[DeTomaso] Why I drive only 35+ year old cars....

[Jeff Detrich]

This is why Bob Smith, a Pebble Beach quality restorer of old Ferraris,
refers to newer Ferraris as "throwaway" cars.

Jeff
6559

On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 3:10 PM, <MikeLDrew at aol.com> wrote:

> Hi guys,
>
> Modern cars have never had any appeal to me, and here's a good reason why.
>  This is from a fellow in the Nor-Cal Shelby Club, who has some slight
> difficulties with his 2000 Ford F-350:
>
> ====
>
>  Hey gang,
>
> I am hoping some one can offer me some advice / solution to a problem I
> am having with my 2000 turbo diesel 2 wd A/T dually crew cab.  It
> appears that the GEM (Generic Electronics Module) has gone bad so that
> the truck does weird things like flash the dome light on and off, turn
> the windshield wipers on and off - but most importantly - won't even
> activate the starter to try to start.  Unfortunately, the company that
> made the part for Ford went out of business and there are none at any
> dealerships in the US according to a search performed by a dealer.  They
> may be available in November.  I can not find the right one ('E' version
> for power windows / locks and the Passive Anti Theft System - PATS) on
> Ebay or in a wrecking yard (and there are none listed in the wrecking
> yard's computer search of other wrecking yards).  Any other suggestions
> for sources?  The next problem is that the truck will not even try to
> start and apparently data need to be down loaded from the current GEM
> (even though it is bad) through the diagnostic port and then uploaded
> back into the new GEM through the diagnostic port with a special Ford
> Dealer specific scanner.  I can not get a flat bed big enough to tow the
> truck to the dealership up my drive way, even if I could get the part.
> Some on line forums contest the assertion that the down load needs to
> happen, but the service manual, dealerships and an independent mechanic
> confirm that it does.  There is a possibility that I could send the GEM
> to Cardone and have it rebuilt, but that will take a couple of weeks at
> least and still does not get around the need to do the down load (and
> have the data sit on the scan tool until the GEM is replaced) and then
> re- up load it.  Dealerships don't seem too keen on the idea of having
> one of their scan tools tied up for a couple of weeks...  Ideas /
> suggestions / help are all appreciated.  Thanks!
>
> John
>
> ====
>
> Amazing.   His truck is 12 years old and now it's a garage ornament.
> Killed by planned obsolescence and manufacturer support neglect.   Will it
> ever
> run again, or will he just have to tow it to a junkyard????
>
> If anybody has any ideas to help him, since he's not on this forum please
> contact him directly at mastadon at planet10.com and tell him I sent you.
>
> Mike
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