M37 fuel filter

[JD Baillie]

Had a carb contamination problem on my 152. Couldn't see a filter anywhere. I've some indication that the filter might be located in the tank on later models? Anyone know about this or was that a U.S. mod only?

JD

[Gordon Yeo]

Hi JD,

The manual shows two fuel filters; one in tank and the external filter is mounted infront of the voltage regualtor. The attached image is of my M37. Please excuse the state of 'disrepair'. If you do not have the external one, I have one that came with the truck that I can spare. No... It hasn't warmed up. It almost snowed on Sunday and the weatherman has advised any brass lawn ornaments should be removed to the indoors for this evening.

[chris vickery]

I can tell you from first hand experience that there is indeed one in the fuel tank. Rusted old fuel lines can also be a source of contamination.

[JD Baillie]

Thanks for the replies! Gordon appreciate the the time you took to post that pic. But as usual, one thing leads to another... it looks like your sludge bowl is metal. I was expecting glass there. Is this standard? Thanks for your kind offer of your extra filter. I may have located one here in Vic. If I strike out I'll certainly E you and perhaps we can agree on terms.
Below is a pic of my regulator bracket. You can see the primer hose going right on by held with a bolt. On the other side there's a tag of some sort wired through the bolt hole. This looks original... but why? Chris any ideas on this?
Gordon.. notice the peeling paint and dirt here? Looks similar eh?

Cheers
JD

[Gordon Yeo]

JD your picture and mine confirm that your filter has been removed.The sedament bowl is metal not glass on both units I have.My 41 15CWT had the original fuel pump on it and the sedament bowl in it was metal as well.The assumption would be glass could break in rough service.

[JD Baillie]

Gordon,
Metal bowl would make sense. My CJ3a of the same period had a glass bowl filter and a glass top pump. .. or were they the same unit?? Been a long time.

Cheers
JD

[Robert Dabkowski]

JD, you can access in-tank filter via access panel in floor of rear body, about 18" in from the rear door.

I think that the regulator mounted filter (linked to the hand primer pump as you pointed out) was not used on Canadian Dodges. It does show in the Cdn. repair manual (copied from the US manual) but is missing on all 9 on the trucks that I have and was almost always missing from other Dodge M37s etc that I have looked at over the years. Or maybe they were removed with the hand primer pumps which were a major fire hazard when the leather seals/gaskets dried out and allowed fuel to drip on the driver's toes !

Robert in Toronto

[JD Baillie]

Robert,
That IS interesting. Yet Gordon's truck shows one (pic above) .. I wonder if he has a U.S. truck ... have to ask. So the only filter in a CDN truck might be the tank filter? I find that really hard to imagine. Perhaps it was a late mode to add/remove one from the M37?
Is the tank filter in your trucks the same as is shown in the EME manual? Chris?

Cheers
JD

[Robert Dabkowski]

In-tank filter on all 8 ex-military Dodges is as per the EME manual. Civilian POWER WAGON B2PW is different.

Lots of owners have installed more modern clear plastic in-line filters in the fuel lines near the fuel pump but I don't believe that the military did so.

Robert in Toronto

[JD Baillie]

Robert,
Gordon said that he had the filter and his truck was a late 51. How does that compare with your years? My 152 is a 55... about as late as it came.
I have put in two in line filters, one before and one after the pump. Seems to be working. I'll try to get the access port up inside the back door. I know the one you are describing.

Cheers
JD

[chris vickery]

JD, my M37 was a 1953 and did not come equipped with the engine compartment filter.
I questioned a very knowledgable expert regarding this and as with all mvs, the maker produces newer, better versions, sometimes adding or eliminating redundant parts. Apparently trucks after '51 were not equipped with such.

[JD Baillie]

Chris,
Thanks for that. Wonder why. But it is good to know that it is an official ommission instead of a loss along the way.

Cheers
JD

[JD Baillie]

Got this response from a U.S. site on the same question put against the U.S. trucks:

B1's have intank filter that was mounted on the pickup tube as did 53 & 54 M-37's. 1952 I believe was the last year for the external ( zenith ) filters that mounted on the regulator brackets on U.S. M-37's.
Regards
Bill Wincapaw


Cheers
JD