Brad Clayton

Quote: Did you manage to actually break the front cover by FORCING the longer bolt in (with an air ratchet as Jim suggests)? I used my 3/8 Snap-On impact and she didn't even hesitate while drivin' that bolt home. That thing is pretty nasty if you let it get away from ya Quote: So what is the outcome of this mess, if you don't mind sharing? Well It's hard to say where we are going from here. The truck is still apart in my bay and I am taking time off to move my daughter to North Carolina this week. Leaving tonight as a matter of fact. I can tell you one thing, I have just about burned up every brownie point that I have earned over the past 8 years at this dealer. When I was reassembling this truck the first time, I was also having a lengthy battle with a 6.0L. I lost my shorts on that job and it really took my focus away from the task at hand when I was under the hood of the 150. Do you ever get an idea in your head that is totally irrelavant or contrary to what is going on, but it drives your decision process anyway? Like for instance, you get a ticket from dispatch and it'll be a blue Taurus. But somewhere in the mix I heard the word red. So now I am wandering around the parking lot looking for a red Taurus. That kinda thing can derail me if I don't get my shit together right from the git-go. It doesn't help that everyone in the shop asks me a gagillion questions. I must admit that I helped create that monster, though. The minute I was given this ticket, it was drummed into my head that this was going to the auction (translates "scrap yard" in most cases). Should this affect the way I repair a vehicle? Absolutely not! I mean some poor sap is going to wind up with it at some point in time. But it did affect the way I approached the job and it undermined my repair process which I regard highly.

It seems that I am never away from work. During the summer I end up using my free time riding my motorcycle. My family is all growed up for the most part and everyone is drifting off in their own direction. My wife digs kayaks and I am thinking about getting a set so we can spend time more time together. There are a ton of places in Vermont to take advantage of both activities.

Quote: I'm going to opine that you - like the rest of us - assemble stuff with air wrenches? If it has a gasket or a dowel pin then it gets hand torqued. But everyday run of the mill nuts and bolts get the 3/8 impact or air rachet.

Just recently, all the stars and moons aligned in the most perfect manner. Unfortunately it was for the worst and not the better. The following description of the chain of events is almost too unbelievable to be true. I only hope that someone can read this and prevent anything of this nature from happening to them. I would like to preface this by saying that I have worked on Mod motors since their inception. This was not my first rodeo. The engine was a 4.6L in a 2006 F-150. This vehicle was shipped to the auction and promptly sent back due to an engine noise. I got it and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. It did have a bit of a rough idle. I chased this and after pulling a misfire code and stress testing coils and moving ignition components around, it was determined that there was indeed a base engine issue. A compression test followed by an air leak test showed a problem with the number 3 intake valve not closing fully. I tell ya someone at that friggin auction house is on their game! I removed the right head and the valve was bent ever so slightly. I never remove only one head on a V engine, but this was going to go back to the auction. So I replaced the valve with a new one and cleaned all the remaining valves and seats. I put the engine back together and primed the motor off the starter with a remote button. As soon as she turned she made a God awful squeak and shriek noise. To say I had a puzzled look on my face would be an understatement. The engine turned a bit more then no turn at all. I was able to back the engine up and then turn it til it would stop. My first thought was I dropped something in the intake ports of left head. The point at which the engine would stop and turn in the opposite direction ruled that out though. Now I am pretty sure this thing jumped time instantly. I pulled the cab and removed both heads. For anyone who doesn’t pull cabs on onefittys, give it a try sometime, it’s 10 times easier than a super duty. Well let’s look at some photos: Alright the first photo is a shot of the timing chains after second tear down. This is a close up of some foreign object damage in the chain. Where did this come from you ask? Look at the blind holes on the back of the timing cover and you will see that the one circled aint a blind hole anymore. Closer look. And here is where the trouble began. I normally take left parts off and put them to the left and right parts off and put them on the right and so on. This time I didn't and I took a quick glance at the idlers and they look the same to me. A closer inspection reveals they are indeed different. The following damage ensued: I totally screwed the pooch on this job. The fact that I lubed up the right hand giudes with Lubriplate didn't help me any either. All the chunks were retrieved from the oil pan execpt that one bugger. Last note, don't see to many pics of fittys with the cab off.

That was a recall my friend 05B29 part number 6C3Z-6C640-AA Charge Air Cooler Duct Kit

What kinda code reader was being used on this beast?

Remind me to pass up that invite to your place if your making spaghetti for supper.

Save yourself a buck and strain that extra quart off and put it back in your fuel tank, I mean that's where it came from right?

Take 'em with you and call your new place "Chan's Clan"

Our local police department bought 10 T-birds back in the mid 90's to use as chase cars. They quickly realized that the cars were limited to around 100 mph. They wanted Ford to extended the cutout and were shot down promptly, due to the design of the vehicle and the fact that the tailshaft bushing would spin out and drop the driveshaft at speeds any higher. Too bad so sad. They had the same round robin with the Vic's traction control. It seems doing a 180 take down is pert near impossible with it enabled.

The biggest culprit I am seeing with Ford powers and grounds is the heat shrink glue. They heat shrink all of the eyelets and sometimes the glue will ooze out and block the metal to metal contact. This holds true more on power wires that can get hot.

Hey yo, DTS gettin' some mad props up in this piece! Sorry, went all gangsta there for a second. Nice pics!

Well thats an easy fix, get that manifold bolt right outta there!

He came to his senses. That plus he was threatened within an inch of his life.

I have to do that all the time on the AXOD quick connect fittings. They rot out around here pretty darn fast, then they dont quick connect of unconnect.

Kinda curious if the connector on the fuel rail pressure sensor hasn't dislodged.

Sound like marbles rollin round in a drum? If so its torque convertor time.

What are you talkin' about.....NOTHING is reusable on a car that Aaron gets done with.

Sounds like a good time to head for Tampa!

I reached thru the passenger side of a car the other day and leaned on the very most outer edge of the seat while I turned the ignition off with my left hand and the air bag deactivated indicator came on fast. I let up it went out, leaned on it and it came on. I was impressed.

Man, I don't even bother to call the hotline with any diesel related concerns.

Nice photoshop work.

uh.......I think you could use some time on the "couch".

Holy guacamole!