Doug T B42X

1970 Diamond Reo C11464DB Road Tractor. Turbocharged Cummins. Fuller 10 Spd Road Ranger RT915 Transmission. Needs oil cooler. Some spare parts included. Doug (215) 870-2724 dougt83@hotmail.com

Congratulations! I wish you the best. Nice truck, too!

Is that a humidor? I'd love to have a shop like that. All my toys are outside for now. But seriously, I think this is a very good site, good forums, experienced people who differ sometimes but are not afraid to give their opinions. The only caveat I would add is that it benefits all when a poster gives as much information as possible. (I have not always followed my own advice!) Doug

Thank you. I just removed one of the wires and taped it up.

I would love to have one of those - two trucks in one!

This is from the Double Clutch, ATCA bi-monthly magazine. Doug

Thanks BOBWhite, I'll bear that in mind. Interesting to learn that the tests should be made with the generator regulator cover ON, not off. I'll admit I didn't make all the tests that Steve in the film did, but I am going to replace the generator regulator and hope for the best. I also noticed they didn't cover polarizing a replacement generator regulator, although that was not really the subject. Doug

Thank you. I'll look around for that tomorrow.

When I got this truck, the low air pressure buzzer worked normally, shutting off at about 60 psi. Then it started going off all the time. Then stopped entirely. Now it is back to going off all the time again. This truck has great air, no leaks. Where is the buzzer located? What is involved in changing it? Thanks, Doug

Thanks for your reply. I took the cover off the regulator to check it, but that procedure looks too ambitious for me, so I'll button it up. I'll make sure the oil cups on generator and starter get some oil. I have a jump box and will keep some jumper cables handy, my brother will be there with his 79 LaFrance so that should be all right. I'll run the engine up to 1500-1800 tomorrow but I think I should be all right. Thanks again.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I appreciate the benefit of your combined knowledge. Yesterday and today, I cleaned and tightened: battery terminals, starter ground and braided ground to frame, put new commutator cover on starter, cleaned terminals on generator, tightened belts on generator. It is still reading between 12.5 and 13.0 volts at the battery, and 12.5 volts at the generator. The biggest change is that it does not need to be jump started. Starts immediately again after running, after going to dinner last night, and again this afternoon. That's great. But still at 12.5 - 13.0 volts. Two questions: what about getting generator rebuilt? (I would also change twin belts) and Thursday I would like to take her to the parade, about three miles from my house, 1 hour waiting, 1 hour parade, three miles back?

Thanks I'll check.

Without jump starting it just makes a noise like it is trying to crank, but then dies. Regarding the grounding to the starter, do you mean to run the battery ground to the same ground terminal that the starter uses? I'll check for the frame - body - engine grounding straps.

Thank you all for your help. I will work on it today and report back. When starting without jump box, it makes a very brief cranking noise, then nothing.

I have a B42 that won't start without a jump. This started about two months ago. Once started, I'm reading about 12.5 volts on battery, which is only two years old. I did remove the negative cable from the battery and she kept running (this truck is positive ground). I got this truck about five years ago and have not rebuilt anything electrical. The brake lights stopped working about a year ago, but that's another story. Maybe it's not - the wiring is not too good. You can see from the picture that the coil wire looks to be in bad shape.

I'm looking for a thermostat for my EN-401 engine, part number is 657GC225A-P1. P69. 155. Any ideas? This is the old one. There is one on Ebay but it doesn't have the stem.

I am still looking for an exhaust manifold for an EN401 if anyone has one.

Ok thank you, I'll let you know when I get it removed.

Here are two. Let me know if you need more. Thanks for your consideration.

Yes I would appreciate that.

That's good to know!

I'm still looking for an exhaust manifold for an EN401 if anyone has any leads - thanks in advance.

In the summer of 1980, I was working at the Bernardsville, (N.J.) car wash, and one day struck up a conversation with a guy who was driving what I think was a DM800, a green tandem dump with “Chapter 11 Trucking” on the door with artwork which featured the Monopoly man. The driver, Robert Stelle, who owned the truck, gave me his card, and said he was looking for a driver. I quit the car wash the next day and embarked on my short-lived trucking career. The truck had a bad clutch, and he attempted to teach me how to shift without it. Unfortunately, he did not pay me for learning, and I didn’t stay with it very long as I had to earn as much as I could before returning to school in September. Mastering the 20 speed quad proved too much for me, something I’d later regret. Years later, I was able to buy a 1958 B42X, which has the same cursed transmission. As soon as the cracked exhaust manifold and head gasket are replaced, I shall attempt to go back in time and learn to shift the dreaded 20 speed quad. I have spent my career in railroading, rather than trucking, and I am here to tell you that a 1951 Baldwin DS4-4-750 switcher is much easier to operate. I wish I’d taken pictures of that truck, as well as the dump trucks of fellow drivers I met that summer. I still remember one guy who had a black Autocar, relating how he’d driven the truck down to South Jersey to spend a day at the seashore. If anyone is familiar with Chapter 11 Trucking or any trucks running in Somerset County around 1980-81 (in the summer of 1981 I worked at the Millington Quarry) I’d appreciate hearing about it.