Something Everyone Should Read

[Ford Man]

I didn't start the thread with intentions of getting a pissing match going. I just read it thought it would be beneficial information, especially for those who know very little about cars/car repairs. I never meant to imply that all mechanics were thieves/dishonest, because I've known some very good and honest mechanics, but I've also seen some that were exactly the opposite. I know from my own experience of working on my own cars it's not an easy job and you run into unexpected problems on 75% or more repairs you make. Usually if someone is asking if they can make their own repairs I tell them if they can use creative thinking to overcome unexpected problems, can do the diagnosis, and turn a wrench they can probably do their own repairs. If they can't do these three things leave it to someone who knows how.

[user removed]

Not really a pissing match Ford Man, and you are living proof of how much you can get out of a car (600k yet?) if you take interest in it's proper maintenance and how to stay ahead of it to the point where you don't react to the damage after the fact. With cars apporaching an average age of close to 11 years good mechanics and smart owners are both an essential component. I think the average age today is even higher than in WW2 when you couldn't buy new car for over 3 years.

It's also good to hear both sides of the coin in repair shop encounters as well as advice from those in the trade on how to tell who might give you the best service for your hard earned money.

Almost every trade or profession has its bad apples, Doctors that are drug addicts, lawyers who are criminals, the list goes on forever. With age comes experience and the subtle signs of integrity are increasingly difficult to determine with the charlatans learning and practicing their art deception to perfection.

I just told those who patronized my shop that it was easier for me to tell the truth. It might hurt a little more today, but it will always be the truth and I was just too lazy to try to use lies in communication. When you lie, you condemn yourself to perpetuating the lie, every interaction requires you to maintain that lie and compound it with more lies.

Most deceptive relationships depend on one key component. They don't last long because they inevitably trip up on the truth, and repair shop customers who are treated deceptively are your worst advertising nightmare.

My best tool was pure knuckleheaded determination. No machine was going to beat me, the real question was how long would it take to figure out what was actually wrong, instead of just throwing parts at a problem, until you lucked out a got it fixed.

regards
Mech

[drmiller100]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

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My best tool was pure knuckleheaded determination. No machine was going to beat me, the real question was how long would it take to figure out what was actually wrong, instead of just throwing parts at a problem, until you lucked out a got it fixed.

regards
Mech

I've only been absolutely stumped once in the past three years. 2001 s10 pickup. generally woulnd't start, but when it did it would idle, but wouldn't rev up.
check engine light, and engine reports lean bank 1.

MAF/MAP was fine, ECT was fine, no plugged cat, ignition perfect, fuel pump was 62 psi which was in spec.

No intake leaks.

Fought it and fought it. Eventually gave up, and referred them to a shop across town which works on them a bunch. I even was willing to pay for the second tow across town.

I called the shop I was sending it to. They asked some questions, took the referral.
An hour later they called back - they were swamped, and told me it was the fuel pump. Spec is 62 psi, but they won't run unless they are 70 psi, and you MUST use a Delphi pump.

They were right, and I went and gave them a big wet kiss and the customer was happy as they understand.

[user removed]

It's funny Miller, the 2005 Focus wagon did exactly the same thing, except it ran fine once you got it started whcih took about half an hour. My buddies 70 year old father had bought it wrecked and fixed it, sold it to a customer and then it came back a month later and it was just about impossible to start first time in the morning cold. Thjey refunded the money and no one could figure out how to get it starting properly.

Went to the Ford dealer and got all the service bulletins. The car had been to two Ford dealers, they did all the maintenance stuff (threw parts at it) and fixed nothing. Several hundred dollars later my buddies dad was ready to scrap the car for parts to build other wrecked cars they bought.

Based on the bulletins I cleaned every ground connection all over the car, then replaced the fuel pump 3 times. This exhausted all of Fords information on what might solve the problem. I had almost 13 hours time tied up in that dang car. I finally just sat down and thought about it for a while. It had a no return fuel system. The pressure sensor sent a signal to the ecu, which sent a signal to the fuel pump control module, which changed the voltage to the pump (in tank) itself to control the pressure to the injectors. I decided to try changing the sensor to see if I could get lucky. I had never worked on a Focus before but the thought of all that work being tossed for nothing just drove me crazy.

The sensor fixed it. I called the old mans daughter the next morning and told her it was fixed. She said "yeah right". I told here I would bet her $100 to $10 it was fixed. Since it only messed up on the first cold start in the morning it took them a few days to convince themselves it was actually fixed, but it was and they sold it for $5K.

The old man painted my 1994 Civic VX for me for saving that car from being scrapped.
I have helped them a few times, particularly replacing fuse boxes that are crushed in wrecks, mostly mid 2000s Ford Taurus, which they don't really buy anymore.

They are tough old Carolina share croppers kids and grand kids, without a lot of formal education, but that old man is still there every day banging out cars at 72 years old, and while they may not have a lot of formal education they are tough as nails and some of the best body a paint people I have ever known.

regards
mech