Keith Browning

I recently acquired a wireless card for my VCM... (thank you oh generous Turbo-Santa) /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rockon.gif and had it set up and working with a dual wireless configuration in about 30 minutes. I am using a Dell Latitude 600D and I stuck a Linksys wireless card in the slot, loaded the drivers and UN-INSTALLED THE LINKSYS CONFIGURATION UTILITY before downloading the software for the VCM card from Teradyne. It works well but I would have expected a stronger signal being that the laptop and the VCM were only 5 to 10 feet apart. I plug in the VCM and loop it around the steering column and place it on the dash in line of sight. I am getting about 86% signal strength. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/scratchhead.gif But it does work nicely! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbup.gif I believe the reason so many guys have trouble with setting up a dual wireless configuration is that they don't un-install all third party configuration tools and let Windows control the devices and connections. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

I don't recall ever having done so Mr. Amacker. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/shocked.gif

I think the other part of the equation not mentioned here is alignment of the components and reducing stress on the horizontal EGR cooler and the flex joints. To me that would be more important than anything else. Avoiding exhaust leaks is definitely crucial.

I believe it is... dynamite also works well.

I was under the impression that the current FICM flashes still have the post buzz AND the inductive heating strategy? I haven't flashed one in 5 or 6 months though.

Possibly. You found a deteriorated o-ring on the left block off tube. Did you remove the oil rail and inspect ALL of the o-rings including the two piece stand pipe and plugs? For some reason LCF's have an appetite for o-rings and it is common that when you find one o-ring leaking there are others. This goes for both banks, not just the one where a bad o-ring was found. I have had an LCF or two towed in because only one side was inspected.

For the sake of the idea... say Ford goes under. Wayyyy under. Any good ford diesel tech is a potential free agent and could do very well offering support to local diesel owners. There are many variables of course but the potential to earn serious cash would be great.

For some reason we are only seeing this type of clogage now, and I know that it has been know of for some time - doesn't make sense I know. I am not sure I took pictures of the black-eyed peas rolling around in an EGR valve I pulled but I did photograph the plugged intake port. Nice picture - good topic! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbup.gif ...but, the shortcut I believe you are speaking about is the discussion about sneaking an EGR cooler out of an Econoline. When it comes to EGR carbon and plugging you are bound to the TSB on an initial repair. Like you I have had trucks return with this problem. THEN you need to pull the intake and cooler for inspection. Now, if you want dispute the EGR cooler short cut you could ask "how will you test the oil cooler for restriction with the intake, oil filter adapter and the turbocharger still installed?" /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

Yes, good 'ol Santa! Funny thing though, Santa's charges show up on my credit cards. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/scratchhead.gif

Uhhg! Unless you are serious and are going to dive into medium duty trucks completely you might want to reconsider. My dealer sells a handful of LCF/F-650/F-750 trucks a year. Many of these are either small businesses that run one truck or they supplement their light duty fleet with a heavier class truck. The trucks are not difficult to work on in general. The LCF is easy to get a handle on for any Ford diesel tech but you will need MD Truck software and the communication adapter. The F-650/750 require more equipment, tools and training. CAT engines are popular but CAT is getting out of the on-highway truck engine business. They are also difficult to deal with. Until recently these trucks could be equipped with International engines and if you are equipped to handle an LCF you are good to go there. I rarely see one with a Cummins engine and I do not have any equipment or support for those engines. Lastly, Allison transmissions require your dealer to be Allison certified and all of their stuff if proprietary. They are also impossible to deal with unless you are an Allison dealer/service center. My dealer gets by, I can determine if I can handle repairs other than the cab and chassis and many times defer the customer to CAT or Allison. Servicing them has never been an issue though.

I LOVE my under Hood light! Mine is fluorescent and I had a co-worker that purchased the LED type which I did not care for at all. It was not as bright as the fluorescent and the light quality bothered my eyes. I have had it for at least three years and have not had to re lamp it yet.

You know this kind of crap is quite common and I think it is something that you have to stand up and face immediately. I have had to endure warranty issues in the past and I am dealing with one situation now. You see, we have a few TSB's for diesels, two of which are new that supersede older TSB's that have no labor operations. The instructions state to code out labor times for what can be found and the remaining time is M-time. I don't cheat the system. I do a good job on every vehicle I work on and I keep customers happy. My service manager seems to be afraid to pay more than 2.5 hours of M-time on any job. I don't flag unnecessary time or take exceptionally long on repairs as a rule. I am always shorted on these repairs, not a lot, an hour here, two point five there... it adds up and I am getting tired of it. I feel that Ford has bullied us into trimming our numbers. I don't think this is right at all.

Yeeeeahhhh... Explain. I am doing one now.

Judging by the sound of that truck and the abuse it was being dished you might want to tuck a long block in your suit case as well. At the very least head gaskets and studs!

Right on! I think I need a hug now. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

I got to sleep late, had lunch and spent the afternoon replacing all the wood trim in my foyer. For ONCE my wife listened to me. I got what I wanted. No dinner, no cake no presents. I did get leftover pork chops (which I cooked) with spaghetti. My girls whooped up a couple birthday cards with crayons and sung Happy Birthday to me over a bowl of ice cream which my wife shoved some candles in. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif Then me and the girls snuggled on the couch and watched The Santa Clause 2. It was a good one. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/king.gif

OOOOOH! That is off topic but funny as all hell! I have bout 5 remotes on a key ring that I used to use for testing. I happened to have them out one day when another tech was programming remotes on a Windstar. Ohhh ho ho ho! What fucking fun... I was in tears laughing so hard. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk.gif

Awwww shucks guys! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/blush.gif I am half a bubble off plumb... or "just" at the hump. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif

Quote: December 12, 2008, 12:09 pm U.A.W. Leaders Blame Southern Senators By Richard S. Chang Ron Gettelfinger, U.A.W. President, addressing the media today in Detroit. (Rebecca Cook/Reuters)It’s getting ugly out there. The Detroit Free Press reports that Ron Gettelfinger, president of the United Auto Workers, is blaming Southern senators, who he said are anti-union and anti-Detroit, for the defeat of the industry bailout bill. Some union leaders are being more vocal. Several, according to The Detroit News, are accusing senators opposing the bailout of colluding with Japanese automakers to break the U.A.W. From The Detroit News: “What this is the Southern conservative senators trying to destroy the United Auto Workers, trying to destroy unions,” said Mike O’Rourke, president of a U.A.W. local at a G.M. factory in Spring Hill, Tenn., the home state of one of the most vocal opponents, Republican Senator Bob Corker. “It’s a sad day in America when the senators turn their back on Main Street.” Jim Graham, leader of a U.A.W. local at another G.M. plant in Lordstown, Ohio, near Cleveland, accused the senators of acting on behalf of the Japanese auto industry in an effort to break the U.A.W. so it can drive down wages. Foreign-owned automakers have located numerous factories in southern states, where unions have less clout. Most southern U.S. auto plants run by Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co., BMW AG, Daimler AG and other manufacturers are nonunion. “There’s no doubt in my mind they’re doing the bidding for the Japanese auto industry,” said Graham. “If it smells like a duck, it quacks like a duck. It’s a duck. Those guys are being influenced by the Japanese.” Union concessions were central to the bailout bill, which pushed to lower wage and benefit rates as early as next year, according to The Times. Representatives for the union, however, refused to make any more concessions until the U.A.W’s contract with Detroit automakers expires in 2011. Critics of the Detroit Three, including a number of lawmakers, have said that the average U.A.W. worker earns over $70 an hour in pay and benefits, a contention that David Leonhardt of The Times analyzed in his Economic Scene column this week.

I don't blame the "big three" entirely for the position they are in. You need to remember that CAPITALISM is what makes our country what it is and drives our economy. They build what we Americans want to drive and traditionally that has been large powerful vehicles and lately that has included trucks and the SUV. Enter the United States Government. It is good to have goals where fuel economy is concerned. The CAFE standards are lofty and some analysts think that the standards being set for both fuel economy and emissions exceed the current technology and probably for some time to come. So in order to make more fuel efficient cars they are made smaller and lighter. Ohhh, wait a minute! We have lofty safety standards too! I am all for safety aren't you? But smaller lighter cars are not as safe as the larger vehicles right? The price of technology once again becomes a factor. How much are Americans willing to pay for a tiny car that fits two people and a bag of groceries? Sure, you can suck on the tail-pipe (if it has one) and hit a concrete barrier at 60 mph and maybe go farther on one fueling, but it is gonna cost you! What about the trade policies the government has imposed? Are there any restrictions on foreign manufacturers? Not like those imposed on American manufacturers. Japan imports less than 6% (I believe that is accurate) when it comes to automobiles for example. There aren't any Ford or GM plants in Japan. You cant say that they don't or wouldn't build cars that they would purchase, Ford has done very well in Europe for example with models that meet the needs of Europeans and now we see growth in China. Again, what car would an American typically rather drive? A tiny car made in China or a nice roomy SUV, Impala or Caravan? At least we have choices - not all good ones, but choices none the less. Gotta love America. Lastly, one of our favorite topics, the unions; driving up the price of an automobile assembled in American plants. What was the figure I heard on the radio? A UAW worker can earn as much as $78 per hour when you add in benefits and pension? Job banks? What the fuck is THAT all about? Imagine a company having to pay pensions to retired workers that equate to as much as 75% of their salary PLUS full health bennies and dental? Now the "Big Three" are at the Government's door step asking for money to subsidize THAT BULLSHIT with MY TAX DOLLARS? All the while the only people NOT MAKING CONCESSIONS IS THE FUCKING UNIONS! I say let them declare bankruptcy and restructure. While they are at it they can blow the unions out and hire Americans willing to work for a fair wage and pension that is appropriate for the jobs they are doing. Apparently it happens with Toyota's plants on U.S. soil. But nothing will happen in this country until we get government out of the way and let capitalism work. With the current bunch of liberal hacks that want to control industry in this country the future does not look bright. Imagine them telling the auto manufacturers how to run their companies. When has Harry Reed or Nancy Pelosi ever built a car? Hell, these political hacks cant run the country for heaven's sake! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/2cents.gif

I don't know about that. I believe that Ford is in the best shape out of the three. If enough dealers around my area close, and it looks like there will be, there will be more customers at our store(s). If we can hold out for the economy to improve and Ford's product continues to impress I see a turnaround. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/2cents.gif

I think many of us have had to deal with this. Heat is the answer as you were told. Unfortunately that is just how it is. Remember to apply anti-seize compound to the sensor threads when installing. It's Friday, go have a cold beer. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cheers.gif

Plus you get FAT tips! (all the fries you can eat) /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eeeesh.gif

Two dealers local to me are shutting their doors today in NJ. Jack Trebour Ford and Loman Ford. In a way this is good because there are way too many dealers in North Jersey. It is a little sad because a tech that worked with me left us to work at one of these dealers less than a year ago. My dealer is looking to put up billboards in those areas to direct customers to our store... I hope it works.

Tony I wish you the best as you continue to travel your life's path. I hope it works out for you. As for your membership here I respect any member who moves on and you like anyone else is always welcome here. It's almost a brotherhood at this point! You get the five headbanger salute for your contributions and participation! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rockon.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rockon.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rockon.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rockon.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rockon.gif