Gonzo

With the new internet provider at the house and the changes here at ASO I've been having problems logging on. Funny part is.. "only ASO" is having the problem. All the changes recently I was certianly confused as to what was the cause. The only way I could get a story up this week was to wait until I got to the shop and used the shop computer. Should have everything straightened out this week. A Special thanks to Alex and Joe... the helped tremendously this weekend to sort out the problem. (Looks like it's my router or the internet provider, will find out today.) In the mean time, here's the story for this week. Later. Gonzo

CRYSTAL BALL DIAGNOSING A seeker of knowledge climbed a narrow staircase up a very remote mountain side, high into the clouds, and arrived at the temple of all answers. The swami, wearing his pearl white turban, is sitting in the lotus position surrounded by large red velvet curtains with plumes of smoke obscuring all but a brief glimpse of the room. There in front of the swami is his crystal ball, which with a mere glance he can give you the answers you seek. The question from the traveler is put forth, “Why doesn't my driver's window go up and down?” He peers into the crystal ball; his eyes grow ever more intense as his gaze reaches deeper into the glistening orb. He answers, “Probably a switch or a motor.” The seeker's eyes roll back into his head in disbelief. Already frustrated, the seeker answers angrily, “Nope, that’s not it. I already tried that. You mean to tell me I climbed all the way up here, and that's your best answer?” The swami calmly answers, “All will be revealed after proper diagnostic tests have been completed.” “I'll bet that ain't cheap either!” the traveler says. “You are quite right,” the swami says, “Long ago such things could be obtained without fees... those days have passed as well. Today’s cars are far more complicated, which requires more than a mere glance into the crystal ball to solve the problem.” The now aggravated seeker of knowledge (who had no intention of paying) storms down the same long winding path to begin their search for another swami who might provide an answer to their quest without any monetary exchange. Ok, I'm no swami, I don't have a pearl white turban, and even though I've looked high and low... I can't find a crystal ball anywhere. From the very first day I stood behind the service counter there has always been someone who wants to pick the swami’s brain for free information. It’s no surprise to me that I've heard the same thing over and over again. “So what do you think it is?” If I give them my best guess, there's still a chance their rebuttal will be, “No, that ain't it, I tried that already.” I'd like to say, (but I keep it to myself), “Why the hell did you ask for my opinion if all you’re going to do is get all huffy with the answer I give?” What I end up telling them is, “Sorry, but that's my best guess without my crystal ball, or actually testing it.” Even though the cars have changed tremendously over the years, I still have to diagnose and repair them just as before. Guesses are great, and sometimes it's the best way to tackle a problem. But I still prefer diagnosing it first. I could resort to calling out some witch doctors to parade around the car in a counter-clockwise fashion, during a full moon, holding onto a dead chicken while chanting at the top of their lungs. But, you know, they’ve got better things to do....besides, I can't wait for the next moon cycle for these guys to show up, and neither will the customer. I've got to fix these cars now. (Impatient world we live in, you know…) Just like the swami situation, the one thing that hasn't changed is how some people will drive clear across town to ask about their car. I can appreciate the time and effort they’ve put into tracking me down, but that doesn't change the fact that I still have to test and diagnose a problem to find out what is exactly wrong with it. Even if I had a crystal ball I'm sure I'd still want to test things before swapping parts. Mind you, there are common failures and common results, but I'm completely dumbfounded that some people think I've got the answer to every sort of problem logged into memory. The truth is … no, I don't. Because even with the simplest sounding problems, some things can lead to drastic results with greater complications than anyone can imagine. I sometimes wonder if it wouldn’t be better to answer these questions like this: “Nine out of ten mechanics said your alternator is what's wrong with your car.” Now when they blurt out their response... “I tried that already.” I can answer them with, “You're going to have to go tell that to at least eight other mechanics... because we all agreed that was the most common problem. Until it is tested there is no way of knowing beyond that.” There are times that even a glance under the hood doesn't answer a thing. Their questions might be on the right path to enlightenment, but they neglected to mention that they've reengineered the car to their own set of specifications. I call them “Heinz 57” cars. These are the whimsical dreams and creations of backyard mechanics who have installed different engines, wiring harnesses, computers, etc. Sure, they've accomplished a lot on their own. Installing engines and harnesses from cars 10, or maybe 20 production years apart. They may have the ability of making the thing start and drive, but they just can't seem to get some of those basic essentials to adapt to their new found aspirations of driving excellence. It might be the wipers, or the HVAC, maybe it's the door locks, or the instrument cluster and gauges, or the brake system or perhaps the suspension. Sometimes it’s just a stereo system they installed that’s causing a problem. Their "engineering" is usually not to any professional standard, but thrown in with the wires all wadded up behind the dash. Then they expect the mechanic to look into his crystal ball and give them an answer as to what it would take to get all those little details working, and how long it will take. It all seems simple to them; it can't be that hard. They've already spent hours upon hours slicing and dicing the car to create their contraption, surely all this “other” stuff isn’t that big of a deal. After the mechanic comes out of his transcendental state and delivers the news, they’re probably going to be in shock at the answers. (Staring under the dash or hood at some of these creations is what brings on the trance.) Honestly, if there was such a thing as a crystal ball I would have peered into it and stopped some of these backyard creations from ever being created. It would have been a lot better if they would have climbed up that narrow pathway into the mountains and sought professional wisdom before attempting these engineering debacles. Let's face it, there is no magic machine with the answers. There's no crystal ball, and sad to say, I’m fresh out of witch doctors, too. True mechanical and electrical repair on today's cars takes a dedicated individual with the right equipment and knowledge, not a swami on a cloud covered mountain top. Not much is free these days, but go ahead and ask your questions. But until they are tested and diagnosed, they're still just another glance into that crystal ball. View full article

Last week I turned away a job that was going to involve hours apon hours of electrical diagnostic time and the car wasn't worth the trouble. To the customer, it seemed easy to solve.... I knew better... it took some time to show them what was involved. (Fretting connection corrosion). I started out as the mechanic who didn't want to help and then turned their opinion to the mechanic who was more than just help but someone who was concerned. There's all kinds of leaps you have to make.

The new software here at ASO, me with a new internet provider at the house... it's a bit weird to load a new story. Going to have to take that "leap of faith" that it's going to work... LOL

Leap Of Faith Even with the best information available to the professional mechanic there are times that some things just don't add up or seem to have been forgotten to be mentioned in the description of how a certain system works. Sometimes the relationship between these systems have so many crossing paths that even with diligent efforts from the engineers it still leaves a few unforeseen problems that no one has experienced before. Dealing with all these complexities ends up in a never ending stumbling block of false leads, misguided diagnostics, or for the lack of better term... a typical “SNAFU”. There are a lot of situations where the mechanic just has to trust their own judgment and go with what seems right, rather than what all the information is telling them. Call it a gut instinct, dumb luck, or maybe a professional guess, but that may be all you have to go on. Sometimes you just have to take a leap of “mechanics” faith that you might be onto something and disregard the diagnostic results. Case in point; A bodyshop sent over a Dodge pickup with the “Check Gauges” light stuck on. The gauges checked fine, no service codes, and no apparent reason why the “Check Gauges” warning light should be stuck on. Everything from segment tests on the individual gauges, to the values from each of the gauges. They all matched their actual readings. The gas gauge was spot on, water temp, charging system, etc... nothing looked out of place. I called the bodyshop and asked them what they repaired and what components they changed. Turns out it was a rather light hit on the driver’s side front fender area. No frame damage and no major components were replaced. With my initial tests completed, everyone was leaning towards a problem with the dash cluster itself. Even though the test results lead that way I wasn’t convinced. Since it was an insurance job the pressure from the bodyshop and the insurance company to find the answer was pushing even harder to just replace the cluster than it was to challenge the results. For me, it comes down to test, retest, and test again. I just couldn't bring myself to replacing the cluster just yet. I wanted some definite proof before going through all the hassle of reprogramming, setting the mileage, and security system. If the gauges tested good… how can I justify calling them bad? The more I tested things the more confused I got. I poured over the description and operation information of how the “check gauges” functioned. I was hoping to find some clue that might tell me what I was missing. Nothing stood out... absolutely nothing. I checked with the various resources on the internet and a lot of other techs that have seen other bizarre problems, but everyone kept going back to the cluster as the source. Even a call to the owner didn't help matters. He insisted that it was in working order before the wreck. The owner was more than happy (of course) to have the cluster replaced. Sure, why not... the repair costs would eventually end up getting kicked back to the insurance company... not to him. There again, I wasn't willing to make the swap. I wanted solid proof it was bad, before I tried another cluster. I needed to take that leap of faith that I was right and it wasn't the cluster. A big gamble I’ll have to admit. I stuck with the idea that the tests were accurate and the problem had to be around the damaged area. There again, not knowing what I was looking for put me in the position that it was all blind faith that my tests results were right, that I was right... and there was something else wrong. After removing the inner fender I found a two wire connector dangling all by itself. As I moved the wire through the space, using the wire length to kind of give me some idea as to where it might go, it ended up at the bottom of the battery tray. It’s the battery temperature sensor connector. I've run across these being disconnected on older models before but it’s always associated with a code, not this time. After plugging it in the “check gauges” warning went out. Just to verify the whole thing, I unplugged the sensor and tried it again, sure enough the “check gauges” warning light stayed on. I do believe I've found the answer to this weird problem. I still think it's pretty odd that in all the operation descriptions there was never any mention of the battery temperature sensor as part of the “check gauges” warning system. Go figure… It's not the first time I've run into something that didn't make sense or wasn't explained in a way that I understood what the engineering was behind it. It's one of those many times when there isn't any information to let me know what to do. You'd like to think that every possible scenario has been checked and double checked by the engineers, or the at least mention something about it like, “Oh yea, we tied the battery temp. sensor to the check gauge warning light, thought you might like to know. Oh don’t worry… the gauges are fine.” Not to be outdone, a GM came in with the air bag light stuck on. The air bag module and all the components had been changed and calibrated with the latest software and verified. After going through the operation/description information several times I still didn't have an answer. Then I stumbled onto a small note on an obscure page of information, it read: “Note: this condition can occur if the seat belt warning system is malfunctioning.” Malfunctioning? Like “how” malfunctioning? No answer to that question of course. Of all things... the bulb was burned for the seat belt dash symbol and once I changed the bulb... the air bag light went out. Now tell me... why in the world didn’t you mention that on the operation and description page? I would have appreciated it… seriously. It seems that with all the sophistication we've added to these modern cars there are still some things that haven't been fully explored as to the possibilities that could arise. These “leaps of faith” in today's marketplace doesn’t leave any room for exploratory surgery to isolate these problems, times money, and unless you knew about these quirky problems before hand your diagnostic time may get lengthy. I can’t say every answer is in a scanner or manual. Mechanics have always had to find solutions to a lot of problems that were not even thought to be problems when these systems were created. Especially when a certain circuit or communication line gets crossed up from someone monkeying around with it that probably shouldn’t have been. As a professional mechanic you have to stick to your test results, even though it may not be what everyone else thinks. Have faith in your own abilities and gut instincts. Sometimes being apparently wrong is the right thing to do, and once in a while you might have to take that leap yourself. View full article

with the economy down they're branching out........

It doesn't matter... or does it?

It Doesn't Matter My wife, who's a very accomplished longarm quilter, author, and quilting teacher, came home from one of her trips to the local quilt stores to check out the latest fabrics, and to drop off some quilts she had finished for her customers. While she was there a lady walked up to the counter person and asked if she knew anything about longarm machine quilting. "I don't have one in my store,"the counter lady told her, "But that lady over there (pointing to my wife) is one of the best long arm quilters in this area. You could ask her." I've been married to my wife for a longtime, and I've seen the type of work she can turn out on her big machine. It's stunning to say the least, and to be recognized by fellow quilters is as important to her as it would be to any mechanic out there to be recognized by their peers as well. Her years of skilled artistry were showing through her story as she began to tell it. (Just like any other skilled job, when you meet a true professional… you know it.) It's not the first time she's been stopped to answers questions, and she's more than prepared to answer any and all questions regarding the type of work she loves to do. Oh, the tales she can tell! It wasn't hard to relate her story to one of my situations, and I certainly could imagine the whole thing as if I was talking to someone about car repair. But, I'll let her tell her story first. The lady approached her and said, "Yes, I'd like to know what you do with those long poles." My wife answered, "Poles? Are you referring to the long horizontal poles you attached the quilts to?" "Yea, yea, whatever, but that doesn't matter. Which one is the first one?" "Which machine do you have?" "That doesn't matter, they're all the same." "No, actually they're not," my wife told her. "Some have 3 and some have 4 poles." "That doesn't matter. Where do you start?" "That would depend on which side of the machine you're standing on," my wife said, trying to make light of the situation. "Oh, that doesn't matter which side...so which is the first one?" There was no getting around the "doesn't matter",and it was soon apparent that not one question could be answered without it in the answer. After a while the lady moved on through the store. She seemed a bit miffed that her questions weren't answered by this so called "expert". The lady found another patron just around the corner of a big display, and in a loud voice the lady told the other patron in the store. "As you can tell I'm obviously not going to get any help here. I asked another long arm operator at another store the same questions, and would you believe, she wouldn't tell me anything either. Do you know of any experts that would tell me a thing or two?" Both the shop owner and my wife just bit their tongues at that point. My wife, who definitely knows how to deliver a sarcastic come-back said to the shop owner in a whispered voice, "Whoever she asks, it doesn't matter." I find the same kind of situations at the repair shop. There are a lot of times someone will call or ask for some obscure part that I just don't have a clue what they are trying to describe. Maybe some people can't grasp the concept that all cars and all parts are not alike. Standing at the service counter while talking on the phone, and staring at the computer I've got to ask the questions that are in front of me on the screen. The first question is, "What kind of car is it?" If the response is, "That doesn't matter, they're all the same", I know it's going to be a long day at the counter for sure. I wonder if this would work at a restaurant when ordering a glass of wine? Just try telling the waiter it doesn't matter which bottle they bring.How about when you're at the doctor's office, talking to the plumber, or let's not forget… talking to the judge?!?! I would think facts and information matter in those cases. I can only imagine what the outcome would be if after you're pulled over and the police officer asks you, "How fast did you think you were going?" If you answered, "You know, it really doesn't matter how fast I was going", you might be looking at a long stay in a small cell for the evening. Oh,and it doesn't matter that the engine is covered in an inch of grease and grime. Heck, I'm a mechanic… I'm supposed to be covered in grime. Huh? Where did that notion spring from… does it matter? … You bet your spark plugs it matters! I prefer a clean work surface,… you… Mr.Unconcerned on the other hand… obviously… it just doesn't matter to you. It's those perceptions of how something works, or is figured out by the professional, that is misconstrued by the novice. It all must look so easy from the other side of the wrench, or in the case of my wife's little story… the longarm machine. I have to admit my wife had a smile from ear to ear, because she knew she had stumbled upon a situation and experience that I tend to write about. The smile was contagious, and soon I wanted to hear all the details of her adventure. In rare cases, you know, it really doesn't matter. But try ordering a part for a car and not have all the details that the counter person has to answer. Sometimes, the questions seem like they are way off in left field. Like, "Is it a 4 door or a 2 door?" or "Does it have 13 inch rotors or 12 inch rotors?" and to think all I wanted to order was a tie rod. Even though their questions seem so far-fetched, there's probably a good reason why they have to ask those questions. Just once I'd like to push things to the limit. You know, like when the wife asks me what I'd like for dinner, I'm going to try the "it doesn't matter"approach. (Just to see where that gets me.) I'm betting I'll probably end up with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Well, I asked for it. Oh sure, I was thinking maybe meatloaf, or a nice Italian dinner... but "It doesn't matter" got in the way of the decision making. So the next time I try to get more information,the right type of information mind you, and they say, "It doesn't matter" I'm going to ask them why? Just to see what they'll say. Chances are they won't know why… but I guess that doesn't matter either. View full article

After a while... I sure start feeling old, especially looking at the new technology.

Perishable Goods I talk to a lot of new technician/mechanics coming out of the tech schools or starting their automotive careers at small shops and dealerships. They all have that same look. You know, that fresh, green, and full of spunk "take on the world" attitude and appearance. Most are still on their first set of wrenches, all shiny with the engraved wrench sizes still visible on them. (Not like most of mine that I can barely read the size anymore.) They're all eager and can't wait to be a part of the next project. Electronics have changed the caliber and education level of the modern technician, and these new fresh wrenchers are well aware of that fact. After talking to a few of them, boy do I feel old. I start thinking back ...way back to when I first picked up a ratchet. My first recollection of working on a car had nothing to do with electronics and more to do with hanging over the fender watching my dad. Since then, there have been a lot of changes in the automotive world. Training is one thing, knowing a few tricks of the trade helps even more. Like most mechanics, young or old, you find a rhythm, a sense of awareness of what needs to be done. You stay up with the technical changes, and keep what you already know tucked away for future reference. It might be a certain way to do to a diagnostic procedure, or perhaps what wrench worked best for a certain project. You develop these skills, and strengthen your knowledge base with every new encounter. It's what makes a seasoned tech so important to a shop and to the customers they serve. There's so much to know, so much to comprehend, and for the new tech it can be overwhelming. Some of it can't be taught in books, or by watching an instructor. There's a lot of that "doing it yourself" kind of teaching where you find out firsthand what works, and what doesn't. Those traits come from years of experience, and with that experience you start to master the trade. You have to keep up with the changes or you won't last long in this business. As the cars age so does their relative technology. Then it becomes apparent that the cars and their technology are all perishable goods. Old technology is just that… old. You can't compare the technology in a 1950's car with a 2012 car… it's just not the same in anyway. Knowing some of those old out dated procedures is still important though. That knowledge will come in handy when you least expect it. One day you'll be working on a fairly new model, and then the next day it could be a 30 or perhaps a 50 year old car sitting in the service bay. You can bet a mechanic will have to stare under the hood for a while, scratch his head a couple of times, and hope it all comes back to him. You'll find yourself jogging the old noggin for some of those old tricks you used to use. Scanners were never heard of back in the day.These young hot shots, fresh out of school guys and gals have all grown up with the internet, have always had electronic ignition, and a computer is as common to them as a toaster. Like one old timer used to tell me, "These youngsters wouldn't have a clue how to fix a car without a trouble code." I don't know about that, but some of those old cars are museum pieces to them. Oh sure, those young guns will take a few stabs at it, but you know... somewhere there's an old, grouchy, sour attitude,crotchety mechanic with the disposition of an alligator sitting in the back corner of the shop who has probably seen it all before. I'll bet most older techs can remember using a matchbook cover as a quick points gap check (Let's see one of those youngins try to find a matchbook cover these days). Ask an old mechanic what the timing setting is on a 327, or what the three pedals on the floor of a model T are for. They probably know it. But, when is the last time I needed to know that stuff? I don't know, haven't a clue. Maybe I like to hang onto that sort of stuff just to show those fresh techs that us old guys still have what it takes. The old mechanic may not move around as well, his skills may not be as fresh, but he can still get the job done. Are they stale, out dated?... probably not. What does that older tech have that only experience can bring? He has that knowledge. His knowledge is something that doesn't rot away with time; it's not like perishable goods at the grocery store or those cars that fade into history. Knowledge can't spoil, you might forget a thing or two… but it's always there. You gain it with experience, you store it away for a later date, and if all goes well, it sticks with you your entire life. At least I hope so... There's no doubt the fresh, educated, and modern technician will someday be the norm, and the age of the shop mechanic will shift directions from where it is today. But experience still prevails you know. As along time Master tech told me years ago when I was still wet behind the ears,"I've showed you everything you know, not everything I know." The older groups of techs have seen the changes from points and condensers to full on electronics. The new mechanics will no doubt will see even more changes in the future, and most likely those changes will happen even faster with future advancements in electronics. Even the modern car technology of today will eventually reach old age as well. The technology that's developed for them will also become part of the perishable goods as well as the cars. New technology will move forward with even better, fresher ideas than today. Just imagine what changes are in store for the next generation of mechanics. As a mechanic… I perish the thought. View full article

I get their stuff in the mail all the time. I really don't think it amounts to much. The way I see it, the type of people who take the time to write their complaints down are the same type that are not going to become regular customers. A small portion of the general public that go to these sites to review your shop are the cautious type. They are probably still going to come into your shop.... regardless. If the wacko's out there can write to the BBB or other places like Angie's list about how bad the industry is... I sure as hell can write about the wacko's that come into my the business. Two can play at that game. LOL Sometimes you've got to see the realism from both angles and not just from a list.

Hillarious.

You can never forget about some guy fixing the car. I think he's one of them. LOL One of my favorite stories... "Some Guy" LOL

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_p_n_feature_browse-b_mrr_0?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_30%3Atotal+publishing+and+media%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A2656022011&bbn=283155&sort=salesrank&unfiltered=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1333208361&rnid=618072011 My book has been out for nearly 4 years now. And it's back up on top of the heap this week at the publishers Amazon. com page. This is the link to the Amazon page. How COOL is that. Thanks to everyone who has purchased a copy. Thank YOU Thank YOU. Gonzo

These high and mighty types can be the biggest pain. There so busy telling you how, that a tech can get side tracked and never find the how or why. The best thing is just to tell the tech, "I have to jump start it", or "It's not charging" something like that. But some people just can't make life simple you know.

All in a days work...

Geek With Attitude Now I realize I'm only a mechanic, and not an Ivy League scholar, and I may not qualify as the next inductee into MENSA, but I'm still a pretty smart guy. Oh, I may not know all there is to know about every single make and model out there, but I have enough background and technical ability to solve just about anything that goes wrong with the modern car. But, for some people the mere thought that a mechanic might actually have a few brain cells just baffles them to no end. A few weeks ago I got a call from a guy, who (to the best of my dim witted abilities could tell), was having a problem with his truck. He told me that he pulled all the fuses, and was still having a battery drain issue he couldn't find. He even took it to another shop and wasn't happy with their results, so he was going to give me a chance at it based on a friend's recommendation. "Bring it in tomorrow, and I'll get it checked out for you," I told him. The next day a 98 Nissan pickup with 150,000 miles on the odometer was waiting for me. After getting the owner's information, I went over what he wanted me to do. Little did I know this guy had all the answers already. Not only the answers, but several ideas as to what was causing his problem. This particular guy was a full-fledged computer geek with more than a little attitude to go along with it. Not only did he think he was dead right about everything, but that every mechanic out there was nothing more than a knuckle dragging grease monkey with the IQ of a walnut. The more he told me about the problem the more I knew I was in for a long afternoon. Seems everything that was ever wrong with the car from the day he bought it was leading up to the moment the battery went dead. But, of course, it's not dead now... that takes a month before it would happen. "A month?" I asked. Oh, he had an answer for that too. It all started with the front crankshaft seal. The seal was leaking, and it leaked all over the alternator, so he had the seal changed along with a new alternator and battery. (Both the alternator and the battery came from one of those cheapo depot places; imagine where the seal came from.) A month went by before the car wouldn't start again. The seal was leaking too, but not nearly as bad. "Hmm," I said, sitting at the service counter thinking this whole thing through, "You say it takes a month before it won't start? Are you driving it much?" "Yes," he said, "Every day." This didn't add up, something else is wrong with the car. As I tried to explain to him that if a car is driven every day, and starts perfectly fine,but then all of a sudden it goes "click-click" it tells me there is something else wrong, and it's probably not a battery drain issue. "Leave it with me, and I'll check it out," I told him, Apparently, Mr. Geekdumb doesn't have a clue how a car works, other than where to put the gas and which way the key turns. Not that I'd hold that against him, a lot of people don't know a thing about their transportation. It's just that most people don't try to sound like they do, especially while standing in front of somebody that just might. Once I had the truck in the shop it turned out to be a classic problem; the battery bolts were tightened down as far as they could go, but I could easily pull the cables off the battery without any effort at all. The charge output and parasitic draw tests showed no signs of any problems. As for the seal leak. Well, if you've been around cars with high miles and poor maintenance you've probably seen this before. The PCV valve was clogged. Without that, no ventilation for the lower end, and of course, a back pressure builds up and that pressure has to go somewhere... usually out a seal, and the front seal is one of the usual places for it to go. Explaining all this to the computer nerd turned out to be a whole lot tougher than I thought possible. How one person can act and think that they are so smart, but can't see the logic behind the explanation is beyond me. The more I tried to explain, the more this guy asked even more bizarre questions. I gave him the run down on the battery clamp issues, "Yes, a loose battery clamp can make the car not start. Sometimes you'll get one quick turn of the starter then nothing, not even a dome light. Other times you'll get a "click" which is what your car sounds like. This can also stop or restrict the alternator charge output from entering the battery." "So, that's why my dash lights don't work?"he asked. "There's no relationship between the charge output and the dash lights. That's a separate problem. Most likely the rheostat," I said. "Well, what about the switch on my dome light, it doesn't work. I'm positive that is due to the front seal and the PVC you mentioned." "Sir, it's a PCV not PVC, "Positive Crankcase Ventilation" is what it stands for, and no, it has nothing to do with your dome light." "So I have two PCV's in the car?" "No, just one." "So where's the PVC?" "That would be in your house most likely. Most homes have PVC plastic piping." "So, now you're telling me I don't have two PCV's?" "I never said you had two." This went on, and on. My frustration level was getting to my MAX level, and I'm about to tell this guy just where he can put his PCV and his PVC. But, after lengthy deliberations he eventually decided to have me at least fix something...one thing…change the battery clamps. He had the solution for the dash lights, dome light, PCV, and the front seal. I apparently don't understand,or fail to comprehend how all his other problems are related to the dead battery. He showed up later that day to pay for the clamp replacement, and it wasn't hard to tell this guy had an ego driven "micro"chip on his shoulder. He wasn't about to have some lowlife mechanic explain the physics of the internal combustion engine to such an astute individual as himself. His parting comments as he walked out the door said it all. "I work on highly technical and advanced systems on home and business computers that are far above the complexities of anything you'll ever see. I'm better off fixing my own car, because I have a degree, and my intelligence level is far superior than any mechanic." Really? That's the best you got? Better luck insulting me next time, fella…leaving is probably the smartest thing you've done so far… don't let the door hit ya on the way out. View full article