Purchased some REPO'S now I need some input

[Larry B]

Just purchased a couple of Repo TM and one of the vans has a Spitfire 4.0 with 600 hours on it. I have never messed with one of them so was wondering what all I should look at before letting this thing do any work? I am going to change all the oils already but I know the Spitfire is not a very good machine so what else should be done?


Thanks

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Just purchased a couple of Repo TM and one of the vans has a Spitfire 4.0 with 600 hours on it. I have never messed with one of them so was wondering what all I should look at before letting this thing do any work? I am going to change all the oils already but I know the Spitfire is not a very good machine so what else should be done?


Thanks

There are a few of those that float around here every year with similar hours. I have heard that the coupler is one of the downsides of owning that machine. but doesnt make it a fact. You really don't know until you start using it and find out all its little quirks. I own a the series of HM before that and had to get a o ring to put behind the coupler right there on the shaft to prevent it from slipping. I wouldnt expect a great deal of heat with those units either.. How much you get it for>?

 

[Larry B]

I think that one was 4k with the van. We have had it running but don't have much water pressure and shuts down from fuel loss after about 10 min


.... while eating raw fish

 

[spotman123]

"Flip it"

 

[Larry B]

Also needing to know what the "pump in" & "pump out" switches on the left side are for.


.... while eating raw fish

 

[John Olson]

I plan for putting 2-3k in every repo we buy and are pretty close to that everytime. I'm sure what you bought wont be any different. You will want to change out all the hoses as you don't know how long they sat and dry rotted. You need to descale, change oil,plugs filters etc. basically strip I down and put it back together. if the van has 150k miles or less and is at least a 2002 you did ok even after putting in the 2-3k

 

[John Olson]

Also needing to know what the "pump in" & "pump out" switches on the left side are for.


.... while eating raw fish

Transfer pump (pump in) and the pump out is well for a pump ouT

 

[Larry B]

It's in a 2000 with 89k miles

The other is a 02 that has the 4.8 direct drive with 143k miles

Total for both with shipping was $9k and they are stripped nothing but machines and tanks left.

Next step is to order all the other stuff



.... while eating raw fish

 

[John Olson]

It's in a 2000 with 89k miles

The other is a 02 that has the 4.8 direct drive with 143k miles

Total for both with shipping was $9k and they are stripped nothing but machines and tanks left.

Next step is to order all the other stuff



.... while eating raw fish

Good deal. After putting in another 6-7k you will have some real nice set ups

 

[AJR]

I had the 3.2so did Billy hicks. It’s and ok machine for short runs although I used mineupto 200'. My main prob was the high temp dump valve it is located by thepressure regulator and it is to far from the mix tank. What ends up happeningis the water runs past the 180 deg. and those pumps can’t handle higher thanthat temp the pump starts to cavitate, in other words the water starts to boilin the mix tank. What I did was install the high temp dump valve at the mixtank like most machines do when equipped with that type of system. That way thewater will get dumped at the 180 deg. and the pump won’t be sucking in waterhotter than what it can handle.


The other issue I ran into was the waste tank has a crappy relief valve. Billyhicks installed a kunckle valve that from what he said really made a diff. alsokeep some solenoid valve repair kits for the water inlet valve. also there is ay strainer on the side by the heat exchangers that took me a year to figure outit was there. It needs regular cleaning.

Good luck

ps


thanks Billy you helped quit a bit with my spitfire lol.

 

[randy]

John Olson" data-source="post: 4171341" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

I plan for putting 2-3k in every repo we buy and are pretty close to that everytime. I'm sure what you bought wont be any different. You will want to change out all the hoses as you don't know how long they sat and dry rotted. You need to descale, change oil,plugs filters etc. basically strip I down and put it back together. if the van has 150k miles or less and is at least a 2002 you did ok even after putting in the 2-3k

That figure seems exaggerated and unreasonable Untill I think about some of the equipment I see at auctions. A few bucks at the start can save you a bundle over the next few years in down time and hassle. Recently I considered buying a tractor at a farm auction. The oil was low, the gearbox/transmission was nearly empty and lots of little things had been rigged to avoid replacing parts. I'm not sure I would want to drink milk that came off that farm. You have to wonder how often they sanitize anything in that dairy.

 

[John Olson]

That figure seems exaggerated and unreasonable Untill I think about some of the equipment I see at auctions. A few bucks at the start can save you a bundle over the next few years in down time and hassle. Recently I considered buying a tractor at a farm auction. The oil was low, the gearbox/transmission was nearly empty and lots of little things had been rigged to avoid replacing parts. I'm not sure I would want to drink milk that came off that farm. You have to wonder how often they sanitize anything in that dairy.

2-3k isn't that much when you add in labor. Labor isn't free whether your the one doing it or paying someone. Time is worth more then all the gold in the world when you run out of it