For all the comments and wonderings about this car, we purchased this car dirt cheap not site unseen and with a quick pre inspection. We knew going into it it might need a new fuel tank. It was brought down to Florida from (possibly)Minnesota I believe a couple of years after bought by the original owner so that’s why the lack of rust. Again, we knew what we were getting into with the purchase of this car, and it’s being gone over thoroughly, with everything being fixed. so far it’s been totally worth it and it seems like it’s going to be a great first car for our daughter.
Brake cleaner is a solvent and will eat away at the exposed rubber gasket causing it to crack and fall apart. So it’s not a good idea but the gasoline will eventually dry up but I would of at least wiped it down.
They had a recall for leaks at the fuel tank. My sons Cobalt (12 years old with 145k on the clock) got a new tank with pump assembly courtesy of my friendly local Chevy dealer (lol, they were not thrilled that the recall was still open). It was the most unlikely result I could have imagined. I was prepared to do it myself when I thought I'd google it just in case.
That was a great example of your professional honesty. It would have been easy to fire the parts cannon, but you didn’t. If you lived on my side of the pond, I would always entrust my car to you. Nice job, Ray! 👍
Just had a sweaty week in da yookay visiting my GREAT granddaughter. While I was away from Wisconsin, I swear Ray has become EVEN MORE professional and even hairier... Only extra I would have done, is to spray the tank entry fitting with brake cleaner to get rid of residual petrol pong for the owner...
He’s kinda like a cop with a body camera. It’s hard to show a video of someone ripping off the customer and then producing it as a UA-cam video. Plus, this customer gets to keep his car rather than having it go up in flames on his next fill up when it overflows through the top of the tank. We need more mechanics like Ray.
Yea I bet the seller topped off the brake fluid but the system needs to be bled pads could be worn out therefore brake fluid level goes low and seller tops it off to fool the buyer
Drums at the back, so more likely a stuck adjuster, with the squeak being caused by the extra movement of the shoe, before it meets the inside of the drum. That would require more fluid to fill the slave cylinder too, causing the excessive pedal travel. But really, without checking, that’s all speculation.
As a retired FD HazMat tech, I would suggest getting some sparkproof tools for use when performing operations involving flammable liquids and gases. Their cost is a lot less expensive and painful than a trip to the local burn center and the long recovery time.
I scrolled down to see if anyone else had caught that, as prior jet mechanic safety was first and foremost. Nonetheless I enjoyed watching this job his videos are very good.
Sometimes PPI isn’t possible particularly if you’re buying privately or buying someplace at a distance where you wouldn’t know where to take it. I suppose you could hire one of those traveling inspection services but I’ve heard some horror stories about them too.
@@waldolemmer The IRS deliberately makes it hard to file your taxes, to try to get you to hire a tax service. One should only hire a service is their finances are particularly complex, or they have a problem, but the services have bribed the officials so that merely doing an EZ form is too hard for anybody with below average intelligence. That's half the country!
Those exhaust hanger tools are amazing. Small unrelated but mildly humorous story....I replaced the exhaust on my 2012 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk with a cat-back from Corsa. Had to remove the skid plates, but the fuel tank was held in place with straps at separate mounting points. Fast forward a few years and I replaced the exhaust on my 2017 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, which was essentially the same vehicle. I didn't check for the same straps holding the fuel tank and just removed the skid plates like before. Big mistake, the skid plates on the 2017 held the fuel tank in place. I guess Chrysler realized they could save a few bucks deleting the straps. I'm doing this in a parking garage on my back, and holding the 3/4 full fuel tank up with my knee while furiously re threading two skid plate bolts that were still within arms reach.
Ray, I got to hand it to you. I LOVE your professionalism and honesty. I actually KNOW some mechanics that would have turned that into a nightmare for the customer instead of properly fixing the problem like you did. I don't know what your labour rate is but whatever it is you earned it honestly and gave the customer GOOD value for their money.
I had a fuel pump replaced on Chevy G20 van years ago. I found out the hard way they forgot to install the filler neck hose back onto the tank at my next fill up!
I had a 07 Cobalt. I miss it. I scrapped it for a rusted through fuel line. I miss it and wish I spent the money to fix it. Good to see another Cobalt getting to continue its life.
I bought a Cobalt with a 5-speed. It's almost like an old 60's sports car, except it handles better. Yeah, I'll spend enough to buy another car to keep this thing running. If you want a better car, you have to be ready to spend through the nose.
Back in 2008, we almost bought a Cobalt, the dealer couldn't get the configuration we wanted, tried to foist a vastly different car off on us. I canceled the sale, got my deposit refunded, and went to Toyota. Bought a well equipped Corolla. It gave us 13 years of great service, only problems were age/mileage related, brakes, alternator, water pump, etc. in 243000 miles. Cobalt wouldn't have endured nearly as well.
@@davidnull5590 No, they gave me a new key with a small hole to replace the one with the rectangular hole. I also didn't know that they would give me any money
Buying any car with that much mileage means you’re going to spend more money. As longer is the outlay of cash isn’t greater than what a car payment is it’s still a good investment. Ray is the perfect mechanic to get the best work for your money.
When I buy a used car I set aside an amount equal to 25% of the purchase price to take care of the after-purchase repairs, with the goal of making the car nearly as-new as I can manage.
If that is all that is wrong with the car it still might have been a decent buy if that is all that is wrong with the car depending on what they paid for the car.
I think it depends on how much they pay for the car.. what if the car is only a few hundred bucks? Pre inspection doesn't mean a used car will be perfect either. You just know what other things might go wrong.
Noticed you did not replace the leaky valve at the fuel pressure test port unless you did it off camera. Surprised you didn't look into the mushy squeaky brake issue too. But I'm sure you conveyed your findings to the customer.
I am 72 year old industrial mechanic seen a lot of things in my life love to watch you go. Got to tell you that your an excellent mechanic take care buddy.
Ray, I've been watching you a while now. I must say the explosive special effects were beyond funny and on point. You keep being you, and I will keep on watching. Remember to have yourself a great day.
It is so good to see your racks always full and you keeping busy after moving from your old job and working for yourself. Well done Ray. I hope this venture sees you through to retirement and give you plenty of opprotunities to test gravity and employ clickages with your equipment.
Ray, it was clear there had been some leakage of the filler neck. Go back and take a look at the top side of the filler hose at 15:05 and it looks like there is a chunk of hose missing. I could be wrong, but it looks like a square chunk about the size of a postage stamp. If I'm right, at least it will be an easy hose to replace.
I have a 2007 Cobalt with 185,600 miles on it and it still runs and drives great, only had some evap problems and exhaust work fixed by me and still going. Great little car.
Ray, you are a great guy. Many shops would have charged for a new fuel pump and maybe some other parts. Your honesty is refreshing. I'm happy the customer didn't buy a complete lemon (that we know of yet).
Ray, I do not agree with assuming the concern is fixed, all repairs should be checked before assembly. A simple check could save you from repeating the strip down, plus peace of mind.
That was hilarious! At 20:14 I just had a thought run through my head "You're going to create a spark one of these days", then you killed me at 20:17 😂🤣
Like 👍 the explosion graphics. I am 62 and was a B mechanic at dealers and independent businesses. I enjoy watching your videos. I remember doing sending units recalls at a Ford dealership. Keep up the great work 👍 👏 💪 Hello from Pa USA 🇺🇸
In Spain, if you buy a vehicle and it has a hidden fault, you can demand it fixed, get a part of the money back or even return the vehicle and get your money back (with a short trial, if the seller disagrees with any of those)
Some dealerships go the extra mile and provide a Carfax report and a professional mechanical inspection report, but most of the time it's "buyer beware". There was a Goodwill auto auction next to one place I worked, and all of us gearheads would go over there on auction day. 1964 Mercury, 1967 Plymouth, cars nobody wanted. If they couldn't get one to run we jumped in and usually got it going.
I bought several ex police & municipal vehicles (cars & trucks ) car fax reports a said no municipal/ government or fleet use. Couple were crashed when purchased report stated no crash damage. Buddy had salvage title car report comeback clean no crash or flood history. Do your own inspection
Looking for this comment. It looks as if you can see the metal of the clamp through the missing chuck of hose. Maybe it's designed like that but looks really odd to my eye. I'm sure it made it easier to get off and back on.
Their was a recall with something like that. My sister had one and they had to replace the whole gas tank. She put 250k miles on it before accidently not checking the oil and not changing it, almost ruined the engine. These are good cars, I always wanted one when I was younger. I had a high-school freind that bought one brand new and always raced around with it. So many years later he still has it.
This vehicle has signs of "a quick maintenance to make it look like there is nothing wrong with it" sort of thing. I am tipping the previous car owner was running into lots of problems with it, so decided to get rid of it with cheap "cosmetic" repairs.
My car has that same squeak from the rear drums. Pedal is firm, definitely is not squishy like that. When the pedal goes to the floor like that. That is sketchy and surely don't want to drive it like that. Generally If the pedal has to travel further than 3-4 inches, then it's too much effort to stop. The whole point of power brakes is to stop without putting the pedal to the floor.
Another example of how many so called auto technicians out there that don't check their work, it was obvious that the ring wasn't seated properly. Great job Ray fixing it!
I knew you could do it. I've taken that tank out twice on the same car laying on my back in the driveway without taking the exhaust off. Learned a valuable lesson. When working with fuel on a driveway don't wear clothes you ever want to wear again. Both the gasoline and the blacktop get absorbed.
Just a little surprised you didn’t do a post smoke check before reassembly of the tank. And what about the soft brake pedal, or are you leaving us in suspense for “another” video? Either way great catch!
@@Onewheelordeal I have an '06 Ion with 180K miles, pretty hard to kill it. Side note: had the plastic fuel pump hose barbs crack on mine, same symptoms, around the same mileage. The plastic bits on these cars are the worst thing about them.
@@Onewheelordeal If Ray does the oil change, it may not run for much longer. He usually uses some generic oil but these ecocrap engines with their timinig belt in oil need a VERY SPECIAL blent. if not, they will disintegrate. not if but when.
@@blockbertus Another freakin genius... Starts a statement off with an "IF" and ends it with a "May Not" . Another YT automotive graduate with a college degree in touchless diagnostics and remote engine repair.
To make the job easier, could you smoke test the tank while it's on the ground? Just trying to make the job less stressful. Up and down multiple times for a stubborn leak can be a pain!
Ray, I watch this on my family room TV (linked to my phone) and I have a 7.2 surround sound system with wicked subs, so I really appreciated your explosion additions! Nice!
FYI is a common problem with Chevy Cobalts is a fuel smell. Think there are several recalls on it. That in mind with a complete inspection it usually is the fuel pump o ring seal on the top of the gas tank that goes bad if you see all that shiny fuel around the tank. Probably should have done a smoke test again (plugging every hole) after the "repair" before putting the tank back.✌Hope they don't come back complaining that it still smells of gas.
part of your success is because you are openly honest that could have been an easy need a fuel tank or something crazier which cost the customer more and product unnecessary labor which yields profit in the short term. But, not long later life will takes its course and make someone pay for i just in the most inconvenient times but you? you just saw the issue and fixed it and probably only will charge what it takes for post purchase inspection and not the .5 labor hr it took to fix the issue. keep up the good work you truly are the good side of humanity.
This should have been a Pre Purchase Inspection not Post Purchase. That way the buyer could have negotiated on the price according to the repair costs.
@spaceflight1019 ok. They're pretty reputable, and they have a 60-day grace period for anything that breaks. Ill see if i can get a mechanic to check it out. Do they usually come to the place its being sold pr does the car need to go to the mechanic? Ive never bought a car before so i dont know the full process
@@armadildo6468 First, does the state you live in require vehicle inspection? Pennsylvania does, and it's customary to have the vehicle inspection done during the sale process. Dealers will often have the vehicle inspection done before the sale as it's a good selling point.
If 90% of the shops had your ethics I think people in general would be more trusting. In the last 5 years. I am 50/50 with shops. The last one quoted me almost 300 for a front end alignment on a F150. I said no and took it to another shop and they did it for 100. WTF I am more app to try and do the work my self to a point then trust a mechanic now days. I guess that is why I love this channel.
Nice find on the fuel pump lock ring being crooked and not seated correctly I have seen that a few times ON chevys very easy Thing to happen if not paying close attention @Rainman Ray's Repairs
Bro ur a beast I wish all mechanics were as honest and knowledgeable as u not just tryna make a quick buck off people u actually try to fix the problem
FYI- Sept 29, 2012 fuel pump recall for 2007-2009 Chevy Cobalts was declared by GM due to fuel leakage and safety concerns. That is one of the problems with dealership recall repairs, half assed jobs. The previous owner probably couldn't smell (many have that ENT health issues), the vehicle had to have been operated up in the northern states because heat usually pressurizes the tank enough for vapors to escape emitting fuel odor or whenever it gets topped off.
When I worked at a recovery garage. When one of the mechanics done a big or safety related job. It was normal for someone else to do an eyes over everything check before the road test.
An honest mechanic will never be out of work. Well done Ray others would have charged $100+ and say it's fixed as you said one potential issue does not mean there no more well spotted!
Wife Unit needs to be introduced in every video if she is on site. We love all of the primary support team members of Rainman Ray's Repairs. You would not have that shop without her support.
For all the comments and wonderings about this car, we purchased this car dirt cheap not site unseen and with a quick pre inspection. We knew going into it it might need a new fuel tank. It was brought down to Florida from (possibly)Minnesota I believe a couple of years after bought by the original owner so that’s why the lack of rust. Again, we knew what we were getting into with the purchase of this car, and it’s being gone over thoroughly, with everything being fixed. so far it’s been totally worth it and it seems like it’s going to be a great first car for our daughter.
And Ray is awesome and we love him 😜
Thank You for that clarification, Sir... You're a good dad!...
That explains the block heater. Probably the only car so equipped in Florida. 😁 Many happy miles with the new ride.
Is there any chance to get the spongy brake pedal and rear brake clicking looked at? Just curious.
Had the same vehicle, got it to 264k before buying a different car.
Ray, I am shocked you didn't clean the fuel tank with brake clean before reinstalling it!😮
A video without brake cleaner! I just picked up two cans at the store in honor of the Rainman.
Brake cleaner is a solvent and will eat away at the exposed rubber gasket causing it to crack and fall apart. So it’s not a good idea but the gasoline will eventually dry up but I would of at least wiped it down.
that's how we know he really died in that accident and was replaced by an AI
I got *four* cans at mine. It was buy one get one free so I couldn't lose on that. Kinda regret not buying a whole box of it. 🤦♂️
I own the same machine; great at finding vacuum hose leaks on German vacuum powered door lock systems.
What happened with the soft brake pedal?
Brake shoe adjustment and cleaning. AC system leaking schrader valve.
Wow... I was expecting at least a full can of brake cleaner to be used to remove the gas stain from the tank. Oh Well.. LOL
Troy does not want lung cancer, complained to OSHA the excessive abuse of Brakeclean.
@@forgetfulme1719 Wrong industry if you want to avoid lung cancer, pretty much everything is trying to give it to you.
They had a recall for leaks at the fuel tank. My sons Cobalt (12 years old with 145k on the clock) got a new tank with pump assembly courtesy of my friendly local Chevy dealer (lol, they were not thrilled that the recall was still open). It was the most unlikely result I could have imagined. I was prepared to do it myself when I thought I'd google it just in case.
Your joy at saving your customer money is heartfelt. The right kind of mechanic in my view.
As soon as I saw that block heater. I was expecting to see a ton of rust underneath that car.
Right?!
I'm astounded that it's not a rotbox with holes in the floors!
I thought it would be so rotten like a Michigan car.
My thoughts as well -- except it looks like the block heater was factory wrapped, so never actually been used.
a lot of northern states use sand instead of salt much less rustage
That was a great example of your professional honesty. It would have been easy to fire the parts cannon, but you didn’t. If you lived on my side of the pond, I would always entrust my car to you. Nice job, Ray! 👍
Just had a sweaty week in da yookay visiting my GREAT granddaughter. While I was away from Wisconsin, I swear Ray has become EVEN MORE professional and even hairier... Only extra I would have done, is to spray the tank entry fitting with brake cleaner to get rid of residual petrol pong for the owner...
He’s kinda like a cop with a body camera. It’s hard to show a video of someone ripping off the customer and then producing it as a UA-cam video.
Plus, this customer gets to keep his car rather than having it go up in flames on his next fill up when it overflows through the top of the tank.
We need more mechanics like Ray.
He’s a 20 hour drive (1307 miles) away from me! ;(
Can Tubers be really trusted?
@@joshscallorn6104 Nope.... I log onto a channel every day.. and it is FUL of Nazis and Hitlerits..
Great catch, but what about the excessive brake pedal travel, and the noise coming from the rear drums?
I expect he gave them a report and left it up to them on what they want to do next.
Yea I bet the seller topped off the brake fluid but the system needs to be bled pads could be worn out therefore brake fluid level goes low and seller tops it off to fool the buyer
@@coreybabcock2023 Ray said the pads were good!
@@georgeleibert3614 ohh ok
Drums at the back, so more likely a stuck adjuster, with the squeak being caused by the extra movement of the shoe, before it meets the inside of the drum. That would require more fluid to fill the slave cylinder too, causing the excessive pedal travel. But really, without checking, that’s all speculation.
As a retired FD HazMat tech, I would suggest getting some sparkproof tools for use when performing operations involving flammable liquids and gases. Their cost is a lot less expensive and painful than a trip to the local burn center and the long recovery time.
I scrolled down to see if anyone else had caught that, as prior jet mechanic safety was first and foremost. Nonetheless I enjoyed watching this job his videos are very good.
The one time brake clean would have been helpful to eliminate the gas trails so that if it leaks again it would be evident and you do not use any?
Probably high enough off the gas fumes, didn’t need the brake cleaner.
Nice catch good job Ray...question though...did I miss something, did you check it out when we weren't looking, what about the low brake pedal?
good question!
And the fuel rail Schrader valve.
What about the rear brake noise?
Post-purchase-inspection: I spent money and now I’m going to spend more money to see how much more money I need to spend
😂😊🍪💰💰💰💰💰💰
Like paying someone to do your taxes
Sometimes PPI isn’t possible particularly if you’re buying privately or buying someplace at a distance where you wouldn’t know where to take it. I suppose you could hire one of those traveling inspection services but I’ve heard some horror stories about them too.
@@charlescurran1289 if someone won’t let you PPI it, RUN.
@@waldolemmer The IRS deliberately makes it hard to file your taxes, to try to get you to hire a tax service. One should only hire a service is their finances are particularly complex, or they have a problem, but the services have bribed the officials so that merely doing an EZ form is too hard for anybody with below average intelligence. That's half the country!
Those exhaust hanger tools are amazing. Small unrelated but mildly humorous story....I replaced the exhaust on my 2012 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk with a cat-back from Corsa. Had to remove the skid plates, but the fuel tank was held in place with straps at separate mounting points. Fast forward a few years and I replaced the exhaust on my 2017 Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, which was essentially the same vehicle. I didn't check for the same straps holding the fuel tank and just removed the skid plates like before. Big mistake, the skid plates on the 2017 held the fuel tank in place. I guess Chrysler realized they could save a few bucks deleting the straps. I'm doing this in a parking garage on my back, and holding the 3/4 full fuel tank up with my knee while furiously re threading two skid plate bolts that were still within arms reach.
refreshing to see this kind of thing does not only happen to me....
Still alive? That probably saved $29 parts and labor to them. 😅
Ray, I got to hand it to you. I LOVE your professionalism and honesty. I actually KNOW some mechanics that would have turned that into a nightmare for the customer instead of properly fixing the problem like you did. I don't know what your labour rate is but whatever it is you earned it honestly and gave the customer GOOD value for their money.
What about the low brake pedal?
...and the Schrader valve. 😊
only got $200 to spend.
I lol with the kaboom
Because I was thinking he's not going to tap that with a steel hammer and chisel
And he does
At least use a brass hammer 😊
Yep just one spark. Also watch those cordless/ corded power tools as some have brushes with sparks. You can't be too careful around gasoline.
or a piece of wood in place of the chisel. With the brass hammer you still have steel to steel at the tank
Good morning to everyone that watches you Ray.
Good morning to you!
I had a fuel pump replaced on Chevy G20 van years ago. I found out the hard way they forgot to install the filler neck hose back onto the tank at my next fill up!
What about the rear brake issue you suspected?
And the suspect Schrader valve.
Yup. Hummmm….
Inspection only
Yes inspection only but didnt even pull the drum off to see what the issue might be. Soft pedal could be a safety issue
I had a 07 Cobalt. I miss it. I scrapped it for a rusted through fuel line. I miss it and wish I spent the money to fix it. Good to see another Cobalt getting to continue its life.
Should have just replaced the line, unless that wasn't really the ONLY reason.
I bought a Cobalt with a 5-speed. It's almost like an old 60's sports car, except it handles better. Yeah, I'll spend enough to buy another car to keep this thing running. If you want a better car, you have to be ready to spend through the nose.
Back in 2008, we almost bought a Cobalt, the dealer couldn't get the configuration we wanted, tried to foist a vastly different car off on us. I canceled the sale, got my deposit refunded, and went to Toyota. Bought a well equipped Corolla. It gave us 13 years of great service, only problems were age/mileage related, brakes, alternator, water pump, etc. in 243000 miles. Cobalt wouldn't have endured nearly as well.
Did you take your Cobalt to get the ignition switch replaced? Did you also get the $2,700 from GM?
@@davidnull5590 No, they gave me a new key with a small hole to replace the one with the rectangular hole. I also didn't know that they would give me any money
This is great for Ray’s customers, you just know that he’s doing a great job and not doing unnecessary work. These videos are proof of that.
Buying any car with that much mileage means you’re going to spend more money. As longer is the outlay of cash isn’t greater than what a car payment is it’s still a good investment. Ray is the perfect mechanic to get the best work for your money.
92K on a Toyota means it's just broken in.
When I buy a used car I set aside an amount equal to 25% of the purchase price to take care of the after-purchase repairs, with the goal of making the car nearly as-new as I can manage.
They dodged (or Chevy'd 😂) a bullet considering it was a post purchase problem, could have been way worse. Great job Ray!
why can't everybody be as good and honest as you
Should have it checked out BEFORE they bought it✌️
If that is all that is wrong with the car it still might have been a decent buy if that is all that is wrong with the car depending on what they paid for the car.
@@charlesphilhower1452true. Better than a 700 dollar a month new car payment, before full coverage insurance
I think it depends on how much they pay for the car.. what if the car is only a few hundred bucks? Pre inspection doesn't mean a used car will be perfect either. You just know what other things might go wrong.
Got lucky it was a simple issue/mistake.
Noticed you did not replace the leaky valve at the fuel pressure test port unless you did it off camera. Surprised you didn't look into the mushy squeaky brake issue too. But I'm sure you conveyed your findings to the customer.
I am 72 year old industrial mechanic seen a lot of things in my life love to watch you go. Got to tell you that your an excellent mechanic take care buddy.
Ray you’re a great mechanic and a good guy. We need more Ray’s in the world.
Ray, I've been watching you a while now. I must say the explosive special effects were beyond funny and on point. You keep being you, and I will keep on watching. Remember to have yourself a great day.
I was wondering if you checked the brakes out, you know soft pedal squeak in the rear brakes.
A brass chisel or punch is great when working around fuel, as it won't produce sparks.
What about the pedal travel and the brake noise?
It is so good to see your racks always full and you keeping busy after moving from your old job and working for yourself. Well done Ray. I hope this venture sees you through to retirement and give you plenty of opprotunities to test gravity and employ clickages with your equipment.
What? No brake clean use on the gas tank? VERY disappointing Ray! 🙂
Hi Ray, that filler tube looked like it had a large chunk missing under the clamp when you removed it
Did you change the Schrader, valve in the fuel pressure test fitting and fix the wire loom that was disintergrating, and the brake squeak?
80K views!
11K likes!
700 comments!
500+K subscribers
You're definitely doing something right!! 👍
Glad to see the new door is in, can not wait to see third lift. Great repair. God bless
Ray, it was clear there had been some leakage of the filler neck. Go back and take a look at the top side of the filler hose at 15:05 and it looks like there is a chunk of hose missing. I could be wrong, but it looks like a square chunk about the size of a postage stamp. If I'm right, at least it will be an easy hose to replace.
I noticed that too.
Brake pedal? What was wrong there?
customer no $ to fix brakes.
I have a 2007 Cobalt with 185,600 miles on it and it still runs and drives great, only had some evap problems and exhaust work fixed by me and still going. Great little car.
Did you take your Cobalt to get the ignition switch replaced? Did you also get the $2,700 from GM?
@davidnull5590 yes I had the ignition done in 2014 and no I didn't get no money
Ray, you are a great guy. Many shops would have charged for a new fuel pump and maybe some other parts. Your honesty is refreshing. I'm happy the customer didn't buy a complete lemon (that we know of yet).
Just scrapped my 2006 Chevy Cobalt back in January. 160,000 miles. It was a great car. I learned how to do a lot of my own maintenance on that car.
What about the brakes ? And the fuel pressure attachment point seal?
I was wondering the same thing.
Ray,
I do not agree with assuming the concern is fixed, all repairs should be checked before assembly. A simple check could save you from repeating the strip down, plus peace of mind.
That smoke machine is a life saver for a lot of things 🤯
Leaks, solenoids and leaky solenoids
An honest mechanic what a concept,ty Ray
That was hilarious! At 20:14 I just had a thought run through my head "You're going to create a spark one of these days", then you killed me at 20:17 😂🤣
Like 👍 the explosion graphics. I am 62 and was a B mechanic at dealers and independent businesses. I enjoy watching your videos. I remember doing sending units recalls at a Ford dealership. Keep up the great work 👍 👏 💪
Hello from Pa USA 🇺🇸
Does the Colbalt not have access to the fuel pump via the rear bench seat? Would have been a huge time-saver, if it did.
I was thinking the same...
Poland is here and watching
Polish American here
In Spain, if you buy a vehicle and it has a hidden fault, you can demand it fixed, get a part of the money back or even return the vehicle and get your money back (with a short trial, if the seller disagrees with any of those)
Some places in america have a grace period, especially small businesses. If it fails within 2 months some places will fix it for free
Some dealerships go the extra mile and provide a Carfax report and a professional mechanical inspection report, but most of the time it's "buyer beware". There was a Goodwill auto auction next to one place I worked, and all of us gearheads would go over there on auction day. 1964 Mercury, 1967 Plymouth, cars nobody wanted. If they couldn't get one to run we jumped in and usually got it going.
@spaceflight1019 navy federal provides two free carfax reports to cars you're interested in as well
I bought several ex police & municipal vehicles (cars & trucks ) car fax reports a said no municipal/ government or fleet use. Couple were crashed when purchased report stated no crash damage. Buddy had salvage title car report comeback clean no crash or flood history. Do your own inspection
Worked on it's sister (Saturn Ion) for many years. loved watching this very nostalgic 😊
Is it just me or did the filler neck hose have a chunk missing from it at the tank. 15:06 timestamp.
Looking for this comment. It looks as if you can see the metal of the clamp through the missing chuck of hose. Maybe it's designed like that but looks really odd to my eye. I'm sure it made it easier to get off and back on.
11:35 to see the top of the tank, what about pulling off the rear bench seat ? That usually exposes at least the top of the pump.
Did you sort the spongy brake pedal?
another killer car left his lot.
Always roll down the windows of a car you are working on. This way you don't accidentally lock yourself out.
He does usually do that but few times seen window regulator was broke so couldn't get windows back up
It's even worse if you lock yourself in!
@@betomendez4304 Then you bought it.
Their was a recall with something like that. My sister had one and they had to replace the whole gas tank. She put 250k miles on it before accidently not checking the oil and not changing it, almost ruined the engine. These are good cars, I always wanted one when I was younger. I had a high-school freind that bought one brand new and always raced around with it. So many years later he still has it.
This vehicle has signs of "a quick maintenance to make it look like there is nothing wrong with it" sort of thing. I am tipping the previous car owner was running into lots of problems with it, so decided to get rid of it with cheap "cosmetic" repairs.
Same, that's my feeling too.
My car has that same squeak from the rear drums. Pedal is firm, definitely is not squishy like that.
When the pedal goes to the floor like that. That is sketchy and surely don't want to drive it like that. Generally If the pedal has to travel further than 3-4 inches, then it's too much effort to stop. The whole point of power brakes is to stop without putting the pedal to the floor.
Another example of how many so called auto technicians out there that don't check their work, it was obvious that the ring wasn't seated properly. Great job Ray fixing it!
I knew you could do it. I've taken that tank out twice on the same car laying on my back in the driveway without taking the exhaust off. Learned a valuable lesson. When working with fuel on a driveway don't wear clothes you ever want to wear again. Both the gasoline and the blacktop get absorbed.
Same goes for Valvoline trans fluid. Good stuff, but can't get the stink out! You don't even want to put the clothes in your washer.
Just a little surprised you didn’t do a post smoke check before reassembly of the tank.
And what about the soft brake pedal, or are you leaving us in suspense for “another” video?
Either way great catch!
cool ray but you forgot to check the break squeak now my ocd is killing me
Schrader valve on the fuel rail ?
Just a thought; Maybe smoke test the tank again before refitting to save having to do it all again.
Hienoa työtä Ray-Man.. Mukava katsella ja kuunnella…🇫🇮
Big ol' gasoline vapor KABOOMS! beginning @ 20:17! Fact!
Did you replace the leaky Schrader valve?
The sound effects when taking fuel pump retainer ring off was cool, I got a bang out of it..........
GOOD MORNING RAY!!! Love your content
My favorite repairs were the no part repairs. Always amazed people 😂
The boosted ones are way more fun. But heck, under 100K miles for an '07? That's not bad at all.
All depends on how that Ecotec was taken care of bc they could very well be all used up by 100k with the younger demographic that tends to get these
@@Onewheelordeal I have an '06 Ion with 180K miles, pretty hard to kill it.
Side note: had the plastic fuel pump hose barbs crack on mine, same symptoms, around the same mileage. The plastic bits on these cars are the worst thing about them.
@@Onewheelordeal If Ray does the oil change, it may not run for much longer. He usually uses some generic oil but these ecocrap engines with their timinig belt in oil need a VERY SPECIAL blent. if not, they will disintegrate. not if but when.
@@blockbertus Another freakin genius...
Starts a statement off with an "IF" and ends it with a "May Not" .
Another YT automotive graduate with a college degree in touchless diagnostics and remote engine repair.
@@serge4856 not the brand is important. the BLENT. like what additives are in the oil and such.
The cleaner and now the fire effects have been outstanding. It just keeps getting better and more intense. Thanks for the content.
Ray did you look at back brakes? How bad were they
It's almost worth an oil change to have Ray do an oil change. I'm a thousand miles away but still would love to have him work on my vehicles.
Another awesome repair. Jeep up the good work. Another shabby mechanic could have ripped them off bad.
To make the job easier, could you smoke test the tank while it's on the ground? Just trying to make the job less stressful.
Up and down multiple times for a stubborn leak can be a pain!
I think you forgot that leaky rail valve, which definitely wasn't thE problem. 🤪
Ray, I watch this on my family room TV (linked to my phone) and I have a 7.2 surround sound system with wicked subs, so I really appreciated your explosion additions! Nice!
Jeez Ray, go buy a brass punch!
27:00 that’s not a “heat shield,” Ray. ;) If you think about it, it’s just a skid plate to guard the plastic tank against abrasion and some punctures.
I was waiting for brake clean!! 😂
he has enough solvent inhaled from the gas already.
FYI is a common problem with Chevy Cobalts is a fuel smell. Think there are several recalls on it. That in mind with a
complete inspection it usually is the fuel pump o ring seal on the top of the gas tank that goes bad if you see all that
shiny fuel around the tank. Probably should have done a smoke test again (plugging every hole) after the "repair" before putting the tank back.✌Hope they don't come back complaining that it still smells of gas.
Would it have been possible to smoke test it before putting it back in? Honestly, I'm just curious.
Sure, just plug up openings, but his oil is expensive.
@@forgetfulme1719 Ah. Thanks.
part of your success is because you are openly honest
that could have been an easy need a fuel tank
or something crazier which cost the customer more and product unnecessary labor which yields profit in the short term. But, not long later life will takes its course and make someone pay for i just in the most inconvenient times
but you? you just saw the issue and fixed it and probably only will charge what it takes for post purchase inspection and not the .5 labor hr it took to fix the issue.
keep up the good work
you truly are the good side of humanity.
This should have been a Pre Purchase Inspection not Post Purchase. That way the buyer could have negotiated on the price according to the repair costs.
All depends on how they bought it. New car dealership, used car dealership, auto auction.
Im about to buy a car from an auto repair shop. Should i get it inspected from another place?
@@armadildo6468Unless you're competent in the work, then by all means have it inspected by a professional mechanical technician.
@spaceflight1019 ok. They're pretty reputable, and they have a 60-day grace period for anything that breaks. Ill see if i can get a mechanic to check it out. Do they usually come to the place its being sold pr does the car need to go to the mechanic? Ive never bought a car before so i dont know the full process
@@armadildo6468 First, does the state you live in require vehicle inspection? Pennsylvania does, and it's customary to have the vehicle inspection done during the sale process. Dealers will often have the vehicle inspection done before the sale as it's a good selling point.
I've always liked the look of the cobalt for some reason, especially the orange colored coupe style one.
Are you color blind?
If 90% of the shops had your ethics I think people in general would be more trusting. In the last 5 years. I am 50/50 with shops. The last one quoted me almost 300 for a front end alignment on a F150. I said no and took it to another shop and they did it for 100. WTF I am more app to try and do the work my self to a point then trust a mechanic now days. I guess that is why I love this channel.
Nice find on the fuel pump lock ring being crooked and not seated correctly I have seen that a few times ON chevys very easy Thing to happen if not paying close attention @Rainman Ray's Repairs
Bro ur a beast I wish all mechanics were as honest and knowledgeable as u not just tryna make a quick buck off people u actually try to fix the problem
In our day that fuel tank would be much heavier...as we had "leaded fuel" back then...
FYI- Sept 29, 2012 fuel pump recall for 2007-2009 Chevy Cobalts was declared by GM due to fuel leakage and safety concerns. That is one of the problems with dealership recall repairs, half assed jobs. The previous owner probably couldn't smell (many have that ENT health issues), the vehicle had to have been operated up in the northern states because heat usually pressurizes the tank enough for vapors to escape emitting fuel odor or whenever it gets topped off.
When I worked at a recovery garage. When one of the mechanics done a big or safety related job. It was normal for someone else to do an eyes over everything check before the road test.
An honest mechanic will never be out of work. Well done Ray others would have charged $100+ and say it's fixed as you said one potential issue does not mean there no more well spotted!
Wife Unit needs to be introduced in every video if she is on site. We love all of the primary support team members of Rainman Ray's Repairs. You would not have that shop without her support.
are you watching his videos for his wife or automotive repair.???????? 🤔
@@MrMustangMan Her. Yum.
You lost the little red cap off your smoke generator hook. It flew off when you rotated it on the crossmember
Good job my friend 🙏🏻