Iain Crosbie

The Tibesti Expedition looks like a re-run of "Ice Cold in Alex"!

Thanks Iain. Looking forward to the next set of pictures! P.S. Contacted Winchester, but it looks like you got the last one. They have plenty of other good looking units by different manufacturers so it will be interesting to see how you get on with yours. No doubt there were warehouses full of these things at one time!

Where did you find the new engine, and would you have been able to remove the old one the way you did if the heads had still been fitted? Should look really good once it's all clean and painted. Are you going to run it on the floor for a while to check for oil leaks etc? Really easy to work on while it's sitting on the floor compared to when it's back in the wagon.

Snap! Iain (UK)

Here are the two pages from the manual (I hope!). The rear 'seal' is called a wearing sleeve, and the text towards the foot of column 1 on the other page which refers to late engines describes the modification, and the reason for it. If you don't have the mod it sounds as if it would be quite easy to do.

I'll copy the page and either put it on here or e-mail it to you. I think it would be obvious with the sump removed.

Yes I may have to tackle the clutch sometime, bit it's such a mammoth task I'm putting it off for as long as I can! I don't think you will have any problem finding a clutch, but I have seen a reference in the manuals to a modification to the rear crankshaft 'seal' where a vertical small bore tube was inserted so as to better drain oil away from the scroll and keep it clear of the clutch. Might be worth checking when you have the new engine out for checking.

Iain, Were you able to locate the necessary gaskets OK? It will be interesting to see how the 'performance' differs once you are back to original spec. Do you think the liner damage was due to the turbocharging? Cheers Iain C

Better have a good look through those sheds in case you find one full of tyres or AEC spares!

Sterling work with the paintbrush there. I don't think you'll need an additional fan as mine has never shown any signs of overheating even working hard in warm weather. I have a leak at one of the slew rams, but have put off that mammoth task for some time now. Why is everything so hard to work on?

Sounds like a good deal, so fingers crossed now. Does the place you got it from have any other air system overhaul kits, particularly the clutch servo unit?

That sounds like a great contact you have made. Hope you get it sorted soon. I was able to use my own truck yesterday to move a tram bogie into the workshop at a local museum.

Have you managed to make any headway with your brake/air problem yet?

Have e-mailed info for you.

Nick, Glad to see you may be getting somewhere. I should have made it clear I was referring to your coloured diagram from the manual (you'll notice there are several mistakes in the drawing). I had a very similar problem about 2 years ago with my footbrake valve which no amount of dismantling and reassembly would fix. I eventually found someone, through a motor factor, who had a rebuilt one in stock which they sent me, with a guarantee, but it also leaked from the same place and after much head scratching I returned it. They tested it, and it worked OK until they connected one of the pipe adaptors that is fitted when it is installed, and hey presto- it failed! Needless to say they were slightly bemused and had never seen this before but they were able to replace it with yet another rebuilt unit which was fine and it has been OK since then. I can look out the name of company I got it from if you can't get yours fixed. The regulating valves are set to open at specified pressures, so yours could be air-tight but not opening at the right pressure. This might be worth looking at if the footbrake valve doesn't sort your problem. I'd have thought that sticking in gear due to lack of air can only be related to the clutch air servo (which has been disabled on my vehicle) so with no air you are presumably not able to operate the clutch, giving the impression of the gear lever being stuck. Either that or the selector mechanism needs lubricating and the air issue is just co-incidental. When I got my truck the air tank drain valves were all seized and after much difficulty I got them all off and sorted. I got a lot of water from the inner left hand tank (this is the one with the most inaccessible, remotely mounted, valve) and I assume a lot of moisture must have been working its way around the system for quite a while. I imagine you have yours sorted, but if not you should do this soon as water won't help any of the air components to work freely. Keep us posted.

I am a bit puzzled as to why a lack of air pressure will not allow the brakes to release unless the brake chambers have been changed to the spring type. Do you know that the gauge works and are you still getting a 'low air' warning on the buzzer and lamp? The 'as-built' arrangement means that with no air you have no brakes! A lack of air in tank 6 would, however prevent the handbrake from being easily released since it supplies the air assistance to the mechanism. Assuming that the tank itself is not leaking you could look at the pressure regulating valve (20) situated below and behind the tyre inflator unit, or the one near the clutch air unit behind the cab. I have just replaced this with a new unit available from EBS (http://www.europeanbrakingsystems.co.uk/) their part number S-183503/23. These are available in a range of pressure settings and you need the 75 psi one. Other than that, brush some soapy water round all the connections on the blue circuit with the engine running and see if you can find any major leaks. No valve left open on the rear palm coupling (16) or tyre inflator?

Don't know if you got anywhere with this, but you could try these people in Dumbarton: Robert Campbell Commercials, 01389 753 362 He told me that he had recently broken a Militant, although sadly he had no bits left from it (I was looking from brake drums) but it is possible he may have kept the engine, or even have one from other trucks which they break. He has a sectioned 760 which came from the Bathgate factory in his show truck.

PM sent.

Absolutely incredible detail. Top marks!

I have modified an existing puller by replacing the end cap with a thinner slotted piece to allow it to go between the drop arm and the ram without destroying the dust cover clip, although as you may see from the attached pics it has deformed it slightly however this should be easily restored once I can get the thing off. The bolt is 1 3/8" x 10tpi which seems to be an unusual thread (an Acme thread), but as you can see this is not an Acme thread form. I will persevere with more heat and an even longer bar on the spanner and hope to keep out of the way when it finally (hopefully) cracks off!

Have tried all that Simon, and have even made a special puller and then applied heat to the drop arm, but still stuck fast!

I need to remove the power steering ram from my Militant Mk3 to cure a fluid leak but cannot get the ball joint connecting the drop arm to the ram disconnected. I have tried the usual striking the end of the drop arm with a heavy hammer to no avail and cannot find any kind of puller that will fit. The drop arm almost touches the ram, and immediately behind the drop arm there is a light metal pressed dust shield/clip on the ram which would be easily damaged by using any kind of wedge arrangement. Has anyone done this, and if so how?

What did you get done to it Nick?

On one of the early runs in my Milly I had achieved the near warp speed of 35mph on a downhill when I looked in the mirror and saw a pedal cyclist pull out and overtake me. Very embarrassing, I never did catch him up!

50 in the Militant? You must have been at the brave pills again.