My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

M274 Mechanical Mule Wanted, For Sale (NO AUCTION or EBAY), and Knowledge Base
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Lance-W
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Sat Jan 23, 2016 11:03 am

Chuck W. wrote: Shutter is missing from the blower cover..

Your mule looks like it has been sitting for a while, be sure to pull the top shroud and check for rat's nest on top of the left cylinder before you run it very much.
Good call Mr. Chuck !

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These are the pieces the shop vac wouldn't inhale. Good thing I don't plan on driving this thing much before the resto. Musta been a Georgia mouse with the peach pit evidence :mrgreen:

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Chuck W.
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Chuck W. » Sat Jan 23, 2016 2:36 pm

Rat pee is highly corrosive! Check this older thread: viewtopic.php?f=79&t=242926&hilit=mouse+pee

Lance-W
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Thu Jan 28, 2016 6:09 pm

Well I decided to try and get it to idle without the black gasoline smelling smoke today. First step was to take the carburetor apart and have a look see (I'm thinking the float is adjusted wrong or sticking or...). I found LOT'S of red dirt in it. So I cleaned all that out and checked the float to make sure it was at least close to adjusted. Put it all back together and same thing heavy black fuel smelling smoke on an acceleration from idle. So I started playing with the idle mixture screw. Wow I've never had an idle mixture screw make that much difference in all the cars I've played with over the years. The black smoke is almost gone the idle is lower and smoother. Success. The gas in the tank isn't exactly new so after I put some fresh in I bet it'll be all better.

Oh and the float had some weird ground out section on the inside diameter. Are they all like that?

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Lance-W
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Mon Feb 01, 2016 3:20 pm

Well she has new shoes :)

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I also did a little searching for numbers.
They seem to match what's on the incorrect dataplate so who knows when they got put on. The black numbers are on top of the red primer and the first coat of green but under an additional coat of green and the weird green that someone painted it last. Then there are tiny pieces of yellow. Unfortunately nowhere did I find enough of the yellow to imagine a number or a letter in it.

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Auto Shop teacher
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Auto Shop teacher » Mon Feb 01, 2016 6:17 pm

Looking good Lance, doesn't it seem like just painting the wheels and putting new tires on your mule makes it seem like a big milestone. Lots to do but your on your way. How has it been running since you cleaned out the carburetor?

Lance-W
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Tue Feb 02, 2016 8:56 am

Auto Shop teacher wrote:How has it been running since you cleaned out the carburetor?
Seems to be fine :D

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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Auto Shop teacher » Tue Feb 02, 2016 1:24 pm

Amazing, the inside looked pretty ugly, glad to hear its running good. Whats your next project?

Lance-W
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Wed Feb 03, 2016 7:51 am

Auto Shop teacher wrote:Amazing, the inside looked pretty ugly, glad to hear its running good. Whats your next project?
Just waiting on the 4 wheel steer kit to arrive. I'll install that and once it's all working as it should then it all comes apart and gets re-sealed to fix all the leaks and painted and put back together.............

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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by emmado22 » Wed Feb 03, 2016 5:54 pm

Pressure wash the whole thing, find the oil leaks and fix them.
Army trucks

Lance-W
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Mon Feb 08, 2016 3:27 pm

Well, The carb got a piece of something in it and the Mule started running poorly again. So it's time to do the job right. I pulled the tank and I'll work my way to the carb getting all the stuff out of it and there was ton's of stuff in the tank!

Is there a cross reference number for the filter that's on the pickup in the tank? Something I can buy at a local parts store instead of adding another item to that ever growing list for John Emery :)

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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Chuck W. » Mon Feb 08, 2016 4:15 pm

To my knowledge, no one has found a direct replacement for the filter. John Emery may still have some, but they are getting very hard to find.
Some people have used a Wix 33271 by making a spacer, see this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=79&t=183466&hilit=fuel+filter

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Lance-W
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Mon Feb 08, 2016 4:45 pm

I can make a spacer easily. Thanks Chuck!!!!!!!

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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Tue Feb 16, 2016 4:49 pm

So just to follow up now the entire fuel system is clean. Tank is spotless and repainted. Fuel filters are all new. Lines are all flushed out. I found quite the pile of red dirt in the little (in-line) filter.

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So I decided since I had been through the entire fuel system maybe I should take a look in the Magneto and see how it looked. I'll need a set of points! I filed them but one side had a huge mountain and the other side had the accompanying valley. One of the little insulating collars on the coil is broken but since both sides fit within one another I think it'll be OK. The was zero evidence of the spark jumping off the coil to the case. I cleaned it all up and re-installed it one tooth off like Chuck recommends and tried starting it. I've never heard it start so zippy. Success. Now as to timing it? Can I just use an inductive pickup timing light on these type of wires or should I use the old school kind that goes between the plug and wire? I have both so either way isn't a big deal. All the links that are posted here about timing that reference you to another website are broken? The website is down?

Some pictures of what I found inside the Magneto:

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Lance-W
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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Lance-W » Wed Feb 17, 2016 1:30 pm

Lance-W wrote: Now as to timing it? Can I just use an inductive pickup timing light on these type of wires or should I use the old school kind that goes between the plug and wire? I have both so either way isn't a big deal. All the links that are posted here about timing that reference you to another website are broken? The website is down?
I got the website link to work........... http://www.m274mule.com/motor-pool.html Is that truly all there is to it? The Magneto clearly has the ability to be rotated about it's mounting bore to allow fine tuning other than where you insert the magneto case/tooth alignment (the slotted mounting holes). Is just hearing the click of the magneto with reference to the timing mark at 18 degrees sufficient? No timing light required?

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Re: My first Mule :) M274A5 1968 SN 10797 REG #325091

Post by Chuck W. » Wed Feb 17, 2016 1:38 pm

Really, that's all you need to do. I use a timing light to fine tune it, but it's really not necessary. If your mag is clicking at the 18 degree mark, it should run just fine, adjust your mag to about the center of the slotted mounting holes.


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