Can't get the engine to idle

[davidm2232]

Probl


Problem solved? Make sure the lines are tight and not sucking air. Those canister gaskets (O-rings) don’t always seat properly and the canister won’t seal.

Not solved yet. It idles better and will somewhat idle on its own. But if I release the clutch a bit and bring the RPMs down at all, it won't recover and will die after a second or so. The filters are spin-on and seemed to seal pretty decent. There was a newer looking aluminum cylinder between the engine housing and where the filters went on, so is that an upgrade? Never seen another truck to compare it to.

 

[davidm2232]

Accidental repost

 

[dmetalmiki]

Ir runs.."Not worse"..?
So has the problem been solved or not?...
And so, What happens when you turn the idle screw up to 750 R.P.M.?

 

[davidm2232]

Ir runs.."Not worse"..?
So has the problem been solved or not?...
And so, What happens when you turn the idle screw up to 750 R.P.M.?

Not solved. It is better but not right. Idle speed screw is bottomed out and it will idle at around 1000-1200 if you slowly let off the pedal. But if you even bump the clutch, as soon as the RPMs drip even a little it will slow down and die, even if you immediately release the clutch. I'm thinking the rusty slime I saw on the filter housing is in the IP and causing issues. Hopefully some clean diesel and fuel system cleaner will help. The guy I bought it from had a lot of water in the fuel, so the rusty looking sludge is not a surprise.

 

[cattlerepairman]

If it is bad, consider disconnecting the lines and using compressed air to blow them through, starting at the front, towards the tank. Don't want the gunk in your injection pump. Then off comes the tank for a good wash!

 

[Mullaney]

Not solved. It is better but not right. Idle speed screw is bottomed out and it will idle at around 1000-1200 if you slowly let off the pedal. But if you even bump the clutch, as soon as the RPMs drip even a little it will slow down and die, even if you immediately release the clutch. I'm thinking the rusty slime I saw on the filter housing is in the IP and causing issues. Hopefully some clean diesel and fuel system cleaner will help. The guy I bought it from had a lot of water in the fuel, so the rusty looking sludge is not a surprise.

.
It might be that a fuel filter housing and a pump just filtering that fuel in the tank would let you clean up what is in the tank without breaking the bank.

I found a DIY version of fuel polishing. A set of simple instructions are here. Maybe give this a look and see what it might do for you...

DIY Fuel Polishing - The Boat Galley

If your boat has been sitting for a while, you may need to polish your fuel. Here's how with suggested tools to make it easier to accomplish DIY fuel polishing.

theboatgalley.com

Fuel is expensive, but DIRTY fuel is going to be even more expensive in the parts you might break like your IP. If you don't have extra fuel tanks, you could filter in your fuel tank with a weight on the intake line. After a few hours, move the pickup tube to a new corner of your fuel tank... You could do a fuel/water separator ahead of the fuel filter on that setup too.

 

[dmetalmiki]

Cleaners in the tank move junk to where you don't want it.
If you have it flushing that junk to the filters they want changing until the fuel runs clean.

When clean, IF the problem persists..(Fer' cryin' out loud')..The BUTTON IS OFF THE QUILL SHAFT>.

Take the bolt out of the hydraulic Head top.
CHECK the lift stroke on the Quill.

1/3 stroke is NEVER going let your truck run below 1500 R.P.M.

CHECK THE LIFT STROKE before plodding on and on and on...

 

[davidm2232]

1/3 stroke is NEVER make your truck run below 1500 R.P.M.

I'm a bit confused by that statement. Are you saying that I should never run the truck below 1500 to avoid damaging the button/quill? Or that if the button has fallen off, it won't run below 1500?
I can get it to run just fine at 800 or so as long as I keep a little pressure on the fuel pedal. It idles smooth and sounds fine.

As far as dropping the tank and cleaning it out, it really isn't worth it to me. If the cleaners don't do their job, I have several people that will buy the truck for what I paid for it. I was really looking for a cheap, robust, simple truck that I don't have to work on much. The more I read on these things and the more things I look at on my truck, the less that seems to be true. I already need to do new brake pads in the back and the front knuckle boots are basically gone and need to be replaced.

 

[Mullaney]

I'm a bit confused by that statement. Are you saying that I should never run the truck below 1500 to avoid damaging the button/quill? Or that if the button has fallen off, it won't run below 1500?
I can get it to run just fine at 800 or so as long as I keep a little pressure on the fuel pedal. It idles smooth and sounds fine.

As far as dropping the tank and cleaning it out, it really isn't worth it to me. If the cleaners don't do their job, I have several people that will buy the truck for what I paid for it. I was really looking for a cheap, robust, simple truck that I don't have to work on much. The more I read on these things and the more things I look at on my truck, the less that seems to be true. I already need to do new brake pads in the back and the front knuckle boots are basically gone and need to be replaced.

.
The crummy part is that you have to get rid of whatever crud is in the tank. The idea of "fuel polishing" could cost you a hundred and a half for a pump and filter housing. Truck sits still, doesn't use any fuel, and in several hours, the fuel in your tank will be clean. Maybe not. You might need to remove the filter and do it again to finish the job.

Not trying to tell you what to do, but did you by chance look at the link above from The Boat Gallery about what I had suggested? Cleaning the fuel you have? At $5 a gallon or more, it should be more than worth the money...

 

[davidm2232]

.
The crummy part is that you have to get rid of whatever crud is in the tank. The idea of "fuel polishing" could cost you a hundred and a half for a pump and filter housing. Truck sits still, doesn't use any fuel, and in several hours, the fuel in your tank will be clean. Maybe not. You might need to remove the filter and do it again to finish the job.

Not trying to tell you what to do, but did you by chance look at the link above from The Boat Gallery about what I had suggested? Cleaning the fuel you have? At $5 a gallon or more, it should be more than worth the money...

I do have a decent pump that would be fine for circulating fuel. I did read through that link. Looked like they were just pumping through and screened funnel. Doesn't seem like it would do too much to filter out water. Maybe?

 

[Gypsyman]

As far as dropping the tank and cleaning it out, it really isn't worth it to me. If the cleaners don't do their job, I have several people that will buy the truck for what I paid for it. I was really looking for a cheap, robust, simple truck that I don't have to work on much. The more I read on these things and the more things I look at on my truck, the less that seems to be true. I already need to do new brake pads in the back and the front knuckle boots are basically gone and need to be replaced.

Not to be harsh but if you're not willing to do a simple tank drop and clean then a Deuce is not for you. These truck take a lot of maintenance to live a happy life and be safe on the road. Maintenance free they are not.

Richard

 

[davidm2232]

Not to be harsh but if you're not willing to do a simple tank drop and clean then a Deuce is not for you. These truck take a lot of maintenance to live a happy life and be safe on the road. Maintenance free they are not.

Richard

I definitely don't have a lot of room in my life for another project. I already need to figure out how to put brakes on the back wheels. It was bobbed, single wheel swapped, and a pinion brake put in. Not ideal for a on road truck. When I bought it I was told by a few people that these things were indestructible and just needed diesel put in the tank. Apparently they lied.

 

[Gypsyman]

Tough as nails, yes. But they are still dinosaur technology and require constant attention. At least in my experience. The constant attention becomes less once you've gone through one from end to end but never completely stops.

 

[davidm2232]

Tough as nails, yes. But they are still dinosaur technology and require constant attention. At least in my experience. The constant attention becomes less once you've gone through one from end to end but never completely stops.

I'll probably feel a lot better once I get the rear end figured out and front boots replaced. It's a bit overwhelming on top of all my other projects.

 

[Mullaney]

I do have a decent pump that would be fine for circulating fuel. I did read through that link. Looked like they were just pumping through and screened funnel. Doesn't seem like it would do too much to filter out water. Maybe?

.
Hi David,

Yes and No? Maybe?

I think what you need is to buy yourself a fuel filter and a fuel filter housing. The housing is the gizmo that you screw the filter on to. What I am trying to get you to do is create a loop. That loop is an intake line (with a weight on the hose) in the bottom of your fuel tank. Then the output line goes into the tank - just far enough to make sure it doesn't fall out on the ground.

Then you power up the pump (maybe right beside the filter housing) and let it run for a while. Stand there want watch it. Then as that works for a while AND that you are confident that the hoses are staying in place - walk away. Let it run for a while, then come back and look again.

In a perfect world, let it run all night if you are sure the hoses have not moved. Then move the weighted hose at the bottom of the tank to the other end of your tank. Let it run some more.

If you start to hear less fuel coming out of the output hose, then you may have found the magic - and should shut down the pump - and replace the filter and let it run again for another day or two.

 

[ToddJK]

You should never see any kind of "slime" in any part of the fuel system. To me, that may be one thing I have yet to see addressed and that is algae. There is a form of algae that forms and spreads in diesel fuels. Good thing is there is a fuel additive for that, which will kill the algae and it will basically fall to the bottom of the tank or get caught in the filters.
If you see any of this slime in the tank, then I'm willing to bet that it may be your culprit, but if this stuff in throughout the fuel system, it will cause issues until it's gone and I highly recommend adding that fuel additive for the algae anytime the truck sits for a while to prevent it from forming again.
I know you said you added all the other cleaners and such, but did you add any water removers or alcohol to the tank and stir it? If not, I'd still recommend doing that and get the truck started and let it run for 30 mins to an hour a few times a week. This will get those cleaners circulating and work on cleaning the system. I'd also drain the primary filter of any water each time before and after you run the truck.
Have you changed the air filter or cleaned the current one out well? Sometimes those little gauges inside the cab aren't always accurate. Pop that air filter out and start it up and if it idles fine, that was your issue or a combination along with old and dirty fuel/fuel filters.
I'm just trying to suggest all the easy and cheap solutions first before assuming it may be the IP, but I would wait on all the other things that need fixed until you get it to run right. If it doesn't run right and you feel the IP is too much of a hassle to work on and wish to sell the truck, then you aren't investing more time and money into it then you really want too. If that's the case, then maybe in the future, if you wish to purchase another deuce again, I'd look into one that has been well maintained. My first one sat for a long while and needed tons of work and was a money pit and that was before I blew the head gasket, lol. My second one has been a very well maintained truck that didn't sit as much, but was driven a lot. Sometimes those first impressions can just give someone a negative opinion about the truck, but once you develop that positive opinion about it, maintenance issues and repairs are not so much of an effort as it is a priority because you can't wait to drive it again.

 

[Bill Nutting]

How much fuel is in the tank?

 

[davidm2232]

It wouldn't surprise me if there was algae growing in the tank. I'll see if I can find a biocide to put in also. Never actually seen an algae problem but have heard about it. Truck has sat at least a year that I know of, probably longer, only running a handful of times, so stale/contaminated fuel is certainly an issue. Tank is about 3/4 full. I put about 10 gallons of fresh diesel in it last fall but the rest is pretty old. What really needs to happen is I need to get the brakes figured out and get it on the road. I found a guy that is willing to trade me straight up for a drum brake equipped axle. So I can just pull my pinion brake axle off and swap with him. I just need to make sure the gear ratios are the same.

 

[davidm2232]

I did get the truck on the road and was able to go put some fresh fuel in it. As I pulled into the gas station, I smelled brakes big time. Looks like the new pads I put on the rear pinion brake had melted to the rotor. Filled it with fuel and brought it home. The rear driveshaft is locked right up. If I open the bleeder for the rear caliper, it does release and the driveshaft has a normal amount of free play. From what I have read, this is likely an airpack issue. I ordered a rebuild kit so it will be a few days until I can do anything else with the truck. It does appear to be getting harder to start with longer cranks, so it may be an air in the lines issue. I'll probably end up doing a delete on the intake heater just to rule it out, it doesn't appear to work anyway.

Just wanted to give everyone and update and not leave you hanging. Hate when people just drop a thread and never post a resolution

 

[dmetalmiki]

I'm a bit confused by that statement. Are you saying that I should never run the truck below 1500 to avoid damaging the button/quill? Or that if the button has fallen off, it won't run below 1500?
I can get it to run just fine at 800 or so as long as I keep a little pressure on the fuel pedal. It idles smooth and sounds fine.

As far as dropping the tank and cleaning it out, it really isn't worth it to me. If the cleaners don't do their job, I have several people that will buy the truck for what I paid for it. I was really looking for a cheap, robust, simple truck that I don't have to work on much. The more I read on these things and the more things I look at on my truck, the less that seems to be true. I already need to do new brake pads in the back and the front knuckle boots are basically gone and need to be replaced.

1/3 stroke is NEVER going let your truck run below 1500 R.P.M. ( IF, That is in fact the problem ). And it usually is....Or could be.