Fredsvt

Believe it or not, I just did my first 3 valve plug change. One of the fleets we service has a "management" company run their maintenance or lack thereof. They normally don't ever do spark plugs or tranny services, period. They'll replace 1 plug and coil at a time if they come in with identified misfire codes. Such crap. This one came in with multiple misfires and 150k on the clock. Got them to authorize 1 hr to remove 2 plugs to check, and unlimited time to replace all if any break. The engine was smoking hot when I started removal, cracked them all loose, filled the holes with PB blaster, and left it. All 8 came out, took about 3 hours of back and forth. Once all were out I saw only one started to separate. I couldn't believe the size of the gap on these when I took them out. No center electrode left at all. I guess it's better to be lucky than good.

Hey Bruce Ford isn't the only one with Air Cleaner issues, look at the Duramax LLY's thermal feedback loop issue. At times of full load pulling, the CAC and rad dumps so much heat into the air cleaner, the CAC can't dissipate the extra heat load and it ends up overheating the engine. Take a look at this word document: http://members.cox.net/beekiller/GMC%20Light%20Duty/THERMAL%20FEEDBACK%20LOOPS%20IN%20TURBOCHARGER%20APPLICATIONS.doc

I took a look at the bulletin. Not sure if this truck had this particular problem, but it's kind of moot at this point with a 1.5" hole in the thing. Thanks for pointing out the obvious, I looked at the Ford SI site as well and it specifies a max of .020 at the rear primary flange. Not sure if checking at the crankshaft front pulley is acceptable or not.

First, what's up with the original intercooler being discontinued on an '08 F550? Our local Ford store parts guy had to go looking for one. Impact damage requires replacement at 14k. Looks like they drove into the back of one of their other trucks carrying pipe. Punched a nice round hole it it. Dumb drillers. Other, while crawling under this thing to do a service, I found the front crank seal leaking for the second time since purchase. I noticed the a/c belt looking "fuzzy". For giggles, I decided to see if it had any thrust play. Oops. I can see about .060-.080" of play. Is this a known issue with 6.4s? Sorry to anyone in Monmouth/Ocean county at a Ford store, (I didn't do it!) they're going to take it back when they retrieve it from where I work.

I've seen two things where I used to work, at a fleet shop/limo company. One guy we nicknamed "poof" because he decided the best way to check rear airlift shocks for leaks was to jump the compressor on, and lift the car. It made it just over head height before both shocks exploded. The other guy decided he wanted to do struts in a car and removed the center nuts on the shafts while the car was on the ground, and he lifted it. I was glad I was 4 bays away as the springs came out from under the car and folded both fenders outward when they did. Both guys were let go after these incidents, as they were hired by a manager that left. (who was obviously clueless)

I've seen similar with the IDM relay and fuel pump relay would click wildly while cranking (no start). This was on a truck that had this no start issue and the customer put in 2 batteries and an alternator. He could only start it by giving it a jump. When I got it, I noticed the new parts, but the corroded battery terminals, I removed the terminals and inside them, they were so "white" that they made a very poor connection. I cleaned them up and wow! It starts right up. The guy wasn't too happy, as his old batteries tested good and probably the alternator was good too.

Yep. We had a customer with an '01 F350, chipped, the works. He towed horses all over the country. With the chip set on "hot" all the time. After 2 turbos, 1 suncoast trans and umpteen sets of brakes, he finally blew the motor about 80k after he had it all done up. That truck did MOVE, could spin all 4 tires when in 4x4 from a stop.

Remember the old Corvette ZR1 with the Mercury Marine built engine? It had a "valet" key switch on the dash. It would limit the hp. It would be something good for fleets, have a separate key that the fleet owner could turn to keep the trucks from being beat to death that much faster.

The MIL will come back on if the cyl 6 glow plug is bad. This should have a module instead of the relay for the glow plugs. After the first start that needs glow plugs it'll come on in about 30 seconds or so. I've also seen the standalone P1298, a new IDM takes care of it. Some customers refused the repair and ended up towed in a short while later. Go figure.

I had one '01 a long while back doing the same thing. Mega pressure in the cooling system, and lots of steam coming out of the oil cap (not blowby) when it was hot. He complained of constant fan clutch cycling when towing and pushing out coolant after pulling hills. The guy had run a very high hp chip in it while towing it's whole 110k life. It cavitated right at the bottom of the bores on 2 cylinders. The pits were in the ring area when the pistons were at BDC. When I pulled the valve covers the "jelly" was evident, even though it wasn't visible on the stick or oil cap.

Keith, Don't think I haven't heard that from some fleet guys that come into our shop asking for advice. The best was a pair of guys working on a Duramax, and they said first it was hard to start, but they got it running by cracking the lines to the injectors. I looked at them like a deer in the headlights. Afterwards, they said the check engine light was on, and it wouldn't rev up all the way. Dufus number one then said, "I floored it, and our third helper opened the injector line to one injector at 2800 rpm, he was knocked to the floor and sent to the hospital." He was unconscious. They didn't understand what happened. I think he's alive. Fucking idiots. At that point I still didn't know why they did it or care. I blew them off. If I'm over my head without the tooling or training it goes to those who are. We refused to work on the truck.

Holy crap! And, the next day he's at the dealership complaining of coolant blowing out the degas bottle. It sounded like it was at the verge of hydrolock and on the limiter as it went by. I'd be more impressed if he could get all 4 wheels to spin.

Hi Chris, Able, as in Able ambulance? I'm really trying to hold back laughter here. This sounds so typical to me, if it's who I think it is... Are you absolutely positive it hasn't been dropped off a cliff, curb surfed or some other horrendous wreck since you installed the unit? I've had the unfortunate luck to work on their older stuff. When one of their dipweed drivers decides they don't like the van, they'll do just about anything to get out of using it. I'd be going over the entire van with a fine toothed comb. I've seen some really weird stuff from them. Fred

I call it selective hearing/viewing. I can be standing behind my boss as he's talking to a customer and he hears something completely different than what the customer is saying. Then when you bring up a car/truck that's been looked at and give him the list of stuff you find, he'll selectively tell the customer what's wrong. He only picks stuff that he thinks they'll do, even if there's some very important stuff to do or worse, if the repairs needed that he glances over make the vehicle unsafe or not worth repairing. Sometimes as he's explaining to the customer what's wrong, what he tells them just makes me speechless. The idiocy and ignorance of basic concepts just reinforces my belief in where he should have kept working.

I have it, along with "trigger finger". I'm getting the release surgery for my finger next wednesday. I've dealt with the carpal for about 10 years now. Comes and goes in intensity, I had major problems sleeping for a while, but now that's subsided somewhat. I have more issues with temperature changes, the colder, the more my hands will fall asleep. Driving to work in the am, leads my left hand to die off while holding the wheel. Once I actually work, it all goes away till I stop for the day.

Waiting for me next week: An '01 F550 7.3 ZF6 drill rig. Asked to check for DOT. It needs complete rear brakes (cooked), oil pan, 2 manifolds, up pipes. As all of these badly beat trucks, the clutch should be shot, along with the pto adapter. I can feel my back crying already. Can't lift this thing, too heavy with all its weight over the rear end. With how slow it's been, I'm just thankful for the work.

If they were rebuilt injectors I'd not trust them for anything. Sorry Ford, been burned by your remans too. Our shop's been using Alliants exclusively and have not had smoking issues, only had one injector that just quit delivering fuel, took over 2 years before that happened though. Does it have a grey cam sensor, isn't there an issue with false contribution codes on some trucks with that sensor installed?

Isn't red dyed fuel also "high" sulfur fuel, over 500ppm? Wouldn't that cause a 6.0 to soot up even worse among other things?

I've seen 2 '04 6.0s with a no start and no power to the FICM. Both had rubbed through (green death) wires on the left inner fender down near the shock tower area. From memory (bare with me) the wire that feeds the trigger circuit for the FICM relay was rubbed through. Jumping the FICM relay made both start.

I hear these a alot "You're a mechanic, you can make it fit" when you get a wrong part from a vendor. "what do you mean?" after telling a customer that she's riding on bald tires.

It sounds like you have a couple of issues, failing o-rings leading to the lube oil in the fuel. Your IPR will be higher with leaking o-rings. The second issue is the white smoke while cranking. That means there's not enough heat to light off the fuel, if the glow plugs pull about 195 amps and it still does it. I'd be checking base engine compression (low compression will make it crank fast) and check blowby. The other issue is one I've only seen once, a failing injector(s) that are staying stuck open when cold. Usually though, bad older injectors fail to deliver fuel when cold. You can hear the injectors click (ICP builds quick) while cranking, using a remote starter button, standing near the motor with the hood up, but no smoke as they don't deliver anything. Been there with trucks that idle way too much and don't see enough oil changes.

I know what you mean about how strong this sealant is, I had to pry up the pan and cut all the way around the stretched silicone with a razor blade. It's some pretty strong stuff.

I believe, but can't be sure, the parts guy at the Ford store we get our parts from has been in contact with someone at Ford. Maybe not the hot line. Not sure though. I got the wiring pigtail today for the radio and of course all the pins are filled, but I think we should be able to easily give them what they want. Either way, the cops themselves are bringing us the cars as they can and paying for it out of their pockets. The municipality is firing all non-union employees due to the union refusing to accept either pay cuts or contribute to their health care plans. The budget's been cut so bad due to our inept state gov't that the firing are pretty much being forced. The remaining union guys are also on a work slow down and won't bring the cars to Ford or work on any municipal vehicles at the moment.

I hope someone can tell me, our local Ford store isn't of help with this. Our local township has got 8 '09s that the officers are complaining of only rear radio speakers working. They have speakers and wiring in the doors, but have NO front speaker wiring at the connector to the radio. I have 4 wires for the rear speakers and no more. The harness wasn't touched by the conversion company and the pins were never in the shell. I searched and none of the service info for '09 shows a different harness for the CVPI. We are going to be getting the connector pigtail to swipe out the pins and run wires to the connectors that go into the pillars. Unless someone can tell me different. TIA

J.F.C. (sorry if I offend anyone) If a Toyota assembler makes $38/hr, I wish I could make that much. Plus all the benefits that they get. It amazes that this continues. Our shop has a customer, he's a retired assembly plant worker from the now closed Linden truck plant (GM) He spent 30 years balancing tires the machine brought him the wheel assembly, the machine put it on the balancer and tightened the wheel to it. He had to push a button to activate it, and hammer on weights, should he have felt like it. Then the machinery took it away. 8 hours a day, second or third shift so he could work another full time job as well. Here's what his pay was the last few years he worked there, 104k per year, plus OT, not including all his bennies. He always left his W2 on the dash of his car. Now retired, he's paid 70k, full free medical AND free use of a GM lawyer should he need one.