Unbelievable... I admit I am NOT a professional mechanic, yes I have been working on vehicles and engines since before I was of legal age to drive. Personally I learned the basics through books I would get on loan from my local library, yes I am old... We are spoiled by the knowledge that is available online today, trouble is for the most part that is being shared by people with years and often decades of experience, they are assuming that you have a basic level of mechanical and electronic aptitude. Some people simply don't have the skill set the task requires and they shouldn't (at least unassisted) ever tackle projects like this. This is not intended as a snub or insult, we are all unique individuals with our own strengths and weaknesses. I do get that people have the desire to fix it themselves but a education costs time and money, can you really afford to get this wrong? If it's above your abilities, stop while your ahead as it's going to be cheaper in the long run for you to get someone who has experience with these kind of problems. All this being said do your due diligence, there are some good dealerships but my personal experience has shown most independent shops will serve you better, they want you to leave happy and create an environment where you will want to return along with recommending them to your friends and family. Thanks for sharing and being bluntly honest, everyone needs a reminder from time to time to keep us humble. Stay awesome!
Wow, thanks a lot! I truly mean no disrespect towards those who want the satisfaction of doing a repair. My issue comes in , as you said, when the lack of ability causes bigger problems. Usually these are the ones who tell us half the story or change it to save face. People have a hard time understanding that not everyone can do everything...A wise man once said, "A man's got to know his limitations". :-) Thank you so much for joining us.
I'm also old . The part that bothers me most about those that get a thimble full of information on a topic . The accurate self evaluation for these people to have is , now I'm better educated to ask more specific or detailed questions from experienced people . These people aren't in that state of mind ; they feel like they are in a position to make statements . Bothers me . And let's face it if you're not in the business practicing and using the information ; all you really are is a conversationalist parroting that thimble full of information. Before the web I called them article readers . Now there forum surfers . That job on that 4.3 could have been diagnosed with the story ; if the story was told completely. It took detective work to find the cap etc the tune up work . The customer held back that information. Probably due to ego or arrogance . If the guy said : I put intake gaskets in,cap, rotor, plugs and since it hasn't been right. Techs with our experience would have gone to the problem in 10 -20 minutes . They never tell the complete story
People scoff and belittle me when I say I don't know. Funny thing is those same people are the type of people who seek me out when they've messed up their computers, electronics and yes vehicles. Had a fun head scratcher last week, 2007 Ford escape 3.0 that went to the dealer and left with a new catalytic converter. Now I suspect the converter was truly bad but in the process they striped out the front o2 sensor, oops. So they installed a universal o2 sensor to replace the damaged unit. (and galled it up as well) Vehicle comes back with o2 codes, computer is cranking the fuel mix rich and lean which to the average person might lead them to believe that the computer is bad. Reading into the strategy documents from Ford I find this is actually the computers way of testing the leading o2 sensors. Any guesses? When the mechanic replaced the convertor they reversed the front and rear o2 sensors in the pipe, the sensors plugs were swapped from front to rear made possible because of the usage of the universal o2 sensor. The computer was commanding that bank rich and lean repeatedly to verify that the front (now rear) sensor was functional. Reversing (and replacing the defective) o2 sensor(s) and it's running like a top again. For a point of reference I work in the electronic assembly industry, my primary job is programming and troubleshooting devices and circuit boards. Our purchasing agent does the actual physical repairs. Simply put know your limits, I wouldn't ever perform a surgery, that's not my area of expertise, neither would you want a surgeon diagnosing and repairing your vehicle or computer. Everyone is unique in their own personalities and abilities and we are all the better for those distinct differences, in my opinion.
@@toddsonic people scoff and belittle you because of two reasons ; they want to Foster an uncertainty in you . Or the opposite and trying to bait you into getting involved in there problem .
Or they want to feel better about themselves and by running someone else down they feel that they are better than that person. Fine if you believe that fix (or pay to fix) your own stuff, I have better things to do with my life than boosting their egos. If you are honest and humble towards me I will do my best to help you out, treat me like garbage and I will direct you elsewhere post haste.
MY FRIEND, YOU DO NOT NEED TO JUSTIFY ANYTHING TO ANYONE it's YOUR WORK AND ITS YOUR CHANNEL. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK JOE LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
That's the point ppl b*ch about everything. Either they want their car fixed right the first time OR load the Cannon!!! I tell you what go to orielly get it codes read and 50 % of the time depending on your location they will sell you $200 worth of stuff you don't need
It amazes me on forums and discussion groups the amount of times people say; "i have this problem xyz so it must be the ECU" They are working the problem backwards picking the most expensive, and normally reliable part rather than starting from the beginning going down the line.
Just for the record, the parts stores in my area, their markup is higher than the markup at the shop I work for. So customers get a better deal going through us.
I have an old BMW I like to work on. I try to understand systems, do plenty of reading, then attempt repairs. It's an interesting hobby, and very satisfying when a repair can be completed successfully. But I'm no rush to fix anything, because it's a hobby vehicle. I find that DIY mistakes are minimized when you don't rush through the process. If you're DIY-ing your daily driver and need to get to work tomorrow morning, you might cut corners, and that's when you need Joe to fix your mess. Our primary vehicle is an Odyssey and I only do engine oil/ATF changes on it, filters, seasonal tire change, simple stuff. For the real repairs I have a shop take care of it, because as a DIY-er I know my limits! I did have to reinstall a crooked intake boot after our mechanical repaired our starter. But for the most part his professional service is first rate and well worth the money, part markup and everything.
Brother, I have nothing but respect for anyone who wants to work on a car, but you nailed it. You cannot expect to do what we do on a daily basis and be proficient at it in the same way. It's just not plausible. This is a profession for a reason, not everyone can do it.
Hello mate ,I've been a mechanic ( self employed) for 30 years and your work ethic and process of elimination is second to none keep up the videos . Mike the mechanic UK.
Unbelievable that people would accuse to being dishonest. You are a straight shooter and down right truthful. I do work on my own car, but anything major I always take it to my mechanic and pay him the Diag to double check the work. You can not underestimate the importance of a good Auto technician. Don’t let the haters pull you down. Keep rocking man.
As soon as I saw this title I knew where this video was going. Lol You do solid work. Always have. The Bronco is running solid lol. Keyboard warriors... gotta love it. I fully understand trying to do my own work.. making it worse and paying more for the extra damage I did. Basic business... there's a mark up for everything at every level.
Mr. Joe, Brother, you don't have (need) to defend yourself when you're not guilty of anything. Again, there is always an exception to every rule. Not all shops are robbing customers. However, many out there are scamming people. Your ethical works will speak louder for you without saying anything. Every body is entitled to their own opinion. Keep up the good work and you'll be all right.
It's good to keep in mind the inherent bias in sampling: when you're an honest mechanic then most of your experience with car repairs involve an honest mechanic. That's not reflecting the average repair accurately. Similarly, customers who would never try to scam someone have trouble understanding how often a mechanic encounters scammers. (I'll be honest, I never considered that until just now.) When people accuse mechanics in general it's not a personal attack. After all, most of them don't know you personally. They're responding to Schroedinger's mechanic: some probability of being crooked and you won't know til it's gone badly. It makes sense to worry more about detecting the crooks than about falsely accusing the honest.
I started fixing stuff on my own cars over twenty years ago. Back then i started with changing the headlights and swapping out the electrical connections to them. I was learning an electrical job back then,so i had a bit of knowledge in that area already,otherwise i wouldn't have attempted that kind of repair. The height adjustment of the headlights themselves (not the physical position in the car) was done in a shop with the proper tools needed,so i wasn't blinding drivers coming towards me. So i started out with easy,basic fixes,that werent hard and straightforward to do. Later i got my hands on the original manufacturers repair manuals for my car and went from there. First again with the easier fixes,that were selfexplanatory with basic mechanical knowledge you'd learn even for an electrical job and it went from there. I still know,what not to do and get my car fixed in a shop,when i don't have the knowledge,ability and tools to do it myself,because the car needs to run,i can't having it sitting in front of the house,undrivable. So i have to have the mindset to stop before its too late. Saved me a lot of money but saved me from being a stupid idiot as well. Butthe guy owningthis car n your video......he shouldn't go that deep into his own car and attempt to fix it......lining up a gasket is not that hard,but you need to make absolutely sure you're placing it correctly. And that is,where he absolutely failed. Checking again,if he did it right. Someone like that will NEVER tell you,he messed up.....i'm just happy there still are proper mechanics out there,that find the problems instead of just swapping parts and in turn maybe messing them up too. And if you make a mistake,it's just human. Like you said,nobody knows everything and we always learn. Keep up the good work!
There is a fine line between what I am able to repair myself and when I end up needing professional help. I've gotten better at dealing with things myself; but not by that much. People don't understand when watching this video that those gaskets probably might not cost that much but first carefully figuring what's wrong then disassembling everything necessary to get that is A LOT of work. I'm getting one of those same codes now in the 5.4 Ford Triton that gets me to work. It's saying P0300 cylinder chamber #1 misfire. Last time it happened well over a year ago I thought I was cute and put ACCEL brand coil to replace which worked at first but then went bad. Everyone including this channel says the OEM Ford blue oval parts are really the only way to go. And I ended up learning the hard way. Some mechanics are good and others aren't, you seem like you've got a really serious shop. keep up the good work. PLEASE do not stop making the videos.
Nice thing on those is you can use an amp clamp and scope the coils all at once, while using a second channel to sync a cylinder. See which one is faulty pretty quick. Providing, of course, that it is a failing coil and not an injector, vacuum leak, mechanical issue, etc...
I paid $800 or so for my lower intake manifold gasket repair on my 03 impala (yup, dexcool!). That included the fixed doorman plenum for the EGR issue, draining and filling coolant, synthetic oil change, but they didn't use the updated metal gaskets. So I have to go in there and do the repair myself, there is a leak around the 2 flat areas where you are supposed to put enough RTV. Or the manifold could be warped. 😐He also put permatex around the injectors so I gotta get all that out with a pick. 😑😥
@@JoesAutoElectric he must have figured it will never be done again for the life of the car and the customer will junk it so I'll just put permatex around the injectors so they don't leak (instead of replacing the O-rings like you are supposed to, damn kit comes with new O-rings anyway). I don't know for sure if he did or didn't replace the O-rings but why else put peramatex around the injectors. This is why I try to do the work myself as often as possible instead of going to a mechanic. At the time (2008) I didn't feel comfortable messing with the fuel rail and going that deep in the engine.
Businesses get parts about 30%(average discount) less than retail. I was a parts guy at the largest Chevy dealer in CT. I was a reciever/stocker after being a delivery driver for a year. If you buy a part at the counter, you'd get the same price that the repair place charges you. Just find out the retail price first and you'll know if you're getting ripped off on parts.
I agree. I used to work for a major auto chain in NJ. If we didn't have the parts in house, we'd call up our local supplier, depending on the type of part & vehicle, would get our wholesale price, which would be marked back up by a % that usually brought it close to the supplier's retail price if the customer had bought it over the counter from them. We'd then calculate our book labor on the job and call the customer with the complete estimate on the job. Where it gets dicey is when a shop charges 100% markup on a readily available part from a known retailer, such as Advance Auto, and does the work without providing an estimate, only notifying the customer of the price AFTER the job is done, stating "I thought you wanted it done". NJ law begs to differ, and it's people that pull that kind of stuff on trusting individuals that make them mistrust all good techs. that don't need to pull hijinks to make a decent living doing what they love to do. Of course that crooked shop hopes you don't know the law, won't show you parts replaced because "the recycler just picked up your rotors" and knows full well that they're required to contact you with an estimate BEFORE any actual repair work is done, unless you've already supplied them with a limit, as in "if the work's below $300, fix it, above that, call me". Obviously, if the work isn't approved, or the person then decides they want to tackle the job (cough, cough) then the shop is entitled to its standard diagnostic fee for that type job. That said, the mechanics lien law in NJ is very strong in order to help protect shops from non-paying customers of course that also has the check and balance of the law of providing a proper estimate in order to protect the consumer. Great work Joe! After checking out this video, you put beaucoup effort into this diagnosis and repair. I just figured I'd also help clarify some things for the haters out there who have no idea of how the system works in a well run shop.
Good video Joe. And YES you have to fix problems you find as you go or you can't continue to diagnose. Just went through that with Honda I bought! Keep the videos coming. Would be interested in post repair video.
I work on my own vehicles but I have two of them....I make amateur mistakes alllll the time, but I figure out how to fix them even if it means my car is up on jack stands for a month or longer. Most recently I over-torqued an inner tie rod and it completely torn out all the seals in my steering rack. Got a rebuilt rack and got some advice from a shop I trust and I replaced it (although it literally took me weeks of working on it a few hours at a time). But I agree, if someone isnt willing to risk making mistakes, or isnt willing to fix their mistakes, they just shouldn't work on their cars.
I have a Dakota in my shop now with a bad intake gasket. 5 bolts were broke off in the heads and then I get the job imagine that? I've been doing this 25 years and watch very few people on here so you are doing it right for me to still be here. Keep the videos coming.
That is a great compliment brother. Thank you for that. I may not be the best, but I can tell you this much...I will always call it as I see it. And you got to love those jobs lol
I agree if you don't know what you are doing keep your hands off. I am not an Automotive tech. I am computer/network engineer. I am blessed that Dad and I worked on cars. when they were points and plugs. I have the proper tools and knowledge to look at the computer and wiring side and mechanical side of today's cars.Plus awesome guys like you Eric O Keith and Ivan putting out great video. If you don't have the above and the willingness to learn and not just throw parts at the car. Leave it to the pro's like you and the guys mentioned above. Also don't be afraid to ask for help when you need to.
Hello Joe , You seem like a very nice guy. Honest , truthful, hard working and all that. These are just machines. Please try not to get too stressed out . Love watching you.
Thought I'd throw this out to you Joe. You was working with the distributor on this 4.3 vortec. One thing I found on the last one I was working on. The plate that the rotor, screws onto, was actually loose. You could grab the rotor and turn it back and forth a little, so I swapped out the distributor.
I, Non mechanic, started doing some DIY a few years ago to keep a second beater car on the road. I learned a lot, and it wasnt technical in that i needed no scanners or specialty equipment. Front end shocks, brakes, control arms, etc.. What a learning curve! Just learning what bolts can be muscled vs which ones dont, the best order of removing things, and what other things to repair "since your removing this, might as well do that". Working stuck bolts without breaking them, lol. And, i had YT and 20 yrs worth of videos and forums for my specific car. I can imagine what goes through a mechanics head when someone drops their car off and says fix Z, because someone they know had the same car and the same issue and "it fixed their car", when the mechanic is seeing X and Y as more immediate issues. Ppl have no problem dropping cash on things they dont need. They'll ignore car repairs like the dentist and then throw a fit when the bill comes, specifically for older cars. In 2020, a cursory search will give any laymen that can read, an idea of what their older car's issues are. Mechanics already know about the GM intake manifold gaskets, or the Chrysler sludge, (see what i did, and im not a mechanic, just loose research ive done on potential used car purchases), yet a bill for car repair makes some feel slighted. If i take my paid off car in and the bill is $1000, and i think the car will go on for 6 months, then i win, imo. And this is advice id share with anyone driving older vehicles. And , for the record, that $1000 repair kept the car going much longer than 6 months. Ive been seeing YT-ers catering to trolls by rationalizing their income, from YT or otherwise. Ppl are allowed to make money, Its America. In America, one isnt forced to go to one shop for their needs or watch 1 channel. They can choose to go anywhere they please. Wall mart marks up their .10 cent china junk 5000%, and ppl flock there like an oasis in the sand. A markup on parts is "part of the business". Mechanics are skilled workers with a vast knowledge on a variety of models and manufacturers, and the nuances of said models. The overhead of a shop space and the utilities merit this. Tools! Broken tools! And then theres the special tool for "car model H" to remove brakes, but only on years 02-10, then you need a new one. Replacing a broken air compressor? Ya, ive looked and the good ones arent cheap! Toolboxes where the drawers dont fall out! Cans and cans of Brake Kleen, PB Blaster, etc.. Tubes of grease! There's all kinds of hidden costs to operating a repair shop. You, or any other , doesnt need to rationalize their necessity to make money. We all need to eat! There's no shame in honest work. Whew! Had to vent a little, in the defense of yourself and against the trolls!! There's more "quiet ones", like me, watching and DIY-ing old beaters to save a few bucks and learn something than there are of "Snarky trolls". Keep doing what youre doing and know youre appreciated. Ignore the trolls! Peace
Unfortunately, people will always look for an angle. I’ve worked on my own vehicles when I can manage the repairs and not get over my head. For the more technical or difficult repairs, I go to a professional. Thanks for your work.
I got a 02 Neon I may get to look at soon. It's had a full parts cannon fired. Coil Pack, Plugs, Fuel Pump, Fuel Injectors, 02 Sensor. I took a quick look. As soon as it enters closed loop the up stream O2 Sensor sticks rich at 1.2 Total Fuel trim goes -50 while it's still at 1.2v and it start running rough and popping through the intake. Eventually it throws a code for 02 sensor stuck rich and goes back to open loop and Idles great. Then on test drive it cuts out during acceleration. To the point where it will die and has to be restarted. It will be a fun one if they bring it over.
I had an intermittently sticking EVAP Purge Solenoid on an old GM V6 that I own . Once I found it , I plugged off the hoses and drove it for a week to verify . You can easily plug the hoses and remove it as a possible problem.
People are always brave behind a keyboard aren't they? I like what Mike (flatratemaster) said about parts. "You don't go to a restaurant with your own steak and ask them to cook it". That was a great find Joe.
I totally understand, exactly what you were talking about. I used to be a shop owner. I don't work on people's cars anymore. After 25 years in the business, no more. I would rather live in poverty, then deal with another customer. However, I still feel obligated to help them. So I have some tips for the do-it-yourselfer. To help them, help you, help their car. Before we had computers, we had our five senses. Look listen feel smell and touch. If something looks wrong, it probably is. Take a picture of what you're doing, before you start. This will give you a point of reference when you put things back together. If that looks wrong, it probably is wrong. Listen for anything that sounds abnormal. Whistling, grinding, misaligned components. Squeaking. If it sounds wrong, it probably is. Any type of moisture in areas, were you don't think it should be, is probably a good sign that you have a problem. Spark plug covered in oil, you probably have a valve cover leak. And injector that is wet, probably has an old ring that is baked, allowing gasoline to pass by. Don't be afraid to get a little dirty. Getting a sample of the moisture on your finger, or dry rag, and smell that moisture. Does it smell like gas? Does it not have an odor at all? Transmission fluid will have an unpleasant odor, when it is burnt. Overworking your transmission, will burn the fluid. Spark plugs ... yes, they come pre gapped. But do they come pre gapped for your car? Many vehicles may use the same spark plug, but often there Gap is different from vehicle to vehicle. Always... Always... Always, check the spark plug gap before you put it in. Nuts and Bolts... I cannot believe how many people I have met, but do not have the ability to properly align the first thread. Stripping out Nuts and Bolts will cause a lot of damage. If you turn the bolt backwards, you will hear it click when the first thread is aligned. This is especially important in areas that are difficult to get at, or when you are using fine thread screws. Making sure those first threads are aligned, is very important. Vacuum lines and rubber hoses deteriorate. Nothing lasts forever. Especially, rubber. Some fluids are extremely corrosive 2 rubber. Power steering fluid for example, will rot out any rubber it touches. Cleaning up spilled under the hood is extremely important. Most of the rubber components in vehicle, such as tubes and hoses, will rot from the inside out. Visual inspection is not enough in these cases. Give it a little squeeze, does it collapse under your fingers? Replace it if it does. brake hoses, should not collapse at all. I have often told my customers, that they should be experts on their own cars. and often, they will take them from technician to technician, looking for someone who can fix them... Not their car. When they do that, a lot of information gets lost. Information that we need, to do our job. keep all of your information on the work that you have had done, with your vehicle. Right near the owner's manual. speaking of the owners manual... It doesn't hurt take that thing out and read it every once in awhile. pay attention to the types of fluid you're supposed to put in the car. some power steering systems take transmission fluid, not power steering fluid. the guy at the parts store, is going to sell you power steering fluid. Because that's what you asked for. may not be what you need... But that is what you will get. Check the owner's manual. Usually under capacities and specifications. it has been many times in my career that the customer has said to me, I don't have a lot of money... Can you please take it easy on me? at which time I tell them ... my bill, is not based on whether or not you can afford something, or whether or not I like you. I am billing you for a set of procedures, that are based on the tenth of the hour. And the part needed to solve the problem. at a cost, I can't control. in order for me, to give you a deal, I'm going to have to cut something out of the procedure ... what part would you like it to be? Parts prices... This is where we get, hosed on both sides. technically, the only parts that are truly worked for your vehicle, are the OEM standard. Ford Motorcraft, AC Delco... These parts are designed to work for your vehicle. O'Reilly's Auto Zone ... so on and so forth... These are the largest importer of Chinese Goods in North America. Everybody wants OEM quality, at aftermarket prices. However, the technician does not build the parts. We don't know what quality you're getting. We don't even know, if we bought a good part from the aftermarket retailers. Because most of those manufacturers have an acceptable failure rate. It is not uncommon to purchase these parts from the aftermarket retailers, and have them be bad, right out of the box. unless you're using OEM Quality Parts. In which case, the manufacturer has gone through Great Lengths to make sure, their original equipment part, is going to be the right fit for your car. and it makes absolutely no mathematical sense for us, to charge you for two alternators, when you only need one. If we charge you for two alternators, that means that we, have to put the other one on the Shelf. And that's where it's going to sit until either you, or another vehicle just like yours, comes through the door. the standard is okay if we're working on a 2017 Honda Civic. But not so okay if we're working on a 1985 Chevy citation. ain't nobody seen in 85 Chevy citation, since 1986. I can't rightly have an alternator or an oil filter on the shelf for that vehicle, if we're never going to see it again. prophet in the automotive repair industry comes from our ability to diagnose and repair vehicles. the business structure for an auto repair shop, is not the same as Target or Walmart. They can afford to have items sitting on the shelf for long periods of time. We can't. we have to get your car in, fix it, and get it delivered to you in a timely fashion. if we want to make money. your vehicle, sitting in our stalls, does not generate income for us. It provides you great, indoor storage, that we don't get paid for. In 25 years, I was called all kinds of things. I've even had customers, pull guns on me. and that was it... No more for me. your 67 Impala with rotten wiring all over the place... Is not worth dying over. you can't fix it... You can't afford to fix it... Your problem... Not mine. I could go on and on. but I will just end by saying this... we are all still learning. And in September... We have to learn some more. Auto Repair is a continuous education program. and we have to spend the money on that continuous education, ourselves. Most shops, require us to have a whole bunch of information, on a whole bunch of cars... That we may never see. Those classes are expensive. taking a week off from work, to pay for a class, out of our own pocket, usually never... Never... Never... Translate into a raise for the technician. we can literally have a list of accreditation 10 miles long... Doesn't mean we're getting paid for it. ASE certifications are marketing programs, not education programs. They are sold to the shop owners, as education programs. But they're not... It's marketing and advertising . An advertising, is a way to circumnavigate your intelligence, just long enough to extort money from it. there are over 900 different variations of vehicles on the road. No single technician is an expert, on all of them. it is absolutely arrogant to believe, that we can be. This is why we have procedures. This is why we have specialty repair shops like... The dealership. They only work on one brand of vehicle. Because those procedures vary from vehicle to vehicle. It is our responsibility to know what those procedures are, and how to work the procedure. But we don't invent the procedure, we don't invent the car. and we don't invent your problems. if you have a problem with any of those three things... Contact the Vehicle Manufacturer. it is their Union, that allows them to make mistakes on the assembly line. It is there Union, that protects welders, that continuously get caught drinking on the job. It is their Union, that allows them to make the same mistake over and over and over again, and past the cost of repair on to you. here in my state, there is no Union to protect me from you. And your feelings. There's only a kangaroo court, That will continuously pay the customer for their feelings. Not their facts. And I, did not get in this business, to pay you, to fix your car. with no protection, no representation, and no way of beating your feelings, with my facts, in your court... I'm out. But that's okay... Because, between your courts, your feelings, and your piece of crap car ... we can now make more money, delivering for GrubHub. let that sink in there shop owner... your technicians can now make more money, delivering food, then they can, working for you. and it doesn't look like the food delivery services will be going out of business, anytime soon. What does the future outlook of your shop look like?
“A man has got to know his limitations.” said Clint Eastwood in some movie. That owner sure didn’t. For heaven’s sake man, if you don’t know what you’re doing, find someone who does! Sheesh.
I always have a pro work on anything complicated on my newer vehicles. I do my own "Hail Mary" work on my vehicles that are still good but old enough that the repair cost exceeds the car's value. Have learned a lot of mechanical tricks that way. Thank God for Haynes and TH-cam.
Must have been very satisfying to have got to the bottom of the troubles, especially after home mechanics, such as myself, complicate the issue, by making adjustments that you, through a logic step by step process, were able to unravel, well done Joe, nice one, subscribed👍
Whenever a vehicle starts to run odd I always revisit what was recently done whether its regular maintenance or a repair. People can do more damage to their vehicle trying to fix things they aren't experienced in, ... just to save money. Intake leaks can easily be checked by spraying near it with starting fluid or throttle cleaner with change in idle noticed. Its tough being a business owner these days. Some people want things cheap or free. Great video.
Dude, 1st time on channel...very nice diagnosis buddy. Most backyard mechanics wont tell you where they screwed up! I learned that the hard way...but none the less, great job
As a DIYer I have pulled two engines myself but have had a mechanic and a machine shop do the precision rebuild work. I once had a new intake gasket hang up on the backside and had had to redo it. Years ago a shop forgot to tighten up the lug nuts on a rear wheel. Chit happens!
Your work is honest keep up the faith. Parts markup has always been part of the Auto repair industry, I try not to exceed dealer list price most part are under. I once told a customer do you bring your steak and eggs to the restaurant and ask them to cook it? He laughed. A master Technician has as much training as a Nurse Practitioner. And people don't Complain. If you need a surgeon and don't have insurance you will need to sell your home and perhaps rightly so.
Funny! Early in my DIY efforts the pickup dropped off the lifting jack and crushed the Y-pipe and oil pan. I did not have an oxy torch to heat up exhaust flange bolts at the time. So, I took it to a shop. Told them exactly what I did and let them clean up my mess. It happens. I was more than willing to pay the hourly rate and parts markups. Mistakes are always expensive. But, over the long run, my repair efforts have saved me a ton of money. The world is big enough for DIY'ers and good shops. And like any tool or solution, knowing when and how to utilize both is key.
there is a mechanic shop out this way and he lets customers use there own parts but he checks them to make sure they are correct and so on..if they want to use there own parts he gets them to sign something stating if the part fails he will not warranty it and so on..also Canadian tire you can supply the parts to them as well..they just won’t accept warranty on the part you supplied
And now for the rest of the story... if you can get it from the customer. Many times they will tell you in detail about several things, but usually not pertaining directly to symptoms. Part of being an automotive technician is also being CSI. Sure you have your knowledge, training, and diagnostic tools, but there are some like yourself that are truly gifted with this skill. Great job!
I agree with your statements and parts should be marked up to cover handling/shipping cost, etc. My gripe on past experiences is mechanics that insist on putting parts in a repair that the customer would gladly pay more for a superior quality/aftermarket part that they acquire themselves. For example I had a automatic transmission rebuilt in my truck and was told the torque converter would be top quality, triple disk designed for towing. 3 years later after the transmission required another rebuild and the torque converter replaced again it turns out that it was a cheap single disk at almost half the price of what I paid. I then search and finally found a mechanic shop that would install parts I acquired that I wanted. Warranty would only apply to the installation work the shop did. No problem. Transmission shops are one of the most notorious places a customer can be ripped off. I always suggest vehicle owners ask for the old parts back after work is done
I agree. If I tell you I am putting something into your vehicle, rest assured you are getting that part. I suppose that there are always going to be shady people though brother. Sorry that happened to you.
Joe's Auto Electric if I was living in your service area I would have you on speed dial. You’re doing the best thing for your industry, showing integrity.
Excellent Diag Work Joe....been there done that Mopping up after Driveway Mechanic’s do there thing is always the most Rewarding it reminds you of why you do what you do.....Proud Of You 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🤘🏻😎
Joe , great video I had to watch it twice , My old boss use to say Man Made Problems are the hardest to fix . This is a good example of a customer installed problem, we are not going to talk about car alarms and auto start systems, thanks have a great day Pete m
They watch TH-cam and know everything. Joe you aren’t the first and won’t be the last. These fools try to get your goat. You are in business to make money. You are exactly correct. Some people make it worse. I love the ones that sit there and tell you your doing it wrong. I always said if you know so much what did you call me for you should fix it yourself. The best thing someone can do is document everything good and give you as much info as possible about the issue. Thanks for sharing your experience.
our jobs are so easy, any one can do it. all you need is google, some s.a.e sockets from the 80's your grandfather left behind, and a tow truck to get it to the shop once you're done.
Good case study, thanks for sharing, Joe. I would ignore the trolls who criticize marking up parts. Obviously they know nothing about business and having to handle the acquisition of parts. If they did they would know it takes time, and time is money. They should also know that shops that allow the customer to supply the parts don't provide any warranties on the work to install customer supplied parts. It would be insane to expect otherwise.
I feel for all of You , Knowing what Tools , Equipment , shop , Insurance and every other expense cost , How do these people think you can afford to stay in business , Love Eric O , "I didn't buy it , I didn't build it , I didn't Break it " but He fixes them . These people complaining about price of Mechanics / Techs , have no problem buying $800-$1000 phones , buy pay money to fix a car ? Again I feel for YOU
I admit that DIYers, like myself, can make mistakes that they can't fix. Case in point: I replaced an ignition coil tower connector on my Toyota Camry. These have four wires as you probably know. I got two of the wires swapped upon assembly and it ran like crap and triggered a misfire code. And I forgot to take a picture before disassembling the old connector. Doh! I thought I was all set though: just look it up on a wiring diagram! What I didn't count on was Mitchell's wiring diagram for the ignition system being COMPLETELY WRONG! No color code matched the actual wire color on any coil tower. Argh. Grr. With no access to an OEM diagram I finally broke down and took it to my trusted, professional mechanic to fix it. Unlike your customer, however, I fully disclosed how I got to that point and he was able to correct it by ordering an OEM diagram. So that's just something stupid where experience and forethought would have saved me a lot of grief. Fortunately this was a small goof, but it still set me back by $127.
I admire you trying and doing what needed to be done man. A word of advice. If you find a diagram that shows what you had there, go up and/or down a year in the diagrams and check again. May find it to be correct in a different year. Hope this helps.
@@JoesAutoElectric that's not lack of knowledge. You don't need any automotive education to match up holes. That's not paying attention. I've seen shit like that with cars always serviced by a dealer. That's one of the reasons I always do all of my own work.
Impatience. I'm watching this right now to take a break from working on my car in the wind and rain. Add all the extra errors introduced by not having the right tool and it's easy to do dumb stuff in a rush. I'm a lot more careful about what I'm doing after I stuck a shop towel in a hose to keep any crap from flying in while I had it disconnected... didn't keep track and a couple of weeks later (fortunately at low speed) I got an unplanned lesson in what the throttle does. I'm pretty new to fixing cars, but experience with troubleshooting all sorts of computer tech has given me a profound respect for the creativity of idiots.
Working on today's car and trucks are a puzzel,like you I have been working on cars for a number of years but I recently have a puzzle to get on with, light codes told me several things were bad but we're not, ecm was, so I replaced it and won.
Hey once again man.!You really hit the nail on the head in the first part of this video.So refreshing to hear you speak about this stuff.And i agree one hundred percent!Im a car technician myself,and i definetly can relate to everything you say.And your finding in this particular case study is just mindblowing..and it just show you are right in the first place,(in the initial opening statement in this video ) Thank you for awesome video.Keep it up man.Im on board :) Greetings from the CarViking in Norway,Stefan :)By the way,you have a nice approach and vibe in your videos.Very enjoyable to watch.Cheers :)
@@JoesAutoElectric Thanx man.My pleasure.I saw on a different post..that the inlet manifold gaskets solved the issue with this particular car.Looking forward to check out the video about the solution :) Greetings.Stefan
Just went to one today , another company was there and diagnosed it , but I can't trust it and I don't even wanna hear about it as an influence. Lemme do my thing and I was surprised they diagnosed it correctly.
DAMN SON, I AM IMPRESSED, A HELL OF A FIND ON THE INTAKE GASKET. My son had a 99 blazer with the 4.3 & the Dist. ears both stripped out, JUNK. I just put bolts straight through with nuts on them. I DO NOT WORK ON CARS THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAD THEIR GRUBBY MITTS ON IT & COULD NOT FIX IT. I do this stuff on the side & it was WAAAY TOOOO MUCH OF A NIGHTMARE. I HAVE THAT OPTION WHICH IS NICE, AGAIN GREAT FIND ON THE INTAKE GASKET.
Amazing,,, your a great technician.,... this beats my problem I found with 4.3 injectors in a 5.7 TBI... SURGES AND PREDETONATED /My son is going to school for biomed repair, and learning how to use an oscilliscope. I think it will come in handy for cars
Joe it was partially my fault, due to assumption.. bought an 89 k1500 with a 5 speed manual and a 5.7.. we were wondering why the prndle was in the far left corner of the dash but didnt pay much attention.. the guy we got the truck from off craigslist, said he bought it the way it was, it had a blown headgasket, he was going to pull the heads but needed the cash, his buddy was in the joint and he was trying to spring him..,. SOI bought the truck, sight unseen except picture on craigslist. we agreed on 550.00 and he deliver.. ok he shows up, I check vin against title, everything checks out, he unloads and goes on his merry way... open the cab, and there are various part on the floor, but by no means everything we needed.. no tensioner pulley, no fan no alternator, no belts, ect.. the harmonic balance was in the cab in the bucket with the other part.. the intake and throttle body bolted on, was sitting in the bed of the truck.. So I wanted a project truck to teach my so a few things.. we pulled the heads, sure enough, blown head gasket, got the heads worked, replaced rusty pushrods, did the whole top end. rebuilt TBI, installed and fired it up.. it ran, but surged like crazy and would pre ignite thru the intake on throttle snap. BAD,, like try to blow the intake off bad.. check timing and wiring 3 times, all good.. distributor was old and tired so replaced it,., no fix . checked fuel pressure at the filter, with t fitting.. 9-10 lbs.. replaced fuel pump, new pressure 10 -14 lbs... start truck, same crap, surg at idle and misfire... I was wondering if I had a restriction and tryed squeezing the Fuel Return line, and truck idled perfect, and wouldnt miss or pre ignite.. At that point there was nothing left to check but injectors.. when I read the numbers and ran them, I felt sick.. but eleated.. WHY in the hell there was an intake and TBI in back of the truck I will never know, but I learned ALOT abt these truck,.s
even stranger the vin number says the truck came with a 4.3 and automatic...someone changed the computer to a 5.7, but it has a prom chip for an automatic.. so far, its running great, I thing the manual prom just bumps the idle up from 550 to 600. this truck is a long bed 4x4 and will set up back in the seat in 3 gears.. we have a great sense of accomplishment.. we fixed ALot of stuff, and I spent great time with my son.. im just a shadetree hobby mechanic, but tenacious almost to a fault, I cant give up., we checked and service almost every system on the truck, from the rear diiff, to the EGR system. All we have left to do is replace a leaking transfer case seal, and put better tires on it to be road worthy. .Its rust free, bondo free, just a great old truck.
one of the pitfalls of these older trucks is everybody and thier brother has worked on most of them. usually drunk I think. I love the 88 to 94 GMTS though,,, especially the early ones with the glass headlamps.
so... when I squeezed the return fuel line the pressure on the gauge shot to 20... which 'MADE the pressure coming out of the injectors come out at enough volume, the keep the 5.7 happy. these fuel systems want the right pressure. alot of people dick with the pressures, putting large springs in the fuel regulator, and it causes them to run rich on the top end. block learn and integrator just cant manage it correctly.
@Joe's Auto Electric --- A quote for the shop that was passed on to me for my many years in automotive repair "If I do a job in 30 minutes, it's because I spent 10 years learning how to that in 30 minutes. You owe me for the years, not the minutes." Obviously insert number of years and minutes as needed. You bring valid points though with the increased access people have to the portable internet to use as a tool and point of reference along with other advancements in technology they will continue to advance their interest and knowledge base along with purchasing their own parts to install. Your youtube channel offerings will force more people to repair their vehicles first before taking it to a specialist like you when all attempts have been exhausted. The sharing of knowledge in this forum will be the bane of your existence and others like you. It's no longer a captive audience of trade secrets. Everyone shares what they know online in milliseconds. Even if it's wrong! Your craft is much the same as many traditional trades that have gone through an evolution where there are specialists and there are parts changers or installers. Mechanics and technicians are different people. The technician term came out of the "dot com" boom era of the late 90's and has been applied to every aspect of an employment position including office clerical work though no REAL technical aspect is present. It sounds better. I apply technician lingo to parts changers or installers that treat symptoms whereas a mechanic is a rare gem that repairs problems not symptoms. You are a a mechanic Joe and much appreciated here. You're old school and that matters. Less and less skilled or even bright people are entering the automotive repair field. My opinion from over 35 years. One may be considered bright because they can deal with the computer side of automotive more proficiently, but that doesn't negate the seasoned mechanical veteran from being just as proficient given the time. The OEM is heavily implementing "MTBF - Mean Time Before Failure" qualifications into its engineering of newer vehicles to beat the odds on warranty claims. Less serviceable components and more assemblies to aid in the manufacturing side rather than the service side. More market testing of vehicle components and systems rather than real world testing has created a different scope to vehicle design and manufacture. The old "drive it for a half-million miles" routine is gone. Get it to market quick and watch out for warranty claims to adjust the component design for future production. It's a different world and you're a man of many that is just trying to do the job right the first time and so many vehicle owners claim they want that, BUT they don't want to pay for it because your time and experience aren't as valuable in their perception and we can thank this venue and the accessibility of cheap low quality chinese made copies of auto parts for it.
Mark up is mandatory. As tradesmen with commercial accounts, we get special pricing that MUST be marked up or those accounts will be lost or jeopardized.
Keep up the good work enjoy your videos. I am lucky I know my repair limitations and have a trusted shop to go to when something is beyond me. These vehicles aren't your grandpa's chevy anymore.
Retired aircraft mechanic here. Maybe I am revealing a trade secret here, but when an airplane comes in with a chronic problem, the first thing you do is find out what fixes have been attempted previously and either undo them, or at least verify that they have not added to the problem. Since airplanes have a habit of wandering across states and continents, log book entries and computerized maintenance records are invaluable here. Once you have the airplane back to "normal," you start with the most basic steps of troubleshooting for the original reported problem, just as Joe demonstrated in this video. You can't go wrong with this method, because somebody may have missed something along the way.
I`ve been a mechanic for more than 30 years. I still look for answers through research(internet, alldata, etc), or ask someone else for advice if im not sure about something. Especially on today`s vehicles. one little mistake can cause a lot of other problems.
My first car was a '70 Mustang coupe that I got for peanuts because it had a loud engine knock and serious blow-by. (I'm an electronics tech, not auto). Took the valve covers off and found that Mr. DIY had left one of the head bolts laying in the top end. The rocker arms were hitting it and making a hell of a clatter, and it was pressurizing the crankcase due to the open bolt hole in the head. No idea why he had one head bolt out. I put the bolt back in and torqued it down just to see if the problems went away. They did. So I changed the head gaskets and drove the hell out of it.
As I say to our new customers. We only ever want the best for our customers and there vehicles (both in service and parts). It's never about the mark up on a part! If you the customer, supplies the part then we can not repair your vehicle. Why? Well if that part you supplied fails then as you supplied it we can not warranty it so therefore you have to pay us again to remove and replace said part. Whereas if we supply you a part and it fails, then we will warranty it and repair it free of charge. Now would you risk that for a cheaper/poorer quality alternative??? 9/10 realize that you only have there best interests at heart. If they don't realize then I find that you don't need that person as a customer as they don't value our professionalism or only want repair work carrying out for nothing. Joe, keep up the good work buddy. Paul 👍
one bank way negative, one way positive, IAC closed, MAF high, vacuum leak on one bank is the first target I'd aim at. you done mentioned high pcv/breather hole negative flow though, those are the harder leaks to diagnose, not "whistling dixie" outside the manifold area.
Joe, thank you for this AMAZING video--I'm very lucky to have found it(!) (I've learned multiple things)--watching your process, zeroing in on the problems is worth watching *again.* Thank you again! Btw, you'd be a kick-ass teacher.
Don't Need To Prove Or Justify Yourself To Anyone, Their Is Too Much Work Out There For Good Mechanics, If They Knew How To Fix It, They Wouldn't Be Asking For Help! Good Work Joe
It seems the more honest and fair you are, the more they become unhappy. You don't do this because it's fun, it's your profession and deserve to at least be compensated for your time and parts. I still have to endure the usual customer abuse, sometimes people will pull up in the yard and either drop off the vehicle with a nope. (I just hate that), but if the customer is polite and "worthy" (yes "worthy" if I feel they are in need, honest, and understanding, I will do the job, sometimes for free. But I am not in business anymore, I can do that, if you open your doors to any sort of personality, issues, problems, and they are in a bad mood anyway, you will not please them. Or the ones who stop by and are convinced the problem is a loose wire, then you give them a reality check and the fact it's going to cost a bundle. You will probably end up the bad guy no matter how you try or the concessions you make. The good news is that the occasional nice, fair customer males it all worth it.
As a diyr myself, I would appreciate a video so much detailing how someone like me couod search out a mechanic with diagnostic skills such as yourself.namd not someone who is just a parts cannon operator. How do you know who to go to so your don't waste your time and money.
Only advice I can give you is this. No one is going to please everyone. Check my reviews. I have a few shitty ones. Now, in my defense, they were completely full of shit and I called them on it. However, reviews are one way, but try to really read through them all and see what people really have to say. My favorite method though, is talking to people. If I need a contractor, I ask a few friends who I trust. If one of them knows someone they trust, then I will go with that guy. Same thing with finding a shop. Most of my business is word of mouth. And as I said, though I do my best, there is no pleasing everyone. Hope this helps.
@@JoesAutoElectric ...god knows, I've tried that ^, exactly (scouring reviews, getting referrals from people I trust) and no matter what I always draw the Queen of Spades. The fact is, most techs I've handed off my cars to or the typical shop won't approach it analytically like you do, or they do a repair with a low-quality part that lasts about 14 months rather than an OEM part or a strong aftermarket brand, or my favorite, reassemble everything, like a splash shield, with just 4 of the clips rather than all 18 of them or whatever. I got so tired of paying for work like that that I've endeavored to learn what I can to work on our vehicles myself.
@@callbackdons Just a suggestion: Ask them to tell you about a diagnosis they made recently that was especially interesting. Maybe even say that you saw a TH-cam video where it turned out the customer put a gasket in backwards, and you thought it was cool how they figured it out at the shop. Hey, what's the craziest thing you've ever run across? You're offering to listen to someone brag, most people will take you up on that in my experience
@@mxpants4884 hey that's a pretty great idea. I'm gonna have to remember that. Seems like a pretty good ice breaker for other situations too if if it's switched up a bit for context
That's one crazy vehicle. Nice bit of observation skills with the gasket reversed. Bi directional scan tool a real time saver. Should see a much improved machine after that makeover.
Had a 4.3 kick my butt years ago same problem had aftermarket intake gaskets installed and left side had slid down slightly into valley. I wish I had a way too tell customers up front all the problems with their vehicle but you have to fix the obvious first. You might just want to quote catalytic converter now with all those misfires and cover your ass from the come back. Grateful for your videos keep up the good work!!
Joe, I’ve finally made it to number one. Joe if you were in my area I would take my vehicle to you with anything I’m not capable of doing the job myself. I also follow you because by listening to you l know I could trust your diagnostic skills. All of your videos are right on. Oh bring back the old style caps. It’s bent very obvious. No matter what your mechanical skills there is always a path to follow. I seriously doubt you will install them backwards. Nice find Joe. Now comes the battle with the bill. Please show us the rest. Thanks Artie. ❤️
Joe, don't you know anyone can do what you do. in fact, I bet it was that way when it rolled off the assembly line. The problem with this is you are now married to this vehicle and anything else that goes wrong with it will be your fault. And as far as how much you charge for a job, anyone who doesn't like it can take it somewhere else. You're a professional and you deserve to make as much as you can. As I tell people all the time who complain about what I charge or do. I didn't build it, I didn't buy it and I didn't break it. Keep up the good work!
Just finished a 2007 Silverado 4.3L V6 where customer attempted heater core and FAILED on an epic scale. NO ONE would touch it, all of the dash and interior was in the bed of truck. After towing the truck to 6 different shops, exhausting all Craig's list techs, Thrifty Nickel ads and by chance I happen to be walking by. I took one look inside the truck and was about to keep walking...but he offered a good amount $$$ and I could tell he was out of options. All this was a year long fiasco, all rectified in one day...outside....22F degrees... snowing. Inclement weather makes it so much better.
the guy i use can fix my cars sometimes cheaper than i can do it,,an he backs up his work..he is very good i have 15 cars joe i like working on older carb cars ,,my 95 transport is not easy to work on as you know the 3800 takes up space..i farm that out to him lol
Your customers better realize that they have an angel helping them out. VERY fortunate for them not to enlist my help. I would have beaten them up every step along the way. In fact, once I learn that a machine has been "monkeyed" with or "jury rigged", I usually semi-politely decline to help right off the bat. I greatly admire your patience and thoughtfulness for your customers. Thank you for your EXCELLENT videos and instruction.
Hi Joe, you had your work cut out whith this one, a combination of original faults, complicated by owner added faults due to them having ,all the gear and no idea,lol. Anybody who thinks their being ripped off by Mark Up on parts needs to think where does the butcher, baker, greengrocer, get their stuff from.THEY ALL,buy from wholesalers, and then add a reasonable, competitive, or retail markup, that's how business works. From what I see joe your a stand up guy, who's up front ,tells it like it is, and I'm sure your regular clients will be more than happy whith your work. Keep up the good work joe, best wishe's to you and your's, Stuart.uk.
When I used to write service back in the day, we only warranted our labor. If we supplied the parts, we could take it out on the manufacturer if we had to replace their trash parts. If customer provided their own parts, it's like they kinda on their own for the labor costs
@@JoesAutoElectric What would have really been cool is to see what this would have looked like with an in cylinder pressure transducer on the bank where the gasket was backwards.
This is a very informative video. It had to be a real pita with the number of issues and not knowing exactly what had been changed or screwed up before you had to diagnose the issues. I have one question concerning the worn driven bevel gear on the distributor. Because this gear was worn....Is there any concern the driving gear on the camshaft is also worn? Are the two bevel gears of equal or different hardness? Thank you in advance for your time and thoughts. Sincerely, BS “Duby” Du Bois
Great question. In my experience, it is the distributor gear that normally will show the wear. I have never gotten into actual hardness of either, in all honesty...but also never saw one that could not be fixed with a new distributor assembly.
I've got a truck with the same engine, I wish I had a mechanic look at it before I changed a ton of parts!!! It stopped running, it had fuel, fire and compression. I wound up changing the distributor, wires,plugs,timing chain . All parts were still in good shape before they were changed. The truck still just popped and kicked back!! I was done with this thing!!! Then a mechanic stopped by to ask me about the truck and I told him everything I did to it and he offered to look at it real quick. 30 minutes later the truck was running fine!! Turns out the coil was bad although it still fired! This is why its worth paying a mechanic!!!!!!
A few thoughts. You get parts wholesale so an honest markup is expected. Dealers can monopolize on parts so they screw people. Secondly, I took my car to a dealer because my gauges were not working. I assumed they would be fastest on this kind of repair. They replaced the computer with no success. I couldn't afford more so i took the car home and it sat while I repaired it. After 20 hours of research, testing and etc. over months, I discovered the ignition switch was bad. What's my point, some mechanics suck and know enough to do basics and talk you down, avoid them. It can take significant time to fix yourself so have a backup if you dare. Know the character and capabilities of your mechanic and the overall reputation of the shop. And treat you're mechanic like a doctor and friend, it helps when bad stuff is bad.
Anyone with a lot of experience at their craft always has a big advantage over some guy who just thinks that he can do anything. Experience is the key. I learned a long time ago to always seek out an expert for my problems when I could not solve them myself. I still dive into some repairs myself, sometimes I win and sometimes I loose.
We work on opposite sides of the spectrum as a plumber too often am I accused of over charging and or a thief diyer's are the worst people to do repairs for i will not fix your repairs I will start from scratch and do it the correct way brother I feel your pain keep doing what you do your a good mech/tech my hats off to you we are always going to be hated by some that occasional thank you from a costomer makes it worth it I'm not getting rich I'm sure your not trying to get rich either doing what we do keep your head up key board warriors are a dime a dozen
I had one do that to me. But the customer was taking it home putting parts on it. It had a plugged converter It wasn’t till I r&r the plugs & drove it with the scanner hooked up I figured it out.
This reminds me of the sign someone posted about, that he or she saw in a mechanic's shop. It read something like: Hourly rates: $25.00 per hour. If you watch: $50.00 per hour. If you help: $75.00 per hour. If you worked on it before bringing it into my shop: $100.00 per hour. All joking aside, customers must keep in mind that a shop has enormous overhead expenses, so the shop has to include those costs in its hourly service charge. These expenses include shop rent or property taxes, utility charges (electricity, water, heating, telephone, WiFi, etc.), business licence fees, tax and rent on the sign out front, employee payroll with taxes and expenses, sales tax reporting and remittance, income tax remittance, other compliance reporting expenses (including accountant's fees), cost of maintaining shop equipment, cost of tools, cost of any software that the mechanic must pay for to get access, cost of training and upgrading expertise and equipment, and on and on. The mechanic is not running a welfare office, and cannot work for free without going out of business. ,
It will be interesting to hear how the intake gasket got installed incorrectly. It's great how you explained what we have to go through to diagnose a vehicle with multiple problems. Some problems are quite obvious while others take so time to find what's wrong. Keep up the good work, Bro !
Unbelievable...
I admit I am NOT a professional mechanic, yes I have been working on vehicles and engines since before I was of legal age to drive. Personally I learned the basics through books I would get on loan from my local library, yes I am old...
We are spoiled by the knowledge that is available online today, trouble is for the most part that is being shared by people with years and often decades of experience, they are assuming that you have a basic level of mechanical and electronic aptitude.
Some people simply don't have the skill set the task requires and they shouldn't (at least unassisted) ever tackle projects like this. This is not intended as a snub or insult, we are all unique individuals with our own strengths and weaknesses.
I do get that people have the desire to fix it themselves but a education costs time and money, can you really afford to get this wrong?
If it's above your abilities, stop while your ahead as it's going to be cheaper in the long run for you to get someone who has experience with these kind of problems.
All this being said do your due diligence, there are some good dealerships but my personal experience has shown most independent shops will serve you better, they want you to leave happy and create an environment where you will want to return along with recommending them to your friends and family.
Thanks for sharing and being bluntly honest, everyone needs a reminder from time to time to keep us humble.
Stay awesome!
Wow, thanks a lot! I truly mean no disrespect towards those who want the satisfaction of doing a repair. My issue comes in , as you said, when the lack of ability causes bigger problems. Usually these are the ones who tell us half the story or change it to save face. People have a hard time understanding that not everyone can do everything...A wise man once said, "A man's got to know his limitations". :-) Thank you so much for joining us.
I'm also old . The part that bothers me most about those that get a thimble full of information on a topic . The accurate self evaluation for these people to have is , now I'm better educated to ask more specific or detailed questions from experienced people . These people aren't in that state of mind ; they feel like they are in a position to make statements . Bothers me .
And let's face it if you're not in the business practicing and using the information ; all you really are is a conversationalist parroting that thimble full of information. Before the web I called them article readers . Now there forum surfers .
That job on that 4.3 could have been diagnosed with the story ; if the story was told completely. It took detective work to find the cap etc the tune up work . The customer held back that information. Probably due to ego or arrogance . If the guy said : I put intake gaskets in,cap, rotor, plugs and since it hasn't been right. Techs with our experience would have gone to the problem in 10 -20 minutes .
They never tell the complete story
People scoff and belittle me when I say I don't know.
Funny thing is those same people are the type of people who seek me out when they've messed up their computers, electronics and yes vehicles.
Had a fun head scratcher last week, 2007 Ford escape 3.0 that went to the dealer and left with a new catalytic converter.
Now I suspect the converter was truly bad but in the process they striped out the front o2 sensor, oops.
So they installed a universal o2 sensor to replace the damaged unit. (and galled it up as well)
Vehicle comes back with o2 codes, computer is cranking the fuel mix rich and lean which to the average person might lead them to believe that the computer is bad.
Reading into the strategy documents from Ford I find this is actually the computers way of testing the leading o2 sensors.
Any guesses?
When the mechanic replaced the convertor they reversed the front and rear o2 sensors in the pipe, the sensors plugs were swapped from front to rear made possible because of the usage of the universal o2 sensor.
The computer was commanding that bank rich and lean repeatedly to verify that the front (now rear) sensor was functional.
Reversing (and replacing the defective) o2 sensor(s) and it's running like a top again.
For a point of reference I work in the electronic assembly industry, my primary job is programming and troubleshooting devices and circuit boards. Our purchasing agent does the actual physical repairs.
Simply put know your limits, I wouldn't ever perform a surgery, that's not my area of expertise, neither would you want a surgeon diagnosing and repairing your vehicle or computer.
Everyone is unique in their own personalities and abilities and we are all the better for those distinct differences, in my opinion.
@@toddsonic people scoff and belittle you because of two reasons ; they want to Foster an uncertainty in you . Or the opposite and trying to bait you into getting involved in there problem .
Or they want to feel better about themselves and by running someone else down they feel that they are better than that person.
Fine if you believe that fix (or pay to fix) your own stuff, I have better things to do with my life than boosting their egos.
If you are honest and humble towards me I will do my best to help you out, treat me like garbage and I will direct you elsewhere post haste.
MY FRIEND, YOU DO NOT NEED TO JUSTIFY ANYTHING TO ANYONE it's YOUR WORK AND ITS YOUR CHANNEL. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK JOE LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
That's the point ppl b*ch about everything. Either they want their car fixed right the first time OR load the Cannon!!! I tell you what go to orielly get it codes read and 50 % of the time depending on your location they will sell you $200 worth of stuff you don't need
Yep!
@James Masn I appreciate it man.
It amazes me on forums and discussion groups the amount of times people say; "i have this problem xyz so it must be the ECU" They are working the problem backwards picking the most expensive, and normally reliable part rather than starting from the beginning going down the line.
Joseph,
I can tell already that you are an honest man of Christ!
Keep up the good work
GOD Bless,
Your viewers from Western Mass
God bless you too!
Just for the record, the parts stores in my area, their markup is higher than the markup at the shop I work for. So customers get a better deal going through us.
I have an old BMW I like to work on. I try to understand systems, do plenty of reading, then attempt repairs.
It's an interesting hobby, and very satisfying when a repair can be completed successfully.
But I'm no rush to fix anything, because it's a hobby vehicle. I find that DIY mistakes are minimized when you don't rush through the process.
If you're DIY-ing your daily driver and need to get to work tomorrow morning, you might cut corners, and that's when you need Joe to fix your mess.
Our primary vehicle is an Odyssey and I only do engine oil/ATF changes on it, filters, seasonal tire change, simple stuff.
For the real repairs I have a shop take care of it, because as a DIY-er I know my limits!
I did have to reinstall a crooked intake boot after our mechanical repaired our starter. But for the most part his professional service is first rate and well worth the money, part markup and everything.
Brother, I have nothing but respect for anyone who wants to work on a car, but you nailed it. You cannot expect to do what we do on a daily basis and be proficient at it in the same way. It's just not plausible. This is a profession for a reason, not everyone can do it.
This is why I love your channel cause of the depth that you go to............ To fix these cars, you earn every single dollar!
Hello mate ,I've been a mechanic ( self employed) for 30 years and your work ethic and process of elimination is second to none keep up the videos . Mike the mechanic UK.
Thank you!
Been a auto tech since the 90s
Been battling this same issue with customers.
Well done, on the diagnosis.
Thanks
Unbelievable that people would accuse to being dishonest. You are a straight shooter and down right truthful. I do work on my own car, but anything major I always take it to my mechanic and pay him the Diag to double check the work. You can not underestimate the importance of a good Auto technician. Don’t let the haters pull you down. Keep rocking man.
As soon as I saw this title I knew where this video was going. Lol
You do solid work. Always have. The Bronco is running solid lol. Keyboard warriors... gotta love it.
I fully understand trying to do my own work.. making it worse and paying more for the extra damage I did.
Basic business... there's a mark up for everything at every level.
I feel you're frustration. You explained the issues professionally. I can appreciate that.
Mr. Joe,
Brother, you don't have (need) to defend yourself when you're not guilty of anything. Again, there is always an exception to every rule. Not all shops are robbing customers. However, many out there are scamming people. Your ethical works will speak louder for you without saying anything. Every body is entitled to their own opinion. Keep up the good work and you'll be all right.
It's good to keep in mind the inherent bias in sampling: when you're an honest mechanic then most of your experience with car repairs involve an honest mechanic. That's not reflecting the average repair accurately.
Similarly, customers who would never try to scam someone have trouble understanding how often a mechanic encounters scammers. (I'll be honest, I never considered that until just now.)
When people accuse mechanics in general it's not a personal attack. After all, most of them don't know you personally. They're responding to Schroedinger's mechanic: some probability of being crooked and you won't know til it's gone badly. It makes sense to worry more about detecting the crooks than about falsely accusing the honest.
Forget them professor, we know what's up...
Thanks for posting all of this great information...
Ya true don't listen to them
I started fixing stuff on my own cars over twenty years ago. Back then i started with changing the headlights and swapping out the electrical connections to them. I was learning an electrical job back then,so i had a bit of knowledge in that area already,otherwise i wouldn't have attempted that kind of repair. The height adjustment of the headlights themselves (not the physical position in the car) was done in a shop with the proper tools needed,so i wasn't blinding drivers coming towards me. So i started out with easy,basic fixes,that werent hard and straightforward to do. Later i got my hands on the original manufacturers repair manuals for my car and went from there. First again with the easier fixes,that were selfexplanatory with basic mechanical knowledge you'd learn even for an electrical job and it went from there. I still know,what not to do and get my car fixed in a shop,when i don't have the knowledge,ability and tools to do it myself,because the car needs to run,i can't having it sitting in front of the house,undrivable. So i have to have the mindset to stop before its too late. Saved me a lot of money but saved me from being a stupid idiot as well. Butthe guy owningthis car n your video......he shouldn't go that deep into his own car and attempt to fix it......lining up a gasket is not that hard,but you need to make absolutely sure you're placing it correctly. And that is,where he absolutely failed. Checking again,if he did it right. Someone like that will NEVER tell you,he messed up.....i'm just happy there still are proper mechanics out there,that find the problems instead of just swapping parts and in turn maybe messing them up too. And if you make a mistake,it's just human. Like you said,nobody knows everything and we always learn. Keep up the good work!
There is a fine line between what I am able to repair myself and when I end up needing professional help. I've gotten better at dealing with things myself; but not by that much. People don't understand when watching this video that those gaskets probably might not cost that much but first carefully figuring what's wrong then disassembling everything necessary to get that is A LOT of work. I'm getting one of those same codes now in the 5.4 Ford Triton that gets me to work. It's saying P0300 cylinder chamber #1 misfire. Last time it happened well over a year ago I thought I was cute and put ACCEL brand coil to replace which worked at first but then went bad. Everyone including this channel says the OEM Ford blue oval parts are really the only way to go. And I ended up learning the hard way. Some mechanics are good and others aren't, you seem like you've got a really serious shop. keep up the good work. PLEASE do not stop making the videos.
Nice thing on those is you can use an amp clamp and scope the coils all at once, while using a second channel to sync a cylinder. See which one is faulty pretty quick. Providing, of course, that it is a failing coil and not an injector, vacuum leak, mechanical issue, etc...
I paid $800 or so for my lower intake manifold gasket repair on my 03 impala (yup, dexcool!). That included the fixed doorman plenum for the EGR issue, draining and filling coolant, synthetic oil change, but they didn't use the updated metal gaskets. So I have to go in there and do the repair myself, there is a leak around the 2 flat areas where you are supposed to put enough RTV. Or the manifold could be warped. 😐He also put permatex around the injectors so I gotta get all that out with a pick. 😑😥
@@johnames6430 I am curious as to how well Optimum Grey works
@John Ames That sucks man. Who puts silicone around injectors????Wow!
@@JoesAutoElectric he must have figured it will never be done again for the life of the car and the customer will junk it so I'll just put permatex around the injectors so they don't leak (instead of replacing the O-rings like you are supposed to, damn kit comes with new O-rings anyway). I don't know for sure if he did or didn't replace the O-rings but why else put peramatex around the injectors. This is why I try to do the work myself as often as possible instead of going to a mechanic. At the time (2008) I didn't feel comfortable messing with the fuel rail and going that deep in the engine.
Businesses get parts about 30%(average discount) less than retail. I was a parts guy at the largest Chevy dealer in CT. I was a reciever/stocker after being a delivery driver for a year. If you buy a part at the counter, you'd get the same price that the repair place charges you. Just find out the retail price first and you'll know if you're getting ripped off on parts.
I agree. I used to work for a major auto chain in NJ. If we didn't have the parts in house, we'd call up our local supplier, depending on the type of part & vehicle, would get our wholesale price, which would be marked back up by a % that usually brought it close to the supplier's retail price if the customer had bought it over the counter from them.
We'd then calculate our book labor on the job and call the customer with the complete estimate on the job. Where it gets dicey is when a shop charges 100% markup on a readily available part from a known retailer, such as Advance Auto, and does the work without providing an estimate, only notifying the customer of the price AFTER the job is done, stating "I thought you wanted it done". NJ law begs to differ, and it's people that pull that kind of stuff on trusting individuals that make them mistrust all good techs. that don't need to pull hijinks to make a decent living doing what they love to do.
Of course that crooked shop hopes you don't know the law, won't show you parts replaced because "the recycler just picked up your rotors" and knows full well that they're required to contact you with an estimate BEFORE any actual repair work is done, unless you've already supplied them with a limit, as in "if the work's below $300, fix it, above that, call me". Obviously, if the work isn't approved, or the person then decides they want to tackle the job (cough, cough) then the shop is entitled to its standard diagnostic fee for that type job.
That said, the mechanics lien law in NJ is very strong in order to help protect shops from non-paying customers of course that also has the check and balance of the law of providing a proper estimate in order to protect the consumer.
Great work Joe! After checking out this video, you put beaucoup effort into this diagnosis and repair. I just figured I'd also help clarify some things for the haters out there who have no idea of how the system works in a well run shop.
Good video Joe. And YES you have to fix problems you find as you go or you can't continue to diagnose. Just went through that with Honda I bought! Keep the videos coming. Would be interested in post repair video.
I work on my own vehicles but I have two of them....I make amateur mistakes alllll the time, but I figure out how to fix them even if it means my car is up on jack stands for a month or longer.
Most recently I over-torqued an inner tie rod and it completely torn out all the seals in my steering rack. Got a rebuilt rack and got some advice from a shop I trust and I replaced it (although it literally took me weeks of working on it a few hours at a time). But I agree, if someone isnt willing to risk making mistakes, or isnt willing to fix their mistakes, they just shouldn't work on their cars.
I have a Dakota in my shop now with a bad intake gasket. 5 bolts were broke off in the heads and then I get the job imagine that? I've been doing this 25 years and watch very few people on here so you are doing it right for me to still be here. Keep the videos coming.
That is a great compliment brother. Thank you for that. I may not be the best, but I can tell you this much...I will always call it as I see it. And you got to love those jobs lol
@@JoesAutoElectric everydays a holiday you never know what's coming in the door and that makes work more fun and challenging.
I agree if you don't know what you are doing keep your hands off. I am not an Automotive tech. I am computer/network engineer. I am blessed that Dad and I worked on cars. when they were points and plugs. I have the proper tools and knowledge to look at the computer and wiring side and mechanical side of today's cars.Plus awesome guys like you Eric O Keith and Ivan putting out great video. If you don't have the above and the willingness to learn and not just throw parts at the car. Leave it to the pro's like you and the guys mentioned above. Also don't be afraid to ask for help when you need to.
You the man!!! I like how you troubleshoot! A true Master Mechanic.
Joe’s troubleshooting skills and procedures are second to none.
If only lol. I'm just a guy trying to fix stuff.
Hello Joe , You seem like a very nice guy. Honest , truthful, hard working and all that. These are just machines. Please try not to get too stressed out . Love watching you.
If I came across stressed I'm really not. Just the way I come off I suppose. Thank you though!
@@JoesAutoElectric Thanks for the reply.
Thought I'd throw this out to you Joe. You was working with the distributor on this 4.3 vortec. One thing I found on the last one I was working on. The plate that the rotor, screws onto, was actually loose. You could grab the rotor and turn it back and forth a little, so I swapped out the distributor.
I, Non mechanic, started doing some DIY a few years ago to keep a second beater car on the road. I learned a lot, and it wasnt technical in that i needed no scanners or specialty equipment. Front end shocks, brakes, control arms, etc.. What a learning curve! Just learning what bolts can be muscled vs which ones dont, the best order of removing things, and what other things to repair "since your removing this, might as well do that". Working stuck bolts without breaking them, lol. And, i had YT and 20 yrs worth of videos and forums for my specific car.
I can imagine what goes through a mechanics head when someone drops their car off and says fix Z, because someone they know had the same car and the same issue and "it fixed their car", when the mechanic is seeing X and Y as more immediate issues. Ppl have no problem dropping cash on things they dont need. They'll ignore car repairs like the dentist and then throw a fit when the bill comes, specifically for older cars. In 2020, a cursory search will give any laymen that can read, an idea of what their older car's issues are. Mechanics already know about the GM intake manifold gaskets, or the Chrysler sludge, (see what i did, and im not a mechanic, just loose research ive done on potential used car purchases), yet a bill for car repair makes some feel slighted. If i take my paid off car in and the bill is $1000, and i think the car will go on for 6 months, then i win, imo. And this is advice id share with anyone driving older vehicles. And , for the record, that $1000 repair kept the car going much longer than 6 months.
Ive been seeing YT-ers catering to trolls by rationalizing their income, from YT or otherwise. Ppl are allowed to make money, Its America. In America, one isnt forced to go to one shop for their needs or watch 1 channel. They can choose to go anywhere they please. Wall mart marks up their .10 cent china junk 5000%, and ppl flock there like an oasis in the sand. A markup on parts is "part of the business". Mechanics are skilled workers with a vast knowledge on a variety of models and manufacturers, and the nuances of said models. The overhead of a shop space and the utilities merit this. Tools! Broken tools! And then theres the special tool for "car model H" to remove brakes, but only on years 02-10, then you need a new one. Replacing a broken air compressor? Ya, ive looked and the good ones arent cheap! Toolboxes where the drawers dont fall out! Cans and cans of Brake Kleen, PB Blaster, etc.. Tubes of grease! There's all kinds of hidden costs to operating a repair shop. You, or any other , doesnt need to rationalize their necessity to make money. We all need to eat! There's no shame in honest work.
Whew! Had to vent a little, in the defense of yourself and against the trolls!! There's more "quiet ones", like me, watching and DIY-ing old beaters to save a few bucks and learn something than there are of "Snarky trolls". Keep doing what youre doing and know youre appreciated. Ignore the trolls! Peace
Thank you. And I'm always happy to see that guys are out there trying to learn and fix things on their own. Good for you!
Unfortunately, people will always look for an angle. I’ve worked on my own vehicles when I can manage the repairs and not get over my head. For the more technical or difficult repairs, I go to a professional. Thanks for your work.
Same here, you have to be smart enough to know when NOT to do it yourself.
I got a 02 Neon I may get to look at soon. It's had a full parts cannon fired. Coil Pack, Plugs, Fuel Pump, Fuel Injectors, 02 Sensor. I took a quick look. As soon as it enters closed loop the up stream O2 Sensor sticks rich at 1.2 Total Fuel trim goes -50 while it's still at 1.2v and it start running rough and popping through the intake. Eventually it throws a code for 02 sensor stuck rich and goes back to open loop and Idles great. Then on test drive it cuts out during acceleration. To the point where it will die and has to be restarted. It will be a fun one if they bring it over.
I had an intermittently sticking EVAP Purge Solenoid on an old GM V6 that I own . Once I found it , I plugged off the hoses and drove it for a week to verify . You can easily plug the hoses and remove it as a possible problem.
People are always brave behind a keyboard aren't they? I like what Mike (flatratemaster) said about parts. "You don't go to a restaurant with your own steak and ask them to cook it". That was a great find Joe.
Thanks Wyatt. I may try that steak thing LOLOL
As always my man , you rock. Such a patient approach
Thanks for taking the time to walk us through your diagnostic process on a cluster fuk like this. I finding very valuable.
I totally understand, exactly what you were talking about. I used to be a shop owner. I don't work on people's cars anymore. After 25 years in the business, no more. I would rather live in poverty, then deal with another customer. However, I still feel obligated to help them. So I have some tips for the do-it-yourselfer. To help them, help you, help their car.
Before we had computers, we had our five senses. Look listen feel smell and touch.
If something looks wrong, it probably is. Take a picture of what you're doing, before you start. This will give you a point of reference when you put things back together. If that looks wrong, it probably is wrong.
Listen for anything that sounds abnormal. Whistling, grinding, misaligned components. Squeaking. If it sounds wrong, it probably is.
Any type of moisture in areas, were you don't think it should be, is probably a good sign that you have a problem. Spark plug covered in oil, you probably have a valve cover leak. And injector that is wet, probably has an old ring that is baked, allowing gasoline to pass by.
Don't be afraid to get a little dirty. Getting a sample of the moisture on your finger, or dry rag, and smell that moisture. Does it smell like gas? Does it not have an odor at all? Transmission fluid will have an unpleasant odor, when it is burnt. Overworking your transmission, will burn the fluid.
Spark plugs ... yes, they come pre gapped. But do they come pre gapped for your car? Many vehicles may use the same spark plug, but often there Gap is different from vehicle to vehicle. Always... Always... Always, check the spark plug gap before you put it in.
Nuts and Bolts... I cannot believe how many people I have met, but do not have the ability to properly align the first thread. Stripping out Nuts and Bolts will cause a lot of damage. If you turn the bolt backwards, you will hear it click when the first thread is aligned. This is especially important in areas that are difficult to get at, or when you are using fine thread screws. Making sure those first threads are aligned, is very important.
Vacuum lines and rubber hoses deteriorate. Nothing lasts forever. Especially, rubber. Some fluids are extremely corrosive 2 rubber. Power steering fluid for example, will rot out any rubber it touches. Cleaning up spilled under the hood is extremely important. Most of the rubber components in vehicle, such as tubes and hoses, will rot from the inside out. Visual inspection is not enough in these cases. Give it a little squeeze, does it collapse under your fingers? Replace it if it does. brake hoses, should not collapse at all.
I have often told my customers, that they should be experts on their own cars. and often, they will take them from technician to technician, looking for someone who can fix them... Not their car. When they do that, a lot of information gets lost. Information that we need, to do our job. keep all of your information on the work that you have had done, with your vehicle. Right near the owner's manual. speaking of the owners manual... It doesn't hurt take that thing out and read it every once in awhile. pay attention to the types of fluid you're supposed to put in the car. some power steering systems take transmission fluid, not power steering fluid. the guy at the parts store, is going to sell you power steering fluid. Because that's what you asked for. may not be what you need... But that is what you will get. Check the owner's manual. Usually under capacities and specifications.
it has been many times in my career that the customer has said to me, I don't have a lot of money... Can you please take it easy on me?
at which time I tell them ... my bill, is not based on whether or not you can afford something, or whether or not I like you. I am billing you for a set of procedures, that are based on the tenth of the hour. And the part needed to solve the problem. at a cost, I can't control. in order for me, to give you a deal, I'm going to have to cut something out of the procedure ... what part would you like it to be?
Parts prices... This is where we get, hosed on both sides. technically, the only parts that are truly worked for your vehicle, are the OEM standard. Ford Motorcraft, AC Delco... These parts are designed to work for your vehicle. O'Reilly's Auto Zone ... so on and so forth... These are the largest importer of Chinese Goods in North America. Everybody wants OEM quality, at aftermarket prices. However, the technician does not build the parts. We don't know what quality you're getting. We don't even know, if we bought a good part from the aftermarket retailers. Because most of those manufacturers have an acceptable failure rate. It is not uncommon to purchase these parts from the aftermarket retailers, and have them be bad, right out of the box. unless you're using OEM Quality Parts. In which case, the manufacturer has gone through Great Lengths to make sure, their original equipment part, is going to be the right fit for your car. and it makes absolutely no mathematical sense for us, to charge you for two alternators, when you only need one. If we charge you for two alternators, that means that we, have to put the other one on the Shelf. And that's where it's going to sit until either you, or another vehicle just like yours, comes through the door. the standard is okay if we're working on a 2017 Honda Civic. But not so okay if we're working on a 1985 Chevy citation. ain't nobody seen in 85 Chevy citation, since 1986. I can't rightly have an alternator or an oil filter on the shelf for that vehicle, if we're never going to see it again.
prophet in the automotive repair industry comes from our ability to diagnose and repair vehicles. the business structure for an auto repair shop, is not the same as Target or Walmart. They can afford to have items sitting on the shelf for long periods of time. We can't. we have to get your car in, fix it, and get it delivered to you in a timely fashion. if we want to make money. your vehicle, sitting in our stalls, does not generate income for us. It provides you great, indoor storage, that we don't get paid for. In 25 years, I was called all kinds of things. I've even had customers, pull guns on me. and that was it... No more for me. your 67 Impala with rotten wiring all over the place... Is not worth dying over. you can't fix it... You can't afford to fix it... Your problem... Not mine.
I could go on and on. but I will just end by saying this... we are all still learning. And in September... We have to learn some more. Auto Repair is a continuous education program. and we have to spend the money on that continuous education, ourselves. Most shops, require us to have a whole bunch of information, on a whole bunch of cars... That we may never see. Those classes are expensive. taking a week off from work, to pay for a class, out of our own pocket, usually never... Never... Never... Translate into a raise for the technician. we can literally have a list of accreditation 10 miles long... Doesn't mean we're getting paid for it. ASE certifications are marketing programs, not education programs. They are sold to the shop owners, as education programs. But they're not... It's marketing and advertising . An advertising, is a way to circumnavigate your intelligence, just long enough to extort money from it. there are over 900 different variations of vehicles on the road. No single technician is an expert, on all of them. it is absolutely arrogant to believe, that we can be. This is why we have procedures. This is why we have specialty repair shops like... The dealership. They only work on one brand of vehicle. Because those procedures vary from vehicle to vehicle. It is our responsibility to know what those procedures are, and how to work the procedure. But we don't invent the procedure, we don't invent the car. and we don't invent your problems. if you have a problem with any of those three things... Contact the Vehicle Manufacturer.
it is their Union, that allows them to make mistakes on the assembly line. It is there Union, that protects welders, that continuously get caught drinking on the job. It is their Union, that allows them to make the same mistake over and over and over again, and past the cost of repair on to you. here in my state, there is no Union to protect me from you. And your feelings. There's only a kangaroo court, That will continuously pay the customer for their feelings. Not their facts. And I, did not get in this business, to pay you, to fix your car. with no protection, no representation, and no way of beating your feelings, with my facts, in your court... I'm out.
But that's okay... Because, between your courts, your feelings, and your piece of crap car ... we can now make more money, delivering for GrubHub.
let that sink in there shop owner... your technicians can now make more money, delivering food, then they can, working for you. and it doesn't look like the food delivery services will be going out of business, anytime soon. What does the future outlook of your shop look like?
That's one hell of a comment
It was great to visit your shop Joe, and hear this epic story in person! Especially the oil change part haha
Yea man. So happy to have had you come. Hope to do it again soon.
“A man has got to know his limitations.” said Clint Eastwood in some movie. That owner sure didn’t. For heaven’s sake man, if you don’t know what you’re doing, find someone who does! Sheesh.
I wonder did that customer still complain about the bill? 😂👍
Negative.
I always have a pro work on anything complicated on my newer vehicles. I do my own "Hail Mary" work on my vehicles that are still good but old enough that the repair cost exceeds the car's value. Have learned a lot of mechanical tricks that way. Thank God for Haynes and TH-cam.
Must have been very satisfying to have got to the bottom of the troubles, especially after home mechanics, such as myself, complicate the issue, by making adjustments that you, through a logic step by step process, were able to unravel, well done Joe, nice one, subscribed👍
Thank you glad to have you.;
Whenever a vehicle starts to run odd I always revisit what was recently done whether its regular maintenance or a repair. People can do more damage to their vehicle trying to fix things they aren't experienced in, ... just to save money. Intake leaks can easily be checked by spraying near it with starting fluid or throttle cleaner with change in idle noticed. Its tough being a business owner these days. Some people want things cheap or free. Great video.
Problem on this one was spraying wasn't going to prove a vacuum leak lol. I get your point though.
Dude, 1st time on channel...very nice diagnosis buddy. Most backyard mechanics wont tell you where they screwed up! I learned that the hard way...but none the less, great job
Thanks hope you enjoy the other videos!
As a DIYer I have pulled two engines myself but have had a mechanic and a machine shop do the precision rebuild work. I once had a new intake gasket hang up on the backside and had had to redo it. Years ago a shop forgot to tighten up the lug nuts on a rear wheel. Chit happens!
Indeed it does...it happens more where inexperience is involved though.
Your work is honest keep up the faith.
Parts markup has always been part of the Auto repair industry, I try not to exceed dealer list price most part are under. I once told a customer do you bring your steak and eggs to the restaurant and ask them to cook it? He laughed. A master Technician has as much training as a Nurse Practitioner. And people don't Complain. If you need a surgeon and don't have insurance you will need to sell your home and perhaps rightly so.
C'mon Joe, we all know Home Depot has the best repair parts.
The car companies just don't use them because BIG OIL
HD is a good place to get a skyhook
Wish is the best lol brakes a week later
Home Depot is the Autozone of home parts. Not a good thing
Funny!
Early in my DIY efforts the pickup dropped off the lifting jack and crushed the Y-pipe and oil pan. I did not have an oxy torch to heat up exhaust flange bolts at the time. So, I took it to a shop. Told them exactly what I did and let them clean up my mess. It happens. I was more than willing to pay the hourly rate and parts markups. Mistakes are always expensive.
But, over the long run, my repair efforts have saved me a ton of money. The world is big enough for DIY'ers and good shops. And like any tool or solution, knowing when and how to utilize both is key.
there is a mechanic shop out this way and he lets customers use there own parts but he checks them to make sure they are correct and so on..if they want to use there own parts he gets them to sign something stating if the part fails he will not warranty it and so on..also Canadian tire you can supply the parts to them as well..they just won’t accept warranty on the part you supplied
And now for the rest of the story... if you can get it from the customer. Many times they will tell you in detail about several things, but usually not pertaining directly to symptoms. Part of being an automotive technician is also being CSI. Sure you have your knowledge, training, and diagnostic tools, but there are some like yourself that are truly gifted with this skill. Great job!
I agree with your statements and parts should be marked up to cover handling/shipping cost, etc. My gripe on past experiences is mechanics that insist on putting parts in a repair that the customer would gladly pay more for a superior quality/aftermarket part that they acquire themselves. For example I had a automatic transmission rebuilt in my truck and was told the torque converter would be top quality, triple disk designed for towing. 3 years later after the transmission required another rebuild and the torque converter replaced again it turns out that it was a cheap single disk at almost half the price of what I paid. I then search and finally found a mechanic shop that would install parts I acquired that I wanted. Warranty would only apply to the installation work the shop did. No problem. Transmission shops are one of the most notorious places a customer can be ripped off. I always suggest vehicle owners ask for the old parts back after work is done
I agree. If I tell you I am putting something into your vehicle, rest assured you are getting that part. I suppose that there are always going to be shady people though brother. Sorry that happened to you.
Joe's Auto Electric if I was living in your service area I would have you on speed dial. You’re doing the best thing for your industry, showing integrity.
Thanks so much!
Excellent Diag Work Joe....been there done that Mopping up after Driveway Mechanic’s do there thing is always the most Rewarding it reminds you of why you do what you do.....Proud Of You 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🤘🏻😎
Thanks man!
Joe , great video I had to watch it twice , My old boss use to say Man Made Problems are the hardest to fix . This is a good example of a customer installed problem, we are not going to talk about car alarms and auto start systems, thanks have a great day Pete m
They watch TH-cam and know everything. Joe you aren’t the first and won’t be the last. These fools try to get your goat. You are in business to make money. You are exactly correct. Some people make it worse. I love the ones that sit there and tell you your doing it wrong. I always said if you know so much what did you call me for you should fix it yourself. The best thing someone can do is document everything good and give you as much info as possible about the issue. Thanks for sharing your experience.
100% agree!
our jobs are so easy, any one can do it. all you need is google, some s.a.e sockets from the 80's your grandfather left behind, and a tow truck to get it to the shop once you're done.
LOLOL!!!!!!!!
You are the Man Mr. Joe!!! Keep up the good work and the videos coming!! Your know how is the best!
I agree. I do most of my own. When I need help, I go directing the diags.
Good case study, thanks for sharing, Joe. I would ignore the trolls who criticize marking up parts. Obviously they know nothing about business and having to handle the acquisition of parts. If they did they would know it takes time, and time is money. They should also know that shops that allow the customer to supply the parts don't provide any warranties on the work to install customer supplied parts. It would be insane to expect otherwise.
I feel for all of You , Knowing what Tools , Equipment , shop , Insurance and every other expense cost , How do these people think you can afford to stay in business , Love Eric O , "I didn't buy it , I didn't build it , I didn't Break it " but He fixes them . These people complaining about price of Mechanics / Techs , have no problem buying $800-$1000 phones , buy pay money to fix a car ? Again I feel for YOU
I admit that DIYers, like myself, can make mistakes that they can't fix. Case in point: I replaced an ignition coil tower connector on my Toyota Camry. These have four wires as you probably know. I got two of the wires swapped upon assembly and it ran like crap and triggered a misfire code. And I forgot to take a picture before disassembling the old connector. Doh! I thought I was all set though: just look it up on a wiring diagram!
What I didn't count on was Mitchell's wiring diagram for the ignition system being COMPLETELY WRONG! No color code matched the actual wire color on any coil tower. Argh. Grr. With no access to an OEM diagram I finally broke down and took it to my trusted, professional mechanic to fix it. Unlike your customer, however, I fully disclosed how I got to that point and he was able to correct it by ordering an OEM diagram. So that's just something stupid where experience and forethought would have saved me a lot of grief. Fortunately this was a small goof, but it still set me back by $127.
I admire you trying and doing what needed to be done man. A word of advice. If you find a diagram that shows what you had there, go up and/or down a year in the diagrams and check again. May find it to be correct in a different year. Hope this helps.
@@JoesAutoElectric Thank you! I appreciate that.
Your troubleshooting skills are outstanding. How the hell do you put the gasket wrong and not notice it?
Lack of knowledge.
@@JoesAutoElectric that's not lack of knowledge. You don't need any automotive education to match up holes. That's not paying attention. I've seen shit like that with cars always serviced by a dealer. That's one of the reasons I always do all of my own work.
Maybe an unsupervised apprentice?
Impatience. I'm watching this right now to take a break from working on my car in the wind and rain. Add all the extra errors introduced by not having the right tool and it's easy to do dumb stuff in a rush.
I'm a lot more careful about what I'm doing after I stuck a shop towel in a hose to keep any crap from flying in while I had it disconnected... didn't keep track and a couple of weeks later (fortunately at low speed) I got an unplanned lesson in what the throttle does.
I'm pretty new to fixing cars, but experience with troubleshooting all sorts of computer tech has given me a profound respect for the creativity of idiots.
Working on today's car and trucks are a puzzel,like you I have been working on cars for a number of years but I recently have a puzzle to get on with, light codes told me several things were bad but we're not, ecm was, so I replaced it and won.
Hey once again man.!You really hit the nail on the head in the first part of this video.So refreshing to hear you speak about this stuff.And i agree one hundred percent!Im a car technician myself,and i definetly can relate to everything you say.And your finding in this particular case study is just mindblowing..and it just show you are right in the first place,(in the initial opening statement in this video ) Thank you for awesome video.Keep it up man.Im on board :) Greetings from the CarViking in Norway,Stefan :)By the way,you have a nice approach and vibe in your videos.Very enjoyable to watch.Cheers :)
Glad to have you! Thanks a lot!!!
@@JoesAutoElectric Thanx man.My pleasure.I saw on a different post..that the inlet manifold gaskets solved the issue with this particular car.Looking forward to check out the video about the solution :) Greetings.Stefan
Installing gaskets in their correct configuration is optional for the DIY mechanic!
The headaches of diagnosing a problem when some idiot has screwed with not one, but a few things first!
...and you have to hunt down each one and straighten it out. Then you get scorched for the amount of time you spent.
Just went to one today , another company was there and diagnosed it , but I can't trust it and I don't even wanna hear about it as an influence.
Lemme do my thing and I was surprised they diagnosed it correctly.
DAMN SON, I AM IMPRESSED, A HELL OF A FIND ON THE INTAKE GASKET. My son had a 99 blazer with the 4.3 & the Dist. ears both stripped out, JUNK. I just put bolts straight through with nuts on them. I DO NOT WORK ON CARS THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAD THEIR GRUBBY MITTS ON IT & COULD NOT FIX IT. I do this stuff on the side & it was WAAAY TOOOO MUCH OF A NIGHTMARE. I HAVE THAT OPTION WHICH IS NICE, AGAIN GREAT FIND ON THE INTAKE GASKET.
Thank you!
Amazing,,, your a great technician.,... this beats my problem I found with 4.3 injectors in a 5.7 TBI... SURGES AND PREDETONATED /My son is going to school for biomed repair, and learning how to use an oscilliscope. I think it will come in handy for cars
Thanks I would love to hear more about this injector issue you found.
Joe it was partially my fault, due to assumption.. bought an 89 k1500 with a 5 speed manual and a 5.7.. we were wondering why the prndle was in the far left corner of the dash but didnt pay much attention.. the guy we got the truck from off craigslist, said he bought it the way it was, it had a blown headgasket, he was going to pull the heads but needed the cash, his buddy was in the joint and he was trying to spring him..,. SOI bought the truck, sight unseen except picture on craigslist. we agreed on 550.00 and he deliver.. ok he shows up, I check vin against title, everything checks out, he unloads and goes on his merry way... open the cab, and there are various part on the floor, but by no means everything we needed.. no tensioner pulley, no fan no alternator, no belts, ect.. the harmonic balance was in the cab in the bucket with the other part.. the intake and throttle body bolted on, was sitting in the bed of the truck.. So I wanted a project truck to teach my so a few things.. we pulled the heads, sure enough, blown head gasket, got the heads worked, replaced rusty pushrods, did the whole top end. rebuilt TBI, installed and fired it up.. it ran, but surged like crazy and would pre ignite thru the intake on throttle snap. BAD,, like try to blow the intake off bad.. check timing and wiring 3 times, all good.. distributor was old and tired so replaced it,., no fix . checked fuel pressure at the filter, with t fitting.. 9-10 lbs.. replaced fuel pump, new pressure 10 -14 lbs... start truck, same crap, surg at idle and misfire... I was wondering if I had a restriction and tryed squeezing the Fuel Return line, and truck idled perfect, and wouldnt miss or pre ignite.. At that point there was nothing left to check but injectors.. when I read the numbers and ran them, I felt sick.. but eleated.. WHY in the hell there was an intake and TBI in back of the truck I will never know, but I learned ALOT abt these truck,.s
even stranger the vin number says the truck came with a 4.3 and automatic...someone changed the computer to a 5.7, but it has a prom chip for an automatic.. so far, its running great, I thing the manual prom just bumps the idle up from 550 to 600. this truck is a long bed 4x4 and will set up back in the seat in 3 gears.. we have a great sense of accomplishment.. we fixed ALot of stuff, and I spent great time with my son.. im just a shadetree hobby mechanic, but tenacious almost to a fault, I cant give up., we checked and service almost every system on the truck, from the rear diiff, to the EGR system. All we have left to do is replace a leaking transfer case seal, and put better tires on it to be road worthy. .Its rust free, bondo free, just a great old truck.
one of the pitfalls of these older trucks is everybody and thier brother has worked on most of them. usually drunk I think. I love the 88 to 94 GMTS though,,, especially the early ones with the glass headlamps.
so... when I squeezed the return fuel line the pressure on the gauge shot to 20... which 'MADE the pressure coming out of the injectors come out at enough volume, the keep the 5.7 happy. these fuel systems want the right pressure. alot of people dick with the pressures, putting large springs in the fuel regulator, and it causes them to run rich on the top end. block learn and integrator just cant manage it correctly.
@Joe's Auto Electric --- A quote for the shop that was passed on to me for my many years in automotive repair "If I do a job in 30 minutes, it's because I spent 10 years learning how to that in 30 minutes. You owe me for the years, not the minutes." Obviously insert number of years and minutes as needed. You bring valid points though with the increased access people have to the portable internet to use as a tool and point of reference along with other advancements in technology they will continue to advance their interest and knowledge base along with purchasing their own parts to install. Your youtube channel offerings will force more people to repair their vehicles first before taking it to a specialist like you when all attempts have been exhausted. The sharing of knowledge in this forum will be the bane of your existence and others like you. It's no longer a captive audience of trade secrets. Everyone shares what they know online in milliseconds. Even if it's wrong! Your craft is much the same as many traditional trades that have gone through an evolution where there are specialists and there are parts changers or installers. Mechanics and technicians are different people. The technician term came out of the "dot com" boom era of the late 90's and has been applied to every aspect of an employment position including office clerical work though no REAL technical aspect is present. It sounds better. I apply technician lingo to parts changers or installers that treat symptoms whereas a mechanic is a rare gem that repairs problems not symptoms. You are a a mechanic Joe and much appreciated here. You're old school and that matters. Less and less skilled or even bright people are entering the automotive repair field. My opinion from over 35 years. One may be considered bright because they can deal with the computer side of automotive more proficiently, but that doesn't negate the seasoned mechanical veteran from being just as proficient given the time. The OEM is heavily implementing "MTBF - Mean Time Before Failure" qualifications into its engineering of newer vehicles to beat the odds on warranty claims. Less serviceable components and more assemblies to aid in the manufacturing side rather than the service side. More market testing of vehicle components and systems rather than real world testing has created a different scope to vehicle design and manufacture. The old "drive it for a half-million miles" routine is gone. Get it to market quick and watch out for warranty claims to adjust the component design for future production. It's a different world and you're a man of many that is just trying to do the job right the first time and so many vehicle owners claim they want that, BUT they don't want to pay for it because your time and experience aren't as valuable in their perception and we can thank this venue and the accessibility of cheap low quality chinese made copies of auto parts for it.
Mark up is mandatory. As tradesmen with commercial accounts, we get special pricing that MUST be marked up or those accounts will be lost or jeopardized.
Keep up the good work enjoy your videos. I am lucky I know my repair limitations and have a trusted shop to go to when something is beyond me. These vehicles aren't your grandpa's chevy anymore.
Retired aircraft mechanic here. Maybe I am revealing a trade secret here, but when an airplane comes in with a chronic problem, the first thing you do is find out what fixes have been attempted previously and either undo them, or at least verify that they have not added to the problem. Since airplanes have a habit of wandering across states and continents, log book entries and computerized maintenance records are invaluable here. Once you have the airplane back to "normal," you start with the most basic steps of troubleshooting for the original reported problem, just as Joe demonstrated in this video. You can't go wrong with this method, because somebody may have missed something along the way.
I`ve been a mechanic for more than 30 years. I still look for answers through research(internet, alldata, etc), or ask someone else for advice if im not sure about something. Especially on today`s vehicles. one little mistake can cause a lot of other problems.
Well said.
My first car was a '70 Mustang coupe that I got for peanuts because it had a loud engine knock and serious blow-by. (I'm an electronics tech, not auto). Took the valve covers off and found that Mr. DIY had left one of the head bolts laying in the top end. The rocker arms were hitting it and making a hell of a clatter, and it was pressurizing the crankcase due to the open bolt hole in the head. No idea why he had one head bolt out. I put the bolt back in and torqued it down just to see if the problems went away. They did. So I changed the head gaskets and drove the hell out of it.
This is what you call a good mechanic!!!!
Internal vacuum leak,great catch.great video sir,thank u
As I say to our new customers. We only ever want the best for our customers and there vehicles (both in service and parts). It's never about the mark up on a part!
If you the customer, supplies the part then we can not repair your vehicle. Why? Well if that part you supplied fails then as you supplied it we can not warranty it so therefore you have to pay us again to remove and replace said part. Whereas if we supply you a part and it fails, then we will warranty it and repair it free of charge. Now would you risk that for a cheaper/poorer quality alternative???
9/10 realize that you only have there best interests at heart. If they don't realize then I find that you don't need that person as a customer as they don't value our professionalism or only want repair work carrying out for nothing.
Joe, keep up the good work buddy. Paul 👍
Joe, your the go to guy when no one else can fix it.
one bank way negative, one way positive, IAC closed, MAF high, vacuum leak on one bank is the first target I'd aim at.
you done mentioned high pcv/breather hole negative flow though, those are the harder leaks to diagnose, not "whistling dixie" outside the manifold area.
Indeed.
Joe, thank you for this AMAZING video--I'm very lucky to have found it(!) (I've learned multiple things)--watching your process, zeroing in on the problems is worth watching *again.* Thank you again! Btw, you'd be a kick-ass teacher.
Hey thank for that. Appreciate it.
Don't Need To Prove Or Justify Yourself To Anyone, Their Is Too Much Work Out There For Good Mechanics, If They Knew How To Fix It, They Wouldn't Be Asking For Help! Good Work Joe
It seems the more honest and fair you are, the more they become unhappy. You don't do this because it's fun, it's your profession and deserve to at least be compensated for your time and parts. I still have to endure the usual customer abuse, sometimes people will pull up in the yard and either drop off the vehicle with a nope. (I just hate that), but if the customer is polite and "worthy" (yes "worthy" if I feel they are in need, honest, and understanding, I will do the job, sometimes for free. But I am not in business anymore, I can do that, if you open your doors to any sort of personality, issues, problems, and they are in a bad mood anyway, you will not please them. Or the ones who stop by and are convinced the problem is a loose wire, then you give them a reality check and the fact it's going to cost a bundle. You will probably end up the bad guy no matter how you try or the concessions you make. The good news is that the occasional nice, fair customer males it all worth it.
As a diyr myself, I would appreciate a video so much detailing how someone like me couod search out a mechanic with diagnostic skills such as yourself.namd not someone who is just a parts cannon operator. How do you know who to go to so your don't waste your time and money.
As a DIYer I appreciate Eric O's South Main Auto channel. My understanding of systems and processes increased a lot just by studying his videos.
Only advice I can give you is this. No one is going to please everyone. Check my reviews. I have a few shitty ones. Now, in my defense, they were completely full of shit and I called them on it. However, reviews are one way, but try to really read through them all and see what people really have to say. My favorite method though, is talking to people. If I need a contractor, I ask a few friends who I trust. If one of them knows someone they trust, then I will go with that guy. Same thing with finding a shop. Most of my business is word of mouth. And as I said, though I do my best, there is no pleasing everyone. Hope this helps.
@@JoesAutoElectric ...god knows, I've tried that ^, exactly (scouring reviews, getting referrals from people I trust) and no matter what I always draw the Queen of Spades. The fact is, most techs I've handed off my cars to or the typical shop won't approach it analytically like you do, or they do a repair with a low-quality part that lasts about 14 months rather than an OEM part or a strong aftermarket brand, or my favorite, reassemble everything, like a splash shield, with just 4 of the clips rather than all 18 of them or whatever. I got so tired of paying for work like that that I've endeavored to learn what I can to work on our vehicles myself.
@@callbackdons Just a suggestion: Ask them to tell you about a diagnosis they made recently that was especially interesting.
Maybe even say that you saw a TH-cam video where it turned out the customer put a gasket in backwards, and you thought it was cool how they figured it out at the shop. Hey, what's the craziest thing you've ever run across?
You're offering to listen to someone brag, most people will take you up on that in my experience
@@mxpants4884 hey that's a pretty great idea. I'm gonna have to remember that. Seems like a pretty good ice breaker for other situations too if if it's switched up a bit for context
That's one crazy vehicle. Nice bit of observation skills with the gasket reversed. Bi directional scan tool a real time saver. Should see a much improved machine after that makeover.
Had a 4.3 kick my butt years ago same problem had aftermarket intake gaskets installed and left side had slid down slightly into valley. I wish I had a way too tell customers up front all the problems with their vehicle but you have to fix the obvious first. You might just want to quote catalytic converter now with all those misfires and cover your ass from the come back. Grateful for your videos keep up the good work!!
Yes, I have this well documented
Joe, I’ve finally made it to number one. Joe if you were in my area I would take my vehicle to you with anything I’m not capable of doing the job myself. I also follow you because by listening to you l know I could trust your diagnostic skills. All of your videos are right on. Oh bring back the old style caps. It’s bent very obvious. No matter what your mechanical skills there is always a path to follow. I seriously doubt you will install them backwards. Nice find Joe. Now comes the battle with the bill. Please show us the rest. Thanks Artie. ❤️
You may be a great be guy but many in the business aren't. But I fix everything I can. Sadly had to fix things after they were in the shop.
Keep up the good work Joe. Once you develop x-ray vision you can find all the problems by staring at it. LOL
Joe, don't you know anyone can do what you do. in fact, I bet it was that way when it rolled off the assembly line. The problem with this is you are now married to this vehicle and anything else that goes wrong with it will be your fault. And as far as how much you charge for a job, anyone who doesn't like it can take it somewhere else. You're a professional and you deserve to make as much as you can. As I tell people all the time who complain about what I charge or do. I didn't build it, I didn't buy it and I didn't break it. Keep up the good work!
Just finished a 2007 Silverado 4.3L V6 where customer attempted heater core and FAILED on an epic scale. NO ONE would touch it, all of the dash and interior was in the bed of truck. After towing the truck to 6 different shops, exhausting all Craig's list techs, Thrifty Nickel ads and by chance I happen to be walking by. I took one look inside the truck and was about to keep walking...but he offered a good amount $$$ and I could tell he was out of options. All this was a year long fiasco, all rectified in one day...outside....22F degrees... snowing. Inclement weather makes it so much better.
I hope you got paid well for that nightmare...especially in the cold.
the guy i use can fix my cars sometimes cheaper than i can do it,,an he backs up his work..he is very good i have 15 cars joe i like working on older carb cars ,,my 95 transport is not easy to work on as you know the 3800 takes up space..i farm that out to him lol
Your customers better realize that they have an angel helping them out.
VERY fortunate for them not to enlist my help. I would have beaten them up every step along the way.
In fact, once I learn that a machine has been "monkeyed" with or "jury rigged", I usually semi-politely decline to help right off the bat.
I greatly admire your patience and thoughtfulness for your customers.
Thank you for your EXCELLENT videos and instruction.
Thanks so much man.
Hi Joe, you had your work cut out whith this one, a combination of original faults, complicated by owner added faults due to them having ,all the gear and no idea,lol. Anybody who thinks their being ripped off by Mark Up on parts needs to think where does the butcher, baker, greengrocer, get their stuff from.THEY ALL,buy from wholesalers, and then add a reasonable, competitive, or retail markup, that's how business works. From what I see joe your a stand up guy, who's up front ,tells it like it is, and I'm sure your regular clients will be more than happy whith your work. Keep up the good work joe, best wishe's to you and your's, Stuart.uk.
Thanks brother. Same to you!
When people bring in their own parts give them no warranty since you never know the quality and be sure they know that’s the reason.
Better to not install them because of liability.
You should never install customer’s parts. Too much liability. You still touched the car and are liable for the repair. Do it right the first time.
When I used to write service back in the day, we only warranted our labor. If we supplied the parts, we could take it out on the manufacturer if we had to replace their trash parts. If customer provided their own parts, it's like they kinda on their own for the labor costs
I prefer myself doing purchase as well cause you can rewarranty an item no cost of you as long as distributor has a honest warranty system.
Nice find. I've seen +/- on opposite banks be cause by reversed upstream o2 sensors before too.
Indeed sir. Inability to bring idle down was an indication of vacuum leak.
@@JoesAutoElectric What would have really been cool is to see what this would have looked like with an in cylinder pressure transducer on the bank where the gasket was backwards.
This is a very informative video. It had to be a real pita with the number of issues and not knowing exactly what had been changed or screwed up before you had to diagnose the issues.
I have one question concerning the worn driven bevel gear on the distributor. Because this gear was worn....Is there any concern the driving gear on the camshaft is also worn? Are the two bevel gears of equal or different hardness?
Thank you in advance for your time and thoughts.
Sincerely,
BS “Duby” Du Bois
Great question. In my experience, it is the distributor gear that normally will show the wear. I have never gotten into actual hardness of either, in all honesty...but also never saw one that could not be fixed with a new distributor assembly.
I've got a truck with the same engine, I wish I had a mechanic look at it before I changed a ton of parts!!! It stopped running, it had fuel, fire and compression. I wound up changing the distributor, wires,plugs,timing chain . All parts were still in good shape before they were changed. The truck still just popped and kicked back!! I was done with this thing!!! Then a mechanic stopped by to ask me about the truck and I told him everything I did to it and he offered to look at it real quick. 30 minutes later the truck was running fine!! Turns out the coil was bad although it still fired! This is why its worth paying a mechanic!!!!!!
Just came across your page & already subscribed keep it up the diag vids are gold
Hey thank you! Appreciate it a lot man.
How many miles were on this 4.3L truck? Wonder why the owner was replacing the intake manifold gaskets.
About 150k. I was told it had a coolant leak from the gaskets, which is common...
Hey Joe clean that comfy couch behind you! LOL you are the one I would go to.... Wow Thanks Joe!
A few thoughts. You get parts wholesale so an honest markup is expected. Dealers can monopolize on parts so they screw people. Secondly, I took my car to a dealer because my gauges were not working. I assumed they would be fastest on this kind of repair. They replaced the computer with no success. I couldn't afford more so i took the car home and it sat while I repaired it. After 20 hours of research, testing and etc. over months, I discovered the ignition switch was bad. What's my point, some mechanics suck and know enough to do basics and talk you down, avoid them. It can take significant time to fix yourself so have a backup if you dare. Know the character and capabilities of your mechanic and the overall reputation of the shop. And treat you're mechanic like a doctor and friend, it helps when bad stuff is bad.
Anyone with a lot of experience at their craft always has a big advantage over some guy who just thinks that he can do anything. Experience is the key. I learned a long time ago to always seek out an expert for my problems when I could not solve them myself. I still dive into some repairs myself, sometimes I win and sometimes I loose.
We work on opposite sides of the spectrum as a plumber too often am I accused of over charging and or a thief diyer's are the worst people to do repairs for i will not fix your repairs I will start from scratch and do it the correct way brother I feel your pain keep doing what you do your a good mech/tech my hats off to you we are always going to be hated by some that occasional thank you from a costomer makes it worth it I'm not getting rich I'm sure your not trying to get rich either doing what we do keep your head up key board warriors are a dime a dozen
I had one do that to me. But the customer was taking it home putting parts on it. It had a plugged converter
It wasn’t till I r&r the plugs & drove it with the scanner hooked up I figured it out.
Bravo sir, another great video. I really enjoyed this one.
This reminds me of the sign someone posted about, that he or she saw in a mechanic's shop. It read something like:
Hourly rates: $25.00 per hour.
If you watch: $50.00 per hour.
If you help: $75.00 per hour.
If you worked on it before bringing it into my shop: $100.00 per hour.
All joking aside, customers must keep in mind that a shop has enormous overhead expenses, so the shop has to include those costs in its hourly service charge. These expenses include shop rent or property taxes, utility charges (electricity, water, heating, telephone, WiFi, etc.), business licence fees, tax and rent on the sign out front, employee payroll with taxes and expenses, sales tax reporting and remittance, income tax remittance, other compliance reporting expenses (including accountant's fees), cost of maintaining shop equipment, cost of tools, cost of any software that the mechanic must pay for to get access, cost of training and upgrading expertise and equipment, and on and on.
The mechanic is not running a welfare office, and cannot work for free without going out of business.
,
Many do not think of that. One of the highest costs of any business you can be in...be it as an owner or technician, you pay huge in this industry.
It will be interesting to hear how the intake gasket got installed incorrectly.
It's great how you explained what we have to go through to diagnose a vehicle with multiple problems. Some problems are quite obvious while others take so time to find what's wrong.
Keep up the good work, Bro !