Car Repair Costs & Cadillac Power Loss | The Car Doctor
Podcast Description
In this hour of The Car Doctor, Ron Ananian tackles rising car repair costs and answers listener calls with real‑world shop advice:
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2003 Cadillac DeVille – new window regulator but still inoperative
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2016 Cadillac SRX – ABS, StabiliTrak & power steering failures
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2010 Ford F‑150 5.4L – intermittent power loss and tricky diagnosis
Ron explains why auto repair bills are climbing, the hidden costs of modern diagnostics, and how to avoid surprise expenses at the shop.
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Grab your Car Doctor gear – T-shirts & more at CarDoctorShow.com
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Follow the wrench – Instagram @ronananian for shop life & behind-the-scenes
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Watch & learn – Auto repair tips & videos on our YouTube Channel
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Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 – (855) 560-9900
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Join the conversation LIVE – Saturdays 2–4 PM Eastern
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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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 Alife.
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 five five six zero nine
nine zero zero. That's eight five to five five six
(00:25):
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 into garage and ready
(00:48):
to take your call.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
We have another great hour of order repair radio for you.
I'm Roninanie in the Car Doctor here at eight five
to five five six zero nine nine zero zero again
eight five to five five six zero nine nine zero zero. Wantn'
we kick the garage doors open? Let's go to Pete
in Michigan. Pete, Welcome to the Car Doctor what's going on.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
You're not the car doctor, you're the car wizard. And
I came to you because I'm trying to keep my
fleet running.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Cool beans. What's going on? Pete?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
We've got two animals. The first two thousand and three
Cadillac Deville notorious problem with the window regulators that fail
on that. I've already replaced two. They were pretty straightforward
in and out, took great off. This one, the window
just just slowly slid into the to the door. Put
a new window regulator in. It doesn't work. I put
(01:36):
a meter to it. I'm getting voltage at the window
regulator and I can even hear the door module click.
Do I have a faulty door module?
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Well, let's let's no codes, right, Yeah, you're not gonna
Let's let's back up a second. You know that switch
that the way they work any window motor is they're
going to reverse power and ground up or down. So
if we if we and go go here understand how
the circuit works, Pete, go look at one of the
windows that's working right, ye, So you know I believe
(02:09):
it's I believe there's an orange wire was the common
color back then, orange and whatever the opposite is do
we have power on the orange? Do we have ground
on the black? And then go look at the motors.
The wire is leading up to each individual door motor.
You should be able to reverse it. See power and
ground this way, then power and ground that way. Then
go apply it. Go apply it to that new regulator
(02:30):
that's not working. Because prior to this, if I understand
what you're saying correctly, the window just the glass fell
into the door. It wasn't an electrical problem. It was
a mechanical problem with the regulator itself, right right.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
But normally when the other ones fell into the door,
I could still like freely move it while it was
still bolted to the window. This one I couldn't. I
couldn't just slide it on its own. How come that
told me like the motor was kind of solid?
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Okay, So what you replace just the regulator itself?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
I replace both?
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Ah, okay, So that means you have a spare motor
line around right.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
I already tested that You're way ahead of me.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Okay, and that and that motor works right yep.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
But it didn't. It didn't move either. So I'm thinking
the only thing I've got left is a fuse, and
I wouldn't be getting a click and voltage at the
door if it was a fuse.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Right, and you have power? Right, you have power at
the door? I do, And I, like I said, I
would go look to see do I have Can it
reverse polarity? When I put the switch up or down?
Does it follow what the others are doing? And if
it doesn't, then I'm going to start to question that
could I also still have And I know, I know
you work on enough cars that you know this, Pete,
But I'm gonna mention it. Could I have a broken
(03:49):
wire in the doorjam itself?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I thought about that one right now.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
That's that's what they were famous for. They broke the
doorjam wires because you open and close the door three
thousand times.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, but this is a rear door, so well.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, so it took longer. It took twenty two years
instead of instead of three. You know. So Second question.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Twenty sixteen, Ford Focus Girlference car driving overheating. Common problem
with these things. Saw some drops underneath where the thermostat
would be, said, makes sense the air conditioning would also
stop when it was part I believe Ford has a
shutdown mechanism for when the car overheats to turn off
(04:31):
the a seat. Yep, so I said, okay, got to
be a thermostat, replace a thermstat Everything went beautifully, but
now the electronic band does not turn on, and probably
because they tampered with the dust.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Well, so what was what was kind of common with these?
You've got to get a wiring diagram for this? All right?
They had problems with the fan control module, and you know,
let's let's get out our scan tool. Can we go?
Can we go talk to the module? Is it awake?
Is it online? Can we cycle it on by bi
directional control? We should be able to in a sixteen
(05:07):
more than more than old enough technology or new enough technology.
All right, the fan assembly should have power. I believe
it's a green red a green red trace wire and
it comes out of the battery junction boxk fuse thirty
three or thirty two, I believe it is. I think
it's f thirty two if I remember it right, you know,
(05:29):
pull that fuse out because the cooling fan is such
a high current draw. I've got I've gotten in the
habit the last couple of three, five, ten years of
when I have a problem like this, I want to
verify the fusees any good, I will I will physically
pull the fuse, look at it.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Does the check the fuse is checked it for continuity
and it's good.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Does it have any burn marks? Does it have any
dimples in it?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Doesn't seem to be any scorch to it?
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Okay, so you know I always look for scorch. I
like that. I'm gonna steal that word. Uh, Pete, I
like that word. It's like my gym coach, Coach Sam
has a word called janki, uh, you know, and I
like that. You know, Janki's a great word. I love
that word. He's like, you know, when you're doing this cleaner,
this deadlift, it feels a little janky. And I think
about that all the time with cars. So Coach Sam,
you gotta love him. He's got these great words.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
But anyway, not to be confused with jinky. That's a
Scooby Doo reference.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Yeah, jinky is a different you know, but yanky janky
is a real car term. So you know, let's go see,
do we have power to the do we have power
to the cooling fan? And what temperature is the vehicle
getting up to? And I know you're gonna tell me
it's hot, but I want to look at it on
a scan tool. Did it get up to two twenty
four eight? And then what is fan turn on temperature?
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Right?
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:43):
So the interesting that you run right into the skin
tool thing. So I did just buy a little wireless device,
Bluetooth device that plugs in and allows me to actuate
different computer controlled and one of them being the fan.
So that should be here tomorrow, right. But you know,
I've got an old snap On mtundred If that dates.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Me the brick, that's all right. I've still got mine, brother,
so I still have it, yep.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
But I've got a bunch of other little cheap knockoff
ones and I'm getting to the point where i just
need a better scan tool. But I'm not going to
mortgage the house for one. What would you recommend for
something like a five hundred dollar range?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah, it's hard. Yeah, ought tell if you can go
find a use snap On out on flea bay. That's
never a bad thing to do, you know. It's it's
we know that we know the older snap On stuff
works it. I will say this for snap On that
if they've got it in the tool, it generally works
where some of the others alltel and launch. Yeah, sometimes
(07:45):
the reverse engineering thing isn't always one hundred percent, but
you can find a greater volume of information or more
testing in the less appropriate engineered tool. Can I say
it like that? Is that a delicate way to put it?
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
But you know what, you've also got to embrace the technology.
Pete not to lecture again on the soapbox. I had
to go buy a new laptop this morning. I was
telling Tom this story. We had a family laptop die.
When did laptops become twelve and thirteen fourteen hundred dollars?
There's no cheap laptops anymore. And you know, you've just
got to embrace the technology. And I said, all right,
you know what, let's just do it because it's it's
(08:23):
it's the price of living in the twenty first century,
I guess. And I don't think five hundred bucks for
a scan tool is the way you can look at it.
I think I think you're going to spend a couple
of grand But for that couple of grand, you're going
to get peace of mind knowing you're ready to tackle
the job and not have to not have to scrounge listen.
I also, while I was there, I did find a
(08:44):
seven hundred dollars laptop and I purchased that. And all
that laptop is going to do is I'm putting together
my four scan tool, which is the I think it's
the Russian hacker knockoff of the Ford factory scan tool.
I'm going to try that for a while. I want
to see how that works.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
You know, I've seen guys using it works really well,
and I've I've played with one. I want to get
my own now, So I spent I treated myself. I
bought myself a dedicated laptop just for that. You know
what I'm trying, You know what, I'm embracing technology. I'm
trying to learn new things every day, and at this
point in my life, I feel like I've learned enough.
It just don't work.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
So I used to run an IT department for a
Ford dealership and that's what we used is laptops on
pretty much everything.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
And it works. So all right, kiddo, go get You're welcome.
You'll be well you too. Bye bye. I'm running Andy
in the car doctor eight five five five six zero
nine nine zero zero. Is that the phone number. By golly,
it is eight five five five six zero nine nine
zero zero. I got Tom's head spinning. I'm gonna pull over,
take a pause, and I'll be back right after this.
(09:48):
Don't go away. Hey, let's accidentally, what did I do
now when you're a coffee this morning? Uh? No, actually
I had a half a couple of coffee. This we
I have to admit now. They don't really let me
drink coffee. They say it gets me wired.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Yeah, well it's obvious.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
So but look, look at we could probably do a
four hour show in two hours. You know, that might
be an idea, and think about that, Maybe we should
add an hour. So now if we added an hour
to the show during daylight savings time, with that extended
one hour, two hours, are making only an hour. I'll
leave you to ponder that question. Well, I take the
next call. It'd make it too long at this rate.
(10:30):
Let's go to Frank and Illinois. Frank, welcome to the car, doctor, sir,
how can.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
I help you?
Speaker 5 (10:35):
Thank you Ron for taking my call.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
You're welcome.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
Situation here to depies everything that I thought I ever
knew about engine. It says I'm a former nineteen sixties
hot rodder. Okay, I replaced the twenty ten Highlander that
was broken this lightly with over two hundred and fifty thousand.
What I got rid of it. It was still flawless,
but the wife thought maybe I should up. So I
(11:01):
found a twenty fifteen top of the line used Highlander.
It's just broken in with one hundred and four thousand miles,
and it had been pretty much always either maintained. Now
I still do all my fluids and all that stuff.
And I just happened to use tins oil platinum and
have a gold fielder. So when I had forty five
(11:24):
hundred miles, so i'd put on the car. I drained
the oil, put in put in the fielder. When I
went to dump the catchpan into a five gallon bucket
that's made for oil, the bottom of that pan was
covered with all kinds of gold flakes and specs, and
which time I said, I've got a serious problem here.
(11:46):
But the engine is whispered quiet, not a tick or nothing.
So I took the oil field, I cut it open,
pulled all the pleats apart, went through it. Nothing in
the filter. So I'm saying, now, this devies everything I
thought I knew. So it worked out that I had
(12:06):
another trip I had to make in two days, and
I said, I'm not a gambler, but I'm going to gamble.
Being so, I didn't find anything in the fielder. I
listened carefully for the distance, same waves come back, not
a whimper. Three thousand miles. Dropped the oil this time
there was just a very few specs, no flakes. I
(12:30):
cut the fielder open. Nothing in the filter. Now I
know some of it could have been maybe left in
the oil pan. So I'm totally baffled by what's going on.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
So what's Well, it's two things i'd want to test,
all right. Number one, if you can get a sample
of the oil and it's got the flakes in it,
can we can we microwave that oil. Probably put a
bit of that oil in a microwave in a paper
cup or a glass beaker something, watch for watch for sparks.
(13:03):
Microwaves and metal don't get along, right, So if I'm
thinking I've got a metal contaminated fluid, I will microwave
it and look for sparks and arcs. All right, that's
number one. Number two, can we take a sample of
that oil and send it out the Blackstone Labs and
find out what it is. They'll they'll give you a
great analysis. They'll tell you just exactly what kind of
(13:26):
material that is, and then okay, and then at least
you can have a conversation about what's possibly coming.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
Apart right on that I the only thing I did do.
I took a magnet and I couldn't get any of
the pieces to pick up. But I'll still do the
microwave and I'll send off the oil there. But this
is the quietest three five engine I've ever been around.
And that's what baffles me.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Is this the first two oil changes that you're doing
to it?
Speaker 5 (13:56):
Frank, Yeah, the first change had all of flegs. In
a second one, I had this head hardly anything right.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
So whatever it is is going away. But I before
it completely disappears, I think i'd want to see just
you know what is, Blacks, don't tell me that is.
You know, here's a case. And I'm not a fan.
I'm not a huge fan of oil analysis. I will
admit that I think a lot of times people overanalyze
their oil. But here's a case where I'm going to
tell you it's absolutely needed. So that you know exactly
(14:26):
what you're dealing with, and you know, depending upon what
they come back with, they come back and tell us
it's brass, then we can sit down and think, Okay,
what's brass inside this engine that might be failing or
might have been failing, and we can maybe do a
preliminary tear down, go looking at that. But maybe they're
going to come back and tell us it's something that
isn't normally found in the engine. And I'm going to
(14:47):
tell you perhaps the last oil change, whoever did it,
ran the oil in through a dirty filter I'm sorry,
a dirty funnel. You know, I've seen all kinds of
crazy things. If it's not there now, and it sounds
like you probably put seven eight thousand miles on this car, yes,
you would think if it's missing bearing material, I'm going
(15:07):
to tell you the bad stuff right up front. If
you would think, if it's missing bearings or something critical
of a critical nature, or if something was doctored up
by the selling dealership or the selling party, you would
think by now it would have failed.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
Right, And being the second chase hardly had anything, no chick,
and I mean it is whispered quiet.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Right, you know this is where this is where you
find out the guy you know had a had a
dirty oil funnel and he was pouring oil in through
that and it just it wasn't a hard enough material
to damage anything, but it was just strewn throughout the engine.
Because whatever it is, it's going away and it's not
in the filter, which tells me it's not getting picked
(15:50):
up by the pump, which is maybe why the engine
has survived. Maybe whatever it is, or the flake's big
enough that they can't get by the mesh of the pump.
So was it during an oil change from a dirty funnel?
Do we have a problem? But not a problem if
you follow what.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
I'm saying right right, Well, I'll go ahead send off
that samp for the blackstone and see what they send
me back, you know, and maybe we know from then
maybe what's going on, or maybe I don't have a.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Problem, maybe you don't have a problem, you know. In
any event, would you call me either way and let
us know, because I'm sure everybody is kind of curious.
I'm sure I'll get some emails and phone calls about this,
because it's always a good story when something like this happens.
There's always a reason remember that, Frank, at the end
of the day, there's always a reason why it happens,
or you know, there's always a reason why that material
(16:40):
is there. And we'll we'll we'll see what Blackstone says
and then work it out and solve the problem. All right, kiddo.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
Yeah, I'll call you back and let you know.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
You let us know you'd be well. Thank you, sir,
So take care, yes, sir, you too. Kind of makes
you wonder. You know that that two hundred fifty twenty
ten Highlander it's not a lot of miles anymore, right,
you know, quarter million miles. I remember in a quarter
million miles was a benchmark. Now it's maybe we're halfway through.
I think of that and say, and I also think,
(17:10):
are the Are the older engines better than the newer ones?
It sure seems like a lot of things have engine problems.
And I'm not saying Frank does, but you start to
look at the mileage some of the cars in the
late nineties, two thousands and the twenty tens went before
they experienced failures, and you say that, you know, we
really did make a better product at that point, and
technology caught up to us. We sort of figured out
(17:30):
how not to make it better, if you know what
I'm saying. So anyway, eight five five five six zero
nine nine zero zero. Hey, have I mentioned a YouTube
channel yet today? I have not. When I come back,
we'll talk a little bit about the Car Doctor YouTube channel,
as well as continuing with your phone calls. I'm ronnin
Andy and the Car Doctor. I'll return right after this
(17:52):
and let's go to Fred and Massachusetts sixteen Cadillac Fred.
Welcome to the Car Doctor, sir? How can I help?
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Thanks for taking my call?
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Right, You're welcome. What's going on?
Speaker 6 (18:02):
I'm calling about my sister's car here? Twenty sixteen Cadillaca SR.
Tranny cooler went inside the radiator, examinated everything. Okay, So
I just wanted to put that out there so if
anybody had one, they might want to change the radiator.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Yeah, beforehand, right right before that. Yeah, exactly How big
of a mess did it make? Well?
Speaker 6 (18:24):
The dealer told her thirty eight hundred to flush everything
and no guarantee, so she doesn't know what she's going
to do yet.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
How how long did she drive the car? Fred?
Speaker 6 (18:35):
She had her for a few years.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Well, no, no, no, I mean, let me back up?
Did how did how did she? When did she realize
the trans cooler was cross leaking into the radiator?
Speaker 6 (18:46):
I think when everything went bad, you know, all lights
started going, didn't drive anymore.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Right, So let me ask this question because I'm going
to get on my soapbox for a second that I'm
not beating you up. I really appreciate what you're trying
to do. Who was changing the oil all this time?
Speaker 6 (19:00):
Yeah, she got a private guy doing it and not
the dealers.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Right, Well, but you know whoever's doing it, and I'm
not listen. There's good in dealerships, there's bad in dealerships.
There's good in independence, there's bad in independence. But in
my mind, you know, unless this was a complete collapse
one two three overnight, if this, if this took a
while to come on, somebody should have seen fluid contamination
(19:24):
in the coolant bottle when they were doing oil changes
and mentioned that, gee, where's this black oily residue or
where's this where's this oily residue coming from in the
coolant bottle, just as an argument and a case for
doing a proper oil change. You know, we talk about
oil changes a lot here. I'm sure you're aware, and
everybody wants quick and cheap, but quick and cheap doesn't work.
(19:45):
And here we are four thousand dollars in the hole
that could have been avoidable, and yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
No guarantee.
Speaker 6 (19:51):
What's going to happen after that?
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Right? So I think, you know, I would try to
look at And this is why I say, you know,
we have this conversation at the show three or four
or half a dozen times a week, but how much
is an oil change? And why an oil change was
never meant to be fast? An oil change was never
meant to be quick. An oil change was meant to
be effective and efficient. And that's that's really what it's
(20:13):
all about. There is one bulletin you know that talks
about trans flushing for Cadillac. I don't know if it,
you know, I don't know. If you're going to have
a leg to stand on. You may just want to
go read bulletin. You got a pencil handy, Yeah, you
might want to go read bulletin seventeen dash NA like
North America dash O six six day of July of
(20:35):
twenty three, and they talk about GM products in general,
and they talk about you know, transmission oil cooler flush
and flow testing because GM has had more than their
share of trans cooler flow and you know bypass vowel
failures and things like that. You know, did she buy
the car new from the Cadillac dealer?
Speaker 6 (20:54):
No, she bought a use.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Okay, you know, maybe there's an argument here about you know,
what can you do for me if it if it works,
if it doesn't work, you know what I put four
grand into that? I don't know. I'll tell you what
I also might do is find an alternative, get out
and go. Look at bgfind ashop dot com website bgfind
ashop dot com. You can enter in your zip code
(21:16):
and perhaps find a shop out there that uses the
BG fluid Exchange program, and you might be able to
find the cheaper than the thirty eight hundred dollars. Thirty
eight hundred dollars seems like an excessive amount of money.
You know, I'd gamble a thousand, I'd gamble fifteen hundred
bucks on a guess, and I'm not so. I'm not
so worried about the cooling system as I am more
about the transmission.
Speaker 6 (21:37):
You know what that training costs rebuilt five grand?
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Probably on a good day. I bet you that as
a guest, I bet in New Jersey dollars that trans
is every bit of six to eight grand.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
So yeah, it's it makes the argument for fluids and
service again proper right, you know that that I want
one hundred dollars oil change. Yeah, I don't. I want
to spend the two hundred bucks and I want to
get it done right, I want to spend the three
hundred bucks. I would much rather appreciate that that. You know,
it's it's going to take its time and look things
(22:11):
over it and having that one guy doing it. And
I'm not blaming the guy that did it. Hey, listen,
she could have parked the car Monday and Tuesday woke
up in the cooler split. It happens, right, you know
it's it's eight years old, it's nine years old. It's
probably got some miles on it, but yeah.
Speaker 6 (22:26):
It's only got fifty nine thousand on it.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
I think that's a shame. That's really a shame. Brother.
But I could, I could. I could stand here and
tell you this story all day long. It's it's I
think it really comes down to the oil change. There's
a reason, and I'm gonna I'm gonna jinx myself, so
I won't say it too much. I think there's a reason,
my little shop Ranger that you guys always hear me
talk about. It's a ninety seven. When was ninety seven? Fred?
(22:49):
That was a while ago, wasn't it. Yeah? Yeah, two
hundred and twenty seven thousand, three hundred and two miles. Now, wow,
there's a there's a reason. And that truck, that truck
gets it's the least amount of love, all right, That
that truck doesn't get really a whole lot of love.
But we sort of beat the snot out of it,
for lack of a better way to put it, because
(23:09):
it's it's always outside, it's always jump in it, drive
it cold, get it to where we gotta go. You know,
we're running around in town and sometimes it doesn't warm
up for a week, and we're driving all short local trips,
and yet that thing's still going because if it's wet,
if it's a fluid, it gets changed on a regular basis,
and here we are. You know, It's it's just it
is what it is. So but take a look at
(23:30):
those things. Yeah, go ahead, real quick.
Speaker 6 (23:33):
To nineteen eighty six Chevy pick up k keen. I'm
wondering about tune up parts and leaf springs.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
For the rear.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Leaf springs have become a specialty item. I gotta tell you,
they really have. If we were in New Jersey, there's
two places like it's Senji and Patterson, New Jersey, Jensen
Mitchell and Standard Spring. Actually three and one in Hackensack
Hackensack Spring. Those are the only three places I know
of that still do spring work.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
What about Dorman.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Dorman might have a replacement leave spring. Now that you
say that, yes, you're correct, and as a as a
matter of fact, I'll go back to my ranger, my
little shop truck. You know, I'm glad you said that. Fred.
I completely forgot about this, but I actually put Dorman
leaf springs in the back of my ranger a couple
of years back. Yeah, yeah, they work fine. Listen, we
(24:20):
still we used the whole scrap to the yard and
you know, it holds up well, and the truck still
rides well and it does its thing. So yeah, take
a look at dor didn't.
Speaker 6 (24:29):
Of business though, didn't they sell something well?
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Delco From my understanding, and we're going back to two
thousand and eight, two thousand and nine, as I recall,
Delco no longer manufactures anything in the United States. Everything
is either imported or brought in or they're purchased from
another company and then relabeled and stamped under the Delco brand.
(24:52):
And you know, unfortunately, some you know, buying group got
involved and they took a great product. And I'm not
saying it's not a great pro anymore, but it's not.
It's not dating electronic electrical laboratories anymore. Which is what?
Which is what Delco originally started out in the twenties
and the thirties, So from the company that brought us
the electric starter in Cadillacs by the way, way back
(25:13):
when you know, it's it's now a shell of what
it used to be.
Speaker 6 (25:17):
So so what do you think I should get for
tune up parts?
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Delco?
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Still, Yeah, I would still get Delco. It's still going
to be a good, decent brand. I would look it
over very carefully, you know, because I think I think
you're going to find the best there. As a matter
of fact, no, I'm going to retract that statement. You
know where I would go. You're catching me here, Fred,
I got to think about these things. I would go
look at standard. This is for the this. This is
for the eighty six, right yeah, right, right, yeah, this
(25:42):
is for the eighty six. I bet your Standard, and
I'm gonna say I know for sure Standard still makes
tune up parts for that eighty six Chevy Ce ten
K ten whatever it is, I would have no problem.
And I would also try and purchase, if I can,
their Blue Streak Line, which is there, you know, heavier plastic.
They up the quality. Not that there's anything wrong with
the entry level stuff, but their Blue Streak Line is
(26:04):
a heavier duty version of their every Day and it
will last longer. And I would buy two of everything
if you're planning to hang on to the vehicle and
drive it another hundred thousand miles. All right, K get up?
Speaker 6 (26:14):
Yeah, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
You're very welcome. Fred, you'd be well. I'm you too.
I'm running any in the car doctor. I'll be back
right after this. Let's keep it going. Let's go to
Catherine in Connecticut. One SUPERU outback. Catherine, Welcome to the
car doctor. How can I help?
Speaker 4 (26:29):
Hi? Hi? I'm not sure you can because three other
garages were able to help, and I spent a lot
of money, okay, and I really need this car. And
there are no options at this point, but either way,
I got a red check.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Engine light, orange check engine light.
Speaker 4 (26:53):
Yeah, and it started flashing and I'm like, oh my gosh.
So so I took it to my first garage. I
don't know. They said to replace spark plugs in a
nission coils. I don't know, po three oh one, PO
(27:14):
three oh three and PO three oh five. Does that
make any sense to you?
Speaker 2 (27:17):
Is this the six cylinder sub or the four six cylinder? Okay?
So it had it had it had a one four
and five.
Speaker 4 (27:27):
O three and O five basically the right side.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Of the engine, right, okay.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
And so they replaced the spark plugs and it didn't
do anything. And so I took it to my regular guy.
He said he's not going to touch it with a
ten foot pole. They were both saying that I had
to replace the engine and I'm like yeah. So he
(27:53):
told me to take it to Subaru, who he used
to work for, and I was just kind of like,
I don't feel good about this, and they were not
able to find out what was wrong with it, recommended
removing spark plugs. I'm reading the thing right now and
(28:16):
inspecting coils and looking at the graph while the vehicle
was running, noticed af correction. I don't know what that
means anyway. They replaced intake gaskets, checked the fuel line,
(28:36):
an O ring somewhere, a hose assembly. They actually had
the car for a month and said they could not
figure it out.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
So right now, it's got misfires on one side of
the engine.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
Correct. And here's the thing. The red light stays on steady.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
The orange light, yeah right.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
Red in my mind, and when I stay too long
at a stoplight, it will begin to glimmer and start
to flash.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Okay, so here, let's do this. Let's talk about let's
talk about testing in the two minutes I've got left. Sure,
all right, So first of all, we've got to find
somebody that wants to work on this, all right. Most
of the guys will shy away from the from the
pancake sixes just for some reason. Nobody likes to work
on the six cylinder suber. I haven't figured that out.
There are some oddities to it, but I'm just letting
(29:35):
you know what the hesitation is. I don't know that
changing the engine will solve this, all right. I'm not
convinced that it has an engine problem yet? All right?
So you know, I don't care if it's a one cylinder,
two cylinder, twelve cylinder, or a nineteen cylinder, whatever it is.
If the left side is running good and the right
side is running bad, at least the left side of
(29:56):
the motor can give me some good numbers and the
right side of the motor can give me the bad number.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
Right, I was thinking, sensors.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Well, I want to know. I want to know basics,
all right. I want to know what mechanical compression is
the does the bad side of the engine we'll call
the misfiring side, the bad side? Does it pass basic
mechanical compression and a cylinder leaked down test?
Speaker 6 (30:20):
All right?
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Could it be that I've got a jumped timing device
on the one side of the engine versus the other?
Think bicycle sprockets, right, Catherine, all right, big sprocket, little sprocket.
If those sprockets, If we brought those sprockets around to top,
as the expression goes, and we made a white dot,
and we rotated again, and things were in cycle, both
(30:42):
white dots would come to the top at the right moment. Right,
You can visualize that yes, if the chain was loose,
If my bicycle chain was loose, and the big Sprocket
jumped ahead of tooth right now, the rear sprocket comes
up top correct, but the big Sprocket doesn't. It's off
by a tooth or two. Its position is incorrect. That
will make an engine misfire. All right, and in all
(31:06):
possibility you could have that. But I'm assuming, which is
a dangerous word, that they've tested that. So I want
to know. Is mechanical timing mechanical timing correct? Is mechanical
compression good? If I've got good mechanical compression and good
mechanical timing, why am I changing the engine number one right? Next? Okay?
Speaker 3 (31:33):
It is?
Speaker 2 (31:33):
What with what the dealer's talking about, With the A,
A F or A FR sensor being correct, I'll tell
you what. Sit tight, Let me pull over, take a
pause because I don't want to rush this. Let me
give you. Let me give you another segment. I'm running
ding in the card arctor. We'll be right back with
Catherine right after this. Don't go anywhere, Catherine, you're still there, Catherine, Yes, yes,
(31:57):
pencil and paper in hand. Okay, so you ever walk
into an office building with one of those circular doors.
They're revolving doors. Sure you ever notice how some of
those doors are easy to push and some of them
are real hard?
Speaker 4 (32:10):
Yes? I do?
Speaker 2 (32:11):
Okay, So you're an engine, right, You walk into Office A,
and that door is as you expect it, a little
bit of resistance and you have to push at a
certain level. Correct. You walk into Office B, and that
door spins easy as pie. It spins so easy you
almost fall over yourself trying to push the door and
(32:31):
stay upright. All right. That's probably the best example I
could give you of an engine that has good compression
on one side and bad compression on the other. It's
a matter of resistance, all right, Keep that in mind.
So the first thing I want to do is baseline
this engine. Are both doors equally as difficult to move?
(32:52):
Do they have the same amount of resistance? I want
a mechanical compression test done, all right? I want a
cylinder leak down test on a cylinder. Leak down test
is a test process where we put air into the
cylinder in a closed cylinder. If I put one hundred
pounds in, how much air should come out? Nothing? Right?
(33:13):
A closed cylinder A closed door is a closed door,
right all Right. In mechanical terms, we accept up to
ten percent leakage. Anything more than ten percent, I've got
a mechanical problem on that cylinder. That's it. It's an
irrefutable fact, right, So the last thing I want them
to go through is consider possible air fuel ratio sensor problems.
(33:36):
Maybe we've got an imbalance, and we can figure that
out by looking at fuel trims. But let's baseline this,
and let's make sure this twenty five year old car
really is worth fixing. That's the last thing I want
to mention. I'm running any in the car doctor whose
mechanics aren't expensive, they're priceless.
You're listening to Ron Andanian the Car Doctor, nationally recognized
auto expert trusted by Mechanics, Weekend wrenchers and vehicle owners Alife.
Ron brings over forty years of hands on experience and
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(00:25):
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your enginies. The Car Doctor is into garage and ready
(00:48):
to take your call.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
We have another great hour of order repair radio for you.
I'm Roninanie in the Car Doctor here at eight five
to five five six zero nine nine zero zero again
eight five to five five six zero nine nine zero zero. Wantn'
we kick the garage doors open? Let's go to Pete
in Michigan. Pete, Welcome to the Car Doctor what's going on.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
You're not the car doctor, you're the car wizard. And
I came to you because I'm trying to keep my
fleet running.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Cool beans. What's going on? Pete?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
We've got two animals. The first two thousand and three
Cadillac Deville notorious problem with the window regulators that fail
on that. I've already replaced two. They were pretty straightforward
in and out, took great off. This one, the window
just just slowly slid into the to the door. Put
a new window regulator in. It doesn't work. I put
(01:36):
a meter to it. I'm getting voltage at the window
regulator and I can even hear the door module click.
Do I have a faulty door module?
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Well, let's let's no codes, right, Yeah, you're not gonna
Let's let's back up a second. You know that switch
that the way they work any window motor is they're
going to reverse power and ground up or down. So
if we if we and go go here understand how
the circuit works, Pete, go look at one of the
windows that's working right, ye, So you know I believe
(02:09):
it's I believe there's an orange wire was the common
color back then, orange and whatever the opposite is do
we have power on the orange? Do we have ground
on the black? And then go look at the motors.
The wire is leading up to each individual door motor.
You should be able to reverse it. See power and
ground this way, then power and ground that way. Then
go apply it. Go apply it to that new regulator
(02:30):
that's not working. Because prior to this, if I understand
what you're saying correctly, the window just the glass fell
into the door. It wasn't an electrical problem. It was
a mechanical problem with the regulator itself, right right.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
But normally when the other ones fell into the door,
I could still like freely move it while it was
still bolted to the window. This one I couldn't. I
couldn't just slide it on its own. How come that
told me like the motor was kind of solid?
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Okay, So what you replace just the regulator itself?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
I replace both?
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Ah, okay, So that means you have a spare motor
line around right.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
I already tested that You're way ahead of me.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
Okay, and that and that motor works right yep.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
But it didn't. It didn't move either. So I'm thinking
the only thing I've got left is a fuse, and
I wouldn't be getting a click and voltage at the
door if it was a fuse.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Right, and you have power? Right, you have power at
the door? I do, And I, like I said, I
would go look to see do I have Can it
reverse polarity? When I put the switch up or down?
Does it follow what the others are doing? And if
it doesn't, then I'm going to start to question that
could I also still have And I know, I know
you work on enough cars that you know this, Pete,
But I'm gonna mention it. Could I have a broken
(03:49):
wire in the doorjam itself?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I thought about that one right now.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
That's that's what they were famous for. They broke the
doorjam wires because you open and close the door three
thousand times.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, but this is a rear door, so well.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Yeah, so it took longer. It took twenty two years
instead of instead of three. You know. So Second question.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Twenty sixteen, Ford Focus Girlference car driving overheating. Common problem
with these things. Saw some drops underneath where the thermostat
would be, said, makes sense the air conditioning would also
stop when it was part I believe Ford has a
shutdown mechanism for when the car overheats to turn off
(04:31):
the a seat. Yep, so I said, okay, got to
be a thermostat, replace a thermstat Everything went beautifully, but
now the electronic band does not turn on, and probably
because they tampered with the dust.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Well, so what was what was kind of common with these?
You've got to get a wiring diagram for this? All right?
They had problems with the fan control module, and you know,
let's let's get out our scan tool. Can we go?
Can we go talk to the module? Is it awake?
Is it online? Can we cycle it on by bi
directional control? We should be able to in a sixteen
(05:07):
more than more than old enough technology or new enough technology.
All right, the fan assembly should have power. I believe
it's a green red a green red trace wire and
it comes out of the battery junction boxk fuse thirty
three or thirty two, I believe it is. I think
it's f thirty two if I remember it right, you know,
(05:29):
pull that fuse out because the cooling fan is such
a high current draw. I've got I've gotten in the
habit the last couple of three, five, ten years of
when I have a problem like this, I want to
verify the fusees any good, I will I will physically
pull the fuse, look at it.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Does the check the fuse is checked it for continuity
and it's good.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Does it have any burn marks? Does it have any
dimples in it?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Doesn't seem to be any scorch to it?
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Okay, so you know I always look for scorch. I
like that. I'm gonna steal that word. Uh, Pete, I
like that word. It's like my gym coach, Coach Sam
has a word called janki, uh, you know, and I
like that. You know, Janki's a great word. I love
that word. He's like, you know, when you're doing this cleaner,
this deadlift, it feels a little janky. And I think
about that all the time with cars. So Coach Sam,
you gotta love him. He's got these great words.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
But anyway, not to be confused with jinky. That's a
Scooby Doo reference.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Yeah, jinky is a different you know, but yanky janky
is a real car term. So you know, let's go see,
do we have power to the do we have power
to the cooling fan? And what temperature is the vehicle
getting up to? And I know you're gonna tell me
it's hot, but I want to look at it on
a scan tool. Did it get up to two twenty
four eight? And then what is fan turn on temperature?
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Right?
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:43):
So the interesting that you run right into the skin
tool thing. So I did just buy a little wireless device,
Bluetooth device that plugs in and allows me to actuate
different computer controlled and one of them being the fan.
So that should be here tomorrow, right. But you know,
I've got an old snap On mtundred If that dates.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Me the brick, that's all right. I've still got mine, brother,
so I still have it, yep.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
But I've got a bunch of other little cheap knockoff
ones and I'm getting to the point where i just
need a better scan tool. But I'm not going to
mortgage the house for one. What would you recommend for
something like a five hundred dollar range?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah, it's hard. Yeah, ought tell if you can go
find a use snap On out on flea bay. That's
never a bad thing to do, you know. It's it's
we know that we know the older snap On stuff
works it. I will say this for snap On that
if they've got it in the tool, it generally works
where some of the others alltel and launch. Yeah, sometimes
(07:45):
the reverse engineering thing isn't always one hundred percent, but
you can find a greater volume of information or more
testing in the less appropriate engineered tool. Can I say
it like that? Is that a delicate way to put it?
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
But you know what, you've also got to embrace the technology.
Pete not to lecture again on the soapbox. I had
to go buy a new laptop this morning. I was
telling Tom this story. We had a family laptop die.
When did laptops become twelve and thirteen fourteen hundred dollars?
There's no cheap laptops anymore. And you know, you've just
got to embrace the technology. And I said, all right,
you know what, let's just do it because it's it's
(08:23):
it's the price of living in the twenty first century,
I guess. And I don't think five hundred bucks for
a scan tool is the way you can look at it.
I think I think you're going to spend a couple
of grand But for that couple of grand, you're going
to get peace of mind knowing you're ready to tackle
the job and not have to not have to scrounge listen.
I also, while I was there, I did find a
(08:44):
seven hundred dollars laptop and I purchased that. And all
that laptop is going to do is I'm putting together
my four scan tool, which is the I think it's
the Russian hacker knockoff of the Ford factory scan tool.
I'm going to try that for a while. I want
to see how that works.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
You know, I've seen guys using it works really well,
and I've I've played with one. I want to get
my own now, So I spent I treated myself. I
bought myself a dedicated laptop just for that. You know
what I'm trying, You know what, I'm embracing technology. I'm
trying to learn new things every day, and at this
point in my life, I feel like I've learned enough.
It just don't work.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
So I used to run an IT department for a
Ford dealership and that's what we used is laptops on
pretty much everything.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
And it works. So all right, kiddo, go get You're welcome.
You'll be well you too. Bye bye. I'm running Andy
in the car doctor eight five five five six zero
nine nine zero zero. Is that the phone number. By golly,
it is eight five five five six zero nine nine
zero zero. I got Tom's head spinning. I'm gonna pull over,
take a pause, and I'll be back right after this.
(09:48):
Don't go away. Hey, let's accidentally, what did I do
now when you're a coffee this morning? Uh? No, actually
I had a half a couple of coffee. This we
I have to admit now. They don't really let me
drink coffee. They say it gets me wired.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Yeah, well it's obvious.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
So but look, look at we could probably do a
four hour show in two hours. You know, that might
be an idea, and think about that, Maybe we should
add an hour. So now if we added an hour
to the show during daylight savings time, with that extended
one hour, two hours, are making only an hour. I'll
leave you to ponder that question. Well, I take the
next call. It'd make it too long at this rate.
(10:30):
Let's go to Frank and Illinois. Frank, welcome to the car, doctor, sir,
how can.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
I help you?
Speaker 5 (10:35):
Thank you Ron for taking my call.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
You're welcome.
Speaker 5 (10:39):
Situation here to depies everything that I thought I ever
knew about engine. It says I'm a former nineteen sixties
hot rodder. Okay, I replaced the twenty ten Highlander that
was broken this lightly with over two hundred and fifty thousand.
What I got rid of it. It was still flawless,
but the wife thought maybe I should up. So I
(11:01):
found a twenty fifteen top of the line used Highlander.
It's just broken in with one hundred and four thousand miles,
and it had been pretty much always either maintained. Now
I still do all my fluids and all that stuff.
And I just happened to use tins oil platinum and
have a gold fielder. So when I had forty five
(11:24):
hundred miles, so i'd put on the car. I drained
the oil, put in put in the fielder. When I
went to dump the catchpan into a five gallon bucket
that's made for oil, the bottom of that pan was
covered with all kinds of gold flakes and specs, and
which time I said, I've got a serious problem here.
(11:46):
But the engine is whispered quiet, not a tick or nothing.
So I took the oil field, I cut it open,
pulled all the pleats apart, went through it. Nothing in
the filter. So I'm saying, now, this devies everything I
thought I knew. So it worked out that I had
(12:06):
another trip I had to make in two days, and
I said, I'm not a gambler, but I'm going to gamble.
Being so, I didn't find anything in the fielder. I
listened carefully for the distance, same waves come back, not
a whimper. Three thousand miles. Dropped the oil this time
there was just a very few specs, no flakes. I
(12:30):
cut the fielder open. Nothing in the filter. Now I
know some of it could have been maybe left in
the oil pan. So I'm totally baffled by what's going on.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
So what's Well, it's two things i'd want to test,
all right. Number one, if you can get a sample
of the oil and it's got the flakes in it,
can we can we microwave that oil. Probably put a
bit of that oil in a microwave in a paper
cup or a glass beaker something, watch for watch for sparks.
(13:03):
Microwaves and metal don't get along, right, So if I'm
thinking I've got a metal contaminated fluid, I will microwave
it and look for sparks and arcs. All right, that's
number one. Number two, can we take a sample of
that oil and send it out the Blackstone Labs and
find out what it is. They'll they'll give you a
great analysis. They'll tell you just exactly what kind of
(13:26):
material that is, and then okay, and then at least
you can have a conversation about what's possibly coming.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
Apart right on that I the only thing I did do.
I took a magnet and I couldn't get any of
the pieces to pick up. But I'll still do the
microwave and I'll send off the oil there. But this
is the quietest three five engine I've ever been around.
And that's what baffles me.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Is this the first two oil changes that you're doing
to it?
Speaker 5 (13:56):
Frank, Yeah, the first change had all of flegs. In
a second one, I had this head hardly anything right.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
So whatever it is is going away. But I before
it completely disappears, I think i'd want to see just
you know what is, Blacks, don't tell me that is.
You know, here's a case. And I'm not a fan.
I'm not a huge fan of oil analysis. I will
admit that I think a lot of times people overanalyze
their oil. But here's a case where I'm going to
tell you it's absolutely needed. So that you know exactly
(14:26):
what you're dealing with, and you know, depending upon what
they come back with, they come back and tell us
it's brass, then we can sit down and think, Okay,
what's brass inside this engine that might be failing or
might have been failing, and we can maybe do a
preliminary tear down, go looking at that. But maybe they're
going to come back and tell us it's something that
isn't normally found in the engine. And I'm going to
(14:47):
tell you perhaps the last oil change, whoever did it,
ran the oil in through a dirty filter I'm sorry,
a dirty funnel. You know, I've seen all kinds of
crazy things. If it's not there now, and it sounds
like you probably put seven eight thousand miles on this car, yes,
you would think if it's missing bearing material, I'm going
(15:07):
to tell you the bad stuff right up front. If
you would think, if it's missing bearings or something critical
of a critical nature, or if something was doctored up
by the selling dealership or the selling party, you would
think by now it would have failed.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
Right, And being the second chase hardly had anything, no chick,
and I mean it is whispered quiet.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Right, you know this is where this is where you
find out the guy you know had a had a
dirty oil funnel and he was pouring oil in through
that and it just it wasn't a hard enough material
to damage anything, but it was just strewn throughout the engine.
Because whatever it is, it's going away and it's not
in the filter, which tells me it's not getting picked
(15:50):
up by the pump, which is maybe why the engine
has survived. Maybe whatever it is, or the flake's big
enough that they can't get by the mesh of the pump.
So was it during an oil change from a dirty funnel?
Do we have a problem? But not a problem if
you follow what.
Speaker 5 (16:06):
I'm saying right right, Well, I'll go ahead send off
that samp for the blackstone and see what they send
me back, you know, and maybe we know from then
maybe what's going on, or maybe I don't have a.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Problem, maybe you don't have a problem, you know. In
any event, would you call me either way and let
us know, because I'm sure everybody is kind of curious.
I'm sure I'll get some emails and phone calls about this,
because it's always a good story when something like this happens.
There's always a reason remember that, Frank, at the end
of the day, there's always a reason why it happens,
or you know, there's always a reason why that material
(16:40):
is there. And we'll we'll we'll see what Blackstone says
and then work it out and solve the problem. All right, kiddo.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
Yeah, I'll call you back and let you know.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
You let us know you'd be well. Thank you, sir,
So take care, yes, sir, you too. Kind of makes
you wonder. You know that that two hundred fifty twenty
ten Highlander it's not a lot of miles anymore, right,
you know, quarter million miles. I remember in a quarter
million miles was a benchmark. Now it's maybe we're halfway through.
I think of that and say, and I also think,
(17:10):
are the Are the older engines better than the newer ones?
It sure seems like a lot of things have engine problems.
And I'm not saying Frank does, but you start to
look at the mileage some of the cars in the
late nineties, two thousands and the twenty tens went before
they experienced failures, and you say that, you know, we
really did make a better product at that point, and
technology caught up to us. We sort of figured out
(17:30):
how not to make it better, if you know what
I'm saying. So anyway, eight five five five six zero
nine nine zero zero. Hey, have I mentioned a YouTube
channel yet today? I have not. When I come back,
we'll talk a little bit about the Car Doctor YouTube channel,
as well as continuing with your phone calls. I'm ronnin
Andy and the Car Doctor. I'll return right after this
(17:52):
and let's go to Fred and Massachusetts sixteen Cadillac Fred.
Welcome to the Car Doctor, sir? How can I help?
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Thanks for taking my call?
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Right, You're welcome. What's going on?
Speaker 6 (18:02):
I'm calling about my sister's car here? Twenty sixteen Cadillaca SR.
Tranny cooler went inside the radiator, examinated everything. Okay, So
I just wanted to put that out there so if
anybody had one, they might want to change the radiator.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Yeah, beforehand, right right before that. Yeah, exactly How big
of a mess did it make? Well?
Speaker 6 (18:24):
The dealer told her thirty eight hundred to flush everything
and no guarantee, so she doesn't know what she's going
to do yet.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
How how long did she drive the car? Fred?
Speaker 6 (18:35):
She had her for a few years.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Well, no, no, no, I mean, let me back up?
Did how did how did she? When did she realize
the trans cooler was cross leaking into the radiator?
Speaker 6 (18:46):
I think when everything went bad, you know, all lights
started going, didn't drive anymore.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Right, So let me ask this question because I'm going
to get on my soapbox for a second that I'm
not beating you up. I really appreciate what you're trying
to do. Who was changing the oil all this time?
Speaker 6 (19:00):
Yeah, she got a private guy doing it and not
the dealers.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Right, Well, but you know whoever's doing it, and I'm
not listen. There's good in dealerships, there's bad in dealerships.
There's good in independence, there's bad in independence. But in
my mind, you know, unless this was a complete collapse
one two three overnight, if this, if this took a
while to come on, somebody should have seen fluid contamination
(19:24):
in the coolant bottle when they were doing oil changes
and mentioned that, gee, where's this black oily residue or
where's this where's this oily residue coming from in the
coolant bottle, just as an argument and a case for
doing a proper oil change. You know, we talk about
oil changes a lot here. I'm sure you're aware, and
everybody wants quick and cheap, but quick and cheap doesn't work.
(19:45):
And here we are four thousand dollars in the hole
that could have been avoidable, and yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
No guarantee.
Speaker 6 (19:51):
What's going to happen after that?
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Right? So I think, you know, I would try to
look at And this is why I say, you know,
we have this conversation at the show three or four
or half a dozen times a week, but how much
is an oil change? And why an oil change was
never meant to be fast? An oil change was never
meant to be quick. An oil change was meant to
be effective and efficient. And that's that's really what it's
(20:13):
all about. There is one bulletin you know that talks
about trans flushing for Cadillac. I don't know if it,
you know, I don't know. If you're going to have
a leg to stand on. You may just want to
go read bulletin. You got a pencil handy, Yeah, you
might want to go read bulletin seventeen dash NA like
North America dash O six six day of July of
(20:35):
twenty three, and they talk about GM products in general,
and they talk about you know, transmission oil cooler flush
and flow testing because GM has had more than their
share of trans cooler flow and you know bypass vowel
failures and things like that. You know, did she buy
the car new from the Cadillac dealer?
Speaker 6 (20:54):
No, she bought a use.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Okay, you know, maybe there's an argument here about you know,
what can you do for me if it if it works,
if it doesn't work, you know what I put four
grand into that? I don't know. I'll tell you what
I also might do is find an alternative, get out
and go. Look at bgfind ashop dot com website bgfind
ashop dot com. You can enter in your zip code
(21:16):
and perhaps find a shop out there that uses the
BG fluid Exchange program, and you might be able to
find the cheaper than the thirty eight hundred dollars. Thirty
eight hundred dollars seems like an excessive amount of money.
You know, I'd gamble a thousand, I'd gamble fifteen hundred
bucks on a guess, and I'm not so. I'm not
so worried about the cooling system as I am more
about the transmission.
Speaker 6 (21:37):
You know what that training costs rebuilt five grand?
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Probably on a good day. I bet you that as
a guest, I bet in New Jersey dollars that trans
is every bit of six to eight grand.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
So yeah, it's it makes the argument for fluids and
service again proper right, you know that that I want
one hundred dollars oil change. Yeah, I don't. I want
to spend the two hundred bucks and I want to
get it done right, I want to spend the three
hundred bucks. I would much rather appreciate that that. You know,
it's it's going to take its time and look things
(22:11):
over it and having that one guy doing it. And
I'm not blaming the guy that did it. Hey, listen,
she could have parked the car Monday and Tuesday woke
up in the cooler split. It happens, right, you know
it's it's eight years old, it's nine years old. It's
probably got some miles on it, but yeah.
Speaker 6 (22:26):
It's only got fifty nine thousand on it.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
I think that's a shame. That's really a shame. Brother.
But I could, I could. I could stand here and
tell you this story all day long. It's it's I
think it really comes down to the oil change. There's
a reason, and I'm gonna I'm gonna jinx myself, so
I won't say it too much. I think there's a reason,
my little shop Ranger that you guys always hear me
talk about. It's a ninety seven. When was ninety seven? Fred?
(22:49):
That was a while ago, wasn't it. Yeah? Yeah, two
hundred and twenty seven thousand, three hundred and two miles. Now, wow,
there's a there's a reason. And that truck, that truck
gets it's the least amount of love, all right, That
that truck doesn't get really a whole lot of love.
But we sort of beat the snot out of it,
for lack of a better way to put it, because
(23:09):
it's it's always outside, it's always jump in it, drive
it cold, get it to where we gotta go. You know,
we're running around in town and sometimes it doesn't warm
up for a week, and we're driving all short local trips,
and yet that thing's still going because if it's wet,
if it's a fluid, it gets changed on a regular basis,
and here we are. You know, It's it's just it
is what it is. So but take a look at
(23:30):
those things. Yeah, go ahead, real quick.
Speaker 6 (23:33):
To nineteen eighty six Chevy pick up k keen. I'm
wondering about tune up parts and leaf springs.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
For the rear.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Leaf springs have become a specialty item. I gotta tell you,
they really have. If we were in New Jersey, there's
two places like it's Senji and Patterson, New Jersey, Jensen
Mitchell and Standard Spring. Actually three and one in Hackensack
Hackensack Spring. Those are the only three places I know
of that still do spring work.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
What about Dorman.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
Dorman might have a replacement leave spring. Now that you
say that, yes, you're correct, and as a as a
matter of fact, I'll go back to my ranger, my
little shop truck. You know, I'm glad you said that. Fred.
I completely forgot about this, but I actually put Dorman
leaf springs in the back of my ranger a couple
of years back. Yeah, yeah, they work fine. Listen, we
(24:20):
still we used the whole scrap to the yard and
you know, it holds up well, and the truck still
rides well and it does its thing. So yeah, take
a look at dor didn't.
Speaker 6 (24:29):
Of business though, didn't they sell something well?
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Delco From my understanding, and we're going back to two
thousand and eight, two thousand and nine, as I recall,
Delco no longer manufactures anything in the United States. Everything
is either imported or brought in or they're purchased from
another company and then relabeled and stamped under the Delco brand.
(24:52):
And you know, unfortunately, some you know, buying group got
involved and they took a great product. And I'm not
saying it's not a great pro anymore, but it's not.
It's not dating electronic electrical laboratories anymore. Which is what?
Which is what Delco originally started out in the twenties
and the thirties, So from the company that brought us
the electric starter in Cadillacs by the way, way back
(25:13):
when you know, it's it's now a shell of what
it used to be.
Speaker 6 (25:17):
So so what do you think I should get for
tune up parts?
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Delco?
Speaker 2 (25:20):
Still, Yeah, I would still get Delco. It's still going
to be a good, decent brand. I would look it
over very carefully, you know, because I think I think
you're going to find the best there. As a matter
of fact, no, I'm going to retract that statement. You
know where I would go. You're catching me here, Fred,
I got to think about these things. I would go
look at standard. This is for the this. This is
for the eighty six, right yeah, right, right, yeah, this
(25:42):
is for the eighty six. I bet your Standard, and
I'm gonna say I know for sure Standard still makes
tune up parts for that eighty six Chevy Ce ten
K ten whatever it is, I would have no problem.
And I would also try and purchase, if I can,
their Blue Streak Line, which is there, you know, heavier plastic.
They up the quality. Not that there's anything wrong with
the entry level stuff, but their Blue Streak Line is
(26:04):
a heavier duty version of their every Day and it
will last longer. And I would buy two of everything
if you're planning to hang on to the vehicle and
drive it another hundred thousand miles. All right, K get up?
Speaker 6 (26:14):
Yeah, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
You're very welcome. Fred, you'd be well. I'm you too.
I'm running any in the car doctor. I'll be back
right after this. Let's keep it going. Let's go to
Catherine in Connecticut. One SUPERU outback. Catherine, Welcome to the
car doctor. How can I help?
Speaker 4 (26:29):
Hi? Hi? I'm not sure you can because three other
garages were able to help, and I spent a lot
of money, okay, and I really need this car. And
there are no options at this point, but either way,
I got a red check.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Engine light, orange check engine light.
Speaker 4 (26:53):
Yeah, and it started flashing and I'm like, oh my gosh.
So so I took it to my first garage. I
don't know. They said to replace spark plugs in a
nission coils. I don't know, po three oh one, PO
(27:14):
three oh three and PO three oh five. Does that
make any sense to you?
Speaker 2 (27:17):
Is this the six cylinder sub or the four six cylinder? Okay?
So it had it had it had a one four
and five.
Speaker 4 (27:27):
O three and O five basically the right side.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Of the engine, right, okay.
Speaker 4 (27:32):
And so they replaced the spark plugs and it didn't
do anything. And so I took it to my regular guy.
He said he's not going to touch it with a
ten foot pole. They were both saying that I had
to replace the engine and I'm like yeah. So he
(27:53):
told me to take it to Subaru, who he used
to work for, and I was just kind of like,
I don't feel good about this, and they were not
able to find out what was wrong with it, recommended
removing spark plugs. I'm reading the thing right now and
(28:16):
inspecting coils and looking at the graph while the vehicle
was running, noticed af correction. I don't know what that
means anyway. They replaced intake gaskets, checked the fuel line,
(28:36):
an O ring somewhere, a hose assembly. They actually had
the car for a month and said they could not
figure it out.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
So right now, it's got misfires on one side of
the engine.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
Correct. And here's the thing. The red light stays on steady.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
The orange light, yeah right.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
Red in my mind, and when I stay too long
at a stoplight, it will begin to glimmer and start
to flash.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Okay, so here, let's do this. Let's talk about let's
talk about testing in the two minutes I've got left. Sure,
all right, So first of all, we've got to find
somebody that wants to work on this, all right. Most
of the guys will shy away from the from the
pancake sixes just for some reason. Nobody likes to work
on the six cylinder suber. I haven't figured that out.
There are some oddities to it, but I'm just letting
(29:35):
you know what the hesitation is. I don't know that
changing the engine will solve this, all right. I'm not
convinced that it has an engine problem yet? All right?
So you know, I don't care if it's a one cylinder,
two cylinder, twelve cylinder, or a nineteen cylinder, whatever it is.
If the left side is running good and the right
side is running bad, at least the left side of
(29:56):
the motor can give me some good numbers and the
right side of the motor can give me the bad number.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
Right, I was thinking, sensors.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Well, I want to know. I want to know basics,
all right. I want to know what mechanical compression is
the does the bad side of the engine we'll call
the misfiring side, the bad side? Does it pass basic
mechanical compression and a cylinder leaked down test?
Speaker 6 (30:20):
All right?
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Could it be that I've got a jumped timing device
on the one side of the engine versus the other?
Think bicycle sprockets, right, Catherine, all right, big sprocket, little sprocket.
If those sprockets, If we brought those sprockets around to top,
as the expression goes, and we made a white dot,
and we rotated again, and things were in cycle, both
(30:42):
white dots would come to the top at the right moment. Right,
You can visualize that yes, if the chain was loose,
If my bicycle chain was loose, and the big Sprocket
jumped ahead of tooth right now, the rear sprocket comes
up top correct, but the big Sprocket doesn't. It's off
by a tooth or two. Its position is incorrect. That
will make an engine misfire. All right, and in all
(31:06):
possibility you could have that. But I'm assuming, which is
a dangerous word, that they've tested that. So I want
to know. Is mechanical timing mechanical timing correct? Is mechanical
compression good? If I've got good mechanical compression and good
mechanical timing, why am I changing the engine number one right? Next? Okay?
Speaker 3 (31:33):
It is?
Speaker 2 (31:33):
What with what the dealer's talking about, With the A,
A F or A FR sensor being correct, I'll tell
you what. Sit tight, Let me pull over, take a
pause because I don't want to rush this. Let me
give you. Let me give you another segment. I'm running
ding in the card arctor. We'll be right back with
Catherine right after this. Don't go anywhere, Catherine, you're still there, Catherine, Yes, yes,
(31:57):
pencil and paper in hand. Okay, so you ever walk
into an office building with one of those circular doors.
They're revolving doors. Sure you ever notice how some of
those doors are easy to push and some of them
are real hard?
Speaker 4 (32:10):
Yes? I do?
Speaker 2 (32:11):
Okay, So you're an engine, right, You walk into Office A,
and that door is as you expect it, a little
bit of resistance and you have to push at a
certain level. Correct. You walk into Office B, and that
door spins easy as pie. It spins so easy you
almost fall over yourself trying to push the door and
(32:31):
stay upright. All right. That's probably the best example I
could give you of an engine that has good compression
on one side and bad compression on the other. It's
a matter of resistance, all right, Keep that in mind.
So the first thing I want to do is baseline
this engine. Are both doors equally as difficult to move?
(32:52):
Do they have the same amount of resistance? I want
a mechanical compression test done, all right? I want a
cylinder leak down test on a cylinder. Leak down test
is a test process where we put air into the
cylinder in a closed cylinder. If I put one hundred
pounds in, how much air should come out? Nothing? Right?
(33:13):
A closed cylinder A closed door is a closed door,
right all Right. In mechanical terms, we accept up to
ten percent leakage. Anything more than ten percent, I've got
a mechanical problem on that cylinder. That's it. It's an
irrefutable fact, right, So the last thing I want them
to go through is consider possible air fuel ratio sensor problems.
(33:36):
Maybe we've got an imbalance, and we can figure that
out by looking at fuel trims. But let's baseline this,
and let's make sure this twenty five year old car
really is worth fixing. That's the last thing I want
to mention. I'm running any in the car doctor whose
mechanics aren't expensive, they're priceless.
Host
Ron Ananian
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