Eric got a new house? Congratulations! For all of the pent up rage I have seeing 16 y.o. TH-camrs in multi-million dollar homes, I'm really glad to see one of the good guys getting his due.
Thanks Eric. Believe it or not, the theme "We overcomplicate things we don't understand" has helped me immensely with a class project that has absolutely nothing to do with cars. This is solid life advice.
Your attitude keeps amazing me, it's kind of the student attitude we have over here. We don't think in problems, but solutions. "How on earth am I going to do this", one step at a time. Obstacle? Find a way to circumvent it. There's a name for it to solve those problems in Computer Science: Divide and Conquer. Props!
My paraphrase of Eric's discussion: How do you eat an Elephant? One bite at a time. Many times the unfamiliar or unknown is overwhelming and intimidating, but we have to push the fear aside and open our minds to new things, and desire to understand what we do not. Somethin' like that.
i would like to shake hands with you eric! so motivational. actually this worked for me before you published. I have just made a huge electrical upgrade on my car from scratch, i thought "i’ll never be able to go through this myself” but here we are, job done. step by step, figured out the wiring on paper, crafted my wiring, took apart the car, ran the wires in the best way possible, put all back together... not even a spark. works like a charm first try! Thanks eric!
I gotta tell you Eric that because of you I do most of the typical DYI stuff on my vehicles. You explain things very well and in simple terms and don't over complicate things. I love the way you think and explain things and I agree with you. I remember the younger me taking everything apart to figure out how it works then put it together.
Thank you Eric I needed that advice! I had a coding lab today that seemed quite challenging from the looks of it but, just breaking things down made things a whole lot easier. Keep up with the awesome content!
Very insightful Eric. As a car enthusiast, semi-newbie do-it-yourself “mechanic” (if I can even call myself a mechanic), this video gave me more confidence in myself to do bigger jobs on my car. I can always count on you Eric to educate me, entertain me and enlighten me. Keep it up bud!
This is what's so cool about auto repair. What we often see at the garage is a bunch of greasemonkeys labouring over a couple of wrecked cars. But what I see is a mechanical surgeon, a reverse-engineerer, and sometimes even a philosopher.
Exactly said. Everyday that you are alive just keep learning new things to improve your understanding, and use the knowledge you already acquired from the past.
Excellent video. I especially like the comment about failure and success. That’s how I roll for the most part, and now I’m trying to Ingrain that attitude into my 3 sons. Also for the moving analogy, well said. I use the old eating an elephant phrase: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Also trying to get that to stick with my boys.
You're right. We all overthink things - especially the things we want or need to understand. I'm a driving instructor and I see people - usually those who are in their 20s or older - struggle with simple things like turning a corner or parallel parking even though I'm dumbing it waaaay down and giving them a fool-proof way of doing all the things that we all do behind the wheel. Invariably, the struggle is because people overthink the task-at-hand and they're worried about screwing up so they overthink whatever it is they're doing and they screw it up anyway. As for electric cars and the future of the auto repair industry, it's my opinion that - generally speaking - electric cars are simpler than an internal combustion or hybrid car because there are fewer moving parts (like a rotary engine vs. piston) and other than the unique drivetrain, it's just a car. It still has suspension, it still has rotors and pads, it still has wheel bearings and wiper blades. With regards to regenerative braking, it's my understanding that there are no special components. Regen happens when the drive motors resist forward movement of the vehicle when you take your foot off the go-pedal and start coasting. When this happens, the kinetic energy in the forward movement of the vehicle gets recaptured by the drive motors (turning them into generators) and gets sent back into the battery. Now, if anyone can correct me in any place, please do! If I were a mechanic and looking to open my own shop, I see the time we're living in as an opportunity to get ahead of the curve and open a repair shop that deals with all types of vehicles and specialize in hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electrics. At the end of the day, a car is a car and the cars getting repaired today are way more complicated than cars of even just 10 years ago. Think of things like Lane Keep Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control, Bluetooth, Infotainment, etc. Hell, even my 2005 TJ doesn't have ABS! Now that I've gotten long-winded, I'll just say again that you're right. It's easy to over complicate things.
If I drove a stepped CVT, I'd hire one to unstep it and make it run like it is supposed to, always the most efficient RPM for the load and speed. An electric car or hybrid, having the regenerative breaking/charging under deceleration more aggressive. But personally, after my car which feels like you have to take apart sections of the car to do just about anything because everything is crammed in so tight; I'm going back to older cars from the 70s and 80s. I shouldn't have to remove my bumper to replace front lights, a wheel to change plugs and wires, take the hose connected to the intake to change the air filter, and numerous other minor gripes that should be easy for basic maintenance.
I don't know according to this article it sounds like they've already started implementing encryption. www.wired.com/2015/01/let-us-hack-our-cars/ "A few years ago, they started putting up roadblocks-protection measures, like encryption-over the ECU. Locks, in short, to keep the over-curious out. But any lock can be unlocked; you just need to find the right key. And that’s exactly what chip tuners do. In 2008, Cobb Tuning made a splash when they were the first to crack encryption on the Nissan GT-R. In 2010, Audi started integrating anti-tuning measures into many ECUs; tuning companies figured a way around them. More recently, BMW deployed encryption so robust on the M5’s ECU that (for the first time ever) Dinan-a tuning company-couldn’t break it. That didn’t stop them, though: Dinan just designed its own chip to soup up the M5, replacing the stock one. Eventually, though, someone will find a way though the M5’s defenses. Someone will crack encryption. Because that’s what people do-especially tinkerers obsessed with building the perfect car. Here’s where copyright law rears its head again: Because the programming on a car is copyrighted, breaking encryption could be construed as a violation of the DMCA. It doesn’t matter that no one is pirating the car’s software. The act of breaking the lock is enough to land tinkerers, hobbyists, hackers, tuners, and even security researchers in a contested, legal gray-zone." edit: and if they do go this route they wont stop just at encryption. the mofos will implement encrypted handshake protocols and all kinds of proprietary bullshit so you can't just simply swap out a chip like that one company did.
Yup, an electric vehicle is an electric vehicle. Same as an engine is an engine. I'm a forklift tech. Yeah, we've been dickin' around with electric vehicles for 65+ years and seen the whole development of motor control systems from the beginning to the present day. Although in my industry I'm an 'electrical engineer' I'm not in any literal sense of the word and NONE of us forklift techs have a degree in electrical engineering and we manage just fine 😏. My electrical knowledge is entirely self taught. We adapt and survive - new systems come along and if you've got your head screwed on and a willingness to learn you'll work it out. No degrees required 👍
Brilliant points. I remember mechanics worrying about printed circuits on the back of the instrument clusters. Manufacturers have always been trying to spook the industry.
Amen Brother! One step at a time. Working towards that goal. The first time I tore apart my Mitsubishi 4 cyl engine in my 1985 Caravan to rebuild it could have been overwhelming. After all it was the first one I'd attempted since I got out of high school 6 years earlier. But I took it one step at a time. When i finished it, i put it back in the van and wow what a feeling cranking it over and hearing it fire up for the first time...We drove it for another couple years than sold it to my sister in law who drove it for a couple more years. I'm a DIY and i have to say my wife looked at me cross eyed when i told her i was going to do it...but i did it and i didn't let it overwhelm me. Stayed focus on the next step and got it done...having a Haynes manual handy helped to...lol
I can't think of examples right now, but there's been times I've been sent to fix some new thing. I'm thinking "I don't know this new system". But I manage to fix it, and I walk away saying "The more things change, the more they stay the same. It's the same damm stuff that fails." If you understand how things work without the computer, then you're in better shape to understand what happens when the computer is added.
Well said Eric. Radio controlled cars have had regenerative braking in 1996. We had ESC-Electronic Speed Control in 1986. A PWM - Pulse Width Modulator - controls duty cycle. Futaba 111B.
Eric just want to let you know you've taught me so much about car repair....my dad doesnt know shit about cars so I've got to come to places like here to learn haha...thanks alot man
As a person who has been overcomplicating most of the stuff in my life (and still does), I totally agree - if you are too scared to work on something because it's complicated, you'll never be able to do it. I have never had any inclination to work on cars until I turned 31. I started with small stuff like replacing filters, brakes and stuff and moved on to more complicated things like timing belt for my car (which was the most complicated, intimidating things I've done for a car). My motto is powering through fear.
It's not being scared to recognize greater complexity and new skills needed. That's called maturity and accurate assessment. Your motto about powering through fear is stated as someone who has only ever done very simple things to simpler vehicles so it seems that you yourself have not followed your own advice and instead recognize what I wrote, that you recognize that much of this requires more skills than you have. The same is true for any profession in life, nobody is a professional in every subject and nobody lives long enough to ever become that. If you want to become that with vehicles, you are a mechanic/tech, but then some other guy can come along and insist you should be an expert at your HVAC, or your pet care, health care, stocks and bonds, etc, etc, and the truth is, it is overcomplicated to try to divert too much of your time away from what you want to do, just to feel proud of learning to do tasks you may only need to do a couple of times in your life, unless of course you're going to be a pro mechanic.
While I agree with the point that you can't be a pro in every aspect of your life, it doesn't mean that you cannot develop a descent skill level in more than one field. I, for one, found a passion towards cars when I turned 31, which is quite late in life, I would say. I enjoy working on them. At some point this passion grew into filming videos about repairs, maintenance and car related topics on TH-cam, so video production was another field I had to study. It's all fascinating stuff, and this is an on-going process. So this works out for me. And yes, it takes a lot of time, but so is everything else that brings joy.
I have saved thousands on repairs by doing them my self. My last project was a timing belt on my daughters car. I have no training outside of watching TH-cam videos. I just fallow the instructions step by step. Like you said, you never know what you can do till your try.
Yep totally, I started out going into Computer Science and mechanics as a hobby. Now going the opposite direction I have a little step up but it is all still just the good electrical testing you have learned for the old cars on the new ones.
Speaking of which, hobby grade RC is a great way for young people (or old folks even) to learn about vehicles, both electric and engine powered, and practice working on things. I just replaced a starter on my daughter's Forester, it was basically identical to changing a motor on a 1/10 scale RC, except I didn't have to set the gear mesh so you might say it was easier (if you weren't the one trying to get out those rusted bolts out from a tight spot..arrgghh)
“Like Watch”, I hope no one Hate Watches your content lol. This is true in life man. How often do we over complicate things we do not understand? I think just as much.
You can call oxygen lung gas if you want but it doesn't change the fact that its called oxygen. The long pedal has and always will be called the accelerator. That is its technical name regardless of your ignorance.
I just had a great example of tackling a car repair one step at a time. I am not a mechanic, but I just replaced the lower intake gasket. I just took the steps one at a time places the bolts in bags to corresponding steps and managed to complete the job with nothing left over. It turned out to not be that complicated.
Waiting to see you're fixing it forward videos again that is what got me hooked on your channel if I must be honest other than the Fairmont project and the mini I have absolutely loved your Channel
Well done Eric. You nailed it. And I like your analogy of the Electric RC car to ones we drive, dead on. The tech is the same, scaled down, and different materials (the RC) Believe it or not, if you can build an RC electric car and make work from scratch, you now can do the same with one your build, but now ride in. I know people who can build an RC, but think they cant deal with their tesla or leaf. It is a mind set. Thanks for this take on things. Well done.
Electric cars should be like computers. Go together like Lego bricks, color coded, and connectors only shaped to go in one way. So relatively idiot-proofed, if all you're doing is changing out the major modules. (The guy in the shop isn't troubleshooting individual circuit boards, he'll send those off to some other guy that'll do the refurbishing work. Kind of like how there's guys that specialize in transmissions the usual mechanic doesn't care to deal with.)
Speaking of connectors, I've dealt with a car that has multiple identically shaped dash electrical connectors that would physically go together, but it's not supposed to connect together. Good thing I've brought a light when I started diagnosing electrical issues that were my own fault. Generally speaking, all electrical connectors in all vehicles are keyed and color coded to prevent accidentally plugging something into the wrong port. The only difference in electric cars is that the main battery cable is bolted down to the battery, but it's usually labeled and color coded, just like a normal car battery.
Yes. The idiot proof connector systems exist. Due to supply and demand, the connector shells and pins that are "non-standard" are sometimes very expensive in comparison to the non-polarised or "A"-polarised connectors. There needs to be work done in standardization of voltages and operating waveforms before we can move to a mix-and-match approach. Manufacturers may never want that to happen (e.g. Sony and Apple proprietary connector and "walled-garden" approach), so there may need to be economic pressure or regulatory pressure towards "right to repair" for electric vehicles. There was some preliminary work done towards introducing interchangeable battery trays for the purposes of bypassing charge times at "gas" stations, but the battery tech wasn't mature enough and it takes a lot of money to redirect fueling station infrastructure from liquid fuels to rechargeable.
Psychology is the magic of explaining thinking. And in essence magic is simple for people who want to see through the process. That takes curiosity. The main thing that hinders this is fear. So where it boils down to is pain or pleasure. Fear or curiosity. Fear blows things out of proportion. And curiosity gives peace of mind and patience to see things through. That is not the absence of apprehension. That tension makes the process enjoyable when you solved the puzzle, or saw through the magic.
I tend to overcomplicate in the direction of the job being more interesting and fun. Which can lead to a lot of wasted time when it's something like a fuse.
I think it was Nissan that decided it needed to simplify it's parts catalogue when someone realised they produced over 50 different steering wheels! So the design brief was, "we need something round to enable the driver to turn the car wheels." And they ended up with over 50. All round, all do the same job.
I'm an owner of two EVs and I have the Leaf tech manual just in case (nearly replaced onboard charger myself) The programming tools I do not have. Get yourself an EV or at least test drive one! It's so nice. Smooth and quiet. That Tesla battery in the model three likely costs them about 8 grand (100$ per kWh). Good video this go around man! Check out rich rebuilds to get under the hood of tesla.
You should probably should mention how much knowledge is in valved with "making" a animal driven wagon and then the details with buying, training and maintaining a horse ( with a personality all of its' own). Living in a cave is not nearly as as easy as the luxury we have these days because just about everything (except dating) has been simplified by someone for us. It's why we watch both of your youtube channels.
This is so dead on. When looking at a vehicle, particularly the electrical system, if you try to understand it as a whole, odds are you will never figure it out. But if you look at its individual parts, its not such a mystery.
On the V70 In 1999 Volvo replaced: a) Throttle cable (cost $38) - Virtually trouble free with b) Electronic Throttle Module (cost $400 + $400 for ECU update) So dangerous & problematic that it had it's own ETM dashboard warning lamp. KISS
I was taught from a young age, to start with the simplest thing first. When diagnosing a drivably problem on a car, or fixing something that has stopped working around the house. Of course, this was reinforced when I worked in automotive repair shops, as well as in other trade's that required me to locate a problem, in order to fix what it was that I was working on. A good example of that, happened the other day, when I was working at making my 1997 Chrysler, Town and Country run again. It was displaying sign's of having the same issue as the 1998 version you worked on a while back. Although, it just would not start, even though everything else was working fine. Well needless to say, after finally getting it towed home, and sleeping on the problem, I went out the next day and did some looking, and checking items like the battery, making sure nothing had come unplugged etc. Then I noticed a chassis ground wire was burnt in two. Well this made me recall vehicles that I had the same issue with in the past, and a simple 10 have wire, and two donut wire ends did the trick once again. Because it doesn't matter what you replace. If the vehicle doesn't have a good connection to the chassis, it still isn't going to start. Moreover, to be on the safe side, I made up and installed two more chassis grounds, along with relocating the battery ground to an attachment point on the engine. Sure as gold ain't silver it started up, and even runs better, with regards to my van's drivably. It was hesitant when taking off from a complete stop. Or when I was getting on the highway for example. Now it just goes when I accelerate to get up to speed. Although, I will add, that simple items like the sway bar bushing, and engine mounts I just recently replaced have helped a ton as well, with regards to my van having a better response in the drivably department. Needless to say, from my perspective these small low cost items have made a huge difference. Therefore, the K.I.S.S. principal does work, and for me at least, has saved a boat load of money. Because, e every time, I have went out and bought that expensive part that ends up not fixing the problem, I kick myself for going whole hog, when I was only half ready!
I agree. Cars have actually gotten simpler since the 90s. Yes the electronic components are more complex than a carburetor but man cars run so much more efficiently now. The Dodge Viper is a cool example of what modular design is capable of. EVERY BODY PART IS REPLACEABLE. Even the rear quarter panels bolt on. Modular design makes cars more customizable in a lot of ways. That was the point of bolt on parts for the viper. ( and because Chrysler knew people would be banging them into polls and trees lol.)
Does anyone remember "Sizzlers"? Rechargeable Battery powered Hot-Wheel track cars. Battery technology is holding us back from then, but (and a big but) nasty production of better batteries and the power sources to recharge any battery is still lacking.
I agree, I believe that in the future, all electronics will be held down with a few screws and bolts and a few wiring connections and diagnosis will be as simple as plugging in a computer which will tell you exactly what part has failed and it can be quickly and easily replaced. Yes the bar will always be moving because software will be plagiarized and made available to the general population, but more likely, it will just continue to become old, out of date, and manufactures simply won’t be interested in paying for the cost of protecting a decade or more old digital technology. Probably more worrisome than the electrical and electronic repairs will be construction techniques used to build these cars, such as Tesla building the battery packs into the “frame” of the car. This will make DIY battery replacements pretty tough, but if it comes down to that, you can bet an industry will spring up that will offer “work arounds” to those issues, especially if battery technology improves to the point that the power of the entire platform of batteries can be contained inside a current 12 volt car sized battery, allowing the DIYer to simply detach the original platform battery, connect the cable to the smaller replacement battery mounted in the trunk, and be on the road again. Maybe that will happen, maybe not, but work arounds will continue to exist.
Shop Squad or I cut off my hand in an accident. Now I dont have to cut my nails or buy gloves for that hand anymore. And save on soap.and hand moisturiser etc.
Hundreds of thousands of electric forklifts are at work worldwide every day. Tens of thousands of technicians, not electrical engineers, service these trucks every day. DC forklifts and AC forklifts. Most of the newer ones have CAN networks, a number of computers all over them with a million lines of software inside. Virtually as complicated as a Tesla, Bolt or Leaf. Some every bit as expensive!
This sounds like the old complaints about automatics, where you'd need a degree in fluid dynamics to build a torque converter. A bit like saying you need to be a metallurgist to work on an engine cause not just any old pig iron would work to make a block.
Stop it Eric. Cars are super difficult and thats why you all should pay me to do it for you. Seriously though, you are mostly right. Just don't touch the orange wires without research first. It can end your world.
Basis motor control. Reostat gas pedal sensor attached to a PWM. (varies duty cycle) 1V/10V = 10% duty cycle. 5V/10V = 50% duty cycle. Like a rechargable drill.
Great point of views Eric! The future of EV automotive is going to be great for us normal DIY people, IMO. It’s going to be great for ICE vehicles also...ofcourse there is a certain learning process for all of us, but hey, that’s why we got TH-cam and ETCG-channels!
I like how this video is an excuse for Eric to write off his RC car purchase. ;)
he should have gotten the 1958 Lowrider impala!
Nooo, he just premiered his next SEMA build....
ahhh so
*sponsored video LOL!
Maybe, but informative fo those who are not electronic technicians already.
Eric got a new house? Congratulations! For all of the pent up rage I have seeing 16 y.o. TH-camrs in multi-million dollar homes, I'm really glad to see one of the good guys getting his due.
Thanks Eric. Believe it or not, the theme "We overcomplicate things we don't understand" has helped me immensely with a class project that has absolutely nothing to do with cars.
This is solid life advice.
Your attitude keeps amazing me, it's kind of the student attitude we have over here. We don't think in problems, but solutions.
"How on earth am I going to do this", one step at a time. Obstacle? Find a way to circumvent it. There's a name for it to solve those problems in Computer Science: Divide and Conquer.
Props!
My paraphrase of Eric's discussion: How do you eat an Elephant? One bite at a time. Many times the unfamiliar or unknown is overwhelming and intimidating, but we have to push the fear aside and open our minds to new things, and desire to understand what we do not.
Somethin' like that.
i would like to shake hands with you eric!
so motivational.
actually this worked for me before you published. I have just made a huge electrical upgrade on my car from scratch, i thought "i’ll never be able to go through this myself” but here we are, job done. step by step, figured out the wiring on paper, crafted my wiring, took apart the car, ran the wires in the best way possible, put all back together... not even a spark. works like a charm first try!
Thanks eric!
The sensor bit is SO true. My stepdad would always blame sensors for failures when the problem was a much simpler one....
I gotta tell you Eric that because of you I do most of the typical DYI stuff on my vehicles. You explain things very well and in simple terms and don't over complicate things. I love the way you think and explain things and I agree with you. I remember the younger me taking everything apart to figure out how it works then put it together.
Thank you Eric I needed that advice! I had a coding lab today that seemed quite challenging from the looks of it but, just breaking things down made things a whole lot easier. Keep up with the awesome content!
Very insightful Eric. As a car enthusiast, semi-newbie do-it-yourself “mechanic” (if I can even call myself a mechanic), this video gave me more confidence in myself to do bigger jobs on my car. I can always count on you Eric to educate me, entertain me and enlighten me. Keep it up bud!
This is what's so cool about auto repair. What we often see at the garage is a bunch of greasemonkeys labouring over a couple of wrecked cars. But what I see is a mechanical surgeon, a reverse-engineerer, and sometimes even a philosopher.
good stuff car guy. a mechanic told me something about working on cars thats helped me for years. he said its all just nuts and bolts...
Right you are! I didn't know I could replace the transmission on my truck until I tried and did. Same with all manner of DIY repairs.
Exactly said. Everyday that you are alive just keep learning new things to improve your understanding, and use the knowledge you already acquired from the past.
Your speech means a lot to me and I relate in a different way having health issues now. Thank you.
Sorry to hear that. I hope your health improves.
Me too
"More like a volume knob". That was so funny. Just turning up the juice.
Some pretty nice driving skills on that green machine! Lol
I'm currently overthinking a PC issue, this was helpful. Thanks!
Everything you said here applies to everything I’ve learned in my time working in IT.
This is absolutely true, i'm really glad you brought it up. Keep up the good work!
Excellent video. I especially like the comment about failure and success. That’s how I roll for the most part, and now I’m trying to Ingrain that attitude into my 3 sons.
Also for the moving analogy, well said. I use the old eating an elephant phrase:
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Also trying to get that to stick with my boys.
You're right. We all overthink things - especially the things we want or need to understand. I'm a driving instructor and I see people - usually those who are in their 20s or older - struggle with simple things like turning a corner or parallel parking even though I'm dumbing it waaaay down and giving them a fool-proof way of doing all the things that we all do behind the wheel. Invariably, the struggle is because people overthink the task-at-hand and they're worried about screwing up so they overthink whatever it is they're doing and they screw it up anyway.
As for electric cars and the future of the auto repair industry, it's my opinion that - generally speaking - electric cars are simpler than an internal combustion or hybrid car because there are fewer moving parts (like a rotary engine vs. piston) and other than the unique drivetrain, it's just a car. It still has suspension, it still has rotors and pads, it still has wheel bearings and wiper blades. With regards to regenerative braking, it's my understanding that there are no special components. Regen happens when the drive motors resist forward movement of the vehicle when you take your foot off the go-pedal and start coasting. When this happens, the kinetic energy in the forward movement of the vehicle gets recaptured by the drive motors (turning them into generators) and gets sent back into the battery. Now, if anyone can correct me in any place, please do!
If I were a mechanic and looking to open my own shop, I see the time we're living in as an opportunity to get ahead of the curve and open a repair shop that deals with all types of vehicles and specialize in hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and electrics. At the end of the day, a car is a car and the cars getting repaired today are way more complicated than cars of even just 10 years ago. Think of things like Lane Keep Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Adaptive Cruise Control, Bluetooth, Infotainment, etc. Hell, even my 2005 TJ doesn't have ABS!
Now that I've gotten long-winded, I'll just say again that you're right. It's easy to over complicate things.
Independent mechanics will be hackers. Jailbreaking your car. Lol.
Beefier motor, high amperage controllers.
with authenticated keys and encryption for computer controller, so user pleebs cant diy
If I drove a stepped CVT, I'd hire one to unstep it and make it run like it is supposed to, always the most efficient RPM for the load and speed. An electric car or hybrid, having the regenerative breaking/charging under deceleration more aggressive.
But personally, after my car which feels like you have to take apart sections of the car to do just about anything because everything is crammed in so tight; I'm going back to older cars from the 70s and 80s. I shouldn't have to remove my bumper to replace front lights, a wheel to change plugs and wires, take the hose connected to the intake to change the air filter, and numerous other minor gripes that should be easy for basic maintenance.
wait until they turn up the encryption... good luck.
I don't know according to this article it sounds like they've already started implementing encryption.
www.wired.com/2015/01/let-us-hack-our-cars/
"A few years ago, they started putting up roadblocks-protection measures, like encryption-over the ECU. Locks, in short, to keep the over-curious out.
But any lock can be unlocked; you just need to find the right key. And that’s exactly what chip tuners do.
In 2008, Cobb Tuning made a splash when they were the first to crack encryption on the Nissan GT-R. In 2010, Audi started integrating anti-tuning measures into many ECUs; tuning companies figured a way around them. More recently, BMW deployed encryption so robust on the M5’s ECU that (for the first time ever) Dinan-a tuning company-couldn’t break it. That didn’t stop them, though: Dinan just designed its own chip to soup up the M5, replacing the stock one.
Eventually, though, someone will find a way though the M5’s defenses. Someone will crack encryption. Because that’s what people do-especially tinkerers obsessed with building the perfect car. Here’s where copyright law rears its head again: Because the programming on a car is copyrighted, breaking encryption could be construed as a violation of the DMCA. It doesn’t matter that no one is pirating the car’s software. The act of breaking the lock is enough to land tinkerers, hobbyists, hackers, tuners, and even security researchers in a contested, legal gray-zone."
edit: and if they do go this route they wont stop just at encryption. the mofos will implement encrypted handshake protocols and all kinds of proprietary bullshit so you can't just simply swap out a chip like that one company did.
Yup, an electric vehicle is an electric vehicle. Same as an engine is an engine.
I'm a forklift tech. Yeah, we've been dickin' around with electric vehicles for 65+ years and seen the whole development of motor control systems from the beginning to the present day.
Although in my industry I'm an 'electrical engineer' I'm not in any literal sense of the word and NONE of us forklift techs have a degree in electrical engineering and we manage just fine 😏.
My electrical knowledge is entirely self taught.
We adapt and survive - new systems come along and if you've got your head screwed on and a willingness to learn you'll work it out. No degrees required 👍
Brilliant points. I remember mechanics worrying about printed circuits on the back of the instrument clusters.
Manufacturers have always been trying to spook the industry.
Amen Brother! One step at a time. Working towards that goal.
The first time I tore apart my Mitsubishi 4 cyl engine in my 1985 Caravan to rebuild it could have been overwhelming. After all it was the first one I'd attempted since I got out of high school 6 years earlier. But I took it one step at a time. When i finished it, i put it back in the van and wow what a feeling cranking it over and hearing it fire up for the first time...We drove it for another couple years than sold it to my sister in law who drove it for a couple more years.
I'm a DIY and i have to say my wife looked at me cross eyed when i told her i was going to do it...but i did it and i didn't let it overwhelm me. Stayed focus on the next step and got it done...having a Haynes manual handy helped to...lol
Thanks for the motivational speech Eric, just needed that for my maths in college :)
I can't think of examples right now, but there's been times I've been sent to fix some new thing. I'm thinking "I don't know this new system". But I manage to fix it, and I walk away saying "The more things change, the more they stay the same. It's the same damm stuff that fails." If you understand how things work without the computer, then you're in better shape to understand what happens when the computer is added.
Well said Eric. Radio controlled cars have had regenerative braking in 1996. We had ESC-Electronic Speed Control in 1986. A PWM - Pulse Width Modulator - controls duty cycle. Futaba 111B.
Life Hack 101, best advice ever! Excellent!
I love how simple you made it. Despite me not making it over complicating it.
Eric just want to let you know you've taught me so much about car repair....my dad doesnt know shit about cars so I've got to come to places like here to learn haha...thanks alot man
As a person who has been overcomplicating most of the stuff in my life (and still does), I totally agree - if you are too scared to work on something because it's complicated, you'll never be able to do it. I have never had any inclination to work on cars until I turned 31. I started with small stuff like replacing filters, brakes and stuff and moved on to more complicated things like timing belt for my car (which was the most complicated, intimidating things I've done for a car). My motto is powering through fear.
It's not being scared to recognize greater complexity and new skills needed. That's called maturity and accurate assessment. Your motto about powering through fear is stated as someone who has only ever done very simple things to simpler vehicles so it seems that you yourself have not followed your own advice and instead recognize what I wrote, that you recognize that much of this requires more skills than you have. The same is true for any profession in life, nobody is a professional in every subject and nobody lives long enough to ever become that. If you want to become that with vehicles, you are a mechanic/tech, but then some other guy can come along and insist you should be an expert at your HVAC, or your pet care, health care, stocks and bonds, etc, etc, and the truth is, it is overcomplicated to try to divert too much of your time away from what you want to do, just to feel proud of learning to do tasks you may only need to do a couple of times in your life, unless of course you're going to be a pro mechanic.
While I agree with the point that you can't be a pro in every aspect of your life, it doesn't mean that you cannot develop a descent skill level in more than one field. I, for one, found a passion towards cars when I turned 31, which is quite late in life, I would say. I enjoy working on them. At some point this passion grew into filming videos about repairs, maintenance and car related topics on TH-cam, so video production was another field I had to study. It's all fascinating stuff, and this is an on-going process. So this works out for me. And yes, it takes a lot of time, but so is everything else that brings joy.
👏🏼
well...when I get scared or hesitate in life (including fixing my own car)....a couple of beers give me the courage (or maybe dumbness) I need)))
Fair play mate, I knew nothing a couple years ago, now I know a little more haha
Congratulations! (I saw the article of you and Charles over at Motor age magazine).
Thanks!
Huge thumbs up brother,, your so right just a series of steps... great video
I have saved thousands on repairs by doing them my self. My last project was a timing belt on my daughters car. I have no training outside of watching TH-cam videos. I just fallow the instructions step by step. Like you said, you never know what you can do till your try.
KISS.....If you know what that stands for...GO YOU!
Rick M Keep It Simple Stupid
if you follow the K.I.S.S. philosophy, you are left with plenty of time to rock and roll all night, and party every day.
Keep It Super Simple.
Keep it simple Stupid
Yup and thanks to you and other like yourself it’s kept my hobby alive. Lol building trucks from a wheelchair, keep those videos coming
As my instructor will never stop telling us when our minds puzzled, "A complicated question is a series of simple questions".
Great video! Thanks Eric. People need to apply this to their lives as well
Yep totally, I started out going into Computer Science and mechanics as a hobby. Now going the opposite direction I have a little step up but it is all still just the good electrical testing you have learned for the old cars on the new ones.
Today is my birthday, thanks Eric from the uk
Happy Birthday!
This video turned out, to be surprisingly good life advice
Speaking of which, hobby grade RC is a great way for young people (or old folks even) to learn about vehicles, both electric and engine powered, and practice working on things. I just replaced a starter on my daughter's Forester, it was basically identical to changing a motor on a 1/10 scale RC, except I didn't have to set the gear mesh so you might say it was easier (if you weren't the one trying to get out those rusted bolts out from a tight spot..arrgghh)
GREAT VIDEO ERIC.. YOUR SO RIGHT ON TARGET WITH THIS VIDEO..
Very well said brother .
All liked up bro. God bless peace my brother
“Like Watch”, I hope no one Hate Watches your content lol.
This is true in life man. How often do we over complicate things we do not understand? I think just as much.
It never was a gas pedal! It's an air pedal. Unless it's a Diesel, then it's a fuel pedal.
actually its always been the accelerator....universally.
That's odd. When I close the air pedal the car decelerates
You can call oxygen lung gas if you want but it doesn't change the fact that its called oxygen. The long pedal has and always will be called the accelerator. That is its technical name regardless of your ignorance.
Too bad all cars are now drive by wire...so it's the angry pixie pedal.
It's just nuts and bolts and files and updates.
absolutely spot on!
I just had a great example of tackling a car repair one step at a time. I am not a mechanic, but I just replaced the lower intake gasket. I just took the steps one at a time places the bolts in bags to corresponding steps and managed to complete the job with nothing left over. It turned out to not be that complicated.
This piece of advice is incredibly helpful at this time in my life. I'm 69. Thank you.
Love this guy! Good stuff Eric
Waiting to see you're fixing it forward videos again that is what got me hooked on your channel if I must be honest other than the Fairmont project and the mini I have absolutely loved your Channel
Well done Eric. You nailed it. And I like your analogy of the Electric RC car to ones we drive, dead on. The tech is the same, scaled down, and different materials (the RC) Believe it or not, if you can build an RC electric car and make work from scratch, you now can do the same with one your build, but now ride in. I know people who can build an RC, but think they cant deal with their tesla or leaf. It is a mind set. Thanks for this take on things. Well done.
That mindset holds back too many people I know
Electric cars should be like computers. Go together like Lego bricks, color coded, and connectors only shaped to go in one way. So relatively idiot-proofed, if all you're doing is changing out the major modules. (The guy in the shop isn't troubleshooting individual circuit boards, he'll send those off to some other guy that'll do the refurbishing work. Kind of like how there's guys that specialize in transmissions the usual mechanic doesn't care to deal with.)
Speaking of connectors, I've dealt with a car that has multiple identically shaped dash electrical connectors that would physically go together, but it's not supposed to connect together. Good thing I've brought a light when I started diagnosing electrical issues that were my own fault.
Generally speaking, all electrical connectors in all vehicles are keyed and color coded to prevent accidentally plugging something into the wrong port. The only difference in electric cars is that the main battery cable is bolted down to the battery, but it's usually labeled and color coded, just like a normal car battery.
Look up Louis Rossmann on TH-cam. He does component level repair on motherboards
Yes. The idiot proof connector systems exist. Due to supply and demand, the connector shells and pins that are "non-standard" are sometimes very expensive in comparison to the non-polarised or "A"-polarised connectors.
There needs to be work done in standardization of voltages and operating waveforms before we can move to a mix-and-match approach. Manufacturers may never want that to happen (e.g. Sony and Apple proprietary connector and "walled-garden" approach), so there may need to be economic pressure or regulatory pressure towards "right to repair" for electric vehicles.
There was some preliminary work done towards introducing interchangeable battery trays for the purposes of bypassing charge times at "gas" stations, but the battery tech wasn't mature enough and it takes a lot of money to redirect fueling station infrastructure from liquid fuels to rechargeable.
Very excited to see the civic on the lift! More civic videos please!
thank you for making this video
Psychology is the magic of explaining thinking. And in essence magic is simple for people who want to see through the process. That takes curiosity. The main thing that hinders this is fear.
So where it boils down to is pain or pleasure. Fear or curiosity. Fear blows things out of proportion. And curiosity gives peace of mind and patience to see things through. That is not the absence of apprehension. That tension makes the process enjoyable when you solved the puzzle, or saw through the magic.
Fear is the greatest enemy of everyone..
Well said!
Where may I acquire some of this peace of mind pleas?
Eric, regenerative breaking is like compression breaking, it uses the electric drive motor as a generator.
Until hell breaks loose.
@@panzerveps hell is more likely to break loose with stuff like Jake braking.
Your truck is cool Eric btw have your taken some sweet jumps with it off a ramp yet . 👀
"Honey, headed off to the shop to get some work done today!" *Grabs RC car*
"okay have a good day."
I tend to overcomplicate in the direction of the job being more interesting and fun.
Which can lead to a lot of wasted time when it's something like a fuse.
🤣🤣🤣🤣YES!!! Another video with great accuracy.
The confidence begins once you get in there and just start, try and get a little on your hands and arms. It’s ain’t bad. It’s actually pretty simple.
I think it was Nissan that decided it needed to simplify it's parts catalogue when someone realised they produced over 50 different steering wheels!
So the design brief was, "we need something round to enable the driver to turn the car wheels."
And they ended up with over 50. All round, all do the same job.
I'm an owner of two EVs and I have the Leaf tech manual just in case (nearly replaced onboard charger myself) The programming tools I do not have. Get yourself an EV or at least test drive one! It's so nice. Smooth and quiet. That Tesla battery in the model three likely costs them about 8 grand (100$ per kWh). Good video this go around man! Check out rich rebuilds to get under the hood of tesla.
Well said! I agree with you.
you hit the nail right on the head!
Awesome talk... totally agree with you Eric.
You should probably should mention how much knowledge is in valved with "making" a animal driven wagon and then the details with buying, training and maintaining a horse ( with a personality all of its' own).
Living in a cave is not nearly as as easy as the luxury we have these days because just about everything (except dating) has been simplified by someone for us. It's why we watch both of your youtube channels.
To explain modular platforms better for cars, go back to the body on frame times. GM had its frame, and alot off diffrent bodys on it.
This is so dead on. When looking at a vehicle, particularly the electrical system, if you try to understand it as a whole, odds are you will never figure it out. But if you look at its individual parts, its not such a mystery.
On the V70 In 1999 Volvo replaced:
a) Throttle cable (cost $38) - Virtually trouble free
with
b) Electronic Throttle Module
(cost $400 + $400 for ECU update)
So dangerous & problematic that it had it's own ETM dashboard warning lamp.
KISS
I was taught from a young age, to start with the simplest thing first. When diagnosing a drivably problem on a car, or fixing something that has stopped working around the house. Of course, this was reinforced when I worked in automotive repair shops, as well as in other trade's that required me to locate a problem, in order to fix what it was that I was working on.
A good example of that, happened the other day, when I was working at making my 1997 Chrysler, Town and Country run again. It was displaying sign's of having the same issue as the 1998 version you worked on a while back. Although, it just would not start, even though everything else was working fine.
Well needless to say, after finally getting it towed home, and sleeping on the problem, I went out the next day and did some looking, and checking items like the battery, making sure nothing had come unplugged etc. Then I noticed a chassis ground wire was burnt in two. Well this made me recall vehicles that I had the same issue with in the past, and a simple 10 have wire, and two donut wire ends did the trick once again. Because it doesn't matter what you replace. If the vehicle doesn't have a good connection to the chassis, it still isn't going to start. Moreover, to be on the safe side, I made up and installed two more chassis grounds, along with relocating the battery ground to an attachment point on the engine.
Sure as gold ain't silver it started up, and even runs better, with regards to my van's drivably. It was hesitant when taking off from a complete stop. Or when I was getting on the highway for example. Now it just goes when I accelerate to get up to speed. Although, I will add, that simple items like the sway bar bushing, and engine mounts I just recently replaced have helped a ton as well, with regards to my van having a better response in the drivably department.
Needless to say, from my perspective these small low cost items have made a huge difference. Therefore, the K.I.S.S. principal does work, and for me at least, has saved a boat load of money. Because, e every time, I have went out and bought that expensive part that ends up not fixing the problem, I kick myself for going whole hog, when I was only half ready!
I agree. Cars have actually gotten simpler since the 90s. Yes the electronic components are more complex than a carburetor but man cars run so much more efficiently now. The Dodge Viper is a cool example of what modular design is capable of. EVERY BODY PART IS REPLACEABLE. Even the rear quarter panels bolt on. Modular design makes cars more customizable in a lot of ways. That was the point of bolt on parts for the viper. ( and because Chrysler knew people would be banging them into polls and trees lol.)
This video is the best great motivation and perfect explanation :)
Does anyone remember "Sizzlers"? Rechargeable Battery powered Hot-Wheel track cars. Battery technology is holding us back from then, but (and a big but) nasty production of better batteries and the power sources to recharge any battery is still lacking.
This soo true mostly with new guys in our field
Like always say, " How do you eat and elephant? One bite at a time".
I agree, I believe that in the future, all electronics will be held down with a few screws and bolts and a few wiring connections and diagnosis will be as simple as plugging in a computer which will tell you exactly what part has failed and it can be quickly and easily replaced. Yes the bar will always be moving because software will be plagiarized and made available to the general population, but more likely, it will just continue to become old, out of date, and manufactures simply won’t be interested in paying for the cost of protecting a decade or more old digital technology. Probably more worrisome than the electrical and electronic repairs will be construction techniques used to build these cars, such as Tesla building the battery packs into the “frame” of the car. This will make DIY battery replacements pretty tough, but if it comes down to that, you can bet an industry will spring up that will offer “work arounds” to those issues, especially if battery technology improves to the point that the power of the entire platform of batteries can be contained inside a current 12 volt car sized battery, allowing the DIYer to simply detach the original platform battery, connect the cable to the smaller replacement battery mounted in the trunk, and be on the road again. Maybe that will happen, maybe not, but work arounds will continue to exist.
nice analogy with toy car he he .... gas pedal more like a volume knob he he ..
It’s my birthday today! Thank you Eric
Happy Birthday!
“Those who think they can and those who think they can't are both usually right.” -Confucius.
I try to be optimistic, look at the brighter side of things.
Me: Falls down stairs.
Also Me: Boy, I got down those stairs fast...
Shop Squad or I cut off my hand in an accident. Now I dont have to cut my nails or buy gloves for that hand anymore. And save on soap.and hand moisturiser etc.
Hundreds of thousands of electric forklifts are at work worldwide every day. Tens of thousands of technicians, not electrical engineers, service these trucks every day. DC forklifts and AC forklifts. Most of the newer ones have CAN networks, a number of computers all over them with a million lines of software inside. Virtually as complicated as a Tesla, Bolt or Leaf. Some every bit as expensive!
I used to ask my self. How am I giong to.... all the time. now, I find myself asking, When am I going to find the time for......
"Can't call it a gas pedal, it's more like a volume knob". Lol nice.
This sounds like the old complaints about automatics, where you'd need a degree in fluid dynamics to build a torque converter. A bit like saying you need to be a metallurgist to work on an engine cause not just any old pig iron would work to make a block.
Hey Eric. Can you please do a video on rust proofing / undercoating? What is the best practice? your preference? Pros and cons of different types?
Funny you should ask. I have a video shoot scheduled with Crown Rust Protection next month.
TPS is a reostat like the volume control in a 📻. Gas pedal on TBW or electric cars, fuel level sensors. Ride hight sensors in air suspention.
Stop it Eric. Cars are super difficult and thats why you all should pay me to do it for you.
Seriously though, you are mostly right. Just don't touch the orange wires without research first. It can end your world.
Well said.
You are absolutely right
Basis motor control. Reostat gas pedal sensor attached to a PWM. (varies duty cycle) 1V/10V = 10% duty cycle. 5V/10V = 50% duty cycle. Like a rechargable drill.
Well said Eric !!!
You're a wizard, Harry... I mean, you're a psychologist, Eric.
Great point of views Eric! The future of EV automotive is going to be great for us normal DIY people, IMO. It’s going to be great for ICE vehicles also...ofcourse there is a certain learning process for all of us, but hey, that’s why we got TH-cam and ETCG-channels!