Quote:
Originally Posted by ForcedInduction
Poetic justice? No, that was a driver (you) demonstrating very poor judgment by bypassing engine protection equipment, ignoring that the engine is in need of repair and then hammering the SOB! That is exactly how engines are ruined by drivers.
And, if your statement was as accurate as you, obviously, think it is, the shop would have complained to management, and I would have been fired by now. Even in the dark, using a flashlight to see exactly what I was looking at, I was able to see that the coolant level was a full 2 inches above the sensor. Above the "MAX COLD LEVEL". I do have a container of mixed anti-freeze to be able to add if the level should go down. It was not a problem with the level, only the sensor circuit.
Back when I had a foreign liquid floating on top of the coolant, I DID shut it down and call in. It turned out to be fuel. Give me just a little bit of credit? No, the engine was NOT damaged. I've rebuilt engines in the past. I'm well aware of the damage that can be caused by a lack of coolant. I am also quite capable of determining if the coolant level is a problem.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ForcedInduction
The right choice would have been to pull the sensor, ease it out of the construction zone and stopping in the first safe location.
Again, this WOULD HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT CHOICE,
IF THE COOLANT LEVEL WAS A PROBLEM. THE LEVEL WAS FINE.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ForcedInduction
You DID have a choice about what to do after. You chose to put the engine at risk of destruction just to chase the other driver down and say "haha, hows it feel buddy?"
You make it sound like I KNEW his engine was going to do the same thing. If my ESP is that good, WHY CAN'T I WIN THE POWERBALL JACKPOT???
Quote:
Originally Posted by ForcedInduction
This is another all too common case of a driver knowing just enough about the engine to be hazardous. It doesn't matter if its a Freightliner and the sensor has failed 200 times before, this could have been the one time your engine had a leak and genuinely bleeding out its coolant. Being in an "emergency" situation, I know you didn't take the time to check all the hoses, the engine and radiator for signs of leakage, check the radiator for blockage or correct the coolant level.
Well, if the level sensor can detect blockage in the radiator, it is a very fantastic device. That would rank it right up there with "STAR TREK's SENSORS". We do need a few of them on our trucks. And, any leakage in the engine or hoses would have shown up as a low level in the plastic tank mounted to the firewall. You know, the one where you are able to see the level of the coolant inside, in daylight, or at night with a flashlight. It makes it far more convenient than taking the cap off and looking inside a metal tank, or the radiator itself. That plastic tank makes it easy to check the level each pretrip, post trip, and anytime I open the hood in between. The level was fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ForcedInduction
They put "engine protect" on the dash and auto-shutdown for damn good reasons, to protect the engine from drivers who ignore very obvious signs of impending engine damage and continue to push it. :thumbsdown:
And, the more they can dream up to put into the system, the more you have to fail and shut you down, the more reasons you have to look for repairs... Translation, more money for the dealers. You know that as well as I do.:moon:
Quote:
Originally Posted by ForcedInduction
If your engine did stop, you either didn't know about the shutdown override button on the dash (installed for situations exactly like yours where shutdown would put the drivers safety at risk) or used it to the point the engine wouldn't allow it any more.
Funny about that "over-ride". Anytime, in the past, that I have tried to use it, it did absolutely nothing. I have no idea which system it's supposed to override. At one point, I had heard that the shop had them disconnected in all the trucks. Never asked if that was true or not.
Your post makes you sound like you might want to pick a fight. If I were inclined to go along with that, I'd tell you what part of your anatomy was made of paper, but I won't.