
Geoff Weeks
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Everything posted by Geoff Weeks
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Ahh, not so much, no way to fuse something like a starter motor. It is very close to a dead short with the rotor not turning. The battery would have to be capable of supplying far more current than a starter motor could draw with a locked rotor. Any resistance in the braided cable goes to reducing the power from the battery to the starter, not a good thing. It is braided to make it as flexible as possible. In rush current can exceed 1000 amps on a medium starter and over 2000 on a big one. Starters are a short term load, so if they heat the cable a little, it can survive, no way those cables are going to survive a continuous load of 300 or more amps, so how do you fuse something that can take 8x-10x the current? You don't! Running battery cable to the engine just means running more copper, after all the "hot" side is already run direct to the starter solenoid, so if it can handle the engine moving around the ground side can also.
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It can send a large voltage spike into the electrical system. Anything with an alternator and/or electronics can be damaged. It is a bad practice, and someday you'll pay the price of doing it. I've seen it blow headlight bulbs, when someone did it with them on, a 12 volt headlight will take 24 volt for a few seconds, this spike must have been over 50 volts.
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No, if the starter only has one copper bolt coming out of the motor, then the starter motor is internally grounded to the case. For those, run your ground cable from the battery to one of the mounting bolts of the starter motor to the bell housing. If that is too difficult you can run to the transmission case. Many more modern starters have a 2nd copper bolt (stud) sticking out the back of the starter that needs a ground connected. (IE Delco MT 40's etc)
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It why my 6 volt truck will start when sitting in below 0 weather. heavy cable to the starter case and the hot feed.
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Never a good idea to disconnect a battery on a running engine. Yeah, I know you've done for years, and "not had a problem" but one day you will. Generators don't put out much at idle so your voltage reading doesn't mean much. "Doesn't start without a jump" doesn't say much, does it crank but not fire, does in not crank? I see the battery ground side goes to the frame, this is a common problem and a cheap way out that many mfg used. Run the ground to the highest amp draw item on the truck (starter motor) and ground the frame from there. If the starter is grounded through the case than run the ground to the mounting bolt. If the starter has a ground stud, run the ground there. It cost a bit more in wire, but eliminates many problems. Often there is a braided strap that grounds the engine to the frame, and it degrades over time and doesn't allow the current through. Frame and body need to be bonded to the engine with ground straps.
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I think you'll find that they adapted their work as much as possible around the weather. Farmers did more strenuous work in the cooler parts of the day. Factory work must have been brutal, however. Where I am in Western Iowa, I get good breezes which make even 90's livable if not comfortable. The hard part is when it stays in the 80's at night with dew points in the upper 70's and the wind dies. That is why I have window A/C's. I have notices an increase in summer temps and dew points since I have lived here, even while the rain totals have dropped considerably. We have something called "corn sweat" which the moisture lost from the ag plants leaves that drive up the dew point when compared to the nearby cities, their actual temperature is a few degrees hotter but our dew points make us at least as uncomfortable.
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Wedges use less air for the same stopping power. And were self adjusting (when everything was working) long before automatic slack adjusters came out. Also can fit where some S cam can't and are similar to the air over hyd used on some real heavy axles. I have a set of relined 15" you could have had for the cost of shipping. Main thing is lube up everything real well and make sure the protective boots are on the wedges to keep them from seizing in the bores.
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AC Service Port Caps
Geoff Weeks replied to jwmcgregor's topic in Modern Mack Truck General Discussion
There are 4 types of R134a caps listed on MEI Airsource, that is 4 sets (one low one high) depending on if it has high flow valves or who made it. Without knowing more or a picture the best I could recommend would be to buy an assortment. May be Airsource 8977 or 8992. They also list some oddball "off road" cap fitting 8953 and 8954 which are 9mm and 10mm respectively. That is the best I can come up with. Joey and I were typing at the same time. -
B-73 Restoration
Geoff Weeks replied to mattb73lt's topic in Antique and Classic Mack Trucks General Discussion
I got pulled around back at the POE in Echo UT, I started inside but the older lady came out with a young DOT cop, I though Oh boy here we go, but she said she just wanted to show him what to look for on spoke wheels! They did a quick tutorial on spokes and sent me on my way! -
I have used OTC's king pin press on tapered pins on the Double Deck buses. What I can say is: OTC's press looks a lot more beefy than Tiger Tools. I maxed out the OTC, and added heat to get the pins out, it sounded like a small bomb going off and drove the pin and the brick floor about 3" down when the pin let go. I like Tiger Tools U joint tool, but that pin press doesn't look like it would be strong enough. Straight pins, you might be ok, but if you have taper pins, then you want something with some meat behind it. https://www.tooldiscounter.com/product/otc-king-pin-anchor-hydraulic-pin-pusher-with-10k-psi-pump-otc4240ap?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItNyR_eXjhgMVWTcIBR39dwyuEAQYAyABEgKrPvD_BwE
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Yes, they are every bit as strong, and a lot of off road equipment use this type, they just take a little longer to dis assemble.
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The round disk with the bolts is called a "companion flange" and is/ was a popular way to make the transition from trans main shaft to driveshaft. Not home made, but that one is a little odd having so much between the end of the flange and the rear of the transmission.
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Safety is paramount. I may limp a vehicle in to repair, but will not knowingly take a dispatch with a problem. As far as the law, you as the operator are responsible, and are the one who will be held and fined, as well as dings on your licenses. Any owner that would push me to drive a vehicle with a known problem and not repair, would not have me for long. When I ran as my own carrier, I had a safety-stat score of 10, which is about as low as a single vehicle operator will get, it means I was inspected multiple times and no defects were found. When I leased to others, I sought out those that had the same attitude as I did, They are out there and generally don't have to advertise for people to work for them. Good for you for walking away.
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Sometimes you need to drive long ways to see a Mack truck
Geoff Weeks replied to Vladislav's topic in Odds and Ends
Yeah CCC, made alot for the military and likely oil patch work. Cab may be IHC, I think I remember CCC used IHC cabs. -
Alike the Key bridge, another cargo ship is hacked ?
Geoff Weeks replied to kscarbel2's topic in Odds and Ends
Almost exactly what was said in the conversation I was having on another site. Must have been a wild ride! All in all I think they did a great job. -
Alike the Key bridge, another cargo ship is hacked ?
Geoff Weeks replied to kscarbel2's topic in Odds and Ends
Talking about this on another site, with some who have been crew on a ship, the conclusion was the engine computer didn't/ wouldn't throttle back and they were faced with shutting it down either electrically or by cutting the fuel, thus putting it the condition the Dali was, or call for assistance and run it out into deeper water and solve the problem out there. We know how the Dali ended up so they chose the other option. Just as a modern truck engine is not directly controlled by the driver via mechanical linkage to the injectors, the same is true in marine engines. To be "hacked" there has to be a connection between the engine ECM and the outside world, but it can just as easily be a internal "computer failure" where the computer just stops reacting to inputs and "freezes" where it is. The conclusion was it very unlikely that it was being controlled by a hacker and far more likely to be an internal failure. Ships need the prop turning to have any steerage esp at lower speeds, so by leaving the near shore at a higher speed with C/G escort, they were able to control the ship, if it were hacked, one would think they would want to control the steering as well. That was not the case. If nefarious actors gained control of the ship, it wouldn't just be one system. Only damage (minor) was by the wake, no one hurt, so sounds like it was handled well. -
2001 vision oil pressure problem
Geoff Weeks replied to mackrmodel686st's topic in Engine and Transmission
Unfortunately that doesn't mean it can be crossed off the list of things. I had one on a Big Cam 4 where the primary relief (the Big cam has two, DFC has another relief that senses pressure at the end of the rifle bore) wasn't drilled all the way thru, on cold start it would peg the pressure beyond 100 psi. warm it would act normal. Somehow that oil pump made it through the system on on to an engine, and out the door. My thinking is the relief expands just enough to not fully seat when the RPM drops with hot oil, when the oil stops moving and all pressure is gone, it seats so pressure is restored until the rpm rises enough for the relief to need to open a bit, then the cycle starts again. I had one engine where the relief would stick every once and a while, but that engine the oil pump was external to the pan and you could pull the relief without too much pain. Not saying this is 100% what the problem is, only a possibility that fits the symptoms fairly well. A rag does also but I would expect it to be quicker acting. Some engines also use a bypass oil valve that only send excess oil through the bypass oil filter when the system is over a set pressure (often around30-35 psi) and if this is stuck open or a weak spring it may pass oil through the bypass oil filter when there isn't enough volume to keep the oil pressure up. I don't know about the engine you have, these are just general thoughts that can apply to all large diesels, some of it may not apply to the Mack engine you have. -
2001 vision oil pressure problem
Geoff Weeks replied to mackrmodel686st's topic in Engine and Transmission
Oh, I make no claim to be correct, only places I would look. Your experience on the engine is far greater than mine. I am just trying to fix the symptoms to something that would match up. I did have one engine where the relief would stick, and needed to kick it further open to free it, and that is something that can't happen with hot oil. I very well may be way off base. -
2001 vision oil pressure problem
Geoff Weeks replied to mackrmodel686st's topic in Engine and Transmission
I would expect a rag or something like that in the pan, to be drawn against the pick-up as soon as the engine speed is increased, not allow 40 psi then drop to 5 at idle, but I could be wrong, and worth a look. -
By the late "20 teens" most of the places with a non chain restaurant were struggling if not closing or being bought out by the big chains. Covid put the nail in the coffin of those that were trying to hang on. Those that do manage must be good enough to bring in the locals on a consistent basis. I made sure during covid to tell the places that made the effort that their efforts were appreciated, and would tip them with a large tip. Most of these were not truckstops but restaurant that were near by a place I could park a truck. I tended to 2 lanes and the older "Mom and Pop" places that were much more common in the 80's. If the money isn't there, the place will not survive and fast food will take over.
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2001 vision oil pressure problem
Geoff Weeks replied to mackrmodel686st's topic in Engine and Transmission
More likely a sticking pressure relief in the oil pump. It doesn't seat all the way once running at speed opens it a bit. Another but less likely is a crack or air leak in the suction line to the pump. Either way, I think the oil pump is worth a close look at. -
Back in the 90's "Arlene" was in her 80's, but every or every other Friday she made a all day long cooked pot roast with the veggies. It was popular with the locals and us truckers. I know the "stop" was re-modeled sometime in the 2000's but don't know if it changed hands. Anyway you look at it, I doubt the cooking has remained the same.
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Anybody remember "Arlene's" In Battle Creek, MI? Used to make a Friday night pot roast to die for! about a mile or so off the Interstate on the old US hiway. I'm sure gone or sold to new owners by now.
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In my view, you always have a choice, my truck, my income. I'll mark it "refused" and take it back at the shippers expense. If I were a company driver, I would call in and get the company to make the choice. I once had a guy try and climb in my cab "to show me it could be done" after I refused. My dog was sitting in the drivers seat as he always does when I am out of the cab, they rancher didn't look when he reached for the door handle, Rory is a big Chow/Great Pyrenees mix and just looked down at him, I said "I wouldn't do that if I were you"! Rory would have just moved over and let him it, but his reaction was priceless! It save a physical confrontation from me, and I got unloaded and turned around where we sat! At this point we were already 40 miles from where I was told it was to deliver, and I had the drives chained for those 40 miles.
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