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R. TERRY (205.188.198.189)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 20, 2001 - 3:27 am: | |
I always wondered what NASA did when it couldn't find a tiny little part for their Space Shuttle. Have a contractor make another one from scratch? "Here's that part you ordered, Sir. Oh, and here's the invoice for $10,989."
What's maddening is when you finally find the part you need—granted, a tough job when you're dealing with an old bus that was made more than 45 years ago—and it doesn't come with the other, almost insignificant part it needs to make it work. Maddening. No, it's worse than maddening because you would like to punch somebody out! Don't blame the parts guys, it's not their fault, they just work there. It's nobody's fault. No, it's your fault for asking for the wrong damn part! Nevermind it's the one you need and without which you will go exactly nowhere! One thing is for sure: You have to have that part.
I was getting pretty excited realizing how close I was to becoming that bus drivin' fool again after a year of involuntary dry docking. Having survived a Prevost dealer who wanted to sell me a bogus valve job, and a mechanic whose disappearing act rivals Elvis Presley's, I was that close—fingers almost together—to cruising over to the Flying J for a load of fresh fuel and launching my own space monster onto the Almighty Road. That close!
I had a new starter, new radiator, new muffler, and gallons and gallons of new oil. All I needed was a new oil filter. Yes, Sir, an oil filter. Not just any old oil filter, but the one that fits MY bus. Now, here's how to make five guys want to kill you on the spot. Ask the only parts man on the floor to get you an oil filter for a 1955 GM 4104 with a DD6-71, like mine. When you feel those five guys behind you breathing down your neck, turn around and say, "Sorry, I'm a collector." If you don't have to call an ambulance after that, count your lucky stars.
Actually, Williams Detroit Diesel coughed one up in about two minutes. The trouble began the next day back at Williams when I had to return the filter. They actually didn't have one. They sent me to C. W. Carter, a supplier for big rig equipment that carries every part ever made for every vehicle ever made. Except for one. They sent me to Fleet Pride, a parts and service center for the trucking industry. They sent me to NAPA Auto Parts. Excuse me, NAPA?
To improve my chances, I went to NAPA's regional distribution center, a place so big they use an automated numbering system like the Department of Motor Vehicles—"Now serving D-135 at window 15." Heart pounding, I got ready to sprint, I had D-136, I was next! "Now serving A-78...C-104...A-79...E-51...C-105...C-106...A-80..." When the parts guy at window 15 got back from his break half an hour later, I got to hear those magic words, "Now serving D-136 at window 15." (Thank God my kids will never have to suffer the ancient indignity of a parts man looking you in the eye and saying, "I'll be right with you.") I was so shocked they had the right oil filter, I bought three of them, hoping to never have to go through any of this stupid rigmarole again.
Not a chance! I had to go through it all again the very next day. Did these oil filters come with a gasket, like all the rest of the oil filters in the world? NO! Did anyone anywhere have a gasket? NO! Was the WIX filter dealer rep, who happened to be paying C. W. Carter a visit when I bopped in, able to help me? NO! "So, what am I supposed to do now?" I asked. Nobody knew. I wondered what NASA would do? Scrap a multi-billion dollar mission because they couldn't find a gasket?
I marched right back into Williams Detroit Diesel having decided that since it was THEIR engine, THEY had to solve the problem. Hypothetically I asked, "If I brought my bus with the 6-71 in here for service, could you change the oil and filter?" "Oh, you bet!" "Well if I did that, you'd be having the same problem I am having right now, no oil filter gasket. What would you do about that?" He said, "I'd go find a gasket." "OK," I said, "go find a gasket!"
About fifteen minutes later he came back with a gasket and tossed it on the counter. I had the filter housing with me and it appeared to be a match. "How much," I asked. "Forget it," he said, "no charge." "How could a part that has caused me so much misery be free?" "I don't know how much it costs," he said. "I stole it out of an adapter kit."
OK, mission accomplished. I installed the gasket—it seemed to fit perfectly—put the filter in, the filter housing on over it and snugged up the bolt. I started the engine, checked for a leak, then shut it down real quick and tightened the bolt some more. Another check. No leak. Visions of the open road, the bus gliding along like a hippo on a hovercraft, and the Flying J disappearing it the rearview mirrors, began flooding my mind. It's about to happen—just one more thing to do.
No big deal, I had to put the Detroit Diesel Coolant Additive in the radiator. I wanted to do everything right, of course. I added the small bottle and ran the engine until it came up to temp so the additive would be thoroughly distributed in the cooling system. Piece of cake, except for the extraordinary amount of oil all over the back of the bus! Oh My God! A river of oil cascading over the bumper, joining the pond of brown goo that was dripping profusely from everywhere under the engine. It was even oozing out of the tail lights!
Every year some team wins the Super Bowl. Just think how hard that must be to achieve, to win the Super Bowl. It's very difficult for me to imagine how that happens—I can't even get my ratbomb bus out of the driveway!
Stuff like this causes the decision-making process to become instantly clear. A spin-on oil filter was the next immediate order of business, so back to Williams Detroit Diesel I went. Oh, yes, I was assured my 6-71 can easily be converted to a spin-on. Moments later, the adapter part and a huge spin-on oil filter were sitting on the counter. I didn't care how much it cost, I didn't even ask, I was going to put an end to this ridiculous nonsense once and for all.
Like that big beautiful black radiator, the spin-on oil filter adapter is a beautiful work of art, exquisitely machined, bright and shiny, a superb example of precision engineering. I couldn't wait to put it on.
There was just one problem—the gasket was missing. The free gasket.
Happy busin', everybody.
R. TERRY
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Scott Whitney (63.151.68.130)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 20, 2001 - 12:25 pm: | |
You must be a professional writer! Good story!
Cheers,
Scott |
Mark Murray (Mark4104) (128.104.17.148)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 20, 2001 - 2:13 pm: | |
I went through exactly the same process, with the same results. I didn't convert to the spin on filter, couldn't afford it just then, so I used form-a-gasket. I have driven 4500 miles since then, no problems. |
Jim-Bob (199.181.167.68)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 20, 2001 - 3:26 pm: | |
I just don't get it. Every time I buy a Wix 51133 oil filter for my 6-71 at my local parts store it comes in a box, sealed in a plastic bag with two gaskets, one square & one flat one. My engine uses the flat one. Why is it such a hassle to get the gasket?
By the way, I do stock one lube filter and several of each fuel filter in the bus so that I don't have a problem if I have trouble finding a filter or get some bad fuel. I keep genset filters too and an empty gallon lube oil jug (The Detroit provides me with LOTS of these) for the genset drain oil. If I don't find a place that accepts recycle oil, I bring it home.
Jim-Bob |
R. TERRY (205.188.200.28)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 21, 2001 - 12:18 am: | |
Jim-Bob, I don't get it either! I asked the guy where the gasket was. He looked in the box and said it didn't come with one. I said baloney, go look in another box. He came back with a handful of filters, WIX 51133, and none of them had a gasket. I told him to look it up in the book. He, and three other guys at other stores, told me that filter is not listed with a gasket. I said, you guys are all a bunch of liars! One guy said, Oh yeah? Next time why don't ya buy a starter for a 1997 Ford pickup!
Those parts guys are hysterical, aren't they?!
RT |
Usher (162.40.193.55)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 21, 2001 - 12:38 pm: | |
Donaldson p/n P550132.. I have plenty on the shelf, both the narrow and wide gasket in the bag along with a gasket for the bolt that holds the whole contraption up. $5.32 ea
Actually you can buy it from any decent filter supplier. Baldwin makes on too. |
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