And the Saga Continues - Need More Help

[maniac]

Every engine I have ever seen has higher oil pressure cold than it does hot

While thats true, it usually isnt that much of a drop, my KW has around 80-85 cold and then it drops to around 70 running at 195 degrees.

When I puked an injector and got the fuel in the oil it barely went to 40-45 PSI though, normally it holds 10 gallons of oil, BUT I filled 3, 5 gallon pails when the injector puked.

 

[apextrans]

The only other money I will throw at it is enough to turn off the lights. Then down the road it goes. Should know something mid morning friday.

My Pete does drop a very small amount from like 80 to 75psi as it warms up but not 25psi drop like I saw this morning. Skeerd me a little to watch that. Wondered if it was going to 0!!

 

[apextrans]

Well, $332.38 later, I still have lights on but the CAT place rigged it so the ECM won't de-rate the motor. They tried swapping the sensor with no luck. Still throws codes. The lights come on but the truck runs the same, no drop in power. I hate to be a sneek but I'm gonna have to pull the bulbs I guess. I've had a few calls on the truck & I was somewhat up front about what it needs & the people still want to see it. I'll have to come down to the break even mark to keep a clear the path to heaven open though. I've still got a load on it but I think I'm gonna off load it & use the Pete for the weekend. Don't want to break something else. I miss the Pete anyway. Just not a good scerario at all.

 

[pafixitman]

I'll have to come down to the break even mark to keep a clear the path to heaven open though.

You are not Catholic are you?

I'm sorry that was just plain bad. BTW-It is a buyer beware world. Unless you are flat out asked...

I would burn the bulbs, not remove them completely. Any state inspection station worth their tail has a drawer full of burnt bulbs!

 

[Jarlaxle]

Every engine I have ever seen has higher oil pressure cold than it does hot

The DT466 'Binder at work nearly pegs the gauge cold (70-75psi when first started), and it drops over 50% hot (~15-20 at idle, 40-45 at 1400RPM). Oil analysis last fall came back pretty good, with very slight dilution (might have an injector on the way out...no shock since they have something like 600,000 hard miles on them).

 

[apextrans]

You are not Catholic are you?

I'm sorry that was just plain bad. BTW-It is a buyer beware world. Unless you are flat out asked...

I would burn the bulbs, not remove them completely. Any state inspection station worth their tail has a drawer full of burnt bulbs!

Na, I'm a ****. But I'm married to an Irish Catholic & that's how my kids are being raised too. I just have a hard time intentionally screwing someone like that.

It is buyer beware, but sometimes I talk too much when I shouldn't.

How can I burn the bulbs? Just hit 'em with high voltage?

 

[EMD Diesel Power]

How can I burn the bulbs? Just hit 'em with high voltage?

If the bulbs are 12V.... 24V should burn em out. just get two 12V batteries in series and light up the bulb.

If you go too high... (household current) you run the risk of melting/blowing up the bulb.

 

[pafixitman]

Be real nice if you had a ac/dc convertor and could hit them w/ more than 12V dc. I think AC would cause 'em to blow up.

I have "been told" that this works great on flakey computer parts. No more "no problem found" answers.

I worked for Nationwide Isuzu and then at the Infiniti store back in the late '80's early '90's. Started out as a used car salesman. I had / have no problem sleeping!

 

[apextrans]

I won't sell it to anybody I know. Most of my friends in this business know the story behind this shitbox (& there's way more to it then I've shared on the board here), so if one of them came to me & wanted it, they already know what they're getting into. Still, I'd rather it disappear so I can sleep OK.

I wanted it to go away before I got the Pete, but my money situation (or lack there of due to my sitting on my ass for a month trying to get this one to run long enough to make some money) is probably going to require me to buy it prior to the Freightliner leaving. Scary proposition, but I can't afford to keep paying my driver & feed my family if I don't get moving NOW. I'm not exaggerating either. I sat here most of the nite thinking this out & had come to the conclusion the driver was history immediately because I need the money he's making. I'm looking the other Pete over tommorrow on the way to VA beach. If it's straight, I'm gonna go for it. I should be able to have it on the road in a week. The seller is a friend & willing to defer payments for one month & let me have it for no money down. As long as nothing is wrong with it I'll be alright.

I never believed 1 bad business decision could put you out of business, but I've never been closer to that scenerio than I am right now because of this truck

 

[Jarlaxle]

Wouldn't repowering the FL with a take-out from a wreck be a boatload cheaper than dropping a fortune on another truck (which may or may not be any better)?

Heck, maybe just run it until it lets go? It's not like it doesn't need an overhaul anyway.

 

[apextrans]

Yeah it would, but it's not really the right type of truck for what I do. I was willing to make it work before, but most of the work I'm adding on is longer distance. I don't trust it to do the miles.

I could just blow it up but who knows where it would let go. Just easier to get rid of it & get something solid

 

[maniac]

Wouldn't repowering the FL with a take-out from a wreck be a boatload cheaper than dropping a fortune on another truck (which may or may not be any better)?

Repowering would cost around 10 grand by the time you figure in the labor and the downtime and then the "new" engine is untried it would just be throwing money away, and letting it blow would be worse, if you could sell it to one of the "port" haulers who only go short distances, it could last them forever. Repowering works best when you have your own shop and don't have to pay "shop rates"


Why is this other Pete for sale?, and is the factory warranty still in place? lots to consider here.

I never believed 1 bad business decision could put you out of business,

Unfortunatly in the trucking biz, thats how it is, not a whole lot of breathing room.

I've been an O/O for 29 years and seen it lots of times, my KW is getting old, I had "heavy" repair bills myself this year, just when you think your getting ahead

Sad to say its usually either the vehicle or driver who does you in, and as the older hands get out and retire off it wil be harder and harder to replace them simply because the money doesen't keep up with the hours and the newer drivers won't put up the BS that we older guys did, not a bad thing IMO, but it will make drivers harder and harder to find and to keep.

 

[Jarlaxle]

2000 is old? Uhh, OK, if you say so...it's a year older than the newest wrecker at work.

(And most of the wreckers are old enough to vote.)

 

[maniac]

2000 is old? Uhh, OK, if you say so...it's a year older than the newest wrecker at work.

Yes,2000 is old for a truck that runs 5 days a week almost 20 hours a day, that doesn't have an in house shop to look after it.

I know the wreckers run all day and sometimes all night, but my KW runs maxed out 80,000 lbs 20 hours a day.

Danbury Ct to Phila Pa twice a day loaded both ways, 760 miles a day, 5 days a week.

 

[EMD Diesel Power]

2000 is old? Uhh, OK, if you say so...it's a year older than the newest wrecker at work.

(And most of the wreckers are old enough to vote.)

Wreckers dont do the miles that the OTR rigs do.

I'll bet ya that 2000 KW is close to a million miles if not over already.

(And it looks like I was pretty darn close... seeing as Maniac posted while I was typing this.)