Jim Warman

Bruce... I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for sharing these photos with us... And to reimd the rest of the guys that it is one thing to stand back and "ooooh" and "ahhhh" over the photos.... This is our first really detailed look at this engine.. the engine that will make or break our paychecks in the near future.... Test mule or not, we should peruse these pics carefully... Anyone notice that this engine doesn't appear to have head studs? Or where what appears to be glow plugs are located? There's a lot of wiring around that fuel pump.. I hope that was for telemetry.... I don't (yet) see a VGT solenoid but there is an actuator rod coming from a <something> to about the right place on one turbo.... I am amazed that these pics haven't generated some sort of discussion (even if only to say "ohhh" and "ahhhh"). It may have slipped by some guys that this is how we make our living.... Now, more than ever before, an intricate knowledge of the product we are working on is important. We can be proactive, and teach ourselves about these things, or we can wait for guys like Keith and Bruce to do the work for us... never really learning how to figure things out on our own.... I know, that for Canadians, at least, news of these pics will swell the membership... but if 2% of those actually make a post, I'll be surprised.... Cmon, Canucks... make a liar out of me - even if it is only to flame me...

How many here take the time to review broadcast messages with any regularity? I print them off daily and hang them in the coffee room... but it would be nice if I wasn't the only guy that read them before I needed them.... Todays crop warned of 06-24-06.... being in Canada, I wont get to see this TSB until Wednesday or even later....

Keith, let's not forget what they did to the oil filter on the 6.0 to get it into the vans. The EPA has spoken and, I'm pretty sure, Ford will listen. The 6.4 will be in a van and it will not be pretty.... At this time, I am Googling "vacuum cleaner sales positions"... hopefully, I wont make it through basic training until the weather warms up.... On a serious note, I firmly believe that we, in our lifetimes, are unlikely to see some powertrain engineer have an epiphany that will lessen our burden in these emissions reduction efforts. I think I'm trying to say that it will be quite some time before we see things get better.... until then, they will get the other way...

Heads up.... From 03 to 04 model year, the heated seat elements were changed (don't know how many of you guys work on these, we replace a couple or three elements every year). If you order the elements for an 03, the P/N will change up to a 6C3Z number and the elements wont work. The early elements have a thermistor incorporated into the cushion matrix. This thermistor is missing on the new elements. Partsmonger managed to find a 2C3Z P/N element at another dealer so we are good to go on this one. Parts hotline was closed today but tech hotline says it doesn't look like anything is in the works for the 03s.... And some of these could still be covered under extended warranty.... Goofy part... the old style elements would have worked on the new system.

Seems like the E-box has almost always been a year or two behind the trucks as far as new stuff is concerned.... Not sure how that works as far as EPA requirements or what have you. I can't see a smaller engine in the Econoline since they are popular as ambulances and I can't see F series replacing them. That few feet difference between the length of a truck and a van can make or break the choice when manoeuvering in tight emergency admitting lanes.

Activity on the automotive forums is nearly at a standstill and there is nothing on the diesel forums newer than yesterday....

Ahhh.... doomed to be the redheaded stepchild, for forever.... Can't see anything like it on the Canajun site... not that it would make much difference for me (I've been told I have a "problem with authority"... those that mention it wont tell me if the problem is with having it or with receiving it...). We all know that we will never please all of the people all of the time.... Unless I have a customer that desparately needs some sort of "different" treatment (this could be good or bad for the customer as required), I treat my customers as I would want to be treated. If this would result in a complaint - oh, well. We should simply strive to be the best we can... and do it with pride and dignity.

I had an interesting one last week... 2005 F350 with the 6.8. Symptoms - low idle in gear and stalling any time it felt like it. P061B and P2106. Checked the CKP and the connector looked "damp" (looked shiny and that wiped off with my finger) - blew that out and gave it a dab of caliper pin grease... no more codes but no change in other symptoms. Cut to the chase - discovered that the ETC wasn't doing the "dashpot" thing. Throttle position was an exact trace of APP. Found the MAF had some healthy looking fur growing off it - cleaned the MAF and reflashed for good measure.... Life is good. The interesting part.... Looking at the code description for P061B, the "possible causes" section says "see possible causes for P2106"... Scroll down to P2106 and "possible causes" says " "....

Thinking it out, Jay, I have no doubts about what you are saying.... At the same time, this is not a noise that I want my customers hearing... at lot of these guys are a little spooked by hearing the new strategy rattle the injectors at shut down.... While the greater part of our tasks involves repairing these trucks, our "jobs" don't stop there..... Even if our service advisors "shield" us from our customers as best they can, we are still tactition, diplomat, doctor, lawyer, negotiator,,,, I have to missing some stuff, here.... Our service advisors are getting smart enough to realize that their knowledge is limited and, in our town, anyway, the customers can smell a line of bullshit from a long way away.... Oops, there I go again.... I'd rather not have a "civilian" hear this sound than have to try and explain it....

First, Dave, let me welcome you to the "house" that FordDoctor built.... Unlike Ford, there is no "censorBot" and those of us on both sides of the 49th get to compare notes..... I think it's going to be tough to make or break someones warranty on a combustion chamber pattern..... My take.... seeing "evidence of" power adders is a lot different from seeing a power adder physically attached - of course the little knob marked "Banks 6 gun" or the Edge control panel are pretty much enough - we can't really fly on hunches. But... consider this.... Let's say I have a customer that bought from a dealer 200 miles away because he didn't like "our" price... He has "some" mods. Compare him to a customer that buys 10 or 20 trucks a year from us.... yes, some people are a little more equal than others. If that offends anyones sensibilities, I am truly sorry. My job is to repair trucks and to repair them to the best of my abilities. I can only ever make recommendations to the powers that be. The bottom line.... consider that some of the things we do... some of the things we say.... these have the chance of becoming "legally significant"... If we say something "bad", we best be "sure".

I can't recall if it was TDS or FRT... there was mention of using an air hammer and a long chisel to break the fan clutch hub free from the water pump.... FWIW, I don't remember exactly who said what - only that heated discussion followed. Now... I have resorted to this sort of brutality in the past and, quite probably will find the need to repeat the process in the future. Done properly. the damage will only ever be cosmetic. Most of the trucks I work on are "work" trucks.... owned by consultants, hotshot drivers, oilfield band aid units, well operators.... All these guys that can lose either a thousand bucks in a day or a lucrative contract in a week.... funny how they don't mind a few marks in the fan hub in the name of less downtime... Back to the story... there were many that displayed disdain, dismay and even hostility to the idea of accomplishing a difficult task in anything other than a saintly manner.... FWIW, most of those that find using an air chisel to break a difficult fan clutch free reprehensible also felt that an impact wrench (in most cases, sans torque sticks, which I don't like, anyway) was good enough for wheel nuts - no torque wrench needed. FWIW (again) the tools that eastendpowerstroke shows are good tools... One of the guys in our shop bought a set... I will too, one day, after I'm done with the tools I need more... I can't recall where Greg stood in the thread, but I recall it was just another one of "those" threads....

Good point... and just something else for the tech to try to remember.... As far as I know, all of our local E-boxes have had all the applicable reflashes performed and would only deserve this program if morning sickness was evident... and I would hope that guys are checking OASIS like they should be... Another thought is the left side of the screen that comes up when we reflash a truck... the one that lists out all the SSMs and TSBs that might deal with the procedure???? The one that none of ever reads more than the first few lines of???? I think it might be time to start reading it (and chasing down all those messages is going to a horrendous task). As for getting paid, I would say that the TSB should be paid over and above the reflash since the operation will have to be performed before the reflash. It's getting better all the time - Lennon/McCartney 1967

This truck was a late build 04 - tech was having a real tough time of getting to the root of the high pressure oil concerns. With no identifiable air leaks, Hotline said change the HPOP. He had some improvements but ICP was still short of firing the truck when hot.... Block off one side - ICP would build.... open that side up and block off the other side... ICP would build.... disable the FICM and crank the engine and ICP would build. We use Active Commands to duty cycle the IPR when air testing.... much quicker and easier than trying to jumper the solenoid.... The key was cycled off with (AFAIK) the IPR cycled up. The spools stopped where-ever they felt like and there were leaks all over.... By now the engine is coolinbg down so the tech returned the truck to runnable and finally got it fired up again - ran well for a very few seconds and then started acting up... stalled with no restart before operating temp was reached... At least ICP was back to the almost but not enough pressure. Finally, the decision was made to replace the 4 injectors on the right side (where the air was administered). Truck now runs well (considering there is likely still air in the systems) and restarts hot.... final road test will be Friday. Were the injectors part of the original concern? were all of them? No way of knowing for sure.... but when it comes to these sorts of things, there is no point in tempting fate. And we really don't need a customer hearing this sort of noise. Standard procedure in our shop is now to disable the FICM for air testing purposes... no exceptions.

If you are air testing the high pressure oil system on a truck that has had the new FICM strategy programmed, disable the FICM BEFORE proceeding with air testing. This can be accomplished by simply removing the FICM relay.... One of our techs turned the key off while the air was still hooked up. The sound made was ummmmmm "unique" as the injectors buzzed out and all of the injectors leaked (air) profusely after the experience from the spill holes, apparently. Early to tell if any real damage has been done - but, at this point, it doesn't look good.

Check out "Injector Flash" in the 6.0 forum over at "idiots ' r' us"... I don't mind explaining things to these guys.... but I always have a hard time with STOOPID...

Well then, young man.... you should be ashamed of yourself picking on us poor Canucks like that.... FWIW, I'm pretty sure that too many people on both sides of the border majored in "Stupid 101" in school.

Ahhh, gotta love that Spamsoil... IIRC, for the oil to go that far, you're supposed to draw samples and have them tested every now and again..... FWIW, I love how Spamsoil wins and it's not their worn out oil giving drivability concerns... it's gotta be this POS engine (that seems to run real good on regularly changed dino oil).

I can't speak for anyone else but we just usually use the nose-o-meter.... Most of our victims realize their mistake somewhere between the time they pay for the "fuel" and the time it starts running bad/noisey/quits.

The shop makes the techs pay for this sort of equipment??? That ain't right, at all.... If one of our guys wants his own VCM, more power to him but, right now for 8 guys, we have two IDS, one VMM, two PDS, a WDS we mostly just use for the PVT (but I want to play with SGM for a while before I die), an "all make" tester and some old stuff (NGS, STAR, SUPER STAR, OTC 2000). Luckily, our DP knows that to earn money, you sometimes need to spend it...

I sometimes get a little concerned over the "parentage' of some of these things.... I'm looking at the rotunda website (www.fordrotunda.com and log in like you would on the corporate server) - because motorcraft.com was taking forever to load - a licence renewal is $350 USD/year after the initial prepaid subscription is up. They will ask for the serial number of the VCM.... I think, Lew, is that I am saying "I dunno"... Hold the phone.... motorcraft.com finally loaded... and a subscription is shown at $500/year (and they still ask for the S/N). You might be able to get a definitive answer by calling 1-800-ROTUNDA. The answerbot will give you 7 options... option 4 is tech support. A new answerbot will give you 7 more options.... option 2 is VCM. I think you finally get to talk to a people about here... If you are considering the purchase of one from e-bay, I think getting the S/N and calling tech support *may* be a wise thing to do. And lastly, just to make sure someone is going to say "don't he ever shut up?", I've heard/read (interent style) of many that love the tools they bought off e-bay. But, for that initial subscription period, nobody has asked for the S/N of the tool, yet...

Same here.... I have three techs to get into the classroom course (including me) and I'd hate to find out about this prerequisite too late... There's a lot of money in our town and it sounds like there is a healthy number of guys lining up for these new trucks... My next door neighbour bought a Harley Davidson diesel... uses it for work (oilpatch electrician).. has to clean his driveway at least once a week with a scoop shovel - and he's just the tip of the iceberg....

We have to sometimes wonder if it is my skin that is thick.... or my head... I like helping people... it's just my nature.... At the same time, I don't mind making sport of some of them, either.... I love the "tech of the quarter" guy... to think he actually get's paid to "fix" trucks. I haven't been back since last night so I'm unsure if he's caught on to what the FICM strategy is all about yet, or not.. I've probably been a little hard on some of them lately, though... My loving bride was flown to Edmonton a little over a week ago for gall bladder surgery so she hasn't been around to keep me "in check"... Drove down today and brought her home (no beds available in the local hospital so a transfer was out of the question). She is doing very well and is happy she is no longer enduring the crippling pain she was experiencing...

I have this terrible problem, Ed... I open my mouth and whatever it is I'm thinking at the time "falls out".... Some people hate that.... a very few like it and most would rather I just shut up and go away /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif For the message boards, some of my most innocent posts get yanked and some of my stinkers remain.... go figure. I once even got an "attaboy" from a previous message board moderator for a post a lot of techs didn't appreciate....

I updated one of my IDS the day the TSB became available in Canada... version was 45.9. Updated the other unit yesterday - 45.10.

It's not a PCM reflash... if you do a PCM flash, this FICM reprogram will come along with it but, if the PCM is at the latest calibration, you'll get the meassage "no later cailbration...". For this you'll have program only the FICM. Started a thread in the TSB forum.... Did one day before yesterday that was flagging four in the AM... Yesterday it started and ran great. Did an 06E17 today and the FICM strategy was also loaded.