Wow. Simply amazing. That video does a dandy job of showing what I try to explain.
Isn't it funny you gave redmurf1 exactly what they asked for and instead of politely asking for more information, they were rude an unappreciative? Kind of makes you wonder if anything could have made him happy.
To my knowledge, there are three ways to diagnose a leaking head gasket / cracked head. Look for white smoke from the exhaust, use the tool shown in the video, or tear the engine down. Apparently redmurf1 doesn't like any of those choices and is expecting you to come up with another alternative that hasn't been invented yet. He thinks he's going to learn something by removing spark plugs, doesn't have tools, and expects you to magically know the answer when you can't see, hear, touch, or smell anything about the vehicle. Boy, he must think you're good. Why then he would produce the disrespectful comment he did is beyond me.
I've gotten really bad answers from people whose job it is to sit behind a company computer 8 hours per day answering questions for trained dealership mechanics only. I would never tell them off. I would simply thank them and move on to someone else who has a better grasp of the situation. In redmurf1's case, he already got what is arguably the best answer anyone could have provided. It's all downhill from here.
Asking about special tools shows he is too lazy to look in a service manual. Redmurf1 would rather have you look up the information for him. It suggests he doesn't have the expertise to tackle such a complicated job. He would probably be money ahead to just let a professional do the work. By the time he buys the special tool and the parts, he still won't be guaranteed of doing the job right the first time. Does he know if this is an interference engine and what can happen if he screws up the valve timing? Does he have the equipment to check for a warped head or for cracks? Who gets the blame when he doesn't follow the proper procedures and screws something up? It's all there in the service manual, which he doesn't have.
Sometimes I worry that you guys will just give up trying to help people and will take your expertise and leave this forum. Then I remember the 99 out of 100 people who express gratitude for trying. Sometimes we even get one right and save people a lot of money. You deserve a big "thank you" for providing the best answer possible. Too bad you didn't get it from the clod it was meant for.
Caradiodoc
Saturday, July 24th, 2010 AT 1:22 PM
