Folks, since its a Ford issue that I don't think is applicable to any GM stuff, this might be a waste of time for everyone here.
But its an issue that might rear up and bite someone in the butt if they ever encounter it on a Ford, so here goes.
Friend of mine who owns a wrecker service recently bought a new 550 Ford diesel wrecker.
The engine size escapes me at the moment, but if needed, I can get it.
Its a fairly popular engine, and he has two or three other trucks with that same engine including his personal vehicle.
He has an in-house shop for most of the repair work, and he does maintenance like most of wish we did.
I think this truck has about 30K or so on it, and he has already done two oil and filter changes on it.
Along with fuel filters.
Last week, his driver was heading down I-10, when a "low fuel pressure-reduce power" warning popped up on the dash.
After that, if he tried to go over about 45, the engine would shut down.
He limped along like that the rest of his calls until they could get a different truck to him.
Since it was well in warranty, and the local Ford dealer is pretty good with big diesels, it went into the shop.
They said it was a bad sensor and ordered one.
New sensor, truck cranked and ran fine, out it went. About an hour later, same thing, back into the shop.
Yesterday, they found the problem and fixed it.
It seems that on all the trucks up to about this one, one of the fuel filters is a plastic spin on type.
Apparently has a nut or something on it that you use to remove and put it back on.
If you put on the new one, tighten it until the rubber gasket touches and continue honking down on it, you will crack the plastic housing.
So, the shop guy knows to tighten it until it touches and then give a slight more torque.
He has been doing the filter changes on the other trucks for years, and has it down pat.
This new one is different. When you are replacing the filter there are a couple of tabs involved.
I guess one on the filter and one on the truck.
When the filter gets tight, you don't stop. You keep on tightening until the tabs hit.
This is a lot tighter than the old filters. So, he put on this filter the same as he has always done, and it let it suck air.
One the one hand, they were glad it was not something major, but it still ticked them off that it was a problem they caused themselves.
BTW, the Ford place said that you want to be sure to stop when the tabs touch.
If you power past them, things break and it takes about $500 to replace the parts........
If anyone needs more info, let me know. All I have to do is ask my friend.
Of course, if the dealer he bought the truck from had done his part and sent all the owner's manuals and stuff that was supposed to come with the truck like he promised, this might not have happened.
The shop guy sits down and reads the manuals on all new equipment just for that reason.....
It was a show deal from one of the big wrecker shows, so all the usual stuff was not included. The dealer promised he would send it right out, but never did.
He got a really nasty voice mail after they found out what was wrong.
BTW, the wrecker shows are called a Tow Show. I always chuckle when I hear that.
I have this vision of a bunch of feet............
But its an issue that might rear up and bite someone in the butt if they ever encounter it on a Ford, so here goes.
Friend of mine who owns a wrecker service recently bought a new 550 Ford diesel wrecker.
The engine size escapes me at the moment, but if needed, I can get it.
Its a fairly popular engine, and he has two or three other trucks with that same engine including his personal vehicle.
He has an in-house shop for most of the repair work, and he does maintenance like most of wish we did.
I think this truck has about 30K or so on it, and he has already done two oil and filter changes on it.
Along with fuel filters.
Last week, his driver was heading down I-10, when a "low fuel pressure-reduce power" warning popped up on the dash.
After that, if he tried to go over about 45, the engine would shut down.
He limped along like that the rest of his calls until they could get a different truck to him.
Since it was well in warranty, and the local Ford dealer is pretty good with big diesels, it went into the shop.
They said it was a bad sensor and ordered one.
New sensor, truck cranked and ran fine, out it went. About an hour later, same thing, back into the shop.
Yesterday, they found the problem and fixed it.
It seems that on all the trucks up to about this one, one of the fuel filters is a plastic spin on type.
Apparently has a nut or something on it that you use to remove and put it back on.
If you put on the new one, tighten it until the rubber gasket touches and continue honking down on it, you will crack the plastic housing.
So, the shop guy knows to tighten it until it touches and then give a slight more torque.
He has been doing the filter changes on the other trucks for years, and has it down pat.
This new one is different. When you are replacing the filter there are a couple of tabs involved.
I guess one on the filter and one on the truck.
When the filter gets tight, you don't stop. You keep on tightening until the tabs hit.
This is a lot tighter than the old filters. So, he put on this filter the same as he has always done, and it let it suck air.
One the one hand, they were glad it was not something major, but it still ticked them off that it was a problem they caused themselves.
BTW, the Ford place said that you want to be sure to stop when the tabs touch.
If you power past them, things break and it takes about $500 to replace the parts........
If anyone needs more info, let me know. All I have to do is ask my friend.
Of course, if the dealer he bought the truck from had done his part and sent all the owner's manuals and stuff that was supposed to come with the truck like he promised, this might not have happened.
The shop guy sits down and reads the manuals on all new equipment just for that reason.....
It was a show deal from one of the big wrecker shows, so all the usual stuff was not included. The dealer promised he would send it right out, but never did.
He got a really nasty voice mail after they found out what was wrong.
BTW, the wrecker shows are called a Tow Show. I always chuckle when I hear that.
I have this vision of a bunch of feet............
