Taking the plunge. My journey as an O/O.

Yup. Still rolling. Going home in about a week after being on the road since mid December trying to catch up and get some padding in the bank again.

I will update with end of year data when I get home.

The last couple weeks have been annoying. Got a CA load, but delivered it the day after settlement cutoff for last week.

This week though, I submitted nearly 5k miles. So, this Friday will be a nice bump to the bank account.

 

Low coolant error while rolling today. A gallon low from this morning's level. Visible residue and wetness on the passenger side of the engine about 2/3 back from the front of the block. No obvious leak source.

Got myself to the Cartersville TA, 30 miles from final on my current load.

Crossing my fingers and hoping this is something that can be fixed easily. I hope it's a loose hose clamp or a pinhole leak on the engine side of a coolant line.

 

Aye. Got it in good light, with a flashlight. Appears to be sources from the cab air heat exchanger, but there is a line going to the bunk heater that might be the problem as well. They will be pressurizing soon to check.

 

Aaaand. It's neither of those lines. It is a metal coolant line going from the top of the engine to the Exhaust system DEF injector. There is a pinhole leak a few inches from where the line connects to coolant supply at the top rear of the engine.

Will require about 3 hours labor plus parts.

Meh.

 

The faulty line has been replaced. Thin metal line with 8 or so bends in it, requiring several pieces to be removed from the top of the engine to allow access. They had to send their parts guy 60 miles to get the metal tube.

All told, a bit less than $700.00.

Not pleased, but there really wasn't much I could have done without a shop of my own and a full day to puzzle it out.

 

A little pre-upodate update. Yearly numbers estimate (pre-accountant) will be posted in a couple days.

I learned several things over the last few days.

First: I have always hated bodywash soap because it didn't lather. I also hated those #### mesh fabric loofa things because they were annoying. In a random experimentation event the other day, I discovered that using bodywash AND a loofa together led to really strong sudsing and a good clean. I might even invest in the stuff for my personal toiletries kit.

Second: When you go to a doctor and get your blood pressure read, if there is ANY pain whatsoever, ask the doctor/nurse to retest with a larger blood pressure cuff. Pain, even easily ignorable pain, will raise your blood pressure instantly, by a good bit.

Third: My truck is being annoying again. Several little things. A Front main seal, a cut plug, and the oilpan gasket are all leaking oil. The oilpan gasket will be covered under engine rebuild warranty. The coolant tank has a small crack, and a couple of the hoses are starting to show cracking and need replacing while the coolant tank is being replaced. And the rearmost drive axle brakes need drum (EDIT FIXED) and shoe replacement. Trying to get another full shoe of life out of the hubs will probably lead to out of round hubs or worse.

Needless to say, the first two otems are good to know. The last is not. I can afford the repairs, but it's more than a bit irritating to get some cash in the bank, then have it get sucked back out for repairs. Truck has nearly 600k miles on it now. I'm hoping that these age related issues due to plastic/rubber degradation are just abut done for now.