Hey Nor Cal Peeps,

Anyone have a good shop they would recomend. I am currently using my local guy, but he admits he is no diesel guy. So I am looking for a good/resonable shop in the east bay.

Thanks,
Tom

 

Depending what you need done. Richard's in Livermore is a good (from what I understand) reputable shop for general repair. Not a performance guy. There used to be a kinda performance shop on First street someplace the name escapes me at the moment.
There is a guy in Pleasanton off Stanley who works on a friends 97 PSD. I'll ask him the name and post it up.

 

i do all my owrk my self

 

yeah bud, depends on what you want or need done... performance, or general repair type stuff? As for general repair type stuff, me and joe are both do-it-yourselfers. I know I never have a problem helping a feller stroker out. I'm trying to get together a group of guys up here in the bay that can all pull together to help each other. When I was living down in socal, I had a real good buddy who was a stroker and a machinist by trade, we had a buddy who had an exhaust shop, we worked on each others truck in our driveways, myself and another buddy were offroad fabricators, and we all learned and helped each other out. I sold some parts to a guy out in Gilroy last week and he's fixin to come on to FTE now and pitch in and learn some stuff. So if you need help, we got guys around and DIY stuff always helps save the dollars and cents!!! As for a shop... uh... most guys I know around here that arent DIY diesel mechs like myself, take their trucks to the dealership. The Ford and Sterling truck center in Oakland has some pretty decent folk, I always go there for parts and such, or call with questions. If you are looking for performance, stay away from shops up here because they are going to default you to Banks or Bullydog which are all run of the mill crap mods. There are way better ways to get what you might be looking for

 

I am very much a DIY guy, but do to an accident several years ago, I cannot do much heavy work. (long story, involves mountain bike and 5 surguries..lol no scars no proof.. they say)

I picked up this truck last month, and its hasnt been maintained. I really need a person who does some body work, I have some rust issues and a hole in the cab that needs attention.

As for the drivetrain, have some oil leaks that need attention, the truck doesnt idle up in the morning, so something is there. And some electrical issues, which I am working on myself, but I am limited with mobility of my arms.

I will need front suspension work, various minor issues there.

Performance mods, I will only do a few minor once the truck is back to normal condition.

Thanks for the responses.

-Tom

 

give use a list i can weild and i do know my way around a stroke what all in detail needs to be done

 

Yeah bud, let us know, we'll hep ya out!!

 

I think the name of another place is Left Coast Diesel. Also may be called tri valley performance.

 

Gill's Body Works in Pleasanton does good work. The only folks I trust for front end issues is Walt's in San Ramon / Danville. If you need it scanned I can do that for if need be.

 

A current short list....

Rust in cab, hole needs fixed asap.

Oil Leaks (not sure where, but it needs fixed)

Power Stearing leaking/making noise (checked level, currently ok, so its a slow leak)

Front suspension noise, thump sound when hitting any rough spots on road. Almost seems like the leaf bushings, but they look ok.

I think there is something up with the cold idle.

Thats the current hit list.

I am working with a friend this weekend to do the ball joints, they were SHOT.... not bad... SHOT completley trashed...lol

-Tom

 

If you need the press kit PM me.

 

Man.... I did need it, but I rented one... Thanks for the offer though...

 

Chances are its your turbo pedestal Orings. Could be the HPOP as well. Either one is an afternoon's worth of work.

Replace the PS pump before it becomes a BIG leak. Your PS also provides your power brakes. I have an OEM PS pump woth about 2000 miles on it if you want one cheap. You will need the Oring and Teflon seal. I don't know if Ford sells them separate or not.

Typically, the bushings in the sway bar endlinks wear out and cause exactly what you are describing. Riffraff Diesel: Sway Bar Bushings

Give us a little more description than that. These trucks have some character when they are cold. What seems odd may be normal but then again it may not.

I am about an hour from you but would be willing to meet up on a weekend to help with some of this. Let me know

 

The oil leak is a priority.

Thanks for the info on the swaybar bushings, I will look at that today.

Updates as the day goes..lol

 

Ball Joints - Done

Found out that the prev owner was a hack, the hub on the drivers side is missing the 'slotted' washer and one of the other three inside the hub. So now I need to redo my work in the next few days with the parts to fix the auto hub. (anyone got suggestions on good kits, I may just replace everything with the hubs at once, I still want to use them as auto lock, with manual override)

Oil leak, yeah I am still hunting this one down. I may not just know where to look. Engine is pretty dirty. I may just go to parts store and get the dye and check with a light.

I will check and see if Ford sells the seals. If so I would be interested in the pump.

Cold idle issue is: the truck doesnt idle up at all when cold. I would expect it to do so until it warms up a bit.

thanks for the help guys... I will call Gils to get an appointment for a price on the body work I need done.

-Tom