Strap in for everything you never wanted to know about diesel engine Exhaust Gas Re-circulation (EGR) systems. I should preface this with the disclosure that I am not an expert, nor do I claim to be. In fact, my diesel engine knowledge was essentially nil when I started this project, so this is basically a…
Category: Troubleshooting
Get Shorty
While removing the various radio antenna and power cables from the center console the other day I noticed one wire with obvious thermal damage where it screwed into the terminal block. Today I traced that wire and found it was for one of the two 12V outlets on the passenger side of the center console….
Brake Fluid Leak
There is a leak located on the underside of the brake fluid reservoir where it connects to the master cylinder. Because the assembly is mounted high up and against the firewall in front of the driver the brake fluid has coated all the fittings, harnesses and other hardware below it, down to the left leaf…
Paging Dr. Leaky
The list of what my truck is not leaking is shorter than what is seeping out of it’s various mechanisms, reservoirs and hoses so lets start with that: Diesel Fuel* Transmission oil Washer Fluid (I’m counting anything positive as a win at this point) * Fuel is not leaking out of the truck, but I…
Pembroke Pines, FL Day 5
11/13/21 Truck started with NOCO Brakes weak & grindy until a few full stops Drove 17 miles to a diesel repair shop that said they had the correct software to talk to my truck Bit of loose sounding rattle when coasting/decelerating on rough city streets Some binding when turning wheel when parking Left the keys…
Pembroke Pines, FL Day 4
Battery @ 9.9V, dropped quickly when tried to start without NOCO No coolant loss, but 2/8” layer of darker liquid on top Not able to definitively call it oil, but that’s about all it could be. Could be hard/cracked o-rings in engine oil or transmission oil cooler Washed outside of cab windows Power steering fluid…
Pembroke Pines, FL Day 3
My contact with the city, who used to be a mechanic, said EGR is related to exhaust emissions and the valve is a frequent source of problems. Often get stuck due to thermal cycling or sitting for long periods. People often remove them to improve mileage, performance, engine life EGR Valve sensor contacts were slightly…
Shit Gets Bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S
PART II At this point in the tale, I’ve taken possession of the truck and been in Florida for a week working on it in the blazing sun and insane humidity. Despite having studied pictures of the truck for months up until this point, I will say that it was intimidating to see in person…
How Not To Buy A Decommissioned Ambulance
A cautionary tale on things to avoid or at least be prepared to deal with. PART I I first saw the truck I would ultimately buy listed on Brindlee Mountain Fire Apparatus at FireTruckMall.com in June 2021. Besides being a class 6, medium duty truck, what initially caught my eye was the layout and the…