What did YOU do today?

[Blmpkn]

Helped a coworker run a squish test on his f150 when we got back to the shop (2018 2.7). He started experiencing a misfire last week.. changed the plugs.. still missing. Swapped coils around.. the miss stayed on the same cylinder (#6).

Whelp.. hole 6 only wants to make 75lbs while the one in front of it would do a bit over 150. She's cooked.

~130k miles on the truck.. bought it when it had 90k just a couple years ago. Feel bad for him.. he gave up Ford's for GMs probably 20 years ago.. decided to hop back.. poor guy.. he's picking which dealer to leave it with now. Hopefully it's just a top end issue and he can get back on the road with a new head.. well see.


Also got a call from the garage concerning the bronco that I didn't really wanna get NAPA (NeverAnyPartsAvailable) doesn't have gaskets for the trans pan or the rear diff cover and they can't get any from ford until mid-morning tomorrow.. that's not a big deal really.. what bummed me out was hearing that the whole shebang is gonna cost me 400 more dollars than anticipated ugh.

 

[sgtsandman]

Today was lawn work day since it is supposed to rain until Friday. Cut the grass and edged the front side walk since the grass is trying to grow over it. The yard could have used a run at it with a string trimmer as well but I can do that when the grass is wet. So, I passed.

 

[JohnnyO]

Not today. But went with my buddy Isaiah to buy his son his first truck. Well, first vehicle period. Being it was a Ranger he wanted me to go with. We looked it over and he brought it home. It a 2002 XL long bed. I was worried the 16 year old would be turned off by the long bed but he actually was excited. Its a 3.0, 5 speed manual 2wd. Was a cabinet shop that had it and it been sitting for a little over a year since they purchased a 21 super cab to replace it. Started right up and drove great. They had all the maintenance records with 155k on the odometer. He's super excited and I turned him on to the website. I received about 100 questions after that from 5.0 swap to 4wd conversions. I'm happy it worked out. Isaiah said this morning he was soooo stocked to drive it to school this morning. I was so stoked to see someone so young excited about the Ranger.

A 3.0 is reliable as dirt and doesn't make enough power that a 16 year-old will hurt himself.
My first Ranger was a 99 Supercab 4x4 with a 3.slow and 5-speed. Good on gas for a 4x4 but on long hills on the highway (I live in PA) I'd be down to 3rd gear with my foot to the floor going 50 mph.

 

[JohnnyO]

I wouldn't use a rheostat. That motor isn't designed to do that and you're not likely to find a rheostat rated for it. Changing the voltage with a rheostat is going to mess with the current and torque capability. Your best choices are mechanically through different pulley ratios or electrically with a variable frequency drive (VFD) rated for a single phase motor of that size. AC motor speed is tied to frequency. Reducing the voltage will reduce the counterEMF in the windings and drive current up. But, frequency will remain the same, so the motor will be trying to run at the same speed it was designed for.

When you think of an old style corded hand-held drill that had a rheostat in the trigger, that was a "universal motor". It was actually capable of running on AC or DC it had brushes and a commutator so that the armature winding field strength could be adjusted with the rheostat. Your drill press has a single phase capacitor start AC motor that is a totally different beast, electrically.

That's why Jim pays you the big money.

 

[racsan]

Got a call on the way home that the wifes escape (the ‘11 awd V6) didnt want to start, ignition switch again, I bought one a few months ago when it started acting up but then we had a cold snap & it started working right again & I forgot about it, She did get it to start by pushing in and turning, I get home & could not find that thing anywhere. Ordered another one but thinking of putting a push button under the dash. Ordered a iac valve & some vacuum line for the F150, my escape hasn’t had the ignition issue but hers has done this before. Need to clean up my garage, maybe I will find a few things. I admit its a mess.

 

[Angry Possum]

Took out the Ride on Mower. Did some weeding in the yard. I think I found the issue with my starter, troubleshooted it all day.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Got a call on the way home that the wifes escape (the ‘11 awd V6) didnt want to start, ignition switch again, I bought one a few months ago when it started acting up but then we had a cold snap & it started working right again & I forgot about it, She did get it to start by pushing in and turning, I get home & could not find that thing anywhere. Ordered another one but thinking of putting a push button under the dash. Ordered a iac valve & some vacuum line for the F150, my escape hasn’t had the ignition issue but hers has done this before. Need to clean up my garage, maybe I will find a few things. I admit its a mess.

My 2011 Escape is doing the same thing. I ordered and received a new switch but haven't bothered to install it yet. While watching YouTube on how to install, I ran across a video that showed how you can fix the old. The problem is that the switch doesn't press inward enough to engage inside the cokumn as material has worn away. So if I press the key in towards the column, it starts every time. I'll wait until it starts screwing up again...

 

[scotts90ranger]

Here's a few pics from the weekend, first the area I tilled up to flatten it out, maybe 20x40, then the nice prybar I found in that, then the wrench with the fun little label I found on the side, it's a good thing it's labeled, I hate when my tools are partially drop forged...