kenk

It's definitely more replace then repair today with respect to electronics. This does not mean you need to know less about how it works. With modules controlling lot's in most cases you end up getting to the bad part that much sooner and in the long run a faster repair!

Was working on an old 120v inverter and got it fixed. Then the next time I turned it on one of the oil filled caps (capacitor)blew up and the whole room was smoke filled. The guys at the race track got scarred but that was normal for them to do that every once in a while. So they decided to sent the unit back to the shop instead of have me just put in the caps! No fire but lots of smoke! That was when I used to travel to the sites to do repair.

Gonzo: Well, you did not finish the story? What turned out to be the problem that caused you to be towed back? I suspect something minor, and not something that was overlooked while servicing it, or not servicing it, like so many end up broken down!

gonzo: that's the price you pay to have all that wonderful technology today. Some of it I can do without, some is more then welcomed, and I love it!

Gonzo: the guy need some education on what resistance is. Resistance to leakage in his case!LOL

Gonzo: maybe the next generation of computers and robots would be good enough to deal with those unexpected problems! what you think?

Gonzo: I thought it was recently done to effect the economy which is still not doing that great. Santa should be doing better these days if he had money invested in the stock market!

Gonzo, I have heard this one before, but not arranged as such and with different words! Very good!

For me it's not so much the tools I can't find but the bolt or small part you remove and place down. Somehow it disappears, rolls away, or you drop it on the floor or it goes in a black hole(you drop it around the engine and it falls into a place where you can't see it or get to it. Gonzo: perhaps this leads you to another story! Right?"Dude where is that bolt, nut or part I just had in my hand"

Funny you should mention "blinker fluid" as I heard that mentioned too today on the Texascardoctorshow on the radio. The old guys used to make fun of the younger one's by telling them to go get some, where almost out of it! Glad you showed the picture of it, so I know what it looks like in a bottle! LOL

Gonzo: be looking forward to the next holiday story.Might that be Christmas?

Gonzo: Different kind of story this week! Nice to know some things have not changed so much over the years, like automobiles have.

gonzo: I think the future will not be electronics as we know it today but some other form will be invented that will do more with less and will replace the form of electronics that we see in cars today.. Care to venture what that might be? I don't!

I think you forgot a biggie! They bring in the car for a repair and when they pick it up, something you never worked on touched or related breaks, or was broke! and the customer says "what did you do to my car, such and such does not work anymore, or a warning light is on!".

Gonzo: The fellow that I know that was on the radio for 26 years with a car repair show used to call himself a psycariatrist! Note the spelling!

Gonzo: Yes, just because it's old and can be restored, does not mean it's worth doing and not all car stories have happy endings.

yes, i remember reading it awhile back.

xrac: yes seems like Gonzo does get more then his share of these type of customers!

Yes ,I have done a few myself. Usually it's about saving money or time or just plain getting the job done, rather then saying it can't be fixed because I can't get the right parts!

Gonzo: interesting story on what could go on when the new hire arrives. being in electronics repair I can't say things like this happens to all the new technicians, but they do go after the one's that can jokingly take it and like you say it almost never ends!

Gonzo: I guess it goes back to the saying "don't guess test" before you even think what is wrong. But most folks are not technicians, so that's what makes good content for your stories!

Probably at some point we will see the throw away car, something along the lines of http://www.eliomotors.com/ a $6,800 car new. If the repair gets too expensive you buy a new car!

Gonzo: Were most of the employee's of these shops older workers(with a few young one's mixed in) that just learned what they know without any formal education, or training and never thought that going back and getting some training might change things. They never gave it a chance!

yes, gonzo, there are few advantages for being around in the business for awhile. The saying goes,"There is no substitute for experience"!

Gonzo: good timely story to tell this Memorial day weekend.