Will It Run?! Clark C500 Forklift Rescue

Clark C500Y45 Forklift, 4500lb Capacity Machine with a Waukesha D176G engine saved from the scrap yard

[@merlepatterson]

For how it seems to work and what it sounds like, $500 bucks is a steal I'd say.

[@davidhamm5626]

Flat out stole it!

[@patreilly2445]

Man why can I never find something like this.Great find Kyle. good video.

[@kylechrist]

I've wanted one for years, just finally worked out, should be a great addition 👍

[@mikemorse8592]

Man you stole that thing. Rebuilding the same machine as we speak. Ours needed a new engine she spun a main bearing. Finding stuff for that d155 Waukesha has been tough!! Our fork truck guy told us to keep the oil fresh in the Waukeshas they don’t ever get ran hot enough to get the sludge out of the oil, and after I seen ours with the pan off he was spot on

[@EdStrong929]

Nice score. Great save from the scrap. Easy fix. I guess we won't see a "99+ episode rebuild" on this one 😀 LOL

[@davidjones8680]

A brand new subscriber here from Wales in the United Kingdom. I really like your forklift, it sounds like you have had a great purchase there. All it looks to need is a bit of TLC and it will become a very useful and handy bit of kit.

[@kimber1958]

I DROVE A PROPAIN LIFT ON A OPEN DOCK,(NO WALLS,DOORS ,HEAT. NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS. THANKS FOR SHARING

[@charleslund453]

How appropriate. Halloween orange color. "Frankenclark" It's alive. Good example of how the wrong person was allowed to work on wiring. Fuel, Fire or Air to make an engine run. If one or more is missing the motor is dead. I enjoy watching the methodical way you find solutions to problems. I am sure we will see this lift in action.

[@larrywalker7759]

When it gets near 0 F propane does not have enough head pressure to move a good volume of fuel and of course it also doesn't vaporize as readily. But usually if you can warm the vaporizer/regulator with a heat gun or pour very warm water on it you can get it to start. A lot of people will install a block heater to assure the vaporizer has enough heat to get the engine going. If you wanted to convert to gasoline you should be able to use the OEM tank but you will probably need to expect a short fuel filter life considering the tank has been out of use a long time. Might be interesting finding gasoline components to go with that vintage Waukesha. Impco LP components on the other hand are easy to find.

[@kylechrist]

I will probably stick with the propane, honestly I thought I would have more issues getting it running and find more problems with the propane system but it functions well

[@larrywalker7759]

@@kylechrist Kyle, I know you guys get "real" winter conditions regularly in your locale so of course you would have many more days where low temp performance of LP might affect your plans for the moment. I am based in TN and maintained a private fleet of LP fueled forklifts for more than 30 years. In rare times when the temperature would dip to near 0F we would have to modify our operations slightly to get us past the short "cool snap". Typically we (shop) would be called to go to the freight dock to get "dead" forklifts started and we would carry a battery charger (or later on, a boost pack) and a heat gun with us. If a forklift operator had not already run the battery down from continued cranking we would begin by applying heat to the LP vaporizer/regulator with the heat gun and just before cranking we would apply heat to the LP tank. If the battery had been depleted from cranking we would connect the battery charger or boost pack before applying heat. Once we had a forklift running we would move that forklift over to another forklift that needed help and park it back to back so that the radiator draft air from the running forklift would blow backward through the dead unit's counterweight and begin warming things while we concentrated on getting another forklift going. We would repeat this procedure until we got several units running and then go back to the ones we left paired up and see if any of those would start. Of course all the while this is going on dock supervisors and forklift operators would be coming up to us wanting to know which forklifts they could have so they could get on with the real job. We would turn the running forklifts to service as quickly as possible and we would try to tell the operators and supervisors to make sure to park them back to back and leave 1 running in between shifts ("between shifts" could mean mere minutes or as long as 2 hours because they had about a dozen overlapping shifts every day). After a forklift has been in use long enough to raise the temperature of the counterweight there usually will not be any cold fuel problems for a few hours. Some of the dock supervisors and forklift operators learned their lessons over the years and would automatically put the "parking buddy system" in effect when we had these cold snaps, but inevitably there are always a few forklifts to resurrect. Our total number of forklifts in the fleet varied between about 50 up to about 70 depending on several factors, but you can always count on some dead ones in cold weather.

[@dougkubash8673]

I think you found a decent lift truck, with some work! They sure are a handy thing to have around. Good luck with it Kyle

[@michaelspinello3607]

Hi Chris that is the wrong seat for thar machine. The correct seat the back folds down. I would check the fan clutch out it looks like it spins to free .

[@lukestrasser]

Runs great! I’d keep it propane if it was mine. If nothing else, upgrade to a vaporizer/regulator with a “prime” button if it doesn’t have one. I like that propane never goes bad and doesn’t gum up the carb.

[@seniorelectrician6831]

Happy Thanksgiving to You and your Family!

[@waynesworldofsci-tech]

The C500 will last forever. Great, solid machines. Looks like a C500-40 so it will have a Waukesha sleeved engine. If you have issues with the inching valve, and find yours has a spring, buy a Clark OEM unit, they updated them quite a bit back.

[@mitchs323]

Looks like a wiring diagram is in order!

[@richardw.foxhall3392]

A $500.00 anything like this provided it will drive and back up is worth the tune up and fresh oil. One advantage of propane is that if left running inside a moderately tight shop won't kill you right away like gasoline would. Local welding supplies usually have a towmotor sized tank available for trade[ allows you the non business owner to have a full safety checked and upgraded tank for the price of a refill] grill tanks were "exchanged out" that way recently in my state. It got the old tanks with no safety relief valves out of general circulation, to everyones bennifit. Allong with the carb kit, get a rebuilt gas pressure regulator new o rings for the tank connector and the male thread on. Tanks when welding or long preiods of non use store em OUTSIDE, keep the forklift inside for ease of starting. Propane stinks so you can know it is leaking Before you start it.... be safe and use it well.

[@kylechrist]

Thanks for the info! It does drive as well 👍

[@davidkerfoot8129]

Nice find!

[@kylechrist]

Thanks

[@seniorelectrician6831]

Yup it sure needs some electrical work. good find and deal! what $25 dollars to get it running(new Hose). 👍

[@scrotiemcboogerballs1981]

Looks like it needs a little rewire and change fluids and tune up might check valve adjustment but it should work for ya unless it doesn’t move you didn’t show us if the transmission works lol thanks for sharing

[@kylechrist]

I did drive it but only made it a couple feet before finding a hydraulic leak, I shut it off, got a new hose and fixed it so now it's good to go, more to come

[@scrotiemcboogerballs1981]

@@kylechrist can’t wait to see you using it thanks for sharing I must have missed the part where you drove it hard to sit down and watch anything without someone disturbing me 😂you probably understand

[@SuperMAZ007]

That is a nice forklift. Dose not look that abused from the video. The only swanky thing there is the wire harness specially with all the scotch clips in it. I would also bypass all the propane cause you would not run it 24/7 anyway. Well now you have a machine to move and lift heavy things around. So I would say score on this one.

[@thinman8621]

Old school ignition system is not too costly to repair -- no electronic brain box needed.

[@multyryex1761]

500? i think even the scrap price is WAY more at least where i live here

[@ShainAndrews]

Wiring issue? Just swap an 8.3 Cummins in and be done.

[@bcbloc02]

That is what I did. 😂 would be a tough fit on that rig though.

[@erik_dk842]

A 3-cylinder 1000CC Kubota is probably more in the ballpark

[@colin8532]

What a score!

[@kylechrist]

Thanks Colin!

[@dans_Learning_Curve]

Sounds like a solid unit!

[@kylechrist]

I think so too Dan

[@dans_Learning_Curve]

@@kylechrist it would have be scrap!

[@brycewiborg8095]

Oil should be clean with LP. $500 should be cheap enough. Thanks Kyle.

[@brycewiborg8095]

Sounds like good compression. Clark was always good. The weight rating was just a suggestion.

[@kylechrist]

I'm happy with it, I was really expecting to have to do more to it to get it going so all in all I can't complain. Thanks Bryce

[@ClintsHobbiesDIY]

The engine sounds good. With a little TLC it should do you a good job. I'd have to leave it LP if it will be used indoors. I drove a forklift from 1975 until 1981, but it had hard tires. On rough concrete they will beat you up badly. Plus get stuck a lot on uneven ground. Yours should be fine with the air inflated pulling tires.

[@paulpowell9579]

Engine sounds great.

[@sewage111]

Wow !! Good deal, Kyle.

[@glennstasse5698]

Why would the previous owners butcher the wiring so badly? What a mess that made!

[@joeromanak8797]

I’d say you did well for $500. Find or draw up a simple wiring diagram that enables the basic functions you will use and deletes the ones you wont. Then replace the crippled harness with some basic point to point wiring per your diagram and you’ll be a happy camper as you are moving those heavy Cat parts around you place. Best wishes! 🥸👍✅

[@robertkidder174]

$500.00 now you are in Rick Borks category. 😀😀😀😀

[@ericcorse]

That will be a great tool with a little TLC.

[@kylechrist]

Yes it will, very handy!

[@rexkramer4938]

I’m waiting to see Luke’s MD running

[@chuckhaynes6458]

Best $500 ever.

[@rayrooney1]

Nice one lad

[@shaneharrison4775]

Those Clark's are generally good lifts and their longevity is often good when their well maintained not worked on by a trained rat with a pocket knife and a roll of tape. But that little gem sounds fine a few tweaks and I'm thinking she will be awesome in no time flat. And 500 bucks not a bad deal.

[@michaelbaumgardner2530]

From the looks of it a little work and TCL.

[@jasonfletcher8444]

Get a block heater. It will be fine in the cold.

[@dustyfarmer]

That carbon brush needs to be spring loaded & moving freely in the cap. The rotor button could be wrong & sitting high as it shouldn't be rubbing on the brass housing in the cap. I busted one of the carbon brushes years ago putting on a cap & have collected every one I've seen since. It runs alright though, good score.

[@dennishutchinson]

Looks like a keeper. 👍

[@LoggerLloyd]

Nice deal

[@scrotiemcboogerballs1981]

Thanks for sharing

[@evankibbe590]

Runs pretty good 👍 👌 😏

[@haydnstevens3108]

Great buy looks like it’s going to be an easy fix for you

[@kylechrist]

Thanks Haydn!

[@haydnstevens3108]

Is everything ok mate

[@ronniewalker2881]

Good 👍 job man

[@paulhammond7489]

Looks like a bargain

[@martinu2725]

Interested to see more of you bringing this back to life. Would it be as simple as a carb swap it you want to change this to gas?

[@kylechrist]

As far as I know, find a carb with the same mounting dimensions and bolt it up. Delete the propane aspect and add a gasoline tank. For now I'm going to keep it propane but it may get changed in the future

[@TheTnwildman12003]

on that smoke just replace the valve seals and you will be good to go

[@troykitchens9924]

It looked as if the ballasts resistor had been bypassed. If that is the case you should consider a resistor wire, new ballast resistor or a resistor coil. If you send straight 12 volts to the points they will not last long.

[@kylechrist]

More than likely in the long term it will get a pertronix style setup to delete the points, but yes, points don't like 12 volts for long 👍

[@larrywalker7759]

@@kylechrist Even with a Pertronix "points delete" kit you can still benefit from a properly operating ballast resistor configuration. Ballast resistors seem to be poorly understood and if you do not understand why they are there, and how to logically test them.................they might be a headache. The entire purpose of a ballast resistor ignition coil feed configuration is to ensure that the ignition coil ALWAYS has sufficient voltage to make a spark when the battery voltage drops during cranking. A properly operating ballast resistor coil feed set up uses an ignition coil that is rated at LESS than the machine electrical system. Coils for ballast resistor configuration are usually rated at 8 or 9 volts instead of 12. A properly configured and maintained ballast resistor set up always has a ballast bypass circuit that is energized when the cranking motor is engaged. Most of the time the ballast bypass circuit is a function of the ignition key switch with a separate isolated post dedicated to the bypass circuit. The bypass circuit can also be accomplished with a relay if you can't find an ignition switch that has a dedicated ballast bypass post. More than one way to skin a cat. The ballast bypass works like this. During normal operation the ignition coil is powered THROUGH the ballast resistor to reduce the 12 volt battery supply down to the rating of the coil. During cranking the coil is fed full available battery voltage from the ballast bypass circuit so that voltage drop due to starter draw does not cause a weak or no spark condition. As soon as the engine begins running and the starter is not needed the bypass circuit is deactivated and the coil is fed once again through the ballast resistor. I know these to be true facts because I had to correct an entire fleet of Komatsu forklifts that my employer inadvertently ordered with a "cheap" ignition switch option because the "cheap switch" was what they wanted to keep in stock for a universal replacement switch. The "cheap switch" DID NOT have the ballast bypass provision which meant that the coil was fed through the ballast resistor during cranking which always led to starting problems after the forklifts accumulated some hours of use. It was going to cost around $80 per switch to get a switch that featured ballast bypass. The company cringed at that, so I developed a ballast bypass circuit using a ubiquitous Bosch 5 pin relay (about $5 back then) and some common wiring and connectors and we added it to all the affected Komatsu forklifts and eliminated the cranking problems. All this was on Komatsu FG20-11 with the Nissan H20 Stage I engine and the Pertronix Ignitor. Later Komatsu FG20-12 came with the Nissan H20 Stage II engine which had the Nissan electronic distributor with integral ignition coil. The advent of the unitized distributor took care of all voltage drop while cranking problems.

[@kylechrist]

@@larrywalker7759 that's good info, I typically deal with either magnetos or diesel engines so I won't claim that I'm an expert on points. I know how they work and how to diagnose them but I always assumed the resistor was strictly there for cutting voltage while running. I know GM cars (I'm sure other manufacturers did as well) sent 12 volts while cranking to the coil but when the key went back to the run position the power was sent to the resistor to knock the power down

[@larrywalker7759]

@@kylechrist You are correct it cuts voltage while running, but the sole purpose for it to even exist is to overcome the hard start/no start loss of spark due to voltage drop from starter current draw while cranking. I have the schematic for my ballast bypass relay if you ever should need it when you get into your wiring issues. You might find that the correct ignition switch is still in it and hopefully working. But if someone has "swapped it out" for a switch lacking the bypass provision, I can offer you my schematic.

[@kylechrist]

@@larrywalker7759 I ordered a book for the forklift that will be here today, hopefully that has schematics in it as well, thanks Larry

[@pawelkasprzyk3679]

Hello Kyle & everyone who could let me know how much does fill with oil this engine? A measure got rotten and get broken , so have no idea how should I filled. Will really appreciate any help with the answer for above question ! 🤔 Best regards from Poland 😎😍 Thank you very much Kyle to share your experience etc. and I hope that I can menage to sort my old beauty to run as it should , as well ☺

[@kylechrist]

My engine holds 4 quarts or 1 US gallon, I'm not sure of the conversion off hand but hopefully that helps

[@pawelkasprzyk3679]

@@kylechrist Thanks a lot Kyle! Could I ask for your email address? Please

[@pawelkasprzyk3679]

@@kylechrist1 gallon is 3.78 litres ☺

[@pawelkasprzyk3679]

@@kylechrist Can I ask you Kyle for email address? Please Woluld like to send you some pictures and ask what is it ? I am a carpenter by the trade and have very little knowledge ( bought it in UK and really like to fixed it ) Thanks a lot Kyle 🙂

[@oldamericaniron5767]

That battery sounded like I felt at the end of plow day, about out of energy.

[@kylechrist]

Looks like you had a good time though!.

[@sierraspecialtyauto7049]

Kyle, I recently resurrected a C500-45 from a scrap yard. I have service information I'd be happy to share. If you're interested, you can get my address from the About tab on my channel.