Questions for all you 543 owners

[hvann]

All you 543 owners, I have a couple question for you.

I would like to know what kind of speed and at what rpm your 543 cruises at, along with what is your top end. I have a 543A2 multifuel and it runs up against the governor around 43 mph. And lastly, does anyone have the procedure for turning up the governor along with what the book calls for as top rpm?

Thank to all for any input you may have on this subject.

Van

 

[AMGeneral]

Well,I don't have a M543,but I would say something is wrong with your truck,because any 5 ton M series wrecker should manage 50 mph on the flat.

Being as your truck is a Multifuel it should have a governed engine RPM of 2900,and it should have a non OD transmission.

 

[jatonka]

I get an easy 45 MPH out of mine. I was the clean up crew in a funeral procession a couple years ago. All Big Horses and Log trucks for an old friend. I got up to 55 MPH for the first time in My M543A2's life, took turns like I was at Watkins Glen, never saw the other trucks till I got to the Cemetary. They were doing a hundred when they passed the Fire House in Sammonsville. Anyway, I don't think the M543A2 will do 55 unless you bury your foot, never let up and pull gears at full RPM. If you turn it up, you will blow it up. Think about what the truck can do once it gets there, There is nothing like it on a serious reciovery, I've been there, done that, and I trust my wrecker to save the day every time. This winter I pulled a froze down, set-up Walters Snow Fighter with 11' Vee blade and 2 15 foot wings out of 18" ddep holes, all 4 corners. The Walters weighs 60,000 pounds, My M543A2 weighs nearly 37,000 pounds with all the goodies on her and full tanks. Don't expect miracles, enjoy her for what she can do. JT out

 

[rumplecat]

About 53 is as fast as i have gone in my 543a2, I could run faster but never tried. 45 is a comfortable speed for me in a machine built in 1966 and weighing 42000lbs. After all JT is right on capabilities and it is not a speeder.
James

 

[ken]

Are you getting black smoke a full throttle? If you your turbo waste gate it probally sticking open and limiting power at higher engine speeds. You can also check gov settings by slowly revving the engine in netural. If the engine will speed up to at least 2700 then you gopv is set correctly. You then have a power issue. Fuel filters clean? If so you may have to increase the fuel rate to pull that much weight.

 

[M543A2]

I bought mine in Wisconsin and drove it home towing an M880. The distance was about 330 miles. We made easy 55 to 60 MPH running 2600 to 2700 all the way. we turned up the fuel before leaving so it was not the characteristic doggy setting they have from the military. I have said many times, and will continue to say it that turning up the fuel does not automatically equal a blown engine. We have all of ours turned up, and want them no other way. We drove a deuce home from Indy without turning it up first, and felt we wanted to get out and walk compared to our others. There is one set of head gaskets that are cheapo, and will blow out. The good sets hold fine. You can tell if you have the good sets by the weep passages protruding at the block/head seam on the manifold side. Whether turned up fuel damages an engine or not depends on you, the driver. Warm the engine up before getting into it hard. The area at the back of the block heats up fast, and needs to normalize with the rest of the engine to prevent problems there. Do not demand full power for long periods of time. Have a boost gauge and pyrometer installed. My son and I both have had too much experience with these engines in White farm tractors and in our trucks for many years to subscribe to the "turn it up, blow it up" set in stone statement.
Regards Marti

 

[5tonpuller]

Mine real likes 45-50. I can get it to 60 but I dont like to push it like that. At the speed think about if you had to stop. They are not known for there braking power. People get mad because of this then I say go around dummy.

 

[BKubu]

Does it have the overdrive or direct drive tranny? The latter is MUCH more desirable to me in a truck as heavy as the wrecker. While the top speed is lower, you can actually run through all of the gears. A truck with a direct drive tranny runs about 46 MPH flat out. A truck with an OD tranny should do at least 50 MPH in optimal conditions (i.e., not too hilly). Go with the direct drive tranny. It will feel as though you added 20 HP to the motor. Don't even think of putting the monster tires on the truck...my opinion...but based upon experience. It is way too heavy for oversized tires and you will lose too much torque.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

So with his truck only going 43 mph top speed what would you guys think would fix it? I know you can mod. a MV out but what would be wrong with it stock. Would the gov. be a good place to start? Curious minds want to know

 

[BKubu]

Jay, again, I'd want to know if the truck had an OD tranny or a direct drive tranny. If it was the latter, 43 MPH would be close to the top speed (I believe the top speed is listed as 47 MPH, if I am not mistaken, but you are doing like 2,650 RPM to get that. If the truck has a direct drive transmission, it could be a lot of things...weight (that truck is HEAVY!)...combined with terrain (hills will kill the power)...etc.

 

[BKubu]

I believe max speed with the direct drive was either 46 or 47 MPH. I am going on memories that are now ten years old! With the OD tranny, it should be over 50 MPH.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

Whats a safe RPM for the engine at those speeds with either tranny?-Jay

 

[BKubu]

I would say that 2,600 is high for either motor. 2,300 is probably as high as I'd want to take her. I know there are guys on this list that insist that a deuce will do 60 MPH with stock rubber so they may disagree with me.

 

[jatonka]

Bruce, you've got it covered. If a guy wants his truck engine to stay with him, 2300 RPM is the sweet spot. A rev up to 2500 to get to the next shift point won't kill the engine but sustained driving at over 2200 to 2400 RPM will shorten the life of the motor. Please remember, the military did not consider the expense of replacing engines as much of a problem as we private owners do. I really don't see a loaded down M543A2 on hilly ground ever seeing over 45 MPH on the average. I do own one, I do use it and I do have it heavily loaded. It runs 100% excellent, it is a direct drive transmission, it will not support bigger tires. I accept this and go about life. I have a powerhouse deuce that will probably run circles around almost any other deuce around, unbelievably powerful. I run that when I feel the need to go fast. JT out

 

[hvann]

Direct drive transmission

I’m not sure what a direct drive transmission is. It is a 5 speed but it does have a different shift pattern than my 818

Van

 

[BKubu]

Van, it should say it on the data plate the shows the maximum permissible speeds. Right next to 5th gear, it should say either overdrive or direct), I believe. It has been a while since I owned my old M543A2.

 

[DaveP]

I’m not sure what a direct drive transmission is. It is a 5 speed but it does have a different shift pattern than my 818

Van

overdrive trannys normally have high gear forward on the stick.

your M818 will prob be overdrive.
and that will put high gear (overdrive) forward towards the dash.

the direct trannys have a standard (normal) pattern.

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Over drive

R25
134

Direct drive
R24
135

My M52A2 has direct drive and 2700 is 50 MPH!!! JAtonka is right, I ran my deuces at 2300 and that was 55 on the deuce (non-turbo's) and they were happy!!! I try and keep the tractor there at 2300 but dam its hard.

Ive got a M62 and I have not ran it that much on the open road. Finally going to get it registered this week. I am told that the M62 was a bit faster than the M543...............any M62 gasser owners care to chime in??

 

[hvann]

5th direct

I checked the dash plate and it says 5th direct and 5th gear is back and to the right.

 

[hvann]

Thanks

Thanks to everyone that chimed in on this.

Van