Your car needs different liquids to work correctly. Checking fluid levels helps you catch problems early—like low oil or low coolant—before they turn into expensive repairs.
They’re saying oil might be harder to find for a while because of supply problems. If that happens, it’s smart to plan ahead so your car doesn’t miss maintenance.
They’re recommending buying a little extra oil ahead of time so you’re not stuck later if stores run short. It’s meant to be a small backup, not a huge stockpile.
Engine oil is what keeps the engine parts from grinding against each other. The hosts are basically saying: make sure you have oil so you can keep your car maintained.
Term
gas prices are through the roof
They’re saying gas is really expensive right now. When fuel costs jump, people tend to drive differently and pay more attention to efficiency.
A car battery provides starting power and supports the electrical system when the engine isn’t running or during high-demand moments. Temperature swings can affect battery performance, which is why the hosts expect more battery-related issues during seasonal changes.
The alternator is what keeps your car’s battery charged while you drive and powers the car’s electronics. They’re saying hot/cold weather can make electrical systems work harder.
R-1234yf is the refrigerant used in many newer cars’ AC systems. It’s the “cooling chemical,” and it can be pricey, so recharging the AC can cost a lot more than older cars.
Leak dye is a special additive that helps a mechanic find where the AC refrigerant is escaping. If the leak is hard to spot, you might still end up paying to recharge the AC again.
Topic
phone lines are wide open
They’re inviting listeners to call in with questions about their cars. It’s basically the “call-in” part of the show.
Smart maintenance just means taking care of your car before something breaks. If you check things like fluids, tires, and brakes on time, you’re less likely to get stuck—especially when you’re traveling.
“Freon” is the refrigerant gas that makes the A/C cool. You can’t just add any can—your car needs the right type and the right amount, or the A/C won’t cool properly.
Before adding refrigerant, a shop pulls a vacuum on the A/C lines to make sure there are no leaks. If the vacuum doesn’t hold, refrigerant will escape later and the A/C won’t work right.
A/C systems must be charged with the correct refrigerant amount; too little or too much refrigerant can prevent proper cooling and can stress components. Because each vehicle’s system volume and design differ, technicians use measured charging and verification steps rather than “topping off.”
A black light is used to reveal fluorescent dye that was added to the AC system. The dye glows under UV light, making the leak location visible on components, fittings, or hoses. This method is commonly used when leaks are slow and hard to spot by inspection alone.
If the leak is small, it may not be obvious right away. The mechanic might need to refill the AC and check again later until they can see the dye at the leak spot. That’s why it can take more than one visit.
It’s similar to a tire or inner tube that slowly loses air—you have to put air back in before you can find the hole. For AC, the mechanic refills the system so the dye can travel to the leak. Then they can pinpoint and fix the real problem.
Term
AC
“AC” here means the car’s air-conditioning system. If it leaks, the refrigerant level drops and the AC won’t work well until it’s fixed and recharged again.
Sometimes a shop just refills the AC refrigerant but doesn’t fix the leak. Since the system is still pressurized, the refrigerant can leak out again and the AC stops working.
The condenser is a heat-exchanger for the car’s air conditioning. It sits at the front of the car and can get hit by rocks or wear out, which can cause the AC to leak.
A Honda CR-V is the vehicle in the story. The caller thought the vibration might be from the transmission, but the shop discussion points toward the drive shaft/driveline.
Road force balancing is a more advanced way to balance tires by checking how they act while rolling under load. It helps fix vibration that can happen even after a basic balance.
Tie rod ends are steering parts that help control how the wheels point. If they’re worn, they can contribute to vibration or a shaky feel, so replacing them can help rule out steering causes.
The carrier bearing helps hold the drive shaft in the right position. If it’s worn, the car can vibrate even if you don’t hear grinding or see obvious damage.
All-wheel drive means the car can send power to both the front and rear wheels. That helps the car grip better when roads are slippery, but it can be more complicated to maintain.
Term
universal joints
Universal joints are the flexible couplers inside the drive line that let the shaft keep turning even when parts move at different angles. If they wear out, the car can start making noise or feel rough, and sometimes you have to replace the whole drive shaft.
On some cars, the small worn-out part inside a drivetrain assembly can’t be replaced by itself. Instead, the shop has to replace the whole assembly, which costs more.
The Honda Accord is a regular family car (a sedan) made for everyday driving. It’s designed to be easy to live with, especially for short trips like errands or commuting. The podcast is mentioning it because of how someone uses their Accord day to day.
They’re describing the spot on the floor where the clutch pedal is. If the carpet is worn through there, it can expose the floor underneath and cause drafts, noise, or even moisture problems.
Jute is the thick, fibrous padding under the carpet that helps with sound and insulation. If it’s worn down or exposed, the car can get noisier and the area can be more vulnerable to moisture.
WeatherTech makes aftermarket floor mats/liners that are shaped to fit the car. They help protect the carpet from getting ruined by dirt, water, and everyday wear.
“Factory mats” are the floor mats that came with the car from the manufacturer. They’re usually a perfect fit, but some people switch to aftermarket mats for extra protection.
They’re talking about a car floor getting worn through because someone’s heels rub on it every day. When it goes all the way to the metal, it can cause rust and you’ll likely need protection or repair.
Air-conditioning doesn’t always fail suddenly. Over years, tiny leaks can develop in the seals and hoses, so the refrigerant slowly runs low and the A/C stops working well.
The term “Freon” is commonly used to refer to the refrigerant used in A/C systems (even though modern systems may use different refrigerants). Refrigerant amount is critical because the compressor and pressure switch rely on proper charge to function correctly.
They add something that makes the leak easier to spot, then wait a bit. When you come back, they look for the marked spot to know what part is leaking.
Concept
recharging vs repairing the leak
The speaker emphasizes that refilling/recharging refrigerant may temporarily restore cooling, but it doesn’t fix the underlying leak. If the leak remains, the refrigerant will escape again and the A/C will fail later.
The water pump moves coolant through the engine so it doesn’t overheat. If it fails, the engine can get too hot and cause serious problems.
Concept
preventive replacement vs replace when needed
They’re basically saying: don’t just replace expensive parts “just because.” Instead, keep up with regular maintenance and fluids, and only replace parts when they actually show problems.
They mention a 2017 Toyota, but the exact model name in the transcript (“Coma”) is unclear. The point of bringing it up is to talk about what maintenance items matter for that type of vehicle.
Coolant (antifreeze) carries heat away from the engine and prevents freezing and corrosion. Keeping the correct coolant level and condition helps avoid overheating and protects the cooling system.
Transmission fluid is the fluid that helps your transmission shift smoothly. If it gets old or low, shifting can feel rough and the transmission can wear out faster.
The rear differential is what lets the two rear wheels turn at different speeds, especially in turns. It needs its own fluid so the gears stay lubricated.
Spark plugs help your engine start and run by creating the spark that ignites fuel. If they get worn out, the engine can run rough or misfire. It’s a normal maintenance item.
If you’ve gone a long time without changing transmission fluid, doing it all at once can cause problems. The hosts suggest changing it gradually so the transmission can adjust and you don’t stir up too much dirt at once. Repeating the service helps clean things out step-by-step.
This is the name of a local auto repair shop mentioned during the show’s advertisement. They’re saying they do honest repairs and have several locations. It’s not a car part or technical concept.
A wet belt is a rubber belt that works while it’s sitting in engine oil. That oil helps protect it, but it can also mean the engine is designed differently and belt service may be more complicated.
The caller’s core concern is longevity—whether a wet-belt design improves durability compared with other belt arrangements. Belt life is influenced by materials, lubrication, heat, and contamination, so a design change can affect maintenance expectations.
Concept
belt vs chain (timing drive comparison)
They’re comparing belts and chains inside engines. Both can drive important components, but they tend to wear differently and can lead to different maintenance schedules.
A serpentine belt is the main belt that powers several engine accessories at once. They’re asking whether the newer “wet belt” idea replaced the older, more common belt setup.
A timing belt is what keeps the engine’s moving parts “in sync.” If it breaks, the valves can hit the pistons, which can destroy the engine—so it needs scheduled replacement.
A sunroof has seals and drain tubes. If the drains get clogged or disconnected, water can back up and end up soaking the carpet and headliner even if the roof itself seems fine.
The hosts discuss a diagnostic rule of thumb: when a vehicle has interior soaking, the cause is often the sunroof (including panoramic sunroofs). They explain the mechanism—water entering the roof area and then following the drain path or leaking past seals—so listeners understand why carpets and headliners get wet.
The A- and B-pillars are the vertical parts of the car’s body near the windshield and doors. Sunroof drain tubes often run down them, so if the tubes clog, water can end up inside the car.
Sunroof drains are the tubes and channels that carry water away from the sunroof area. The transcript describes how debris can clog these drains, or how aging sealant/material can shrink and disconnect the drain path—both leading to water intrusion.
Term
oil supplier
Engine oil is what keeps your engine lubricated. If you can’t get oil when you need it, it can delay maintenance—so it’s smart to plan ahead before a trip or a busy season.
The host is talking about getting your car ready before a vacation. The big points are oil and making sure your tires are in good shape so you don’t get surprised on the road.
Tire pressure matters. If your tires are too low or too high, they don’t grip the road as well and they wear out faster, so it’s worth checking before you drive far.
“Tread” refers to the rubber grooves on a tire that help channel water and provide traction. Worn tread reduces grip in rain and increases stopping distances, so checking tread depth is a key pre-trip safety step.
Replacing old tires with new ones can make your car safer and easier to control. It’s especially helpful before a long drive when you want maximum grip.
LIVE
My pappy said, son, you're gonna drive me to drinking if you don't stop driving out hot rod Lincoln.
Where's rocking on the ready?
Pretty easy down the road at go, just keep checking.
Good afternoon, and welcome to the Car show. Fifty five
cars they talk station.
Sorry, I was trying to clean up this uh this room, man, it's just a little a little disorganized, you know.
I kind of like a clean space.
So taking your car questions and I'm gonna call five one three seven fifty five hundred. That again, five one
three seven nine fifty five hundred. It's a gorgeous Saturday afternoon.
I mean it's almost picture perfect. There's no humidity, there's
no you know, just nothing but sun and blue sky.
So perfect day to be out and uh, you know, getting underneath that hood, checking the you know, checking the tire pressure, checking you know, your fluids, which we talk about all the time on this show. But uh, I
have a it's been a busy day and I barely made it here.
I got to hear it.
I got here at right about one o'clock. And Tony
Bender loves when I show up late, and so but yeah he does. That's that's correct. He does, just like
when I show up, but you know it's it's uh, it was. It's been a busy day already, and my
son's in a golf tournament, and uh, we have a fundraiser tonight for where I went to high school, Percell, Mary in high school. It's called the Grand Event, and
we sponsored it and my dad will you know, my dad sponsored it and said I can't go, see if Dane wants to go. So I graduated in two thousand
and three from Purcell. My dad was in nineteen eighty
and then my grandfather, I can't remember, I'm sorry, I don't remember what year he graduated. But when I went
to Purcell, it was three generations and unfortunately, gonna break that trend with my oldest he's going to Moeler. They're
at All Saints just up the street here. And but
again we you know, at Donovans, we still continue to support the school. But yeah, three generations of there was
a lot of Donovans that went through Purcell. So good
school and uh, gonna go this afternoon. I think it
starts at six thirty and uh, yeah, have a good time and maybe run into some uh maybe some old classmates or and again a lot of Parcell's a pretty well knit community. I mean, you know, you don't realize it,
but uh, it's a it's a good time.
So but.
You know, again it's it's always good to I haven't been back in a while. I just unfortunately just been
you know, busy with life, you know, and that's what happens.
But you know, working on cars, talking to you on the radio, trying to help you fix your cars.
Right.
So earlier this morning, I did get a I did go and get.
My hair cut.
I want to give a shout out to Gills Barbershop in pleasant Ridge.
My boy Dennis cut my hair.
I wanted to make sure I looked somewhat presentable at the fundraiser tonight, and so he he hooked me up.
And you know, Donovan's in pleasant Ridge has been in business again sixty that we're celebrating sixty nine years. And Gills,
I do believe, has been there longer than us, or equivalent to sixty nine years. So eers, Donovan's and Gills
have been the three. And I could be staying, you know,
I could be wrong, but I think we're the three oldest businesses and pleasant Ridge so been going there my whole life. So I want to give out to a
shout out to Dennis and Gills Barbershop And if you guys want to get a good haircut, Gills Barbershop right there in the heart of pleasant Ridge and they'll do a great job for you.
So already again taking your phone numbers.
The number to call five one three seven four nine fifty five hundred, that number gain five one, three seven four nine fifty five hundred. You know, again, we talk
about I talk about this all the time on the show.
I just want to put something in the back of your mind. There's no need to panic or anything like that.
But you know, earlier this week, I spoke with my oil supplier and he said, we're going to run out of oil here pretty soon. And I said, you think,
he goes, I don't think.
I know.
We're you know, orders are already getting back filled because because of the supply. So I talk about it all
the time on the show. You guys know this. I
beat this, I could. You know, it's like just continue
to kick a dead horse. But I want to put
this in the back of your mind. No need to
go panic and rush the stores. But we do need
to think ahead in the sense of, if we do have a supply issue and I and he swears by it that it's coming, we need to think about that.
We need to think ahead.
Maybe if you change your own oil at home, maybe stock up a little bit, not a little bit, you know, maybe a month or two, you know, just just in case.
Something to just think about. Okay, we all know that
gas prices are through the roof. We know that, you know,
oil's an issue, and it's just something to think about.
Because he was pretty adamant that something was that we were gonna have a difficulty trying to get oil in the future. So don't think about don't again, let's not
run the stores and you know, take every bottle of oil you can find. But it's something to think about, because,
right we want to make sure that we protect our cars.
We want to make sure that our cars continue to stay running on the roads. And how do we do that.
We do that but making sure that the car has oil in it. And again we talk about that all
the time. So something to think about the other thing is,
you know, it's a nice day out today. It's one
of those days where you can roll down the windows and leave the ac off. But you understand that in Cincinnati,
if you don't like the weather, wait ten minutes. You know,
it was thirty degrees the other day, and before you know.
It's gonna be in the nineties.
Right, So there's going to be a run on batteries, on alternators, on air conditioning, right.
And it's something to just start thinking about. Now.
If you're in the car now and you're listening to me, turn on the air conditioning, just see if it works, right, because we usually get a massive influx as soon as it hits like eighty eighty five. I mean, people are
just like they're just dying, right because you get in your car and it's over one hundred degrees and they're they're like, hey, it's not keeping up.
So something to think about.
The other thing that I want to put on your radar is understand that a lot of these new cars, okay, have a free on it. It's called one two, three, four
YF and it is very expensive. Now it has come
down in price a little bit since it first came out.
But it is very expensive. Uh.
You know, a standard if you have a if you have R one thirty four, you know it's typically dependent upon how much free on.
You you need.
You know, it's anywhere between one hundred and twenty five to one hundred and fifty bucks.
Right, if you have.
One two three four yf you're looking at at least three hundred and fifty dollars, right, and the and it can it can add up really really quickly. So if
if somebody, if you you know, have a newer vehicle, their air conditioning's not working and you go to your mechanic and he's like, hey, it's going to be three hundred, three hundred and fifty dollars and you're like, wait a minute, it used to be one hundred and twenty five. Well
you have the new free on and is it is a lot more expensive. So something to think about as well.
And you know, the these vehicles, you shouldn't neet the AC recharged, you know, in the in two or three years.
But I'm seeing it. I'm seeing these cars coming in
with you know, two three years old and the AC needs to be recharged and again free on as a gas. Right,
so when it leaks out, we don't know where it leaked out at, so we you have to spend that three hundred and fifty dollars to fill it back up.
We put a dye in there, but then potentially, you know, six months later or six weeks later, you're out of free on again and we're putting hopefully with us putting the die in there, we're able to find the leak, but that's not always the case, right, and then unfortunately we're charging it up again for three hundred and fifty dollars.
And it's just because of the product. The product is
is the is so expensive and it's just something to think about. And again we're it's gonna then, you know,
I hate to say it, but the nineties are gonna hit us here in just probably a couple of weeks.
And uh, turning on that ac turn it on. If
you're going most of us, you know, we're getting into We're we're close to getting into May. All the kids
are gonna get out of school. We're going on summer breaks,
We're we're going on vacations. You want to make sure
that that car is ready to go, and now's the time to do it. Okay, the number call five one, three, seven, four,
nine fifty five hundred. The phone lines are wide open.
Love to hear from you, give me a call again.
The number to call five one three seven four nine fifty five hundred. You're listening to the car show on
fifty five krc D talk station.
This is fifty five KARC and iHeartRadio station.
Your car isn't just a machine, it's your daily partner, and with new cars becoming more expensive than ever, smart maintenance for your current vehicle just makes sense. Hi, I'm
Dane Donovan, third generation owner at Donovan's Auto entire Center.
That's why at Donovan's we give you everything you need and nothing you don't. Honest expert service to keep your
car running longer. Donovan's Auto entire Center Cincinnati's honest choice
for auto repairs. That's nineteen fifty eight three locations in
Blue Ash, pleasant Ridge. In our new location near Xavier,
Donovan's Auto form find yours at donovantire dot com.
It's Glenn Beck weekday mornings at nine oh six on fifty five KRC the talk station.
Taking your phone calls and number to call five one three seven four nine fifty five one hundred. Again, It's
Dane Donovan from Donovan's Auto entire Center. I mean, I
know it's a great Saturday, but I mean, come on, everybody has car problems.
Man.
The phone lines are they're just uh, it's just crickets.
And you got you got a like a cricket. There
we go. That's awesome.
Took me a second to find it. Yeah, that was
pretty quick.
So uh, again, the phone lines are wide open five one, three, seven, five hundred.
Again the the thing I wanted.
You know again, we talked about oil all the time on the show, and it's important. Uh, but again I
want to we'll delve into air conditioning and how it works simply because this time of year, there's a lot of confusion as to how it works.
Right, So.
Air conditioning, so there's a lot of confusion as to cool in, Like, uh, there's coolant, there's free on.
Right.
Coolant keeps the engine cool. Freeon keeps the air conditioning cold.
Right, So free on is a gas Okay.
So there's no way that I can just look at look at a you know, a tank and look at it and go oh yeah, it's fool and you know, we have to hook that up to a system, suck it down to find out what what freeon was in the system, right, do a vacuum test to make sure that the system is holding vacuum right, because the gas is pressurized, it's always under pressure. Even if you're not using your car
sitting in your garage right now, that ac system, the free on is still under pressure, right.
And then.
We suck it down, make sure we've got good vacuum.
If it passes that test, then we fill it back up.
We find out what every car is different. Now I
would recommend now you can't stop at a gas station or something like that and get a can of a free on. I would not recommend that because you've got
to make sure that you put the right amount. And
if you put too much free on in the system, it won't work. If you don't put enough free on
in the system, it won't work. You have to have
the right amount of free on. So you really have
to have a system and a machine that does that. Okay,
So once we've done that, we fill it back up, make verify whether or not you've got the proper levels in there. We'll put it in there and then we'll
test the system. Then we can check to see if
the compressor is doing what it needs to. We're checking
to make sure we don't see any major leaks.
And then a lot of.
Times they're always slow leaks, right, So we put a dye in there to verify and make sure that you know, if there is a leak, we can find it with a black light, try to figure out where it's come from.
And sometimes that might take one or two or three visits before we can find it. And whether you bring
it to Donovans or any repair shop, you got to make sure that. Unfortunately, it's a long process sometimes and
it can be frustrating. I get that, but understand kind
of how the system works and how on the mechanical side, on our side, what we have to do in order to try to find that leak, right, because freeon doesn't just evaporate, just doesn't go away. If your AC is
not working and there's no free on in the system, you've got a leak. And again with it being a gas,
we don't know where it went, right, So we got to fill it back up, put a die in there and hopefully that leak shows itself with the green dye that we put in fluor ucent die that we put in there, with a black light and try to find it and it can. Again, it can be stressful and
it can absolutely with the new stuff absolutely be expensive.
So just always try to be patient and understand the process.
And again, if you're going to your mechanic, you know it may see's not working. You know, do your homework
as well in the sense of just ask questions like, hey, why isn't it working? What was wrong with it? And
you know, just you know, try to educate yourself on it.
So you know, a lot of times when people don't know, we tend to and again, I don't know if I if I go to the dentist or the doctor and I don't know, what do we tend to do? We
tend to just get angry because we don't know, right, So just ask those questions, hey, why isn't my air conditioning working? What caused it to not work? What potentially
could fix the problem? Right, and just educating and knowing
what you now and knowing the process, because again, it can be frustrating if you don't know and you come to Donovan's or you come to your mechanic and you know, I charge you three hundred and fifty dollars or your mechanic cards is three hundred and fifty dollars and six weeks later or two weeks later, AC's not working again.
You're gonna be mad. I just spent three hundred and
fifty dollars to fix my AC. No, we didn't fix anything.
We filled it back up. It's just like an inner tube, right,
if you've got an inner tube or a you know, an inflatable pool toy at home, right, and you air it up and then two days later or three days later, it's empty. Well, we don't know where that air went.
We don't know where that air went, right, So what do we have to do. We have to fill it
back up to try to find where it leaked out at.
Right.
That's the process, and again it can be frustrating. I
get it, but you know, just ask those questions. We
always at Donovan's try to educate when we do this type of stuff, to educate and make sure that you know, our customers understand the process and what we're doing, right, because a lot of times we'll charge that AC and you know, they call back three weeks later, or maybe they come back year and're like, hey, you guys fixed my AC last year and now it's not working again.
Well, we didn't fix anything.
We filled it back up, and we we had to fill it back up because we didn't know where it leaked out at. Now there's a dye. But the problem
is if it goes an entire year. So let's say
the condenser's leaking, which is in front of the radiator, in front of the bumper. You know, that's that thing's
taking rocks and you know, potentially if the dye leaked out there, but you've you've got rain, you know, salt water, you know, uh, snow, all that stuff, it could just wash away, that die and then we've got to start the process all over again.
Right, So that's why.
We always tell our customers after we've charged inn Ac to bring it back in two weeks and then let's bring it you know, you know, and a lot of people go, well, I haven't been using it. It doesn't matter.
It's under it's under pressure all the time. If it's
gonna leak or when it leaks, it's leaking all the time, whether you're using it or not, whether it's been parked for two weeks or not, it's still gonna leak out.
So understand that. So all right, again the number call
five on three seven, four nine, five hundred. Let's go
to the phones.
We have Jack. Hey Jack, Welcome to the car show.
How can I help Dane?
This is a pertaining to a call you had last week.
Okay, you were talking to a gentleman and he had a on the CRV and he was chasing a vibration m and he was thinking it's possibly into transmission.
You guys discussed everything except for the drive shaft. If
that thing's all well drive, you know, it's got a drive shaft, and uh, my high The only reason I know this is because my eyelander did the exact same thing Dane. I did new tires, made sure they were
roads force balanced, went ahead and replaced the tyrod ends, you know, made sure it was lined up correctly, would not go away and ended up being my drive shaft.
And there was no leakage or nothing from that little carrier bearing in the middle of the draft shaft. It
warn't it had worn out, wasn't making noise, it wasn't grinding, it wasn't linked, but it was vibrating.
Yeah, you're I mean, you're absolutely right. I can't. I'll
be honest with you. I'll be honest with you. I
can't remember. Did he say it was all wheel drive? Yeah,
did he say it was all wheel drive?
Okay, no, it wasn't even making well. And some of them, yeah,
but some of them are just two wheel drive.
But you're right. I didn't ask that. Yeah, I should
have asked that.
But you will drive ul well, which I don't understand, but welcome.
Yeah, and you're right, you're absolutely right. I did not
ask that. But uh, the other thing is the you
joints in those drive shafts go bad, and those the you to do. Yeah, and those and those drive shafts
are not uh serviceable. You have to replace the entire
drive shaft. So you're right, that was I should have
asked that.
Yeah, you're a smart man. They are not serviceable. You're
a very smart man. I went ahead and bought one,
and I got lucky. I got a good one. But
the little alan rinch bolts that go towards the end, that last little flames that connects, they were loose. And
they were loose from the factory. Really, and that's enough. Yeah,
that's nothing that you touched during installation to removal.
You know this.
They're they're from the factory and they were loose. And
I got so lucky because when I replaced it. I
backed down the driveway and one of the bolts fell out.
My wife said, go back, go back, the bolt's going to be laying there, and sure enough it was.
Wow.
So yeah, those were loose from the factory. So I
went and torked them to the spec. But I put
a little dab of lock tight on that to make sure.
Yeah, the red locked tight.
But if he does have a drive, chef, sir, that could.
Be You're right, You're right, absolutely, And that's a great point sometimes, you know, you know, I didn't ask that.
And and again Amy.
To co host, I will co host, I will come.
In with you, buddy.
Well, I appreciate that.
Overback, and then a quick question. I know you're busy,
but was Overbuck ever connected to this show? Was it
originally Steve Overbeck?
Uh? Yes it was.
And then in two thousand and eight there was a uh I think they I you know, I believe that there was a discrepancy and they let him go. And
then somebody who used to work at this station then contacted my father and was like, hey, they need they need somebody to do a radio show. And my dad
was actually pretty hesitant to do it. And uh, I'm
glad he did.
That's good.
Yeah, you're so good.
Yeah, but you're good too.
You're listenable, interesting when you speak, You're you're interesting to listen to.
Well, I appreciate that. I mean, my wife doesn't. My
wife doesn't like to.
Like, if you decided to go political or something, Man, I'm telling you, you could get a podcast and you would go crazy because you're interesting to listen to, and that's rare for a lot of people.
Well, I appreciate that.
I appreciate you and your dad, who was awesome as well.
But you're just a little more. You let people a
little bit more in and then that makes us one listen to you because then he starts feeling like a friend.
You're kind of like, go cunning him as far as that goes.
Yeah, I'm not smart, I'm not as smart as him, but wow, that was wow. I don't think I've ever
got a I've got a lot of compliments in them, but that was that was that was. I appreciate that, Jack,
I really do, because you know, I'm here every Saturday to take care of customers and take care of people, and you know, I am young, I feel old. I'm
forty one, but you know I've been doing this. I've
been in the industry for twenty six years. I've seen
a lot. Doesn't mean I know everything, but I tend
to think that I know more than the average person.
But you know, trying to run business and work on cars can be challenging. But Jack, I appreciate that comment.
That's that's one of the nicest things that you know.
Haven't got one in a while, so appreciate it.
You know, in.
Today's world, we don't We usually always hear what we do wrong, not what we do right. So thanks again,
So again the phone number to call the five one three seven four nine fifty five hundred. That number gain
five one three seven four nine fifty five hundred coming up.
We have Jerry, Jeff, Raymond, and Larry.
You're listening to the Car Show on fifty five krc D talk station. Do you have a truck, camper, r
V or trailer that needs body repair? If so, call Frank's.
Heavy Truck Collision Repair located just All five seventy five or Route sixty three.
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doing the job right and get into your vehicle back on the road. Call five one, three eight two nine
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Place for Brian Thomas in the morning. Fifty five KRC
the talk station taking your car questions and number to call five one, three, seven four nine fifty five hundred. Man,
We've got We've got tons of college. I really do
appreciate it.
So let's go back to the phones we have Jerry aj Welcome to the car show.
How can I help?
Good afternoon, mister Dane.
Three man.
I used to live on Kincaid, right around the corner from your dad. So are your grandfather's old shop?
Okay, all right, do you still live on Kincaid?
I did when your grandfather in the bay windows with the black and white checkerboard tile in the.
Front, Yes, sir, you've got a You've got a heck of a memory.
Yeah, yeah, I do.
Yeah, tires in there. I have a female friend. She
has a twenty fourteen twenty fifteen Honda Cord five speed.
She she only drives about ten minutes to work. She
likes to wear high heels to work and she doesn't want to wear sneakers. She's got a problem with the
clutch pedal floor where she's worn through the carpet into the jute down to the floorboard. It's I know, it's
a very it's a non unusual question. Obviously you don't
want to rip up the jute. And is there or
do you know? I'll listen next week. Do you know
any customers? I use weather Tech, mats Whebber, she uses chits.
A Honda so she can use.
Factory. But do you know obviously outside of having to
tear everything apart, put about how do not go Fred Flintstone and make a goalway through? That's my fear of
it becomes a weather going through the floorboard issue. If
you know what I'm saying, I know you can. You
can think about it this week and you report. I'm
sure other people have had this problem, but I was like the fuddled by it because.
Yeah, I mean yeah, I mean you know you had mentioned too.
I think that the cheapest solution to your problem is correct.
I would it would be the weather Tech, but I don't I don't know.
I don't know.
If you you know, get a thin piece of thin.
Piece or something, I don't know, glue it at.
The bottom of that weather I do weather Tech. That's
what I would do. I would do the weather Tech match.
I have them in all my vehicles. I like the
product other than over time they start they start rolling up and so. But I really like the fitment. But
you know, I don't know like that area, you know, I don't know.
Okay, I'll say I'll let other people, but I'm going to think about It's a very unique problem that I did not have an answer to. Ok maybe someone you
work with at the shop and I've used your shop down unridged by.
The railroad check.
Well, thank you very much, thank you having the weekend.
You too, take care bye bye. Yeah. That that that
is a unique situation.
Somebody who wears heels every day and puts a hole all the way down to the metal of the car.
And he did.
He did reference for the friends Fred Flintstone.
So all right, let's go back to the phones. We
have Jeff. Hey, Jeff, welcome to the car show. How
can I help?
Hey, how's it going?
Okay? But I had an original question, but that air
conditioning one brought up an additional one for me to ask you real quick. Uh, let's say there aren't any leaks,
aren't any problems, but the the stuff whatever, the three on eventually oozes out naturally anyhow at some point, right, I.
Mean in theory, yeah, in theory, it's not. Yeah, in theory,
it's not supposed to go anywhere. But again, the seals
and the gaskets in the AC system will then allow because again it's a pressurized system, it will eventually allow the the the.
You know, the gas to you know, sneak out of those seals or whatnot.
And so it's not in theory supposed to but over over time and age, just like your oil pain gasket or your valve cover gasket or your transmission you know, those gaskets eventually give way and they allow fluid to get past them. So but it's just a lot of
people get frustrated because it you know, you bring it to me. With the AC networking, I can't diagnose the
AC system, find out if the compressor is working or not, if it doesn't, if I don't know if there's free on it, if there's a pressure switch on the compressor.
If there isn't free on in the system, then the pressure switch is going to allow the compressor to kick on, and then it's useless. So I have to spend that
I'm amount of time and money to start there, you know.
And again with it being a gas, we don't.
Know where it leaked out at, so we do, you know, put an oil and a dye in there. So in
two weeks when you bring back, hopefully that you know that that leak has presented itself, and then we can figure out what we need to do in order to take those steps. But again the analogy I used, it's
just like if if you've got a hole in an inner tube, you don't know where that hole is until you fill it with up, fill it up with air, and then try to find it. And that's the essentially
the process. But people don't know that, so they just
get frustrated and they're like, you know, you fix my AC and now it doesn't work again.
It's like, no, we didn't fix it. We just filled
it back up.
And we always try to tell our customers that, but sometimes they, you know, take it in a different fashion and manage. So I just wanted all the listeners to
understand kind of how the process works.
Got it? Okay.
My primary question that I called about was I had the thought you had the model of my truck down there.
I guess, uh so it's getting to be one twenty one thirty on the mile. It's it's it's ran wonderfully.
So now.
It is there a point to where maybe some things should be replaced before they go bad, for instance, a compressor or an alternator, or a water pump or other things before they go bad.
Uh No, that's a great question.
So it says here you have a twenty seventeen Toyota Coma.
Yeah, it's in the star. I don't think it's it's
not a full like there's no two back seats, but if there's a storage compartment behind the driver and passage a side ice drug.
Is it a four cylinder?
Yes?
Okay? Manual automatic? Automatic? Automatic? Okay, I mean, now.
I would I wouldn't recommend replacing alternator, compressor or anything like that before it goes bad. I I you know,
it's kind of one of those things where it's like you know, you know, hey, you know, going to your doctor and going hey, look, you know, in about you know, when I turned sixty. Is it a good idea to
replace my replace both my hips and my knees.
Is that a good idea? Yeah?
I would, I would, I would recommend. No, I wouldn't
recommend doing that. I would.
You know, just making sure.
Again and I talk about it all the time, but you know, making sure that you know the oil change regular, making sure all the fluids. You know, you've got transmission fluid,
you're coolant, your powasteering fluid, rear differential, front differential, if it's.
Four wheel drive. You know, just making sure that stuff's done.
You know.
Again, you mentioned one hundred and twenty thousand miles. Have
you Have you replaced the spark plug yet?
Yes?
Okay, what about the cool I do I do.
All the all the standard stuffs. Well, okay, one thing
I didn't do, but I fortunately your show suggested I neglected the transmission uh like the transmission fluid, and you recommended to just do a drain and fill two or three times for the next two or three oil changes to make up for that. I did not change. I
didn't do the drain until until at one hundred and ten thousand.
Okay, before that, I had.
Never seen anything one hundred ten is not too bad.
I mean I've seen worse.
But yeah, and again you don't want to do like anything because toyotas typically have screens, they don't have filters, right, so you don't want to be too abrasive. So you know,
just doing a drain and fill driving it and then you know, slowly introducing that fluid so you know, we're not shocking that transmission. And I use you know, I
say all the time, it's like, you know, over time, transmission fluid will break down or get real thin like water, right, and then you go and you try to change all the fluid in it and it's like trying to swim in a pool of jello. The transmission can't handle it, right,
So you want to slowly introduce that so you don't you know, you get some of the particles, some of the dirt, some of the debris out, but not all of it because it's just too it's just too hard on it.
So no, you're doing a great job.
But well, okay, finally before you let me go, the proper term to ask the garage guy is a drain intil as opposed to a flush.
Correct.
Okay, yes, thank you training Phil, Yes, sir, you're welcome, Thank you so much. All right again, taking your phone
calls and i'mberall five one, three, seven four nine, fifty five hundred coming up. We have Larry Raymond and Bill.
You're listening to car show on fifty five KRC, the talk station. Way back in nineteen fifty eight, my grandfather
opened Donovan's Auto entire Center right here in Cincinnati. A
lot has changed since then, but our commitment to honest auto repair hasn't. We believe in making sure your vehicle
gets everything it needs and nothing it doesn't. Because as
a family owned business with our name on the wall, integrity matters. From nineteen fifty eight to today, Donovan's Auto
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Find yours at donovantire dot com.
This is fifty five KARC and iHeartRadio station taking your car questions.
I neber to call five one, three fifty. We're slowly
running out of time here that it goes fast, and I want to try to make I want to make sure I can get to everybody. So let's go back
to the phones. We have Larry, Hey, Larry, welcome to
the car show. How can help Hey?
I was just a general question here for you, and it'll be quick. I was just reading General Motor. Chevrolet
the past two years has been using a motor that has a wet belt in it for the Chevy tracks.
I just didn't know if you I've never heard of that before. I know it's encased in the oil. I
didn't know if you knew anything about those engines, if they're long, you know, longevity is good, or you know why a belt not moversus a chain?
You know.
I I'll be honest with you.
You said it's a wet belt.
Yeah, I've never heard of it either, and I was reading it. I just googled because I was wondering if
they were still using serpentine belt, god belt, so to speak.
But yeah, it's called a wet belt, and it's like I have any change. It's enclosed in the engine and
it's it's enclosed with oil, but it's rubber.
What I have never Yeah, well you got I got one for you. Yeah, I just if you.
Could google it and look it up. Apparently it's been
for the past two years only twenty four through twenty six they started using that engine. I don't know anything
about the engine. I'm like you, I've never heard of
it before.
I wow, No, I have never ever I've never seen it.
Yeah, I just said GM introduced it two years ago.
I've never seen one. That's interesting.
I wouldn't want to change the belt. That's the sorry
you got. It's just like a timing belt. You got
to go in there and take everything apart.
He look, it looks like Conda has them too well.
It said that the oil maintenance is very critical to the how long they can last. So you want to.
I mean to me, it just sounds like a recipe for disaster soaking a belt and oil?
Are you a rubber belt and oil? Are you kidding me?
Yeah?
I'm going to call it a wet belt.
I've never you know, again, I mentioned it earlier in the show. I'm like, hey, look, I've been doing this
for twenty six years. But the the you know, it's
always this, This industry is always changing. I know a lot,
but I don't know everything. But never, never, never, ever
seen a wet belt. That's interesting. So I'm gonna I'm
going to read up on that. No, I appreciated that.
I've never seen that.
All right, thanks a lot. Maybe one of your callers
have maybe don't, all.
Right, take care a wet belt.
Never I claim to know a lot, but man, I've just never seen that. That's interesting. I don't know why
you want to soak a rubber belt and oil. That
doesn't make any sense to me. Uh, Chaine, sure not
a belt. I'm gonna look into this. This is wild.
All right, let's go back to the phones. We have
Raymond A Raymond, Welcome to the car show.
How can I help?
Yeah, I got a two thousand and five Jaguire, and I'm having a conversation problem inside the car.
It does have.
A sun roof, it's not leacoing. My carpet is soaked.
This is the back last October November. Even doing the
dry spot, I thought maybe the sun roof was leaking.
And I don't know what's I mean. I look in
there and the morning I see grip drops of water coming down.
I'm from the headliner or a pillar B pillar.
Yeah, I'm telling them that it's on the skylight and everything I says, I get so air tight that it's not And cars is soaked and wet.
So is it on the driver side or passenger side.
It's the whole car, the whole car.
Oka, Okay, all right, so here's well most likely nine at it. Nine out of ten times when there is
water intrusion in a vehicle, it is due to the sunroof.
Okay.
Now, your sunroof has drains, Okay, tubes that run down the A pillars and the B pillars, not necessarily B pillars, but they run down the A pillars and then they run down down to the firewall or near the firewall and empty out on the ground.
Okay.
What happens is debris, dirt, soot get into those drains.
Not necessary that the sunroof itself.
Yeah, okay, but.
Sunroofs are designed to have drains, and then those tubes get clogged or a lot of times the product that they use for the drains will over time and age will shrink right and contract and then disconnect itself from either the the sunroof itself or down by kind of what we call the kick panel.
Okay.
Now, again, nine out ten times, if there's water intrusion vehicle, it's coming from the sun roof or the panoramic sunroof what I would recommend you? What part are you in Sinsey? Yes,
since you and censor, I just looked down.
Sorry.
There's a gentleman okay, and uh I want, I want.
It's called it's water doctor. Just type in water doctor Cincinnati. Okay,
gentleman that owns his Jerry Okay. He fixes all of
my water leaks. Okay, So typically and he normally what
he'll do is he'll he'll find a repair so he's mobile, right, but he'll have you take it to a repair shop.
He usually doesn't come to you or to your business.
He'll have you either bring it to one of my shops.
He's the best guy in the city, the only guy in the city that fixes these water leaks, fixes them fast, efficient, guarantees them, and he's very very reasonable. Usually usually most
of the leaks are usually a couple hundred bucks.
Okay. Oh yeah.
He also has a deodorizing business as well, so a lot of times you know you're gonna get with that moisture in there, you can get mold and stuff like that.
So he'll even take care of that as well. But
you need to call Jerry water Doctor Cincinnati. He'll come
out he'll bring it, you know, you bring it to me or or a local shop that he works with, he'll fix it and he'll guarantee his work. And that's
that's how that's what we need to do. Okay, okay, hey,
you have a great weekend, all right, take care bye bye.
All right, real quick, we're running out of time. We've
got Bill. Hey, Bill, welcome to the car show. How
can I help?
Uh?
Yeah, I just had an idea with a previous caller about his lady friend going through the floor with their shoes.
Yeah.
My sister when I was younger, she would always have driving shoes. She would just leave the shoes in the car,
their flat, flat shoes. Then once you get out, she
put her heels on.
Mhm.
And I'm a simple little fix like that.
But probably yeah, she could put just some slip ons or some sandals or something like that.
Yeah, okay, well yeah, we're just some flat shoes.
Yeah, I said, what are you doing? Those are our
driving shoes. There you go. That's not a bad idea.
Real quick, all right, Bill, Well, thank you for the call.
You have a great weekend, all right, by Hey, I really do appreciate all the phone calls. Today man, great show,
but again, think about uh. I started the show with, hey,
just think about you know, they're my oil supplier, saying that we're gonna probably run out of oil or have a supply issue. So think about that with your vehicle.
If you're gonna go on a vacation this summer, you want to make sure your car is ready to go to hit the road. Make sure your tires are properly
inflated and you have good you know, you know, tread, and make sure that car is ready to go.
I know in July we are going.
Down to Florida, so uh, we're gonna make sure our car is ready go. I actually decided to put new
tires on my car as well, So you know, you.
Think about these things. I know, before you know it,
it's gonna pop up. Okay.
So I really do appreciate all the phone calls and I'll be back next Saturday to answer all of your car questions.
Again.
I'm Dane Donovan from Donovan's Auto entire Center here every Saturday to answer your car questions. And again, thank you
to all the callers and all the listeners.
Everybody have a great weekend.
U treat everybody with kindness, let's uh all get along and and uh just you know, enjoy the rest of our weekend.
So you're listening to the car Show on fifty five krc D talk.
Station and then.
And then and then lo and then Lo And
About this episode
Dane Donovan opens with community updates and then pivots into practical maintenance warnings for summer. He discusses possible oil supply strain—no panic, but consider stocking if you change your own oil. With Cincinnati weather swinging fast, he urges listeners to test A/C now and explains why R-1234yf refrigerant is expensive and why A/C repairs often involve pressure/vacuum testing, dye, and multiple visits to find slow leaks. Callers cover vibrations (often drive shafts), clutch-carpet wear from high heels, transmission fluid “drain and fill” vs flush, a mysterious “wet belt” engine claim, and sunroof-related water intrusion.
Dane Donovan discusses car maintenance and repair. He talks about the importance of checking tire pressure and fluids, especially with the upcoming warmer weather. Dane also shares a personal story about his own car troubles and how he learned to replace his drive shaft. He answers listener questions, including one about a Honda CRV with a vibration issue and another about a Toyota Tacoma's potential maintenance needs. Additionally, Dane recommends a local business, Water Doctor Cincinnati, for fixing water leaks in vehicles.
