Coolant Line:

[Rob]

I got a call from a friend needing a loaded container trailer moved. It is packed full of a new sawmill apparatus and weighs just about 25 tons. I've never pulled anything with my 64 B-61, so that is what I drove from the shop to the plant. After latching up the trailer, I flipped the valve in the cab, gave the trolley valve a pull downward, and with the truck in gear, eased on the clutch to check for positive latching of the fifth wheel jaws. This went well and upon raising the trolley valve to the normal position, I could not move the trailer. This was due to the small air receivers on the tractor, and a single large reservoir on the trailer that was completely empty. After the air built up, the trailer moved just fine.

I decided to put a little heat in the exhaust so down the road I went. Was really surprised how well the 711 engine pulled the load. It was heavy enough that you could tell it was back there, but the truck was not taxed. The transmission shifted well, but is extremely noisy in auxillary trans overdrive, (quadraplex). I drove on back roads about seven miles and took the tailer back to park it out of the way.

After dropping the trailer and bobtailing back to my shop, I noticed another coolant leak, (just fixed one last week). This time the leak was from the rear of the engine, and turned out to be the Aeroquip line from the bottom of the water pump feeding the air compressor. Does this line need to be replaceD with the same, or can something else be used? The dealer that used to build up my hoses ceased operations at the end of last year and the remaining business that sells the stuff is SKY HIGH in price, so I'd like to not use them.

Thanks,

Rob

[theakerstwo]

I got a call from a friend needing a loaded container trailer moved. It is packed full of a new sawmill apparatus and weighs just about 25 tons. I've never pulled anything with my 64 B-61, so that is what I drove from the shop to the plant. After latching up the trailer, I flipped the valve in the cab, gave the trolley valve a pull downward, and with the truck in gear, eased on the clutch to check for positive latching of the fifth wheel jaws. This went well and upon raising the trolley valve to the normal position, I could not move the trailer. This was due to the small air receivers on the tractor, and a single large reservoir on the trailer that was completely empty. After the air built up, the trailer moved just fine.

I decided to put a little heat in the exhaust so down the road I went. Was really surprised how well the 711 engine pulled the load. It was heavy enough that you could tell it was back there, but the truck was not taxed. The transmission shifted well, but is extremely noisy in auxillary trans overdrive, (quadraplex). I drove on back roads about seven miles and took the tailer back to park it out of the way.

After dropping the trailer and bobtailing back to my shop, I noticed another coolant leak, (just fixed one last week). This time the leak was from the rear of the engine, and turned out to be the Aeroquip line from the bottom of the water pump feeding the air compressor. Does this line need to be replaceD with the same, or can something else be used? The dealer that used to build up my hoses ceased operations at the end of last year and the remaining business that sells the stuff is SKY HIGH in price, so I'd like to not use them.

Thanks,

Rob

Rob that is a # 6 line and it dont need to be reducted by the fitting any so a stroflex is the best . I would not use a push on like stragrip because that hose cares a lot of heat and if a air ride trailer is used then it is realy hot and a straflex hose is going to wear better because were that hose runs it can rub on alot of things. That can be a single brad hose.

[Rob]

Rob that is a # 6 line and it dont need to be reducted by the fitting any so a stroflex is the best . I would not use a push on like stragrip because that hose cares a lot of heat and if a air ride trailer is used then it is realy hot and a straflex hose is going to wear better because were that hose runs it can rub on alot of things. That can be a single brad hose.

Thanks Glenn, I removed the hose and am going to get it replaced today with a like assy. Better safe than sorry.

Rob

[vanscottbuilders]

Rob,

That makes for a pretty good looking truck and trailer.

Paul Van Scott

[theakerstwo]

i start to work on trucks when those was still in production. I miss working on them and have had two of them my self and still have one. Being young and a up start and wanting to learn i had a good job working on them and i guess i always though they looked good . I like the one that was around here for years parked and dont know what happen to it but it was on 22" budds with a endt673 and a quad with long wheel base and round tanks with the large air cleaner and i was in love with it but the owner always said that he keep it and told his drivers if they tore up any more trucks they would have to drive the mack and not many drivers wanted to drive a two stick box. It is too bad i dont have money to burn or i would have a lot of macks maybe a B75.

[Rob]

Rob,

That makes for a pretty good looking truck and trailer.

Paul Van Scott

Yes and thanks Paul. Unfortunately, the tractor is in very bad shape as the double frame outer rail is split badly from rust, and the cab is barely on the frame. There are very little of the floorpan left. But by god, the doors still swing and shut securely; It does run what I would consider perfect though.

This is the truck that I call "Yellow Mutt". I am still amazed at how well it pulled that trailer!

Rob

[Rob]

Thanks Glenn, I removed the hose and am going to get it replaced today with a like assy. Better safe than sorry.

Rob

Hi Glenn, today I got a replacement hose for the compressor unloader that is firewall mounted, and an incorrect #6 hose for the coolant line. I will try to get the correct line tomorrow I'm wanting to reuse my fittings if possible. $5.20 per ft. for the #6 line is outrageous!

Rob

[Rob]

Hi Glenn, today I got a replacement hose for the compressor unloader that is firewall mounted, and an incorrect #6 hose for the coolant line. I will try to get the correct line tomorrow I'm wanting to reuse my fittings if possible. $5.20 per ft. for the #6 line is outrageous!

Rob

Went in today with a "Bitch Pitchin" attitude and the place donated/gave me the correct fittings for the hose I purchased, plus did some research as to why I was charged excessive for the hose, and promptly issued me a 30% credit! Seems the young man that rang me up charged me retail over the counter pricing. I have an account with them but always pay as I go so there was no research performed.

I did get the coolant line installed, and the truck nearly completely back together when I finally found a pesky little air leak that has perplexed me for what seems like eons; a cracked brass fitting on the discharge side of the compressor. It is a compression type fitting and has really been wrenched upon. The brass is cracked through the threads.

I will get the exhaust reinstalled tomorrow and once again pull the same trailer to another parking space on the same property.

Rob

[Rob]

Boy did this turn out to be an ordeal. Upon attempt at reinstalling the exhaust onto the truck, the cast iron elbow that mounts to a boss on the exhaust manifold, and couples to the turbocharger via a casting with piston rings decides to part company falling about a foot and finding my hand between it and the frame of the truck! "OUCH" is what I said first; This of course was followed by a few other obsceneties forthwit. The mounting boss on the manifold had been broken and shabbily repaired by others.

It's been over twenty years since I attempted to weld cast iron, so I though I'd better enlist some additional knowlege before destroying an almost non existent part. Asking a competent welder for the type and brand of electrode to use, how much pre, and post heat needed, and how to properly cool the repaired part, I was ready. After deep "V" grooving the boss and manifold area for at leat 75% penetration, clamping for alignment, I pre heated and tack welded with .55 nickel/iron rod. I then "stress relieved the part, unclamped and repositioned so all my welding would not be out of position, but rather flat. I burned in a root pass that had very good edge wetting all around the part in one inch steps with stress relieving and cleaning each time. I then did the same again with side beads. To finish up I did a wide weave to tie all together. I believe that the electrode melted together in the center of the "V" groove that I ground into the parts. After some finish grinding, it was time to let it cool to put it back together.

I installed the manifold onto the engine, mounted the turbo and associated lines, (oil feed, drain, air), bolted up the cast elbow that smashed my hand, and low and behold the damned exhaust was not going to fit! The prior repaired mounting boss was not welded back to the manifold square, and the exhaust compensated for the misalignment! Well after a brief time out for some more "rapid fire obscenities", I got to work. Chopping off the "Marmon" clamp flange on the pipe, and ultimately shortening the pipe by 16 inches, I installed a piece of stainless flex pipe. This allowed me to have the proper bend(s) to clear the frame and flywheel housing with about half an inch on each side of the pipe. I had to then refab the pipe running under the truck and around the fuel tank to make it fit to the muffler. All did ultimately line up well. I do need to make a couple of exhaust hangers to get the weight off of the turbocharger elbow. I suppose this is what made it break in the first place as there are no remnants of hangers under the truck.

The byproduct of all this is that now I don't smell any exhaust in the cab and I guess that is a good thing!

Never did get to pull that trailer again as it is on it's way to the west coast for shipment to Australia.

Rob