Fuel Tank Drain Plug - Front or Back?

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

The guy I bought an M37 gas tank from sent me some pics of the tank (still in the truck). The drain plug is located at the back of the tank (near the pintle) and it's actually at the bottom of the vertical back side, not on the flat bottom of the tank. But all the tank pics I see in the manuals show the drain to be on the bottom of the fuel tank at the front of the tank by the differential.

So I'm wondering if the pics are real early pre-production in the manual or if there was a running change. Or maybe the tank was one made on Monday morning at 8:00am by someone who had a rough weekend.....and he had the bottom backwards when he crimped the two halves together?

thanks,
bob

[T. Highway]

Hi Bob,

My tank drain is located on the back of the tank near the pintle.

Bert

[captain kirk]

My drain plug is also at the back near the pintle.

[m-37Bruce]

Back side, bottom here too, left of the Pintel.

[vinnytruck]

w30bob, Vinnytruck here-my old tank position rear,on side, close to bottom, not bottom near pentle. VT

[WarrenD]

Bottom, back side behind the pintle.

[m37jarhead]

As you can see from all the posts above, no one has a drain plug on the bottom of the tank.
All are on the vertical end at the rear of the tank. Most of the M37's that I've seen also
have a valve or spigot on this drain hole. I understand later M37's did not.
It would be interesting to know which "manuels" you saw the pic's of the drain plug on the
bottom of the fuel tank. Can you supply TM numbers??? And page or paragraph numbers??
Or pics??
JB

[powerwagontim]

I believe the early trucks had both the drain plug on the bottom and the spigot at the rear. They eliminated the bottom drain plug at some point. The tank I removed from my 52 had both. The one I replaced it with only had the spigot.
Tim

[w30bob]

Hi JB,

I'm referring to manual TM9-840, T.O.19-97-AA-1, pg 166, Section 140, Figure 53 and especially pg 144, Section 111, Figure 39. Both show the drain on the bottom of the tank near the rear differential. Also in Section 67, Page 54, Figure 21 in the upper right pic you can see the back of the tank by the pintle and there is no drain shown.

regards,
bob

[Wayne64]

M37B1, rear of tank, left of center when facing towards front. Located on the bottom of the vertical. I fitted a ball valve, then a brass street ell facing the ground, then plugged. I use the trucks tank for my Gen-Set when the grid is down. I have also used that valve to take samples in order to check for water, I hate E10!

[m37jarhead]

Bob:
Thanks for the TM and the TO info. We'll all take a look.
JB

[NebM37]

Gentleman... Interesting thread. I have a 51 fairly early production 80006188 it has just the rear spigot mentioned. I have a 52 80027514 that had both the rear spigot and the drain plug in the bottom front of the tank. According to the "production changes" page here, in Dec 1952 starting with serial number 80042080 the fuel tank drain plug was discontinued. Both trucks are fairly unmolested, (one coat of original paint) examples. That said I am thinking my 51 must have had a replacement tank at one point.

Norm
who's 52 turned 60 today

[w30bob]

STOP THE PRESSES!!!

Hi Guys,

Yesterday I was talking to some of my buddies down at the garage and one of them found out I bought an M37. He said there was one in the woods on his neighbor's property but he didn't know if the neighbor wanted to sell it or what. But he took me down to take a look at and it's been in those woods for a LONG time. Anyway, I went back today to look at the gas tank and get the serial number. First, the SN is 80019914, which by the Registry makes it a 1951 model.

Now the fun part. The gas tank sure looks orignal and it has BOTH a drain plug on the FLAT BOTTOM at the front by the differntial AND a drain bung at the back on the vertical bottom that faces down on an angle. I'm guessing that's what you guys are calling a "spigot". So here's an early tank with both a drain on the bottom at the front AND a spigot in the rear. Go figure!! I've got to run, but I'll put some pics up in my gallery when I get back on Monday.

take care,
bob

[pwrwagonfire]

Interesting to read these responces!

I have both a drain plug, and a "drain cock" or spigot on my tank...the drain cock is at the rear under the pintle hitch, the drain plug the other end.

[w30bob]

Hi Guys,

At Aberdeen there were 5 or 6 M37s and I looked at each one's fuel tank. They all were the type with the single drain at the rear on an angle. Some had simple pipe fittings installed and others had actual "spigots" installed. The spigots were just like a radiator drain plug that you unscrew to let out the coolant at the bottom of the radiator.

So now I've seen two types of M37 tanks. The type in the '51 in the woods by my friend's house which had both a flat drain plug up by the differential and a drain bung at the rear on an angle (behind the pintle but closer to the driver's strap) and what most people have, which is a tank that only has a drain at rear by the pintle on an angle. Some install spigots in them and some use a pipe plug. I think we figured this one out.

thanks,
bob