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Greetings All, I broke my engine, heard a clumping noise, then it stalled out, tried to turn it back on and it won't turn. Looks like I'm gonna have to take it apart, never done this before, how hard will it be? If you've done this before and you have pics, I'd love to see them.

Send pictures to alber514@aol.com

Sorry to hear about your engine going out. That is one of lifes bummers !! Well the good news is getting the old engine out is not hard you can remove the fenders and grill as one unit and then pull the engine trans and radiator as one unit also.

gunny wrote:I'm gonna have to take it apart, never done this before, how hard will it be?

Gunny, You have never done a M37 engine R&R, or a automotive piston engine period? That will affect my answer

Well....there's a first time for everything, and Gunny seems to have been lucky so far. Now, the education begins!

From his description, I'm inclined to think "thrown rod." I could be mistaken, of course. Cams and crankshafts have been known to let go with similar sounding symptoms. We won't know until his "schooling" begins.

Good luck, Gunny! These trucks really aren't that hard to work on. Big and bulky, yes. Lots of heavy cast-iron parts, yes. High-tech knowledge required, heck no! They're about as uncomplicated as an engine can get and still run.

Let us know how it goes and what you find. I'll try to stay alive long enough to add some snarky comments, even.

Dave has made a good point. Before you can answer the original question honestly and accurately you need to know just what level of expertise Gunny has, what shop tools he has and what shop facility he has at his disposal. Then an accurate reply tailored to his exact situation can be offered. Any of us who have done this before or are professional mechanics can blurt out " simple, piece of cake", and etc but just how simple will not be clear to Gunny until we qualify the term simple based on Gunny's qualifications.

Lifer wrote:Well....there's a first time for everything, and Gunny seems to have been lucky so far. Now, the education begins!

From his description, I'm inclined to think "thrown rod." I could be mistaken, of course. Cams and crankshafts have been known to let go with similar sounding symptoms. We won't know until his "schooling" begins.

Good luck, Gunny! These trucks really aren't that hard to work on. Big and bulky, yes. Lots of heavy cast-iron parts, yes. High-tech knowledge required, heck no! They're about as uncomplicated as an engine can get and still run.

Let us know how it goes and what you find. I'll try to stay alive long enough to add some snarky comments, even.

Snarky comments Lifer ?, thats not like you

I have never taken an engine apart before, I have replaced the clutch on the M-37 though, so I'm not afarid of getting my hands dirty. I live in southern Cali, so I figure if I screw it up more, I can take it to a shop. As for as tools, I have access to pretty much anything I need (I gots friends)......

You gots friends, the friends gots tools, all you gotta do is provide plenty of beer!

(Is that snarky enough, Stu?)

Good morning.
I had my engine out and apart last spring due to a rod knock. As stated above, these are simple engines, but you will need the specs to put it back together. I pulled my engine/trans by removing the floor boards grill and radiator, did not remove the fenders, was not bad at all. Got all my replacement parts from John at midwest mil,. great to deal with . GOOD LUCK
BOB

Gunny,
That being said, I would start by pulling your oil pan and see what is going on. Are you out to do a zero-time overhaul or just get it back on the road? If your crank is trashed it may be easier to procure a donor engine to rebuild then just swap?
Find one of your friends who has done engines to mentor you. You will need to learn to read dial indicators, set torques and tolerences, use plastigage ect. These are basic engines but have their unique properties. There are things learned by years of engine assembly that come from experience, the feel of a fit of a wristpin or how a piston slides in a new bore. What points to measure on a cylinder or crank journal ect...
There is plenty of help here. Weigh your options and take your time. Enjoy you rexploratory surgery!

Lifer wrote:You gots friends, the friends gots tools, all you gotta do is provide plenty of beer!

(Is that snarky enough, Stu?)

Thats ma boy Lifer !

Gunny, take anything apart yet?