Alex Bruene

I always use gaskets every time I reinstall a manifold. I also put them on to fix leaks.

A.K.A-The New ELF! BTW, they've purchased '11 chassis with 6.7s, and are having issues with the exhaust clearing the floor. I can't wait to see what kind of "system" they come out with next. Good luck, Jeff!

We have a twin post in ground hydraulic. The one with the sliding front post. We also have 2 post above ground electric, but it won't lift those.

We got the run through from some dude at TTC about those buses. They are sold as a 450 chassis somewhere around here, I guess Leeds. They don't use 550s because the back half gets lopped off. It gets shipped somewhere in Indiana, where the frame mods and driveline is modified, then sent somewhere in Michigan, where the body is put on, then sent back to somewhere around here... Probably Leeds, again. From there they get delivered to TTC... We've done a few transmissions and up-pipes. A few no-starts that are normally causes by the body-builders modified fuel system, and some oil leaks. We're lucky enough to have a hoist that is able to lift them. Once it came time to do something major, such as a fuel pump gasket, the bosses said sayonara! Keep in mind, our bosses don't want us doing ANY warranty on a vehicle we didn't sell and/or don't service.

He argued that the manual isn't clear, and it states that oil change intervals are 16,000KM. We want to get the sales department to introduce (diesel) customers to us (commercial service) so we can most importantly meet them, and also inform them of service requirements and the services we offer. Also, to let them know we can do oil changes while you wait for the same price (or better) than the lube places. For some reason, customers still don't know that dealerships can do that too. I guess we need to advertise as aggressively as those places to get the word out.

By all means!

Chan, I won't mention the name of the dealership, but you might be right. The better part is, I have a really good friend there who I called after we showed the customer the door. He informed me that their diesel tech. still works there, and they are certainly still certified to do it. 2 things factored in to the truck being sent to us; first, it doesn't sound like said tech. wanted anything to do with it... second, they don't want the "warranty expense"... whatever that means. We get "reject work" and comebacks from this dealership on a more than regular basis. I had a rant at my service manager earlier this year when a repeat comeback of theirs ended up on our doorstep. It had apparently (according to OASIS) just had a new EGR valve and the intake manifold removed for cleaning just a week before. It didn't look like a single bolt on the engine had ever been touched, and still had the orange EGR cooler hose, and the gaskets were definitely not new. I asked why I waste my time actually fixing things, when I could go work somewhere else where I could do the gravy, scam tonnes of (warranty) hours, and send the job elsewhere when it isn't fixed. Ford was contacted, asked us to submit some pictures and they would handle it from there. I don't know what, or if anything ever came out of it, but I don't imagine so. Jeff, we know the "Friendly Buses" all too well. The TTC used to send them to us, until our dealer principal sent them packing when the brought us one with the dreaded fuse blowing. We gave them the option of removing the cab themselves, and sending the bus back (because of all the modifications, and mainly because of the fact it has a fire suppression system, and we didn't want anything to do with the liability if there was something wrong with it afterward)... or finding somewhere else to do it. They called every dealer in the GTA, all said no-way. So, they were then going take it to their selling dealer, which is somewhere in Kingston, so I get the feeling it might have been you guys. If that's the case, I apologize, as it was not my idea to send it away... Nor was I the tech. originally assigned the job.

Yesterday, we had a customer pull up to our door with a 2008 F-450 with a knocking 6.4L. He had just left one of our local dealerships (Chan, you should know the one, as it is one of your "partner" stores). It just had it's annual safety inspection done, new brakes, ball-joints, maintenance, radiator and thermostat. The customer was told *** Ford could not look at the engine knock, as they are not certified to do diesel engine work. I often wonder why I work at a place where I have to fix stuff, rather than work somewhere I can pick and choose my work.

I have a 6.4 in torn apart right now. 22,000 KM with a totally grenaded cylinder 8 piston and rod. It's had 2 oil changes in nearly 2000 hours. The salesman apparently "never told him" you have to change the oil every 200 hours... The funny part is, after some arguing back and forth with Ford, the customer was granted warranty on it, because he wasn't properly instructed on the maintenance intervals. Nice.

Are you sure it's the pan leaking? Earlier this year, my apprentice tried to beat my oil pan record. After he finished, there was a leak from the right rear. I told him he f'd up, and to do it over again, and not try to do it so fast... Turns out he did it again for a second time for no good reason, as the leak was actually from the HPOP. We did the pan again without actually eliminating any possible other leaks first. Lesson learned.

I prefer to use the word "$hit", rather than "shit". 6.0s bought me a really, really nice house, so I will not speak poorly of them! Keep them coming, especially now that there are so many out of warranty.

We charge one hour to program a FICM if it's been installed already. Remember, it's more than just our time that needs to be paid for... Don't forget the cost of the equipment, subscriptions and training that has to be covered too. And it does not get waived from any additional diagnosis fees when we have to figure out what is really wrong. As for attending other shops, we will only do it for a really, really good fleet customer. And only in an absolute pinch. We normally just tell people that want us to attend their shops that our technicians are only insured to work on the premises, and for that reason we don't/can't do service calls... But, when I do actually do it, I normally charge traveling time plus one hour plus two hours diagnosis fee. Basically, driving time plus three hours.

Nothing extra. 1 hour is more than sufficient.

1.0... Just like all other diesel oil changes.

The only correct repair for this as far as I am concerned is removing the engine and replacing both heads.

I could not agree with that more. I outright refuse to help anybody out on a public forum that uses that term... furthermore, we offer up our time and expertise for free on some of those forums... How is that "stealing"? The problem with most of the people on pulic forums is the fact that they've tried to fix it first, or had "their mechanic" try and fix it first, and then end up on our doorstep, paying even more on top of what they've already spent. Since we are usually that last ones the vehicle sees prior to going out on the road fixed, we are also the last one the customer sees, and they were already somewhat disgruntled to begin with from the run around they received prior to coming our way. Would they have been so disgruntled if they had just come to us first?

Not so long ago, I inherited a total nightmare from an indi, or perhaps a shadetree mechanic, as the customer will not tell us where it came from. Long story short, this truck, a 2004 E-450, was towed into our heavy duty shop, blowing white smoke and losing coolant. An estimate was given to replace the EGR and oil coolers, and all the usual mumbo-jumbo that comes along with it. The estimate was the same as would have been from our shop, and the customer ended up taking it away, as it was too expensive. 2 weeks later, the truck was towed to us as a no-start. It had a brand new FICM in the cab, and we were requested to install and program it. I did this, and it still did not start. We quoted the usual 170 bucks to diagnose what is really wrong... and got yelled and screamed at for being a rip-off. Finally, we got the go ahead for diagnosis. When I pulled off the dog-house, I was amazed by what I saw. It turns out the "shop" the van was taken to said that our diagnosis was wrong, and it needed headgaskets, and that's what they did... Along with both coolers. I found 6 out of 8 fuel injector connectors were broken, 3 of them not even through the rocker carrier. The right side valve cover was absolutely mangled... The bracket that hold the GPCM and battery cable terminal was not even there. The 2 cables were put together with a nut and bolt and wrapped in black tape, and contacting the turbo inlet pipe. And more things I can't recall right now. Moving on, 3500 bucks later, 6 new injectors, a valve cover, and countless other things I can't remember the truck runs! For 5 minutes... Then the IPR plugged up with junk and stalled. A new IPR and it was good to go. 3 days later, the van got towed back in with the serpentine belt blown off. Upon further inspection, I found it had a new power-steering pump, and the pulley had only been pressed on about half as far as it should have been. A new belt and properly installing the pulley, and all was good... again... for now. 2 weeks later, towed back in for a no-start... The IPR was jammed up again. I quoted to remove the oil cooler to check the reservoir and clean it out, replace the screen and IPR and so on. More yelling and screaming, and threats of legal action for a few days, but I finally got the go ahead. After removing the oil cooler, I was again amazed by what I saw... It appears that somebody decided to empty their sand-box in to the oil cooler reservoir (really, there was no way that this much debris could have been sitting in the valley prior to the butchering it received). Not a single window on the screen was intact. I removed the HPOP, cleaned the reservoir and passage, new screen, another new IPR... And it's all good... FOR NOW! Bottom line, don't go to the dealership, they're too expensive! Oh, and the threats of legal action are still on going... As all these issues are our (apparently) fault!

I always drain the reservoir completely when I have a cooler out, wipe it with a rag and brake clean. ALWAYS replace the screen under the oil cooler when it's out. I can count on one finger the number of screens I've seen that were not damaged when I removed them.

I don't know of any other programs that can pull codes on that system, but I'm sure Bruce does. I know you can use MD truck to pull codes (only) on a Cummins equipped truck, but I only learned that by fluke, as we have scan tools for Cat, Cummins and IH. BTW, these things are not really that user friendly to diagnose misfires, IMHO. You must have some type of "connection" to help diagnose the truck.

I am aware of 2 Rogers Econolines cruising around with the same complaint. We've never been able to duplicate it. I told them to go out and smack the blower motor if it happens again. And if it starts to work, I'll replace the blower motor for them next time they come in. If it doesn't, I'll have a good idea of what it isn't.

Is it just me, or is anybody else seeing an increase in connecting rod failures on 4.5s? I have seen 4 already this year, one in the shop right now (trying to get AWA), and a phone call about one yesterday that somebody wants to bring in with a hole in the block.

You can add me to the list of people who cut the first one they ever removed. Afterwards, I realized that it is just as easy (if not easier) to remove it in one piece... So I have never cut one since... But have seen several come through my bay that have been cut prior.

No kidding. They should get the "Sham-Wow" guy to advertise for them... That's if he can find time off between beating hookers!

We've sold quite a few. I've had to add friction modifier to one differential. I had one where the body builder installed Velvac mirrors and decided to cut the wiring to the environmental temperature sensor causing a CEL.

You have a good 5-10 minutes to get the pan in place before the oil makes it down to the mating surface. Most of the oil that runs down is at the front cover, but I don't silicone that until after the pick-up is bolted in, so it gives me time to wipe it clean one last time.