All the sudden things picked up! There was a small trucking company I applied for and wanted to work for, a company that changes and makes hydraulic lines on equipment, a kenworth dealer, and a cleaning company that went to factory's and power washed them.
On Thursday morning I went to my interview at the small trucking company. This company hauls liquids and industrial items. They have a total of 60 trucks and 200 trailers. This is a big difference from the 4000 trucks at old dominion freight line that I used to work at. I have always enjoyed helping the little man and have never been fond of working for corporations. So I already felt comfortable at this company. All they own and work on are long hood kenworths and other long hood trucks with Detroit 60 series, cummins ISX, and older caterpillar engines. At my last job it was mostly new engines, and also single axle trucks as opposed to tandems.
I already Felt comfortable walking through the door. The shop manager started the interview with me by giving me a 10 question test. He said he had been giving this test for 20 years to mechanics and because they run older equipment it would still help to see where I stand if I took this test.
I had not worked on any "real" caterpillar engines at my last shop. Only c12 and c13 engines which are both completely different than the larger older cat engines.
1. Q A few examples of questions- What does it mean if the fuel inside the fuel tank has turned black?
2Q. A caterpillar engine is getting coolant mixed into the engine oil. Why is this occurring.
1. A I explained that the engine oil getting into the fuel tank would have to be from the fuel return.
2. A I explained that their may be an oil cooler that is cooled by coolant that failed.
The correct answers are: many caterpillar engines are HEUI fuel systems Hydraulic electronic unit injectors. The fuel system is pressurized by oil pressure. Their is an O ring seal that likes to fail on the engine oil side of the fuel injection system. This will pump engine oil through the return line of the fuel system.
2. Explained: the water pump is driven by a gear directly off the engine. There is a gasket that can fail on or near the water pump and cause coolant to be pumped into the engine oil.
The shop supervisor liked how I answered the questions and liked to talk to me so he hired me 10 minutes into the interview. He said the job was mine if I wanted it. I told him I would call him within two days with a start date that would work for me.
Later that day I had an interview with kenworth. They were not willing to even pay me 15$ an hour after going to two different diesel technology schools and working 2 years at a truck shop. So I would be starting out at 10$ per hour there. Kinda tough in my position with having college debt, in debt for thousands of dollars with tools and a tool box required to keep my job as they threatened to fire me if I did not immediately increase what I had.
I accepted the job at the smaller truck company ASAP. I called him 7 am the next day. I start my job there today with good pay, respect, doing exactly what I want and not to mention the shop manager himself has had his CDL for 25 years so he will be taking me out on the road and supplying me a truck and trailer to take the test in!!! That's a huge deal to me!
My lease at my apartment ends may 18th. In order to get approved again I would have to wait 30 days then I could get approved for a house again. That is too rushed to buy a house. I have been renting for 3.5 years and I just can't seem to get out of it at all now. I will still shop after the 30 days are up at my new job but for now I may be renting for another 6 months. Very tough to do. I need a garage to work on my own vehicles and it may just have to wait. I don't have the closing fees or anything really and don't want to rush my purchase of a house down to one month. It takes longer than that to close on a house.
I'm renting either a tilt deck trailer today or something similar to move my tool box. Wish me luck!!!
