CCKW activity

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motto
Technical Sergeant
Technical Sergeant
Posts: 1037
Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2010 2:25 am
My garage: Harley Davidson 42WLA, Dodge WC63, Dodge WC57, Chevrolet 1-1/2 ton 4x4. Originally an Earth Borer, Pole Setter. Drilling rig gone and truck now mounts a #7 Set Lifting Frame. i.e.: Light Wrecker.
Location: 70km from Melbourne Australia

CCKW activity

Post by motto »

A friend recently got his CCKW353 up and running for the first time since he has owned it. When he acquired it some years ago it had a V8 engine and auto transmission installed. I supplied him a 270 engine that I purchased from a scrap metal dealer who had bought it in a farm clearing sale. To say that it was a 'pig in a poke' would be an understatement.

On investigation he found that some of the valve rockers were seized on the shaft. This was apparently why the engine was taken out of service. The reason for the seizures was also apparent, the rocker shaft assembly had been incorrectly put together and only half the rockers were getting any lubrication.

As NOS cylinder heads (of French manufacture) were available at a reasonable price one of these was purchased and installed. It came complete with valves. The rest of the engine checked out ok and it sounded nice with excellent oil pressure. All was looking good.

Setting off from home on a 300 mile round trip for its first club outing with some trepidation my buddy was beginning to relax into the drive when 20 or so miles from home the engine suddenly stated to run very badly. It took a little while to locate the source of the problem, a broken valve spring. Limping back home the spring was replaced and the journey recommenced. All went well until about 100 miles from home when another valve spring failed. He limped on for another twenty or so miles hoping to reach his destination when another spring failed and he could go no further. The Jimmy finished the journey on the back of a semi-trailer.

The two broken springs were replaced in camp but the engine had developed a noise that was a bit worrying so in the end the truck returned home on the semi. Back home the noise turned out to be ANOTHER broken valve spring.

The cylinder head was removed to inspect the pistons and bores and no damage was found. I supplied a new set of springs in T17E1 packets (Staghound) to replace all 12. During the spring change a valve modification was found that had not been noticed before. All valves had a small groove machined in the shank a little above the guide that had a fine wire cir clip installed in it. These were what had stopped the valves dropping into the cylinders when the retainers had jumped off.

What I would like to know is, was the cir clip mod something that is peculiar to the French production or was it a very late GMC modification. In either case it sure saved the day.

David
motto
Technical Sergeant
Technical Sergeant
Posts: 1037
Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2010 2:25 am
My garage: Harley Davidson 42WLA, Dodge WC63, Dodge WC57, Chevrolet 1-1/2 ton 4x4. Originally an Earth Borer, Pole Setter. Drilling rig gone and truck now mounts a #7 Set Lifting Frame. i.e.: Light Wrecker.
Location: 70km from Melbourne Australia

Re: CCKW activity

Post by motto »

The weekend just gone was an occasion for a camp out and a bit of off-roading for a number of us with our ex-military vehicles here in Victoria, Australia. I took along my Dodge WC63 and my buddy took the above mentioned CCKW. With several other vehicles including J**Ps and a Hummer we tackled a series of climbs culminating in a section of track that only the Hummer negotiated without assistance. The Dodge almost made it and the CCKW performed equally as well.

Prior to the weekend events I had given a hand to set the tappet clearances which we had done with the engine hot and running as my father had always done them with this type of engine. Along with the use of a timing light we got the engine performing very nicely and it ran beautifully the whole time. The designers and builders got it right, when everything is as it should be, they are just a joy to be around.

David
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