Are we fixing to see a huge purge in trucking?

IT would be sad to see you go. I hope something will workout for you. You have been so much help to this community here.

 

College isn't for everyone. And some do great without it. I think my kids will benefit from college education.

 

Also, what inframe kit did you use, original Detroit or Aftermarket? @Rideandrepair

Found your old post. I wonder if aftermarket kit is the reason for engine failure. I have seen it before where rebuilds only last 200k miles with non original parts

 

The kit I used was FP Diesel. Federal Mogul company. They also own felpro, so I imagine that’s the brand of head gasket. Should be good. The head and block inserts used for counterbore are DD. They were a cut correct. Deck heights all at .004. Head is DD reman. Bearings aren’t the problem. The only other thing is if a liner is pitted and leaking. If so, then yes it’s because of cheap metal. Though I know of a Detroit that had a pitted liner at 70k under warranty. My first Truck had a Cat, it had a liner replaced under warranty before I bought it. so It happens. I won’t know what failed till it’s apart. More than likely the heads cracked. I don’t think I’ve let it get too hot. Did have the hole in the radiator a while back, but I don’t think that caused it. I’m hoping it’s a cracked head. That’s the best case and most likely scenario. If so, I won’t buy another DD reman. I’ll buy a brand new aftermarket. I’ll also use a Mahle head gasket.

 

210k

 

What parts did Fitzgerald use? They had a pile of gliders with 12.7’s in them that barely made 200k miles.

 

I don’t know what Fitzgerald used. No telling. The DD Dealer says they used all different kinds of blocks as cores. Even industrial generator blocks.Creates a big problem getting parts. They have to call Fitzgerald and give them the special Fitzgerald serial #.

 

Here’s the gasket I used. Sounds good to me. felpro has been around forever. I doubt DD makes their own head gaskets. No reason mine should have failed. Must have cracked the head. Maybe when I ran with a patched up hole in my radiator. It never got hot though. I’ve been told that sometimes coolant gets cavitated, temp gauge doesn’t always read accurately. I have had to add a few gallons since then. Radiator seeped a while till the gaskets sealed up, Then there’s always stubborn air pockets, requiring adding more coolant after running a while. It’s hard to tell. Probably never know.

 

I put a head on DD that was in a Fitzgerald 389 this summer .. what a F####'n nightmare
The partsman at Interstate Power & I became very good friends by the time I had that project done
Why anyone would want to own a Fitzgerald jugsaw puzzle glider is beyond me I know I wouldn't

 

I agree. I always thought maybe they were just getting a bad rap. But a friend on mine bought one. A 2007, with 600k miles. He found a thrust washer in the bottom of oil pan. It was the old 1/2 only bottom style. We replaced it, crank was a bit damaged. We found out a lot of bad things that day from 2 mechanics and WW Williams Dealer. The stories were about all sorts of crazy mis matched parts.