• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

 

Death of a Multifuel

980
24
18
Location
Dover, New Hampshire
R.I.P My engine...

This morning before dawn I was driving South on rte 16 in Rochester NH on my way to work. The truck was running great, I was in the middle lane (the right lane was an on ramp that became it's own lane) going 55 at 2500rpm. It was still very dark outside and the traffic on the highway was starting to increase in volume.
Suddenly there was a loud bang followed by a horrible clattering noise and bad vibration. Smoke filled the cab as well as a bad smell of burning oil.
I immediately signaled to get over into the brakedown lane. Other drivers must have been aware that something had happend because they slowed and allowed me to cross. I rolled about 700 yards in the brakedown lane, the noise was extremely loud and I had no idea what was happening. My tach was reading normal RPMs and my temp gauge was normal as well, I was beginning to think it was something in my front axle or maybe transmission.
Once I came to a complete stop the noise was still there. I immediately applied the parking brake and shut down the engine. I got out and took a look under the hood. All I could see was smoke, it was too dark to see anything else and I just happend to be without my flashlight. I could see a fair ammount of oil dripping from the block and onto the roadway.
I was in a really crappy situation, only about 100 yards from my exit and less than a mile from work. If I called a tow truck I would have to miss the majoraty of the morning shift, I could have walked but in doing so I would have left my truck in unknown condition on the side of the highway during rush hour.
I thought back to a thread I remembered reading about an engine that had been blown apart, It occoured to me that the engine was still running after the failure and the only thing that stopped it was when the operator shut it down. I decided I would chance trying to start it and drive it off the highway(since the oil on the ground was a pretty good indication that I would need a new engine anyway). Sure enough it fired right up. I quickly got it into gear and started driving towards my exit. Miraculously it made it... ALL THE WAY TO MY WORK. Whats even more crazy is that it seemed to have no loss of power and even sounded normal a couple of times.

Pretty nuts considering I have a huge hole in the right side of my block....

Yup, looks like something happend with the second cylinder, the bottom of the connecting rod came right through the block.

Looks like it's do or die time, I need to find a new engine asap. I would like a direct fit replacement multifuel but it occurs to me that this might be a good opportunity to shop around a bit.

Pics tomorrow I promise...
-GM
 

sigo

Lieutenant Colonel
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,682
351
83
Location
Leavenworth, KS
Glad you made it off the road and to your final destination alright. Truly a testament to how tough these trucks are. Years ago I watched my buddy explode the engine in his Ford Ranger and there was no way we could have gone another inch after punching a hole in the block and puking oil all over.

How long have you had this deuce? Have you run her hard since you've owned it? Of course you never know how hard she was beaten while in service. Let us know what happen once you get the final diagnosis.
 
980
24
18
Location
Dover, New Hampshire
Glad you made it off the road and to your final destination alright. Truly a testament to how tough these trucks are. Years ago I watched my buddy explode the engine in his Ford Ranger and there was no way we could have gone another inch after punching a hole in the block and puking oil all over.

How long have you had this deuce? Have you run her hard since you've owned it? Of course you never know how hard she was beaten while in service. Let us know what happen once you get the final diagnosis.
I have had this truck going on three years now. I have always been very conservative in how I run it, it is rarely under severe load and is driving an unloaded truck most of the time. I am going to do a full teardown once I have it out and will gladly report my findings.
 

91W350

Well-known member
4,414
57
48
Location
Salina, Kansas
I am not sure 2500 is conservative, but every truck owner has his own idea of how hard they should run. I feel guilty when mine hit 2200. We have a few heated threads about Multi-fuels and rpm. Each of us has to decide what the pocket book can afford, I guess.

At any rate, I would be glad to help you out if we were closer. I have a good running Multi in a 1957 shop service truck. The truck and box are rusted beyond what I want to tackle. It was converted to Multi from gas in the 70's and has a TD block, overdrive and air shift transfer case. I need the transmission, a buddy needs the transfer case.... anyway, I know that one is good.

Maybe somebody on the SS Express will be headed your way from out west on I70.....
 

Heavysteven

New member
2,090
10
0
Location
Hickory Flat Ga
Bad news your engine is gone. Hopefully you will find a new one.

I would like to point out that a FMTV would not have made with a hole in the block. Something to think about.
 
980
24
18
Location
Dover, New Hampshire
I am not sure 2500 is conservative, but every truck owner has his own idea of how hard they should run. I feel guilty when mine hit 2200. We have a few heated threads about Multi-fuels and rpm. Each of us has to decide what the pocket book can afford, I guess.

At any rate, I would be glad to help you out if we were closer. I have a good running Multi in a 1957 shop service truck. The truck and box are rusted beyond what I want to tackle. It was converted to Multi from gas in the 70's and has a TD block, overdrive and air shift transfer case. I need the transmission, a buddy needs the transfer case.... anyway, I know that one is good.

Maybe somebody on the SS Express will be headed your way from out west on I70.....
Thank you very much buddy, if anyone has an engine kicking around that they would be willing to ship please PM me with details.
 

sandcobra164

Well-known member
2,999
287
83
Location
Leesburg, GA
I limit mine to 2300 due to worries about it spitting a rod. That still seems high and once I upgrade to a .69 overdrive and 395's, she won't see that many RPM constant anymore. However, I kept her on 2300 or better for the 5 hour trip back from the GA Rally and she's running strong as ever. When driving these trucks while Uncle Sam owned them, I'm hold them to the floor and get there when I got there. 2,500 , 2,600 or 2,700 if it would do it!!! I've yet to blow one and I've verified that you can keep it at 2,700 for 3 hours or so at a time.
 

saddamsnightmare

Well-known member
3,618
80
48
Location
Abilene, Texas
October 16th, 2012.

Looks like the Multifuel 2500 RPM genie got out of the can again!:sad: I always figured anytime you push it over 2000 RPM, each mile or minute is one less left on the block, because NONE of these trucks were originally expected to exceed 45 MPH, especially with the original underdrive high gears....

:grd:Good luck on your repairs, now its time to break down and buy a Unimog U1300L with ultra high speed ambulance axles, they can tool along at 70 MPH all day long and still go where no deuce dares go! Ahhhnold knows good, he bought a new 'un!
 

HillbillyWizard

Active member
51
14
28
Location
Halifax, PA
Sorry to hear of the misfortune.

I had a multifuel that did the same thing. I couldn't believe it but sure enough it started and ran. If someone was shooting at me, I would darn sure drive it! :grd:
 

O.D. Fever

New member
545
2
0
Location
Howard City, Mi.
I have always stuck to 50 mpg

I am currently Dueceless, but in all my Duece's 50 was tops. Only because of reading about all of the multie grenade jobs over 50. Sorry for your loss:-(
 

Ferroequinologist

Resident railroad expert
Steel Soldiers Supporter
4,806
723
113
Location
Liberty Hill, SC
I know it will blow up the next time I drive it, but I keep the M109 at 2500 or below, and have run 14hours to haspin and back, 4 years in a row.

Sorry to hear about your engine, as others have said, no telling how it was treated or put together in the past.

I also agree with the survivability of these trucks, good old fashioned American engineering, something we severely lack these days.
 

WILDBOY6X6

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
608
38
28
Location
Newark ca
HI general what is your $$ limit for an eng,I have a army depot rebuilt turbo one.
The eng is complete too gen,turbo,bell housing and clutch,starter very low hrs and millage.
I am in CA but the eng is in WV. I was going to put it in my M756A2 but sounds like you need 1 more now.

steve

steve
 

Attachments

WILDBOY6X6

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
608
38
28
Location
Newark ca
:driver:HI by the way, best rpm range is 2100 to 2300 and most will not go over 53 to 55 w/o over tacking them, to low of rpm (lugging it) will also cause what happend to you. I almost allways drive by the tack not the spedo anyway, listening to the sound of the eng and knowing when to shift.
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks