I bill by the hour. I tell customer if it exceeds 1 hour I will call first with an estimated time. Most problems I fix in an hour time slot pretty easy or atleast have really good direction at that point and know what it is going to take. Good question. Thanks.
South Main Auto Repair Awesome. love the videos keep them coming. I know it takes a ton of time and in the end probably money out of your pocket. I would love to see more diesel videos. Tell your brother to start a channel!
South Main Auto Repair link isn't working. what kind of canrea do you use? I would like to start making some short videos but I have to talk my wife into letting me get a camera
great work. It takes a lot of patience to track down electrical opens. Obviously that owner doesn't have a lot of money, so they are very fortunate to have a repair shop as good as yours. A dealer would have nailed them good for a job like that. Your parents raised a great man. Keep up the good work.
Your explanation of the wiring diagrams and your logic to identify the fix was perfect. I always enjoy your commentary Eric. Frustrations and all. This was a great case study on how to chase down a broken wire.
I'm really surprised you took so much effort even when you got it "fixed" in order to fix it properly... No wonder, if I was living there I'd take my car to your shop. Best mechanic ever! Keep up the good work!
I did a lot of the electrical diagnosis and repair at the 3 auto repair shops I worked at including the GM dealer. In my small city of Southern Minnesota , , even at a GM dealer we worked on everything that came in the door. Service manager would take on anything to keep the shop full and profitable. Some of the guys like me came from independent shops so we had a good background on most everything else. The other " GM" techs would only touch the GM vehicles. In the end , the customers got their vehicles fixed at a reasonable cost and they went away happy to come back another day for anything else they needed. Electrical work was billed by the hour as there really is no flat rate time for that kind of thing I was pretty quick though so never had a customer complain about the bill.
Eric, It's encouraging to see how you plow through the GOOD, BAD and UGLY to diagnose the problem. You are the REAL DEAL! Thanks so much for making such great videos.
Yoh know what i like about you, u always do everything you suppose to do with every repair. No short cuts. Everybody else gives us a half ass job, but not you!! Thank you.
most people would have just ran a wire....not only are you a blessed man, but also stubborn... ... but that's good....a no compromise husband,father,son,brother,.AUTO TECHNICIAN.. proud of you
Wow, couple of years ago who would've thought I was going to understand what was going on here???? Amazing what these blokes teach you. Every vid is a new lesson. Thanks Eric
This is one of my favorite episodes! Typical person would have ran the jumper wire and been done with it. It's that mechanic in us that has to know where the problem lies so we can sleep at night!
Awesome diagnosis video. I want to stress the best part of this video was actually the last 3 minutes that Eric O. speaks the importance of having a good plan of attack and doing 75% research first. Its my experience that if you have electrical issues you need to examine FACTORY diagrams so you understand how and where to test your theories. Because Eric O. is his own boss he can take that time and customers are willing to pay those billable hours because they know he'll honestly find the problem and fix it with care. I was yelling at my tablet screen while watching this video because I wanted him to go all the way and pull the ECM out to do a thorough test. hehe. He did and that shows that he didnt just want to run a splice, which to me is subpar but understands that sometimes you have to for financial reasons, but rather wanted to fix it to factory specs. Each and ever video I watch I keep waiting to see if corners are going to be cut by Eric O. It just doesnt happen. The quality of his workmanship is outstanding. Kudos to Hannah for giving him the reminder that us subscribers love that he does it right.
I've got a tool that puts a pulse in the wire then sensor that you move down the harness till the beep stops. There is your break. Real time saver. Bought it off the snapon truck.
Eric For what it's worth I went to school 2 years for AC , DC , series , parallel circuits , counting and binary systems I think you got it exactly right !! People that don't agree with you just have to prove and show everybody how smart they are. Your top notch in my book JOE.. NAVY VETERAN 🇺🇸
accidental electrical fire claim on insurance ... new car ... i work with issues like in this video all the time doing drive ability at a GMC dealership. dont know how many times i wanted to just set a car on fire cuz it was such a headache
I'm a commercial boiler mechanic from NYC. I've always recommend anyone that I'm training to watch your videos to better understand the importance of following the plan.
Thanks for taking the time to locate the break. Yes many of us including myself would probably have jumper the break when working on my own car. However if there were other wires that could have given future trouble then at least you can rest easy not to have to go through that search again. Though took longer it was the correct thing to do. Piece of mind.
I like how you logically approach any repair before jumping into the repair. With vehicles becoming too complex I too agree that at least 75% of trying to figure out where exactly the problem is and spending 25% to repair it. This is becoming my favourite channel now. Thanks a lot for taking your time to explain in detail how you approach the problem and fix it.
Nice diag and repair. I've had both kind of bosses, hurry up and run jumpers which caused a lot of comebacks and ones that insisted on thorough diagnosis and repair which I prefer. When I got to be a service mgr in a dealership I didn't let my guys cut corners and we had very few comebacks. Good video
When I was a kid and started working on cars at 16 in the 1970s the GM Hei came out and points became obsolete ..all the old school mechanics were confused and baffled by the HEI...which is so simple today. Now few know what points and carbs are. Crazy. Nice show! Instill trouble shoot some newer cars up to 2006 ish but newest stuff is ultra techno. שלום
Excellent lesson on Strategy Based Diagnostics. Our students had to pass a competency test on wiring diagnostics and logical solutions, very similar to the procedure you showed us, hopefully they remember the lessons, and apply them properly. Thank you so much for sharing.
Really cool video even though I got a headache just watching you go through all those wiring diagrams and harnesses. Kudos for the proper repair of the break instead bypassing it with a jumper wire.
"you have slow down to go fast " i tell myself this a couple a day. It worked for me today. I got done what had to. The GS can put coolant in it. I've started it and know it runs. I keep learning from ya bud. So thank you !!
Well done. The internet know-it-alls can monday morning quarterback all they want by I know you did the right way. Especially since a short in my trailer lights takes me 2 attempts and 4 hours to fix.
My plumbing teacher was very much the same with your tutelage. Always said cut towards your buddy, and everything was my fault; quite the guff buster, it was good learnin'. Thank you Mr. O.
Eric, you do a great job, both on the actual repairs as well as the teaching you do on the videos! I notice that you, as well as some others that have excellent teaching videos, are somewhat defensive, due to the criticisms that have been leveled by viewers on previous videos. Its unfortunate that you have to deal with that stuff in spite of your best work and intentions!
Thanks for NOT starting with the, sledge & crow bar, and a jumper! It would of tough nothing ! This is the BEST video, I've seen on diagnostics, in a LONG while. To be a CLASS Mechanic , you " MUST" know how to read ladder diagrams ! I know Teaching in not your job, but " IT" is what a future "Class Mechanic" needs. If you want to zip too the front of the "Employment Line", LEARN to " READ" wiring diagrams. An " Expert" Diagnostician, impresses EVERY ONE !!
Amazing level of diagnosis! Almost no one goes to this level to fix a problem! Excellent Workmanship!! :) And no you should not repair that body work! As you said no telling what that would lead to - both time wise and more problems!
I applaud your skill and tenacity, nothing shows dedication like tracking down an electrical problem hidden like this. I once had a friend with an old '76 Honda Accord and it would blow the wiper fuses, they ran fine but only blew the fuse after you turned them off, never while running. after having the car two days Honda wanted to replace the motor for $150 - at that point I told my friend what do we have to lose, let me check the wiring and take the motor apart - so we drilled out the case rivets and 'voila - there was a fault in a wiping contact in the switching mechanism, a nylon ramp that was supposed to lift the copper contact in the park position and stop the motor had actually worn a groove in the copper wiping contact and it no longer lifted the contact to kill the motor. All I did was clip off the bad end with the wear groove and rebent the end, added some dielectric lube and put the case back together with nuts and bolts and it ran like new - I was surprised as anyone else, it was a longshot at best - sometimes you just get lucky, if you stick with it long enough--lol
The Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) is one of the most useful tools for finding cable faults (opens, shorts, bad cable splices). The TDR is connected to one end of the line and shows the distance to the fault. It uses a low voltage signal that will not dam- age the line or interfere with nearby lines.
These electrical malfunctions and wiring searches are my favorite videos, no two are alike. Great fun watching you work thru them and find the green pus! You have great patience!
I admire your tenacity in rooting out the broken wire as opposed to just throwing in a quick splice which would have drastically reduced your time spent, kudos to you.
This is info/entertainment. AKA: learning while being entertained. Trying to figure out if Eric is a better teacher than comedian. Very good at both. Another good job done by "the man".
Chrysler tech here, can't tell you how many times i've seen the core supports bashed in like that. Such a bad spot for a pcm. I completely agree with the 75% research, 25% fix it comment, i've done a lot of research to fix cars many times. Because i do that, my boss sends me a lot of driveability and electrical problems. The one thing you said, Eric, about research and doing an inspection, you should have included a bit about looking at the condition of the car and area around the affected components. That was the first thing i thought of when you showed the bottom of the core support. I have an 04 Neon R/T, and the bottom core support was a little bit tweaked on the left end when i got the car. I fixed that right away. When i saw how bent the pcm bracket was, i thought of the harness being pinched. Good job, though of finding the break!
The 2nd Gen neon is an odd ball. They 'refined' it by adding better engine mounts, the new electronic leaning transmission after 2001 and other things yet at the same time made some really bad layout changes. Such as move the ECM from in front of the strut tower down to the core support and then running the damn wiring loom under the support. Back on 1st gens only the loom for the fog/sport lights ran there and turn signals. And then Daimler stepped in with lower quality metals which is why 1st gens outlast the 2nd gens because the K member on the 2nd gens will always rust out.
Help My Car Wouldn't Start Up After I Parked It For Less Than 5 Minutes The Code Reader Read Crank Shaft, Cam Shaft Position Censor & I Replaced The Spark Plugs & Bought A New Ecu(That Matched The Last One) Haven't Had It Programmed Yet Because Money Is Tight.. Not Sure If I Should Sell The Car Or Grt The Ecu Programmed.. Anything Helps! I Don't Know Anything About Cars.
you didnt have to prove it to me eric im a sparky and knew where you were coming from, id a put a quick link wire in, but i know you were proving it to viewers, WELL DONE.
You’re exactly correct brotha. In my shop my Technicians can easily spend half hour 45 minutes coming up with a plan and educating themselves on the exact situation we’re dealing with. Tech devices differ a ton from manufacturer to manufacturer and unlike cars, manufacturers don’t make their diagrams available. Sometimes they’re easily obtainable but a lot of times they are not so research is mandatory
Another great video, better than watching a murder mystery. I wish I'd had youtube when I was a kid learning or trying to learn, it was books magazines and old timers passing on their knowledge, often flawed knowledge. We may not realize it but there is at least two years of OJT packed into this one video. Thanks once again.
One thing that shade tree mechanics don't typically have is detailed (and precise!) schematics like you purchase access to. I always buy the factory manual for gas powered stuff and am amazed how "generic" schematics are sometimes. I think this is where general knowledge of how things are done comes in real handy. I love these tutorials!
I will admit that ripping engines apart is too complicated for me. I am good at putting things together and apart but the tools and the knowledge behind how everything works in a modern engine is what scares me. After watching many of your videos I have to say I've learned a lot about the tools used, and to really use resources to fix problems! Your videos are excellent don't stop uploading!
I really appreciate you following through to find that broken wire. I learned a lot and it was very interesting. I can't say I kept up when you really delved into the wiring diagrams but it was still very informative. I also could identify with the frustration. I realize even the best have their share.
Hey Eric excellent job! just fyi an easier way to find that next time on Chryslers is to voltage drop the battery by bridging the terminals with a wrench. The problem will LIGHT right up :)
Great video Eric: I have spent my life troubleshooting electronic & electric equipment, including radar & process control, & your trouble shooting actions are absolutely beyond reproach. Well done !
Hey Eric Love the channel. I'd like to make an observation on a tool for this type of troubleshooting. It's a tracer toner and probe. You basically inject a tone and you use a probe that listens in to trace by following harnesses and stuff. I use this in the telecommunications field to track cables in 50 pair or hundred pair cables sets or network cabinets etc. super efficient! It would give an excellent return on investment. Cheers take care.
56:51 I think your absolutely right. 45 minutes in front of the computer or other such reference material can save hours of work under the hood, and (as you demonstrated by clipping that wire) making more issues and work for yourself. I think this ultimately comes down to the boss, and how knowledgeable they are in todays cars. I do primarily wiring and electrical issues (auto and heavy mechanic), I fully agree that in most cases (where the wheels aren't falling off or the vehicle comes in with a leak of some sorts) 3/4 of the time is spent diagnosing the issue..... unless your a parts jockey. This (parts jockey) is unfortunately what a lot of shops in my area (Chicago burbs) prefer, as they can inflate the cost to the customer for those parts. Then they wonder why mechanics get a bad rap. You sir are a true mechanic and asset to the community.
in such a difficult position, with the smashed in front support, i say its up to the man repairing the car. whether you want to patch it up, or whether it should be repaired properly. to see if there is other damage, or to just make it work with the smashed in front, though, i think you went above and beyond on this wiring repair. you're a good man, and there aren't many of us left. ( ha ha).
Excellent schematic skills, very well explained, interpretation of available information used intelligently. None better Professor O, hope Hannah is taking notes!. Thanks for sharing and best regards from the UK.
THANK YOU BROTHER FOR REPOSTING THIS VIDEO. IT'S A GREAT WIRING DIAGNOSTIC TUTORIAL. BAD THING IS, WE DON'T ALL HAVE A SCANNER. GOD BLESS YOU BROTHER. 🙂💖
I started out as a service advisor for Chrysler and I never even imagined what my bay mechanics went through daily. The diagnosing and logical thinking on this older episode was top level! Much more respect for mechanics everywhere now!
Great job Eric and Hanna. Its important to identify the problem. It was caused by driving accidents damaging the front end core support and pinching the wire harness.
Thank's for going that extra mile to show us the break in wire., i think a jumper fix would have been a quite acceptable fix on that car and owner would not have cursed you or me if i owned the car, SO yeah well done and i would trust you as my mechanic for sure..
I hear a lot of talk on YT about the liquid electrical tape fixing the little pokey test light holes, but I only see it USED on SMA channel. The whole point to chasing down the damage is to look for other potential damage, but as in this case sometimes it's a big waste of time anyway - won't be losing sleep over this one, we BTDT and bases covered.
It's also just being respectful to the person. If he did just jumper it and the open end found a short it would pop the fuse and strand the driver which if they are taking it to Eric to get fixed won't have the knowledge or desire to find out what went wrong and blame him. So it cost him more time and it cost the customer more in diagnosis and finding the break but in the end it keeps both parties much more content.
Nice diagnosis & repair. Absolutely right on the research prior to repairs especially on unfamiliar systems. I decided to help my daughter's dentist that had 2 BMW's and an Audi that they have spent not hundreds but thousands of $$s on them at the dealership and they still aren't fixed. I don't mess with Euro cars especially Euro diesel ones so I had to do a few hours of research just to understand the systems and wiring not to mention lack of info. Why do I do this to myself... Anyways I'm the same way with wires and have to find out what caused the wire or connection to fail...don't know how many melted harnesses or fires saved throughout the years plus a stranded customer doesn't care that you fixed the original issue all they know is they are stranded again. Nice video and I'd imagine you were buried in snow yesterday!
WOW! Either your daughter is really persuasive, your a sucker or this dentist is a real fox!!?? Hahah what in the hell possessed you to do that to yourself!?
Well I guess I love a challenge & fixing the hard ones or just figured if you pay a dealership thousands of dollars, they don't fix it and you keep paying them more $$ then throw some of it my way and I'll actually fix it. I'll let you know once I get my hands on it but I may need either a psychiatrist or just shoot me in the head...latter being cheaper. This may actually drive me into retirement also :D
Great video! I would have spliced it and been done with it as soon as I know its a short. I agree as far as doing more than what you are expected to do on a repair. You found the problem and got it going,thats the end of your commitment. If you start pulling and pushing on body parts to get it away from the harness or get it back where it should be,you risk damaging something else. I love the scope on the rope for finding 90% of shorting problems. If you need the proper schematics for finding an electrical issue,then you should be allowed to spend the time researching the darn thing. Some guys think its a waste of time,I say different. In this day and age,there is no excuse for not acessing the proper information when needed. Its not like the old days of points and condensers. Electrionics call for a more educated approach,so my view on that is use the proper tools,including wiring diagrams,they are a tool and do help find an issue. Without them, you risk damaging the harness more. Period.
I think that he uses the 'scope on a rope' more to find OPE NS than he does to find shorts. Later, he places a cup around the lamp to lessen its blinding effect.
Yep diagnostics is 75 percent research and 25 percent Repair Especially now days the more computer the more diag great video as always Eric O @53:02 @SouthMainAutoRepairLLC
Thanks for the great video(s) Eric, i really like your channel and the work you're doing, keep it up man. a little tip: use a seam ripper to get into those wiring harnesses. no risk of accidentally cutting wires (even if it's the right one haha) again, keep up the great work, cheers
Something else that works pretty good is a razor blade based letter opener the ones with the pointy tips. I use these to cut plastic masking when I'm wrapping a car for paint but they should work well for this purpose as well. I do like the seam ripper idea
Just watched this 5yr old video. IMHO it was one of your best diagnoses. And the fact you went for hard fix not quick and dirty. I liked having Hanna and Marie around in those days.
how do you bill for electrical diagnosis? do you bill hourly or give a quote of how long you think it will take upfront and stick to it?
I bill by the hour. I tell customer if it exceeds 1 hour I will call first with an estimated time. Most problems I fix in an hour time slot pretty easy or atleast have really good direction at that point and know what it is going to take. Good question. Thanks.
South Main Auto Repair Awesome. love the videos keep them coming. I know it takes a ton of time and in the end probably money out of your pocket. I would love to see more diesel videos. Tell your brother to start a channel!
I told him! He actually bought a camera and started putting together his page. Hope he follows through! ruclips.net/channel/UC_dLI4hwqeGZ0xIUb1IbJkA
South Main Auto Repair link isn't working. what kind of canrea do you use? I would like to start making some short videos but I have to talk my wife into letting me get a camera
I tried the link the other day and it wouldn't work then either
another thing that goes up and never comes down is the amount of knowledge I get from your videos thanks
Oh it goes down trust me! I have forgotten more than I know!
South Main Auto Repair you have forgotten more than most people know about auto repair.
great work. It takes a lot of patience to track down electrical opens. Obviously that owner doesn't have a lot of money, so they are very fortunate to have a repair shop as good as yours. A dealer would have nailed them good for a job like that. Your parents raised a great man. Keep up the good work.
Diagnosing skills is what separates technicians from part replacers. Thanks for another educational video Eric.
You are a master of patience with determination! Well done Eric.
Your explanation of the wiring diagrams and your logic to identify the fix was perfect. I always enjoy your commentary Eric. Frustrations and all. This was a great case study on how to chase down a broken wire.
Lucky my a**. You sir are one of the smartest and most methodical people on You Tube!
I had a super ballpoint and lower and a buchen done and cost me 300.00 bucks
Then a fule pump I had done and I had the new pump and the pump was out and and thay charg me 225.00
Very smart. Should be teaching in school your system is better than a book. I watch and learn for free.ths stuff is worth a lot of money..
I'm really surprised you took so much effort even when you got it "fixed" in order to fix it properly... No wonder, if I was living there I'd take my car to your shop. Best mechanic ever! Keep up the good work!
Very good work, I just found out to get your programs, thank you for your time& info. C.F
Jump it
I did a lot of the electrical diagnosis and repair at the 3 auto repair shops I worked at including the GM dealer.
In my small city of Southern Minnesota , , even at a GM dealer we worked on everything that came in the door.
Service manager would take on anything to keep the shop full and profitable.
Some of the guys like me came from independent shops so we had a good background on most everything else.
The other " GM" techs would only touch the GM vehicles.
In the end , the customers got their vehicles fixed at a reasonable cost and they went away happy to come back another day for anything else they needed.
Electrical work was billed by the hour as there really is no flat rate time for that kind of thing
I was pretty quick though so never had a customer complain about the bill.
Eric, It's encouraging to see how you plow through the GOOD, BAD and UGLY to diagnose the problem. You are the REAL DEAL!
Thanks so much for making such great videos.
Thanks!
Yoh know what i like about you, u always do everything you suppose to do with every repair. No short cuts. Everybody else gives us a half ass job, but not you!! Thank you.
In Canada we say "cut towards your chum, not your thumb." lol. Thanks for another great one Eric.
most people would have just ran a wire....not only are you a blessed man, but also stubborn...
... but that's good....a no compromise husband,father,son,brother,.AUTO TECHNICIAN..
proud of you
Wow, couple of years ago who would've thought I was going to understand what was going on here???? Amazing what these blokes teach you. Every vid is a new lesson. Thanks Eric
"They don't give us knives in school". "That's weak" 😂. Great case study Eric
This is one of my favorite episodes! Typical person would have ran the jumper wire and been done with it. It's that mechanic in us that has to know where the problem lies so we can sleep at night!
Great video, back in my dealership days it was all about flatrate but now that I am self employed it is all about doing it right.
Always impressed, Eric, at how quickly you get on the track of the problem. Good luck usually follows excellent technique. Truly a master tech.
So many people hate wiring, but I love it because when I figure out the issue then it makes me feel so smart ;D
Awesome diagnosis video. I want to stress the best part of this video was actually the last 3 minutes that Eric O. speaks the importance of having a good plan of attack and doing 75% research first. Its my experience that if you have electrical issues you need to examine FACTORY diagrams so you understand how and where to test your theories. Because Eric O. is his own boss he can take that time and customers are willing to pay those billable hours because they know he'll honestly find the problem and fix it with care. I was yelling at my tablet screen while watching this video because I wanted him to go all the way and pull the ECM out to do a thorough test. hehe. He did and that shows that he didnt just want to run a splice, which to me is subpar but understands that sometimes you have to for financial reasons, but rather wanted to fix it to factory specs. Each and ever video I watch I keep waiting to see if corners are going to be cut by Eric O. It just doesnt happen. The quality of his workmanship is outstanding. Kudos to Hannah for giving him the reminder that us subscribers love that he does it right.
I've got a tool that puts a pulse in the wire then sensor that you move down the harness till the beep stops. There is your break. Real time saver. Bought it off the snapon truck.
Great job... Gonna have to watch the primary approach again! 80/20 rule... 80% info, 20% fixin. Two thumbs up!
Eric
For what it's worth I went to school 2 years for AC , DC , series , parallel circuits , counting and binary systems
I think you got it exactly right !!
People that don't agree with you just have to prove and show everybody how smart they are.
Your top notch in my book
JOE.. NAVY VETERAN 🇺🇸
Super great job. You have a good amount of patience to trace the Brocken wire instead of just short it. God bless you sir.
Eric you are a gold mine my friend!!!!!! Your diagnostic work is one of the best I see in my 10 year career.
My plan, considering I am color blind and can't trace wires by color, would include a gallon of gasoline and a match. Great to watch a master at work.
"cars done" "well done...."
accidental electrical fire claim on insurance ... new car ...
i work with issues like in this video all the time doing drive ability at a GMC dealership. dont know how many times i wanted to just set a car on fire cuz it was such a headache
no excuse I am a diagnostic specialist and color blind just hire a helper/ oil changer
I'm a commercial boiler mechanic from NYC. I've always recommend anyone that I'm training to watch your videos to better understand the importance of following the plan.
Thanks for taking the time to locate the break. Yes many of us including myself would probably have jumper the break when working on my own car. However if there were other wires that could have given future trouble then at least you can rest easy not to have to go through that search again. Though took longer it was the correct thing to do. Piece of mind.
I love how this guy never gave up. I tell most techs at the dealer to follow threw on your diag. Don't give up.
Excellent automotive detective work. Great use of scan tool and automotive wiring diagrams 👍👍👍
I like how you logically approach any repair before jumping into the repair. With vehicles becoming too complex I too agree that at least 75% of trying to figure out where exactly the problem is and spending 25% to repair it. This is becoming my favourite channel now.
Thanks a lot for taking your time to explain in detail how you approach the problem and fix it.
Nice diag and repair. I've had both kind of bosses, hurry up and run jumpers which caused a lot of comebacks and ones that insisted on thorough diagnosis and repair which I prefer. When I got to be a service mgr in a dealership I didn't let my guys cut corners and we had very few comebacks. Good video
When I was a kid and started working on cars at 16 in the 1970s the GM Hei came out and points became obsolete ..all the old school mechanics were confused and baffled by the HEI...which is so simple today. Now few know what points and carbs are. Crazy.
Nice show! Instill trouble shoot some newer cars up to 2006 ish but newest stuff is ultra techno. שלום
Excellent lesson on Strategy Based Diagnostics. Our students had to pass a competency test on wiring diagnostics and logical solutions, very similar to the procedure you showed us, hopefully they remember the lessons, and apply them properly. Thank you so much for sharing.
fixing cars is... 75% looking for the tool that was just in my hand.
And knowing a dropped tool, with 75% probability, will end up centrally located under the vehicle.
Did anybody find that nut that I just dropped?......
@@hudzgh It landed in the a-arm
@@Resistculturaldecline That's what I thought too!! But then I remembered - after the "tink" sound, I'm sure I heard a "poof!"
What's worse is dropping a tool under the hood of a modern car.....and not hearing it hit the floor.......
Excellent video. Love the way you trouble shoot issues : - )
Really cool video even though I got a headache just watching you go through all those wiring diagrams and harnesses. Kudos for the proper repair of the break instead bypassing it with a jumper wire.
"you have slow down to go fast " i tell myself this a couple a day. It worked for me today. I got done what had to. The GS can put coolant in it. I've started it and know it runs. I keep learning from ya bud. So thank you !!
Well done. The internet know-it-alls can monday morning quarterback all they want by I know you did the right way.
Especially since a short in my trailer lights takes me 2 attempts and 4 hours to fix.
My plumbing teacher was very much the same with your tutelage. Always said cut towards your buddy, and everything was my fault; quite the guff buster, it was good learnin'.
Thank you Mr. O.
Eric, you do a great job, both on the actual repairs as well as the teaching you do on the videos! I notice that you, as well as some others that have excellent teaching videos, are somewhat defensive, due to the criticisms that have been leveled by viewers on previous videos. Its unfortunate that you have to deal with that stuff in spite of your best work and intentions!
Thanks for NOT starting with the, sledge & crow bar, and a jumper! It would of tough nothing !
This is the BEST video, I've seen on diagnostics, in a LONG while.
To be a CLASS Mechanic , you " MUST" know how to read ladder diagrams !
I know Teaching in not your job, but " IT" is what a future "Class Mechanic" needs.
If you want to zip too the front of the "Employment Line", LEARN to " READ" wiring diagrams.
An " Expert" Diagnostician, impresses EVERY ONE !!
You've made a lady and her Dodge very happy again. Well worth the effort!
Amazing level of diagnosis! Almost no one goes to this level to fix a problem! Excellent Workmanship!! :) And no you should not repair that body work! As you said no telling what that would lead to - both time wise and more problems!
Thoroughly and expertly explained and demonstrated. Learned a lot on this one. Thanks Eric!
I applaud your skill and tenacity, nothing shows dedication like tracking down an electrical problem hidden like this. I once had a friend with an old '76 Honda Accord and it would blow the wiper fuses, they ran fine but only blew the fuse after you turned them off, never while running. after having the car two days Honda wanted to replace the motor for $150 - at that point I told my friend what do we have to lose, let me check the wiring and take the motor apart - so we drilled out the case rivets and 'voila - there was a fault in a wiping contact in the switching mechanism, a nylon ramp that was supposed to lift the copper contact in the park position and stop the motor had actually worn a groove in the copper wiping contact and it no longer lifted the contact to kill the motor. All I did was clip off the bad end with the wear groove and rebent the end, added some dielectric lube and put the case back together with nuts and bolts and it ran like new - I was surprised as anyone else, it was a longshot at best - sometimes you just get lucky, if you stick with it long enough--lol
The Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) is one of the most useful tools for finding cable faults (opens, shorts, bad cable splices). The TDR is connected to one end of the line and shows the distance to the fault. It uses a low voltage signal that will not dam- age the line or interfere with nearby lines.
These electrical malfunctions and wiring searches are my favorite videos, no two are alike. Great fun watching you work thru them and find the green pus! You have great patience!
GOOD JOB! My thanks for a great dialogue as you went through the t-shooting process. A 'mechanic' nowadays must
also be an electrical tech it seems.
I admire your tenacity in rooting out the broken wire as opposed to just throwing in a quick splice which would have drastically reduced your time spent, kudos to you.
I hate to admit to this .... I'm addicted to this channel...
No shit!!!! We all are. Eric O. He is what we all strive to be.
This is info/entertainment. AKA: learning while being entertained. Trying to figure out if Eric is a better teacher than comedian. Very good at both. Another good job done by "the man".
Great instructional Eric, you helped me fix my own problem...fear of the unknown.
Excellent diagnosis. A true master of his craft and a great assistant too.
Chrysler tech here, can't tell you how many times i've seen the core supports bashed in like that. Such a bad spot for a pcm.
I completely agree with the 75% research, 25% fix it comment, i've done a lot of research to fix cars many times. Because i do that, my boss sends me a lot of driveability and electrical problems. The one thing you said, Eric, about research and doing an inspection, you should have included a bit about looking at the condition of the car and area around the affected components. That was the first thing i thought of when you showed the bottom of the core support. I have an 04 Neon R/T, and the bottom core support was a little bit tweaked on the left end when i got the car. I fixed that right away. When i saw how bent the pcm bracket was, i thought of the harness being pinched. Good job, though of finding the break!
The 2nd Gen neon is an odd ball. They 'refined' it by adding better engine mounts, the new electronic leaning transmission after 2001 and other things yet at the same time made some really bad layout changes. Such as move the ECM from in front of the strut tower down to the core support and then running the damn wiring loom under the support. Back on 1st gens only the loom for the fog/sport lights ran there and turn signals.
And then Daimler stepped in with lower quality metals which is why 1st gens outlast the 2nd gens because the K member on the 2nd gens will always rust out.
Help My Car Wouldn't Start Up After I Parked It For Less Than 5 Minutes The Code Reader Read Crank Shaft, Cam Shaft Position Censor & I Replaced The Spark Plugs & Bought A New Ecu(That Matched The Last One) Haven't Had It Programmed Yet Because Money Is Tight.. Not Sure If I Should Sell The Car Or Grt The Ecu Programmed.. Anything Helps! I Don't Know Anything About Cars.
I love how you just keep going to satisfy your own curiosity
Great job as usual Eric. Your approach always seems to be the way to go. Thanks for taking us along.
you didnt have to prove it to me eric im a sparky and knew where you were coming from, id a put a quick link wire in, but i know you were proving it to viewers, WELL DONE.
I'm not good with electrical diagrams, but this time I GOT IT! thanx Eric ! Great Video :-)
i always looks on your videos, i work on car for 10 years and i learn a lot from you , let me said you are the best
you're the best Eric O....thanks for the great videos!
You’re exactly correct brotha. In my shop my Technicians can easily spend half hour 45 minutes coming up with a plan and educating themselves on the exact situation we’re dealing with. Tech devices differ a ton from manufacturer to manufacturer and unlike cars, manufacturers don’t make their diagrams available. Sometimes they’re easily obtainable but a lot of times they are not so research is mandatory
Eric! Your videos are always very helpful. The repetition of terms & the persistence is very inspiring. Hope to be as good at diagnosing one day!
Another great video, better than watching a murder mystery. I wish I'd had youtube when I was a kid learning or trying to learn, it was books magazines and old timers passing on their knowledge, often flawed knowledge. We may not realize it but there is at least two years of OJT packed into this one video. Thanks once again.
What goes up and never goes down? PROPERTY TAXES!!!
rtta51 especially in New York lol
You're not alone.
Amen to that
My blood pressure and sometimes it works its way to my third leg.
petrol and energy bills
one of the best videos I have ever watched Dr.O
Great video Eric !! Can't go wrong with a little logic.Thanks for the great videos.
Pretty bloody good, Eric. A good dose of luck to back up a lot of knowledge, ability and understanding.
Awesome video like always! Really appreciate your time and videos. The part when you said "Hallelujah" almost made me fall out of my chair!
One thing that shade tree mechanics don't typically have is detailed (and precise!) schematics like you purchase access to. I always buy the factory manual for gas powered stuff and am amazed how "generic" schematics are sometimes. I think this is where general knowledge of how things are done comes in real handy. I love these tutorials!
I love your case studies and long videos. You give me something to do at work, other than work lol.
Excellent as usual .
You sir, are a GREAT mechanic!!!
I will admit that ripping engines apart is too complicated for me. I am good at putting things together and apart but the tools and the knowledge behind how everything works in a modern engine is what scares me. After watching many of your videos I have to say I've learned a lot about the tools used, and to really use resources to fix problems! Your videos are excellent don't stop uploading!
34:01 "So what I am thinkin...we should have a little look see..." Priceless. And, 48:46 "there it is!!!"
I really appreciate you following through to find that broken wire. I learned a lot and it was very interesting. I can't say I kept up when you really delved into the wiring diagrams but it was still very informative. I also could identify with the frustration. I realize even the best have their share.
Hey Eric excellent job! just fyi an easier way to find that next time on Chryslers is to voltage drop the battery by bridging the terminals with a wrench. The problem will LIGHT right up :)
Should I wear a glove or glasses?
a wet paper towel is fine.
Great video Eric: I have spent my life troubleshooting electronic & electric equipment, including radar & process control, & your trouble shooting actions are absolutely beyond reproach. Well done !
Hey Eric Love the channel. I'd like to make an observation on a tool for this type of troubleshooting. It's a tracer toner and probe. You basically inject a tone and you use a probe that listens in to trace by following harnesses and stuff. I use this in the telecommunications field to track cables in 50 pair or hundred pair cables sets or network cabinets etc. super efficient! It would give an excellent return on investment. Cheers take care.
56:51 I think your absolutely right. 45 minutes in front of the computer or other such reference material can save hours of work under the hood, and (as you demonstrated by clipping that wire) making more issues and work for yourself. I think this ultimately comes down to the boss, and how knowledgeable they are in todays cars. I do primarily wiring and electrical issues (auto and heavy mechanic), I fully agree that in most cases (where the wheels aren't falling off or the vehicle comes in with a leak of some sorts) 3/4 of the time is spent diagnosing the issue..... unless your a parts jockey. This (parts jockey) is unfortunately what a lot of shops in my area (Chicago burbs) prefer, as they can inflate the cost to the customer for those parts. Then they wonder why mechanics get a bad rap. You sir are a true mechanic and asset to the community.
Eric, do you ever sleep, these videos take time. Don't get me wrong they're excellent, best on the net.
What's sleep?
You good I learned a lot of from you
in such a difficult position, with the smashed in front support, i say its up to the man repairing the car. whether you want to patch it up, or whether it should be repaired properly. to see if there is other damage, or to just make it work with the smashed in front, though, i think you went above and beyond on this wiring repair. you're a good man, and there aren't many of us left. ( ha ha).
Excellent schematic skills, very well explained, interpretation of available information used intelligently.
None better Professor O, hope Hannah is taking notes!.
Thanks for sharing and best regards from the UK.
THANK YOU BROTHER FOR REPOSTING THIS VIDEO. IT'S A GREAT WIRING DIAGNOSTIC TUTORIAL. BAD THING IS, WE DON'T ALL HAVE A SCANNER. GOD BLESS YOU BROTHER. 🙂💖
I started out as a service advisor for Chrysler and I never even imagined what my bay mechanics went through daily. The diagnosing and logical thinking on this older episode was top level! Much more respect for mechanics everywhere now!
Great job Eric and Hanna. Its important to identify the problem. It was caused by driving accidents damaging the front end core support and pinching the wire harness.
Thank's for going that extra mile to show us the break in wire., i think a jumper fix would have been a quite acceptable fix on that car and owner would not have cursed you or me if i owned the car, SO yeah well done and i would trust you as my mechanic for sure..
Yeah the YT crowd is tough so we have to take it all the way :)
stigonutube we're not all that demanding geeze...I'm grateful you're doing all this...
I think Eric is coming down with a case of OCD?
I hear a lot of talk on YT about the liquid electrical tape fixing the little pokey test light holes, but I only see it USED on SMA channel. The whole point to chasing down the damage is to look for other potential damage, but as in this case sometimes it's a big waste of time anyway - won't be losing sleep over this one, we BTDT and bases covered.
It's also just being respectful to the person. If he did just jumper it and the open end found a short it would pop the fuse and strand the driver which if they are taking it to Eric to get fixed won't have the knowledge or desire to find out what went wrong and blame him.
So it cost him more time and it cost the customer more in diagnosis and finding the break but in the end it keeps both parties much more content.
I don't get enough of this stuff. I troubleshoot the GM Kappa platform (Solstice & Sky), and pick up tips from your video's - keep up the good work.
good job! Greetings from Venezuela!
Saludos FD Automotriz desde Minnesota, un buen canal el de este señor, igual que el tuyo
I like when you track down the problem in the harness, Great video
Just another day at State University of NY at Avoca.
Hi, Eric. Great detective work. I enjoy seeing these old vids and seeing you as a detective back then. Good job! Thanks for sharing! Stay Healthy!
Nice diagnosis & repair. Absolutely right on the research prior to repairs especially on unfamiliar systems. I decided to help my daughter's dentist that had 2 BMW's and an Audi that they have spent not hundreds but thousands of $$s on them at the dealership and they still aren't fixed. I don't mess with Euro cars especially Euro diesel ones so I had to do a few hours of research just to understand the systems and wiring not to mention lack of info. Why do I do this to myself... Anyways I'm the same way with wires and have to find out what caused the wire or connection to fail...don't know how many melted harnesses or fires saved throughout the years plus a stranded customer doesn't care that you fixed the original issue all they know is they are stranded again. Nice video and I'd imagine you were buried in snow yesterday!
WOW! Either your daughter is really persuasive, your a sucker or this dentist is a real fox!!?? Hahah what in the hell possessed you to do that to yourself!?
Well I guess I love a challenge & fixing the hard ones or just figured if you pay a dealership thousands of dollars, they don't fix it and you keep paying them more $$ then throw some of it my way and I'll actually fix it. I'll let you know once I get my hands on it but I may need either a psychiatrist or just shoot me in the head...latter being cheaper. This may actually drive me into retirement also :D
You hear audible ringing when compressor kicks on in the audio. I hear it in multiple other videos also. Great job.
Great video! I would have spliced it and been done with it as soon as I know its a short. I agree as far as doing more than what you are expected to do on a repair. You found the problem and got it going,thats the end of your commitment. If you start pulling and pushing on body parts to get it away from the harness or get it back where it should be,you risk damaging something else. I love the scope on the rope for finding 90% of shorting problems. If you need the proper schematics for finding an electrical issue,then you should be allowed to spend the time researching the darn thing. Some guys think its a waste of time,I say different. In this day and age,there is no excuse for not acessing the proper information when needed. Its not like the old days of points and condensers. Electrionics call for a more educated approach,so my view on that is use the proper tools,including wiring diagrams,they are a tool and do help find an issue. Without them, you risk damaging the harness more. Period.
I think that he uses the 'scope on a rope' more to find OPE NS than he does to find shorts. Later, he places a cup around the lamp to lessen its blinding effect.
Yep diagnostics is 75 percent research and 25 percent Repair Especially now days the more computer the more diag great video as always Eric O @53:02 @SouthMainAutoRepairLLC
Thanks for the great video(s) Eric, i really like your channel and the work you're doing, keep it up man.
a little tip: use a seam ripper to get into those wiring harnesses. no risk of accidentally cutting wires (even if it's the right one haha)
again, keep up the great work, cheers
good tip thanks!
Something else that works pretty good is a razor blade based letter opener the ones with the pointy tips. I use these to cut plastic masking when I'm wrapping a car for paint but they should work well for this purpose as well. I do like the seam ripper idea
Man I thought sure we were gonna get the brake clean sound effect when you opened that knife/box cutter. Excellent video Eric...
You went balistic on that pesky blue/white wire, mission accomplished.
Determination sir.... determination
Just watched this 5yr old video. IMHO it was one of your best diagnoses. And the fact you went for hard fix not quick and dirty. I liked having Hanna and Marie around in those days.
Agree with all you wrote.