DIY Auto Mechanics by a Dummy Freelancer

Your local mechanic charges by the hour for repairing a car; though he or she doesn't actually use a clock – there's a database of standard times. If you've looked at a repair bill, you may have noticed that the hourly rate is catching up with what a lawyer charges to draw up a will. Perhaps that's why so many people want DIY help with car repairs, and why so many freelancers are glad to help. The only thing some of them, like eHow.com contributor Marcus Baker, "help," unfortunately, is their own bank accounts. Today's DotD is a little different from the usual, as we take a look at a few of the many not-very-helpful posts Baker submitted to eHow, posts that the mother lode of misinformation then published.

When asked "Where Is a Camshaft Sensor in an Engine?" (now moved to ItStillRuns.com) Marcus explained that

"Because a camshaft sensor may be magnetic, it will often be found positioned directly on the timing cover located over the gear of the camshaft. "

Say what? on the "timing cover"? WTF is a "timing cover"? And is that the camshaft position sensor or the camshaft angle sensor? In the time-honored tradition of "ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer," it should be obvious even to the average idiot that the location of this or any sensor is a function of the make, model and engine... Dumbass.

When asked for "Heater Core Replacement Instructions," Baker copied some fairly general instructions... for a Pontiac Trans Am. We rather suspect any shade tree mechanic, however, would be irritated to learn that all you have to do is "Remove the top part of the dash and its lower panel..." ...without any further instructions (in some vehicles you'll need to remove the steering wheel!). When asked to explain "When Is a Radiator Fan Supposed to Start?" Baker informed his readers (if you can call it "informing" ) that

"Radiator fans are designed to start when the temperature of the engine coolant reaches around 200 degrees Fahrenheit."

That's pretty much correct, especially since he has the "around" in there to weasel his way out of specificity. Marcus' problem is that he doesn't seem to realize that the OQ is probably confused because his/her fan starts running after the car is shut off. Instead of pointing out that an engine is still hot after running, Marcus makes the rather stupid assumption that the owner isn't hearing the fan start at all, and "informs" him or her that

"A common misconception is that a radiator fan motor is always the problem when the fan fails to start."

Baker still has almost thirty auto-related posts at eHow and no telling how many of this certified electrician's posts (none of which deal with electrical work) have already been identified as deficient and rewritten by, presumably, better-qualified contributors. A quick survey of other posts suggests that the only thing keeping Baker from qualifying as a serial dumbass is his rather low output – but just about all of it is fodder for another Dumbass of the Day award...

copyright © 2016-2023 scmrak

DDIY - ENGINES