I have a chance to re-own a 56 4400 hydraulic dump flat bed that I sold back in '97. It's had 4 different owners and never been over 5 miles from this neighborhood. Big B had it from the 60's till he died in the early '80s. Clarence bought it and he passed in '89. I bought it and sold it to Big B's nephew in '97. Now I have a chance to get it back.
I went by today to look at it. It hasn't been cranked in 10 years but has been under a heavy tarp.
The crank could not be budged with the fan. The SM420 shifted fine. Either the engine is stuck at #5 or the clutch has stuck.
Plugs 1, 3 and 6 look excellent. 2 and 4 have carbon deposits but 5 "hissed" as I loosened it and had moisture on it but no rust. Sprayed them all with a generous amount of Blaster, waited about 15 minutes while I checked out the valve train and squirted a couple ounces of 10w 30 in each before replacing the plugs in their respective cylinder.
The valve springs and valves are all bright and shiny but there is rust on the rockers at the area around #5. All pushrods at closed valves spin. Valve cover is intact but surface rust where the rusty rockers are.. with no discernable area for moisture to enter. Gasket had a good seal and I had to rap on it to break it loose. I doused the rockers and valves down real good with PB Blaster before sealing the cover back on.
Will let it sit for a while as I think on what to do next.
~~ Jethro 1954 3100 Back to Life In the Dity Gallery 1951 3100 (gone) / 1956 4400 (still in the neighborhood) / 1957 6400 with dump body (retired) / 1959 3100 panel (in the woods junked) / 1978 Custom Deluxe K10 / 1993 S-10 4.3 / 2004 Chevy Crew Cab / 1945 John Deere H / 1952 John Deere B / 1966 John Deere 2510 / 1967 John Deere 1020
The way I see it the truck never really left you. Getting it back would mean your signature line would change to "Home Again".
~ Craig 1958 Viking 4400 "The Book of Thor" Read the story in the DITY 1960 Chevrolet C10 "A Family Heirloom" Follow the story in the DITY Gallery '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting)
If you don't like driving yourTruck, you won't drive yourTruck..| Living life in the SLOW lane
~~ Jethro 1954 3100 Back to Life In the Dity Gallery 1951 3100 (gone) / 1956 4400 (still in the neighborhood) / 1957 6400 with dump body (retired) / 1959 3100 panel (in the woods junked) / 1978 Custom Deluxe K10 / 1993 S-10 4.3 / 2004 Chevy Crew Cab / 1945 John Deere H / 1952 John Deere B / 1966 John Deere 2510 / 1967 John Deere 1020
I would probably try a few really good squirts of marvel mystery oil in each cylinder and let it sit for a week. Then after a week, if possible, remove all the plugs, get under the truck, remove the flywheel pan and use a flywheel tool and see if you can rock the motor back and forth. One of the valves was open while it sat and while maybe no direct water in the motor, the humidity over the course of 10 years may have left the rings in that cylinder a little rusty. Hopefully the mystery oil will help get the rust loose and rocking the motor by hand at the flywheel gets the motor free without breaking a ring.
I think when I get back to it in a couple of weeks I will first make sure the clutch is not stuck, then remove the rockers for cleaning and make sure none of the valves are stuck. Then get to the flywheel and rock it after removing the plugs again. I'm in no hurry to break anything. If the clutch is free then I'll see if I can get some brakes so I can tow it 3 miles home.
~~ Jethro 1954 3100 Back to Life In the Dity Gallery 1951 3100 (gone) / 1956 4400 (still in the neighborhood) / 1957 6400 with dump body (retired) / 1959 3100 panel (in the woods junked) / 1978 Custom Deluxe K10 / 1993 S-10 4.3 / 2004 Chevy Crew Cab / 1945 John Deere H / 1952 John Deere B / 1966 John Deere 2510 / 1967 John Deere 1020
I would defiantly clean the top of the head before any of that gunk gets knocked into the oil pan...looks crusty like it could really tear a bearing up. Maybe a shop vac with a small tip to suck it up.
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
Whenever an engine stops, a few valves will be open due to the position of the camshaft and lifters. Those cylinders are subject to draw moisture due to temperature and humidity changes. I'd suggest backing all the valve adjustments off enough to close all the valves, then use a pry bar on the rocker arms to cycle the valves up and down as you soak the guides with penetrating oil. Put plenty of penetrant into all the spark plug holes and wait- - - -several weeks if possible. A 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone is probably the best, and least expensive penetrant you can use. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Gonna let it soak until the redbugs go away... they wore me out. The Hartz Mountain dog bath killed 'em, but they itched like 'ell for a week.
~~ Jethro 1954 3100 Back to Life In the Dity Gallery 1951 3100 (gone) / 1956 4400 (still in the neighborhood) / 1957 6400 with dump body (retired) / 1959 3100 panel (in the woods junked) / 1978 Custom Deluxe K10 / 1993 S-10 4.3 / 2004 Chevy Crew Cab / 1945 John Deere H / 1952 John Deere B / 1966 John Deere 2510 / 1967 John Deere 1020
I once worked as a mechanic for a private school. When I arrived there was a big OHV Lincoln V8 out of one bus sitting in the rain with one head off and many months of rust in the cylinders. It was stuck! None of the pistons was at TDC so I poured CRC556 (bought in bulk) into the cylinders and waited, a month maybe. Maybe longer. Eventually I was able to work the pistons loose, disassembled the engine, cleaned everything thoroughly, and reassembled it with a replacement head. Used the same rings, lapped the valves (expensive sodium filled). By the next fall the bus was back in service and ran fine for as long as I knew about it. Received an attaboy for getting the bus running without spending much money.
1951 3800 1-ton "Earning its keep from the get-go" In the DITY Gallery 1962 261 (w/cam, Fenton headers, 2 carbs, MSD ign.), SM420 & Brown-Lipe 6231A 3spd aux. trans, stock axles & brakes. Owned since 1971.
