Military humvees

93redzj

93redzj

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Location
Albemarle
So I picked up an 86 military humvee this weekend, was super fun driving back from Richmond VA doing no more than 60mph haha…..anyways, full disclosure, I know nothing about these so everything about them will be a learning experience. That being said, there’s a few things I’ve already noticed will need attention, fuel gauge doesn’t work, head lights don’t work, wiper motor, seems as if alternator isn’t charging batteries either…..but if anyone here has experience with these things and wants to offer up any tips/tricks or guidance it would be much appreciated! And here’s some pics of the tank
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6004.jpeg
    IMG_6004.jpeg
    322.4 KB · Views: 110
  • IMG_6005.jpeg
    IMG_6005.jpeg
    309.9 KB · Views: 100
  • IMG_6007.jpeg
    IMG_6007.jpeg
    308.5 KB · Views: 92
  • IMG_6008.jpeg
    IMG_6008.jpeg
    141.1 KB · Views: 99
  • IMG_6009.jpeg
    IMG_6009.jpeg
    94.3 KB · Views: 104
  • IMG_6010.jpeg
    IMG_6010.jpeg
    196.7 KB · Views: 104
  • IMG_6011.jpeg
    IMG_6011.jpeg
    183.7 KB · Views: 94
The lighting switch is known to go bad pretty often, I replaced mine spent a day tracing wiring to get the headlights to work. Never checked the actual bulbs themselves that were both bad.


How are the batteries wires?
 
braxton357 said:
The lighting switch is known to go bad pretty often, I replaced mine spent a day tracing wiring to get the headlights to work. Never checked the actual bulbs themselves that were both bad.


How are the batteries wires?
Click to expand...
One thing I have noticed is turn signals only work if lights are turned on…tail lights and brake lights work and passenger side marker lamp but not head lights.

Battery cables seemed fine although I haven’t thoroughly gone over much yet, plan to do so Wednesday on my day off work

I did see a couple of wires freely hanging from harness that looks like it went to lighting, so I’ll be checking that for sure and tracing it to see if that could be my head light issue
 
If your marker lights are on but not the headlights make sure you actually engaging both handles on the switch and fully getting the headlights turned on. The switch is made so you have to engage the lower left switch before the headlights will activate ( black out conditions kind of thing). You have a 3 spd auto. 60-61.5 is about what you can expect downhill with a breeze behind you. 6.2 NA diesel. Be in the lookout for a 6.5 turbo setup and the OD trans with it if you expect any speed or power. Wiper motors are pretty crappy. Check power supply but plan to replace the wiper motor. They aren’t great even when operational. Oh, and when it’s humid, the defrost option runs in hopes and unicorn farts to “dry” the windshield. Fuel gauge is almost alway the tank sender cause the army uses nothing but the “highest quality” fuel causing all sorts of corrosion issues. Also “military grade” is laughable at best.

On the other hand those tops are pretty sweet and probably the best option to keep it dry if the seals are good and the doors are adjusted properly. I slept on one of those for the better part of three years. For the hatch take the piano hinge off and sandwich a piece of aluminum drip edge between the hinge and the fiberglass with ample silicone. Trust me, it helps.
 
skyhighZJ said:
If your marker lights are on but not the headlights make sure you actually engaging both handles on the switch and fully getting the headlights turned on. The switch is made so you have to engage the lower left switch before the headlights will activate ( black out conditions kind of thing). You have a 3 spd auto. 60-61.5 is about what you can expect downhill with a breeze behind you. 6.2 NA diesel. Be in the lookout for a 6.5 turbo setup and the OD trans with it if you expect any speed or power. Wiper motors are pretty crappy. Check power supply but plan to replace the wiper motor. They aren’t great even when operational. Oh, and when it’s humid, the defrost option runs in hopes and unicorn farts to “dry” the windshield. Fuel gauge is almost alway the tank sender cause the army uses nothing but the “highest quality” fuel causing all sorts of corrosion issues. Also “military grade” is laughable at best.

On the other hand those tops are pretty sweet and probably the best option to keep it dry if the seals are good and the doors are adjusted properly. I slept on one of those for the better part of three years. For the hatch take the piano hinge off and sandwich a piece of aluminum drip edge between the hinge and the fiberglass with ample silicone. Trust me, it helps.
Click to expand...

That or he could even have it on blackout. Make sure the switch is all the way to the right on "ser drive"
 
skyhighZJ said:
If your marker lights are on but not the headlights make sure you actually engaging both handles on the switch and fully getting the headlights turned on. The switch is made so you have to engage the lower left switch before the headlights will activate ( black out conditions kind of thing). You have a 3 spd auto. 60-61.5 is about what you can expect downhill with a breeze behind you. 6.2 NA diesel. Be in the lookout for a 6.5 turbo setup and the OD trans with it if you expect any speed or power. Wiper motors are pretty crappy. Check power supply but plan to replace the wiper motor. They aren’t great even when operational. Oh, and when it’s humid, the defrost option runs in hopes and unicorn farts to “dry” the windshield. Fuel gauge is almost alway the tank sender cause the army uses nothing but the “highest quality” fuel causing all sorts of corrosion issues. Also “military grade” is laughable at best.

On the other hand those tops are pretty sweet and probably the best option to keep it dry if the seals are good and the doors are adjusted properly. I slept on one of those for the better part of three years. For the hatch take the piano hinge off and sandwich a piece of aluminum drip edge between the hinge and the fiberglass with ample silicone. Trust me, it helps.
Click to expand...
I figured you was gonna have some input, thanks for all the info….as for the switch, as far as I know I was having it set in correct position for lights to come on, all the way left is black out mode correct? And all the way right is “ser drive” like Braxton mentioned, and you have to “unlock” the switch in order to get it to go either way…..are you saying the lower left switch needs to be set at a certain setting as well for lights to operate?

As for the top, it doesn’t appear to leak any, I couldn’t tell it there was a small leak around passenger front door or if water dripped in as I opened the door the other day when it was raining.

I’ll probably get around to replacing sending unit so fuel gauge works, but I think in the short term I’ll just keep track of mileage and fill up every so offen
 
You can pull the instrument panel with the four little screws and test the fuel gauge ohms just like any old school fuel gauge. Those tops are pretty good against leaks like I said just as long as the doors are adjusted on the hinges which it sounds like they are. And I misspoke the lock is the lower right the lower left is your dash lights. For headlights the upper needs to go right to Service Drive.
IMG_3961.png
 
Here are the wires in question as to my thoughts on head lights not working. And I’m currently having an issue with batteries not charging, I’m gonna guess that burn on the alternator has something to do with that as well
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6019.jpeg
    IMG_6019.jpeg
    149.8 KB · Views: 80
  • IMG_6020.jpeg
    IMG_6020.jpeg
    184.9 KB · Views: 80
  • IMG_6018.jpeg
    IMG_6018.jpeg
    182.6 KB · Views: 76
That’s the bulkhead for all the lights. The big “knurled” part will unscrew to separate the bulkhead. Each of those little clamped on metal tags have a number stamped on them for wire tracing as mil vehicles use all black wires. And not to be a interweb turd but it’s actually a generator not an alternator. That’s the older style the voltage regulator is in the back of the housing. The newer version has the VR mounted to the top as a separate piece.

Newer style:
IMG_3984.png
 
skyhighZJ said:
That’s the bulkhead for all the lights. The big “knurled” part will unscrew to separate the bulkhead. Each of those little clamped on metal tags have a number stamped on them for wire tracing as mil vehicles use all black wires. And not to be a interweb turd but it’s actually a generator not an alternator. That’s the older style the voltage regulator is in the back of the housing. The newer version has the VR mounted to the top as a separate piece.

Newer style:View attachment 403917
Click to expand...
I don’t mind being corrected at all. I thought it was referred to as a generator but wasn’t sure. I’ll dig into those wires tomorrow. Was gonna take that scorched cover off the generator as well and inspect that. Maybe it can be repaired? Or is something like that gonna just need replaced?
 
Not sure on those rigs, but GM LOVED to use fusible links back in those days. I know my CUCV had several on the alternator wiring.
 
93redzj said:
I don’t mind being corrected at all. I thought it was referred to as a generator but wasn’t sure. I’ll dig into those wires tomorrow. Was gonna take that scorched cover off the generator as well and inspect that. Maybe it can be repaired? Or is something like that gonna just need replaced?
Click to expand...
It might be on the civilian side. On the army side we do the responsible thing for our tax payers and waste money on a brand new one! Then throw the old one in the trash (no rebuilds).
 
Called a guy today about rebuilding, he didn’t think he would be able to get parts for rebuild so looks like I’ll be replacing
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6023.jpeg
    IMG_6023.jpeg
    182.2 KB · Views: 77
If there is any markings left look for the NSN. Every damn thing the military has in stock has a National Stock Number down to the smallest nut, bolt, or washer fluid. Just google and don’t be afraid to eBay it. @Tacoma747 may be a good source for not interweb parts (possibly a better deal!) the newer version I took a screen shot of to post here was off eBay but it’s a used $1,200 part o_O
 
I’ve been searching around, I’ve seen one at $700 then I found this website 160 AMP 24 Volt - HMMWV - Alternator Upgrade Kit

They have the upgrade kit for a little over $500 and a direct replacement 60amp one for $528 although it’s currently out of stock. Would that NSN be on the ID plate of generator, if so, it seems to still be in place and legible it’s just on the underside and can’t be fully read until I take the generator off
 
93redzj said:
I’ve been searching around, I’ve seen one at $700 then I found this website 160 AMP 24 Volt - HMMWV - Alternator Upgrade Kit

They have the upgrade kit for a little over $500 and a direct replacement 60amp one for $528 although it’s currently out of stock. Would that NSN be on the ID plate of generator, if so, it seems to still be in place and legible it’s just on the underside and can’t be fully read until I take the generator off
Click to expand...
Major items will have the nsn on it but if it’s too small it would have come with a tag. When in doubt you should be able to google like old style HMMWV generator Voltage Regulator NSN” or something like that.
 
Contact these folks about your generator if you haven’t already. I’ve used them for lots of starter and alternator rebuilds. Very knowledgeable and very nice. And my understanding is that they’ve handled lots of military stuff.
 
I'd give a call out to Carolina Auto electric in Charlotte, he may be able to help you on that generator.

I was a 3521 in a past life, looks like between me and skyhighzj we might be able to figure things out.

I'd go ahead and download the service manuals for it, I do believe they are available on steelsoldier dot com.
 
Carolina Auto Electric has been great to me in the past.
 
78broncoboy said:
I'd give a call out to Carolina Auto electric in Charlotte, he may be able to help you on that generator.

I was a 3521 in a past life, looks like between me and skyhighzj we might be able to figure things out.

I'd go ahead and download the service manuals for it, I do believe they are available on steelsoldier dot com.
Click to expand...
I’ve got an “upgraded” replacement on the way. Should be here by end of next week. I e briefly looked over the manuals that Chris posted a few posts up….so far I’ve fixed the wires for lights, fixed plug for wiper motor and determined fuel gauge is good, just doesn’t register fuel level.

Once I get alternator in, I’ll hook everything back up and check operation of lights again and wiper motor. Just gonna leave fuel gauge alone for now and keep track of miles, I’ll address that later down road I’m just ready to get this thing back on the road
 
Back
Top