Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor opens the show with a surprising report: new Chevy vans are under a “stop sale” unless you’re a fleet buyer purchasing six at a time. After verifying this with three NJ dealers, Ron questions why Chevy is pulling back on such a practical vehicle — especially when contractors and families still want vans, but can't get them.
This leads to a broader rant: Ford dropped the Econoline for harder-to-service Transit vans, GM vans are disappearing, and essential parts like ignition coils for an 8-year-old van are already discontinued. His customer, unable to buy a new van, puts $11,000 into fixing up his 2016 — a move more and more drivers may face as parts dry up and new vehicle prices soar.
Calls from listeners follow:
-
Billy in Colorado is diagnosing EVAP codes on a Toyota Tacoma. Ron walks him through step-by-step testing of solenoids and sensors, emphasizing the role of the FTP sensor and proper use of a smoke machine.
-
John with a 2006 Toyota 4Runner asks whether he should change his trans fluid after 140K miles. Ron says yes — if done gently and with the right WS-spec fluid using a BG fluid exchange, not a flush.
Ron wraps by urging listeners: fall back in love with your car — because with limited availability, rising prices, and shrinking parts supply, you might be stuck with it longer than expected.
Visit us at https://www.cardoctorshow.com
- Check out our Web Site for T-Shirts & Clothing!
- Follow Us On Instagram - @ronananian
- Visit our You Tube Channel for auto repair tips and videos
- Call Into The Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 (855)560-9900
- Live Call In Show Saturdays 2-4PM Eastern Time
Visit us at https://www.cardoctorshow.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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 and Nanian 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
(00:25):
five 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 enginies. The Car Doctor is in the garage
(00:47):
and ready to take your call.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Well, here we are again, you and I and then
I enjoyed being here with you a lot of things
to talk about today. Hey, I'm just going through the
list as I'm getting ready for air.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Do we want to talk.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
About new Chevy Vans? Rumor is there's a stop sale
on new Chevrolet Vans. It got me to thinking about what.
You can't buy a Chevy van. That can't be true.
And I have looked. There are some available, but I
think what the order is in reference to, Well, let
me tell you how the whole thing started. I have
a customer who has a twenty sixteen full sized Chevy
(01:24):
van with bench seats with the rows of seats.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
He uses it to take the Scouts camping and you know,
cross country endeavors and all that. And he went to
purchase a new one to replace it, and he was
told that they're on stop sale. He can't he's not
allowed to buy a new van. Well, he would be.
He'd have to buy six, is the story he was told.
And he went to several dealerships. So I don't think
(01:49):
this is a dealership guy that doesn't know what he's
talking about. He went to three different dealerships in North
Jersey and he all told him the same thing. And
I don't know if this is a New Jersey thing.
I'm curious if this is a New Jersey thing or
if this is a nationwide thing. You have to be
you have to be a you have to be a
fleet service, or you have to be ready to buy
six vans. In order to buy one. Huh. I never
(02:14):
heard of a company having something to sell it. They
won't sell you. It doesn't make any sense. And it
made me realize how special vans are. Just as a
point of commentary, I think back to when Ford and
I'd like to know who the genius was at Ford
that got rid of the Econoline. How many Ford Aconoline
vans did they make? You know, just from a perspective
of you know, joke Joe Q citizen here, I saw
(02:38):
condoline vans. My god, they were not thousands of them
on the road, right, millions? And then one day we're
not making vans anymore because they don't fit the needs
of what the public wants. The marketing department got involved.
That's how you knew you were in trouble. So what
did Ford come out with? They come out with those
trans stars, which is and then you've got a smaller version,
(02:58):
a medium sized version of a four sized version. So
we didn't like the econo line, which was tried and
true in my mind, right, the molds were there, the
dyes were made, the assembly line could build them. Everything
was there. We retooled and we created a whole new
series of Ford van, which, by the way, is a
royal pain in the neck to service. Go stop and
take a look underneath one of those. I want to
know who's going to service the transmission on some of
(03:19):
those the way they're laid out strictly a fluid exchange process,
because you can't get the pan down on a lot
of them. And I wonder they see Chrysler got it right,
Chrysler or Ram right the Ram vans, which is also
the same thing in a Mercedes or a Dodge, depending
upon what you were talking about. They started to produce
more vans and they're still producing vans. Matter of fact,
(03:43):
they've made you know, if you look at some of
the older Amazon trucks which are now gone because Amazon
went to mostly an electric fleet, which is another folly,
and they created the vans that you can stand up in.
They have headroom. I wonder who thinks of these things.
It can't be anybody, I got to say, it can't
be anybody that really has their pulse on what's going
on there. I don't know what data they're looking at,
(04:06):
because everybody I talk to wants to buy a van
that they can't buy, and you know, it's like a
huge gap in the market. Think of all the plumbers
and carpenters and contractors and all the guys that used
to have vans and now they're in pickup trucks with
beds and caps, which I guess maybe that drives the
pickup truck market. But then who's pickup truck do you
(04:26):
tell them to you know, who's pickup truck do you
tell them to buy? Because I had that conversation with
someone just this morning. You can't buy a GM pickup
truck with a six two because the crank shaft falls apart.
The five threes, in my opinion, are still problematic with
the active fuel management. The typical Ford V eight. Yeah
it'll go a bucket a quarter buck and a half,
(04:47):
but you know, be amazed when it does, and you've
got to really do a lot of good oil changes
in between maintenance counts. But that ten speed transmission in
the Ford trucks is still a problem. You could buy
a Dodge I like. I like the Dodge trucks. You know,
with them, you know right away either the engine fails
within the first five hundred miles or it lasts till
one hundred, so and you you do have a crystal clear.
(05:08):
I always wondered, how come Chrysler, you know, Chrysler Ram.
To me, they roll the same thing. You ever noticed
the backup camera on one of those, if you've ever
had the option to sit in one. The only thing
better than a RAM pickup camera. You know what is
because it is crystal clear, is a Hyundai Hyundai. I'll
tell you what you want to see some stunning electronics
go sitting in a late model Hyundai.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
You know, of course, I don't know if the car
lasts more than six years, but you know, you've got
a great little TV screen you can watch in the
meantime if you're stuck on the side of the road.
Maybe that's what we should do. Set it up with
bluetooth so you can actually watch TV while you're waiting
for the tow truck to come pick you up. On
some of these cars, I don't know, just I'm in
a weird mood today. I just just just casual observations.
I've seen a lot this week. I've seen Dave with
(05:53):
his twenty sixteen Chevy Van. He said, go through it.
Do what you got to do. Tires, brakes, suspension, fluids, filters, belts, hoses,
tune up parts. That's another story. We did plugs and wires.
The truck's got one hundred and three thousand miles on it,
and when we started taking the ignition coils, well, we
(06:15):
didn't take the coils off. We took the wires off.
Because we were doing plugs and wires. Some of the
coils you could see they were starting to arc, they
had overheated, they were discoloring. So this truck is going
to make two runs cross country NonStop and then one
up into Canada. So he's going to put about twenty
five thousand miles on it over the next I don't know,
(06:36):
three months from the sounds of it. So put coils
in it. I found original GM coils, really ohe coils,
because that's what he wanted. And I was able to
do it. And the invoice comes in and I look
at the invoice. Yep, there they are real GM coils.
That's the part number. Yep, that's it discontinued, not eligible
for return. Huh, an eight year old vehicle. We can't
(07:00):
the manufacturer stopped making ignition coils. Huh. You see that's
the other problem with cars today. They're making parts disappear
and I'm not sure why. Well I know why. You know,
because marketing is involved and they're trying to dictate and
tell us what we want to drive. It would really
(07:21):
be amazing if somebody in marketing actually listened to the
motoring public and said, hey, what do you want, let's
build that right, if it was within reason. There's a
great article in the Wall Street Journal this week June twentieth,
how the high costs of them have ended America's love
affair with cars. It's by Dan Neil, and I encourage
(07:42):
you to log on online or get a copy of
the Journal, it's in the June twentieth edition and start
to read this. And he is absolutely spot on, and
he talks about how the high costs of automobiles has
caused you to and I understand it, fall out of
love with the automobile. And that's true. It used to
(08:04):
be on Saturdays you would see people outside polishing their
bumpers and washing their cars and waxing and taking proper care.
Now it's one of two things. It's either a money
mess that nobody wants to look at or touch, or
they're taking it to the car wash for forty two
dollars and they're getting it washed because they don't have
(08:24):
the time, the money, or the inclination. I always wonder
about those people that get their car washed for forty bucks,
because then you'll also see them, you know, exercising or
jogging or running or riding a bike or you know,
washing cars is like exercise. That might do it. But
I don't know. Maybe I'm not thinking clearly. Of course,
(08:45):
in this article that Dan Neil wrote about how high
costs of ended America's love affair with cars in the end,
he points out that the high cost of the internal
combustion engine is going to drive us more towards electric vehicles.
You knew I was going to work that into this conversation. Yeah,
And I think Dan missed the mark there. I do
because I think he's incorrect. I don't think it's going
(09:06):
to do it, because as much as we're in love
with eves, the physics come into it, the dynamics come
into it. You just can't make enough electricity in this
day and age and probably for the next foreseeable ten
to fifteen years at best. And that's not Ron's rules.
That's just what I'm reading, and that's what the laws
of physics, dictate and what everybody else is saying. So
(09:29):
fall in love with your car. Take a look at it.
Do you really enjoy it? I challenge you. If you don't,
maybe you replace it if you can, or find something else.
Dave's in love with his van. You better be in
love with his van. He put eleven grand in it
and because he can't buy another one, and it goes
(09:51):
round and round. What a crazy industry, What a crazy industry?
Eight five five five six zero nine nine zero zero.
Ronin Indy in the car. If you're still listening eight
five five five six zero nine nine zero zero, I'll
be back right after this, will you. And to just
(10:11):
follow up on that opening commentary, Tom writes, and from
New York he says, you know, Ron, this may have
something to do with a recall unimproperly. Well did head
restraints and there's a massive recall on the vans. Yes, no,
I'm aware of that, Tom, and I agree one hundred
percent if that's the cause. But he went to three
dealerships and they all told him the same thing. And
they're three competitive dealerships. It's not like they're all part
(10:33):
of the same group. So you wonder what the real
story is because it you know, Chevrolet, you know that's
to me, that's still mom apple Pie and America. I
just how can we not make it sell Chevy Vans anymore?
That doesn't make any sense to me. But you know,
these things happen. Let's go to Billy in Colorado. Return Bill,
Welcome back, sir. Before you start with today's problem. Had
(10:54):
you make out with the noise in the other car?
Speaker 5 (10:56):
Oh yeah, I thought it sounded like a VBT. The
belt engines do get that on cold start. Well, this
one has it all the time, and I determined that
to fix it would require pull in the head apart,
and car wasn't worth it. So she's just gonna live
with it.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
All of a sudden, it sounds better, right Do you
think it was? Do you think it was something sticky stuck?
Speaker 5 (11:21):
Yeah? So there's a pin that that locks the the VVT.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Gears in place, right, yeah?
Speaker 5 (11:28):
Yeah, and that that pin gets sticky, And I was
hoping that it was just a matter of low old pressure.
But I pulled out the screen and it was clean.
So oil is good.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Pin is bad.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
So if you want to try a science project before
we go onto the other thing, you're going about today,
Go out to the hot Shot, go out to the
Hotshot Secret website. And I only say this because I've
had positive experience with this, very positive experience. My little
Ranger had a valve tech tic tap in it for
the sheese the longest time, and everything I tried, nothing
really got rid of it. I use stition eliminator. All right,
(12:03):
Hotshot Secret stition eliminator. You know what, it's gone. My
noise is gone. The lifter finally pumped up. It got
rid of all the schmutz, being the technical term that
it is. And I always think a stiiction is that
it's that stuff in the engine that you can't see.
So even if it looks clean, you know it did
the job for me, so it might work for you. You
know you might want to try that.
Speaker 6 (12:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Thanks, all right, Well sometimes I get it right. How
can I help you today? Let's sef I can get
it right to in a row? What do you got.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
Working on two Toyota Tacoma three point four leader with
some EVAP codes. Okay, it's got a four to four
one for incorrect purge flow and a four to four
six for vent control circuit. Right, So I uh, the
purge valve tested good, the pressure sensor tested good. H
(12:53):
the the other two vacuum switching valves, the cancer closed
valve that goes to the air box, and the I
guess the canister vent valve when I actually I can
hear them, but I haven't gotten to the point of
disconnecting the hoses to verify flow. Right when I smoked it,
the smoke came out of the two little vent holes
(13:16):
at the top of the fill tube just inside the fender. Okay,
And when I when I pulled the gas cap, I
didn't get anything out of there, so I was thinking
it was a stuck closed vent valve. But he doesn't
have any problems filling, so I don't know.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
So let's back up a second now. The two the solenoids,
and I'm used to I'm used in New Jersey because
I'm going to tell you right up front. In New Jersey,
this becomes smoke it plug the vent the system holds integrity,
and we start to look at the valves, the solenoids
(13:51):
that are attached to the canister, and since we can't
get them off because they're rotted and rusted to the
canister itself, it usually becomes a couple other things we check,
but it usually becomes a case of will verify solenoid functionality,
and then we throw the canister away, which throws away
the solenoids, which solves the problem. It doesn't become this
this lung of a process. So my first question is
in Colorado, if we prove it's one of the solenoids
(14:13):
on the canister as being bad, can you can you
physically change it?
Speaker 7 (14:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (14:18):
I think so, I'll do that here.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Jeez, I'm want to move to Colorado. It's got to
be easier. So you know this is all solenoids and
and valving. Right. You know the VSV which is the
pressure sensor on the canister, You know that's normally closed.
When you energize it, it should open. Did it do that?
Speaker 5 (14:40):
I hear it. But I have not disconnected the hoses
to check flow.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Okay, so that's next because and keep in mind that
valve is known to stick. The VSV is known to stick,
So cycling at once may not do it. You may
have to sit there and bump up, up, up, up,
up up up up and try and catch it in
the act. All right, that that out is known to stick,
it would not be uncommon. All right, if if, if
(15:04):
that works, all right, you know the next thing we're
gonna do is we're gonna smoke it. But you smoke
it and you don't get a leak, you can you
can explain why you've got smoke coming up the tube,
right because you haven't. Do you have the vent plugged
back at the canister? I don't, Okay, So you know
you've got to You've got to plug the vent right
and then smoke it again. You got to remember too.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
Plug the event that goes from from uh, from what
to what?
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Well, smoke it. There's gonna be a big tube on
the canister, and smoke's gonna come out of it, right,
Stick your finger in the stick your finger in the
hole while you're smoking it.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
Okay, you're with me, not entirely, all.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Right, when you're under there, you'll see it. The other
thing you should get in the habit of doing, all right,
And it may not have anything to do with this repair.
Does your scan tool display FTP? It does, right, So
while you're smoking it, watch the FTP. If the system
is closed, what's the FTP going to do? It's gonna
(16:09):
change right, Usually it's usually it's going to you'll see
a voltage difference, all right. I don't want to say
if it's going to go up or down because I
still look because I still see some cars do opposite. So,
but we're going to see a state of change. So
the first thing I always do with an EVAPP is
I will look at FTP. I'll look at a couple
of things, but I'll look at FTP. Keon, engine off,
(16:30):
and then I'll open the gas door, take the cap off.
You know, are we really at atmosphere? Yes? All right,
to make sure that the tank's not in a vacuum state.
And then I will smoke it. And as i'm smoking it,
i'll plug the vent. I should build pressure in the system. Now,
it's not going to be a whole lot of change
in terms of pressure. A smoke machine puts out a pound,
(16:51):
not even right, but it will have a drastic display
on the FTP. I just want to make sure the
FTP moves because I've caught a couple of cars. Because
everything you're telling me is it's not seeing a purge event,
And how does it know? How does it know it's purging?
It's seeing a change pressure change, right, It's it's seeing
(17:12):
a pressure change. So if you had a bad FTP,
how would you know? And it may not set a
code depending upon the strategy of the vehicle. So go
do those tests. Call me back next week. I'll be glad.
We'll talk about it all right, Billy, good luck to
you and stay keep me posted. I'm running Indie in
the car. Doctor. We're back right after this. Let's let's
(17:34):
go over to John Oh six four runner. John, how
can I help you run an Indie in the card doctor?
At your service?
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Well, I got a two thousand and six four Runner
H four about four with a V eight engine. At
it's got one hundred and forty thousand miles on it.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Just broken out, Yeah, just broken in, so right.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Uh, it's got a sealed transmission and the transmission flu
has never been changed.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Amco only uses synthetic transmission fluid. And I'm a little
bit larry about putting synthetic and therefore finding leaks that
weren't there before. I want to get your opinion on
what to do to change the fluid.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
I don't know if the synthetic is going to produce
a leak that isn't there, or help promote or find one.
As you say, I'd really have to study that. I
never really that's not on the top list of why
I would or would not use a synthetic. I would
like to use something that meets Toyota spec. Is the
first question. I've got. Their first commentary, I've got that
(18:35):
should be a that should be a WS Toyota fluid
in six if I'm not mistaken, and as long as
it meets WS spec, I'm okay with it. Now that
being said, you know, the quick conversation about changing trans
fluid that's never been changed has to really be centered
(18:55):
around the following. You have to be prepared for. Are
you going to create an issue? And let me be
right up front with you, John, if it were me
I changed the fluid, I want to know, all right,
And I think if I stopped to think about it
over the years, for all, the genus fluid is really dirty.
(19:16):
G I'm going to create a problem. Question mark vehicle
transmissions that I've done. I think in ten cases nine
out of ten times we won. And that one that
one that we didn't win, the trans was really marginal.
It was super high mileage, super dirty fluid. All right.
(19:36):
The issue with part of the issue with changing trans
fluid that's never been changed is it's not magic. What
happens is transmission fluid, by design and intention, is actually
a very high detergent, very very harsh scrubbing fluid. All right,
if you ever, you know, we go back to the
old days when you know, God was young and we
had carburetors. We would always rebuild engines in the shop,
(19:59):
and we always washed cylinder walls. One of the first
steps in scrubbing cylinder walls when we when we'd hone
them in the shop and we you know, did pistons
and rings in the house, we would always wash the
cylinder walls with trans fluid because it was such a
it was such a high detergent fluid. You'd scrub the
walls and you know, the rag would the white rag
would come out black and you would do that until
it was clean, and then you'd soap in water and
(20:20):
clean it up. And you know, now have transfluids change, Yeah,
I bet they have. I don't know. I don't know
if that's necessarily a valid statement. I but I always
had that in the back of my mind because every
trans guy I ever talked to will always explain to me.
They'll say, you know, transfluids is scrubbing fluid, and I think,
well that must be because it's it's a high detergent
type of fluid. That makes sense to me. And the
concern is that an older unit such as yours one
(20:42):
hundred and forty thousand miles fluid gets varnishy, right, it
builds up and it gets it starts to particulate, you know,
you get little, you get the crunchies, right, Not to
be gross, but it's kind of like icenot right, it
sort of breaks up and hard in the corner of
your eye there right, Well, at some mychroscopic level, Now,
(21:02):
how does the transmission work. It's hydraulic pressure. We're pushing
fluid under high pressure through very tiny ports moller than
the eye of a needle in some cases. So if
we put a clean fluid in there and it breaks
apart to particulate, what do you think happens? Right? It
goes where it's not supposed to. So you want to
(21:24):
make sure A you're doing it properly and B you're
using correct fluid. What I would encourage you to do,
because is AMCO going to just do a drain and filler.
Are they going to do an exchange a flush? Well,
I don't like the word flush flush, the notes pressure.
I want to see an exchange. Do this all right?
Go out to bgfind ashop dot com, bgfind ashop dot
(21:49):
com BG. You know, I always think of them as
BG fuel Services, but it's actually BG Fluid Services. They
have a nationwide network of shops and if you go
to bgfind ashop dot com, you will find a shop
in your area that has a BG trans fluid exchange machine.
It's sort of a soft gentle It's kind of like
(22:10):
a massage, right, you know, you can you can go
get a nice gentle massage and your back loosen up
and things will flow nicely. Or you can go get
karate chopped, all right, and and you know that fluid
exchange correct fluid. If it's gonna have a chance of surviving.
You know, they're gonna hook right into the cooler lines.
(22:30):
I believe on that application, and they're gonna they're gonna
get old fluid out, fresh fluid in. They'll do a
one for one exchange because there is no dipstick on
that transmission. And you can get into the swing of
doing that all.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
Right, what's the difference between drain and fill and drain
and exchange.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Well, drain in pill is you're going to get let's
say a transmission. The average transmission is twelve quartz. If
you do a drain in fill, you're only getting it's
in the pan, so you're only getting out three maybe
four quarts, right, the rest of the fluids in the converter.
All right, the torque converter probably in a lot of
(23:12):
cases has more fluid in it than the actual pan itself.
So do a doing a drain in fill. Doing a
drain and fill on a transmission is just like doing
a drain and fill on a radiator. You ever think
about all the ways we do radiator service cooling service wrong.
We do a drain and fill on the radiator. A
radiator is approximately one third of the cooling system capacity.
(23:37):
What about the other two thirds the heater core, the
engine block. So that's why you want to do an exchange.
That's why you know fluid exchange is gentle pressure, one
for one replacement. It works. One of the things I've
noticed over the years is we do fluid exchanges at
the shop, and doing a fluid exchange process, we've had
(24:01):
less problems with cooling systems because we're getting when coolant
goes acidic, all right, we have to talk about that
for a second. Why don't we change coolant? Well, it
gets weak, yes, but it also gets acidic. It gets
to be like instead of being cider, it becomes like
apple vinegar, and it gets caustic. And not removing caustic
(24:22):
coolant from an engine causes it to rot from the
inside out. So doing just a coolant drain and not
so good. I always tell everybody, Well, my mechanic says
he's going to do a fluid exchange. Yeah, has to
see his flush machine or his exchange machine. He doesn't
have one. Well, then how's he doing it? Bingo?
Speaker 3 (24:41):
Right?
Speaker 2 (24:41):
You know it's it's it just just just the way
it works. But that's where you are, my friend. I
would if it were me, just but you got to
be prepared if the trans fails. The trans fails, but
at least you'll know early enough on and then you
can get it rebuilt, because I would still rebuild it.
That truck's got a lot of life left in it.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Transmission works perfect.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Right now, right right now. So but I will tell
you also that WS fluid tends to lose shift characteristic
quality would be the fancy college word. In other words,
the additive or the vitamin package and the fluid tends
to wear out. You might see an improvement in the
way it shifts. Just be prepared for you know what,
(25:21):
if I have a problem, But like I said, if
the trans in that truck, let's close it out here. John,
If the trans in that truck were to fail and
it's seven grand to put a trans in that truck,
would you do it.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
Right?
Speaker 5 (25:34):
I would?
Speaker 7 (25:35):
Right?
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Would you?
Speaker 4 (25:35):
John?
Speaker 3 (25:37):
I reckon right?
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Not that you want to, because to replace that truck,
which you can't really get anymore, is seventy Start doing
the math. It makes sense, bgfind aeshop dot com. That's
where you want to be my friend. All right, well
do and get it.
Speaker 7 (25:54):
Service.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
Appreciate your help.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
You're very welcome, sir. I appreciate you being there. I'm
running any in the car, doctor. I'll be back right
after this. Let's get on over and talk to Let's
go to Evan in Virginia. Evan welcome, You're on card doctor.
How can I help, sir?
Speaker 7 (26:10):
Yeah, he just asked for a plug the other day
on Fundays, pros or I thought about him as you
can tell you what I had. I've got twenty thirteen,
I've alved a few thousand miles on it, and like
ten years ago and got one hundred and twenty seven thousand
miles on it. Doesn't burn any well, I checked the
food before I drop it off with five thousand miles.
It's still full, doesn't burn any will? Have it paid
(26:32):
for anything? Oh? Didn't breaks? Have you the great cars?
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Have you stayed up on the oil changes? Yes, that's
one five thousand, yeah right, yeah, every five thousand, right, yeah, yeah,
and that that seems to be part of it. They don't.
They don't handle laid oil changes very well. But I'm
glad to hear it. Listen. I appreciate the feedback. I
really do. I haven't. I haven't heard this story too
many times, but when I do, it's usually, hey, I
(26:57):
did my oil changes, so.
Speaker 7 (26:58):
I have a guy. I know that. But I was
telling me about a while ago Hunday. I guess they
did something with the motors. They were trying to make
a more energy of fish or something like that, so
there's a ration they went that after a little while.
But since then, I guess they've got them fixed pretty good.
So he said, he's been seeing, you know, real good
characterization with him all Dad. He said, the way they've
gone through and actually have nothing to do with Honday
(27:20):
just you know, but they did a really good job
of you know, replacing bad engines and everything. Else said
they were on top of it. He said, he's seeing
cars that were like junk and they basically replaced the motors.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yes, he was surprised.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Yeah, oh listen, I'm shocked at how many engines Hunday's replaced,
and I'm shocked that they would want to do it. Yeah,
it was. It's incredible what they've done. And to the
point that not to make this about Hyundai, but you know, listen,
I give Honday a lot of credit. I just don't know,
if you know. And I'm basing this on what some
of the service techs tell me. That the cars don't
have the quality level that they had ten years ago.
(27:55):
They say the new ones are a little less quality efficient,
so to speak in their words. But my point is
that it seems that as they get older, with less
whale changes, they kind of fall apart. So I appreciate
the comments. Evan, I really do, and you be well,
thank you sir. Enjoy your Honday. Let's real quick, duck
over and start with Leslie and Maryland will probably pull
away and come back and finish. Then, Leslie, you're on
(28:16):
with the card doctor. How can I help?
Speaker 3 (28:18):
Hi?
Speaker 6 (28:18):
Ron I just bought a new Bronco Sport twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
Congratulations. Nice truck. Yeah, nice truck.
Speaker 6 (28:26):
Yeah, it pretty much drives itself, but it has an
annoying safety feature that I can't get an answer how
I can either damp it down or eliminate it permanently.
It's to keep your hands on the steering wheel. And
I'm a very slight built woman and I don't have
very heavy hands, but it seems to insist that I
(28:47):
keep my hands on the three and nine position.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
I don't drive like that.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Yeah, what's the ration? This is the first I'm hearing
of it. What's the rationale for that one? Leslie? Have
you talked to the dealer? What did they say?
Speaker 6 (29:01):
Well, they said you're gonna have to call Ford about that. Well,
you can get on there and you'll be on hould
for like forever. Are you?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Are you sure it's not the lane departure system no, I.
Speaker 6 (29:12):
Know how to disable that. That's right on the steering
wheel problem.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
And if you disable that, that doesn't do it, obviously,
because that's why you're calling.
Speaker 6 (29:19):
Me, no, no, no, it doesn't.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Well, I got to tell you that's a that's a
bad design. I don't know too many people what happens
if you take your hand off the steering wheel, one
hand on the wheel, rolling through a toll booth, and
if you don't have easy pass and you go to
take a ticket, you know, take the toll ticket.
Speaker 6 (29:36):
If you step on the brake, it's fine. But if
you're going down the highway just you know, driving straight through,
you know, twenty miles down the highways, it's bothersome. It's annoying,
and it makes my driving, you know, less pleasurable because
I have to keep grabbing the steering wheel.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
So you're telling me if I'm driving a new Ford
Bronco and I'm going down the road and I've got
my hands at three and three and ten, three and nine.
Speaker 4 (30:05):
Whatever it is, Well, I don't usually drive like that, right.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
But I'm saying if I take one hand off to
pick up a bottle of water and drink while I'm driving.
Speaker 6 (30:14):
To let me do that for a few seconds, and
then I get a severe warning, take control of the vehicle.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
It's it's an embossy.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Well, it can only get worse from here, Kitto. You
know it's it sounds like government intervention to me, for
Ford has succumbed to the powers that be. I guess
I am shocked. I think that's I think that's I
understand why they're doing it. But as you say, I.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Think you should I've been driving since I'm twelve.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Oh yeah, I think you should have the option to
get rid of that.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Yeah, let me drive my own car.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Well, right, I thank you. I understand. So let me
let me ask you talk to the sales department? Did
you talk to service?
Speaker 4 (30:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (30:57):
I had a very very good representative, I mean the
deal I got on it, and they were helpful and
as much as they know, they were able to tell
me that he couldn't answer that question, so he said
to call for it.
Speaker 4 (31:10):
But as you know, yeah, I thought maybe maybe you
heard of that.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
I haven't heard of it. But you know what, I'm
going to research it. I'm absolutely going to research it.
So stay tuned. We may talk about it in the
next week or two. I know exactly who I'm going
to call about it over at Ford. All right, I promise,
all right, thanks, You're very welcome. You be well, that's
that's crazy, right, that's talk about government control. I just
(31:36):
I want to drive my car my ways.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
I'm reading the manual right now, so maybe i'll have
an idea for you when we come back next hour.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Okay, cool beans, all right, let's pull over. Take the pause.
I'm running in ny in the car. Doctor. I'll be
back right after this, so let's finish up with this.
Ernie from North Carolina right saying, hey, car doctor, I
want to get my wife a jump pack. Wait, aren't
you a sport So I want to get my wife, honey,
I got you. You know, what was it in the
(32:04):
old days, it used to be if you gave your wife,
what was it a vacuum cleaner or a coffee pot
for their birthday. Now we're going to get her a
jump pack. I wonder Ernie's going to be living after
her birthday. So I want to get my wife a
jump pack so she has it in her car all
the time, so in case she has a problem, she
can jump start the car. She can also charge her
cell phone from it. I'm looking for the full feature models.
What do you know? What do you think? Ernie North Carolina. Ernie,
(32:26):
let me start off by saying, I'll tell you what
I wouldn't buy, all right, I would not buy a Noko.
Everybody seems to like their nocos, me not so much.
I had a Noko sitting in my toolbox. We probably
used it, I'm going to say four times. We didn't
use it a whole heck of a lot in the
better part of four years, maybe five. And one day
(32:48):
we used it on a vehicle and it came up
with an internal error and the repair because they're not repairable.
I found out the repair was to either send it
in and they would give us a discount on a
new one. And who wants to do that? I just
I just want this one fixed. I don't feel like
spend it another four hundred dollars. Go look at Schumacher
(33:11):
Electric Schumacher Electric dot com. Their lithium jump pack. The
Model fifteen ninety six is what we looked at and
what we're using now, and it seems to be a
very nice piece of equipment. It has good ratings and
reviews for longevity over at Schumacher Electric dot com and
see what that does for and wish your wife a
happy birthday for us as well. I'm running ay in
(33:32):
the car doctor, till the next time. Good mechanics aren't expensive,
they're priceless. See you
You're listening to Ron and Nanian 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
(00:25):
five 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 enginies. The Car Doctor is in the garage
(00:47):
and ready to take your call.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Well, here we are again, you and I and then
I enjoyed being here with you a lot of things
to talk about today. Hey, I'm just going through the
list as I'm getting ready for air.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Do we want to talk.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
About new Chevy Vans? Rumor is there's a stop sale
on new Chevrolet Vans. It got me to thinking about what.
You can't buy a Chevy van. That can't be true.
And I have looked. There are some available, but I
think what the order is in reference to, Well, let
me tell you how the whole thing started. I have
a customer who has a twenty sixteen full sized Chevy
(01:24):
van with bench seats with the rows of seats.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
You know.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
He uses it to take the Scouts camping and you know,
cross country endeavors and all that. And he went to
purchase a new one to replace it, and he was
told that they're on stop sale. He can't he's not
allowed to buy a new van. Well, he would be.
He'd have to buy six, is the story he was told.
And he went to several dealerships. So I don't think
(01:49):
this is a dealership guy that doesn't know what he's
talking about. He went to three different dealerships in North
Jersey and he all told him the same thing. And
I don't know if this is a New Jersey thing.
I'm curious if this is a New Jersey thing or
if this is a nationwide thing. You have to be
you have to be a you have to be a
fleet service, or you have to be ready to buy
six vans. In order to buy one. Huh. I never
(02:14):
heard of a company having something to sell it. They
won't sell you. It doesn't make any sense. And it
made me realize how special vans are. Just as a
point of commentary, I think back to when Ford and
I'd like to know who the genius was at Ford
that got rid of the Econoline. How many Ford Aconoline
vans did they make? You know, just from a perspective
of you know, joke Joe Q citizen here, I saw
(02:38):
condoline vans. My god, they were not thousands of them
on the road, right, millions? And then one day we're
not making vans anymore because they don't fit the needs
of what the public wants. The marketing department got involved.
That's how you knew you were in trouble. So what
did Ford come out with? They come out with those
trans stars, which is and then you've got a smaller version,
(02:58):
a medium sized version of a four sized version. So
we didn't like the econo line, which was tried and
true in my mind, right, the molds were there, the
dyes were made, the assembly line could build them. Everything
was there. We retooled and we created a whole new
series of Ford van, which, by the way, is a
royal pain in the neck to service. Go stop and
take a look underneath one of those. I want to
know who's going to service the transmission on some of
(03:19):
those the way they're laid out strictly a fluid exchange process,
because you can't get the pan down on a lot
of them. And I wonder they see Chrysler got it right,
Chrysler or Ram right the Ram vans, which is also
the same thing in a Mercedes or a Dodge, depending
upon what you were talking about. They started to produce
more vans and they're still producing vans. Matter of fact,
(03:43):
they've made you know, if you look at some of
the older Amazon trucks which are now gone because Amazon
went to mostly an electric fleet, which is another folly,
and they created the vans that you can stand up in.
They have headroom. I wonder who thinks of these things.
It can't be anybody, I got to say, it can't
be anybody that really has their pulse on what's going
on there. I don't know what data they're looking at,
(04:06):
because everybody I talk to wants to buy a van
that they can't buy, and you know, it's like a
huge gap in the market. Think of all the plumbers
and carpenters and contractors and all the guys that used
to have vans and now they're in pickup trucks with
beds and caps, which I guess maybe that drives the
pickup truck market. But then who's pickup truck do you
(04:26):
tell them to you know, who's pickup truck do you
tell them to buy? Because I had that conversation with
someone just this morning. You can't buy a GM pickup
truck with a six two because the crank shaft falls apart.
The five threes, in my opinion, are still problematic with
the active fuel management. The typical Ford V eight. Yeah
it'll go a bucket a quarter buck and a half,
(04:47):
but you know, be amazed when it does, and you've
got to really do a lot of good oil changes
in between maintenance counts. But that ten speed transmission in
the Ford trucks is still a problem. You could buy
a Dodge I like. I like the Dodge trucks. You know,
with them, you know right away either the engine fails
within the first five hundred miles or it lasts till
one hundred, so and you you do have a crystal clear.
(05:08):
I always wondered, how come Chrysler, you know, Chrysler Ram.
To me, they roll the same thing. You ever noticed
the backup camera on one of those, if you've ever
had the option to sit in one. The only thing
better than a RAM pickup camera. You know what is
because it is crystal clear, is a Hyundai Hyundai. I'll
tell you what you want to see some stunning electronics
go sitting in a late model Hyundai.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
You know, of course, I don't know if the car
lasts more than six years, but you know, you've got
a great little TV screen you can watch in the
meantime if you're stuck on the side of the road.
Maybe that's what we should do. Set it up with
bluetooth so you can actually watch TV while you're waiting
for the tow truck to come pick you up. On
some of these cars, I don't know, just I'm in
a weird mood today. I just just just casual observations.
I've seen a lot this week. I've seen Dave with
(05:53):
his twenty sixteen Chevy Van. He said, go through it.
Do what you got to do. Tires, brakes, suspension, fluids, filters, belts, hoses,
tune up parts. That's another story. We did plugs and wires.
The truck's got one hundred and three thousand miles on it,
and when we started taking the ignition coils, well, we
(06:15):
didn't take the coils off. We took the wires off.
Because we were doing plugs and wires. Some of the
coils you could see they were starting to arc, they
had overheated, they were discoloring. So this truck is going
to make two runs cross country NonStop and then one
up into Canada. So he's going to put about twenty
five thousand miles on it over the next I don't know,
(06:36):
three months from the sounds of it. So put coils
in it. I found original GM coils, really ohe coils,
because that's what he wanted. And I was able to
do it. And the invoice comes in and I look
at the invoice. Yep, there they are real GM coils.
That's the part number. Yep, that's it discontinued, not eligible
for return. Huh, an eight year old vehicle. We can't
(07:00):
the manufacturer stopped making ignition coils. Huh. You see that's
the other problem with cars today. They're making parts disappear
and I'm not sure why. Well I know why. You know,
because marketing is involved and they're trying to dictate and
tell us what we want to drive. It would really
(07:21):
be amazing if somebody in marketing actually listened to the
motoring public and said, hey, what do you want, let's
build that right, if it was within reason. There's a
great article in the Wall Street Journal this week June twentieth,
how the high costs of them have ended America's love
affair with cars. It's by Dan Neil, and I encourage
(07:42):
you to log on online or get a copy of
the Journal, it's in the June twentieth edition and start
to read this. And he is absolutely spot on, and
he talks about how the high costs of automobiles has
caused you to and I understand it, fall out of
love with the automobile. And that's true. It used to
(08:04):
be on Saturdays you would see people outside polishing their
bumpers and washing their cars and waxing and taking proper care.
Now it's one of two things. It's either a money
mess that nobody wants to look at or touch, or
they're taking it to the car wash for forty two
dollars and they're getting it washed because they don't have
(08:24):
the time, the money, or the inclination. I always wonder
about those people that get their car washed for forty bucks,
because then you'll also see them, you know, exercising or
jogging or running or riding a bike or you know,
washing cars is like exercise. That might do it. But
I don't know. Maybe I'm not thinking clearly. Of course,
(08:45):
in this article that Dan Neil wrote about how high
costs of ended America's love affair with cars in the end,
he points out that the high cost of the internal
combustion engine is going to drive us more towards electric vehicles.
You knew I was going to work that into this conversation. Yeah,
And I think Dan missed the mark there. I do
because I think he's incorrect. I don't think it's going
(09:06):
to do it, because as much as we're in love
with eves, the physics come into it, the dynamics come
into it. You just can't make enough electricity in this
day and age and probably for the next foreseeable ten
to fifteen years at best. And that's not Ron's rules.
That's just what I'm reading, and that's what the laws
of physics, dictate and what everybody else is saying. So
(09:29):
fall in love with your car. Take a look at it.
Do you really enjoy it? I challenge you. If you don't,
maybe you replace it if you can, or find something else.
Dave's in love with his van. You better be in
love with his van. He put eleven grand in it
and because he can't buy another one, and it goes
(09:51):
round and round. What a crazy industry, What a crazy industry?
Eight five five five six zero nine nine zero zero.
Ronin Indy in the car. If you're still listening eight
five five five six zero nine nine zero zero, I'll
be back right after this, will you. And to just
(10:11):
follow up on that opening commentary, Tom writes, and from
New York he says, you know, Ron, this may have
something to do with a recall unimproperly. Well did head
restraints and there's a massive recall on the vans. Yes, no,
I'm aware of that, Tom, and I agree one hundred
percent if that's the cause. But he went to three
dealerships and they all told him the same thing. And
they're three competitive dealerships. It's not like they're all part
(10:33):
of the same group. So you wonder what the real
story is because it you know, Chevrolet, you know that's
to me, that's still mom apple Pie and America. I
just how can we not make it sell Chevy Vans anymore?
That doesn't make any sense to me. But you know,
these things happen. Let's go to Billy in Colorado. Return Bill,
Welcome back, sir. Before you start with today's problem. Had
(10:54):
you make out with the noise in the other car?
Speaker 5 (10:56):
Oh yeah, I thought it sounded like a VBT. The
belt engines do get that on cold start. Well, this
one has it all the time, and I determined that
to fix it would require pull in the head apart,
and car wasn't worth it. So she's just gonna live
with it.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
All of a sudden, it sounds better, right Do you
think it was? Do you think it was something sticky stuck?
Speaker 5 (11:21):
Yeah? So there's a pin that that locks the the VVT.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Gears in place, right, yeah?
Speaker 5 (11:28):
Yeah, and that that pin gets sticky, And I was
hoping that it was just a matter of low old pressure.
But I pulled out the screen and it was clean.
So oil is good.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
Pin is bad.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
So if you want to try a science project before
we go onto the other thing, you're going about today,
Go out to the hot Shot, go out to the
Hotshot Secret website. And I only say this because I've
had positive experience with this, very positive experience. My little
Ranger had a valve tech tic tap in it for
the sheese the longest time, and everything I tried, nothing
really got rid of it. I use stition eliminator. All right,
(12:03):
Hotshot Secret stition eliminator. You know what, it's gone. My
noise is gone. The lifter finally pumped up. It got
rid of all the schmutz, being the technical term that
it is. And I always think a stiiction is that
it's that stuff in the engine that you can't see.
So even if it looks clean, you know it did
the job for me, so it might work for you. You
know you might want to try that.
Speaker 6 (12:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Thanks, all right, Well sometimes I get it right. How
can I help you today? Let's sef I can get
it right to in a row? What do you got.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
Working on two Toyota Tacoma three point four leader with
some EVAP codes. Okay, it's got a four to four
one for incorrect purge flow and a four to four
six for vent control circuit. Right, So I uh, the
purge valve tested good, the pressure sensor tested good. H
(12:53):
the the other two vacuum switching valves, the cancer closed
valve that goes to the air box, and the I
guess the canister vent valve when I actually I can
hear them, but I haven't gotten to the point of
disconnecting the hoses to verify flow. Right when I smoked it,
the smoke came out of the two little vent holes
(13:16):
at the top of the fill tube just inside the fender. Okay,
And when I when I pulled the gas cap, I
didn't get anything out of there, so I was thinking
it was a stuck closed vent valve. But he doesn't
have any problems filling, so I don't know.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
So let's back up a second now. The two the solenoids,
and I'm used to I'm used in New Jersey because
I'm going to tell you right up front. In New Jersey,
this becomes smoke it plug the vent the system holds integrity,
and we start to look at the valves, the solenoids
(13:51):
that are attached to the canister, and since we can't
get them off because they're rotted and rusted to the
canister itself, it usually becomes a couple other things we check,
but it usually becomes a case of will verify solenoid functionality,
and then we throw the canister away, which throws away
the solenoids, which solves the problem. It doesn't become this
this lung of a process. So my first question is
in Colorado, if we prove it's one of the solenoids
(14:13):
on the canister as being bad, can you can you
physically change it?
Speaker 7 (14:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (14:18):
I think so, I'll do that here.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Jeez, I'm want to move to Colorado. It's got to
be easier. So you know this is all solenoids and
and valving. Right. You know the VSV which is the
pressure sensor on the canister, You know that's normally closed.
When you energize it, it should open. Did it do that?
Speaker 5 (14:40):
I hear it. But I have not disconnected the hoses
to check flow.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Okay, so that's next because and keep in mind that
valve is known to stick. The VSV is known to stick,
So cycling at once may not do it. You may
have to sit there and bump up, up, up, up,
up up up up and try and catch it in
the act. All right, that that out is known to stick,
it would not be uncommon. All right, if if, if
(15:04):
that works, all right, you know the next thing we're
gonna do is we're gonna smoke it. But you smoke
it and you don't get a leak, you can you
can explain why you've got smoke coming up the tube,
right because you haven't. Do you have the vent plugged
back at the canister? I don't, Okay, So you know
you've got to You've got to plug the vent right
and then smoke it again. You got to remember too.
Speaker 5 (15:26):
Plug the event that goes from from uh, from what
to what?
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Well, smoke it. There's gonna be a big tube on
the canister, and smoke's gonna come out of it, right,
Stick your finger in the stick your finger in the
hole while you're smoking it.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
Okay, you're with me, not entirely, all.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Right, when you're under there, you'll see it. The other
thing you should get in the habit of doing, all right,
And it may not have anything to do with this repair.
Does your scan tool display FTP? It does, right, So
while you're smoking it, watch the FTP. If the system
is closed, what's the FTP going to do? It's gonna
(16:09):
change right, Usually it's usually it's going to you'll see
a voltage difference, all right. I don't want to say
if it's going to go up or down because I
still look because I still see some cars do opposite. So,
but we're going to see a state of change. So
the first thing I always do with an EVAPP is
I will look at FTP. I'll look at a couple
of things, but I'll look at FTP. Keon, engine off,
(16:30):
and then I'll open the gas door, take the cap off.
You know, are we really at atmosphere? Yes? All right,
to make sure that the tank's not in a vacuum state.
And then I will smoke it. And as i'm smoking it,
i'll plug the vent. I should build pressure in the system. Now,
it's not going to be a whole lot of change
in terms of pressure. A smoke machine puts out a pound,
(16:51):
not even right, but it will have a drastic display
on the FTP. I just want to make sure the
FTP moves because I've caught a couple of cars. Because
everything you're telling me is it's not seeing a purge event,
And how does it know? How does it know it's purging?
It's seeing a change pressure change, right, It's it's seeing
(17:12):
a pressure change. So if you had a bad FTP,
how would you know? And it may not set a
code depending upon the strategy of the vehicle. So go
do those tests. Call me back next week. I'll be glad.
We'll talk about it all right, Billy, good luck to
you and stay keep me posted. I'm running Indie in
the car. Doctor. We're back right after this. Let's let's
(17:34):
go over to John Oh six four runner. John, how
can I help you run an Indie in the card doctor?
At your service?
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Well, I got a two thousand and six four Runner
H four about four with a V eight engine. At
it's got one hundred and forty thousand miles on it.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Just broken out, Yeah, just broken in, so right.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Uh, it's got a sealed transmission and the transmission flu
has never been changed.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Amco only uses synthetic transmission fluid. And I'm a little
bit larry about putting synthetic and therefore finding leaks that
weren't there before. I want to get your opinion on
what to do to change the fluid.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
I don't know if the synthetic is going to produce
a leak that isn't there, or help promote or find one.
As you say, I'd really have to study that. I
never really that's not on the top list of why
I would or would not use a synthetic. I would
like to use something that meets Toyota spec. Is the
first question. I've got. Their first commentary, I've got that
(18:35):
should be a that should be a WS Toyota fluid
in six if I'm not mistaken, and as long as
it meets WS spec, I'm okay with it. Now that
being said, you know, the quick conversation about changing trans
fluid that's never been changed has to really be centered
(18:55):
around the following. You have to be prepared for. Are
you going to create an issue? And let me be
right up front with you, John, if it were me
I changed the fluid, I want to know, all right,
And I think if I stopped to think about it
over the years, for all, the genus fluid is really dirty.
(19:16):
G I'm going to create a problem. Question mark vehicle
transmissions that I've done. I think in ten cases nine
out of ten times we won. And that one that
one that we didn't win, the trans was really marginal.
It was super high mileage, super dirty fluid. All right.
(19:36):
The issue with part of the issue with changing trans
fluid that's never been changed is it's not magic. What
happens is transmission fluid, by design and intention, is actually
a very high detergent, very very harsh scrubbing fluid. All right,
if you ever, you know, we go back to the
old days when you know, God was young and we
had carburetors. We would always rebuild engines in the shop,
(19:59):
and we always washed cylinder walls. One of the first
steps in scrubbing cylinder walls when we when we'd hone
them in the shop and we you know, did pistons
and rings in the house, we would always wash the
cylinder walls with trans fluid because it was such a
it was such a high detergent fluid. You'd scrub the
walls and you know, the rag would the white rag
would come out black and you would do that until
it was clean, and then you'd soap in water and
(20:20):
clean it up. And you know, now have transfluids change, Yeah,
I bet they have. I don't know. I don't know
if that's necessarily a valid statement. I but I always
had that in the back of my mind because every
trans guy I ever talked to will always explain to me.
They'll say, you know, transfluids is scrubbing fluid, and I think,
well that must be because it's it's a high detergent
type of fluid. That makes sense to me. And the
concern is that an older unit such as yours one
(20:42):
hundred and forty thousand miles fluid gets varnishy, right, it
builds up and it gets it starts to particulate, you know,
you get little, you get the crunchies, right, Not to
be gross, but it's kind of like icenot right, it
sort of breaks up and hard in the corner of
your eye there right, Well, at some mychroscopic level, Now,
(21:02):
how does the transmission work. It's hydraulic pressure. We're pushing
fluid under high pressure through very tiny ports moller than
the eye of a needle in some cases. So if
we put a clean fluid in there and it breaks
apart to particulate, what do you think happens? Right? It
goes where it's not supposed to. So you want to
(21:24):
make sure A you're doing it properly and B you're
using correct fluid. What I would encourage you to do,
because is AMCO going to just do a drain and filler.
Are they going to do an exchange a flush? Well,
I don't like the word flush flush, the notes pressure.
I want to see an exchange. Do this all right?
Go out to bgfind ashop dot com, bgfind ashop dot
(21:49):
com BG. You know, I always think of them as
BG fuel Services, but it's actually BG Fluid Services. They
have a nationwide network of shops and if you go
to bgfind ashop dot com, you will find a shop
in your area that has a BG trans fluid exchange machine.
It's sort of a soft gentle It's kind of like
(22:10):
a massage, right, you know, you can you can go
get a nice gentle massage and your back loosen up
and things will flow nicely. Or you can go get
karate chopped, all right, and and you know that fluid
exchange correct fluid. If it's gonna have a chance of surviving.
You know, they're gonna hook right into the cooler lines.
(22:30):
I believe on that application, and they're gonna they're gonna
get old fluid out, fresh fluid in. They'll do a
one for one exchange because there is no dipstick on
that transmission. And you can get into the swing of
doing that all.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
Right, what's the difference between drain and fill and drain
and exchange.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Well, drain in pill is you're going to get let's
say a transmission. The average transmission is twelve quartz. If
you do a drain in fill, you're only getting it's
in the pan, so you're only getting out three maybe
four quarts, right, the rest of the fluids in the converter.
All right, the torque converter probably in a lot of
(23:12):
cases has more fluid in it than the actual pan itself.
So do a doing a drain in fill. Doing a
drain and fill on a transmission is just like doing
a drain and fill on a radiator. You ever think
about all the ways we do radiator service cooling service wrong.
We do a drain and fill on the radiator. A
radiator is approximately one third of the cooling system capacity.
(23:37):
What about the other two thirds the heater core, the
engine block. So that's why you want to do an exchange.
That's why you know fluid exchange is gentle pressure, one
for one replacement. It works. One of the things I've
noticed over the years is we do fluid exchanges at
the shop, and doing a fluid exchange process, we've had
(24:01):
less problems with cooling systems because we're getting when coolant
goes acidic, all right, we have to talk about that
for a second. Why don't we change coolant? Well, it
gets weak, yes, but it also gets acidic. It gets
to be like instead of being cider, it becomes like
apple vinegar, and it gets caustic. And not removing caustic
(24:22):
coolant from an engine causes it to rot from the
inside out. So doing just a coolant drain and not
so good. I always tell everybody, Well, my mechanic says
he's going to do a fluid exchange. Yeah, has to
see his flush machine or his exchange machine. He doesn't
have one. Well, then how's he doing it? Bingo?
Speaker 3 (24:41):
Right?
Speaker 2 (24:41):
You know it's it's it just just just the way
it works. But that's where you are, my friend. I
would if it were me, just but you got to
be prepared if the trans fails. The trans fails, but
at least you'll know early enough on and then you
can get it rebuilt, because I would still rebuild it.
That truck's got a lot of life left in it.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Transmission works perfect.
Speaker 2 (25:01):
Right now, right right now. So but I will tell
you also that WS fluid tends to lose shift characteristic
quality would be the fancy college word. In other words,
the additive or the vitamin package and the fluid tends
to wear out. You might see an improvement in the
way it shifts. Just be prepared for you know what,
(25:21):
if I have a problem, But like I said, if
the trans in that truck, let's close it out here. John,
If the trans in that truck were to fail and
it's seven grand to put a trans in that truck,
would you do it.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
Right?
Speaker 5 (25:34):
I would?
Speaker 7 (25:35):
Right?
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Would you?
Speaker 4 (25:35):
John?
Speaker 3 (25:37):
I reckon right?
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Not that you want to, because to replace that truck,
which you can't really get anymore, is seventy Start doing
the math. It makes sense, bgfind aeshop dot com. That's
where you want to be my friend. All right, well
do and get it.
Speaker 7 (25:54):
Service.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
Appreciate your help.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
You're very welcome, sir. I appreciate you being there. I'm
running any in the car, doctor. I'll be back right
after this. Let's get on over and talk to Let's
go to Evan in Virginia. Evan welcome, You're on card doctor.
How can I help, sir?
Speaker 7 (26:10):
Yeah, he just asked for a plug the other day
on Fundays, pros or I thought about him as you
can tell you what I had. I've got twenty thirteen,
I've alved a few thousand miles on it, and like
ten years ago and got one hundred and twenty seven thousand
miles on it. Doesn't burn any well, I checked the
food before I drop it off with five thousand miles.
It's still full, doesn't burn any will? Have it paid
(26:32):
for anything? Oh? Didn't breaks? Have you the great cars?
Speaker 2 (26:35):
Have you stayed up on the oil changes? Yes, that's
one five thousand, yeah right, yeah, every five thousand, right, yeah, yeah,
and that that seems to be part of it. They don't.
They don't handle laid oil changes very well. But I'm
glad to hear it. Listen. I appreciate the feedback. I
really do. I haven't. I haven't heard this story too
many times, but when I do, it's usually, hey, I
(26:57):
did my oil changes, so.
Speaker 7 (26:58):
I have a guy. I know that. But I was
telling me about a while ago Hunday. I guess they
did something with the motors. They were trying to make
a more energy of fish or something like that, so
there's a ration they went that after a little while.
But since then, I guess they've got them fixed pretty good.
So he said, he's been seeing, you know, real good
characterization with him all Dad. He said, the way they've
gone through and actually have nothing to do with Honday
(27:20):
just you know, but they did a really good job
of you know, replacing bad engines and everything. Else said
they were on top of it. He said, he's seeing
cars that were like junk and they basically replaced the motors.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yes, he was surprised.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Yeah, oh listen, I'm shocked at how many engines Hunday's replaced,
and I'm shocked that they would want to do it. Yeah,
it was. It's incredible what they've done. And to the
point that not to make this about Hyundai, but you know, listen,
I give Honday a lot of credit. I just don't know,
if you know. And I'm basing this on what some
of the service techs tell me. That the cars don't
have the quality level that they had ten years ago.
(27:55):
They say the new ones are a little less quality efficient,
so to speak in their words. But my point is
that it seems that as they get older, with less
whale changes, they kind of fall apart. So I appreciate
the comments. Evan, I really do, and you be well,
thank you sir. Enjoy your Honday. Let's real quick, duck
over and start with Leslie and Maryland will probably pull
away and come back and finish. Then, Leslie, you're on
(28:16):
with the card doctor. How can I help?
Speaker 3 (28:18):
Hi?
Speaker 6 (28:18):
Ron I just bought a new Bronco Sport twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
Congratulations. Nice truck. Yeah, nice truck.
Speaker 6 (28:26):
Yeah, it pretty much drives itself, but it has an
annoying safety feature that I can't get an answer how
I can either damp it down or eliminate it permanently.
It's to keep your hands on the steering wheel. And
I'm a very slight built woman and I don't have
very heavy hands, but it seems to insist that I
(28:47):
keep my hands on the three and nine position.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
I don't drive like that.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Yeah, what's the ration? This is the first I'm hearing
of it. What's the rationale for that one? Leslie? Have
you talked to the dealer? What did they say?
Speaker 6 (29:01):
Well, they said you're gonna have to call Ford about that. Well,
you can get on there and you'll be on hould
for like forever. Are you?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Are you sure it's not the lane departure system no, I.
Speaker 6 (29:12):
Know how to disable that. That's right on the steering
wheel problem.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
And if you disable that, that doesn't do it, obviously,
because that's why you're calling.
Speaker 6 (29:19):
Me, no, no, no, it doesn't.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Well, I got to tell you that's a that's a
bad design. I don't know too many people what happens
if you take your hand off the steering wheel, one
hand on the wheel, rolling through a toll booth, and
if you don't have easy pass and you go to
take a ticket, you know, take the toll ticket.
Speaker 6 (29:36):
If you step on the brake, it's fine. But if
you're going down the highway just you know, driving straight through,
you know, twenty miles down the highways, it's bothersome. It's annoying,
and it makes my driving, you know, less pleasurable because
I have to keep grabbing the steering wheel.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
So you're telling me if I'm driving a new Ford
Bronco and I'm going down the road and I've got
my hands at three and three and ten, three and nine.
Speaker 4 (30:05):
Whatever it is, Well, I don't usually drive like that, right.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
But I'm saying if I take one hand off to
pick up a bottle of water and drink while I'm driving.
Speaker 6 (30:14):
To let me do that for a few seconds, and
then I get a severe warning, take control of the vehicle.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
It's it's an embossy.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Well, it can only get worse from here, Kitto. You
know it's it sounds like government intervention to me, for
Ford has succumbed to the powers that be. I guess
I am shocked. I think that's I think that's I
understand why they're doing it. But as you say, I.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Think you should I've been driving since I'm twelve.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Oh yeah, I think you should have the option to
get rid of that.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Yeah, let me drive my own car.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Well, right, I thank you. I understand. So let me
let me ask you talk to the sales department? Did
you talk to service?
Speaker 4 (30:57):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (30:57):
I had a very very good representative, I mean the
deal I got on it, and they were helpful and
as much as they know, they were able to tell
me that he couldn't answer that question, so he said
to call for it.
Speaker 4 (31:10):
But as you know, yeah, I thought maybe maybe you
heard of that.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
I haven't heard of it. But you know what, I'm
going to research it. I'm absolutely going to research it.
So stay tuned. We may talk about it in the
next week or two. I know exactly who I'm going
to call about it over at Ford. All right, I promise,
all right, thanks, You're very welcome. You be well, that's
that's crazy, right, that's talk about government control. I just
(31:36):
I want to drive my car my ways.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
I'm reading the manual right now, so maybe i'll have
an idea for you when we come back next hour.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Okay, cool beans, all right, let's pull over. Take the pause.
I'm running in ny in the car. Doctor. I'll be
back right after this, so let's finish up with this.
Ernie from North Carolina right saying, hey, car doctor, I
want to get my wife a jump pack. Wait, aren't
you a sport So I want to get my wife, honey,
I got you. You know, what was it in the
(32:04):
old days, it used to be if you gave your wife,
what was it a vacuum cleaner or a coffee pot
for their birthday. Now we're going to get her a
jump pack. I wonder Ernie's going to be living after
her birthday. So I want to get my wife a
jump pack so she has it in her car all
the time, so in case she has a problem, she
can jump start the car. She can also charge her
cell phone from it. I'm looking for the full feature models.
What do you know? What do you think? Ernie North Carolina. Ernie,
(32:26):
let me start off by saying, I'll tell you what
I wouldn't buy, all right, I would not buy a Noko.
Everybody seems to like their nocos, me not so much.
I had a Noko sitting in my toolbox. We probably
used it, I'm going to say four times. We didn't
use it a whole heck of a lot in the
better part of four years, maybe five. And one day
(32:48):
we used it on a vehicle and it came up
with an internal error and the repair because they're not repairable.
I found out the repair was to either send it
in and they would give us a discount on a
new one. And who wants to do that? I just
I just want this one fixed. I don't feel like
spend it another four hundred dollars. Go look at Schumacher
(33:11):
Electric Schumacher Electric dot com. Their lithium jump pack. The
Model fifteen ninety six is what we looked at and
what we're using now, and it seems to be a
very nice piece of equipment. It has good ratings and
reviews for longevity over at Schumacher Electric dot com and
see what that does for and wish your wife a
happy birthday for us as well. I'm running ay in
(33:32):
the car doctor, till the next time. Good mechanics aren't expensive,
they're priceless. See you
Host
Ron Ananian
Popular Podcasts
Cold Case Files: Miami
Joyce Sapp, 76; Bryan Herrera, 16; and Laurance Webb, 32—three Miami residents whose lives were stolen in brutal, unsolved homicides.  Cold Case Files: Miami follows award‑winning radio host and City of Miami Police reserve officer  Enrique Santos as he partners with the department’s Cold Case Homicide Unit, determined family members, and the advocates who spend their lives fighting for justice for the victims who can no longer fight for themselves.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.