Gonzo

Younger guys have no history to compare a job to, but... Us Old guys sure can. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I might invest into one of those drones so I don't have to climb a ladder to look under the hood on some of these trucks.

Going on a Diet “I’ll have two Fords, a Dodge, and one Toyota please. Oh, and I could go for a Cadillac later on.” The more trucks I repair, the more I’m apt to want to do more. One of these days I might have to seriously think about going on a diet. Too much to know, too much to do, and I’m not getting any younger. I’m not sure what they say about old dogs and new tricks is true, but they forgot to mention about adding on pounds slows ya down. However, with cars and trucks, the size changes, the horse power level changes, fuel economy, and luxury items all go through improvements each year. Nothing slows down the advancement of technology, not even a few extra pounds. In the automotive world, technical and mechanical changes are a constant thing. For me keeping up with those changes is like going to the gym. It’s a constant physical, as well as mental effort that can wear a guy down with all the new stuff he needs to know, the systems variations, and the amount of work needed to get to certain components. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve put on a few pounds over the past 3 decades. I started out as a skinny kid and now, well… ain’t no kid anymore, and I sure ain’t skinny either. But have ya noticed the shape and size of the cars over the years seems to gain weight too? Then, a few years later they’re back on some sort of diet? Model T’s were small compared to the modern car. But, by the time the 40’s and 50’s came along the size of the car had increased. The model T was squarer and boxy looking compared to the more rounded body lines of the cars from the 40’s and 50’s. Well… except for those tail fins, but that’s a whole different story. The look of the car changed again in the 60’s too! The styles seemed to reflect both rounded and straight designs, and the weight of the average car was a lot less than the older models. Then, by the late 70’s and 80’s car styling was back to the sharp edged crisp body lines, and the cars seemed to be on a different type of diet; this one was more of a fuel economy and emission diet. Of course, I don’t know for sure but, whatever the reason you could certainly tell the difference. Do you remember the Mustang Ghia II? Was that even fair to call it a Mustang? That was one car that wasn’t so much on a diet but more of an anemic excuse for a car. Seems every decade or so designers and engineers go on some sort of diet and scale back cars to smaller and smaller models, but later on the size and shapes grow again. Along with the size changes, seems nobody can settle on what is a standard, economy, or compact size. What was once a compact size turns into the standard size and the economy car becomes more of a compact. I’ll never figure it all out myself. But, somewhere along the way they give up on the diet and all the designs fatten up again. Just look at the standard pickup over the last few decades. I used to be able to see over the hoods of most of the standard pickups, heck some of the compacts I could even see over the roof lines too! But now, even what used to be just a small import truck has reached enormous mammoth proportions. Look at the Toyota pickup, it’s twice the size it was just 10 years earlier. As far as working on trucks, the 60’s through the 80’s models for the most part, I could lean over the fenders and change the plugs or even a belt without having to resort to standing on the upside down milk carton. After putting on a few pounds I find it a bit harder to lean over those fenders, and standing on that shaking milk carton is making me think of going back on my diet again. With some of these bigger and better models, I should think about installing a scaffold and safety harnesses just to get to the air filters. Some of the truck models have gone from what I would regard as a regular size to a XXXL in size. Then add the big fat tires, jacked up bodies, and you’ve got yourself a street legal monster truck. But jump up there and look under the hood. There’s no room for anything else, it’s jammed packed! If you’ve got anything substantial to do under the hood, such as a headgasket you’re better off just taking the entire cab off and hang it from the lift. Now you’re talking some real “under the hood work”! So what’s next? Are the engineers going to go back on that diet and start coming up with skinnier, sleeker designs? Or, are they going to keep adding more and more to them until they’re all so huge that the salesman has to bring out a step ladder just so you can go on a test drive? Where’s it all end? All this getting bigger and better has led to some changes at the repair shop, too. Some shops aren’t equipped to remove the cab of a truck to do some of the service work. It’s kind of a forced diet in a way. But, there are several other reasons shops today have gone to this regimented diet, and it’s not all because of the size either. One reason for this self-imposed diet is the cost of the various scanning equipment to properly repair these over inflated computers on wheels. Not only are the prices varied, but the monthly/yearly fees to keep that tool up to date is another issue, and as technology advances so does your scanner inventory. Even though the scanner you have now is in perfect working order, the cars that it was designed to service have started to dwindle from the highways. Technology doesn’t just bring changes for the consumer, but for the mechanic as well. New systems, new ways of doing old things, and new equipment are just a small part of the changes that occur. There seems to always be a newer design that mimics an older system although more stream lined efficiency. Very seldom do things remain the same. The way I’ve got it figured, there’s a mild change every five years and a more dramatic change in technology about every ten years. The engineers and designers may do what I plan on doing, and that’s go on a diet. But, we all know… most diets don’t last long, and I’ll eventually put all the weight back on that I lost… and then some. If the history of the automotive world is any example of what may come in the future with the next generation of truck designs… the results may end up just like my diet. Go figure… View full article

The idea to write this story was over a guy who came in with an old Cougar with a digital display completely torn apart, but what he really came in for was the charging system. The charge system on this one model has to go through the dash to work. So, I had to fix the dash to fix the charging system. The guy told me the number 2 and number 1 reasons as to why he knew what was wrong with it, and that I was full of it. he was dead serious too... he really thought because he lived next to a dealership that it automatically made him an expert. the things I do for a few bucks.... geez.

Stayed at the Inn I’m sure we’ve all watched the commercial where some guy manages to do something, or fix something that the rest of the crowd couldn’t figure out, and when asked, “How did ya know how to do that?” His answer, “I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night.” Apparently I’ve been doing it the hard way all these years. I guess instead of going to all the classes and taking all the certification tests, all I had to do was go down to a motel for the night. I could have mastered this trade in a week! Not that I think I’m some sort of expert in my field, because there are much smarter guys and gals in the biz than myself, but I kinda-sorta know what I’m doing, even though I didn’t stay at the hotel last night. Although, on occasion, I get a few wanna-be pros from Motel 6 stopping by the shop for a car repair that might not have left the light on long enough. Most of the time their car is already in the middle of some major surgery. Like they removed the instrument cluster and it’s laying on the passenger seat completely torn apart, hoses under the hood left unhooked, radiator cap is missing, miscellaneous parts are left in the trunk for me to find, or just about any other conceivable way of dismembering a car you can imagine. But, as always… they know more about the repair process than I do presumably. I could ask the usual rhetorical question, “If ya know so much, why not fix it yourself?” But, I’d probably get an answer that would be even more baffling than the original question. Anyway, I know I shouldn’t climb on my own soap box (but I will) and proudly display all my certificates and achievements in the lobby and front office (but I do) but I believe that’s important for the consumer to know; to know they are dealing with a professional and not some lug-nut-spinning-parts jockey. It took me years of training classes, conventions, and after hours studying to reach the level of expertise that I have now and to maintain my ASE Masters level. And, yes, a good night’s sleep does help to clear the mind and get you ready for the next day, but I don’t think I’ve learned a thing about today’s cars while I was counting sheep. However, not all these overnight geniuses mentioned they stayed in a hotel. They’ve got other ways of conjuring up wisdom and experience from other sources. Rather than disclaim their source of knowledge I wrote them down as a way of keeping track of where all this knowledge comes from. I’m always curious where this wisdom is obtained, just in case I need to gather up some new knowledge and can’t make it to the hotel in time. Here’s my list of the top ten knowledge acquiring ventures I’ve been told. And yes, these really did happen at the service counter. I’m not clever enough or spent enough time at the hotel to make this stuff up. Some, I hear all the time, some just once in a while, but some of these absurd higher learning escapades are so far out that you might only hear them once in a life time. Here goes: 10- My Uncle/brother/father was a mechanic. (Keep in mind… the “was” part.) 9- I watched it on TV last week (I’m sure you did, and I’m sure it was entertaining. There’s a test later… are ya ready?) 8- The Internet (Of course, the Internet… if it’s on the Internet it’s gotta be true.) 7- I used to own the same model car about 10 years ago and I could fix anything on it. These newer ones are exactly the same. That’s why they can keep the same name on the trunk. (Yes that’s right your 66 Chevy pickup is no different than your 2008 Chevy pickup… the manufacturers haven’t changed a thing.) 6- I worked my way up from the wash bay to the lube and tire rack. I know all there is to know about mechanic stuff. (Let’s see, tools on hand, hmmm, lug wrench, yep, oil filter wrench, got it… oil plug socket, yep got that too… and a funnel, mighty important. Ok that makes it official… you’re a mechanic.) 5- I left all my tools out in the rain and they’re all rusty now. Otherwise I’d fix it myself. So, it’s not like I need your help at all. (Understandably, every good mechanic has left a tool or two out in the weather. But I don’t think that’s stopping him from fixing a car!) 4- I can fix anything on a car. I just need you to tell me what’s wrong with it. (So, you can aye? What happens if you already know what’s wrong with it? Is that when you ask me to fix it? Reverse psychology there.) 3- I’m not paying you to tell me what’s wrong with it, and I don’t care how long it took! I know how much it should cost! I’ve done that repair myself before! So, what was wrong with it again? (Self-explanatory, you don’t know… nuff said.) 2- My brother is a doctor and we have a lot of cars. (Now how does that make you an expert in car repair?) 1- I grew up next to a dealership, so I know everything about cars from watching the mechanics through the cracks in the fence. (I know cows, yea cows… ‘cause I grew up next to the barn… does that count too?) Auto repair, in my opinion, has more than its fair share of screw ups that turn wrenches on a daily basis, and there’s no doubt a lot of the mistrust over car repair is brought on after someone has had some dealings with one of them. It’s true in any professional service trade oriented to the general public that there are a few bad apples in the business. Maybe that’s why some of these home grown DIY’rs feel it’s necessary to overshadow a professional mechanic’s abilities by belittling them, insulting them, or outright telling them they don’t know what they’re doing. Then again, the true DIY’r who can handle those odd repairs aren’t the type that end up at a repair shop. If and when those type do end up in need of a pro, they know their limitations and respect the services provided by the professional mechanic. It’s the ones who seem to always have more than one excuse as to why they know more than the professional that gets me. Maybe they are only trying to save face in front their friends after screwing up their buddy’s personal ride. One of these days cars will become so sophisticated that a lot of these home DIY nut busters won’t be able to do anything to their personal rides at all. By then, a lot of those halfwit repair shops that shouldn’t be fixing cars today will more than likely be a thing of the past, too. But, I doubt that will keep that certain group of know-it-alls from coming up with a new excuse as to why they know more than the trained/seasoned mechanic does. Maybe what they should do is swing by the Inn and spend a calm evening in a nice comfy bed. Maybe in the morning they’ll have a better idea of what to tell their mechanic. At least then they could say, “I stayed at the Holiday Inn last night.” It probably won’t help the mechanic out in the service bay, but it sure wouldn’t hurt. View full article

There's a few of my stories that touch a nerve... this is definitely one of them. Thanx Joe.

Bringing this one back for Veterans Day. Semper Fi.

Just an ordinary vacuum sweeper.... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

The photo in the article is the actual interlock from this truck.

I needed to finish up some tech articles for later publication. Thought I'd throw this one out there this weekend...well, kinda busy last week...never got around to writing anything else. LOL Oh, and I did some research on this setup, seems Ford uses this same BOO signal for a number of years. I'll probably see it again I'm sure.

Thinking Outside the Box An 04‘ Ford pickup came into the shop with a non-functioning cruise control system that had already spent some time at a couple of other shops. None seemed to give the customer any kind of answer as to why the cruise control wasn’t working. And, like many of these types of jobs I get in from those “other” shops, they all eventually come to the same conclusion as to what’s wrong with the vehicle. You know, the typical bail out answer for a problem they couldn’t solve. They’ll tell the customer, “It must be electrical”, and of course, they don’t do electrical. Seriously, what isn’t electrical these days? A lot of times I find the term “It must be electrical” is just an excuse from these other shops to throw their hands up and send the customer down the street. They either don’t understand the diagnostic procedures or have already spent way too much time swapping parts and components hoping they’ll eventually run across a solution rather than actually diagnosing the symptoms. I’m not one to shy away from some “electrical” problem. I’m more than a bit bull headed and stubborn enough to stick it out to the very end. Even if that means going to the extreme to diagnose a given problem. This one was no different. But, first things first, as always, verify the customer’s complaint. So, off on a test drive I go. Sure enough the cruise wouldn’t engage. There was no green indicator on the dash and no signs of any action taken by the PCM to engage the cruise. Now, it’s back to the shop and grab the scanner. Codes were absolutely no help. No codes were stored and no history to see. Which, is probably where these other shops stop testing things and came up with their conclusion, “It must be electrical”. For me, codes are only step one of many to solve an electrically related problem. Let’s face it, codes are not the defining answer. Today’s cars have so many different methods of watching the various components involved with each system that it just makes sense to use the scanner as a tool to aide in diagnosing, and not just simply for reading codes. For this problem using the scanner to look at the PID’s (Parameter Identifications) was going to be more than a bit helpful. As I’m sitting in the service bay watching every function involved with the cruise (according to the operation description), I did not see anything out of place or giving me incorrect readings. Everything from the emergency brake signal to the BOO (Brake On-Off) signal were correct. There didn’t seem to be anything standing out as the culprit, but there had to be something, something that everyone else has overlooked. Sitting in the service bay is not where the cruise control does its job. The vehicle has to be brought up to speed, before you can rule out if all the various components are actually working according to the manufacturer’s specifications. So, it’s back out on the road, but this time with the scanner installed. The safest method is to have a co-pilot watching the laptop screen. With the truck moving down the road there was only one item that didn’t act the same way it did when the car was stationary, and that’s the BOO signal. As we drove around the BOO stayed ON all the time. It never switched from ON to OFF when the brakes were applied. It’s back to the shop to try this whole thing again. This time I left the engine running and watched the BOO signal. As I pushed the brake pedal down, the signal switched back and forth from OFF to ON just as it should. Now what in the world is going on? I know I saw a constant ON signal while we were driving, but it shows ON/OFF as we are sitting still. That’s when I reached over and dropped it into drive and allowed the truck to roll forward just a bit. Well what do ya know, the signal never switched anymore. But, in park it worked just fine. I tried the same thing over and over again, and every time I had the same results. It can’t be the brake switch, I’m not changing anything there. The only thing that’s changed is the gear selector. So it’s got to be something with that. Could it be the TR switch? (Transmission Range) Nope, it’s working perfectly. So, what else can it be? I went back to the description and operation page of the service manual, but even after reading it a second time nothing seem to make sense as far as what I was seeing on the scanner. But, there was one thing I thought might be involved that the general description page didn’t mention anything about, and that’s the shift interlock switch. According to the wiring diagram there is a signal for BOO at the shift interlock, but only briefly mentioned as a possible cause of loss of BOO signal in one of the sub headings regarding the diagnostic procedures for testing the brake switch. Still confused, but willing to go with the “It must be electrical” as the primary cause of the problem, I decided to check further into the shift interlock switch. This time instead of driving it or spinning the roulette wheel of possible components, I’m going to pull the shift interlock and check it myself. From the outside of the little box everything looked great, all the connection are solid and there were no signs of something that might have been spilled into the console. The circuit box was not glued together and could easily be taken apart, and I had a pretty good idea it had to have something to do with the BOO signal going awry, it seemed like the logical thing to do. After I opened up the box, all I could say was, “Holy cruise controls there’s the problem!” A transistor had a burnt terminal. Now I’m more than confident this is the problem, time to order one. After installing the new shift interlock I took it down the road for a quick test drive. The green cruise indicator light came on, it accelerated, resumed and functioned just as it should. The shift interlock was definitely the problem. Of course, just to prove my hypothesis that it was the cause of the entire problem, I had to perform the same test I did earlier by placing it in and out of park and letting the truck roll forward while watching the laptop. The BOO signal was doing its thing. ON then OFF just as you’d expect it to do. It’s not the first time I’ve run across a diagnostic situation where all the PID’s or information given wasn’t in plain English. Sometimes what you have to do is go that extra step and follow your instincts as to what you believe is the problem. I’m sure another sharp tech would have a completely different way of coming up with the same answer, but in this case, this is how I came up with it, and it worked. That’s what counts in the end. The customer is happy, I’m elated and you can be sure I’ll be watching out for the same kind of problems in the future, too. Even though my diagnostics information didn’t have all the answers laid out with pinpoint accurate details the answers were still there. Ya just had to dig them out from between the pages of the diagnostic manual. As with a lot of today’s electronic mazes, you might find yourself having to solve a problem that wasn’t a problem just a few years earlier. I mean seriously, who would have thought a shift interlock would have something to do with the cruise control 20 years ago? Or for that matter that you could look at so many different sensors or components all at the same time on one tool. At times it does seem like an uphill battle to keep up with all the changes in the modern mechanics field, but at the same time very gratifying when you overcome a problem that seemed impossible to solve. Sometimes, ya just gotta think outside the box or in this case… open it up and look inside. View full article

MIke, I'll be running around the event doing on the spot interviews. Maybe I can sneak an interview in with you... it will be taped for later release.

I'll be there Monday night until Thursday. It's like any other convention, just bigger. LOL Oh, don't forget to get one of the complementary bags at the door, everybody has some sort of freebie or giveaway at their booths.

Gotta bring this back... at least once a year.

If somebody offered to buy me out the keys wouldn't hit the floor before I was out of sight. After 3 decades of this...put a fork in it

Excellent thread gentlemen, every aspect of running a business, being a mechanic, and of course a shop owner is well covered. I for one, hate to work, hate to turn down jobs, and hate to stay late. All of which I'll do from time to time because it's the best course of action to take in that particular situation. The best advice, "You run the shop. Don't let the shop run you!" One of these days, after you've put in 6 or 7 days a week, 12-15 hours a day, and countless sleepless nights you're going to turn around and find your kids grown, or worse yet your marriage has fallen apart. Find something outside of the world of cars, drop the wrench once in a while.... you're in business to make money, but you're also in business to provide for your family, and the one thing the business can't provide is time with your family unless you allow for that time. Once you take that "vacation" away from the shop you'll come back to it with a whole lot better attitude.

Like you Joe, I'd rather be the professional mechanic and not the teacher. I shouldn't have to explain things in such detail. Granted, I might get just as rude as they are...the only problem is they see me as the rude person and not themselves. Seems they don't like it when it's back at them the same way they delivered it

Ironic that I've seen this situation more than once....