Recently purchased truck had engine problems; town should get financial help from where it was purchased
In a special meeting last Friday, the Flomaton Town Council approved spending $29,000 on a new motor for a used firetruck it purchased recently when it was discovered there was a blown head gasket with a slow leak. The town currently has one firetruck in commission and this will add a second.
The Town of Flomaton purchased the 2003 fire engine with only 51,000 miles for $68,000 on April 12, 2023, from the town of Springville in north Alabama.
Flomaton Fire Chief Steve Stanton said the engine was fine, except for a small leak in a coolant line from the radiator to the transmission cooler, which was disclosed in the sale. Stanton said when they drove it the 250 miles back to Flomaton, a bad head on the engine was exposed. Stanton said he didn’t blame anyone, but it just happens.
“I don’t want to call anyone a liar, but somebody put ‘Stop Leak’ in it,” said Stanton. “Somebody had to, because it had ‘Stop Leak’ in it. The only thing we can do is go forward. If the head was not busted, we could get by cheaper. But if the motor’s head gasket is cracked, we want to get a motor. If we get a new motor, we will have a truck for a long time.”
Utilities Superintendent Shaun Moye said the motor is on back order currently and once the town puts in an order, they should get an estimated date. He estimated it may be a couple of months to get it.
Stanton said if the council opted to repair the existing motor and the repair shop can’t find the crack that when the motor is put back on the engine, there will be more problems. He said the truck is in service right now.
“But if you get a motor, with the low number of miles on that truck you’ve got a brand new truck,” said Council Member Kay Wagner.
Moye said they verified a leak on a coolant hose which they know about but the leak on the head he suspected was small because it was not recognized until pressure was put on it.
“Even now, you can see where it was parked at the firehouse, it’s leaking under the truck, but the majority of that is coming from the coolant hose,” said Stanton. “The head leak is something that will only be seen when it gets pressured up. It’s not a terrible leak, but it is something that will constantly be a problem.”
Wagner asked what Moye and Stanton advised the council to do.
Moye advised replacing the motor with the $29,000 new motor, based on the quotes and unknowns of the head gasket. Stanton agreed.
“Century rolled up on a scene to help us yesterday,” said Stanton. “They’ve got a $650,000 firetruck in Century. If we put $30,000 in this one, we are going to have a $100,000 firetruck. That’s quite a bit of difference.”
Stanton said the new motor comes with a year’s warranty on parts and labor.
Councilman Roger Adkisson made a motion to purchase a new motor for $29,000. Councilwoman Wagner seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Town Clerk Carrie Moore said when the motor arrives and the truck is taken to Empire Truck Sales in Pensacola, they will determine what is actually wrong. Empire specializes in the repair of trucks like fire engines. She said the town of Springville agreed to share some of the $29,000 for a new motor, and that amount is to be decided after the truck is repaired. That bid amount includes labor.
