Posted: Thu Oct 03, 2013 12:31 pm Post subject: Jeep is jinxed; will NOT run to save me!
I don't believe in "jinxes" but I'm close. I haven't posted lately but I'll start at the beginning. In 2010 I attempted to change my M38 from a hybrid-ed, bubba'd half 12V, half 24V system to straight 24V. At the time the Jeep ran pretty well;started well, ran well, had plenty of pep. I collected up all the parts--distributor, wires, plugs, new coil, condenser, points and had a mechanic at a local garage who knows(?) older systems change it all over to totally 24V. After all, the generator, regulator, starter, lights--all that was 24V so it was cheaper to simply put it back to original. The objective was to stop the burning up of points and condensers that it was doing about every 3 months where it would become hard to start, would skip and sputter and not run nearly as well as it had originally---even with the f-ed up bubba system it had. It never ran right from that day forward. For one thing, I notice that the distributor is ONE "cog" off; the engine would have to be partially disassembled to fix that. I can partially compensate by turning the distrib. "so far" but it hits against the air cleaner and sits "cockeyed" rather than parallel to the engine like it should as shown in the diagrams and pics. It is almost timed right, but is off j-u-u-u-s-t a smidgeon. It never ran "right" again. The old 12V distributor, being round, doesn't "hit" against whereas the 24V one is oblong and the "tail" hits against the air cleaner. It was determined(?) by a mechanic that we had a carburetor problem. We replaced 4 Solex carbs and did 3 rebuilds and got the same results: hard starting, sluggish running---IF it started at all------and at one point it would hardly pull its own weight! I began to suspect that the mechanic did not know what he was doing. He kept insisting it was the carburetor...BUT! What are the chances that 4 carbs would be BAD in a row? And then another fellow bought a CJ3B with the F 134 that had the SAME carburetor from the SAME dealer that I did. He installed the carb and away he went with NO issues! So I'm saying, "Hmmmm", If it is a "bad" carburetor, in my case, HOW can it be that MINE is the only one that got 4 in a row. IOW, what are the odds? Honestly, I don't believe it is the carburetor. 4 in a row, c'mon!
I took it to another shop who got it running. I thought I was good to go for another $200 in addition to the $700 I had spent on the conversion. I took it to ONE car show----and it started doing the SAME **** It would crank right up, but the more it ran, the worse it became, losing power, refusing to take the gas until it would stall. Then not start at all! Now its back at that shop----but THAT mechanic hasn't shown back up since. So I am pretty PO'ed at him, too. He promised he'd be back last Monday, but didn't show, and I have an event Saturday!
For a further description of how it acts (not saying that's it), it runs like (if it starts at all) like the choke was left ON. It started, ran, then as it warmed up, it got worse and worse. Like the choke was "stuck". The linkage works. But on my Solex I can't SEE a choke butterfly. Most chokes are located just inside the carb body right where the linkage enters the carburetor. But I can't SEE where the butterfly IS, or that that is any connection to an internal choke mechanism I can SEE the throttle butterfly down in the bottom of the carb, but WHERE is the choke mechanism
ONE common denominator could be the change over to 24V and I am almost considering putting it back ALL 12V. I hate to, but, if I can't get it to run right, what can I do? Other people get theirs to run right.
SO does anyone have any insight into this mess OR are there any local mechanics (Charlotte, Hickory, Shelby NC area) that could help me with this. The Jeep has been "down" for a year now?! HELP!
Joined: May 14, 2012 Posts: 150 Location: Milford CT
Posted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 8:35 am Post subject: References
I have not had personal experience with the Solex carb, but a BUNCH of other people on this site have! Here are several references that should help you:
That SHOULD be enough, if not, use the 'search' function for even more.
Good Luck !!!
p.s. There IS no 'choke' in the conventional sense, there is a separate fuel feed mechanism instead, so you won't see a 'choke plate'. _________________ "Frugality keeps me in the Game"
1952 M38 Project "Lazarus"
1951(?) M100 Trailer
1956-60 USAF Special Weapons Program
http://www.bill-capes.com/insanity - Updated 04/26/14
The 24 volt conversion is not the problem. If you have presented your jeep's recent history correctly
Quote:
At the time the Jeep ran pretty well;started well, ran well, had plenty of pep.
and if the jeep did not have a Solex when it ran as you described in the beginning then the problem is either ignition or carb/fuel. Concentrate on one system at a time. The easiest way to do this is to eliminate each culprit one at a time.
Start with the easy things first.
If you have the fording system plumbing/valves installed are they closed???
Make sure the tank vent system is open. Some caps have a vent valve in them that can be opened and closed manually for fording. It should be open.
Things like incorrect ignition timing will affect operation all the time not just when it gets warmed up.
Post some answers to these questions:
1-Is the distributor a new unit from a reputable source?
2-Was the Solex carb on the engine in the beginning?
3-What is the current operating fuel pressure?
4-Do you have the correct 1/4" thick carb base gasket installed?
5-Is the heat riser working correctly? _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: May 14, 2012 Posts: 150 Location: Milford CT
Posted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 8:30 pm Post subject: My 2 cents worth again!
I am NOT a mechanic, unless the 'shade tree' variety counts!
Regarding your ignition timing problem (cogged wrong), Check out TM9-1804A, Page 95, paragraph 92. I believe correcting the problem is simply a matter of removing the oil pump bolts, (3), and following the alignment procedure given there. From what I see on my M38, this can be done with the engine in the vehicle.
Wes, you're the 'go to' guy, do you agree? _________________ "Frugality keeps me in the Game"
1952 M38 Project "Lazarus"
1951(?) M100 Trailer
1956-60 USAF Special Weapons Program
http://www.bill-capes.com/insanity - Updated 04/26/14
Yes the pump can be pulled in the jeep and the indexing corrected.
However I do not believe he has a timing problem causing the poor running after it's hot and he should focus on that right now. Eventually when he gets her purring again he can set aside some less stressful time to pull the pump and get rid of his 3 or 4 degree timing error. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: Feb 20, 2007 Posts: 606 Location: Illinois
Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2013 1:45 pm Post subject:
As mentioned before, getting the timing correct is a matter of pulling the oil pump and indexing the distributor and pump together so you have a normal range of adjustment. If your timing is just slightly off that wouldn't cause the all the problems but why not check to make sure timing marks on the crank pully are set at the proper TDC position and work back from there to make sure everything is aligned.
Solex carbs don't have a choke butterfly - they have an enrichment circuit that allows more fuel flow for cold starting. _________________ 1951 M38
Have you checked the coil? A friend of mine has an M151 and I believe the distributor is the same or very similar, has had a lot of trouble with coils and burnt points.
Joined: May 14, 2012 Posts: 150 Location: Milford CT
Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 11:30 am Post subject: ???
Hey, Frankenjeep!
Anything better in your world of jeeps yet? _________________ "Frugality keeps me in the Game"
1952 M38 Project "Lazarus"
1951(?) M100 Trailer
1956-60 USAF Special Weapons Program
http://www.bill-capes.com/insanity - Updated 04/26/14
Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 5:34 pm Post subject: Re: ???
capescw wrote:
Hey, Frankenjeep!
Anything better in your world of jeeps yet?
Yep!!! The problem WAS indexing of the distributor! A savvy young mechanic I found did the oil pump thing and it runs FINE. Even "sings" like a jeep is supposed to! Like night and day!
Thanks to everyone. I've gotten really busy lately, Hope to be more active on the board now...............
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It would crank right up, but the more it ran, the worse it became, losing power, refusing to take the gas until it would stall. Then not start at all! Now its back at that shop----but THAT mechanic hasn't shown back up since. So I am pretty PO'ed at him, too. He promised he'd be back last Monday, but didn't show, and I have an event Saturday! 
I can SEE the throttle butterfly down in the bottom of the carb, but WHERE is the choke mechanism 
