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c/auto-mechanics•robertlanerobertlane•4mo ago

Appreciation post: The old timer at the parts counter in Spokane who saved my bacon

I was stuck on a weird coolant leak on a 2012 Civic, and the guy at the counter asked me if I'd checked the plastic T-connector behind the block. He said, 'They get brittle and crack after about 8 years, but you can't see it unless you pull the intake.' He was right on the money. How many other little time bombs like that are out there that only come with experience?
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4 Comments
emmaclark
emmaclark4mo ago
Those old guys at the parts store are basically walking service bulletins. They've seen every stupid design flaw twice.
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the_wesley
the_wesley2mo ago
My 74 year old uncle ran the counter at Napa for 35 years. He still calls the 78 Ford F150 alternator bracket a "government mandated headache.
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milesk27
milesk274mo ago
That's why real world knowledge beats a google search every time.
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vera_robinson36
Seriously, my grandpa could fix anything just by listening to the engine.
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