Not again! ($10,000 mistake)

[bethandkevin]

I just finished head gasket replacement on Vinnie for the second time in two years and less than 40,000 miles. The first time, I paid a local diesel garage to have do them. I found that experience to be quite painful. First, because I, a mechanic for over thirty years, found myself in no position to do the job myself. Middle of February 2014 was bitter cold here in Michigan with temps in the 0* range nearly every day and me with insufficient heat in the barn. Secondly, having never worked on a Duramax before, I didn't think it wise to tackle under these conditions. So, nearly $10,000 later (labor, parts, head work, all new injectors and then "little" problems after it was reassembled) I got it back. Took it back three times for coolant leaks, rocker noise, oil leak. Not a good experience. Well, they went again this past December. This time I did it myself. Found the oil leak, which the former garage said they did not cause-gasket between the turbo oil return and the block had a chunk missing out of it. Found a stray nut and bolt in the block valley-one of which belonged in the intake runner. Five of eight rockers loose on the left bank causing my rocker noise. Gasket blown between #6 and #8 on the left and to the coolant jacket on #5 and #7 on the right. Injectors had not been properly programmed into the engine and glow plug modules. Head bolts-some came out unbelievably easy, others seemed to be a test of my strength. Heads checked out ok at the machine shop and it was the opinion of the owner that the bolts had been under torqued. After nearly a month of working on old Vinnie a couple hours a night after work and on weekends, he's back together and on the road again. No oil leaks, no noisy rocker arms, (no extra nuts and bolts either)and in less time than it took a garage doing this everyday, all day (six weeks). Only time will tell for certain, but I am confident the repair will last this time. It was difficult for me to pay someone to do the repairs for me the first time and my experience with it shows exactly why. I thought I had done my homework and chosen the best to do the job. I was fooled. If it can happen to a professional mechanic, it can happen to anyone.