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Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - March 21, 2026 - Hour 1 - Ron's Late Night Adventure

Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - March 21, 2026 - Hour 1 - Ron's Late Night Adventure

Ron Ananian The Car Doctor Mar 21, 2026 35 min
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About this episode

Ron Ananian’s “Car Doctor” hour mixes shop talk, real-world roadside drama, and listener Q&A. He recounts a Northeast trade show, then a tense late-night rescue: a 1990 Chevy van overheated after a freeze-out/core plug—ordered as “1-5/8 inch”—was actually slightly undersized, fell out, and dumped coolant. Calls cover diagnosing parasitic battery drain (Ron says “stop looking” once the draw is acceptable), whether premium fuel-system cleaning is worth it, extended warranty strategy, and rust prevention for a new Colorado—comparing products like fluid-film vs paint-based approaches and recommending proper prep and washing.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Term

turd of the week

"Maybe instead of the repair of the week, we should, I don't know, call it the turd of the week. I just, you know, I just, because boy, I'll tell you what, there's some real junk out there."

They’re jokingly calling the worst car or worst repair “turd of the week.” It’s basically the opposite of a “best repair” segment.

Company

Gloveworks

"I found my gloves. Gloveworks. Gloveworks is a company. They make an orange nitrile glove. My new best buddy, Chad, talked to him."

Gloveworks is a brand of gloves used in work settings. They make nitrile gloves, which are common for keeping hands protected while working on cars.

Term

orange nitrile glove

"Gloveworks is a company. They make an orange nitrile glove. My new best buddy, Chad, talked to him."

Nitrile gloves are a type of protective glove. They help keep oil and chemicals off your skin while you work on a car.

Company

Grip Edge

"[269.6s] but it's, it's, now I understand the mechanics behind it. [272.0s] Grip edge. [273.1s] They make these, you know, the bit drivers and extractors and all sorts of things [279.5s] that make a mechanics life easier."

Grip Edge is a tool brand that makes specialty bits and extractors. The idea is that they grip better, especially when a bolt or screw is damaged or stripped.

Part

freeze out plug

"He was driving home his big van. [327.2s] Now the backstory is Danny has a 1990 Chevy van that he acquired recently and it needed [335.5s] a freeze out plug. [336.3s] I needed a core plug."

A freeze-out plug is a small metal “plug” in the engine. If coolant freezes, it’s designed to pop out first so the engine block doesn’t crack.

Concept

coolant protection wasn't strong enough

"[340.7s] And if, if the block were to freeze, if the coolant protection wasn't strong enough, [345.7s] if the anti-freeze coolant, whatever water combination froze, it would push the freeze [350.2s] out plug out in theory and prevent the block from cracking."

They’re saying the coolant mixture wasn’t good enough to stop freezing. If coolant freezes, it can expand and cause damage to the engine.

Part

inch and five eighth plugs

"[362.2s] Small block Chevy takes inch and five eighth plugs on the side of the block. [367.5s] There are a dime a dozen or they used to be, they used to be available in multiples. [372.4s] We actually have some in the shop somewhere, darned if I could find them. [375.2s] So I went out and I, I ordered some more from the local warehouse and they showed up and"

The speaker is specifying the diameter size of the freeze-out/core plugs used on a small-block Chevy. Correct sizing matters because a plug that’s too large or too small can be difficult to install or may not seal properly.

Concept

I did not measure them

"[383.6s] That was my mistake. [384.9s] And I admit my mistake here freely. [386.9s] I did not measure them. [388.8s] It was tight going into the block."

This is a practical shop lesson: even when a part is ordered by nominal size, you should verify dimensions before installation. In this case, not measuring led to a tight fit, which can risk damage to the block or improper sealing.

Term

AAA

"Call triple A calls triple A. I get there... you know, you got triple A coming kind of disappointed in triple A."

AAA is a company that helps you when your car won’t start or breaks down. They send a tow or service help so you’re not stuck on the road.

Concept

battery drain

"I've been working on this battery drain on this car and I went through the first thing I found a ground that was bad next to the battery."

Battery drain is when your car keeps using power even when it’s parked. If it’s not fixed, the battery can go dead.

Car

Subaru Forester

"Speaking of Ron, here he is. Hey, let's go over and talk to Robert in Iowa, 17 Subaru Forester. Robert, welcome to the car doctor, sir. How can I help?"

A Subaru Forester is a common family SUV. Here they’re talking about maintenance on that specific car—especially whether a dealer fuel-cleaning service is actually necessary.

Term

spark plugs

"...air and cabin filters, probably spark plugs, driveline fluids, did she have the fuel system cleaning [1158.9s] done?"

Spark plugs are what create the spark that lights the fuel in the engine. If they’re worn, the engine can run worse.

Term

miles per gallon

"And at 12,000 miles a year, if the vehicle got 25 miles per gallon at 375 a gallon, if that car drops 10%... So it's getting three miles less per gallon."

Miles per gallon (MPG) tells you how efficiently your car uses gas. If MPG drops, you have to buy more gas for the same miles.

Term

extended warranties

"Good afternoon. Hey, I was calling about extended warranties. You've been talking about them on and off for the past couple of weeks, and as you know, I'm a regular listener, and I don't disagree with you. Aftermarket extended warranties can be nothing but trouble, but they don't need to be."

An extended warranty is extra protection you buy after the original warranty runs out. It’s supposed to help pay for repairs, but some plans cover less than you’d expect or make claims harder.

Concept

rust-proofed and undercoated

"And I know you had it rust-proofed and undercoated and all that. And they really did a good job."

Rust-proofing and undercoating are ways to protect the car from corrosion. They help keep road salt and moisture from eating away at the metal, especially underneath the car.

Company

Rust Check

"Rust Check is the name of the company. And it's something you got to renew every year."

Rust Check is a company that helps stop rust from forming on your car. They usually want you to renew the treatment regularly so the protection stays effective.

Term

ceramic coating

"But I also got a private guy that does a ceramic coating, and I get that reapplied every year as well. And that makes a big difference."

A ceramic coating is a protective layer on your car’s paint. It helps the paint resist dirt and chemicals, and makes washing easier—especially in tough winter conditions.

Concept

undercoating

"It's a one and done like undercoating and then they spray, it's like a vapor that they spray inside the door,"

Undercoating is a protective layer put on the bottom of the car. It helps protect against rust from things like road salt and wet roads.

Term

rust proofing

"And it's, you know, supposed to be a one and done kind of thing. Right. And it's rough, rust proofing."

Rust proofing is a protective coating or treatment that helps stop rust from forming on a car. It’s usually applied to spots that are hard to see or reach, where water can collect.

Term

salt

"And I'm from PA originally, so I'm aware of the salt and everything in the wintertime."

Salt is spread on roads in winter to melt ice. It can also make it easier for rust to form on a car, especially on seams and underbody areas.

Term

rust prohibitor

"It's not a rust preventative, it is a rust prohibitor. So they don't, they don't say it'll never rust, but it"

It’s a product you put on metal to help stop it from rusting. It doesn’t always mean “never rust,” but it helps slow corrosion a lot.

Brand

Benjamin Moore

"So Benjamin Moore Lowluster Alkalide. I forget the part number, but it'll be available in either a flat or a semi gloss."

Benjamin Moore is a paint brand. They’re mentioning a particular paint they used to coat the inside of the wheel wells.

Brand

GM

"And they are GM direct factory accessories for your vehicle. They make them for a lot of their different vehicles, right?"

GM is General Motors, the company that makes Chevrolet and other brands. They’re saying the parts they bought are official GM accessories meant for their vehicle.

Term

wheel wells

"...getting it washed. If you can't get it washed and even if you can get it washed, I go through the pain of taking a garden hose and I wash out my wheel wells."

Wheel wells are the areas inside the fenders around your tires. They catch a lot of salt and dirty water in winter, so cleaning them helps prevent rust.

Term

rust inhibitor

"There's another line of products that I came across in my research is from a company called Eastwood. And they make a rust inhibitor, rust encapsulator and a rust converter."

A rust inhibitor is something you put on metal to slow down rust. It helps stop rust from starting or spreading as quickly.

Company

Eastwood

"There's another line of products that I came across in my research is from a company called Eastwood. And they make a rust inhibitor, rust encapsulator and a rust converter."

Eastwood is a company that makes car-care and restoration products. Here, they’re mentioned for rust-fighting coatings and treatments.

Brand

Por-15

"And it's not Por-15 because I know Eastwood reps Por-15 as well. That might be their product."

POR-15 is a popular rust-prevention coating brand used on cars. The speaker is basically saying the product they found might be similar to POR-15, but they’re not sure it’s the same one.

Term

lift

"you're just better off renting a lift, finding a lift, getting up in the air, buying a cheap spray gun, putting on a suit and some goggles and a ventilator"

A lift is the equipment used to raise a vehicle so the underside can be accessed safely and thoroughly. For frame/undercarriage coatings, having a lift can dramatically improve reach and coverage compared with working on the ground.

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