Here in the UK I first heard US native Rich Hall crack that one on QI a few years back. His documentaries on the US for BBC4 are well worth watching - you can find some on YT.
It's 2:15AM here in the UK, but I'm not going to bed until I've consumed some of the most entertaining, wholesome and educational automotive content on the internet! 😁
How do you keep track what with all the crazy words you have for car parts little bonnet and saloon and dunglywobbler and megacycles and crisps and whatnot?
@@jamespfitz Having watched Sesame Street as a kid back in the day, you just get used to picking up all the Americanisms. Watching this at 1am in the UK too, a little bedtime learning.
Honestly, I think your diagnosis skills could do so much more. Such a joy to watch. you can really see a difference when you have an interesting issue. Not that brake jobs are boring. But you certainly come alive with these issues.
My method: Remove the hood. Remove valve cover on suspected side. Strap a small child in the engine bay, and after driving hard uphill at 45MPH, ask the kid which valve is sticking.
I did that quite often, until my two sons got too big to fit. I tried borrowing some of the neighborhood children but their parents did not understand the educational opportunities being offered to their children so, alas, I had to start taking my car to a mechanic. It was just as well the hood brackets were getting so worn the threads were just short of failing.
I remember running into these when I used to work for the state fleet and they had a ton of cargo vans and 15 passenger vans with 5.7s. Of course, work vans are always overloaded, 15 people equates to a lot of weight and the 5.7 had a hard time moving the 3/4 and 1ton vans when they were empty. There was a hill I'd drive them up that's probably about 6% in a 55mph zone, maybe a mile long. I'd start at the bottom at around 40 and just put it to the plastic as you say. The ones that broke often didn't make it half way up the hill before they lost a cyl or 2. I never tested them with a relative compression test since I was a really young tech at that point, but the GM TSB and the fact that it would only do that after several sustained seconds of high rpm made me confident enough to call it a sticking valve, and I was never wrong (on that particular problem anyway). I think if I were to test one again, for my own curiosity, I'd probably do just the same as you, but also add on a pressure transducer for the intake because you would be able to see if it was an intake or exhaust valve hanging open. (for those wondering why anyone is talking about the 5.7 V8 when this video was a Blazer with a 4.3, the GM 4.3V6 is just a 5.7V8 with 2 cylinders missing. The rest of the engine is almost the same)
I was a mechanic but in a different fieeld, my background is with industrial hydraulics.. I specialized inhigh pressure closedloop systems. I have met and know plenty darn good mechanics over the years. Knowing what I know, I definatly would have to place Mr. O in the extreme exceptionally good class of mechanics, very rare...
Mr. O is one of the very few mechanics that I watch regularly on TH-cam.. Mr. and Mrs. O. are genuinely decent business owners that actually care about people and want to do a good job rather than just wanting to make a quick buck..
i was wondering if the crack would fail inspection. i would at least put scotch tape over the crack inside to cut down on the glint from the sun on the crack
efilnikufecin2004 tell me where I said the 5.7 and 5.3 didn’t have the same issue and TSB discussing valves sticking open? It’s almost like you didn’t read the original comment I replied to.
You are correct Mr O. GM had a tsb for this years ago V6 and V8 , valves hanging up looses compression going up hills. I duplicated many times watch you vacuum gauge it will go crazy on long hills. Most customers opted to just get another vehicle. You are the man.
Is this due to lifters getting stuck? Or valve springs? Could it occur at idle if conditions were bad enough or just under heavy load? Having an issue trying to fix a 05 silverado. Haha sorry
@@gabrielhermosillo4866 If your 05 Silverado has a V6 it would be the same 4.3L V6 as the Blazer in the video. I can't recall if the TSB applied to the 4.3 V6 up to the 2005 model year.
Never thought I'd say this about your testing Eric. That was a quick and efficient test!! You're a careful tester and that usually takes some time. That's a well edumacated gut you got! 8-))
You pretty much nailed down the diagnostic procedures for that type of misfire. The lab scope is a great diag tool, especially if you know what your doing. Great job Mr. O.
My answer is simple and sweet. Fist of all I take it to Eric and say drive it. After he comes back and says no compression in #3 on a load. Then I tell him FIX IT. Simple and sweet. Awesome diagnose there Sir Eric. God Bless.
@@Lowkey_ID Not gonna lie, I get pretty jealous when I see the delicious things Mrs O cooks Eric for his lunch! At lunch time I'm usually making the quickest and easiest thing possible like ramen, beans on toast, cheese toast or if I'm feeling really adventurous, a bacon sandwich. 😂
I’m only here for Mrs. O! Cooking or starving, I have a school boy crush. Wonder if I could get her to be my wife’s role model? How would you guys suggest I start the conversation where I tell my wife that I want her to be more like the lady on TH-cam? :D
One of the best example of a tech that “ verify customer complaint “ . Most of the people just through parts . Most of the garages will say “it need the tune up” . Thanks 🙏🏻
You're always like " I don't know what I'm talking about I'm just some self taught SHMOE but clearly you are an absolute and total master of automotive jujitsu " submission hold and you're OUT "
Had the same issue last year on a customer's 05 astro van, cylinder number 4 was the issue. I installed a vacuum gauge on it and flew up a hill until the vacuum gauge started going crazy. Sold him a valve job. Ran beautifully afterwards! 👍
With my limited tool set, I would diagnose this with a misfire counter, recording the process while driving. Wish I knew about the sea foam solution in 2017. I would have used it instead of changing the heads in my Jeep Grand Cherokee. With what I know now, I am confident that may have worked and saved me a weekend and $2,500.
pore a can of BG44K in the fuel tank. turning it over with the starter you can HEAR the missing compression. then what cylinder is it. with your scope you can tell. first time I heard this was a vw bug and everyone knew it was the number 3 exhaust valve burned. yes you are one of the best mechanics ever.
First, I'd swear at it a little - that usually always helps my diagnostic process along nicely. 😁 Since I don't have a scope, just the relative compression test before and after in this case would've made me pretty confident it was a valve sticking issue. I'd probably throw a vacuum gauge on there too and watch for the wagging needle, just to be 120% sure. I went from being the busiest I've ever been in my life, to just about nothin' on the automotive side. Now I'm swamped with generators, pressure washers, chainsaws and weedwhackers, and an ol' Onan-powered J/D 318 I need to yank the engine on and replace every single gasket and seal on. She likes to puke. What a sweet tractor! Built when manufactures gave a crap about quality. Funny how business is like waves on the ocean - up, down, up, down, lol. Hope yer stayin' cool out that way, brother. We just got nailed by some T-storms. Dropped the temp like a rock!
This is why I love your channel sir. You came up with this test and it worked perfectly. What amazed me was you can hear it loosing compression when you tried to restart it. Most mechanics wouldn't have done that. Well done 👍
I'd try that BG 44K fuel system cleaner before taking it apart. My mechanic friend says to, add it to the the fuel when the level is low. Then fill tank with premium gas and run that tank down. I use it in my 2010 CRV annually and it restores the throttle response and improves the mpg's by a few. I do perform cleaning the throttle body once a year too, but this stuff works for me.
Excellent diagnostic skills. It's very difficult to diagnose a lazy valve without replacing multiple components. One time, I had to do it. One cylinder was misfiring on a dodge caravan. A lot components were already replaced. I took it for a test drive and it started misfiring. I came back right away and tested compression. The cylinder had low compression due to the valve hanging up. Good thing it was the front cylinder and not the rear one!
Same exact issue with a 2007 Silverado 4.3. Found it by connecting a vacuum gauge I could see while test driving. Fixed with top engine (valve) carbon cleaning.
almost every mechanic would have figured it out, they have already been there done this like Mr O. now the part swappers would be on the 99.9% failure side.
You already know my answers.... best being the scope (to have recorded proof) with an intake pulse sensor and crankcase. (I have 2 i can use) See how it's losing it. Using long test leads, you can drive anywhere for as long as you need. I really like your way too. Quick and easy.
Before there were "smart" engines, I once had a motor that would run good on level ground on the freeway but as soon as I hit a hill, it would slow down to barely 40 mph then run well again when I reached level ground. One clue was a small puddle of oil after parking it. It turned out that during the rebuild, the engine shop installed the wrong size bearings on the crankshaft.
@D theman on the hills, the load makes the bearings and crank heat up and the little bit of clearance that there is disappears. I'm sure it must have burnt the crank a bit.
I wouldn't diagnose this well. This is happening currently to my GM 5.7. I parts cannoned a new coil at it because, well it was the original coil (200,000+ miles) so I figured it wouldn't hurt. It actually made a difference. Missfires aren't bad enough to set the money light now. I have recently came to the conclusion that it is a sticking valve but wasn't sure how I was going to verify that without removing the head. This was good timing for this video. I appreciate all you do Eric.
Interview with the client and listen to how the engine behaves in different types of work, after receiving the car, carry out the accurate road test. Normally I do it with this test, and I will have the diagnosis and work to repair the damage. For you with the experience immediately what I thought was asserted in the failure, Congratulations for what you know and Thanks for this video
Mat from Bicks Auto Mat here love watching you I’m 65 and getting tired been doing this since I was13 wish you were down here your diagnosis blows me away my hat is off to you you are the man for sure if ever on Long Island look me up
Good call sma. I was a gmc tech. In the past and saw many valve problems with the 4.3 engine. Sticking valves were very common and I'm sure the blocked cat amplified the problem. Everytime I had a customer with a blocked cat I always warned them of possible valve damage from excessive heat due the exhaust not being able to exit. Even saw holes melted in plastic intakes afterward which caused high fuel trim readings at idle.
I remember watching one of ScannerDanner's videos where he shows an injector overheating which caused it to fail while hot (OL resistance while hot). Because it was winter in PA he used some snow to cool down the injector to prove the injector was overheating and damaged. Relative compression test seems like the easiest method if it has to be done within 10 seconds. Only other thing I can think of that might be faster than a relative compression test under those conditions would be a factory procedure for cylinder balance test (if you don't have access to the tools to do a relative compression test).
I have a 2000 GMC Sonoma with the 2.2L 4cyl. I changed the plugs in it to the standard AcDelco instead of the iridium because I could not see why they were necessary. Under heavy loads the engine would develop misfires. I would look at the counter and it did not matter which cylinder. Usually one would drop out but if I pushed it harder then more would drop out. I chased everything I could think of because I just knew it couldn't be the brand new plugs I put in. Well after many failed attempts I finally put iridium plugs back in. Cleared right up! I would have never thought a spark plug could cause such a problem! Thanks for the videos Mr.O! Been watching for a long time now and Lord willing I will be watching for a long time still.
I had a few of these with this problem and the crank sensor hitting the crank. There is a Tsb for carbon build up on the guides, you hone them with a 9mm hone. I think you can even do it in the vehicle if you drop the valve into the cylinder. I never tried it myself. Last one I did I had to pound the valves out with a mini sledge hammer.
BG44K (comercial) on an IV drip into the intake, can of their fuel treatment in the tank with a fill up of 94 non ethanol, and Slave Lake that bastard for the whole tank.. ETA: Would also take a look at the PCV valve if its carboned up enough to lock up a valve.. How much oil is it burning a week? Is it a hit the gas station, check the gas fill the oil type deal?
My 88 S10 had the 4.3 engine and after about 150k miles the truck failed emissions. My shop recommended the Berryman's 3-can fuel injection treatment which they performed. It blew a ton of white smoke (during the treatment) but when I went back to State emissions they passed me. I felt a real improvement in performance. I would not have considered a product like that to be a solution but It saved me a lot of hassle. I bet the Seafoam Eric O talked about works on a similar principle. Go SMA!
dad kept gallons of it on hand didn't waste it on the 48 Dodge though just fed it drain oil as required it burnt oil when he got it and still did when he traded it in after quite a few years.
Few years ago had a S10 with the 4.3. Cylinder #3 bent the intake push rod into a letter S. Replaced the push rod and had the head checked and checked everything else and couldn't find the cause. Only thing at the time I could come up with was maybe the owner some how over revved the engine and floated a valve. After watching this I believe this was most likely the cause. Going to remember this test for future reference. Nice find! Always tend to find out should always trust the gut feelings!
Seen 3 similar to this. All gm, 2 chevy. Two weak valve springs, and one loose valve guide. I took off the valve covers and found all three. Cranking rhythm was drilled into my head by my votech auto instructor.
Great Diag'. I'm an old Canadian tech from the mid 70's. Before the wonderful electronic computerized methods now available, we had to go old school Diag. Back then it was new school Diag now it's old school, OK your dad is one of us, he can explain it. Anyway, we used a trusty vacuum gauge. Any valve misbehaviour would show up immediately. Boy I miss the old days and ways..
Vacuum Guage on the windshield. Try finding this very intermittent problem on a workhorse tool truck loaded with tools. You learn and you remember. Scope is sexy, though. And the show and tell factor is awsome. Take care Mr O. Thanks for all you do. Chris
I bought some marvel mystery oil for the Brazilian market it's a little thicker than the American stuff found it at some resale shop and it works super great....
@Robert Slackware I saved two of my small antique MMO squirt cans that you can no longer find, I simply refill them when they get empty from the gallon jugs I keep on hand.
I had that happen on my 97 chev truck.. it wouldn't up shift if I revved more than 2500, below 2500 ran good.. one day I says to myself, when's the last time I changed the fuel filter? New filter, problem solved..never had any codes
GYPSY400 I used that very same thought process 45 years ago when faltering going up a steep hill under load but all was fine under load on flat ground. Yup, it was a clogged fuel filter. 👍
When your at those really high rpms like that I’m wondering if the oil pressure might be causing a lifer to hold the valve open or could just be a bad lifter holding a valve open. I’d be changing the lifters on that cylinder as well. You might want to check oil pressure when it does it too. You don’t really need the fancy pico scope to know if you’ve got low compression. Just use your ears. You can hear the starter has an easy spot while it is cranking. Anytime you have low compression you can almost always hear it in the starter when cranking. Also your bodies can feel vibrations just as good as that pico scope. You just need the experience to know what different vibrations feel like to know what might be wrong. Yes the pico scope can help at time with some of the more tricky vibrations but my body can feel the difference between a tire vibration, u-joint vibration, or engine misfire vibration
I was going to say lifter too when the relative compression came back low on #3 as per the hypothesis. It'd be very unusual for a valve to stick open due to guide stiction at high rpm/high load when the cylinder pressure is at its highest and most vigorous changes.
Drill and tap a small hole in number 3 cylinder. Attach a pressure transducer. Monitor the pressure during load and no load. When finished insert a threaded plug in the hole. Your test was the best.
South Main Auto Repair LLC i don't know that i would want to put my transducer through all that heat at heavy load 😆 you used logic and evidence. I mean it when i say i can't top it because no one can top data and experience-based, logically sound deduction
Julius Apis Bull a worn cam lobe would be a permanent compression loss(unless it was a worn exhaust lobe, in which case that wouldn't affect peak compression at tdc-c), not only under heavy load. An intermittent collapsing lifter might also do that, but a hung open valve sounds more likely. Especially since it was dead compression, not even a little. A stuck closed intake valve from a collapsing lifter still would have some compression at that load, also true for a stuck closed exhaust valve. A hung open valve makes more sense.
My best guess was a sticky exhaust valve. A sticky intake valve would not heat up much with all that full throttle air going past it. I would also expect to hear some nasty noises coming back through the throttle body with a stuck intake valve. I had no good ideas on how to prove my theory or to pinpoint which valve was sticking. Your solution was a beautiful--a great lesson! Thanks.
That's what I'm talking about! An intro like that followed up with a beer ad. Something worth watching is to follow. Im glad I just put backup in the fridge.
Awesome. Put it on in the fall before the first snow/salt. It requires periodic reapplication but if you keep up with it it works better than a permanent bond under coating in my opinion. Applied annually it will help a lot. Great on hinges on tail gates and snow blower axels lawn mowers, shit like that.
Had the same problem with my 73 AMC Matador 258 6 cylinder . It would miss hot and under load , did a compression check after it cooled a bit and it showed good . Changed coil , points etc. same problem. After some head scratching I took it out and got it good and hot and did a quick compression check and found it was #6 cylinder. Had head rebuilt and problem solved .
Just finished up this video and stumbled on an old one with a Shivy Cruze overheating. Took all day to even get time to work on it, Eric himself was close to over heating. Anyone else remember any good videos where Eric's close to losing his mind? They are my favourite.
Find someone who doesn't talk like they could fix the Space Shuttle or constantly blabbers endlessly about how (so and so) is so "bad". A REAL expert mechanic is humble in his ways. Don't mistake confidence for ego. That's why I enjoy these videos. Well, than and how Mrs. O keeps things real. 😁
I had a good one years ago. Chevy LUV truck with an intermittent miss under light load only, ran great under load but distinct miss at idle and light load high vacuum cruising. Narrowed it down to number one cyl by the ol "which exhaust pipe is the hottest" test after a cold start, #1 was definitely cooler than the rest. I found by accident actually the insulator on the plug electrode was broken but not in the traditional way. It was cracked around the diameter at the base and could slide up and down the center electrode. At high cylinder pressure it seems the ceramic stayed up where it was supposed to be but a lower pressure the ceramic slid down the electrode and snuffed out the spark as it came to rest on the bent over electrode. This was back in '86, made me crazy for a couple days chasing that problem. Nice work!
im very young and still inexperienced so I would not have known to do that but WHAT AN AMAZING VIDEO. just tied a lot of things together for me and will definitely be very helpful knowledge in general and seeing as how i can use the scope to compare things like this is something i would have taken much longer to realize without this video.
She could move here to Kansas. It’s so flat here you can watch your dog run away for two days!😂
@Captain Caveman .... you okay?
Randy Billington ,Cracked up!!
Dirty Harry , Cracked up 2!
Here in the UK I first heard US native Rich Hall crack that one on QI a few years back. His documentaries on the US for BBC4 are well worth watching - you can find some on YT.
You're saying it's so flat you can see the back of your own head.
It's 2:15AM here in the UK, but I'm not going to bed until I've consumed some of the most entertaining, wholesome and educational automotive content on the internet! 😁
Ditto that!
How do you keep track what with all the crazy words you have for car parts little bonnet and saloon and dunglywobbler and megacycles and crisps and whatnot?
@@jamespfitz Having watched Sesame Street as a kid back in the day, you just get used to picking up all the Americanisms.
Watching this at 1am in the UK too, a little bedtime learning.
How would I diagnose it? Easy...Drive to Avoca, I know a guy
i'm lucky my guy is a mile away 'south side auto' when you say your channel name I keep hearing 'Self Made auto" that works too.
@@johnditch6357 You aren't alone hearing 'Self Made auto'. Works fine for me!
@@ehsnils It's always been that way for SMA noobs myself included back when.
@@johnditch6357 LOL. I thought I was the only one. I also keep hearing "Self Made Auto", which is very positive in my world-
Brilliant sir.
Honestly, I think your diagnosis skills could do so much more. Such a joy to watch. you can really see a difference when you have an interesting issue. Not that brake jobs are boring. But you certainly come alive with these issues.
I'd believe your gut over most other people's facts....
My method: Remove the hood. Remove valve cover on suspected side. Strap a small child in the engine bay, and after driving hard uphill at 45MPH, ask the kid which valve is sticking.
finally someone's thinking about them child!
I did that quite often, until my two sons got too big to fit. I tried borrowing some of the neighborhood children but their parents did not understand the educational opportunities being offered to their children so, alas, I had to start taking my car to a mechanic. It was just as well the hood brackets were getting so worn the threads were just short of failing.
Thats the sort of thing my Dad would have done!
@@roygunter3244 r
Brilliant
Send it to the dealer, they will throw on some pads and rotors and call it good.
They'll give you a engine replacement price and a referral to the sales department.
a new engine might fix it or is it an ecm or a fault in the radio, you'll never know for sure.
There’s your problem lady!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
The old "could not duplicate customer complaint"..lol
I remember running into these when I used to work for the state fleet and they had a ton of cargo vans and 15 passenger vans with 5.7s. Of course, work vans are always overloaded, 15 people equates to a lot of weight and the 5.7 had a hard time moving the 3/4 and 1ton vans when they were empty. There was a hill I'd drive them up that's probably about 6% in a 55mph zone, maybe a mile long. I'd start at the bottom at around 40 and just put it to the plastic as you say. The ones that broke often didn't make it half way up the hill before they lost a cyl or 2. I never tested them with a relative compression test since I was a really young tech at that point, but the GM TSB and the fact that it would only do that after several sustained seconds of high rpm made me confident enough to call it a sticking valve, and I was never wrong (on that particular problem anyway). I think if I were to test one again, for my own curiosity, I'd probably do just the same as you, but also add on a pressure transducer for the intake because you would be able to see if it was an intake or exhaust valve hanging open.
(for those wondering why anyone is talking about the 5.7 V8 when this video was a Blazer with a 4.3, the GM 4.3V6 is just a 5.7V8 with 2 cylinders missing. The rest of the engine is almost the same)
I was a mechanic but in a different fieeld, my background is with industrial hydraulics.. I specialized inhigh pressure closedloop systems. I have met and know plenty darn good mechanics over the years. Knowing what I know, I definatly would have to place Mr. O in the extreme exceptionally good class of mechanics, very rare...
I agree with you 100%, even if you did misspell definitely =]
Believe me it's not rare. There are many amazing techs out there.
@@Discretesignals Hard part is finding them.
Hydraulics aren't much different from internal combustion engines. There's a leak! Gotta find it. Otherwise MeMaw ain't happy!
Mr. O is one of the very few mechanics that I watch regularly on TH-cam.. Mr. and Mrs. O. are genuinely decent business owners that actually care about people and want to do a good job rather than just wanting to make a quick buck..
You can tell from the sound it makes when cranking over in this case, it's quite a unique sound.
I would fix the windshield and stay off the gas pedal. My best to the mrs
i was wondering if the crack would fail inspection. i would at least put scotch tape over the crack inside to cut down on the glint from the sun on the crack
Chop the Blazer to remove the crack and save the radiator cap for the replacement vehicle.
@@erniew5805 That crack would definitely fail an inspection in NY
That's what I was thinking...
@@ericbuist8218 And in VA.
How many cylinders does a guy really need? I mean it's only missing one...
Videos like this are why people should buy v8’s. These things would be barely a concern.
@@99thpeanut59 the 5.3 and 5.7 v8 was prone to this exact same problem.
efilnikufecin2004 tell me where I said the 5.7 and 5.3 didn’t have the same issue and TSB discussing valves sticking open?
It’s almost like you didn’t read the original comment I replied to.
It`s still there. It just isn't doing much.
Yeah a guy I know named Ted Snow drove his chevy with a block of wood wedged in no.4 cyl to hold the piston at top for over a year.
You are correct Mr O. GM had a tsb for this years ago V6 and V8 , valves hanging up looses compression going up hills. I duplicated many times watch you vacuum gauge it will go crazy on long hills. Most customers opted to just get another vehicle. You are the man.
Is this due to lifters getting stuck? Or valve springs? Could it occur at idle if conditions were bad enough or just under heavy load? Having an issue trying to fix a 05 silverado. Haha sorry
Gabriel Hermosillo valves stick in the guides. 05 Silverado is an LS style engine this truck was an old style small block V8. V6.
@@briandeeney9329 ah ok I see alright well good to know. Thanks for the response, my search continues
@@gabrielhermosillo4866 If your 05 Silverado has a V6 it would be the same 4.3L V6 as the Blazer in the video. I can't recall if the TSB applied to the 4.3 V6 up to the 2005 model year.
@@briandeeney9329 what makes the valves stick in the guides after so many miles? That is very unusual. Did they use an unusual guide material?
I'd be very interested in seeing what the valves in #3 look like.
Never thought I'd say this about your testing Eric. That was a quick and efficient test!! You're a careful tester and that usually takes some time. That's a well edumacated gut you got! 8-))
Good thing they brought it to you. Otherwise $2;000 of parts and no fix.
You pretty much nailed down the diagnostic procedures for that type of misfire. The lab scope is a great diag tool, especially if you know what your doing. Great job Mr. O.
My answer is simple and sweet. Fist of all I take it to Eric and say drive it. After he comes back and says no compression in #3 on a load. Then I tell him FIX IT. Simple and sweet. Awesome diagnose there Sir Eric. God Bless.
Don’t ask me, I’m only here for Mrs “O”s cooking😁.
Oh my gosh, remember her burgers from the other day?
@@Lowkey_ID Not gonna lie, I get pretty jealous when I see the delicious things Mrs O cooks Eric for his lunch! At lunch time I'm usually making the quickest and easiest thing possible like ramen, beans on toast, cheese toast or if I'm feeling really adventurous, a bacon sandwich. 😂
@@unicorn7337 put some lettuce and tomato on it. Live a little...
I’m only here for Mrs. O! Cooking or starving, I have a school boy crush. Wonder if I could get her to be my wife’s role model? How would you guys suggest I start the conversation where I tell my wife that I want her to be more like the lady on TH-cam? :D
@@athhud lol good luck!
Without a doubt, Mr. O is the best real mechanic on youtube.
Most notable Eric O. expression this episode...." Give it a bunch of shoe...."😎
One of the best example of a tech that “ verify customer complaint “ . Most of the people just through parts . Most of the garages will say “it need the tune up” . Thanks 🙏🏻
Throw*
You're always like " I don't know what I'm talking about I'm just some self taught SHMOE but clearly you are an absolute and total master of automotive jujitsu " submission hold and you're OUT "
Had the same issue last year on a customer's 05 astro van, cylinder number 4 was the issue. I installed a vacuum gauge on it and flew up a hill until the vacuum gauge started going crazy. Sold him a valve job. Ran beautifully afterwards! 👍
With my limited tool set, I would diagnose this with a misfire counter, recording the process while driving. Wish I knew about the sea foam solution in 2017. I would have used it instead of changing the heads in my Jeep Grand Cherokee. With what I know now, I am confident that may have worked and saved me a weekend and $2,500.
pore a can of BG44K in the fuel tank. turning it over with the starter you can HEAR the missing compression. then what cylinder is it. with your scope you can tell. first time I heard this was a vw bug and everyone knew it was the number 3 exhaust valve burned. yes you are one of the best mechanics ever.
First, I'd swear at it a little - that usually always helps my diagnostic process along nicely. 😁 Since I don't have a scope, just the relative compression test before and after in this case would've made me pretty confident it was a valve sticking issue. I'd probably throw a vacuum gauge on there too and watch for the wagging needle, just to be 120% sure.
I went from being the busiest I've ever been in my life, to just about nothin' on the automotive side. Now I'm swamped with generators, pressure washers, chainsaws and weedwhackers, and an ol' Onan-powered J/D 318 I need to yank the engine on and replace every single gasket and seal on. She likes to puke. What a sweet tractor! Built when manufactures gave a crap about quality. Funny how business is like waves on the ocean - up, down, up, down, lol. Hope yer stayin' cool out that way, brother. We just got nailed by some T-storms. Dropped the temp like a rock!
Don"t forget a couple dag nab it 's and a "motherlover"
@@VWWRENCHIE - Indeed ... and at FULL volume, too. 😁
I watch because I enjoy listening to the door bell and phone.
Mechanics are cool beans!!!!
This is why I love your channel sir. You came up with this test and it worked perfectly. What amazed me was you can hear it loosing compression when you tried to restart it. Most mechanics wouldn't have done that. Well done 👍
I'd try that BG 44K fuel system cleaner before taking it apart. My mechanic friend says to, add it to the the fuel when the level is low. Then fill tank with premium gas and run that tank down. I use it in my 2010 CRV annually and it restores the throttle response and improves the mpg's by a few. I do perform cleaning the throttle body once a year too, but this stuff works for me.
"The Peoples Republic of NY", as an Upstate New Yorker myself thats an accurate statement
Greetings from the Islamic kingdom of britain
Excellent diagnostic skills. It's very difficult to diagnose a lazy valve without replacing multiple components. One time, I had to do it. One cylinder was misfiring on a dodge caravan. A lot components were already replaced. I took it for a test drive and it started misfiring. I came back right away and tested compression. The cylinder had low compression due to the valve hanging up. Good thing it was the front cylinder and not the rear one!
Love the positive South Main Auto attitude Eric. 👍🇺🇸
Good job.
Same exact issue with a 2007 Silverado 4.3. Found it by connecting a vacuum gauge I could see while test driving. Fixed with top engine (valve) carbon cleaning.
Nice job and video
Damn few mechanics would have figured this out. Always impressed with Eric O.
almost every mechanic would have figured it out, they have already been there done this like Mr O. now the part swappers would be on the 99.9% failure side.
Richard Schmidtendorff I think 99% of today’s mechanics are just part swappers. Very few can work a theory to a conclusion anymore. It’s a lost art.
good idea ....❤️ "Kim Ngan river barge craft" wishes you good health, and I hope you have many interesting initiatives💕❤️🥰
You already know my answers.... best being the scope (to have recorded proof) with an intake pulse sensor and crankcase. (I have 2 i can use) See how it's losing it. Using long test leads, you can drive anywhere for as long as you need.
I really like your way too. Quick and easy.
So, intake pressure sensor to detect possible intake valve hang-up, but what does the crankcase (I assume pressure sensor?) do for you?
You are a scientist of the firs order and I salute you.
Before there were "smart" engines, I once had a motor that would run good on level ground on the freeway but as soon as I hit a hill, it would slow down to barely 40 mph then run well again when I reached level ground. One clue was a small puddle of oil after parking it.
It turned out that during the rebuild, the engine shop installed the wrong size bearings on the crankshaft.
Oops!
oops
That'll do it.. lol. Surprised it ran at all lol
They didn't plastigauge the bearings for clearance? Wow...
@D theman on the hills, the load makes the bearings and crank heat up and the little bit of clearance that there is disappears. I'm sure it must have burnt the crank a bit.
I wouldn't diagnose this well. This is happening currently to my GM 5.7. I parts cannoned a new coil at it because, well it was the original coil (200,000+ miles) so I figured it wouldn't hurt. It actually made a difference. Missfires aren't bad enough to set the money light now. I have recently came to the conclusion that it is a sticking valve but wasn't sure how I was going to verify that without removing the head. This was good timing for this video. I appreciate all you do Eric.
Interview with the client and listen to how the engine behaves in different types of work, after receiving the car, carry out the accurate road test. Normally I do it with this test, and I will have the diagnosis and work to repair the damage. For you with the experience immediately what I thought was asserted in the failure, Congratulations for what you know and Thanks for this video
Mat from Bicks Auto Mat here love watching you I’m 65 and getting tired been doing this since I was13 wish you were down here your diagnosis blows me away my hat is off to you you are the man for sure if ever on Long Island look me up
Seafoam worked on my 5.3 with a collapsed lifter . Good stuff
I will have to check out that seafoam treatment, sure would be nice if it worked on my 5.3 stuck lifter! thank you Knightnrmer
Got the balljoints, in the Grand Cherokee. " l did it your way" nice tutorial, Sir! thanks, Eric
I definitely enjoy these vids were you analyze complex issues.
Nice deduction, having your scope proved to be useful again, knowing how to use it properly is also helpful! Thanks for sharing!
I would suggest to the customer that she moves to a flat state like Florida.
That or tell her to always pick a downhill route.
Only one Choice left go around in circles they wrote a song about it
Are you out of your mind. We need to put a limit on how many New Yorker's come into our state. Just kidding. But not really
“Back in my day, we could only take flat or downhill roads”
Kansas
Good call sma. I was a gmc tech. In the past and saw many valve problems with the 4.3 engine. Sticking valves were very common and I'm sure the blocked cat amplified the problem. Everytime I had a customer with a blocked cat I always warned them of possible valve damage from excessive heat due the exhaust not being able to exit. Even saw holes melted in plastic intakes afterward which caused high fuel trim readings at idle.
I'd call Kilmer of course
Obviously the first step in any repair.....
He'd "SHOUT IT OUT"!
Damn, that's a cool business card lol.
HA! That guy is a wealth of knowledge ... 😃
He would be the last person I would call, but I digress...I would not call Mr. Yeller.
You are spot on with how you diagnosed it, awesome job. Stay safe, and God bless
I remember watching one of ScannerDanner's videos where he shows an injector overheating which caused it to fail while hot (OL resistance while hot). Because it was winter in PA he used some snow to cool down the injector to prove the injector was overheating and damaged. Relative compression test seems like the easiest method if it has to be done within 10 seconds. Only other thing I can think of that might be faster than a relative compression test under those conditions would be a factory procedure for cylinder balance test (if you don't have access to the tools to do a relative compression test).
DJ I SAW THAT VIDEO AND REMEMBER THAT WHEN I TEST INJECTORS. i ALSO LEARN A LOT FROM ERIC OWHICH IS WHY I SUBSCRIBED , GREETINGS FROM OHIO
I have a 2000 GMC Sonoma with the 2.2L 4cyl. I changed the plugs in it to the standard AcDelco instead of the iridium because I could not see why they were necessary. Under heavy loads the engine would develop misfires. I would look at the counter and it did not matter which cylinder. Usually one would drop out but if I pushed it harder then more would drop out. I chased everything I could think of because I just knew it couldn't be the brand new plugs I put in. Well after many failed attempts I finally put iridium plugs back in. Cleared right up! I would have never thought a spark plug could cause such a problem! Thanks for the videos Mr.O! Been watching for a long time now and Lord willing I will be watching for a long time still.
I had a few of these with this problem and the crank sensor hitting the crank. There is a Tsb for carbon build up on the guides, you hone them with a 9mm hone. I think you can even do it in the vehicle if you drop the valve into the cylinder. I never tried it myself. Last one I did I had to pound the valves out with a mini sledge hammer.
You mean at close to tdc and just roll it over and push the valve back up ?
I've dropped them in the cylinder. Not that hard to do . I used a 6.75mm bronze punch and 32oz ball peen to knock them down.
A 9mm hone?? You're going to shoot the engine?? :)
@@markh.6687 Enlarge the bores...
@@liebherr11602 I know; just funnin' cause the diameter is the same.
This is why I like living next door to your shop. You can do it--that's why I'd rather pay you! Good video--love Jacob's Ladder!
BG44K (comercial) on an IV drip into the intake, can of their fuel treatment in the tank with a fill up of 94 non ethanol, and Slave Lake that bastard for the whole tank..
ETA: Would also take a look at the PCV valve if its carboned up enough to lock up a valve.. How much oil is it burning a week? Is it a hit the gas station, check the gas fill the oil type deal?
My 88 S10 had the 4.3 engine and after about 150k miles the truck failed emissions. My shop recommended the Berryman's 3-can fuel injection treatment which they performed. It blew a ton of white smoke (during the treatment) but when I went back to State emissions they passed me. I felt a real improvement in performance. I would not have considered a product like that to be a solution but It saved me a lot of hassle. I bet the Seafoam Eric O talked about works on a similar principle. Go SMA!
Marvel's magical mystery oil is coming to take you away
Change the oil, toss in a quart of Marvel problem solved.
dad kept gallons of it on hand didn't waste it on the 48 Dodge though just fed it drain oil as required it burnt oil when he got it and still did when he traded it in after quite a few years.
Second that. Marvel and Sea Foam. Worked for me on a small engine
Haha
Coming to take you away... take you away...
Excellent use of your test equipment.
you're a clever bugger! good content mate!
Few years ago had a S10 with the 4.3. Cylinder #3 bent the intake push rod into a letter S. Replaced the push rod and had the head checked and checked everything else and couldn't find the cause. Only thing at the time I could come up with was maybe the owner some how over revved the engine and floated a valve. After watching this I believe this was most likely the cause. Going to remember this test for future reference. Nice find! Always tend to find out should always trust the gut feelings!
Learned something new today, thank you Mr O!!
Seen 3 similar to this. All gm, 2 chevy.
Two weak valve springs, and one loose valve guide. I took off the valve covers and found all three.
Cranking rhythm was drilled into my head by my votech auto instructor.
Exactly.
@@johnsmith7676 great minds think alike. No one teaches the easiest cylinder compression balance test.CRANKING RYTHYM.
That was one good diag, Eric!!! Nice work!!
how do you keep scotty from talking? You tie his arms behind his back!
Sounds like him flailing his arms around drives you nuts too. I'm surprised he doesn't have worn out shoulders like most mechanics his age.
I laughed way too hard at this
Then all you'll hear is grunts.
He's the original wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man.
I swear Scotty is drunk is most of his videos.
Great Diag'. I'm an old Canadian tech from the mid 70's. Before the wonderful electronic computerized methods now available, we had to go old school Diag. Back then it was new school Diag now it's old school, OK your dad is one of us, he can explain it.
Anyway, we used a trusty vacuum gauge. Any valve misbehaviour would show up immediately.
Boy I miss the old days and ways..
People's Republic of New York.....you got that right!
@Robert Slackware It will cause it to fail the annual state inspection.
@@turbo8454 ANNUAL inspection???? BRUH
Vacuum Guage on the windshield. Try finding this very intermittent problem on a workhorse tool truck loaded with tools. You learn and you remember. Scope is sexy, though. And the show and tell factor is awsome. Take care Mr O. Thanks for all you do. Chris
Marvel Mystery Oil, add some to the engine oil and some to the fuel tank, truly unbelievable stuff!
I bought some marvel mystery oil for the Brazilian market it's a little thicker than the American stuff found it at some resale shop and it works super great....
I've had the Marvel's work on sticky valves on 4.3/5.0/5.7 engines. That made me a believer!
@Robert Slackware I saved two of my small antique MMO squirt cans that you can no longer find, I simply refill them when they get empty from the gallon jugs I keep on hand.
This guy really knows his stuff, if we have an annoying problem I'm getting the car shipped from the UK to let him look at it!
Without any fancy schmancy stuff to work with - I’d “guessed” a weak fuel pump not getting enough fuel under load
I had that happen on my 97 chev truck.. it wouldn't up shift if I revved more than 2500, below 2500 ran good.. one day I says to myself, when's the last time I changed the fuel filter? New filter, problem solved..never had any codes
GYPSY400 I used that very same thought process 45 years ago when faltering going up a steep hill under load but all was fine under load on flat ground. Yup, it was a clogged fuel filter. 👍
Nice diagnosis, learned a lot from this video @@
Since my Pico is still 2-3 weeks out, I would probably listen to the cranking sound when it does it and know it was compression related.
Pretty amazing approach!
I'm in awe of your idea.
When your at those really high rpms like that I’m wondering if the oil pressure might be causing a lifer to hold the valve open or could just be a bad lifter holding a valve open. I’d be changing the lifters on that cylinder as well. You might want to check oil pressure when it does it too.
You don’t really need the fancy pico scope to know if you’ve got low compression. Just use your ears. You can hear the starter has an easy spot while it is cranking. Anytime you have low compression you can almost always hear it in the starter when cranking.
Also your bodies can feel vibrations just as good as that pico scope. You just need the experience to know what different vibrations feel like to know what might be wrong. Yes the pico scope can help at time with some of the more tricky vibrations but my body can feel the difference between a tire vibration, u-joint vibration, or engine misfire vibration
I was going to say lifter too when the relative compression came back low on #3 as per the hypothesis. It'd be very unusual for a valve to stick open due to guide stiction at high rpm/high load when the cylinder pressure is at its highest and most vigorous changes.
I saw you on the Spanish channel the other day you were awesome thank you Eric you are the man
in "the good ole days" some cars might stall on sharp turns, ~~ because choke plate not held open
Drill and tap a small hole in number 3 cylinder. Attach a pressure transducer. Monitor the pressure during load and no load. When finished insert a threaded plug in the hole.
Your test was the best.
That's a no brainer! It's a Dorman valve guide!
What would you have done Mario?
South Main Auto Repair LLC i can't top that bud, great job!
South Main Auto Repair LLC i don't know that i would want to put my transducer through all that heat at heavy load 😆 you used logic and evidence. I mean it when i say i can't top it because no one can top data and experience-based, logically sound deduction
Could be worn lobe on cam? What's your take on that?
Julius Apis Bull a worn cam lobe would be a permanent compression loss(unless it was a worn exhaust lobe, in which case that wouldn't affect peak compression at tdc-c), not only under heavy load. An intermittent collapsing lifter might also do that, but a hung open valve sounds more likely.
Especially since it was dead compression, not even a little. A stuck closed intake valve from a collapsing lifter still would have some compression at that load, also true for a stuck closed exhaust valve. A hung open valve makes more sense.
Good call buddy. Well done.
A fine diagnoses!
Thanks Mike :)
My best guess was a sticky exhaust valve. A sticky intake valve would not heat up much with all that full throttle air going past it. I would also expect to hear some nasty noises coming back through the throttle body with a stuck intake valve.
I had no good ideas on how to prove my theory or to pinpoint which valve was sticking. Your solution was a beautiful--a great lesson! Thanks.
I wouldn't. I'd bring it to you. Silly. 😜
Love your channel
My approach? I'd take it to SMA and tell Eric, "It's broke." :)
good one funny
Outstanding use of modern test equipment
BG induction cleaning. If it is that dirty do it twice. I do my cars every 50 K.
That's what I'm talking about! An intro like that followed up with a beer ad. Something worth watching is to follow. Im glad I just put backup in the fridge.
I got a question. How well does fluid film hold up for undercoating? thinking of using it. thank you.
Awesome. Put it on in the fall before the first snow/salt. It requires periodic reapplication but if you keep up with it it works better than a permanent bond under coating in my opinion. Applied annually it will help a lot. Great on hinges on tail gates and snow blower axels lawn mowers, shit like that.
Had the same problem with my 73 AMC Matador 258 6 cylinder . It would miss hot and under load , did a compression check after it cooled a bit and it showed good . Changed coil , points etc. same problem. After some head scratching I took it out and got it good and hot and did a quick compression check and found it was #6 cylinder. Had head rebuilt and problem solved .
I see the classic defroster window crack.
Just finished up this video and stumbled on an old one with a Shivy Cruze overheating. Took all day to even get time to work on it, Eric himself was close to over heating. Anyone else remember any good videos where Eric's close to losing his mind? They are my favourite.
Nice lesson, I wish I lived in your area. How do you find someone with your skills and integrity?
should be easy this is very basic stuff hoinestly
@@SouthMainAuto Ya, ok.....I bet some would load up the parts cannon, and have at it, tho. Been there, done that.
Find someone who doesn't talk like they could fix the Space Shuttle or constantly blabbers endlessly about how (so and so) is so "bad". A REAL expert mechanic is humble in his ways. Don't mistake confidence for ego. That's why I enjoy these videos. Well, than and how Mrs. O keeps things real. 😁
We are working on a "Clone Eric O." program.😃
@@VWWRENCHIE That's a great idea, but I don't have 30 years 😂🤣
I had a good one years ago. Chevy LUV truck with an intermittent miss under light load only, ran great under load but distinct miss at idle and light load high vacuum cruising. Narrowed it down to number one cyl by the ol "which exhaust pipe is the hottest" test after a cold start, #1 was definitely cooler than the rest. I found by accident actually the insulator on the plug electrode was broken but not in the traditional way. It was cracked around the diameter at the base and could slide up and down the center electrode. At high cylinder pressure it seems the ceramic stayed up where it was supposed to be but a lower pressure the ceramic slid down the electrode and snuffed out the spark as it came to rest on the bent over electrode. This was back in '86, made me crazy for a couple days chasing that problem. Nice work!
"There's your problem Lady!" You got a cracked windshield. It's a wind resistance thing.
Funny!
im very young and still inexperienced so I would not have known to do that but WHAT AN AMAZING VIDEO. just tied a lot of things together for me and will definitely be very helpful knowledge in general and seeing as how i can use the scope to compare things like this is something i would have taken much longer to realize without this video.
I'd sure try Seafoam first before I'd pull the head.
I learned something today....THANKS
My diagnosis is “Eric wearing a t-shirt without a pocket”...🤔😂😊
D theman - actually I think they might be a sponsor. 😬🤣
I want one of those shirts. Can't find it on the web for sale. Anyone know how to get one?