Real Repairs,
Filmed On
The Job.

One afternoon I got a call about a customer having an issue with his vehicle. He described it as running rough at idle and poor acceleration when taking off from a stop sign. After performing a diagnostic on the 2017 Chevy Traverse, I recommended a spark plug (NGK) and intake manifold gasket replacement, because I saw a vacuum leak on the OBD2 high-end scanner and also during a visual inspection of the vehicle. I was there for a couple of hours, because on the 2017 Chevy Traverse platform you have to take off the intake manifold to get access to the rear spark plugs.

One day I got a booking for an oil change (maintenance). The customer just wanted the oil and filter changed for maintenance. There was no issue with the vehicle. Since this vehicle is the turbo version, I used full synthetic oil for better overall protection. If you have this same vehicle, I strongly recommend full synthetic oil and a new filter for more protection.

This booking was a little different because it was an older vehicle. If you want to work on older vehicles, you have to be careful with connectors and other plastic components when removing them, and know that you will have to replace gaskets or other components that just come with the age of the vehicle. In this case, the customer wanted the valve covers replaced, but I mentioned that we would have to add the intake manifold gasket and other smaller components. If you own a 2001 Toyota 4Runner, this engine is very common for oil leaks on both valve covers. Also replace the half-moon plugs on both heads, because it is very common for them to be missed during a valve cover gasket replacement. The customer wanted to resolve the oil burning and oil smell while driving around town.

This client was someone I serviced recently for AC repair. For this booking the customer wanted to resolve stalling and rough running at idle, with the engine sometimes shutting off when stopped at a stop light. After performing a diagnostic service, I determined that the issue was an evap leak, which was letting in more air than the ECU was calculating. I noticed the evap leak was coming from the valve cover, where on this vehicle the evap diaphragm is located. I recommended replacing it because of the leak, so I did. The customer hasn't had any issues with the vehicle since.

This customer had been having issues with the AC for years, not blowing cold. When I got the call for the job and took a look at the vehicle, I noticed the AC compressor wasn't engaging when the driver commanded the AC on. I recommended an AC compressor replacement with a 134a recharge to the exact refrigerant capacity according to specs. When removing the compressor, I noticed that I had to remove the passenger engine mount and lift the engine just a little to make room to remove the old compressor and install the new one. If you have the same vehicle, take note of the process described above when performing an AC compressor replacement.