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Anyone have a BMP/OT-90?

Augdog1964

Member
522
15
18
Location
Richmond, IN
Thanks to Driver Neil

Everyone...

If you have an interest in Russian vehicles, especially the sports car of armor, the BMP / OT ... you owe it to yourself to get the manual and the parts catalog Neil has. You have no idea how wonderful these resources are. We would kill to have this for the T-55AM2. Great for anyone who loves mil. vehicles.

Neil thanks for your help and hard work getting this catalog to the Warsaw Pact vehicle lovers!

Later... and see you at Beltring Neil!
 

Driver_Neil

New member
57
2
0
Location
Essex, UK
Everyone...

If you have an interest in Russian vehicles, especially the sports car of armor, the BMP / OT ... you owe it to yourself to get the manual and the parts catalog Neil has. You have no idea how wonderful these resources are. We would kill to have this for the T-55AM2. Great for anyone who loves mil. vehicles.

Neil thanks for your help and hard work getting this catalog to the Warsaw Pact vehicle lovers!

Later... and see you at Beltring Neil!
Thanks for the nice words Dave! :p

I must point out though, that the credit really has to got to go to Suvarov and his colleagues over at www . russianarms . su

All I did was make it usable for those who cannot get the DJVu reader to work OK.

Look forwards to seeing you at Beltring too Dave.
 

BiffJ

New member
79
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Location
indiana
We're off to london tomorrow(monday).....should have a working phone number when we get there. I'll PM it to you Neil when we get in. We'll get hooked up somehow.
See ya wednesday.


Frank
 

Augdog1964

Member
522
15
18
Location
Richmond, IN
Video

It is an INCREDIBLE video... i wish we could get it translated with an english speaking overlay. These vehicles are incredible... I continue to be impressed everytime we work on them or play with them. Definitely the sports car of armored vehicles!

Now if I can just run down that air leak in the BPZV in the engine compartment!
 

linx310

New member
478
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0
Location
texas
Now if I can just run down that air leak in the BPZV in the engine compartment!
Now I don't know much about these things but I have seen special misters with UV die used to find air leaks in other applications. I think the dye can be bought at autozone.
 

Augdog1964

Member
522
15
18
Location
Richmond, IN
Thanks!

Thanks for the tip... I'll check it out!

Anyone know if the air lines on the BMP need to be remanufactured, or can they be Tig welded to fix any leaks or holes?

Has anyone welded metal air lines successfully?

Thanks!
 

linx310

New member
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Location
texas
Anyone know if the air lines on the BMP need to be remanufactured, or can they be Tig welded to fix any leaks or holes?
My uncle is a welder and from what I recall him saying it is not a good idea to weld any of the thinner pressure lines unless you really know what you are doing.

I wanted to do some thing similar to an air line on some thing else and he mentioned welding it could weaken the line and under pressure it could burst.
 

Driver_Neil

New member
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Location
Essex, UK
Bear in mind the pressure gauge is reading in atmospheres, not Kg/cm3. IIRC - fully charged the BMP system is sitting at around the 2200 psi mark - not something you want to have a weakness in...
 

BiffJ

New member
79
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0
Location
indiana
2 of the BMP's here have guages marked in Kg/cm 2 while the other is not marked....other than using the same scale as the others. The T34 is marked in atmospheres. As it turns out they are all green lined at 150 and 150 Atmo's is 2201 psi while 150 Kg/cm2 is 2133psi. Not a huge difference at the pressure's we're using. Still a lot of pressure compared to our average garage type air compressors.

Frank
 

Milspec33

Member
77
0
6
Location
SC
Hello,
I know this thread is old but I need some help. We got an OT-90 and I am looking for an English manual. It is fun to drive but I think we have an air leak as it does not want to shift...guessing it is an air shifter? A member of our foundation bought this thing and had it delivered but does not know how to operate it. Seller sent basic start up procedure. Where is the fuel gauge?
Thanks
 

Driver_Neil

New member
57
2
0
Location
Essex, UK
Hello,
I know this thread is old but I need some help. We got an OT-90 and I am looking for an English manual. It is fun to drive but I think we have an air leak as it does not want to shift...guessing it is an air shifter? A member of our foundation bought this thing and had it delivered but does not know how to operate it. Seller sent basic start up procedure. Where is the fuel gauge?
Thanks
First off - congrats on the purchase! When you get it running the grins will be stuck on your faces as if by super glue :)
To answer the questions:
I have some manuals - one in American English (censored by the CIA!!) - I think they are on a website somewhere, I'll check and if not then Ill upload it and post the link here.

Gear shift is mechanical from memory... The manual will confirm one way or the other. AFAIK - Air is used to start the engine and operate the bow plane and air inlet for swimming. If it won't shift gears make sure the clutch is working properly - may be sticking if not used in a while. Be careful working on the air system - when fully charged the flask holds over 2,000 psi as the gauge reads in atu's

Start-up - engrave the words "float the crank" on the front of your brain!! The crankshaft is massive and requires 2 men to lift it so if you do not float the crank using the oil pump button to get around 5 on the oil pressure gauge you will kill the main bearings in short order. Official manuals recommend using both air and electric starts together to relieve the stress on the starter motor.

Fuel gauge - there isn't one!! Not in front of the driver. The only fuel gauge on the vehicle is the sight-tube visible from the troop seats on the drivers side of the vehicle.

Hope this is of help to you!
 

Milspec33

Member
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0
6
Location
SC
Thank you so much for the quick reply! It runs great!! Looks new inside with all ammo compartments stocked with ammo links in plastic and cosmoline. All of the straps are present ect. I did drive it yesterday and it was great. The only problems I experienced were the vehicle would not shift out of gear once in gear even when clutch was depressed. I had to shut down, go to neutral and restart and then shift into reverse. Steering was fine after I let the vehicle run for a few minutes, if I attempted to drive to soon steering was poor. I kept hearing an air pop off valve which led me to guess that the clutch and steering may be air operated but I am now thinking that it is probably hydraulic.
I did follow the start up procedure and pre-lubed the engine, we had a poorly photo copied picture of the gauges and switches and a start-up check off.
The owner of this is an 18 year old girl who is very enthusiastic about tracked vehicles but is still learning basic mechanics. So it has kind of fallen into my lap and I am not complaining at all but I have only worked on jeeps, M-37 and farm tractors, the latter of which may be the best experience because it is my feeling the the Soviets designed things to be maintained with the same skill level a farmer would have working on his equipment.
Thanks again,
Cheers
 

Milspec33

Member
77
0
6
Location
SC
Also, where is the light switch for the interior lights? It is dark in there with the hull buttoned up
 

Driver_Neil

New member
57
2
0
Location
Essex, UK
Thank you so much for the quick reply! It runs great!! Looks new inside with all ammo compartments stocked with ammo links in plastic and cosmoline. All of the straps are present ect. I did drive it yesterday and it was great. The only problems I experienced were the vehicle would not shift out of gear once in gear even when clutch was depressed. I had to shut down, go to neutral and restart and then shift into reverse. Steering was fine after I let the vehicle run for a few minutes, if I attempted to drive to soon steering was poor. I kept hearing an air pop off valve which led me to guess that the clutch and steering may be air operated but I am now thinking that it is probably hydraulic.
I did follow the start up procedure and pre-lubed the engine, we had a poorly photo copied picture of the gauges and switches and a start-up check off.
The owner of this is an 18 year old girl who is very enthusiastic about tracked vehicles but is still learning basic mechanics. So it has kind of fallen into my lap and I am not complaining at all but I have only worked on jeeps, M-37 and farm tractors, the latter of which may be the best experience because it is my feeling the the Soviets designed things to be maintained with the same skill level a farmer would have working on his equipment.
Thanks again,
Cheers
No worries :)

The air system - you will (should) occasionally hear the off-load valve on the compressor popping off when the system is at maximum pressure. You may also hear a hiss from the control valves down by your left knee as they do leak slightly. There is a pneumatic release for the gears - used if you stall it in gear as it is a right pig to release then. I used to hit the e-start button to bump it until the gears released till I found out about this release.
I'd check out the hydraulics and the clutch adjustment going by the symptoms you are describing.

Steering should be good from the moment you start up. If you have to wait a while then you have an issue there too. I think this is hydraulic - not sure right now - so a check of the seals might be worthwhile. Soviet era oil seals left a bit to be desired. If you don't know - the lever on the left of the column is the high/low range gear selector. If it is in the low setting then the steeering will only work on full lock there is no progressive steering in low range.

Do you have the start-up instructions for cold weather too, using the on-board pre-heater???

They are one of the easiest things to work on in the armoured world. Lift up the front deck and you have excellent access to the rear of the I/P, the drive train and the back of the engine. You also have good access through the small top hatch for the fuel regulator and the louvre cables whilst access to the front and side of the engine is via the internal hatches. With a crane you can remove the upper deck and have almost unrestricted access to anything.
Once the deck is up - if ours is like mine - the engine bay is almost a work of art as everything is colour coded (thus conscript proof). We had the decks up at W&P last year and could not believe the crowds that gathered around just to look inside.

Interior lights - switches are individual to each of the dome lights - 1 by the commanders seat, 1 in the turret and 1 by each rear door. The driver has a switch on the I/P to turn on the night lights for the I/P. All crew members should ideally be carrying the rectangular torches that clip onto a uniform button.

If you can get hold of the weapons - 14.5mmm KVPT for the main and 7.62mm PKT for the co-axial - the firing circuits in the turret should be live as is the NBC system and the smoke discharger (neat diesel into the exhaust - only use with a hot engine and running at 2,000 rpm+). The fume extractors/cartridge deflectors in the troop compartment are designed for the Czech Vz-58 and will not fit an AK properly. Same for the collets in the firing ports.

Once you have it running as it should it is incredibly fast and agile for the size. It can give a CVR(T) a run for it's money off-road as the long low hull "flattens" out the rumps better than the short, narrow CVR(T) hull. And for an e-stop the brakes should be capable of standing it on its nose such that the front glacis place is parallel with the ground momentarily!

Oh yes - if you value your hearing - use Soviet crew helmets - they really are very good!
 

Milspec33

Member
77
0
6
Location
SC
Thank you!
I went out again today and did notice the switches on the hull lights. When we took delivery, it was overcast and raining so it was difficult to see much inside.
I will look at hydraulics soon. The top deck raised easily and the engine compartment is a mechanics dream, so easy to access everything.
I do not have any cold weather starting instructions but in South Carolina it stays pretty warm.
I have never been interested in armor but I am hooked now.
Lee, the owner says she knows someone who will install rubber track pads so hopefully that will come soon.
Any more advise or operator information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Andrew
 
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