Hit 200 engine rebuilds this week and still can't believe it

Ngl, I was just counting up my logbook for tax stuff and realized I've done 200 full diesel engine rebuilds since 2018. That number surprised me because most of those were in a two bay shop in Bakersfield with no lift, just a floor jack and some sweat. The first one I did was a 5.9 Cummins in an old Dodge and I damn near stripped a main cap bolt. Has anyone else kept track of their rebuild count or is that just me being weird?

3 comments

3 Comments

brian_rivera592mo ago

200 engine rebuilds in a Bakersfield two bay with a floor jack? I'd say you're either a glutton for punishment or you really hate your chiropractor's retirement plans. That first 5.9 Cummins main cap bolt must have had your heart racing faster than a hot lap around the Grapevine. At least with that kind of volume, you've probably memorized every torque spec backwards and forwards. Just don't let Uncle Sam see that logbook or he'll want a cut of your sweat equity.

allen.ivan2mo ago

Took me about 15 rebuilds before I stopped second guessing every torque spec and just trusted the process. Started keeping a simple checklist on a whiteboard, saved my back and my sanity.

kelly38525d ago

Watch the same thing happen with guys learning how to weld or even just changing their own oil for the first time. Everyone overthinks it until they've done it enough times that their hands just know what to do. I've seen dudes spend twenty minutes torquing lug nuts to exact spec then drive off and never check them again until the wheels fall off. The whiteboard idea is smart though. Same reason I keep a notepad in my center console for delivery stops. Once you write it down you can stop holding it in your head and just do the work.