Why is Everything Plastic? Chevy Trax Overheating

This 2017 Chevy Trax goes into limp mode and says it is overheating. It's also low on coolant. Time to load the parts cannon.

[@J.n.A.1993]

Dorman is still in business because there is no shortage of people that would rather spend $80 five times than $200 once.

[@firstlast---]

Well said 😂

[@buffystclair9042]

I cant or wont disagree but Dorman or any other aftermarket brand has the part when OE is no longer available. What’s a guy to do?

[@ckm-mkc]

To be fair to Dorman, they did re-engineer the terrible plastic Mopar Pentastar oil cooler + filter housing to a cast aluminum piece that won't warp....

[@osianmeilyr89]

Sometimes OE parts have a lead time which keeps extending and the only other option is Dorman. Sometimes Dorman have identified and fixed issues that OE parts have. Eruc of SMA has given us a few examples of this

[@saltyreesescup3104]

I Bought An Aluminum One For A Cruze... Problem Fixed Permanently...$80. 😶🧂

[@vpimike2646]

To their credit, Dorman created an improvement to the coolant elbows for the GM 3800 engines over the OEM plastic parts.

[@jasondray8267]

Yup.I have a 98 Buick less bee beater I fixed up.that coolant elbow was plastic..it broke twice,replaed. found out the metal ones,sold 2 pack. That's one good thing. A local mechanic I know says Dorman is awesome stuff. When I had a 98 Corolla had too replace door huinges, Dorman were made different .they had to be factory Toyota only ,otherwise it won't fit.

[@cub1009]

Yes they did and they are great. I've owned GM 3800s since 1997 when I purchased a GTP. I'm on my 2nd GTP now. Both cars I've replaced the plastic with those aluminum coolant elbows. They just last forever. GM 3800s are one of the best GM engine made.

[@bikeman1x11]

and in nissans metal insrtead of plastic

[@JMKady76]

I'm always impressed with the way these 1.4's don't just show up with one pattern failure in a system, it's all the pattern failures all at once.

[@operator8014]

That's how you know they've cut the most efficient number of corners possible.

[@willc5512]

Yeah they saved like $8 or $2 (per 1.4t engine) using mediocre seals all aroind the turbo, inside the oil cooler, t-stat housing & a few other places. So that leaks like hot cakes right when its outta warranty🤬

[@estuardo2985]

yeah, instead of going with a 2.0 or 2.5 liter engine they go with these smaller and smaller displacement engines and then slap a turbo on it (which doubles the psi of the cheap engine and adding heat). Then they make them as cheap as possible with plastic parts and cheap belts instead of chains where it is guaranteed something will breakdown not long after the warranty. looking at 2024, the funny thing is that these things don't even get good has mileage for the unimpressive 1.2L turbo 138 hp 28/32. For a couple of grand more just get the mazda cx-30 (where everything is just better) with a 2.5L naturally aspirated 4 cyl engine (you know something that will last) that has 191hp and 24/31 mpg (slightly less).

[@tomrogers9467]

I quit GM crap in 2006 and went to Honda. The improvement in quality and reliability is astounding! Haven’t bought anything else from then and no regrets!

[@bikeaddictbp]

They're not free of problems, either ... there's a big recall right now because a whole bunch of V6 crankshafts were machined out of tolerance. Cars nowadays are complicated machines, there's always going to be something.

[@lowtaxfootfetish]

​@@bikeaddictbpthis was the excuse from the British for their cars, right before foreign cars destroyed what was left of the domestic industry

[@nicholasvinen]

Hondas might but be perfect but they have 10% the problems of a lot of other brands. Toyotas are probably more reliable but I don't like their packaging or models very much.

[@estuardo2985]

@@nicholasvinen in my opinion right now Mazda has the best bang for your buck. Depends on the model and what you are looking for of course. Mazda3 is best in class for a compact sedan, though if you are going after a mid/full size sedan Camry is still king. For a CUV's the cx-30 is solid. For small Suv's it is a battle between what you value between cx-5 and rav4. For me too many Honda's have gone the way of small displacement engines with turbo's and cvt's.

[@hollowgonzalo4329]

@estuardo2985 The issue with the cx-30 is that it's not nearly as spacious as a Corolla Cross or H-RV is (It's primary competition) It's more like a raised hatchback then a proper crossover in those regards. More powerful and built better then a Hyundai venue which feels somewhat similar on the inside but still it's like ten grand more. Not as good of a utility but probably a bit more fun to drive, that being said if i wanted something fun to drive though i wouldn't get a crossover in the first place.

[@TheFlameThrower22299]

being a tech at a GM dealership, all i can say is that this what keeps us techs fed lol

[@rickl.7084]

@KMVS8686 If you think the Chinese company that replaces GM is going to be better you're in for a rude awakening.

[@TheNilla2020]

​@KMVS8686they have filed once

[@ninjalivesmatter]

Not a tech

[@joeblow5037]

Caviar?

[@My_Old_YT_Account]

​​@@rickl.7084the already existing Japanese and Korean ones will likely take those customers, if they don't go to Ford out of patriotism that is.

[@garymiller3264]

I can remember when some parts were made of crappy pot metal. Now those seem like the good ole days.

[@silasmarner7586]

As I'm fond of saying, made from the tooth fillings of Chinese dissidents.

[@macgvrs]

I know cafe standards are part of why so many parts are made of plastic but if car manufacturers really cared about making reliable cars, critical parts would not be plastic. As I watched you get that water pump out, I was thinking back to my 57' Chevy and how easy it was to change the water pump on that. You also didn't need to change them every couple of years. When I was much younger, I was a GM fan. That hasn't been true in a long time. Thanks for the heads up on Dorman parts. I don't think I have ever bought them but I will definitely steer clear now.

[@markschommer7407]

I bought all GM products until the car I bought last Wednesday. Last Wednesday I got a Subaru Forester. After all the 2.4 liter I4 failures between my family and friends I traded my 2013 GMC Terrain with 62,000 miles for the Subaru. I felt the money spent on the GMC's engine would be better spent on something new and hopefully more long term reliable.

[@baseball4697]

Thank you, Wes, for continuing to make these videos. Your sardonic side comments give me hope that humanity has not gone to total idiocracy. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

[@IsleOfFeldspar]

Why are you worshipping someone online; using their first name like you’re best friends and pretending to care about their family? Why do I see this in every video? Why do you people do this?

[@jimr118]

@@IsleOfFeldspar There is a wide gulf between expressing appreciation for someone's efforts and worshiping said individual. We use his first name because that's the name he has shared with us, his viewers/audience. Lastly, not everyone has to pretend to care about someone else's family. If you are seeing worship and pretending to care in the comments to every video, perhaps it has something to do with the eye of the beholder.

[@johnsmith7676]

@@IsleOfFeldspar "Why do you people do this?" Because they're not sane. Such is the world we live in. These creatures live in a "virtual" world. It is not even real. Everyone playing make-believe, like children. It's very sad.

[@IsleOfFeldspar]

Is that it? I was wondering if they were trying to make money in some way; perhaps a type of income stream on YT that I didn’t know about. Or maybe they’re hoping the content creator will send them money or some other kind of perk? It’s so bizarre, yet I see dozens of such people on all the popular videos. It’s alot more than just a nod to good content; they use their first names, gush about how awesome their videos are and how awesome they are and comment about their lives and family. It’s creepy.

[@Motronic944]

"Unplug the thermostat.....which is something I can't believe I have to say." Good one Wes, and I'm with you. You had me laughing out loud there - I almost missed it.

[@09corvettezr1]

Undo the red locking tab so that I can unplug the plastic thermostat.

[@Motronic944]

@@09corvettezr1 True, could have been worse - could have be mopar. This all reminds me of the times I've had to say "now I need to drain the cooling system before I take off this alternator" because I work on very stupid german cars.

[@paulmoir4452]

Funny how it goes eh? "Unplugging a brake pad" and "replace the clutch fluid" were words I didn't think I would ever say. I think they're working us up to actual muffler bearings and blinker fluid.

[@kd7cwg]

GPF’s (gas particulate filter) are on the way for gas vehicles. 😵‍💫

[@paulmoir4452]

@@kd7cwg When 90% of the prime mover system is to make the prime mover system not destroy the environment and kill our children, it's time to change the prime mover.

[@Fishsticks187]

I was learning the trade at a GM dealership when these things came out. They sold like hot cakes in the beginning, but you rarely see them around anymore. Between the Equinox, Trax, and the AFM 5.3 in the trucks, GM lost an entire generation of consumers between 2011 and 2015.

[@PalkiaDialgaGiratina]

Very sad honestly. These in particular had a lot of potential, good entry level price point. I kinda wish they just offered the NA 1.8 Ecotecs that they did in Europe. Those ones could last if you took care of them, there are lots of reports of the old Cruzes and Cobalts making it past 200k miles with those motors. And the Trax has good carrying capacity, I hauled a king-sized bed headboard in my old one for 60 miles. GM's mismanagement of their fleet is criminal.

[@joseeduardo4327]

Depends where you live I guess. In Michigan these are everywhere

[@PalkiaDialgaGiratina]

@@joseeduardo4327 Yea, there's a bunch of them around here too in Canada. Buick Encores too (same car basically).

[@gsftom]

Sounds like u guys live in bad neighborhoods - jk 🙂

[@craigsmith8217]

Gotta make em last past the warranty period then sell them a new one. Gotta keep the UAW employed.

[@theoldcripple]

I remember starting out in the early 90’s and seeing engines running 220f. I was amazed and thought there is no reason for it. The utter stupidity and junk that they have continually produced over the years is why I still drive a 72 Monte Carlo.

[@TheWoodButcher86]

As much as I like the professional formality of your videos compared to most other mechanics on KZbin, i do enjoy the growing added humor here recently. Great video Wes! Keep them coming!

[@jamestamu83]

My 14 year old Toyota 4Runner with 210,000 miles is still on the original everything. EVERYTHING, including radiator, thermostat, and hoses. And Detroit wonders why Americans took their business elsewhere. Very sad. Love your videos! Thanks for including Max!

[@Lexusman65]

Excellent.This should be the only answer here.

[@melvingibson4525]

That things a ticking time bomb lol you better give it some maintenance

[@GRANITEMONUMENT]

You mean your AMERICAN MADE, Toyota??

[@troy3052]

My 2009 gmc sierra have 275,000 miles no problems what is your point??

[@troy3052]

​@GRANITEMONUMENT the profits go overseas back to Japan. They don't even come to investing in united States like the big 3 automakers. Plus they pay their workers crap, and don't believe in a fair livable wage.

[@tonster4]

I've lost count of how many times I had to replace the stupid plastic Y they put on the back of the Chrysler minivans that always fails. I finally got wise at some point though and searched for a metal alternative, and found that someone on eBay had fabricated one and was selling it. That finally solved the problem, but man it got old changing that damn thing every 2 years or so.

[@Kowyn]

I've had that exact same experience, didn't know anybody was making metal replacement parts though, I was making my own out of copper plumbing pieces and soldering them together.

[@MattsRageFitGarage]

Dorman sells an aluminum Y for those, 47238HP...LOL

[@ronaldwhite9954]

We had a coolant leak in a 2008 Town and country that I couldn't find. Not in the oil, no puddle under. It was always low when I changed the oil. Checked the usual suspects, everything seemed ok. Finally one day I had the hood open with the engine running and it was dripping a drop every two to three seconds from one of those y fittings directly on the exhaust manifold, and it would instantly vaporize, but wasn't leaking fast enough to cause a bunch of steam.

[@MattsRageFitGarage]

@@ronaldwhite9954 I've got a 2008 T&C with the 3.8 that my grandparents bought brand new. It's still got the original plastic Y; I think I'll replace that for the metal Y when I change the coolant in it next spring after hearing that one.

[@mr.gutwrench]

Me too, just need to find a way to barb copper tubing.@@Kowyn

[@hilltopperblog]

The meticulous editing and no-nonsense narration makes this one of the best first-person auto mechanic videos I have seen. Keep them coming.

[@dcf8978]

I had a cruze with this motor. Was very educational, I learned a lot about how to wrench from owning that car because it broke down so much

[@CAPNMAC82]

GM needs plastic parts, take the ounces saved, over hundreds of vehicles, add up to hundreds of pounds reduced, all of which benefits the peculiar calculus of the CAFE rules. Dorman answers the spare parts needs, and maximizes profits by "optimizing" QC inspections & standards. Max is right, the whole thin is a rat-trap.

[@WatchWesWork]

And they pass the savings on to the customer...

[@aserta]

@@WatchWesWork How else can the CEO afford to do phone calls from Cancun otherwise? Why is nobody thinking about the poor investors and big wigs?

[@ckm-mkc]

@@aserta Cancun? More like St. Barts & St. Moritz. Peasants.

[@lemoneleven2179]

every vehicle brand has a multitude of plastic parts, in stupid and not so stupid places i dont understand.

[@dlewis9760]

They all do it. It all adds up. My 87 Accord had hideaway headlights. Over time the wiring to each stress broke like a paper clip. I spliced in about 6 inches of wire each side. I "THINK" Positive + Negative each side. So, 2 feet of wire. That model lasted 4 years. About 400,000 of them a year. 1,600,000 cars X 2 feet of wire. 3,200,000 feet of wire. 60.06 miles of wire and if it was a problem, let the customer deal with it. I imagine the person that cut it close and saved 60 miles of wire got a bonus.

[@dozerman53111]

Plastic crap everywhere. What junk. I'm surprised they don't make plastic pistons and cranks on cars. This keeps up, we will be back to horse and buggies. Doorman is the covid in the auto parts world. Great video Wes.

[@normanbuchanan9710]

don't give them any ideas or we may get plastic crankshaft and plastic exhaust pipes.

[@justinr9753]

That's actually pretty good by today's standards if you compare it to cars that have all plastic waterpumps, plastic valve cover, and plastic oil pans

[@oldmuppet191]

The plastic outlet bit went about 85,000 miles on my wifes car, it warped to the point it wouldnt seal to the engine anymore. The front suspension ball joints went as well, the replacements have only lasted 16,000 and just gone again. I think gm designed the thing for people who only drive a couple of miles from the burbs to town and back

[@hollowgonzalo4329]

Lol no. GM's sales model is just "once it's off the lot, not our problem". Their whole lineup is like this pretty much besides maybe the corvette and some of trucks they sell.

[@carscloseup]

A comment from the home of Lego🇩🇰😅 GM is not worse than other brands. A lot of cars today has plastic parts in cooling systems. My Mercedes recently failed with approximately the same part as on the Trax. Inexpensive part, but crucial and nearly impossible to replace, though it did last nearly 600k kilometers, but was also coming apart…..Doesn’t answer any questions, but just confirm the frustration at mechanics and customers. Thanks for your videos and your always calm and rational demeanor!

[@stickit2theman1]

Thank you Wes for, once again, scaring me away from buying a modern vehicle

[@hedge685]

On the one hand the Trax is sorta bottom of the barrel model for Chevy...on the other hand, Chevy's higher end models are built by the same designers and engineers out of the same parts.

[@TheOtherBill]

@@hedge685 The low end model of the low end manufacturer. I'd rather have a Kia than a Chevy anymore, at least their warrantee is 100K.

[@headcas620]

lol there are good modern-ish vehicles, then there's the trax.

[@stickit2theman1]

@@headcas620 very true, I just like not having a car pmt too much right now 😂

[@notasolution]

I work at a Chevy dealer in service… I’m here to tell ya, the newer all of the models get, the worse and more ridiculous of problems they come in with, mostly electronic issues… for things that don’t need to be electronic. The new tahoes have an awesome new feature where the shifter is now electronic and for multiple reasons, they just will lock themselves into park and not come out of park no matter what you do. Whether the gauge cluster just malfunctions and blacks out or whether the “fuel pump module” (extremely unnecessary module) (that’s on national backorder because it basically has a 100% failure rate) decides it doesn’t want to module anymore quits and makes it so not only will it not start but then they won’t even come out of park so you can push it :) sorry to burst anyone’s bubble, but none of the other new Chevy models are any better unfortunately

[@danieln.285]

Oh man. During the COVID shutdown when we got extra in unemployment benefits, I raised enough to buy a 2011 Cruze with this engine, only difference being where the coolant reservoir was located. Many things I changed because I was warned they would fail, especially at the 135K mark where this car was when I bought it. New EVAP Purge Valve, Duralast Water Pump (which sounds okay even now), Coil Pack, Water Outlet, reservoir (known for cracking where hose connects to since its not reinforced like the Dorman ones are), turbocharger (it develops a huge internal crack by the wastegate which gets bad enough to drop boost pressure), an aftermarket PCV fix kit to bypass the crappy OEM design with the check valve, the corrugated PCV hose (the check valves on both sides would fail and stick open), I mean the list goes on and on. Plastic junk on an engine that regularly reaches 220F degrees before the thermostat even thinks of opening. I got the Trifecta tune on my engine and what it does is adds a cool "sport" mode making it peppier and drops the thermostat-opening temp to 200f. The highest mine goes now is 205f then drops to about 190f. They're cheap for a reason, and I always offer my friends and fam to fix theirs for cheaper than a shop because for most of them, these 1.4t engine cars are their only rides.

[@daleolson3506]

Bunch of junk

[@davebrittain9216]

I have been lucky, every Dorman part I have ever installed on my vehicles was decent quality and has never let me down. Thumbs up as usual Wes and thanks for showing us.

[@romanoguttadauro6116]

As a 57 year old who like to restore vehicles I'm applauded at the amount of plastic used in modern car engines. lets face it, its crap, cheap on behalf of the manufactures I don't think we will see half the modern day car in 30 year on the roads and the word vintage car will not exist unless the weekend mechanic comes up with alternative for plastic parts lets face it we always correct what the manufacturer cuts corners and fix what is needed to keep our vehicles on the road. To all those KZbin 15 minute wonders out there Keep doing what you're doing its helping thousands of people.

[@arthurbiringer5676]

Great job. GM bean counters interfere with the engineering department. Dorman takes advantage of GM bean counters.

[@trentonschmidt8073]

A good tip on the waterpump bolts is to take the cardboard box the pump came in and poke the bolts through the box in the similar shape to their local on the water pump, makes reassembly much easier

[@montestu5502]

I think I saw Ivan do that.

[@peploon]

Yes, or just put them in the new pump. Thats how i used to do🙂

[@calholli]

The best catch pan that I've found are those little blue kiddy pools at walnart.. it's low enough to fit under most cars and it's wide and catches every last dripping mess on stuff like this: where you pop the water pump off and the coolant goes everywhere. Plus it's huge and can hold the four gallons of oil or 8 gallons of coolant on a 7.3L diesel service. I'd hate to call it a luxury, but it sure feels like it when you use it. ;)

[@JF-wk5zo]

2015 chevy sonic with a 1.8 in it had the same plastic deteriation in the plastic thermostat housing. The damn thing literally ate itself. You are so spot on about plastic in the cooling system components.

[@crazyfvck]

GM designers are like doctors or weather forecasters: no matter how many times they're wrong, they don't lose their jobs :P

[@ExSheriffFattyBoySkinnyArms]

I would be more inclined to blame the the effing bean counters before accusing the engineers of malfeasance. Remember engineers simply our lives and accountants… don’t.

[@ulrichminky9495]

My cousin is a mechanic he drives Fords but loves GM as they pay his bills.

[@craigsmith8217]

Engineering is hired out to the cheapest bidder. e.g. China?

[@MikeyMack303]

@@craigsmith8217 I still say engineers should stick to driving the train!😉

[@2nickles647]

Yuppers..just like the gynecologist. They poke their finger in it and tell you it's ok. 😅😅😅

[@leoashrae4199]

Hey Wes... You will find Volkswagens even worse. A customer's 2014 Touareg came to the shop for a coolant leak. By the time I got to the cracked fitting on the plastic thermostat housing (about $50), we ended up with a $600 train wreck of other plastic crap that disintegrated getting to the thermostat. Plastic parts that must endure extreme heat cycles doesn't seem like "Good German engineering".

[@MattyEngland]

I think it's just a symptom of how all manufacturers have cut back on build quality in the past 15 years. I have volkswagon/Audi plastic parts that are 20+ years old on my 2002 daily, and they are still rock solid. Back then the parts were actually made in Germany, where as now they are all made in China.

[@POVwithRC]

Yeah idk fam, don't pin this wholly on the Germans. It's infected them all by now.

[@MattyEngland]

@@commietube_censorship_sucks Yeah I think the north American ones were made in Mexico, whereas the ones here in England and Europe were made in Germany. Most of the parts have it stamped on them.

[@for2utube]

I never had anything good to say about German rubber either.

[@jackgreen412]

German thriftiness?

[@Jtretta]

Meanwhile my '97 Corolla has a bent radiator that somehow doesn't leak and had absolutely no temperature problems all summer long in hot Albuquerque weather.

[@mjmcomputers]

They really need to make recycle bins large enough to fit modern cars.

[@zombanator3000]

Not every modern car is a Chevy, Chrysler, or Ford. Some manufacturers put effort into making good vehicles

[@TheDisgruntledMechanic]

I bought genuine GM also for a 2017 Chevy Trax and all these parts are not cheap! They have 12 month/12,000 which of course they just barely last past. Thats what you get with a Daewoo Trax!

[@BlownL67]

Pretty sad when routine maintenance is replacing most of the cooling system.

[@ouch1011]

BMW owners have known that pain for at least the past 30 years. American automakers are just starting to catch up with “German engineering”

[@BlownL67]

@ouch1011 Maybe Lego could duplicate a better cooling system ar this point.

[@Strum2223]

​@@BlownL67auto manufacturers would never contract with Lego. They know Lego makes stuff to last. Lol

[@aitorbleda8267]

@@BlownL67 They do use better plastic quality...

[@silasmarner7586]

My friend said years ago, in like 2000, for Ford, the motors are spare parts. So I hear ya..

[@glenharper3136]

Thanks for the video Wes. Always informative and entertaining.

[@philipwinnard9149]

After watching you for some time, it reminds me why I left the trade 15 years ago.

[@rotorhead5000]

I think doorman is still in business partially due to market saturation (there's not a parts store out there that doesn't have their stuff on the shelf) and they make absolutely everything. Cv shafts, intake manifolds, oil filter housings, assorted hardware and every automotive widget imaginable. It's all predominantly junk, but if it's what's on the shelf to get you back on the road today, what you gonna do?

[@DarkFlamage]

You spelled it wrong, or maybe not, cuz when I see Dorman, I go oh oh too! If you get my meaning! 🤣

[@buntnik]

He said he tried Gates and ACDelco too. American sources.

[@rotorhead5000]

​@@DarkFlamageYeah, I'll post a comment without spelling or grammatical errors one of these days.

[@rotorhead5000]

​@buntnik I honestly wouldn't be surprised if one factory in China sells to every aftermarket manufacturer for niche components like this. Back when I worked at parts stores we would occasionally see that if we had two brands of the same thing on the shelf if you popped them out of the box and compared the stampings on the part. I would have thought AC Delco would have been a genuine, but it's hard to say.

[@ldnwholesale8552]

Genuine parts are generlly outsourced for manufacture after a period. So genuine GM parts are made in Korea or China the same as the aftermarket parts but with a genuine price!

[@davidquerry8869]

Wish I had some of my cars from the 70's and 80's back.

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

I remember back in the early 80's there started to be a shift in engine designs with an emphasis on light weight, easy to manufacture parts. It was all good still, as those long, heavy crankshafts and heavy pistons, water pumps were done with. Cars designs also changed with the compacts like the 'K cars from the US, and nice flashy cars from Japan. Korea had not yet come on strong, Hyundai 'Pony" and Ssanyyong Jeep were just trickling onto the market, powered by lighter and efficient Japanese engines. Then in the late 80's and 90's computer management systems came about. And towards 2000 onwards there seems to more plastic engine parts and aluminum alloys in the engine, transmission and other parts. For manufactures, plastic parts are very easy to make, are lighter and require less energy the process is way faster too than than for metal parts.

[@jaybrown3953]

Thanks Wes... love all your videos... God Bless and hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving..

[@jockmchaggis6797]

Ahh the GM Eco-Wreck.. had one of these in a car I owned almost from new in the early 2000s.. was burning so much oil at 16,000 miles that it would leave blue smoke everywhere it went Genuinely one of the worst engines around until Ford said "hold my beer" and came up with the Eco-Boom

[@nicholasvinen]

What's wrong with the 2L Ecoboost? Besides having the power of a V6 and the fuel consumption of a V6 while not being a V6 that is...

[@shanestrains2849]

Camera audio : Very good and well balanced GM Door Dinger : Allow me to introduce myself

[@WatchWesWork]

GM purge valve: Wait for me!

[@silasmarner7586]

@@WatchWesWork That purge clamp racket was AWFUL!

[@Military-Museum-LP]

Wes your editing on the water pump bolt removal was fantastic!

[@douglasmartin7647]

Probably the most comprehensive, Technically engineered, And well edited youtube channel l've seen yet. Keep up a good work my man.

[@nightcrawleroriginal]

As a GM owner myself, their vehicles certainly weren't meant to last and that's the way they were designed (personally speaking) and why I will never own another one or a Ford, same issues with their Explorer, very sub-standard parts (again, personally speaking). Great job WWW, thanks for the share. :)

[@wim0104]

German car brands are the same: overpriced plastic junk parts everywhere.

[@troy3052]

Your in for a big disappointment, all manufacturers use plastic parts, and cost saving techniques!! Welcome to 2023

[@nightcrawleroriginal]

@@troy3052 Agree, and why I'll never buy an over priced piece of plastic, I'm happy with what I have now, thanks. :)

[@daleolson3506]

And they get their parts from the cheapest suppliers. China

[@dickeyseamus]

I stopped using Doorman back when Toyota Camry's and Corolla's had constant evap problems, early to mid 2000's. Every single evap canister I'd get from them had something cracked or a vacuum nub broke off.

[@sharplessguy]

Thanks for the extra bit at the end. I loved the rubik's cube leggo solver

[@lynnlutjen3819]

Love your dry sense of humor. You give your opinion and it’s generally right on! Keep up the great work! 👍👍

[@Kowyn]

Year's ago the wife needed a new car, was looking at buying a Trax until I did my research, ended up buying a first gen Vibe instead, glad I did.

[@wingdwolf56]

The worst thing about working on crap is even when you close your shop to general repair, you always have to revisit the same crap you worked on before.

[@danielashford2430]

Thanks Wes,your humer still gets me,peace brother to you and yours…

[@L8terdays]

I like the way you move forward not putting the humdrum of removing every single nut or bolt. Makes it so nice to watch progress. I'm subscribing. Thanks for the good content.

[@Bubbibjoern]

Really enjoy these videos. I also can't fathom how these companies still sell cars, when they have crappy engineered parts like that. Nice to see the little bit of the convention there at the end (I'm danish and I work at the LEGO-Group 😉)

[@WatchWesWork]

We are fans!

[@TheOtherBill]

Lego can produce better plastic parts than GM. They're missing a market opportunity!

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

They still sell cars because 99% customers buy more on price than anything else

[@OperatorIHC]

Oh, I see they updated the water pump. It used to be a real pain in the butt. Back side of the engine, driven by the balance shaft chain. Lord help you if you let that chain slip. Also, RE: the worm clamps, I like to put the thinnest smear of black RTV/RTV analogue on the outside of the barb. Seals the little tensionless bump created by the clamp, and it makes installing and removing the hose itself a breeze.

[@WatchWesWork]

The Colorado had that design.

[@rarbiart]

this is the content i subscribed for! thank you for the camera work in the engine bay!

[@Navajo-man]

Hi Wes excellent video enjoy and as always you and you’re families be safe 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@Ntmoffi]

Reminds me of the plastic thermostat housing on my Ranger. Went through the stock one and two plastic replacements until I finally put an aluminum one on there. Hasn't been a problem since. Some things should never be made out of such cheap materials.

[@dvandkq]

Of the 50+ KZbin channels I watch, yours is the only one that is guaranteed to have at least one - and usually several - moments where I laugh out loud.

[@johnelliott7375]

Happy Thanksgiving to you Wes and family 😊

[@Sherlock067]

That’s one auto I’ll be sure to steer clear of. Good find on the loose idler pulley! Amazing what one can do with the legos! Thanks for another great video Wes! Yours is the one i really look forward to seeing. 👍

[@mrben6573]

Great video as always, and that Lego SR-71 was amazing.

[@glennnickerson8438]

I sell Dorman replacement parts and I can relate Wes. Some of the parts they sell I cringe because it's made overseas. Even though most of the parts come with a lifetime warranty, replacing the part several times does not give you a warm and fuzzy feeling. When I first starting auto parts 35 yrs ago Dorman was the highest quality because it was made in the USA. If OE quality isn't there, there's a good chance it won't be in the aftermarket.

[@jalee6587]

Made in USA is trash that’s why this trax is having everything already break. All the parts needed to be replace when other cars it’s a non issue. Made in America mean junk crap

[@Logjam5]

I have the same gearwrench ratchet, picked up the the four piece set, really like them.

[@mischef18]

Well these plastic parts are sure helpful for you to make great content bro, really enjoyed the hobby show wind down to the video too. Not been to one for many years, the cube solver was interesting. Safe travels. Ken.

[@user-ul3vu4ks2p]

I love your channel! It reminds me why I got away from wrenching and took up welding 20years ago!!

[@wesinnc]

Wes, believe it or not, there was a day that Dorman was a reputable replacement parts supplier. That was years ago and now I run from anything that produce.

[@richardluce775]

I’m trying figure that out myself. The rack of orange drawers at auto parts store were a godsend for weird stuff a dealer would never stock but us poor idiots had to get to work the next day with the vehicle we were working on.

[@Paramount531]

@@richardluce775 Yes, I absolutely loved those. They saved my butt many times with an oddball fastener that I needed with no notice.

[@publicclammer]

That was a really nasty, frustrating job...but as usual, Wes, you got it done with grace and humor!

[@Rick-S-6063]

I like your "cannon" analogy when referring to the parts required to get things fixed and fixed right.

[@davidbeams7423]

Great video. You have incredible patience. This video makes me grateful to have an '07 Silverado with a 4.3 v-6. Far, far easier to work on

[@icarus_flying1994]

My favorite car was my 1998 olds Intrigue. It had the right amount of room in it, it felt great to drive, had the right features. Hated the 'leather' seats in the summer but that was a small price to pay for such an awesome car. Of course when it came time for the major repairs in this rust state of existence I live in I had to decide it was time for it to go. If it had been the bad plastic I needed to replace in the coolant system, or the rust everywhere I could have justified fixing it... but it was both. The killer for me was 2 little elbows that went into the engine block that probably cost $.30 to make rather than $.50 out of metal, but they were the last straw on the "I have to give up, there's just too much to do all at once". I miss you my Intrigue, I've never owned anything else like you. I hope you are living on as a water bottle for a celebrity or a door handle for a library. Maybe both if there was enough of you left that hadn't oxidized into a red dust.

[@mitchhedberg4415]

The suspensions and transmission were junk, the engine passable.

[@jrussell1074]

Bought a used Intrigue that looked good. Once I replaced the after market parts that were butchered in and replaced with original delco parts it was a good car. I had a problem sanding through the 6 and maybe more coats of paint on the hood that covered the original factory paint that didn’t stick to a hot hood. If it does’t work the first time keep doing the same thing again and again. Once I got that mess removed and replaced with quality paint I didn’t have any more problems with that car until I sold it and there is probably somebody still driving it.

[@Larry-325]

Wes I thought when you were blocking with your glove and shoulder it wasn’t meant for family viewing! 😃 Love the plastic parts. Engineering at its best! 👍👍

[@scottdeeslcutusa8117]

THanks for including us...

[@Suburbanhotrods]

Not necessarily the same but the amount plastic coolant lines on modern dd13/dd15 semi engines is insane can’t tell you how many air compressor coolant lines and failed electronic variable water pumps I did on them in 2 years I stuck with trucks.

[@bertgrau3934]

I kind of liked the Detroit 60 series, but the DD series I really don't care for. Of course these days seems everything as far as big trucks go, are pretty much junk. Just my opinion.

[@HondaRedneck16]

I love working on them. Those air compressor coolant lines are gravey work. The only ones that really suck are the ones going from the back of the head to the def pump.

[@Suburbanhotrods]

@@HondaRedneck16 I did enjoy working on them ngl except snubnose casciadias, very easy engine to work on and ddl8 is such a nice software to use

[@funnypranker34]

if you delete the def system the other coolant lines aint gonna be an issue

[@rayscrafield2106]

Dorman is in business because we all keep buying from them. I needed an overflow bottle for our motorhome. The factory one was $150. I bought an identical one from Dorman for $50. It appeared to be just as good if not better. The reason for your other questions? Well, it all boils down to money. Folks want cheap. So, they don't mind having to pay to either fix them or replace them. It all started with the Bic pen. When it ran out of ink, toss it. I always thought the Papermate was far better.

[@douglasmayherjr.5733]

Great Video, Wes. I need to use some of those “Glove of Concealments”. It seems like stuff is not made to last, but years ago 100,000 miles required a lot of work, nowadays people might do 3 oil Changes to get that far.

[@AndrewHCann]

Excellent video Wes :) also worst water pump had do was on one Winters Season months car I was on a 1994 Chevrolet Calavier 4 door Echo Tech 4 cylinder had pry old one with pry bar after pulley took out and found propeller didn't turn at all but pulley did too! Also propeller sat was ground out so need file from Chainsaw to grind out plus new water pump pry engine to left to install it in Lol! Also second water pump was strange was on 2002 Chevrolet Impala LS 4 door with 3.4 litre 6 cylinder basic one 207 cubic inches with time chain and water pump old turn like clock to and tight up then lose up on full 360 turn ! Yes strange for sure and gasket wouldn't seal up from so had use Liguid Tar on gasket both sides of aluminum pump and motor! Sure was pain both them !

[@methanial73]

Some dorman parts are better than stock. That's why they're still in business. Also, people over torque plastic parts destroying them.

[@POVwithRC]

I'm surprised they sold these to the general public. I'd always assumed they were rental fleet only 😂

[@mph5896]

I would be embarrassed to plunk down my hard earned $ to buy a new one of those. Buying them used for a nickel is not out of my wheel house though. 😆

[@bikeaddictbp]

The Buick Encore is fancier looking but is the same thing underneath (and has the same problems ...)

[@PeterDenHartogEng]

Midwesterners absolutely loved buying these things for some reason. I saw them all over in Wisconsin, barely see them at all on the West Coast.

[@POVwithRC]

@@PeterDenHartogEng I wonder if they might just hit a real low price point out the door. Like a disposable glove.

[@willc5512]

​​@@PeterDenHartogEngAn ungainly, doorky looking vehicle. Folks on either coasts wouldnt be caught 💀in one of these. Im not gonna bash gm ceo but her demeanor p!sses me off in general!

[@sewerman911]

I dont even own this vehicle or know anyone who does and i still watched sll of it. Great work it was very therapeutic.

[@SPRINTGTO]

As always a fantastic video, you are a very skilled man--- thanks mate (Dusty from OZ)

[@kevinknight470]

Fantastic videos for exposing some of the company errors in manufacturing. Great respect for your integrity and I also have had issues with the screw type clamps on materials that expand a lot. Thanx for sharing.😃

[@generaldisarray]

At a guess, I'd say the loose tensioner probably caused the death of the water pump. It couldn't have been good for the pump pully/bearing to keep getting yanked kinda sideways everytime you accelerated by the loose tensioner. As for all the plastic, it's a lot cheaper to injection mould all those crappy plastic parts than it would be to cast and machine them. The injection moulding setup/mould costs are high but they're offset by the fact that you can churn them out in their thousands, rather than hundreds per shift, with far fewer personnel, or waste.

[@DarkFlamage]

I'm curious to know what you might suggest for me? 'Cuz I got yanked sideways quite a few times in my life! J/K Great comment General D!

[@generaldisarray]

@@DarkFlamage 🤣🤣 thanks

[@TheBandit7613]

Plastic engine parts don't last here in Las Vegas. Sitting in traffic, temperature 115 degrees plus the heat rising from the 160 degree pavement, makes the plastic really weak and brittle. Fortunately, most vehicles sold in Vegas automatically come with optional heavy duty cooling systems.

[@MikeyMack303]

And weight reduction.

[@generaldisarray]

@@MikeyMack303 true, but I think most manufacturers just use plastic as it will degrade, get damaged and break, meaning more parts sales for them. I think they view plastic parts as consumables, a bit like printer ink.

[@dennisfoltz7880]

I had to replace a many of those hose clamps for the same reason you did .I didn't have a constant tension clamp to replace it with, so I replaced it with a worm . In the rust belt where I live you see a lot of rusted and broken clamps . Also I'm not sure about that particular engine ,but Dorman offers an aluminum version of some of those coolant outlets .along with the plastic version.

[@johnnybgoode6466]

GM and Ford alike the main car producers want workshops busy making money after warranty periods, hence so much plastic in modern cars engine bays. If the plastics parts were as well made as the lego you wouldn't have these issues. Great work Wes, your videos are always entertaining and informative.

[@oengusfearghas9608]

I recently replaced one of these water outlets with an aluminum upgrade part I got through Amazon for not significantly more than the crappy plastic part that cracked. I bet that should hold up much better.

[@jamesbruno5896]

Maybe the worm clamp was overtightened? Nice job as always Wes!

[@WatchWesWork]

Could be…

[@silasmarner7586]

@@WatchWesWork I use Wurth clamps. The zig zags or whater you wanna call them don't perforate the clamp metal - but they NEVER slip or come loose. They're made (or WERE made, last I checked) in Germany. I love them but I understand the logic behind constant tension clamps.

[@mphilleo]

​@@silasmarner7586 if I have to use a worm clamp, it's either going to be Breeze (US made) or Tridon (Australian made). Never had problems with either, and I live in the frozen north.

[@mph5896]

I never had issues with worm drive clamps. Mainly because everything I installed them on were out of my life in under a year. Until I fixed my sisters car with them. It got REALLY cold a winter or two ago. Every worm drive clamp I put on that car was leaking. Snugged them all off. A year later it did the same thing.

[@bobhudson6659]

The calibre of the material in the area where the hose clamp resided is the same calibre as area where the O ring material and housing broke away - so I have my doubts. Retired mechanic/machinist in Land Down Under.

[@Roberto.Giuseppe]

My nephew trades & sells Leggo parts and is an exhibitor at the Australian conventions. He has his own amazing collection...in Australia. Nice Video I must let my sister know about the cooling system as she has that engine in her car.

[@nicholasfrediani9466]

Great video wes as usual. I was a chevy dealer mechanic for a while and we did soooooo many of those water pumps, what a terrible design.

[@ezrollergbg]

As for waterpumps… try using SKF pumps If you can. They have never failed me on Saabs, Volvos, VAGs, Renaults and Bader-Meinhof Wagens. The later Saab 9-3s have the EcoTech engines as well, partyliv modified by Saab with less plastic but the same water pumps. I bet they use different OEM manufacturers in Europe than in the US. Here it is usually SKF, Valeo, Hella, Bosch, FAG etc. The Saab’s water pumps usually last at least 100-150 thousand km.

[@billgeorge7804]

I feel your pain sir! The trouble is that the plastic part you showed with the critical failure is easier and cheaper to injection mould than to fabricate, even with CNC equipment. Having said that, a friend had a similar car, which had the same (or very similar) part, which we took time to machine and where necessary fabricate. The fabricated part is, as far as I’m aware still working, but it took around twenty hours to machine and weld, whereas the plastic parts take seconds. Even drafting it on a Style CNC enclosed production mill it took over an hour to machine. Infuriating, but it’s all about cost per unit. You can likely injection mould two hundred in the time it takes to fabricate one. It pains the truly skilled and dedicated engineer to see shoddy crap on an otherwise fairly good car, but sadly GM and other big companies won’t change their minds. Great video, as always. Thanks for sharing.

[@ironcladranchandforge7292]

Oh come on now, I've NEVER seen a "fabricated" thermostat housing in my life. Before the plastic junk they were CAST metal, at least as a stock part from the factory. But yes, it's a matter of saving money by injection molding these parts out of plastic versus metal casting. Yet they still charge outlandish prices for their junk cars.

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

design the plastic part right and make it from the right materials and it will last, but replace a failed OE part with a cheap aftermarket one 15 20 years down the line and you will be in a world of trouble. I have several cars 20 years plus still running with OE plastic cooling sytsem and intake runner parts no issue.

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

No-one would even consider fabricating and machining a part like that in production, If you establish a plastic part can't be made to last then it would be cast in aluminium. Go back 30 years and most of the parts that are plastic these days would be diecast ally

[@ironcladranchandforge7292]

@@jabberwockytdi8901 -- Yes cast aluminum, but cast iron as well.

[@ironcladranchandforge7292]

@@jabberwockytdi8901 -- Well you're a lucky one. I've seen plenty of stock factory plastic parts fail, crack, break, etc. Luckily all of my trucks have cast metal parts (aluminum or iron) and NO plastic. They've never failed. My son has had two vehicles with plastic and both have failed.

[@mbazzy123]

That's was a great video Wes. Looks like I have much to look forward too : My sister my son and my daughter in law all have this engine in their cars what a pile of garbage, I am thinking my weekends are going to be full very soon !

[@billl605]

You've got the patience of a Saint, God love you.

[@michaelholmes4525]

Did you go to the Lego convention in search of car parts primarily for the cooling system? 😂😂😂 love the videos and your SOH - Michael Uk 🇬🇧

[@WatchWesWork]

I bet they could make them!

[@dougjones9493]

@@WatchWesWork and better

[@matthewpellegrini1905]

Great video per usual Wes! Can’t believe the crap manufactures get away with. I’m a gse technician in Boston (everything but the planes for United) all airport equipment is assembled with bargain bin clearance components that are out of date or unavailable in just a few short years. And that’s about all it lasts 😂

[@lancecluster]

Pretty sure I have flow out of Logan with the help of equipment you have helped maintain, thanks.

[@ProudBostonian]

I went to school with a Steve Pellegrini from Newtonville MA back in the early 2000’s. Not sure if you’re related to him or not (probably not as there seems to be a lot of Pellegrini’s in MA) but I know that was a big name in Nonantum, MA (the Italian part of Newton, or at least it was)

[@jackreed3445]

Genuine GM parts furnished by different suppliers supplied from factories in China. Dating myself by remembering when Dorman was a good brand to buy for the home mechanic. I haven't worked on an engine in a long time so take a hint. Another great video Wes. I look forward to seeing them appear in my go to list. jack

[@realgone222]

Great sense of humor bro.

[@blue03r6]

This is why you can buy these with 59k miles for $8k lol Also whoever put that upper hose on way overtightened the hose clamp

[@francisphillips8192]

Done so many of these in the uk as vauxhall brand can do them with my eyes shut next thing is the timing chain

[@chucie9265]

Bought a new Cutlass Supreme in the ‘80’s, had plastic valve covers..(they dubbed them Composite).....complained to Mr Goodwrench and he said GM will let us put aluminum ones upon request......so I requested and never had a problem in 93 thousand miles when I sold it..... Great Video Wes, thanks....

[@reel_images]

Awesome video, I have a 2014 Chevy Cruze and it has the same Ecotec engine and its a nightmare to work on. All the parts look identical including the water pump. I wish I never bought this vehicle. Thanks for calling out dorman and bringing gmc to the red carpet.