CUCV Upgraded Goodie Information

From: Julian Burke (julianb@esper.com)
Date: Wed Nov 14 2001 - 13:24:30 PST


Hello List, I think I'm able to post on this list again! My server cannot
post on the mil-veh.com and no one can tell me why. Anyway, I have noticed
many people wanting CUCV's and needing parts. Again, Chevrolet still lists
about 60% of the part numbers in your 34P manual. Many numbers are
superceded but are still available. Someone was recently asking who the
best supplier was for CUCV parts-My answer-CHEVROLET!! In any event, it
seems that about every three months new members ask the same questions. I
have built many CUCV's and have gone through estensive research for parts.
The most common needs are crazy ones and thought it would be a good time to
show previous postings of a few much needed items. It is irritating not
being able to find the simplest of componets that would really make it a
nice job! The only thing that's changed are the screws for the tail light
lenses. They are silver oxide stainless steel and NAPA used to carry a
great replacement but have since deleted them (existing stock may still be
available in some stores) but are available through another parts house so
I'll show both postings regarding these. Here they are:

Here are many items that will be very useful to know in restoring your CUCV.
I've already done the footwork and cost so you won't have to!

1. TAILLIGHT LENS SCREWS. About 3/4", sheet metal type, torx head and
silver oxide. (black and not shiny) See your local NAPA dealer and ask to
look through their large book of fasteners. You will find them in it
available in a little bag of 9 each for about $3. It will be nice to have 8
matching ones and have a spare one too! These are EXACT replacements except
use a different size (negligible) torx screwdriver. Looks perfect and
original. I believe these will work on the front side markers too. No need
to use plated civvy ones or unmatching regular screws that can rust. These
are hard to find because nowhere will you find a part number from Chevrolet
and are not available from them either. (Don't quite understand this
either!)

UPGRADED INFO ON THESE SCREWS-THEY ARE AVAILABLE FROM CHEVROLET/GM BUT ARE
ABOUT $1 EACH:

In my original posting of goodie parts to find for your CUCV, the only part
number I left out (not on purpose) was the NAPA number for the replacement
tail light lens screws. Well, several folks emailed me trying to find out
that number and myself to find out that NAPA has discontinued/made obsolete
that particular screw. I didn't know screws became obsolete! I did some
sourcing and found out the original manufacturer/supplier of that screw.
Before I get to that point, let's cover this first: This particular screw
has a sub-GM part number and it is: 11504655. You will not find that number
in any GM book and most likely, they will have to order it and they come in
a package of 10. They are about $1 each making the package about $10 list
price. Now, the original screw is almost like a #8 size 3/4" long but
Chevrolet and the replacement size is metric. The metric size is (M-4.2)
1.41 X 20 MM with a M8 torx size head. The original Chevrolet used a
slightly smaller Torx size head AND had a built on flat washer to help keep
the plastic lens from splitting if torqued too tightly. The GM number might
have the flat washers on them but I'm not paying $1 each to find out. The
replacement screws can be used very satisfactorily if you don't screw them
down too tight! Snugly and NOT tightened too much is just fine. Why you
need these screws is that they are made of stainless steel and they don't
rust. Civilian screws were chrome plated and the military ones are silver
oxided to give the subdued effect. These are also the SAME for mounting the
front fender side marker lenses. The screws are shown in the parts
breakdown on the Chevy computer but NO part numbers are given so you are on
your own here.

Now for the good part. Balkamp was the supplier for NAPA. The company who
supplied them to Balkamp is F A Nider Company who supplies the "LSP PRODUCTS
GROUP". They handle the same package that NAPA did. They come two ways,
package of 9 part #194-0065 and package of 25 part #794-0065. These are
also the same for mounting the front fender side marker lenses. What you
need to do is find a local supplier who handles the "LSP PRODUCTS GROUP"
line. You can find out who your supplier for the LSP line is by
calling 1-800-327-7225 and asking the operator for the
jobber of this product nearest you.

Just in case your local NAPA has any old stock, the numbers for their
Balkamp line was 665-2029 for the bag of 9 and 665-2030 for the box of 50.
(NAPA had box of 50 and LSP has box of 25)

2. BURGUNDY SPRAY PAINT FOR THE DASHPAD. When a new dash is ordered from
Chevrolet (about $183 body shop price), it comes gray in color. To paint it
and make it look perfect, your local automotive paint suppliers should have
this on their "generic" rack. It is a regular size 13 oz. vinyl & plastic
spray manufactured by SEM products of Charlotte, NC. The color is Burgundy
and the stock number is 15063. The contents of the can is little more than
enough to do the entire dash and is a perfect match! It will "make" the
interior of your unit! Cost is about $8-9. At this point, I recommend that
you buy a new black insert from Chevrolet. (about $11 body shop price).
Original insert is cut for the NBC bracket and unless you want that bracket,
DON'T cut the new black insert and your CUCV will look great! Little emblem
is about $5.60. Don't forget to wipe down the dash pad with alcohol before
painting.

3. GLOW PLUG TEMPERATURE SENSOR. Here is a real goodie piece of info. The
number in your 34P lists the chevy part number but it has been upgraded to
this GM stock number: 10045847. Comes with threadseal, shrink splice and
little pigtail harness to splice into the black/yellow wires to upgrade the
old plug to fit on the new glow plug sensor. White wires on it are way to
long so cut some off so they won't be dangling over top of engine. Cost is
about $22 body shop price. Works great and DON'T use the old style sensor.

4. GLOW PLUG RELAY. Back to NAPA again. It is a "Ford" style relay and
stock number is: GPR 109. This relay is a round, brown one and is a
suitable replacement. Cost is about $17 and its' footprint will match the
two screws to mount it even though they don't look like they will! You will
also have to find or buy new brass nuts and washers for all the terminals
to it as none come with it, NAPA has these too. The ones from the old relay
will not fit the new one.
(probably metric) If your old Glow Plug Relay (GPR) looks like a "dimmer
switch" (bakelite),
REPLACE IT NOW!!! If it isn't bad, IT SOON WILL BE! The military upgraded
this
relay and the newer one looks like a little silver can, (looks like a older
Ford type starter solenoid) and
is a very good one to use. If one isn't available, using the one I found is
satisfactory and is heavy duty waterproof.

"Why did GM take the glow plug power off the voltage dropping resistor? Why
not just take 12 vdc off the normal vehicle wiring?"

Well, Let me get out my "wash and wear" answer for this as I have written
many articles on this very subject and about 3 weeks later it is asked
again!

GM didn't take the wire off of the resistor, it is an "in shop" modification
that enhances starting the vehicle through stability of the 12 volts to the
glowplug network. The resistor is to drop the 24 volts to 12 volts to the
glow plugs. The glow plugs use 12 Volts and 24 would be too much across
them. Now, here is why the resistor is used: All M series vehicles use a
NATO slave plug to jump/slave another vehicle. If the batteries are stone
dead in a CUCV, 24 volts will still feed the glow plug circuit and it will
start when slaved in its' original unmodified condition. However, this
SHOULD BE NOTED that through this modification the vehicle will start easier
BUT if your CUCV batteries are stone dead when slaved, you will NOT get 12
volts to the glow plug circuit because the dead batteries WILL DROP the
entire 24 volts to the center of the two batteries until they charge. This
must be kept in mind when jumping off the vehicle with this modification as
it WILL NOT start through the slave recepticle until the batteries charge up
to some degree. The modification is to remove the red wire from the
output of the glowbar resistor and connect it directly to the 12 volt buss
directly above the glowplug relay. The terminal fits perfectly and the wire
is the right length which makes a nice job. I hope this answers this
question again.

> Anyway, is there any reason not to put a tank heater on the heater hose of
my
> M1009 (all CUCV's),

Any CUCV that has a good operating glow plug system, will start in very cold
weather. It is also a good idea to periodically check the glow plugs for
continuity to ground to keep a good working set of glow plugs in your
system. In warmer weather, you will not notice hard starting until at least
3 plugs or more are bad/burned out. However; a tank heater wouldn't hurt
and is advisable to use when
temperatures are colder or are at below freezing for long periods of time.
It helps the engine start faster and with
much less stress on the engine itself because of the oil's viscosity. A
friend of mine told me that his
Blazer was starting by itself normally in 15 below zero in Minnesota without
the help of a tank or block heater! I'm sure it rattled upon starting much
louder than if it had a block heater. GM has one available through any GM
parts counters that fits inside of a
freeze out plug that is very effective. For you folks in the south where
temps seldom ever reach below freezing, it may be an action not worth the
expense but sure helps make the engine start faster and with less wear on
the starter.



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