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1952 M135 W/Winch

Another Ahab

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Alexandria, VA
It's All Good

I am on the hunt for a proper replacement now.

When I talked to majortom the other day, he said he was surprised that the condenser even worked at all and even more surprised it lasted as long as it did. I guess everyone can learn from my mistake.
“Negative results are just what I want. They’re just as valuable to me as positive results. I can never find the thing that does the job best until I find the ones that don’t.”

Thomas A. Edison
 

SturmTyger380

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Easley SC
I don't agree that the condensers are voltage specific. I think it is more of a quality issue with them being made not in the US.

Read this post: http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97935

"Are condensers voltage specific..as in 12 volt and 6 volt?"
"No. They do have an overall insulation breakdown rating, probably about 500V for an unpolarized ignition coil capacitor. They often fail in intermittent ways, though.

The ignition coil is a high ratio transformer. Transformers do not work on straight DC. The magnetic field must be moving to induce electrons to move in the windings.

When the points open the ignition coil magnetic field collapses (moves) and induces an electro-motive force (voltage) in the primary as well as the secondary coil. It's not very much in the primary coil because there are only a few windings in the primary, but it's enough, maybe up to 200V, to jump a small air-gap such as the one between the barely open points. That tiny spark is enough to erode metal away from the points and you'll burn up the points in a matter of minutes. The condenser (capacitor) is an electron reservoir and prevents the points from arcing by absorbing the induced primary voltage rather than letting it arc wildly across the open points.

If you have a solid state (transistor) switch instead of mechanical points there is no air-gap to ionize and maintain an arc, so no condenser is necessary. Example: Pertronix "ignitor" modification. Of course, that mod has it's own set of problems!"
 

USMC 00-08

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Last night a friend of mine took my truck mufflers home with him and today brought them back. He took the best internal parts and made one good complete muffler. The M135 is back to running quiet again! When the weather cooperates, I will try to get a video made.
 

USMC 00-08

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I have had some time to start going through the wiring under the dash. What a mess. Everything is almost back to military configuration, plugged in where it is supposed to be and most of the 12V stuff added on through the years removed. I still need to hook the air buzzer back up. It was bypassed for some reason.

My last civilian gauge left in the truck was the temperature gauge. I got a 60-260 military temperature gauge off ebay and a sending unit off of one of the parts trucks and hooked it all in. Everything worked great and the military gauge reads about 10 degrees cooler than the civilian one did.


Here is a picture of the gauge panel with the truck off. The voltmeter is on like it is supposed to be per the TM.

0116152204.jpg

Here are the gauges with the truck running.
0116152200.jpg

And here it is in the dark all lit up.
0116152155.jpg

I'm trying to get things done so that I can start prepping and paint this spring. Things are coming together nicely.
 

USMC 00-08

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I fixed my fuel sending unit today. There were three rivets holding the housing together. I drilled them out on the bottom side that goes against the gas tank and opened it up. There is a wire wrapped piece that a little brass contact that is hooked to the float assembly rubs up against. The wire wrapped piece was supposed to be hooked to the internal side of where the wiring harness hooks to the outside of the sending unit. That had come apart and was loose inside the sending unit housing.

I took a piece like this, cut off the blue end and crimped the wire wrapped piece and the back shell of it together.
0124151539a.jpg

Next I soldered this to the place where it was supposed to be connected.
0124151538.jpgdownsized_0124151539.jpg

I don't know yet how durable it will be, but it works for now!
 

USMC 00-08

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Skiatook, OK
I was out doing more work on my truck today and pulled some parts off of a parts truck. I thought this bridge plate cleaned up nice.

Before and After (Yes it is the same plate)
100_2158.jpg 0207151918.jpg

I'm sure happy with it and did not expect it to turn out so well.
 

USMC 00-08

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Air Buzzer

I have been working on the air buzzer today and now need to ask for some help. I am not understanding how it works or how to fix it, even with looking in the TM.

This is on the driver side just below the dash on the left side of the steering column and I believe it is the air buzzer.
100_2324.jpg


This is just behind and slightly below the gauge panel. The curved copper tube was disconnected and plugged just like how it is in this picture. I hooked it all back together and air started blowing out of the piece that has the two Douglas connectors coming out of the top and bottom side. So much air was coming out of the nipple that faces to the 3 o'clock position that air pressure could not build above 60psi. What is this piece and how does it all work together?
100_2325.jpg

The low air pressure buzzer does not come on at all when the ignition switch is turned on and has not since I purchased the truck.

I have been going through the wiring and hooking things back where they go according to the TM and everything is working now except for this. Any help would be appreciated.
 

NDT

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The Keystone Faraday device is the buzzer. The part with the Douglass connectors and the air line leading to it is the low air pressure switch, which in your case is defective. This is why it is bypassed. 24 volts from the ign switch harness should feed the low pressure switch, which then is connected to the buzzer. Time to visit the parts trucks.
 

USMC 00-08

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I am half way there on the air buzzer. The low pressure switch was replaced with one from a parts truck. The switch is good, does not leak air and made the buzzer come on for a little bit.

The buzzer sounded weak, so I tapped on the outside lightly and it started to sound pretty good until sparks started coming out from around the three bolts that hold it on.

100_2324.jpg

After that the buzzer quit working and I shut off the ignition switch and unplugged the buzzer. This whole thing took about 45 seconds to happen.

I have two more buzzers on the parts trucks, so provided that they work, not an issue to replace. Did I fry the buzzer or do you think it is a ground issue with how the buzzer is mounted? I just don't want to fry another one if that is what happened. Any ideas?
 

USMC 00-08

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Skiatook, OK
Haha! Well darn...I was hoping I wouldn't have to do that. If it wouldn't have gotten dark so quick I would have taken the buzzer off and wire wheeled everywhere it made contact with the firewall just to rule out the ground.
 

armytruck63

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"The buzzer sounded weak, so I tapped on the outside lightly and it started to sound pretty good until sparks started coming out from around the three bolts that hold it on."

This is a built-in feature that most people don't know exists. If you don't hear the buzzer, after a few seconds it gives you a hot foot to get your attention!
rofl
 

m1010plowboy

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I want to tell you that it was just looking for a ground but really have no idea what I'm talking about. There is limited info in the books on a schematic for the faraday and low pressure switch.

Checked all the books, read the entire internet...it does not end the way one would think....found some faraday buzzers for sale for $65.00

..... Then I searched "Faraday Buzzer" and hit "Images"...... Looks like lots could go wrong inside with 2 windings and moving parts. There must be some good "surge protection" under the dash because I've 'welded' a ton under Goose, wiggling wires.

Pictures of the inside would be cool!
 

USMC 00-08

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Skiatook, OK
Looking for ground was my first thought as well, but like you, I really have no idea. I didn't think a ground would be a problem since that buzzer looks like it has been in place for a long time. I am going to wire wheel the contact places when I mount up a replacement one to be on the safe side.

I'll try to disassemble the buzzer and post some pics if I can get it apart.
 

USMC 00-08

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I have been out pulling buzzers and testing with the multimeter. After trying both pulled buzzers, neither of them turned on, so out of curiosity, I started checking voltage. There was no voltage coming to the wire that hooks into the buzzer. So that lead me to the low air pressure switch.

There is 24.5 volts going into the bottom of the low air pressure switch and zero going out of the top. Air tanks are drained so there should be voltage coming out of the top side and to the buzzer. My thinking is to alternate putting 24 volts to the top and bottom of the low air switch and see if that loosens anything up inside that may be stuck. Would this ruin anything? Is the switch no good now?

I did hook up one of the pulled buzzers to 24 volts, made sure it was grounded and it came on like it should, so I know at least one buzzer is good.
 
Last edited:

NDT

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Well, 24 volts should come out of the switch when pressure is below 50? PSI so it is safe to say switch #2 is no good either for a different reason. Maybe if you tap on it? I guess after 60 years it can be excused for failing to work.
 
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