Merry Christmas! Also, there are various ways to test the coolant, but this is the best way for checking electrolysis. This is a self sustaining electrolysis test. If you're grounded to the car while testing the coolant like others have show and you have a short somewhere, it can give a false reading for the coolant, this test only checks the coolant itself. ⬇️Things used in this video: 1. Battery tester: amzn.to/2BEiW04 2. Multimeter: amzn.to/2SkCFsW 3. SPark plug gauge: amzn.to/2LABYJo 4. Brake fluid testerL amzn.to/2SjW657 5. 4k Camera: amzn.to/2HkjavH 6. Camera Microphone: amzn.to/2Evn167 7. Camera Tripod: amzn.to/2Jwog8S 8. My computer for editing / uploading: amzn.to/2uUZ3lo ⬇️Scotty’s Top DIY Tools: 1. Bluetooth Scan Tool: amzn.to/2nfvmaD 2. Cheap Scan Tool: amzn.to/2D8Tvae 3. Professional Socket Set: amzn.to/2Bzmccg 4. Wrench Set: amzn.to/2kmBaOU 5. No Charging Required Car Jump Starter: amzn.to/2CthnUU 6. Battery Pack Car Jump Starter: amzn.to/2nrc6qR 🛠Check out the tools I use and highly recommend ► goo.gl/rwYt2y 🔥Scotty Shirts and Merch ► goo.gl/pTAeca Subscribe and hit the notification bell! ► goo.gl/CFismN Scotty on Social: Facebook ► facebook.com/scottymechanic/ Instagram ► instagram.com/scotty_the_mechanic/ Twitter ► twitter.com/Scottymechanic?lang=en
Always use distilled water, when flushing and refilling your radiator. Tap water contains minerals and salts, that will damage and corrode the coolant system over time.
Scotty, thank goodness someone like you enlightens everyone on TH-cam. Without your channel, my knowledge of cars would be minimal. Merry Christmas Scotty!
Item #6: if you live up here in the rust belt, wash off the underside of your car completely once spring arrives and spray on an undercoating like Fluid Film before winter hits. Doing all of the first 5 things Scotty mentioned is certainly great advice, but having a perfectly running engine won't matter if the rest of the car has rotted out.
Pittsburgh resident here. My 05 Yaris is dead because of this...engine was in great shape, but the body was completely wrecked and would have needed thousands in repairs to maybe be structurally sound enough to drive. I only had it for the last 3 years of its life, not much I could do at that point, the cancer was already there when I got it.
Smart man Scotty. I live in Australia and always, always maintain my cars well with all the things you mentioned. All my cars last 300,000km plus our Toyota avalon has 380,000km and runs like new. Always do my own work so I know it gets done and done properly. 👍
Scotty, you are so right. I have a 2003 Ford Windstar, 3.2L engine. I have over 751,000 miles on it, driving for deliveries, appointments, etc. Annually, I change plugs, coil pack, wires and coolant. I change the oil every 3-5 weeks. Never over 4000 miles without a change. The 20.00 it cost for the oil change, I never have to worry about it. Thank you so much for all the great information.
Best thing i found here in Michigan was a junk yard that sells perfectly good batteries for 35 bucks! They got shelves and shelves of batteries, sorted by size & post orientation. You can even get a warranty for a couple bucks more. When im buying a battery for a car with 150k+ miles, that's all i need!
After owning a Mercedes and Porsche (neither were terrible and fairly dependable), after watching your videos, I am buying a Lexus or Toyota. Additionally I will buy used - something with about 6 months and/or 6K miles left of factory warranty. I’ve noticed cars like this are about 35-50% cheaper than new. I’m going to drive these till 200K miles.
@Ing. Julián Carías It probably would not feel that way to a strange driver driving it. HEY ! ! ! this is a piece of junk ! Its like your body growing old over time , you cant really feel old age until you suddenly drop dead. Lic Driver Circa 1968
Thanks Scotty! I do exactly what you recommend to my vehicles and today both have over 100K miles and are 10 to 12 years old. I repair what is needed and they are still running like they are supposed to. I appreciate your vLogs!
I had a too lean code on my car changing the spark plugs fixed it. I also want to say thank you for your advise Scotty I think you are helping a lot of people out you are a good man for what you do
I think the best life hack to have your car run 4Ever is to have Scotty as your Mechanic. Merry Christmas Scotty, hope you another great year and more videos. Have a good Carsmas and a happy new year.
You know until last year I knew next to nothing about cars or maintenance but after I got (and fell in love with) my truck and it started giving me so many thousands of dollars in issues that were stupid stuff that last guy could’ve helped me avoid I ended up learning a decent bit about auto repair and maintenance. Scotty whether you know it or not your a great role model for everyone (mechanic or not) and a great teacher
Scotty I love how you take the piss out of Mercedes-Benz cars all the time haha I love it. My Dad is a similar age to you and also a life-long auto-mechanic and he too preaches to stay clear of any European vehicle!! Keep up the great work and God bless! Tim (New Zealand)
One thing about spark plugs. Don't look at the tip. Look at the ceramic too. The gap tip might look brand new, but if the ceramic has black scars, this means the spark has jumped which will make a misfire. As an LPG technitian, I encounter problems like that every day. LPG need good strong spark. When on petrol, the engine works perfectly fine, but when it switched to LPG/CNG, it starts to missfire and pop.
This is so spot on. I am also a master mechanic, of 32 years. Maintenance is critical. Like Scotty, I'm critical on maintenance, keeping all my vehicles fluids clean. For example I have a 1990 Toyota 4X4 4runner with 320,000 miles, super clean California vehicle I owned since 1997. I did a centered 9 1/2 inch Landcruiser differential/ rear disc brake conversion. I was curious about the condition of the original 320,000 mile wheel cylinders since I always flushed my brake system every 2 years. The wheel cylinders were in perfect shape. No pits in the bore or rust and rubber cups had no wear. Wow 320,000 miles. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance.👍
Here's something that's not a hack, but something the car needs... Regular maitenance! Don't neglect your car people, so many drive thousands of miles with leaks, bad oil, etc. Treat your car right, it'll treat you right. Merry Christmas everyone!
Ummm we all want to keep our car maintained properly but to those that aren't mechanically inclined, have to take in to a shop and thus the repair bill is a lot of times to high for an avg. Joe to afford!
I wonder if Scotty talks to his customers like he does the videos haha savage! great content! you remind me of my grandpa he is also a mechanic and worked his butt off his whole life and it paid off for him, learned tons of stuff that came handy! now I'm learning even more from your videos.
Scotty: I like your overall message. I'm an engineer, lifetime self employed, own my company, and council customers constantly about what quality and performance in mechanical systems means in the real world. Which is to say the same world their wallets live in. Common sense, where in hell did it all go? Keep up the good work. By the way, seeing you with a Fluke 87 says volumes about you.
I had no idea about cars AT ALL before. I started watching you Scotty. Now I know about the crappy GM products and about how if you get a Subaru get a manual transmission. Thanks for all the knowledge scotty Merry Christmas from California!
the car at 5:41 looks like the 5E-FE in my Toyota and its been a great engine, change the coolant every 3-4 years with Peak and not had a failed water pump, the bypass hose did split on the back of the engine but that happened after the car was 25 years old. Change the P/S fluid every 2-years and never had a bad pump or rack and now the car has 367K on factory parts. The same with the brake fluid, change it out every 2-3 years and the master cylinder will last for years because moisture corrodes aluminum and cuts the seals, I have never replaced the clutch hydraulic parts and my car is 30 years old because new fluid has prevented a failure... Scotty is right, DIY will save you big bucks in repair costs.
Only scrape off spots of new rust. Scraping all of it would be a BIG job. I spray zinc on rust before applying the coating. For best result let the zinc dry in a week first.
My 09 Pontiac Vibe had 200k miles on it. Engine would randomly lose a LOT of power and shake pretty bad. Used a ODBII scanner and determined the spark plugs were bad. They're rated for 100k miles, and the car had stock plugs in it! Replaced the plugs and ignition coils. Runs like a clock now!
I bought a small accounts journal that would fit in the glove box 24 years ago when I bought my ranger. The pages have come loose, but I still have them all. Been thinking of switching over to a check book app using the mileage of the repair as an entry number.
Spreadsheet? __ Nerd! __ So am I, but I had to call you on it. Mine ( spreadsheet ) has mpg, cost per mile, etc. It tells me how old ( in miles ) my brakes, oil, everything is ) I'm a nerd's nerd.
Yep I keep an Excel spreadsheet to record everything...even when the last time I ran some Lucas gas additive to clean the injectors. (For oil, all synthetic so every 5,000 miles she gets changed out.)
I am slowly learning to care for my car. I was told my transmission was low on fluid, so i added the long life antifreeze, so i am good for 5 years or 150,000. Sweet!! Thanks Scotty.
The first gen chevy equinox spark plugs were such a pain to do. It was one of the first things I ever learned to do myself, so it took a long time to do. Glad I did it. Each spark plug was so worn that the center conductor looked like a chisel tip with no side edges...
I own a 1981 Chevy Scottsdale. Had it since 1993. It still has the original power steering pump and brake master cylinder in it since new! I just replaced the radiator in it last year. It has only 172,000 miles on it since new. It's a survivor. Do all of these things and they last almost forever!
I bought some "wiz-bang" new-fangled spark plugs for my new Honda Civic. I went to a Honda dealer to have them installed. I waited an hour then went to the counter to pay. The service writer said "You know, these will void your engine warranty". I said, "Do you think you could have told me BEFORE you put them in?". Had them removed and drove home...
I changed oil in my S classes every 5K miles even though i only leased it ... I just feel like they are my babies ☺ so i take care of my kids very very well . now with your videos im not afraid of buying a car . thank you 🙏🙏🙏
Change fluids and filters every 3 years like the manual says. Power steering fluid is much cheaper than a rack. Brake oil is much cheaper than calipers and master cylinders. Coolent is dirt cheap. 20$ every 3 years. ATF: Synthetic + filter 100$ every 3 years. You'll get it back at the pumps. Or 5 of conventional ATF + filter 40$ probably good enough. I used to have a car, 5he oil was dirty at 2500miles and I would change it. Conventional. How much for an engine again?
I had a 2005 Toyota Corolla that I bought new. I changed the oil every 3,000 miles and it is already close to having 300,000 miles on it with not a lot of work on it. I replaced the spark plugs after 200,000 miles and comparing the electrode wear to new ones there wasn't much difference. Very reliable.
Great video. Five simple general maintenance things to keep the vehicle ticking over. Have a lancer that has completed 140 000 kilometers and have been doing these items and the car runs fine in 38C days.
Three things I change every 2 years, power steering fluid, engine coolant, brake fluid. Last changed summer of 2018, so next change is 2020. My wife’s van, last changed in summer of 2017, so 2019 her van is due. Transmission fluid, gear oil, transfer case is every 50,000 miles.
thank you so much. I'm living on a 60% disabilityaward from VA. So my car has to last. My dad taught me about the clean oil and most of my cars get well over 3000,000 miles. I'll be looking to you in for advising I lost my dad. bless you for sharing.
I ride motorcycles but the vehicle i own is a 1988 vw citi golf carburetor version.I am from southafrica and never had an issue with it,cheap to maintain and spares are available everywhere at extremely low prices 😎✌
@@johnyoung468 Please, everyone, Remember to replace the tire gas with Nitrogen/oxygen mix every 3000 miles. It keeps the factory underhang rating in correct tolerance. I learned this it tire school.
I'll one up you Scotty with one of your own pieces of advice! Put sealant in with that fluid to avoid leaks, especially head gaskets. Mine just blew on my 4.6 Ford and yea it took 250,000 miles for it to happen but had I known about something that was in the back of my head and turned out to actually happen before I would have done it a LONG time ago and prevented it. But having just had to deal with it I ran upon your videos about putting sealant in. I'm letting it sit for another 24 hrs after running it through 3 heat cycles and then take it up the road. I'm literally relying on a prayer!!
TexasScout Noneofyourbusiness I used unfiltered well water thru a garden hose when I was flushing the coolant and enough mud ended up in the thermostat housing that I ended up removing a hand full of it and used 50/50 coolant thereafter. Lesson learned 😅
I have a Honda Del sol with over 320,000 miles and same deal. I have to put 1/2 Quart in every 3,000 miles just before I do the oil change. Car Runs Strong!!
Merry Christmas Scotty ! Frequent oil changes has gotten my 1997 Ford truck to 347,000 miles but never thought about the old coolant ! I’ll change that this week. Thank you from NJ and have a great New Year too.
I know you talk a lot about how bad auto transmissions are but if change the fluid regularly and filter you can make one last a long time. I have a 1997 Ram 1500 with a 360 V8 with an auto transmission and it has 260,497 miles on it so far with the original engine and transmission and it's still going strong. But I keep the fluids changed regularly and I don't let any of the fluids get too low either, I check all the fluids regularly and top them off when needed, so if you take care of something like a car or truck it will last for a long time. But if you don't take care of whatever, then it won't last anytime. Anyways it's all about how you treat the things you have on how long it will last. Not the car or truck's fault if you don't take care of it. Plus they are machines no matter the make or model and every machine needs maintenance to keep them going, so take care of it and most the time it will take care of you.
Ditto. But I found that checking ATF level was counterintuitive to most fluids in the car due to having it checked while the car was running. Otherwise ATF would end up being low and one would eventually be f'ed. This is not to mention "lifetime" fluids or AT's without a dipstick. I feel like manufacturers are just f'ing with consumers so they have to choose between buying a new transmission or a new car.
And seriously if that dodge transmission can last like that most should. That was a prime example because the 46 series transmissions are notorious for going out. Do you use Chrysler transmission fluid?
Also I have two external trans coolers on my truck, I think that's where the problem is, the trans gets too hot a that's why they go out. No matter if the trans fluid is new or in good shape, if it gets too hot it will break down and that's not good. So if you want your auto transmission to last along time, with regular fluid and filter changes you need to put a external trans cooler on it too. Anyways with that you can get a lot of miles out of them.
I found in my experience with the Dodge trucks that by adding a large transmission cooler, and keeping the filter and fluid changed with ATF+4 (it's superior to ATF+3 and backwards compatible) will make them last quite a bit longer. Do not use Mercon, Type F, or Dextron type fluids. These will SERIOUSLY mess your transmission up.
I always use ATF+4 in the trans in my truck and the trans cooler really does work. Like I said my truck has 260,526 miles on it so far and knock on wood it's still going strong. Right now though I need new tires one or two of the tired on my truck has a broken belt and it will bump you out of it, so I can't drive it much until I get some new tires on it. Going to see how many miles I can get out of it until it tears up and I can't fix it. The only thing that concerns me now is the timing chain because it still has the original timing chain and it's got over 260,000 miles on it and who knows when that might go out but hoping not until warmer weather gets here. Anyways I'll drive it until I can't no more and hoping that's a few more thousands of miles.
Scotty, Thanks for another great video ! I really appreciate the coolant test. Really simple way to check it out. I maintain a lot of cars for friends and family. Mostly Toyota's. My friend has a 2004 Matrix with 291,000 miles on it. It's been super reliable. It's a fwd base model with a 5 speed. She bought it a year and a half ago for $900.00 Only things I've needed to do are a clutch, brakes, and one weird electrical issue. The AM2 Fuse blew occasionally in the same spot on the same road when it was really cold outside. Ended up being a short in the fuse box. But took me a while to Diag. Sometimes the EWD's in TIS have links that don't work. So it takes a while to find the right page. Wish I had a paper one. Anyway, Thanks for all the great content, and keep up the good work !
Several years ago I took a turkey baster and sucked my brake fluid reservoir almost empty and refilled it with fresh brake fluid... I was so proud of myself that I posted on an internet forum what I did... It started a big debate it I wasted my time as the new brake fluid would never work it way down the brake lines... I don't know if it helped or not, but it didn't cost me much...
It's better than not having done anything. You definitely got rid of some water. And fluid always ends up mixing itself. Even during a normal oil change in a car you can't remove 5-10% of the old oil.
If you bleed the fluid from the calipers and/or wheel cylinders you'd be amazed how black the fluid gets, so that's the way to properly do it. When the fluid gets clear you tighten the bleed valve for that wheel. When you press the brake pedal, the fluid only moves a little bit and then back. Eventually the fluid drops as the pads wear and the pistons move out of the calipers some. When you do a brake job the caliper pistons must be pushed back to allow for thick new pads and you may have to take fluid out of the reservoir to allow for this.
@@gmzx3 I got a brake job done last summer. Is replacing the brake fluid while it's being done standard or something that is performed at an extra cost on request? I will be taking my vehicle in for coolant and a/t change service at another shop and was wondering if I should include that.
A brake job is typically the replacement of the pads or shoes (if used on back wheels) and associated hardware. Sometimes the rotors or drums are resurface or replaced if worn, warped or corroded. Flushing brake fluid is not usually part of the brake job. If certain components such as a caliper, wheel cylinder, brake line/hose, master cylinder...parts that are part of the hydraulic system and require air to be bled out when replaced, new fluid will be added as air and old, fluid are displaced. You can have fluid replaced any time...I'd guess about $150.
I bet my hubby knows all of these tips.. he's a damn good mechanic! He just replaced my fluids in my almost 19 year old car! Love it! Thanks for the video! Great tips for me! I'm learning! 😉
The Gribble Report Honestly great advice. I work on cars and have a second gen Prius for a commuter and a very low mile 2008 limited 4Runner w/ 4.7 V8. Probably one of the most reliable SUV’s Toyota ever built. The Prius might not win any races, but it’s one of the most reliable cars on the road. Many in taxi service see 500,000 miles. The hybrid packs are easy to work on if they ever have an issue with one of the 28 module and cheap. Did I mention both of my vehicles were made in Japan 🇯🇵?! Thanks Dr Edwards Deming And I have used RedLine synthetic oil in my drivetrains for 20 years with great results! I’m a believer in Group 5 ester synthetics.
Great advice I have a 2000 Dodge Ram van 1500 and I plan to keep it for a long time so I will do this. It's already at 200,000 miles we'll see how far it goes...
Speaking of spark plugs... Remember the Champion Splitfire spark plugs? Yeah, there was something screwy going on with those plugs. They would destroy ignition cables (spark plug wires) very quickly. A friend of mine said he was going to put them in his 96 Astro (this was in 2000). I told him they would eat his plug wires. He didn't believe me until his van developed an ignition misfire after just a few thousand miles. Yeah, I'm with Scotty on this one, for sure. Just put OE plugs in your car.
Finally someone besides myself knows oil is a hell of alot cheaper than a new engine. My 05 F-150 5.4 3 valve has 245,000+ on it original engine. I've never had to do any internal work.
2:00 I’ve had several optima batteries in my cars over the years, and they always go at least 10 years or more. One is 12 years old right now and still works. Reason is , I throw them on a float charger every few months when I’m doing some service work on the vehicle. Yes, an alternator does charge a battery but an average battery takes 20 mins of charging to recover from starting a car. And it’s also “dirty” power, it does the job but any float charger does a more thorough job and it’ll show by providing a longer battery life.
I was blown away by how much a difference changing automatic transmission fluid makes. Especially if you mix the Lucas Transmission Fix fluid with your ATF fluid.
Thanks about the antifreeze I've been a mechanic for many years, and although choice of antifreeze has been important to me, I had overlooked the electrolysis aspect of the fluid. I had observed this in my swimming pool, but not the antifreeze. Thanks!
Hi, I'm from the future, around 3019 and I was tasked with finding out why we still have a 1994 Celica driving around. We seem to have traced it back to the present age and one highly suspect individual, a Scotty Kilmer. Evidently, his statement in this video of making cars last almost forever is true. We've come here to watch his techniques and learn from such a zen master only to leave soon with a wealth of knowledge back to the future. Carry on, good earthlings, we're here, you just can't see us. Ohh… those UFO's, that's us.
Just a note. Single platinum plugs may have the same gap when checked, but the ground tab will wear on an angle. Some vehicles are going back to older plug technology due to heat range and turbochargers. Absolutely agree with even over maintaining, when it comes to fluids. Some fluids may look o.k. but like in the instance of brake fluid, you can't see water in it unless there's a lot. Same with copper, or aluminum. It's there even if you can't see it. Brake services are important too. I replace tonnes of rear calipers especially as the seize. The rear always accumulates more dirt than the fronts in cold climates, road salt, sand etc. Is a big problem in cold climates. Even in hot climates, a brake service will eliminate uneven wearing of the pads and keep everything moving freely, which will save you some money in the long run. I watched another video where you said don't bother with fuel system cleaning. True, if you always get gas from a place you trust and know. High mileage vehicles definitely benefit from a fuel system service. Not so much to clean the injectors, but it works on valves and the combustion chambers.
Actually, not driving it for long periods of time does more harm than good. I let my 03 Civic with 200k at the time sit for 3 years and when I got it running I changed all the fluids and the thing leaked like crazy because the seals dried out and cracked. A lot of the rubber bushings cracked too. Tires get flat spots, the car gets cranky when you turn the wheel before it's warmed up, it's best to drive it and take care of it. Much like people, cars need regular exercise to stay in good shape.
@benz merc It wasn't terrible because I knew how to do all the work myself, but for those who need to pay a mechanic to fix things it can get pretty ugly lol
Great video Scottie! I have a 6th one - @44 sec - keep your windshield air intake vents clean of debris! Amazing how many DIYers leave huge piles of leaves and pine needles piled up there. My cars are outside and I just make it a habit of cleaning out those areas every time I open the hood. Thanks for the video!
Merry Christmas Scotty, and great quick video for keeping a vehicle long term. About to have the 30,000 mile service done on our 6 year old Outlander Sport. Drain and fill Transmission, Radiator, Oil Change. Already put new tires on the thing so don't have to do alignment and balancing save a few bucks on that one lol. Great little crossover even if it's rather outdated, love that little car.
Adding additional engine ground wires to cooling system parts can help with the electrolysis. If you ever replace your heater core you can clamp a wire on the new one and ground it to prevent premature failure. Of course, you still have to change the coolant regularly.
TRUE!!! I had a 1994 Holiday Edition and a 1996 Saturn SL2. Sold both with well over 300k on them. The 1994 I sold had 350k and last I heard from the buyer it was still running. Oil and filter every 3000 miles. Quality oil and WIX oil filters. Never blew a motor. Oh, and change the PCV valve yearly and new hose every 2 years. Just purchased a 2006 Saturn Vue with 138k; 2.2 liter (L61 aka L850) with 5-speed manual. I plan on driving it to 500k. Previous owner(via Carfax) exceeded recommended maintenance and I will do the same.
Scotty, I feel you for got 1 last maintenance item. The timing belt and or water pump service! A lot of the newer cars are interference engines and if the timing belt breaks. Well you know what happens. I find maintaining everything you suggested and the timing belt water pump service helps vehicles last forever. I took a 1991 Camry to 483k miles. Just with maintenance. Happy New Year!
Scotty you should make a video about possibly an EMP like event from say a CME{Coronal Mass Ejection} similarly to the Carrington event of the 1890's, or from a HEMP{High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse}. You could explain what an EMP type event would do to these modern day cars with their overly complicated electronics systems. And also explain the year around 1993 when most vehicles turned into Computer aided with their "Un-shielded" PCM's and various other circuits. Also you could explain how our usa government has been warned by many scientists to shield our many subsystems from such and EMP type event. That all of our Nuclear Power plants are very dangerously unshielded and that most all of our many high tech military type weaponry also are "Un-Shielded" too. I would appreciate you input on what particular older vehicles that you think would good choices for those of us that have these type concerns, or what if anything that we could do to shield our own modern vehicles from this type EMP like event.
I’m a 54 year old female who has gotten a awesome education about what and what not to do with my car! I had to buy a car in February but i could not afford a new one. But, i have a honest mechanic that i know who got me a awesome used 2005 Honda Accord for $5,000. It has 200,000 miles on it but it drive likes its brand new. Thanks to you Scotty i did not buy one from a dealer and i got a awesome car. So thank you so much Scotty you are so right!!!!!!!!
Merry Christmas! Also, there are various ways to test the coolant, but this is the best way for checking electrolysis. This is a self sustaining electrolysis test. If you're grounded to the car while testing the coolant like others have show and you have a short somewhere, it can give a false reading for the coolant, this test only checks the coolant itself.
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Scotty I noticed you didn't mention a transmission fluid? Is there a reason for this?
Scotty, I'm just like you, I have a 07 Q7 w/150000 mi, the vr6 is a great motor, thank you for all of your EXCELLENT advise🎯
How do you dispose all your oils and old parts .. I'm from India and here the auto part store do not take used oils or coolents..how we recycle it
Merry Christmas to you and the family!!!
🌲🌲🌲
Scotty Kilmer what about the Transmission Fluid ?????
It's more important to make Scotty live forever
@DIY Self Sufficiency lmao!
I can see scotty pulling the lid off his coffin "gotta get the damn beauty cover off, stupid thing"
That's what the world needs
Why hasn’t he responded
Amen!
Always use distilled water, when flushing and refilling your radiator. Tap water contains minerals and salts, that will damage and corrode the coolant system over time.
I use coolant fluid to flush my radiator.. A cheaper brand
and what about the water
I am planning on using distilled water and prestone cleaner in mine tomorrow
I think it’s just easier to get the 50/50 mix
@@Bibleguy89-uu3nr i
Scotty, thank goodness someone like you enlightens everyone on TH-cam. Without your channel, my knowledge of cars would be minimal. Merry Christmas Scotty!
Merry Christmas!
i cant like this enough
Item #6: if you live up here in the rust belt, wash off the underside of your car completely once spring arrives and spray on an undercoating like Fluid Film before winter hits. Doing all of the first 5 things Scotty mentioned is certainly great advice, but having a perfectly running engine won't matter if the rest of the car has rotted out.
#7 move to the sunbelt....
Pittsburgh resident here. My 05 Yaris is dead because of this...engine was in great shape, but the body was completely wrecked and would have needed thousands in repairs to maybe be structurally sound enough to drive. I only had it for the last 3 years of its life, not much I could do at that point, the cancer was already there when I got it.
@@timothysullysullivan2571do not want to live boy
23 years and 518k miles on my old 96 Ranger. Scotty is right!
Impressive
WOW
Wow 😳
Decent man! Upload some videos!
I want to buy a Ford Ranger but I’ve never have had a Ford truck or car. Some people put them down as bad vehicles. Some advice please.
Smart man Scotty. I live in Australia and always, always maintain my cars well with all the things you mentioned. All my cars last 300,000km plus our Toyota avalon has 380,000km and runs like new. Always do my own work so I know it gets done and done properly. 👍
Scotty, you are so right. I have a 2003 Ford Windstar, 3.2L engine. I have over 751,000 miles on it, driving for deliveries, appointments, etc. Annually, I change plugs, coil pack, wires and coolant. I change the oil every 3-5 weeks. Never over 4000 miles without a change. The 20.00 it cost for the oil change, I never have to worry about it. Thank you so much for all the great information.
Best thing i found here in Michigan was a junk yard that sells perfectly good batteries for 35 bucks! They got shelves and shelves of batteries, sorted by size & post orientation.
You can even get a warranty for a couple bucks more.
When im buying a battery for a car with 150k+ miles, that's all i need!
After owning a Mercedes and Porsche (neither were terrible and fairly dependable), after watching your videos, I am buying a Lexus or Toyota. Additionally I will buy used - something with about 6 months and/or 6K miles left of factory warranty. I’ve noticed cars like this are about 35-50% cheaper than new. I’m going to drive these till 200K miles.
YeS Sir...chevy astro van 250k & chevy pickup 260k both 19yrs young...Maintenance is th 🔑!
@Ing. Julián Carías It probably would not feel that way to a strange driver driving it.
HEY ! ! ! this is a piece of junk !
Its like your body growing old over time , you cant really feel old age until you suddenly drop dead.
Lic Driver Circa 1968
Thanks Scotty! I do exactly what you recommend to my vehicles and today both have over 100K miles and are 10 to 12 years old. I repair what is needed and they are still running like they are supposed to. I appreciate your vLogs!
It’s Christmas and u still working! Wow ❤️ and respect!
no rest for the wicked, Merry Christmas!
I’m detailing a Hyundai myself so yep Xmas is a work day to 😂
Detailed my car today! (using a soap that was a 🎁)
@@storres9198 lucky you, i got face and body wash instead.
I had a too lean code on my car changing the spark plugs fixed it. I also want to say thank you for your advise Scotty I think you are helping a lot of people out you are a good man for what you do
Clean air filters are important as well.
Great advice. I recently changed my power steering fluid. What a difference! Lighter and smoother. Feels like a different car.
I wish Scotty was my neighbor. He would be the ultimate master for any novice mechanic. Merry Christmas from Dixie, Texas!
I think all neighbors hate him.
Hes always revs up engines and smoke tyres
@@vildisvildis They hate him until they need work done on their car.
@@scorpionwins6378 I think Scotty neighbours drive toyotas. They last forever as Kilmer said million times
Bong Toke 😂
I think the best life hack to have your car run 4Ever is to have Scotty as your Mechanic. Merry Christmas Scotty, hope you another great year and more videos. Have a good Carsmas and a happy new year.
Changed all the fluids in my cars this past summer per your recommendation. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
he's not lying with the battery thing, i have a 2002 bmw 530i the battery went to hell and it messed with and killed the alternator
That just happened to me in March. Alternator failed, battery failed. $600 to replace both (including labor since I don't know how to work on cars.)
When I brought my car to change the battery it was giving out 7 volts
Luckily nothing was damaged
The dislikes are from people who favor
car payments over common sense.
Merry Christmas Scotty!
Merry Christmas 2 years ago mate! 😂
@@kylesweeney929
Same to you... and this year too !
You know until last year I knew next to nothing about cars or maintenance but after I got (and fell in love with) my truck and it started giving me so many thousands of dollars in issues that were stupid stuff that last guy could’ve helped me avoid I ended up learning a decent bit about auto repair and maintenance.
Scotty whether you know it or not your a great role model for everyone (mechanic or not) and a great teacher
Rev up your Scotty Christmas Special!
Scotty I love how you take the piss out of Mercedes-Benz cars all the time haha I love it. My Dad is a similar age to you and also a life-long auto-mechanic and he too preaches to stay clear of any European vehicle!! Keep up the great work and God bless! Tim (New Zealand)
One thing about spark plugs. Don't look at the tip. Look at the ceramic too. The gap tip might look brand new, but if the ceramic has black scars, this means the spark has jumped which will make a misfire. As an LPG technitian, I encounter problems like that every day. LPG need good strong spark. When on petrol, the engine works perfectly fine, but when it switched to LPG/CNG, it starts to missfire and pop.
This is so spot on. I am also a master mechanic, of 32 years. Maintenance is critical. Like Scotty, I'm critical on maintenance, keeping all my vehicles fluids clean. For example I have a 1990 Toyota 4X4 4runner with 320,000 miles, super clean California vehicle I owned since 1997. I did a centered 9 1/2 inch Landcruiser differential/ rear disc brake conversion. I was curious about the condition of the original 320,000 mile wheel cylinders since I always flushed my brake system every 2 years. The wheel cylinders were in perfect shape. No pits in the bore or rust and rubber cups had no wear. Wow 320,000 miles. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance.👍
Here's something that's not a hack, but something the car needs... Regular maitenance! Don't neglect your car people, so many drive thousands of miles with leaks, bad oil, etc. Treat your car right, it'll treat you right. Merry Christmas everyone!
Thanks mister MaxSpeed, I just realized that I should've changed my black powet steering fluid 5 years ago haha
truth!!!!
@@krystal5887 lmao
@@robertkat nice!
Ummm we all want to keep our car maintained properly but to those that aren't mechanically inclined, have to take in to a shop and thus the repair bill is a lot of times to high for an avg. Joe to afford!
I'm glad you mentioned the battery. Most people are really ignorant about the importance of keeping up the battery.
I wonder if Scotty talks to his customers like he does the videos haha savage! great content! you remind me of my grandpa he is also a mechanic and worked his butt off his whole life and it paid off for him, learned tons of stuff that came handy! now I'm learning even more from your videos.
Scotty: I like your overall message. I'm an engineer, lifetime self employed, own my company, and council customers constantly about what quality and performance in mechanical systems means in the real world. Which is to say the same world their wallets live in.
Common sense, where in hell did it all go? Keep up the good work. By the way, seeing you with a Fluke 87 says volumes about you.
I had no idea about cars AT ALL before. I started watching you Scotty. Now I know about the crappy GM products and about how if you get a Subaru get a manual transmission. Thanks for all the knowledge scotty Merry Christmas from California!
the car at 5:41 looks like the 5E-FE in my Toyota and its been a great engine, change the coolant every 3-4 years with Peak and not had a failed water pump, the bypass hose did split on the back of the engine but that happened after the car was 25 years old. Change the P/S fluid every 2-years and never had a bad pump or rack and now the car has 367K on factory parts. The same with the brake fluid, change it out every 2-3 years and the master cylinder will last for years because moisture corrodes aluminum and cuts the seals, I have never replaced the clutch hydraulic parts and my car is 30 years old because new fluid has prevented a failure... Scotty is right, DIY will save you big bucks in repair costs.
This is one of the very best of Scotty’s videos. I like them all for sure, but this one is SUPER on point! Kudos Scotty! Thanks for being you!! ;)
Solid advice from the man who knows what he's talking about. Thanks Scotty.
#6 - If you live in the rust belt, undercoat your vehicle yearly to prevent rust! :)
Only scrape off spots of new rust. Scraping all of it would be a BIG job. I spray zinc on rust before applying the coating. For best result let the zinc dry in a week first.
My 09 Pontiac Vibe had 200k miles on it. Engine would randomly lose a LOT of power and shake pretty bad. Used a ODBII scanner and determined the spark plugs were bad. They're rated for 100k miles, and the car had stock plugs in it!
Replaced the plugs and ignition coils. Runs like a clock now!
What about keeping a maintenance log book on your vehicles? just like they do with airplanes. Maybe using excel....or something similar...
I use a spreadsheet for that. Good for maintenance intervals with a column for price.
I bought a small accounts journal that would fit in the glove box 24 years ago when I bought my ranger. The pages have come loose, but I still have them all. Been thinking of switching over to a check book app using the mileage of the repair as an entry number.
Use the Road Trip app
Spreadsheet? __ Nerd! __ So am I, but I had to call you on it. Mine ( spreadsheet ) has mpg, cost per mile, etc. It tells me how old ( in miles ) my brakes, oil, everything is ) I'm a nerd's nerd.
Yep I keep an Excel spreadsheet to record everything...even when the last time I ran some Lucas gas additive to clean the injectors. (For oil, all synthetic so every 5,000 miles she gets changed out.)
I am slowly learning to care for my car. I was told my transmission was low on fluid, so i added the long life antifreeze, so i am good for 5 years or 150,000. Sweet!! Thanks Scotty.
Went from about 900,000 subscribers a year ago to over 1.6 million now. Nice
I remember he had 75,000
Was talking about bad lifted trucks
Making crazy money now
The Man is irreplaceable
2.7 now
3 million now
The first gen chevy equinox spark plugs were such a pain to do. It was one of the first things I ever learned to do myself, so it took a long time to do. Glad I did it. Each spark plug was so worn that the center conductor looked like a chisel tip with no side edges...
Youve got me through some hard times glad to see you scotty. And happy new year!
I own a 1981 Chevy Scottsdale. Had it since 1993. It still has the original power steering pump and brake master cylinder in it since new! I just replaced the radiator in it last year. It has only 172,000 miles on it since new. It's a survivor. Do all of these things and they last almost forever!
Rev up your forever running Toyota !💥💥💥
Yea right no machine goes without breaking now an then. Toyota= overrated.
@@Davido50 😄😄😄
@@Davido50 Yes, they break, but they're easy to fix. My two camrys are 20 years old and run like the day they were made.
I got my 96 Accord to last me 13 years and until 318,000 miles until it finally wore out. Basic maintenance tips like these go a long way!
I bought some "wiz-bang" new-fangled spark plugs for my new Honda Civic. I went to a Honda dealer to have them installed. I waited an hour then went to the counter to pay. The service writer said "You know, these will void your engine warranty". I said, "Do you think you could have told me BEFORE you put them in?". Had them removed and drove home...
I changed oil in my S classes every 5K miles even though i only leased it ... I just feel like they are my babies ☺ so i take care of my kids very very well . now with your videos im not afraid of buying a car . thank you 🙏🙏🙏
Change fluids and filters every 3 years like the manual says. Power steering fluid is much cheaper than a rack. Brake oil is much cheaper than calipers and master cylinders. Coolent is dirt cheap. 20$ every 3 years. ATF: Synthetic + filter 100$ every 3 years. You'll get it back at the pumps. Or 5 of conventional ATF + filter 40$ probably good enough. I used to have a car, 5he oil was dirty at 2500miles and I would change it. Conventional. How much for an engine again?
I had a 2005 Toyota Corolla that I bought new. I changed the oil every 3,000 miles and it is already close to having 300,000 miles on it with not a lot of work on it. I replaced the spark plugs after 200,000 miles and comparing the electrode wear to new ones there wasn't much difference. Very reliable.
Thank you for the advice Scotty! Love the video! Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas!
Great video. Five simple general maintenance things to keep the vehicle ticking over. Have a lancer that has completed 140 000 kilometers and have been doing these items and the car runs fine in 38C days.
One more tip Scotty, DO NOT get into a car accident or collision!😉👍💯
Three things I change every 2 years, power steering fluid, engine coolant, brake fluid. Last changed summer of 2018, so next change is 2020. My wife’s van, last changed in summer of 2017, so 2019 her van is due. Transmission fluid, gear oil, transfer case is every 50,000 miles.
That picture of Birdman when he said plugs are made out of platinum 😂🤣😂🤣
thank you so much. I'm living on a 60% disabilityaward from VA. So my car has to last. My dad taught me about the clean oil and most of my cars get well over 3000,000 miles. I'll be looking to you in for advising I lost my dad. bless you for sharing.
Rev up those hacks!!! Merry Christmas Scotty!
Merry Christmas!
Ho! Ho! Ho!
I ride motorcycles but the vehicle i own is a 1988 vw citi golf carburetor version.I am from southafrica and never had an issue with it,cheap to maintain and spares are available everywhere at extremely low prices 😎✌
Scotty, I can't believe you left out Blinker Fluid!!!!!!! Merry Christmas!
both sides Right/ Left ????
Don't forget to replace your muffler bearings.
mr bad example Also changing the air in your tires at every oil change.
@@johnyoung468 Please, everyone, Remember to replace the tire gas with Nitrogen/oxygen mix every 3000 miles. It keeps the factory underhang rating in correct tolerance. I learned this it tire school.
Kcuhc I replace all my speaker wire every 100 miles so that my tires don’t go flat. So far no flats!
I'll one up you Scotty with one of your own pieces of advice! Put sealant in with that fluid to avoid leaks, especially head gaskets. Mine just blew on my 4.6 Ford and yea it took 250,000 miles for it to happen but had I known about something that was in the back of my head and turned out to actually happen before I would have done it a LONG time ago and prevented it.
But having just had to deal with it I ran upon your videos about putting sealant in. I'm letting it sit for another 24 hrs after running it through 3 heat cycles and then take it up the road. I'm literally relying on a prayer!!
Here’s another coolant tip NEVER EVER use well water in an aluminum engine. Ask me how I know.
TexasScout Noneofyourbusiness I used unfiltered well water thru a garden hose when I was flushing the coolant and enough mud ended up in the thermostat housing that I ended up removing a hand full of it and used 50/50 coolant thereafter. Lesson learned 😅
loud Ring mine was in a 1981 Honda Accord. When I took the head off, it looked like someone with a die grinder eat half the aluminum.
TexasScout Noneofyourbusiness damn. I'm glad mines was cast iron block otherwise I would've been in the same situation.
Thanks, I will be sure to use distilled water now!
Well water in an automobile. That makes me feel better about some of the dumb stuff I’ve done...
I have a Honda Del sol with over 320,000 miles and same deal. I have to put 1/2 Quart in every 3,000 miles just before I do the oil change. Car Runs Strong!!
John Lennon is alive & well. Knows a lot about fixing cars.
Love ur show 👍
Merry Christmas Scotty ! Frequent oil changes has gotten my 1997 Ford truck to 347,000 miles but never thought about the old coolant ! I’ll change that this week. Thank you from NJ and have a great New Year too.
I know you talk a lot about how bad auto transmissions are but if change the fluid regularly and filter you can make one last a long time. I have a 1997 Ram 1500 with a 360 V8 with an auto transmission and it has 260,497 miles on it so far with the original engine and transmission and it's still going strong. But I keep the fluids changed regularly and I don't let any of the fluids get too low either, I check all the fluids regularly and top them off when needed, so if you take care of something like a car or truck it will last for a long time. But if you don't take care of whatever, then it won't last anytime. Anyways it's all about how you treat the things you have on how long it will last. Not the car or truck's fault if you don't take care of it. Plus they are machines no matter the make or model and every machine needs maintenance to keep them going, so take care of it and most the time it will take care of you.
Ditto. But I found that checking ATF level was counterintuitive to most fluids in the car due to having it checked while the car was running. Otherwise ATF would end up being low and one would eventually be f'ed. This is not to mention "lifetime" fluids or AT's without a dipstick. I feel like manufacturers are just f'ing with consumers so they have to choose between buying a new transmission or a new car.
And seriously if that dodge transmission can last like that most should. That was a prime example because the 46 series transmissions are notorious for going out. Do you use Chrysler transmission fluid?
Also I have two external trans coolers on my truck, I think that's where the problem is, the trans gets too hot a that's why they go out. No matter if the trans fluid is new or in good shape, if it gets too hot it will break down and that's not good. So if you want your auto transmission to last along time, with regular fluid and filter changes you need to put a external trans cooler on it too. Anyways with that you can get a lot of miles out of them.
I found in my experience with the Dodge trucks that by adding a large transmission cooler, and keeping the filter and fluid changed with ATF+4 (it's superior to ATF+3 and backwards compatible) will make them last quite a bit longer. Do not use Mercon, Type F, or Dextron type fluids. These will SERIOUSLY mess your transmission up.
I always use ATF+4 in the trans in my truck and the trans cooler really does work. Like I said my truck has 260,526 miles on it so far and knock on wood it's still going strong. Right now though I need new tires one or two of the tired on my truck has a broken belt and it will bump you out of it, so I can't drive it much until I get some new tires on it. Going to see how many miles I can get out of it until it tears up and I can't fix it. The only thing that concerns me now is the timing chain because it still has the original timing chain and it's got over 260,000 miles on it and who knows when that might go out but hoping not until warmer weather gets here. Anyways I'll drive it until I can't no more and hoping that's a few more thousands of miles.
Scotty, Thanks for another great video ! I really appreciate the coolant test. Really simple way to check it out. I maintain a lot of cars for friends and family. Mostly Toyota's. My friend has a 2004 Matrix with 291,000 miles on it. It's been super reliable. It's a fwd base model with a 5 speed. She bought it a year and a half ago for $900.00 Only things I've needed to do are a clutch, brakes, and one weird electrical issue. The AM2 Fuse blew occasionally in the same spot on the same road when it was really cold outside. Ended up being a short in the fuse box. But took me a while to Diag. Sometimes the EWD's in TIS have links that don't work. So it takes a while to find the right page. Wish I had a paper one. Anyway, Thanks for all the great content, and keep up the good work !
Several years ago I took a turkey baster and sucked my brake fluid reservoir almost empty and refilled it with fresh brake fluid... I was so proud of myself that I posted on an internet forum what I did... It started a big debate it I wasted my time as the new brake fluid would never work it way down the brake lines... I don't know if it helped or not, but it didn't cost me much...
It's better than not having done anything. You definitely got rid of some water. And fluid always ends up mixing itself. Even during a normal oil change in a car you can't remove 5-10% of the old oil.
If you bleed the fluid from the calipers and/or wheel cylinders you'd be amazed how black the fluid gets, so that's the way to properly do it. When the fluid gets clear you tighten the bleed valve for that wheel. When you press the brake pedal, the fluid only moves a little bit and then back. Eventually the fluid drops as the pads wear and the pistons move out of the calipers some. When you do a brake job the caliper pistons must be pushed back to allow for thick new pads and you may have to take fluid out of the reservoir to allow for this.
@@gmzx3 I got a brake job done last summer. Is replacing the brake fluid while it's being done standard or something that is performed at an extra cost on request?
I will be taking my vehicle in for coolant and a/t change service at another shop and was wondering if I should include that.
A brake job is typically the replacement of the pads or shoes (if used on back wheels) and associated hardware. Sometimes the rotors or drums are resurface or replaced if worn, warped or corroded. Flushing brake fluid is not usually part of the brake job. If certain components such as a caliper, wheel cylinder, brake line/hose, master cylinder...parts that are part of the hydraulic system and require air to be bled out when replaced, new fluid will be added as air and old, fluid are displaced. You can have fluid replaced any time...I'd guess about $150.
@@gmzx3 That is great info to work with. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply in detail. 😊
I bet my hubby knows all of these tips.. he's a damn good mechanic! He just replaced my fluids in my almost 19 year old car! Love it!
Thanks for the video! Great tips for me! I'm learning! 😉
Merry Christmas mr Kilmer thanks for the vids
Merry Christmas!
I never had any idea about importance and many effects of the battery on your car. Scott save us money, time and stress.
"If you wana keep it forever..."
Thats my kind of mentality.
Airfilter change too. It's good to change it when it's dirty or around 15K miles which ever comes first.
Buy a 90's Camry, Corolla, ES 300, or most Toyota and Lexus from the golden age of Japanese, when Engineering for Durability
I have a 2009 Camry with 289k running strong origanl owner only things IV changed was the radiator and starter ND regualr mateness
The Gribble Report Honestly great advice. I work on cars and have a second gen Prius for a commuter and a very low mile 2008 limited 4Runner w/ 4.7 V8. Probably one of the most reliable SUV’s Toyota ever built. The Prius might not win any races, but it’s one of the most reliable cars on the road. Many in taxi service see 500,000 miles. The hybrid packs are easy to work on if they ever have an issue with one of the 28 module and cheap. Did I mention both of my vehicles were made in Japan 🇯🇵?! Thanks Dr Edwards Deming
And I have used RedLine synthetic oil in my drivetrains for 20 years with great results! I’m a believer in Group 5 ester synthetics.
Great advice I have a 2000 Dodge Ram van 1500 and I plan to keep it for a long time so I will do this. It's already at 200,000 miles we'll see how far it goes...
If lube shops played these videos in lobbies, sales would inc
Those shops depend on scamming people
Actually the truth would come out and people might need less repairs
Preforming proper and regular PM is a must. Thanks Scott
Legends say if you comment early, Scotty will reply!
Hi scott!!
hello and Merry Christmas!
@@scottykilmer Merry xmas!
@@scottykilmer I overheard a couple of truckers say that 50/50 coolant was a ripoff and an abomination. What say you?
I don't understand why some people press the dislike button. His videos are very educational and correct.
#6. Don't let the wife or teenage kid drive it.
this an old wives tale
Wife will send it to the scrappy
@@eliram962 No she won't
+B A Why?
@@reallyhappenings5597 No they don't
Speaking of spark plugs... Remember the Champion Splitfire spark plugs? Yeah, there was something screwy going on with those plugs. They would destroy ignition cables (spark plug wires) very quickly. A friend of mine said he was going to put them in his 96 Astro (this was in 2000). I told him they would eat his plug wires. He didn't believe me until his van developed an ignition misfire after just a few thousand miles. Yeah, I'm with Scotty on this one, for sure. Just put OE plugs in your car.
MERRRRY CHRYSLER!!! I MEAN CHRISTMAS!!!
Wingo !!!! "I change my oil every 3000 miles or when i get bored whichever comes first" - Hank Hill circa 1998
Cool
Hey Rusty Shackleford
The Gribble Report WINGO!!!
Marlon Hendry 👍
Finally someone besides myself knows oil is a hell of alot cheaper than a new engine. My 05 F-150 5.4 3 valve has 245,000+ on it original engine. I've never had to do any internal work.
Morning Scotty & Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
2:00
I’ve had several optima batteries in my cars over the years, and they always go at least 10 years or more.
One is 12 years old right now and still works.
Reason is , I throw them on a float charger every few months when I’m doing some service work on the vehicle.
Yes, an alternator does charge a battery but an average battery takes 20 mins of charging to recover from starting a car.
And it’s also “dirty” power, it does the job but any float charger does a more thorough job and it’ll show by providing a longer battery life.
Working on Christmas Merry Christmas scotty
Merry Christmas!
Coca pelli
I was blown away by how much a difference changing automatic transmission fluid makes. Especially if you mix the Lucas Transmission Fix fluid with your ATF fluid.
Food for thought: Leave the plugs in excessive interval they can seize and possibly break when attempting to remove.
Holy cr*p, mine have 160,000 miles on them. Should I spray some penetrating oil on the before trying to remove ?
Thanks about the antifreeze I've been a mechanic for many years, and although choice of antifreeze has been important to me, I had overlooked the electrolysis aspect of the fluid. I had observed this in my swimming pool, but not the antifreeze. Thanks!
Hi, I'm from the future, around 3019 and I was tasked with finding out why we still have a 1994 Celica driving around. We seem to have traced it back to the present age and one highly suspect individual, a Scotty Kilmer. Evidently, his statement in this video of making cars last almost forever is true. We've come here to watch his techniques and learn from such a zen master only to leave soon with a wealth of knowledge back to the future. Carry on, good earthlings, we're here, you just can't see us. Ohh… those UFO's, that's us.
Just a note. Single platinum plugs may have the same gap when checked, but the ground tab will wear on an angle. Some vehicles are going back to older plug technology due to heat range and turbochargers. Absolutely agree with even over maintaining, when it comes to fluids. Some fluids may look o.k. but like in the instance of brake fluid, you can't see water in it unless there's a lot. Same with copper, or aluminum. It's there even if you can't see it. Brake services are important too. I replace tonnes of rear calipers especially as the seize. The rear always accumulates more dirt than the fronts in cold climates, road salt, sand etc. Is a big problem in cold climates. Even in hot climates, a brake service will eliminate uneven wearing of the pads and keep everything moving freely, which will save you some money in the long run. I watched another video where you said don't bother with fuel system cleaning. True, if you always get gas from a place you trust and know. High mileage vehicles definitely benefit from a fuel system service. Not so much to clean the injectors, but it works on valves and the combustion chambers.
Merry Christmas Scotty!
Merry Christmas!
Thanks my Tennessee neighbor!!! Hoping you're loving life here. Compared to what's going on in other states right now I know I'm glad to call it home.
I thought not driving it at all will be number 1
Actually, not driving it for long periods of time does more harm than good. I let my 03 Civic with 200k at the time sit for 3 years and when I got it running I changed all the fluids and the thing leaked like crazy because the seals dried out and cracked. A lot of the rubber bushings cracked too. Tires get flat spots, the car gets cranky when you turn the wheel before it's warmed up, it's best to drive it and take care of it. Much like people, cars need regular exercise to stay in good shape.
@benz merc It wasn't terrible because I knew how to do all the work myself, but for those who need to pay a mechanic to fix things it can get pretty ugly lol
Cars need to be driven
xX squeaker Xx you don't use it you lose it. The exhaust system gets holes and oil breaks down etc
That's one of worst things too do car is let it sit that will kill a car be ready too spend money on it big money
Great video Scottie! I have a 6th one - @44 sec - keep your windshield air intake vents clean of debris! Amazing how many DIYers leave huge piles of leaves and pine needles piled up there. My cars are outside and I just make it a habit of cleaning out those areas every time I open the hood. Thanks for the video!
I like this guys video's. 👍
Merry Christmas Scotty, and great quick video for keeping a vehicle long term. About to have the 30,000 mile service done on our 6 year old Outlander Sport. Drain and fill Transmission, Radiator, Oil Change. Already put new tires on the thing so don't have to do alignment and balancing save a few bucks on that one lol. Great little crossover even if it's rather outdated, love that little car.
rev up your celica '94 😎
Adding additional engine ground wires to cooling system parts can help with the electrolysis. If you ever replace your heater core you can clamp a wire on the new one and ground it to prevent premature failure. Of course, you still have to change the coolant regularly.
As I tell my customers. I have never heard of an engine lock up because it had too many oil changes.
TRUE!!! I had a 1994 Holiday Edition and a 1996 Saturn SL2. Sold both with well over 300k on them. The 1994 I sold had 350k and last I heard from the buyer it was still running. Oil and filter every 3000 miles. Quality oil and WIX oil filters. Never blew a motor.
Oh, and change the PCV valve yearly and new hose every 2 years.
Just purchased a 2006 Saturn Vue with 138k; 2.2 liter (L61 aka L850) with 5-speed manual. I plan on driving it to 500k. Previous owner(via Carfax) exceeded recommended maintenance and I will do the same.
Scotty,
I feel you for got 1 last maintenance item. The timing belt and or water pump service! A lot of the newer cars are interference engines and if the timing belt breaks. Well you know what happens. I find maintaining everything you suggested and the timing belt water pump service helps vehicles last forever. I took a 1991 Camry to 483k miles. Just with maintenance. Happy New Year!
Scotty you should make a video about possibly an EMP like event from say a CME{Coronal Mass Ejection} similarly to the Carrington event of the 1890's, or from a HEMP{High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse}. You could explain what an EMP type event would do to these modern day cars with their overly complicated electronics systems. And also explain the year around 1993 when most vehicles turned into Computer aided with their "Un-shielded" PCM's and various other circuits. Also you could explain how our usa government has been warned by many scientists to shield our many subsystems from such and EMP type event. That all of our Nuclear Power plants are very dangerously unshielded and that most all of our many high tech military type weaponry also are "Un-Shielded" too. I would appreciate you input on what particular older vehicles that you think would good choices for those of us that have these type concerns, or what if anything that we could do to shield our own modern vehicles from this type EMP like event.
I’m a 54 year old female who has gotten a awesome education about what and what not to do with my car!
I had to buy a car in February but i could not afford a new one. But, i have a honest mechanic that i know who got me a awesome used 2005 Honda Accord for $5,000. It has 200,000 miles on it but it drive likes its brand new. Thanks to you Scotty i did not buy one from a dealer and i got a awesome car.
So thank you so much Scotty you are so right!!!!!!!!