Exactly. For years people wanted cheap parts,Now that they got them they don’t like them because they’re a joke. People are diagnosing cars by replacing parts that’s not how it works especially when you’re putting on junk parts even though they’re new they are junk. I hate to say it lately I’ve got a lot of junk right from AC Delco and General motors from my local dealer the quality of parts has really gone downhill since Covid.
Last video I watched was aftermarket crank sensor Chrysler this one aftermarket shift motor GM hmmmmmmmmm Got to stick with OEM parts when they matter Seems like these shops from where these cars come from would know this by now 😏
Great job. I'm a retired mechanic, my favorite repairs were automatic transmissions. When electronics evolved, I asked my service manager to send me to all the electrical classes possible. That was the best thing I ever did. Soon I was diagnosing and repairing anything electrical from diesel engines to abs etc. There was a lot of years the other techs were scared of electrical stuff. In my book electrical diagnosis is very important. Thanks for the perfect video and how important it is to check the simple things. Mike.
The best subject matter of your videos is sorting through the logic, troubleshooting. That makes these tasks less daunting to us who don't do this kind of stuff regularly. Those of us who follow you learn tons more than you realize by absorbing that. Thank you Mr O! (and Mrs. O)
Yeah an be able to read those computers like he does, and no what numbers he’s looking for I worked with a guy who could trouble shoot with computers, boy was only 20 an new more than the 40 + year guys there, he owned his own business now
@@thruitallauto2538 that comes from a thorough understanding of how the systems work. It’s not different than troubleshooting a computer or an hvac system or whatever. Understanding is key.
How do these shops send people away without fixing their problems AND still charge them? I do most of my own wrenching but on some of the more complicated stuff I have a dedicated mechanic. There has been a couple times he couldn’t get it but refused to charge me even for his time. That’s when I start going down the “ wormhole of research “ and find videos like this. Sometimes it takes hours. I then either fix it myself or take it back to him and explain what I have researched. Usually I have to fix it myself. Mechanics are an independent breed that usually don’t like to be told anything.
Oh, man !! Eric, one of the things that I love about you is that you have integrity -- you always check to make sure that you're doing right by the customer. What other mechanic would go to the junkyard and get a part for a customer like that ?!? That is going way above and beyond for the customer. I wish that I was closer to you, to have you work on my cars. You are an inspiration to all good mechanics. Great job as always !!
I’m amazed that shops can’t repair it and still charge large money. They come to you and reason and skill gets it working. I’m sure you’re paid well, you sure deserve it all. It’s so nice to hear how you adore your wife!
@@1marcelfilmsif the work doesn't fix the problem then the shop is selling uneeded unnecessary work.. so no they should 100% cover the cost when they don't know what they're doing.. maybe shops should hire more competent mechanics and stop being cheap so theshop owner gets to take vacation after vacation.. how many shop owners actually work on the vehicles vs paying their kids or other young people to screw things up.. had a shop put a remanufactured transmission in my truck it didn't shift into 5th gear.. young kids told me it was fine I just needed to drive to 500 miles for the adaptations to adjust.. this was a $7000 job.. you clearly are one of those scammers lmfao
Agree, What people do not realise is that just about everything made has a failure rate factored in... For some items it might be 10% failure for others could be as high as 40 or 50% failure. Which in turn is also reflected in that items price.. Compared to "actual" cost of manufacture. For likes of that one item... how many other components go into making it... Each of those components has a failure rate as well. Sure you may have just brought that motor which is 1 item... but that 1 item might be made up of several or hundreds of other components. Resisters, Capacitors tend to have a reasonably high failure rate simply because of what they are..... As you said. Just because something is new, does not mean it will work or keep working. For likes of Resisters and Capacitors they have different levels of if you will reliability a bit like PC power supplies there is Gold or Platinum levels same with resistors I wonder for a lot of these cheap replacement parts ... the failure is not in the part itself but in the components used to make that part. Therefore that is the reason it fails not because the component is faulty so to speak, but, instead because that components tolerances are not as tight as they would be with the higher grade OEM components.
Yeah , its convenient to have a pick your own yard close buy , im probably 1hr plus round trip to anything decent. Lots of yards around here no longer allow pull your own.
@@nzcyclone i try to explain this to people and even show them. Plastic where there used to be metal , aluminum wires where oem has copper. Why some parts have manufactures info on internal parts like relays and some are all “plain white box” parts. No markings what so ever
@@Mac-mu9cs Yep for sure. for a lot of these things it is not that they are poorly designed. In most cases they are not. It is simply the quality of the components used which is the issue. It is all part of the cost cutting..... But people have to remember. If they are cheaper you MUST ask yourself how can they make it cheaper? and the answer is always. They use inferior components. But, in saying that is the most expensive item always the best? no, not always sometimes it is the cheaper item which works best...But, not generally when comes to vehicles and vehicle components. Because vehicles now rely so heavily on "electronic" controls and sensors etc which have little tolerance and they are programmed with little tolerance using the OEM product supplied by the manufacturer of that vehicle then if the vehicles system detects even the slightest difference, it will start doing weird things.... In a way it is a vehicle suppliers way of locking you into their product but a subtle way of doing it.. or not so subtle depending on how you look at it....
@@Mac-mu9cs I dont think any yard here now allows you to walk in and just pick a part off a vehicle sitting in the yard... Here at least you tell them what you are after and they go and look for it. They cannot afford to let you do it yourself. If something happened OSH (OHSA in USA) would have you by the short and curlies and swing you from the light fitting..... not worth the risk from a business perspective.
Another example of rip off shops that can't fix anything except clean your wallet. Great job always enjoy your analytical process. It's the key to finding the problem. Great job as always
HERE IN cANADA SHOPS CANT CHARGE IF THEY DIDNT FIX IT.. if they do you file a complaint with consumer affairs and they get it back though there tax filling. of the shop for you
I have been in this business for 40 years here in the UK. And always remember lesson 1, just because it is new does not mean it works. have seen to many people assume that and spend fortunes on other parts. Keep up the good work Erik you are a hero.
Im a civil engineer, but i work on my all my own vehicles. I had a no crank no start, in my 2010 chevy avalanche. I learned a lot from you and my skills have ckme along way. I love how you dont throw parts at something to fix it. How you diagnose and prove you diagnosis! Ive learned a great deal from you and appreciate your time and effort you put into these videos. You and a guy named Diesel Tech Ron(God bless rest his soul and bless his family) are roll models to the mechanic industry. May God bless your business and bless you for doing what you do. I cant say thank you enough.
Being a retired electrical equipment technician, I used to hate equipment that was brought to me after being "looked at" previously. It means going back through the work that other technicians have done probably incorrectly. Great work, Eric.
I rewatched the first part, and it's not clear just what the other 2 shops did. For the kind of money the guy spent, something should have been noted. As usual Eric fixed what others couldn't.
Yeah those boost the ego a bit. Couple years ago i had a bimmer that had been to a Bmw dealer first, then to a Bmw specialist (that deals in used high end cars) and then it came to me. Cant remember what was wrong with it but i found the fault within an hour. Not because im "that good" but cause i test things and try to be methodical in my diags. And of course because i understand my basics. Was a pretty easy fault to find for anyone that actually diagnose cars. Think maybe it was egr related. Anyhow! That felt kinda ok...
We has a customer bring us an AWD drive Explorer that would bind and unbind very badly when driven at any speed above 20 MPH. They had replaced the trans, transfer case, both diffs, driveshafts, pretty much the entire driveline short of the motor at another shop. TBH I did think one of the diffs was bad after a quick test drive, but knew it did this through 2 different sets of diffs. Turns out someone had put front tires on it and paid very little attention to the size of the tires they installed. The difference in the rolling diameter of the front and rear tires was causing the transfer case to bind and unbind kinda violently. They spent over $3000 trying to fix a car that needed front tires. Ill say it again, if you find a good, honest shop cherish them, they are few and far between anymore. AWD vehicles apply power to more than just the rear wheels constantly, if one tire size is way off it will be turning at a different speed than the others. They make a caliper that will measure the difference in the diameter of a tire, the front tires on this Explorer were 3" smaller diameter than the tires on the rear, a huge difference. A lot of places will always recommend 4 tires on an AWD vehicle, that is how important having the correct tires on an AWD vehicle is. Different sized tires can also cause problems with your ABS system as well.
@@stephenhood2948 I always went with 5 tyre rotation on my AWD. That way if you have to use the spare, you don't have one brand new tyre with 4 worn ones to cause, at the least, wheel speed sensor errors.
@@NemoConsequentae Yeah, I know tires with differing rolling circumferences can cause problems with transfer cases. Mine has a temp spare though, I dont want to ride around with that on the car unless I have to.
Been to the Wilberts yard up my way (about a couple hours north of the Bath/Avoca area) Super clean yard, well organized...staff is pretty decent. My only complaint? The place is too flippen huge!! They need to allow the customers to rent golf carts with tow dollies behind them!
I don't think salvage yards exist in my country anymore. They were too dirty. So they changed them into car deconstruct companies, where professionals take apart the car. Everything that cannot be used, is going to the recycle facility and everything that can be used gets a code and is stored in a big hall where you can buy it (like IKEA). So, no dangerous working conditions, no environmental pollution, and you can see online what parts are for sale.
@@ronaldderooij1774 There used to be a lot more of them in the USA. Several have closed down in my area. Decades ago, when I lived in the San Francisco/Bay area in California there a lot of wrecking yards. Almost ever town had 2-3 of them ( a LOT of cars in the Bay Area.) One of them in Berkely changed over from the dirt/gravel lot to neatly stacked cars on steel racks and most of the common or very valuable parts were already pulled and on a shelf in the warehouse. They only let mechanics from established shops wander around the yard and pull parts directly. The main thing I miss about salvage yards is you get to see how something is put together /before/ you have to work on the vehicle you are trying to fix. Kind of like an "exploded parts diagram." It was very helpful when I first started working on cars. Other useful thing is the cars had all sorts of trim pieces, fasteners and obscure parts that were impossible or very expensive to get anywhere else (which was the case for Eric in this repair.) Often really handy when you are restoring some vehicle that is long out of production. Mentally I miss them but environmentally I don't.
@@utidjian Yeah, I can feel you. As a teenager, I used to go to those dirty places, just to watch out for wrecked Porsches or something. I miss that too.
@@ronaldderooij1774 There is one problem with your country's vehicle salvage idea. You said they take all the part they deemed valuable and reusable. The problem with that is if Eric O went to your style of Vehicle salvage resale place you probably wouldn't find that part. More than likely they would have just recycled it without realizing that maybe there are other parts that have value. Just because some salvage yard person thinks it may not be.
I never understood why service establishments (stealerships or private shops) make the customer pay for the experimental parts thrown at a vehicle in hopes of fixing it. You don't do this; you diagnose!
True but there was also a lot of other stuff done that obviously had nothing to do with the 4WD problem. Like "Fix all this stuff and the 4WD." then "OK we fixed all that stuff but we couldn't figure out the 4WD." OR some variation of that. Often a customer doesn't give the entire story and/or the story is incomplete because they don't even understand what the other shops were telling them. Sometimes part of that story is in the work orders from the other shops. I am not saying that the customer was wrong or the other shops were wrong. Could take days and lots of talking and reading to get the whole picture... who has time for that? Unless it is directly related in *getting the problem fixed* no one really has any interest in it except us viewers.
@@Russeljfinch Worked in electronics industry 30 years we had 19 plants in China all of them had no quality control you could visit them and they would tell you to go sit in front office that they were handling these problems report back to boss in U.S. and they would ignore your reports.
As a retired guy this is my biggest fear is handing a mechanic $2000 and getting a shoulder shrug with a “I don’t know” reply! Devastating thanks for sorting this out ☮️🙏
Buy a Tacoma...3/4's of your potential problems GONE! #1. Starter (Around 130,00 miles) #2. Coils (160,000 miles) #3. Squirrels in the blower motor (Every freaking year until you install metal mesh screen...)
Just don’t buy a 2nd gen if you live in an area where cars get rusty. No frame replacement for me but I did get the cruddy frame coating that peels off after a winter of driving
my motto is you pay me for my work - but if i can't find the problem, what did you pay me for? I've had to send a few to the electrical shop - and thank god they had a hella time to find it too. But if I can't fix it, i WILL NOT charge you.
I have a mechanic just like you. Does not go berserk, thinks of the customer, delivers the best solution and where possible avoids and recommends against unnecessary expense. As a result he has a loyal customer base and the word spreads for new business. Mechanics like you are gold dust ✨️
I have been a mechanic for a long time, you prove that understanding how it works, or what it is supposed to do 😂 is the basis for any diagnosis, really enjoy watching your process, thank you.
More excellent troubleshooting techniques, Eric. I have been burned once or twice by defective new parts, as have others. Maybe it was you that once said, "just because it's new, doesn't mean that its good". Keep up the great work.
I'm with Eric O - I'd rather use a OE part from a junkyard than use a new aftermarket part - especially if it's Dorman. Been burned way too many times over the years. That's not to say that brand new OE parts don't fail, but I find the failure rate is so much less than with aftermarket stuff in most cases.
I have mastered that generation of chevy 4x4 issues from the fried transfer case module to the encoder motor, etc. Ground was missing that feeds that circuit so when it was in 4wd and the fan or windows were used, it would fry the module. Put a ground between the engine and firewall, repaired the fried MOSFET in the module and bam. 2002 Tahoe.
Eric O is the master!!! I enjoy every one of your videos! Always informing and on point! There are too many so called shops with idiots calling themselves mechanics today. Eric keeps it simple and easy to digest. Keep up the great jobs and to Mrs. O for keeping it all together!
You sir really are a professional. Most guys these days are parts changers, they never ask why things fail. They just change parts. Need more true technician s like you.
That was some epic bonus footage! Great diagnosis! I feel bad for folks like your customer. I am a one man operation myself, and my customers always come first. Only fix what is wrong, and never fire the parts cannon at it till the problem is solved. Good to see folks like you and Ray redeeming the view of Mechanics in the eyes of people who have been ripped off by so many who claim to be mechanics. o7
It was looked at they just assumed the rebuilt one they bought for it wasn't junk. Should have tested it for resistance given the unreliability of rebuilt stuff
I was screaming ground fault at the screen until you finally checked ground resistance. And by the way light bulbs are fantastic diagnostic tools. Good work!
Remember when all that you had for 4wd transfer case was just a shifter and rod that was used to shift in and out 4wd some had to lock hubs. Things were so much easier back then and easier to repair
Love how Eric will go to a scrapyard to get a part I don’t know any mechanics that would do this, though we all know Eric secretly loves going to the scrapyard especially if the ice cream shop is open. And…..as always we get to learn something.
I have got a 2006 Chevy HHR. You'd be surprised (I was) how many parts are obsolete and no longer available even from aftermarket sources. Used parts from the scrap yard are the only option in a lot of cases. Either that or scrap the vehicle.
@@robgm6926 I’m beginning to realise the issue with parts, not so bad here in the UK oddly enough at mo, but getting worse. Good time to be in scrap business.
Lesson 1 read what makes the thing work! I see you always reading what makes the part work and what you should expect. I guess the other shops don't know how to read or they are just lazy. Well done sir!
Mechanics will just put in cheap aftermarket parts and read a laptop. If it doesn't have an OBD port nobody knows what to do. I have a Previa and every single time I have to show these kids that are only 10 or 15 years younger than me where the damn engine is - on my own car. I've learned how to do mostly all general maintenance myself so I never set foot in a shop anymore except when its something super serious.
My first 4x4, 1968 Dodge W200. Two levers on the floor, mechanical linkages, 4x4 in/out, high and low range. No freaking servo motor, software, push buttons, etc. No problem!!
Yup, two floor sticks, locking hubs, no electrical Bullshit. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If you are too whimpy to get out and lock the hubs, stay home when it snows. 😊
Eric I don't mean to criticize but your time is worth money. You should have charged for your research and drive time to and from the salvage yard and remove the salvage shift motor. You could be making money working on other vehicles in the time you spent at the salvage yard. The $640 motor from the dealer would be the same price once you factor in your time and labor and parts mark up for the salvage part. Its not your fault the customer spent money before you got this vehicle. Even with the dealer part you saved this guy money and aggravation. Its great to watch your diagnosis logic. Nice work.
Long time viewer, just have to say thanks for all the informative content. Keeps me coming back. Just remember that the public is your bread and butter no matter how we may hate them. Keep up the great work!
I’m curious why you wouldn’t test that transfer motor at the wreckers before removing? And I’m loving how you troubleshoot and resolve. Can’t stop watching!-)
Great video as always 👍. You took the time and actually tried when the other shops just fired the parts cannon. Your channel is the only one that can keep my attention past 20 minutes😎
I'd rather have a transfer case shifter on the floor and a couple of manual loc hubs. I guess it's just the way it is now. Thanks for your excellent trouble shooting and as usual great commentary. Always fun to watch. Thanks Eric.
Good to see the "Mathews" hat. I lived in Sparta WI for 23 years, and Mathews is an awesome place! They make the best bows. And next to them is McPherson Guitars, another huge company with Local roots!
Eric, I've been watching you for some time and you are one of the very few on RUclips worth watching. In fact, there's many dealership mechanics that may learn something if they take the time to watch. But that's the problem...they don't take the time to figure out a problem (assuming they're intelligent enough) because they're forced to only spend a certain amount of time on a customer vehicle and out the door it goes. All about money. But I have to hand it to you. You take the time and have the intelligence to figure it out until it's satisfactory. Customers will send other customers so more power to you and keep pluggin'. It pays in the end. I joined your site.
I respect the way you do your job really try and take care of people! I’ve had a bad experience with shops who can’t diagnose a car when there’s no check engine! The world needs more mechanics like you
Always great to watch you diagnose and then fix stuff. Really sad that guy spent thousands for rip offs. It's too bad other shops are so inferior to you. Doctor O to the rescue!
You're only a auto technician when you diagnose each step and components until you trace down the problem instead of slinging parts at it love this channel great guy
My 2004 Silverado 2500hd W/T 6.0 liter gasser….had no 4WD, no ABS and no heat/ac! All it was was the ignition module in the steering column!! FIXED for less than $90
Eric O is no genius, he simply has the ability to read, for a start... and to comprehend and retain information. It is something that is lacking in the auto trade these days, heck, it is even missing from 90% of the general population.
Eric, your logical, knowledgeable approach to troubleshooting is unparalleled. Combined with your business honesty and integrity, you are amazing. I only wish you resided in my town.
Great stuff Eric! Love your videos like someone else said better than watching tv always love how you end saying remember folks if I can do it you can do it to which I say maybe 😂😂😂
You really go the extra mile for your customers!! Very few do this anymore, infact no one does. I've suggested junkyard parts before, oh no we can't do that. Your awesome.
I’m not a mechanic,but compared with some I can sometimes have to fix it myself after they work on my vehicle,and they charge good money for a useless repair
watching you is treat every time. You consistently apply a structured reasoning process to diagnose and your repair skills are at the very top of the mark. In this case I was wondering why no one did a motor check out before? For what he already spent I would think somewhere along the way the old parts cannon approach would have engaged which means they would have substituted a motor. Maybe they did and didn't know what to do with the information? Wouldn't surprise me if that happened because the real thinkers out there in auto tech land are far and few between. Then again the shop policies get in the way of real detective work, they want to spend little time on a job because the aim is to do high volume repairs that do not take up time....it is the nasty old profit over quality work struggle.
Eric, you are an inspiration to me as a shade tree mechanic. I only know how to work on a handful of cars, but I love your workflow; plan the work, work the p;an. Thanks for the videos!
I got over 400,000 out of mine original trans and motor. I put a mechanical cable to push fwd front engage and transfer cable also. Chucked all the electrical fwd stuff.
I know a few farmers with early 2000's Silverado/Sierra trucks with 300k or more miles on them. Proper maintenance makes a difference and farmers tend to stay ahead of problems... like keeping the frame/electrical grounds coated in oil to keep rust away and changing the transmission fluid more often than the owners manual tries to suggest.
Hi, Mr. O. Great detective work, as well as showing professional scavenging skills. Also great is that a small shop like yours can have two of its own road-test facilities. Al-in-all, another successful demonstration of your prowess with the ladies, um, vehicles. Thanks for sharing! Stay healthy!
I want to live in a world where every service I have done by a professional is recorded and explained as well as SMA. I love learning everything and anything. I don't own a Chevy nor will I ever own a Chevy but I watched the whole dang video. and you should too. I love it Mr. O. Keep it up!!
When Eric reads off the invoices theres a lot of stuff replaced not related to the 4x4 not working. 200k on that rig and most of the stuff on that invoice was probably not good. To bad the original parts where not retained.
@@Mac-mu9cs I have the same Tahoe, same color and everything and 295k miles. I've replaced almost everything but the motor and trans in mine. The 5.3 is a workhorse in these vehicles and it has never left me stranded anywhere. When I replaced items it was mostly due to preventative maintenance or my mechanic saying it probably should be done. As far as paying thousands to not get the 4wd fixed and Eric fixing it that would absolutely have me back at those shops for an explanation.
This nightmare repair job is why I love my 1996 F250 4WD with everything manual. Modern day electronics are like cats, they have a mind of their own, do what they want and rarely responsive to anything you ask them to do.
It's also why I love my 1987 F-250 Custom 4x4 with the big 7.5! No power windows, manual locking hubs and a stick for the transfer case, no AC, no airbags, no traction control or antilock brakes, no speed control, no fuel injection, no catalytic converter, not even an electric fuel pump..... 🤣 It only stranded me once, when the 1356 transfer case ate it's oil pump stay.
@@slowgoat6089 you don’t have to be a dinosaur to know that a simple cable or switch is more logical than having a computer control your radio or heater fan. I’ve driven cars and trucks with throttle cables that never tried to kill me with unexpected full throttle conditions caused by a flaky alternator.
@@yqwgjsg I guess you never had a throttle return spring break on you then. It amounts to the same thing but... it is usually a heckuvalot easier to diagnose and fix. Cruise control is another one that can cause a runaway throttle but then you can just turn it off.
Your comment at the end of a video is " If I can do it, you can do it". Well....,.no, your diagnostic abilities are truly rare, thorough and frankly fantastic. These great video's help this humble amateur fix stuff even the dealer trained mechanics can't manage correctly. I hope you can continue to solve the complex diagnostics for a very long time because it makes life a lot easier. Thanks
Eric - taken as a whole - your videos present a Doctoral Level education in the diagnosis of 21st Century automotive repair and its interface with their operational computers.
Just another SUPER-installation! Compliments of South Main Auto. This fix and diagnosis BTW applies to all Chevy/GM 4WD transfer cases, in a backyard R+R scenario we just keep on replacing the shift motors from the junkyard until it is all good. I have always considered Dorman to be sketchy, ever since I got a bad "plastic body" clutch slave from Dorman. No diagnostic tools required because owner typically does not own one. I have seen these shift motors dynamite so bad that the transfer case gets stuck "between" modes resulting in horrible gear 👏grinding noises from the TC. It is always nicer to do on a cold winter evening with limited tools and NO scan tool, and hopefully only 1 trip to the Chevy graveyard next bone-chilling cold day. Great channel, with great content as usual. It is always a pleasure to watch a TRUE professional diagnose and fix the Big Dealer FAILS, with all the fancy gear that no Joe Smoe actually owns.
LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!!! Retired marine mechanic here. Just the way you diagnose is the way I was taught. Test, test TEST! Confirm, confirm, CONFIRM! Start simple and go from there. When I got a boat to repair start with simple. In other words, start at battery, good? Bad? Then go to the wiring leading to bad part. Got power at the plug? Enough power? Etc etc etc, you know where this is going, THINK about what is not working and why. Start out simple and it will go much smoother! Back to your video, I JUST LOVE how you diagnose, I did it the same way. It’s called, FIGURE IT OUT!
This is such an excellent video. The logic of troubleshooting here is above brain surgeon levels of excellence. This shows the realization of the difficulty that auto mechanics face, is one of the most difficult jobs, leading them to just "parts change" instead of true repairs like this. This man is just on a higher level..
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It is a shame that the customer didn't bring his Tahoe directly to you. They would have saved a lot of money that way. Great job Eric.
Exactly. For years people wanted cheap parts,Now that they got them they don’t like them because they’re a joke. People are diagnosing cars by replacing parts that’s not how it works especially when you’re putting on junk parts even though they’re new they are junk. I hate to say it lately I’ve got a lot of junk right from AC Delco and General motors from my local dealer the quality of parts has really gone downhill since Covid.
Last video I watched was aftermarket crank sensor Chrysler this one aftermarket shift motor GM hmmmmmmmmm
Got to stick with OEM parts when they matter
Seems like these shops from where these cars come from would know this by now 😏
@@oliverjantz1108 I always demand OEM parts on my Toyota.
@@JohnDiMartino Never buy parts made in China.
Eh well the thing needed new parts anyway.. whether they were broke already or not.. but dude can now say that his entire 4wd is new..
Great job. I'm a retired mechanic, my favorite repairs were automatic transmissions. When electronics evolved, I asked my service manager to send me to all the electrical classes possible. That was the best thing I ever did. Soon I was diagnosing and repairing anything electrical from diesel engines to abs etc. There was a lot of years the other techs were scared of electrical stuff. In my book electrical diagnosis is very important. Thanks for the perfect video and how important it is to check the simple things. Mike.
It’s vital! Lol
Hi Mike!
Hi!
@@springfield4522
Another Mike here was working on cars when the electric chock came along 😅
The best subject matter of your videos is sorting through the logic, troubleshooting. That makes these tasks less daunting to us who don't do this kind of stuff regularly. Those of us who follow you learn tons more than you realize by absorbing that. Thank you Mr O! (and Mrs. O)
Couldnt agree more.. so much knowledge in these videos.
Yeah, these days people lost their logic 😁.
Agree 100%!
Yeah an be able to read those computers like he does, and no what numbers he’s looking for I worked with a guy who could trouble shoot with computers, boy was only 20 an new more than the 40 + year guys there, he owned his own business now
@@thruitallauto2538 that comes from a thorough understanding of how the systems work. It’s not different than troubleshooting a computer or an hvac system or whatever. Understanding is key.
How do these shops send people away without fixing their problems AND still charge them? I do most of my own wrenching but on some of the more complicated stuff I have a dedicated mechanic. There has been a couple times he couldn’t get it but refused to charge me even for his time. That’s when I start going down the “ wormhole of research “ and find videos like this. Sometimes it takes hours. I then either fix it myself or take it back to him and explain what I have researched. Usually I have to fix it myself. Mechanics are an independent breed that usually don’t like to be told anything.
Oh, man !! Eric, one of the things that I love about you is that you have integrity -- you always check to make sure that you're doing right by the customer. What other mechanic would go to the junkyard and get a part for a customer like that ?!? That is going way above and beyond for the customer. I wish that I was closer to you, to have you work on my cars. You are an inspiration to all good mechanics. Great job as always !!
I’m amazed that shops can’t repair it and still charge large money. They come to you and reason and skill gets it working. I’m sure you’re paid well, you sure deserve it all. It’s so nice to hear how you adore your wife!
I also adore that man's wife...
@@brentfarvors192 Because you're a sinner
@@brentfarvors192 doesn't take much to impress you
You expect the shop to do work for free?
@@1marcelfilmsif the work doesn't fix the problem then the shop is selling uneeded unnecessary work.. so no they should 100% cover the cost when they don't know what they're doing.. maybe shops should hire more competent mechanics and stop being cheap so theshop owner gets to take vacation after vacation.. how many shop owners actually work on the vehicles vs paying their kids or other young people to screw things up.. had a shop put a remanufactured transmission in my truck it didn't shift into 5th gear.. young kids told me it was fine I just needed to drive to 500 miles for the adaptations to adjust.. this was a $7000 job.. you clearly are one of those scammers lmfao
“Just because it’s new doesn’t mean it’s good”, good thing you’re close to Wilbert’s! Take care
Agree, What people do not realise is that just about everything made has a failure rate factored in... For some items it might be 10% failure for others could be as high as 40 or 50% failure. Which in turn is also reflected in that items price.. Compared to "actual" cost of manufacture. For likes of that one item... how many other components go into making it... Each of those components has a failure rate as well. Sure you may have just brought that motor which is 1 item... but that 1 item might be made up of several or hundreds of other components. Resisters, Capacitors tend to have a reasonably high failure rate simply because of what they are..... As you said. Just because something is new, does not mean it will work or keep working. For likes of Resisters and Capacitors they have different levels of if you will reliability a bit like PC power supplies there is Gold or Platinum levels same with resistors I wonder for a lot of these cheap replacement parts ... the failure is not in the part itself but in the components used to make that part. Therefore that is the reason it fails not because the component is faulty so to speak, but, instead because that components tolerances are not as tight as they would be with the higher grade OEM components.
Yeah , its convenient to have a pick your own yard close buy , im probably 1hr plus round trip to anything decent.
Lots of yards around here no longer allow pull your own.
@@nzcyclone i try to explain this to people and even show them. Plastic where there used to be metal , aluminum wires where oem has copper.
Why some parts have manufactures info on internal parts like relays and some are all “plain white box” parts.
No markings what so ever
@@Mac-mu9cs Yep for sure. for a lot of these things it is not that they are poorly designed. In most cases they are not. It is simply the quality of the components used which is the issue. It is all part of the cost cutting..... But people have to remember. If they are cheaper you MUST ask yourself how can they make it cheaper? and the answer is always. They use inferior components. But, in saying that is the most expensive item always the best? no, not always sometimes it is the cheaper item which works best...But, not generally when comes to vehicles and vehicle components. Because vehicles now rely so heavily on "electronic" controls and sensors etc which have little tolerance and they are programmed with little tolerance using the OEM product supplied by the manufacturer of that vehicle then if the vehicles system detects even the slightest difference, it will start doing weird things.... In a way it is a vehicle suppliers way of locking you into their product but a subtle way of doing it.. or not so subtle depending on how you look at it....
@@Mac-mu9cs I dont think any yard here now allows you to walk in and just pick a part off a vehicle sitting in the yard... Here at least you tell them what you are after and they go and look for it. They cannot afford to let you do it yourself. If something happened OSH (OHSA in USA) would have you by the short and curlies and swing you from the light fitting..... not worth the risk from a business perspective.
Another example of rip off shops that can't fix anything except clean your wallet. Great job always enjoy your analytical process. It's the key to finding the problem. Great job as always
Part changers not problem fixers.
HERE IN cANADA SHOPS CANT CHARGE IF THEY DIDNT FIX IT.. if they do you file a complaint with consumer affairs and they get it back though there tax filling. of the shop for you
I have been in this business for 40 years here in the UK. And always remember lesson 1, just because it is new does not mean it works. have seen to many people assume that and spend fortunes on other parts. Keep up the good work Erik you are a hero.
That’s one of the first things I was told that was worth logging !
Crazy that none of the prior "mechanics" thought to ohm check that shift motor.
At least this diagnosis didn’t involve rat piss. Lol
Im a civil engineer, but i work on my all my own vehicles. I had a no crank no start, in my 2010 chevy avalanche. I learned a lot from you and my skills have ckme along way. I love how you dont throw parts at something to fix it. How you diagnose and prove you diagnosis! Ive learned a great deal from you and appreciate your time and effort you put into these videos. You and a guy named Diesel Tech Ron(God bless rest his soul and bless his family) are roll models to the mechanic industry. May God bless your business and bless you for doing what you do. I cant say thank you enough.
Eric is one of the most knowledgeable and honest mechanics you will ever find.
Being a retired electrical equipment technician, I used to hate equipment that was brought to me after being "looked at" previously. It means going back through the work that other technicians have done probably incorrectly. Great work, Eric.
Always a little more satisfying repair when it’s from another shop that couldn’t fix it. Great video as always keep them coming.
I rewatched the first part, and it's not clear just what the other 2 shops did. For the kind of money the guy spent, something should have been noted.
As usual Eric fixed what others couldn't.
Yeah those boost the ego a bit. Couple years ago i had a bimmer that had been to a Bmw dealer first, then to a Bmw specialist (that deals in used high end cars) and then it came to me. Cant remember what was wrong with it but i found the fault within an hour. Not because im "that good" but cause i test things and try to be methodical in my diags. And of course because i understand my basics. Was a pretty easy fault to find for anyone that actually diagnose cars. Think maybe it was egr related. Anyhow! That felt kinda ok...
We has a customer bring us an AWD drive Explorer that would bind and unbind very badly when driven at any speed above 20 MPH. They had replaced the trans, transfer case, both diffs, driveshafts, pretty much the entire driveline short of the motor at another shop. TBH I did think one of the diffs was bad after a quick test drive, but knew it did this through 2 different sets of diffs. Turns out someone had put front tires on it and paid very little attention to the size of the tires they installed. The difference in the rolling diameter of the front and rear tires was causing the transfer case to bind and unbind kinda violently. They spent over $3000 trying to fix a car that needed front tires. Ill say it again, if you find a good, honest shop cherish them, they are few and far between anymore. AWD vehicles apply power to more than just the rear wheels constantly, if one tire size is way off it will be turning at a different speed than the others. They make a caliper that will measure the difference in the diameter of a tire, the front tires on this Explorer were 3" smaller diameter than the tires on the rear, a huge difference. A lot of places will always recommend 4 tires on an AWD vehicle, that is how important having the correct tires on an AWD vehicle is. Different sized tires can also cause problems with your ABS system as well.
@@stephenhood2948 I always went with 5 tyre rotation on my AWD. That way if you have to use the spare, you don't have one brand new tyre with 4 worn ones to cause, at the least, wheel speed sensor errors.
@@NemoConsequentae Yeah, I know tires with differing rolling circumferences can cause problems with transfer cases. Mine has a temp spare though, I dont want to ride around with that on the car unless I have to.
That is cleanest salvage yard I've seen, this makes 3 times I've seen success from there. Nice !! 🏁
Been to the Wilberts yard up my way (about a couple hours north of the Bath/Avoca area)
Super clean yard, well organized...staff is pretty decent. My only complaint? The place is too flippen huge!! They need to allow the customers to rent golf carts with tow dollies behind them!
I don't think salvage yards exist in my country anymore. They were too dirty. So they changed them into car deconstruct companies, where professionals take apart the car. Everything that cannot be used, is going to the recycle facility and everything that can be used gets a code and is stored in a big hall where you can buy it (like IKEA). So, no dangerous working conditions, no environmental pollution, and you can see online what parts are for sale.
@@ronaldderooij1774 There used to be a lot more of them in the USA. Several have closed down in my area. Decades ago, when I lived in the San Francisco/Bay area in California there a lot of wrecking yards. Almost ever town had 2-3 of them ( a LOT of cars in the Bay Area.) One of them in Berkely changed over from the dirt/gravel lot to neatly stacked cars on steel racks and most of the common or very valuable parts were already pulled and on a shelf in the warehouse. They only let mechanics from established shops wander around the yard and pull parts directly.
The main thing I miss about salvage yards is you get to see how something is put together /before/ you have to work on the vehicle you are trying to fix. Kind of like an "exploded parts diagram." It was very helpful when I first started working on cars. Other useful thing is the cars had all sorts of trim pieces, fasteners and obscure parts that were impossible or very expensive to get anywhere else (which was the case for Eric in this repair.) Often really handy when you are restoring some vehicle that is long out of production.
Mentally I miss them but environmentally I don't.
@@utidjian Yeah, I can feel you. As a teenager, I used to go to those dirty places, just to watch out for wrecked Porsches or something. I miss that too.
@@ronaldderooij1774
There is one problem with your country's vehicle salvage idea. You said they take all the part they deemed valuable and reusable. The problem with that is if Eric O went to your style of Vehicle salvage resale place you probably wouldn't find that part. More than likely they would have just recycled it without realizing that maybe there are other parts that have value. Just because some salvage yard person thinks it may not be.
This is exactly why I never complain about paying my guy for repairs. He actually knows what he is doing and always fixes the problem.
Once again , Eric has made finding the issue sound logical and simple. Where others were baffled. (Big dollar charges for being baffled)
I never understood why service establishments (stealerships or private shops) make the customer pay for the experimental parts thrown at a vehicle in hopes of fixing it. You don't do this; you diagnose!
Dang $2,200.00 and still it was broken. That is a sad rip off by incompetent shops. 😞
There's no end to it
After market parts are absolute crap
I don't get how you're willing to pay for that if you know it hasn't been fixed??
True but there was also a lot of other stuff done that obviously had nothing to do with the 4WD problem. Like "Fix all this stuff and the 4WD." then "OK we fixed all that stuff but we couldn't figure out the 4WD." OR some variation of that. Often a customer doesn't give the entire story and/or the story is incomplete because they don't even understand what the other shops were telling them. Sometimes part of that story is in the work orders from the other shops. I am not saying that the customer was wrong or the other shops were wrong. Could take days and lots of talking and reading to get the whole picture... who has time for that? Unless it is directly related in *getting the problem fixed* no one really has any interest in it except us viewers.
@@Russeljfinch Worked in electronics industry 30 years we had 19 plants in China all of them had no quality control you could visit them and they would tell you to go sit in front office that they were handling these problems report back to boss in U.S. and they would ignore your reports.
As a retired guy this is my biggest fear is handing a mechanic $2000 and getting a shoulder shrug with a “I don’t know” reply! Devastating thanks for sorting this out ☮️🙏
Buy a Tacoma...3/4's of your potential problems GONE! #1. Starter (Around 130,00 miles) #2. Coils (160,000 miles) #3. Squirrels in the blower motor (Every freaking year until you install metal mesh screen...)
Just don’t buy a 2nd gen if you live in an area where cars get rusty. No frame replacement for me but I did get the cruddy frame coating that peels off after a winter of driving
my motto is you pay me for my work - but if i can't find the problem, what did you pay me for? I've had to send a few to the electrical shop - and thank god they had a hella time to find it too. But if I can't fix it, i WILL NOT charge you.
That’s what I was thinking. It’s one thing to charge a diagnostic fee, but charging for a repair when you failed to repair the car?
this is the difference between a parts changer and a master technician...do the work...figure it out...well done
I have a mechanic just like you. Does not go berserk, thinks of the customer, delivers the best solution and where possible avoids and recommends against unnecessary expense. As a result he has a loyal customer base and the word spreads for new business. Mechanics like you are gold dust ✨️
Sure wish I could find one in NW Florida!
Hopefully he is paid accordingly!
Best mechanic and person on the web period
I have been a mechanic for a long time, you prove that understanding how it works, or what it is supposed to do 😂 is the basis for any diagnosis, really enjoy watching your process, thank you.
Worth $200 an hour to diagnose it correctly...
I love it when Mrs. O makes an appearance.
Eric O “the car whisperer”
Love it when he said “this fuse is always hot like my wife” 😂😂
Or maybe he meant hot under the collar?
His comments regarding his wife show she holds a very special place in his thoughts.
If more Mechanic's were like you this world would be a better place! Totally awesome watching your videos!
Crazy to think none of the prior "mechanics" thought to ohm check that shift motor??
More excellent troubleshooting techniques, Eric. I have been burned once or twice by defective new parts, as have others. Maybe it was you that once said, "just because it's new, doesn't mean that its good". Keep up the great work.
I'm with Eric O - I'd rather use a OE part from a junkyard than use a new aftermarket part - especially if it's Dorman. Been burned way too many times over the years. That's not to say that brand new OE parts don't fail, but I find the failure rate is so much less than with aftermarket stuff in most cases.
NEW, sands for Never Ever Worked
I have mastered that generation of chevy 4x4 issues from the fried transfer case module to the encoder motor, etc. Ground was missing that feeds that circuit so when it was in 4wd and the fan or windows were used, it would fry the module. Put a ground between the engine and firewall, repaired the fried MOSFET in the module and bam. 2002 Tahoe.
I add a new ground on them out of habit now. Sick of having them fail.
Eric O is the master!!!
I enjoy every one of your videos! Always informing and on point!
There are too many so called shops with idiots calling themselves mechanics today.
Eric keeps it simple and easy to digest.
Keep up the great jobs and to Mrs. O for keeping it all together!
Wow, deleting that drive shaft is a *GREAT* way to reach the oil filter! I'm going to do that to mine. :)
You sir really are a professional. Most guys these days are parts changers, they never ask why things fail. They just change parts. Need more true technician s like you.
That was some epic bonus footage! Great diagnosis! I feel bad for folks like your customer. I am a one man operation myself, and my customers always come first. Only fix what is wrong, and never fire the parts cannon at it till the problem is solved. Good to see folks like you and Ray redeeming the view of Mechanics in the eyes of people who have been ripped off by so many who claim to be mechanics. o7
CHEVY THUNDAAA!!!!!
J
It's stunning that the motor wasn't the first thing looked at given how often they break. Even basic competence is in such short supply anymore.
It was looked at they just assumed the rebuilt one they bought for it wasn't junk. Should have tested it for resistance given the unreliability of rebuilt stuff
I would have more faith in something from a junk yard than a rebuilt!
@@johnswanson3741 rebuilt in America has worked for me. However rebuilt overseas is EXTRA junky
I was screaming ground fault at the screen until you finally checked ground resistance. And by the way light bulbs are fantastic diagnostic tools. Good work!
You’re on the way to 1 million subscribers and we’ll deserved, You’re a pleasure to watch doing repair work
Remember when all that you had for 4wd transfer case was just a shifter and rod that was used to shift in and out 4wd some had to lock hubs. Things were so much easier back then and easier to repair
Replace the linkage done.
Love how Eric will go to a scrapyard to get a part I don’t know any mechanics that would do this, though we all know Eric secretly loves going to the scrapyard especially if the ice cream shop is open. And…..as always we get to learn something.
Because he has the skills to clean up a salvaged part and make it work like new. Most people do not.
Right, 99.9999% would’ve put that Dorman on there and charged you OEM…
I have got a 2006 Chevy HHR. You'd be surprised (I was) how many parts are obsolete and no longer available even from aftermarket sources. Used parts from the scrap yard are the only option in a lot of cases. Either that or scrap the vehicle.
@@robgm6926 learn what ebay is. cars are not disposeable.
@@robgm6926 I’m beginning to realise the issue with parts, not so bad here in the UK oddly enough at mo, but getting worse. Good time to be in scrap business.
CHEVY THUNDER!!! YEAH!!!! Cracks me up and the coasting through stops signs since 1997. 🤣
I have an Aztek that will send me thruogh a stop sign randomly. Lots of fun!
Lesson 1 read what makes the thing work! I see you always reading what makes the part work and what you should expect. I guess the other shops don't know how to read or they are just lazy. Well done sir!
I had a shop teacher who always said "when all else fails, read the directions. "
Mechanics will just put in cheap aftermarket parts and read a laptop. If it doesn't have an OBD port nobody knows what to do. I have a Previa and every single time I have to show these kids that are only 10 or 15 years younger than me where the damn engine is - on my own car. I've learned how to do mostly all general maintenance myself so I never set foot in a shop anymore except when its something super serious.
Nice job repairing his truck!
My first 4x4, 1968 Dodge W200. Two levers on the floor, mechanical linkages, 4x4 in/out, high and low range. No freaking servo motor, software, push buttons, etc. No problem!!
Yup, two floor sticks, locking hubs, no electrical Bullshit. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If you are too whimpy to get out and lock the hubs, stay home when it snows. 😊
Sure is fun watching someone who knows what he’s doing do it!! Thanks brother!!
Would have been nice to get a video of the owner’s reaction when you told them you fixed it!
Great job!
Inwardly he’s like … we’ll see about that.
I cant believe there are so many BAD Mechanics. You are the MAN. THANK YOU for your service!!!!.
Eric I don't mean to criticize but your time is worth money. You should have charged for your research and drive time to and from the salvage yard and remove the salvage shift motor. You could be making money working on other vehicles in the time you spent at the salvage yard. The $640 motor from the dealer would be the same price once you factor in your time and labor and parts mark up for the salvage part. Its not your fault the customer spent money before you got this vehicle. Even with the dealer part you saved this guy money and aggravation. Its great to watch your diagnosis logic. Nice work.
Replacing the Ignition switch in my 03 Ram
Went through 3 Dormans the 4th 1 finally worked
Long time viewer, just have to say thanks for all the informative content. Keeps me coming back. Just remember that the public is your bread and butter no matter how we may hate them. Keep up the great work!
never hate them on line we read your comments!
You're the man to de esclate their frustration.
Eric O. you are The Bob Ross of vehicle repair!! Thanks for taking us along!
I’m curious why you wouldn’t test that transfer motor at the wreckers before removing? And I’m loving how you troubleshoot and resolve. Can’t stop watching!-)
Thanks for coming in today Fella 👍🤙🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲
You are hands down the most entertaining mechanic on here. And you're a frigging car genius!
Nah. He reads the manual and uses his critical thinking skills.
Great video as always 👍. You took the time and actually tried when the other shops just fired the parts cannon. Your channel is the only one that can keep my attention past 20 minutes😎
I'd rather have a transfer case shifter on the floor and a couple of manual loc hubs. I guess it's just the way it is now. Thanks for your excellent trouble shooting and as usual great commentary. Always fun to watch. Thanks Eric.
People didn't like jumping out in the mud and locking the hubs in.
Good to see the "Mathews" hat. I lived in Sparta WI for 23 years, and Mathews is an awesome place! They make the best bows. And next to them is McPherson Guitars, another huge company with Local roots!
Eric, I've been watching you for some time and you are one of the very few on RUclips worth watching. In fact, there's many dealership mechanics that may learn something if they take the time to watch. But that's the problem...they don't take the time to figure out a problem (assuming they're intelligent enough) because they're forced to only spend a certain amount of time on a customer vehicle and out the door it goes. All about money. But I have to hand it to you. You take the time and have the intelligence to figure it out until it's satisfactory. Customers will send other customers so more power to you and keep pluggin'. It pays in the end. I joined your site.
How the other shops missed that is just sad . Good thing you took the time and diagnosed it correctly.
Really enjoyed the test drive, thanks for taking us along! CHEVY THUNDER!
I respect the way you do your job really try and take care of people! I’ve had a bad experience with shops who can’t diagnose a car when there’s no check engine! The world needs more mechanics like you
I have a 2002 5.3 l suburban. I had the same issues. I replaced the 4x4 module under the dash.
Having a junk yard that close to the shop is like a gold mine next door. You are truly a blessed man 👍🇺🇸
Always great to watch you diagnose and then fix stuff. Really sad that guy spent thousands for rip offs. It's too bad other shops are so inferior to you. Doctor O to the rescue!
That was fun always fun to watch you figure this stuff out we never stop learning and you never stop teaching. Thx!
I love it when you figure out problems where other mechanics failed. I love your channel.
You're only a auto technician when you diagnose each step and components until you trace down the problem instead of slinging parts at it love this channel great guy
It wasn't a parts cannon, it was a parts battleship !! Thanks as always for taking us all along for the ride
As always Eric you get it done when others can’t. Always entertaining and informative. Thank you Mr Eric O
Eric does it again! I think the Tahoe owner will "Like" this video. I sure did.
You make it look easy mr O and i know its not,thank you sir👍
Your automotive knowledge is 10x better than anyone working at a dealership service dept.
My 2004 Silverado 2500hd W/T 6.0 liter gasser….had no 4WD, no ABS and no heat/ac!
All it was was the ignition module in the steering column!!
FIXED for less than $90
Eric O is no genius, he simply has the ability to read, for a start... and to comprehend and retain information. It is something that is lacking in the auto trade these days, heck, it is even missing from 90% of the general population.
In a world of incompetence even basic competence looks like genius. And there was more than basic competence at work here.
I would wager that 600,000 of us do consider him to be our genius
@@davidbaldwin2729 like Eric says... "If I can do it, you can do it"
Eric, your logical, knowledgeable approach to troubleshooting is unparalleled. Combined with your business honesty and integrity, you are amazing. I only wish you resided in my town.
Thanks as always for a great video. Always love the systematic approach to every case study!
Great stuff Eric! Love your videos like someone else said better than watching tv always love how you end saying remember folks if I can do it you can do it to which I say maybe 😂😂😂
Good work and hilarious. I particularly liked when you say "OL" when testing for short to ground, and that tire spin on the test drive was sick! Lol
What's up Mr and Mrs O?? Love the channel from the rust belt of Michigan!!!
Did you see the 1976 Michigan license plate behind Mrs. O's desk? I sent that to them. Love it. Best damn plate ever!!
What part of Michigan are you from if you don't mind me asking
Lake Michigan shoreline.
Awesome job Eric! We need more mechanics/techs like you who think through things, aren't lazy and do an honest job.
You really go the extra mile for your customers!! Very few do this anymore, infact no one does. I've suggested junkyard parts before, oh no we can't do that. Your awesome.
Another quality reman from A1 Cardon't
I’m not a mechanic,but compared with some I can sometimes have to fix it myself after they work on my vehicle,and they charge good money for a useless repair
watching you is treat every time. You consistently apply a structured reasoning process to diagnose and your repair skills are at the very top of the mark. In this case I was wondering why no one did a motor check out before? For what he already spent I would think somewhere along the way the old parts cannon approach would have engaged which means they would have substituted a motor. Maybe they did and didn't know what to do with the information? Wouldn't surprise me if that happened because the real thinkers out there in auto tech land are far and few between. Then again the shop policies get in the way of real detective work, they want to spend little time on a job because the aim is to do high volume repairs that do not take up time....it is the nasty old profit over quality work struggle.
Eric, you are an inspiration to me as a shade tree mechanic. I only know how to work on a handful of cars, but I love your workflow; plan the work, work the p;an. Thanks for the videos!
I got over 400,000 out of mine original trans and motor.
I put a mechanical cable to push fwd front engage and transfer cable also.
Chucked all the electrical fwd stuff.
I know a few farmers with early 2000's Silverado/Sierra trucks with 300k or more miles on them. Proper maintenance makes a difference and farmers tend to stay ahead of problems... like keeping the frame/electrical grounds coated in oil to keep rust away and changing the transmission fluid more often than the owners manual tries to suggest.
"Stay calm, and carry on."
Pretty much sums up the best mindset when doing diagnosis
Your a man of integrity hard find people like that any more
Hi, Mr. O. Great detective work, as well as showing professional scavenging skills. Also great is that a small shop like yours can have two of its own road-test facilities. Al-in-all, another successful demonstration of your prowess with the ladies, um, vehicles. Thanks for sharing! Stay healthy!
....this feels like Dejavu....then again I did come from Ray's repairs sooooooooo
Eric... honestly I am tempted to move to your area so I can be your apprentice.
You are awesome dude
If you do, don't take a good car, 'cause that Rust Easy Spray that New York uses will destroy it within 10 years...
🤣👍
Great video as usual Eric!
I want to live in a world where every service I have done by a professional is recorded and explained as well as SMA. I love learning everything and anything. I don't own a Chevy nor will I ever own a Chevy but I watched the whole dang video. and you should too.
I love it Mr. O.
Keep it up!!
The other shops should be watching you 're channel on how to troubleshoot. They just might learn something lol.
He should take your invoice to every shop he gave thousands to to get his money back!!
When Eric reads off the invoices theres a lot of stuff replaced not related to the 4x4 not working. 200k on that rig and most of the stuff on that invoice was probably not good. To bad the original parts where not retained.
@@Mac-mu9cs I have the same Tahoe, same color and everything and 295k miles. I've replaced almost everything but the motor and trans in mine. The 5.3 is a workhorse in these vehicles and it has never left me stranded anywhere. When I replaced items it was mostly due to preventative maintenance or my mechanic saying it probably should be done. As far as paying thousands to not get the 4wd fixed and Eric fixing it that would absolutely have me back at those shops for an explanation.
This nightmare repair job is why I love my 1996 F250 4WD with everything manual. Modern day electronics are like cats, they have a mind of their own, do what they want and rarely responsive to anything you ask them to do.
It's also why I love my 1987 F-250 Custom 4x4 with the big 7.5!
No power windows, manual locking hubs and a stick for the transfer case, no AC, no airbags, no traction control or antilock brakes, no speed control, no fuel injection, no catalytic converter, not even an electric fuel pump..... 🤣
It only stranded me once, when the 1356 transfer case ate it's oil pump stay.
That's why I rebuilt a 1984 F150.
Bunch of dinosaurs in this thread
@@slowgoat6089 you don’t have to be a dinosaur to know that a simple cable or switch is more logical than having a computer control your radio or heater fan. I’ve driven cars and trucks with throttle cables that never tried to kill me with unexpected full throttle conditions caused by a flaky alternator.
@@yqwgjsg I guess you never had a throttle return spring break on you then. It amounts to the same thing but... it is usually a heckuvalot easier to diagnose and fix. Cruise control is another one that can cause a runaway throttle but then you can just turn it off.
Your comment at the end of a video is " If I can do it, you can do it". Well....,.no, your diagnostic abilities are truly rare, thorough and frankly fantastic. These great video's help this humble amateur fix stuff even the dealer trained mechanics can't manage correctly. I hope you can continue to solve the complex diagnostics for a very long time because it makes life a lot easier. Thanks
Eric - taken as a whole - your videos present a Doctoral Level education in the diagnosis of 21st Century automotive repair and its interface with their operational computers.
You keep giving me more automotive knowledge!
Just another SUPER-installation! Compliments of South Main Auto.
This fix and diagnosis BTW applies to all Chevy/GM 4WD transfer cases, in a backyard R+R scenario we just keep on replacing the shift motors from the junkyard until it is all good. I have always considered Dorman to be sketchy, ever since I got a bad "plastic body" clutch slave from Dorman. No diagnostic tools required because owner typically does not own one. I have seen these shift motors dynamite so bad that the transfer case gets stuck "between" modes resulting in horrible gear 👏grinding noises from the TC. It is always nicer to do on a cold winter evening with limited tools and NO scan tool, and hopefully only 1 trip to the Chevy graveyard next bone-chilling cold day.
Great channel, with great content as usual. It is always a pleasure to watch a TRUE professional diagnose and fix the Big Dealer FAILS, with all the fancy gear that no Joe Smoe actually owns.
SMA: Bringing new meaning to the term... "check my shorts"
LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!!! Retired marine mechanic here. Just the way you diagnose is the way I was taught. Test, test TEST! Confirm, confirm, CONFIRM! Start simple and go from there. When I got a boat to repair start with simple. In other words, start at battery, good? Bad? Then go to the wiring leading to bad part. Got power at the plug? Enough power? Etc etc etc, you know where this is going, THINK about what is not working and why. Start out simple and it will go much smoother! Back to your video, I JUST LOVE how you diagnose, I did it the same way. It’s called, FIGURE IT OUT!
This is such an excellent video. The logic of troubleshooting here is above brain surgeon levels of excellence. This shows the realization of the difficulty that auto mechanics face, is one of the most difficult jobs, leading them to just "parts change" instead of true repairs like this. This man is just on a higher level..