Harry,
I remember it well. I was 11 years old and my brother just bought his first duplex and out back in the corner of the yard was an old rusted out Ford with a flat head. I asked if I could tinker with it and after 5 months of riding my bike over there, got it running with a borrowed battery.
Next lesson was after getting it running and going back after two weeks, it had been sold as scrap to get it out of the yard.
At this point I get more of an excitement out of other people like Ricky doing stuff and getting it done. Its the only reason I post on this board to help them folks out. As for me? I have so many been there, done that T shirts nothing seems new anymore.
My wife says that's the result of running at a 24/7 level for 53 years.
Terry,
Thanks for the kind words.
Stubborn bolt
Moderators: CaptPatrick, mike ohlstein, Bruce
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Harry Babb
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like the old 60's song (cant remember who??) "The kicks just keep getting harder to find"Bruce wrote:As for me? I have so many been there, done that T shirts nothing seems new anymore.
I like wise enjoy sharing my experiences with others....just makes me feel good inside.
Bruce......should we tell Ricky about the Vice Grips on the Injector Rack trick yet???
I have a hilarious story about a run away Detroit.....when I have more time and if you are interested I will tell you.
Bruce....I'll bet you felt 10 feet tall when that ole Ford hit for the first time.....that's good stuff.....really gets me going! ! !
hb
hb
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CaptPatrick
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TailhookTom
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Harry:
The last "hilarious" runaway detroit stoary I remember involved the marina calling me to tell me that a detroit had runaway and I should bring down Dawn dishwashing liquid to clean Tailhook -- keep in mind two important facts -- first, it wasn't a boat from my marina, it was next one over, and most important, it was two weeks after Tailhook splashed after spending 3 years in a shed being redone. Thank God the Imron was dry at that point.
Tom
The last "hilarious" runaway detroit stoary I remember involved the marina calling me to tell me that a detroit had runaway and I should bring down Dawn dishwashing liquid to clean Tailhook -- keep in mind two important facts -- first, it wasn't a boat from my marina, it was next one over, and most important, it was two weeks after Tailhook splashed after spending 3 years in a shed being redone. Thank God the Imron was dry at that point.
Tom
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Harry Babb
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Back in the 60's and 70's I was incrediablly smart. It's strange that at that same time I had a full head of hair. As time has passed my hair has fallen out and my intellengence level has seriously dimenished.......(thinking about applying for Gubbernment grant to study the correlation between the 2)
At any rate, armed with a DD repair manual, very little experience, and a brand new box of Craftsman tools I went to Orange Beach to tune up a pair of 4 cylinder Johnson & Towers converted Detroit Diesels......by the way......the book was only in case of an emergency.....after all why would any one this smart need a book????
The engines were laid over on their side.....Pancake engine.
So it all began by replacing the fuel filters, followed by replacing the injectors the finally running the overhead.
After setting the injector timing, the valve bridge, the valves and running the rack it was time for start up.....nothing to it...right?...yea right!!!
Well.....she started right up and went all the way to governor speed. You could move the throttle setting any where you want and she never slowed down.
So in a flash I jumped down and tripped the Emergency Shut Down.....that should do it...right??? ....wrong.
The opening in the screen was larger than the Emergency Shut Down flapper. So from there I turned off the fuel valve to the engine....no immediate response....so from there I unscrewed the hand knobs that fastened the valve cover, and removed the valve cover.
Now keep in mind during all of this....that Detroit (Screaming Memie) is sitting there running at some where around 2500 RPM (Sounds like 25,000 RPM).....my heart is also running at 25,000 BPM! ! ! Seemed like an eternity.
So now with the valve cover removed, Engine running WAO I grabbed the Injector Rack with both hands and tried to pull it back to stop or idle speed.....all the while the valves are chewing up knuckles on both of my hands.
I believe at that point the effects of turning off the fuel finally took affect and the engine slowly died.....just before I did.
After collecting my self and cleaning my pants (good thing I had my brown pants on that day) I reran the rack, removed the Emergency shut down and put the screen back on top of the blower.
Armed with a plastic Garbage bag I reluctantly pushed the starter button......that's the day I learned that if you continue to do the same things your gonna continue to get the same results....apparently during those days I was also a philosopher too.
Well you guessed it.....she ran all the way back up to governor speed. I covered the screen on top of the blower with a plastic bag.....that damn bag went thru the screen and never slowed down the "Screamin Memmie"......but I forgot to tell you that I did put a pair of vice grips on the rack....so with the vise grips I was able to stop the drama without loosing more skin.
Now after being humbled a couple of times I broke out the book.....you know....Detroits for idiots.
Paragraph one in "Setting the Rack" says....backout the Buffer Screw all the way. I say....what in the hell is a "Buffer Screw". Looking at the exploded view of the governor I see an arrow pointing to this thing called a "Buffer Screw".
Now that I am slightly humbled I follow the instructions to the letter.....and WALLA! ! ! it all worked and ran very well.
Back to the Emergency Shut Down.....there is a gasket that goes on top of the Screen on top of the blower....this gasket fits the Shut Down Plate and seals so that ALL air flow is stopped....someone had left that gasket off.....was it me.....I'll never tell.
So now everytime I have anything to do with a Detroit I always have vise grips on the injector rack for the initial start up.
Great engines....nearly bullet proof....Rick.....you sure have me thinking about one of those 2-71 Gensets.
hb
At any rate, armed with a DD repair manual, very little experience, and a brand new box of Craftsman tools I went to Orange Beach to tune up a pair of 4 cylinder Johnson & Towers converted Detroit Diesels......by the way......the book was only in case of an emergency.....after all why would any one this smart need a book????
The engines were laid over on their side.....Pancake engine.
So it all began by replacing the fuel filters, followed by replacing the injectors the finally running the overhead.
After setting the injector timing, the valve bridge, the valves and running the rack it was time for start up.....nothing to it...right?...yea right!!!
Well.....she started right up and went all the way to governor speed. You could move the throttle setting any where you want and she never slowed down.
So in a flash I jumped down and tripped the Emergency Shut Down.....that should do it...right??? ....wrong.
The opening in the screen was larger than the Emergency Shut Down flapper. So from there I turned off the fuel valve to the engine....no immediate response....so from there I unscrewed the hand knobs that fastened the valve cover, and removed the valve cover.
Now keep in mind during all of this....that Detroit (Screaming Memie) is sitting there running at some where around 2500 RPM (Sounds like 25,000 RPM).....my heart is also running at 25,000 BPM! ! ! Seemed like an eternity.
So now with the valve cover removed, Engine running WAO I grabbed the Injector Rack with both hands and tried to pull it back to stop or idle speed.....all the while the valves are chewing up knuckles on both of my hands.
I believe at that point the effects of turning off the fuel finally took affect and the engine slowly died.....just before I did.
After collecting my self and cleaning my pants (good thing I had my brown pants on that day) I reran the rack, removed the Emergency shut down and put the screen back on top of the blower.
Armed with a plastic Garbage bag I reluctantly pushed the starter button......that's the day I learned that if you continue to do the same things your gonna continue to get the same results....apparently during those days I was also a philosopher too.
Well you guessed it.....she ran all the way back up to governor speed. I covered the screen on top of the blower with a plastic bag.....that damn bag went thru the screen and never slowed down the "Screamin Memmie"......but I forgot to tell you that I did put a pair of vice grips on the rack....so with the vise grips I was able to stop the drama without loosing more skin.
Now after being humbled a couple of times I broke out the book.....you know....Detroits for idiots.
Paragraph one in "Setting the Rack" says....backout the Buffer Screw all the way. I say....what in the hell is a "Buffer Screw". Looking at the exploded view of the governor I see an arrow pointing to this thing called a "Buffer Screw".
Now that I am slightly humbled I follow the instructions to the letter.....and WALLA! ! ! it all worked and ran very well.
Back to the Emergency Shut Down.....there is a gasket that goes on top of the Screen on top of the blower....this gasket fits the Shut Down Plate and seals so that ALL air flow is stopped....someone had left that gasket off.....was it me.....I'll never tell.
So now everytime I have anything to do with a Detroit I always have vise grips on the injector rack for the initial start up.
Great engines....nearly bullet proof....Rick.....you sure have me thinking about one of those 2-71 Gensets.
hb
hb
Great story! Still laughing...man, talk about an "oh s**t" moment
with this genset set up, it really is a rough take out...I'm going to have to come up with a fuel delivery system and electical system (just for the engine). Cooling is good, and the gennie itself has sound wiring (although I've dropped it off with a local guy to check it out)
Feel like I'm building one from scratch...kinda like I did my 31 (you'd kinda think I'd of learned)
with this genset set up, it really is a rough take out...I'm going to have to come up with a fuel delivery system and electical system (just for the engine). Cooling is good, and the gennie itself has sound wiring (although I've dropped it off with a local guy to check it out)
Feel like I'm building one from scratch...kinda like I did my 31 (you'd kinda think I'd of learned)
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TailhookTom
- Senior Member
- Posts: 985
- Joined: Jul 3rd, '06, 14:12
Harry:
Great story and I seem to have the same hair/intelligence inversion issue. Rumor has it that the "genius" that was working on the overrunning Detroit tried shutting off airflow with shop rags. He was heard running down the dock "the god damn thing ate my rags, she's gonna blow....."
And it did!
Tom
Great story and I seem to have the same hair/intelligence inversion issue. Rumor has it that the "genius" that was working on the overrunning Detroit tried shutting off airflow with shop rags. He was heard running down the dock "the god damn thing ate my rags, she's gonna blow....."
And it did!
Tom
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