Truck rescue dilemma

tech1234 · Mar 15, 2020

Ok guys I've got a situation that I could use some guidance on... I recently bought a 1988 International S1900 (dt466) dump to use around the farm and whatnot. Today I ran a load down the road and on my way back the truck lost power and then quit. I suspect a major engine failure. Here's my dilemma: I used all the air flat towing this thing off the main road to a pull off close to my farm. Now the brakes are locked on with no way for me to build pressure to release them. What is the usual plan when this happens? Sorry I am new to air brakes.

I would like to get enough air back into it to finish flat towing it to my shop once the sun comes back up. I was thinking either rig up something to spin the air pump or use an air compressor or portable air tank to get air into it... am I on the right track?

mitch504 · Mar 16, 2020

You put caging bolts in the parking brake chambers

RZucker · Mar 16, 2020

If you have a portable compressor, adapt to the compressor discharge line off the truck compressor. I keep the air regulated to 120PSI.

Delmer · Mar 16, 2020

yes, you can remove the line from the compressor and add a quick coupler, or schraeder valve to fill up your tanks, then you'll have brakes to stop if you're towing with a chain or strap. Don't cage the brakes unless you're using a wrecker or towbar.

why panic though, what did the engine do? any bad noises? any smoke? does it crank? does it smoke while cranking?

tech1234 · Mar 16, 2020

Thanks for the info guys. I figured there had to be a procedure. would not have guessed it was called "caging". A quick youtube search got me up to speed on caging. Thanks for teaching me that for the future. I think I'll go the adding air route though as i'd like to chain tow it and have brakes.

Delmer- the engine didn't make any crazy noises, she just lost about 50% power and went a mile like that (no where to pull over) then lost 95% power and went 1000 feet, then quit. In the worst possible place of course. (double guard rail, no shoulders along a river) the car behind me pulled over and told me I had been "shooting sparks" out my exhaust for a few miles. I suspect major failure because she has 350k and uses oil pretty good

always smoked a bit (oil) since I've had it. don't know what I did when it died as the sun had gone down. once I got it to the pull off I just closed her up to deal with it in the daylight tomorrow. I will post what she does in the morning

Delmer · Mar 16, 2020

You got nothing to lose by checking the oil level, checking the coolant level, fuel level, and then seeing if it will crank over. If it cranks over with no fuel mist out the exhaust, then I'd try to prime the fuel system and see if it will start, safer and possibly quicker than airing it up.

Misfiring could possibly cause loose carbon to break free and shoot out the exhaust, maybe? The best test would have been if had been locked up immediately after it shut off, or if the engine was loose then.

Do you have working temp and oil pressure gauges?

funwithfuel · Mar 16, 2020

It sounds as though the turbo has failed. I would guess the shaft broke. That's probably where the "sparks" were coming from.

Jonas302 · Mar 16, 2020

Gasoline powered air compressor feeding the tank first thing I do when we buy a truck is put a quick coupler on the tank so its easy to add air in a emergency or just to fill them up and backed out of the shop before its filled with smoke

tech1234 · Mar 16, 2020

thanks for the help guys. I went over this morning and checked the oil and tried to crank it. she spun over. seems like its not getting fuel (has fuel) so rather than mess around on the side of the road I fed her a can of starting fluid carefully and built 90psi. then got her the last mile home and into the shop. hopefully that wasn't overly hillbilly lol

Bls repair · Mar 16, 2020

Running on starting fluid is not a recommended procedure

DMiller · Mar 16, 2020

If it ate ether to run the turbo is not the source problem for not running.

DMiller · Mar 16, 2020

88 is in the year range where the injection pump changed from PSB to Inline. What style pump is on it, does it appear like a distributor or a inline pump?

Spud_Monkey · Mar 17, 2020

DMiller said:
88 is in the year range where the injection pump changed from PSB to Inline. What style pump is on it, does it appear like a distributor or a inline pump?

I have a 86 and it has the inline injector pump so his has to be a inline. Figure move the help process along faster

catman13 · Mar 17, 2020

how long has it been sitting,
sounds like your fuel filter is plugged with gunk .
we have a 350 cummins in hour truck and we got some dirty fuel and it the same thing, changed the filter and the way it went

Welder Dave · Mar 17, 2020

tech1234 said:
thanks for the help guys. I went over this morning and checked the oil and tried to crank it. she spun over. seems like its not getting fuel (has fuel) so rather than mess around on the side of the road I fed her a can of starting fluid carefully and built 90psi. then got her the last mile home and into the shop. hopefully that wasn't overly hillbilly lol

How do you carefully feed a CAN of starting fluid? You may have created a lot bigger problem than you started with.

56wrench · Mar 17, 2020

always check the simple easy stuff first- replace fuel filters, check for fuel line restrictions, check air filter for restrictions and holes. then if it still won't run' then dig deeper. i just mentioned holes in an air filter because they could cause an engine to be 'dusted' causing severe internal wear in the cylinders leading to low compression but if it will run on ether, that is likely not the problem

jonno634 · Mar 20, 2020

Did you figure it out? My guess is fuel also (filter, ‘lack of’ as just cause it’s in the tank doesn’t mean squat, restriction, etc)... but would be nice to know what it actually was if you got it figured out.

old-iron-habit · Mar 20, 2020

The OP has only 7 posts to his credit starting in February of this year. I bet his first three posts in February were when he bought the truck. My guess it is running or he would of been back on here. Hopefully we hear from him and find out what or if the cure was. Always good to know for future folks with similar issues.

Welder Dave · Mar 20, 2020

Or he's embarrassed he made a mistake. Would be nice to know how he made out.

Delmer · Mar 20, 2020

Here's his new thread, fuel issues, no solution found yet.

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/re-occurring-fuel-issue-need-help-please.81903/

Truck rescue dilemma

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