Anyone with a 359 pete

[MedicineMan]

If anyone here ha a 359 pete I'd liek to ask you some questions. I'm trying to reassemble some things the previouse owner messed up.

[special k]

Post away and see what happens. If you can't get any info here try www.largecarmag.com there's al ot of guys there with older trucks that do their own work and will share info.

[MedicineMan]

well this truck was an electrical nightmare. I pulled about a mile of bs wiring out of it. It looks like someone disconnected everythin ing the dash and forgot where to hook it back up so they started hotwiring everything. I have it all hooked back up and working other than a few things.

On my bunk heater I have everything straightened out but I'm missing something. I have three wires coming from the controll unit. one wire for each fan speed. that plug is laying on the floor nt hooked up and then I have a single wire coming out of the fan motor so I have to be missing a relay or something. I need to know if on the 359 petes if it is the old style wire coil type of resistors that have to mount in the air stream to cool them or if it would be sme sort of electronic relay.

Also I want to know where the tach sensor mounts in the bellhousing. I thought it went in through the side lined up with the ring gear but I can't seem to find a hole for it. There is a big hole directly in the bottom of the bellhousing that lines up with the ring gear but wouldn't that just be a drain hole?

the previous owner told me the truck had a new speedo sensor in it. I got in the truck to drive it home and the spedo started going up and ept going up. By the time I was doing 40 it was pegged. At highway speeds the odometer was clicking off a mile every second or two. My 900 mile trip home loged something like 7000 miles. I found the sensor wires laying on the driveshaft and one wire riped loose. I recrimped the wires and tied it up thinking it would be okay but the speedo still does the same thing. now in my experience when a sender goes bad it just stops working. Does anyone know if the sender would do that if the wires were hooked up backwards??? everything else on the truck was backwards. or does this sound like the speedo is bad

[Chiefwhatdahey]

The old Petes used the old style resistor.

In regard to the speedo it sounds like the previous owner put a different size tire, trans or rear on the truck. There is a formula which I can't remember and there are micro switches on the back of the speedo, the formula involves trans?, tire size and rear gear ratio.

Good luck

[MedicineMan]

I guess it will be going to the shop for the speedo then, I don't know anything about setting it. The truck has a 13 speed but I have a sneaky suspicion it is not original to the truck.

[special k]

A good Pete dealer will be able to answer all these questions. On a truck that old you're going to be buying a lot of small parts so you might as well cultivate a good relationship with them. I find if you buy some parts from them or send your truck in occasionally most places are pretty free with info.

[MedicineMan]

do the newer trucks run a solinoid of some sort? I've already rewired the rest of the truck and upgraded allot of it. I wired the light switches to relays instead of running full power through the switch. I may as well upgrade this as well. If I have to redo something I always try to do it better than original.
I've already hit up the local dealer for allot of information. I am headed up there to buy a tractor protection valve and some air bags so I will talk to them then instead of just keep calling. they probably hate me already

[Fredog]

do the newer trucks run a solinoid of some sort? I've already rewired the rest of the truck and upgraded allot of it. I wired the light switches to relays instead of running full power through the switch. I may as well upgrade this as well. If I have to redo something I always try to do it better than original.
I've already hit up the local dealer for allot of information. I am headed up there to buy a tractor protection valve and some air bags so I will talk to them then instead of just keep calling. they probably hate me already

I cant help you ,I just wanted to ask a question, did you get good deal on this truck? I sure hope so, a REALLY good deal

[MedicineMan]

It's not that bad. electrical was a mess from too many drivers wiring in chicken lights and radios etc. Electrical is one of the things I'm good at though. The motor runs good, tranny and rears are fairly new, new windshields, new injectors and pump interior is nice. just needs some tlc. it is 22 years old ya know. I love 359 petes, I don't think a better truck has ever been built.
Oh, and yes I got a good deal. I could take it to the scrap yard and sell it for scrap metal value and make a profit if I wanted to.

[Fredog]

It's not that bad. electrical was a mess from too many drivers wiring in chicken lights and radios etc. Electrical is one of the things I'm good at though. The motor runs good, tranny and rears are fairly new, new windshields, new injectors and pump interior is nice. just needs some tlc. it is 22 years old ya know. I love 359 petes, I don't think a better truck has ever been built.
Oh, and yes I got a good deal. I could take it to the scrap yard and sell it for scrap metal value and make a profit if I wanted to.

if you like it, that's all that matters, I hope you do well with it.

[Chiefwhatdahey]

You can buy a service manual from Peterbilt that should have info on wire numbering. Which solenoid are you talking about?

[Kranky]

It's not that bad. electrical was a mess from too many drivers wiring in chicken lights and radios etc. Electrical is one of the things I'm good at though. The motor runs good, tranny and rears are fairly new, new windshields, new injectors and pump interior is nice. just needs some tlc. it is 22 years old ya know. I love 359 petes, I don't think a better truck has ever been built.
Oh, and yes I got a good deal. I could take it to the scrap yard and sell it for scrap metal value and make a profit if I wanted to.

Regarding that speedometer issue: you say the truck is 22 years old, so chances are it may have originally had a mechanical speedometer.

Maybe someone put in a newer transmission with an electronic speedo sensor and then installed an electronic speedometer, but they got the wiring AFU, leading to your problem.

Just a thought.

Also, regarding the location of the tach sensor, a truck of that vintage would likely have a mechanical cable driven tach.

Ok, I can't hold it any longer. Chiefwhatdahey and MedicineMan?

What's the story behind those names, anything?

[Chiefwhatdahey]

They were using electronic speedos back then. Most likely would be a wheel size change

[RostyC]

What year is your 359? Mines an 84 and it has a mechanical tach.
When I have time to look I'm trying to find a electric tach. It's turning out to be harder than I thought :?

[MedicineMan]

What year is your 359? Mines an 84 and it has a mechanical tach.
When I have time to look I'm trying to find a electric tach. It's turning out to be harder than I thought :?

Well the truck was built with electric tach and speedo. I have the manual for the truck which is the only way I was able to rewire it. Mine is an 86. tachs are an option you could order a mechanical for extra money or an electronic one for even more money.
Ill trade you my elctronic tach for you mechanical with the cable.. sound good?
I have the wiring for the tach hanging down alongside the bellhouseing but there is just no hole I can find for the sensor so I think it's been changed out. Trying to get ahold of the previous owner. The injection pump on it is new and it has a mechanical tach drive on it so I figure it's probably cheaper to put a mechanical tach in so I can get this truck running and earning before messing with the rest.
There is two areas on the belhousing that are built up and flat like it is where the sensor would mount but it's not drilled. They are right in line with the fywheel and the are about 15% off to each side of the dead bottom of the bellhousing. I'm wndering if I can drill and tap it for the sensor.

[MedicineMan]

Ok, I can't hold it any longer. Chiefwhatdahey and MedicineMan?

What's the story behind those names, anything?

I don't remember who first coined the handle but it's because I spent the last 7 years pulling medical scanners in and out of hospitals

It's not that bad. electrical was a mess from too many drivers wiring in chicken lights and radios etc. Electrical is one of the things I'm good at though. The motor runs good, tranny and rears are fairly new, new windshields, new injectors and pump interior is nice. just needs some tlc. it is 22 years old ya know. I love 359 petes, I don't think a better truck has ever been built.
Oh, and yes I got a good deal. I could take it to the scrap yard and sell it for scrap metal value and make a profit if I wanted to.

Regarding that speedometer issue: you say the truck is 22 years old, so chances are it may have originally had a mechanical speedometer.

Maybe someone put in a newer transmission with an electronic speedo sensor and then installed an electronic speedometer, but they got the wiring AFU, leading to your problem.

Just a thought.

Also, regarding the location of the tach sensor, a truck of that vintage would likely have a mechanical cable driven tach.

I have a 86 model 359 with a 3406B model CAT and it has a electronic speedo in it and came with a 12513 trans !!! Now it has a 14613 trans (should'a kept the 12513 !!!) But I would'nt give it up for anything !!! I've had it since 1989 !!! Also you said you got a manual ??? My Pete place in Effingham ILL got me a manual that showed everything that was put on my Pete when it was made and how it all goes together. Not just a manual in general about a 359 but 1 made for my truck and how it was assembled and with what componets and how it all works !!!

[MedicineMan]

Mine isn't for my exact truck but it is the peterbilt manual.

I ran my engine serial number through cummins and have found out the motor has been replaced which is what is causing me my problems It's an 81 big cam II