Engine - Rebuild or is Their a fix in place?

[Kaiser2boy]

The oil pump is linked to the distributer via a slot at the end of the drive. It is an off set slot. It can be a pain getting it set up because as you slide it into place the drive gear is heilcal and will cause it to turn as you insert it and move your ingnition setting. You have to predetermin and allow for the turning to get it in w/o disturbing the timing. Trying to do that with the enging inplace is a total pain. It may be better to inset the pump first, then the ditributer again before the engine in back in place because the distributer is hard to get at with the engine instaled.

[DrPepper]

Hi neighbor....

It is amazing all the people with classics in the Chicago area. I belong to the Chicagoland Mopar Connection (Club) and they have several good shows each year, every year some military trucks show up, wish we had more. The "Belvidere Happening" in July has a group of old Chicago police cars every year, they meet and come in as a group and leave the same way with the lights going. Great fun...!!!

Kaizer is right about the distributor tang, since yours is a 6 look up the arrangement of the cam gear. Not all are offset but all are a PITA to get just right and its easirer on the bench than over the fender. I don't know how your set up is, some engines use a stub shaft with a cam gear and everthing runs off it. Others use the oil pump or distributor gear to drive the other one. Look at the placement of the rotor and try to get it lined up with #1 TDC according to the book diagrams, it saves sanity later but doesn't affect running. I drove a 318 for years with the distributor 180 out. Finally pulled the distribtor and got it placed where #1 was "where it was supposed to be". LOL

As to the carb, just do the best you can. Set it as close to specs as you can and open the idle screws 1.5 - 2 turns and be ready to adjust it when it starts. Just crack the idle RPM screw (throttle blade) then bring it up to where it runs. It is a PITA to have an engine keep dieing when you want it to run or worse go to 4000 RPM and not slow down.

DrPepper

[Kaiser2boy]

Just wondering , how did it run with the Ford carb? I understand your engine needs work but inspite of it how did it run?
The original carb with the governor can be dog. It takes quite a bit of tinkering to get it right and then it is still quirky at best. The accelerator pump is vacuum operated so pumping the pedal will do nothing to help start the engine. Trying to tinker out all the quirks with the governor can be a tiresome ordeal and there is no way to by-pass it.
I understand why they put a governor on it because they knew every Tom Dick and Harry would be driving it and it could get over reved and blow.
You dumping in a ton or work and money will probably not be doing that. Top speed for that engine is around 3200. At anywhere near that RPM it sounds like it is going to fly apart at any second so you probably will back off before that time anyway.
Try and find info on setting up the governor , you will see what I mean. Good luck and have fun with your son it will be good for both of you.

[DrPepper]

Good observation Kaiser....

the use of a historic vehicle is an important consideration. My Power Wagon was hacked before I got it. Going back to perfect 1957 original is out of the question both from a parts available as well as money and time standpoint. I am trying to repair the damage, make it look as original as possible at a point in it's past and be a good roadworthy vehicle today. The carburator can be a problem or a non-issue, if you keep the Ford carb and it runs good paint it so it looks like the original and enjoy it. Keep the original as a part of the collection of true original parts from the value standpoint. If someone actually asks tell them what it is and why. IMHO some vehicles should be driven and enjoyed, some should sit in a museum, only you can decide which catagory yours is in. I found out that mine never had fuses in the electrical system from the factory...LMAO, it will have fuses by next June.
DrPepper

[Jack605]

The carb seamed to work fine I am going to place it back on the truck after the engine is rebuilt I will tell you then how well it is running, the truck was always hard to start and since it was using only four cylinders well lets leave it at that. This truck is a driving truck to be enjoyed, I like the look of the truck but if I can replace a part or two and have it run better safer so be it to many parts have been replace to take it back to original.

[gusbratz]

On my projects I always have that feeling like it would be nice to paint every nut and bolt and replace every worn part with an original part but... in reality I am probably just keeping most of my stuff out of a scrap yard somewhere so that at least is an accomplishment.

[Jack605]

Ready to pull engine

The engine is ready to be pulled out, without a lifting lug on the engine what is a good way/place to attach my lifting cable.

[DrPepper]

Head bolts....

they should be long enough to add the tab for the cable and they are definitely strong enough. Don't use manifold bolts they are usualy not strong enough. Bolts for some accessories may be ok, nothing smaller than 3/8". I like to use a piece of threaded stock and a nut. It takes a bit to fab it up but you know there is plenty of thread in the block, run it in by hand and run washers and a nut down and secure the lug.
IMHO this is what I do.
DrPepper

[Matt Wilson]

When I removed my engine (with no lifting lug), I believe I used a chain with its loops under the heads of a few of the head bolts. I believe I used one head bolt at the front of the engine and one at the back, with the two being diagonally opposite each other for balancing the weight of the engine. And I'm sure I would have used some Grade 8 washers under the heads of the bolts, with the chain loops underneath the washers to prevent them from slipping off the bolt heads. Then I just hoisted the engine out by the chain. Make sure you have the bolts threaded many turns into the engine.

[Kaiser2boy]

Keep in mind that the engine all by its self is about 700 pounds. With the trans it is about 800. If you get it snagged while lifting even a tiny bit the stress on what ever lift you are using will shoot striaght up. Hanging it by the manifold just may end up a disaster and then some.. If you are lucky you may be able to pull a few head bolts with out snapping one and drop in some new bolts and lash up a lug in the area of the oil filter. Trusting any of the bolt on items is just looking for problems.
That said I found that the placement of the original lift lug wokrs well for an engine w/o trans. With the trans it wants to drop down in the rear so you will need something like a small puller to run from your lift point back down to the tail end of the trans to keep it from dropping down in the back.

[Charles Talbert]

The smart thing to do is fabricate a lifting eye that can be held solidly in place by at least 2 head bolts. This will work fine and you can adjust forward to rear somewhat to achieve the better balance point.

[Jack605]

That is what I was thinking about doing, I have a good piece of angle that I can use and a shackle.

[Charles Talbert]

That is what I was thinking about doing, I have a good piece of angle that I can use and a shackle.

That would work very well.

[Matt Wilson]

I agree that fabricating something would be the best way to go. If you were to go with lifting by the head bolts, I would not lift out the engine plus transmission. Rather I would just lift out the engine alone, after fluids have been drained. That's how I did mine, and I may have even taken off the manifolds.

I also agree that it would not be a good idea to lift using the manifold bolts or other accessory bolts. Head bolts only. And for the ones that you are using for the lifting, I would would probably go ahead and replace them with new Grade 8 bolts instead of relying on the old head bolts, even if they do appear to be in good shape.

[Charles Talbert]

Here are some facts

The M37 was one of the many military vehicles that were designed with what was known as the "power package concept." It was designed so that the engine, with transmission, and radiator with frame attached could be lifted as a single unit, and replaced with a like power unit that was sitting on the ready line. This being done using a wrecker as a hoist in open field conditions could be done in a very short time span with several people working on the change out. As most of you know, M37 engines had a lifting eye attached by 2 of the center head bolts as a standard component on every engine. This is plenty substantial to handle the load of the entire unit without issue. We have lifted many this way without even so much as a whim of doubt that it could be done successfully. I am one to lean toward the conservative side if I think there could be any possible negative side to most anything. With this system, I have no doubt at all. It has proven itself very reliable too many times right here in house. I agree it is smart to replace the eyelet bolts with known good 7/16" x 2 3/4" grade 8 fasteners as you never know what condition a head bolt that is 60 years old may be in until you have removed it. Other than that, with good bolts in place, I'd have no reservation at all.