That's funny - I personally think Fords are the easiest to work on, but I guess it's just what I am used to. I tried working on GM vehicles a few times and almost lost my flipping mind! lol
Hats off to guys like you Brian. I have been spoiled in a shop for way to long. Not that I couldn't do mobile because I am sure it is just a learning curve like anything else, I just really enjoy a nice cozy building full of everything I need at a reach haha.
Eric You Just Saved Me Thousands Of Dollars I Bought A 2009 f 250 With 69000 miles For 2000 dollars With The EXACT same Problem Because No one Could Fix It .Thank You
I tell you what... Eric has some loyal followers! He is a decent human being, with morals, he isn’t afraid to be himself and admits when a mistake is made. I’m not surprised to see his channel grow like it is. You are doing it right my friend!
@@pod9363 why r u? Being yourself or someone else the outcome is the same... the only consequence is loss of self... always be you. Because that's who you are... behaviors can be modified... self should never be.
@@seanmiller678 agreed Sean! POD be yourself my friend. This is a judgement free zone! People make mistakes. You can be weird. It’s all good. Just be your own type of weird and you will find your own path. I am a mobile mechanic. My business is Automotivated. I post videos knowing I’m not the best but if you put fear aside and dedicate yourself you will succeed. You got me doing a motivational speech now! Haha Anyways... Pod Keep on keepin on. If you love automotive diagnostics then dedicate yourself and you will be surprised at how much you can learn! It’s one of my passions and it gives me many goals to work towards. You can do it POD!
@@pod9363 you can be yourself! Eric puts these videos out to share knowledge and to have fun. We enjoy this stuff POD. If you enjoy It and dedicate a part of yourself to auto diagnostics in a serious way you will fit right in. Haha. Even if your a DIYer we still accept you!
@@pod9363 Listen to them they want to help. If people can't except you for who you are well, it's their problem not yours. Be yourself and kind to others and dogs you can't miss.
Worked in automotive service at the dealer level for 40 years before I pulled the plug. The main reason you are so good at this, you have the ability to think and reason. So many today don't.
Eric, I am always fascinated on how you break the system down and think it through. A person could accidentally learn something while watching your channel for entertainment only.
As a rust belt mechanic myself, I can only imagine the 'off camera' language when dealing with those crusty vehicles! I thought I had it bad in Michigan. Your state is the rust belt winner! At least we don't have inspections here.
I've worked in all sorts of environments and I've never seen so many rusty crusty vehicles like SMA has coming through the door. Tell a lie, there was one place, a tin mine. They used sulphuric acid in the process plant and that did the plant vehicles no good at all. ;-)
“poop and laughter” and “relay the information” made me laugh… simple maintenance would alleviate and/or lessen most vehicle unexpected issues… always enjoy and learn something… y’all stay safe…😊
3/4 of the fleet I work on is f150-f250 from 2012 to 2020. Yeah they suck for a variety of reasons but with fleet stuff you want a lot of the same vehicles so you generally just have the same issues over and over eventually. Just takes the diag time out of the repair and you can just order parts or repair the broken wires.
I worked on a large gov't fleet of the Big 3 at a previous job, and this is absolutely true. Funny how some failures start occurring at the same time (e.g. alternators, fuel pumps, etc). It was proof to me that perhaps planned obsolescence is really a thing. I had to get out of fleet work, though. It was driving me batty, felt like my brain was deteriorating from not having to actually diag much stuff any more.
@@mikelemoine4267 Poor engine block design, allowing coolant to be consumed into the cylinders when the head gasket fails. The updated block design no longer has the slits between the cylinders.
@@michaelchan8915 Interesting. It always stuns me that companies who've been building engines for 100 years make a mistake like that! I know they had some issues with carbon build up from the DI, so I wondered about sludge. I have a 14 Jeep Ecodiesel that just puked the bottom end. It's thought that the oil passages are too small for our EGR soot load, as it's an Italian engine built for EU emission controls. Loved it up until it stranded me on the side of the highway, I'll get rid of it when the long block warranty is up! Thanks for responding and have a good one.
Do I miss the good old days of just a plain module, pcv valve, a few vacuum lines. Those vehicles were so easy to trouble shoot with a good ear and feel of the vehicle.
I go back to the 1960's, when I drove a 1950 flat head V8 three on the tree. I could go anywhere with 100 percent assurance I could trouble shoot any problem. The electronic system: the key sent power to the coil, and the starter solenoid for starting. Everything else was mechanical, and out in the open. These new cars are computers connected to engines, and stuffed into tiny engine bays. Wish I had my 1950 Ford back.
And they were death traps that rattled and rusted apart, required constant fiddling to keep running, and polluted like crazy. You can keep your nostalgia, which is fed by a lack of understanding the big scary computers onboard. Newer vehicles just require a different skillset. Eric O has those skills.
@@watcherofwatchers Are you commenting on the post of Mike Post and Memphis Applegate? Neither one of us commented on the reliability, maintenance, durability, safety, performance, etc. etc. of old cars. Fact is, those old cars I used to drive were worse than you describe. Tires, tubes, breaks, lube jobs, valve adjustments, ring jobs, and no AC. I have no nostalgia for those old cars. What I have issue with is both the unnecessary complexity of new cars, and the extreme difficulty in accessing components. With regard to complexity, it's not the computers, rather it is the 20 miles of copper wire, multiple fuse boxes, and a few hundred connectors, all balled up in tape and hidden away with no thought of access. Back in the day cars failed because the engine wore out, or mechanically broke in some way. But they have improved drive trains so much now that it is the overly complex and under-engineered electrical systems that fail. And just like in this video, it often takes a team of trained technicians, over several days, and in two different repair shops to find a broken wire connection. The complexity problem could be mediated if the car companies would fix the accessibility problem. If the car makers would make that maze of computers, wires, buses, connectors, fuses, and sensors accessible it would make troubleshooting and repair more practical. But cars are not built with the technician in mind, rather the engine compartment is designed so small that often batteries are moved to the wheel wells, and fuse panels are stuffed in some inaccessible location under the dash. But I'm happy to report that I'm not alone in these concerns about complexity and accessibility, as an increasing number of consumer groups are rating cars on "Ease of Maintenance and Repair." I hope it catches on, but it may not motivate car companies, as they have already engineered over ten years of reliability into their cars, and they don't want their cars to last forever anyway.
@@MemphisApplegate The simple fact and answer is that they build cars not for folks like you or me...the build them for the people who buy new cars and trucks...The priority to make them east to service and diagnose is Zero... When I worked for A Dealer The ideal customer bought a new car from us and traded it at 18 months...and he never had a service problem that was out of warranty...and most never even had a problem...That made for a loyal customer...We made way more money on used cars....There were salesmen that would turn new car customers over to rookies .... The manufacturers have a whole different perspective from you on reliability and ease of service...Service problems are not a thing in their world...if anything they are an opportunity.... If your car needs a Battery...Tires... Brakes...or any other service..."Now Is The Best Time To Trade!"...."Your Trade Will NEVER Be Worth More than It Is Today!" Better yet..."Lease Your New Car"....From me of course...
It's been five years since I stopped by and met you and Mrs. O. I don't think I've missed or failed to 'like' a single video since that day. You are a good man, Dr. O, and you will not hear me complain because you dissed Ford. Keep the videos coming!
I live in FL and have an 03' F150 Harley Edition with 200K on it. Not a spot of rust on it! The problem here is the sun rots all of the rubber and plastic. I've had to epoxy a few dash pieces that cracked, replace the rear window seal and all of the rubber bushings because they dried out and cracked. I guess ours just rot from the top down instead of from the bottom up!
@@frankielemonjello Yeah if you go to Daytona Beach where they allow cars to drive on the beach, the food trucks and service vehicles are all pretty rusty!
As soon as you showed the lack of a ground at the relay in the fuse box, I was yelling at you that the problem was in fact in the fuse box wiring. I have found that several times on all different brands, not just Ford, but you couldn't hear me, but you found it anyway. I am 72, and been doing this most of my life, and still learning from you, and some others on you tube. Thanks for filming what you do to help others think outside the box for the hard problems that end up with a simple solution.
Gov't vehicles can have low miles, but extremely high idle time. I've seen trucks sit at road sites changing crews and idling days at a time. Especially in winter.
In the Air Force, working the flightline, the trucks would basically run 24/7. The motor pool based oil changes on mileage, not hours. Those engines never stood a chance.
My 2016 F550 has a idle hour meter along with a total hour meter. And it has to run to power the air compressor so the idle meter is about 1/2 of the total.
@@steveb6103 The 5-ton truck I drove while I was in the US Army had an hour meter to go along with an odometer. I never ran it at idle all that much during the time I drove it but I definitely understand the reasoning behind this inclusion as trucks in other units could be sitting at idle for hours.
One customer I have has a fleet of 3500 express vans and I change the oil every 2k miles with full synthetic based on how many hours they idle. Can't imagine paying that much in fuel running those 6.0s all day long but they run inverters instead of just using a generator.
Received my SMA shirt today. I'm glad that there are still people that understand T's need to have a small logo on the left front and a large one on back. Old school!! You and Fab Rats have the best T shirts.
I'm a Toyota Truck guy. I actually once tried to buy a new F150 Ford, but the dealership was way to proud of it. My current daily driver is a Toyota Tacoma, and it is the best vehicle I've ever owned. By the way, I love love love your diagnostics videos. I swear you make it like a detective story, providing all the clues as you find them, and discussing all the logic. Your logical approach to narrowing down the problem to a single corroded wire in a hard to reach location was amazing. I can see why "other shops" often bring you their basket cases. Don't remember you ever talking about it, but I bet you have problems with SMA fans showing up during the workday "for a visit." How do you deal with that? Make plenty more diagnostics videos, and make them as long as possible.
@@MA-rl7jy If its a Toyota it will be the half of the truck still selling for Retail an 2005 F150 cant give it away, if Toyota Tundra V8 2005 is listed on craigslist with 200k miles for sale, your phone will melt from all the calls and be sold in 3rhs.
Had an 01 Tacoma. Yes, it broke down, but still hands down the best truck I ever owned. Killed me to sell it. Wanted to buy a Tundra, but didn't have the towing I needed.
@@stevealbers685 Your story reminds me of why I have a 2017 Tacoma now. I drove a new 1985 Toyota pickup (4 cylinder, 4 speed, 2wd) for 23 years, putting in a new clutch at 150K. I needed a bigger truck, so I traded it in. I could see it in the mirror as I drove away, and I almost cried. I tried to man-up, but after a few years I went down to the Toyota Dealership, pointed at the Tacoma I wanted and told the guy to write it up. I didn't even test drive it. My brother drives a 1998 T100, precursor to the Tundra. The only work needed on the thing in 23 years has been fixing the AC. By the year 1998 Toyota had fixed the rust problems they had in the 1980's.
I installed in car cameras in 'municipal' vehicles for years. You are absolutely correct that anything and everything gets cut, snipped and tapped into to make them work.
I have been a Ford man my whole life. I understand your frustration with the mechanics. I want to say once the fix is done correctly you got one dependable truck. The one flaw I despise is the vacuum 4x4 actuator (IWE). I always inspect my hubs hoses and vacuum module's before a hunting or scouting trip. The other flaw is if your stuck before your hubs are engaged you will play hell getting them to lock. I always lock before I hit rocks or mud. Anyway great video. 👍 Have a good day.
Imagine how many shops would start at a PCM replacement and work backwards, then shuffle all that cost to the owner. All it needed was a day's worth of labor, some diagnostics, and a re-crimp, which is nowhere near the costs and labor associated with finding it and the PCM. His work saved the customer a lot of money.
mobile mechanic most my life. been wrenching 41 years this years!!!!! still like to see what fixes something incase it just what my job is. keep up the good work!!!!
Eric, you amaze me with your skill and knowledge! Every time, at the end of your videos, you say "...if I can do it, you can do it" I just think of all the other shops sending you stuff to figure out because they COULDN'T do it! I wish I was close to you so I could call you my go to mechanic! Keep up the great work! You are a legend in my mind!
So glad I can watch you chase down the problem. I would hate that job Once anybody works on cars, you learn that all cars are junk. There is one job on every car that just sucks
Fordtechmakuloco is a great channel ! as I have 12 Ford truck on the farm from '73-08 with lots of 5.4l 's we use to run GMC but as they died or were to costly to fix I transition to Ford truck ! Cost per mile is 1/2 to keep a GMC on the road even with brown out sparkplugs and the phazer timing chain shit . PS worked as a Mechanic "72- '88 and went Farming with my father in '88 , I'm retiring from farming the end of this year as I'll be 66 and getting tired of working !!
I really enjoy your channel. I love your methodology, your problem solving and thoughtfulness. I hope that women discover your garage because you are a true and honest mechanic. Good job!
I'm just glad I found his channel. Anything newer than 2001 is a little difficult to work on for me as I learned to turn a wrench from my father and we have always owned older vehicles. Eric's diagnostic style is easy for me to follow and understand. Thank you Sir. Your one hell of a mechanic.
Great post Eric, whenever I see someone as dedicated as you with fixing a repair properly, to applaud other tech guys doing the same, it must be a pig of a job to work on and repair trucks like these
Wow, first video where I guessed all your steps before you made them, with the exception of one. That is, when you said that relay feeds a number of other fuses, I would've checked those for power too before pulling the relay and checking power and control. Turned out not to be a thing. You're learning me, you, Ivan and SD. Love watching these diagnosis videos.
Always insightful and entertaining to watch Eric. No matter what your views on cars are, appreciate you having this channel and uploading your process on cars and running a shop.
i have a Ford F350 Diesel Super Duty. At approx. 0200 hrs the alarm on my truck triggered. Tried to shut it off via FOB, no go. Finally went out and got it to shut off, but the dash was showing ever possible Check Engine Issue. No electrical ignition connection. Disconnected the batteries and let it sit for some time. Reconnected but no change. Your video here was very enlightening and helpful to understand the nature of the problem and how much testing and searching it takes to isolate and identify the problem, even down to a single small wire!!! So it's not so much the PCM is dead, but it could be something as "simple" as a single faulty wire or fuse/s failure/s. I was quoted a very high price to repair this (if it was replacing the PCM), but clearly there is a bit of time involved to track & trace the issue/s ($$$$ labor rate). Very much appreciate your video -- Very helpful. Will have to get it towed into the shop to get it back up and running.
The new door dinger drives my dog Dexter nuts. Every time he hears it while I'm watching he goes into panic mode that someone must be at our door. Love the diagnostic process, hate the 2 minutes of barking every time the door bell goes off. 😁
There are days that come upon us when nothing works the way it should. I've had a number of ford products through the many years I've been buying vehicles, and most have done well. But in the salty roads of the north, they all rot away. Here in Alabama, even the fords hold up well. Maybe tomorrow you will get a nice, screwed up, wrung out, BMW that spent it's winters on Wisconsin country roads. Keep 'em coming, Eric! I love watching your hard work!
I have been pretty amazed with the durability of the mid 2000s on big 5.4 f150s and expeditions, I had a 2008 that had the CAN wires chewed near the trailer hitch and everything went bananas
Gotta give a big shout out to both you and FordTechMakuloko and a few channels i cannot recall the name of right now. Had a job i just finished yesterday to get an '08 fusion firing on all cylinders again, PCM coil driver failure. I would have been up the creek without the vital information you guys provide us. Had to reprogram a JY PCM to get it out of the habit of being a 2.5L V5. Not only do I have a newfound hatred for Fords newer than 1996 (and their software), I have a newfound respect for anyone outside of a dealership that has to deal with these electronics. The tools and licenses and all-around nightmare that is the reprogramming process, in combination with what seems to be half-a$$ed PCM design, must drive you guys to madness dealing with it every day. This is the first one I've dug this deep into, and i feel like i need a vacation. At least that fuse box looked somewhat conventional, unlike the Mopar TIPMs. Thank you for everything you do Mr.O and God bless!
I do all my work outside (98 Jeep Wrangler, 96 Ford Ranger) and it can be a real sh*tshow when I have to deal with glare from a bright sun, sporadic showers, limited room underneath, sliding under with the wrong f*ucking socket, welding (flux core😳) while laying underneath), trying to thread a bolt when it's 15° below zero with the WCF🥶, and any one of a hundred pain in the hoo hoo (yes, that's one of my favorite Eric O lines!) scenarios! Working outside on a vehicle will certainly broaden one's vocabulary in more ways than I care to share! 😆 Great vid, Eric! 👍
I have to say this site is an acquired taste. Of course it still tastes funky. Kidding. I have broadcast SMAR to the masses as quality video and I commend you for sharing a life's work with us.
Love being able to look forward to your case studies on different vehicles! Love love love your info and thank you for uploading to teach us younger tech's! We look up to you SMA . Much love from Atlanta, GA.
Yessiree, as a municipal mechanic, I can attest to having a Ford infestation in our yard. Biggest reason for predominantly blue ovals in fleets is not only cost but the fact that they cater to the upfitter side of things fairly decently. Plane janer, rubber floor, usually provided aux electrical circuits, good PTO support on the powertrain side. But oh mylanta, the bizarre issues. Job security for sure.
Hey we can’t do what you do. I don’t have your resources like you do. But I love to watch this diagnostics. You do Thur. Great. We love it. Keep up super work.
Thanks for another diag lesson. I just diagnosed a no communication issue on a 2011 chev diesel using your approach and a borrowed scantool. Turned out to be a bad ABS module that would shut the truck down and would not restart. Thanks again
I’ve found it easier to keep the older, simpler stuff running than spending a large wad on newer, more complicated, over computerized stuff. And, of course, I avoid the F brand, the C brand and the new D brand of pickups. New is nightmare for me. Just popping the hood is heartburn time.
And waaayyy cheaper! 70k plus interest for a truck full of electronic crap I don’t need or want is not for me. All my friends come by with their shiny new plastic trucks with screens and cameras… then when the lifters or brakes blew up at 6000 miles I drove him over to the dealer to see how much longer it was gonna take to get it back! Three weeks after that he called me for a ride because it wouldn’t start…. 70k $ and 6450 miles… back at the dealership. Vanity…No thanks.
I live in California and own a 26 year old Toyota T100. I KNOW it's cleaner and in better shape than almost anything I have ever seen you work on. My hat is off to you for working on these dirty rust buckets and ALWAYS finding the cure and doing your best to fix them. It's a pleasure to watch you in action. Tell Jay I said hello.....
Another great video. Your dissection of the system and logically tracing down the issue is outstanding. Learn something from every video. I have owned every manufacturer's pickup - ADD when it comes to pickups - and by far the lone Ford I owned was the worst. While I loved its looks, I ended up getting rid of it because it constantly broke down. Stupid little things but rendered the vehicle unusable. My experience with the other brands was entirely different.
I'm in Northern California and have been around heavy earthmoving equipment fleets on the equipment maintenance side for 50+ years , even when I was a kid all the contractors had Ford fleets, very reliable and heavy duty, in 1982 I worked for a mid sized contractor and we had 40 Fords and one Chevy, we needed a 4 door and couldn't get a Ford that year , it was the biggest pile of crap, 2 engines in 20,000 miles and we couldn't put brakes or front end parts on it fast enough, it wasn't because of the driver or terrain it was just junk !! For my money, Fords are the best fleet trucks and have served me very well in my career. Eric, your opinion of Ford's doesn't effect my opinion of you , You're still the man !!
Just had a fun time with a similar model year 6.2 f250... it was a rotted work truck, and the ignition coil harness had shorted and caught fire, killed 3 coils and drivers for 2 of them in the PCM... I was a lot hotter than you were trying to figure that one out... the burnt spot was tucked behind the cylinder head and the firewall. The shitty design caused it to rub against the head from the engine vibration and shorted a bunch of shit.
Drinking my coffee from my SMA mug, wearing my SMA t-shirt with my SMA hoodie hanging in the closet (it's still summer in AZ), watching another amazingly helpful video on diagnostic process. These videos should be used in trade schools. I happen to know of one here in the Phoenix area that does, and the kids love them because they learn from them ... all while being entertained. Thank you Eric O.!
I had a 2009 F250 2wd with the exact problem, cost me $350.00 for a 6" piece of wire by a ford tech doing it on the down low. I vowed that would be the las ford I'll ever have.
Eric, love the channel. 95% of the time I learn something. In this case I was wondering why you didn't chase the relay once you knew that was one of the possibilities? Don't get me wrong, I'm not thinking I'm smarter or better at this (I'm not, believe me). Option 1: the route you chose, eliminated all the other possibilities before coming back to the relay. Option 2: looking at the relay first, to verify its operation and then move on if it's NOT the problem (and look at other fuses and wiring if not). Maybe it was a "coin flip" decision which way you wanted to take it, but if there was a specific reason or thought process, I'd be curious to hear it. And let me say it again for the folks in the back... I'm not questioning Mr O's knowledge or ability or decision making process. I'm not thinking I'm a better technician, or that I'm more experienced. Different people analyze a problem and chose to resolve or troubleshoot in different ways, so I'm just trying to educate myself even more! Love the channel Eric, I wish I would have had this kind of stuff when I was in my early 20s (I was a tire guy/mechanic's helper at a shop about the size of yours). It's fun, it's educational, and I look forward to every upload.
People tend to enjoy this one, I like Ford's like I like cats, I like MY!! Ford's...F- the the other guys ford,lol I have a few of them 74f350-390/77F100-408/ 82f250-300/03f150-4.6,2v All of which IV had and maintained and or Built over a span of many many years the 82 and 03 have well beyond 300000miles and still dead nuts reliable. Over approx 30 years iv ended up with these running my farm primarily due to super low initial cost,personal mechanical capability and the need or "desire"(77hotrod) for the vehicles capability,great grandaddy used a Ford truck here way back,grandad and dad straight-solid Chevy guys I got the 74F350 back in the early 90's for next to nothing I think I picked it up from a paper for $350 it had burnt valves,cracked exhaust manifold and a hilarious amount of slop in the timing chain and the bed was folded outwards likely from a hay loading accident , I stripped her down put mid 60's era car pistons and timing chain on it bringing compression approx back up to 10 from the stupid low compression in the 70's truck engines,hand ported the factory heads and put a crane cam 4x4 cam(don't know the cut right off but crane cams is long gone anyway,at least as the company it was back then anyway) weiand intake,headers and I converted the points distributor to duraspark2 by swapping the guts with a random dizzy I got from a junkyard and wired that up to a late model wound coil getting away from the p.o.s oil filled coils and bolted her back up to the 4spd granny tranny,4.10 gears I later found a basic steel flatbed used for $150 I put on it and whala,been hauling tractors,hay and whatever ever since,we won't talk about fuel economy or the fact NOW DAYS she wants premium cuz they just sell Otis Campbell's piss at the pumps 😒 but hey thats a strong hard pulling machine for cheap and still going strong with little issues over nearly 30 years almost. The 77 f100 shortbed I picked up for $400 in around 05 it was a 300/3tree I built a 408 from a 351w for it now I sunk some $$$ in that truck but long story short the 300 later got rebuilt and went into the 82 f250 I got on trade during the hay crisis in 07 iirc it didn't have an engine other wise complete and that's a hell of a truck for basic dirty work , the 03 I picked up off the lot in 06 and it's a great nice looking reliable Daily driver. I'm curious if anyone bothered to read all that crap,sorry for the rambling.
The F-150 has been the the single best selling vehicle of all makes and models in the USA for 40 straight years, so Ford is obviously doing something right.
Remember; as a mechanic Eric is commenting on Fords from a mechanic's point of view. He is not saying that they are bad vehicles; he is saying that they are designed in such a way that makes them difficult to work on. If you don't work on your Ford.....that doesn't mean a lot to you.
Love your videos Eric. I have been working at a manufacturing plant for over 40 years working on all types of equipment. When something fails you have to find and fix very quickly and I use a lot of the same logic that you use. I am retiring soon and am trying to train my replacement. Finding someone with these skills are hard to find these days. I would love to see one of you followers make a "best one liners from Eric O." so I could que them up when needed (which is often) while training. I would also like to say you have been a God send to me since my wife passed over Christmas last year from the Covid. It's kept me smiling from day to day. I have got a lot of my co workers watching you now. Everyone will be coming in tomorrow saying "hey, did you see the new vid" and when something fails you'll hear a chorus of " there's your problem lady" Thank you and may God bless.
bought a new 2000f150. drove it 105k miles before selling it. only had one problem, the right rear axle seal started leaking and fixed it myself with a new seal that cost about $7 with new fluid. bought my 2002 7 years and 69k miles old. Now has 167k miles on it with very little repairs, axle bearing, front hubs, tie rod ends, etc. Very reliable truck. Oh yeah, my pcm relay failed and cost me $8 for a new one.
@@williamwhite9767 Every maker has problems. I work as fleet mechanic for thirty plus years. The vehicles were primarily Fords. I cussed at my share of Dodges and Chevy’s too. Oddly, the newer models of all the makes were reliable but stupid things happened. The 6.7 Fords developed oil leaks at the vacuum pumps. Nothing major. Just stupid. Your truck is beyond the spark plug hucker years. Manufacturing cylinder heads with minimal spark plug threads was not one of Ford’s better ideas. It was job security for me.
@@clicks59 The spark plug chunking was from 97 thru 03. I haven't had that issue with the 203k miles I've put on my trucks. Now we know that the plugs need to be tightened to 28 ft lbs not 12 ft lbs in the manual. Still a bad design with only 4 threads. All of the engines of all brands were very reliable until they went to variable cam timing Fords and active fuel management GM, and variable cam timing for the RAM.
That's funny - I personally think Fords are the easiest to work on, but I guess it's just what I am used to. I tried working on GM vehicles a few times and almost lost my flipping mind! lol
I'm so used to fords also so I totally understand Brian @FordTechMakULoco
GM tech here. The newer GMs will really make you loose your mind!
@@daveyio87 how bout that new 3.0 diesel that takes 0-20. Oil changes are never fun in those without a splash shield. 🤣😂
Fun stuff! Lol
I’m the opposite. Very few Fords near Corning, NY. Or maybe they just don’t break down! Hahaha 😂
Nice Find. Thanks for the shout out! Mobile can be brutal, great the last week or so though, enjoying it before the snow comes.
Hats off to guys like you Brian. I have been spoiled in a shop for way to long. Not that I couldn't do mobile because I am sure it is just a learning curve like anything else, I just really enjoy a nice cozy building full of everything I need at a reach haha.
That’s precious
😂🤣😂🤣😂
@@SouthMainAuto except for when you need that tool that is WAY over there in the toolbox.
@@SouthMainAuto it’s not too bad. The hardest thing is fitting all the tools I need on one truck! Haha
Eric You Just Saved Me Thousands Of Dollars I Bought A 2009 f 250 With 69000 miles For 2000 dollars With The EXACT same Problem Because No one Could Fix It .Thank You
I tell you what... Eric has some loyal followers! He is a decent human being, with morals, he isn’t afraid to be himself and admits when a mistake is made. I’m not surprised to see his channel grow like it is. You are doing it right my friend!
I wish I wasn’t afraid to be myself :[
@@pod9363 why r u? Being yourself or someone else the outcome is the same... the only consequence is loss of self... always be you. Because that's who you are... behaviors can be modified... self should never be.
@@seanmiller678 agreed Sean! POD be yourself my friend. This is a judgement free zone! People make mistakes. You can be weird. It’s all good. Just be your own type of weird and you will find your own path. I am a mobile mechanic. My business is Automotivated. I post videos knowing I’m not the best but if you put fear aside and dedicate yourself you will succeed. You got me doing a motivational speech now! Haha Anyways... Pod Keep on keepin on. If you love automotive diagnostics then dedicate yourself and you will be surprised at how much you can learn! It’s one of my passions and it gives me many goals to work towards. You can do it POD!
@@pod9363 you can be yourself! Eric puts these videos out to share knowledge and to have fun. We enjoy this stuff POD. If you enjoy
It and dedicate a part of yourself to auto diagnostics in a serious way you will fit right in. Haha. Even if your a DIYer we still accept you!
@@pod9363 Listen to them they want to help. If people can't except you for who you are well, it's their problem not yours. Be yourself and kind to others and dogs you can't miss.
When Eric starts using the scope on a rope as a prybar you know he’s done playing around.
Yeah!
Careful not to poke holes in that relay with your pliers. Lol, yes, I remember that episode
Exactly what I was thinking of during the episode. Lol
The repeatable elegance of your diagnostic approach makes me smile each time I see it applied.
Worked in automotive service at the dealer level for 40 years before I pulled the plug. The main reason you are so good at this, you have the ability to think and reason. So many today don't.
Did you make a good living as a dealer tech?
Not much critical thinking involved in video games & joy sticks - exactly what new techs grew up on.
Eric, I am always fascinated on how you break the system down and think it through. A person could accidentally learn something while watching your channel for entertainment only.
As a rust belt mechanic myself, I can only imagine the 'off camera' language when dealing with those crusty vehicles! I thought I had it bad in Michigan. Your state is the rust belt winner! At least we don't have inspections here.
I've lived in Michigan all my life. I wish we had inspections here. There's way too much total junk driving around here.
@@John_Ridley the further the government stays away from meddling in your business, the better. Ef that state inspection crap.
@@John_Ridley This truck "PASSED" inspection but still wouldn't go!
So refreshing to hear honest expression from someone that had as frustrating a day as me. Have a great tomorrow!
Who better than a magician like Mr O!!!
Always gettin' done!!!! 👍👍
I was a GM tech and now I'm a mechanic at a local municipality in the rust belt. I feel your pain.
I wold go with the ecm first
I've worked in all sorts of environments and I've never seen so many rusty crusty vehicles like SMA has coming through the door. Tell a lie, there was one place, a tin mine. They used sulphuric acid in the process plant and that did the plant vehicles no good at all. ;-)
“poop and laughter” and “relay the information” made me laugh… simple maintenance would alleviate and/or lessen most vehicle unexpected issues… always enjoy and learn something… y’all stay safe…😊
3/4 of the fleet I work on is f150-f250 from 2012 to 2020. Yeah they suck for a variety of reasons but with fleet stuff you want a lot of the same vehicles so you generally just have the same issues over and over eventually. Just takes the diag time out of the repair and you can just order parts or repair the broken wires.
I worked on a large gov't fleet of the Big 3 at a previous job, and this is absolutely true. Funny how some failures start occurring at the same time (e.g. alternators, fuel pumps, etc). It was proof to me that perhaps planned obsolescence is really a thing. I had to get out of fleet work, though. It was driving me batty, felt like my brain was deteriorating from not having to actually diag much stuff any more.
As a long time Ford dealership technician.....GOOD FIND! Replacing short blocks on 2017 to 2019 1.5 Escapes is what's keeping me busy these days.
Doing a short block on a 1.5 fusion this evening.
What kills those? Oil sludge?
@@mikelemoine4267 Poor engine block design, allowing coolant to be consumed into the cylinders when the head gasket fails. The updated block design no longer has the slits between the cylinders.
@@michaelchan8915 Interesting. It always stuns me that companies who've been building engines for 100 years make a mistake like that! I know they had some issues with carbon build up from the DI, so I wondered about sludge. I have a 14 Jeep Ecodiesel that just puked the bottom end. It's thought that the oil passages are too small for our EGR soot load, as it's an Italian engine built for EU emission controls. Loved it up until it stranded me on the side of the highway, I'll get rid of it when the long block warranty is up! Thanks for responding and have a good one.
Do I miss the good old days of just a plain module, pcv valve, a few vacuum lines. Those vehicles were so easy to trouble shoot with a good ear and feel of the vehicle.
I go back to the 1960's, when I drove a 1950 flat head V8 three on the tree. I could go anywhere with 100 percent assurance I could trouble shoot any problem. The electronic system: the key sent power to the coil, and the starter solenoid for starting. Everything else was mechanical, and out in the open.
These new cars are computers connected to engines, and stuffed into tiny engine bays. Wish I had my 1950 Ford back.
And they were death traps that rattled and rusted apart, required constant fiddling to keep running, and polluted like crazy.
You can keep your nostalgia, which is fed by a lack of understanding the big scary computers onboard.
Newer vehicles just require a different skillset. Eric O has those skills.
Dealer cannot make enough money off of those!
@@watcherofwatchers Are you commenting on the post of Mike Post and Memphis Applegate? Neither one of us commented on the reliability, maintenance, durability, safety, performance, etc. etc. of old cars. Fact is, those old cars I used to drive were worse than you describe. Tires, tubes, breaks, lube jobs, valve adjustments, ring jobs, and no AC. I have no nostalgia for those old cars.
What I have issue with is both the unnecessary complexity of new cars, and the extreme difficulty in accessing components. With regard to complexity, it's not the computers, rather it is the 20 miles of copper wire, multiple fuse boxes, and a few hundred connectors, all balled up in tape and hidden away with no thought of access. Back in the day cars failed because the engine wore out, or mechanically broke in some way. But they have improved drive trains so much now that it is the overly complex and under-engineered electrical systems that fail. And just like in this video, it often takes a team of trained technicians, over several days, and in two different repair shops to find a broken wire connection.
The complexity problem could be mediated if the car companies would fix the accessibility problem. If the car makers would make that maze of computers, wires, buses, connectors, fuses, and sensors accessible it would make troubleshooting and repair more practical. But cars are not built with the technician in mind, rather the engine compartment is designed so small that often batteries are moved to the wheel wells, and fuse panels are stuffed in some inaccessible location under the dash.
But I'm happy to report that I'm not alone in these concerns about complexity and accessibility, as an increasing number of consumer groups are rating cars on "Ease of Maintenance and Repair." I hope it catches on, but it may not motivate car companies, as they have already engineered over ten years of reliability into their cars, and they don't want their cars to last forever anyway.
@@MemphisApplegate The simple fact and answer is that they build cars not for folks like you or me...the build them for the people who buy new cars and trucks...The priority to make them east to service and diagnose is Zero...
When I worked for A Dealer The ideal customer bought a new car from us and traded it at 18 months...and he never had a service problem that was out of warranty...and most never even had a problem...That made for a loyal customer...We made way more money on used cars....There were salesmen that would turn new car customers over to rookies ....
The manufacturers have a whole different perspective from you on reliability and ease of service...Service problems are not a thing in their world...if anything they are an opportunity.... If your car needs a Battery...Tires... Brakes...or any other service..."Now Is The Best Time To Trade!"...."Your Trade Will NEVER Be Worth More than It Is Today!"
Better yet..."Lease Your New Car"....From me of course...
"they're all junk" well said Eric!
I love "Pokin' & hopin'" too funny. You've taught me a few good ones that are now in my daily use..
As a 30+ year electronics technician, I love going along with his diagnostics and solving the mysteries with him in real time! :-)
It's been five years since I stopped by and met you and Mrs. O. I don't think I've missed or failed to 'like' a single video since that day. You are a good man, Dr. O, and you will not hear me complain because you dissed Ford. Keep the videos coming!
He is a good man.....We just want him to bring back the SMA stickers .lol
Man!! What an automotive diagnostician!! Dr. O to the rescue once again!
Gotta love the rust belt these southern guys don't know how good they have it
Deboss Garage said he'd never buy a northern vehicle again.
Well, until a body guy has to deal with hail endlessly
I live in FL and have an 03' F150 Harley Edition with 200K on it. Not a spot of rust on it! The problem here is the sun rots all of the rubber and plastic. I've had to epoxy a few dash pieces that cracked, replace the rear window seal and all of the rubber bushings because they dried out and cracked. I guess ours just rot from the top down instead of from the bottom up!
Unless you live at the beach. Nothing rots a car faster.
@@frankielemonjello Yeah if you go to Daytona Beach where they allow cars to drive on the beach, the food trucks and service vehicles are all pretty rusty!
As soon as you showed the lack of a ground at the relay in the fuse box, I was yelling at you that the problem was in fact in the fuse box wiring. I have found that several times on all different brands, not just Ford, but you couldn't hear me, but you found it anyway.
I am 72, and been doing this most of my life, and still learning from you, and some others on you tube. Thanks for filming what you do to help others think outside the box for the hard problems that end up with a simple solution.
Gov't vehicles can have low miles, but extremely high idle time. I've seen trucks sit at road sites changing crews and idling days at a time. Especially in winter.
In the Air Force, working the flightline, the trucks would basically run 24/7. The motor pool based oil changes on mileage, not hours. Those engines never stood a chance.
My 2016 F550 has a idle hour meter along with a total hour meter. And it has to run to power the air compressor so the idle meter is about 1/2 of the total.
@@steveb6103 The 5-ton truck I drove while I was in the US Army had an hour meter to go along with an odometer. I never ran it at idle all that much during the time I drove it but I definitely understand the reasoning behind this inclusion as trucks in other units could be sitting at idle for hours.
@@williamGSXR110 Sludged?
One customer I have has a fleet of 3500 express vans and I change the oil every 2k miles with full synthetic based on how many hours they idle. Can't imagine paying that much in fuel running those 6.0s all day long but they run inverters instead of just using a generator.
Received my SMA shirt today. I'm glad that there are still people that understand T's need to have a small logo on the left front and a large one on back. Old school!! You and Fab Rats have the best T shirts.
"stupid cars" said Dr O. I say that everyday in regard to my profession! Thank you.
Eric you are right, after 20+ years as a tech all brands are junk! Just depends on the level and type of junkness you want 🤔
yep, there is cheap junk, expensive junk, and parts not available junk.
@@kg4gav hahaha lol
I'm in over 40 yrs. Engineers don't surprise me anymore. Do miss the old days though.
There it is again - "Come on, Baby!". Gonna make a great SMA T-shirt!
My favorite is “Enhance…enhance…enhance …oops, too far…Un enhance “
I'm a Toyota Truck guy. I actually once tried to buy a new F150 Ford, but the dealership was way to proud of it. My current daily driver is a Toyota Tacoma, and it is the best vehicle I've ever owned.
By the way, I love love love your diagnostics videos. I swear you make it like a detective story, providing all the clues as you find them, and discussing all the logic. Your logical approach to narrowing down the problem to a single corroded wire in a hard to reach location was amazing. I can see why "other shops" often bring you their basket cases.
Don't remember you ever talking about it, but I bet you have problems with SMA fans showing up during the workday "for a visit." How do you deal with that?
Make plenty more diagnostics videos, and make them as long as possible.
They "all"(makes /brands) eventually wind up in the scrap yard.
@@MA-rl7jy true, but some brands cost considerably more to keep running on that path to the scrap yard.
@@MA-rl7jy If its a Toyota it will be the half of the truck still selling for Retail an 2005 F150 cant give it away, if Toyota Tundra V8 2005 is listed on craigslist with 200k miles for sale, your phone will melt from all the calls and be sold in 3rhs.
Had an 01 Tacoma. Yes, it broke down, but still hands down the best truck I ever owned. Killed me to sell it. Wanted to buy a Tundra, but didn't have the towing I needed.
@@stevealbers685 Your story reminds me of why I have a 2017 Tacoma now. I drove a new 1985 Toyota pickup (4 cylinder, 4 speed, 2wd) for 23 years, putting in a new clutch at 150K. I needed a bigger truck, so I traded it in. I could see it in the mirror as I drove away, and I almost cried.
I tried to man-up, but after a few years I went down to the Toyota Dealership, pointed at the Tacoma I wanted and told the guy to write it up. I didn't even test drive it.
My brother drives a 1998 T100, precursor to the Tundra. The only work needed on the thing in 23 years has been fixing the AC. By the year 1998 Toyota had fixed the rust problems they had in the 1980's.
I installed in car cameras in 'municipal' vehicles for years. You are absolutely correct that anything and everything gets cut, snipped and tapped into to make them work.
I have been a Ford man my whole life. I understand your frustration with the mechanics. I want to say once the fix is done correctly you got one dependable truck. The one flaw I despise is the vacuum 4x4 actuator (IWE). I always inspect my hubs hoses and vacuum module's before a hunting or scouting trip. The other flaw is if your stuck before your hubs are engaged you will play hell getting them to lock. I always lock before I hit rocks or mud. Anyway great video. 👍 Have a good day.
It was kind for Eric to do a shout out to some other channels. And helpful to the rest of us.
I LOVE FORDS FROM THE 20'S TO THE 70'S NO LATER!
It didn’t go as bad as other worse cases that involved changing internal engine components affecting electronics. Good troubleshooting skills! 😎👍
Imagine how many shops would start at a PCM replacement and work backwards, then shuffle all that cost to the owner. All it needed was a day's worth of labor, some diagnostics, and a re-crimp, which is nowhere near the costs and labor associated with finding it and the PCM. His work saved the customer a lot of money.
This guy makes me doubt myself (In any similar situation) most every time.
mobile mechanic most my life. been wrenching 41 years this years!!!!! still like to see what fixes something incase it just what my job is. keep up the good work!!!!
Eric, you amaze me with your skill and knowledge! Every time, at the end of your videos, you say "...if I can do it, you can do it" I just think of all the other shops sending you stuff to figure out because they COULDN'T do it! I wish I was close to you so I could call you my go to mechanic! Keep up the great work! You are a legend in my mind!
AMEN
I like the way you attack the problem with forethought and a step at a time to isolate the Crustie. Hats off to you!
I have received my SMA hoodie, it’s washed and ready for winter here in NC! Thanks Eric O!
So glad I can watch you chase down the problem. I would hate that job
Once anybody works on cars, you learn that all cars are junk. There is one job on every car that just sucks
I want a shirt that says
"c'mon baby!"
And another one that says, "There's your problem, lady!"
All I can say is your one smart mechanic really know what your doing. Thank you👍
19:36 🤘😂😂 love hearing Eric Swear.. it's what real mechanics do lol ❤✌
Fordtechmakuloco is a great channel ! as I have 12 Ford truck on the farm from '73-08 with lots of 5.4l 's we use to run GMC but as they died or were to costly to fix I transition to Ford truck ! Cost per mile is 1/2 to keep a GMC on the road even with brown out sparkplugs and the phazer timing chain shit . PS worked as a Mechanic "72- '88 and went Farming with my father in '88 , I'm retiring from farming the end of this year as I'll be 66 and getting tired of working !!
I really enjoy your channel. I love your methodology, your problem solving and thoughtfulness. I hope that women discover your garage because you are a true and honest mechanic. Good job!
I'm just glad I found his channel. Anything newer than 2001 is a little difficult to work on for me as I learned to turn a wrench from my father and we have always owned older vehicles. Eric's diagnostic style is easy for me to follow and understand. Thank you Sir. Your one hell of a mechanic.
this is some sort of automotive black magic....always finds the broken wire...respect...loves your work Eric O....keep on truckin
Great post Eric, whenever I see someone as dedicated as you with fixing a repair properly, to applaud other tech guys doing the same, it must be a pig of a job to work on and repair trucks like these
Good day love show am in the Bahamas and from watching I have Learned a lot thank you👍🏻
Wow, first video where I guessed all your steps before you made them, with the exception of one. That is, when you said that relay feeds a number of other fuses, I would've checked those for power too before pulling the relay and checking power and control. Turned out not to be a thing. You're learning me, you, Ivan and SD. Love watching these diagnosis videos.
Always insightful and entertaining to watch Eric. No matter what your views on cars are, appreciate you having this channel and uploading your process on cars and running a shop.
Brian and Eric are true Masters of the Diagnostics!
Glad to know I'm not the only one that gets short tempered while working on ford's.
you are absolutely not alone! i hate fords with every single DNA strand in my body! I hate toyotas equally as much as fords!!!!!
i have a Ford F350 Diesel Super Duty. At approx. 0200 hrs the alarm on my truck triggered. Tried to shut it off via FOB, no go. Finally went out and got it to shut off, but the dash was showing ever possible Check Engine Issue. No electrical ignition connection. Disconnected the batteries and let it sit for some time. Reconnected but no change. Your video here was very enlightening and helpful to understand the nature of the problem and how much testing and searching it takes to isolate and identify the problem, even down to a single small wire!!!
So it's not so much the PCM is dead, but it could be something as "simple" as a single faulty wire or fuse/s failure/s. I was quoted a very high price to repair this (if it was replacing the PCM), but clearly there is a bit of time involved to track & trace the issue/s ($$$$ labor rate). Very much appreciate your video -- Very helpful. Will have to get it towed into the shop to get it back up and running.
The new door dinger drives my dog Dexter nuts. Every time he hears it while I'm watching he goes into panic mode that someone must be at our door. Love the diagnostic process, hate the 2 minutes of barking every time the door bell goes off. 😁
seriously what is up with this deranged obsession of Americans with dogs? if my pet get triggered like that i would just give it away for adoption
The problems are not the brand, is where you are in this world Eric!
Eric, we love your honest opinion.
There are days that come upon us when nothing works the way it should. I've had a number of ford products through the many years I've been buying vehicles, and most have done well. But in the salty roads of the north, they all rot away. Here in Alabama, even the fords hold up well. Maybe tomorrow you will get a nice, screwed up, wrung out, BMW that spent it's winters on Wisconsin country roads. Keep 'em coming, Eric! I love watching your hard work!
Yes sir Eric. Them Fords are a joy to work on. Who in the hell decided 11mm was a good nut size? Jeezless.
I'm a painter mostly but great job at diagnosing that problem you are.the man buddy !!!!!
I have been pretty amazed with the durability of the mid 2000s on big 5.4 f150s and expeditions, I had a 2008 that had the CAN wires chewed near the trailer hitch and everything went bananas
Gotta give a big shout out to both you and FordTechMakuloko and a few channels i cannot recall the name of right now. Had a job i just finished yesterday to get an '08 fusion firing on all cylinders again, PCM coil driver failure. I would have been up the creek without the vital information you guys provide us. Had to reprogram a JY PCM to get it out of the habit of being a 2.5L V5. Not only do I have a newfound hatred for Fords newer than 1996 (and their software), I have a newfound respect for anyone outside of a dealership that has to deal with these electronics. The tools and licenses and all-around nightmare that is the reprogramming process, in combination with what seems to be half-a$$ed PCM design, must drive you guys to madness dealing with it every day. This is the first one I've dug this deep into, and i feel like i need a vacation. At least that fuse box looked somewhat conventional, unlike the Mopar TIPMs. Thank you for everything you do Mr.O and God bless!
All way's enjoyable to watch an learn,,, Thanks professor.😏
I do all my work outside (98 Jeep Wrangler, 96 Ford Ranger) and it can be a real sh*tshow when I have to deal with glare from a bright sun, sporadic showers, limited room underneath, sliding under with the wrong f*ucking socket, welding (flux core😳) while laying underneath), trying to thread a bolt when it's 15° below zero with the WCF🥶, and any one of a hundred pain in the hoo hoo (yes, that's one of my favorite Eric O lines!) scenarios! Working outside on a vehicle will certainly broaden one's vocabulary in more ways than I care to share! 😆 Great vid, Eric! 👍
just the shear number of pocket screwdrivers you go through is amazing
you are correct Brian is a wealth of ford knowledge as you are on all other vehicles
Flawless diagnosis and repair , awesome Eric ,I owe you alot i really learned alot from you ,thanks brother. .. big fan from Tripoli Libya
I have to say this site is an acquired taste. Of course it still tastes funky. Kidding. I have broadcast SMAR to the masses as quality video and I commend you for sharing a life's work with us.
Love being able to look forward to your case studies on different vehicles! Love love love your info and thank you for uploading to teach us younger tech's! We look up to you SMA . Much love from Atlanta, GA.
That's why we have you Eric, someone that understands all that junk.
Yessiree, as a municipal mechanic, I can attest to having a Ford infestation in our yard. Biggest reason for predominantly blue ovals in fleets is not only cost but the fact that they cater to the upfitter side of things fairly decently. Plane janer, rubber floor, usually provided aux electrical circuits, good PTO support on the powertrain side. But oh mylanta, the bizarre issues. Job security for sure.
Hey we can’t do what you do. I don’t have your resources like you do. But I love to watch this diagnostics. You do Thur. Great.
We love it. Keep up super work.
Thanks for another diag lesson. I just diagnosed a no communication issue on a 2011 chev diesel using your approach and a borrowed scantool. Turned out to be a bad ABS module that would shut the truck down and would not restart.
Thanks again
You both are fantastic Auto Tech/Mechanics. I learn a great deal from both.
I’ve found it easier to keep the older, simpler stuff running than spending a large wad on newer, more complicated, over computerized stuff. And, of course, I avoid the F brand, the C brand and the new D brand of pickups. New is nightmare for me. Just popping the hood is heartburn time.
And waaayyy cheaper! 70k plus interest for a truck full of electronic crap I don’t need or want is not for me. All my friends come by with their shiny new plastic trucks with screens and cameras… then when the lifters or brakes blew up at 6000 miles I drove him over to the dealer to see how much longer it was gonna take to get it back! Three weeks after that he called me for a ride because it wouldn’t start…. 70k $ and 6450 miles… back at the dealership. Vanity…No thanks.
@@trevorjarvis3050 My truck is 20 years old! I don't need the newest crap.
I concur!
I live in California and own a 26 year old Toyota T100. I KNOW it's cleaner and in better shape than almost anything I have ever seen you work on. My hat is off to you for working on these dirty rust buckets and ALWAYS finding the cure and doing your best to fix them. It's a pleasure to watch you in action. Tell Jay I said hello.....
Another great video. Your dissection of the system and logically tracing down the issue is outstanding. Learn something from every video.
I have owned every manufacturer's pickup - ADD when it comes to pickups - and by far the lone Ford I owned was the worst. While I loved its looks, I ended up getting rid of it because it constantly broke down. Stupid little things but rendered the vehicle unusable. My experience with the other brands was entirely different.
I'm in Northern California and have been around heavy earthmoving equipment fleets on the equipment maintenance side for 50+ years , even when I was a kid all the contractors had Ford fleets, very reliable and heavy duty, in 1982 I worked for a mid sized contractor and we had 40 Fords and one Chevy, we needed a 4 door and couldn't get a Ford that year , it was the biggest pile of crap, 2 engines in 20,000 miles and we couldn't put brakes or front end parts on it fast enough, it wasn't because of the driver or terrain it was just junk !! For my money, Fords are the best fleet trucks and have served me very well in my career.
Eric, your opinion of Ford's doesn't effect my opinion of you , You're still the man !!
Sweet, intense diagnosing. Love it
Can’t blame you for frustration. Been there. Will be again. Great video.
I like that I use some of the same tools as a Master Mechanic. Yep, I have the exact same Sharpie marker as Eric O. 👍
I once heard the term "Master Maniac" used to describe said mechanics. :)
STILL THE NUMBER 1 CHANNEL IN MY BOOK.
Just had a fun time with a similar model year 6.2 f250... it was a rotted work truck, and the ignition coil harness had shorted and caught fire, killed 3 coils and drivers for 2 of them in the PCM... I was a lot hotter than you were trying to figure that one out... the burnt spot was tucked behind the cylinder head and the firewall. The shitty design caused it to rub against the head from the engine vibration and shorted a bunch of shit.
As a Diesel tech You're situation sounds like a Royal Pain in the ass❗
My 05 4.6 harness burnt in almost the same spot it sounds like, interesting...
That's what happens when they cut 5mm out of a wiring harness design due to cost.
@@henrydillard6217 must just be a Ford thing lol
Sir. You are simply the BEST at diagnosing and troubleshooting. Great video Stay well
Hey Eric their all junk LOL but that's what keeps you in business. Great fix! I HATE electrical work.
Drinking my coffee from my SMA mug, wearing my SMA t-shirt with my SMA hoodie hanging in the closet (it's still summer in AZ), watching another amazingly helpful video on diagnostic process. These videos should be used in trade schools. I happen to know of one here in the Phoenix area that does, and the kids love them because they learn from them ... all while being entertained. Thank you Eric O.!
I had a 2009 F250 2wd with the exact problem, cost me $350.00 for a 6" piece of wire by a ford tech doing it on the down low. I vowed that would be the las ford I'll ever have.
Ford uses old Radio Shack wire for their cars & trucks.
Hi, Eric. Another great example of detective work. Thanks for sharing! Stay healthy!
Eric, love the channel. 95% of the time I learn something. In this case I was wondering why you didn't chase the relay once you knew that was one of the possibilities? Don't get me wrong, I'm not thinking I'm smarter or better at this (I'm not, believe me). Option 1: the route you chose, eliminated all the other possibilities before coming back to the relay. Option 2: looking at the relay first, to verify its operation and then move on if it's NOT the problem (and look at other fuses and wiring if not). Maybe it was a "coin flip" decision which way you wanted to take it, but if there was a specific reason or thought process, I'd be curious to hear it. And let me say it again for the folks in the back... I'm not questioning Mr O's knowledge or ability or decision making process. I'm not thinking I'm a better technician, or that I'm more experienced. Different people analyze a problem and chose to resolve or troubleshoot in different ways, so I'm just trying to educate myself even more!
Love the channel Eric, I wish I would have had this kind of stuff when I was in my early 20s (I was a tire guy/mechanic's helper at a shop about the size of yours). It's fun, it's educational, and I look forward to every upload.
I love the way you dig in and fix it. It shows tenacity.
Eric, tell us what you really think about Fords. I like fords myself. Enjoyed the video.
It’s ok. We all have bad taste sometimes. 😂
People tend to enjoy this one, I like Ford's like I like cats, I like MY!! Ford's...F- the the other guys ford,lol
I have a few of them 74f350-390/77F100-408/
82f250-300/03f150-4.6,2v All of which IV had and maintained and or Built over a span of many many years the 82 and 03 have well beyond 300000miles and still dead nuts reliable.
Over approx 30 years iv ended up with these running my farm primarily due to super low initial cost,personal mechanical capability and the need or "desire"(77hotrod) for the vehicles capability,great grandaddy used a Ford truck here way back,grandad and dad straight-solid Chevy guys I got the 74F350 back in the early 90's for next to nothing I think I picked it up from a paper for $350 it had burnt valves,cracked exhaust manifold and a hilarious amount of slop in the timing chain and the bed was folded outwards likely from a hay loading accident , I stripped her down put mid 60's era car pistons and timing chain on it bringing compression approx back up to 10 from the stupid low compression in the 70's truck engines,hand ported the factory heads and put a crane cam 4x4 cam(don't know the cut right off but crane cams is long gone anyway,at least as the company it was back then anyway) weiand intake,headers and I converted the points distributor to duraspark2 by swapping the guts with a random dizzy I got from a junkyard and wired that up to a late model wound coil getting away from the p.o.s oil filled coils and bolted her back up to the 4spd granny tranny,4.10 gears I later found a basic steel flatbed used for $150 I put on it and whala,been hauling tractors,hay and whatever ever since,we won't talk about fuel economy or the fact NOW DAYS she wants premium cuz they just sell Otis Campbell's piss at the pumps 😒 but hey thats a strong hard pulling machine for cheap and still going strong with little issues over nearly 30 years almost.
The 77 f100 shortbed I picked up for $400 in around 05 it was a 300/3tree I built a 408 from a 351w for it now I sunk some $$$ in that truck but long story short the 300 later got rebuilt and went into the 82 f250 I got on trade during the hay crisis in 07 iirc it didn't have an engine other wise complete and that's a hell of a truck for basic dirty work , the 03 I picked up off the lot in 06 and it's a great nice looking reliable Daily driver.
I'm curious if anyone bothered to read all that crap,sorry for the rambling.
The F-150 has been the the single best selling vehicle of all makes and models in the USA for 40 straight years, so Ford is obviously doing something right.
Remember; as a mechanic Eric is commenting on Fords from a mechanic's point of view. He is not saying that they are bad vehicles; he is saying that they are designed in such a way that makes them difficult to work on. If you don't work on your Ford.....that doesn't mean a lot to you.
@@JonnyRicter It just proves there's lots of idiots in the USA. LMAO
Love your videos Eric. I have been working at a manufacturing plant for over 40 years working on all types of equipment. When something fails you have to find and fix very quickly and I use a lot of the same logic that you use. I am retiring soon and am trying to train my replacement. Finding someone with these skills are hard to find these days. I would love to see one of you followers make a "best one liners from Eric O." so I could que them up when needed (which is often) while training. I would also like to say you have been a God send to me since my wife passed over Christmas last year from the Covid. It's kept me smiling from day to day. I have got a lot of my co workers watching you now. Everyone will be coming in tomorrow saying "hey, did you see the new vid" and when something fails you'll hear a chorus of " there's your problem lady" Thank you and may God bless.
You know he's feeling hot when Eric actually swears on video!
Thanks for hanging in there - good vid
I guess this just leaves one question...
"What's it got, StuntMAAAAANNNN!!!"
LoL I’ve learned quite a bit about Ford from Brian!! I got my mechanic license at a Chevy school.
When I was working on a fleet of GM and Ford I worked on the GM more.The GM are easier but I found the Fords were more reliable.
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION!!!!! Cool hand Luke!!!! Keep up the great work Eric O !!!!!!!
I was waiting for the quote, Eric! From the Captain's speech " What we've got here is failure to communicate." Cool Hand Luke.
Yeah, good ol' Strother Martin!
You are completely right Eric,, they are I pile of junk. I will never buy a Ford/GM product.
Thanks for all the beautiful work you do for us!
Gotta love that Ford engineering….. What are the two best days when owning a Ford? The day you buy it and the day you sell it…
bought a new 2000f150. drove it 105k miles before selling it. only had one problem, the right rear axle seal started leaking and fixed it myself with a new seal that cost about $7 with new fluid. bought my 2002 7 years and 69k miles old. Now has 167k miles on it with very little repairs, axle bearing, front hubs, tie rod ends, etc. Very reliable truck. Oh yeah, my pcm relay failed and cost me $8 for a new one.
@@williamwhite9767 Every maker has problems. I work as fleet mechanic for thirty plus years. The vehicles were primarily Fords. I cussed at my share of Dodges and Chevy’s too. Oddly, the newer models of all the makes were reliable but stupid things happened. The 6.7 Fords developed oil leaks at the vacuum pumps. Nothing major. Just stupid. Your truck is beyond the spark plug hucker years. Manufacturing cylinder heads with minimal spark plug threads was not one of Ford’s better ideas. It was job security for me.
@@clicks59 The spark plug chunking was from 97 thru 03. I haven't had that issue with the 203k miles I've put on my trucks. Now we know that the plugs need to be tightened to 28 ft lbs not 12 ft lbs in the manual. Still a bad design with only 4 threads. All of the engines of all brands were very reliable until they went to variable cam timing Fords and active fuel management GM, and variable cam timing for the RAM.
I assume you never owned and drove a Volkswagen? Greetings from Germoney.
@@crazyedo9979 Volkswagon’s (peoples’s car) scare me to death!