'53 B-4TA-190 Fire Engine

[Brent B3B]

53 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

 may smoke awhile as it warms up and burns the oil out of it.

Lol, visual aid 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rYdgJk645X0
 

[Dodgeb4ya]

2 hours ago, Brent B3B said:

Lol, visual aid 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rYdgJk645X0
 

Brent..you are the best at doing what ya gotta do get the big trucks running and back to work!

But what about all the squirrels and Western Meadow larks let alone your neighbors...lying on the forest floor gasping for their last breath of air?

I have done the same to lube the exhaust system so it won't rust out.?

[E37Bruco]

Had a little free time this evening to swing by and look at the old fire engine. Still can't find that engine ID plate below the crankcase breather. Gathered a handful of other model numbers and measurements I needed. 

 

I was wrong on the mileage, it only has 17,598 miles on her ?? besides the oil everything is probably factory.

 

I thought of something then before I left, I'm just going to spray some Marine engine fogging oil in the cylinders, rotate the crank by hand, then let it sit for a few days before I do the compression test. That should do a good job as we were getting those cylinder walls and breaking loose any rings. 

[Dodgeb4ya]

The compression most likely will be fine.

A real test is after it has been run for some time.

That black/brass ID plate you are looking for is found on the industrial engine apications.

.....though the four tiny pre-drilled pin holes for the tag might be there if you look carefully.

Edited May 25, 2022 by Dodgeb4ya

[E37Bruco]

Oooooh. Ya I can't find the remnants of a single plate anywhere on the right side. 

 

This wait for March 8th meeting is killing me lol l really want to dive in and get this running but that would cause a **** storm. Trying to come up with a plan B if the company decides to not put money into it. I'd buy it but have no where to store it currently. 

[Dodgeb4ya]

I think they should just let you store it at the station to get it going...once running they might be  ready to follow through to finish the project.

And..... they should gift it to you after all the needed work.?

Oh   and here's another heavy series fire engine to get excited about... though not for sale...just a old internet pic .

[E37Bruco]

Drooooool. The fire chief and I are planning a strategy to make that plan B. She doesn't need much mechanically. I've budgeted out about $500 to get her on the road 

[DJ194950]

O Rielly's  ?sp? whatever, sells  a Sta-Bil fogging oil spray as you mentioned for around here for $10-12 And have in stock..

 

Just a thought unless a marine place near you keeps that in stock.

 

DJ

[E37Bruco]

49 minutes ago, DJ194950 said:

O Rielly's  ?sp? whatever, sells  a Sta-Bil fogging oil spray as you mentioned for around here for $10-12 And have in stock..

 

Just a thought unless a marine place near you keeps that in stock.

 

DJ

Oh I have 2 cans on my garage shelf for my boat haha

[E37Bruco]

These levels of excitement really want me to start paying out of pocket to get this motor running ?

 

Electrically I would just need battery positive to frame, battery negative to starter, negative to coil. Correct? Or does the generator and voltage regulator need to be hooked up?

Edited January 25, 2022 by E37Bruco

[Dodgeb4ya]

Do just as you stated wiring wise...you don't need the generator or regulator to fire it up...just clean contact points @ .018" - .020". 

But the fan won't spin if the generator is off the engine...no coolant flow...

Don't know what you are doing with the charging system.

[E37Bruco]

Tested the generator today, she spins with 6v applied. 

 

Haven't looked at the distributor yet. 

 

Starter will not do anything...so that's either shot or needs rebuilt. The brushes looked good. It's free spinning. 

[Los_Control]

6 volt positive ground, the grounds are really important especially for a heavy draw as a starter.

 

The positive ground from the battery should go to the transmission bellhousing on a 1/2 ton pickup truck.

If you go to the frame, then have rubber engine mounts, the ground will be very weak reaching the starter.

 

Not saying it is a poor ground stopping your starter from working ... but it could be.

Or just as easy a poor & dirty connection.

If the starter was bad I would expect to hear a click or a clunk as it tried to operate ... hearing nothing I first suspect poor connections.

[E37Bruco]

6 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

6 volt positive ground, the grounds are really important especially for a heavy draw as a starter.

 

The positive ground from the battery should go to the transmission bellhousing on a 1/2 ton pickup truck.

If you go to the frame, then have rubber engine mounts, the ground will be very weak reaching the starter.

 

Not saying it is a poor ground stopping your starter from working ... but it could be.

Or just as easy a poor & dirty connection.

If the starter was bad I would expect to hear a click or a clunk as it tried to operate ... hearing nothing I first suspect poor connections.

i currently have the starter off the truck. i was using jumper cables to go battery positive to starter mounting flange, battery negative to starter terminal. got no sounds at all.

[Dodgeb4ya]

You cannot start that engine using battery jumper cables.

It will do just what you said....not much if anything.

Buy a good current date group 2 battery...at a minimum.

I only use group 4 battery's to start the bigger Moly Block engines.

It barely fits but has plenty of CCA's to crank those big engines over to start them easy.

[billrigsby]

 

Also the 'auto store bought 12 V' cables #2 0r #4 may work,

but will not provide as much current a 0 or 00 gauge cables.

 

 

[E37Bruco]

I plan to use 00 gauge when I rewire the truck. 

 

DodgeB4ya...battery jumper cables to the starter while it is off the truck won't work? Theres no flywheel resistance. I figured it would need much cca when it's not spinning the motor. 

Edited January 29, 2022 by E37Bruco

[E37Bruco]

I'm just trying to find a way to benchtest this starter....

[Brent B3B]

1 hour ago, Los_Control said:

The positive ground from the battery should go to the transmission bellhousing on a 1/2 ton pickup truck.

If you go to the frame, then have rubber engine mounts, the ground will be very weak reaching the starter.

Thank you for specifying 1/2 ton ground to the transmission. The B3/ B4 1.5 and 2 ton (and a couple others) ground to the frame with a 12” long cable 

 

1 hour ago, E37Bruco said:

I'm just trying to find a way to benchtest this starter....

Right or wrong, I’ve used jumper cable on the starter outside the truck to see if it worked 

https://youtu.be/59y7tET47zw
 

[E37Bruco]

8 minutes ago, Brent B3B said:

Thank you for specifying 1/2 ton ground to the transmission. The B3/ B4 1.5 and 2 ton (and a couple others) ground to the frame with a 12” long cable 

 

Right or wrong, I’ve used jumper cable on the starter outside the truck to see if it worked 

https://youtu.be/59y7tET47zw
 

It's a 3 ton grounded to the frame. 

 

But yes, I'm attempting to test my starter that same way. And I get nothing at all.

[Brent B3B]

On 1/25/2022 at 12:02 PM, E37Bruco said:

 

Electrically I would just need battery positive to frame, battery negative to starter, negative to coil. Correct? Or does the generator and voltage regulator need to be hooked up?

I have started a few of the smaller flatheads without the generator and VR being hooked up. I usually disconnect the ignition wire from the starter 

 

Edited February 6, 2022 by Brent B3B
Video removed

[Brent B3B]

14 minutes ago, E37Bruco said:

It's a 3 ton grounded to the frame. 

 

But yes, I'm attempting to test my starter that same way. And I get nothing at all.

And the Solenoid and brushes look good? 

[E37Bruco]

3 minutes ago, Brent B3B said:

And the Solenoid and brushes look good? 

No solenoid, foot button style. The brushes looked good. 

[Brent B3B]

6 minutes ago, E37Bruco said:

No solenoid, foot button style. The brushes looked good. 

Lol, yeah I said solenoid but, meant starter switch…. 
I’ve had a coupe corroded to where nothing would work. Just a thought 

[Dodgeb4ya]

2 hours ago, E37Bruco said:

I'm just trying to find a way to benchtest this starter....

Sorry on my first comment..thought you were trying to crank the engine over.

Yes real good heavy duty quality jumper cables...with real heavy thick copper cable will spin the starter up 100%.

But it sometimes is hard to get full current flow through the cable clamp connections.

I just tested the same type starter today using a big battery jump pack...but still not as good as with battery cables hooked to the starter?