Jim Warman

Borrowed from the rec.woodworking usenet group - "buy the best tool for the job and cry only once". Presumably ( and I've proven it to myself), the idea is that if you buy an inadequate tool, you will cry every time you use it. If I am working on a Ford, I want my IDS. I am working at a Ford dealer because I'm smart enough to know that techs are like scan tools..... You can do one make well - or you can do several makes kinda sorta....

I hope that you reread what you wrote here, Matt. This would be akin to a truck driver continuing to operate a truck with faulty brakes or steering. If you feel the hoist is unsafe, I am sure that your widow and orphans... sorry, wife and children would feel much better if you became a little more proactive in your safety. Part of being "professional" includes adopting an attitude a little less cavalier regarding your safety. Disclaimer - it is a well known fact (or should be) that a hoist that is in a good state of repair can kill someone if it is used improperly, but it should also be obvious that using a hoist in a state of disrepair can also kill someone even if it is used in accordance with accepted practices. Speaking of "accepted practices", how many here have ever had formal training in the proper use, care and maintenance of a lifting device? Include me in the "not me" crowd - but I have made the effort to learn. Begin with the operators manual for whatever specific hoist you are dealing with. Additionally, it is wise to visit the website for the Automotive Lift Institute. Knowing what you are dealing with just might allow you to reach a ripe old age.... without relying on blind luck or the grace of Yahweh. I didn't get to be this old by being stupid. Being "professional" involves a certain amount of altruism. Being professional has us refusing to contravene laws - including emissions compliance laws. Being professional includes everything we do. I think the last thing that Kieth wanted to indicate is that "other people fuck up means it is OK for us to fuck up". FWIW, if your host is low on one side or the other - do ya think you might have a cable or chain getting ready to (if best comes for best) change your laundry schedule? Your safety and the safety of your co-workers should be paramount. There is an inherent responsibility that you must not abdicate. Airline pilots do a walk around inspection of their machines (yes - it isn't an aeroplane - it is a machine) before they use them. It is only fitting that we inspect our machines before we use them. Kieth - checking the oil level in your hoist should be at least a monthly consideration. It is, to me, obviously an older installation. In ground hoists are becoming rare and your hoist is one that I haven't used for about 3 decades. It is relatively easy to check the oil level in most air over hydraulic hoists and this is one of the few ways you have of detecting some sort of in-ground leak. While you visually identified a leaking fitting, your installation has many fittings you cannot see. While we are on the subject, Have you checked to see if there are provisions for greasing the packing rings on the hoist? And the last FWIW, I usually tell the hoist guy what he needs to look for as he inspects my unit. I've sen enough of this "new, modern age" to know who I will and who I wont trust - I wont leave my personal safety to a stranger

Pretty obvious that Bill hasn't worked on it, huh?

Some bulbs are serviceable ..... I think they cost about $14CAD each.

I always chuckle when someone says "pull the bulb". Some on board systems monitor the status of the warning indicator lamp and will sound a chime when the warning lamp circuit is open.

I suggest you contact the labour relations board in your province. Your employer cannot force you to perform illegal acts. FWIW... I am never given an RO requesting a distasteful act. At the same time, there are "techs" that will blindly do whatever is asked. You can read shit in there and possibly be right. My morality is mine and mine alone. My feelings are "respected" but not accepted in our shop. My integrity is a non-negotiable factor. If you act like a prostitute, people will start to think you are a prostitute. Because someone else is willing to break the law doesn't grant me the right to follow suit. Doing the right thing appears to be unpopular... but it has to start somewhere. If not with us... then where?

Actually, the EPA isn't responding to "rolling coal". EPA regulations are addressing environmental conditions. "Rolling coal" is alerting the EPA to those that contravene the spirit of the legislation. The earliest automotive emissions controls that I recall come from the late 60s. Gone was the road draft tube in favour of the PCV system. Also, we saw the introduction of the first thermactor systems. GM called these A.I.R. systems. To add context, this was at a time when the news featured "smog reports" - going as far as to recommending that people avoid leaving home if possible - Tokyo and the Los Angeles basin are two that I recall being mentioned regularly. EPA emissions requirements have driven technology. The very first EGR valves I saw were crude efforts by todays standards but that's where we stood as far as current technology allowed. Fast forward to the vehicles of today. Why do we have the stringent emissions controls that we see? Because we CAN DO IT. Law breakers are law breakers. Polluters are polluters. I doubt we will ever see zero emissions. But, at the very least, each and every one of us should be doing what we can. What is truly sad is that I know of instances where fleets have requested defeating emissions controls - talk about "good corporate citizens"....

In the late 50s and early 60s, it was the land yachts. My Dadhad a 59 Pontiac Laurentian station wagon. This thing was huge - the roof looking like a medium sized aircraft carrier. The mid 60s saw pony cars - build a small car and stuff a medium to large V8 into it. In the 70s, it became boogie vans - an orgy pit on wheels. In the 80s, the minivan. In that entire time, auto makers kept searching for the next "niche" car. Today, it is the "big truck". The motor vehicle fills a unique place in north America... it is a status symbol, a toy, freedom, a penis enlarger along with many other roles. If you are a !?@#%! - you can have a swoopy car and people will look at you different. If you act like an ass, people will look at your ride and see you differently (or so many like to think this is so). In our culture, your choice of transport can say as much about who you would like to be as your haircut, your wardrobe, whether you pop your collar or use spray tan or believe axe deodorant commercials. Freudian? I'm pretty sure but you must remember I'm a grade 8 dropout and my chances of being erudite in Freuds way of thinking is between slim and nil. I do wish that any reports that use a chipped up sound bite would have the temerity to mention that the smokey truck is owned by a scofflaw - someone that views the environment as something we can gamble with - someone that will shit on your front porch.

... interesting to some. Clickeeeee . Compares some bits of Eurodiesel to America.

I resemble that remark.....

ummmmmm, is there any significance to the hair and 'stache? Just askin'...

Make sure you do a Google on positive air shutoff, then. There are more brands than the two I offered. I've seen one truck with the Diesel Tech Industries unit - it is better looking than the two I mentioned but I have zip for experience with it.

And now we have radiator shutters.

You guys don't stock those nipples? Sidebar - back in the 70's - the heyday of vacuum operated everythings (EGR valves, Choke pulls, vacuum advance, vacuum retard, EVRVs), these nipples would come in different colours - The wise realizeed that the colours indicated the size of the orofice in the insert. Sources for the nipples include Crappy tire and wurth.

I don't know of any modern positive air shut off devices that will introduce dirt into the intake as long as they are properly installed. There are many brands on the market - the ones I see the most are the Roda Deaco offering and the Envacon. I couldn't tell you if either of these is the best there is to be had but I have seen others that look interesting (without having had any time to explore them) and may, quite possibly, be superior in one way or another. You will want to answer the question about automatic operation - i.e. the device will trip unattended if it sees engine overspeed. Any positive air shut off device is only going to be as ggod as it's installation and maintenance. I see many devices that fail to operate during routine function tests for no other reason than the operator doesn't "exercise" the valve on a regular basis. Obviously, a PAS that wont trip isn't much good to anyone - particularly the poor bastards that are about to witness a fucking great explosion. An afterthought - I have come across a couple of installations that were wired into the ignition switch - In the case of manual operation, an operators first instinct will be to turn off the key.... rendering an improperly connected device inoperative.

Since cats were introduced to the north american demographic, I imagine a lot of effort has gone into getting these things to come up to temp quickly (used to take over 10 minutes to get a car into closed loop - today sometimes less than a minute). Even if a cat does cool down below it's flash temp, it's not going to take long to get them back on line. We've had most of these emissions controls for 4 decades - they have now reached a level of sophistication that us old timers can truly admire.

We doan need no steenking manwal!!!!!

How about if you just gave it a small allowance? What do they call that? A stipend? A stiffend?

Lew... does the boss charge for diagnosis? This is an important consideration in this day and age. Back in my early days, we could lump things into a tune up - major or minor and, during the course of the tune up, a compression test, inlet manifold vacuum check, fuel pump pressure and/or vacuum test would cover all of the bases. Diagnosis was generally "free". With 1973 ( EGR valves, no lead fuel and low compression - and miles of vacuum hose ) we saw the first major increase in diagnostic times. Most shops were reluctant to charge diagnostic time because it was feared that the customer would find a shop that didn't. Today, I do spend a lot of time doing "driveway" diagnostics. I look for the signs of a "pattern failure". Some diags, I can safely order parts and have the girls book a time for the customer. Other times, I declare that this problem requires further diagnosis (automotive triage, if you will). $140 is the base scan tool charge. Free diag is for shops that will either bleed the customer dry or go broke.

And I've still got laid more than you

Well.... happy birthday young fella. I've been laid more than you

25 PSI at idle WAS the Ford spec. I think they might be bleeding on engine replacements. Ford invoked TSB 12-07-10 which, if certain conditions are met (without checking base oil pressure) we are to replace the VCT solenoids - which is about as effective as reflashing to get rid of P0088. I think an inportant check is to inspect the cam bearings for wear - if there is an oil pressure concern, you need to cover your ass. Let me know if you need me to post the TSB.

Betcha didn't get punted from inford

Our SM drives an Edge - she purchased it a couple or three years ago... one of our service advisers is on her second Edge. We see Edges less than most other lines. IA is a nice feature but I don't think you can get it without the troublesome shit.

You, sir, have normal sized hands.... it is all these pussies with little girly-boy hands that make us look bad. Do they make XXL nitrile gloves?