The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Test Drive Trauma - Intro and Help!!! (PICS!!!!!)

Hey fellow Stovebolters!

PICS:


link to a gallery of photos of my truck

My name is Andy from Mandeville, LA.

I am the proud owner of a really nice dealership owned shop truck since new and now a clean driver in a 1953 1/2 T
3100. I had it delivered from SC on 12/26/2011 and so far I have spent lots of time just turning wrenches and learning about the vehicle.

I have been busy cleaning and tuning the original 216 up. Replacing all of the plugs, cables, coils, grounding straps, rebuilding carb, vacuum wiper motor and so forth.

I live in a pretty hectic suburb just north of New Orleans in one of those upscale subdivisions that don't look kindly upon mechanic types, so I do all of my work in my neatly kept garage. I just got my truck fully registered and insured yesterday, so it was time for a legal test drive!

With the new plates on and Hagerty insurance in my box, I drove to the nearby gas station. I was nervous, never driving something this old (at least on the public streets, as I have restored and used several old tractors) and this unpredictable. I will tell you the last time anyone probably saw a vehicle this old around these town was probably 1953.

People thought I was driving a spaceship or perhaps that I was just Amish.

Additionally, I recently also replaced the speedo cable and greased it up and took apart the odometer/speed assembly and cleaned it out as well, so it was good time to see if I had made any progress on that front too.

Starting out and the Issues:
TEST DRIVE 101

1. The speedo worked now, but once it got to about 40 MPH, it started spinning wildly up to about 90 and made a whirling noise that was really loud! Worked when I got back down to about 30-35, but for some reason it didn't like the 'high speed' --- thoughts?

2. When I got the gas station, about a mile away, I started to brake and immediately the truck swerved left very strongly. (this was a light touch of the brake as I felt the pull pretty quickly)
This happened again as I got back to my subdivision. Ideas and adjustment help?

3. Upon pulling into the gas station, the truck just died and coasted to a stop. (I was not out of gas, just using the gas station as an excuse to take the ole girl out for a spin) - After pumping the 3 gallons that it took to top it off, the truck would not start with the choke in any position. Started just fine cold, now after idling for 15 minutes before I left and now, it wouldn't start. Starter sounded very weak, like before I replaced the battery (upgraded to Optima 6V and heavy battery cables to starter and new grounding all around) - starter issue???
Wonder why it died?

4. What is the top speed on a 3100 1/2T with 216, about 50? Just curious.

5. Probably a long shot, but anyone recommend any old school mechanics OR PREFERABLY FELLOW STOVEBOLTERS in the New Orleans or Northshore area that might be able to help assist with these repairs?

NOTES:
Shifting was remarkably smooth and drivetrain felt solid and seemed to have plenty of torque and power.

Overall, just as untamed and nervous as I imagined, but I need to determine the stalling, restarting and brake issues before I will ever feel safe in this old truck.

Thanks STOVEBOLT community. I have learned so much from this site and my daily visits to this glorious institution of knowledge, history and fanatical obsession with these great old trucks.

PICS TO COME!!!!


All the best,
Andy

Welcome!

Talk to V-6 Fix Modelman. He's in Lacombe and can probably offer some good local advice. (I lived in Slidell until...)

Congrats on the bolt. Sounds like speedo cable binding, assuming you fully lubed it. Check the path and sheath for kinks. I bet you are in for a carb adjust/rebuild, judging by the coast-in. I have a 235 with original gearing. I don't go over ~50mph. I base it on engine rev by ear, since I don't have a tach.

I'm sure you'll get lots of advice regarding brakes and starter.

At the top right corner of this page is SEARCH. Use that link to GOOGLE through the website. Odds are you haven't asked something that hasn't been answered.

Good luck and welcome!

Bill

Andy, your brakes might just need adjusting, or you might have some worn parts in the front end.
To check for worn parts, jack up and properly support the front end, then push and pull on the top of the tires, you can get an idea of how worn your kingpins are. For the rest of the steering, with the truck on the ground, lie underneath, and watch the draglink and tierods, as a helper "saws" back and forth on the steering wheel. Wit the truck up on the jack stands, you might want to check your front wheel bearings, and adjust the brakes all the way around the truck, this is covered in the shop manual. Sometimes if one of the brakes strikes the drum first, you can get a jerk for a second until the others touch. Worn kingpins can have this affect too. Checking out the brakes and adjusting them is never time wasted, although it isn't as fun as working on the engine!

As for the hot start troubles, have you rebuilt/cleaned the carb and fuel pump/filter? This might also sound stupid, but is your gas-cap vent working? Is your fuel line run in the stock location? Is your battery fully charged? By working methodically, you'll get it solved. If you can restore tractors, you can work on the truck for sure!

On your brake problem, not knowing what all you have done as far as brake work, I am only guess. You can have the right side is adjusted to loose, or the left is to tight, rust on the drums, oil on the shoes, air in the lines, etc.........

Start with a couple of good hard stops in a close parking lot or wide street once you get it running. You need to seat the shoes and drums, wear off any rust, and get them warmed up. Then do a four wheel adjustment of the shoes. Tighten each one till the tire quits turning, then back off the star wheel about 7 or 8 points on the star wheel. You should hear the shoes drag but not feel them.

How did you get the truck back home? has ever restarted since it died? have you pulled a plug to check to see if you have spark?

New starter cables, at least 2-0 gauge or bigger? they should be dime size minimum, nickel size in diameter would be better. 6 volt takes twice the current of a 12 volt system so the cables need to be twice the size.


Joe

Thanks for all of the timely and insightful replies.

Bill,
Will recheck the path and ensure no binding. Sounds like it is spinning wildly in the speedo housing if you ask me.

Christoper,
Not setup for a lot of under carriage repairs that involve jacking and such in my current garage. I can squeeze underneath the frame and work on stuff without too much trouble, but lifting and getting extension on the wheels and such, I might need a better shop for that.

Not sure where the 'stock location' is the the fuel line. Seems to run from tank to passenger side of engine where the fuel pump carries the smaller line up the pushrod covers, then over the front of the engine (in front of the engine oil cap) and over the water pump assembly, then back down the driver's side of the engine to the carb inlet. The inline fuel filter is not stock (silver barrel generic type) sits literally on the front of the valve cover just aft of the fan blade area.

Joe,
I wish I knew anything about drum brakes and how to adjust them at all. I think this is where I will need some advice from someone else to assist. The truck finally restarted at the gas station after about 5 tries with about 1" of choke. The cables are 2 gauge, about dime size. Do I need to go to 1/0 gauge? All grounding replaced and surfaces are bright and tight.

Thanks again.
Cheers,
Andy

Sounds to me like your truck has just sat idle for so long that it just needs to be driven and run. The brakes may need to be worked over, one of your cylinders may have frozen up or maybe just an adjustment like Joe said. Your emergency brake needs to work as well. I would make these first priority, then the lights, turn signals and brake lights.

Have you done anything to clean out your gas tank?

You may have to pack the front wheel bearings and adjust them, this will sometimes make a big difference.

All the systems on your truck will work just fine when you get them shaken out.

Get used to people waiving, giving you a thumbs up and staring, to some of them it is a UFO.

I think you are right about the driving part of it. It sat on the floor of the dealership for the last 10 years after a fairly moderate restoration and really only driven for parades and such. I think it just needs to be put to work and awakened! Just don't want to deal with the cantankerous spirit of this ole' girl until I figured out what she needs to get right. SHE SURE IS A TESTY OLD BROAD!!!!

LOL.

Salvation lies within:

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1948_51truck/index.htm

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1954truck/index.html

The shop manual will give you directions on how to adjust the brakes. Step by step. The good news, is that you don't need a huge garage to do this in. I've done lots of work on my trucks in a single car garage, or space. You only need to get the truck up high enough to get the wheels off the ground. All you need, is a jack, and four jackstands. If you put the jack, and stands under the axle, you only need a couple of inches of head room above the truck.

Yep, got the shop manual. Even sprung for an original and not a reproduction. Just could use a good buddy who knows a little more about these things, but I guess I can try it myself. I have learned a lot more that way albeit the learning curve has been steep!!!

It sounds like you bought a pretty nice truck.

If the brakes on one side, say at the front aren't moving, it will pull to the other side. If the brake problem only started after some driving, one side could be too tight and heating up. In this case the heated side would not work as well and it would pull to the other side.

I would replace the fuel filter with a clear one so you can see what is going through. For starting when it is warmed up, I would suggest waiting a minute or so with your foot to the floor on the gas. Then without moving your foot, hit the starter. This requires both feet in action!

Andy, If your fuel filter is a metal one and it's sitting on top of the valve cover behind the upper radiator hose, you may have had a vapor lock. About the time it took to get where you were going the fuel starter to boil. Probably move the filter away fro
m there and put it closer to the carb will solve that problem.

As far as the brakes, evryone above gave good advise,they may just need an adjustment.

It is always an adventure when you go somewhere in an old car/truck,people love them and don't see many running loose.

I'll send you a pm, I'm in metairie across the big pond.

Thanks for all of the great info and replies. I probably do need to relocate the fuel filter. Lord, knows why it was put in that location by the PO.

Great looking truck! Love that paint and interior. Love the 216: great motors. You'll love it too once you get the kinks out. I mostly agree with the others that everything needs checked, disassembled, cleaned, inspected, "fixed", lubed and put back together. Take it slowly and methodically and work thru things one at a time. For lots of us fixing the stuff that goes wrong is part of the fun!
Enjoy It! But safety first when jacking up and getting under it!
Good luck.

Nice truck

You dont want to hear this but Brakes grabbing on one corner could indicate a leaking wheel cylinder and a soaked brake shoe at that corner.This would require a cylinder rebuild or replacement and replacing brake shoes. We are talking about STOPPING a couple ton machine so NO skimping! I check the Obits in the newspaper every morning to see if my name is there and I dont care to see yours. Be safe out there. and Good luck.

Understood. I am not concerned about what it takes to get the brakes or other components working, I just want it done right.
You are correct, 1951Chevy1Ton, safety is primary concern!

Understood! That is what I have been doing. Just working on it a few times a week. It will get there, just need some help with some of the most foreign aspects of the system. Thanks for the nice comments and advice.

Heres another good tip, if the truck refuses to start as did at the station, get out and remove the air cleaner fairly quick. Open the throttle by hand while watching down the carb. If you see gas shoot in as you move the throttle, it is most likely flooded and only needs the throttle held wide open to start. If you see no fuel, you have a line, tank, filter, or pump problem. In January, it would be pretty rare to have vapor lock, not saying it can't happen, even in your climate its still cool. Moving the filter away from the heat source sure won't hurt a thing and having a clear one helps diagnosing problems. If its been damp out, you can get a ice build up in and around the carb which can shut off the fuel flow, thats why I said to move quickly to get under the hood. The ice melts off fast and if you mess around, you can miss it.


A faulty coil can cause heat related running and starting problems. As they heat up from use and motor heat, the spark gets weaker or quits altogether. After a cooling off period, they will work for awhile till the cycle starts again. I was working on a 400 Plymouth that refused to rev up as it heated up, it also refused to start if I shut it off. After 30 minutes, it would go again. Turned out the coil was bad, a new one solved all the problems.

If you cables are small they will heat up during cranking, a quick hand grab will tell you if you need bigger ones. I installed some 4-0 I had laying around on a '54 straight 8 6V Pontiac, replacing some much smaller ones, it spun much faster and made for really easy starts. 2-0 should be good about right. Head to the local welding supply house, cable might be cheaper and you can install new ends yourself for custom length if needed.

Joe

Nice truck. I'm a new owner as well. Fortunately PO was religious about using the truck weekly. Runs, drives and stops like a champ.

I'm so glad this site exists. Great people with tremendous knowledge. Always willing to help. I've received great advice here.

Hope you get 'er sorted out soon. They're great fun to drive and everyone loves seeing them.

That is one nice looking truck and as far as no room to work on it in your garage I wish I had the room you got. Larry

Thnaks, guys. I need to figure out how to work on the brakes after I get the engine problems sorted. Just my ignorance right now holding me down.....

Top speed and safe speed are two different things. 40-45 MPH is my top comfortable speed range. You don't want your forehead to have this imprint on it!

Bad News Imprint
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You may just need to learn the quirks of the truck. Cold starting procedures sometimes don't work on hot engines and you have to wait til it cools enough to start the way you have conditioned yourself to start it. With my last GMC, if I touched the gas when it was hot it would be flooded and I could plan my day 1/2 hour shorter. Practice by driving around the block or two and pulling back into the driveway at home. You will learn pretty quick how to start it under different conditions.

Good advice. How should I start it when already warm?

Well, each one seems a bit different.... If my truck is hot (running for at least 20 min) and started within 10 minutes of shutting off, I can just hit the starter. If it's sat for longer, it likes to crank a few revolutions, then get just a little bit of throttle, and away it goes.

What Mr. Lang said pretty much worked with mine too but the truck will teach you how to start her.

.......lots of the old trucks I've dealt with can be "cranky" at times. One of the things that seems to work for me goes something like this.....Unless the engine is "cold" I always let the engine crank over a few times WITHOUT giving it any gas. I let the engine tell me what it needs. Many times it fires right off but if it has pretty much cooled down then I still let it crank over a few times THEN give it a little gas which they usually fire right after I did.......I just took longer to say the same thing Christopher said in two lines!!!