Freightrain

I've had the cap off mine(2 small screws?). I'm thinking that is only the air valve portion. Not sure, but maybe Barry has a possible part number to locate one? Likely yours is stuck and keeps them closed, and that is why he disconnected it? Maybe the air valve portion is just corroded and might be able to get it apart and clean it? Worth poking around if you find it don't work anyway. Time to just start tracing things. Make sure you have air to it, get shutters closing and see if you can get some heat built up and see if the shutters open. Heck, close the shutters and see if you can get the temp gage to even show anything. Keep feeling the hoses and see if they get warm.

Start the truck and wait for air pressure to build. Once you get some, it should then actuate the air cylinder to close the shutters as soon as it has enough air to overcome resistance. But, since you're isn't hooked up, it should work pretty quick. It picks air off the passenger side of firewall, then to shutterstat then air cylinder. When it's cold, you should have air to cylinder, unscrew line and see if you do. That air cylinder is easy to get apart, as I tore into mine to clean the sludge out of it. Four small threaded rods hold it together(if I recall?). Just a simple piston with leather seal. I'll PM you.

I'm not too big on running "cleaner" thru an engine, at least not in great quantities. Seems it causes more issues then fixes sometimes. The history on my truck is varied as it either sat and idled for hours on end, or got the nuts run off it as it pulled back a 100K lb trailer from a wreck(that was it's job). I've had the valve covers off and seems pretty clean inside overall, though I know the valve guides are VERY, very worn(la, la, la....I don't want to know that...la, la, la..........). The thicker the better is probably good to help tighten things up some, but mine pulls 55psi running down the road so I don't think it's too terrible down below. I know the truck got some maintenance, but I think it had been years since it's last filter change when I bought it. It got so little use, they just didn't bother with it. The fuel filter cansister was rotted thru, but it had so much sediment in it that it didnt leak til I tried cleaning it out. Does yours have shutters? Do they work? Bob tailing around in summer it's hard to get mine very warm, though it does get up to 140-150 deg if really hot out. If it just sits and runs....it won't get warm. Only if I really work it(pulling trailer up alot of hills) does it ever get up to 160+ deg. Typical diesel, it only likes a load. That's why I "beat mine to death" , not actually, but run it hard whenever I have it out. I drive it on the govenor all day down the highway.

I've been putting Rotella 15w40 in my B for years now. I change it once a year no matter the miles on it. Figure after 50 yrs, I'd clean out the gunk that might have built up. I wonder about the need of ZDDP. My '67 F100 pickup runs Valvoline 10w40 in it and it's got 150K miles on it. Pretty sure they've removed it from all the base oils, but I think with the age and wear patternand lighter valve springs it's not as critical to have? I've wondered about it. I run the Racing Valvoline(has zddp) in all my hot rods as they are "newer" built motors(by me) and with the heavy valve springs I'm concerned with making sure they don't get wiped out.

Looks to be a New Hampshire plate.

Yes, the starter needs changed to 12v, though the pos/neg ground is not an issue actually with the starter. They spin the same no matter what ground is(that is what I was told by starter people). It's good to change to NEG ground though so you can add accy's and have them work properly. I removed the AMP guage and replaced with Voltmeter(old style S/W to match existing), but just swapping the leads on the AMP meter will then make it work correctly.

Well, when I switched mine over, I ran the alt wire direct to the batteries(int. regulator), so no added wires needed anywhere and the stock harness was left alone. I installed the starter solenoid under the passenger seat(basically next to where s/p switch was), so I could still use the original starter button wiring. I plated over the opening in the floor as I put two Bostrom seats in the truck. I ran all new wiring from batteries to new 12v starter. The old wiring from the s/p switch all goes away basically when you unwire it from the batteries. Only thing left is starter button wiring which I re-used. It was all pretty simple, no cutting wires, no adding a bunch of needless junk. Works perfect.

Wow....that's a boat! well, part of one anyway. Glad nothing "bad" happened overall. Hated to see pics of your B model on it's lid down at the bottom of the hill!

That explains only getting your voice mail and no return call LOL!! I'm planning on taking all next week off(ya, I got too much vaca too). I'll get that confirmed probably tomorrow.

Does it come apart easily?? Bet it's only a dry o-ring. How's the road trip plan coming along?

Moving right along, eh Rob? Sounds like you got a real keeper. Once you get it in tip top shape, you can bring it over to my house and drop it off? LOL!!

That's BIG!

That green Chevy is owned by Dan Renovetz(junkmandan), here in Ohio. That ol truck has been around the world a bunch of times.

Interesting Glenn. I know my 673 has the three lines off the bottom, plus it does have the round plate(6"?) on the bottom of the sump. Never had it off, don't look like it's EVER been off. Has always carried good oil pressure, but does take probably 5-8 seconds to get oil pressure when sitting for a week. I've tried to "bleed" the filter housing, but that's never helped. I need to check the part number on the filter I use...as I've always wondered if it was actually the right one? There again...never had issues with it. After 50 yrs...I suppose can't get much worse if it's never been touched? Heaven knows I run it up on the gov'nr all day long for the last 7 yrs.

Interesting Glenn. I know my 673 has the three lines off the bottom, plus it does have the round plate(6"?) on the bottom of the sump. Never had it off, don't look like it's EVER been off. Has always carried good oil pressure, but does take probably 5-8 seconds to get oil pressure when sitting for a week. I've tried to "bleed" the filter housing, but that's never helped. After 50 yrs...I suppose can't get much worse if it's never been touched? Heaven knows I run it up on the gov'nr all day long for the last 7 yrs.

don't worry I'm not working on that part...lol!

My single axle tractor is 11,500#, so add a couple for the bed/stuff to work it.

Great to hear it RUNS!! Hey Trent. Wasn't your B model this same color combo when you bought it?? Seems I recall it was? Maybe it's totally not the same, but when you mentioned the owner it rang a bell.

Make sure you get a TRUE quote(printed/faxed) on that price. Twice now at my work have a couple of us shipped "car" parts for a price quoted over the phone(specific weight/size). Then get the bill and it's 2 or 3x what they quoted. HUH??? Takes a few phone calls, and sometimes some yell'n to get them to "recall" what they actually quoted. We ship common carrier daily, so it's not something we never deal with.

Man....I got it GOOD!! My g/f even offered to BUY ME A NEW MOTOR for my B model!! She won't allow me to SELL the truck either!!!

Thanks Loco for the pics. I'm kind torn between converting and just fixing. If I want to drive it in two weeks, I'm thinking I'll just fix what I have. The rod ends have been sloppy for all the years I've had it, so it was just time til one fell apart. Too bad it was the top one and it bent the rod as it fell and hit the pavement(going down the road). If I fix it, then likely I'll get new ends from Matt Phal and do it right. No sense in rigging it and then putting std shocks on it. Once the ends are fixed, it should last a lifetime for me. It's not like the front suspension moves much anyway. I do want to crawl under it and see how well the rotary works. Not even sure if they do?? Maybe this weekend after a trip to the chiro so I can actually bend over and crawl under the truck LOL!! The wider R model axle is not an option. I don't care for the "wheel stick'n out" routine. In my opinion anyway. I can tell a chassis swap a mile away with a B model as the front wheels just don't fit UNDER the fender far enough in my eyes. Like using an R model bumper....just wayyy too wide. I had my custom bumper made to fit the width of my tires, so it doesn't stick out the sides.

If I could get std shocks.......I'd glady give you my stuff.

Well, it finally happened. The right front "arm" that attaches the axle to the "snubber" gave way. The upper ball joint fell apart allowing the arm to fall and bend itself up. So.....I need to either replace the arm OR retro fit some R model shocks on the front. Not sure how much those old 'shocks' really do? Probably not really an issue anyway, but do need to fix what's broke. Need to see some pics of R model shocks, how they mounted them, maybe the lengths? I could retrofit/make brackets. Got ALLLLL winter to figure it out

Ya, I know about them old "broken" springs. Of course I kinda made mine work a bit more then they ever were suppose to. I know that was the reason the broke. My front spring look ok, but the drivers side has one broken "clamp" on it. You know those 1" straps wrapped around the leaves. Been wanting to pull it apart, never got to it. Got this real nice JACK I could use................oh, but dang it someones gunno take it away pretty soon.

Neat looking old unit Rob. You sure do find them, don't cha? You trying to catch up with Superdog? LOL!!!