How Cars Burn Down! Oops! Dodge Chrysler Grand Caravan

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[@Grinix0]

my family had a grand caravan for like 15 years, oh the memories; funny how you can have an attatchment to a vehicle. wonderful family van, many a vacation.

[@garybuffington6021]

Former Mopar Tech (former FL LEO) here. On most Mopar V6 engines, the serpentine belt goes on very easy with no effort IF you install it over the "smooth" IDLER Pulley LAST! That way there is no raised pulley edge lip to stretch the belt over. Make a note of that tip!

[@davidgeorge2486]

what brand of belt do you recomend

[@roji556]

@@robertmaybeth3434 I mean, the Fiat-Chrysler products really aren't any worse then any other modern vehicle nowadays

[@thesausage351]

Holy shit you went from one job where you were almost always wrong and hated by those above you to where you were always wrong and hated by everyone. You did well!

[@gratefuldale117]

Same with Tundra/Toyota Belts!

[@milo6373]

Works on most front wheel drive vehicles easy pezy if access has a little space...👍✌️💪🙏🤔

[@camcam-uw5mx]

Little tip for crimping anything. Get the crimp tool tight on the fitting then insert the wires that way you aren't trying to hold the fitting crimp tool and wires all at once instead the tool holds the fitting and you just have to hold the tool and wire. And with big wires like that they provide enough resistance so you don't really even have to hold them

[@EhlerDave]

Ray if we had more guys like you I think a lot more people would be willing to bring their cars in to be worked on. Thanks for showing that some mechanics have class.

[@charleshines1553]

It wouldn't be so bad if the previous person who worked on it checked to make sure it was not loose or something.

[@watershed44]

@EhlerDave BINGO!...the character and quality of most mechanics in the auto repair business is pretty bad, if not terrible, and the chances of being scammed or having bad work done is very common, so much so that people don't even bother to try and have their cars serviced. I'm one of them.

[@sukmykrok3388]

@@charleshines1553 or people resort to KZbin to do repairs on their own to various degrees of success or failure.

[@wallebo]

Exactly!

[@michaelcosta7235]

There are plenty of mechanics as honest and as good as Ray.

[@lundtland]

What is up with the belt? It looked like the ribs were up.

[@danielpadgett2831]

That's what I was gonna say looks like the belt is on upside down or at least on the alternator pully

[@GEMC98]

It´s probably a double ribbed belt.

[@charleshoops2307]

double sided belt grooves on both sides

[@SantaClaw]

Double ribbed for cooling.

[@victorwanstreet3038]

@@charleshoops2307 also to keep the belt on when it hits a puddle

[@R3TROxxR4V3N]

Nice job on the repair. The only thing is that flair on the crimp is actually a good thing. It's called a bellmouth and it ensures the edge doesn't dip into the conductors. Just a friendly tip.

[@richceglinski7543]

Old Chrysler tech here. The reason the belt was a pain to slip on was that van was retro fitted with a Gates dual sided belt and pulley system. This was to correct a common problem of the belt coming off these if they get wet on rainy days. Most often I found the cowl drain tubes had been knocked off or left off from previous work. This lets water from that huge windshield run down on the serpentine .belt. I do similar cable repairs with lead marine terminals with the 5/16 stud sticking up and copper lugs because they work great on Asian cars with stud terminals. Your awesome workmanship fixed the problem caused by poor workmanship.

[@TFD1982]

Ahh Finally someone knows what they’re talking about👍🏼

[@mindpilot72]

@@TFD1982 YES!

[@johnvitali5520]

Correct! Thank you

[@w8kdzradio113]

I had a late model caravan once, and always had the belt slipping off, turns out it had the wrong tensioner on it, and was missing the plastic piece inside the wheel well, fixed both it never came off again

[@satman1957]

When making crimp connections never twist the conductor’s as you are making a thread that can be unscrewed. Always keep them straight.

[@itsthehumidityyall8303]

Lovin the Gen Lee in the background.

[@1windozesuk]

Finally! Someone fixing a car is using quality heatshrink with adhesive. I find when using the hydraulic crimper, it is easier to set the lug in the jaws first by pumping it so it just holds the lug, then put the tool to the wire and start crimping. And yes, I hate those bettery terminals, but at least you crimped a lug on and didn't place the exposed strands in the terminal and tighten.

[@sunsetoriginals7320]

The belt looked like it was on backwards. Or upside down. As for the slow windows, could you lube the rails that the window slides in?

[@RalphRacc00N]

Sometimes that will help. but the friction problem is where the glass moves in the rubber channels. when new it has a felt bonded to the rubber surface, this has worn off and now the glass is rubbing on rubber with high friction.

[@wesgregg6451]

It's ribbed on both sides. If you go back and watch the video again, at around the 26½-minute point, you can see them. No worries.

[@TFD1982]

Nope that’s the gates solution kit “helps” the belt from slipping or squeaking

[@sunsetoriginals7320]

@@TFD1982 I haven’t seen a belt like that before. Cool.

[@tomashton1781]

I saw that?

[@philliphenson626]

44:00 "delivering the value I think they're paying for." Good Job Ray! glad to see honest mechanics taking pride in doing good work. Another great, entertaining video. Thanks for being one of the Good Guys.

[@allanarndt3047]

For added insurance I always scrape any corrosion from the ends of the stranded wires plus put dialectic grease on the bare wires & on battery terminal’s. Doing this insures a better electrical connection & prevents future corrosion,higher resistance & failure down the road.

[@zephyrsman]

Ray, as a shipyard electrician for almost 30 years, we always put 2 crimps when putting on butt splices, and terminal ends. Considered it as a safety precaution. As those crimps are made, it actually makes the stranded wire a solid wire. Try crimping one, and cutting one in half.

[@TehBIGrat]

ChrisFix has a great demonstration on that and the result of using mechanical crimpers vs hydraulic crimpers

[@consaka1]

We used to do 3 crimps in the Telecom world. That being said our crimpers we're narrower and calibrated and the lugs were longer so we had room. We also put no-ox on every wire we crimped. Never had one fail and never saw a failed connection even on the batteries.

[@throttlebottle5906]

many connectors now are so short in the crimp barrel, you're lucky to get one crimp before being too close to either side and compromising the wire.

[@mdemers767]

Well I would hope you do at LEAST 2 crimps on a butt splice, because that's one crimp per wire. Otherwise it would just fall apart!

[@robertmaybeth3434]

@@consaka1 "No ox", this has gotta be the same product called "No-ox-ID" anti corrosion grease no?

[@kirbyglover3868]

Is the belt up side down ????????

[@Kaufeetimevideo]

I have the same question

[@camelid]

Watch as he slides the belt over the edge of the pulley, you can see it jump as each rib slides over the pulley edge. It looks like that belt has some mild ribbing on the backside too.

[@user-qm8cc5go8r]

Yes

[@emilschw8924]

Double-sided belt.

[@JohnWRathwell]

Belt is inside out. Grooves in belt ride in grooves on alternator.

[@YoderTexas]

Pro Tip for you Ray --- Put the connector in the crimp tool first and get a semi-snug fit, then put the wire in the connector, then crimp. That way you juggle less items while adjusting the tool.

[@jamesclausen6239]

It's also easier if you use the proper size connector.

[@44hawk28]

You do not have to pull the intake off to replace that PCV hose. You can fish a hose underneath that upper plenum quite easily. I have done it several times on those vehicles.

[@atburke6258]

Not too many shop mechanics would take the extra step to add a length to the ground cable. You repair cars as if you were in your own shop needing customers to return. Watching later you even used a terminal spreader tool instead of pounding it on the battery stud. Well done.

[@michaelearl6991]

He is in his own shop

[@atburke6258]

@@michaelearl6991 No, he is working as an employee in a commercial shop before he got his own place.

[@michaelearl6991]

@@atburke6258 okay I didn't realize that this was before he had his own shop but he's always done a top-notch job no matter where he's working

[@atburke6258]

@@michaelearl6991 "he's always done a top-notch job no matter where he's working" Truth!

[@5.43v]

Not the first time I've done that

[@petcatznz]

Nice job. As an electrician I normally pinch the crimp lugs in the crimp tool prior to pushing the cable end in. That way the crimp jaw alignment is locked-in prior to crimping which makes things easier. Also, a little crimp lug flare is a good thing as it allows the crimped cable end to flex a little without case hardening the copper which can make it brittle. Thanks for posting.

[@vmcougarintn5035]

As little sister to a big brother, I watched his friends and him repair a lot of cars. You made this interesting and just about as entertaining as they did in the mid to late 1950s. It may have been a while, but oh the memories came flooding back. And yes, before you ask, little hands did come in very handy back then too. LOL Thanks for sharing your skills. Stay safe.

[@russellstyles5381]

Saw a post, this was machine maintenance at a factory. Think the problem was a dropped nut that could not be ignored. Big job to retrieve. Owner's 5 year old daughter basically lived there. She volunteered, got it out no problem.

[@vmcougarintn5035]

@@russellstyles5381 Yes, my little hands retrieved all sorts of things for my brother and his friends, including balls and nuts, and tools. LOL

[@rodneyjohnson4794]

the rodney likes x 10!

[@dragonflytoo]

Yep, little hands 👍. Retired Army mechanic, always had to provr myself when I got posted, but..... my tiny hands always made me a good friend 🤣🤣🤣.

[@peekaboo4390]

Had a few Grand Caravans and used them for hauling tools and carpenter supplies, they are cheap to purchase and when maintained drive quite nice but they are basically crap.

[@333Hogwarts]

I was a Snap-On-Tools dealer for many decades before retiring. I always considered my guys and girls Family. Still friends with them all these years latter. One thing I did see when in the business. A set of tools no matter what brand , mix or dollar amount did not make a mechanic. Caring and dedication did make a mechanic /Technician. You my friend are a MECHANIC/ TECHNICIAN ! You seem to care about what you do for a living. Its hard work ! Hot in the summer cold in the winter, Bruises, wounds, crushed hands, fingernails, cuts ,loss of limbs, heat strokes, etc. Next time you are in your local shop all who read this. Thank your mechanic and shop personal. They deserve it !! I would have been proud to have you as a customer and to have you work on my own vehicles !! Thank you for caring !!

[@thomasseigler8875]

Hey Ray, just a suggestion. When crimping the connector or barrel, gently squeeze it to hold it in place then insert wire then finish crimping. Let the tool act like a third hand for you. Great video keep'em comming. Have a great day.

[@MarttiSuomivuori]

My favorite feature or Rainman Ray is the hunches he gets. Things are not as they seem. Then he comes up with the Solution. He is a Magician.

[@jlinkhart]

A tip for using crimpers like that.. tighten it up onto the splice just enough to be snug, but not start crimping. Then put the wire in. Then you’re not trying to keep the wire in the splice and the dies on the splice at the same time.

[@NeoMorphUK]

Exactly… it’s the same for every crimped connection or you end up doing what Ray was doing and alternating fighting with the wires, crimper and connectors. I lost count of the wires I crimped for my CNC… starting I was like Ray… ended up with perfect connections done fast. It’s experience, not just knowledge… and I was an electronics engineer before I retired (but mostly soldering rather than crimping… but after my CNC I started using crimping more). One thing made me cringe though… using a knife to strip wires. The proper tool is cheap, fast and cuts the covering SAFELY… and doesn’t nick the wires underneath.

[@soilmanted]

Just solder the stupid joint. Then you won't have to put the terminal protectant that you use for the battery terminals, on the joint, to keep it from corroding. Warm up your soldering iron (or use an instant-on gun) while you are cutting the heat-shrink tubing for the joint. Then mesh the two 12-gauge or larger stranded wires together, heat up the joint, and let the solder flow into it. If you are concerned about the joint coming apart while you are waiting for the solder to flow, hold the 2 wires together with a hemostat or small vice-grip pliers until the solder cools and holds the wires together. A more reliable connection than a crimped connection. Takes only a few extra minutes if takes any longer at all. Especially on those large diameter stranded wires. You don't have to worry about resistance accumulating in the joint, years later, due to corrosion.

[@jlinkhart]

@@soilmanted I’m actually a fan of crimping and soldering. Then the crimp holds the wires and the solder fills all the voids to help prevent corrosion.

[@soilmanted]

@@jlinkhart Yup.

[@AllanO808]

@@soilmanted A regular soldering iron will not be able to generate enough heat to overcome the heatsink properties of the heavy battery cable. You would need a heavy duty soldering gun and silver solder

[@garyslentzii2796]

That crimper takes 3 people to operate: 1 person to hold the wires, 1 person to hold the dies, 1 person to operate the crimper... Did this stress anyone else out? It did me, UUUGGG! Nice job Ray... I like how well the wires turned out 👍🏻

[@colinofay7237]

Yep, our lad needs an upgrade

[@kevincrawford6734]

That’s one tool that I would have thrown in the bin after one minute 👎

[@TheMetalsoft09]

So much so I started redesign in Solidworks

[@richardcruz102]

Back in the late 80's I was in a group home in pleasant hill ca I have a lot of respect for how sturdy/durable our dodge caravan was close to250k with tons of heavy traffic hours I loved that dodge

[@PatricksDIY]

I have that same Hydraulic crimping tool! I love it, makes a perfect crimp every time!! The best way to use it though in my opinion, is to set the connector in the Crimper and Crimp it down until it just grabs hold of the connector, then you can force the cables in and crimp without having to fight with the wires or the attachments moving. :)

[@donakahorse]

I just posted the same thing about using it before I saw this. lol

[@tobbex7372]

Is Yours also named "Crim ping Tool"? Maybe it's Mr. Ping, from China, that sells them =)

[@LOCOLAPTOP]

I have the same tool and that's how I do it as well.

[@Diglett_Dude]

@@tobbex7372 I also noticed that, crim ping tool lol

[@auxmike718]

We use air powered crimpers, nice smooth crimping motion….

[@rogerd4559]

streighten it! Dont sand it when you take that tin layer off the copper it will corrode quickly and heat up again and possibly melt again. the right way would be to go above and beyond and replace the ring lug with a new one and yes a propper crimping tool would fit in that tight space

[@nickoD509]

I could almost smell the sweat from that mini-van. Flashbacks to my Dodge dealer mechanic days. Nice serpentine belt too.

[@wirefeed3419]

Ray it is possible the window tracks are dragging from being dirty and dry. You can use silicone spray on all the window trim and often the window will move without drag. If it happens to not make a difference because of another problem no harm done.

[@davidhayden9336]

YES OR USE DOOR EASE

[@robertbayless769]

The windows were working fine. Just need to be connected to the battery charger.

[@joshuabaughn3734]

Never can kill a Grand Caravan. My Dad hit a flying piece of concrete that popped up out of the road and the thing still drives like a champ!

[@Robyrob7771]

The flare prevents the the lug from cutting the cable and/or wire strands.

[@BTW...]

No it doesn't. The lug is flared to make it easier to insert fine stranded cable that splays out when the insulation is stripped.

[@pbourd]

Flare of crimp is “Strain relief” and over crimping on plastic jacket can actually cause the copper to extrude & break under the crimp zone. ;-)

[@miltstone2]

I always use some spray silicone on the window tracks when they get slow. Works pretty good. Awesome vids.

[@46fd04]

I'm happy you covered that RED cable with black heat shrink. Someone messed up the battery cables on the used Class C Motorhome I bought. I had 2 black cables. When I replaced the battery, I couldn't remember which one was the + cable. When I figured it out, I wrapped it in RED electrical tape. On your + cable, I would have wrapped some RED tape around the black heat shrink.

[@MultiMightyQuinn]

usually most polyolefin will shrink down to 1/2 size, but you can get some "super shrink" that will drop to 1/3 it's original size. Even has hot snot glue in it for moisture ingress protection. I have found the slightly more expensive stuff is worth it, a lot of my work winds up in or on ground and a good heat shrink is critical to keeping those wires carrying current. Great job on the terminals, no ree's from me!

[@cnettrouer]

@13:45 very impressed you were able to get both hands back there and still provide room for the camera.

[@robertmcculloch8379]

I have always loved when engineer design wire harnesses with the shortest wires and no slack to fix it when it goes wrong

[@kenore4003]

Let's say it together " Do you know how much that costs to put 1 inch more wire in."

[@1marcelfilms]

@@kenore4003 1 inch, 1 million cars.

[@mattdomenic4814]

People need to appreciate the effort it takes to do jobs like this. I was lucky enough to work on late sixties and early seventies cars avoiding aggravating stuff like this. Thanks for the great vid!

[@AnimeSunglasses]

What design features avoided this kind of aggravation at that time? I know a fair number of cars that age just have more room in the engine bay, so it's just plain easier to get everything tightened down to spec, but other than that what prevented this kind of thing? This one isn't an electronics problem as far as I understand.

[@markholroyde9412]

There's no voo doo here....try a 2.0TD x type Jag....THATS a job LOL , this is kids stuff, its all in front of you LOL.

[@Towersfam43232]

the dodge van is in incredible shape lol

[@duaneb193]

For the torn insulation, I've used metal speed tape to bond it back together, then put the edge onto the metal of the car to hold it back. It doesn't look pretty, but the metal surface cleans up the insulation mess while keeping it there to hopefully still provide some insulation, and taping it to the car will likely hold for years with no further issues.

[@gerrycarmichael1391]

I've fixed a lot of things with speed tape!

[@oscarjones5773]

Well explained! Good idea!

[@cainadkins3985]

There's no real need for it honestly

[@Itchy-Sphincta]

ive got my son watching your vids as he just started his first year as apprentice mechanic and im proud that he is following in his dads footsteps even though im retired his quest for automotive knowledge and working towards his own business and mechanics such as yourself shows my son that care and attention too detail is not a lost cause and will only inspire him further in the trade ,CLICKAGE .

[@keytothegate68]

Amazing to see this van with no rust and so original! that alternator was easy to remove. 2008 models and up have to come from bellow the car so you need a lift. If they were still making them I would buy one for sure. And yes you are supposed to make only one crimp per connection and you have to have the correct size crimping tool. I learned this doing my garage door cable . Your video quality was awesome. However, i wonder if there is a better way to connect the wires w/o using the metal crimp connection?

[@blitzroehre1807]

NS type Caravans probably were among the best vehicles Chrysler built. Covered many pleasant kilometers in those cars, rarely any issues

[@wadeeb]

I like the way you did the positive terminal. Better than how its designed to be used and easily replaceable in future.

[@mirawind9126]

We broke high-school shop kids would do them that way, it was great when the guys would go 4-bying too because you could pull them apart at the end and clean em up real easy.

[@richardjack1848]

Ray,the only suggestion I have was to reroute the one red cable around the green one to give you a little more length and looks better to boot. Great channel! I wish I had someone like you in Utah!!👍👍

[@murraymacneill2545]

Armorall the window rubbers. That'll reduce the friction resistance.

[@johncooper4637]

If you had some aluminum foil tape (A/C duct tape) you could have taped it down. That stuff is awesome. I've used it to tape down the sound deadening in my motorhome engine compartment. The insulation failed before the tape.

[@ward7voter111]

Gen 3 (1996-2000) Mopar (Dodge/Chrysler/Plymouth) minivan. The condition of those battery cable ends is very typical, and most people repair them cheaply and poorly. The serpentine belt on these is ALWAYS a challenge, and yes, the belt is guaranteed to come off the bottom pulley darn near every time. Getting enough throw on the bar to move the tensioner is also a challenge. I'm surprised at how good a condition this one is in, especially with 196k miles. The tops of the strut towers are notorious for rotting out, as are the lower rockers between the sliding doors and rear wheels. If you REALLY want to have fun, swap out the entire tensioner on one of these!!! I did that, because the tensioner broke as I pulled into the neighborhood. The van was still under warranty (less than 3 years and less then 36,000 miles), but the part was $30. I did it, in the driveway, in the dark (not that it really matters, because you have to look/feel up inside the engine bay, from underneath, so you can't see anything anyway. It NOT a fun time because your other hand has to hold the bolt on the "outside" as well. The only job worse, is swapping out the "octopus" of heater tubes on the firewall that feed the rear heater. You have to take off the hood, cowl, intake, alternator, and a bunch of other STUFF. It is a good time to change out your rear plugs and wires though. (LOL) Before doing this, I always thought it was crazy when people would say "the dealership/mechanic charged me $700 to fix my rear heater." - Once I did that job I would tell people "Been there, did that.... it is worth every penny."

[@blitzroehre1807]

If you put the belt on loosely on all pulleys except for the smooth idler next to the engine mount the belt will stay in place for you to open the tensioner and slip belt onto the idler. Belt fitment takes under 5 mins on those 3.3 and 3.8L engines Those were good cars, I have covered almost a million Kilometers in various NS type Caravan and Voyagers

[@justase64]

@@blitzroehre1807 Our family 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan SE (same one in video but in forest green) has 340k on it right now. It still runs great minus the weird electrical phantom that has been in it the past 6 years or so. Wipers go on/off randomly, sometimes will turn itself off in drive thrus. It only gets driven once a week on Sundays at this point. I would like to get the electrical stuff figured out sometimes because I like driving it for trips I just don't trust it at the moment haha.

[@JamesApril-sl4yw]

hi, to hold the crimp on electrical terminal onto the wires while crimping, place a small wrap of electrical tape on both the wire insulation and the terminal. When done you can even leave the tape on. Great school video. Thank you for your time.

[@joeythedime1838]

Heck with the General Lee..... What I want to know where is Daisy Duke?

[@ferrumignis]

In a nursing home I suspect!

[@NoWr2Run]

@@ferrumignis LMFAO, YA SHE DON'T LOOK NEARLY THE SAME, STILL LMFAO.

[@trailerpark187]

Belt looked upside down. Never seen a double sided belt before. Interesting

[@MaxNafeHorsemanship]

That was the first thing I noticed.

[@yusyp1699]

Yes you are right 👍

[@martinscott-reed5379]

I was thinking the belt was on the wrong way too.

[@richbeckman6609]

VW and Audi have used double sided belts too.

[@MaxNafeHorsemanship]

@@richbeckman6609 Never seen one, but it wouldn't surprise me. Many years ago there was a company that made a "top cog" V-belt. I suppose someone could do the same with a serpentine. Waste of material and no benefit other than to keep idiots from putting it on inside-out.

[@ceilfox1247]

Got to love the “Crim Ping Tool”, sounds like some sort of Christmas table tennis!

[@kaafromoz]

TY Mate enjoyed this repair of a repair, also favourite bit was the "Ray isn't here right now" part loved it. Ty as always for the dedication and hard work mate. Keep Safe Keep Strong 🦘🦘🦘🦘🚗🚗🚗🚗

[@Ochtane101]

Nice Ray! You go the extra mile, to do things right. Nice to see👍

[@brucecampbell5917]

In my opinion, you have a better connection , if you tin and solder the lug and splice , rather than crimp. Soldering eliminates minute air pockets , where contamination starts.

[@pikiwiki]

the amount of compassion this guy has for old cars is impressive

[@jimmeade2976]

I wonder if the missing PCV hose was removed to get it out of the way when the last guy replaced the alternator, and someone forgot to put it back on. If I was the car owner, I'd want that fixed; that could be why it stalls when started..

[@TFD1982]

Absolutely! Without the pcv it will have a major vacuum leak and worst comes the oil will evacuate and leave them stranded the engine needs suction

[@robertmaybeth3434]

well yeah, you're absolutely right - not sure why Rainman ray let this go!

[@liamduval2093]

he said the pcv ran underneath the intake if the technician who previously worked on the vehicle had left it loose the other side of the hose would likely still be hanging loose or tucked for better clearance where it seems it's completely missing in this case I see why rainman here was not willing to look into this case further without a little pay for him to make it worth his time that the customer and shop was not willing to pay

[@TFD1982]

@@liamduval2093 yep and it’ll be the customers fault when the engine over pressurizes and blows the oil out the exhaust

[@THEFALCON58]

Hi some silicone spray in the window grooves will help. ?😎

[@OldTooly]

Hi Ray. You have shown to be handy in other videos so I will make a recommendation. You can install guide pins between the pairs of crimping dies one side press fit the other a slip fit and they will always stay in proper orientation. If you're not able to get a proper press fit you can red locktite one side leaving the other to slip. Looks like 3/32" to 1/8" dowel pins might work well, but things are not always what they appear on video so smaller , say 1/16" might be better. I suggest using s proper reamer but being extra careful with a drill can work. I realize it wasn't an expensive tool so you might not want to put the effort into it. And, you might also want to come up with a spring return for the handle. With those mods that will be a great and easy tool for the job.

[@danielreuter2565]

From my experience, I would suspect that the nut was cross threaded and had actually been torqued but wasn't clamping the ring terminal. Which is why you always do a good wiggle test, especially on high current wires.

[@JW-le9ru]

Absolutely top notch! Excellent beginning to end explanation.

[@davidw3605]

Really appreciate the fact that you care about the value people get from the service you provide, if you were local, I would definitely send you all my work

[@garyhennessey3621]

Toward the end of the video you mention the method you used to replace the battery terminals. Your way as opposed to getting a new wire/terminal which would cost more. This is one major thing I like about the way you do things. Here's an experience I just had. Just down the street from me is a garage 5 bays. I take the car in for inspection. 2010 ford fusion sel v6. I bought the car new. I want a maintenance/inspection performed and gave the list. The owner is a very good mechanic and his lead guy. He had it all day at his leisure to work on. I get there and there is a new shiny inspection sticker. He goes through the list and completes all except trans fluid change. I was satisfied. But when we get to the trans fluid change he says I need a new line it's leaking. He say he'll change it when new lines are installed. I say where is it leaking. The lines are two attached together. There is one rubber connection below the radiator. It's leaking at the rubber connection. He says $485 to install. I fall out of bed. I say hold off on the line. Pay the bill then leave. I go down the street to another garage equally as good. But they operate differently. I tell him the issue. He get his led headlamp comes out and looks at it and says; Oh I can just splice the rubber and make a solid connection that will last as long as you have this car and more. How much? $80. I laugh then tell the story of the last place. Conclusion: one place does things to the original spec.-very costly. Another place does things to fix it as well but has the customers wallet in mind. I tell him I want the car to last hopefully two more years then it's a Lexus replacement. He smiles. I say is there any other real car other then Toyota with proven reliability worldwide? The way they operate is there are multiple ways to repair. He had me in mind that its a 12 year old car and not 2 yrs. He understood the situation. The other guy has a protocol of OEM-period, no modifications. Both are very good but there is more than one way to skin the cat! They won all my business into the future.

[@kellyherald1390]

I too have a hydraulic crimper. I needed it to make battery cables for my travel trailer. It works so slick. The dies in mine don't rotate like yours did. That made it a bit troublesome for you. It does make a nice clean and professional looking cable end.

[@kimberlydlapp3441]

Had a '93 Dodge Grand Caravan where a wire caught on fire and it killed my engine. Never found out what the wire went to. It was next to the battery. Had a short in the system where my license plate lights got so hot they burst and the clear covers melted. No one listened to me at the dealership about any possibilities. After +$600 for just a diagnostic I had to stop. I loved my van despite a few problems. What happened to mine seemed to be a more common issue.

[@sct913]

53:07. For over twenty years, I bought and sold many items on eBay. It is amazing how poorly some sellers package their items, and are obviously clueless as to what can happen to a package just through normal handling by USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc..

[@clueless6559]

Im not the only one then🙃

[@desotosky1372]

My biggest problem with buying on the bay.

[@russellstyles5381]

The car shows complain about that a lot. The show in Norfolk complained - someone shipped a ring and pinon gear touching. Chipped. He was convinced that it was the last set for a 48 Dodge to be found. Had to polish the chip out.

[@wesgregg6451]

@@russellstyles5381 Yeah, some people will do whatever they can get away with. Other people enable their behavior - by putting up with it. I think that's mainly how Jeff Bezos managed to become one of the richest people on the planet.

[@rockyhill9965]

Full compliments to Ray's good work here. Just one comment on possible battery terminal post internal breakage inside the battery itself. Have seen some mechanics use two wrenches on both sides of terminal to minimize torquing battery post off center.

[@theclearsounds3911]

You did just what I would have, only in a slightly different order, but it doesn't matter because the conclusion is the same. I'm amazed that this minivan is in such good shape, given how old it is! As for slow windows, don't worry about it. My 2007 T&C windows are the same speed. Also, what a PAIN Chrysler made for working on that thing!!! They really improved it in the next generation of minivans. Great job

[@CameronFox590]

Clean out the rubber window tracks, and them spray them down with a little bit of silicone spray then roll the window up, and down. Works a treat. They will move way faster, and extend the life of the regulators.

[@shaunbrown1402]

Really satisfying watching ray fix cars, treats every one like his own, well do man, keep up the good work.

[@indridcold8433]

There are mechanic that likely hate him, because of that personalized interest he demonstrates for the cars he services. For me, I am a sales fleet mechanic. I see what the idiot sales people do to those unfortunate cars. This may sound really freaky. But, I talk to them and reassure them that I will do the best I can to heal their wounds and restore them to fully functional. I guess I am not a normal mechanic. But, I have never had a car, ute, wagon, lorry, motor coach, nor straight truck returned. My patients deserve the best care and will receive it.

[@SamSteeles]

Yeah...but...have you seen him in action off camera? Brutal!

[@allanklumpp198]

the positive cable for my 09 GMC Sierra was a little buggered. It felt like a loose connection and some of the wires were discolored. I repaired the connection the same way you did in this video. Couldn’t have done it without you man

[@acerbicgeoff7821]

If they're willing to sacrifice the time, cleaning out the old window track grease and relubing it yields great results. Also cleaning out the seals around the window and graphite lube. Takes a lot of stress of the regulators, and if you do it you can get more life out of near done regulators.

[@antonoudenhoven7573]

You are spitting out videos faster as a bollywood production company Ray. Keep them coming,you help me cope ti get trough the days 💪🙂

[@amzarnacht6710]

Indeed he does. I wonder if he does a 10+ hour day in the garage, drives an hour+ home, and how many more hours he spends editing his work. I just wish more mechanics would film their work - that way the customer knows that the fried terminal was that way when the drove it in!

[@PeterSmith-or3pq]

@@amzarnacht6710 hes still young. )

[@autoguydiy4244]

Nobody has realized the belt was on upside down. It was smooth belt to grooved pullie. That's amazing

[@christophercake7419]

Check the comment above. It is a dual sided belt. I was wondering the same thing.

[@topher8634]

I've seen the wiring between the drivers door and the body break before causing slow window operation (there may be 4 of the 20 or so strands still connected). Severe voltage drop due to the reduced wire size. All the windows are fed from the drivers master control. Or they use to be. I think they come from the BCM or TIPM nowadays. I've been out of the field for a while now.

[@robpeabo509]

Hello Ray. While I agree the repair to the alternator battery lug is acceptable, I would have liked to have seen the lug replaced. As far as the repairs to the cables at the battery go, I agree with your comment that the positive battery cable should have been repaired in the same way as you did the negative cable, or by using a battery clamp with a stud designed to accept a lug, more for appearance than anything.

[@IntenseGrid]

I would not have replaced either battery terminal unless when I looked at them with a thermal camera, they were getting hot. I would have just put a new nut on the positive terminal. Getting a better connection on corroded wires (darkened in color) is difficult without flux and solder, and is not likely to be better than the connection that was cast on in the factory when the wire was bright and shinny.

[@daveivey895]

Not only you're a Great Technician and honest dude, You have amazing camera skills!

[@johnlawfourtyfyve]

Not a single cuss word left his mouth, this is amazing for any mechanic working on a Dodge. I salute this guy for correcting the bad done by the previous guy and hope this shop stood behind the work and didn't soak the customer for the work done by another guy in the same shop.

[@Rational_Party]

FYI, Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler vehicles from that era don't typically charge at 14.3, they usually run about 13.7- 14.0 at 75F. They only charge at 14.3 when it's -40F or so... They were really worried about over-charging the battery back then...

[@mckeehan1943]

That 14.5 looks like the battery is Salt faded

[@sleeve8651]

Thanks for your quality work ! Your helping to rebuild my faith in mankind ! The World needs more repairmen like you ! Hopefully you don't get burnt out ! Hope your Boss appreciates your work ethic ! Great Job ! BTW....The window speed looked about normal to me !

[@Starsnu1]

Excellent work, Ray. I love the electrical repairs you do. You truly do deliver excellent value to the customer. I would love to find a mechanic that has your work ethic in my area.

[@BTW...]

SMH. You obviously can't recognise the multiple errors made in doing those cable joints.

[@chicoPGCA]

To make the power windows slide better use a silicone spay in the slider/ tracks. It work's wonders done plenty and success

[@adrianstanton2652]

Did it to my car and passenger’s window doubled in speed. Going up and down. Saved me a disassemble of the door. Ye ha.

[@davej3487]

Use a long bore brush with some Simply Green down the tracks to clean all the dirt out. Then the silicone spray.

[@chicoPGCA]

@@davej3487 Both ways it works great 🙂

[@robertbayless769]

Or charge the battery.

[@Rathika5]

That belt looked like the grooves were put on backwards originally?

[@nicholasgamble6905]

Looks like the belt was installed wrong with the groove facing away from the groove on the nater

[@joevignolor4u949]

Somebody noted that this particular belt has grooves on both sides of it.

[@sleblanc]

To clean up oxidized copper wire, you can apply solder flux, the brown paste, and heat it up with a soldering iron. As it smokes up, the oxidation flows off (at least, that's the objective). Very clean job with the extra heat shrink on top of the crimp!

[@bobgreene2892]

Very much appreciate the excellent camera work and good, diffused, wide-area lighting. This is professional tutorial quality. Equally important, you explain every judgment or decision you make. For example, the decision (and reasoning) to leave the partially-damaged alternator lead in-place, resurfacing it, rather replacing it. We may not own a Dodge Caravan, but the lessons apply everywhere.

[@cherylannesmith8610]

Don’t you need a special grease when connecting aluminum to copper?

[@fluffyblue4006]

The flared edges of a crimped crimp prevent chafing between crimp's edge and the outer copper strands of the wire. The crimped part of a crimp that was crimped only once should provide enough static clamping force to ensure a good bonding between crimped crimp and wire. If not, then the wire and crimp sizes are not properly matched/prepared or the crimping tool is improperly operated and/or faulty. IMHO, double-crimping in order to crimp a crimp sufficiently to properly bond wires of slightly different sizes is a valid repair, provided that the repair passes a tug test and and it is covered with multiple layers of properly shrunk heat shrink. New alternator seems to be good. Its voltage did not cave in during load test. But if the alternator can just barely push the battery past 14V, one cell of the battery might be shorted. Or maybe it just needs some more time charging. Further investigation is indeed advised. So, did this battery recover, or did you end up replacing it?

[@rhyoliteaquacade]

He should prepare for a call back in 10 years.

[@SuperBuzzbomb]

Was that ribbed belt on backwards? I have never seen a belt wrap around an alternator pulley with the smooth side against the ribbed pulley. Something seemed off about it.

[@Jack-qn4vt]

Some makes/model of cars actually use double sided rib belt

[@albertwilliams47]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@larryschmidt977]

for that insulation some spray upholstery glue would hold it back against the body and comes in handy for lots of things just need to glue it first as soon as you removed the alt so it has some time to set

[@DrMurdercock]

It blows my mind seeing that body style not rusted out beyond belief. You don't see that generation van here in Indiana unless it's rusted out all over

[@richardmurray9204]

Looks like the insulation was probably messed up by the previous tech when the alternator was replaced. Looks like the tab on the alternator would be very easy to catch on it if it was being forced in.

[@robertpimpo4698]

Very ingenious way to fix those cables great job

[@randybeard6040]

A little Silicone Spray in Window Slides once or twice a year will keep window motors healthy--windows will slide easily...

[@davidd1492]

That is 99.9% of the time all they need

[@shamrock249]

Great advice. I used to work in an automotive glass company and it was quite common to lubricate the window channel. It really makes quite a difference.

[@amzarnacht6710]

How does a vehicle owner access those areas to lube them?

[@stevenbullock913]

@@amzarnacht6710 they don’t and who cares?

[@Enonymouse_]

Permanently foul the glass too if it comes in contact with the glass material.

[@MrRightwingextreme]

I'm amazed at what I saw here. I was yelling at the TV as soon as I saw the alternator. The belt is upside down. You put it back the same way.

[@davidschreckengost7959]

Thank God I'm not the only one who saw that

[@keltoi30]

The belt is ribbed on both sides. can see it at 24:45

[@oldsparky3349]

Are you sure about it being OEM double ribbed, or is it now due to 'rubbing' on the ribbed pullies for so long???🤔🤔🤔

[@keltoi30]

@@oldsparky3349I guess I am wrong, I tried looking up several different years of Dodge Caravan 3.3l and all were one sided. I didn't catch what year is in the video, so have to go with what I DID see.

[@tommystearns1475]

I own a 1997 Plymouth Grand Voyager SE that has the same problem and this video just saved me a whole lot of grief and frustration

[@Themadscientist1969]

Ray, just a TIP, something I use in the Fire Truck building business (making battery connection cables from #6 to 4/0 GA in some cases... once crimped, use a propane torch to "backfill" the lugs full of solder.. it not only keeps corrosion from entering the rear of the lug n causing problems where you might not see it.. but it "wicks" up the wire alittle under the insulation also in the other direction to help with corrsion that way also--then heat shrink. ) (3 notes: 1-You do not want to do that obviously with open flame around that discharged/or charging battery needless to say (boom).. LOL 2- (being we offer a 10 year 60K mi. as I recall ,electrical warranty on our trucks and I have NEVER had a battery cable corrode out or go bad doing this in 10+ years in the business on these trucks!!.. Just something I do for longevity reasons.. :) 3-It solidifys the connection with better than just a crimp... I only mention it b/c I see you are a guy who's about "doing it right" for your customers as I am.. Godspeed brother!!

[@gnif]

You should never do this! When you solder a crimped connector over time the solder under pressure will "cold flow" out of the connector. It will also cause a failure point due to the loss of flexibility where the solder binds the strands together. If you want to prevent corrosion cover the rear of the connector in dialectic grease. Since Ray is using the correct pneumatic tool there should be zero voids between the strands and/or the connector for any corrosion to enter anyway. Do a google search on "cold flow solder" and "good crimp connection" for more information, the latter cross cut microscope images should help to show how corrosion is not an issue here. And finally, if you're using a propane torch to back-fill I can assume you're using an acid flux solder, this will promote corrosion if you do not clean it off and any that wicks down the cable under the insulation (which is impossible). There is a very good reason why we do not use acid flux in electronics. While you state that you have never seen it corrode out or go bad in 10+ years, does not make this a safe or good practice. Millions of $ has been spent in R&D on the best way to crimp connectors for these kinds environments over 100+ years. Crimping is a science and when done right (as ray did here except for the double crimp causing a sharp straight end that can wear through the strands as they rub), they will outlast any soldered connection.

[@MWestern-m4g]

26 secs in and you don't say anything about "The General Lee"? Come on man???

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

My buddy has same general lee he can’t leave it unattended or they vandalized it

[@MWestern-m4g]

@@sheerwillsurvival2064 Well Hell Ya!! Don't see too many G Lee's around anymore. Wonder if the hood has a "slide" wear on it? ( You know - from Luke sliding across it to git to the other side.)

[@remargreg]

Boss Hogg told him not to……..

[@MrDopey32]

That's another video. Lol

[@MWestern-m4g]

@@remargreg Rosco P. Coletrain get a 1/2 of a 1/2 of a percent.

[@greenthumb6875]

Battery terminals, Napa sells soldering plugs that allow you to solder into battery terminal ends. Love it, how simple it is. I carry extra in truck because have jumped batteries put together like what you replaced and it’s ugly.

[@EvilTwinRC51]

The belt has v-groves on both sides! It not on upside down.

[@gnif]

Ray, I applaud you for using heat-shrink and the proper pneumatic tool for crimping those cables! However you should be aware that that "flared out end" is required to prevent the strands of the wire rubbing on the sharp end of the connector, the radius is there to provide some protection to the wire.