well, I found the fourth plug. put it in and ran like a top. took it out and blew the head gasket. Didn't even run it hard. Got it ready to remove the head. I have never done a head gasket on a flathead. I'm having trouble getting it off. I will post pics of where I am at so if I am forgetting something chime in.20200419_153822[1].jpg20200419_153822[1].jpg20200419_153833[1].jpg
There is one head bolt down inside the intake, just under the carburetor, that often gets missed.
Technically you are working on an F-head engine, the F-134. The flathead has both intake and exhaust valves in the block, the F-head had the intakes in the head.Originally Posted by AZTROOPER
As GMWillys said, look for a little short bolt under the carburetor. Once you get all the bolts out, just find a corner and pry. It is probably glued down with the epoxy grade Permatex. Once you get the head off, look it over for cracks and for a warp.
P. S. It will "almost" run if you forget to put that little short bolt back. My rebuilder didn't and it took us a LONG time to find it.
Good luck.
I had forgot I had forgotten to remove that bolt under the carburetor. I took it out and the head came right off. Took the head to a trusted mechanic and they're going to do a service on it including the valves. Getting every getting everything cleaned up now and prepping to put it back together.
Not sure when the head will be back I'll keep everyone updated.
I had forgot I had forgotten to remove that bolt under the carburetor.
Oops. Well the little devil does hide well - just remember to put it back.
Don't skimp on a head gasket, BMorgil and GMWillys have good opinions of what is a best choice.
Don't skimp on head gasket. Fel-Pro is my go to engine head gaskets. Pay now, or pay more later. You can order them from your favorite parts house. Buy the complete gasket set, so then you have the new valve cover gaskets.
https://www.partsgeek.com/catalog/19...ead_gasket_set
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20200426_123733[1].jpg
So I thought Id repaint the valve cover, as I stripped the paint I found this underneath. It makes me think this is not the original valve cover, its missing the vent hole and I don't think it belongs on my 1962 M38A1.
Thoughts?
Well, I just found a page that said they actually were used in the M38A1.
Last edited by AZTROOPER; 04-26-2020 at 02:52 PM.
I went googling and I found a picture of a NOS engine in the crate. Note the yellow "HURRICANE-4" sticker at the right front, just where yours is!
I found a photo as well. The confusing part for me is that my Jeep is one of the quote quote amphibious ones that are sealed so you can use a snorkel and all of that. All of the valve covers that I've seen like that have a breather coming out of the top and mine does not
The M38A1's were one of the least configuration controlled items ever brought into government inventory. The Marines had a different version that, in most nomenclaturing systems should have been an M38A2 or maybe an M38A1(V)2 to show that is wasn't exactly the same as the others.
Then you get the swapping around of parts in motor pools or organizational level shops, like swapping parts on rifles, radios and such - and pretty soon you get to the First Rule of Jeep:
Rule1: What you see is what you have. Believe nothing you are told or what is written until you verify it with your own eyes.
That leads to a variation of Rule 2 as it applies to military vehicles:
Rule 2: Never say that the Army/Marines/Air Force/Willys would never have "__________ " (fill in the blank).
You're starting to catch the Jeep virus. A blown head gasket leads to just repainting the valve cover. That's going to make everything else look bad. Now you're going to need a new HURRICANE-4 decal. Since shipping costs so much, you might as well get a few more decals to clean up the set on the oil filter and a few other places, they won't cost that much more. Yep, you're catching the J-virus.
Welcome to the infected.
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