Matt Saunoras

A few of you may have read my job hunt saga. 2 out of 3 shops I went hunting at were in desperate need of certified techs (both offered me more than I was making, the diesel job offered me a 60% pay increase). The manager of the diesel job I turned down called me 3 times that night to try to get me to reconsider. The next day the GM sent me a hand written letter thanking me for my time and feeling sorry that I declined. I was the only diesel cert guy that applied for the position They're starting to lose work because of it. Actually this week we've have 4-5 trucks on the schedule because the competing store can't take work in. The plain simple truth is, dealerships suck and flat rate sucks.

I find it interesting that if you look up specifications for a 6.0L in a 650/750 the coolant used is Shell Rotella ELC (red)

2011 F-550 cab and chassis with the tip of the #3 glowplug missing and low relative compression Brad I think you fucking cursed me, thanks for making me read the 6.7 cab removal aid

Performance radiator is supposed to be working on an aluminum tank 6.4 rad. Don't know the expected release date on it yet

how about a plasma cutter? that's a tool isn't it?

Agree 100% I can't understand why these guys pay untold amounts of money for these trucks and feel the need to fuck with them, for a lack of better terminology Granted I tinker around more than anyone and I wouldn't give up my 4" straight pipe for the world but you've gotta be crazy to tune a 6.0, they're already loaded hot from the factory any more and like you said, you're asking for it

one months payments left on my larger box. I don't know if I should get a top for it or trade both in and move into a larger box. I'm at maximum capacity. Granted there isn't much more I could use as far as tools go

If you saw one of the guy I work with you'd FULLY understand how someone could get that recall wrong. He's been in the business for 30+ years and doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. You bet he's installed those recalls though

Well I chickened out. Not without getting my share though, after tense negotiations they counter offered what I'd make if I left. You wouldn't even believe the stir this caused. I had full intentions of being gone and I really didn't think anyone would care I'm not up for making my job any harder than it has to be. I'm not a diesel tech and 90% of the time I don't work on trucks but now I'm getting paid like I do the other shop is pretty damn disappointed. Apparently I was the only diesel certified guy to apply so far

The pay increase is major, I'd be stupid to say no oh and i've got a 6.4 coming in within the next few days for a rh uppipe leak and mystery coolant loss.

The pay increase is major, I'd be stupid to say no

well we're gonna see if I can handle it I met with the SM from the shop I applied at yesterday. The diesel job is mine so I'll be putting in my 2 weeks tomorrow

I am flat rate too so that is constantly a load on my mind

I'm not a tranny tech by any means but I handle 95% of our small shops auto trans work NO, not making a damn bit of money doing it either (hence why I don't want to do it anymore). The only thing I'm really comfortable with is 6F35s. I can usually break even on them

This area is pretty much locked down as far as ford truck work goes. The one major truck store in pittsburgh is in big time jeopardy of losing ford. I thought about applying there years ago but I never went through with it due to the location. Corporate Ford doesn't like the location either. Not to mention it is a union shop and they are in big time warranty trouble The other 2 major truck dealerships in the south hills area are owned by the same people. There was talk of moving the trucks out of the 2 stores and into one truck shop(I know for a fact ford wants this to happen). That would be ideal due to the fact each store really doesn't have the room for trucks either, it's one of the reasons I want to work for one of these dealerships. The largest store was last place I applied to. They already have 4 diesel techs and don't need any more. The place I just went to today is the smaller of the 2 stores. They normally have 3 diesel guys, lately they've had only 2, now they're down to one. Everyone is leaving to go work for oil field companies. Then there is our dealership which has HUGE potential to steal a lot of work from the area if only the owner would update something and bring on some more techs. The truth is we don't have the room or the guys to work on trucks. As much as I like the job security that's about all I have going for me. I must have pissed off the SM because he's starving me of diesel work right now and tying me up on trannies. One of the main reasons I want out is due to automatics, it's simply not the direction I want to take sorry for the ranting. I know you guys have all your own problems to deal with

well an application is in at another store. this one is actually looking for diesel tech, they're down to one guy and they do a good amount of truck work I'm not a diesel tech but I played one on tv

if you put the shop's tap water in a white cup you can see it's fucking yellow. I'm sure all that is great for the cooling system we got an 08 in today for suspected front cover cavitation. oil is thick, coolant still okay, coolers/rad/t-stats were all already replaced once oh and the high pressure turbo is out to lunch too

I found a bunch of aluminum chips in the pan of that mountaineer when I went to pull the solenoid body. Needless to say I got told to stop right there

interesting. I hadn't attributed low coolant level to front cover cavitation before

First 4.6L 2 valve I've seen with broken manifold studs. This one is an 03 mountaineer. Also needs a solenoid body for an internally open TFT

Interesting about the cavitation issue too. The worst 6.4 cavitation i've seen was a result of running motorcraft green coolant for several thousand miles (the rad was leaking and the owner just kept filling it with green) obviously green doesn't have the nitrite that gold does and that's why VC-8 is needed. Suprisingly I've never heard about anyone trying ELC in a 6.4, just the 6.0 I'm probably going to do a coolant filter for my truck in the near future

Snap-on fan here also. Like Brad said I wouldn't buy the box though without the tools to put in it My main box I'm still paying on but my small (auxiliary) single bay I snagged off of craiglist for $500 The best tech I know works out of a tractor supply box. He just stood there and shook his head when I bought my Classic 96. "Your box doesn't make you money, what's inside does" That being said I haven't had one issue with either snap-on box I own

Being a 6.0 owner and a frequent reader of diesel message boards I find myself reading about this topic over and over. I have yet to draw a conclusion on the subject. I don't think a coolant filter is a bad idea but I also haven't read any definitive proof that silcates are causing the oil cooler to plug up. Incase anyone is wondering it's speculated that the EGR cooler is causing motorcraft gold coolant to break down and silicates in the coolant are falling out of suspension. This is said to be the reason that the oil cooler is plugging up. I'm not sure exactly where this idea originated or why everyone believes it to be the truth. I'm not using ELC in my truck until someone proves it won't harm anything else. I do believe that motorcraft gold needs to be serviced much more often than the owners manual would have you believe (atleast every 50k)