THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE - DFO gets a truck and hops on Schneider's IC Choice Program

Did you get yours from the handout they gave out during orientation that is through a 3rd party? Can't remember who it was off hand.

OH, before I forget, I should add that I finally just gave in and adjusted my headlights myself. Still not really sure they are set correctly, but its better than before. It took EIGHT complete turns to get them adjusted to a more reasonable position in the low-beam setting. Originally they were set to shine out further than the high beams themselves LOL.

 

Just wondering, what are the places schneider doesn't let people do the IC program at? I heard Florida but are there any others?

 

DFO, you should get a legal pad and start writing down all miles you run. Do not go by the load board, those are loaded miles and always not correct. Before, I take a load I run my own numbers. I use MapQuest to get miles. You should start keeping up with all miles run. Its easy to keep up with, you just have to have some discipline. Just take what on your odometer now , write that down. When you get to your pick up write that down, that will be your dead head miles. When you get to your drop write that down. Then subtract big number from small number, that will be your actual miles. So, if the load board says loaded miles 250 and pay $378.03, that is 1.51. If you have to deadhead 60miles that's comes out to 1.21. This is the reason why I use MapQuest. I do not go by the load board. Take the Pay and divide it into the miles, that will be your CPM. I keep a log on my fuel , and the number of miles I run in each state. Keep a record on your business, don't let sni do it for you. Right, now I am 1.38 that's all miles driven. I don't hesitate to dead home. I have a lot of dead head miles, when I go home I just go lol. I hope this helps , I don't like to type!!!

 

For someone that doesn't like to type you sure gave me a lot of helpful info there! Thanks!

I've been keeping track of my miles with fuel so far (write down the mileage/amount of fuel added/etc.) each fill up, I'll start doing it with my loads now too. Maybe I'll make a spreadsheet and print it out to help me keep a little more organized.

 

I met an IC out of Florida once. Not sure how he become IC but was from FL. It use to be West Coast was no IC hiring, then it went to a waiting list thing.. ie you could work on system O/O side then become IC. Now from what I understand it is wide open everywhere. Don't quote me on that just based on things I have seen and heard.

 

Some guys change there address to another state. When you do that you have to change your license.

 

Well made it back home today, took the air cleaner ducting off the top of the engine to the turbo and started looking around. I noticed a lot of chipped paints where bolts had been previous removed on a fair bit of the intake and EGR system of the truck, I'd venture to guess someone has already had it apart. I unbolted a clamp on the ducting from the intercooler to the intake manifold and was able to move it to the side a bit and shined my flashlight down the intake and honestly from what I can tell it didn't look too bad. I think I'll hold on taking the entire intake off for now as I don't think that is my problem. I am still glad I pulled the MAP sensor and cleaned all of the soot off of it though because it was really clogged up.

Seeing what I saw I put everything back together and drove down to Cummins and explained my problem. They were really helpful and quickly hooked up their scanner and pulled the codes and told me what I had originally thought - DPF issues. Looks like its plugged up pretty good. I have a feeling that the doser injector that sits behind the exhaust housing on the turbocharger is all covered in soot and plugged up - therefore it can't inject the fuel to burn off buildup in the DPF and the DPF is all plugged up.

I had them pull up the warranty info on the engine just to check but as I thought the DPF system is separate from the engine - the remaining warranty on the engine deals with the main internals and workings. No problem, but worth a shot lol.

The problem is that they are booked until next week especially with the holidays coming up. It would be no problem for me to sit and wait until then, I'd just call SFI and have next weeks payment deducted from my savings instead of my settlement because I don't want to get that settlement in a hole. But, I'd prefer to stay moving, so they told me if I wanted to pull the DPF myself and take it down to them in the morning and they can have it cleaned and back to me that evening.

I took a look under the truck and it doesn't look like removing the DPF will be all that bad - a bit cumbersome, perhaps, but I will use my transmission jack under the DPF while I remove and reinstall it that should make it MUCH easier than trying to fight it in there like a gigantic muffler.

I started pulling the connectors for the sensors tonight and stopped once I roasted the side of my arm on the 100000000* DPF canister, so I'll finish that in the morning once it cools off LOL. After removing the wiring there are just two clamps and it should come off. The clamp on the front side will be easy - the one on the rear is rusted and will probably fight me a bit - worst comes to worst I'll just cut it off and get a new one.

I'll also remove the doser injector and Cummins said I can clean it - although from what I'm reading I'm better off replacing it. I think what I will do is take it out and clean it then take it with me when I take the DPF down to Cummins and let them have a look.

Fingers crossed that will solve the issues. It would definitely explain my MPG issues if the exhaust system is basically plugged up entirely with soot. I've noticed very little blue smoke like you normally see when engines are regenning when going down the road, so that tells me the injector is probably clogged as well. We'll see when I pull it all off though.

I'll try to get some pictures of what all is involved.

 

sent you a PM DFO

 

Most DPF's systems recommend pulling and cleaning the DPF every 300K. The more you idle the truck the sooner it could need cleaned out. I doubt SFI had it done. My truck is nearing 400K and I never idle it and have not had to clean it out yet. Normally if you have to start doing parked regens it is time. Ask Cummins if there is a way to check the ash level in your DPF. Also if you EGR is acting up it can prevent regens while driving and the motor could begin derating.

 

yeah, but I've never heard anything back from them (cards and what not)......however, they do deduct out of my check every week.....so, I got it, I just don't know what it is.....LOL.
I'm headed to GB now and will be there on Wednesday......if I have the time, I'll check it out.