Keith Browning

So, Dwayne. How do you REALLY feel? /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk2.gif

Quote: I think that it is all up to your service manager. Maybe. I followed the path to the form and looked it over. It is pretty straight forward and it carries your P&A code along with your name (as logged in) into the managers name field. That does not seem right that we as techs should have access to warranty forms. It looks to me that the letter you pasted was solely to announce that the only method for filing this form is now electronically. Now, if a link to the form were to appear at the bottom of OASIS returns like HotLine assistance, prior approval and radio exchange sheets, that will get our attention pretty quick!

Nice job Jayson! I see that this is in the warranty section and is technically something that has always been in place except for the new form? But this still leaves one topic open. Are WE expected to immediately report mods, neglect or abuse? This is the answer I seek.

What is the link to the form?

I read a post in "that" forum in the 6.4L mods section. Some tech (one of Jim's favorites) whom I don't know if he is a member here wrote: Quote: I as a technician find any aftermarket performance parts during my initial inspection of a vehicle during diagnosis, I am to call Ford hotline and notify them that this specific VIN has such parts installed. Really? I don't recall being fed this line of crap in writing or verbally by any engineer. So I am curious if any of you fellas have? I believe the HotLine has more to worry about than who did what to their truck and shouldn't be wasting time taking such calls. The poster goes on to say that Ford will void the warranty and post it on OASIS. Huh? Never seen that either! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/scratchhead.gif Did I miss something?

Thanx for saving me the time. You give a positive report on the use of the tool, perhaps I should give it more respect? Funny thing, we don't see many 7.3's any more but this truck might provide an opportunity to try the tool. We are waiting for an approval for the cost of a set of injectors if needed. At minimum, we need more diag time however the dye trick won't eat up any time and I have some dye laying around. At least by doing that we will know for sure the oil is going into the fuel before we even think about pulling the injectors. The tech says the truck runs well despite having the mileage it does. Usually the 7.3's we see have been sipping crap fuel and water through clogged filters. Thanks for the help guys!

Bruce, Ford sent us this tool that you put the injector into a cup of sorts which connects to something... I think there is a hydraulic pump... tests for leak-down. I remember there being something for the IPR as well. Its all in the back of my shop cabinet collecting dust. I'll pull it out and snap a pic for ya. Maybe I'll get you a more accurate description too. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif It arrived along with that 7.3L CMP testor... /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rofl.gif

DUDE! If I had a budget for prizes, T-shirts or give-aways, you would get one for this AWESOME idea!

For us it has been liquid Tide or Simple Green. The Tide is more cost effective and leaves a nice scent! Really, I kid you not.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cover.gif

I have heard about it but never seen it personally... until today. We took a fuel sample which is not quite black but tinted dark enough to know what it is. The customers only complaint on his 1997 E450 with 140,000 miles is that it is using 3 to 4 quarts of oil a week. No smoke, no leaks. It may be light because the oil was just changed and he has probably filled the tank since changing it. My guess. I understand this indicates an injector problem. Have any of you run into this before? Does anyone know exactly what causes this? O-rings or internal injector issues?

Wow. We have some fans of cab on head gasket repairs. It must be a youth thing. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/notworthy.gif I couldn't imagine doing heads or any major engine repairs with the cab around that engine. Torquing the heads MUST be a bitch! To each his own I suppose.

Michael, To prevent repeat water intrusion issues you need to prevent water getting to the module vent on the back side. A cover might work but you will waste a lot of time fabricating something that might stay or look professional. Thats not a knock on your abilities. Here is a simple solution I started using years ago when this problem became evident: Remove the module and the bracket as an assembly so that you can work on a bench. . Remove the old module from the bracket and clean the bracket off.. Position the module on the bracket as it is installed on the truck to be sure it oriented as it will be on the truck. . Apply a bead of silicone in in the shape of an upside down "u" AROUND THE VENT but not so close that the silicone will spread and cover/seal the vent when bolted together.. Bolt the module to the bracket and install in the truck .

What exactly does "fill rate" mean?

As recently as last week I was working on a truck with a repair order written for the wrong VIN. The customer has several Ford trucks that are in our system. I discovered the discrepancy while using IDS. This underscores the need to pay attention and be aware of what other people are doing. Simple mistake that could have caused big headaches!

Interesting topic. I will forgo the rating of the questions because like our service departments, a parts department also encompasses a broad range of factors that will define its success. One exception though is that a parts department has a responsibility to stock a reasonable number of parts to support common repairs, and servicing. It should also be flexible enough to monitor the parts actually being used and ordered and adjust stocking as needed. Finally, a source for obtaining parts quickly is a must in this day and age. My observation is that Ford has improved access to parts in the depots but unfortunately, that does little good if a part is on backorder or is a vendor item. There seems to be a supply issue at times. Now, I hope we all realize that a parts department is only as good as the people and the technology it employs. If you are having difficulties obtaining the right part, is it the counter person, computer system, Fords catalog or the management and or company policies? Don't forget fellas, it all starts with us. If we don't know what we want, don't have an OASIS printed out, cant copy tag numbers or trim codes correctly, don't know our right side from our left side then we are just asking for the wrong part. Aren't we? /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/shrug.gif It seems to me that our problems here as usual fall back on people. Attitude, training, experience and communication are all required for a group of people to succeed. Sometimes, a little patience is needed. Find the problem area and "work on it."

I was thinking the very same thing. Also, this guy appears to be somewhat aware of the problems with the 6.0L and the effects of modifications to it, yet his potential role of the gasket failure on his engine caused by his installation of the tuner is never mentioned. Instead of just paying the bill, he will expend his own time and money fighting the issue. I am all for principals but as Forrest Gump said, "stupid is as stupid does." But good for him and perhaps good for us all. If this does set a precedence then we all will finally have that line in the sand where we can either stand upon or cross at our own peril.

Call 911! I swallowed several bottles of that stuff yesterday!!!

Tony, we used the tool for the first time yesterday and I agree with you on your comment about it being simple, yet confusing. I am looking for "directions" on using the test that explicitly details what to look for. One thing that would have helped is that they could have added a movable time line like we have in playback sessions for data recordings. This would allow us to line up the command signals with the sensor reading data to look for delays. The turbo we tested "looked" good on the screen but the turbo does not spool up off the line. The truck otherwise runs really well. The turbo is coming off for inspection.

A lot of currency seems to be frivolous in appearance. Many people now simply carry a bank card and swipe it at every purchase. Me, I would prefer reverting back to gold coins that you carry around in a sack. Then, a man's worth could truly be judged by the size of his sack. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk2.gif

Care to clarify? /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/scratchhead.gif

Jim, I think the "real money" perspective comes from the fact that UNTIL now, American cash was green unlike the multi colored bills found in Canadian currency. At least that is how I perceived it. I am still not used to having colors on my ca$h. The new $20's still make me look twice to see if somebody spilled tea of juice on them! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/shocked.gif

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cover.gif

Apparently, he got it out without removing the entire cooling module. Remove the left mounting bracket from the lower left corner and you can push the rad back and wiggle it out. I didn't get to watch so this is second hand info but its worth mentioning.

Just in case any of you missed it or cant find the announcement, like me, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banghead.gif here it is. I searched a little for it and brought it up. There is apparently as tutorial as well. Quote: To: All Ford and Lincoln Mercury Dealer Principals and Parts & Service Personnel Subject: Audio / Instrument Cluster Systems Online 1878 Form National Launch BACKGROUND Electrical and Electronic Systems Engineering (EESE) and FCSD have jointly developed an online version of the Audio/Instrument Cluster Systems Form 1878. This effort has been driven by a strong need to replace an 11-year-old triplicate paper form (FCS 1878) that currently is required for every Multimedia or Instrument Cluster replacement. In an effort to increase the timeliness of gathering repair information, EESE launched a successful pilot in the 1st Quarter 2007 to test the Online 1878 Form. Based on the pilot results, the Online 1878 form will be launched nationally. LAUNCH DATE June 18, 2007 ONLINE 1878 FORM The Online Form 1878 is accessed through the following sequence: Access FMCDealer.com Click on the "Parts & Service" tab Click on the "OASIS" box, under "Parts & Service Applications" (you are now at the PTS Home Page) Enter a VIN # and select a Symptom Code that addresses Multimedia or Cluster concerns Click on "Get OASIS" Scroll to the bottom of the OASIS report Click on "Online 1878" in the shaded bar (note, this options will not appear unless you used a Symptom Code that address Multimedia or Cluster concerns Proceed to fill out and submit the form Print the New Online 1878 Form and use it instead of the old form to order the audio or instrument cluster system The Online Form 1878 is integrated with OASIS within the Professional Technician Society (PTS) website to electronically capture all information needed to process the replacement. Additionally, based upon the chosen system and symptoms of the Multimedia or Instrument Cluster issue, the Service Technician will be prompted to answer a few clarifying questions. SERVICE CENTERS Your Regional Service Centers are familiar with and have been trained to use the new Online 1878 Form. Follow your normal procedure of calling a Regional Service Center to order a Multimedia or Cluster replacement, and they will recognize and honor the Approval Code from your printed copy of the Online 1878 Form. This printed copy of the Online 1878 Form is then returned to the Service Center with the removed unit. TUTORIAL A 15 minute Tutorial describing how to use the Online 1878 Form is available to assist Dealers. To access the Tutorial click on the "Assistance Requests Status" link under the "Welcome" greeting on the PTS Home Page. The Assistance Requests Status link is also where you can locate previously submitted Online 1878 Forms to print. PROGRAM BENEFITS The Online 1878 Form will provide the following benefits: Easier and faster to fill out than the paper FCS 1878 Integration with PTS OASIS ensures applicable TSB/SSM are returned to technician using Symptom Code check Automatically fills in the PACODE, Dealer Name and address, VIN, Vehicle Year and Model, Build Date, Warranty Start Date and Symptom Codes used on the form – with no chance for data transcription errors Automatically does an ESP Part Number check and adds results to the form, saving a separate step Customer specific information (name, address) has been removed Asks specific diagnostic/failure mode questions for the system being replaced (Radio, Nav System, Cluster, etc) vs. a generic set of questions, thus saving time Improves Customer Satisfaction through faster identification and solution of field failure modes Eliminates cost of old, triplicate FCS 1878 forms Provides a tracking mechanism for Service Center orders Provides for more timely resolution of repair process issues LABOR ALLOWANCE There is no change to the labor allowance. Labor Operation 18805D provides for 0.2 hours reimbursement for "Acquiring the Audio Unit Part Number and Ordering". The entire Online 1878 Form process has been evaluated by our Service Labor Time Standards group and takes the Service Technician around 3 minutes. This process will replace the old paper copy form, which had 4 minutes allocated, which was covered within the current Service Labor Time Standards. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – ONLINE 1878 FORM Q. How do I access the Online 1878 Form? A. From the PTS web site, enter vehicle VIN and Symptom category. Click on "Get OASIS". The link to the 1878 form is at the bottom center of this page, labeled "Online 1878". Q. Are parts orders automated through the Online 1878 process? A. No, you will still have to order a service part by calling your Service Center. Q. What is the purpose of the Online 1878 Form? A. The Online Form replaces the obsolete FCS 1878 triplicate hard copy form, and is intended to be faster, more accurate, easier to update, and a better source of information for Engineering. Q. How does my part order person access the form to order a part? A. After the Online 1878 is complete, click on the "print" icon to generate a hard copy. Give this form to the parts person and they will use this hard copy to place the part order. Q. What do I do with the Online 1878 form Hard Copy after the order? A. Save the copy and place it in the return shipping box when the core is returned. Q. How do I access or print an Online 1878 later on? A. At the PTS home page, select "Assistance Requests Status" in the upper right, just below the "Welcome <your name> message. Then select "1878 Form Status" from the pop-down menu. To get a listing of all Online 1878's submitted by your dealership. Click on the VIN# to open the data-entry form, or click on "Print" to see and print the hard copy Online 1878 Form. Q. What happens when PTS is down and I can't access the On-line 1878? A. For emergencies only, your Service Centers will still accept phone orders without the Confirmation Code, providing their own copies of the old FCS 1878 to validate the order. Q. With the 1878 form now online, why do we need to call the Service Center to get a part? A. The initial intent of the Online 1878 was simply to replace the old FCS 1878. Conversion to a totally on-line ordering process is a future enhancement. Q. How does the dealer get paid for filling out the Online 1878 form? A. Service Labor Time Standards studies have shown that filling out the Online 1878 form is faster than filling out the old FCS 1878, which was covered under Labor Op Code 18805D. No change is planned in the labor allowance. QUESTIONS For questions on order status and fulfillment, please contact your Service Center For questions on accessing the new Online 1878, please contact Tony Farr at (313) 621-6534 or tfarr2@ford.com