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The differences between the US spec models and the others sold around the world can be quite dramatic.
OP, I would use the Honda 0W20, you can buy it at most auto parts stores. If not that, M1 0W20 Synthetic.
I’ve learned some things about conventional vs. synthetic oils and I wonder why people use conventional oil. Conventional 10W30 is just 10 weight oil with paraferin wax put in to keep it from thinning out too much, so it behaves like a 30W when hot. 10W30 Synthetic is a very refined, pure 30 weight oil with long chain polymers to keep it from getting too thick as it cools.
The 10W is taken at the freezing point. The 30 part I believe is taken at boiling point (not sure on exactly where) but when you go higher and lower than those two numbers, that is not accounted for. You can do a test, take a bottle of each and put it in the freezer, a deep one if you have it and get it to -20. Try to pour them and you’ll notice how much better the synthetic flows. Really cold and you’ll see the wax separate in the conventional so use clear bottles if you can. Now, heat up a pan (you won’t be cooking with) and compare how they act at really high tempratures. The synthetic will hold it’s properties at much higher tempratures, and the conventional might start burning.
Not exactly, and R134A is still so cheap why would someone go for a fake? Just wow.
I do remember when R12 became illegal to produce and the price skyrocketed an alternative came out called Freeze 12, which was flammable, toxic and worse than R12 but loopholes allowed it to be used. R123 is not an automotive refrigerant. It’s used for really large refrigerant centerfuges. Someone puts that in their car I’m going to recommend replacing the whole system.
Cooked dirty conventional oil. When the oil is really hot, the thinner parts tend to get burnt off and what is left is the parafinn (wax) mixes with the dirt (carbon, fuel) and forms sludge.
Synthetics are molecularity uniform so they can’t separate. It takes a lot more heat to burn them, and they hold dirt better.
It has nothing to do with cheaper metal. Actually the metal is better in the newer brakes.
Brakes are engineered for stopping power. The metal in the rotor is partly to absorb and dissipate the heat. The metal wears just like the pads but just not a much. When you machine a rotor, you are making a new surface for the new pads and to correct glazing, grooving, runout, uneven surfacing but you are also taking off even more metal, making the rotor thinner and able to hold as much heat.
Rotors are so much cheaper now, and machining rotors takes up time and is a hastle, plus the negatives of machined rotors, just replace the rotors and be done with it. The only time to machine rotors is if they are relatively new and after a break in they get some runout and you more or less are just truing it up, or say somehow it developes a groove or they glaze it. Chances are you used a crap pad but if not. then use an on car brake lathe, or no access make sure the rotor goes back on the same way it came off. If a rotor is warped and near spec, machining it will only be temparary as it will just warp up again soon.
About Eric’s video. Yes things are getting this way, but cars are still getting bigger, heavier, and more expensive, but you are getting more for your money. Items that were once items only found on luxury cars are now found in economy cars, and some of the newer economy cars can outperform the older sports cars.
GM is the biggest car company and have great resources for training. They make such a variety of vehicles that you can really get some experience. There are GM dealers everywhere, you’ll always be able to find a place to work. They do tend to like to specialize their techs so you can get type-cast so to speak and stuck. Also, there are so many Chevy mechanics, you have a lot of competition. Ford has a good program , but they are frustrating to work on, at least I find them that way. Chrysler, do you like to work on junk with just enough Mercedes parts to really piss you off?
European… VW is the #2 car company, lots of oppertunity there. Mercedes and BMW take a special kind of person and are a science of their own. They don’t have the volume of business, but are paid well and if you can get good, you will be in demand.
Asian. I work for Nissan and they are about the more difficult to work on of the Asian brands, but it seems that having Nissan Certification is a big bonus when looking for a job.
The truth is that diesels aren’t that much different than gas. It’s a standard piston based 4 cycle / 2 stroke internal combustion engine. It’s not like a turbine or a wankle (rotary) engine for that matter. Thanks for even gas cars going Direct Injection, they have even more in common. The biggest difference is that diesel fuel burns, gasoline combusts/explodes. From there, it takes more heat and pressure than gas. What i am getting to is that if you can master one, you can master the other. In some ways, they are even more simple than gas. However, if you are just learning to be a technician, better focus on one or the other. Master one, then apply that knowlege to the other.
I’m starting to really study diesel. Got ASE A9 and I’ve done some trucks but not fluent on them. At Nissan, we are getting a Nissan Titan with a 5.0 Cummins V8 TD. That will be my big gateway and get some factory training. That and focusing on learning how to use an Oscilloscope, that’s what really separates the men from the boys. It’s not turning wrenches as much as it is backprobing terminals.
So I’m reviving the thread rather than make a new one because OP’s post is relavant. ASE testing seems to be mattering again. At one time, it was everything, then nobody seemed to care (Ask Somebody Else, herp derp) but there have been changes in the industry where things are getting more technical, lemon laws and other laws concerning liability and such as well as this field becoming more technical. Your grease monkey mechanic and parts changers are starting to find it harder and harder.
Of all the standard tests, A2 Automatic Transmissions is the hardest, and mainly because diag now consist most places as “good or bad trans” and they are remanufacturered and the tech just puts in a new one. A2 talks about the internal components and how transmissions work and for most of us, it’s not easy because we don’t do that anymore. Some places do transmission rebuilds in house but it’s 99% of the time a dedicated transmission tech that just does them all day. No doubt components of the newer double clutch electronic automatics will be incorporated in there somehow, which they are just manuals that are electronically shifted. Most likely CVT’s will also be incorporated as well as we will see a lot of those and keep it more basic as far as diagnosing a good or bad trans, valve body, and control valve. No need for the internal workings of the transmission. Honestly, I think that “transmissions” should just be one test and cover them all. Perhaps incorporated axles and such into steering and suspension. Steering, Suspension, and Axles. I think emissions systems should be it’s own test to make up the gap which is pretty much currently called X1 Exhaust Systems. So, combine transmissions and add an emissions cert in the blank area. Perhaps a specialty section for the rebuilding of the transmission.
I just took and passed L1 and I found it about a step over A2, maybe slightly harder as I did study much harder and feared that test. There is no way to “learn” to pass the test. The only real way to learn is to have a comprehensive understanding of how these systems work and to apply your experience. If it were easy so that someone could just study a study-guide and pass the test there would be no relevance.
Yes they have invented L3, and I’ve heard it’s a bear, especially because very few independent shops mess with the hybrid system or do much to electric cars. However, that may change just like it did in the 80’s when “computer cars” came into the market, those shops that didn’t adapt, didn’t survive and those who did thrived. Yes it may be hard to get, but imagine if you had it, how desirable you would be if you were looking for a new job?
Your transmission was designed to operate with a certain transmission fluid type. Stay dirty but keep the transmission clean.
Good start. Sounds like they are teaching you properly instead of throwing you to the wolves. Right now, focus on the basic items and making sure you do things properly, 100%, no mistakes. In this field, we learn from tial and error. Just try to keep your errors from being too damaging.
If someone tells you that you will actually see a HP difference using some “performance” plugs and wires, they don’t know what they are talking about. Yes, over worn fouled plugs and arcing wires, but really, use quality wires and NKG plugs.
My question is “Why do you want to convert to carb?” EFI is a better system. Carbs have problems too.
I’m going to say for the sake of argument you are having issues with your fuel delivery system. For one thing, those systems on older honda’s are quite simple, and prices aren’t that bad. By the time you go to the trouble and expense converting to carb you would have it much easier just sticking to the factory system and fixing it.
Adult content on the videos, have to sign in to view. Kind of not wanting to view that.
You need to get a stephascope and figure where exactly it’s coming from.
I currently work at a dealer. Got my start on independently franchised chain stores. Goodyear Service Centers. I would not go back, not for a while.
As far as dealerships, you pretty much know what to expect. They keep up on the equipment better, have better equipment, have specialty tools, a lot of resources. Having education credentials and certifications are very important. Training is much better. Best place for a new tech. The standards are much higher though, so accountability is going to be greater. It’s the most professional enviroment. Now, politics are very strong. Policies galore. More paperwork. Of course, is the dealer privately owned or by a big corporation?
Corporate owned Chain stores. My only experience was really pep boys and Sears. Like a dealer, you have the politics, and policies. However, equipment is lacking and standards are much lower. One thing was safety protocol, meaning safety glasses, the chains across the doors, all kinds of crap like that. Unrealistic. They have all these rules and standards but nobody follows them. A dull rock can shine here. Working here, I remember having a lot of fun but not really working on cars much. lol
Privately owned Chain stores/Franchises: I did the Goodyear Swing for a long time. They have a unique format, and you get used to it and it’s hard to adapt to anything else. You come in as a GS (general service) and there are different skill levels. You can make okay money as a good GS. Learn from the techs and such, but there is this HUGE gap to get to the tech level. They will almost never promote a GS to tech, they rather just hire someone who is already a tech. Worse, yet, you are basically the tech’s bitch. You are treated lower than sales guys. Attitudes galore and people talk to you like you are an idiot all of the time. No respect. Mainly because most techs there are sub-par so they have to pick on someone else to feel important. I was fortunate to become a assistant to a very good technician, apprenticeship. When the economy slumped I went back to being a GS for the hourly pay. Was good at first. However, I worked there 4 years with them promising me a promotion and never got it.
Finally, the true indepenents “Joe’s Garage”. Mom and Pop set ups. You don’t know what to expect here. They can be really great, or they can be really horrible. I know of guys that have it made working for these shops, but I have heard horror stories about them. I worked for one once. It was okay. However, there is no “policies”, the owner is the dictator. Equipment? Just LOL, if t
hey have it just be glad it somewhat works. Special tools? that’s up to you. Training? Better already have it.To ADD: I now work at a Nissan Dealer. I’m a chevy guy honestly, I don’t really like Nissans. However in the Japanese Import Tech world, Nissan/infiniti guys are always in demand. They made me start just changing oil even with my experience. I was their best oil changer, set records. Then they moved me to Recon/Used cars for about a year. Now they decided because I do what they want and have proven loyalty, they pulled me back down on the Nissan end, and are sending me to school, about a class per month to get me fast tracked to Nissan Certified Specialist and in the end, Master status. I have ASE Master Status now, so I could go anywhere. However, when I get my stripes with Nissan, especially if I get Sr Master status, I will have something no independent tech can have. I can go to any Nissan dealer anywhere and get a job. “I’m a Sr Master Tech” “When can you start”. I can go to a different make if I want, because I have proven I can do it with Nissan, they know I can do it anywhere. If I had to, I could go independent. Independents would love a dealer technician.
There is another guy at my work, he’s about the same age as me. He started there when he just turned 18 and was still in HS. 18 years later, he’s still there. He knows his stuff, makes good money, and I really wish I knew what I know now, then.