On Thursday, September 29th, 2011 I picked up my First CUCV (M100
from Robin AFB,GA. I bought it because I needed a work truck large enough to haul around my bobcat and work trailer. At that time I was NOT inflicted with cucv fever. This purchase was a thought out rational decision based on physical needs. Really. --- But, I will admit that I did get a little carried away during the bidding frenzy, but that doesn't count though...Right?
I paid a whopping $3306 out the door.
I started searching the internet for the manuals the day I picked it up. I had downloaded all of the manuals by that night. On my way back home via Jacksonville,FL I picked up a paying load, two pallets to Orange,Tx. I needed to cover the high fuel costs of transporting my cucv home (around $700 for my 379 Pete pulling my Trailking lowboy trailer).
I finally made it home to Texas (just outside San Antonio) on Monday October 3rd. That night, I began to comb through the pages of the maintenance manual - troubleshooting section trying to figure out what was missing? There were five wires and terminals hanging off the fire wall next to the brake reservoir. A big red one, a big double orange one, a blue one, a pink one, and a small orange one.
After digging through the Technical Manual I determined what it was ----Yep, it was the glow plug relay. -- Only problem was finding a suitable over the counter relay that would suffice. I found out that the relay coil should have a resistance reading of 6-10 ohms - via the manual. At this point I had still neglected to search for help outside the manuals. Trying to find the right relay wasn't fun. None of the auto parts stores knew the coil resistance of the relays/solenoids. As a result I ended up buying a starter solenoid and a 30 amp accessory relay used to energize the solenoid, thus satisfying the current load requirements on the Glow plug module (<2 amps via E=IR). Didn't want to fry the GP module.
Once the two relays were mounted I connected my (new) batteries and leads. Then I tried cranking it over. The dash lights came on, check, seat belt buzzer, check, the GP wait light, check, but no cranking. Zip, nada, none. Not even a solenoid click. At this point I again went back to the manual and went through the troubleshooting procedures --- found only one bolt in the starter – thank goodness it didn't turn over I may have trashed my ring gear or bendix. Went to the parts store got another bolt. Before installing I removed the starter and checked the solenoid, tested the starter, and lightly sanded down the starter face that is bolted to the block for good electrical continuity/ground. I likewise sanded the block. Tried it again – no luck, back to the drawing board (the manual). Good news – I found the culprit, I tested the starter relay as described in the manual – It was bad. It was at this point that my luck started to change. Because now I started searching for a relay, and what did I find? I found you. Thats right, I found the cucv forum on Steel Soldiers. My whole world changed at that moment. Life became simpler, better, happier, and much more successful.
At this point I began reading. I read through all four of the cucv stickies from front to back. It was all there. Yep, the starter relay, the correct glow plug relay, everything that I needed was on this sight in the stickies. WoW! How lucky I was to have found y'all!!
On Wednesday, October 5th, I changed the oil, completed the doghead modification, replaced my glow plug relays with the Oreilly equivalent of Napa's ST-85, the S-55. After testing, I found out that the current through the coil was even less than the factory relay << less than 1 amp.
The next day, Thursday, I then changed the bread loaf fuel filter, purged all air per TM instructions and tried to crank her over. Everything looked good, so I tried it – and with a fast and smooth crank, a little sputter, and then vroooom she started like a champ! Funny, at this point my truck is still on the lowboy. I used the back deck as scaffolding for working on the engine. It worked great. Of course now I'm excited and ready to take it for a spin. I disconnected my trailer tongue and drove right off and then out to the pasture. It purred like a kitten curled up in fat ladies lap! Smooth sailing – no vibrations, no smoke at all, even on start up. Checked for leaks – all was good. Big Smile.
To calm down from the days excitement I thought I would paroose the govliq web pages again. BUT --- Big problem, I started feeling this urge, a wanting - I can't explain this overwhelming desire, An unstoppable desire, it was an unstoppable desire to purchase another cucv! I've seen these symptoms before while visiting the Steel Soldiers forum. I thought to myself, thats not me though, I don't have it, I couldn't have IT. NO, NO, NO,not me, it just can't be, but I knew it was ---- I had CUCV FEVER!!!
It's was around 3:30 central, the auction closed in 30 minutes. So what did I do? I did exactly what anyone would do that had contracted a terrible case of cucv fever - I promptly placed a bid on a 1985 M1009!
30 minutes later I was the proud owner of a 1985 M1009, a perfect complement to my now running 1985 M1008.
Hope you enjoyed my story.
The reason for this post was to let you know a little about my beginning experiences, but more importantly I wanted to thank you, all of you, for contributing to Steel Soldiers. I want to acknowledge and show my appreciation of the blood, sweat and tears that were shed in building this vast bank of cucv knowledge that is open to all of us undeserving newbies.
Again, Thanks
TMike from Texas
from Robin AFB,GA. I bought it because I needed a work truck large enough to haul around my bobcat and work trailer. At that time I was NOT inflicted with cucv fever. This purchase was a thought out rational decision based on physical needs. Really. --- But, I will admit that I did get a little carried away during the bidding frenzy, but that doesn't count though...Right? I paid a whopping $3306 out the door. I started searching the internet for the manuals the day I picked it up. I had downloaded all of the manuals by that night. On my way back home via Jacksonville,FL I picked up a paying load, two pallets to Orange,Tx. I needed to cover the high fuel costs of transporting my cucv home (around $700 for my 379 Pete pulling my Trailking lowboy trailer).
I finally made it home to Texas (just outside San Antonio) on Monday October 3rd. That night, I began to comb through the pages of the maintenance manual - troubleshooting section trying to figure out what was missing? There were five wires and terminals hanging off the fire wall next to the brake reservoir. A big red one, a big double orange one, a blue one, a pink one, and a small orange one.
After digging through the Technical Manual I determined what it was ----Yep, it was the glow plug relay. -- Only problem was finding a suitable over the counter relay that would suffice. I found out that the relay coil should have a resistance reading of 6-10 ohms - via the manual. At this point I had still neglected to search for help outside the manuals. Trying to find the right relay wasn't fun. None of the auto parts stores knew the coil resistance of the relays/solenoids. As a result I ended up buying a starter solenoid and a 30 amp accessory relay used to energize the solenoid, thus satisfying the current load requirements on the Glow plug module (<2 amps via E=IR). Didn't want to fry the GP module.
Once the two relays were mounted I connected my (new) batteries and leads. Then I tried cranking it over. The dash lights came on, check, seat belt buzzer, check, the GP wait light, check, but no cranking. Zip, nada, none. Not even a solenoid click. At this point I again went back to the manual and went through the troubleshooting procedures --- found only one bolt in the starter – thank goodness it didn't turn over I may have trashed my ring gear or bendix. Went to the parts store got another bolt. Before installing I removed the starter and checked the solenoid, tested the starter, and lightly sanded down the starter face that is bolted to the block for good electrical continuity/ground. I likewise sanded the block. Tried it again – no luck, back to the drawing board (the manual). Good news – I found the culprit, I tested the starter relay as described in the manual – It was bad. It was at this point that my luck started to change. Because now I started searching for a relay, and what did I find? I found you. Thats right, I found the cucv forum on Steel Soldiers. My whole world changed at that moment. Life became simpler, better, happier, and much more successful.
At this point I began reading. I read through all four of the cucv stickies from front to back. It was all there. Yep, the starter relay, the correct glow plug relay, everything that I needed was on this sight in the stickies. WoW! How lucky I was to have found y'all!!
On Wednesday, October 5th, I changed the oil, completed the doghead modification, replaced my glow plug relays with the Oreilly equivalent of Napa's ST-85, the S-55. After testing, I found out that the current through the coil was even less than the factory relay << less than 1 amp.
The next day, Thursday, I then changed the bread loaf fuel filter, purged all air per TM instructions and tried to crank her over. Everything looked good, so I tried it – and with a fast and smooth crank, a little sputter, and then vroooom she started like a champ! Funny, at this point my truck is still on the lowboy. I used the back deck as scaffolding for working on the engine. It worked great. Of course now I'm excited and ready to take it for a spin. I disconnected my trailer tongue and drove right off and then out to the pasture. It purred like a kitten curled up in fat ladies lap! Smooth sailing – no vibrations, no smoke at all, even on start up. Checked for leaks – all was good. Big Smile.
To calm down from the days excitement I thought I would paroose the govliq web pages again. BUT --- Big problem, I started feeling this urge, a wanting - I can't explain this overwhelming desire, An unstoppable desire, it was an unstoppable desire to purchase another cucv! I've seen these symptoms before while visiting the Steel Soldiers forum. I thought to myself, thats not me though, I don't have it, I couldn't have IT. NO, NO, NO,not me, it just can't be, but I knew it was ---- I had CUCV FEVER!!!
It's was around 3:30 central, the auction closed in 30 minutes. So what did I do? I did exactly what anyone would do that had contracted a terrible case of cucv fever - I promptly placed a bid on a 1985 M1009!
30 minutes later I was the proud owner of a 1985 M1009, a perfect complement to my now running 1985 M1008.
Hope you enjoyed my story.
The reason for this post was to let you know a little about my beginning experiences, but more importantly I wanted to thank you, all of you, for contributing to Steel Soldiers. I want to acknowledge and show my appreciation of the blood, sweat and tears that were shed in building this vast bank of cucv knowledge that is open to all of us undeserving newbies.
Again, Thanks
TMike from Texas
I am sorry my friend but there no known cure once you make that first purchase. I just try to stay off the GL site as much as possible.
