Posted: Sun May 22, 2011 7:09 pm Post subject: Head for L-head
Hello, Does anyone have a Head for my M38 L-head motor? This Jeep turns into more of a nightmare every day!! My M-38 is not complete enough to worry about it being correct for a M-38, any head that you know is not cracked and is ready to install will do! pleased let me know, Thank-you, Bill.
Bill,
If you end up with a WWII MB head be sure to use the WWII head gasket not the M38. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Yes both the MB & MC are L134's. No they did not use the same flat head. They were different in several ways but they were both flatheads. The MC uses the casting 800376 head. If you try to use the WWII head it has a different combustion chamber shape and uses a diiferent head gasket. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Now, I got an MB head gasket, based on the G503 part number listed in the M38's ORD 9 manual. Is the ORD 9 wrong, or did the WW2 head gaskets change, along with the heads? Or am I not reading it right?
I notice that some MV vendors offer head gaskets that will "fit all 4 cylinder L-head engines". This is the head off my M38:
Aside from the lack of valve clearance info, it seems to be a correct M38 head. Thankfully, I haven't torqued the head down yet. So, do I need to buy an M38-specific cylinder head, and who sells them?
Thanks,
Owen. _________________ Owen
1951 US Air Force M38
1944 F-1 1/2-ton Airdrome Trailer
1940 C15 Chevrolet CMP 11-cab
1939 DKW KS200 Motorcycle
MVT # 19406
That 800376 casting you show is the correct head for an M38 and the MB head gasket has a diffent combustion chamber shape from the M38 head and will not fit the M38 head correctly. Look very closely at the links you posted and observe the differences in the combustion chamber shapes. The post WWII introduction of the gear cam drive engine to the MB used the CJ2A head and the late M38 style gasket. The MB heads used with the WWII chain drive cam blocks used the early gasket. This is the reason the M38 Ord 9 shows the ORD stock number as G503 7741412 because the gasket was intorduced in late 1945 and 1946 to the G503 gear drive cam replacement blocks.
800376 M38 head uses gasket 638540
WWII MB 639660C head uses gasket A8558
Willys published a service bulletin pointing this issue out. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
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