Ford E-150 Van - No Start , No Crank

In this video you get to come along as I diagnose a no start no crank issue on this guys 1998 Ford E-150 van that was traveling through town from Texas. You will also learn why I have a hatred for crappy aftermarket add on garbage.
Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not South Main Auto Repair.

[@mrkzj2]

Most people would not have cared enough to fix the battery hold down, let alone fish for the damn nut, THEN tack it back onto the battery tray. You also removed every inch of the alarm wiring - instead of simply cutting out the "brain" and repairing the hacked ignition sections - then taped it all up to look pretty much factory. I really admire your attention to detail, and willingness to do every job to the fullest extent. As a former dealership tech and mechanic of a few independent places myself, I think you are the best I've ever seen, and I learn a whole lot from your videos. Owning my own repair business has actually always been a dream of mine; at the very least, so that I don't have to wake up every day to work for a boss interested merely in getting things done as hastily as possible, just to empty people's pockets. You show a lot of heart and dedication in your videos, to both your work and your family. Thank you for everything!

[@hp2179]

This funny after market junk sound like the driver of that car did that.

[@crisprtalk6963]

did you ever open up your own repair business?

[@Aschmorr]

Yea Mr. O is 2 legit, inspires me to aspire to be a better tech

[@davidgillettuk9638]

Beautifully put Mark.

[@Anonymous-it5jw]

I am not sure how one would get the training and experience to achieve what Eric O. and Mrs. O. have, assuming one had the work ethic and ability to undertake such a task, and to accept the financial risks inherent in owning your own business. The amount of time and attention he gives to making and posting videos is why we all know about his great abilities as a mechanic, but it takes a lot of time to do that every week when you have a spouse and growing children. I agree that he is the most thorough and expert mechanic I have ever seen, and I think all of his viewers wish we had him, or his clone, presiding over an independent mechanic's shop near where we live. What really makes me appreciate him is an experience I had about a year and a half ago when I took my 2010 Equinox 2.4L, which I had repaired myself after the stealership wanted about $5,600 to 5,700 to throw parts at (with no warranty), to an "independent" mechanic at a shop I had patronized for years, and at which my family and I had spent thousands of dollars. This so-called mechanic literally refused to hook the car up to his diagnostic equipment (so that I could be sure I hadn't overlooked some detail), and refused to change the transmission fluid or oil, or even physically touch it. This person actually refused to come out from behind his counter to look at the car, so afraid was he of incurring any responsibility for it. Mind you, this was a running vehicle which I drove to the shop and drove home from the shop. But this is typical if you own a car with a bad reputation, like the 2010 Equinoxes and Terrains with the 4 cylinder 2.4 engines. Thanks Eric O. for setting the example of a great mechanic.

[@9sorbust]

I live on the opposite end of the country from you, and I ran into the exact same problem, with the same vehicle. Thanks to you, I came off looking like a genius for figuring out the problem so quick!

[@bborkzilla]

A friend of mine used to work in the professional radio business (back when Motorola made real radios). He'd get dinged all the time for taking too long to install stuff. But unlike the other installers, his stuff never came back.

[@SouthMainAuto]

hoppes9 That is why people don't have me put them in. I charge to much and take to long. The guy down the road will come to your house and put them in for 20 bucks and comes with his own roll of tape and test light.

[@1337penguinman]

I'll admit I put an aftermarket head unit in my truck, mainly just so I could bluetooth off my phone. Luckily, in my case, worst case scenario is I take it back out and put the stock one back in. You also have to watch a lot of the "Buy here, Pay here" lots will wire in a remote cutoff in the car. Causes all kinds of issues.

[@CravinMorehead420]

Luckily for him, he went to the best shop in town.

[@SouthMainAuto]

CravinMorehead420 Well thanks

[@freezer1935]

Probably the state...! :)

[@sanityone649]

I was about to say the same.

@@sanityone649 I'd say country or hell the whole planet.. The man is a wizard when it comes to his craft

[@adammitchell6504]

I got a 2008 chevy tahoe and I don't have power going to my coil packs is there.a fuse or a relay that might be blown

[@KevinBellamyMyHarleyisa150]

Had to write to say thanks!!! this video was exactly me!, other than the rats nest of wires, lol. But I have a 1999 E-150, No Start no crank, and I live in Texas!, lol I was about to have my van towed to the local shop before I watched the video. my problem was chased to the wire going to the solenoid behind the battery had a loose and corroded connection. you gave me a place to start and what wires to look for. Thanks again!

[@JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

Kind of like a corroded wire. I had on my 99 E150. I turn the key and it was like the battery with just Flatline. Take me a little bit to figure out that this nut just didn't have enough threads told onto to maintain the circuit.

[@tandybarr6294]

John Rodrigues )

[@Purosanluispotosi]

I have same problem on my bronco but haven’t fixed is killing only on that solenoid

[@notmature69]

☝️Also a ‘99 E-150 owner from Texas. Died on the hwy and it wouldn’t turn over. Just get one solid click when turning to crank. Starter seems all good. Spins when arcing it. This video will help a lot although I don’t believe it’s the ignition relay. Thanks for the vid! 🤘

[@Explorasiones]

And did you fix it ?

[@davidhall3747]

Eric is motivating the next generation of mechanics to fix it right- and hit the ground running. Thanks for your Professionalism. Great Job!

[@RickG1369]

See guys, not as easy as doing brakes or changing your spark plugs. This is what true mechanics do for a living. Keep up the good work!

[@bryanball8909]

I about fell out of my chair, when I seen Eric cutting out all that wiring. You sir, are my new hero.

[@supergeekjay]

It's like fixing someone's bad coding, you know you're on the right path when you get rid of lots first :)

[@johnwilliams1742]

Eric honestly you are the first person whose video I've ever commented on. I must say between you and another KZbinr chrisfx, you and him are an inspiration to me. I've been turning wrenches for the past 19 years and you and him definitely have a unique way of doing things. you make things look entirely way to easy. I love watching your stuff. I'd say in the past month I watch at least two videos of yours a night. i must say it helps gain new knowledge of things. thank you for putting your automotive knowledge out there.

[@mikemuska5457]

Neutral safety switch. You bailed me out in the first two minutes! Thank you!!!

[@ChrisTexas]

I'm a technician from Texas and I recently visited family in northern Michigan and I couldn't believe the rust on the vehicles up there. You guys in the north are truly talented to be able to fix those vehicles daily.

[@tonytiger33]

Its called road salt, lol I do not know exactly what chemicals those pellets are but they are some really caustic stuff, would not be surprised if one of the ingredients is acetone, lol.

[@matthewraymond3230]

I live in southern Michigan and yes, rusted up parts are pesky. Lots of "percussive maintenance" and penetrating oil usually works. That or a BIG breaker bar

[@weldingjunkie]

Matthew Raymond you mean the blue wrench I’m in Boston I’d be out of business with out the blue wrench to heat up bolts lol

[@jamesfaison9410]

@@matthewraymond3230, wouldn't all those problems with vehicles rusting out be incentive enough to leave the north?

[@enragedgrandpa2889]

It's no so bad once it becomes normal, and once you get good with a torch!

[@arcdraw]

Great repair, Eric! Least amount of rust we've seen on a vehicle in your shop for a while. It's amazing how a simple visual inspection can help find problems without the use of scopes or scanners.

[@FordTechMakuloco]

I love aftermarket Hack N Crap Alarms they keep my electrical skills sharp, I love a challenge like this!

[@FloorItDuh]

FordTechMakuloco Well look who's out on the prowl looking at other peoples fords. XD

[@SouthMainAuto]

FordTechMakuloco Hack n Crap haha I'' have to use that one. :) Should have saved this van for ya, got a real nice ford out in the lot right now with some serious issue. I think you will be seeing a video soon unless you will be in the NY area soon???

[@RotoRCol]

South Main Auto Repair HAHAHAHA you are so funny with this aftermarket junk

[@FloorItDuh]

Cutting out that crappy alarm system could be a life metaphor.

[@jessivmartinez9255]

FordTechMakuloco tort

[@Geordo1960]

Such great work, you could have not been more thorough! You really went above and beyond on this repair. You could have gotten by with much less but it was more important to you to do a good job. It makes me wonder how many lives you have saved with your repairs.

[@mikepotter2711]

This helped me fix my stranded navigator, just hours before a snowstorm, and it was parked where we need to plow. This saved me hundreds in repairs and just in time! Thank you!!

[@billypreston12]

I can relate to aftermarket garbage, when I was younger I worked for two van conversion companies, Waldochs and Grand Prix’s, I was an electrician there and I installed rear heat and airs, I was constantly battling with the service managers because I wouldn’t do a rush job, I did professional work and they didn’t want me to spend all the time doing it right. Anyhow I had to leave because all they gave a damn about was profit and rushing units out and that wasn’t how I worked, nothing but slop jockeys. Great video!

[@rhkips]

Next time I install an aftermarket accessory in a customer's car, I'll take photos and send 'em along. I agree, a lot of aftermarket crap is exactly that: Crap. But when I do my installs, anything that taps into factory wiring does so with a correctly-rated weatherproof connector so that if the aftermarket crap fails, it can literally be unplugged and the factory connection reinstated simply by plugging the harness back into itself. Beyond that, anything that requires separate power will get it straight from the battery via its own fused fixture, with proper sealed grommets in the firewall. All related wiring gets its own separate conduit, and somewhere along the wire(s), typically near the connector or the device, I'll zip-tie a little sealed plastic holder in which I place custom wiring diagrams for the aftermarket circuit, in case I'm not the next guy to have to work on it. I've dealt with too much crap like this van to do it any other way. :]

[@mikewilson8594]

Proper way!

[@stevenbarber2703]

my car with a remote starter installed nothing was messed up

[@charlesmiller5078]

I think part of your success is how you use the word " We ", and since there's nobody else helping you in the shop, You must be referring to us the viewers, kinda makes me feel like I'm there helping you. Having lived in Texas for 30 years, I believe I know the shop who installed that whatever that was, They installed one for me also, which I ripped out 4 years later. So his A/C was working good :) At my old house out in the country in Texas yesterday it was 109 deg, with 96 % humidity, wonderful weather...................

[@fabianparson3378]

I just purchased a 2006 E150 from the auction. I dropped a new battery in today and I have the same problem. I looked under the dash and didn't know that black box was aftermarket. Thank you a thousand times! I will attack the wires and remove the aftermarket alarm in the morning. 👍

[@ProfSimonHolland]

Wonderful fix...the Texas people were so lucky to break down near SMA.

[@ccthepope]

Only 3 things can be wrong with electrical stuff, power - ground - or the last SOB that touched it.

[@tonytiger33]

Or unconnected ignition wires under the dash, lol

[@ekop1778]

TYPICAL FORD! BREAKS DOWN OR DONT START AFTER YOU GET IT HOME FROM DEALERSHIP EVEN THE NEW TRUCKS ARE JUNK TOO LIKE DODGES RUSTS, BREAKS DOWN,LEAKS, KRAP

[@tanis143]

@@ekop1778 Wow, lets ignore the aftermark pos installed by an unskilled hack and blame the car company instead.... yep there is logic for ya.

[@100Aces]

@@tanis143 Right cuz for some reason @E Kop thinks chebby is the best? 😂😂😂

[@adventureoflinkmk2]

@@100Aces naw dude that's Toyota that's the hot shit, yo

[@mightyclos1984]

I'm a Texas mechanic and thought it was funny you being excited about working on a Texas car. Last time I tried to align a car from New York it cost us $900. Now I run if I see a car from up north haha

[@SouthMainAuto]

mightyclos1984 I have a friend in SC and it they see an upstate car all of a sudden "they to busy" he tells me lol

[@malseasider]

Because they don't know how to use a torch

[@mikechiodetti4482]

Seeing under the hood and under the dash of this Ford van, brought back good and bad memories, mostly good, of the E-350 and a few E-250 vans I worked on. V10's in the 350's, V8's (5.4 L "2 Valve") in the 250's. Some times I would see what you saw, but not only aftermarket crap, but someone who didn't know how to "restore to original design" the wiring of a crappy repair. Oh well, the life of the Auto Electrician was like that. Some folks were happy afterwards when everything worked and like you, some work was done that wasn't on the repair list. "Just doin my job!" GREAT VIDEO! (Great Memories also......Thankyou) Had several broken battery hold down nuts. One time I did something different. Put a "nut sert" onto the bottom of the battery hold down tray. Took some threaded rod, made sure the plastic battery holder was drilled out, put the battery in it's tray, plastic holder down, a washer and double nut against the plastic holder. Some vacuum hose over the threaded rod, leaving the top of the rod open to put a double nut at the top for tightening and loosening. Ya, I know, complicated. I don't weld. Otherwise, I could have tacked in place the nut and washer holding the plastic battery holder and the double nut at the top of the threaded rod. It worked!

[@TheWoodman064]

How I wish I were close enough to have you work on my cars! California stinks without you!

[@RELOADINGandSHOOTING]

A wiring job done right rarely causes problems on the vehicles, probably the reason why you don’t see a wiring job done right too often... I watched the whole video, makes me wanna finish my Auto Tech degree and work for someone like you that really knows what they are doing and a doesn’t charge half a liver, a kidney and a few toes. A great member of the community and mankind... great job sir! 👍🏼👍🏼👏🏼

[@movingupautodiagnostics8645]

Watching during my breakfast break at work, very sleepy, the the thunder and rain, then the siren... ZzZzZz Lol! Loved this video Eric, thanks a lot.

[@SouthMainAuto]

Haha thanks man

[@danielseumalo2588]

Man this video just saved my a** !!! I got my kids to school a little late but I would have never thought to start the car the way you did @ 45sec in the video. I'm so thankful

[@eddydavid7025]

Excellent step-by-step electrical trouble-shooting procedure-the right way and applicable to almost any electrical issue or vehicle brand.

[@SushiPac]

Awesome job Eric!!!!! Great find and love the effort you put into all the work you do on all the customers cars you get in.

[@SouthMainAuto]

Paul Morales Thanks Paul

[@Prophecy001orEX]

For some reason it was really satisfying to watch you cut out all that aftermarket crap

[@SouthMainAuto]

BiggRigg93 It is a satisfying job

[@cquay3]

Ive been broken down far from home and had what can only be called divine help from some mechanic or diyer. Im sure this texan felt the same way. Way to go Mr O

[@joshsiu4341]

I don't usually comment on videos, but I appreciate all the detail you put into the video and putting the wiring diagram up and all. This really helped me to understand my system better and troubleshoot my no start no crank issue here in Canada. Thanks!

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Nothing more satisfying than tearing out aftermarket junk! Somehow all the ones I've seen are also installed with the "twist 'n tape" method too lol

[@SouthMainAuto]

motoYam82 He said a guy in state college installed it haha ..... no Just kidding man! gives new meaning to molested right?

[@tctwg1]

Pine Hollow Auto Diagnostics 🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕

[@Quacks0]

I *always* solder my connections :)

[@RBCire]

@@tctwg1 you got a real hard on for @pine hollow auto diagnostics … I think you should tell the story about why you comment with the middle finger on all their comments

[@tctwg1]

EAS 1972 🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕

[@petrocksgarage]

Thats a nightmare situation (breaking down on a road trip) and not knowing where to find a good mechanic to fix it. He's lucky he found a mechanic (you) who knows how to diagnose electrical issues & takes pride in his work. Do you know how he found you? Online? KZbin? Local word of mouth? Yellow Pages? Telepathy? Smoke signals? Message in a bottle?

[@SouthMainAuto]

+Pet Rock's Garage He sent mores code from the hill top using broken mirror actually. Or maybe it was local word of mouth... one of the 2 :)

[@petrocksgarage]

I was so hoping that you were telepathic. But local word of mouth is cool too I guess.

[@jeffjankiewicz5100]

Aftermarket garbage strikes again!! Once again you go above and beyond on the electrical repairs. Everything as close to factory as possible. No chance of a short or fire. Thanks for taking us along.

[@bucksmkr12ga]

You can take pride in the fact that you have probably saved countless people from future troubles. And probably helped many people with existing troubles. I'm only one person and I have talked three people that I know of, out of having remote starters installed on their vehicles by just telling them about your videos. I used to want one installed myself when I would wake up on those cold mornings for work, but after watching your videos......NOT GONNA HAPPEN. Thanks Eric

[@montehyler]

Great video! I always enjoy seeing how you "go the extra mile" in fixing not only the immediate problem but the other little things you see along the way....like the battery holddown. Keep up the good work!

[@SouthMainAuto]

Monte Hyler Well, need to make it safe

[@adventureoflinkmk2]

@@SouthMainAuto sure ya do, this IS NYC where they got safety inspections... I'd wager the same for Texas too, seeing as they got emission checks

[@wyattoneable]

Crappy parts and crappy installation makes for extra work. But I have to admit I've enjoyed some aftermarket stuff, but I do take pride in how I install it. Great video as usual Eric. `

[@SouthMainAuto]

+wyattoneable It is all in how it is installed !

[@davidsewell3477]

I'm addicted to this channel now. I was an Eric the car guy regular but you've poached me . still like him but your vids are a lot more regular . really impressed I'm learning a lot about electrical faults now . thank you eric

[@JohnSmith-ft2tw]

Having converted several vehicles into campers, I have seen a lot of crap work, electrical and mechanical. I have to go over a lot of things done poorly, even on fleet vehicles. But, I work for myself, and then sell the finished product. I don't have to explain my time to anybody. This man is doing what he loves, complain as he will over the crap. But the satisfaction of a job done right, cannot be overstated. Good job!!

[@vidlangers]

Best video ever! “ Let me show you how we fix aftermarket junk” * chops all the shit out and throws it over shoulder with a smile 😃

[@rjgraham81]

when I worked at a dealership we called it removing a tumor

[@SouthMainAuto]

rjgraham81 Hahah that's great

[@simplyconnected]

I love your troubleshooting techniques, quality materials and you take the time to do a good job. I'm an electrician from Ford in Dearborn, MI. Wire harnesses sometimes have black vinyl tape with NO glue (on purpose). It prevents a gooey mess if you need to get inside a harness. As a repair, I wrap with my Scotch 33 electrical tape BACKWARDS so the sticky side is up. If I want it finished, the second layer will be sticky side down.Nice video, real helpful, easy to watch and understand. Keep up the good work.

[@zurdoremi]

best diagnosing I have seen in a long while.

[@RacerJames76]

As a professional installer of remote starts I agree that what you removed was a mess. We no longer install starter kill relays because they do nothing but leave people stranded, and point out to thieves what wire is the starter wire without the need of a diagram. All connections HAVE to be soldered! Now having said that I bet I have fixed more dumb mechanics mistakes than vice versa. I have explained to a master GM tech how the passlock system worked! What you removed is what i have to deal with on a daily basis from other shops in my area. I simply remove their rats nest and reinstall a new system following the directions and it works perfectly! I could tell you all kinds of stories! Keep in mind there are bad mechanics and bad installers. Eric is a good mechanic and I am a good installer!

[@Jonathan11225]

James Musselwhite of course there is bad installer but,nothing works like factory install remote start

[@RacerJames76]

+Jonathan Lessard and alot of times on modern cars those remote starts are limited to 8 minute run time 2x use before they key has to be cycled. In northern climates such as new york/ohio 8 minutes will barely warm the engine let alone the interior

[@Jonathan11225]

and dosen't work if the Check engine is on and if your are low on fuel and you can't have have a factory remote start on a cars equip with a manual Transmission i know that but you know what? i live in Montreal,Canada and 20 minutes is more than enough to get my car warm even in a -35 Celcius morning i think its a small price to pay to get peace of mind and not have to carry an extra weird looking cheapass dumb remote

[@RacerJames76]

If adding aftermarket junk can keep a car on the road and keep someone from having to take on a new car payment to get features then so be it.

[@anti0918]

James Musselwhite What's the typical cost of parts and labor for a remote start installed professionally?

[@garlinwillingham7011]

Your Vids just keep keep getting better. Great vid with your as ever, attention to detail to get a customer back on the road with trouble free repairs. I agree cheap after market equipment suck.

[@scotttiminey]

In 1982 I put an aftermarket automatic headlight shut-off switch in my 1973 Ford LTD. I was 18 and I guess it sounded like a cool thing to have. About a month later I was sitting in my car with a friend of mine showing off how my headlights shut off on their own when we smelled that wonderful "electrical components are on fire" smell. I ripped that thing out from under the dash with my bare hand in about 4 seconds, no wire cutters needed. No damage done to the car or my hand but the switch was fried. That was 38 years ago and to this day I have never even thought about putting in anything aftermarket!

[@MajorMokoto]

Probably been said below. The stuff in the driver kick panel is called a 5 wire. It's a relay pack that controls the door locks. In older Fords that didn't have keyless entry, the door locks were powered by the actual switches. So you'd have to wire in a relay pack that alternates the power via the door lock motor wires. I was a auto security/remote start installer for 15 years. And yes that was a hack install. You're spot on about not seeing the guys that do good work. It doesn't fail, unless the hardware fails. Which is beyond their control. But most of the good ones are not installing cheap hardware, so you never see them anyways. Awesome job fixing it up and cleaning it up. Top notch work.

[@JacquestinybubblesDAoust]

beautiful work, I like watching a true professional at work congratulation Eric

[@AutoFocus-se]

@15:43"Some kind of magic box" Priceless, as always good job Eric. :)

[@SouthMainAuto]

AutoFocus It makes unicorns....

[@robertfincham5204]

I have watched every one of your videos they are very informative and I like to see them around 45 minutes to 1 hour long I usually watch them after my grandchildren go to bed it's very entertaining to me thank you very much

[@SouthMainAuto]

Robert Fincham That's cool Robert, glad you enjoy them :)

[@danielvaldezaguirre]

What a joy to see your old vids have a lot of views, you totally deserve 10 million subs, best YT mechanic channel ever.

[@dannyhenson6532]

plp don't give this man thumbs down he the best what he dose and I I think he makes the very good logs thanks my friend for a other geat logs bud

[@ImaDrummer55]

Great job, Eric !! I wish I could find a conscientious mechanic like you in my area. No shortcuts and fixing it right -- wow !! What a concept !! Wish there were a lot more like you out there !! I may take a ride and visit your shop to work on my vehicle some day !!

[@russdavis1960]

I know this vid is a couple years old but I think 2 words can describe the issue. Conversion Van. As was said at the end, conversion vans have their own 'chicken scratch' wiring and I wouldn't be surprised if this was part of the original 'conversion'. Side note. I once bought a 2000 Impala for cheap. Upon investigating I found 2 remote start systems piggybacked. Yup, someone didn't even bother to remove the 1st aftermarket set up and simply added wires on top of wires. I ended up with a pile approx. 3 times bigger than the one in this vid by the time I was done with the reversal. Good job on the diagnosis of the problem and the removal of the 'twist and tape' mess.

[@raymondcascella4920]

Great work as usual. I thought I was the only one that would fix things like striping out loose wires and fixing loose battery boxs. It's called pride in one's work, seems to be something that's lost with most people today.

[@stuzman52]

Nice diagnostics Eric and glad to see that you got that crap out of there. I'm not a fan of that stuff either. Keep up the good work!

[@SouthMainAuto]

stuzman52 Thanks Terry :)

[@Silent-Lucidity]

What a hack job! I would have cut that crap out also! Great video sir! I've been watching all your content since I discovered your channel a couple weeks ago!

[@Mr92cadi]

reporting from san antonio texas. yes it is nice not dealing with all the rust. i work for the postal service in the vehicle maint department, so all we have to deal with is crappy parts not the aftermarket garbage. great video as always eric, keep up the great work

[@alimanfoud138]

when you chopped and threw away that aftermarket crap ,you exhibited confidence rarely exit among mechanics salute you

[@Brooklynraised68]

you sir are a great mechanic you inspire me to diy tnx

[@SouthMainAuto]

Luis Martel Thanks Luis

[@JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

He is beyond a mechanic. He is genius tracking down electronic signaling between the various modules.

[@kylekelley213]

You should become an auto teacher.You really good at what you do.

[@SouthMainAuto]

Kyle Kelley I'd prolly choke a young kid and get fired haha

[@1RAYGC]

The guy with the broken Ford from Texas traveling in NY and he breaks down at South Main Auto Repair, now that's some serious good luck. Most repair shops couldn't or wouldn't touch this problem.

[@nodak81]

Can't describe how satisfying it was to watch you just cut all that aftermarket crap out of there. I'm one of those people that obsessively likes my cars to be stock. I was reluctant to even have a GPS on the dash.

[@testosteroneinc.3800]

12 people are alarm installers. 😂

[@Jihadbearzwithgunz]

Crappy alarm installers.

[@dcrickerson9775]

Very thorough job and great video ! I'm with you on the aftermarket add on garbage. I like your little heat gun you used to shrink those butt splices.

[@SouthMainAuto]

DC Rickerson it is made by power probe.

[@southerncrossdream288]

I agree with every single word you said. I especially like the part where you found the little wrench behind the battery! Good presentation, well done, very professional, mild mannered! I bought an f350 with jumper wires and aftermarket crap i was furious looking at spaghetti! I wish i could bring it to south main auto!

[@MeetJoeBlack55]

I agree 100% .... I only buy cars that are 100% STOCK .... NO add-ons .. NO aftermarket crap .. Factory Equipment ONLY .... and that rule has served me well. Wish your shop was in my town, as I get older, I'm gonna need a good, honest, common sense shop !!! Keep up the great videos ... they help me learn new stuff about the cars I own. (one of which is a 2003 E150 Van !!). Thanks again !!! :)

[@grizzlydan8]

I Like wiring. I solder whenever access permits, but think that heat shrink butt connectors are fine for interior work if installed carefully. A few years ago I snipped a pile of aftermarket electronic boxes and wire from under the dash of an old Toyota truck I bought.

[@jborde]

been watching a while and definitely like this one, throw that 3rd party junk away! Man I tell you if I had a mechanic like you I'd be a happy camper

[@SouthMainAuto]

jborde Snip snip GONE!

[@MiamiSunrise]

My favorite part of this video is from 15:50 to 16:12 when it becomes clear that aftermarket crap was just too much and had to go haha! Great video!

[@559942]

no goggles, no gloves ,welding away like a whiz. ..man you belong with us here at the blue nile ! Great job as always! !

[@SouthMainAuto]

Magboul Eltahir Haha man most people scream at me haha

[@tragichero7746]

My friend wonders why I told him not to get a aftermarket remote starter on his brand new car..... This sh$# right here is why.

[@satamanschmidt3428]

What I've never understood is why the OEM's don't offer a remote start as a factory option. That way they could design a plug and play part that simply inserts into the factory harness without the necessity of butchery. Remote starters are highly desirable in many climates (too hot or too cold) why not offer it as an overpriced option done right.

[@TheTexasCoder]

SATAMAN Schmidt 100% agree! That may be the reason we are seeing newer vehicles with factory remote start systems, pressure from the Technicians and consumers for reliable systems. Eric, great job on diagnosing that and yanking that "cancer" out. And I am excited your shop got some Texas lov'n! SATAMAN Schmidt, do you sell those swivel connectors Eric has on his air tools?

[@WizzRacing]

SATAMAN Schmidt The factory does offer it. As mine come with the factory wiring breakout cords to install an alarm, remote start and ignition disable. It comes in a big ass box with like 6 different applications with the factory tags on each one and the wiring diagram. Which was 3'x3' for the very same vehicle Eric just fixed. Just people don't want to pay for it.

[@Jonathan11225]

SATAMAN Schmidt alot of Manafacturer do for almost a decade back in 2005,GM offered factory Remote start on many models ,now i dont know for the Imports,butyou can get factory remote start on pretty much any newer Domestic cars out there, i have it on my 2012 Chrysler 200 and it works super great no need for cheap ass plastic spare remote all on the same Keyfob and no worries about bad installation and such

[@HCFX2011]

SATAMAN Schmidt Every American manufacturer offers remote start as a factory option, it's the Germans and Asians that don't. I don't understand why, remote start has swayed me to American from Asian and German manufacturers in the past. Knowing it's installed properly at the factory is a much better thought than some spotty idiot teenager doing a twist and tape on my brand new vehicle.

[@mikeZinck]

The newer mazda vehicles factory remote starts are plug and play. Takes 15 minutes to install.

[@houstonfirefox]

I do avionics installs in aircraft and an install like that would get your ticket revoked in a heartbeat - glad you got it back to 'factory' as much as possible. When installing the 'environmental butt connectors' (but connectors with gel inside), perform a 2-3lb 'pull test' after crimping to ensure they are crimped spot-on prior to heat shrinking them. Even if you do you best you'd be surprised how many you 'thought' were crimped right but come apart because of a misplaced tool. Always a pleasure to watch your channel and God Bless!

[@peskybobcat]

Your a good man for doing the job right not many people out there left like you I would have you work on my van

[@rtdc5662]

82 people with plastic spinner hubcaps and black widow tint have you thumbs down

[@bladeproject1]

I had the same EXACT issue with GF's Yukon intermittent start. Yanked all of it out and yes alarm aftermarket looked to be put in with a rush. My own vehicle, had a stereo put in. After, I pulled the center console, it was loose and half the screws were missing. Yes aftermarket junk and installers arei a joke!

[@akawireguy1197]

"Scope on a rope." Love it. I still have my Snap On 12 volt test light I bought when I was 20. That makes it 45 years old. Through the decades that thing has been my most valued diagnostic tool for automotive electrical. I've used it dozens and dozens of times. Also my Snap On remote start switch. For a guy working alone it is indispensable.

[@frankbose544]

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to show this I along with many others appreciate it

[@kurtisbrabeck5270]

After watching these in my auto class and ending up subbing the channel, I can now say that if I ever find myself in New York (from AZ, so rust-free) I'll ask them to tow me to SMA.

[@SouthMainAuto]

Kurtis Brabeck In your auto class? Like in school?

[@kurtisbrabeck5270]

+South Main Auto Repair Yes, I am in my second year of Auto in High School, and we periodically watch these because my instructor enjoys the ways that you do things, by taking the smart approach, and not just immediately replacing something and having the customer come back with the same problem.

[@SouthMainAuto]

+Kurtis Brabeck Oh cool :) What school ?

[@kurtisbrabeck5270]

+South Main Auto Repair Gilbert High School, all the way out in AZ. Jonathan Strait is the instructor. Love the class and I love your work.

[@SouthMainAuto]

Well that is pretty cool. How often do you guys watch my videos?

[@EngineMechanic128]

I love the sign in the background lol trust me I m a mechanic

[@orfeous]

what sign?

[@scrimmy6969]

orfeous When Eric was in the van trying to start the van in the beginning of the video. The sign was is on the wall

[@williamdeshields1694]

You are a good Mechanic! I had a similar problem, but I had major corrosion on the regulator terminal beside the battery.

[@mark98070]

Guess I got lucky with my aftermarket remote start and a separate alarm system. Both systems were installed at the same time by the same shop. 22 years later they still work & never had any issues. No twist-n-tape here.....Great video Eric.

[@jfbmax]

You are the best but please put safety google when you do welding.

[@leocurious9919]

Yes please. Closing your eyes is not going to block everything.

[@jamesfaison9410]

jfbmax, "goggles"

[@rollingreveler683]

He deployed safety squints.

[@JeffreyStrader]

Tornado siren sounds when your filming, what do you do....You edit it out and ignore the EF-5 headed right for you....LOL!

[@SouthMainAuto]

Jeffrey dontyouwish Noon whistle

[@PurpleFenderMan]

That wire torch is so cool! Also yes, it does rock to work on cars down here in Houston! It is hot as hell though.

[@Murmeltje415]

Great Channel and work! I always thought there were no pros about cars in the US, but you've proven me better!

[@wtbm123]

I agree about the aftermarket junk

[@SouthMainAuto]

wtbm123 Want me to ship it to ya?

[@Mr.G626]

"and this is how we take care of aftermarket junk"..(snip snip) haha

[@mikechiodetti6737]

Great Video! I had something like that done to my Nissan when I bought it. Fast forward 5 years later, with a troublesome unit, I ripped it out, cleaned up the wiring, vehicle's been good since then! NEVER LET SOMEONE INSTALL AN AFTERMARKET ALARM OR ANYTHING ELSE! The jerk even blew out the taillight fuse! Pissed me off, had to buy spare fuses! Never saw that knucklehead again! Good Job on your part!

[@ponyhorse127]

Great video!!!!.....great example how the things must be done!!!.....The aftermarket stuff adds good things to vehicles that didnt have them from factory. But they must be put on very carefully to work well and by people qualified to do so!!!!....Eric is right in everything he said. It takes time to do things right. Great job fixing this van!!! Congratulations for being a real professional!!!!

[@SouthMainAuto]

Thanks +Fidel Robles !

[@547Rick]

Interesting job!! I like that crimping tool you have. May I ask what make it is?

[@SouthMainAuto]

Rick Anderson Snap-On

[@dougstermcclellan5105]

Those are the best!

[@fr8trainUS]

South Main Auto Repair can you share the model number? I’m not seeing them on Snap-On’s website

[@joetiller1031]

How did that rig make it to New York.

[@Xfolium1]

Just enjoy your videos, I'm the guy who quietly leans over you as you work on my car. sometime handing you a tool or parts you drop. I learned a lot and my tech was patient and we had good conversations, we even went on family outings, dinners. Do miss him and his family.

[@al52269]

By the time your done fixing wires. It's going to run like a new van. Great video as always. Thanks for sharing

[@deepsquat600]

hmm one wonders if the van owner did the wiring ... seeing as he was knowledge able enough to by pass the ignition switch ?

[@SouthMainAuto]

deepsquat600 It was a "dealer item" i am told haha

[@asavage1576]

Ha there's a guy at work. Real old guy who's electrical knowledge is very sub par. I'm gonna start calling him twist n tape lol

[@SouthMainAuto]

asavage1576 Haha the old twist and tape special

[@fr8trainUS]

His stuff gets the pine tree warranty, eh? Warranty is valid until you drive past the first pine tree!

[@jeffryblackmon4846]

A friend's Escort had a similar rat's nest from the previous owner's install of a high power stereo amp. I forget the exact symptoms, but the cure was just what you did- remove the offending equipment and restore the wiring. Thank you for taking us along as you worked.

[@2002flstci]

impressive Eric, truly impressive work on your part.