The parking brake on the old C models was a pulley looking sheave & wedge assy in the bellhousing. They didn't work to well even when brand new- stopped working altogether once worn. There is an adjustment inside the bellhousing at the wedge assy- just wouldn't count on an adjustment being the culprit.

Replacing the wedge assy is quite an undertaking- you have to work from under the truck, up through a hole in the bellhousing- doable but tricky & time consuming.

ez fix see this every time i change oil in an clark u just need to runn the truck more if u dont the inside of the engine will rust casueing valve seals to fail bruning oil run run run that truck

thibbs, all those parts on fleabay cheap. change the seal under drum as it wets the shoes and the operator over adjusts the cable tension{on the handle}. the handle eats through the rivets,the backing plate twists and the cable gets miserable. mike aloris

Thanks Edward t, appreciate the guidance and will do.

make sure you have a 180 degree thermostat. and that the motor runs at least 45 min every other month (this will steam the humidity and condensation out of the oil through the crank case vent system), also make sure the crankcase vent system works freely (some truck just had a down spout, or vent with a wire-wool mesh filter)

Back to the oil issue. When changing the oil, is there a recommended way to get out as much condensate as possible or am I just looking at running it up to temp, draining out the old and putting in the new? Thanks for all your help JustinM. Regards, Mike

i know for sure that the C500's had a trans brake for that
this may too

on the c500's its a small brake drum on the engine side of the tranny towards the bottom

look there
i would guess its shoes
idk if disks were around in any sense when this truck was made lol
its either that or an exposed drum and lining (with the shoes outside the drum)
follow the linkages you might have to get under it depending on the clearance and the size of your head you might have to jack it up lol
be careful
use jackstands or blocks
even then ill try to use a mirror and drop light as much as i can

Okay, now that is solved here is one more. Tell me about the handbrake? Foot brake works fine, Hand brake not at all, two seperate mechanisms. I see the handbrake lever is connected to another lever going to a bell housing? that part appears to be connected and operating. Is there an adjustment to it? Is this brake pads, disk or some other system. Where might I get a detailed maintenance manual? Regards, Mike

MMMMMMMMMM.......Chocloate Milk......Yummy....lol

thats a little low but that engine is probably 20 years older than me and works good

i remember the 1st time i saw this
i thought the same thing till one of the old timers told me about the condensation

now when you drop the oil in an old clark you can laugh at the milky whiteness lol

You got it. Checked compression at 96, 96, 98, 100. A little lower than you expected but plugs were dry, no smell of antifreeze, no white smoke, all looks good. I feel lucky today. Thanks much!

yeah id say its just condensation if its running real well
looks like melted ice cream huh? lol

thats an old continental engine
theyre pretty tough even for their age (old troopers)
they hold up well

parts should be available since there was a lot of these engines produced
you may have to go to an engine rebuilder to get them if the clark dealer cant help

if the head gasket was blown itd show signs of it under load most likely
is see continental compression ratings between 125 and 145 in my cheat sheets
id take compression and look for anything weird and make sure all cylinders pop off within 10% of each other

if it was burning antifreeze you would smell it when you stood behind the machine when it was running
and most likely see white smoke from the tailpipe

The model is a c40mb-193-782. It is a flathead. It is a unit that would have been started and stopped in short periods and maybe condensation is the answer, I hope. I see no white smoke, or moisture, out of exhaust. It runs very good without skipping or noticeable audible differences in firing, however, very milky look to oil and lots of moisture on oil fill cap. Last night after running for ten minutes and opening the engine compartment I could smell antifreeze, I don't know if that is a hint but that is what I noticed.Would it start to skip, or could you hear the difference in the firing if the gasket or block is cracked? Is it hurting it more to run it, if in fact, it is a head gasket? What should the plug compression be, I suppose you are looking for an unbalance from one to the other. Any other telltale signs to look for? Are parts available for old Clark forklifts and where would I start to look. Thanks a lot, I appreciate it as I am a new user of forklifts. Regards, Mike

What is the Model and Serial #. It may NOT be a head gasket.
If you start and stop the engine for short periods of time it will build up condensation, as it does not reach operating temperature. Does White smoke come out the exhaust???
If you have a pressure tester for you Radiator- Install, pump up to small pressure, start engine and see if you pressure builds........if so....... head gasket....or cracked block.

if its a flat head its really easy
but some of those old clarks get condensation and it looks like a bad gasket
if it runs good, plugs arent fouled, and passes compression tests
then you might suspect this