July 29th, 2025 — Issue #0006

"Dormammu, I've Come to Diagnose": The Time Loop Bargain

No Pit Stops, Just Persistence—How Repeating the Same Diagnostic Laps on the ChassisEAR Speedway Gave Me Leverage and Broke the Spell on this Equinox Drone Noise

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Hi Reader,

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Welcome to your weekly boost of inspiration from the shop floor. Torque Authority is not your average industry blog—it's a spark fired from the shop meant to reignite your drive, your grit, and your purpose.

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Each edition delivers a hint of humor and a dose of inspiration drawn from real moments under the hood—lessons on leadership, resilience, and persistence.

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The aim of this newsletter is to help you build a highly skilled, confident, and high-paying automotive future—on your terms.

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Torque Authority Hub

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Join Torque Authority Hub: Where Automotive Technicians Transform into Diagnostic Daredevils. Embrace your worth, master your craft, and drive towards financial autonomy with a community that gets it.

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If you haven't already heard, Torque Authority Collective is hosting our first LIVE LAB on Tuesday, August 19th at 1:30PM EST!

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Experienced Technicians looking to save time, new technicians wanting to build confidence, and shop owners looking for smarter, faster diagnostics, this is for you!
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Join us in one month for our first LIVE LAB: Diagnose Electrical in 30 minutes or less.
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We're going to cover the essential tips, tricks, and tools to confidently diagnose automotive electrical faults in no time.

From the Driver's Seat—Featured Story

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It wasn't the Daytona International Speedway—just a dealership lot.

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But after the 30th lap, the only trophy I was dreaming of was a barf bag.

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And to have my sanity back!

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This vehicle had an intermittent drone/buzz type noise that was pretty hard to duplicate. So, I accompanied the technician as he drove it round and round with the ChassisEAR tool placed in every location that seemed intelligent—using the tried-and-true method of 'eeny-meeny-miny-where-the-heck-is-that-noise?'

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Before I got involved, the shop found it to occur usually on light throttle tip-in, around 1800 RPM, and most noticeable around 22 to 25 MPH, while turning left.

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Oh—and it helped if you held your tongue just right while patting your belly, standing on your tiptoes, and humming the shop's unofficial theme song in reverse while squinting. Even then, this drone noise played harder to get than a toque spec from the manuals of a discontinued automaker.

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So, I started with the basics. The technician put the vehicle on a lift, then we inspected everything underneath. Nothing out of the ordinary. This shop had already eliminated various components—so now it was time for noise isolation one part at a time with the ChassisEAR tool.

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And boy, was it tedious.

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We lifted the vehicle, secured six ChassisEAR channels on anything and everything that hadn't already been eliminated, then drove it in the same loop around the dealership lot, trying to coax that elusive drone out of hiding.

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One channel on the transmission bellhousing. Another channel on an oil pan bolt. Further still, channels on various steering and suspension components. Then we'd drive it and listen to each channel when we got the noise to return.

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We did it again.

And again.

And again.

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At some point, it felt less like diagnostics and more like I had stepped into the Dark Dimension myself. Every run around that loop was like facing Dormammu.

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"Dormammu, I've come to bargain."

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Only instead of cosmic annihilation, I was negotiating with vehicular ghosts and gremlins.

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But just like Dr. Strange, I knew this repetition wasn't failure—it was leverage. Each pass reset the loop, revealing just a little more.

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Until finally, we trapped the noise in a loop it couldn't escape.

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I was honestly about to call it quits for the day and come back later. But then I had the thought to put a ChassisEAR channel on the high-pressure A/C line leading to the evaporator.

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And there it was. The noise was unmistakably heard through this ChassisEAR channel while duplicating the concern.

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And after pulling out the intake air box and a few other components, it wasn't hard to see the problem. This A/C line was contacting the vehicle body, and in the right conditions, the A/C line would vibrate and cause the drone noise.

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To confirm we had it, we took a rubber hose, split it down the middle, then wrapped it around the A/C line where it was contacting the body. Once secured in place with zip-ties, we drove it again in the same loop in the same conditions. Noise gone!

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Curious, we located a like vehicle on lot and removed the air box on that vehicle to confirm that this good vehicle has a half-inch gap between the A/C line and the body of the vehicle.

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It turns out, minor manufacturing variances between like vehicles results in one A/C line being just a bit too close to the frame of the vehicle body.

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Here is what I learned from this case:

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1. For some vehicle repairs, there is no magic wizardry. Sometimes there is no smoking gun or perfect tool to find the issue with the snap of your fingers. It's cases like these where we learn that persistence is the true smoking gun, the real wizardry of automotive service. Persistence is the hidden superpower.
2. Repetition isn't futile—it's strategic. Diagnostic success sometimes lives in the monotony. Isolation = Illumination.
3. Don't dismiss the weird symptoms. Some of the wackiest symptoms can be dismissed as 'unrelated' or 'unsolvable'. But these patterns often hold the key. Respecting the quirky complaints can open diagnostic doors.

Don't forget we've created a free online Skool community where fellow troubleshooters, thinkers, and diagnostic detectives can swap stories, wisdom, and wiring diagrams. 'Torque Authority' isn't just a newsletter, it's the start of a movement. Come be a founding member by joining the party here:

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Torque Authority Hub

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Torque Authority Hub is a Skool community/classroom: an all-in-one online space where learning meets connection. Think of it as a hybrid between a private social group and a structured course platform—built for automotive service enthusiasts to share knowledge, spark discussions, and build relationships around our shared interests.

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It’s a place where:

• Courses are organized into modules and lessons, making it easy to learn at your own pace
• Community posts where members ask questions, share wins, or troubleshoot together—like a virtual shop floor
• Gamification (points, levels, rewards) which makes learning feel like leveling up
• Calendars and events where we schedule live trainings, Q&As, or meetups

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We're taking this Torque Authority newsletter and turning it into an interactive pit crew—ready to learn, laugh, and lift each other up. You don't want to miss out on this! Join now—it's free!

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We're also launching our first course inside the Torque Authority Hub community: Here's a sneak peek!

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Build elite diagnostic skills & unlock your six-figure income future. Tech Authority Accelerator is the ultimate transformation for technicians ready to level-up. Using a proven system designed by and for technicians who demand mastery and command respect, and based on 'Hotwire Your Skills', this program delivers elite diagnostic power, real income growth, and total control under the hood. This is your six-figure future—you can own it, or just keep letting it idle.

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We hope you enjoyed the story! Please share this article with a friend if you did.

In this section each week we highlight a person—an innovator, subscriber, engineer, or even a business—who has made a positive impact in our industry. This is the place in Torque Authority where their authority in the Automotive Industry is highlighted.

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This week's highlight is on Maxwel Anyanwu, Owner of Maxwel's Auto Diagnostic Corner

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Maxwel is a seasoned automotive expert whose impact spans diagnostics, education, and community support. As owner of Maxwel's Auto Diagnostic Corner, he provides advanced programming and troubleshooting to local shops. He's an adjunct professor at BYU-Idaho and a former Ford Motor Company Technical Support Analyst. His past technician roles and frequent LinkedIn insights reflect a deep commitment to elevating repair standards and empowering fellow professionals. I have always been impressed with his work for the several years I've known him. Let's hear it for Maxwel!

One quote of wisdom for you to consider this week:

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🔧 Question of the Week What's the weirdest 'ritual' you've found yourself doing to replicate a customer complaint or duplicate a mystery noise? Reply to this newsletter or drop your answer in the Torque Authority Hub community! The best response(s) will be featured in a future edition!

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📊 Quick Poll What's your go-to replication strategy? When the complaint says "only happens when it wants to," how do you start chasing the ghost?

• Scan tool first — gotta lay the groundwork.
• Channel your inner Sherlock — Place the scenario through your head.
• Take the car for a 'diagnostic date' — Long drive, no distractions.
• None of the above, but I've got something better...

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✍️ Share Your Story What's one time you channeled diagnostic sorcery and surprised yourself with your diagnosis? We want to hear about your victories—reply with your story and we just might feature it in a future edition!