Starting my deuce after 5 year storage

[197thhhc]

Get it fired up first then look for leaks and check and recheck the brakes. If it has a good brake pedal then pump it hard a few times and recheck your fluid level. Chances are after sitting that long you will need to bleed the brakes to get any pedal. Good luck.

 

[hole]

Sounds like everyone else has about covered the start up suggestions for you. I'm in Alta Loma too if you need a hand.

 

[jbsapp]

The seller of my M35A2 fired her up after sitting for about 6 years. A fluid check was all that was performed prior, and fuel stabilizer had been added to the tank before sitting. It fired up after about ten seconds of cranking.

 

[poppop]

The runaway is a posibility so be prepared for that. I bought one that had run away on startup and the owner shut it down with the regular shut down cable. It would not start back up so I ended up with the truck and found the shut down stuck in the injection pump. When I freed it up the truck started and ran good. I have had two trucks with the shutdown stuck in the off position from sitting for long periods.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Thats what she said.

Listen to you, "Drain Plug" !!!!

 

[bones1]

What causes engines that have been sitting a while to run away anyway?

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

I would think a sticking fuel demand in the injection pump. not sure what the technical term would be but whatever the throttle demands for fuel is attached to. Also ether will.

 

[derby]

What causes engines that have been sitting a while to run away anyway?

I think they feel neglected

 

[quickfarms]

I would check all the fluids for water.

All you have to do is drain a little of the bottom, if it looks good put the plug back in and top off, if it looks bad than drain it.

How far do you have to drive it to get to your new location?

 

[Bkoyle]

Thank you, thank you for all the help!!

I think that I will check for water in the fuel, oil, etc, and drain the fuel tank. Likely I will work on it in the next few days.

To answer some specific questions, I have to move it about 40 miles to my new place. The biggest problem with the recovery is that I have to descend the Cajon Pass, which is one of the larger passes in Southern California. I will have to make sure that the brakes are perfect. There is only the freeway, and no side streets to travel on.

I do have all the time in the world, as it can continue to sit at my friend's house, but where is the fun in that!!

I love the suggestion to film the start-up, and post it. I will have to work on it.

Bruce

 

[Flyingvan911]

I think you'll have to crank the engine a lot to get oil pressure. I'm pretty sure at a few hundred rpm you'll run down the batteries before you'll see any pressure on the oil gauge. This is based on the fact that it takes atleast 10-15 seconds or so to get oil pressure when a deuce is started and idles at 600-800 rpm.

I say check the fluids and fire her up. Make sure nothing leaks then change the fluids and filters. I also agree with making sure there are no nests in pipes and no rotten hoses.

The runaway deal is just a precaution. It should not be at much of a risk just because it has been sitting. It can't hurt to be prepared.

 

[CycleJay]

Hi guys,

Just curious.. What does it mean when the engine runs away?

 

[cattlerepairman]

Hi guys,

Just curious.. What does it mean when the engine runs away?

When operating as designed, the injection pump supplies the fuel and the engine has a provision to be shut down via some type of fuel shutoff.

Over time or because of a defect, oil seals can begin to leak and allow engine oil into the intake area of the engine. A common culprit are the axle seals on a turbocharger. The pressure differential across the seal on a running engine literally "sucks" more oil out. Because a diesel engine will run quite happily when burning engine oil as fuel, the revs will go up. This increases the pressure differential and even more engine oil gets sucked into the intake and burnt as fuel. The rpms climb.

The engine will continue to accelerate until either the crankcase oil is gone or some parts decide to leave their pre-arranged position and exit the block. Conventional safety equipment, such as rpm governors or shutoffs will be useless, because the engine is finding its own fuel source and the shutoffs usually target the diesel fuel system only.

The only reliable way of shutting down a runaway diesel is to shut off the air. A flap in the air intake (fitted on some engines as a safety add-on) or a phone book (oh, there is a story...) or a plank of wood or....will be sucked tight over the intake opening and the engine starves of air.
Before anybody mentions it - no, you can not use your hand over the intake. You will get hurt, probably badly. Even on a TDI Volkswagen.

Runaways are scary when they happen; the rpm can climb so quickly that destruction occurs before you can do anything. I have in my ear the scream of a marine diesel that I never thought could revv that high, ever.

 

[patracy]

I'm in the crowd of checking the fluids and spin her over. I would certainly have the engine stop pulled though first, then only bump the starter a few times to make sure the engine moves freely over the course of a rotation. My M543A2 had sat for over a decade when I did this. It drove itself onto the trailer. Did the same with my gama goat, which also had been sitting for a number of years.

 

[aggopian]

runaway

Hi guys,

Just curious.. What does it mean when the engine runs away?

Heres a vid of one real scary and he catches quick skif to 1:30


[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NRaqgab0_w[/media]

 

[mudman]

I'd check all vital fluids, check the intake system, install new batteries, then....."Put some fire in the hole & Air in the tank"..She will be just fine. Although I would not drive her until you made sure every thing else is up to snuff!!!

 

[plym49]

There is a lot of overkill on this thread. Check - not change - the fluids and just start it. It will be fine.

 

[Speedwoble]

Really? Nobody thinks it is necessary to try and get some oil to the top end or rings after sitting for 5 years in a hot location? I agree others have made good points for why not to change the oil immediately, but my reason for draining the oil was to flood the valvetrain during the refill. Maybe it was wishful thinking to get some surface oil back on the rocker arms, valve stems, and hopefully trickle down the pushrods to the lifters. My old deuce would take 60 seconds to develop oil pressure with the stock filters. New deuce is closer to 15. I would just be concerned that in potentially 800 revolutions of the crank and 400 revolutions of the cam something would try to scuff after not seeing oil for 5 years. Wouldn't see the results immediately.

I have only heard of 2 deuces with 60K miles and none over 70K in my short experience, so I will do everything I can to keep mine lubed.

 

[plym49]

Really? Nobody thinks it is necessary to try and get some oil to the top end or rings after sitting for 5 years in a hot location? I agree others have made good points for why not to change the oil immediately, but my reason for draining the oil was to flood the valvetrain during the refill. Maybe it was wishful thinking to get some surface oil back on the rocker arms, valve stems, and hopefully trickle down the pushrods to the lifters. My old deuce would take 60 seconds to develop oil pressure with the stock filters. New deuce is closer to 15. I would just be concerned that in potentially 800 revolutions of the crank and 400 revolutions of the cam something would try to scuff after not seeing oil for 5 years. Wouldn't see the results immediately.

I have only heard of 2 deuces with 60K miles and none over 70K in my short experience, so I will do everything I can to keep mine lubed.

No, it is absolutely not necessary. First of all there is always a slight oil film left behind if it sat there for 1000 years, because at a certain point the surface tension/capillary effect of the lubricant on metal overcomes gravity. Secondly it is perfectly ok for an engine that is not hot (and even desert heat is 'not hot' compared to normal operating temperatures) to run for quite a while (under NO LOAD) before the pressure builds.

There are things you do for your head, and there are things you do because they are really needed. Over elaborate startup precautions are for one's piece of mind only, the motor could care less. Another example of this sort of thing: I once hired a professional race driver to give me tips for the fastest way around the track. He had me watch the cars in front; the brake lights would come on but the car would not slow down at all. He said: "Those brake taps are for the driver's head, the car did not need them". arn if he was not right. I used to tap the brakes when driving, enough to light the lights, but without slowing the vehicle at all. Watch the cars in front of you - almost every driver does it.

Anyway, soap box off, sorry about that, but I would be more concerned about a dried-up seal in the braking system than changing oil, prelubing the motor or otherwise standing on my head.

For the record, I have extensive experience starting motors long dormant.

 

[Bkoyle]

My deuce that started this thread only has 687 miles on the odometer. I would like to make sure that it lives to 60k miles.