Well I have a habit of trying to pick up the proper tools for the job so recently I purchased the following...
1- Generator Test Adapter
1- Regulator Test Adapter
1- Ignition Test Adapter looks like it's for a Packard Connection #7540895
1- Timing Adapter
Anything missing that I need to track down...
I also picked up this Automotive meter from Harbor Freight... has an RPM function on it...
I had an old analog one years ago this one is kinda nice has it's own case and does a few more functions than my old one...
Found my Timing light and I am aware that I'll also need a vacuum gauge any recommendations...?
Where can a spanner wrench be had for removing the water tight electrical connections if need be...?
IF you have stock ignition system, where are you going to attach the tachometer? They're supposed to be connected between the points and the coil but since the coil is INSIDE to stock distributor there's no place to make the connection.
If I'm wrong I'm sure I'll get corrected here but I believe what you would do is put the ignition timing adapter running from your number one plug wire to the sparkplug and then attach the load sensing lead from the Automotive meter to the wire that runs in between the two connections of the adapter... The figure that the Automotive meter spits out is then multiplied by 6 and that would give you your RPM...
You could actually put the timing adapter connect it to any of the spark plugs inline but installing it on number plug would be most efficient since it's all apart of the adjustment and timing of the vehicle...
Have all of those adapters except for the one that has the Thick yellow line any idea where I can pick that one up at... I'll have to print out those directions too... Thanks Wes...
If I'm wrong I'm sure I'll get corrected here but I believe what you would do is put the ignition timing adapter running from your number one plug wire to the sparkplug and then attach the load sensing lead from the Automotive meter to the wire that runs in between the two connections of the adapter... The figure that the Automotive meter spits out is then multiplied by 6 and that would give you your RPM...
You could actually put the timing adapter connect it to any of the spark plugs inline but installing it on number plug would be most efficient since it's all apart of the adjustment and timing of the vehicle...
It sounds good anyway right...
Close but your math is faulty. You have to divide by six since their are six cylinders. Then you have to multiply by two since it's a four cycle engine and each cylinder fires only once per two revolutions. It's a normal electrical meter it reads in Pulses or Cycles Per Second so you also have to multiply by 60 to convert PPS to RPM since they are sixty seconds per minute. However most automotive tachometers have switches to set the number of cylinders and select either 2 or 4 cycles so they do the math for you. I haven't seen a meter that inductively picks up RPM from a spark plug lead. OTOH I haven't bought a new automotive tach for over thirty years!! Is that what the HF meter does or does it use the probes to connect directly to the point side of the coil? I looked the meter up on the HF on-line store but there's no description. I went HF today and was thinking of buying one if that's how they worked but they didn't have any in stock.
I didn't realize that the distributor had port where you could connect directly to the points side of the coil ! Is that shown in ANY of the TMs? I haven't see it in any of mine including the TM for the Autolite ditributor and other items. I looked for my spare distributor today to check for it but I put the thing away where it would be safe and now I can't find it! :-/
Thanks Wes. I reread TM 1825 last night and found that one line at the bottom of page 247 but no other references to the kit! Not even in the references. Which really surprised me. Also no pictures of the kit or any of the adapters.
BTW does your kits say when it was built or by whom? I've seen a similar kit that has clips to hold everything in place. It was made by Allen and their model number is 30-52 and it was procured under a 1967 contract and the kit has the same FSN.
While we're on the subject of distributors, has anyone installed a vacuum advance type distributor and if so how did it affect your driveability and mileage? VA distributors are supposed to deliver better mileage and driveability because you can advance the timing for more power and economy and the VA will retard the timing under load or heavy acceleration to prevent pinging.
Two things to keep in mind when trying to guess why things were done as they were in those manuals years ago.
1-Those kits were a standard issue tool item in every Army shop.
2-The TM 9-1825B was written for the trained Army mechanic and they only listed special tools in the TM's.
If you get your self a Low Voltage Test Set it will come with instructions that include the use of the adapters. These low voltage test sets were also common issue items in every motor pool. The adapter test lead sets also came with instructions how to use the adpaters like the instruction set I posted above.
The enlisted MOS 63XXX series Training courses covered the use of the test set and the adapter set in great detail. By the time each of these young freshly trained mechanics hit their assigned motor pools they were extremely familiar with these standard tool and test sets. The Army had no reason to repeat those instructions in every vehicle or component specific manual.
Remember that the introduction of M Series in 1948 was primarily to standardize all tactical vehicles. Same wire numbers, same parts, same test equipment and same tools. With all vehicles set up to utilize exactly the same test sets and adapters there was no need to cover the use of those test sets and adapters in every Willys, Dodge, GMC, White, Studabaker, Ford, Auto-Lite, Delco, Bendix and etc manuals.
If you read TM 9-8030 carefully you will see several entries that refer to the necessary adapter from this kit by each adapter's part number and they usually illustrate it being used on the component. IE timing light adapter is mentioned on page 184 and ID'd by PN 17-A-2967-50 and it's installation is illustrated on page 185 fig 94. Also the Test set and adapter kit are explained and illustrated completely on pages 89, 90 &91. Keep in mind this is an Operator's and Organizational Maintenance manual and usually will not address tasks not allowed at the organizational level of maintenance. No single Army manual for the M37 was ever intended to be a single source for all the maintenance operations that can be performed on the M37. It will take folks awhile to get used to the Army's manual system and learn which manual contains which answers. The more you use these manuals the quicker you become familiar with them.
Last edited by cuz on Sun Jun 06, 2010 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Might be a good idea to package them in a pdf and post them in a library on the board someplace... I see adapters for sale but most of the time no instructions... Now I just gotta find that one last adapter...
Hey Joe... I has the switch on it for 4-6-8 cylinders it also has dwell for 4-6-8 cylinders I'll scan the direction sheet tomorrow morning if your interested... when I downloaded there manual off of there website the one part I didn't see included was the info for the tachometer part of the unit so I opened it in the store before I bought something I couldn't use... I had one unit which would be similar to your directions but someone with sticky fingers ran off with it... I think this unit does most of the conversion for you...
Oddjob wrote:Hey Joe... I has the switch on it for 4-6-8 cylinders it also has dwell for 4-6-8 cylinders I'll scan the direction sheet tomorrow morning if your interested...... I think this unit does most of the conversion for you...
It probably does. Most meters designed for automotive use do. But I'd like to see the instructions. I'm particularly curious about finding out if it's an inductive pickup or needs a direct connection. IIRC HF has them on sale right now so this is the time to buy one!
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