The Road Goes On Forever and the Party Never Ends

[kendelrio]

Or "Adventures with Bertha".


So today I loaded up and went about 150 miles to the "Veterans for Veterans" benefit car show.

Up at 0300 to pretrip the truck... checking the lights, I realize one is "high beam" and one is "low beam". After grumbling and cussing, I open the hood and correct the wires and reassemble the light ring etc.

Check again and I find out I put the bulb in upside down... more cussing..... get the light straightened out and hit the road around 0400 with my fiance running chase in her jeep...

Easing down the road with my fiances kid riding shotgun.... (well... sleeping shotgun)



I get between Natchitoches and Shreveport (past the point of no return) and am scanning guages and see my voltmeter is in the yellow and sinking..

My brain starts running... "What am I gonna do? Is there a parts place anywhere near Shreveport I can get an alternator? Do I out it out on SS and hope we have a member close?"

So I do what anyone in my situation would do.... I text @fuzzytoaster with "Hey bud... kind of in a pickle.... give me a call when you wake up please".

One minute later he's calling... after a discussion, he says he can meet my fiance halfway with an alternator.... my mind is much more at ease!

Aboit that time the needle goes back to green and is holding steady, so I call him (he was walking out the door) and thank him, but I believe the truck will get me home. (I didnt want to wreck his plans for today, whatever they were....)

We get to the show (I was only about 10 minutes out at that point) and let the truck idle and charge while I get set up etc....



There were some BEAUTIFUL vehicles there, but Bertha kinda stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb...



While there, my lovely lady says "what's this green stuff dripping"? I go, pop the hood and voila.... coolant coming out of my heater core...



So... being as I can't do anything at the show, I close the hood and finish the day...

After all the votes were tallied, Bertha picked up the "People Choice" award.....



So heading home, my alternator is crapping out again and I'm focused on getting home... suddenly.. truck starts losing power... I have no clue about what's going on....

Evidently I ran out of fuel two miles from the next truck stop...

After my sweet lady making a couple of trips to get me 10 gallons of fuel, I still couldn't get the truck to start...


After checking the TM, I bleed what I think is the correct spot of the fuel system to get rid of air...

No love getting it started....

Once again... I bother Fuzzy.... after sending him a pic of where I'm working (in my defense, I've never worked on diesel engines and the TMs aren't really well illustrated...) he explains thats the fuel/water separator and directs me to the correct spot on the IP.....

Instant action when I hit the starter!!! I make it to the truck stop and put some fuel in and get back on the road toward the house (40ish miles away).....

After the relief of getting the truck running again, I remember I'm running on dying batteries.... so... new level of anxiety....

I pull into the house.... leave the truck where it's accessible and will diagnose everything tomorrow...

Quick question... the coolant out of the heater core... any ideas on where to start?

Also, I saw army6x6 has a civvy alternator for aboit half the price of the OEM... are they any good? Recommendations?

Again, many thanks to fuzzy.... I threatened to dance at his wedding g!

 

[Mullaney]

Or "Adventures with Bertha".


So today I loaded up and went about 150 miles to the "Veterans for Veterans" benefit car show.

Up at 0300 to pretrip the truck... checking the lights, I realize one is "high beam" and one is "low beam". After grumbling and cussing, I open the hood and correct the wires and reassemble the light ring etc.

Check again and I find out I put the bulb in upside down... more cussing..... get the light straightened out and hit the road around 0400 with my fiance running chase in her jeep...

Easing down the road with my fiances kid riding shotgun.... (well... sleeping shotgun)

View attachment 849855

I get between Natchitoches and Shreveport (past the point of no return) and am scanning guages and see my voltmeter is in the yellow and sinking..

My brain starts running... "What am I gonna do? Is there a parts place anywhere near Shreveport I can get an alternator? Do I out it out on SS and hope we have a member close?"

So I do what anyone in my situation would do.... I text @fuzzytoaster with "Hey bud... kind of in a pickle.... give me a call when you wake up please".

One minute later he's calling... after a discussion, he says he can meet my fiance halfway with an alternator.... my mind is much more at ease!

Aboit that time the needle goes back to green and is holding steady, so I call him (he was walking out the door) and thank him, but I believe the truck will get me home. (I didnt want to wreck his plans for today, whatever they were....)

We get to the show (I was only about 10 minutes out at that point) and let the truck idle and charge while I get set up etc....

View attachment 849856

There were some BEAUTIFUL vehicles there, but Bertha kinda stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb...

View attachment 849857

While there, my lovely lady says "what's this green stuff dripping"? I go, pop the hood and voila.... coolant coming out of my heater core...

View attachment 849858

So... being as I can't do anything at the show, I close the hood and finish the day...

After all the votes were tallied, Bertha picked up the "People Choice" award.....

View attachment 849859

So heading home, my alternator is crapping out again and I'm focused on getting home... suddenly.. truck starts losing power... I have no clue about what's going on....

Evidently I ran out of fuel two miles from the next truck stop...

After my sweet lady making a couple of trips to get me 10 gallons of fuel, I still couldn't get the truck to start...


After checking the TM, I bleed what I think is the correct spot of the fuel system to get rid of air...

No love getting it started....

Once again... I bother Fuzzy.... after sending him a pic of where I'm working (in my defense, I've never worked on diesel engines and the TMs aren't really well illustrated...) he explains thats the fuel/water separator and directs me to the correct spot....

Instant action when I hit the starter!!! I make it to the truck stop and put some fuel in and get back on the road toward the house (40ish miles away).....

After the relief of getting the truck running again, I remember I'm running on dying batteries.... so... new level of anxiety....

I pull into the house.... leave the truck where it's accessible and will diagnose everything tomorrow...

Quick question... the coolant out of the heater core... any ideas on where to start?

Also, I saw army6x6 has a civvy alternator for aboit half the price of the OEM... are they any good? Recommendations?

Again, many thanks to fuzzy.... I threatened to dance at his wedding g!

.
Well, until tomorrow: Congratulations on your win as the People's Choice winner!
Kind of a bummer that you had to work as hard as you did - but everything considered - you did good!

Glad that @fuzzytoaster was ready, willing and able to lend a hand and brainpower to boot!
He is a heck of a nice guy!

 

[Neophyte]

If the coolant is coming out of the heater core, likely need a recore…..its a bit pricy, but worth it for the long haul. Here’s a thread on it:

m939 Heater Core

No it obviously had a bad core. The whole thing was corroded out lol. Explains the faucet I had coming from under the dash. A new 2.5 inch core is over 100$ so I might as well get a new one, unless someone has the hookup on where to get 2.5 inch cores at?

www.steelsoldiers.com

 

[Guyfang]

You are turning out to being a good EXPERANCED truck mechanic!

I never worked on a that model truck heater, but seem to remember maybe that there should be on the input and out put hoses, where they go back in to the block, some petcocks to cut the heater core out of the system. That way it wont leak, and when you change it, you only loose whats in the heater, and not lots of coolant from the engine/radiator.

Good luck partner! And you have an Incredible good back up team.

The road goes on forever and the party never ends. What a wonderful song. The Highway Men do it best!

 

[cucvmule]

kendelrio, what an adventure! And you went ALL THE WAY! Never flinched and followed your Heart. As I was reading about Bertha "sticking out like a sore thumb" I thought to myself no she is just a misunderstood and unique Machine. And you ended up not sticking your thumb out for a ride. And to have the Honor of recognition makes me proud just to be a member with the Forum hearing about your time away from the Fort and Fuzzy willing to hit the open road to help a member, friend.

I believe that what you experienced is why we do the things we do. Its not all glory and accolades but trials of the heart also that help form character, or characters.

I need to get out here extra early and do a few things that I passed over before heading to Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery and pay respect to Family and Friends interred there.

God Bless

 

[chucky]

THE ROAD GOES ON FOREVER AND THE PARTY NEVER ENDS ! A great song done by the HIGHWAYMEN ! Waylon Johnny Criss and Willie! Go to youtube and watch the HIGHWAYMEN sing THE KING IS GONE AND SO ARE YOU !

 

[Floridianson]

Yea congrats on the win and I hope the wife does not leave you waking her up at 3 am.

 

[marchplumber]

Many dealings with Army 6x6.....Andy is GOOD people! He will take care of ya! Congratulations! Glad ya made it back to LZ....Road trips strain MVs AND MV owners!! Good support crew. Glad your significant other was kind and gracious....two miles is a good road march, not to mention carrying the cans! Lol

 

[kendelrio]

Many dealings with Army 6x6.....Andy is GOOD people! He will take care of ya! Congratulations! Glad ya made it back to LZ....Road trips strain MVs AND MV owners!! Good support crew. Glad your significant other was kind and gracious....two miles is a good road march, not to mention carrying the cans! Lol

Oh, she was in her jeep.... on trips like this she usually follows in her jeep so when we hey set up, if we need anything it's easier than tearing down etc.

 

[kendelrio]

You are turning out to being a good EXPERANCED truck mechanic!

Part of it is I love learning about vehicles, another part is that until I was 32, I never spent more than $1,000 on a vehicle, so I had to learn and in the process lost the hesitancy about jumping into a repair...

 

[m715mike]

Wow! What a day… pucker factor, worry, camaraderie from a brother with parts, thrill of a crowd, excitement of the winner’s circle, road side frustration, unconditional love from the GF, and ultimately the feeling of success by completing a mission!!!! So how are you feeling this morning buddy?

PM @74M35A2 …. he use to sell civi alternators with the correct engine mounting bracket at a very reasonable price. I put one on my M936A2 and it was a very easy install.

 

[kendelrio]

So how are you feeling this morning buddy?

Well, between the long day and the stress of the breakdown and vehicles blasting by at 70+ three feet from me, I died when I got home and feel like I went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson this am....

I had hazards and convoy warning lights on (adding to my stress about the batteries) and people STILL didn't move over.

 

[marchplumber]

Well, between the long day and the stress of the breakdown and vehicles blasting by at 70+ three feet from me, I died when I got home and feel like I went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson this am....

I had hazards and convoy warning lights on (adding to my stress aboit the batteries) and people STILL didn't move over.

You forget sir All those other drivers... It's all about them You don't matter

 

[Guyfang]

Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Try it on the Autobahn! When someone comes by at mach 3, and sucks your shoes off! Yeah, man might just need a drink after that.