getting discouraged with the CUCV

[olly hondro]

Well, I just put $1000 maintenance into the CUCV including a rebuilt IP and it runs great. It starts, stops, everything works.....but now its leaking oil. I'm guessing rear main seal as its leaking out the little hole at the bottom of the bell housing. I really dont want to face pulling the drivetrain apart. I think I will look for a way out of it.

 

[91W350]

What model do you have, the M1009 Blazer or one of the truck variations? Remember that the trucks are very low geared and should be kept under 50 mph. It is not uncommon for the trucks to beat themselves to death at high rpms. If it is dripping oil out of the rear main seal, it is a chore to fix correctly, but not overwhelming or expensive. The newest ones were built in late 1986 and titled as 1987 models. No matter how you cut it, that is 25 year old rubber that has been fighting the battle for a long time. Glen

 

[Torisco]

What model do you have, the M1009 Blazer or one of the truck variations? Remember that the trucks are very low geared and should be kept under 50 mph. It is not uncommon for the trucks to beat themselves to death at high rpms. If it is dripping oil out of the rear main seal, it is a chore to fix correctly, but not overwhelming or expensive. The newest ones were built in late 1986 and titled as 1987 models. No matter how you cut it, that is 25 year old rubber that has been fighting the battle for a long time. Glen

It may be easier than you think.

 

[sschaefer3]

I changed the rear main and front main on mine, you don't have to pull the transmission just the oil pan. I guees I shoud day I "paid" someone to do it. But I figured the same thing 25 year old seals.

 

[319]

Don't give up, you're only a few $$ shy of perfection!

 

[marchplumber]

One problem at a time, one day at a time. I agree, it can be "overwhelming" if looked at all at once, but it doesn't go that way. Fix what is broken, with help from here and the TM's, and go back and enjoy the truck! If you can't afford to fix, let sit or sell. Either way, the problem is there, now what are you going to do about it? It's sort of like how I look at life in general, we all have problems, some big, some small, with help from friends and God above, they all can be worked through. Not always the way I wanted or "needed" but worked through all the same. Things worth having are worth working for! worth bleeding for! some are even worth dying for! at least that is how I feel about our Country. Didn't mean to hi-jack thread.
God bless,
Tony

 

[ranchhopper]

One problem at a time, one day at a time. I agree, it can be "overwhelming" if looked at all at once, but it doesn't go that way. Fix what is broken, with help from here and the TM's, and go back and enjoy the truck! If you can't afford to fix, let sit or sell. Either way, the problem is there, now what are you going to do about it? It's sort of like how I look at life in general, we all have problems, some big, some small, with help from friends and God above, they all can be worked through. Not always the way I wanted or "needed" but worked through all the same. Things worth having are worth working for! worth bleeding for! some are even worth dying for! at least that is how I feel about our Country. Didn't mean to hi-jack thread.
God bless,
Tony

Well said Tony these are old trucks I have two 1009s just because they are my daily drivers I bought them cheap enough to make it economical. I realize they are old and can go down at any time but Im cheap I learned to fix them myself now I have one to drive while fixing the other at my leisure. This isnt for everyone but they are american made any junkyard has parts for them and they are not all electric so I dont need to be an electrical engineer to fix them so one has to weigh the pros and cons of having a CUCV theyre not for everyone but I wouldnt part with mine.

 

[Tanner]

Good luck on the seal problem! Fix it properly and it should last for another bunch of years... it may seem daunting<
but no seal lasts forever -

'Tanner'

 

[acesneights1]

Sure it's the seal ? I just pulled the pan off my 1008. It was the rear rubber seal on the pan gasket not the RMS. Pulling an oil pan off one of these should take no longer than 5 mins with an air ratchet. A word of advice though...If you leave the truck overnight with the pan off or leave it over night with no oil in it so the sealer can dry, I STRONGLY recommend removing the vacuum pump and priming the oil pump with a drill and a 5/16 socket. I just did the pan gasket on my 1008 last week and let it sit over night with no oil so the sealer would dry good because of the way the front of the pan is designed, as soon as you pour oil in it's hitting that front gasket. well next day I filled it up started i and No oil pressure. I shut it ff and tried again. same thing. Now I'm like WTF ? I'm thinking I left a rag in the oil pan or something. Pull the pan back down. Everything was fine. Took the oil pump off and dropped it in a pail of oil and cranked it with a drill, pumping fine. I put it all back together andrealized it must have lost the prime so I primed it and viola...

 

[mktopside]

Meh.... Big deal, your main seal leaks. It's an old truck, I like to think of it as auto rust control. Mine leaves a silver dollar sized spot every time I turn it off, which amounts to a little over a quart a month. When it gets to a quart a week I'll think about changing it.

 

[Rustsleeps]

"You can't always get what you want, but if you try, you just might find; you get what you need." Rolling Stones.

 

[344lbsofgetdown]

dont look at it as a leak its sweat from all that horse power

i think they all leak there like harleys just marking there spots

 

[epitts]

This is just a WAG, did you try cleaning your CDR?

 

[Westech]

And big surprise every one! Its a mid 1980's truck that needs work! Who would have thought it.
There will always be something to fix or replace or adjust. Its a old truck. If you wanted a hassle free should have got a new one with a warranty.
If you look at it that way you wont be so bummed out when things happen. Because they are going to happen. Just tackle one thing at a time and keep plugging away.

 

[SGT Estum]

I changed the rear main and front main on mine, you don't have to pull the transmission just the oil pan. I guees I shoud day I "paid" someone to do it. But I figured the same thing 25 year old seals.

Front main without pulling the engine? HMMmmmmmmmmmm...
Mine leaks too.
You are not alone.

 

[olly hondro]

Well, OK, I appreciate all the thoughtful replies. There is lots of wisdom there. I don't want to work on it anymore, I have no time for another hobby. I like the truck, but not so much that I am willing to make the commitment to maintain it and I cannot live with ANY older vehicle , whether it be a classic mustang or an MV, leaving me alongside the road. I travel alot for work and cant miss flights, meetings, and such waiting on a tow truck. So what solution has God brought me to consider? He has provided resources to buy a Chevy Avalanche 4x4. So,the CUCV can sit, costing me no time or money, until I figure out what its future will be.

 

[kenz5380]

I had a similar leak, I added a quart of that rear main seal leak fixer oil from the auto parts store... leak fixed. It'll probably come back some day, and when it does I'll get another bottle of leak fixer stuff from Napa. If it finally can't be fixed chemically I'll think about replacing seals and gaskets.

 

[olly hondro]

I'll try that leak fix stuff. Maybe it causes the seal to swell up or something. I have to keep the home owners assoc off my case, oil in driveway = bad.

 

[Flyingvan911]

Most MV's have a long list of things to do even if they run fine. I have done a bunch to my deuce and still have more. It is in good shape, just touching things up. Take your time. You'll get it all done.

 

[Midnight Rider]

Well, OK, I appreciate all the thoughtful replies. There is lots of wisdom there. I don't want to work on it anymore, I have no time for another hobby. I like the truck, but not so much that I am willing to make the commitment to maintain it and I cannot live with ANY older vehicle , whether it be a classic mustang or an MV, leaving me alongside the road. I travel alot for work and cant miss flights, meetings, and such waiting on a tow truck. So what solution has God brought me to consider? He has provided resources to buy a Chevy Avalanche 4x4. So,the CUCV can sit, costing me no time or money, until I figure out what its future will be.

An Avalanche??? You're better off sticking with the CUCV.