Boy, that iron sure is c c c c cold

As a function of what I do in my business, I got a call to R & R a Cummins 5.9 in a timber harvester. Being what it is, it never breaks at the shop. So the repair needed to be made "in the field". The field amounted to a PA state forest South of Tioga Dam. After some prior planning, a jobbox equipped with a decent supply of tools, and a few thermos' full of hot coffee, we set out with a reman engine to do the deed.

Drove 96 miles to the site, unlocked the gate, drove another mile out through a truck trail to the log landing, got our s--- all loaded up on the forwarder, including tools, chains, reman engine, and a fair amount of perseverence. As the forwarder carried the heavy stuff out, we (myself and the machine operator) walked behind the forwarder about a third mile out into the forest to the machine. The first day was productive, got the old one out, and made plans for the conversions needed to change items from old engine to new, and went home about dark. Next day went out and changed a seal in the gearbox that drives the hydraulic systems. Got all the components changed over, went to set the engine in and bumped the input shaft a little too hard and damaged the seal. Short day that day, found the parts, picked them up that night from the local blue and yellow, set our plans in place for the next day. Final day, changed the seal, slid the engine up into the engine bay, got 'er slid back in, hooked up, touched the key, and it was real happy, as was the owner of the timber company.

Many times in the last few years I have considered giving up what I do for something "easier". This fall I had the opportunity to work in a couple major manufacturing companies doing service and repair on their forklifts, and after watching their guys, and the mindset some factory workers get (hope I don't piss too many people off here, but industry makes you that way), and being stuck inside those plant facilities all day, day after day, I can't imagine having to work under those conditions. Sure, it's fairly warm in there, and you have a specific job to do, and if you do it nobody messes with you too bad, But boy I sure am glad I can go out somewhere and troubleshoot, diagnose, repair and even once in a while get a pat on the back and even an attaboy for the way things have gone- but I have also gone form being a hero to a zero in a matter of minutes...... but looking around me at the alternatives I could choose to do, I guess I'll stick with what I'm half good at, and half enjoy.......... and basque in the freedom to make my way. I' ll tell you though, standing on a frozen track on a timber machine for 3 days sure stress tests your winter gear! Was lucky though, every day it got over 30 degrees, so it could have been a lot worse!

All in all, 3 days spent, driving 192 miles a day, out in the forest away from civilization and cell service, working at a comfortable pace to make sure the job is done right, and not over again ----
I can't think of any other job where I'm at, that I would rather do..... and on the weekends have time to play with my hot rods, and if I need something for the cars (tools, shop equipment) I can write it off on the business. Don't coop me up in a facility all day long, it won't be pretty. I tried that once as an instructor for a local trade school--- oh yeah, I ain't a politician either.

Amen... Been work in the field for 12 years, I can't imagine been behind a desk again, I did miss the brotherhood of working as a group, for a short while, now, just a lone wolf....

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooo


Kinda poor howl, but my best lone wolf (been accused of not bein housebroke, too).

The only guys I can think of that have more fun are pipeliners.

I have a buddy that worked as a mechanic on the Alaska Pipeline. He used to tell us about starting equipment in Anchorage and then flying it, running, to the work site. If anything ran out of fuel during the winter, they would have to build a shed around it and heat it to above freezing so it could gotten running again. Seemed like a crazy way to earn a living then and I haven't changed my mind.

Arieldouglas wrote:I have a buddy that worked as a mechanic on the Alaska Pipeline. He used to tell us about starting equipment in Anchorage and then flying it, running, to the work site. If anything ran out of fuel during the winter, they would have to build a shed around it and heat it to above freezing so it could gotten running again. Seemed like a crazy way to earn a living then and I haven't changed my mind.

Having been born and raised in Alaska until I was 22 years old I can tell you anything your pal told you about working on rigs up there is 100% spot-on. I used to leave my car running during my 8-hour work shift due to temps at -50+ below. No one steals cars when it's that cold out!

Glad that DD has a job he enjoys! That's pretty darn important!

Later,

Leee

I Like being a lone wolf and all.....Just can't do that cold stuff!

You do get "used to it", but the gear is the secret- you gotta have the right clothes.

Worked with some past military guys, they used to do oil changes in the field in Alaska, they had three way valves on the filter heads, flip the valves, the fluids bypass the filters, so the engine can stay running, one guy crawls underneath, drops the plug, another guy sticks the dispenser line with preheated oil into the top so the incoming can keep up with the outgoing, when the oil comes out clean down below, stick the plug in, top 'er off, and onto the next one after swapping the filters and switching the valves back. That's why those guys get payed an immoral amount of money.

And YES Nanook, liking what you do is extremely important. I had a gig at the vocational college near me teaching what I do- teaching was a blast cuz you could (BEEP) with those students and kinda lead them astray, then bring 'em back, but I'm not a politician, and had to leave before I strangled someone. Good money, but I was headed for a divorce- that's when you know you got a good woman...... she sees what's wrong and takes measures to make it right (like "quit that stupid a-- job and go back to doing your own thing, before I smack you in the head with a tire iron")

Well, I'm glad your missus smacked ya upside the head, DD! But yes it's awfully important to find something you enjoy doing. Not an easy thing for sure. And mixing your hobbies and work can be a bad thing sometimes so that's also a tough road to walk. I've known plenty of car guys that got burned out due to doing car stuff daily and then messing with it on their spare time.

Later,

Lee

P.S. Yeppers, I know all about the 'keep it running' tricks while working on it. Worst job I had to do was a brake job on my ex's '77 Mustang II at -20 below in an apartment parking lot. No fun were those two days.

That work and hobby thing caught up with me, that's why I'm all heavy equipment, truck and diesel stuff now, I was burnt out on it and didn't care if I ever saw another car- why one of my Mustangs sat for over 20 years...... funny how that works. Plus doing all portable work keeps the tree huggers off my place accusing me of contaminating the environment, now all my waste is handled on site, and is the customers responsibility. Amazing what a third grade edumacation will get you sometimes.

PS Yeah that parking lot stuff will make your ol' finners pucker right up and look like blonde sausages!

Speaking of working on running engines.

A mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the motor of a Harley motorcycle when he spotted a well-known heart surgeon in his shop.

The surgeon was there waiting for the service manager to come take a look at his bike.

The mechanic shouted across the garage, "Hey Doc can I ask you a question?"

The surgeon, a bit surprised, walked over to the mechanic working on the motorcycle. The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked, "So Doc, look at this engine. I open its heart, take valves out, fix'em, put 'em back in, and when I finish, it works just like new. So how come I get such a small salary and you get the really big bucks, when you and I are doing basically the same work?"

The surgeon paused, smiled, leaned over, and whispered to the mechanic....."Try doing it with the engine running!"

That's GREAT!!! I posted this up on my brother's FB page (he's a diehard H-D and all-around bike guy).

Still Chuckling,

Lee

Look at it from the proctologists point of view- do it with the engine running.....AND thru the tailpipe!