This question was emailed to me and I decided it needs to be here so all can benefit from it's answer.
Tried doing a search on the regular jeep sites "willysmjeeps" and such but have not located what I am looking for or maybe I don't know how to make the correct inquiry line.
So here it is. Wes, can you please tell me about the Correct Drain plug for a 52 Willy's M38 and maybe send me a picture of one? This is the one that goes in the bell housing and is supposed to be kept in the glove box... yep, I know you knew that, but I am just trying to cover the bases for explaining it.
This is a good question and it is a good candidate to be asked on the mjeeps tech forum where the entire group can learn something from the answer. So I will post your question there.
The short answer is in the ORD 9 SNL G-758 dated 1955 and it's related -20P for the M38A1. I could not find it listed in the M38 ORD 9 or ORD 8 . There are two listed: one is cast iron square head 1/8" P plug 103865, H006-0283566, 4730-278-3389 and the other is steel 103877 or H006-0283956.
Is the bell housing plug pretty much the same pipe plug as you can pick up in a hardware store? Seems like Willys used a lot of off-the-shelf hardware anywhere they could.
Of interest, I have seen many Marine Corps M38A1s that had a 1/8 pipe end cap mounted to the inside of the glove box door with the pipe plug threaded into it for easy access. A hole is drilled through the cap and one in the glove box door and attached with a short slotted machine screw mounted about the center of the glove box door. The Marines are the only ones I know that use this method to keep up with the bellhousing plug. When you see a M38A1 with this modification, its more than likely a Marine Corp M38A1.
Harold W.
MVPA #6833
1945 GPW
1950 CJV-35/U
1951 M38 1952 M38
1962 USMC Contract M38A1
1953 Strick M100 1967 Johnson M416
1968 CJ5 4-Speed 1969 CJ5 V6
While not always necessary, it's often beneficial to independently verify (with two or more sources) almost any bit of information with these old jeeps.
Especially before buying expensive parts.
There's errors and typos in the Army manuals (which is bad enough), but many interweb "sources" and forums are also rampant with errors and mis-information.
Like a wise man once said: "Trust, but verify."
Welcome to the forum!
You have a M38?
Post a photo for us!
Last edited by RonD2 on Tue Jul 16, 2024 10:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ron D.
1951 M38 Unknown Serial Number
1951 M100 Dunbar Kapple 01169903 dod 5-51
“The only good sports car that America ever made was the Jeep."
--- Enzo Ferrari
1/8 is the nomenclature for the plug. It's actual measured diameter is 1/4". However if you were to order a 1/4" drain plug you would receive one that is twice as big and won't fit!
Yes, it is a 1/8” NPT or National Pipe Thread plug.
The dimensions of various pipe, tubing and other threaded fittings don’t always equal each other. Some have dimensions which refer to the external diameter and some to the internal.
Fortunately in this case it’s your standard hardware store pipe thread fitting, or 1/8” NPT.
