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Brad Clayton

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Posts posted by Brad Clayton

  1. Sorry for the late update, customer is driving the truck and it's been "out of sight out of mind". So the programmer can be removed and the truck runs, it just says it will derate in "x" number of miles. Concern is still present. The biggest issue I have is you can't get the thing to do a crank relearn. I don't know. I'll post an update if I get something. I have basically washed my hands of it now.

  2. Been a long time since I have posted, but I have head scratcher here.

    2016 Chevy 3500 HD vin# 1GC4KYC80GF236554 MILES= 124,000

    The truck has a tune on it and things weren't monitored as well as they should and it blew a hole in a piston. The owner drove it to the shop I work at instead of towing it. My man was dead set on gettin her there under her own power, (smokin like a freight train, about to shake the dash out the passenger window, top speed of 35 mph, you know) :rolleyes:

    The engine was replaced with a long block and all was right with the world. Customer picks up and comes right back, says it has a vibration that will chatter your teeth. This is verified at 65 to 75 mph under light accel. 

    Lots of chassis stuff has been checked and found ok, the usual wheels, driveshaft, ect.

    I noticed that if the RPM deviates too much, then the vibration goes way, like down shifting, or unlocking the torque converter. 

    When the truck is acting up, the fuel trims for 3 and 8 max out at 25.

    Here is the kicker: if you do a crank relearn, it takes about 70 miles of driving to get the problem to reoccur. Hence the reason the truck was given to the customer the first time with no issues.

    I appreciate you guys reading this and any thoughts would be super! I am not a Chevy guy but I am convinced that GM hates their techs.

     

  3. Oh how I dislike taking ASE tests. My boss at the college called me the other day and said some of my ASE's had expired. One of the requirements to teach is to be ASE master (A1-A8). Well come to find out, all of mine had expired! To say that I was in a bit of bind would be an understatement. I had till May 31st to get A1-A9, L1, L2, and G1 test recertified. So I took 9 ASE tests one day and the last 3 about two weeks later on one day. This required taking two mornings off from my job at the dealer and about 300 bucks. Taking L1 and L2 back to back was a....... exhausting. The bar was set pretty high for me as failing any test would require a 30 day wait before retaking and I had no time for that. 

    I was quite happy with the results. A1-A9 ended up being 250 questions of which I missed 13 total! L1, L2, G1 was 125 questions and I missed around 10. :nerd:

    I can say with some confidence that I will not let them expire like that again!!!!!!

    • Like 1
  4. I have always been a classic tool guy, you know not much for change. This would include red tool boxes and air tools. I had to pull the powertrain out of a salvage truck yesterday at a friends garage. About the only air tools to be found were air hammers and die grinders. I must say I was quite happy not having an air hose wrapped around my ankles and such, esp. in the interior (I was pulling the cab on a '99 Super Duty). All the tools I used had plenty of power and the batteries lasted the whole time I was there with no issues. The 1/2 impact was a bit heavy though. These were all Milwaukee Fuel units. My favorite item was the little light for the air ratchet, a definite plus!

    I have considered getting a set but I plan on retiring from the industry and I probably will pass on any new tool purchases.

  5. These things are like a turd that won't flush. I have lost count of how many clutches, TCM's, actuators and even transmissions themselves (cooked from being run low on fluid) that I have done this year. Not sure when it will end on a dealer level but soon it will be on the shoulders of the independents. The warranty extensions have got to run out and some point in time, right? 

    One thing that I have noticed as these things have been in service for a long time now, is any coolant leak at the rear of the engine is a death blow to the clutch system. It sucks for the customer if not dealt with in a timely manner, what could be a relatively cheap hose repair turns into a multiple thousand dollar job. It doesn't help that any fluid that makes its way into the bell housing really has no way out. 

    I have two such units in my bay now and I am sure many more to come before New Years day.

    I dread seeing what these things will like when low level I don't give a shit dirt bags get their hands on these things. Someone put the clutch snap ring on upside down on the one I did Saturday and jeez is it a pain in the ass to get back off.

  6. I got nothing unfortunately. I parted ways with that dealer a couple of days after that truck and don't remember the outcome. 

    I do however, have a truck acting similar and the cab is off getting up-pipes for major exhaust leaks. I don't have that warm and fuzzy feeling about it actually fixing the customers low power concern. I expressed this concern to management and the customer and they wanted the leaks fixed anyway. 

    I should have this thing running by Wednesday and if it acts just like the one in this thread, then I will have some input.........I'm hoping I don't though! :rolleyes:

  7. They tend to break in the front, if it was broke you would know it because it makes a deafening noise like a broken flex plate times 10. Also the belt puts a lot of pressure on the front of the crank and it would flex a broken crank that is near the front and it would puke oil out the front crank seal at an alarming rate. 

    Generally the main bearings spin and eventually clamp down on one or more portions of the crank thus slowing it's rotation (lugging the engine) and if the conditions are right the crank breaks instead of just locking the engine up. If the engine is still determined to run after such a wallet crushing event, then the counter weights will actually drive the crank (between the break) and she will raise hell.

  8. We are open as we are all deemed essential, however customers aren't venturing out and the ones that do make it to us, we can't get parts for.

    On the plus side, I have had the opportunity to take care of a slight back log that I was having trouble getting to. 

    On the plus plus side, I am fortunate to have both my jobs through this ordeal, the dealer and the college.

  9. On 8/29/2019 at 7:40 AM, Keith Browning said:

    Also look closely at the harness for signs that someone else has poked holes in the wires trying to diagnose something which may lead to corrosion and a failing circuit. I cant tell you how many times I have seen that over the years. .

    I find it amazing that this has become a more normal diagnostic procedure as of late. I shake my head and roll my eyes and wonder of the stock in liquid electrical tape has risen.

  10. We had a guy just quit, shop only has 3 techs, so I've now got 5 Fusion dashes to pull for passenger airbags, a 1990 F-150 runs like crap (customer has already replaced everything.....twice), '06 F-450 trans replacement, 2017 E-450 Dana 70 rebuild, 2010 Edge valve body replacement, and on and on.

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