Alex's '42 WC53 Carryall Build Details - Cummins ISB170

[Alxj64]

Well,
The Allison is trashed and needs to come out. The roar I have from the bellhousing is incredibly loud now and I am finding small flecks of steel in the fluid. I guess I am going to have to get this thing rebuilt. Uggh, its always something with projects like this and used parts, then again I've been having problems with vendors sending me the wrong new parts too.

[Bruce]

One step forward and two steps back, at least you found out now, right?

[Alxj64]

One step forward and two steps back, at least you found out now, right?

yea, something like that. The plus side is that I have my weird wobble situation resolved in the steering and tire balance. I also have a lot of the other systems fully functioning now. One brake line leak to fix where a fitting /flare got installed crooked by some of my younger occasional help so I'll make a new line for that. The 3D printed lockout hub dials weren't really working so I had some made out of aluminum for my custom front axle.

Lets see, what else is good under the hood. Hrmm, I have pieces arriving for my air system so I can get to work on that soon. I have a bunch of parts to build the rest of my seat frames with. I have a bunch of interior parts to start installing, but I still have to make new window boxes. I have a 4' x 6' sheet of 20 gauge stainless steel on hand so I actually might try to make new window tray boxes using that instead of mild steel, this way they will never rot out. Just a thought.

And for those following here and not in the WC53 thread, I finished up a new battery box cover. Lid opens upward with help from spring loaded hinges and then the side swings down like the original design. All riveted aluminum, stainless hinges, and brass screws for the hardware.

I also got a good picture of the truck flexing out the suspension some. Man does it work really good off road! This was with just the open rear axle and no front driveshaft, this thing will go more places than I'll feel good taking it, thats for sure! I can't wait to finish up some other things and drive this down to the beach for the day!

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[Matthew Welcher PWA]

Alex, It will all get worked out. The old girl is looking fantastic. Keep your chin up. I am pretty excited to go for a ride in it this coming June.

[Bruce]

If I can lend a hand, please ask!!

[Bruce]

Really!

[Alxj64]

hanks guys,
Sadly I am in the midst of an M.S. relapse, so things are moving slowly. I did get the transmission out but because it took so long, my builder is busy now and I have to wait some more. Uggh.

I did mess with some other small tedious things since I am having weakness on my right side and that prevents me from messing with too much heavy stuff and my welding quality suffers as well.

New bulkhead for the passenger side because the original one was too close to the exhaust and was just a hack looking cord grip.

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Hub Dial installed.

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Allison out and waiting for pickup to get rebuilt.

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[Matthew Welcher PWA]

All looks fantastic Alex, keep pushing through. How may I ask did you manage to drop the transmission out? I know you were searching for a way to remove the transmission, how did you get it out?

[Alxj64]

Matt,
I had a co worker loan me an engine lift that is assembled in pieces; this way I could assemble the hoist in and around the truck, reach through the door, and lower the transmission using the hoist and some other straps to setup a "balance" sling since I couldn't grab it at its dead CoG. Worked pretty well, nobody died, and I literally did it all on my own. Getting it installed might be a whole different story though. The torque converter appears TOTALLY trashed, so hoping thats the only problem. Its getting a shift kit, valve kit, C2 clutch upgrades, and a billet torque converter. Big ol transmission should be fairly bomb proof at that point. I'm adding a trans temp warning light to my center console as well as an OD off switch as thats something that I found how to wire up because the transmission builder let me dig through his manuals when he picked up the transmission last night.

[Matthew Welcher PWA]

What kind of a time frame are you looking at until you get the transmission returned to you, also any word on additional problems or damage with the transmission?

[Alxj64]

No, no known time frame. The guy that is working on it for me, is doing it as a favor / on the side through an arrangement with his boss, etc etc. The company he works for likes the project and are interested in having me show it off with / for them, and evidently through other connections in the area they know about me having a reputation of being a "good guy" so they are willing to help knowing that I'm not a deep pocket shop like the Fantomworks guy up the road. Also, (long chain of relation) my wife's best friend, her husband's older brother, is one of the top-notch traveling mechanics for the same shop; I'm talking they fly him all over the world to look at million dollar boats, generators, and other special equipment.

In regards to the problems, the noise was 100% the converter as it was full of metal and the bearing was obviously bad based on how much the converter was wobbling around after we removed it. Also, the C3 clutch set appears to have been slipping some and has some hot spots, this is believed to be due to the original application being a delivery truck, and the C3 clutches are only lubricated when engaged. I don't have the original TCM so I can't pull any old codes to see that the lifecycle in the various gear ranges were or if it was throwing any codes ahead of time. I am having new frictions and seals put in the transmission, a new converter is already in hand for it (went with a nice performance one) and this thing should be good to go for a long long time... knock on wood.

[Alxj64]

Transmission is almost done being rebuilt according to the guy doing the work. It is supposed to be run on the transmission Dyno on Saturday morning so I am told.

In the meantime I started building my other seats and such that way I can finally layout my seat keys. My rear seats aren't exact replicas but they are close. I changed the base mount and adjusted some other features but to the untrained eye, nobody will notice and if they care... its their problem. The front seat, I built to look stock but I made the seatback taller than stock just to help for comfort and support. So the passenger's seat I wanted to keep the back the same height. Well, because it is so tall, it would hit the dash and floor when going to roll and tumble forward to let people get into the back; its always some weird detail to work around. So, that means I am making the seat stand up straight instead.

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[Alxj64]

Transmission is back in. New steering box is installed. I am waiting on some hydraulic fittings for doing the sight tube for the Allison and also had to order slightly different size adapter fittings for the PS box as it was a later model unit. AGR built this one up for me with a double bearing in the output shaft, custom spool valve, secondary seal set, and full rebuild and hone.

While I am waiting on my fittings I am going to redo a little of the front floor to get things sealed up better. HOPING to have this thing on the road this weekend. They are calling for rain Friday through Sunday morning but fingers crossed for a break in it so that maybe I can get a few test runs in. The Allison computer will have to re-learn all of its shift pressures because of having a new torque converter, shift kits, valve kits, clutches, etc.

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[Alxj64]

Drove the truck today for the first time in 2 months... So upset I feel like throwing up. The terrible roaring noise, remains.. unchanged. Despite thousands of dollars, days and nights of labor... its still horrid. I was so upset today when I hit the highway after doing so break in driving that when I finally got it up to speed I was disgusted and just stayed in the throttle.. emotions and such. I let out of it at 82 mph. Truck drove stable and smooth the whole time. Nobody was around me. EGT was cranking 1200F but holding. I didn't care though... at that point it would have been a favor to just all of it let go... justify the sale and irradicate the perpetual frustration this thing has become.

Maybe its the transfer case, doubtful, as the 205 has a fresh rebuild and in 2wd is a straight through power divider. Noise is non existent under coast, but it does come back and differently audible during deceleration. I really really really don't think its the rear axle because as mentioned the sound is super audible at the bell housing. I kinda want to give up. Who wants a Carryall with a driveline noise that will make you deaf?

[W_A_Watson_II]

Oh crap man, Don't give up, I know it can be frustrating, but hang in there!

See who you can find close to you to ride shotgun with some hoses/tubes at critical locations and let them listen for the noise to help pinpoint the culprit.

Set back and relax it will be found and you will triumph!

[Desoto61]

This is why fixing cars as a hobby is a good thing for me at least. There are plenty of times I've wanted to take a sledge to the car and then light it on fire. Take a break, work on something else for a bit, and let the frustration pass. W.A's right, let the problem stew in the back of your head for a bit and ideas will come. Everything you did to the trans needed to be done anyway from the looks of the stuff you posted here and elsewhere. You've eliminated any weak links in the trans now before they surfaced while towing your camper, or on a trail, or hours from home, and all before you have a nice clean interior and shiny paint to damage.

I think we also tend to forget that we are essentially in the prototype stage perpetually, you've basically built a custom truck around an existing body. If you managed to get it all perfect the first time out you'd be the greatest engineer ever. There are reasons it takes years for a manufacturer to bring a new vehicle to market, and even they end up making changes and improvements throughout the model run, and they have billions of dollars and all the cool toys. This is HARD, and you're not taking the easy way out of anything!

Worked at a shop in college and the head mechanic used to complain that any mechanic can replace parts, few were diagnosticians. Knowing what to replace is always often the hard part. You're definitely smart enough to figure this out, just need to let the emotions pass and let that logic machine take over again before you throw more parts at it.

Access to a dyno would be ideal, you would be able "drive" it while more easily checking areas for noise since it sounds like the noise only happens with some sort of load on the drive train. Some ides that pop to mind are what about the rear gear-train? It's in the right location for the noise, and NVH on these motors was always a secondary consideration. What does one sound like under load normally? Your front axle is supposed to be disengaged, but it's also super custom, could anything up there be an issue? Those lock-outs not quite locked out?