Ryan_M's 1949 CJ3A

[1955CJ-5]

I don't know what you could do to make that engine sound better...

Button it up and install it in something!

[Skip]

Ryan, on your chains don't just use bungee cords get the chain tension, it is designed to self adjust as the tire rolls. Also the chains work great on the front but might be harder to steer without power steering.

Skip

[jp4ever]

Ryan M, sorry, I just put 2 and 2 together Duh, I have read most of your 3a project and didn't realize you had a plow also.

All I have currently is dads jp and an electric motor made by donell (plus the bracket installed on jeep). The plow is still at dads and I have no idea on what the controls were/are or where the reservoir is at.

I also have a Harrison heater that is round in a square frame that was mounted on the drivers side firewall, but no duckwork of any kind. He also had the 'standard' Harrison heater on the passenger side.

As I learn more I hope to share more instead of just asking for help.. Thanks to you and athawk11 an everyone else on the cj3a page

[athawk11]

Wow Ryan, I thought my pick up was full of crap.



Tim

[Ryan_M]

A gift arrived from the Wild West (THANKS OILLY!!) and was installed yesterday.  Now that I'm done and it's too late I'm thinking I probably should have inserted it lower down the tube towards the radiator. Oh well, this will barely be a footnote on my "List of Regrets". 



I awoke to 14 degree temps this morning.



I plugged 'er in for 2 hours and stomped on the starter. It fired up as if it was a summer afternoon. Sweet! I have the plug dangling out over the left fender. Much easier than sticking that magnetic firebomb heater to the bottom of the oil pan every time.

Today was also the first real test of the revived defroster fan. Not only did it waft enough Harrison heat to keep the interior fogginess in check it actually melted the ice built up on the outside of the windshield too. Bonus!

Halfway done here. A slight adjustment of the angle of the fan after this cleared the entire windshield.



8" of fresh snow plowed aside with ease again today. The wiper, however, took its final swipe. I'll probably need to do something about that...at some point...

[Jeff_M]

A coolant heater always works best IMHO.

[Oilleaker1]

I love the way you really use your Jeeps. Glad I had something to contribute to the cause. Oilly

[Ryan_M]

EDIT: Moved to gray 3A thread. Thanks Nate. Sometimes I love this site so much I have it open in multiple browser windows 

[garage gnome]

[split] [link=http://www.cj3apage.com/cgi-bin/3Ayabb26/YaBB.pl?num=1390776835/99#99][splithere][/link][splithere_end]

[Ryan_M]

I decided to conquer another new frontier today - A carburetor rebuild. Nobody is going to mistake me for Scoutpilot any time soon but I managed to start with this....


...and turn it into this




...and get it back to this


I soaked the carb body in gasoline and scrubbed throughly followed by blasts of compressed air. It's going back on the ratty red 3A so I don't want it too shiny.

The key for me was laying out each group of original pieces after disassembly and labeling them with the step number from the instruction booklet in the new kit. During reassembly, I matched up the new pieces with the old pieces to ensure I had the right parts in the right places. I also did my usual "take pictures of absolutely everything during disassembly for refernece during reassembly".
 
I only had a short while tonight to test it. I backed mixture screw out two turns, bolted it onto the Jeep, started it up, and drove away. At this point I have done absolutely no tuning of any sort. Seems to run great and no gasoline spewing out of anywhere it isn't supposed to. Hopefully tomorrow I'll dial things in a bit but judging by the way it ran around the yard tonight it won't need much. I am pleased.

I also discovered after checking a few of the usual hiding spots for original paint that the red 3A started it's life as a Potomac Gray 3A. Go figure.

[garage gnome]

Was the '51 gray originally too?

[Ryan_M]

Was the '51 gray originally too?

Yes.

[Jeff_M]

I showed this thread (along with another about cutting a pto shaft too short) to my spouse and she said, "He has patience."   

[athawk11]

Not sure what to respond to first.  Lots of fun stuff going on.

Are you going to paint this back to original?   I can hear it now.  "I think I'll take the gray one...or the gray one."   

Nice work on the Carter WO.  The first one was scary for me too.  Rebuilding these things will become easier on the next round.  I scan eBay and buy them on occasion.  Rebuilding them on cold winter days is becoming a fun pastime.  As you mentioned, I'm never going to be a ScoutPilot either, but having a few spares laying around does help when troubleshooting an engine issue.

Great work!

[Ryan_M]

Thanks Tim. I feel I addressed everything with the WO very thoroughly except for the throttle shaft. I know these can wear and result in vacuum leaks. I couldn't find much info on how to check tolerances. Mine had about as much free play as a recently and professionally rebuilt one I have handy.

How do you check yours? And what do you do if they are out of spec? Install bushings?

And Jeff_M...patience. yeah right. Now that is funny...