My M818 recovery MCLB Barstow (AKA the surface of the sun)

[998Junkie]

Well I recieved my PIF invoice and arranged for a tuesday pickup. Since the wife doesn't share my love of "junk" I left her at home and went alone, because of this and the legal and logistical issues I hired a local trucking company to haul it from Barstow.

I got to Barstow at 10:00 am and since the truck drive was going to be two hours late I decided to see how far I could get on getting to know the truck.

I went around and did a check of the tool boxes, and other storage areas, checked the tires and other drive train parts for issues.

While checking the front I found an issue with the Emergency air line, the glad hand and valve had snapped off at the elbow and was hanging (I put the part in the glove compartment). So I guess I'm not going to drive it till that gets fixed, but moved on to see how the engine was.

then climbed up and checked the engine levels. Oil was good, Steering fluid good, brake fluid good, radiator fluid a bit low (added a gallon). Checked and reset the engine kill pull handle.

Checked the fuel tanks, fuel in both tanks (more in left). Checked the batterys produced in 2005 and fluid levels were perfect, but were dead since the battery switch was left on.

I had brought jumper cables and two 100 amp batteries fully charged and hooked them up and jumped in the cab.

Went to prime the fuel but the fuel presure gauge read zero. Swithed tanks and still read zero. Turned on the ignition and then hit the starter. Engine cranked hard but the fuel presure never moved from zero the muiltiple times I tried to crank. I could hear the cranking getting a little weaker and decided to stop since I couldn't figure out what to try next.

So in the end I couldn't start the truck but even if I could I wasn't going anywhere with the air presure leak. By the way when should you hear the low air buzzer? I never heard it work the whole time I was working. Anyway the truck is at it's new home and safely hidden from the wife until I can get it running.

Any ideas on what to try? Are the pipe and fitting the same as the pipe I can get at local big box hardware stores?

Here are a few pictures (my phone was low on juice).

 

[frodobaggins]

I like it.

 

[Hammer]

That is a pretty nice looking truck, and good looking tires! Did they have any dry rot/weather cracking?
Low buzzer should come on immediately when the air pressure is below 60 psi I think. Which is pretty much anytime you start the truck after it has sat for a while, or drained the tanks.

 

[998Junkie]

That is a pretty nice looking truck, and good looking tires! Did they have any dry rot/weather cracking?

Tires looked new or newly installed, the spare is unused and still has the mold threads stick out of the top of the tread. The wheel lugs and a lot of bolts on the truck looked new (still had a shine). Looking at the truck it almost seemed like it went to some auto school were the students go over the thing as a learning exercise. I'm not sure about the fuel presure issue but looking at the trouble shooting part of the manual (which was in the compartment) mentions a method for getting the air out of the fuel system. I'll bring a few containers and try that next.


You mentioned looking at the inspection list for you truck in another thread, how did you get it?

I'll trace the buzzer issues when I can sneak over to look at it.

 

[KsM715]

Nice looking truck. After pumping the fuel primer a few times go into the engine compartment and see if theres any evidence of fuel leaking anywhere. The fuel line leaks on my 818 when I have to use the primer but only when I use it not when the truck is running.

If your wife makes you drive that car shes gonna hate that truck. (no offense intended, just odd to see someone in that type of car interested in that type of truck)

 

[srodocker]

haha a deuce and a smart car what a combo

 

[groundog]

998---hope you solve your problems---werent you at the brothers/--I also bought a M-818 at Barstow---re-set the emergency stop and installed new batteries and she fired right up---all fluids good----have re-painted interior---new decals on dash----only problem air governor clicks pretty loud so went to NAPA and bought a new one---now in process of cleaning axles.driveshafts.etc and re-paint----Groundog

 

[998Junkie]

werent you at the brothers...

That was me...It was nice to meet you, good deal on the truck, I have to do many of the things, I hope you don't mind a PM once in a while to ask how you did some of the work you are doing.

 

[998Junkie]

haha a deuce and a smart car what a combo

I kept them apart...I'd be afraid of the offspring, a glorified tahoe?

 

[998Junkie]

Nice looking truck. After pumping the fuel primer a few times go into the engine compartment and see if theres any evidence of fuel leaking anywhere. The fuel line leaks on my 818 when I have to use the primer but only when I use it not when the truck is running.

If your wife makes you drive that car shes gonna hate that truck. (no offense intended, just odd to see someone in that type of car interested in that type of truck)

I'm going to try that next time I'm at the truck (I'm charging the batterys now).

The car was actually my idea, my wifes business operates out of the malls in the Los Angeles area and that car has reduced my blood presure(she didn't like the car at first either). Parking and getting around cars in parking lot is worth the price of the car alone. Has plenty of room for my tools and parts. When gas was 5.20 it only cost me 44 to fill up. In the 12 months I've had it 23K miles and no issues. It does get a lot of stares and giggles.

 

[area52]

Good luck on your new truck. Did you check the manual fuel cut off under the hood to see if it was reset? That could be why it did not start.

 

[Hammer]

Tires looked new or newly installed, the spare is unused and still has the mold threads stick out of the top of the tread. The wheel lugs and a lot of bolts on the truck looked new (still had a shine). Looking at the truck it almost seemed like it went to some auto school were the students go over the thing as a learning exercise. I'm not sure about the fuel presure issue but looking at the trouble shooting part of the manual (which was in the compartment) mentions a method for getting the air out of the fuel system. I'll bring a few containers and try that next.


You mentioned looking at the inspection list for you truck in another thread, how did you get it?

I'll trace the buzzer issues when I can sneak over to look at it.

The buzzer is most likely just unhooked. It plugs into the low air pressure switch, which is on the inside of the firewall, just to the right of the steering column. One airline goes into it, and there is a electric plug (number 85 I think), coming out the top. Or should be anyways.

I got lucky on the last two vehicles. The M1009 and XM818 both had the 'Vehicle Classification Inspection' form filled out and in each truck!

Otherwise, it sounds like you got a REALLY good truck!
Mine isn't as pretty, but with a fresh motor, I am more then happy with mine.

 

[groundog]

998---glad to help any way I can---I also have a M-813A1---hope to get to the brothers in 2 or 3 weeks---bought 1400 x 20 combat wheels and tires for the M-813---going to be a lot of work to switch all the tires---are you going to get a trailer for your m-188/-----Groundog

 

[998Junkie]

998---glad to help any way I can---I also have a M-813A1---hope to get to the brothers in 2 or 3 weeks---bought 1400 x 20 combat wheels and tires for the M-813---going to be a lot of work to switch all the tires---are you going to get a trailer for your m-188/-----Groundog

My M-146 should be picked up and delivered tommorrow, that one needs work. All tires have cracking and will need to be replaced. The air hookups are broken off and missing and the rear door needs some TLC (delivered by a few sledge hammers).

 

[bigelk50]

Nice truck!! Good score on the tires!

 

[998Junkie]

I was able to get away and spend some time with the truck. I brought recharged batterys. I was able to put a 1/2 " black pipe cap to fix the broken emergency air line elbow.

I still have a starting problem. I followed the recommendation in the manual to bleed the air out of the fuel line by loosening the bleed valve where the output of the primer tube, I then pumped the primer and pumped the primer and put about a coffee can ( 1 pound) full of fuel but I could never get all the air out. I'd get a couple of pulls then I'd get air for a hundred pumps (felt that way) then a little fuel and that repeated for about 15 minutes.

It was starting to get dark so I closed the bleed valve and tried to pump the primer and I started to see the presure gauge move a few pumps I had it to 100 I stopped pumping and just as quick the gauge went back to zero. SO the next time I had the ignition on and pumped and then hit the starter and no fire, the mortor just continues to crank.

There is one thing I noticed. The RPM needle doesn't move while the starter is going, is this normal? Should I see the RPM needle move while the starter is turning? I'm wondering if the Injector pump shaft might be broke.

Or I'm just not bleeding the air out right. I have 1/4 fuel in the left tank the tank selector is on "L" on the floor board and the dash select is on Left. The air bleeding procedure states that both the valves to the fuel/water filter be turned off ( one on the bottom and the one on the upper right). The one on the bottom is easy to figure out but which direction do I turn the valve on the upper right one to turn it off?

How much air can there be in the system? What should I try next? I'm charging the batterys again tonight.

 

[groundog]

did you remove the fuel filterr and check for blockage---are you sure you have fuel in the tank---might be good to add more fuel---are you sure emergency stop lever is re-set all the way

 

[groundog]

when I remove the fuel filter I alway fill it as much as possible brfore I re install it---be sure to use a wrench as the canniater is all most to the gasket---do not spin it for final tightening---the little in line valve turns clockwise to close but I leve mine open----groundog

 

[998Junkie]

did you remove the fuel filterr and check for blockage---are you sure you have fuel in the tank---might be good to add more fuel---are you sure emergency stop lever is re-set all the way

Check, fuel in tank but I'll add a few more gallons.
I did not remove the fuel filter, what would I look for?
When I got the truck the emergency stop had been thrown. It was at its stop pointing toward the firewall, Imoved it to the stop facing the bumper. Was that too far? Should I have gone half way?

 

[998Junkie]

when I remove the fuel filter I alway fill it as much as possible brfore I re install it---be sure to use a wrench as the canniater is all most to the gasket---do not spin it for final tightening---the little in line valve turns clockwise to close but I leve mine open----groundog

When you hit the starter on the 813 or 818 does the RPM needle move at all?