More ‘series’ videos from ETCG?

[EricTheCarGuy]

I’ve noticed that there has been a LOT of positive feedback on the Sonoma engine series. Personally I LOVE the series. It’s probably my favorite to date for a variety of reasons. This begs the question, should I post more of this type of video series on EricTheCarGuy? The format would be the same as the Sonoma engine series. I would post a 30-40min video every Friday until the series completes. The first thing that comes to mind for this is my 2001 Odyssey transmission R&R&Rebuild. I’ll admit that the rebuild was not 100% effective but I know why it wasn’t, and I’d cover that in the series as well as what to do if you were doing the same job and didn’t want to make the same mistakes. I have over 30 hours of footage for that job. Just to put it in perspective, the Sonoma series is taken from a little more than 12 hours worth of footage. I could do something other than the Odyssey, I was just using that as an example of what you might see if I were to do more videos of this type.

So I pose the question to you ‘dear viewer’. What do you think? Should I do more video series like the Sonoma engine series, or do more videos like what you’re used to? Before you say ‘both’ remember I am but one man and I can’t be glued to this chair all the time. I’ll do a ‘mix’ of both, but I won’t be able to produce both at the same time.

I look forward to your input.

Topic

[ThunderGod]

Greetings from Texas Eric..i love the Sonoma series vids and also love all the repair vids you do also,to ya question is yes I think you should do more vids like this,the only thing I hate is that vid are once a week..after watching the Sonoma vids I gotta wait whole week for next part,but oh well..lol..stay dirty Eric,,,Roland

[mike stammers]

I love all of the videos. I have learned a lot from watching. I have been very interested in the sonoma engine series, because I have to replace an engine in my vehicle. Keep up the great work!

[Flemming Jacobsen]

Hi Eric, and first of all thanks for all those wicked and educational videos :).

Personally I would prefer a blend/mix of both etc. Ie series where it might apply and make sense, and single videos for more “simple” things if that makes sense?

[ChrisR1987]

Eric, I love the Sonoma series but I to like the short videos. So personally Id like a mix. Hope that helps

[Jason]

If I was ETCG, I’d make sure my audience can diagnose the problem as a big problem requiring an engine/tranny overhaul or swap. I know so many people that as soon as their transmission or engine acts up they run to the salvage yard and perform a swap. They do this because, IMO, they don’t know the diagnostic method, they lack a fundamental knowledge of the system they are working on and more importantly, they are afraid of their multimeter and cant decipher what the scan tool is saying. I think as cars come in you can continue to make the shorter more diagnostic oriented videos that touch on basic theory then move onto the larger repair videos as the diagnosis requires. I have to keep in mind, you didn’t diagnose the truck as having a bad engine, it was given to you with the customer wanting a re-man unit installed. In a sense that was a diagnostic opportunity lost, however you may have covered this diagnosis on other videos. I’ve seen maybe half of them. Keep up the good work, I enjoy your channels very much.

[Linda]

Yes, please exchange an engine from a Ford F150 inline 6.
I just bought a 96 F150 and the engine runs good, and I love it, but I think every gasket on it is leaking. What a mess! After I researched and found that the engine has to be lifted up off the mounts to change the oil pan gasket, I’ve decided I just as well take it completely out and either give it a rebuild or just replace it with another engine.
This is a major task for me. I’ve always done all my own maintenance on my vehicles, but I never tried anything as major as this. But I think I can. So Eric, keep your video’s coming. I have learned so much. You are a phenomenal speaker and fun to listen to also. Feels like I am right there in the shop with you. Thank you so much.
If you can do anything on a Ford 150 96, it will be so greatly appreciated.
Thanks again.
Linda

[Dima]

Absolutely! The longer videos are absolutely fantastic. Of course, I’m sure you will do a mix of both long and the classic shorter videos you do. That’d be best!

[Marty]

These long series of videos are very nice, it show a lot of detail of the process of doing a particular task. As with many others i do believe you should in between series insert a few single week projects much as done before.

Also Guntherpotbelly makes a very strong point about showing diagnosis. I know this Sonoma was brought to you dead and they said it needed an engine. But diagnosis is a very key part of not throwing parts at things, especially an engine or transmission. I know you have general diagnostic videos, but showing it each time you do a series would be helpful to those perhaps less inclined to why a major part needs replacement.

[Scott Feit]

[quote=”STOCKa6″ post=68647]These long series of videos are very nice, it show a lot of detail of the process of doing a particular task. As with many others i do believe you should in between series insert a few single week projects much as done before.[/quote]

I agree with this. Long series videos are nice, but interspersed with some shorter videos (once a series is complete) would be even better. Plus, some things just don’t merit multiple videos– your antenna replacement for example. (Which was actually a help to me as I’d just purchased a car with a broken antenna a week prior, so thank you!)

I am curious how you choose the stopping points you do on series videos. Why 1/2 hour? I’m not complaining, I feel it’s a fair length of time, but how did you arrive at that when, say, a movie is 2 hours?

[Billy]

I love the long series vids. I don’t watch tv anymore so its a great way to unwind and relax for a couple hours before bed

[Ron Butler]

Stick with what you “Love” Eric! Sonoma is a great series to use as a model. Your new website is fantastic! Keep up the good work and SD brother!!!!

[EricTheCarGuy]

Many of you have commented on the diagnosis of the Sonoma engine. The truth is that the vehicle was not diagnosed by me, and it was brought to me partially disassembled. This made diagnosis very difficult. I tried to address this by including in the series a partial disassembly of the engine. Between the exploded radiator and the damaged connecting rod bearings I felt that was enough to condemn the engine. Anytime you have a severe overheat it damages just about everything inside the engine and there is little point of going in and putting a ‘band aid’ on it. That said, for the most part I try to put the diagnosis into the videos that I make. This is often difficult because in my opinion diagnosis videos come out much better when they are planned out ahead of time. It’s difficult enough to produce the ‘documentary’ repair videos that I make, but it’s quite another thing to demonstrate a process of diagnosis sometimes on the fly. I’m not disagreeing with you, diagnosis is a key part of repair but it’s not always a black and white situation. More often than not you exist in a ‘grey’ area when doing diagnosis. If a customer comes to you and says, “put an engine in my vehicle”, that’s often exactly what you do. Auto repair is a business and you don’t normally turn away business if a customer is instant upon spending their money. That was not the case with the Sonoma as I did the job for the cost of the parts. I did it because I knew the owners and their situation and I wanted to help them in any way I could. I got a great series of videos out of it and for me that’s what it’s all about as making repair videos IS my business.

Many of you have also been wanting me to post another repair video during the week. This is not likely to happen. I’ve done that in the past and the schedule was just too much for me. It’s hard enough producing the 2 weekly videos that I put out now, adding another repair video to the week would not work for me, I feel that would be a recipe for burn out. However, I do have plans to add another type of video to the line up which I’ll talk about more in the coming month.

I do appreciate your opinions on this topic. You are after all the reason that I produce these videos in the first place and I’m very interested in your opinions on what you like to watch. I think starting with your opinions is a great beginning to the continued success of ETCG. Thanks to everyone and their comments. Keep them coming.

[Chevypower]

Howdy, Eric! This was the link in the newsletter [early delivery, I noticed, Mr. Hard worker 😉 ], and so this is where I’m going to respond *and* ask my Q’s.

~2 birds, dude.

I have learned from experience that it is easier for me to wait for an entire series to be posted & watch it all at once, than to wait a week for an installment, then another week.

Having said that, I haven’t seen a regular ETCG video in a while, so I’m not familiar with the ‘Serial’ format. I always watch ETCG1 videos.
Since I finished school, did all of the Computerized factory training while I worked for Hyundai, and am now in the process of computerized GM factory training, I find myself totally & completely burned out by the whole concept of “Hands-off” learning. The only learning I want to do for a while is “Hands-on”. Whenever I use a computer for business or educational purposes, I get a severe headache. Hate ‘puderz.

I *WILL* be watching the Sonoma series when it’s all posted cause I used to own an 01 2.2L with a 5spd stick.

I’d be curious to see the Odyssey video(s), even though I don’t care for Jap cars, it would be a great education I am sure. You have stated (repeatedly) that you made a couple of mistakes along the way. Well sir, if you’re nice enough to point out your own mistakes, I’m gonna learn from them.

Perhaps if you have a video that is say 10 hours of raw footage, you could put together a 5 minute “Highlight Reel” kinda like Hollyweird does for movie trailers. Then, forum members can vote by posting in the thread for that video.

Example thread: Sonoma Engine Series Discussion. You could post the trailer, and ask the question: “Old format, or new”? Then we post our votes. When the full length version goes live, you could just put a link in the description leading back to the same thread: “Sonoma Engine Series Discussion”. That way, if anybody was asleep during the preview, they can read the thread really quick and see that they missed their opportunity to vote on video format.

Or something to that effect, IDK.

Question 1: As long as we’re on the subject, are there Vmanuals for *all* of your previous GM video series? Been a long time since I’ve been on the site & I don’t wanna spoil the new format for myself by checking. IDR if there are Vmanuals for your GM repairs or not.

Question 2: Them fancy Vmanuals come with extended footage, right?

Q 3: Could I get a discount if I buy them in bulk?

4: Could I order all of the GM Vmanuals on DVD? I’m not computer-savvy enough to figure out how to download a video file & then burn my own DVD, so I’d rather just buy it, pay for shipping, and be done with it.

That seems to wrap up this month’s newsletter. Killer edition BTW. Just thought that it ended too soon & rather abruptly. Can’t wait to test drive the new ETCG.com!

[Laurence MacNeill]

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the Sonoma series of vids, and for large jobs like this (engine swaps, etc.) I’d love to see a whole series of vids like you’ve done with the Sonoma. But of course, I like the smaller vids too — brake work, for example, shouldn’t ever be more than a single 30- or 40-minute video.

I say keep doing what you’ve been doing, until a large job like this Sonoma comes up, then make a long series of vids. I think as long as you let people know ahead of time that that’s what you’ll be doing, no one will have a problem with it.

Thanks for your work! It’s’ much appreciated!
L.

[Author]

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