Jeff Adema

The adapter clamps onto the line, just make sure you clean the line good with some emery or scotchbrite, and put the clamp as close to the injector as possible, putting the clamp at the pump can give you a different reading than actual injection timing.

So the root cause of this kind of engine failure is.....? Contaminated fuel, faulty pump, faulty injectors, ......?

You can still buy regular timing lights and diesel pulse adapters from Mac/Ferret, Snap-On/Blue Point, etc. Is that what you're looking for?

It's nice to read in that article that the engineers at least talked about designing the fuel system in a holistic manner, rather than just using the parts bin approach. We're looking for a replacement pretty soon for the trusty family sedan, maybe I'll need to get something with one of these rockets under the hood.

I can't remember if I've asked you this at any time in the past, but how effectively would Saint communicate through Nexiq's USB link, or AutoTap HD's cable? Have any fleets that you've trained used that combo?

Uh, sorry Bruce, ya it's a laptop. I get a little carried away sometimes....I'm trying to get all my software rounded up for it these days. I'm assuming Saint doesn't care if it's USB or not...?

Thanks for the info, Bruce. I'll be sending an email right away, I've just aken delivery of a new-ish LG R560 and wanna have some fun with it. Coming to western Canada anytime this century, or should I saddle up the donkey and head south?

Hey Bill, Ya know, I'd be interested in those early manuals. I figure one can never have too much info at hand. Well, maybe it's possible..... I'll contact you later this weekend, if I can steal away for a minute or two, and we'll figure something out.

I'd be inclined to agree with building an AOD/4R70W. As fas as manual transmissions go, wouldn't the gear ratios and steps between gears be different for a torquey low-revving inline six versus a higher revving/higher horsepower V8??? You'd also have to f**k around with mounting the clutch pedal and master cylinder, shifter, steering column, what else am I missing.......?

I hear ya, Jim. The way I see it, most of the injuries I've sustained at work have been from my own monstrous stupidity, but I've learned from them. If I am too stupid to put on safety glasses before quickly grinding off a burr at the bench grinder, and it's my own eye that turns mushy, then I deserved that, whether I like it or not. Taking responsibility for one's own actions is a lost form these days, I believe. That is the sole reasoning behind my mini-rant concerning "legislated" safety requirements. Without thinking, I couldn't be as befuddled as I am. But I'll tell you, the nearest extinguisher is one step to the right of my tool stash.

I take exception to that last statement, Jim. If the individual cannot have the sense enough to protect themselves, than no amount of top-down dictation or compulsion will effectively substitute. Educate the individual in safety, and he'll wear boots and glasses, but compel him and he'll resent it and rebel. Anyways, that's just a kneejerk reaction from me, having worked in a Detroit/Allison shop where we techs were subjected to weekly "safety" meetings. The receptionist was our "safety officer", and she proceeded to show us pictures of third-world welders and other laborers with their varying degrees of idiocy-inflicted injuries, and lecture us on proper usage of everything from tape measures to pant zippers. It wasn't long before there were two or three page laminated instructions on everything from bench grinders to fire extinguishers. As far as actual injuries: dislocated left knee from slipping on ice in lot, requiring surgery to remove three dollar-coin-sized pieces of cartilage; chipped tooth from four-foot pipe wrench, with help from stubborn Mack truck not wanting toe-adjustment; re-chipped tooth from slipped wrench trying to cage an air brake chamber; re-chipped tooth from slipped hose-pick trying to repair wife's power windows (enough already!); burned the palm of my hand as a young apprentice, absent-mindedly grabbed a shaft after cutting off bearings.....ouch!

Looks like diesel technology spilling into gasoline-land.

I'm pretty sure you guys are the only ones still clinging to that system, B-rad. The rest of the world has jumped on the metric bandwagon. Funny, though, that around here all the roads are spaced out one mile apart, and farmland is measured in acres, I measure my fat ass in pounds and feet/inches, but we gotta preach the metric gospel 'cuz that's the rule from up top. I guess after all you're not the only ones clinging to that system......

Gotta love that one line in there: "not generally observed in these locales except by federal employees". Ahh sweet gubment jobs. Just came back from a hot and hazy extra-long weekend over the mountains in Invermere BC. There's nothing like ice cold Pil and Big Rock Honey Brown to quench your thirst when it's 30 plus degrees (that's metric for hot) and forest-fire smoke fills your lungs. But hot DAMN the lake was hopping! Boats that make mine look like ancient crap adorned with all kinds of bikini clad jewellery. My blood pressure still hasn't gone down......

What trans in the Challenger? A Funk, ZF, or something else? Did a '90 vintage model have Cat's own trans?

Finishing up an engine overhaul on a 30-ish year old John Deere 450C side boom crawler dozer, just said goodbye to a very well preserved 1980 GMC Brigadier grain truck with a remarkably clean and leak-free Detroit Diesel 8V71. '05 Dodge in the yard, towed over from the dealer, customer is pissed because after hounding them for an overheat concern for a year apparently it needs an engine, and with 2000km over warranty it's customer pay. It'll be interesting getting the whole story on that one..... Oh ya, '02 Freightliner M2 with a Cat 3126, supposed to be just regular PM (from the most irregularly maintained fleet), but also needs an ongoing overheat/derate to be diag'd, and now the starter crapped out, blocking a bay door, at 4:30 Friday. What else....finished scaring the crap out of a guy with a '95 K-W T800, needs somewhere in the neighbourhood of 10-15K to fix everything from front and rear suspension, alignment, transmission and mounts, engine flywheel housing, and it'll still be a miled out rattly truck with one foot in the grave. Can't wait to see what comes in next week, as the local auction yard had their spring machinery consignment sale yesterday. Supposed to have two different Ford medium duties come in for major engine work sometime, I'll have to get my cloning device working again so we can duplicate ourselves and have a night shift. Or not.

In context, Bruce. It isn't that long that Dodge has been building "medium duty trucks", So any numbers are positive numbers. That being said, would you trust a Dodge to actually work when you wanted it to work? Have you priced out a set of injectors for a 6.7 Cummins? Quote those kind of numbers to somebody who is shopping for a replacement instead of fixing their trucks, they come around to repairs and maintenance pretty quick.

That is how we would identify faulty DDEC V injectors, too. Pull a vacuum on the tip with your handy tester. Aerated and/or contaminated fuel would be my first examination. And as Bruce says, if the springs are broken it will cause overfueling....didn't this thing chug and smoke and such...?

Dirt is still white, Jim. Just look out your window!

Hmmmm, poorly substituted flex piping to fit a PSD equipped SD that had a lift kit? The guy didn't wanna spring for the proper exhaust so he built it himself? You were just gonna pull the DPF for other reasons (no doubt associated with the other bullsh*t power add-ons), and you found this? Am I close?

Good luck, Larry. They're all over in the Middle East powering Uncle Sam's machinery. Besides, why not a 6-71 blower?

Thanks for the info, Larry. Where did you find out about this? There are still quite a few of those old bags running around here, and sometimes, I mean sometimes, they break down......

American steel, huh? Grampy Jim might remember domestic vehicles rusting on the lot....? GM made G-bodies (malibu, monte carlo, cutlass) out of American steel, and what happens to their rear frames? It's all in the design, says I. In the last 30-40 years it's been nothing but recycled tuna cans anyways, no matter where it comes from. I watched that show Tank Overhaul once, they rebuilt a Sherman tank out of two former target practice victims. They cut the turrets in half and welded the two good halves together, and the welder was crapping himself about the quality of steel that it was made out of. Now think: How much good steel is now gone, having been sunk to the bottom of the sea during various submarine attacks or shipping disasters? I'm all out of words, gonna crawl back into my hole.

I can understand your frustration, and Dwayne's, but I also understand FoMoCo's vigilance in rejecting that claim. In this return to economic reality that we find ourselves in, it makes prudent sense to be stringent in warranty allowances. If there was evidence of dusting, was it diagnosed and rectified? Was the customer prepared for the possibility of a warranty claim rejection? I hate to play devil's advocate, but I think we all need to pay close attention to the details.

Too funny. I can't stop shaking my head.....