It came out from under the Dash!

Years ago when I was very young my father who was not a mechanic but a fairly good handy man, as he built his own club basement had fixed a problem on his old American Motors Rambler, that allowed him to drive the car, until it could be properly repaired. How did he know what to do?

The problem was the ignition switch which on those cars was prone to going bad. When it went bad it would keep the starter motor engaged and as you know it, if left running while the engine was running, it would burn up the starter motor in short order.

I can remember my father reaching underneath the dash, and low and behold, not even looking he pulled out this green wire which apparently came off the ignition switch. I was amazed "It came out from under the Dash" It must have not been on tight and it was a spade type of termination, because if just came off without any tools!

It was the starter solenoid feed wire. That wire was connected to the part of the ignition switch that apparently shorted out and was constantly applying 12 volts to the starter solenoid. The starter stopped spinning and he had found a way to temporary control the starter by placing a jumper wire between the wire he removed and the terminal it came off, from the back of the starter switch, until he had the switch replaced. At least he could drive it then.

Was it just plain dumb luck that he happened to pull the right wire off the starter switch? I never asked him. I guess back then I just didn't have the interest in how things got fixed. But to me it was like a magic trick. That's probably why I remember the story today!

Stump Pat: Episode 5

The Fifth attempt to stump Pat Goss with a question he can't answer!

How back pressure works

He is back. After over a year Dave Rock has a channel back. In this presentation he shows you how and why back pressure on an engine makes it run.

Ode to Santa and the Economy

Ode to Santa and the Economy Gonzo 2011There 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 givin' em' hell.These days when Santa appears at the local department store; It’s not just for fun or photos, but for gifts he needs to score.He'll check the store layout and make a quick dash;Why even Santa max'd out his credit card and is low on cash.So off he goes, into the night; To find those gifts, and get out of sight.Now, he’s not going to make a whole lot of stops;‘Cause look out Santa… here comes the cops.Santa leaps to his sleigh and flys far into the night; Carrying all those gifts, on his yearly flight.Way into the morning, the police search high and low;Only to find a few tracks left in the snow.You'll hear all the alarms blaring, late into the night;But old Saint Nick will be long gone, and clean out of sight. Santa has to be quick, to have it done by Christmas Eve;So many gifts, and so many places to be…The presents will be wrapped, and the tags will be off;Cause old Santa is very careful, not to get caught.So check your presents, early on Christmas day;(Keep it hush-hush if they're from Santa, OK...?) Now, I don’t know if Old Saint Nick, stopped at your house or not; But I thought you should know … … … … … THOSE GIFTS ARE HOT ! !Happy Holidays to All

Stump Pat: Episode 4

The series continues to Stump Pat Goss with a question!

Lauren Fix Ambushes Drivers

Stump Pat: Episode 3

The series to stump Pat Goss continues!

Stump Pat: Episode 2

Second of series to see if Pat Goss can be stumped!

Hey Look, I Found The Loose Nut

Looking for a great Christmas gift for that hard to find person? Pick up a copy of my best selling book "Hey Look, I Found the Loose Nut" it's a hysterical look at what goes on at a repair shop from the mechanics point of view. Very short stories, (only a page or two) never boring and quite funny. Great gift idea even for the non-reader of books or novels. Available at Amazon.com or autographed copies at www.gonzostoolbox.com (use your paypal account) Hope everyone has a great holiday this year and an even better new year. http://www.amazon.com/Hey-Look-Found-Loose-Nut/dp/0881444308/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323301862&sr=1-1

Stump Pat: Episode 1

The first of the series to see if Pat Goss can be stumped! Listen below

Detective On Duty

Detective On Duty (A "Sherlock Holmes" effort to find the owner of a vehicle)

Gonzo 2011 It’s pouring down, the tow driver is dropping off a car alongside the shop. Carrying the keys into the office, he’s drenched from head to toe. “Here ya go, have fun with this one.” I knew nothing about the car, and the tow driver only had a last name and nothing more. What to do now? I guess the only thing to do is to see if the tow company had a phone number to go along with the name. I tried the phone number several times, but never got an answer. Since I didn’t have anything else to go on, and I had plenty of other work to do in the shop, I decided to let it sit outside in the rain until I heard from the owner. Several days went by, the rain had stopped and still no phone call. I tried the number again but this time the number was no longer in service. It was an 89 Ford Ranger, looked pretty nice, clean… good tires, no broken glass. Seemed like a nice little truck not to have someone concerned about it. The shop was pretty much caught up that afternoon, so I thought I’d take the keys out to the little truck and see what was going on. Since I hadn’t even bothered to check the truck out beforehand, I figured it can’t hurt to see if there was anything in the glove box for an insurance card or something that might have a name on it. The truck was spotless, there wasn’t anything in the glovebox except for the owner’s manual. No name, no insurance card, not even a scrap of paper anywhere in it. While I’m here I might as well open the hood and check things out. Was I in for a surprise, no wonder the tow driver told me “Have fun with this one.” Under the hood was not a 1989 2.3 liter… more like about a 95 2.3 liter engine. (Pretty much the same engine but entirely different electrical systems.) All the electrical harnesses didn’t match. Now, I need to make another phone call. I called the tow company that dropped it off to ask them where they picked it up from and see if I could track the owner down that way. They knew exactly where it came from. It was from a salvage yard. Ok, time for another phone call. “Oh that truck, yeah I remember that one,” the guy front the salvage yard told me, “The fella who owns it dropped it off for us to put an engine in that he bought from us. We told him we didn’t think it was going to work, even though the original engine was the same size.” However, they didn’t have much more information on the owner than what I already had. But, they said they would keep an eye out for the guy if he showed up again. So here’s this little truck sitting out in my parking lot, with the wrong year motor in it and no owner. Now I need to do some more phone work. This time I decided to use the VIN and the license plate number to find something out. A few more phone calls thru the DMV and I had a name of a guy at an insurance agency. Seems the car was a theft recovery that was picked up by the insurance company. The original motor was blown after a long high speed chase by the police. The owner was arrested on drug charges and the car was confiscated (as is their usual policy). The car then was sold at an insurance auction, after the insurance company obtained it back from the police department. Another phone call led me to the auction house where (after a lot of searching) they came up with the used car lot that purchased the truck. Now I’ve got to call these guys… geez… this is getting to be a long affair. After talking to them and more research they finally had a first name to go with the last name that I already had and a different phone number. I gave the number a try. It rang and rang I was getting worried that all this phone work was going to end up as another dead end. Then a voice came on the phone. “Hey, a, yea … Hello?” “Hi ya doin’ is your name Jake? Do you own a Ford Ranger that had a motor put into it over at a salvage yard?” “Ah… yeah, Ah, wow, like dude… that’s my truck, who’s this?” I gave him all my information and explained to him how I tracked him down. He didn’t seem too impressed, (I thought I did an OUTSTANDING job of tracking this guy down!), but said he was on his way down to see what I’ve done to his truck. The sad part about it… I haven’t done a thing other than poking my head under the hood. When “Jake” finally showed up at the shop, I told him what would have to be done to get the truck running. He was under the impression that you just hook up a couple of wires and it would take off and run like new. Not quite the case there Jake, my friend. It’s going to take a little more than a few wires; more like quite a few wires as a matter of fact. I gave him the options on what could be done with what he had to work with. The big issue was now the cost… (Of course $$) and young Jake didn’t have a dime to spend on it. He was out of a job, and didn’t have any way of paying for repairs. Luckily, the tow bill was paid by the salvage yard (I think they just wanted it out of there) Jake had to go home and think about it. Well, I know what “think about it” really means… it means “I can’t afford it, so I’ll have to think of some other way of taking care of it.” A weekend went by and Monday morning the car was still sitting in the lot. By that afternoon a guy came by snooping around the little Ranger. I went out to greet the guy. He said he was going to buy the truck, and asked me what was wrong with it. I wasn’t surprised when he also didn’t understand what it was going to take to get it going. Later that day Jake called and told me he was selling the truck. What could I say, “OK?” or “Hey dude… I just played “Private Eye” to track you down. At least have the courtesy to ask the age old question, “Do I owe you anything?” So I can at least say; “Nay, no problem, that’s OK thanks for asking… hope you get on your feet soon.” But no, all he said was; “I think he’ll pick it up sometime this week.” Click… Another week went by and no one has come by to look at the truck. I’ve done all that I can… I’ve pretty much given up on the truck and the owner. The next Monday morning when I came into the shop the truck was gone. Not that I was surprised, but I did call Jake and this time I got his answering machine. “Ah, like, ah… I ain’t here… leave a message.” BEEP “Hey, Jake, your truck is gone. I guess your buddy came by and picked it up, come down sometime, and I’ll give you the keys.” All the effort I put into finding this guy, all the time I spent writing down phone numbers, contacting people, gathering information and compiling the history on this truck, and all I have to show for it is a set of keys. I guess I’m not the mechanic on duty … I’m the detective on duty. That was nearly a year ago and I still have the keys. I guess Jake’s buddy doesn’t need the keys either. Maybe someday I’ll put an ad in the paper in the lost and found section: “Lost Ford Ranger… used to belong to Jake… If you found it… I’ve got the keys.” Find even more stories at www.gonzostoolbox.com Be sure to pickup a copy of my best selling book, "Hey Look, I Found the Loose Nut" Short stories from the repair shop with a touch of humor... great gift idea.

How To Safely Change A Tire

Does your Gm car need a special engine oil such as Dexos?

Pat Goss describes why you need to know what type of engine oil is required in your General motors car. Listen below to the audio clip.

Fuel System Diagnostics

Fuel system diagnostics



Fuel delivery, fuel condition, and fuel volatility are an important part of today's vehicles. Getting the fuel to the engine is a lot different today than it was back in the days of carburetors. The only thing the fuel had to do then, was make it from the fuel tank to the carburetor by means of a mechanical pump. Today, it's high pressure pumps, multiple volume controlled fuel pumps, and varying fuel pressures to accommodate engine loads. With all of this going on the fuel has to be monitored constantly to insure of it's condition. These days, the fuel delivery system is monitored and the actual condition of

the fuel lines, the fuel tank itself, as well as the gas cap are

all a part of the evaluation conducted by the PCM. Emission

systems have come a long way from the first attempts at

environmental controls. The very first systems merely

pulled vapor out of the tank by way of a vacuum system and

fed the hydrocarbons into an activated charcoal canister

system for release into the atmosphere. Now, we not only

accomplish that task, but we verify the quality of the job the

system is doing and the integrity of the components in the

emission system.



It's almost impossible to talk about fuel systems without getting into EVAP systems as well. EVAP codes are a very common occurrence. P0455 is one of the most common. “Gross” meaning “large” leak can be an indication of a leak or more than likely... operator error... (forgetting to put the gas cap back on correctly.) P0457 is the more direct code for the fuel cap not installed correctly but either code really means the same thing... a large leak.



Using this example; a 2003 Mazda Tribute, if a P0455 is set the EVAP monitoring system will shut down and not run its self test. A secondary code is usually associated with it (DTC P1450 Unable to bleed-up fuel tank vacuum). The EVAP running loss system monitor will abort and not continue with the leak check portion of its test. If the leak is taking care of (IE.. put the gas cap back on) and the target vacuum is obtained the change in the fuel tank vacuum (bleed-up) will be calculated for a calibrated period of time. The calculated change in fuel tank vacuum is compared to a calibrated value preset in the PCM for a leak as small as .016 mm (.040 inch) in the EVAP system. If it is less than that the EVAP will pass the test. If it fails the PCM will attempt to run the monitor at least three times before setting the code again. DTC P0442 (small leak) These small leaks can be hard to find. A smoke machine works well in these cases. I prefer a smoke that uses a UV dye, but a good smoke machine with just plain smoke will do the trick too.



Here is a list of some of the common EVAP codes

P0440 - general EVAP failure

P0441 – incorrect or un-commanded purge flow (leaking purge valve)

P0442 - small to medium leak detected

P0443 – Purge solenoid electrical fault

P0446 – Blocked canister vent (high system vacuum)

P0449 – canister vent solenoid electrical fault

P0452 – tank pressure sensor voltage low

P0453 - tank pressure sensor voltage high

P0454 - tank pressure sensor voltage erratic

P0455 – large leak detected

P0456 – small leak detected

P0457 - gas cap is not sealing



Most vehicles today will have some sort of fuel tank pressure sensor, or in some cases it will be called an EVAP pressure/vacuum sensor. The FTP (fuel tank pressure) sensor is used to measure the pressure during the EVAP monitor test. When the PCM receives a signal from the FTP that there is excessive tank pressure or vacuum the PCM will then send a signal to the EVAP purge solenoid to correct the fuel tank pressure level.



On Toyota's the FTP sensor should read around 3.3 volts with no vacuum or pressure applied to the sensor. The sensor is a three wire sensor with one wire as a ground, one as the incoming reference voltage (5 volts) and the sensor wire to the PCM. Codes for tank pressure are generated by the results from the FTP sensor voltage which the PCM then interprets into the corresponding code. (service code). When the PCM requests the EVAP solenoid to run it's monitor of the tank pressure it uses the FTP sensor as the determining factor of the actual tank pressure.



Running these EVAP monitors are accomplished two different ways. Ford, GM, and some Asian imports use vacuum to run the monitor, while Chrysler, most European and a few Asian products use pressure to run the monitors. There are a lot of factors that have to be correct in order for the PCM to carry out the EVAP monitor. The ambient air temperature needs to be between 40 and 100 degrees (for most vehicles) and the fuel level needs to be near a half of a tank full. (The air temperature in the tank will effect the fuel vapors.) The barometric pressure must fall between 22 in. Hg on Fords and 19 in. Hg on most GM vehicles. (8,000 to 10,000 feet above see level). Most of the systems are set up to only run the test with the vehicle under 35 mph so that tank slosh is to a minimum. The last but most important thing is there cannot be any other fault codes stored in the PCM. Since the job of the EVAP system is to reduce emissions it stands to reason if there are any emission related codes stored in the PCM the eventual outcome of the EVAP test would be inaccurate.



On vehicles such as Chrysler that use pressure to perform the EVAP monitor test a small vacuum operated air pressure pump is used. The LDP (leak detection pump) pump uses vacuum to pull a small diaphragm up and down, then releases the vacuum to make its opposing chamber draw in ambient air and then force that air into the fuel tank system. A small reed valve allows the air only to go in one direction which allows the internal pressure to rise in the fuel tank system. These systems are called “return-less systems” (no fuel travels back to the tank) and are widely used on most of today's modern cars. Generally it's a small amount of pressure that is applied (.25 psi or more) but it's enough to run the EVAP monitor. The PCM has a preset calculation for the amount of bleed down time it will look for to determine the actual fuel tank pressure.



One other important part of the EVAP system is the

charcoal canister. This is where the fuel vapors are stored.

Charcoal is made by heating wood to around a 1000 degrees

in a sealed container. With no oxygen present during the

burning of the wood, it really doesn't burn but all the

organic compounds are driven off leaving nothing but the

carbon itself. To make it into “activated charcoal”

(the kind used in a charcoal canister) the “carbon” is put

under pressure with oxygen present. This expands the

pores of the carbon molecules creating “activated charcoal”.

Gasoline vapors adhere to the charcoal granules like static

electricity clings to a balloon. A light breeze across the charcoal

pulls the fuel vapors (hydrocarbons) off and cleans the activated charcoal for the next volume of fuel vapors.



Fuel temperature sensors are quite popular now too. A fuel temperature sensor does as the name implies . This is another reading the PCM will use to determine if and when it is appropriate to run the EVAP monitor. On some models you'll even find a FRP sensor (fuel rail pressure sensor) (found on some newer Ford models) this sensor is actually reading fuel rail pressure just as it would be with an external gauge. You can read the fuel pressure without having to hook up a fuel pressure gauge to the line. Installing a fuel pressure gauge to the line and comparing it to the reading on the scanner is a good way of insuring the FRP sensor is reading correctly.





A lot of times the fuel system is blamed for no start, hard to start, and even rough running when in fact it can actually be related to other components in regards to engine operation. One very common problem tends to be the MAF sensor. I've had several vehicles where the car seemed to run just fine when you first started it up but soon after would cough, lose idle, and stall. Fuel pressure is good, spark is good, and the fuel filter is clean. My favorite test for this problem is to use the tools I've got handy. A multimeter with a “min/max” recordable feature is my choice. (There are other ways to accomplish the same task but this is the one I prefer because it works on every type of MAF sensor ever made.) Out of the 4 wires that run to the MAF, one is ground, one is battery voltage, one is 5 volt reference, and the last wire is the sensing wire. Hook the meter onto sensing wire and ground the other lead. Record the voltage spike signal as you take the car from a standing idle to full throttle with a quick snap of the throttle. Once from idle straight to full throttle is all it takes. The record feature on the meter will record the voltage increase as a graph on the screen showing you the actual voltage. Some Toyota's (V6 and 4 cyls.) will only make it up to 3.8 volts... this is considered a good MAF sensor but only on these engine types. If the sense voltage doesn't reach 4 volts the MAF sensor is bad. Simple, but effective test. If you run across a MAF that has 5 wires, the extra wire is usually the air intake temp sensor. If your unsure which one it is try the snap test anyway, obviously if you snap the throttle open and the voltage didn't increase it's probably the wrong wire to be checking. (air temp sensor voltage won't change from idle to full throttle.)







One other part of the fuel system that can be a little tricky to understand is how some of the manufacturers have used the dual fuel tank systems that are found on full size trucks. Instead of two separate tanks these tanks have now become combined together. On a 98 GMC for example, – A short to ground in the sender or wiring will provide a fully empty reading. An open in the circuit will produce a full reading on the dash gauge.



These dual tank vehicles use a fuel pump balance module that measures the resistance of both fuel tank sending units. The module will average the resistances and produce an equivalent resistance reflecting the average of both tanks. Which is what you will see as a gauge reading on the instrument cluster.



The balance module effectively equalizes the level in the two tanks by way of a pump balance relay. At any time the rear tank has about 2 more gallons than the front tank the module will turn on the relay and send fuel to the front tank until the front tank is within a 2 gallon range. (If there is around 2 gallons in the rear tank and the front is empty (or near empty) this process effectively will empty the rear tank first. (I've had customer tell me they filled the rear tank but the gauge still shows ½ tank. Because their front tank was completely empty.) You get a lot of puzzled looks from the customer when you tell them, “That's OK, it's actually correct.”





More and more you'll find the fuel tank readings, fuel line pressure, and the EVAP sensor values on a scanner making the whole process of evaluating fuel delivery problems easier to understand. Diagnosing the systems takes a bit of background in understanding the way each individual system actually operates per manufacturer. Before attempting any repair on a fuel system always make sure to follow the guide lines from the manufacturer. In parts of the country where high levels of salt are used for snow removal be aware that a lot of vehicles mount the charcoal canister, EVAP purge valves and other components under the vehicle and can become susceptible to failure due to corrosion from the salt or even damage from impacted snow under the vehicle.

It's all about having the right information. Learning the way these systems work will greatly enhance your understanding of how to repair them. In the business of automotive repair... you can never know too much, and there's always something new to learn.


Don't forget, check out my website www.gonzostoolbox.com see my latest stories and events coming up. Pick up a copy of my best selling book at the website too.

Are they trying to sell you an alignment?

Pat Goss talks about Alignments. What you need to know,
so that you don't buy an alignment you don't need! Listen below.

Diagnostic Tech: 97 Jeep Grand Cherokee

97 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0

Intermittently cutout and stall, lights flickering during cutout

My own mindset goes to crankshaft position sensor problems when I see an engine cutout and stall on these jeeps. Here though we have the lights flickering as well. That could happen just because the rpms are so erratic during the event that the voltage is surging but the lights could be indicating an electrical power problem that is causing the cutout. The initial approach will be the typical, *verify the complaint* method.

The customer had said the truck hasn't failed to restart after stalling but this morning it would not start at all after some lengthy cranking attempts. I decided it was a good time to check for the problem but before I could test for no-start, it fired right up on the next try. After a short drive with no problems I tried a couple hot restarts. The engine did begin to have an intermittent cutout that could be related to crankshaft position signal. It was time to do some testing.

I wanted to start by testing the ASD (automatic shutdown relay), or more specifically to monitor the ASD power output. If the engine computer sees a good crank position signal it will ground the ASD relay, applying power to the ignition coil.

An easy way to test is to use a relay test jumper. You can put these in between the relay and the power box to create easily accessed test points.

If I lose ASD output then I can continue on my theory of crankshaft position signal problems, if the output is good then I can move on to something else and not have wasted any time. Monitoring the ASD showed steady output voltage, even during the engine cutout so there was no problem with that part of the system. I had to this point ignored the check engine light but since my suspicions of a bad crank sensor were proven wrong I needed another point to consider for further testing. The stored engine code was P0351 which indicates a problem with the primary circuit of the ignition coil. Now I had just finished testing that circuit feed at the ASD and it was fine but was the circuit actually fine all the way to the coil? I decided to see. I clamped the meter to the coil primary circuit but this time near the coil connector. The power was good to that point so if this was a circuit problem it was on the negative side of the coil since the code indicated the coil not firing. I kept the engine running and clamped a current probe on the coil trigger wire. The computer provides the coil trigger and is monitoring that circuit so I removed the coolant recovery tank to get clear access to the engine computer connectors. I was suspecting a bad wire or connection so began pulling slightly on the harness. It was immediately apparent that moving any computer connector would cause the cutout and/or stalling symptom.
At this point I would expect that I need a computer but an inspection of the connectors was necessary. I noticed that the two metal screws in the faceplate of the computer were loose. I tightened those. There was a lot of what I assume was dielectric grease on the connectors and the terminals seemed good. I sprayed contact cleaner on the pins and terminals and reattached the connectors. Guess what? I couldn't make it stall or cutout now no matter how hard I worked those connectors. A test drive looked good as well.








Kenneth Hayes
AKA Deranger

Goss on Fuel Grade: Premium vs Regular

Diagnostic Tech: 03 Trailblazer

2003 Chevy Trailblazer 4.2L

The complaint was a noisy cooling fan and an MIL (malfunction indicator light). There are times when the cooling fan is noisy and it is just a normal condition. The fan is electrically controlled by the engine computer and there are times the fan just needs to be on "high". But, when the fan seems to be noisier than usual and the MIL is on it indicates a problem that needs a closer look.

I pulled engine trouble codes with the scan tool and got P0172, P0128, P1481 and P0493. Sometimes you can get more codes than you want. The trick is to try and hone in on what will be most productive to test. P0172 is a rich code. The fuel mixture was too rich at some point and set a code. Under most conditions a rich condition diagnosis can be difficult and many variables to test. Lets go for an overview before trying to get too involved with a single code. A P0128 is an indication that the engine temperature took too long to get warm from a cold start. P1481 sets if the engine computer cannot see an rpm signal from the cooling fan. P0493 indicates the computer was trying to slow the fan rpm but sees rpms that indicate it is turning faster than commanded.

The last two codes are interesting. If the computer sees no rpm signal from the fan it will command the fan to 100% duty cycle. The code P0493 could come from a fan that is stuck on.

A fan running at full duty cycle on a warm up would set a P0128 and an engine that runs too long cold could possibly set a P0172. On the other hand, a P0172 or a P0128 could not set the fan codes so lets concentrate on the fan codes. Now which one? The P01481 or the P0493? We'll let the car decide that by determining which problem is present at this time.

Starting the car and looking at the scan tool pid for fan rpm I saw that at times 0 rpm were indicated, at times there were high rpms indicated but the desired rpm, or the rpm commanded by the engine computer was never being met. The fan itself was operating steadily, nothing erratic at all.

Lets take a look at the wiring diagram. In the graphing capture above, most of the time the computer is seeing a fan rpm greater than desired. The computer "sees" rpm based on the signal

from the cooling fan hall effect sensor on the dark blue wire at pin D of the fan harness connector. From the spikes in the graph you can see a big jump in rpm and five dropouts to zero so it wouldn't be hard to imagine that there are conditions present at times for both fan codes.

If a scope was connected during the event above you would expect to see the fan speed signal as a 5 volt square wave with frequency indicating the rpm. Because the fan rpm is faster than the computer wants you would expect to see no voltage on the white wire on pin B.

What we know so far is that there is an intermittent problem with the fan speed signal (spikes and dropouts) and that the fan clutch is not reacting as it should to the computer commands. Nothing yet condemns a particular part beyond any doubt but it does have the fan clutch becoming a prime suspect. Since we have a P1481, then at times the fan speed signal must drop out for much longer than we've seen so far. At least 11 seconds of no signal on two consecutive trips. The customer says the noise is worse cold. Since the fan would be loudest at 100% duty cycle and since 100% duty cycle is commanded when there is no fan speed signal it sounds like we might see the conditions for the P1481 on a cold start. Normally you wouldn't expect the fan clutch to engage cold. After letting the car cool down I tried retesting from scratch. The scan data on the restart was not the same at all and the fan, it was very loud.

The scan shows no fan speed rpm even though the fan is turning at a very high rpm. If I put a scope on the fan speed signal at pin D I would expect the square wave signal is missing. If the signal is missing then the computer sees no fan rpm and should have full system voltage on pin B, trying to command the fan to turn faster.

A test of voltage between pin E and C showed that I had a solid ground and reference voltage. The testing confirms a bad cooling fan.

Kenneth Hayes

AKA Deranger

Carfax" and how to go about protecting yourself from buying a flood car!

Pat Goss and guest discuss "Carfax" and how to go about protecting yourself from buying a flood vehicle.

Clamps and Batteries - - - Strange and unusual battery clamps and battery issues

Clamps and Batteries

The first time I saw a hose clamp holding the positive cable onto the battery I just couldn’t believe it. Nobody prepared me for things like this. It’s not the kind of thing covered in tech schools, or in one of those “how-to-fix-your-car” manuals. It’s something that will surprise you the first time you see it… but then it happens again.
A few months later, I open the hood on another car, and low and behold… it’s a pair of grip pliers attached the terminal. This time I took the pliers up to the customer and told him what I found. He didn’t want the pliers back… OK, then… I’ll clean them up, and put them in my tool box.
Now I’ve got a collection of these crazy battery clamp contraptions. They’ve kept showing up over the years without fail; from screws and nails tightening a worn out clamp to some foreign object taking the place of the original clamps. Ya just never know.
I think the grip pliers are probably the most popular form of substitution. Not much use as pliers anymore, the teeth are usually worn or something else is wrong with them. But, I don’t want to just throw them away… I always think I’ll find some use for them later… never do of course.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to replace the clamp when it’s time with an appropriate type of replacement clamp? And, it’s not like some of these “wiz-bang” contraptions were just put on yesterday, oh no… some of these creations have huge amounts of corrosion and “fuzz” built up on the terminals.
There must be a misconception about how a battery clamp does its job? Has to be, why else would I see this so often, and it’s not always on the good old hunting truck or the farm truck that hardly ever makes it out of the fields. It’s the everyday soccer mom’s car or the exotic odd-shape-battery-style cars, either.
Something else to think about… some thought has gone into these “home engineered” clamps. It took a lot of time and effort to accomplish these inventive forms of electrical fasteners. I’ve even had a car that someone had taken strips of a soda can and used them as spacers between the clamp and the post. This wasn’t just a quick little effort mind you. Somebody had to think about it, conjure up a plan… get a pair of tin snips, cut out strips from a soda can at just the right height to match the clamp and then carefully place a few of them into the gap.
Before ya knew it, the clamp was tight again… a genius at work I tell you…a genius!… maybe not MENSA material, but a genius for sure.

One time I had a car in where somebody used a high voltage connector for a battery clamp. The kind you would find on high voltage overhead electrical lines. It was a splice clamp used to hold two lines together. Apparently it was the only thing handy, and it did work; in fact must have worked for quite some time… I couldn’t tell what it was until I removed the almost two inches of corrosion build up. I don’t know what kind of material this clamp was made out of, but battery acid sure liked it a lot.
Then there was this rocket scientist attempt at improving on the old battery clamp… he used a hacksaw blade and cut the post down the middle. Then put the clamp back on with a small steel wedge down into the crack he made with the hacksaw. From the pounding the top of the battery had taken it looked like the guy used a sledge hammer to knock the little wedge in place. Of course, it wasn’t long before the battery started to leak acid out of the post. What a mess…
A real favorite of mine are the ones that tighten, and tighten, and tighten the bolt clamp until that little bolt won’t go one thread tighter. Then bring the car in thinking they have a major electrical problem, because at times the starter will click, or they’ll lose all power to the vehicle. The place I’ll always look at first are the clamps. 99% of time it’s a simple clamp problem, especially when I can remove the battery clamp off the post without turning the bolt. (Yo’ dude… that clamp is made of lead… it will stretch and deform out of shape. You can tighten all you want but it ain’t going to get any better.)
Now let’s talk battery size… really… is this all that hard to figure out? If the battery in the car had the positive post on the right, and you put a battery in that had the positive post on the left… uhmmm… do ya think ya might have a problem? Ya gotta put the right size back in… just ‘cause it fit… doesn’t mean it “fits”.

The old air cooled VW is one that comes to mind. I’ve lost count of how many of those I’ve rewired after a too tall battery was installed and burnt the whole back end of the car.
It never ceases to amaze me how a simple thing like a battery or a clamp can become such a traumatic fiasco in a car. Just boggles the mind at all the variations of craziness I’ve seen over the years with battery installations and repairs.
Many years ago a customer brought in a 75’ MBenz that his grandson had put the battery in backwards. The car was ruined, but not completely… it could be rewired and repaired, but the cost was more than he wanted to deal with. I bought the car off of him as is, and tore it down and rewired it. I drove it for several years, and then later gave it to my daughter to use.
Battery replacement should be a basic simple repair; however, after seeing some of the creative ways people create their own connections or how they install them, looks like a complete loss of common sense to me. I’d like to think simple is the word to explain it, but simple doesn’t even begin to describe it all.
These days I just laugh at the marvels of these back yard engineering feats. It’s hard to keep a straight face when you get back to the front counter to explain to the customer that a paperclip and two bread twist ties aren’t strong enough to keep the cable attached to the battery.

It’s some of the best entertainment at the shop. Gotta love em’.
Just to let ya know, I’ve already got enough grip pliers, old hose clamps, coat hangers, screws, wire nuts, small bench vices, ratcheting wood clamps, fence pliers, clothes pins, meat skewers, and c-clamps to last me a lifetime, so if you would please, come up with a few new ones for me… I’ve got room in my collection for more…Oh, and I could use a few more laughs too.


Find even more hillarious stories at Gonzostoolbox.com And.. if you haven't already... pick up a copy of my best selling book. Hey Look! I Found the Loose Nut funny stories from the mechanics point of view.

gasoline engine storage

Pat Goss talks about getting the gasoline engine ready for storage during the off months.

How to pick a good repair shop

Bobby Kudirka talks to local automotive Guru David Solomon, Host of the “Nutz & Boltz” weekly call-in talk radio show, about how to pick a good repair shop

Pat goss on road trips

Pat Goss talks about what you should be doing to your car before you go on a road trip.

How to Save Money on Your Car's Transmission

Diagnostic Tech: 93 Buick, High Idle

'93 Buick Park Avenue, 3.1


The complaint is an intermittent jump from idle to high rpm. I wasn't able to duplicate the symptom on a test drive but the Service Engine Soon light was displayed during the short road trip. A test for engine codes with a scan tool could shed some light on the problem.


I have an old OTC 4000 Enhanced that is my tool of choice for these earlier systems but since it doesn't get used much these days it was easier to just grab the Snapon Solus Pro and give it a try. The scan tool would not communicate with the car's computer. Now before you go into diagnostic mode, faced with a communication problem, try a different scan tool. It isn't unusal at all to find a particular tool doesn't read a particular system well. That's life in the aftermarket scan tool world. The OTC EVO worked fine. My stored trouble code was a 22. I guess no need to dust off the 4000.


A 22 sets if the engine computer sees a voltage of less than 0.2 for at least 4 seconds on the throttle position sensor signal circuit. Before digging out the multimeter and doing tests, and since the scan tool is already connected, I can pull up the datastream and look at the tps voltage as seen by the engine computer. In this case it was 0.04 volts with throttle closed and key on. The voltage did rise with opening the throttle but that voltage is out of range. Now since the throttle sensor connector is not hard to access, I disconnected the sensor. At the connector you should have a 5 volt reference on the gray wire. So if you jumper the gray wire to the blue, which is the sensor signal wire, and you see the sensor signal voltage on the scan tool data change to 5 volts you know you have 5 volts to the sensor and that the wire from the sensor to the computer is good. A 5 volt sensor signal voltage should also set a code 21 (voltage too high), which will verify the computer is good.

After doing the tests and verifying the throttle position sensor was bad I replaced the failed part and fixed the problem.

Kenneth Hayes
deranger@ipa.net

Goss Winterize

Air Bag Light in Disguise An interesting problem on a recently purchased used car.

Air Bag Light in Disguise Gonzo


Sometimes I wonder if the things I find wrong with some of these cars are just there for me to find out how ridiculous some people can be. I’ve got to question the thought process of the brilliant ideas that some people can have, just before total stupidity takes over. I gotta ask… “What were you thinking?”
The other day I had a late 90’s GM in the shop. The owner had recently bought it off of a small car lot, and had no idea of the history of the vehicle. It was one of those “great deals” that he couldn’t pass up. Why is it these “great” deals always have some sort of catch to them? Maybe it would be a good idea to have it checked out before you buy it. After looking at it, I might tell you to “pass it up”. Honestly, I’ll never understand why someone will buy a used car when they know nothing about it, or decide after they buy it to finally have it checked out … but they do.
This particular creation had some strange problems. It had a strange battery drain. At first glance all the instrument cluster warning lights, interior lights, and all the electrical functions seemed to be working correctly. There was a drain, a good one too. Strong enough to drain the battery in a day, or so. Finding the solution actually was going to lead to an even bigger problem.
Narrowing it down by watching the amp meter for the parasitic draw value, and pulling fuses till the numbers dropped back into factory specs was the next procedure. Of all things, it ended up back to a crossed up circuit between the air bag system and the charging system. I decided to check the air bag system for codes.
This is interesting, it’s off line. No communication with the crash box. Hmmm, I’m a little confused, because I know I saw the air bag light come on and go off when I pulled it into the shop. Turning the key off, and then restarting the car didn’t help me much, because the air bag light was on… and then off. But then, maybe it did. Like I said, the light came on, and then went off… hey, wait a minute isn’t there supposed to be a few seconds before it goes off? Isn’t this how it verifies its systems are functioning properly? I thought so. So, what’s going on here?
As a technician I’m trying to follow the codes, the diagnostic charts, and the operating description of the system I’m working on. This particular problem wasn’t following the chain of typical scenarios. Take in account this whole thing started off because of a battery drain… I’m really starting to scratch my head over this one.
I had a lot of different ways to go with this one. I could try and follow the draw a little further, or I could chase the problem from the air bag side of it. Maybe, it will all lead to the same problem. For my money I think I’ll work on it from the air bag side of the problem.
The air bag fuses were all good, and the light did come on in the dash. So, I decided to pull the air bag diagnostic module out and pin check the leads to see if that lead anywhere. My first check on any system is the positive signals and then the grounds. Why’s that you ask? Because a loss of ground can be seen as an open lead, and if the positive signals are there, you’ll actually find a voltage signal on the open ground. That’s what electricity wants to do… find ground, and find the shortest path back to the source of the voltage.
In this case they were all there, but when I checked the leads to the instrument cluster the voltage was coming towards the crash box rather than to the cluster. What now? (I love my job, I love my job, repeat as necessary) I guess I better pull the cluster and check the wiring from there back to the crash box and see if that leads anywhere.
After pulling the dash it didn’t take a rocket scientist to see what the problem was. On the back of the instrument cluster somebody had cut the circuit board line to the air bag light, and then added a soldered-on wire to the charge light. So when the charge light was on, so was the air bag light. Once the car started (providing the charging system is working correctly) the charge light would go out, and so would the air bag light. Huh???
You can imagine my “mechanical language” was not for the faint of heart when I found out what was going on. It seems some genius didn’t want to replace the air bag module, so they invented their own air bag warning light instead. Brilliant stupidity… I think that’s the best way to explain it. I can’t imagine somebody went thru all the trouble to deceive the buyer of this car for a safety issue such as air bags. It should be a criminal offense.
After undoing the homemade airbag light, the draw was completely gone. Now the only thing to do was to replace the air bag module to bring it back up to working order. I’m not saying anybody would have caught the problem at first glance. It was a well thought out deception. If you were not intentionally looking for an air bag light delay, I don’t think you would have caught the problem.
Leave it to some unscrupulous dork out there to try something like this. But, I still think it is a good idea to have the car checked out prior to buying it. Maybe, just maybe, you can spot problems like this before you own the problem.


Don't forget to check out my website www.gonzostoolbox.com
Order a copy of my best selling book. "Hey Look, I Found the Loose Nut"
Funny reading for all ages.

Buying a car watch, out for "Flood"cars.

Pat Goss and John Davis talk about what to watch out for in buying cars just after a flood.

Listen below.

How To Safely Jump Start a Vehicle

Goss on Preventing a Break-In

Bizarre Car Problems Seen By Goss

Pat Goss Talks Shop: AllData Subscription

Pat Goss Answers Fan Question: Does Your Car Need High Mileage Oil?

This week Pat Goss has a few tips on dealing with overheating problems. Listen below

"Drifting" explained

Pat Goss and guests explain what the term "Drifting" means!

Also check out http://www.summitpoint-raceway.com/

CAR CARE FOR EVERYONE WITH PAT GOSS

Goss on Traditional Booster Cables

Need a Car Part- Take it to a 3D printer!

Although this might seem to have little to do with automobiles now, who knows what technology might take this concept farther and like the title says..

To me this is one of the most amazing technologies I have seem in some time.

A Must See!

Instrument Cluster Installation Avalanche, Sierra, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon, Denali XL

Watch how easy it is to change an instrument cluster!

Goss on Air Conditioning

Goss Answers Facebook Fan Question: Octane Boost

Goss on Tire Repair

Pat Goss on Quicklubes!

Pat Goss with care care tips for women

Gonzo visits Goss Garage in Studio

Gonzo was in town recently (Washington D.C.) and made it to the radio station nearby in Virginia. Listen to the clip as Pat Goss talks about his Book!

Common Car Care Tips

Pat Goss on common A/C problems

Listen to the audio clip where Pat Goss talks about common problems with your vehicle's A/C.
*Evaporator's,
*can the A/C be too cold or too warm
*cabin air filters
* how to check the temperature out of the air ducts
* BG Frigi-Fresh®. BG Frigi-Fresh® is formulated to quickly and effectively eliminate foul, musty odors from automobile air conditioning systems

If Your Car Makes A Noise, Don't Ignore It!

Magnuson-Moss and warranty

Listen to the clip below and know your rights!

The car coach on fluids!

http://buffalo.ynn.com/content/features/543517/the-car-coach---fluids/?r=8492811545

The Black Limo!

The Black Limo NOTE: The tale you're about to read happened to a friend of someone, who told it to me. I thought it was interesting enough to pass along, as I am not a story writer! Gonzo, I am sure will like this one!

It had been a hellish day. It was very hot, very long, and full of hassles. Big time hassles. It seemed like nothing went right. One step forward, two steps back. The day had finally ended and Abbott was glad it was over. He was heading home at last. The air conditioner felt good on his neck, and his thoughts were on dinner. Just as his mind was wandering over the trials and tribulations of the day, something caught his eye up ahead. There was a limo on the side of the road with the trunk open. 'Broken Down?' Abbott thought. As he got nearer to it, he wondered why limos never showed up at the door of the shop where he worked. 'They probably have special garages that work on them. Places that are specially set up to handle them.' He envisioned special lifts that would have huge arms to reach out and hold the massive frames. He imagined special service bays a mile long. 'Should he stop?' he asked himself. That's when the little devil and angel fight begins.

Abbott has been caught in the middle of battles of the angel and devil most of his adult life. The devil touts him to do something that is usually naughty or mischievous. The angel is his conscience, and usually keeps Abbott out of trouble. The little devil jumps out onto his shoulder and says, 'Abbott! Hey, don't stop. They're rich. They probably have their personal tow truck on the way. Or maybe there's a helicopter on the way. Don't waste your time. It's nice and cool in here. You don't want to go back out there in that scorching heat. Sit tight!' Now it's the angel's turn. 'Abbott, they could be in trouble. There might be a good reason why you should pull over and offer help. Be a good Samaritan and see why they are on the side of the road. Go ahead. A mechanic is never off duty. Go for it!' The angel usually won. And this time, Abbott had no trouble listening to the advice of the angel. He pulled his pickup truck onto the shoulder behind the limo and got out.

The driver, dressed in a nice suit, also got out. By the time Abbott had walked up to the back of the limo the driver greeted him saying in a British accent, 'Sir! Thank you for stopping! You are most appreciated. I have no knowledge of how to change a tire. Is it possible that you could lend some assistance in this regard?' 'Why sure', Abbott replied as he rolled up his sleeves. The trunk was already open. Abbott reached inside and removed two golf club bags full of clubs. Then he removed the mat and the spare tire cover, revealing the spare and jack. 'Oh, that's where it is hidden. I would not have known that this is the place where it is kept-unless you had showed me,' said the driver with an amazed expression on his face. Abbott took out the scissors jack and began looking under the limo for the proper place to position the jack. 'I wonder if this jack can handle this huge car?' he worried silently to himself. But, the jack held, and the limo began to go upwards as he turned the crank. 'Now, it's time to break loose the lug nuts--before the tire is in the air,' he instructed the driver. Pulling with his back, legs and both arms, he loosened each of the five lug nuts a half turn. Next, he placed the spare tire under the limo. 'I do this in case the jack falls. The spare tire will keep the limo from crashing down--maybe on top of me and you!' The driver nodded with wide eyes.

In a matter of a couple of minutes he had all of the lug nuts loose and the flat tire was laying on the ground. He swapped places, putting the flat under the limo and the spare in its place. First Abbott tightened the lug nuts finger tight, and then snugged them home with the tire iron. He carefully lowered the vehicle, putting its weight down onto the spare. To finish it off, he gave the lug nuts one final tightening. As he did, he pointed out how he followed a star pattern as the sequence to tighten them. The driver nodded and was impressed. Just then, there was an electric whirring sound. One of the rear windows in the back of the limo slid open and someone inside called out to the chauffeur. Abbott was startled. He had no idea that anyone was actually inside the vehicle. The driver walked over to the person beckoning him and stuck his head into the open window. Abbott could hear muffled voices. Then, the driver pulled his head out, stood up, and motioned for Abbott to come over.

More out of curiosity than anything, Abbott walked up to the open window. A well dressed man sitting inside smiled at him through the window. 'Sir, what is your name? I want to offer you a reward for your gallant actions.' The man reached inside his coat and took out his wallet. Abbott said, 'No thanks. Not necessary. Just doing my civic duty. Think nothing of it.' The man said, 'I insist. Please let me pay you for your time.' Abbott replied, 'Naw. But if you want to do something nice, just send my wife some flowers. She'll get a kick out if it.' The man passed a slip of paper and a fancy gold pen out the window to Abbott and he gave him his wife's name and address. Then he got back into his pickup truck and headed home.

By the time he pulled into his driveway, he had completely forgotten about the whole incident. It was a few days later, at work, when Abbott got a phone call. 'It sounds like your wife is really upset, Abbott. Better get up here fast. This really sounds serious,' said the boss. As Abbott picked up the phone, he could hear his wife shouting and screeching in a shrill voice. In their twelve years of marriage, he had never heard her make sounds like this. In a calming voice, Abbott pleaded with her to settle down and tell him what was wrong. He was embarrassed that the people in the front office might hear her shrieking. Finally, she calmed down enough for Abbott to make sense with what she was saying. She said that a man had come up to the door and delivered two dozen beautiful long-stem roses. Just then, Abbott remembered the man in the limo. He had completely forgotten about the incident alongside the road. In a voice that would best be described as frantic, she continued, 'Let me tell you what happened.' Abbott said, 'Hold your horses and calm down. Now talk to me!' 'Well, this man came to the door--a delivery man. He had the flowers. I was SO surprised and stunned that it was happening to me. I was maybe just a little concerned-that maybe I forgot something like our anniversary or something-when he pulls out this clipboard.''

And it has this envelope stuck on it. He takes out the envelope and hands it to me, and says, 'I have been instructed to give you these flowers and this envelope. I have also been instructed to make sure that you have read the contents of the envelope and thoroughly understand what is written on this document.' 'That really threw me for a loop', she went on, 'and I didn't know what to think.

So I opened the envelope to see what was inside and there was this note.'We were late to a very important meeting and had a flat tire. Our driver had no idea of how to change a tire. We summoned help, but it would arrive much too late. Because of your husband's wonderful and gallant efforts, we were able to reach our destination in time. Marla and I would like to show our appreciation by sending these roses. Also, as a token of my appreciation, please examine the attached document. It will explain that the mortgage on your house has been paid off. Sincerely, Donald Trump'Epilog. When I first heard this story, I was envious. Now, I find myself looking alongside the highway for a broken down black limo!

Good, Cheap, and Fast those three little words...

Good, Cheap, Fast

If you’re in the auto repair business like I am, you know there are certain times and events throughout the year that dictate how business is going to flow in the shop. Sometimes it’s a good thing; sometimes the shop moves really fast, other times it’s so slow you have enough spare time to build a canoe and wait for the rain to come.
For me, I can just about plan my year by the calendar. School starts, shop goes dead. Holidays, shop goes dead. Tax season, shop goes dead, change political parties, shop goes dead. Any long stretch of mid-70 degree days with no need for air conditioning, heater, or the wipers, shop goes dead. Pretty much anything that upsets the balance of time-space-continuum, the shop goes dead. However, through all the usual up and down cycles I manage to keep the doors open.
There are so many different things that can get in the way of maintaining a full shop. Of course, in the midst of all this chaos I have to find time to keep up with the current technology, and at the same time, purchase any new equipment to go along with this new technology.
I try not to buy the cheapest scanner or tool out there. I’ve seen the results of poor judgment when it comes to that. Fast service to the customer is a plus. However, too fast and you may over look things. I’d like to think I am doing the best I can with every job that comes into the shop. Hopefully, keeping in mind to not go too fast, not use cheap parts, and always give good service.
There’s no doubt that the electronic age has affected every part of our daily lives. I see it even more when it comes to car maintenance and general repairs. Even with all of this technology they haven’t been able to get rid of the technician and a toolbox. There’s still a need for a trained technician to be under the hood doing the hands-on work to get the car back out on the road.
I hear so much talk about “Weeding” out the cheap shops, and promoting the good ones in the automotive repair trade. I believe that’s a good thing, a really good thing; it puts all of us in the business on the fast track to success, and hopefully gives more credibility to the automotive repair shops out there. Although, as it is in the real world, for some people, all they really want is cheap. Cheap enough that their pocketbook doesn’t dry up after a car repair. Let’s face it, as long as there are those “Bottom-feeder” shops out there, and people willing to go to them, little is going to change.
That’s where one of my favorite little quotes comes into play. It goes like this: “There are three things you can have in auto repair or any business for that matter… and that’s--- “Good, Cheap, and Fast”. The only problem is that you can only choose two of these. Choose wisely, because the one you did “not” pick, you must use it to finish this sentence: “It’s not going to be very _____.” I’ve heard this quote from a lot of different sources. It’s nothing new. I wouldn’t doubt it’s been around for a hundred years or more, but it’s still true even today.
To bring it into some modern terms let’s take this example: “Temporary battery clamps.”
You know the ones you find on about 50% of the cars that come into the shop? Hmm… they’re not called “Replacement Clamps,” now are they? No, the common term I’ve heard for years for them is: “Temporary Clamps.” (Call the parts store and ask for temporary clamps, see what they send you.) So, why are so many of them installed and then left on the car? Well, let’s see, they’re cheap, and they can be installed pretty fast. Would I say they are good, well, good for a while… they’re only temporary right? Thus, the answer to this one is “Cheap and Fast” and the results are: It’s not going to be very – Good.
Maybe I’m just a little crazy, but wouldn’t it make more sense to invest in a battery clamp crimping tool, some good replacement clamps, a few sections of color-coded shrink tubing to seal the ends, and take the time to repair them correctly? Hmmm, problem here….. if I was using the quote as a guideline, it would read: “It’s not going to be very “Cheap”. Again, those three little words come into play again.
For me, the real funny part, is how-in-the-world did you end up needing a new clamp in the first place? Oh, that’s right, the maintenance was neglected, or should I say… somebody was too cheap to get regular maintenance done. There are always other reasons you know; I could go on about those… Am I moving too fast for ya? I’m not? Good.
I guess it all goes back to that “Good, Cheap, and Fast thing”. It’s amazing how it seems to always end up with those three little words to explain it all. I don’t think it really matters whether it’s something for the house, or that awful hotel room you stayed in, or even a battery clamp. Some way or another things can or will go wrong if poor choices are made on just about anything in life.
So keep this little quote handy and see how often it works out there in the real world. I have it posted in the front office area, and when someone asks I’ll tell them, while pointing to the little sign: “If you want it cheap, and you want it fast”…
“It’s not going to be very… Good.”

Don't forget to visit my website for even more car stories, info, and photos. www.gonzostoolbox.com Pick up a copy of my best selling book while your there.

Air conditioning refrigerant line replacement

Dale Donovan showing but not really explaining why auto manufactures make it so difficult to replace an air conditioning line on a late model vehicle.

Profiles in the Automotive Industry -- Pat Goss

His slogan often heard when signing off the air"drive gently". Goss 62, was born and raised in a small town outside Buffalo. His father, a bus mechanic, died when Goss was young. His mother's job in an electronics factory couldn't keep the family solvent, so Goss opened a body and paint shop while a high school freshman.

"I've read a few books and concluded that the stuff was incredibly simple," he says. By the time Pat finished high school, his shop employed 23 people and grossed $900,000 a year. "We specialized in lowering car frames, so the body of the car sat lower, and painting flames on the side -- stuff like that."

While taking scattered college courses, he taught for an automotive test equipment company. "I was teaching the cream De la Creme of the technicians," he says." One day it dawned on me that I am teaching these guys who are making four and five times as much as I am." So he went back into the business. Tired of small-town life, he came to Washington in 1966: "I knew people in Washington, so I stopped here and I never left -- no grand plan."

Besides running his Silver Spring garage located in Seabrook Maryland in the suburbs of Washington DC, Goss discusses cars Saturday's on WJFK -- FM radio. His television show, "Goss Garage" is carried on news channel 8 in Arlington, VA. ,Saturday mornings at 9:30 am. MotorWeek is broadcast internationally.He also writes for publications including the Wall Street Journal and Reader's Digest.

Goss teaches car care clinics and he has consulted for the White House office of Consumer Affairs, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, and others. He and his wife, Bonnie, live in West River, Maryland, south of Annapolis. She helps produces TV and radio shows and works in the garage. Goss's daughter, Marcy, works in the front office; a husband and shop foreman.

He was once asked how come cars constantly go in for repairs?
I don't take my refrigerator in the shop! "Your refrigerator doesn't fly up and down highways at high speed. It doesn't weigh thousands of pounds it's a simple machine. Today's automobiles at around 10 times the computing power of the original lunar landing module. They're among the most sophisticated equipment on the planet. And that performance is stunning. Brakes aren't locking up like they used to. Cars are considerably more durable and reliable"

"Getting good maintenance, a car should run relatively trouble-free or at least 150,000 miles. Given exemplary preventative maintenance, maybe 200,000 to 255,000 miles before needing really major repairs".

"In all my years in business -- hiring and firing people, and so on -- I truly can't remember an employee it didn't have a lot of good in him or her. Maybe not a lot of good for the particular position they were in, but overall they were good people. I've learned that what I thought was all-important when I was much younger wasn't. I used to be very concerned with money. I tried to do a good job, sure, but I was concerned with making the most dollars."

"Then I backed off that. I concentrated on doing a better job. Before long the money took care of itself. I made more concentrating on doing the best job possible than I had concentrating on the money. I've long had expensive stuff around the house. Those nice things were important to me. Then a few years back, I had a health crisis -- malignant melanoma -- which required surgery and treatment. After these treatments, I woke up one morning with a realization: Not once during all this drama had I thought, or given a damn, about any of the stuff Never once."
I said, "now, wait a minute -- there's a lesson here." These things have absolutely no meaning when it gets down to brass tacks. There is no meaning to them at all!

*excepts taken from The Washingtonian 04/23/04

How To Store Your Car

Watch Bobby live from the floor of Car Clinic Service / PreRepair as he demonstrates "How to Store Your Hot Rod/Muscle Car or Collector Car

A Bogie of a Battery Re-thinking cheap parts and cheap diagnostics

A Bogie of a Battery

I’m an avid golfer. You can ask my wife; she’ll tell you. There’s hardly a weekend that goes by that I’m not out on a course somewhere. I’ve got a regular group I play with each weekend. None of us are all that exceptional, but we enjoy the game and the company. We all know what it takes to play the game, and understand even more that practice does not make perfect, but perfect practice makes for perfect play.
I try to keep this in mind when I’m at the shop. The best practice for me is doing the job correctly, and not cutting corners for the sake of cost or time. When a problem is compounded with cheap parts, it doesn’t make the repair any easier. Especially if the customer doesn’t recognize the difference between a good quality part and those cheap knock offs out there.
A referral job came into the shop the other day. He said he had a battery drain problem, but had tried everything to solve it. The problem had been going on for years. Each and every time he would take it into a repair shop the answer was always, “It’s the battery.” He wasn’t buying that anymore, there had to be more to it.
Hole no#1
That afternoon the Jeep Cherokee was dropped off for me to try my hand at solving the problem. I didn’t get off the first “T” box, before I found a problem The battery tester showed a faulty cell in the battery, and to top things off the battery was the wrong size for the car. Not only that, it was one of those cheap second rate batteries sold at some of the discount stores. I guess for some people that’s OK with them, but for me it’s a for sure “Bogie”.
Off to Hole no#2
Of course, there are some people who believe there is no difference between the higher priced batteries and the cheap “off brands”. I beg to differ… they’re cheap for a reason. For some, the realization of this only happens after they have had a couple of triples, or the dreaded “snow man” (that’s an “8” for the non-golfers out there), before they realize that there is a difference in quality and price.
Hole no#3
After replacing the battery (with a good one) I did find a small draw on the system. It happened to be coming from the instrument cluster. On this year and model the horn fuse also sends a constant voltage to the tachometer in the cluster, even while the key is off.
Hole no#4
The draw was extremely small. I might have overlooked this small draw, but since this was an on-going problem I thought I would check into it a little further. There wasn’t anything else wrong with the vehicle. It was a clean well kept ride, no extras added on, and even the engine bay was well detailed.
Holes no#5&6
As it was a back-up vehicle, and not his daily driver, any sort of abnormal draw would definitely turn into a dead battery. I called him, and gave him the bad news. His main problem wasn’t so much the draw that I found, but the battery situation. Since this is what everyone else was telling him, he wasn’t convinced that it was part of his problem. I started to sound like all the other shops that had looked at his car, so there was some doubt.
Making the turn
He showed up later that day to grab his battery for replacement. I carried the battery out to his car for him. He still wasn’t convinced that the battery was part of the problem, but because the printout from the battery scanner showed the bad cell he was willing to replace it, again.
“How many times have you replaced it?” I asked.
“This will make the 4th time I’ve taken the battery back within the last 6 months. The first one leaked, the next one had a loose post, and the last one went dead after the first day, and never would take a charge,” he tells me, while lifting the tail gate to his daily driver.
Hole no# 15
There in the back of his car was a set of golf clubs. As he slid his golf clubs off to one side to make room for the battery, I couldn’t help but notice they looked like new clubs.
“New clubs, Calloways right?” I said.
“Yea, just got them. I traded in my old set for these. What a difference it makes to play with good quality clubs,” he proudly tells me.
Even though I’m a weekend hacker, I thought I might use this opportunity to give a quick golf lesson.
“What did you play with before?”
“Oh, just some knock off clubs, they were alright, but you sure can tell the difference when you play with the good quality stuff,” patting his clubs carefully while placing a towel over them.
“Did ya ever think that automotive batteries are manufactured just like those golf clubs?”
“I’m not following you,” he says.
“There are cheaper golf clubs that can do the job, but better equipment can improve your game. The same thing with car parts; if you buy cheap parts, you’re more than likely adding to the problem if the cheaper part fails prematurely. Golf clubs, car batteries, it doesn’t matter. There’s always better, best, and of course a whole lot of worse out there,” I told him.
“So you’re suggesting buy better parts?”
“Just like the golf clubs,” I said.
“Hey, that makes sense. I wonder why I never thought about that? More people need to know about cheap parts, and what you gain by paying just a bit more… I get it… thanks.”
To the 17th
“Cars are my business and knowing cheap vs. good parts is part of my job. This is where my experience pays off for you, the consumer. I’ve been around long enough to know what a good part is, and what’s not,” I told my golf playing customer.
“That makes so much sense. It’s unbelievable I would ever think I knew enough about car batteries to know which one was a good one, and which one is not. (Laughing now) Funny you should tell me all of this, because that’s what the guy at the pro shop said when I was looking at changing clubs. The pro at the golf shop suggested letting him use his expertise to find that right set of clubs for me,” my birdie putting customer tells me.
Mulligan
That afternoon he called back, seems the department store’s battery department didn’t want to give him his money back. And their reasoning behind it?... Oh this is priceless… they told him:
“The battery they originally sold me is not the correct battery for the truck, so they can’t warranty it any more, or give me my money back. Then they tell me that if I would have purchased the correct battery size in the first place they would have no problem warranting it.”
For real? You’ve got to be kidding me. I’ve heard of all kinds of reasons why you couldn’t honor a warranty, but the fact that they sold him the wrong battery is a new one on me. You’d think after 3 attempts at replacing the battery that someone there would have checked to see if it was the correct battery. Unbelievable. Needless to say, I had to get involved and press the battery salesman to cough up the cash.
18th hole
With the draw repaired and a decent battery installed, there wasn’t much else to do except look forward to the next weekend golf game. At least now this guy could get back to driving golf balls, and not worry about his Jeep sitting at home.
I think he learned a valuable lesson that there is a difference in the manufacturing of quality automotive components and where you purchase them. Using golf as a comparison worked well for this customer. I’m not a pro golfer, but I’m a pro in my field, and sometimes I might know a thing or two about my favorite pastime. At least as a golf playing-mechanic I can show my expertise where it counts. Maybe even putt for an eagle once in awhile, or shave off a stroke or two on my handicap.
Whether it’s a round of golf or diagnosing automotive problems it still comes down to the same thing-- quality, good information and practice.


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