12 December, 2014

Scratching my head... How do I remove this grommet?

So I noticed my truck running a bit tough, and sounding funny, like I dropped a Flowmaster muffler in place of the stocker. Admittedly the sound is pretty cool.

And then the code got thrown....

Out comes the SCT XCal2 and I check the code to find a 0016 and look it up, sure enough, it is Variable Cam Timing Solenoid bank1....

Now that is no shock, the 5.4L 3V Ford Triton V8 is somewhat known for VCT issues. So I order BOTH solenoids, hey if one is going, the other isn't far behind right?

And then realize the solenoids doin't come with the little metal / rubber grommets that seal the solenoid to the valve cover, so I make a mad dash to the Ford dealer to grab the grommets, and then back home to follow the instructions in the manual...

In one of the early on steps after disconnecting the battery, and wiring harness connector for the solenoid, you are supposed to simply and easily pull the grommet from the valve cover....

NOT such a simple task...

As I write, the grommet is not leaking, but it IS pried up about 1/2 way and waiting for me to climb my happy butt back up into that engine compartment to finish yanking that dumb thing out of there...

It is repair jobs like this, that should be oh so simple that make me wonder... Do the manufacturers intentionally hire sadistic engineers or is this engineering choices driven by the accounting department?

Either way, it is making my life tougher than it needs to be...

I will take another whack at it tomorrow, maybe I will have more luck!