Hack Job! Mechanic Botches Engine Replacement! Multiple DTC's

[@jamesgeorge4874]

The shop I work at is currently at $80 hr, the owner is 77 years old, and is the first to arrive, last to leave, and in business for over 50 years, the shop, and everything in have been paid for, nothing is financed, and he pays his techs good, because he *can* ! Keep up the good work, Ray.

[@scannerlanier471]

That is one nice thing about your employer, low overhead, and is willing to share the treasure with employees. That is a rarity these days. Most owners suck the life out of a business for their mansions and toys.

[@jamesgeorge4874]

@@scannerlanier471 it 27 years to get there. If I had to do it again, I would be more bold, sooner.

[@firstlast---]

80 an hour is insane

[@jamesgeorge4874]

@@firstlast--- $175 an hour is common in big cities, most local shops are $100/ hr, lol $80/hr is cheap !

[@firstlast---]

@@jamesgeorge4874 that's what I'm saying lol I don't know how any shop is surviving off 80 an hour in this economy

[@Mechanicslife1984]

Honesty is the best policy I've been mechanicing for 34 years and I've noticed a lot of people only trusted me cause I've been honest and did my mechanic jobs well 👍🏿

[@Andrew-ep4kw]

Absolutely. I had a local garage work on the emission system on my car and the check engine light came back on shortly after. I took it back and they found a leak in the canister they installed, probably a poorly seated o-ring. They repaired it at no charge, and the car was fine after that.

[@evelynsahoe8896]

yup mistakes happen and it's best to just own up to it instead of trying to hide them, sure you'll get made fun of for a few days at the shop but I'd rather that than contribute to why no one trusts mechanics.

[@darrinthomas9037]

I appreciate your honesty even when it sheds light on your industry. A good mechanic is indeed worth their weight in gold.

[@Mprikiman]

Indeed!

[@jeffbecker9809]

Just be open & honest with your customers you will find a lot of repeat business like this. I always would, and that builds trust.

[@thomasmleahy6218]

Weight in gold.

[@FenrirYT13]

Not many out there. I have a mechanic I use when the job is way to much for me. Been using him for over 10 years on any of my cars Keith was the owner and solo mechanic now his son took it over and he is just as honest and amazing.

[@pwarren1516]

I really wish you could expose these crooked people, so no one else gets screwed by them. This is why I'm a KZbin certified mechanic. Every time I've taken a vehicle to a shop, it's been a similar experience to this. Learned pretty early in life if you want something done right, do it yourself. The world needs more people like Ray, who are true professionals and take pride in their work.

[@David-ik8wj]

the tech that installed that engine needs to stick to oil changes.

[@pwarren1516]

@@David-ik8wj I wouldn't even trust them to do that right

[@andrewdonohue1853]

@@pwarren1516 probably use a 1/2 drive air impact to reinstall the drain plug, or not install the drain plug at all.

[@ForsakenLiye]

@@andrewdonohue1853let’s not forget leaving the o ring from the previous filter

[@andrewdonohue1853]

@@ForsakenLiye i always look at the filter i have removed to make sure the gasket is still attached, sometimes it's difficult to see depending upon where the filter is mounted it, but the gasket should always come off with it

[@joepeanut6827]

I gota say Ray, I've watched your channel from the time you worked at the dealership, and then moved to your own shop.. but since then I haven watched for a couple of years. since that time you have hired two helpers, that shows' that being honest and doing right by your customers, pays off. from the first time I watched your channel I was impressed by your work ethic and your honesty. Thank you Ray. you stand taller then most other's in your field.

[@DanielSan-ch7dr]

Yeah I think his honesty was what caused issues in the past cause he wouldn't blindly install 1k worth of parts just cause someone else said it needed it, hence taking money out of the bosses pocket and they usually don't like that. There's enough broken stuff in the world that shops are booked weeks in advance so there's really no need to lie about things to get extra jibs.

[@rhondohslade]

​@@DanielSan-ch7drMy Altima is due for an oil change and CVT fluid change and I had to schedule 4 weeks out. Fortunately, I realized it was going to be a while, so I planned ahead.

[@animejanai4657]

Do the helpers sometimes show up in the videos working on other cars? They didn't seem to be in the shop that day.

[@johnschuster1770]

Good Man, Ray. To the mechanic who installed the engine. If you're going to do a job, DO IT RIGHT!

[@tomtke7351]

I AM impressed. You start your own business repairing automobiles and classically, "you hit the ground running!" You have employees, an office manager, and 3 bays that seem to always be full. I'd assume your finance statement is profit = not red. And you don't appear to be stressed from it all. They say: "do what you love and never work a day in your life!" Small business is the backbone of America and you are a staunch contributor. AGAIN: I am impressed.

[@RainmanRaysRepairs]

It has its moments of terror but we work through!

[@tomtke7351]

@@RainmanRaysRepairs so... add to your list of attributes that you are adaptable having extensive problem solving skills. In Business 101, half a century ago for me, they gave complicated business problems that were fraught with conflicts and with seemingly no clear answer. The answer was always a tradeoff. Management is just that: finding the most acceptable solution knowing there will be shortcomings. I.E. business management is less than perfect.

[@jdub976]

When everyday you hear negative things on the news it is nice to see someone doing well. I think with his honest approach he will do very well on his own. Your right by the look of the bays everyday I assume he is.

[@RainmanRaysRepairs]

@@jdub976 Booked out for weeks at all time, I’m very busy and could use more space

[@jostouw4366]

Having a good reputation has it's drawbacks than?@@RainmanRaysRepairs

[@darthlooper3625]

ya know, it seems like a tiny little thing, easily unnoticed, but i really appreciate it when you wish us all a good day at the beginning of your videos. "Good day to you" has made quite a few of my bad days, just a little bit better. thank you ray.

[@BiigMoneyGrip]

Common decency isn’t a dead art, my friend. Doesn’t cost a dime to be nice.👍👍

[@johnalees99]

Yep, learned my lesson on getting motors replaced many years ago. Got an exchange motor put in my old Datsun to replace the tired original motor. All was good until a few months later, when I was out one day, got caught in the rain, and put the heater on to help dry myself out. 15 minutes later, car was overheating. After walking an hour or more to a petrol station, calling my dad for help and having him come out to tow me home the best part of 100km (bless him). I went under the bonnet the next day and discovered the installers had cut corners by not installing the heater hoses, which I saw as soon as I put water in the radiator and turned the car on. With the heater on, coolant was just pouring out the cut ends of the hoses. I wasn't too happy, knowing all my trouble could have been avoided for the sake of a couple of hoses. But on the bright side, the motor was fine and outlived the car, and the fix was simple. Lesson learned.

[@johnmcbride311]

Datsun, there is a brand name from the past. I had to do a lot of work on the 610 my family had when I was younger. Although I preferred the working rom around engine in my 67 Kaiser cj5.

[@justin.gollnick]

It blows my mind that some technicians make mistakes like that, whether they don't care or they're just complete oblivious, that is something that's hard to over look. If I'm working on my car or a customer's car, I can't help but double and even triple check work, otherwise I cant sleep at night!

[@shawnwimberly9294]

A few months later??? Seems kind of unlikely to be honest

[@aeroflopper]

agree, only a few actually had a valve to shut off hot water to the heater core, which only shut off the inlet to heater core. if either pipe was not connected, the system would empty in no time.​@shawnwimberly9294

[@dawlben2247]

My dad had a Datsun that lasted for 210k. I think it was an '85.

[@CPUDOCTHE1]

Videos like this sure make me glad that my son and I can do our own repairs.

[@larrygulick6080]

The complexity of this truck makes me appreciate my old POS's and their simplicity. Thanks for documenting your journey...you've more patients then i... I'd remove the gas cap, drop a lit match in and walk away.

[@thomasmleahy6218]

Patience.

[@djaydeved]

eehhh, my 97 nissan makes me want to do that anyways how many succion lines on the intake are there? Y E S. the good ol' KA24E, so many freakin vac lines and not a single diagram worth a dime to help me figure it out.

[@frankportigiano1910]

I can not stand a Person who doesn't take Pride in his/her work. Thank God for People like Ray

[@lysanderlysandrou5715]

WOW! This one REALLY makes me anxious to see part 2! I hope I never have to get my car fixed by the shop that did this.

[@michaeljenner5628]

Take your car to Rainman Ray then you won't need to worry.

[@xuser48]

@@michaeljenner5628 - Except it's far, far away. :-/

[@michaeljenner5628]

@xuser48 oh ok .

[@susanfender307]

@@michaeljenner5628 maybe that would be a business opportunity in the future- Rainman Ray trained and certified mechanics!

[@robertsturtevant6185]

@@michaeljenner5628there’s a significant wait to get Ray to work on it, and alot of people can’t leave their vehicles…….

[@grantmillard8387]

Waching you go through an engine diagnosing and extrapolating problems to error codes is really amazing. Your understanding of what causes what and how everything works inside and around the engine is really impressive. Thanks for another interesting video.

[@williamfindspeople4341]

Shabby workmanship makes a bad name for all mechanics. This channel is perfect, because everything is out in the open. Well done Ray!!

[@andyedwards2993]

You are right 💯💯💯💯

[@MPulicci78]

I love the fact the owner can bring this video to the shop that did the poor work… or to court if necessary… I would pay extra to have all my repairs filmed like this

[@wilson2455]

for an F150 with 200,000 miles on the odo, the paint & interior are immaculate !

[@stevedibiase728]

I have seen several older Fords he has worked on were interior and paint held up great to around 200k....hear that Toyota and Honda.

[@darrylmarbut47]

​He's in Florida, there's 30 year old cars on marketplace still rust free down there, up here in Michigan those Ford trucks are rotting out quick..

[@stuartdwight8191]

It's a shame that people spend good $$ on repairs and then someone has to be sloppy and cover up mistakes.

[@SportFury1966]

Something about all this whispers 'Relative' or 'Buddy'. "Think of all the money you'll save!"

[@wlan246]

Crimp connectors "protected" by electrical tape, in an area exposed to the elements? I might expect that from a teenager, but for a professional mechanic it's malpractice.

[@thomasmleahy6218]

Those connections are vulnerable to corrosion. Solder and shrink wrap.

[@jaimeroman4306]

​😮@@SportFury1966

[@jasonlandry8685]

Ray, you are an extremely good and professional mechanic. I admire your work ethics and your expertise.

[@rogersiples3335]

I was rebuilding engines at home when in high school and never had any issues with installs. It appears a second grader did this job in a hurry with no regard how things were properly routed, etc. This is the kind of work that causes shops to go out of business.

[@iancross3879]

thats not a bad thing - quicker the better!

[@realsaxual2357]

@@iancross3879doing it right once is quicker than doing it twice

[@John-or9ccUndauntedRaceCars]

Probably the same thing the installer told the shop manager that hired him. Doing @ home and thinking you can do the work a professional technician can do is exactly how this stuff happens. Been in the industry 30 years and the amount of hacks that think they are mechanics - technicians who all claim they " used to do it @ home is mind boggling.

[@SpankyCool-ib3pc]

From wrenching to builder. Professionalism is a must. NHRA Member.

[@donaldhuffman8080]

Great video to watch at 4:30 in the morning if you can’t take pride in your job and do it right don’t do it at all have a great day Ray!

[@jerryrupe1696]

I'm impressed with the amount of effort you put into your diagnosis, in other words you do it right. My rear end went on my 2015 f150 at 60k. Dealership tried to charge me $160 for a joyride and tell me there's nothing wrong. I argued for 20 min trying to get them to diagnose my truck, after threatening to charge me more money they agreed to allow me to go back with "tech" put it on rack to show him the unforseen problem. Long story short I ended up getting a complete new rear axle from Ford manufacturer due to the extent of the damage. I have a lifetime warranty on truck so it only cost me my deductible $100, even though they tried to charge me $800 for shop supplies. When I requested the shop material breakdown the $700 additional charge mysteriously disappeared.

[@sgtzsquad]

I am sure the vehicle owner is not happy. Looks like he really takes good care of his truck. Again, very informative. Thank you sir!

[@markbailey1911]

Your analysis of what the customer states and how you get to the root of the problem is just outstanding Ray. Whenever I watch your videos I always know you can sort it your'e the best YT mechanic on the planet dude keep up the great videos mate Mark

[@Phuckseeds]

South main Auto is the best, sorry.

[@donaldmacdougall1600]

There is nothing wrong with ruffling feathers when it’s done by a expert like you Ray

[@12yearssober]

He just doesn't feel like losing a day getting subpoena to testify

[@bobbg9041]

Its a fine line, posted online is advertising. The customer can say and point fingers, but Raymond can't cut down his competition like that he could get sued for slander. Doing it public is the worst then you can do it also makes you look bad. No harm in showing without names. But it gives the person who owns the truck the information he needs to get this resolved. He's spent a lot of money on this truck, he might not have had to buy a BCM, whos fault ? The rebuild shop or the installer. Was the original motor even bad? You get a lot of questions about this. And you can see the owners taken care of his truck.

[@CodycoWeb]

Professional technicians and shop owners should never pass blame or point fingers or degrade others work. The professional way to approach it is to list the needed repairs without editorial of what you feel may have caused it and state there were things done in a way other then the way you would do them and let it stop there.

[@12yearssober]

@@CodycoWeb Disagree with that. People should know what shops do crap work.

[@bearpuf]

So tell me, why shouldn't the public be made aware of callous workmanship, especially when it is clearly obvious that the job was poorly done? This is more or less a forensic teardown to locate the issues so they can be remedied, but any reasonable person would want to know if it was a part failure or an incompetent mechanic that caused the problems. I think Ray has shown himself to be very professional through his many videos and has every right to verbalize an opinion as to how these problems happened.

[@DaveB-e8m]

People put so much trust in the ability of their mechanic / dealership & pay through the nose for second rate bodged job, so annoying. I’m impressed that you took the time to do an in-depth investigation. WELL DONE.

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

While it's disheartening to see a customer get victimized by the "mechanic" who did such a poor job repairing their truck, it's so very heartening to know that people like Ray exist in this world who do right by their customers and will make everything right

[@enclove418]

❤❤❤

[@enclove418]

❤❤❤

[@jeffbecker9809]

But after you're vehicle is at a auto repair shop you should not have to take it to another shop which actually knows what they are doing.

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

@@davebryant6905 Word of mouth...ask your friends, family, coworkers etc where they take their cars and you'll start to hear some names get repeated. The good mechanics have no need to advertise as they have a loyal customer base that keeps them busy

[@WhalerGA]

@@davebryant6905 They cannot require that you use OEM parts (not that you shouldn't) and they CERTAINLY not require that you buy the parts from them.

[@charlesbell4530]

I am disappointed at the dealership. They are considered by the average customer to be the top of the rung in terms of diagnostics and repair for their name brand vehicle. So for them to be making the rest of the industry and other shops especially independent shops look like crooks is reprehensible and sad. You have helped to redeem that independent shops are doing their best for the customers in terms of wanting to not just get money from the customers but actually want to repair the concerns at hand and be trusting and good mechanics. As a professional mechanic for 23 years I like you love exposing the shady shops especially dealerships and doing what can be done to clean up the repair industry and give customers a trust worthy place to have their problems repaired honestly and correctly. As a mechanic we all make mistakes and misdiagnose things. You don’t charge the customer for these mistakes as you never have, I have quit shops that have done that in the past. So good on you Ray and keep the trust and faith of the customer front and foremost. Love your channel been with ya from just about the beginning so keep on keeping on!

[@charlesshepherd3560]

I doubt the guy that installed that engine will be upset about your comments as it doesn't appear as though they watch your videos. You show us to pay more attention to detail than they have.

[@crazy4dariver]

When I was still drag racing my first pass was great but so good I had to run immediately again to back it up. Again sweet. We did the tear down for inspection and put it back together for first round of finals. At the line that knock started. You have a choice then and there. Run it and blow it up or shut it off and save the motor. I shut it off. Say what you care to about John Force, he put his in gear and coasted down the strip but NOT to save his car but to save me shame. It may have been his longest 1/4 mile of his life. Super respect for that man. He heard me knocking and I didn't want anyone getting hurt. Big shock..Force nailed second and final round.

[@deviantarsenal]

My OCD was going crazy when you didn't immediately pick up those red tabs lol. Damn it man!

[@danielbyrnes2470]

I’m glad to see I wasn’t the only one. 🤣🤣

[@ralph5476]

I wanted to pick it up for him!

[@christopherwilson4003]

Me tooooooo

[@P-61B_Black_Widow]

Me as well

[@beaurampey375]

Me too

[@rowansinger3876]

I like seeing your process of identifying problems, theorizing possible sources, and then checking systems in a nice repeating loop.

[@patrickgoodwin3085]

Great video Ray! Showing the proper way to diagnose and showing what not to do. Hope the customer has some recourse he can do to recoup some money from said previous work.

[@LesReeves]

Think this will end up in litigation.

[@austyndrums1993]

So i just started this video and I just wanna go ahead and state. I have 6 yrs experience at a dealer. Ford 1.5 go bad often. I dont normally do engine work, i dont even have my gas engine repair certification. Due to work load ive recently been tasked with a short block replacement on a 2018 escaoe with a 1.5 l. I had a very difficult time with it. 3 weeks in and i finally got it running good after 50+ miles. After i removed the powertrain the first time i got it together and it wouldnt start, it was not timed properly. Oil pump broke, charged air cooler broke, and a spark plug was seized in the head. All found after getting it all together. I took it back out and completely tore the engine apart for the second time. After getting back together the second time, it wouldn't start. Turned out i blew the fuse for the coils. Luckily easy fix, new fuse and it was running. But then. Oil leaking out of the front cover. I had to remove the engine partially and retorque the oil pump bolts. Now it's fixed and running. First test drive after and it shifted funny. Topped off trans fluid. Test drove, runs like a champ. Next day first thing test drive by porter. He comes back, says it's misfiring and violently shaking. At this point I'm ready to quit my job. The stress in those three weeks was insane. Nonetheless, it cracked the cylinder 1 spark plug. Easy fix. It left today. Pray for me. Moral of the story, i promise i did my best. I work hard and turned 20 hrs a week for three weeks as i tried to piece this job together. I love my job, i hate this happened but if you read this far then surely you can relate to the fact that, shit happens.

[@tarundoerga]

A lot of the value i find in these videos is in going to check our cars which i now maintain myself for crappy work which mechanics could have done. So far its almost always poor electrical work done. On the bright side Ray, at least this time you didn't find wire nuts and drywall screws 😅.

[@MrCalamiteh]

This is a great watch for me. i've been learning to work on my 01 F150 (the 2V 5.4L) and am in the process of replacing the engine. Just got the old one out yesterday without breaking anything (yet)! But this is nice to watch to give me even more ideas of things to be wary and avoid. The transmission harness was top on my list as soon as I realized how tightly it's draped above the transmission. I got all the connectors off safely before pulling,; but I did make a big stupid mistake and try to separate the trans from the engine with the 7th bellhousing bolt still in it. Lol. Didn't break anything, again, just wasted time thinking the dowels were seized. But once we got that, it came right out! :)

[@DurzoBlunts]

After i had an engine replaced by a shop that botched an oil change (yes they did mess up an 07 vw passat oil change) i immediately had it taken to another shop and inspected for a job well done. Helped ease the mind of if everything was done correctly instead of waiting for noises or more breakdowns.

[@Mprikiman]

Imagine that in Europe in some of the most privileged and developed countries, they manage to botch jobs on VWs, while parts and knowledge is abundantly available. And they charge 100+ euros per hour. SMH...

[@larryssnova76]

I have probably installed 100 3 valves over the years and the only one I had a problem with came from the green parts house learned a valuable lesson from that!!

[@JimmyMakingitwork]

They(rebuilders) often don't mention the brands of parts for a few reasons Ray. Mainly they change brands as needed to finish production runs, or cut costs. Also may not have an agreement with all the brands they use for advertising them. Lastly they use cheap parts and don't want to say we used "Johnny's Pistons" in the literature, lol.

[@dotar9586]

"Almost all of the pistons in this engine come from the same manufacturer."

[@henrydillard6217]

Reminds me of a 7.3 idi jasper rebuild I saw took apart because it ran bad , 7 pistons were bored 30,000 over with new rings and pistons and the eight was stock bore, oem piston with new rings. This was years ago, I think they are better now.

[@josephrogers5337]

Some years past I had a ford f250 with the largest engine of the time. It Burn oil so I had a re-manufacture engine installed at the Ford Dealer. The new engine burn oil is the same manner. They did not believe me and made me come to the dealer and they checked and added oil. Still used oil. My fiend of the time was their top mechanic who checked out jobs of others told them to get off their duff and make it right. A another re-manufactured engine and the oil use stopped. It pays to have a master mech as a friend. The engine was known as a plumber's nightmare because of emission control. I still thank that friend of mine and how he spoke out. Warranties today only go as far as 100 feet out the door.

[@delantel6689]

Nice diagnostic, hope there is a part 2

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

The Cam Solenoids Are the connectors on front of valve Covers Raymond 13:50 @Rainman Ray's Repairs

[@raywoods523]

Your knowledge is massive. About ANY vehicle that you work on. Keep doing the long video's sir. Very helpful. Cant wait for part 2 or 3. Have a great day

[@jdub976]

I'm a fan of the long videos to. It's my time in the morning to have an hour to myself before the kids wake up.

[@jostouw4366]

He seems very knowledgeable for one so young 😉

[@jeremyritsema2532]

Then to put a Fram oil filter back on it. The main culprit of the tensioner seals blowing out. Oil drains back and creates a water hammer on the seals upon startup.

[@bohaggin5913]

The main culprit of the tensioner seals is the tensioner seals. The old design was terrible. The new plastic ones have excellent seals now. No more blow outs. The oil filter has ZERO TO DO WITH THAT

[@SubmarineSquid]

Thank you for recording this Ray! As a proud original 2004 f150 5.4l 3v Triton Lariat and very active F150 forum(s) member, this video is very interesting. I definitely know of the rebuilder of that engine, especially with the valve cover paint color as well as the questionable rebuild. I would venture to say all the immediate issues were caused by the installer with a massive lack of knowledge and caring. As for Fraser rebuild, there's research pointing to the use of aftermarket parts including Dorman phasers. You are fixing alot of the issues directly caused by the installer but in no way would I trust a Fraser 5.4L 3v Triton rebuild. Seems the honest rebuilders using OEM Ford parts are becoming extinct as scammers see an easy dollar claiming rebuild, especially on the perceived history of the 5.4L 3V. Lots of disinformation out there as I'm sure you know.

[@GaryH-pw9cm]

My 2014 5.4 3 valve rattles on start up after it has sit for a few days. It has done this since new. Runs fine and no engine codes. I think it is the roller rockers before they get any oil. Once running the engine is smooth with normal engine sounds.

[@thomasjackson9218]

Yep, rattle can rebuild

[@gary9388]

​@@GaryH-pw9cmI'm pretty sure it is blown seals in the chain tensioners or broken chain guide. Very common. Try this: start the truck up but push the gas pedal all the way down, the engine won't start with wide open throttle but it will pump up the chain tensioners with oil. Just do it for 5 seconds or so, then start as normal. If you don't get the rattle - then that is what's causing it. You really want to fix them eventually because it will break the chain guides and scrap up the timing chain cover.

[@NEW_INSITE]

​@@gary9388great info. I appreciate that. Telling us how to perform a diagnostic test which actually pre lubes the tensioners is something very little people not in the automotive industry would know.

[@MegaTapdog]

@@GaryH-pw9cmyour rattle on start up could be a notorious, and as i found out, a very common small exhaust manifold leak on these engines. I had same issue and chased it for months, turns out it was a small exhaust manifold leak and once it warmed up and metal expanded it went away.

[@mrsnicks6105]

I have to say I enjoy working on older 60s - 70s vehicles. Watching you work on new vehicles just looks torturous!

[@NEW_INSITE]

I had a ford, I believe the name was explorer, pickup truck. It had a 302 engine in it. I forget the year but it was old, and there was enough room that you could crawl up in the engine bay and close the hood and still work on the truck. I love the older vehicles. God bless you.

[@silicon212]

Ray, all that loose wiring at the back of the block is likely why the thing was throwing intake runner codes. I've encountered this exact thing on a 2006 F150 with the 4.6 3V.

[@trevorus]

FordTechMakuloko covered this on his videos on this engine. It really helped me be informed when working on these.

[@dond.200]

Glad to meet Dave’s shoes! Hopefully he will become less camera shy soon. We enjoy the interactions with your employees.

[@craigcraigster4999]

I wonder if Dave would eventually agree to have his work recorded for a video -- with or without narration and without showing his face -- as a type of "how to" video until he feels more camera comfy? 🤔

[@carlcollingwood2063]

NICE! Such a shame that your customer was ripped off. However, he has you to fix it right. Keep it up Ray, your diagnostic and problem solving skills are fantastic (Ray PI ?). Great video, as always. Hello from the UK, and when are you coming here for a holiday?

[@ericwalz1402]

Very valuable information for any young tech trying to better understand a vehicle as a whole and to see the thought process behind an effective and fast diagnosis. Thank you!

[@AndrewSury]

Most IMRC issues I have found were broken clips. Second is a harness preventing the movement of the motor of said IMRC. Tight fit back there.

[@inspired3210]

BADDDDD ASSSS VIDEO..Thanks for sharing this video

[@mikeburdi3464]

Just for clarification, those heat tabs are not held on with a temperature sensitive glue that allows them to fall off if the engine overheats. They are actually aluminum rings with a solder center. When the engine overheats, the solder melts, simple. They are also called melt tabs and they are usually held on with a 2 part epoxy.

[@NEW_INSITE]

I appreciate you telling us about that soldered aluminum tab to hold those stickers in. I worked in HVAC and they used similar soldered type of tabs on the Outlet on top of furnaces that use electric heat strips. If the fan died for some reason, in the heat strips were still on, to prevent fire in the duct system there is a metal emergency type of box above the air Outlet which will allow the tabs to melt at the solder joint releasing a spring-loaded accordion style door which will completely close off above the furnace it is all metal and fireproof. I used to hate it when sometimes the motor would go bad from either the capacitor or people getting their air filter too dirty would cause the air flow to go down, this would result in high temperatures enough to melt that solder tab, even though the fan was trying to blow, it couldn't get any air past the dirty air filter. So when these emergency lock boxes closed they were a serious pain in the rear to reach your hand up in there above and through the top of the Furnace opening to get those spring doors pushed back into place and then to wire in a new solder tab. I know some people just used a piece of wire to close it off, but that would result in a possible fire hazard because it would never release again. I always went and had a supply of those solder tabs and put them back in like they were supposed to be. Anyway thank you for bringing this to light. God bless you.

[@mikeburdi3464]

@@NEW_INSITE Thank you very much and God bless you as well! 🙏🏼 I didn't know that they used what you explained in HVAC. I learned something new today, it's going to be a good day !!

[@JJ-Toreddie]

Straight facts. This isn't click Bait level but close

[@CaptainRon13]

WOW!!! This was a great video. As a F 150 owner, I appreciate the in-depth diagnosis. Keep,it up. Thank you for all,your hard work.

[@littlered1880]

Morning Ray, great videos and repairs. I see you using a razor blade to open tape wrapped around wires. I found using a sewing stitch seam ripper, it is much safer on the wires and especially you flangies.

[@robertleach6402]

golden suggestion simple but important

[@OnzaRob]

Great to watch a skilled mechanic with true diagnostic/fault finding skills at work

[@hot_wheelz]

Gotta love the early uploads .... Thanks for the daily fix Ray!

[@Philscbx]

Always reminds me how I learned every swear word in vocabulary from working on fleet of squad cars in village of St Paul Mn in late sixties, and of course it's no mystery who made them. But when they were towed in from high speed chases with blown engines, they were already to go rebuilt when Chief of Police came for coffee the next morning. Working on them all through the night. If the officers were bored, we provided shootibg gallery for them to practice in one of the bays using roll of belting for repairing the wrecker sling, they could unwind the roll to examine penetration. Fun times.. Cheers

[@theodavies8754]

I've watched enough of ray's repairs to buy the tools and crack on. Thanks for sharing an attitude that gets it done.

[@Jay.Kellett]

Ray seems to have the same philosophy as me. "God I love a challenge." A man with a "Can Do." attitude! Good work Ray,

[@gazza750]

I admit I am not a mechanic but I am sure I could have done a cleaner installation of that engine. Big ups to you Ray for being the stand up guy and having this owners back to get it sorted properly

[@svthorasailing4868]

This folks,is going to be a great video.

[@legionofanon]

Always a great video

[@IndridCool54]

I have a 2005 F150 5.4 3V with a third of a million miles. When I bought it it had 25 miles. Engine has never been opened and I have great oil pressure still. I change the oil regularly and used Motorcraft synthetic blend oil until Covid made it unavailable. I upgraded to full synthetic. This summer I went to 5/30 full synthetic as opposed to the factory spec 5/20 because I’ve been towing my 19ft travel trailer around the southwest US. I’m also a proponent of ZMax micro lubricant and I add it every few oil changes. This summer I’ve also been adding Lucas full synthetic high mileage oil treatment. I’d love to make 500,000 miles just because! 😎👍🏼

[@Vchat20]

The one thing that caught my attention was the CHT sensor. I know on some Ford's (EDIT: Upon researching, looks like this applies to the 5.4 3V as well. Good to know!) they rely on it exclusively to infer the coolant temp which could definitely cause a handful of issues on its own. But that's like one item in a sea of garbage on this one.

[@michaelwhite278]

The 5.4 3v is a great platform. My expedition is at 200k. All you have to do is maintain it. I love my 5.4!

[@johnmarino4085]

Clearly the engine installer was trying to beat the book time to increase his $110/hr labor and the results speak for themselves!

[@larrybe2900]

Along with that, why the multiple splices on various components?

[@Mprikiman]

@@larrybe2900 probably they forgot to unplug some cables, then they got ripped apart when they pulled the engine out.

[@108gk]

I raised my labor rate last month. Unrelated to auto repair and I'll raise it again after new year. Along with that I'll also bump up the markup on some parts from 10% to 15%.

[@aliasfred]

I NEVER use butt connectors, I solder and heat shrink, never had corrosion problems that way.@@larrybe2900

[@KendrasEdge757]

Ya get what you pay for

[@Gruin]

Excellent, Excellence "The Finest Kind" As they say in New England..... Thank You for Giving Your Time to Film and Giving us Your Observations and Historical Knowledge in the Spoken Language of Your Professional Trade through Years of Experience.

[@Boga217]

South main auto charges $90 an hour and almost all shops in my part of Louisiana are charging $90.

[@aaronkoivu]

Big city shops are changing over $110, I left Chrysler dealership in 2019 and door rate was $139 I think it’s at $160 now, my shop is one hour north off the city I am charging $90

[@Boga217]

@@aaronkoivu yes I know, but he was basically saying its not possible to find that these days.

[@richardramon2175]

My local mechanic charges $200 an hour and upticked a couple jobs he did on my truck. He charged me $1800 for my timing belt and water pump. He also charged me $600 for completing the installation of my heater core (I did all the hard work but for some reason could not get the heater core housing bolted onto the firewall). This was on my Grand Marquis. I an old man and was unable to get underneath the dashboard to get the 3 nuts and bolts in. He or someone at his shop never pulled the dash out and it probably took them 30min to complete the job. To his credit, he did attach the intake and outtake heater hoses for me. Anyhoo, I would rather do my repairs myself unless I cannot handle them. I'm just a newbie at this DIY stuff and not a mechanic.

[@samholdsworth420]

It's over $200 here in Southern California

[@innesm]

It’s an absolute pleasure watching your videos, whoever fitted that engine should have his qualifications stripped off them, and banned from attempting to do anything to engines ever again. Whoever owns that vehicle has paid good money, and has had his truck bodged up. 🤬🤬🤬🤬 It’s fantastic that there are true and honest technicians like you. Keep up the great work that you do. 😊😊😊

[@danacoyle1826]

I know of 4 shops that are under $100. where is shops are charging $189 an hour are empty. these shops that are low price are continuously busy.some are up to 3 weeks before customers can be seen. Though I'm retired I would much rather work in a shop that was busy and still make money than sitting on my butt doing nothing but I guess if you work by the hour you can take all the time you want. I worked flat rate and usually doubled or tripled my weekly paycheck

[@alabama2uz]

We are at $85- $150 in my area, but the $150hr shops are always 3 weeks out. They do a good job, and back it up. People will wait and pay more to know what they're going to get.

[@aaronbritt2025]

Depends on where you are. There are NO shops near $100/hr here in Vegas. Some are even at $200/hr.

[@alabama2uz]

@@aaronbritt2025 My specialty shop, and premium dealers here are in the $150 to $250 range. They stay pretty consistent on price, at that level.

[@adamkane3736]

@@aaronbritt2025 Yeah...location and demographics matter. Around here, almost every shop (even dealers) are around $100 or less. A couple have tried to open over the years that were about $125/hr, but they didn't last long. One of them did great work too, but their work wasn't $25/hr better than the next closest competitor.

[@themetalfusionologist]

I get the fact technology is advancing and it cost more to work on them…but $200 an hour for labor is getting a bit ridiculous

[@thetransporter2411]

This is one of the benefits of information for vehicle owners when carrying out repairs, in the a documentary from start to finish, good job Ray😊👍🏻

[@azsunnin]

I watch you too much Ray. I walked into my bathroom and reached for the light switch and knocked off an almost empty can of shaving cream. It hit the hardwood floor and bounced/slid across it and I instantly yelled "ANOTHAAA". My wife came running in to see if I was ok. Once I explained she just shook her head and walked away. 😂😂

[@jostouw4366]

Well at least she used to care!😇

[@tomhendricksen1805]

My father, who learned basic mechanics on his 5 Model T Fords, taught me to never use gasket glue unless provided by the gasket manufacturer. I have followed that teaching against all of the negative comments by my friends. If I had a leak problem, it was because I did something wrong. Not the gasket. I appreciate your view and approach concerning gasket glue. It makes engines much harder to disassemble when needed.

[@kimkeam2094]

Ray, I reckon the actuator motor probably has stripped or broken gears as the movement appears to have no mechanical resistance when you moved them. Since it is in a difficult position are you replacing that as well?

[@icycoolstudios]

my mustang has the same imrc and it does have resistance and a noticeable gear turning sound when you do move it, so i think your probably right

[@davidpowell3347]

Can you test them by applying some power from,say,a 9 v transister radio battery and see whether the motor "actuates" ?

[@michaelmcclure8673]

Rainman I'm glad you take the time to record this stuff. It's like you're wearing a body camera to protect and serve your customers. 🎉🎉🎉😊

[@staycurious3954]

This video will make great evidence in small claims court 🎉

[@StevebuckBuck]

My bad I have a 3 valve expedition I'm now glued to this..

[@matthewstott3493]

I really despise working on someone else's mess. This happens in other technical fields all the time. I once had a tech install a network appliance completely upside down in the network rack. He just rotated the decorative front face plate so the logo was right-side up, thinking no-one would notice. In addition, the network cables were stretched super tight which is not good. I went to fix the cables when I noticed it was installed upside down. Ended up reviewing all his work and discovering numerous additional issues. Just plain lazy because he wasn't a newbie. Had to stop the entire upgrade, roll back and reschedule. Suffice to say, he wasn't invited to travel to that office when it was rescheduled. Another time, electricians decided to use cheaper out-of-spec shielded 8 pair wire. They didn't use the Belkin nor generic spec'd wire on the blueprints. They bought wire that wasn't shielding the individual pairs because it was much cheaper. Obviously, the spec was there for a reason and the proximity badge readers failed to function. The electrician had to re-pull several thousand feet of wire and re-run the correct wire as a result. Other times, electricians failed to label wire pulls so I go into a closet and there's a spaghetti mess of identical cable on the floor with absolutely nothing labeled. It took two of us using a fox and hound to tone out each individual wire (literally hundreds of them) to locate where the wire was routed. As you can imagine there are now contract terms with the electricians to prevent things like this from happening along with built-in penalties as such events cause delays that cause problems for others on the project and typically involve a financial impact when blowing past a service-level-agreement deadline. Oh and wire nuts / crimps are not good with data cables. Neither is using a coupler outdoors along with non-outdoor rated cable. 🤦‍♂ I am not an automotive guy but I watch Ray's content because his trouble-shooting and logical analysis is top-notch! This is something that is very hard to teach and some people are entirely incapable of performing such work. These are the sort of videos I can really identify with.

[@opendstudio7141]

👍😀

[@829joliver]

As a former Network Administrator, (now retired) I too well know your pain having met with a number of very similar Physical Layer situations during my career...

[@merlingriffin3861]

uI worked many years in local government, much of our stuff was done by the "low bidder," and you could tell. We had one of our labs remodeled. We warned the engineer and contractor that the area had a corrosive atmosphere and they needed to somehow seal the network connectors against corrosive vapors. Of course we were ignored. We dissolved some of the network connections. I also had one computer connected to the trace mercury analyzer, that we ate the guts out of a floppy drive back in the day. We also managed to destroy a network interface card on an ICP. So we got to tell the powers that be, hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. Then we had another buidling remodeled, and the electrical subcontractor, was a new small outfit owned by a woman. That's what they liked on smaller projects, was to hire women and minority owned sub-contrators, so the same good ol' boys could get the big contracts. She ended up with the only electrictian working for her was her drunk brother-in-law. They made a real mess of things. I'm all for women and minorities becoming successfiul in business, but let's get the ones that know what they are doing. I am so proud of Ray teaching the wife unit, how to help out in the shop, with more than just the paperwork, which that's very important too. They have to pay for the parts, pay the other techs, then appropriately bill the customers.

[@eelcogg]

It's the same story every time. Some idiot just throws stuff together so he can go home 5 minutes early, and then someone else has to work late to fix it when it breaks 2 days later

[@ron7101]

I been working on car 34 years.Great troubleshooting.

[@jtjones4727]

Anytime I see those heat tabs installed on an engine, it makes me think of junkyard engines. I guess rebuilders use them also. Also, these engine "rebuilders" are not all created the same. I can't help but feel like whomever built that engine may have cheaped out on the parts. I can't help but wonder if all the VCT solenoids and phasers and sensors are just Dorman parts or some other Chinesium crap. The quality level of the repair seems to be all over the place. The installer didn't even attempt to place the wiring harnesses and connectors back in their assigned spots, at least most of the ones I saw. And that crappy paint job, those valve covers look like garbage, the paint is peeling off, and they just painted over the stickers. They should have a bit of pride in what they do.

[@worriedrepublican9304]

High quality Americanesium installation to match Chinesium crap.

[@Mprikiman]

@@worriedrepublican9304 hahahah,.good one!

[@aliasfred]

Tape costs too much.

[@blaqlabspodcast5816]

Just FYI they're all cheap chinesium crap😂😂😂 That changes is how important the quality inspection is on our end.. Phasers won't kill an engine what will is plastic tensioners that leak down the front of the block and bleed off all the oil pressure to the heads.

[@blaqlabspodcast5816]

Just FYI they're all cheap chinesium crap😂😂😂 What changes is how important the quality inspection is on our end.. Phasers won't kill an engine what will is plastic tensioners that warp or crack, then leak down the front of the block and bleed off all the oil pressure to the heads.

[@jonathanbrown1120]

my dads 5.4 lasted 380,000 miles original engine and trans, always maintained at ford dealer. still ran fine he just wanted a new truck and traded it in.

[@danmaynard1383]

My guess is the “installer” is new, (probably a kid) and instead of telling his boss that he was having trouble, he just hid everything and pretended it was all good.

[@wendwllhickey6426]

What the hell are they hiring parts changers to rebuild engine 😢

[@nonoman305]

At first I was skeptical about your distain for the previous installers as the one o2 sensor was tied up even if improper and the one wire repair was nice and the other wasn’t causing a problem, but then you pulled up that intake and I realized you picked on the warning signs of a hack faster than I did lol

[@Chris_the_Muso]

The owner must really love that 200k mile F150 to spend that kind of money on it, then pay you to diagnose the problems when it didn't go right.

[@svthorasailing4868]

New one in Oz is $140,000.Ray is a better option in my opinion.

[@Clearanceman2]

Plus, the body will last 30 years in FL if he stays away from the beach.

[@john_in_phoenix]

First thing I noticed was the condition of the interior of a truck with 200k miles. Someone takes very good care of that vehicle.

[@Chris_the_Muso]

@@svthorasailing4868 Yes, but that's the states and they should be able to get a new one for less than $50K, and that's for the 5 litre. Something with low mileage would be a lot cheaper. I still think this vehicle means a lot to the owner otherwise he wouldn't put himself through it when it's never going to be as reliable as when it was new. Constant shop visits from here on in, that vehicle will probably put Ray's kids through college... (joking, but not joking).

[@dalesmth1]

I’m driving an 07 with 200K on it. It still runs, looks, and drives like new.

[@fishon1073]

I have the 5.4l Triton 2V in my 2004 F250 XL. Only problem was the spark plug blew out. Helicoil replacement and good as new. Now at 280,000 miles and still going strong....but eventually will need to rebuild or replace. Still cheaper than buying a new/used Super Duty. I'm hoping I see more engine repairs similar to my F250. Thanks Ray for the great video.

[@Philscbx]

I was wondering if It see this post of blown out plugs. This was quite the crisis with these engines for some reason never actually revealed why, but I've installed hundreds of Heli-Coils since late seventies in high performance engines using aluminum heads, mainly stripped out by not coating a smear on plug threads with anti-seize to prevent aluminum from bonding to steel threads of bolts to sparkplugs. Once aluminum has bonded to steel, now force turned out, the bonded aluminum is forced to run over threads on the way out, crushing every thread in the way. Once the plug threads are exsposed, the bond of aluminum deep in the threads of plug are almost impossible to remove. Soon as builders understand how soft aluminum is, I only use machine shop supply taps for the process of installing Heli-Coils advanced by using special threading taps just for aluminum that only removes as little as aluminum as possible by compressing the aluminum making the aluminum threads much stronger. And Never once after hundreds processed has a Heli-Coil ever fail. The Heli-Coil kit comes with a basic threading tap not approved for milling threads into aluminum. Aluminum taps do not have the large flutes with sharp cutting edges, they are more elliptical in shape as they roll threads in a compressed action. One could simply consider Aluminum as old Dutch Cheese, and if overheated will certainly increase clearance beyond normal clearance for a sparkplug to move enough under high pressure of combustion. Then after Several cycles of overheat, good chance plug will blow out. If plugs are ever removed for service and halfway out plug can wiggle back & forth in its threads, indicates clearance is already too much, now add 220°F, the clearance increased even more. So for anyone with aluminum heads, be very careful how they are treated, from torque, to applied Anti-Sieze. Including motorcycles. Make darn sure no aluminum is bonded deep in plug threads. I'd even suggest getting a thread die to have handy to run over previous used plug removed to clear threads by hand removing any hidden material before possibly destroying good threads in the aluminum heads. Cheers

[@paulechelberger4141]

I was told by NGK not to use whatever that the 59:04 59:04 anodizing they said dry no oil or anti-seize 59:04 59:04 59:04 Paul 59:04

[@paulechelberger4141]

Oh yes silicone on those gaskets is contamination on O-2's and cats that can get into intake.? Oh yes your level of patience amongst that nightmare due bean counter engineering.

[@paulechelberger4141]

Paul 78 too old to do wrenching myself super frustrating, especially when I look at changing sparks on,then they have audacity requiring, changing @60k ?

[@michaeljenner5628]

Unbelievable. It makes you wonder if it actually needed a replacement engine. It's people like that who give the other places like your place Ray a bad name .

[@LesReeves]

It seems worse in the US than here in AUS ?

[@gherkinisgreat]

@@LesReeves Probably because most of the world requires regular vehicle inspections and work like this would get caught faster, therefore getting the mechanic put out of business.

[@gunztommiegunz]

That’s one of the best lights I’ve bought! The AP with wireless charging pad it mounts too is dope!❤

[@jessecain1646]

Breaking things while repairing things SMH take a little more time and do it right. Ray being the man he is is going to make it right. Your a good man Ray

[@DavusClaymore]

That valve controller the rear of the manifold exists on my 2002 f150 4.2 also. The plastic clips disintegrate after awhile. You can use Dorman window clips to replace them. You'll need to remove the intake manifold to reach them though!

[@hot_wheelz]

5 minutes in and I already sense that this is going to be a particularly juicy one. 😂

[@justin.gollnick]

it in fact WAS particularly juicy XD

[@ChazR25]

This is why I love watching good mechanics and learning from you guys. I do all the work I possibly can on my own vehicles after bad experiences with mechanics over the years. I don't trust any of them.

[@bugsy12341000]

Is Dave in the witness protection program?

[@alansungki7687]

I like the way you communicate and just talk on your videos. I apprenticed under a Red Seal Automotive Technician here in Canada and he spoke with the same tone and used the same funny little way of saying certain things like "poppen ze hood" is one that he would always say and made me crack up every time. I don't know if it's just references I was too young to understand or what it is. Even though you're located in the US but you also use a lot of the same funny little terms and phrases he would say still make me laugh. Your voice is also very similar to his so when I first saw one your videos I thought you were him, not just because of the voice but just the way pronounce certain things and use the same type of "mechanic lingo" is the only way I can describe it. I don't want you to take it the wrong way, I really enjoy your videos for that reason because he would always make me laugh even on crappy days, but he was also a good mechanic and taught me the ways of fixing motor veehicles. Big one is don't touch my damn tools, lol. As I mentioned he was a Red Seal mechanic which is the highest tier for a tech in Canada, which means his training and qualifications permit him to operate as a licensed automotive technician throughout any Province or Territory within Canada. Anyway love your videos because it shows the reality of working as technician and have a genuine respect for how you operate when doing repairs as you are very thorough with your diagnostics and properly execute your jobs. 👍👍

[@FortunateJuice]

New employees, eh? Business must be booming. Congrats.

[@deankruse8751]

Wow! I did not expect to smell the inside of my grandpas old truck the moment that the dinger started going off at 0:41 good memories

[@mrgunn2726]

Wow, I just don't understand folks not taking pride in their work.

[@Ihaveseenthings577]

Very many like that in automotive and aircraft industry nowadays, many many out of fundamentals people....

[@gmerc-zu6wz]

One thing I've come to realize is if or when our local mechanic closes doors (been using them for 38 years) and very well trusted, I would absolutely consider making a 900 mile trip for major repairs to Rays shop! No BS, straight to the point type of mechanic! Damn near impossible to find these days.

[@Alignmentguy]

So… someone put an $8000 engine into a $5000 truck? Yep. Sounds about right….

[@FollowingtheCliffNotes]

Good luck finding that for $5k

[@davidcraven277]

To replace this truck would cost 65,000 dollars or 20,000 dollars for preowned if its in good shape its worth the expense

[@Alignmentguy]

@@davidcraven277you have obviously never owned an f150 of this vintage, my 5.4 f150 is 💯 the reason I will never own a gas truck again. These are one of the worst ford trucks ever built.

[@davidcraven277]

@@Alignmentguy I don't care if its a ford GMC or ram trucks are expensive new or used the thought is if the trans and body are in good shape its worth it I would rather spend 6,000 on and engine than 20,000 thousand or more with payment's of 350.00 on up if it gets a few more years its a go for me I don't like the payments

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Wow is that a completly Broken O2 Sensor Body 49:30 😮 @Rainman Ray's Repairs

[@davidotto7666]

Well the first problem it's a Ford

[@nijhuisjelle]

I think I Learned enough by watching your video's to be a qualified car mechanic 😊 groetjes uit Nederland!