Idle Chatter: Hot Rod Farmer

Once Christmas is over and 2023 is here, it is time to tackle some of the many often overlooked machinery maintenance items. This week I provide an eclectic list for you to consider.

This week Ray shares with you his trip to AGCO Corp in Georgia, responds to a listener that disagrees with him, helps another to understand a drop in fuel economy his Silverado is experiencing, what was wrong with his B&S generator, and who Hilton should not have at the front desk of their hotel.

There are AC, DC, and EC electric motors found on the farm. Learn what you need to know about the differences in this episode. "The sound of a fuel injector conveys its health and is the subject of this installment of "Meet Me in the Farm Shop".

A piece of farm equipment is a partner in your operation and becomes like kin folk. There is no reason to not keep it working side-by-side with you for decades. This week the Hot Rod Farmer shares some tips on how to accomplish that. "How to easily check small, air-cooled engine running temperature is covered in the "Meet Me in the Farm Shop" segment.

This is a question to ponder before you invest in repowering any vehicle or farm machine. In this episode, Ray Bohacz explains why the factory is able to do some things better than the best engine shop.

Please use this podcast along with the companion buyers' guide article to find the perfect gift.

The Hot Rod Farmer from New Jersey, explains why a smoke machine is an essential tool in your farm shop to find unknown leaks. The story of a heroic Vietnam War helicopter pilot is read this week instead of the Meet Me in the Farm Shop segment.

Conventional wisdom would believe that horsepower is horsepower regardless if it is developed by a compression ignition engine or a spark ignition design. Ray Bohacz explains why the combustion event indeed makes a difference and why that is.

In this episode, Ray Bohacz takes a deep dive into spark ignition engine knock control and connects that with other PID loop circuits found on the farm.

The Hot Rod Farmer tells it like it is. In this episode he shares insider information about some key industries that you deal with daily. What you need to know about fuel density is covered in the Meet Me in the Farm Shop segment.

Once again, I state how important proper diagnostic procedure is, regardless of what you are working on.

The Hot Rod Farmer, Ray Bohacz, provides convincing facts for not warming-up an engine. The proper way to check for spark on an engine is revealed in the "Meet Me in the Farm Shop" segment.

To accurately diagnose a problem you need both foundational and application specific knowledge. This week the Hot Rod Farmer takes you into the trenches with some true stories of a simple repair that became a complex nightmare.

The Hot Rod Farmer, Ray Bohacz, delivers a triple header this week. He tells what you need to know about ammonia slip on a Tier 4 diesel, explains what a PID loop is, and why you need to check for total harmonic distortion in your house and farm shop. The pitfalls of mixing different oil brands is covered in the Meet Me in the Farm Shop segment.

When an engine begins to leak oil it may be a sign of a bigger problem than a failed gasket or seal. Join the Hot Rod Farmer for this week's episode to understand what to look for.

An outtake from Ray's Main Stage presentation at Commodity Classic, "Latent losses that originate in the farm shop and how they affect your operation's bottom line."  In this episode, real life machinery problems and their financial impact are discussed. The proper way to jump start an engine is covered in the Meet Me in the Farm Shop segment.

Few things are worse than seeing the dreaded alternator light come on. Often you feel so helpless. This week the Hot Rod Farmer, Ray Bohacz, introduces some things to check that will cause a charging issue but may not be internal to the alternator.

Modern diesel engines in almost every application will greatly reduce their power if an emissions issue is detected. In this episode, Ray Bohacz, the Hot Rod Farmer explains the control system logic behind this strategy and how to keep a derate at bay.

There is a wealth of information available via the OBD-II connector with short and long term fuel trim being one of them. In this episode, Ray Bohacz, the Hot Rod Farmer, takes you from the early days  of Block Learn Multiplier and Integrator to modern fuel trim and how to interpret the values.

Gasoline is a hydrocarbon based fuel and the byproduct of combustion is carbon. If left unchecked engine performance will suffer and wear increase. The Hot Rod Farmer explains how the carbon can be removed without disassembly. The need to renew hydraulic brake fluid is the topic of Meet Me in the Farm Shop.

There is much more to engine oil performance than the SAE rating and viscosity. This week Ray Bohacz, the Hot Rod Farmer, provides a farmer's guide to tribology. Your engines are depending on you listening!

Did you ever wonder why there are no supercharged diesel engines? Ray Bohacz, the Hot Rod Farmer, explains the two different methods that can feed more air into an engine, and why a turbocharger is the method of choice for a heavy-duty application. Engine oil wettability is explained in the Meet Me in the Farm shop segment.

With the fourth anniversary of Idle Chatter approaching, Ray so appreciates the bond the listeners have blessed him with and the latitude of the content they allow him to deliver. This week he laments on an eclectic array of topics that reveal how the world, society, and machinery have changed so dramatically since he was a young man. Life is not the same.

Most are familiar with the need to break-in an engine but not so about the rear suspension on a pick-up truck. This week, the Hot Rod Farmer, Ray Bohacz, explains why and how it should be done and the benefits you will reap for the life of the vehicle. How engine coolant wears out is covered in the Meet Me in the Farm shop segment.

Manifold boost pressure is like electricity; you know when it there and when it is not, but you cannot see it. This week the Hot Rod Farmer provides some valuable tips to get the boost back regardless if it is a gasoline or diesel engine.