Fixing Pumps over the phone

[thepumpguysc]

I get calls, maybe 4-5x a week from independent tractor mechanics wanting to know this or that & how to fix a leak or how to get a tractor out of the field.. What to check & how to fix it.. OR how to pull a pump.. and I tell them..
It doesn't cost me a dime to "help out".. OR so I thought..
I started saying>> "I'm sorry but I no longer fix pump/tractors over the phone.. IF you would like to bring me the equipment, I'd be happy to have a look at it for you.. OR you can pull the pump & bring it to my house & I'd be happy to repair it for you.." " YES, I DO make service calls to LOOK at your machine.. for a fee"..
I haven't had a call in a week.. LOL
NOW don't get me wrong fellas.. I LOVE helping you guys out.. but its these guys 15-20 miles from my house that are pocketing all the money off the info I give them over the phone.. Fixing a leak & throwing a "rebuild in a can" on the pump & charging 650.00-1000.00 that pizzin me off.. SO I STOPPED..

 

[Tones]

Onya mate, you gotta look after the hip pocket.I went and looked at a job and the bloke wanted to know how I was going to do it, so I told him.So the smart a$$ went out and rented a machine. Next thing I get a phone call from him complaining that the machine is doing a bad job and wanted to know how to fix it.It told him that he should have got someone proper in the first place and he will have to sort it out for himself, then hung up

 

[kenh]

Good move.
No need to finance the "enemy" (competition)

 

[Junkyard]

Yeah that ain't cool. Happens to me on ocassion. I've learned to omit one or two crucial details just to keep things interesting.....

 

[RZucker]

Yeah that ain't cool. Happens to me on ocassion. I've learned to omit one or two crucial details just to keep things interesting.....

Especially with Idiots that cant even explain the problem properly to begin with?

 

[Junkyard]

Yep, can't name parts or even give details to help me narrow down if it's even a piece of yellow iron......lol

At the day job on occasion the operators can't articulate what's going on either. Lots of headbanging going on and there's no Metallica playing!!!

 

[thepumpguysc]

I just found this out recently..
I just hope my name isn't attached to THEIR "rebuilds"..
I was joking w/ one of the independents about a leaking top cover I walked him thru..
I said, you probably painted the pump & sold it as a rebuild, for 400.00?? His response was, 400.00 hell !!
I charged him 1000.00 !! to "pull" the pump, send it out to be fixed & reinstall..lol..
OMG !!! THEN it hit me.. this prick spent 11.00 in orings & gaskets, and NEVER removed the pump.. & robbed a customer !!! WITH THE INFO I GAVE HIM.!!!!! That's just something I can no longer be part of..
THATS EXACTLY WHY, I get on here & do what I do for FREE or at a MAJOR savings for you guys..!!!
on account of the greed in the industry...
Honest hard working people, getting ripped off because they forgot to change a filter or forgot to turn the fuel petcock back on.. its bull ****.!!! Not this kid.. I gotta sleep at nite..

 

[kshansen]

On a somewhat similar subject. This made me recall about 40 years ago when a local junk yard owner had talked to my boss about getting me to rebuild the transmission in his Cal front end loader. I wasn't wanting the job but went to look at it anyhow hoping I could convince the guy to pull it out for me and let me rebuild it and then get him to put it back in.

Well when I got there it was a much older loader than I was familiar with but I took a quick look at it. Sure enough it would not move, did not even try. I noticed how much mud and crap was on the floor and how stiff the brake peddle felt. I reached down and pulled the left peddle back hard and loader started to move.

See on these machines the left brake peddle sends air pressure to the "neutralizer valve" in the transmission. With the peddle being stiff from dirt and crap on floor it was not releasing all the way and holding the transmission in neutral. I did a few quick loops around his parking area in forwards and reverse to his surprise! Told him to spray the peddle good and clean cab out. Tried telling him "NO Charge" but he stuck something like $40.00 in my hand.

Often wondered how much someone else might have charged or how far they would have ripped that loader apart just to make it look like they had done something.

 

[repowerguy]

You play a dangerous game when you sell work that you don't do. Eventually there will be a problem with the "professionally reman" unit , and you will be exposed as a fraud and con man. If you do some quick and dirty repair, be upfront with the customer, charge accordingly and you will make a life customer who will net you a lot more money going forward.
Concerning phone help, I have a few close guys I go to when I need advice and it is a two way street. I have stopped work to answer a question they have or loaned a spendy specialty tool to them. We can all profit by helping one another occasionally.
Don't rip off customers, don't abuse knowledge databases, and take care of your back! (I had to throw in that last one as a reminder to 30 something super men).

 

[HDMRice]

I work for a dealership, as a resident tech, and certainly receive my fair number of phone calls from customers, and fellow mechanics. It can be something as simple as "what oil goes in this reservoir?", or "how does this come out?", or "what might cause this?". As a resident, without a close shop, I typically take these as favours, because a time will come when I need a welder, or a press, or a dry spot to rebuild something.

I haven't had any experiences just as yours yet, as far as I know. I can understand your reaction though, that's just insane. I've had it drilled into me that Honesty is very important in this industry.

 

[funwithfuel]

I've always regarded fuel pumps as the origin of black magic and voodoo. Something that is so mechanically simple can cause big chunky pistons to melt away.
When it comes to pump timing, I check it very closely, and recheck before ever turning the key.
I have never pretended to know all the nuances and quirks of pumps. I always defer to the local pump shop.
I had some yayhoo put a junkyard pump on a fresh in frame Mack engine. Dropped it in really hot and ruined all my work. Then they sued my employer for the repair. Tied us up in the courts for a couple years.
It's a shame, what some folks will do.

 

[Birken Vogt]

TPG, I thank you for the help you have given me...it is a shame I can't [normally] send work to you being on the wrong end of the country. But I will try to get you something if not time sensitive one day.

As for providing phone support, I give it to people all the time. I try to give the narrative of how I would fix the problem from start to finish. I also try to give all the "if you see this then you need to fix that while you are in there" things that could happen. This usually encourages then to just have me out and do it myself. Keeps everyone happy.

 

[Ct Farmer]

I have been fortunate to find forums like this with people kind enough to help out with their knowledge when things really get nasty, the dealer gives up or most especially on a weekend when there is no dealer. Be it equipment, cars, electronics or machinists I've got some amazing help and suggestions. I am grateful for it and try to give back when I can and pass along what I've learned over the years.

I understand though being in a position of being the one that always gets called when a tool is needed, something needs fixing or welding, a few bolts from the crib etc. The thing that really gets to me is the "oh man, I owe you for this one" but then when I need a helping hand nobody is around.

I still help people but I've started charging for things that actually take hours of my time. I figure if they would have to pay someone else to do the work I should not be giving it away. They could learn if they wanted to or build their own shop, buy their own equipment so why give away my time, materials and equipment.

 

[xgiovannix12]

thats the way to go pg . BTW case is still running strong. I might be a good mechanic but i would not even tear into an injection pump lol. Im very happy with the stanadyne pump you rebuilt for me.

 

[Twisted]

I give out way too much information but I don't mind. I need help to. I've been hosed a couple times on some big jobs by my competition but being helpful gets me more work than I can handle. I see contractors in every trade come and go. If they constantly depend on others in the same field to sustain their business, they fade away soon enough. A hack will generally always be a hack. I don't worry about them. If a guy just needs a bit of info and ends up being my competition, so be it. That is what keeps us all at the top of our game. A person can have all the info in the world but the difference is how they use it.

A local contractor and my self were having a conversation with a few locals and one of them asked him "Doesn't it **** you off when you see someone else doing dirt work and it's right in your backyard?". He said "Heck no! This is America man. Anyone can do the job and we all want to eat."

 

[thepumpguysc]

I DO AGREE w/ you Twisted.. but 100% are independent TRACTOR mechanics.. they SHOULD BE bringing the stuff to ME..
I don't call THEM to fix a tractor.. hydr. brakes, ignition.. stick w/ what ya know..
Like was said.. a hack is a hack.. I'm done w/ these guys..
Now if "someone" was to call me from Conn.. Indiana, N. Carolina, or Texas.. I'd answer the questions..
15 miles down the road?? they can KMA.. I'm done.

 

[Twisted]

It sounds like they are abusing you. Nobody likes to be a doorstep.

 

[Brodiesel]

What are you talking about? I thought everyone on this forum worked for free????!!!! I thought my $25,000 tool investment was for kids I haven't had yet!! I thought we were just doing our civil service and fixing things out of the kindness of our heart!!! I need to start charging people!! What went wrong!!!??

 

[Brodiesel]

I know I'm a "diesel mechanic" but last time I tore into an injection pump (VE) the pump-shaft snapped in half. It was for a friend, we split the cost on a new pump. HA.

 

[RZucker]

You play a dangerous game when you sell work that you don't do. Eventually there will be a problem with the "professionally reman" unit , and you will be exposed as a fraud and con man. If you do some quick and dirty repair, be upfront with the customer, charge accordingly and you will make a life customer who will net you a lot more money going forward.
Concerning phone help, I have a few close guys I go to when I need advice and it is a two way street. I have stopped work to answer a question they have or loaned a spendy specialty tool to them. We can all profit by helping one another occasionally.
Don't rip off customers, don't abuse knowledge databases, and take care of your back! (I had to throw in that last one as a reminder to 30 something super men).

I have seen way too much of this crap with "Hydraulic shops" For some reason Hydraulics are Black Magic also. I have seen more than one shop (all out of business now as it should be) screw people over by doing the old "ring and roll" thing. Clean a pump or motor with Brakleen and paint it. 2-3K for a relief valve adjustment. Yep... I've seen that. Been told once or twice "If your honest, you wont make money" That's just so wrong in many ways.