Oil Bath Replacement on a Willys

The Old Willys Jeeps use an Oil Bath Air Filter Setup. Very common, most guys like it and stay with it. I for some reason am not a fan. But the alternatives have not been great.

I stumbled across this recently, and may give it a try.

WW2 Air Filter Conversion

I like the fact that it keeps the original look, while switching to a dry filter system. I may give this a shot.

Wakefield Willys Update 4.2

This update will be a surprise, as my last one mentioned getting started on body work. But I got sidetracked, in a big way.

Coolant has been leaking all winter and spring, and a few weeks ago I figure out the source. A gasket on top of the engine block above the thermostat.

Not a big deal, but the fix created more problems, and the simple fact was the cooling system was not doing it's job properly. After a change of a thermostat, and some good counsel from the Master Mechanic, the coolant system burbed up its last air bubble and is now running properly.

A major distraction from the body work, but now that it is settled, I feel a lot better.

The only progress on body work is that the top on the 1957 Willys is close to being removed.

Wakefield Willys Update 3.14

Well, just a quick simple update.

Engine
I fixed the exhaust leak, but that was not the end of the engine work as previous thought. The coolant system was not working right. The water pump was not coming on.

So we replaced the thermostat, and that did it. The engine continues to run smooth, and the coolant system is operating normally.

Electrical
Even though we installed the alternator, the wiring is not correct and it is not charging the battery. So I have a decision to make regarding the electrical system. Do I replace all the wiring at one time, or do it in small steps which could be tedious? Since I am wiped out with the front end project, I think I am going to see if I can get the wiring hooked up to charge the battery, and leave it at that for the moment.

Body Work
Picture shows the progress. Putting it slowly together. The reason for that is simple. We have had a few engine hiccups, and I have been getting busier with work. So eventually we will get the hardware on the hood, and attach the fenders. Picts will follow when it is all put together.

Hurricane Engine (2.0)

Here it is. The new and greatly improved Hurricane Engine. Everything replaced, plugs, hoses, lines, etc.... Alternator installed, and it sounds fantastic. Started up on the 2nd try (I had drained the gas line so it took a little to get it primed).

Other than a little smoke coming from the exhaust manifold, I think we have this bad boy all done.

Now for the rest of the front end body parts to be installed and we will have this front end restoration project done!

The fix is on!

Since this Willys was acquired over a year ago, it has leaked oil. And I know exactly where and why.

A great online article was found to explain how to fix the oil leak, and I am going to follow it's instructions and repair it in the next few days. This is an important achievement for me. If everything works out well, I will have the last of the major fixes repaired. And I think I understand it enough that I can do it with out the Master Mechanic. We will see.

Very very exciting. Keep a look out for the fix. It is coming.

Wakefield Willys Update 3.13

It has been a few weeks since I have put up an update. Not much to show, but work is being done.

Body Work
Pretty much done, I have put bondo in the seam on the repair job previously mentioned and am sanding so I can prime and paint. Fairly easy.

Engine Work
This is the focus of the work at the moment. The picture does not give it justice, but I can assure you a lot has been done.

Oil lines being replaced
Alternator being installed
New belt & hoses being replaced.
Radiator being cleaned, and prepped for compression test.

Basically anything that is rubber is being replaced, and all gas lines, oil lines, vacuum lines are being replaced as well. Can't wait to hear it running.

Wakefield Willys Update 3.3

Beautiful weekend in NH, did a little work on the Willys Jeep.

This weekend was more a strategic planning time, thinking through the future projects, what we will need, and how to do it.

Our goal is to fix up the whole front end of the Jeep. Body Parts, Engine, frame, etc.... The basic idea is to have the whole front end restored.

But that is a lot of little projects. The engine alone has at least a half a dozen little projects. New ignition system, new oil lines, install a PCV System, replace belts, spark plugs, ignition wires, exhaust manifold, etc...... And that is just the engine. Never mind the frame work and body work.

The point here is I need to really really really need to think this all through before I start removing and tearing down the front end.

The newest skill I am working on is welding. Practiced for the first time this weekend. I was nervous, but am anxious to keep trying. The Master Mechanic was a good coach and encourager.

Its Back......... Original Hurricane Engine

Over the weekend, the Master Mechanic was doing some online research in regards to our oil leak out of the crankcase. His research came across a service bulletin from 1960 on how to fix it. Very cool.

Unfortunately, our current engine does not have the fix, so we need to do something or it will leak oil indefinitely.

Fortunately, the Original Hurricane Engine out of the 1957 Willys had the fix. But it has been at Nashua Engine Rebuilders for the last 2 years, sitting in a corner collecting dust. I decided it was time to retrieve it and bring it home. Here it is, all disassembled.

I have no need of it at this time, that is the reason it has been collecting dust. But it does have some valuable components, and is an engine that can be rebuild. I just don't have $3800+ to do it. I will probably sell it do someone who does. But for now, it will be put in storage, and will use some of its parts to improve the Hurricane Engine that is in the 1960 Willys.

Wakefield Willys Update 2.6

From the previous post, you can see a before and after picture of the engine. I wish I had taken a better pict at the beginning. My mistake.

In the "before shot", we had a leaking carb, and everything was coated in PA mud. That is good for the frame, but not the engine.

Now, in the "after shot" we see the engine slowly getting cleaned up. This summer, I have cleaned the oil cap, air cleaner, carb and most recently the oil filter assembly.

Boy was that work! I am not anxious to do that again, it was like a jigsaw puzzle, and make sure you put it back in a certain order or you will find yourself repeating steps.

Quite the patience builder. Anyway, gave me a chance to change the oil, and get it ready for Winter. Looks good.

Engine Clean Up Before & After Picts

Wakefield Willys Update 2.1

It's running! I set out to rebuild and clean the carburetor, and change the oil this Saturday. Surprisingly, the rebuild and cleaning was easy.

Until I turned it over and saw that I caused a hairline crack in the fuel line reattaching it to the carb. I thought I had really blown it and we were in trouble. And to boot, I could not get the oil plug off. Very frustrating.

Alas, our tech expert showed up, with tools to get the oil plug off and a bender to put in a new fuel line. After a few minutes we had it running! Who Hoo!

So after changing the oil, replacing a fuel line and rebuilding a carb, the Willys was running without any trouble.

Very very very good day

Weekend Plans

Hope to rebuild the carb, and change the oil. Hopefully simple projects that can ensure this Willys Project keeps running! Watched this video on youtube, read some articles and talked with our tech expert and think we are ready.

Ordered parts through www.4wd.com. They have a great vintage section. Looking forward to the weekend!

Wakefield Willy Update 1.1

We have ignored the Willys for the past few weeks, the last couple of weekends have been busy. But today we had time to do some work on our project.

Pretty simple, but dirty.

We cleaned engine parts....

Crankshaft
Flywheels
Cylinders
Head Gaskets
Oil Pan (by far the worse in the group)
and many many more random parts.

It took a few hours, but the results look promising. Hopefully this coming week we will take the parts we have cleaned down to the machine shop where the engine block is located. Boy am I dirty!

Powerplant => F4 Hurricane

Not the best picture, but at least it shows what we are starting with. Let me introduce you to the future power plant of our Willys Jeep. The famous F4-134 Hurricane.

This is the replacement of the more famous WW2 Go-Devil Engine. It came out right before the introduction of the CJ5.

It is a great engine and we are looking forward to hearing it roar to life in a few years. It currently is at a machine shop in Nashua and it is being checked out to see if it indeed can be rebuilt. I hope it can, or I am out of an engine! We do have a spare engine, but it is a Go-Devil and we want to stay with the more accurate engine. We will find out hopefully sometime soon.