So driving in my 1990 f150 that Ive now ownd less than a year. Just about worked all the kinks up to this point. I suddenly have a loss of pwr steering. After a min or 2 of attempting to find a parking lot the temp and voltage is going crazy. Both needles are jumping and as I pop the hood with the truck running everything looked ok but smelt horrible. (Keep in mind its dark raining and cold). I limped it home and the next morning the belt was slung off and wrapped around the fan. I inspected the belt and all looked ok. I went to replace it with a known good one and found the tensioner assembly was leaning toward me as I tried to turn the tensioner to install the belt. Come to find out a heli-coil was installed in the block INCORRECTLY and only 1/3 of it had actually been sitting in the block. Needless to say the heli-coil strectched causing this whole ordeal.

After cleaneing the block, drilling it out to correct there screw up and installing a keen-sert all is better. I hated having to use a keen-sert in a block but its an everyday driver and it was installed with correct tools.

* note * for the person that installed that heli-coil, not everything can be fixed with duct tape and super glue.

 

I think I bought a couple of trucks from the same guy.....

 

what? didn't find any zip-ties?

 

whats wrong with zipties?

havent u ever owned a race car? pop rivets and zipties

 

Probably an aircraft mechanic.

 

Zipties,duct tape,and pop rivets thats how they build toyotas lol

 

and I can't figure out why pilots are not allowed to work on THEIR planes .. I mean if I'm gonna trust my butt going into the air in the thing, do ya think I'm gonna skimp and skip? (we are allowed to do oil changes, tire changes, and other basics) ..

Most A&Ps (Airframe & Powerplant mechanics, the correct term) are just like your local Midas or Goodyear shop mechanics, pushed by company to get the SOB out the door for the lowest cost possible (while charging the owner big time) though they do have to sign off on their work .. and the FAA will find you if you worked on a plane that goes down ..

kinda why I like to fly myself instead of going commercial .. I know MY limitations, and will either not go or get 'er down before it gets beyond my ablilities .. I don't go tired, drunk, or otherwise less than 'at my best' ..

they are well trained and know what should be done, but they don't get to make that decision (if they wanna keep their job) ..

 

Sad thing is it might not have been done by the PO. I bought a truck a couple years back off a young guy. been out of high school a couple years. Found 2 1/2" shoes inside 3" drums, tab for the alt was broke off and epoxy stick crap was almost trying to hold it on, trans lines rotted out to the rat so they just bypassed the rat and used only the after market cooler... yea hes snow plowing that will work! The list goes on. I spent a little time with the guy talked with him for a couple hours ... I know he was not working on this truck. He was a landscaper and was asking me to look at his one mower cause it was not runing correct and wanted to see if He could trade me work on his mowers for a year for the truck.

LOL I seen way too many head aches down that road.

Here there are a lot of little one and two bay shops doing auto work and they band aid it and send it out the door. Hell there's a large place up the road I think they have like 18 bays... I would not let them put a lug nut on my tractor! And I'm sure there are some small places do great work .... however in my area its pretty hard to find a place that does good honest work on a car or truck.

SO don't always be one to rush off and blame the PO.. however if you know for a fact it was him ...... then by all means! LOL