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Here we go again 140M DOWN

20/80

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
872
Location
nova scotia canada
Occupation
operator
Well here's a update on our new reman engine install, it has been lowered into the frame....week 4, the mouldboard is still in the machine shop but our doors have returned for this machine, $7800 for the doors repair, pretty much some tin work and body fill done for the door repair, 10 grand for new ones, I give them 1 year in our salty air environment at best before they fall to pieces, on another note I would like to take every texting cell phone that our mechanics have put them all into a pile and burn them!!!! these devices are a major problem in our work place.
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,257
Location
Canada
Some of the new generation would die without their cell phones. On them 24/7. I'm surprised that more companies aren't banning them in the workplace except for emergencies. Using them for taking pictures when repairing things is a good use for them though or talking with a dealer tech. while at the machine. Random texting should be grounds for disciplinary action.
 

Birken Vogt

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
5,305
Location
Grass Valley, Ca
It would probably be cheaper to buy a bunch of digital cameras for shop use, and cordless telephones for talking to tech support, than to allow the mischief of employee phones I think.
 

20/80

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
872
Location
nova scotia canada
Occupation
operator
Yep they are a big problem, upper management has not recognized this problem yet because they are bean counters, they need paperwork to compare figures, this does not show up on their spread sheets, just off the top of my head taking a good guess I would say our main shop looses 1 hour aday to 7 out off 10 mechanics to personal texting and cell phone conversations, doing the math at say 35 bucks hour that's $245 aday $1225 a week and just under $6000 a month on charged out wages that was wasted on cell phone texting and personal calls not to mention adding more unnecessary down time to the repairs on a piece of equipment that is needed, this kind of stuff is easily hidden and over looked, this is just in 1 shop and these figures may be higher, something to think about
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,257
Location
Canada
It would probably be cheaper to buy a bunch of digital cameras for shop use, and cordless telephones for talking to tech support, than to allow the mischief of employee phones I think.

I was thinking of respectable employee's actually using them for work related uses. I never used my cell at work but pretty much everyone in my group would look on the internet from time to time when things were slow. It was brought up and management was looking at other things we could be doing but nothing ever came of it. The whole Canadian Tech. support group was eliminated but not for that reason. Everything went to the US for Canadian tech. support as well.

The supervisor we had at the time was also going to shadow us to see what we actually do but absolutely nothing ever came of that either. She kind of left us alone but never helped if we were busy or down a couple people when it was busy. Previous supervisor was always there and very strict about working your full shift and always filled in and helped out when needed. He was forced out along with dozens of other long time managers and product specialists. Some of the group liked her but some us wondered how she got away with continually being the last one in and the first to leave, basically when ever she felt like it. Also had a thousand excuses to not come in. I thought as a senior manager she should lead by example. Another guy who had been their for 40 years said he's never seen anything like it. She was also making personal calls on her cell all the time. I walked into her office and she tried to hide it. My station was right in front of her office. It had curtains but they were translucent ( you could still kind of see through them). Early in her new position, I watched her take several naps on company time. One I remember was when she turned the high back chair around so the back faced the window, put a shawl on, slouched down in the chair so her head was low and never moved. About an hour and a half later she got up to use the washroom! Her office was well lit but she later put a bright desk lamp in. I think to keep her awake. Had her boss not been thousands of miles away in another province I think she might have had problems. She had one of the lowest manager ratings (for their group) when a company wide unanimous survey was done but it made no difference. A few of her excuses:
I got a flat tire so I need to take the whole day off to get all new tires on the car.
I twisted my ankle so won't be in today.
Took the day off to pick up her new car. It wasn't ready but she took the entire day anyway and another day when the car was ready.
 
Last edited:

Birken Vogt

Charter Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
5,305
Location
Grass Valley, Ca
Yep they are a big problem, upper management has not recognized this problem yet because they are bean counters, they need paperwork to compare figures, this does not show up on their spread sheets, just off the top of my head taking a good guess I would say our main shop looses 1 hour aday to 7 out off 10 mechanics to personal texting and cell phone conversations, doing the math at say 35 bucks hour that's $245 aday $1225 a week and just under $6000 a month on charged out wages that was wasted on cell phone texting and personal calls not to mention adding more unnecessary down time to the repairs on a piece of equipment that is needed, this kind of stuff is easily hidden and over looked, this is just in 1 shop and these figures may be higher, something to think about

I wonder how many phone hours were billed to the end user customer assuming this shop does outside work.
 

20/80

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
872
Location
nova scotia canada
Occupation
operator
I wonder how many phone hours were billed to the end user customer assuming this shop does outside work.
Our shop does not do outside work, but a lot of our mechanics do, which is fine after hours, nothing wrong with making a little money on the side, but a lot of their cell calls and texting while working in our shop are related to their after hours gig they have on the side, I have experienced this while giving one of our mechanics a hand on different occasions, mobile mechs have the company cell which is needed but most have 2 more for personal use, I have been helping our mobile different times and all three cells where ringing at the same time and it was the company one he answered last, unbelievable
 

pedrocar

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2016
Messages
110
Location
australia
Occupation
grader operator
Yes Mother Cat is suppressing... major CSI happening on both sides, its $34000 for a short block here in Canada, and another $20,000 to get it installed at Cat, see what happens.
C9 is A hunk of junk i did 3 HEUI pumps in 8.5k hours if i was to do it all again it would be out with that and in with a 3306
 

20/80

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
872
Location
nova scotia canada
Occupation
operator
Well guy's here's a update on our shiny new quality Cat engine install... the engine fired up then took to knocking and rattling filled the whole shop full of smoke....INJECTOR FAILURE!!!!! took about 3 minutes for our first one to go, #4 injector, does this sound familiar????? 140M DOWN AGAIN.. one would think for 55 grand you could at least hear it idle. I take this as a bad omen for what's to come.
 

kenh

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2010
Messages
264
Location
bonners ferry,id
Can you "lemon law that thing?
A change of upper management lately?
Word comes down to cut costs, coast along on our reputation.
 

Nige

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
28,977
Location
G..G..G..Granville.........!! Fetch your cloth.
Well guy's here's a update on our shiny new quality Cat engine install... the engine fired up then took to knocking and rattling filled the whole shop full of smoke....INJECTOR FAILURE!!!!! took about 3 minutes for our first one to go, #4 injector, does this sound familiar????? 140M DOWN AGAIN.. one would think for 55 grand you could at least hear it idle. I take this as a bad omen for what's to come.
What we call infant mortaility. It happens.
Let me just check on something - what's the Reman engine Serial Number..?
 

20/80

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
872
Location
nova scotia canada
Occupation
operator
What we call infant mortaility. It happens.
Let me just check on something - what's the Reman engine Serial Number..?
I will be in town tomorrow I will get it for you, another update on the new engine... 1 injector gone but not the only problem, Cat has now taken the head off, the problem lies deeper, unbelievable, there is no way Cat dynode tested this engine.
 

20/80

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
872
Location
nova scotia canada
Occupation
operator
Well guys she's up and running, Cat fixed everything for now and the engine seems to be running fine, mouldboard is being put back on all with new bushings so everything should be nice and tight for iceblading, the refurbished doors seem to fit ok and seal fine which is good in the cold weather, ...but I am superstitious of C7's and for good reason, we will see how the reman motor holds up, kinda off to a bad "start", see what happens. oh yeah... Merry Christmas everyone!!
 

Bls repair

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Messages
1,612
Location
S E Pa
Occupation
Equipment operator,mechanic
I’ve had contractors tell me I can’t use phone except at break . Guess who calls me all day?o_O If they ask why I don’t answer phone I tell I can’t use phone except at break,then they ask why I didn’t answer during break . I don’t talk shop on my break :D
 

20/80

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2013
Messages
872
Location
nova scotia canada
Occupation
operator
I’ve had contractors tell me I can’t use phone except at break . Guess who calls me all day?o_O If they ask why I don’t answer phone I tell I can’t use phone except at break,then they ask why I didn’t answer during break . I don’t talk shop on my break :D
LOL
 

old-iron-habit

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2012
Messages
4,233
Location
Moose Lake, MN
Occupation
Retired Cons't. Supt./Hospitals
I’ve had contractors tell me I can’t use phone except at break . Guess who calls me all day?o_O If they ask why I don’t answer phone I tell I can’t use phone except at break,then they ask why I didn’t answer during break . I don’t talk shop on my break :D

Sounds like you are soon due to be cashed up, right or wrong. Tell them to give you a company phone for ay work if they want to chat.
 
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