The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk AD reliability issues that stranded you?

What unfortunate reliability issues have you folks encountered when driving your restored pickups that stranded you? It would be interesting to see the #1 problems are that we should be prepared to face after hitting the roads.

Mostly i had problems with the 216 and i had 3 of them. They did not like highways much at all,oil leaks and knocked after 20,000 miles. Shift linkage hung up now and than. Vac wiper were not worth rebuilding . 6 volt system when hot did not like to start all the time. None every really stuck me other than 1 rod on a 216.
DJ

My '50 3100 shift linkage has hung up twice, both times getting stuck in 1st gear, and both times after a "down shift".

Had to stop, open the hood, and wiggle the linkage a bit, but both times it popped right out of gear with no problem within a second or two.

I don't have a whole lot of highway experience with the 216, my truck tools around our property and makes the 5 mile one way trip into town down country roads.

Keep in mind when these trucks were built, there weren't many highways to speak of, and it's top speed of 55 or so was about as fast as a person wanted to go.

If you need highway speeds (55+), especially for any kind of distance, i'd definately go with a different motor than the 216.. at least a full pressure 235.

I wouldn't expect a full restore truck to give anyone any problems.. it's going to be trucks like mine that are "fix it as you find it" that will probably have the quirks.

Mine's not an AD, but one night the pin on the rocker of the fuel pump came out on my 230. I thought the pump was bad, no fuel to carb. As I tried to get the bolts out, I found the pin had walked out. Drove it back in, fired it up & went home. I epoxy those pins on fuel pumps now. Brian

Got a piece of telfon tape stuck in the main jet as I was traveling down the Interstate! (Rochester) I had just replaced the fuel filter and fittings. Accelerator pump still worked so I had to pump it all the way home. (I had the wife and the baby with me). Hasn't stranded me yet though. (knock on wood).

I wouldn't expect to have immediate issues with a full resto, but there will be certain items that tend to fail first. I plan to keep a fan belt, radiator leak dope, fuel pump, fuel filter and voltage regulator under my seat, and a couple of gallons of water in the bed. If the strter fails I hope to be at the top of a hill or find a sucker to help with a push. What else would be smart to carry when driving 100 miles or more from home? Points and condenser, distributor cap?

The oil line to the aftermarket oil filter broke on one I no longer have. It was dark and I didn't have lights in my instruments, and it wasn't until I heard knocking in the motor that I realized something was wrong.

I walked to a gas station and bought oil. By time I had driven to that station it was knocking again. I bought a brass plug to stop the oil filter, filled it back up and went on my way. Still knocking until I replaced a rod bearing.

That's the truck I sold 20+ years ago to buy an engagement ring. Still have both the ring and the wife. I know where the truck is, but haven't ever felt the need to get that one back.

An extra water pump. Jack and spare tire.

after 5 yrs I replaced the torque tube, had harmonic balancer to come off once, other then that no big deal.. drive a lot on the interstate, the old 52 with the 235 runs like a deer, nothing more fun then a real older truck to drive,,,,,,,,,,,Fred

WHAT TO CARRY W/ YOU ... good question.
quack quack tape (now available in all of the homeland defense colors) (listen to Garrison Keilor's prairie home companion), points, cond, swiss army knife, couple tools, wrenches, wire, trouble shooting guide book -http://www.42fordgpw.com/book3.html (pretty kool site), wiring diagram of your truck, fuel filter, extra fuses, various hose clamps & hose, a reflector kit, cell phone and book.

3 speed linkage gave me troubles, crap in the gas tank stopped gas flowing b4 it could reach the inline filter, so jim made a brass pipe fitting (like on motorcycles) that has a brass screen that acts as a primary filter. But I have a new under bed tank now.

I drove my '52 3100 to work on the freeways of Phoenix and the truck ran great. On the way home it sputtered the whole way and about 5 miles from home it decided to stop. Opened the hood and discovered a inline fuel filter was chucked full of rust.

This was in 1995 I parked the truck with the decision to do a full restoration. In the next year it is going to make it's first appearance with new everything including a new gas tank.

I guess you know this by now, but always keep an extra inline fuel filter in your tool box..Good luck with your build

I carry a small tool box with a good assortment of wire connectors,wire stripper,crimping pliers,a couple of clip leads,about a foot of #14 wire,electrical tape,4" vise-grips,a 4-in-1 screwdriver,a small prybar,an assortment of hose clamps,light bulbs,fuses,a handful of nuts and bolts,a 6" piece each of gas hose,vacuum hose,a mini-mag light,a mini tubing cutter,a rail of 3/8 drive deep sockets,ratchet,two 4" extensions(one has a ball end for the not quite straight shot at the bolt),combination wrenches from 1/4" to 3/4",a tape measure,note pad and pencil,a zip-lock sandwich bag with some bandaids and a little tube of neosporin,and a good compass. Granted,you probably won't need about 99% of this stuff,but I've used it all before,because I can't seem to go anywhere without stopping to fix something for somebody. Besides,it's a lot better to have stuff you don't need with you than to leave what you need at home,where it does you no good at all.I'm sure there's a clause of Murphy's Law that covers this.
Speed

FYI

Just got 50GMC253\'s Bolt in the gallery!

Good topic by the way. You seem to be good with conversation stuff. We may have to recruit you!


Peg

Peggy -

Thanks for the compliments and for correcting the typo errors before posting my "Baby" story and pictures!

My issues were almost exclusively in two areas: 1)those **##**# Rochester 1bbl carbs...leaking, loading up and just noworking properly and 2) the lousy manual trans linkage, may we never see its' likes again!

Actually, my experience was the reverse, e.g. the simplicity of the AD engine kept me from being stranded.

Here's the situation. It was several years ago in January. I was driving home from work at about 5 PM in my 53. It was getting dark, temperature was about 25, and it was starting to spit snow. I live 12 miles out in the country and there was no one around when I came to a stop sign. When I stopped, the engine died. Turned over, but would not start.

Well, I just hopped out of the truck and chanted the mantra that an old mechanic had taught me years earlier; "Fuel, fire, compression...fuel, fire, compression..."

Pulled the air cleaner and cranked the engine a bit and saw that we had fuel. I ignored the compression issue since I knew that compression was ok and even if one cylinder had blown, the old stovebolt 6 would have still started. To confirm that the problem was 'fire' I pulled a plug wire and using a tire iron, cranked the starter from under the hood. Sure enough, no spark. Tried a different plug and same thing. So, I just worked back from there and discovered a wire had broken off of one of the coil terminals. Took the wire, stripped it with my pocket knife, wrapped it around the terminal, and took a small piece of electrical tape off of one of the other bundles of wire to hold it in place. Ten minutes later, I was home.

Now, the kicker to this story was that two weeks later, I was driving home from work in our 91 Honda Accord. At almost the same place, the Honda died. Well, hopped out, chanted my mantra, took one look at the hoses, cables, computer modules, etc. under the hood and sat back and waited for AAA.

Bottom line, reliability is not the only factor to consider. Ease of diagnosis and ease of repair can sometimes be better than reliability when it comes to being stranded.

This one didn't leave me stranded, but could have. I just got home from work and was backing the truck into the driveway when I noticed a clunking sound from the driveline. Something was catching. After sliding back the u-joint ball, I found that 2 of the u-joint bolts with the new locking tabs had backed out, one completely and the other about 1/2 way. That could have been a mess if it happened before I left work, but thankfully I was at home.

I've run out of gas on mine. Maybe I should carry a gas can...

My 'too new to be a Stovebolt' truck blew a radiator hose last week. Sure wished I'd had a spare while sitting at a rest area of a couple hours trying to get one delivered.

So far so good reliability wise however I worry about what I think is the weak point, the u-joint on the torque tube drive. Four small bolts holding it together.

I've had my 52 for over 8 years, put 20,000 miles on her. She has only stranded me twice. First time was going home from work after a long Friday when I remembered that the loose nut behind the wheel had forgotten to get gas that morning. I was 2 miles from home. Got a ride from a state trooper.

Second time was due to a worn cam folloer on the points. When I tried to start her she backfired bad enough that the carb linkage got slapped around bad enough to rotate the fast idle cam around. That did not make a good morning at work. :mad:

Wasn't sure if that topic would get much response.

I got my 52 10 years ago and drove it every day since. Maybe got 82K miles on it since and can count the times I stranded on one hand.
Mind you I bought it in just drivable shape when I got it, but had no idea about motorized vehicles much at the time and just trusted it'll not let me down.
Fixed it up really nice over the years and today drive a 250 mile round trip once a month apart from my daily local driving.
Never had another vehicle in my possession.

If I would actually explain in what condition I drove it around on Texas and so-Ca freeways, I would not believe it myself today.
Had I known from the beginning what all can be fixed and upgraded I probably would have been too scared and wise to drive it.

But that's my point here:
Reliable is not even the word to describe these trucks.
They will run and run for decades even in terribly 'wounded' and 'limping' condition.

And so easy to fix, if there is anything that comes up at all.

Only since last November do I have a really well tuned and properly functioning driveline and engine.
I can't believe how good these trucks are when everything is right.

I don't like the comparison, but they are like cockroaches - just can't kill em.
I am looking forward for virtually trouble free driving for the next 3 decades, if it will be permitted.

The bottom line is: You gotta like your truck and keep an eye on it and keep it in shape with regular maintenance.
It's more enjoyment than work.

The only problems I can see coming are all related to modern reproduction parts and rebuilt original parts.

Gonna be harder and harder to find the right fuel pumps and all the other important parts, to properly match all the combinations of other replaced parts.
And there aren't that many knowledgeable people left, that know what's the right and wrong thing to do with these trucks.


Guess, who helped me the most to get my truck in amazing shape :

Stovebolt pages since 2002 - the best source.
Now that my truck is nice, I don't visit so much any more - I rather take the dogs and drive my truck.

Thanks to all the great knowledgeable guys here.
I passed on what I learned many times, but can never be grateful enough.

AD-Stovebolts rule......

Always check your gas tank! I was driving a '47 Chevy car (all original) thru Kansas last winter when the fuel lines and filter plugged up due rust and crud coming from the tank. Replaced the tank in -5 weather in Nebraska and she started right up (imagine that, sitting for 2 weeks in temps that hardly got above 15, 6 volt system, primed the carb with fresh gas and started right up). Then, though, I had ice form in the fuel pump! A one dollar can of heet probably would have saved me there. So, thoroughly clean (or better, replace) that fuel tank, and carry heet in the winter!
Happy stovebolting,
Tyler

I just hope someday soon I'll be able to actually tempt the reliabilty gods and drive mine!

Hard to break down in yer own yard!

Johnnny - I know how you feel. I can't wait to be stranded miles from home, at least I will have driven there! :o

All you need is AAA and a cell phone, works every time.. At least for me.

-RT1

- I'm a new guy
The 1951 3100 1/2 ton that I've got a deposit on decided to die on me during the test ride. No fuel, and no pliers to take the sediment bowl off the fuel pump. Temperature was around 90, so I flagged down a local and had him drive over to tell the guy where his truck was. The owner pushed me back to his place with his van.

Sediment in the tank and fuel line did her in. The whole experience was so much fun, that I gave him a deposit. We're waiting for the title to show up from the state.

You'll hear more from me when I get it home - been doing a lot of reading here.

Fred (yeah, another one)

Hello everyone: My 51 was very unreliable when I first bought it (1972).. had most of the problems mentioned... but after a lot of new parts.. including a rebuilt 261 it was very reliable and very easy to diagnose when it had a problem. A 1/2 ton 4 speed solved the linkage hassle. Drove it 100,000 miles from 1973 to 1984 until it became too rusty to drive (salt on roads in winter) and it now sits in the yard waiting for a complete restore..... soon I hope!!
Enjoy everyone's comments and thanks for a great site!!
Ter

It is amazing how much junk builds up in a gas tank. Fortunately the Eastwood product seems to work very well. I just hope stainless steel technology with a decent price comes along soon so our grand children can get better parts when we are dead and they decide to restore our trucks again!