First MV, and a 5ton! Just purchased a M817

[TurboJoe]

Hey everyone, I'm new here but have browsed a bunch from time to time. The circumstances were right for me to bid on a GL auction for an M817 that I won. All my friends are asking me what I'm going to do with it, I guess they just don't understand.

Running condition is unknown and I'm trying to plan the haul out. I am new to military trucks, but certainly not new to trucks and cars in general. Very mechanically inclined with the tools, experience, and machinery to go along with it. Going to bring batteries and supplies for a quick shot of getting it started, otherwise we will trailer it home.

The first step will be loading the truck onto a buddy's 20ton tag trailer. We have a few ideas, but was wondering if there are any other options I'm not thinking of.

The plan that will work with out question is bringing his full size backhoe to the site and using that to push the truck on to the trailer, but this means another trip back to grab the backhoe. Trips will be about 20 miles each way, so its not really that big of a deal. My other option is if its possible to use my f350 to pull the truck up onto the trailer from a slight angle on the side. Anyone have any luck with this? The truck has plenty of power and gear reduction in 4x4 low, but traction might be an issue and or drive train strain. Trailer will be pulled by his dump truck, not the f350 just to clear that one up

Thanks for any help, can't wait to be part of the club.

Joe

 

[MtnSnow]

Congrats on the win! I too am officially in the 5 ton club as of today too.

 

[wreckerman893]

Welcome to the wonderful world of 5 tons. Hope you have a strong back.

Crank it up and drive it up on the trailer. If the batteries are dead and there is another 24 volt truck on site (and if you have slave cables) you can slave it off). If you don't have slave cables make sure it's getting fuel and pull start it. Put the transfer case in LOW and the transmission in 4th and pull start it with your F-350. If that engine has fuel to it and it turns over it will crank. When you drive it up on the trailer put the transfer case in LOW also and it will idle up the ramps in 2nd gear. You also need to put your city and state in your sig line. Site rules.

 

[swbradley1]

You can pull it onto the trailer using the F350 from an angle. One of the other members loaded a truck that way and there are pictures of him doing it on here. Wish I could find them.

Welcome aboard and yes, put your state in the location.

 

[Coffey1]

Welcome to the 5 ton club.

 

[avc8130]

I got a chance to check this truck out for TurboJoe and I have NO experience with MV's like this. I have operated my share of Paladins and Abrams, but never an older 5-ton. I work at the site the truck was at, but it was behind a gate of sorts.

When we turned the ignition on, of course the air pressure alarm was annoying. The start switch created a thudding/clicking/something kind of noise. The cooling fan did NOT spin. The noise was repetitive, like a really large car that wouldn't turn over.

Dead batteries? We were in a rush and dumb and somewhere we may/maybe should not have been so I wasn't thinking straight enough to check the voltage gauge as we were attempting to crank.

We are working on a list of things to bring when we get the gate unlocked:
1. Diesel
2. Diesel 911
3. Batteries, lots of em, well-charged
4. Loose battery cables and terminals
5. Ether
6. Brake fluid, brake fluid, brake fluid
7. Hopes/dreams/prayers
8. Air compressor
9. SAE hand tools
10. chains/binders/wheel chocks
11. Oil

What are we missing?

ac

 

[EMD567]

Antifreeze. And make sure the brake fluid is DOT 5. That is very important.

You will most likely have air leaks into the fuel system. NHC 250's do not like air leaks. It will idle funny, rev up all on it's own, hold high revs while shifting....... You will have 3-4 problem areas on the 817's.

1) Flex line from fuel filter to IP. This one can drive you crazy, ask me how I know.
2) primer lines, from pump on dash to IP.
3) fuel filter gasket. Hard to find, only fix is a new gasket
4) tank selector switch, on floor by drivers seat. Easy to check, just fiddle with selector. Hard to get at, that sucker is well hidden, and has 4 or 5 O rings.

You can rig up a bypass tank out of a jerry can, just remember that the 250 will suck the bottom out of a fuel tank, and that the return fuel will be going to the on board tanks, and not the jerry can.

 

[poppop]

The truck probably has silicone brake fluid in it. You need to confirm before you add DOT 3 as they are not supposed to mix. There has been much debate on site on this subject and some people says it is OK to mix but most don't. If you can get a little out pour some water in it and if it does not mix together then it is silicone. If it does mix then it is DOT 3. Silicone is also purple in color when new but can lose that color. If the truck has been drained of diesel then you may need to apply a little air pressure to the fuel tank to bleed the filters before you try to start it. If its clicking then the battery's are just low and it should crank fine with good battery's. Be very careful with the ether, it does not take much and to much can cause damage to the engine.

 

[avc8130]

The truck probably has silicone brake fluid in it. You need to confirm before you add DOT 3 as they are not supposed to mix. There has been much debate on site on this subject and some people says it is OK to mix but most don't. If you can get a little out pour some water in it and if it does not mix together then it is silicone. If it does mix then it is DOT 3. Silicone is also purple in color when new but can lose that color. If the truck has been drained of diesel then you may need to apply a little air pressure to the fuel tank to bleed the filters before you try to start it. If its clicking then the battery's are just low and it should crank fine with good battery's. Be very careful with the ether, it does not take much and to much can cause damage to the engine.

We appreciate the tip on the brake fluid. I, personally, would have never known that.

I don't think the truck was drained of any fluids. This isn't a military turn-in. This is an old site truck used around a civilian facility. I've seen it parked in many different lots over the past few years and then suddenly a few months ago it went "missing". Then I caught it up on GL and told Turbo about it. I have "rumor" that it was driven to the spot it rests in now.

ac

 

[poppop]

Sounds like you have a runner that will start with good battery's. On trucks that I have rebuilt the brakes on I used DOT 3 in them. The government uses silicon because these trucks sometimes sit for long periods and water will not mix with it and rust components. On trucks used regularly it is not as important. Silicone fluid is very expensive unless you can find a source for surplus. Its like $32.00 a quart at NAPA. The above post is correct about air leaks in the fuel system. A little air pressure to the fuel tank should help you bleed the system and get it started to load it. If you have a leak then the air pressure may show where it is. Just don't use a lot of pressure or you could rupture the tank. Another thing to check if it does not start is the emergency shut down cable. If someone shut it down with the cable it does not reset when the cable is pushed back in and has to be reset by hand under the hood on the IP. My M813 was this way and I got a good buy on it because no one else could get it started.

 

[TurboJoe]

Hey everyone, thanks for the replies! I fixed the City/State in my sig line, sorry about that.

My hope is to get it running first, then try to pull it up second. I really think the truck can pull it up on the trailer as a worst case scenario.

I will try and find some DOT 5 fluid, thank you for that I would have never suspected it wasn't dot 3.

 

[EMD567]

Is this GL site on Fort Dix? If so, that is where my M814 came from. It was used by a contractor, and when the contract was done, it was parked. 3 years later, it came up on GL, and I won it. Went up, got it started, drove over to SS'er rickfs house, and did a complete PMI. Then drove home 800 miles.

 

[swbradley1]

One of the first things you should be doing is reviewing the manuals before you go and try and recover it. I'll give you a big tip, put the charged batteries in are make sure the ones in already are fully charged. If it has 4 big dead batteries and you pull start or jump it you will have 4 dead batteries and a dead alternator. Charge them up first or put charged ones in.


http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?77616-TM-s-for-the-809-series-5-ton

 

[TurboJoe]

That is a very good battery tip. Part of what we do at work is battery chargers, which entails having to know a great deal about batteries and charging systems. I would always put charged batteries inline only, because pulling a huge load on a 60A alternator usually doesn't end well as you noted. Also I know not to mix and match battery sizes and or ages. Can very easily over voltage cells on one battery trying to get another up to charge. From the manuals it looks like the 5 ton's have 4 batteries, I'd separate them into two 24v banks and throw some 24v chargers on them overnight if I can get to the site twice. Otherwise I'll borrow some batteries and swap temporarily.

I will check over all of the fuel lines with slight air pressure, that sounds like the best course of action if the truck doesn't start with fresh batteries. This way we can simultaneously prime and check the system for leaks. Probably 5-10PSI should be enough pressure right?

 

[swbradley1]

I just burned up my M813 alternator because it was trying to charge 4 dead batteries and poof, magic smoke all gone.

 

[123mack]

A few things. First, in reference to the cooling fan, it won't turn unless the engine does. second, I see you're in NJ. If its cold, and wont crank, but is getting fuel, use the preheater. Instructions are in the -10 TM in the manual section. Do not even think of ether.

 

[EMD567]

Starting instructions are also on the dash, left hand corner.

 

[TurboJoe]

I successfully got the M817 home yesterday. It was an eventful trip. I came with two brand new 8D batteries I borrowed from a friend, and wired them up. It took a bit of cranking and playing with pre-heat/primer pump but it eventually fired up. Accelerator response was very delayed and slow, I will need to research to see if that is normal but I am sure it need a lot of TLC.

I put it in first gear, let the clutch out, and nothing. It was backed up to a drop off and I didn't want to try reverse with out knowing brake conditions, so I tried second gear to determine if it was a clutch/trans problem. Second gear worked and I pulled the truck out. Brakes went to the floor, but stopped the truck at the floor. I figured at that point I had only a few times left of braking before the fluid was all gone.

I had to drive it up onto the 20 ton trailer in second gear, which was fun in itself. It was my First time driving a 5 ton,with an unknown clutch and barley any brakes. I had to work the clutch to not go up the trailer to fast and drive off, it certainly was a fun loading experience.

Unloading was relatively uneventful just backed it off the trailer and up my driveway. Now the fun begins.