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Engine woes!! Got a big paper weight!

Section8

Member
503
6
18
Location
Little Fort, B.C., Canada
Sorry for the double post last time! computers and i dont get along. Ok. here is the low down now. I gave the old girl a better look over yestarday since i made time for it, working, farming and running a business take most of my time.
I found the carb for the engine stuffed in the air filter canister and bolted on and was please to see that most every thing was there for cablles and springs and adjustmment screws. I also found out that i do indeed have the generator for the engine, once i scrapped corrosion off of name plates and other questionable substances.
yea yea, i know what your thinking1 how did you miss a generator!! I am new to the older stuff and was looking for something that looked like an alternator not an airconditioning compresor.
Any way. it is there.
I did manage to get the air compressor unseized!! Yay me! took some wd-40 and a sturdy wrench and lots of cursing!
The engine block is most definatly seized solid much to my bloody knuckles dismay! I may try one last ditch effort and put some diesel down the plug holes and hope that frees it up.
I also found out why the truck rolls so freely! The tranny is disconnected from the transfercase!
This leaves me to believe that the tranny may be shot to now!! Crap!!
It is looking like i am going to be doing an drive train swap here instead of a resto on the old girl.
So it looks like i will have an abundance of parts if any one is interested!
If i can figure out how to post my pictures, have a look and if you see something you think you may need, let me know and i will see what i can do for you!!
With that being said, hints and advice on the best route to take with a swap, or in general would be greatly appreciated!! I am new to all of this but am handy with tools but knowledge goes a long way if a person keeps turning the same bolt!
 

Section8

Member
503
6
18
Location
Little Fort, B.C., Canada
I posted my pics of the truck in my photo album. Have a gander and shake your head or go oooh and aww! What ever turns your wheels. Again if you see a part you llike or need let me know since it seems i am going to have to do a drive train swap.
Oh and I am NOT letting that crappy brushed on blue camo attempted paint job staying on the truck!! Ugh!! I was so dissapointed that it was put on since as seen in the cab the old od green was in great shape!! Now i have to strip the outside and repaint that baby and bring it back to beautiful.
Enjoy the pics!!
 

hendersond

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Galesville, WI
I would PM Gunfreak25 to getshis phone number and give him a call. Review his posts. It will save you some headaches.
I wouldn't pass up a 70's-80's 2wd chevy pickup if I were considering a gas engine swap right now. You would have most of what you need.
I'm gonna check out your album and I'll PM you on the parts.

Dan
 

hendersond

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Galesville, WI
Awesome! The pics really help us out. Picture #8 shows the airpac booster on the right above the first rear axle, Thats The $450 part it referred to earlier. Compressor is probably salvageable. Get some break fluid and see what you have. I have never met a wheel cylinder I could not get the bleeded loose on. Personally, I would start with the brakes, I hate crashing into the back wall of my garage. Maybe that is just me.
Also a couple weeks back there was a thread about swapping carbs. Looks like a Holley 2bl on this one.
 

hendersond

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Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Location
Galesville, WI
Picture #19, what is that on the passenger side just behind the fender a few inches above the bottom of the cowl? Is that a 24volt recepticle?
 

Gunfreak25

Well-known member
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620
113
Location
Yuma, AZ
Great pictures! I will PM you my phone number if you need any help or information. I have free long distance and that includes you folks up in moose country. You have yourself a very nice M135, great body parts too. If you are interested in doing the swap, first pull the old powertrain out and spend as much time as it takes to really clean things up. This is the best place to start. Get yourself a pressure washer and then you'll really see what you have. Go as far as your heart desires, but when the powertrain is removed it makes cleaning every nook and cranny real easy. Not to mention with the bed removed, you have it made there. I would advice against wasting brake fluid or any time on the brakes right now. The truck is not going anywhere, and if you move it around use the handbrake, it works really well. Your going to need to tear off all the old steel lines/rubber lines anyway, as well as rebuild the air pak and all wheel cylinders. These have a single circuit system, so everything must be closely inspected/replaced. My air compressor was seized up too. They are very easy to take apart and rebuild. If you need tips, let me know. I can supply the gaskets for you too. But don't move it around too much without oil in it. I simply honed the cylinders on mine, removed any rust on the pistons, cleaned the reed valves and threw it all back together the exact same way it came apart with lots of motor oil. If you have bad rings or bearings, the Midland Christensen air brake company is still around and should be able to supply them for you.

As Tom at Alfa Heaven once said. None of this is very hard to do, you just need a good supply of beer. :beer:
 

Section8

Member
503
6
18
Location
Little Fort, B.C., Canada
Yes that is a receptacle on the passenger side just behind the fender at the bottom of the cowl and between fender and door. It has been hit or stepped on at some point pulling the bolts through the sheet metal. I think that there was another receptacle on the left top side of the radiator mount and one at the very rear of the truck which have been both destroyed. Again no wiring to be seen at either.
Is it possible to down load the tech manuals for these trucks from this site? Or is there tech manuals for these trucks?? May help me figure out what I am doing faster than guessing at times. Don't want to turn a hard to find part into scrap!
Hendersond, would you have any pics of your 4 door mod?! Sounds interesting!! Sounds like lots of figuring and modifying!!
 

Gunfreak25

Well-known member
1,561
620
113
Location
Yuma, AZ
You need TM-8024. Even if you do the power swap, it's still a god send and a wealth of information. I have most of the sections memorized. I don't see it for sale on Ebay anymore. Luckily you can download them here on the forum in the resources section. You will have to dig through several pages to find it. Some have made books out of the PDF files at Staples.

The slave connection was standard on all GMC's. To be more exact, the provision for a slave hook up was standard. I believe the M135's were the only series to actually have one installed and wired in, the rest of these trucks just have a small metal plate that covers the hole up. I will be installing a power inverter on my truck and will be putting a household electrical outlet there. So I can run small household current stuff wherever I want to.
 

Gunfreak25

Well-known member
1,561
620
113
Location
Yuma, AZ
CAPSARME has a refurbished radiator for $150. But he doesn't post here anymore and I have a hard time PM'ing him as far as getting replies.

Section 8, I PM'd you an email to a link of a manual I found for sale. You can use the stock 302 generator/regulator if you wish. But if it needs rebuilding, just pickup a 24V alternator off Egay as Stan suggested. They're actually for John Deer tractors but seem to fit most GM v8's just as well. Around $75.
 
Last edited:

Stan Leschert

New member
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0
Location
North Vancouver, BC, Canada
Close, but get the one off of the HMMV,
it has both 12 and 24V output,
and will make the rest of your truck's life very simple.
BTW, you will have to install a seperate battery for the 12V stuff,
but then you will have the best of both worlds!
 

nattieleather

Well-known member
1,882
142
63
Location
Cleveland, OH
I think your truck is very restorable. Working on Bbig MVs is like eating an elephant. You take one bite at a time! Focus on one part and make it new, then the next part, then the next etc etc and then your done restored truck! Try some Marvels Mystory Oil in the spark plug holes and let it sit for a few days. Also pull the valve cover and see if you can see anythig binding that would keep it from turning. I bet the motor is just bound up from sitting. A little time and tlc will probably make it turn. With your engine stuck that could be why they disconected the transmission. Again focus on one thing then then next and the next etc. You have a good truck and it can be restored if you want to. It is also a good canidate for mondification so your have options. Good luck.
 

Gunfreak25

Well-known member
1,561
620
113
Location
Yuma, AZ
Nattie has a point, fill it up with Marvel and let it soak. These 302's are just so durable I wonder if you couldn't get it running again without even tearing it apart. That is assuming that the cylinder walls are the only areas with rust. It would take 4 or 5 oil changes to essentially "flush" the engine out. What have you to loose?
 

Section8

Member
503
6
18
Location
Little Fort, B.C., Canada
I may try to let it soak in the old school method i have learned from mechanics I have talked to about seized engines, since my tractor from 1948, had a seized engine. Talked to three mechanics and they all said if you dont want to tear it apart to find nothing wrong then pour about a half cup of diesel in the plug holes and let marinate for a couple days and try turning the crank by hand. repeat if necessary, but with less diesel as to avoid needing to purge the cylinders if it turns over.
Other than that there is not a whole lot i can do with the old girl except clean things up and repair some of the small issues that wont cost my farm to do it like weather stripping and a little sheet metal patching.
of course it is killing me not to be able to do more but winter reared its ugly head today which means with no shop, working out side on the old girl is gonna suck!!
I still like to sit in the beast and do my vroom vrooms though!!!!:driver:
 

Stan Leschert

New member
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Location
North Vancouver, BC, Canada
Deisel, Atf, Marvel ... whatever. Dump it in and let it set for a week.
Then gently nudge it back and forth with a bar.

DO NOT ENGAGE THE STARTER.

If that is not effective, remove the covers and see what is happening.

Remember, this is like eating an elephant with a KFC Spork.

Nothing is going to happen quickly, unless you realy P!ss it off!


One thing at a time, and report back, and send pics, so we can try to help.
 

Gunfreak25

Well-known member
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620
113
Location
Yuma, AZ
I get darn cold here working on the truck when it's down to 40 degrees at night. It's about 65 this evening. I cannot imagine working outside in Ontario in the Winter.
 

Stan Leschert

New member
1,662
90
0
Location
North Vancouver, BC, Canada
of course it is killing me not to be able to do more but winter reared its ugly head today which means with no shop, working out side on the old girl is gonna suck!!
I still like to sit in the beast and do my vroom vrooms though!!!!:driver:
Costco and Princess Auto have some really budget priced
"Portable RV Cover"

My last one cost $300, and it lasted 3 seasons,
and 4 really good West Coast Winter wind storms.

As for heat, Stagg Chili warms you up,
and keeps the wife out of the tool zone!

Schmidt ... Karen just whacked me for that one!
She normally just lets me play....

But she won't come in the work area when my language gets Mil Spec colorful. She knows better!
 
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