Jim Warman

In response to some of the debate on other forums, I called HotLine regarding the use of MercV in the 4R100. I was told that there will be a message coming down the pipe telling us that MercV is OK for the 4R100. Part of it looke like waiting for most of the 4R100 population to vanish from warranty coverage.. part of it looks like a part number reduction that looks like it is going to happen whether it is good or not... part of it looks like corporate backpedalling... One of my worries... We've been telling folks that MercV is no good for a 4R100.... and now we are going to say something entirely different?

$680 in Canada.... pics coming...

I can see where that would work... for some reason, I've dodged the bullet on later build HPOP concerns (all of mine seem to be early builds). Without having an ICP hole handy, I've taken to removing the left valve cover and using my trusty rubber hose as a stethoscope down the oil filler to try and source any leaks... I have no idea what it is, but as far as jobs are concerned, I seem to be a crap magnet.... Remember the 03 with 8 one month old injectors puking past the oil rail???

This is only one of the several places that a HP system concern can surface... Air test works quite well but sometimes we need to have the EOT up to full operating.... other times, we can source the leak cold - there is no "usual", IMHO. Late and early pumps are very different from each other and have their own pattern failures but not every failure fits the "pattern". Faced with pulling the bus bars or pulling the valve covers... I have to say that I am likely going to pull the valve covers anyway, at some point in the process, so I might as well do it up front....

From what I see and hear in the shop, the instruction to remove the FICM relay is pretty much universal when using the WDS - shows up on the sme screen as fuel pump fuse, etc...Some of the guys have missed that part or have forgotten about it - my own view is that it can't hurt, only takes a few seconds once you get used to the locations and removes one opportunity of having to do it all over again... So far, all of the 06E17s I have done have been like the proverbial watched pot... I can stare at the screen and VGTVP_LE wont budge and VGT_CNC always says no (this, apparently, is the PID that is supposed to tell us if conditions are right for the VGT learn)... Walk way for a few minutes and it's like magic -

You guys must all be young'uns... I'm having a hell of a time with the PDS... Some yahoo will use whatever is handy to poke at the touch screen cover - too many times this is a ball point pen with no cover on the tip... That ink is near impossible to get off, sometimes. They're every bit as heard to read in any amount of light.... And my friggin' arms are way too short for them dinky little letters... We finally got part of our IDS shipment.... One VCM and one cable (VCM to DLC). The other VCM is on backorder as is the VMM and all it's goodies. Toughbooks will be here next week - Looks like the old shop foreman quit just in time

Most of what we sell and service at our store are PSDs... the question we could ask, in our situation, is "should we be charging less for F150 and cars?".

Welcome to the house that Keith built, JR (now I don't have to do it in the "intro forum" A lot of it is stuff that I've been doing for quite some time while it has been taking me away from my "flat rape" stuff.... The rest of it is a cake walk. I'm a "results" guy... If I figure the DP needs to spend 50 bucks, he's going to spend it... my justification is in the reward (unlike those that balk at spending the 50 bucks in the first place). Working in an "employees" market helps. I was making damned good wages on FR and all I asked for is that the extra MT duties don't change my standard of living... Next payday is the 15th, this will be a good precursor... Stay tuned.. will our hero go into melt-down? Will he have to return his newly acquired framing nailer toy? Will there be joy in Mudville? All in our next episode of "As the Stomach Turns"...

I'm wondering if the WDS is reporting accurately... replaced turbo and Y pipe, reprogrammed... ran and ran and ran VGTLRN_LE didn't change and no VGTLRN_OK, Finally WDS crashed. (No surprise...) and by the time it rebooted, done deal...

I remember when I first re-enterred the dealership fold... it was just before the release of the 6.0.... Before that, I new just enough about diesels to keep myself from getting in over my head... Change a GPR, maybe glowplugs on an IDI (as well as the odd chevy)... even managed to diag a couple of thermo-timers correctly. I had done a couple of diesel FMTs (designed for the 7.3 DIT) and then one day BANG!!!! A 6.0 with a noisey turbo (almost sounded like a tranny concern) and fuel/oil leaking out between the block and the dipstick.... They said "fix...". I said, "Do I know how???". Two other techs in the shop had the NMT course... Like kids in a whorehouse... we wanted to stare but were afraid to touch... We survived, and learned... and continue to learn. With or without Ford help, we can and will repeat the process.... Because we are all too proud of what we do to say "I can't do that....". ... We have a tech at a dealer in the next town that swears he can do a head gasket in 9 hours... needless to sat this guy is a dork of major magnitude... Been in a couple of training courses with him and I can say that he might be able to do it - but I wont let him fix my wheelbarrow... Pity the poor owner that has to drive something this guy has "fixed". I love the Canadian message board (we don't get to share, guys)... I've used verboten terms a few times, I guess... I've had more than one post taken to "review" by the "Fordthink" bot. Our usual tech instructor reads the boards every day but wont really admit to it... He tells me all I have to do is reply to a thread and it usually dies quickly... If we can keep Ma Ford out of this house, we can, at least, speak freely about any time cutting steps, home brew tools or what-have you. Let's not forget that Ford only pays for "wrench time" and having a really good product knowledge and careful preparation are keys to saving steps...

Initially, the DP felt I would stop getting dirty and start PDIing holiday trailers (quite a profitable side business). I explained that it seems counterproductive to take me away from what I know best and even more counterproductive to take me away from the people that I am supposed to help... Almost like a light went on when I mentioned that.. Yes, little will change in my daily routine since I was already being taken away from my work to help with a gnarly problem or offer a lift... or to show the old shop foreman how to do the things he should be showing us how to do... Wages are still under negotiation... I'm pushing for a base hourly wage plus a personal performance bonus. I'm not expecting any great wage increases but I want to be sure that my current earning potential is maintained.. in other words, I don't want to suffer the losses in time that I was having due to uscheduled "duties". I pointed out that this would be good overall since he would now have someone with Master qualifications to work on the tough ones that kill flat rate performance and turn good flat rate techs into uncaring hacks. It doesn't hurt to mention that over 30 years in this business has left me so that I have to struggle to keep up with the young'uns. But, I do get to keep my alignment rack and all my government inspections.... Luckily, I wont be dispatching work... there's just too many chances to be accused of favouritism - even though we are far too busy to even consider "saving" a gravy train for one particular bay...

First thing this AM, our "beloved" shop foreman once again announced his intention to leave the employ of our dealership.... He's done this, in the past, in order to try and extort a little more blood from the service department... I spend a lot of personal time perusing this and other forums to gain more knowledge and insight in my chosen craft... I spend a lot of time at work trying to extract that little extra bit of customer satisfaction... I spend a lot of time helping other techs when the shop foreman proved inexperienced or ineffectual... I spend a lot of time helping the shop foreman when he's in over his head... Long story short.... May 1st, I am the new shop foreman... wage is under negotiation... I'm not going to rape my service department... I know what I made last year, I know what I made year before and I have an idea of what I could make this year with no interruptions I don't expect a raise... but I wont take a cut, either... What I do expect... no flat rate... I get the gnarly ones... "overtime" pay... and the paid opportunity to improve my knowledge of our product and our service techniques... I approach this opportunity with no small amount of trepidation... I am no longer a "soldier"... I am now a "diplomat"... (translation... I can no longer sya "WTF you thinking of, moron???". I must now say "There is a better way of....".

I don't recall the tech mentioning any witness marks on anything... I do recall him and the shop foreman dwelling on this noise... even me with my tinitis could hear it... Funny thing is, in the shop, at least, it appeared rpm specific... (remember, I'm trying to do my own stuff and eavesdrop at the same time... some stuff is hard to miss since my tool box is an occasional "tool crib" for some of the more esoteric tools). Check the "water cooler for an announcement... oh, and check ALL of your e-mail addresses, I sent you an interesting tidbit a couple of days ago...

Tech in the next bay had an interesting one... no starting concerns but there was a strange noise, almost a buzz off idle... Loudest around the HPOP... no starting concerns. He replaced the branch tube fitting and all was well....

There's been too many times someone has been hung ou to dry by the PC/ED.... Testing solenoids on the 4R100 comes to mind as a biggie... PC/ED has us testing for source voltage (using a DMM) at the solenoid body plug. This test is about as inappropriate as it gets (unless it has finally been changed in reprints) and has caused the replacement of solenoids unnecessarily... The best tool for this test is a small sealed beam headlamp... draws about 4 or 5 amps on low beam.... and allows us to check the load carrying capability of the circuit. There are other examples like this throughout the manuals making the need to think about each and every step of an unfamiliar PPT before, during and after we perform it.

Subject is a late build 04... no start came from body shop... customer wanted to pick it up on Good Friday. Guess who had the misfortune of being there when the SM (aka "Princess"... she's a sweet young thing and I'm a dirty old man) arrived to "release" the truck. Background info... started for the shop foreman but batteries appeared "low" - so I'm told. He says he scanned codes (he has proven unreliable and I'm sick of carrying this deadbeat) and retrieved none.... possible, but I would have at least expected a P0603 from dead batteries. No start for customer... brought out the booster (Cat battery on a cart).... no start for me... checked the no start PIDs.... everything good (including RPM#) except FICM_SYNC = No. My Saturday to work, I squeeze in a few minutes to dig a little - bunch of codes that don't matter (yet) and CMDTC P2614 which I can clear but comes back after I crank the engine... check CMP_FM.... reads "no fault" but changes to "yes fault" when cranking.... and here's were it gets hazy. PPT "V" stops you about step 4 or 5 because of the no start and sends you back to section 4 of the PC/ED (which, to my beleagured old brain) sends me back to PPT V. OASIS was no help at all. I wound up using a combination of info gathered from a PowerStroke Central wizard and the FICM handbook (don't know if anyone else got it) that Ford supplied us. I unplugged the PCM and ohmed the CMP circuit at the PM plug. After this, I lost control of the subject (bigger fish to fry) and the sleazebaaa, err, shop foreman took over. I should mention that P2614 can also mean a problem with CMP_OUT from the PCM to the FICM... and this is what I wanted the SF to check.... he could find anything with the harness. Substitute a donor FICM... VROOOM. Put the original FICM back.... VROOOM. I am now, officially, waiting to hear back from one very disappointed customer when this concern resurfaces.... Moral of the story.... we can't blindly follow the PC/ED. Instead, we need badly to decide what a code really means (and that can be tough) and follw the diagnostics with an eye to being sure that we check what needs to be checked appropriately (understanding what a test step really wants - knowing that some test procedures in the PC/ED are inappropriate or misleading). If something smells bad, check all available documents. Sorry to get windy... I feel that anything we can do to expand our personal knowledge base makes us better (and more importantly) and more productive as techs.... I think the shop manuals are a real "minefield" and we need to pick our way carefully....

We appear to be too much alike, Keith... I live in a very affluent town, as well... I'm told that we have more millionaires per acre than any other region of Canada... This is hard earned oil patch and logging money. Not sure what our volume is but 80% of what we sell is trucks and 80% of those are PSDs... with a healthy dose of KRs and "Armadillos". One customer was waiting for his KR and bought his loving bride a Mustang droptop on a "whim" (much like you or I might buy a bunch of flowers). Picture this.... a big, black Excursion PSD 4X4... ALL the toys... moonroof... DVD... you name it. Nobody (AFAIK) has ever ridden in the back seat. Heaviest load I have seen this car haul has been a few loaves of bread and some "lean cuisine". The furthest it has been "off road" is the parking lot at the new mall.... Flip side of idiocy.... an 05 SuperCrew 4X4 with a 4.6 and our salesweasels sold this guy a 32 foot fifth wheel.... I bought my SuperCrew as a deal too good to pass up... that 4.6 can't handle my 23 foot (bought after the fact) and my only saving grace is that our favourite campground is only 15 minutes away...

The problem turbos you are seeing, I believe, are on trucks owned by those that don't need (and perhaps shouldn't have purchased) a diesel... These things appear to be replacing the red sports car as penis extensions...

Yep... the red High Tack spray. Seems to have solved my "problem children"...

Keith is right... and this makes proper cooling system maintenance a real bear.... For my part, trucks that call for gold, get gold but we can never be sure that someone else hasn't looked at the colour and added green instead... Jason mentioned that the coolant had a bad smell.... if it is a "burned" type of smell, take a good hard road test while monitoring EOT and ECT.... I can't remember the allowable difference (hotline can help) but it is fairly low... Seems to me that a difference of less than 20 degrees F is enough to warrant EGR cooler and oil cooler replacement.... Word I get is that there are some restricted oil coolers out there.

We've been fixing the odd turbo concern before performing the recal.... more than we're used to but the VGT learn procedure does require that these systems be working good. We had an extremely mild winter so we didn't get our annual crop of exhaust control related concerns... even the guys that "never let their trucks idle" didn't have half as many problems as we're used to...

The tendency, when faced with "dust stickies" around a CAC boot, is to reef up on the hose clamps.... doesn't take much over factory spec and the clamps cut into the boot - little concern = big trouble. On "problem" joints, you can clean all contamination off the connections and spray HighTack on the hose and the "nipple" and leave them set a few minutes before assembly.... word of warning - you'll need to assemble everything right the first time and you may not think much of the idea come time to take it apart later (SnapOn and others sell a set of hose picks that helps). This idea is especially helpful when dealing with the CAC tube side of the boot. Oh, yeah... I never, ever undo that connection.... the boot comes off the turbo or off the CAC... I never take it off the tube unless I'm replacing it....

I don't think telling hotline anything will get a vehicle or a cause flagged in the system... From what I have seen, this only happens through the warranty end of it... You are right, though... too many people perpetuate the use of 40 year old diagnostic shortcuts, cost themselves a whack of coin and then cry warranty. Integrity and honesty is taking a vacation... The new "law of the jungle" - screw or be screwed... Don't mind me... I managed to lose 10 hours on a 7.3 front cover job this last pay and my faith in human nature isn't where it could be...

UBET, a lot of customers call a "sweating" an oil leak.... Ford tells us "if it ain't dripping, it ain't leaking...". If worst comes to worst, have the customer come in and show you the leak.... Many things appear to be "relative" in nature.... I can't count how many times I've cured a running concern simply by hooking up the VDR... /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/confused.gif

Well, I sure did this one up brown... For some God-foresaken reason, I rhought it was this week that I was going to be a guest (read that as "captive")of FMCs training divisiion. With a 7.3 no start that turned into a low pressure oil pump (complete with a poorly rigged out picker deck making it even more time consuming) and an ambulance inspection that got real big, real fast, I knew I couldn't fulfill all of my resposibilities between now and when I "rhought" I was leaving. I told our SM to cancel my school and save the "no show" charge. The SAs promptly overbooked me for these three days in my schedule that had magically opened up in my schedule.... (by mid-week, I'll be booking into May). The SM suddenly realized that something was amiss.... but could she just keep quiet and let me feel like I had done a noble thing???? No sirree.... And there I am... only two classrooms away from having a full plaque.... (and that last half a buck raise...) /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crybaby2.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crybaby2.gif /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crybaby2.gif