Need Some Assistance

[Those Military Guys]

A fellow SS member needs help
we have a customer that is having problems with his m923a2 he is in bozeman montana i am wondering if anyone in that area would be willing to help him out if so please pm us and i can get you in contact with him, i know it is going to be something simple but he is fusrated and there is only so much we could do over the phone to help him, he has been trying to drive it down to california for like 2 months so if anyone can help him please let us know
thank you
TMG

 

[MtnSnow]

What part of Idaho as that could help find someone willing/able to help

 

[Monkeyboyarmy]

What kind of trouble is he having?

 

[Those Military Guys]

the truck is bozeman montana

the problem is from what he is telling me it won't go over 40mph and he is having smoke out the vent hose and oil in the air cleaner but not up by the engine the tube is clean he is new to these trucks but him and his wife are just at a loss and it has been one thing after another. first the truck would not start he found out that the fuel canister that he was told was change had not been and had never been changed and it was completely plugged and then he told me he found out it had the wrong fuel pump so he placed it now the truck starts but he has lots of smoke under the truck but it didn't do this in the begining but still won't go over 40mph it could even be a trans problem but he has no idea so he need someone that understands these truck more then him. if someone could go by and look at it we have done everything we can over the phone but with out seeing it we are at a loss.
thanks
Tmg

 

[MtnSnow]

Well I'm out since it's Bozeman Montana (over 400 miles one way)...

 

[wreckerman893]

The most likely suspect is fuel filters. Some of the early 900 series trucks had a crappy coating on the inside of the fuel tanks. The stuff was soluble in diesel (never forget your equipment was built by the lowest bidder) and would play ell with fuel filters and lines if it got sucked into them. We spent a whole week removing tanks, sending them to 3rd Shop to be boiled out and re-installing them. These trucks were less than a year old and had just been issued to my unit. There was no rhyme or reason for when the gunk would start coming loose from the tanks.....and if the truck belonged to a Guard or Reserve unit and was seldom driven it may have never been cleaned out. Just my thoughts.

 

[Tactical Nomad]

Hey Guys,

This is Tactical Nomad. I am the guy with the M923A2 that I'm having trouble with. Robert (Those Military Guys) has been a great help over the phone, but I am having issues with my 5-ton.

I have owned many Ford 6.9L & 7.3L 3/4 & 1-ton diesels, and I have experience with the Cummins N14 (Red Top) engines (when I drove long haul), but I am at a loss on this one, both with the engine and trans.

When I bought the truck I drove it 3 hours home only able to go 40mph. Once home, I drove it around a couple of times and started having trouble with it. I contacted Robert and together, we started to resolve some of the issues that I was having.

1. PROBLEM: Oil in the air filter canister SOLUTION: Removed clogged air filter.
2. PROBLEM: Truck would not reverse SOLUTION: Figured out that the trans was filled with ATF instead of 15W 40 Diesel oil.
3. PROBLEM: Truck's top end speed 40mph SOLUTION: Turn-up fuel pump and star wheel (thought this would solve problem, but no, still only 40 mph?!)
4. PROBLEM: Truck would not start SOLUTION: Changed original 07-15-89 dated main (large) fuel filter, & fuel/water separator filter (started after change; still
only 40 mph?!)
5. PROBLEM: Oil smoke cloud pouring out of blow-by hose SOLUTION: ????????

One problem I was having was that I was told that the engine held 5+2 gallons of oil instead of 5.2 gals of oil (5 gals + 2 qts.), so I was initially running 7 gallons of oil which was dripping out of the blow-by hose as I drove, and pouring out when I stopped. Since then, I have drained the oil down to its correct level, but I am still getting the horrendous cloud of smoke billowing out of the blow-by tube, but no oil dripping or pouring out. Although the oil cloud does produce an oil film on the windshield of any following vehicles (I know, very James Bond, LOL!)

With the trans., I can get the truck up to 45 when it shifts into 5th gear, then the truck starts dropping down to 40 and downshifts to 4th gear, and the process repeats itself the entire time I drive it. To even achieve 45 I have to hold the pedal down to the floor hard with my foot.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Nomad

 

[R Racing]

Is the engine getting to full rpm ? Does the engine rev freely? Does the transmission seem to both down shift and up shift correctly? Does your turbo spin freely?

 

[Tactical Nomad]

Is the engine getting to full rpm ? Does the engine rev freely? Does the transmission seem to both down shift and up shift correctly? Does your turbo spin freely?

Yes to all questions.

Engine gets up to 23-24 rpm at 45 mph in 5th gear, drops to 21-22 rpm at 40 mph in 4th gear. The turbo does spool up and down properly as well.
Turbo does spin freely. I checked it when I had to clean the oil out of the intake and turbo cooler from air filter being clogged.
And yes, the trans does shift properly, both up and down. It hard shifts (as Robert told me it would) after putting in the correct type and proper amount of 15W 40 oil and the truck being empty (no load weight).

 

[R Racing]

Are you sure its going into 5th? It kinda sounds like the cable from the injection pump to the Trans maybe miss adjusted. It's happened to a few and won't let the truck into high gear or reach top speed. There have been a few posts on here about it. Worth A Look And see. If it's in 5th gear and also reaching max rpm you should be doing closer to 60+

 

[Tactical Nomad]

Are you sure its going into 5th? It kinda sounds like the cable from the injection pump to the Trans maybe miss adjusted. It's happened to a few and won't let the truck into high gear or reach top speed. There have been a few posts on here about it. Worth A Look And see. If it's in 5th gear and also reaching max rpm you should be doing closer to 60+

I hear and feel it shifting through the five gears, but I will give it a look. Where is the cable from the injection pump to the Trans located? I know where the pump is located.

 

[R Racing]

On the injection pump is a cable that adjusts on the injection pump side I think it has to be like 3/4 to 1" of slack but there is a few posts on how to adjust it properly. Mine was sticking and I just lubed it with wd40. If the cable is missing adjusted it won't let it go into 5th. And the transmission on these trucks shifts kinda funny so you may think your in 5th but actually in 4th. I'll see if I can find any posts on it . But the adjustment if off will cause this issue.

 

[Tactical Nomad]

On the injection pump is a cable that adjusts on the injection pump side I think it has to be like 3/4 to 1" of slack but there is a few posts on how to adjust it properly. Mine was sticking and I just lubed it with wd40. If the cable is missing adjusted it won't let it go into 5th. And the transmission on these trucks shifts kinda funny so you may think your in 5th but actually in 4th. I'll see if I can find any posts on it . But the adjustment if off will cause this issue.

I will look at it and see. Thanks for the info, much appreciated! I, too, will look for those posts on adjusting the cable. If you find them, can you please forward them to me?

Thanks,

 

[R Racing]

Ok I found 1 post that talks about if the Trans cable was not allowing the throttle to go all the way forward and was sticking on a m925a2 he also said after it was adjusted and lubed the 2nd gear to first was no longer harsh.

 

[Tactical Nomad]

Ok I found 1 post that talks about if the Trans cable was not allowing the throttle to go all the way forward and was sticking on a m925a2 he also said after it was adjusted and lubed the 2nd gear to first was no longer harsh.

Where might I find that post, please?

 

[R Racing]

Found it !!!!! I really think this may be your problem. It took a while to find.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/archive/index.php/t-124251.html

 

[R Racing]

Here is a better link to the same post.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?124251-925a2-not-shifting-past-3rd

 

[wheelspinner]

Don't forget one of those "shifts" you may be counting is the torque converter locking up.

 

[mcmullag]

one thing mentioned about the trans fluid. There are two or three options depending on climate or situation.
The 5 939a2 series bulldogmack13 and I have owned came with 10 weight oil in them. A certain automatic transmission fluid is an option, I believe for colder climates.
I do not recall what type of atf it is but you can find that info via Allison or the manuals. I think there is a synthetic atf available that is really expensive. good luck.

 

[Tactical Nomad]

Here is a better link to the same post.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?124251-925a2-not-shifting-past-3rd

Thanks for the link. I'm going to follow the procedures outlined in that thread. Hopefully that will put my truck back on track?!

Don't forget one of those "shifts" you may be counting is the torque converter locking up.

Thanks for the response and info. I did not think about the torque converter locking up. That may very well be the "shift" I am counting?!

one thing mentioned about the trans fluid. There are two or three options depending on climate or situation.
The 5 939a2 series bulldogmack13 and I have owned came with 10 weight oil in them. A certain automatic transmission fluid is an option, I believe for colder climates. I do not recall what type of ATF it is but you can find that info via Allison or the manuals. I think there is a synthetic ATF available that is really expensive. good luck.

Thanks for the response and info. The trans is running much better since draining the ATF/ motor oil mixture (and there was only 3 gallons in the trans.) and adding the 11 gallons of 15W 40 Heavy Duty Diesel Oil. it does run better and shift like I was told it was supposed to shift. Hopefully adjusting the linkage(s) will allow it to run at normal speeds.

I have been informed not to run the trans according to the Allison specs or manual. Due to the fact that the 5-ton trans. were manufactured per mil-specs, they are built to run on 15W 40 Heavy Duty Diesel Oil, and using ATF may cause damage to the trans. I was also informed to NEVER use synthetic oils/fluids/lubes as they are too slippery and can cause damage to the gears?! I'm not completely sure if this is accurate, but I feel it's better follow the mil-specs where the fluids/oils/lubes are concerned.