Crash Course In Diesel Mechanics?

I think you just should learn to do the regular maintenance, and leave the rest up to the mechanics, UNLESS you want to go to school or you are in an environment where you can get lots (and I mean years) of constant exposure to the work. Things aren't like they used to be. There are parts swappers, then there are technicians. Sure you can easily learn to swap parts, but without the knowledge of a tech when a problem occurs, you'll probably be swapping those parts for nothing.

And as far as diesel engines being more simple than gassers, not at all - nowadays. An internal combustion engine in it's SIMPLEST FORM fuel by diesel IS more simple than an internal comustion engine fueled by gasoline (also in it's simplest form). Nowadays, they are both so complex I think they're neck and neck.

Take the old 6.9 diesels that Ford had in their F250 F350s back in the 80s. All you needed was a 1/2" wrench and a ball pien hammer to fix those things. 1994 saw the introduction of the PowerStroke Turbo Diesel. Forget trying to work on that thing unless you have lots of general engine knowledge, lots of diesel knowledge, lots of educational manuals and software, and a helluva learning ability.

 

regular maintenance is a good thing leaving the other to the pros is the best advice that you can get will save you time and money

 

Most diesel repairs are cheap. Its the parts that have a significant cost is where the pain is.

 

110$ a hour labor gets expensive quick. Better learn to do somethings yourself. Every driver should have mechanical experience behind them.

I'm pretty sure most o/o are mechanically inclined. Can trouble shoot their problems and get them down to a point. Have their own tool box with necessary tools to do pretty much everything. Even a inframe if they have the parts. An air hose to reach all the way to the back of the trailer, with a impact wrench to break wheel nuts loose and a jack to lift the axle and yes of course a tire mounted on a rim already.

You won't see me on the shoulder for long. Only if I'm waiting for parts.

 

Hard part is getting an air cannon to fit under our bunks (unless you want to be exciting and use ether)

 

I wanna remind yo one thing. Modern truck is combination of mechanics, air system and electronics. And I cant see any diesel mechanic who can solder small chips and use chip programmer, and I cant imagine electronic technician who does fifth wheel rebuild. So yes, you can do many things yoirself, swap parts from JYs, but not all.

later EPA 2010 and Euro-5 trucks with SCR are made for workshops!

and belive me, twony years later all trucks will be hybrid ore electric drive, so sweet time of trucks for DIYers is gone!

 

Speak for yourself, if you are an electronics tech, then the future is yours!!

 

You are getting at it - but you are wrong if you think you can avoid mechanics. You can't and you will always need them. But you can try 2 things:

1. operate the equipment in a way that it will make it last forever instead of saving 10 cents every day
2. you will learn the weak points based on other people (using same stuff) problems and address them before they leave you stranded.

I got almost 800k miles on EGR-engine and was never late (doing produce/expedited all the time). I mean just do it, it works

 

$110 per hour is expensive. Here's the thing... If you owned at truck, and it needed brakes, or a spring, or a clutch, or something like that, why would you go to a dealership and pay the high premium per hour dollars? We see a lot of customers come to use for basic stuff like that when there a other shops around that are more than capable of properly doing springs, brakes, and other stuff like that for way less. I think some customers simply make poor choices on where they take their truck. I certainly appreciate any work you want done. But if it were my truck, the $55 per hour spring shop will get my business for that stuff, and I will pay $110 per hour at the dealer for electrical and engine issues. Here is another tip, if you drive a Pete, don't go to a Volvo dealer to have it worked on, take it to Pete! Volvo dealers train their techs to know Volvos, not Petes or Freightliners, and so on. You get my point?