I bought a Fire Truck

[WM75Guy]

Nice looking engine, looks like a 1000 GPM pump from the ULC plate. You can drain most of the pump and large lines with the marked drains. It is the small lines that will not drain, such as the ones going from the discharges to the back of the gauges. I went to work for a department that left a Ward LaFrance engine outside during a hard freeze. I spent several weeks replumbing the metal lines to the gauges with 300 PSI plastic airbrake tubing after they all froze and burst. Some of the discharge valves had to be rebuilt as well. Fortunately, I had been to the American LaFrance pump mechanics school so I knew how to rebuild everything.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

You joke, but Cedar Point Yacht Club up in Norwalk CT has a drink mixer made out of an old fire pump, for the really big parties!

When I lived in CT, we would go to rentchler field for UCONN football. They had a smaller firetruck, outfitted with a large grill on the "bed" built in kegerator, complete with a 6 way funnel for chugging games. It was cool...

 

[Paystar]

Did they provide you with the annual pump test data? Like RjCorazza says, do not run it dry and if you do run the pump, crack open the "Tank Fill" or "Recirculate" or "Pump Cooler". They may labeled in multiple ways but they all run water from the pump back into the tank to keep the pump cool.
56 years and counting running fire pumps here. Done hundreds of annual pump tests and a lot of acceptance tests.
Feel free to throw questions my way as well as RJ's.

Would the annual pump test data be this, or paperwork?

 

[Paystar]

You do know if you overheat the pump severely you can make her a latte right?

No but I was told to not dead head it and to open the two valves in the pic I posted before I ever engage the PTO.

Thanks to all the replies here I'm starting to learn a little more!

 

[Paystar]

You had me at Detroit Diesel

Me too. Wish I could post the video driving it home, but I only know how to post videos on facebook. What a sound! Really brought back memories.

Top speed is 55/60 MPH depending on if you want to run at 2000 or higher RPM, so it was at full song on the highway, LOL

 

[WM75Guy]

Would the annual pump test data be this, or paperwork?

That plate was from the certification from the factory. When an annual
UL pump test is done the pump has to perform at the same pressures and RPMs. That test would be on paper.

 

[CalG]

This thread is making me want to pull the copper "Siren-lite" off the shop shelf, grab a battery and some jumper wires, and let it sound off and get all the neighbors upset! (With me grinning ear to ear!)

 

[WM75Guy]

I bet if you went to your local FD someone there could show you how to pump the truck. It is usually a fairly easy process, just have to follow the steps in the right order to avoid burning up the pump or screwing up the transmission. We would test our pumps at the beginning of our shift by circulating tank water into the pump and back into the tank. You cannot do that for too long as the pump heats up the water and eventually it will cavitate the pump causing pitting of the impellers.

 

[mark in portugal]

Our local fire station has a 1965 12 ton 4wd Mercedes fire truck in the shed; I asked if it works, and they told me it's still (theoretically) in service!

They have a few (newer) big wheel trucks for bush fires.

 

[Spanner]

Great toy !