[Guest]

Sorry, but after receiving just one response on a thread about a problem I'm having with a 97 4X4 automatic transmission, I have to ask if there are any qualified mechanics on this site?
I'm confused. Whenever someone needs help on a forum, I go out of my way to help if I can. Is this some kind of good old boys club on this site that provides no help for new members, or 'outsiders' ?
If there are real mechanics out there that aren't willing to provide information, why bother being a member of the forum?
I can't hardly believe that there is only one person on this forum that knows anything about the automatic transmissions used in the Rangers. Dumbfounded is more accurate.
The response is a major disappointment, to say the least.

Thanks to the one and only person that gave his time and knowledge to try and help me out.

As for those that know what I need to do but choose not to chime in...karma is a biotch. Maybe someday you'll be looking for help in my area of expertise and I'll just take the I can't be bothered approach.

[Canuck623]

Well guest, I usually help someone that has enough sense to at least use a name in their profile. As for helping you I may have missed your question, after all I do not get in here every day to check. The advice you got may also have been deemed ok by me or other readers and we could have decided to pass. To answer your rather rude question about qualifications, yes I am a professional technician. I have been fixing Fords since 1969 and just about any regular on here will tell you how accurate I am. The attitude I get from your post tells me that in the future you will get a pass from me again. Karma is indeed a biotch and there appears to be a boat load on it's way to you. See yah....don't let that door knob hit you in the ass on the way out. No one is gonna touch your issues now.

Another thing....I went back and found your question....Boghog gave you good advice which we wouldn't know if you tried it or not or whether it worked or not because you didn't post back any results. Instead you come back on here and try bitching and complaining. Yep that's how I get help. That year of trans is famous for several issues. All of which require an overhaul.

[Graybeard]

Well said, Canuck. Why should a pro be expected to give free advice? Try getting that from a lawyer. Their livelihood is their knowledge.

I also refrain from replying to questions from people who don't list their location, like you're going to slide down the internet tubes and steal their firstborn. Location often has everything to do with problems, as much as year and model of car and mileage.

Rant mode off now.

[Boghog]

Originally Posted by Graybeard

Well said, Canuck. Why should a pro be expected to give free advice? Try getting that from a lawyer. Their livelihood is their knowledge. I also refrain from replying to questions from people who don't list their location, like you're going to slide down the internet tubes and steal their firstborn. Location often has everything to do with problems, as much as year and model of car and mileage. Rant mode off now.

Oh so harsh, Graybeard, especially for someone that comes from the I want everything for free state, CA.

There are quite a few professionals here on this site, people like Canuck, MissInformation, Skyhawk and the list goes, on that enjoy helping others out, (for free). A lot of it comes down to time. We do not monitor this place 24-7, (we have a life too), waiting for the next great question to be asked.

Granted, Guest's comment was uncalled for, but sometimes people are under the gun for some repairs, like the only time they have to work on their car is the weekend. Lets call it being anxious for a response.

As far as location, does it really matter. If climate conditions were that relevant, the person providing the advice would ask.


MissInformation and myself do not provide our location, yet more than a few people trust us.

Guest was wrong in his comment, but will that stop me from answering any more of his questions, probably not. I believe in paying it forward.

And my rant mode is never off, I think they call it free speech.

[geezerb]

To All;

I have a way of dealing with questions I have asked on this forum or any others I take part in.

If there are no responces to my problem, I figure it was either a really dorky question, I have asked it in a very dorky way or noone has read it yet.

I would never want to pay for the information or to even be asked to pay.

Whether I get an answer or not, I'll get my money's worth because free is a good price.

Bill

[Skyhawk]

Thank you Bog for including my name in that list. I do not know of anyone on this forum who is not here to help and learn. We are "car guys", or back in the day what we used to call "motor heads". Like Canuck I passed on your first post because I thought Bog gave you a viable way to approach the problem. I would expect you to try what was suggested and get back to us if that did not work. We would then make additional suggestions. That is more or less how it works here. We cannot apply all of our senses to your problem, that is we cannot see the problem, smell the problem, touch the problem, hear the problem, or taste the problem (?). We can only work with what you tell us, and often there is no magical first reply answer. Lose the attitude and work with us, or not.

[Canuck623]

Well guys it's kind of like this. I don't have an issue with a little free advice but will not put up with someones attitude when free isn't good enough. Miss is gone, left the building and I and several others are hanging by a thread. Getting tired of giving great advice and never hearing thanks or a post back that says everything was good. I helped a guy in England a while back on here. Dartmoor Billy, he had a 7.3 diesel issue. I got a huge thank you from him. Now that's when the free is ok. I should add that I was the only member to help him and he didn't get his ass in a knot wondering why no one else was responding. On the other hand I have given diagrams, test info and TSB's to folks and they have never even clicked on the thanks button let alone say it. I have been doing this since 69 and am one of very few Ford technicians that has achieved the Master Status on both sides of the border. Not patting my own back, just sayin. Guests issue could be internal but he needed to do what Bog said firat then get back to us. That's how a diag tree works and that's just the way it is. His rant will get him nothing from me now.

[Canuck623]

I wonder where our guest went? Probably realized his post was sort of like stepping on his own dick and checked out.

[phantom]

They have different requirements for north of the border ? huh whoda thunk it lol

[geezerb]

Here's a deal for the recently departed Guest.

If he has another urgent question that needs immediate answers, I will answer him back as soon as I see it.

Of course, I doubt that I will have a factual answer so my reply will be pure bullshit but free bullshit!! Just so you know, I have very little knowledge about a almost everthing.

Bill

[Canuck623]

Originally Posted by phantom

They have different requirements for north of the border ? huh whoda thunk it lol

Yeah Phantom when I got my Masters in Canada it was a big deal to Ford of Canada. Gave me $1000.00 bucks, a really nice jacket, $500.00 worth of tool truck coupons and a couple other smaller prizes. When I moved here I had to take even more courses to qualify plus Ford required the ASE. That has since been dropped. All I got here was an atta boy and a Trophy. But yes the course requirements are different.....not better, just different.

[Dominick]

After 36 years in parts I got a plaque
You are right about the courses although I was on the shop counter many of those years most classes were to do with relationship with the customers.

[Canuck623]

Yeah and did you notice that as you got closer to the certification suddenly there was more classes before you qualified? You really had to hustle and do the stuff at home too if you wanted to stay ahead of them. In Canada once you were a Master you stayed a Master and you could add more areas to become a better Master. Here you get Master one year and had to qualify all over again the next. I finally gave up and said no more!!

[phantom]

I got to go on a cruise back in 02,supposed to go fall of 01 but everyone knows what happened,dropped the masters when ase ran out.Dealer didnt want to pay for it and by then Ford quit giving out stuff. I need two more transmission (classes online) to recertify.I was just really suprised there would be something specific to Canada.I guess emmission related or maybe a vehicle that isnt in the states ?

[phantom]

We dont even get paid to take required tests so I'm not in any hurry anymore.

[Canuck623]

Originally Posted by phantom

We dont even get paid to take required tests so I'm not in any hurry anymore.

I got paid in Canada. What ever the average course time was that it listed. Was nice. You could knock a couple off on a weekend and turn in the certificate on Monday and start the week with 5 or 10 hours depending on the course(s).

I think the courses where close to the same but the schedules were different. In Canada for example they didn't push trans courses as hard so when I got to the states I needed to catch up with them for the chassis part of it.

[Dominick]

My opinion of being certified online wasn't in of anywhere near to hands on training,
You couldn't tell them the real problems like on catalouging,etc
They went to the greatest numbering system I have ever had into one the is gibberish in relation to what vehicles
the parts worked on.
I quit taking them also and had the manager take them and did his work for him.

[opsuper3]

Originally Posted by geezerb

Here's a deal for the recently departed Guest. If he has another urgent question that needs immediate answers, I will answer him back as soon as I see it. Of course, I doubt that I will have a factual answer so my reply will be pure bullshit but free bullshit!! Just so you know, I have very little knowledge about a almost everthing. Bill

You pay for good advice. We all know that free advice is worth less.

[Skyhawk]

Ah Canuck, how much was the $1000 Canadian worth in real money, eh? Said with tongue planted in check and just a bit cheeky. I know, I'm a "hoser". In Canada, like Europe, there is a respect for "certifications" of both blue collar and white collar professions. In the U.S. this is not the case. One of my mechanics has a 4 year college degree in auto mechanics. He got his degree from one of only 4 universities offering such a degree at the time. Now there are many more. I started putting together numbers for my CPA for last year and I spent almost $20,000 on training my employees and myself, and that does not include the "on-line" reference stuff. The guys want to go to a one week course in Vegas this year. I"ll see if they deserve it when the numbers are all in. If we go, we are all going. I'm the boss and I'm going too. The point is that these vehicles continue to be more complex every year and those of us who work on them have to keep up, and that costs money. And the OP cops an attitude because we didn't come up with a magical answer quick enough to suit him/her? Bovine excrement?

[drumsdaddy]

Just a few comments on "Guest".
1. Canuck 623, Boghog, and Skyhawk you hit it on the head. All your advice was well taken by me.
2.His area of "expertise"? Just what is it?

Sorry guest if you were in a bind on your tranny. Been there and it's 8 o'clock on a Sunday night and the part stores back then closed Saturday at noon...yee-haw.

The few times I have asked for advice I am humbled to receive it. I dont get under the hood on a regular basis like I did 30+ years ago so professional tech's info is a God send.

My expertise? Natural gas and fire investigation in the state of MO. Not much use on a tranny issue but for 38 years natural gas is the same everywhere on this big blue marble.

Be safe!

Drumsdaddy