Keith Browning Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I have a 2007 F350 that keeps bending me over. Early December it came in needing coolers and left running fine and retaining it's fluids. Truck came back two weeks ago needing head gaskets - I admit I may have missed that but the truck was holding it's fluids when it left and I beat the shit outta these trucks after repairing them. So be it. It came in running fine with no reports of performance issues, no starts etc. While I have it apart I find #8 exhaust push rod bent and the dummy plugs deteriorated. Parts replaced, valves were removed and inspected only to find some wet (oily) rust looking crud on the stem. I put this truck together, lower the cab and button it up. Cranks and cranks and doesn't start. ICP remains at 0.24 volts. Off with the covers and air tested the HPOP system and major air flow with the IPR closed. You known he kind of hissing with fluid spitting and an echo from deep in the engine? Removed the IPR and found nothing wrong with it and I have oil spilling from the pump with the valve out while cranking. STC fitting highly suspect here. My only thought here is that with the heads off and the system drained for several days, the compromised fitting seal is now dry and will not seal at all. Kind of ironic. Ever have shit like this happen to you? To make matters worse (emotionally) this is not the kind of crap you need with new owners and management. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Mutter Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Shit like this happens to everyone. I know how you feel when you have new people looking at you. This is what happens when you work at a shop for a long time. Owners and managers come and go and you feel like you always have to be on your best game for the new ones. I hate the feeling but when you bang off a couple of good jobs you will get back into your regular routine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Saunoras Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I go through come-back cycles all the time. Not saying they're all my fault either, they just appear to be. From what I've seen in my limited time in this business it happens to all of us. Just think back to all the times you've fixed a new customers vehicle and they're very satisfied Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 It's not a comeback issue... it's the fact that this truck just keeps giving up problems without even leaving the bay. I am not one to just apply every to every truck that enters my shop just because... we do have warranty policies to adhere to and well, if it ain't broke, why assume it needs fixing right? Unfortunately this is one time that way of thinking would have saved me time and aggravation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsmth41 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Keep this in mind Keith, and this is exactly how i explain things to my customers. Diesel engines are progressive repair engines. I don't offer that up as an excuse, but a plain and simple fact. These things are pushed almost to the limits of being a "hot rod" when compared to their gas counterparts. What i mean by that is that the blocks and rotating assemblies are lightened and scalped and chopped and cut down to meet emissions each year. With that come various weak points. And just like when you build a high performance car, as sure as you beef up one area, the next weakest link will have to fail at some point. Whether it was a pre-existing condition or not, we are technicians, not psychics and cannot predict where the next issue will come from. We didn't design them, we didn't break them (in most cases, lol) and we did not make the customer buy them. All we can do is tell them how to fix it now that it is broke and how to prevent this in the future. just my .02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmorris Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Keep this in mind Keith, and this is exactly how i explain things to my customers. Diesel engines are progressive repair engines. I don't offer that up as an excuse, but a plain and simple fact. These things are pushed almost to the limits of being a "hot rod" when compared to their gas counterparts. What i mean by that is that the blocks and rotating assemblies are lightened and scalped and chopped and cut down to meet emissions each year. With that come various weak points. And just like when you build a high performance car, as sure as you beef up one area, the next weakest link will have to fail at some point. Whether it was a pre-existing condition or not, we are technicians, not psychics and cannot predict where the next issue will come from. We didn't design them, we didn't break them (in most cases, lol) and we did not make the customer buy them. All we can do is tell them how to fix it now that it is broke and how to prevent this in the future. just my .02 We say the same thing. If the customer can't handle that, then they are not the kind of customer you want. You profit more by weeding out the unwanted customers to make room for the ones that understand us. I finished up an EGR cooler job 2 weeks ago and it is now spewing a little coolant under heavy loads. Customer understood it happens sometimes. We instructed him to keep the coolant level low until he decides to fix it. He went away happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Well it turns out that it is me. Fuck. At least I still own a humility wrench. As it turns out you CAN swap the high pressure oil feed tubes with the dummy plug. Just don't expect the engine to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmorris Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Well it turns out that it is me. Fuck. At least I still own a humility wrench. As it turns out you CAN swap the high pressure oil feed tubes with the dummy plug. Just don't expect the engine to start. Tough break Keith, lesson learned. Something we can all put in our little books of things to look out for. Like the time I installed a HPOP STC fitting upside down... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbl35 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I just finished up a timeing belt and tuneup job on a 03 mitsubishi eclipse 3.0 24 valve.It ran great before I worked on it. After a few tries I got the marks and the tension perfect. I started it and it was sputering and running like crap wony get out of it's own way. Went over the fireing order and I crossed cyls. 3 and 5. Switched them and it accelerates perfectly. Now the idle fluctuates like crazy and has cam and crank sensor circuit codes. Can't find anything obvious. I think the distributor is on it's way out. I want this job done. I know the feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselD Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 Been there done that keith. You want to follow the warranty guidelines and not over repair the thing but knowing how much you will take it in the shorts if you dont just slap that stc fitting in while your there is a hard thing to swallow. It seemed I would do this more times then not because if I didnt it never failed it would either take a dump on me during a roadtest thrashing or 2 weeks later on the customer and I would still look like the dickbag that couldnt fix a sandwich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 "Why didn't you fix it when it was in the last time? You should have known it was going to fail." Point at a lightbulb on the ceiling. "Sir, can you tell me when that lightbulb is going to burn out?" Most people will pick up what you're puttin' down right there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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