Keith Browning

30 PSI is still a little low off idle. You said you inspected the gerotor pump... but did you check it by performing the clearance test both gear clearance and in the housing?

I not only agree but I'll add that your opinions and input to how your dealer does business is also valuable as it should be. If a management team has no idea that these services require extra labor charges then how could we expect them to change it? As I see it there is a lot of small stuff being tagged onto the mundane oil service and now we have more. I am sure that servicing the reductant is no major deal but it does require extra steps and time. A diesel oil change at my dealer will pay you 0.4 and the Quality Care inspection will gain you an extra 0.2 - yes, my dealer pays us because they know how valuable the QC inspections are and we have sold a lot of work from using them. While an LOF and QCI will get me 0.6 and I too find such a service is a loss where productivity is concerned. Adding reductant servicing is simply making it worse. I agree that an hour is fair to both the tech and the customer provided that you include the QCI and the vehicle gets a genuine detailed inspection by a genuine Ford trained technician. As for the cost of a service, a pricey oil change just got more expensive. This is to be expected when you consider the maintenance requirements of the 2011 Ford Super Duty with a Power Stroke diesel engine. They are high quality vehicles with a high performance high tech diesel engine with heavy emissions controls. The bar has been raised and now, so has the bottom line. One good thing is that the reductant system should not create any problems for the do-it-yourselfer provided they don't try cutting corners with the fluid. I do wonder if there will be some way to test the reductant solution in the service bay by means of a test strip or a hydrometer. This will be valuable in diagnosing reductant quality issues because, well, people do stupid things sometimes.

There must be a monkey wrench in the gears in STARS this week because the training course has issues... and records are not updating. We went to sign up for the classroom training and my pre-requisite (the web based course) has not been competed. I know I passed the test. Even printed out the certificate!

A picture would be most excellent!

Allow me.

I saw the ad for this site last year in my copy of My Ford magazine but it wasn't up. It is just a collection of Ford Branded merchandise. fordcollection.com

Nice pic of a waxed filter but that thumb musta hurt at one time... and eeeew!

I do that... one time I forgot to put the valve cover in place and I shot a solid stream of fuel/oil onto the wall next to the truck. I am glad I wasn't standing there because it was a mess.

Don't sweat it Jim. I kinda know how you feel as I didn't take turning 40 not too long ago very well. I can't wait for the next milestones. I have small children. Spending time with them and the things we do are beginning to make me realize where I am in time. They also bring me much happiness and a much needed sense of involvement in something. As we get older I think we realize we need to make a difference in others lives but more importantly our own. For some, it's finding religion, family, hobbies, charities or causes or any number of activities that not only keep us busy but bring us fulfillment. Hopefully, we can stay busy enough make a difference in a few lives and when we get to the end we can not only say "where did the time go" but also be able to say "that was fun." I don't know you personally nor do I know anything much about your life. This is just what I have had come to mind in recent years. As far as being offended by you I kinda thought that impossible due to your cantankerous, curmudgeon charm.

I am sure we didn't see this coming but it makes sense considering the amount of heat that needs to be controlled in these trucks. It also equates to more components because we now have two complete systems. The only exception is that the EGR cooler gets coolant from both systems which do not mix.

I was surprised to see that this engine uses an air to coolant charge air cooler. I have always been under the impression that that air to air was more efficient because ambient air temperature are significantly lower than engine coolant temperatures... unless the difference is not all that great and a liquid is more efficient than air at transferring heat. That makes sense since a liquid is much denser than a gas.

Just remember - you get to drain that piss! Oh, wait, it could happen to me too!

I completed it too. Interesting stuff but I know that there are a lot more interesting features to see. I hope to see the coffee table book before too long if it is as revealing as they always have been. Some of Bruce's pictures were a hint as to what we will be seeing. For those of you who proudly displayed your course completion messages here you may want to edit the pictures and remove your STARS ID NUMBERS!!! If you used the DTS PhotoPost and need assistance please send me a Private Message.

It's about time! I really like this. The instrument cluster now displays some much needed and important warning messages. [*]Engine oil diluted . [*]Check Coolant Additive . [*]Coolant Change Required . [*]Low Fuel Pressure

I guess that is what they are trying to say but you would think that the glow plug is super heating the air around it and the fuel hits that first so.... Are we splitting hairs here?

it is interesting that the fuel injectors in this engine have a flow and calibration code that must be entered into the PCM. I know Caterpillar engines are big on this. It adds a new level of complexity to the engine and our jobs. I wonder what concerns will develop and how difficult it will be to diagnose a situation where an incorrect code is entered or the injectors get mixed up. Does anyone know if the new fuel strategy is using short term fuel trims? I expect a mix up would show up there.

Reductant id the term Ford is using for Diesel Exhaust Fluid and the system that manages the fluid. Reductant is injected into the Selective Catalyst Reduction system to reduce NOx emissions. Some facts include: [*]Reductant is 32.5% urea/water solution [*]When Reductant is injected into the exhaust there is a chemical reaction that converts NOx to N2 and H2o [*]The freeze point of Reductant is 12*F or -11*C [*]The NOx sensor and module can detect if the incorrect fluid has been put into the system [*]The Reductant heaters are controlled by the GPCM

In the 6.7L web course air management section the glow plug operation is described as While this is accurate the widely regarded belief that the glow plugs heat the air in the combustion chamber is what we have always been told.

I also think you will find all of your symptoms are related but I believe this will end up being electrical. It used to be that even electronically controlled transmissions should and would still engage into forward or reverse with an electrical fault - not so with a torqshift. I have read this a few times now and I am still trying to get my head around it. To me it sounds like you have a basic electrical problem affecting one or more VPWR circuits. We have discovered that VSS signals can be corrupted by seemingly unrelated circuits. I also suspect that you are trying to solve all of your problems at once and are losing focus. May I suggest that you pick one item like the dead peddle or the transmission engagement. Once diagnosed you may likely find the root cause is creating your other concerns. By the way, welcome to the DTS.

This is a subject that has been discussed to ad nauseum. The ongoing battle between manufacturers, dealers and vehicle owners concerning aftermarket performance modifications rages on. I was looking through the 2011 Diesel Engine Supplement and read this passage in BLACK AND WHITE. Quote: Some aftermarket products may cause severe engine/transmission and/or exhaust system damage; refer to the Warranty Guide for more information. Your vehicle’s powertrain control systems can detect and store information about vehicle modifications that increase horsepower and torque output such as whether or not performance-enhancing powertrain components commonly referred to as “performance chips” have been used. This information cannot be erased and will stay in the system’s memory even if the modification is removed. The information can be retrieved by Ford Motor Company, Ford of Canada, and service and repair facilities when servicing your vehicle. This information may be used to determine if repairs will be covered by warranty. This statement again raises the same questions about OUR position. [*]Will the engine control system actually detect and store modification detection. . [*]Will technicians in the dealerships be able to see the results of this detection and if so, how are we to handle these situations? I would like to see a written protocol. . [*]Will Ford FINALLY begin to take an official stance on this subject, define what the limitations are and ACTUALLY STAND BEHIND THEM? We have seen similar verbiage printed in the Warranty Policy Manual, in service literature, Owner's Guides and even labels attached to the vehicles yet time and time again we see modifications and vehicle neglect and abuse damage vehicles. We have consumer laws to protect people from improper interpretation and application of the terms of the warranty however there is little to protect the manufacturers, dealerships and the technicians from fraudulent actions of the consumers. We may not be able to make decisions concerning the warranty on a customer's vehicle or engine however we certainly can decline to work on them, can we? I hate being lied to by deceitful customers however I also hate the feeling that the manufacturer will not take a solid position and stand behind their written warnings with any authority and consistency.

From my vantage point this does not look like a fight. This is an opportunity to identify a problem, or a non-problem that might exist within your dealer or with the relationship your dealer has with his company. The problem could even exist with dieseldocs company... in either case a little communication and understanding goes a long way. This chance meeting here at the DTS could be taken as a golden opportunity by all.

I forgot I wrote this for a second. Read THIS ARTICLE on Cavitation Erosion and the third paragraph explains cavitation and pumps. The answer here may simply be that the water pump in the 6.4L is either too big or coolant flow through the front cover is restricted. Perhaps the pump design is right at that critical edge where things like air in the system, low system pressure or high RPM's are just enough to create the conditions for cavitation to occur. Is a redesigned cover or maybe a larger diameter pulley to slow the pump down a wee bit the answer?

Mending relationships here in the DTS forums... priceless!