I don`t under stand why people don`t like to pull codes. If ur truck is not running right this is one of the first things u should do! Throwing parts at it is a wast of time and money. Sure someone gets lucky every now and than by throwing parts at it but most for the time it takes 1-6 parts thrown at it before u hit the right one. Someone will make a post and someone usually will tell them to pull codes in the first 6 posts. Than someone will tell them to check this check that, replace is,replace that. They for get to pull codes. And they still have the same problems. More time and money wasted. I get a chuckle watching some threads, they work so hard on there truck. There is even a sticky on how to do it. Even if it don`t have any codes it is the first thing eye do. There may be other things to check also in ur trouble shooting but do this first! If ur using the the check engine light to pull codes record it with ur smart phone so u can watch it over to get ur codes right.

 

It's gotten very expensive to pull codes since the great paperclip shortage of 2012. They have gotten very rare and hard to find, when you do find one they are asking top dollar for one. Last one I found cost me $110 and came with the title to a truck and a new set of plates w/sticker. The only one I had seen before that cost us $800 but came with free Insurance for our home and vehicles. Don't get me wrong, they always come with decent bonuses but some people just can't afford to buy these paperclips even if they do get something with them.

Wait.... This just in, apparently the shortage has been over for some time! I am now being told that they are selling them by the box again for very low prices! I can't believe our luck, now everyone will be able to check their codes and won't have to resort to buying them at marked up prices.

 

Apparently also a shortage of the letters F, O, R and, Y.

 

 

U missed I in there.

 

 

I've quit responding to allot of posts because people want an answer handed to them on a golden platter. They refuse to use the sticky for pulling codes, they are too lazy to use the "search this forum" button and sometimes the lazy ones just go away when nobody answers them. I had been helping by actually posting links to their problems and then get told that there are too many pages of info to read. I'm not doing it anymore if they can't take good help. We need a sticky for the 3g alternator and a sticky for the electric fans. They're both as easy as pulling the codes. Just too bad that people won't use them. Oh and one other thing lately.....someone posting the same problem in three consecutive threads. No one calls them out and even answers them with the same response in all three threads. Really?

Okay...Good morning all. I'm done bitching for the day. Thank you for the opportunity to gripe Aktech! It's all your fault. Lol

Edit....how about a "dumb ***" sticky. : )

Edit AGAIN!
I really love this forum. Dr. Bowtie, Sean, Sylver91, Fordtrucknut and quite a few others have helped me along the way to bring my truck back from the "call the salvage yard to come get this POS". I love my truck and have posted allot less of " What did you do to your truck today" because she runs and drives like a champ. I'd be paying a truck note if not for these guys. I can truly say Thank you!

 

I actually notice the thread thing a lot. I used to say something whenever I saw it, but it never helped so I stopped.

 

I like 2 start with the basics, and do the easy cheap things first. The codes if any tells u what needs to be worked on most of the time. If I con`t find it in the manual I google it.

 

I think it's funny that people have an issue with something, a buddy tells them "this" is bad so they go buy one and replace. Doesn't fix it so they go get another because the brand new one must be bad. Really?

On a side note I just had a friend bring his ram by asking what was wrong with it, he just replaced belt, plug, wires, coil, air filter (basically a descent tune-up). I get to looking at it, running really hard, misfiring. I'm about to look up how the wires should be hooked up when I pull one off to get the plug out and the metal head and inside of the boot is caked with dialectic grease. I'm talking packed in there. I explained that you only need a little on the white shoulder of the plug then a little smeared on the rubber part of the boot, and nothing on the metal plug nipple or connector inside the boot. We argued for a couple minutes then I told him to look it up. He spent the next half hour with Q-tips cleaning out his $50 wire set. I was rolling.

The moral of the story being why do people dive into something when they don't really know how to do it. There is no excuse with the internet so readily available, everything you could ever want to know is within reach. A little knowledge can be a very dangerous thing.