gemdc

For a bit of contrast to the usual gray and black Plasti-Dip, here is my 2014 MKZh in white with light coat of gold metalizer on top. The gold metalizer uses the Glossifier as a base and did add some shine. Anyway, this is all in the eye of the beholder and I like the white over my original Gray and alloy spokes. I know it won't take much to chip or peel it so will try and be careful with washing it. Nice thing about the white is that it is available at local home repair stores for $6 per can. I used 3 cans of white and about a half can of gold which had to be ordered.

Thanks, hybridbear and acdii for the help with the picture posting process. I can just resize and ftp pictures I might want to embed up to my storage and use those here. The gallery has it's advantages too.

I used a small piece of Velcro to attach the stylus near the screen. The screen just responds better to a stylus than a finger (than my finger anyway).

Yes, once I figured how my Jalbum software dinks with the actual URL. Another question - Can you link to a picture in the forum gallery directly like I did with the one above? I am guessing you have to let the forum take you there from a thumbnail.

Now try picking a slide out of the Jalbum generated folder on my web site: (had to replace part of the URL with a vanilla reference without his trickery)

OK. Well, since I have the picture in my gallery here on the forum, I would think just the thumbnail in a post is probably sufficient. Most people will click on a small picture and that will apparently take them to my gallery picture then another click shows it larger. Guess using a picture storage site is the common way to get full pics embedded in a post. I have a personal web site where I do my picture storage and not sure that is a good location to link to from a forum. May be worth an experiment though.

Trying to see how you guys get the full picture imbedded in the post. Don't think this is it. (Now that I looked back at page one, maybe the IMG prefix/suffix is the key).

Good idea and neat installation. Thanks for sharing.

new

My 2013 FFH had a rattle that bugged me a lot. I convinced myself that it was in the HF35 "transmission" area by jacking up both front wheels and listening with a long screwdriver with the ICE idling in low range.. Sounded like slack in the gears which only sounded off when the ICE was running and power was applied or released. Maybe a 2 or 3 second rattle. Two service managers said that it was not loud enough to be "outside normal limits" and I kind of agreed that it wasn't a big problem but my ears always heard it. Plus my FFH was built on 10-31-12 and never got the really good mpg some of you guys get. Even when driven within all the rules. Hoping the MKZ does better but with only 750 miles I can't really say. Got 42.8 on the dash yesterday on a 40 mile test out and back where my FFH got 40.7. My wife likes the passenger seat. I removed the 2" pipe union spacers I had put under the passenger seat rails on the FFH when I traded it in. I think I have counted 22 small additions that my FFH did not have even though I thought it was loaded. Still can't justify the price of course.

I suppose we can give up Trip 2 and use it as the Lifetime counters. Would have been nice if they had added a Trip 3 to replace what they took away. BTW, I traded my 2013 FFH for a 2014 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid on 21 Oct 13. Nice car. Will update my Fuelly signature after a few tanks of gas.

Yes, the fuel delivery module is what we used to call a fuel pump and is inside the fuel tank. They have to drop the tank far enough to be able to unbolt and remove from the top. Not a small job but they have the tools to handle the job without draining the fuel. It is a safety recall and will really need to be done sometime. Parts are only recently available so maybe they did not have them at your last trip in for the other service.

It seems Ford is trying pretty hard to fix things based on the number of TSBs and recalls we have been getting. One area that has been ignored are the early FFHs like mine (10/31/12) and acdii's (and others) that struggle to get 40 mpg on any tank. The newer builds seem to get 43 with ease while I really have to mind things to get over 39. There has to be a reason. I expect bringing up the older versions up to current specs is too expensive for Ford. I like the theory that the HV battery pack is somehow deficient. The PCM update may have added 1 to 2 mpg to my FFH. I would think that my ICE is running the same map as the newer builds so that indicates the HV battery. Does anyone know whether the dealerships have a test for the HV batteries that would rate the performance to some "normal" profile?

I had the fuel delivery module replaced about 10 days ago. Had half tank of fuel and could not tell any was missing by the gauge. However, I filled up this morning and mpg calculated at 38.8 while my trip meter said 42. Based on my previous comparisons I should have gotten 40.5 on this tank. By my calculations it appears the fuel pump change out took almost a half gallon. Sounds like a lot since they had a lift that let them drop the tank without draining it. Wouldn't think a fuel pump would hold more that a few ounces of gasoline. Anyway, I think there was a couple quarts of fuel lost in the process. You who have had it done might double check your mileage on that tank.

I can confirm that another thing (rather than anything) attached to the OBD port will prevent running a Vehicle Health Report. I downloaded the 3.6 version of MFT and installed it using a USB drive. When I came back to syncmyride.com to report the install, it always failed to upload the file from the USB on 3 of my computers. On chat, the Ford guy said to just run a VHR and it would serve to report the install. When I tried to run a VHR the MFT says "You must have over 200 miles on the odometer". I have 6800. Then I googled and found stuff about a Scanguage interferring. I have an Ultra Gauge. Unplugged it from the OBD port and VHR ran fine. Strange but true. However, I have not had a code show up on my gauge for anything as yet. I like the digital version of Instant MPG on the Ultra Gauge. Also the calibrated mpg is more accurate than the dash trip gauges. Hope we don't find a reason not to use these gauges.

acdii - You may hear some pretty harsh sounds if you jack up both front wheels and get the ICE running in Drive. That was the way I narrowed my accelerate / decelerate sounds to the HF35 Transaxle box. I did this in cooler weather and was able to get the ICE to stay at idle by putting the shifter in Low range with the engine cool. I get a rattle every time the engine pulls the front wheels. The wheels spin up then gradually slow down to the point where the gearbox speeds them up again. I took a very large screwdriver and (put the blade on the engine and my ear on the handle) in various places to locate the sound. Nothing until i put the blade on the CVT box. Then I really hear the racket. Sounds like slop in gears somewhere. Short time sitting on the jacks but lasts about 3 to 5 seconds on light acceleration or deceleration at less than 20 mph but ONLY when the ICE is running. Since it doesn't make a sound in EV mode, I am pretty sure it has nothing to do with the hub spacers (no ping pong sounds) nor with anything in the differential gears. I am thinking my sound may be related to the clutch plate that is there to absorb shock when the ICE starts or stops. Couple dealer service departments say it is within normal limits. I am learning to ignore it until the 2014s appear. Yours does sound like tires.

I can close this question with some facts found in some demos of the Toyota Prius transaxle. Yes, the Prius has a "clutch plate" too between the ICE and the transaxle. These look like a clutch but they are always engaged by a pressure plate which is part of the assembly. It is there only to absorb some of the shock when the gas engine starts and stops. I did find a reference to a 2010 Nissan Hybrid transaxle which has detailed drawings. They have the same clutch type shock absorber as well. Prius is the father of most all these trannys. Wish someone would put out a good drawing of the Fusion / C-Max transaxle. Mine still has what I think is excessive noise when the ICE starts pulling or slacks off pulling. Could be related to that "clutch/torque buffer" if it has a broken spring or other loose part. Dealers say it is not an excessive noise. Not the ping pong noise as it makes no noise in EV mode. I haven't had the ping pong noise in the hubs even though my VIN shows that TSB. Haven't smelled any gasoline odor in the garage either so not too worried about the fuel TSB. Would like to get better fuel mileage so will get the new mapping sometime.

Another product that I have "discovered" recently is from Surf City Garage and the bottle is "Speed Demon Wax Detailer". Have been using it on my Platinum White FFH and it works great. We use it in the house on granite countertops and all glass. Does the windshield on the car better than any glass cleaner I have tried. Applied with a microfiber towel it leaves no streaks. Another good thing, it is at Wal-Mart. There are a bunch of other Surf City products and I just got the leather treatment and it seems to do a good job too.

I put up with the weak battery for 2 years with my 2010. It would always drop below 12 volts in a maximum of 2 days without driving. I put a battery charger on it and on my 2013 and put them up to snuff and they still drop quickly. Combination of little battery and more than average parasitic draw I am guessing. Anyway, putting in a new battery was entertaining and easier than haggling with the dealer about it.

Actually, i had a number of the "battery saver" messages and started using my digital voltmeter to check the battery. Found that it would be around 13 volts after driving enough to believe it was fully charged. After sitting overnight it would be at 11.8 or below 12 for sure. Should be at 12.4 to be considered a full charge. I replaced the 12v battery with one that fit the bottom holder and strapped it in like my boat batteries. Not so easy to fit a standard battery in here due to it being in the trunk. Hard to get out and it has a vent hose for fumes to be carried out of the trunk. I built a plexiglass box over the new batteries vents and plugged in Ford's vent hose. I got double the cold cranking amps (even tho it doesn't crank) and dont get the battery saver messages now. I figured Ford would replace with the same light duty battery if i managed to convince them it needed replacing. Of course this did not help my fuel mileage! You really don't need much capacity. Just enough to trip a relay. Voltage jumps to 14.2 as soon as you turn the switch on as the high voltage battery takes over everything. I just like to play with MFT and Nav things from the accessory position without the pesky saver messages.

Nope, just the car's mood at that point in time. Did not do it again this past week. Fuel mileage still same. Guess there was no update to the Power Train Control Module. The 2.5 liter in my 2010 seems to have been a more efficient ICE than the 2.0 liter in this 2013. Either that or my particular set of High Voltage batteries is below par and requires more power to charge them. Just can't compete with many of you other guys on the forum with later build vehicles. I used all the tricks to get the over 40 tanks around the city. The instant mileage on my UltraGauge drops to less than 20 mpg when going 45mph on eco-cruise and the ICE kicks in because of low battery level in the HV. Doesn't take much of that to pull the overall mileage back below 40. Well, I can get 50 on one down and back to near Norman, OK from OKC on Sooner Road (speed limit 50). Drop over west to I-35 at 65 (eco-cruise) and get 38 for same distance. Not too bad but below many others. Still a very nice car. See what you have to pay to get all the "driver assist" features in any other brand.