@@MireilleMalcomnson Dealerships have no problem telling technicians "How about you go work for down-the-road-motors." i.e. find another job. They just didn't realize it's a two way street. Never be afraid to jump. Keep a three month emergency fund and you'll find yourself with more freedom of choice. Thanks for watching!
I really enjoyed your story about being an auto mechanic...thank you. I'm a software engineer in Silicon Valley and enjoy DIY work on my "family fleet" of 3 cars and 3 motorcycles (recently replaced the timing belt/water pump on my wife's 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid). I've always thought about switching careers to become an auto mechanic because I enjoy fixing things and think of myself as having a little bit of talent, however I also enjoy the constant and fast speed of tech changes in programming that force me to constantly keep up, and making a similar salary as an auto mechanic is probably unrealistic, even though good mechanics need just as much intelligence, continuous learning, and problem solving skills as a software engineer, not to mention the uncomfortable contortions, bloody cuts, and nasty grease under fingernails after certain jobs. When I retire I plan to just fix my friends and family cars and possibly run a small word-of-mouth-only garage out of my driveway to keep having fun in my hobby. I hope that one day auto mechanics become another guaranteed $100k/year job (or $150k+/year + in a high cost-of-living big city) with great benefits that kids with above average IQs desperately want to break into.
Trade schools are recruiting by telling teenagers that they could make $100k+ in the automotive trade. They were telling us that back in the '90s. To this day I've never met a $100k+ mechanic. I really wanted to get into programming, and I had a talent for it, but there was no support structure for a high schooler to learn programming in Oklahoma. Thanks for watching!
Yup. Unfortunately, I think it will get worse before it gets better. As a starting tech in 1999 I was getting $13 a flag hour, which equates to $24.50 today, but starting techs are lucky to get $20/hr. At the same time the labor rate went from $75/hr to nearly $200/hr, far exceeding the $141/hr that would have been appropriate with inflation. I think Millenials and Gen-Z can tell when someone's whizzing on their backs and telling them it's raining. I have zero sympathy for dealerships. Thanks for watching!
Such a sad story of your dealership technician career. I completely understand your frustration and agree with your assessment. Dealership management destroys people with glee. They have done it so much and so long it has become part of their DNA. I have seen young high school students who had become porters after they reached 18 years old. These young kids worked washing cars and picking up lunch for the manager. They received promotions into either the parts department or as service writers. I saw similar young girls who went from light duty office work such as being a cashier to being promoted to Warranty Administrator. Here you are as a fully trained and capable technician and your paycheck is dependent upon unskilled and over worked young people who know nothing about the product and still live at home with their parents and drive to work in a vehicle their parents purchased for them. As a technician we were never allowed to look up our own warranty labor operations and were not allowed to communicate with the Administer. I can also attest that during my career I saw real warranty times that started off abysmally low be cut further or even in half whenever corporate had a bad quarter. The shop management were nothing but a bunch of monkeys. Any monkey could lower their prices, labor times or offer additional work to the customers for free. They never felt the impact of their decisions placed on the technicians who have so much to lose already by the high cost to be employed to begin with absorb these unwarranted demands. The service business in dealerships are the same all over. Different Circuses with the same clowns running the show.
if you memorize what SAE and metric sockets interchange you can carry both very compactly....carry...(5/16=8mm), (3/8), (10mm), (11mm=7/16), (12mm), (1/2=13mm), (14mm=9/16), (15mm), (5/8=16mm), (17mm), (11/16), (18mm), (19mm=3/4)...carying those 13 sockets is equal to 19 sockets and covers everything from 3/8 - 3/4 and 8mm - 19mm....the socket before the "=" is the tighter fitting of the two so use that...example 5/8 is .005 tighter than 16mm so will fit 16mm nuts/bolts better than an actual 16mm wrench or socket....1/2 inch sockets fit better on 13mm than actual 13mm tools...if you need larger than 3/4 or 19mm then carry....(20mm), (13/16=21mm), (22mm=7/8), (23mm), (15/16=24mm) as the sizes increase you get a nearly 1 to 1 interchange to SAE..ie for the larger sizes there will nearly always be an interchange from metric to an SAE size as a mm is smaller than 1/16 of an inch.
@@erikstrawn3885 yeah, it's pretty much a metric world now...if you do decide not to carry SAE around any longer just keep a 3/8 and an 11/16..all other SAE have a close enough metric equivalent.
I do, but I knew this was going to be apart for a while, and since it's been more than a year, it's all in a pile. If my kids' cars would quit breaking I might have a chance to put it back together. Thanks for watching!
In the video I didn't state why that was important to me. After being hired at that defense industry leader, they lost the contract and the shady company that took over routinely hired unqualified people so they could pay them less. It was terrible. You say "credentialism", I say "qualified". While I could accept working for someone without a credential who could do the job well, it usually just doesn't work that way. I agree that competency matter most, but most people are trying to move upwards, and so they likely haven't done that job before. Study up on the Peter Principle. Credentials have a purpose. Thanks for watching!
Stay positive good man. You're future will be bright. I'm younger than you but left the industry for nearly the same reasons. Constant blame on technicians with no support and low pay. Not to mention when the service writers begin playing favorites with what jobs get assigned to what techs they like. High School allllll over again....
In case the video wasn't clear, it's been a while since I left the auto business. I've been seeing more and more commentaries on what's wrong, and it's the same things I saw wrong twenty five years ago. I'm in civil service now, where I'm treated as a valued member of the team. Thanks for watching!
Mom and pop dealer are great because most care about their employees, but corporate dealers you just a number, we had the foman die on the week end he had been their 25 years the ownets who were a tri state company didn't even show up for his funeral. I recommend not being a mechanic.
The first dealership I worked at was a local chain, and they were fairly up front and honest. They sold to another local chain that was shady, but very profitable. That chain then merged with a nationwide conglomerate. It quickly became a race to the bottom for pay and respect. The market has been consolidating, and there's no guarantee that a mom & pop shop will stay locally owned. It's pretty assured that they will sell out in the long run, because they can't compete. Thanks for watching!
I grew up very poor so I had to wrench on my own vehicles didn't really have a choice. Now that I'm almost 40 and have a decent income. I tried having mechanics do the work and have had terrible experiences. Now I just fix it myself I don't need the headache. Even if I don't really have the time because I'm working I will squeeze it into my schedule. I typically work 6 to 7 days a week. While growing up poor I thought it was a curse. turns out it was a major blessing. If you aren't handy today, and physically able to do the handy work. you are at a major disadvantage.
I wasn't poor, but I didn't have front pocket money. My friends and I were always wrenching to keep our rides running, dreaming of being able to afford a hot rod. That has certainly served us well. Thanks for sharing and thanks for watching!
That's $25 I don't have to spend because I spent a little time learning the proper feel for a belt. But, yes, if you're working on a system that requires a very specific belt tension, a belt tension gauge is worth it. Thanks for watching!
Good stuff Erik! I typically spray penetrant over the stud and bash the every loving heck out of the hub or wherever the tie rod stud goes through until she gives up. Ive had stubborn ones where the side of the hub has deformed - but not structurally. this is the first time Ive seen the 'two hammer method' though.
I'd love to have a buck for every time I've seen "mechanics" trying to figure out how they got 180 degrees off on start-up. Cam dot at bottom, you're on 6. Cam dot at top, you're on 1. 1843 6572
I'm not sure how you're getting that. Align the cam and crank dots, crank dot up and cam dot down. Your engine will be at top dead center on #6 on the power stroke, and top dead center on #1 at the beginning of the intake stroke - which is 180 cam degrees (360 crank degrees) out from firing on #1. I know it's a little difficult to wrap your head around without a visual, but I hope that helps. Thanks for watching!
We were in racetrack conditions, trying to get it done ASAP. We didn't think that far ahead. We were pretty sure we had a blown head gasket, so we dove right into it. But that's a great bit of advice. Thanks for watching!
I recently added a trim fork to my junkyard toolbox. I've had one in my main toolbox for decades, but I've needed one in the small box. With it and a pocket screwdriver, I can get 99% of clips loose. Thanks for watching!
Dam good advice, glad you didnt get badly hurt. ALWAYS with the safety. Jackstands = 2n+1 (n = number of support points on car + 1 backup [usually the jack itself]). So, for ONE corner of the car, thats THREE supports, yes. Raising the whole car on the ground = EIGHT + Jack. NEVER stand in front or behind the car, or beside the front wheels of a running car. Just look up "Car meet injury fails" on youtube. GLASSES or face shield. A motorcycle brake pedal return spring broke while i was near it - bashed my eyeball, thankfully i closed my eye. Had a white spot in my vision for a week after. Stay gold.
Eight jackstands and the jack to support a car? Even Air Force QA will tell you that's overkill. Buy quality jackstands, inspect them, and trust them. Try and shake the car before you crawl under it to ensure the car is secure. I hung out at the track for a while after our team left and I watched a guy try five times to get his car into reverse while a teammate stood in front and almost got run over - five times. I finally convinced him to get out of the way. I always try and get my teammates to stand to the side when someone's starting the car. I learned the hard way that safety glasses aren't often enough. I wear goggles or a face shield when using a grinder. Thanks for watching!
Sorry, I didn't quite get.... so coolant leaked into one or more cylinders due to the blown head gasket, then shot out the plug hole(s) when it was turned over?
It appears we ran lean on the front two cylinders for some time and it eroded the piston and cylinder head. Once the head eroded back into the water jacket, it began pumping water into the cylinders. We aren't allowed to run antifreeze, so we never smelled it. Once I shut the engine down, the water (I called it coolant in the video, but it's straight water) leaked into the combustion chamber. I pulled all the plugs to perform the compression test, and once my teammate spun the engine over the water shot out onto my arm. The head gasket itself was not leaking water, although it did blow through between #1 and #2 at some point - probably when the misfiring started. Thanks for watching!
@@teagreen2220 Fortunately the bottom end was good. It's getting new bearings "because race motor", and it'll become the spare motor. The head might be salvageable, but M52 heads aren't too hard to find (yet). The spare head that failed is getting the valves replaced and tested before installation. Thanks for watching!
You would have to install a TV cable and change your wiring. I don't know how the computer would handle not reading the transmission. I suspect it won't affect the engine at all. Supposedly the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) is the same, so that's a plus. The most important thing is setting up your TV cable. I'll warn you that a TV cable is a pain in the rump, and not getting it right will burn up your transmission. I have a video on that. You already have a TBI, so if your throttle cable bracket is different, you should still have the mounting holes in the right place for the correct bracket. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4fBoAELaA1A.html Thanks for watching!
Anyone know how to remove a smog pump on a 1977 Buick Regal 350 V8? Would be great to see how to remove the belts or at least loosen them enough to take the pump off…
I don't believe I've ever turned a wrench on a '77 Regal, but can you loosen any other component to take the tension off the belt? Thanks for watching!
Thank you guy. I installed a Howards Cam 110245-12 into my 1976 Corvette I have owned for 17 years trying to upgrade with aluminum 180cc Flotec heads. When finished it started right off but when driving it on a short test run of a couple miles I was getting a hesitation and very minor back fire so I decided to slightly advance the distributor. That was the last time I have been able to start it going over and over with TDC settings. Looking at my Google photos I see that the Camshaft sprocket pin is on the left facing it and should be on the right with the Key on Crankshaft at two o'clock. I am 73 and it was burning me out. I am going to tear back into it and make that change as two revolutions for the crankshaft and one to Cam sprocket. I can see fro your video the Camshaft sprocket pin is to the right and mine is to the left with both Pistions at the top both ways. I may post my results later if I live through it. Thanks. The Video is really clear and attentive to details.
While the cam pin and crank keyway are good sanity checks, I'd pay more attention to the timing markings on the cam and crank gear. Best of luck getting it sorted, and thanks for watching!
"Lift with your knees, not with your back." I can lift a 700R4 onto the stand by myself, so long as it doesn't have the torque converter in it. Once I asked my wife to help me, but if I weren't feeling up to it and she weren't around, I'd have to figure out a way to use my engine hoist. Thanks for watching!
Did this with my 93 s10 about a year ago.. Give it about a month and where the seatbelt hits the panel when you flip your belt off will be scratched and flaked off. The duplicolor interior stuff works great on the carpet part. And on cloth materials. But its a super thin paint that easily flakes and chips off the vinyl. Im thinking about using a heat gun and some black powdercoat on the plastic parts but still figuring that out. Lol
I suspect you didn't clean your plastic thoroughly enough. I painted Way Cool Jr's interior pieces five years ago and they've all held up very well. The painted pieces are resisting weathering and are tougher with better scratch resistance than before they were painted. I'd try scrubbing as much of the paint off as you can, clean it with Barkeep's Friend, and repaint. Thanks for watching!
@erikstrawn3885 ill give it a go. I just used a degreaser pressure washed it and then scuffed it before painting. The paint seemed very thin though. Didn't seem to hold up to wear and tear. Maybe I just need to clean it better 🤔
The carpet on Way Cool Jr's door panels was ripped and rough, so I removed it. The plastic underneath doesn't have the same texture as the rest of the panel. For all the mouse damage in Roscoe, they didn't touch the carpet. I like how it turned out. Thanks for watching!
The motor mounts were replaced when I installed the engine and have very little wear. Before the grinding there was only about 1/16" clearance. Thanks for watching!
This is by far the best junkyard effective tool kit ive seen .... when i searched for junkyard tool kits ...all the videos were of brand new bought kits and super elaborate tool set ups .....this was the bare bones video i needed to see ......and omg ..the hack saw !!!! Definitely adding that to my box ...thanks amigo
I've watched a few of your videos now, and decided to subscribe. I'm a school teacher in Canada (I teach languages.) so my specialty has nothing to do with car repair. Your videos are just what I was looking for, as an avid DIYer. I have 3 cars from the 90s, so as they get older and older, I'm gonna need to learn more and more. I'll watch more later, but let me tell you that I'm grateful that you have this channel up. Cheers! =)
I'm in my 50s, so I grew up with, "Plymouth Volare," in my vocabulary too. I think my dad almost bought one in the 70s, but opted for a 77 Chevy Nova instead. lol
I just installed a new alt on my car 2 days ago. After viewing this vid, I suspect that I may have installed the belt too tight. The car ran normally for 2 days, but upon intial start up, it did squeal for like a second. Tonight, the battery light came on intermittently, for the last 2 miles home. Popping the hood, I checked the battery terminals: solidly tight. The battery is BRAND new, too. I did notice a faint burning rubber smell, coming from right over my alt. So, did I just fry up my brand new alt, or, do you think I can still save this, by loosening that belt?
You can loosen and retighten the belt, but if you hurt your alternator by having the belt too tight, you wouldn't fry the electrics, you'd damage the bearings. While you have the belt off, spin the alternator and make sure it's smooth and not crunchy. If the alternator and battery are both new and your battery is still dying, make sure your battery connections are both clean and tight. Then check for a parasitic draw - I don't have a video for that yet, but I need to do one. Thanks for watching!
@@erikstrawn3885 Thank you so much for your advice, Mr. Strawn. I can't afford a trip to the shop, so you're really helping me out here. Okay, if I understood you right, if the alt and battery are good, and the connections are clean and tight, you said to look for a, "parasitic draw." What is that, exactly? The wire from the battery to the alt? Sorry for the noob-level questions.
@@erikstrawn3885 Good to know that I didn't fry the electrics. So, that faint burning rubber smell, it probably came from some melted wire somewhere else in the vicinity? Also, I only drove the car about 2 miles with the intermittent flickering of the battery light on, so am I safe to assume that even if I was hard on that bearing, that it's still probably okay, so long as I loosen the belt? I'll use your 90 degree trick to determine belt tightness. Thank you for your time. =)
@@Maplecook Your alternator should be fine. I think your problem is elsewhere. I haven't done a video on parasitic draw, but I need to. It's a fairly simple way to quickly narrow down to a specific circuit if something is "staying on" when the key is off. Basically, pull your fuses and use a test light to see if the current through each fuse socket is enough to light the test light.
I'm a 34 year old guy. I have a 2008 Prius and a 1998 3/4 ton diesel truck. They both have their place and I love them both. The prius is very economical and gets nearly 50 miles a gallon. I bought the car a few years ago for $4500 with 190,000 miles. It has 235,000mi on it now. It's paid for itself in fuel savings. A couple other family members also bought a 2nd gen prius after me and they have all been great cars. I can do just about all the work on them without too much trouble. I think the tesla drivers are worse than prius drivers nowadays. Also I think a lot of people that drive the older prius' drive them because they are so economical, not to save the planet
The Prius is just another economical commuter Toyota that does its job very well. I think they attract buyers who view vehicles as appliances, and view driving as an unfortunate chore that occurs between what they would rather be doing. I try to avoid them on the road because it seems like there is a higher than typical likelihood that the driver will be overly timid or inattentive on the road, which creates problems for everyone around them.
@@revivalofz7200 I think you're describing most drivers on the road. While the Prius may be a better predictor of inattention versus a Mustang, most vehicles are treated as appliances. Thanks for watching!
My 1992 k1500 700r4 4x4 needs to be rebuilt or replaced. I live in Central California. Should I have a shop rebuild it or order a rebuilt unit from a reputable online seller? I'd like to keep it under a couple grand.
That's a tough question, and I can't give you a solid answer, only advice. Unfortunately for consumers, competent transmission shops are hard to find. Transmissions are very finicky, and there are far more transmission shops than there are detail-oriented technicians. Buyer beware! You're in central California, so there are likely more options for you than we have here. You need to ask around and find out who the local go-to-guy is for transmissions. Who do the racers recommend? Where do fleet trucks go? You also need to ask around before you buy from a "reputable" online vendor. There are some big-name vendors who get absolutely trashed in the forums because their advertising budget gets their name out there, but their quality isn't comparable. One of the major downsides of an online transmission purchase is the recourse is limited and the shipping is expensive if something's wrong. You can't just drive it back and chat with the tech for a fix. The sad truth is that I don't think you're going to get a good transmission shopping on a budget. The transmission on the stand just got a rebuild by a buddy's cousin, and it was far cheaper than I expected. I'm a little worried about it, but my buddy says his cousin put transmissions in a few trucks for him, and they all worked great. I never would have even known about his shop if word-of-mouth hadn't contributed. And that's my biggest advice, get word of mouth recommendations and warnings. If you're not on GMT400.com, I recommend asking there. I don't want to denigrate any shops or online vendors here, but they'll give you the dirt on who's shady and who isn't. If you can get it to Vegas, there is a forum member who runs a transmission shop there. Thanks for watching!
Interesting questions...i have got the same problem here,i noticed that a oversized belt,wich doesnt fit prpwrly in the channel helps to keep the squeeking but tha i realized its just becouse its a very old one its just slipping quietely...so now i thought to put the right size one and spry some silicone but i dont know what i am dosing basically
I've realised what my problem was didn't tighten the tensioner tighter enough. My belt was as tight as the one in video but was still to loose tightened it so belt pushed down quarter of inch in middle and was perfect.
Yup. I learned that after the fact. It didn't matter so much to me because I needed to pull everything. There were mouse turds in everything. Thanks for watching!
The Pull-A-Part in Oklahoma City is independent and not part of the national chain. While they do allow limited power tools, I don't like taking expensive tools unless I need them. That said, I need to remake this video soon, because I've built a second box to take along if I expect heavy stuff. Lately I've had to pull bumpers, tow recerivers, and rear springs, and the tools in the box above just aren't up to it. Thanks for watching!
