Where in the world is BrianR?

[sugarpop]

What a skank. ugh. both of them.

[capnhowdy]

Both?

Is Waldo inclusive?

[sugarpop]

Actually I was referring to Paris, in the background. Waldo, though, considering where he is, is pretty skankish too.

[BrianR]

Omaha today and until Saturday morning.

C'mon people! You can do better than this! I have better response from IRC!

[sugarpop]

I'm not playing until you tell us a movie we can watch.

[BrianR]

I have nearly 500 movies on board...choose!

[BrianR]

Davenport IA, anyone?

Been here two days with a sick truck (you'd think a NEW truck would at least START?) and am in a hotel. Anyone want to buy me a beer?

[tw]

Originally Posted by BrianR

Been here two days with a sick truck

What is now required to get a truck fixed these days? Is the problem parts, test equipment, or just someone who knows the truck?

[BrianR]

Yes.

My problem is no fuel getting to the engine. There's only a few things that can cause this on the DD15 engine. So far, it's been to two shops and no luck identifying the problem. We've called a Detroit Diesel specialist to come out from the manufacturer to troubleshoot the thing.

The rest will come in time. Once the problem is found, we have to order the parts which will take another day. Or so, depending on availability.

The procedure is the same for a truck as for a car. You go to a shop, describe the problem and let the mechanic go to town. If the problem is beyond him, you go to the dealer, who supposedly has better mechanics than the regular shop, and they fix the problem. You pay and go your merry way.

In my case, I don't pay, the company pays but that's it.

It's just that the repair bills tend to start at four digits and go up from there for a Class 8 truck. Ouch.

I'm sitting in a Clarion Suites hotel until they get it running again, which the company is also paying for.

I even talked the clerk into putting the room code on the bill instead of the type of room so I can have a smoking room. My company doesn't pay for smoking rooms, only non smoking. So I get by okay out of this, except I'm not getting paid to sit. My paycheck this week will be zero as my last trip will be in next weeks' check, which will also be small since I spent most of the week sitting. Again.

Maybe I should have requested on old truck...at least THEY have the bugs worked out.

[tw]

Originally Posted by BrianR

My problem is no fuel getting to the engine. There's only a few things that can cause this on the DD15 engine. So far, it's been to two shops and no luck identifying the problem.

So little can obstruct fuel flow. Pump. Regulator. Clogged fuel filter. Either computer say fuel pressure is too low or injectors are not working. Even old school - a fuel pressure gauge on the fuel manifold.

I suspect the next guy knew what he was doing - found it in a hour - and that you are well on the road. So what was it?

[BrianR]

Fuel line came loose from the tank selector valve (L,R,or Both). That caused air to get into the fuel lines and lost the system's priming.

[tw]

Originally Posted by BrianR

Fuel line came loose from the tank selector valve (L,R,or Both). That caused air to get into the fuel lines and lost the system's priming.

They still don't put the pump in the diesel tank? That was a problem long ago when trucks did not even have electronics? The mechanic could not figure that out?

Unless you wanted time off, you have every reason to be pissed. Any rookie should have been able to find and fix that one.

[BrianR]

No, the pump rightly goes near the engine. The reason is that there are two fuel filters, a primary with relatively large filter apertures and a secondary which has much smaller apertures. The fuel pump is located between these so that it pulls fuel through the primary (removes dirt and sludge) and pushes it through the secondary (removes small contaminants and water), thus giving maximum efficiency. Also it is easier to access when it isn't in a tank, requiring the removal of the tank first.

I told the (three) mechanics about my changing the fuel valve position and the subsequent failure of the engine. One would think they would have started looking there first to see if I broke something, or perhaps moved the selector to the 'OFF' position by mistake. I'm not that dumb, but they should have listened to me and checked there first.

Mechanics tend to hold drivers in low esteem and vice-versa. Both sides have ample reason to mistrust the other. Drivers have been known to do (or not do) incredibly stupid things. I know of one who never checked their oil until the engine starved for oil and seized. There went a $30,000 engine.

I have had a mechanic remove my power steering pump to clean and rebuild it. They reinstalled the WRONG pump, thus causing the new pump to explode a few minutes later. How do you do that? You take the pump out, take it apart on a bench, clean it and redo whatever needs redoing, put it back together, reinstall it and refill with fresh fluid, bleed the system and test drive it. If I want downtime, I disconnect the dashboard ground, cover it with clear nail polish and put it back, causing the system ground for the dashboard and main computer to go away and cause major electrical headaches. After a day or two and I've rested and done whatever, I clean the contact and retighten it. They have no idea what the problem was but assume the accidentally fixed it and pretend they knew along and clear my repair order. It works every time!

Brian

[tw]

Originally Posted by BrianR

No, the pump rightly goes near the engine. ... The fuel pump is located between these so that it pulls fuel through the primary (removes dirt and sludge) and pushes it through the secondary (removes small contaminants and water), thus giving maximum efficiency.

All those same things are acomplished with a pump is inside the tank. Even easily accessed. A pump inside the tank also means no air pocket problems exist in fuel lines. If a pump goes bad, just switch over to the other pump and keep going. Get it repaired when convenient. Another example of 'gimp mode'.

But again, when diesel is not flowing, it was always a first thing checked by any junior mechanic. Open the test cock or threads where a fuel pressure gauge attaches. See if fuel even exists in that manifold. $thousands for the mechanic and he does not even do this the simplest thing?

Love that 'varnish the ground stud' test. We did similar to new techs. Test their basic knowledge. Most discovered it immediately. Amazing is how many have so few thought skills as to be fooled by that varnish trick.

[BrianR]

Fuel pumps in the tank are a bad idea because the fuel can turn into Jell-O in very cold weather, damaging the pump. Also, it's hard to access since the entry is on top of the tank, requiring the tank to be removed and the fuel drained into two 55 gallon drums. It's easier this way.