Deuce fuel and electrical problems

[Big Red Bull]

I have a new to me 1971 deuce. I have had it for about 2 weeks aand everything has been working fine. This past Friday it stalled out on me 3 times and on the 4th that was it. I was only a mile from the house so I pulled it home jumping it a couple of times and getting it running for a short time. My 1st thought was water in the fuel so I pulled the main filter and the filter was only half full so I topped it off. I figured why stop there and pulled boyh secondary only to find the same thing. At this point I thought fuel pump but I tried to start it and it ran for a short period. After multiple tries I drained the batteries. I threw a charger on for about 2 hours and tried to start again to no luck.Again I thought fuel pump but I left the charger on for another couple of hours. I wen out one more time with hopes that luck would be on my side. Well instead Murphy was. I now have NO electric at all, no lights, no air buzzer, no gauges, no anything.

Does anyone have any ideas? please help. I have one of my biggest jobs coming up this weekend and I need to get this fixed.

Thanks

Big Red Bull
heilb@yahoo.com

 

[bigmike]

Once they get running, they don't need the in-tank fuel pump. It sounds like the I.P. has died.

 

[E22Capt]

I.P. ?

(Sorry....still new to this game)

 

[armytruck63]

Injector pump, not good news if this is really the problem .

 

[RAYZER]

first i would fully charge and test the batts seperatly, then make sure your fuel pump is working, check that by taking the fuelcap off and pulling the strainer, turn the main switch and listen for the hum of the pump and fuel splashing back into the tank via the return line, if you hear nothing, check the fuse under the square cap on top of the fuel pump, note: if the pumps not working and you have an air keak in the fuel system, it can suck air and loose prime. hope this helps.--- Ray

 

[emmado22]

Check the fuse for the in tank pump. It's located right on top of the pump housing on the outside of the tank. It's a 3 amp slow blow I belive.

 

[Big Red Bull]

Well that was my other thought but when I lost all electrical then I got to thinking I had a bad ground somewhere. Now we just had a storm so I had to stop for awhile but I just went out with a volt meter and disconnected both 12v batteries. Each battery had about 13.8v which is good. However when I hooked everything back up I got 99v, 109v. wierd voltages. so I unhooked everything again and both batteries tested 13.8 volts hooked it back up and got wierd voltages again.

Now would the injector pump keep the primary filter from filling? And where can I get another one?.

I think I have 2 problems going on here at one time and the coincidence is Murphy's Law. Then again I may only have one problem but the thing is I know as much about the Hercules engine to be dangerous. I used to work for Johnson and Towers so I am familiar with a diesel engine but I thought these thiings were supposed to be indestructable and be able to use interchangable parts so if you broke down in the field you could fix it easy.

I know I have an electrical problem because NOTHING is working. I don't know if I have a fuel problem because the electrical problem may be the fuel problem as well.. If you know where I can get an IP please let me know. Tomorrow I am going out to look for shorts anywhere. Under the dash, under the hood, around the fuel tank, etc. Not knowing much about these trucks, since I have only owned it for 2 weeks are there any fuses at all on these?

Sorry for such a long message but I realy need this truck to be running this weekend and I'm looking for any and every though.

Brad
Big Red Bull
heilb@yahoo.com

 

[Big Red Bull]

Thanks for the info on the fuse and about the fuel pump. I'll be checking those tomorrow

 

[Heavysteven]

I agree...check fuel pump, change filters, and check clean tank.
If that does not fix the problem...injector pump. There expensive.
Diesel engines are not indestructible. Truck is 40 years old, deemed worthless by the goberment, and reliability is up to the owner.

I'm clueless on the electrical thing. I have been called a rebuilder by people. I would replace your batteries, rebuild the alternator and replace the wiring harness. Lol probally would cost more than the truck.

 

[fsudad1958]

Check the battery cables, be shure that they are hooked up correctly and all the conections are clean. I bet that you are not getting 99 - 109 volts rather the volt meter is showing .99 - .109 of a volt meening no conection. Also did you charge them one 12 volt at a time or are you trying to charge 24 volt with a 12 volt charger ? just some mistakes I have seen people do.

 

[Big Red Bull]

All good advice so far. Let me say this. With just finishing building the truck, bobbed and added air bags on the rear. Put a communications box on it to turn into a mobile living qtrs. I have brand new deep cycle marine batteries, changed the oil and fresh filters, Also drained the fuel tank filled it, cleaned all of the fuel filter containers and added new filters, new air filter, etc. The truck ran great for 2 weeks but then Friday the problems started. I removed all the fuel filters drained them filled them and it started for a moment. Loosened the overflow fuel line to bleed the fuel system and then tried to start it again. When I did it wouldn't start and the starter would not disengage. Pulled alll the lines off of the batteries before I charged them. Checked the voltage on each one 13.8v hooked them back up in series for 24v and checked individual batteries 13.2von each. Went accross both and got 99v not .99. changed the batteries in my Fluke meter and still got the same thing. What is confusing is that now I have NOTHING electrical working. No lights at all, no air buzzer, turn the switch to on gauges do NOT change in anyway what-so-ever. The truck has 17,000 on it and everything has been working fine. I now know there is a fuse on the fuel tank for the pump. I did find a loose wire on the + side of the starter and re-soldered it back on. double checked the nut holding everything onto the + terminal of the starter and it was loose retightened it and still nothing. I don't know if the starter is bad now, the generator. I just can't figure it out and I'm hoping some of you guys who have been on here for awhile can keep giving me advice to check for what the cause may be. Are there anymore fuses besides the fuse on the tank for the pump. And again would the I/P keep the fuel filters from filling?

 

[fsudad1958]

The I P will not keep the filters from filling. The electric pump in the tank fills your filters. I think all your problems are electrical.

 

[Big Red Bull]

Let me ask this, if for some reason the bendix is still engaged to the flywheel do you think this may cause part of the problem? I am going to pull it a couple of feet tomorrow to be sure the bendix is not engaged to the flywheel. I have both batteries completely disengaged right now from everything and am recharging both. Before I do anything in trying to start it tomorrow I am going to check as much wiring as possible to be sure for no shorts. Please keep the advice coming

 

[Big Red Bull]

Well folks I have the problem solved. Electrical it was!!!!! After tracing everything out this morning I found my starter had shorted out. While continueing to check other things I found what I am assuming is the selenoid on the passenger side block behind the air cleaner. Not knowing if this was the selenoid and with no wiring diagram I started checking wires from that and assumed because I had infinite continuity between the to larger terminals I assumed this was bad as well. Once I unhooked everything I tried to hook the batteries back up to test my other electrical things such as lights, air buzzer, fuel pump, etc. When I tried to hook the batteries back up to test these things I got a large spark from the ground off the chassis to the neg on the batt. Yesterday both batteries were fine but when I checked them today 1 had a dead short. I went to my local supplier, found and old engine, took the starter and again I am assuming the selenoid, took the battery back to the auto parts store for a free replacement. I came home hooked up the starter, selenoid, connected the new battery, loosened the petcock on the secondary fuel filters, flipped the on/off switch, crossed my fingers and pushed the start button. As soon as fuel started blowing out the petcock the truck fired up. I shut it down, closed the petcock, fired it back up and let it sit for a half an hour running then took it for about a 30 mile ride with NO problems.

So, I assume the starter was going up, which fried the selenoid, which created the electrical problem, which caused the battery to fry. However I don't know if this is the case or the order. All I know was it took a new starter, battery and if someone would confirm if the art I am talking about on the block behind the air filter and exhaust manifold, adding that got me up and running again.

I would like to thank everyone for their information and Ray in Florida for giving me his number to call him and speak with him which gave me some great information.

As a newbie to this site and these trucks I am learning and back in business

Once again, Thank you all.

Brad
Big Red Bull

 

[RAYZER]

Glad your up and running Brad! thanks for the comp, always willing to help out if i can, hey ! how bout some pics?