Professional tractor trailer mechanic, AMA.

This might be a stupid question, but what makes the loud TSSSSHHHh-sounds when a truck or a bus slows down or stops. I assume brakes, but not sure.

It is the brakes. Either from the air being released from the brake system or from the air system reaching its preset psi setting.

That's sure a hell of a lot less than my dad pays to maintain his. However, they are bush trucks.

It was a very rough estimate. I just started my first supervisors role, so I am just getting broken in with the budget and expenses and stuff.

Repairing a black hawk sounds a bit complicated. Was it any worse than the civilian vehicles you worked on?

Actually it was easier. They are very simply machines. I would say the hardest part was going to school. You see, they don't teach you how to work on the helicopter, they teach you how to find the section you need in the publications. The publications show you how to repair the helicopter. There was something like 30 books used just on my side of the training. On top of that there were engine and transmission MOS's, avionics...

I find it interesting that you have the expertise to repair a Black Hawk and you chose to do this AMA as a tractor trailer mechanic. There must be much more to mechanics of tractor trailers than I imagined!

Also, Understanding the instructions in the book might be easy for you but I doubt I could comprehend them.

I've been out of the aviation field for sometime now, and do not find it appropriate to do an AMA when someone currently in the field can do a better job.

The military publications are well written.

How much $$ do you think an average truck costs yearly to maintain/repair? I had always wondered this. Also, of course this varies greatly with load, but what kind of fuel economy numbers are today's semis seeing?

The average truck gets about 7+mpg. Which I find to be amazing considering how much they weigh(fully loaded 80k). I have never seen the numbers, but my guess would have to be over 10k a year. This takes into account the mechanics pay, parts and preventative maintenance.

Where the heck do you see trucks averaging 7mpg? Most of the guys I know, and myself included, only get 5.5 - 6.5. Now this might sound close to 7 for the layman, but in the course of year that's a huge difference.

Ignore this next part if you don't really care about trucking.

Say a normal trucker with a good route goes 2500 miles a week. That's 125,000 miles a year. At 7mpg that's 17857.14 gallons at 6.5 that's 19230.77. With diesel around $4 a gallon in the US that's a difference of 5494.52 per a truck.

Last time I was in fleet, our macks were getting 7 and better.

Where did they haul?

Va. Hampton roads area, D.C., Maryland.

I find that very hard to believe. Especially in the D.C. corridor, but I've only hauled Midwest and there are very few Macks around here.

Just cause they trvel the D.C. area does not mean they are terminalled there

Just that the D.C.corridor is stop and go so I would assume mpg would be lower.

Understandable, But they travel nearly 100 miles to get to dc, drop off then turn around. These were day cabs too.

Do you ever lie about how much needs to be fixed on someone's car in order to make more money?

Never. I hate this shit. However, I will over complicate the situation to sell the repairs that they do in fact need. Over complicating it will leave the customer overwhelmed and often leads them to leaving the problem in the hands of a capable mechanic.

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I really like matco and snapon and then craftsman. In that order. Matco for their screw drivers, snap on for the impacts and ratchets, and craftsman for their sockets and wrenches.

I also really like blue point, snap-ons less expensive brand.

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Yeah, I do not like snap-ons screw drivers. Matcos screw driver have a great replacement guarantee.

The snap on impacts are ridiculously powerful, much more so than the Ingersoll 1/2" I've got now. I have not had as good of luck with their ratchets though, I've had better luck with Matco ones.

The main reason I like the snap on ratchet I have is because of the swing head.

Yeah, I paid about 550 for their new impact. It will pull off a tractor trailer lug nut.

What do you think about the idea that needing an oil change every 3,000 miles is a myth? Link

Depends on the engine. For example, my 200sx get an oil change every 5000 and I use mineral oil. My wifes 2010 corolla get is every 3000 and uses sythetic. It has to do with the way the engine is designed.

Why mineral oil?

Because it is an old engine. Just rolled over 220k. Once I get the new engine built, it will have synthetic.

How do you kill a Toyota Hilux?

You don't, they kill you.

i was hired with zero experience. i mostly fix concrete mixers, but i have learned very much in the last two years. i have alot to learn, but i feel like i can already hang with the older guys at the shop. I was given my own bay after 6 months when its usually 3 or more years for a guy to get a bay. I also have my class A, forklift licence, allison transmission cert along with a few other things. I dont want to do this for very long, but when i do leave ill have a nice set of tools and alot of knowledge. keep it up man.

Good shit dude. Its a rewarding career.

What's your opinion on electric cars? Do you see them becoming more popular in future? What's holding them back?

I talked with an old dealership owner. He was telling me that the Chevy volt has is the most reliable electric car ever built. It is so well built infact that many automotive mechanic regard it as the best built car they have ever seen.

I'm not trying to stop you from doing the AMA, but as it's necessary for all posts here, do you have any proof?

Sure, this is my first AMA. How to I provide verification?

I don't know what the mods think, but if you took a picture of yourself holding up a piece of paper with something like "eb86 AMA 1-19-2013", I think it would work.

I suggest using Imgur to upload the proof, and then linking in the body of your post up above.

If your face/identity are completely confidential, just message the mods with your proof, and I'm sure they'll be happy to verify it for you.

Ok, will do. Thanks.

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Once volvo delivers a finished product, they will be the industry leaders in braking tech. Currently, it takes about 250 feet to stop a 80,000lbs tractor trailer. This is a standard set by the federal government that all manufacturers have to abide by.

Whenever driving down a mountain, I always see/smell the "burning brakes" of semis. What exactly is going on there?

Burning brakes. Tractor trailer brakes are not designed to slow a tractor on a downward slope. Drivers should be using downshifting and engine braking.

Do you have any funny stories to share?

I was called out last year to break into a drivers truck. They had not heard from him in 3 days. They though he was dead, lol. I arrive at the truck and no one answers when I knock on the door, and I cannot see into the back of the truck. So I pull out my door jimmying tool and get to work. As I am about to pop the lock, the driver shows up with his family. Turns out he quit but hadn't told the company yet. He invited his family down to go to one of the amusement parks.

Why is my check engine light on when it has been like that for four months now and nothing bad has happened?

Many vehicles use redundant systems to ensure the engine is running right. There are only a few things that will put the engine into a limp mode, or reduced power mode. This being thinks like oil pressure sensors, cam sensors... The important stuff. Even emissions related codes may not cause the engine to run bad.

What is the most important thing for someone to do if they want to get into your line of work?

Get interested in it. Try to find a company that will take you on as an apprentice or helper. This is a foot in the door. Being the low man, you will be getting tools, fetching parts, getting dirty.

Do you have an opinion on the International Dt466e and the allison 2000 tranny?

I have been thinking of pulling these from an old box truck for a project vehicle, but I'm not a diesel mechanic and I don't know the quirks of this engine.

DT466e and the older 444e are some of the best engines built. When coupled with an allison, you have a rock solid setup.

Thank you!

When going to a lot to buy a used box truck with this engine and about 200K+ miles is there anything I should lookout for or be aware of?

DT466e is notorious for oil pressure sensors going bad and keeping the engine from starting.

Is the customer always right?

Depends on whether you work at a for profit shop or a fleet shop. For profit shop, the customer is only right when they know what they are talking about. But, when they try to tell me how to do my job, then I will let them know they are wrong.

For fleet, nope drivers are always wrong. I maintain the trucks, its my call.

This is true except that the driver's are not the customer and are usually complete blithering idiots. And the talking...Jesus Christ, the talking. They'll sit there and tell their life's story and you won't say a damn word and they just keep going on...

Yep, you get the gist of it. But, this comes from being on the road. They do not get much time to chat with people.

Is being a mechanic something you always wanted to do? What got you into it? Plans to do something else in the future? (although it sounds like you have it pretty made right now)

When I was younger I did not have much aspiration to do much in life. It came to the point when I have to move back in with my dad at 18 ( I left home at 16). He told me I had six months to either move out or start college. I decided the Army would be a better option. I graduated top of my class in aviation school and from then on, I just had a really good understanding of how things work.

As for future plans, I am teaching myself web development. Html5, CSS, PHP, MYsql... I really enjoy doing it. But, it is very hard.

You repair large vehicles and military helicopters but find web development challenging?

Are they challenging in different ways?

Lol, yeah. It is challenging for me because I have ADD, not hyperactive. Staying focused with mechanics is easy for me since I am constantly moving around and fixing this and that. But with web development it is hard for me to focus. Even remembering the strings, and variable... I always find myself referring back to the books I have. Just a different type of challenge I am not used to yet. It is nice to see my published work online.

Why do you think there aren't as many diesel cars in the US as in Europe? Why do people drive prii when they could get the same 40mpg+ in a TDi and have ~240 ft-lb of torque?

This comes down to the mindset of americans. I love the TDI's. What a great car. Would I work on one, hell no.

Also, the price for a diesel car in america is ridiculous.

Are you more of a tailpipe man, or a headlights man?

Headlight

What is the least reliable brand of car, in your experience?

Toyota, Nissan, Honda. In that order. All are fantastic cars.

Edit: misread the question.

Least reliable are most american cars.

I was hoping you meant least reliable, since I had some bad transmission issue with my Honda Odyssey not so long ago.

No manufacturer is perfect. They all have their flaws. Hell I have seen an 05 civic si throw a piston rod just mild acceleration from a stop light.

This answer confuses me a bit. You say they are fantastic cars, but are they the least reliable?

My bad, misread your question. Avoid anything american IMO

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Not familiar with the AMC based vehicle. The cummins however is a monster. Nothing can beat it in my eyes. I still dream of putting one in a f230 chassis.

My car has 20,000 miles on it right now. What maintenance should I make sure to perform on it so it can hit 200,000 miles?

If it has a timing belt, replace it before 100k. Spark plugs, wires about 20-40, depending on how performance and mpg are.

Are radiator flushes necessary? After how long should they be done?

If the coolant system is maintained properly though out the life of the vehicle, the radiator should never have to be flushed.

Could you explain why anti-lock brakes are effective and how they work?

Anti lock brakes work by sensing when the tire has stopped rolling. When this happens, the abs valve releases the brakes briefly and the allows the brakes system to reapply them.

If I wanted to start up a mechanic shop, what is all the equipment I would need to do so? Could you give me an estimate on how expensive that would be?

Estimate, 75k. Tools, lifts, jacks, catch pans, old fluid containment, computers, software. That is not including the building.

Do you have experience with Kenworth and Peterbilt? How would you rate them? How about the PACCAR MX engine?

Kenworth and Peterbilt are really good chassis. They are on the top of my list. Not to familiar with PACCAR, sorry.

Do you git er done?!

Every now and again, yes.

This one isn't a question, but just make sure people replace their headlight fuel pump. ;)

Don't forget your muffler fluid:)

You mean DEF? ;)

Lol, glad some one got it.

How often does someone really have to rotate their tires? My mechanic is suggesting every 5,000 miles, but I'm not so sure.

This really depends on the wear pattern of the tires. Use your best judgement here. I typically never rotate my tires. When I have one go bad, I replace two at a time and move the old ones to the rear with the new ones up front.

Do owners of a certain car type/model get ripped off more often, in your experience?

Oh yeah. Small economy cars are way overpriced. Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Ford. I would stick with these when buy used.

Have you ever confronted a fraudulent mechanic or shop?

Yep, asked them to replace a wheel bearing in my nissan and it failed inspection the next week. Took it back to them and they told me sorry about my bad luck.

Do you have any suggestions for phrases/keywords that would make a mechanic think twice about trying to rip you off, even if you know nothing about cars?

Thats a hard one, cause they can tell you anything, especially when getting an inspection done. I would say, do your research and consult and second mechanic before getting repairs done.

Do you consider Car Talk to be a reputable website? If not, what websites would you recommend for non-mechanics to learn about cars?

Fuck no. If you want to learn something about your car, there are many forums dedicated to specific vehicles.

Let's say I have a Toyota Camry. Very popular car. What's a good forum for my vehicle?

Google it. I cannot say with certainty which forum is the best.

Do you have any experience repairing scooters/motorcycles?

Not much but they are just nuts and bolts. My dad asked me once, its made made right? "Sure". Then man can take it apart.

Proof?

Working on proof.

Speaking of transmissions - how come they dont use synchro's? Do they use straight cut gears? and why?

Straight cut gears are much strong. Spiral cut gears a very weak, unless they are purpose built for racing.

What work should I absolutely see a mechanic for? What can I do in my own garage with some basic tools?

Engine rebuilds, transmission work and differential work. Anything else, someone with a good understanding and a decent set of tools can repair their car. Hell, I built my first race car at 20.

Do you think having all these electronics in cars is a good thing or a bad thing?

Good for safety. It makes the mechanics job hard though. However, a lot of the electronics are used to get better fuel economy.

What was the craziest customer you ever worked with?

Shit. Most of customers are nice to us. The mechanics on the other hand can be fucking nuts. I had one mechanic that was about to do some welding on a truck pulling sulfar. Fucking retarded.

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Typically.

What was the grossest or weirdest thing you ever found in someone's car?

Not in it, but I had to repair a truck once that had just hit a deer. Shit was everywhere!

What is the smallest bolt on a tractor trailer?

M8x10. Smallest screw is smaller than that.

What's your favorite part of the jobs you've had so far? How is tractor maintenance different from working on helicopters? Would you consider civilian aircraft work?

Aviation is a completely different animal compared to tractor trailers. Even in the Army, we had to obey FAA regulations. This ment many inspections. It is quite redundant though. But for a good reason. The first time I did an FAA inspection the pilots came up to the group of us and told us to get in the helicopter. We all looked at each other like, "did you do your job?". It was surreal.

In my current field, it is left to the mechanic to do the right thing. It is hard to stay safety orientated because complacency in comfortable.

How many used condoms do you find in the back of the cab?

I have found more condoms on transit busses than I have in tractors. Funny story, A buddy of mine drives tractors. He told me a story of a "lot lizard"(truck stop hooker) that finished with a driver, hopped out of the truck, walked to a puddle and washed herself off then started making her rounds with the truck drivers. Some nasty shit goes on at truck stops.

I can't think of a situation where I would ever need to go back to the dealership for my repairs. Can you?

Recalls, that would be about it. Some safety related recalls extend past the original owner and are available for the life of the vehicle.

What special training did you need to become a mechanic for the Army? (e.g. degrees, safety classes, etc.)

I scored a 120GT on my asvab test. The Army requires at least a 115GT to work on helicopters. This was pretty much it. The Army taught me the rest. Although, I did have experience working with my cars and helping my dad when I was younger.

I have a follow-up question, then. Did you need any additional training to work in the civilian field after leaving the military?

I was lucky with this aspect. The company I applied to after the military luckly gave me an interview. The shop foreman was a retired e-8 and felt that I had what it takes to succeed.

Why are transmissions so expensive to replace, compared to most other parts?

I consider transmissions to be the strongest piece of the entire truck. They are expensive because of the engineering needed to transfer 500+hp and 700+lbs of torque reliably to pull 80,000 lbs.

What's the most common reason someone brings in a car for repair?

For trucks, it is lights and brakes. Very common for things to go wrong. For cars, it could be a number of things. With the ingratiation of more and more electronics, anythings can go wrong.

Are tiny metal bits coming out of transmission fluid normal, or a reason to take in a vehicle for repair?

Perfectly normal for very small particles to come out. This is normal wear. However, when you have chunks the size of bb's then you have issues.

Is there any part in a vehicle you have never had to repair for someone? What is the most durable piece in most trucks?

Transmission is the most durable part of the truck. It is also the one part i have never rebuilt. Nor do I have plans to rebuild.

Do you have any advice for people that want to repair minor vehicle problems on their own, like fuel leaks?

SAFETY. Always safety. If you are not digging into and engine, most repairs are very simple. Also, dont smoke if you are working on a fuel line.

What's your daily driver and do you fix it yourself?

My daily driver is a 1996 Nissan 200sx SE-R. Here she is.

How much of a markup is there on civilian parts, and how much of the repair cost is labor, on average?

A typical repair shop will charge between 60-120 per hour. This does not cover the cost of parts. If they have a good mechanic on the job, he will probably make over 20 an hour.

What is the best brand of truck, in your opinion? I'm interested in hearing about both shipping trucks and civilian trucks like F-150's, if you know.

My favorite tractor is a Mack. Fucking tough machines. For civilian trucks, I love the pre 2003 f230-f350 powerstokes. My ideal truck would be a 03 F250 with a 6bt cummins. That would be perfect.

Is there something about the post 2003 ford trucks that makes them less desirable?

In 2004 international, the makes of the powerstroke, started using EGR coolers. These things are notorious for failing and locking up the engine.

If someone wanted a new civilian truck, what should they buy?

Avoid the new for diesels at all costs. The engines are being built by ford now and they are just terrible. Cant go wrong with a cummins though, but some people do not like the dodge chassis. The chevy duramax is nice but has no where near the carrying capacity of a ford.

All in all, I suppose it depends on what you are going to use it for.

What's your favourite engine to work on? What brand of tools should I invest in?

On tractors I really like the pre vovlo Mack, CH, CX and CXN. Also most cummins are very nice to work on too. For cars, I love the sr20de. Here s my current project.

Very cool. Have a 98 Maxima myself.

Good car. Does it have the V6?

Yup, 3.0L VQ30DE. Smooth ride with a bit of power behind it!

Damn good engine. I would like to put one in my 200sx.

What was the best, and the worst, car you've personally owned?

Best car would have to be a tie between my 97 Nissan Sentra GXE and my 96 Nissan 200sx SE-R. The sentra has a 1.6l and is super reliable with 34mpg. The 200sx is my mini beast. [Here])http://www.reddit.com/r/Nissan/comments/11j9yl/shes_not_much_yet/) is the little beauty.

Worst car would have to be any American smaller engine vehicle. I do not mean to offend anyone, but I cannot get behind a company that designs their cars to fail.

Do you ever do repair for friends or teach other people how to service their own cars?

Whenever my friends want me to work on their stuff, I sat sure but they are doing the work while I supervise. I never charge my friends though.

What was the most ridiculous fix you've ever had to do for a vehicle? (i.e. requiring disproportionately large amounts of effort for relatively little reward)

Oh god, that list could go on for days, I think the worst though would have to be the time I was working for an international dealer. I did a rear main and found bad motor mounts. The new mounts were mismanufactured and would cause an awful vibration in the vehicle. My boss told me to "shim" the mounts. You should never have to shim motor mounts. I instantly called my dad and we had a good laugh. I didn't stay with that company long.

What do you think is the most poorly-designed car or brand of cars?

Most american cars in my opinion are poorly made. Ford however being the best made. They have earned a lot of respect from me over the years.

I love my Ford. I don't understand the hate on them though. My '96 Crown Vic has 257,000 miles on it and its still going strong. Those things are built to last.

It is the typical American car circle jerk. Chevy, ford, dodge...

I've worked on all of them, and ford is by far superior.

Are there any vehicles or types of vehicles you simply would not work with?

V8 american cars. No room and poorly designed.

What's something you think everyone should know about their vehicles or vehicles in general?

Suck, squeeze, bang, blow. These are the four steps and engine makes to develop power. Air is pulled into the motor, then it is squeezed, then the ignition is added, and then finally the exhaust to pumped out of the engine.

How to change a tire.

What's your opinion on specialty schools for mechanics? Valuable training, or worst scam ever?

Scam/valuable. I think what they charge is a joke, however I have met a lot of very good mechanics that have attended those schools.

If you are a top notch mechanic, think ASE Master certified, and work a typical 40 hour week, how much can you expect to make?

I do not mean to offend anyone that has master certs with ASE. But they are a bit of a joke. ASE actually changed their requirement for certs. Now they verify your experience before they award you with a cert.

With that out of the way, I have one ASE, work 40hr a week and take home over 600 a week.

Is there actually a big difference between regular and premium unleaded gasoline?

Oh yeah. High performance cars need higher octane fuel to avoid detonation. This is due to the compression of the engine and the timing.