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This Is A Call In Car Repair Show Helping You Save Money for the DIY Repair

This Is A Call In Car Repair Show Helping You Save Money for the DIY Repair

Under The Hood show Mar 26, 2026 50 min
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About this episode

A call-in repair show focused on saving money with smart DIY troubleshooting and “check the basics first” advice. Russ walks through a 2009 Chevy HHR misfire case—after plugs, coil, and injectors, the next steps are spark/fuel tests and checking for issues like damaged wiring or internal cylinder problems. Other calls cover E20 fuel use in GM trucks, DIY steering wheel and mirror repairs (including airbag safety), keeping a reman MDS-deleted Ram healthy, and diagnosing intermittent no-drive behavior on an 8-speed Silverado. The episode ends with transmission slip expectations, plus a roadside tool kit giveaway and practical tire-pressure reminders.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Concept

DIY Repair

"Podcast: Under The Hood Show Episode: This Is A Call In Car Repair Show Helping You Save Money for the DIY Repair"

This show is about DIY car repairs—fixing things yourself instead of paying a mechanic. The goal is usually to cut costs by doing the work with help from the podcast.

Company

Berkeley One Classics

"...which is brought to you by [42.6s] Berkeley One Classics, your key to collector car insurance. [47.0s] And road ready wheels, replica OEM wheels at huge savings."

This is an insurance company that specializes in classic/collector cars. They may be better at covering your car the way it’s actually worth to enthusiasts, not just based on normal used-car prices.

Term

replica OEM wheels

"[47.0s] And road ready wheels, replica OEM wheels at huge savings. [51.3s] Use the offer code hoodie for even more. [53.3s] And by car dash part, over 200 million use parts"

These are replacement wheels made to look like the factory wheels your car came with. They can save money, but you still need the correct size and bolt pattern so they fit safely.

Car

2009 Chevy HHR

"Hi, guys. I got a 2009 Chevy HHR. It's got quite a few miles on it."

They’re working on a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. The car’s computer noticed something wrong, so it turned on the check engine light and stored a code.

Term

misfire

"And it's still showing a misfire. And it runs, you know, obviously runs rough due to the fact that it's got that misfire."

A misfire means the engine doesn’t burn fuel correctly in one or more cylinders. When that happens, the car can shake and run rough. It can be caused by spark problems or fuel problems.

Term

spark

"So step one, we find out, do we have spark? We pull the coil out, put a spark plug in it."

Spark is what lights the fuel in the engine. If there’s no spark, the engine can’t run, so you test it early.

Term

fuel injector

"unplug a fuel injector and disconnect the coil and drive a car that was dead on one cylinder"

Fuel injectors are the parts that spray gasoline into the engine. If you unplug one, that cylinder may stop getting fuel, and the car’s computer may try to compensate.

Term

catalytic converter

"but if you had that fuel pouring in there with a cylinder not firing, you're going to ruin the catalytic converter overheated, plug it up, wash out the cylinder."

The catalytic converter is an emissions part that helps clean the exhaust. If unburned fuel gets into the exhaust, it can make the converter run too hot and get damaged.

Concept

fundraiser

"Dwayne Walk won an HHR as a resurrected ride, as a fundraiser for muscular dystrophy association. He stopped to see me after he was here."

A fundraiser is an event or campaign where people try to raise money for a good cause. In this segment, the car giveaway is tied to charity support.

Car

2018 GMC 1500

"Hi, I got a 2018 GMC 1500. And I thought I've heard before that some people run, it's not flex fuel, but some people run E20 in their pickups."

A GMC 1500 is a full-size pickup truck. The caller is asking whether it’s okay to use higher-ethanol fuel blends in that truck.

Term

E15

"I know some people. E30, E20, E15. I know a guy. The 15 is the one that they certified to run it..."

E15 is gas with 15% ethanol. It’s a smaller ethanol increase than E20 or E30, and some vehicles may be approved to use it even if they aren’t approved for higher blends.

Term

hidden screw

"There's always a hidden screw or a clip or a clip that's stronger to pull than you think you should have to pull if you haven't done it before."

A hidden screw is a fastener concealed behind trim pieces, caps, or behind the door panel’s edges. These are a common reason DIYers get stuck, because they don’t see the last fastener until the panel is partially removed.

Term

clip

"There's always a hidden screw or a clip or a clip that's stronger to pull than you think you should have to pull if you haven't done it before."

Clips are plastic fasteners that snap into place to hold trim panels. They often require a specific pulling force and technique; pulling too gently won’t release them, while pulling incorrectly can break them.

Term

airbags

"So as far as modern day airbags go, let's say from 2000 on, we have our 1990, we have dismantled thousands... But that's, that's so airbags are pretty safe in most cases, unless you're cutting wires."

Airbags are the safety cushions that pop out in a crash. They’re usually safe, but you can accidentally trigger them if you mess with the wiring or connectors.

Part

reman transmission

"[1096.2s] That's about 9,000 miles ago and the transmission just went out. [1099.2s] So I just put a reman transmission in. [1102.8s] Yeah."

A remanufactured transmission is rebuilt using a core transmission, with worn internal parts replaced and the unit tested before installation. It’s commonly used to reduce cost versus a brand-new transmission, but proper installation and correct fluid/learning procedures still matter a lot.

Concept

oil changes

"Maintain it very well from here on out. The, the oil changes, I would be three months, 3000 miles on that RAM engine for sure,"

Oil changes keep the engine lubricated and help prevent buildup and wear. Fresh oil also helps the engine run cooler.

Term

bearings

"You know, if you want to protect the, the bearings and things in that, we use a product from Justice Brothers called Heavy Duty Vehicle and it is a"

Bearings are small parts inside the engine that help moving parts slide smoothly. Good oil helps them last longer and prevents metal-on-metal wear.

Company

Justice Brothers

"we use a product from Justice Brothers called Heavy Duty Vehicle and it is a additive that reduces friction on metal and therefore wear."

Justice Brothers is a company that makes engine additives—products you add to oil. The host is saying they use it to help reduce wear inside the engine.

Term

reduces friction on metal

"uh, additive that reduces friction on metal and therefore wear. And we put that in the, in the engines."

Friction is the rubbing between metal parts. If an additive helps reduce that rubbing, it can help parts last longer.

Term

thermostat

"And they probably took the thermostat off of that or replace it when they put the reman. It came with that reman probably."

The thermostat helps control engine temperature by deciding when coolant should start flowing. If it’s bypassed or wrong, the engine may not cool or warm up correctly.

Company

car-part.com

"And by car-part.com with over 200 million parts, find them online at car-part.com. And by Road Ready Wheels, OEM replica wheels at a huge savings, roadreadywheels.com."

Car-part.com is a website where you can look for used car parts. It helps you find parts without calling around to junkyards.

Term

OEM replica wheels

"And by Road Ready Wheels, OEM replica wheels at a huge savings, roadreadywheels.com. What would your vehicle be without wheels?"

OEM replica wheels are replacement wheels that look like the factory ones. They’re meant to fit your car and keep the same style.

Company

Road Ready Wheels

"And by Road Ready Wheels, OEM replica wheels at a huge savings, roadreadywheels.com. Thanks for listening to the Under the Hood Show podcast."

Road Ready Wheels sells replacement wheels that look like factory wheels. They’re meant to fit your car and be easier to buy than some dealer options.

Term

winter tires

"Maybe steel is the way to go for you to mount a second set of winter tires, or you just don't like the aluminum look."

Winter tires are made to grip better when it’s cold and icy. Using a second set helps you swap tires for the season without ruining your everyday tires.

Concept

agreed-valued coverage

"and that coverage is agreed-valued coverage so there is no disagreement on what your vehicle is covered for."

With agreed-value coverage, the insurance company and you agree on a price for the car ahead of time. If something happens and the car is totaled, you get that agreed amount instead of arguing about what it was “worth.”

Car

2019 Chevrolet Silverado

"[1534.1s] I have a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado pickup. [1538.8s] I bought it new. [1540.5s] It only has 20,000 miles on it."

They’re driving a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado. The problem is that the truck starts, but the transmission won’t go into gear (like reverse or drive) until later.

Term

updated valve body

"They may even want to just replace it with an updated valve body, and if they can get one, some of them will be backwardered, so."

An updated valve body is a newer version of the part that’s meant to fix a known problem. If the old one is failing, the shop might swap in the improved replacement.

Term

backordered

"They may even want to just replace it with an updated valve body, and if they can get one, some of them will be backwardered, so."

Backordered means the replacement part isn’t available right now. That can slow down how fast the shop can finish the repair.

Term

sludge

"And I noticed at the end of the dipstick, a little darker, like sludge maybe."

Sludge is gunky buildup inside the engine from old, dirty oil. It can make the engine not lubricate as well as it should.

Term

paddle shifters

"we've realized that we missed some calls on, on people that had paddle shifters and some different things that we weren't thinking about when we talked to them that could cause some issues where the vehicle felt like it was sticking the throttle"

Paddle shifters are the little switches behind the steering wheel that let you choose gears. If you accidentally leave it in manual mode, the car may keep revving like it’s “stuck,” even though the throttle isn’t the problem.

Term

coil pack

"And outside of the regular consumables, the only thing I've ever put in it was a coil pack, one coil pack."

A coil pack helps create the spark that lights the fuel in the engine. If it fails, the engine can misfire and run rough.

Company

Advanced Auto Parts

"...winner today of our advanced auto parts die hard toolkit giveaway... you can also drop into your advanced auto parts store and pick up things like that that you need to be a good road warrior."

Advanced Auto Parts is a store where you can buy car parts and tools. They’re being mentioned because you can also buy the roadside kit and related items there.

Brand

DieHard

"...advanced auto parts die hard toolkit giveaway... it’s a really good roadside emergency tool kit... if it comes from advanced auto parts and die hard, it’s going to have the right stuff in it."

DieHard is a brand that makes car-related maintenance products, like batteries and tools. In this episode, they’re giving away a roadside tool kit under the DieHard name.

Part

cordless tire inflator

"...Get yourself a cordless tire inflator. Everybody could use one of those."

A cordless tire inflator is a small air pump you can use in your car. If your tire pressure is low, you can top it up right away.

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