Mid-Tenn Chapter Roundtable

[BigPapa]

So Scott you had one of these little trucks? What year was yours? transmission? 2WD or 4WD? Long bed?

I had a 1982 Chevy Luv 2WD short bed 5 speed. Same truck. Payne Chevy here in Springfield bought a bunch of leftovers that had been sitting in a warehouse somewhere. My daddy bought one first, then me, then my brother. I put close to 95K on mine and sold it thinking I had IP problems. Bought my daddy's from him with 175K on it. Sold it with 350K, it was starting to fall apart.



Here's a quote from my post on 5-17 detailing my experience:

Been there done that TWICE! 1982 Chevy LUV. Motors run forever. Fuel mileage was around 35 MPG. They are notorius for the beds rusting out (the cabs don't have that problem) and the transmission bearings are junk. Since they don't have the turbo don't expect much get up and go! Injector pump went out on the first one I had at around 95K miles. If it has AC watch for cracks in the compressor mounting bracket, mine fell off. There's also a little 90* coolant hose that's down inside that AC compressor bracket. Might want to keep one of them on hand since there's not enough room in there to make a loop.



We used a little Ford Courier to drag along behind some big trucks that we delivered where I worked in high school and we were constantly having to rebuild the front end on it so you might want to have that checked out.



Other than that they're great little trucks. I've wondered since getting my Dodge what one of the Isuzu's would be like with a turbo!

Scott

 

[HeavyHauler]

Ahh, I didn't even remember you posting that. Don't take it personally, I can't even remember what happened last week much less 6 months ago. :-laf



I'll be out of town until Thanksgiving, but I'll put some miles on it over that weekend and check the mileage and report back. I've seen a number of people that have reported 40+. Maybe it's just bad math or them exaggerating... we'll see.

 

[sniper351]

...got a question...

I need to know if any of you have had this happen to you or have you heard about this. My truck started doing this about 4-5 days ago,, it feels like I have great big ole knobby tires on it when I slow down, I get a lot of vibration from the rear end. I thought it might be the brakes acting up on me, but when I slow down without the brakes, it does it too. I can only feel it at slower speeds, I can also hear the tires making road noise, which is something that I haven't noticed before. Any of you guys heard about this or had it happen to you before? I need to know what it might be to check it out.





Those darn square tires maybe??? J/K Joe!!!

 

[Roadhog]

My 04. 5 3500 did that when the back driveshaft carrier bearing started to go down. Sounded like you were slowing down a set of tractor tires on the back. Dodge gave me a whole new rear driveshaft and carrier bearing under warranty. Been several trucks around here with that trouble.

 

[BigPapa]

I need to know what it might be to check it out.

What's your tire pressure?

 

[AndyMan]

Hey Scott.



It looks like you might have been on to something by suggesting that my truck was running a little hot. I had to limp it back to my office last night (about a 2 hour ordeal to keep the temps down). It hit 230 on the way home, and I shut it down. Waited for it to cool to 190, drove a couple miles, shut down, etc. Finally got it back here. I'm assuming either the new thermostat is bad or there's a vaporlock in the cooling system. With the truck running, the upper radiator hose stays empty. No coolant running through the system. I'll trailer it home today or tomorrow and get to diagnosing.



Any other thoughts from anyone?

 

[BigPapa]

Andy,



You might try an old trick my grand-daddy taught me. In a situation like you had when a vehicle is getting too hot, VERY CAREFULLY! take the radiator cap off, It will burn you QUICK! I throw a towel over it and then use a heavy leather glove. ALWAYS keep pressure on it so it doesn't blow off and spray the parts of you not under the glove! Then, if needs be add a little water and drive it with the cap off. This keeps it from building up pressure and it won't get hot as quick. It can get a little messy under the hood but nothing a little water won't wash off. I've been able to get on to the house using this trick several times. Be careful though, if your leaking coolant or getting hot enough to boil it out, you can run it till it's dry and cook the engine. I don't know about the Cummins but the little Isuzu I had wouldn't read hot on the gauge when all the coolant was gone!



As far as what's wrong, have you noticed any leaking? Is there coolant in the oil or oil in the coolant? Is the passenger floor wet? From what your describing you could also have a bad water pump.



Good luck,

Scott

 

[AndyMan]

Well, when we first got the truck rolling, we noticed that the coolant was boiling in the overflow tank. It appeared to be air coming from the bottom of the tank/system. The radiator cap has a vent, and when I popped the vent, the coolant would spew from the overflow tank. But if I slowly lifted the vent, the coolant would just kind of violently boil. I did that for a few days every time I drove it until it stopped "boiling" when I would lift the vent. Yesterday, I could lift the vent, and nothing would "boil" up from the bottom of the overflow tank. That kind of leads me in the direction of vapor lock.



Underwood thinks that the thermostat bypass hose should prevent any form of vapor lock, and that it's just a stuck thermostat.



Waterpump is on my list, that's what I was orginally thinking. I'll replace that after swapping thermostats, and flushing the system (if neccessary).



My ASE buddy suggested last night what you did Scott. Pop the vent, and run the motor at about 2k RPM's for a while.



I'll trailer it home probably tomorrow and start the diagnosis.

 

[Dieselnutz]

Andy, I think I remember some post's that said only to run a Cummin's thermostat. It didn't make sense to me but try a search on it. It wqs something about flow. You can always run with out it to rule it out.

 

[AndyMan]

Interesting Steve. I did some searching for the cummins part number last night, and found some controversy over the part numbers, fitment, etc. It seems that some people have had trouble wih the cummins part fitting? Strange.



I'm going to call Cummins Cumberland later and see what they want for the part, but I know they are going to want my ESN. Does anyone know where that is on a 12v?



I also read that unlike a gas motor, these motors don't like to run without a thermostat. I read that a couple of times in the 911 forums.

 

[BigPapa]

Andy, the number plate should be on the side of the gear case on the front of the motor, on the driver's side. Stand beside the left front fender looking over the driver side battery right in front of the injector pump.



With what we know right now, my money's on the water pump.



Scott

 

[AndyMan]

Thanks Scott.



I guess when I get it home, I can remove the petcock, and fire it up for a second. If it blows coolant all over then the water pump is good.



Anxious to get it in the garage and get to work...

 

[Piston Slapper]

I just talked with Mister Underwood SquareBra and he and I both vote Thermostat. Being as the other thermostat was stuck open, just swap it for this one thats stuck shut!

 

[sniper351]

Thanks Roadhog, that is what it is sounding like when I slow to almost a stop, like tractor tires. I will definitely get it to the Dodge place and get them to check on it!!!



BigPapa, my pressure is around, I wanna say 60 lbs. , that is what the tires said on them when Joe and I put them bad boys on, I haven't checked them since then, but they still look the same, I have looked at them since this has started up since I was thinking that they may be the cause of the noise. I will double check the pressure though. Thanks Scott!!!

 

[WadePatton]

That's one thing that is a BREEZE to change on a 24v that is a little more aggravating to do on a 12v. Especially if you did it on the 24v first.



I ALWAYS check my thermostats in boiling water before I make a swap. I dunk the old and new at the same time to see if the new functions differently than the old.



Without a t-stat the cylinder temps wouldn't get up to proper level. Nor would the heater be very impressive.



Maybe that's why it has a new short block.

&&&&&&&&&&&



Check your TDR Travel Companion information. I just updated mine. And I have been contacted by a traveller before. I've also stopped on the side of the road a few times just to help out a Cummins driver. One was towing a big TT at the time.



Heck, there ain't but 12 other people listed in the 2006 Travel Companion. You don't have to offer more than you have. Check it out if you're not familiar with it.

 

[Got Smoke?]

I meant to get my info turned in for the Travel Companion, but I missed the cut off.

 

[ProspectorTim]

I meant to get added in after I finished moving here from Colorado ... then I forgot.



Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Piston Slapper]

Underwood Square Bra should be back online. I got his computer going again last night. She's a salvaged job for sure now, $15 dollar pallet of computers from the board of education auction goes a long way.

 

[Kimber]

I have to see em crush "like new" puters, monitors, and such every couple of months... ... some of it was never used.

They won't donate or sell "because it's registered in our name, and in 15 years, if someone finds it in the dump the EPA can sue our butts"

This PC at work is like that Johnny Cash song ..... One piece at a time :-laf



side note.....

Gap and Joe have been hoggin the cheap fuel... ... ... I filled up in Dickson last Saturday for $2. 459/gal

 

[WadePatton]

TDR Travel Comp. --You can update the stuff online and it should get picked up next time.





I heard sommers that a bio-D plant is coming to Manchester. Then I'll getsome.