(CONCLUSION!) *7-MONTH Follow-Up* EcoBoost From HELL (Christmas 2024)

[@travissheehan6082]

Never thought I’d watch a whole Netflix season about a pastry van! What a series, staring Ivan and the Ecoboost

[@malware_in_tn9008]

Van Boss! It’s made of krispies!

[@arnoldm889]

Netflix reboot would have Ivan played by Kevin Hart

[@thereissomecoolstuff]

Ivan is the Arnold of car repair. “Get to the harness”…

[@ctbale1]

Absolutely epic video!!!

[@n9wox]

Better than Netflix and cheaper too.

[@donaldroblyer7364]

I worked for a dealership for many years before computers and I was the one who worked on electrical issues. I learned early that grounds are tricky. All these years later with all this computer stuff(and still working on cars), I'm still the guy people call to fix their electrical problems. They always say "I think I have a short" every time. 99% of the time it is not a short. It is almost always corroded connectors, broken wires, somebodies crappy accessary installation or a bad ground. I don't have your computer equipment or skill but I can almost smell a bad ground or bad connection. I find everything you work on interesting and stick it in the back of my mind for later. From the start, I knew it was going to end up being a harness issue. I probably wouldn't have found it but if I get something wacky, I'll remember this and go wire harness fishing. Thanks for one of the best places to learn.

[@seanmiller678]

You too? 😆 🤣 😂 this has me looking at a few unsolved in my past... Ivan always blows my mind with what he finds... that and he is SemiDIY given he works out a normal garage... just blows my mind.. he is truly awe inspiring.

[@steveo6631]

@@seanmiller678 Wow, you calling him diy?... Because he doesn't have a fancy big building and charge $200/hr, but he has fixed many vehicles that "ASE" certified and Dealerships and special Euro shops could not fix... If he is diy, then I'll take DIY over professional any day... Regards

[@seanmiller678]

@steveo6631 no sir... it was the "Vibe" he gives... allows those who are "DIY" to feel more comfortable... but TY for your thoughts... meaning me...

[@Joe-rp8fd]

yap...when u see gremlin invasion usually means ground portal has opened somewhere :)

[@ArtVan-s4l]

As an old Navy ET I'm always amazed that a lot of electrical "experts" don't know the difference between a short or an open or poor ground connection.

[@wallebo]

You, sir, are more tenacious than a pit bull on a pork chop. Kudos for this very enjoyable and informative series.

[@ppeterson9359]

My only regret is I can only give this one thumbs up! Ivan, you are the wizard!!

[@Bugsy0333]

Cost for all repairs ? Rough ?

[@Olivier_The_Dilettante]

@@Bugsy0333 ~$2000

[@ThisIS_Insane]

​@@Bugsy0333He mentioned about 2k, at the end of last episode. watch all the way thru...

[@fleoradnoh]

@@Bugsy0333 Ivan already mentioned that in the for last video, he had to charge over 2K $

[@fredsalter1915]

Er.. you could give some money via the "Thanks" button....

[@anthonycasorso6170]

I am a retired electrical engineer and a ham radio hobbyist. Corroded metal connections can form diodes (rectifiers). In the radio-frequency world this happens a lot and causes problems with signal spurs from a radio transmitting site. I suspect that you had a case of this bite you. The fact that loading with your test light did not make a corresponding increase in the voltage drop indicates a non-linear response (IE diode). Anyway, nice work finding this. It is fun to follow along trying to solve the puzzle.

[@MH-wg6bz]

In the telephone company we dealt with high joints all the time. On data circuits we would leave 24 volts across the simplex on the audio coils just to keep current flowing to avoid high joints in a spice somewhere. I can't tell you how many times the trouble would clear when we accessed the circuit with test equipment. Just that additional capacitance bump from our test equipment would seal the high joint for awhile. That's probably what is going on when you disconnect and reconnect the modules. The re connection pulls just enough sudden current to clear the high joint temporarily. That's where a high impedance digital VOM can help to find voltage drops across splices without clearing the trouble.

[@tedmoss]

High joint means high resistance connection, like Ivan's. A lot of the problems are actually caused by air pollution.

[@tkhater]

Theory of failure: 1: oxidation, possibly oil related, caused RESISTANCE in series with ground side of low current sensor. 2: oil acted as dielectric and caused CAPACITANCE between long resistive MAP sensor ground wire and actual ground through other different unoxidized ground wires in the bundle. So when MAP sensor was in circuit, it charges capacitor through resistance of series MAP ground wire to 300mV and stopped there because resistance of oxidation was about 1/50th of impedance of sensor. Upon removing the sensor, the 300mV charged capacitor discharges itself through the resistive ground wire, thus slowly dropping to 0 through RC circuit of resistive/capacitative MAP sensor ground wire. Then when you plugged sensor back in, you measured in uncharged capacitor state closer to 0mV. You functionally had an RC circuit (or maybe an RC transmission line) in series with your MAP sensor. “Transmission Line” in the electronic device sense and not in the automobile transmission sense.

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Love it! 👌

[@russellhltn1396]

I was wondering if perhaps some thermocouple action was going on. All you need is heat and two dissimilar metals.

[@tomblobasjamesc.mccollum1740]

Perhaps there was no oil involved in that particular location, maybe it was just a teeny tiny bit loose at that splice causing the condition if it gets slightly jiggled

[@frankd.brennan6520]

I wish I understood what you even said. Ivan obviously loved it and that's high praise! You have to be some sort of electrical engineer? At least I learn a lot watching and reading comments from viewers and just wanted to say thank you

[@Graham_Wideman]

Creative thinking, but the capacitance that might be involved would be tiny, so doesn't support your theory of charging and discharging capacitor. (Or to put it another way, the RC time constant would be too short to observe with a DMM.)

[@HarblesTheSkeptial]

Re: the weird behavior of the splice, I worked in audio for many years and similar thing would happen when a thin layer of oxidation would form on bare metal surfaces increasing resistance at the contact point. The extra weird part was if there was was enough voltage and therefore current flowing at the point of contact it will 'burn' through the oxide layer and work ok for a while until left un-energized for some time and the oxide layer would re-form and issues began again. This was mainly with multi pin connectors at microphone levels (a few millivolts). De-oxit is your friend here. Soldering works too as it shields the contact from the oxygen in the air , but you cant solder a connector you need to de-mate frequently.

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Excellent explanation! 👌😁

[@jimharmon3404]

Yes an excellent assessment @HarblesTheSkeptial. Might I add that that splice was not sealed from the nasty environment of that engine, road salt water, the battery acid vapors and whatever else was drifting through from the vehicles on the road. Then there is the electrolysis from the current in the splice. What a chemical soup! All happening at a molecular level that is not visible. The corrosion is even beyond Ivan's eyes. That splice needs to have been in a gas tight sealed shrink wrap splice cover. The solder job is the right solution however I would have applied some rosin RA flux to the splice then heat it to let the flux activate. Then the solder would have wicked right into the splice. Then add a glue filled shrink tube. An awesome job Ivan! You should hold a offsite training session for the dealer technicians and charge them a hefty fee. What a great case study.

[@simonparkinson1053]

Came here to say this and you had beaten me to it! The fault defies Ohm's Law because of that oxide layer, it's behaving like a semiconductor - having a forward voltage drop rather than a resistance

[@lumbo101]

Exactly my thoughts. The same reason stainless steel and aluminium are awful material choices for any electrical connection air can get to because they oxidise instantly at an atomic level when exposed to air, forming a “passivation layer” you can’t see. A high enough voltage and current will break it down but for low level and sensor signal circuits, the resistance will be highly variable.

[@mark-d9k9b]

@@jimharmon3404 "You should hold a offsite training session for the dealer technicians and charge them a hefty fee.". No one would show up; they rather sell complete new harnesses to their customers 🤣

[@finky555]

You would think totally unrelated but I worked in telecommunication and occasionally a circuit that only carried very low voltage communication as in signal to a broadcast tower, it would need to have what is called sealing current because the connections would go very high resistance from corrosion. By having a current from 48 volts applied it stopped this problem. Your issue is crimping such low current connections. Your solder solution is the only fix for very low current connections. Bravo.

[@emylrmm]

Actually, it's completely relatable

[@newmarkettruckandautoservi7650]

Dear Ivan. The timing of this hellishish diag was incredible. Started taking notes @ part 4. The day after part 8 concluded an 04 WRX barely made it to my shop. Atmospheric pressure to map sensor readings where way off from each other with the key off. MAF was reading way higher like 13-18 g/s @ idle, ambient to intake temps way off, misfires and wacked fuel trims. Grounds at MAF 3V, MAP 8V. Found common ground splice corrosion issue, cleaned/soldered = all fixed, no parts required. It does need front A/F sensor still. Thank you for saving me and my customers time, money and frustration.

[@basecom70]

As a career computer tech I admire your ability to never shy away from a tricky problem. You seem to enjoy the problems that others throw their hands up and surrender. How do you keep your attitude so positive? I see a problem as a hidden problem that I will never find. You on the other hand relish the idea of finding the needle in the haystack! Kudos to you and your persistence. It is people like you (top 1%) that give me faith in ability of humans to fix problems others throw away. Keep up the good work Ivan, we need people who do not give up. Happy Holidays sir!

[@elelectricistademateo]

I wish you could see my Peugeot diag but it is in spanish. see u

[@CJRock-xn5qf]

Sensor ground issue... with the low nominal current involved, it could be oxidation formations in the crimp acting as a contact diode, thereby creating a voltage drop with little dependence on resistance.

[@DrewskisBrews]

Oh shoot, I posted the same idea!

[@tedmoss]

Your wire crimp reminds me of working on the F-106 fighter, it had so many plug connections called blue ribbon connectors (made by Motorola, to be very reliable, all gold plated) that it would often have a bad one. Trying to find it would be very challenging. We had a little rubber doctors hammer that we could use to tap the connectors to see which one was giving trouble and then you could take that one apart to fix the connector pin.

[@fredsalter1915]

This has to be one of my favorite PHAD vids. It really put us viewers out of our diagnostic comfort zone. Who could have suspected a partially degraded factory wire crimp? God bless you and your family, Ivan! Have a happy Christmas and a joyous New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@pookatim]

Well, there are probably other automotive techs who are as well educated as you but I have never seen anyone as tenacious. It is almost like you take a fault or error personally. That is a very positive and rare trait. Excellent job, BTW.

[@robertaccorsini4663]

You’re amazing! I NEVER could have fixed that van and I bet a lot of your viewers couldn’t either. Your brains and patience did it. I would have had to sell it.

[@janpur1417]

I THINK WE ALL SPENT AT LEAST 3-4 HOURS DIAGNOSING THE FORD VAN! MERRY CHRISTMAS IVAN AND THE FAMILY!

[@chiluco2000]

Absolutely, da*** Fords!

[@alanbeber6197]

Ivan, you are surely the most dedicated engineer one could ever meet. You are a magician pure and simple. Well done, man!

[@larryberry2436]

Never give up, never surrender!

[@darrellwilliams5223]

The pastry van showed your experience, training and determination. Love this channel.

[@jimk4267]

Fantastic job!!! Between this series and Eric O's video from today... I am keeping my older stuff running as long as possible. Happy New Year! Can't wait to see what you have for us in 2025

[@StevenDaugherty-uo5cs]

I don't know of any other shop anywhere that would have meticulously stuck with this van and solve all those issues, especially the semi-bad ground. I don't know of anyone that would have found that. Your dedication to perfection is amazing. Wish all mechanics could be as good as you, but I'm pretty sure you're one of a kind. The industry is lucky to have you as are your customers. Thanks for the interesting videos.

[@emylrmm]

South Main Auto channel probably would

[@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics]

Thank you for the kind words, Steve! It's bizarre cases like this that really make you think outside the box and learn some new, even after years of experience! 😁

[@mark-d9k9b]

@@emylrmm Nah... SMA is not that good as Ivan is with electronics and digital tech. Eric O does not like that stuff as Ivan does.

[@Bellboy40]

@@mark-d9k9b It's true that Eric O doesn't like the electrical issues like Ivan does, but he can sure sniff them out pretty quickly. It would have been interesting to see how Eric would have proceeded in this case.

[@dalefuller4233]

Please don't feel bad; I had a 2015 Navistar diesel school bus that did that same thing. Aftertreatment computer would no longer talk on network. Scope at module J1939 can high perfect, can low for the first 1/2 second was almost a sinusoidal waveform, followed by data packets. Found where the can link "T"'s into the can lines is just three pieces of wire shrink wrapped together. I overlayed a new twisted pair cable over the old one and soldered the connections. To this day, I believe if I had just soldered the connection, it would have worked just fine. J1939 showed perfect at the DLC. Just one more case, without a 4 channel fluke scope, I would have been worthless. Two days of my life I won't get back.

[@bvanness]

Another great series Ivan! I'm an electrical engineer and I also solder all my wiring connections when working on my cars, it always works.

[@v12alpine]

Same... sometimes I use heat shrink butt connectors when I'm lazy, no issues either way.

[@tedmoss]

The best part is no part, same with connections, I read 7 books on soldering and reliability written by NASA.

[@scrappy7571]

Unreal! As a tech for 46 yrs, I am impressed with your perseverance. At the dealer level this kind of work would never happen. Mainly because of how do I get paid for all of the time involved. The shop rate is well over $200 per hour, which would mechanically total this vehicle. Donating time does not happen here.

[@DrewskisBrews]

This is why I could never be a mechanic. I will leave no stone unturned, I HAVE to find the root cause. I was so frustrated the last time I took a car to the mechanic. They made several repairs, completed them, and just as they were about to return my vehicle, I got a call that I also needed an alternator. Of course, I was instantly suspicious, since I didn't have any charging system problems prior to the work they did. I told them, "chances are, something was damaged while you were working on it". They insisted it was a coincidence, and went back and forth on subsequent phone calls whether the alternator was actually bad (this is an important detail for later) but eventually agreed to cover cost of replacement. Within two weeks of me getting the car back, the "battery" light came on, despite the alternator replacement. I drove the car home, (I was less than a mile away), grabbed my multimeter, opened the hood with the engine running, and attached the meter to the battery. 10.6 volts. I then wiggled the connection to the regulator/ field coil, and what do you know! Engine loads down and the voltage instantly jumps to 14.5v . Damaged wires at the connector. Took me 20 seconds to diagnose, and I'm not even close to being a professional mechanic. . Where are all the good techs?

[@wayneessar7489]

Awesome series!😅

[@leybraith3561]

...@15'00" explanation of 300mv ground offset disappearing. If the individual sensor is dis/re-connected when the ignition is already on, there is a sufficient current spike to temporarily break down resistance in the poorly crimped connection. (other devices are not starting up at same time) When being powered up with everything else, the voltage naturally ramps up much slower and the current spike to the sensor doesn’t happen. This leaves the noisy connection in the crimp. Multi-meter shows 300mv, an oscilloscope would show many volts of spiky noise.

[@MrTonyPiscatelle]

I'm not one to blow someone's skirt up but I believe if I was a job shop foreman I would make watching PHAD videos mandatory for newbie techs and even seasoned techs. As I van has said over and over " You have to trust your equipment and readings" And sometimes you have to out think the computers and algorithms. This van from hell I'm sure made Ivan think about changing vocations a few times. But as he constantly proves to us viewers , trust your readings and your gut instinct the problem is most likely where you think it is. This was a great series Ivan. Can't wait for the New Years demon possessed vehicle video .

[@elelectricistademateo]

good idea. it is kind of the same I said in this tribute to ivan i have in my channel.watch it. thank u

[@TheDisorderly1]

Finally I can start watching this series.

[@ericknutson602]

Gold medal😀 award for this job to you .

[@DM-el3rq]

It is crazy how much everything is so interconnected on these newer vehicles. Eric O. has had two Kia's, the 2nd one being Mrs. O's mini van, where the backup camera takes down the whole network even though the camera still works just fine. CRAZY! Another great series Ivan, you are truly an outstanding technician, looking forward to the New Year's case study.

[@jgreitz]

Observation leads me ro believe that the oil in the connector to MAP sensor was spilled on oil change due to its proximity to the fill port. Awesome series and amazing tenacity! Thanks you for the lessons learned. OEM PARTS! Never give up!

[@garygardner9677]

In my experience, ground issues can cause the craziest problems. It's not often (thankfully) that we get vehicles that test our knowledge and experience to this degree. In the end it's not an inexpensive repair but the owner should get a lot more miles from this van before it needs to be replaced. Excellent case study Ian, not many guys could follow this trail of bread crumbs to finally fix this van's myriad problems. Vehicles like this are why we have lemon laws. Congratulations on getting this van back to working properly.

[@davidclapham1066]

I think the Pastry van issues would send most folks over the edge! I was getting stressy just watching - your persistence is admirable, thank you for a great set of videos

[@lvsqcsl]

Years ago, I remember trying to diagnose and repair several issues on the same vehicle. Not exactly a challenge back then, but you did need to think from time to time. In the 8 years I have been following you, I can't think of many that have presented this challenge. That Russian grey matter was boiling. It's been a long time since I've seen the Mistake in the shop. Whatever you need to do to it should be very easy. One thing I have learned in my 61 years on this earth: NEVER SAY NEVER! I'll bet this is going to be on that Russian hard drive from now on. GREAT VIDEO!

[@rogerghiardi7723]

Best special you've done so far. I just soldered a wire on my nephews car after ripping out junk alarm system. Then it started right up.

[@MeL1AutoDiagnostics]

The only thing I can think of is when plugged in there was an active current path through the splice so it would slightly raise the temp of the splice ? Then once unplugged it would cool down again and start all over. Heat increases resistance if i remember right.

[@kellyspeppers]

Ivan it was a super interesting series, thanks for publishing it at Christmas time. I also have ran into factory made splice problems when working on X-ray machine circuits. Years ago they would send very low signals on coax cables to amplifiers on the other side of the room. This was in the days before digital circuits. One of the "best" I ran across was a 15K ohm short to ground that would come and go. This turned out to be someone that was cleaning around the back of the machine with a gallon of liquid medical soap. They spilled most of the gallon on the floor and it ran down into a floor junction box filled with cables. They just cleaned up the spill and told no one. It took close to a year before the strong soap soaked passed the tape into a splice. :)

[@RonRussell-sj1zf]

Had to feel good to put that one in the victory column! Nice work!

[@Joeschmo63]

Great job as always. Love the channel. 👍👍

[@adelhelmy2812]

Congratulations from Egypt Ivan on a job very well done, as always! I really admire your patience and persistence which are backed by an excellent understanding of electrical engineering fundamentals and a powerful analytical thinking abilty. As for the fault cause, my humble guess is that this particular MAP sensor ground wire wasn't touching the other wires, but instead it was only touching the metal of the crimp and by time it created a galvanic cell which delivered that constant ground voltage elevation. Finally, I wish you, your family and all of your followers a Merry Christmas holiday and a happy new year that will - hopefully- bring some peace to this world. Adel (Egypt)

[@donkaiser6704]

If the educational value of a case study is measured in units of "pain", this one mush have been worth a fortune! Thanks for sharing it!

[@for2utube]

Well you could have tried a liquid electronics cleaner on the splice before you soldered. Also, it would have been a pain to isolate the wires, but there's a "deoxidation" technique used in old POTS (plain old telephone system) lines where a butt set will send a low current 90V through the line to try to burn through any oxidation. The set had a switch so you could switch between +90 and -90Vdc. Maybe either discrete signal and ground is the way to go, or putting the signal directly onto a bus, so a reverse camera can take out the whole car :)

[@phillipsvanderwesthuizen800]

Possibly a dissimilar metal connection (in the crimp) with something acting as an electrolyte (sometimes). Tin or copper-Nicle, tin or copper- mild steel would give about + or - 0.3v. Just a thought. A number of times I also had problems that made me doubt Ohms law (and some other laws). I take my hat off for your persistence, well done

[@emylrmm]

That's undoubtedly the effect Ivan had observed

[@ScottFaes]

Scott from Los Angeles. I think the best thing that you can tell people is deal with the check engine light right away. Obviously they can lead to compound problems which are hard to solve. As you know once a check engine light comes on other problems can happen and the people think that the check light is only one problem. It costs way more to deal with compound problems! Handle your check engine light immediately! That thing was a nightmare!

[@davidzelkowski9948]

This van certainly threw out a lot of clues. It took some amazing skill to decipher them and solve the problem. Great job Ivan. It was an impressive story!

[@franksprecisionguesswork501]

Ivan, I think you probably had a case of a copper oxide diode junction formed in that crimp. My guess is the tiniest amount of road salt leached into the junction and created enough corrosion, (copper oxide) that was just a few atoms thick. Who knows maybe the engine oil carried it in there. Anyway, a few hundred millivolts drop across a copper oxide diode junction is entirely expected. and these type of junctions are very susceptible to variations Caused by mechanical movement and temperature swings. In fact, the engine oil probably carried metal particles from the engine to the junction, zinc, iron, and alumimum are all reactive with copper. This sure is a mechanics life lesson. Suspect the grounds. Check the grounds. And when you’re sure it’s not the grounds, check them AGAIN! Great video series! Merry Christmas and happy new year!

[@googacct]

Since the 300mV drop was constant I have wonder if in that ground splice some kind of strange diode got formed in the connection. It would have been interesting to have tested that connection with diode mode on your multimeter.

[@USbilbo1966]

Can you imagine them number of Ford units that have suffered from them same issue. But no one every figured it out? Great work! Maybe this could save more units.

[@zoidberg444]

Yeah. You wonder how many got junked and stripped for parts when no one could figure it out.

[@hugh007]

I was thinking along the same lines. There are many faults that appear in the same or similar products. The biggest ones sometimes show up on KZbin, but how many techs would have found this one?

[@paulsullivan6392]

Holt smokes what case study and journey. Your skill level is well known to us but without an extreme level of tenacity you probably would have had to toss in the towel on this one. Well done my friend. I hope you had a blessed and merry Christmas with family. Looking forward to the New Year special.

[@titaniumman_22]

I loved this series and I can’t wait for my pastries to arrive in Colorado! I wish you were closer Ivan. I need your help with my ‘built’ XJ! already excited for your next no parts required video. 🇺🇸

[@the_KID_b]

That's was a good one to watch. You saved a nice car from the crush. Merry Christmas, greetings from Brazil and thanks for the knowledge.

[@htownblue11]

I’d love an electrical engineer’s explanation on the defiance of ohms law on the maf sensor. The prestige factory crimp needing solder was not on anyone’s bingo card I promise. What a monster of a diagnosis. Ivan slayed the dragon one swing of the diagnostic sword at a time. GOAT!

[@THEDRAGONBOOSTER8]

I can say that no one else could of diagnosed this pastry van .You were like a dog with a bone .Well done ,you saved another van from the crusher . Now and only now you can eat sweet victory pie . Cheers from Tassie , Australia..

[@rph247]

Thank you Ivan for another absolutely thrilling series! Wish you and loved ones a Happy, Healthy, Blessed, Peaceful and Productive New Year 2025!

[@robstar293]

Good work Ivan. Now that is solved, we can all get some sleep!

[@ernestwilson5591]

As a recently retired auto/truck repair shop owner for 30 years here in Florida I am a regular fan of your videos. This one with this pastry van really got my attention. I watched every episode being really anxious to find out what the problem was, your patience and due diigence paid off. After watching that video I wondered to myself if any of these engineers, or technical staff from Ford ever looked at your videos, of course they would never admit it, but the time you had spent troubleshooting this issue and also the time that other shops and the dealer had misdiagnosing this. If Ford really cared about customer loyalty they should be able to offer to take of this customers bill as it was proven by your video that the crappy method they used at the factory crimping that splice connection rather than as you showed again by soldering that connection. Of course they would not even offer a comment on this as their own dealership was not able to fix it and they would be afraid they may have to cover this under warranty. Great video.

[@mattbrown5511]

As much fun as it was to watch you figure this mess out, I'm happy all ended well.

[@crasher88]

that has got to be the craziest case study you have ever put up Ivan and I loved every bit of it thank you. No one would have believed you if this wasn't caught on video.

[@kdmq]

Excellent case study Ivan, I am starting out with basic diags and repairs (on small engines, as well) and I am nowhere near the level you are at! I cannot wait for the new year's car!

[@somerandomguy3868]

Might not be everyone's idea of a good time but I really enjoyed this series, I know of a few Transit 350s with similar persistent check engine light and intermittent drivability issues that this might help explain, Merry Christmas, looking forward to the New Year special

[@toomanytoys]

This was an interesting issue. It took some good hunting and persistence to solve it. Those spices are typically ultrasonically welded, but the supplier can have issues during production, which may take years before showing up, including breaking the strands from the harness flexing over time. Or, not all the strands get welded. Thumbs up, Ivan. We all typically get trained in Conventional Flow Theory, which states the electric charge moves from positive to negative, thanks to Ben Franklin. It was years into my education before I was exposed to Electron Flow Theory, and when I was, it changed my perspective on issues. Often today, I first look to the grounds or the ground/negative circuit. And I find many in the automotive service area (Not Ivan) overlook this perspective. My video channel is dedicated to the Powerstroke 6.0L and not mainly to the electrical problems. But I have videos where I've tried to expose people to the grounding side of the vehicles - it's just not commonplace to look there for many DIY people or some mechanics.

[@rickheckbert2423]

Ivan I hope you are getting free pastries for life! Thanks for the series. I now know way too much about Ford Transit vans! Happy holidays to you and yours.

[@finky555]

P.S. I knew from the start it would be a ground issue but like you I would have expected the green crusties but now that you resolved it with solder I realized where I have witnessed this issue before. Again Bravo to you.

[@BrewVick]

Brilliant as ever Ivan. Thankyou for showing the series.

[@joemazzola7387]

This Ford transit connect series should be a case study at Dearborn Merry Christmas 🎄

[@Gspizzy]

Ivan, this case study and series was your best yet. The scanner showed lots of erratic behavior, and that wiring diagram showed how all these sensor codes and grounds were inter-connected to a 5 wire splice in the middle of a wiring harness. Solder for the "WIN".

[@petermccoll469]

An amazing repair. Finding the intermittent ground issue was just great. perhaps loose or oxidized wire in the crimp. Soldering the plice was the best repair. Great set of videos. Thanks

[@sandysaab9357]

10/10! Amazing work, while I can’t wait for the episodes to complete the series, this Christmas special was just the best. My family didn’t understand my fascination, thankful it stayed “single digit” numbers…

[@otellogirl]

What a crazy problem. Dont think Any shops would have found that splice problem. Great job again Ivan. Merry Christmas to you and your family

[@bobytrap.j9793]

Thank you dude. It’s one of the best case study I’ve ever seen. Fixing cars and diagnostics are my best hobby, I love it. I’m sure without you the vehicle might’ve been scrapped or the dealer would’ve sliced the client wallet. AMAZING!!!!

[@PhillipBailey]

Great case study! I probably would have tied the map ground back to the rail pressure sensor ground and shipped it. It's nice to find the root cause of the problem though.

[@raymondhoke6247]

Even not being a mechanic this kids ability to fix cars blows my mind. Love your videos Ivan. I've watched every one you have put out for about 3 years.

[@duanedelestienne2997]

Because of the nature of multiple wires in the same crimp connection, the likely failure is oxidation on the relevant conductor causing a variable resistance (vibration influenced) resulting in the variable voltage differential to ground. If left alone, other connections would have likely been affected, but by then the van would have probably been undriveable. Having said that, WOW! Most mortals would have given up after the third issue. It is this kind of dogged determination that gets to the ultimate solution.

[@1quickchevy2]

That factory splice was most likely ultrasonic welded and not a crimp. Either way, absolutely legendary trouble shooting. Great work, Ivan.

[@JoseSilveira-newhandleforYT]

All I can say is: Congratulations, Ivan! Logic, great thought process and perseverance to beat a problem worse than any hellish creature could come up with. This was not a repair series, it was a mystery novel, with a lot of suspense 🙂 As for the odd behavior of the splice, once you didn't open it, I can imagine a partial light oxyde layer on the MAP sensor ground wire, having a semiconductor-like performance, that stopped each time current was interrupted, when you disconnected the sensor, with the other sensors remaining on (unlike with the key off). Anyway, weird

[@v12alpine]

Was thinking along those lines... that splice was basically acting like a diode.

[@ekimbrough1413]

Ivan...U R A frickin' genius auto surgeon!

[@garyalford9394]

Guess you did prove the solder over crimp theory ! wow test on your patience also ! nice job !

[@jeffco908]

Not yet, needs to work for 10 years like the crimp did, technically to be proven. Keep in mind the huge temperature swings under the hood. Daily 100C changes. Vibration from engine and driving. Motion from engine torque under load then unloaded. Solder joints work great no doubt but they dont flex like a crimp will.

[@davidmcclain5180]

Thank you Ivan for this series of videos. I watched every second of each video hypothesizing what in the world could be causing the issues. The splice issue was unbelievable though I've found splice issues before but this one causing the fuel trim issues was incredible. Great work and I can't wait for the videos you make in 2025.

[@johnkaplanian]

I believe while crimping, the MAP ground wire strands did not connect all the strands and it forms a sort of air gap where 2 or 3 strands are barely touching other ground wires or crimp body, and this is why when soaked with solder , it meshes the unconnected (strayed in an air gap) strands with the rest of the wires. Similar scenario happens when connecting a single wire to a pin , initially it will look solid, but if not soldered with time and heat / cold cycles it will be partially loose and in many instances you may be able to slightly drag the strands in and out of the pin. Take Care & Merry Christmas.

[@mark-d9k9b]

Exactly my first thought but now i think this is physically impossible. When crimping multiple copper wires inside a metal sleeve under great force there is no room left inside the crimp and the copper from the other wires are an excellent conductor. Ivan showed the crimp was correct with no loose wires or something like that. The theory mentioned here by others about a thin layer of oxidation or leakage by oil contamination to another circuit with a higher capacitance makes more sense i think.

[@gizmocatz3478]

Merry Christmas Ivan to you and the wife. What a crazy fix and the fault came from the factory wiring harness, that would have drove me crazy just looking for it. This was a great learning experience.

[@bbrnkyle74]

I'm surprised you have any hair left. I would have pulled all of mine out!! Great job Ivan! Can't wait for the New Year series!!!!

[@jws3925]

One of a kind, Ivan. One of a kind.

[@ThisIS_Insane]

That, was amazing! You slayed that pastry van's issues, and persevered until the realization came that you've reached the final solution! Not enough oil anywhere to matter. Well Done Big Guy!! 🎉🎉🎉 You. Are. Tenacious! Have a Happy New Year! 🎉🎉🎉🥳🥳🥳💥💥💥

[@jeffersonwebb5850]

As a retired mechanic I feel your stress and relief . Glad that vehicle is fixed .

[@DooMHaMMeR247]

True grit!!! " That's a crazy little van, guys!"- Bernie

[@Saykes1994]

Good job! Happy New Year!

[@scottnusser6232]

Electrons are sneaky little guys, they do weird stuff, they are the devils tool😂 They can shock you, they can drive you nuts, they can make your life great or make it hell. Be careful when dealing with them! Great series Ivan ❤. You really went above and beyond, nice fix. As a 45 yr. veteran in our trade it's really great to pass the torch to a guy like you and like Eric and some others on ytube. I wish more young people would learn the trades. It's very satisfying to figure out something that others have not. I'm kind of legendary in my area and it's a great feeling to have the respect and admiration of customers and especially other techs. You are becoming a legend ❤ .

[@jimgreish9190]

Good non call on the new high pressure pump. Great series!

[@ianhart356]

Great job! A mighty effort.

[@belowme4927]

IF THIS GOES TO A PART 10, BRING THE VAN TO THE WRECKING YARD

[@RipCityBassWorks]

The wrecking yard would reject it after seeing Ivan's videos xD.

[@petepeabody8905]

Ivan, What is this auto industry in for? Many videos you offer when a dealership either throws parts cannon at issues, or are completely off quoting exuberant amounts of money quotes when it still wouldn't have fixed the issue. Then there's PHAD and you Ivan that gets these problems. You never give up and want only for your work to be guaranteed. You are by far one of the best and I enjoy everything you stand for. Thank you and may the Lord GOD be with you my brother.....Pete

[@Mark-x8s6u]

Electrical engineers and associated designers of these manufacturers should take note not to bond several grounds or positive wires (for that matter) inside of a harness buried amongst where it can't be visible. Instead run all wiring independently to terminate where it can be seen. More likely a tech will find a problem imo. Just seems Companies are cheaping out trying to save a little wire. Very interesting discussion from lots of your viewers. Fantastic series Ivan. As many times as you got flustered you kept hammering through. Ivan the wiring whisperer😇

[@fixitman8028]

Phenomenal!! Thanks for the Christmas special. I really enjoyed watching a quality program. Lots of suspense and twists and turns. Amazing talent. You are a blessing to so many of us!! God bless you and your family!! Merry Christmas!

[@tebbi67]

Congratulations, it is important that every technician who has not yet been confronted with it has seen something like this! I have seen this error before with BMW and Mercedes... but only with models that were at least 20 years old... not with newer models. It could be assumed that inferior copper was used in the lines... you always try to save money where you can! Better than any crime show on TV!... thank you very much for your effort...thx for the vid.

[@davidrowe8787]

Was hooked on this series great diagnosis Ivan you must have the patience of a saint as we sat over here in the uk.

[@TheVespap200e]

Thanks Ivan! The EcoBoost from HELL made my Christmas! What a series! Looking forward to the New Years special.👍

[@pauljennings4248]

So glad you survived the van. It was hard to watch but I knew you would resolve all the issues. MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR.

[@WildChinoise]

Great job fixing all the problems in the ECOBoost from hell. I learned a lot from your pain and suffering, Thanks much!

[@kjm-ch7jc]

You can hear the relief in his voice after this saga, fault finding can be demanding similar to walking in a maze.