True master.....

You are right, Beth..it isn't luck, it's logic and Eric has a full head of it. I could never stand "part cannon shooters" "Hey let's throw parts at it till 1 sticks" Glad Eric is around to investigate, determine..and then repair properly.

Beth DeCarlo I Call him the Diagnostic Professor simply one of the best technicians I have seen in a long time and I live in the U.K. and when dealerships send him their own cars well what can you say.

Caliper? Or caliber? Or was that a pun?

@@SeanONeill13 I would say caliber but caliper makes sense too haha

i love working on my own vehicles, the only problem is "the guy who touched it last is such a hack" lol.

I think some people are just lazy AF !!!. I like working on my own stuff too. Now, I can't bust down a motor, tranny, or dif, but, I'm purty handy with ev'ry thang else. Plus KZfaq channel and Google are your friends. Case in point. Drum brakes. KZfaq channel and Google got it done.I have a friend. Helicopter mechanic. Refuses to work on his cars. Got the tools, space and time. Mercedes Benz needs a driving lite. $360.00 USD to shop replacement. Told him I would do it for a nice dinner. 1 year later, it's still broke. Door handle on SUV, same thing. Won't have me do it, Can't afford the shop, sooo ???

My wheels stopped falling off on the highway,since I went back to working on my own vehicle's

jjt228 yeah I have the same problem but at least he doesn’t charge much...

@@ToyManFlyer1100 I'll mess with anything but an Autotragic Gearbox

Ya we love these ones but who the heck wants to work on them hahaha

Well said wyatt

Thank goodness most of the time you do it correctly. When watching the Arabs over at Northridge electronics, he always says, better than factory. Now that is what I may aim for, better than factory, but since I am 74 that may not happen but it won't fail in the next year Gott em Himmel accordingly.

Too bad Eric is 3000 miles from me or he would be my mechanic.

@@hikerJohn He's 3000 miles away from everyone.

@@gwcrispi I used to live a few miles from him.

My Advance auto store diagnosed a missing cylinder on my daughter's chevy truck. He told me which cylinder it was, told me how to swap the coils and bring it back to confirm. I did. He was right. $45 coil and a happy truck. He's my parts man of choice.

I worked at O'Reilly's. There was this lady that asked to get her vehicle scanned, and it came back with some O2 sensor codes. I let her know that it could be anything and recommended her to head to one of our commercial customers to diag. She refused and bought all new O2 sensors, spark plugs, wires, etc. Her and her boyfriend/husband changed em out in the parking lot, didn't fix the issue (Surprise!). They threw about 300 bucks of parts at it all while I was recommending getting it diag'd lol. Some folks just don't get it.

I watch Eric and Ray only. I'm 84 and wheelchair bound. Yeah I modify my wheelchairs 😂. I see the tools these guys use, the cordless tools especially and just marvel. I buy a few tools now just because I would almost have done an Abraham on my oldest brat for some of the tools. Yea, literallyturning wrenches because that was the only way . I watch Curtis in Australia at CEE. He would of course, wrench a spanner. Except when he is using a flogging spanner. The correct name for what we call a washer is' bearing plate." We call them washers because people would by using a chamois impregnated with a grinding compound rub gold coins to wear them down The chamois would therefore be gold laden and burned to recover the gold. A gold coin worn down was called a washer. My meds have worn off and Im out

If 100 mechanics miss a diagnosis but get paid, do they really care? Eric does! His 'bring-back' ratio has to be almost ZERO after seeing him do work on various vehicles.

I've found a total of 2 people that I'd trust to work on any of my vehicles. Their both worth the five hour drive.

You definitely don't know that, unless you have tested all 100 shops with a car with that problem. People that work with cars all day long, tend to learn a thing or two, over the years. A lot of shops are small businesses, and maybe the owner of the shop is the one working on your car.

@@the_hate_inside1085 .. Well, I've had several vehicles and 2 brand new ones that I've taken to the dealership and totally effed them up. Brand new Dodge truck. Sprayed oil all over the new engine. Went to the dealership closer by. Overfilled the oil. Almost coming out of the dipstick. Left the hood unlatched. So, could've had a blown motor or ran into a tree and killed myself when the hood flew up blocking my view. ASE certified techs and this is what happens. Toyota dealership locked my clutch and tranny up after work on the clutch.. Had to send a tow truck to pick it up. I got a Coupon for a free oil and filter change.. I laughed... Hell, no. You ain't never working on my vehicle anymore !!!. So, no Mom and Pop business did those kinds of eff ups...

@@ToyManFlyer1100 because mom and pop businesses tend to treat you and your car better because they have a reputation

Yeah, I was an adult by then. Now I'm feeling it

In NY, you can now probably get "classic" plates for an '89 vehicle, since it's 31 years old. Not sure but I think the transition happens at 25 years?

Also, you have too many screws holding your car together, and, you didn't really need that part connected.

I disagree...your ecm is low on fluid and the circuits need to be rotated. Also check the ecm for leaks. If no leaks are found, I recommend an ecm flush with full synthetic electrical fluid. Hope this helps.

@@justinjeannette8082 You're such a comfort. LOL

It's your Bluetooth that needs to be refilled.

I am new to this channel, It’s scary to think the previous shops prior to coming here are still in business.

It's jury

Damn jerry need to learn to leave shit alone.

Jerry built but jury rigged?

JERRY THE JERK

I am in the industry, and a big part of my income is based upon finding the actual root cause of a problem. And too often, the biggest problem is the guy with a scan tool, but no knowledge about how to use it properly. The guys who just shotgun parts at symptoms make us all look bad, so, if you find someone who can do a proper diag and repair, stick with him. No matter what the sign out in front of the shop he works at says, but be sure to make sure only he works on your car.

Well, follow SMA or DD and can bus is kinda obvious..

There's a difference between a technician and a parts replacer. And the sad thing is the parts replacers don't know any better and call themselves technicians.

@@abyssalreclass Yeah, just yesterday, my first 3 jobs were to correct other people's mistakes. First one was the customer's, fair enough. The other 2 were from the same coworker, and he has no business being in ths industry. Good for me, though, since I got paid. But, the clowns who can't do the job proplerly make me cringe, since their lack of ability reflects on me. They are the ones that the term "grease monkey" was invented for, decades ago. You can't back into auto repair these days, because there is nothing else for yo to do. Many cars have over 50 computers , being good at this job means having proper technical knowledge. Sorry for the long winded response, I love what I do, and cringe at those who refuse to learn.

Possible first guy didn't think 10 different problems all happened at the same time, but rather happened one at a time until customer decided to get it all fixed... but still, a little troubleshooting goes a long ways!

What percentage of the time does dropping $$$ on a PCM fix anything? I tried it on my '00 GMC Sonoma but the whole kit and kaboodle preprogrammed was $90. As I suspected, didn't fix $&!# (at least I could confirm to the other folks on the forum that it wasn't the problem). Spark advance still flew around like a bat out of hell until I realized a Labrador had adjusted the throttle set screw instead of replacing the failed IAC.

@@NicholasAndre1 Funnily enough, I avoided it on my car longer than I should have! My dash lights and windshield wipers didn't work, and I kept looking for a wiring problem. Turns out all of the power goes through the ECM! Fortunately the car is old enough that a $25 ECM from the junkyard fixed it with no programming required!

@@javaguru7141 the main ECM problem is a failed driver circuit. They’re pretty resilient computers as is but you need to conclusively identify that the driver and power supply is the problem before you spring for a ECM. There are a lot of other issues that can appear to be a driver problem like corroded or loose terminals and wiring shorts.

FATHERS. One of the most important parts of a family. MOTHERS. Being the other most important part.

Democrat socialism wants "the state" to care for YOUR children. Resist

@@nickmalone3143 have you ever tried like, sittin the fuck down and shuttin the fuck up?

Oh gosh, airlines are dependent on me!?

@@SouthMainAuto Our group is based in Long Beach CA - named "Charlie Works". The name is derived from 1) Charles Taylor, the first ever airplane mechanic 2) "Works" - akin to the famous Skunk Works - whose doctrine was to work smart and lean.We have four guys in our team - all engineers with FAA A&P licenses. We watch your troubleshooting (TS) vids and use them as discussion teaching points - the principles of TS remain the same, be it applied to an automotive vehicle or a large commercial airplane. Eric, in our world you are a true TS Rock Star !!!!! When this COVID-19 slows and we can return to our main Lab/Office I will send you some swag.

​@@SouthMainAutonew title idea for cars that come in from other shops, Chop Shop Corrections # whatever or CSC # lol.

Would have been cheaper, but they don't care. In HD fleet, there is rarely a metric for vehicle comebacks, rarely does anyone care WHAT the repair costs unless it's over $10k, but there is ALWAYS a metric for vehicle downtime. As long as each individual shop visit is less than 2 days, they're happy. Doesn't matter if it makes 5 visits a month. Guess which metric managerial bonuses are tied to? Accountants are a cancer. Fleet jobs are the country club for techs, but you have to check your conscience at the door. Been working HD fleet for the last 10 years and ended up with all the specialty transfer case rebuilds, engine fails and hard diags but rarely will anyone else in the shop even be allowed to get that far. "Throw $5k in parts at it, still fucked. Send it to the dealer, still fucked. Send it to tr0n and let him sit on it for a week." When they get it back, i've re-wired the thing, fixed the hydraulics and whatever problem it came in for initially. I basically refuse to kick shit out the door until I'm happy with it, but I've proven that they can trust me.

tr0n You, sir, need to start posting videos. Something tells me you’ve unwound a few bodge jobs in your day. Cheers!

@@BlindBatG34 Heh, unfortunately I'm always under an NDA/social media ban etc! That and I'm certainly not fast or good, just thorough. Appreciate it, though. I did a little math one month, and I figured between 70% and 90% of my work that month was just unfucking the previous "repairs" or playing cleanup after the parts cannon was fired. Between hooking up air actuators backwards, installing wrong parts, replacing $20k in emissions equipment instead of the $60 MAP sensor that was sooted off, bypassing control relays, rags stuck in intercoolers, sensors only half plugged in and the almighty operator error...man it gets frustrating. Just have to remind myself that if everyone else had half a clue about how to do their job, nobody would need me!

@@-tr0n you're right, regarding fleets being a country club, and some of the other guys I work with love it. Luckily my fleet is the perfect size where it's not too big and not too small, where I am able to tinker away in my corner figuring / learning it out to get it done, or if I wanted, I can load up the parts cannon without too much question. It's kind of the ultimate country club

@@Mr79elk That's awesome. Sounds like a good balance for learning how to become a true master tech without having that flat rate pressure sitting on your shoulders. Good luck buddy!

20 year old Dodge in excellent condition according to Eric. Worn out ignition switch with the rest of the issues due to human screw ups and garbage work.

My 2014 Ram HD with Cummins has been in for recalls, but no problems. My chevys were way more problematic and costly. That's why I changed to Ram.

PaцḶєє BlцєṢтяєєт are you referring to the live front axles? Death wobble can happen on Jeeps too.

Steve Ricketts Love this comment!

My 01 1500 had 180k and still going. Loved that truck, I only sold it to a friend because I wanted to graduate to a diesel

Tubes???? Now we know what "Day" you meant. Lololol.

thank you, that is a great quote! 👍

Some people think rainbow unicorns.

Kevin Barry Every doctor, lawyer, dentist, plumber, carpenter and electrician says that same thing. It is just human nature.

@@LTVoyager Accountant. I say the same thing for spreadsheets.

That's a scary thought while bad on land, but for flying crafts in the air?! Holy biscuits that make folks feel a bit uncomfortable. Makes me wonder about ships and trains.

I’m having flash backs to my Air Force days...nothing like shooting wires out on the wing at 0200 in the morning with freezing rain running down your back.

They also pay aircraft mechanics sh t wages, at least the big airlines do. Private sector mech make more than union mechanics . But it’s also a crapshoot, union bus mech make more then non, and union truck mech working for government make more than union mech working for the public.

@@billmoran3219 the big 3 airlines pay over 50$ an hour, that isn't a shit wage.

Kevin Myers More money and less drama in general aviation. My son in law can make six figures working on private aircraft.

i stuff googly eyes in the ones i work on

Three guys looking at a lady's car and can't figure it out. She was getting ready to call a wrecker. I fixed it in a min......took everything off her key chain but ignition key. Car fired right up. Free diagnosis and labor...no tow fee no mechanic diagnosis fee.

What we have here is a failiure to communicate!

I don't get it.

@@ShainAndrews From the movie - Cool Hand Luke (1967)

@@MostlyChrisJ Right...

I feel ya.

Too bad you weren't smart enough to stay away from ANYTHING built by Chrysler/ Fiat. You couldn't GIVE me one.

@@user-ut6ji8my2h they use GM's system as well as Ford. It's the same exact system. Doesn't have anything to do with Maker.

If it is a big job, it may be worthwhile shipping it to him.

They dont use road salt in Australia! Eric wouldn't have much to do lol.

stay tuned for tomorrows vid ;)

@@SouthMainAuto I got me an '06 Dakota... Any help I can get with it is gonna help a crap ton. You rock!

Had me laughing too. Had to show to my wife and daughters. They got a kick out if it too.

😒 sad truth....... just had to replace a fuel pump in a crown vic right after customer "topped it off"

I have a full tank of gas about once a week. Only bad fuel pump was 23 years ago.

@@G31mR But flex in your flex.

@@cccpkingu what does that mean?

Truth! Everytime!

Yeaaheeaa!

Watching Wes and South Main Auto, working hehe

Guessing is fine but verifying is better. Sometimes even the best guess is wrong.

You can always do free estimates if you are reasonably sure of getting the job. You just pad the cost of the estimate plus 20% into the cost of the repair. That's how its done. The 20% is to average out the one job in six that you diagnose and don't get.

@@lwilton Why should a person pay that for people who just want to know whats wrong so they can fix it. Then the person who wants you to fix it pays for people that don't have you fix it. Not the way to do business IMO.

I've had a dealership charge me a $100 diagnostic fee to replace a belt idler pulley that was the only reason I brought it to them. Being on the road, I needed it NOW!When I asked the manager what this was for, his answer was every customer gets charged this fee went it comes in for any purpose! Nice going Chrysler! (Jeep)

I am embarrassed, shops like that give people and shops that have a clue a bad name.

@@davidvoinier6008 incorrect. you only get charged the $100 diagnostic fee if we have to diagnose the problem, its not every single car. if you know the problem already then you wont get charged diagnostics, you'll only get charged parts and labor to put it in. for example if you know you need brake pads and say " i want new brake pads installed" thats all you will pay for. if you come in and say "my brakes feel a little squishy and it pulls to the right" then we have to go find the problem and diagnose it hence the "diagnostic fee". this is not a scam you are paying the technician for the skills and knowledge they have acquired and also the time that it will take them to complete the job. do some research on the topic next time or learn to fix your car yourself and these fees are out of your life. but the reason you are paying that fee is because you are incapable of finding the problem and need to pay a professional who is capable. checout 40:23 eric says it himself in great wording.

I've seen everything. I had a guy come in after he had been to a BMW dealership who chaarged him $400 to "reprogram his light module". The problem wasn't fixed at all. One i remember in particular is a guy brought a Escalade to us and we figured out it's probably the suspension module. We told him it's probably that as we tested the wiring to the shock that the module was complaining about and everything seemed fine. We didn't have the scan tool necessary for the module so we told him to go to the dealer. He leaves it with them and the replace the shock without even asking him, it doesn't fix the problem, and he has to argue with them that they should have actually diagnosed the issue rather than just throwing parts at it and charging him without notice. I don't know how they think they can get away with it. I suppose enough can and do do this so they just find it to be common and acceptable practice.

Well im glad that the official dealership shop i brought my Seat to didnt charge me for their incompetence. Had an immobilizer issue, dumped it there. 3 days later they said there was nothing wrong with the car, it had no fault codes. Except they had failed to start the car due to immobilizer saying "no" and it was parked in the very same spot i left it in. They were literally helpless due to the computer not showing the exact issue. No clue what to do, no clue how to find the fault. I took it home and was never sent a bill. Took me around 20 minutes to locate the issue and another 5 to fix it (cracked solder in the instrument cluster on the cable from the transponder reader).

good luck with that, charged for diag. prolly sad for all the self made "mechanics"

I agree, it chaps my a$$ whenever I see someone charged a big garage bill for a problem the garage was not able to fix

unfortunately the time to dispute the bill has passed other than disputing on credit card within 90days most credit cards have some protection (if they didnt pay by cash/debit card) . Small claims court is possible however that would take energy filing and some costs (which could be recouped if the plaintiff won). The lesson learned here for all unskilled or uneducated consumers on knowing how to ask the correct questions of mechanics. Dont hire/contract a mechanic that doesn't find the problem (most charge a diagnostic fee- which dont pay if they dont find the problem in diagnosis and verify- NO GUESSING), fix and test to confirm the fix. We don't refer any of our clients to any other trades companies because most clients dont know how to ask the correct questions to determine qualifications and expertise of a referral.

In my opinion the customer got what they paid for from both shops

That’s why I use a credit card with satisfaction guarantee for services then you can just cancel it out

Yeah, really!! I want to know who the utter brillance was with the wire in the fuse box hooked to nothing!!

Probably even ASE certified.

@@craigroth8710 probably was testing with it and forgot it was there even when opening the door due to tunnel vision.

@Timothy Salomon Or actual common sense (rare these days). All these problems happen at once. The first question should be: What is common to all of them? Basic stuff first. How many cars has Eric fixed with a good visual inspection (The absolutely most simple diagnostic tool)?

Technicians or ASE certifed are over used terminology. More like parts swappers. I worked with a guy whom is ASE cert. He told. All you do is take test to get your certs..