Eco Boost Ford Truck

[Buzzard]

I think we all have been critical of the automobile manufacturer from time to time when trying to perform a repair or modification on our cars.
I was at a pal's shop the other day and they had a 2013 Ford F150 with the then relatively new Eco Boost V6 twin turbo motor. It had received a timing chain and tensioner kit from somewhere else and now had a "chain" noise. In order to rectify this they had to remove the intercoolers (2?), radiator/transmission cooler, Radiator support & both headlights and who knows what else in order to gain access. It truly looked like the job from hell.
I post this as Studebakers were pretty well thought out for future serviceability albeit well before emissions were mandated further complicating things.
Lets be happy with our choice of vehicles as this Ford was truly a bag of snakes.
Bill

[tsenecal]

I certainly agree. I also have a freind with an auto repair shop. i stopped by the other day, and he was changing a heater core in a 2002 pickup. The entire dash has to come out, resulting in a 10 hr. job. On the new super duty trucks, the cab has to be lifted off the frame to work on the engine. Makes me glad that it's not my daily job.

[Colgate Studebaker]

Bill, I have an '01 Chevy S10 that I bought new and have serviced it myself all these years. I recently smelled a faint hint of antifreeze inside and thought the heater core was on it's way south, so I got one from NAPA and thought it would be a fairly simple job. After trying to figure it out and not having much success, I you tubed the process and was quite surprised. I ended up taking the dash out and everything else closely associated with it, so yes, it took me almost a day to get the job done. I'm glad I don't try to make my living as an automotive wrench any more. Bill

[8E45E]

Lets be happy with our choice of vehicles as this Ford was truly a bag of snakes.

You mean they made a Cobra version?

Craig

[fargoguy]

I certainly agree. I also have a freind with an auto repair shop. i stopped by the other day, and he was changing a heater core in a 2002 pickup. The entire dash has to come out, resulting in a 10 hr. job. On the new super duty trucks, the cab has to be lifted off the frame to work on the engine. Makes me glad that it's not my daily job.

Not entirely true- The cab is built to come off for engine removal, or for major top end work- ie head gaskets. For most light repairs, the cab stays in place. The cab is off in approx. 2 hours normally- allowing technicians to work in a much more back-friendly position for major work.

[62champ]

My father's last truck was a short bed 1996 F150. He dropped it off at a good friend's shop to have the front tank fuel pump replaced. When he returned to the shop a short time later, all he said he could see was a red short bed eight feet in the air above his truck. When he asked the owner why that was, Cliff told him it is easier to pull the bed bolts out and thrown it up in the air as opposed to dropping the tank itself.

And then there are some things that are super easy to remove and replace on modern vehicles. The HVAC system blower motor on our 2009 F150 had a growl at low speeds - truck spent first three years of its life in Texas - ie, system was never turned off. $70 from RockAuto and with the electrics clip unplugged, there were three 10 mm bolts and it fell out on the floorboard - new one shoved in the hole and zipped back up - total job took less than 10 minutes...

[Dean McHenry]

That is by far the easiest way to replace a fuel pump in any ford /chevy or dodge. The Fords are the best as the bolts that hold the bed down are inside the bed ,ya don't have to crawl around under the truck like the Chevys. As far as accessing the engines on the super duty trucks, the cab is actually pretty easy to remove and you have great access after that. Its just that you need a lift to do the job.. Been there done that.. DMc

[Packard53]

The only thing I can say is that the shop I take my cars to get repaired is that the mechanics and owner who have pickup trucks all drive Chevy or GMC pickups.

John S.