Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2015 10:30 pm Post subject: anyone have this part on their m38??
noticed midwest military offering a new product that i was not aware of until now. A M38 fuel tank floor seal for the drain plug.
The seal is a donut shaped piece of black rubber about 3 1/4 inch outer diameter with a 2 1/4 inch inner diameter. Apparently it was used to seal the dimpled drain plug area of the gas tank. Why it was needed is hard to imagine considering all the rest of the areas water can get under the tank?
My jeep didn't have one that I remember but that doesn't mean it couldn't have been removed at some point.
What interesting is that it is listed in the ORD 9 on pg. 82.
(SEAL,front floor pan and fuel tank drain plug(black sponge rubber). WO # 801273 and ord # 7375040. It isn't mentioned in any M38 maintenance manuals that I could find. Its not in Ryans book either.
The M38A1 ORD 9 mentions it as being used after serial # 11638.
No civillian jeep parts manual lists it as far as I researched.
I was not aware of this part before now.
Anyone find this part on their jeep?
With 248 views and no replies I guess I am the only M38 owner who didn't know about this part. Where did you guys get this part before Midwest reproduced it?
Joined: Aug 31, 2010 Posts: 1741 Location: SO IDAHO
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2015 9:48 am Post subject:
Like you I have never seen the part, seen a reference to the part, nor do I grasp the utility of such a part. It seems that sealing that area would actually trap water under the tank. _________________ keep 'em rollin'
RICKG MC 51986 DOD 01-52, '50 CJ3a
There is no way to know if "every M38" had this part from the factory. Also, why is it stated in the M38A1 ORD 9 that is't use starts at serial number 11638. That means it was stopped at one point from being in production and put on the vehicles coming out of "the factory". I also could not find any reference in both the M38 and M38A1 manuals for PM removal of gas tank on a regular schedule. My guess is that this rubber donut is missing from many M38 projects out there due to its deterioration and not being replaced periodically while in service. If the tank was removed during service I am also wondering if it was decided somewhere along the line not to replace this donut as it just captured water and dirt under the tank. Just a theory on my part of course. Any better answer as to why this part seems to be relatively unheard of until now???
The M38 ORD 9 lists this seal as WO# 801273, ORD PN 7375040 & ORD SN G740-7375040 (means part was first used on a M38)
The M38A1 ORD 9 lists seal WO# 808364, ORD PN 8330946 & ORD SN G758-8330946 (means part was first used on a M38A1).
So you are dealing with two different parts (read, not identical) The "Used after MD 11638" most likely means it was an oversight on the factory blueprints and the correct G758-8330946 (M38A1 specific seal) wasn't added on the assy line until MD11639. It could also mean that the old M38 seal may have been used on A1's up to 11638!
Having spent 22 years in the military I am going to guess most motor pools did what we did. It was not a very important part and it was easier to leave it off so the tank well would drain better. It was also easier to not submit a parts request but instead just obtain the correct size rubber grommet MS35489-? or AN931-? from the Tool crib/ Bench stock troop.
We literally substituted thousands of minor factory seals and gaskets with standard issue items that were cheaper and easier to obtain and usually already on the shelf. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
There are some clues to this seal in the Canadian parts books and microfiche dealing with M38 and M38A1. The M38 seal is described as a "washer, flat, round shape, round hole, synthetic rubber, no surface treatment, 2.25" ID, 3.25" OD, 0.125" thick". The supplier was Buckeye Rubber Products, Lima OH, and their part number was 5001.
The M38A1 seal is described as: Washer, flat, Dee shape, round hole, rubber, synthetic, no surface treatment, 2.25" hole diam, 3.25 OD, 3.00" width, 0.375 thick". So one side is sliced-off to form a width of 3".
I can't account for the "sponge rubber" description in the US ORD parts books. However the "Dee shape" of the M38A1 version allows it not to interfere with the bulkhead of the gas tank well. Also I suspect the 0.375" thickness of the M38A1 seal implies it may be sponge rubber to allow it to conform to the ribbing on the gas tank well. The floor of the M38 is flat so a 0.125" thick seal would work OK.
Perhaps someone with NOS samples can confirm the nature of the rubber: either plain or spongy. Sponge rubber is used on the M38 (only) for the the sponge rubber cushion under the blackout driving headlight mounting bracket.
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