Alex Bruene

TSB 12-11-11?

I suppose I could have responded to this a few days ago...  Yes.  Bramalea has dozens.  So does Edmonton.  So does Livonia.  I think they changed the part up.  I did a cooler a few weeks ago, and it still had clamps in the box.  I did one on Friday, and it had no clamps.  I imagine my suspicion was correct.

It looks like he may be smarter than the av-er-age bear.

Even though we're a Cummins dealership, we don't get in to anything like that.  We're more interested in Cummins handelling their shitty jobs.

So, what happened to it being "normal"? 

I spray them with penetrating fluid before starting the job.  By the time I get to them, they pop off on their own when you loosen them.

Oh, I got way too carried away then.  Only top alternator I assume, or both?

Both, if it has two...  But, remove the secondary after removing the mount because you'll have better access to the bolts.

So are you guys still removing the cooling module and all of the front components as well?  This doesn't seem too bad i'm just taking my time to not break anything and remember how it all goes back together.

Nope.  Just the alternator, but that's only because it's in the way of getting the valve cover out.  Don't drain the coolant.  Don't touch the hoses.  Don't touch the fan...  Yada, yada, yada...

When you're reassembling, make sure to put the 4 bolts that hold the mount haves together in BEFORE lowering the engine back down.

An injector issue is possible.  That's the beauty of DPFs.  They trap all the smoke that we used to use as part of diagnosis.

Don't be afraid of the engine mount...  Just don't follow the service manual directions, or you'll be removing a lot of unneccesary parts.  Just remove the 4 bolts to separate the 2 pieces of the mount, remove the nuts from both side mounts to the crossmember.  Jack the engine up with a block of wood on the bellhousing until it's high enough to get the frame side portion of the mount out.  Then lower the engine watching not to put too much tension on the powersteering return hose.

FWIW, I just ordered one yesterday.  There was plenty of stock at our depot.

 

Depends on how you take the valve covers off I guess.How do you know it needs dummy plugs?

Can you get the right side valve cover off without removing the LH engine mount?

 

Why does that matter?  The left side engine mount comes out in less than 10 minutes...

Is the DPF plugged?  P246C and P2463 would indicate that could be an issue...  2% relative compression is the maximum allowable before doing a manual test. 

You're not getting shafted.  I charge 16 hours to do that job including diagnosis.

They're probably just changing it up to no longer contain the clamps. 

I could go on forever on this one. 

I started writing a response earlier...  I deleted it and walked away.

Or...  You could come work for me, and never work on a car again! 

 

That said.....MIke, Alex....I'd poach either of you guys in a heartbeat from your current stores lol. The commute would kill Alex I'm pretty sure, but I run one of the smoothest warranty ships going.

 

Either of you guys wait-listed for advanced electronics? I miss in-class training/ a good 3 day shoot the shit session.

Yeah...  That commute would not be a good one.  If I were interested in a drive like that, I'd take the Warranty Assessor job Farmbro keeps posting.  You know the one...  "Bilingual Ford Master Technician"  for $50K per year... 

Not waitlisted for advanced electronics.  I've mentioned it, but nothing came out of it.

Are you guys withheld your hours until the claim gets paid? Are you helping out the warranty clerks or are they dumping this stuff back on the techs to get the claims through?

Nope...  We are paid whether Ford has paid the claim or not. 

Yes, I (not necessarily "we") help the warranty clerk out on a more than regular basis.  I often times take a stack of (diesel) ROs home on the weekend to review for some of the "less creative" techs in my shop, to make sure they've crossed their I's and dotted their t's...  And to make sure they didn't miss anything they could have charged for. 

9 times out of 10, I do 6.7 oil changes on the floor.  The pan I use catches the oil very well without spilling a drop...  As long as there are no oil filters in the pan.  Apprentices don't touch anything diesel related here (other than our truckshop apprentice), so they never get the pleasure of learning the hard way.

....... and situations where you are granted PRIOR APPROVAL from Ford and INSTRUCTED by Ford to move forward with a particular high dollar repair, only to have the claim kicked back after the repair is put through, like what just happened to me yesterday, certainly doesn't help matters either. I too, am on the verge of telling my SM to stick all these warranty diesel repairs coming in, up their asses, pending the outcome of the aforementioned case in question.

Hey, Chan...

It sounds like your problem is above you, and being downloaded on you..  Forget about all that nonsense and come work for me!

I got called again yesterday by a dealer that's about 20 minutes east of me.  Turns out their diesel tech handed in his notice yesterday, and is also leaving the Ford game.  They asked me the typical questions...  Told me to name my price...  Then asked if I knew anybody that's looking...  I said we're looking, and have been for a long time.  We get resumes, but none that meet our criteria.  

I have a pretty open relationship with our SM.  I told him straight up about the call.  Then, we discussed the situation that dealers are facing regarding the lack of trained diesel techs (again).  He (again) told me that dealers have been bringing this issue up at Ford meetings, but Ford doesn't seem to realize (or care) that they are in fact responsible for causing the issue at hand. 

Twerk.  I'm gonna have one more beer, then get back twerk.