Hello, my name is Ariel Sanchez and I will like to approach you all with a bit of common sense of what is everyone's concern. What I mean is simple, answering the big question is not an easy task when trying to understand how this Electronic Diesel diagnostic journey began. Well let me rephrase my self, the sophisticated Fully electronic heavy-duty vehicle, per half that will be the right name for it, right now.
We always mention about what we need in order maintain our fleet, repair service shop, etc. I will have to say you will never be ready, is an everyday learning experience and joy at least form me; which gladly I could say I have been in this industry for a period of 20 years now.
I started my heavy-duty career as technician since I was 17 years old, which I began working on a garbage company as a welder, tire man, maintenance, etc. Back in those days my favorite tools where my 9/16 wrench, penetrate fluid and a hammer. We will do a clutch once every 6 to 8 month, brakes on a garbage truck every 9 to 11 months, oil change 3 month (miles where not important, because of the hours garbage's trucks add within the 150 miles range), electronics yes, I did a lot of that too, but we only face to fix issues with the Hi/lo head lights, cab reading light, clearance lights, signal and stop lights. How did we fixed, a $12.00 tester light and a Philips screwdriver . The rest was easy we purchase a Mitchell's all heavy-duty trucks book $120.00 and we learn all about it and that information we did learned, was good enough for the next 15 years. Of course if you had a good memory and follow procedures, that will qualify you for a heavy-duty truck technician. I do not want to sound that in fact it was an easy task back in the days, but comparing them with today's task, will definably looks that way to me now.
Later on we start getting curious about electronics, and was a way to talk about it while eating our lunch; within our precious 30 minutes lunch break we fantasy about how amazing and interested truck where advancing into electronic control. Later, generic industries like Nexiq, develop a great tool knowing as the "Pro-link Scanner".
The "Pro-link Scanners" where as easy as it get's an the most reliable tool yet I have ever used. Back in the days when changes within trucks and electronic control components where more step by step process which we where able to keep up as well generic tools manufactures like Nexiq, Snap-on, etc. In addition, Nexiq tools where capable to handle all trucks application and components by each manufacture, with the simplicity of few cartridge versions. Nevertheless, I will like to remain you guys this is not 20 or 50 years ago, we are now back in to 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005 moments.
Well 2005 things staring to get a little difficult for all of us to maintain in control or as simple keeping our learning process at stable speeds. When the Pro-Link (Nexiq) lost Cummins capabilities and stop selling the E-check cartridge to work with the Pro-link tool or called "Heavy Duty Starter Kit" part # 606001 pretty much is where the dog fight started among us and everyone else that wanted a complete heavy-duty truck diagnostic tool, kit or package...!!
Loosing our more reliable source of one stop tooling, force technicians or I will say advance technicians into this heavy-duty truck diagnostic journey into the new era. New era which now is call the "PC application" diagnostic tools and electronic components troubleshooting within heavy-duty trucks and trailers. Sorry, let me rephrase that....Heavy duty truck cab electronic, electronic transmissions (Mechanical and automatic transmissions), ABS Brakes, Trailer ABS, Exhaust system, etc; now I said it right!!!!!!!!!
Again my name is Ariel Sanchez, a normal person which love what he does, love to help people like you and I in which everyday we wake up to go to work, and yet to deal with the variables of live. Our goal is to provide the simple touch and share our experience with each other to keep learning and growing in our field of work, which is Electronic Control Heavy Duty Trucks and Trailers..by now you know the rest!
How is that I got here today?
Well, the first thing I did was picking the recall letters from my next bay technician friend "Garbage Can" back in the International dealer and take 2 minute and read it, so my friends fellows...my advice is that we need to take our time to learn as much as we can in all the different areas of trucks electronics and try not to be the best of one thing, but yet knowledgeable about everything. Learn how stuff work, get fascinated, interested, ask, allow people to help you, get prepare, in other words be the best and people will learn your language.
This words where my inspiration back in the state of New Jersey, by an American friend (Now I know was my Red Neck American friend) when he sew a nineteen years old kids doing all the things I already learned at that early age and hungry to take all the advantage of this country which it has been a bless for many immigrants throughout time. He said, Ariel Be the best, do not worry about your English, nationality or your grades...just yet....for now be the best at what you do and we will learn your ways. Sometimes we call names like gringo when you are Spanish to Americans and when you are and American you call names to Spanish like specks (well at least it sound like that) Do you know why we call such names to each other like gringo and specks?
American Gringo Theory
Originally back in the 1800 century when Mexicans will work the feels as agricultures, the Americans cowboys all proud on their horses passing by, where in most of the occasions they will sang cowboys sons, and one of them often was "Green Grow the grass" cowboy son...so after so many time when the Mexican agriculture will see them coming will say. There the gringos are coming. A poor translation of what they heard as "Green Grow"...the grass!. So throughout generations the word Gringo most common used to signal an American Cowboy was approaching.
Spanish Speck Theory
In the other hand is pretty much very similar as the Mexican poor translation of "Green Grow", American call Spanish or signal them as "Specks" because every time they will try to make contact with Mexicans, the first words that came out of the Mexicans mouse was "Don't Speak English"...so thru times Americans just refer to Mexicans as the "SpeckS" . So often was there only word they hear form the Spanish people.
Americans or Spanish call each others names by a simple language interpretation and leaving among each other for centuries. Never used on a way or trying to divert the origin of it, like sometimes used in today's world. Is not offensive, or means despicable, it only means we have been living together long enough to mix our own culture.
Everyday someone, some where will say a powerful sentence that will change someone's live or prospective, regardless where they from or what language they speak. My experience in live is that, in a moment of desperation or when we feel lost, we all become equal and apply the most reliable skills of all, by simple been simple. Simplicity helps me to be not a better person, but of course I am not talking about been a better person here, not now, I am talking about been a better technician...and it begins for me with simplicity.
A lot of time people ask me questions like:
How did I learn what I know today?
Which tool should I use?
How much is this tool or such?
Can I get a discount?
By far the the one I like the most is, how can you help?
Ariel Sanchez
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Below some videos to inspired you and to see if you realized that is is an issue that concern us all!
Do not feel powerless when you do not meet dealers service level, as you can see in this videos..they are struggling too!
Navistar Service Department - Quick Diagnostic Lane(5 Days)
Navistar Service Department - Tool Organization
Are you thinking that you have what you need, view MaxxForce Advanced EGR Demo
Do it right. Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technician
Diesel Technician Training Elective Program
Thank you