willysmjeeps.com

just got my 49 CJ3A tuned up and running again....added a screw on oil filter..mounted next to the starter (on the left...looking at it from the front passenger side on the left.) Never had an oil filter when I got it...does now..w/ aeroquip lines and fittings.. rebuilt water pump (which leaked from the weep hole...its going back tomorrow) and changed radiator hoses and new fuel pump and filter. When we dropped the oil pan...there was a couple of drops of water in it...or so we thought...filthy oil which was cut down w/ gas or had gas leaking into it..hence the new fuel pump...
we put the water pump on, reattached the hoses and poured in 2gallons of 170 degree water..pressure tested at the radiator cap, and had no leaks in the block....(oil pan was off ...bro checked camshaft as I turned it over w/ the large wrench.. he's seen worse...had compression etc... so we put up the oil pan, filled her up w/ 30 wt oil and cranked it w/o starting it..(had the coil off) bled the oil lines from the new filter...and then started it up... Turned right over..sounded great...oil pressure was 11 cold, 20 psi at 2500rpm and 28 at 3000 rpms. No oil leaks...water pump continued to leak from the weep hole..then we noticed some leak just aft of the oil filler tube...bro said it looked like a real good weld job.....not leaking like a drip or a spray, just kinda making a wet spot...( we ran her until she was good and hot. I'm bummed out right now. I guess I'll have to try to get the new engine that my autoshop teacher buddy has at school and see if we can make it a go w/ that one. I really like this L 134 Go Devil though...is it a done deal as far as my current engine?? Anyone else have similar leaks and just ignore them?? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave Petrella

Have a look at this thread @ G503.com On page 2 it has an associated site link that may offer some hope.

http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=73348

Jeff

If I follow you correctly, the water jacket has a previously welded crack which is leaking a tiny amount of coolant?

If so, I'd pour a can of stopleak in the radiator, and go jeeping. What's the worst that can happen?

Pete

PeteL wrote:What's the worst that can happen?

Pete

That would depend on the condition of his radiator core and if he has a hot water heater then the heater core as well!

If they're almost plugged with age old grime and grit then they will probably get pluged up by the stop leak.

If it's a very very small opening then I'd just drill, tap and plug it with the threads sealed with Permatex #1 just like a head bolt/stud.

Just bore a hole and jam a wine cork in it. Make sure it is a tight fit.
Mine holds op just fine

down on the welds. The little weep hole after grinding is the one in the middle of the pics....this is the post I shot over to the G503 boards


guys here is a link to some pics which we took during the grinding off of the welds we found on the engine described in the original post. The first pic shows where the leak was coming from and then from there the grinding was continued so that we could see what was going on, why there was so much welding done..etc.. We ground the welds pretty good and now have to decide what to do... I want to fix the block...now is it LockNStich or take out the engine block "v" out the welds w/ the grinder braze the crack(s) and then throw sand on it to slow the cooling and then patch it or what???? Any and all comments are much appreciated...I want to get this thing up and running


http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictu ... 2104128260

The first pic gives you an idea where the leak is located, 3rd pic shows ground away welds, the original leak was the one in the middle of this pic. 4th pic is a close up of the crack and assorted welding pits... these were a solid weld until we ground them down

From the pics you 'll see some extensive welding and evidently cracking....any ideas on what could have caused this...seized engine which had a piston crack the head??????

As always your comments and advice are greatly appreciated,

thanks,
Dave Petrella

Maybe the coolant in the block froze at one time. Used to happen a lot back when people only used antifreeze seasonally.

Pete

Pete is right on here. That is the most common crack prone area of the Willys block. Often the cracks will not be visible outside but instead the coolant is leaked thru the distributor mount boss and down the distributor shaft into the sump. Whenever a block is machined or overhauled by a pro familiar with these blocks he will scrutinized very closely this and several other areas .