PDQ laserwash 4K not sizing correctly

[KyleatTAW]

Hello I have a customer that has a PDQ Laserwash 4000. It is not sizing the car correctly.
The Virtual Treadle Board has been replaced, The inductive prox that reads the flags is opperation correctly and the wires in the festoon cable have been checked. I am thinking tht it is the Ultrasonic rangefinders are malfunctioning. The part number on the sensor is 04420026 I have called washworld and have been told that they do not carry nor can they get these sensors. Does anyone have a spare that I could purchase or know of any other suppliers that wont rape our customer on pricing?

 

[gearhead]

ultrasonics

A PDQ Dist. should be able to help you with that.

 

[whitescout]

Why do you think it's the ultrasonics? Can see or feel them " clicking"?

If you go to the VT control board and move the selector switch to positions e, and then f, you can check to see if the ultrasonics are reading correctly. Each dash on the display will be approximately 17 inches.

Have you checked all of the prox switches? Have you checked placement/condition of all flags and pulsebars (picket fences)?

 

[mac]

whitescout, thanks for the tip on checking the ultrasonics. We decided to try and help this customer as the factory rep down here in south FL was hosing him down. To give you an example, the customer called PDQ and asked about the sonics. The factory guy said they cost around $170.00, but when he asked the local distributor the price, he was told around $700. Yes, you read that right. If you have a PDQ in south FL, you had better be able to work on it yourself.

 

[madscientist]

It's possible that one quote was for the old style ultrasonics, and the other quote was for the new style.

 

[mac]

So there would be a $600 difference between the old and new style? Doesn't seem to pass the smell test.

 

[madscientist]

The old blue ultrasonics (discontinued) were at least $700 each, if not $800+. You can upgrade your system to the new ones pictured above for under $800 total. That includes 2 ultrasonics (black) and the card that mounts in the jo box to communicate with the vt board. I'm sure it has a name but I can't remember it. I believe those black ultrasonics are about $170 each, when bought individually.

*I'm neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the smell test part.

 

[dreese]

The old blue ultrasonics (discontinued) were at least $700 each, if not $800+. You can upgrade your system to the new ones pictured above for under $800 total. That includes 2 ultrasonics (black) and the card that mounts in the jo box to communicate with the vt board. I'm sure it has a name but I can't remember it. I believe those black ultrasonics are about $170 each, when bought individually.

*I'm neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the smell test part.

The pictures show the new style (smaller, black) ultrasonic and so this site has been upgraded. The old style (larger, blue) ultrasonics were, in fact, very pricey and probably what were originally quoted (some distributors have old stock on hand, and possibly it was not specified that the site had been updated). In fact, as stated above you could upgrade the system for about the same cost of one of the old style sonics. (Two new style ultrasonics, new SAU interface board, and mounting brackets)
New style ultrasonics are interchangeable and can be replaced individually at a much more reasonable cost. Check with your PDQ distributor - you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[mac]

madscientist and dreese, thanks for clarifying that. I got my information from the operator, and I've heard way too many stories over the years to not be skeptical when I hear these things. I'll also be very honest with you. I have a h+rd on for PDQ. Several years ago I was trying to help out an operator who had a falling out with the then PDQ distributor (who is now part owner of Coleman/Hannah). So when I tried to talk to anyone at tech support I was kindly told to forget it. When I tried to buy parts from PDQ or the distributor, I was flat denied. Let that sink in. They refused to sell an average citizen (OK, I might be a bit above average) a part at any price. Expensive letters from a lawyer to the distributor, PDQ, and the company that owns PDQ, were all ignored. So, yeah, it's hard to believe that now they have found the righteous path. I'll see if I can get the operator to write a review here. He has told me he is reluctant to do so in case he ever needs to use the current distributor ( who was until recently the Ryko distributor, then a Sonny's affiliate, and now a PDQ distributor. Got that?)