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M813 Wake Up Thread

Ajax MD

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The 5 ton sub-forum is seriously lacking in love for the old 809 series. The 900s are getting all the glory. :wink:

Seriously though, I run a fix-it thread not just to show others what I'm going, but to help me keep my thoughts and processes straight and to document what I'm doing for my own future reference. This might bore some of the old hands, so please ignore me if this isn't of interest to you.

This won't be much of a restoration or resurrection thread. This is more of a "wake up" thread. The truck runs, drives and stops. Literally everything on this truck works, with the exception of a few burned out bulbs. What the truck needs, is every fluid, filter, belt and hose replaced. A steering wheel. Passenger seat. Eventually, tires. Fresh paint would be nice, at the end. I think the PCB is sticking occasionally. I found the thread on how to rebuild that.

Due to Christmas being just around the corner, I haven't had time to dive deep into the truck yet, so I've just been researching and ordering parts and poring through the TM's and then walking out to the truck to visually locate all the grease points, petcocks, hoses, belts, to visualize how they all come apart. Military mechanics get the benefit of technical schools to learn about these trucks. I'll be learning by braille.

A moment of humor:

I vacuumed out the cab and cleaned all the windows and mirrors. I started the truck to park it in another spot. In a moment of curiosity, I flipped on the cab heater fan and *POOF* the cab erupted in a cloud of lint and dust. Turns out there was a mouse nest in the ductwork. Bits and chunks of nest material blew out onto the floor and out of the defroster vents, causing me a coughing fit and dirtying up the cab as much as if I hadn't cleaned it at all.
 

Ajax MD

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Mayo, MD
Well stick around. I need people to tell me "You're doing it wrong" while I try to get it road worthy.
 

swbradley1

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The really good engine guys are still on here (not me). I can tell you how I painted mine. :)
 

Ajax MD

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God, I hope you're right.

Ok gang, first question-

Using the Operator's TM for the M809, I drained some fuel/water/sediment out of the fuel/water separator. (Pg. 3-15, item E, service fuel/water separator.)
Page 3-16 describes opening the air purge drain cock in the engine compartment to purge air from the fuel system. The sketch in the manual is well...sketchy.

Can anyone give me a clue or a photo of where the air purge drain cock is located? I'm guessing driver's side. How high up? Is it mounted on the firewall?

The fuel I drained off was merely "meh." An initial blob of sludge, then some watery diesel, then seemingly normal. I figure a normal filter replacement will do fine.

Thanks!
 

US6x4

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... The truck runs, drives and stops. Literally everything on this truck works, with the exception of a few burned out bulbs. What the truck needs, is every fluid, filter, belt and hose replaced.
I got an M813A1 back in January and I started out at the exact same point you are at now and it has been a lot of fun working on the truck. I fixed little things and freshened up some worn components. The biggest problem mine had was leaky wheel cylinders and I have gone through 4 of the 6 so far. It's nice to have an extra one ready to go to make the repair quicker and then rebuild the take out to have ready for the next one. I wish I had known how many parts I was going to be buying ahead of time because the bigger vendors charge a lot of money for "handling" and shipping and I would have saved a lot by buying everything at once.

Have fun with your truck and work through things thoughtfully as the parts are big and will hurt if they're not handled well.
 

Ajax MD

Well-known member
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Location
Mayo, MD
I got an M813A1 back in January and I started out at the exact same point you are at now and it has been a lot of fun working on the truck. I fixed little things and freshened up some worn components. The biggest problem mine had was leaky wheel cylinders and I have gone through 4 of the 6 so far. It's nice to have an extra one ready to go to make the repair quicker and then rebuild the take out to have ready for the next one. I wish I had known how many parts I was going to be buying ahead of time because the bigger vendors charge a lot of money for "handling" and shipping and I would have saved a lot by buying everything at once.

Have fun with your truck and work through things thoughtfully as the parts are big and will hurt if they're not handled well.
I hear you! Amazingly, the brakes are firm and no leaks detected but due to the age, I'll have to work my way through them. The A1 has the drop-down sides, lucky guy.
 

Ajax MD

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Location
Mayo, MD
Regarding my previous question: "Where exactly is the air purge valve (petcock) for the fuel system on the M809 series trucks?"

Several trips through the search engine mention the valve but I could find no photos and no specific description of its location, only instructions to "open it" when purging the fuel system of air. The sketch in the OP manual doesn't really resemble the view, in my opinion.

Thanks to a prompt from US6x4, I found it on the underside of the intake manifold elbow, out of easy sight. The valve can be more easily accessed by removing the splash shield in the wheel well on the driver's side, and looking up at the underside of the intake manifold elbow. You'll see the hard line coming off of it that leads to the manual prime pump in the cab.

All of these petcocks are painted a uniform green and also caked over with dirt, so they don't catch my eye. Once I learn where everything's at, it'll become second nature...I hope.
 

Scar59

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-Add this to your list; SCA (supplemental coolant additive). Head to the big truck parts store and get the test strips and a bottle of SCA. The engine coolant needs a specified PH level to prevent corrosion to the internals/sleeves. Your engine (NHC 250) is susceptible to this type of damage.
 

Ajax MD

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Location
Mayo, MD
Thanks, Scar! I am a bit concerned that the engine sat "pickled" in sour coolant over the last 8 years while it was parked. Test strips and a coolant flush are #1 on the list.
 

WillWagner

The Person You Were Warned About As A Child
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No need to purge the air from the fuel system, the PT pump will pick up fuel and bleed itself. It is a bit tougher to do on a truck that still uses cartridge filters.
 

RhinoTAC

Member
38
1
8
Location
Troup, Texas
The 5 ton sub-forum is seriously lacking in love for the old 809 series. The 900s are getting all the glory. :wink:

Seriously though, I run a fix-it thread not just to show others what I'm going, but to help me keep my thoughts and processes straight and to document what I'm doing for my own future reference. This might bore some of the old hands, so please ignore me if this isn't of interest to you.

This won't be much of a restoration or resurrection thread. This is more of a "wake up" thread. The truck runs, drives and stops. Literally everything on this truck works, with the exception of a few burned out bulbs. What the truck needs, is every fluid, filter, belt and hose replaced. A steering wheel. Passenger seat. Eventually, tires. Fresh paint would be nice, at the end. I think the PCB is sticking occasionally. I found the thread on how to rebuild that.

Due to Christmas being just around the corner, I haven't had time to dive deep into the truck yet, so I've just been researching and ordering parts and poring through the TM's and then walking out to the truck to visually locate all the grease points, petcocks, hoses, belts, to visualize how they all come apart. Military mechanics get the benefit of technical schools to learn about these trucks. I'll be learning by braille.

A moment of humor:

I vacuumed out the cab and cleaned all the windows and mirrors. I started the truck to park it in another spot. In a moment of curiosity, I flipped on the cab heater fan and *POOF* the cab erupted in a cloud of lint and dust. Turns out there was a mouse nest in the ductwork. Bits and chunks of nest material blew out onto the floor and out of the defroster vents, causing me a coughing fit and dirtying up the cab as much as if I hadn't cleaned it at all.
I am more then excited to assist you with this wake up thread. I introduce you to my M813A1 RhinoTAC! Fully armored rated to withstand .50cal API. The troop carrier holds 21 personnel with it's own diesel genny, A/C and heat. Totally armored cab, engine compartment, fuel tank, battery box. Literally everything is armored. The tires are also run flats on 20in aluminum wheels.
 

Attachments

Ajax MD

Well-known member
1,567
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113
Location
Mayo, MD
Well, I can see the truck in your avatar. I'd love to see some close up photos of the armored bits. Run flats of that size must cost a fortune!

My first batch of parts is in the mail. I'll order batch #2 while I'm out of town next week so that they arrive when I return.
So far, my first few weeks of ownership have involved a lot of reading, research into vendors and poking and prodding the truck to look for any deeper, hidden problems.

Kind of like the scene from Mad Max:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD3a7HnuDSw
 

Robo McDuff

In memorial Ron - 73M819
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The 5 ton sub-forum is seriously lacking in love for the old 809 series. The 900s are getting all the glory. :wink:
..... .
Not lacking in love but flooded with 900 truck threads in the last years. It was already suggested that maybe the 5-ton threads should be split in old (M39 and 809 series) and 900 and later series, the same way there is a deuce line and an early deuce line.
 

Ajax MD

Well-known member
1,567
1,414
113
Location
Mayo, MD
Not lacking in love but flooded with 900 truck threads in the last years. It was already suggested that maybe the 5-ton threads should be split in old (M39 and 809 series) and 900 and later series, the same way there is a deuce line and an early deuce line.
Sigh...I feel old. I can't believe the 900's came out in the 80's and 90's.

When I arrived at my unit in 2001, we had a fleet of ancient M35A2's and one M813. After 9/11, the budget spigots opened and we got freshly upgraded M35A3's from the ESP, a 900 truck and replaced our decrepit CUCVs with HMMWVs and LSSVs. To me, they all seemed brand new and the latest tech! I retired in October 2010 so it's been 8 years since I've driven anything green.
 

RhinoTAC

Member
38
1
8
Location
Troup, Texas
I need some help here. My 813A1 has lubricates coated all over the front diff and slightly seeping out on the rear riffs. Is this normal or what? I'm most certain it is diff fluid.
 

Ajax MD

Well-known member
1,567
1,414
113
Location
Mayo, MD
Inspect the seals at the ends of the differentials and the boots. They are probably torn or cracked.
 
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