Daily Observations - Part II

[Matt Saunoras]

Aka 4 different continents

[lmorris]

Just traded in. Needs a bit of work to get back to stock. It's the real deal. One of 282 1984 GT 350's 302 HO 5SPD convertibles.

[Matt Saunoras]

This evening I went to visit the SMT I worked with for 8 years who left here a few months ago.  The shop he's in now is a bit of a dive, kind of resembles our old shop but a little bigger, low ceilings, no heavy lifts.  I could be an asset there and maybe make a little more money but I would miss the big stuff I work on that wouldn't fit inside.  They are really tight on space and I have a ton of stuff too.     

[Brad Clayton]

I here you, I got an offer to go to another dealer that is 1 bay per tech........I currently have 5 bays in my own shop at my dealer. I am staying put for now. 

[8WA Sman]

It's hard to say which of the two conditions when done poorly will drag a person down more, personnel or work space....Tune both and you are more likely to soar

[Matt Saunoras]

Yeah we have a very nice shop but absolutely horrible personnel. Plus while I might not make the most I possibly could its nice to have a consistent paycheck every week, I've come to appreciate that. It's a tough decision. I'd be driving an extra 20-25 minutes to work off one 12k and one flat stall

[forddieseldoctor]

A hfcm on a 6.4 will not pump without a filter installed.

[forddieseldoctor]

Opened up a rotor box and found a used rotor inside.

[Matt Saunoras]

My grandfather passed earlier this year and left us with an 06 five hundred limited.  I had our GM appraise it today and he thinks it's trade in value is about $1800 so my mother agreed to sell it to me for that.

 

It's AWD with a CVT but it's only got 89k.  I'm worried about the trans but for the price I think I'll take my chances.  I took one of the last classroom CVT courses Ford offered.  I don't remember a damn thing about them. 

[forddieseldoctor]

My grandfather passed earlier this year and left us with an 06 five hundred limited. I had our GM appraise it today and he thinks it's trade in value is about $1800 so my mother agreed to sell it to me for that.

 

It's AWD with a CVT but it's only got 89k. I'm worried about the trans but for the price I think I'll take my chances. I took one of the last classroom CVT courses Ford offered. I don't remember a damn thing about them.

Really? They don't offer them anymore?

 

The biggest issue I've seen is the input shaft bearings (there is a tsb). I just did one a couple months ago and I remember the parts being kinda pricey.

[Keith Browning]

When I recently traded in my 07 Freestyle, the CVT had been making that helicopter noise at idle for about 2 years. I remember pricing out the parts but just never had the time... or the desire to fix it either. At 89k if is not knocking at idle you will probably be alright. I would change the fluid if you do not know when or if it has been serviced.

Ford's CVT transaxle went away after 2007 if my memory serves me...

[forddieseldoctor]

When I recently traded in my 07 Freestyle, the CVT had been making that helicopter noise at idle for about 2 years. I remember pricing out the parts but just never had the time... or the desire to fix it either. At 89k if is not knocking at idle you will probably be alright. I would change the fluid if you do not know when or if it has been serviced.

Ford's CVT transaxle went away after 2007 if my memory serves me...

That's about the mileage that was on the one I just did.

 

I know they ended in the 07 model year, but I was unaware that the classroom class was no longer avalible.

[Matt Saunoras]

I thought it was unavailable as a classroom course after the last units went out of powertrain warranty but I'm not sure.  At the time I took the class back in 09 or 10 I was told it wouldn't be offered or required much longer, perhaps I was mistaken. 

 

No noise at idle in park.  I heard a slight decel whine one time yesterday but I'm not sure if that's normal.  I did not happen to notice what speed it occurred at and I didn't hear it today.  I'm sure after I get used to the car I'll stop hearing all the little noises it makes. 

 

I am definitely going to change the fluid and filters right away and make sure the fluid is at the correct level.  That is #1 on the list

[lmorris]

Removing the supercharger from a 2014 F150 with a 6.2L and putting it back to stock, when you have none of the original parts, is a royal pain.

[Matt Saunoras]

Well I had to hitch a ride home tonight.  Got my "new" car stuck on my rack at work trying to change the tranny fluid and filters.  Fucking broke a cooler line off in the pressure filter cover.  Everything on this car is just as expected for 11 years in the rust belt.

 

My parts guy was still there I had him look up everything.  The lines are one day out and cost about $70.  The pressure filter cover is obsolete and cost is over $600!   I managed to dig the line out of the old cover.  I tapped it with an M10x1.5 to use the tranny pump slide hammer removal tool and while I was tapping it started spinning.  I managed to work the piece of line out, it was corroded all the way down.  Gently cleaned up the bore with some 400 grit so hopefully it seals.  I'll find out Saturday

[tonybullitt]

I have a used cvt core waiting to go back to salvage yard. The lines came out surprisingly well. I wonder if they would care if that cover is missing?

[Matt Saunoras]

I ordered a used one off ebay just incase, it looks really clean in the pics.  I think my old one will seal just fine but truthfully there's no way to know until I put the new lines in.

 

It's funny how I avoided working on these things for all these years and now I own one.  I vaguely remember from my early Lincoln/Mercury days having strut bearing problems and heated seat issues but that's about it.  I think I may have changed a few instrument clusters and tranny mounts also. 

 

I remember the tranny guy I worked next to at lincoln replaced a few side shaft gear assemblies in vehicle.  Then one time he pulled a CVT out of a freestyle customer pay.  Quoted a unit and the lady traded it in with no tranny in it.  He somehow supported the engine with a long piece of wood, stuck the subframe back in it and pushed it outside.  Space was a premium back then. 

[Matt Saunoras]

Well it looks like my high pressure filter cover is okay.  Got the lines in today after the parts order showed up 2 hours late.  No leaks as of yet.  Also cleaned the throttle body and updated the PCM since the recall was never done.  Seems to run a lot smoother but I don't really know. 

 

I'm gonna give it about a month and then I need to get tires for it. 

[forddieseldoctor]

You should always make sure you have all your possesions before you storm out of a restraunt.

 

Seen a group of 3 people get upset because the restraunt was packed and short staffed get up and storm out and one of them left their purse behind. They had to come back and apoligize to get the purse.

[Matt Saunoras]

Here's my beast

[batmantech]

To nice to call a beast. My parents had one and loved it.  I always liked how you sit up a little higher and can see out of it nice. The ride is nice too. 

[Matt Saunoras]

The body is a little rough but everything inside is super clean.

 

My parts guy mentioned the upper torque mount goes bad a lot and sure enough checked mine and it's tearing. I searched around online because the ford mount is over $200. 4 or 5 aftermarket companies make replacement bushings so I ordered one off rock auto for $14.

 

I found a few old mounts in our scrap pile so I'm gonna try and reman one

 

Update - it worked. This baby really plants the torque to the ground now

[Matt Saunoras]

So get this one. I flat out catch our new guy not installing all four latches while performing the recall. The asset kid tipped me off about a set from earlier in the week. So today I check a new set to be sure what's in the box and parts hands them off to be installed. He finishes up, I asked the asset kid if he saw them do all 4 and be said no he didn't do the drivers door. I go check the latches he gave back to parts and sure enough 3 white label latches and one black label in the box. All the old latches are marked which door they went in and have a white tag. No old left front latch in the box.

 

I go to my service manager, present the facts. Show him new parts and old. Okay I'll take care of this he says. I see both of them head outside for a chat, the new guy flat out denies it and nothing is done. Absolutely no recourse from the service manager. He doesn't even make him or anyone install the correct latch. So now we have 2 used escapes on the lot that have one defective door latch. I don't even know what to do.

[batmantech]

Wonder how often that happens all over the country?

[tonybullitt]

We had a guy fired at my shop for similar reasons a couple of months ago. Also was on used cars. Where I work used car guy is left alone so can see how a dishonest guy would take advantage. He was saying he was machining rotors and doing alignments.