My friend was once a service write-up guy at a stealership. My friend's goal was to get the car back to the customer at the end of the day. He asked me "Why don't they just bring it in every time one thing goes wrong instead of waiting until they had 5 or more items on their list?" I told him getting to the stealership between 6 and 6:30 am so they get a good place in line is a pain, bumming a ride to work is a pain, arriving at work and having to explain to their boss why they were late is a pain, checking on the repair progress throughout the day is a pain, bumming a ride back to the stealership after work is a pain, .......and mostly, for the vehicle owner, the pain is the same each time they go through this, whether it's 1 repair item or 1/2 dozen items, so they put it off until they can't stand putting up with all that's wrong for more day and that point occurs on an average at 5.5 things gone wrong.
@@danf4616 Of course, because people never have problems with a Toyota, right? ROFL My buddy had a Tacoma that actually rotted through the rear differential! I'd never seen that on any other vehicle! They rust like no others do. It took some time, but he found a shop to bandage it up. Then he immediately traded it in for a car.
Hey there Eric, love the channel! As the former owner and now retired mechanic of a 3rd generation auto repair shop, you really hit me with showing the list from the customer that had an appointment for the "$$ light" and added 5 more hours of work to his list. We had a busy 3 bay shop with me, one mechanic and my wife running the show and we really kept busy. When a customer would come in with a list like you got, I would smile at them and pull down on the neck of my shirt and say " do you see that?" We had 90% repeat customers so they would smile back and say I don't see anything. Then I would say "exactly, there is no S tattooed on my chest, I'm only human! Now when we get done with this job, talk to my wife or call and make another appointment and we'll do everything you want knowing that's what you're coming in for." The customer and the car ALWAYS came back. I loved our customers and miss them and some of the challenges of putting together the puzzle pieces of running a business like ours.
I'm shocked that a $60,000 truck only lasts 7 or 8 years in New York state. We live in the southeast. You can drive one here for 20 years and still have a solid frame under it.
Your explanation on Evap systems helped me understand how they work. It’s allowed me to explain it to other techs and allowed them to confidently repair Evap codes correctly. Thank you!
@@JoseJimeniz in my area the shops are small and ran by older gentleman that are ready to retire. They were dismissing evap codes because they have fallen behind with technology.
@@JoseJimeniz I operate my own shop and have no idea how some manufactures EVAP systems work. As long as you can access and understand the information you need to know to how it works, that's all you need.
@@kshea4231 I watched one of the “Sergeant Tech” videos on the EVAP system years ago and it boils it down to the basic concepts that anyone can understand.
What I like about Eric is that despite having achieved fame and all the rewards that come with that, He is still working his day job and is an all round great guy . P.S. Hope Vinnie is O.K.
Thanks for your flex fuel alcohol content reset info. My mothers impala was at very reputable local shop 3x for check engine light from rich codes, they said injectors were dirty ran a can of cleaner through them, cleared codes and said it was fixed. 5 minutes later check engine light was back on all 3 times. After I watched one of your videos I sent her back to that shop with a note saying RESET ALCOHOL CONTENT METER. Car was fixed after that appointment .
A reputable shop that thinks clogged injectors cause rich codes? That doesn't seem to add up. I hope at least they didn't charge her $100 for a can of techron 🙄
@@FaustoTheBoozehound i think it was $29 injection cleaning on the bill+ 1/4hr labour after diag. on 1st appointment. then i duno what the charges were on 2nd or 3rd appointment. all 3 times check engine light was back on 5 minutes after leaving shop.
Mate, don’t worry about the heater, or anyone who complains about it. We’re all very fortunate to have you around creating this content for us. Be comfortable!
One issue with the autel: If you have a sensor that's dead, it keeps huntingfor a sensor (long delay) and sometimes it will read another wheel and tell you that there's a duplicate. FYI.
I don't know who's complaining about the furnace being loud on video it's not that loud now sometimes the birds are pretty loud but the furnace is not loud. Love always and have a great day
I'm just glad you're back to making videos also I don't mind if you do things more than once. I don't work on cars anymore I was a body man and front end, frames guy for a very long time. I watch your channel for entertainment. You are a lucky man! Love always
@@miceinoz1181 I used to dream of a furnace in winter time. I had to work in an unheated workshop or outside in the yard all year round. Admittedly winters are not as harsh here in the south of England, but I'm glad to be retired now, although I still work outside on my old bikes.
Sorry Eric. Don’t mean to burst your bubble, just poking fun, but below 0 for you is -17 for us, 60 miles (100km) north of the Canada/US border in Manitoba. Keep up the great videos. Thanks for entertaining and teaching us.
i was just thinking it is a shame NY isn't filled with people like you and Mrs O. Ya'll truly are an amazing couple. She is as good of a mom as is in America, home schools your beautiful children, runs the business side of SMA, is a great cook and is so very pretty to boot. You arguably are one of the top engine mechanics in America. The entire country Eric. Couple that with. your huge success using your engaging personality to have one of the most successful channels on this platform. Y'all are simply 2 rock stars. I would rather watch you and your family business than anything on tv. I stopped watching tv in Nov of 2008. One more observation. NY seems to have an inordinate amount of geniuses on YT. There is you Andrew Camarata, Jesse Mueller. & ScoutCrafter. Truly surprised all of y'all are still there.....
In NY we put alkaline non-rechargeable batteries into the garbage. There's no recycling for them here. You're supposed to recycle rechargeable batteries and a variety of stores accept them, just not the normal consumer size alkalines.
My concern….. judging a GM on a lift with a failed frame… ( putting holes in a structural frame, that is held up on the lift over your head. Fellow NY tech concern. ) Besides that, you are the shizzznit!
Nice FRAME!! Lol. I seen that generation of Chevy broke in two sitting along the freeway last summer. The front half of the truck was turned 90 degree to the right and the rear half was straight yet with trailer in tow.
Thank you for telling people about "lists"!!! People need to be more considerate about this and mention everything up front. We always have people who call up for a service booking the next day and when i tell them we are about 3 to 4 weeks booked out they say "oh well I've got this problem..." and if it's a serious one I'll offer to get it in the next day so the guys can check it make sure the car is safe or to possibly avoid major damage, and if it's not an urgent thing then we can do the repair when it comes back for the service in a few weeks. Then when they drop it off they say the inevitable "can you give it a service while it's here..." One day I'm gonna snap and shout WHAT DID I TELL YOU YESTERDAY!!?? Seriously, these people need to stop thinking that no one else matters besides themselves...
Actually come to think of it.. there's about 5 manufacturers that have that problem, but I doesn't usually keep it it running. So I just say if it is and you live in a no wake zone. Then just plug it off if a vacuum leak occurs. Hard to do in the newer cars. But used to be that was the truth. Beyond that these cars these days make you wanna go backwards🤔 into a year that didn't exist in today's world, well... Mostly.
Good video Eric O. I learned some more things today. Gotta love these customers that schedule their cars for one thing and show up with a grocery list of problems. With me being a one man show that’s a pain because I usually schedule behind that job based on the time it will take to do that one thing. I’ve got a good one in the shop right now. Neighbor has a Chevy Express van with a money light on. Tested it three weeks ago it had a PO446. Shows up yesterday it now has. PO446 and aPO449. They use this van to clean carpets, mobile carpet cleaning business. While mounting the engine and heat exchanger to the floor in the van they drilled holes through the floor for the hold down screws and right through the fuel tank. I thought it funny that it didn’t set any evap leak code. I found it because I had to lower the tank to change the pressure sensor and the fuel tank strap bolt hidden nut broke away from it holding clip so I had to pull the tank to get that out.
Had that same concern with my 2009 Silverado, thankfully figured out it was just the variable charging system before replacing a battery or alternator.
I replaced all those TPMS Sensors and my 06 town and country one time. They lasted maybe a couple years now I just ignore the light and check the tire pressure when cold two or three times a month
Made that mistake with installing a new alternator on my 08 Silverado. Probably have them back a better alternator than I got since it was the original. Lol. Found out it was a smart charge system afterwards. 🤬
Well one of our new to us work vans got its alternator needlessly replaced because of me lol. Back in the day an alternator outputting swinging voltage was your warning sign to change that sucker out ASAP. GM could have done a better job of communicating that things are different now. Like maybe a tiny label saying varying voltages while running was normal, I dunno
Funny, I did replace mine 😂 the truck I bought was used with 135k on it, thinking to myself it’s probably getting close to it’s time anyways and I did put a plow on the truck so I also knew it would be using a lot of current and sucking the battery dry.
I made a mistake one time of trying to top off the gas tank on my 04 GMC, and I ruined the gas tank vent valve. Don't top off your gas tank. That never was a problem with the old vehicles that I used to drive.
I've been wanting to build my dream truck an 86 Chevy pickup for awhile and watching this video and the stupidity of these needless computers is making me wanna pull the trigger on it FINALLY.
Guess you don't live in a cold place - that sound is very familiar to anyone that lives anywhere cold. Like a "hear it every morning" kind of familiar...
@@soccertl Yeah, I hear that. I grew up in Manitoba, and now live in Oregon where it (usually) doesn't even freeze (and spend some time in Arizona each year too). That sound of wipers scraping on frozen snow or freezing rain on the windshield is ingrained in my brain though - that's just one of those things you never forget. That and how the snow gets squeaky when it's _really_ cold - ugh, hate cold!
Here you are, complaining about the cold. A man born and lived his whole life in NY. Now imagine how we felt when we went to NY and Chicago in March and saw snow for the first time in our lives. And we live in the Caribbeans..
Many years ago now at my first mechanical engineering class there was an acronym in large letters written on the blackboard. K.I.S.S. ( Keep It Simple Stupid ). Tire pressure sensors ? One more electronic part prone to failure. Code throwers. Too bad someone hadn't invented a manual tire pressure gage. Oh wait a minute, they did
I have been selling Autel stuff for years. Remember to look at placard for pressure, and with the TS508 you can change the placard if customer wants something different. 12 sensors with a free tool in my area.
Your diagnostic skills are beyond incredible. I live in Arizona and cringe every time I see those poor cars all rusted out. I grew up on the East coast and know all about salt and rust. Please come to Arizona so your life will be so much easier.
Wanna know another? Get an RFID deadbolt lock system for your front door, as well as an implantable RFID microchip that matches the architecture of the lock's reader and key card, and a cheap RFID read/write device for your computer. It will likely be a popular standardized architecture. Implant the microchip subdermal in the skin of the notch between your thumb and index finger. Program it with the code that your lock/key card uses. Voila. You now have the key to your house inside your hand available whenever you need to get in. Bringing in groceries? Just smoosh your hand against the reader and open the door. It's that easy. Bonus: get a second chip for the other hand and make it a different architecture. Whenever you go to a hotel, you can read the key card data and write it to one of the 2 chips you have and then you don't need to carry your keycard around. 👍 This idea is proudly stolen from Deviant Ollam. If you would like to enhance your life in many ways, go check out his channel. I love that guy. I will do this eventually. My kitty cat has a lost/found microchip in his neck, why can't I have one for reasons too?!?! 😺
@@SouthMainAuto Speaking of pushing buttons in the pocket......I was working on one of my cars and started the engine in the other car accidentally. That was a huge wake-up call. I then realized that I could accidentally start the dang engine with the key fob while working on it. Yikes ! I don't know what would be better.....to disconnect the battery or to make sure and leave the keys on the counter away from potentially pushing the remote start button. Modern problems.
Thanks for the videos Eric! I work in the IT industry and I love watching your diagnostic methods. Your videos have been an inspiration to me in my career. Wish you all the best.
Eric and Mrs O, I don't think you could ever understand how happy you made that couple yesterday (2/28). I love your videos, but more so I appreciate who you both are. You are a role model for couples, for parents, and for members of a community. If you ever find yourself in NH, you have a friend here.
Had the same concern about the alternator on my 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. When taken to the dealership, the reply was: 'That's normal'. No other explanation given. After lots of internet time, I learned about the RVC system. Then, after another marathon session of reading through the owner's (don't do stupid things) manual, I found the information buried in a short paragraph. Thanks GM...
Loved the educational part especially the TPMS part. Question if the frame isn’t going to pass inspection Instead of fixing it up wouldn’t it be best to tell the customer time for the scrap heap.
You've seen cars on SMA with MUCH worse frames than this one, and their owners are perfectly content driving them at 70mph with their grandkids inside. I'm sure Mr. O told the owner about the rust, and the owner isn't going to scrap this truck for THAT.
That was my thought as well. This job couldn’t have been a cheap repair either. I. Guessing maybe a 1000 dollar bill ? Seems like it’s not worth fixing but I’m sure customer approved it all. Eric seems like an honest guy that probably told his customer frames cracked before doing any repairs
It's possible that the black goo in the RR tire of this truck is "Fix-a-flat". If so that could be why that TPS failed and was replaced to begin with. Awesome channel, by the way. It's good to see another tech. that doesn't use the parts cannon, and doesn't rip off their customers.
I always hated when customers had a specific issue and then threw a laundry list at ya. It's one thing when you get a car in and you find other issues, but when they have things they know they want done just please tell us beforehand. It makes it so much easier.
I was sitting here wide eyed at the complex games you had to play to diagnose the tire pressure sensors.Those are nuts Also when you first mentioned the PO521 you made it sound like they made that code up just for Chevy.Maybe an accidental comedy moment but still good😆
You can get a nice under vehicle washing attachment for a pressure washer to help keep the frame from corroding from salt. I’ve always done my own car repairs and know quite a bit in my 47 years at it, I do however learn many things here especially how to run down certain things without throwing parts and money needlessly to see what the cause is. Eric you have a wonderful way of describing things, keeping your cool when things could annoy you and just getting the job done. Mrs.O has such a great way about her, she’s always smiling and willing to help when asked. I do notice on a few other you tube channels they mention you Eric in a very positive way!
I have the washing attachment, but it's not actually that useful since I can't run water outside in the winter without turning the driveway into a skating rink, so i go to the car wash. $100 a winter in car washes I think makes a big difference in the lifespan of a vehicle in the salt belt.
The issue is that the salt water solution gets inside the box section of the frame and rots it from within. No amount of pressure washing will flush that out effectively. Better anti corrosion treatment at the factory (such as galvanising the frame) is the only way to extend the service life, but then they wouldn't sell as many new vehicles.
@@John_Ridley I understand that and have a $40 unlimited monthly car wash plan and in the winter get the truck washed 2-3 times a week and it makes a huge difference.
@@clintprice2123 I did that when I was driving to work every day. Now I just do one-off washes if I happen to be out but I go a month without driving these days.
Enjoy your videos, my question is; if a dealer sends you a truck they can’t fix and is still under warranty, who pays your bill for finding the problem? Big credit to Mrs. O for putting up with you…😂
The shaking, the jittering and the constant going in circle were all fixed thanks to you. Was just needing a fix from a SMA video. If it wasn't for Ivan and scanner danner I'd really be in bad shape. I was sure after checked the oil and said you would have to get the lovely Mrs. O. and she came out you were going to say " hey dear. smell my finger". Its just amazing how when I started this video there was only 2000 viewers. By the end there was already over 17000. Keep them coming. Your helping a lot of people.
When you start out the video walking into the office, it reminds me of Mr. Rogers coming into his residence and he has to change his shoes and get into his sweater.
That chevy smart charge does save the battery. It was 8 years before I changed the battery on my mom's chevy. Most manufacturers u get 3-5 years out of that factory battery. And I should add it wasn't until we had a -5 degree day. Had I lived in a warmer climate it might have lasted another year
My 2011 Ram 1500 factory battery lasted 10 years before dying in the middle of the summer. High temperatures kill a battery faster than cold temps. Just seems to show up more in the cold temps due to less CCA.
Too many years ago I had a gen 4 Toyota Celica where the door locks would freeze solid. Couldn't get the key in the lock let alone open the door. Tried everything to get them to reliably not freeze before giving up and never locking the doors during winter. At that point I was happy for the damn thing to be stolen.
We use the Autel TPMS tools at our shop. What has happened to me is when I have a bad sensor, the signals from sensors further away get picked up instead. One time we had to completely isolate the tires from every thing else in the shop to know for sure. Boss was very confused to see me in the tool room scanning a tire
You know, you can use science to help you here. What you need is a Faraday cage big enough to fit either "3 tires with sensors" or "you, the scan tool, and one tire" (I'd go for three tires). They can be constructed relatively cheaply by making a box frame out of 2X4's held together with deck screws, and then you cover the frame (all 6 sides, including the door) with METAL screen, or sheet metal (if I was building one, I'd make the floor with sheet metal, and the sides and top with screen). The kind of metal screen that I'm talking about isn't like chicken wire, you're looking for stuff you'd find on a screen door, but made of metal and not plastic. Once you've made the frame and attached the top bottom and 4 sides, including the door, then you need to take a length of flexible wire and use it to electrically connect the screen of the door and the screen of the rest of the enclosure (the more strands the better because it needs to be very flexible, but because it doesn't need to carry a lot of current it doesn't need to be thick, #12 or #14 AWG is plenty thick enough and can be bought in short lengths off Amazon (look for "RC battery pack wire" or something like that, it should have sillicone insulation and be extremely fine stranded). You probably don't need to solder the wire to the screen directly, you could just crimp a ring terminal to each end of the wire and then put that ring terminal under one of the deck screws with washer that you used to hold the screen to the frame. Make sure that there's a good electrical connection between all the sides of the enclosure, as that's critical to it being able to block radio waves. This can be done without using wire simply by overlapping the screens and/or sheet metal at the edges between sides, and top/bottom edges of each side. Once that's done, you now have an enclosure that you can put tires in which you don't want to be picked up by the TPMS tool. And so long as the enclosure stays intact, any sensors inside it will only be able to communicate with a thing that's ALSO in the enclosure with them.
This happened to me on the first car I did TPMS work on (the wife's Camry). It was quite a struggle, but I finally got thru it. I thought it was the cheap laptop-based Autel reader I got on eBay that caused it. It would read a good sensor all the way across the yard (40+ feet away).The second car (mine) wasn't as bad, maybe because the sensor batteries weren't as low. Weird that the 2007 Camry failed within 2 weeks of the 2010 Chevy, but it could be the Chevy alerts you before the batteries get as low.
@@44R0Ndin you're not wrong, but boy is that making a mountain out of molehill lol. Once you've seen these patterns, it pretty easy to tell what's going on. Autel could make it easier by scanning duplicates into the slots regardless and then highlighting them. Or calculate distance or physical location based on signal strength, other scanned sensors, and expected location.
Im glad there are no inspections/emissions here besides renewing registration. Im not saying they arent needed but still. I honestly would of told him about the frame first, no? Before even doing any work. Seems like a person would be like WHAT my truck needs a frame and Im worried about a damn tpms being fix and charged for.
I have to give a big thanks to Eric o for changing my life! Ever since I saw his channel I started calling myself Eric with just my last initial. Ever since then I get more respect at work and have been doing better with the ladies. Thanks Eric O! Sincerely, Eric G
As always, loved the video. I know you were pressed for time on this one, and didn't feel the need to show oil and fuel pressure sensor, but I would just like to say that, even though you've done those videos before, its still very helpful to see different models. (...if for no other reason than to help us DIYers locate the part on the vehicle.)
my guy Eric! i love watching these videos, i wait till you post a few, and then binge all at once on my days off. keeps my mind fresh and sharp. just like the astro 1/2 inch flex head air ratchet, you got me sold on the tpms tool! I'm a chrysler tech, so sometimes i have to go to into the tipm or cluster to redo these pesky tire lights.. but this tool makes me feel like it's wayyy easier! side note, I'm just south of you in PA, im done with the cold myself haha
I remember the Chrysler plastic ring it was white, I spent 13 years of my 40+ as a Chrysler tech but I learned the most from Toyota and BMW. Great video always top notch with diag and humor. 🖖🏽
My wife asked how I'd describe this channel. I told her this is the mechanic I wish I lived near.
no words like sexy or most handsome mechanic?
@@SouthMainAuto LOL
@@SouthMainAuto Sorry mate, you aren't my sort :D
He’s our favorite male adult entertainer! That’s how I describe Dr O
@@cageordie it's the facial hair. total turn off. :D
Mrs. O's evap test simulation was priceless.
And so funny!
@@AvalancheMan 😅
@@Watchyn_Yarwood Bvc
My friend was once a service write-up guy at a stealership. My friend's goal was to get the car back to the customer at the end of the day. He asked me "Why don't they just bring it in every time one thing goes wrong instead of waiting until they had 5 or more items on their list?" I told him getting to the stealership between 6 and 6:30 am so they get a good place in line is a pain, bumming a ride to work is a pain, arriving at work and having to explain to their boss why they were late is a pain, checking on the repair progress throughout the day is a pain, bumming a ride back to the stealership after work is a pain, .......and mostly, for the vehicle owner, the pain is the same each time they go through this, whether it's 1 repair item or 1/2 dozen items, so they put it off until they can't stand putting up with all that's wrong for more day and that point occurs on an average at 5.5 things gone wrong.
Not to mentions to the pain the wallet!
Well at least your friend isn’t a filthy crook which is evident from the fact that he no longer works as a service writer for a Stealership.
Yes, it is a pain. My solution - get a Toyota! 😉
@@danf4616 Of course, because people never have problems with a Toyota, right? ROFL My buddy had a Tacoma that actually rotted through the rear differential! I'd never seen that on any other vehicle! They rust like no others do. It took some time, but he found a shop to bandage it up. Then he immediately traded it in for a car.
what are you getting at?
Time for a vacation to a warmer spot. Remember Eric if I can do it you can do it!
The best soultion I have seen for tire monitors yet, is to place 4 of them in a pressurized container under the seat
Or just ignore the light... I don't want a pressurized container under my seat. OR... just disable TPMS.
Hey there Eric, love the channel! As the former owner and now retired mechanic of a 3rd generation auto repair shop, you really hit me with showing the list from the customer that had an appointment for the "$$ light" and added 5 more hours of work to his list. We had a busy 3 bay shop with me, one mechanic and my wife running the show and we really kept busy. When a customer would come in with a list like you got, I would smile at them and pull down on the neck of my shirt and say " do you see that?" We had 90% repeat customers so they would smile back and say I don't see anything. Then I would say "exactly, there is no S tattooed on my chest, I'm only human! Now when we get done with this job, talk to my wife or call and make another appointment and we'll do everything you want knowing that's what you're coming in for." The customer and the car ALWAYS came back. I loved our customers and miss them and some of the challenges of putting together the puzzle pieces of running a business like ours.
Just sat down with supper and this pops up. Gonna be a good night. Steak and Eric O.
dang, now you got me hungry for steak, heading out to grille me up a porterhouse at 8PM in the cold southwestern Pennsylvania weather, lol
I'm shocked that a $60,000 truck only lasts 7 or 8 years in New York state. We live in the southeast. You can drive one here for 20 years and still have a solid frame under it.
Yeah in the south last forever
We have the same salt on the roads here in southern Ontario and I have a silverado that's 31 years old. The trick is to get it undersprayed regularly
Your explanation on Evap systems helped me understand how they work. It’s allowed me to explain it to other techs and allowed them to confidently repair Evap codes correctly. Thank you!
I have to ask, and I can't think of any nice way to do this, but some techs don't have an idea of how EVAP systems work?
@@JoseJimeniz in my area the shops are small and ran by older gentleman that are ready to retire. They were dismissing evap codes because they have fallen behind with technology.
@@JoseJimeniz I operate my own shop and have no idea how some manufactures EVAP systems work. As long as you can access and understand the information you need to know to how it works, that's all you need.
exactly, it's impossible to know everything. just have to know how to look up the correct information
@@kshea4231 I watched one of the “Sergeant Tech” videos on the EVAP system years ago and it boils it down to the basic concepts that anyone can understand.
What I like about Eric is that despite having achieved fame and all the rewards that come with that, He is still working his day job and is an all round great guy .
P.S. Hope Vinnie is O.K.
Thanks for your flex fuel alcohol content reset info. My mothers impala was at very reputable local
shop 3x for check engine light from rich codes, they said injectors were dirty ran a can of cleaner through
them, cleared codes and said it was fixed. 5 minutes later check engine light was back on all 3 times. After
I watched one of your videos I sent her back to that shop with a note saying RESET ALCOHOL CONTENT METER.
Car was fixed after that appointment .
A reputable shop that thinks clogged injectors cause rich codes? That doesn't seem to add up. I hope at least they didn't charge her $100 for a can of techron 🙄
@@FaustoTheBoozehound i think it was $29 injection cleaning on the bill+ 1/4hr labour after diag. on 1st appointment. then i duno what the charges were on 2nd or 3rd appointment. all 3 times check engine light was back on 5 minutes after leaving shop.
Love your videos Eric and the way you respect your wife even though when your busy
you're busy
It's scary to think how many vehicles in New York are on the road with rotted frames ready to break in half at any moment. That road salt is nasty!
Like the way you explain the work you do.
The small panic Eric had when he thought the torque wrench batteries were possibly corroded. I felt and almost thought the same too.
Keep in mind us slow learners need repeats! Thanks for the video Eric.
Mrs. O is absolutely adorable!
Thanks for what you do Eric. I've learned alot from you.
Hows it goin Peter? Giggitty...
@@rheidtech 👍🏻😁
Another great show.
Eric, your channel is about the best on UA-cam for automotive diagnostics and explanation. Thank you for all you do.
your the best. no annoying squawking just honest videos on repairing automobiles
I love how he just casually mentions that the frame is broken
Cmon it's not even _that_ broken
@@lolatmyage If the frame is broken it is junk you can’t weld it you need a new ride it’s ready for the crushers
@@DCSPORTSTER you can weld a frame if you know what you're doing.
@@DCSPORTSTER You can 100% weld patches on that
Not legal to weld a frame. Go check the safety standards book doesn’t matter what people think they can do
Mate, don’t worry about the heater, or anyone who complains about it. We’re all very fortunate to have you around creating this content for us. Be comfortable!
One issue with the autel: If you have a sensor that's dead, it keeps huntingfor a sensor (long delay) and sometimes it will read another wheel and tell you that there's a duplicate. FYI.
I don't know who's complaining about the furnace being loud on video it's not that loud now sometimes the birds are pretty loud but the furnace is not loud. Love always and have a great day
Yeah those damn birds in the summer can get a lil crazy haha
I'm just glad you're back to making videos also I don't mind if you do things more than once. I don't work on cars anymore I was a body man and front end, frames guy for a very long time. I watch your channel for entertainment. You are a lucky man! Love always
I'm waiting for warmer weather and the guy nearby to start mowing his lawn every other day
Better a loud furnace and warm fingers than no furnace and numb fingers from the cold. Every mechanics nightmare.
@@miceinoz1181 I used to dream of a furnace in winter time. I had to work in an unheated workshop or outside in the yard all year round. Admittedly winters are not as harsh here in the south of England, but I'm glad to be retired now, although I still work outside on my old bikes.
Sorry Eric. Don’t mean to burst your bubble, just poking fun, but below 0 for you is -17 for us, 60 miles (100km) north of the Canada/US border in Manitoba. Keep up the great videos. Thanks for entertaining and teaching us.
I wanted to hear your explanation on the 3/4 ton frames that was cut short when you went to get "the judge"
TPMS has been a pain in the ass since day 1
Not for me. Only one sensor gone bad in 11 years of ownership.
Exactly, I don't need an idiot light to see or feel that my tires are low
Send it to ✌️The Other Shop to slap a sticker on it✌️. I love that you are a man of principle Mr O. Long may it continue.
i was just thinking it is a shame NY isn't filled with people like you and Mrs O. Ya'll truly are an amazing couple. She is as good of a mom as is in America, home schools your beautiful children, runs the business side of SMA, is a great cook and is so very pretty to boot. You arguably are one of the top engine mechanics in America. The entire country Eric. Couple that with. your huge success using your engaging personality to have one of the most successful channels on this platform. Y'all are simply 2 rock stars. I would rather watch you and your family business than anything on tv. I stopped watching tv in Nov of 2008. One more observation. NY seems to have an inordinate amount of geniuses on YT. There is you Andrew Camarata, Jesse Mueller. & ScoutCrafter. Truly surprised all of y'all are still there.....
I heard Eric say he can't move to Texas 'cause cars there still have carburetors on 'em: "l
Don't know nothin' about carburetors!!"
I hope the old batteries went into a recycle bin for not the garbage, Great channel with good info and methods
In NY we put alkaline non-rechargeable batteries into the garbage. There's no recycling for them here. You're supposed to recycle rechargeable batteries and a variety of stores accept them, just not the normal consumer size alkalines.
When you hit the wiper switch, I thought the engine just blew up. You got me on that!!!
My concern….. judging a GM on a lift with a failed frame… ( putting holes in a structural frame, that is held up on the lift over your head. Fellow NY tech concern. ) Besides that, you are the shizzznit!
Nice FRAME!! Lol. I seen that generation of Chevy broke in two sitting along the freeway last summer. The front half of the truck was turned 90 degree to the right and the rear half was straight yet with trailer in tow.
Are they just intending to find a shop that'll pass them despite the frame. They csn't seriously be considering grafting this thing onto a new frame.
This was on Valentines Day per your calendar. We didn’t see what you got the wife!
Thank you for telling people about "lists"!!! People need to be more considerate about this and mention everything up front.
We always have people who call up for a service booking the next day and when i tell them we are about 3 to 4 weeks booked out they say "oh well I've got this problem..." and if it's a serious one I'll offer to get it in the next day so the guys can check it make sure the car is safe or to possibly avoid major damage, and if it's not an urgent thing then we can do the repair when it comes back for the service in a few weeks. Then when they drop it off they say the inevitable "can you give it a service while it's here..." One day I'm gonna snap and shout WHAT DID I TELL YOU YESTERDAY!!??
Seriously, these people need to stop thinking that no one else matters besides themselves...
No GM truck with a money light on would be complete without an EVAP code! lol
I got to the point with a GM car that I just forgot it south of New York. Lol 😂
Actually come to think of it.. there's about 5 manufacturers that have that problem, but I doesn't usually keep it it running. So I just say if it is and you live in a no wake zone. Then just plug it off if a vacuum leak occurs. Hard to do in the newer cars. But used to be that was the truth. Beyond that these cars these days make you wanna go backwards🤔 into a year that didn't exist in today's world, well... Mostly.
EVAP the governments full of idiots......................................................
Hahahaha
Good video Eric O. I learned some more things today. Gotta love these customers that schedule their cars for one thing and show up with a grocery list of problems. With me being a one man show that’s a pain because I usually schedule behind that job based on the time it will take to do that one thing.
I’ve got a good one in the shop right now. Neighbor has a Chevy Express van with a money light on. Tested it three weeks ago it had a PO446. Shows up yesterday it now has. PO446 and aPO449. They use this van to clean carpets, mobile carpet cleaning business. While mounting the engine and heat exchanger to the floor in the van they drilled holes through the floor for the hold down screws and right through the fuel tank. I thought it funny that it didn’t set any evap leak code. I found it because I had to lower the tank to change the pressure sensor and the fuel tank strap bolt hidden nut broke away from it holding clip so I had to pull the tank to get that out.
Thanks for taking the time to school us. You could had that Chevy out the door in 1\2 the time without us along. Great visual aid Ms. O.
Had that same concern with my 2009 Silverado, thankfully figured out it was just the variable charging system before replacing a battery or alternator.
That frame though. Yikes!
Fellow New Yorker here. We need to start a petition to reduce road salt usage!
Thanks for the in-depth on the TPMS programming and for the walk through on the EVAP emission system!
Yep. very helpful !
I replaced all those TPMS Sensors and my 06 town and country one time. They lasted maybe a couple years now I just ignore the light and check the tire pressure when cold two or three times a month
Made that mistake with installing a new alternator on my 08 Silverado. Probably have them back a better alternator than I got since it was the original. Lol. Found out it was a smart charge system afterwards. 🤬
I hate it when they asked for 1 thing then give a list. They contracted 10 hours then want 24 hours. Great to see Mrs. O!
Thanks for doing these vids for us Mr.O, helping through the cabin fever.
I’m in an SMA hole right now, MUST, KNOW, FIXES!
Wondering how many alternators have been needlessly replaced on GM trucks because of their variable output systems.👍
Ford too.
I was ready to replace mine on my 05 Tahoe
Well one of our new to us work vans got its alternator needlessly replaced because of me lol. Back in the day an alternator outputting swinging voltage was your warning sign to change that sucker out ASAP. GM could have done a better job of communicating that things are different now. Like maybe a tiny label saying varying voltages while running was normal, I dunno
Plenty!! You still have guys disconnecting the battery cable to diagnose it, smh
Funny, I did replace mine 😂 the truck I bought was used with 135k on it, thinking to myself it’s probably getting close to it’s time anyways and I did put a plow on the truck so I also knew it would be using a lot of current and sucking the battery dry.
I like your jasper engines sign. I drive by jasper engines everyday twice a day here in jasper indiana.
I made a mistake one time of trying to top off the gas tank on my 04 GMC, and I ruined the gas tank vent valve. Don't top off your gas tank.
That never was a problem with the old vehicles that I used to drive.
I was always taught (by my auto mechanic father) to never "top it off". In fact, the most he'd ever let me do is round off to the nearest 10 cents.
If the pump clicks, it's full, put the cap on and get out
I've been wanting to build my dream truck an 86 Chevy pickup for awhile and watching this video and the stupidity of these needless computers is making me wanna pull the trigger on it FINALLY.
When you put on the wipers it scared me half to death. I thought the engine was exploding.
Guess you don't live in a cold place - that sound is very familiar to anyone that lives anywhere cold. Like a "hear it every morning" kind of familiar...
@@gorak9000 I used to live in New York but moved away went I was 17. I live in Arizona now so snow and cold like that are a distant memory.
@@soccertl Yeah, I hear that. I grew up in Manitoba, and now live in Oregon where it (usually) doesn't even freeze (and spend some time in Arizona each year too). That sound of wipers scraping on frozen snow or freezing rain on the windshield is ingrained in my brain though - that's just one of those things you never forget. That and how the snow gets squeaky when it's _really_ cold - ugh, hate cold!
Here you are, complaining about the cold. A man born and lived his whole life in NY. Now imagine how we felt when we went to NY and Chicago in March and saw snow for the first time in our lives. And we live in the Caribbeans..
Many years ago now at my first mechanical engineering class there was an acronym in large letters written on the blackboard. K.I.S.S. ( Keep It Simple Stupid ). Tire pressure sensors ? One more electronic part prone to failure. Code throwers. Too bad someone hadn't invented a manual tire pressure gage. Oh wait a minute, they did
I am thankful we don't have inspections or emissions nonsense here.
@32:53 excellent demonstration of pressure changes during the EVAP test. Really brought the concept to life.
WOW 7 years and the frames are gone in NY. Great video .... Here in San Diego our snow comes in flavored snow cones.
I have been selling Autel stuff for years. Remember to look at placard for pressure, and with the TS508 you can change the placard if customer wants something different. 12 sensors with a free tool in my area.
What Autel model under $500 will do a fuel composition reset?
Your diagnostic skills are beyond incredible. I live in Arizona and cringe every time I see those poor cars all rusted out. I grew up on the East coast and know all about salt and rust. Please come to Arizona so your life will be so much easier.
Thanks for the knowledge man - and can always count on a mood lift during a sucky day with an episode of South Main Auto!!! Thanks Mate!
You can tell his wife is like the most sweetest lady ever. Amazing vibes
Thank you, Eric! Every single one of your videos is enjoyable and tremendously educational! What more could one ask for... we appreciate you!
All I got to say is Mrs o is a great assistant. Good job Mr o.
Love the garage door opener button on the bill. BIG life hack chest code right there!!
Wanna know another? Get an RFID deadbolt lock system for your front door, as well as an implantable RFID microchip that matches the architecture of the lock's reader and key card, and a cheap RFID read/write device for your computer. It will likely be a popular standardized architecture. Implant the microchip subdermal in the skin of the notch between your thumb and index finger. Program it with the code that your lock/key card uses. Voila. You now have the key to your house inside your hand available whenever you need to get in. Bringing in groceries? Just smoosh your hand against the reader and open the door. It's that easy. Bonus: get a second chip for the other hand and make it a different architecture. Whenever you go to a hotel, you can read the key card data and write it to one of the 2 chips you have and then you don't need to carry your keycard around. 👍 This idea is proudly stolen from Deviant Ollam. If you would like to enhance your life in many ways, go check out his channel. I love that guy. I will do this eventually. My kitty cat has a lost/found microchip in his neck, why can't I have one for reasons too?!?! 😺
and I never leave it in a customer car or accidentally push the button in my pocket ;)
@@SouthMainAuto Speaking of pushing buttons in the pocket......I was working on one of my cars and started the engine in the other car accidentally. That was a huge wake-up call. I then realized that I could accidentally start the dang engine with the key fob while working on it. Yikes ! I don't know what would be better.....to disconnect the battery or to make sure and leave the keys on the counter away from potentially pushing the remote start button. Modern problems.
Very well done .
Thanks for the videos Eric! I work in the IT industry and I love watching your diagnostic methods. Your videos have been an inspiration to me in my career. Wish you all the best.
it will "pass" inspection somewhere else. I'm sure he'll advise the customer
Excellent troubleshooting!
Eric and Mrs O, I don't think you could ever understand how happy you made that couple yesterday (2/28). I love your videos, but more so I appreciate who you both are. You are a role model for couples, for parents, and for members of a community. If you ever find yourself in NH, you have a friend here.
What part of nh? I'm near Concord
I came for the fixes and stayed for your interactions with Mrs. O, lol.
Man this video was excellent. Your diagnostics are killer! Thank you.
Had the same concern about the alternator on my 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. When taken to the dealership, the reply was: 'That's normal'. No other explanation given. After lots of internet time, I learned about the RVC system. Then, after another marathon session of reading through the owner's (don't do stupid things) manual, I found the information buried in a short paragraph. Thanks GM...
You said " Freeze Frame " i thought about J. Gelis band .
Nice catch 👍
6:00.. this is a Chevy thing too... my Saturn Sky does this a lot...I have to definitely watch out for it...dang door locks
Loved the educational part especially the TPMS part. Question if the frame isn’t going to pass inspection Instead of fixing it up wouldn’t it be best to tell the customer time for the scrap heap.
You've seen cars on SMA with MUCH worse frames than this one, and their owners are perfectly content driving them at 70mph with their grandkids inside. I'm sure Mr. O told the owner about the rust, and the owner isn't going to scrap this truck for THAT.
I work in the North on stuff like this, and people only want the lights off and the AC to work, they don't care about anything else
@@nrvsauto8990 YEP, that gets them a lick em, stick em at another "SHOP"....As Eric stated, he would fail it on inspection.
That was my thought as well. This job couldn’t have been a cheap repair either. I. Guessing maybe a 1000 dollar bill ? Seems like it’s not worth fixing but I’m sure customer approved it all. Eric seems like an honest guy that probably told his customer frames cracked before doing any repairs
It's possible that the black goo in the RR tire of this truck is "Fix-a-flat". If so that could be why that TPS failed and was replaced to begin with. Awesome channel, by the way. It's good to see another tech. that doesn't use the parts cannon, and doesn't rip off their customers.
always love the appt for an alignment then 10 things get added on...oh yeah, i need it by 2..thanks
I always hated when customers had a specific issue and then threw a laundry list at ya. It's one thing when you get a car in and you find other issues, but when they have things they know they want done just please tell us beforehand. It makes it so much easier.
Also I have the Autel Wifi one and it's great!
Guilty of that before - won't be doing it anymore though. :)
I was sitting here wide eyed at the complex games you had to play to diagnose the tire pressure sensors.Those are nuts
Also when you first mentioned the PO521 you made it sound like they made that code up just for Chevy.Maybe an accidental comedy moment but still good😆
It’s seems so absolutely unnecessary.
Built my own fog machine from a paint can and a propane regualtor. Worked perfectly. And Mrs.O is still a fox! 😍
I built one too. Hope you don't live in New York. They probably have an inspection requirement for which tool you use. Communists!!
You can get a nice under vehicle washing attachment for a pressure washer to help keep the frame from corroding from salt.
I’ve always done my own car repairs and know quite a bit in my 47 years at it, I do however learn many things here especially how to run down certain things without throwing parts and money needlessly to see what the cause is. Eric you have a wonderful way of describing things, keeping your cool when things could annoy you and just getting the job done. Mrs.O has such a great way about her, she’s always smiling and willing to help when asked. I do notice on a few other you tube channels they mention you Eric in a very positive way!
I have the washing attachment, but it's not actually that useful since I can't run water outside in the winter without turning the driveway into a skating rink, so i go to the car wash. $100 a winter in car washes I think makes a big difference in the lifespan of a vehicle in the salt belt.
The issue is that the salt water solution gets inside the box section of the frame and rots it from within. No amount of pressure washing will flush that out effectively. Better anti corrosion treatment at the factory (such as galvanising the frame) is the only way to extend the service life, but then they wouldn't sell as many new vehicles.
@@John_Ridley I understand that and have a $40 unlimited monthly car wash plan and in the winter get the truck washed 2-3 times a week and it makes a huge difference.
@@clintprice2123 I did that when I was driving to work every day. Now I just do one-off washes if I happen to be out but I go a month without driving these days.
That thing needs more than just new oil, sounds like it !
I've been a NYS inspector for years. I let nothing get by, it's my license! I commend you..
i did the same , i never wanted anybody dying for passing some POS , or for somebody not wanting to spend a few bucks on safety items
Enjoy your videos, my question is; if a dealer sends you a truck they can’t fix and is still under warranty, who pays your bill for finding the problem? Big credit to Mrs. O for putting up with you…😂
The shaking, the jittering and the constant going in circle were all fixed thanks to you.
Was just needing a fix from a SMA video. If it wasn't for Ivan and scanner danner I'd really be in bad shape.
I was sure after checked the oil and said you would have to get the lovely Mrs. O. and she came out you were going to say " hey dear. smell my finger".
Its just amazing how when I started this video there was only 2000 viewers. By the end there was already over 17000. Keep them coming. Your helping a lot of people.
When you start out the video walking into the office, it reminds me of Mr. Rogers coming into his residence and he has to change his shoes and get into his sweater.
Always like watching your vids !!! Good stuff an your a honest mechanic 👼
You Eric, are awesome with your scan tool schematics..👌
Greatest diagnostic explainer on the UA-cam thanks for the videos
OMG I am dizzy from you walking around that truck a 100 times. lol
That chevy smart charge does save the battery. It was 8 years before I changed the battery on my mom's chevy. Most manufacturers u get 3-5 years out of that factory battery. And I should add it wasn't until we had a -5 degree day. Had I lived in a warmer climate it might have lasted another year
My 2011 Ram 1500 factory battery lasted 10 years before dying in the middle of the summer. High temperatures kill a battery faster than cold temps. Just seems to show up more in the cold temps due to less CCA.
Too many years ago I had a gen 4 Toyota Celica where the door locks would freeze solid. Couldn't get the key in the lock let alone open the door. Tried everything to get them to reliably not freeze before giving up and never locking the doors during winter. At that point I was happy for the damn thing to be stolen.
We use the Autel TPMS tools at our shop. What has happened to me is when I have a bad sensor, the signals from sensors further away get picked up instead. One time we had to completely isolate the tires from every thing else in the shop to know for sure. Boss was very confused to see me in the tool room scanning a tire
I thought that was happening here. It would explain the duplication
You know, you can use science to help you here.
What you need is a Faraday cage big enough to fit either "3 tires with sensors" or "you, the scan tool, and one tire" (I'd go for three tires).
They can be constructed relatively cheaply by making a box frame out of 2X4's held together with deck screws, and then you cover the frame (all 6 sides, including the door) with METAL screen, or sheet metal (if I was building one, I'd make the floor with sheet metal, and the sides and top with screen).
The kind of metal screen that I'm talking about isn't like chicken wire, you're looking for stuff you'd find on a screen door, but made of metal and not plastic.
Once you've made the frame and attached the top bottom and 4 sides, including the door, then you need to take a length of flexible wire and use it to electrically connect the screen of the door and the screen of the rest of the enclosure (the more strands the better because it needs to be very flexible, but because it doesn't need to carry a lot of current it doesn't need to be thick, #12 or #14 AWG is plenty thick enough and can be bought in short lengths off Amazon (look for "RC battery pack wire" or something like that, it should have sillicone insulation and be extremely fine stranded).
You probably don't need to solder the wire to the screen directly, you could just crimp a ring terminal to each end of the wire and then put that ring terminal under one of the deck screws with washer that you used to hold the screen to the frame.
Make sure that there's a good electrical connection between all the sides of the enclosure, as that's critical to it being able to block radio waves. This can be done without using wire simply by overlapping the screens and/or sheet metal at the edges between sides, and top/bottom edges of each side.
Once that's done, you now have an enclosure that you can put tires in which you don't want to be picked up by the TPMS tool. And so long as the enclosure stays intact, any sensors inside it will only be able to communicate with a thing that's ALSO in the enclosure with them.
If the OE sensor is dead, just read the code numbers printed on it. First time I used my Autel it read a diffrent tire, because that sensor was dead.
This happened to me on the first car I did TPMS work on (the wife's Camry). It was quite a struggle, but I finally got thru it. I thought it was the cheap laptop-based Autel reader I got on eBay that caused it. It would read a good sensor all the way across the yard (40+ feet away).The second car (mine) wasn't as bad, maybe because the sensor batteries weren't as low. Weird that the 2007 Camry failed within 2 weeks of the 2010 Chevy, but it could be the Chevy alerts you before the batteries get as low.
@@44R0Ndin you're not wrong, but boy is that making a mountain out of molehill lol. Once you've seen these patterns, it pretty easy to tell what's going on. Autel could make it easier by scanning duplicates into the slots regardless and then highlighting them. Or calculate distance or physical location based on signal strength, other scanned sensors, and expected location.
The Heater is not too loud, I feel sorry for you getting all the snow melting on you .
Regards to you and Mrs O.
Richard 🇬🇧
Im glad there are no inspections/emissions here besides renewing registration. Im not saying they arent needed but still. I honestly would of told him about the frame first, no? Before even doing any work. Seems like a person would be like WHAT my truck needs a frame and Im worried about a damn tpms being fix and charged for.
Hey Eric, did The misses throw the batteries in the trashcan???
I think for a number of years the fix was they took out the volt gauge.
I have to give a big thanks to Eric o for changing my life! Ever since I saw his channel I started calling myself Eric with just my last initial. Ever since then I get more respect at work and have been doing better with the ladies. Thanks Eric O! Sincerely, Eric G
As always, loved the video. I know you were pressed for time on this one, and didn't feel the need to show oil and fuel pressure sensor, but I would just like to say that, even though you've done those videos before, its still very helpful to see different models. (...if for no other reason than to help us DIYers locate the part on the vehicle.)
Ya seemed bummed lately. Hope you are not getting burned out doing videos. Yours are some of the best.
Nah, just need some sunshine honestly
my guy Eric! i love watching these videos, i wait till you post a few, and then binge all at once on my days off. keeps my mind fresh and sharp. just like the astro 1/2 inch flex head air ratchet, you got me sold on the tpms tool! I'm a chrysler tech, so sometimes i have to go to into the tipm or cluster to redo these pesky tire lights.. but this tool makes me feel like it's wayyy easier! side note, I'm just south of you in PA, im done with the cold myself haha
I remember the Chrysler plastic ring it was white, I spent 13 years of my 40+ as a Chrysler tech but I learned the most from Toyota and BMW. Great video always top notch with diag and humor. 🖖🏽