So, foolish me, I forgot to start my truck on a regular basis. I let a week go before starting it and the engine won't completely turn over, even though I could hear the starter motor try to turn the engine. Heck, it's been a frigid February in DC. I knew I needed a jump start, so my first instinct was to order a Truck Pack battery booster from Northern Tool. I was going … [Read more...] about How to Jump Start a Semi Truck Battery
Repair
Chesapeake Blue for Lunch
Jakita wanted some crab. She told me this when we were changing out tires at the North American Trade Schools. Something 'bout tires made her crave for seafood. But we mustn't be distracted. Safety is a priority and we first ensured the truck was properly chocked. Then it's important to position the jack underneath the differential or pumpkin. This can be done because the … [Read more...] about Chesapeake Blue for Lunch
Three Strikes
First Strike: i pulled a heavy Amazon 3rd party load of books 60K lbs from Baltimore to Dallas (through I-81) steep hills. Amazon load are typically light, so I was surprised when I read the weight on the BOL. https://chitopeppler.com/never-ending-hills/ Ran low on fuel in Tenn, so I got off the exit to find a gas station. Bad decision since the roads were steep and … [Read more...] about Three Strikes
Power Wash & AC
Smiley's Truck & Diesel With the oil leak driving down the highway, oil gushed out and coated everything behind the oil pan. Thus it was important to get a good pressure wash cleaning of the truck Bobby Smiley recovering AC from my truck. Capacity is 3 gallons - I actually had 4 gals - it's imperative to have the right amount and not go over. … [Read more...] about Power Wash & AC
Smiley’s Tow
TA Petrol customer service contacted me today to get more info on what happened - that was a promising sign. But TA Paulsboro still declined to cover the warranty. They didn't want to take responsibility for their mistake and were afraid they potentially damaged my engine. So I ordered a tow from Smiley's in South Hill. I had them come the same time that the recovery driver … [Read more...] about Smiley’s Tow
Missing Bolts on Oil Pan
After spending a half day parked in DC so I can run errands, I drove towards Houston hoping to get as far south as I can making up for lost time. I didn't want to push it too hard because I didn't want to run into Tropical Storm Cristobal, battering the Gulf coast. I made it 190 miles to the Walmart in South Hill, VA (330 miles today from Paulsboro NJ) before they shut down … [Read more...] about Missing Bolts on Oil Pan