From: Bill Kealey (cwkealey@charter.net)
Date: Sun Feb 01 2004 - 18:25:06 PST
Well, I wish I could tell you all exactly what happened today to make the
truck start but I am unsure, myself.
This afternoon my sons assisted me with the truck. The older one, almost
11, operated the fuel cutoff valve cable inside the cab. My almost 5 year
old stood on a step ladder and pointed out all the things that needed to be
done and especially all of the things that I was doing wrong. This latter
was extensive and too lengthy as well as complicated for me to recall for
your benefit.
I stood and watched the mechanism as the older one pulled or released the
cable several times. The cable seemed to work properly, the spring inside
pulling the cable closed as it is supposed to.
I then decided that maybe the mechanism inside the cover for the fuel
shutoff valve was broken or sticking closed. I removed the cover, letting
the boys engage in a nearby snowball fight.
I looked at the inside of the unit and did not see anything that looked
damaged. No obvious bits and pieces laying about nor were there any signs
of pieces missing or cracked and the spring looked shiny and seemed to be
okay.
I moved the (valve?) gizmo with the spring back and forth and did not feel
anything that seemed like it was binding or sticking. before I called the
boys back, I put it back together and tried the engine. The air temp. was
around 35 deg. F and the beast started up without any hesitation. In fact
it started so quickly, I shut it off and restarted it again several times to
make sure I wasn't dreaming.
I put diesel conditioner in the tank several days ago when the problem first
started and the conditioner as well as a gallon or so of 1-k kerosene sat in
the tank for a day before I changed the filters.
I am guessing that there may have been some water in the fuel at or near the
fuel shutoff valve or injectors/pump that froze during the extremely cold
weather even though I could not see any signs of this in the fuel that I
drained from the filters. When I refilled the fuel filters and bled them
they would have had the fuel with the conditioner and kerosene mixture in
them. Please note also that the last fill up was about 35 - 40 gallons at a
truck stop so the fuel should have been winter mix but I cannot verify this
at this point. I know that the fuel that I buy here in the hills is winter
mix.
My second thought is that some crud had gotten lodged in the fuel shutoff
valve and was dislodged, again I did not see this so cannot verify it, and
dislodged when I moved the valve today.
I should have tried to start the truck before removing the cover on the
valve but did not give that a thought as it refused to do anything the other
day.
This afternoon I let the truck run for about 15 minutes and it ran very
smoothly.
We went away for 5 or 6 hours and upon returning the temps. are about 18
deg. F. and I went ahead and tried the truck again. Without the manifold
heater, it started right up as soon as I pressed the button.
I hope that it is straight now but will have to be ready for it to repeat
this in the future, more bad weather is expected over the next few days so
only time and the weather will tell.
I wish to express my sincere thanks to the many of you who responded via one
or more groups, individual e-mails and humorous emails that cheered me up
during this frustrating time.
Thanks to you all,
Bill K.
MVPA #24623
1954 USMC M38A1
1972 US Army M35A2 non-turbo w/winch
1985 USAF M105A2
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