November 2017 Newsletter

October 23, 2017

For the full newsletter click here, or click the image below. If you’re just interested in one topic, click the image or “read more” link and you’ll be taken directly to that part of the newsletter on EricTheCarGuy.com.

If you’re reading this on the website, you’re already reading the full newsletter, and you’re awesome.

Past newsletters and the ETCG Blog can be found here.

The Return of ETCG Videos

I took my ‘break’ back in July just before going on a family vacation. At that time, I had said that I wanted to finish the #FairmontProject and also some other video work I had lined up before I started posting to ETCG again.

Well, the Fairmont is now on the road, for the most part, and last week I put a big dent in the video work I mentioned.

Now it’s time to start posting videos to my EricTheCarGuy channel again. You may or may not be aware, but I’ve been posting videos to ETCG1 and also exclusive videos for Premium Members of my website this entire time.

Pictured: Erik Tande of Velocity Labs

That said, I feel ready to start posting the videos that made the name EricTheCarGuy synonymous with how to auto repair again.

I’ve been planning out the “Return to ETCG” video for a month now. I have the concept outlined as well as a shot list. I was ready to shoot the video a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, it rained and I took a different direction. Instead, I’ve been shooting video of the updates I’ve been doing to the Fairmont to make it more drivable. I covered the specifics of this in my most recent offering to Premium Members of EricTheCarGuy.com.

Sadly, I don’t think I’ll get “The Return To ETCG” video shot this week either. I still have some more work to do on the Fairmont before it’s running again. Considering the car is a main part of this video, I have to wait until the repairs are done, the weather corporates, and Brian is available to help me shoot it.

It looks like the first opportunity for that won’t be until the second week of November as I’ll be at SEMA the week this newsletter comes out. That means I really can’t give an exact date for when the “Return To ETCG” video will be posted. In the mean time I plan on working on other videos that will air on ETCG after that video goes live.

One thing about my return to posting videos, I don’t think I’ll be posting videos every Friday anymore. I may just post videos as I finish them instead. I’m hoping this will help relieve some stress on my end, and also make for better quality videos.

As for the content of these new videos, I have a ton of ideas on that. In fact, I’m planning on making some of the videos I’ve been wanting to make for several years now. Mostly on automotive electricity.

My point in mentioning this is that I still have several videos of the

#FairmontProject to get through. However, I don’t want to turn ETCG into “The Fairmont Channel”. I still plan to see the series through, I just don’t want it to dominate the channel. Therefore I plan to ‘mix in’ some other videos with the Fairmont videos.

I suppose we’ll see how things work out. With that, I want to thank all of you for your support during my time off. Words cannot describe how much I appreciate it.

ETCG Hits 1,000,000 Subs!

I had dreamed of one day hitting a million subscribers, but wasn’t sure if I’d see the day. Funny how it happened during my ‘break’. No matter, I’m happy it did happen.

YouTube hasn’t offered up the link to get my gold play button yet. Once they do, I plan to order it. Once I get it, I hope to make a video about it thanking you the fans for putting me past this milestone.

THANK YOU!!

The #PullAPartChallenge

No, it’s not a baking contest for delicious bread. It’s the coolest thing to hit your eyeballs from the web. If you haven’t seen it, here’s a link to Episode 1. Go see it now!

We had a full TV production crew and 8 of the most popular automotive YouTubers. Two Rivers Pictures handled both the production and post production. They did an amazing job.

We also got a bunch of tools from Milwaukee. Thanks Milwaukee!

Many of you that have seen it have commented that it looks like a Discovery channel pilot for a revamp of Junkyard Wars. Even if you’re not into that sort of thing, it’s worth a watch.

Several of you have already seen it and love it. I’ll say this, you’re going to like the other 2 episodes even more as the action ramps up.

To see those episodes, be sure to sign up at PullaPart.com. They won’t be posted to YouTube. Only on PullAPart.com. Don’t worry, it’s free and the videos will look just as good as they do on YouTube.

I believe the second episode will drop in the next couple of weeks with the last episode going live sometime around Thanksgiving. Truth be told, no release dates have been set yet, just a general time for release.

Sign up here.

Speaking at Parkland College in Champaign IL

Earlier this month I spoke to a room full of educators at Parkland College in Champaign IL. It was a real honor, and I very much enjoyed the people I met there. In fact, I made some new friends.

I didn’t get the chance to shoot any video of the speech, but if there’s enough interest, I’ll post it to the forum. The topic was the Technician Shortage.

#TheFairmontProject

We are reaching the point where this will no longer dominate the newsletters. Not that I don’t love the #FairmontProject, I’m just looking to move on to the next thing.

The most recent news on the car is that it’s not running as I mentioned earlier.

For starters, I’m replacing the radiator fans with a higher CFM set up. The car is fine when driving on the highway, but when I’m at slow speeds or sitting in traffic on ‘warm’ days, it heats up. This is a classic sign of not enough airflow through the radiator at low speeds. I’m hoping the 4000 CFM Spal Fans I’m installingCFM Spal Fans I’m installing do the trick. Special thanks to Summit Racing for those.

If they bring the temps where I need them, 180º-190ºF, I’ll charge the AC and see if it works. No point in charging the system if the car is overheating in traffic. The AC will only increase the heat load on the cooling system.

I’m also repairing a habitual exhaust leak at both exhaust headers. Part of the problem is the bolts work loose. Another issue is the manifolds aren’t exactly square. I found this out last week. As it is now, I can take it out for about 2 good runs and the gaskets blow out. It sucks, especially since I’m still trying to tune the car.

The fix will be to put my hands on a belt sander for starters. I plan to use that to get the manifolds straightened up. Once I have the manifolds square, I’ll be installing copper gaskets with locking bolts. Hopefully that solves my leaking exhaust manifolds for good.

The front engine seal is also leaking. This may be an issue with too much pressure in the engine. It may also be due to the fact I let the engine sit for a year before I started it. I did prime it, meaning I pressurized the oil in the engine before starting it for the first time, but that may not have reached the front seal.

I have a new seal. No better time to replace it than when the radiator is out. I’m also making sure my engine breathers are working correctly to try and rule out a problem with too much crankcase pressure.

Next up is heat shielding. The turbo gets extremely hot and bakes everything it’s close to. Including my alternator. I’m hoping to make a shield for that as well as some other key components near the turbo.

The shield I installed for the wiring on the inner fender is working flawlessly. A last resort may be to put hood louvers above the turbo. I’d like to avoid that if I can, but I may be left with no choice if the heat shields and new fans don’t do the trick.

I’m shooting videos of all of this.

Road to SEMA is Happening again This Year

Last year I got together with BriansMobil1, BustedKnuckleVideo, ChrisFix, EngineeringExplained, Matt Maran Motoring, HumbleMechanic, and Sylvia from the WooHooGirls and took a drive from Malibu CA to Las Vegas in some really cool cars contributed by Dodge and Campagna Motors.

We’re doing it again this year. Unfortunately I don’t have many details yet. If I did, I would share them with you. All I know at this point is that I’m leaving Saturday to fly into LA and we are driving to Las Vegas sometime on Monday, I heard through Joshua Tree. At least I hope it’s Monday as I don’t have a room in Vegas Sunday night….

I can say that I will be at the WD-40 booth at SEMA on Tuesday October 31 at 12pm. If you’re at the show, be sure to stop by and say ‘hi’. I’ll be hanging out with my friend Jason Fenske of EngineeringExplained.

I suppose I’ll give you the details of what happened in next month’s newsletter. Keep an eye on my social media as I’ll be making updates along the way. Links at the bottom of this email or at the top of the page on my website.

Premium Member News

Premium Member videos are back! For the first time in a couple of months Premium Members have gotten 4 exclusive videos in one month, and I plan to keep it up.

During October Premium Members got, “Fairmont Test Drive with New GoPro Mount (Exclusive Video)GoPro Mount (Exclusive Video)”, “Matti Morri Explains the New Nokian C/ S Tire (Exclusive Video)”, “Shop Tour 10.10.2017 (Exclusive Video)”, and“ETCG Updates 10.21.2017 (Exclusive Video)”.

I’m already working on new content for next month. However, if you’re a Premium Member now, feel free to offer suggestions in the comments to existing Premium Member videos on what you would like to see more of, or less of, in the future with your Premium Membership.

Premium Members get up to 4 exclusive videos per month. They also get additional perks on the website, and they help support the site with all of it’s useful, free, repair content.

Details on the new Premium Memberships here.

In Closing

During my time off from posting videos to EricTheCarGuy, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. I’ve also been working on new ways to manage my business and balance that with family life. Both are important to me.

One of my favorite things has become spending time with my kids at the shop on weekends. I LOVE being at the shop, but I’m often there alone. That’s been fine for making videos and building the Fairmont, but doesn’t do much for my ‘social’ life.

As I mentioned in last month’s newsletter, I’ve been spending Saturday’s at the shop with my daughter who’s taken quite an interest in welding. In fact, whenever she sees a weld now she shows me and talks about the work. Every time she does it I think my heart will explode with joy. It’s so nice to see her interested in this stuff.

Last weekend my youngest son joined us at the shop. He wanted to do some work on his bike. I showed him how to replace tires, tubes, brakes, and also gave him the opportunity to wash it. He had a blast.

I also showed them both how to hook up a scan tool and read DTC’s.

I get a lot of satisfaction from the time I’m spending with them at the shop. I will be doing this from here on out.

In fact, I may have found a new calling. I think going forward I’m going to focus more on automotive education for young people. I find it very rewarding and there seems to be a big hole there right now as many public schools have closed down their automotive programs.

I also think this will fit in very well with my Fixing it Forward initiatives.

I’m still fleshing things out, but the ideas are there, and I think they’re good ones.

Thanks for reading. Stay tuned.

Latest videos below.

Be safe

Have fun

Stay Dirty

ETCG

Related Videos:

Video Title: November 2017 Newsletter -EricTheCarGuy Video Description: Welcome to the November 2017 Newsletter. We talk about The Return of ETCG Videos, ETCG Hits 1,000,000 Subs!, The #PullAPartChallenge, Speaking at Parkland College in Champaign IL, #TheFairmontProject, and more. Thumbnail: https://www.ericthecarguy.com/images/newsletter/Nov/2017/November-2017-Newsletter-Placecard-Large.jpg