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Counterman.com has a crack team of past Counter Professionals of the Year, editors and
and technicians at the ready to answer your technical and general business queries.
Our experts will tackle your questions and post the answers online.
Want to participate? If you have what it takes to be an Ask A CounterPro board member,
please email editor Mark Phillips, mphillips@babcox.com and tell him.
Ask the Counterpro isn't for questions that need immediate answers. (i.e. If someone's at the counter or on the telephone with you, we won't be able to respond that quickly.)
Recent Questions
Displaying 1 to 8 of 8
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I've got a '93 Honda Accord while sitting at red light, or just ideling in the driveway, the steering wheel shakes quite hard. I've been up, down, in, and out of the column and yet I can't figure out what's going on. Any advice?
The most likely problem is that an engine mount, or multiple mounts, are broken or collapsed. This '93 Accord has a very expensive, vacuum-actuated hydraulic mount which is activated by high manifold vacuum at idle. It's very likely this mount which has collapsed.
Jim O'Neill - Chino Autotech Inc., Auto Club SoCal AAR
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I have a 98 Cavalier. I bought it with a bad timing chain, put a new timing chain and tensioner on it, and before it quit running, it was making a noise that sounded like the timing chain did when I bought it. But, as I mentioned, it quit running. I was going 65mph, it died and would not start, and still will not start. I attempted to read the codes in it, and it had none. It has fire, and I intend to check for compression and fuel. Any ideas what would cause the timing chain to make that noise, or why it died?
If the timing chain let go at 65 mph, I would consider having the valves check to see if they are bent. At that speed, it is very possible that one or more valves are bad.
Jerry Ives
Assistant Professor, Parts Technology
Alfred State College, Wellsville Campus (N.Y.)
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I have a '98 Ford Mustang 6. When on an incline it jerks, like a miss.
Under acceleration, no problem. On the Super Slab up to 95-100 fine. It idles fine. We replaced wires, plugs, coil, all four CO2 sensors, ERG valve, ERG sensor, cam and crank sensors, three injectors, cooling fan motor. It's at the third shop now. I know other guys with the same thing.
Could this be an issue? Was the crank pulley, harmonic balancer removed or replaced?
Jim O'Neill - Chino Autotech Inc., Auto Club SoCal AAR
ISSUE:
The Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) may illuminate and set Diagnostic Trouble Code(s) (DTC) P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304, P0305, P0306, P0307, or P0308 on some vehicles. This may be due to the pulse ring of the crankshaft pulley and damper assembly being removed, replaced or reinstalled. This causes an incompatibility with the profile correction, or "learning", data stored within the Powertrain Control Module (PCM), which will illuminate the MIL when the engine is started.
ACTION:
Remove the negative battery cable for at least 5 minutes to erase the
original profile correction memory when removing, replacing, or reinstalling a pulse ring.
Source: ALLDATAPRO ONLINE
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I have an '03 Cobra S/C, made minor modifications to the blower pulley, air intake and exhaust. Do i need to have my ecu re-progammed?
Yes, if you are going to take full advantage of the modifications.
--Andrew Markel
Editor/ASE Certified Automotive Technician
Editor, Brake & Front End magazine
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A customer recently came into my store looking for a PCV valve for a 2004 Ford F-150 with a Triton 5.4L. The part he was given wasn't anything like what he needed. My question is two-fold, 1) What are the Ford engineers thinking and 2) what is the correct part? It looks nothing like a normal
PCV valve, it has a wiring harness connector on it. The worst part is, none of our vendors offered anything like it. Not even Motorcraft.
Currently, Ford uses heated and non-heated PCV valves. The purpose of the PCV heater is to prevent the PCV valve from freezing in cold ambient temperatures. Heated PCV valves are heated either by water or electric.
Water heated systems use engine coolant to heat the valve to prevent freezing. Electrically heated systems use a heating element enclosed in the PCV valve to prevent the valve from freezing.
Ford currently uses two types of electrically heated PCV valve systems:
* Thermal harness controlled - On vehicle application that are equipped with a thermal harness to the PCV valve. The thermal harness only provides electrical continuity to the heating element when temperature are less than
40°F (5°C +/- 7°F (+/- 4°C)) . Typically this harness is located close to the PCV valve.
* PCM heater controlled - On these applications the PCV heater is turned on by the PCM. When the intake air temperature is less than 32°F (0°C) the PCM grounds the Positive Crankcase Ventilation Valve Heater Control (PCVHC) circuit and turns the heater ON. When the intake air temperature exceeds 48°F (9°C) the heater is turned OFF. The PCV heater is also OFF when the engine is not running to prevent unnecessary battery drain. The heater is also OFF if the vehicle charging system is above 16 volts. This minimizes heater element overload.
Courtesy ALLDATA
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When I start a Ford Explorer 4.0 SOHC from a cold start, it will rough idle for 5-7 minutes and I must keep my foot on the pedal. Once it's warmed up, it will idle smoothly. What could cause this?
Anything from an ECT (engine coolant temperature sensor), a faulty IAC
(idle air control valve), intake manifold or post MAF (mass airflow) sensor
to old, worn-gap spark plugs can cause poor running when cold. Check the
plugs and retrieve any DTC (diagnostic trouble codes) for a more clear
picture of the problem.
Jim O'Neill
Chino Autotech Inc., Auto Club SoCal AAR
SAE Int'l SoCal Section Board of Governors
Vice Chair, Service Technology Programs
NASTF Service Information/Communications Committees
Auto Value/Bumper-To-Bumper CSC Nat'l Council
ASE CMAT-L1, CA. Smog Check Technician
AMI AAM Accredited Automotive Manager
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What can be the first part to replace when trying to increase horsepower on a 4.6 engine?
Depending on how much horsepower you are looking for, the simplest solution is to make your vehicle breath better. Think of an engine as a large air pump, the easier you can bring air in and have it exhaust, the better it will perform. I would suggest change the air filter to a performance or cold air induction system and enlarging the exhaust. You may be able to increase your HP from 5 to 12 percent, and it is less work and not as expensive. If you want to be more radical, look into seeing what performance parts are available, and talk to your machinist to see what can be accomplished.
Jerry Ives
Assistant Professor, Parts Technology
Alfred State College, Wellsville Campus
www.alfredstate.edu
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I have a 2004 Ford E350 with a V10 6.8L gas engine. I need a Fuel Rail Pressure Sensor. Motorcraft does not list it. My local (large) Ford Dealer parts counterman concluded the engine must not have that part. But, there definitely is one on my engine. How can I get the part number (and part) when my Ford contacts say there isn't such a thing?
Where is the old part? I have seen few late model Ford sensors without an OE number on it somewhere that could be cross-referenced by the dealer, e-catalog interchanges or just by doing an Internet browser search on the number. Also, have you checked the ALLDATA and Mitchell-type component locators? Still "funny" how the names of sensors are not universal, but this makes our job more challenging and can make you stand out if you are persistent and keep trying.
Harris Steinberg
Morris Auto Parts Inc.
Philadelphia, PA
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