'53 B-4TA-190 Fire Engine

[E37Bruco]

It's leaking from that connection to the brake line. Not from the bolt that holds that connection to the wheel cylinder. I confirmed that much

[Dodgeb4ya]

Is it a new steel brake line and nut?

A new hand  flared line?

 Maybe the steel line nut is not tight enough or the tube flare to w/cyl is not seated correctly and leaking.

I have seen several new offshore wheel cylinders leak becsuse of poor quality  machine work.

[E37Bruco]

Here's where it's weeping from. There's a nic on the line flare and slight putting on the brass connector. Hose is easy to replace. I guess I'd have to track down a modern rubber line that threads into the cylinder 

[Dodgeb4ya]

A new steel line with  might seal t up but if not you can buy these inverted copper flare washers for your type of problem.

They come in different sizes.

[E37Bruco]

So I had replaced the steal line with a copper coated line. See how that holds, hadn't leaked 3 hours after swap. I'll check in next week on it. 

[E37Bruco]

No more brake leak ?

 

Currently cleaning and prepping a lot for a July 8th parade and antique fire apparatus show

[Dodgeb4ya]

There better be pic's or it didn't happen!

[E37Bruco]

https://www.abc27.com/local-news/susquehanna-township-rescue-fire-company-37-restoring-original-fire-engine/

[E37Bruco]

Painted those damn white rims haha

[E37Bruco]

2 of the 3 benches re-upholstered

[sidevalvepete]

Am certainly enjoying this big truck thread. Thanks for sharing...and to Dodgeb4ya for all your input

[Dodgeb4ya]

Didn't know about your early history with your dad  and the Fire Truck.

That's really wonderful you are the one bringing it back to life and you and your father get to do a replay with it...just like old times!

Re-live your youth?

Yeah...those white wheels....

Glad their red now...ha ha!

 

Edited July 5, 2023 by Dodgeb4ya

[E37Bruco]

Ya we are out driving today and u have a solid driver shifting it smooth, the rear is moving itself into hi 

[E37Bruco]

Few of us have driven it now, it seems to mostly force itself into Hi when you're in 4lo. 

[Dodgeb4ya]

That 2 speed rear end with no vacuum supply is designed to automatically pull back into low range.

There is a very  strong spring in the shift diaphram housing on the rear axle.

With no vacuum applied that spring will force or hold the rear end always  in low range..

Either the spring is broken in the diaphram housing or the vacuum control side is leaking vacuum when not wanted to the diaphram causing unwanted upshifts.

The shift control cable  must have full travel to operate the firewall mounted vacuum control valve too.

I have never had your issue on any of my trucks. ..lucky me I guess.

Remove the vacuum hose from the rear axle diaphram and plug it...then drive the truck and see if it stays in rear axle low range. If so the issue is not in the rear axle.

Report back.

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Dodgeb4ya

[E37Bruco]

But Even like you said, the rear is vacuum actuated. If the spring was broken and it slid into high the knob on the shifter would still be in low.

 

I really think I need to pull the vacuum actuator and see if it's loose somewhere causing the valve to suck itself close. The shifting cable from the knob to the actuator slides very smooth and easily. There's no feeling of a popping in and out of high / low. Is there supposed to be some type of indentation somewhere

Edited July 7, 2023 by E37Bruco

[Dodgeb4ya]

There is a very slight  indentation feel on the shifter cable button. Just a slight feel of it when pulling up into high.

The control valve on the firewall causes this by design.

That shifter cable has enough friction to stay where ever it's pushed or pulled to.

Yes do carefully check the cable to the valve assembly.

Edited July 7, 2023 by Dodgeb4ya

[E37Bruco]

20 minutes sitting in a parade not moving much in this 85° weather, I went to pull up on a curb to park at the end field and she started sputtering and backfiring. 

 

Old guy said "you need non-ethonal fuel and put electric fuel pumps on near your tanks". I had planned on adding 1 pump at the selector switch output, thoughts?

 

Otherwise she ran great 

[Dodgeb4ya]

Was the fuel pump rebuilt recently?

Tanks rust and dirt free?

Ethanol fuel can cause vapor locking in very high heat situations like what you just experienced idling in the parade

An electric pump turned on in that situation would most likely keep you up and running.

I always just run ethanol fuel in everything I own including my big 413 Dodge same as yours.

No easy alternative fuel around here.

I have not installed electric pumps...maybe should.

 

 

 

 

[E37Bruco]

Yes I rebuilt the fuel pump when I did the carbs. Think 1 pump closer to engine is ok? Or should I do 2 further back at the tanks?

 

Tanks are clean

Edited July 8, 2023 by E37Bruco

[E37Bruco]

Now she won't stay running to drive it home. Have a tow on the way

Edited July 8, 2023 by E37Bruco

[Dodgeb4ya]

If it was a vase of bspor lock if afterban hour or so to cool down it should have stsrted up and ran normal again.

The no idle problem is odd though.

Probably won't idle because of flooding out?...

Can you shut it off and then start it up again fairly easily but the have to keep it revved up to keep it running?

...does it run half decent at higher rpm's?

Was the back firing through the mufflers and or the carbs ?

 A couple things maybe you need to check for...

***Enough fuel flow out through the fuel line to front carb and to the rear carb (fairly strong pulsing squirts while cranking over engine...if so fuel pump and tank supply is ok

*** Not too much fuel ..meaning is one or both carbs flooding out....debris in a needle and seat of one or both carbs. 

*** that both carb filters are still like new  and free of debris

***Do you have a strong 1/2" blue strong snapping spark out of the high tension coil lead (end of coil lead held 1/2" from head or bolt)

Point gap needs to be .020".

If you were to install a pull through pump use only one...best to have it near the tanks as the pump is better at pushing fuel than sucking it.

 

[E37Bruco]

So after sitting in traffic for 15 minutes when i went to move she puttered and backfired out the exhaust then sounded like it wasn't running on all cylinders. 

 

I fought to keep it running at any throttle position just to get it in our spot.

 

4 hours parked in the sun. Go to start it and she's backfiring still and struggling. No throttle or chock position could get a smooth engine. Filter Bowls are currently full, I can't tell if they are spraying fuel in. When we parked it the front was full and the back was empty. I can't get her to start at all now. 

 

Points are set at .020

 

Just popped the carb filters off, they are flooded. I can see the gas laying on the throttle valves. 

 

Added: they've dried out, I opened the throttle valves to look down more and both carbs sprayed. 

Edited July 8, 2023 by E37Bruco

[Dodgeb4ya]

Well you have plenty of gas for sure...

The back firing is most likely a ignition issue...

It's firing and not firing ....then igniting all that excess fuel in the exhaust system.

Possible causes..

***loose wire in or to the distributor

***Bad condensor

***rotor bad/misding spring clip 

***distributor cap center carbon button broken/missing spring clip under rotor

*** Distributor cap carbon tracking

***Distributor has rotated changing timing..

***cheap modern chinese points (contacts faulty)

*** loose ignition coil feed wire at IGN switch... 

Did you check for a strong steady spark at the coil lead?

 

 

[E37Bruco]

The condenser and points are from brillman. How do I check the spark without shocking the crap out of myself?

 

It's now towed back to the firehouse and inside. I got to go back to work so later next week I plan to take a look at it. I'll look through the distributor. But would this scorching heat have anything to do with that stuff? I have a feeling after a week it's going to fire right up