My Willys 3A and 3B Community

3A, 3B, DJ Technical Knowledge Base => "Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations => Topic started by: PaulS on April 28, 2013, 11:08:31 PM

Title: Engine coolant drain
Post by: PaulS on April 28, 2013, 11:08:31 PM: Silly question, I'm sure. But all the manuals (I've got the Willys one, plus Chilton *and* Haynes, and a reproduction of the CJ3A owners manual found online) say there's a drain * on the lower right side of the engine block. I can't see it! I know my engine is from a 2A, but most of those manuals cover both. Clearly, if there was a drain *, someone has replaced it with a bolt, but I don't want to remove the wrong one. Anyone have a picture that shows where it is?

Thanks,

-Paul
Title: Re: Engine coolant drain
Post by: PaulS on April 28, 2013, 11:09:40 PM: Hey, I didn't write "thingy". I used the word that all the manuals use, but I can see why forum software doesn't allow it. ;)

-Paul
Title: Re: Engine coolant drain
Post by: Ryan_M on April 29, 2013, 06:07:38 AM: This thingy?
Title: Re: Engine coolant drain
Post by: garage gnome on April 29, 2013, 07:50:54 AM: They are also called petcocks. Yes, the word you were using is banned for obvious reasons. Glad you understand. ;)

It should be pipe thread (I can't remember if it is 1/8" or 1/4"), so if there is a bolt in there, chances are the threads are messed up.
Title: Re: Engine coolant drain
Post by: PaulS on April 29, 2013, 09:40:18 AM: Quote
This thingy?

That's the one. ï¿½Missing in action on my block. Thanks a lot for the photo--that really helps.

And the plot thickens--there's no bolt sticking out there, either. ï¿½I'll have to scrape the accumulation of grime off to see what really is in that spot. ï¿½But either something is really weird with this block, or it's plugged flush. ï¿½Just my luck...

-Paul
Title: Re: Engine coolant drain
Post by: garage gnome on April 29, 2013, 10:12:17 AM: It could have an allen head pipe plug and the socket is full of grime, so it looks like there is nothing there.
Title: Re: Engine coolant drain
Post by: athawk11 on April 29, 2013, 10:21:07 AM: There are engine blocks that have the drain position further toward the rear. ï¿½

Take a look at the photo in this 503 thread....

http://g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=34636

Tim
Title: Re: Engine coolant drain
Post by: garage gnome on April 29, 2013, 10:27:58 AM: Yep, what Tim said. That is where the one is on my '53. (http://www.smokstak.com/forum/images/smilies/bonk.gif)
Title: Re: Engine coolant drain
Post by: PaulS on April 29, 2013, 11:16:13 AM: Clicking on some links, I found this:

(http://ww2jeeps.com/engblk/Willys/cj2a11409bblk.jpg)

That one would be under the alternator. And if I correctly understood what I just read, the fact that the S/N is on the water pump boss means that the block may well be the same casting # as this one. I'll check when I get home tonight.

Still, there was no petcock under the alternator--I looked. But there may be a bolt there.

-Paul
Title: Re: Engine coolant drain
Post by: PaulS on April 30, 2013, 12:28:20 AM: Well, I feel dumb. I went back look again, and there was the petcock, right behind the alternator. It's block casting # 638632, same as in the picture I linked to, and the petcock is in the same place as the picture. I don't know why I didn't see it yesterday, other than it was awfully grimy, and I used a better light today...