M35 engine & transfer case swap

From: Bill & Bonnie Prestin (bprestin@chartermi.net)
Date: Sat May 24 2003 - 08:47:52 PDT


    My LDT465-1C engine is out and the LDS465-1A engine is installed in my
M35, and it runs great. I only had to make a few minor modifications to
install the 1A engine. I swapped the air horn to the left side and the black
out light to the right side. This left me room to mount a hydraulic
reservoir on top of the right fender inside engine side panel. I installed
the reservoir to allow fluid to continuously flow as the 1A engine has a
gear driven power steering pump.
     I was able to turn on the ignition switch (to run the in tank fuel
pump) and bleed the fuel system at the bleeders on the top of the secondary
filters, after that the engine fired right up. The oil pressure gage showed
only 10 lb. press (bummer!) so I hooked up a mechanical gage just to be
sure. The mechanical gage shows 90 lb when the engine is first started and
drops off to 60 after it warms up. I dug around in my parts pile and found a
used oil press. sender. Swapping the sender out solved the problem. Then I
kept hearing a distinct and quite loud knocking noise. Sounded like serious
valve train problem. Turned out to be the air compressor belt slapping
because it was too loose.
    I figured, since I had the truck all pulled apart I would make several
other improvements. The breaks have been kind of weak, so I also changed out
the master cylinder & break booster pack. The steering had a shimmy problem
so I changed the steering gear box. The front break shoes were oil
contaminated so I pulled the axle apart and changed the inner axle seals &
break shoes. I also pressed out and replaced the old king-pin bushings. (I
have found that the front of the truck has to be jacked up to get grease
into the top king pins now, as there are no oil grooves on the inside of the
new style bushings) There is a handy little kit of different thickness metal
wafers available from Memphis to adjust the endplay of the king pins.
    I've had some problems lately with the transfer case popping out of
high. It has reached the point that if it is put in high, as soon as the
clutch is let out, it will pop into neutral. I tried adjusting the linkage,
no luck. The original transfer case is the old sprag type. I decided to swap
it out to the newer air lock style. Luckily I had thought about doing this
change-over, several years ago. So I had the parts for the swap on my shelf.
    I looked the job over, and the transfer case is pretty tall and is
positioned upright on an angle. I think it would be very difficult to lift
the transfer case from underneath into the correct position so I decided I
will have to lift it from above. I also think after it is on the ground I
will be able to lay it down to get it out from under the truck without
jacking up the truck. My truck has the full arctic kit installed so I had to
move the seat and battery box before I could remove the cover in the cab
floor above the transfer case. Everything disconnected pretty easily,
though I did have some trouble disconnecting the control linkage from the
transfer case pto. (next time I will use one of those snap in clips, instead
of a cotter pin)
    I plan to use a chain hoist from above and attach to one or two of the
bolts on top of the transfer case. I'll let you know how the swap out goes.

Later,

Bill
Michigan
M342 & m51
M105 & M332



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