Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
Options
Comments
Doug in NY
kcram - Pickups Host
I have seen that same black tailpipe on vehicles where the catalytic converter had been removed.
Cowboy: I am Not familiar with 2008 yet, just heard about some tacky problems. Does the 2008 still have a supplemental air source for the catalytic converter?
For a number of reasons, including radio noise reduction, I add grounding straps.
Yes, I know that the original equipment has grounding, but I have never found it to be adequate for DEPENDABLE performance. I add another ground strap from the engine to the frame. I add a ground strap from the frame to the cab. I also add a braided copper strap going from the hood hinge chassis mounting bolt to the hinge's hood mounting bolt. That strapping helps keep computer and control signals from showing up in my various radios.
When installing these grounds, I coat the spots where I am making the connection with anti corrosion paste (yea, I know it can be messy). For example: The connection "stack" is - chassis hole, paste, star washer, grounding strap, star washer, nut.
Happy hunting.
John
I have algae in my tanks, so I don't let my fuel level drop too low. If I do accidently, I quickly switch to the other fuel tank and press the accelerator to get fuel to the engine fast before it dies.
Thanks
In the first place, these ultra low sulfur fuels have VERY little lubricity.
I won't run without it.
I even use Howes in my heating fuel so that I don't get in trouble there.
Prior to using Howes, my tank filter would get covered with brown "slime" in short order.
John
Cowboy
The first spot they checked on my 2000 350 was the yellow lever that drains the fuel filter, he raised it then lowered it , and I`ll darned if that didnt fix it , I just wonder how many drips , gallons I lost , I got whole lot better milage needlesss to say, Good luck to you
Craig
Craig
http://www.ford.com/owner-services/vehicle-maintenance/recall-information
Mark
http://www.ford-trucks.com/navrecalltsb.html
Make sure that the cab to chassis and cab to engine grounds are good.
As I explained before, I add a braided copper strap from chassis to cab and another from engine to chassis.If that doesn't solve your problem, you are not out much time or money, and you have probably cut out "bouncing Betty" type problems from happening in the future.
Bouncing Betty - My terminology for those "curious" electrical failures that "blow your mind" because they change depending on things like being in drive or having the door open. Don't laugh, I have seen both of those. Enough to cause the brain to disengage.
In the case of a product such as lubricants and fuels, you might save a few bucks by contacting the company you buy those products from. They don't like having their name drug through the mud, and will get a bit "hostile" with the company who tries to pull that stunt.
For example: A farmer had one of those JD tractors which used the engine block as part of the frame. Engine running at full throttle. A hard bounce or a tow out of the mud just might flex the block enough to .blow the engine. JD said that there was no warranty because he had used Conklin oil in his engine. Conklin found out about it, bought the farmer a brand new tractor and took his dead tractor. They then sued JD and proved in court that their oil met or exceeded JD oil on every spec. JD coughed up the money.
Some of the pro's think that the turbine control is the culprit in that it will spike the pressure periodically.
The EGR cooler was what caused my problem.
Bill
The best I have found so far is from a racing group who have a special set of head bolts available.
A bit spendy though.
I did go to the Navistar site to find answers, but they were worthless.
I looked for recalls under the lemon law, but nothing there either.
I did file a complaint with the Federal Government on this asking for them to get involved and thereby get Fords attention. Nothing back yet.
One engineer told me that they wondered if the short spike in turbo pressure might be a part of the problem. He came to the same conclusion you and I have in that he too thought there was no excuse for the "bouncing" heads and figured that the head bolts were a possible answer, but he was still concerned about the turbo pressure spikes they had found.
I noticed a certain lack of take-off power and sometimes a split-second sputter at 65-70 mph that only happens sometimes and no warning lights ever illuminated on the dash cluster. I did receive a “water in Fuel” warning 4 weeks prior to engine failure ,in which, I promptly drained from the ford supplied valve under the drivers side frame. The light went off . I have also noticed a high idle until I depress the brake and the idle returns to low idle until you remove your foot from the brake and it again returns to high idle. I have also NEVER received info from the instrument cluster as to ANY regen of the particulate filter.
There are several TSB’s that im aware of .
TSB 07-26-2 was issued on December 13th 2007 that sounds a lot like my problems.
And a new Fuel Tank Contamination problem concerning vents on these tanks!
On the Friday December 14th 2007 I was driving (65mph) my truck home from Christmas shopping when it started to sputter for approximately 45-50 seconds. Then WHITE smoke flooded out the rear of my truck followed by the shutdown of the vehicle. I coasted to the side of the road where the truck motor would turn over but NOT start. I then had the truck towed to AC Collins Ford since it was close to where I broke down . It was then the following Tueday the 18th that the service advisor (Robert) asked me many question about where I bought my Fuel , When was the last fill-up, Who did I buy the truck from , Did I put any additives in the Tank , Did I buy High or Low sulfur Diesel, and then he informed me that he was going to have a fuel analyzed !
On 12/19/07 In a meeting with The service manager ( Dave Evans ) he informed my that he believes My High Pressure Fuel Pump has failed and is out and if so then he believes that my injectors are also out. He then stated to me that the Fuel was Amber in color and had a smell to it. And that he was required to send the fuel off for testing. He stated he was trying to find a company to do analysis of my fuel . I explained that there was no fault of mine and that I only buy fuel at Shell, Exxon, Valero, Chevron ONLY and that at 9,000 miles my truck most surely should be under warranty and surely Ford dose not recommend all owner carry a test kit around to make sure your getting only a certain diesel (free of bio-diesel / water / dirt) that works in a ford truck ?!
On 12/24/07 My service advisor Robert informed me that it would be after the 1st of the year until they would have my fuel analyzed.
On 12/26/07 I had My fuel tested at my expense for $350 ! the results were there was NO bio-diesel in my fuel !
On 12/28/07 after having no answer to when Ford would have their fuel sample results, I decided to move my truck from AC Collins ( a bill of $150 to AC Collins and a $100 tow ) to Reliance Ford (281-867-2500) in La Porte. Reliance Ford is now telling my that there is water in my fuel cooler and dirt in my filter. Or as they like to say “a contamination! “ . I did not get a “water in fuel” warning light. And as I have said many times If I had water in my fuel cooler then there should be water in my water separator with a warning light !!! That’s about as elementary as ABC’s. Now I get a 7500.00 bill for something I did nothing wrong!
On 12/31/07 in from of Ricky (Reliance Ford Service Advisor) and in front of Ronnie (Reliance Ford Service Manager) to prove that if there was water in my fuel pump and fuel cooler then the Fuel Light Indicator would and should be illuminated at this moment (which it was not) and there would be at this moment water at the lowest point (at the Water separator) . I then asked the advisor and the service manager for a clean glass container and drained approximately 12 oz. into this container and showed them their was no measurable amount of water to cause what they claim.
I decided to pay an additional $200 to have a water analysis of this sample that I removed from my truck. And the results were 200ppm which is very low, practically zero.
I have been trying to get FORD Tech Support and Customer relations to call me back since before Christmas thru today!
I have called Heather (Ford Customer Care Solutions Team Manager For The Southwest Market) many times over the past 3-4 weeks with no return phone call. I left many many messages on her voice mail.
I have been with out a vehicle since 12/14/07 ! And "FORD REFUSED " to warranty its trucks at 9,000 miles due to this claim of water in my fuel ! This is ROBBERY ! $50,000 for a truck with no warranty !
And after further review Ill never buy another Ford !