Jesus Freak's WMO tow truck

[Jesus Freak]

Well here it is. I'm going to discribe my fuel set up and as time and life progresses I'll share more, if y'all have any comments or questions bring em on. So back in March I got this thing, '87, 6.9, ZF5, 4:10(supposed to be, it was really cruising different than my dually on the test run) and it's got a Century 502 tow body with a wheel lift.
I've gone over the whole fueling system, except the IP. The tanks have been cleaned out, created new lines in the tank (see thread "my answer to shower heads") and I redid the lines from the tanks to the engine, which is what I am going to break down on this post.

The left tank is for "clean diesel" the right tank is plastic and for WMO. Return lines go to the WMO tank so I can have clean diesel on demand. The diesel tank is plumbed into the cab(yep, into the cab) with 5/16 line, the WMO is plumbed into the right tool box with 3/8 line to a fuel filter and then into the cab(sure nuff, the cab) the two lines meet at a manual 3way valve mounted to the front of my homemade center console from which they unite and travel in 3/8 line next to my shifter through a glass fuel filter that works as a sight glass and then on through the firewall to where the water separator used to be.

The theory is that, during the winter specifically, that before I shut it off I can switch to diesel for a moment and back to oil before I completely turn it off, so there's a little more diesel than oil in the IP and fuel filter for a easy start on less than 45F days. It probably sounds complex to the uninitiated but it really isn't.

 

[Jesus Freak]

If I'm going to complain or be nit picky about the truck itll be this: it's like a "log bed" truck. But if it wasn't for that you wouldn't have anywhere to put anything. Tow trucks look sport y when theyre short. I should FINALLY be driving it this week, there was one more insurance hitch. The only real thing left to do to it is get the pipes done underneath, the stacks are just for looks right now.

 

[Jesus Freak]

Here's a question for those who know, I got to do the exhaust soon on this thing and I want it reasonably quiet. I'm going to do 2.5in from the manifolds to the 4in stacks. I don't want fancy or expensive, so will a pair of 24in Cherry Bombs quiet it down? Or I found a 6in thick straight through thing made by "Upower" on Amazon, do y'all think that might shut it up?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Just a guess, but I think that the Cherry Bombs will stand a better chance of making it quiet.

 

[Nero]

I've driven an idi that had true dual exhaust with a cherry bomb on each side. At idle there was no difference. Under load, it is LOUD AS HELL

 

[Jesus Freak]

Just a guess, but I think that the Cherry Bombs will stand a better chance of making it quiet.

Right now, it's just some rusty mess with 4in flex pipe dangling so anything is improvement. I tried checking the threads, but I didn't see anything definitive.

 

[Jesus Freak]

I've driven an idi that had true dual exhaust with a cherry bomb on each side. At idle there was no difference. Under load, it is LOUD AS HELL

The thing weighs a bunch, so it's under load just driving. I'm shooting for reasonably quiet, not a miracle.

 

[chillman88]

I have a 2-3/4 glasspack, probably 26" long on my truck, stock exhaust, dumped under the bed (actually nothing behind the glasspack).

Idling it's really not bad, but it gets old after a while. Especially on long trips. It's not bad under like 1500-2000 rpms or so, but when you get into it it's loud.

You'll be ok with glasspacks, not being dumped under the bed might make a significant difference too, but you may tire of it eventually. Just FYI. By then it'll probably be time for a turbo lol

 

[Jesus Freak]

Just FYI. By then it'll probably be time for a turbo lol

It's already time for a turbo. My 86 dually has a 94TIDI engine, and I've been driving that engine for about 2yrs. The little bit I've moved the tow truck around the yard and the official test drive I got to do today, because it's finally insured, has left me with the "can that little turbo really make that much difference?" feeling. I got to get hay this weekend and I'm really gonna see what she's made of! Loud pipes and all!

 

[chillman88]

I've had my turbo sitting on the shelf for over a year waiting for some other pieces and parts. I'm getting impatient lol. Night and day between that and my other truck with a turbo.

 

[Jesus Freak]

I've had my turbo sitting on the shelf for over a year waiting for some other pieces and parts. I'm getting impatient lol. Night and day between that and my other truck with a turbo.

I understand that, as stoked as I am about this tow truck I'll be glad to have my dually back. I'm technically without a truck right now, and it's miserable without a truck...... especially when it ain't got a turbo and a bed.......but dual 15K winches and a wheel lift might make up for it.

 

[Jesus Freak]

Just made it home with 8rolls of hay, the wheel lift did fine. I was concerned that the hydrolics would fail. My plan if they did was to use the winches to hold it up.

It did run a little warmer, but no overheating.

I did learn that when I pull a trailer is that I need to attach the chains that are in the back corner of the bed to the wheel lift. I stopped one time and the trailer pushed my wheel lift to the side, there's a pivot joint and I didn't even think about it moving around. Now I know.

 

[Jesus Freak]

Finally tested my winches with pressure. I unrolled and rerolled them a week ago just to look at the cables and see how long they are (about 110ft). But today, in lew of a hurricane in the Gulf and I got a dead pine tree next to my power lines, I hooked them up to a the dead pine, chocked my tires, and pulled. It did really good, I didn't pull the tree down just with the winches I had to knotch and back cut it. I only cut it enough to encourage it to fall. I did a really slow kinda controlled fall with it. The tree was hanging on better than I expected and it was pulling my truck. I was happy with the performance though. Just after I got the tree knotched, the truck ran out of fuel. I haven't gotten used to a 20gal tank of oil yet( my dually has a bronco tank) but no worries. Other than that the only actual non-issue issue is the hydrolic pump leaked a bit, but not enough to get upset about.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Be sure to stay dry and out of the wind.

 

[Jesus Freak]

Be sure to stay dry and out of the wind.

It's not coming our way. We'll be fine.