Oops! Dang kids!!!

moored4 · Apr 20, 2011

:mur:
This morning I was cleaning out the shop before climbing on the ol-tractor and as I am emptying the trash I see 3 old oil cans in there that are for 2 cycle, Now I know that they should not have been any 2 cycle oil need this or last week. I did tell the kids I use for farm hands to check the tranny fluid on the farm truck (1989 chev. 3/4 ton p/u auto transmission)
YEP!

they just told me that's what they put in! So what now! Will it hurt! It's got a small leak, about a quart a month, running synthetic in it! What should I do other than fire the neighbor kids!

deerefan · Apr 20, 2011

moored4 said:
:mur:
This morning I was cleaning out the shop before climbing on the ol-tractor and as I am emptying the trash I see 3 old oil cans in there that are for 2 cycle, Now I know that they should not have been any 2 cycle oil need this or last week. I did tell the kids I use for farm hands to check the tranny fluid on the farm truck (1989 chev. 3/4 ton p/u auto transmission)
YEP! they just told me that's what they put in! So what now! Will it hurt! It's got a small leak, about a quart a month, running synthetic in it! What should I do other than fire the neighbor kids!

Drain it and refill, maybe change the filter. Do not fire the kids, have them help you fix it and take the cost out of their pay.

MoKelly · Apr 20, 2011

Wow. How old are these "kids"?

Sounds like something my 12 year old would do but the 15 year old wouldn't be that careless.

MoKelly

dusty3030 · Apr 20, 2011

When I was a teenager working on a farm another kid who had been driving a Case had a flat or a breakdown, can't remember, but was sent back to the shop and told to get a JD 4630 and bring it back. He walked back to the shop and after a good long while he walked back up to us in the field. He said he got it out and the radiator was empty so he filled it up but it died and wouldn't crank back up. You know those JD's with the big red radiator cap right there towards the front of the hood? Yep, filled the fuel tank with water. Boss man told him to go ahead and walk home.

jbooth · Apr 20, 2011

The problem with firing someone for making a mistake: That mistaken person should be "considered trained" to not make that mistake again. The replacement may make the same mistake. Unfortunately a person can't afford enough tractors to train everyone. I think water has been put in a lot of John Deeres fuel tanks.

brandoro · Apr 20, 2011

moored4 said:
:mur:
This morning I was cleaning out the shop before climbing on the ol-tractor and as I am emptying the trash I see 3 old oil cans in there that are for 2 cycle, Now I know that they should not have been any 2 cycle oil need this or last week. I did tell the kids I use for farm hands to check the tranny fluid on the farm truck (1989 chev. 3/4 ton p/u auto transmission)
YEP! they just told me that's what they put in! So what now! Will it hurt! It's got a small leak, about a quart a month, running synthetic in it! What should I do other than fire the neighbor kids!

Did you show them what to put in the tranny after they checked it like you asked? If not then I think you should change the fluid, fix the leak and make sure you show people what needs to be used.

Johndeere3720 · Apr 20, 2011

i have made a few mistakes too, it is a learning thing. I wouldnt go as far as firing them, but make sure they understand what they did wrong and that they wont do it again.

jayste · Apr 21, 2011

Johndeere3720 said:
i have made a few mistakes too, it is a learning thing. I wouldnt go as far as firing them, but make sure they understand what they did wrong and that they wont do it again.

I grabbed Jakes quote for a reason and I'll get to that in a minute. First, I'd do as others have said and call all your hands in and train them on what to do and not to do. As others have said it was probably just a mistake or lack of knowledge. Now, I'm not discounting anyones response here but Jakes (johndeere3720) response tells it from a teenagers side (15 yrs old I think). Train them, give them an opportunity to learn before lowering the boom on them. I guess while you're at it show them all of the fluids for all of the equipment and tell them when in doubt, call.:thumbsup:

MikeD74T · Apr 21, 2011

moored4, As an employer of children the most greivous mistake is yours. The kids have no reason to know one oil from another unless you told them. Did you??? Just the fact that they put anything in at all says they are trying to do the right thing. Firing or withholding pay is completely unreasonable for a first offense, especially if they did not have the knowledge to do different.
As for your '89 truck, it probably holds about 10 quarts of tranny fluid. If it was 3 qts low, who's fault is that? If it only took one quart from three partial cans & it leaks a quart a month, 50% of the problem will be gone in one month due to leakage alone. Another month the same. Doubt the trans gets hot enough to know the difference & the slight increase in viscosity might even improve performance.
I commend you for providing these kids with worthwile work and an opportunity to learn real life lessons. They'll remember you forever, hopefully for how well they were treated. MikeD74t

easygo · Apr 21, 2011

MikeD74T said:
The kids have no reason to know one oil from another unless you told them. Did you??? Just the fact that they put anything in at all says they are trying to do the right thing. Firing or withholding pay is completely unreasonable for a first offense, especially if they did not have the knowledge to do different.
I commend you for providing these kids with worthwile work and an opportunity to learn real life lessons. They'll remember you forever, hopefully for how well they were treated. MikeD74t

I could not agree more