The Troubleshooter 2-21-25

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No Tom Martino, Hello Tom Martino here, welcome to this show. We are here to help you solve problems, answer questions, take complaints, make your life a little easier each and every day, solving problems to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. So welcome to the show. We're happy you can join us on a Friday, and it's a snowy Friday, so please be safe when you drive. And speaking of driving, you know it is car Day

I definitely see, you know, the desire and the benefits. Yeah, but I still think technology is still changing rapidly. So I'm still on the fence a little bit, still waiting.

Okay, Okay, so this time around you wouldn't do an EV.

I'm very very tempted, but I'm still waiting because I think it's going to get a little even better.

Okay, so that's the point. At what point do you do it? Like Mark used to say, you know, when I did my clear lens exchange, I'm not doing them yet. I'm not doing them until they're perfected. I said, well, when will they be perfected? Nothing's ever perfected? How many times have we had our smartphones perfected? Or anything we buy? I mean laptops? I mean, you know I have iPads. I can't even use anymore, exactly because they stop supporting them. I mean, so at what point do you call it good?

I love it more and more every single day and tomorrow it You don't miss technology?

What about technology? Self driving, GPS, all of that.

Well, I have zero interest in self driving. And as far as GPS, you know, my telephone has that mapping software that gives me turn by turn directions.

More importantly, it knows about.

Traffic jams and accidents and the enclosures that I wouldn't know until I actually encounter them.

So I have it, But you don't want to be surrounded by I don't know. I like new things. I like new things. Okay, So I'm asking people today if they're ready for an EV and what EV?

You know?

I was looking at a bunch of evs and I want to spill this gust right now because it's almost like a catharsis here. Do you know that? And I don't want to say and let's not talk about affordability and stuff right now because it's not anybody's business at this point. But I was looking at all kinds of price ranges. Let's just say I could wave my magic wand I'm not saying I will or I can, but I want to do a theoretical shopping experience. So I'm

It's a ConA Yeah.

ConA okay, yep, beautiful electric car is all in what he was yet over thirty grand He's a little over thirty grand.

I he's just under yeah, he.

Loves this car. Okay. Now then you look at the car. Mark's looking at a twenty twenty five plaid. By the way, the new model s looks a little like a Corvette to me, it's it's an outrageously nice car. That car'll top out at around one hundred grand and it's Tesla and it's got almost four hundred miles of range. Now everyone's getting into it. So I looked at and everyone's saying, do not do this, do not do this, do not do this. All it is is a big old fashioned

I haven't seen that one, Kevin, No, I haven't seen that one yet.

It's do you know what it is?

Do I know what it is?

An electric? It's an electric G wagon.

Yeah, no, it's I haven't seen the pictures. I mean the body style you know it had to have.

It looks exactly like it. It's a G wagon. Cool, except it's electric. Now they made some minor changes, but they made the changes to all G wagons. In other words, there's there's nothing exclusive to the five eighty except it's electric. Now they have a motor on each wheel, four motors, one on each wheel. They say it is unstoppable. It only has a two hundred and thirty mile range or something. Think about that, and that's an ideal condition. It's two

Gosh, that's heavy.

Sixty six So it's an electric g wagon and they have some town and I looked at him because you know, I'm thinking, you know, leasing right now is the way I want to go. I'm not gonna I'm not going to expend the capital I used to when I was younger, because there's no reason to. And I only drive ten to five a year. I could do a twelve thousand mile lease. I've been talking to Jeff Car Jeff R Cars about leasing and here's the deal. People would say,

So?

I want to get opinions on EV's one of my topics today. Tom has a question? Go ahead, Tom, what did you want to talk about?

Yeah, on the EV, I'm not going to ever buy a one. Probably I'm kind of waiting for the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.

To come in.

Well, I mean, I imagine eventually it would happen, but my god, are you really going to wait for that?

Well, we're an EV?

Yeah, and then what then are you gonna be?

Wait?

And then are you going to be an early adopter for it?

Maybe?

Maybe it depends on what the price point is on that. I had a question for you about the Tesla power wall three battery holds, Yes, battery, you know, have battery for a house?

What do you guys think about those?

Yes?

Worth it?

I think they're wonderful. But here's the problem. Do you have a First of all, do you have room for it?

Yes?

And I've already got a solar system in place. I'm pricing them out right now, Okay, I'm wondering so that they're only they've only got like a ten year lifespan. So at the price that I'm getting, you know, even with the rebates that you get back, get splits about a thousand bucks a year to have the battery back up. And I'm just wondering if.

It's worth it.

Well, well, it is if it is, and it isn't. If it isn't, it depends on what you're backing up and how bad it is. That's really expensive. By the way, there are other options. Have you looked into other battery backups? In fact, Tom, what I'm gonna do for you, I'm gonna take a break right now. Hold on. We can call you back. You can hang on or you can listen either one. But if you have follow up questions, you may want to hang on. Let's call over at

Yeah, it's got a ten year lifespan on it, now.

I'm sure.

Now do they say do they say recommended or approximate lifespan? Or is that the you must replace at ten years?

No, it doesn't say you must replace. It just says ten years.

Yeah, okay, you know that's interesting. Ten years and they and it costs how much to install it'll cost?

You know, by the time I get all the rebates and so forth, it'll be about ten grand for a a power wall three plus an extender pack. So that's two batteries basically that both are thirteen and a half.

Why Tom, what's the what's ther reason for considering this wall? What's the problem or enhancement that you'd like to solve with it.

It's battery back up.

Yeah, it's a battery back up. When the power goes out. You don't have to worry about a generator. You've got the batteries to run off of.

How much does a generator cost.

A lot less?

And how often does your power go out?

And you've got not very often?

Yeah, that's a good point. D that's a good point. A battery, Well, never thought of that.

Really, A generator sounds like Tom told us that the generator will cost less, and a generator really has an indefinite lifespan, especially since his power doesn't go out very often.

Well, the only thing that I'm trying to figure out is with a generator, you've got the pain in the butto happened to fill it up with fuel? You've got the noise?

Yeah, and then you've wait a minute, man, wait a minute, Wait a minute, wait a minute. You you have you have to fill it up with fuel only when you use it, right, So is avoiding the well, hell, if you have a diesel generator. If you have a diesel generator or propane or whatever you have, you it would last you forever. I mean if you have a power outage of an hour or two hours or three hours that takes nothing of fuel, I would I would definitely

Okay, it's a thousand dollars a year.

A year.

I talked to you about eighty five.

Bucks a month. So so yeah, that's that's kind of what I was thinking.

I was going to buy one.

And I thought, well, wait, if I buy a generator, and you know, even after I pay an electric to get it hooked up to where it can power my whole house, it's not going to be you know, ten grand.

Not only that, but but there are there are benefits though there are other benefits. We may be overlooking to batteries. So I'm going to ask Brook from Red Rocks. So Brooke he is considering the Tesla power wall. He says it his net expense amortizes approximately to about one thousand dollars a year. That's a lot of money because he has to replace those eventually, so it's about one thousand

The fuel source? So if you're a generator and it's connected to gas or pro paint or whatnot, then you're still paying for the fuel source or as a battery source, which is the sun is already handled. So that's an expense that folks don't necessarily consider. And then Colorado right now, the state has a tax credit for batteries, so ten percent of the batteries is covered through that, and then the other thirty percent is covered through the normal federal

Excel They've got a forty five hundred, well a four thousand up front and then a five hundred dollars over five years. So it's forty five hundred bucks from Mexcel. But you know, even at things, you're still looking at ten grand.

Uh, it's I'm so sorry. So it actually depends on where you're at with an XL so excels rebate. Are you retired, are you working?

Working?

So the only reason I ask is retire folks get six grand per battery, you get fifty seven hundred. So I'm not sure who told you four, But it's actually fifty seven hundred with the Tesla because it's depending on the continuous output of your battery, so each battery has a different value. So for Tesla's about fifty seven hundred plus those other tax credits. I think you should be out of pocket, and me one moment, let me let

I was looking at the powerwall three plus an extender pack.

Okay, sure, And I guess my question is are you are you wanting just immediate loads or are you looking for everything so you would need you would need two batteries for that, So to do two Tesla batteries with the benefits that Excel does. Give me one second, let me just run these numbers real quick. Sure you're looking at being out of pocket about ten grand for the whole project versus a whole Yeah, that's.

What That's exactly what he figured. That's exactly what he figured. But if it has a ten year lifespan, we're down to one thousand dollars a year. So here's what I'm I'm saying. You can buy a lot of diesel for one thousand dollars a year, Brooke, you can, but.

A whole home generator to do the same thing is like thirty grand. If he's trying to back up his whole house.

Oh and you don't get any rebate on that.

You don't get any rebase on the generator.

Okay, okay, that's a good point.

Critical loads. If he's trying to back up just critical loads into a smaller thing than a generator, you could probably buy one for five grand or something and go through it. So again, it just depends on what you're looking to have done.

Okay, Okay, that's good information. Do you have Brook batteries that are cheaper than the Tesla ones that are just as good?

Oh yeah, I mean it depends on what you're looking for with go off grid batteries or on grid the Tesla just has. Well, let's just.

Let's talk about this particular one. Do you have a generic substitute for Tesla to do exactly what he wants to do, that would be less than ten grand out of pocket.

Yeah, so quick question for you. Are you looking for something that can give you a lot of power right away or are you looking for a little bit of power for a long time?

Well, just to put into my whole house for you know the point four.

Yeah, like if the power he's talking about, if the power goes out or he has a cloudy day.

Totally get that. So some folks run like welding machines or other stuff they want backed up. That's just why I was asking.

So if they want a lot.

Of power really quickly, solar ridge is better, and you're looking at about instead of ten grand out of pocket, probably four grand out of pocket, a significantly cheaper product, but it doesn't last as long. Your Tesla batteries are like a slower rule, so they're going to last longer, but they're going to power your house more evenly too.

It was ten years ago.

So is Tesla? Is Tesla the best? I'm sorry if you don't, sorry if.

You don't need the power really quickly. Yes, Tesla is the best battery.

Of the market.

It's but the the ambridge, Like how fast you can get that power is a lot slower. So if you need a big kick right away, which some folks need, then Solar Rige is a better battery.

The biggest kick I would need is my AC units starting up.

Yeah, Tesla would be totally fine with that.

Yep, that's not a problem with But would you okay, okay, So when we talk about battery backup, do you recommend them, Brooke.

Do I recommend Tesla's Yeah, that's all we install for battery backup if they're on or off grid.

It's very rare that we don't, Okay, okay.

And do you ever have clients that go instead with generators?

Yeah, I mean we have clients that do a combination of them. So I've got a client right now that we're doing batteries and a generator, so he can kind of have the best of both worlds depending on what's going on. I have clients that use a small generator to power the battery so they don't get an extra battery. There's a lot of ways that you can put a backup system together.

And then one other question, how hard and fast is that ten year life span on the Tesla power Wall.

I mean, it's just a warranty for it, so it's new. The Tesla Powerwall three just went on the market last year. My guess is the battery probably last fifteen to twenty years in my opinion, because usually it's a couple of years after warranty that it's still kicking.

That's that's what Brooke, That's what I was thinking. Because of bat there is the batteries a battery, and the newer batteries are way better and unless you have constant drain and refill, I think it would last longer.

Yeah, yeah, it's it's a great option, especially if you're looking at spending thirty grand on a generator versus ten out of pocket. You know you have pa.

Thank you, I got to take a break, and that's Brooke from red Rocks roof Andsolar redrocksars dot com three oh three seven zero four two four four nine, Tom, thank you for stirring that discussion. Is very, very thought provoking. We got more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. And I want to remind you that Genesis Tootalexteriors dot Com is there for you. We're going to learn about something else they do right after this, go with a sure

I thought You're gonna go Cadillac or Lincoln or one of those.

Yeah, light, well that would be an obvious choice. The best trim in the world that I've seen is a Corvette.

Yep. Yeah, They're definitely up there.

You look at that fit that finished, that trim, that interior. Oh my god. I mean now that and to be I don't mean to slight American workers, but it looks like it was. It's German manufacturing or look. Hey, hey, I bring Japanese.

Hold on, hold on, Tom, I have to chime in here. I said Chevrolet and you said Corvette. Isn't that made by Chevrolet?

Yeah? See, kid, it's almost like it's almost like a separate It really is almost it's almost like a separate company.

Oh well about cars.

Yes, you knew that Chevy made the Corvette, and that is amazing to me.

I said that before you even said the Corvette. You got to give me some props.

Yeah, but Chevy in general is not good. When I said trim and you said Chevy, and I said Corvette, that's their world's apart. You have some crap Chevy trim and you have some really nice Chevy trim and let's talk general motors. You have good the same Cadillacs are nice, that they're nice. A lot of the Cadillac and the Corvette stylings they share engineers and stuff. But it's a really look, it's a really new world out there when it comes to cars, because now you're not only looking

Yeah, I think it's going to be more generational than anything I think. You know, as you're I think as you're going through, I'm starting to go through. I just don't drive as much anymore, you know, so then if you take eight, go ahead, Yeah, it makes more sense at this time of my life than it would have twenty years ago.

Take eighty five years old, and then minus forty you're forty years old. So let's say you have forty five more years, and maybe you won't drive the last five. Who knows, I mean maybe you will. So let's say you're going to drive the whole forty five. And let's say you change cars every let's just say four years, so you have eleven cars. Do you think you can go, at forty years old, right now today, eleven more new cars and make them all gasoline. I don't mean eleven in the next two years.

For the next whether it's EV or something that's going to replace EV.

I don't think you can.

I don't think so either.

I don't think you can. I don't think I think there's going to be a time when an even when when a gasoline vehicle is going to be like wearing a genuine fur to the uh to the It's going to be looked at, not just not just out of vogue and out of style, but it's going to be shunned. Three O three seven one three eight two five five go with a sure thing Denver's Best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content.

Okay, actually I dug these out from the deep, darksick recess of my own mind.

Uh but uh, okay, go ahead, I have your well. Are you a listener? Are you a listener? Oh? Of course you are. I'm listening right now. Is just from a listener.

So do you want to ask the expert or stump the mechanic?

Which of those would you like? Stump the mechanic. Oh, I'm going to try to Okay, So here it is, guys.

So I recently disconnected the battery on my car to do some some service and keep getting zapped. I then reconnected the battery and drove away. Now, when I approached the very first stop sign and stopped, the engine almost died. And I was looking at the tachometer and it dropped well below its normal low idol of six hundred and to maybe a couple of hundred and almost died.

Why it had to relearn the eye?

Wow, Well, you take the voltage away, it loses all its programming, so it it actually learns your driving habits, and it can it can program to that.

You're absolutely right. But now wait a minute, Wait a minute, Kevin, there's no way to preserve the settings when you discant the battery if.

You take the battery off, but you keep voltage applied to the system. But he was trying to keep voltage out of the system. Now, Kevin is absolutely right.

However, to take it one step further, what neglected maintenance does that reveal in my engine ground?

Nope, maintenance, not repair.

Throttle cleaning.

You're absolutely right, throttle body cleaning is now why why?

Yeah?

Why Kevin, because it uses vacuum. It creates a mini vacuum leak to raise the IDOL and if you have too much harbin build up, it's plugging the ports it uses to create the vacuum leak, and the throttle won't close all the way.

What would that have to do with the battery? What would that have to do with disconnecting nothing?

This was the second question on to the first.

Well, now, the reason that Kevin, I believe that the reason that disconnecting the battery, you've revealed that problem is as the throttle body got dirtier and dirtier over the years, the engine learned that and it may compensate for it. When I disconnected the battery, that learning went away, so it went back to factory defaults, and factory defaults are based on a clean, perfectly brand new throttle body. Yep, absolutely right, could not stump the excent. Very cool.

We got more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. Get your calls in now. Remember you can call three oh three seven one three talk seven or three two five five, or you can call three oh three Martino three oh three six two seven eight four sixty six. More on the Troubleshooter Show. Right after this, go with a sure thing Denver's Best Roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't

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Come six is the Troubleshooter Show.

Now, Tom Martinez, I'm Tom Martino, and I am doing this show that no one else has ever done. And that's the show about your pains in the ass, and your pains in the neck, and your pains in the back, and your pains and the wallet. And we try to make those pains go away or prevent them. How about that we do this show each and every day talk to hundreds of thousands of consumers. That's right, and recovered millions and cash, merchandise, exchanges, refunds, and services. No one

Uh?

Yesterday was Stump that War and today was Stump the Mechanic.

Okay, now I want you to also did you already play Stump the Lawyer? Did you stump them at all? Oh? That was yesterday. I had a list of ten, but did you stump them?

No?

Man, John, I want you to give me some I want you to give me some of those.

Oh, okay, give me a minute. I need to grab my notes from yesterday's show.

Yeah, but first we can go with an auto one right now, since we're on the air live okay, So well, by the way, people you can call in at any time three zho three Martino three oh three six two seven eight four sixty six or three oh three seven one three talk Oka And let me remind you about the texting. A lot of people do text me so seven four seven nine nine fifty two eighty seven four

Okay, this isn't so I'm gonna mix it up.

This isn't stump the mechanic.

This is just general knowledge transfer from Kevin to the rest of us. Kevin, it is my opinion that one of the most neglected services, if not the most neglected service, is coolant change.

Can you tell us if that's.

Actually important to do and if so, why, well, well, first let me ask him this.

Let me ask him this first, Kevin, is it one of the most neglected services.

I think it's up there because of the manufacturers continually say you have lifetime anti freeze or lifetime oils and things like that.

It's just not.

True because it builds up acids and things inside the coolant as it breaks down. There's lubricants that break down. It's just the benefit far outweighs the you know, the cost to just get your flui. It's flushed, you know, every three to five years, depending on the vehicle, depending on miles. It's not that big a deal. But yeah, don't it has to be done. It is a challenge.

And this what are some of the what are some of the things that could happen to your automobile if you just never ever change the coolant.

Well, again, there's acids and the pH changes and stuff that happen, and then the lubricants that are in there to lubricate your water pump and seals and everything in the coolant, you can start having contaminations and corrosion and other properties that are in the interfreeze. That that's what its benefit is is anti corrosion and lubricants they break it down.

And Kevin, you know, one of the Toyota mechanics I recently discussed this with, said that a lot of the head gasket failures in certain Toyota engines are due to neglected coolant maintenance because it becomes so corrosive it actually eats through the head gas you get through the gasket. And Kevin, what is a head gasket project cost them? A forerunner? Yeah, it's three three to five thousand, depending on you know, what it needs when you're in there.

Yeah, yes, it's cheap insurance.

It's not worth it.

I don't know why people believe the lifetime and you know, extended one hundred thousand miles.

Well, I know, and the same with extended oil changes. Now granted we don't have to do three thousand miles anymore with the new oils and stuff, but you certainly should never go be ten.

No, I absolutely not. That's that's the the Unless you're all highway, you can go up to ten. But if you're mixed, I think seventy five hundred.

I do every ten thousand miles, I go in for service, and that's what the book says for my car, every ten thousand months. So I've actually only had it in for three services. You know, think about it. That's pretty damn cool. Every ten thousand miles. You don't think that's going too far.

Do you know?

I think that's pushing the limit, because we're seeing a lot of vehicles in the seventy to eighty thousand miles with sludge, and it's built up from oils breaking down.

That's the only thing that causes sludge.

So again the benefit of extending it, but it just isn't there, not for the cost of an oil change or a cooling flush.

And Tom, I mean, Kevin doesn't oil sludge. I think a lot of people don't understand that oil sludge. No, it sounds kind of icky. Actually leads to engine failure, like engine failure.

Get it out of the engine.

You know, Toyota had a big problem with that, didn't they, Kevin one time.

Volkswagen was the one that was brutal. Yeah, they just they sludge up so heavy in there you'll never get it out. You can change your well once a week for a year, it's still in there.

Yeah.

This happened to my friend's Kia just about a year and a half ago, and that was an infamous recall they did, and they swapped out her engine for free. But it was sludge.

Why why let me ask you this then, why do Japanese cars or did Japanese cars have more of a problem with sludge than other cars? Why?

I think it's just the service intervals, there's no you know, the heat and everything, it all accumulates. So everybody's trying to push the window on oil. Change it again. I don't understand the benefit. You know, save one hundred bucks and it costs you three grand. It's filly. That's the bottom.

Mile three seven three or three seven one three tall. I have a text here and it says, if you have a small leak in your cooling system, is it acceptable to putting these stop leaks they sell? They claim they're permanent.

No, no, just simple.

You don't like that.

No, they're they're indiscriminate. You know, it doesn't know a leak from a from a small capillary and a radiator or a or your heater core, so it up your system. Yeah, it doesn't know what it's plugging. Yeah, yeah, get the leak.

I never trust any of those. I never Yeah, I never trust any of those that say they're permanent, like like even like a fix a flat, although I don't think fix a flat ever claims it's.

Well and it's not detrimental to the tire. It's getting you to the next place to get it fixed.

Spot.

Since we're on cars and we've been talking, EV's we've been talking cars, we've been talking something mechanic. Here's something I want to put out there. In all of these years, they haven't improved on the tire. I mean, obviously they've they've improved on the compounds and the treads and all that, but it's still air and a cylinder, and I think it's stupid. First of all, why can't they be square? I'm just kidding. No, But on a tire. Here's the

No?

I think's an awesome Yeah. I mean you see a lot of that on bicycle tires too.

But why don't they do any of that?

Why?

I mean, it would still wear out because you have the outer you know, you have the tread that will wear out, but you don't have air ever to worry about. Ever. A nail would do nothing to that. Why don't people ever look at stuff?

It's like a hybrid run flat basically is what it is. But I'm sure they're working on it. I think it's just not cost effect.

What is a run flat? What's inside of a run flat?

Just it's it's just thicker side walls and everything else to go with it. They're they're impossible to get them off the rims because there's no flex to them. It's just a lot thicker sidewill.

But is it? Is it?

Okay?

That's all it is basically. Yeah, it's oversimplified, but yeah, it's just more of a solid tire.

So that's okay.

Technology. Well I'm gonna that's what's coming.

Yeah, okay, I want do you have a quick stunt? The lawyer question for me?

Sure?

You know.

The my most the one I was most interested in is, uh, would would John Fuller recommend that people who install dashcam cameras like I did deactivate the audio audio recording feature like I did. That was an interesting question because and the reason is that that audio might provide evidence that's contrary to my best interest in an accident such as you have.

But so could video. So could video?

Really forward looking video doesn't record me talking on the phone or looking for or looking for a particular address in a building, or eating soup or shaving or something you know, and and and and so it could be that the opposing side could make an argument that, hey, I, if I didn't cause the accident, I at least contributed to it because I wasn't able to react quickly enough because I was yammering on the phone.

See that's yeah, that's a weird kind of question. That's not really a stump, but uh, what's your opinion kind of thing. I would say, if you're going to have video, I don't think you need the audio. I mean, realy would you need it anyway?

Yeah, I just want to record who's that fault. I don't want to create even more questions about my reaction time if I was looking at an address or I've.

Never Actually that's a good question, though, has video or has audio ever been used in a video dash cam in fact, I'd like to talk to anyone, one person. We've never had a case where someone's called and said, thank god I had a dash cam. Here's why, keV. Have you ever had a dash can brought up for service of any kind?

No?

No, but you know we have cameras all over the shop, so it's you know, we're not in the cars though.

Yeah.

Anyway, we have more coming up on the Trouble Shooter Show. Three oh three, seven one three Talks seven one three, two five five frankdrand the Realestate Man dot com. Remember you get market valuations of your home. People think it's a drive by. Oh, he's just going to tell me what he thinks is worse, and he really goes much further. He takes the house, actually takes photographs, He takes the the comparables in the neighborhood and then comparable neighborhoods, and

Oh?

Yeah, run especially a little cooler too, so you know the tire doesn't wear as long.

Yeah, no nitrogen.

So where do you buy nitrogen? Where do you buy nitrogen?

Well, any discount tire has it?

No? Really no, yeah, most tire places. Can you ask that your tires? Now, what happens if you have nitrogen in your tires and you got to refill or you got to top them off and you don't have nitrogen? Can you mix air any.

Yes, yeah, it's not going to hurt anything. But if you have a green cap on the valve stem, it's notitrogen.

So what's the benefit of nitrogen?

The molecules are molecules, and it runs a little cooler, it can dissipate heat better than the than the standard air composible.

It's it expensive compared to well compared to air, air is really other than paying for the compressor when you stop it a.

Cast, It's just an apparatus that pulls it out of the air. It's nothing, nothing fancy.

Wait a minute, so it's not like a gash. You have to go buy a bulk. You can actually you can. Wait, Could I get from a hangar? Could I get literally a little compressor that produces nitrogen?

No?

You can't. Sure you can, yeah, because a lot of people with aircraft are going to nitrogen, and I'd like to put I'd like to put nitrogen in my helicopter tires. Ha ha ha, but boom, I know some do have some do have tires. But anyway, so let's talk about the next question.

Go ahead, okay, do you want the question or the stump the mechanic?

Whatever you want either one.

You stump the mechanic and Kevin, I apologize, this is going to be a weird one, but I think you'll figure it out pretty quickly. This actually happened to me when I was in high school. I had a pretty old car, like most high school students do, and I was getting intermittent battery connection failures. I could tell because the radio would go out, the lights would go out. So I, well, it's not what you think. You're gonna

What what happened? Moisture and the air of v app they evaporated, leaving behind the or a corroded it too as well, plus the metals in the water. So what was the moistures getting moistures getting? Probably uh, it's the corrosion from the copper capper.

Backup in the sheathing of the cave.

Right, that's right, But how But my question is how would that happen? If it's properly shielded. It never happened. And the way I shield it, I even go one step further. Although I will say the newer cars now are like, gosh, dang it, you can't they're they're air tight. But I used to do some heat shrink or some this rap they make. Now have you seen that wrap that fuses on itself?

Yet?

So for my aircraft stuff. I take that. I think it's called teflon. I'm not no, I don't think it is tephlon, though maybe it is. But it's this black stuff that looks like tape. It's the same on both sides. It's not really sticky, well it is kind of sticky, but it's tacky, that's what's itself. And then what you do is you wrap it and I wrap it right around the wires, right up to the terminals, right up

Absolutely, Now we use stuff like that electrical. We have a liquid duct tape or liquid electric tape they call it. So you can really.

Steal, right, Tomtree, are we right or wrong on this? Are we right or wrong?

You guys are absolutely correct. So what happened was the battery acid. I had an old crimy battery like many people do, and the battery acid was seeping out of the battery, and it was crawling up the cable through capillary action, and it was getting sucked and sucked in inside that insulation. And I actually had to cut away, I'm not kidding you, like six or seven inches of my big, you know, primary battery cable until I got to actual copper to repair this problem.

Wow.

Yeah, yeah. And then you wrapped it properly after that, right, or he shrunk it or something. No, that was before I knew.

I was sixteen, This was before I knew about heat shrink wrapping. And I just bought a new battery.

You know, it's amazing, how much speaking of knowing, it's amazing. You know, I was playing that YouTube video about how different people look at car problems. One sits behind the wheel and says, oh, that's my watrum, call my caliber, or that's my this, or that's my that, and they they say, I'll have to fix that. They get out, open up the hood right. Next person says, oh, wait a minute, I got to call my mechanic. What the hell is that noise? You know? So that's all right,

I have I have a question for all of you. Yes, I'm assuming nobody has triple A.

I do.

Yeah.

Oh, in other words, in other words, why not just call triple A? You're right? Well, you know that's a good point, Kelly. Well, and you call triple A, go ahead.

I you know, instead of calling triple A. I prefer to use my Y chromosome. You're what my y chromosomes?

I have a double X over here. And yes, I did ask Kevin why breaks need fluid this morning? I will admit that apparently they you who knew?

Wait if breaks have?

What?

I asked Kevin if needed fluid? Because my kid's car.

Well not a Model T. But you know, I mean, well forgot okay, or a carriage with horses.

I didn't.

I don't there's so much fluid in cars. I mean, I get confused. You know that's an atom question. You know I can make two flas. But anyway, and.

What are the three hold on? I got something. I got a casual but a little trivia here. What are the three main purposes of fluid in a vehicle? What are they? Number one would be what lubrication?

Right?

Gas?

Number two?

Gas to make it go?

Okay, that's okay, you're you're technically correct there. I guess we yeah, you're right. Okay, So fuel lubrication. And then I guess we could say coolant, cooling. So what's the other ones?

Hold on?

What are the other purposes? What are the other purposes of fluids? One would be hydraulic or pressure creating fluid, air conditioning. That's a that's not yeah, but but hydraulic fluids would create pressure for radio. I don't know of any radios, and then steering this hydraulic though.

Text just the radio. Okay, the radio doesn't work.

The radio needs fluid.

Oh my god, Wait a minute, Kelly, Kelly, I want you to hold on, put your hand on your heart and tell me you honestly were wondering that.

No, I was saying, if the car doesn't go, I can't have the radio. Thank god, there's a caller.

But wait, what the hell does that have? So she wanted to know if the if the radio needed fluid. You know what, here's the deal, fluid. Here's a phenomenon. There's a phenomenon called the turkey death that I hope never she never experiences. But I'm coming to think that if she asked that question, maybe she could. And that's where it's raining and they look up at the rain and they don't close their mouths or cover their noses

No, okay, we're having a w k RP moment right now where less what was his name, less less nessmans Lesson did the turkey thing and he dropped all the turkeys out when well, he.

Said, as God is my witness, yes, I thought turkeys could fly. We got more coming right up on the Troubleshooter Show. Go with a sure Thing Denver's Best Roofer Excel roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation.

keV?

Kevin? What are you laughing at? No, he didn't hear the question. He just walked back in. Can you please repeat it for Kevin's who was laughing? That was me? Okay?

Who?

And Okay, here's the question, keV. Here's the question. What is the correct ignition timing? On a ninth team fifty five bel Air Chevrolet with a three to twenty seven cubic inch engine and a four barrel carburetor.

That's a BS question.

Hey, how'd you wait a minute? You recognize that? Kelly?

Yeah, thick, everybody recognize Kelly's a.

Secret cargol Wait everyone recognized that? Oh yeah?

And the correct answer is four degrees before top dead Center.

No, the answer is Chevy didn't make it three twenty seven and fifty five twenty seven doesn't come out until sixty two, and it wasn't offered in the Belaire with the four barrel carburetor till sixty four. However, the nineteen sixty four the correct ignition timing would be four degrees before top dead center. So there go yourself.

Okay.

Anyway, that was a fun nywait to reflect. I remember what movie was that? What movie was it?

My cousin Vinny?

But what the right Kelly? Did you here? I need to know this though. Did you recognize it? Or did Dragon tell you?

No?

No, I recognized it for sure.

I love that man, I love that movie.

Will here, I'm in, But I will tell you. Okay, I knew I had such a crush on her. What were you what you were talking about? But I had no idea about cars before I actually watched that movie and I actually and then that gave you.

The the.

Now here's the guy. So here's a guy who says, I used nitrogen in all of my cars. Nothing better. I paid one time fee of five dollars a tire and I get refills for life. Did you know that at Big O refills for life and you pay five bucks? Wow? Three oh three seven one three talk seven one three eight two five five. Next question, Dmitri, go.

Ahead, okay, Kevin? Why should we change spark plugs? And what would happen if we don't?

Well, they're the change intervals are much much longer with the newer engines because without the carburetors and the dumping of fuel and everything, they lasts a long time. But the outside, I mean it'll start misfiring. I've seen it go as far as blowing up a computer because the coil driver in the computer gets overloaded because the gap of the plug gets too big from use. So, I mean, from one end it's performance another end, you can cause damage from running plugs too long.

I didn't realize you can actually cause damage, electrical damage.

Yes, that's that's pretty scary.

Yeah, yeah, seventeen hundred dollars computer driver inside the computer got wiped out because of the plug. The gap was too big.

Now, Kevin, that's got to be another one of the most neglected maintenance side It was on color again.

It's nothing service intervals. Everybody thinks everything's maintenance free. Oh yeah, you know, the plugs aren't too bad. I mean, you can go seventy five eighty thousand miles on a set of plugs, you know, without any problem.

But they have these plugs, iridium tipped plugs, and they advertise the service life of over one hundred thousand miles.

Now I should not take that at face value. I don't want to take anything to failure. So yeah, they're talking one hundred thousand miles, you'll start experiencing failure. Oh not just deterioration.

Okay, more, we got more coming up. But I have a question, and or not a question, but a theory and a philosophy. Is something I've always done. Before I could afford new cars, and I would buy a used car. And then later on when I started buying used aircraft, I never cared about previous records. Well I cared about it. I didn't want anything abused. I always got it checked out but then I did, And Kevin and I have discussed this before. I call it zero timing the car or the engine or the aircraft.

Baselining also yes, yeah, and Dmitri, you se like the type of person that would do that. Yeah, when I So, when I got my beloved for runner, I spent about three weeks and a ton of money, uh, baselining it completely, baselining.

It every anything it needed. And if there was a hesitation, for example, like on a timing belt that needs to be changed, not changed, that don't have to be but if something has to be changed, you change it and you know it's done, and and and you do all of the fluids, all of the belts, and all of the hoses. Is that what you're talking about? I didn't. I didn't do the hoses because they're in wonderful condition.

But I changed seven fluids, the spark plugs, the brake pads, and the associated springs and shims. And the biggest thing I did, I replaced literally the entire suspension with a brand new one. And I also swapped out both of the outer tyrod ends all with OEM toilet well need Yeah.

Yeah, So Kevin, do you do you think used car dealers ever do that.

Before they saw the car? Oh no, yeah, no, no, not even close. Most of them.

You know they'll go through and hit the safety stuff. The good lots will. But as far as zero maintenance, no, no, it's only as required.

Well, I have a question coming back, and it is with no owner's manual, I mean theoretically no owner's manuel. I know you can find one. What service would every car need? What would be apropos for all cars when you just get a car? If you have no service manual or no owner's manual, what can you rest assured that you would have to do? And on what periodical basis would you do it? Jay's got a question on Corvette sixty six breaks. We'll do that coming back to

Okay, so if you remember this one from about thirty years ago, you don't get to answer. Sixty three corvette. Actually, guy drives it to work. When he gets to work, the breaks loock solid. He gets his little wrench out and bleeds off the pressure. He dries it home just about time he gets homes, breakslocks solid, he gets out as takes pressure off over again.

For days.

And days days, no one can figure it out what's going on.

I don't know what do you think, keV?

I've seen proportioning valves do that.

I know what it is?

Val What is it?

I know what it is? What is it?

So brake lines corrode from the inside out. So these brake lines are sold and corroded. They're now acting like check valves. They allow the hydraulic fluid to come into the pistons, but they don't allow it to come back out. That's what I think is going on? How old are the flex lines on this corvette?

Well, actually all placed. This corvette went to a dealer probably fifteen times, maybe more than that. Tick God, I knew everything. Problem never solved until I do know the answer, so I can tell you, right.

Yeah, what is it?

That's a good one. It come on, Yeah, you got what you said.

Everything got replaced masters slaves, I mean everything.

That's right?

Well, yes, so what did it turn out to be?

Tom?

If you remember this? It turned out to be the half shafts had a vibration in it. Yeah, this was on your show quite a bit.

Yeah, saft okay in it?

And I said, this.

Vibration is making the little plungers that move move. The brakes actually expanded contract just enough to create a time, a little bit of pressure.

This builds up and up and up and up and up and up. Eventually it locks it solid. And I was.

I was told that wasn't even possible. It was there Domat saying anybody ever heard in their lives. And finally the owner was so frustrated he said, all right, do you think it'll fix it?

Go or nobody else can fix it? So I did, can it work.

Wow.

Wow again, that's they are easy. Oh no, that's not. You're not Jr. You're Jay right. I always get you confused. Jay is one of our car experts that calls in Kevin. Anyway, we got more coming up on the Troubleshooter Show. We're gonna talk movies about cars. Go with a sure thing Denver's Best Roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay

You need it by so you don't have.

Come running just as fast as you can.

Shooter's gonna help coming.

Man Dix, he is the Troubleshooter Show. No tell Martine, Hello, let's do it.

Let's solve your problems, answer your questions, take your plans. You know I've been doing this in Denver, forty five years and longer of you if you take into my total careers fifty years, and I should have some kind of party, really I should. So any ideas, let's have a party trio?

Yeah? No, just so?

How about a what do you call it? A hallmark partner or a milestone party? I'm oh, what is it called a milestone anyway? Something like that? Do you ever notice though, in Denver, whenever IM media person, no matter how long they could be on the air for six minutes, and when they retire they're a legend. I often wonder about what it takes to be a legend, what does it take? Because I don't think we've had any broadcasting legends. Oh wait, Bob Palmer would have been one. I would

In fact, some.

Of them do a great job. In fact, I love them. I mean, I'm not even talking about quality. I'm just talking about their age. They look so damn young. Now I do I want to say something else, and I don't know this is DEI or this is just we ran out of pretty people. But I think that they're more inclusive when it comes to looks. And I mean that in a good way, by the way, And it's

I don't know about that. I have to do a big time out on that because I just got back last week from being a week in LA where I had to endure every local media station because they always broadcast this the Storm of the century, because every time we get rain in Los Angeles, it is the storm of the century, and there.

Are well we do that here too. Come on, oh, everyone, wether we're obsessed with weather. Nothing wrong with being obsessed with weather, by the way.

Close to the to the storm of the century. Like all the graphics that are plasted on the chirons and everything, I mean, it's they're plastered everywhere, and you kind of have the talent though, hold on, I'm not talking about that's the production that they are all. I saw no white people on anything.

Well, what does that mean, Kelly.

And I'm not saying that that's a bad thing. I'm just saying that was noticeable that the anchors everyone, they're all diversity. And that's fine, that's fine, that's of course it is, you know.

That's here's the more important here's the more important question, Kelly, before you get my show canceled, let me let me interject here. I think that there was a time when TV news was all white people, and then there was a time when when everyone had to look a certain way, and I went through all of that, and I don't think you necessarily Here's I think people should be selected on merit. But I do think this, and this is going to sound a little deish, it might sound progressive,

I'm not trying to say anything. I'm not trying to get your show canceled. I don't think I said anything that's not noticeable. But you know, I grew up of two of the with two of the best broadcasters known to radio and television, and that is Vince Well, thank you very.

Much, Kelly. You didn't have to You really didn't have to say that.

Three Sorry, Okay, Vince Gully, chick Hern and Cal Martine.

No, he's Vince Kellys, Scully's good.

Good chick Hern the best. So I basically grew up with them. They were my entire childhood, so I knew nothing but them.

But I love, you know, I used to love watching Walter Cronkite. Wasn't that cool or Chet Hun and all these old bands, but they were they were like they were one sided back then on how people looked and who they were, old white men. And but I really I love David Cronkite, I mean he was so cool and Walter, you know, but nowadays, if I want to be honest, we have great talent on the air right now.

We do, we we have.

I think I think that I think we have good talent on the air right now. I think we we are blessed in broadcasting. You have a lot of good talent. Now we have a lot of sucky talent too, obviously, but we have I think, mainly good people. When I look at all networks, even when I don't agree with them, I kind of like, there, you know what I'm gonna say, something like like you may think I'm crazy. I'm only talking about entertainment value and P factor and Q factor

That's a cool car.

How about Mustang Country.

Get here?

That one is seventy six? Yeah?

Ford v.

Ferrari.

I love that movie. That's a cool movie.

Was that a true story was based on a on a factual astoria?

Now how bellis realized that's another question.

But yeah, that actually took place. And that was the Ford that finally beat Ferrari. Which one was it? By the way, was it the Ford became the Ford GT? Okay, see, I didn't know that. And then Corvette Summer. I don't remember that movie. I've heard of it. I've never heard of this one either, The Yellow Rolls Royce Nothing, Yeah, the Yellow Rolls Royce. How about charger for twenty six? Remember the four to twenty six Hemi engine? Oh it's

Which K you're talking about?

Which K? I'm talking about the main K, not the mom, not the but Kim yep.

I.

Actually Chris Kardashian is a brilliant businesswoman. She capitalized on a bunch of nothing now and the husband was a great attorney. The original on the second husband, of course, is Caitlin Bruce Jenner. So here's the deal. The deal is this? I mean, how do you get famous for nothing for having sex and your mom leaking the tape? Isn't that what happened? Although she doesn't admission leaked it? Kim Kardashian, what is her talent? You know? Remember named

So let's go back to.

Well, I mean, you know, and I mean I'm not saying they can't have an opinion. Of course they can. I don't know why. You know, de Niro was obsessed. He was absolute. I love Robert de Niro's acting, anyone who says he's not the greatest actor that ever lived, but he was ups tesked with Trump. I mean, it was too a you want to talk about derangerent syndrome. This guy was obsessed with him and and god, he just looked so angry. Did you ever see the tapes in the crap that he did about Trump? I mean

Nope?

And how many Bugottis do they sell a year? I mean that car. That car just befuddles the hell out of me. How they get so much money for that car? Oh, this is kind of weird, but it was about it was not named after a jeep, but it was jeepers creepers. Now there are movies about cars, and they are way that way out numbers the actual titles. But like Fast and Furious series, how many were were they make? Sixteen of those movies? Gone in sixty seconds? The worst movie

Yep, it was.

I thought it was terrible, and then one called built Steve McQueen. So still a bad movie. Vanishing Point? Anybody anybody remember Vanishing Point? About the Italian Job? Tell me tell me the uh the cars that were used in the Italian Job? First, the sixty four thousand dollars question.

Well, those were a whole bunch of original Mini Coopers.

Right, you're right man, you know a lot. Dimitri, what the henybody?

You remember? Chitty TD Bang Bang?

How about Herbie the Love Bud? Yes, yeah, Lamon's Lamon's How about Days of Thunder a Grand Prix, yep, Lamon's Drive, Baby Driver or Baby yeah, baby Driver?

Best Proof, the Firebirds and Smoking in the.

Bandit yeahan then they Transporter. I love Jason stathum Man. He's a cool actor.

I like that.

He's very understated and he doesn't get the acclaim like Schwartzenegger and the other guys get or von dom did. But does anyone know who I mean Jason stay them? Did you know who he is? Cool guy?

Google's very cool. Well, my husband has a brush on him.

Very well, he is so cool, he really is. I love his movies, A need for Speed. And then of course all the Mad Max movies. They were kind of car related, right, and then Cannonballs Run, Oh man, they were like they were big time Cannonball Run. Smokey and the Bandit did you know there were three of those? And then the Wraith. It was a supernatural revenge movie and a guy had a dodge, and then Redline and then Torque. I don't remember that that was mostly about

Yeah, but by the way, hold on, I have to do another time out. Yeah, you're going to you're going to disparage gone in sixty seconds, but you're gonna laud Days of Thunder.

No, no, I hate Days of Thunder?

Okay, good, just wanted to make sure.

Yeah, no, no.

In fact, there are not many Tom Cruise movie. Well I shouldn't say that. I like the Top One series, but most of Tom Cruise movies are just monuments to himself. You know, He's how can I make myself look cool? And I mean the acting is not there. And I mean Tom does have talent though, man, I mean not that he cares what I think. But there was this one movie he played this guy, this bald guy, this fat bald guy, Tropic Thunder. Yes, yes, yes, you're right man.

Yes, Arlene, she had no heed. She called approximately five companies out there and he basically, we're just trying to sell her new equipment. Most of them skated that the furnace is inhoperable, of course, but no parts were available. He just couldn't get parts for it, and her hands on a fit income. She's got her daughter and I think some grandkids living there. They just couldn't afford the nine thousand dollars for a new furnace. And it was

Bo, you bo, You've been in the business years and years, and what I want to isn't it unusual to have parts available for old furnaces like that?

Yes, they're available, but this was this was a union.

But is it unusual? Is it unusual that they're available or are they readily available?

They're normally readily available if you look for them.

Okay, then I want to know this, Why are so many companies? And I guess the answer is profit. Why are so many companies hell bent on replacing? If someone is older and can't afford it, and they can do a replacement of a board, why don't they?

Well they're going to try to quote somebody nine thousand dollars versus maybe two thousand dollars from repair. There's a hell of a lot more money in new installation than there is a repair. And then you got to track down the park.

Now, the puts on older furnaces are a little.

More tricky to find. You just got to do a little investigating on it. But no, they were just trying to sell her a new piece of equipment. But parts are I think parts. I've got a boiler in my house is installed in nineteen sixty three, and I could still get parts for it. You know, these new technically tecticians, they just don't want to They just want to go in and sell.

Now, was this a boiler or furnace?

It's an eighty percent train X the eighty eighty percent two stage furnace. Okay, okay, efficiency, So back to the story train donated the motor. I mean the wholesale costs on the motor was thirteen that was like below my cost. So they ordered it about a week and a half ago and the shipper lost the.

Motor, so.

I had to tell ARLINGE we had to wait another week or so. So the train supply actually next day air the motor the other day before it now went into the shop.

Yes, you you had you found the train did this gratus as far as installation, is that right?

Well, what happened. The train manufacturer supplied the motor, and then Nate suggested that one of their train d HVAC contractors installed the motor because the motor had to be programmed. It's like these new cars that had to be programmed to the furnace. So they did the programming, and then they contracted with J and J Hvac company, one of their best good dealers. He came out after the show.

So it was a how much how much was the part?

By the way, Well, a contractor would have probably charged her at least twenty two hundred dollars for this motor.

Okay, not an installation would have been included in that.

No installation, I would say, be about three thousand dollars.

Dollar. Wait wait wait, okay for the whole job. Three grand, But that's still a lot cheaper. That's still a lot cheaper than nine or ten. Yes, how much did it end up costing her? Do you want to do?

You really want to know what it cost her?

Yeah?

Yeah, zero, nothing, it was all it didn't cost her, that is I mean, she's so nice Social.

Security, so I donated my time, I just did the diagnosis, Train donated the murder in the three hundred dollars next day air Bill and Jane j HVAC donated their labor. So it didn't cost her.

She just had to wait.

But she's got a furnace that's going to last a long time, and it didn't cost her family anything. And she wants to call in to the show on Monday and thank you guys personally.

Well that would be good that bo thank you. You know, we didn't know there was much hope here when you took the case on, but The reason I know we talked about it before, the reason I wanted you on now is because it actually it actually happened. I mean it has been installed and it's working.

Yes, I got a pitch.

Okay, it's running.

Thank you, Okay, see you Monday.

No, I really do appreciate it. We got more coming up on The Troubleshooter Show three oh three seven one three talks seven one three two five five. By the way, if you're planning a will or an estate plan of some kind, or you need a trust, or you want to do an LLC, did you know an LLC can own properties that go through your death and can be a very creative way to do something without a trust. It's like having your kid's part of it. I mean

Okay, Tom, thank you. I have a question for Kevin from sharedon Auto Tech.

Kevin.

A few years ago, Colorado made kind of a controversial change by switching to a slightly different de icing agent. It used to be magnesium chloride and now it's magnesium chlorid and something else. And the reason it was controversial, and my view still is it is much more corrosive than magnesium chloride by itself is so I'm wondering. Not that it's been a few years, and by the way, it's not as corrosive as actual salt that they use in the Midwest, so it's not a total disaster for us.

Is it something for us to worry about?

I have not, No, But they don't use a lot of the chemicals here in the mountains, so I think maybe, you know, mountain based communities may be seeing more of it. I know, offices and different things. It's ruining carpeting and stuff like that. I know, but cars, no, I haven't really seen much.

So, you know, one of the one of the ways to combat corrosion underneath is a very successful product that's very popular in the Rust belt. It's called fluid film. Are you familiar with that stuff? I can't find anybody here who applies rust inhibitors.

What is that? What is that?

It's you know, it's like a clear liquid that they spray on all over the undercarriage of the vehicle, and it's it's about an annual treatment. But it apparently I mean it from what I've seen of it and the reviews I've read and watched on the YouTube, it's it's pretty effective at keeping cars from rusting away in places like New York, Chicago, Nebraska.

Yeah, the Midwest is the cars we see a lot are just rotting in pieces there. It's terrible here.

You don't think I need to worry about the.

Car wash, you know, keep it clean.

Yep, Okay, thank you, Okay, I can hear the music. I'll save the rest of my questions for ly.

Yeah, I wanna. I want to tell people that we have another hour to go on the Troubleshooter Show, and we got a lot to talk about as far as cars go, some of the newer models coming out. We're talking evs. I have a lot of texts I have to get to, so stick around three oh three seven one three talks seven one three A two five five Go with a sure thing Denver's Best Roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Please time for an insurance check up free, no obligation.

RiPP New need advice so you don't have.

Come running just as fast as we can.

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Man six is the Troubleshooter Show.

No Tom Martino, Hello Tom Martino. Here, let's talk about your problems, questions, complaints, and uh try to get some headway here. I got a lot of texts that have piled up on card day. Today, we'll go to Ken first on the phone at three oh three, seven to one three talk or three oh three Martino, you can call that twenty four to seven three oh three six two seven eight four six six. First we go to Ken Ken, what's going on?

I just had a couple of comments about the eating thing, you know, I think, yeah, these companies, they they shouldn't make things as obsolete as quick as they do. And that price now motor that had to have been like full retail.

I mean, it was.

Nice that the company came up with one and ship that that really was cool. But it's like, you know, you go to Granger and it's you know, not necessarily a proprietary motor. You get a third horse power motor for whatever, one hundred and fifty bucks.

But it was nice.

In these contractors, that was cool.

So if you will, you know what it was. But but hold on, are you telling me, though, that you can take a blower motor from a generic lower motor and substitute it. Don't you have to have the bolt patterns and all that.

Oh, you're right about that, but they shouldn't be so proprietary.

It's like, no, you're right, and they shouldn't be that expensive. In other words, what you're saying is, if you can buy an electric motor for one hundred and fifty bucks, why is it twenty two hundred? Gentlemen?

I think that the issue that the detail we're for getting in this conversation is this particular motor that Bo got for the elderly lady has sixteen wires.

Well on an eighty percent wait wait wait, why that's what I don't understand and eighty percent efficient old fashioned system? What the hell are sixteen wires.

Well, there's more to it than just the motor. It sounds like an actual assembly. That's it does have some computer component that needs to be programmed to the furnace. Okay, it's got There's a lot more to it than just the regular just the plane motor.

Well, you know, I had a boiler at my house a few years ago. I went down to a company in Denver Is called Johnston or something.

I bought a piler.

The only thing was like three grand, and I put it in and it's holding up.

Fine, and well, Kennis Hard A lot of people don't have the skills to do that or to troubleshoot. Oh agree, Everything really comes everything really comes down to time. I one time had a I traced U. I had an issue with an item, and to replace the item would have been eight grand. To replace the circuit board that I traced it to would have been two thousand. I looked at the circuit board and I found on on board relay. Now, no one works on circuit boards, no

But you know, here's my thing, like my old boiler. Before I replaced it, I could get some parts for it pretty easy. Put them in myself pretty cheap. My argument is just everything and I've done R and D, I've done circuitry development and tracking and repair, but something have to be so complicated.

You know.

I ran into the same dilemma the other day. Of course, it wasn't my idea to get this ford, but then when you own it, it's it's like a bad marriage. And the window, the windows weren't going down, and there's a little heater actuator. And I looked all over town and all these guys wanted eight hundred bucks to do it. I found some guys. I went through a whole winter without a heater, but they took care of that vent thing for and the window for four hundred, So yeah, it can be time.

I was otherwise occupied.

Yeah, and no one like there. There are no repair people anymore, and they're all dying off.

And you know the difference is, I've got this other old pick up. You know, it's just a hand crank and it's like a twelve dollars cable. If the heaters messed up and a lot of car guys would go, you know, that's a bygone here. And I'm thinking, well, you know, it's consumers. You know, did a little bit, more like, I'm not paying that for the car because it's going to need so much work. Let it sit up a lot. I'll get old best to go. So consumers unfortunately tend to go, especially more women.

Oh it looks nice.

You know, my friends will like it. Okay, it's eight hundred a month, plus another one hundred and fifty for taxes and repairs and insurance.

By the way, over the years, just so you know, over the years, more men have been ripped off with used cars than women, for me, for.

Us, probably, yeah, I mean I believe.

Because I've been ripped off, they pulled the trigger way faster. Women are way more skeptic. I think they ripped off women, and my women ripped off.

I asked more questions though.

Well you know back now now, Kevin, go ahead, Kevin.

Yeah, what do I want to do?

Is uh this guy Jay and Jay or whatever. I'll sit him a hundred bucks for doing the right thing.

By that lady. It's nice. I mean, I'm not well, I don't have it, but I'm sure Bow will get it to you and Kachina get his number. Three h three seven one three talk what a nice guy? Three oh three seven, one three and two five five. I think it would be better spending if you sent it to her, the old lady. So I have some text here relating to everything we've been talking about today. Let me just go to him. Okay, one here, you help

Or?

First of all, no, here's what they ask. What's the main cause of vapor lock?

Just the pump can't pump vapor. It has to be liquid, so it locks up.

Well, how does it get to be that way?

Heat?

Is the main the only thing that causes this? Heat?

Yes?

And is it heat just heat? Or is it the routing of the fuel lines.

Well, the routing of the fuel lines by a heat source and the quality of fuel combined you get a vapor that can But.

What I want to know is this, though, if you do have a vapor locked problem then and it's routed, why not re route the line.

That's part of the repair. Yeah, also to cover the lock.

Did they not know that?

Did they not know that when they built the car? Or they just take a chance.

I think it's a fuel quality issue as well, so more alcohol and the fuel causes the vapor lock to be more of a problem. But no, it's it's definitely some manufacturers just don't know better.

Someone wants to know. Would be pouring ice cold water over a line? Make it okay? Clear it? Sure, the vapor until it warms up again. Yeah, okay, so we get your pa rough spot. Sure, but then you have to know where to pour it too. You have to know where it's vaporing exactly. Now I mentioned the movie Ford versus Ferrari. Somebody wants me to know that there's an actual It was Carol Shelby who race that car. And there's a a I didn't know this. There's a

Why something other than the gas cap?

Well, yeah, but what would it be? But why did the gas cap seem to help?

I don't know there than yeah, I don't know. The dinner didn't but it if it's related to an evap.

Can that vent line being clogged? Can that vent line being clogged in the fuel system cause that flogged or a hole in the line or a selenoid stape? By the way, those who want to know what that vent line is, it's in the filler neck of the car and events to the down underneath outside.

Right, Well, nothing vents outside anymore, that's the thing. It's a sealed system. Where does e vent events back to the fuel tank, So it'll go through the charcoal canister and back to the tank.

And the number one way it gets clogged is people overfuel.

Or over that's a big problem.

Fill their car, yes, so you overfill your car and what happens is that eventually gets debris in it and it clogs, and that can cause an engine light.

It can cause contamination in that charcoal canister. That causes all kinds of problems.

Yeah, all right. Three oh three seven one three talk seven one three eight two five five. Go with a sure thing Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation comparison call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three oh three seven seven to one. Help.

I've got a two thousand and three Chevy savorados So and it has a tick on startup. It sounds like a lifter, but as soon as it warms up, the tick goes completely away, and it's only at idle. I've never seen anything like that before.

Now, wait, it's only at idle, You mean when it ticks, when when.

You first started it's idling seven hundred and fifty rpm, you'll hear it tick tick tick tick tick. You bring it up to a thy twelve hundred goes away smooth, runs up to three four thousand RPMs, come back down to an idol smooth.

Okay, So it's only when you first started on an idol.

Yeah, yeah, it's like the first five minutes, six minutes at idle.

Yeah, what if you started it up pick up to Okay, no, go ahead to ask you a question. Okay.

So there's an O ring on the pickup too, for the oil pump. I've heard that O ring can be collapsed or break or deform, and so I er rates the oil through the oil pump, causing the lifter to basically bleed out.

Yeah, but it wouldn't be that, Kevin, It wouldn't come back that quickly if that was, if that was leaking, you wouldn't have that wouldn't steal itself up. Uh, you know, you could just have a weak lifter slightly out of adjustment, you know, possibly worn a little bit warm push rod or anything, like that.

Have you have you looked at it? What's it?

How do you adjust lifters?

I'm kind of thinking that myself. That's non adjustable.

Those are non adjustable.

But the push rod itself could be a little worn out, so it's got a little bit of slop in it. So you need to expect the rocker arms, push rods, all that because it could be taking up that slack.

How many miles? How many miles on it?

Uh?

One hundred and seventy?

Yeah?

Yeah, sure, Oh okay, it could be a push rod now.

Will like a lifter though, if you've got a slight exhaust leak as it warms up, it'll see it.

Yeah.

What about you can not suffer start? It's right back, Kevin?

What about a failing fuel injector? Don't they sometimes make a tick tick tick tick sound like a lifter somewhat.

But that's a throttle body injection on his You have separate injectors. Yeah, okay.

I have a very obvious question. What if you start Sean, What if you started it up and just took off right away? Would you hear it? Now?

Because you don't be idling, It's only at idle once it gets above a thousand kicks.

It's only at idle at first. It's only at idle when it's cool, that's it.

Or or on first startup that's set fifteen minutes drive to the store coming back. But I've set the teen inspired up that's there.

That is so odd. I think it's just a sticky one. It's it's sticky.

What I would do is throw it.

Couldn't it be G?

Couldn't it be g a BG cleaner? Fix that?

I was just going there. I'd throw a can of m Away in there, let it run for for a week or so to see if it doesn't help.

I'll bet you that clears it up, because it's not bad enough to be consistent.

Yep, No, I remember I've seen a lifter fell.

It fails.

It takes no matter what, continuously right.

That's right. And sticky ones only do it. Yeah, they only do it when they're sticking. So I think what Kevin said, what is that called BG? What is it called Kevin Motor Oil Additive? And the the initials on the bottle m A.

Or can?

I should Yep, I tried it.

It works.

How about put a little b ATF in there.

It's the same cave concept, but I I don't. I like the MOA better. It's a little better lubricit and everything else.

God, everyone, you know what, I've never talked not one, not one time have I talked to it or a mechanic that did not love BEG products. I've never talked to one ever. Yeah, thanks for calling. We got more coming up. Well, let me let me actually go to some of these sex like like heat and fuel pressure

Yeah, we did.

Okay, And here's another one. Do you have a follow up on the family. Susan was trying to help get birth certificates. What happened was the parents never got birth certificates on their kids. They went through their whole life to skate in the system, and then finally it was catching up to him. I don't actually know. I got to ask Susan about that. I really don't know, Tom. I know a little bit about it.

Susan and I discussed it about three weeks ago.

Oh really okay? Yeah, and nothing.

I mean she even said that there are two attorneys that were helping with this matter. But apparently those three texts I think they're in Texas, those three people still haven't been able to get any birth thy coudness.

Okay, Tom, I reached out to discount Bath on your referral list, and they want to have thirty They want thirty percent up to upfront. I know you always preach no money upfront, but is there an exception for referralest members. Now this is a touchy subject. No, there's not an exception for referraless numbers. People. Now, I don't require that

Right.

So those are the kinds of things I say, protect yourself, no matter who you are. Jay says he has a comment on that fuel deal. Do you mean the ticking sound or do you mean vapor lock? Go ahead, Jay, The.

Ticking sound normally is something that's under pressure that needs hydraulic pressure, fleets off a little bit like a list might lead off a little or the cam they have a little hydraulics pull pushes it when you speed up. It adjusted for cam timing. So if you can kind of isolate where it's, it's it's probably one of those two and it'll never get better. It's pretty a lot worse.

Two, how do you replace that? Is it the lifter you're replacing?

Yeah, you put a set of lifters in Never do one lifter, but yeah, generally you just put a set of lifters in it.

Exactly.

You can put new lifters on an old cam, not vice versa.

Oh fine, all.

Right, three or three seven one, three eight, two five five. Go with a sure thing Denver's best roofer Excel Roofing dot com. You don't pay a cent until you're content. Time for an insurance check up free, no obligation. In comparison, call Compass Insurance paying too much your coverage at dozens of insurance companies find out now three oh three seven

With EVS, you know how important marks, you know, get home button is and everything. How important is that to you? Self driving?

Now, what do you mean about that? Oh, the self drive?

Self driving?

It's not important. It's more of a cool thing for me.

So now I think once that improves, I think EV has become more viable because you can open up a whole okaynder market of people. You know, say you're you know, you go to a restaurant, have a few drinks. You know, maybe your driving skills are diminishing, or you know, you still have independence, but you don't have to drive the car.

What as far as self driving, I mean when he says it's the best self driving ever, what is I've not experienced it? I mean, does it literally take you from point to point and stop in between? See, I don't I've never experienced that.

That's what he He says. He can push the go home button from the parking lot here, and the car does it just turns and goes away. It needs to go stops at lights, stops for traffic, changes lanes, to maintain speed, all kinds of stuff, and.

It doesn't require See, my Beamer doesn't have any the thing near like that, but it does have My Beamer does have self driving, but you know, not anything like that. But I can't take my hands off though. Does Tesla allow you to take your hands off?

I don't know if it's hands off or it has to see you. There is some limitation, yes, yeah, it's not you can't sit in the back seat and have a you know, drive you.

But he raves about it like like, man, I don't even have to touch it, you know. He talks about it being okay. Somebody wants to know if with newer cars, do you have to worry about uh, deep snow as far as if snow got up under the engine, what it could do to you or any electronics.

When you go through a director TV or a regular car, regular car, not so much. I mean a regular car, the snow melt, it'll get out of there. Yeah, it's not going to hurt anything. I mean if it's completely submerged and you know, like in an avalanche or something. Yeah, you got an issue, but yeah, just a little bit of snow. No, it's not gonna hurt anything.

Now somebody else wanted to know about or not wanted to want to express. Tom you asked, is a time for an EV? Not this time around, hardly ever. I think it's going to be at least thirty years before EV's take a foothold. Do you think it'll be that long? Thirty years?

I think stuff changes so rapidly. I think thirty years maybe a little too far out there.

Things do change.

The rest ten years. I think there's gonna be a big shift.

Well, I will tell you this. Every major car manufacturer now has an electric offering, every one of them, every one of them. So but at some point they're gonna have to go all in. Like I talked about the g Wagon. Okay, that's a very expensive, exaggeration, exaggerated vehicle. They're stupid expensive for no reason. And when I owned mine, I've had two of them. I've owned them before. They were before they were like a thing. They weren't a thing. It started to be a thing after my second one,

I remember you saying that to get a regularly just.

Exited and they were selling. Can you imagine the idiot who paid one hundred and fifty thousand dollars more than the invoice? Do you imagine how upside down they were in.

That car constantly You never me never recover from that.

Never and now now, just now, when I was inquiring, they said, if you order or buysock, doesn't matter. You will pay fifty thousand dollars over on a fifty thousand dollars over on an MG and twenty five thousand over on.

A regular and keep it. Yeah, okay, I mean I will.

Never I said, I will never ever ever, even if I least, I will never ever ever pay over over manufactured MSRP.

Never.

I mean I don't even like paying MSRP. But how much they make on an MSRP. I don't know on that one. I know on some you know, you have a certain amount you make and then you make on top of that, you make a dealer holdback at the end of the year for some manufacturers, So I I wonder how much they make on a what do you think.

It's got to be based on, you know, similar dealerships. I don't imagine. It's a whole different platform. But yeah, but that's that's crazy, that kind of a markup. Still, Yeah, I didn't.

Know, not not just creat it's it's undoable. But yet there are people every day willing to do it. That's why they do it.

Why they do it? Yep, because they can.

I mean, okay, yeah, yeah, So I'm asking right now. I just put it in there how much profit is built in on an MSRP. And of course they'll never answer this. They'll never hold on a twenty twenty. Okay, here's the ms RP on A twenty twenty five. What do you think it is? It's with it without the bump one the dealer. The dealer buys it. The dealer buys it for one hundred and forty thousand dollars from

Yeah, looking online, one seventy five five one ninety.

That's right, yep. So so that that's how much water there is in those things, and that's ridiculous. The only one they're selling an MSRP, in fact, they'll go behind seventy five hundred is the electric one. And I have a feeling that's because it's a real gamble to take a conventional car like that and do nothing about it. You don't make it lighter, you don't make it different, you don't make it more aerodynamic. You simply slap batteries under it and motors on the wheels, and you call it.