Latest news with #ElCamino
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Which GM 5.3 Vortec Years Have The Most Issues?
With the launch of Chevy's small-block V8 in 1955, General Motors introduced an engine family that would make its way into millions of vehicles across the world. It was especially known as a mainstay of the muscle cars, powering iconic examples of the Chevrolet Camaro, Corvette, El Camino, and more. But certain engines would also make some pretty big headaches for the general, leading to a class-action lawsuit and millions of dollars in fines. Yes, I'm talking about GM's 5.3-liter Vortec V8, an evolution of those classic Chevrolet mills that added a then-new "vortex technology" in the mid-1990s. The idea was to better mix air and fuel in the cylinder heads; the result was a smooth and powerful engine that went a long way toward civilizing old-school trucks and SUVs to appeal to more drivers. It was after GM went on to further refine the motor for its all-new 2006 trucks and SUVs -- such as the Chevrolet Silverado/Tahoe and GMC Sierra/Yukon -- that the trouble started. Read more: These V6 Engines Put The LS1 V8 To Shame It may be hard to believe now, but there was a time when most people in this country drove actual cars: sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, station wagons, roadsters, etc., etc. But SUVs started outselling cars in 2015, and in 2020, more people bought pickups than non-luxury cars for the first time ever in the United States. One key to this trend: Trucks and SUVs have been increasingly tuned for a more comfortable, car-like driving experience that includes at least an effort at responsible efficiency. In 2006, that meant adding active fuel management (AFM) to the 5.3-liter Vortec V8. Also known as cylinder deactivation, AFM basically shuts off the fuel to four of the engine's eight cylinders in certain situations to help save gas. It ended up costing GM some big money though. More specifically, according to a class-action suit finally settled in 2022, the 5.3-liter LC9 Vortec V8 has a combination of issues, including defective piston rings and faults with the AFM system, that cause excessive oil consumption and major engine problems. (GM's guilt came from knowing about the problems yet still selling the engines.) The vehicles affected included many Chevrolet and GMC trucks and SUVs from 2010 to 2014, and the penalties inflicted included a $102-million cash settlement. The lawsuit over the 5.3-liter Vortec V8 was limited to engines from 2010 to 2014, with that last year marking the introduction of the Vortec's replacement, the 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V8. And note that it wasn't just full-size trucks and SUVs that carried the engine in question. The vehicles mentioned in the lawsuit include a muscled-up version of GM's midsize pickups as well as its full-size vans from the era: 2010-2014 Chevrolet Avalanche 2010-2012 Chevrolet Colorado 2010-2013 Chevrolet Express 2010-2014 Chevrolet Suburban 2010-2014 Chevrolet Tahoe 2010-2013 GMC Canyon 2010-2013 GMC Savana 2010-2013 GMC Sierra 2010-2014 GMC Yukon 2010-2014 GMC Yukon XL Remember, too, that those aren't the only vehicles with the problematic motor. The 5.3-liter power plant in question was introduced in 2006, not in 2010, and that's four more model years' worth of engines to worry about. With that in mind, your best bet is to check beneath the hood before you buy, and know there's a good chance that any of the vehicles with GM's 5.3-liter Vortec V8 with AFM are from a bad year. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cruising Kitchens and Perfect Tender Hot Chicken Join Forces to Launch Flagship Truck at El Camino
Food truck mogul Cameron Davies partners with Ricky Ortiz to ignite the next big national hot chicken brand. SAN ANTONIO, June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Two of Texas' most innovative culinary powerhouses are joining forces. Cameron Davies, founder of Cruising Kitchens, and San Antonio restaurateur and food truck impresario Ricky Ortiz have officially teamed up to unveil a brand-new Perfect Tender Hot Chicken flagship truck, now open at El Camino (1009 Avenue B, San Antonio, TX 78215). This launch marks the first major step in an ambitious national rollout for Perfect Tender—a bold, modern take on Nashville-style hot chicken that's become one of Texas' most viral food concepts. The collaboration brings together Davies' world-renowned expertise in custom mobile fabrication and Ortiz's unmatched ability to create culturally resonant, internet-breaking brands. Davies, whose company Cruising Kitchens is the largest custom food truck manufacturer in the world, has crafted mobile experiences for clients such as Shaquille O'Neal, H-E-B, the U.S. Military, and numerous major franchises. Featured on the Discovery Channel, Food Network, and beyond, Davies is now channeling his experience into a brand he's building from the inside out. "We've helped brands scale nationwide—but with Perfect Tender, we're not just building a truck; we're building a franchise we own and grow together," said Davies. "The flavor, the brand, the vision—this is the kind of concept that becomes a household name." Ortiz—creator of Perfect Tender and founder of acclaimed concepts like El Camino and Besame—has consistently delivered culturally driven dining experiences with viral appeal. His track record of food trucks and restaurants across Texas has made him one of the most influential voices in the regional culinary scene. "Cameron builds the most elite trucks in the country, and I've built brands that people can't stop talking about," said Ortiz. "Perfect Tender isn't just food—it's an experience. This new truck at El Camino is our proof of concept—and the beginning of something much bigger." The flagship truck will serve as both a showcase and operational prototype for additional Perfect Tender trucks and future brick-and-mortar locations. By merging cutting-edge fabrication, bold culinary vision, and deep Texas roots, Davies and Ortiz aim to take Perfect Tender from local favorite to national phenomenon. Expect more trucks. More flavor. More fire. Perfect Tender is coming to a city near you. Website: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Cruising Kitchens Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Aaron Paul calls Bryan Cranston 'the most immature person I've ever met in my life'
Aaron Paul has called prankster Bryan Cranston "the most immature person I've ever met in my life". The pair starred in 'Breaking Bad' together and they have been firm friends ever since, but Aaron has admitted the Walter White actor used to play a lot of pranks onset and managed to convince him his character Jesse Pinkman had been killed off early. During an appearance on the 'Hot Ones' YouTube series, Aaron said: "He's the hardest worker in the room, the most lovable - I mean, he's my best friend, my son's godfather, I adore him, I spoke to him for an hour on the phone last night. "I really am obsessed with the guy, but he's also the most immature person I've ever met in my life, and I say that with just love and respect." Aaron went on to recall an incident when Bryan walked out of the production office and hinted his pal would be making an early exit from the series. He said: "[Bryan] goes: 'Come here, it's OK,' and he gives me this long hug. I'm like: 'What are you doing?' He's like: 'At least you go out in a big way, huh?' "And I'm like: 'What are you talking about?' He goes: 'Did you read the latest script?' I go: 'No.' He goes: 'Oh, well, just read it, and I'm here if you need me'." Aaron then "sprinted" into the office to read the script and was baffled to find his character didn't die in the next episode. The actor explained Bryan went to huge lengths to keep the ruse going - even getting crewmembers in on the jape. He added: "He just made it seem like I died, but he would not stop, and he would get everybody in on it, like the costume designers said: 'Hey we gotta do your measurements for the casket, so if you could stay after work, that would be great.' I'm like: 'What are you talking about?' ... "But I made it!" Aaron's character Jesse Pinkman had originally been slated to be killed off in the first season, but show bosses decided to keep him on and he became a regular alongside Bryan as school teacher-turned-drug king pin Walter White. Jesse survived all the way to the end of series five when 'Breaking Bad' came to an end and Aaron even reprised the role for spin-off movie 'El Camino' which acted as an epilogue to the TV show.
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
The Black Keys were nearly buried by a brutal year. A new album seeks to ‘get things back on track'
For the Black Keys, 2025 is all about getting back to doing what they love — making records and touring — on their own terms. That's their way of putting behind them the disaster that was 2024: their worst-charting album since 2006, the cancellation of an arena tour after ticket sales lagged, and the firing and public castigation of legendary manager Irving Azoff as well as their PR team. Their new album's title, 'No Rain, No Flowers,' offers a positive spin on growing from the experience, which guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney echoed in our conversation ahead of their show at the Greek Theatre on Tuesday. 'This is an opportunity for us to get out of the pressure cooker of a way of touring that we realized was unsustainable and was not ideal for the fans or enjoyable for us,' says Carney. 'We like being an underdog,' Auerbach adds. The two grew up playing wiffle ball and touch football in Akron, Ohio, but were a grade apart and didn't form a band until after their brothers (who were close friends) urged them to jam together. They found power in their raw, stripped-down blues and rock and eventually formed the Black Keys. But they had to build a friendship as they were building a career. 'We'd never gone to a party together or socialized much and then we found ourselves in a van driving to shows so our friendship had a big learning curve,' Carney recalls. They started in 2001 as the quintessential indie act — their first two albums were recorded in Carney's basement — but by decade's end they were a rock band on a roll: 'Brothers,' reached No. 3 on the Billboard charts; 'El Camino' made it to No. 2 and 'Turn Blue' took them all the way to the top. Those three albums garnered 11 Grammy nominations and the band was selling out arenas and headlining Coachella. Naturally, some early fans grumbled as they moved beyond their lo-fi sound. 'I remember right before 'El Camino' thinking this might be too rock-and-roll for our base,' Carney says, 'but to me the change was a sign we weren't phoning it in.' But despite the success, the band eventually burned out. At their commercial zenith, they went on hiatus. 'We're not contrarian,' says Carney, the more voluble of the two. 'But we had accomplished all this stuff, and we felt it was time to get off of the roller coaster.' In their time apart, both men produced other artists while Auerbach also released an album with a new band, the Arcs, and a solo album, both earning critical acclaim but lower sales than the Black Keys' music. When they reunited in 2019, they say their priorities had changed. 'You can try to make another No. 1 album, but the goal became clear to us: We have this special relationship and if we want it to stay healthy the path needs to be interesting to us,' Carney says, adding that the demands of 200 on the road and the constant media obligations they'd had earlier was 'not sustainable for us at this point. It's a lot being away from your kids.' But rock's role in popular culture has continued shrinking and although the band returned to the Billboard top 10 with 'Let's Rock'; 'Delta Kream,' an album of country blues covers; and 'Dropout Boogie,' they didn't generate the same kind of attention and some fans now complained they missed the era of 'Brothers' and 'El Camino.' 'We've made it a little bit harder for ourselves,' Carney adds. 'If we had just made 'El Camino' over and over again or alternated between 'Brothers' and 'El Camino' we'd probably be playing baseball stadiums now.' But Auerbach says they always wanted to evolve similar to the bands they loved like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. 'We're music geeks who love records so that was something we aspired to,' he says. 'We didn't want to repeat ourselves so we wanted to do something different with each album.' He says that the two love seeking out obscure old singles and when they're in the studio together the goal remains the same. 'It's like when you find a song that you've never heard before that blows your mind,' he says. 'That's what we're looking for when we're working in the studio together, to re-create that feeling you get in your gut.' Auerbach adds that after starting out just the two of them in isolation — in a basement in Akron — they found they loved collaborating, working with the producer Danger Mouse on their biggest albums and, more recently, musicians like Beck, Noel Gallagher, ZZ Tops' Billy Gibbons and rapper Juicy J. That said, Carney argues that even when they've worked with collaborators, 'at the end of the day it'll sound like us. It doesn't matter who else we work with, our aesthetic is always gonna shine through.' But with the combination of the shifting music landscape and their exploring new sounds, their popularity seemed on the wane. Last year, 'Ohio Players' peaked at just 26. Then came the touring fiasco, for which they have largely blamed Azoff — who has been investigated by the Department of Justice for colluding with Live Nation (which he used to run) — saying he put the band in the wrong rooms among other things. Carney tweeted, angrily and profanely, about how the band got screwed but deleted them to avoid being sued. When they finally spoke publicly, to Rolling Stone, they confessed to being naive about how the music industry consolidation was harming bands. They called the European tour ' the most poorly orchestrated tour we had been on' and Carney said, 'we fired their a—' of Azoff's company but were more circumspect in their quotes, not saying the words 'Live Nation.' Their new publicist had called me in advance saying not to bring up these issues but to let the band do it. When that didn't happen and my time was almost up I raised the issues. After a question or two the publicist tried to shut things down, but Carney said, 'It's the L.A. Times. Let's do the interview. Come on. We're here' and talked generally about the industry being problematic. 'We're just trying to make music and tour in a f—ed up industry.' Carney says the band is now more involved in planning and is 'very methodical' about how long it'll tour and about choosing the venues, adding that the smaller venues offer a better fan experience and a less expensive one since they don't need video screens for the back of an arena. Auerbach says they're also tinkering with their setlists, though he says their catalog is now so deep they can't please everyone. 'But we definitely have our fans in mind when it comes to making selections.' As they reposition themselves and 'get things back on track,' Carney says, the duo are now in a good place despite last year. 'Our friendship is stronger than it ever has been,' he says. 'We've been through every possible thing that you can go through so we can kinda get through anything now. And there's still a lot of joy in making music together.'
Metro
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Aaron Paul reveals Bryan Cranston's brutal Breaking Bad prank
Aaron Paul has opened up about a savage prank 'best friend' Bryan Cranston played on him while filming Breaking Bad. The 45-year-old starred as Jesse Pinkman opposite Bryan's Walter White across all five seasons of the gritty drama, which is widely regarded as the best TV series of all time. During an appearance on Hot Ones, he shed light sharing the screen with the 69-year-old and the firm friendship they built on set – as well as their 'endless' escapades behind the scenes. When host Sean Evans questioned him on the 'most perturbing' prank his castmate pulled during the shoot, Aaron revealed that his co-star once convinced him that he had been axed from the show in a 'big' way. 'I always say he's the hardest worker in the room, the most lovable…,' he insisted. 'He's my best friend, my son's godfather, I adore him. I spoke to him for an hour on the phone last night. I really am obsessed with the guy. 'But he's also the most immature person I've ever met in my life, and I say that with love and respect. 'The list [of pranks] was endless but I remember on Breaking Bad, he came out of the production office and he came up to me, and goes, 'Come here, it's okay'. And he gives me this long hug. 'I'm like, 'What are you doing?' He's like, 'At least you go out in a big way, huh?' I'm like, 'What are you talking about?'' Bryan asked whether Aaron had 'read the latest script', suggesting that something terrible happens to Jesse, and got other members of the crew in on the joke. In a savage move, he urged his co-star to 'just read it', vowing that he was there for support if needed. 'I sprinted into the production office, I go, 'Bryan just read the latest script, what happens? I want to read it!',' Aaron continued. 'Of course, I just go to the final pages and nothing happened, I'm still around, but he just made it seem like I died. 'But he would not stop. And he would get everybody in on it. The costume designers said, 'Hey, look, we got to do your measurements for the casket, so if you could stay after work, that would be great.' 'This was all him. But I made it!' Jesse did indeed survive the entire run of Breaking Bad, with the iconic character even landing a spin-off film, El Camino, on Netflix. More Trending The movie was released in 2019 and picks up directly after the series finale, focusing on the drug dealer as he attempts to tie up loose ends and escape his former life, leaving the meth business behind to start afresh. Aaron and Bryan also famously reprised their roles for very brief stints in the final season of the hit prequel, Better Call Saul. View More » Breaking Bad is available to stream on Netflix. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: WWE Saturday Night's Main Event 2025 UK start time for free YouTube live stream MORE: The Phoenician Scheme review – My sky-high hopes for Wes Anderson's latest were dashed MORE: It's been 20 years since Tom Cruise jumped on Oprah's sofa and it's still just as bizarre
