Some old work vehicles, like a tired dump truck, are one phone call away from the scrap pile. A listing goes up, nobody bites, and the next stop is the cutting torch. Every so often, somebody decides the old machine deserves one more try.
That is what the man behind @99Projects did after spotting an old dump truck on Facebook Marketplace. He says the seller planned to cut it up and send it to the scrapyard if no one came for it, so he hitched up his trailer and went to get it.
What Was Waiting In The Dump Truck Cab
He brought the truck home on a trailer and winched it off in the dark. Someone had lined the cab with wood paneling and shag carpet, which he tore out before doing anything else. Under all that, he found good news: the fuel tank was nearly full, and the oil was up to the mark.
Under the cab sits a Detroit Diesel 6-71, the two-stroke diesel he calls the old screaming Jimmy. He pointed out a separate oil reservoir used to top up the engine, which he says was common where the engine is hard to reach.
Checking For A Runaway
Before trying to start any Detroit that has sat, he checks the fuel rack. He explains that when one of these engines shuts down, the governor can leave the injectors wide open, and if they stick that way, the engine can run away on the first start.
With the valve cover off, he found exactly that kind of trouble. The rack would not move. He and a friend pried and wiggled it, freed some of the injectors, and broke a small piece in the process. He pulled two injectors and worked them free on the bench until they moved properly.
No Spark Of Life At First
The starter did nothing. He made new battery cables, reworked the wiring at the starter solenoid and finally swapped in a new solenoid he says cost about $60. The engine turned over, but the rack stuck again. He found three injectors that were sticking and freed them one by one.
He also planned to cover the air intake opening in case it did run away, since he says a diesel can’t run without air. Then he found the truck’s emergency air shutoff flap shut, which kept it from breathing at all.
Smoke, Then A Runner
Once he opened the flap and recharged the batteries, the 6-71 fired with a huge cloud of smoke. It would not stay running at first, and he suspected the governor and a still-sticky rack. He rigged controls in the cab so he could work the rack from the seat.
The next morning it came to life again. He added coolant, let it warm up and tried the rest of the truck. It moved under its own power, the air tailgate worked and the dump bed lifted high, although he noted the lift was leaking.
“Well, it’s a runner, boys.”
“This thing could go to work next Monday.”
What To Check Before Starting An Old Diesel
- Check the oil and coolant before cranking, and drain any water from the fuel if you can.
- On engines with a mechanical governor, make sure the fuel controls move freely before the first start.
- Have a way to cut off air or fuel quickly if the engine overspeeds.
- Weak batteries and corroded cables can look like a dead starter. Test power before buying parts.
- Expect leaking seals on hydraulics that have sat. Fix them before relying on the equipment.
Where Things Stand
By the end of the video, the dump truck that seemed headed for the scrap pile runs, drives and lifts its bed. The hydraulic seals still need work, but in his view the project proved the truck was worth saving.
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