Turbo Diesel Registry
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/594528
72 www.turbodieselregister.com TDR 90 OLD DIESELS Fellow TDR writer John Holmes made some interesting observations about early diesel engine starting in his Issue 89 Ranch Dressing column (page 64, "flaming rag over the air intake") which brought back some fond memories for me, too. Thus it inspires a brief trip down Memory Lane. One time I tried to start the diesel engines (there were two) in a 1950s or '60s airport fire crash truck. These large diesels didn't have conventional electric starters, but instead had a "pony" engine of three cylinders that ran on gasoline. You started the pony engine, got it up to speed, and then engaged a lever to couple it to the diesels to turn them over fast enough to start running on their own. I once owned a 1970s Mercedes diesel car with a peculiar starting procedure. You pulled a knob on the dash partway out to operate the glow plugs for a minute, then pulled it all the way out to operate the starter. On a cold morning, you had to keep the starter engaged while the engine was running for a minute or two until the combustion chambers warmed enough for it to run on its own. It was tough on the battery. Some diesel engines in 18-wheelers in the 1950s and 1960s used an air starter that sounded like a big dentist's drill and would scare you out of your mind if you were nearby when one was cranked. Electrical starters of the time sometimes just weren't strong enough to spin those big engines fast enough to start. If the truck had been sitting for a few days, the air tank had likely leaked down. There wasn't an app for that back then. Stopping a diesel in those days was another exercise. Many didn't have a fuel shutoff. You put the transmission in "granny gear," stepped on the brakes, dumped the clutch, and bogged the engine into silence. In others, you pulled a dash lever that raised the exhaust valves off of their seats, thus killing the engine's compression, and it stopped running. Let go of the lever before the engine completely stopped turning, and it would sometimes run backward! Have you ever seen diesel smoke coming out of the air filter and dust being sucked into the exhaust pipe? Still other engines of the day had a dash-controlled metal flap that would cut off the air intake supply. No air, no running engine. This control method also doubled as a safety shutoff in case the engine ran away because of a defective fuel governor. Engine runaways were not as rare as you may think, and when an engine came apart there was flying shrapnel everywhere. Ahh, the good old days. I'll bet some of you have stories about early diesels too. Thanks, John, for the memories. DIESEL CONVERSIONS/SWAP In past columns I have touched on the subject of engine and transmission swaps, often swapping a Cummins into other truck brands. Now comes a member's question of turning his two-wheel drive truck into a four-wheel drive truck. His truck is a 2006 with a manual transmission. I advised the member against attempting this operation, as it would be much less expensive to just trade trucks. A closer look at the details would show that the whole front axle and suspension would have to be changed as well as the steering linkages. The existing rack and pinion steering system would be changed to a recirculating ball system. Of course a transfer case and front driveshaft would be installed, necessitating a change in the transmission tailshaft housing, adding a transfer case shifter, and shortening the rear driveshaft. Frame and transmission mount modifications would be needed, too, and reprogramming of the engine computer would be necessary. All of this could be done, but it doesn't make sense. With member questions of this type, I always ask three questions before giving an answer. "Would I do this to my truck? Would I be happy with the results? Is there a cheaper alternative?" My answer to each question is usually no, no, and yes. A Review of Previously Discussed/ Frequently Asked Questions by Jim Anderson. I have been appointed (elected, selected, condemned?) to write a column dedicated to member questions. Member questions range from old users with new problems to new members who are unfamiliar with the care of their pride and joy. The column reviews frequently asked questions and member feedback to deliver the best solutions. We decided to call the column "Idle Clatter." If you don't get my meaning, go stand next to your truck when it's running. I am also available to answer your questions. Call the TDR offices and they will relay the message. I can best be reached by e-mail at j.t.anderson@att.net and will promptly respond.