M819/M246 Ops Questions

[No.2Diesel]

Hello,

I wanted to run a few wrecker/NHC250 specific questions by you guys. I have searched this site extensively, downloaded and absorbed the TMs and Ops manuals but still have a few questions:

1.) To prime the fuel system, the Ops says to use the hand priming pump on the dash. Can the master switch be turned on to use the electric pump or is use of the hand primer mandatory to bleed air from the fuel system?

2.) What is the proper oil for power steering? I know through searching that 10W is the right one. I would just like to know if there is a specific 10W I should be looking for (additive, no additives?)

3.) Is the fuel tank selector switch a manual switch or electrical? Anyone have trouble with their tank selector switch?

4.) Does anyone frequently use the electric brake lock? Is this the same thing as the line-loc on my Cuda? Anyone have problems with this device? Sticking?

5.) For future reference: Any 819/246 owners pick up an object like an engine and place it on the rear deck of the truck? If the boom was raised to 45° can this be accomplished?

6.) Who should I buy CARC from to do a 3 color woodland camo job? Any hardeners that go with this paint system or do you just put the right thinner in it?

As you can tell by these questions someone is getting an M819 W/W this weekend! I didn't want to shoot my mouth off and jinx myself before I actually take full posession but thought these questions necessary (except 5,6) to get the thing home. I am very excited about the possibilities of a 26' crane. Pictures will be taken and posted here. The Deuce will be going for moral support. I'm sure there will be more questions so thanks in advance for your input.

P.S. yes my Deuce still has a sticky 2nd gear and a leaky front axle seal Both trucks will be serviced at the same time so my brain is on trucks instead of house repair.

 

[BFR]

not my truck, but...

btw the biggest hurdle was the power line overhead.

 

[cranetruck]

....
2.) What is the proper oil for power steering? I know through searching that 10W is the right one. I would just like to know if there is a specific 10W I should be looking for (additive, no additives?).....

This is still a standing question. I'm investigating hydraulic fluid, which has anti-wear properties, but have trouble finding 10-weight. The closest so far is AW 22 LT, which has about the same viscosity as 10 weight engine oil. The same fluid will be used in my Allison automatic....

 

[No.2Diesel]

RE: Re: M819/M246 Ops Questions

Wow thanks BFR for those pics. They illustrate exactly what I was asking. Very cool.

Bjorn, I too was leaning towards a quality hydraulic oil with cold weather abilities. Thanks for the confirmation.

 

[M1075]

RE: Re: M819/M246 Ops Questions

Good luck bringing the M819 home. Sometimes, there is just no substitute for a wrecker. The M246/M819 seems to be a lot more versatile than the M816, but they are tough to find. If you got a good one that just needs paint, congratulations!

Hey BFR, is that one of those BFTs? (T = towbar)

 

[papercu]

questions

(1) prime the fuel system, the Ops says to use the hand priming pump on the dash
I've not found it useful, just turn her on and hope the batteries last. You didn't ask but mine (M816) cranks and operate with two batteries just fine.


3.) Is the fuel tank selector switch a manual switch or electrical? Anyone have trouble with their tank selector switch?

Manual between the front seat and door. Switch will swap electric sending unit to the gague on dash. Yes! it is possible to run one tank dry while the gague lies and say you still have fuel!!
Mine is hard to turn but I found no easy way to oil it so I just use the one tank but then again it never leaves the farm so....
Wayne

 

[Cdub]

RE: questions

WoW.......your getting an M819 W/W this week-end.............SWEEEE-------T



C'dub

 

[clinto]

RE: questions

oh man, that towbar was heavy. good grief

 

[timntrucks]

RE: questions

loved the crane and tow bar thing. looks like me. glad you made it home without too much trouble, i use my manual pump all the time, on my m816 i dont have a electic fuel pump just the main pump. thanks for the pics

 

[Recovry4x4]

RE: questions

5.) For future reference: Any 819/246 owners pick up an object like an engine and place it on the rear deck of the truck? If the boom was raised to 45° can this be accomplished?

FWIW I can put my Honda 4 wheeler on the back of my deuce wrecker using the crane and it's way shorter than the 819.

 

[BFR]

Re: RE: Re: M819/M246 Ops Questions

Hey BFR, is that one of those BFTs? (T = towbar)

yep it put a dent in the street in front of my house when robert pushed it out the back of his truck

 

[No.2Diesel]

RE: questions

Thanks for all the well wishes, I am assembling my "master recovery kit" with kitchen sink for tommorrow. Thanks papercu for the insight. Both tanks will get some bug juice.

The truck's story is: Only owner after mil service was county police impound yard. I can't imagine it got much use there. The Bronze didn't want it anymore because they said the operation of the boom and boom winch slowed down. I'm hoping its just dirty hydraulic filters or system. It has 16K miles and 1,900hrs. Lots of idling. It has 12.00x20.00 off/on-road Goodyears with about 75% tread.and from what I've heard used ones are hard to get.

 

[Cdub]

RE: questions

Please post up some pic of the event of picking up the new OD machine...............


Good luck and best wishes...........

seya,


C'dub

 

[No.2Diesel]

Wow what an adventure, Its a 1971 AMGeneral M819W/W

Arrived at the place around 8AM Saturday and started charging the batts while my brother took care of the paper work (Its his truck.) Batteries showed 16V after charging for a while and tried to crank. The engine rotated about 1°. We figured we wouldn't need new batteries and tried to push or pull start it. The truck was park perpindicular to the street tucked in between 40yd dumpsters on a narrow street clogged with other junk. The owner was very nice and helped us out alot. He came onto the street with a large Dresser wheel loader with forks, chucked the crap out of the way and chained up to the wrecker while my bro wrestled the steering wheel. Maneuvered it onto the street and attempted to pull start it. The tank (and theres only one on this truck) was 3/4 full. It fired up after about 20 feet.

The truck had no brakes so he crawled it out onto the side of the road in Lo-1 and I had a 6x6 ready to chuck under the wheel. We worked on filling the master cylinder and cleaning off the truck while we let it warm up. Water and oil levels were good, power steering level was low, axles, T-case, tranny were good. Bro took it around the block for a test drive. Came back, 5 min later the engine just died. We immediate thought it was a fuel problem and started inspecting for leaks. It was very frustrating not having an in-tank pump to bleed the fuel system. We hooked up to the Deuce and pushed and pull started about a dozen times and it would not fire How could the truck run so easily and just die with no fuel leaks? We were puzzled to say the least and flat towing 34K+ 50 miles with no steering or brakes was reserved for dire emergencies. Could this somehow be a battery problem? The big 1155CCAs were from 01' and pretty much toast. We took the Deuce down the road and picked up some 1000CCA group 31s and swapped them in. Rapped on the starter with a hammer and cranked it over. It started right up and idled fine Was the lack of electricity the problem the whole time. Is there a solonoid that requires juice and controls a fuel shutoff on the IP? Whatever we did it ran fine the rest of the day.

We now had ourselves a mini convoy as we departed around 11AM. We were very lucky that all lights and signals functioned properly. Instead of heading back West to home, we headed East to visit some relatives and hear some more Korean War motor pool stories (like the one about four wreckers pulling a D8 up a cliff at the same time.) Got lunch cruised some more and headed towards home. When we pulled off for lunch my brother said a huge glob of crap hit the windshield and was running down the fender. I said why didn't you pull off earlier? Fearing the worst (fuel line burst) we popped the hood to find it was power steering fluid that shot out because it was overfilled by us. We drove by or were passed by about 40 different police cars during the day. The most they did was look or wave The 819s top speed is probably 10-12 mph faster then my Duece due to tire size.

Now the questions:

1.) Redline is 2,100RPM but the danger sticker on the tach is the same location as the Deuces?
2.) Is there a filter for the crane hydraulics? I haven't found one.
3.) Is there only one fuel and oil filter? I can't find any others and the TM doesn't show any others.
4.) What's the deal with cancer? Hey I have cancer.
5.) Some one removed both side view mirror assemblies. Where can I get them?
6.) What do the letters stand for on the back of the crane base?

It was a great day. Here are the pics:

 

[No.2Diesel]

More pics:

 

[M1075]

That is a great looking truck! I love the crane cab and the way the M819 makes the M35 look small in the second pic. M819s are beasts!

 

[BFR]

looks great

BTW towing an 819 w/ a deuce is an interesting experience

 

[No.2Diesel]

BTW when we got it home and played with the crane we found out why the boom was described as "slow" by the police impound guys. THEY DIDN'T LUBE OR SERVICE ANYTHING ON IT!!! When the boom was extended or retracted it skipped and was jittery. Mmmm...Grease..lots of it.

 

[area52]

Thats a nice looking rig, congrats on the recovery.

 

[No.2Diesel]

More Questions:

7.) What is the amber sealed beam light for on the driver's side fender?
8.) Two out of the three boom spotlights work. Are new sealed beam lamps easily obtained?