The value of good parts

[OR VietVet]

A friend at my American Legion has a 2003 Ford Escape. One day the car would not start. He had it towed to a local shop he had used before. They got it started but intermittently it would not start. They installed a fuel pump, relay and a fuel filter. Ever since then he said would run but would flash a low fuel light when his gauge said half tank and he would only put in 8 gallons and then the gauge read full. He also had a code related to fuel tank capacity error, can't remember what code I pulled out of it. He did not have this problem till pump was installed. I told him, after many questions, that it sounds like a cheap fuel pump. He wanted me to change the pump. I ordered in a Motorcraft pump and a Motorcraft relay. The access was under the rear seat. Easy access. I did the pump and relay in one hour and I charged him $60 and I also did some clean up that the other shop did not do. The hole where the pump mounts has a raised hat area where the big round lock collar threads down to hold pump in place. Lots of dirt and broken nut shells there. I cleaned that S-p-I-c-and-span before old pump removal. It amazed me that the shop did not clean that area. Ran great and he has driven for 2 weeks now and he went below 1/4 tank, on purpose, and only got the warning light at 1/8th tank and no CEL.

 

[Fless]

I recall you mentioning this as an upcoming job, and wondered how it came out. Thanks for following up, and with the quality recommendation. Buy once, cry once. Or do the job over and over, probably at more cost than using the OE part to begin with.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yea, the job went pretty smooth. You could see, at the old pump, the difference in quality for the resistor scale the little fingers of the float arm rubbed against. He was amazed when I showed him. I gave him the old parts and he was gonna see about getting at least money back for them. I have not heard back from him yet on that info. He was also gonna show them the pic of the filthy area where the work was done, that I cleaned out. He has reported back to me, 3 times now, that all is working as it should with no false "low fuel" light coming on since the first time described in my post. It only made sense that it was crappy parts, when he described all his concerns. When I questioned him, I was very thorough and left no stoned unturned. He told me, no shop had ever asked so many questions before working on any of his vehicles and he is 76 years old.

 

[RedInCo]

My best "bad parts" story was points I got for my 73 Super Beetle. KMart "Road Baron" brand. The metal arm on the points snapped in half while I was driving down the road. Great fun changing points when it is -7 degrees F and windy out, while wearing the clothes you chose for a Florida vacation.

 

[OR VietVet]

I recall you mentioning this as an upcoming job, and wondered how it came out. Thanks for following up, and with the quality recommendation. Buy once, cry once. Or do the job over and over, probably at more cost than using the OE part to begin with.

That is why I tell people here, that I work on their rigs, that I stipulate the part manufacturer or I will not do the labor, or if I do allow them to supply a part that I don't agree with, the labor rate jumps from $50 an hour to $75 an hour. Any way we do it, I still give no parts warranty because I am not making anything off of the parts. They do pay me shop supplies that I have to use and any fees I will incur disposing of them. All of that is stipulated up front, American Legion member or not.

The American Legion here is getting ready to pay me $40 an hour for changing the belts on a Husqvarna riding lawn mower, change the blades, oil and filter change and air filter change and change the plug(s). I also ordered the parts today at RA for a member's 89 Chevy K2500. New AC Delco radiator, water pump, thermostat, coolant reservoir bottle and cap and new radiator cap and even bought the 50/50 mix of coolant from RA. I will be doing the water hose flush while apart. Another member, husband of the K2500 truck, has a 2001 Ranger with a 2.3 4 cyl. engine. I have already replaced the rf and rr park light and taillight assemblies and put new struts on his rear canopy. I ordered a new oil filter and oil for the truck yesterday and when I do the oil change, I am gonna pull some CEL codes he is complaining about. It idles rough, so I bet it has misfire codes and he says he does remember if or when plugs and wires were changed. I plan to stay busy just from my Legion post.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

What happened? Doing work for others? You still haven't replaced the steering wheel on your own truck.

 

[OR VietVet]

What happened? Doing work for others? You still haven't replaced the steering wheel on your own truck.

Been thinking about that. There is a 1/2" long scratch on the underside where my right pinky sits and it bugs me sometimes.

 

[grouch]

A friend at my American Legion has a 2003 Ford Escape. One day the car would not start. He had it towed to a local shop he had used before. They got it started but intermittently it would not start. They installed a fuel pump, relay and a fuel filter. Ever since then he said would run but would flash a low fuel light when his gauge said half tank and he would only put in 8 gallons and then the gauge read full. He also had a code related to fuel tank capacity error, can't remember what code I pulled out of it. He did not have this problem till pump was installed. I told him, after many questions, that it sounds like a cheap fuel pump. He wanted me to change the pump. I ordered in a Motorcraft pump and a Motorcraft relay. The access was under the rear seat. Easy access. I did the pump and relay in one hour and I charged him $60 and I also did some clean up that the other shop did not do. The hole where the pump mounts has a raised hat area where the big round lock collar threads down to hold pump in place. Lots of dirt and broken nut shells there. I cleaned that S-p-I-c-and-span before old pump removal. It amazed me that the shop did not clean that area. Ran great and he has driven for 2 weeks now and he went below 1/4 tank, on purpose, and only got the warning light at 1/8th tank and no CEL.

One has to wonder how hard it is to blow the area clean with an air gun. I dread working on something that someone else worked on, when they had no clue. Especially when the previous owner had installed a "system" but cheaped out and instead of using the proper adapter, cut and spliced the wires, Then, when selling the car, just cut and jerked the system.

Every job I do, I do like it was my own. I don't like doing a job twice.

 

[OR VietVet]

One has to wonder how hard it is to blow the area clean with an air gun. I dread working on something that someone else worked on, when they had no clue. Especially when the previous owner had installed a "system" but cheaped out and instead of using the proper adapter, cut and spliced the wires, Then, when selling the car, just cut and jerked the system.

Every job I do, I do like it was my own. I don't like doing a job twice.

I have to sleep at night. I have to do the work like it was my own, too. My reputation is on the line at my Legion Post. I depend on an ad on the bulletin board and word of mouth. So far so good. Done more vehicles and now have parts ordered for an oil change on a 2001 Ranger and read/fix codes he has a CEL on for. I also have a 1989 K2500 5.7 engine, The Ranger guy's wife, to do a radiator, upper and lower hoses, reservoir bottle and cap, thermostat when all her parts come in and she needs other work I am going to do down the road: front axle seals, oil cooler hoses, transfer case output seal, a/c compressor, orifice, accumulator, low pressure switch, power steering pump, upper and lower complete arms, links and sway bar frame bushings.

 

[grouch]

Folks used to make fun of how long I take doing things. Rather than slap a new hose on, I take time to consider how to orient the hose clamp in case I have to go back in later. I also look at rub points and use a section of old hose to keep the new one from wearing through like the old one did.

I'm going to pick up a car today to replace the Furd. It will let me finish my nieces drivers training (She's had her license for 15 or so years) as well as start teaching her husband how to fix his own equipment. He wants to learn to drive it too, so they will both get their final training in using a Millennial Anti Theft device.

The Furd went to a kid who got it for his first vehicle. He can get in where I suspect the electrical problem is. My arthritic joints can't bend properly anymore.