Moses Ludel

Very interesting part of Manitoba. Far, far north for climate, just subarctic. You need a project, and this one will do, for those long winters! In the Far West of the U.S., there are many wonderful living spaces, some that my wife and I characterize as "nine months of winter and three months of paradise..." Lynn Lake might fit that description.

Beautiful country aside from the burn! Wow, the fire burned to the fringe of town. Glad you're all okay...How far North are you in Canada? Looks wet. That can be deceiving when the temps are as high as you describe. We lived for years at the Pacific Northwest, looked "green" even in the worst drought years.

You're lucky to have rain, 1ajs...We're east of Reno, Nevada, in the greater Lake Tahoe Area where the drought persists. Fall is coming, maybe some relief and an end to the disastrous Northern California fires...Fingers crossed, we've had enough smoke. Moses

Mark...I would drill carefully through the center of the hex with grease on the drill bit to catch filings from the drilling. Use a shop vacuum as you go. You want to prevent filings from getting into the differential. That's the biggest concern. A 3/8" hole would be plenty for a 1/2-inch NPT plug. This may require two drill sizes (1/4" and 3/8") to do properly. Stay on center to avoid damaging the axle housing threads. Do not break a drill bit in the plug. Take your time here. The plug material should not be exceptionally hard. You know that already from how easily the hex rounded out. If you drill through the plug, it will be stress relieved. A partial hole will put more stress on the extractor. Use a screw extractor of the spiral type with a left-hand twist. (See generic pic below.) Be very careful not to break the extractor, don't use a cheap one...The extractor is hard steel and not easy to drill. It will not take extraordinary force to get the plug to turn, this is a tapered NPT. As soon as it "breaks loose", you should be on your way. Send us some pics of your success story...The rounding of the hex in these plugs is not uncommon. The design was poor, likely the reason for the change to a male square head NPT plug. Traditional fill plugs, which incidentally this is the inspection/fill plug and not the drain, are square male. The drain method for this axle is to loosen and remove the differential cover. You then install the cleaned cover with a bead of fresh RTV sealant and fill the fresh oil through the plug hole where you are now making the repair. With the axle level, the gear lube fill is to the bottom of the fill plug hole/threads. Moses

Mark, that happens...Do you mean the forward facing plug on the yoke side of the rear axle? The original OEM part number is: J4004751 PLUG. This is a standard NPT tapered thread. You can replace the original plug with a common NPT plug of the correct size. You have the option of female square drive or male square drive. Zinc plated NPT plugs like this are common for engine block oil galleries. Hardware stores also carry common cast NPT plugs. Make sure the plug depth does not interfere with anything inside the differential. Here's an example of the part with the current superseded part number. The Mopar plug is now male square head. Any Jeep or Mopar dealer can access the part: https://www.moparpartsgiant.com/parts/mopar-plug-differential-cover~j4004751.html Crown sells a plug but refers to it as a differential cover plug. This may be the correct plug and just misnamed. It has a female square drive: https://www.crownautomotive.net/CJ-Rear-Axle-20-Parts.html [scroll to bottom of parts listing] Trust this helps. See whether this information is correct for your application. Moses

Stout...Trying not to avoid your direct question, I would emphasize that the I-H trucks of that period were ordered ala carte, each vehicle's Line Set Ticket unique and looking much like an order sheet—because it was. If you have the original or duplicate Line Ticket for the truck, the document often indicates the shipping weight or FOB weight. This is very close to actual curb weight. Line Set Ticket (LST) duplicates are available at: https://www.ihpartsamerica.com/store/LST.html As a broad guess, I would characterize the curb weight of a 3/4-ton regular cab 4x4 with "8-foot Bonus Bed" at somewhere between 6,200 and 6,800 pounds. I could be off. Options would tip the scale. I managed to find this spec sheet/ad for the lineup of 1972 I-H pickups. 4x4 ("All-Wheel Drive") is footnoted in fine print as "available". Specs for a 4x4 are not listed, and the key would be the weight capacity for the live front axle. Traditionally, if you use the gross vehicle weight range (GVWR) as a yardstick, for a 3/4-ton capacity truck, you subtract 1,500 pounds from that GVWR figure to determine the approximate curb weight. The base or "Standard" 1210 rates 6,300 pounds, which would put the 2WD base model at 4,800 pounds curb weight with its 2WD beam front axle. The Optional 7,500 and 8,200 pound GVWR would be more like a 4x4. Here's the link for some general information on these 1972 models: https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/ihc/id/35533 Unless this question is about a potential vehicle or project that you have in mind, if you have access to the truck, run it over truck scales at a truck stop. The scales are very accurate and will provide the front axle weight versus the rear axle weight. If you plan to actually use the truck, the bed load or a camper needs to match up with the vehicle's axle ratings and the weight distribution front and rear. If you can get the vehicle to a truck scale, remove all excess items, run the truck low on fuel, and get out of the truck during the weight tally. When you have firm axle weights and the total (curb weight), please share the details with us. Let us know the Line Set Ticket features for the truck. Others can benefit from your findings. Moses

You know where you stand and can make goals for the truck. As a starter, it does have a unique body. You have several options for which way to go...

You're welcome, cannonball, glad you found another AX15. When you do tear down the current transmission, I would like to know what you find...If you can restore the transmission without great cost, you would have a spare unit. Considering the condition and noise, you made a wise choice to move on. Moses

1ajs...What year is this vehicle? Have you found the I.D. plate yet? The brake master cylinder is 1960-62 GM truck style, so I'm guessing this vehicle is in that year range or so. I-H outsourced parts and likely picked this style brake/clutch master cylinder from GM/Delco-Moraine. Is only one pipe coming out of the master cylinder? That would be brakes only. Two pipes would feed a clutch slave and the brakes. Was one port blocked off? This is a tandem master cylinder but not a "dual" braking system. The brake side is single port without a safety backup. Dual braking systems did not show up until 1967. The engine is not an I-H V-8. It looks like a Chrysler B-series wedge head V-8 (361, 383 or 440) used in Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth cars. The "380" could have been a reference to the Chrysler 383, that's possibly what this engine is. The carburetor looks like an Edelbrock? Original would be an AFB Carter that is similar in appearance to the Edelbrock. That automatic transmission could be a Chrysler 727 Torqueflite, which would be common with a 383 V-8 from 1962-up. Look at I.D. information on the transmission. The case will be aluminum and one piece all the way to the engine block if 1962-up origins. 1959-61 Chrysler product cars had an iron "TorqueFlite". Sounds like someone wanted to build a modified 2WD truck. The transfer case is "missing". Engine/transmission is from a 2WD vehicle if the transmission has a long tailhousing and accepts a driveshaft coupler (no mate-up for a transfer case). A 2WD driveshaft coupler would slide into the long tailhousing. The rear axle is stock Dana/Spicer, likely a 60 in an S-120. You can confirm the casting number at center section of the rear axle housing or measure the diff cover gasket size. The free-wheeling front hubs are part of a 4WD front axle. If original, the front axle should be a Dana/Spicer 44. You can confirm this on the axle housing casting. I-H has its own nomenclature for axles (FA15 at the front or something similar), but the manufacturer of the front and rear axles will be Dana/Spicer. If you do plan to restore this truck to "original", you will be looking for an I-H engine (an inline six or the 304, 345 or 392 I-H V-8s). I believe you will find that the truck originally had a clutch pedal (look under the dash near the brake pedal) that used a hydraulic line from the tandem master cylinder to the clutch linkage. The transmission was likely an I-H version of the T98 Borg Warner or a similar 4-speed truck manual transmission. You would need to find the right transfer case for the transmission and the truck chassis. Drivelines would be needed. If you'd like to take more pictures, I'll help identify what is there now and the origins. So far, it looks like you have a modified truck, converted from 4WD to 2WD if the transmission is a 727 from a 2WD passenger car. Follow up on the transmission, that will tell us what they were trying to create here. Look at the engine front mounts, there should be signs of fabricated/welded frame brackets to support the Chrysler swap engine. Moses

A bottom side view of the engine/transmission and the transfer case would be useful...axles, too. If you can get under the hood, yippee, we'll see which engine lurks there.

There are many sites online and forums for I-H, too. I've surfed them and found useful and historic information. Here are some sites for taking you up the I-H learning curve. Just a start, there's an enthusiastic I-H community, especially around the Scout II. These are pickup resources, there are many more: https://thebinderboneyard.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_International_(brand)_trucks http://www.scoutlightline.com/ No clutch pedal? Can't see the shift lever or levers, so not clear what's in the powertrain. Most military models were manual transmission with a two-speed transfer case. In Neutral of the transfer case, you can move the truck without an issue. No electric anything. This is the sixties. Steering is likely manual type. When you can take more photos, close-up details of the axles, wheel hubs, transfer case, transmission, steering gear, engine, etc., it will be easier to identify what you have. Engines in military models were typically six-cylinder in-lines. You'll know more when you get the hood open and some I.D. plate information. There are I.D. tags on axles, the transfer case and transmission. The vehicle I.D. includes engine information. Moses

Worth a case of beer...Curious about the engine, transmission, transfer case and axles. What year is the chassis?

1ajs...This is a rare find in my view. I think the truck is well worth your time and effort, and yes, it's an unusual body style and chassis. The dash bezel looks correct and should match up. The truck is intact enough to reduce searching endlessly for pieces. Looks period correct. Despite the obvious lack of appreciation shown the machine, Manitoba was apparently a forgiving climate, dry enough to leave the truck reasonably intact. We're among a dedicated contingent of I-H fans. Keep us posted on this truck project. I'm very curious where it leads...and how you approach it. Share more details as information and visuals unfold. Moses

1ajs...Looking forward to your photos. Engine, chassis, axles, etc., would be helpful for identifying parts...Interesting project! Unusual cab and likely a base engine and chassis if Navy. I worked on a fleet of military surplus trucks in the late sixties that included a mix of 1949 through fifties GM, Ford and I-H vehicles. The two "newer" vehicles in the fleet were a 1960 Chevrolet C10 and a 1960 Metro Van. All of these former military vehicles had "standard equipment", though the Metro Vans did have B-W automatic transmissions. Good memories! Moses

Bruce Kit...Codes are always helpful, a place to start...I am a strong advocate of using FSMs. They are a good investment and sometimes available in affordable CD format at eBay. An FSM would not only share information on retrieving codes, it would be your guide for any mechanical work... Moses

cannonball...Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings. As for a solution, there are AX15 transmission parts available in the Jeep aftermarket if you want to repair your transmission. It needs some major parts, which can be confirmed after teardown. Advance Adapters is a direct dealer for Aisin and sells brand new factory-built AX15 units. The prototype application is 4WD 1997-2000 TJ Wrangler. I checked Mopar parts listings to see whether the 4WD output shaft interchanges with the 2WD output shaft: The part numbers are different. The 4WD transmission will not work for your application, even if you could swap the tailhousings. The output shafts are not the same. The NV3500 transmission was transitioned into the parts line-up to replace the AX15 in Jeep models (as the NV3550) and Dakota pickups (NV3500). Mopar listings show both Aisin and NV transmissions available in late nineties Dakota (AN) trucks. You might be able to broaden your used transmission search with an NV3500. GM also used the NV3500 in the S-trucks, though you would need to confirm input splines, bellhousing fit, output splines and such. The NV3500 is out of production, so parts for that transmission are less likely to be available than for an AX15. Of course, a used AX15 transmission may be available. The caution here is that we're talking about a twenty-plus year old donor transmission with high mileage. That's a gamble. Not sure what your budget and time can afford. These transmissions are great when in good operating condition. Although yours has suffered wear/damage, rebuilding the unit might be cost effective. You won't know until teardown. I have part numbers for Mopar replacement parts. Moses

cannonball...Thanks for the YouTube graphic...You have severely damaged parts in this AX15. My AX15 transmission rebuild rental at Vimeo-On-Demand is popular and an asset for the work you're about to undertake. The prototype in the video is a 4x4 application, but the steps for disassembly and assembly will apply to your 2WD transmission. Sequencing of steps during the disassembly and assembly is crucial. Here's the trailer for the how-to rental video. The actual rental is one-hour and 34 minutes long at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/ax15rebuild...You can decide whether to rent the video or go this on your own. I suggest having a factory service manual or equivalent available whether you rent the video or not. The AX15 is a busy transmission:

B Rad...Photos help. See my comments in red below... Not a fan of open face air cleaners on any 4x4 used for stream crossing. A bow-wave will not prevent water from sucking through the radiator or sloshing into and through that air cleaner, causing hydrolock. Edelbrock makes quality products—for the street. Moses

Den1707...The purpose of the EGR is primarily to reduce NOx, not CO or HC. If the EGR is stuck open at an idle, however, that could impact your CO readings. The O2 sensor and fuel trim can be read if you have a scanner. Other possibilities: a clogged exhaust (cat or muffler) or a dead cat. If you have a simple infrared non-contact thermometer, read the catalytic converter from front to rear. (A Flir thermal image works even better here.) See if there are cold areas, indicating a clogged catalytic converter. Check the muffler for clogging. Let us know if this turns up something specific. Higher CO can also be the result of tune issues, spark timing irregularities or the fuel pressure at the TBI regulator. Moses

myndcrym...HESCO should have the replacement pump. Whether you have the single- or two-rail system may not make a difference with the fuel pump. (Confirm this at the HESCO site.) If you take the specs (PSI and GPM or GPH) from the pump I.D. tag or stamping numbers, a Walbro or similar replacement pump would work. You need to match polarity and the pressure/volume output. The pump trigger is the ECM/PCM. Make sure you get the trigger from the PCM. Simply put, don't bypass the EFI and PCM functions. The pump needs its signal and power via the 60-way PCM and fuel pump relay. Moses

myndcrym...At its website, HESCO has the complete instructions for the EFI Conversion installation. (Use this link and click on the download link for the set of instructions: https://hesco.us/techtips.asp.) The instructions would be for the later single rail EFI system but would overlap with the earlier two-rail system...This is a quote from those instructions related to your concern. I highlighted the pump wiring in red: "20. Route the rest of the harness along the top of the transmission. The next plug will be the vehicle speed sensor. (Figure 19.) Route the remaining harness along the frame rail to the rear of the Jeep® to connect the fuel pump power (+) to the green wire with the black stripe. The ground wire is brown with an black stripe. Secure the harness all along its length in strategic locations with the tie wraps provided. Make sure that there is clear­ance between any moving parts or areas of high temperature, such as the vehicle exhaust. You may want to use dielectric grease on the connections to prevent corrosion (Mopar part number J8126688)." Moses

Bruce Kit...I would make the repair (reseal) and see how the transmission performs. If okay, you're on the right track with trying to clear the trouble code. It might be worth noting what code the system threw under "TRANSMISSION FAILURE". The trigger for the code is the clue you need. One suggestion before the tear down: Do a line pressure troubleshoot to see whether the pump and clutch apply pressures are normal after the starvation and fluid refill. Line pressure tests through the gears are the best window into the transmission's condition short of a tear down. Keep us in the loop. I would like to know that your self-repair has the happy ending it deserves. We both would rather fix the problem ourselves. Of course, if the pressure port tests turn up something specific, you'll be able to make an informed decision about what to do next. If your F150 is a 4x4, you should have the 4R75E transmission. Correct? The other available unit was the AT 8-330. Moses

Brad...You're taking a thoughtful, appropriate view of these needs. I'm glad to be a sounding board and field your questions. Your CJ originally had a ballast resistor, sounds like you know what that looks like, here's an image just in case: https://www.quadratec.com/p/crown-automotive/ignition-coil-ballast-resistor-jeep-cj-5-cj-6-and-sj-j-series-6 The HEI distributor would be useful for the ignition system. HEI operates directly on 12VDC current and is certainly as reliable as breaker points, etc., with far better spark delivery. Keep in mind that you have the odd-firing engine when picking a distributor. Curious which distributor your engine currently has: Delco or Prestolite. Photos when you have time... Moses

Bruce Kit...If you caught this in time with no internal damage from running low on fluid, by changing the seal, filter, ATF and so forth, the problems and code should go away. The code may simply need clearing now that the transmission line pressure has restored. The refill with fluid should have restored the line pressure. The fact that the transmission shifts fine now is obviously a good place to start. I do not use the MT2500, perhaps others will catch your question and reply regarding the cartridge. Try clearing the DTC code(s) with a simple (inexpensive like Harbor Freight level) code reader and see whether the failure code comes back. That could be the end of the failure code. If not, chase down the stored code. Share it, and we can go from there... Moses

B Rad...See my reply at your topic post...Stefan L is a good contact and resource, too. Moses