Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - October 11, 2025 - Hour 1 - Diagnosing Fuel Injector Faults - (855)560-9900 24/7 Hotline
Ron Ananian The Car Doctor
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - October 11, 2025 - Hour 1 - Diagnosing Fuel Injector Faults - (855)560-9900 24/7 Hotline
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Term
P0203
P0203 is a code that mechanics use to identify problems with the fuel injector for the third cylinder in an engine. If this code appears, it usually means there might be an issue with how fuel is being delivered to that part of the engine.
Car
Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is a tough, off-road vehicle that can handle rough terrain. The 2015 version has a V6 engine, which gives it good power for driving in challenging conditions.
Term
cylinder misfire
A cylinder misfire happens when a part of the engine doesn't work right, causing the engine to run unevenly and lose power. This can be due to problems with spark plugs or fuel delivery.
Term
injector circuit fault
An injector circuit fault means there's a problem with the part that controls how fuel gets into the engine. If this isn't working, the engine might not run well.
Term
check engine light
The check engine light is a light on your dashboard that tells you something might be wrong with your car's engine. If it comes on, it's a good idea to get it checked out.
Term
spark plug
A spark plug is a part of your car's engine that helps start the engine by creating a small spark. If it’s not working well, your car can have trouble running smoothly.
Part
injector connector
An injector connector is a part that connects to the fuel injector, helping it get the electrical signals it needs to spray fuel into the engine.
Term
ohms
Ohms measure how much resistance there is to electricity. In cars, this helps check if parts like fuel injectors are working correctly.
Term
resistance
Resistance is how much a part opposes the flow of electricity. It's important for checking if electrical parts in cars are working properly.
Term
ASD relay
The ASD relay is a part of the car's electrical system that turns off the fuel and ignition if something goes wrong. This helps keep the engine safe from damage.
Term
PCM
The PCM is like the brain of the car that controls how the engine and transmission work together. It helps the car run smoothly by making adjustments based on information it receives from sensors.
Term
P0201
P0201 is a code that tells you there's a problem with the fuel injector for the first cylinder in the engine. It helps mechanics figure out what's wrong.
Term
wiring harness
A wiring harness is like a network of wires that connects different parts of a car, allowing them to communicate and work together. If it's damaged, it can cause electrical problems.
Part
injectors
Injectors are parts of a car's engine that spray fuel into the engine to help it run. If they get old or damaged, the car might not work as well.
Car
Chevy II Nova
The Chevy II Nova is a small car made by Chevrolet that was popular in the 1960s. The 1967 version is known for being affordable and easy to maintain, making it a favorite among car lovers.
Car
Chevrolet Chevy II
The Chevy II, or Nova, is a small car that was made in the 1960s and is loved for its simple design and good performance. The 1967 model is especially popular among people who like classic cars because it looks cool and has a lot of power.
Term
Protector plate
A Protector plate is a small metal tag on a car that shows details like the engine type. It's used to check if the car's parts are original and correct.
Term
L79
The L79 is a powerful engine that was used in some older Chevrolet cars. It's popular among car fans because it offers good performance.
Term
CE block
A CE block is a type of engine block used in some Chevrolet cars. It helps identify what kind of engine it is and what parts can be used with it.
Term
casting number
A casting number is a special code found on engine parts that helps identify what the part is and its specifications. It's like a name tag for engine components.
Term
horsepower
Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful an engine is. The more horsepower an engine has, the faster and stronger it can make a car go.
Car
Chevrolet Chevelle
The Chevelle SS 396 is a classic American muscle car from 1965. It was known for its strong engine and sporty design, making it popular among car enthusiasts.
Term
big block
A big block is a type of car engine that is larger and usually provides more power than smaller engines. It's often found in muscle cars and performance vehicles.
Concept
automotive history
Automotive history is the story of how cars have been made and changed over the years. It includes important cars and inventions that have influenced how we drive today.
Term
older cars
Older cars are vehicles that were made a long time ago. They might not work as well for long trips because they can break down more easily and finding parts to fix them can be hard.
Car
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
The Chevrolet Monte Carlo is a type of car made by Chevrolet, popular in the 1970s. The 1972 version is known for being stylish and having good performance.
Term
327
The '327' is a type of engine size used in some classic cars, especially Chevrolets. It's known for being powerful and is often sought after by car enthusiasts.
Part
voltage regulator
The voltage regulator is a part that helps control the amount of electricity that goes to the battery and other electrical parts of the car, making sure they get the right amount of power.
Car
Ford Escape
The Ford Escape is a small SUV that is great for driving around town or taking on trips. The 2009 version is known for being comfortable and having enough space for passengers and luggage, plus it even has a version that saves on gas.
Term
OBD2
OBD2 is a system in cars that helps check if everything is working properly. It can tell mechanics if there are any problems with the engine or other important parts.
Term
voltmeter
A voltmeter is a device that checks how much electricity is flowing through a wire. It's useful for figuring out if there's a problem with the car's electrical system.
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I want to talk to you about a bunch of things today.
I want to talk to you about a P0203, just what it means.
I want to talk to you a little bit about, you know,
full driving into winter, are you ready for the road?
What do you have in the car?
And maybe we'll talk a little bit about what went on
in the shop this week, but it's a funny time
in the repair shop business right now.
It's on the quieter side, and I, you know,
we go through this every year,
and it's interesting to see how it unfolds
and what exactly happens.
I want to talk about P0203.
P0203 is a fault code.
Well, I'll tell you the whole story.
We had a 2015 Jeep Wrangler, V6 to 3.6,
came into the shop this week,
and it had a little bit of a misfire going on.
It's reported P0303, cylinder misfire,
P0203, injector circuit fault.
Now, if you notice, right,
we've always talked about misfires, you and I,
we've always said when an engine runs rough,
when it doesn't seem to be smooth at idle
and the check engine light comes on
and the light starts to flash,
that we always, our brain always kicks in,
okay, it's got a misfire, it needs a spark plug, right?
I don't know, we're just, you know,
they did a real great job of beating that
into our heads for the past 60 or 70 years.
And then modern day vehicles came along
and now it's different.
And it's been that way for a while.
It's been different for a while.
So we're going to look at P0203,
we're going to talk about that.
They talk about it as an injector driver circuit fault
or an injector circuit fault.
They don't say driver, they don't say injector,
they say the circuit.
That means anything in the circuit, right?
If this were your house
and we're looking for a problem with the lamp,
what's in the lamp circuit?
The bulb, the switch that turns the lamp on and off,
the physical wiring that goes from the wall socket
to the lamp that goes to the bulb
and the wiring behind the wall that goes downstairs
into the basement to the fuse box
and goes, you know, to feed the circuit
to come up off the breaker or the fuse,
if it's an older home.
So it's a circuit fault.
It's not saying it's any one particular component,
but it's also saying that you have to test everything
and look at everything.
An injector circuit fault
is a pretty easy code to diagnose, it really is.
All right, we're going to go through
and of course we're going to look at the injector.
Now getting to the injector might be a little bit of a chore.
In the case of this Wrangler,
number three sits on the passenger side in between one and five.
And it was a simple process to get to the injector connector,
unplug it, and we read about 14 ohms of resistance.
Well, the circuit, and I know this just
from having done these before,
those injectors typically read between 10,
10 and 16 ohms of resistance.
So I'm kind of in the sweet spot, I'm okay.
I've got a good number.
What do you do if you don't know the number?
I heard that question.
I've heard that a couple of times
because we've been talking about circuit performance faults
with all of you out on Facebook
and some of the questions coming up
off the YouTube channel and stuff.
And what are you going to do when you're looking for a number
and you don't have any service information?
Well, you've got six injectors,
go look at one of the other five,
go look at one that's running correctly.
And if cylinder one is 14 ohms
and cylinder five is 14 ohms,
then cylinder three at 14 ohms is probably a safe bet.
Now, the one thing that a resistance check doesn't do
is it won't show you how well that's going to work under load
and it won't show you how well that component,
light bulb injector or anything in between,
is gonna work as its temperature varies.
So, you know, resistance check is a good place to start
and surely something great you can do at home
if you're a do-it-yourselfer.
But the best way to look at an injector just for the record
put it up on a lab scope and look at the trace,
follow the heart rate, see where it goes.
Does it match the other five?
Does it match the other two?
Does it match one of them?
If you stack them up and look at them top to bottom.
This injector measured good.
We, I pulled out, now on a Chrysler
you have to pull out the ASD relay,
the automatic shutdown relay.
And I checked the circuit live.
I'm sorry, I checked the circuit
from termination at the PCM out to the injector
to make sure that it read the same and it did.
It read 14.3 ohms.
It went up three tenths of an ohm, nothing terminal,
no pun intended.
So, do I have a bad computer?
I could, it's possible, right?
The driver, the piece inside the computer,
the electronic component that actually switches
that injector on and off, sure.
That could be battered and beaten,
10 years old, 160,000 miles, anything's possible.
But how do I know?
Pretty simple, all right, you ready?
Why don't we just swap the injectors?
You know, when it's an ignition misfire,
what do I tell you to do?
Move the plug, move the coil,
keep track of where it goes.
Does it follow that particular fault?
Does it follow and go where it's gonna go?
Well, let's move the injector.
We move the injector to cylinder one.
My problem now, I set a P0201 diagnosis confirmed.
I've got a bad injector that measured correctly
as far as resistance, but once the vehicle warmed up,
once that injector got warm and started to work,
it started to break down.
P0203, P020 circuit performance faults,
they're becoming more common, we're seeing more of them.
It doesn't necessarily meet a bad injector.
Most of the time it does, I will give you that,
but you do have to look around for other things
because one of the items that we always look for
on an older vehicle with higher mileage,
especially on the Jeeps where the wiring harness
runs up and around the intake plenum is,
we're looking for critters, right?
We're looking for damage to the wiring harness.
Somebody, did somebody nibble on something?
And they do, right?
So we wanna make sure all these things are there,
but don't be afraid of it and that's my point
and that's why I wanted to talk to you about it today.
You know, it's just a component.
It's just an electrical device.
It's just, you would test it the way you test anything else.
How does it work?
Put it on the bench and test it.
How are you gonna test that particular component?
Put a set of injectors in it, all right?
At my suggestion, the customer agreed,
higher mileage, older vehicle.
I prefer a set of injectors
because if one's going bad at 10 years old,
160 wins the next one and we'll have to take a part
and it's a little more cost-effective
and it's best done in sets in my opinion.
But bottom line, P02 or 3 is not so intermountable.
It's not so insurmountable.
Proper addiction really helps.
I'm probably thinking about,
I'm probably a little stuttering and a little floundering
because I'm thinking about poor Tom Ray last night,
which I wanna get in after we pull over.
Tom called me last night.
He was traveling north in New Jersey on Route 287
and he said, I don't know.
I may not make it home in time for the show tomorrow
because there's big black smoke billowing off the highway
and I talked to him again this morning
and wait till you hear what was on fire
in Mawa, New Jersey when we come back
right after this 855-560-9900.
The car doctor's gonna return, don't go anywhere.
I'm Stefan Curry and this is Gentleman's Cut.
I think what makes Gentleman's Cut different
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of this beautiful finished product.
With every sip you get a little something different.
Visit gentlemenscutburban.com
or your nearest Total Wines or Bevmo.
This message is intended for audiences 21 and older.
Gentleman's Cut Burban, Boone County, Kentucky.
For more on Gentleman's Cut Burban,
please visit gentlemenscutburban.com.
Please enjoy responsibly.
Have you ever listened to those true crime shows
and found yourself with more questions than answers?
And what is this?
How is that not a story we all know?
What's this, where is that?
Why is it wet?
Boy, do we have a show for you.
From smartless media, campsite media,
and big money players comes crime lists.
Join me, Josh Dean, investigative journalist.
And me, Roy Scoville, comedian,
as we celebrate the amazing creativity
of the world's dumbest criminals.
We'll look into some of the silliest ways
folks have broken the laws.
Honestly, it feels more like a high level prank
than a crime.
Who catfishes a city?
And meets a memorable anti-heroes.
There are thousands of angry horny monkeys.
Clap if you think she's a witch.
And it freaks you out.
He has X-ray vision, how can I not follow her?
Honestly, I gotta follow her,
they can see right through me.
Listen to Crime List on the iHeart Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
For 25 years, I've explored what it means to heal,
not just for myself, but alongside others.
I'm Mike Del Rocha.
This is Sacred Lessons,
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What do you tell men not to hurt you right now?
Everything's gonna be okay on the other side,
just push through it.
And you know, ironically,
the root of the word spirit is breath.
Wow.
Which is why one of the most revolutionary acts
that we can do as people is just breathe.
Next to the wound is their gifts.
You can't even find your gifts
unless you go through the wound.
That's the hard thing.
You think, well, I'm gonna get my gifts,
I don't wanna go through all that.
You gotta go through the wounds you're left.
Listening to other people's near-death experiences,
and that's all they say.
In conclusion, love is the answer.
Listen to Sacred Lessons as part
of the Michael Thura Podcast Network,
available on the iHeart Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
You know what, before we go to Tom,
keep you in suspense a little longer,
let's go to Chris in Florida.
I don't wanna keep Chris waiting this long distance.
So, Chris, how are you today, my friend?
What's going on?
Pretty good, how are you?
All right, how can I help?
1967 Chevy II Nova,
been decoding the Protector plate
and had the Windows sticker.
I was just curious which one was the most relevant,
because from the Protector plate,
it looks as though I have a famous six car.
But there's a difference on the Windows sticker
when it comes to the engine.
I would go by the Coweltag.
Then, Vin and Coweltag override Windows sticker,
and the only reason I say that is,
because it's easier for somebody to manufacture
and print a Windows sticker than it is a Coweltag and a Vin,
although it can be done.
It's not impossible.
That's what I thought, and it was one on a car.
The family had all the paperwork,
so the Protector plate and everything is pristine.
Did they have a build sheet?
Well, I found a couple build sheets,
but they're only the paint codes,
interior and exterior.
If the build sheet's in the car,
it's under the back seat,
under the back seat by the wheelhouse,
and it's not there, right?
I found both of those.
I found two of them, one under the front seat,
one behind the back seat,
but they only cover the interior paint codes
and the cloth colors and all that interior, exterior.
Well, you can now, to that point,
you could take that build sheet
that's telling you interior colors and seats and so forth,
and you could decode the Coweltag
and see if the information matches, and it should.
It does.
Okay, then.
But, okay, so I did all the Coweltag also
and have that right,
but it doesn't really show all the dates match
for being a famous six car.
The Protector plate, the engine code on the Protector plate
is ZI, and I traced that back to being a L79.
But then, like I said, the window sticker,
there's, the serial numbers are the same
on both documents, on all the documents.
It's just that the engines are what vary,
but I was gonna go by the Protector plate
because I thought that that had it more relevant.
So, and I know what you're looking for,
because if it's an L79,
it's obviously worth a lot of money.
How many Protector plates do you have?
Just one, it came with the original one
that they made from the factory.
Right, and is it, it matches the owner's manual,
looks like older writing?
I mean, something this old is gonna be kind of weathered,
it's 50-some odd years, right?
It's made of metal, they impress those,
and I have that plate plus the copy version
where they overlaid it, and show you it,
because it's in reverse when it's on the,
you know, the use of metal type.
On the imprimter, sure.
So, you know, I think the answer to the question is,
there are, obviously there are guys out there
that are, you know, proclaimed experts in sources.
You know what you're looking for,
and it won't matter what you and I say,
it's gonna matter what they say and authenticate the car as.
Right.
So, what engines in the car now?
The 327, this is where the twist is,
it's got a CE block in it,
and it's got L79 pistons in it,
because I put a camera in there and looked at the,
the number on top of the piston,
and it's 3866954.
Right.
Which is...
I don't have the document on me, but it's, yeah.
Right.
That's the old TRW pop-up pistons.
So,
there's no way to tell from what I read with a CE motor,
because that's either a warranty replacement
or parts department engine.
And I would, I would, I would bet it's a,
you know, it's a warranty replacement,
because when those cars first came out,
nobody knew how to drive them,
and they were blowing engines,
it wouldn't be the most impossible thing
to ruin an engine in one of those
because of the horsepower they put out.
So, I think it really comes back to,
number one, is it an L79 car, all right?
If it's a real, if it's a real L79 car,
and it's got a replacement engine in it
for whatever reason, warranty, parts department,
you know, we just wanted to change the engine, et cetera.
Great.
It's still an original L79 chassis.
It's still worth, it's still worth some money.
It's not worth what an L79 complete would be, obviously,
but it's worth something.
The other, the other side of the coin here, Chris,
unless you're, are you planning to sell it or do you
want to just drive it?
Oh, no.
No, I'm going to keep it and drive it.
Drive it.
You know what?
Because there's, there's too many cars today
that nobody really knows what they are,
and nobody appreciates them for what they are,
and they just, they put them in the garage,
oh, I'm saving it.
Saving it for what?
Yeah, exactly.
Because when you and I are gone,
nobody's going to want these things.
Nobody understands the history behind them.
And it's a shame.
It really is, you know, and it's just,
it's good dinner table conversation too.
Well, I think it's an L79, but it could be this
and it could be that.
You know, it's, I would be more stoked
that it's an original L79 car.
The engine's gone, you can't do anything about it,
but you actually do own a piece of history there.
Right?
Yeah, and we're going to enjoy it.
We're just trying to, you know,
it's fun to, to decipher everything,
figure it all out.
I remember in high school, my brother had,
we didn't even realize what it was,
but he had a 65 Chevelle SS 396 car.
By the time he got it in the early 70s,
it had a 283 in it
because the original big block was gone.
But it also had the tack on the console
and it was a four speed car.
And yeah, you know what it was, right?
It was a 396 375 car.
It was one of the original, you know,
was that an L78?
That was an L78 car, I thought.
I'm not sure I'd have to look that one.
I can't remember the number,
but I know, I know when he sold it years later,
and we just sold it as a small block Chevelle didn't,
you know, it just, it just didn't mean anything.
But that was a piece of automotive history.
I think those were the cars the first year 65,
they produced less than 200 of them or something.
So it was just a, it was just a rear,
just a weird rear option car.
So low numbers.
I have a 72 also that I built.
I drove, that was the first car
I drove cross country when I came in the Air Force.
I drove from Pennsylvania to Florida.
Yeah, you can't do that today, right?
Well, and the problem is,
you know, the problem with all the older cars,
it's not that they won't go the distance,
but if they break, you can't buy parts
in the middle of Pennsylvania anymore.
You can't, you can't get a water pump in Ohio.
You can't get, you know, it's very different.
I went to college in a 72 Monte Carlo
all day long for four years.
And, you know, I broke down on the side
of the Garden State Parkway.
I'd walk into Newark and get radiator hoses
and belts and things that had fallen off
and so on and so forth.
And you can do that.
Today they, yeah, we'll have that for you in three days.
Great.
Yeah, you gotta order it online.
You gotta order it online.
It's, it's everything's, everything's a bigger,
you know, depots and warehouses and, you know,
just a very, just a very different time.
But then again, we're spoiled
because look at how the cars today,
they just kind of rock it along.
And it's, it's rare when one of them does break
and leave you stranded.
So, but I get it.
I get it.
Hey, listen, enjoy the car.
What color is it?
It is deep water blue.
Oof, very pretty.
Very pretty.
A friend of mine in high school had a 66 Nova too.
And Alan Storms, good with his storm.
We called it the Storm in six.
He had a six in it.
And I bet he wishes he still had that today too.
Anyway, so a pleasure, Chris.
Enjoy the car.
All right.
And if you, if you, if you find out more about it,
give us a call.
We're always curious about where these cars are
and what they really become.
So, all right, be well.
You're very welcome, sir.
Yes, sir.
Having a documented car like that, just for the record,
it's exciting.
It's different.
It's a piece of history.
It's enough just to get to own a 67 Chevy Nova,
but to own a 67 Chevy Nova L79.
I should have asked Chris, he could have verified this.
I think it was a 327 350 horse car.
And it was very rare and very,
very much sought after then as it is today.
Hey, 555-60-9900, Ron Aining the car doctor.
I am back right after this.
I'm Stefan Curry and this is Gentleman's Cut.
I think what makes Gentleman's Cut different
is me being a part of developing the profile
of this beautiful finished product.
With every sip, you get a little something different.
Visit gentlemenscutburban.com
or your nearest Total Wines or Bevmo.
This message is intended for audiences 21 and older.
Gentleman's Cut Burban, Boone County, Kentucky.
For more on Gentleman's Cut Burban,
please visit gentlemenscutburban.com.
Please enjoy responsibly.
Have you ever listened to those true crime shows
and found yourself with more questions than answers?
And what is this?
How is that not a story we all know?
What's this?
Where is that?
Why is it wet?
Boy, do we have a show for you.
From smartless media, campsite media,
and big money players, comes crime lists.
Join me, Josh Dean, investigative journalist.
And me, Roy Scoville, comedian,
as we celebrate the amazing creativity
of the world's dumbest criminals.
We'll look into some of the silliest ways
folks have broken the laws.
Honestly, it feels more like a high level prank
than a crime.
Who catfishes a city?
And meets some memorable anti-heroes.
There are thousands of angry horny monkeys.
Clap if you think she's a witch.
And it freaks you out.
He has X-ray vision.
How could I not follow her?
Honestly, I gotta follow her.
They can see right through me.
Listen to Crime List on the iHeart Radio app,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
For 25 years, I've explored what it means to heal,
not just for myself, but alongside others.
I'm Mike Del Rocha.
This is Sacred Lessons,
a space for reflection, growth, and collective healing.
What do you tell men that are herding right now?
Everything's gonna be okay on the other side.
Just push through it.
And ironically, the root of the word spirit is breath.
Wow.
Which is why one of the most revolutionary acts
that we can do as people is just breathe.
Next to the wound is their gifts.
You can't even find your gifts
unless you go through the wound.
That's the hard thing.
You think, well, I'm gonna get my gifts.
I don't wanna go through all that.
You gotta go through the wounds you're left.
Listening to other people's near-death experiences,
and that's all they say.
In conclusion, love is the answer.
Listen to Sacred Lessons as part
of the Mike Gutura Podcast Network,
available on the iHeart Radio app,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Hey, let's, real quick, Tom,
can we tell the story in two minutes?
Tom Ray on the, on the, on the-
I think so.
287.
So here's my roving reporter,
Tom Ray III, off in Imitate and never duplicated,
the one and only, not a phony, no baloney.
What happened on the road yesterday, Tom?
Well, I was on a, I was at one of my client's stations,
got on I 287 North, and this is an area,
it's about six miles from New York, New Jersey border,
and traffic just came to a stop.
It was screeching halt,
and there's this big black smoke cloud up ahead.
And we're just sitting there,
and sitting there, and cop cars, and ambulances,
and everything else flying up the side of the road.
And eventually, about a half an hour later,
we finally got up there, and it was an RV.
Wow.
There was only about a quarter of it left.
It was burned all the way down to the frame.
There's a lot, there's a lot in an RV that'll burn.
An RV goes up real quick.
No kidding, it's no wonder it was so much smoke.
It was like, it's worse than a house fire.
In fact, they had to close the highway later
to get it out of there.
You know, it was off to the side of the road,
but they had to close it to get it out of there.
So it was an interesting, interesting trip.
You know, when you told me this story, Tom,
it made me think, and say to myself,
we're into fall, we're gonna get into winter weather,
just as a reminder for everyone.
If you were low on fumes, low on gas,
you would have been running on fumes,
you might not have made it.
That's true, and it's actually funny,
because I did stop at a gas station on my way out there,
and I said, something just said to me,
you know, you don't need it,
but go ahead and top off the tank,
and you know, instead of just a bag of chips,
why don't you get something a little more substantial
and grab a soda while you're at it?
And it's a good thing I did,
because I got to eat supper in the car.
Right.
It was great, so.
And the road, as I always say,
is a very unforgiving place,
but we just wanna remind everybody
with the fall and the winter,
you know, if it's summer,
maybe you're gonna get out of the car
and sit and wait for the traffic to dissipate,
but when it's cold, when it's rainy,
when it's bad weather, you're stuck in the car,
make sure it's got gas,
make sure you've made a pit stop as well as for the car,
if you can when you have to,
and don't count on things working quite right,
especially as winter weather approaches,
so just to remind you.
And I should also add that in this stretch of the road,
you have to go about five miles before you find an exit,
because the next exit is Mawa,
then you hit the New York, New Jersey state line,
and nowhere in that median
is there a turnaround for the cops,
so it's not like you could just slip into the other lane
and go the opposite direction.
There's nowhere to go.
It's all guardrail on that side.
Right, yeah.
So you sit there, what are you gonna do?
You sit there.
And I have to point out RVs are probably,
the only thing worse than an RV fire is an EV fire,
because when the EVs go,
and when I called you yesterday
and you told me about the smoke,
I said, I wonder if that is an EV to myself,
but the issue with an RV is,
it's got everything that a house has in it,
plus gasoline, plus chemical, plus, so.
It's got insulation, it's got two by fours,
it's got kitchen table, it's got stoves,
it's probably got propane tanks attached to it.
Right, so it's a big kaboom,
but while we're glad you're safe
and we appreciate you being out there
and letting us know what's going on,
so just a little reminder for everybody.
Let's open the phones up,
let's go to Elmer in Wisconsin, 96-olds,
see what's going on here.
Elmer, welcome to the car doctor, sir.
How can I help?
Thank you.
I have a 96-olds mobile Aurora,
and it's got an electrical problem.
I've had it in a shop for a couple of years
and they got stumped with it,
thought they had it fixed,
and it was getting current,
you could see it on the information there,
they had 14, 15 votes,
then all of a sudden it would go down to 11, 10,
and then the car would run crappy
and they couldn't get it to charge,
and they changed the alternator three times,
and they say it's charging at the alternator,
but it's not coming through,
getting to the battery,
so I don't know what the voltage regulator is at.
Well, the voltage regulator is built into the alternator.
All right, it's all part and parcel.
So having said that, okay,
I remember the old's Aurora's,
as a matter of fact,
Lou, my former office manager, had a 96 Aurora,
and I went through a lot with this car,
more than I wanna remember,
and I remember we had an alternator charging system issue
way back when, I mean, we're talking 30 years ago,
25 years ago when Lou had it,
and it turned out that we diagnosed it
as a bad alternator, put a replacement on,
had a similar situation, put another replacement on,
had a similar situation, and I said, wait a minute,
something's not making sense here.
Now, one of the things that you have to know is,
the way this system works,
the alternator is fed roughly five volts,
sometimes a little more from the main engine,
from the powertrain control module, from the PCM.
So one of the first things you wanna check
is does it have five volts coming out of the PCM?
If it has five volts coming out of the PCM,
if it's got battery hot at the battery,
the heavy red wire, all right,
that shows I've got connection to the battery,
if it's got, and obviously it has to be grounded, okay?
My next step is I'm gonna take a battery,
I'm gonna take a test light, battery hot,
and I am going to apply that voltage
because that's gonna drop across the bulb, all right?
And I am gonna put that to the red wire,
where the red wire comes at the alternator,
does the alternator start to charge?
If the alternator charges,
then my problem is elsewhere,
if the alternator doesn't charge,
what I ended up having to do is
I had to find a different supplier.
They, there's something particular
about that generation alternator, those vehicles,
I don't know that, and I don't wanna say they're all bad,
I just, I question the rebuilding care,
I just remember, you know,
hey, you're striking a nerve here, Elmer,
I remember that car from 20, 25 years ago,
and it, we ended up with a different brand of alternator
and the problem went away.
But you just have to, you know,
there's four wires that come out to that alternator,
the heavy red, the light red, the blue,
and I think it was yellow or gray,
gray at the connector plug, you know,
I wanna know, I wanna know,
I wanna do my pin test there, what do I have,
what can I check, all right?
The voltage regulator.
One thing that did happen,
one thing that did happen at the connector plug,
those wires were, one of them broke or they broke,
and I tried to put them back together
and it was very thin wire.
So I'm wondering whether those little three wires
maybe are connected well.
Well, are they connected well,
are they connected to the right terminal?
That's the other thing I thought I had by color.
Right. You know, could connect it up,
but it was not clear.
So first, yeah, first things first is let's...
Well, it wasn't bother new connector from GM.
Right. And it wasn't the same,
it's a bigger wire than what the wireless on there.
Welcome to auto repair, common.
So it made it real difficult
to try and mess those wires up.
Right, well, it's just the way they do it,
they make it a generic, bigger plug, bigger wire,
we've, that generally happens,
I would say 80% of the time,
but what you want to do is get a wiring diagram
and break out, you know,
does the red wire go to the L terminal and so on?
Do we have proper control?
There's ways to verify that we've got the wire choices,
wires in the right places.
And if we do, then you've got a circuit test
at the way I'm describing it.
Don't be surprised if you have to try
a different brand of alternator,
but now that you tell me that,
I'm going to say, make sure your wires
in the right spot before you go any further.
What about the power wire that goes
from the alternator back to the battery?
Cause there'd be a problem in there.
There could, but do you have, you know,
if the battery's got 14 or 12 and a half volts in it
and you measure 12 and a half volts
at the alternator, then you're good, right?
Well, after you drive it a while,
the volts, like I said, go down on the indicator
on the information panel,
it shows you how many volts is running.
Okay, but-
And all of a sudden that goes down.
Well, and I'm not, I'm not doubting that.
I'm not doubting that the car is losing voltage.
All right?
But at the moment of that failure,
what does it show at the alternator itself?
But, but, but, right?
Since the alternator is low on charge, okay?
Or since the battery's low on charge,
you're going to probably read the same thing.
Why don't you do this?
You got a cigarette lighter in the car?
Yeah.
Why don't you rig up a volt meter
to a cigarette lighter adapter?
Forget the dashboard.
Forget, forget the car.
Take the car out of the equation, right?
Cigarette lighters a straight shot back to a fuse.
If your voltage there matches the vehicle,
now you've got something I would consider accurate,
not computer buffered,
to tell you what's going on and start to look at that.
All right.
But first things first,
you've got to fix and verify your wiring at the plug
and then you call me back.
All right, kiddo.
All right.
Good enough.
All righty.
You let me know.
Thank you.
Yes, sir.
You're very welcome.
855-560-9900.
Ronan A. and the car doctor.
I'll be back right after this.
Don't go away.
I'm Stefan Curry and this is Gentleman's Cut.
I think what makes Gentleman's Cut different
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developing the profile of this beautiful finished product
with every sip you get a little something different.
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Have you ever listened to those true crime shows
and found yourself with more questions than answers?
And what is this?
How is that not a story we all know?
What's this?
Where is that?
Why is it wet?
Boy, do we have a show for you.
From smartless media, campsite media
and big money players comes crime lists.
Join me, Josh Dean, investigative journalist.
And me, Roy Scoville, comedian,
as we celebrate the amazing creativity
of the world's dumbest criminals.
We'll look into some of the silliest ways
folks have broken the laws.
Honestly, it feels more like a high level prank than a crime.
Who catfishes a city?
And meets some memorable anti-heroes.
There are thousands of angry horny monkeys.
Clap if you think she's a witch.
And it freaks you out.
He has X-ray vision.
How could I not follow her?
Honestly, I gotta follow him.
He can see right through me.
Listen to Crime List on the iHeart Radio App,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
For 25 years, I've explored what it means to heal,
not just for myself, but alongside others.
I'm Mike Del Rocha.
This is Sacred Lessons,
a space for reflection, growth, and collective healing.
What do you tell men not to hurt you right now?
Everything's gonna be okay on the other side.
Just push through it.
And ironically, the root of the word spirit is breath.
Wow.
Which is why one of the most revolutionary acts
that we can do as people is just breathe.
Next to the wound is zero gifts.
You can't even find your gifts
unless you go through the wound.
That's the hard thing you think.
Well, I'm gonna get my gifts.
I don't wanna go through all that.
You gotta go through the wounds you're left.
Listening to other people's near-death experiences,
and that's all they say.
In conclusion, love is the answer.
Listen to Sacred Lessons as part of the Mike Guthura
podcast network available on the iHeart Radio App,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The social media trend that's landing
some Gen Zers in jail.
Ha ha ha ha!
Hey, man!
The progressive media darling
whose public meltdown got her fired.
I'm gonna take Francesco off the network entirely.
The massive TikTok boycott against Target
that makes no actual sense.
I will continue getting stuff from Target.
And I will continue to not pay for it.
And the MAGA influencers whose trip
to the White House ended in embarrassment.
So refreshing to have the press secretary
after the last few years
who's both intelligent and articulate.
You won't hear about these online stories
in the mainstream media,
but you can keep up with them
and all the other entertaining and outrageous things
happening online, in media, and in politics
with the Brad vs. Everyone podcast
hosted by me, Brad Palumbo.
Every day of the week,
I bring you on a wild ride
who the most Delulu takes on the internet,
criticizing the extremes of both sides
from an independent perspective.
Join in on the insanity
and listen to the Brad vs. Everyone podcast
on the iHeart Radio App, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Like if we're on the air here
and I literally have my contract here
and I'm looking at, as soon as I sign this,
I'm gonna get a seven figure check.
I'll told them I won't be working here in two weeks.
From the underground clubs that shaped global music
to the pastors and creatives who built the cultural empire,
the Atlanta Ears podcast uncovers the stories
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The thing I love about Atlanta
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Each episode explores a different chapter of Atlanta's rise,
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The full series is available to listen to now.
I really just had never experienced anything
like what was going on in the city as far as like,
you know, seeing so many young, black, affluent creatives
in all walks of life.
The church had dwindled almost to nothing
and God said, this is your assignment.
And that's like how you know, like,
okay, are you from Atlanta for real?
I ain't gotta say too much.
I'm a great baby, shut up.
Listen to Atlanta Ears on the iHeart Radio Apple podcast
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Hey, let's go to Glenn in Tennessee.
Glenn, you're there, sir.
Yes, I am. How you doing?
Good, sir. Tell me your story.
Okay, so I got a 2009 Ford Escape.
About six months ago,
I started having issues with the ignition switch.
So when I put the ignition,
the key into the ignition switch,
I had problems to the engine turning over.
So I done some research on it and found out
that it could possibly be the ignition switch itself
inside the steering column.
So I ordered a switch, it was an OEM replacement.
I put the switch in, it never fixed the problem.
And from that point on,
it just seemed like it's gotten worse.
I can do my remote start on it, it's fine.
From the remote key, I can do the remote switch,
it works fine, but when I put the key in
and try to turn it over,
a lot of times it just doesn't turn over.
It binds.
It doesn't bind up, it turns freely.
But when I get to the stopping point
where it should be cranking over,
the engine does nothing, the lights are on the dash,
but the engine doesn't crank over.
Okay, and this is different than what it was
prior to you changing the ignition switch.
No, it's actually exactly the same,
it just seems that it doesn't start more times
than it did before, it's gotten worse.
Okay, but the cluster is lit up.
Yeah, actually, yeah, it is.
Do you have a scan tool?
I do.
All right, when the key is in that on position
and then you go to crank, right?
Now I'm not talking about something OBD2,
do you have something that'll go year make model?
I do not, I just got a standard OBD.
Okay, what I was gonna do is take you down the path of,
can we see, vehicle manufacturer,
I don't believe it's gonna be there in OBD2.
A vehicle manufacturer would give us the ability
to see key position.
And I'd be curious to know, does the vehicle,
does the PCM recognize key position?
All right.
Okay.
And what I'm thinking about is,
if the lock cylinder is turning okay,
I wanna know, do you have an anti-theft event?
Is the first thought that comes to my mind?
All right.
You know, if you look on your dashboard,
you've got that little plastic bubble
with the red light that blinks.
There's a lock on it, there's a lock that comes up on it.
Right, does it change when there's a problem?
I'm trying to remember what O9 was like,
but I thought that it blinks steady,
and then if it saw an anti-theft moment,
it will blink fast or change how fast it blinks or something.
I just wanna verify
that I don't have an anti-theft event going on here.
All right, because what you're describing to me is that.
The other thing I wanna mention is, you're aware,
but I think you're past this, but I just wanna mention,
there is a bulletin out there
that talks about changing the steering lock module,
the entire module assembly,
bulletin number O9-19-15.
Very, because the late 08s,
because watch where you are, Glenn,
the late 08s and the early 10s and all of the O9s.
So like, baby, you're right in the middle of it.
All were susceptible to this bulletin.
And there was a procedure of, does it do this,
does it do that, yes, yes, yes, no, no, no.
Change the lock module.
At one point it was under warranty,
but not every car got repaired like that.
So that's on my mind, all right?
If you, you know, my next step would be,
because you're proficient enough to take it apart,
I would get out a wiring diagram,
and I would find the wire that's telling the PCM,
hey, I'm in crank mode.
I'd put a voltmeter on it.
Okay.
Because I just want to know, do I have signal?
If I have signal out of the switch
and I'm not being activated out of the PCM,
now I'm starting to think I've got a theft issue.
And where am I going there?
Everybody forgets about anti-theft.
And we, and you know what, I think it's bred into us.
It's our father's fault.
They bred it into us that it's always something mechanical.
So, all right, do those things.
Yeah, tell you what, sit tight.
Sit tight, Glenn, sit tight.
Let me pull, I don't want to rush you.
Sit tight, let me pull over and take this.
I'll come back and we'll talk about it some more.
I'm Ronan Nanny in the car doctor.
I'll be back right after this.
I'm Stefan Curry, and this is Gentleman's Cut.
I think what makes Gentleman's Cut different
is me being a part of, you know, developing the profile
of this beautiful finished product.
With every sip, you get a little something different.
Visit Gentleman'sCutBurban.com,
or your nearest Total Wines or Bevmo.
This message is intended for audiences 21 and older.
Gentleman's Cut Bourbon, Boone County, Kentucky.
For more on Gentleman's Cut Bourbon,
please visit Gentleman'sCutBurban.com.
Please enjoy responsibly.
Have you ever listened to those true crime shows
and found yourself with more questions than answers?
And what is this?
How is that not a story we all know?
What's this, where is that?
Why is it wet?
Boy, do we have a show for you.
From smartless media, campsite media,
and big money players, comes crime lists.
Join me, Josh Dean, investigative journalist.
And me, Roy Scoville, comedian,
as we celebrate the amazing creativity
of the world's dumbest criminals.
We'll look into some of the silliest ways
folks have broken the laws.
Honestly, it feels more like a high level prank
than a crime.
Who catfishes a city?
And meets some memorable anti-heroes.
There are thousands of angry, horny monkeys.
Clap if you think she's a witch.
And it freaks you out.
He has X-ray vision.
How could I not follow her?
Honestly, I gotta follow him.
He can see right through me.
Listen to Crime List on the iHeart Radio app,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
For 25 years, I've explored what it means to heal,
not just for myself, but alongside others.
I'm Mike Del Rocha.
This is Sacred Lessons, a space for reflection,
growth, and collective healing.
What do you tell men not to hurt you right now?
Everything's gonna be okay on the other side.
Just push through it.
And ironically, the root of the word spirit is breath.
Wow.
Which is why one of the most revolutionary acts
that we can do as people is just breathe.
Next to the wound is zero gifts.
You can't even find your gifts
unless you go through the wound.
That's the hard thing you think.
Well, I'm gonna get my gifts.
I don't wanna go through all that.
You gotta go through the wounds you're left.
Listening to other people's near-death experiences,
and that's all they say.
In conclusion, love is the answer.
Listen to Sacred Lessons as part of the Mike Guthura
podcast network available on the iHeart Radio app,
Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The social media trend that's landing
some Gen Zers in jail.
Ha ha ha ha!
Woo!
Oh yeah!
The progressive media darling
whose public meltdown got her fired.
I'm gonna take Francesco off the network entirely.
The massive TikTok boycott against Target
that makes no actual sense.
I will continue getting stuff from Target,
and I will continue to not pay for it.
And the MAGA influencers whose trip to the White House
ended in embarrassment.
So refreshing to have the press secretary
after the last few years
who's both intelligent and articulate.
You won't hear about these online stories
in the mainstream media, but you can keep up with them and all the other entertaining and
outrageous things happening online, in media, and in politics with the Brad vs. Everyone podcast,
hosted by me, Brad Palumbo. Every day of the week, I bring you on a wild ride who the most
delulu takes on the internet, criticizing the extremes of both sides from an independent
perspective. Join in on the insanity and listen to the Brad vs. Everyone podcast on the iHeart
radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And we are back. Glenn,
you're still there, sir? I am. Yeah, I didn't want to cut you short. So what were you going to say?
You had a question? What was the recall, the bulletin number you were talking about?
The bulletin number was 09-19-15. It's a bulletin, not a recall. And it talks about,
you know, it questions and puts you in a position of, do you need a steering lock module?
Predominantly for vehicles that had problems with the key binding, not turning, you have to push
it in to get it to go. You know, was it rough? Was it smooth, et cetera?
The only thing that I say is when I try to insert it into the switch itself, it's a little stubborn.
Well. Once it's in there and I rotate it, it seems free.
Well, when you say switch, let's clarify our terms, all right? So when you're putting the key in,
you're putting the key in the lock cylinder. Yes. Just like you're putting the key in the lock
cylinder of the door, right? No different. At the end of the lock cylinder, you're then turning
the switch. Yes. Okay, just so we're both on this. I like to be clear in my relationships.
So, yeah. And listen, that's not to say you don't have two problems, right? Who's to say you
don't have, you know, an issue with the steering lock module, an issue with the no start, with the
no crank. But look at anti-theft. Remember what I said at the back of the ignition switch, there'll
be one wire that feeds the PCM and says, hey, I'm in crank. You know, engage the starter and
there's a couple other things that'll look at there. But that is a part of the controlled area
network. And one last thing, the instrument cluster is the anti-theft system. She may be
looking at that anyway. Let me know what happens. Glenn, I'm Ron Anini in the car doctor until
the next time. Good mechanics aren't expensive. They're priceless. See ya. I'm Stephan Curry and
this is Gentleman's Cut. I think what makes Gentleman's Cut different is me being a part of,
you know, developing the profile of this beautiful finished product with every sip,
you get a little something different. Visit Gentleman'sCutBurban.com or your nearest Total
Wines or Bevmo. This message is intended for audiences 21 and older. Gentleman's Cut Bourbon,
Boone County, Kentucky. For more on Gentleman's Cut Bourbon, please visit Gentleman'sCutBurban.com.
Please enjoy responsibly. When I smoke weed, I get lost in the music. I like to isolate each
instrument. The rhythmic bass, the harmonies on the piano, the sticky melody.
Hey, careful, babe. There's someone crossing the street. Sorry, I didn't see him there.
If you feel different, you drive different. Don't drive high. It's dangerous and illegal
everywhere. A message from NHTSA and the ad council.
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What are the cycles fathers pass down that sons are left to heal?
What if being a man wasn't about holding it all together, but learning how to let go?
This is a space where men speak truth and find the power to heal and transform. I'm Mike Della Rocha.
Welcome to Sacred Lessons. Listen to Sacred Lessons on the iHeart Radio App, Apple Podcast,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
About this episode
Ron Ananian dives deep into diagnosing fuel injector faults, specifically focusing on the P0203 code, which indicates an injector circuit fault. He shares a real-life case involving a 2015 Jeep Wrangler experiencing misfires and discusses the importance of testing the entire injector circuit. Listeners will learn about common misconceptions regarding misfires and the significance of proper diagnostics. The episode also touches on winter driving preparedness and features engaging listener calls about classic cars and electrical issues, providing practical advice and insights from Ron's extensive experience.
Original notes
Code P0203, winter-readiness, and two electrical gremlins. Ron opens with a 2015 Jeep Wrangler 3.6L that set P0303 (misfire) and P0203 (injector circuit). He walks through smart diagnostics: verify injector resistance against known-good cylinders, check the circuit from PCM to injector, then confirm with a scope or a swap test—because a component can ohm “good” cold and fail hot. From there, he pivots to fall-and-winter driving prep in response to an RV-fire traffic shutdown: fuel up, pack essentials, and plan for long, no-exit stretches. Classic-iron detour: documenting a ’67 Chevy II Nova (VIN/cowl tag and build sheet beat a window sticker). Then it’s a ’96 Olds Aurora with a fickle charge (don’t trust the dash—test the alternator feed and wiring) and an ’09 Escape no-crank likely flirting with anti-theft/steering-lock issues.
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