Jim Warman

My Canadian log-in appears to take me to something other than what you guys get in the states.... Our usual portal is inford.com - this brings us to a text only page with 32 links on it for various departments, etc... I used to be able to sneak into the US content through a back door that I once found but they have slammed that one in my face.... I used to be able to take the ultimate tech pretest but now I can't even look at that grinning "ask Ernie" fool... As far as I can see, the only US content we have access to is powerstroke central and that is accompanied by a disclaimer regarding Canadas two "official" languages.... Even TSBs announced in broadcast messages.... we "blokes" can't access them until they have been translated and posted in French. Being a "conservative" with very few "liberal" tendencies, I have a hard time with some parts of this "brave new world". On edit... Here's what our portal page looks like http://www.forddoctorsdts.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=125&cat=500

Where was it, Dave.... I didn't see anything in broadcast messages.....

Yesterday, I took some time to play with power balance to see if the smoke changed as I killed various cylinders.... A couple looked promising but not enough to "make book" on.... Today we had another tech peel the exhaust manifolds off... and we ran it for over an hour... more than long enough to make it produce the smoke..... The smoke that didn't appear - not one bit. Now - the previous tech had run the truck without the hot side CAC tube connected as well as with the down pipe disconnected... Looks like I will have to rerun these tests.....

Welcome back, Shawn.... we'll try to help any way we can....

Not to hijack the thread, but a couple of points that struck close to home with recent events in our shop.... Composure..... a seemingly well educated "recent Canadian" lady with an 05 Freestar.... managed to hit (off all things) an office chair.... on the highway.... on a straight stretch in the middle of nowhere. Tore a hole in the oil pan big enough to stick a large mans fist through, damaged transmission and bent the cradle.... When told of the damage, she broke down in tears... even after we reminded her that this is what insurance is for. I see the roof in your shop is steel truss.... as an ex-firefighter I can say that this construction method can be insidious. All it takes is for one small member to be affected by heat and the entire beam weakens. As for the hoists.... better safe than sorry. As for the trucks.... you wouldn't belive the number of King Ranches and Harley Davidsons that are cruising the oilpatch... It can be strange to see these trucks without a liberal coating of mud.... both above and below.... My next door neighbour (electrician by trade) regularly shovels his driveway - when there is no snow.... 07 Harley Davidson CC.

The dipstick tube is a distinct possibility... guess what hasn't come back yet.... Between SAs and customers, I'm not sure who can be the biggest waste of time (or skin, for that matter). The oil looked to originate around the bracket directly below the degas bottle. You, sir, are a true gentleman and I thank you...

That would be one thing among many.... not that I've ever accidentally done it in a mean moment....

My nose isn't ever as good as it really could be.... (hmmm, as time passes, I find the same applies to my eyes and my ears). I'm reasonably sure that the smoke isn't fuel.... there's none of that "bite" to it and it doesn't make your eyes water. Oil is my best guess.... the smoke has a bit of a blue tinge to it but it doesn't leave me coughing and gagging if I walk through it (missing my morning cigarette WILL leave me coughing and gagging - I wish I could curb my excesses....). The engine continues to purr like a kitten a the smoke develops - no changes in the way it's running that I have noticed - and the smoke is the only sign that anything is amiss (again, I have no scan tool data to refer to - something I will attend to this AM). As for the amount of smoke.... this is certainly not your typical cold chamber smoke. It starts out as a haze but quickly gets to the point you could just about cut it with a knife - once it gets like that, stabbing the throttle will about obliterate anything behind the truck. I'll post more at lunch time if I learn anything more.... I am resisting the urge to pull the manifolds to see if it is all or only some cylinders.... but it may come to that. Of course, my "dance card" for the week was already full...

In the first one, no tool boxes were hit.... The one the next year, one apprentices tool boxes were destroyed. The insurance company replaced all lost or damaged tools. Sadly, the apprentice tried to turn the incident into a "for profit" scheme and left our employ a few months after the incident. Some of our guys still jump at every loud noise....

At the very least, nobody was physically hurt.... Just don't try and turn it into a yearly event.... Two of our techs that used to be in the "front shop" insisted on getting bays ion the addition out back - and we are approaching a year from......

Time to pick everyones brains.... I have an 06 that has three of us stumped.... 06 with 29,000 kms on it (about 18,000 miles). Has recent head gaskets, EGR cooler and oil cooler - concern was present before. Also has latest flash. Initial start is great, goes straight to a smooth, smokeless idle.... but if you leave it idle, it will start to smoke getting worse and worse as time passes. On drive-away, it will smoke real bad at first but soon clears off until it is left to idle again. Driven hard, it doesn't smoke. The tech that I've had on it (currently on his honeymoon) was a little bit "flighty" in some of his diagnostics, I think he overlooked some steps I might have considered as helpful. He is the tech that replaced the gaskets and coolers. I do know that the turbo has been checked for oiling in both intake and exhaust... I don't know if much has been done with the scan tool - realized this just now - as far as PW, ICP, IPR, LOAD and such. This truck is chipped when it isn't in the shop but the chip doesn't make any difference in the symptoms. Turbo fins look good and crankcase pressure is less than 2 inches. It has a 4" turbo back exhaust (no cat) but other similar trucks don't smoke like this one. This truck runs fuel from the same supplier as most of our other locals but I have still drained the tank and added 5 gallons of KTP fuel to eliminate that variable.... It was another 12 hour day today so I wont be running it until morning. At this point, with the way the truck runs (aside from the smoke) and pulls (without the chip), I'm inclined to think that it is likely something the other tech has overlooked as inconsequential.... Anybody give me a kick in the ass to stimulate the brain cells????

A suggestion that may not sit well with some.... but considering the use these trucks see, we could categorize them as off road machinery and, perhaps subject them to unconventional alternatives to nagging repairs.... While it would be nice to keep any government in line as a "good corporate citizen", your particular circumstance is going to make that very difficult for these truck (oops, I meant this equipment). Replacing the cat with a straight pipe and disconnecting the EGR connector for your tugs wouldn't have the far reaching effects that doing the same to a street driven daily driver would. Not to mention, with what is probably coming out of the tailpipes of your airplanes, the additional stuff from the tugs probably isn't going to amount to a hill of beans. Two FWIWs..... There are times when a suitable solution to a concern may be a giant leap sideways.... Personally, I don't have a problem with "some" vehicles being exempt from some emissions standards.... SOME emissions standards. Emergency response vehicles would be a big one - and I'm not talking about the privately own, light festooned Bronco owned by a volaunteer firefighter. At the same time, I wouldn't want to be riding in an ambulance that decides <now> is a good time for the VGT to crap out or the EGR to hang open. The other FWIW.... here in sunny Alberta, off road construction equipment and logging machinery are still allowed to utilize R-12. Not one of my favourite government decisions and the vibration induced failures of these systems can be worrisome. But the affected "population" is relatively small and, if we are lucky, the lost R12 wont be too much of a burden on our ecosystem.... at least nowhere near as bad as when we were using CFCs as spray bomb propellant. I still have 3 or 4 Halon fire extinguishers around my place - I can assure everyone that, if I am forced to use one, I probably wont be thinking of the environment as much as my stuff.... If Bubba wants to defeat the emission controls on his daily driver, we should stuff his long-neck up his whazoo and stick his head up his smokey tailpipe.... But when it comes to life safety or the defence of our nations, I think we can bend the rules a little bit.

I gave specific instructions that the truck was supposed to come back Friday.... I think we all knew that this just wasn't going to happen. I imagine the side of the engine will be snot hangin' with oil before I see it again. The highway cuts through one corner of town... Two blocks away, we have a 50 mph zone - about a mile either direction we have 60 zones.... The highest speed zone in Alberta is the highway between Edmonton and Calgary with 110 kph (70ish mph) posted limit.

From my understanding, we can use a standard fuel injector in #8 with no ill effects but using a long lead injector in other cylinders would overfuel those cylinders.... The long lead injector is a split shot design (as are all 7.3 injectors since - IIRC - the late 90s) and delivers more fuel in the "pilot" injection than a standard injector....

08 came in for wind noise in the moon roof.... road test and the moon roof seals well.... Customer took the apprentice for a ride and the moon roof does make a noise - beginning at 135 kph (that's about 85 mph). The apprentice was willing to tackle the concern until I reminded him that Ford probably didn't care if the thing made noise at that speed .... but the cops might be real interested in altering his ability to earn money as a tech.... But that's the goofy part.... Truck was also in for it's first oil change... quite a bit of oil coming down the left side. Looks like possible glow plug buss concern but it was late in the day.... Changed oil and added dye and only had time for one road test. No joy.... Customer to return tomorrow for re-evaluation.

Ayup.... you can do a lot of things in life - just don't express a contrary opinion when it comes to a trade union... who cares if the line between unionism (is that a word?) and communism is a little blurry sometimes... Techs can get into FRT for free, civilians still have to pay.... Since traffic has all but dried up, they decided to resurrect the idea of 6literpowerstroke.com with a clone. http://www.fordpowerstrokeforums.com/forums/ is also low traffic. If you go there, click on 6.0 bible at the top of the page. Cheeky devils have linked to the Ford corporate website....

Where I live, mud is a way of life.... wiring harness damage likes to "hide" quite well and can be difficult to prove out.... even escaping the most vigorous wiggle testing. It is extremely rare for our shop to replace or repair a rear sensor concern under warranty.... Don't forget that the 06 doesn't use a VRS sensor.... any "extra" resistance in the circuit can give strange happenings. We usually replace the sensor and the pigtail at the same time and fabricate a guard out of a chunk of mudflap and hang it in front of the sensor. Older gaspot SDs were prone to stray RF from COP concerns that could give goofy ABS concerns... I don't think the new active sensors will have these troubles, but it is something to keep in the back of your mind.

That this thing is making 25 PSI is odd.... 27 would be nicer but 25 ain't too shabby. What I see in most complaints of lacks power is boost in the neighbourhood of 22 or even lower (we're at about 1900 ft.). Since this thing, to my addled old brain, seems to be making "adequate" boost, I might wonder if there isn't something else going on.... sensor coherency might be worth a look (MAP, BARO and EBP).... I think I'd be looking for a programmer as well... Some owners will try to hide sagging performance with a tuner and wind up with something that is really hurtin' because the original concern was left too long. A feather in my cap.... I finally have all of our various departments united in a stand against "open weave" air filters.... I think I'd be looking at a crankcase pressure test, too. If this thing passes, at least we have ruled out a very basic concern. I am being forced into a battle of wits with more than one accessory supplier in Edmonton by some of our locals..... I hope that I can make them appear "unarmed".

Well, the one thing we can be assured of from the warranty nazis is inconsistancy....

Eric... if I'm not upsetting somebody, I'm probably not doing my job.... What I see on FRT is a lot of guys waiting for someone else to fix their problem for them. Dwayne... the one truth I hold firmly to... if we expect to be treated as professionals, we first need to act professionally....

I'll have to do some checking... I recall something about some front cover problems that would backpressure the cooling system. Sorry, I can't remember the specifics.... Anything you can tell us about the truck, Dale? Tuner? How the truck is used? Anything?

Think of me as a redneck motivational speaker after watching a "Buckmaster" marathon... /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/sick.gif Lesson learned... put a soapbox in front of me and I'll climb up on it....

Just remember that I never said it would be easy.... it is a very complex equation with a lot of variables.... Look hard at where you are (shop wise)... do you have a circumstance you can work in - plan in? Or is this situation a lost cause? This is your future... if a move is needed.... Once you find a situation you can work with, apply careful planning.... this is YOUR future. $hit, man... this is Alberta... there isn't a Ford dealer here that isn't crying for diesel techs.... I have several "flush" friends aching for me to open "Jimmy Diesels Light Truck Repair"... I don't want that situation... but, for the DP, it is "motivation".... This trade is chock full of techs that are beyond their capabilities - either through sloth or natural selection - full of uncaring techs that don't test properly or verify complaints or repairs properly.... Techs that haven't realized that, even though the DP signs the cheques, the money comes from customers... customers we need to keep as happy as circumstance permits. I got to where I am by helping my fellow techs... and now my basic job IS helping my fellow techs... And I can tell you that the job is rarely boring... You must remember the Henry Ford poster in Edmonton training centre.... "Whether you think you CAN do it or you think you CAN'T.... you're right..."? When the going get's tough, the tough go shopping..... Ooops... that's my wife's line.... When the going gets tough, the tough get going..... FWIW, this July, I turn 29.... I know I will do it gracefully because this will be the 28th time I have turned 29. If this old fart can do it, you young lions should be able to make the earth change rotation....

flatratetech.com is a hotbed (using the term loosely) of union activity.... The IAM is their beast of choice and they are getting some shops to sign up. I would imagine, with all the Chrysler stuff going on, that the UAW will make their presence known... And now for my take on the subject.... Somewhere along the line, my "job" became my "career"... I have set goals and made plans for myself. I am very near where I wanted to be - and I am recompensed quite handsomely, thank you. A union will bust any ideas that you had about building a career.... You will become no better than the hack two bays down and they will eradicate any tendencies towards over-achieving. It becomes doubtful if you will be recognized on your own merit. If the economy takes a downturn... the talented youngster with no seniority will be one of the first to go... and the guy that you wished would dry up and blow away will still be there.... Look at the thread "intellectual property".... grasp your career tightly and steer it where you want it to go. None of us will ever be irreplaceable... but we can make ourselves invaluable. Don't suck hole your way into but be "THE" guy.... Learn your product and have the answers for them that needs 'em (know how to change the EATC display from "F" to "C".... know how to find a late model radio P/N.... know where to find stuff in the manuals -quick, where do I find cruise control diagnostics - ... read BCMs - SVBs). Stand out from the crowd in a positive way... There are two choices... sit in the coffee room and kvetch along with everyone else.... or do something that will improve "YOUR" position... never, EVER stab anyone in the back. Then, one day you will have the opportunity to go straight time... be paid obscene dollars for overtime work... get performance bonuses and hidden perks (ever had your boss use the company bobcat to clean your driveway for you?). My job is stressful.... if I let it be stressful.... The hours can be long (more of that loverly OT). I must constantly upgrade my knowledge.... and reading beats the hell out of reality TV. I spent a lot of time self-employed - only to find out I was a better tech than I was a businessman.... and now, here I are... a grade 8 dropout earning six digits a year.... getting paid to do things I like to do. You ain't gonna get where you're going by bitching about where you are.

Dustin, more than once I've heard California described as the worlds largest open air insane asylum....