Oshkosh P-4 Fire Crashtruck Preservation

[BrushMaster Builder]

The P4 is a great crash truck and there are still quite a few in service around the country. I have not put my hands on one in awhile as we handle mostly active P19 and P23 Crash truck repairs and refurbishemnt for the Marines and Air Force. I can tell you that when you get the CAT up and running, hit me up and I'll give you some tips on inspecting the pump and plumbing prior to shooting water. That bad boy looks like it needs a little TLC before you hit the hydrant......

 

[jvandal]

My primary job in the Air Force was a 472X1A Special Purpose Vehicle/Firetruck Mechanic.... The P-4 is awesome! I served in Honduras where they were the only fire protection and we moved them about in the back of a C-130. P-19 are cool, P-2D are big and powerful, P-15's are huge and unweildy, P-23's... well p-23 are a story for another day.... P-4's... perfect combination of size, ability and driveability....

Seen one that backed over a VW Beetle.... at about the windshield the fireman stopped because it "didn't feel right"....

Saw one put out a Marina fire by drafting seawater and pumping it over the inlet because it was too hot to get close enough by road....

we used the winterization heater out of one to supply hot showers for the USAF personnel.... Army was using 55gl drum suspended over the shower.... too cold in the morning too hot in the evening....

The hydraulics running the roof turret... very cool.... till a plastic line pops.... LOLOL.... Dextron II every where...

I envy you!!


PS... any one interested ... There is a P-15 sitting in Knoxville at a Heavy Equipment Dealer... been there for several years... no buyer...

 

[m1010plowboy]

That bad boy looks like it needs a little TLC before you hit the hydrant......

Offer noted and accepted, thank you. Poured concrete with an EFD Captain this summer so trying to get some local fire fighters on board too. Not too many P-4's up north so I'll take all the support I can get.

TLC and CASH

 

[maddawg308]

There's a meme in Hot Rod Magazine I've always been fond of - "dare to be different".

Lemme tell ya, you can't be more different than wanting to restore a fire/rescue truck!

Subscribed, I'm gonna like following this resto...

 

[m1010plowboy]

we used the winterization heater out of one to supply hot showers for the USAF personnel....

The hydraulics running the roof turret... very cool.... till a plastic line pops.... LOLOL.... Dextron II every where...

You just solved my sisters camping shower problem. We camp off-grid and she's been using the black shower bag hanging in a tree trick. Great tip and story, thank you. Just reading through the TM's on the 90,000 btu Janitrol Aero booster heater. Heat range 180-200 degrees drawing 5- 6 1/2 amps @ 1 gallon of diesel per hour. With a 40 gallon fuel tank she could shower steady for two days straight.

I haven't looked at the lube chart yet but we'll note the Dextron II, cool. The roof turret was manufactured by Feecon. Corp and is fed by a V10 Vickers pump....... 800 gpm @ 240 PSI. 8000lbs of water in a minute should clean a stinky sister, right?

 

[steelypip]

Very cool. I'm subscribed for sure. These are another feature of my memories of growing up on a SAC base. In fact, I remember when they built a huge new bay onto the flightline firehouse for the shiny new P-15 (which, yes, was enormous, but could probably put out a B-52). After that, the simulated fire response shows at open houses were even more fun.

I find it interesting that the P-4 has such an elaborate winterization system. I don't think ours were ever out in the cold long enough to freeze. OTOH, I can certainly imagine one being stationed beside the runway at 2 am in January waiting for an airborne emergency to dump fuel and land. Keeping the water above freezing would suddenly become really important, and not trivial.

 

[jvandal]

I find it interesting that the P-4 has such an elaborate winterization system. I don't think ours were ever out in the cold long enough to freeze. OTOH, I can certainly imagine one being stationed beside the runway at 2 am in January waiting for an airborne emergency to dump fuel and land. Keeping the water above freezing would suddenly become really important, and not trivial.

Not all the P-4's had the winterization kit... But a certain number of every type did, P-2s', P-2D's, P-4's.... for the northern climates. We just got very lucky, 100 degrees in Hounduras and we got a P-4 from War Readiness Material in Elmendorf AK

 

[m1010plowboy]

Heat Start Switch

Tempus fugit

Getting started on getting started..........

We're missing a Heat Start Switch.

Manual shows 3 wires and we have 4 as well as a few numbers that don't match.

I'm thinking it's like the switch on any CAT but I can't let it turn out like the time I was thinking I farted.

Looking for feedback on wiring up a Heat Start Switch and I'll post pics of solutions once I have them.

We're waiting for summer to give this thing a name but if you have any ideas what a good fire-truck name would be I can stop calling it "The P-4". If this truck had a name before with some history and photos to go with it, that would be the top.

Found the 3-3-75 Acceptance Date so if that's someone's birthday let us know and we'll consider that too.

Big Red, Bertha, Oshkosh and all the obvious ones are out so it's gotta be good and have a story.

Some pics

 

[dmetalmiki]

My primary job in the Air Force was a 472X1A Special Purpose Vehicle/Firetruck Mechanic.... The P-4 is awesome! I served in Honduras where they were the only fire protection and we moved them about in the back of a C-130. P-19 are cool, P-2D are big and powerful, P-15's are huge and unweildy, P-23's... well p-23 are a story for another day.... P-4's... perfect combination of size, ability and driveability....

Seen one that backed over a VW Beetle.... at about the windshield the fireman stopped because it "didn't feel right"....

Saw one put out a Marina fire by drafting seawater and pumping it over the inlet because it was too hot to get close enough by road....

we used the winterization heater out of one to supply hot showers for the USAF personnel.... Army was using 55gl drum suspended over the shower.... too cold in the morning too hot in the evening....

The hydraulics running the roof turret... very cool.... till a plastic line pops.... LOLOL.... Dextron II every where...

I envy you!!


PS... any one interested ... There is a P-15 sitting in Knoxville at a Heavy Equipment Dealer... been there for several years... no buyer...

I so WISH I had a P4..used to service those in the 70s. There is a P15 in a fied over here unused."unloved" I had thought about it, but 1 mpg (to 3 mpg) on the road..EACH engine..no can do. Still I do still dream..and play this video at least once a week as I reach for a.......Hanky! (and seriously I WOULD) sell everything I own to have one..house cars dog KATT!..sleep in a tent...maybe I'L win the lotto?
http://youtu.be/fFX5CnJi9d0

 

[eaw46]

So the symptoms of your disease have gone from showing Green to showing Red be careful if I think the only one worse would be Warbird Silver. Eddy

 

[Another Ahab]

Tempus fugit



We're waiting for summer to give this thing a name but if you have any ideas what a good fire-truck name would be I can stop calling it "The P-4". If this truck had a name before with some history and photos to go with it, that would be the top.

How about "Daisey May", all the boys in town say she can really put out.

And I'm figuring they're all talking about fires, right?

 

[Another Ahab]

So the symptoms of your disease have gone from showing Green to showing Red be careful if I think the only one worse would be Warbird Silver. Eddy

Like the bad case of it that Fergie has. Yeah, you know the one: used to sing with the Black-Eyed Peas.

She talks about it, in her song "Glamorous".

I think the lyrics go like this:

... Sippin', reminiscing on days when I had a Mustang

Know what she means; hard not to like the P51. Suckers were fast...

 

[m1010plowboy]

Hobby Progression

So the symptoms of your disease have gone from showing Green to showing Red be careful if I think the only one worse would be Warbird Silver. Eddy

I was Plane Nuts long before I was MV nuts Eddy but these days we're keeping it small. We went flying yesterday and the photos below remind me of why we love the North so much.
The Trojan in sunset skies.

Had my first Moose visit at the G749 farm.

dmetalmiki, If I get it running are you coming for a visit?

The maintenance data plates make it clear to see your previous job was not easy.

Some photos

 

[m1010plowboy]

How about "Daisey May", all the boys in town say she can really put out.

And I'm figuring they're all talking about fires, right?

We've got: Carrot Top, Squirt, Leaky, Halon, Flud and Garfield... so why not Daisey May.

 

[patracy]

It was 9F this AM.

This is not Georgia. I swear, we're in Alaska or something.

 

[Another Ahab]

It was 9F this AM.

This is not Georgia. I swear, we're in Alaska or something.

Look at it this way:

- Least you don't need to add any ice to your Mint Juleps.

Well, Mississippi, Georgia: close enough, you guys ARE neighbors, right?!

 

[m1010plowboy]

Lube Chart Cross-over info

Summer was here so Goose and I started on the big red thing.

I think I've got the lube chart figured out but any additional feedback or links to "lube cross-over" info is always appreciated.

Pulled the dipstick on the pump reservoir.....if I may use a French word..... and it came out with a big glob of white cream on it. Remove & Replace R&R.

Using the handy lube chart it gave me an AX code with MIL-L-2105 Grade 90. After searching MIL-L-2105 I found ..... http://www.steelsoldiers.com/archive/index.php/t-8474.html

........which gave me API GL-4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gear_oil

Which turns out to be 90 weight gear oil?....am I close?

Found a Heat/Start switch at CAT for $127.00.....looking for plan 'b'

My mechanic skills continue to pay off with a quick twist of the anti-freeze reservoir cap, she broke.

Had to post a pic of the huge chunk of aluminum suspension which goes well with the capacities.

Oil Capacity.............49 quarts

Radiator Capacity.... 30 gallons

Transmission............11 gallons

 

[jvandal]

It has been a long time ago..... But... I remember the "hydraulic pump reservoir" that has the "white glob" in it has the primer reservoir. No big deal, as if I'm correct the primer pump will draw it into the "water system" anyway. The system uses the oil seal the primer pump to draw air from the inlet hose when drafting water from a body of water.

 

[jvandal]

That electric motor next to it is the primer pump, and it just draws the oil from the reservoir into that pump and spits it out on the ground just below it.

 

[m1010plowboy]

if I'm correct the primer pump will draw it into the "water system" anyway. The system uses the oil seal the primer pump to draw air from the inlet hose when drafting water from a body of water.

It's like you read that right out of the manual!

So I shouldn't be surprised to see that again after I change it out?

The oil in that tank did not have the usual rear-end, gear oil smell so I'm wondering if it was hydraulic or synthetic.

I did see a MIL-L-10324 for temps of 0 to- 40F but I'm not sure if it would smell like a rear-end.
http://generators.tpub.com/TM-9-6115-624-BD/TM-9-6115-624-BD0099.htm

Had some great tips on using 2 stroke oil in the fuel system on the first prime to lube up the IP. Still need to cover all the 'minimums' before plugging in a battery but we're closer.