What did you do to your deuce this week?

[Ajax MD]

Today I think I saved mine from burning down in an electrical fire : /

Had an issue this weekend with the starter not turning over and the solenoid staying open. Figured it was low juice in the batts so put in 2x new ones.

Still didnt start and having the issue of the solenoid staying open and just drawing mad juice, to the point that it started to heat the new battery disconnect.

Thinking that the disconnect wasn't giving enough juice (not sure its amp rating) I pulled it out and terminated all the cables directly to the battery studs without any quick disconnect...see where this is going?

Well I try to start it, same issue - solenoid stays open after 1x starting attempt, hit the kill switch and basically an open circuit with batterys discharging load at full bore and no quick way to disconnect power.

Threw on my leather gloves and started pulling the nut off the negative terminal on the battery which was smoking hot at this point. With my gloves starting to flash off and the terminal starting to glow I super quickly got the nut off and ripped the cable off the terminal.

Just as I do the terminal arc's with bright blue flame and then promptly melts out of the top of the battery leaving me with a mess of melted/spattered lead on the batter with no terminal.


Same time I notice smoke from under the hood so I grab my extinguisher from the cab and "quickly" throw open the hood to thankfully no flames but a hot to the touch after 10 minutes cable going to the starter.

Down one brand new battery, likely bad starter, added to some other small Deuce issues (needs windshields, new oil cooler cover, new super-rope and lots of paint) and some big potential expenses on the horizon (1 senior and 1 softmore in highschool) have me contemplating the unthinkable: selling

Talk me down from the ledge someone!

Don't give up the ship!

If you sell, that'll be one fewer person in Maryland for me to hang out with. Our community is slim enough! Seriously, once you shake the bugs out it'll be as reliable as your daily driver.

 

[Another Ahab]

I wish we all lived near each other and could share a meal...

Someone said once that every distance is "walking distance":

- IF (and a it's a BIG "if"), if you got the time...

 

[davidb56]

@ pitpawten......Concentrate on the drive train now, and then the cosmetics later. If I didn't have my Deuce last week, I'd be USCWAP. I have a F350 4x4 snowplow truck with a 460 engine that I am waiting for parts this week after a complete rebuild, and the weather is turning to ^^^^. I have a Ford super duty flatbed for fire wood that had bad fuel in the rear tank and clogged my filters in the middle of getting winter wood, so I had to finish up with the Deuce. Its a capable work horse back up vehicle that can plow, haul, a go places theres cant. BTW the auto industry doesn't support all vehicle parts after 20 years old, so I am converting my 460 EFI over to Carb and HEI ignition. Parts for the Deuce seem to be no more difficult to get than a 1994 Ford EFI with a now obsolete ECM.

 

[Another Ahab]

Its a capable work horse back up vehicle that can plow, haul, a go places theres cant. BTW the auto industry doesn't support all vehicle parts after 20 years old, so I am converting my 460 EFI over to Carb and HEI ignition.

Didn't know that, but guess (as a matter of practicality for the vehicle companies) that it makes sense.

Is that a rule of thumb then (+/-), for ALL manufacturers?

 

[whatadeuce]

iN WANTING TO BUY An older ROLLS ROYCE, i decided against it because the parts prices were unaffordable. It seems to me that Rolls Royce doesn't have spare parts, and that they make each part in the machine shop upon demand. So much for the high prices.

 

[URSATDX]

I 2nd the dirty coolant theory. Mine was crisp green and clean until I checked it after some off roading.
It turned black with sediment. I flushed every portion of the cooling system replaced upper and lower rad hoses.
Refilled with Peak antifreeze and it still came up dirty. Better but dirty.
The new coolant filter cleaned it up nicely. I'll swap the filter out after 1k miles.

I swapped the old F-150 bench seat that was in the deuce when I got it for a set of leather bucket seats from a mitsubishi galant, I wanted leather seats from a hyundai tiburon but all the ones at the yard were torn.
Hardest part was when they put the F-150 seat in they must have not had any normal 3/8-24 bolts so they used some security torx head bolts and since I dont have a security T45 I tried to chisel out the pin in the center that didn't work
so I had to grind all the head off then turn the rest of the bolt out with vicegrips. Then I had to grind all the bottom brackets off the new seats and lower the brackets they made for the F150 seat 3" but I like how they turned out.

So start checking the truck I had to move my milling machine soon so I looking at my coolant and it goes from green to orange-ish as it heats up, I dont see any oil and it goes back to green after is sits for a hour or so, oil should float to the top right? (the levels is because my driveway is a hill) now I'm worried I have a blow headgasket since I have some oil weeping at the head on cylinder 1 and everything was going so good....

Atleast I got some sauerkraut the other day....

 

[Another Ahab]

iN WANTING TO BUY An older ROLLS ROYCE, i decided against it because the parts prices were unaffordable. It seems to me that Rolls Royce doesn't have spare parts, and that they make each part in the machine shop upon demand. So much for the high prices.

Mercedes-Benz does the same thing I believe (ran across that note once in an article somewhere):

- That's commendable (if they don't totally overbill for the labor-and-materials)

You know, at least you CAN get the part (OEM), if you really WANT it.

That's OK, right?

 

[davidb56]

Didn't know that, but guess (as a matter of practicality for the vehicle companies) that it makes sense.

Is that a rule of thumb then (+/-), for ALL manufacturers?

Not all, but the big 3, and it depends on the part...ECM's and stuff like that...forget it, brakes, engine parts, etc, yes they support it and so does aftermarket.

 

[Aussie Bloke]

G'day everyone,....

iN WANTING TO BUY An older ROLLS ROYCE, i decided against it because the parts prices were unaffordable. It seems to me that Rolls Royce doesn't have spare parts, and that they make each part in the machine shop upon demand. So much for the high prices.

Well at Easter this year I bought a 77 Silver Shadow series II and I have had no problems with parts.

Most are generic, only some systems like brake and suspension (self levelling) are more specialised but all your general service items are off the self items.



Aussie.

 

[Another Ahab]

Well at Easter this year I bought a 77 Silver Shadow series II and I have had no problems with parts..

 

[whatadeuce]

Dear Ausie Bloke, I am assuming you are based in England, and I belief thats what makes the parts availablity different. Enjoy!

 

[Another Ahab]

Dear Ausie Bloke, I am assuming you are based in England, and I belief thats what makes the parts availablity different. Enjoy!

whatadeuce, you maybe didn't notice. And it happens, but:

- Some assumptions are good.

- Some assumptions are not AS good.

 

[whatadeuce]

Well then he must live near a RR factory ! or a special RR scrap yard! Yes, that must be it!

 

[Another Ahab]

Well then he must live near a RR factory ! or a special RR scrap yard! Yes, that must be it!

You got my vote!

 

[davidb56]

Up grades so far since ownership. block heater, haldex air dryer, back up light, 24vdc Sherpa winch, snorkel, pyrometer, shift boots, 12vdc battery tray, wipers. But the best one has been re routing the air intake for the cab heat. I tested it today and Im confident that I'll be able to see out the window when the temp hits -10F. If I run off the road, then the Sherpa winch will take first place, but for now its the WARM air.

 

[Aussie Bloke]

G'day everyone,.....

Well then he must live near a RR factory ! or a special RR scrap yard! Yes, that must be it!

Actually, neither,...

I do know of a specialised RR mechanic.

Being on a RR forum I get to know who knows their sh!t plus have access to parts both here and from around the world (if needed)

Like here, I have the complete RR service manuals plus access to people who know I can call on for any info I don't have.

But a RR dose'nt require a lot of mechanical training outside of normal requirements.

http://i.postimg.cc/66MD9RjJ/MG-0617.jpg

http://i.postimg.cc/Y0DVbKGq/MG-0616.jpg

http://i.postimg.cc/SNkgLN3c/PIC-0950.jpg

http://i.postimg.cc/ZKh11FF1/dc3.jpg



Aussie.

 

[Another Ahab]

Is that a DC-3 (pic #4)?!

I think I read somewhere there are a few still flying (South America, and Alaska).

What's the story on that one?

 

[Tracer]

https://www.airportspotting.com/5-airworthy-dc-3s-usa/ Here are 5 DC-3s that are still flying in the US. There are approximately over 300 sill flying world wide.

 

[Another Ahab]

G'day everyone,.....Aussie.

Here are 5 DC-3s that are still flying in the US. There are approximately over 300 sill flying world wide.

Oh, Man, going to get in hot water here likely.

Got us going SERIOUSLY adrift.

Need a deuce post BAAAAD!

 

[Tracer]

Oh, Man, going to get in hot water here likely.

Got us going SERIOUSLY adrift.

Need a deuce post BAAAAD!

Back to deuce stuff Brother Ahab. Front bumper medium tow bar mount, for those of us who have orthopedic limitations. I keep the 1" tow bar feet in the truck tool box. None of the parts used here (axle clamps & tow bar) need to be modified for this application. This will also work on trucks WO/W.