Geoff Weeks

OK, I just noticed this is in the fire truck thread. Many Fire trucks used alternators long before they became used in trucks. (I have a 6 volt 100 amp alternator) so lets start with some pictures of what you have. Just to be sure we are on the same page.

Also, assuming it has a Delco generator, any short to ground on the field wire between the reg and generator would "full field" the genny regardless of what the regulator tried to do. So look for frayed insulation on the genny wires.

less than 100 hp, makes it unlikely to be even a yard goat. No air compressor seen, so what was it used for? They bought enough for Herc to cast their name in the manifold. A real mystery?

I'm more curious what Mack put it in?

Does seam to be a Herc. Here is a pick with vertical exh but everything else seams to "line up". I'd say 100% on the ID. Thanks to the poster who first said Herc. https://www.ebay.com/p/1523084881

Got to start by knowing the charging voltage. Voltage reg would be a smaller black box most likely on the firewall. There must be a good connection between the reg and generator and also the ground path between the reg, chassie, body and engine. If the regulator doesn't have a good ground path, it can't compare what the voltage is to what it should be. Some(many heavy duty) regulators are mounted with a rubber mount to protect from rough vibration. They MUST have a ground path to electrically connect the rubber isolated regulator to the chassie. Often it is a thin tab connected to one of the mount screws, but these can either rust or break. If in doubt connect a ground wire between the regulator case and the chassie. I have found the regulators to be extremely reliable and have two that are close to or over 80 years old and still working.

Sorry I'M no help,but to agree it is not a Buda design. Conti was famous for casting a name into manifolds when a mfg bought their engine. I would guess may be Herc did the same? Never saw one like that either. Too bad we don't have Glenn or Mike H to pick their brains.

I think two reasons, One is they had a rep for parts prices being high, I never was on that end of things, so just repaired, and never saw the price of the parts. The real big reason I saw, was they "weren't cool, like a duelly pick-up chassie" Or "I wouldn't be seen dead in that termite head truck". Never mind the fact the cab had more room, they turned tighter, and had things like a engine brake from the factory. I looked to find a reasonable priced used one, but they were all more than I wanted to pay, Still, they were cheaper than other used trucks in their class. The lighter end of trucks never did all that well for sales as cabovers, The Ford C series is about the best known, but GM (or course the Mack N) and IHC cargostar were all low sales when compared to conventionals. Just think how many more Loadstar conventionals are still seen vs, the cabover version of the same (Cargostar). I think these were bought new by large companies, not O/O or small fleet, where the "looks" counted more to the buyer than the practicality.

I had one that drove me mad. It was the tooth gear on the back of the trans (If yours still use that type of speedo). All it was, the yoke nut was a little loose, not enough so you could feel play, just enough that the tooth gear would stop spinning. Drop the driveshaft and hit the nut with a big gun or torque it with a bar. It was weird, you start off the say and the speedo would work fine, then it would slow or cut out. Changed pick=ups, even subbed in another speedo and got the same. Couldn't feel any play in the yoke but just enough not to squeeze the tooth gear between the yoke and bearing.

Book mark "Rome Truck Parts" for those Trico motors. If you need motors or a rebuild they are the only ones that seam to know much about the old Trico's. Because those use air to park (when the button is pushed in) and I don't think you said where it is leaking from, it could be the valve in the motor as well. http://www.rometruckparts.com/

Some engines had a 'stat that is clamped in the upper hose near the engine outlet.

Rule of thumb, again from the late Glenn A, if the shutter thermostat is in the upper tank, it should be 10 deg higher than the engine 'stat if in the lower tank (as some are) it should be the same temp as the engine stat. Your situation sounds like a bad (or missing) engine thermostat, shutters are doing all they can to get the temp up (staying closed)

Speaking of Kris in general, I think my favorite song was Sunday morning coming down, and I loved him in Lonestar, he played evil so well!

do the four ways work front and back with the taillights on also? if not I would guess a bad ground, if so a switch would be where I looked. This is just general advice, I have no info on your model. Just simple checks that will help diagnosis. If the parking light function goes out with the 4 ways, it is a grounding issue, it should go from dim to bright as it flashes.

He is/was an interesting man, lived 3 or more lives in one, from Air force music, film. I wish him well

My '92 Marmon used mostly mechanical 270 sweep gauges, electrical for fuel, gear box temps and originally engine temp. I replaced engine with mechanical. Cable driven tach and speedo. Had to replace the speedo and went with electric off the tailshaft. allowed for easy 2 spd install.ng I think the reason your seeing more and more "electronic" gauge clusters is the ECM is monitoring the same stuff on the SAE data link, using the info to de-rate if a problem is detected. So just simpler to use the data link and electronic gauges. I would prefer the redundancy of separate gauges, but if the ECM is going to de rate or shut down if its sensor is out, you knowing it is the fault isn't going to allow you to override the ECM. one of the many reasons I never had an electronic.

Flat rubber is what I have, I think I still have a set in I-R packaging.

Paul, I mentioned fanning or pumping the brakes on shut down to lower the system pressure, if you notice a fall in the start tank pressure you know you have a leak and can deal with it before you wake in the morning and find the tank empty. Air driers are what the sound like they are, they remove moisture and hold until the purge cycle, then expel it before the next compression cycle. They work by both cooling and slowing the air flow, passing it over a large surface area of beads (AD-2) or metal turnings (AD-4 and -9). When the compressor unloads, the purge valve opens and any pressure in the "can" and the compressor line passes back over the media and collects the moisture there, carrying it out the purge valve. It doesn't seam to me they should work as well as they do, but they do.

I'd have to look in the Bendix book, but compressor duty cycle and that of the drier are low, like 25% max. Any air leak increases the on time. You can increase the compressor displacement or decrease the air usage. On truck compressors often it is only the head that is water cooled, the block is left to air cooling, getting to much heat can pass oil.

My guess on why air driers never were big in other parts of the world has to do with the compressor systems used outside North America. Our compressors have an unloading valve in the compressor it self, while European designs opted for a discharge line unloader. Without a signal line from the air governor, our air driers will not work. Air driers have only been around since the 70's or so. Now they are made in configurations that will work with the North American and European style of governor. Leaving the spit valve open a crack is just like having an air leak, it cause the compressor to cycle more and therefor puts more moisture in the system. I only got dry air out of a wet tank if the drier was working properly. Even with the added use of air start and air wipers, If I saw moisture, I could find a fault in the drier. At one point, my 4 axle tractor, hooked to a tandem axle trailer, all air ride, with the above air start and wipers, would go 45 min between purge cycles rolling down the highway! That was a tight system, less than 15 minutes between purge and you have some real work to do. I hear trucks going down the road with multiple purge events in one minute! I had AD-2, 4's and 9's as well as tried some Rockwell units. I settled on the AD-4 as the best of the bunch, and bought "cores" from wrecking yards to a few on the shelf. Often the flapper check on the top of the drier element is the problem, it fails and allows the purge volume to escape all at once. AD 2 and most 4's don't have a turbo cut-off in them so either needs an external one or N-A the compressor. The colder the air, the less moisture it contains. so if you see moisture in your wet tank in summer, you know the drier is letting you down. Might not see it in winter, unless the drier failed totally. I had some AD-9's that did that, the drier element is threaded into the aluminum base and the threads wear out and the element becomes loose inside and does nothing.

Not me! I used to be conceited but then I learned I was just great!😄 How boring life would be if one didn't screw up in a real spectacular way often enough to keep us (me) humble. I've done some real bone-head things, and lived to laugh at them, but vow not to repeat!

Think about it. Often a hand on the stick when the clutch is pressed, whole truck torques from the dumped clutch and the guy is still "hanging onto" the stick. Gears under load and a pull on the stick, something is going to happen. Just popping a clutch with no human in the drivers seat, I would agree with you, but don't factor out the human!

It has a connection for a line, what you connect it to is up to you, however I don't see how the little bit is uses would effect a modern diesel, but stand to be corrected. Air tool oil isn't a whole lot different then diesel, and for lube quality it has to be good enough or the injectors would seize in the engine. The lube injector is a simple device, with a spring and a small chamber that is filled from the lube source, when the main line for the start motor gets air, high pressure is generated (large area over small) and the lube gets sprayed in. I can't see why a T in the return line would cause any problem with a modern engine, but am open to an explanation as to why I am wrong. The reason diesel is used, is because if a remote lube tank was, chances are very good it wouldn't get filled. Lube tanks are used on Natural gas engines with air start With diesel available it is a no brainer to use that..

The problem with diagnosing on the internet, is you are relying on someone else eyes and judgement. He said "as far as he knows" that the clutch is working. I take him at his word. It would be easy to tell if the clutch is working, as the truck would move if the engine was running and wouldn't if the pedal is pushed. SO I doubt it is a clutch problem barring more info pointing that way.

Don't be too sure that it was you, there were three of us, so his "complement" is somewhat murky!