Can't get the engine to idle

[davidm2232]

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...

Is there a measurement/procedure for that. I skimmed the TM and searched for all instances of 'quill' but did not find this particular test.

 

[davidm2232]

Just wanted to keep everyone updated. I've put about 30 miles on the truck. Got stranded at the hardware store with a no start. Turned out to be bad windings in the starter solenoid. I am still having issues with idling. I can use my foot on the pedal to let it run at around 1000 RPM with no issue, so that sounds like it is not a major issue with the pump. When driving, it runs great. It isn't fast by any means but seems to have decent pull. Still starts right up as long as you give it around half throttle or so which makes me think there is no air in the lines. I'd like to burn a tank of fuel through it and see what happens. Also have a bunch more to do. Have to replace the front axle boot and figure out how to get front brakes working. Right now, the pinion brake on the rear seems to do all the stopping. Am I missing a proportioning valve?

 

[DaneGer21]

Just wanted to keep everyone updated. I've put about 30 miles on the truck. Got stranded at the hardware store with a no start. Turned out to be bad windings in the starter solenoid. I am still having issues with idling. I can use my foot on the pedal to let it run at around 1000 RPM with no issue, so that sounds like it is not a major issue with the pump. When driving, it runs great. It isn't fast by any means but seems to have decent pull. Still starts right up as long as you give it around half throttle or so which makes me think there is no air in the lines. I'd like to burn a tank of fuel through it and see what happens. Also have a bunch more to do. Have to replace the front axle boot and figure out how to get front brakes working. Right now, the pinion brake on the rear seems to do all the stopping. Am I missing a proportioning valve?

I must have missed it, but you have a rear pinion brake? Interesting; also not really technically road legal ; but who am I…haha

 

[davidm2232]

I must have missed it, but you have a rear pinion brake? Interesting; also not really technically road legal ; but who am I…haha

I didn't think the pinion brake was factory but I have nothing to compare it to. The hmmwv my buddy has uses discs on the inboard side of the front axle shafts, so I was thinking some sort of no wheel-mounted brakes might be normal for military stuff. I'd love to put drums on the back and get rid of the pinion brake, but I can't find a drum setup. I have only seen them with pinion brakes on the mud trucks.

 

[davidm2232]

Well, truck seems to be getting worse. Even with the throttle lock pulled all the way out, I can't get it to idle. Gas pedal is extremely sensitive if that provides any clues. Maybe a 1/4-1/2 inch travel from 1000 RPM to wide open. I've put probably 50-100 miles on it and burned half a tank of fuel so I'm thinking it's not going to clean itself out. What do I need to do to check the quill button/plunger travel and the FDC?

 

[cattlerepairman]

To check the plunger travel you need a wrench to take the hex plug out that sits in the top center of the hydraulic head, something to stick into the opening and rest on top of the plunger (I usually use a pencil; it's wood, doesn't mark anything). Then bump starter until pencil is at top dead centre, scratch mark pencil with a screwdriver or knife, bump until it goes in to the max, scratch mark pencil......the difference between the scratch lines is your plunger stroke.

Sophisticated people might set up a dial gauge to measure with more precision.

 

[davidm2232]

the difference between the scratch lines is your plunger stroke.

Is there a spec on that?

 

[cattlerepairman]

Common wisdom is close to 1/4" of travel. If the bottom clip fell off, it may still move, but less, maybe 1/8 of an inch. Or not move at all. It can get stuck in the bore; people have used a wooden dowel and a hammer and gently tapped it loose. After that, you may want to check that the bottom clip has not fallen off.

 

[davidm2232]

Common wisdom is close to 1/4" of travel. If the bottom clip fell off, it may still move, but less, maybe 1/8 of an inch. Or not move at all. It can get stuck in the bore; people have used a wooden dowel and a hammer and gently tapped it loose. After that, you may want to check that the bottom clip has not fallen off.

I did the FDC bypass. Lots more smoke free revving it but still won't idle. Put a pencil in and bumped it over. I'd say it's moving at least 1/4 in.

 

[rustystud]

Well, truck seems to be getting worse. Even with the throttle lock pulled all the way out, I can't get it to idle. Gas pedal is extremely sensitive if that provides any clues. Maybe a 1/4-1/2 inch travel from 1000 RPM to wide open. I've put probably 50-100 miles on it and burned half a tank of fuel so I'm thinking it's not going to clean itself out. What do I need to do to check the quill button/plunger travel and the FDC?

OK, full throttle in 1/2" is not good. That means you either broke something or something has come loose in the injection pump. Since it has been coming on relatively slow, that should mean something has come loose. There is quite a few things that can come loose in the injection pump that could cause this problem. I would remove the FDC from the top of the pump and get a good look inside. Gently pry with a screwdriver and see if anything is moving which should not be moving. Have someone press on the throttle while your looking inside and see what is actually moving also. If you can post a short video of this, it would help in diagnosing the problem.

 

[davidm2232]

I popped off the FDC and that bar and rod seems to move freely. Not sure if it's supposed to or not. I did take a video of working the pedal too. I'm actually motivated to fix it now so amy help is appreciated. https://youtube.com/shorts/DZw2tf7ShZc?feature=share

 

[SCSG-G4]

Cattlerepairman, where can you find these Chinese Hydraulic Heads for sell ? I've been gone for a while and haven't heard of them.

There was a 'group buy' of about 20-40+ of them about 5-8 years ago, try doing a search for "Chinese HH group" and see if the search can find it. Should have the model number and manufacturer.

 

[rustystud]

I forgot to ask. That brown gunk in your filters was "algae" . Did you ever get it cleaned out of your fuel system ? It can be a nightmare to get your system clean. At the transit agency we had a base that got a load (20,000 gallons) of contaminated diesel. I took almost a year to clean out the in ground fuel system and clean all the buses. We had to replace fuel filters on those buses every week.

 

[davidm2232]

I put some more Powerservice in it with fresh fuel but I didn't notice any difference. I have given up and sold the truck. I have way too many other projects and the more I looked at the Deuce, the more problems I found. I came out a couple hundred dollars ahead and had a bit of fun with it. Something I always wanted to own so I guess I can cross that off the bucket list

 

[ToddJK]

I put some more Powerservice in it with fresh fuel but I didn't notice any difference. I have given up and sold the truck. I have way too many other projects and the more I looked at the Deuce, the more problems I found. I came out a couple hundred dollars ahead and had a bit of fun with it. Something I always wanted to own so I guess I can cross that off the bucket list

Any plans for future MV purchases or you done with MV's all together?

 

[davidm2232]

Any plans for future MV purchases or you done with MV's all together?

I don't foresee getting any MV in the future. I have a MEP-802A that is overly complicated and unreliable. Also have a friend with an HMMWV that I am not impressed with. It's all aluminum and fiberglass. He had what I would call a minor crash that completely totaled the body. For how much maintenance these things need, their fragility, and the difficulty sourcing parts, I don't really understand their following. I much prefer a 90's Toyota or a early 2000's XJ Cherokee. Can get them for $300, parts are everywhere, and you can beat them to the moon and they just keep running.

 

[DaneGer21]

I don't foresee getting any MV in the future. I have a MEP-802A that is overly complicated and unreliable. Also have a friend with an HMMWV that I am not impressed with. It's all aluminum and fiberglass. He had what I would call a minor crash that completely totaled the body. For how much maintenance these things need, their fragility, and the difficulty sourcing parts, I don't really understand their following. I much prefer a 90's Toyota or a early 2000's XJ Cherokee. Can get them for $300, parts are everywhere, and you can beat them to the moon and they just keep running.

It’s more than just a vehicle it’s a passion and some thing about keeping history alive. It’s not for everyone, to each their own

 

[davidm2232]

It’s more than just a vehicle it’s a passion and some thing about keeping history alive. It’s not for everyone, to each their own

I guess that makes sense. It's the same thing as having a classic car which I never understood. They drive like garbage most of the time, the interiors suck, and parts are crazy expensive if you can even get them. Yeah, I get that they are 'cool' I guess but if I can't happily daily drive something, I have no interest in owning it, especially for the kind of money they cost. If I didn't have so much money in the Deuce, it would have been a totally different story. As a occasional toy and yard ornament, it would be great. But for something I had a lot of money in that I was looking to drive at least a few times a week to work and other trips, it is absolutely not the vehicle for me.

 

[Mullaney]

I guess that makes sense. It's the same thing as having a classic car which I never understood. They drive like garbage most of the time, the interiors suck, and parts are crazy expensive if you can even get them. Yeah, I get that they are 'cool' I guess but if I can't happily daily drive something, I have no interest in owning it, especially for the kind of money they cost. If I didn't have so much money in the Deuce, it would have been a totally different story. As a occasional toy and yard ornament, it would be great. But for something I had a lot of money in that I was looking to drive at least a few times a week to work and other trips, it is absolutely not the vehicle for me.

.
The hard part is either deciding or knowing - depending on how long you have been in the game - that you have to commit at least a Saturday a month to maintenance. The more you do it, the better you get at doing the job. Then there is the vehicle itself. It is newer or older? Some of the older trucks are actually less needy than some of the new stuff. Having the big fat tires... Oh my gosh, in some folks opinion that has to be done. It makes it look cool. Expensive, but it is a requirement for some.

Then there is the ability to have an antique car or MV that rides well and is fun to drive. Heck, I regularly have said that the Mk23 rides like a cadillac compared to the Stewart & Stevenson trucks that I own. Factory air ride compared to six inches of hard foam is not a fair comparison. The M1088 that I have rides like it has six square wheels on it compared to the much older M37 too.

It is definitely a personal decision.

 

[davidm2232]

Then there is the ability to have an antique car or MV that rides well and is fun to drive.

I was driving the Deuce for a week or so and had somewhat gotten used to it. I jumped in my 95 4runner TDI swap with 200k+ on it and it was like riding in a brand new Cadillac. It was quiet, smooth, the brakes actually stopped the vehicle, it was fast with plenty of power, the seats were comfortable, I had power steering, the pedals were light and easy to use. I even had a radio and a/c as well as cruise control. It does 75 without any shaking and is very stable at that speed. That was the last time I took the Deuce any further than my 2 mile test drive loop to the bar down the street.