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The Yeadon Fire Co. in Delaware County PA aquired their 1948 Mack 85LS. I need to know what kind of motor is in it. All I could find is Thermodyne. When running the motor oil shoots out of the oil fill. Need some help finding what might be wrong. Thank you.

Does the engine run alright? I've seen that symptom when the crankcase is overfilled, or a piston busted through the compression ring lands pressurizing the crankcase.

Rob

Dog.jpg.487f03da076af0150d2376dbd16843ed.jpgPlodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke.

 

 

It ran great but they try not to run it much as the oil comes out under pressure and makes a mess

Are you talking a pencil stream, or a mist coming from the oil filler?

Rob

Dog.jpg.487f03da076af0150d2376dbd16843ed.jpgPlodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke.

 

 

I havent seen it done myself I just saw the aftermath. They stated it came out of the oil fill and it was all over the running boards.

Make certain the "road draft" tube that runs from near the top of the engine, (usually in the valve cover if overhead valves) down the side of the engine and discharges to air under the vehicle is not plugged. If this pipe is plugged, crankcase pressure builds and will force oil out the breather cap in the valve cover. This can be a mess. I've seen small rodents plug these which are usually about an inch in diameter.

If you are streaming oil out of the breather, oil fill, or dipstick tube, there is a problem either in the filter, regulator, compression in crankcase, or over fill.

Rob

Dog.jpg.487f03da076af0150d2376dbd16843ed.jpgPlodding along with no job nor practical application for my existence, but still trying to fix what's broke.

 

 

Is there a way to tell the difference

According to Harvey Eckert's book "Mack Fire Trucks 1911-2005" all LS85's were equipped with the Thermodyne 707 gasoline engine.

Send the chassis number to the Mack Museum with a request for all the information they have on the truck. You will find the chassis number affixed to the base of the officer's seat or attached to the plate behind the shift on an open cab model. If it is missing it is stamped into the frame adjacent to the left rear wheel. It should be "LS85-10.." They will send you the engine type and serial number along with any applicable manuals they have within a couple of months. They do not charge for the service, but a reasonable donation is appreciated to compensate for the cost of the research.

If you still need to confirm the engine model right away, and you can not locate the SN on the block, I would call the museum to see what they could give you.

Have you done a compression or leak-down test on the cylinders yet? If you are concerned about blow-by the first test is a compression test, followed by a leak-down test if the compression is marginal or varies greatly from cylinder to cylinder.

Just remember: When you are troubleshooting an issue the big stuff jumps right out at you; otherwise its usually something minor that you have overlooked because you have convinced yourself that the worst case scenario is inevitable. In other words don't go looking for a blown cylinder because its probably a plugged hose.

Everybody here loves to see pictures of anyones find.

Money, sex, and fire; everybody thinks everyone else is getting more than they are!

One other tip; The "road draft" tube is just that; its designed to create a venturi effect to purge the crankcase when the rig is driven. It doesn't work when the rig sits idling beyond just allowing pressure to escape the crankcase. This alone shouldn't cause the oil puking you described, but you need to be aware of this so you know there may be vapors present in the crankcase when the truck sits idling.

A real long shot; Did anyone add a PVC valve to the engine and plugged the road vent to make it work? If so make sure the PVC is not plugged.

Money, sex, and fire; everybody thinks everyone else is getting more than they are!

  • 3 weeks later...

The best thing to do is to take the serial number and contact the Mack Museum. They can supply you with build sheets and sometimes delivery photos....

Art

The Yeadon Fire Co. in Delaware County PA aquired their 1948 Mack 85LS. I need to know what kind of motor is in it. All I could find is Thermodyne. When running the motor oil shoots out of the oil fill. Need some help finding what might be wrong. Thank you.

Art Lawrence

arthur.lawrence@firetruck.com

Gaithersburg, MD

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