FLU419 SEE HMMH HME Owners group

[burquedoka]

The cab heater is coolant actuated, not electric. They can fail with blockage, air bubble, stuck valve, bad thermostat (does the engine com up to temp?)

 

[BigBison]

Wow, "does the engine come up to temp" is a good question! After a while, the gauge on the dash comes up a ways from zero. But I don't have enough experience on either of my FLUs to have a baseline -- even if I'd checked my gauges, and they were accurate, I still wouldn't know if my FLUs were running hot or cold, without looking it up in the manual. After first spending an hour figuring out which manual to look that up IN...

Especially this time of year! It took everything I threw at the HMMH the other month, to get its fans to bother spinning up at 65*F. But there's a whole lotta heat-sinking going on, so as far as I know, those fans shouldn't have turned on? At least I know they work!

 

[BigBison]

Would be interesting, if other owners reported what their dash gauge says is "normal" water temp for their rigs... do everyone's read to the low end, like mine do now in the depths of winter?

 

[BigBison]

I sprayed my windshield-defroster switches with contact cleaner & worked them back & forth a few times before startup this (yesterday) morning. The windshield's so vertical it sheds most snow, until it piles up on the wiper blades... I gave it an hour, but there wasn't a drop of water or any sign of defrosting, with the engine running and the heater turned (I assume) on & up to full bore. One swipe of the windshield wipers cleared it, but I wish the driver's wiper came a little further over to the left, instead of stopping in front of my nose. If the heated windshield, when functioning, actually melts that off it'd be feasible to drive the FLU on the highway in nasty mountain weather.

 

[burquedoka]

170 F is on average where your thermostat should open up and the engine should maintain itself. If your not achieving that, your thermostat may be stuck open, in which case you'll have a hard time heating up your engine and certainly your heater core.

 

[The FLU farm]

If one wants to stick with the stock "X" radials, one will need "basket" type low-pressure-radial chains, or so I've been told.
I figure if I could shut off the smaller air tank instead of it leaking so bad it doesn't even hiss... All I know at this point, is my HMMH cab heater works, while my SEE's doesn't.

I'm no tire chain connoisseur so I merely run whatever chains I have on whatever tires I have, and make them fit the best I can since they're usually not made for the application.
What I do know, however, is that even crappy chains deliver much better traction in the snow. If they only provide, say 60%, compared to the ultimate chains for the application, so be it. That's still a huge improvement over naked tires, of any kind.

Dumb question; Instead of shutting that air tank off, wouldn't it be easier (or at least as easy) to plug the leak? And you do have alky in the reservoir and the valve turned on, right?

Dumb question #2; Is the SEE's heater turned on?

Lastly, a $30 HF temp reader would allow finding out if your temp gauge is reading correctly and/or finding the cause of the problem, if there is one. My SEE's temp needle goes up about a third way on the scale, whatever that is, and that's regardless of if it's summer or winter. Just like any other water cooled vehicle I own.

 

[peakbagger]

One thing I haven't gotten around to fixing is the ducting for the defroster ducts on mine. They got destroyed getting access to the back of the dash and figuring how to get them back in limited space is something I decided would be a future project. Mine is parked for the winter, until I put in the air dryer on the air system, not much need to run it and no need for heat. I was impressed with the cooling system I ran it hard for several hours in hot weather and it still looked like I had plenty of cooling left. Of course the cab was pretty toasty by all the heat soak from the floor and the engine cover.

 

[BigBison]

What I do know, however, is that even crappy chains deliver much better traction in the snow. If they only provide, say 60%, compared to the ultimate chains for the application, so be it. That's still a huge improvement over naked tires, of any kind.

Using chains meant for bias-ply on radials, will likely destroy your radials. It's been years since I've needed to bother with chains, Blizzaks are awesome, but BITD radial chains looked like cables, not links of chain. Basket chains for the "X" radials, look like cables, not chains. Not a priority, my FLUs may not see the light of day again until the snow's melted...

Dumb question; Instead of shutting that air tank off, wouldn't it be easier (or at least as easy) to plug the leak? And you do have alky in the reservoir and the valve turned on, right?

I don't know where the leak is, as it doesn't hiss and it's too cold outside to care. I haven't found any valves for shutting any reservoirs off, and no I don't know where the alcohol reservoir is, or anything about its state. As per plenty of discussion in this thread, my plan is to wait until next week, put the SEE in a garage, and get to work on this that and t'other, including an air drier in addition to the alcohol. The fuel system loses priming after a while (air pressure zeroes within seconds of the motor being shut off), plus I'm not happy with the wiring etc. so I suspect the SEE will be down for a while starting the day after my Dodge gets back from the body shop.

It'll help to have my FLUs in the same place for the first time. I'll keep the HMMH intact until the SEE's ready to run again, then if there's still time, we'll get to work on upgrading the existing PTO (not adding another) on the SEE to run various implements, and order up Schmidt's universal skidsteer adapter plate instead of fabbing our own.

Dumb question #2; Is the SEE's heater turned on?

Not a dumb question, because no, it isn't and can't be. Unless that left-hand knob on the heater's meant to be decorative (I'll need to check the HMMH next time I see it), mine's completely seized. Turning the right-hand knob counterclockwise will eventually make the heater unit warm to the touch, but there's no fan.

Lastly, a $30 HF temp reader would allow finding out if your temp gauge is reading correctly and/or finding the cause of the problem, if there is one. My SEE's temp needle goes up about a third way on the scale, whatever that is, and that's regardless of if it's summer or winter. Just like any other water cooled vehicle I own.

My tools are spread about the county in storage until I have a place to live, or at least a Quonset hut to move them into and sort 'em back out. Although, once the FLUs are in that garage and my two guys are working on them, they'll have at least as many tools as I do, plus more expertise with air & hydraulics & diesel motors than me. I'll be right there working on the primary wiring, to supervise and make executive decisions.

For now, if my SEE's temp gauge is accurate, it never breaks 140 so as peakbagger mentioned, prolly a stuck-open thermostat. The HMMH runs about halfway up the gauge, idling or working. So if the SEE's heater was working, it wouldn't be providing much heat, and this time of year (-18*F last night) there would likely be no heat soak into the cab from the motor, even with a good thermostat. My cabs aren't that tight, plenty of spindrift in the SEE this morning from the blizzard.

Once my FLUs (and motorhome, and working Dodge -- I'll be ordering fresh Blizzaks for the Honda and driving it -- it's that spacious) are in the garage I'm signing a lease for on Saturday, after using the SEE bucket to move my spare pellet stove there, my team will be addressing all of those basic service issues for any water-cooled gas/diesel truck, plus suspension bushings, steering, brakes and whatnot. If I keep my New Year's Resolution, I'll still be grumbling on the inside about how unexpected is every last aspect of this work, because it's what motivated me to leave two FLUs with a dealership for a total of nine months and yeah, all this stuff is pretty basic and I'll need to wait on each and every part we find needing replaced.

I have more money than time these days, as I'm coming down to the wire for needing to put my FLUs to work in order to recover that investment instead of having it turn into a boondoggle on me. I'd have thought the year, year-and-a-half in advance that I purchased them would've been enough, instead I'm stressing about how little time I have to do so much work, all of which detracts from replacing the Dodge suspension/brakes/steering to safely carry/operate the crane-service body, and of course refurbishing the GMC to be my construction HQ and possibly next home, as my lease expires at the end of August.

Anyway, once my FLUs are in tip-top condition, we'll be religious around here about their preventive maintenance, including pre- and post- flight checks. I believe they'll be reliable, working tractors for the rest of my life and beyond with a little TLC.

 

[BigBison]

It is fun showing off the backhoe, isn't it? I was downtown earlier, and these two local kids were playing with my malamute and checking out the SEE, so I set up the backhoe & stowed it back away for 'em. As I was climbing into the cab, one kid told me he liked my truck because "It's like a Transformer!"

 

[The FLU farm]

One thing I haven't gotten around to fixing is the ducting for the defroster ducts on mine. They got destroyed getting access to the back of the dash and figuring how to get them back in limited space is something I decided would be a future project. Mine is parked for the winter, until I put in the air dryer on the air system, not much need to run it and no need for heat. I was impressed with the cooling system I ran it hard for several hours in hot weather and it still looked like I had plenty of cooling left. Of course the cab was pretty toasty by all the heat soak from the floor and the engine cover.

Maybe you can put a small 3-D printer in there, moving it with a stick or something, and have it make new ducts on the spot?
Never did try the defroster. I guess turning the heater off would redirect the air to the upstairs.
Tomorrow might be a good time to try it as there's snow coming down and likely won't be cold enough to need the heated windshield feature.
And yes, there doesn't seem to be any lack of cooling capacity in a FLU.

 

[The FLU farm]

Using chains meant for bias-ply on radials, will likely destroy your radials. It's been years since I've needed to bother with chains, Blizzaks are awesome, but BITD radial chains looked like cables, not links of chain. Basket chains for the "X" radials, look like cables, not chains.

I haven't found any valves for shutting any reservoirs off, and no I don't know where the alcohol reservoir is, or anything about its state.


Not a dumb question, because no, it isn't and can't be. Unless that left-hand knob on the heater's meant to be decorative (I'll need to check the HMMH next time I see it), mine's completely seized. Turning the right-hand knob counterclockwise will eventually make the heater unit warm to the touch, but there's no fan.

I'm not worried about destroying the radials. As you've found, the stock Michelins leave a bit to be desired. And I'm a bias tire fan, anyway.
Don't know if the pictured chain is radial friendly or not, but they look stout and are cheap, so once cut to size that's what I'll use.

I doubt that there are valves for shutting the tanks off, but I'd think an air leak big enough to empty the tanks "within seconds" should be very easy to find. Although it's odd that the compressor would keep up with a leak even remotely that meaningful.

Look in the right rear wheel well and you'll see the bottom of the alky reservoir, and the valve is at the other end of the hose. Just like on your HMMH.
Without the spare in place it's fairly easy to get in from the left side to top it off. But I've done it from the right side, too. With the backhoe deployed you could sit in the seat and do it.

Sounds like you indeed have a functional heater. Turn the right knob on, as you said, then the fan, and you should have heat. While 140 degrees is way low (if it is a true reading) you'd still get heat in the cab. At least mine starts blowing warm once the coolant temp exceeds ambient, which has been well below 140 lately.

You say you don't have time now, but you probably should spend some getting familiarized with your FLUs. And if you do have money, why not splurge and buy a (second?) infrared temp reader from HF for $30, or so? Those are useful for many things, aside from verifying coolant temps.

 

[BigBison]

I'm not worried about destroying the radials. As you've found, the stock Michelins leave a bit to be desired. And I'm a bias tire fan, anyway.
Don't know if the pictured chain is radial friendly or not, but they look stout and are cheap, so once cut to size that's what I'll use.View attachment 660877

Be sure to post "after" pics! The links will tear the tread blocks apart until they've seated down so far they're not much use as tire chains. I can totally see why basket-type cable chains are recommended (by more than one expert, not me) for the X radials.

I doubt that there are valves for shutting the tanks off, but I'd think an air leak big enough to empty the tanks "within seconds" should be very easy to find. Although it's odd that the compressor would keep up with a leak even remotely that meaningful.

Oh, I'm sure it'll be easy to find, and give a proper post-mortem, once I have the SEE inside the garage and care to look.

Look in the right rear wheel well and you'll see the bottom of the alky reservoir, and the valve is at the other end of the hose.

Oh! I was wondering what that whole assembly was.

Sounds like you indeed have a functional heater. Turn the right knob on, as you said, then the fan, and you should have heat. While 140 degrees is way low (if it is a true reading) you'd still get heat in the cab. At least mine starts blowing warm once the coolant temp exceeds ambient, which has been well below 140 lately.

"Then the fan" seems to be that decorative knob which might actually be a seized-up switch. I haven't jumpered the blower to see if it works, seems a working switch is required, regardless!

You say you don't have time now, but you probably should spend some getting familiarized with your FLUs. And if you do have money, why not splurge and buy a (second?) infrared temp reader from HF for $30, or so? Those are useful for many things, aside from verifying coolant temps.

Because I don't need a third one, just because I'm willing to splurge on batteries doesn't mean I'm OK with wasting $30 for a tool I don't need because I don't need an answer to that question ASAP. It won't be many more days before we've probably pooled at least three of 'em together, I can wait? That is one decent tool HF sells for cheap, though!

I'd be more familiar with my FLUs if, before now, I had somewhere to work on 'em... my tools gathered & sorted... some paid expert help... and remember I've not seen my SEE for several months, so I'm just now almost able to familiarize myself with it better. That being said, my preference is always to start with better examples of vehicles I'm not familiar with, vs. two barely-operable FLUs for whatever reason.

http://www.digikey.com/en/articles/...igner-guide-fast-lithium-ion-battery-charging

What I'm actually working on right now, starting with some theory, is how to rig up some relays & other analog circuitry to charge LFP batteries on my FLUs, in order to avoid buying some newfangled IC-based Battery Management System or Alternator Voltage Regulator for hundreds of $ for the privilege of "programming" it from the smartphone I don't own... but everyone else does so I don't want my FLUs putting any sort of bluetooth signals out there for others to hack and screw up my batteries as I'm driving along. Not how I roll!

 

[The FLU farm]

Be sure to post "after" pics! The links will tear the tread blocks apart until they've seated down so far they're not much use as tire chains. I can totally see why basket-type cable chains are recommended (by more than one expert, not me) for the X radials.
"Then the fan" seems to be that decorative knob which might actually be a seized-up switch. I haven't jumpered the blower to see if it works, seems a working switch is required, regardless!

Guess I've been lucky, running all kinds of chains on all kinds of tire with no ill effects. But I'll take a photo in the spring, if you remind me.

A casual look-see would reveal the heater's fan switch, right above the outlet. I think you're trying to use the little knobbie on the left, for the shutter.

 

[BigBison]

Here's a link with a link for our alternators:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/unimog/2600426-flu-419-not-charging-solution.html

There's not going to be a drop-in replacement regulator out there for LFP batteries.

65A is about the best any of my chargers will do at 24V. LFPs could take much, much more under the right conditions. Which would make "cell balancing" a problem, if I had way more charging amps available, which I don't. I can even bump up the output of the FLU alternators, that 55A rating is due to the regulator (note from that above thread, the ones on our FLUs have been obsoleted by a later module) more than the alternator itself. Because lead-acid batteries...

Simplifies the electronics. So does flood-charging at higher temperatures, the LFPs will naturally quit taking that charge current, so no doo-dad required to stop it short of a full charge when hot, just don't downshift to trickle, or try to float. YMMV, I'm designing for my climate. I'd rather design analog circuitry to address three variables, than buy & program all 24 variables on some digital thingy & hope lightning doesn't reset it...

 

[BigBison]

My fave "why I'd rather have a SME" video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeGxmc3b8pg

One thing occurs to me, is I'm running my pickup-truck batteries in my SEE, without having downsized the alternator regulator. This won't overcharge 'em, but will boil 'em after every startup. These were perfectly good, 3-yr-old batteries when they went in. If I don't take 'em out sooner rather than later, they'll be destroyed before I have the truck they came out of fixed!

I look at the video linked in my last post, and wonder if that alternator relay didn't melt from not running big enough batteries, due to one thing or another resulting from trying to save money by avoiding 6T's...?

I'm sure there's a Bosch part # out there for a de-rated regulator suitable for smaller batteries, that research is for someone else who isn't going with 6T batteries long-term.

 

[The FLU farm]

One thing occurs to me, is I'm running my pickup-truck batteries in my SEE, without having downsized the alternator regulator. This won't overcharge 'em, but will boil 'em after every startup. These were perfectly good, 3-yr-old batteries when they went in. If I don't take 'em out sooner rather than later, they'll be destroyed before I have the truck they came out of fixed!

Two of my FLUs came with regular (small) batteries in them, one courtesy of the Govt. (or possibly GP), the other's were presumably installed by the previous owner.
Granted, I haven't driven either one much, but there has been no sign of them boiling.
My first SEE, on the other hand (while it still had the OE batteries in it), would often reek of gassing batteries due to the questionable disconnect switch. At least that's what I still blame, as I have yet to prove it innocent. Then again, it hasn't really been proven guilty, either.
Knowing all to well what gassing batteries smell like, had the two FLUs with small batteries been boiling, I'd like to think that I would've noticed.
Either way, I thought that a properly functioning charging system would simply charge the batteries. If the draw is higher than the alternator's output, then it obviously wouldn't work well for long, but I never knew that "too much alternator" could harm a battery. Not if there's a functional regulator in the system.
But if running a high output alternator can boil a smallish battery, once again I've been lucky. Many, many times, with many different vehicles.

 

[BigBison]

Must... Stop... Watching... Unimog videos!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HmVrgj4rCM

Those are the tires I want, good ol' bias-ply tractor-treads you can cut up or cut down any ol' set of tire chains because the sidewall-profile is more donut than marshmallow. How many tons of logs you figure that fella's skiddin'? This video is why I think I can run a puny li'l 6' snowblower even if I have to burly-up the SEE's motor a tad. The amount of tons being moved a certain distance in a given amount of time in difficult conditions, i.e. real-world work being done, seems comparable also to the brush-hogging I want to do with an up-rated SEE, and let the hydrostatic drives on the tools sort things out (kinda like the HME's trencher).

 

[BigBison]

Granted, I haven't driven either one much, but there has been no sign of them boiling.

If you can't hear your batteries boiling, are you monitoring their temps with your HF temp gun, or is your battery-box closed? In which case, if I'm talking about a split-second of boiling, how can you smell it? I mostly smell diesel-startup fumes at that point, before the exhaust runs mostly clear w/ a touch of grey (prolly the motor's not quite coming up to temp on the SEE due to the possibly-stuck thermostat) well after any of the boiling I mention. You'll eventually wonder why those batteries need so much topping-up with distilled water, and even then, begin to rapidly degrade. I've been dealing with this issue on the ambulance-alternator upgrade for my Dodge, too, but I'm also adding a third battery to that truck.

My existing Dodge regulator on the up-rated ambulance alternator *might* be the solution but don't quote me on that just yet. So long as it can give full output at high idle, when called for by hundreds of amps of electrical goodies installed... I'm committed to lead-acid on the running Dodge, but let's call it my transitional technology, and those three batteries the last lead-acids I buy if I can help it.

Knowing all to well what gassing batteries smell like, had the two FLUs with small batteries been boiling, I'd like to think that I would've noticed.

I agree. But if the event only lasts a split-second, how do you know? The startup battery drain on my FLUs is negligible 9 times in 10 because the motors mostly start right up, but of course I've got the hand-throttle pulled back, so they're not firing up at idle, right? If they crank & crank, a) they can take more charge b) it's likely cold, so they can take more charge. It's all those times the motor starts before you can physically release the start button, which I think shorten the life of undersized lead-acid batteries. If they don't cause other failures before they die...

Either way, I thought that a properly functioning charging system would simply charge the batteries. If the draw is higher than the alternator's output, then it obviously wouldn't work well for long, but I never knew that "too much alternator" could harm a battery. Not if there's a functional regulator in the system.

I'm glad you brought up "system" because that's the thing -- the FLU as a whole is designed around waaaay more amp-hours of battery capacity. So you're gonna have more voltage drop on startup. What's the first wire gonna melt through (if not start a fire) when voltage drops, increasing current and therefore temperature? Yeah, the coil in your alternator relay, right at the weak point where it attaches to the board... as seen in that guy's video!

Not dissing him, don't get me wrong, but I was all going along with a Bosch relay somehow failed like that until he showed his battery box. Bearing in mind I watched the video while thinking about this very issue, why it came up on search in the first place! So I just want to know *why* it failed, and if those were 6T batteries, I'd be inclined to think "manufacturing defect" but we're talking about a 24V Bosch continuous-duty-rated relay here, costing upwards of $60, and inaccessibly mounted because it is NOT expected to fail by now! Or we'd all have this problem, but I won't be surprised if it starts cropping up more on trucks lacking 6T batteries, I can't be sure because I lack data... but I will be asking!

But if running a high output alternator can boil a smallish battery, once again I've been lucky. Many, many times, with many different vehicles.

How many of 'em were 24V with continuous-duty-rated alternators vs. old beaters? I'm not being sarcastic here, because you'll probably reply "more than one." But did you start running into electrical gremlins, before putting proper batteries back in or having the vehicle otherwise give up the ghost? We're trying to keep our rare-as-heck FLUs running long into the future, and I personally hate replacing batteries, especially lead-acid batteries! Let alone barely-accessible alternator relays. I won't be all "told ya so" if & when your alternator relay "inexplicably" burns out, and the last thing you suspect being responsible are your perfectly-good-for-now batteries.

Going against the electrical-system design is like feeding Gremlins after midnight... they get meaner and start multiplying!

 

[The FLU farm]

Must... Stop... Watching... Unimog videos!!!

On the contrary, Bison. If you have time to search for and watch videos, maybe keep looking for one that shows the basics of a FLU's components and their operation.
I'm still trying to grasp that you have hours of user time on the HMMH, yet didn't get around to look under/in/on it enough to (for example) find the alcohol reservoir, figure out the heater's three controls, or where the ether canister is. Or even learn it by reading.

To each his own, but after buying my SEE I searched out as much information about the machine as I could find (which is also how I came across Steel Soldiers) and when it arrived, complete with a manual, I read it from cover to cover that night. Already knowing the basics, driving it off the transporter and to the garage was painfully simple, but I wanted to know not only how it was supposed to be operated but also as much as possible about how it actually functions.

True, it wasn't until recently that I found that the wipers and heater are indeed operational, but that's because I never tried using them until now. Yes, I knew how to operate them, just not if they actually worked. Hunting down all the Zerk fittings, fixing minor air leaks, changing fluids and filters, etc. was more important to me, and the SEE's well being.

If, in the future, the small batteries turn out to be a source of trouble, I'll fix it when/if that day comes. I can't afford daydreaming about sophisticated batteries and high tech charging systems (nor could I afford buying them) so what the factory provided will have to work for me. And it seems to work for many others as well. Besides, I prefer simplicity.
Is the SEE's charging system ideal for the Group 31 Optimas I installed? Probably not. Does it work? Yes, so far.
Will the SEE's charging system croak due to running two smaller batteries? Maybe you're right, and it will. But many FLU owners do it and if it was detrimental I'd think we would've heard from the others by now.
As a final thought, I'm now curious to find out how long a SEE will operate (once started) without any charging whatsoever. My guess is that if not using any lights, it'll run for many, many hours. Maybe days.

 

[BigBison]

On the contrary, Bison. If you have time to search for and watch videos, maybe keep looking for one that shows the basics of a FLU's components and their operation.

This time of year, here, yeah I've got more time to watch videos, been about a year since I have and what I posted are what, 6 months old at most? What others are doing with their FLUs are exactly the videos I'll post of what I'm doing with mine, when the time comes. Basic stuff, I'll be going hands-on with soon enough. I've got that garage rented now. This is not the time of year, hereabouts, to familiarize oneself with one's SEE outside on snowpack!

I'm still trying to grasp that you have hours of user time on the HMMH, yet didn't get around to look under/in/on it enough to (for example) find the alcohol reservoir, figure out the heater's three controls, or where the ether canister is. Or even learn it by reading.

I unexpectedly had to move right after I took delivery of my SEE. I did read the manuals, try stuff out, and then forgot all of it for lack of training reps. Then I didn't have it anywhere near me, etc. etc. and so on and so forth. I'm finally now going to have both FLUs in the same place, with them (finally) as my daily priority in life. Basic components and operation will become second-nature for me in short order. At this time, yeah, I've not been around my FLUs enough to know exactly what I'm looking at is the alcohol reservoir for the air, or anything else...

Or know off the top of my head, about that toggle switch on the heater. I haven't seen the HMMH since around Thanksgiving, but what's different about the SEE are all the white wires to the NATO switch, routed right in front of the heater's toggle switch. The HMMH has black wires which don't obscure the heater switch. I gave my manuals to my guys to study up on the work they'll be doing. Unless I'm searching I hate pulling those up on the computer, I'd rather make long boring posts here and wait until we're actually turning wrenches, until then I'm really not ashamed for not knowing more about my FLUs. I'm working on it!!!

So thanks for reminding me about the toggle switch on the heater! I would've figured it out myself before much longer, but lo and behold, moving all that re-wiring out of the way does reveal that heater switch. Not that it works or anything... Although now that I think about it, I do remember testing the HMMH heater some months ago. I'm not getting younger, nor are my TBI issues solving themselves. Sometimes, I'm whip-smart, other times I'm a slow imbecile y'all will just have to be patient with, regardless of subject.

To each his own, but after buying my SEE I searched out as much information about the machine as I could find (which is also how I came across Steel Soldiers) and when it arrived, complete with a manual, I read it from cover to cover that night. Already knowing the basics, driving it off the transporter and to the garage was painfully simple, but I wanted to know not only how it was supposed to be operated but also as much as possible about how it actually functions.

Yeah, me too, then I unexpectedly lost my home of 15 years, OK? I don't have the luxury of parking all kinds of vehicles here, like I will in a few months from now on my own property, or in that garage I'm now renting. Doesn't do me any good to just read up, how I retain that knowledge is hands-on experience. I went so far as to have a buddy with a similar tranny show me how to run a hand-splitter before the SEE was initially delivered. I'll get there. Just be patient and please keep helping me out, because one day I will be up to speed and able to help others out.

True, it wasn't until recently that I found that the wipers and heater are indeed operational, but that's because I never tried using them until now. Yes, I knew how to operate them, just not if they actually worked. Hunting down all the Zerk fittings, fixing minor air leaks, changing fluids and filters, etc. was more important to me, and the SEE's well being.

It's important to me, too, and I'm also just figuring things out because now is honestly the first chance I've had to familiarize the SEE since I got it, shortly before getting evicted due to my long-time landlord passing away. This was after I bought property to develop, and a SEE. I'm getting pulled in different directions each and every day due to time constraints I didn't account for, because my late landlord was a healthy 70 competing in races up multiple 14'ers in CO. Life has its little setbacks, I'm just happy to be around on this beautiful planet.

Even if I want to rip up my little corner of it with some surplus military tractors...