Recent content by ppillard

Is there anyone in the Des Moines area that would sell me an alternator for my 1997 M1078, Cat 3116? I'm traveling thru and mine just crapped the bed.

Hey crew, I just did a search for "3116 cruise control" and came up snake eyes, as did my youtube search. I see the generic cruise kits promising one size fits all (highly unlikely). Have any of you ever done this? I know I could use the hand throttle, but I was hoping for a legit cruise...

Wow, good data, Ronmar, thanks. I had not considered this. I believe this company will custom build you whatever you need. I will call them and find out, then post my results here.

For those of us who aren’t purists and think that $3500 is a bit steep for cab AC, has anyone used this option and if so, what had been your experience so far? https://www.classicautoair.com/shop/complete-ac-systems/custom-colder-universal-air-conditioning-system/

Lothar, I sent you my phone number. Thanks.

1997 M1078. While replacing my oil pan gasket, I discovered 2 hairline cracks in my block, consistent with death by driveline vibration (which I have been wrestling with on this truck) Drivelines were balanced and replaced last year, and I’ve been repairing the collateral damage ever since...

Pulling this gear and she’s fighting me. Both the TM’s and the Cat manuals are proving useless. Is there a special puller or a lot of heat that I need?

I will check that, thanks.

It's been a while since I posted, and for the sake of posterity, I should do so: I received and installed the new driveshafts complete with new U-joints. The 45 mph vibration seems to be completely gone. The guy at RM Driveshaft told me the cardboard dampers were still in place, which means...

Yes, I did.

Took my driveshafts into a shop today, they examined them and detected a host of problems. Worn splines, one welded slightly out of phase, one out of balance, etc. apparently, either the guys in Dallas seriously screwed me, or these guys are. Either way, I’m gonna shell out some bank.

I decided to skip step 1 (inspect mains) just to get her fired up and out of the middle of my driveway (which was as close as I could get the towing company to drop her). I capped off the oil level and installed the new oil line with orings. Fired her up. Oil pressure came up to normal and she...

I suspect/hope that line is the oil return from the governer? That would explain why it’s dumped directly into the side of the block, and why the truck was still running fine when I shut her down. It looks as tho it is fed from the front of the block next to the thermostat?

The truck still had about 2.5 gallons of oil in it. Makes me optimistic that it might have dodged a bullet. Found the leak, it was the oil line of death, as you guys speculated.

Can anyone tell me what type of MRAP wheels these are? They are aluminum and 10 lug pattern, with an 11" hole. Are these Hutchinsons?