M923A2 came home with me today!

[steelsoldiers]

I had a couple of hours to work on the truck after work today. The first thing I did was to try and get it started on 2 batteries. I got rid of the 2 bad batteries and wired up the 2 good ones. I had juice at the top of the yellow mark. I flipped the starter switch and she was crankin! I cranked for about 20-30 secs and then let the starter cool. I cracked all of the fuel lines open at the pump after a few cranking sessions and got no fuel. I cranked about 5 more times and had fuel coming from the back two lines. I was starting to lose juice at that point, but still cranked it some more to see if it would fire. It was hitting just a bit on one cylinder, but the others must have been full of air still. I have the batteries on charge now and will try again on Friday evening or Saturday. I think I'll go ahead and replace the fuel filter just in case there is any crud in it. It sure was nice to have it spinning freely with the starter and hitting a little bit. Hopefully I'll have the rad mount and shroud for saturday too so I can get it started and let it run for a while.

After I killed the batts I worked on the hub until dark. I used strips or emory cloth to polish the surfaces of the spindle. I got the inside bearing to slide on without effort now. I also discovered that the used outer bearing I got from Winslow's is too small. It was off of a non-CTIS truck so I wasn't positive it would work when I got it. So, I need to order that and then I should be ready to grease and set the hub for good. Maybe it will all come together on Saturday and I'll actually get it rolling!!

 

[steelsoldiers]

Well, my radiator bracket, fan shroud and PS cooler didn't show yesterday. I'll have 'em next week though.

I took my fully charged batts and some other parts for a work session today. After I got the batts in I cranked until I had fuel coming out of all the pump lines. I tightened down all the lines and cranked a little more and the 8.3 finally lit up! Man it sounded good! What a huge relief that was. No bad noises, no oil spewing on the ground, no problems at all. I did take a little video for your enjoyment

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?module=pagesetter&type=file&func=get&tid=4&fid=file&pid=109

After that, I went to work on the PS ram. I took the flat tire off of the pass. side to give me some more room. Then I spent an hour taking the stone shield off. The goofy military guys tried to take the old ram off by removing the leaf spring pin with the ram still attached. I've got to get that knocked back in before I can mount the ram.

I ordered the outside bearing for the driver's hub today. Then I need to track down the two nuts and lock-washer at a heavy truck place down the road. Hopefully I'll get that stupid hub put back together soon!

I had no idea how dang big that truck was until I jacked the front end up to remove the flat. The whole time I have been working on it, the pass. side has been flat and sitting on the rim and the driver's side has been on a jack-stand. When I got it all the way off the ground I thought, "Holy heck, this is going to make it tough to get the radiator back in there!" I am going to leave the front end on the jack stands until the rad is back in to make life a little easier

More pics later.

 

[M1075]

Congratulations on getting it going. Thanks for the video!

 

[clinto]

Good video, very exciting!

<----------- I would have used that smiley, but your truck is a an automatic

 

[Recovry4x4]

Very cool Chris. I woulda been sweating bullets spending a considerable sum on a truck that I wasn't sure would run. That was the biggest concern I'm sure. The only other huge concern is the tranny, if that works Ok you will be living large. I'm impressed and happy for you bro!

 

[cranetruck]

Congrats on making progress, it's a great relief when the engine fires, went through the same back in November (can't believe it's been that long!) with my 5-tonner.

....
I had no idea how dang big that truck was until I jacked the front end up to remove the flat.....

It's also very heavy, about 21,200 lb maybe more with the CTIS. Compare with 16,000 for the equivalent m656 8x8 cargo, which incidentally had higher payload capacity. I think the army missed the bus back in the late sixties.

Couldn't make the puter load the video, but will try again later.

 

[clinto]

Couldn't make the puter load the video, but will try again later.

Right click on the link and "save as" to your computer. Once it downloads, then you can view it.

 

[cranetruck]

Got it Clinto, thanks.

 

[Oldvw2]

Sweeeeet!

Great news Brother, I am glad to see that it actually was #2 in the tank since it was almost too full to be true. I am also relieved that the "magic smoke" did not leak out of any of my wiring repairs since the bat switch wires were unlabeled and hard to reach.
Chad

 

[jkelly66]

Great video nothing like hearing an engine for the first time. My unit was geting these 900s new about 6 months before I got out in 86 I loved the way they drove and sounded the part of your video inside the cab brings back good memories. Congrats
John

 

[Recovry4x4]

I had a video of when I groundhopped the engine I put in the wrecker. I also have footage of the first start of the multifuel in the wrecker. It was very cool to say the least! That must have been a proud moment.

 

[ONTOS66]

Wow! Great video, what a project. Good luck, I hope to see it one of these days when I can attend an event.

 

[mangus580]

Working on it kenny!!

 

[Elwenil]

Congrats, Chris! I know how big a grin I had when I got my M715 to fire up after it had been sitting for 15 years or so with a bunch of "mechanics" trying to work on it and they never did get it to run. I was very happy when it started to fire and then gradually built up speed and purred right along. I can only imagine that your feeling was similar only way bigger considering the size of the truck, the diesel engine and your investment. Again, congratulations and I hope to see it running and driving one day.

 

[steelsoldiers]

Thanks for the congrats y'all! No "magic smoke" from the dash, Chad. You did just fine

It was a great feeling. The only thing better will be if me and my brother can get it rolling under its own power this coming weekend. We're close. I can smell it. The radiator and the hub are the final pieces to the puzzle. I've got just about 2 months to get all of the little gremlins killed, get it titled, licensed, inpsected, etc... Crunch time is approaching!

 

[steelsoldiers]

Here's a few more pics:

The first two are of the PS ram assist project. The first is with the stone shield off. The second shows the ball stud that the ram attaches too. The stud is also the pin for the leaf spring. The guys who were robbing parts started pulling the pin out, then they figured out how to release the ram sockets. Duh.

The next ones are for BFR and whoever else is curious about the CTIS.

The last two are of the dash after my brother rehab'ed the wiring and switches. There is also a new tach and new fresh air cable.

 

[BFR]

 

[rizzo]

so you put a switch in to turn front wheels off? Thats not stock right?

 

[steelsoldiers]

so you put a switch in to turn front wheels off? Thats not stock right?

Right now it looks like I put in a switch to make the front wheels fall off

No, it's just the usual air-shift front axle switch. Mine had been chopped out. Anyone know where I can find a pressure switch for it?

NSN 5930004539367
P/N 11609301

I cross-checked the M35A2 one and it's different.

 

[rizzo]

I thought all 5 tons had sprag t-cases ???