Breaking Down in Death Valley - The Hottest, Driest Place on Earth
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- čas přidán 18. 04. 2024
- Yup I broke down in the one and only Death Valley National Park. It sucked but at the same time, what a good thing to break --- the Thermostat.
So much could've went much worse than what happened and I am so happy it all worked out in the end. Luckily I got a new Thermostat from NAPA auto parts and was able to successfully fix Fred in the Walmart parking lot and get back on the Road.
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Nice to see a kid working out a solution to a potentially serious problem without freaking out.
All I can say,as a dad of three boys that you did a great job working your way through all the possible problems and fixing the thermostat yourself. Congratulations 🎉
Wow, thank you! I’m sure your boys could and would do the same
@@bgrace27Nice comment man
Thank God you had an idea of how to fix your van. Great job Bronson. Keep on keeping on.
Always!
Nice to see young people being self reliant….good job brother you made your Daddy proud son !
Thank you!
Be proud that you're able to fix your van while you are on the road. It's a big part of road life. Enjoy the ride.
Thank you, I will
Hey Bronson. You did an awesome job fixing your yellow astro. Your stress is quite palpable as you navigate your way out of this problem. Considering your van is basically your home, the peace of mind that things work the way it should be must be a relief for you. CONGRATULATIONS 🎉. I am eager to chip in on any maintenance and repair through Patreon if you have one.
I just started a Patreon! I have a link to it in the on my channel page!
www.patreon.com/BGrace?
Thank you so much for the compliments as well my friend 🤝😁
Remember, always turn the heater on to make sure you get coolant, not air in the heating system, when you refill the system.
Yes I had a problem with that the first time I replaced the dang thing!
So glad you fixed the problem AND that it was an "easy" fix! Always stressful though ...
Congrats on fixing your van. You did a great job putting this video together, especially filming it under stress!👍👍
Thanks so much! It was so stressful in the moment 🫣
Great Job on fixing your Van....No more Stress for ya
Congrats on fixing your van - that’s an awesome feeling
Best feeling ever
Good job man! If the temps are cold like that it’s 100% your stat. Now you know! Life lessons
You got that right!
just went through almost the exact same issue with my astro, but mine ended up just being the sensor! Congratz on your first road repair! Hopefully its the last one for a long time!
How was the sensor to repair
@@bgrace27 wasnt to bad, its literally right next to the thermostat, once you got the intake and hsoe out of the way was basically just unscrewing it and screwing in the new one
The chest pumps lol, I was happy with you!🔧🤘
Good job. One suggestion, always carry with you critical fluids: Coolant, motor oit, brake, a funnel, and some sort of heat resistant tape to patch things up untill you get to civilization.
Thanks for the tips!
Now that you know the thing is stuck open, Drive in to town, I made it 2000 miles down the road. I had a thermostat that was stuck closed, so I had to REMOVE it and cut a gasket out of a leather glove and road around for three weeks before replacing it. If you drive watch the temp for thermostats can suddenly CLOSE and stick there. That's why I pulled mine out and tossed it.
That’s the way to do it. Keep everything in top-notch shape no fooling around when you’re way out there.😎 good vid!!
That’s for sure man, I wanna do a bunch of work before I hit the road again on stuff like ball joints and such
Great job! I was stressing also😂
Good job, diagnosing & repairing your Van! This will build your confidence for down the road. Was your E-brake on while driving or is it a faulty sensor? Looking forward to your next adventure. 👍🚚
No the dang ABS system is broken. Basically all GM vehicles around this year have ABS problems because they are such an extremely faulty system.
Good job. You passed one of the essentials of life. You know way more about ur vehicle when u fix it urself! No your engine i say😊
Exactly, I agree!
Hmmmm Bro I would be a little worried too but having an older vehicle is easier to work on than the newer vehicles. But I would rather have the engine run cold than overheat, though the engine won't run as efficiently if not up to operating temperature. At least you were able to fix the problem with a new thermostat and more antifreeze. I am sure Fred was happy too lol.
Your adventures are always an adventure which makes them so interesting. It' like an adventure within an adventure. If I ever have a problem with my vehicle I know who I am calling for help lol.
Yeah bro, the underheating was such a blessing 😩 I would’ve been so screwed if it were stuck shut!
Thanks for the compliments Calvin! Mechanical issues aren’t my trade but for goodness sake I’ll figure it out!
Congrats u fix it 💥 💥 and my bad iam here commenting while I watch the video instead off waiting g to the end lol 😅😅😅
Haha yeah man I got ole Fred fixed up
The engine running cool is not a problem unless it's winter and you lose heat/defrost. To test a thermostat to see if it failing to close is to pull it out and boil a pan of water. The open thermostat should close when you place it in the hot water. If not, it's bad.
I'm glad you got your problem figured out. It's better it was running cooler rather than overheating. NAPA always used to have superior auto parts when I was younger. Advance, not so much anymore. Back in my day, I always looked for STANT thermostats. They were always reliable. With everything being made in China now, it's a gamble. ACDelco parts are made in China, Motorcraft parts are made in Mexico. I don't know if many autoparts are made in America anymore. It's a shame that you purchased a new thermostat just a few months prior and it already failed. I've had cars that were over 20 years old and still had their original GM or Motorcraft thermostats. They don't make anything like they used to. Keep on Trucking!
Yeah that was very frustrating… it’s part of the reason I wasn’t sure the thermostat was the problem, you know? Lately Autozone has garbage for parts so NAPA was the next best
@@bgrace27 If you had driven to a mechanic, it would have probably cost you over $200 Minimum. They would have added 20% to the price of the part and charged you double for what you paid for the 50/50 antifreeze. Plus at least an hour labor at $150 an hour. So, Great job buddy. One thing I've learned with making repairs, don't be surprised or get upset if you have to redo something once, twice, or even three times to finally get it right. It's a learning curve.
That stressed me out!!! Glad you got it.
It stressed me out too!!
Having straight antifreeze or a failed sensor will cause not heating up on the dial, also having a low temp thermostat will open up quicker and keep it cooler.
My reaction before watching: And then on a 537th day, the intake manifold gasket probably failed 🤣
Nooooo not that please 😂
@@bgrace27 Additionally I gave up on the 4.3, 5.7 and 7.4 vortecs. I hope they rot in hell
well done bro you are fantastic great at solving problems
Practice makes perfect 😁
Good job..... and welcome to California..... enjoy your visit. I hope you enjoyed your stay
Thank you! Will do!
Great job!!!
Did a good job Bronson you are a good fixed your yellow Astro van
Thank you, she’s back on the road
Love your attitude.
Replace the thermostat with the dealer OE part. Aftermarket thermostats can fail while looking brand new.
Had the same issue before and the OE part solved it.
Perfect, thank you
Proud of you bud! nicely done, good diagnosis...feeling the hose for heat was good too...i was wondering if you would imagine the possibility of the sensor being bad, on an older vehicle could be anything! get a funnel...at harbor freight you can get 4 for $1 on sale....and they nest are orange...thanks for sharing your adventure!
I had the sensor on my mind for sure. I could definitely see that going bad. I did some research on it and it seemed like a big pain to fix!
Nice job!!!!
Man, you got skills.....congrats
The panic took over… in a good way
To test a thermostat boil some water put the thermostat in it and see if it closes. You should carry antifreeze, oil, a new belt fuses, and some hose clamps.
Yes I need to stock up thank you
It could be low on coolant after you overheated it, leaving the temperature sensor in an air pocket and reading lower.
Temperature is about 180 when you can touch the top radiator hose and not burn yourself, 210° you can still touch for a second or 2 and not burn yourself, kind of a rough check of temps when you want to double check the temperature gauge.
That’s very helpful, thank you
Bearings either one of the pulleys or alternator, I can hear that noise when you engine is running.
DUDE !! At 11:17 look at the top of the thermostat. IT IS STUCK OPEN, I can't believe you didn't catch that. It should be closed when it's cold.
I had no idea what I was looking for! It was so frustrating editing the video 😂
Great job !! God Bless !!
Thank you! You too!
If it was stuck open the spring would be tight spring is down. If you want to test it while PARKED put a sheet of cardboard blocking the air flow this will bring the temperature up then remove it. That’s the radiator
Great advice, thank you
i have heard of 2 - 3 thermostat models per vehicle, depending on what temperature zone you live in, and the altitude you wish to drive in, research that too
Thank you
Great job
Give it the beans 😂😂😂
😂
Great work sticking to it on fixing your van. Keep it up young man.
Thanks, will do!
Nice job. You make me check my Astro and i have to fhange my thermostat. I hope also raise my mpg
Yes sir, make sure that thing is in tip top shape
That’s my boy❤️❤️
Fun fact cut the bottom of a bottle and boom! You got a funnel!
Very wise….. will do next time
Your thermostat is probably a 165 degree, get a 195 degree thermostat and it will help you. However, it’s better to have one that is open that’s a good thing!
Congrats, well done!
Thanks!
That’s such an easy fix it’s an stuck open thermostat
Thankfully it was very simple
I have an 02 Express van with a 5.0L. A few years ago, we towed our travel trailer to Death Valley. Before we left, I also had a sketchy starter so replaced it before the trip. It really is a simple job in these vans.
I also carry a digital infrared thermometer on our trips to measure wheel bearing temperatures and in your case, radiator temperatures.
In the prehistoric days, in hot environments, we used to actually remove thermostats to eliminate one possible issue of overheating.
Your temperature reading is about the same as in my 02 Express.
Tip: Remove jewelry when working on vehicle. Fingers do not regrow.
you would not be allowed to work on machines where i work with any wrist jewelry...i am worried they will also make me shave off my beard! =) we had a guy lose the tip of his finger cause he didn't lock out a conveyor belt, and his trainer told him to hold a flashlight inside, a 3rd employee who didn't see them working turned it on, and it pulled the flashlight in, then his finger, then blood everywhere in a 30 foot diameter circle, cause he was shaking it around...i was first on the scene, and had him hold a wad of paper towels on there and i duck taped it and told him to hold pressure on it til the ambulance came....was a real mess
Thanks for all the great info man, a digital thermometer would be great…. Gotta stock up on gear
Just remember a stuck open thermostat is better than a stuck shut thermostat. If you over heat your engine you can do more damage than you think 🤔.
Well done! I dislike vehicle problems.
Me too, they are not fun
I'm only to the part of the video where you took the thermostat out and put it back in. For future reference, you could put the thermostat in a pan of water and heat it up to see if it works.
EDIT: this will only work if you suspect the thermostat is stuck in the closed position.
Awesome, thank you
Good job
It looks like its stuck open too me
As life goes on you will find a stuck open thermostat is not a breakdown, its just an inconvenience. Now a stuck shut thermostat can ruin your day. Luckily you have skills, most people would have no idea even where to start to replace a $10 part and head straight to the repair shop to be taken advantage of. I have driven astros for over 25 years so believe me, a coil and alternator should be tucked away in that van. Other than that its all little stuff well into the 300,000 mile mark if you keep the oil changed and the chassis greased.
You have check up with pump clutch fans or valve leaking and themostat house . Clutch fans lower cause get hottest. Need new clutch speeds cooler from you radiator
Turning on your heat will assist on cooling your motor. A slight drop in Temp is normal.
I noticed that, thank you!
Press pause on thoughts
Digging too deep
Leads to droughts
When water flows
Without doubt
My van I eliminated the thermostat and it's been year so u will be ok actually the only thing running cooler is coolant the engine still gets heat no much to worried yea change it but u won't break engine cause of that
Sweet, that’s so good to know
thermostat open wont hurt the motor had a ford we drove round for years woth no thermostat
Very nice thank you
Prestone in anti-freeze gees
Great job!
Thanks!
Might be your engine temp sensor, possibly the thermostat...just an additional note: check your power steering fluid, sounds like your pump is whining, if fluid is good your gonna need a ps pump soon.
Oooooo okay that is extremely helpful. I will look into a power steering pump
@@bgrace27 no worries...Maybe we will cross paths some day. I just started working on my astro, its a 2001 POS passenger awd. Got the S10 springs, a hitch, a Thule box, all the supplies to change all the fluids. Tubing, parts, and connectors for the vacuum system, brakes, rotors, calipers, shoes and drums, new hard lines, and all new rubber hoses, new engine mounts, plugs, plug wires, distributor cap and rotor and more...a HUGE pile of parts to get busy with. Bought a Bluetti power station. Just need tires and a lift kit...then build out the interior. Gotta find some funds somewhere. Looks like I'm going to have to sell my 1999 F350 dually. I'll be sad to let her go...
@@clarencerandolph2700 sad to see the dually go but sounds like you’ll have a crazy good Astro in trade
Replace it it suppose to open when gets to heat and it was open when u had it on your hand so yea replace
Hey good job! I noticed it sounds like your power steering pump might be on its way out too. I could hear the whine of the pump in the video lol. Either that,or one of the pullies has a bad bearing. " my butthole is still puckered" funniest comment oh man that made me laugh. I've been there it's not fun lol
I need to dive into that sound, another person said something about a power steering pump as well. That sound is annoying
It sounds like you have what is referred to as a Motorad fail-safe thermostat , which , when it fails it stays in the open position to prevent overheating , which can cause engine damage . I personally prefer them for this reason .
Yes I agree with everything you said. Thankfully that’s what I had installed
czcams.com/video/lhGBbCs7QBo/video.html
Looked it up thermostat wasn't junk😂 it was designed to stay open if it failed so you wouldn't overheat 🔥
Thermostat is stuck open.
Bronson ya did the deed & got er done👍. Alway carry every spare part termostat & starter & alternator & brakes & belts & fluids & have a $5000 dollar💵emergency🚨fund to replace transmission or motor & replace emergency fund a.s.a.p.! always Tommy🤠
Ooohhhh yeah I’ve got myself an emergency fund going, I wanna be sure I’m never stranded
@@bgrace27 EXCELLENT👍always Tommy🤠
I say good job young man. If you’re a novice, it can be very intimidating working on your own vehicle. But you persevered and I believe you ended up being correct. You also saved a few hundred bucks in labor .
That’s for certain, money is a little more valuable these days
Well that was a good lesson for you, but you have the means to find out what the problem was. first you have ytube vides that you can look at and find out what the thermostate is supposed to do. second the thermostate is suppose to open when the coolant gets above the thermostate temp reading to let cool colant circulate to cool the engine down. that is what the thermostate is supposed to do. I am sure that you know this by now. this a good hands on experience for anyone.Good luck to you. bob. from fresno calif. I am 85 years old, I have learned allot things all these years and still learning. good luck.
Bronson ~ "Jack" of All trades!! ~ SUCCESS!!
Been there done that!! Not in the desert,
but in Central California, where we live.
(Here, it seems, we have Service Centers
at every corner; not forgetting AAA.)
Respect your philosophy. "It is/what it is"!
The stress on your face was very visible, but
as always, You Didn't Give In. To be honest,
when in the middle of nowhere, you can't.
Being a grandpa {14 G/K) I tend to notice
"subtle" changes when they visit.
Same with you; In the Cave episode, you were
sporting full facial decor; in this one,
clean shaven. {Facial hair tends to make
a man look older/clean shaven, younger.}🤔
🙏for making your videos Worth Watching:
Not Repeated Content and Not Boring. Good job!!
C U in the next one ...💚
P.S...
"My butthole is Still Puckered" vs
"Holding my Breath"; I liked yours better!!
Then, You "Puckered" your lips (no comparison),
but it was funny!!
Never heard "Gave It The Beans" before,
interesting!
Lastly: The shoes look quite comfortable!!
Ahhh these are the comments I love most, so much to dissect and think about 😁
There’s a saying I always hear. “Jack of all trades, master of none”.
I wanna be the jack of all trades and the master of most 😁
*Researched "Gave it the beans"; seems it originated
in England. Not used very much; however, you did.
*My young friend; You have Mastered the "most" important
things to Survive. You have the future in front
of you; so much to be learned! Well Done!!
❗NOW, on a Personal note; Would like to
contact you, via email regarding an item on your
merch line. I have a request, and would like your take on it.
I'd like to keep it private and not in the comment
section. Please let me know if it would be okay
with you. Would appreciate it, immensely.
BTW: A 🐈would be a great companion!!
🙏🙏🙏...
That's normal when changing af
Well done!!!
It could be the water temperature sensor
Thanks for the heads up!! It was in fact the thermostat though 😁
The oil pressure gauge is showing low oil pressure. What weight oil are you using? If you're using a lightweight oil(5W20,5W30,etc),it would probably be better to use 10W40,or even 15W50,especially if the engine has a lot of miles on it.
That’s good to know, I’ll do an oil change soon and replace it
Im impressed with how cool and level headed you were throughout the ordeal. We cant always control circumstances but we can control our reactions. You will be able to handle anything thrown your way ❤
Thank you so much 🙏🤝
Hey the thermostat is stuck open u didn't notice but it is I seen it in video yes need replace
I was kicking my past self while editing the video 😂 I couldn’t tell in the moment but later on I learned
Attaboy!
I hope u put more coolamt or at least water before that 1 hrs drive😊
I found some distilled water and put some in before the drive! 😁😁
Bar's Leaks Power Steering repair ($12) pump ($7) flush and fill (10min) or.....
PS Pump ($200) Labor ($100/hr) more if you're in the middle of nowhere
Keep on keeping on 🤟
That’s no kidding man, I would’ve been hosed down
Using the cell phone while driving is illegal in California
Yup found that one out
what camera do you use ?
iPhone 14 Pro, Sony a6700, GoPro hero 11
Thermostat stuck open OR THE SENSOR IS LYING TO YOU. That would be deadly for your motor. If your SURE the motor is running cold, a piece of cardboard blocking the radiator will get you by in a pinch. But being the fact a motor never blew up because it's cold only blows up if it's hot. That's why we use a 10/40 weight oil for hot and cold performance. Use your gut on this. If your sure it's running cold go ahead and drive. I would follow the mechanic to Parump and get it fixed ASAP.
Got it fixed, thanks for the tips
You did a fantastic job on ur van an u are so dam cute .lol
Haha thank you so much 😁
So smart
hi there, ❤
Hello 😊
Just sub to ya. We travel by RV bus as well. BTW you look and remind me of Mav. Do you watch him?
Thanks for the sub!
Everybody says I look like him 😂 I never watched him until my subscribers said that I look like him!
@bgrace27 🤣.. BTW I am Paul nice to meet ya. Look forward to seeing more content buddy!
@@grewefamily nice to meet ya Paul!
Suggestion get a new van.
For a thermostat? Horrible suggestion
100% it was open when you removed it from the thermostat housing. I question whether you bought the special thermostats that do that intentionally. As there are a line of stats that when they get too hot, they will hold open as to stop the engine from overheating.
I will also add, your concerns about the van running "extra cool" are not as terrible as you expect. The engine does still get quite hot even with an open thermostat, the oil will still flow to all the necessary components. What you do miss out on is some MPG. As when the lower portion of the intake, when not hot, doesn't help the atomization of the fuel.
Also, if too cold, the ECU can sometimes not fall out of "Open-loop" which is to say, it never get out of "warm up mode." Closed-Loop, or "running normal" uses the O2 sensors, to confirm the proper air/fuel mixture for power and emissions.
For the last thing in my rambling. The temp sensor for the dash, is on the side of the driver side head, in between two of the exhaust runners. The ECU picks up it's temp reading from the sensor that installs right next to the thermostat. (Not sure why GM did this, using two separate sensors) Sometimes, the one that feeds the dash, can get bad feedback and be off by as much as 20 degrees. Getting a OBDII port scanner can give a more accurate reading.
ETA: YUP! Looks like you had a MotoRad Fail-Safe thermostat, when you compared them side by side, you can see the brass fixture that is holding the thermostat open.
Well holy moly, this is an awesome comment. All such great information and I appreciate it so much.
I will be sure to come back and look at this when I have future temp issues 😂
STOP stressing the little stuff in life. You know it will work out it's part of the adventure we all call life . I like how you watch your gages good diagnosis. When I bought my 1995 AWD Astro ( not running runs like top now ) one of things I did was head gasket sealer its a liquid. But first I did a new radiator thermostat hose water pump. NO the head gasket was NOT blown. WHY ? It's cheap insurance. As for your brake light being on it might be your front wheel hubs. When you get back from your trip you might want to look in to new hubs. But if you do plan to doing CV joints too the whole set is about $ 270 dollars (Amazon) . Yes I did those too and about 20 or 30 other parts. Yes I heard he put in a new thermostat 4 mouth ago.
Hey man, thank you for all the info! I wanna keep Fred in tip top shape so this is great, thank you
LOL......
From South Africa clock in number 18....
Oh no, I hope somebody gives you a Hand, good luck, watching you stress, you stress me out
Nobody gave me a hand but my dad was a huge help on the phone and I got it all fixed up!
Oh my God what damage do you think it's going to do if the thermostat is stuck open. The youth of today have no idea. That was 1 of the most painful videos to watch
It’s going to keep the engine from getting completely up to temperature.
Do you know what else it will do?
Also I was in Death Valley… what other choice did I have??