Just another day in paradise

[Truck Shop]

You said it’s in a skidder they didn’t roll it or get it so far off kilter it wouldn’t pickup did they

Really--that makes the most sense---4x4, because it would cause a complete starvation
not just one journal or two.

 

[Mobiltech]

There is a good chance they did something like that. I have done a couple rolled on their side insurance repairs. The operator always says they shut it down right away but they will still muck up the rod bearings in a very short time. Usually destroys the crank.

 

[Welder Dave]

That why I suggested maybe it was on too steep of an angle and the operator didn't want to get blamed so played dumb. Nope, didn't hear anything... it just quit unexpectedly.

 

[Coaldust]

Reminds me of a customer with a DD15. Last two oil changes indicated chunks of oil pump suction seals in the oil pan. Hey dude, better fix that. Maybe later, we are too busy.

Hey, Coaldust, why is my oil pressure dropping? Dude, your oil pump is broken. You should do the re-seal thing and maybe put a new pump on it. Maybe later. We are too busy and it seems fine now.

Hey, Coaldust, it was making a funny noise and now there is a hole in the side of the block. Dude, I’m not the kind of person to say I toad ah so, but I fkn ah’ toad a so.

Now, they are pointing fingers at everyone that had ever touched that engine. Once they saw the $60k quote for a swing engine.

 

[Truck Shop]

Reminds me of a customer with a DD15. Last two oil changes indicated chunks of oil pump suction seals in the oil pan. Hey dude, better fix that. Maybe later, we are too busy.

Hey, Coaldust, why is my oil pressure dropping? Dude, your oil pump is broken. You should do the re-seal thing and maybe put a new pump on it. Maybe later. We are too busy and it seems fine now.

Hey, Coaldust, it was making a funny noise and now there is a hole in the side of the block. Dude, I’m not the kind of person to say I toad ah so, but I fkn ah’ toad a so.

Now, they are pointing fingers at everyone that had ever touched that engine. Once they saw the $60k quote for a swing engine.

60K is pretty close.
*
I can tell you--a 3406 will run four blocks before lockup when the drain plug falls out.

 

[Welder Dave]

Interestingly a car came out to my oval track today. An IMCA modified and it blew a hole in the oil pan. The methanol fuel mixed with the oil resembles severely water contaminated oil. They're hoping it just got hydraulic locked or a rod went south but the block and a bunch of other components are salvageable. Another IMCA modified was pretty fast. It was about 650 HP but the track was dry and dusty. The track is a little small for these cars but good for test and tune. He ran gas through it at the end of the day because the alcohol dries everything in the engine out too much. I'm guessing he means gaskets and such. It had a nice sound to it.

 

[Coaldust]

60K is pretty close.
*
I can tell you--a 3406 will run four blocks before lockup when the drain plug falls out.

Right at the beginning of tourist season with contracts to meet and fuel to deliver. Two months to get a swing engine and who knows how long to get an appointment with someone willing to take on a big job during the busy season. That’s a winter job.

 

[Mike L]

I’m going back to check numbers on the bearings and inspect the machine for signs of a rollover. The longer I think about it the more it isn’t adding up. 4x4 may be onto something.

 

[Truck Shop]

I’m going back to check numbers on the bearings and inspect the machine for signs of a rollover. The longer I think about it the more it isn’t adding up. 4x4 may be onto something.

Mike I seriously doubt you did anything wrong on the work performed. It was either a oil pump/filter
failure or something of operator error. It took out the entire crank in one swoop. It wouldn't have
run the hours it did otherwise you would have known real quick like.

 

[Mike L]

I guess I know that it’s probably not my fault but this is the first one I’ve had fail and it’s eating at me. I’m thinking way too much about the what ifs and how to prevent it the second time.

 

[digger doug]

Check social media of the young operator, might be a confession & pix there.

 

[Coaldust]

Check social media of the young operator, might be a confession & pix there.

That’s a good idea. He most certainly would have posted an upside down skidder on the gram.

 

[Truck Shop]

Yeah lets get a privet investigator on the trail, gees. Check his shorts for skid marks while
there at it.

 

[mekanik]

I was working on a log loader on a logging setting. There were several skidders dragging logs to a landing within view of where I was working. Just before the skidders got to the landing they had to go down a long steep hill with a couple big ruts worn in it from the skidders and logs. As soon as a skidder came over to top of the hill the operator had to keep the throttle wide open to keep the main line tight so the logs did not pass it. The skidders would bounce like crazy with the operator doing his best to keep it under control while bouncing around in the open cab. during the few hours I was there they flopped two skidders on their side.
Having worked on skidders a bit and seeing how the ROPS would get bent on a fairly new machine I thought rollovers were just part of the operators day.













\

 

[Monkeywithawrench]

I guess I know that it’s probably not my fault but this is the first one I’ve had fail and it’s eating at me. I’m thinking way too much about the what ifs and how to prevent it the second time.

Hey Mike,

Any chance they did some welding on the machine between the time when you turned the machine over to them and when it 'blew'?? A poorly placed ground will certainly do wonders to an engine.........
Just thinking out loud.
And sorry to hear about your troubles. You need to move to NH.

 

[Mike L]

To my knowledge they didn’t weld on this machine but just like everything else that doesn’t add up, I don’t know for sure. One thing I know for sure is that I’ve been in business for 5 years and the year and a half that I’ve been in East Texas has been the toughest. Cold winters in Maine don’t seem so bad…

 

[Monkeywithawrench]

Sorry dude..........wish I could help. Doesn't take much stray current to mess up an engine's bearings.

 

[Mike L]

Was at a local dealership I help out occasionally today and was telling them about what happened. They recommended a machine shop in Houston that they use and they were making a run down tomorrow morning so I went and got the block and crank to send it down. No guarantee but I don’t have much to lose. I can get up to 20 over bearings. The machine shows zero sign of being tipped over.

 

[Mike L]

Dealer just called and told me that the oil pump was good and they were not going to warranty anything. I’m not surprised. I told them they could keep it because I wasn’t going to use it again.

 

[Mike L]

Called the machine shop to see where they were at. Crankshaft is bent .080. I asked how and he said that it got so hot it warped. they are checking the line bore on the block and sending it back later this week.