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Attention: Men ...You Can't Fix Cars By Just Replacing Parts! Tom T  |
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 Attention: Men ...You Can't Fix Cars By Just Replacing Parts!
I can't tell you how many times I have fixed cars that customers have first tried to fix themselves by replacing parts. Since I've been in radio, TV, and on the Internet, I have gotten probably thousands of the following types of inquiries.
(The names have been changed to protect the reputations of these Do-It-Yourselfers)
"A friend of mine has a '69 Dodge Super Bee with a 383 engine and he's having ignition problems. He has replaced plugs, plug wires, coil, dist. cap & rotor. The points are burning up very fast; the motor starts and idles OK, but will not accelerate without bucking, missing or dying." Sam from Del Rio, Texas
(Do we see a trend developing here in frequently burning points, chief?)
"I have a 97 Chevy Blazer 4WD. While I'm driving it (when its about to shift) the rpm's start revving up and down. And sometimes when I start the vehicle, it acts like it's going to just stop; then I'll try again and it will start right up. I have already changed my trans fluid and filter; then I changed the plug wires and the plugs; after that, I changed the fuel filter and cleaned the fuel system. I recently changed the throttle position sensor. That helped for about half a day, then the check engine light came on. I got the ECU read. It said that it was a miss fire (P300). If you can help it would be greatly appreciated. I don't know what else to do." Joe from Havelock, IN
(Hey Joe, why don't you just replace the engine while you're at it?!)
"I have a '95 Silverado pickup 1500 V8 5.7L. It has just over 100K miles. After it reached 60K miles, it "idles rough". Over the years, I've done numerous troubleshooting work on this truck, including: replacing spark plugs, wires, distributor, rotor (this had no effect at all); replacing the PCV valve and IAC valve; changing the fuel filter regularly and fuel injection service. The Check Engine light has never come on. The rpm's remain completely steady at idle (doesn't matter if it's in neutral or in drive), but I can still feel the engine bounce. The problem is usually worse when the engine warms up. No coolant leaks, so it's not a head cover gasket. I'm wondering if it may be a fuel pump or fuel sensor problem? I am stumped."
Greg from Atlanta, GA
(You call replacing parts troubleshooting? Webster's definition of 'troubleshooting' - to LOCATE and deal with breakdowns or other sources of trouble. The key work here is LOCATE ... that implies DIAGNOSIS. In your own words, I guess you ARE stumped!)
Enough examples of such lunacy! What do these desperate people have in common? All of the above submissions are by men. Each one is trying to solve his problem by replacing parts without diagnosing the problem. Only after wasting time and money do they bother seeking professional help. What causes this type of unreasonable behavior? Pride? Ego? Stubbornness? Stupidity? Too much time and money with no where to go and nothing to buy? Now let's look at some questions submitted by women.
"I have a 1995 Honda Civic which intermittently will fail. The gauges and radio go off, and soon after, the car runs out of power and shuts off. I checked all the fuses, which are fine. It had the alternator replaced just 5,000 miles ago (the first was bad). I checked and found that there are no shorts and all grounds are well attached. After a few minutes of driving the car, I put a voltmeter on the cigarette lighter and it read only 11 volts. The battery light doesn't come on during any of this, but I checked it separately and it functions. Sometimes the battery light comes on when I turn on the ignition, and other times it doesn't. I think I've narrowed it down to either the voltage regulator inside the alternator, or the computer. Both are not cheap, so what do you suggest I do?
Laurelee from New Bedford, CT
Great letter! Laurelee states exactly what is wrong with her vehicle and communicates what she has checked and the results. Finally, she explains what she thinks might be wrong, acknowledges the extensive cost, and asks the opinion of the experts before spending her hard-earned money. Let's look at another question.
"I have a 1993 Olds Achieva. The other day, when taking off at a stoplight, it seemed to take forever for the car to even get up to 30mph. I put the gas pedal all the way to the floor, but the car still crept up to speed. The engine was making an awful noise when I stepped on the gas; it sounded almost like a diesel! I then pulled into a parking lot, shut the car off, and tried to restart it - nothing. It sounds like it will start, but it doesn't turn over. Any ideas what could be wrong?
Janice from White Lake, MI
This is a perfect example of good communication. Janice provides all the necessary information. And did she spend any money on replacing parts? NO!! She asked for advice before spending any money. It doesn't take a lot of intelligence to approach a problem in this manner ... just good ol' common sense! Let's look at one more question.
"I have a 2000 Olds Intrigue. When I start out and it's cold, I only go about one mile and have to stop because the car dies. If I let it run before starting out it's fine. Most of the time it starts right up; however, sometimes I have to crank the engine a bit before it will start. The engine light will come on but goes out after a few miles of driving (however, sometimes the light stays on for quite a long time).
Finally, I have a problem with my heater fan, the blower switch only works on high. Please tell me what it could be before I spend unnecessary money."
Vivian from Molalla, IL
Once again, an excellent example of good communication. Vivian describes exactly how her car responds to temperature changes. She clearly explains how the check-engine light is behaving. Finally, Vivian precisely states that her heater fan works only on high. In closing, Vivian asks for expert advice before spending "unnecessary money."
Guys! Set aside the ego (that male element that won't let us ask for directions when we are lost)!! Quit replacing parts and take a cue from the ladies! Communicate your problem clearly and precisely to your tech and let him/her do the job ... diagnosing and repairing today's complex automobile!
'Til next time...Keep Rollin'
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 With over 27 years in the automotive industry and nearly a decade in automotive talk radio, Tom Torbjornsen makes learning about cars easy with his personal manner, his expert advice, and his high energy and entertaining style. Tom has the unique gift of simplifying the complex and tearing down the technical, meeting you at your level of understanding. You will be encouraged as you gain the confidence to deal with problems related to the second most expensive purchase you will make in a lifetime your automobile.
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