DMiller
Senior Member
NOT Quite that simple Digger, but kind of close!!
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This will be an interesting thread moving forward......
- Thread starter Vetech63
- Start date
kshansen
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2012
- Messages
- 11,164
- Location
- Central New York, USA
- Occupation
- Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Well I managed to "fix" an 8-V71 just by walking up to it and starting it!
Drove an hour and half to the quarry and was told it was making some bad noises, yea I know bad noise and Detroits to some are synonymous, anyhow mechanic at the plant was busy said for me to fire it up and hear for myself. So I did and listened close for 15-20 minutes and heard nothing abnormal for a Detroit. The plant mechanic came over and asked what I found, I said: "Nothing!" he says: "Well it's not doing it now!"
Never heard of it having a problem again!
Welder Dave
Senior Member
You're the Detroit whisperer.
kshansen
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2012
- Messages
- 11,164
- Location
- Central New York, USA
- Occupation
- Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
What did you say? Yea, I worked on a few Detroits, so you might have to talk a little louder!
DMiller
Senior Member
Say HUH?? Speak Up we be Deef Here!!
And that VT1710 did not help matters back in the day.
And that VT1710 did not help matters back in the day.
Truck Shop
Senior Member
Somedays-hero today dud the next. Everyday is a whole new set of circumstances, heroics yesterday
is just that history. New day and new bridges to cross, what was sometimes intuition one day the mystery
comes back to haunt the next. And it's right under your nose like a bad smell. Negative approach {no]
it's just the way it is. The person who thinks your great one day for the lucky find, will be cussing you
the next day at 6 o'clock setting in the local tavern griping to his buddies.
Fame only lasts 15 minutes. Life of a mechanic, never mind the technician.
is just that history. New day and new bridges to cross, what was sometimes intuition one day the mystery
comes back to haunt the next. And it's right under your nose like a bad smell. Negative approach {no]
it's just the way it is. The person who thinks your great one day for the lucky find, will be cussing you
the next day at 6 o'clock setting in the local tavern griping to his buddies.
Fame only lasts 15 minutes. Life of a mechanic, never mind the technician.
kshansen
Senior Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2012
- Messages
- 11,164
- Location
- Central New York, USA
- Occupation
- Retired Mechanic in Stone Quarry
Yea worked on a few of them too!
BluewaterLa
Active Member
New here, poking around found this thread and spent the last two or three days at times reading from page one.
Just got to the end of comments and can say that this read was enjoyable.
Thank you for sharing Vetech63, brought back some fond memories and some scenarios that are all too familiar with companies and the lack luster maintenance / mechanical crews.
Seems like you have found yourself a young man eager to learn and hungry for opportunity. Wise of you to notice that and great of you to nurture the situation.
I remember when first starting out in heavy equipment fresh out of high school with a wife and baby, only an automotive background. Found myself by far being the youngest in the field of work surrounded by guys all old enough to be my dad or grand dad. Lube / fuel truck mechanic was my title and quickly after that two of the most knowledgeable fellas I'm still friends with today took notice of my work ethic, attitude and ability.
They both have told me that I was not like other young guys that they have worked with thinking they knew it all, so that is what kept them wanting to teach me all they knew.
I eventually moved companies, got sent to quite a few different schools for certifications and eventually I was receiving phone calls from both of them with questions about different machines due to all the newer computer controlled machines.
Was nice to be able to point them in the right directions all while knowing I could still lean on them in times of my needing to pick a brain.
Eventually became Sr. field Service tech for a large company and would get all the younger new hires, to check them out and if they were going to make it or not. Two diamonds out of them all were super successful later on, they were eager to learn all they could from me and anyone else that took the time to explain / show or teach them.
It's a great thing to be able to help a younger person find their way and pave a career that will support a family.
Just got to the end of comments and can say that this read was enjoyable.
Thank you for sharing Vetech63, brought back some fond memories and some scenarios that are all too familiar with companies and the lack luster maintenance / mechanical crews.
Seems like you have found yourself a young man eager to learn and hungry for opportunity. Wise of you to notice that and great of you to nurture the situation.
I remember when first starting out in heavy equipment fresh out of high school with a wife and baby, only an automotive background. Found myself by far being the youngest in the field of work surrounded by guys all old enough to be my dad or grand dad. Lube / fuel truck mechanic was my title and quickly after that two of the most knowledgeable fellas I'm still friends with today took notice of my work ethic, attitude and ability.
They both have told me that I was not like other young guys that they have worked with thinking they knew it all, so that is what kept them wanting to teach me all they knew.
I eventually moved companies, got sent to quite a few different schools for certifications and eventually I was receiving phone calls from both of them with questions about different machines due to all the newer computer controlled machines.
Was nice to be able to point them in the right directions all while knowing I could still lean on them in times of my needing to pick a brain.
Eventually became Sr. field Service tech for a large company and would get all the younger new hires, to check them out and if they were going to make it or not. Two diamonds out of them all were super successful later on, they were eager to learn all they could from me and anyone else that took the time to explain / show or teach them.
It's a great thing to be able to help a younger person find their way and pave a career that will support a family.
Welder Dave
Senior Member
Having a good mentor can make all the difference. I've seen far too many guys forget that they had to start at the bottom and won't do the slightest to help the newbies out. I'm convinced some of them don't know as much as they think they do and are worried the young guys are going to show them up... and take their job. Thankfully I had a lot of guys willing to help me learn the welding trade. High school welding teacher was the most influential by far. Let me work on a few projects at the school after I graduated.
A complaint of a leaking engine oil filter yesterday on a Deere 672G. The filter was a bit loose, but the bigger surprise was.....
OK, it wasn't a surprise
3 years old, I didn't even bother to climb in the cab to see how many hours are currently on this machine, I just called and ordered every filter on it. HNC continues to strike again and again.
OK, it wasn't a surprise
3 years old, I didn't even bother to climb in the cab to see how many hours are currently on this machine, I just called and ordered every filter on it. HNC continues to strike again and again.HarleyHappy
Senior Member
At least they were labeled lol.
DMiller
Senior Member
HooBoy fun fun fun!!!
BluewaterLa
Active Member
I've often wondered through this thread if the goal was a torture test for the equipment
See how long it takes for a machine to lock up, Engines or hydraulics first without filter or oil changes.
See how long it takes for a machine to lock up, Engines or hydraulics first without filter or oil changes.
One dealership i worked at about 35 years ago had a main field service guy who also worked in the shop. He did not like to share knowledge because then the young guys would eventually know as much as him and knock him off his pedestal. He very much enjoyed his reputation as the best mechanic in town. At best, he was only a mediocre mechanic but had convinced the owners and customers that he was the answer to all their mechanical problems. The best day for the rest of the guys in the shop was the day he retired. He did some good work but also had screw-ups that nobody heard about. I have always tried to share knowledge with any young mechanics but sometimes it is an uphill battle. I have a lot of patience for somebody who wants to learn but none for those who don’t
donkey doctor
Senior Member
Fired up the oil furnace a few days ago for the first time since the spring. Standing there beside it and it's making a strange noise. Seems to be coming from burner blower. Sounds like a bearing or the fan is loose and rubbing. Call the service guy. Listens to it, yep that's where the sound is coming from. Opens it up, reaches in and brings out a very dead bat. Been in there a while too. Dried out like a piece of parchment. $225 later. D.d.
Welder Dave
Senior Member
It's not good when the apprentice tries to show up the experienced J man trying to reach them. Not that an apprenticeship can't have good idea's, when they act like they know it all and they are the teacher. Didn't happen often but usually right after they got back from schooling. Really tries your patience.
Welder Dave
Senior Member
That's a new "Smart Filter"... tells you when it's overdue for a change by leaking all over everything. Gotta love this new technology that saves you unnecessary work.A complaint of a leaking engine oil filter yesterday on a Deere 672G. The filter was a bit loose, but the bigger surprise was.....
View attachment 273244
OK, it wasn't a surprise
barrelroll
Well-Known Member
I think that's a big problem a lot of places. Where I'm at now the guy who's been here the longest on our crew doesn't have the skills he should have for the years he has on his tools. He gets down right nasty when you ask him a technical question he doesn't know the answer to wiggling out of answering it. He's not allowed to do pump and motor alignments anymore, most of his "dead nuts" alignments were bolt bound needing a 1/8" or more move discovered after the couplers couldn't take it anymore.
I've been here 2 1/2 years, before working here I had 0 experience working on most of the equipment we have here. It's frustrating, I don't have anyone I consider a mentor to learn the why's and finer points from and. Watching our senior mechanics work habits is very frustrating. They just don't have the habits you'd expect from someone with 10+ years of experience who's at the top of the pay scale. They miss a lot of the fine details and do things the hard way instead of looking for ways to innovate and save time. Just today the "kids" on our crew went and did a job that for the past 10 years was a 1/2 day job in 20 minutes using an air hammer instead of attempting to swing a hammer in a spot with no room to get a good swing. It really makes you wonder why they struggled with it for 10 years.
Welder Dave
Senior Member
Sounds like a gov't. job. I had a friend go on work experience for the highways dept. fitting snow removal equipment. They told him to slow down because he did a job in an hour that they usually spend 1/2 a day on. He was shocked. He thought he took too long.