The forklift saga continues....

DanG · March 16, 2003, 07:11:21 PM

As most of you know, I bought an old forklift last week, for a bargain price. Well, I gotta say it was a good deal, but it ain't been no Knight in shining armor, either. I knew the hoses were old and frayed, but I figgered I'd get more than a half-hour out of'em. :-/ I replaced the tilt hoses for $50, and that were'nt too bad, and the rest of them are more recent. They may last up to a week, maybe even more. :

Saturday morning, I traipsed out to put it into action. It was looking like rain, and I wanted to move some logs out of a low spot before it got mucky again. The bloomin' thang wouldn't start. After cranking on it for a while, I started getting analytical. Checked for spark. Had spark. Poured some gas down the carb. She fired up, and died again. Pulled the fuel line off, and it was bone dry. Hit the starter button to confirm the no-fuel situation, and NOTHING happened. It didn't even try to turn over. Said ugly words. Abandoned it for a while and did chores until Son-in-law showed up. We dropped the starter and determined that it was a dead duck. Went to town this morning and got a new starter and fuel pump. Got the pump on with no problem but had to wait for S-I-L to help with the starter. We got it put on and prepared for it to roar to life. NOT!
She turns over good, and is getting fuel, but the spark seems a little wimpy. We harvested parts from an old car with a similar engine, and basically rebuilt the distributor. Now we got rotation, gas, and the brightest spark I ever saw, but it still won't run. The only thing I can figure is that the fuel pump quit, the starter died, and the engine jumped time, all at the very moment I parked it in the shop. I said more ugly words and came to the house. :(

biziedizie · March 16, 2003, 07:57:04 PM

DanG is it a belt or a chain for the timing? If it's a belt I could see it jumping a tooth if it's been sitting for awhile, could've gotten a hard spot in it.
  Try a compression test on it to see whatcha got happening in there.
  When you pulled the distributor did ya mark it? Could well have put it back 180 degrees when you installed it. Chuck a dwell meter on it and see where your piston is and where your valves are when the dwell meter comes to life.
  Hmmm trying to think about forklifts.......if it's an older one it should have a float bowl and maybe the needle is sticky from sitting or it needs to be replaced.
  The air filter could be hooped, did ya try starting it while it was off?
  The other thing I was going to ask is the fuel pump mechanical or electric.
  I hope this helps if you haven't already thought about the above that I've mentioned.

   Steve

DanG · March 16, 2003, 08:13:28 PM

Thanks for the suggestions, Diz. As far as I know this thing has a chain. It isn't the original engine, but a Buick v6. I guess that's what Mr. Hootie had laying around that would bolt up. We didn't remove the dist. but changed out the cap/coil, rotor, and spark module, and replaced some of the plug wires. I don't have any fancy troubleshooting tools such as dwell meters, or even a timing light. I'm calling in reinforcements, ASAP. ;D Since the engine is about worn out, anyway, we may just replace it. That needs to be done, anyway, so I can't see putting too much money and effort into this one.

biziedizie · March 16, 2003, 08:31:50 PM

Too bad we weren't closer because I would come over and get that puppy going for you! When I got my mechanics papers I scored a %98.5 grade average and at that point in my life I just loved what I was doing. I had a 76 corvette slip off a faulty hoist and it whacked my shoulder pretty good and when I was able to work with my guys again we had the stupid air care come along and it pretty much made my company go under as my over head was so high! I won't even work on my own van anymore so I pay other people to do it. When it comes to trouble shooting someone else's problems I'm in there like a dirty shirt though! I hate seeing people pay to get easy things done like trouble shooting. I hope your buddies figure things out for you so you don't have to spent too many buxs on your machine!

Steve

Fla._Deadheader · March 17, 2003, 04:14:20 AM

It might be homesick. :

Why Don'Tcha get ole Hootie to drop by and stroke it and talk to it ?? ;D

Bibbyman · March 17, 2003, 04:36:08 AM

My brother-in-law has a Jeep CJ7 with a Buick v6. The timing gears were plastic. Stripped some teeth and would hardly run. I helped him put a new set of steel ones on and got one 180 out. I kept pulling distributor wires and pokin' them back in one hole further around until it ran. :D

dail_h · March 17, 2003, 10:22:57 PM

   DANG
   What ya gotta understand bout old machines is they got character. Some of mine got so much character makes me want to call the junk man,but like my wife says,junk man has seen your stuff and he don't want it.
   1. IT usually wont start.
   2. If it does start,at least one tire is flat.
   3.If it starts,and no tires are flat then the clutch is stuck-no problem,shut it off,put in high gear and restarthold brakes to free clutch.only one brake holds if I'm lucky. become entanglrd in shelter post,or some implement,or knock over workbench-clutch finally releases.I get untangled, and all ready to go-it quits.
   4. Out of fuel-ifI didn't run over,or otherwise smash the fuel can,I find that if I need deisel the can has gas,if I need gas the can has deisel.
   5. Trip to store for fuel and refreshment.Get sidetracked ,return 2 hours later with fuel refreshed and ready.
   6. Wont start now battery dead,search begins for jumper cables or charger-find cables,clamp gone off each cable different end
   About now would be an approiate time for bad words,or maybe throw something I will need in the next hour.
   7.Wife yells from the house---If you ain't going to do anything but mess around the shed,can I come and take her to town?
   8. I give up in desperation
   BOY I SURE DO LOVE OLD EQUIPMENT 8) 8) 8) 8)

Paul_H · March 17, 2003, 10:37:57 PM

dail_h
It sounds like we have the same equipment around the house.It takes better than half a day to get the lawn tractor going so the kids can mow the lawn.
If something needs welding,I have to fart around to get it's engine started,and I leave my tools locked up at work for some reason ???

I can totally relate to that DanG fuel can thing :D

biziedizie · March 17, 2003, 11:35:00 PM

Your kids mow the lawn Paul? Now that's cool! Now I have something to look forward to when my little one gets older!

Steve

J_T · March 18, 2003, 06:18:15 PM

Never buy a battery that don't have a handel !! I have 4 trucks and one battery that is fun sometimes. :D

dail_h · March 18, 2003, 09:34:05 PM

FOUR BATTERIES ONE TRUCK,NONE OF'EM WORK

Fla._Deadheader · March 24, 2003, 02:32:18 PM

What's the latest Skinny on the "hootie too"?? ;D

Kevin_H. · March 24, 2003, 02:59:21 PM

did ya just shoot it and put it out of it's missouri ;D

DanG · March 24, 2003, 09:29:41 PM

Nawp, didn't shoot it, but I was tempted. It would take at least a RPG to make a dent in it, anyway. ;D
Ackshully, I got it running, after replacing the "new" sparkin' plugs that Hootie put in. None of them were even the same type. :

It's running crappy, like before, but it runs and works. I gotta move the mill to another temporary location, though, as the ground where it is, is too soft for the forklift until it dries out some more. I can't just stop sawing for a couple of weeks every time it rains.

Took down a couple of pines for a friend and sawed some of it up. There will be 20+ trees in this project, so we'll just cut a couple at a time, until the place looks the way he wants it. He wants to open up the canopy enough to plant some fruit trees. Can't get the truck all the way in, so we had to winch the logs up the hill.
Got some more leads on free logs. Jimmy, the son-in-law, brought home 3 more pine logs from the dump, and the guy there is holding 2 large oaks for him. 8) Ran into an old friend, former co-worker, who knows a guy that works on one of the rich folk's plantations. The guy is complaining about burning beautiful logs because no one will come get them. ;D

Fla._Deadheader · March 25, 2003, 03:51:13 AM

So, THAT'S why ya ain't been postin. Ya took Fred's advice and re-built the mill, so's it would saw straight boards?? :

DanG · March 25, 2003, 05:23:50 AM

Fred Schmed! I took PART of his advice about the board return. The rest of it is just like it was. I been sawin' straight boards all along. The mill follows the beam, which stays straight, no matter what the bed is doing. The only time a level bed is critical, is if you turn the log. Then, if you ain't level, the first board will be tapered.

I've run into a lot of "Freds" over the years. Don't need'em.

Fla._Deadheader · March 25, 2003, 05:42:33 AM

AHHH, I got it !! Instead of leveling the log, ya taper the bed?? :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

BTW, I found 1 pic of the wood stove, boiler set-up I told you about. Here it is.