ArdWrknTrk Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 Not a Ford story, but a high stress mechanic one. Did you see Oppenheimer movie? You know, the moment when they finally "push the button", hopping that their calculations are ok... I had such moment tonight. My old Kubota B21 had an injection pump problem: Was leaking fuel by the top. I opened the leaking pump piston and saw that o'rings were dried and cracked. Tried to replace by supposedly right size ones, but the result was catastrophic: The engine oil dipstick popped out and oil splashed all around. I ordered a replacement pump (700$ aftermarket cause original Kubota is 1800$ CAD). The mechanics at the dealer told me it's impossible that the oil splashes out because of a leaking injector pump, sure it is something else broken in the engine. So, pump replaced, I am sitting in the tractor, ready to turn the key, feeling as Oppenheimer: It works, or it's the end... The engine started and everything is ok. HURRAYYYY!!! I changed filter and oil. Before pouring the new 3L oil, I flushed 6.5L of oil/diesel fuel mix!! So, I have some news for Kubota mechanics: Yes, an injection pump can leak enough by the bottom to spray fuel an pressure in the oil pan. I'm pretty sure there's couple of you who had such "Oppenheimer high stress moments" in their Ford mechanic life. Only "high stress, unknown outcome" moments I've had are with aggressive flat tappet hydraulic cams when first firing an expensive build. You do everything (checking piston to valve clearance, break-in springs, assembly lube, break -n oil, priming the oiling system just before starting, making as sure as you can that the timing is spot on, ect...) Because without a dyno that engine is going right to 2,500 and staying there for a solid 20 minutes. You do NOT want to hear a Screech or wack, wack, wack. It's a little nerve wracking. I've heard from "experienced mechanics" about how I've done things "would never work" "will fail before the next oil change" whatever.... Not to say a haven't spent my life at the school of hard knocks, but I don't forget lessons learned the hard way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat in tn Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 Only "high stress, unknown outcome" moments I've had are with aggressive flat tappet hydraulic cams when first firing an expensive build. You do everything (checking piston to valve clearance, break-in springs, assembly lube, break -n oil, priming the oiling system just before starting, making as sure as you can that the timing is spot on, ect...) Because without a dyno that engine is going right to 2,500 and staying there for a solid 20 minutes. You do NOT want to hear a Screech or wack, wack, wack. It's a little nerve wracking. I've heard from "experienced mechanics" about how I've done things "would never work" "will fail before the next oil change" whatever.... Not to say a haven't spent my life at the school of hard knocks, but I don't forget lessons learned the hard way. lessons that bleed are rarely forgotten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clutch47 Posted January 11 Share Posted January 11 Only "high stress, unknown outcome" moments I've had are with aggressive flat tappet hydraulic cams when first firing an expensive build. You do everything (checking piston to valve clearance, break-in springs, assembly lube, break -n oil, priming the oiling system just before starting, making as sure as you can that the timing is spot on, ect...) Because without a dyno that engine is going right to 2,500 and staying there for a solid 20 minutes. You do NOT want to hear a Screech or wack, wack, wack. It's a little nerve wracking. I've heard from "experienced mechanics" about how I've done things "would never work" "will fail before the next oil change" whatever.... Not to say a haven't spent my life at the school of hard knocks, but I don't forget lessons learned the hard way. The high stress mechanic moments have happened for me. Repeatedly. The most amusing tale lately involved my 86 LTD Crown Vic, a chassis dyno, and one of my friends that is a serious ball buster. Went like this. Built a 347 aimed toward torque for the car and put the Megasquirt PNP system in place. Mind you, I had never built anything EFI to this level before and my only experience with this EFI system was microsquirt on a friends 89 inch H-D drag bike. Get the car running and it's time for the dyno tune after about 75 miles of driving to establish some data logs for the tuner. Dyno is a 60 mile easy drive. Car is on the rollers, tuner doing his thing, and it is working great. Here's a picture to set the mood. Steady throttle mixtures are great, things are going well. Tip in, hot starting, all the details are done. Last of 5 total pulls at WOT to 5500rpm, my planned limit for now. Car sounds great. Pulling hard and clean. Remember, this is my only way home. At 5400... a boom and a steaming green fountain shoots out from under the hood. Shut it all down quickly and we start looking. Hoses are fine. Radiator tank is fine. Everything is fine. Then we see it. The cast iron heavy duty police taxi service Gates brand water pump split the casting. After removal. So after a AAA call, a ride home on a Rollback, and my ballbuster friend laughing his fool nuts off, comes the fix and return to dyno. So the high stress moment came when we hit the rollers to finish it. 348hp and 409tq calculated. Success... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clutch47 Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Quality control is in the trash. I'm amazed lately at the absolute neglect for quality control in manufacturing. My latest irritation comes from Delta faucet company. New shower install. Not box store level components. Valve body not doing its thing. It's simply a cast housing. Ugh.. Now to cut out brand new drywall for a fix.. 🤬😠😡 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Quality control is in the trash. I'm amazed lately at the absolute neglect for quality control in manufacturing. My latest irritation comes from Delta faucet company. New shower install. Not box store level components. Valve body not doing its thing. It's simply a cast housing. Ugh.. Now to cut out brand new drywall for a fix.. 🤬😠😡 My first response would have been 'box store version's but you head that off. All these iconic brands have been eaten alive by capital management groups or special investment partnerships. Some (like Bill) gripe and grumble about "ChiCom Crap" where I respond that Apple makes all their top end products there, they have a successful space program, Nuclear power, etc.. Products are build to a cost. There's not a problem with QC, it's the formula of acceptable failures vs cost of replacing faulty widgets. If they still make $$$ even at 20% garbage to market they will go with 20% They will not warranty your labor, sheetrock or paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted January 24 Author Share Posted January 24 My first response would have been 'box store version's but you head that off. All these iconic brands have been eaten alive by capital management groups or special investment partnerships. Some (like Bill) gripe and grumble about "ChiCom Crap" where I respond that Apple makes all their top end products there, they have a successful space program, Nuclear power, etc.. Products are build to a cost. There's not a problem with QC, it's the formula of acceptable failures vs cost of replacing faulty widgets. If they still make $$$ even at 20% garbage to market they will go with 20% They will not warranty your labor, sheetrock or paint. It isn't just the low-end things. Look at the problems Boeing is having with quality control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 It isn't just the low-end things. Look at the problems Boeing is having with quality control. Boeing lost their mind when they sold out to 'management' and moved to Chicago 👎 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clutch47 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Boeing lost their mind when they sold out to 'management' and moved to Chicago 👎 Homebuilder will cover the drywall labor and paint. Moved into my retirement home that I honestly saved my entire life to build 3 months ago. Day 1. Exhausted and tired. Head for the shower aaannndd... No hot water out of the shower. Plenty everywhere else. So as my Mother called it, had to take a wh@re bath. Shower was as brand new as it gets. Good thing there is another shower in the house. Agree on Boeing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 It isn't just the low-end things. Look at the problems Boeing is having with quality control. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/01/boeing-withdraws-bid-for-safety-exemption-as-details-on-missing-bolts-emerge/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 It isn't just the low-end things. Look at the problems Boeing is having with quality control. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/01/boeing-withdraws-bid-for-safety-exemption-as-details-on-missing-bolts-emerge/ That's scary - to have something on a very complex device that if you forget to do it could cause the whole thing to blow up. I worked for Boeing for about 6 months once - until they lost a contract and laid everyone off. So I should have a soft spot in my heart for them. But I've probably flown on their planes for far more than the equivalent of 6 months and it worries me that their systems and processes rely on people remembering to turn something off or add 4 bolts. And I guess others are a bit concerned as well. I saw a video where they had a high-ranking official sitting next to the door plug when the first Max 9 returned to service, and you could see in the video that he had his seatbelt on tightly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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