Jim Warman

I feel your pain, Kieth - our winter came two weeks early this year. Flashlight batteries, candles and bottled water are your friends. A genset doesn't hurt, either. Best of luck.

I have some "fancy pants" cars at my disposal (in season) should I feel the urge for computer generated ponies..... But there are several reasons for liking the sound of a big block V8 with a really lllloooonnnnnggggggg cam. Not the smallest reason is because you can point to it and say unequivocally "I did that". I put that timing curve into the distributor and I chose it by performing the secret rituals of the ancients. I took that brand new carburettor and tore it down and made my little mods that I spent countless hours developing. Any shmuck with more money than brains can go to the store and buy more horsepower in the form of a programmer.... It's no different than buying a sponge bob colouring book and managing to stay inside the lines. But finding the extra ponies hidden in a four barrel carb or an MSD distributor... these are the things that separate the paint by numbers gang from the Norman Rockwells. PCM? We doan neeeed no steenking PCM.

Yeah - but does he have a nice moustache?

Actually, Dwayne, Calgary was only mothballed for a time and is currently hosting courses. Vancouver is also operating but on a limited basis and doesn't have a full time instructor. As far as poor quality work is concerned - I don't think foreign workers have the monopoly on that. "Neck down" syndrome is alive and well and affects people from all backgrounds. One apprentice recently confided that he got into this trade because he hates reading. I think I broke his heart when I told him it doesn't work like that.

Not sure about the Jeep, but if you do that with a Ford, you will see (assuming anyone ever looks at the cluster anyway) a message stating "Fob not detected - restart car within 15 seconds" - or very close to that. Common sense isn't and many people chose today to prove it to me.... Every time they make something idiot proof, they make better idiots.

I just copy the yellow discs right onto the hard drive of whatever computer I would like them on, then install them and make the appropriate changes to the *.ini file (I can't remember but can post the location and changes if you need late - there was a thread here about it some time ago) and then store the discs in a safe place.

I did one (primary) and didn't think it was so terrible - nothing seems to stick out in my mind, at least. But then we aren't sure that senility isn't kicking in, either. I did take out the secondary, though. Maybe not being flat rate helps? And I do get a lot of interruptions.

Yes... you get to work on a 2006 6.0 that barfs coolant all over the road. Lucky you.....

Yes.. the one time I tried loading the software (two, maybe three years ago), it was asking for a code. However, unless our psrtsmonger has thrown stuff out, I have discs all the way back to B30something.

Aaron - you still need this? FWIW, I even have a box full of WDS discs kicking around.

And the whol;e world got pissy over Ford cruise control switches.

Tomorrow will be Canadian thanksgiving day. I wish all the Canucks on the forum a safe and happy holiday. For those who seem to have no idea when thanksgiving really is, have a safe and happy Columbus Day.

If you waddle on over to the monkeyhouse and search the 7.3 forums for variations on the theme, you will come across a "mod" (their cure little moniker for doing things - some actually quite brilliant and some in that nether region betwixt goofy and insane). As I recall (and we assume the standard "caution, memory thing" disclaimer is in effect) it involves putting a switch in the idle validation switch circuit and adding a resistance of some sort. Been a long time since I reviewed the procedure, but it looked fairly easy, not too intrusive and dependable. YMMV.

Just for the record.. notice that the new Explorer is not a flat tow vehicle any longer.

They have winter in BC????? (Lived just outside Ladner 57ish to 64ish and Whiterock 66ish - winter meant not cutting the grass so often). I've been running 5W20 in my 2V engine with no concerns - I do think the timing chain tensioners are a big part of the headache.

Don't have time to check right now but (caution - memory thing) I think you might have MOS FET circuits involved, too... You may need to clear SJB codes. I'll check back at work. (Bean time). On edit - falsie alarm....

The prologue... 2003 Exploder, 4.0 SOHC. Has a bit of a rough run, lacks power, P0172 and P0174 in memory. Fuel trims are polar (one is pegged taking fuel away and one is adding fuel like crazy). Any time we have seen similar concerns, it has always been a plugged cat - no brainer. Apprentice slam dunks a cat and we are..... right back where we started from. At this time, I get a little bit involved. Had him swap upstream O2s side for each (of course he forgot to slime the threads when he transferred them) - so, one new O2 sensor later, we see the concern stay put - not following the sensors. Power balance shows all bank one cylinders way down on contribution... but all we have is a little bit of a rough idle. Certainly nothing as bad as the scan tool indicates. And then I inherit this puppy. Relative compression looks wonderful... but it sounds "curious" while cranking during the test. Mechanical gauge has bank two compression at 170ish and bank one at 105ish. Hmmmm, best guess would be cam timing? There's a bit of oil at the back of the right head - as I begin to remove the cam cover I notice the valve cam is cracked. Once removed, I can see some of the pieces of the chain guide and they don't look quite comfortable. Bear in mind this car didn't have any strange noises, rattles, pops or farts. Just another day in the life.... Now to determine if I have any bent valves.

Actually, no. Most oil patch facilities (batteries, satellites, plants, compressor stations et al) require any diesel engine to be fitted with a positive air shut off device. There is no requirement (AFAIK) for automatic devices (self actuating) but manually actuated devices are required for entry to specific areas. We've come close a couple of times in the shop and on road tests due to overfull crankcases but still haven't had to use the CO2 extinguishers. The last runaway that I can recall occurred in the Nipisi area about 7 years or so ago. A tanker truck (not sure if it was fitted with a PAS or not) ran away while loading crude at a battery (caution - memory thing happening). The truck and trailers were a total loss - I saw the pictures - and the facility received significant damage. Thankfully there was no loss of life but the cost did run into a couple or three million bucks plus lost production. When we consider that, when I perform a commercial vehicle safety inspection, I am certifying that a vehicle complies with an expected level of safety. If I fuck up - it isn't going to be about a couple of thousand bucks of truck hardware. It could have my name listed along with Joe Hazelwood and Francesco Schettino in the history books. And that last paragraph could refer to almost any one of us.

The truck is getting a Roda Deaco valve with implicit instructions that the valve be exercised regularly. As I'd mentioned, I'm trying to get at least our guys to cycle the valves during maintenance and report any failures. I can't babysit these cretins but I can certainly try my best to keep them from killing themselves.

Our parts monger and I have both tried to contact Envacon regarding this. All of my e-mails bounced and our partsmongers phone call was met with disinterest. I have started informing fleet operators when I find faulty devices during inspections. I think there may be a little disbelief or whatever on the part of Envacon since the concern does take time to manifest itself. I bent the hoop on the valve pictured here back up and the valve worked again - even after opening and closing the hood several times. But it is obvious that it will return to the point where the valve no longer functions eventually. The truck that this valve was installed on failed it's commercial vehicle inspection with the valve cited as one of the reasons. Obviously, I cannot fail a vehicle if this valve still functions, but we are seeing that (and I remind you that I do think the valve itself is a good piece) when installed on 6.7 trucks, space constraints do the valve no favours.

Let me begin by stating that the Envacon positive air shutoff valve is a quality piece. It appears to be well built and robust and doesn't seem to have the concern that affects Roda Deaco valves that aren't exercised regularly. However, when mounted in trucks equipped with the 6.7, there is an apparent problem. The flattened metal strip at the top of the valve is supposed to guard the solenoid pintle (the little stubby stem with the hole in the middle of the cover). This strip was originally a hoop and, over time, hits the bottom of the hood and flattens out. Subsequently, the pintle of the solenoid hits the hoop and cannot rise enough to allow the valve to trip when required. I don't know how many of you work on trucks equipped with these sorts of devices. We work on them all the time and I am trying to get our crew to remember to test the operation of these devices when they service a truck so equipped. File this in the "just so ya know" folder....

Almost $900 for a set of Michelins for the SooperCroo - nothin' special 16 inchers. This Shelby has some real skookum Goodyears - sticky as snot on flannel, more like a cheater slick than something DOT loves. I think they have a W or Y speed rating and I would guess buying a set would take a fair chunk of your lunch money. 19s on the front and 20s on the back, not much you'll do to rotate them. Exotic cars.... this is what single guys do instead of trying to build brownie points.

Yahweh and I aren't on speaking terms.... She thinks I'm a dink and I agree with her.

Just for the record - I don't see me calling this description "a good thing". I wont run to earn a walking wage....

Lucky prick....