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Offline BillT

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A couple of nit-picking questions
« on: March 21, 2020, 09:48:35 AM »
A couple of things bugging me -

1- on rebuilding an Auto-lite distributor IAD-4008 - what works to reinstall the spring that locks the cam to the shaft?

2 - torqueing the head for a L-134 engine - when to do, engine warm or cold, or does it even matter?

Thanks - Bill
'52 CJ3A, early M38A1, '70 Commando
25' travel trailer, Lance 855S truck camper
Love to camp

Offline Rus Curtis

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2020, 11:30:11 AM »
Bill,
Do you have a Service Manual?
'54 CJ-3B "Green Gruntt"
Bantam T3-C

Offline BillT

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2020, 01:02:48 PM »
Yes I do.
'52 CJ3A, early M38A1, '70 Commando
25' travel trailer, Lance 855S truck camper
Love to camp

Offline BillT

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2020, 01:55:21 PM »
Sorry, I had to change computers. My Ipad  and the 3A page don't get along very well when posting.

I was just checking to see if someone may have found a trick to getting the lock spring reinstalled. Not having a pair of pliers to get the spring out I used a dental pick to get it out. Not looking forward to reinstalling it.

All the manual mentioned about installing the head was to follow sequence, did not mention warm or cold. So it probably doesn't matter. Ill go with cold.





'52 CJ3A, early M38A1, '70 Commando
25' travel trailer, Lance 855S truck camper
Love to camp

Offline Rus Curtis

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2020, 02:55:48 PM »
Bill,
I haven't had an opportunity to fiddle with the guts of a distributor so I'll leave that for others that have some experience there.

On the head bolts, in my SM - section D for the L-head it starts in

D-90.  Install Cylinder Head, as you mentioned, with initial installation and torque. 

In D-96. Final Operations, it discusses adjusting valves and then starting and letting it warm up. 

"Then retorque all head bolts in the proper sequence.  See Fig. 65.
Note:  It is advisable to check the tightness of the head bolts again after 500 to 600 miles... of normal operation."


HTH
'54 CJ-3B "Green Gruntt"
Bantam T3-C

Offline Oilleaker1

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2020, 03:59:38 PM »
Bill, just re-built 3 distributors and yes that little spring is a royal pain. I pinched mine to tighten it up before starting. I dropped it down the hole and then used two very small flat bladed screwdrivers. You get it up on top, and then push the ring of the clip down both sides of the post with the two screwdrivers on each side with the blades  toward the two upright ends. It seemed to not jump off the post as much by positioning them there. It will take a few tries. If you get it to go down the post and it doesn't snap in, I had success by just finishing it with one of the two screwdrivers. A good light over you helps huge. John

Offline BillT

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #6 on: March 21, 2020, 06:26:24 PM »
hi John.... you thawed out yet? Why don't you come on down to SC and get that slush out of your veins? lol

That sounds like a doable plan. I will try that. While waiting on my parts to get here I was tinkering around with the idea of taking a piece of tubing and work it to fit the od of the shaft and use it to push the spring in place. I figured it would be a pia.
'52 CJ3A, early M38A1, '70 Commando
25' travel trailer, Lance 855S truck camper
Love to camp

Offline stony

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2020, 01:03:28 PM »
What I did:  torque it cold, then run it up to operating temperature, then retoqued warm.  Then after driving a couple of times, checked the torque.  It is my feeling that with a relatively low torque, it couldn’t hurt.  BTW on the first retotque I gained a little tiny bit of a turn on most of the studs, nothing on the later check.  Not saying it was the right thing to do, just what I did.🤔
Terry
1949 CJ3A 11159 body 11225 engine 11140
On preservation vs. restoration:Roscoe Lee Brown "the Cowboys" when he met the whores on the trail:"Well, I have the inclination, but not the time”.

Offline BillT

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2020, 07:49:27 AM »
Stony I think what you did pretty much follows what the SM recommends, good for you. I've got just over a 100 mi.'s on my rebuilt engine and if no concerns pop up I am going to check the torque around 200 mi.'s. Thanks for the post.
Bill
'52 CJ3A, early M38A1, '70 Commando
25' travel trailer, Lance 855S truck camper
Love to camp

Offline Mark W.

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2020, 04:21:03 PM »
Retorque the head after a couple 3 hours of operation but make sure you do it after the engine returns to room temp. If you do it hot the studs will be elongated and when they cool will contract increasing the torque possibly well past recommended.
Chug A Lug

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Offline BillT

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2020, 09:10:54 AM »
That makes sense Mark. Thanks for the tip.
'52 CJ3A, early M38A1, '70 Commando
25' travel trailer, Lance 855S truck camper
Love to camp

Offline stony

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2020, 01:53:41 PM »
Yeah, I have never gotten a definitive answer on warm (not hot) or cold for the retorque.  The studs do expand when warm, but so does the block.  After the first run up to temperature and cool down all of the stress should have been relieved and the the head gasket should have sealed.  I like to do it warm because I think it seals everything better.  Warm or cold it probably does not make much difference, but I do think it is wise to do the retorque.
Terry
1949 CJ3A 11159 body 11225 engine 11140
On preservation vs. restoration:Roscoe Lee Brown "the Cowboys" when he met the whores on the trail:"Well, I have the inclination, but not the time”.

Offline TX

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #12 on: April 09, 2020, 11:46:46 AM »
I recently had this same decision on head gaskets. So, I researched the manufacturer website, https://www.felpro.com/technical/tecblogs/clean-dry.html  for their opinion.  They said ,"Fel-Pro gaskets are designed not to need sealers or adhesives.  Also;  " Use no sealers, adhesives, or other additives to these  gaskets." At  this site, they also said their head gaskets are designed not to require re-torquing.

 I find this hard to believe. I think this technique assumes that both surfaces are in perfectly flat, and clean condition. I also assume that sealant is designed to fill any gap and imperfections. Therefore, I decided to spay the metal side of the gasket with  sealer, and not spray the blue side.  After giving the engine a good run, I  re-torqued the head bolts, where I did notice some bolts did make up more then others.

One thing about the flat-head, the head gaskets are easy to replace, unlike most engines.

Good luck.
Projects are like life itself, its the journey that makes the trip not the arriving.

Offline BillT

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Re: A couple of nit-picking questions
« Reply #13 on: April 09, 2020, 08:24:53 PM »
I agree with you Tx. I know my block and head are not perfect, wish they were, but it is what it is. I went ahead and retorqued at about 150 miles, engine at slightly above room temp. All nuts moved slightly, but wasn’t able to use the same torque wrench that set the nuts after the rebuild. That could have had a bearing on the nut movement. I’ll torque it one more time in the near future.
'52 CJ3A, early M38A1, '70 Commando
25' travel trailer, Lance 855S truck camper
Love to camp