If anyone in the San Diego county area is familiar with the M800 series

[serpico760]

This Wednesday I'll be driving a friend visiting from Montana to my friend in lakeside to potentially purchase his 1969 M813 winch truck. If anyone in the area is familiar with this truck and would be okay with giving me their number so that we could call and ask questions as we figure out if it can run and if not, what it needs to run. My friend received it from another friend and just rolled it off the trailer to his lot he hasn't tried to run it yet, so it's unknown as to whether or not it'll start.

 

[swbradley1]

I sold my M813 and I used to live in San Diego County.

My piece of advice is to check on whether you can even get it registered to drive in CA.

NHC-250 Cummins engine
5 speed manual transmission
2 speed transfer case
Sprag front end wheel engagement

24vdc Alternator is lousy IMO

I enjoyed mine the whole time I had it.

 

[serpico760]

I sold my M813 and I used to live in San Diego County.

My piece of advice is to check on whether you can even get it registered to drive in CA.

NHC-250 Cummins engine
5 speed manual transmission
2 speed transfer case
Sprag front end wheel engagement

24vdc Alternator is lousy IMO

I enjoyed mine the whole time I had it.

It will be moved to Montana as soon as it can be made to run and it will be registered there.

 

[serpico760]

I sold my M813 and I used to live in San Diego County.

My piece of advice is to check on whether you can even get it registered to drive in CA.

NHC-250 Cummins engine
5 speed manual transmission
2 speed transfer case
Sprag front end wheel engagement

24vdc Alternator is lousy IMO

I enjoyed mine the whole time I had it.

If he drives it from San Diego to Montana any idea of a fuel economy he could expect to achieve assuming we can get it running well?

 

[Mullaney]

If he drives it from San Diego to Montana any idea of a fuel economy he could expect to achieve assuming we can get it running well?

.
Quick web search results in 7 to 10mpg and I would guess low.

 

[serpico760]

This Wednesday I'll be driving a friend visiting from Montana to my friend in lakeside to potentially purchase his 1969 M813 winch truck. If anyone in the area is familiar with this truck and would be okay with giving me their number so that we could call and ask questions as we figure out if it can run and if not, what it needs to run. My friend received it from another friend and just rolled it off the trailer to his lot he hasn't tried to run it yet, so it's unknown as to whether or not it'll start. View attachment 881608

 

[swbradley1]

If he drives it from San Diego to Montana any idea of a fuel economy he could expect to achieve assuming we can get it running well?

I think mine was 6-8mpg and like Mullaney said, go with the low side.

While looks aren't everything I'd be doing a lot of work on that truck prior to driving it on a trip like that.

 

[serpico760]

I think mine was 6-8mpg and like Mullaney said, go with the low side.

While looks aren't everything I'd be doing a lot of work on that truck prior to driving it on a trip like that.

Thanks for all the info y'all!
He's got a place to stash it at a friend's house locally until it's good for the long trip.

 

[KN6KXR]

You can get it a CA plate. If I can do it for an '86 M936A2 you can do it for that. It took me awhile and I got told NO a lot just don't give up. Whether or not to pay weight fees in CA is another story I went historic. On the bright side I drove my wrecker across 8 states bringing it home and then another few thousand miles in CA and nobody stopped me even once. Without plates, too (in MI you don't have to put the plates on the vehicle because it detracts from the historic look that's where it was registered and titled). So don't worry.....

Get a laptop, download all the TM's, start reading. Bring the laptop with you. Get the axle sockets and the gear to change a tire (torque multiplier for lug nuts, air over hydraulic 20 ton bottle jack). Bring that as well.

I also retrieved a historic plated '68 M817 locally and drove it off a windy mountain road about 40 miles to my place. It's in pretty poor shape. I would offer that you make sure things work in more or less the following order:
-Brakes, brakes, brakes!!! Bleed them, adjust them, give them love. Pull the hubs and look if you have to. Leave nothing to question! This may take a couple days, some jacks and tools and maybe a small tractor to help.
-Tires. Get in there and really look at them. Older NDT's they put on these seem to get sidewall cracks. When in doubt swap them out!
-All the filters. Because.
-Do a valve and injector lash adjustment. It's probably been too long if you don't know. Show up with rocker cover gaskets and tools for that.
-Fuel system inspection. The NHC250 is real sensitive to air leaks. Even the little priming pump in the cab can goof it up.
-Axle fluids. All the fluids.....

All I can think of. The rest of the truck can be fixed with bubble gum and bailing wire (or maybe a local farmers buzzbox) just like Uncle designed them. If it's going to throw a rod unexpectedly then that's what it'll do. Sometimes there's no telling that part of the adventure. Most of the time you get fair warning.

Ton of work for sure. Great trucks though. Nice and simple. Still have a lot to do to my M817 but I dig it. Oh and hearing protection as well. Muffs AND plugs for that much exposure.

I've had a good time retrieving these. I think the previous owner of my M817 retrieved it from Texas in the winter. Great adventures, memories for a lifetime. Best of luck with it and safe travels!

 

[serpico760]

You can get it a CA plate. If I can do it for an '86 M936A2 you can do it for that. It took me awhile and I got told NO a lot just don't give up. Whether or not to pay weight fees in CA is another story I went historic. On the bright side I drove my wrecker across 8 states bringing it home and then another few thousand miles in CA and nobody stopped me even once. Without plates, too (in MI you don't have to put the plates on the vehicle because it detracts from the historic look that's where it was registered and titled). So don't worry.....

Get a laptop, download all the TM's, start reading. Bring the laptop with you. Get the axle sockets and the gear to change a tire (torque multiplier for lug nuts, air over hydraulic 20 ton bottle jack). Bring that as well.

I also retrieved a historic plated '68 M817 locally and drove it off a windy mountain road about 40 miles to my place. It's in pretty poor shape. I would offer that you make sure things work in more or less the following order:
-Brakes, brakes, brakes!!! Bleed them, adjust them, give them love. Pull the hubs and look if you have to. Leave nothing to question! This may take a couple days, some jacks and tools and maybe a small tractor to help.
-Tires. Get in there and really look at them. Older NDT's they put on these seem to get sidewall cracks. When in doubt swap them out!
-All the filters. Because.
-Do a valve and injector lash adjustment. It's probably been too long if you don't know. Show up with rocker cover gaskets and tools for that.
-Fuel system inspection. The NHC250 is real sensitive to air leaks. Even the little priming pump in the cab can goof it up.
-Axle fluids. All the fluids.....

All I can think of. The rest of the truck can be fixed with bubble gum and bailing wire (or maybe a local farmers buzzbox) just like Uncle designed them. If it's going to throw a rod unexpectedly then that's what it'll do. Sometimes there's no telling that part of the adventure. Most of the time you get fair warning.

Ton of work for sure. Great trucks though. Nice and simple. Still have a lot to do to my M817 but I dig it. Oh and hearing protection as well. Muffs AND plugs for that much exposure.

I've had a good time retrieving these. I think the previous owner of my M817 retrieved it from Texas in the winter. Great adventures, memories for a lifetime. Best of luck with it and safe travels!

Thank you very much for all the advice!
I will forward this information to him. He has no need for California plates because he lives in Montana he's just visiting here.

 

[serpico760]

We got new batteries hooked up to it when we try to start it just makes a clunk sound as if the starter solenoid is engaging but it doesn't actually turn over

 

[swbradley1]

I don't remember the symptoms of a control box problem but they are on this site. The control box is the black box on the firewall and has relays associated with starting in it.

You could check the voltage on the starter when you try it making sure not to get anything shorted out or those 4 batteries are going to make a nice light show.

 

[williamh]

Sometimes those starters get “stuck” and won’t engage other than a loud click. Or ( this would be bad ) the motor is locked up for some reason. Try and rotate the motor. See if it spins, if it doesn’t than pull the injectors to verify the cylinder isn’t full of liquid.

 

[swbradley1]

I guess I was optimistic.

 

[williamh]

Did you get it to start ??any updates ??

 

[serpico760]

Did you get it to start ??any updates ??

My friend from Montana had to fly back, I think we also were not starting it correctly. Will try again another time

 

[swbradley1]

Did it fail to start the same way as the first time? Just the solenoid clicking?

It could be that the cables going to the starter need removed and cleaned to make a good connection. It may arc over a little and then open the connection and that will result in a clunk and no start.

The relay box on the firewall can still cause issues. Every once in awhile I would have to tap mine to get the starter to go. The boxes as far as I know are still available.

I would begin the next part of your journey with the manuals and look at the wiring diagrams.

 

[MilesWorx]

I sold my M813 and I used to live in San Diego County.

My piece of advice is to check on whether you can even get it registered to drive in CA.

NHC-250 Cummins engine
5 speed manual transmission
2 speed transfer case
Sprag front end wheel engagement

24vdc Alternator is lousy IMO

I enjoyed mine the whole time I had it.

Hello, I'm the person Serpico is talking about.

Do you recommend an aftermarket alternator? If so perhaps do you have a recommend brand?

 

[MilesWorx]

Did it fail to start the same way as the first time? Just the solenoid clicking?

It could be that the cables going to the starter need removed and cleaned to make a good connection. It may arc over a little and then open the connection and that will result in a clunk and no start.

The relay box on the firewall can still cause issues. Every once in awhile I would have to tap mine to get the starter to go. The boxes as far as I know are still available.

I would begin the next part of your journey with the manuals and look at the wiring diagrams.

Copy.

Next time I'll be bringing gear and a wire brush. Took a second but those TM manuals are really helpful. I'll be fiddling with the starter and putting some penetrating oil in the cylinders next go around. Engine and rest of components act like they're ready to jump to life and get running just like the day it was parked.

 

[swbradley1]

Can you turn the engine over with a bar/socket? It may be frozen.