c/auto-mechanics

Warning: That cheap ultrasonic cleaner from the big box store messed up 3 injectors last month

I grabbed a $60 unit off the shelf in Phoenix to clean some GDI injectors and it stripped the brass tips after 2 cycles. Has anyone else had luck with a specific cleaner under $200 that doesn't ruin parts?

Tried that cheap $40 vacuum bleeder from Harbor Freight

I was dead set against cheap brake tools for years. Buddy of mine lent me his fancy Motive bleeder and it worked great but cost over $100. Found this tiny electric pump model for 40 bucks and figured I'd waste the money. Used it on my '97 F-150 last week after a caliper swap and it pulled the fluid through clean in under 15 minutes. Anyone else get surprised by a cheap tool that actually worked?

The debate on swapping out timing chains vs just the tensioner at 150k miles

I did my buddy's 2012 Ford Focus timing chain at 152,000 miles last month. He wanted me to just swap the tensioner and save $300 on the full kit. I told him no way, the chain had stretched a quarter inch already. But then my other mechanic friend says he's done just tensioners on three Escapes past 180k and they ran fine. I'm in the middle here because on one hand the full job takes forever but on the other hand you don't want it skipping teeth. What do you guys usually do when a customer comes in with high mileage - full chain and guides or just the tensioner?

Tried swapping a tranny solo in my driveway last weekend

Had a 2005 Ford F-150 with a bad 4R70W transmission. Decided I'd do the swap myself to save the $1,200 the shop quoted me. Got it out fine with a floor jack and some blocks, but putting the new one in took me 6 hours and three tries to line up the bellhousing bolts. Learned that those stupid alignment dowels can bend if you force them, and then nothing seats right. Ended up having to pull the whole thing back out and file down the burrs. Anyone else ever fight with a transmission swap that should have been simple?

That Tuesday last month where every single plug I grabbed was ready to snap off

I was replacing spark plugs on a 2010 Ford Focus, nothing crazy, but the first one came out with half the ceramic still in the head. Then the second one did the same thing. By the third cylinder I was already 45 minutes behind and the customer was pacing in the waiting room. Had to use a vacuum and a pick set to fish out the pieces, and I still have no idea why that specific batch of plugs was so brittle. Anyone run into a batch of plugs that just decided to give up like that?

Rant: Why do we still argue about torque specs on aluminum oil pans?

I did a 2014 Ford Focus last week and used the factory 18 ft-lbs, but the pan still warped a hair. Do you think manufacturer specs are just too tight, or are we all afraid to back them off a bit? Anyone else had a pan seal fail after following the book?

I keep seeing people torque lug nuts while the car is still jacked up. Why is this still a thing?

At my shop last Tuesday, this guy rolls in with a wobble at highway speed. I pull the wheel and three of the five studs are stretched. He tells me his buddy torqued them down while the tire was off the ground. I see this mistake at least once a month from DIYers and even some younger techs. On the one hand, it's way easier to get the torque wrench in there with the wheel hanging. On the other hand, the wheel isn't seated flat against the hub so the load is uneven and you strip studs or warp rotors. Am I the only one who thinks this should be basic knowledge by now? Or do some of you actually do it this way and get away with it?

Took a gamble on a $25 timing light from Harbor Freight, and it actually held up

My fancy Snap-on one died mid-job on a 2006 Civic last Thursday, so I grabbed the cheap one just to finish. It got me through the whole timing belt replacement without skipping a beat. Anybody else had surprisingly good luck with their budget tools?

Am I wrong for replacing a water pump instead of just the gasket?

Last week my 2012 Civic started leaking coolant bad, turns out the water pump bearing was shot and the gasket was cooked too... I swapped the whole pump for $120 but some guys say I should have just done the gasket for $8. Did I waste money or is it always smarter to do the whole job while you're in there?

I finally figured out why my torque wrench kept slipping

Been using a click-type torque wrench for 5 years and just learned last month I was supposed to grease the threads on the bolt, not just crank it dry, after a guy at the NAPA counter in Des Moines watched me struggle and asked if I ever heard of friction.

The day I realized I'd been torquing lug nuts wrong for 12 years

Was working on a buddy's 2018 F-150 last month and watched him use a torque wrench to tighten his lugs to spec. I always just gunned them on with the impact and called it good. Anyone else learn the hard way that overtightening warps the rotors on these newer trucks?

Timing chain tensioner failure on a 2014 Ford Fiesta at 87k miles

I was reading a TSB from Ford last night and found out these engines have a known issue with the plastic tensioner guides. Mine just started rattling this morning after I dropped my kids off at school. Is there an aftermarket fix that uses metal guides or do I just swap in a new OEM tensioner?

Heads up: That cheap brake cleaner from the dollar store nearly cost me a caliper rebuild

Last weekend I grabbed a couple cans of that no-name brake cleaner from the bargain bin at my local auto parts place in Des Moines. I figured it was all the same stuff, just a can of spray. Well, I used it to clean off a set of calipers I was rebuilding on my 2002 F-150, and the residue left a weird sticky film that would not come off with just air. I had to scrub everything down with actual solvent and a wire brush, which added two hours to the job. Turns out that cheap stuff has a lower concentration of the active cleaner and more propellant that leaves a gummy mess. Now I'm wondering if anyone else has had a bad experience with off-brand chemicals, or am I just being too picky about keeping my work clean?

Three bays in a row got me thinking about my creeper choice

Was working a Saturday shift at Jerry's Auto off I-35 and slid under a Focus, a Silverado, and a Corolla back to back. My old plastic creeper caught on every single jack stand lip and nearly threw me off twice. Anyone else switch to a low-profile aluminum one and actually notice a difference in how fast you roll under?

Unpopular opinion: new coil packs aren't always the fix

Just had a misfire on a 2015 F-150 last Tuesday. Swapped all 8 coil packs and it still ran rough. Turned out it was a corroded ground wire under the battery tray, wasted $320 on parts I didn't need. Any other guys here actually check wiring before throwing parts at it?

Just got back from a shop on Mayfield Road and something felt off

Stopped by their alignment bay and noticed the rack was way out of level. I put a bubble level on it and it was off by almost a quarter inch side to side. Has anyone else seen shops skipping calibration checks on their equipment lately?

Took me 5 years to figure out I was over-torquing lug nuts by hand

I always thought I had a good feel for tightening lug nuts with a breaker bar. Then last month I borrowed a torque wrench from a buddy to double check my work after a brake job. Every single lug nut was between 110 and 130 ft-lbs on a car that calls for 80. No wonder I had that weird brake pulsation for years. Anybody else get humbled by a torque wrench for the first time?

Had a brake line burst on a Chevy 2500 yesterday in my driveway

Was doing a simple pad slap on a 2014 Chevy 2500 when the rear brake line just popped as I bled the system. Rust had eaten through the line right near the frame bracket, probably been weak for months. Ended up having to cut out a 2-foot section and flare new line with my old Ridgid tool. Anyone else seeing these GM trucks from the salt belt just rot out faster than they used to?

Spent $300 on a 'professional' brake bleed and they still felt spongy

Last month I took my 2012 F-150 to a chain shop in Nashville for a brake fluid flush. They charged me $300 and said it was a full system bleed with a machine. Drove it home and the pedal still sank halfway to the floor. Took it back twice and they just shrugged and said it was normal for older trucks. Finally did it myself in my driveway with a $12 vacuum pump kit from Amazon. Fixed the problem in 30 minutes and the pedal is solid now. That shop clearly just did a quick gravity drain and called it good. Has anyone else had a shop lie about a brake service like that?

That time a customer argued their O2 sensor was fine for 20 minutes

Last Tuesday a guy rolls in with a 2010 Civic throwing a P0420 code. He swears up and down the O2 sensor is fine, says his buddy scanned it at AutoZone. I pulled the sensor anyway, showed him the cracked ceramic and the soot buildup. He still tried to argue until I let him watch the live data stream on my scanner. Some people just don't want to believe the sensor is the issue even when the numbers are right there. Anybody else get customers who fight you on the obvious fix?

That Wednesday last month where everything just worked for once

I had this one day last month where three tough jobs all went smooth. First up was a 2012 Ford Focus with a weird transmission shudder. Got the TCM relearn done in 20 minutes flat. Then a Chevy Silverado with a bad wheel bearing, popped out in under an hour. Finished with an oil pan gasket on a 3.6L that didn't fight me once. Usually I get one or two fights a day. But that Wednesday had me scared something bad was coming. Has anyone else had a day like that where you just knew the universe was gonna balance it out?

Old guy at the gas station fixed my starter with a hammer

I was stuck at a Shell station off I-35 in San Antonio about 3 years ago. This older guy in a stained coverall walks over and asks if I tried tapping the starter. I laughed but he handed me a ball peen hammer and said give it one good hit. Truck fired right up and he just nodded and walked away. Has anyone else had random roadside help that actually worked?

Update: I was wrong about $80 heated grips being a waste of money

Hit 100,000 miles on my personal truck this morning

I bought it new back in 2018 and that 100k mark snuck up on me. It made me think about all the oil changes and tire rotations I've done on this thing in my driveway. Any other mechanics keep a log of their own vehicle's milestones like that?

I'll take a clutch job on a '90s Honda over a new Subaru any day

Had to drop the trans on a 2023 Outback last week to fix a rear main seal. Took me almost 11 hours with all the computer modules and wiring in the way. Last month I did a clutch on a 1995 Civic in my driveway in 3 hours with hand tools. People say new cars are easier to work on but I just don't see it. Has anyone else had a nightmare job on a newer vehicle that should've been simple?