Re: [ihc] old gasoline and old trucks...

["Ryan Moore" <baradium@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mac McMuffin" <mac@domain.elided>
To: "John Hofstetter" <hofs@domain.elided>
Cc: <ihc@domain.elided>
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 22:39
Subject: RE: [ihc] old gasoline and old trucks...



> okay...  so what is to be done with old gasoline, then?  the reason i
ask...
> well, it's complicated.  okay, not really.  the B182 is officially almost
> roadworthy now.  Ryan has compleated all the major repairs on the truck
and
> it's more or less nearly ready to go.  driveline is in place, parking
brake
> is freed up, U-joint replaced, radiator hoses dealt with and coolant
system
> filled and does not leak.  air brakes are in good order and working well.
> engine runs solid and smooth, he tells me, and he says he can't find
> evidence of the usual SV oil leaks (though the exhaust apparently smokes
> quite a bit at first startup).

The oil pan has surface rust on it, just that and paint... not a drop of
oil.

As far as the smoke goes...

> even the air-operated windscreen wipers work
> properly.  currently the only thing left to deal with is the lights,
> apparently none of them work.  but that's a minor issue, at the moment.
> there is also the matter of the missing 2-speed axle switching solenoid,
but
> that can wait too.
>
> however...  there's a hitch.  the thing has three fuel tanks.  the
original
> 21-gallon factory fuel tank is in place and plumbed into the tank switch
> valve.  behind the cab is a pair of saddle tanks at 75 gallons apiece.  we
> do not know what is in the 21, if anything at all, or what condition that
> tank is in.  the two saddles, however...  those are a different story.
> they're solid and in good condition, apparently flowing fuel properly to
the
> switching valve...  and they are *full*.  with gasoline that is at a
minimum
> 5 years old, and probably closer to 8 or 9 years old. (truck last
registered
> legally in North Carolina in 1997).  the tanks had locking caps on them
when
> Ryan picked the truck up, and if i recall correctly, the tanks were fairly
> well sealed before he opened the caps.
>

The 21 gallon tank doesn't even have a cap.

> the engine runs on what's in the tanks, but Ryan tells me it won't start
on
> it.  when he first tried to run the engine, it actually started on what
was
> in the tank it was switched to at that time.  that was a couple months
ago.
> as of last week, it will no longer start on the fuel in *either* tank.
he's
> replaced the fuel filter in the sight bowl on the bottom of the fuel pump,
> which was all gunked up.  it is possible the carb is gummed up too, or
> perhaps there is some junk in the inline mesh at the fuel inlet to the
bowl
> (it's a governed Holley 2300)?  to start the engine, he has to pour a
small
> amount of fresh gasoline down the carb throat and then crank it over.  at
> which time it starts and he says runs beautifully at idle.  when trying to
> move it under its own power, however, it will stutter and die of what
sounds
> to me like fuel starvation, but which could also be bad gasoline.  Ryan
says
> the fuel doesn't smell right in either tank.  i don't know which is the
> problem, or possibly both, so i'd like to hear some opinions and
suggestions
> about what might be going on in the fuel delivery system.  the carb does
not
> appear to have any vacuum leaks or other gasket problems, so i don't think
> that's an issue.  Ryan says he doesn't think the accelerator pump is
> working, does not look like the actuator arm contacts the throttle lever
> cam, but i don't know what effect that might have, if any, on the current
> problems.
>

This truck smokes constantly.  I suspect it's due to the old gas.   It
smokes when warm more than the diesel does on a cold morning when first
started.  It smokes *bad*.

Runs really smooth when running, but in first gear (keep in mind the gears
this thing has) it doesn't even have the torque to pull itself along.  I can
rev it to the governor and it'll kill the engine before it moves in 1st.  I
*did* find that if I pull the choke knob halfway out it'll have the power to
pull itself in first, didn't try anything else.

-Ryan


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.727 / Virus Database: 482 - Release Date: 7/26/04