My 2015 F150 with a 2.7 died and after a few attempts started back up and had no problems for a couple weeks. Yesterday it died and after letting it sit and trying multiple times it started. I drove it home and stopped to pick up some food and it died again. This time it wouldn't start. Had AMA so got it towed to the nearest Ford dealer. Needs a fuel pump which will run about $1600.00cad. to have installed. Damn! Truck only has about 130,000kms.
I just changed out a block heater on my Chev., 3500 HD 2015 with only 42000km. Pain to change and engineered to fail. Sorry for your troubles, but they are built to need repairs today. The newer it is the worse it is put in there. Simon C
Oh’ my goodness. F-One-Fiddy down! 2015’s have a reputation for eating in-tank fuel pumps and fuel pump driver modules. I think the aftermarket has fixed the pump issue by now. I’m surprised it went that long. Hope the dealer treats you right.
Those GM block heaters,... they use thermostat switches on the cord so they only turn on at something like 10F. It’s usually the cord that fails. Of, course. Can’t just replace the cord, but you can splice around it.
My cord had the end cut off 4 years ago by myself as I was not going to wait for minus 18C for the block heater to come on. I just plug in 2 hours before I leave in the morning so the motor is warmed up some. If minus 40C I plug in before bed at 10PM. My block heater itself was burnt open with no continuity. First I thought maybe only a cord , but no way. They all cost money. Simon C
Well, you will buy Fords! Fix Or Repair Daily is the true meaning of their name! I gave up on Fords many years ago - too much of their componentry is designed by bean counters, who need components to fail regularly. I recall reading an article where the manufacturers have it all calculated as to how long components will last, and how many failures per 1000 units can be expected, even before the model hits the showrooms. I've got an old Toyota sales brochure from the early 70's that advises the potential buyer, that their 5R (gas) engine has a design life of 300,000 miles. I've never seen anything like that in any Ford brochure.
At least now you won't have to say a prayer every time before you try and start it. I can't believe how expensive it is to get vehicle repairs done these days. My F150 needed a pinion seal last week. Cost me about $180 total for parts and I did it myself. I would not doubt it'd have been a $600 bill if I took it to the dealer.
Maybe I should go pick up a spare, I've got a lot more miles than that on mine.
My father once went to the Buick factory in Flint Michigan 50 years go and he seen an arm hooked up to a gear changer on a car with an air cylinder connected to it. It had a counter hooked up. He asked our friend Malcolm what the purpose was and he said they need to last a while but not forever or we will not sell cars. It was an eye opener for my father and makes me know with certainty that the new corporate mentality is get it to just past warranty. Thats how I see it. Most of my vehicles have been Toyotas and they may be changing also but lagging behind the 3 big guys on the North American scene in the way they engineer to fail such as on my truck. ( Chev 3500 ) Feel sorry for people on fixed income. Simon C
It is bad. It seems with the newer Ram diesels if you make it past 200km on factory turbo you're lucky, and depending on who you get to do it and the turbo it's like a $5-7k repair. Just insane that they can't design a better actuator to last longer then that.
70's Toyota's engine's might last 300K but they'd be rusted out before 100K. I had an 87 Ranger that went 400,000kms. It still ran good but was getting tired. Needed a couple heater cores and the ignition pick up in the distributor was all it ever needed. Still had the original starter and alternator. We had a 1980 F150 with a 300 six that went well over 300K kms. and when we sold it it still never burned a drop of oil. I had a 2000 Chev. with a gas guzzling 6 Litre. Around 250,000kms. Lost all heat. Had it flushed and no improvement. Then the heater and fan sounded like they decided to go their seperate ways. Passenger side exhaust manifold cracked which is common on any GM 6L. I have had way better luck with Ford trucks but did have pretty good luck with some mid 70's Dodge trucks. Current 2015 had a recall on the block heater because it could start a fire. Dealer filled the plug with silicone so it couldn't be used while they waited for the improved cord. It was a bit of a struggle but I got the oil pan and valve cover leaks fixed on warranty. To need a fuel pump sucks but I really like the 2.7 Eco boost engine. Good power and great mileage. Truck is very smooth riding and especially quiet. Aluminum body won't rust is another plus since I plan to keep at least another 5 years hopefully more.
If original were known to have problems hopefully the replacements are improved. They said 2 year unlimited mileage warranty but hopefully it goes a lot longer than that.
About the only real complaint I have with my recycled Pepsi can F150 is that Sync 3 system. Pure trash. More than once I've been tempted to drive my fist through the screen. After about 20 minutes at full volume it will drop the volume level way down on its own. Only way it will come back is if you turn it down to about half. Volume level raises to where it should be at 1/2 volume but if you crank it again it will drop off again in under a minute. If I leave it set at 2/3 volume or less its fine. About every 2-4 months the whole thing just locks up for anywhere from an afternoon to as much as 4 days. GPS freezes, stereo locks out, no bluetooth connectivity. Just shows the home screen. Even the warning chimes from the dash stop working. Resets don't help or anything. One day when it pisses me off I'm going to gut the entire sound system and put an aftermarket deck in there.
Letting your fuel level is hard on in-tank pumps. They need the fuel to keep them cool. May not apply in Canada.
Yep, all the modern vehicles with high pressure fuel pumps recirculate the fuel constantly to remove the heat buildup caused by pumping the fuel up to high pressure. Never run them out of fuel if you can possibly avoid it.
I had 3/4 of a tank (132L tank) or better but reading online fuel pumps are an issue. I don't have the big fancy touchscreen in mine or the push button start. I especially like the tailgate step with the flip up handle. When I was having really bad back problems it made getting up and especially climbing down a lot safer. Without it I would have had to sit on the tailgate to get out. I need to go in the box to take the cap off my diesel slip tank. Oddly I wouldn't have ordered a truck with the step but the truck I liked on the lot had it. What I did want was the integrated brake control and back up camera that are great. The back up sensors are great too except they sound when ever the tailgate is down and your backing up.
My backup sensors are stuck on all winter long. Doesn't matter if the sensors are clear or not. Its pretty much muscle memory at this point shutting the alarm off every time I put it in reverse lol.
So around $1200 labor to put that pump in? And you're going to have them do it? Must be nice to be a rich farmer........ Joe H
I don't have a lot choice to put it in. I read the fuel pump and/or the module are pretty pricey. I'm certainly not rich and $1600 is a huge hit since I'm on disability getting a little over $1000/month. I have an MX and oval track but I'm not a farmer.
Never let gas go below 1/3.
I dont understand maybe its the ruffer ride but car fuel pumps last alot longer than pickups. I have replaced hundreds of pickup pumps and i cant remember ever replacing one in a car tank.
Seems like a lot of money to change out a fuel pump. Some pumps can be replaced without changing the entire module. I have done a few myself without any help. One way is to remove all the bolts holding the box down and tilting the box up enough to get access to the pump. I think it is better than draining the fuel tank and lowering it to the floor. There is a certain amount of risk to damaging the fuel lines and connectors before they can be loosened from the truck frame doing it that way. Special tools are usually needed to remove the line connectors from the pump to.
Dave, just kidding on the rich. Seems a hellof a lot of money to change a pump. Rockauto sez the complete pump is less than $300 here, so guessing $400 there. Leaves $1200 of your $ labor for a job that should take a decent tech in a shop maybe 2 hours no matter what goes wrong. Amazon has a Delphi pump and a bunch of china copies https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=2015+ford...15+ford+f150+fuel+pump,aps,170&ref=nb_sb_noss I'd call an independent shop if you know of one and see what it cost. Joe H
I've done several in the last couple of months including my own '14 silverado, not from pump failure but the steel lines rot off the top of the module. Plastic tank, plastic lines and on the top of the tank where all of the crud/salt collects is steel. ***** brilliant. Did an '03 gmc denali had stainless tubes coming out of the module but was connected to a steel fuel line, brilliant. Most recent pump job a guy down the road had me order the pump module from rock auto, he was supposed to drop his truck off while he went on vacation. I told him to put the money for the part in the truck when he dropped it off and by the way you don't get your truck back until I get paid, just had that feeling, the kids old man is a shiester so you know that whole apple and tree thing. Guess who was a no show. Luckily the part will also fit my truck and for under $200 it'll go on the shelf, usually when you need that part you need it now. As far as price I usually quote about $200 for labor too not too bad a job.Kid ended up paying $800 at the dealer.
Dodge Rams (and probably others) have the fuel pump relay built to a bigger module called the TIPM. The relay is mechanical. Tiny, but mechanical. It's soldered to the board, and if you don't know how to modify it and wire in a $10 plug n play relay, you're out some serious bucks when that relay fails. It's not a matter of IF either, it's WHEN. Its like car manufacturers are just $hittin on us on purpose now.
Ford dealer service turn-around has been ridiculously slow for lack of parts and talent.
Had that happen on my old 1500, nice that at least there was a cheap work around to fix it. I pulled power from cigarette lighter with a relay, worked fine. Such a stupid design.
With Chevy failed pumps, most of the time you can get one more start. Turn the key on, then violently hit the fuel tank (how violent can you get within 12" of the ground?). If it starts, don't shut it off until its at the repair shop. YMMV
VERN!!! Go fetch my sledge hammer... hold my drink watch this.
Have been reading that fuel pumps are an issue with newer F150's. It's apparently easier to drop the tank than to remove the box to get at the fuel pump. Being it's winter and I don't have a heated shop I'm kind of stuck as regards to getting it fixed. My mechanic friend could probably have been able to fix it at his place but he is about an hour and a half away.
I had a 2011 Dodge ram 3500 dually. 6 Speed, deleted 230k miles. I ended up having endless electrical problems that I could not solve including ABS and a plethora of warning lights on the dash. Also, carrier bearing went out. Replaced it with 1 piece driveshaft. Really wanted to like the truck, pulled great for a pickup, and rode smooth, but after all of the reliability trouble I just gave up and sold it to a really crazy guy who called himself "chief screaming eagle medicine man"... not kidding. I ended up giving up on trying to use pickup trucks for even towing just a mini ex or CTL and went to using dump trucks.
One thing I'm not disappointed in is that my truck uses a conventional key and not push button start. I think it's just something else to wrong. Partner has it on her Nissan Juke. The battery in her key fob died and it wouldn't start in -20C. Thankfully she was at a gas station and someone there said to try her remote start. Later she found out if you hold the key fob close to the push button it will start when the key fob battery is dead. Her car has a lot of electrical gremlins. Dash screen will have to re-sync and sometimes takes a minute or more before the radio will work. Other times everything just freezes. The Bluetooth feature for her phone won't work and Serious XM radio cuts out randomly. Had to replace the heater motor with less than 60,000kms. Not fun when you're half way home in -25C and the windshield is iced and fogged up. Thankfully she managed to scrape a little area so she could see to get home.
Yep, only run chevys so when the go bad hit them with a hammer to get home. Take out the 3 or 4 bolts for the bed on drivers side, loosen the ones on passenger side. Take off drivers back tire, keep it handy, get under wheel well, tilt up bed, jam tire under to make it stay and change pump. 1 to 4 hr job depending on rust lol.
2nd gen Ram. Spent more time screwing around with figuring out how to disconnect the plug on top of the pump than I did dropping the tank. Maybe an hour and it was sitting on the shop floor. I was putting in a lift kit and I had to torch out the front spring bolt right by the tank. Didn't feel like having 25L of gas blow up right beside my head lol.
I'm doing the exact same thing. The was a kit that Mopar sold that integrated a relay into the system properly, but it's not available anymore. When the weather warms up a little (or I get space in the shop), I'm going to take it off the ciggy lighter and install something like the mopar kit.
It doesn't matter what brand they all have their own issues. I've had the best luck with Ford. It sucks it needs a fuel pump but the Chev. I had had no heat and the fan and motor separated. I've read it is a major job pulling most of the dash out to get at the fan and/or heater core.
Yeah tried the whole bed lifting thing on my '14 and a '15 gmc no dice. Got three bolts on each truck loose , but wouldn't you know the l/f bolt on both trucks just spun in the frame rail, looks like we're dropping the tank. Damn salt.
Do you have all the updates on it. I had trouble like that on my 2013. They had an update for it, and it has been trouble free since then
Updated it last summer to the most current software at the time and no difference.
Are you sure that F 150 wasn't built by PacCar? for the simple reason KW has a recall same issue.
Might be. It does have daylight doors on it like a KW.
I'm laughing my rear off with this thread. And is why I don't want any trucks newer than 1972, and not a ford or mopar. No bed removal to change a fuel pump required, no crazy electronic issues, or other issues that all the newer junk has. No dash removal to change a heater core either.
I buy 99-07 super duty's only really
I love that trick where the OEM’s use crappy captive nuts on the cab and beds, so they break loose when you try to remove them. I found that you have to blast them hard and fast with a Milwaukee and the biggest battery on the shelf
They probably pre coat them all with salt too.
Or a person can do a little preventative maintenance and spray those captive nuts with napa 1366 open chain and gear lube now and then. It's what I use on slack adjuster pins now and then so they don't freeze up, even salt has a hard time with 1366.
The bolts that hold the box on are Torx head. Drill bit takes the the head off fairly quickly.. New bolts and retainer nuts are not that expensive.
chidog, not sure about where you are but here in Central NY other than a handful of restored trucks for the hotrod group I don't think I have seen a 1972 that was safe to drive since the 1990's and even at that time they would have been looking like swiss-cheese!
I didn't have good enough drill bits so I torched mine. I broke 3 T50 torx bits before I said F this and grabbed the torch. $30 for 8 new bolts with captive nuts.
Not to high-jack this thread too much, but I'd love to think I could find a 1972 Chevy pick-up short bed with a inline six and three on the column with no rust other than a little surface rust where the paint has worn off. Go through the complete drivetrain from front to rear. It would do all I need a truck for these days. Problem is the prices I see them going for these days I could probably buy two or three 2015 Toyota pickups!
There was a '70 1/2 ton at a local dealer here in the fall, looked pretty good from the road but when you got close could see the bondo. Priced about 20 grand
Pickup Truck For Sale in Lowellville, OH - FIREBALL MOTORS LLC (fireballtrucks.com)
There has been an influx of square body chevs here. They tell me they come from the west. They don't use salt on the roads. There was a 79 Jimmy for sale this summer, and it went for 30 grandish. Guy that works in our shop, cuts the floor of the box, changes the pump, and welds it back in. Mind you these are work trucks.
My buddy had an 80s ranger in high school with a hinged door flap over the fuel sending unit. He bought it that way.
Haven't read the whole thread: My wife has a 2012. She had similar problems. I tracked it down to the fuel pump relay which sits on top of the radiator in an electrical box. It was actually the wiring connection there. Not sure if the '15 is the same as the '12, but may be worth checking.
Picked up the truck today. Breakdown is as follows: Diagnostic $199.99 (discounted from $239.99) Mechanical/Maintenance repairs $531.27 Sender and pump asy $732.89 Gasket $19.43 Shop supplies and enviro levies $79.69 GST $77.71 So labour was $731.26 and parts were $743.32. It came to $1631.98 which is a little under the estimate of $1684.81. Interesting is on the estimate sheet it shows there is an update for PCM program, rec. reprogram PCM (no start) with a cost of $178.10 that was deferred/covered. Also spark plugs were deferred because I had already replaced them. They quoted $367.49 if I would have wanted new plugs. That sounds pretty ridiculous for spark plugs. I'm wondering if the update for the PCM will make the fuel pump last longer or the old setting contributed to the fuel pump going bad? It's fixed so hopefully no more major problems as long as I own it. I'm hoping to keep it a long time.
$367 for 6 spark plugs??????? WT actual F?
What's rather interesting is when I phoned the dealer I bought it from that did the maintenance agreement they said it was part of Ford warranty and any dealer can look up my VIN and see what was done. The dealer doing the fuel pump said they have to go to a different program to see it. Good thing I remembered about the service agreement. I really wonder if they were trying to scam me and if they've got away with it with other customers who forgot they had them replaced in a service agreement?
I regret getting the maintenance plan. The PITA factor of getting it to the dealer and then sitting around waiting for them to get it done it would've been easier and quicker to just do it myself at home.
$200 to tell you it had a bad fuel pump? Those guys can look in the mirror still? Joe H
That's with the discount. I would have thought if the repair cost far exceeded "reading the codes" the diagnostic would be included or at least discounted more than $40.
Just saw a 69 that on facebook in the area for 4K and would likely take less. Doesn't look too bad in the pics.
Sounds to me like they nickel and dimed you to the limit. Did they use lube when they bent you over?? $367.49 for new spark plugs? They must be clinking champagne glasses and high-fiving in that dealership workshop every Friday night. https://www.oemfordpart.com/oem-parts/ford-fuel-pump-fl3z9h307m
He is CAD money.
O.K., yes, I realised that angle, not long after I posted. Even so, CA$732 for a sender and pump is around US$545 at current exchange rate, isn't it? Someone is still making a huge killing there. That fuel pump price from the retailer in GA is just the first one I dug up, I'm sure a little more internet searching would have found a better deal. Even my local Ford dealers will let you supply parts and then fit them - either new aftermarket, or even good used parts.
One of my co-workers had a mid size Ford SUV with a V6 in it. In the morning when you started it it would run rough until it warmed up and then it was fine until it cooled off again. He took it to the dealer and they diagnosed it as needing spark plugs. He said change them, it was past warranty. When he picked it up later that day they handed him a bill for $780. I guess you have to remove the fuel manifolds from the injectors to get the coils off the spark plugs and then you have to replace the O-rings on both ends of the injectors. The next morning when he started it it ran rough. The plugs were not the problem. I gave him the contact info for a friend who had an automotive shop. The shop did a smoke test on the intake and found leaking intake manifold gaskets.
Dealers here over $100/hr, of course techs do not see all that much of it. Told me over $1200 just in labor to do all four ball joints in my SD F250, did NOT include any other repairs as seals, could have been well over $3000 for the six shaft seals gear oil change and ball joints, align was additional one hour BTW, just to check and MAYBE reset toe in.
Rockauto motorcraft pump housing assy $232/264 delphi $180/210 gasket not included. There outa be a law.
If there was a law it would be worse!
All this talk of costly spark plug changes and diagnostics etc. Again these are not 1950's or 60's vehicles, nor are they like a 3 cylinder Geo Metro engine where you have 3 spark plugs facing you when the hood is open. Even on a 96 F250 with a 7.5 changing spark plugs is a nasty job. Then like someone mentioned the transverse V-6 engines in some vehicles its a major upper intake manifold job with hard to get to hose clamps between the engine and the fire wall, as well as clamp bolts or braces, huge job to do to just get to the spark plugs, yeah all by design I guess. Then with all the crap DOHC engines and deep spark plug access tubes, what if the boot sticks and breaks off, or the spark plug breaks at the threads and on and on. Spark plugs nowadays are a huge pain in the rear, last ones I tried to do I stopped because it could have been a head job too, just not looking forward to the day they have to be changed, and thats on a honda vehicle. Question if you spend up to 20K or more for the proper scanner or OEM software subscription, and pay the employee and costs to support the building how much should you charge for diagnostics?
I have a better question, if you waive the charge for diagnostics(with a paying repair), will you be busier than other mechanics in the area?
At the end of the day, you have to have made X numbers of dollars to keep the door open. Unpaid hours just mean the paid hours have to cost more.
My truck decided to have some fuel issues on Christmas day when i was picking up my 5 year old son. He mentioned how his moms new boyfriend has a nice new truck and maybe i should get a new one. The method of repair shows the mood i was in after that.
All New and Clean under the Necessity of Invention MODIFICATION!!!
If anyone is wondering why i did not at least pull out the plastic bed liner is that the box has a plate for a 5th wheel that is over the bed liner. Turns out that 23 years was just the right amount of time for stuff to accumulate in the tank and plug up all 3 screens in the tank. Truck would run like garbage and have no power but no check engine light or codes. Sit on the side of road and idle for a few minutes could then drive a few hundred yards then coast to a stop and idle some more. That was a long drive home.
That is called making it like the factory should have, for easy access, just like how my friend modified his VW bug to be able to easily do the clutch and accelerator cables through the tunnel. He's also talking about a nice access panel in the rear to change out the starter and adjust the clutch. If you add a few steel strips here and there you could just bolt that "cover" back down, need extra strength put a few 1.5 x 1/4 bars across under as well, that is the best idea yet for all these idiot designed pickups they build nowdays, you get an A+ for thinking out of the box quick fix. On an old antique collector truck no, but on ill designed garbage vehicles, go for it.
Its funny we complain about what a PITA it is working on personal vehicles, yet most of us see the same dumb **** on the equipment we fix or operate every day.
That bed modification reminds me of the old early Series Landrover engine block freeze plug/core plug/welsh plug replacement stunt. The rearmost freeze plug/core plug was right up against the firewall! - you had to pull the engine out to replace the plug when it corroded out (which was often, when the coolant became degraded). So the trick was simply cutting a sizeable hole in the firewall, to access the plug! The vast majority of old Landrovers have that hole (and usually a fabricated plate over it) in the firewall! And if you want to see the Mother of All Nightmares when it comes to replacing spark plugs! - try replacing Subaru spark plugs!!
It’s also the result of skinflint customers and shop owners over the years who have created crappy pay, work environments, and so forth. Now that there’s a skilled labor shortage, rising costs are rapidly correcting those errors and the result is long wait times for a slot and higher costs. I’m sorry, but as a heavy equipment mechanic the customer is going to pay hourly for diag and an auto mechanic should be paid as well. Free diagnostics or waiving the cost cheats the mechanic a lot of places and also on the flip side results in crappy or no diagnostics and firing the parts cannon. If you told me I had to look at a car for free I’d walk up to it, try to crank it, and then start firing parts at it because I’m not wasting my time for free.
"If you told me I had to look at a car for free I’d walk up to it, try to crank it, and then start firing parts at it because I’m not wasting my time for free." Standard mode for auto shops today!!
Try accessing a fuel pump on a Volvo V70 mid 90's, have to drop the exhaust, then the rear drive assembly then drop the tank and then plop a fuel pump in it. Most lift up the rear seat and cut a hole.
Yes, that is still a huge problem with dealerships, and even independent repair shops today. Keep throwing parts at it, with the hope that something finally works.
I must get lucky with vehicles. I've done 2 or 3 fuel pumps and none of them have been particularly difficult. I've cussed far more when changing oil on a Cat skid steer lol.
I still can't wrap my head around vehicles with the starter under the intake manifold. That engineer must have hated mechanics.
We all here know that diagnostics is the real skilled labor most of the time. And also that what the computer says is frequently just a starting point.
Deere/Cat/[insert ALL dealer brands here] all do this crap. Charge exorbitant prices for parts, stretch their labor hours, tack on various surcharges, etc and then smile when they hand you the bill. I can't stand it. I don't use dealers if I can help it. Right now, I personally own what I'm capable of fixing, and I'm fine with that . I make a pretty good rate as self employed, and I save a pretty good bit when I fix my own stuff. I know that doesn't work for everyone, but it's how my family of 5 survives on a single income by not paying for more than I have to for stuff, including repairs. My family (dad, sister and brother included) has gone as far as raising or buying livestock and then butchering it ourselves the last few years. And that the final approval group said yep, that'll work. I've been part of engineering design groups. You might be assigned to make a design, but a final committee/senior engineer reviews the design before sending it to production. This is to help catch ill thought design plans before they become a massive liability to the company later. My guess, they looked at failure rates of starters, and decided that the increased cost of replacement was justified because it would only need to be done once every xxx hundreds of hours of use. I have a 2010 Ford Fusion with 264,000 miles on a 3.0l v6. I bought it in 2011. It still has the factory starter.
I often wonder if these new vehicles that do the stop & start thing really save enough fuel to justify the replacement cost of a starter? The starter on my 5.0 crapped out at around year 4 and was about $450. With the starter now being engaged at literally every stop light I'd be suprised if they make it to the 3 year mark. I have my doubts that cutting off 2 minutes of idle time driving to work and back will add up to a full tank of fuel every year. That's assuming you replace the starter yourself of course.
Why? A starter should last over 200k miles. Who cares if it is easily accessible? By the time it fails, the engine probably needs an intake gasket anyway.
I bet it dosent save anything. I would think the starter wouldnt last as long down in the oven. Were be for it was on the outside . The heat differents couldnt be good for it.
I had a 98 ranger with the 3.0. Original starter still at 225,000 when I sold it.
Stop and think for a minute, on your personal car when was the last time you replaced a starter or alternator? When was the last time you broke a fan belt? Anything built in the last 20 years probably has the original starter and alternator. I had a repair shop for 30 years and the stuff that used to pay the bills no longer does. Joe H
There's a lot of truth there. Everyone (and I'm guilty of it too) craps on newer vehicles, probably because there's a lot more plastic and a lot less personality. The stuff that used to nickle and dime me on my old 2nd Gen Ram I haven't had to deal with on the newer vehicles I've owned. Felt like I was constantly under that old Dodge repairing something minor.
Think back 30 years, driving down the road and fan belts everywhere. If you see one now it's damn rare. Used to make a lot of money changing belts or dealing with the consequences of not changing them. Joe H
Nearly every machine I ever owed was used purchase, bought a new '77 GM Pickup and a New 79 IH Scout II, 97 F250(Turd) and then 99SD F250, prior, between and after ALL Used except for the wife. She could mangle a Anvil or Tank in weeks so stopped buying used she would destroy where in New had at least Some Warranty value. Most all were short term, few years, found the reasons traded or sold and repaired where were worth more as a trade or a open sale. GMs were hard on exhaust, Fords on steering parts, FWD hard on nearly everything drive train as did use that!! Only changed one starter on later stuff, 91 Exploder 4.0, Negative cable went south low volting starter and ended up cooking it. Had 190k on it then, got rid of it at 230K.
starting point, hell the code/computer will happily send you down the completely wrong path. But the general public thinks “hey the computer tells you what to fix”
Know a guy buys a O2 sensor a month for his old Ford, said just Codes out, supplier will not warranty, as Blue Glue mushes from under the valve cover. Asked if was explained Blue Glue poisons them, he noted is a bunch of hogwash, VC is nowhere near exhaust. I walked away.
Alot of stuff has improved but i think peoples driving habits have changed so much it has alot to do with every thing. Before it took 10 years to put 100.000 miles on a car now it only takes 3 years .
Highways improved with tires, fuel stations along roads evolved where finding gas less problem, and cars moved to +20mpg where once were 10-12
Better tan this one I guess.
Well, every time I have ever had to replace a starter on my own vehicle, and I must admit, it has probably been 3 in all the cars and trucks I have owned, it has always been in the dead of winter, and I have no garage. Bad enough to lay out in the cold on the ground, an pull a few bolts, let alone start pulling a center head, or transmission like the one in the picture.
my first vehicle was a 1970 Ford F100 with a 302 V8 a three on the tree and a 3.70 rear axle ratio. It got 11.7 miles per us Gallon on the highway. My 2019 GMC Seirra 1500 just shy of 24 miles per gallon on the highway using the cruise control at 60 MPH.
Enga’s have zero pity on those that buy or work on their infinitely back killing mind numbing designs. They come up with the inGenieass designs to intimidate other Engas into doing far worse to Prove they can or that it can be sent there!!!
Years ago working for A Kenworth dealer when Meritor Automatic slack adjusters were new and brake chambers with welded clevises were new. We had to replace brake chambers with that came with welded clevises with threaded ones as and there was an adjustment issue. If I remember correctly. I called Meritor's tech support line and the person that answered said: "Hey the engineer that designed the automatic slack adjuster is here I will let you speak with him". Gary the engineer was a really nice helpful person but he could not grasp what I was trying to explain to him. He told me: "I have no idea what a brake chamber is".
Funny, the Nuke was designed by Several Engineering firms, The Reactor Plant and base structure from one, The Primary facilities structure for the Radiological equipment. Control Building and Diesel Back up structure then the Turbine Hall. NONE of which had Direct leading access companionways or connecting doors at main floors except at grade. What a Cluster Fk as to finding your way around in the facility, worse than a Hamster Habitat for Humans. Was as if NONE of these people ever spoke to each other on interconnections.
Thats because the worst thing you can do to a starter is feed it low voltage. So by the time you combine an older battery, cold temperatures lowering the available power in the battery, and cold oil making the engine difficult to turn over starters die easily.
I like that engineer story above. Yeah typical of engineering and manufacturing nowadays. I've said it before they just work on their little area and have no idea what the big picture is. Its all done on a computer, they probably wouldn't even know what it is if they saw it in metal form. Not even close to the high intellect of the engineers of old. Now for the under the intake manifold starters, personal experience on Toyota 1UZFE engine (LS400), someone here says no big deal sorta. Well it all depends on how wealthy you are I would say, I don't know what book time is for the R and R of the starter, and some will brag how zippy fast they are at doing them, yeah some hot talking part busting kid at a dealer maybe, or at an independent shop. Still that is not normally a savings to the owner but just more $ to the supposed quicky mechanic beating book time. Oh and many times there is more than just a few gaskets to replace, it could end up being a wire harness because of the many heat treated connectors that break if you look at them the wrong way, or the very nasty bolts that can take awhile to remove you know the normal well designed for mechanics stuff. I could change 10 or 20 starters in other vehicles I'm familiar with before I could change one in that Lexus. So if your doing this type of work for money which would be a better deal?
I've found that putting a solenoid kit (plunger and contacts) into the newer reduction gear starters around 120,000kms (75,000 miles) will fix starter problems for the remainder of the starter life. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/185580791755 The old low-speed, high torque, direct drive starters usually needed front and rear armature bushings, and a new solenoid, to keep them going. Maniac Electric Motors is one of the best electrical supply companies I've dealt with, and they seem to be able to supply electrical parts for nearly anything. Their website is one of the best around for layout, ease of use, and technical and P/No information.
The ND starter in my skid steer is a pain for the contacts arcing and not wanting to turn the engine over. Original was pretty good. Had it rebuilt with all genuine ND parts by the ND distributor. Started acting up within 3 month's. I sanded the contacts and added an extra ground cable from a starter bolt to the frame and it seems to have helped. It's a pain if you shut it off and it won't start the engine back up.
Hey, that's where the skill comes in, figuring out where the computer is wrong.