Jason from California (not his real name) wrote me this:

“Brendan, I wanted to share with you a troubleshooting story and how your techniques helped save my service department $15,000.

We recently did a complete tear down and rebuild of a CAT 988H wheel loader. After many months the project was completed and the machine shipped to the customer. A few days later the customer called with a few complaints. Their main complaint was the tilt cycle time was slow when dumping the bucket.

We sent out a field tech to calibrate the control valve with no change in cycle time. This was a certified rebuild by a dealer, so all components were replaced or rebuilt. At this point management was about to throw a main control valve at it for the sum of $15,000.

They asked me if I could help and I did. Using your troubleshooting techniques I was able to narrow it down to the tilt regeneration valve. Turns out, the regeneration valve’s solenoid was not turned on in the machine’s ECU configuration. An easy fix with a couple of mouse clicks.”

A couple of mouse clicks to fix.

Versus 15K for a new, main control valve.

Plus labor to change it out.

Plus extended downtime for the customer.

And after all that, still no resolution.

I hope Jason knocked on his bosses’ door the next day and asked for a BIG raise.

Almost impossible for his boss to say no in this context. Only point for discussion is: “how much?’

The thing is, Go-to-Guys like Jason aren’t born.

They’re made.

And Jason made himself THE hydraulics Go-to-Guy at his workplace. With a little help from yours truly. In the form of ‘The Hydraulic Troubleshooting Handbook’.

Marketplace conditions change, but this principle does not: to improve your income, improve yourself. Your knowledge, know how, understanding, skill, attitude, self-discipline, and then the value and service you deliver to your employer or customers.

With the above in mind, I’m not sure why you haven’t got your copy of ‘The Hydraulic Troubleshooting Handbook’ yet?

But you can fix that here today.