Jim Warman

Codes? Fuel trims? Mechanical comp test - maybe a leak test if warranted? Maybe a year and miles might help?

Congrats, Kieth... remember that Google, Facebook and a lot of other megadollar web presences had humble beginnings. Even though you are covering only a niche, you never know where the future might take you. I'm pretty sure Jason Lester never envisioned the way the monkeyhouse turned out.

Missed ya, buddy.

Come on, Dwayne... you know I love onions. Shit, they are a food group all by themselves... matter of fact, onions are... Oh. Wait..... Uh... I thought we were talking about.... Ummmmm, the "U" word, you say??? Everybody forget flatratetech already?

Mistakes are there to be made and make them we will. All it takes is for someone to call your name at the wrong moment and the fuckup train will roll silently out of the station without anyone ever knowing it. Even the most attentive people can get in a rush or suffer a distraction. DAMHIKT!!!

I have one on the go as this is written. It is an intermittent cranks/no start. It originally came in with a P2614 along with the "usual" host of other codes. It was SYNC = NO and FICM_SYNC = NO. When the tech working on it at that time wiggled the CMP connector, both PIDs toggled to YES and the truck started. CMP pigtail was replaced, other necessary work was performed and the truck was released. Fast forward to about last Wednesday. Truck was towed in as a no start. Of course I drove it into the shop - no trouble starting it. P2614 and P0528. Verified that it needs a fan clutch. Started the truck several times over a period of time and a visual revealed nothing. Went to back the truck out of the shop.... SYNC and FICM_SYNC = NO. I don't have the adapter for the BOB so I opted for check AC volts and Hz for the CMP (circuit resistance for the CMP and wiring was 835ish ohms). 0 Hz an the signal from the sensor while cranking would only surge to a little over 0.1 volt. A weak signal, thought I. R&I the CMP and found a little skiff of rust on the CMP pad - a few strokes with some emery and it is shiny new (certainly not the displacing mounds of rust I've seen in a couple of pics). The business end of the sensor was growing a little fur - took care of that. The pigtail had been added without twisting the wire pair and without adding any shielding - being the anal !?@#%! that I am, I took care of that, too. The harness was opened from the PCM past the spot where it rubs on the valve cover as well as the entire take-out to the CMP sensor. Both circuits were load tested to about 4 amps as well as for integrity. Reassemble everything and get the same Hz and volt readings on the sensor circuit except that the truck starts and runs once again. After two days of thermocycling the truck, starting it time and again, no repeat failures but I have a hard time accepting what little I did as a "fix". It is going to be a pita trying to back probe the connector but, if the concern reappears, I can only resort to the VMM and looking for a viable pattern. (Oh, if only I hadn't been lazy and done that back when it was a no start.

Few Fords have 5 sensors.... aside from that, I don't know how 'Muricans do it - but Canayjuns walk around the car. "Yup, I checked all the tires... and they were still there...". Customers will swear up and down that they checked their tire pressures.... now, if they had put air in the low one, they'd have something. Sidebar... Our "Out of Province" inspection is big on safety issues... even something as simple as loose door hinges or door handles..... we have a minimum spec on how close fule and brake lines can be to exhaust pipes... There is no requirement for the tire pressure monitor to work. To make things even more ridiculous.... an owner can have TP400 valve stems (these are rated at 60 psi) installed in wheel and tire assemblies inflated to 80 psi. Additional sidebar..... Late model sooperdoodies (and I'm sure other models) allow us to adjust the "alert" pressure for the TPMS. Our store, thankfully, has decided not to lower the alert pressure for any customers. We know many of these folks air their tires down for comfort (why not just buy a car?) and then tow on underinflated tires. And have you ever seen a thread get hi-jacked as neatly as that?

Been a long time since I personally had to do one ( I mostly diagnose and pass it on down the line these days )..... don't they still come with the instruction sheet in the package? Whoops, there I go again.... thinking some of those neanderthals can read... Of course we all understand that a "low tire" TPMS warning means we have to go to the dealer.....

The human condition is alive and well..... It can be hard to separate "hackism" from honest misteak.

Check both your ECT and EOT PIDs to determine if the system is "overcooling". The purpose of the thermostat is, ostensibly, to maintain a minimum operating temperature. If the motor isn't achieving that minimum temperature, the thermostat is the first place to look. If you get a truck to work on from another tech who could not or did not resolve the concern... DO NOT pick up where he left off. Start from scratch... begin from the beginning. Question everything you are told. Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear. Having said all that, I find that we are adding "and reassess" to most all of our repair estimates. As the fleet of 6.0s and 6.4s ages, we are seeing concerns we never even imagined.

I have a fire pit in the back yard, too - I even cook over it even in the winter when I get the urge. A steaming pot of hot chocolate is a nice add-on. Most locals have a snow machine for winter and a quad for not-so-much-winter. The rest of us have scooters - which a bit tough to ride, some months. My son bought his own house so he wouldn't have to shovel my driveway. My last snow blower died an excrutiating death - every year I vow to buy a new one when they come on sale at the end of the season... but at the end of the season, I no longer need a snow blower - so I don't buy one....

You guys are phuquing wierd.... Rain isn't all bad... at least you don't have to shovel rain....

Nothing surprising going on with the message boards.... If the thread was, indeed, printed off by another viewer and given to the fleet, then Ford should react to that fact... They discourage sharing this information with "civilians" and state as much on the InFord site. Don't forget that there are "trigger" words.... The web-bot looks for you uttering the forbidden syllables... Not to worry - three strikes and you are out - forever. If you do not subscribe to "Fordthink", you will become superfluous.

I bought a small Yamaha genset (1200 watt) when I bought my holiday trailer. This was back before the prices took a real tumble - damned near a buck a watt is what I paid and about three years later, well... what can I say (or is that watt can I say?)? Mine is big enough to run most everything I have but not at the same time. I can heat up dinner in the microwave, or I can watch a DVD.. but not both. It's major saving grace is that we can stand beside it and talk without shouting. Today, a genset similar (actually, it appears identical)to mine can be had for under 25 cents a watt CAD. Canadian Tire boasts a 6500 watt continuous duty (7800 peak) genset for less than I paid for my little guy (not sure about the noise component). FWIW, there are a LOT of websites displaying what many people have done in regards to utilizing wind power for home electricity gneration as well.

A few words of caution... on newer systems (sorry, can't remember the date break off-hand) the plate PIDs will all say (IIRC) "OPEN" when the system is "at rest". A change of state of the position sensor will temporarily display the actual plate states but they will shortly all revert to reading the same once again. The next time you change out a gearmotor encoder, save the position sensor. These sensors rarely fail and can be used to prove out the wiring between position sensor and module by simply plugging it in and watching the PIDs as you move the sensor through its range - the sensor is the same for 2011 trucks. When changing the position of the control switch on the instrument panel, allow time for the PVH signal to run it's course (approxomately 30 seconds is required). MY 2011 saw the advent of the CVH hubs - a system that has been giving cold weather problems from the git-go. These apply constant vacuum to engage the locking hubs rather than the more familiar "click pen" operation of the earlier two hub designs. I see both systems (PVH and CVH) as being largely misunderstood. At the outset, they appear a little "Rube Goldberg-ish" even though there is a simple and logical chain of events. The operator moves the control switch to the desired position. The module checks the position sensor and, if the position is "coherent" and (in the case of a shift to low range) that any necessary enabler conditions are met. Once it "knows where it is", it will energize the appropriate relay (CW or CCW) and watch for the plates to change state. If the plates do not change state soon enough (another sorry, "soon enough" is, for me, an unknown quantity) it will de-energize the relay and then make four more attempts. Once the shift occurs the module will assume that the front axles are now turning at the same speed as the hubs and will energize the PVH or CVH solenoid to engage the hubs. If the shift does not occur, the system will stop trying to actuate a shift and will set a code(s). Do not overlook the importance, if deemed necessary, of removing the encoder and using a 5/8ths or 16 mm wrench to operate the transfer case shift stub. If you are on a 4 post hoist, remember that there is a neutral between 4HI and 4LO. To make wiring diagnosis painless and simple, use my sensor method to check the plate PIDs and, using a headlight or other similar load connected to the actual motor connections at the encoder, use output state control to activate either relay to test those circuits. Both we and the PPTs in the WSM conspire to add unnecessary complexity to diagnosing these systems.

In addition to the resources that Bruce can supply, don't overlook the value of the information contained in the "coffee table books" available HERE.

4001 - 2012 BOSS MUSTANG TRACKEY INFORMATION TRACKEY IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR CUSTOMER PURCHASE. CUSTOMER INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT www.TRACKEY.FORD.COM. CUSTOMERS WITH QUESTIONS SHOULD BE REFERRED TO THE WEBSITE OR TO THE FORD RACING TECHLINE (1-800-FORD-788) BETWEEN 8:30AM AND 5PM EASTERN TIME MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THE CUSTOMER WILL NEED TO PROVIDE THE VIN NUMBER WHEN CALLING. DOWNLOADABLE DEALER TECHNICIAN INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT THE www.TRACKEY.FORD.COM WEBSITE. TECHNICIAN QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS SHOULD BE REFERRED TO THE FORD RACING TECHLINE (1-800-FORD-788) BETWEEN 8:30AM AND 5PM EASTERN TIME MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. PLEASE BE PREPARED TO PROVIDE THE VIN AND THE CUSTOMER SUPPLIED TRACKEY VOUCHER NUMBER. THE INSTRUCTIONS CONTAIN SOME COMMON TROUBLE SHOOTING TIPS AND FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

We have folks stockpiling here in town. There'a a lot of "extra storage" to be found in odd places. Haven't had a chance to check local pricing, yet.

This kinda different. Saturday, one of our cops was chasing a drunk driver in town. Mister spanks a car parked in a driveway and a light standard - the Mounties had their man.... almost... Mister lays the smack down on the Mountie, hops in the cruiser and prepares to get the phuque outta Dodge... until the posse showed up. I'm, not sure what Mister was thinking, where he tried to drive nor what he drove over trying to get there, but this car is a hurtin' unit. Inertia switch was tripped, which is a good thing seing as the car has no oil pressure, a stove in trans pan, a busted steering rack, bent exhaust, control arms, body mounts and on and on. Somewhere in this parade, I'm told shots were fired, nobody got hit and the Mounties did eventually get their man - who is currently a guest of her majesty, the Queen. Man.... I'm glad I don't live in the big city.

I'm going to bet that most of us can see where this is going. Like the WDS, the hardware is likely nearing the end of it's usefulness. Gazing into my crystal ball I can see more modules, a more complex system of networks (currently, most new vehicles have a dedicated HS CAN betwixt the RCM and ABS modules) and higher baud rates (so that there wont have to be any dedicated HS CAN networks between any modules). With the computing power getting a jolt of steroids, I can see modules that can self diagnose more accurately than those we have now (effectively dumbing down the requirements of "general techs"). Sidebar... I still use our SuperStar tester (all too often) but I have two WDSs for sale along with a stack of WDS program CDs. It seems like only yesterday that I was filing a set of breaker points and putting a dab of cam lube on the rubbing block... never imagining the world we live in (well, except for Popular Science articles).

One of the best arguments against installing customer supplied parts..... Back in the 80's, when I first ventured out "on my own", I was hungry - almost anything for a buck.... A customer brought me a truck and an auto wrecker engine. He asked what my warranty was and I replied with what was then the industry norm..... 90 days/12,000 miles or some such. He replied "Good, we'll find out how good your warranty is". "'Scuse me", sez I, "That is YOUR motor... all I have to guarrantee is that the bolts are tight".

Not passing judgement here, Bruno, but I do have to wonder what message we are sending out to customers when we stop using "genuine Ford parts". These past few years, we have begun to send out for 7.3 fuel filters with the built in cap rather than insist on a Ford filter with a pricey replacement cap. I have mixed emotions over this practice. We seem to spend the majority of our time either perched between a rock and a hard place or trapped between the devil and the deep blue sea.... In the FWIW department.... our door rate is somewhere in the area of 120~140 per hour - I lost track a long, long time ago. Aftermarket shops (independants and big box alike) are typically $30ish per hour less (possibly even more). Now, I liken us to a burger stand... some folks think a buck99 Big Mac is gourmet food.... some of us are willing to pay $15 so that our taste buds can have an orgasm. I like to think that I am a chef in that high class burgerhaus. I could go on and on about people getting what they pay for.... but a bigger problem, sometimes, is that people DON'T get what they pay for. When I do a service or one of many various inspections, I check the pressure in the spare tire... does anyone care to hear about what I find? I'm going to pause here to avoid saying something I might regret. Aim for your target market. But give them everything you promised. Saying you are better than the other guy is different from being better than the other guy.

The operative wording, through all of this is "likely caused by arson"... I wont pretend to know what they are investigating or where but, around here, it could even be from the hot exhaust of an ATV or even a couple of hikers blowing a doobie... I don't know. What I do suspect is officials trying to deflect attention away from some mistakes and miscues that could have made this tragedy take a very different course. Including having people advised that all was safe even as the flames were licking at the doorstep of our town. If it was deliberately set, I hope they find those responsible and give them the rehabilitation they must surely need. But this will not unring the bell. We need to concentrate on the things done badly and educate our emergency personnel and address operating procedures to ensure that we never have the clusterfuck we had on May 15th. FWIW, most everyone I know is still waiting for an evacuation order - because we never got one. We left toen - not because we were told to - but because it was quite plainly the prudent thing to do.

That's the one I was trying to remember - I don't think they get them down south....

That's our experience, too. I've yet to see one even close to 400 PSI using our gauge.