I’m a mechanic - two clients tried ‘DIY solutions’ for their car leak issues one really worked better than the other
Michael Green
Published Sep 18, 2026
AN auto mechanic has shown how do-it-yourself car fixes can range from respectable to downright confusing.
The technician, Mike, of Royalty Auto Service, a Georgia-based garage, was filmed in a TikTok comparing two clients’ leaking vehicles who took repairs into their own hands.
3
3
Royalty Auto Service’s (@royaltyautoservice) video clip began with overlay text establishing that two of their customers tried fixing their vehicle’s leaks, with one method working better.
Mike said the driver of the 2013 Kia Soul he was standing next to on-camera stated they were experiencing shifting issues.
The mechanic sarcastically asked: “I wonder why?”
Next, he revealed the source of his sarcasm, showing that the customer attempted to patch a transmission leak on their vehicle using a material akin to silicone you’d buy to seal a bathtub.
READ MORE ON MECHANIC FINDINGS
Mike added: “Unfortunately, we gotta pull that plug out to top it up with transmission fluid and make sure the transmission is not damaged.
“But we can’t do that with all that [silicone] on there, so we’re going to have to replace the pan before we can continue diagnosis with this transmission.”
Mike proceeded to another area of Royalty Auto Service’s garage, where a lift held a 2020 Honda Accord.
The professional mechanic noted that the low-mileage Honda’s owner reported hearing flapping noises while traveling down the highway.
Most read in Motors
Mike said he and his fellow technicians made progress solving the flapping noise when they saw something peculiar underneath the lifted vehicle.
He walked over and pointed to the car’s oil pan, which had a hole allowing oil to leak out, lowering engine efficiency.
Mike highlighted how the previous owner tried to weld the hole.
The video’s camera operator, Sherwood, jokingly asked Mike off-screen: “So, basically, J-B Weld and silicone don’t work?”
Mike responded: “This actually isn’t J-B Weld.”
He added: “Somebody did try to TIG [tungsten inert gas weld] this or MIG [metal inert gas weld] this or something.
“It is actual weld; it just didn’t work.”
Mike also said: “It [welding fix] doesn’t look terrible, you know, not a, you know, super easy one, but they definitely should’ve replaced the pan.”
3
