Merle Coggins

Norm, I'm guessing the reduction in oil consumption may have something to do with the fact that the so called "diesel oil" is a heavier grade than what they were using. A common oil grade used in truck and equipment diesel engines is a 15w40. As for your misconception regarding diesels not using oil... well my friend, I've got a lot to teach you. Diesel engines use the same type of lubrication system that you are used to in your car's engine. The main difference between a gasoline engine and a diesel engine in the fuel system. In stead of mixing the intake air with gas vapor, as in a gas engine, the intake air is drawn in unrestricted and clean. The fuel (diesel fuel oil) is then injected under extreme pressure (3000 - 5000 in a conventional engine, and up to 30,000 psi in the new Tier III emission engines). This fuel is injected into the compressed air and creates the combustion. Otherwise it's just a normal 4 stroke engine. Now to add some confussion, GM (Detroit Diesel) used to make 2 stoke diesel engines. However, you didn't mix the fuel with the oil like you would with your chain saw or weed wacker. These engines will not run without a blower. You've no doubt seen these blowers on performance engines. The blower that you'd mount on your Chebby 350 is basicly a Detroit Diesel blower (usually from a 53 or 71 series engine). A Detroit Diesel with a blower is considered "Natrally Asperated", but with a turbocharger it's considered "Super Charged". On these engines there is a ring of intake ports in the cylinder liner. When the piston gets near the bottom of it's stroke it uncovers these ports the air is forced into the cylinder by the blower, and at the same time forces the exhaust out through the exhaust valves in the head. The piston then travels up, compressing the air, fuel is injected, BOOM, Power stroke, piston reached the bottom, intake/exhaust, compression, Boom, etc. But even these engines had a typical pressurized lubrication system with an oil sump, oil pump, filters, etc. End of class. Please return next week when we discuss tune-ups in "Diesel Engines 101" Merle

I believe what you guys are referring to with your "diesel oil" has more to do with the additive packages in the oil, not the oil it's self. Oils marketed for modern automotive engines are without many of the additives that help our older engines. As I recall one of them is Zinc, and the others I forget (maybe molybdenum?). Anyway, oils sold for diesel engines don't have to meet those tighter emission standards so they can still have those additives. Even automotive oils that don't fall into the tight emission standards may be OK. Usually anything 10w40 or heavier will be OK. It's the 10w30's, 5w30's and lighter that are recommended for modern emission engines. That's the way I've understood it lately anyway, Merle

You're partly right, Norm. A diesel engine is a compression Ignition engine. When the air is compressed in the cylinder it gets very hot. Then fuel is injected into the cylinder at very high pressure, which atomizes it into a fine mist. The atomized fuel in the hot air goes "BOOM" creating the power stroke. Glow plugs are mearly a cold start device. When starting the engine in freezing conditions the glow plugs, or other air intake heaters, will preheat the intake air to help increase the air temperatures under compression for better starting. Once the engine is running the glow plugs are no longer needed. For engines without intake air heating devices, ether works quite well. A quick sniff of this "summer air" and they'll fire right up. But don't use ether in an engine with intake heaters. Intake manifolds and/or heads have been know to come unglued when the ether hits the hot glow plug or heater grid. Again with the BANG!!!

You could try jacking up the rear axle and setting it on jack stands. Then put it in gear and start up the engine. The wheels will spin when the engine is running, but the truck won't move. Now, hold down the clutch and stab the brakes. Maybe you can break it loose that way. Merle

Lookin' good, Phil. Attaboy :)

I once thought I was wrong... but I was mistaken :D

Joe, You will need a puller to get your axle out if it's the same as mine. I have had some luck with a large slide hammer puller. I have also had luck using the brake drum with spacers. If you don't have any puller tools that'll work, use the drum. With the brake assembly removed slide the drum back onto the axle just enough that you can start the nut with a couple of threads (using the washer too). Now measure the distance from the end of the axle tube (between the studs) to the inside surface of the brake drum. Now find some spacers to fill that gap. I had some 3/8 drive deep sockets that worked perfectly. Now fit your spacers and tighten the axle nut. It should pull the axle out. You may need to make two attempts with longer spacers on the second try. What you are doing is pulling the outer bearing cup (race) out of the axle tube. Once the bearing cup comes free, slide out the axle. You may have noticed some shims between the axle tube and the brake plate. Save these for reassembly. These shims set the bearing preload. Now that you have the axle out you can clean and repack the bearing. I don't reccomend trying to remove the bearing cone (inner half) from the shaft. Just clean it and repack it. With the axle out you should be able to get to the inner seal. You may need some type of seal puller to get it out, and you will damage it getting it out. I used a 3 jaw slide hammer puller again. Luckily I didn't damage the numbers and I could cross them to new ones from Napa. The outer seal is in your brake backing plate. This is the one that has been leaking on you. I'll come out easy with a hammer and a drift (punch). Now just replace the seals with the lips in on both, replace your axle with the regreased bearing, tap the bearing cup back into place with your hammer and drift (brass preferably) and reassemble your brakes. (don't forget those shims) When you reinstall your brake drum be sure to retorque the axle nut and install a cotter pin. Good luck, Merle

Sorry Pat, I have to go with Don and Tim on this one. The axle and wheels are unsprung weight regardless of how it is attached to the springs.

No. It means that it's a SAE 30 grade oil that will act like a SAE 10w when cold. The "w" stands for "winter" oil. My engine has Amsoil Series 2000 0w30 oil in it, because that's what I had handy when it was time to put oil into my newly rebuilt engine. It may not have been the best chioce of breakin oils, but I was too lazy to go buy different oil at the time. Merle

Fenders? We don't need no stinkin' fenders. Mid restoration? I like to call it mid resurection. It's a 1950 B2C 3/4 ton truck. Merle

Hankster, try this one. http://www.t137.com/registry/help/decode.php Merle

I cut out a donut shaped piece of sheet metal and layed it in the bottom with some silicone sealant. I now have a nice flat surface on the bottom. The filter I use fits nicely, although the outer edge squashes down a bit due to the domed top. But at least I know it's sealing. It's a Napa 542196 filter.

I suppose it would work without the cup. All it does is hold down on the top of the filter. The filter is like a stuffed sock. It fits tightly in the canister. The oil comes in the bottom connection and comes out of the inner pipe about half way up. The oil then migrates through the filter media and up to the top where it can run out of the upper port and drain back into the sump. The only problem I could see would be that the filter could push up and block the flow of oil out the upper port.

Ride hight.

That cup didn't come off of the screw, but it wasn't locked to it. It could spin independantly. I don't recall now, but I think there may have been a small circlip (snap-ring) holding it on. I left it all together when I cleaned it up. Merle

I've been into it several times today. In fact I'm logged in right now and there are no problems. Merle

Here's another one. http://www.thebrakeman.com/fluid_tech

Here's a link to an interesting article that I found on brake fluid. After reading it I won't worry too much about my DOT 3 fluid anymore. http://www.afcoracing.com/tech_pages/fluid.shtml

If everything's gonna be new, I'd take Dave's advice and ust DOT 5 fluid. I wish I had thought about that when I did mine. Too late now. DOT 5 does not play well with DOT 3 & 4. It cannot be mixed. I believe DOT 5 is silicone based, vrs the glycol based DOT 3 & 4. I understand that DOT 5 doesn't absorb moisture like the 3 & 4 does. This will help your system live longer. It can also handle higher temperatures, but that shouldn't be a concern in your truck. Merle

They're not in the Thomas book that I have. I believe they were either bought up a long while back, or they went belly up way back when. At least several current filter manufacturers carry cross references to them. On Fram's web site they cross the Deluxe JC to a C120E. They also reference the ACDelco C231, Big A 92011, Carquest 85011, Allis-Chalmers DE57096, DE57141, and DE57148, along with Chrysler 1503493, 1503495, and 1504092 filters. Merle

Here is what is a shot of the lid of mine. With this information and the Napa Master Filter catalog I was able to find the correct filter cartridge as shown above. Does this match your's, Skip?

What brand filter assembly is that one, Don? Skip is looking for info on the Deluxe brand. If it is a Deluxe, which model is it, and what cartridge does it take? Skip, does your filter reference the cartridge required? On mine it is stamped into the lid with the brand name. That's how I got the "JC" cartridge to cross. The Napa 1011 fit perfectly.

Good luck with your search. You may end up buying another complete filter. My truck didn't have a filter when I got it. I found my filter on ebay, and I still see them there from time to time. I think I paid around $10 + shiping for it. When I opened it up it was full of sludge, which made it appear that it was packed full of grease. It also had the wrong filter cartridge in it. Here is a pic of the filter that was in it (fore ground of the photo with my rusty, crusty air filter). This cartridge couldn't have done any filtering in this canister. There was no way to seal it off. I feel sorry for the engine this came off of.

Here are a couple of pics for you. This is my filter canister after I got it cleaned up. There should be a gasket between the cover and the canister, and there is no spring in there anywhere. And this is what the cartridge should look like. It will fit tightly in the canister. The rounded end goes up against the cup inside the lid. There is a wire attached to that end to assist with removal. I hope this helps you. Merle

What do you need to know. I know a couple of people in LaPorte. I also have a Deluxe filter on my truck. Mine calls for the "JC" cartridge which crosses to a Napa 1011, or a Wix 51011, or a Baldwin JC405. Any filter manufacturer will have a cross for it. Those are the three that I have catalogs for. Merle