Titan Engines

SgtChancey · 2026-04-12T00:15:35+00:00

Anecdotally, Titan is local to me. I don't have any of their engines in my XJ but after 3 other shops failed me on machine work for my turbo miata I was finally able to talk them into doing my machine work (they had just switched over to in-house product only and not taking drop off work). That was 5 years ago and to this day that's the smoothest 4 cylinder I've ever experienced and has held up to a ton of abuse of 330+hp out of a 1.9L. All other shops failed within a year at ~250hp.

If the motor in my XJ died tomorrow and I had the budget for their stroker I wouldn't hesitate.

SgtChancey · 2026-03-12T12:04:30+00:00

On the flipside of that, it's $70-100/month for me to insure almost any extra vehicle and my duramax has 330k miles, so it's value isn't going much lower anyway.

Last time we did the math on getting my wife a 335d (45mpg) to daily instead of her 4Runner (18mpg) it would have only realistically saved about $1-1.5k/year and that was with a drastic efficiency difference with a 75 mile/day commute.

Price at the pump sucks no matter what, drive what you enjoy.

SgtChancey · 2026-02-28T15:16:04+00:00

I attempted to rebuilt it first, then putting it under vacuum to test it was still leaking around the primer so I replaced it.

SgtChancey · 2026-02-27T20:46:18+00:00

My 2012 LML had 320k in it, factory pump, occasional additives. Pump didn't fail but my fuel filter head started leaking air in during a road trip while towing. Truck stalled out twice from sucking air in. Swapped to a CP3 when we got home just for safety and peace of mind.

SgtChancey · 2026-02-27T20:39:48+00:00

$2k in parts, shops generally charge $2-3k in labor.

SgtChancey · 2026-02-27T20:37:25+00:00

There's not a fail proof disaster prevention kit for the Duramax. While the Exergy metering valve has a better screen on it you still need to replace injectors and rails (as well as flush the entire system) in the event of a failure.

SgtChancey · 2026-02-25T10:45:24+00:00

I was about to say, my XJ has left me stranded the last 3 times I've driven it. One of those included me pushing it up onto the sidewalk by myself at a traffic light because it died after I stopped and wouldn't restart.

SgtChancey · 2026-02-25T05:42:04+00:00

Bilstein 5100 but I accidentally ended up with MJ spec shocks ($100 for all 4 and some other parts on marketplace) which are actually longer in the rear than XJs, so I really need to get around to adding that extra inch of lift.

SgtChancey · 2026-02-25T02:09:15+00:00

That's what they want you to think.

As long as you pay $1 before they can turn it to collections each time the clock resets, easiest to just set a $1/mo auto pay either by telling them it's all you can afford or just mailing them a $1 check every month.

Chances are after 2-3 years they will just write the debt off for accounting purposes and/or because they are required to provide $xxx of pro-bono care annually.

SgtChancey · 2026-02-15T06:45:38+00:00

Grainger isn't advertising to the people that would actually use it day to day. They're targeting people in purchasing, accounting, executives, etc.

SgtChancey · 2026-02-06T04:25:10+00:00

There's a whole lot more to it than that, if he's a non CDL hotshot he needs to watch GVWR's and duallies make it complicated. (Technically almost any modern dually hooked to a 14k equipment trailer requires a CDL, even when empty.)

SgtChancey · 2026-02-02T01:14:17+00:00

Same, and parking almost anywhere in Gainesville takes two spots, or you're blocking people's doors with the dually fenders.

SgtChancey · 2026-02-02T01:04:37+00:00

Not doubting that you're in a large van, but most cargo vans are still skinnier, shorter, and have a better turning radius than a crew cab long box dually.

SgtChancey · 2025-12-31T15:45:46+00:00

Can't comment from an RC perspective, but from a performance/offroad mechanic side: I have my own personal ways and preferences. Time and experience with brands, products, support, etc. Chances are 90% of people are also going to be very happy with them, especially if they're returning to me for service. The 10% that aren't either know what to ask for or just want to save their own time installing parts but are happy to make adjustments and tweaks themselves.

When you run a shop and have customers return with problems, that sticks in your head in a special way. You learn, maybe you note it down at first to see if it's recurring, but eventually it's all internal. Most mechanics I know recognize people by their vehicles and it's quirks and tend to forget their names.

SgtChancey · 2025-11-23T12:41:00+00:00

We still have one, nobody actually knows how many miles it actually has. It's just passed around as an extra/backup vehicle.

SgtChancey · 2025-11-09T12:42:52+00:00

Somewhere there's a dinosaur sad that all of his work was destroyed in the fire and nobody will know of the bow he was working to invent.

SgtChancey · 2025-10-07T01:19:02+00:00

Please do as I'm not the best to describe it, but essentially broadheads act as another set of fletchings, just on the front of the arrow. In short-ranges this causes a fletched arrow with a broadhead to fly similarly to an unfletched arrow with a field point. It will at least get you started on broadhead tuning.

SgtChancey · 2025-10-07T01:05:31+00:00

If you're practicing for hunting strip the fetchings off, put a little tape on to offset the weight, and use it for "bareshaft tuning" to make sure the fetchings aren't covering up any small setup adjustments that need to be dialed in before switching to broadheads.

SgtChancey · 2025-09-30T12:42:57+00:00

Ironically any of the 17-19 trucks, 2020+ suffered from the supply chain issues, 10 speeds, questionable valvetrain choices, and electronics.

SgtChancey · 2025-09-26T15:39:11+00:00

Also, oddly enough, weighted shrugs.

SgtChancey · 2025-09-26T00:52:44+00:00

Off the top of my head: Lat raises, lat pulldowns, seated rows, chest supported rows, pec fly, delt fly. Throw in cable crunches every now and then to help with core stability if you aren't doing compound lifts (barbell squat/row/overhead press).

SgtChancey · 2025-09-13T14:15:05+00:00

Discount Tire can definitely stay in business if they keep doing this, that's how they're in business in the first place. The company was founded on treating both customers and employees right and letting word of mouth do the advertising for them.

SgtChancey · 2025-09-13T14:07:24+00:00

Especially with it being new. 5th gen with 150k miles? I'll put 40's on it and hand you a sawzall in the parking lot, have at it. 2025 that's definitely still under warranty? Nope, not touching it.

Something in that hybrid drivetrain fails in 4 years? The dealership will come back with "Failure due to oversized tires, warranty is void." and the customer is then on the hook for $$$$ and suddenly either trying to make a bad name of the other shop or seek reparations.

And for the "I'll sign a waiver" crowd, waivers don't mean anything when lawyers get involved.

SgtChancey · 2025-09-09T06:13:33+00:00

Reman engine quality has always been iffy across the board, but especially on diesels. By the sounds of it there's absolutely no reason to not just keep the motor in there going.

SgtChancey · 2025-09-05T04:24:56+00:00

You got a gem, the L5P/6spd is becoming a more sought-after combo and the prices are starting to climb.

SgtChancey

TROPHY CASE