Kelly Does her Thing reaction blog; What's tough

Why am I on YouTube?

This comment got a little out of control for a simple YouTube comment, so I decided to also put it up as a blog honoring all the great content she brings to us as an American who lived in Germany.

Bwhahahahaha! I recently did a video about why I was on YouTube. I called it, "Why are YOU on YouTube," to make it more engaging to video makers (probably a mistake for the low views)! Oh my, we YouTubers think about chains of reactions to what we do way too much!

Anyway, not to be a self-promoter, but to say that my truly deep reason why I make videos now is different from the beginning. I do it for the feedback from others. I feel that I have YouTube friends who watch videos even when they disagree with me. I always welcome their feedback and I learn so much...now...see my other comment about the seedier other side of YouTube if you wish...(below video)

Also, I think I can see why your channel took off so much better than mine. You put way more into it. You script it and you don't sound scripted. You just seem thoughtful and put together. Early on, I spent as much time on videos as you and I don't think I did such a good job. As I got better at filming (and forgiving myself for errors) it's way easier to put up videos now! I've take months of breaks when I didn't feel it in me to make videos. That's okay! (It's probably why I have half the ongoing views I used to, but I came back a better YouTuber who for some reason makes more money on half the views).

By the way, I've decided with going back to Germany, that I'm going to do a new YouTube channel about it. Maybe this is unwise to start a second channel, but you inspired me to try. I just feel like my last trip to Germany wasn't maximized and if I want to share how amazing it is with the world then I'll want to go and experience much more of it for myself. Your videos is literally what started this thinking process.

What's tough about the comment section?

13:24 as someone who has been making YouTube videos for a few years, I really resonated with your comment about giving toxic people more power than they deserve. Roberto Blake, a teacher of YouTubers made the comment once that he uses delete and block with prejudice. I was at a blog marketing conference in 2007 or 2008 and they said to leave the haters alone and that other commenters would deal with it and the community what straighten them out. That's fine if you can take a hands off approach, but I respond to nearly every comment (pretty much have to miss a notification to not respond). I think about it this way now. If the comments not good for me, how's it good for my audience seeing it below my video? I am the moderator of these comments and if there's something inappropriate for my community, then I should toss it out an airlock instead of giving them the time of day. I have gotten good at responding to some negative feedback which isn't so bad and I think that's different than toxic comments. I myself have disagreed with a video creator before only to get a kind and thoughtful response which turned me into a fan who explored more videos and I think we can influence normal people in a good or even great way, but forget toxic.

Been Loving Steve Lehto's videos. Here's my bloggers response. :)

Did you say, oh by the way, it's not Olive Garden...? That's one of my 2 experiences where I ended up with frozen food in a restaurant. The other was a pizza which they "rushed" because I was there a little after my friends. No thank you for rushed food! It's like some cooks may be teaching servers with an earful from their customers. I had to argue both times. Like you I kept it a lot cooler than I felt. And when my eyes showed the truth of how I really felt the servers would back off and say something noncommittal and nice.

Really? Next I'm thinking about cops being called because I walked out on my bill and my date so I wouldn't really do something stupid (the cops for unpaid for frozen food, not me hitting anyone).

Wisely, you checked your food in the center. I did not. I felt so completely gross with uncooked food in my mouth! No amount of whining and dining on their dime was going to change how I felt on a very early date into getting to know Bridgette at the time. (whining left as a whine not wine on purpose, it's more fitting for the server's inability to use customer service!)

She was like. It's fine. Don't make a scene.

Her chair pushed back a bit. Apparently I had a temporary super power of scaring people because my mouth felt like it had been smothered in hair (the texture of frozen Fetucini Al Fredo). Then she got the "are you kidding me" eyes! I responded, "I'm being completely reasonable. There's a reason fine dining establishments have you pay second. It's a way of them saying, 'I can prove to you it's worth the bill at the end.'"
She asked, "Oh is that why? I always thought it was so that if you didn't pay attention you could run up your bill and have to deal with it afterwards." Okay, now I'm putting words in her mouth. This girl could make any restaurant experience cost 3 times the cost if I went there alone. And I explained restaurants paying at the end as a way of explaining how it was designed for dates like her to run up the bill!

Did I tell a yarn? Was it fully real, or did I tell it the best I can remember it with a little artistic license? You decide.

2014 Chevy Impala Exhaust Cam Shaft Solenoid testing and fix.

What are the symptoms of this issue?

P0013 Exhaust Cam Shaft Solenoid Control
P0014 Exhaust Cam Shaft Solenoid Circuit




These codes were stored on a 2014 Chevy Impala 2.5L Echotech engine. The TSB's referenced were specific to P0011 and P0014, but they still are very educational for testing the system, especially if the wires are at fault and not the exhaust cam shaft solenoid itself.

What are the step by step testing suggestions? 

1. Check with your *scan tool that the exhaust cam shaft actuator does not change position when commanded up to 15%.

2. Checking the actuator and solenoid status will help you do wire wiggle tests. Example: when I wiggled the wire the solenoids status would go from okay to malfunctioning and back again, but when I twisted on the solenoids body without touching the wires, it was also go in and out of okay and malfunctioning.

3. Verify the PCM is attempting control of the solenoid. Back probing got me a varying voltage from 7 to 12 volts. On an oscilloscope it would be a square wave pattern. If there's any issue follow for the wire tests or if you need understanding on the system: #PIP5096C or #PIP5162: P0011 P0014
4. Replace solenoid if faulty. If replacing the solenoid, dip the actuator end in clean oil first.
5. One TSB suggested removing the old one, using a rag and air pressure to blow out the oil channel. Ensure clean oil, change if necessary, check to see if codes reset.

What fixed it?

Replaced Exhaust Cam Shaft Solenoid and verified PCM's both control over the actuator and the solenoid's status.

Possible fixes: damaged wiring, cleaning the oil passages behind the Exhaust Cam Shaft Solenoid.

*Note: a dealer level scan tool will likely be required to go this deep in testing. It'll require a scantool with bi-directional control and be fully compatible with Chevy's PCM.

By AutoBravado

An Odd Case of EVAP codes

What are the symptoms of this issue?

P0449 Vent Control Circuit/Vent Control
P0446 Evaporative Emission Control System Vent Valve/Solenoid Circuit
I forget about possibly a 3rd code which was on this 2004 s10 V6 4.3L little truck. It had to do with Vent control high and/or low input. This typically means that the PCM is no longer seeing a value out of a sensor that it expects, or it can mean that there is a wiring issue.

It's not often with EVAP systems that there is a driveability issue or performance issue. Most often, it's just a pesky system which needs diagnosing so that you can pass emissions. The goal of the EVAP system is to capture fuel vapors and prevent them from going into the atmosphere. Hydrocarbons are actually very bad for air quality and this with other systems have managed air quality to be much better than what I remember them to be when I was a child in the 80's.

While driveability concerns or engine performance aren't typical with these when the purge valve opens without vent control, it could make an engine run rough - it did when I commanded at a lowest percent of 10 percent by a bi-directional tool for the purge valve to open. This allows the vapors to be burned in the engine. Typically, the purge valve has to be commanded at 30% or higher to effect idle, not just 10%.

What are the step by step testing suggestions? 

Remember, the same EVAP codes can head in many directions. I included typical directions from other techs, but it wasn't the case here.

P0446 Can be the vent being commanded open, but being stopped up or failing to open.
1. Be sure to check for the vent solenoid for opening and closing when commanded by a scan tool. This confirms that the truck's PCM has control over the solenoid. I usually use a large hose which fits over the vent solenoid while I breath into it. You should easily be able to breath out into it until it's commanded and successfully turns on.
2. Check the canister for flow restriction. (I skipped testing the canister for flow restrictions as I already saw the PCM had no control of the vent solenoid) In this case, the vent worked fine directly controlled with power and ground, but there was no ground and no control from the PCM.
In this case the Vent and Fuel Tank Pressure (FTP) sensor both were missing ground. To see this, the gas tank had to be removed. The FTP was showing in live data at 13.5 mm/Hg whether it was plugged in or not.
3. When unplugged sensors read the same this is a hint wiring is bad. Inspect the wiring harness up the frame. Found damage and repaired. If not so obvious use a wire sounding tool to test your way up the harness to find the break. Generally, Chevy wiring harnesses are too thick for my sounding tool to accurately hunt for the real breaks in the wire. With many wires in the harness it blocks the "sound" and your tool indicates the wire is broken where it is not. Maybe PowerProbe's wire sounding which came from the Power Probe 3, while expensive isn't the best for the job. Otherwise known as the ECT2000.
It is possible the PCM is not providing ground as both of these circuits are directly grounded by the PCM. The vent solenoid is ground side switched.

What fixed it?

Wires were repaired.

Rumble - monetizing my videos outside of YouTube??

To put this article in context, I was watching one of my friends videos over on YouTube His channel is called Ferintosh Farms Photography. Lanny Ross's video with Remi's question is available if you take this embedded video with a button on the bottom right during playback to actually watch it on YouTube, or you can simply stay here, watch the video, and get great detail for how my dealings with Rumble have begun. Rumble is my copyright manager for my content on YouTube and it's a way of dealing with monetization when currently my channel doesn't have the 1k required subs. Recently they up'd the 10k views to 4k hours of watch time a year. Gratefully, I've been blessed with some viral content and the watch-time is not a problem, but the subs are.


Hi Remi. I'm only a few weeks into having videos on Rumble and getting paid, or having $1.20 towards my first $50 feels a lot like starting over on YouTube. At least YouTube's minimum of $100 is beat by 50% by Rumble for when they'll pay out. Remember, I would be getting nothing right now. So this money is in despite of YouTube and their new requirements. I was excited at first at half that money in my Rumble account, but in the next week or so when there was no new money, I was starting to get depressed about it all.

Suddenly today it jumped up 50 cents to the money I told you. The reason? Rumble's stats on YouTube are slower. That was two weeks of catch up. Now realize, I've only had about 1k new views since Rumble has copyrighted some of my stuff and YouTube is slow to recognize the copyright, and then they may be (intentionally as it feels) slow on putting ads up because maybe they don't want it easy to work around their rules.

So far, and analytics are tough because I've had 100k views according to rumble in March, when really, the stats are confused as Rumble got the rights to an older and more successful video. See, when someone successfully claims your content they can see the analytics from YouTube on it and copyright owners have the right to just watch a channel and see if they grow and then tell the ads to turn on if they wish. I believe some of them are thinking, it's not worth telling YouTube to turn on the ads as it'll detract from their content being seen more if it's small change. If your channel and their content takes off, they'll most likely turn the ads on and YouTube may be a lot more quick to cash in and help Rumble with the video as well. Now if my guesses are right about only having 1 to 2 k new views since Rumble's copyright's, then this is similar pay to YouTube, 50kish views being worth about $35 in my experience says that 1-2 k views for $1.20 is either poorer pay, or about the same with all the issues of communication and speed between Rumble and YouTube to actually get those ads running again. Now IF, a big if, Rumble had all my content. Too much work for too little gain, plus Rumble and YouTube worked out having the ads on, then I'd really know for sure what it's worth to me for Rumble to have my content copyrighted for me. Plus, holding back half my income through YouTube is probably worth it. Sure, it just paid small bills, but I don't want to risk it all in rumble yet 1, and 2, unpopular videos are just as much work to copyright with Rumble as popular ones. (Even very sparingly viewed videos or at least the videos not in my top 15 are possibly worth 1/3 to 1/2 my YouTube income.)

I'm holding back a video I expect to go viral until I have 1k subs so I can manually go through and turn ads back on for everything. At that point, I'll really see what Rumble is worth. I think how it'll work is when YouTube sees the copyright and I make sure ads are on, the Rumble income will go up. Rumble or YouTube is slow to both recognize the copyright and turn ads on...if they weren't my mil value could be higher than a dollar, but it may be only 50 cents....gain, tough to understand the analytics with years of views being mixed in for the last month. Forgive my long response to your questions, but now I think it will be an article instead. Sorry Lanny, I don't want to be in your spam box, but I'll have to link this article to your video and ask you do the same back. It'll grow us both and give us more traction with search engines.

If you're interested in Rumble, be sure to use my referral Rumble link as Rumble will throw me 5% on top of whatever you make. You get 100% this way and I'd get another 5% out of Rumble's take after that. Good luck and happy video making!

by AutoBravado now on YouTube as DE Nichols!

Toyota Corolla Radiator R&R and critical details people forget

Remember, you can't just pour the coolant in and expect to be good to go. You also need to bleed the air out of the system. I didn't show that in this video, but I promise it's the same as when I recently got in and out of my Nissan Frontier's coolant system. I show the technique of bleeding the air bubbles out of the coolant during my changing of the belts. I had needed to change the belts for a while, but when I spotted a light coolant leak out of the thermostat housing, that's when I finally got around to taking care of it all at once!

Link to belts and coolant bleeding

I'll also show what transmission fluids belong in these cars. Be sure to watch until the end to catch it! While I was at it, I also changed the valve cover gasket. I really didn't show much on how to do it, but it's an incredibly easy job, on this car, you only need the gasket, with no sealant, and you should tighten it on to about 20 ft/lbs. Forgive me for not looking that up, but most valve cover gaskets are like 22 ft/lbs. Be sure to follow a nice x pattern starting from the center and working your way out. If you need to see the diagram for the bolts, these often come with the gasket, and if they don't, it's often available as a printout from your local store who sales you the gasket. I'm sure I'll show it on my Chevy Prizm in the future.

From 1998-2002 it was the 8th generation of Toyota Corolla's, and this video will also work for Chevy Prizm owners as these are the only years they were "Chevy's" instead before the Chevy side was discontinued. Prior to this it was the Geo Prizm. My brother has one. Great car. It's one of the reasons I bought a little newer one.

I allude to a few other jobs in this video. I didn't record a transmission fluid change, I just implied it, but you do need to add transmission fluid when you change a radiator, unless of course the transmission was a bit over full. I dropped the transmission pan, changed the filter, without recording, but these other jobs, I recorded and I'll leave the link to them below.

Spark plug balance theory:

Which, I actually called, "BalancingSpark with Spark Plug Gap and an extra secret! Shhh!"

VVT-i Explained (awesome video link)

The transmission fluid, which you should add to these vehicles is Dexron IV or Dexron VI. I've studied some about the differences, and I think that if they had Dextron VI back in the day, they would have never used Dexron IV. Dextron VI seems superior and is backwards compatible. It's deservedly a bit more expensive.

By AutoBravado

Due to factors beyond the control of DE Nichols/AutoBravado it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. DE Nichols/AutoBravado assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. DE Nichols/AutoBravado recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of DE Nichols/AutoBravado, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not DE Nichols/AutoBravado.

Understanding Oil Viscosity and Weather

I've seen this question a lot? What oil should I use?

Easy answer? Use the oil the engineer recommended.

But if you want a harder answer behind the concepts of viscosity and motor oil, then you have some studying to do.

Should I go with a 0w-20?

I don't think that's wise if the engine was designed for 30 weight once it's warmed up. You can get a tiny percent better miles per gallon ignoring the engineering that went into an engine with a thinner weight, but the catch is, this wears an engine down faster. Engine wear contributes to permanent reductions in miles per gallon. So, for example taxi's, having some of the hardest use for their miles? Thinner oil is not a good way to be saving money. Sure, if you didn't care about the next guy or gal when you're done with a car, you could go thinner because it'll save you money, but only a tiny bit, because you can pass the more used engine to the next guy - this assumes you buy new...furthermore, while under warranty, if they discovered your thinner use of oils, then you could lose your warranty. In the case of a heavily used engine like a taxi, even at the number of miles that isn't a big deal for a normal consumer, you'll have already achieved a great deal more wear.

Now, if the engine was designed for that second number to be thinner like the 20 in 5w-20 or 5w-30, then there is no issue, most likely. Some companies went to the slightly thinner oils to get better miles per gallon numbers, not because there was a matching redesign of the engine. Again, bad idea to go thinner if the engine wasn't legitimately redesigned, versus it just being an “environmental decision”.

You see, oil takes more punishment to keep metal parts off each other when it's thicker. You can't replace that protection...but some new valve trains do require it or the THICKER oil of 30, once heated up, is actually damaging those components.

Using a thicker oil is far more quickly damaging.

Unlike the subject above, I have more research to do about the viscosity that's indicated with the w, as in winter. So a 5w-20 and a 5w-30 on a cold engine actually behaves the same. I am referring to an engine that's not warmed up, not just one that's freezing cold.

The portion that I need to do more research in, is if going with a lower w or winter weight for extreme cold...is it only protecting better at startup because it can flow? Is it causing more damage as the oil heats up because vehicles that are in the middle of warming up don't have the right viscosity? Whether it's harmful after initial startup but fine after a complete warm up or not, then the gain first thing in the morning would only be balanced as a help to drivers who keep their engine warmed up for longer – if however going thinner on the w or winter side of the house, has the oil behaving well into a warm up, the it'll greatly benefit those who are frequently short tripping in their car, just like me.

- by AutoBravado

On a related subject, here's an oil additive by Lucas. It's called Lucas Pure Synthetic Oil Stabilizer:

Many of these questions that came up, came up on this video, which better illustrates the colds effect on different engine oils. So take a look at a fellow YouTuber's video called "Cold Engine Noise = OIL WEIGHT".