Truck back down, at home on vacation again.

[Mike]

Would renting a tractor help offset the revenue loss?

Tractor rental can be very expensive and may be a bad idea but I’ve had bosses do it before...

If I were on a contract with a shipper, I would immediately rent a tractor to fulfill my obligations. The additional cost of that would likely be a break even thing, but would allow me to honor my commitment to a customer.

During the extended downtime, had I known in advance that I would be down that long, I would have quickly found somewhere to work and help compensate for my lost revenue. Problem was, I was constantly being advised that it would be done in just a couple days (by Friday, by the end of the weekend, etc..). The timeframe was continually extended out every few days, which made it impossible for me to plan on finding something else to do.

 

[Mike]

This makes Fitzgerald seem incompetent.

Until now, I had heard most people talk great about them, some people had negative comments. I will expand on this at some point in the near future.

Problem was, all the negative comments I was getting came no closer than 3rd party, no direct involvement with the trucks. Over the past few weeks, I was able to have a long sit down talk with a shop owner who is one of their "preferred warranty" shops. They see, first hand, the workmanship of the engines that Fitzgerald builds. What I got from that conversation was a lack of "attention to detail" and some first hand knowledge on inferior parts. Attention to detail, in terms of missing exhaust manifold gaskets, failing to even line up the intake gaskets and just punching new holes with the bolts. These things are never acceptable, but even more unacceptable when it happens on an engine being build outside of the vehicle on a stand.

Me saying this makes me one of those 3rd party people when giving the information here, but at least now I got the information first hand.

Even with all of this though, my experience with this truck has been much better than my experience with my previous emissions truck. I had over twice as much downtime with that truck, in only one year of ownership, than I have had with this truck.

 

[Duck]

They see, first hand, the workmanship of the engines that Fitzgerald builds. What I got from that conversation was a lack of "attention to detail" and some first hand knowledge on inferior parts. Attention to detail, in terms of missing exhaust manifold gaskets, failing to even line up the intake gaskets and just punching new holes with the bolts. These things are never acceptable, but even more unacceptable when it happens on an engine being build outside of the vehicle on a stand.

A few years ago there was a thread on here about an overhaul mill in Mexico or near the border in the USA somewhere that was basically like the Jasper of big truck engines but it was cheap. Inferior Chinese knockoff parts, uneducated illegal alien labor, etc.

I wonder if that's where Fitzgerald gets their engines from.

 

[Mike]

I wonder if that's where Fitzgerald gets their engines from.

Nope. My engine is one they build at their facilities. The others are remans from Detroit.

The engines in question, at least the ones I have been finding info on, are the ones they build at their facility.

 

[Duck]

Nope. My engine is one they build at their facilities. The others are remans from Detroit.

The engines in question, at least the ones I have been finding info on, are the ones they build at their facility.

So where's this facility located?

It sounds like hanging out in their parking lot during a shift change would be like a trip to the zoo.

 

[Mike]

So where's this facility located?

It sounds like hanging out in their parking lot during a shift change would be like a trip to the zoo.

Byrdstown, TN.

 

[Mike]

Update this afternoon.

While waiting for head to come off so I could take it to Tulsa to be inspected/reworked, got a phone call letting me know that the head gasket was not blown.

Once again, there is an injector cup problem.

 

[ironpony]

Once again, there is an injector cup problem.

I'll do it for you...

 

[Mike]

I'll do it for you...

We had issues with the injector cups. Took some research at the time, but the cups from Detroit seem to have issues with seating properly. On mine, #6 was giving the issue, so the mechanic got cups from PAI. #6 ended up working perfectly, and he told me he was going to go ahead and remove the others and replace all of them with the PAI cups.

Today, after finding the problem being a cup again, he told me he was going to replace all of the cups with PAI cups. I asked if the other cups were still the Detroit cups, and he said yes. So, it seems he failed to replace all of them with the PAI cups in the initial repair as he said he was going to do, so here we are now I guess.

Frustrating.

 

[mndriver]

Frustrating

I'd have a different point of view

 

[Mike]

I'd have a different point of view

Yes, but I am a calm, cool, and collected individual

 

[Rigjockey]

This very eye opening for those of us that often think of buying a truck. Sure enough it is the luck of the draw as to what problems could occur with any truck.

But, the clear message is that you have got to have a bank roll beyond buying the truck.

 

[Mike]

But, the clear message is that you have got to have a bank roll beyond buying the truck.

Gotta have the money, or you need the credit to get your through problems like this if they happen early on in the game. When you start out with neither, you are literally one episode like this from no longer having a truck, unable to afford anything, and you have a door wide open for problems at home as well.

 

[Ontario Outlaw]

Gotta have the money, or you need the credit to get your through problems like this if they happen early on in the game. When you start out with neither, you are literally one episode like this from no longer having a truck, unable to afford anything, and you have a door wide open for problems at home as well.

Do you carry a lot of cash? I’m debating throwing $1000 US cash on the truck for emergencies

 

[Mike]

Do you carry a lot of cash? I’m debating throwing $1000 US cash on the truck for emergencies

I rarely have more than a couple dollars in my wallet, to be honest.

 

[Rigjockey]

Do you carry a lot of cash? I’m debating throwing $1000 US cash on the truck for emergencies

I highly recommend it.
Where do you park you truck ?

 

[Ontario Outlaw]

I rarely have more than a couple dollars in my wallet, to be honest.

I have had issues paying for stuff before.

 

[Mike]

If i get an advance on the road, I get $50.00

I never get that advance unless I have no money in my wallet and think I might need some cash. anything I buy, even the occasional Diet Dr. Pepper, is via a credit card.

 

[Ontario Outlaw]

A roll of quarters for laundry is nice to have

 

[Mike]

A roll of quarters for laundry is nice to have

Oh yeah, I have a coffee can (not really a can anymore, since they are plastic) full of change. Not for laundry, though, as I refuse to outstay my supply of clean clothes