How To Debug A Newly Rebuilt Vehical

[pflaming]

I am now driving my truck every day with progressive longer distances. I drove it in town a LOT yesterday, good decision, because one of the transmission likages did not have a cotter key, so it fell off and jammed the brake pedal. I was on a side street going about 15 mph so I turned off the engine and coasted to the curb. Easy fix, but might have had a different result out on the road.

I had put it on a hoist and checked it closely, I even put silver paint on every thing I checked however . . . as the ranchers would say, "there is always a hidden hay stack or two, so the final count is not in the meadow."

Any suggestions or tips.or is the trial and error method the only true test.

Edited March 22, 2013 by pflaming

[Plymouthy Adams]

that is why it is very important to know  what you are working on, how it all ties in together and if pinned or bolted that the values are torqued and the pins are in place...it is easy to overlook things.  Inspect items close make notes and do make a check list to go over to ensure all was done proper...aircraft to not have a pre-flight check list just to keep the pilot/ground crew busy between flights.  Even if you have not violated the integrity of a subsystem..what's to say the PO did not...?  Ultimately this all rests on your shoulders..I would recommend that the entire steering and suspension mounting be checked close at this time..wheel lugs re-tightened and also driveshaft mounting hardware inspected..I also think it needs be monitored for a few trips to ensure all is staying in place before breathing a sigh of relief..don't get caought up in the excitement of being on the road and become part of it...

[Dave72dt]

I find debuggiung issues largely caused by distractions during final assembly.   If it's on, it needs to be tight. Like hose clamps, drain plugs, linkages.  It's easier to pull the component off  or tighten it completely than to try to remember where you left off.  The assembly for that part needs to be complete.   Cotter pins is very common. Recheck all your steering and brake, clutch components for the cotter pins.   Be systematic about your inspections.  Make a check list if need be.

 

Along with that goes troubleshooting.  Things you find during your road tests that are common, such as vibrations and ratlles, electrical issues, cooling.  a systematic approach to them also.

[Don Coatney]

For me the best way to make sure that things are assembled correctly is to complete each step of the assembly before you move on to the next step. In other words make sure all 4 transmission bolts are installed and secure before installing the driveshaft. If I do not do things this way it will bite me down the road. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

_{I admit to being a compulsive list maker..all my cars have a excel chart on date removed, cleaned, repaired painted etc etc including finial assembly check off box...might not be for everyone..but you go over the list..you get memory jog...}

Edited March 22, 2013 by Plymouthy Adams

[TodFitch]

I find debuggiung issues largely caused by distractions during final assembly.   If it's on, it needs to be tight. Like hose clamps, drain plugs, linkages.  It's easier to pull the component off  or tighten it completely than to try to remember where you left off.  The assembly for that part needs to be complete.   Cotter pins is very common. Recheck all your steering and brake, clutch components for the cotter pins.   Be systematic about your inspections.  Make a check list if need be.

 

Along with that goes troubleshooting.  Things you find during your road tests that are common, such as vibrations and ratlles, electrical issues, cooling.  a systematic approach to them also.

 

In retrospect this would have save me from some of the initial driving debugging issues. I also had a couple missing cotter pins that led to issues. Had I just left things apart until I had all the clamps and pins needed for correct final assembly I might have spared myself some grief.

 

But given the vehicle is basically together and you are now debugging it, I think your process is good. Just make longer and longer trips with safety checks on everything after each trip.

[JBNeal]

they don't call it a 'shakedown cruise' fer nuthin'...on a project like this, button it up, give it a final inspection, take that buggy on a bouncy road and see what jars loose...rinse, repeat 

[Mark Haymond]

Here are some bugs that I have encountered in some of my own shake down runs.

Loose distributor position clamp let engine get our of time.

Slightly loose nut on coil lost power to the coil.

Lug nuts that were tight have loosened slightly.

Leaking water hose connections. Air leak in thick gasket under carburetor.

New axle U bolts have loosened and one nut even fell off.

Muffler pipe shifted position and lay against fuel tank.

Fuel sender seal in top of fuel tank leaked when I topped off the tank the first time.

Hasty battery cable reconnection after maintenance, did not tighten cables enough.

Check front brake hoses while turning steering wheel full left to right, or during full up and down position of the suspension.

      They should not get pinched or rub against anything, or have to twist much during travel..

Fuel gauge inaccurate below one quarter tank, I ran out of gas.

[Plymouthy Adams]

you can go over it real close..big difference between a shake down run and a broke down run. Its mechanical, things can and will happen..just saying don't be a self inflicted victim if you can help it with a once over...

[Jeff Balazs]

Hey Paul;

You almost can't be too careful at this stage. All the suggestions here have been good. Things like linkage-brakes- suspension and major mounting points, etc... all deserve a extra dose of precaution. Double check ............and then check again.

 

Might be helpful to have another set of eyes look things over as well. Sometimes we can overlook the most obvious things that someone else will see right away. Maybe you have a friend or know an experienced mechanic that you can get another perspective from?

 

Be extra careful.

Jeff

[Plymouthy Adams]

I hate to admit to this but I have learned a lesson or two from PO's....do not ever assume they know what they are doing at any point of the build should you get a car from another person be it a completed car or a works in progress...even if you ask up front you get the answer they want you to hear..not necessarily the truth...not everyone phases drive trains..most have no idea what it incorporates much less perform the installation proper...and another fact...even if you know the folks and they have a good rep..check them anyway....may be you find the very reason you got the deal you did...sometimes backing up is harder than admitting error and correcting it and moving forward..thus the lateral handoff..

[55dodgec3]

I double check EVERYTHING, TWICE.  I'd rather be anal about little things, then get suprized.  That being said, I've missed some things even doing that!   It happens! And I've been a mechanic or bodyman ALL my life. 

[pflaming]

I've been following the suggestions. Today was electrical, i knew I had a recurring but not fully broke issue, Took me yesterday and part of today to find it. DONE. Monday I will put it up on a hoist. I've done that once before. I will take a yellow paint pencil with me an double check everything in sight. The last time I used silver paint, so now I will know: silver 2nd check, brown/black/cad I missed the last time.

 

So it's coming along. Amp gauge works so the gen is working, oil gauge shows 40 #, temp shows 150. Speedometer . . . got  a problem. a new fuel gauge has been ordered.