[MV] Starting M-37
steve shaw (gyrene37@webtv.net)
Tue, 9 Nov 1999 07:06:48 -0500 (EST)
Just a funny tale about getting a '51 M-37 to run. Having sat in my
barn for a couple of months, I tried to get it out and start it in
preparation for sale to a friend. It ran fine when stored but when I
got it started, it popped and cracked and would barely pull itself
outside.
Put in some dry gas and cleaned the plugs and the popping stopped, but
would NOT run over 30mph - almost like the governor was kicking in early
- ran smooth but wouldn't obtain enough RPM. After many posts to
various sites and a lot of good advice and numerous checks of fuel pump,
carburetor, points, plugs, wires, running down and charging of
batteries, etc. I decided to try one more time. I was convinced the
fuel system was OK so just before pulling the distrubutor, I check each
wire for spark and had a strong ( at least 1/4") from the end of each
one - then attached a plug and couldn't get anything but a weak spark
down inside the plug - nothing from the electrode itself. I had cleaned
the plugs at least twice before in this process and they had been new a
few months ago - so decided to try again. Sprayed with carb cleaner and
scraped the inside with a small pointed file, wire brushed the end, blew
it out with air, sprayed again, blew it out again and filed and gapped
the electrode. Started putting them in one at a time checking for spark
at the electrode before installing the plug. When I got 4 in and was
checking the 5th for spark, the engine started with #5 and #6 still out
and compression blowing out of the two remaing holes. Got them in and
started the engine and it warmed up, idled down and when we took it on
the road, it ran like the proverbial "striped a-- ape" . Attained 50mph
and ran smoothly. Anyway, the buyer was happy and any future problems
are his - not mine. I can't figure what was causing the problem, unless
some of the residue from previous filing or sanding of the plugs was
present causing the spark to take an easier path.
This will be the first thing I'll check in the future when haveing
starting problems on my other truck.
Steve
'51 M-37 s/n 11547
===
To unsubscribe from the mil-veh mailing list, send the single word
UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of a message to <mil-veh-request@skylee.com>.