How much do dealer service tech's know?

[Sean in PA]

I have my '73 4000 in the shop right now getting new tires all around, and since I don't have any kind of hoist to help me lift the top cover, I'm having them do the hydraulics service too. Drain hydraulic fluid, replace the return filter, clean the pickup filter, and since they're going to be in there, I'm having them replace the PTO seal since it's been weeping just a bit for a while now. Just enough seepage to collect a lot of dirt around the shaft.

Another thread below we were discussing fluid capacities and it brought back a memory from last week. I was at the dealer for something else, and the service manager saw me and told me that he had my tractor in the shop and told me they had just started working on the hydraulics and I saw one of his helpers shoveling oil dry all over the floor under the rear end of my tractor, and so I take a step around so I can see around the rear tire better, and there's a huge puddle of UTF on the floor that he's soaking up with the oil dry. Another step further and I see that they had a 5 gallon bucket under the rear end. Apparently they had tried to drain a little over 8 gallons of fluid from my tractor's rear end into a 5 gallon bucket. I was barely able to keep from busting out laughing.

So how much do modern tractor mechanics know about these older Ford tractors? This is my local New Holland dealership. They only opened up a few years ago, but the same owners have another dealership down in Maryland that's been around a long time. They told me that they still have a couple of mechanics at the other location that were factory certified on Select-O-Speed transmissions back in the day, so I assumed that they had a bit of knowledge. Every time I've been there, there's been at least one 3 cylinder 2000, 3000 and/or 4000 in the lot for service. I'm hoping that the lack of knowledge on the capacity of the rear end was just on the helpers part (20 or so year old kid).

 

[John_PA]

I modified a lighting controller on a 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis so that the headlight relay was externally mounted, off the circuit board to prevent heat damage. It took me about 25 minutes to figure that one out.

I have rebuilt engines from a farmall cub, up to an Eagle Talon 2.0L Turbocharged that made 550 hp.

I have rebuilt automatic transmissions.


But, the other day, I put my shoes on before I put my pants on...

We all have those days?

 

[Dean]

My experience with my CNH dealer has demonstrated that current techs know little about vintage Ford tractors. Indeed, the service manager at my dealer occassionally calls me for advice.

A year or two ago, while chatting, he complained that it was time consuming and expensive to replace the points on a 9N because removing the hood and radiator was time consuming and expensive. (They had already removed and replaced it twice, once to install the TISCO ignition parts, and again to replace the TISCO points with CNH points (on my suggestion) after the TISCO points failed during run in.) Of course, the customer was billed for all of this shop time.

Dean

 

[Tequila]

Dean, with all the good advice you post, I am surprised you
would let someone else touch your 4000. But I can relate to
the problem of having the right equipment to do the job. But
quality service people is a real crap shoot. Last August my
4000 (68 3 cyl diesel) SOS quit,I was swamped with other
projects so reluctantly took it to local shop. They assured me
they had experienced guy for Ford SOS. Long story short,
after 3 months I got the tractor back, it was a disaster!! Barely
moved and missing parts and auxiliary damage was too
numerous to list. I ended up building a gantry, shop crane and
adjustable cribbing system tore the whole thing down and re-
done the whole thing. I just don't understand the lack of pride
in people's work today. I was embarrassed for the mechanic
and the shop. Oh sorry for venting on your post.

 

[Dean]

"Dean, with all the good advice you post, I am surprised you would let someone else touch your 4000."

Are you confusing me with someone else?

Aside from warranty work and time permitting, I do nearly all of my own mechanical work. I do sometimes farm out paint and refinish work where my skills are limited.

Dean

 

[Jim Hanna]

Amen, John from Pa.

 

[NoNewParts]

even 10 years ago, there were still a few 'gray hair' mechanics
at the dealerships around here. They knew what they were doing.
most have retired now and the new guys don't know
much about the very old tractors.
Still......a talented wrench is a talented wrench
Don't be too hard on them yet. When I worked at a dealership long ago,
oil draining muck work and such was given to the 'new' guys.
When the parts were out, the experienced guys took over.
Most dealerships also have a few guys like Dean that have retired
that they can call for a tough question.

edit: at my local Kubota dealer, there is an older wrench (service manager) that is always working on someones old any brand tractor in their shop.
when I had my new Kubota in for a warranty repair.
(o-ring failure that took a split to replace)
I told him, I would wait my turn, so HE could do it. good work
I didn't trust what I saw of the newer guys wrenching skills.

 

[RickB]

A service tech would have to have 12 years experience to have done any predelivery work on a Ford tractor, and 10 years to have performed any warranty work.

But there are smart techs and inept ones, just like any other sampling of humanity.

 

[NEBeef]

A look at some of the dealer service manuals should answer that question for you - they look a like a comic book. They don't say "Check the voltage at xxx", they have a little picture of a VOM with the leads touching the test points. No understanding of the theory of operation needed, just a set of crayons to color the pictures in when done...

 

[RodinNS]

If I were to guess I'd say someone dropped the drain plug.... It's easy to do under those things IIRC... although I haven't drained a 3 banger in some time.

Rod

 

[steve n carol]

Sean this happened because an 8 gallon bucket wouldn't fit under yer tractor :lol:

Dean, It's good of you to continue to work with the Service Mgr at the dealer, to make yourself available to him, and others... (us). what good is knowledge if you don't share it!!
thank you...sl