P1151 performance code problem

This week we have Ron Ananian with his repair of the week. A P1151 performance problem and how he solved it. Listen to the clip below.

Problems associated with loss of power steering

Check Engine Light w/ EVAP Leak

This week Dale Donovan shows how a shop tests for a Evap. emissions leak in what is called a "smoke test".

Ode to Santa and the Economy

Ah it's Christmas time again, and it wouldn't be Christmas without a story about Santa. Enjoy.

Ode to Santa and the Economy Gonzo 2010

There goes Santa, running for his sleigh;
He’s gotta run fast to get away.

You see, the economy has struck the North Pole as well;
The elves are on strike, and his wife is giving him hell.

Now when Santa makes his appearance at the department stores;
It’s not just for all those little kids anymore.

He’s not going to make a whole lot of stops;
‘Cause look out Santa… here comes the cops.

So off he goes, in the middle of the night;
To find those gifts, and get out of sight.

There’s Santa, flying far into the night;
Carrying all those gifts, on his yearly flight.

With all the alarms blaring and the police giving chase;
Santa will be long gone, without leaving a trace.

He has to be quick to have it done by Christmas Eve;
So many gifts and so many places to be…

The presents will all be wrapped, and the tags will be off;
That’s because Old Santa is very careful, not to get caught.

So look for your present on Christmas day;
(Just keep hush-hush if it’s from Santa, OK.)

Now, I don’t know if Old Saint Nick will stop at your house, or not;
But if he does … … … … … THOSE GIFTS ARE HOT ! !

PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TO ALL
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! ! !

If you enjoy these stories, there's more. Go to www.gonzostoolbox.com
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"Hey Look, I Found the Loose Nut" @ amazon.com, gonzostoolbox.com, or most local book stores.

A very graphic discription of what happens during a crash!

This week Pat Goss talks about study that was done several years ago before air bags were standard. He explains what happens during each fraction of a second as a vehicle suddenly leaves the road and crashes into a tree. His description is very graphic, and above all remember it can happen to anyone, even you!

Breaker, Breaker...

Breaker, Breaker… GONZO 2010
Before cel. phones there was the CB... read this story and find out what happened to Joe.

In my many years of repairing cars I’ve helped out a lot of other shops with their electrical problems. Some shops I see a few times a month, and others only once in awhile. Back in the mid 80’s and 90’s I had one shop that I talked to almost every day until his eventual retirement. His name was Joe; he had a small repair shop along with a couple of tow trucks. His main business was the tow company, and the repair shop was there just to fill in the gaps on those slow days.
One afternoon I got a call from Joe about a car his crew had given up on. They had changed several parts, but couldn’t get this car to come back to life. Joe was busy with tows, and didn’t want to spend any more time on it. So he put it on one of his tow trucks, and dropped it off at my shop for me to look at.
“I’ll be on the road all day busy with tows. If you get it going, could ya take it back to my shop for me,” Joe said, as he made a dash for his tow truck.
“No problem Joe, I’ll get right on it,” I said, just as he drove off.
The car was a late 80’s GM. I could see all kinds of shiny new components under the hood, and could tell they put a lot of effort into swapping parts to find out what was going on. With a flip of the key it would immediately start, but die just as quickly. Every time I tried it, it would act the same way without fail.
The parts they changed were all predictable. They tried tune-up parts, an IAC, TPS, MAP etc… etc… all of which might, could, should’ve, probably, maybe… fixed it. But didn’t. I wasn’t going to go that route. I thought it best to start with the basics- fuel, fire, and air.
Spark was good, timing looked good, injector pulse was there, and the intake had a good air pull. Well, what now? I gave it a shot of carb. cleaner… vroom, vroom, vroom. As long as I kept spraying… it kept running. Ok, check the fuel pressure… it had pressure. Hmmm, now what to do? The next obvious thing (to me) was to check fuel volume.
I disconnected a fuel line and gave the key a flick into start… the fuel ran out… and then trickled to a stop. I did it a second time. Not as much fuel made it out… but there was some, although it didn’t last as long as it did the first time. Maybe I should look at that gas gauge. Wouldn’t ya know it… the friggin thing was out of gas. It had just enough in the tank to pressurize the fuel lines but not enough to keep it going.
Might as well grab a gas can, and put some in the tank. I’ll try it again… vroom, vroom, vroom, alright! It’s running great! Looks to me, like it was out of gas. However, with all the new parts they installed, I couldn’t be sure if this was the only problem or an after affect of having the car in the shop while trying to solve a different problem. It could have been that one of the components they changed really did need to be changed. I couldn’t tell; they’re all new… and all working perfectly.
Later that day I drove the car back to Joe’s shop. He wasn’t there, but his dispatcher was in the office sorting out tow tickets and monitoring the CB with the volume up full blast. In the background you could hear the CB was busy with all the area’s tow companies’ chatter.
About then I heard Joe’s voice over the CB, “Did Gonzo call yet? Need to check in on him, we need to get that car back to the owner.”
“He just walked in Joe,” the dispatcher told him.
“So what was wrong with it,” Joe asked between the squelch of the CB radio and all the other chatter from the other tow companies.
The dispatcher turned to me and asked what I found wrong with it. I told him. The dispatcher, with a stunned look on his face said, “I can’t tell him that. He is going to be so pissed.”
“I don’t think you should tell him till he gets back,” I said, while breaking into an ear to ear smile.
The CB comes to life with Joe’s voice; “So what did he find out? Geez, I’m busy… come on give me the news,” Joe barks out thru the CB speaker. He sounded pretty demanding and frustrated. I don’t know whether it was the way his day was going or it could have been over this car… either way, he’s not going to like this answer.
“Go ahead… tell him,” I said, “He wants the answer, so tell him.”
“Alright,” said the dispatcher grabbing the mike to the CB, “Joe, are ya ready for this? It was out of gas.”
A dead silence came over the CB. No chatter, nothing, not a sound. It was if someone had turned it off. A few seconds went by, then, all hell broke loose. Tow drivers from all over the city were razing poor Joe. The CB was full of laughter and goof ball comments, but not a word from Joe. Poor Joe, you asked for it, and now you’re getting it.
I got up from the desk, and dropped the keys off with the dispatcher, “Tell Joe to stop by the shop, he can settle up with me then,” I said while trying to hold back the laughter.
As I walked out the door I could still hear the CB chatter all the way out to the parking lot, and the comments were still flying. It was one of the funniest moments I’ve ever had for doing nothing more than putting a couple of gallons of gas in a car.
When Joe came up to pay the bill I told him I had a little something for him. I handed him a little tiny gas can to keep on his desk, as a reminder to always check the basics.
After all these years I’m sure he hasn’t forgotten about it, and I’ll bet he doesn’t tell too many people what that little gas can sitting on his desk is all about… especially over the CB.

How magnetos and ignition coils work

Dave Rock is here again with another video on how collapsing magnetic fields can generate a lot of voltage and how the electricity is created . An explanation of electronic ignition and points and condensor systems.

It is rather long about 14 minutes. As always your comments are welcomed by posting to the mailing list.

Diagnostic Tech: Thar She Blows!

I suppose pursuing a short doesn't have much in common with pursuing the great whale but it still can sometimes be time consuming. '05 Silverado, 5.3B engine. Blows 15 amp inj1 fuse intermittently. The first trip here the truck was in for a misfire complaint. One of my techs found misfires on 1,3,5 and 7 (bank 1). It isn't that unusual for this make to have a full bank misfiring. I've seen O2 and/or computer problems cause that occasionally. I suggested testing for power to the coils and injectors on that bank. Each bank feeds from a different fuse (inj1 and inj2).

Fuse inj1 was blown. Replacing the fuse got all cylinders firing again. The tech went over the harness and didn't find a short. Drove several trips on a rough road, pulled on the harness. Finally let the truck go with the warning that we did not find the cause of the fuse problem.

Three months later, the truck returns with the same problem. Replacing the blown inj1 fuse got it running again. This time I looked over the harness. The wiring goes from the underhood fuse box to the bank 1 coils and injectors. I didn't notice a problem. Pulling on the harness didn't cause a short and a scope display of injector and coil current ramps looked normal. I decided to look online for any similar problems found by others. Alldata, iATN and identifix had no silver bullet. D-tips had mention of a short found in the harness near the upper control arm. Now that tip didn't really help because when I looked everything over this particular truck had no harness in the area mentioned that could blow an inj1 fuse. BUT it did lead to me finding the short. It was like this.... after looking under, over and around the control arm area and coming up empty I was standing in front of the truck and leaning over the front grill. I thought well I'll try the harness flexing again. When I grabbed the main harness from that angle and pulled toward the front of the truck, the fuse popped and the misfires started. Looking very closely at the harness there was a small hole rubbed into the casing of the harness. Opening that harness I found that the hole was also rubbed into the pink wire from the inj1 fuse. Right in front of my face all along.

Kenneth Hayes

aka Deranger

Shift Happens

Shift Happens Gonzo 2010
Jo was a new customer referred by an old-time regular. Her little KIA had a transmission problem that seemed to be getting the best of the transmission shop. The story goes that the SUV was constantly in limp mode, and would never shift properly… ever. As it always seems to be the case when a simple problem can’t be solved simply, somebody started the diagnostics off in the wrong direction. Little did I know this was a simple problem…. But, as I see it, each and every type of diagnostic work that you do requires a certain step by step procedure that you must follow. Miss a step, or completely overlook a step, usually means you’re going to miss that simple problem all together. This was no exception.
From what information I could gather the person who diagnosed it at the transmission shop wasn’t the same person who installed it. So after the tech put the last bolt in the transmission, he set the car out front, and told the front office, “Got the transmission in that KIA.” The front office considered it done, and the call went out for Jo to pick it up. She didn’t make it around the block before she was back at the front counter in a “not-so” pleasant mood. You can just imagine the situation at the counter… not pleasant I’m sure. After some deliberation, and very little diagnostics the transmission shop came up with the conclusion that it must be a bad transmission. Luckily, Jo’s ride that had brought her there was still in the parking lot, so she left the KIA for them to re-do the whole job again.
A week later, it was supposedly done. This time a different tech had installed the second transmission. Unfortunately, he made the same mistake as the first tech. When Jo came to pick up her car the shop owner took her for a ride to be sure that the repairs were made to her satisfaction. It was a short drive… This time, the owner said he was going to pay for the transmission, and would even purchase one from the dealership just to be sure it wasn’t their mistake in rebuilding it. But even the dealer transmission failed to shift properly. The tranny shop was at a loss, they decided to make a few calls for some help, and that’s when my phone rang.
Now, I’m not one to diagnose anything over the phone. I just don’t think it’s a smart way of taking care of such problems, because you never quite know what you’re getting into. But the tranny shop owner sounded desperate, and now the repair costs were coming out of his pocket. From his frantic explanations of no codes, no shift, and no idea of the problem, he kind of put me on the spot … so … I suggested a computer. Heck, why not… ya’ changed the tranny 3 times for Pete’s sake, obviously that ain’t’ it. I probably shouldn’t have done that, but I think he wanted to try and save as much money as possible without resorting to taking it to another shop.
Well, a new TCM didn’t work either…. Now, the car is finally coming my way. Jo was a little unsure whether or not there was anyone out there who could find the problem, but her friend told her that it couldn’t hurt to let me see what I could do for her. I’ll give it a try.
When the car showed up at the shop I took it around the block once to verify the condition, and then put it up on the lift. While it was on the lift I decided to drop it into gear and check it against the scanner. To my surprise, it shifted perfectly. I’m not kidding… absolutely perfect. I dropped it back on the ground, and went for a ride again. I didn’t even make it around the first corner… stuck in limp mode just as it was before, this dang thing can’t pull itself out of a pot hole.
Back up on the lift, and wouldn’t ya know it, shifts perfectly… AGAIN! What’s the deal here? I did it several times, just so I could be sure of the results I was getting. After a few trips I checked the wiring to the transmission while it was on the ground. Oh, oh, the main ground to the TCM wasn’t there. How in the world was it there when it was in the air? AH HA! It’s moving the wire! Yes, it was moving the wire alright, and a few more than just the TCM ground lead. The locator page showed the TCM ground wire was bundled with several other ground leads that were all attached to the main chassis ground… which wasn’t attached to a thing, but was dangling by the battery box.
Turns out the whole problem started when she had her battery changed at a department store repair shop, and they didn’t have the right size to fit the car. They disconnected the chassis ground wire, so the taller battery would fit.
When I told Jo what I found, the two of us pieced together the how and why it happened. Her only comment was, “Well, shift happens”.
All said and done with, the transmission shop paid for the entire repair, and gave her back what she spent with them. Everyone involved was glad to have the problem solved, and the car back on the road as good as new. I like this gal, she’s become a regular at the shop these days. What a card! Always has some sarcastic comment for me, but at the same time a very understanding nature and takes life in stride. I’d love to have a couple of dozen customers just like her.
As she always tells me… “If you can’t live on the bright side of life… start polishing the dull one.”

I hope you enjoy these stories, they're pre-released here before publication. If you have any comments leave a message on the blog or email.
Be looking for my stories in trade magazines all across the country. http://www.gonzostoolbox.com/
My latest book would make a great Christmas gift for anyone in the business or for that matter anyone that deals with the general public in their daily job. Pick up a copy at my website or at amazon.com -- also available at Borders, Barnes and Noble and several other book stores.

How front drive differentials work

In this video demonstration Dave Rock explains how a front drive trans axle turns the wheels.

What's On Second

A hillarious phone call at the repair shop....



What’s on Second Gonzo 2010

My office manager is also my oldest daughter Katie, a bright, pretty gal with a quick wit and long beautiful red hair. Naturally, Katie gets all the phone calls and front office issues. She does a great job, and makes everything feel like a day at the ball park. Sometimes I wonder if she shouldn’t be a comedian, or even have her own vaudeville act.
She cracks me up with some of her responses to those wacky phone calls we all tend to receive at the repair shop.

On one occasion I happened to be in the office, and listened in on a conversation she was having with a prospective customer. The way she handled it was remarkable. With the phone on speaker I couldn’t help but hear the entire conversation. By the end of the phone call I was laughing so hard that I nearly forgot I was only supposed to be listening and to keep quiet. I did, but managed to have a big smile on my face for the rest of the day. The phone call went something like this;
“Good morning, this is Katie, may I help you?”
“Yes, I had my car over at the transmission shop, and they recommended you guys,” the caller said.
“Ok, great, is it a shifting problem?” she asked.
“No, it’s an electrical problem.”
“We certainly do that kind of work. When would you like to bring it in and have it diagnosed?”
“No, I already had it diagnosed at the other shop.”
“They did, did they? Did they tell you what the problem was?”
“No, they didn’t know what was wrong with it. That’s why they sent me to you.”

About now Katie is getting the raised eyebrow look going, and her pen is scribbling some sort of gibberish on the note pad. Something is up. I can tell you know… I’ve answered phone calls like this myself. Let’s see how Katie handles this … I’ll listen in a little more.
“So did they give you any clues to what the problem was?” she asked curiously.
“They said they didn’t know.”

“Well that doesn’t help either one of us… let’s start this all over again. It sounds to me like the other shop checked it out, and determined that it was something they couldn’t handle and recommended us. Their best guess was that it was something electrical. Then they gave you our phone number, and told you we could take care of it. Am I pretty close to what’s going on sir?” Katie asked.
“Quite right”
“Ok, let’s see if we can knock one out of the old ball park. First off… the transmission shop sent you to … … … who?”
“To you…”
“Great we’ve made it to first base. Now then, let’s head to 2nd base… that’s where we figure out the “what’s wrong with it” part.”
He quickly interrupted her… “Nope, already did that.”
“Well, what’s wrong with it then?” Katie asked.
“I don’t know, and they couldn’t tell me either,” the caller said.
“Sir, somehow we have made it all the way to third base, and haven’t touched second at all,” she answers.
“I don’t understand what you’re getting at,” the bewildered caller said.
“Let’s try this again,” Katie goes on with, “We have established that the “who” part of this is to bring the car here. As of now we have a good foot hold on first base… the second thing is the “what” part, and that’s where we are having a problem… the “I don’t know” part can be answered once we have it diagnosed.
“I already had it diagnosed.”
“Ok, then “what’s” wrong with it?”
“I don’t know.” (Here we go again, passed 2nd and slid into 3rd)
“Naturally,” Katie answers him with that -I’m not going thru this again- look on her face, “They didn’t know… that’s why you’re talking to me.”
“I don’t think you understand,” he answers her.
“Oh, I understand perfectly well, sir. I don’t think you understand that I can’t repair it, unless I know what is wrong with it,” she answers back, “This is why I wanted to start you off with “who’s” on first… which is me.”
“But, I just told you… they diagnosed it already.”
“Who did?”
“Not you…………, they did.”
“What did they tell you was wrong with it?”
“I don’t know……………,” our caller answered while making another beeline for 3rd base.
“Sir, we will need to diagnose it all over again in order to find out “what” is wrong with it… and hopefully avoid that 3rd base.”
“What 3rd base?”
“What is the 2nd base, I don’t know is 3rd,” Katie answered him.
“So, we need to stay on what?” asks the caller.
“Yes, second base.”
“Who’s on 1st?”
“Naturally, I’m on first base. I thought we already got past that point. We need to move onto 2nd base.”
“Second base, will that fix my car?”
“I don’t know”, said Katie.
“So are we on 2nd or 3rd now?” the caller asked.
“Sir, I’m still on 1st base where we started. Now let’s try 2nd again. I still need to get it diagnosed… that’s second base,” Katie answered.
“I already had it diagnosed,” stated the caller.
“And what did they find out?”
“I don’t know… … … 3rd base,” they both answered in unison without missing a beat.

The phone call went on for some time. I’m about to fall off the barstool laughing so hard. We all know what the problem is. It’s not the what, who, or I don’t know… it’s because he has already paid someone to check his car out, and they failed to find the problem. So “naturally”, the customer assumes that there is no need in paying for the same thing a second time, if nothing came about it the first time around. (Try that when you go to a second doctor for another opinion)

I understand their plight. I just wish when he got up to bat at the first shop they would have done a better job of explaining to him about the necessary procedures to make these repairs. Then again the charges the customer was given might have been for other work, and not for any diagnostics at all…..but that never made it into the conversation.

The call ended with, “I can’t bring it today, but I can bring it in tomorrow.”

What a relief, “Because”- (he’s in the outfield)… today is the day to catch wacky phone calls, and I’ve caught all the foul balls I can stand for one day. I just hope “Tomorrow” doesn’t end up throwing me any wild pitches.

So no matter how you handle things in the office or in the shop… sometimes you just want to make it around the bases without getting tagged. And there’s one more thing I’m sure of -- I don’t want to end up with the customer only making a “short stop” in my shop, because we haven’t seen eye to eye on how the problem needs to be resolved…

Cause, we all know that short stop’s name……


Thanx for reading my stories, these stories are posted before editing for publication.
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see ya there... don't forget to get a copy of my best selling book too.

What should you do if unattended acceleration occurs

This week we have Pat Goss & John davis talking about what to do if unattended acceleration occurs while you are driving. The fact is most people do not. What are the procedures? Listen to the clip as all of this is explained.

Diagnostic Tech: The Dodge That Wouldn't Talk (Or Start)

2000 Dodge Ram 1500, 4x4, 5.9 Gas, AT

Engine replaced with used. No start after engine replacement. Customer suspects bad computer.
I saw the spare parts in the back of the truck. Looks like there was some difference in engines and the intake manifold was swapped out as well. You can get into trouble swapping year model engines on a Dodge if you don't keep the original flywheel with the engine that is installed. The crank sensor is triggered by the flywheel and they are not all the same. I even had one in with a miss after an engine swap that turned out to have the 3.9 v-6 flywheel behind a v-8. But since the flywheel was gone from this old engine I assumed it was the one installed.

The engine cranked well but no start. No hit, no backfire. Just spun over. Usually at this point I would check for spark and fuel but I was more than a bit curious why the customer blamed the computer. I decided to use a scan tool first and see what sort of information I could find. The scan tool could not establish communication with the pcm. At the diagnostic connector, where the scan tool connects to the vehicle, you need to have a ground on pin 4 and power on pin 16
or you will have no communication with the scan tool. Some scan tools will power up automatically once plugged into a data link connector if the ground and power are good on those two pins. If you are using one of the scan tools that does that and you connect but don't see it power up then you have a pretty safe bet you are missing a ground or power. In this case I was using a scan tool that does not power up automatically. But if the fault was with the data link connector I would have no communication with any of the modules. I had no communication with engine or transmission which are both functions of the pcm. I also tried OBDII communication. Sometimes you will find a pcm or ecm that will not communicate from the OEM side but still work when queried as OBDII. Not this one though.

I did get communication with ABS, Body and Airbag modules. The ABS had stored a code for mismatched vin. I usually see that after someone has tried a used pcm. The ABS module noticed the vin from the borrowed pcm didn't match the vin stored in memory and sets the code. No other codes but a "no bus" message on the instrument panels mileage display. You'll see "no bus" when there is a module communication problem. With a mental note of the message and the ABS code, I decided to check power to the pcm. The pcm gets fused battery power at pin 22 of the C1 connector. I like to remove the cover from a connector and be able to see the wires actually at the point they enter. I can verify the pin 22 wire is actually the red/white that my wiring information says and I can see if there is corrosion or damage in that area. I just feel better when all the bases are covered during a test so that I can have confidence in the results.

I found no problems with the connector, wire or pins and verified battery power present. I used a standard test light because in a case like this I want a load on the circuit during the check. The next step, to me, was to check that I had 5 volt reference from the pcm. If there is no reference voltage then there is no communication. The violet/white wire on that same connector, at pin 17 supplies 5 volts to several key sensors. The easiest place to test for the 5 volts is at the throttle position sensor connector. No test light this time but a digital meter. No voltage on the violet/white wire with key on and sensor connected. A sensor can short internally and kill the 5 volt supply so I tested again with the tps disconnected. Still no voltage.

At this point I could start disconnecting the sensors one at a time and watch for voltage to return. If I disconnected a sensor and the 5 volts appeared then I would know that sensor was shorting the circuit. I chose a different path. I decided to cut the violet/white 5 volt wire near the pcm. If the pcm was indeed bad then I would see no voltage on the pcm side of the wire and I wouldn't have to find and disconnect all those sensors. If there was a short on the sensor side then with the wire cut I'd have the 5 volts coming from the pcm and see communications restored. I know, I know.. I'm a bit of an optimist. BUT it actually did work. The pcm side had 5 volts. The "no bus" message was gone and I could communicate with the pcm. That left finding the short on the sensor side of the circuit. That could be a bad sensor or, since major work had been done it could be a pinched wire or similar man-made fault.

I had already disconnected the throttle position sensor and it wasn't that. It wasn't the cam position sensor. I disconnected the crank position sensor and BINGO! Five volt supply returned. The harness for that sensor runs right along the top of the bell housing. A likely spot to get a wire pinched between the engine and transmission.

I couldn't see in that area very well. I did get my hand in there and could pull no slack in the sensor harness. I snaked a borescope lead down there and it did appear to be damaged.

You see how those wires go under the bracket and disappear? A little more effort and I got an angle on the point they re-appear from between the engine and bell housing. Very definitely those wires were caught in a bad spot and shorted to ground.

I removed the torque converter, starter and bell housing bolts. Removed the old sensor.

With everything bolted back up and a new crank position sensor installed everything was fine.

Kenneth Hayes

aka Deranger

Dale Donovan on radiators

This week a short clip from Dale Donovan on some simple checks you can make on your radiator.

Old Sarge - A tribute to a fellow Marine

A perfect story for Veterans Day. Gonzo 2010


Old Sarge


I met this great man through his son, who happened to be the driver of that Chevy van from the furniture store that was my very first customer. Sarge isn’t his real name, but that’s what I called him. He was a retired Marine Corps cook. I met him one day when he came in with a sick Cadillac.

The old Cadillac hardly had any power at all; just as slow and lazy as a snail. I was only in business for a few months, and didn’t know anybody. I didn’t have any work to speak of, so even though it wasn’t an electrical problem (as he originally thought), I jumped right in and found the problem. It was a clogged catalytic converter. Unbelievably, it wasn’t even welded in place. I could take off the clamps, and remove it without much hassle.
Back then I didn’t have a lift to put the car in the air, so I had to do the whole job on the ground. Well, old Sarge just sat there and watched me do the whole thing. I think he was a little suspicious of this skinny little white kid who was hacking away at his car, but he patiently waited, being the good man he was. We got to talking about things, and it wasn’t long before he found out that I was also in Marine Corps. Now we had some common ground. We were buds for life, always cutting up with each other.

One hot August afternoon Sarge brought in one of his other cars to get some work done. I had the back door to the shop open, and Sarge steps outside for a little fresh air. I thought I could hear the guy crying or mumbling something, couldn’t tell which it was. I stuck my head around the corner, “Sarge, ah …. you ok, buddy?” I asked.

He proceeded to tell me how the house he grew up in was close by, before it became a shopping center. He talked about his dad and family, and how he hunted rabbits right where we were standing. It was during the Depression. Hard times, and things were scarce in those days. How his dad hid a pig in a pit, not too far from here. Where they kept the corn mash for making moon shine. I sat and listened to this hardened Marine tell me his life’s story that day, from his first car to how he ended up in the Corps. I didn’t answer the phone, or go up front to see if anyone came in. I just sat out there in that August heat, drenched in sweat, listening to this fella tell me his life story.

I’ll never forget that afternoon. I’ll also never forget how every time he came to my shop over the next 25 years he would sneak up on me, and yell in a drill instructor voice, “TEN HUT!” I would snap to attention just like a good Marine should. Sometimes, just to get a rise out of Sarge I would purposely hit my head on the hood of the car I was working on. He got a kick out of it every time.

Sarge passed away a couple years back. I still think about him now and then. I hope he’s up there hunting rabbits, or something. Maybe he’s guarding the gates like every Marine hopes to be doing when their time comes. Or, he could be just waiting there to try and surprise me with one more “TEN HUT” when I show up.

Sarge, I miss having you around the shop.


this is one of the many stories out of my best selling book
"Hey Look, I Found The Loose Nut"
purchase a copy either from amazon.com or my website www.gonzostoolbox.com

You'll love it... Gonzo

Do highway miles mean you can report lower mileage?

Highway miles driven on a car are a lot easier on the engine and drive train, but can you go so far to say it equals half the mileage on a vehicle? Tom Torbjornsen answers this in the audio clip below. It is nice to know your going to buy a higher mileage vehicle, with mostly road miles on it, but you just can't take off miles because of this!

4 SALE - 1 Used Car Salesman

“4 SALE –1 Used Car Salesman”

Gonzo 2010


What do you think of when you see a badly fitting plaid suit, white shoes, argyle socks with high wader pants, slicked back hair and the ever present “how are ya” handshake. The kind of guy with the big smile on his face while talking louder than he needs too. No, it’s not your Uncle Ernie. It’s one of those crafty used car salesmen we just can’t get enough of. You know the type, the kind that show up at your shop and give you that same old song and dance routine… “I can send you a lot of business, why I could single handily double your work load with the amount of business I could send you.” Always looking for that cutthroat deal and wanting you to bend a bit more so they can make another buck on the sale. Oh, sure, just what I need … a bunch of used wrecks that you bought from the auction without a clue as to how or why the car ended up there in the first place, along with even less of an idea of what it “really” takes to repair them.
That brings back memories of a particular car I had the misfortune of getting involved with. There was this new car dealership (no longer in business by the way) that also had a used car division as part of their sales inventory.
Into the shop came the exact type of guy I just mentioned… I’ll call him “Max”… now Max, had just sold a little Pontiac to a gal, and low and behold… the A/C wasn’t cold… and poor Max was in desperate need of a quick fix to get this car back to the new owner.
He had the car over to me that same afternoon with that typical used car guy understanding that I would have it fixed by the time 5 o’clock rolled around and it was only going to take a few dollars out of his pocket and he didn’t have to mention a thing to his boss or to the dealership. He expected to show his boss that he was on top of it all and could handle any crisis without consulting anyone.
As usual, the conversation at the front counter centered around him and how he could influence sales and increase my business. Not like it’s the first time I’ve seen this dog and pony show out of some plaid suit. I’ve heard it before, I let them fill the air with all their promises while I ponder how long it’s going to take for me to get paid and how long it will be before he comes back to pick up the car.
Max, made his sales speech and did the usual salesman twenty or so handshakes while buttering up the conversation with “you’re the greatest, you’re going to be so busy with work from me, man, you’re the best I’ve ever known”. (and I haven’t done a thing yet…) All this before heading out the door and back to the car lot to sell the next car, but you know, he’ll more than likely be sitting in his office chair with his feet propped up while scratching is foot with a golf club and cussing to his buddy because I haven’t called yet.
I pulled the car into the bay… as I was about to turn the key off I figured it can’t hurt, why not to give the A/C a try. The A/C button lit up, the blower was on full blast and the temp dial was all the way to cold… hmmm, nothing but cool air came out of the vents. Ok, that I expected…of course it didn’t work, that’s what Max was here for… well, the next stop… under the hood.
Not thinking that there would be too much more to worry about I pulled the hood release and wheeled the recovery machine alongside the car…. I opened the hood.
Peering down into the engine bay I was in for a shock… … … oh, oh, what the @*#*???? Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing? The compressor was missing…gone…non-existent… not a sign of it… Wait, wait, so are the A/C lines, now hold on here… so is the condenser, the drier, all the wiring, the brackets and the pulley… no way… it can’t be… but, it sure looks like it… I’m afraid so… this car doesn’t have air conditioning; in fact it never had air. Even the holes in the firewall were missing. All this car had was a button on the dash that said “A/C”. Somebody must have changed the control head with one that was for a car that had A/C and good old Max fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Oh, this is going to be a fun phone call….
Poor Max, didn’t know what to think, and of course the first thing he wanted to know was what it was going to take to put a complete system in a car that never had air conditioning. I had to laugh, I couldn’t help it… Max is about to get the wakeup call of his life when he gets this estimate. I doubt his commission check is even going to come close to covering the cost of this screw up.
After the initial shock wore off, Max decided to try to find a cheaper alternative than installing a factory system. He decided to try one of those “aftermarket systems” at one of those “discount” repair shops.
The big issue wasn’t really the A/C, but more to the point, the new owner… who was furious with the way the deal was handled and she was going to have old Max’s hide and planned on doing some major complaining at the dealership if things didn’t get resolved.
The “add-on” air system was a complete flop… somehow, someway, the car ended up back at my shop to sort out the electrical issues with the aftermarket air system. The car couldn’t hold an idle with the air on, and this was a late enough model that the air conditioning idle was controlled by the ECM and IAC valve. I was willing to try to help Max out one more time, even though I knew it was probably a lost cause.
When I opened the hood to see this masterpiece of superlative engineering… I just let the hood drop… what a disaster… wires and tubing strewn thru the car … no concern as to where or what it was touching, let alone the way they had mounted the compressor. (They used a 2X4 wedge between the engine block and the compressor… looked like the shop couldn’t figure out how to keep the belt tight any other way.) You’ve got to be kidding me… there was no way I was even going to take even one more second of this plaid suit wearing extraordinaire used car selling–going to improve my business portfolio-cheap skate guy’s time or his all knowing expertise on how to “take care of” his customers cars. Because, this is NOT the way to do it… and one more fact Max… it ain’t happening here partner… time for you to head down that highway of lost and forgotten used car deals… and leave me out of it.
The last I heard was that the dealership took the ladies car back and ended up giving her a better model and one that actually had air conditioning. Max, well, as far as I know, he gave up the car sales business and is now working as a carnival side show barker.
Sounds to me like Max has found his calling… cause he sure has the talent for the job.
Now I just have to wait for the next "Max" to show up at the shop.

How to determine if the converter is causing the emissions failure

Failed emissions due to excessive Hydrocarbon (HC), Carbon Monoxide (CO) or Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX) are also frequently caused by a deteriorated catalytic converter. The problem is how to determine if the converter is really bad!

Converters consume oxygen in the catalytic process, which provides the basis for a simple, two minute converter efficiency check referred to as an “Oxygen Capture” test. Using an exhaust gas analyzer the percentage of oxygen coming from the tailpipe of a fully warmed-up vehicle is measured at idle. Once the oxygen reading has stabilized the throttle is rapidly snapped full open and instantly closed. Following the throttle snap there should be a slight increase in the amount of oxygen coming from the tailpipe. The allowable “slight increase” is typically 1.2%. If the oxygen increase exceeds the allowable limit the converter is almost always bad.

In a healthy converter the catalytic reaction consumes large quantities of oxygen. Therefore an excessive increase in oxygen at the tailpipe, following the snap test, indicates the converter has lost its ability to capture and use oxygen. Without capturing and consuming oxygen the catalytic reaction stalls, emissions climb, the check engine light comes on and the computer stores a code. The oxygen capture test is quick, simple, and highly reliable and helps avoid buying an unnecessary and expensive converter. Always ask for an oxygen capture test before buying a replacement converter, it’s two minutes that could save you several hundred dollars.

Last Stop Before the Asylum

Spooky story for Halloween

Last stop before the asylum
Gonzo 2010

Talk about a weird day; I would have to say this was one of weirdest days of them all.
On a foggy afternoon, no breeze in sight, and slight chill in the air, an old man came to the shop. He didn’t come through the front door like most everyone would, no, he pulled his car right into the center bay of the shop. But, it gets stranger…. He didn’t get out of the car. He didn’t even roll down the window. He just sat there with both hands on the wheel, the engine still running, and staring out the windshield like a zombie from an old horror flick. It looked like he was calmly sitting at an intersection, waiting for the light to change. He had no expression, he never blinked; he just sat there….with this cold stone stare. I didn’t want to walk in front of the car in fear he may take me as the green light. So I walked around the back of the car keeping one eye on this strange guy and crept up to the drivers’ window. I tapped on the glass….no response from inside. I tried the door handle… it opened.
“Afternoon sir,” I said in a cheerful manner, trying to keep my curiosity at bay “Is there anything I can do for you today?”
The old man, ever so slowly, turned his head towards me while maintaining a straight forward posture and both hands still on the wheel, never really looking up, he answered. “Why yes young man, my turn signals are acting up and my window won’t roll down.” (The man’s voice reminded me of an old horror movie vampire.)
Very creepy to say the least. He even looked like a 50’s horror movie villain, you know, sunken in cheeks, large bushy eye brows, slow methodical speech, and that expressionless cold stare. (Where’s his cape, does he keep the bats in the trunk, the coffin, where’s the coffin?)
“No problem sir,” I answered. “Just head up front and they can write you an invoice for the repair and then I can get started.”
“I’d rather stay here, (slowly turning his head towards me, lifting his eyebrows, and raising his eyes up towards me so his glare was straight into my eyes) right here in the drivers’ seat,” he said in that creepy horror flick manner.
(Insert spooky movie music here)
Ok, where’s the holy water…..where’s my garlic….who’s got the silver bullets…….where’s the wooden stakes …….a little help here guys…..a guys….where are you.???
Why is it, when you look around the shop for help…..everybody disappears? Oh they’ll show up, oh sure they will…after they let me be the first victim……not funny guys! ! !
I could ask him again to step out of the car or I could tell him about our policy on customers in the shop. I guess at this point I probably looked like one of those B movie extras that were too scared to say their lines. If I had any….. I figured I better tell him he can’t stay in the car while I was working on it and see where that led.
There he sat, still staring straight ahead out the windshield, not blinking, and not even moving a muscle.
“Sir, because of insurance reason you can’t stay in the shop. You will have to wait outside or in the customer waiting area,” I said, trying to be as professional as possible. (They can smell fear you know)
Looking straight forward, not at me; “You do whatever you feel is necessary son,” then he turned his head and looked right through me, “I’ll be sitting right here,” all of which he said in that same eerie voice. He turned back towards the windshield without another word. Then, he just sat there, as still as a tombstone.
Now I’m not scared…I’m getting riled up. I don’t know what graveyard this movie mogul came from but…this is my shop. I have to take the responsibility here. If he isn’t going to get out of the car I really can’t do too much. Well, maybe I can do some quick diagnostics without having him get out of the car. This way, I won’t feel like such a jerk if I have to get a little serious with this “Vampirish” guy
“Sir, why don’t you try those turn signals for me,” I said. He did, and they seemed to be working just fine.
“Could you try rolling down the window for me,” I asked. It worked fine as well. Without a problem that I was aware of I thought the next best thing was to get him out of the car and take a look under the dash.
“Sir, can you step out of the car so I can look under the dash,” I asked.
“No,” was his response.
“Well sir, then I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” I answered, “Or, you can wait outside the shop while I take a look at the car.”
“No,” again was his answer.
“Ok, then, could you do one more thing for me, could you put it in neutral and leave your foot off of the brake,” I calmly asked him.
He did just that, then he put his hands back on the wheel but never changed his dead pan expression. I motioned to one of the guys in the shop to come over. We both grabbed the front of the car and pushed the car outside with the old man still in it. As we pushed him out you could see the old fella through the windshield, never changing his straight ahead stare…..he just sat there.
I walked up to the drivers’ door, the window was still down, “Sir, when you are ready to get out of the car I’ll be more than happy to help you. But until then you will have to remain out here. If there is a medical reason why you can’t get out of the car I’ll make arrangements to assist you into a different chair or something that will be more comfortable for you,” I said with a stern voice.
The old man did that same slow head turn without taking his hands off of the steering wheel again. He stared right into my eyes….raised those bushy eyebrows, and with that same slow deliberate baritone voice
“It’s not medical, it’s not a problem, I like my car the way it is…(and with his eyes extending out as if to make them larger)……with me in it.” (There’s that spooky music again)
I walked back to shop to finish the other work that was there. On and off throughout the afternoon you could look outside and there was that creepy old guy sitting in his car. Staring right into the shop through the windshield of his car…. never moving, never blinking, still with both hands on the wheel. (There should have been some eerie fog flowing around his car….now that would have been creepy)
At closing time, the old guy was still there. As soon as I starting to pull the doors down… he drove off. As the door came to its usual “thump” at the bottom…the shop radio went dead. You could hear a pin drop in the shop; the only noticeable noise was the old man’s car leaving the parking lot. When the car noise was all but gone…the radio started back up. (No Kidding) It was like some page out of a horror movie…..Ok, Ok, it had to be just one of those moments when the station was changing a disc or something……but why right then.
So, the next time you are at a traffic light and you see this old guy with big bushy eyebrows…staring through the windshield. Don’t make eye contact, don’t look back……….drive, drive far away!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dale Donovan on flushing brake fluid

This week we have Dale donovan from the"CarShow"telling us why we really need to flush the brake fluid.

Can do CAN

Can do CAN:
A simple look at a complex system: Controller Area Network: CAN
Ever wonder how your cable TV comes into your home on that single coaxial cable? In simple terms… it’s like a CAN system. A good definition of a CAN system would be: High speed communication sent via data lines to and from components.
Just like your cable TV, as a signal is sent down the wire from one communication device there needs to be another at the other end that can “descramble” that information and turn it into readable information. These “lines” are generally referred to as BUS lines, or Data lines.
Most of the time they are in pairs of two wires that are twisted together (less RF interference). Some manufacturers use a 2 speed CAN. One line is for low priority information such as radio, windows, etc… and a faster 2nd speed for things like transmission, theft, etc… both system moves along the same wires at the same time. What each of the “modules” that are on the BUS line do is use the information that they are programmed to read, any other information on the BUS is ignored and not read by that particular module.

What to expect:
The direction of these CAN systems are not going to go away, they’re with us for now and most likely even more complicated in the future. Scanning is the key to working with these systems. Proper scanners and not just a “code reader” is the necessary tool to see these “TV” channels on your little screen (your scanner). A dealer equivalent scanner is the best way to “look” at these systems. Mode $06 is another option but one thing you don’t want to do any more is stab a wire with a test light looking for current or ground… it ain’t there.
Imagine stabbing your test light into your cable TV line. What do you think you would find there, nothing that a test light would help with. Also, I don’t advise sending voltage or a solid ground down a data line. Would you try that with that coaxial cable coming into your house, I think not..!
My advice when it comes to diagnosing power windows, gauges, or for that matter just about anything these days. Get your scanner out and look for codes, look for a class 2 serial data line on your GM, read the mode $06 information, and or whatever that particular manufacturer is calling their CAN line information. These data information screens will give you the clues as to what to be looking for. The next stop is to your PC and look up the wiring diagrams. Codes are only a starting point; remember… you still have to diagnose the cause of that code and what it means.
Here is an example:
03 Cadillac DHS
The problem with this car was with the window circuits. If the driver’s side window switch was pushed the driver’s window and the passenger front window would go down simultaneously and would go up the same way. If you tried the front passenger window switch nothing happened at all. Using the driver’s side rear window switch from the driver’s door switch would operate both the rear windows up and down together exactly like the front set. The car was clean, well kept and had no signs of any recent damage. As far as the owner knew there was nothing out of the ordinary that might be a hint to possibly explain this strange window fiasco.
Scanning the car led to several history codes that could be related and some codes that couldn’t be related to the problem, that is until I went to the class 2 serial data line information. It listed where the trouble was at… corrupted information and loss of communication on the BUS. Looking at the four door modules showed that the scanner couldn’t communicate with either passenger side modules. Using the scanner to operate the windows without having to move the switches showed no difference between the scanner and the actual window switch operation from the driver’s door.
Pulling the prints showed that the serial data lines ran from door to door and back to the BCM. There were no obvious wiring issues to be concerned with but I did notice several slight whitish droplets dried onto the inside of the door. It looked to me like “Bondo” or sanding dust mixed with water. But the owner knew nothing of any body work ever done to the car. Opening the FPDM and examining the circuit board showed no water damage. With the data lines showing no communication with the modules and the wiring looking perfect the next best thing was to change the FPDM and RRDM (Front Passenger Door Module, Right Rear Door Module).
It worked like a charm. After replacing the modules I went back into the scanner to see if the communication had been restored, sure enough it was… another job out the door.
I never picked up a test light like I would have on an older car and I didn’t have to pull out the old trusty tap hammer and start banging around till something moved. Using the scanner and the CAN lines showed where to go to make the repair.

History lesson:
1983 Bosch Corporation introduced the CAN system to the world as a preparation to what they saw as an increase in the automotive electrical system advancements. In 1987 the first CAN system was officially called “CAN” but it wasn’t till 1992 Mercedes Benz that a CAN system was accepted as the true first CAN system. Early GM’s had a system that could have been called CAN back in 1987 but the only references were to call the lines “data lines”. It still worked about the same way but wasn’t diagnosed the same way as we do today.
1995 GM introduced Class 2 serial data lines which run at a speed of 10.4 kbps. In 2004 Gm went to their next generation system called GMLAN (local area network) which had a 2 speed system: low 33.3 Kbps and a high at 500 Kbps. Mercedes Benz uses several BUS lines; on one car I counted 5 different CAN speeds.
Closing: With the speed and flexibility of these electronic systems the manufacturers can create in today’s cars I can only imagine how far all this information is going to go. It could be at some point in time that wiring will be a thing of the past too. Everything in the car could someday go completely wireless; modules will get smaller, faster and less likely to failure. Scanning could be done without even seeing the car in a repair shop. Just dial your cel phone to your shop of choice and a complete diagnostics could be done right then. I know it sounds a little “out there” but just imagine what a mechanic from the 50’s would think of today’s cars.

Fixing and understanding low spark voltage

Dave Rock explains Fixing and understanding low spark voltage in this video

Corvette Etched Glass

Corvette etched glass
A mid 90’s Corvette with a couple of problems to take care of came in the shop some time ago. The first problem was an intermittent start and the other problem was the suspension warning light stayed on all the time. The first problem had been looked at many times by a dealer in Florida where the owner had a second home and where he stored the car for those times he would be there. The car sat around a lot and the owner was getting very upset that it wouldn’t start when he would show up at his vacation place to drive his car around.
Apparently not much was solved but like most other electrical problems if it’s intermittent and you can’t duplicate, read a history code or at least see the problem… most anything you do is just a guess. The lucky guy to actually see the problem looks like the genius and in the customers mind all others that have tried have reached some level of stupidity… or worse. Someone tried a new starter, another battery, a little of this and some of that. None of which fixed the problem. Luckily for me, the Vette went through its death rolls right there in the shop for me. It turned out that the thin wires that make up the security system which are attached to the ignition switch tumbler had broken. As you turn the ignition switch the wires must twist with the switch and like anything else that moves, it will wear out. --- it did… Replaced the unit and all is well. The second problem required a little more effort and a whole lot of waiting. The driver side shock had gone bad. On top of the shock is a electronic sensor that had broken its little gear and the shock had “locked-up” which is probably why the sensor failed. But, the only place that still had parts for it was in Florida. Imagine that… drive the car halfway across the country to Oklahoma, to my shop and find out the only replacement parts are right where you were to start with… go figure. It was about a week or more before the replacement parts showed up.
The car was finished and sent home with the owner. All parties are paid up, car is starting with no problem, and the suspension is working as it should… what could be wrong. A few days later the phone rang, my daughter Mandy, was working the office that day, she took the call, “Yes, huh, uh, I remember the car…. really? I wonder how that happened….. Are you sure about that…. Hmmm, well I’ll check with the shop and see what they say…. I can’t think of any way that could happen… ok, I’ll call you back when I know something, thanks for letting me know, Good-bye”
I was standing nearby a little puzzled as to who was on the phone or for that matter what the call was about. Mandy turned to me, “Dad, you’re not going to believe this. That Vette you just finished the other day…. The guys’ wife insists that there is human hand print in the windshield…and I don’t mean on the windshield… she says it’s permanently “etched” into the glass.”
“You’re kidding”, I answered.
“Nope, she’s dead serious. She even told me that she took the car to a glass shop and they couldn’t get it out. They tried all kinds of chemical cleaners and its there as plain as day,” Mandy went on to tell me.
“Oh come on, this is ridiculous…. How in the world would I have done that? Anything that would carve a hand in a windshield would have carved whosever hand that did it… I think I would have known about that, because let me guess, it’s my hand print right? …. And if I could leave a permanent “etched” imprint in the windshield how come I haven’t left a mark on myself,” I said in a fit of confusing reactions.
“Have her bring the car back and let me take a look at it,” I told Mandy.
“Ok, but I don’t think that’s going to happen, they’re pretty upset with you.”
Upset or not, to me there is only one way to resolve things like this. “Bring the car back to the shop that has done the work so they can see what’s going on, or I’m coming up to see it.” But, do you think that happened… nooooo. Not a chance.
A few weeks later I ran into the husband at a meeting I was attending. It’s a meeting of some of the top businesses in town, not only are they some of the largest but mostly they are some of the best. I wouldn’t think there was anybody in this room that would have any misunderstandings about any service work done for them since we all are basically in private business and deal with people, parts and things like this each and every day. I asked him why he didn’t bring the car back to me to have it looked at. There again, I was surprised at the answer.
“You obviously have no idea of the concern that my wife is having over this issue. The trauma caused her to go to a rehab in Denver for a nervous condition. I had to take the car into a glass shop and have the windshield replaced with a new one. That finally made things right with my wife. So I don’t think I’ll be bringing anymore work to you. She’s still very upset but, she is on medication for it now.”
In all my years of working with the general public, nothing surprises me anymore. You think you’ve seen it all then some cracked pot, off the wall lady like this comes along. I’m not the type of person who wants to think that I’ve done something wrong and caused someone to have to go to rehab… but then I’m thinking… You’ve got the time and money to go to rehab over a friggin’ windshield… boy you’ve got a real problem lady… and it ain’t windshield. I believe that people and their emotional states can be the hardest automotive diagnostics you’ll ever run across.
If you could leave the person out of the equation things would go a lot smoother at the repair shop. You know, there’s one thing I can say about cars that I can’t say about their owners. Cars are never crazy, wacky, or just plain nuts in the need of counseling…. They’re just a car.
People on the other hand… well I’d like to leave this story with a professional opinion of them but, I’m no shrink… I’m only the mechanic. I’ll leave the emotional evaluations to a doctor.

Visit my website for more stories and car related videos and information,
don't forget, Sunday evening Chat... see ya there.

New Book Review: How to Make Your Car Last Forever

Everyone wants to know how can I make my car last forever? Well maybe not forever, but long enough until you want to buy that next car! I just finished reading a new book in publication, that explains how to do all that. The Title "How To Make Your car Last Forever" by Thomas Torbjornsen.






This is a book that is written in such a manner that experienced or beginners can read and understand very clearly. Although the book seems to cater to someone that knows very little about automobiles, it covers such a vast amount of material that it becomes somewhat of a bible. It is broken down into 3 sections.




The first called "Vehicular Systems" which gives you the basics of what makes up an automoble. The 2nd section goes over the "rules to follow that will make that car last". Finally in the 3rd section the author calls "Straight Talk" a discussion on Warranties, Repair or replace, and the final chapter on "How to kill a car" or things you should not be doing!





What I did find very different from most automotive books, is that within each chapter, the author has a question and answer section, "Driver Ask" where he lists some of the most common questions, that come up based on what was presented in the chapter.




Within each chapter there are illustrations and pictures, that reinforce the topics being explained. Just enough to keep the reader from getting lost in a mass of words, that helps get the point across.




The book is definitely a must for someone that wants to learn more about automobiles, and at the same time does not to be overwhelmed, with more information then they would need on "How To make Your Car last Forever"


About The Author:


Tom T. has over 35 years in the automotive industry and nearly two decades in automotive talk radio broadcasting AMERICA'S CAR SHOW, Tom Torbjornsen makes learning about cars easy with his personal manner, expert advice, and his high energy and entertaining style. Tom has the unique gift of simplifying the complex and tearing down the technical to help you better understand just what goes on under the hood - and everywhere else on your vehicle. His first book, "How To Make Your Car Last Forever" is a compilation of tried and true methods to extend the life of your vehicle, proven from hands-on.



Have a look inside this book http://search2.barnesandnoble.com/BookViewer/?ean=9780760337967

Murphy's Laws of Auto Repair

Murphy’s Laws of Auto Repair
1. Never put all your tools away until you have actually started the car, and know everything is in working order.
2. Always take more than one fuse with you, even though you already know one will do the job.
3. If the customer says it will be “an easy fix” plan on packing a lunch, because this is going to take awhile.
4. If the repair is going smoothly, something is wrong. (Drop a tool on the ground, and let it roll under the work bench or something).
5. There ARE such things as a “Monday built car”, and a “Friday built car”.
6. If the customer is watching, you’re probably not.
7. If you have double checked your work and it seems to be right, check it again.
8. There are more phone calls when you take a lunch break.
9. Proper use of a tool only applies when properly using the tool.
10. You’re only as good as your last job.
11. Your last job wasn’t that good.
12. Mechanics Beer Rule. 9 mechanics and 10 cases of beer = too many mechanics, or not enough beer. Remove 3 mechanics, or add 5 cases (don’t worry, it’s not a math thing…just keep them happy).
13. The moving parts of an engine are closer than they appear.
14. Don’t always trust a hood prop.
15. Things can go wrong, even when you are not doing anything.
16. Things that go wrong, when you are not doing anything, are still your fault.
17. Gravity is your friend, but not the kind that you trust with your brand new Snap-On sockets.
18. Only upset customers call on a Monday morning at exactly opening time.
19. Not answering the phone at opening time makes customers angry.
20. Yes, I live at the shop 24/7. Of course, I’m there at all hours of the day or night.
21. Oil leaks on the shop floor can be traced in 2 different directions.
22. Only the tool you can’t find is the one you need right now.

Throttle body service

This week Dale Donovan explains how to do a Throttle Body Service.

Looking For Some Guy

Looking for Some Guy Gonzo 2010
Have ya ever noticed that a lot of work shows up at the shop with some sort of story attached and the customer almost always knows who sent them to you or what the last tech has done to their car? It’s pretty common at my shop. This other mechanic seems to always be busy, sometimes too busy to finish the customer’s job completely. I don’t know who this dude is but, he gets all the work in town. I’ve never met this wrench jockey; I don’t even know where his shop is… in fact I don’t even know what he charges or what his expertise is. But, I do know his name… oh yea, I know his name, his reputation is well known, and his never ending automotive repair skills are known far and wide. Who is this genius of the auto repair world? You know him, he’s that “regular mechanic” you always hear about. I don’t know whether he is some super tech out there or just the best salesman in the business. What’s his name you ask, well; it’s none other than… “Sum Guy”. that’s the dude, that’s him… his name comes up in conversations all the time… something like this; “I had my car to Sum Guy the other day… he said my problem was this, and said you would know how to fix it.” Or when you ask, “Where did you have your car at ma’am?” and the usual answer ... “Oh, I had it at Sum Guy for a while till he gave up and said he couldn’t take care of it, I don’t think he knows what he’s doing.” And, of course my all time favorite… “Sum Guy already looked at it so I already know what’s wrong.”
Now I don’t know about you but Sum Guy seems to get around a lot. One of these days I’d like to meet him. I’ve got a few words for him for sure. He either works the customer into an all out frenzy or they come into the shop with a chip on their shoulder as if they just cured cancer. Ya never know which way it’s going to go with Sum Guy around. He can be your friend or he can be your enemy it’s all a gamble at this point.
Listening in on conversations at the front counter and sooner or later good ol’ Sum Guy will get his name mentioned. “I had Sum Guy change my brakes last week but he didn’t want to mess with the ABS system.” “The other day my wife and I were out in town when we ran across Sum Guy, he said he knew you.” Man, this dude gets around, how do ya keep up with him? He’s everywhere!
I’m going to put an ad in the paper one of these days… it should say something like; “Looking for Sum Guy who can fix cars and impress customers more than I can. Sum Guy who has all the correct tools and diagnostic equipment that I don’t have. Sum Guy with the smarts of a rocket scientist and the strength of a gorilla. Sum Guy who can be in two places at once and never-ever makes a mistake. Sum Guy that can keep a customer happy even in the worst of conditions and knows just what to say to calm them down. And, most of all Sum Guy who can do all of this and still show up to work on time.
I doubt he’ll answer the ad, I think he doesn’t want the rest of the automotive industry to know about him. I think he likes to stay in the shadows away from the lime light and keep in close touch with all his customers. He’s a credit to himself… that guy… he’s Some Guy…

Handheld Diagnostic Tools with Jay Leno & "The Motorman"

Mechanic to the Stars and host of a Sunday morning call-in radio show on KABC, Leon "The Motorman" Kaplan stops by Jay Leno's Garage to introduce a slew of electronic diagnostic tools. CarMD is a diagnostic tool that tells You What's Wrong With Your Car And Predicts Repair Costs.

The "Motorman" has perhaps the longest running car call-in talk show heard every Sunday morning from 8:00am to 11:00am on KABC in Los Angeles California for over 30 years!

Clop, Clop, Clop Whoosh

Clop, Clop, Clop, Whoosh
Many years ago I started wearing slip-on boots to work, these days it’s usually shorts and sneakers when the weather is right. It was a habit to wear the boots just, well, because I was too lazy to tie shoes I guess. This leads to a little story about yours truly. This was a few years after I was married to my dear wife and she was running the front office at the time.
We had a call that a 300z was going to be hauled in on a wrecker. Something about a fire under the hood, but not a major fire, with a slight bit of paint damage. The owner wasn’t concerned with the paint, just get it running. When the car showed up it did have just that, a small centralized fire on the back row of injectors. I doubt it even had more than 2 or 3 actual wires burnt, the rest were just scorched a bit. I easily pulled the burnt wires apart and began checking into it further to see if I could tell how it all started. An obvious clue, the harness was lying on the exhaust manifold. Not a big deal, a simple rerouting of the harness took care of that. By the way it looked; I didn’t think it was all the bad. I thought it could start and drive into the shop. Well, why not try it. I turned the key and it fired right up, ran perfectly I might add. Then…. Whoosh… a flame shot out from under the hood. I shut the car down but the flame was still there. As quick as I could I ran for the fire extinguisher. This whole time my wife is in the office oblivious to the whole frantic situation going on just outside her door. She could hear me running back into the shop and then stop, then run back out of the door. With some quick thinking she deduced that I must have ran into the shop for only one thing and one thing only… the fire extinguisher. I wasn’t concerned with her; I wanted to put the fire out. One quick little shot from the extinguisher and the fire was out. No damage done, just a lot more clean to be done. Turns out one of the injector lines had a slight tear in it and gas was leaking out of it. I figured I better fix that while I’m at it. That’s when the real fun started.
Rushing out of the office with that look of desperation on her face was my wife. There I was standing there in full glory holding onto a fire extinguisher and the smoke still coming from under the hood.
“What just happened,” she frantically asked, “I knew what you came in for and I figured out what you were going for. You started the car on fire didn’t you?” The whole time she was standing there with the portable phone in her hand.
“Because I’ve already have the “9” dialed and I was ready to finish the call if you didn’t get things taken care of.
“Oh, it was nothing honey,” I answered while trying to sound calm and collective, “what do you mean you knew what I was going for?”
“Ya big dope,” she said, arms folded and giving me that patronizing stare that only a wife can do, “Those boots you wear gave you away, why any fool could hear the clop, clop, clop of those things. You’re not very stealthy you know. I could tell you only ran into the shop far enough to get the closest extinguisher and run back outside. You’re lucky I was here.”
“How’s that?” I asked, bewildered at her sudden concern for my dilemma.
“Because now I can tell everyone that the “great” Gonzo tried to set a car on fire,” she said with a laugh. You know, when something is funny, it’s funny, add the fact that it’s involving me and my wife has a chance to tell her story… it’s only funnier. I’ll have to give it to my wonderful wife for this one, you’re right; it must have looked and sounded pretty funny, nothing like being on the other end of the joke around here.
I’m never going to live this down. One thing my wife loves to do is find something I do wrong and tell everyone she knows. It’s like a badge of honor with her. I’m sure a lot of husbands go through this. So I don’t feel so alone in my situation. The way I see it, I figure if you’re going to screw up, do it in front of your wife. She loves the attention, and even more if it ends up where the husband looks like the fool. Yea, you know what I mean, big tough guy screws up… classic wife material for the family reunion.
Ok, ok it was a little fire, no big deal. Come on, I ain’t perfect. I called the customer and gave them the news; surprisingly enough, there was no shock or concern from them. Seems the same thing happened to them just prior to bringing it into the shop. It was, as they called it, “the old beater” and just wanted to get it running again and weren’t concerned about looks. Well, thank God for that.
I’ve gave up on the boot thing a long time ago. I’m a little more comfortable in an old pair of sneakers. I try not to do as much running these days, and of course the sneakers are not near as loud as those old boots were. One thing for sure… the wife can’t hear me running thru the shop anymore… Just have to be certain to keep the fire extinguishers in working order and close by… and my wife’s curiosity at bay till all the smoke clears…
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Keep watching for new stories ... I'll try to post a new story each week.

Don't forget... www.gonzostoolbox.com Sunday evening chat 7:00 CST

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