Old,doesn't mean bad New,doesn't mean works correctly.

Had to post this, it is so common,people are changing parts without testing the old part or the new part. And changing more parts because the last part they changed didn't fix it. Throwing parts at it just makes the repair harder because now you may have 2 problems. The original problem and the new problem created by the new part. And no matter what part you put on next,it still won't run until you fix the 2 real problems

Agreed. I feel so many get discouraged and abandon these projects because of this. So sad

Agreed. Also these days, you're better off either keeping your old parts or rebuilding them, instead of getting "new" parts. Not only fit, but of course quality and function.

That goes for most things, but not all. The one main thing that makes me want to quit working on my own ****. I HATE doing the same job multiple times, my own negligence yeah okay, but **** parts no. Pisses me off.

Then if you buy nice parts they either don't fit because they're universal, or they're 3x the price if not higher. The price is fine, but the price and not a direct replacement is a bummer sometimes.

Agreed Ricko. And unless someone has experienced new “bad” parts, it’s hard to have that consideration as part of the diagnostic thought process.
I’ll sound like an old man when I say this, but as a teen in the late 80s-early 90s I was a mechanic for a landscaping company with a few dozen trucks/tractors/mowers etc. Fixed a lot of chit and I don’t recall new parts being defective. Parts returns were usually for wrong part or not needed.
After that for the last 30 years I’ve only worked on my own junk so far less parts bought. It seemed that defective parts started with the cheap chain part stores but places like Carquest and Napa were good.
Now it’s everywhere and I have as good a chance at getting a good part from Amazon as I do Napa.
It’s all conjecture but it’s real. 4 alternators in a Napa parking lot one day before I could drive away with the battery charging is my extreme example. lol.
It shouldn’t have to be part of a shadetree mechanics thought process that throwing parts at something or even accurately diagnosing and replacing only what’s needed could be part of the problem.

Fwiw @Ricko1966, you obviously are a career mechanic and your wisdom and direction on this forum is beyond great. I’ve heard more “tricks” that I didn’t know come from you than all but a select few people I’ve known, past or present.
That said, most people aren’t professional mechanics and your scolding gets a little carried away sometimes. There more considerations to repairing a car than being 100% accurate in your diagnosis and replacing only the exact part(s) needed. Like time, ability, convenience. I’m not advocating breaking out the nuclear powered parts cannon everytime there’s an issue. But there’s a middle ground where those of us who don’t earn our paychecks with wrenches in our hands actually live. Keep that perspective in mind.
Cheers!

St

Grit dog said:

Agreed Ricko. And unless someone has experienced new “bad” parts, it’s hard to have that consideration as part of the diagnostic thought process.
I’ll sound like an old man when I say this, but as a teen in the late 80s-early 90s I was a mechanic for a landscaping company with a few dozen trucks/tractors/mowers etc. Fixed a lot of chit and I don’t recall new parts being defective. Parts returns were usually for wrong part or not needed.
After that for the last 30 years I’ve only worked on my own junk so far less parts bought. It seemed that defective parts started with the cheap chain part stores but places like Carquest and Napa were good.
Now it’s everywhere and I have as good a chance at getting a good part from Amazon as I do Napa.
It’s all conjecture but it’s real. 4 alternators in a Napa parking lot one day before I could drive away with the battery charging is my extreme example. lol.
It shouldn’t have to be part of a shadetree mechanics thought process that throwing parts at something or even accurately diagnosing and replacing only what’s needed could be part of the problem.

Click to expand...

Stuff like that ( 4 alternators ) is why I have for years had the stuff tested before I leave. Sad that you have to work that way, but ...

Hard to escape the China syndrome.

Grit dog said:

Fwiw @Ricko1966, you obviously are a career mechanic and your wisdom and direction on this forum is beyond great. I’ve heard more “tricks” that I didn’t know come from you than all but a select few people I’ve known, past or present.
That said, most people aren’t professional mechanics and your scolding gets a little carried away sometimes. There more considerations to repairing a car than being 100% accurate in your diagnosis and replacing only the exact part(s) needed. Like time, ability, convenience. I’m not advocating breaking out the nuclear powered parts cannon everytime there’s an issue. But there’s a middle ground where those of us who don’t earn our paychecks with wrenches in our hands actually live. Keep that perspective in mind.
Cheers!

Click to expand...

Sorry if it comes across as scolding,it's meant to educate. Some people don't realize changing parts,without verifying the old one is bad or the new one is good can really make fixing something harder. Especially when they post up with,I've changed this and this and this and this and this and this and it still doesn't run. Well, now this this this this and this need to be tested to make sure they are all good. The installation of this and this and this this this this. Needs to be checked to make sure that they were installed properly. I hope me saying this makes someone think,let's test the part I think is bad before I replace it. Especially a Newb that doesn't realize that changing random parts sometimes makes it more difficult,to diagnose the real problem.
Edit,I walked away and had to laugh at a real life incident, it's not just guys on here, lots of people including professionals,change things without diagnosing. This is why I laughed,this is true incident that happened at work one day. A coworker,changed cap,rotor,plugs,and wires, then had the parts dept. order all the same parts again. I said Jimmy! What are you doing you just changed all that. He says yea but it still has a miss in it. I asked did you run compression. No,they aren't paying me to run compression. We'll they aren't paying him twice either,his logic worked for him,but not for me.

This problem isn't just owners tossing parts.

A couple "techs" I worked with at another shop would go to pattern failures on Mitchell for whatever problem/code they were chasing. They would replace the part related to the most common failure. When that didn't work [many times it didn't] they would come to me or the other diagnostic tech and ask us to fix it. Both of us would sometimes refuse. Then the owner would bring one of us the workorder. We had no choice but look at the vehicle. Always kind of ticked me off.

fast 99 said:

This problem isn't just owners tossing parts.

A couple "techs" I worked with at another shop would go to pattern failures on Mitchell for whatever problem/code they were chasing. They would replace the part related to the most common failure. When that didn't work [many times it didn't] they would come to me or the other diagnostic tech and ask us to fix it. Both of us would sometimes refuse. Then the owner would bring one of us the workorder. We had no choice but look at the vehicle. Always kind of ticked me off.

Click to expand...

I was a tech for 23 years and that was a rampant issue back then and one of the main reasons I got out of the business. I spent the next 28 years working in the industrial automation field. I made better money and didn't have the frustration of following after a line tech "flat-rater" who already made book on changing parts and ending up in my stall with the manager saying he would pay me straight time to fix it. I feel your pain!

I retired last year and now I only work on my own stuff and on my own timeline.

SS1019 said:

I was a tech for 23 years and that was a rampant issue back then and one of the main reasons I got out of the business. I spent the next 28 years working in the industrial automation field. I made better money and didn't have the frustration of following after a line tech "flat-rater" who already made book on changing parts and ending up in my stall with the manager saying he would pay me straight time to fix it. I feel your pain!

I retired last year and now I only work on my own stuff and on my own timeline.

Click to expand...

The shop I referred to went bankrupt, basically because of poor management. Saw it coming and moved after 8 years to another shop. The other diagnostic tech did as well. After that they had parts 2 changers.

At the time it was the largest shop by size in the area. About 20 stalls 2 parts changers and 2 techs. They were running it into the ground. Only went to work there because I was good friends with one of the techs and they couldn't find anyone qualified.

Did not work flat rate. One week would be a clutch, following week a messed up big block install, then a Subaru valve eater, head gaskets on a 4100 caddy. You get the idea.