And the old man rants... again...

[Jim Warman]

For those of you that are special (like me... again)... You can see what the Canadian Ford message board is all about....

 

One thread (with the odd digression) started out with a 6.0 EconoBox that "sucked too much" (WTF is THAT???). It collapsed intake hoses all over the place.

 

A "little birdie" told me that Ford replaced the engine on this thing... with no cure.... and, to keep the thread from dying, people started posting "stuff". Eventually, the original poster replied with a terse "It's fixed"... no explanation... no cure.. just "it's fixed". The first thing that comes to my (unencumbered by schoolboard pap) mind is that someone finally took the cellophane wrapper off the air filter element... And that brings us to the "other stuff"...

 

Now, I could go back to InFord and refresh my memory as to how the thread went to where it did... but, there is the chance I might embarass myself (yeah..... right...). Anyway... talk turned to "basics" and I mentioned a truck I had.... FIVE EGR coolers in a year and a half or so.... Still overheating.... Still puking coolant. Customer wants a new motor.... What he got was the radiator cleaned (it was wearing a thick "fur" coat) and the promise of head gaskets if the concern persists.

 

I brought this one up on InFord.... Someone mentioned that the TSB doesn't tell us to check radiator airflow..... Was this one of "my" prechecks?

 

Ermmmmm.... I replied with the truth.... As apprentices (in Canada which used to have an extremely good system (but, I understand is being bastardized a la UTC, etc. in the name of fast-tracking people into the trade... people that may not be adequate - DAMHIKT).... As apprentices, we are taught to CONSIDER any and all causes for our concern... and restricted airflow is always a concern... especially in the land of mud, leaves and cardboard winterfronts.

 

So the TSB doesn't mention looking at the rad for restrictions.... DOES IT NEED TO? I've seen motors cooked because of plugged air flow....

 

Moral of the story... check the basics.... check them first... Understand what it is you are checking... Something as simple as looking for debris in the rad doesn't take much experience... This is a hard "test" to misunderstand... but we can easily believe what our senses tell us....

 

When a test procedure gets a little more technical, we need to gain a firm grasp on what it is we a testing for... and apply the appropriate test (the PC/ED and workshop manual are strong on what needs to be tested... but are often weak on appropriate procedure).

 

Word to the wise... Often, 10 minutes spent reading the "Description and Operation" subsection of the WSM or the "Introduction" section of the PC/ED can be worth an hour in the service bay.. We desparately need to understand the "logic" of what we are working on if we are going to make it work as intended.

 

Reading.... (man, can I take a simple statement and drag it all over the map)... For many years, school systems have "fast-tracked" students through the system.. When is the last time you heard of a kid having to repeat a grade? Those that design and apply the school curriculum (I'm a grade 8 drop-out, remember?) aren't about to fail a kid... because it might mean they are a lousy teacher.. and we can't have that... In their defence, they always remind us that many famous people couldn't spell.... Problem is, they could f@cking READ... and, in the quest for passing poor spellers, they pass poor readers.

 

But you aren't going to survive in this business if you are a poor reader. Now... poor comprehension skills are NOT something to be ashamed of.... It is a social epidemic created by the teachers onions and is designed to perpetuate the belief that the school system is "good" and teachers are "adequate" (there's more to it than that if you have ever observed classroom dynamics).

 

With the state of the industry today... and the looming changes.... If your reading skills are marginal - find ways to improve them. Good comprehension can mean the difference between being driving a Fiesta because you HAVE to and driving one because you WANT to.

 

You don't need to be "smart" to be successful in this trade... but you do need to be "structured". Develop a logical thought process.... and read everything carefully.... very carefully.

 

Success? All you need to do is reach out and get a firm grasp on it....