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Working On The M561 Gama Goat

mkcoen

mkcoen

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TexAndy said:
If that part number 9 needs replacing, how difficult is it to pull the cylinder sleeve on one of these things?
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It requires pulling the engine, taking the valve train apart, pulling the head, pulling the pistons, pulling the piston sleeves, replacing the parts, then putting it all back together correctly. I could probably handle 1-6 with the correct tools. Number 7 is where everyone says you need a Detroit Diesel expert.
 
mkcoen

mkcoen

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Here's what needs replaced (#9). That's the level it needs taken down to. Unfortunately to get the head off you have to take the valve train apart (then put it back together correctly) to get to all of the head bolts. That's where the expertise of someone working on these comes in. As I've said before, I may not be much of a mechanic but I'm enough of one to know when I'm not enough of one to handle something.

~
 

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combat32

combat32

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I wish I were closer and could lend a hand, I am by no means an expert but I know some. I am fortunate to have a friend who works on detroits and other things to help me with mine.

I was gonna go the White Owl route myself and get one of their takeout motors, but I am kinda stubborn and want to try and fix mine first, may wind up goin that way eventually though, even though that is a crapshoot as well(lots of unknowns) it is a cheaper crapshoot.

Did Joe brief you on the motors near Okie City?
 
mkcoen

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combat32 said:
I wish I were closer and could lend a hand, I am by no means an expert but I know some. I am fortunate to have a friend who works on detroits and other things to help me with mine.

I was gonna go the White Owl route myself and get one of their takeout motors, but I am kinda stubborn and want to try and fix mine first, may wind up goin that way eventually though, even though that is a crapshoot as well(lots of unknowns) it is a cheaper crapshoot.

Did Joe brief you on the motors near Okie City?
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If your friend is knowledgeable enough would he be interested in a side job? It'd be cheaper for me to haul it over, drop it off, pay him (depending on what he'd charge) and come back and pick it up than it would be to buy an unknown take out or, obviously, have S&S do it.

Joe did give me the run down on the OKC motors. I'd probably be better off just constantly pouring distilled water in mine and running it like it is.
 
mkcoen

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Looking into engine replacement options at this point. White Owl has both take-out and rebuilt units. Price wise either one would be cheaper than paying to rebuild mine but they're in NC. There's a line on several in this general area but they've been in cans for 20+ years so are unknown condition. I'm generally a gambling man so need to juggle the options between NC, closer to home, rebuilding myself and see which one drops first.
 
Warthog

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My wife is in NC at this moment. Think a canned engine will fit in the luggage? I'm sure she wouldn't mind. ;-)
 
mkcoen

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Shipping from NC would be approximately $500. That's less than what driving back to get it would cost but if I drove I could pick which engine and if I have it shipped I'm pretty much stuck with what they send me. So what I'm looking at is $600-$800 for an overhaul kit with the likelihood that I'll have to take it someplace for part of the work (unknown $ amount and time) or around $2k for a take out motor (of unk condition) that I can just drop in.
 
mkcoen

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Everything is on hold! Thanks to Tinwoodsman I have a shop lined up and taking the Goat in Monday!

Edit:

I was on my phone before so decided to finish this when I got home. The shop said that the 3-53 in the Goat IS NOT a wet sleeved unit so any water passage is going to only be between the head and block so the head kit I already have should do the trick. He also said as long as it didn't get too overheated then pulling and reinstalling the head (with the kit) should be all that's required and can be done in the Goat. However, he also said that if it got too overheated there could definitely be more damage and might require pulling the engine pack and a complete overhaul. I've been having a pretty good day so will choose to be optimistic rather than my usual pessimistic self today.
 
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m38inmaine

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Interesting, the Gama Goat engine TM 9-2815-214-34 March 1970, GM Model 3-53 For Engine Diesel states " The block is bored to receive replaceable wet-type cylinder liners. A water jacket surrounds the upper half of each cylinder liner. The water jacket and air box are sealed off by a seal ring compressed between the liner and a groove in the block." I sure hope it is just the head, that would be great news.
 
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mkcoen

mkcoen

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m38inmaine said:
Interesting, the Gama Goat engine TM 9-2815-214-34 March 1970, GM Model 3-53 For Engine Diesel states " The block is bored to receive replaceable wet-type cylinder liners. A water jacket surrounds the upper half of each cylinder liner. The water jacket and air box are sealed off by a seal ring compressed between the liner and a groove in the block." I sure hope it is just the head, that would be great news.
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I had also read they were wet sleeved. I guess we'll see when he pulls it apart. It could be that earlier (non-Goat) 3-53s weren't and that's what he's thinking of and doesn't know Goat specific motors. If he gets the head pulled and says "oops, I was wrong" then I'll only be out the tear down and not much further behind than where I am now. Chances are (and as I've said I'm a gamblin' man) if it was hot enough to damage the piston liners seal we'd be seeing either some coolant in the oil or oil in the coolant and there doesn't appear to be any. That makes me lean toward the head seals. But until it's in pieces we won't know.
 
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