Kevin Rutherford

"Install a ScanGaugeKR, order my CD/DVD set and a three-month supply of my special HCL capsules... and do the hard work! Everything will be great!"

"Next caller..."

 

You know...I asked the question for real. And I asked the same q. at my friendly shop, the guy told me that I'd be better off spending that money on replacing the main and rod bearings, but Kevin on one of his shows said the opposite, the bearings are made good these days and they should last up to 1.5 million miles, so what do I spend my money on?

 

I would listen to a competent mechanic I trust...but maybe that's just me.

 

@TallJoe I am a successful retired one truck owner operator, well over 30 years as an owner operator. KR has a history, judge people by their history "turbo 3000" it goes back a long time. What do you spend your money on?
Maintenance!!!!!!!! 900,000 miles fan belts, pull front wheels visually check wheel bearings, King pins could need attention, real close attention to the fan clutch, do it now it could save you a radiator, rebuild the air dryer, not just the cartridge, change the coolant, change the gear oils, exhaust leaks that are starting to develop. your draglink has play in it. the list goes on and on.

You don't need KR to tell you where to spend your money, just become one with your truck and it will tell you where to spend the money.

Like @not4hire said listen to a competent mechanic

 

Surprisingly Kevin Rutherford is right in this instance. You should never need to replace rod and main bearings in modern electronic diesel engines before an inframe. It's a complete waste of money. Thirty years ago it was necessary and rourine maintenance to roll in new rods and mains every 400,000 mIles or so. Metallurgy has cone a long way since then.

My mechanic tried to talk me out of wasting my money on a bearing roll job at 985,000 miles. I didn't listen. He showed me the old ones and said the wear was not abnormal or unusual that they would have lasted many more years. Then at 1,100,000 my motor had to be inframed and so it got new bearings rolled in again. What a waste.

 

No body can tell you more about the engine than the people who designed it for the most part, but a good honest mechanic will give you some insight, at least better than some guy on a radio that never pulled a wrench on it. I'm sure Kevin has good intentions.... maybe not for you the listener exactly, but definitely for himself. As @mtoo said use your eyes, use your ears. I started out replacing a couple air bags, and the wheel seals. I seen potential problems with other things and ended up installing all new air bags, new brakes, S-cams / bushings, brake chambers, wheel seals, shocks, and today will be installing new pinion seals on the rear drives with new Ujoints on the jackshaft between the punkins while I'm there. I was told the spare engine had just had a in-frame before pulling it out, but there was no paperwork proving that so what did I do? I pulled it apart and looked! I want to know personally! Pistons still had the part number on the skirts, bottom rod bearings and top main bearings did not have a mark on them, liners had a perfect cross hatch, all good signs the man was honest. Kevin gives good advice on at least one thing.... Do the hard work, in my opinion that is getting your hands dirty, as well as doing the numbers. Be safe out there.

 

I agree with you. For the most part the show is good, some of his ideas evidently backfired, causing angst among his followers. But it is only entertaining talk show and he is not an apostle to be blindly followed.

 

Whatever became of that signature series truck that had engine failure???

 

Twas a epic failure in every way. The people hate it and can't even get good mileage with it.

 

I go to pittsburg power and let em have at my isx. Stay away from dealership part swapping monkeys that haven't got a clue on what makes an isx tick.