Venting First!!!
I hate service managers. Last week I made an appointment for my truck to be looked at due to the s/c making a strange sound. So I go in the night before to drop it off for the next morning and pick up my rental. They tell me that it'd be best to bring it in this week on Monday. So I said okay. I took off work, drove out there to be there at 7:30am, and I sit and wait, and wait, and wait. Then I when I get some help, I showed the video (showing the differences in s/c sounds that I'm getting), and they go for a test drive. I say they, b/c they(TWO different managers) drove and I rode shotgun. The first manager picked out the strange sound in the video, and even during the test drive heard it (btw, it doesn't do it all the time). Then the second manager "who has one of these rigs himself, would know more about it." is called over, I show him the video, and he picks out the sound from the normal blower whine. He drives, and can't re-create the sound. So he tells me to come back in two days (today), and take a Ford Engineer for a drive. I show HIM the video, he pops my hood, looks around, brings the RPM's up via throttle cable, and I take him for a drive. He hears the sound...he pops open my airbox (which btw had a semi dirty K&N in it), and says, "BINGO, there's your problem!" I tell him to explain, he says that the aftermarket filter is not making a "proper seal", He proceeds to explain it as putting a blade of grass between your thumbs and blowing on it. He then says, go buy a factory filter, and I can almost promise you that it'll go away". So, I buy one, install it infront of him, and then go off on my merry way. Keep in mind that I still have my video camera. So I turn it on, I make a right onto the freeway, punch it, and HOLY *****, I hear that same damn sound again. Mr. Ford Engineer was WRONG! So, I go back, and I find one of the "service" managers(the guy with an L). I go on ANOTHER drive with him. I produce the sound again! He then proceeds to tell me it's NORMAL and that it happens to his L! If it was normal, I don't think I would have gone through 3 different guys. So I asked him to put it in writing, so when the engine blows, then I can say, "well, Mr. 'Service' Manager over there said it was NORMAL!" Anyways, I'm going to a different dealer to see what they say.

I would just like to point out that ALL THREE of these guys were stumped on what the problem was and WEREN'T satisfied with a video pointing out the problem.

Now for my question.
Picture this. Your driving on the freeway (late at night, with NOBODY within hundreads of miles in all directions of you, for those that'd complain that It was street racing). Anyways, your driving, you decide to punch it it shifts 3-4, your full boost, having fun, you slowly let off to where it downshifts 4-3(but your still in boost, when you ease back onto the throttle(so you stay in third). My question is, what kind of stress is going through the s/c or the eigine at this moment. B/c this is how I can purposely produce the sound that I'm getting.
All the other times that I've heard it (without trying), I would be driving around 90-100 in boost, and would hear it. Just so you know, I don't driving in boost for prolonged periods of time. I'm stock (as I will be building up my bottom end, oh and beefing up the trucks engine too. (I thought it was funny!) Anyways, your thoughts, stories, and veiws are welcomed!

p.s. Sorry for how long this is. Oh, and they had 3 SVT Focus's on the lot. A Black, Red and Silver. They are very comfortable with their leather seats, I wish the 6spd was more of a short throw, but hey, you can't be perfect, and the 150 speedo on the it isn't bad either.

 

You would be surprised how little dealers, service managers, and mechanics know about the cars they sell and work on. I put myself through college as an ASE certified mechanic and saw some poor work from my fellow mechs. I still see it today from other shops and dealerships. Now I won't even let those highly trained, qualified, experienced, certified, authorized, schooled, experts touch my truck. I feel bad for the small percentage of mechs who actually care about quality assurance, they get a bad rap from the other jugheads. Good luck.

 

I feel like I am getting "serviced" with out oil when i take my truck in... I can't stand my local ford dealer

 

Belt slippage?

 

Not belt slippage, I wish. I have that too. But that's not terribly important. This is a bonified(sp?) Sound from the blower that sounds like, a vibration from inside, metal rubbing, it's hard to expllain, you'd really have to hear it. If I can find a way to get this video online, I will. And plus, I'd be pretty concerned if my stock truck was pulling enough psi to spin the pulleys quick enough to slip from the belt, especially at that sort of speed. Yeah, and about the bad mechs. It's true. There is a really good mech who has even offered to take his weekends off to work on my truck (ie install a new i/c if I wanted him to) etc, etc. It's just when you get up as high as the managers, that's when they sometimes stop caring.

 

I've heard of several guys on here mention some kind of coating on the blades in the intercooler i believe..Maybe some has come off which may cause a grinding sound?? Maybe a stupid idea but you'd never know

 

I had an `81 Vanagon 5 speed that had a grindy nosie between 43-49 mph in 3rd gear. The writer told me the mech. said it was tires.... (it wasn't) so I got the wrench in the van, drove it up to speed and there was the sound. The guy says "it's tires" I proceed to push the clutch in and wouldn't you know it, the sound WENT AWAY. I told him that if it was tires, the sound would continue at that speed! DUH! freakin' bad mechanics.

 

In defense for these service managers. i work on these trucks all the time and for some odd reason the blower seems to make different noises in different trucks. I m not doubting that your noise is not normal but they do make strange noises. My trucks blower seems noisey at times and quite at times. As far as the engineer telling you to remove the k&n filter for a noise concern while it may have done nothing to fix your truck I have seen them make horrible noises in other cars so there is some truth to what he is saying. This is just my 2 cents . Good luck