Ron walks a caller through the right way to measure parasitic draw (use a real meter with min/max and leave it connected), then tackles GL-4 vs GL-5 confusion on a ’99 Sentra—plus where to find stubborn drain plugs when OEMs say “obsolete.” We hit hybrid maintenance realities with a ’22 Prius CVT service, a cold-start 7.3 Power Stroke that likely needs cleaning for stiction and better cranking strategy, and a 2017 Colorado Duramax with a first-gear slip that may respond to additive—before facing the cost of a rebuild. Ron also flags industry ripples from parts-maker bankruptcies and why cheap, mystery-brand components are costing drivers more in the long run.
- Grab your Car Doctor gear – T-shirts & more at CarDoctorShow.com
-
Follow the wrench – Instagram @ronananian for shop life & behind-the-scenes
-
Watch & learn – Auto repair tips & videos on our YouTube Channel
-
Got a car question? Call the Car Doctor Hotline 24/7 – (855) 560-9900
-
Join the conversation LIVE – Saturdays 2–4 PM Eastern
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 car
doctorshow 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
(00:47):
garage and ready to take your call. Hey, we've got
another busy hour.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
For you this week on the Car Doctor and let's
go right to it. Let's get the Joe and Iowa
too Dodge pick up a return call from last week.
Eight five to five to five six zero nine nine
zero zero is the phone number, Joe, How can I
help you today?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Okay, Yeah, afternoon, sir. Hey, So I talked to you
about this battery drain on this two thousand and two dodge,
and I'm a little confused on how to check it.
So I did. I charged the battery in the penalty
the two batteries. I got about twelve we'll say, twelve
point twenty six volts in the battery. I got the
(01:24):
positive lead hooked up to the positive terminal, and then
I'm going I'm checking with my multimeter digital molimeter from
negative posts to the negative ground cable, and I'm getting
a reading of zero four point six or zero point
four point seven on the on the two hundred milla
(01:46):
milli meter scale.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
So so you're reading, you're reading four.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Amps yeah, dc amps.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Okay, so you've got you've got to and you've got
the other battery disconnected.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
The other battery is not even in the truck, right,
And I got baggies over the leads and stuff. They'm
not really touching anything. So I didn't mean millimeters, I
mean milli ams on the two hundred Yeah, so on
the ten am scale, I don't have zero readings. And
then I flipped my lead on the multimeter to the
to the two hundred milli AM scale and I'm getting
(02:25):
a four point you know, four point sixty four point
seven reading between the negative posts and the battery and
the ground.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
So it sounds like it sounds like you're on a
scale where that's you're telling me you're reading four milliams.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Well, that's what I'm not sure about. I'm on that scale.
So you know, I think on the ten AM scale,
I would assume I'm not sure on that meter, but
it's going to pick up a one amp draw or
something or up to ten ams.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Yeah, you know. And I've got to tell you, I've
never seen it's either amps or million ams. I've never
seen it. Break it down. A two hundred million AM
scale you're telling that, you're telling me it's a it's
a two hundred million AM scale on the meter.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
There's two twices, there's a ten scale, and there's uh,
the two hundred milliam scale on the meter.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Okay, yeah, that's odd. I but from what you're what
you're describing to me is you're telling me on a
two undred millim scale, I would say you're reading four
million ams.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Well that's what I'm wondering too, you know, four point
six the lower you know four, I know you.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Got you got another vehicle, you got another vehicle in
the house.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Joe, Well I do now, I mean not right, not right,
exceptable right, right?
Speaker 2 (03:48):
But if if you've got another vehicle in the house,
why why don't we learn how the meter works on
that vehicle?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
M okay, well I could, I could, I could disconnect,
h do the same being disconnected, you know, the negative
ground and then check it between the post, betvery post
and the negative ground. But yeah, I know they talked
about reading about some meters too. You have to move
the descibel point over and if you even if you
move it over one to the right, that would be
(04:18):
we'll say, you know, for forty one million ams.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Right, and forty one's acceptable too.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Yeah, but but four point six milliams that would be
way under forty one. Right, So you said, I think
you set up to fifty millions.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Fifty milliams is the maximum.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
And then so what I was confused about you'd said
in a so this is like an initial reading, and
you talked about like a reading over overtie happened, Yeah,
over time. So I don't know what you I don't
I'm not sure how you achieved that. I mean, well you're.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Gonna You're gonna leave it. So if there was a
computer on this vehicle, if if there was a draw,
so if this was a more computerized vehicle, you might
have to wait upwards of forty five minutes to an
hour to watch the draw go down as computers clock out,
as they time out and turn off.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
So if that's the case, do you have to have
like alligator clamps on your on your test or have
test leads with alligator clamps and just leave it clamped on?
Is that what you're what do you?
Speaker 5 (05:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (05:25):
How are you doing this? Aren't you? Aren't you using
I think we've got a I think we've got a
meter issue here, Joe. Aren't you taking aren't you taking
your leads and test leads and just clamping them one
to the negative cable, one to the negative post and
walking away.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
No, No, it's an initial reading and the test leads
are just probes. So I'm just probing one, you know,
with a sharp probe on the negatives.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Then how do you then if there was a computer
draw here, and if if you're reading it, you're reading
the initial surge. Okay, leave the meter hooked up? And
walk away, come back after a half hour, or watch
the meter. What does it do?
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
So okay, so I need to get some different leads
and hook it up, leave it hooked up to the
negative posts and leave it hooked up to the cabletive cable,
correct and check like initial reading and then check a
reading after half an hour.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Well I don't, I don't. I don't really care what
the initial reading is. I want to know what it
is after after a half hour of sitting.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
See if it see if it climbs or if it
if it reduces.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Well, I'm expecting it to go down. Can you put
your meter in min max mode?
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I'm not so sure about that. I don't know what
This is just a really cheap meter.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
I think so.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Twenty dollars meter years ago.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Right, here's an and here's an example where maybe the
meter you're using isn't worth using.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
Uh huh.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
It's just that simple. If you're doing any kind of
electrical testing, and I can't fix that from here, Joe,
you got to be able to you know, you want
to do min max, be able to record minimum maximum,
because sometimes a meter will change. Never mind just doing
a millim test. You're doing a voltage test. You know,
if you're not in min max motor record motor the
speed of the meter. If that meter is not fast enough,
(07:15):
you're gonna miss half the information. Just because it turns
on and it's a meter doesn't mean it's a good one.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
I know what you're saying. I know what you're saying.
I do have a battery meter. I just didn't grab it.
I'm not that familiar with that other meter, so, but
I did check it. I have another twenty dollars Craftsman meters.
What it is about meters ago? So I checked in
with another meter and they're they're about the same, reading
the same output of the battery and reading the same
(07:43):
four point six four point seven on the draw the
initial draw.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Right, Well, my question, my question is depending upon what
scale you're on, and if you're not sure how to
use the meter, we're taking a guess with this. You
could be reading a four am draw.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
Well, I don't think so, because if I put it
on a ten am scale, I'm not I'm showing zeros. Okay, right, yeah,
I put on a leave.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
It on the ten am scale and open the driver's door.
Does the dome light come on?
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Well, will it come on? I mean will it? I
mean you not hook the negative post is and hooked up.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
So you're electrons electrons are sure they are. Electrons are
gonna flow through the meter, and you're going to record
the current.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Well I guess yeah, I guess you're right there. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yeah, so you're gonna you're gonna record the current. Does
the meter have circuit protection if you go overload or
will it blow the fuse in the meter? What's the
fuse and the meter rated for?
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Yeah, it might just be two ams. I'm not sure it.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Better be it better be more than that, brother. Yeah,
if that's listen, If that's if that's a two amp fuse,
that meter is not suited for automotive use.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Yeah, I'm not I don't really know what, to be
honest with you, what that with? I just know it
says on the tenam scale you can hold them on
for like thirty six max and base it out.
Speaker 5 (09:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
If that's what it says, Joe, throw the meter in
the garbage. It's trash. I'm being honest, brother. All right,
you're you're trying to fix something, you might as well.
You might as well hit it with a hammer and
a chisel. I mean you you need a proper meter.
I can't stress this enough that if you don't have
(09:28):
a me, you're using a meter for a non automotive application,
in an automotive application that doesn't have the proper settings, range,
fuse protection and capabilities. So there's no point in even
talking about it. It's just go buy another meter or
find one. Use your other meter, take the meter out
of the box that you don't want to take out,
and learn how to use it. I'm not scalding you.
(09:49):
I'm just saying you're you're you're beating your head against
the wall, and you're just gonna get frustrated.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Yeah, yeah, well I can do it. I mean you
could check this leaving the leads up to and using
an amp clamp, couldn't you and take an amp rereadings
that way?
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Why would you do that? That's the purpose of the meter. Well, well, oh,
you mean just as an amp clamp by itself. Well,
how accurate is your amp clamp? Will your amp clamp
get down to fifty milliams or less?
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Matt, I think with this othern meter, it's a real
good it's a real good flukey meter. So I think it's.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Gonna well, I would look at I would look at
the range. I've got three clamp on amp clamps of
my own, one of them is a fluke, and none
none of them are accurate enough to do Milliam draw.
The only way I know to do that is through
a meter. That's the only way to do it in
the shop.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
M okay, Okay, Well, I guess I can do some
more check in and stuff. I mean, it looked like
I'm okay, but it does lose it lost about a volt,
we'll say, in a week week's time, just sitting here too.
Battery sicked up.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Just imagine if you had to imagine if you had
a meter with a min max record function, you could
just hook it up, walk away, and the meter would
show you exactly what it's drawing over a thirty six
hour period.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Yeah yeah, but okay, but you said earlier, just get
some alligator clamps.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
And even if I no, I would not I would
not use that meter, Joe, I can't say it enough. Okay,
I wouldn't trust I wouldn't trust that meter. If the
meter the meters telling you that you can't leave it
connected for longer than what thirty seconds.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Well, that's only on a ten am that's a ten
am setting.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Well, but how do you how do you know what
your draw is before you hook it up?
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Well, I put it on the ten am scale and
checked it that way, and when it came up zero,
I went to a smaller scale.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Okay, Joe, Joe, get get a different meter. Get something
that reads amps and milliamps. Forget the scale and get
something that auto ranges. All right, you'll be better off
in the long run.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Okay, okay, all right, I got okay. Well, I want
to tell you something else.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Too, well, real quick, because I gotta go.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
I just wanted to tell I told talk to Tom and
so I liked what you have to say about your
dad and your your uncle, things like that. It's interesting
to hear those stories. I just wanted to bring it up.
And my grandpa had a flight school way back in
the forties to train pilots prior to going in World
War Two. He was a flyer from way back in
the early sent part of the century and his actually
(12:18):
his flying license numer of them were signed by Orville
right way back then. They had what they call a
sporting license. And I just wanted to tell a little
history on ice oft the family.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
No, wonderful. I appreciate it. I do, Joe, and yeah,
thank you for sharing that. All right, I got to go.
I'm up against the clock, kiddo, So let's pull over
to take a pause. I'm unning any in the car. Doctor.
We'll be back right after this. Hey, real quick, let's
go to Alan, Maryland while it's still there and dry al.
Are you ready for the big storm, the northeaster you're
gonna get.
Speaker 6 (12:50):
Yeah, coming if it's not raining yet, but it's going
to be a soaker tomorrow, that for sure.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Are you on the eastern shore of Maryland or on
the wad Wow.
Speaker 6 (12:57):
I'm south of Washington, d C. But we'll get a
bunch of it.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So so it's a big deal. It's
the whole East coast.
Speaker 5 (13:04):
It is.
Speaker 6 (13:04):
Yeah, it really is.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
What's going on? What's going on there? Yes, sir, I.
Speaker 6 (13:09):
Called you a couple of weeks ago about putting a
clutch in a ninety nine Nissan CenTra. Got a follow
up question. That's about the transmission fluid. The service manual
calls for eighty W ninety GL four. I can find
GL four, but there's a lot more GL five around,
and I've read mixed things about g L four versus
(13:30):
g L five. Predominant theory seems to be if you
use GL five, it's bad for the brass and the
copper parts. It could lead to hard shifting. What's your
view on that. Is there really a significant difference between them.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
I've never found it to be honest, answer, I see,
and my understanding is completely opposite of that. My understanding
is that as they went, you know g L g
L one, two, three, four, five, so on, that you
know five four is retroact, if the three five is
retroactive to five, and so on and so forth, I'd
(14:05):
like to see authoritative proof. And and the other thing
you have to think about is and anytime I'm left
with one of these conditions in the shop, I always
think of it like this, how many guys in the
country are pouring the wrong fluid in?
Speaker 6 (14:18):
Right? Right?
Speaker 5 (14:19):
Listen?
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Well, the honest way I think about it in my
head is how many idiots are out there pouring in
the wrong fluid and the vehicle still doesn't stop. Now
now having said that, right, my ninety seven Ford Ranger,
you know what fluid that calls for af right and
do you know what? Do you know what's in ith?
Speaker 6 (14:39):
Not sure?
Speaker 2 (14:40):
GM synchromesh is that right? Yeah? And I only put
that in twenty years ago. I'm still waiting to see
if it has any negative results. So you know, Henry
Ford's turning over in his grave.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
All right.
Speaker 6 (14:52):
You know usually usually this stuff is backwards combatible, Yes,
like break fluid dot four supersede. It's always awards compatible.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Yes, one hundred percent.
Speaker 6 (15:03):
I keep reading about oh, it's bad for the copper,
and I am okay, all.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Right, well you know, listen, there are people out there.
I'm going to take a shot at them too, right now.
There are people out there that think ten thousand mile
oil change intervals.
Speaker 6 (15:14):
Okay, right, Oh, I'm a three thousand mile I'm a
three thousand mile guy. Yeah, that's why my cars go
a quarter million miles.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
You know, the.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Trimic, the Trimic five speed that's in the hot rod.
They want they want automatic transfluid in that.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
Yeah, there's some of them that want.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Right, you know what's in it? GM synchromesh is that right?
I'm breaking all the rules. I you know, I've yet
to see it, right, I've yet to see so you're
telling me that the synchromesh, the sliders and the synchro
mesh portion of the transmission for that ninety nine is
(15:54):
different than something newer that you think they change the material.
Speaker 5 (15:57):
They check the chief.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Yeah, that they you know, but they have a hard
time getting the same two spark plugs on the shelf
next to each other correct much less. You know synchro meshes,
and you know syncros and sliders and and so on,
and I you know what I think the I think
the internet's a wonderful place now, but I think it
puts us into information overload, and I think it's it's
(16:21):
it's yeah, no good ron.
Speaker 6 (16:23):
Can I ask you one more while I got sure
along the drain plug and the filler plug on this thing.
Although I've got a set of drain plug sockets, they're
still a little buggered up and I'm having trouble getting
them off the somebody Dorman doesn't make one. They do
make some, but not for this vehicle. Any source for
drain plugs and filler plugs on a manual transmission.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
No, But I would say anything that works, right, okay,
I believe it or not. Sometimes I find the goofiest
things at a plumbing supply house.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
Yeah, that's the thought. This is eleven millimeters eleven millimeter
one thirteen, right.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Man, We don't care about the milimeter. We just want
the thread pitch, right.
Speaker 5 (17:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Yeah, you know, you know, have you tried purchasing new
out of out of Nissan, although I'm sure they're obsolete
by now?
Speaker 6 (17:08):
Yeah, you know, I went to the Nissan website. They
don't have a damn thing for this car. Nothing in
the clutch series. The only thing they've got is the
pilot bushing. They got absolutely no clutch parts. I haven't
tried the drain plugs, but I have a hard time
believing they'd have anything. Either it's on a stock or
it's on back order, and back order means you'll die before.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
It arns, right, You'll you'll die like Moses on a statue.
Speaker 6 (17:31):
Yeah, I'll have three more cars before now.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Now, you make an interesting point. Dorman does make a
very good set of drain plugs and assortments. And you know,
you've got to find an autoparts house that's still got
the Dorman trays out front and sit down and go
through their trays and see what's there. But you know,
Dorman's not the worst idea to go look through either
their online catalog Dorman Products dot Com or catch them
(17:56):
up in a store at an autoparts house. So always
a pleasure Ale Stage. I enjoy the weather, and we'll
talk to you next time. I'm Ronning Andy and the
Car Doctor. We're coming back right after this. You know,
with all that's going on today on the show, we
didn't even talk about First Brands Group, right. First Brands
Group is in bankruptcy and thanks to Dodge down there
(18:18):
and lose Maryland, which I understand is gonna be on
water too. I was watching the news. They're like, I
think they're lower than sea level row and it's gonna
be it's gonna be wet, manned the pumps, so Dodge
stay dry. But we'll talk about that a little bit
if we have time, but just be aware First Brands
Group is in bankruptcy and that's going to infect the
entire automotive aftermarket. Yeah, yeah, John, Connecticut twenty two prius,
(18:41):
What is going on here? How are you? John?
Speaker 4 (18:43):
Thank you for taking my call. There's nothing wrong with that.
I just wanted to get the It's sixty four thousand
and I was told that's sixty thousand. You should really
change the CBT transmission oil.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Yes, correct, yep.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
And it's it's a little bit over and I call
the guy and he wants to keep it overnight. And
it's like, I don't have anybody to drive me or
leave it, you know what I mean. It's like you're
doing maybe want to check it to make sure everything's
okay the next day.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
I mean, it's it's it's it's two hours a time
in the shop by the time. He wrote, test it.
Let a cool down, change you drain it, fill it
back up, you know. So you know it's a it's
a hey, I drop it off and go go go
to breakfast and come back in two hours kind of
a thing. But you know, keeping it overnight, I don't know.
That doesn't make any sense to me. I don't It doesn't.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
It doesn't to me either.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
You know, it's maybe it's time to find another mechanic
or take it to the dealer.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
And my mechanic doesn't do it. And he said he's good,
So I was like, this is a he just does transmissions,
So I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Well, wait a minute, waite, the guy, you're taking it
too doesn't do it, or the guy you're taking it
to does.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
I went to a mechanic and they recommended this guy,
and that's why he does his transmissions.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Okay, So so.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
I don't know. I just figured if there was some
reason I didn't think, do.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Yourself, do yourself a favor. It sounds like you're in
the clutches of something strange. Take it to the dealer,
have a nice seat in the waiting room. Sit there,
have a cup of coffee. They'll tell you exactly how
much it's going to be beforehand. It'll get done right.
And I really doubt the dealer is going to tell
you they have to hang on to it overnight. Something
doesn't add up in that story.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
And by the way, I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
That's all right. I was going to say when Mom said,
if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck,
it's a duck.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
So yeah, well I know, I tell you, I guess
is the first hybrid I ever had. And I called
you before. Maybe it was about it a year ago,
a must or something like that. Maybe it was six
seven months or something like And I got fifty miles
per gown. No, I just I got eighty and well
I got seventy five. I got to go up. I
(20:45):
have to go up at hills, so I could probably
get about one hundred. If it's like California and Arizona.
You know, right, it's flat, right, But I mean, I
love the car. It's great because it's got all least
centers in the backup camera. I never had a less
stuff before. You know, it makes me feel it makes
me feel confident.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Well, and you know what, and that's that's that's the
beauty part of running a vehicle like that, right, that
it gives you confidence because listen, I go back to
the time when it was a very mechanical connection to
the car and we enjoyed sitting behind the wheel and
we would talk to it. And now it's just you know,
hope this computer keeps running because I got to get
to where I'm going. There's no there's no emotion in
(21:23):
a car. There's no compassion anymore. But I get it
one hundred percent. Well, I'm glad you're enjoying it, John,
but I would I you know, listen, a hybrids, a
hybrid's well, a modern vehicle is a complicated animal. A
hybrid is a little bit different, and if you're already
starting to get some pushback on how to service it,
I you know, something's wrong with this picture. So I
(21:47):
think it's time to uh, I think it's I think
it's time to find the dealer or find somebody that
can repair it on a reliable, regular basis, because I
want you to find one guy, all right. I want
I want one person to repair that. Nothing wrong with it,
all right, sir?
Speaker 4 (22:02):
Thank you very much. I appreciate.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Have a good weekend you too, you'd be well. Let's
go over and talk to Let's go to Thomas and Maryland. Thomas.
Are you in a dry part of Maryland or about
to be drenched part of Maryland?
Speaker 5 (22:13):
Oh? We could get some wind and rain. I'm on
the eastern shore, oh boy, between Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Ocean, So yeah, we are you buy my favorite bridge, the.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I love the nineteen
fifty two.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
I love that bridge all the time. I'm not on it,
so it's uh so I don't like that bridge. Brothers, Yes,
you're never going to get me over that. How can
I help you today? Thomas?
Speaker 5 (22:42):
Okay, I got two vehicles. The first one is a
nineteen ninety nine Ford F three point fifty super duty
parastroke V eight right seven point three leader. Okay, it's
got a little in the excess of three hundred thousand miles,
but it's a diesel.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
No, just broken in, that's right.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
But we're having trouble starting it. Usually if we put
the battery charge or on it overnight, sometimes it will
start the next morning. Sometimes it won't, and that's with
a good battery too. But I was wondering if could
it be a compression problem in one cylinder or something.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Well, let's back up a sex. So is it that
the cranking rpm is faster that it gets it to
start easier, or it's just that the battery has to
be strong enough reliably to maintain cranking speed before it fires.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
I wish I knew the answer to that. I would
suspect that it won't start at a lower rpm. So yes,
probably it needs that extra boost.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Well, so my first question then would be are you
sure that the battery set up in there is correct?
In other words, In other words, a starter is going
to row what it needs and it has to have
the reserve capacity to do so. If you're telling me
you have to have the battery on charge. My first
thought is I've got a problem with the battery or
(24:09):
the starting system because if it was low compression, it
wouldn't need as much electrical energy out of the battery
to maintain cranking rpm.
Speaker 5 (24:18):
Right, okay, right, but it runs good when after it starts.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
They all do.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
So, you know, is it time for do we have
Now that's an oil fed injector system, meaning that they
use they use cranking oil pressure to build fuel pressure
on those engines. You know, do we have an oil issue?
Speaker 5 (24:42):
All? Right?
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Do we have it? Do we have sludge in the oil?
One of one of the products we use in the
shop from the folks at Hot Shot Secret stition eliminator,
And you can take a look at some of their
other diesel products. Helps clean out, helps clean out sludge,
helps clean out sticktion. And I I only learned what
stiction was within the last two years. It's kind of
an interesting story, but the whole concept of stiction is
(25:05):
the sludge and the varnish and the debris and the
grit that builds up in oil over time. And the engineers,
the scientists at Hotshot Secret actually developed this product to
work on that Ford engine that you're driving. Ford actually
approves stiction eliminator in those engines in the power strokes.
Believe it or not, it's it's it's that big a deal.
(25:29):
So treating the oil actually helps the fuel system. As
crazy as it sounds.
Speaker 5 (25:35):
What was that product? Gold?
Speaker 2 (25:37):
Go out to the Hotshot Secret website Hotshotsecret dot com
and take a look at stition eliminator. They also make
you know what if you're driving a diesel. Hotshot Secret
dot com is kind of like the candy store, all right.
It's got everything you need for fuel system maintenance, cleaning injectors,
cleaning oil, at diesel longevity, you know, just goods, solid maintenance,
(26:01):
because just doing oil changes and changing filters isn't enough
on a diesel, especially as they age.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
Right and this gets short miles right right right.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Can have an effect. I'll tell you what, sit tight, Thomas.
Let me pull over, take a pause. When we come back,
we'll answer part two of your question. I'm Ronning Andy
in the car. Doctor. We'll return right after this, and
we are back real quick. Dodge rights in from Maryland,
he says, Ron I'm fifteen feet above sea level when
I drive back to DC. My favorite part is at
Chesapeake Bay Bridge and not me, brother, So God bless
(26:36):
somebody's got to drive and enjoy that bridge. Thomas, You're
still there, sir.
Speaker 5 (26:40):
Still here, And I was listening to that. You can
get down here on the shore if you go take
around forty, go east, do you get to like I
don't know, Elpton and then pick up two thirteen and
it'll bring you right on down you go around them.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Yeah, yeah, just that bridge. See the problem is I
think about that bridge, and I keep thinking about when
you're halfway across, you're seven miles out in the bay
or ten miles out in the bay. That's a long
way to swim when the cargoes over the rail. So
but what the heck, the fall will probably kill me anyway.
So anyway back to your diesel, and I wanted to
(27:18):
comment about that. A diesel as it ages, right, we're
always worried about cranking speed, glow plug efficiency, and fuel
system and intake cleanliness. Okay, at at three hundred thousand
miles on a short trip diesel, you were a candidate
for stiction eliminator one hundred thousand miles ago. If not sooner,
(27:42):
I mean I would be using it from day one
if I owned a diesel, okay, because of what it does,
Diesel Extreme, their Diesel Extreme product is a fuel system
cleaner and maintainer for diesel. That's specifically what it does.
So you want to consider that. Last. If you take
it to a mechanic and you're still having issues after
(28:02):
applying some treatments, then you know they're going to look
at glow plug. Do all the glow plugs work? And
how are the injectors? What's the spray pattern? You know,
this is one of those vehicles that you want to start,
but you don't want to spend a ton of dough
on it. And the problem is it's a diesel, so
spending money is very easy, especially as it ages. Right. Absolutely, yeah,
(28:23):
So second question.
Speaker 5 (28:25):
Okay, on two thy and seventeen Duramax Diesel Colorado pickup.
I'll bought it with ninety one thousand miles. Okay, I've
got about one hundred and thirteen on it now. Anyhow,
after overnight setting, first sing in the morning, I try
to lay it warm up. So what first gear seems
(28:48):
to slip and then all of a sudden it'll grab.
My mechanic tells me I'm probably looking at another a
new transmission or rebuilt one. You can't hardly get a Newton.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Eight speed, eight speed, ten speed thomassh Which trans is it?
Speaker 5 (29:08):
Yeah? I don't honestly know that, Okay, but it seems
to be only in that first year that it slips,
like maybe it has an internal leak because it's not
leaking external right.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
If you let it warm up, does the problem not happen?
Speaker 5 (29:24):
It helps usually after it shifts or you know, you
come to a light and you go off and once
in a while and we'll do it the second time
and the rest of the day. It's fine.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Ever changed, ever changed the trans fluid?
Speaker 5 (29:38):
It's been changed service. We did one hundred thousand miles
service on it.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Do you recall what the fluid looked like? Color wise?
Speaker 5 (29:48):
I had it done, so no, I don't. But I
trusted mechanic because he used to be a General motors
mechanic and then he opened up his own shop and yeah,
go ahead, pretty good guy. William says. He was a
kid so mean, I knowing, and I asked him that,
(30:08):
I said, do I need to go to one of
these shops that does the fluid exchange? He said, I
don't think it's gonna help. He said, there's probably something
called in a vowel, you know, in that first gear,
in that first clutch pack, right, And because he doesn't
seem to do it in the other gears, I don't know.
So am I looking at a new transmission?
Speaker 2 (30:31):
I probably to be honest, all right? But before I
go that route, you know, and I like the way
he thinks the fact that it only does it in
first gear. This is this is likely a first gear issue,
although I would think if it's extreme enough in time,
you're going to turn on a check engine light instead
of full first gear ratio and correct performance. Something like that.
(30:54):
When you're out on the hot Shot Secret website. I'm
going to come back to them again. Right when you're
out in hot Shot Secret thought, take a look at
their shift restore additive all right, it works wonders inside transmissions.
And I'm of the mind that you know, maybe this
is an additive fix. It might help. It surely can't hurt.
(31:16):
And if you know shift restore doesn't do it, then
you've got then, in my mind, you've got a clear
cut problem inside the trans whether it's and here's the
dance right, do you take the trans apart and just
repair what's bad at one hundred and thirteen thousand miles
eight years old, or do you put a trans in it?
You put a trans in it, right, because it's the
(31:39):
labor to take it apart is kind of silly, so
you know it's going to be excessive. But that's that's
how I would approach it. Somebody could diagnose it. Somebody
could prove, yeah, it's slipping, and here's the percentage, and
you know you can surely go that route. But you know,
before I did that, i'd want to know if the
fluid was clean when you changed it at one hundred,
(31:59):
Is it's still clean or did it turn black? If
it turned black, something's coming apart. And if it didn't
turn black and it's still pretty pink and rosy, I
would try some shift restore from hotshot secret and you know,
hopefully that helps for you that it's not too far gone,
that it's able to pull it back and keep it going.
All right, kiddo, I appreciate that.
Speaker 5 (32:18):
Here we're getting down this way. Give me a call.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
I will next next next summer, on the way to
the outer banks'na, we're gonna have a party going over
the bridge, so I promised Thomas so and for Dodge
as well. Anyway, let's pull over. Take the pause. I'm
running inde in the car. Doctor. I'll be back right
after this. Sorry, I'm back.
Speaker 5 (32:38):
Well.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
I was answering a Facebook question. I'm talking to someone
about he's gotta he's got to he's got an injector
circuit performance fault. Isn't that where we started this hour
today or the show today at the beginning of the
other hour, And he said, but I put an injector
in it. Okay, what brand? What did it at home?
What are the rest of them home? Did you you know,
did you test the circuit from powertrain control module connector
(33:01):
out to the injector and back? So you know, just
because you change a part doesn't mean it's right, and
it doesn't mean that that's the test. Testing parts is
not diagnosing testing parts is I'm sorry, changing parts is
just changing parts. It means you may be fixing it.
You may be putting a problem back in. You may
(33:22):
have the same problem. So just know what you're doing
when you do it very very important and you'll find
that I can't stress enough. And you're seeing it right.
You're seeing the effects of poor quality parts on the industry.
(33:43):
I can't affect. I can't stress it enough. It seems
like the Amazon parts, the Chinese parts, what I call
bad Chinese parts, is really affecting the economy and really
affecting the auto repair industry. First Brands Group made an
awful lot of parts for this industry, and their bankruptcy
is going to have some deep, deep effects and we'll
see just how deep they go in the coming months,
(34:05):
in the year. So just my observation, and for Dodge,
I know Dodge wants me to make a comment about
the economy. I am going to make a comment about
the economy. I see it slowing down from a repair process.
People are not fixing their cars as fast as they
should or were over the last thirty days. And we'll
see what the next thirty days becomes. But it's interesting
(34:26):
to see what's going on. Things are slowing down. I'm
ronning ay in the car doctor until 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 car
doctorshow 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
(00:47):
garage and ready to take your call. Hey, we've got
another busy hour.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
For you this week on the Car Doctor and let's
go right to it. Let's get the Joe and Iowa
too Dodge pick up a return call from last week.
Eight five to five to five six zero nine nine
zero zero is the phone number, Joe, How can I
help you today?
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Okay, Yeah, afternoon, sir. Hey, So I talked to you
about this battery drain on this two thousand and two dodge,
and I'm a little confused on how to check it.
So I did. I charged the battery in the penalty
the two batteries. I got about twelve we'll say, twelve
point twenty six volts in the battery. I got the
(01:24):
positive lead hooked up to the positive terminal, and then
I'm going I'm checking with my multimeter digital molimeter from
negative posts to the negative ground cable, and I'm getting
a reading of zero four point six or zero point
four point seven on the on the two hundred milla
(01:46):
milli meter scale.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
So so you're reading, you're reading four.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Amps yeah, dc amps.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Okay, so you've got you've got to and you've got
the other battery disconnected.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
The other battery is not even in the truck, right,
And I got baggies over the leads and stuff. They'm
not really touching anything. So I didn't mean millimeters, I
mean milli ams on the two hundred Yeah, so on
the ten am scale, I don't have zero readings. And
then I flipped my lead on the multimeter to the
to the two hundred milli AM scale and I'm getting
(02:25):
a four point you know, four point sixty four point
seven reading between the negative posts and the battery and
the ground.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
So it sounds like it sounds like you're on a
scale where that's you're telling me you're reading four milliams.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Well, that's what I'm not sure about. I'm on that scale.
So you know, I think on the ten AM scale,
I would assume I'm not sure on that meter, but
it's going to pick up a one amp draw or
something or up to ten ams.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Yeah, you know. And I've got to tell you, I've
never seen it's either amps or million ams. I've never
seen it. Break it down. A two hundred million AM
scale you're telling that, you're telling me it's a it's
a two hundred million AM scale on the meter.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
There's two twices, there's a ten scale, and there's uh,
the two hundred milliam scale on the meter.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Okay, yeah, that's odd. I but from what you're what
you're describing to me is you're telling me on a
two undred millim scale, I would say you're reading four
million ams.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Well that's what I'm wondering too, you know, four point
six the lower you know four, I know you.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Got you got another vehicle, you got another vehicle in
the house.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Joe, Well I do now, I mean not right, not right,
exceptable right, right?
Speaker 2 (03:48):
But if if you've got another vehicle in the house,
why why don't we learn how the meter works on
that vehicle?
Speaker 3 (03:55):
M okay, well I could, I could, I could disconnect,
h do the same being disconnected, you know, the negative
ground and then check it between the post, betvery post
and the negative ground. But yeah, I know they talked
about reading about some meters too. You have to move
the descibel point over and if you even if you
move it over one to the right, that would be
(04:18):
we'll say, you know, for forty one million ams.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Right, and forty one's acceptable too.
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Yeah, but but four point six milliams that would be
way under forty one. Right, So you said, I think
you set up to fifty millions.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Fifty milliams is the maximum.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
And then so what I was confused about you'd said
in a so this is like an initial reading, and
you talked about like a reading over overtie happened, Yeah,
over time. So I don't know what you I don't
I'm not sure how you achieved that. I mean, well you're.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Gonna You're gonna leave it. So if there was a
computer on this vehicle, if if there was a draw,
so if this was a more computerized vehicle, you might
have to wait upwards of forty five minutes to an
hour to watch the draw go down as computers clock out,
as they time out and turn off.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
So if that's the case, do you have to have
like alligator clamps on your on your test or have
test leads with alligator clamps and just leave it clamped on?
Is that what you're what do you?
Speaker 5 (05:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (05:25):
How are you doing this? Aren't you? Aren't you using
I think we've got a I think we've got a
meter issue here, Joe. Aren't you taking aren't you taking
your leads and test leads and just clamping them one
to the negative cable, one to the negative post and
walking away.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
No, No, it's an initial reading and the test leads
are just probes. So I'm just probing one, you know,
with a sharp probe on the negatives.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Then how do you then if there was a computer
draw here, and if if you're reading it, you're reading
the initial surge. Okay, leave the meter hooked up? And
walk away, come back after a half hour, or watch
the meter. What does it do?
Speaker 5 (06:03):
Okay?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
So okay, so I need to get some different leads
and hook it up, leave it hooked up to the
negative posts and leave it hooked up to the cabletive cable,
correct and check like initial reading and then check a
reading after half an hour.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Well I don't, I don't. I don't really care what
the initial reading is. I want to know what it
is after after a half hour of sitting.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
See if it see if it climbs or if it
if it reduces.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Well, I'm expecting it to go down. Can you put
your meter in min max mode?
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I'm not so sure about that. I don't know what
This is just a really cheap meter.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
I think so.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Twenty dollars meter years ago.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Right, here's an and here's an example where maybe the
meter you're using isn't worth using.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
Uh huh.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
It's just that simple. If you're doing any kind of
electrical testing, and I can't fix that from here, Joe,
you got to be able to you know, you want
to do min max, be able to record minimum maximum,
because sometimes a meter will change. Never mind just doing
a millim test. You're doing a voltage test. You know,
if you're not in min max motor record motor the
speed of the meter. If that meter is not fast enough,
(07:15):
you're gonna miss half the information. Just because it turns
on and it's a meter doesn't mean it's a good one.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
I know what you're saying. I know what you're saying.
I do have a battery meter. I just didn't grab it.
I'm not that familiar with that other meter, so, but
I did check it. I have another twenty dollars Craftsman meters.
What it is about meters ago? So I checked in
with another meter and they're they're about the same, reading
the same output of the battery and reading the same
(07:43):
four point six four point seven on the draw the
initial draw.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
Right, Well, my question, my question is depending upon what
scale you're on, and if you're not sure how to
use the meter, we're taking a guess with this. You
could be reading a four am draw.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
Well, I don't think so, because if I put it
on a ten am scale, I'm not I'm showing zeros. Okay, right, yeah,
I put on a leave.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
It on the ten am scale and open the driver's door.
Does the dome light come on?
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Well, will it come on? I mean will it? I
mean you not hook the negative post is and hooked up.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
So you're electrons electrons are sure they are. Electrons are
gonna flow through the meter, and you're going to record
the current.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Well I guess yeah, I guess you're right there. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yeah, so you're gonna you're gonna record the current. Does
the meter have circuit protection if you go overload or
will it blow the fuse in the meter? What's the
fuse and the meter rated for?
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Yeah, it might just be two ams. I'm not sure it.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Better be it better be more than that, brother. Yeah,
if that's listen, If that's if that's a two amp fuse,
that meter is not suited for automotive use.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
Yeah, I'm not I don't really know what, to be
honest with you, what that with? I just know it
says on the tenam scale you can hold them on
for like thirty six max and base it out.
Speaker 5 (09:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
If that's what it says, Joe, throw the meter in
the garbage. It's trash. I'm being honest, brother. All right,
you're you're trying to fix something, you might as well.
You might as well hit it with a hammer and
a chisel. I mean you you need a proper meter.
I can't stress this enough that if you don't have
(09:28):
a me, you're using a meter for a non automotive application,
in an automotive application that doesn't have the proper settings, range,
fuse protection and capabilities. So there's no point in even
talking about it. It's just go buy another meter or
find one. Use your other meter, take the meter out
of the box that you don't want to take out,
and learn how to use it. I'm not scalding you.
(09:49):
I'm just saying you're you're you're beating your head against
the wall, and you're just gonna get frustrated.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Yeah, yeah, well I can do it. I mean you
could check this leaving the leads up to and using
an amp clamp, couldn't you and take an amp rereadings
that way?
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Why would you do that? That's the purpose of the meter. Well, well, oh,
you mean just as an amp clamp by itself. Well,
how accurate is your amp clamp? Will your amp clamp
get down to fifty milliams or less?
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Matt, I think with this othern meter, it's a real
good it's a real good flukey meter. So I think it's.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
Gonna well, I would look at I would look at
the range. I've got three clamp on amp clamps of
my own, one of them is a fluke, and none
none of them are accurate enough to do Milliam draw.
The only way I know to do that is through
a meter. That's the only way to do it in
the shop.
Speaker 3 (10:37):
M okay, Okay, Well, I guess I can do some
more check in and stuff. I mean, it looked like
I'm okay, but it does lose it lost about a volt,
we'll say, in a week week's time, just sitting here too.
Battery sicked up.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Just imagine if you had to imagine if you had
a meter with a min max record function, you could
just hook it up, walk away, and the meter would
show you exactly what it's drawing over a thirty six
hour period.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Yeah yeah, but okay, but you said earlier, just get
some alligator clamps.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
And even if I no, I would not I would
not use that meter, Joe, I can't say it enough. Okay,
I wouldn't trust I wouldn't trust that meter. If the
meter the meters telling you that you can't leave it
connected for longer than what thirty seconds.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Well, that's only on a ten am that's a ten
am setting.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Well, but how do you how do you know what
your draw is before you hook it up?
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Well, I put it on the ten am scale and
checked it that way, and when it came up zero,
I went to a smaller scale.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Okay, Joe, Joe, get get a different meter. Get something
that reads amps and milliamps. Forget the scale and get
something that auto ranges. All right, you'll be better off
in the long run.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Okay, okay, all right, I got okay. Well, I want
to tell you something else.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Too, well, real quick, because I gotta go.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
I just wanted to tell I told talk to Tom and
so I liked what you have to say about your
dad and your your uncle, things like that. It's interesting
to hear those stories. I just wanted to bring it up.
And my grandpa had a flight school way back in
the forties to train pilots prior to going in World
War Two. He was a flyer from way back in
the early sent part of the century and his actually
(12:18):
his flying license numer of them were signed by Orville
right way back then. They had what they call a
sporting license. And I just wanted to tell a little
history on ice oft the family.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
No, wonderful. I appreciate it. I do, Joe, and yeah,
thank you for sharing that. All right, I got to go.
I'm up against the clock, kiddo, So let's pull over
to take a pause. I'm unning any in the car. Doctor.
We'll be back right after this. Hey, real quick, let's
go to Alan, Maryland while it's still there and dry al.
Are you ready for the big storm, the northeaster you're
gonna get.
Speaker 6 (12:50):
Yeah, coming if it's not raining yet, but it's going
to be a soaker tomorrow, that for sure.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Are you on the eastern shore of Maryland or on
the wad Wow.
Speaker 6 (12:57):
I'm south of Washington, d C. But we'll get a
bunch of it.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So so it's a big deal. It's
the whole East coast.
Speaker 5 (13:04):
It is.
Speaker 6 (13:04):
Yeah, it really is.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
What's going on? What's going on there? Yes, sir, I.
Speaker 6 (13:09):
Called you a couple of weeks ago about putting a
clutch in a ninety nine Nissan CenTra. Got a follow
up question. That's about the transmission fluid. The service manual
calls for eighty W ninety GL four. I can find
GL four, but there's a lot more GL five around,
and I've read mixed things about g L four versus
(13:30):
g L five. Predominant theory seems to be if you
use GL five, it's bad for the brass and the
copper parts. It could lead to hard shifting. What's your
view on that. Is there really a significant difference between them.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
I've never found it to be honest, answer, I see,
and my understanding is completely opposite of that. My understanding
is that as they went, you know g L g
L one, two, three, four, five, so on, that you
know five four is retroact, if the three five is
retroactive to five, and so on and so forth, I'd
(14:05):
like to see authoritative proof. And and the other thing
you have to think about is and anytime I'm left
with one of these conditions in the shop, I always
think of it like this, how many guys in the
country are pouring the wrong fluid in?
Speaker 6 (14:18):
Right? Right?
Speaker 5 (14:19):
Listen?
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Well, the honest way I think about it in my
head is how many idiots are out there pouring in
the wrong fluid and the vehicle still doesn't stop. Now
now having said that, right, my ninety seven Ford Ranger,
you know what fluid that calls for af right and
do you know what? Do you know what's in ith?
Speaker 6 (14:39):
Not sure?
Speaker 2 (14:40):
GM synchromesh is that right? Yeah? And I only put
that in twenty years ago. I'm still waiting to see
if it has any negative results. So you know, Henry
Ford's turning over in his grave.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
All right.
Speaker 6 (14:52):
You know usually usually this stuff is backwards combatible, Yes,
like break fluid dot four supersede. It's always awards compatible.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Yes, one hundred percent.
Speaker 6 (15:03):
I keep reading about oh, it's bad for the copper,
and I am okay, all.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Right, well you know, listen, there are people out there.
I'm going to take a shot at them too, right now.
There are people out there that think ten thousand mile
oil change intervals.
Speaker 6 (15:14):
Okay, right, Oh, I'm a three thousand mile I'm a
three thousand mile guy. Yeah, that's why my cars go
a quarter million miles.
Speaker 5 (15:23):
You know, the.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Trimic, the Trimic five speed that's in the hot rod.
They want they want automatic transfluid in that.
Speaker 5 (15:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
Yeah, there's some of them that want.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
Right, you know what's in it? GM synchromesh is that right?
I'm breaking all the rules. I you know, I've yet
to see it, right, I've yet to see so you're
telling me that the synchromesh, the sliders and the synchro
mesh portion of the transmission for that ninety nine is
(15:54):
different than something newer that you think they change the material.
Speaker 5 (15:57):
They check the chief.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
Yeah, that they you know, but they have a hard
time getting the same two spark plugs on the shelf
next to each other correct much less. You know synchro meshes,
and you know syncros and sliders and and so on,
and I you know what I think the I think
the internet's a wonderful place now, but I think it
puts us into information overload, and I think it's it's
(16:21):
it's yeah, no good ron.
Speaker 6 (16:23):
Can I ask you one more while I got sure
along the drain plug and the filler plug on this thing.
Although I've got a set of drain plug sockets, they're
still a little buggered up and I'm having trouble getting
them off the somebody Dorman doesn't make one. They do
make some, but not for this vehicle. Any source for
drain plugs and filler plugs on a manual transmission.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
No, But I would say anything that works, right, okay,
I believe it or not. Sometimes I find the goofiest
things at a plumbing supply house.
Speaker 6 (16:55):
Yeah, that's the thought. This is eleven millimeters eleven millimeter
one thirteen, right.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Man, We don't care about the milimeter. We just want
the thread pitch, right.
Speaker 5 (17:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
Yeah, you know, you know, have you tried purchasing new
out of out of Nissan, although I'm sure they're obsolete
by now?
Speaker 6 (17:08):
Yeah, you know, I went to the Nissan website. They
don't have a damn thing for this car. Nothing in
the clutch series. The only thing they've got is the
pilot bushing. They got absolutely no clutch parts. I haven't
tried the drain plugs, but I have a hard time
believing they'd have anything. Either it's on a stock or
it's on back order, and back order means you'll die before.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
It arns, right, You'll you'll die like Moses on a statue.
Speaker 6 (17:31):
Yeah, I'll have three more cars before now.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Now, you make an interesting point. Dorman does make a
very good set of drain plugs and assortments. And you know,
you've got to find an autoparts house that's still got
the Dorman trays out front and sit down and go
through their trays and see what's there. But you know,
Dorman's not the worst idea to go look through either
their online catalog Dorman Products dot Com or catch them
(17:56):
up in a store at an autoparts house. So always
a pleasure Ale Stage. I enjoy the weather, and we'll
talk to you next time. I'm Ronning Andy and the
Car Doctor. We're coming back right after this. You know,
with all that's going on today on the show, we
didn't even talk about First Brands Group, right. First Brands
Group is in bankruptcy and thanks to Dodge down there
(18:18):
and lose Maryland, which I understand is gonna be on
water too. I was watching the news. They're like, I
think they're lower than sea level row and it's gonna
be it's gonna be wet, manned the pumps, so Dodge
stay dry. But we'll talk about that a little bit
if we have time, but just be aware First Brands
Group is in bankruptcy and that's going to infect the
entire automotive aftermarket. Yeah, yeah, John, Connecticut twenty two prius,
(18:41):
What is going on here? How are you? John?
Speaker 4 (18:43):
Thank you for taking my call. There's nothing wrong with that.
I just wanted to get the It's sixty four thousand
and I was told that's sixty thousand. You should really
change the CBT transmission oil.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Yes, correct, yep.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
And it's it's a little bit over and I call
the guy and he wants to keep it overnight. And
it's like, I don't have anybody to drive me or
leave it, you know what I mean. It's like you're
doing maybe want to check it to make sure everything's
okay the next day.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
I mean, it's it's it's it's two hours a time
in the shop by the time. He wrote, test it.
Let a cool down, change you drain it, fill it
back up, you know. So you know it's a it's
a hey, I drop it off and go go go
to breakfast and come back in two hours kind of
a thing. But you know, keeping it overnight, I don't know.
That doesn't make any sense to me. I don't It doesn't.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
It doesn't to me either.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
You know, it's maybe it's time to find another mechanic
or take it to the dealer.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
And my mechanic doesn't do it. And he said he's good,
So I was like, this is a he just does transmissions,
So I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
Well, wait a minute, waite, the guy, you're taking it
too doesn't do it, or the guy you're taking it
to does.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
I went to a mechanic and they recommended this guy,
and that's why he does his transmissions.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Okay, So so.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
I don't know. I just figured if there was some
reason I didn't think, do.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Yourself, do yourself a favor. It sounds like you're in
the clutches of something strange. Take it to the dealer,
have a nice seat in the waiting room. Sit there,
have a cup of coffee. They'll tell you exactly how
much it's going to be beforehand. It'll get done right.
And I really doubt the dealer is going to tell
you they have to hang on to it overnight. Something
doesn't add up in that story.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
And by the way, I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
That's all right. I was going to say when Mom said,
if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck,
it's a duck.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
So yeah, well I know, I tell you, I guess
is the first hybrid I ever had. And I called
you before. Maybe it was about it a year ago,
a must or something like that. Maybe it was six
seven months or something like And I got fifty miles
per gown. No, I just I got eighty and well
I got seventy five. I got to go up. I
(20:45):
have to go up at hills, so I could probably
get about one hundred. If it's like California and Arizona.
You know, right, it's flat, right, But I mean, I
love the car. It's great because it's got all least
centers in the backup camera. I never had a less
stuff before. You know, it makes me feel it makes
me feel confident.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
Well, and you know what, and that's that's that's the
beauty part of running a vehicle like that, right, that
it gives you confidence because listen, I go back to
the time when it was a very mechanical connection to
the car and we enjoyed sitting behind the wheel and
we would talk to it. And now it's just you know,
hope this computer keeps running because I got to get
to where I'm going. There's no there's no emotion in
(21:23):
a car. There's no compassion anymore. But I get it
one hundred percent. Well, I'm glad you're enjoying it, John,
but I would I you know, listen, a hybrids, a
hybrid's well, a modern vehicle is a complicated animal. A
hybrid is a little bit different, and if you're already
starting to get some pushback on how to service it,
I you know, something's wrong with this picture. So I
(21:47):
think it's time to uh, I think it's I think
it's time to find the dealer or find somebody that
can repair it on a reliable, regular basis, because I
want you to find one guy, all right. I want
I want one person to repair that. Nothing wrong with it,
all right, sir?
Speaker 4 (22:02):
Thank you very much. I appreciate.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Have a good weekend you too, you'd be well. Let's
go over and talk to Let's go to Thomas and Maryland. Thomas.
Are you in a dry part of Maryland or about
to be drenched part of Maryland?
Speaker 5 (22:13):
Oh? We could get some wind and rain. I'm on
the eastern shore, oh boy, between Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
Ocean, So yeah, we are you buy my favorite bridge, the.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Yeah? Yeah, yeah, I love the nineteen
fifty two.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
I love that bridge all the time. I'm not on it,
so it's uh so I don't like that bridge. Brothers, Yes,
you're never going to get me over that. How can
I help you today? Thomas?
Speaker 5 (22:42):
Okay, I got two vehicles. The first one is a
nineteen ninety nine Ford F three point fifty super duty
parastroke V eight right seven point three leader. Okay, it's
got a little in the excess of three hundred thousand miles,
but it's a diesel.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
No, just broken in, that's right.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
But we're having trouble starting it. Usually if we put
the battery charge or on it overnight, sometimes it will
start the next morning. Sometimes it won't, and that's with
a good battery too. But I was wondering if could
it be a compression problem in one cylinder or something.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Well, let's back up a sex. So is it that
the cranking rpm is faster that it gets it to
start easier, or it's just that the battery has to
be strong enough reliably to maintain cranking speed before it fires.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
I wish I knew the answer to that. I would
suspect that it won't start at a lower rpm. So yes,
probably it needs that extra boost.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Well, so my first question then would be are you
sure that the battery set up in there is correct?
In other words, In other words, a starter is going
to row what it needs and it has to have
the reserve capacity to do so. If you're telling me
you have to have the battery on charge. My first
thought is I've got a problem with the battery or
(24:09):
the starting system because if it was low compression, it
wouldn't need as much electrical energy out of the battery
to maintain cranking rpm.
Speaker 5 (24:18):
Right, okay, right, but it runs good when after it starts.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
They all do.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
So, you know, is it time for do we have
Now that's an oil fed injector system, meaning that they
use they use cranking oil pressure to build fuel pressure
on those engines. You know, do we have an oil issue?
Speaker 5 (24:42):
All? Right?
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Do we have it? Do we have sludge in the oil?
One of one of the products we use in the
shop from the folks at Hot Shot Secret stition eliminator,
And you can take a look at some of their
other diesel products. Helps clean out, helps clean out sludge,
helps clean out sticktion. And I I only learned what
stiction was within the last two years. It's kind of
an interesting story, but the whole concept of stiction is
(25:05):
the sludge and the varnish and the debris and the
grit that builds up in oil over time. And the engineers,
the scientists at Hotshot Secret actually developed this product to
work on that Ford engine that you're driving. Ford actually
approves stiction eliminator in those engines in the power strokes.
Believe it or not, it's it's it's that big a deal.
(25:29):
So treating the oil actually helps the fuel system. As
crazy as it sounds.
Speaker 5 (25:35):
What was that product? Gold?
Speaker 2 (25:37):
Go out to the Hotshot Secret website Hotshotsecret dot com
and take a look at stition eliminator. They also make
you know what if you're driving a diesel. Hotshot Secret
dot com is kind of like the candy store, all right.
It's got everything you need for fuel system maintenance, cleaning injectors,
cleaning oil, at diesel longevity, you know, just goods, solid maintenance,
(26:01):
because just doing oil changes and changing filters isn't enough
on a diesel, especially as they age.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
Right and this gets short miles right right right.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Can have an effect. I'll tell you what, sit tight, Thomas.
Let me pull over, take a pause. When we come back,
we'll answer part two of your question. I'm Ronning Andy
in the car. Doctor. We'll return right after this, and
we are back real quick. Dodge rights in from Maryland,
he says, Ron I'm fifteen feet above sea level when
I drive back to DC. My favorite part is at
Chesapeake Bay Bridge and not me, brother, So God bless
(26:36):
somebody's got to drive and enjoy that bridge. Thomas, You're
still there, sir.
Speaker 5 (26:40):
Still here, And I was listening to that. You can
get down here on the shore if you go take
around forty, go east, do you get to like I
don't know, Elpton and then pick up two thirteen and
it'll bring you right on down you go around them.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Yeah, yeah, just that bridge. See the problem is I
think about that bridge, and I keep thinking about when
you're halfway across, you're seven miles out in the bay
or ten miles out in the bay. That's a long
way to swim when the cargoes over the rail. So
but what the heck, the fall will probably kill me anyway.
So anyway back to your diesel, and I wanted to
(27:18):
comment about that. A diesel as it ages, right, we're
always worried about cranking speed, glow plug efficiency, and fuel
system and intake cleanliness. Okay, at at three hundred thousand
miles on a short trip diesel, you were a candidate
for stiction eliminator one hundred thousand miles ago. If not sooner,
(27:42):
I mean I would be using it from day one
if I owned a diesel, okay, because of what it does,
Diesel Extreme, their Diesel Extreme product is a fuel system
cleaner and maintainer for diesel. That's specifically what it does.
So you want to consider that. Last. If you take
it to a mechanic and you're still having issues after
(28:02):
applying some treatments, then you know they're going to look
at glow plug. Do all the glow plugs work? And
how are the injectors? What's the spray pattern? You know,
this is one of those vehicles that you want to start,
but you don't want to spend a ton of dough
on it. And the problem is it's a diesel, so
spending money is very easy, especially as it ages. Right. Absolutely, yeah,
(28:23):
So second question.
Speaker 5 (28:25):
Okay, on two thy and seventeen Duramax Diesel Colorado pickup.
I'll bought it with ninety one thousand miles. Okay, I've
got about one hundred and thirteen on it now. Anyhow,
after overnight setting, first sing in the morning, I try
to lay it warm up. So what first gear seems
(28:48):
to slip and then all of a sudden it'll grab.
My mechanic tells me I'm probably looking at another a
new transmission or rebuilt one. You can't hardly get a Newton.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
Eight speed, eight speed, ten speed thomassh Which trans is it?
Speaker 5 (29:08):
Yeah? I don't honestly know that, Okay, but it seems
to be only in that first year that it slips,
like maybe it has an internal leak because it's not
leaking external right.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
If you let it warm up, does the problem not happen?
Speaker 5 (29:24):
It helps usually after it shifts or you know, you
come to a light and you go off and once
in a while and we'll do it the second time
and the rest of the day. It's fine.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Ever changed, ever changed the trans fluid?
Speaker 5 (29:38):
It's been changed service. We did one hundred thousand miles
service on it.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Do you recall what the fluid looked like? Color wise?
Speaker 5 (29:48):
I had it done, so no, I don't. But I
trusted mechanic because he used to be a General motors
mechanic and then he opened up his own shop and yeah,
go ahead, pretty good guy. William says. He was a
kid so mean, I knowing, and I asked him that,
(30:08):
I said, do I need to go to one of
these shops that does the fluid exchange? He said, I
don't think it's gonna help. He said, there's probably something
called in a vowel, you know, in that first gear,
in that first clutch pack, right, And because he doesn't
seem to do it in the other gears, I don't know.
So am I looking at a new transmission?
Speaker 2 (30:31):
I probably to be honest, all right? But before I
go that route, you know, and I like the way
he thinks the fact that it only does it in
first gear. This is this is likely a first gear issue,
although I would think if it's extreme enough in time,
you're going to turn on a check engine light instead
of full first gear ratio and correct performance. Something like that.
(30:54):
When you're out on the hot Shot Secret website. I'm
going to come back to them again. Right when you're
out in hot Shot Secret thought, take a look at
their shift restore additive all right, it works wonders inside transmissions.
And I'm of the mind that you know, maybe this
is an additive fix. It might help. It surely can't hurt.
(31:16):
And if you know shift restore doesn't do it, then
you've got then, in my mind, you've got a clear
cut problem inside the trans whether it's and here's the
dance right, do you take the trans apart and just
repair what's bad at one hundred and thirteen thousand miles
eight years old, or do you put a trans in it?
You put a trans in it, right, because it's the
(31:39):
labor to take it apart is kind of silly, so
you know it's going to be excessive. But that's that's
how I would approach it. Somebody could diagnose it. Somebody
could prove, yeah, it's slipping, and here's the percentage, and
you know you can surely go that route. But you know,
before I did that, i'd want to know if the
fluid was clean when you changed it at one hundred,
(31:59):
Is it's still clean or did it turn black? If
it turned black, something's coming apart. And if it didn't
turn black and it's still pretty pink and rosy, I
would try some shift restore from hotshot secret and you know,
hopefully that helps for you that it's not too far gone,
that it's able to pull it back and keep it going.
All right, kiddo, I appreciate that.
Speaker 5 (32:18):
Here we're getting down this way. Give me a call.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
I will next next next summer, on the way to
the outer banks'na, we're gonna have a party going over
the bridge, so I promised Thomas so and for Dodge
as well. Anyway, let's pull over. Take the pause. I'm
running inde in the car. Doctor. I'll be back right
after this. Sorry, I'm back.
Speaker 5 (32:38):
Well.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
I was answering a Facebook question. I'm talking to someone
about he's gotta he's got to he's got an injector
circuit performance fault. Isn't that where we started this hour
today or the show today at the beginning of the
other hour, And he said, but I put an injector
in it. Okay, what brand? What did it at home?
What are the rest of them home? Did you you know,
did you test the circuit from powertrain control module connector
(33:01):
out to the injector and back? So you know, just
because you change a part doesn't mean it's right, and
it doesn't mean that that's the test. Testing parts is
not diagnosing testing parts is I'm sorry, changing parts is
just changing parts. It means you may be fixing it.
You may be putting a problem back in. You may
(33:22):
have the same problem. So just know what you're doing
when you do it very very important and you'll find
that I can't stress enough. And you're seeing it right.
You're seeing the effects of poor quality parts on the industry.
(33:43):
I can't affect. I can't stress it enough. It seems
like the Amazon parts, the Chinese parts, what I call
bad Chinese parts, is really affecting the economy and really
affecting the auto repair industry. First Brands Group made an
awful lot of parts for this industry, and their bankruptcy
is going to have some deep, deep effects and we'll
see just how deep they go in the coming months,
(34:05):
in the year. So just my observation, and for Dodge,
I know Dodge wants me to make a comment about
the economy. I am going to make a comment about
the economy. I see it slowing down from a repair process.
People are not fixing their cars as fast as they
should or were over the last thirty days. And we'll
see what the next thirty days becomes. But it's interesting
(34:26):
to see what's going on. Things are slowing down. I'm
ronning ay in the car doctor until the next time.
Good mechanics aren't expensive, they're priceless. See you
Host
Ron Ananian
Popular Podcasts
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
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