Home im getting a 1953 m37 need to start it up
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welderdave
- PVT
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2019 9:33 am
im getting a 1953 m37 need to start it up
this truck has been sitting for 11 years and i want to know what i need to do to get it started up without damaging it. they used to drive it around town. thanks dave
Re: im getting a 1953 m37 need to start it up
I guess as with any vehicle that hasn't run for a while. Change engine oil and oil filter. Clean out air cleaner. Drain old fuel. Pull plugs and see if engine will turn. Recharge batteries as I would imagine that would be dead by now.
When I haven't run mine for a few months, I always check that I have oil first, check water in radiator, reconnect battery and attempt to start.
When I haven't run mine for a few months, I always check that I have oil first, check water in radiator, reconnect battery and attempt to start.
Re: im getting a 1953 m37 need to start it up
Along with the previous suggestions:
I'd pull the plugs, put a few table spoons of ATF down the bores and let it sit for a day, then turn it over gently by hand. Hopefully it's been in a dry environment and the bores are in good shape.
Once you have electrical power, check for spark.
Until you sort out the old fuel situation you may want to run the truck on a remote tank.
Give it a shot of brake cleaner down the carb and see if it fires.
If you're able to get it fired, it's likely the carb's accel. pump is frozen up due to sitting. It's unlikely to be driveable w/o a carb rebuild.
Keep an eye on the oil in case the fuel pump diaphragm fails due to age/sitting and fills up the crankcase with oil.
Good Luck!
I'd pull the plugs, put a few table spoons of ATF down the bores and let it sit for a day, then turn it over gently by hand. Hopefully it's been in a dry environment and the bores are in good shape.
Once you have electrical power, check for spark.
Until you sort out the old fuel situation you may want to run the truck on a remote tank.
Give it a shot of brake cleaner down the carb and see if it fires.
If you're able to get it fired, it's likely the carb's accel. pump is frozen up due to sitting. It's unlikely to be driveable w/o a carb rebuild.
Keep an eye on the oil in case the fuel pump diaphragm fails due to age/sitting and fills up the crankcase with oil.
Good Luck!
Re: im getting a 1953 m37 need to start it up
...gas
the nice thing about the m37 is all the drains, gastank carb block rad intake elbow.... if its very stock it could still have a fuel shut off valve. prime the carb with the hand pump lever located on the fuel pump with the drain plug removed from the carb to flush out any contaminants from the lines and pump once the tank has been drained flushed and filled.
the nice thing about the m37 is all the drains, gastank carb block rad intake elbow.... if its very stock it could still have a fuel shut off valve. prime the carb with the hand pump lever located on the fuel pump with the drain plug removed from the carb to flush out any contaminants from the lines and pump once the tank has been drained flushed and filled.
.............................. use it ...............
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outpostm37
- CPL
- Posts: 128
- Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2017 6:07 pm
Re: im getting a 1953 m37 need to start it up
Dave
Congrats on the acquisition.
Tell us more about the vehicle and its history. How original is the vehicle and its components? Is the vehicle still a 24 volt electrical system?
Does it have the original flat head 6 cylinder? Where was the vehicle sitting for 11 years? outside, in the weather?
There may be stuck valves, bad dried out fuel that left deposits in the carburetor float bowl.
Did you get any TM manuals with the truck?
There are lots of folks with tons of knowledge on this forum. Give these folks as much info as you can for appropriate information to apply to your vehicle.
Congrats on the acquisition.
Tell us more about the vehicle and its history. How original is the vehicle and its components? Is the vehicle still a 24 volt electrical system?
Does it have the original flat head 6 cylinder? Where was the vehicle sitting for 11 years? outside, in the weather?
There may be stuck valves, bad dried out fuel that left deposits in the carburetor float bowl.
Did you get any TM manuals with the truck?
There are lots of folks with tons of knowledge on this forum. Give these folks as much info as you can for appropriate information to apply to your vehicle.
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welderdave
- PVT
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2019 9:33 am
Re: im getting a 1953 m37 need to start it up
the guy is moving the stuff out of the way on his property to get it out. ill let you know when i get it.
Re: im getting a 1953 m37 need to start it up
forgot to mention theres a possibility the valves could be stuck, 20 years ago i had to remove the cylinder head on the one i now own to unstick the valves, they were coated with varnished fuel and were frozen in place, a simple compression test will tell you if theres a issue