In my experience…

[JD955SC]

980 each to the people I fix equipment for they'd have a stroke. Its funny when I worked at the dealership I never heard the complaints about price.

That’s when you point out to them they could be paying $130 an hour for labor plus parts and markup if your price isn’t good enough for them.

 

[Tyler d4c]

That’s when you point out to them they could be paying $130 an hour for labor plus parts and markup if your price isn’t good enough for them.

That happens from time to time. But on the bright side I do have a few good customers that never question nothing so in the end all is well.

 

[Mobiltech]

It probably has more to do with crap in the fuel supply channels in the head than it does with the injectors being out on the bench. All it takes is one spec of debris and you have a problem.
Cat 3116 had lots of injector failures from people filling the secondary filter before installing it. They went to an upside down filter to end that bad habit.

 

[Jonas302]

Nice job good mechanics always have there eyes open and question everything they are told a second set of eyes saved a lot of money on that one

621E scraper, another field tech on the job diagnosed as blown head gasket causing to pushing coolant out of the radiator cap. Got sent over to help put on the lowboy. Opened radiator cap, started machine and instantly a decent stream of coolant shot out of the radiator. I’ve seen many instances of compression in the radiator and never seen one shoot a geyser of coolant out with cap off so I decided to check it out. Noticed coolant residue at the dryer, removed air compressor and disassembled to find this. Called for a reman compressor and left the machine on-site instead of hauling it out for an engine. Lesson: if something doesn’t seem right, check it out for yourself. View attachment 252716

 

[Truck Shop]

It probably has more to do with crap in the fuel supply channels in the head than it does with the injectors being out on the bench. All it takes is one spec of debris and you have a problem.
Cat 3116 had lots of injector failures from people filling the secondary filter before installing it. They went to an upside down filter to end that bad habit.

Nope. This is a problem directly related to the 15 and 16. Plus our engines have three filters.

 

[ahart]

Cat 349F with regen issues, 8000 hrs on machine. Another technician had removed DPF filter, took it to filter shop to have it cleaned and reinstalled. Would not perform a regen and I suspected issues with the filter. Removed DPF and found pieces of the filter media broken off due to mishandling during installation. Since the media was damaged, it gave a nice look at the ash load that was in the filter which made me question what the filter shop was actually doing if they weren’t removing the ash. For those not familiar, any Cat machine with an ARD head, the ash service is time based and set to come up at 5000 hrs at a level 1 event. Level 2/3 events use an algorithm based on how the machine has been ran. I’ve seen them go to a level 3 soon after 5000 hrs and I’ve also seen it take up to 8000 hrs before a level 3 becomes active. The latter is much more common on Tier 4 final (Def) machines as they produce less soot by nature. Also had inconsistent temps at the flame sensor in the ARD head due to a large carbon buildup on the flame temp sensor. Cleaned sensor probe, installed reman filter and sent it on its way. Due to damage to the filter media, core was denied at Cat, $1800 mistake.

 

[JD955SC]

I’ve done many of those filter R&I for cleaning on E and F series excavators. It’s a very simple process but I know idiots always find a way. I’m always careful with handling it and I inspect it before reinstall to make sure there are no visible issues. I’m guessing previous guy got hammer happy or dropped it.

 

[Nige]

I’ve done many of those filter R&I for cleaning on E and F series excavators. It’s a very simple process but I know idiots always find a way. I’m always careful with handling it and I inspect it before reinstall to make sure there are no visible issues. I’m guessing previous guy got hammer happy or dropped it.

Show me something that's "idiot-proof" and in a short while Darwin will be along with an improved class of idiot..........

 

[ahart]

JD955SC- yes he dropped it when installing it. Not sure we ever got to the point of admitting it though. Although, both filter designs (E & F) can be quite difficult to separate and put back together.

 

[ahart]

Todays fun was a D8T FCT prefix that wouldn’t regen, Failure to Ignite event. Pulled spark plug and tip was worn down pretty good, assumed grounding prong on ARD head was similarly worn, replaced spark plug to try to get it to regen as it was at 140% soot level, got it to light and decrease soot level to 0% Tried ARD ignition test again after and it wouldn’t light again. Pulled ARD head and nozzle was clean, good way to tell the heater circuit was working properly but the ground prong was worn badly and the swirl plate was plugged. This ARD head had over 6000 hrs on it which is a good life on them so I replaced with a reman. The socket in the picture is a 17mm fuel line socket used to take the flame sensor probe out of the ARD head. You can see the ground prong wear in comparing the old ARD head to the new one.

 

[ahart]

 

[ahart]

A little side project today since the construction jobs were all snowed out here. Customer with a 420F SKR prefix been having trouble with the ignition fuse blowing intermittently when turned to the start position. CAT dealer had already been out once to no avail. I was able to narrow down the short to be in the 306 start wire going from the key switch to the engine ECM. Found issue to be harness that was not tied up right behind the transmission filter housing. Rubbed a spot in the harness and would occasionally make continuity to ground. Customer definitely happy to have that one fixed, been going on since the end of November last year.

 

[LCA078]

Show me something that's "idiot-proof" and in a short while Darwin will be along with an improved class of idiot..........

One of my favorite sayings from my military days when dealing with Soldiers who have the innate capability to break an anvil with only a toothbrush is "You can't outsmart stupid".

 

[cuttin edge]

A little side project today since the construction jobs were all snowed out here. Customer with a 420F SKR prefix been having trouble with the ignition fuse blowing intermittently when turned to the start position. CAT dealer had already been out once to no avail. I was able to narrow down the short to be in the 306 start wire going from the key switch to the engine ECM. Found issue to be harness that was not tied up right behind the transmission filter housing. Rubbed a spot in the harness and would occasionally make continuity to ground. Customer definitely happy to have that one fixed, been going on since the end of November last year. View attachment 253221

In the end it all comes down to experience, attention to the small details, going beyond what the book says, and that thrill of fixing something no one else could.

 

[ahart]

Todays journey led me to a Mack triaxle with an MP8 Mack/Volvo engine getting coolant in the fuel and fuel in the coolant reservoir. Roughly 150k on the odometer. Pressurized the cooling system with the return line off and was able to push coolant out of the fuel line. Proceeded to disassemble the valve mechanism and remove injectors. Drained cooling system and put 5 psi on cooling system and found air bubbles at the top of #6 injector cup. Pulled all 6 cups and found the oring for #6 to have failed. Replaced cups with new along with a 6 pack of injectors. Will be flushing all fuel lines and draining tank tomorrow.

 

[John C.]

I've seen something like that before. Komatsu 170 engines in dozers and WA600 loaders with coolant in the basement at around 5,000 hours. Found the injector copper seals eroded bad. Lots of testing and analysis that the dealer paid for. Found the customer was changing coolant charge every oil change. Put too much chemical in the system and it reacted with the type of rubber in the orings on the coppers.

 

[James Sorochan]

ahart. My Komatsu D57S track loader started pushing a tiny amount of antifreeze around one of the cups. I had just rebuilt the water pump on it and noticed it after I put everything back together. I ordered the four o-rings and washers. Do I have to replace the cups also? The o-ring and washer are part no. 22 and 23 on the drawing. What's it take to pull out cups?

 

[James Sorochan]

I put in that yellow Oat coolant. Do you think that had anything to do with it? I would think been so small of leak I probably just didn't notice it. Not sure. Your timing on this is fortuitous John.

 

[John C.]

Don't know on what you were running. The engine we had trouble with had the kind of coppers that were roll pressed in place. I don't know which engine you have.

 

[ahart]

I’m not sure on that, the MP8 cups have to be replaced with the injectors because they are a conical seal on the bottom of the injectors and also, the cup tip is swedged into the head, you also use a knurled expansion type puller to remove the cups so the inner bore is scored after you get them out.