I was trying to see if I could get short term access to the Helm service manual and did a bit of searching and found one person that tried for the one month subscription but it wouldn't allow him.
So, I tried the 72 hour option and ran into the same thing. My think was that I would get access, then download what I figured I would need.
The problem is that it doesn't seem to want to work. Alarmist has been very helpful in finding and sharing information, but I hate to keep relying on his kindness. I guess I'll talk tot he boss to see if they will let me spring for the full manual. I have a laptop with a DVD player, so I'm golden there.
But has anyone had success with short term access?
I couldn't ever get it to work either.
So I bought an OEM 2015 Ford Service DVD for ALL of their vehicles on Ebay for IIRC, $65. Supposedly it was from a closed/out of business dealer.
There are a few quirks- you have to run on an old version of Acrobat (5?) and the DVD expires 3 months after installation, but you can change your computer date manually and keep on using it.
There was a shareware program out awhile back that would automatically change your date for a specified program then change it back when you exited but I could never get it to work, it might have been as old as Windows XP.
I miss XP to be honest. And I think if I ever cranked up my PC at home, it should still be running it. But then, I would have to make room for the tower and the CRT monitor.
As for the finding part, the Helm thing sucks. You need to select all, copy, and paste the Helm index into a word file or similar that you can search. Much easier that way, but you still need to guess at what Ford decided to call the various components. It gets easier with use though.
Has anyone tried the 72 hour subscription to www.motorcraftservice for 21.95 USD? I believe that it gives you access to the workshop manual, wiring diagrams etc. Or is this actually the HELM product that you are referring to?
All the fuse info is in the owners manual. There is none in the Helm book. The thing IS useful, but hideously flawed. Lots of missing info, references to irrelevant euro versions, etc. Truly aggravating. In Helm's defense, they only publish what Ford gives them.
I haven't figured out how to export stuff off of it, but haven't spent much time looking at it.
Yes the CD has to be present to use it...
I'd like to mirror the whole CD to hard drive so it is faster, may be a way, I just don't know about it!
I run it with Sumatra PDF just fine. Acrobat reader doesn't work for me. I always get memory issue error messages. There is another Adobe software package (SVG viewer 3.0) needed to view the wiring diagrams. It is obsolete, crashes often, and probably represents a security risk. I need to see if a non-adobe product will work. I take it as a given it will work better if it works at all. I'm hoping someone authors a proper repair manual for these things soon. Between Ford's misinformation and Helm's crap delivery, the manual should retail for about 75¢.
Folks I am sorry to keep harping on this but I just realized they charged me $8 to send me this (I can't call it "shipping")
Why Choose Parcel Select Lightweight?
PSLW is a great option for shippers — especially large- and medium-sized ones — who
are looking for an economical ground delivery service that also offers work-share
discounts.
If you are focused on keeping costs down, and are less concerned with the speed of
your delivery, then PSLW may be the right shipping choice for you, because PSLW can
offer low pricing on ground delivery.
Standard Details
Delivery Timeframe
The USPS does not guarantee the delivery of Parcel
Select Lightweight mailpieces within a specified time,
although domestic delivery averages within 2-8 business
days.
PSLW offers lower-price postage for bulk quantities that meet volume, presort and
destination entry requirements.
I despise any shipping method that uses USPS. I asked Amazon once what I could do to insure NOTHING was delivered by USPS I'd even pay extra and they said not a thing, the buyer has no say.
I did subscribe to UPS Premium which automatically upgrades packages sent vie final delivery by USPS to an actual UPS delivery. Arrives days earlier and know when it is coming unlike the USPS.
I've had multiple times a USPS package was out for delivery yet it didn't come that day- sometimes it was days later before it actually arrived. In addition our USPS delivery person puts packages on the very front edge of my porch where they get rained on and can be seen from the street- idiots.
UPS and Fedex at least have the sense to go one step farther and put the packages near the front door where they are protected from rain and possible theft from being seen.
The only plus to the USPS when using Amazon is I get a free month of Prime every time they screw up
BTW I have had packages direct mailed from China arrive before packages from California arrive via USPS.
THE CONTINUING SHIPPING SAGA
Oh yeah! Still waiting for the HELM CD. Unbelievable all these modern day shippers that ultimately hand their items off to the USPS. I really don't think it is the Post Office's fault. As a matter of fact I am becoming more impressed with them the last few years. But with change in .GOV they will probably regress again.
MY CD SEEMS TO BE BOUNCING AROUND IN THE MIDWEST (that is where both the shipper and ME the shipped to are located BTW)
Product & Tracking Information
Postal Product:
Parcel Select Lightweight
Features:
USPS Tracking® DATE & TIME STATUS OF ITEM LOCATION SHIPPING PARTNER® January 24, 2017, 7:23 pm
Departed Shipping Partner Facility, USPS Awaiting Item CAROL STREAM, IL 60188 NEWGISTICS
Your item departed a shipping partner facility at 7:23 pm on January 24, 2017 in CAROL STREAM, IL 60188.
This does not indicate receipt by the USPS or the actual mailing date. January 23, 2017 , 8:57 pm
Arrived Shipping Partner Facility, USPS Awaiting Item CAROL STREAM, IL 60188 NEWGISTICS January 21, 2017 ,3:29 pm
Departed Shipping Partner Facility, USPS Awaiting Item FISHERS, N 46037 NEWGISTICS January 20, 2017 , 12:07 pm
Arrived Shipping Partner Facility, USPS Awaiting Item FISHERS, IN 46037 NEWGISTICS
I got the CD Helm manual finally. I only have one PC right now, a new HP Pro book 450 running Windows 7. There was an install app in the Tools folder but it crashed and started jolting the mechanics of my drive after about a minute and brought up an error message. It did not open on the monitor when inserted which I suspect it would if I had an older operating system.
I called Helm. Their "customer service" dept is really only a "sales ordering" help dept. She said "Someone from Ford will contact you in 24hrs. She would not give me a number for Ford technical service so I am not exactly going to hold my breath and wait for the call back.
Got a call from a women (no name) "incognito" with no way to call her back. She did actually get me to a point where I have stuff show up on screen. The CD access was so slow that I had to find a SGViewer file online and download it. Once I accepted the Adobe agreement things started showing up. I have had computers since the 128K mac but I doubt I would have been able to do this with absolutely no instructions and no online source of info. Very rare indeed. If I am able to access these files and print them into a binding system on my own I will eventually be happy but I am withholding judgement of this until a later date.
BTW if I return the item they deduct 25%
There is a print option on the software, but no "save" or "save as". I used a "print to file" option using the XPS writer driver then used a OSX Mac app "XPS to PDF" file converter which enables me to open wiring diagrams on my Mac and play with output sizes, etc.
I am just not sure if the fonts are making the trip in full scaled resolutions. I suppose ultimately these images could be imported into Adobe's page layout program I have on the Mac (InDesign), resized, cropped, and recomposed into a printable manual but what a way to run a railroad.
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