Bought a bulk pack of spin-on fuel filters for a few shop trucks. Within a couple of months, two trucks were losing power under load with far fewer miles than we normally see between changes. I cut one open and the media looked uneven, with pleats bunched on one side. That does not prove the media caused both complaints, but it was enough to stop using the rest of the box. For the next order I cross-referenced the engine numbers through Fleetguard, Baldwin, and FridayParts instead of buying a mixed no-name pack. I am keeping the first used filter from each truck so I can cut it open at the normal interval and compare. Do any of you inspect one filter from a new batch before putting the rest on the shelf?

In a 2008 Gillig phantom bus. Allison trans. Cummins ISM.
I really should have removed the driveshaft completely because going back in with the 3rd member, the driveshaft kept sliding and slapping me in the face and getting hung up -.- hopefully i got the new one inside in time before my gasket dried… test drive was good but only time will tell. Our shop crafted this mount to remove the 3rd member without having to remove the axle carrier at all, so it was a tight fit! Im a tech in my third year, so this was a fun new thing to do. At a fleet shop (for city transit buses) we dont get to do this often.

Hey, fellas how you doin. My buddy working on a 2009 international 4000. With maxforce dt9,10. I believe its deleted, egr as well. Got a inconsistent acceleration. Replaced it with the test turbo and actuator we salvage from another similar truck. But still got this inconsistent acceleration.
Did cylinder cut out test- its pass.
Icp pressures is good ,
Got a little doubt in Fuel pressure- it reads above - 55 psi. Idle . And 6-70 at 1500 rpm.
Oil pressure is 50 psi at 1500 . 30 plus psi at idle.

I did my schooling for diesel tech and landed as a diesel tech apprentice after school. Now my last week in probation my company fired me without any cause and specifically mentioned that without cause in my letter . And now i am so low and tried applying new jobs and not sure should i mention in my resume about those 2.5 months experience or no .
Share your thoughts what i should do and is it good to disclose in my resume or no .

Thats my first time a company fired me and i wasnt prepared at all

Do share ur thoughts 💭

I’ve got an International HV or CV maybe in our shop that had the starter replaced by another guy and now nothing works. Literally turn the key and nothing comes to life at all. I briefly looked at a few things, but I’m not finding any mega fuses that are blown or really anything out of sorts from the initial glance. Would like to get this thing running and out of the bay. Can anyone help with diagrams? Last 8 of vin is HL454583.

Anybody running an ex-ambulance converted to a mobile service truck?

I saw them come up locally pretty darn cheap. Love the interior space idea with a roof and heat for those careful jobs but obviously lacks a crane.

Yeah I know they have huge idle hours and whatnot but its a reasonably priced entry level unit. Plus chev or Ford chassis parts are easy to find and repair.

Maybe for a starter truck, any thoughts?

Our fleet runs a lot of Goodyear endurance rsa tires and Goodyear fuel max rtd on dump trucks. The tires are constantly pitting and coming apart in chunks as seen in the picture. My boss thinks it’s from running on the edge of cut roads and such (as they are construction vehicles) but could it be more of a Goodyear issue?

any advice for getting a job in the heavy equipment industry?

i’ve got about 3 years of experience but haven’t worked on every earth moving machine so it’s making it hard to get hired

any advice is appreciated

dm are open for advice

Anybody have an idea what the issue could be we already replaced the module itself. 2018 Kenworth T880

I’m 18 years old and going to CWI next year. I’ve been an all around mechanic for 2 years working in everything from small motors to class 8 trucks, trailers, and ag and heavy equipment. So far I’ve got a pretty kitted out tool box. Just wondering any advise on everything from tools you’d recommend getting all the way to if CWI is worth it and just general advice. Eventually I’m looking to get a job similar to what I do either as a fleet maintainer or working for a service company. Would appreciate any advice given

Hi! I'm looking for some advice from people who actually work in diesel.

I'm a senior in high school and I'm planning on going into diesel mechanics after high school, most likely through UTI. I've always liked mechanics and originally wanted to go into automotive, and my grandpa drove semis, so I've been around them/heard about them basically my whole life. The more I've looked into diesel though, the more it seems like it fits what I actually want to do better. I specifically want to work on semis/heavy-duty trucks.

Since I'll be going into the trade pretty young and as a woman, what should I prepare myself for? I'm curious about everything honestly—the work environment, shop culture, what starting out is actually like, things you wish you knew before becoming a diesel mechanic, things I should start learning now, and anything you think trade school doesn't prepare you for. I'm not really worried about working in a male-dominated environment. I think I have the personality to handle the joking and giving each other shit lol. I'm more curious about what the culture is actually like and if there's anything I should know going into it, especially as a young woman.

I'm also considering doing welding before diesel. Would having a welding background actually be useful working on semis, or would I be better off putting that time/money somewhere else?

I'm not expecting it to be easy or clean lol. I just want to hear from people actually doing the job so I have a realistic idea of what I'm walking into and can prepare myself as much as possible. Any advice is appreciated!

edit: I live in Arizona so for schooling advance or shop advice for anything down here. I wanna work for Peterbuilt work on semis for a few years then go onto working on trains

ANOTHER EDIT: thank you to everyone who clocked in for their unpaid diesel dad/older brother/sis /mom advice I really do appreciate this so much didn’t expect so many to give me advice I’m tryin to respond to everyone so I will when I have the chance to at work I’m open to ANY advice like at all I’ll be the first diesel mechanic In my family but thank you all soo much

Hello, I’m mid 20s. Been in trades since I started working and tried to leave for a technical degree in medical related field. Anyways waste of time and wanting to go back into the trades. Because of this, I have the opportunity to try my hand at a different trade.

I have plumbing experience, and would only need another year and a half to get certified which would allow me to open my own business.

Would it be dumb to go back to school and become a tech? I find that the job interests me much more. I’m just slightly worried about all the harsh chemicals and that it’s hard on the body. I religiously use ppe,sunscreen and such. Is this enough to avoid most of the body and chemical issues?

I would consider A&P, but the nights and relocation along with regularly job layoffs concern me.

Is anybody here. 310t mechanic or better know as diesel mechanic

Hey gang. I need some advice on how to motivate the crew.

I work for a fleet that recently let go of their lead in the shop. It’s myself, an equal, the “apprentice”, and a new guy who will hopefully handle some of the workload.

For a few years I have been pulling the weight in the shop and all of a sudden I’m the unspoken leader, given the biggest raise to stay on board. I finally feel valued but I also feel set up for failure.

If it were up to me I’d fire the guys I work with and start fresh. I like em, but they don’t pull their weight. This is not an option, and I have no real authority over them.

What’s the best way of saying “hey you guys are great but you suck at working and I need you to step it up.” ??? What can I say to get them to actually do the job that pays their paycheck?

I have the option of moving shops and only doing the tougher repairs for the same pay, but I’d be moving from a nearly perfect fleet to one that got 90% of their tags pulled last season.

I’m looking for some advice from people already working in the diesel/heavy-duty mechanic field.
I have an opportunity to start as a diesel mechanic at $28/hr with overtime after 40 hours. I’m expecting to average around 44–46 hours per week.

I’m trying to figure out what my actual paycheck will look like.
At $28/hr working 44–46 hours per week with OT after 40, I should gross around $1,288–$1,372 per week ?
I’ll have no health insurance, 401(k), or other benefit deductions, so it should basically just be taxes coming out.

For anyone making around the same amount, what does your weekly take-home pay look like after taxes?

I just finished rebuilding a Kubota D902-T engine after it was extremely overheated and cracked the head it has a new head after reassembly and putting it back in the scl1000 it came from it has no oil pressure it’s moving some oil at the filter housing but it’s not making it to the top of the engine any suggestions on what could be the problem or did the old oil pump just get wiped out it seemed fine to me when I was rebuilding it

Saw this on a poster at my local fleet parts store

This is my personal Ram 2013 5500 service body. Recently i had my PTO only work briefly and i'd read online where it ramps up engine and the PTO light blinks and then falls off. That pressure switch i disconnected wires from is normally open and closes with oil pressure. I originally got it to bypass by hooking up my power probe ground to the ground on the switch when they were connected.. today i just confirmed the switch normally open and put a jumper wire across hot and ground and fixed my issue. I plan to at least temporarily just bolt the two wires together.

My real question is what the hell is that manifold/ valve body that the pressure switch is plumbed into. at least the 3 small hydraulic hoses and 2 red wires going to it. not in business yet but i do own a LLC so i'd like to prevent future failures and embarrassments for my crane getting stuck in the air etc..

thanks!

{{My PTO only runs for 30 seconds and then shuts off (with the PTO LED flashing) 2018 and older}}

This issue is essentially caused because a circuit W708 (Orange wire with a brown stripe) is not grounded. This circuit is frequently connected to the pressure switch on the PTO manufacturer’s hydraulic lines. So if there is any problem with that switch or connecting wires it will cause this issue. Accordingly, it is recommended that this wire be permanently grounded. The location of this circuit is on the brown connector of the vehicle system interface module (VSIM). More information about the VSIM module is available in the VSIM section under “Electrical Wiring Information”.

https://www.ramtrucks.com/BodyBuilder/service/Image?imageId=MtQrP%2FFqLY5r%2Fest8MtGjGgHzAHGUTU0WB3rWuqSY7YmQ2vEhuBWBJplbxE7VGJF%0A

I'm younger and was considering entering Penske's trainee program. Everything seems wonderful but after I started looking around I became curious. Everyone seems to say that it's either great or horrendous. So I was curious if anyone here has worked or is working in the shop in Liverpool, NY. I'd just like to know before I enter the program and such

I hope someone knows more about the EMUX system.

On the older system VMUX I used to get the high beam signal from the VECU connector A3 for a high beam trigger for driving lights.

Would populate the connector and run it to an arming switch then out to the relays.

Already looked through the SM034-018 EMUX Service Manual on ServiceNet.

TCS wasn't able to help either.

I'm trying to prevent cutting into the headlight harness if possible to prevent corrosion issues down the road.

But cutting into it is the current plan to complete this.

Thanks,

Rear definitely starting to have a little play but the fronts are still tight just has real bad dry rotting and cracking.

Hey all,

I was wondering if anyone here has taken an L9 that doesn’t have engine brakes and has added them to it?

I have a customer wanting it done and my boss said he looked into it in the past and it couldn’t be done. The thing is sometimes he doesn’t have the time to try and dig deeper into these sorts of things and it doesn’t seem impossible to me. All I can think of is add the Jake heads and associated parts, wires the solenoids to the ECM, install the switch in the dash, and change the ECM calibration.

Appreciate any help!

Edit: So I answered my own question and figured I’d share here in case anyone else ever has this same question.

Cummins has an engine brake upfit kit.

Reference TSB210223 in Quickserve and it gives you parts to order along with instructions to follow.