It's all about the customer. You save them money once you will have a return customer. I've been in the business 20 + years. It works. Thanks Ray keep it up with the great videos.
@jamie ericcon Many years ago one "reference" I had from one of our customers stated that they "would only have me work on their cars because I made sure that the work I did was 100% proper, not 99%, but 100% as their lives could be in the balance in an accident because of that missing 1%". I was always proud of doing things properly.
Thanks Rainman. I have been a master mechanic for almost 40 years. It’s so refreshing to see a mechanic that takes pride in his work and goes the extra mile.
I watch this guy and one other. I don't think either fully appreciate the amount of education contained in the videos they produce. Just a week ago, my son has a Subaru, that had an intermittent start problem. Just sat there and ticked like a dead battery would, or like the starter solenoid was in the process of dying. After watching one of his videos, in which he shows how to determine if you have bad body, frame, or engine grounds. Turns out it was a bad engine ground. Am I one hundred percent sure it's cured? No but it's been over a week, issue free and neither the symptom or the test condition has returned. I don't think either of the mechanics I watch have a Patreon or PayPal account. Although, I would chip a few bucks in no problem as the education is well worth it. Sorry to rag on :-)
It's same as taking car in for a shaking engine and instead of saying oh could be mounts,not enough fuel getting into engine, the shop goes straight for oh yer that's definitely a knew engine lol
As a tow truck operator I love seeing and hearing about these kinds of shops. Someone willing to find an actual problem than just throwing expensive parts at it because they scare the people driving the vehicles into thinking it needs it. The world needs more mechanics like you sir!
I installed a petcock drain plug in my van and truck. I'm too old for fiddling around with drain plugs. Just attach the drain hose and put it into the drain pan, flip the lever and go have a cup of coffee while it drains. Now if there was a way to keep the flippen oil from spilling from the filters I wouldn't even need gloves!!
@@outdoorfreedom9778 Yep 2 words FUMOTO VALVE !! I have jeep liberty diesels with steel plug and aluminum pan and you cant easily remove the oil pan. DEALERS and ALL other oil changers strip these out all the times causing very costly problems . Yes there are repairs availiable drilling and taping larger etc. I bypass all that by putting valve on every vehicle the first time I change the oil in it and never worry again. Of course I also do all future changes myself. I even heard of one guy that had a fumoto valve installed by previous owner and the lube shop removed it like it was a plug and stripped the pan putting it back in !!
Yup, can't believe anyone who would "diagnose" a starting issue would leave those terminals so loose, textbook random no crank. Hopefully the plan wasn't to install the tipm and fix / finally notice the battery at the same time.
@@MonkeyJedi99 for the record, Ray sounds like a straight up dude. All I'm saying is that, generally speaking, it's only logical that producers of videos control the message and characterization of themselves.
Okay....the drain plug is: 1) hot...so don't hold it tight while turning 2) it's covered in oil and slippery. 3) you have on smooth oily slippery gloves with little sense of feel. 4) your never sure when the plug is going to come out as your turning it. 5) you let go of plug for a second to begin another turn..........AND What are the chances it just shoots into the drain pan? About 60-70% based on my many oil changes!
Love your program. As a retired automotive technician I can watch you for hours. I like your logical decisions you make and I thought I would reach out to you and say, good job. Please as I do respect you. Put a safety stand next time you crawl up under a vehicle. I’ve seen you do it a number of times, I wouldn’t want you to get hurt!
Yep a lot of them are R&R people. That is remove and replace, not REMOVE AND REPAIR.. I like the way he says "anything electrical ALWAYS start at the battery and the terminals".
@@johnmilner5485 Yep, battery, terminals and then onward's to fuse box/es. One under the bonnet (hood) and the second under the dash or in the footwell, in most cars.
Reminds me of my days as a mechanic. My customers followed me to a different town when I moved. Many times I had little old ladies come to me in tears because a big brand shop said they needed all this work. Upon inspection she was just being over sold. Great job. A person can be a good honest mechanic without ripping people off.
@Jacqueline Oldhaver I had an older lady 70's for sure took her dodge caliber to a very reputable auto shop they told her she needed timing chain guides tensioners $3500 it was making a sound similar to timing chain luckily she came to my home shop from word of mouth and I changed her alternator that has a clutch style pulley similar to a compressor clutch and when she came to pick her car up I ask her what did she think I had to tell her that her car was started and engine running she cried I was able to get her used alternator and install for $150 total she is on fixed income.. really hurts my heart to see that big shop trying to take advantage of someones mom, grandma, great grandma needless to say I have her business 3 years later and most of her family and friends
I learned from my dad that bad mechanics always want to replace parts, while good mechanics usually repair them. You sir, are one of the good ones. My dad has loyal customers for 30+ years. and I'm sure you will too.
Good video! Just one negative, I know that lot's of folks use a floor jack alone but if I'm going to crawl under a car, I won't trust a hydraulic jack to be the only thing keeping me from being crushed. I've had hydraulic jacks fail over the years, so I never trust them. A good set of jack stands is cheap insurance.
Jacks also need to be placed properly. And some vehicles, like Ford Foxbodys, don't really give you ANY place to put a jack without doing damage. I couldn't count how many Foxbody front frame rails I have seen that had been seriously damaged with floor jacks. I remove the 4 pronged saddle from the jack and replace it with a small piece of 2x4 for a vehicle like that. It doesn't leave huge dents in the tin frame rails.
I would like to say thank you for pointing out all the little details that make a huge difference in the quality of the repair - battery terminals, drain plug with gasket that will stay on, etc. As a jet engine mechanic for over 20 years, I'll say it again, these kind of details make a HUGE difference. Keep up the good work. 👍
When you started to put the cable on the new terminal without cleaning it first I was like "NOOOO!!!!!" Then you restored my faith in humanity. Although I was surprised you didn't use the battery corrosion prevention. Thanks Ray for the informative and entertaining videos and for taking care of your customers, a trait that is becoming very rare today.
I can't stop binge watching your videos. Not only have I learned a ton, but now I say "click" everytime I turn off the faucet and "do da do da do" everytime my phone rings. Great content!
I have been watching your videos, not because I needed the info they provide but because you make a darn good video, always interesting, you have a good style in your delivery, good camera shooting, diagnosis process, the repair. Oh hel I'll just keep on watching. Thanks for the entertainment.
My wife literally just asked me why I was watching this. My response was much the same to her save for I added it’s refreshing to see somebody doing work correctly while trying to take customer service to the next level by not gouging a customers wallet just to make a buck.
So, have you received feedback on the issue from the owner? You remind me very much of the mechanic I use, and have been using for thirty years. Mechanics like him and you are awesome!
Reee...ly great job on the diagnostic! I would much rather pay around $15 for new terminal clamps than the $1500 the stealership quoted for a new TIPM! (plus labor, of course!)
I had a similar thing with my last car,it was acting like it wouldn't start and when it did it was ok for a while and then I put a new battery in and it did the same thing again after a while-i took it to the mechanic and after the diagnosis he said that it needed the computer replaced at $1100 but I told him NO because I didn't have the money, payed for the diagnosis and left- went to another mechanic who told me that it needs a positive battery cable which had to be special ordered from the dealership because it had a special cable that was partially connected to the alternator and starter and the battery and it fixed it
@@davidrichman8468 i bought a car which had flat batteries al the time and the alternator was changed two times. ended up being the negative cable fromte the engine to the frame. it was sheared on the inside in the insulation. replaced and the car sometimes would this stutter. that was the igniter going bad. after replacing that it was golden!
So refreshing seeing another professional, someone that can explain intelligently why a part needs replacement and providing a mental troubleshooting flow chart. Keep it up. It's how you keep customers.
Impacts are fine if used correctly. I took my wife's escape to the dealer for an oil change and tire rotation. The tech came to the waiting area and informed me I needed to replace the lug nuts for $165. I inspected the old nuts, and sure enough the chrome caps had been rounded off. I asked to see the impact wrench and checked the socket which was worn enough to round the lug nuts. I got the new nuts free and never went back to the dealer. Love your videos and your abundance of Common sense..
In their defence, the style of lug nuts with chrome caps are prone to the caps swelling as the nut underneath corrodes so they no longer fit the correct socket. As a tech you are forced to jam on a socket or use one that is oversized to get them off. In fairness the replacement of the lug nuts should have probably been on you.
@@beansman69 it’s not just ford. The first ones are particularly bad but the Chrysler and Chevy ones are pretty bad, too. Any vehicle I’m going to regularly work on gets new solid lug nuts. All of the two piece lug nuts are shit. The new Chrysler 200’s have played lug bolts though which are actually worse.
@@Leonarco333 dorman makes a 1-piece stud lug for them i think. i had a jeep or dodge something (renegade maybe?) where they were so bad i could barely get the wheels off.
I admire your honesty when it comes to your customers. That’s hard to find these days. I stride myself in making sure I do the right thing no matter what the outcome. Cause if we all said screw it what kind of example are we setting for our children.
Well done, Ray. The customer knows you are being up front and honest with them. That is how a mechanic earns the trust of his or her customers. Even if it does then out that the TIPM is at fault the customer will know for sure you have done the correct diagnostics and fixed the obvious first. Great job.
Exactly this !! THe diagnostic work Ray does often takes far longer than the actual repairs. If a mechanic tells me I need $2k worth of parts in 5 minutes, I will be on the train to "second opinion-ville". If someone has spend an hour diagnosing the issue and tells me that I need a $2k part because of x, y and z, that earns my respect and belief that I am not being ripped off.
Having a bad battery or bad connection can do all kinds of weird shit, the computers hate it when they dont have proper voltage. I had an old Altima that started turning the headlights on by itself when the battery went bad.
I'm an electronics hobbyist, and in two weeks an electrical engineering student. I have first hand experience with electronics not getting the correct voltages. I've seen devices do the weirdest shit when not getting the proper voltage.
@@BOTmaster15 This +1000, many faults I have found with no logical explanation through diagnostics turned out to be a bad ground somewhere, it's the first thing I check when the intermittent fault gremlin is running around the engine bay, plus I don't have a Pico scope.
Ray, I love the fact that you are conscientious and always try to be fair with people. Also it is just as well that you cleaned those lugs on the battery cables. For a moment I thought that you were going to put them back on dirty, but you did the right thing in the end. I love your videos and I learn so much from you. But don't forget that I am also watching you very closely. Lol. Cheers from Australia
Been watching your videos. This is my first post comment, I want to thank you for being an honest mechanic and not taking peoples cars for granted by doing unnecessary repairs. Saved the ol lady some money. Heck just repeat business even if there's an issue (hopefully unrelated) with her ol van
I’ve been digesting almost everything of yours for the past month, mostly because I’m off work with a broken neck and SLAP tear. I love watching how you pay attention to details like this battery issue. I’ve worked for dealerships as a mechanic. Most of the time, you fix what you’re told and keep the cats moving.
I have to say Ray, that you have restored my faith in humanity. Your professionalism, integrity, and attention to details makes you stand out as a superior member of your profession.
Thats the difference of a Mechanic and a Technician.. Mechanics try and find the problem, Technicians just replace the parts the repair manual tells them too.
Very rare will you find an honest dealership. I did. Had my relay on my headlamps go. With one day rental of a car cost me under $100. I think it was around $70 total.
I am a subscriber for some time now. I had this same problem on my 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 limited about a year ago. I research and repair most things on my cars by myself with great success over the years. This one problem led me down the bad TIPM road as well. There was a recall on a internal fuel pump relay that would not function properly but after further inspection I was able to determine the recall had been resolved. I then read the relays go out quite regularly and replaced it with same results. Not cranking at certain times. I then had my nephew that is a mechanic reprogram the computer and added an update that Chrysler had in a TSB. Problem solved and no problems since then. I hope this helps. Thanx for great content and mostly your honesty.
Had similar, Hyundai Santa-fey. Intermittent non-start. The owner had paid someone else to replace the battery, the alternator, and the starter motor, as advised by the other garage. To no effect. The earth strap from the battery to the inner wing was loose. The Bolts had rusted away, as had the threads in the nuts welded to the wing. They were little rusty stubs into little rusty holes. Remove the rusty bolts, grab hold with pliers and pull. drill the captive nuts, M5 thread to a 6mm hole, clean the earth-strap and wing. Fit 2 new M6 bolts and nylock nuts. Took 20 minutes. They has spent over £1,000 on the car, and I charged under £50 to actually fix it.
Great video Rainman, I am a retired millwright and I still like changing oil and doing repairs. Luckily I have a grownup daughter with two kids and they like not having to go to the shop to get things done, Nice battery work, the kind of thing that lets you sleep well at night, knowing you just killed a possible roadside delay. Enjoyed, cheers!
I agree with Kris, we need more mechanics like you. Thanks for not trying to rip off people. It makes my heart feel good to know you are doing the right thing.
I like the quality of your work and you really took care of your senior citizen customer. Thank you for that good deed, you saved her $1300 and you made her car more reliable and safe driver especially late at nights.
Nice job! Keeping it simple. Even if it was the fuse box, I would have to confirm witch part of the fuse box is failing. I have had relay fail and pop in a new one I already had available. It is great to see the relief on people's faces!
The TIPM in Chryslers isn't just a fuse/relay box. It has printed circuits inside it, as well. The pins and printed circuits can overheat, break or cause loose connections at different temperatures, causing intermittent problems with many different systems. They are a pain in the ass to diagnose, so many shops will just replace them and hope like hell that it fixes the problem.
Hey Ray, i really like the fact that you go the extra mile on the little things that can give somebody a bad day later even if you don't make money on it. Great customer focus. I hope the shop i visit does the same. So far they have been pretty good to me. I am using your videos to learn about practical things the cars need so i know what to look out for and understand when I am being taken advantage of. Great content.
@@MonkeyJedi99 you read too much into it. I just said that I would understand when it is happening. Not hoping to see IF it happens. It just means that I will know it is happening based on the things I have learned from these videos. If it will ever happen to me is still to be seen, though.
Hi Ray another excellent and honest video, as an Auto electrician in Australia you did exactly the right thing with the vehicle and customer. Keep up the good work 👍🤙
Good call. Problem was almost certainly the battery connection. I once owned a car that would not start even though the headlights, dome lights, radio, everything else worked perfectly. I was getting ready to replace the starter and my uncle pointed out that maybe I should clean the battery contacts first... Fixed the problem forever.
Rainman. It's mechanics like you, when your being honest to elderly seniors on such an low income not selling up to elderly rip them off. We need more techs like you in this world.
A common problem with Caravan "No Starts" and often a different problem of dead batteries after sitting ovenight is INDEED related to a Single COMPONENT on the TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module). The culprit is the Fuel Pump Relay and it can manifest itself with either of the two separate symptoms. One is the Cranking with No Start and the other being a Dead Battery after sitting for awhile. So here's the issue: The contact points on that Fuel Pump Relay become severely pitted; so much so that sometimes electrical contact to the pump doesn't happen. This will yield the Cranking with No Start Symptom. Each time the key is turned off and back on, that Relay opens and closes again. Eventually after several tries, the contacts MAY make a sufficient electrical contact to allow the vehicle to start. The other scenario is that those pits on the contact points become stuck together. When you shut off the vehicle and remove the key, the fuel pump is still active and will drain the battery overnight. Is Chrysler Corporation aware of this problem? Absolutely! In fact the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango were actually recalled for the same problem. They developed a "TIPM Bypass Repair Kit" which takes about an hours labour to install with proper tools and experience. That kit includes a Huge high quality Omron Relay, and associated wiring (including a fuse) which retails for less than $30 at a Chrysler Dealer whereas a replacement TIPM costs well over $1,100. SO, Caravan owners have been trying to set up a Class Action Lawsuit to get Chrysler to recall Caravans and Chrysler Town and Country Minivans, the same as they did for Grand Cherokees due to it being a safety issue. The best part of this story??? That same $30 kit WILL work with Chrysler's minivans. The wiring harness contact points and wire colours are identical to those in the Jeeps and Durangos. I purchased such a kit and repaired a friend's 2011 Caravan after he'd had SIX different mechanics try to resolve his mysterious "Dual Symptoms". He'd had all manner of components replaced at huge cost to him all to no avail. With my simple tools and no prior experience, it took me about 2 hours to repair his vehicle in my driveway and it has never failed since. To be fair, I'm an electronics technologist and had several years experience as a field service representative for a major multinational corporation, so the task at hand did not scare me. Pretty simple hand tools plus a Volt/Ohm meter are necessary. I also chose to Solder and Insulate some wiring rather than extracting pins from the TIPM. I would mention that the kit came with NO INSTRUCTIONS as it is designed to be a "Dealer Installed Modification". I was actually surprised that my local dealership had the kit in stock and was willing to sell it to me over the counter. However, the INTERNET is YOUR FRIEND and there are several UA-cam Videos showing you how to complete this repair on a Caravan. You may want to watch a few of them to gain confidence. Just take your time and follow the video (making sure to disconnect your battery before proceding). Also, afix a label indicating that this modification has been installed. Altough I can't guarantee this, apparently the Chrysler TIPM was revised sometime around 2014 to address this particular issue/s. Probably has a heftier Fuel Pump Relay now but I don't know for sure. Manufacturer's are always striving to cut costs in production but end up with dissatisfied/disloyal customers and huge warranty costs. As Sandy Munroe states to the manufacturing community, "Don't Try to Save Me Any Money. I Can't Afford It"!
just did my sons Town & Country, soldered in an external relay, totally stupid design with the onboard relays which can not be serviced. Symptoms were flat battery over night, whirring noise from rear of vehicle when not running (fuel pump) and finally wouldn't start (relay died)
Great videos bud. I've been turning wrenches for 30 years and I never realized until now how entertaining it was to watch others do it. Glad to see an honest guy doing honest work. Never heard the term 'Predatory customer' before. Love it. Keep up the good work.
Love the fact of not only diagnosing her issue correctly most likely, but you saved a little old lady her entire ssi check for one month. Good job Rainman. . Keep up the good work. Now your going to have to deal with her friends. Get ready. They’re coming.. if she knew you, she’d probably bring you a bowl of collard greensor something.
Little ol' ladies can ruin someone - or give them success. One mention of how a place tried to rip her off and it's round the neighbourhood faster than a news reporter can do it on TV :p
I have 2 of these vans (2010 Town and Country and 2011 Grand Caravan), and I've ended up having to replace the damn TIPM twice on the 2011 and once on the 2010. Luckily, I learned from the first two experiences what it was, and after having the dealer take 2 months to replace them (there are only like 300 in existance at any given time, so it was a month in the shop each time) under warranty, the last time it happened it went to a junkyard and ripped one out of a wreck and replaced it for $40. $1200-1300 is spot on for what the dealer would charger (the cost for the module alone is $700, the rest is just the dealer ripping you off on labor, it's a half hour job to replace it). Hopefully your fix lasts, but if not you can easily save her a fortune by visiting a junkyard to obtain the part.
No jack stands is driving my OCD crazy! LOL! Other than that, this is a great video. I am a retired mechanic myself, and it's great to see that there's still some honest mechanics out there. Keep up the good work. You're channel deserves way more subs.
68 years ago I asked a mechanic that was under our car if I could let the jack down, so I could play with it. He was a lot more careful what he said was OK for me to do.
I really like that style of replacement battery terminal Looks like it gets a good bite without damaging the battery post Better than those red pig iron lead pieces of junk that crack that you see on the shelf at your local chain parts place Where'd you get them? Edit. They're called sae din iso terminals You can get a pair at Advance Die Hard branded for $12 or so Also available online, through various brands including Deka
Massive respect in standing behind proper procedure and finding that loose connector. Majority of all tipm issues are from dirty or bad connections and get accidentally fixed due to the removal of the connectors during install.
Integrity and work ethic always prevail, having both you always do every customer well delivering quality service. Having turned wrenches for about 40 years and still turning them I always enjoy seeing you in action and your candor.. Thanks for being you 👊
With all the oil changes I've done i have never replaced the washer. I have now. Great point. Took care of the drip I use to get on my motorcycle. Thanks Rainman. At 65 always learning.
I only reeee’d when you didn’t use the super precise amazing torque readout device for the drain plug. Was hoping it made a comeback. That magnet tool for the drain plug is an amazing idea
It's so nice to watch an honest mechanic. Some few give all of you a bad name and it's a shame the bad ones are allowed to stay in business. I also watch Watch Wess work and he also is honest and as both of you a very good mechanic. Enjoy watching you both.
Thanks for this Ray. I’m apprenticing at a very dishonest and very shady shop. I get in trouble whenever I try to go the extra mile or do work properly. I’m just staying here until I get a year of safe driving so the points on my license goes down and I get more opportunities, but for the moment, I’m just using this business. Using them to learn. I can’t wait until I can do real work like this
That is so nice to hear (well, minus the being trapped for the time being part). Good for you on maintaining your own personal code of ethics and integrity!
Keep the sunny disposition. Please don’t let the bastards corrupt you. Fight the man any way you’re able until you’re in a position to help yourself and your customers.
I laugh every time you say. "Moov'n on up" because I think some of your younger viewers don't get the reference. Today was extra special. You said "Plug it in, Plug it in" Again, I bet some youngsters don't know the reference.
Love your use of the impacts where everyone says you shouldnt.... I've been fixing cars for 20 years and you are for real my friend. Also love the use of chrome sockets on impacts....and chrome swivels on impacts....because that's how it is. Good on ya
@@saberxzero If you don't know what you're doing with an impact, you shouldn't be working on anything at all. It's not brain science or rocket surgery.
nice to know there are some really genuine people left in the world. Been hooked on your videos for the last 2 weeks so a big thanks all the way from London England 🇬🇧.
Also you missed an opportunity for ree. You didn’t put the car on a jack stand while you were under it, and just left it on the floor jack. How dare you take your own risks ;)
Really like your videos. Loved how you caught yourself and cleaned the battery cable ends. I’m a marine tech and when we clean the cables we also change the nut also, why put a rusty nut back on. I think what you did for this lady was excellent. We sometimes run into the same problem, if it’s working great when we look at it, how can we fix it.
I wondered about those nuts as well, but I can appreciate the other lengths of extra effort, too. Can a 'regular person' without that power tool achieve those results on the battery cable end with a certain grain of sandpaper or metal file?
@@redneek24 A lot of heavy duty trucks will engine shut down due to low oil pressure until their multiple 2qt engine oil filters fill on their own. Always end up pre-filling to prevent headaches. (Volvo, Cummins)
Automotive engines can actually idle a few minutes with no oil pressure ( with emphasis on "idle" and "few" ) Plastic oil bottles have small plastic "hairs" and "chips" left over from the injection/blow molding process inside them. There were similar problems with the old metal cans so this isnt something new. Unless your oil arrives in a glass jar from a lab, it's contaminated. You do not want oil straight out of the bottle getting into your bearings. So engines are designed to self purge the air out of the filter so all of the new oil is filtered before reaching the bearings. The other issue is , if the oil pump doesnt fill the oil filter and build pressure within the time alloted by the ECU it will throw a code to let you know the oil pump is bad. Prefilling the filter just defeats an important test you're supposed to do after an oil change. I recently had a commercial engine with a noise that could have been the oil pump , one of the tests was to spin on a new filter and see how long it took for oil pressure to return at 750 RPM ( too long, we replaced the oil pump and the noise went away.) When I checked the ECU I found two oil pressure codes ( with hour meter readings matching the two previous oil changes ) because the pump took too long to fill the oil filter and the mechanic didnt notice.
After a day’s work as a family doctor I relax by watching your channel. I really enjoy your diagnostic process. Start by examining the likelier simple things.
Considering the customer and from an experienced point of view, you certainly repaired it according to practical evidence. I have seen dealers replace any suspicious part at any cost. Replacing a motor when what was needed was spark plugs mentality.
loving the vids man..these new electric impacts have such good control and modes that allow them to be used as you are using them..I've been doing it for years and will continue to do so..
Nice work and nice video Ray, one minor, never trust a trolley jack, always use a axle stand, lost a colleague years ago when jack failed and crushed him.
Ray I read peoples comments after each video and from some pros and back yard mechanics I agree to their comments because what they say is true. You should feel good about taking care of your customers and being fair there is not enough of that type of service today. The old mechanic of the past are gone and that type of service died with them except for the ones out here that write you and say it’s nice to see someone willing to help those are the mechanics that keep alive the care and concern for there customers that keep coming back because they trust the man or woman that fixes there vehicle. To all you guys out there taking care the people thank you for keeping us safe.
I love how people say "I wish more mechanics were like you" when there's more mechanics like him than bad ones. It's the service writers that make good mechanics look bad. There are bad mechanics but it's only a few. My area of expertise was diagnostics and electrical and I loved fixing "dealer only" repairs to help save the customer some money
Those of us who actually use mechanics have a different experience. I've run into far too many incompetent and/or dishonest ones. That's why so many people get excited about Ray's honesty. It is rarely seen.
I thought I saw him push a jackstand in at the right side of the screen, but only one and he didn't drop the jack to put the weight on the stand. So maybe I was mistaken.
Battery temp above 32 is just a setting on the midtronics, you should be able to change it to “below” too (though you’ll never need it in FL), since lead acids perform significantly poorer below freezing temp of water (especially if there’s a chemistry issue in the cells)
As a Canadian, I can say your car batteries will hate you indefinitely. We used to have commercials on tv that promoted a good battery by freezing it in a block of ice lol
And I've actually ran across, drain plugs that are their techs at work had stripped out, and just use the oil extractor to change the oil on the unit. And not got the plug out and left it for the next guy which was me, to go and figure out how to remove the drain plug and replace it with a new one to do the oil change properly. Because I didn't carry an oil extractor with me on my service vechile. So it's definitely a good thing that you don't leave problems for the next guy or the customer.
New to your channel, great consistency, I do wish all mechanics thought the way you do. Some shows would have just put new connectors on and that`s that. Glad see you go the 100% clean terminals. Thou in UK, we always put touch of Vaseline on top of terminal. Prevent water penetration. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for another good video. One big save to the customer gets passed along by word of mouth to at least a few others, and often many others. Too bad the shop gets the good rep when in fact it is the mechanic who saved her a bundle. I think mechanics need to advertise their personal services more, especially reminding customers of their good service, and notifying them if the mech changes locations, so they can take their repair business to the person who did the great job, not just the shop where he or she may not work anymore.
Lol, love it! I could actually hear the REEEE from here, when you put the lug back on before cleaning it. And when you didn’t fill the filter, I actually got light headed from all the air the trolls sucked in. Another great video.
Not telling you how to do your job but it's always best practice to always use jackstands with a jack since a jack's hydraulic pump can fail at any given moment. As always though great video!
You have to use your judgement, he wasn't actually under the car, in these cases the pan and filter are just arms length away, you raise the car mostly to give the drain pan some clearance.
I'm fortunate enough to lease a new vehicle every 3 years but oh, do I remember driving older vehicles bought used. The stress when something was wrong was horrible, wondering if I was being told the truth or if the mechanic was upcharging me for something I didn't need. Thank you for having integrity and being conscientious in your work.
It's all about the customer. You save them money once you will have a return customer. I've been in the business 20 + years. It works. Thanks Ray keep it up with the great videos.
Absolutely! That is why I've been going to the same shop for over 30 years now.
Indeed it does i have a great mechanic who saves mew. Few dollars and been good family friends now for nearly 20 years
That's why they pay the big bucks for an honest mechanic. Sadly they pay big bucks for the fake ones too.
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@jamie ericcon Many years ago one "reference" I had from one of our customers stated that they "would only have me work on their cars because I made sure that the work I did was 100% proper, not 99%, but 100% as their lives could be in the balance in an accident because of that missing 1%". I was always proud of doing things properly.
Thanks Rainman. I have been a master mechanic for almost 40 years. It’s so refreshing to see a mechanic that takes pride in his work and goes the extra mile.
I watch this guy and one other. I don't think either fully appreciate the amount of education contained in the videos they produce. Just a week ago, my son has a Subaru, that had an intermittent start problem. Just sat there and ticked like a dead battery would, or like the starter solenoid was in the process of dying. After watching one of his videos, in which he shows how to determine if you have bad body, frame, or engine grounds. Turns out it was a bad engine ground. Am I one hundred percent sure it's cured? No but it's been over a week, issue free and neither the symptom or the test condition has returned. I don't think either of the mechanics I watch have a Patreon or PayPal account. Although, I would chip a few bucks in no problem as the education is well worth it. Sorry to rag on :-)
A self proclaimed master mechanic. Lol
It did in fact need a TIPM: Terminal Interconnect Polishing Maintenance.
Totally Inappropriate Pose Man
🤣
It's same as taking car in for a shaking engine and instead of saying oh could be mounts,not enough fuel getting into engine, the shop goes straight for oh yer that's definitely a knew engine lol
Possibly a double TIPM, if you include Totally Impartial Perfectionist Maintainer.
Love it
Honest mechanic is damn hard to find theses days. Thanks for being one of the good ones.
I turned a wrench as a younger man. REALLY appreciate your videos. Professional. knowledgeable and honest with a great attitude
As a tow truck operator I love seeing and hearing about these kinds of shops. Someone willing to find an actual problem than just throwing expensive parts at it because they scare the people driving the vehicles into thinking it needs it. The world needs more mechanics like you sir!
Need more mechanics and fewer parts changers. HATE people that throw parts at stuff, hoping something will stick.
The trick is to replace the last part first. That’s the part that fixes it.
There still some of us out here been doing my things for 20years it's about thinking outside of the box
But just think about it. When a mechanic puts all these not needed parts on your vehicle your getting all these brand new made in China parts.
Worst part is she could have spent the 1300 bucks and not solved the issue!
I liked that magnet drainplug tool perfect when engine is hot.
yeah I think I need one of those, keep burning myself
2nded or sence im the 3rd person to talk 3rded? one of the 2 in going to get one of those.
@@7.3PSDA2 Right...
I installed a petcock drain plug in my van and truck. I'm too old for fiddling around with drain plugs. Just attach the drain hose and put it into the drain pan, flip the lever and go have a cup of coffee while it drains.
Now if there was a way to keep the flippen oil from spilling from the filters I wouldn't even need gloves!!
@@outdoorfreedom9778 Yep 2 words FUMOTO VALVE !! I have jeep liberty diesels with steel plug and aluminum pan and you cant easily remove the oil pan. DEALERS and ALL other oil changers strip these out all the times causing very costly problems . Yes there are repairs availiable drilling and taping larger etc. I bypass all that by putting valve on every vehicle the first time I change the oil in it and never worry again. Of course I also do all future changes myself. I even heard of one guy that had a fumoto valve installed by previous owner and the lube shop removed it like it was a plug and stripped the pan putting it back in !!
A truly diligent and honest approach to customer service, whose loyalty that will repay 5 fold! 👌🤗
Unless it’s a kia then it could be 10 fold 😂
Yup, can't believe anyone who would "diagnose" a starting issue would leave those terminals so loose, textbook random no crank.
Hopefully the plan wasn't to install the tipm and fix / finally notice the battery at the same time.
Keeping in mind that he's not about to post a scam video. Lol.
@@michaelolive5070 Ray posts so many videos he'd have to be doing the scam jobs at home on his own time or something.
@@MonkeyJedi99 for the record, Ray sounds like a straight up dude. All I'm saying is that, generally speaking, it's only logical that producers of videos control the message and characterization of themselves.
You cannot even imagine how many times I could have used that drain plug wobbly over the past 60 years. Fantastic tool! 👍
i agree with that
Down my sleeve is my ignorant method.
@@4h204x4 The way it always works for me is blindly fishing the drain pug out of hot oil in the drain pain. So fun...
Okay....the drain plug is:
1) hot...so don't hold it tight while turning
2) it's covered in oil and slippery.
3) you have on smooth oily slippery gloves with little sense of feel.
4) your never sure when the plug is going to come out as your turning it.
5) you let go of plug for a second to begin another turn..........AND
What are the chances it just shoots into the drain pan? About 60-70% based on my many oil changes!
I definitely need one of those. I hate getting hot oil all over my arm while contortioning.
Love your program. As a retired automotive technician I can watch you for hours. I like your logical decisions you make and I thought I would reach out to you and say, good job. Please as I do respect you. Put a safety stand next time you crawl up under a vehicle. I’ve seen you do it a number of times, I wouldn’t want you to get hurt!
The vehicle was on the floor he's not going to get hurt have a good day
I wish all mechanics were more like you, another guy I like to watch is Eric O, South Main Auto, another good mech.
I watch his videos too
Whaaa? No brake cleaner
Eric does way more complicated diags.
Funny thing is that I don't live too far from Eric O and South Main Auto (about a 50-60 mile sling down the I-86 or the ol' route 17).
@@DilanGilluly Lucky you!
Love how you started small and awaited her report. A true helpful Mechanic! Most now are simple parts changers!
How is what he did not changing parts?
Yep a lot of them are R&R people. That is remove and replace, not REMOVE AND REPAIR.. I like the way he says "anything electrical ALWAYS start at the battery and the terminals".
@@RobertSmith-bc9uk battery / fuse box is always a first look.
@@johnmilner5485 Yep, battery, terminals and then onward's to fuse box/es. One under the bonnet (hood) and the second under the dash or in the footwell, in most cars.
@@krotchlickmeugh627 He repaired a fault with a good part.
Some guys just throw parts at a repair, ignoring the simple repair.
Reminds me of my days as a mechanic. My customers followed me to a different town when I moved. Many times I had little old ladies come to me in tears because a big brand shop said they needed all this work. Upon inspection she was just being over sold. Great job. A person can be a good honest mechanic without ripping people off.
Badly needed in Australia where an honest dealer is a rarity.
@@terryofford4977 sadly not just Australia
@Jacqueline Oldhaver I had an older lady 70's for sure took her dodge caliber to a very reputable auto shop they told her she needed timing chain guides tensioners $3500 it was making a sound similar to timing chain luckily she came to my home shop from word of mouth and I changed her alternator that has a clutch style pulley similar to a compressor clutch and when she came to pick her car up I ask her what did she think I had to tell her that her car was started and engine running she cried I was able to get her used alternator and install for $150 total she is on fixed income.. really hurts my heart to see that big shop trying to take advantage of someones mom, grandma, great grandma needless to say I have her business 3 years later and most of her family and friends
That "You need all this work or the car will crash and kill you" line sounds like Midas.
@@billytaylor6604 that time it was Canadian Tire.
I learned from my dad that bad mechanics always want to replace parts, while good mechanics usually repair them. You sir, are one of the good ones. My dad has loyal customers for 30+ years. and I'm sure you will too.
Good video! Just one negative, I know that lot's of folks use a floor jack alone but if I'm going to crawl under a car, I won't trust a hydraulic jack to be the only thing keeping me from being crushed. I've had hydraulic jacks fail over the years, so I never trust them. A good set of jack stands is cheap insurance.
I agree 100 percent, but as good and professional as he is I fell that even tho I didn’t see any I am confident he had them.
@@rodfinke896 MY guess is Ray had stands you didn't see
If you watch closely when he first crawl under just to the left you see a glimpse of a jack stand.
@@rblaclewell I think that's the worklight, didn't see a stand.
Jacks also need to be placed properly. And some vehicles, like Ford Foxbodys, don't really give you ANY place to put a jack without doing damage. I couldn't count how many Foxbody front frame rails I have seen that had been seriously damaged with floor jacks. I remove the 4 pronged saddle from the jack and replace it with a small piece of 2x4 for a vehicle like that. It doesn't leave huge dents in the tin frame rails.
To that little old lady, you are definitely her hero on that job! Keep up the good work Ray!
I would like to say thank you for pointing out all the little details that make a huge difference in the quality of the repair - battery terminals, drain plug with gasket that will stay on, etc. As a jet engine mechanic for over 20 years, I'll say it again, these kind of details make a HUGE difference. Keep up the good work. 👍
I used to work on Rolls Royce jet engines and lift fans.
When you started to put the cable on the new terminal without cleaning it first I was like "NOOOO!!!!!"
Then you restored my faith in humanity. Although I was surprised you didn't use the battery corrosion prevention.
Thanks Ray for the informative and entertaining videos and for taking care of your customers, a trait that is becoming very rare today.
I was screaming too "NO, those need cleaned off".
I died a little when he did that
This is the reason that I always install Sealed batteries, no acid fumes corroding everything...
Did he clean the nuts that he used ?
@@johnkirbymobileautoelectri4321 ....no and they don't need to be cleaned
I love it when Ray puts the safety on the loaded parts cannon.
I can't stop binge watching your videos. Not only have I learned a ton, but now I say "click" everytime I turn off the faucet and "do da do da do" everytime my phone rings. Great content!
I have been watching your videos, not because I needed the info they provide but because you make a darn good video, always interesting, you have a good style in your delivery, good camera shooting, diagnosis process, the repair. Oh hel I'll just keep on watching. Thanks for the entertainment.
My wife literally just asked me why I was watching this. My response was much the same to her save for I added it’s refreshing to see somebody doing work correctly while trying to take customer service to the next level by not gouging a customers wallet just to make a buck.
So, have you received feedback on the issue from the owner? You remind me very much of the mechanic I use, and have been using for thirty years. Mechanics like him and you are awesome!
i'm also very interested if this has sorted the issue the customer specified.
Me too.....Need to know if your battery terminal fix solved the issue
Reee...ly great job on the diagnostic! I would much rather pay around $15 for new terminal clamps than the $1500 the stealership quoted for a new TIPM! (plus labor, of course!)
I had a similar thing with my last car,it was acting like it wouldn't start and when it did it was ok for a while and then I put a new battery in and it did the same thing again after a while-i took it to the mechanic and after the diagnosis he said that it needed the computer replaced at $1100 but I told him NO because I didn't have the money, payed for the diagnosis and left- went to another mechanic who told me that it needs a positive battery cable which had to be special ordered from the dealership because it had a special cable that was partially connected to the alternator and starter and the battery and it fixed it
He said, "other shop", not dealership.
@@davidrichman8468 i bought a car which had flat batteries al the time and the alternator was changed two times. ended up being the negative cable fromte the engine to the frame. it was sheared on the inside in the insulation. replaced and the car sometimes would this stutter. that was the igniter going bad. after replacing that it was golden!
@@whyshouldipickaname battery not able might be your cable.
So refreshing seeing another professional, someone that can explain intelligently why a part needs replacement and providing a mental troubleshooting flow chart. Keep it up. It's how you keep customers.
Impacts are fine if used correctly. I took my wife's escape to the dealer for an oil change and tire rotation. The tech came to the waiting area and informed me I needed to replace the lug nuts for $165. I inspected the old nuts, and sure enough the chrome caps had been rounded off. I asked to see the impact wrench and checked the socket which was worn enough to round the lug nuts. I got the new nuts free and never went back to the dealer. Love your videos
and your abundance of Common sense..
In their defence, the style of lug nuts with chrome caps are prone to the caps swelling as the nut underneath corrodes so they no longer fit the correct socket. As a tech you are forced to jam on a socket or use one that is oversized to get them off. In fairness the replacement of the lug nuts should have probably been on you.
@@beansman69 Yes well aware of that, I ran tire and auto shops for 20 years...I hated these damn things.
@@beansman69 it’s not just ford. The first ones are particularly bad but the Chrysler and Chevy ones are pretty bad, too. Any vehicle I’m going to regularly work on gets new solid lug nuts. All of the two piece lug nuts are shit. The new Chrysler 200’s have played lug bolts though which are actually worse.
@@Leonarco333 dorman makes a 1-piece stud lug for them i think. i had a jeep or dodge something (renegade maybe?) where they were so bad i could barely get the wheels off.
I need more Clearance Clarence, still one of the best quotes ever
What's our vector Victor?
@@21Piloteer Rodger meet Dunn & Over, Over… Dunn … Rodger
Roger, Rodger.
Do you like to watch gladiator movies?
_Surely you can't be serious._
Immediately ordered a magnetic oil drain plug tool after seeing yours. Thanks for the tip!
same here, the only problem is I dont have any auto shops that carry them and only Chinese Ebayer that are selling them in my region
It's great to see that some mechanics are still honest and fair to their customers. I enjoy your videos, thanks for sharing them.
I admire your honesty when it comes to your customers. That’s hard to find these days. I stride myself in making sure I do the right thing no matter what the outcome. Cause if we all said screw it what kind of example are we setting for our children.
Well done, Ray. The customer knows you are being up front and honest with them. That is how a mechanic earns the trust of his or her customers. Even if it does then out that the TIPM is at fault the customer will know for sure you have done the correct diagnostics and fixed the obvious first. Great job.
Exactly this !! THe diagnostic work Ray does often takes far longer than the actual repairs. If a mechanic tells me I need $2k worth of parts in 5 minutes, I will be on the train to "second opinion-ville". If someone has spend an hour diagnosing the issue and tells me that I need a $2k part because of x, y and z, that earns my respect and belief that I am not being ripped off.
Having a bad battery or bad connection can do all kinds of weird shit, the computers hate it when they dont have proper voltage. I had an old Altima that started turning the headlights on by itself when the battery went bad.
I'm an electronics hobbyist, and in two weeks an electrical engineering student. I have first hand experience with electronics not getting the correct voltages. I've seen devices do the weirdest shit when not getting the proper voltage.
Add to that not having a proper ground.
@@BOTmaster15 This +1000, many faults I have found with no logical explanation through diagnostics turned out to be a bad ground somewhere, it's the first thing I check when the intermittent fault gremlin is running around the engine bay, plus I don't have a Pico scope.
Just set SCE to AUX.
Good mechanic friend of mine once told me ( and I've never forgot it) "It all starts at the battery".
Ray, I love the fact that you are conscientious and always try to be fair with people. Also it is just as well that you cleaned those lugs on the battery cables. For a moment I thought that you were going to put them back on dirty, but you did the right thing in the end. I love your videos and I learn so much from you. But don't forget that I am also watching you very closely. Lol. Cheers from Australia
Been watching your videos. This is my first post comment, I want to thank you for being an honest mechanic and not taking peoples cars for granted by doing unnecessary repairs. Saved the ol lady some money. Heck just repeat business even if there's an issue (hopefully unrelated) with her ol van
I’ve been digesting almost everything of yours for the past month, mostly because I’m off work with a broken neck and SLAP tear. I love watching how you pay attention to details like this battery issue. I’ve worked for dealerships as a mechanic. Most of the time, you fix what you’re told and keep the cats moving.
I have to say Ray, that you have restored my faith in humanity.
Your professionalism, integrity, and attention to details makes you stand out as a superior member of your profession.
What I like the most is a fact that you did what you did to see if that cures the problem first versus changing the tipm
Thats the difference of a Mechanic and a Technician.. Mechanics try and find the problem, Technicians just replace the parts the repair manual tells them too.
@@soulwarrior7721 which one are you?
@@soulwarrior7721 yup, I snap on people if they call me a technician
Stealerships! That is how they stay in business by ripping customers off. Thank you rainman ray for your honesty!
We only rip off uneducated customers. Know your shit before you walk in the door.
@@JJ-iw7nh nobody should be ripped off regardless of auto knowledge.
Very rare will you find an honest dealership. I did. Had my relay on my headlamps go. With one day rental of a car cost me under $100. I think it was around $70 total.
I am a subscriber for some time now. I had this same problem on my 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 limited about a year ago. I research and repair most things on my cars by myself with great success over the years. This one problem led me down the bad TIPM road as well. There was a recall on a internal fuel pump relay that would not function properly but after further inspection I was able to determine the recall had been resolved. I then read the relays go out quite regularly and replaced it with same results. Not cranking at certain times. I then had my nephew that is a mechanic reprogram the computer and added an update that Chrysler had in a TSB. Problem solved and no problems since then. I hope this helps. Thanx for great content and mostly your honesty.
Had similar, Hyundai Santa-fey. Intermittent non-start. The owner had paid someone else to replace the battery, the alternator, and the starter motor, as advised by the other garage.
To no effect.
The earth strap from the battery to the inner wing was loose. The Bolts had rusted away, as had the threads in the nuts welded to the wing. They were little rusty stubs into little rusty holes.
Remove the rusty bolts, grab hold with pliers and pull. drill the captive nuts, M5 thread to a 6mm hole, clean the earth-strap and wing. Fit 2 new M6 bolts and nylock nuts. Took 20 minutes.
They has spent over £1,000 on the car, and I charged under £50 to actually fix it.
Good honest mechanic. God bless that poor elderly lady. Kudos man!!!!
Great video Rainman, I am a retired millwright and I still like changing oil and doing repairs. Luckily I have a grownup daughter with two kids and they like not having to go to the shop to get things done, Nice battery work, the kind of thing that lets you sleep well at night, knowing you just killed a possible roadside delay. Enjoyed, cheers!
What's a millwright and are you from the UK?
You're pretty thorough and honest!! Good on ya!
I agree with Kris, we need more mechanics like you. Thanks for not trying to rip off people. It makes my heart feel good to know you are doing the right thing.
I like the quality of your work and you really took care of your senior citizen customer. Thank you for that good deed, you saved her $1300 and you made her car more reliable and safe driver especially late at nights.
It’s your honesty that makes me watch your videos.
Nice job! Keeping it simple. Even if it was the fuse box, I would have to confirm witch part of the fuse box is failing. I have had relay fail and pop in a new one I already had available. It is great to see the relief on people's faces!
The TIPM in Chryslers isn't just a fuse/relay box. It has printed circuits inside it, as well. The pins and printed circuits can overheat, break or cause loose connections at different temperatures, causing intermittent problems with many different systems. They are a pain in the ass to diagnose, so many shops will just replace them and hope like hell that it fixes the problem.
Hey Ray, i really like the fact that you go the extra mile on the little things that can give somebody a bad day later even if you don't make money on it. Great customer focus.
I hope the shop i visit does the same. So far they have been pretty good to me. I am using your videos to learn about practical things the cars need so i know what to look out for and understand when I am being taken advantage of. Great content.
How sad a world it is that you wrote "when I am being taken advantage of" not "if"
@@MonkeyJedi99 you read too much into it. I just said that I would understand when it is happening. Not hoping to see IF it happens. It just means that I will know it is happening based on the things I have learned from these videos. If it will ever happen to me is still to be seen, though.
Hi Ray another excellent and honest video, as an Auto electrician in Australia you did exactly the right thing with the vehicle and customer. Keep up the good work 👍🤙
Good call. Problem was almost certainly the battery connection.
I once owned a car that would not start even though the headlights, dome lights, radio, everything else worked perfectly.
I was getting ready to replace the starter and my uncle pointed out that maybe I should clean the battery contacts first... Fixed the problem forever.
Rainman. It's mechanics like you, when your being honest to elderly seniors on such an low income not selling up to elderly rip them off.
We need more techs like you in this world.
Love your ethics Ray, plus a proper diagnosis based on evidence !
A common problem with Caravan "No Starts" and often a different problem of dead batteries after sitting ovenight is INDEED related to a Single COMPONENT on the TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module). The culprit is the Fuel Pump Relay and it can manifest itself with either of the two separate symptoms. One is the Cranking with No Start and the other being a Dead Battery after sitting for awhile.
So here's the issue: The contact points on that Fuel Pump Relay become severely pitted; so much so that sometimes electrical contact to the pump doesn't happen. This will yield the Cranking with No Start Symptom. Each time the key is turned off and back on, that Relay opens and closes again. Eventually after several tries, the contacts MAY make a sufficient electrical contact to allow the vehicle to start. The other scenario is that those pits on the contact points become stuck together. When you shut off the vehicle and remove the key, the fuel pump is still active and will drain the battery overnight.
Is Chrysler Corporation aware of this problem? Absolutely! In fact the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango were actually recalled for the same problem. They developed a "TIPM Bypass Repair Kit" which takes about an hours labour to install with proper tools and experience. That kit includes a Huge high quality Omron Relay, and associated wiring (including a fuse) which retails for less than $30 at a Chrysler Dealer whereas a replacement TIPM costs well over $1,100.
SO, Caravan owners have been trying to set up a Class Action Lawsuit to get Chrysler to recall Caravans and Chrysler Town and Country Minivans, the same as they did for Grand Cherokees due to it being a safety issue.
The best part of this story??? That same $30 kit WILL work with Chrysler's minivans. The wiring harness contact points and wire colours are identical to those in the Jeeps and Durangos. I purchased such a kit and repaired a friend's 2011 Caravan after he'd had SIX different mechanics try to resolve his mysterious "Dual Symptoms". He'd had all manner of components replaced at huge cost to him all to no avail. With my simple tools and no prior experience, it took me about 2 hours to repair his vehicle in my driveway and it has never failed since. To be fair, I'm an electronics technologist and had several years experience as a field service representative for a major multinational corporation, so the task at hand did not scare me. Pretty simple hand tools plus a Volt/Ohm meter are necessary. I also chose to Solder and Insulate some wiring rather than extracting pins from the TIPM. I would mention that the kit came with NO INSTRUCTIONS as it is designed to be a "Dealer Installed Modification". I was actually surprised that my local dealership had the kit in stock and was willing to sell it to me over the counter. However, the INTERNET is YOUR FRIEND and there are several UA-cam Videos showing you how to complete this repair on a Caravan. You may want to watch a few of them to gain confidence. Just take your time and follow the video (making sure to disconnect your battery before proceding). Also, afix a label indicating that this modification has been installed.
Altough I can't guarantee this, apparently the Chrysler TIPM was revised sometime around 2014 to address this particular issue/s. Probably has a heftier Fuel Pump Relay now but I don't know for sure.
Manufacturer's are always striving to cut costs in production but end up with dissatisfied/disloyal customers and huge warranty costs. As Sandy Munroe states to the manufacturing community, "Don't Try to Save Me Any Money. I Can't Afford It"!
just did my sons Town & Country, soldered in an external relay, totally stupid design with the onboard relays which can not be serviced. Symptoms were flat battery over night, whirring noise from rear of vehicle when not running (fuel pump) and finally wouldn't start (relay died)
Great videos bud. I've been turning wrenches for 30 years and I never realized until now how entertaining it was to watch others do it. Glad to see an honest guy doing honest work. Never heard the term 'Predatory customer' before. Love it. Keep up the good work.
It's always fun to watch other people work.
Love the pride and Professional attitude you take in your work, truely lost in this Day and Age.
Love the fact of not only diagnosing her issue correctly most likely, but you saved a little old lady her entire ssi check for one month. Good job Rainman. . Keep up the good work. Now your going to have to deal with her friends. Get ready. They’re coming.. if she knew you, she’d probably bring you a bowl of collard greensor something.
Little ol' ladies can ruin someone - or give them success. One mention of how a place tried to rip her off and it's round the neighbourhood faster than a news reporter can do it on TV :p
I love how, just as I'm thinking that Ray should do something, he says, "I'd better do that"
yeah i was thinking the same thing when he went to reinstall the battery leads and they were still crusty.
Rusty, I had the exact same thought.
I can't believe those new battery terminals didn't come with new nuts too! Parts companies trying to save every penny they can...
Funny you should mention that... I was thinking "you really should clean that cable" thoughts and then he said and did it
I have 2 of these vans (2010 Town and Country and 2011 Grand Caravan), and I've ended up having to replace the damn TIPM twice on the 2011 and once on the 2010. Luckily, I learned from the first two experiences what it was, and after having the dealer take 2 months to replace them (there are only like 300 in existance at any given time, so it was a month in the shop each time) under warranty, the last time it happened it went to a junkyard and ripped one out of a wreck and replaced it for $40. $1200-1300 is spot on for what the dealer would charger (the cost for the module alone is $700, the rest is just the dealer ripping you off on labor, it's a half hour job to replace it). Hopefully your fix lasts, but if not you can easily save her a fortune by visiting a junkyard to obtain the part.
No jack stands is driving my OCD crazy! LOL! Other than that, this is a great video. I am a retired mechanic myself, and it's great to see that there's still some honest mechanics out there. Keep up the good work. You're channel deserves way more subs.
Bingo Many years in the trade, guilty of the same.
I use to do it until my jack failed luckily I wasn't under the vehicle at time
Yeah, freaking scary. Anyone who has ever been around for when one does will never take that chance. Such an unnecessary risk.
Oh man I’m glad I am not the only one who was staring at that going, “where are the jack stands!?”
68 years ago I asked a mechanic that was under our car if I could let the jack down, so I could play with it. He was a lot more careful what he said was OK for me to do.
Thank you for your honesty Ray. Always refreshing in today's world.
I really like that style of replacement battery terminal
Looks like it gets a good bite without damaging the battery post
Better than those red pig iron lead pieces of junk that crack that you see on the shelf at your local chain parts place
Where'd you get them?
Edit. They're called sae din iso terminals
You can get a pair at Advance Die Hard branded for $12 or so
Also available online, through various brands including Deka
I like that this car allows the user to replace the battery clamps.
On most cars you would have to crimp shit to get it to work.
"It wont make contact if it's not spotless!" *proceeds to clean entire lug* I love you ray, haha.
Massive respect in standing behind proper procedure and finding that loose connector. Majority of all tipm issues are from dirty or bad connections and get accidentally fixed due to the removal of the connectors during install.
Integrity and work ethic always prevail, having both you always do every customer well delivering quality service. Having turned wrenches for about 40 years and still turning them I always enjoy seeing you in action and your candor.. Thanks for being you 👊
With all the oil changes I've done i have never replaced the washer. I have now. Great point. Took care of the drip I use to get on my motorcycle. Thanks Rainman. At 65 always learning.
We need more mechanics like you!
That magnetic drain plug tool is awesome!
I only reeee’d when you didn’t use the super precise amazing torque readout device for the drain plug. Was hoping it made a comeback. That magnet tool for the drain plug is an amazing idea
Probably the best service this lady ever received. Thanks from all of us fans for being honest.
It's so nice to watch an honest mechanic. Some few give all of you a bad name and it's a shame the bad ones are allowed to stay in business. I also watch Watch Wess work and he also is honest and as both of you a very good mechanic. Enjoy watching you both.
Thanks for this Ray. I’m apprenticing at a very dishonest and very shady shop. I get in trouble whenever I try to go the extra mile or do work properly. I’m just staying here until I get a year of safe driving so the points on my license goes down and I get more opportunities, but for the moment, I’m just using this business. Using them to learn. I can’t wait until I can do real work like this
Sux that you’re in that position. However props to you for recognizing the problems. Use that to grow!
That is so nice to hear (well, minus the being trapped for the time being part). Good for you on maintaining your own personal code of ethics and integrity!
Keep the sunny disposition. Please don’t let the bastards corrupt you. Fight the man any way you’re able until you’re in a position to help yourself and your customers.
I laugh every time you say. "Moov'n on up" because I think some of your younger viewers don't get the reference. Today was extra special. You said "Plug it in, Plug it in" Again, I bet some youngsters don't know the reference.
@@ryan-uz1rw Both will be running through my head for days. I'm going to sing them to my wife in a few minutes. She loves it when I do that. Lol.
I hate you... I'm gonna have those old glade commercials in my head all day.... The other one I love doing to my wife is "zoom, zoom"
Ray seems to young to know about unless he watched repeats with parents or grandparents
Clap on clap off
@@MadKingRALM Seems to me wasn't one of those a sponsor for Green Acres? You're welcome.
Love your use of the impacts where everyone says you shouldnt.... I've been fixing cars for 20 years and you are for real my friend. Also love the use of chrome sockets on impacts....and chrome swivels on impacts....because that's how it is. Good on ya
For someone that doesnt know what they're really doing an Impact should be a no go. If you know what you're doing there no issue
@@saberxzero If you don't know what you're doing with an impact, you shouldn't be working on anything at all. It's not brain science or rocket surgery.
@@williameldridge9382 lol yup because everyone is a pro on day one? Everybody starts somewhere dont shame people because you know more, teach them
nice to know there are some really genuine people left in the world. Been hooked on your videos for the last 2 weeks so a big thanks all the way from London England 🇬🇧.
I appreciate how you thought ahead about the oil plug gasket and didn’t take the easy way out by just putting the plastic one on. Good on you!
Also you missed an opportunity for ree. You didn’t put the car on a jack stand while you were under it, and just left it on the floor jack. How dare you take your own risks ;)
I love how I blow on my screen to blow the crust away when you take the positive off
Lol I did too!
Really like your videos. Loved how you caught yourself and cleaned the battery cable ends. I’m a marine tech and when we clean the cables we also change the nut also, why put a rusty nut back on. I think what you did for this lady was excellent. We sometimes run into the same problem, if it’s working great when we look at it, how can we fix it.
I wondered about those nuts as well, but I can appreciate the other lengths of extra effort, too. Can a 'regular person' without that power tool achieve those results on the battery cable end with a certain grain of sandpaper or metal file?
You didn't pre fill the oil filter! OMG 😳 I'm telling Scotty the know it all ! 👌
Pretty sure Scotty has a video talking about why it's okay not to pre fill. Then again he also has videos telling you to pre fill.
@@justinbennett2633 I have always prefilled mine but would whether not. Going to google to be sure.
@@redneek24 A lot of heavy duty trucks will engine shut down due to low oil pressure until their multiple 2qt engine oil filters fill on their own. Always end up pre-filling to prevent headaches. (Volvo, Cummins)
@@justinbennett2633 so true
Automotive engines can actually idle a few minutes with no oil pressure ( with emphasis on "idle" and "few" )
Plastic oil bottles have small plastic "hairs" and "chips" left over from the injection/blow molding process inside them.
There were similar problems with the old metal cans so this isnt something new.
Unless your oil arrives in a glass jar from a lab, it's contaminated.
You do not want oil straight out of the bottle getting into your bearings.
So engines are designed to self purge the air out of the filter so all of the new oil is filtered before reaching the bearings.
The other issue is , if the oil pump doesnt fill the oil filter and build pressure within the time alloted by the ECU it will throw a code to let you know the oil pump is bad.
Prefilling the filter just defeats an important test you're supposed to do after an oil change.
I recently had a commercial engine with a noise that could have been the oil pump , one of the tests was to spin on a new filter and see how long it took for oil pressure to return at 750 RPM
( too long, we replaced the oil pump and the noise went away.)
When I checked the ECU I found two oil pressure codes ( with hour meter readings matching the two previous oil changes ) because the pump took too long to fill the oil filter and the mechanic didnt notice.
After a day’s work as a family doctor I relax by watching your channel. I really enjoy your diagnostic process. Start by examining the likelier simple things.
I really appreciate the helpful tips and extensive run through of your thought process.
Considering the customer and from an experienced point of view, you certainly repaired it according to practical evidence.
I have seen dealers replace any suspicious part at any cost. Replacing a motor when what was needed was spark plugs mentality.
loving the vids man..these new electric impacts have such good control and modes that allow them to be used as you are using them..I've been doing it for years and will continue to do so..
Nice work and nice video Ray, one minor, never trust a trolley jack, always use a axle stand, lost a colleague years ago when jack failed and crushed him.
Not a mechanic but I cringed a bit when I saw he wasn't using a solid stand for safety.
Ray I read peoples comments after each video and from some pros and back yard mechanics I agree to their comments because what they say is true. You should feel good about taking care of your customers and being fair there is not enough of that type of service today. The old mechanic of the past are gone and that type of service died with them except for the ones out here that write you and say it’s nice to see someone willing to help those are the mechanics that keep alive the care and concern for there customers that keep coming back because they trust the man or woman that fixes there vehicle. To all you guys out there taking care the people thank you for keeping us safe.
It's nice to see an honest mechanic that doesn't fleece his customers. Well done sir! I too agree with trying the cheap solutions first.
I love how people say "I wish more mechanics were like you" when there's more mechanics like him than bad ones. It's the service writers that make good mechanics look bad. There are bad mechanics but it's only a few. My area of expertise was diagnostics and electrical and I loved fixing "dealer only" repairs to help save the customer some money
Those of us who actually use mechanics have a different experience. I've run into far too many incompetent and/or dishonest ones. That's why so many people get excited about Ray's honesty. It is rarely seen.
Muh daddy told me Never trust a hydraulic jack, no matter what. Your still the best Ray.
I thought I saw him push a jackstand in at the right side of the screen, but only one and he didn't drop the jack to put the weight on the stand. So maybe I was mistaken.
This! I’ve had two fail on me over the years. Luckily I always used jack stands.
Your daddy was right.
MY daddy taught me the same thing.
One first things your told never to do
Battery temp above 32 is just a setting on the midtronics, you should be able to change it to “below” too (though you’ll never need it in FL), since lead acids perform significantly poorer below freezing temp of water (especially if there’s a chemistry issue in the cells)
As a Canadian, I can say your car batteries will hate you indefinitely. We used to have commercials on tv that promoted a good battery by freezing it in a block of ice lol
I like watching everything I think "DID HE JUST MISS THAT" you correct yourself and spot on its done knowledge is why I watch thank you.
And I've actually ran across, drain plugs that are their techs at work had stripped out, and just use the oil extractor to change the oil on the unit. And not got the plug out and left it for the next guy which was me, to go and figure out how to remove the drain plug and replace it with a new one to do the oil change properly. Because I didn't carry an oil extractor with me on my service vechile. So it's definitely a good thing that you don't leave problems for the next guy or the customer.
New to your channel, great consistency, I do wish all mechanics thought the way you do.
Some shows would have just put new connectors on and that`s that.
Glad see you go the 100% clean terminals. Thou in UK, we always put touch of Vaseline on top of terminal.
Prevent water penetration. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for another good video. One big save to the customer gets passed along by word of mouth to at least a few others, and often many others. Too bad the shop gets the good rep when in fact it is the mechanic who saved her a bundle. I think mechanics need to advertise their personal services more, especially reminding customers of their good service, and notifying them if the mech changes locations, so they can take their repair business to the person who did the great job, not just the shop where he or she may not work anymore.
great video honesty is the best way to stay busy with return customer and their refrances great job
I love your honesty its above normal. A mechanic with a heart amazing you make us look good again
Lol, love it! I could actually hear the REEEE from here, when you put the lug back on before cleaning it. And when you didn’t fill the filter, I actually got light headed from all the air the trolls sucked in. Another great video.
I’d love to see the customers face when you told her how much money you saved her.
First, need to see if it solved the problem
Not telling you how to do your job but it's always best practice to always use jackstands with a jack since a jack's hydraulic pump can fail at any given moment. As always though great video!
I lost a buddy that way. A tragic accident that could have been prevented.
@@williammatthews2948 I've heard many stories about it so I was shocked when I saw it.
I have had to remove two deceased from under cars due to collapsed jacks in my career but I know colleagues who have had more.
@@Biffo1262 It's one of those things you can't forget.
You have to use your judgement, he wasn't actually under the car, in these cases the pan and filter are just arms length away, you raise the car mostly to give the drain pan some clearance.
I'm fortunate enough to lease a new vehicle every 3 years but oh, do I remember driving older vehicles bought used. The stress when something was wrong was horrible, wondering if I was being told the truth or if the mechanic was upcharging me for something I didn't need. Thank you for having integrity and being conscientious in your work.
You really do take care of your customers. It's nice to see.
Need constant steady power supply for modern cars. You're a good man, 'Clarence'.
I wonder where that nick came from at 6:05 it lined up perfectly with the lift ;)