Personal projects

[kiko]

Seems like i will never get them done. This is the current one.  6.0 Powerstroke resurrection.  This truck has not run in almost three years , but I finally got to it. 

  

  

  

[barbender]

    That's a nice clean shop ;) 

[GRANITEstateMP]

Where is all the rust?  We don't get to work on much stuff around here without the magic heat wrench and lots of rust.  I do like working in a clean & orderly shop.

[Firewoodjoe]

I have "projects" stacking up. Two old Chevy trucks. My little crawler. Boiler build. Ugh. And my shop completetion is first on the list this spring. Adding on first then cement wiring Heat. The hole nine yards. Or 30 yards haha. Concrete anyways. Good luck on the truck. I've heard a lot of problems with those things.

[bushmechanic]

Is it going to be a shop truck or a personal one? They are not as bad an engine as people say. About a couple of months ago I put a number five injector in a E-450 van, now that was no fun at all, no room to work and I think I had every wrench out of the toolbox. Come to think about it I lost my 12 mm stubby wrench at it. Good luck with the project.

[thechknhwk]

I wish I had the ability to do what you're up to.  I'd like to put an egr delete and a new muffler on my duramax, and maybe reprogram the ECU.  The mileage has not been so impressive this winter, partly due to a remote starter and short trips to work.

[Southside]

thechknhwk

For $60 you can "block and stick" the egr with a plate and finger stick, just route the coolant hose from the firewall directly to the thermostat housing and your soot eating days are behind you.  Had mine like that for around 200,000 miles now and it runs sweet. 

[thechknhwk]

Don't mean to get too far off topic, but does it make the check engine light come on?

[so il logger]

The 6.0 isn't a bad engine. I had trouble with head bolt stretch and gasket..etc. But it wasn't stock ford fuel systems and probably drove kinda hard ;D

[jcbrotz]

Don't mean to get too far off topic, but does it make the check engine light come on?

Nope that's what the fingerstick is for. been awhile so don't remember the specifics but it make the computer think its happy. google fingerstick duramax.

[kiko]

This was my work truck at one point in time.  I put almost 300k on it before the engine croaked.  When i tore the engine down it was the first time the heads had been off this engine.  A cam follower failed , droopped the needle bearings in the sump and wiped out the low pressure oil pump.  Had the crank polished, block bored. rods fitted, new pistons, new heads, new injectors, new hpop, new oil cooler, new injector harness and I not done yet.  A new 250 like this one stickers about 62k so i can afford to get this one back to going.

[snowstorm]

i assume you threw the egr cooler in the dumpster. the f250 i had with the 6.0 they replaced the engine wirring harness under warranty. the 6.0 in my 550 the egr cooler got tossed in the dumpster. other than a fuel pump and a ficm its been pretty good

[bushmechanic]

Kiko I envy you southern guy's. If that truck was here on the east coast of Canada it would be ready for the bone yard about now. We get about 10 years out of a truck and then the rustie's just eat the crap out of it. I just got a 2008 2500 Ram with the 6.7 Cummins in it and I bought it in Ontario and had it shipped down because here a truck that age is like an anchor. It would be some nice to work on something where I could unbolt the parts rather than torching stuff off. Hey any chance you need another mechanic where you work!

[kiko]

Bush mechanic,  all jokes aside, I am looking for a competent mechanic currently.  How soon can u get here.  I have been turning down work left and right because there are only two of us left.  Lots of people looking for work but none have been right for my outfit. 

[kderby]

Good time of year to visit the south.  Especially if you are from the north!

[Dom]

Kiko I envy you southern guy's. If that truck was here on the east coast of Canada it would be ready for the bone yard about now. We get about 10 years out of a truck and then the rustie's just eat the crap out of it. I just got a 2008 2500 Ram with the 6.7 Cummins in it and I bought it in Ontario and had it shipped down because here a truck that age is like an anchor. It would be some nice to work on something where I could unbolt the parts rather than torching stuff off. Hey any chance you need another mechanic where you work!

:D

One of the reasons I'd much rather work on tractors than cars or trucks is tractors usually haven't been exposed to salt and are not as rusty. I have a 2006 Tacoma that the prior owner kept in a garage, its holding on well, but I expect to start getting familiar with the torch again.

[1270d]

Logger's trucks have a habit of looking very, as the windshield installer called one of our work trucks, "humble".   Especially here in the center of the rust belt.   I think there is a good reason they called crummies in the west. 

They may even get abused on occasion.   I can confirm that an f250 will pull a 53 ft equipment trailer if necessary, or a slightly stuck 160000 lb log truck.

[kiko]

My brother in law attended grad school in Connecticut .  He took a F 150 that had seen a lot of farm use and the underside had all the coating rubbed off from driving through the fields.  Two years later that truck was done for,  even replacing brake pads was an ordeal.  I am thankful I don't have to deal with the rust issue.  Also my late grandfather was a trader so to speak.  He would collect hile mileage cars and truck them north and return with a load of low mile engines.  Also met a man from Canada, his business card refered to him as the "The Southern Man". He was looking to purchase beds cabs and body panels for Chevy pickups .  Sounds like he had a market.

[barbender]

I hate salt >:(

[bushmechanic]

A market you say, I think that guy has a booming business in Nova Scotia with truck boxes. I have a 2004 1500 Dodge Ram quad cab with 8 foot box, I recently gave up on it because the darn thing is full of holes. It has rusted out in the rocker panels, over the rear wheel wells, rear bumper, door catches seized up, cable for the spare tire.... it's all gone. Not only do we use salt and calcium culoride on our roads we have it in the air from the North Atlantic, nothing lasts here. Maybe that's why I like forestry gear away from all that. I would love to come down Kiko and go to work there but I wouldn't be able to get the wife to leave here as we both have elderly parents, too bad cause my youngest daughter is finishing school this year. Well gotta run my buddie has a 1010D with an engine sputter to look at. 

[kiko]

Bushmechanic,  for reasons similar i have to stay put as well.  Not much road salt here,  but I will be wishing i was further north come July and August.  Project puzzle is slowly coming along.  I said this truck went down 3 years ago, forgot to mention that i also removed the engine out of the front and tore it down three years ago.  Pics of progress....   turbo variable vanes clean up and top side of engine.

  

  

  

 

[bonds007]

Looks like one of those rexroth pumps in the background.
I have an 05 f350 6.0 myself, having some sporadic skipping issues with it. I think the EGR, maybe injectors. Has 180,000 on it so i think has had new injectors by now.
Personal projects always take time....I am a General Contractor....my house will probably never be done... :D

[kiko]

Steady progress....   missing one idler pulley that is apparently ford only then the cab can go back on.

  

 

[tantoy]

Nice looking shop!

[kiko]

Thanks tantoy,  it is work to keep it that way.

[bonds007]

Yes, nice shop. That looks like the way to work on those trucks: saw same at local mechanic/tire shop recently. Whole cab and front off. Those lifts come in very handy indeed!

[so il logger]

Very nice shop indeed do ya got room for my tj 450? I gotta get them DanG blasted o-rings between torque and tranny replaced  :D :D

[kiko]

so il, bring it.  Here is a transmission out of a 450c I am a few parts shy of finishing. Second picture is were the o-ring are located between the main case and torque converter housing.   

    

 


And just a few small things and she is ready to fire off,  probably Saturday morning. Finger Crossed.

    

[1270d]

Getting close!   

[kiko]

I could not wait, so we fired her off this afternoon and its running great!!!  Now i have to decide which is to be my next personal project.  Case 850e engine reuild,  525 engine in frame,  chevy head gaskets,  john boat to be fitted with jet ski engine,  Cj 7 fitted with 4bta cummins,  toyota 4x4 engine......

[snowstorm]

looks like you put the egr cooler back in why? i deleted mine i did leave the egr valve in and plugged in. its never tripped the check engine lite

[kiko]

I left it in being that i operate a diesel repair shop.  The man has been sniffing around in the past.  Don't quote me but i have been told the fine is 10k for the truck owner and 300k for a repair facility .  The trick to the egr cooler is to service the coolant regularly and change the cooler about every 75k whether it has failed or not.  The people who sell those delete kits require you to sign an affidavit stating the egr delete will only be used for off road applications to release them for said liability.  I personally think big brother should back off, but it is what it is and we must operate under their totalitarian policys   

[snowstorm]

ok that explains it........i wount tell

[xalexjx]

looks like a nice project good to see it running again, must be those o-rings on the 450c are a common problem, just had mine out and apart a few weeks ago.

[so il logger]

Kiko, I envy you and wish you were next door.  :D I would love to have you replace them DanG o-ring's.

[barbender]

I'm not which project should get priority- the john boat/jet ski or the CJ7/4bt ;D They both sound like fun ;)

[kiko]

Barbender, you may recognize the area in this first picture.  Action shot!

 

Case 850E .  I posted pics of the Cat skidder under "Changed my Mind" a while back.

 


'77 Golden Eagle and '78 cj-7s They have been in storage for quit some time.

 


And one project I forgot all about...

 

[kiko]

So.... None of those additional projects has reached any near completion. But after the F250 living a life of liesure for a while, I put her back on the service calls.
The next service will bring up 300k. 

[bushmechanic]

So did you ever get that Cummins rebuilt for the Case dozer yet? I'm at another Treefarmer project myself. At my work I'm pulling a 2009 DDEC6 and installing a 2000 DDEC4 60 series, guy is tired of issues with the Regen system, can't make any money when it's broke down!

[kiko]

No I have not completed the engine for the case.  It head ended up being cracked and had to replace it. The original head used 9mm injectors and the new 7 mm. Have to get the pump shop to build a set up and that's where it stopped/ I been consumed with others breakdowns for a few years now. I will have to move, retire and move, or die to shed the work load. Where are the kids to follow us up in this line of work.?  They should make a diesel mechanic video game to train them, but when the dirt and grease comes into play they would just go back to shooting games.

[mike_belben]

Well, im trying to raise mine up right.  If i manage to stay poor enough (the easy part) its not hard to justify the lack of video games and smart phones for em.   Hopefully the boy gets a nice shop with all the fixins when i die. And the girl cooks good and marry's up.  Lord willin.

[bushmechanic]

Well my boy will inherit alot of tools, mind you he won't have a clue what most of them are for cause they are homemade!!! Too bad on the dozer project but it will come together in time....if we live long enough! I hear you Kiko on the other people's problems, not enough hours in the day.

[kiko]

My daughter will graduate from Auburn University this spring with an agriculture education degree.  She will be student teaching for her last semester.  She will be teaching welding.  I hope she still remembers because she has not welded since highschool.  She says she wants to practice over Christmas break. I inquired about what type of welding machines they will be using , she said she does not know yet. Well she needs to find out because the big blue just makes the rods melt so easy,  doubt that kind of machine will available in a high school shop. As far as that jeep project, I am preparing my home shop for that project with my son(9).  Going to stay stock with the project, no 4bt swap.  He says he is not going to college and I support him 100%!!! But that is a quite a while out.

[kiko]

Well the old girl made another milestone.
300k!! It is in for service and replace the icp sensor and pig tail, it has developed an intermittent rolling idle.


 

[bushmechanic]

That's pretty impressive for a 6 liter and in a Ford no less  :D!!!

[dustintheblood]

My brother in law attended grad school in Connecticut .  He took a F 150 that had seen a lot of farm use and the underside had all the coating rubbed off from driving through the fields.  Two years later that truck was done for,  even replacing brake pads was an ordeal.  I am thankful I don't have to deal with the rust issue.  Also my late grandfather was a trader so to speak.  He would collect hile mileage cars and truck them north and return with a load of low mile engines.  Also met a man from Canada, his business card refered to him as the "The Southern Man". He was looking to purchase beds cabs and body panels for Chevy pickups .  Sounds like he had a market.

Too funny!   I have an 04' F250 PowerChoke that's rusted thru and thru.  Was thinking about swapping the bed out and getting more life out of it.
If I get over about 30knots, when I look in the rearview the ole bed starts a lift-off into the air hahahahaha
So anyways, the southern man is about 30 minutes from me.  I went to ask him about a bed, and he said "nope, no way, forget it.  There aren't any left".   I believe him since they have all rotted away fast and bad.

[samandothers]

My neighbor here in Charlotte is a service tech for a dealer.  He always talks about cars coming down from up north and the need to avoid them due to the rust issue.  It seems to be a practice by some to bring down used cars from the north and sell here.  

[Raider Bill]

Tomorrow our 13 Santa Fe gets loaded on a  truck and shipped to our Daughter who lives north of Syracuse.
First thing when she gets it is make an appointment at ziebart for rust proofing.

Bought studded snow tires for it but had to return them as nobody here would mount them and Wild Bill and I were not going to try and hand mount them with spoons.

Now Sue Ann Trump gets to buy a new car :D