m139h2otruck
Member
- 569
- 5
- 16
- Location
- NH
We have never been real happy with how the water truck goes on the road. It never got up and went, like others have described on the site. Since it was in the high 30s and 40s on Saturday, I made a jumper for the spark plug and decided to check the timing. The original distributor was broken at the neck where it goes into the governor housing so we had to get an new rebuilt from the guys down south as I could not buy just the housing. It was installed and quickly tested with a light and set at about spec (5 BTDC). When I wasn't happy with how the truck ran, I added a little more timing (I thought!!) and have been running it the same since.
Warmed up the truck, installed the plug and jumper and ran the light. Timing at idle was at least 20-22 BTDC! Reset to 5 BTDC and truck idled OK, but would not rev above 1800-2000 with no load! Back up on the front (only problem with these things is that every thing is 5-6 feet up and down) checking again, and tried to rev motor and check timing at the same time. The mark would move backwards (towards TDC) instead of away like it should. The rebuilt unit was backwards!!
Removed the distributor and got the old one out of storage and looked at the advance plate/cam/weight assembly under the point plate. They were mirror image instead of the same. Obviously, this setup was built to go in either direction and I got the wrong one!
Took everything apart and installed the old shaft/advance unit (which was in better shape than the "rebuilt"one), reinstalled in the truck (after falling off the front bumper!), and quickly timed to 5-8 BTDC at 8:30 that night.
After the Lowell Military show on Sunday, tried the truck on the road. Great difference!! Now the thing revs right up (would go past 3,000 rpm if I wanted, so we have to check the governor) and gains speed quickly in all gears even 5th. Now the truck goes fast enough to be a little scary on the 1961 bias tires. Next upgrade will have to be 1400x20 XL radials.
Thanks for listening.
Warmed up the truck, installed the plug and jumper and ran the light. Timing at idle was at least 20-22 BTDC! Reset to 5 BTDC and truck idled OK, but would not rev above 1800-2000 with no load! Back up on the front (only problem with these things is that every thing is 5-6 feet up and down) checking again, and tried to rev motor and check timing at the same time. The mark would move backwards (towards TDC) instead of away like it should. The rebuilt unit was backwards!!
Removed the distributor and got the old one out of storage and looked at the advance plate/cam/weight assembly under the point plate. They were mirror image instead of the same. Obviously, this setup was built to go in either direction and I got the wrong one!
Took everything apart and installed the old shaft/advance unit (which was in better shape than the "rebuilt"one), reinstalled in the truck (after falling off the front bumper!), and quickly timed to 5-8 BTDC at 8:30 that night.
After the Lowell Military show on Sunday, tried the truck on the road. Great difference!! Now the thing revs right up (would go past 3,000 rpm if I wanted, so we have to check the governor) and gains speed quickly in all gears even 5th. Now the truck goes fast enough to be a little scary on the 1961 bias tires. Next upgrade will have to be 1400x20 XL radials.
Thanks for listening.