Watching YouTube videos pertaining to Model-A repair or restoration...

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Sometimes it is late at night (-or early, early morning) when I can't sleep and so I often try to find a YouTube video such as a Model-A topic to get relaxed where I can go back to bed. Some of these videos are SO upside down that I actually get more frustrated than I get relaxed, ...and this is a great example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSCl2-kEQT4&t=288s

Now here we are the next morning and I realize that likely most people will never see anything wrong with this video, but the more I listened to him speak about a "Nu-Way" (Nu-Rex?? ??) wrench, or the "dimple in the crank flywheel". ...and countless other things, I just shake my head in total disbelief that this is where our hobby (-and maybe society) is headed.

The irony is that Nu-Rex has, -or had an instructional video on this very topic on how to use this. Maybe if he would have taken the time to watch that video instead of trying to re-time it the 45 times, or whatever the actual amount he did, he would have helped more folks?? But then I would not have had the opportunity to waste about 10 minutes of my life scrolling thru the comments and advice he was given. Good thing AI will use those comments to assist others in the future!!

Have a great and productive day my friends!!

[old31]

Brent, this guy is scary. Please take all tools away from this joker. He said he did it 50 times and it is not right. He should be sued for wasting time in my already elderly life!

The sad thing is, almost 10,000 people have seen this video, and 155 people have subscibed, and how many decided not to buy the wrench. The same wrench that I have been using for years and love.

I wish that AI could delete this guy from planet earth.

[alexiskai]

Brent, I'll make some new video content for you this month to fall asleep by.

[katy]

Just set the timing the Ford way, simple and easy, no special tool(s) needed. Been doing it that way for well over 60 years and never had a problem. No need to waste time watching videos.

[clifforddward]

Brett:

I had your exact thoughts a week ago when I had a similar situation and chanced upon this same youtube video...One important thing to remember to do is "dislike" the video....I see he has 138 likes on this video but cannot see how many dislikes.

It does not appear this poster had negative intent...meaning he did not make this video to purposely lead people down an incorrect path...Appears more likely an ill informed person who could benefit from redirection...if they are willing to accept.

I chose to NOT subscribe to this fellow's channel...I don't need to see more erroneous videos...

[Y-Blockhead]

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Is part of the "tab" missing on his Nu-Way wrench? It doesn't look right to me?



I hope everyone gives him a thumbs down.

[Banditorama]

The guy apparently runs a body shop and builds hot rods (according to his profile).

This is exactly the reason I do all my own work on all my cars. The techs at the dealer are just part snappers and most of the independent shops around me are ran by guys like this. If you find someone who knows what they're doing, consider yourself lucky

[Marshall V. Daut]

C'mon, people! Katy is right, besides typing his reply faster than I. Setting the timing in a Model A - REAL rocket science stuff that several entrepreneurs have turned into a virtual gold mine for themselves, selling every imaginable Rube Goldberg device to perform this VERY simple task. I get so tired reading page after page of periodic postings discussing this basic procedure. These cars are not Maseratis or Lamborghinis that need precision instruments to set the timing within a millionth degree in order to tweak every possible horsepower out of their engines. How did Farmer John and the world's po' folks during the Great Depression manage to do this without all these modern marvels of technology? Just set the initial timing the way Ford recommended since 1928 with a hand crank and inverted timing pin, and then tweak the distributor cam afterwards slightly clockwise or counterclockwise to dial in the timing to suit your driving style: a little more retarded for a slow idle (turn the cam clockwise), or a little more advanced for more power and speed (turn the cam counterclockwise). The engine will tell you by sound and feel if you have exceeded its limits. Listen to the engine and learn. That's all you need to set the timing: no strobe lights, timing degree wheels, indexed pulleys, special wrenches. Toss all those gimmicks and you'll experience fewer anxieties timing your Model A engine. Old timers here will agree. If you need all those band-aids just to set the timing, Lord help you if you ever tackle a rear end rebuild or a valve adjustment.
There. I feel better now, getting this long-time pet peeve off my chest. K.I.S.S. is usually the best way to go with our cars. Setting the timing is a perfect example.
Marshall

[rotorwrench]

I check U-tube when I'm working on something that I have no repair information about. Most videos are well done with good information of the subject but others illustrate the futility a person with no mechanical skills can experience when they have no idea what they are doing. Some are just flat "what not to do" videos. They are hard to watch and a person wonders why they posted them in the first place.

[AzBob]

At start up at the end of the video, sounds like it is only running on 3 cylinders and this guy is claiming victory.

[nkaminar]

Brent, You are one of the smartest and most educated persons I know, with regards to the Model A. You have a sixth sense when it comes to mechanical things. Many of the Model A owners are blessed with similar abilities.

However, there are many people in this world who do not have mechanical or electrical abilities and should not be allowed near a Model A under repair. That does not mean that those people are bad or somehow not human. They may be fantastic cooks or have a PhD in physics.

I think the correct thing to do is to point out those video's that are providing wrong or harmful information and refrain from criticizing the people who made them. You did point out the video and you did talk about how the information was wrong. Good for you.

Many many years ago I worked for Dr. Linus Pauling, a renowned scientist who won two Nobel Prizes. I had to adjust the points on his car, a Ford station wagon, and advise him on which wire in an AC system was ground (the green one). Albert Einstein, to his credit, never learned how to drive a car.

[Bob C]

Originally Posted by AzBob

At start up at the end of the video, sounds like it is only running on 3 cylinders and this guy is claiming victory.

I like how he says "sounds great"

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by nkaminar

Brent, You are one of the smartest and most educated persons I know, with regards to the Model A. You have a sixth sense when it comes to mechanical things. Many of the Model A owners are blessed with similar abilities.

However, there are many people in this world who do not have mechanical or electrical abilities and should not be allowed near a Model A under repair. That does not mean that those people are bad or somehow not human. They may be fantastic cooks or have a PhD in physics.

I think the correct thing to do is to point out those video's that are providing wrong or harmful information and refrain from criticizing the people who made them. You did point out the video and you did talk about how the information was wrong. Good for you.

Many many years ago I worked for Dr. Linus Pauling, a renowned scientist who won two Nobel Prizes. I had to adjust the points on his car, a Ford station wagon, and advise him on which wire in an AC system was ground (the green one). Albert Einstein, to his credit, never learned how to drive a car.

Thank you for the kind comment Neil but there is also a saying about 'A Wise Man Knows what he Doesn't Know!". Maybe that should have applied to this man?? As mentioned above, this man has basically mislead a hundred thirty something people based on the amount of people who 'Liked' that video, ...and no telling how many more who just did not take the time to 'Like' that video.

Anymore, Social Media is absolutely full of misinformation on the repair or restoration of a Model-A. Awhile back, a well respected Model-A parts vendor posted publicly that about 80% of the information you read on the internet about Model-As is incorrect. What an accurate statement that seems to be!! And FWIW, one of the biggest 'Spreader' of false technical information that I have seen on the Facebook Model-A pages is actually a political figure within one of the National Clubs. Sometimes it is so sad that it almost becomes funny. Ohh well.........

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

Anymore, Social Media is absolutely full of misinformation on the repair or restoration of a Model-A. Awhile back, a well respected Model-A parts vendor posted publicly that about 80% of the information you read on the internet about Model-As is incorrect.

I'm not sure that is limited to Model As. Seems to me that a significant portion of what you read on the internet about pretty much anything is crap.

[SDJason]

Watched most of his video, until finally realizing what his actual point was; he should have shortened the video (drastically), and changed its title to:
"Nu-Rex sent me a defective wrench".

Wouldn't have taken more than 30s to a minute to just get to the point, instead of meandering around for almost fourteen minutes.


His wrench:



Nu-Rex Wrench from Nu-Rex's website:

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by SDJason

Watched most of his video, until finally realizing what his actual point was; he should have shortened the video (drastically), and changed its title to:
"Nu-Rex sent me a defective wrench".

Thinking about a couple of points to your theory;

A) We are assuming that the Nu-Rex Wrench was indeed brand new and actually defective.

B) It has the look to me as if the tang was sheared-off due to excessive force from someone who did not know what they were doing.


I suspect the wrench was used based on the shiny-ness (-or lack thereof) of it, so it could have been damaged before he received it. If it was indeed brand new, why not just call Nu-Rex directly and send a picture describing what was wrong. If it truly was new and defective, logic would suggest they would have sent a replacement immediately. At that point, the topic likely would have been much different.

[SDJason]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

Thinking about a couple of points to your theory;

A) We are assuming that the Nu-Rex Wrench was indeed brand new and actually defective.

B) It has the look to me as if the tang was sheared-off due to excessive force from someone who did not know what they were doing.


I suspect the wrench was used based on the shiny-ness (-or lack thereof) of it, so it could have been damaged before he received it. If it was indeed brand new, why not just call Nu-Rex directly and send a picture describing what was wrong. If it truly was new and defective, logic would suggest they would have sent a replacement immediately. At that point, the topic likely would have been much different.

Concur that the tang definitely looks to have been partially sheared off/smaller than it should be - but my assessment (defective wrench) is based on the position of the tang itself - on a "good" wrench (i.e. based on the photo from Nu-Rex's website), the tang appears to be around the 4:30 o'clock positon, whereas the youtuber's wrench has a (much smaller) tang around the 1:30 o'clock position, 90 degrees off.

[Wick]

That fuel line.....
I can't unsee this.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Wick

That fuel line.....
I can't unsee this.

Fred, I thought the very same thing!! And that Cath Bottle turned fuel jug hanging on the R/S Windshield Stanchion!

[nkaminar]

Katy in post #4 had the right answer. Why even us the Nu-Rex Wrench?