Episodes
-
Intake port wall wetting. 908-652-0154
Originally published 2/9/2022. This episode of Idle Chatter aired in the early days of the podcast. The introduction and audio are a little different from what I use today. The information is timeless, foundational, and just as relevant to your success. Agriculture runs on machinery… but profits…
more -
Leverage your clout. 908-652-0154
The art of negotiation.
-
The differences between steady state and transient engines. 908-652-0154
Originally published 2/2/2022. This episode of Idle Chatter aired in the early days of the podcast. The introduction and audio are a little different from what I use today. The information is timeless, foundational, and just as relevant to your success. Agriculture runs on machinery… but profits…
more -
Starting procedures, Part 1. 908-652-0154. Aired 10/17/26
What seems simple many are doing wrong. Success on the farm or ranch requires efficient machinery. I am Ray Bohacz, the Hot Rod Farmer from New Jersey, and I want to help you maximize the reliability of your equipment. Please join me every Saturday at 11:00 am Eastern for Farm Machinery Digest...
-
Look to learn. 908-652-0154
More than ever, we need to learn proper protocols and procedure.
-
Why it is important to monitor energy usage. 908-652-0154
Originally published 1/26/2022. This episode of Idle Chatter aired in the early days of the podcast. The introduction and audio are a little different from what I use today. The information is timeless, foundational, and just as relevant to your success. Agriculture runs on machinery… but profits...
-
Getting the most from you multimeter, Part 3. 908-652-0154. Aired 10/10/2026
You need to apply what you just learned. Success on the farm or ranch requires efficient machinery. I am Ray Bohacz, the Hot Rod Farmer from New Jersey, and I want to help you maximize the reliability of your equipment. Please join me every Saturday at 11:00 am Eastern for Farm Machinery Digest...
-
A listener is concerned with using E-10. 908-652-0154
I demystify the myths about E-10.
-
Men of Steel. 908-652-0154
Originally published 1/19/2022. This episode of Idle Chatter aired in the early days of the podcast. The introduction and audio are a little different from what I use today. The information is timeless, foundational, and just as relevant to your success. Agriculture runs on machinery… but profits...
-
Getting the most from your multimeter, Part 2. 908-652-0154. Aired 10/3/26
Internal meter resistance. Success on the farm or ranch requires efficient machinery. I am Ray Bohacz, the Hot Rod Farmer from New Jersey, and I want to help you maximize the reliability of your equipment. Please join me every Saturday at 11:00 am Eastern for Farm Machinery Digest Radio, where...
-
Full Pull!!! 908-652-0154
Lessons learned from attending a tractor pull.
-
Maintaining mechanical equilibrium. 908-652-0154
Originally published 1/12/2022. It is critical to understand that parts of an engine or machine that rotate need to be in balance. But there are both fine and coarse balance, with the former being the desired result. In this episode, the Hot Rod Farmer also explains why components need to…
more -
Getting the most from your multimeter, Part 1. 908-652-0154. Aired 9/26/26
Checking circuit current flow.
-
Understanding cylinder wall glazing. 908-652-0154
Your engine may not be worn but glazed over instead.
-
Is fuel injection really better than a carburetor? 908-652-0154
Originally published 1/5/22. The Hot Rod Farmer takes a look at the potential problem areas you may run into with an EFI engine. Is fuel injection better than a carburetor? That question gets answered in this episode of Idle Chatter.
-
Is it a burned valve or a broken spring? 908-652-0154. Aired 9/19/26.
I answer two questions from a long time listener.
-
I never thought it was the oil…908-652-0154
The truth about the GM engine failures were not what most said.
-
How breaker point ignition systems work. 908-652-0154
Originally published 12/29/2021. Though there has not been a engine made for decades that uses breaker points, there are still many in use on a farm or ranch. Also, the tenet of operation is the same for a modern coil-on-plug electronic ignition system. Understanding modern ignition systems…
more -
It is best spoken in a song. 908-652-0154. Aired 9/12/26
Song writer Michael Hinton joins me to discuss his inspiration behind, A choir in the Gears.
-
The ravages of time. 908-652-0154
Just like people or animals as machinery ages things change.
-
Why you need an OBD-II scanner. 908-652-0154
Originally published 12/22/2021. Since 1996, all light-duty vehicles offered a world of diagnostic data that can only be accessed with an OBD-II scanner. This is an inexpensive and easy to use tool. In this episode, Ray provides practical uses for a scanner beyond reading and erasing trouble codes.
-
Sustainability of the farm. 908-652-0154. Aired 9/5/26
Don’t we all want to stay in business?
-
Why did it go wrong or go right? 908-652-0154
We need to study and learn from our results.
-
Understanding how engines are developed. 908-652-0154
Originally published 12/15/2021. In this episode, the Hot Rod Farmer explains the unique tools that are employed during the development of an engine. The journey from a concept to you owing it is a long and detailed one.
-
Understanding how bolts work. 908-652-0154. Aired 8/29/26
The elastic versus the plastic range.
-
Old versus new. 908-652-0154
How do we balance accepting the new while keeping the old?
-
The debate over using E-10 in small engines. 908-652-0154
Originally published 12/8/2021. A long time Idle Chatter listener has had problems with using E-10 in small engines. The Hot Rod Farmer has had no issues at all in 25 years. How can some people have problems with this gasoline while others do not? In this episode, Ray applies critical thinking…
more -
Avoid low-cost parts. 908-652-0154. Aired 8/22/26
You often pay the price for inexpensive parts.
-
The Wonder Bread years. 908-652-0154
This week I juxtapose how important the early life of an engine is against a bread ad from the 1960’s.
-
What you need to know before you delete the Tier 4 emissions system on a diesel pick-up. 908-652-0154
Originally published 11/17/2021. The lure of more power and fuel economy and no longer dealing with DEF and regeneration of the DPF can be alluring. But these gains come with a cost that many do not recognize until it is too late. Be an educated consumer and learn all the facts before you decide…
more -
From farming to 413 mph! 908-652-0154. Aired 8/15/2026
JCB just kills it at Speed Week!
-
Speaking the language. 908-652-0154
You can’t learn if you don’t understand the terms.
-
Why you should consider adapting high performance parts to your farm equipment’s engines. 908-652-0154
Originally published 11/10/2021. The term high-performance is often misunderstood. In engineering parlance it is a design that is more efficient than the part that is normally employed. When replacing a worn or failed part, it is prudent to explore if a high-performance version is offered. In…
more -
Why can’t this Peterbilt 579 pull a hill? 908-652-0154. Aired 8/8/26
The same can happen to your farm machinery.
-
How A/C Works. 908-652-0154
You can’t diagnose it if you do not understand it!
-
Fluid dynamics made simple. 908-652-0154
Originally published 11/3/2021. Almost everywhere you look on the farm or ranch you are interacting with the theory of fluid dynamics. A fluid is identified as a liquid, plasma, or gas (rarefied form). By having a basic understanding of this subdiscipline of fluid mechanics, you will be able to...
-
Mechanical and thermal stress, Part 2. 908-652-0154. Aired 8/1/26
How to eliminate thermal stress.
-
We will not divulge! 908-652-0154
As machinologists we need to determine if it is the engineers talking or the lawyers.
-
Recognizing tolerance and drift in electronic circuitry. 908-652-0154
Originally published 10/27/2021. When diagnosing an electronic device or the replacement unit does not perform properly, it may be the result of tolerance and drift. Learn what it is and how to identify it.
-
Mechanical and thermal stress in metals, Part 1. 908-652-0154. Aired 7/25/26
Understanding what causes it.
-
Some things are out of your control. 908-652-0154
Fuel economy is impacted by more than your driving style.
-
The Lost Art of the Cold Start. 908-652-0154
Originally published 10/20/2021. Starting an engine when it is at or near ambient temperature requires recognition of not only the dynamics that are involved, but knowledge of the system that is evoked. Following the proper protocols is essential for quick-starting regardless of the weather...
-
Don’t fall into the A.I. trap. 908-652-0154. Aired 7/18/26
Today seeing and hearing often means little.
-
The rites of passage. 908-652-0154
We walk through many different rites of passage in life.
-
Servicing the modern gasoline or diesel engine chemically. 908-652-0154
Originally published 10/13/2021. In years past most if not all chemicals that claimed to work on a certain engine or transmission problem were false. Today’s modern engines bring a host of new aliments that can be treated effectively with advanced chemistry, and in some instances, is the only way.
-
Most people want a magic pill. 908-652-0154. Aired 7/11/26
There is no easy fix.
-
JCB returns to the Salt Flats. 908-652-0154
Does racing truly improve the breed?
-
What you need to know about a torque converter. 908-652-0154
Originally published 10/6/2021. The torque converter does more to define the performance of an engine than the automatic transmission. This fluid connection between the engine and the driveline will impact how well the vehicle drives and will move a load. A must-listen before a shop rebuilds any…
more -
Little things. 908-652-0154. Aired 7/4/2026
Little changes reap the largest dividend!
-
Happy Birthday America! 908-652-0154
My beloved nation turns 250 years old!