Argh

[Scag48]

My truck is blowing through coolant like nothing else, I think the head gasket is on it's way out. She's not leaking anywhere, so I know it's not a coolant system leak. Oil seems to be natural color so I don't think it's getting through the jackets anywhere. :cry: I'm about 4 months shy of buying a newer vehicle, guess I better pull the trigger on one sooner than expected and get out of my truck. I was planning on waiting until after my training is done and I'm dispatched to start work in June, but I don't think my truck is going to make it that long. Plus, I have to drive 250+ miles a week to the training grounds for 7 weeks, I'm a little nervous about attempting that with a truck that has 203K on it. Anyone wanna loan me some cash?! :laugh: Gonna go talk to the bank tomorrow and see if I qualify to borrow about $23K, I've been building some credit the last year or so through credit card, cell phone, insurance payments, and a small personal loan, I'm thinking I'm in the 700 bracket which isn't mind blowing but I'm hoping I can land a loan to get me up a newer rig. Kaiser can I borrow the 5500 for a couple months if I'm not approved? :cool2: I'm shopping for newer Toyota Tacomas, found a couple with about 5K miles on them loaded up for about $21-23K. I've never been an advocate of buying new vehicles, but driving and getting to the jobsite is paramount if I plan on keeping my job.

[CLARK LAWN]

what kind of truck is it? If it is a chevy with the oranage coolant it will not show up in the oil the same as green will. intake gaskets are very common on these.

[ksss]

Believe me you would not want that fuel bill every week. Chicks would dig ya though.

[Gravel Rat]

All you have to say is to your old man, my truck is dead so give me your P/U truck and you can buy a new one :laugh:

If you have lots of white exhaust and it smells sweet then your burning antifreeze. Pull the spark plugs out and if they are really white on the tips (steam cleaned) then you know your burning coolant.

The cheap option is dump some Bars leak into the rad and see it seals up what ever is leaking.

[Construct'O]

Scag,you still drive the Ford 150 isn't it with the what like the 5.4 engine.

Not sure if i have eveything right ,but my brother is a mechanic at a Ford dealership and i remember him telling me about one that he had with same problem as yours.

If i have it right or this is close???? There are like o'rings around the intake manifold that goes bad and the water(anitfreeze) will leak that way.Doesn't show up as you said.

Something to have checked if you don't decided to go ahead with your trade.Good luck:usflag:

[Dirt Digger2]

i'll sell you a '97 Nissan Hardbody in great shape with 114,000 on the clock....my 3/4ton diesel is coming as soon as i graduate and need a buyer for my current truck, if i find a buyer for my current truck faster then the 3/4 ton comes faster:drinkup:

[Gravel Rat]

I thought Scags truck is a OBS Ford with the 300-6 ?

That 150 has lots of miles on it I converted it to kilometers and you rarely see a 150 with that many kms on it still running. My dads 95 F-150 has 220,000kms 136,708 miles on it and the truck is worn out.

[OhioMowerGuy]

Well scag, it looks like its time to find yourself a nice duramax

[Scag48]

Yep, GR is right, it's a '94 F150 with the 4.9 300, which is a pretty reliable motor but I cannot figure out where the coolant is going. I now it's not leaking, it's getting burned up somewhere.

My buddy has a '90 VW GTI with an 8 valve in it, the motor only has 40K on it after the rebuild and he's going to sell it for $3K. Same friend is a mechanic at a Ford dealership as well, we've wrenched on my F150 a few times and he helped me get it running after it quit on me 2 weeks ago. I'm just a little bit nervous taking on a $400/month car payment before I know what my work situation will be, I'm thinking I might buy his VW as it gets pretty good mileage and should be pretty reliable. I'll keep it long enough to make sure I have a solid paycheck coming in then buy a new truck. However, it makes more sense to just pull the trigger on a new truck now, I'm just nervous about doing so before I land a union job. I'm still not 100% guaranteed a spot, I'm pretty sure I'll make it through and everything will be fine, but I have a 4 day session on the 10th of March to get through. I'm assuming once I start the 7 week training I'm guaranteed a job after, but then again I'm not really sure how the whole process works.

[Scag48]

Just got off the phone with my old man, he told me to just deal with it and quit playing the "what if" game and run it until July if it doesn't blow up. :hammerhead: :dizzy: Sometimes I really wonder about my parents

[bobcat_ron]

....Sometimes I really wonder about my parents


Stick them in a home...........I keep telling my parents if I see a pair of undies in the fridge again, no if's and's or but's, you're gone!

[Scag48]

I just don't understand, I've bailed out on jobs to help out my dad, fixed his damn equipment for free because if I didn't do scheduled PM maintenance everytime I go back home I know he wouldn't do it, I ran his night staff at the hotel and didn't get paid. He hasn't given me ANYTHING thus far in life and when I think I might become stuck between a rock and a hard place he tells me to get over it. I think I'm almost at the end of my rope with him, he always ends up calling me when he has a problem regarding a quick coupler or track tension or something simple, I'm to the point where I want to stop answering his phone calls.

[Dirt Digger2]

hell yea run it till its broke...or that what i always say anyway...buy yourself a new truck now before you have a wife and kids, cause when they come they get all your money

[forestfireguy]

You know what they say, you can chose your friends but not your family.......

[ksss]

Stick them in a home...........I keep telling my parents if I see a pair of undies in the fridge again, no if's and's or but's, you're gone!

Thats dam funny.:laugh:

[RockSet N' Grade]

BobCatRon....I think you may have missed your calling.......Blue Collar Comedy Tour? Stand-up routine or a book? Or, just keep posting here....I'll take 'em all and publish them and give you honorable mention on the back cover......

[Qualey]

"I just don't understand, I've bailed out on jobs to help out my dad, fixed his damn equipment for free because if I didn't do scheduled PM maintenance everytime I go back home I know he wouldn't do it, I ran his night staff at the hotel and didn't get paid. He hasn't given me ANYTHING thus far in life and when I think I might become stuck between a rock and a hard place he tells me to get over it. I think I'm almost at the end of my rope with him, he always ends up calling me when he has a problem regarding a quick coupler or track tension or something simple, I'm to the point where I want to stop answering his phone calls"

This again? How the hell can you constantly say your parents gave you nothing. Who bought the equipment you became such an expert operator on?
Who aided you in securing the property you just bought? They're your parents, you're supposed to help them when they need it and shut the **** up about it.

Did it ever occur to you that your father may be right? You're all set to spend 25k on a vehicle based on an income you don't have yet. And have no gaurantee of getting. Have you watched the news lately? If the truck breaks down whats the worst thing thats going to happen? You pay a tow truck and fix it or put a used motor in it. Its not always as easy as you'd like it to be.

[Scag48]

Good thing you're behind a computer screen, I'm not a big fella but I'd knock you out if you said that to my face. Way to be a tough guy, you know nothing about me. I've worked damn hard for everything I have, stuck it out to help out my parents every now and again and when I might need some help I get shut down. If my dad wouldn't have bought that equipment, I probably would have been better off. I would have worked for somebody else that summer, made more money, and probably learned more in the process. I did teach myself a lot of the business side of excavation, but as far as technical operation I could have learned more working for someone. As far as my dad being right, most of the time he's spot on, but vehicle advice coming from a guy who doesn't have a truck that has less than 180K miles on it and only drives 50 miles a week I tend to ignore. I guess some folks just don't see it, I don't have anyone here I can count on, I don't have a backup plan if my truck quits on me.

I will be back into excavation, union or not, come spring that will support a healthy truck payment. I can afford to buy now and maintain a truck payment easily. I just would've preferred to keep most of my savings trying to get through the 7 weeks of training when I'll cut my income in about half. I've pulled a lot of shifts at a job I absolutely hate for the last 9 months penny pinching pretty hard so that when my training does come around I can afford to go. The last thing I want to have to worry about is getting to the grounds on time. Making it through the training successfully is the most important part of securing my future because, I'd be a little pissed if I lost that chance because my POS truck didn't get me there. It'd be a real joy to tell people the reason I didn't make it into a good job was because I showed up late or didn't show up at all to a training session.

As far as being an expert operator goes, the union sees something in me and I've made it through 3 cuts so far. I guess that's all I have to say about that.

[grassmanvt]

"I just don't understand, I've bailed out on jobs to help out my dad, fixed his damn equipment for free because if I didn't do scheduled PM maintenance everytime I go back home I know he wouldn't do it, I ran his night staff at the hotel and didn't get paid. He hasn't given me ANYTHING thus far in life and when I think I might become stuck between a rock and a hard place he tells me to get over it. I think I'm almost at the end of my rope with him, he always ends up calling me when he has a problem regarding a quick coupler or track tension or something simple, I'm to the point where I want to stop answering his phone calls"

This again? How the hell can you constantly say your parents gave you nothing. Who bought the equipment you became such an expert operator on?
Who aided you in securing the property you just bought? They're your parents, you're supposed to help them when they need it and shut the **** up about it.

Did it ever occur to you that your father may be right? You're all set to spend 25k on a vehicle based on an income you don't have yet. And have no gaurantee of getting. Have you watched the news lately? If the truck breaks down whats the worst thing thats going to happen? You pay a tow truck and fix it or put a used motor in it. Its not always as easy as you'd like it to be.


Thanks for saving me some typing. Anyhow, why not just get it fixed. If you can't do it yourself, pay to get it done, and if you say you can't afford it then, for sure you can't swing a new truck. Also, just a helpful hint that I try to live by, don't buy on speculation, buy when you NEED or when you have the money, and, typically, you don't need till you have the money. I'm not trying to be a prick but I've just seen so many friends/family get in over their head so early. Easy to spend, not so easy to pay back. I have a ton of stuff I don't necessarily need but I don't owe a thing on any of it. Man, I sound like Suze Orman, I'll shut up now.

[joesimoes2]

If you take all your spark plugs you probably going to find one that is soaked. your head gasket is leaking from the inside.:waving:

[bobcat_ron]

BobCatRon....I think you may have missed your calling.......Blue Collar Comedy Tour? Stand-up routine or a book? Or, just keep posting here....I'll take 'em all and publish them and give you honorable mention on the back cover......


Sweet dude.

[RockSet N' Grade]

Well Scag....here I go. Family dynamics, anyone's family dynamics, are a touchy subject. I am convinced there is no black and white, no cut and dried, it is all interwoven too tight......it's all gray. I cannot comment respectfully to why or why not your Dad does what he does. I respectfully suggest you are most fortunate to have a Dad that you can at least talk to and disagree with.......alot of us are not that lucky. What I can comment on is that I have interacted with you for quite some time and have gotten a pretty good "feel" about you and there are alot of things I admire in you. You have developed a plan and are putting it into action. You are staying focused in your pursuit. You have been working at job that you don't like, yet you continue to do it with the big plan in mind.......that shows character and fortitude. You are determined to do what you want to do inspite of the bumps in the road. You communicate here openly and honestly......all that stuff shows salt. This truck thing will sort itself out, I'd bet on it 100% because you are determined.....may not work out how you want, but it will work out and you will get to your classes......stay focused.

[stuvecorp]

Family is family, down the road you may look at things differently. My family have never given me anything, but have always supported me and it sounds like your dad has let you run with stuff. Any way, how much to fix your truck? If it is in okay shape hold on for awhile and even spend the money to fix it, you may come across or be able to get in to something better down the road. Hang in there...

[Scag48]

The truck is worth no more than $2500 on the high end, I paid $2000 for it last year and bought it from a friend, he gave me a bit of a deal on it. It really isn't worth throwing a bunch of money at, that's my biggest beef with trying to fix it. Blow some money trying to get it fixed, all the while I don't have another vehicle to drive. It's just not a smart, long term vehicle for me, fixing it and throwing a bunch of money into it doesn't sound like a smart move. I've been there, done that with an Audi I had and I regret it. I don't want to go down that road again. The truck has 203K miles on it, 2wd, needs tires, windshield, and now it's having this coolant burning issue. Truthfully, if it was 4wd, I'd probably rebuild the motor, put a new clutch in it, change all the ball joints and do a little suspension work and keep it. When I bought the truck, it was never a vehicle I EVER planned on daily driving long distances, I drive 6 miles to and from my crappy restaurant job everyday. If the truck blows up between home and there, not a big deal, I can walk home and that's what I did when it quit on me 2 weeks ago. Once the truck is down, I have no other mode of transportation. Riding the bus only works in the city and really isn't a good means of transportation for my line of work.

[coopers]

I would wait a few more months until you get closer to see what's up with the job situation. I have a $370 payment for an '05 F150 and I went through about a year of hell with a very low paying job and commuting 100 miles a day. Luckily I was very tight with my money and held out until I got another job. Now I have a GREAT job coming up in a couple weeks that will pay me nicely and there is a guarantee of NEVER not having work. On top of that I can take side jobs (as you know). If this Union thing doesn't work out didn't you say that you have backups that will bring in a decent salary to get you a newer truck? I know it sucks but I'd wait just a few more months if possible, maybe work on back up plans if that truck dies since public transportation like you said, is only good in the cities. I had a POS honda before my truck and it was in the same condition as your truck and I dumped some money into to get me by until my truck. It'll work out.

[coopers]

IMO Qualey's comments were not necessary. Something like that requires a mouth to stay shut since it was not a post that moved the topic forward in any way. A little immature.

[Scag48]

There's a few companies hiring, although this is the slow time of the year. There's a big outfit in Woodinville that was running ads pretty steady up until a couple months ago, but naturally things slow down during the winter months even though work can still be done. Things haven't slowed as much here as they have across the rest of the US, there's still stuff going on and I really don't think it's going to come to a grinding halt, or at least it won't be nearly as severe as what everyone else is going through.

If all else fails, I'll test and jump straight to journeyman if I have to, assuming I pass the test. If that doesn't work, I can always head back to the eastside, I know I could land a job working for any one of the numerous dirt guys I know, but that would be a last ditch effort. I'd rather pack up and leave this state in search of work if I have to rather than end up back at home. I'll go to Alaska and go fishing or logging or something crazy if I have to, not really afraid to do whatever it takes.

[coopers]

Oh okay...so your goal then is to stay on the westside then? Good, because I'm still using your help when I need it. :drinkup:

[Scag48]

Most definately, I don't plan on heading back to the eastside any time soon, at least for any long period of time. I'll be here for a while it seems, assuming everything works out and I'm sure it will, I guess I like to have my backup plans and my truck is the one thing I DON'T have a backup plan for if it fails me.

What's funny is that if I did head back home, I could probably get going in business on my own. It's so much easier to run a business there, I know a ton of people, I have access a shop and a place to work on/store equipment, it's pretty much a joke compared to the difficulties I face here. And yeah, the shop and land is my dad's, so I guess you could say if that happened he'd be doing me a favor, but let's just say I earned that right. I worked on more of his tractors and equipment between the age of 8-18 than he ever has, I don't even want to think about how many hours I spent in the orchard busting it for zero pay. I'm not complaining, probably a good thing my dad worked the hell out of me, I turned out alright, but my sisters are worthless. :laugh: Nonetheless, if I get a wild hair to buy a machine and start working for myself here at some point, I'll make that work out too. I've been shopping equipment DAILY for the last 4 years.

[coopers]

I've been shopping equipment DAILY for the last 4 years.

lol, me too. 121-3 w/ cab and a PSM hyd. prog. linked thumb for me. Got that down. That's probably all I'll get until I get property, then I'll add a case backhoe. :dancing:

[Gravel Rat]

What are you complaining about my truck payment for my 03 F-450 is 760 dollars a month :cry:

That takes a good chunk out of my 2200 a month clear I make from my gov't job. I paid 30 grand for the truck but by the time you add the interest rate and bank fees the payment is a little high.

Trying to get a loan from the bank I deal with is like pulling teeth. My annual income is just high enough to afford a 30,000 dollar loan.

Anyhow as for the work situation I would rather be running equipment but right now there is no future in that. The work has slowed down considerably it might start picking back up in the spring but I don't think it will be hot and heavy like it has been for the last 3-4 years. The realtors are finding the market really slow. The bidding wars on property has ended.

Maybe there might be work for a operator 5-10 years from now. Currently for me if I quit my steady job to go run equipment I would be working a part time and not knowing will their be work next month. Do I like my current job yes and no. I'am sticking it out with the job I have because its guaranteed. Gotta do what you don't like or you starve to death. It doesn't matter where you move to in B.C. right now the cost of living is skyrocketing. The wages in B.C. are not keeping up with the cost of living.

People say to me ooh you got a good job you must be making big money then I say I make 2000-2200 a month clear they say thats it "Yep". You live pay check to pay check and try save money to eventually buy a house. At my wages I will barely afford a 200,000 dollar house. That is a garden shed on 1/4 of a acre :cry:

A mortage payment on a 200,000 dollar house @ 40 year mortage is 1500.00 a month. That is 0 down payment.

Oh well enough about me :laugh:

I think it applies for everybody but keep the personal debt down and have some money in the bank because who knows what is going to happen.

[Scag48]

I almost qualified for my property mortgage payment myself, I was really, really close. My parents signed with me, which put me over. I probably could have found a way to qualify on my own, but it was easier to have my dad sign with me. I've found out my credit score is pretty good for only have been building credit for a year, before last March I had no credit card, no previous loans, no cell phone, nothing.

GR, how long did you finance your truck though? The difference in price between a well used truck and a new one is very little, at least that's the way it is here. Trucks are way overpriced on the used market, an '03 Tacoma with 60K miles is around $20K. A new one can be had for $25K. I'd finance the used truck for 3-4 years, whereas I'd finance the new truck for 6 years because I know I'd have it that long. In the long run, the new truck is cheaper month to month and I'll end up having it longer. It's regardless of make as well, '97 Dodge 2500's with a manual transmission and the 5.9 Cummins with 150K miles are $15K, what a joke. Those trucks are $38K new.

At least you can get a $200K house up there, they don't exist here. Bottom of the market, junk house in an average neighborhood is $300K, easy. Join the club man, real estate prices are still high.

[Gravel Rat]

I forgot what my loan term was. I paid a big chunk of the loan off when I sold my other truck. When I went to Ford to get prices on a 07 F-450 or F-550 I was looking at paying 46,000 for a cab and chassis. By the time I put a dumping flatdeck onto it I would have been into the 50,000 range. The payment would have been atleast 1500 dollars a month.

As for house prices you would be hard pressed to find a house in the 200,000 range here too. I just used the 200,000 as a example. I think anywhere on the West Coast from southern California all the way to Alaska house prices are expensive.

Just listening to the news and they say the price of gas will be 5.55 a gallon this summer. That will kill tourism this year. Nobody will be going on road trips especially in a V-10 powered motorhome. See the odd old Empress or Winni with 454 power you can hear the carburator sucking back gallons of gas :laugh:

[Scag48]

Gas is expensive everywhere, but it seems Canada is getting shafted worse than we are. I don't understand why this country waits until we have a serious problem before we do anything to change our ways. Hydrogen is the future, it's just going to be a few years before it's maintstream. By the time we need to rely on it 100%, it'll be cheap to produce and the components in the vehicles that will be needed to use it as an energy source will be come much, much less expensive. Until then, it sucks, but I have faith in science. The only other issue after that is water supply, but that's a population related issue. I could go on and on.

In the meantime, drilling in Alaska needs to hurry up and start. That will create so many construction jobs it's not even funny, I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up on that job when it does eventually happen. If it does go through, WA, AK, and ID combined will not provide enough qualified operators, not even close by the sounds of the pipeline they have planned. That could mean some pretty good coin for all operators, even the union boys. The only bad thing about it for the union is that we'll be flooded with guys in the pool, but it sounds like that job would last longer than I'll be in the union anway.