Greetings!
After only about 3 weeks from auction date to delivery (absurdly fast, I know), I got the chance to start playing with it yesterday. I'll use this post a both something informative for others buying off GovPlanet, and also ask some questions that I haven't gotten around to googling yet if anyone is feeling helpful. Pictures will be attached, maybe more tomorrow or Friday when I get to work on it again.
Pretext: My purchase is an M1043A2 slantback, it was a non-runner as described in the auction. I'm not a mechanic but am mechanically inclined enough to feel like dealing with the wonderful surprises I'll be sure to discover.
Truck arrives, we get it offloaded from the trailer. I start by checking most of the fluids essential to getting it running:
1: Engine oil - at least 6 or more quarts low
2: Transmission fluid - I added 4 quarts of fluid and I'm still low, although what was on the dipstick looked very clear red and clean
3: Front differential - level was good and fluid was very clear yellow
4: Rear differential - bone dry, added enough 80w-90 to roll it around for now
5: Coolant - reservoir empty - system was at least 3/4 full though after adding water
6: Transfer case - Couldn't get to it as I didn't have the right socket for the fill plug, anyone know what size it is off their head?
7: Power steering - haven't checked it yet, although it groans when turning the wheel when not moving, so it's probably low
8: Geared hubs - haven't checked yet, placed an order for the much safer bluehummer spindle lock nuts, so I'll deal with those when they arrive
9: Brake fluid - haven't checked yet, planned for tomorrow
Then I check electrical/mechanical:
1: No batteries - expected per the pictures seen on govplanet
2: Glow plugs harness / cables - entire right side is chewed up and unusable, seems a rat or squirrel had fun
3: Throttle - gets hard to push at about 40% and then gets stuck afterwards - I wd40'd the mechanism with the spring on top of the engine, but it's still stiff - any ideas?
4: Brake - feels stiff and how I'd expect it probably
5: Transmission shifter - positive clicks and easy shifting
6: Transfer case shifter - very loose or very tight to shift sometimes, not very clear/evident clicks as I move it near the "H" position, any ideas?
7: Steering - wheel doesn't seem loose or have issues - more info on after I get it started
8: Serpentine belt - old and cracked, need a new one (do humvees with an AC compressor use a different length belt than the standard 114" one on truck serials above 196901?)
9: Radiator - bent fins but within acceptable limits I'd say
10: Radiator fan - it's stiff and doesn't move when the vehicle is shut off. I think the fan clutch is a bit crusty?
11: AC Condenser and unit - haven't checked yet, the fans turn at least
12: Seats - high back and perfect condition
So let's get this thing running. I add all the fluids per my checks, cleaned up some of the electrical to make sure no angry pixies start sparking, and connect the batteries.
I was skeptical at this point, so I wasn't sure what I'd really get here. I flip the ignition to "run", wait the several seconds for my single working half of glow plugs warm up. I flip it to start, and immediately it roars to life. I glue my eyes to the oil pressure gauge -- 60PSI after 2 seconds or so - Great!
I then pull the oil cap off to check for blowby - visible but I won't complain. It runs so it's already more than I expected that I bargained for when bidding.
Meanwhile I'm doing all that, coolant is leaking everywhere from both sides of the engine bay, not completely unexpected as all the hoses look dried and done for. It leaks badly when you start it up, and then the leak gets very slow and small once it runs for a minute. Bizarre, and I haven't identified the leak locations yet.
So I play around with it, it drives, I go maybe 5 MPH almost idling just to experience my newly found freedom (maybe?). I drove with the doghouse off to watch for any surprises, I noticed that the cab smelled heavily of exhaust when moving, and very light smoke coming from that area. I look further, and I notice the oil vent hose is just pointing directly at the cab, and I'm just smelling the blowby. The CDR valve was removed during the de-mil process, so I need a new one. Any recommendations or are they all the same?
That's all I have for now, check everything on your trucks when you get them from GovPlanet!!
Will add some more posts once I have a more detailed inspection after not being exhausted![Stick out tongue :p :p](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
If anyone has any questions about my discoveries or something they've seen on their truck, I'm more than happy to compare.
After only about 3 weeks from auction date to delivery (absurdly fast, I know), I got the chance to start playing with it yesterday. I'll use this post a both something informative for others buying off GovPlanet, and also ask some questions that I haven't gotten around to googling yet if anyone is feeling helpful. Pictures will be attached, maybe more tomorrow or Friday when I get to work on it again.
Pretext: My purchase is an M1043A2 slantback, it was a non-runner as described in the auction. I'm not a mechanic but am mechanically inclined enough to feel like dealing with the wonderful surprises I'll be sure to discover.
Truck arrives, we get it offloaded from the trailer. I start by checking most of the fluids essential to getting it running:
1: Engine oil - at least 6 or more quarts low
2: Transmission fluid - I added 4 quarts of fluid and I'm still low, although what was on the dipstick looked very clear red and clean
3: Front differential - level was good and fluid was very clear yellow
4: Rear differential - bone dry, added enough 80w-90 to roll it around for now
5: Coolant - reservoir empty - system was at least 3/4 full though after adding water
6: Transfer case - Couldn't get to it as I didn't have the right socket for the fill plug, anyone know what size it is off their head?
7: Power steering - haven't checked it yet, although it groans when turning the wheel when not moving, so it's probably low
8: Geared hubs - haven't checked yet, placed an order for the much safer bluehummer spindle lock nuts, so I'll deal with those when they arrive
9: Brake fluid - haven't checked yet, planned for tomorrow
Then I check electrical/mechanical:
1: No batteries - expected per the pictures seen on govplanet
2: Glow plugs harness / cables - entire right side is chewed up and unusable, seems a rat or squirrel had fun
3: Throttle - gets hard to push at about 40% and then gets stuck afterwards - I wd40'd the mechanism with the spring on top of the engine, but it's still stiff - any ideas?
4: Brake - feels stiff and how I'd expect it probably
5: Transmission shifter - positive clicks and easy shifting
6: Transfer case shifter - very loose or very tight to shift sometimes, not very clear/evident clicks as I move it near the "H" position, any ideas?
7: Steering - wheel doesn't seem loose or have issues - more info on after I get it started
8: Serpentine belt - old and cracked, need a new one (do humvees with an AC compressor use a different length belt than the standard 114" one on truck serials above 196901?)
9: Radiator - bent fins but within acceptable limits I'd say
10: Radiator fan - it's stiff and doesn't move when the vehicle is shut off. I think the fan clutch is a bit crusty?
11: AC Condenser and unit - haven't checked yet, the fans turn at least
12: Seats - high back and perfect condition
So let's get this thing running. I add all the fluids per my checks, cleaned up some of the electrical to make sure no angry pixies start sparking, and connect the batteries.
I was skeptical at this point, so I wasn't sure what I'd really get here. I flip the ignition to "run", wait the several seconds for my single working half of glow plugs warm up. I flip it to start, and immediately it roars to life. I glue my eyes to the oil pressure gauge -- 60PSI after 2 seconds or so - Great!
I then pull the oil cap off to check for blowby - visible but I won't complain. It runs so it's already more than I expected that I bargained for when bidding.
Meanwhile I'm doing all that, coolant is leaking everywhere from both sides of the engine bay, not completely unexpected as all the hoses look dried and done for. It leaks badly when you start it up, and then the leak gets very slow and small once it runs for a minute. Bizarre, and I haven't identified the leak locations yet.
So I play around with it, it drives, I go maybe 5 MPH almost idling just to experience my newly found freedom (maybe?). I drove with the doghouse off to watch for any surprises, I noticed that the cab smelled heavily of exhaust when moving, and very light smoke coming from that area. I look further, and I notice the oil vent hose is just pointing directly at the cab, and I'm just smelling the blowby. The CDR valve was removed during the de-mil process, so I need a new one. Any recommendations or are they all the same?
That's all I have for now, check everything on your trucks when you get them from GovPlanet!!
Will add some more posts once I have a more detailed inspection after not being exhausted
If anyone has any questions about my discoveries or something they've seen on their truck, I'm more than happy to compare.
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