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Living In Knoxville, one must be in tune with our little football program.. For years the vols, have had a group of fans that attend football games via the Tennessee River, mostly well to do folks, that dress up in dress trousers, sport coats and evening gowns.. Over the years they have acquired the nickname, "Vol Navy".. Well, I decided to take a different approach. Friday night, we (my wife and i) were packing up our coolers and snacks getting ready for a little tailgate deal with some friends. When it hit me, Hell, i said.. babe we are going to take the m37.. She loves it. and thought it would be a great idea as well. I just happen to have two pair of WWII m-1944 tanker goggles. Windows down, Windshield up, back canvas zipped up. Right down I 40 we went.. Huge hit!!! We got more honks, and waves than ever before. You Know this truck makes me proud, it make me proud to be an American, a Tennessean, a Volunteer, and so much more. What a great weekend. So if you ever here of the "Vol Army" you know who started it..
M.D. From Tennessee

Ok, I know that this truck is sixty years old and you have to take it a little easy on them. I have found out the the governor kicks in at 55mph. I had never taken the m37 on the interstate before Saturday, and was anxious to see how this all original, no rebuild would do at 50 mph for about twenty miles.. Man it sounded great. gauges all read perfect. steering, felt great. i was running her, just short of wide open. Do i risk blowing it up, dropping a valve. i know there is always a risk, but how big of one.. Anything i should look for, that would tell me to back off, any warning. I swear, i'm not ignorant, if it sounded like i was going to blow it up, i would have never stayed at 50mph for twent miles. Is this to much for this truck..

My experience tells me that about 45 is the safe range. Much higher for any extended period of time invites disaster.....
Gary

I Have A 1952 M 37 , Motor Is Sound & Hardy But Don't Have The Nerve To Push Her Past 45 MPH At That Point She Is Screaming , I'L Stay That Way For A Short Time And Then Bring Her Back Down To A Working Loud Perr Just To Let It Tell Everbody Yes I Got Old School POWER ! , The Young Kids Always Say What Is That Thing Thats Cool.

Everyone that I know who knows anytyhing about these old trucks say to run them no higher than about 45mph, 50 maybe for short periods, anything higher, and as was already mentioned, you run the risk of disaster.

My truck's engine is also unrebuilt. It runs fine now so I'm not risking it over 45. I've had mine to about 48-49 once or twice just to see what it was like, and it sounded like the engine was going to launch itself through the hood, so I backed off.

Montanaorbust wrote:Living In Knoxville, one must be in tune with our little football program.. For years the vols, have had a group of fans that attend football games via the Tennessee River, mostly well to do folks, that dress up in dress trousers, sport coats and evening gowns.. Over the years they have acquired the nickname, "Vol Navy".. Well, I decided to take a different approach. Friday night, we (my wife and i) were packing up our coolers and snacks getting ready for a little tailgate deal with some friends. When it hit me, Hell, i said.. babe we are going to take the m37.. She loves it. and thought it would be a great idea as well. I just happen to have two pair of WWII m-1944 tanker goggles. Windows down, Windshield up, back canvas zipped up. Right down I 40 we went.. Huge hit!!! We got more honks, and waves than ever before. You Know this truck makes me proud, it make me proud to be an American, a Tennessean, a Volunteer, and so much more. What a great weekend. So if you ever here of the "Vol Army" you know who started it..

Well I lived in Knoxville for a year and sorry to tell you but there was a group that went to the games in a Brittish Sarceran and a M-211. Last time I had seen both vehicles, one was at the hummer dealership off I-40 and the M211 was farther east at the plaza where the Sonny's BBQ is. They did go by the VOL Army so your not the 1st.

Jeff
Proud Green Mountain Yankee

vtdeucedriver wrote:

Montanaorbust wrote:Living In Knoxville, one must be in tune with our little football program.. For years the vols, have had a group of fans that attend football games via the Tennessee River, mostly well to do folks, that dress up in dress trousers, sport coats and evening gowns.. Over the years they have acquired the nickname, "Vol Navy".. Well, I decided to take a different approach. Friday night, we (my wife and i) were packing up our coolers and snacks getting ready for a little tailgate deal with some friends. When it hit me, Hell, i said.. babe we are going to take the m37.. She loves it. and thought it would be a great idea as well. I just happen to have two pair of WWII m-1944 tanker goggles. Windows down, Windshield up, back canvas zipped up. Right down I 40 we went.. Huge hit!!! We got more honks, and waves than ever before. You Know this truck makes me proud, it make me proud to be an American, a Tennessean, a Volunteer, and so much more. What a great weekend. So if you ever here of the "Vol Army" you know who started it..

Well I lived in Knoxville for a year and sorry to tell you but there was a group that went to the games in a Brittish Sarceran and a M-211. Last time I had seen both vehicles, one was at the hummer dealership off I-40 and the M211 was farther east at the plaza where the Sonny's BBQ is. They did go by the VOL Army so your not the 1st.

Jeff
Proud Green Mountain Yankee

Thanks for sharing that with us Jeff...OK men.. I apologize..However, your statements do not fade the glory of our ride.. And those guys, suck. there trucks are used for sales, marketing and propaganda.

That they were, both were painted black and orange. The only one I got to see upclose was the M211 and it was no prize thats for sure. There are some guys that are local to you with some MV's. One also has a M37. He has lately been going to the Maryville mall on friday nights for the carshow.

Hey, be careful with that thing on the ALCOA highway, that road is insane!! Was bad enough for me to cross it to get to work and I was in my M151!

the offset main bearings and relatively low oil pressure does not like the high RPM... And by high, I mean anything over about 2800. Anything over that begins to shorten the life of the engine. Mine was a great runner, with 489 gears when it was "stock" and it only put up with me running it wide open for about 10K miles before it launched a rod through the block.

2800 rpm? I think thats a wee bit on the low side.I know the 230 flat heads are long stroke engines that don't like high rpm's but give me a break 2800 rpm? Its not a deisel.I rarely take my truck over 40-45mph.

Josh wrote:the offset main bearings and relatively low oil pressure does not like the high RPM... And by high, I mean anything over about 2800. Anything over that begins to shorten the life of the engine. Mine was a great runner, with 489 gears when it was "stock" and it only put up with me running it wide open for about 10K miles before it launched a rod through the block.

josh: I really hear what your saying, you and everyone else... Also, great way of explaining your opinion.. 10k miles, thats a lot of hours of hard sevice. Is there any gas engine that you can run wide open for some 2000 odd hours, without blowing it up. I'm just running some different engines through my head ;boat motor, 2 or 4 stroke, i would be superized.. lawn mower, no way.. I had a old gas job bobcat, it never got 2000 hours without some sort of a rebuilt. How about old 8n farm tractor.. I understand that these engines have not much to do with relivante issue here, but i supose what i'm slowly getting to, is that i would be ok with get 10k miles of hard sevice on a build. Thats a lot of m driving for me, we are talking years. Not saying, i wouldnt like to get 20k or more.. So maybe i will trade some of those rpms for miles down the road..

Montanaorbust wrote:

Josh wrote:the offset main bearings and relatively low oil pressure does not like the high RPM... And by high, I mean anything over about 2800. Anything over that begins to shorten the life of the engine. Mine was a great runner, with 489 gears when it was "stock" and it only put up with me running it wide open for about 10K miles before it launched a rod through the block.

josh: I really hear what your saying, you and everyone else... Also, great way of explaining your opinion.. 10k miles, thats a lot of hours of hard sevice. Is there any gas engine that you can run wide open for some 2000 odd hours, without blowing it up. I'm just running some different engines through my head ;boat motor, 2 or 4 stroke, i would be superized.. lawn mower, no way.. I had a old gas job bobcat, it never got 2000 hours without some sort of a rebuilt. How about old 8n farm tractor.. I understand that these engines have not much to do with relivante issue here, but i supose what i'm slowly getting to, is that i would be ok with get 10k miles of hard sevice on a build. Thats a lot of m driving for me, we are talking years. Not saying, i wouldnt like to get 20k or more.. So maybe i will trade some of those rpms for miles down the road..

I dont know what i was thinking, my bad on the math. I got to thinking about it. i quess that changes things. Because I really hope i get more than 200 some odd hours, before a rebuild.. Josh I think im going to slow down a bit. except for knocking it up in to georgia overdrive every now and them..

"Georgia Overdrive" (coasting in neutral) is never a good idea, but it's a particularly bad idea with an M37. If you got into a "situation," you'd be hard pressed to get it under control. You'd have a hard time getting the transmission back in gear and you could easily over-run your brakes. A runaway truck is not a fun ride!

Montana,

I hear ya on the RPM thing. It's hard to believe, but, this engine simply doesnt like RPMs. It makes all its power below 2K RPM... It is a diesel, it just doesnt run on it If it wasnt for the offset rod bearings combined with the nearly 5" stroke, generating lots of uneven thrust on the bearings, you could rev it much higher... Well, at least until you got a misfire from the speed, which would try to spin the crank backwards, and snap it because it no longer has offset rod bearings to keep misfires turning in the right direction... That's the point of them...

As far as 2K hours under full load, thats easy... go buy a Kohler engine ( I work there). Our "Big Block" Command Pro engines make 38 HP and will deliver that under full load for 3K hours no problem. the only thing that won't make it is the muffler. Rest of the engine is good to go for 3K.

oh, and, for those that scoff at 2800 RPM, do the math, thats about 46-47 MPH... Right on target for those of you that say more than 45MPH is too fast...