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I’ve been working on cars for 57 years. In that time you learn, many times the hard way, things you should not do. For the average person with little or no car maintenance or repair experience, there’s many ways to either damage the vehicle being worked on or to put the owner in danger. And these are things that experienced people avoid automatically without thinking.
So, my suggestion is a video of things not to do. I remember when my cousin dumped engine oil into the power steering. I remember when a coworker filled his leaking radiator with water on a subzero day. I remember the lady that carried a spare in the trunk – a spare that wasn’t mounted on a rim. Anyway, you get the picture.
I know you have many cautions in your repair videos. But, I think a video just dedicated things you should not do would be a great service.
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Good idea, makes for a great discussion even if Eric does not do a video on it.
Never put anything besides brake fluid in a master cylinder.
I had to do a complete brake job (meaning EVERYTHING) on a truck that the owner’s father-in-law decided to top off the master cylinder with gear oil. :ohmy:
Once oil is introduced to a brake system a flush is not enough all the hydraulic components have to be changed out, oil will soften and destroy the seals in the braking system.
Gear oil in the MC is a great story.
The coworker who filled his cooling system with tap water did so during lunch break at work. This after I had warned him of the consequences and had even offered to skip lunch to drive to a store for antifreeze. I never saw that car again.
That’s a good idea. I’ll look for an opportunity to make that video. Right now I pretty much have the rest of this year covered but I’ll look into that possibility for next years season.
Thanks for the suggestion.
I ran into another Gottcha. On another forum a young man from Canada wrote in to report he blew a freeze plug. BTW, it is bitterly cold up there now. So, one of the responders advises that at that temperature he should be using pure antifreeze.
[quote=”barneyb” post=81795]I ran into another Gottcha. On another forum a young man from Canada wrote in to report he blew a freeze plug. BTW, it is bitterly cold up there now. So, one of the responders advises that at that temperature he should be using pure antifreeze.[/quote]
At those temperatures, I think a block heater would be the way to go.
Your answer is much too practical. 🙂 My point is that pure antifreeze freezes at 10 above or something like that but doesn’t expand. But, I see how someone would think that if a little is good, more is better. I imagine pure antifreeze would become liquid soon enough in the engine but remain solid and refuse to circulate through the radiator.
Here’s another – I was working on a turbo car the other day getting ready to pull the transmission. So, I had all these hoses and pipes pulled and lots of openings to the intake. There was no need to tape these openings up, I was being very careful. Careful until I dropped a nut which disappeared. Well, it took me four hours to find that nut, it had hidden itself away very convincingly. I was being taught a lesson. So, there is a another gottcha.
In one of the threads in the diy fix it forum an owner talks about nursing an overheating car home. Just driving a vehicle with a leaking cooling system is gottcha enough but nursing it home is gottcha on steroids. In fact I’d suggest this is another topic that could be addressed in one of your videos – when is it time to call the wrecker.
[quote=”barneyb” post=82633] In fact I’d suggest this is another topic that could be addressed in one of your videos – when is it time to call the wrecker.[/quote]
That is a really good idea.
[quote=”barneyb” post=82633]Here’s another – I was working on a turbo car the other day getting ready to pull the transmission. So, I had all these hoses and pipes pulled and lots of openings to the intake. There was no need to tape these openings up, I was being very careful. Careful until I dropped a nut which disappeared. Well, it took me four hours to find that nut, it had hidden itself away very convincingly. I was being taught a lesson. So, there is a another gottcha.
In one of the threads in the diy fix it forum an owner talks about nursing an overheating car home. Just driving a vehicle with a leaking cooling system is gottcha enough but nursing it home is gottcha on steroids. In fact I’d suggest this is another topic that could be addressed in one of your videos – when is it time to call the wrecker.[/quote]
I’ve been there. It’s a pain to try and find that missing fastener, but if you don’t, it could mean trouble.
As for when to call a wrecker, I sort of covered that here.
[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=82641][quote=”barneyb” post=82633]Here’s another – I was working on a turbo car the other day getting ready to pull the transmission. So, I had all these hoses and pipes pulled and lots of openings to the intake. There was no need to tape these openings up, I was being very careful. Careful until I dropped a nut which disappeared. Well, it took me four hours to find that nut, it had hidden itself away very convincingly. I was being taught a lesson. So, there is a another gottcha.
In one of the threads in the diy fix it forum an owner talks about nursing an overheating car home. Just driving a vehicle with a leaking cooling system is gottcha enough but nursing it home is gottcha on steroids. In fact I’d suggest this is another topic that could be addressed in one of your videos – when is it time to call the wrecker.[/quote]
I’ve been there. It’s a pain to try and find that missing fastener, but if you don’t, it could mean trouble.
As for when to call a wrecker, I sort of covered that here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c23ibJul6s0%5B/quote%5D
WOW Eric, that thumbnail pic on your video shows the face of a man who is looking for the gas can and a match. 😆
[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=82659]I was trying to express ‘angst’. I guess it worked.[/quote]
Very much so.
Don’t feel too bad I have had that look related to repairs tons of times. 😆
I watched your video and was puzzled. Finally, it dawned on me, wrecker to me is the flatbed that transports my stranded car and to you it is where one obtains salvage parts, lol. My fail.
I remember following and honking at this pickup, one very cold day on the interstate. The truck was steaming like Old Faithful. The plume of steam was so thick I was amazed the driver could see to drive. But, she wouldn’t stop. Finally, the engine seized up.
People have this urge, this determination to try to continue to their destination no matter what the trouble, overheating, oil light on or terrible noises from under the hood. So, that is my suggestion – when to call the wrecker – err, I mean tow truck or maybe flatbed.
A better way to phrase it Barney, is we need a video on how and when to make the decision to call for a tow truck vs limping it home.
[quote=”Raistian77″ post=83088]A better way to phrase it Barney, is we need a video on how and when to make the decision to call for a tow truck vs limping it home.[/quote]
Exactly. You’ve phrased it as I wish I could have. And I think it has some interesting and subtle variations. Like, there are times when it is better to drive on a flat tire than stopping on a very busy road. Or, what should you do when you vehicle acts up in a dangerous area of a large city.
Then there is the mechanical side of it. What constitutes a do not operate situation and how do you judge this from the driver’s seat.
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