Alex Bruene

We just got our first gasoline powered 6.4 towed in... Can't wait to see how this one goes...

I finally took the time to go check it out... http://forums.thedieselstop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1350642#Post1350642

Perhaps you should do some research on this statement... maybe that explains why you can't find the other information you're looking for.

I can't even put into words the thoughts I have on that term. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smhair.gif

http://www.powerstroke.org/forum/video-movie-forum/22447-08-straight-piped.html

14-15ish seems to be the norm around here. Keeping in mind driving habits, regeneration frequency and such...

Seen lots like that also.

I'd start with going over the degas overflow TSB and check the cooling system pressure that way... and... are you "sure" he's not running a tuner again, and trying to pull the wool over your eyes?

Yeah... but I'm putting my chips on a possible misdiagnosis on the line pressure thing...

A broken sun-gear is the first thing that comes to mind... but I think it would still have reverse and line pressure in that case... hmmm... I guess I'm not a displaced transmission tech...

I have seen the same issue with intermittent EP sensors, or damaged convertors that are intermittently causing an exhaust restriction. I think a recording of the event may be the way to go.

Okay... I'll give my techniques for a few of Mike's gripes... For the rear turbo bolt, I use a good 6pt socket with a stubby 3/8 ratchet facing straight up and use a pry-bar off the turbine housing. I take the E-series turbo out the same way you described... When the oil lines are in the way for pedestal removal, I will take the bolt that hold the lines to the housing out, and unbolt the filter housing from the block and move them out of the way... I have never had a problem removing the 13/16 line, but I spray them all with pb-blaster before hand... For the turbo pipes, I remove the bolts by using my 1/2" gun with a flex socket, and tighten them till they snap off. To put them back on, I have cut the box ends off some cheap 10mm wrenches, lay it on the bolt and tighten the nut from underneath, the wrench "bit" will turn against the pipe and hold the bolt for you... I don't find any difficulty with accessing the front engine mount bolts on the Econoline... and I remove the bottome row bolts with a thin head Snap-On 1/4" flex head ratchet with never a problem.

I am working on a 2005 F-350. When I'm running a power balance test, and select to cancel out a cylinder, it won't cancel the cylinder. I have taken the IDS to a different truck of the same year to make sure it's not the machine. I have made sure the VSS is at 0, have tried to depress the clutch (at the recommendation of tech hotline), and made sure the calibration is up to date. I suspect I have an issue with the FICM, and wonder what you guys may think?

I do them in chassis as well. I do however remove the intake, evaporator box and such. It takes me a little more than a day to get it done completely. We have a 5 foot long 3/4 in. drive ratchet that will do all the head bolts except the rear left head lower bolt (which gets a johnson bar and a pipe)... makes for easy torquing. Now, a little off topic... I was chatting with some heavy truck techs when I was at Cat school, and they were telling me that the torque to yield main cap bolts on the larger Cummins engines are supposed to be tightened with an impact gun... according to the shop manual no less... I wonder if the 6.0 heads can have the final torque steps done that way???

All that I am aware of is the 3 foam pieces you should be able to get from your parts department. I have never seen one fail a second time with those installed in the correct locations.

I suppose it all depends on if the cavatation is high in the cylinder, or closer to the bottom, below the piston ring travel. I have only seen what cavatation looks like on an engine with a removable liner, not on a 7.3, but I imagine that if it were higher up in the cylinder, coolant could be consumed.

The way it was put to me is that cavatation erosion normally (if not always) happens on the major thrust side of the cylinder. If it is only small pinholes, the pressure from the piston skirt will force oil through the small holes into the water jackets, but the cooling system pressure is not high enough to push coolant through the other way.

It's funny how you should mention cavitation erosion. I was at Cat school last week, and it turns out the instructor was a Ford tech. in the 80's and early 90's, and when teaching the cooling system portion of the course, he couldn't seem to get off the topic of how bad 7.3 IDIs were for cavitation. And who says cooling system maintenance isn't important?

The big city fleets in the greater Toronto area have certainly taken their fair share of techs from dealers around here... from what I have been told by a recruiter is that dealer techs are their main target. I can see how it is attractive to some of the (how can I say this right) dog-fu... I mean... non-hustlers. It basically works out to around $60K a year (give or take),only work 8 hours a day, juicy pension and paid for benefits and uniforms, yada, yada, yada. "The Trend" exists up here just as it does down in the states... maybe one day the fall-out will be great enough to make some dealers start to offer up some "perks". As for me, I prefer the dealer system, and I'm sure the extra money that I make over what city fleets are paying will more than make up for the lack of pension if I put it away right.

BTW, 1991 Rangers belong at the big red triangle if you ask me... /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/flamethrower.gif

All of our commercial service customers have a rating as to their loyalty. Basically, if you bought your truck with us, and maintain it with us, you are on top of the list... down to the ones that don't purchase or maintain with us, and only come in for warranty work. They can be held back for service while higher priority customers come in... and everywhere in between. The occasional "warranty only" customer will complain to Ford, but it's a company policy, and there is not much they can do about it. We are lucky that we rarely see pre-powerstroke era trucks, but in the event they do show up, they are made aware that it is going to cost them. All said and done, it works out well for us (we're probably just lucky), and has ended up in many cases getting CP work out of "warranty only" customers.

One thing that I can say that I have seen time and time again is this... and it's actually one of the main reasons I made the move to commercial diesel, and out of the car shop world... I am certified in everything, and when working in this car shop (that was not specialized), I would fix anything and everything that was given to me. I made my hours, but really had to work to do it. Now... The guy on the other side of the shop from me, had never been to a training course, but he could diagnose Windstar intake gasket leaks and fix them left, right and center... but if the check engine light wasn't a lean code, he'd hand it back and tell the advisor that he can't figure it out since he has never had any driveability training, then get handed a maintenance 3, and sell brakes and so on... I've worked with so many people like that, it made me sick... and it seems to happen in alot of dealers... Like they say, the more you know, the more you get screwed...

I posted a similar question earlier about ICP issues not setting codes all the time. I have had a very similar problem to the one you have there. I still think there are calibration issues causing it to not set a code... but who really knows?

There is a local cable station in my neck of the woods (I don't know if I can name the station or the show, so I won't...) that has an automotive help show every sunday night. In a nutshell, the guy that hosts the show (I still don't think I can mention his name) always tells callers, "Take it to an independant shop, don't go to the dealer, they will rip you off"... and then goes on to say, "You can give me a call at the office, and I will recommend one to you", for a $50 dollar charge no less. I've been tempted to call the show on occasion, but I don't think I'd make it past the screeners... But anyway, what right does this guy have to tell the public television audience that the dealer will rip you off?