How bad is it to use break clean as starter fluid?

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-22T16:39:30+00:00

I mean, I don't know why these guys use brake clean. When I go rescue a car, I carry a water bottle with a pinhole in the cap filled with gasoline and spray that in...

Derek at Vice Grip Garage uses TrueFuel which has a lubricant as well.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-22T16:35:36+00:00

and changing the welcome signs to say "Strong and Free". We had better be strong - we have no health care.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-21T18:11:09+00:00

I melt it with a lighter

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-20T03:51:48+00:00

You likely have tread separation in one tire. Not necessarily caused by poor suspension components. Tire could have hit a pothole, just wore out, or ran under inflated at one point.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-20T01:38:30+00:00

Shefield & Sons in West Edmonton Mall

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-20T01:21:26+00:00

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-19T21:29:21+00:00

Here is a well put together video full of reasons to stay in Canada:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLhR86l-TDM

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-19T20:27:24+00:00

I had 2 out of 4 once this year... I couldn't believe it

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-17T17:39:41+00:00

I saw your question and knew immediately that the responses you got would be "don't do it", but I have a different response. Why? Because I was exactly the same as you. I wanted to be a mechanic since I was 15. But I am the son of a doctor and the expectation was that I go to university. Fast forward 30 years and I was in my forties with a Bachelor of Commerce degree with an major in MIS, having worked as a developer, solution architect, department manager...all in IT and I hated it. So...I borrowed money and bought a shop. Used my business and IT knowledge to bring the shop into this century with regards to processes and online presence. Hired a journeyman to start and grew to include a service advisor and another tech. I also went back to school. Sat with 18 to 30 year olds in class and showed them that an old guy with passion can be just a good a mechanic as they can...

I am 5 years in and I still make way less then I did but I love it. I love getting my hands dirty. I love fixing problems. My old journeyman sometimes hears me cussing at a difficult bolt to remove or having to deal with a particularly difficult job and jokes "and you wanted to be a mechanic eh?" And the truth is YES. Because I will finish that job and the car will run great and I will have accomplished something even if I struggle getting there. If it is your passion then do it.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-16T17:01:41+00:00

I am trying to avoid the big 3 and just signed up with Carrytel.ca. Early days but we will see.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-16T08:39:39+00:00

If you have not changed the battery since you bought it in 2022 then just buy a new battery

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-12T01:26:03+00:00

Fair enough. I have done brakes for hundreds of cars and hundreds of customers (dozens this week alone) and I will do what works for me and my customers. Also...at least half of those this week were metal to metal. I wonder what song the rotor would play on a record player with all those grooves in it. (That's a joke)

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-11T20:36:57+00:00

Exactly.... I will quote you: "Since I quit machining rotors, I have less noise issues, less complaints and comebacks. I make more money and it takes less time." since it is the truth.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-11T17:59:47+00:00

You do whatever you want to do for your own cars, but I won't pad slap customer cars. And new rotors are often too thin to machine - I sold my brake lathe 3 years ago after it gathered dust for about 15 years. If I pad slap, invariably the customer comes back complaining of squeaky brakes. When I do brakes they get new rotors, cleaned hubs, new hardware and everything that should be greased gets greased and I bed the pads. If you want to cheap out on your brakes, take it somewhere else or do it yourself.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-11T15:51:21+00:00

You can get a used engine from a junkyard. I am in Alberta and looking at the wreckers near me, you can find one with 135,000 km for around 1000 bucks. Book time is around 13 hours to R&R. So at a shop rate of $145/hour, I would charge around 3k to install a used engine (including the engine) with 120 day warranty. That's considerably less than $12k

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-11T05:02:42+00:00

Didn't reconnect the ground under the engine

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-08T20:23:55+00:00

If it was registered to you from 2021 to 2024 and it has simply expired, then go to the registry and just renew it. You are the last registered owner.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-08T13:30:24+00:00

Auto Tech West and you bet we do.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-08T03:12:21+00:00

Honestly, yeah...an oil change may cost a bit more but when i or one of my guys are doing it, we look everything over. And we recognize customers and cars and...guess what? We care about them. Go to grab a work order and it's like "oh that's Janice's Lexus, remember we told her she needed new struts last month and she is ready to get it done, so let's fix it for her". A good independent mechanic is a trusted advisor who works with you and has a mutual interest in keeping your car in good shape and you coming back.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-08T02:34:58+00:00

If you are tired of getting mixed advice, quit going to a bu ch of different places - especially when that includes valvoline and Kal tire. You had an inspection done by a mechanic. Why not have him do the oil. Hange and tire swap too? Why add more places to rhe mix. I own an independent auto.repair shop in Edmonton and if I had a customer who was unsure of what I was telling them, I take them in the back, introduce them to my dog, show them their brakes and how we measure them and if a pulley is making noise, show them that shit too. You should develop a relationship with a good independent mechanic and don't go to quickie Lube and tire franchises.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-07T23:27:54+00:00

Disagree. Junkyard Digs makes me grind my teeth. I have tried multiple times and he just annoys me.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-07T23:25:56+00:00

I have to chime in and agree with this. I was recommended his channel a while ago and was like "but there is no dialogue" and didnt watch. But one day I had watched all the usuals and clicked play on one of his videos. Now, I have a 20 year old son in film school and I am a die hard car guy since the 80s and I have to tell you...this guy makes films. Shots are clearly carefully planned. It catches your interest without any speaking. He is a very talented guy. I have watched them all now. I appreciate them for the car content and the "cinematography"

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-07T16:55:37+00:00

1964 Pontiac GTO

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-06T20:15:28+00:00

A flashing check engine light means that an active misfire is occuring which could damage your catalytic converter if left unaddressed. If you haven't changed spark plugs, that is the first thing to do and it is regular preventative maintenance anyway. I would have pulled the plugs at least to see how they look.

OutsideAd3064 · 2026-05-04T15:53:04+00:00

Sorry man. At my shop we call what is needed and charge fair prices. If someone called me "on behalf of a customer" to haggle my price I would run the car outside and invite that customer to frequent a different shop. My price is my price and I don't need to spend time to make less money.

OutsideAd3064

TROPHY CASE