LT. Dan M35a2 Modification Thread

[Lieutenant Dan]

So today wasn't that great of a day..... Both my new head lights are cracked and since I was down to half tank I figured I'd fill her up. So I have half a barrel of new iso 46 hydraulic oil so I dumped in 15 gallons of that and 5 gallons of gasoline. Truck started up hard as usual and wouldn't idle at all.... had to keep it up around 900-1000 rpm for about 15 minutes till it would idle. Then I left from work and the truck seemed to run quieter but didn't seem to have near as much power... idk maybe it was a bad idea to put it in since it's only about 20 degree out. Idk not happy with my first experience with alternative fuel. I have so much to figure out..... got to bypass the fdc and figure out why it never wants to start. Really getting upset now...... doesn't matter if it's 50° or 5° I have to give it a shot of ether when starting. I get a break every two hours at work and when I go out to start it it won't start..... I guess I have to start with the return lines and fdc along with new fuel filters.

 

[skinnyR1]

I don't have much to offer other than I let my truck idle over 1000 rpm for a good 15 minutes until it is warmed up. Two or three clicks out on the throttle cable. Unless I pull it out, it idle around 5 or 6 hundred rpm which is too low imo.
Its freak in cold out still so I don't find that abnormal. Im sure hydraulic oil is such high viscosity that it is hardly flowing at 5 degrees.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Yeah normally I do let it warm up that long.... I left it run for 10 minutes or so outside the shop then pulled it in to swap air horns and that took maybe 20 minutes.... went to start it again and it wouldn't idle at all. Plus why does it seem down on power?

 

[bigginstactical]

Change your filters for sure. It is pretty cheap and probably needs to be done anyways. With that cold of weather I wouldn't run anything but diesel and maybe add some additives.

 

[skinnyR1]

Its difficult to say when you have two variables working against you. The fdc and the unseasonably cold temps. I would personally rule those two out before being worried or doing anything else.
As for the cold starting, id say locate the cold start tm procedure. Ill try to find it for you when im not on my phone.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Well talking to gibb he said to replace the return lines and get rid of the flame heater it's probably sucking air and losing prime..... it runs great once started..... went to grocery store yesterday hopped out grabbed a few things then went back and barely hit the button and it fired right up.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

So the plan is this..... I was looking and the weather is supposed to be 45 to 50 and sunny saturday. My primary fuel filters should be here tomorrow. I'm going to order secondaries from gimpy and hopefully they will come by the end of the week. I'm going to redo all the return lines and bypass the fdc and install my boost and pyro gauges. Hopefully this fixes the hard starting issue. I can't imagine what else if could be as the truck runs really good.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I would get rid of the flame pre-heater and by-pass the FDC before doing anything else. I do agree, if you don't know the last time the filters were changed, to change them. I run hydraulic oil sometimes too and it does sometimes take extra time to start up. I've had to do the ether too on occasion. The alt fuels aren't as good as diesel imho, but you can't beat the cost! I can tell I have the most power from diesel.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

The flame heater is disconnected to a point but I want it completely gone.... I don't mind doing ether but I shouldn't have to every time I start it..... If I ran it and it sits more then an hour I have to use ether to start it......

 

[RAYZER]

I have noticed less power when burning gas/oil mix vrs diesel /oil mix.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Little progress today..... got the bed off the m105..... springs tomorrow and scrap the day after that.... no old man winter go away and get warm!!!!

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Pictures

 

[bigginstactical]

I have a sliding rear window. I could cut it out of the back real quick. You can have it if you cover shipping. Thought I'd offer as its taking up space haha!

Yeah hardtop is great..... I'd look for one with it though if I had to do it again.... but I got a smoking deal on mine only paid $200 for it. It doesn't have a sliding rear window though. I'll fix that eventually.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

**** yeah pm sent

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Done and done woop woop!!!!

Man them rivets are a PIA!!!!!

 

[FloridaAKM]

Thanks for the pics of the frame, now I know what I was offered in a M35a2 deal. Nice frame with no bed, looks good to the uninformed new buyer, but not worth a large amount of money!

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

I Sold it to a buddy for $100 I just wanted scrap value for it..... kept the bed springs wheels and lug nuts

 

[59apache]

Before i trial "alternative" fuels, i swap in a second fuel tank. So i can run one with straight diesel and one with a mix. Separate returnlines, a selector valve and everything is nice. You can ad an extra filter for the "mix" tank.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Today was a good day was almost 55° out today and I got a lot done. All new fuel filters and the old ones weren't that bad. Then I bypassed the fdc and ran new return lines from the injectors and completely removed all fuel lines to the flame heater. To do that you need 2-1/8 npt pipe plugs and a 1/4 npt pipe plug. Remove the small fittings om the injector and put the 1/8 plugs in both ports. Then there is a feed or a return that goes to the bottom of the injector pump. Pull that fitting and put the 1/4 plug in there. Then you just need to remove the pump and put a straight line in between the injectors.

Holy crap it's a different truck!!!!! It starts right up no sputtering at all. I didn't even turn the fuel up yet and it runs so much better. I can't believe how much better it runs. I'm at a loss for words!!!!

Also installed my boost and pyro gauges.... so easy! Rubbing 55 down the highway it's around 5 psi and 800 or so on the pyro. Under full Throttle it builds rhe most boost in third and it will peg the 15 psi gauge. The pyro comes up to 1000 under normal driving full throttle in fourth and 5th and there is a long hill about two miles long I can easily pull in 5th now but pyro comes up to 1200 easily at full throttle. If I keep it 1/3 to half I can still stay in 5th and pyro comes down to 1000 or so..... idk if I want to mess with fuel anymore or not. It sounds like I have a little room to go up but I'll have to keep a close eye on pyro pulling grades. I can't believe how much better the truck runs just by bypassing the fdc. In tank fuel pump works good swapped all fuel filters in about an hour and just cracked them open and turned on the master switch.

I'm hoping this also fixed the hard starting I'm encountering. When I took off the return lines there was no fuel in them at all.

Also got my head ache rack on and light mocked up. I'll finish that tomorrow.

 

[Lieutenant Dan]

Last picture of the fab work