Working on a 2010 Audi Q5

Oil and water don't mix on a Toyota 4Runner

Hi Lee,

“Your team told me that my 4Runner's engine was entirely trashed and tried to convince me to turn the title over to you. I got a second opinion and they were able to repair the damage without needing a new engine, so I will not be taking my car in for service at your shop.”

Wait, Wait, Wait!

This email came to us 3 months ago.

First the facts we know.

The vehicle had 200 K miles and in serious need for some maintenance and lots of repairs.

This Toyota 4Runner came in for “White smoke is coming from the tailpipe on acceleration” This is what we found. TEST AND ADVISE. Found over heating condition codes are stored in computer memory.  P0115 engine coolant temp. P0171 system too lean, (bank 1 possible o2 sensor due to coolant contamination) water pump is leaking (customer has used a stop leak agent to try and minimize the leak) radiator cap is leaking too, there seem to be no records of a timing belt replace. Multiple and severe oil leaks found. Valve covers are leaking profusely onto the exhaust manifolds and oil and coolant have mixed in the engine crankcase.  Further testing should be done as we suspect a head gasket may have failed due to overheat. At this time and due to the age and mileage of the car and the engine, we strongly suggest a rebuilt engine since we don’t know the extent of the damage done by the mixing of the coolant and oil.

Answering to a hostile client can sometimes be a trigger to further aggravation. As such, we always meet and decide by committee what approach we should take. We decided on this one not to answer since this person a) wasn’t asking for anything specific and b) didn’t post anything negative online.

I remember at that time noticing that the vehicle in question was in such poor condition, it really wasn’t a good idea to keep investing money on it. If there was a time to let go, that was the time. She decided not to do anything on the car and ask us what could be done with it. To try to be a solution, we mentioned we could help her dispose of the vehicle. Bring us the pink slip and we’ll donate the vehicle in your name is what we said.

Judging by her statement (at the top of this page) she decided to have some work done but, not to the full extent of our suggestions.

I wish the story ended there as I don’t mind being wrong, and if I was, I would have apologized for our error.

I happened to go and visit one of my peers in the trade, while there I noticed the car in this discussion was in the shop with the hood open. I asked my friend what happened to this vehicle. “She had some work done at another shop and now the engine blew up when the oil and coolant mixed in the crankcase, you should see the rod sticking out from the block!”
#toyota,#4runner,#timingbelt,#headgasket

Catalytic converter price quote II

Catalytic converter price quote II

This is a companion piece to my blog from 11/16/2018 An epilog since all the work has been completed.

The client with a Hyundai Genesis had been quoted (by the local dealer) for the replacement of the catalytic converters and oxygen sensors a price of around $4500.00

All this based solely on the guess that codes P0420 and P0430 point towards the catalytic converter circuit.

In the end, one of the four converters did have to be replaced and the bill came to $1580.00 and not the originally quoted large sum of $4500.00

In a nutshell, the industry is filled with assumptions or calculated guesses. But in most cases this occurs due to the fact people still believe that true diagnosis is not worth the asking price. They want to be told what is wrong with their car for free. Also, that any one mechanic or any repair shop can do proper diagnosis correctly. Wrong!

In this instance, the client agreed to pay for proper testing and was rewarded with the answer,

Catalytic converter price quote

How much to replace the catalytic converter on a Hyundai Genesis?

Riiiiiing!

Hi! How much to replace the catalytic converter on my Hyundai Genesis?

The caller had the vehicle at another repair shop and he’d been told he needed the catalytic converters.

I asked him if he trusted the diagnosis to blindly invest the huge sum of money I was about to quote. Did they do any testing or just guessed based on the code?

 “No! they pulled codes P0420 and P0430 and told me I needed the catalytic converter” Then they send me on my way since their scanner was not working properly and they needed to send it out for repair.

Honestly! I wonder how I’m still sane after all this time. It drives me nuts to think people still believe all you need to diagnose a complex problem like a failing catalytic converter, is a scanner.

I own a stethoscope, but would you trust me to tell you what your ailment is?

People! The tool does not make the professional. Of all the shops I know, only a handful have someone qualified to properly do automotive testing and diagnosis. It takes a great deal of training and schooling to get to that top spot in a shop. Few have what it takes, and rarely you will find it in a mass merchandising shop whose model is low fee to the clients and low pay to the techs.

I thought that quoting for the converters was premature. So I quoted instead for the necessary testing to really find what is wrong with the pesky check engine light. He made an appointment for the following day

Best practices for your Toyota Camry

 Sooner better than later:

Time after time I get someone telling me they think auto repair shops just recommend work to try and pad their wallets. "My car didn't need any of those repairs" is what they say.

The victim today is a 1999 Toyota Camry with the V6 3.0 engine. You all know about the legendary problems Toyota has had with the V6 engine, don't you?

The owner is from LA driving through Ventura.

It’s here on the tow truck and the tow truck driver says the vehicle overheated badly. The owner said she had the radiator replaced a year ago.  To save money, I presume, they did not refill the radiator with coolant but used straight water instead. Both the upper radiator hose and the lower radiator hose were not replaced either. She was offered this items but thought the shop was merely being aggressive with their selling practices.

At the time when it was so much easier to have those cooling system hoses replaced, possibly at no additional labor cost, the client chose to think the repair shop she was working with tried to up-sell her something she didn't need. Well, she needs them today!

Unfortunately, what could have been another $40 to $50 back then, today is a blown head gasket on a Toyota V6 engine with 140+ K miles on it.

The repair is a complete engine replacement on a vehicle that is hardly worth $2000.00, and the cost of the engine replacement will surely exceed that worth. 

So, what do you say? What can you say that won’t add any more misery to this already bad situation?

A few facts from the trade:

If one ignition coil goes out, replace the rest, they are not that far behind and you are sure to have the “same problem again” if you don’t

If one cooling system hose goes out, guess what? Same thing - replace them all!

Best yet, find someone in the trade you trust, then don’t question their recommendations!