Dive into a lively discussion contrasting YouTube mechanics with real-world professionals, exploring how online videos attract clicks but may not always offer reliable car repair advice. Host Niall Jenkins shares his extensive experience, cautioning listeners about misinformation that can lead to costly mistakes. Alongside practical shop talk and community updates, the episode highlights the importance of trusted expertise and maintaining genuine connections in automotive care. Plus, enjoy local business shoutouts and a warm, conversational vibe that blends humor with hands-on wisdom.
"YouTube will teach you how to go viral fixing a car. A real mechanic will teach you how not to destroy it. Today we're talking about the difference-and why your engine cares which one you listen to."
Today we're driving into the difference between YouTube mechanics and real-world mechanics-and why what gets clicks online isn't always what keeps your vehicle on the road.
From flashy "quick fixes" to misunderstood maintenance advice, I break down how to filter online car content so you don't fall into the trap of skipping critical maintenance or following bad advice that leads to costly repairs.
We also tease what's coming next on the channel - classic cars coming out of long-term storage, neglected maintenance rescues, and YOU get to vote on what we wrench on next.
Fun Friday is coming up, and Saturday we're going Live for an hour to answer your car questions-send them in! ([email protected]) or though our web site form at (ccbusnet.com)
And yes...we're asking the real question: Can you actually look cool driving a minivan? Stay tuned.
Season 2 is almost here, and episode 100 is just around the corner, Buckle up.
More episodes and....project Details & links available at Car Connection Business Network .com (ccbusnet.com) you'll find everything on our homepage if you'd like to follow the build & repair work we do & connect with our program partners click their logo to connect Thank You !
Grab some Car Connection Motormouth Merch from our online store and join the crew in helping those struggling with addiction get to a Total freedom Addiction Campus Canada & USA where a New Life awaits them there. Nile Motormouth Jenkins
Tnx for watching, listening & following us on all platforms, Like Subscribe, comment ring the bell get notified when new videos launch each week! Happy Healthy Motoring Friends, See you in the next one. Peace Patience Kindness Always! NMJ
"...whether it's a 25 year old Jeep Wrangler getting a second chance at life, or a Nissan Rogue getting its brakes back in order..."
The Jeep Wrangler is a type of car that can drive on rough roads and trails. It has a boxy shape and you can take off its doors and roof to enjoy the outdoors.
The Jeep Wrangler is a rugged off-road SUV known for its distinctive boxy design and removable doors and roof. It's popular among enthusiasts for its off-road capabilities and customization options.
"...whether it's a 25 year old Jeep Wrangler getting a second chance at life, or a Nissan Rogue getting its brakes back in order..."
When someone says a car is getting a second chance at life, it means they are fixing it up so it can be used again instead of throwing it away.
Giving a vehicle a 'second chance at life' refers to restoring or repairing an older car to make it functional and enjoyable again, often involving maintenance, repairs, or upgrades.
"...or a Nissan Rogue getting its brakes back in order, or a mystery leak that's got everyone scratching their heads."
The Nissan Rogue is a small SUV that's good for everyday driving and carrying people or things. It's easy to drive and saves gas.
The Nissan Rogue is a compact crossover SUV known for its practicality, fuel efficiency, and comfortable ride. It's a popular choice for daily driving and family use.
"...a Nissan Rogue getting its brakes back in order, or a mystery leak that's got everyone scratching their heads."
Brakes help a car stop when you press the pedal. They need to be checked and fixed sometimes to keep you safe.
Brakes are the components in a vehicle that slow down or stop the car by creating friction. Proper brake maintenance is essential for safety and performance.
"...they had safari vans and i don't think they had an astro van then they they got bit by the grand caravan..."
The Chevrolet Astro van is a type of big car that families or businesses used to carry people or stuff. It was made by Chevrolet and was popular for many years.
The Chevrolet Astro van is a mid-size van produced by Chevrolet from 1985 to 2005, often used as a family or cargo van. It is known for its rear-wheel-drive layout and versatility.
"...arents drove minivans for quite a while they had safari vans and i don't think they had an astro van the..."
The GMC Safari is a type of van that families used to drive a lot, made from the 1980s to early 2000s. It’s good for carrying people or stuff and drives more like a truck than most vans. People mention it when talking about older family vans that last a long time.
The GMC Safari is a mid-size van produced from the mid-1980s through the early 2000s, often used as a family or cargo van. It is mechanically related to the Chevrolet Astro and is known for its durability and rear-wheel-drive layout, which is somewhat unique among vans. The Safari is commonly brought up in conversations about older minivans and versatile family vehicles.
"...they got bit by the grand caravan the dodge grand caravan i think that was their last one that they had..."
The Dodge Grand Caravan is a big family car made by Dodge that can carry lots of people and stuff. Many families liked it because it was useful and comfortable.
The Dodge Grand Caravan is a popular minivan produced by Dodge from 1984 to 2020, known for its family-friendly features and practicality. It was one of the best-selling minivans in North America for many years.
"...they had the thing all decked out they had they put what do you call them closet rods in there so they could hang all their things their clothes up..."
Closet rods are bars put inside a car where you can hang clothes so they don't get messy or wrinkled when you drive.
Closet rods are horizontal bars installed inside vehicles to hang clothes, preventing wrinkles during travel. They are a popular accessory for people who want to keep garments neat while on the road.
"a 2000 sob 93 convertible millennial millennial silver with leather interior and i got it for a song"
The Saab 9-3 Convertible is a car that lets you lower the roof and enjoy driving with the wind in your hair. It’s a sporty and stylish car made by Saab, a Swedish car company.
The Saab 9-3 Convertible is a version of the Saab 9-3, a compact executive car produced by Saab. The convertible variant features a retractable roof, combining sporty styling with open-air driving experience.
"i had a sob 900 what was that a 900 s is in sam turbo and i'll tell you junior beat that thing up pretty good"
The Saab 900 S is an older model car made by Saab. It’s a sportier version of the Saab 900, which was popular for its unique design and driving feel.
The Saab 900 S is a variant of the classic Saab 900, a compact executive car produced from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. The 'S' trim typically denotes a sportier or better-equipped version.
"900 s is in sam turbo and i'll tell you junior beat that thing up pretty good"
A turbo is a part that helps a car's engine make more power by pushing more air into it, so the car can go faster.
A turbocharger is a device that forces extra air into an engine's combustion chamber, increasing power output without significantly increasing engine size.
"getting it ready for the following summer so we could get into some european car shows"
European car shows are gatherings where people show off and look at cars made in Europe, like Saabs, BMWs, and Mercedes.
European car shows are events where enthusiasts gather to display, admire, and discuss European automobiles, often featuring classic, vintage, and exotic models.
"i needed to to get the alternator out of there because i was looking online and it said keep a close eye on the alternator bracket that goes on the front of the motor they tend to snap and break"
The alternator bracket is like a holder that keeps the alternator attached to the engine. It makes sure the alternator stays in the right spot to work properly.
The alternator bracket is a component that mounts the alternator to the engine. It holds the alternator in place and ensures proper alignment with the engine belt system.
"so i had ordered up on the parts and it online there was a superseded bracket with the serpentine belt tensioner and bolts in the whole nine yards was all updated to a better component"
The serpentine belt tensioner keeps a long belt tight so it can turn parts like the alternator and air conditioner in your car.
The serpentine belt tensioner is a component that maintains proper tension on the serpentine belt, which drives multiple accessories like the alternator, power steering pump, and air conditioning compressor.
"so i had ordered up on the parts and it online there was a superseded bracket with the serpentine belt tensioner and bolts in the whole nine yards was all updated to a better component"
A superseded bracket is a newer, better part that replaces an older one to make your car work better or last longer.
A superseded bracket refers to a replacement part that has been improved or updated from the original version, often to fix issues or improve durability.
"some vehicles that still have timing belts and one of them that comes to mind is a neon yeah you hit your knee on this your knee on that changing a timing belt on a neon or a pt bruiser"
The timing belt is like a belt inside the engine that makes sure different parts move together at the right time so the engine runs smoothly.
A timing belt is a crucial engine component that synchronizes the rotation of the crankshaft and camshaft, ensuring the engine's valves open and close at the correct times during each cylinder's intake and exhaust strokes.
"...ooking at guys that are doing a timing belt on a pt cruiser or an old dodge neon which is the same platform ..."
The Chrysler PT Cruiser is a small car that looks a bit old-fashioned and was made about 20 years ago. It uses many of the same parts as the Dodge Neon, so fixing certain things like the timing belt is similar for both cars. People talk about it because it’s different looking and has some common repair needs.
The Chrysler PT Cruiser is a compact car produced from 2000 to 2010, known for its retro styling and versatility. It shares its platform with the Dodge Neon, making maintenance tasks like timing belt replacement somewhat similar between the two. The PT Cruiser is often discussed for its unique design and the quirks associated with its shared mechanical components.
"...ing a timing belt on a pt cruiser or an old dodge neon which is the same platform that christler built ..."
The Dodge Neon is a small, simple car made about 20 to 30 years ago. It uses many of the same parts as the PT Cruiser, so fixing things like the timing belt is similar. People often talk about it because it’s a cheap and easy car to work on.
The Dodge Neon is a compact car produced primarily in the 1990s and early 2000s, sharing its platform with the Chrysler PT Cruiser. It is often noted for its affordability and simplicity, but also for requiring timing belt maintenance similar to the PT Cruiser. The Neon is frequently referenced in discussions about economical, older vehicles with shared mechanical parts.
"so pay attention to who's showing you is it a licensed service technician showing you how to do it is it a certified an ac certified automotive tech showing how to perform the procedure if not"
A licensed service technician is someone trained and allowed to fix cars safely and correctly, so you don't get into trouble or break things.
A licensed service technician is a professional who has received official authorization or certification to perform vehicle maintenance and repairs, ensuring proper and safe procedures are followed.
"is it a licensed service technician showing you how to do it is it a certified an ac certified automotive tech showing how to perform the procedure if not be very very careful"
An AC certified automotive tech is a car mechanic who passed special tests to prove they know how to fix cars properly and safely.
An AC certified automotive technician is a mechanic who has been certified by the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) program, indicating they have met industry standards in automotive repair and service.
"in fact last summer uh under youtube videos we i called it the break nationals it seemed like we had break work to do pretty much every day for two months"
Brake work means fixing or taking care of the parts that help your car stop, like the brake pads or discs.
Brake work refers to maintenance or repair tasks related to a vehicle's braking system, such as replacing brake pads, rotors, or calipers to ensure safe stopping performance.
"...it was just like what we call a pad slap slapping in a set of pads and not doing anything else well we can train monkeys to do pad slaps but that's not a break job..."
A 'pad slap' means just putting new brake pads on without fixing other important parts of the brakes. This can make your car less safe because the brakes might not work well.
A 'pad slap' refers to the practice of replacing only the brake pads without properly servicing other brake components like rotors or calipers. This shortcut can lead to poor braking performance and safety issues.
"he thought he would do his own uh transmission service on his jet in his driveway and so yeah he was successful in getting the oil out of there and uh on his way and then when he went to fill the transmission that's where he got into trouble"
Transmission service means changing the special fluid inside your car that helps it change gears smoothly. It needs to be done carefully with the right tools so the car works well.
Transmission service involves draining and replacing the transmission fluid to ensure smooth shifting and prevent damage. It often requires specific procedures and equipment to properly refill and maintain the transmission system.
"getting the oil out of there and uh on his way and then when he went to fill the transmission that's where he got into trouble because it takes a machine that you have to load the transmission oil into and the oil has to be preheated to go into the transmission and it has to be pumped in under pressure and you have to monitor the gauges as you're pumping it"
Transmission fluid is a special liquid inside your car that helps the gears work smoothly and keeps everything cool. When changing it, you need to warm it up and pump it in carefully.
Transmission fluid lubricates and cools the transmission components and is essential for proper operation. It often needs to be heated and pumped under pressure during service to ensure correct filling and avoid damage.
""there's no oil in it in the transmission it's a sealed unit so it ended up costing him more you had to go right back to the beginning and redo the job""
A sealed transmission is a part of the car that holds special fluid inside and is closed so you usually can't add or change the fluid yourself. It needs special tools and care to make sure it works right.
A sealed transmission is designed so that its fluid is not user-serviceable and typically requires special tools and procedures to refill or service. This helps prevent contamination and ensures proper fluid levels and pressure.
"he's grinding out piece of the the aluminum intake manifold i'm thinking wow i would love to see the instructions from the european engineer that designed a vehicle where you got to cut some aluminum pieces off the end of the intake manifold to get the alternator out"
The intake manifold is a part of the engine that sends air and fuel to the engine's cylinders. Aluminum means it's made from a light metal that helps the engine stay cool.
An aluminum intake manifold is a component of an engine that distributes the air-fuel mixture to the cylinders. Aluminum is often used for its lightweight and heat dissipation properties.
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Good morning folks, you're tuned in to Car Connection, where the coffee is strong, the
stories are real, and the wrenches never stop turning.
I'm your host, Niall Motormouth Jenkins, coming to you from the Car Connection Workshop, where
the smell of fresh oil, a little elbow grease is all part of our balanced breakfast.
Around here we don't just talk cars, we live them, whether it's a 25 year old Jeep Wrangler
getting a second chance at life, or a Nissan Rogue getting its brakes back in order, or
a mystery leak that's got everyone scratching their heads.
This is where we roll up our sleeves and get it done, with a little wit, a little wisdom,
and a whole lot of fun.
The Car Connection isn't just about nuts, bolts, and diagnostics, it's about connection.
Connection to our vehicles, to the people who drive them, and to the community that
keeps Niagara rolling, because when you fix a car, you're not just turning a wrench,
you're restoring someone's confidence, freedom, and maybe, maybe even their sanity.
We're here Monday through Saturday, 8am with the Morning Motormouth Morning Coffee, Morning
Program, Morning Wake Up, yeah, that would be me, helping you keep your ride safe, reliable,
and ready for whatever road lies ahead.
So whether you're a weekend wrencher, a daily commuter, or someone who just wants to understand
what that strange rattle really means, welcome aboard, stick around for some shop talk, expert
advice, and a few good laughs, and maybe if I have a flashback or two, I'll pull up a
story from my four decades of experience in fixing cars, trucks, heavy duty equipment,
big riggers, motor coaches, the whole package, yeah, and then some in a bag of chips and
a diet soda.
Well let's jump right into the morning weather, so happy Monday everybody, if you're just
scooting through the drive-thru, double check your order, lock that down in the cup holder,
we don't want a big splurpee on a Monday morning, and wake up your passenger, give them the
16 pack of crayola crayons and a folded up leaf bag that is officially our car connection
laptop, yeah, that's where you can put all kinds of notes on there, and it never needs
an update, how cool is that?
So whatever your morning beverage is, we'll have a swiggy together in just a few moments,
whatever it is, we'll raise a cup together and count it down three, two, one, and have
a swiggy.
Let's jump into the weather first thing this morning so that you know what you're up against
if you're going to be out there on the road driving to work this morning or heading home,
you could be finishing and wrapping up the graveyard shift, night shaft, here's what
we got, it's 28 right now and cloudy, wind is making things feel a whole lot colder,
I did stick my head out of the gopher hole, it is quite crisp out there, 19 degrees, snowy
conditions from 6am to 7am with hazy conditions expected at 10am this morning and today's
temperature range will be from 14 degrees and again I only work in Fahrenheit inches
and feet and yards, yeah, metric system is the tool of the devil, it cost me a ton of
money retooling when that happened back in the early 80s, so today the temperature range
will be 14 degrees to 31 and it may feel like 2 degrees to 32 degrees, it's pretty crispy
out there and what do we have for snow, 0.35 of an inch, we have about 2 inches out there,
fresh stuff, must have come in off the lake and we're going to be shooting that video
this week to show you the ice caves and ice castles, what we were waiting for was we had
a bit of a thaw here, some fresh snow to come down and we're going to have snow along the
south shores of Lake Erie pretty much every day this week, so overnight low is going to
be 14 and 31 is going to be your high for today, so take it easy out there, it could
be a little slickery and we don't want anybody reporting that they spun off into the local
rhubarb patch and you have to be fetched back to the highway, well let's have a swiggy
this morning, what are we going to be talking about, I know you were going to ask me, we
got a lot of things on the go, so stay with us, if you miss a program I'll let you know
how you can collect whatever programs you've missed, we do have a iHeart radio library
and soon we're going to be busting out into season two, yeah we have over a hundred podcasts
up on our YouTube channel, we're on all the major channels, Spotify, Apple, Amazon, wherever
you're pulling your podcast from, just type in the search box, car connection workshop,
you will find us there guaranteed, so that's coming up, we're going to be celebrating a
hundred podcasts and heading into season two, episode one, very very shortly, so this
morning we're going to talk about, I thought it'd be high time that we just kind of share
a little bit of information seeing how we've been on YouTube for a little while and we're
going to be busting out two hundred videos on there very very shortly, we're well on
our way to two hundred, we put three new videos up every single week and we'll talk about
that a little bit more as we get deeper into the program, YouTube mechanics versus real
mechanics, what gets clicks versus what saves cars, we're going to be talking about that,
no disrespect to those we're putting the information out there but you really got to know what
it is that you're looking at and I'll share a couple of stories that I have seen online
and I'm sitting there sipping my coffee going, what are you doing buddy, what are you doing?
Exactly, one of those moments where I'm just going, oh man, I hope somebody doesn't really
believe what you're showing them because this is going to cause them headaches and heartaches,
absolutely, so before we have a swingy let's give thanks to the Greenwell family at Niagara Block
5000 Montrose Road Niagara Falls, building Canada since 1931 with building supplies,
hardscape, landscaping materials to help you design, create and enjoy that backyard space
you've always wanted, they have beautiful, beautiful materials to create that space,
so connect with them and say hey thank you for bringing our morning swiggy to us on the car
contractor that can give you a detailed estimate and a start date and a finish date and actually
get it done, that is the key right there, you know the guys that are busy, their calendars are
starting to fill up now so if you're wanting to get that backyard spiffed up and decked out the
way you want it, you need to get on the radar right now, thank you to our certified financial
planning professionals, Tony Mealy, Larry Tietro with combined 50 years experience as fiduciaries,
they work with IG Wealth Management and you can get an hour in a coffee discovery meeting
to get your questions answered by those who have the fruit on the tree, you know it's always a
conversation around the in the coffee shop meeting with family and friends, somebody's got all the
ideas for your financial future but their feet aren't standing where you want to be so no disrespect
you just smile and nod but you need to get that hour in a coffee so that you can get all your
questions answered, if you have an investment portfolio with the bank you need to get it
and put it in the ziploc bag and run because you're not making any money, they're making lots of
money and your money could be working much much harder for you and creating wealth, they work
to clear off any debt for you put a plan together for that estate planning with powers of attorney
and health proxies and that is not something you buy a little kit a little recipe and build
yourself folks that is that's a gimmick right there yeah because if you actually put it all
together and read the final fine print on the very last page of that recipe to create your own
wills and powers attorneys and stuff says have an attorney check it and guess what's I'm going to
tell you what it's going to happen that will go through the shredder and they'll start from square
one because it won't hold water so just so you know don't get caught up in this stuff that's
nothing but problems for you mortgages they arrange mortgages I haven't had a mortgage with a bank
for almost two decades and I'm never going back they're amazing to work with and the interest
rates are fabulous and if you don't have any life insurance but you have kids at home
you know what you need to take care of that that is so important you got a wife and kids
critical illness insurance I have all these things covered I've known Tony and Larry for
over 20 years and they take care of all those things that most of us don't like to talk about
so grab that hour and a coffee leave your wallet at home they'll leave and pay for it
but most of all get your questions answered by those who can and give you the right answer
and help you with your situation although we have financial issues that are common
but there's usually those things that are not they're pertinent to your household so get some
peace of mind and sit down and get that hour and a coffee and get your questions answered and
that's what's really really important so are you ready you've got your morning beverage ready
whatever that may be it could be a smoothie it could be a tai chi latte yeah we're starting
tai chi latte program yeah never we have a high octane in the shop that's it yeah we do a tai chi
wrenching all week that's what we do so stick around with us we can get whoop you in this shape
in no time well thank you to uh Rita and remise shenuta and rainbow motors and garage sales and
service you can trust in scar bro they've been a part of car connection for many years they have a
car lot there that uh they can provide you with some great vehicles that qualify for extended
warranties after market warranties also if they don't have what you're looking for let them know
because they have the resources to find that vehicle that would suit your specific needs they
fix all years makes and models including light trucks and light commercial vehicles that's rainbow
motors and garage scar bro Ontario Canada sales and service you can trust and they do not sell
any junk so count let's count it down you're ready three two one
I can taste the honey in there this morning that's good stuff that is really good stuff
yeah I make this more I call it my morning mini mix it's my herbals and then
I put the coffee on and get it done
oh yeah that's happening that's real good there thank you to city auto sales and leasing for
bringing this program to you this morning and supporting our youtube channel facebook instagram
Stevensville on the web dot ca we have our i heart radio lake and also our car connection store
is all on the homepage of our website at carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com that is the
biggest drawer in our toolbox and everything we talk about on every platform that we're available
to you on is located on the homepage or website so everything you need to get in touch with us
and connect and follow and like and please do because that helps us keep the ignition on
and firing on all cylinders all the time our program partners are available to you as well
on our homepage just click on their logo the profile page opens and all their contacting
information is there and thank you for supporting them as well as they provide these programs
for you so it's great to have them with us absolutely city auto sales and leasing no
mileage quality vehicles at fair prices they have earned the title greater Toronto areas
premier pre-owned auto store Earl and Louise Grant they've been in the business over 25 years
they have lots of resources again if they have a number of vehicles under roof and on the outside
lot if you they don't have what you're looking for again let Earl and Louise know what vehicle
specific you're looking for they sell no junk and i'll tell you the vehicles they pull in
they look like brand spanking new so you can buy with confidence and be treated with nothing less
than honesty and integrity at city auto sales and leasing gta's premier pre-owned auto store
and in the times that we're in community support is so crucial crucial friends rather
crystal ridge dream center shines as a beacon of compassion and transformation located in the heart
of crystal beach 385 Derby road all their contacting information is available to you
on the homepage or website serving men women children single moms meals love hope and changing
lives one at a time in the Niagara region they don't receive any outside funding they have to
raise the funds themselves and the after school program for the kids is absolutely amazing they
love on these kids they feed them they mentor them and help them with their homework they can
take music lessons they play games with them chocolate bingo is something i'd really like
to have a go at and they just really take care of everyone that comes to their door they feed
out the door now almost 300 meals every tuesday and every friday so check them out if you feel
in your heart you want to get involved somehow you can donate you can sign up to be part of their
volunteer program they're always needing volunteers some of them retire out some of them move away
but it takes a lot of hands to do what they do there at crystal ridge dream center and when you
buy merchandise through our online store safely so you pick the items that you want we put six
new items up at the beginning of winter including first time in 31 years with car connection which
was our live call-in automotive program on radio networks and now we're fully digital we have our
own store and our very own official car connection coffee mug or morning beverage mug for those of
you who are i'm not a coffee drinker some people really get testy about that it's like okay put the
veins back in your neck you're gonna pop one it's okay we'll call it the morning beverage mug limited
edition this is the first round of our very own coffee mug so you can get that through our store
and proceeds go to help those help us help those who are struggling with addiction
to get to one of the many total freedom campus addiction campuses where they're restoring and
healing individuals and families that have been enslaved by cycles of addiction and destructive
behaviors for men many for many of them many years there's a new life waiting for them at total
freedom canada and usa so when you buy merchandise on our store safely pick what you like size color
pay for it it gets shipped out by freedom expressions which is one of the companies that
they run on one of the total freedom addiction campuses because what they what they have are
they're totally self-contained and check them out because it'll blow your mind what they're doing
they're at the total freedom campuses they have living quarters there they live there they stay
there and they work through the the entire program and then they teach them how to get
into a job so they have that all set up on the campus they have small businesses running and
the proceeds go to fund the campus but it also gives them an opportunity to learn how to get
back into the workforce and pay their rent pay for rent their lodgings and get their life back in
order prepared and ready to get back into the real world and i think that is just so amazing and
you know i've been involved with that and i totally understand you know it can be a very
difficult time for family and friends and you know when you're stuck in an addiction
you lash out to those people that you love the most and everybody's at fault except for yourself
but if that's you listening this morning when you have that moment where you say i'm sick and tired
fed up disgusted and bored of being stuck and going another lap around the mountain and getting
nowhere with this the help is there for you it's there for you let's jump into our program this morning
here's the thing we've got a few things coming up now so i'll give you a little bit of housekeeping
information fund friday starting this week and if you want to send me a question or comment you
can do that at nile at ccbusnet.com and i put all that information in all the descriptions
for our youtube videos as well as this podcast we have almost a hundred programs
for you up on our iHeart radio library and we'll be moving quickly into season two episode one
in just a matter of days and today's today's episode is 94 so six days from now
which brings us to well program wise next monday next monday we'll be moving into season two
episode one and there'll be a hundred episodes already in our iHeart radio library so
you know if you're a vehicle owner and you want to know how to take
better care of your automobile and save money at the same time
well that's a great way for you to do it is to connect with our podcast get into our podcast
go back listen re-listen and learn a whole lot of stuff because the season season two is going
to take over and we'll have all those programs that are all there for you and available any
time of the night or day just plug in you know if you can't fall asleep just listen to me for a
little while we'll get you there absolutely so that's what's coming up on fridays fun fridays
and season two is going to be kicking off in just a very short period of time and thank you for
tuning in and sharing us with your family your friends your names your circle of peeps and um
yeah it's been great thank you for inviting me into your car or wherever it is that you listen
to our podcast it's great to be a part and we invite you into our car connection workshop
every single week as well and don't forget to like subscribe ring the bell so you don't miss
the next rescue project and maintenance tips and real world car ownership advice
on our youtube channel and all that's available to you on the homepage at carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com
so you can send me an email fire me off a question because saturdays i'm doing a one-hour program so
if you have questions fire off your email question to me and i'll answer it on the air saturday morning
so come and join us for that fun fridays begin this friday we're going to uh have a little fun
talking about minivans can you really look cool in a minivan like can you can you be that that hot
hockey soccer mom can you behind the wheel of a minivan i don't know i've never owned a minivan
i've been just talking to a friend of mine on saturday the eggman the honey man and uh
i said come and join us for fun fridays well what are you going to be talking about minivans
can you look cool or hot behind the wheel of a minivan do you know what accessories do you
have to add to it to make it look cooler or you know what what kind of is there a special outfit
like garb what's your garb that you got to wear to look cool in a minivan but we're also going to
talk about and he said to me he goes i told my wife after our first two kids we're never ever ever
getting a minivan i'm like okay i get it he goes and then the third one came along he says i couldn't
help from laughing he says we got to get a minivan he said truly he said that was the best thing we
ever bought because the kids the gear and loading things up all the time he said the minivan was
it was a good tool a very very good tool for to get lots of things accomplished so we're
going to be having some fun with that on friday so if you want to put your two cents worth in
send me an email let me know what's on your heart with regards to a minivan and i'm not
disrespecting anybody but just kind of want we're just you know a few of us felons are going
can you really look cool behind the wheel of a minivan i don't know that's the answer we got
an idk on that one across the floor i don't know i i don't know if you can so let us know if you're
a minivan owner what do you think of your minivan have you owned a few of them and yeah what do you
do to look cooler behind the wheel of your specific minivan and what's your favorite
minivan if you're a minivan owner what what has been your favorite all-time minivan my parents
drove minivans for quite a while they had safari vans and i don't think they had an astro van
then they they got bit by the grand caravan the dodge grand caravan i think that was their last
one that they had they had that for quite a while and i'll tell you because they were snowbirds they
loved it they had the thing all decked out they had they put what do you call them closet rods in
there so they could hang all their things their clothes up so they didn't get wrinkled and they
didn't have to put them in suit in luggage and whatnot so hey share with us some of your thoughts
and ideas when it comes to minivans what was your favorite would you buy one again and um
you know with some of the garb and some of the accessories you added to your minivan to make
it work cooler for you well i'll tell you i'm gonna kick off uh the topic this morning and share a
story about um a youtube influencer but i'm not mentioning any names because i can't remember
it anyway was a a couple of years back i picked up a 19 what year is that no a 2000 sob 93 convertible
millennial millennial silver with leather interior and i got it for a song so i i i worked on some
sobs back when we had our shop on the hamilton mountain i had a sob 900 what was that a 900 s
is in sam turbo and i'll tell you junior beat that thing up pretty good when he had the keys
yeah that was a few a number of discussions hey how did this break again yeah those kind of
discussions well let me tell you sonny jim is not being friendly to your 900 s sob so anyways
i get this sob and then i'm working on it i had it in the shop for a winter and working on this
thing getting it ready for the following summer so we could get into some european car shows
and fundraising events where it's a european theme so you can't go in there with a Chevrolet
they look at you with the stink eye and point the finger and go you have to leave
this is a european car show here's the list of what gets in here so anyways i'm working on this thing
and i needed to to get the alternator out of there because i was looking online and it said
keep a close eye on the alternator bracket that goes on the front of the motor they tend to snap
and break and causes some serious issues under the hood when the belt lets go as well and the
whole thing just kind of turns into julian fries under there and so i just wanted to do a little
bit of research to see how do you get that alternator out of there so i get into this youtube video
and i'm going oh this this kid seems to know his way around and he's changing out the alternator
he's he's setting up his video to show you how to get the alternator out of there
and he gets a grinder i'm going okay what's he gonna do with the grinder do you think
so i had ordered up on the parts and it online there was a superseded bracket with the serpentine
belt tensioner and bolts in the whole nine yards was all updated to a better component so i thought
well be a probably a good idea to get that because when the alternator comes out and then
discover that the brackets broke and then we're waiting to finish the job again so i'm watching
this guy cutting pieces off the intake manifold on the vehicle grinding stuff off and i'm going
and he's saying well this is you know this the only way you're gonna get it out of here
blah blah and i'm watching this guy and i'm kind of sipping my coffee and going oh yeah
i don't remember reading any kind of that stuff in uh any shop manuals or
yeah michelon demand online i don't remember seeing anything like that where we're cutting
car parts off to get an alternator out so that was the first one the next one this fella's making
his own tools to get the components off the bracket that holds the alternator on the engine
and he's cutting wrenches off and and hexagonal wrenches and creating this thing that i'm going
man that looks awkward to use and so i finally after the second one i'm going you know what
i think i'll just get into it and take my time and figure this thing out as i go
and so the one guy says this is going to take you about eight hours to change that alternator out
eight hours i'm thinking eight hours i've done some nasty jobs
that i know take eight hours it's an all day thing especially some vehicles that
still have timing belts and one of them that comes to mind is a neon
yeah you hit your knee on this your knee on that changing a timing belt on a neon or a pt bruiser
is nasty that's all i'm gonna say about that we're still you know might have to go for treatment if
i open that that story no thanks somebody calling oh yeah can i get a quote for uh timing belt
i dropped the phone it hangs up they call back oh i think we got disconnected yeah i dropped the
phone sorry yeah well can i get an estimate i go oh i don't do those anymore it's always honest
when we go you know what i got so much work i can't spend time myself up for a whole day
working on one car to change the timing belt now i'll tell you go online and start looking at guys
that are doing a timing belt on a pt cruiser or an old dodge neon which is the same platform
that christler built the pt cruiser on they built the neon first and then the pt bruiser
and we call it a bruiser because if you do a timing belt your arms your wrists you're all
cut up you're bruised it's nasty it's bloody it's it's nasty so be careful out there so anyways to
finish off the sob story i get into this thing i had all the pieces i had the alternator there
ready to go i had the the updated bracket the uh belt tensioner and also the um the roller
yep i had the whole thing laid out on my bench and it took me 45 minutes to get that alternator out
of there 45 minutes and i didn't have to cut anything off i didn't have to go and get the
cut off disc and the grinder yeah no it was a yeah no i had no problem getting it out of there
whatsoever it was not a big deal actually the job went very very well and had it all back together
within a couple of hours tops that's it so when you're searching for automotive service and repairs
be careful what you're looking at there are some fellas that they mean well but they're
they're not licensed service technicians they don't deal with automotive repairs on a full time
every day monday through saturday basis they're just showing you what they're doing so you really
got to be careful you don't get yourself upside down and sideways fellas i'm talking to the do it
yourself or is don't get yourself upside down and sideways looking at what they're doing and
thinking that is the exact way you attack this thing because you can you can get yourself
into a real predicament in a very very short period of time so you do not want to do that
so pay attention to who's showing you is it a licensed service technician showing you how to
do it is it a certified an ac certified automotive tech showing how to perform the procedure if not
be very very careful because that can end up costing you money breaking things forcing things out
i've seen it all and there's some really ugly stuff that happens in fact last summer uh under
youtube videos we i called it the break nationals it seemed like we had break work to do pretty much
every day for two months from july july all the way through august all the way including into
september another one came in late a widow her husband used to do all the service on her vehicles
and we did i think we did three vehicles for her and went over him and she was having some guy
in the neighborhood and he's since passed away god bless him for helping her out he did the best he
could but he really messed the brakes up and she spent money on it and stuff was not salvageable it
was over and every single vehicle she brought me was like that the brakes some of the brakes had
been done they weren't done right nothing was taken care of it was just like what we call a pad slap
slapping in a set of pads and not doing anything else well we can train monkeys to do pad slaps
but that's not a break job and that's not a break job that i would say you should be confident
to be able to stop on a dime and get change no it's not going to happen because they make
they do shortcuts and they think they're doing you justice but they're actually making your vehicle
very unsafe yeah unsafe and you don't want that i don't think you do maybe you do maybe you like
to live on the edge i don't know but you again you want to be careful who is working on your vehicle
what is what are some of their strengths and weaknesses do they just you know do they do
some mechanical work but they really don't have the right tools yeah exactly so be careful as to
who's touching what on your automobile what is their skill level what do they really know
if you're watching youtube videos what i would recommend is you really watch a number of those
videos do it yourself or before you even touch it you need to be taking the advice from someone
who is fully qualified to give you the details and share their knowledge on the youtube videos
otherwise what happens is
yep there's a there's real mechanics and there's what gets clicks and what saves cars and what
wrecks cars and you can very easily follow another person's path and get yourself into some deep
trouble costing you more money than what it would have cost to have a service tech that knows what
he's doing has the tools has the facility and can diagnose it and get the job done right and that's
what really really matters is that you don't get upside down and sideways and end up having
to have it towed in on a flatbed because it's a mess don't go there and no disrespect to these
you know online influencers on youtube showing these videos you know they're just trying to help out
and i respect them for that but you've got to draw the line somewhere and say you know what
this is over my head and i need to get somebody to help me to get this done if you're determined
to do it on your own here's what i'm going to tell you look at more videos find automotive techs
in the service bay not in their backyard not in their driveway not in a little barn behind the house
but in a repair shop and they're showing you how to do it how to do the job that's the fella
or fella that you want to watch they're going to teach you something but next know when to say
stop if you don't have the right tools stop if you start into the job and you realize this is
going to be more than i feel i can handle stop right there put an end to it before you get
yourself into a deep deep problem because i can tell you a story of a fella he thought he would
do his own uh transmission service on his jet in his driveway and so yeah he was successful in
getting the oil out of there and uh on his way and then when he went to fill the transmission
that's where he got into trouble because it takes a machine that you have to load
the transmission oil into and the oil has to be preheated to go into the transmission
and it has to be pumped in under pressure and you have to monitor the gauges as you're pumping it
in to know when you have enough fluid in that transmission so when he followed me
i was working on the service desk at a vw store and i informed him as to how that procedure takes
place and i said you don't have i can guarantee you don't have the vw tool for putting the oil back
in properly under pressure and heated no can i tow it in while you're not i said you're not
going to be driving it there's no oil in it in the transmission it's a sealed unit
so it ended up costing him more you had to go right back to the beginning and redo the job and
double check what he'd done because you don't want to walk another man's path that has been working
on something because you don't know what you don't know did he put it together right did he miss
something and then now you're the next guy to touch it guess who's on the on the hook you the tech
the shop so we have to be careful too somebody's been messing i like to have a really good look
and then saying do i want to touch this am i going to own this for the next 10 years when
something goes wrong with it no so be careful out there and uh know your limits that's what
i'm going to say use your common sense when you see somebody taking a grinder i have to laugh
because i could i could still see this in my mind's eye he's grinding out piece of the the
aluminum intake manifold i'm thinking wow i would love to see the instructions from the
engineer the european engineer that designed a vehicle where you got to cut some aluminum pieces
off the end of the intake manifold to get the alternator out really yeah that should be good
anyhow before i digress it is monday happy monday make it the best monday you possibly can
and uh remember coming up we are going to be celebrating um episode 100 a capstone episode
here on our i heart radio car connection workshop podcast 100 lessons in vehicle ownership they never
told you so we're going to be starting um season 2 episode 101 coming up in just about a week so
today is episode 96 and we have five more days to go on broadcasting and then it looks like it's
going to be the beginning of next week so hey thanks for joining us today we'll see you tomorrow
morning for another motor mouth morning drive at 8 a.m be safe out there keep it under 100
and put the coffee on we might just come to your house so happy healthy motoring peace
patience kindness always and we'll see you tomorrow morning at 8 a.m bye for now
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