Berkeley One Classics is an insurance company that specializes in collector cars. Collector-car insurance can be different from regular insurance because it’s tailored to how hobby cars are owned and used.
Replica OEM wheels are replacement wheels that are made to look like the factory wheels. Before buying, you want to make sure they physically fit your car correctly.
They’re talking about a 2011 Honda Accord that someone is considering for their daughter. The caller noticed a brief metallic sound when the car first starts cold, and the hosts want to know the mileage to better judge what it could mean.
A cold start-up is when you start the car after it has been sitting. Some sounds can happen briefly at first because the engine oil hasn’t fully warmed up yet, but if the noise continues after the engine warms, it’s more of a concern.
Term
metallic braddle
A “metallic” sound usually means the noise sounds like metal tapping or scraping. The hosts will want to know if it goes away right after the engine starts (which can be less serious) or if it keeps happening once the car is warmed up.
Your engine has to “keep time” so the valves open at the correct moments. The timing chain is like a timing belt made of metal, and the tensioner keeps it snug. If the chain gets loose, it can rattle and even mess up the timing enough to break the engine.
They’re also talking about the Honda CR-V. The takeaway is the same: if you hear a rattle on first start, it could be the timing chain/tensioner, and you should address it quickly.
The hosts emphasize that oil maintenance is critical for these engines, implying that oil quality/intervals directly affect timing-chain and tensioner wear. Modern engines often rely on correct oil viscosity and cleanliness to keep hydraulic components working properly.
They’re stressing that you need to do regular oil changes. Skipping or delaying them can make engine wear happen faster, which can lead to expensive repairs.
A timing-chain component kit typically includes the chain plus related parts like tensioners and idlers, so you replace the whole timing set rather than only one worn piece. Replacing the complete set helps ensure the new chain has correct tension and alignment.
If the timing chain slips, the engine can lose its “schedule” for valve timing. That can cause the valves and pistons to collide, which can ruin the engine.
They’re saying the noise might only happen after the car has been sitting. When you start it for the first time that day, oil pressure hasn’t built up yet, so you can hear a rattle.
Remote starting can mask cold-start symptoms by warming the engine and building oil pressure before you hear it. The hosts recommend avoiding that so you can accurately evaluate whether the timing chain/tensioner rattles when cold.
They’re talking about a noise that happens right when you start the car after it’s been sitting. Cold oil doesn’t flow as well at first, so if something is borderline, it can rattle until oil pressure builds up.
They’re talking about buying a car “as-is,” meaning the seller won’t cover repairs later. The point is: if the problem shows up right away after it sits, you should require the seller to fix it before you sign.
They’re saying the car may have mostly been driven on short errands. Short trips don’t heat the engine and oil enough, which can lead to dirt and buildup over time.
They’re suggesting that dirty oil passages or sludge can slow down oil getting where it needs to go right after you start the engine. That can make the engine sound worse for a short time until everything is lubricated.
They mean buildup inside the engine from oil that hasn’t been changed often enough or never gets fully hot. That buildup can clog oil pathways and make the engine less protected right after starting.
“Overhead cam” means the engine’s camshaft is up in the head, near the valves. Because of that, noises from the top of the engine can sometimes point to valve-train issues.
Top-end noise means the engine is making sounds from the upper part, near the valves. It can be a sign the valve train isn’t getting lubricated quickly enough or that parts are wearing.
An oil system cleaner is a product you add before changing the oil to help clean out sludge and buildup. It may improve how clean the oil passages are, but it won’t repair worn-out engine parts.
The valve cover is the cover on top of the engine that protects the valve area. Taking it off can show what’s going on inside, but most people can’t do that as part of a quick inspection.
A heat shield is a metal cover that keeps other parts from getting too hot. If it’s loose, it can buzz or rattle, and it may keep making noise even when the car is warm.
The cam and lifters control the engine’s valve timing. If they wear out, the engine can run poorly or make noise, so the speaker is focusing on oil that helps them last.
“20 oil” is a type of engine oil with a specific thickness rating. Thicker or thinner oil can change how well it protects moving parts like the cam and lifters, especially in cold weather.
A metal conditioner is an additive you mix with the oil to help protect metal parts. The idea is that it reduces friction so parts like the cam and lifters don’t grind against each other as much.
They’re saying the problem is mostly about parts wearing out over time due to friction. Instead of guessing, they look at the parts to see where the wear is coming from and then try to improve lubrication.
“Reduce friction” refers to lowering the rubbing forces between moving engine parts, which helps limit wear. The speaker connects friction reduction to using a metal conditioner/additive that improves protection under high-load conditions.
“Broken in” means the engine is still in its early stage after new parts are installed. The speaker is saying you want those new parts to seat and wear in correctly first, rather than immediately trying to change how they’re lubricated.
Piston rings are small metal rings on the pistons that help seal the engine so power stays efficient. They also need time to seat properly after new installation, which is why the speaker brings up break-in.
Term
530
“530” means a thicker oil grade than the “20” they discussed earlier. The speaker says cold weather can make that kind of oil harder to flow, which can cause protection problems.
Cold weather can make engine oil thicker, so it doesn’t flow as quickly. The speaker is saying that in freezing temperatures you need an oil grade that still protects the engine right away.
Cam lifters help the camshaft open and close the engine’s valves. If they start to wear out, the engine can get noisy and the valve timing can become less accurate.
ZDDP is a protective additive in oil that helps prevent metal parts from wearing out too quickly. If your engine needs extra anti-wear protection, low-ZDDP oil can be a problem.
Emissions rules can change what’s allowed in engine oil. That can mean less of the “extra protection” additives that used to help certain engines stay lubricated.
Term
diesel fuel sulfur
Sulfur used to be present in diesel fuel, and removing it can change how the fuel interacts with engine wear and lubrication. That’s one reason older assumptions about fuel/oil compatibility may not hold.
Concept
oil viscosity flow vs anti-wear protection
Oil has to do two things: get to all the moving parts quickly and also protect metal from wearing out. That’s why both the oil’s thickness and its additives matter.
Term
brand name oil
When people say “brand name oil,” they mean the type of oil you buy for your car—like the brand and formula. Different oils are made to protect your engine in different ways.
Term
rear ends of cars
“Rear end” usually means the parts of the car that send power to the back wheels. Those parts can make noise, and the right fluid helps quiet them down.
A manual transmission is a car where you shift gears yourself using a clutch and a stick. You have to do more of the work, but many people enjoy the control.
Term
tensioner noise
That “tensioner noise” is likely a rattly sound from something that keeps a belt or chain tight. It can be louder when the engine is cold and oil hasn’t reached everything yet.
E15 is regular gasoline mixed with 15% ethanol (a type of alcohol fuel). Some cars are approved to use it, and some aren’t, so it’s important to check what your car’s manufacturer says.
Your car has a computer that constantly tweaks how much fuel it injects. “Fuel trims” are those tweaks, and they can change depending on conditions or the fuel you use, which can make the engine feel a little different at idle.
The check engine light comes on when your car’s computer finds a problem serious enough to log a code. If the engine is only adjusting slightly (like with different fuel), it might feel different but still not turn the light on.
Octane is basically how resistant the fuel is to “knocking” inside the engine. Using different octane levels can make the engine behave a little differently because the car may adjust timing to stay smooth.
Your mileage can change depending on the fuel you use. If you test it over a long trip and then compare the next fill-up, you’ll get a clearer idea of whether the fuel is actually affecting efficiency.
Your car’s computer can compensate for small changes in fuel and conditions. If it can adjust enough to keep things healthy, it usually won’t cause damage—even if the idle feels a little different.
An emergency waiver is a temporary government approval to let something happen sooner or differently than usual. In this case, it’s about letting higher-ethanol fuel be sold year-round.
Transmission fluid isn’t just “oil”—it has specific additives and standards. If the fluid type changes and you use the wrong one, an older automatic transmission may not work as it should.
Dexron is a type of fluid used in many automatic transmissions. Different “Dexron” versions (like A and B) were used at different times, and using the wrong one can cause shifting problems.
The Endangered Species Act is a U.S. law meant to protect animals that are at risk. The hosts are saying that rules like this can affect what goes into products, even things like transmission fluid.
Spare wheels are just an extra set of wheels you keep around. That way, when conditions change (like winter), you can swap them quickly instead of risking damage to your best set.
TPMS sensors are what tell your car when a tire is low on air. The host is saying these replacement wheels are made so your existing sensors can still work.
car-part.com is a website that helps you find used auto parts from junkyards/recyclers. It’s designed to make it easier to match the right part to your car.
“Fitment” refers to whether a part will physically and functionally work on a specific vehicle. Compatibility can depend on model year, trim, and production changes, so fitment guidance is crucial when buying used parts.
Recycled car parts are used parts pulled from cars that are being taken apart. They’re often cheaper and better for the environment than buying brand-new parts.
An online quote tool is a quick way to get an estimated price. You enter your info online, and the site helps you get a quote faster than doing it by phone.
Antifreeze is the fluid that keeps your engine from getting too hot. If it’s going down, it usually means there’s a leak or the system isn’t holding coolant like it should.
Case seal ultimate is a product you add to the cooling system to help stop small leaks. It works by sealing the leak from the inside so you can drive while you figure out the real problem.
They’re talking about using a sealant to temporarily stop a coolant leak. It can help you keep driving, but it doesn’t fix the real damage that caused the leak in the first place.
The radiator is where the engine coolant gives off heat. If you’re adding something to fix a leak, it’s often poured into the radiator so it can circulate through the cooling system.
The “screen door effect” means the metal in the cylinder head has tiny holes (porosity). Coolant can slowly leak through those holes, kind of like water through a screen.
The head gasket is a thin seal between the engine block and the cylinder head. If it fails, coolant can leak into places it shouldn’t, and the engine may overheat or run oddly.
Term
permanent one step pouring solution
They’re talking about a sealing product you pour in one go. The idea is that it cures and stays put instead of needing repeated applications.
Concept
engine replacement vs rebuilding
They’re comparing two options: swapping in a different engine, or taking your current engine out and having a shop rebuild it. If you can’t buy a ready-made replacement, rebuilding is often the only realistic choice.
Fuel injection is how the engine gets fuel in a more controlled way. They’re saying they liked how the injected setup drove compared with other fuel systems.
A remanufacturer is a shop/company that rebuilds an old engine and sells it again. They’re saying you probably can’t easily get one of those ready-to-install replacements for this engine.
A machine shop is a specialized shop that does precision work on engine parts. If an engine needs rebuilding, they measure and machine worn components so the engine can be put back together correctly.
A dump truck is a truck with a bed that tips up so it can dump things out. Because it works hard hauling heavy stuff, it often needs more attention and repairs.
They’re talking about replacing the whole engine instead of fixing the broken parts inside it. It can be quicker, but you still have to make sure the replacement engine fits and is in good shape.
“Bored out” means the inside of the engine cylinders was made slightly larger. That’s usually done when cylinders are worn, and it requires the right matching parts to work correctly again.
Car
235
The “235” is the name people use for a Chevrolet inline-six engine from that era. It’s the engine in the car the caller modified and has been driving for a long time.
Valve springs are the little metal parts that help engine valves close properly. When they get old, they can weaken or crack, and then the engine can start acting up or fail. That’s why the discussion is about whether to replace just one spring or all of them at once.
Concept
engine overhauled / rebuilding heads
An engine overhaul is when someone takes the engine apart and fixes worn internal parts. “Heads” are the top parts of the engine where the valves live, and rebuilding them means restoring that area. The conversation is about what was done before and why the springs later failed.
Concept
replace one vs replace all (while you're in there)
The debate here is whether to fix just the broken spring or replace every spring while the engine is already apart. If all the springs are old, the others may fail soon too. Doing them all can prevent a repeat problem and save time later.
A spring tension checker is a tool that measures how strong the valve springs are. If the springs aren’t as strong as they should be, the engine valves may not work correctly. It’s one way to decide if the springs are still safe to reuse.
“Valve dropped” means the engine valve didn’t stay where it should. If that happens, it can hit the piston inside the engine. That can cause serious damage, which is why it’s treated as a big risk.
Piston contact means parts inside the engine hit each other. In this context, it usually happens when a valve fails and then strikes the piston. That kind of collision can cause expensive damage.
A spring compressor is a special tool that squeezes the valve spring so you can take the parts off and put new ones on. It helps you do the job safely instead of fighting the spring by hand.
They use an air compressor to add air pressure into the cylinder so the valve stays up while you work. That way you don’t accidentally drop the valve parts into the engine.
The spark plug hole is where the spark plug screws in. In this DIY method, they use that opening to put air pressure into the cylinder to help hold the valve steady.
These clips are small locks that keep the valve spring parts from slipping off. If they’re not seated right, the valve train can fail, so it’s important to install them carefully.
The rocker arm bolt is part of the mechanism that moves the valves. The tool uses the nearby hardware as a solid place to push down while you remove the spring parts.
The retainer is the piece that helps hold the valve spring and valve parts together. When you compress the spring, you can remove the retainer/clip setup and put it back correctly.
An umbrella seal (valve stem seal) controls oil flow around the valve stem so oil doesn’t get pulled into the combustion chamber. Replacing them can reduce oil consumption and smoke caused by worn seals.
“Six-cylinder” means the engine has six combustion chambers. It usually runs smoothly, and on older cars it can help narrow down which version you’re looking at.
Car
Tri-5 Chevy
“Tri-5” is a nickname for the mid-1950s Chevrolet cars—1955, 1956, and 1957. The caller is saying that one specific Tri-5 Chevy made them appreciate that whole era of cars.
This is a 2000 Dodge Dakota pickup. If it randomly shuts off and won’t restart, it often means the car’s computer is getting bad or missing information from a sensor, or there’s an electrical problem. The goal is to find what’s causing the “random” behavior.
“Dead stick” means the engine suddenly dies. When it happens while driving and the car won’t restart reliably, it often suggests an electrical or sensor problem that’s cutting off the engine.
The engine control module is the car’s main computer for the engine. It reads sensor data and decides how to run the engine. If replacing it doesn’t fix the issue, the problem is often something like a faulty sensor, loose wiring, or a bad connection.
This sensor tells the car how fast you’re going. Even though it affects the speedometer, the engine computer can also use that info for how the engine runs. If it’s intermittent, it can confuse the computer and cause stalling or starting problems.
These sensors tell the computer where the engine parts are in their rotation. If the signal drops out or is wrong, the computer can’t time the spark and fuel correctly, so the engine may stall and not restart. Intermittent sensor failures are a common cause of this behavior.
An intermittent fault happens only sometimes, which makes it harder to diagnose because it may not reproduce during a test drive or when a shop checks codes. Intermittent no-start/stall issues are often caused by loose connectors, failing sensors, chafed wiring, or power/ground problems that only show up under certain conditions (heat, vibration, or voltage changes).
When people say a car “turns over,” they mean the engine is being cranked by the starter. If it cranks but won’t start, it’s often something like fuel or spark. If it doesn’t crank, it’s more likely the battery or starter system.
The hosts are using a classic diagnostic approach for “no-start” problems: determine what the engine does when you attempt to start it. Asking whether it cranks/whirls, makes a clicking/trying sound, or is completely dead helps separate electrical starting-system faults from fuel/spark/ignition problems. This “what noise does it make?” method speeds up troubleshooting.
The starter motor is what actually spins the engine when you try to start the car. If it’s not working well, the car may make clicking or weak cranking sounds. If it’s working, the engine should spin, even if it still won’t start for other reasons.
“Whirling the engine” means the engine is spinning when you try to start it. That’s an important clue because it tells you whether the starter is doing its job. If it doesn’t whirl at all, the problem is usually electrical; if it whirls but won’t start, it’s often fuel or spark.
A scanner is a device you plug into the car to talk to its computer. It can show error codes and real-time readings so you can figure out what’s going wrong when the car won’t start.
A fuel pressure gauge checks whether the car is pushing fuel with enough pressure. If the pressure is too low when you crank the engine, the engine may not start.
The RPM signal tells the car’s computer that the engine is actually turning. If the computer doesn’t get that signal, it may not allow the engine to start.
Cars rely on electricity to run sensors and computers. “Power” is the incoming voltage and “ground” is the return path to complete the circuit. If either is weak or broken, the car can act like the computer or sensor is bad.
When you turn the key, the car needs to detect that the engine is actually cranking. If it can’t “see” that signal, it may not allow the engine to start. That’s why crank-related issues can cause a no-start.
They’re saying this problem shows up on some General Motors vehicles. That matters because it suggests there’s a common failure pattern to look for, not just random bad luck.
A relay is like an electrically controlled switch. The ignition relay helps send power where it needs to go for starting and ignition. If it fails, the car may not start, and the computer can sometimes log clues.
The car’s computer keeps records of problems it has seen before. “History codes” are like past notes—sometimes the problem happened earlier and isn’t happening at the exact moment you scan it. Those clues can still point you to the real cause.
If you replace a bunch of parts and the car still won’t start, the problem is often not the last part you changed. It can be something electrical like a broken wire, a bad connection, or a spot where the wiring got pinched or got wet. That’s why wiring checks become the next step.
A wiring harness is the car’s main bundle of wires. If the wires get rubbed and the insulation wears off, the car can act up—sometimes it won’t start until the wiring is disturbed or repaired.
The firewall is a wall between the engine area and the inside of the car. Wires often run near it, so if something rubs there, it can cause starting or electrical problems.
A fender liner is the plastic or composite cover inside the wheel well that helps protect against dirt, water, and debris. It can also hide wiring routes, so removing/inspecting it can reveal harness rub points.
The segment highlights how diagnostic time and shop overhead affect pricing, including labor hours and incidental costs like fuel used during diagnosis. The speaker argues that intermittent issues can require a lot of time, which translates into higher bills.
Diagnosing a car problem means figuring out what’s actually causing the issue. Mechanics often have to test a few possibilities one at a time, and if the problem is intermittent, it can take longer to catch.
A test ride is when the mechanic drives the car to see if the problem happens while driving. Some problems only show up on the road, not in the driveway.
“Low fuel” means the car doesn’t have much gas left. The warning is telling you to refuel soon, and the hosts are saying it can become a problem if you keep driving.
The Ford Maverick is a pickup truck that’s smaller than many traditional trucks. It’s meant for daily driving and light hauling, and the podcast is noting that it’s been on the market for a few years. They’re also talking about what comes next for the mid-sized truck category.
Hyundai is the automaker being discussed. The hosts say Hyundai is planning new vehicles—like a mid-sized truck and a new SUV—so it’s part of the reason the truck market is changing.
The Hyundai Palisade is a big family SUV from Hyundai. The hosts are talking about the name “Palisade” and whether it’s being reused for something else.
The Chevrolet Blazer is a compact SUV that’s been offered in multiple trims and generations. Here, the hosts discuss making the Blazer look more rugged—essentially styling and positioning it closer to a “real SUV.”
Body-on-frame means the car’s body is mounted on a separate metal frame underneath. Trucks and rugged SUVs often use this because it can be stronger for rough driving.
Kleenex is a brand of tissues, but people often use the name “Kleenex” to mean any tissue. The hosts are comparing that to how people might refer to a battery tender by a brand name.
A battery tender is a device you plug in to keep your battery healthy. It charges gently and helps prevent the battery from going dead when the car isn’t driven much.
A “stabilizer” is often a bar that helps keep the car from leaning too much in turns. It connects the left and right sides of the suspension so the car feels more balanced.
Using used car parts can be better for the environment than buying brand-new. It avoids a lot of the pollution and energy used to make new parts from scratch.
A used door is a replacement car body panel taken from another car. It can be cheaper and more eco-friendly than buying a brand-new door, as long as it fits and is in good shape.
A car battery provides electrical power to start the engine and run accessories when the engine isn’t producing enough electricity. Batteries contain heavy metals and acid, so recycling them is important for safety and environmental reasons.
A fender is the metal panel over the wheel. If it’s bent, it usually means the car got hit, and it may need repair or replacement.
Company
Nordstrom's 2.0
They’re talking about a newer version of a facility called “Nordstrom’s 2.0.” It’s basically a modern workshop/building where their organization does its work, and they’re saying it was advanced for its time.
The segment discusses getting a tour of the facility and learning how everything works, including a multi-part video series. This is a “how it’s run” topic rather than a specific technical automotive concept.
The Wrangler is an off-road SUV made to handle rough trails. The podcast mentions a “Rubicon,” which is a more off-road-focused version of the Wrangler. It’s brought up because it can be used in challenging terrain.
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Welcome to the Under the Hood Show podcast. Thank you very much for listening.
Also, check out our YouTube channel and the Facebook page.
We do the show live on video as we record the podcast you're about to hear, which is brought to you by
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Here is the Under the Hood Show podcast. Thank you very much for listening.
This is Under the Hood.
Welcome to the Under the Hood Show. We are glad to have you with us.
Russ Evans is here to answer your automotive questions.
Thanks for joining us under the hood.
Shannon Nordstrom is here to do the same.
Welcome, Hoodies. Thanks for tuning in so we can help you tune up.
I'm Chris Carter here to answer your calls at 866-594-4150.
Oh, got some calls coming in. We'll get to those.
I maybe have some questions for you, Shannon.
What?
Just, you know, just questions. I'll just leave it at that.
However you want to approach it, I'm here for you.
Don't get nervous. They're fine. They're fine questions.
I don't get nervous very often.
Let's talk to Jeff. You're on the Under the Hood Show. Jeff, what can we do for you?
Hi.
We were looking at a 2011 Honda Accord for my daughter.
And I noticed during a cold start-up it had kind of a metallic braddle for about two seconds and then one away.
And I didn't know if that was anything serious.
Yes, sir.
How many miles are on this said Honda Accord you're looking at?
About 94,000.
Which is quite low miles, actually, for that age.
Perfect time for a worn timing chain and tensioner.
And then it quits. Yeah.
Very common on these. Here at all the time, Accords, CRVs, a lot of other engines too. GM's will do it.
But these vehicles, famous for that, that oil maintenance on them is imperative on all engines now.
The oil quality is not the quality it used to be. They charge more for it, you get less.
You just got to do those oil changes.
So the repair for this, if this is the problem, which it probably is, if it was just a loud quick rattle and then it quit after a couple seconds,
that's not going to be an exhaust shield or something like that.
That's typically the timing chain and everything.
So you got to replace the timing chain.
And they make a component kit, which is all of it. The chain, the tensioners, the idlers are the...all of it.
Everything under there for the timing set.
Yeah, that is made.
And we don't have a partner that sells those.
So there's not one we can recommend, but there are some very good quality ones out there.
Cloy's makes one. Different companies.
But we replace all that in there and then it fixes the problem.
If you let it go too long and the tensioner fails completely, it can destroy the engine when the timing jumps.
So you would want to fix it.
But it is something that you need to use as negotiating power.
A lot of times they only make that noise if the car sat for over five or six hours.
So you absolutely must if you start the car like first start of the day and sit down the street with binoculars and watch.
Make sure they're not remote starting that car just before you get there and shut it off because it could still be cold.
But it'll quiet it down and people know that.
And I think they try that.
It's not very nice.
But yeah, if you started up on that first start of the day, you'll hear it.
And I mean, if it were if I was going to purchase one of these cars or one that has this issue with that I know about, I would go as far as if I was purchasing it from a car lot myself to I'm going to listen to it.
And if they don't let me take it home and drive it like overnight, I'm going to say, look, I understand as is no warranty.
But the one thing I'm going to stipulate is if I take this car home and it sits overnight and I start it and it rattles, you're going to you're going to replace these parts.
And if they if they're not willing to do that, they know something's wrong with it because if they know it's fine, they're going to be like, oh, no, it's fine.
It's like, but I have to come back to you within 24 hours and tell you tomorrow morning when I start it, if it rattles, you're fixing it.
And if they say no, then you know they're covering it up.
If they say, oh, that's no problem because we've been starting in the morning, it's been great.
So it's a big thing.
And it's big.
And I say that because it's not really cheap.
You know, it could cost you a couple thousand bucks to have that done on your own.
So you're going to want them to do it.
I'm going to go just a little different route here just to ask a couple of questions.
Do you know the history of the car at all?
I'm not, not really.
No, I guess he said it came from New Jersey originally, but I really don't know anything.
Okay.
Well, the reason I ask, I mean, you're talking, you take a 2011 car, you know, you're talking about a car that's 16, 17 years old, 15, 16 years old.
And it's only got 91,000 miles on it.
It has seen a lot of short trips, most likely.
And there could be, there could be a lot of just gunk inside that engine.
And that could be affecting oil flow at early startup.
And, you know, you can get some of that.
And it's an overhead cam engine.
It should, it should be pretty quiet to start with.
But if you're starting to get noise from the top end, that's not from these chains, which, which is common.
It could be related just to an engine that has just sometimes low mileage is not as good as you'd think.
Justice Brothers oil system cleaner.
Put that in there before you change the oil, run it about 10 minutes, have the oil changed.
A lot of professional shops are where you're going to find that product.
So they would do it as they're doing like we do in our shop.
When it's time for an oil change, never hurts an old engine to keep it clean.
And you just hope that it hasn't been so dirty.
If this is, there again, we're totally speculated.
We're not touching this car.
But if it's that dirty inside and it's just kind of causing that premature noise because it's just not getting lubrication right away, you can turn that around.
But if it's been doing that for a while, there's wear happening when it makes that noise.
And so yes, be concerned a little bit.
And I think Russ gave you some good advice to consider.
And the, you know, but that maybe pull the valve cover or pull the filler cap off and see what things look like inside.
You can't, there's a baffle you can't always see inside.
But the real, the real clue would be pulling the valve cover off and see what it looks like.
But you probably can't do that on your use vehicle inspection.
I hope we didn't scare you because I mean a Honda Accord of that age with that miles is a product that's going to sell quickly by the attraction of being a low mileage Honda Accord.
And with great fuel mileage.
Yeah. And it's going to bring a premium price with that low miles.
But you're, you're, you're very right.
You don't want to buy at a premium price because it's a 92,000 mile, 2011 Accord and then have an extended problem.
So if it's, if it is just timing chains, you buy it at the regular price that everybody else would pay and you spend the money and have that done because it's not hurting the rest of the engine.
It's just that part that you're going to throw away and replace with a new part.
One last question.
Oh yeah.
One last question, Jeff.
When you, when you heard the noise, were you with the representative for the company looking at the car at the same time?
No, he wasn't out there at the time.
Okay. All right.
Did you ask him about it?
Yeah, I did.
What'd they say?
Um, he, he said he thought it was like a heat shield or something.
A mechanic listening to that would know the difference between a heat shield and that timing chain quickly.
The timing chain is a very solid ratcheting sound that sounds more like a, you know, like a baseball card in the spokes or when you're turning a ratchet very slowly, it goes click, click, click, click into notches.
You can hear that, but it's faster, lower and louder.
So it'd be like click, click, click, click, click as it starts.
A rattle is going to sound more like you taking a cut off lid of a coffee can.
You're probably at least as old as us.
So you know what that's like.
We used to cut them off with a, you know, with a can opener.
And if you took that and you just kind of rattled against the side of the counter, that would be more of a heat shield.
As someone who's had both of these problems and knows nothing, the heat shield sounds worse than the timing chain.
But the heat shield will continue to make the noise.
Right. And if the, if the salesman in the building, without listening to it says it's a heat shield, have them go put it up in the shop and show us what's heat shield because it should do it every time.
It should do it every time, even when it's warm almost.
Jeff, thanks very much for the call. Good luck.
Eight, six, six, five, nine, four, four, one, five, oh, that's the number to reach us here at the end of the hood show.
Let's go to Minnesota and talk to Paul. You're on the end of the hood show. Paul, what can we do for you?
Got a six, two, got 230,000 on it.
It just had the cam and lifters replaced.
They're telling me to run the 20 oil.
What do you say to that?
Yeah, I think that's, I think that's still fine.
But on the six twos, for my own stuff that's, that's got high pressure stuff going on like that, I just feel more comfortable running an additive in that oil.
And, and I'm running that, that Justice Brothers heavy duty vehicle because it's got a metal, it's a metal conditioner and it's going to protect those parts.
I just get real concerned about, we've had so many problems with cam and lifters on things and most of the time it's, it's an oil system.
The oil is just not protecting as well as it should. It's a wear issue. We take them apart. We see where, where comes from friction.
How do you reduce friction? You put a metal conditioner in it.
So I would be very apt to run that, but you know, I tell customers when we do, when we redo things, when we put new engines in, I would run it.
Once it's broken in, you want to make sure everything wears in properly first, like your piston rings and things, but yours is already broken in.
Well, he's got new cam and lifters.
Yeah, you don't want to, you don't want to wear those. You don't want, you don't wear it going on.
I would, I would put a metal conditioner in there.
And the, as far as the oil goes, as far as the oil goes, that's where, you know, we switched my truck to that oil, you know, once they recommended it.
If I was in a warmer climate, myself, I'm running 530 in it.
Yeah, but we just got such variation of climate here.
It gets too cold. It just gets too cold for that. And that's not what it's recommended for. You got issues, but you know, when it gets down below freezing.
But if I was in Texas, I'd probably be going with something just on my own. Everybody has to make their own decision, but most people I see are doing that.
It was fine when they built the engine. They recommended it. And this wear problem that we're talking about in the industry, there's many brands that have had problems with wear on cams and lifters.
And any, even in the aftermarket, when you start reading about it, there was an era there were super high pressure point.
Yeah. And they were having problems with cam lifters. So there was a, a degradation of metal issue in the industry.
Oh yeah.
Post COVID. And then oils changing. It was a bad formula. That's all there is to it.
Is there, does that help you out there?
In the race car world, we run a 5W-20 with some added zinc.
That is the attitude.
Did a guy do that in these?
Well, that, the, the zero 20 that what I'm talking about, that heavy duty vehicle is the replacement for that. People are using that where you're low on zinc and ZDDP.
So this is that. This is that version of the same.
Yeah. You're just doing something to, to protect it. So if you can't remember what ZDDP is that Al Carson's used to work with with us.
I just saw it.
Used to call it Zippity-Doo Dot product ZDDP.
Paul, there you go. Thanks very much for the call. You said earlier that the oils haven't, they're, they're not as.
Due to federal regulated emissions in our country, we have removed a lot of the products that provided extra lubrication in the oil. The oil is the same.
Yeah, that's important. It's not an oil quality issue.
That's what I was, the refinement of it.
It's the process of the oil nowadays.
What they're taking out, like diesel fuel, they took all the sulfur.
And the tolerances in it in the engine and.
They're smaller.
Yeah.
But so you need something that's going to flow very well and reach all the areas, but you also need something to protect.
And while we used to have things in the oil and in the diesel fuel.
Whale oil.
It's not there.
Yeah. We're not hunting whales anymore.
I don't think that was in oil.
Spit. Yeah. No, yeah it was.
Yeah. Well, I, you know,
Do you read that on the ingredients of some brand name oil and see.
I'm, I'll say this.
No whales were squeezed or harmed for this.
The amount of things they used whale oil for back in the day, it might have made it into vehicles. It might have made it into cars for a while.
Oh, they used it that people would use that in like rear ends of cars to quiet them down and things along with banana peels and all sorts of things.
I, the things that were in there were not, I was going to ask you guys.
Banana oil.
Yeah.
I was going to ask you guys a question the other day.
Those things kept popping in my head.
I was like, I wonder, you know, when was the first time this and that.
My other, my thought just this morning coming in, I was driving a car and I said,
I wonder what percentage of our total listening audience right at this very second has ever driven a car with a manual transmission.
I bet, I bet compared to even just 15 years ago was it's half of that.
Probably.
I bet it's, I bet, I bet money.
It's under 20% of all our listeners.
You got to get that filter that I have.
I just ask all those.
I just text you guys all those questions.
Every single question that pops into my head.
I'm sure you guys get the group.
I'm sure if we put it into AI, they're being answered with confidence.
Yes, for sure.
On the under the hood show, how many, how many of their listeners have never,
they didn't that just probably, they're being answered and somebody would believe it.
And there's no testing done on this.
Let's talk to Rob.
You're on the under the hood show.
Rob, what can we do for you?
Love the show.
Thank you very much.
Thanks.
Thank you.
While it's a cord day, while it's a cord day, I have a 2016 Honda cord,
which actually does also make the tensioner noise on cold startup.
But once it's warm, you restart, it doesn't make a sound again until it cools off.
It's fixed.
I've been going and praying and going and praying and hoping that everything's going to be fine.
My mechanic has reassured me on that.
But anyhow, I had a question about fuel.
I've heard you extol the virtues of running E15 in your vehicle's rest.
I've had this for a year and a half or so, put, I don't know, 15,000, 20,000 miles on it, something like that.
Generally, it runs E10.
I've run maybe four or five tanks of E15 in it.
Usually if it's up, usually if I'm on a trip somewhere and I get a sticker shock from seeing what the price of the E10 is.
And generally speaking, it runs fine.
But I've noticed on long trips, if I'm running the car for three, four hours and then go to slow it down,
there's a noticeable rumble in the idle.
Not severe or anything, but just because it's my car, it's a little bit annoying.
And if you shut the car off again, run it or whatever, running around town, it's fine again.
I'm just curious if that's something I should worry about.
Would you run your car if it did that as well?
It's just got a difference in the fuel trims a little bit, so it's seeing that.
Then cars will run differently depending on what kind of fuel you put in, depending on what the fuel trim is at the moment.
It's not enough to set a check engine light or really alert anybody, but they can feel slightly different with different fuels in there.
You can have a car that runs, you run premium, runs different than running E15, which runs different than E10,
which runs different than 87 octane regular, no ethanol.
They all run a little bit different depending on what you put in it, just like people.
It's like, I've had a hard day and feel a little run down.
I've been eating sugar all day.
Oh, I'm eating clean, good food.
I feel a little better.
Are you still operating?
Yeah, at your peak?
Not quite, but fair.
I bet you'll find if you were to measure your fuel mileage on a very long trip and ran one kind of fuel over 300 miles to your next fill up,
then you filled up again and you're still on that same Midwest flat ground.
You'd see a little difference in fuel economy between those two if you're feeling it in your seat when you're stopped.
But to answer the question that you are probably asking, if the car is adjusting to it to the point that you're not turning on a check engine light
because it's running out of its zone of ability to accommodate the fuel, it's not going to hurt anything.
Okay, that sounds good.
I had just wondered, yeah, I had done this, let's say it's only three or four tanks.
It's been extraordinarily consistent.
It does it every time, but you know, we say if I fill it, then just run it around town or whatever.
I don't notice the thing.
It runs nice and smoothly, so I didn't know if there was...
I believe you're going to continue to see increasing blends in the standard fuel of ethanol going forward.
I believe that world events will continue to move the needle.
I almost bet that in the next 12 months, you will see a push towards using some E20 in things.
Yeah, because the blends are going to make a big difference in what's in the fuels out there.
They've already got an emergency waiver out there to allow E15 year-round.
That was something that was never that way before.
They're trying to get that permanently put into law.
If you're in certain states and you're pulling up the pump and putting 88 octane in there in Minnesota,
you're already putting E15 in.
Anywhere that says 88 on a pump, that's code name for E15.
People are using it like crazy.
It's not going to hurt anything.
Okay, sounds good.
I appreciate the info, guys.
Thank you very much.
You bet, Rob.
Thanks very much for the call.
866-594-4150.
That's the number to reach us here.
We are going to take a break real quick.
I looked it up.
You want to take a guess on the year that whale oil stopped being a common ingredient in transmission fluid.
Ooh, I'm going to say it's probably later than we think.
I think it's 1971.
72.
Dexron was head whale oil.
Dexron A and B from PM head whale oil.
So they had it in 71 and not in 2.
No, well, whenever 72 was when it was phased out.
My guess was because of when they did the emissions on cars.
It was the Endangered Species Act.
And it led to when they took the whale oil out, it led to a rash of transmission failures in the 70s.
And Justice Brothers was born.
1972 was when we stopped using whale oil.
I feel bad about my guess.
Oh my gosh, I was right.
For over 50 years.
There you go.
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That's longer than, it's almost as long as whale oil has not been used in cars.
We're going to call this the whale oil episode.
It's pretty close.
Glad to see some interesting conversations on the break.
Sure has.
866-594-4150.
Let's talk to Rich. You're on the end of the hood show. Rich, what can we do for you?
Yeah, I got a 429 gas, 700.
Excuse my voice. I'm kind of a horse.
A truck.
And it's losing a little bit of antifreeze, but it runs great.
And I was just wondering what we could do with it.
I wonder when it's going to shell out.
Don't just seal it, case seal it.
Yeah, go buy yourself some case seal.
Case seal ultimate.
Right. Case seal ultimate.
For that one, you put it in there or the HD and the larger system like that.
You can pick it up at our partner at Advance Auto Parts.
They sell it there. You pour it in the radiator.
You make sure the radiator's full. You just drive it and it should seal it up.
If it's a small, that's small of a leak where it's just using like a cup every few days or something, something really small.
That's what it's designed to do is seal those type of systems up.
And you probably have a head with some porosity in it, which is common on those engines.
Probably not a head gasket, but the screen door effect on your head.
And that'll seal up with this. That's what the product's made for.
And it's made to be a permanent one step pouring solution.
I have a question for Rich. What's the usage of this F700?
Dump truck.
Well, I pump out septic tanks. I don't drive a long distance, sometimes 100 miles a day, sometimes 25.
But if I'd have to replace the engine, can you get a 429?
I've been checking and I can't get a 429 to put in that truck.
You'd probably be...
Injection and I fell in love with it.
You'd probably be in a situation where...
Would you put an engine in for me?
No.
No, you'd probably be in a situation where you'd have to have somebody...
If there's not...
You're not going to find a re-manufacturer for that, typically.
I mean, you could check.
Swannstruck engines, what it is.
But you'd probably be in a situation where you'd have to pull the engine out and send it to a machine shop and have them rebuild it.
I think, you know...
Car-part may have one of these engines.
And here's why.
That engine was used in all those swannstrucks.
And this facility here has seen a dozen of them since I've worked here.
Most of the ones we got were GM, but yeah, for sure.
Swannstrucks.
So depending on where you go, they had some of those forwards.
I think you'd be able to find one.
With this kind of truck, I'd probably try to go for a good...
If you could find a good running truck yet that was just beat up real bad and they didn't want to run it for whatever...
They're like, I don't feel comfortable using my dump truck anymore.
Get the whole engine and then have somebody put it in.
But we don't do medium duty or heavy duty trucks.
We do lots of engines in cars, trucks, vans, anything you can imagine.
Some small box trucks sometimes.
Up to one ton basically.
Yeah, we just don't do the medium duties of 700, 650, 700s are bigger than we're comfortable with for size-wise.
We don't have the equipment in the facility to do those big ones.
But we can fix you up in anything else.
But that case seal is probably going to take care of your problem and all those thoughts are not necessary.
Yeah, for 20 bucks, you'll be good to go.
Yeah, I think you'll be amazed at how well that works.
I've had so many people with success stories on these older ones like this and fixed it right up.
And I got to hear Russ say, porosity on this call.
Porosity.
Porosity.
Yeah, that's a good...
Porosity, porosity.
That is a great word.
That's a good name for a band.
Like a garage band, a cover band.
And porosity because the hits flow through you.
Rich, thanks for the...
I'm gone.
Holes in their career.
Rich, thanks very much for the call.
Good luck.
866-594-4150.
Kevin in Arkansas, you're up next on The Hood Show.
Kevin, what can we do for you?
Hey guys, thanks for taking the call.
You bet.
I used to live your way.
I moved to Fayetteville years ago.
It took my old car with me.
My question's about a 55 Chevy.
I've had it for 52 years, actually.
I had the engine pulled a couple years ago, a good local shop.
Bored out the original 6-cylinder, the 235.
Got everything running great.
It just rolls down the road nice as could be.
A few days ago, I'm driving down the road and I'm going 65 and I hear a little hissing sound.
Doesn't sound good.
I get home and they've pulled the valve cover and I broke a spring.
Not totally, but I broke a spring on the head.
So I'm going to have that repaired.
They are the original springs since I've had this engine overhauled.
Do I need to replace all of them or just the one?
What would you guys recommend?
If they didn't put new springs in it when they overhauled, I would replace all of them.
If they just decided they were going to rebuild it and use the original springs,
which happens most of the time on those.
I think check them on their spring tension checker.
Well, I'm not worried about the tension so much as they're getting brittle because of the age.
And it broke like it did.
And it broke.
So if it didn't break far enough or a valve dropped and caused piston contact and problems,
you've got this choice.
Put one spring in it now, drive it.
And if it happens again, do all of them.
It's a significant time-consuming thing to do all of them.
Or if you're going to take this thing across country, you don't want to risk it.
What'd they tell you?
I know.
Same thing.
I talked to the guy who did the heads and he remembers the car.
And I said, yeah, I just broke.
I said, you could replace one spring or we can spend four or five hours to replace all of the springs.
And I said, what would you do?
I said, one's good enough.
I said, well, yeah, they're 70 years old.
The springs are.
And I didn't know if it was.
I should be nervous.
I figured Russ would tell me to replace them all.
That's what I get.
You can do them yourself at home with a cheap spring compressor.
It's like 20 bucks, maybe 14 to 20 bucks.
And a little air compressor.
You get like one of those little can air compressors that most people have for filling up tires or whatever.
And then you get the little adapter.
You turn the engine till both the valves are closed on the cylinder you're working on.
You hook the air compressor to that cylinder in the spark plug hole, put some air pressure in.
And then with the valve cover off, you just take this compressor and hooks under the rocker arm bolt, push down, take the clips off, lift it up.
You lift the spring and retainer and everything right off the top.
Put the new spring on.
You're going to put on the intake valves.
You're going to slide a new umbrella seal over.
You just pop it on for oil usage.
And then put the spring on, push it down, make sure that thing's retainer's on good.
You get a little rubber mallet.
Give it a couple of little light taps there to make sure it's seated well and you move on to the next cylinder.
You can do it yourself at home like that.
I bet it'll take you maybe two to three hours to do it yourself at home and save so much money.
Kevin, hold on a second.
Don't go anywhere.
First, I want to ask you, did you follow all that?
Yep.
Did you?
Yeah.
Chris is like, I'm going to try that on my Honda.
And now, Kevin, we're going to come back to you in a second.
We got a...
We got a Berkeley One Classic on our hands.
For sure.
For sure.
We got to cast the color.
I'll go first.
I'm going to guess...
Oh, this...
Without getting too far into it, is it the original?
I'm going to just guess blue is in the line.
All right.
And this is a six-cylinder car, so more than likely basic colors.
I'm going to say that this car is white.
Okay.
Red.
Red, white, and blue.
There we go.
Kevin, what color is the car?
Russ got it.
It's red.
It's red with the white Bel Air paint job.
It's got the white, white back in the red front.
The original color was black with a white top, and I had it repainted with the Bel Air paint job years ago.
So Russ nailed it.
There you go.
Doug went with yellow.
By the way, the two-tone with the white, that's what everybody wants.
I mean, when you said that, that made everybody happy.
We only had, you know, growing up, we had people with fast cars and things like that.
And, you know, we're talking in the 80s, so these cars were not that old in the 80s, really.
I mean, compared to today, it would be like driving 2000, right?
We only had one guy that drove an old Tri-5 like that.
He had a 56 Chevy, Steven Selman.
Man, that thing was fast.
I read and write, manual trans.
It would go straight, wouldn't turn a corner, but boy, she'd go straight.
But I remembered that growing up and how cool that was.
And only because of that car did I think that those Tri-5 Chevy's were cool at my age now that I've gotten older.
If I hadn't experienced that one, I'd be like, they don't interest me that much.
That one didn't have a 235-600 in it.
It did not.
It had a big block in it.
Kevin, thanks very much for the call.
866-594-4150.
That's the number to reach us here at the Under the Hood show.
Kevin should call us back.
Just one more time about his car.
Yeah, just real quick.
866-594-4150.
Well, let's talk to Mike.
You're on the Under the Hood show.
Mike, what can we do for you?
Hey, thanks guys for taking the call.
I'm in Sioux Falls.
I have a Dodge Dakota 2000.
And I've been having some issues to where when I drove it, it would just shut off and dead stick.
You know, you couldn't really steer it and you had to stop it and then it wouldn't restart.
I've had a shop replace the engine control module.
So as a reman, that didn't fix the issue.
I had a friend tell me that if you replace the speedometer control sensor,
the one that's on the outside of the transmission, that might fix it.
I had that done.
I also had the camshaft crank shaft sensor.
That one's outside of the transmission to replace too, but nothing seems to fix this thing.
And randomly, you can't start it, but sometimes it will start.
It will drive for a while, but you never know when, you know, it's going to not start again.
So I was wondering if you guys had some ideas what I can do to get this thing to just work all the time.
So in this, how often will this happen?
Well, it's intermittent.
It doesn't do it every single time.
That's part of the problem.
Understand.
That's a big challenge anytime on a repair like this.
But would you say it's happening once a week, once a month?
What's your best estimate?
Oh, probably a few times a month.
I mean, right now I don't drive it because I'm not sure.
The other day I tried to start it wouldn't start.
So I left it for a day.
I went back and it turned right over.
So then I moved it a little bit because I don't have a garage right now.
So I have to move vehicles around because I don't want to get a ticket and have a tow and, you know, so.
Turned right over.
He's saying it doesn't turn over when it doesn't start or it doesn't fire up and run.
No, I mean, it started.
It started.
It fired right up.
So when it doesn't start, when it doesn't start.
Is it whirling the engine when it doesn't start?
Is it whirling the engine when it doesn't start or is it just dead?
You can hear it trying to start.
It just doesn't turn over the whole way, I guess.
Russ, try asking the question a different way.
What noise does it make?
When you turn the speed it goes, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do.
Does it start or does it just go back?
Okay.
This is good though because we'll ask a number of people.
Does it crank and they don't connect with what we're saying.
They're different things. Yeah. Right. And Clay liked versus, right.
Boy, only a few times a month, this could be anything.
It's going to be impossible for a shop to find because one,
it's got to do it when they see it. And two,
it has to do it multiple times when they see it, like not just once.
So if you brought it into me and I walked out and I turned the key and it started,
and I went, Oh, it turned it off again and I crank it again and it doesn't start
now. Oh, I'm going to shut it off. Well, what am I going to check? Well,
let's hook up our equipment and turn the key again. Oh, it started up.
That was a waste. I can't find anything. I've got to see it.
You know, if you said, well, it'll do it. It'll do it every third time I crank it.
So when it doesn't, so to find these things,
what we have to do, if it was our own vehicle,
I have to have a scanner connected to it while it's not starting.
A fuel pressure gauge is connected to it while it's not starting and I'm
cranking it and I'm looking for what I'm missing.
Do I have an RPM signal coming into the computer or not? I mean,
if I don't, then I need to test that sensor at the computer and not at the
engine end and see, is it, is it doing what it's supposed to? If it's not,
then it's either the wire or the sensor. If it is,
but the computer says it's not reading it, I've got a bad computer.
And have I checked my power and ground at the computer first?
And these decoders are not known for a crank, no start issue.
It's not something that is common. There are a few vehicles.
Some of the GMs have a problem with the ignition relay.
And we just know that occasionally they fail and we can look into,
dig into the history codes and we can find that there was an ignition relay
code. And if I see that sometimes when I'm just looking at a vehicle,
some of our fleet vehicles we work on and I'm scanning,
I look at them when we're doing oil changes and I scan codes.
And if I see a history ignition relay code in there, I put one in it.
It's cheap. It runs on about 40 bucks for everything.
I just put it in now because it's going to leave them stranded at some point.
That's something we know. It's a known thing that there's no known issues
with the decoders for them doing this type of thing.
With the parts you've already replaced and the money you've already spent,
they were all the techs were leaning towards a crank signal issue.
It sounds like, yeah.
And so with that, with that in mind,
if all those parts have been replaced, that it's hard because you've spent a
good amount of money, they got to probably start looking at wiring in powers
and grounds a little bit closer and see if there's anything in that
harness that looks distressed or is it a pinch point,
washer fluid ran down somewhere and I'm just throwing stuff out.
You know, just, you got to look for something that is a exterior.
Can you wiggle wires around very slightly and then try to crank and get it to not
crank? Or can you try that?
Yeah. With it running and you get the hood open, just gently move wires.
Don't pry them. Don't move them more than a quarter inch,
but just, you know, put one finger on it and give them a little push all the way
from one end of the harness to the other and try and you might go, oh,
hey, it's stalled right here. Then you look at that real close.
We've done that and we found where we,
then we pull it away from the like the firewall or fender liner and we look at
the backside of it and we see a rub through to metal where it's almost bare
and it's just enough that it makes the resistance keeps it from starting at times.
I got you. Well, you said of the, you know,
connecting up the sensor to it. I had it at a shop in Sioux Falls and
the mechanic, Tim, he, he did connect it up to that and it seemed to be okay that
way. But when it was started, I don't know,
got to find it when it's not starting. It's the only time they'll be able to see
it. Mike, thanks very much for the call. Good luck.
Even like, if this were your vehicle, if your vehicle,
I've had this, right? And once, once every two months,
it doesn't start. I was just going to say,
even you with the scanner equipment and all of your know-how,
you mostly are just going to drive some miles, right?
I mean, you're just not going to want to deal with it until you can.
I drove a vehicle for four years with a scanner with me and I
probably put, you know, 6,000 miles on in that four years to catch this.
And it, it acted up a two dozen times, maybe more,
but only like maybe every month or so, just one screw. Oh, there it is.
And I didn't see it. And then finally,
one time it did it for about five seconds in a row.
And I was like, and I looked and I said,
there's, there's my problem.
So then I went to what can cause that issue. And one by one,
I eliminated about five things until I got to the one. That's bad.
I could actually go to it and duplicate this problem.
That's my problem. And I fixed it. And it's been good since.
That's how hard it is to chase down. It's very hard.
Now, what would I have charged somebody to do that?
You know, if they were a regular customer for four years worth of labor,
maybe 50,000 bucks, 80,000 bucks.
I mean, it's really, if you add it up all the time,
you have invested plus the fuel to drive their car and everything.
And some people don't realize that too. You bring your car to a shop.
If they have to spend three hours driving your car and diagnosing it
and it's low on fuel and they have to put it in,
they're going to charge you for the fuel too, whatever the pump says.
But still, I mean, you've got it. All those things come into play.
They're all expenses that have to be met in order to cover it.
Luckily, that doesn't happen too often.
But I can't tell you how many cars, Chris, they come into our shop and they're empty.
Like I put an engine and I can't even take it on a test ride because it's
it says low fuel, you know, we're on E.
You can't drive it. It's it's it's nutty.
I can believe that. Yeah, because you just got in your mind,
you just got to get it to the shop and then they'll take care of whatever.
866-594-4150.
How is the Dakota not back? How how are we?
It's coming. I know. But how are we this far in?
We're what? Five years into the Maverick.
The mid-sized truck stuff is coming.
I mean, Hyundai is working on a mid-sized truck to bring into the market.
It's coming. It was named after our state, right?
Is that where that name comes from? Sure. Where else would it come from?
One of the two. And I would imagine it was probably a Dakota.
What was that? Was that an Indian name at some point?
Dakota Indians? Yeah, sure. I don't know this because I'm not from here.
OK, so. Yeah. Yeah.
You know, they're they're all like Pontiac was Pontiac Indians of Michigan.
Yeah.
But Dakota, until this very moment, I didn't think, well, wait a second.
Never pause long enough to consider that one.
Denali, the GM is named after Alaska.
The mountain. Yeah.
So they want them to sound rugged.
Yeah. What I just saw the new that I saw the Hyundai SUV, they've got a new.
Well, what's that thing called?
They have a rugged name for it.
It's it's a pickup and SUV.
Oh, man, I thought the Palisade.
No, no, no, no. It's not different than that.
It's brand new, brand new.
It's not out. Was that was that named after Gareth in the Palisade part?
Yeah, right here.
Pacific Palisade, I'm guessing, was probably.
Is GM, have you guys seen, I mean, it might be just viral AI garbage, as usual.
But I, it looked like they were going to do a little more rugged looking
modifications to the Chevy Blazer, the small Blazer, making it look more like a
a real SUV have.
So I'll have to do the boulder is the Hyundai that they're look.
They're talking the boulder body on frame.
That should have been the boulder should be a GM product.
Don't you think like the Colorado boulder?
There you go.
Um, I this was what was in my mind the last couple of weeks we got together.
I never had a chance to get to it.
Are there any brand names in the world better than stable and battery tender?
Because they are what people just call them now.
Yeah.
And that comes from Kleenex, Kleenex battery.
That type of thing.
But when you go to buy Kleenex, you just go, you're going there.
You don't care what it is.
But if you go in and ask for stabilizer or a battery tender, those are brands of
those things that you still go for because you, you ask for it.
It's quite interesting.
If you go in, if I go into the grocery store and say, where's your Kleenex?
They're not going to go, oh, it's here's Kleenex.
Yeah, no, it's for sure.
Go ahead, Shannon.
I was just going to say we were getting to the end here, but we have got Earth Day
ahead of us and every year at our company, we honor Earth Day with different things.
And we know that from testing that's been done in our industry with a technical
institute, the carbon savings equivalent for using used auto parts is huge.
We have the, we have the data now to prove what we've always known.
By putting one used door on your car, like we did on Chris's Honda that was
damaged in the left rear, how many gallons of gas was it?
18 gallons or something like that.
That's the carbon savings by just putting it on instead of having to build a door.
So for Earth Day, we'd like to remind people of that, that reuse is the best way to recycle.
But also we're going to be doing an amnesty day at our company out.
You got to come to the 2.0 or the self service and we'll take your consumer
quantities of automotive items that you might have sitting around.
So if you've got a couple of tires sitting there, we'll take them.
We don't want a truck load.
We're going to turn you away.
This is just to help people who got a few things sitting around.
If you got some oil, you got some antifreeze, a car battery, maybe some bent
fender you took off at one time and it's still sitting there.
We've got some receptacles we'll have in our parking lots.
You can bring that stuff out on Earth Day, Wednesday, the 22nd only one day.
We're going to take from you the things that we recycle every day.
And so that's coming up on Earth Day.
We got some other special events going on.
Check out our Facebook pages.
We'll have stuff posted, but we're very excited to honor Earth Day in the way
that is very important to us.
All right.
This is the after show.
We I had you there, pal.
I had you.
I didn't know I didn't because I never said anything about it before I was.
I got it.
Um, that is, uh, do you guys ever do like tours out here for the public?
I mean, you will.
I know you do a ton of groups.
I wish I had more time to do those sort of things.
I would love to do it, but we get people just will show up and say, can I get a
tour and it just doesn't ever work.
I mean, like, yeah, that seems impossible.
I mean, I've got, we've got, uh, we do, but we'll do like scheduled tours with
some civic groups that come out, um, you know, give them an opportunity.
I know we've got the youngsters in the automotive trade coming out on the 29th
from the technical school.
There's 30 of them or so in the automotive programs.
We like to show them what happens at a modern professional automotive
recycling facility.
And, uh, I wish I had more time with them.
I'd get them up and show them in the service center too.
Cause that's, we got a pretty good looking service center.
That'd be nice to show them also.
And no, but we, we have never done a, uh, other than the open house we had when
we built this new facility, we open 25 years ago.
No, no, 2018 July, which is hard to believe it's six years ago, almost six years
ago, the road, the road is long for the road.
Was it 2018 2018?
Yeah.
That's eight years ago.
Yeah.
In July, it'll be eight years.
You just said five.
You just said that.
Okay, okay.
It was wrong.
All right.
Bad math in the, I started to say the road, 2015 October was when we paved the
road and now it needs maintenance already pretty good.
But, uh, 10 plus years on that coming up.
We've been in the studio six years.
Yep.
20, 20, 20 was COVID, uh, and we, yeah, 20.
So we started in 21 January of 21 was here.
The process started in 2020.
Um, uh, I have a question.
Let's see.
When you built this new facility, yes, Nordstrom's 2.0, it was very much, you had
people coming through from the industry because it was pretty cutting edge at the
time has still has they have, has it caught up?
Or is it just a slow thing?
There's people continuing to come to our facility, but yet there's a number in
our industry that have used ideas, not just from Nordstrom's, but from other, uh,
leaders that have taken the time to build a facility that's, you know, specific to
our industry and copied them.
You can go on into the, you can go out of the, if you want to get a tour of Nordstrom's,
anybody can do this.
You can go to YouTube and you can go to a dash R.
Well, I don't, it's auto motorcycle associations, YouTube channel.
Okay.
And on that YouTube channel, there is a four part series that one of my friends,
it's from Virginia and our executive director, now Vince came out and we'd
spent two days and we gave a tour and explained how everything works, what it is.
It, it is kind of zoned towards our industry, but it's very interesting.
And so that tour has had thousands of views.
And so we let people just see, I, we just told them what we did, how we're doing it.
And so if you want to see that, you can just jump onto YouTube and go to the
automotive recyclers association, um, YouTube page and coming up soon on there,
I don't know when they're going to release it.
I did a long podcast interview, uh, recently we have an area on scripted and
we're there in, they're interviewing industry leaders, icons, uh, vendors that
are influential.
And so I finally got a chance to catch up with Vince and we did that interview
when I was up in Ontario and we've been kind of gauging them to be an hour or so.
Mine ended up being like two hours and 11 minutes.
Imagine that.
Um, but Vince and I just really had a good time talking to each other and it just
kept going and it's a little bit about our business.
It's a little bit about our life.
It's a little bit about everything.
I know you guys are mentioned in there at the radio show and, and, uh, that'll be,
I don't know when they're going to release that'll be coming out soon,
but there's other podcasts on there that are really interesting.
And we put them up on the YouTube channel also and, and plus any podcast site,
but no, there's, if you want to get a tour, that's a great way to do it.
And so the, to answer the question, I'm going in May for the URG conference,
which is the United Recyclers group and we're going to be presenting there.
But as my duties as the area president, I'm going to be meeting a busload of
people that are international members and such that are going to be touring
facilities in the, in the Denver area prior to this convention.
And so I'm going to be along with them.
And one of those facilities, I hope they're not listening right now,
cause I want to surprise them is my good friends at Dario, Dario's are putting
up a new facility and so I'm going to stop in there, having an open house.
So there's others that have been asking, looking and doing things.
So well, I'll take my odds.
They're going to get wind of it eventually.
I think so.
But it's definitely been a movement for people to figure out, all right,
what can we build and how can we make it work the best?
And to be fair to, it was a huge project.
So it's not something people are undertaking.
No, you wouldn't do it on a whim.
No.
And what we did here, I mean, I was just talking to one of our employees
that's involved in a church and they had a church project that was pre COVID.
The congregation couldn't get together to figure out what to do.
And pre COVID, it was a $4 million project or so.
And now they're working to approve it.
And I think they're getting it done, but post COVID, it's a $10 million project.
And it's basically the same project.
And they've scaled back some stuff on it too.
So timing wise, I will sit here and tell you guys right now that I could
not build this today.
It was, it wouldn't be in the carts between the combination of interest rates
and, and just the raw cost of doing things.
This would probably not happen.
And it'd be like all the people that can't buy a house now because of, I mean,
they're people in their mid forties or when they're buying their first house,
they couldn't, they just couldn't do it.
And you certainly wouldn't be able to build.
To, to let the project grow as your choices.
I wouldn't have, I wouldn't have just for the heck of it built in a soundproof
room for a future radio studio.
Exactly.
Yeah, that's what I was.
Yeah, yeah.
You know, just as an example, that was extra money that we were, that we
spent at the time, right?
If you were scaling back, you'd say, okay, what's gotta go on.
That's, that's for sure.
I mean, you have to make those decisions, but yeah, I'm just a nice little
trailer in the parking lot.
I'm so glad that we did and thank you God, the timing was right.
You know, that's just what it was.
So all right, anything else you got?
You got anything super important over there?
No, you had asked before about Tennessee.
I'll just tell you that we were going to a wedding and we would, uh, looking
for a place to stay close to the wedding because it was in rural Tennessee,
Georgetown, Tennessee, and what pops up, but treehouse.
I didn't realize this was a thing and I'm guessing they're in East Texas.
I bet they got them.
They do.
And then we, we stayed in one down in, in Branson, Missouri.
The, you're talking about the, they call it glamping or whatever, but yeah,
it's not real rough, but this was like a tiny home suspended in sweet.
Anyway, we saw treehouses.
They're like, oh, that sounds interesting.
And so we went ahead and said, okay, then we started shopping.
By the time we were late, I'm always behind on stuff.
And by the time we found one that looked okay, we were an hour from the wedding
venue, everything else kept selling, you know, it just, they kept selling on Airbnb
or whatever, doing some more search and we found this one.
And we found a place called treehouse mountain in, uh, Copperhill, Tennessee.
And it sounds delightful.
And the gentleman that ran it and his wife were the most pleasant people and he
is retired, Tom is his name.
And he is retired from harvesting from local fishers, fresh trout in the hills
of Huntsville, Alabama area, fishery, and he would bring it and deliver it himself
to the restaurants in Atlanta and he did that for 20 plus years.
And he knew all the restaurants.
He knew all the heads of house in the back and, and, uh, he retired from that.
And they, they found this place that they would build these treehouses.
The idea came up, uh, in the, in the mountains of around that area.
And so just in talking to him, it was interesting.
I said, so you build these yourself?
And he said, he goes, no, no, no.
And I think he said the name of the company was like treehouse masters now out
of North Carolina that gave you a TV show and they built the treehouses for him.
And so the one we were in was called Rubicon and it is suspended truly by it's
in three trees.
I saw some online that they called it a treehouse and they had a tree sticking
through the deck and that's not a treehouse.
And, uh, so you walk kind of a little suspended bridge to get to it.
And, and, uh, it was really a cool experience.
Yes, it had Wi-Fi.
Yes.
It had a small shower in the corner.
Yes.
Conditioning heat.
Yes.
It had a mini split, uh, top and bottom treehouse, but it was a treehouse.
We can say we stayed in a treehouse.
It was, it was a cool experience that Tammy said, she goes, my dad never built
me a treehouse.
And so it was like, uh, yeah, we got to sleep in one.
We go to bed at night.
You climb a like a little, like a Fisher price wooden ladder that's like 10 foot
to go up to the loft in the morning.
The sun's coming bacon down in on you with, with the, when the sunset sun comes up
and it was, it was, it was a cool experience.
Could you comfortably poop in there?
Oh, very well.
Okay.
Yes.
Yeah.
We, I mean, cause that's really everybody.
We both dropped some big logs in there.
Yeah.
We were in the forest.
It was all good.
You asked, don't you know, you should know not to go with me.
Well, it wasn't you that I'm thinking about now that is going to be mad.
Oh, Tammy, she's, she's probably still listening right now.
Yeah.
She's proud of it.
I'm going, yeah, all right.
Did I go too far?
That remains to be seen.
I guess my mom to Tennessee, my mom and dad always told us growing up.
They said, you know, we'd meet somebody and we don't know, I'm sorry.
They'd always say, you know, don't get starstruck.
They, my mom would always say they, they poop and put on their pants just like you
do we all, yeah, we pooped in the treehouse, both of us.
Hey, don't let that couple.
They didn't know we didn't, the bathroom was down the next tree.
They just pooped in the treehouse and left, went back to South Dakota.
The treehouse is better than the warehouse.
There you go.
That'll do it for the end of the hood show.
Maybe all time with Russ Evans.
This is Shannon Nortz from thanking you for tuning into the Nortz from Under
the Hood show. Have a great day and remember PTLA.
The opinions heard on this program based on the many years of experience of
Russ and Shannon are offered for entertainment value only and as a guide
to your repair needs.
No claim to repair or cause is given or implied.
Always consult with your own certified technician and follow all safety
procedures before attempting any repair.
To be a part of the show, call 866-594-4150.
Find out more by visiting UnderTheHoodShow.com.
Under the Hood is produced by Prairie House Productions.
All content is the property of Nordstroms Automotive Incorporated and may
not be used without our permission.
Copyright Nordstroms Automotive, Inc.
About this episode
The Under the Hood Show fields a mix of real-world repair questions and maintenance philosophy. A buyer considers a 2011 Honda Accord with a brief cold-start metallic rattle—likely a timing chain/tensioner issue—plus advice on negotiating and verifying it’s not an exhaust heat shield. Other calls cover cam/lifter wear and oil/ZDDP concerns, whether E15 fuel blend changes cause harmless idle rumble, and a hard-to-diagnose intermittent no-crank/no-start on a 2000 Dakota (wiring/power-ground checks emphasized). The show also touches on sealing small coolant leaks, replacing old valve springs on a 1955 Chevy, and Earth Day/used-parts recycling.
We have the expert advice! Call our show live 866-594-4150 and get help on the live show. Looking to save money on car repairs? Tune in to our latest episode of Under The Hood for practical automotive advice that can help you avoid costly repairs. You have a car, we have auto repair answers.
