your team does.
do you let them keep the car for a few days to try to recreate it and look further into it? most shops are super busy right now and if there is no code there is nothing they can say for certain.
Leaking shocks can also cause clunks. A test drive can definitely help when it comes to elusive problems. To some extent I see that a clogged cat is from old age, but can also be depending on oil (too much oil bypassing, but still within engine spec), a bit too careful driving or just short distance city driving where the cat never really gets heated and blown through.
It's kind of strange since the Element is one vehicle that is usually targeted to steal its CAT, since it is so easy to get to. I guess for the owners that has happened to (and they have insurance to cover it), it is a blessing in disguise, since the same thing may happen to them too.
@@canuckfixit7722 True. The insurance money would be nice, but the thought of the thieves getting away with your property is concerning. (I've had more than once car stolen from me so I know that feeling unfortunately.)
@@pcthayer In reality having a car with common cat theft issues, you are just paying for it through your insurance premium, unfortunately. Total cost of ownership will be higher if people steal them in your area
You are absolutely correct when you say,before you take vehicle to a garage,do your research!!I did as I checked fuses,relays etc and found out just my fan motor on radiator broken,just by bridging the fan motor plug,a mechanic estimated me around 300 Uk pounds.your the man very honest👏👏👏🇬🇧🇬🇧
I really wish that Honda would bring back the Element; I would seriously consider purchasing one. To this day, every time I see one on the road, I think back to my 2004 EX model that I had for several years. The only thing that I wished it had was a bit more oomph since it couldn't get out of its own way. Other than that, it did everything else right. Perhaps Honda could model it mechanically after the hybrid CRV.
Only way I knew is because I had two trucks do the same thing. Since I live in Florida I just unbolted the exhaust and got myself a pipe and hammer. A few whacks and some extreme revving I had an empty cat. Man did it pick up power on my pick-ups. Lol
Hey Wizard, a beneficial upgrade I did to my element is get some spray on circuit board water proofer. And coat the Vtec solonoid connectors with it. The whole reason the vtec solonoids go out is from water dripping off the hood down the back of the motor and onto the solonoid connectors and getting them wet and it causes a short and puts the car into limp mode. If you can keep water out of the connectors, it will save your customer the 500 dollar charge of having a mechanic replace the solonoid.
A lot of that water comes in from the windshield spray nozzles! There is a little gasket that dries out and lets water through. And guess what is directly beneath that nozzle...the Vtex wiring harness. Pop out the nozzle, put a little dab of clear RTV under it and pop it back in. You can also RTV the under side as well.
@kg4gav Good to know! I had just replaced my Vtec solonoid. I live in PNW. My car sat outside, uncovered for 3 days with heavy rain. I go to drive it 5 minutes in. I get the check emgine light and limp mode. I put it under cover and let it dry. Un did the connectors to let them dry thoroughly. I found this stuff called ducky products electro seal. Put a few coats over the connectors after hooking everything back up, and I think the problem is solved now.
I used to work security at a major car dealership. Once in a while a vehicle would arrive with a problem. One that stands out is a car owner that returned no less than 3 times and the problem is STILL occurring! I was at the gate and this guy came back a 4th time! The problem still existed and he was VERY pissed! By coincidence this one day the owner of the dealership happened to be arriving on the property. He was well known for his television commercials! The complaining car owner saw him and yelled at him. The dealership owner came over to hear the customer out. The dealer owner told the service writer to have this car repaired properly or he would lose his job. Voila! After this incident the problem was resolved. All it took was the dealership owner ariving on the property.
My first thought as well. I worked on an old Cadillac where there was a pipe within a pipe. Well, the internal pipe collapsed! A lot of parts were thrown at that Caddy until we properly diagnosed it.
Strictly a guess, if it is Direct Injection, and stuff is sprayed into the throttle body to clean gunk from the intake, the loosened stuff could plug the Cat? Could pouring stuff into the gas tank to clean the intake break stuff loose as well and plug the Cat?
First thing I suspected less than a minute in was a plugged up cat just based on what was described. Idk how many times I’ve heard people explain they think there’s a transmission problem based on delayed and/or harsh shifts that are caused simply by the throttle position input that the transmission interprets as heavy acceleration from the pedal being depressed to the floor or near to it, when in reality it’s just because the engine cannot make adequate power because it can’t get rid of its exhaust fast enough. I have to wonder how many thousands of people were taken for a ride with this problem by shops who were either incompetent, or corrupt.
I actually drive a 2005 CR-V which as you know is the exact same car is this Element in terms of mechanical components, and ironically enough I've been noticing the same sorts of issues with reduced engine power at moments. It's not really, really bad but it is noticeable at moments. My car is a standard transmission and I am going to need to replace the clutch at some point in the foreseeable future. But based on the things you covered in this video I am going to examine these items a bit closer now.
As an Element owner: try a ~$10 can of fuel injector cleaner in your next tank and check your oil. If your engine is burning a lot of oil it could clog your cat.
It hasn't been burning much oil if any at all. I just added a quart to it for the very first time in my ownership and I'm almost due for an oil change. Engine sounds very healthy for it's age and mileage. Thanks for the tip. I'll definitely keep that in mind!@@ProfessionalFixologist
Had the same problem with my '00 S10 trucklet. Around town it was fine but couldn't hit hiway speeds. Felt like the hand of God reached down and was holding it back. 1st mechanic who had done previous work and trusted. He claimed the timing belt skipped a tooth and "gut" feeling, quoted me new engine @$5k. Not buying the timing chain theory, took it to mechanic2. He diagnosed a clogged cat. At first didn't buy it but the mechanic had impeccable logic and the ultimate test procedure-removed the cat and all problems went away, put the cat back and problem reappeared. He rodded out the cat for $150. My state doesn't do emissions inspections. Sure I had a code set permanently but it got me down the road for the next year while I saved up to buy another car. And a little black electrical tape took care of the SES light. :)
I replaced those sway bar bushings early in my ownership. The parts were very inexpensive. I got them from the Honda dealer and had my mechanic install them.
The rear sway bar bushings can be a fairly regular replacement on Elements, & they are super inexpensive, like $6 ea. As far as checking the transmission fluid, the owner's manual calls for warming the car to operating temperature, shut off the ignition then read the dipstick w/in 60 secs.
Catalytic converter. Had this problem with an 86 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera. It was the real "little old lady who only drove it on Sunday" car. I don't think she ever drove over 35mph either. The catalytic converter got so hot it started a small fire between the engine and firewall. 5:44
Just to play the game fairly...I'm commenting right after the 4 options were mentioned. The thing my mind had already jumped to before it was said, was low compression. But when I had that with a car years ago it wasn't noisy at idle. Then you said a clogged cat, and that made sense. But so did a brake system issue if it was making noises when the brakes are applied at a stop. So now I'm confused but leaning toward the last 2 options. I'm picking the cat but may be wrong!
You're right about listening to the customer. About 12 years ago a customer brought us his '95 Caddy Fleetwood. He said the brakes were grinding. If the brakes are grinding, no test drive to confirm. After a brake inspection showed all friction surfaces were great, I put it back together and test drove it. Turns out it was the first gear drum(or something in that vicinity) in the transmission. Needless to say, we were both surprised.
My 1st guess was actually emissions related of some sort. I've had 2 cars with bad EGR valves, and it was similar to what your customer was describing: low power, choking feeling.
Great video, exact same thing happened to me with low power and the multiple shop shuffle.The end was the cats on my 03 Nissan frontier and expensive but that was the problem.Great wizard trick to look inside the cat through the sensor port.Cheers
Heya wizard, I've successfully diagnosed the exact same problem on my dad's 02 nissan maxima. It helped that my previous car had the same malady a few years prior and i knew a few tricks from back then. One thing guaranteed to throw off the less experienced techs is the P0300 random misfire often being set. That's one of the codes that tends to lead to multiple parts cannon salvos. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! A wrinkle that is every mechanic's nightmare. The original complaint was the battery light came on and the vehicle died while driving. Then the vehicle was left parked for some time until i got the chance to work on it. Basic diagnostics confirmed a bad alternator. NOT a fun job on 3.5 nissan motor, especially when you have to make do with floor jack and a pair of stands. 225k worth of oil grime all around for bonus fun. Lots of cursing later, the new alternator was in and the voltages were reading good under electrical load and without. I asked my dad to test drive the vehicle around the area. Five or ten minutes later, he's back. It's got no power, the transmission wont shift, and it stalled out twice on me. UH OH, did i mess up somewhere? Did something get fried? Took me a couple hours to recheck everything and to troubleshoot the issue until I began to suspect a plugged cat. One tell tale sign is hissing noises from exhaust leaks. Another quick and dirty test is to try to cover the tailpipe with your hand and have a helper blip the throttle. Another quick check is to look under the vehicle as you blip the gas pedal with your hand. Im my case, the flex joint in front of the rear cat was visibly bulging and stretching. And the tailpipe tip also stuck out quite a bit when the gas was blipped. A much easier test to do is to hook up a vacuum gauge to the intake. An exhaust blockage will cause it to be lower than normal at idle. A back pressure test at the oxygen sensor is better, but removing those can be easier said than done depending on vehicle and the amount of corrosion. When i removed the old cat later, it was well and truly plugged up with ash. Not a huge surprise given that the vehicle burns a quart of oil every three tanks of gas.
Plugged cats will slow you down. On my Crown Vic, it has 4 cats. A primary and a secondary on each side. The funny thing is the O2 sensors are only before and after the primary. There are no sensors on the secondary. On my car, the secondary broke down and was rattling in the can as the exhaust pushed on it helping to plug the outlet at times. Since there are no sensors on it, no OBDII codes. I could only hear the rattle when the door was open at idle.
What were the 2 sensors in the CAT for? I'm a little surprised that they haven't registered something. In any case it looks like a back pressure sensor should have been standard.
I have a catalytic converter issue no codes exactly what you mentioned! A blocked catalytic converter! It passed Smog before the check engine light came on 🤞☘️ so two years before I need to worry about it again. Thanks for your videos 👍
His fast diagnosis was from experience with working on vehicles over the years. Still worth the diagnosis fee instead of those other shops guessing incorrectly and pushing up sells and parts cannons
My dad's 89 ta had this very same problem. A mechanic buddy of mine came over to look at it. He grabbed a wrench and unbolted the exhaust before the cats enough to let some of the exhaust out and we took it for a drive. It was like a raped ape, pretty easy to troubleshoot this issue.
@@nstg8yep. My dad's 86 Toyota pickups catalytic converter clogged up on it. His truck was lifted 4wd and we seen it glowing cherry red and just replaced it with a straight pipe . It ran better than it ever did with straight pipe
I own an '06 Honda and an '03 Suzuki. Love 'em both. They've been paid off for years and yeah, these types of expenses do come up. If you own vehicles this old, it's the price you pay for no monthly new car payments. And with the cost of new cars and trucks these days, it pays to keep the oldies healthy and on the road.
I would also check the oil and ask the owner about if the car uses a lot of oil. Often times a clogged cat is from the engine burning excessive oil (most commonly worn piston rings indicating engine is getting close to end of its life without a rebuild). In that case can go up a grade or two in oil viscosity to reduce use and use an after market cat as it will likely be clogged again soon (aftermarket ones are $150-200, but won't last nearly as long as Honda OEM). As an Element owner I can say that those rear sway bushings are a common problem. Fortunately, it's a cheap and easy fix (less than $20 and 20 minutes).
I wish more people would watch your videos to better understand the diagnostic process of a good shop and why they charge you and why we recommend more than just what your “complaint” was.
Some gasolines have an additive named MMT. This material is added to improve octane numbers. Best practice is to understand what brands use this material and avoid. SAE has documentation of this. Lots of research and documentation on this!
Since we were asked to play the guessing game... My first thought was a fuel filter or fuel pump issue, but since that's not a choice I'd move on to clogged converter....but he did mention customer hears noise in the rear. So my guess at about 6mins into this video is sticking rear brake.
I do like these Honda elements but unfortunately we never got them in Australia you could probably import one from the UK been rhd as for the diagnosis of the problem and of course this is why you are the car Wizard
We had a customer come in with complaining of a of lack of power. In the end it was because her husband had put 2 layers of household underfelt (the packing you have put beneath carpet) beneath the cars carpet reducing the accelerator pedals travel. And why ? To get rid of the noise coming through the floor. The exhaust had been rubbing on the floor after his wife backed the exhaust into something bending the arch pipe. LOL
One way to obviously combat getting ripped off is to just read up and be knowledgeable about vehicles (or at least your vehicle) and you don't have to be an expert, but even knowing little things like if you're vehicle feels like it a low on power, it could be a number of things -- as mentioned transmission issues, but also lesser known possibilities like a restricted exhaust system or a fuel pump that is maybe working ,but not putting out enough pressure, to something like a vacuum leak, etc. Plus take your car to at least two shops to get a diagnosis. You could consider a dealer but unless the car is under warranty, I would try to find two independent shops (not a chain shop like Pepboys) but one that's independently owned that you trust. This way if they say the same thing, more than likely it may be that issue or at least point you in the right direction. If you get two conflicting diagnosis, then take it to a third shop.
Instead of replacing the catalytic converter you should just clean it. Oven cleaner is made to remove carbon (which is what the clog is made of). Heat the converter, I use a propane torch. Spray it with a full can or more of oven cleaner. Give it an hour to work, or overnight if you didn't heat it up. Spray it out with water and it will flow like new. As long as the catalyst is intact, which it almost always is, it will work like new as well. Saves a whole lot of money.
The parts cannon is an alarming trend with dealerships. They’re not interested in fixing your vehicle. They only want to make money off overpriced parts.
FYI The metallic substrate in catalytic converters is usually Palladium. Another great educational video David. Keep up the great work! From Western Australia.
Do you ever recommend auto shops? Dealer prices are outrageous! I own a ‘99 Honda Passport/ Isuzu Rodeo with 99K miles! Engine is solid! AC & Blower motor quit! Need TOTAL SUSPENSION REBUILD! Memphis,Tn. LOVE YOUR VLOG
I have a 2006 Honda Element ex and I had the Catalytic Converter stolen. I live in the Midwest and the whole exhaust system was a huge rusty mess, and had numerous pipes throughout the years replaced and soldered on, and some of those pipes leaked. So I decided it was best to replace all of the exhaust system including the cat converter and oxygen sensors. I also had leaky shocks so I had those relaced at the same time, and I also spent a total of $2000.00 which is a huge amount of money since I totally live on social security. My Honda is 17 years old, and I am honestly replacing old parts probably every 2 to 3 months, and the vtec solenoid twice in the last 24 months, plus brakes and rotors, and I keep up on all the fluid changes including the rear differential. So now I really am in need of a new set of tires, and I'm at a point where I've put so much money into my Rusty but Trusty Honda I better keep it and not trade it in for a newer vehicle "I think"😂
It is sad how some shops will try to take as much money from a single customer and lose that customer forever than just doing a good job and gaining a customer for years to come
My priest had a Honda Element that he used in his line of work to transport not just coffins, but sometimes coffins with bodies in them when the mortuaries were too busy to deliver deceased parishioners to a funeral or to a graveside. I think when transporting bodies the priest made care to drive extra carefully lest he get pulled over for a traffic infraction and have to explain the contents of his coffins.
dealer's been looking on and off for a year or more why the keyless entry on my Kia intermittently glitches out. Tried everything short of replacing the entire unit. Being a good dealership, they never charged me a cent on diagnostics, and didn't replace anything that they weren't sure needed replacing. THAT's service. They've been good to me all over ever since I bought the car, clearly interested more in repeat customers than in having a quick bit of income.
I noticed the rear wheels on the Element are angled out, they aren't as bad as I have seen but it might be worth looking at the rear upper control arms, driver side bushings seem to wear out faster than passengers on Elements.
Honda Element Cat replacement cost at dealer is around $4200.00. I had to replace mine last year due to cat thieves and that was parts and labor. Full coverage insurance will cover them.
Happened to my '05 Civic coupe. My car ended up going into limp mode for a whole month and wasn't throwing any codes. I tested every major sensor like the crank and cam position sensor and everything was good. I tried going up a hill one day and almost stalled and that's when I realized it was the cat. I live in Ohio, so I just had it chopped off for now.
Since the honeycomb is still intact, I would try reverse cleaning and see if the crud can be removed. If it's permanently clogged even after cleaning, then you have no choice but to replace it.
“sometimes things can be very elusive”- replaced noisy alternator 3 times before realizing the noise was coming from a leaking throttle body intake gasket - which made sense, since symptoms included idle going up and down
Since the cat is bad, I’m surprised that it didn’t generate a fault code. Could the rear or front lambda sensor also be faulty? In my experience a clogged air or fuel filter could also cause problems with power delivery from the engine.
I love the Element. And the Nissan Xterra. I know some hate plastic cladding, but in the midwest and other salty winters etc, on certain vehicles it can be great for avoid rust etc. And i just like the look, the Xterra even moreso. The Xterra being probably the more capable vehicle, especially if modded iirc.
I've had that happen twice. First time was in the late 80's when they first switched to matrix grid. Car had lost a head gasket and blew crap in the exhaust. Never gave a cat a thought after the motor had been rebuilt. Drove it 50 miles then it wouldn't go over 25 mph
Surprised a clogged cat didn't throw codes considering how sensitive modern cars are about emissions-related issues. I guessed a brake issue as my Frontier's e-brake switch failed a few mos ago so I drove w it partly engaged and thought it was down on power till I smelled brakes.
Great video! (Love the Tesch-Schlong joke.😂) What's important to remember about this is the "success" of the Wizard and his shop is predominantly focused on an working through an "Accurate Diagnosis". How many shops do this? How many shops KNOW how to do this? How many shops just want to throw the "Parts Cannon" at it and hope to make tons of money? The Wizard actually THINKS about problems and follows a logical path and eventually a proper diagnosis. It's not rocket science, but he's in a very select group of mechanics that actually KNOW what they are doing. This is why he is successful! Shout-out to Mrs. Wizard also for her sense of humor and shooting the videos. 👍
Had a tech at my shop diag a 03 monte 3.8 with a bad trans cause it would not upshift under acceleration. I was asked to recheck and after driving it came back raised it up dropped the down pipe took it for another ride and shifted perfectly. Sometimes a clogged cat can cause alot of odd symptoms
After you said no faults and no power, i said restricted exhaust. A vacuum gauge on manifold vacuum will show this as well. Was i correct? I did not look at the end results yet. Brian
Did a parts cannon and so did a shop on a squeaking noise in my truck that dogged me off and on for a year. The root cause turned out to be a dry bushing on the cam position sensor rotor. Something I never would have thought of but apparently is a thing that happens. Pretty much everything that moved around the front of the engine had been replaced at least once and it came back.
Here's a guy with an amazing understanding of car issues and fixes freely giving of his time and experience to help us folk's who most of us can't read a dipstick. I've nothing but the highest respect for people like this. 5 minutes watching/listening to his advice could save you a fortune. Please keep posting your video's you deserve every thumbs up and subscription.. Best wishes to you and the BOSS 🍀Mr's Wizard🍀 from the Emerald Isle 🍀❤️🍀👍👍👍👍
All of our local mechanics use the parts cannon, which can get very expensive. My former mechanic told me I needed a new catalytic converter, took it to my buddy, who is a mechanic, replaced the O2 sensors, and the light went off. So the other mechanic would have charged me $2000 for new catalytic converter‘s, when all it needed was new O2 sensors.
Great advice. On top of that, you gotta save all the Element you can, such a unique and practical vehicle! Great video! :)👍
I have 3 in my driveway they keep me busy to say the least.
Agreed! My 2006 red EX model is named Zuko btw. ;-)
Yes because the elderly love the element! When you see one on the road check out the driver! ha
I hate to say it but, for me they are typical Honda reliability but the only thing they would be good for is a chassis/drivetrain swap onto a decent body. But assuming they are unibody, they would only be good for parts on other Hondas. The last couple decades Honda has gotten weird.
So I know that Honda is reliable and everything but it did have some transmission problems. What about this Honda? I’m looking for a car right now, but I would like to have all wheel drive.
My wife and I have a 2006 Element. It has been as reliable as a church. We bought it in 2011 with 85,000 miles. It now has almost 170,000 miles and I am on my third set of tires, and brakes. I had the alternator replaced some years ago, and the A/C recharged. I change the oil and filter on schedule and have had no major issues in twelve years. It is the all wheel drive version with the 4 speed automatic.
LMAO Elements are great. Also, I like the suicide doors!
Is the back big enough for a matress if the rear seats are removed?
@@micclay Yes it is.
same with me 151K--brakes and tires twice, battery once, sepentine belt twice, otherwise normal maintenance
I'd be tempted to try some Cata-Clean for that cat converter. Being as it's just dirty, not blown apart in chunks, I'd say it's worth a shot
If you work on your own car then.. Yes you can take of cat, blow out with compressor from other end ect. Someone even powerwash theirs with good results (not with gas engine powerwasher, it could shred everything). Dry it out, put back on and use some cat burning fuel additive on longer drives.
However if you own shop then you don't have time, money to waste and experiment without any guarantee! Remember that owner also wants their car back! And if your experiment doest go well, now owner is talking shit about your shop to other potential costumers ect.
Once I heard a mechanic tried soaking the Cat in a solution of dishwashing liquid and water over nite to clean out the honeycomb Cat he claimed it worked and saved you some $$$$ to clean out carbon and in some cases oil in the exhaust.
More to the point that coating isn't normal exhaust output. Something is wrong with the engine, or it ingested something wrong.@@rks9612
A full bottle of Red Line SI-1fuel system cleaner before a long highway trip works for some.
How about spray it with acetone
Had a catalytic converter go on my e36 bmw about 20 years ago, the so called bmw specialist too 6 weeks and stripped down engine to find this!!! And they had years and years of experience!!! Live and learn
UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE !!!!! My car has been sitting for months because I thought my motor was bad. After watching this video I took out the O2 sensors and lo and behold, THE CAR DRIVES FINE !!!! Thank you so much for this video, you just saved me thousands !!!
This is an important lesson on why it is important to find a shop that you trust. I moved to a new state and took my Toyota MR2 to the closest Toyota dealer for routine service because it was still under warantee. The MR2 was a mid engine sports car. The service advisor opened the frunk, no engine, opened the trunk, no engine. He looked baffled. I was at a Toyota dealer and the service advisor couldn't find the engine on a recent Toyota model! I took this as a warning, grabbed the keys, and took the car to a dealer on the other side of town who gave me great service.
😆🤣 I had two first gen MR2. Great car, that's a keeper.
@@MarkD11 The MR2 was indeed a keeper. Unfortunately, my first wife was not and she took it in the divorce. 😮💨
Time to K swap, turbo and staightpipe! Ok, just renew the worn parts.
Thanks for all the videos with zero vocal fry.
I thought that you might have done an intake manifold vacuum test to confirm this diagnosis; but the borescope test is just as effective. Keep up the great work.
My Element has 336k miles on it, still runs and drives good. They are great little vehicles.
I have a 2003 Honda Element with 207,000 miles. Best vehicle I have ever owned.
I had the clunk in the back - tried to fox it with a Moog part as the dealer didn’t have the bushing in stock. The Moog is not as good as the OEM.
Last weekend I replaced both rear struts with Monroe quick struts, new anti sway bar bushings (OEM) along with the bolts and new shackles to hold the bushings in place (OEM) - finally I changed both sway bar links with OEM.
The knocking sound is gone and the car handles much better.
One thing for the Wizard - the upper control arms on these Elements go bad - specifically the bushings fail. The one on the lift in this video - the rear wheels are tilted in slightly. I replaced mine with adjustable upper control arms. Now mine can be properly aligned. My Element was eating tires until I swapped the rear upper control arms out.
I still can't believe how cool those steel wheels and center caps look!
They do look cool
never seen one without aluminum factory wheels. this is rare.
@@RalphRacc00NYeah, they didn’t make that many of these base model model DX trim Elements. Almost all of them were EX trims.
the features between ex and lx were very few.. It's a box on wheels aerodynamically challenged!
Man, I wish I had a shop around as good as yours. My Explorer has been acting up for months and every shop just says, "There is no code so there isn't anything we can do." That doesn't help me get to work or around town. Every shop should work to the same standards you and your team does.
I'm lucky to have a good, honest garage near me. They get it right the first time and don't bussht you.
He doesn't have a gas analyzer. That's not a complete shop. No exhaust evac system either. Not good.
do you let them keep the car for a few days to try to recreate it and look further into it? most shops are super busy right now and if there is no code there is nothing they can say for certain.
@@giooo6349 Ive let my 2 local shops do that, both said they recreated the issue but neither could "verify it without a code".
What are symptoms it's exhibiting?
Leaking shocks can also cause clunks.
A test drive can definitely help when it comes to elusive problems.
To some extent I see that a clogged cat is from old age, but can also be depending on oil (too much oil bypassing, but still within engine spec), a bit too careful driving or just short distance city driving where the cat never really gets heated and blown through.
Another excellent video! Thanks for keeping us informed and thereby less likely to get ripped off by crooked mechanics!
It's kind of strange since the Element is one vehicle that is usually targeted to steal its CAT, since it is so easy to get to. I guess for the owners that has happened to (and they have insurance to cover it), it is a blessing in disguise, since the same thing may happen to them too.
Agreed but I'd rather replace the cat due to failure not theft!
@@canuckfixit7722 True. The insurance money would be nice, but the thought of the thieves getting away with your property is concerning. (I've had more than once car stolen from me so I know that feeling unfortunately.)
@@pcthayer In reality having a car with common cat theft issues, you are just paying for it through your insurance premium, unfortunately. Total cost of ownership will be higher if people steal them in your area
Another great educational video from Mr. And Mrs. Wizard
Good job wizard always solving problems and no bs to the customer, always best mechanic channel to watch in all of TH-cam
You are absolutely correct when you say,before you take vehicle to a garage,do your research!!I did as I checked fuses,relays etc and found out just my fan motor on radiator broken,just by bridging the fan motor plug,a mechanic estimated me around 300 Uk pounds.your the man very honest👏👏👏🇬🇧🇬🇧
I really wish that Honda would bring back the Element; I would seriously consider purchasing one. To this day, every time I see one on the road, I think back to my 2004 EX model that I had for several years. The only thing that I wished it had was a bit more oomph since it couldn't get out of its own way. Other than that, it did everything else right. Perhaps Honda could model it mechanically after the hybrid CRV.
Bought a 2003 5 speed stick in July. It takes off quickly enough, wish it had a 6th gear on the highway tho.
@@TheLazyHalfSRanch apparently you can add a 6th gear to the manual E's. Theres room to add another gear in the transmission.
You know ,I NEVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT. THE CONVERTER PLAYS A BIG PART IN THAT KIND OF PROFORMACE. I'm really glad for your content.💯 🤝
i have seen it a lot i used to be a mechanic and it it is clogged you will lose power.
Only way I knew is because I had two trucks do the same thing. Since I live in Florida I just unbolted the exhaust and got myself a pipe and hammer. A few whacks and some extreme revving I had an empty cat. Man did it pick up power on my pick-ups. Lol
Replace it with a straight pipe and you'll get better mpg .
It's the banana in the tailpipe effect
Hey Wizard, a beneficial upgrade I did to my element is get some spray on circuit board water proofer. And coat the Vtec solonoid connectors with it. The whole reason the vtec solonoids go out is from water dripping off the hood down the back of the motor and onto the solonoid connectors and getting them wet and it causes a short and puts the car into limp mode. If you can keep water out of the connectors, it will save your customer the 500 dollar charge of having a mechanic replace the solonoid.
A lot of that water comes in from the windshield spray nozzles! There is a little gasket that dries out and lets water through. And guess what is directly beneath that nozzle...the Vtex wiring harness. Pop out the nozzle, put a little dab of clear RTV under it and pop it back in. You can also RTV the under side as well.
@kg4gav Good to know! I had just replaced my Vtec solonoid. I live in PNW. My car sat outside, uncovered for 3 days with heavy rain. I go to drive it 5 minutes in. I get the check emgine light and limp mode. I put it under cover and let it dry. Un did the connectors to let them dry thoroughly. I found this stuff called ducky products electro seal. Put a few coats over the connectors after hooking everything back up, and I think the problem is solved now.
@kg4gav I am definitely gonna check and seal up those nozzle gaskets as well. Thanks for the info.
I used to work security at a major car dealership. Once in a while a vehicle would arrive with a problem. One that stands out is a car owner that returned no less than 3 times and the problem is STILL occurring! I was at the gate and this guy came back a 4th time! The problem still existed and he was VERY pissed! By coincidence this one day the owner of the dealership happened to be arriving on the property. He was well known for his television commercials! The complaining car owner saw him and yelled at him. The dealership owner came over to hear the customer out. The dealer owner told the service writer to have this car repaired properly or he would lose his job. Voila! After this incident the problem was resolved. All it took was the dealership owner ariving on the property.
Hey I got it right - plugged exhaust! Now the question I'd wonder is how it happened (age, poor gas, oil in gas, additives, overheated, etc)
My first thought as well. I worked on an old Cadillac where there was a pipe within a pipe. Well, the internal pipe collapsed! A lot of parts were thrown at that Caddy until we properly diagnosed it.
Strictly a guess, if it is Direct Injection, and stuff is sprayed into the throttle body to clean gunk from the intake, the loosened stuff could plug the Cat? Could pouring stuff into the gas tank to clean the intake break stuff loose as well and plug the Cat?
First thing I suspected less than a minute in was a plugged up cat just based on what was described.
Idk how many times I’ve heard people explain they think there’s a transmission problem based on delayed and/or harsh shifts that are caused simply by the throttle position input that the transmission interprets as heavy acceleration from the pedal being depressed to the floor or near to it, when in reality it’s just because the engine cannot make adequate power because it can’t get rid of its exhaust fast enough.
I have to wonder how many thousands of people were taken for a ride with this problem by shops who were either incompetent, or corrupt.
It would be a great business to start that is able to clean these catalytic honeycomes instead of having to buy new ones. Especially on an older car.
I actually drive a 2005 CR-V which as you know is the exact same car is this Element in terms of mechanical components, and ironically enough I've been noticing the same sorts of issues with reduced engine power at moments. It's not really, really bad but it is noticeable at moments. My car is a standard transmission and I am going to need to replace the clutch at some point in the foreseeable future. But based on the things you covered in this video I am going to examine these items a bit closer now.
slap your test schlong out
As an Element owner: try a ~$10 can of fuel injector cleaner in your next tank and check your oil. If your engine is burning a lot of oil it could clog your cat.
It hasn't been burning much oil if any at all. I just added a quart to it for the very first time in my ownership and I'm almost due for an oil change. Engine sounds very healthy for it's age and mileage. Thanks for the tip. I'll definitely keep that in mind!@@ProfessionalFixologist
I had a plugged cat once. Took him to the vet and he is all better now.
Had the same problem with my '00 S10 trucklet. Around town it was fine but couldn't hit hiway speeds. Felt like the hand of God reached down and was holding it back. 1st mechanic who had done previous work and trusted. He claimed the timing belt skipped a tooth and "gut" feeling, quoted me new engine @$5k. Not buying the timing chain theory, took it to mechanic2. He diagnosed a clogged cat. At first didn't buy it but the mechanic had impeccable logic and the ultimate test procedure-removed the cat and all problems went away, put the cat back and problem reappeared. He rodded out the cat for $150. My state doesn't do emissions inspections. Sure I had a code set permanently but it got me down the road for the next year while I saved up to buy another car. And a little black electrical tape took care of the SES light. :)
Very good video and advice!
I appreciate your honesty!
Thank you very much. 😊
I replaced those sway bar bushings early in my ownership. The parts were very inexpensive. I got them from the Honda dealer and had my mechanic install them.
The rear sway bar bushings can be a fairly regular replacement on Elements, & they are super inexpensive, like $6 ea. As far as checking the transmission fluid, the owner's manual calls for warming the car to operating temperature, shut off the ignition then read the dipstick w/in 60 secs.
Catalytic converter. Had this problem with an 86 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera. It was the real "little old lady who only drove it on Sunday" car. I don't think she ever drove over 35mph either. The catalytic converter got so hot it started a small fire between the engine and firewall. 5:44
My dad's 86 Toyota pickup did same thing. It was glowing cherry red
4:43 you dont know how many times i have argued about this finally the pro gave me the final answer thank you
Just got my Element this week and can't wait to make it awesome
Just to play the game fairly...I'm commenting right after the 4 options were mentioned.
The thing my mind had already jumped to before it was said, was low compression. But when I had that with a car years ago it wasn't noisy at idle.
Then you said a clogged cat, and that made sense. But so did a brake system issue if it was making noises when the brakes are applied at a stop.
So now I'm confused but leaning toward the last 2 options. I'm picking the cat but may be wrong!
You're right about listening to the customer. About 12 years ago a customer brought us his '95 Caddy Fleetwood. He said the brakes were grinding. If the brakes are grinding, no test drive to confirm. After a brake inspection showed all friction surfaces were great, I put it back together and test drove it. Turns out it was the first gear drum(or something in that vicinity) in the transmission. Needless to say, we were both surprised.
My 1st guess was actually emissions related of some sort.
I've had 2 cars with bad EGR valves, and it was similar to what your customer was describing: low power, choking feeling.
Great video, exact same thing happened to me with low power and the multiple shop shuffle.The end was the cats on my 03 Nissan frontier and expensive but that was the problem.Great wizard trick to look inside the cat through the sensor port.Cheers
Heya wizard, I've successfully diagnosed the exact same problem on my dad's 02 nissan maxima. It helped that my previous car had the same malady a few years prior and i knew a few tricks from back then. One thing guaranteed to throw off the less experienced techs is the P0300 random misfire often being set. That's one of the codes that tends to lead to multiple parts cannon salvos.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! A wrinkle that is every mechanic's nightmare. The original complaint was the battery light came on and the vehicle died while driving. Then the vehicle was left parked for some time until i got the chance to work on it. Basic diagnostics confirmed a bad alternator. NOT a fun job on 3.5 nissan motor, especially when you have to make do with floor jack and a pair of stands. 225k worth of oil grime all around for bonus fun. Lots of cursing later, the new alternator was in and the voltages were reading good under electrical load and without.
I asked my dad to test drive the vehicle around the area. Five or ten minutes later, he's back. It's got no power, the transmission wont shift, and it stalled out twice on me. UH OH, did i mess up somewhere? Did something get fried?
Took me a couple hours to recheck everything and to troubleshoot the issue until I began to suspect a plugged cat.
One tell tale sign is hissing noises from exhaust leaks. Another quick and dirty test is to try to cover the tailpipe with your hand and have a helper blip the throttle. Another quick check is to look under the vehicle as you blip the gas pedal with your hand. Im my case, the flex joint in front of the rear cat was visibly bulging and stretching. And the tailpipe tip also stuck out quite a bit when the gas was blipped.
A much easier test to do is to hook up a vacuum gauge to the intake. An exhaust blockage will cause it to be lower than normal at idle. A back pressure test at the oxygen sensor is better, but removing those can be easier said than done depending on vehicle and the amount of corrosion.
When i removed the old cat later, it was well and truly plugged up with ash. Not a huge surprise given that the vehicle burns a quart of oil every three tanks of gas.
Plugged cats will slow you down. On my Crown Vic, it has 4 cats. A primary and a secondary on each side. The funny thing is the O2 sensors are only before and after the primary. There are no sensors on the secondary. On my car, the secondary broke down and was rattling in the can as the exhaust pushed on it helping to plug the outlet at times. Since there are no sensors on it, no OBDII codes. I could only hear the rattle when the door was open at idle.
Ha! Nailed it! My first thought, even before the list, was that it was a potentially clogged exhaust.
I can't believe that a plugged converter didn't throw some kind of emission code.
Agreed. The signal delta between the front and middle O2 sensor should have been sufficient to throw a code.
What were the 2 sensors in the CAT for? I'm a little surprised that they haven't registered something. In any case it looks like a back pressure sensor should have been standard.
I would never have guessed that it would be a catalytic convertor. Thank goodness for the car wizard! Another mystery solved....
I have a catalytic converter issue no codes exactly what you mentioned! A blocked catalytic converter! It passed Smog before the check engine light came on 🤞☘️ so two years before I need to worry about it again. Thanks for your videos 👍
Always check af ratio for rhese kind of drivablity issues.Glad you got them sorted. Its a fairly decent vehicle
His fast diagnosis was from experience with working on vehicles over the years.
Still worth the diagnosis fee instead of those other shops guessing incorrectly and pushing up sells and parts cannons
I am honestly surprised that this doesn't throw any codes at all. RPM vs TPS vs MAP/MAF should have read off and tripped a code.... So crazy!
My fear is the new cat will plug right up like the old one. That stuff didn't accumulate by magic.
@@garganegawould like to know car milage. Could be just time. Probably tune up time tho.
Honda's burn oil its def gonna clog again.@@garganega
Agreed, I first suspected a plugged fuel filter or a weak fuel pump and have seen nothing in this video to change my mind.
@omnicode there's not really much in the way of "tune-ups" nowadays. No point or timing to check. Rarely plugs.
We need more of you in the mechanical field , some own who is HONEST and KIND. Cheers to you and may you live a long and prosperous life my guy🫡
At one time "converter test pipes" were a popular item in the JC Whitney catalog. Worked for me.
My dad's 89 ta had this very same problem. A mechanic buddy of mine came over to look at it. He grabbed a wrench and unbolted the exhaust before the cats enough to let some of the exhaust out and we took it for a drive. It was like a raped ape, pretty easy to troubleshoot this issue.
If you're in an area that does not test your cars emissions yearly, you're good to go for cheap.
@@nstg8yep. My dad's 86 Toyota pickups catalytic converter clogged up on it. His truck was lifted 4wd and we seen it glowing cherry red and just replaced it with a straight pipe . It ran better than it ever did with straight pipe
you can do the cat elimination the car wizard cant
I own an '06 Honda and an '03 Suzuki. Love 'em both. They've been paid off for years and yeah, these types of expenses do come up. If you own vehicles this old, it's the price you pay for no monthly new car payments. And with the cost of new cars and trucks these days, it pays to keep the oldies healthy and on the road.
I would also check the oil and ask the owner about if the car uses a lot of oil. Often times a clogged cat is from the engine burning excessive oil (most commonly worn piston rings indicating engine is getting close to end of its life without a rebuild). In that case can go up a grade or two in oil viscosity to reduce use and use an after market cat as it will likely be clogged again soon (aftermarket ones are $150-200, but won't last nearly as long as Honda OEM). As an Element owner I can say that those rear sway bushings are a common problem. Fortunately, it's a cheap and easy fix (less than $20 and 20 minutes).
It's a early k24 I guarantee that it drinks some oil.
FAIR!!@@5280eg6
I wish more people would watch your videos to better understand the diagnostic process of a good shop and why they charge you and why we recommend more than just what your “complaint” was.
Had a plugged cat once. Took him to the vet and he is all better now
Some gasolines have an additive named MMT. This material is added to improve octane numbers. Best practice is to understand what brands use this material and avoid. SAE has documentation of this. Lots of research and documentation on this!
Since we were asked to play the guessing game... My first thought was a fuel filter or fuel pump issue, but since that's not a choice I'd move on to clogged converter....but he did mention customer hears noise in the rear. So my guess at about 6mins into this video is sticking rear brake.
I do like these Honda elements but unfortunately we never got them in Australia you could probably import one from the UK been rhd as for the diagnosis of the problem and of course this is why you are the car Wizard
We had a customer come in with complaining of a of lack of power. In the end it was because her husband had put 2 layers of household underfelt (the packing you have put beneath carpet) beneath the cars carpet reducing the accelerator pedals travel. And why ? To get rid of the noise coming through the floor. The exhaust had been rubbing on the floor after his wife backed the exhaust into something bending the arch pipe. LOL
Hey. This is my car. Sweet little quirky cars. This is good info Wiz. ❤❤👍😎
i like this intro i like also when he spins around the car like when he did with smart car
Low power and catalytic converter go hand in hand very often. It was my 1st suspicion when you OK'd the trans.
We all enjoy a good 'who dun it' with Mr(s) Wizard.
One way to obviously combat getting ripped off is to just read up and be knowledgeable about vehicles (or at least your vehicle) and you don't have to be an expert, but even knowing little things like if you're vehicle feels like it a low on power, it could be a number of things -- as mentioned transmission issues, but also lesser known possibilities like a restricted exhaust system or a fuel pump that is maybe working ,but not putting out enough pressure, to something like a vacuum leak, etc. Plus take your car to at least two shops to get a diagnosis. You could consider a dealer but unless the car is under warranty, I would try to find two independent shops (not a chain shop like Pepboys) but one that's independently owned that you trust. This way if they say the same thing, more than likely it may be that issue or at least point you in the right direction. If you get two conflicting diagnosis, then take it to a third shop.
EVERY VIDEO IS ENTERTAINING, FUNNY, NOT BORING AND VERY EDUCATIONAL.
Instead of replacing the catalytic converter you should just clean it. Oven cleaner is made to remove carbon (which is what the clog is made of). Heat the converter, I use a propane torch. Spray it with a full can or more of oven cleaner. Give it an hour to work, or overnight if you didn't heat it up. Spray it out with water and it will flow like new. As long as the catalyst is intact, which it almost always is, it will work like new as well. Saves a whole lot of money.
The parts cannon is an alarming trend with dealerships. They’re not interested in fixing your vehicle. They only want to make money off overpriced parts.
Paused at 5:40. My guess is either there are clogged oil channels/ clogged i-vtech solenoid/screens and/or low fuel pressure.
The weirdest part is that no code appeared! The sensor should identify that there is not enough "air" passing through it...
I've been a mechanic for 2 decades it happens alot
FYI
The metallic substrate in catalytic converters is usually Palladium.
Another great educational video David.
Keep up the great work!
From Western Australia.
Do you ever recommend auto shops? Dealer prices are outrageous! I own a ‘99 Honda Passport/ Isuzu Rodeo with 99K miles! Engine is solid! AC & Blower motor quit! Need TOTAL SUSPENSION REBUILD! Memphis,Tn. LOVE YOUR VLOG
I have a 2006 Honda Element ex and I had the Catalytic Converter stolen. I live in the Midwest and the whole exhaust system was a huge rusty mess, and had numerous pipes throughout the years replaced and soldered on, and some of those pipes leaked. So I decided it was best to replace all of the exhaust system including the cat converter and oxygen sensors. I also had leaky shocks so I had those relaced at the same time, and I also spent a total of $2000.00 which is a huge amount of money since I totally live on social security. My Honda is 17 years old, and I am honestly replacing old parts probably every 2 to 3 months, and the vtec solenoid twice in the last 24 months, plus brakes and rotors, and I keep up on all the fluid changes including the rear differential. So now I really am in need of a new set of tires, and I'm at a point where I've put so much money into my Rusty but Trusty Honda I better keep it and not trade it in for a newer vehicle "I think"😂
Good job Wizard !
It is sad how some shops will try to take as much money from a single customer and lose that customer forever than just doing a good job and gaining a customer for years to come
My priest had a Honda Element that he used in his line of work to transport not just coffins, but sometimes coffins with bodies in them when the mortuaries were too busy to deliver deceased parishioners to a funeral or to a graveside. I think when transporting bodies the priest made care to drive extra carefully lest he get pulled over for a traffic infraction and have to explain the contents of his coffins.
These make GREAT airport cars-
Great video!
dealer's been looking on and off for a year or more why the keyless entry on my Kia intermittently glitches out. Tried everything short of replacing the entire unit. Being a good dealership, they never charged me a cent on diagnostics, and didn't replace anything that they weren't sure needed replacing. THAT's service. They've been good to me all over ever since I bought the car, clearly interested more in repeat customers than in having a quick bit of income.
I am also leaning towards the catalytic converter being plugged as well.
I noticed the rear wheels on the Element are angled out, they aren't as bad as I have seen but it might be worth looking at the rear upper control arms, driver side bushings seem to wear out faster than passengers on Elements.
Honda Element Cat replacement cost at dealer is around $4200.00. I had to replace mine last year due to cat thieves and that was parts and labor. Full coverage insurance will cover them.
Happened to my '05 Civic coupe. My car ended up going into limp mode for a whole month and wasn't throwing any codes. I tested every major sensor like the crank and cam position sensor and everything was good. I tried going up a hill one day and almost stalled and that's when I realized it was the cat. I live in Ohio, so I just had it chopped off for now.
We had a similar problem when our converter broke down and was sliding back and forward on acceleration!
Since the honeycomb is still intact, I would try reverse cleaning and see if the crud can be removed. If it's permanently clogged even after cleaning, then you have no choice but to replace it.
“sometimes things can be very elusive”- replaced noisy alternator 3 times before realizing the noise was coming from a leaking throttle body intake gasket - which made sense, since symptoms included idle going up and down
"...Gotta make onramps to make hills..." haha thats a good one for Kansas!
Very nice wizard I would have thought a dodgy cat would illuminate the check engine light 🤔
Since the cat is bad, I’m surprised that it didn’t generate a fault code. Could the rear or front lambda sensor also be faulty? In my experience a clogged air or fuel filter could also cause problems with power delivery from the engine.
I have the same vehicle and same issue was VTEC solenoid problem solved. Rear noise stabalizer bushings
Hey Wizard & Mrs Wizard, ahh, the poor Honda Smellament, the Wizard works his magic on this interesting vehicle!!! 👍👍🎃
I'm thinking the doormat was jammed under the gas pedal... seen it lol. Can this vehicle be safely flat towed behind a diesel pusher?
I love the Element. And the Nissan Xterra. I know some hate plastic cladding, but in the midwest and other salty winters etc, on certain vehicles it can be great for avoid rust etc. And i just like the look, the Xterra even moreso. The Xterra being probably the more capable vehicle, especially if modded iirc.
The swaybar bushing is common in Elements. I have friends that had that issue after a couple years
I've had that happen twice.
First time was in the late 80's when they first switched to matrix grid. Car had lost a head gasket and blew crap in the exhaust. Never gave a cat a thought after the motor had been rebuilt. Drove it 50 miles then it wouldn't go over 25 mph
Surprised a clogged cat didn't throw codes considering how sensitive modern cars are about emissions-related issues. I guessed a brake issue as my Frontier's e-brake switch failed a few mos ago so I drove w it partly engaged and thought it was down on power till I smelled brakes.
Yeah, Honda is so sensitive with those p0420 codes
Will done Mr. Wizard.
I love those cars
Great video! (Love the Tesch-Schlong joke.😂) What's important to remember about this is the "success" of the Wizard and his shop is predominantly focused on an working through an "Accurate Diagnosis". How many shops do this? How many shops KNOW how to do this? How many shops just want to throw the "Parts Cannon" at it and hope to make tons of money?
The Wizard actually THINKS about problems and follows a logical path and eventually a proper diagnosis. It's not rocket science, but he's in a very select group of mechanics that actually KNOW what they are doing. This is why he is successful! Shout-out to Mrs. Wizard also for her sense of humor and shooting the videos. 👍
Had a tech at my shop diag a 03 monte 3.8 with a bad trans cause it would not upshift under acceleration. I was asked to recheck and after driving it came back raised it up dropped the down pipe took it for another ride and shifted perfectly. Sometimes a clogged cat can cause alot of odd symptoms
Almost a MILLION SUBZZZ WIZARD!
After you said no faults and no power, i said restricted exhaust. A vacuum gauge on manifold vacuum will show this as well. Was i correct? I did not look at the end results yet. Brian
Did a parts cannon and so did a shop on a squeaking noise in my truck that dogged me off and on for a year. The root cause turned out to be a dry bushing on the cam position sensor rotor. Something I never would have thought of but apparently is a thing that happens.
Pretty much everything that moved around the front of the engine had been replaced at least once and it came back.
Ford?