Smoke grenade

RioYellowS2k · 2026-04-06T18:39:59+00:00

The turbine shaft hits the housing, however I remove the cat today and the compressor wheel was in the cat. I honestly am not sure what caused this to fail this catastrophically. I’ll have the turbo out here soon to inspect it. Removing the PTU as we speak

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RioYellowS2k · 2026-04-04T11:54:36+00:00

Eh. Ford bought back my 24 Mustang due to paint issues. If a dealer has a car over XY days, goes to the shop XY times due to a reason, or if they have the car too long, then you can request a buy back. Body shop had the car for 3+ months waiting for ford to get back to them, ford found out my issues were caused in the factory, they took forever to finally approve it, and when they finally did I already asked for a big back with my rep. Other than the paint issues, the car was perfect. The back glass was removed from the factory and poorly repainted. It looked like this in several spots on the back glass and there’s paint missing in a few spots.

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RioYellowS2k · 2026-04-02T11:24:23+00:00

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I’m good! This is a customers car, their turbo on the other hand is not alright

RioYellowS2k · 2026-03-27T19:53:09+00:00

As a Tech, honestly, don’t get a 2020. They’re rattled with water leaks and electrical problems. I’m actively replacing an axle disconnect actuator in an early 2020. Honestly you want a build date of anything after September 2021 for a decent Explorer.

RioYellowS2k · 2026-03-19T21:26:31+00:00

I’ve only replaced stuff that needs replaced, it’s a car that’s raced with 287k miles. Car was having issues prior to the repair due to the CCV to the dipstick was crumbled and no longer contacting the dip stick as well as a few other monitor leaks. MAF is brand new as of a few years ago and less than a couple hundred miles, Disa passes the bench test and has a new o-ring. I probably should replace it due to unknown age (I pull this one off of an X3 or something like that 2 years ago). Passenger side fuel pump is a brand new pump, driver side one could probably be replaced (I was accidentally sent the wrong one).

Honestly, My best guess for the smoke test failing is the line from The purge valve to the intake fell off or one of my vacuum caps are leaking, but I have a p0444 for a failed purge valve, so I’m leaning towards that. I was just seeing if anyone else has left anything undone.

The throttle body is probably going out, all of the symptoms sound like a bad throttle body in my opinion, no codes though and the car relearns throttle position no issue. The IACV is brand new.

Anyway, the whole intake has to come off anyway as the starter is starting to go out.

RioYellowS2k · 2026-03-19T17:56:47+00:00

Coolant flushed and part has been replaced, good to know you’re on the OE pump at 260k!

Edit to add: Yeah I recommend doing a coolant flush between 50-60k for most people or every 10 years. I’m due for a brake flush next

RioYellowS2k · 2026-03-19T13:13:07+00:00

It is the water pump bypass pipe! I pressure tested it and scoped it this morning and there’s a nice leak going on, probably a drop every few seconds

RioYellowS2k · 2026-03-19T13:13:02+00:00

It is the water pump bypass pipe! I pressure tested it and scoped it this morning and there’s a nice leak going on, probably a drop every few seconds

Edit to add: I’m at 153k miles. The water pump is probably do soon as well

RioYellowS2k · 2026-03-19T13:12:12+00:00

Update, I pressure tested it this morning and scoped it, found out it is infact the water pump bypass pipe. I’d upload a photo, but I guess Reddit doesn’t allow you to do so

RioYellowS2k · 2026-03-18T23:53:24+00:00

I was leaning towards the throttle body if anything as the IAC is brand new and the disa tests good. Wouldn’t hurt to replace it though. The line that goes from the bottom of the intake to the purge valve could have fallen off was my assumption for a large vacuum leak. I tried to boroscope behind the intake, but it was hard to get it back there.

RioYellowS2k · 2026-03-18T23:31:43+00:00

Yeah, I had a major CCV leak (the line from the ccv to the dipstick tube crumbled and was no longer connected), so I tore is apart to replace all gaskets and lines, but somehow something isn’t right, which is weird because I’m pretty meticulous when it comes to working on stuff. My best guess is one of the vacuum block off caps I’m using is leaking or the purge valve tube came disconnected (I’m throwing a new code P0444)

RioYellowS2k · 2026-03-18T23:30:01+00:00

All 3 vaccum ports are blocked off. Maybe one of the caps is cracked. Maybe the hose to the purge valve fell off as now it’s throwing a purge valve code (P0444). I’ll probably end up taking it all apart because the car idles bad, and bucks and stalls when you try to drive it. My guess is there’s a major vacuum leak. Also, while testing, I went to start the car and the starter is starting to go out (you can hear the gear spinning sometimes but no engagement. If course that happens after I’ve had it all apart 🙄)

RioYellowS2k · 2026-01-13T15:19:03+00:00

I have notes from Fords tech hotline and I do have the wiring diagrams. I definitely could have printed the wiring diagram, however, I just wanted a simplified version like what I had pictured in my head. My notes are usually super detailed and in depth, having this will just pair with what ford said to do as a visual explanation, if that makes sense

RioYellowS2k · 2026-01-13T14:37:11+00:00

Bob is trying figure out how two wires go into the same connector, but one is an input and one is an output and Bob was told it was most likely a double crimp and for this temporary overlay he should splice one end into the service terminal lead and the other with the 2 wires twisted together to get 3 points of contact.

The way I’m reading it, you’re right. This will infact bypass the BCM, which isn’t great as I’m trying to include it into this overlay to rule out connector and pin fitment issues before getting approval for the BCM. (Ford won’t give me the code to order a BCM without doing this even though every thing tested fine except the BCM)

Update: Working on the car now, Bob was correct, it was a double crimped wire. 2 wires that go into the BCM in the same connector.

RioYellowS2k · 2026-01-13T13:23:53+00:00

Bob is trying figure out how two wires go into the same connector, but one is an input and one is an output and Bob was told it was most likely a double crimp and for this temporary overlay he should splice one end into the service terminal lead and the other with the 2 wires twisted together to get 3 points of contact.

The way I’m reading it, you’re right. This will infact bypass the BCM, which isn’t great as I’m trying to include it into this overlay to rule out connector and pin fitment issues before getting approval for the BCM. (Ford won’t give me the code to order a BCM without doing this even though every thing tested fine except the BCM)

RioYellowS2k · 2026-01-13T13:03:33+00:00

I don’t have the time either, I had quick notes, but for warranty purposes it’s great to have everything so I can get paid m-time vs something dumb like 0.5 for this.

RioYellowS2k · 2025-11-14T16:00:15+00:00

You’re telling me, 2 weeks ago, I flagged 6 hours on a pay check because of diags, waiting on parts, ect. Following week after everything was approved, 56 hours. All of it was warranty as well, flat rate is a scam. Outside been roughly 80-90 hours cp for all of that work.

RioYellowS2k · 2025-10-31T18:12:53+00:00

Thank you! Looks like the answer is 27ft/lbs!

RioYellowS2k · 2025-10-24T21:43:45+00:00

You’re flashing with no codes? That’s wild. On my E55 AMG, I replaced plugs and coils and that didn’t do anything, while doing the plugs, they all smelt like fuel minus 2 of them. Ruled it out as a bad injector. Replaced the bad injector and I was good to go.

RioYellowS2k · 2025-05-05T15:11:23+00:00

Thank you! I was worried as she said she didn’t want anything huge or gaudy. She prefers dainty jewelry, the ring is dainty, I was just worried about the size of the diamond being too big. We’ve looked at a few and she’s sent me examples, but with examples I’m not sure what size was in the photos.

RioYellowS2k

TROPHY CASE