Hi from Rolla, Missouri USA

Hi everyone,

I was a member on the old forum and just recently signed up here. I am not a professional auto mechanic but have always done 99% of my own repairs. Since I tend to keep a vehicle for 10-15 years I'm just now getting into needing to learn more about diagnostic methods involving a scan tool (newest vehicle is a 2011 Ford Ranger.) I'm no stranger to computer controlled equipment as I spent most of my life building and repairing that type of stuff.

I have all of your basic hand tools, and some nifty power tools in my 'huge' single car garage (so huge no cars will fit in there with all the tools . I have a cheap USB interface scan tool with some generic OBD-II software I also found a free program, FORScan (forscan.org), that will do a lot of the Ford OEM scan tool functions. I was glad to find it as it let me program in new keys into my truck (I bought $20 Strattic key blanks and cut them on my Taig CNC mill).

I really appreciate how Paul teaches the step involved in troubleshooting a problem. This is so rarely taught in any field, most repairmen I have found in any field tend to check things randomly and throw parts at it until it starts working again. Teaching techs the thought process involved in diagnosing a problem is vital and I'm glad to see that it is being done.

Hey JeffBrit. Welcome back to the forum.
Pretty cool you were able to duplicate your own key, you must have an awful lot of stuff in that garage!

Yeah it only took 10 hours of figuring out how to do it, creating a 3D key model, machining a key fixture, and cutting the keys (and a $2,500 little CNC mill) to avoid paying a dealer $75 for a key But hey, I learned a lot in the process.

Welcome, Jeff! Glad to see another member from the old forums.

Did you have a thread going about a timing problem on a Ford 2.0L? Or was that someone else

No, I did have an open thread about a Ford 2.0 on the old forum. Coincidently, I do have a timing belt kit for a Ford Focus (DOHC) gathering dust. Bought for daughter's car but an uninsured driver ran her off the road before it was installed. She was OK but the car was a total loss.

Great to have you back sir! Really like your mentality

JeffBirt wrote:

I really appreciate how Paul teaches the step involved in troubleshooting a problem. This is so rarely taught in any field, most repairmen I have found in any field tend to check things randomly and throw parts at it until it starts working again. Teaching techs the thought process involved in diagnosing a problem is vital and I'm glad to see that it is being done.

Couldn't agree more.