In this hour, Ron tackles real-world fixes: a 2017 Jeep Wrangler with sticky steering (steering shaft u-joints + PB Blaster), a P0128 thermostat rate-of-rise code and murky coolant, a 2012 Honda CR-V catalytic converter myth (why cats do wear out), and a 2013 Chevy Silverado low-compression mystery (leak-down tests, borescopes, and a $20 vacuum gauge). Practical diagnostics, parts advice (MotoRad, CRC), and smart ownership tips—all in plain English. If you’re chasing misfires, no-starts, or slow warm-ups, this one’s your roadmap.
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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 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
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dot com for past episodes, repair tips, and Ron's latest insights,
and be sure to subscribe to the Car Doctor YouTube
channel for exclusive videos, real repair footage and more. Now
start your enginies. The Car Doctor is in the garage
(00:47):
and ready to take your call.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Hey, we we have another great hour for you here
on the Car Doctor. Thanks for coming by today. Let's
get to the phones right away as they're busy and
backed up at eight five five five six zero nine
nine zero zero. Ralph, New York State, Yes, sir, how
can I help you? Thank you for waiting there so patiently.
What's going on.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Yeah, we took a pause. Hey, ron, I got a
few issues with my twenty seventeen jeep wrangler. It's a
four door. I got intermittent kind of sticky steering. Can
you hear me?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Okay, yep, sure, great?
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Uh so, yes, the steering gets hard and then it
kind of comes and goes. You know, I had them
like lubricate the universal joint that comes off the steering
shaft right, and you know, I'm gonna I just my
main concern is is it a mode of failure? What
I will I lose steering? What is it like on too?
Is it total blocks?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Is it? Is it when when they lubed it, And
before I ask you how they lubed it, did did
any of what they did have any effect on it?
Did it make it better or it just stayed the same.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
It did make it better, seemed like it temporarily got better.
I'm gonna see if they can throw some molly or
some Lucas like White Lithian Greece or something like that
on it. Well next time.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Actually, what I'd like to I'd like to see him
do is you know what's going on here then? Because
there's a hundred ways to go with this. This is
this an electric steering ract, you know this should be
there should be electric assist as far as the steering
is concerning, probably, right, does it take Did they talk
to you about special poa steering fluid, electro hydraulic para
(02:15):
steering fluid? Did they say it probably has that? So
let's go on that assumption. But but let's back up.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Replaced like everything from the cool end to the brake
fluid to steering.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yeah no, it's not. Yeah no, that's not where I'm
going with this. If spraying the steering shaft with the
with the flex couplings and it made a difference, all right,
If loubing that made a difference, then why don't we
just take something in the way of a rust penetrant.
If it's rusty, let's break down the rust packing grease
in there. Grease is grease. Rust penetrant breaks rust down.
(02:47):
So sometimes just something as simple peb let's use let's
use peb blaster, right the straw. Make it so that
we can get it exact, you know, rotate the wheel,
get it into this side of the joints, rotate the wheel,
get it into that side of the joints and let
the PB sit there and work and soak in. It's
got to get underneath and get to the because it's
basically two little U joints with trunion bearings. So you know,
(03:12):
we want to let the PB blaster get in there
and soak and work its way in and try and
see if it freeze things up. And if it does,
and it may fix it. And if it does fix it,
then the next thing I'm going to tell you to use.
PB blaster also makes something called multi Max lubricant again
with a straw, and I would just start pumping that
in there to displace the PB. So now it's got
(03:35):
a lubricant in there. You know, if they're putting like
a heavy grease on that, it might seem it right,
they probably sprayed it with yellow lithium or white grease
or whatever we want to call it. To me, it's
always been yellow grease. But you know that's that's where
I would go with this second question.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
So, yeah, so this is like low on the rate. Yeah,
I've got an appointment I made with a mechanic. It's
a zero one twenty eight something to do with the
I think it's a thermostat you know it's sticking open,
so it's you know, it's not you know, it's not
throwing out good heat. And the check engine light came
on and that kind of thing. So you know, that's
not a huge deal unless you want to interject, and
(04:15):
then then let's let's.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Seeah back up. So P zero one twenty eight is
I always think of it and explain it like this.
It's rate of rise. You live in a house, right, yeah,
you turn on the heat, you are you turn on
the air conditioning. You're looking for a temperature differential in
a set period of time. Otherwise you get Otherwise you
get cranky or or you live with cranking. You have
(04:39):
to listen to her, and this is about this is
about rate of rise. Okay, if we turn the if
we start the car, does it come up the temperature
within whatever the manufacturer or whatever the software engineer wants
three minutes, four minutes, five minutes, et cetera. If if
they want to see one hundred and ninety five degrees
(04:59):
in three three minutes and it gets to one hundred
and ninety five degrees in three minutes and five seconds,
it's gonna set a P zero one twenty eight thermostat
rationality rate of rise was incorrect. So it's it's not
that the thermostat is stuck open. It's that it doesn't
properly control and cycle to help bring the engine up
(05:20):
the temperature so well. It could be the sensor, it
could be a lot of things, all right. But if
this is a seventeen jeep and you've got a you've
got a physical low heat condition, I'm gonna tell you
the likely place to start. I'm gonna look at fluid
levels and a few other things, but the likely place
to start is a thermostat, and that's gonna be That's
(05:40):
gonna be the thermostat end housing. The housing has the
bleed on it, right, You're probably or you may find
are you dealing with a Chrysler dealer or an independent?
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Uh, it's a Jeep dealership, Okay, so you.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
May find they may come back and tell you, hey,
the the OE thermostat is on back order. It's I
think it's been on back order eighteen months out of
my local guy here in New Jersey, and we've been
We've been using Motorad all right, and haven't had any issues.
The Motorad thermostat works really well. So, and it's built
(06:13):
for all I know, Motorad's making it for Chrysler because
it looks identical to the Chryslers were taking off the
markings and everything, the machining, the whole nine.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
I had my coolant replaced about two years ago, two
years plus. Would I be able to see like like
beautifully colored uh coolant, you know? Or is it going
to be like muddy like it shouldn't.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
It shouldn't be what? What? What would make you think
it would be muddy looking?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Well, you know, rust and whatnot inside the inside the
uh you know, the coolant system. Where would the right
I took off the cap just to see the level
of the coolant. The radiator's full, but it's kind of like,
you know, it's kind of like that uh, that stuff
they're trying to sell that, you know, that that coffee stuff.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
It's it's murky. Yeah, So it needs it needs an exchange,
and not just the drain and fill. It needs a
physical exchange. And it sounds like if the coolant is
contaminated breaking down. I'm going to use the word oxygenated
not probably not the right word, but that's how my
mind sees it. What makes things rust. You ever think
(07:17):
about this? Right, And and I learned this on a
trip to Bermuda many years ago. You'd go, you know,
you went snorkeling, and you saw some things in the
bottom of the ocean that were rusted in, some things
that were not. And when I looked at it, like
I was curious, I thought everything would rust when it
hits water. No, it's the oxygen content of water that
makes things rust. So some things can sit in water
(07:38):
and never rust. There's no oxygen content. So why do
car engines, you know, rot from the inside out because
oxygen is getting induced somewhere? And is it a leaky radiator?
Most common cause is a leaky or failing radiator cap. Right,
the cap doesn't seal properly, and now it allows oxygen
(07:59):
to be induced into the system. So where we're going
to go here is you know, a barring engine oil contamination,
trans oil contamination through the radiator cooler, you know, barring
the wide periphery of possibilities. I'm going to say, let's
do an exchange. Let's put a fresh radiator cap on it,
Let's put a rate, let's put a thermostat in it,
(08:20):
and let's watch and see where it goes, right, Okay,
so you know that would be my first step. By
the way, motorad makes an excellent radiator. Cap to third question, yep.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
So the last question, you know is you know something
you've covered on your show quite a bit, is uh
you know? And I just want to kind of get
it straight from you. It's like the availability of parts
for the you know, the twenty seventeen Geep Wrangler. You know,
whether it's a two door or four door. You know
a mine's the four door. But you know it's like
is that stuff still out there? Like is it yes, ubiquitous?
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Guess yes, it's it's there. What it is? The question?
Let me ask you the question, Ralph, is the question
because are you thinking is it time to replace it?
Or is it time to keep going? Is that what's
rolling around in your head?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
I'm at that point, like I'm seventy five thousand miles.
I don't drive a lot, but you know I like
to keep my jeep, you know, like you know pretty
you know, well taken care of.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
You know.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
So okay, so let's let's let's attack it like this.
If Ralph had to go out and buy another jeep,
could he afford to Yeah, all right, has Ralph just right?
Has Ralph driven a new vehicle yet? A new Jeep?
Speaker 5 (09:30):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (09:31):
I bought this new and twenty eight.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
No, no, no no. Have you have you driven a brand
new Have you driven a twenty five Wrangler? Have you
driven the new model? Once you go, drive the new
model of that, just take it for a road test. Yeah,
I'm a fan of keeping things. Listen, you're talking to
the wrong guy about getting rid of a vehicle. You know,
I don't want to get rid of it. You know,
my four suburban is still you know. I take great
pride in my stash of parts.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
My window regulator is my fuel. I was just looking
at the other day. I think I could build another suburban,
you know, and I just I just like the vehicle.
So you know, this is about commitment, right, There's gonna
be good years in bed years owning this, owning this
now eight year old jeep. And are you ready for that?
Are you ready mentally for that?
Speaker 5 (10:12):
You know?
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Are you going to is it going to start to
drag you down? If the trans were to fail in
the next twenty thousand miles and it's seven to eight
grand to put a trans in this, would you do it?
Speaker 5 (10:22):
No?
Speaker 3 (10:22):
I don't know, right, well, I look at the trade
in value. They're only offering me about fifteen thousand for
the trades, so they're gonna they're going to resell it
for twenty two.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Right or whatever? If listen, selling a jeep is never
really a problem. They have a market onto their own, right,
do yourself a favor, all right, And I'll say this
brotherly love. Right, do yourself a favor. Go road test
a new one, Go try and sell yours. See what
it's worth, see what the market will bear, and let
that be your deciding barometers. As far as parts, they're
(10:54):
out there, there's enough of those vehicles there, there's enough
of a market, there's enough of demand.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
But all what about the art about getting stuck with
a turbo?
Speaker 5 (11:02):
See?
Speaker 3 (11:02):
I like the three point six leader the Pennastar V six, right,
but you know, I'm a little sketchy on the on
the turbo. So I think it's like a two point
four liter turbo. And you can get a manual trans
with with with the three point six leader of V six,
you know, all the way up to the rubicon, Right,
which man would you want that yeah, it's fine.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Okay, once you go drive some once you go drive
some vehicles, Ralph. Yeah, because you're doing the worst. You're
doing the worst thing you could do. You're negotiating with yourself, right, yeah,
all right, and I say that with love. Do that,
call me back, let me know what you decide to do.
But I wouldn't I wouldn't get rid of that for
fear of oh my gosh, there's no parts. It might
be a search, but they'll be there, all right.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Right, yeah, thanks, I appreciate your on.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
You're very welcome, sir. You'd be well eight five five
five six zero nine nine zero zero running any in
the car? Doctor? I am back right after this. Okay,
let's wandered down Virginia Way and talk to Donald Donald.
What's going on?
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Oh, what's going on? I got a little two thousand
and seven Kia rio. Okay, Well, I was driving the
back are of last week. I lived a half month
seven eleven when I got a couple of coffees. Twenty
minutes later, come out and getting in it. Once started
started about two seconds cut off, I said, Man, that's
got that sounds like a fuel point wented out on
(12:26):
me or or time best. So I tried to well
it over. It wouldn't do nothing. So I got it,
found me, got me and my nephew call it home.
I said, I wanted to futile ef back in then
see if it start. But it didn't hit. I said, well,
I mean, let me try crank and see what you
know if it's turning any faster. Case of time about
my broke. Well, it worrid over and like it hit
(12:47):
a tight spot. Then he tried to start and then
I tried it again and it fired up and its
been run since then. It acts it up again this
morning the same ain't again.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
So so it had a moment of did it did
it change the way it cranked?
Speaker 5 (13:02):
Was?
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Did it sound different than it normally sounds when you
crank it over?
Speaker 4 (13:07):
Just when I tried to start it it acts like
I want to hit. But I took it ahead and
put it on a computer and dependon find nothing wrong.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Yeah, yeah, I'm not expecting. I'm not expecting to find
the code. Uh you know, I'd be curious just to
see what the timing belt looks like, right does it?
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Does it?
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Does it run good? Right now? If you can you
take it out on the road and drive it like normal.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Yeah, well, yeah, okay, all right, yeah we do.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
We have something? You know, I'm spitballing. Do we have
something mechanical going on in the engine? I would at
least pull the time and cover off and take a
look at the belt. Have you owned the car along?
Speaker 5 (13:44):
Well?
Speaker 4 (13:46):
She bought a brand new all.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Right, And has anybody any history of a timing belt?
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Did you?
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Well? I talked to her. She said they put one
in abody a year ago.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Okay, well, I'd still look at it, you know, did theay?
Whose day was it? Kia was an independent shop? Is
there something? Is there something failing? I'd rather take the
ounce of prevention now, just to just you know, here's
the case of tell me what's good. I'll tell you
what's bad. If you look at the timing belt and
there's no wear marks, there's nothing fraying, there's nothing worn,
then I'm gonna say, all right, let's move on to
(14:18):
the next thing. But you know, if we've got an issue.
How many miles are on this probably a lot?
Speaker 4 (14:23):
Yeah, by at night drink now, two.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
Hundred thousand miles. Brother, you know you're about eighteen, you're
about fifteen years and let's see, you're probably about one
hundred thousand miles past what Kia thought it would go.
So you're doing good, but it.
Speaker 4 (14:39):
Don't use or drop all well, you can't knock off?
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Yeah all yep, yep, yep yep. And and just out
of curiosity, it cranked okay when it didn't start or
could it have been anything related like a bed like
a bed or a weak battery.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Nope, bring new battery. Okay, okay, because because I put
a brain new mint and make.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Sure right and right now it's running fine?
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Yeah, right now, running fine.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
I would I would take a look at the timing
belt just to make sure it looks okay. As a
critical point, do we have the beginnings of a starter
that's failing? Although you say, well yeah, click, I'd almost
have to hear this, but from the sounds of it,
you're saying that the engine had a hard time cranking
over right?
Speaker 4 (15:26):
Well, well, no word over you hit like a tight
spot like you want to part, then I'll switch you
here again.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
It far up, okay. I would be curious do we
have a start of some sort of mechanical issue starter
or flywheel something like that, or do we have a
timing belt issue going on, and I would check both
before I drove this car on a continuous basis.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
Yeah, because I was kind kind of important towards the
brain box.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Well, why what makes you think it's a bad computer.
That's a pretty, that's a pretty, that's a pretty random
shot in the dark.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
Yeah, well yeah, most a lot of experment as to
put make it far where you will go through it
rightway in all the because yes, two days ago I
was driving stopped stop lighting a call for like it
was an electric car by far right back up?
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Well you got to you got to remember, you know,
there's an awful lot of inputs to a PCM and
before I before I jump down that hole, i'd want
to verify the easy, least expensive stuff before I started
looking at anything else. All right, because here, let's play
the game. Okay, it's a computer. How much is that
going to cost? Is it a guess? Is it diagnosed?
(16:33):
Who's going to put it in? Where you're going to
get one from, who's going to do the software update?
Because understand, putting a computer in a vehicle that old
is not like walking down to the nearest computer store,
buying one and plugging it in. On your desktop at home. Yeah,
I know, so all right, kiddo, okay, you'd be well, yes, sir,
(16:54):
uh yeah, it's not that easy. Real quick, mister Ray,
I notice you're wearing a uh New York Giants sweatshirt today?
Speaker 5 (17:02):
Yes? I am?
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Is there a reason for that? You like? Hold? Oh,
it just kind of happened to be there.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
But I don't have to after last week's game, I
don't have to wear the bag over my head anymore.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
And what happens if they win tomorrow? All right? Ask
questions tomorrow? I should say, what happens when they win tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Well, when they win tomorrow, there will be no talking
to me next week?
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Oh good lord. And then if they beat Philadelphia the
week after next, oh my god, that'll be the second time.
Can you imagine? I think we should end the season?
Then I would agree? Yeah, I know? How much better
could it get? Eight five five five six zero nine
nine zero zero. Pray for Tom Ray America. He needs
every chance he can get. I'm Ron a nanny and
the car doctor. I'll be back right after this. Let's uh,
(17:48):
let's go to Shannon to Maryland. Shannon, Welcome to the
card Doctor. How can I help them.
Speaker 6 (17:52):
Hi, I wanted to talk to the lady that had
two catalytic converters go out. I with my experience with
catalytic converter that they rarely ever go out let alone twice.
But I want to ask you what I do to
fix mine? Is I floor when I get my engine light?
I always go to advanced autos. They tell me it's
my catalytic converter, and I go and I floor it
(18:15):
like twice, and then the next time I turn it on,
my light'll be off. But the one guy did tell
me an O two censor. If I ignore that, that's
what the problem is. Am I damaging it? Or is
it just telling me it's kind of clogged and I
can continue. I did put some of the additive in it,
and that worked great when I couldn't floor it and
(18:36):
clean it out.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Well, me ask Let me ask, Let me ask you
a couple of questions. What kind of car are we
talking about?
Speaker 6 (18:42):
A twenty twelve Honda cr vay. It's the last till
I die unless it goes.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
Quicker, okay?
Speaker 2 (18:48):
And what makes you think catalytic converters never go bet.
I'm not arguing, I'm just curious where you got that.
Speaker 6 (18:53):
That's that's what I my brother.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Okay, what does your brother do for a living?
Speaker 6 (18:59):
Oh, he has worked on tons and tons of cars,
but actually he's retired at the moment. But you're right,
I mean, but I'm managing it. The light goes out
after I floor it. And actually I had one mechanic.
I was supposed to get my catalytic converter changed. And
he said, well, how do you drive? I said, well,
like a little old lady. And he said, well, how
(19:20):
many how many?
Speaker 2 (19:21):
How many miles are on your Honda Shennon?
Speaker 6 (19:23):
It is one hundred and ninety two thousand.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Okay, So catalytic converters wear out. It's just it's just
a fact the life. You want to get longer life
out of a cat, do regular scheduled oil changes, do
fuel system cleaning, make sure the crank case ventilation system
is working properly, and you know, depending on your style
of driving. Yeah, theoretically you'll get longer life out of
(19:47):
a cat, but they do fail. Believe me, the catalytic
the catalytic converter replacement market is very legitimate and it's
a it's a it's a billion dollar business in all
likelihood if we sat down and measured it in terms
of what gets read placed on an annual basis or
over a ten year timeframe. That being said, all right,
what you're doing is well, let me tell you how.
(20:09):
Let me tell you how catalytic converters get measured to
see if they're good or bad. All right, A catalytic
converter is up. Think of it as like a little
bitty bonfire in the exhaust system. It has to burn
at a certain temperature, all right. It has to be efficient, right.
A cold engine is not efficient, An overheated engine is
not efficient. A cold catalytic converter is not efficient, and
(20:30):
overheated catalytic converter is not efficient. It has to run
a specific temperature range. When it's in that temperature range,
it causes a chemical reaction to reduce pollutants that are
coming down the exhaust pipe and convert them into carbon
dioxide and other non lethal pollutants to the atmosphere, to
the environment. Right, how do we know? How do we
(20:54):
know what that is? We know it's carbon dioxide and oxygen.
We're looking at oxygen sensor activity, all right, But but
an oxygen sensor measures the issues a catalytic converter. Actually,
you know does the reduction. So for the fella to say, oh,
it's an O two censor, I don't think so. The
(21:14):
system on a modern vehicle gets tested probably six different ways,
each component, over over six different timeframes, so to speak.
It's very complex. You ever notice when you go to
the doctor, what do they do? They always do the
same thing. They do the same repetitive testing heart rate,
blood pressure, They ask you the questions, they run you through. Right,
it's the same cars do the same thing every time
(21:35):
you start them. They run through the same repetitive testing
of every component during some kind of timeframe. What I
think you're doing is I think you're putting off the
inevitable that the car has a failing catalytic converter, its
efficiency is falling below seventy percent, which is the average number.
(21:56):
At seventy one percent efficiency, it'll work at sixty nine
percent efficiency, it'll set a fault code. And yeah, if
you're driving the proverbial quote unquote little old lady, the
catalytic converters loaded up, it's it's never getting hot enough,
it's never getting a good enough run, and you're you're
putting off the inevitable? Are you are you hurting anything? Well?
(22:20):
How old are you? Can I ask you that question, Shannon?
Are you over sixty five? Oh?
Speaker 6 (22:24):
Yeah, sixty eight?
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Okay, So when you were thirty eight, could you jog
and run and accelerate real quick? And it wasn't that
big a strain on you? Right? Right if you wanted
to do it?
Speaker 6 (22:34):
Now, how hard is it a little difficult?
Speaker 5 (22:37):
Right?
Speaker 2 (22:37):
So you're now asking the sixty eight year little old
lady to go and run as fast as she could
and jog as fast as she could like she was
thirty eight. You're overstressing her. So you're you're you know,
it's a mechanical thing, it's a it's it's a machine.
But you know, you're you're asking more of it than
it's necessary. Whereas if you put a cat in it
and you could just drive it like the proverbial little
(22:58):
old lady, wouldn't it last longer?
Speaker 6 (23:02):
Well that isn't my question, So okay now now.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
And let me let me ruin your day further though.
All right, you know, when you do this catalytic converter,
consider getting one out of Honda. I know the price
point will be huge.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
It is different.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Yeah, it's it's huge, but but you laid down you know,
you know what makes the aftermarket cat so much cheaper? No,
the saws? Well, the size, right, they don't last. You know,
if the original equipment cat is is twenty eight inches
long and the aftermarket cat is twenty inches long, that's
eight inches of difference. That eight inches is going to
(23:42):
come back to you in terms of longevity, efficiency, and
just plain and simple, how long that cat lasts? If
you really want to drive this until you don't have
to drive anymore. Well, the first one lasted you two
hundred thousand miles and thirteen years.
Speaker 6 (23:59):
Yeah, so that's take. It's going to last longer. No,
I mean not necessarily. I mean you say, how many
miles should I expect on my car? Keeping it up
to date on everything, which I usually did.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
I knew, well, you're asking you're asking the wrong guy
that question. I drove a seventy two money Carlo in
college to four hundred thousand miles when cars back then
we're getting one hundred thousand. I've got a ninety seven
Ranger that's got two hundred and thirty thousand miles on it.
I've got an O four suburban with ninety seven thousand
miles on it looks like that they rolled off the
assembly line. You know, I always look at replacing parts
(24:30):
and replacing a car as two separate items. If you
went out to date to replace that Honda CRV, emotions aside, right,
let's keep emotions out of this. Oh, I want a
shiny red car once before I die. That's the expression.
That's what goes through our minds. We're human, We're all human.
We all see that same shiny red car coming down
the road. Oh I want one of those. That's an
(24:51):
emotional thing. But the practical side, I want to drive
this until I can't drive it anymore. Well, let's see,
so from an emotional perspective, forty thousand dollars for a
new car or two thousand dollars a year to maintain it.
Start doing the math. Yeah, and that two thousand a
(25:12):
year isn't every year. Where the plan runs into a
glitch is finding parts, finding somebody that's really dedicated to
taking care of it, and you know, having to put
up with the you know, gee, do I have a
big car expense coming up this month? All those things wig.
Speaker 6 (25:29):
In good, good point. Thank you, all right, so you're
very welcome.
Speaker 5 (25:35):
All right, Kiddle, all.
Speaker 6 (25:36):
Right, tell Bill, I'm on my way. He listens to you,
and I'm going to go buy a bicycle, all right.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Go buy a bicycle. You have a great time, Shannon.
So hey, Bill, Shannon's on our way. You've been warned
eight five five five six zero nine nine zero zero
run on naming of the car. Doctor. I'll be back
maybe right after this and the disco ball. God that
white shit you're telling you you like that? Huh oh No,
(26:02):
I don't don travolt to eat your heart out. So
let's go to Bob in Virginia. Thirteen Silverado. What's going
on here, Robert?
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (26:10):
Hi, Ron. So it's a twenty thirteen Silverado. It's got
about two hundred and fifty five thousand miles, and about
two months ago started running rough. Check engine light came on,
so it was due for plugs and new wires. So
I did that myself, right, and it didn't It didn't
solve it. It didn't help the problem. So the check engine
light was still long, still running rough. So I took
it in a mechanic and he told me I had low
(26:32):
compression in cylinder number five. Okay, okay, So I picked
the car up, I took it, and I'm deciding on,
you know, what I want to do about that, And
in the meantime, the problem seems to come and go.
It's like intermittent. So the majority of the time's running
rough and the check engines later on. But there's sometimes
where maybe you know, for so long, it'll go out
(26:52):
and it'll start running smoothly again, and that's not that's
maybe like ten twenty percent of the time. The rest
of the eighty ninety percent of the time it's rough
and check engine lights on. But there are those periods
of time where to check engine leos out on its
own and the engines running smooth, smoothly. I'm sticking to myself.
I didn't know.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
I didn't know you could have an intermittent compression problem.
Speaker 5 (27:13):
Now now, one of the last thing I'll tell you.
Sometimes it seems like it's affected by when I put
gas in it, like a new fresh tank of gas,
or I've even put some gasoline additives in there, and
sometimes that seems to affect it. Right, if that's if
that's possible.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
So if we work on the theory that the mechanic
is correct. All right, we're gonna We're gonna beat this
up a couple of different ways. So get ready. If
we work on if we work on the theory that
this is a compression loss, that it was really low
on compression and it's legit and the guy diagnosed it, right,
let's talk about how can we have intermittent low compression
on a cylinder?
Speaker 5 (27:49):
Right?
Speaker 2 (27:49):
First one is carbon deposits? Right? Do we have excess
carbon deposits on the valves? And are they creating a
problem where the valves aren't ceiling? And that's not uncommon
on these as they age. One of the ways, one
of the ways to try and diagnose it, you know's
a couple of things. When it's running rough, you know,
put a gauge in there. Do I have? Do I
(28:10):
have physically low cranking mechanical compression?
Speaker 5 (28:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (28:14):
All right, Let's let's make up a number. You know,
seven the seven cylinders are one hundred and eighty pounds
and number five is ninety right, so you know I've
got legitimate low compression. How do I know where it's
coming from? Let's do a cylinder leak down test? All right,
are you familiar with that term? I know I'm not okay.
(28:36):
So a cylinder leaked down test, A cylinder is a cylinder, right,
It's just an engine. Cylinder is just a sealed container
for an explosion to happen. And if we do a
leaked down test, we're putting an air hose to the
spark plug hole. We're bringing the cylinder. We're bringing number
five around onto compression stroke where in theory the valves
(28:56):
are both closed, right, and we're going to put an
auxiliary air regulator attachment to it, and we're going to
put one hundred pounds in and see how much air
it holds. If the cylinder was perfectly sealed and I
put one hundred pounds in in theory, how much should
I hold? And a perfect hold one hundred right in
a perfect world. The only thing I ever saw come
(29:17):
close to hold one hundred, for the record was the
hot rod when it was fresh. It held ninety eight
because I'd leaked. I leaked all the cylinders myself. But
you will see this right away. If this is a
true low compression problem on number five, you're going to
put one hundred in and you're going to see seventy five,
sixty whatever. Now, what good does that do as well?
It tells us two things. It verifies the mechanical compression
(29:40):
theory of being low as correct. But number two, where's
the air going? Do I hear it? Do I hear
it coming out the intake, which means it's an intake
valve that's stuck open. If I get underneath and listen
at the tailpipe and I listen with this tethoscope, do
I hear it out the exhaust which means an exhaust valve?
So in either case, now I know I've got to
(30:00):
confirm mechanical condition in the engine. Do I need to
pull the engine? Because I already know where your mind
is going, right, you know it's it's you know, do
you put an engine in it? Do you do heads?
Do you you know you want to keep the truck?
I can hear the whole argument in your head going on.
That's what you're calling me? Uh you know? I if
and let me let me back up. If this has
a mechanical fault that it physically needs cylinder heads, you're
(30:23):
doing an engine. If if if this needs a a
camshaft for some reason, Let's say this is a cam
related problem, a lifter problem, something along those lines. Whether
or not you need an engine is going to be
predicated on what the engine looks like when you open
it up. You'll you'll tell me you did all your
oil changes, and I'm going to tell you it doesn't matter.
I want to know what the engine looks like on
(30:44):
the inside. Does it does it look you know, factory
fresh or is it sludgy and gummy? And I'm just
you know, I'm just putting lipstick on a pig, right,
so you know that all comes into effect. But I
want to know, you know, do I really have a
low cylinder low compression problem? On number four? If I
were to take a borscope, if we were standing at
the shop and I was walking through, what do I
(31:05):
do At some point? I'm going to take a borscope
if I think this is a real low compression issue,
and run the borscope, which is just like what the
plumber uses to look up the walls of the house.
I'm going to run a borscope down the intake and
look at the valves. Do I see carbon? If I
see carbon, I might try a carbon cleaning, a real
true carbon cleaning, because carbon on the valves that comes
(31:26):
and goes. Maybe I can get away with doing a
fuel system cleaning, and.
Speaker 5 (31:31):
You know, how's that? How's that done?
Speaker 2 (31:34):
You got an Advance Auto parts by you? Yeah, go
down there and go down there and see if they
have a CRCGDI service pack. All right, and I'll tell
you what. Stay put. When I come back, we'll finish
up and I'll tell you exactly how it works. Bob,
I'm ronning Andy and the car Doctor. I'll be back
right after this. I think that's from Beverly Hills cop.
(31:55):
Every time I hear that song, I just wonder. But anyway,
Bob Virginia, you're still there, sir. Yeah, So let's talk
real quick. Are you a mechanic at all, Bob? Any
mechanical ability or.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
I mean, I'm not a no, no, no professional cap but
I've done engines and taking them apart and putting all
that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Do you own a vacuum gauge?
Speaker 5 (32:15):
No? I don't.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
Okay, go buy a vacuum gauge. Spend twenty bucks, spend
forty bucks, get a good one, right, and let's let's
learn about you. Do you ever think about what vacuum is?
Vacuum is, vacuum is vacuum is the absence of pressure.
An engine is a big air pump, all right, and
it's in its simplest form squeeze, suck, pop, blow right, intake, compression, power, exhaust,
(32:37):
and you know, vacuum is what's produced an engine. A good,
healthy engine produces good vacuum. So when the engine is
running well, you'll see somewhere between sixteen and twenty inches
of manifold vacuum. Better yet, if you have another car
in the family, look at that car for a vacuum
and see what it does. So you'll understand, yeah, good, good,
(32:57):
a good running engine. Disregarding value overlap and valve timing
and all that nonsense, you know, learn about vacuum. Vacuum
is a cheap thing to learn about, and you can't
do it. You know, you can do it really really
economically in this day and age. So, but the idea
of a fuel system cleaning is that if the intake
valve is carbon coded. Right, doing a fuel system cleaning
(33:19):
using a CRC kit Vance Auto or it's available online,
what you'll do is you'll hook up to the rail.
You'll actually spray a chemical through clean out the injectors,
you will clean the throttle body, if you see any
form of improvement, it tells you that you're going in
the right direction. But I'd like you to see you
do a vacuum reading before and after it, because you
(33:40):
might see a difference in how the engine operates that
might help determine which direction to go. Call me back
if you need more, Bob, I'm running ady in the car. Doctor.
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.
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(00:25):
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start your enginies. The Car Doctor is in the garage
(00:47):
and ready to take your call.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Hey, we we have another great hour for you here
on the Car Doctor. Thanks for coming by today. Let's
get to the phones right away as they're busy and
backed up at eight five five five six zero nine
nine zero zero. Ralph, New York State, Yes, sir, how
can I help you? Thank you for waiting there so patiently.
What's going on.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Yeah, we took a pause. Hey, ron, I got a
few issues with my twenty seventeen jeep wrangler. It's a
four door. I got intermittent kind of sticky steering. Can
you hear me?
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Okay, yep, sure, great?
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Uh so, yes, the steering gets hard and then it
kind of comes and goes. You know, I had them
like lubricate the universal joint that comes off the steering
shaft right, and you know, I'm gonna I just my
main concern is is it a mode of failure? What
I will I lose steering? What is it like on too?
Is it total blocks?
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Is it? Is it when when they lubed it, And
before I ask you how they lubed it, did did
any of what they did have any effect on it?
Did it make it better or it just stayed the same.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
It did make it better, seemed like it temporarily got better.
I'm gonna see if they can throw some molly or
some Lucas like White Lithian Greece or something like that
on it. Well next time.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Actually, what I'd like to I'd like to see him
do is you know what's going on here then? Because
there's a hundred ways to go with this. This is
this an electric steering ract, you know this should be
there should be electric assist as far as the steering
is concerning, probably, right, does it take Did they talk
to you about special poa steering fluid, electro hydraulic para
(02:15):
steering fluid? Did they say it probably has that? So
let's go on that assumption. But but let's back up.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Replaced like everything from the cool end to the brake
fluid to steering.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yeah no, it's not. Yeah no, that's not where I'm
going with this. If spraying the steering shaft with the
with the flex couplings and it made a difference, all right,
If loubing that made a difference, then why don't we
just take something in the way of a rust penetrant.
If it's rusty, let's break down the rust packing grease
in there. Grease is grease. Rust penetrant breaks rust down.
(02:47):
So sometimes just something as simple peb let's use let's
use peb blaster, right the straw. Make it so that
we can get it exact, you know, rotate the wheel,
get it into this side of the joints, rotate the wheel,
get it into that side of the joints and let
the PB sit there and work and soak in. It's
got to get underneath and get to the because it's
basically two little U joints with trunion bearings. So you know,
(03:12):
we want to let the PB blaster get in there
and soak and work its way in and try and
see if it freeze things up. And if it does,
and it may fix it. And if it does fix it,
then the next thing I'm going to tell you to use.
PB blaster also makes something called multi Max lubricant again
with a straw, and I would just start pumping that
in there to displace the PB. So now it's got
(03:35):
a lubricant in there. You know, if they're putting like
a heavy grease on that, it might seem it right,
they probably sprayed it with yellow lithium or white grease
or whatever we want to call it. To me, it's
always been yellow grease. But you know that's that's where
I would go with this second question.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
So, yeah, so this is like low on the rate. Yeah,
I've got an appointment I made with a mechanic. It's
a zero one twenty eight something to do with the
I think it's a thermostat you know it's sticking open,
so it's you know, it's not you know, it's not
throwing out good heat. And the check engine light came
on and that kind of thing. So you know, that's
not a huge deal unless you want to interject, and
(04:15):
then then let's let's.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Seeah back up. So P zero one twenty eight is
I always think of it and explain it like this.
It's rate of rise. You live in a house, right, yeah,
you turn on the heat, you are you turn on
the air conditioning. You're looking for a temperature differential in
a set period of time. Otherwise you get Otherwise you
get cranky or or you live with cranking. You have
(04:39):
to listen to her, and this is about this is
about rate of rise. Okay, if we turn the if
we start the car, does it come up the temperature
within whatever the manufacturer or whatever the software engineer wants
three minutes, four minutes, five minutes, et cetera. If if
they want to see one hundred and ninety five degrees
(04:59):
in three three minutes and it gets to one hundred
and ninety five degrees in three minutes and five seconds,
it's gonna set a P zero one twenty eight thermostat
rationality rate of rise was incorrect. So it's it's not
that the thermostat is stuck open. It's that it doesn't
properly control and cycle to help bring the engine up
(05:20):
the temperature so well. It could be the sensor, it
could be a lot of things, all right. But if
this is a seventeen jeep and you've got a you've
got a physical low heat condition, I'm gonna tell you
the likely place to start. I'm gonna look at fluid
levels and a few other things, but the likely place
to start is a thermostat, and that's gonna be That's
(05:40):
gonna be the thermostat end housing. The housing has the
bleed on it, right, You're probably or you may find
are you dealing with a Chrysler dealer or an independent?
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Uh, it's a Jeep dealership, Okay, so you.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
May find they may come back and tell you, hey,
the the OE thermostat is on back order. It's I
think it's been on back order eighteen months out of
my local guy here in New Jersey, and we've been
We've been using Motorad all right, and haven't had any issues.
The Motorad thermostat works really well. So, and it's built
(06:13):
for all I know, Motorad's making it for Chrysler because
it looks identical to the Chryslers were taking off the
markings and everything, the machining, the whole nine.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
I had my coolant replaced about two years ago, two
years plus. Would I be able to see like like
beautifully colored uh coolant, you know? Or is it going
to be like muddy like it shouldn't.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
It shouldn't be what? What? What would make you think
it would be muddy looking?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Well, you know, rust and whatnot inside the inside the
uh you know, the coolant system. Where would the right
I took off the cap just to see the level
of the coolant. The radiator's full, but it's kind of like,
you know, it's kind of like that uh, that stuff
they're trying to sell that, you know, that that coffee stuff.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
It's it's murky. Yeah, So it needs it needs an exchange,
and not just the drain and fill. It needs a
physical exchange. And it sounds like if the coolant is
contaminated breaking down. I'm going to use the word oxygenated
not probably not the right word, but that's how my
mind sees it. What makes things rust. You ever think
(07:17):
about this? Right, And and I learned this on a
trip to Bermuda many years ago. You'd go, you know,
you went snorkeling, and you saw some things in the
bottom of the ocean that were rusted in, some things
that were not. And when I looked at it, like
I was curious, I thought everything would rust when it
hits water. No, it's the oxygen content of water that
makes things rust. So some things can sit in water
(07:38):
and never rust. There's no oxygen content. So why do
car engines, you know, rot from the inside out because
oxygen is getting induced somewhere? And is it a leaky radiator?
Most common cause is a leaky or failing radiator cap. Right,
the cap doesn't seal properly, and now it allows oxygen
(07:59):
to be induced into the system. So where we're going
to go here is you know, a barring engine oil contamination,
trans oil contamination through the radiator cooler, you know, barring
the wide periphery of possibilities. I'm going to say, let's
do an exchange. Let's put a fresh radiator cap on it,
Let's put a rate, let's put a thermostat in it,
(08:20):
and let's watch and see where it goes, right, Okay,
so you know that would be my first step. By
the way, motorad makes an excellent radiator. Cap to third question, yep.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
So the last question, you know is you know something
you've covered on your show quite a bit, is uh
you know? And I just want to kind of get
it straight from you. It's like the availability of parts
for the you know, the twenty seventeen Geep Wrangler. You know,
whether it's a two door or four door. You know
a mine's the four door. But you know it's like
is that stuff still out there? Like is it yes, ubiquitous?
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Guess yes, it's it's there. What it is? The question?
Let me ask you the question, Ralph, is the question
because are you thinking is it time to replace it?
Or is it time to keep going? Is that what's
rolling around in your head?
Speaker 3 (09:06):
I'm at that point, like I'm seventy five thousand miles.
I don't drive a lot, but you know I like
to keep my jeep, you know, like you know pretty
you know, well taken care of.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
You know.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
So okay, so let's let's let's attack it like this.
If Ralph had to go out and buy another jeep,
could he afford to Yeah, all right, has Ralph just right?
Has Ralph driven a new vehicle yet? A new Jeep?
Speaker 5 (09:30):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (09:31):
I bought this new and twenty eight.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
No, no, no no. Have you have you driven a brand
new Have you driven a twenty five Wrangler? Have you
driven the new model? Once you go, drive the new
model of that, just take it for a road test. Yeah,
I'm a fan of keeping things. Listen, you're talking to
the wrong guy about getting rid of a vehicle. You know,
I don't want to get rid of it. You know,
my four suburban is still you know. I take great
pride in my stash of parts.
Speaker 6 (09:54):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
My window regulator is my fuel. I was just looking
at the other day. I think I could build another suburban,
you know, and I just I just like the vehicle.
So you know, this is about commitment, right, There's gonna
be good years in bed years owning this, owning this
now eight year old jeep. And are you ready for that?
Are you ready mentally for that?
Speaker 5 (10:12):
You know?
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Are you going to is it going to start to
drag you down? If the trans were to fail in
the next twenty thousand miles and it's seven to eight
grand to put a trans in this, would you do it?
Speaker 5 (10:22):
No?
Speaker 3 (10:22):
I don't know, right, well, I look at the trade
in value. They're only offering me about fifteen thousand for
the trades, so they're gonna they're going to resell it
for twenty two.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Right or whatever? If listen, selling a jeep is never
really a problem. They have a market onto their own, right,
do yourself a favor, all right, And I'll say this
brotherly love. Right, do yourself a favor. Go road test
a new one, Go try and sell yours. See what
it's worth, see what the market will bear, and let
that be your deciding barometers. As far as parts, they're
(10:54):
out there, there's enough of those vehicles there, there's enough
of a market, there's enough of demand.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
But all what about the art about getting stuck with
a turbo?
Speaker 5 (11:02):
See?
Speaker 3 (11:02):
I like the three point six leader the Pennastar V six, right,
but you know, I'm a little sketchy on the on
the turbo. So I think it's like a two point
four liter turbo. And you can get a manual trans
with with with the three point six leader of V six,
you know, all the way up to the rubicon, Right,
which man would you want that yeah, it's fine.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Okay, once you go drive some once you go drive
some vehicles, Ralph. Yeah, because you're doing the worst. You're
doing the worst thing you could do. You're negotiating with yourself, right, yeah,
all right, and I say that with love. Do that,
call me back, let me know what you decide to do.
But I wouldn't I wouldn't get rid of that for
fear of oh my gosh, there's no parts. It might
be a search, but they'll be there, all right.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Right, yeah, thanks, I appreciate your on.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
You're very welcome, sir. You'd be well eight five five
five six zero nine nine zero zero running any in
the car? Doctor? I am back right after this. Okay,
let's wandered down Virginia Way and talk to Donald Donald.
What's going on?
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Oh, what's going on? I got a little two thousand
and seven Kia rio. Okay, Well, I was driving the
back are of last week. I lived a half month
seven eleven when I got a couple of coffees. Twenty
minutes later, come out and getting in it. Once started
started about two seconds cut off, I said, Man, that's
got that sounds like a fuel point wented out on
(12:26):
me or or time best. So I tried to well
it over. It wouldn't do nothing. So I got it,
found me, got me and my nephew call it home.
I said, I wanted to futile ef back in then
see if it start. But it didn't hit. I said, well,
I mean, let me try crank and see what you
know if it's turning any faster. Case of time about
my broke. Well, it worrid over and like it hit
(12:47):
a tight spot. Then he tried to start and then
I tried it again and it fired up and its
been run since then. It acts it up again this
morning the same ain't again.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
So so it had a moment of did it did
it change the way it cranked?
Speaker 5 (13:02):
Was?
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Did it sound different than it normally sounds when you
crank it over?
Speaker 4 (13:07):
Just when I tried to start it it acts like
I want to hit. But I took it ahead and
put it on a computer and dependon find nothing wrong.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Yeah, yeah, I'm not expecting. I'm not expecting to find
the code. Uh you know, I'd be curious just to
see what the timing belt looks like, right does it?
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Does it?
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Does it run good? Right now? If you can you
take it out on the road and drive it like normal.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Yeah, well, yeah, okay, all right, yeah we do.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
We have something? You know, I'm spitballing. Do we have
something mechanical going on in the engine? I would at
least pull the time and cover off and take a
look at the belt. Have you owned the car along?
Speaker 5 (13:44):
Well?
Speaker 4 (13:46):
She bought a brand new all.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Right, And has anybody any history of a timing belt?
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Did you?
Speaker 4 (13:54):
Well? I talked to her. She said they put one
in abody a year ago.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Okay, well, I'd still look at it, you know, did theay?
Whose day was it? Kia was an independent shop? Is
there something? Is there something failing? I'd rather take the
ounce of prevention now, just to just you know, here's
the case of tell me what's good. I'll tell you
what's bad. If you look at the timing belt and
there's no wear marks, there's nothing fraying, there's nothing worn,
then I'm gonna say, all right, let's move on to
(14:18):
the next thing. But you know, if we've got an issue.
How many miles are on this probably a lot?
Speaker 4 (14:23):
Yeah, by at night drink now, two.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
Hundred thousand miles. Brother, you know you're about eighteen, you're
about fifteen years and let's see, you're probably about one
hundred thousand miles past what Kia thought it would go.
So you're doing good, but it.
Speaker 4 (14:39):
Don't use or drop all well, you can't knock off?
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Yeah all yep, yep, yep yep. And and just out
of curiosity, it cranked okay when it didn't start or
could it have been anything related like a bed like
a bed or a weak battery.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Nope, bring new battery. Okay, okay, because because I put
a brain new mint and make.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Sure right and right now it's running fine?
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Yeah, right now, running fine.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
I would I would take a look at the timing
belt just to make sure it looks okay. As a
critical point, do we have the beginnings of a starter
that's failing? Although you say, well yeah, click, I'd almost
have to hear this, but from the sounds of it,
you're saying that the engine had a hard time cranking
over right?
Speaker 4 (15:26):
Well, well, no word over you hit like a tight
spot like you want to part, then I'll switch you
here again.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
It far up, okay. I would be curious do we
have a start of some sort of mechanical issue starter
or flywheel something like that, or do we have a
timing belt issue going on, and I would check both
before I drove this car on a continuous basis.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
Yeah, because I was kind kind of important towards the
brain box.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Well, why what makes you think it's a bad computer.
That's a pretty, that's a pretty, that's a pretty random
shot in the dark.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
Yeah, well yeah, most a lot of experment as to
put make it far where you will go through it
rightway in all the because yes, two days ago I
was driving stopped stop lighting a call for like it
was an electric car by far right back up?
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Well you got to you got to remember, you know,
there's an awful lot of inputs to a PCM and
before I before I jump down that hole, i'd want
to verify the easy, least expensive stuff before I started
looking at anything else. All right, because here, let's play
the game. Okay, it's a computer. How much is that
going to cost? Is it a guess? Is it diagnosed?
(16:33):
Who's going to put it in? Where you're going to
get one from, who's going to do the software update?
Because understand, putting a computer in a vehicle that old
is not like walking down to the nearest computer store,
buying one and plugging it in. On your desktop at home. Yeah,
I know, so all right, kiddo, okay, you'd be well, yes, sir,
(16:54):
uh yeah, it's not that easy. Real quick, mister Ray,
I notice you're wearing a uh New York Giants sweatshirt today?
Speaker 5 (17:02):
Yes? I am?
Speaker 2 (17:03):
Is there a reason for that? You like? Hold? Oh,
it just kind of happened to be there.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
But I don't have to after last week's game, I
don't have to wear the bag over my head anymore.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
And what happens if they win tomorrow? All right? Ask
questions tomorrow? I should say, what happens when they win tomorrow?
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Well, when they win tomorrow, there will be no talking
to me next week?
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Oh good lord. And then if they beat Philadelphia the
week after next, oh my god, that'll be the second time.
Can you imagine? I think we should end the season?
Then I would agree? Yeah, I know? How much better
could it get? Eight five five five six zero nine
nine zero zero. Pray for Tom Ray America. He needs
every chance he can get. I'm Ron a nanny and
the car doctor. I'll be back right after this. Let's uh,
(17:48):
let's go to Shannon to Maryland. Shannon, Welcome to the
card Doctor. How can I help them.
Speaker 6 (17:52):
Hi, I wanted to talk to the lady that had
two catalytic converters go out. I with my experience with
catalytic converter that they rarely ever go out let alone twice.
But I want to ask you what I do to
fix mine? Is I floor when I get my engine light?
I always go to advanced autos. They tell me it's
my catalytic converter, and I go and I floor it
(18:15):
like twice, and then the next time I turn it on,
my light'll be off. But the one guy did tell
me an O two censor. If I ignore that, that's
what the problem is. Am I damaging it? Or is
it just telling me it's kind of clogged and I
can continue. I did put some of the additive in it,
and that worked great when I couldn't floor it and
(18:36):
clean it out.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Well, me ask Let me ask, Let me ask you
a couple of questions. What kind of car are we
talking about?
Speaker 6 (18:42):
A twenty twelve Honda cr vay. It's the last till
I die unless it goes.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
Quicker, okay?
Speaker 2 (18:48):
And what makes you think catalytic converters never go bet.
I'm not arguing, I'm just curious where you got that.
Speaker 6 (18:53):
That's that's what I my brother.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Okay, what does your brother do for a living?
Speaker 6 (18:59):
Oh, he has worked on tons and tons of cars,
but actually he's retired at the moment. But you're right,
I mean, but I'm managing it. The light goes out
after I floor it. And actually I had one mechanic.
I was supposed to get my catalytic converter changed. And
he said, well, how do you drive? I said, well,
like a little old lady. And he said, well, how
(19:20):
many how many?
Speaker 2 (19:21):
How many miles are on your Honda Shennon?
Speaker 6 (19:23):
It is one hundred and ninety two thousand.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Okay, So catalytic converters wear out. It's just it's just
a fact the life. You want to get longer life
out of a cat, do regular scheduled oil changes, do
fuel system cleaning, make sure the crank case ventilation system
is working properly, and you know, depending on your style
of driving. Yeah, theoretically you'll get longer life out of
(19:47):
a cat, but they do fail. Believe me, the catalytic
the catalytic converter replacement market is very legitimate and it's
a it's a it's a billion dollar business in all
likelihood if we sat down and measured it in terms
of what gets read placed on an annual basis or
over a ten year timeframe. That being said, all right,
what you're doing is well, let me tell you how.
(20:09):
Let me tell you how catalytic converters get measured to
see if they're good or bad. All right, A catalytic
converter is up. Think of it as like a little
bitty bonfire in the exhaust system. It has to burn
at a certain temperature, all right. It has to be efficient, right.
A cold engine is not efficient, An overheated engine is
not efficient. A cold catalytic converter is not efficient, and
(20:30):
overheated catalytic converter is not efficient. It has to run
a specific temperature range. When it's in that temperature range,
it causes a chemical reaction to reduce pollutants that are
coming down the exhaust pipe and convert them into carbon
dioxide and other non lethal pollutants to the atmosphere, to
the environment. Right, how do we know? How do we
(20:54):
know what that is? We know it's carbon dioxide and oxygen.
We're looking at oxygen sensor activity, all right, But but
an oxygen sensor measures the issues a catalytic converter. Actually,
you know does the reduction. So for the fella to say, oh,
it's an O two censor, I don't think so. The
(21:14):
system on a modern vehicle gets tested probably six different ways,
each component, over over six different timeframes, so to speak.
It's very complex. You ever notice when you go to
the doctor, what do they do? They always do the
same thing. They do the same repetitive testing heart rate,
blood pressure, They ask you the questions, they run you through. Right,
it's the same cars do the same thing every time
(21:35):
you start them. They run through the same repetitive testing
of every component during some kind of timeframe. What I
think you're doing is I think you're putting off the
inevitable that the car has a failing catalytic converter, its
efficiency is falling below seventy percent, which is the average number.
(21:56):
At seventy one percent efficiency, it'll work at sixty nine
percent efficiency, it'll set a fault code. And yeah, if
you're driving the proverbial quote unquote little old lady, the
catalytic converters loaded up, it's it's never getting hot enough,
it's never getting a good enough run, and you're you're
putting off the inevitable? Are you are you hurting anything? Well?
(22:20):
How old are you? Can I ask you that question, Shannon?
Are you over sixty five? Oh?
Speaker 6 (22:24):
Yeah, sixty eight?
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Okay, So when you were thirty eight, could you jog
and run and accelerate real quick? And it wasn't that
big a strain on you? Right? Right if you wanted
to do it?
Speaker 6 (22:34):
Now, how hard is it a little difficult?
Speaker 5 (22:37):
Right?
Speaker 2 (22:37):
So you're now asking the sixty eight year little old
lady to go and run as fast as she could
and jog as fast as she could like she was
thirty eight. You're overstressing her. So you're you're you know,
it's a mechanical thing, it's a it's it's a machine.
But you know, you're you're asking more of it than
it's necessary. Whereas if you put a cat in it
and you could just drive it like the proverbial little
(22:58):
old lady, wouldn't it last longer?
Speaker 6 (23:02):
Well that isn't my question, So okay now now.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
And let me let me ruin your day further though.
All right, you know, when you do this catalytic converter,
consider getting one out of Honda. I know the price
point will be huge.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
It is different.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Yeah, it's it's huge, but but you laid down you know,
you know what makes the aftermarket cat so much cheaper? No,
the saws? Well, the size, right, they don't last. You know,
if the original equipment cat is is twenty eight inches
long and the aftermarket cat is twenty inches long, that's
eight inches of difference. That eight inches is going to
(23:42):
come back to you in terms of longevity, efficiency, and
just plain and simple, how long that cat lasts? If
you really want to drive this until you don't have
to drive anymore. Well, the first one lasted you two
hundred thousand miles and thirteen years.
Speaker 6 (23:59):
Yeah, so that's take. It's going to last longer. No,
I mean not necessarily. I mean you say, how many
miles should I expect on my car? Keeping it up
to date on everything, which I usually did.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
I knew, well, you're asking you're asking the wrong guy
that question. I drove a seventy two money Carlo in
college to four hundred thousand miles when cars back then
we're getting one hundred thousand. I've got a ninety seven
Ranger that's got two hundred and thirty thousand miles on it.
I've got an O four suburban with ninety seven thousand
miles on it looks like that they rolled off the
assembly line. You know, I always look at replacing parts
(24:30):
and replacing a car as two separate items. If you
went out to date to replace that Honda CRV, emotions aside, right,
let's keep emotions out of this. Oh, I want a
shiny red car once before I die. That's the expression.
That's what goes through our minds. We're human, We're all human.
We all see that same shiny red car coming down
the road. Oh I want one of those. That's an
(24:51):
emotional thing. But the practical side, I want to drive
this until I can't drive it anymore. Well, let's see,
so from an emotional perspective, forty thousand dollars for a
new car or two thousand dollars a year to maintain it.
Start doing the math. Yeah, and that two thousand a
(25:12):
year isn't every year. Where the plan runs into a
glitch is finding parts, finding somebody that's really dedicated to
taking care of it, and you know, having to put
up with the you know, gee, do I have a
big car expense coming up this month? All those things wig.
Speaker 6 (25:29):
In good, good point. Thank you, all right, so you're
very welcome.
Speaker 5 (25:35):
All right, Kiddle, all.
Speaker 6 (25:36):
Right, tell Bill, I'm on my way. He listens to you,
and I'm going to go buy a bicycle, all right.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Go buy a bicycle. You have a great time, Shannon.
So hey, Bill, Shannon's on our way. You've been warned
eight five five five six zero nine nine zero zero
run on naming of the car. Doctor. I'll be back
maybe right after this and the disco ball. God that
white shit you're telling you you like that? Huh oh No,
(26:02):
I don't don travolt to eat your heart out. So
let's go to Bob in Virginia. Thirteen Silverado. What's going
on here, Robert?
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (26:10):
Hi, Ron. So it's a twenty thirteen Silverado. It's got
about two hundred and fifty five thousand miles, and about
two months ago started running rough. Check engine light came on,
so it was due for plugs and new wires. So
I did that myself, right, and it didn't It didn't
solve it. It didn't help the problem. So the check engine
light was still long, still running rough. So I took
it in a mechanic and he told me I had low
(26:32):
compression in cylinder number five. Okay, okay, So I picked
the car up, I took it, and I'm deciding on,
you know, what I want to do about that, And
in the meantime, the problem seems to come and go.
It's like intermittent. So the majority of the time's running
rough and the check engines later on. But there's sometimes
where maybe you know, for so long, it'll go out
(26:52):
and it'll start running smoothly again, and that's not that's
maybe like ten twenty percent of the time. The rest
of the eighty ninety percent of the time it's rough
and check engine lights on. But there are those periods
of time where to check engine leos out on its
own and the engines running smooth, smoothly. I'm sticking to myself.
I didn't know.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
I didn't know you could have an intermittent compression problem.
Speaker 5 (27:13):
Now now, one of the last thing I'll tell you.
Sometimes it seems like it's affected by when I put
gas in it, like a new fresh tank of gas,
or I've even put some gasoline additives in there, and
sometimes that seems to affect it. Right, if that's if
that's possible.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
So if we work on the theory that the mechanic
is correct. All right, we're gonna We're gonna beat this
up a couple of different ways. So get ready. If
we work on if we work on the theory that
this is a compression loss, that it was really low
on compression and it's legit and the guy diagnosed it, right,
let's talk about how can we have intermittent low compression
on a cylinder?
Speaker 5 (27:49):
Right?
Speaker 2 (27:49):
First one is carbon deposits? Right? Do we have excess
carbon deposits on the valves? And are they creating a
problem where the valves aren't ceiling? And that's not uncommon
on these as they age. One of the ways, one
of the ways to try and diagnose it, you know's
a couple of things. When it's running rough, you know,
put a gauge in there. Do I have? Do I
(28:10):
have physically low cranking mechanical compression?
Speaker 5 (28:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (28:14):
All right, Let's let's make up a number. You know,
seven the seven cylinders are one hundred and eighty pounds
and number five is ninety right, so you know I've
got legitimate low compression. How do I know where it's
coming from? Let's do a cylinder leak down test? All right,
are you familiar with that term? I know I'm not okay.
(28:36):
So a cylinder leaked down test, A cylinder is a cylinder, right,
It's just an engine. Cylinder is just a sealed container
for an explosion to happen. And if we do a
leaked down test, we're putting an air hose to the
spark plug hole. We're bringing the cylinder. We're bringing number
five around onto compression stroke where in theory the valves
(28:56):
are both closed, right, and we're going to put an
auxiliary air regulator attachment to it, and we're going to
put one hundred pounds in and see how much air
it holds. If the cylinder was perfectly sealed and I
put one hundred pounds in in theory, how much should
I hold? And a perfect hold one hundred right in
a perfect world. The only thing I ever saw come
(29:17):
close to hold one hundred, for the record was the
hot rod when it was fresh. It held ninety eight
because I'd leaked. I leaked all the cylinders myself. But
you will see this right away. If this is a
true low compression problem on number five, you're going to
put one hundred in and you're going to see seventy five,
sixty whatever. Now, what good does that do as well?
It tells us two things. It verifies the mechanical compression
(29:40):
theory of being low as correct. But number two, where's
the air going? Do I hear it? Do I hear
it coming out the intake, which means it's an intake
valve that's stuck open. If I get underneath and listen
at the tailpipe and I listen with this tethoscope, do
I hear it out the exhaust which means an exhaust valve?
So in either case, now I know I've got to
(30:00):
confirm mechanical condition in the engine. Do I need to
pull the engine? Because I already know where your mind
is going, right, you know it's it's you know, do
you put an engine in it? Do you do heads?
Do you you know you want to keep the truck?
I can hear the whole argument in your head going on.
That's what you're calling me? Uh you know? I if
and let me let me back up. If this has
a mechanical fault that it physically needs cylinder heads, you're
(30:23):
doing an engine. If if if this needs a a
camshaft for some reason, Let's say this is a cam
related problem, a lifter problem, something along those lines. Whether
or not you need an engine is going to be
predicated on what the engine looks like when you open
it up. You'll you'll tell me you did all your
oil changes, and I'm going to tell you it doesn't matter.
I want to know what the engine looks like on
(30:44):
the inside. Does it does it look you know, factory
fresh or is it sludgy and gummy? And I'm just
you know, I'm just putting lipstick on a pig, right,
so you know that all comes into effect. But I
want to know, you know, do I really have a
low cylinder low compression problem? On number four? If I
were to take a borscope, if we were standing at
the shop and I was walking through, what do I
(31:05):
do At some point? I'm going to take a borscope
if I think this is a real low compression issue,
and run the borscope, which is just like what the
plumber uses to look up the walls of the house.
I'm going to run a borscope down the intake and
look at the valves. Do I see carbon? If I
see carbon, I might try a carbon cleaning, a real
true carbon cleaning, because carbon on the valves that comes
(31:26):
and goes. Maybe I can get away with doing a
fuel system cleaning, and.
Speaker 5 (31:31):
You know, how's that? How's that done?
Speaker 2 (31:34):
You got an Advance Auto parts by you? Yeah, go
down there and go down there and see if they
have a CRCGDI service pack. All right, and I'll tell
you what. Stay put. When I come back, we'll finish
up and I'll tell you exactly how it works. Bob,
I'm ronning Andy and the car Doctor. I'll be back
right after this. I think that's from Beverly Hills cop.
(31:55):
Every time I hear that song, I just wonder. But anyway,
Bob Virginia, you're still there, sir. Yeah, So let's talk
real quick. Are you a mechanic at all, Bob? Any
mechanical ability or.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
I mean, I'm not a no, no, no professional cap but
I've done engines and taking them apart and putting all
that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Do you own a vacuum gauge?
Speaker 5 (32:15):
No? I don't.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
Okay, go buy a vacuum gauge. Spend twenty bucks, spend
forty bucks, get a good one, right, and let's let's
learn about you. Do you ever think about what vacuum is?
Vacuum is, vacuum is vacuum is the absence of pressure.
An engine is a big air pump, all right, and
it's in its simplest form squeeze, suck, pop, blow right, intake, compression, power, exhaust,
(32:37):
and you know, vacuum is what's produced an engine. A good,
healthy engine produces good vacuum. So when the engine is
running well, you'll see somewhere between sixteen and twenty inches
of manifold vacuum. Better yet, if you have another car
in the family, look at that car for a vacuum
and see what it does. So you'll understand, yeah, good, good,
(32:57):
a good running engine. Disregarding value overlap and valve timing
and all that nonsense, you know, learn about vacuum. Vacuum
is a cheap thing to learn about, and you can't
do it. You know, you can do it really really
economically in this day and age. So, but the idea
of a fuel system cleaning is that if the intake
valve is carbon coded. Right, doing a fuel system cleaning
(33:19):
using a CRC kit Vance Auto or it's available online,
what you'll do is you'll hook up to the rail.
You'll actually spray a chemical through clean out the injectors,
you will clean the throttle body, if you see any
form of improvement, it tells you that you're going in
the right direction. But I'd like you to see you
do a vacuum reading before and after it, because you
(33:40):
might see a difference in how the engine operates that
might help determine which direction to go. Call me back
if you need more, Bob, I'm running ady in the car. Doctor.
Good mechanics aren't expensive, they're priceless. See you
Host
Ron Ananian
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