Quick Recap – Ron Ananian: The Car Doctor
Real calls, real problems, real solutions—from a trusted mechanic who actually cares.
🔧 Mark – ’98 F-150 Overheating
Still runs hot after major cooling system repairs.
Ron’s take: Check coolant flow—could be a bad new water pump, internal rust blockage, or missing airflow panels under the truck.
🛠️ Joel – ’94 Lexus LS400 Brakes
Soft pedal after a DIY brake job with his son.
Ron’s advice: Bleed the master cylinder first. ABS needs a specific process. Ron offers to send factory steps if Joel emails him.
🚘 Joseph – ’01 Mustang Trans Swap
Wants to switch from manual to automatic post-stroke.
Ron says: Make sure the shop can integrate the new transmission with the computer—and consider selling that valuable T5 manual trans.
🎙️ Why Listen?
Ron blends expert car advice with a personal, down-to-earth approach. Whether you’re a DIYer or just want to understand your mechanic better, this show delivers.
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
You're listening to Ron Andanian The Car Doctor, nationally recognized
auto expert trusted by Mechanics, Weekend wrenchers and vehicle owners alike.
Ron brings over forty years of hands on experience and
deep industry insight to help you understand your vehicle. Join
The Conversation live every Saturday from two to four pm
Eastern by calling eight five to five five six zero
nine nine zero zero. That's eight five to five five
(00:25):
six zero ninety nine hundred, your direct line to honest
answers and practical advice. Looking for more, visit cardoctorshow dot
com for past episodes, repair tips, and Ron's latest insights,
and be sure to subscribe to The Car Doctor YouTube
channel for exclusive videos, real repair footage and more. Now
start your engines. The Car Doctor is in the garage
(00:47):
and ready to take your call.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Hey, let's not waste any time. Let's get right into it.
Let's go to Mark and Virginia in ninety eight f
one fifty and some cooling system and heating problems. Mark,
Welcome to the Car Doctor, Sir. How can I help?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Uh? Yeah, I got I bought this truck, got a
good deal.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
It's not like a main vehicle or anything anyway, one
hundred and one hundred and three thousand miles. Uh, it's
just it's just never been an issue. I haven't put
a lot of miles on anyway.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, it's uh what engine isn't mark.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
It's it's this small V eight four? Is this four six?
Speaker 5 (01:21):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
The four six? Okay?
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Yeah, four six automatic, four wheel drive, you know. And
I had a little problem and I he probably did too.
It had hadn't been driven quite a while. I mean
the gas wasn't sour or nothing. But anyways, uh uh.
I tried to mess with it, sat for a while, putting,
uh flushed it, uh you know, commercial flush stuff and
(01:45):
drain it. Anyway, finally figured it out and it started
leaking a little bit to heater core. So I had
my mechanic change the heater core in it. Took it
on a drive to uh A Hunt Club, about two
hour ride, and I noticed about an hour hour and
a half into the ride, just had to look down
to dash and ship right on up there around edge
just where it turns red hot right, and I watched
(02:07):
I almost pulled.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
I was getting ready to pull over.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
And it dropped right back down well in the process
of flushing and everything.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
The heater core.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
We had change at Thomber.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Staff, which I do h VAC and refrigeration. I know,
you know, that doesn't mean it's it's good.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Anyways, made it up there, made it back, you know,
and it did it just a little bit coming back.
It's not continuous. So I get back and you know,
Parker taking a mechanic. You know, maybe it's just of course,
you know, we say, maybe it's just the censor, the
you know, the idiot, the electronic gauges, and that it's
I had. I had my mechanic put a mechanical gauge
(02:43):
on it and put it down there on the dash
when God had driven up down the road right there,
right as I left it for the same thing. It's
just right perfect right where the Thomber staff. I think
it's got a one ninety because I told him to
change that again one ninety thermostat and said, right there,
right there, all a sudden he goes.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Right on up.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
And I mean this time we was hitting. Probably it
wasn't terrible like I said about twenty five. You know,
I didn't run it long. So here we go. You know,
what what did you do? Next he checked it. He's
pretty good, he's been doing a long time. Anyway, he
checked it off the I guess the water for CO two,
(03:24):
you know, thinking maybe got a head gas or crackhead something. Anyways,
that there's no sign of that. So it was since then,
I mean, we put a oh my gosh, radiator water pump.
And last time I talked to him, it's been I
think he's getting tired of it. But last time I
talked to him, it's been probably a month ago, and
(03:47):
he's he's act thought, he doesn't know and I don't
understand these systems. Anyway, They've got that radiator. But then
they got the tank off to the side, so let
me ask let me just don't have a cap on it.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Let me let me ask you a question. Work, so
it still runs hot. You've put a pile of parts
in it. What testing has he done? I understand he
checked he you know, he did a CO two test
looking for combustion or compression issues. You know, do we
have a do we have a do we have the
cooling system superheating?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Right?
Speaker 2 (04:15):
So one of the things that was common on those
and I know you're gonna tell me he put a
water pump in it. Uh before asking that question? Was
the cooling system rusty? Was it really dirty?
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Oh? My god? It was poor. It was.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
It was you know, I take care of myself. I've
got you know, not a lot of vehicles, but you
know company vehicles up.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
It was. It was horrible.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Honestly, I don't know could it ever been flushed right?
And it was just literally it was. It was bad.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
I flushed it, built it blushed it failed it.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
I don't know, three or four times trying to get
it to heat and I finally gave up and had
a heater or core.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Was it was just did.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
It Did it ever get to the point where you could,
you know, process clean water out of it?
Speaker 4 (04:59):
You know, I'm not like thoughtless clean. Still had like
a tea stain, you know, just a hair of a
tea stain, right, But oh yeah, yeah, No, I worked
on it now time, believe me and my dives, A
couple of dives, a couple.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Of slow days.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
No, dude, I hooked up water hose to it and
fluss it out. I mean I worked on a little bit.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
So my my first question, because you've hit all the
You've hit all the things that I would normally look
at but you know, I would want to know do
I have good flow? So that for six, if you
look at it, there's two heater hoses. Yeah, one of
them is an outlet. One of them is an inlet.
One of those hoses. If you take it off and
(05:42):
put it in a bucket and start the truck up,
you're gonna get really a really healthy stream of water
right out of the out of that hose. And I
just want to know do I have a good flow?
If I don't have a good flow? You know, are
you like enough to have a bad new water pump
that the impellers?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Yeah? And it's crazy because it'll it'll do just fine.
You're sitting there looking at the gauge. Then all of
a sudden, it'll it'll start creeping up today you know
that hasa and it might stay there minitude and it
shoots down like just like this therm mistake. You know,
I couldn't replaced twice. It just dropped right back down, right,
does it?
Speaker 5 (06:21):
You know?
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Is it is it like a a bad impeller here
you're an air conditioning guy, right, is it Is it
like that bad fan on the armature scheft coming out
of that centrally scene right right good right new means
never ever worked in my world. So I've got I've
got in yours too, So I've got to come up
(06:42):
with a way to test it. So I want to
know do I have flow?
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Okay, do I have flow?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
And then are we missing any of the undercarriage pieces?
And by that I mean, you know, I'm going on
the assumption, which is a dangerous word in real life
and only radio, but I'm going on the assumption that
we have the correct radiator in it, the correct size
radiator in it that you you know, you don't necessarily
(07:08):
matched what you took out, but you know, if they
looked it up by application and it was a clear
cut listing, you know, if it's a three row, it's
a three row. If it's a two row, it's a
two row radiator, and so on.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
You know.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
And once I get past the radiator issue, you know,
there's not much left. It's thermostat, engine, radiator, water pump,
there's generally, So then I start to look where else
is this and I start to think about do I
have Am I missing any of the lower spoilers or
anything that directs and guide's air over the radiator, and
that kind of matches with the description that it sounds
(07:41):
like when you're getting along on speed. You're out on
the road for an hour fifty five sixty sixty five
miles an hour.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
Yeah, yeah, and I mean it goes up you go, whoa, well,
look at air right, and I mean it drops right
back down. Was like just like the thermostato and went, ah,
I'm trying to what it looks.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
I'm trying to remember ninety eight mechanical fin or electrical
cooling fan.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Ah, it's mechanical, Okay, it is that.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
All right, because I always think about electric cooling fans
when I get this kind of a problem. I've had
more than a few cars in my lifetime where oh
the car was in an accident ten years ago or
ten months ago, rather, I'm sorry, and it's been overheating
ever since, and somehow it got wired backwards. The fan
spins the wrong way.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
So I, well, I'm gonna check that out, man. And
you say, one of the hoses going to the heater core,
whether it's engines warm or cold. If I if I
take that loose and cut that on, then I should
have a good flow.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
You gotta have a good flow.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
And what is what does that mean? That's kind of
a relative term. You mean it'll splash it, it'll get
out pretty quick.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Yeah, it'll splash out of the bucket.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
You know, now watch where that hose comes from, because
if it's on the back side of the thermostat, then
the stat's got to be open because the pump's got
to get to it. But if it's on the front side,
as I recall, I'm trying to remember what ninety eight
looks like, so that out all right, But it's gotta
have flow. One of those hoses has to have flow.
If it doesn't have flow, and you know, maybe this
(09:07):
thing is so rusted and rotted internally that there's a
restriction inside the block.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
That's what he's starting to wander. You know, we're worth,
that's what he's He's good, he's been doing a long time. Yeah,
you know, is clogged up somewhere right.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
We're looking for something odd because we've covered the bases.
You know, there's a reason why you got it for
a bargain.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
You know.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Well it wasn't that reason though. My man was hurt
for some money.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
But it's all good.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
I get you, Yeah, I get you sometimes a good deal,
any good right.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
That's that's the point. Mark, you're a good guy. I
appreciate what you do. You'll be well, Yes, sir, Yes,
sir eight five five five six zero nine nine zero zero.
Run a naming of the car doctor. I'll be back
right after this. Don't go anywhere. Let's go over to
Joel and Maine ninety four. Alexis Joel, you're on with
the car doctor. How can helps her?
Speaker 6 (09:58):
I'm good to say. Alog a long time listener, I
quite enjoy it, Thank you, sir. So my son who
should be listening on the radio in his mother's.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Car right now.
Speaker 6 (10:08):
Okay, he bought for his first car. He bought a
cult car. He bought a nineteen ninety.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Four LET'SUS LS four hundred.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Nice car.
Speaker 6 (10:17):
Yeah, and it's a beast, no doubt the problem I
have with this car. And let me qualify by saying,
I'm not a mechanic. I'm a father who loves his son.
So you know, I don't have all of the abilities
A lot of your listeners do.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
So appropriate on Father's Day weekend, such a great way
to put a chill.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
I love it.
Speaker 6 (10:35):
I do appreciate that I so when he bought the car,
we trailed it at home, drove it around a little bit.
You know, thought I had a couple had a vacuum
weeque whatever, it didn't. We change the fuel filter and
the thing ran like it was brand news.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
So why we went thrilled?
Speaker 6 (10:50):
Now what the car has a soft pedal. So I said, okay,
well we got to bleed the brakes. Well we were
the first time we bleed the brakes, I said, where's
the fl would go? And fluids going somewhere. Come to
find out there was a pinhole in one of the
pistons on the driver's side front because it's a dual
piston caliber yep, big count. Yeah. So we took care
(11:13):
of that, and then I did a rebuild kid on
both sides. You know new you don't talking about the
full rebuilt kit. Then we went to bleed the brakes
again and we never got a heart firm pedal. Then
I charged a couple of friends of mine that our mechanics,
and they're like, well if you tried the gravity bleed.
We tried the gravity bleed and we never got the
(11:34):
proper flow. I mean it was like one drip per
ten seconds on the driver on the passenger retire bled it.
I mean, my son and I must have bled the
brakes on that car, honest to God, probably fifteen times together.
And the latest thought process that somebody mentioned to me
was bleed the abs. Now, as you know, this is
(11:57):
an ODB one, so I can't force the ABS to
do anything it doesn't want to do in terms of
opening whatever valve it needs to open, you know, piss.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
In or what have you.
Speaker 6 (12:09):
There is a bleeder valve on the top of the ABS,
but I'm not getting anything out of that. And I
feel bad for my son. He bought this car. I'm
the dad trying to make it work, and I'm just
without answers and trying to, you know, save.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
A couple bucks.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Number one.
Speaker 6 (12:27):
Number two, my son and I learned the car together,
which is real. We have fun doing it. And number
three I you know, he's had the car now for
a year and he can't drive it.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Okay. This car have traction controlled deano.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Joel, Yes, sir, it does okay.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
And this car also has a It's not a traditional breakbooster.
This has the the hydro boost with the accumulator ball,
the hydraulic pump set up.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I believe so.
Speaker 6 (12:54):
And one of the things that I didn't mention that
I also did is I changed out the mass of
cylinder and I did bleed it on the bench before
I put it back in the car.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Okay, So there are some specific bleed procedures and you
want to start with depending upon how bad that leak was?
Did it? Did the bleed start from the master? All right?
Speaker 3 (13:16):
No?
Speaker 4 (13:16):
No?
Speaker 3 (13:17):
No, right, I'm sorry. Ahead, Well, I was.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Going to say, did did the master run dry at
any point? Do you think?
Speaker 3 (13:23):
No?
Speaker 4 (13:24):
I know I didn't, all right, but you.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Still have to bleed from the master. Have you bled
from the master down to the calipers.
Speaker 6 (13:32):
With the master, with the new master in the car?
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Yes, at some point, whether the new masters in the
car even with the old master? All right? Did you ever?
Did you ever start to bleed from the master down?
My point where I'm going with this is break it
down at the individual components. If if the master is
working properly, you should be able to crack the lines
and have good flow. Agreed, Yes, sir, did you ever
(13:59):
verify that?
Speaker 6 (14:01):
No? The process I went through and if I'm going
out of order here, forgive me, I apologize.
Speaker 4 (14:06):
No, it's okay.
Speaker 6 (14:08):
What we would do is we would, you know, obviously,
make sure that the fluids are the right level and
the master. I'd start passenger passenger rear, driver rear, driver front,
passenger front because that's right under the issued me. Passenger front,
then driver front last. And but I never cracked the
uh the nipple that's on the ABS unit itself.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Right well before we go there, why don't we bleed
it at the master? Can I do? Can I do this?
Can I make this easy for you?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Please?
Speaker 6 (14:46):
I'm feeling like a failure of a father.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Great dad. Listen, this is you know what. I'm proudy
you're doing a great job. Send me an email Ron
at cardoctorshow dot com say, hey, you know this is
this is Joel from Maine. Send me the VIN of
the vehicle, the seventeen digit VIN.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
Yes, sir, I'm gonna.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Plug it into all data when I get to the
shop on Monday, and I am going to find you
the factory bleed procedure and let's and I'm gonna email
it to you. Let's see how much of this you
can do?
Speaker 6 (15:20):
All right, let me get that email one more time.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
It's Ron at cardoctorshow dot com.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
Hi doctor Joe dot com.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
You know you're awesome and easy enough, dude, and listen
if you're working on this car on a regular basis,
and I'm happy to send you the bleed procedure. But
I think, I think for less than fifty bucks a year,
you can go out to All Data All Data diy
dot com and get us and get a full subscription
and you'll get the same factory information every other mechanic
(15:51):
gets for that vehicle at your fingertips.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Yes, that's awesome. I really appreciate your help.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
They're very welcome.
Speaker 5 (15:58):
You do that.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
You do that and I'll send you what I got
Joel excellent. Thank you, sir, You're welcome. It's important, right,
you know, we're and you gotta love a guy like that.
I can't. I can't talk about that enough to take
the time to make an impact on his son, to
help him with a car like that. I think that's
you know what, that's he's that guy's ward Cleaver of
(16:19):
this generation, you know. And I say that kind of kiddingly,
but it's the truth. You know, where is America gone?
I just have to kind of take a reflection here.
I was watching Leave It to Beaver the other day, Yeah,
because I'm old. And Ward had Wally and Beaver in
the boat and they were fishing, and Ward's trying to
reminisce with his kids about the things we did when
(16:40):
he did when he was a kid with his father
and how he spent lazy days fishing, and Beaver goes,
but dad, didn't you go to school? And you know,
and while he's like, but dad, didn't you go to
football practice? And like they couldn't understand the connection. And
I understand how it's a generational thing and it's probably
like that here and Joel's trying to close that gap
with his son. So I think that's a great thing.
(17:00):
But you send me, you send me an email request, Joel,
and I will be glad to send you a you
know the information I can from you know, all data
and keep that in mind, right, I believe it's all
data DIY dot com and all that at DIY dot com,
and that will get you to the subscription screen and
you can you can you know, probably a great last
(17:21):
minute Father's Day gift for everybody that that will get
you information because you can't fix cars with that information
and you've got to follow things in sequential sequential process. Now,
the other side of that is depending upon well, what
we find as a result of bleeding. And I'll tell
Joel this in the email when I get it is
we could have another component failure, we could have something
(17:42):
else that's acting. We could have an ABS controller issue.
But let's let's get all the aear out of the
system first and see what that does. So we'll kind
of work our way up to it from there. Eight
five five five six zero nine nine zero zero. I
run an Ny in the car doctor. I'll be back
right after this. Eight by five five six zero nine
(18:03):
nine zero zero. Eight by five five six zero nine
nine zero zero. Is the car Doctor twenty four to
seven phone number. Give us a call, leave a message.
We're on the year Live Saturdays two to four pm
Eastern Time. Again. Eight by five five six zero nine
nine zero zero. Let's go to Joseph in Nevada, Nevada, Nevada.
Haven't said in Nevada in a one time. I got
to make sure I say it right. I don't anybody
(18:23):
yell at me. How are you Joseph? How can I
help you?
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Hi? Hi?
Speaker 5 (18:28):
Ron? Hey? I got to tell you, I've got a
two thousand and one Ford Mustang. It's black, it's a
V six, it's all black.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
I bought a.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
Brand new and six years ago I had a stroke
on my right side. I learned how to walk again,
but I can't use my right arm at all. And
I had this car in the garage since two thousand
or It only has about thirty six thousand and seven
(19:04):
hundred miles on it, and I got to tell you
I can't drive it the way it is right. So
I had I had a toad to a regular good
mechanic that is real good. He's got the car running.
And now it's at the point where I've got to
(19:26):
send it off to a transmission shop. And so what
they want to do is they want it has a
board Warner T five transmission in it, which I had
since it was new. So I know this transmission is
like brand new. It's it's good for you know, many
(19:50):
more miles. But anyway, they want to put a rebuilt
Ford transmission in it the shop down on Las Vegas,
and it's going to be an automatic. And I'm just wondering,
is do you think that's a good idea? And any
(20:15):
ideas that may be selling the BOG one or T five,
because I noticed they're going for about thirteen hundred and
fourteen hundred dollars on EBA online, and you know that
kind of thing. And will it be a good repair
is the question, And that's.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
The first question that came to I gotta tell you, Jose,
the first question that came to my mind is will
it be a good repair? How are they going to
tie an automatic transmission? Which in two thousand and one,
that car from the factory would have had that transmission
tied into the engine controller. There would have been some
sort of automatic transmission controls via the PCM via a
(20:58):
trans control module to perform shift point and to match
it to rpm of the engine so that it operated
correctly in state and a mission compliance and performance and
all those other good things.
Speaker 5 (21:10):
Okay, this transmission shop that I'm considering down in Las Vegas,
he claims it will be five thousand dollars to swap
out the transmissions and it'll be a good repair. And
he claims that the harness and everything that's necessary to
(21:33):
hook it up. And I told him, I said, the
mechanic reports to me that everything's working traction control works,
everything works after all these years. So you know, but
he claims that he's got a harness and that you know,
he works on one hundred thousand dollars cars and it'll it'll
(21:57):
be perfect.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Get that in writing, Okay, Yeah, you know, listen, every guy,
every guy that tells me he's worked one hundred thousand
dollar cars, and that's the reason why working on the
twenty thousand dollar car, I'll be perfect. I always get nervous.
I don't I don't need I don't. I don't need
to be impressed by what you work on, telling me
if that's going to fix my car. But my questions
(22:21):
and then what would the gear ratio have been in
the rear end for an automatic version of that Mustang
versus what's in there for the manual trans Will it
have proper acceleration as anybody thought of that? Because I'd
almost be willing to bet it's a different gear ratio.
Speaker 7 (22:39):
Okay, I would.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Want to know that as well.
Speaker 5 (22:42):
Those are two very good points, the rear the rear
gear ratio, and what was the other point?
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Again?
Speaker 2 (22:53):
You know, will he put that in writing?
Speaker 5 (22:55):
Yeah? Put it in writing, yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Because we want that to work. You know, if he's
got a donor car, if he's got a No. One
B six version of this vehicle where he's getting a
wiring harness, body, computers and he's just going to transfer
everything over. Yeah, absolutely that'll work. He's doing he's doing
a donor swap. I understand that, but I need to
know that. And then as all the harnesses are they
(23:18):
going to be tucked back back into proper position. This
is a big task. I'm more inclined to tell you, Joseph,
sell the car as is. The car is worth more
money as it sits, and go buy something that fits
more of what you want to drive.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
What do you think that car is worth? It's black,
it's all black. It's in perfect shape because I had
it in the garage all these years.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
And I mean, I hate to sound like a jerk, Joseph,
but it's worth whatever somebody wants to give you for it. Brother,
I'd have to because I could tell you it's worth
ten thousand dollars. But if the market says it's worth
twenty because it's it's a rare color code combination that
I'm not aware of, that's a tough question to answer.
You could go to KBB dot com, which is Kelly
(24:05):
Bluebook KBB dot com and just get a ballpark.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
But anytime that ready, I did that already, Ron it
came up as like thirty nine dollars right.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Well, and there's the other side of this argument. Why
are you gonna put five thousand dollars into a car
that's worth four that might be a dicey repair at best,
because because the other thing you got to look at
and hear me out. All right, let's say he puts
that repair in. Let's say it's five grand, and that
car is dead nuts on the money, just like the
way it came out of the factory. It's it's still
(24:40):
a twenty three year old car that you're gonna have
difficulty getting quality parts for.
Speaker 5 (24:46):
Well, the problem is is that you know I own it,
and you know the new ones are like forty five
thousand dollars sure for the same right, I.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
Understand, I understand that. But we're starting to we're starting
to compare oranges to apples. The first problem is how accurate?
What's the quality control of the repair. Have you ever
used this trans shop before?
Speaker 5 (25:12):
No, I haven't, but they've been recommended to me by
two other mechanics that are very good.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Will he put it in writing. Will he put it
in writing and guarantee you that this car is going
to operate properly. If he does, I have no problem
with it.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
If not.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
If not, then I think we're taking a gamble.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
All right, So the so the rear gear ratio and
get the repair and writing.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Right, get this repair and writing stating what's going to
be done. And you know, are these I'm assuming this
is a used wiring harness? Is he prepared to change
any modules and electronics that need to be changed and
updated and matched? And this is a big task. This
isn't This isn't changing a transmission on a pre computer car.
This is changing a computerized car, and it changes everything.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
He claims that it'll be perfect. He says, oh, you know,
but I'm gonna take this hard, and I'm gonna I'm
gonna make notes on what you told me.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
I think you're better off replacing it. But let's see
what happens. You'll be well, Joseph, and let us let
us know what happens. You're welcome, sir, ay five five
five six zero nine nine zero zero. We're back right
after this and let's go over and talk to Oh,
let's go to Connecticut. We haven't been there yet. Today,
let's go talk to George. George, welcome to the car. Doctor, sir,
(26:35):
how can I help?
Speaker 7 (26:37):
Thanks for taking my call, Ron if I find it
a little funny, I just had an oral surgery.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Oh I'm sorry, but you know your sound fine? Go ahead?
Speaker 7 (26:45):
Thanks. My mother has a twenty ten Volvo actually sixty okay.
And what's happening is, after a huge rainstorm, I keep
on finding water behind do you know the passenger seat?
And what I hear is when you whenever you turn
on let's say, to the frost or air conditioning or
(27:05):
climate control, you'll hear almost like a gurgling of water.
You know that it's it's that pillar where de ventive
between the front seat and the back seat on the
passenger side. So far, this car had the A C
compressor replaced last year and it's still having this issue.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
So when you run the air conditioning, does it does
it drain water outside the vehicle?
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Okay? And the front carpet you're absolutely certain is bone dry.
Speaker 7 (27:38):
Yes. What was happening before and this was like a
year and a half prior I guess these vovals were
prone to having bad windshield seals. Right, So before it
was the front and the rear. So I got that,
you know, the windshield sealed and that never had a
problem with the front carpet again.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Okay, so it had a front water leak, but now
it's on the back correct all right Now they also
had a problem with the sunroof. Are you aware of that? No? Okay,
there's a reference bulletin from Volvo Thomas Jefferson TJ twenty nine,
six eighteen that talks about the sunroof leaking under high
(28:17):
water pressure. You said in heavy rain, yes, and.
Speaker 7 (28:21):
Then you and then you only hear like I said,
it's like a continuous slashing around that you hear when
you're driving around after a heavy rain. Between those two doors.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
So oh, between the doors of the in the B pillar.
Speaker 7 (28:37):
Yes, in the on the right side, from the you know,
the front and rear door, right where where you vents are,
where the vent is okay, going towards the back seat.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
You know it's it sounds like you've got a clogged
body drain or a sunroof drain problem. Okay, And that's
where I would be looking but I would also take
a look at that bulletin to see if it's applicable.
I know they changed seals on the sunroofs on those.
That bulletin came out after that car was about five
years old. I think it's dated twenty fourteen or twenty fifteen.
This is the twenty ten you said, correct, Yeah, this
(29:10):
it came out about five years four years later, four
or five years later after the fact, and they talked
about changing seals on in and around the sunroof itself.
I wonder if, for giggles, if we covered the seams
of the sunroof with something and left it out in
the rain, would it still leaked. But I'm trying to
think of what I could cover it with that wouldn't
hurt the paints. As part of my test, you know,
(29:33):
we could do the and it's ugly and it would
hurt the paint. You know, you think to yourself, can
you put duct tape around it? Just as a momentary
But is there something else? Is there a sheen of
plastic we could cover it with that wouldn't hurt when
we wanted to take it off, Because does that if
we covered the sunroof and protected that does that keep
the leak from happening, right? And if it does, at
(29:53):
least we know the source and then we can go
and attack it from there. But it would be a
simple enough test if we opened up the sunroof and
started pouring water into the gutter or the channel of
the sunroof. Does it go down the drain? And does
it go down the drain and leave a gurgle. It's
all sunroofs drain the same. I don't care how who
(30:14):
are what the manufacturer of the vehicle is. They all
gurgle when they're going. Well, they want to go down
and you want to see that whirlpool effect. It's got
to move fast. If it doesn't, there's a clog and
a restriction somewhere, and when it gets overloaded and overwhelmed,
the water's going to come out where it wants to.
Speaker 7 (30:29):
Makes sense, all right.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
So let's let's look at that. And that's that's something
you could actually do yourself. Just get a step ladder,
stand next to the car, open the sunroof and take
a paper cup and make it into a sharp point
and just start pouring water and see where does the
water come out and if the carpet is dry at
that point or you know how wet it is. Does
it get wetter from doing that? At least then you're
onto something.
Speaker 7 (30:53):
Okay, Yeah, that'll definitely put me in the right way
to look when I talk to my mechanic. And can
I add another comment to give you a compliment real
quick when you talk about fleshes, go ahead, okay. So
I also have a two thousand and seven BMW. I
took it to the dealer for an airbag recall. Wala
was there. They told me I should have the power
steering flushed. Now, I never had a German car, so
(31:14):
I thought the steering was heavy because of being a
German car. You know what a difference that made when
they actually flushed the power steering fluid and then changed
the filter in a reservoir. It's like night and it's
like night and day now, right, Just like you always say,
German couldn't believe it.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
German cars are a little different. We always treat them
a little differently. I gotta run, I gotta run. Georgia,
mother for your time. I really appreciate you here very
well so much, and feel better. Thank you for calling.
I'm on an any in the car. Doctor, We're back
right after this. All right, let me uh, let me
get this one done real quick. This is an email
comes to us from Matt Lichtenberg is the technology education
(31:54):
teacher at Mount Iron Buele High School in Mount Iron, Minnesota.
I believe that is Matt Wrights and hey, Ron, I
was listening to the Saturday Show May thirty. First, you
talked about testing for spark under real world engine conditions
versus just testing the plug out of the engine. You
mentioned there were spark testers out there that could approximate
combustion chamber pressures of one hundred and fifty psi. Some
of these may also indicate approximate vultes that the ignition
(32:15):
system was producing. And going around for such a tester.
Having found one, could you point me in the right direction.
Be a great tool to have in the shop. Thanks Matt.
I learned a lot from your show.
Speaker 5 (32:24):
Matt.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
Yeah, go out. You know Matt go makes one. I
see Thankston makes one. It's if you want the Matt.
I'm sorry, Matt go makes one. I believe the part
number is Tea is in Tom seventy one two forty.
I've seen that number out there. If you just go
Google search spark testers. You will see it. It's just
a thin, black, thin piece of black plastic. It's got
some graduated numbers on it, thirty thousand volts, twenty thousand
(32:47):
volts and so on. And you unscrew the one end
and you widen the gap. The wider the gap that
the harder is for the spark to jump. It doesn't
tell you, hey, this is good for one hundred and
seventy psi, This is good for you know, one hundred
and fifty psi and so on. But the idea is,
if the ignition system you're testing on your particular car,
you know the spec the speck is it's got to
(33:08):
produce voltage of fifty thousand vaults. Set that tester to
fifty thousand vaults. If that's one hundred and fifty psi engine,
then you've got a rough approximation it has to jump
the gap, because the idea is it's harder to jump
a bigger gap in atmosphere. I'm sorry, it's duplicating the
amount of pressure it takes the jump spark in atmosphere
versus higher pressure in the cylinder. Just google it, Matt.
(33:31):
I appreciate the letter, and I appreciate what you're doing
with the young folks. I'm running any in the car
doctor till the next time. Good mechanics aren't expensive, they're priceless.
See you
You're listening to Ron Andanian The Car Doctor, nationally recognized
auto expert trusted by Mechanics, Weekend wrenchers and vehicle owners alike.
Ron brings over forty years of hands on experience and
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(00:25):
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start your engines. The Car Doctor is in the garage
(00:47):
and ready to take your call.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Hey, let's not waste any time. Let's get right into it.
Let's go to Mark and Virginia in ninety eight f
one fifty and some cooling system and heating problems. Mark,
Welcome to the Car Doctor, Sir. How can I help?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Uh? Yeah, I got I bought this truck, got a
good deal.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
It's not like a main vehicle or anything anyway, one
hundred and one hundred and three thousand miles. Uh, it's
just it's just never been an issue. I haven't put
a lot of miles on anyway.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, it's uh what engine isn't mark.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
It's it's this small V eight four? Is this four six?
Speaker 5 (01:21):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
The four six? Okay?
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Yeah, four six automatic, four wheel drive, you know. And
I had a little problem and I he probably did too.
It had hadn't been driven quite a while. I mean
the gas wasn't sour or nothing. But anyways, uh uh.
I tried to mess with it, sat for a while, putting,
uh flushed it, uh you know, commercial flush stuff and
(01:45):
drain it. Anyway, finally figured it out and it started
leaking a little bit to heater core. So I had
my mechanic change the heater core in it. Took it
on a drive to uh A Hunt Club, about two
hour ride, and I noticed about an hour hour and
a half into the ride, just had to look down
to dash and ship right on up there around edge
just where it turns red hot right, and I watched
(02:07):
I almost pulled.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
I was getting ready to pull over.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
And it dropped right back down well in the process
of flushing and everything.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
The heater core.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
We had change at Thomber.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Staff, which I do h VAC and refrigeration. I know,
you know, that doesn't mean it's it's good.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Anyways, made it up there, made it back, you know,
and it did it just a little bit coming back.
It's not continuous. So I get back and you know,
Parker taking a mechanic. You know, maybe it's just of course,
you know, we say, maybe it's just the censor, the
you know, the idiot, the electronic gauges, and that it's
I had. I had my mechanic put a mechanical gauge
(02:43):
on it and put it down there on the dash
when God had driven up down the road right there,
right as I left it for the same thing. It's
just right perfect right where the Thomber staff. I think
it's got a one ninety because I told him to
change that again one ninety thermostat and said, right there,
right there, all a sudden he goes.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Right on up.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
And I mean this time we was hitting. Probably it
wasn't terrible like I said about twenty five. You know,
I didn't run it long. So here we go. You know,
what what did you do? Next he checked it. He's
pretty good, he's been doing a long time. Anyway, he
checked it off the I guess the water for CO two,
(03:24):
you know, thinking maybe got a head gas or crackhead something. Anyways,
that there's no sign of that. So it was since then,
I mean, we put a oh my gosh, radiator water pump.
And last time I talked to him, it's been I
think he's getting tired of it. But last time I
talked to him, it's been probably a month ago, and
(03:47):
he's he's act thought, he doesn't know and I don't
understand these systems. Anyway, They've got that radiator. But then
they got the tank off to the side, so let
me ask let me just don't have a cap on it.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Let me let me ask you a question. Work, so
it still runs hot. You've put a pile of parts
in it. What testing has he done? I understand he
checked he you know, he did a CO two test
looking for combustion or compression issues. You know, do we
have a do we have a do we have the
cooling system superheating?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Right?
Speaker 2 (04:15):
So one of the things that was common on those
and I know you're gonna tell me he put a
water pump in it. Uh before asking that question? Was
the cooling system rusty? Was it really dirty?
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Oh? My god? It was poor. It was.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
It was you know, I take care of myself. I've
got you know, not a lot of vehicles, but you
know company vehicles up.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
It was. It was horrible.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Honestly, I don't know could it ever been flushed right?
And it was just literally it was. It was bad.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
I flushed it, built it blushed it failed it.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
I don't know, three or four times trying to get
it to heat and I finally gave up and had
a heater or core.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Was it was just did.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
It Did it ever get to the point where you could,
you know, process clean water out of it?
Speaker 4 (04:59):
You know, I'm not like thoughtless clean. Still had like
a tea stain, you know, just a hair of a
tea stain, right, But oh yeah, yeah, No, I worked
on it now time, believe me and my dives, A
couple of dives, a couple.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Of slow days.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
No, dude, I hooked up water hose to it and
fluss it out. I mean I worked on a little bit.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
So my my first question, because you've hit all the
You've hit all the things that I would normally look
at but you know, I would want to know do
I have good flow? So that for six, if you
look at it, there's two heater hoses. Yeah, one of
them is an outlet. One of them is an inlet.
One of those hoses. If you take it off and
(05:42):
put it in a bucket and start the truck up,
you're gonna get really a really healthy stream of water
right out of the out of that hose. And I
just want to know do I have a good flow?
If I don't have a good flow? You know, are
you like enough to have a bad new water pump
that the impellers?
Speaker 4 (06:04):
Yeah? And it's crazy because it'll it'll do just fine.
You're sitting there looking at the gauge. Then all of
a sudden, it'll it'll start creeping up today you know
that hasa and it might stay there minitude and it
shoots down like just like this therm mistake. You know,
I couldn't replaced twice. It just dropped right back down, right,
does it?
Speaker 5 (06:21):
You know?
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Is it is it like a a bad impeller here
you're an air conditioning guy, right, is it Is it
like that bad fan on the armature scheft coming out
of that centrally scene right right good right new means
never ever worked in my world. So I've got I've
got in yours too, So I've got to come up
(06:42):
with a way to test it. So I want to
know do I have flow?
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Okay, do I have flow?
Speaker 2 (06:47):
And then are we missing any of the undercarriage pieces?
And by that I mean, you know, I'm going on
the assumption, which is a dangerous word in real life
and only radio, but I'm going on the assumption that
we have the correct radiator in it, the correct size
radiator in it that you you know, you don't necessarily
(07:08):
matched what you took out, but you know, if they
looked it up by application and it was a clear
cut listing, you know, if it's a three row, it's
a three row. If it's a two row, it's a
two row radiator, and so on.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
You know.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
And once I get past the radiator issue, you know,
there's not much left. It's thermostat, engine, radiator, water pump,
there's generally, So then I start to look where else
is this and I start to think about do I
have Am I missing any of the lower spoilers or
anything that directs and guide's air over the radiator, and
that kind of matches with the description that it sounds
(07:41):
like when you're getting along on speed. You're out on
the road for an hour fifty five sixty sixty five
miles an hour.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
Yeah, yeah, and I mean it goes up you go, whoa, well,
look at air right, and I mean it drops right
back down. Was like just like the thermostato and went, ah,
I'm trying to what it looks.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
I'm trying to remember ninety eight mechanical fin or electrical
cooling fan.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Ah, it's mechanical, Okay, it is that.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
All right, because I always think about electric cooling fans
when I get this kind of a problem. I've had
more than a few cars in my lifetime where oh
the car was in an accident ten years ago or
ten months ago, rather, I'm sorry, and it's been overheating
ever since, and somehow it got wired backwards. The fan
spins the wrong way.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
So I, well, I'm gonna check that out, man. And
you say, one of the hoses going to the heater core,
whether it's engines warm or cold. If I if I
take that loose and cut that on, then I should
have a good flow.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
You gotta have a good flow.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
And what is what does that mean? That's kind of
a relative term. You mean it'll splash it, it'll get
out pretty quick.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Yeah, it'll splash out of the bucket.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
You know, now watch where that hose comes from, because
if it's on the back side of the thermostat, then
the stat's got to be open because the pump's got
to get to it. But if it's on the front side,
as I recall, I'm trying to remember what ninety eight
looks like, so that out all right, But it's gotta
have flow. One of those hoses has to have flow.
If it doesn't have flow, and you know, maybe this
(09:07):
thing is so rusted and rotted internally that there's a
restriction inside the block.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
That's what he's starting to wander. You know, we're worth,
that's what he's He's good, he's been doing a long time. Yeah,
you know, is clogged up somewhere right.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
We're looking for something odd because we've covered the bases.
You know, there's a reason why you got it for
a bargain.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
You know.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Well it wasn't that reason though. My man was hurt
for some money.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
But it's all good.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
I get you, Yeah, I get you sometimes a good deal,
any good right.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
That's that's the point. Mark, you're a good guy. I
appreciate what you do. You'll be well, Yes, sir, Yes,
sir eight five five five six zero nine nine zero zero.
Run a naming of the car doctor. I'll be back
right after this. Don't go anywhere. Let's go over to
Joel and Maine ninety four. Alexis Joel, you're on with
the car doctor. How can helps her?
Speaker 6 (09:58):
I'm good to say. Alog a long time listener, I
quite enjoy it, Thank you, sir. So my son who
should be listening on the radio in his mother's.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Car right now.
Speaker 6 (10:08):
Okay, he bought for his first car. He bought a
cult car. He bought a nineteen ninety.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
Four LET'SUS LS four hundred.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Nice car.
Speaker 6 (10:17):
Yeah, and it's a beast, no doubt the problem I
have with this car. And let me qualify by saying,
I'm not a mechanic. I'm a father who loves his son.
So you know, I don't have all of the abilities
A lot of your listeners do.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
So appropriate on Father's Day weekend, such a great way
to put a chill.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
I love it.
Speaker 6 (10:35):
I do appreciate that I so when he bought the car,
we trailed it at home, drove it around a little bit.
You know, thought I had a couple had a vacuum
weeque whatever, it didn't. We change the fuel filter and
the thing ran like it was brand news.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
So why we went thrilled?
Speaker 6 (10:50):
Now what the car has a soft pedal. So I said, okay,
well we got to bleed the brakes. Well we were
the first time we bleed the brakes, I said, where's
the fl would go? And fluids going somewhere. Come to
find out there was a pinhole in one of the
pistons on the driver's side front because it's a dual
piston caliber yep, big count. Yeah. So we took care
(11:13):
of that, and then I did a rebuild kid on
both sides. You know new you don't talking about the
full rebuilt kit. Then we went to bleed the brakes
again and we never got a heart firm pedal. Then
I charged a couple of friends of mine that our mechanics,
and they're like, well if you tried the gravity bleed.
We tried the gravity bleed and we never got the
(11:34):
proper flow. I mean it was like one drip per
ten seconds on the driver on the passenger retire bled it.
I mean, my son and I must have bled the
brakes on that car, honest to God, probably fifteen times together.
And the latest thought process that somebody mentioned to me
was bleed the abs. Now, as you know, this is
(11:57):
an ODB one, so I can't force the ABS to
do anything it doesn't want to do in terms of
opening whatever valve it needs to open, you know, piss.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
In or what have you.
Speaker 6 (12:09):
There is a bleeder valve on the top of the ABS,
but I'm not getting anything out of that. And I
feel bad for my son. He bought this car. I'm
the dad trying to make it work, and I'm just
without answers and trying to, you know, save.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
A couple bucks.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Number one.
Speaker 6 (12:27):
Number two, my son and I learned the car together,
which is real. We have fun doing it. And number
three I you know, he's had the car now for
a year and he can't drive it.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Okay. This car have traction controlled deano.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Joel, Yes, sir, it does okay.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
And this car also has a It's not a traditional breakbooster.
This has the the hydro boost with the accumulator ball,
the hydraulic pump set up.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I believe so.
Speaker 6 (12:54):
And one of the things that I didn't mention that
I also did is I changed out the mass of
cylinder and I did bleed it on the bench before
I put it back in the car.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Okay, So there are some specific bleed procedures and you
want to start with depending upon how bad that leak was?
Did it? Did the bleed start from the master? All right?
Speaker 3 (13:16):
No?
Speaker 4 (13:16):
No?
Speaker 3 (13:17):
No, right, I'm sorry. Ahead, Well, I was.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Going to say, did did the master run dry at
any point? Do you think?
Speaker 3 (13:23):
No?
Speaker 4 (13:24):
I know I didn't, all right, but you.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Still have to bleed from the master. Have you bled
from the master down to the calipers.
Speaker 6 (13:32):
With the master, with the new master in the car?
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Yes, at some point, whether the new masters in the
car even with the old master? All right? Did you ever?
Did you ever start to bleed from the master down?
My point where I'm going with this is break it
down at the individual components. If if the master is
working properly, you should be able to crack the lines
and have good flow. Agreed, Yes, sir, did you ever
(13:59):
verify that?
Speaker 6 (14:01):
No? The process I went through and if I'm going
out of order here, forgive me, I apologize.
Speaker 4 (14:06):
No, it's okay.
Speaker 6 (14:08):
What we would do is we would, you know, obviously,
make sure that the fluids are the right level and
the master. I'd start passenger passenger rear, driver rear, driver front,
passenger front because that's right under the issued me. Passenger front,
then driver front last. And but I never cracked the
uh the nipple that's on the ABS unit itself.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Right well before we go there, why don't we bleed
it at the master? Can I do? Can I do this?
Can I make this easy for you?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Please?
Speaker 6 (14:46):
I'm feeling like a failure of a father.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
Great dad. Listen, this is you know what. I'm proudy
you're doing a great job. Send me an email Ron
at cardoctorshow dot com say, hey, you know this is
this is Joel from Maine. Send me the VIN of
the vehicle, the seventeen digit VIN.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
Yes, sir, I'm gonna.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Plug it into all data when I get to the
shop on Monday, and I am going to find you
the factory bleed procedure and let's and I'm gonna email
it to you. Let's see how much of this you
can do?
Speaker 6 (15:20):
All right, let me get that email one more time.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
It's Ron at cardoctorshow dot com.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
Hi doctor Joe dot com.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
You know you're awesome and easy enough, dude, and listen
if you're working on this car on a regular basis,
and I'm happy to send you the bleed procedure. But
I think, I think for less than fifty bucks a year,
you can go out to All Data All Data diy
dot com and get us and get a full subscription
and you'll get the same factory information every other mechanic
(15:51):
gets for that vehicle at your fingertips.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Yes, that's awesome. I really appreciate your help.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
They're very welcome.
Speaker 5 (15:58):
You do that.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
You do that and I'll send you what I got
Joel excellent. Thank you, sir, You're welcome. It's important, right,
you know, we're and you gotta love a guy like that.
I can't. I can't talk about that enough to take
the time to make an impact on his son, to
help him with a car like that. I think that's
you know what, that's he's that guy's ward Cleaver of
(16:19):
this generation, you know. And I say that kind of kiddingly,
but it's the truth. You know, where is America gone?
I just have to kind of take a reflection here.
I was watching Leave It to Beaver the other day, Yeah,
because I'm old. And Ward had Wally and Beaver in
the boat and they were fishing, and Ward's trying to
reminisce with his kids about the things we did when
(16:40):
he did when he was a kid with his father
and how he spent lazy days fishing, and Beaver goes,
but dad, didn't you go to school? And you know,
and while he's like, but dad, didn't you go to
football practice? And like they couldn't understand the connection. And
I understand how it's a generational thing and it's probably
like that here and Joel's trying to close that gap
with his son. So I think that's a great thing.
(17:00):
But you send me, you send me an email request, Joel,
and I will be glad to send you a you
know the information I can from you know, all data
and keep that in mind, right, I believe it's all
data DIY dot com and all that at DIY dot com,
and that will get you to the subscription screen and
you can you can you know, probably a great last
(17:21):
minute Father's Day gift for everybody that that will get
you information because you can't fix cars with that information
and you've got to follow things in sequential sequential process. Now,
the other side of that is depending upon well, what
we find as a result of bleeding. And I'll tell
Joel this in the email when I get it is
we could have another component failure, we could have something
(17:42):
else that's acting. We could have an ABS controller issue.
But let's let's get all the aear out of the
system first and see what that does. So we'll kind
of work our way up to it from there. Eight
five five five six zero nine nine zero zero. I
run an Ny in the car doctor. I'll be back
right after this. Eight by five five six zero nine
(18:03):
nine zero zero. Eight by five five six zero nine
nine zero zero. Is the car Doctor twenty four to
seven phone number. Give us a call, leave a message.
We're on the year Live Saturdays two to four pm
Eastern Time. Again. Eight by five five six zero nine
nine zero zero. Let's go to Joseph in Nevada, Nevada, Nevada.
Haven't said in Nevada in a one time. I got
to make sure I say it right. I don't anybody
(18:23):
yell at me. How are you Joseph? How can I
help you?
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Hi? Hi?
Speaker 5 (18:28):
Ron? Hey? I got to tell you, I've got a
two thousand and one Ford Mustang. It's black, it's a
V six, it's all black.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
I bought a.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
Brand new and six years ago I had a stroke
on my right side. I learned how to walk again,
but I can't use my right arm at all. And
I had this car in the garage since two thousand
or It only has about thirty six thousand and seven
(19:04):
hundred miles on it, and I got to tell you
I can't drive it the way it is right. So
I had I had a toad to a regular good
mechanic that is real good. He's got the car running.
And now it's at the point where I've got to
(19:26):
send it off to a transmission shop. And so what
they want to do is they want it has a
board Warner T five transmission in it, which I had
since it was new. So I know this transmission is
like brand new. It's it's good for you know, many
(19:50):
more miles. But anyway, they want to put a rebuilt
Ford transmission in it the shop down on Las Vegas,
and it's going to be an automatic. And I'm just wondering,
is do you think that's a good idea? And any
(20:15):
ideas that may be selling the BOG one or T five,
because I noticed they're going for about thirteen hundred and
fourteen hundred dollars on EBA online, and you know that
kind of thing. And will it be a good repair
is the question, And that's.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
The first question that came to I gotta tell you, Jose,
the first question that came to my mind is will
it be a good repair? How are they going to
tie an automatic transmission? Which in two thousand and one,
that car from the factory would have had that transmission
tied into the engine controller. There would have been some
sort of automatic transmission controls via the PCM via a
(20:58):
trans control module to perform shift point and to match
it to rpm of the engine so that it operated
correctly in state and a mission compliance and performance and
all those other good things.
Speaker 5 (21:10):
Okay, this transmission shop that I'm considering down in Las Vegas,
he claims it will be five thousand dollars to swap
out the transmissions and it'll be a good repair. And
he claims that the harness and everything that's necessary to
(21:33):
hook it up. And I told him, I said, the
mechanic reports to me that everything's working traction control works,
everything works after all these years. So you know, but
he claims that he's got a harness and that you know,
he works on one hundred thousand dollars cars and it'll it'll
(21:57):
be perfect.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Get that in writing, Okay, Yeah, you know, listen, every guy,
every guy that tells me he's worked one hundred thousand
dollar cars, and that's the reason why working on the
twenty thousand dollar car, I'll be perfect. I always get nervous.
I don't I don't need I don't. I don't need
to be impressed by what you work on, telling me
if that's going to fix my car. But my questions
(22:21):
and then what would the gear ratio have been in
the rear end for an automatic version of that Mustang
versus what's in there for the manual trans Will it
have proper acceleration as anybody thought of that? Because I'd
almost be willing to bet it's a different gear ratio.
Speaker 7 (22:39):
Okay, I would.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Want to know that as well.
Speaker 5 (22:42):
Those are two very good points, the rear the rear
gear ratio, and what was the other point?
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Again?
Speaker 2 (22:53):
You know, will he put that in writing?
Speaker 5 (22:55):
Yeah? Put it in writing, yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Because we want that to work. You know, if he's
got a donor car, if he's got a No. One
B six version of this vehicle where he's getting a
wiring harness, body, computers and he's just going to transfer
everything over. Yeah, absolutely that'll work. He's doing he's doing
a donor swap. I understand that, but I need to
know that. And then as all the harnesses are they
(23:18):
going to be tucked back back into proper position. This
is a big task. I'm more inclined to tell you, Joseph,
sell the car as is. The car is worth more
money as it sits, and go buy something that fits
more of what you want to drive.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
What do you think that car is worth? It's black,
it's all black. It's in perfect shape because I had
it in the garage all these years.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
And I mean, I hate to sound like a jerk, Joseph,
but it's worth whatever somebody wants to give you for it. Brother,
I'd have to because I could tell you it's worth
ten thousand dollars. But if the market says it's worth
twenty because it's it's a rare color code combination that
I'm not aware of, that's a tough question to answer.
You could go to KBB dot com, which is Kelly
(24:05):
Bluebook KBB dot com and just get a ballpark.
Speaker 5 (24:10):
But anytime that ready, I did that already, Ron it
came up as like thirty nine dollars right.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Well, and there's the other side of this argument. Why
are you gonna put five thousand dollars into a car
that's worth four that might be a dicey repair at best,
because because the other thing you got to look at
and hear me out. All right, let's say he puts
that repair in. Let's say it's five grand, and that
car is dead nuts on the money, just like the
way it came out of the factory. It's it's still
(24:40):
a twenty three year old car that you're gonna have
difficulty getting quality parts for.
Speaker 5 (24:46):
Well, the problem is is that you know I own it,
and you know the new ones are like forty five
thousand dollars sure for the same right, I.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
Understand, I understand that. But we're starting to we're starting
to compare oranges to apples. The first problem is how accurate?
What's the quality control of the repair. Have you ever
used this trans shop before?
Speaker 5 (25:12):
No, I haven't, but they've been recommended to me by
two other mechanics that are very good.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Will he put it in writing. Will he put it
in writing and guarantee you that this car is going
to operate properly. If he does, I have no problem
with it.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
If not.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
If not, then I think we're taking a gamble.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
All right, So the so the rear gear ratio and
get the repair and writing.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Right, get this repair and writing stating what's going to
be done. And you know, are these I'm assuming this
is a used wiring harness? Is he prepared to change
any modules and electronics that need to be changed and
updated and matched? And this is a big task. This
isn't This isn't changing a transmission on a pre computer car.
This is changing a computerized car, and it changes everything.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
He claims that it'll be perfect. He says, oh, you know,
but I'm gonna take this hard, and I'm gonna I'm
gonna make notes on what you told me.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
I think you're better off replacing it. But let's see
what happens. You'll be well, Joseph, and let us let
us know what happens. You're welcome, sir, ay five five
five six zero nine nine zero zero. We're back right
after this and let's go over and talk to Oh,
let's go to Connecticut. We haven't been there yet. Today,
let's go talk to George. George, welcome to the car. Doctor, sir,
(26:35):
how can I help?
Speaker 7 (26:37):
Thanks for taking my call, Ron if I find it
a little funny, I just had an oral surgery.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
Oh I'm sorry, but you know your sound fine? Go ahead?
Speaker 7 (26:45):
Thanks. My mother has a twenty ten Volvo actually sixty okay.
And what's happening is, after a huge rainstorm, I keep
on finding water behind do you know the passenger seat?
And what I hear is when you whenever you turn
on let's say, to the frost or air conditioning or
(27:05):
climate control, you'll hear almost like a gurgling of water.
You know that it's it's that pillar where de ventive
between the front seat and the back seat on the
passenger side. So far, this car had the A C
compressor replaced last year and it's still having this issue.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
So when you run the air conditioning, does it does
it drain water outside the vehicle?
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Okay? And the front carpet you're absolutely certain is bone dry.
Speaker 7 (27:38):
Yes. What was happening before and this was like a
year and a half prior I guess these vovals were
prone to having bad windshield seals. Right, So before it
was the front and the rear. So I got that,
you know, the windshield sealed and that never had a
problem with the front carpet again.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Okay, so it had a front water leak, but now
it's on the back correct all right Now they also
had a problem with the sunroof. Are you aware of that? No? Okay,
there's a reference bulletin from Volvo Thomas Jefferson TJ twenty nine,
six eighteen that talks about the sunroof leaking under high
(28:17):
water pressure. You said in heavy rain, yes, and.
Speaker 7 (28:21):
Then you and then you only hear like I said,
it's like a continuous slashing around that you hear when
you're driving around after a heavy rain. Between those two doors.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
So oh, between the doors of the in the B pillar.
Speaker 7 (28:37):
Yes, in the on the right side, from the you know,
the front and rear door, right where where you vents are,
where the vent is okay, going towards the back seat.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
You know it's it sounds like you've got a clogged
body drain or a sunroof drain problem. Okay, And that's
where I would be looking but I would also take
a look at that bulletin to see if it's applicable.
I know they changed seals on the sunroofs on those.
That bulletin came out after that car was about five
years old. I think it's dated twenty fourteen or twenty fifteen.
This is the twenty ten you said, correct, Yeah, this
(29:10):
it came out about five years four years later, four
or five years later after the fact, and they talked
about changing seals on in and around the sunroof itself.
I wonder if, for giggles, if we covered the seams
of the sunroof with something and left it out in
the rain, would it still leaked. But I'm trying to
think of what I could cover it with that wouldn't
hurt the paints. As part of my test, you know,
(29:33):
we could do the and it's ugly and it would
hurt the paint. You know, you think to yourself, can
you put duct tape around it? Just as a momentary
But is there something else? Is there a sheen of
plastic we could cover it with that wouldn't hurt when
we wanted to take it off, Because does that if
we covered the sunroof and protected that does that keep
the leak from happening, right? And if it does, at
(29:53):
least we know the source and then we can go
and attack it from there. But it would be a
simple enough test if we opened up the sunroof and
started pouring water into the gutter or the channel of
the sunroof. Does it go down the drain? And does
it go down the drain and leave a gurgle. It's
all sunroofs drain the same. I don't care how who
(30:14):
are what the manufacturer of the vehicle is. They all
gurgle when they're going. Well, they want to go down
and you want to see that whirlpool effect. It's got
to move fast. If it doesn't, there's a clog and
a restriction somewhere, and when it gets overloaded and overwhelmed,
the water's going to come out where it wants to.
Speaker 7 (30:29):
Makes sense, all right.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
So let's let's look at that. And that's that's something
you could actually do yourself. Just get a step ladder,
stand next to the car, open the sunroof and take
a paper cup and make it into a sharp point
and just start pouring water and see where does the
water come out and if the carpet is dry at
that point or you know how wet it is. Does
it get wetter from doing that? At least then you're
onto something.
Speaker 7 (30:53):
Okay, Yeah, that'll definitely put me in the right way
to look when I talk to my mechanic. And can
I add another comment to give you a compliment real
quick when you talk about fleshes, go ahead, okay. So
I also have a two thousand and seven BMW. I
took it to the dealer for an airbag recall. Wala
was there. They told me I should have the power
steering flushed. Now, I never had a German car, so
(31:14):
I thought the steering was heavy because of being a
German car. You know what a difference that made when
they actually flushed the power steering fluid and then changed
the filter in a reservoir. It's like night and it's
like night and day now, right, Just like you always say,
German couldn't believe it.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
German cars are a little different. We always treat them
a little differently. I gotta run, I gotta run. Georgia,
mother for your time. I really appreciate you here very
well so much, and feel better. Thank you for calling.
I'm on an any in the car. Doctor, We're back
right after this. All right, let me uh, let me
get this one done real quick. This is an email
comes to us from Matt Lichtenberg is the technology education
(31:54):
teacher at Mount Iron Buele High School in Mount Iron, Minnesota.
I believe that is Matt Wrights and hey, Ron, I
was listening to the Saturday Show May thirty. First, you
talked about testing for spark under real world engine conditions
versus just testing the plug out of the engine. You
mentioned there were spark testers out there that could approximate
combustion chamber pressures of one hundred and fifty psi. Some
of these may also indicate approximate vultes that the ignition
(32:15):
system was producing. And going around for such a tester.
Having found one, could you point me in the right direction.
Be a great tool to have in the shop. Thanks Matt.
I learned a lot from your show.
Speaker 5 (32:24):
Matt.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
Yeah, go out. You know Matt go makes one. I
see Thankston makes one. It's if you want the Matt.
I'm sorry, Matt go makes one. I believe the part
number is Tea is in Tom seventy one two forty.
I've seen that number out there. If you just go
Google search spark testers. You will see it. It's just
a thin, black, thin piece of black plastic. It's got
some graduated numbers on it, thirty thousand volts, twenty thousand
(32:47):
volts and so on. And you unscrew the one end
and you widen the gap. The wider the gap that
the harder is for the spark to jump. It doesn't
tell you, hey, this is good for one hundred and
seventy psi, This is good for you know, one hundred
and fifty psi and so on. But the idea is,
if the ignition system you're testing on your particular car,
you know the spec the speck is it's got to
(33:08):
produce voltage of fifty thousand vaults. Set that tester to
fifty thousand vaults. If that's one hundred and fifty psi engine,
then you've got a rough approximation it has to jump
the gap, because the idea is it's harder to jump
a bigger gap in atmosphere. I'm sorry, it's duplicating the
amount of pressure it takes the jump spark in atmosphere
versus higher pressure in the cylinder. Just google it, Matt.
(33:31):
I appreciate the letter, and I appreciate what you're doing
with the young folks. I'm running any in the car
doctor till the next time. Good mechanics aren't expensive, they're priceless.
See you
Host
Ron Ananian
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