Haulin_in_Dixie

When I put the commercial engine in my truck with the air compressor I had to use a commercial power steering pump that was reset to 1500 pounds output to match the Dodge. The volume was so great that the fluid overheated terribly. I purchased a large transmission cooler and installed it in series with the steering gear return line. Worked great and now has over 50,000 miles on it. I used the hose that came with the cooler as it was a non pressure return. Or so I thought.

Last night at 1:00 AM, I had finished loading cars and it had taken some time so in the 18 degree weather, the engine got totally cold. Started it up, smelled something, saw smoke, shut it off. The hose to the cooler blew, sprayed the engine compartment with synthetic blend power steering fluid. I carry some work clothes but nothing for that cold. So a couple of hours under the truck repairing that hose in a pool of oil. I trashed my $25.00 rain top, but that was cheaper than trashing my $250.00 leather jacket.

I have not charged my big fire department light for a while and cold temperatures discharge the nicads, so had to work with my LED penlight flashlight. With the air compressor on all that has to be done from underneath. Now with the hose repaired, where to get fluid. Simple pull the return lines on the cars and drain their fluid. Start it up almost empty and fill it running to stop the surge.

It worked, so the moral to the story, use a high pressure hose for the power steering and brake return lines. They evidentally build some surge pressure when the fluid is cold. When I put that mess together, it was 80 degrees, did not seem hard to get to, 18 degrees changes all that

Trying to look at it from a positive view, two used cars got some maintenance, delivered them with new fluid. Now to pressure wash the engine again....

wannadiesel

That doesn't sound like much fun at all. I thought I was miserable yesterday evening changing my water pump in 35 degree weather with no gloves, but I wasn't laying in the coolant and I had a droplight. On the bright side, I didn't notice the blood blister on my finger until my hands warmed up. I have no idea how it got there.

Dieseldude4x4

I guess now we know where the "bloody red" came from literally in your sig. You may need to add "frozen purple" to the sig too.
The last (notice I say "the last") lift pump I changed out was alongside the road in Lynchburg about three days before Thanksgiving last year on the way home from Arkansas with my sons new truck on the GN. There was a gentle breeze rolling down out of the north about a thousand miles an hour. The wind chill was somewhere around 600 below at 09:00 hours in the morning. The spilled diesel fuel was gelling on the ground below the truck as soon as it hit. I had to tape the wrenches to my fingers since they would no longer move as I wished. The heat from the engine quickly dissapated to the point where the back of my hand stuck to the manifold like a flag pole in the north pole. Cars and trucks whipping by merely added to the little frozen mini-tornadoes that were alreay spinning around in the valley. My work shirt sleeve slid up my arm and when I scratched my forearm open on the master cylinder bolts, the blood that came out initially froze immediately and stopped the bleeding. Fortunately I had my tire stand, the spare pump, and by this time, knew every wrench needed and it only took me 25 minutes from start to stop, or stop to start as the case may be. I went to Forest City Diesel in the spring once I finally got thawed out and ended the goofy lift pump saga for ever.
Good story Bill and quick thinking.

Scotty

I could relate to that story many times.

Just recently I was under the truck in -27 weather with a wind and trucks howling by.

Everything gets tough at those temps.

Haulin_in_Dixie

Ya see Scotty, that's why I am "down here" instead of "up here" I may be repeating myself, but I am often asked what brought me to Alabama for the mountains of New York. I generally tell them that I put the snow blower on the trailer, headed south. When they started asking me what that dang thing on the trailer was, I knew I was home. Actually in 35 years I only wish I had one once, in 1993 with 16 inches of drifting snow.

Now and then we get below zero, but generally average about or above freezing all winter. A couple of years ago we actually had ground freeze where we went over two weeks below freezing. The dirt roads were a mess when it thawed. Dirt roads here are only Chert or in the north Hardpan. Once frozen good you have foot deep mud.

Scotty the worst I ever had it was in Gary Indiana, beside the freeway, over a foot of new snow, slush every time a truck went by, dropped a drive shaft which tore out some air lines. A nice old guy even went to a parts supplier and got me a U joint and some fittings. That time after a few hours of work under the truck (18 wheeler) it took a lot of digging and a couple of hours to get it back out of the snow. And you know that Chicago traffic is courtious and gives you a break when trying to get out

But the truth of why I came here was that I got a ticket in California, New York pulled my license, I could not get insurance, real hung up, and that was a New York class one just like a CDL. Alabama and I think it was Nebraska were the only two states in the country that were not recipical with either New York or California. Just went down and got a new license, started driving again, no class license. That was about 1970. You don't not pay a California ticket.... It is an experience moving furnature with a Midwest Emory reefer

tankeryanker

Bill I think you should write a book on your road adventures. Who knows it might supplement your income to retirement. Heck I'd buy it.

infidel

18° in Alabama!
I'll stay in Montana, so far this Dec has been like June, barely even frosts at night.

Barry Smith

I'd sure buy it! I know it would save me some trouble down the road since I'm ALOT younger than Bill
Bill, my dad sells torque converters and his route is Al. and pan handle of Fl. he said yesterday it was around 24* in Dothan Al. he said them folks were hunched over.

durasmack

any word on when we can expect a book?E?E?E

PourinDiesel

Haulin,
Sounds like you need something a little stouter than a pickup.
That should be your lesson.