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hi everybody,
i recently have acquired a 3b with the petrol hurricane engine which has piston rings added??????, done up completely, but i do not understand it much, also it doesnt seem all so right to me. so thought that i will start a forum on the lines of one that exists for a cj 340, so all questions, more simple and silly the better for people like me, are welcome.
i am a big fan of jeeps so acquired one, now wish to sharpen my skills on my favourite 4 wheels.

so here are the starting questions.

1. my jeep stalls on the mechanical pump in about 30 kms, then i have to shift to the elec pump...reasons???

2. what is difference between piston ring job and overhauling the engine?

3. my jeep doesnt have a hand brake, does it work ina jeep? should i be haviong it? what is the approx cost involved?

4. why do i have to press the accelator pedal and start the jeep , it doesnt start without it?

5. the gear shift in reverse and 1st is much longer in comparison to the 3rd and 4th, is it normal?

6. how can i caliberate my speedometer , it shows excess speed kmph?

7. would front lambda hubs help in improving fe? and how?

8. how do i come to know that some thing is wrong with the carb?

9. are there any mechanical components we could get better in europe??(as i leave for a visit for there, and wanted to get a gift for my jeep ....)

10. what precautions do i have to take after driving my jeep through serious mud and slush , also through water ? as in after an otr.

hey guys whats up? 55 views and no replies????
where are the 3b stalwarts??? behram sir??? where are you?

what if no replies , questions abound:)

quest.: my jeep is a ex airforce jeep and has the spare tyre mounted on the left with the swivel contraption over the tail gate which falls down. i wanted to ask whee was the jerry can fitted on this version , if there was any? also where should i put it , as i need it and the right side of the tail gate is having the blackout lights and reverse lamp and other things. also what were the original format of markings on these jeeps?

quest.2: i wish to fix in a ammo box to fit in some spares and other nick knacks, any idea of where it sould be as the space is already a constraint, we are usually 4 friends in the jeep. please:

so here are the answers.

1. my jeep stalls on the mechanical pump in about 30 kms, then i have to shift to the elec pump...reasons???

Not sure, and I leave this question to experts.

2. what is difference between piston ring job and overhauling the engine?

Basically, Piston ring job is that of remove the head and change only the piston rings without looking at any other point of the engine. They do this some times if the piston is worn out and cylinders and rest of the components such as connect rod and bearings are in good condition. However every time when they remove the head, the head gasket needs to be replaced. They don't even need to remove the engine from Jeep mounting to change the piston rings.

Complete engine over hauling is meant to be looking at every point of the engine and getting it serviced. So, the engine will be removed from the chassis and dismantled completed and serviced.

3. my jeep doesnt have a hand brake, does it work ina jeep? should i be haviong it? what is the approx cost involved?

Yes, Jeeps come with Handbrake aka. Emergency Brake. If yours is a CJ3B the hand break will be on the dashboard adjutant below the speedo meter. There will be a umbrella handle like stuff which is the hand break lever. The hand break works in CJ3B with a drum attached to the rear wheel propeller shaft, when you engage the handbrake the cable prevents the propeller shaft to run, hence braking the movements.

4. why do i have to press the accelator pedal and start the jeep , it doesn't start without it?

Since the Hurricane is not Multi Point Fuel Injection System (MPFI) as seen in the latest petrol engine, you need to give little acceleration when you crank the engine for feeding the cylinder with fuel for first compression.

5. the gear shift in reverse and 1st is much longer in comparison to the 3rd and 4th, is it normal?

Not really looked at it this way, may be some one else here will tell you.

6. how can i caliberate my speedometer , it shows excess speed kmph?

May be the gear which rotates the speedo cable in gearbox is worn out or Speedo meter itself having trouble. You can get a brand new speedo meter and get it installed. Check the rear of your speedo meter for the gear ratio of the speedo meter.

There may be false speed indication on the speedo meter if your jeep's tyre size is not standard or gearbox is upgraded and matching speedo meter or speedo meter gear is not replaced accordingly.

7. would front lambda hubs help in improving fe? and how?

Yes it is. If you look at the local city drive where you need to apply lots of clutch you may not see a major difference. But if you use the Free Wheeling hubs on a long drives you will easily see the difference around 2km extra milege for every liter of fuel.

Because when you use freewheeling hub you don't waste the engergy to rotate unwanted moving items such as front axle, propeller shaft and gears extra. Hence less friction, less motion load and less engery to move the jeep. so saving fuel.

8. how do i come to know that some thing is wrong with the carb?

There is no standard answer to this question, there may be many reasons for carb being wrong. You need to post a specific question if you have any issue with the performance of the jeep which can be related to the carb. Some common issues are

1. Engine temprature (Lean of Rich fuel supply)
2. Some color
3. Pickup loss
4. Leaking fuel
5. Flooding

9. are there any mechanical components we could get better in europe??(as i leave for a visit for there, and wanted to get a gift for my jeep ....)

I doubt, check Mahindra Register • Index page which is a Mahindra Jeep club from UK and europe you will understand many of them having issues maintaining their jeeps as parts are very difficult to get over there.

Unless in USA many Willys components are direct fit and you will lifting kits, jacks, winches, overdrive and other PTO stuffs that are designed to work on a CJ3B I'm pretty sure now to tell you don't waste in looking for stuffs in UK and they are costly out there.

You may check if you want steering dampers and few other electrical items, but normally UK is considered high on price.

10. what precautions do i have to take after driving my jeep through serious mud and slush , also through water ? as in after an otr.

When you ask about sand I would say keep the momentum do never try to dig up you will losse tracktion leading to complete recovery need mode.

mud you need to careful on the speed and steering, some time I felt turing opposite direction makes you drive straight.

No much experience in slushy situations, may be some one else can help you.

Water crossing needs more precaution as any other mode, you really need to aware of your jeep's internal a bit. The limit or level of water restrictions on the jeep etc.

Important think aware of the air-filter inlet, water should never go through that whatever happens.

Secondly check the breather values of your differntials to be connected to a pipe and put it elevated place

every time when you do water crossing, immediately treat the jeep with new oil for differntials if it is mixed with water.

Check all the greasing points under then body for lubrication requirement

If you use paper element air-filter pay attention for water in it.


11. my jeep is a ex airforce jeep and has the spare tyre mounted on the left with the swivel contraption over the tail gate which falls down. i wanted to ask whee was the jerry can fitted on this version , if there was any? also where should i put it , as i need it and the right side of the tail gate is having the blackout lights and reverse lamp and other things. also what were the original format of markings on these jeeps?


You can mount the Jerry can on another swing open type door as you seen for your stepney on the right hand side. Other wise you can fit is on the right hand side before foot step behind the fender.

If you are using a Mahindra Jeep, then the marking will be on the grill and tail gate embossed.

If it is a Willys jeep, then Tailgate, Bonnet sides and Grill will show you the willys embosement.

12. i wish to fix in a ammo box to fit in some spares and other nick knacks, any idea of where it sould be as the space is already a constraint, we are usually 4 friends in the jeep.

Amo boxes are in 3 sizes, I'm planning to do the things on my jeep

a. The smaller one to go above right hand side above the rear wheel arch for First Aid Stuffs.

b. The medium one to go between front seats for some recovery stuffs such as DShackle etc.

c. Long one to go behind both the front passenter for all the tools, please note that since you are going to be 4 friends always, you may not be able to fix this one as it takes lots of space.

I hope my answers gives you a kind of overall answers to your questions in general.

Hi guys what is Lambda hub and freewheeling hub?

Lambda is a company that manufactures freewheeling hubs

hi arka, thanks for your response.
some clarifications required to what you wrote in the answers.
it seems that a piston ring job is more like a short cut when the other parts of the engine seem fine?
can it be the source of some extra noise , as i am getting lots of noise from the engine bay into the cabin.
the noise is also of a continuous whine which is intolerable at speed of 60 and above.

does the hand brake in a jeep be effective?
also what would be the tentative cost for the entire assembly?
"Check the rear of your speedo meter for the gear ratio of the speedo meter."
how do i do this?
my gearbox is t90 and the tyres ndms, so seems that is not the problem for the faulty speedometer readings.

"The limit or level of water restrictions on the jeep etc.""If you use paper element air-filter pay attention for water in it"
how do i come to know of this?

please explain this in detail.."Important think aware of the air-filter inlet, water should never go through that whatever happens.
Secondly check the breather values of your differntials to be connected to a pipe and put it elevated place"
the markings i was asking was not for the embossings, but for the military markings ......

thanks again arka...you too have an ex airforce 3b..??
the biggest issue as of now is the pathetically loud noise i get while driving it..very unlike a hurricane.
will post some pics today

Too bad dude, you don't even read who is posting response to your queries. It is me Trammway Aka. Siva not Arka


Some times piston rings change can make things better if only the issue is around the rings. Otherwise ovel shapped cylinder liner, loosen bearings of connect rod and Crankshaft main bearings may also create trouble hence engine over haul.

I don't really understand what you mean by extra noise. What are you trying to bench mark with your jeep sound ? A car ? A truck ?

Normally the Jeep's cabin is not sound proof and the engine sound can be reduced in the cabin but impossible to arrest them completely. The noise could be from engine piston slap(rings, piston, connect rod, linder and many components take contribution), worn out bearings, tappet, clutch release bearing, worn out top gear bearing, gearbox components, worn out drive shaft star joint and other rattleing stuffs in the engine bay, NDMS tyre air bubbles created on the run and cabin also create excessive noise. You really needs to identify which ones are the actual culprit creating noise.


Yes it is very effective if used properly. They come in handy during offroad scnarios and parking at slope.

Sorry dude, no idea on cost.

Simple, just remove the speedo meter from dash board and read the punched numbers from it.

Tell me if you are using 6.00/16 or 6.50/16 or 7.00/16 size NDMS ? If you are in the 1st size mentioned, tyre size is not an issue. Concentrate on speedo meter and speedo gear on the gearbox.


What I mean was the inlet opening for the air-filter should always kept above the water level during water crossing to prevent water getting into the cylinders which may turn disaster and it can even lead engine block explosion. Ask SwastikViji about the experience, he has the change the complete engine after this incident. So, you must know where is your air-filter inlet opening and keep your jeep always above the water level compare to the inlet opening.

There are two types of air-filters used in Jeeps, older ones are oil bath type and newer ones are paper element types. The paper element type reduces noise and provider much clear air to the cylinders. The paper element type air-filter is prone to water attacks as it easily catch up the water splash created during water crossing.

Breather value will be seen above the differential housing, I asked you to connect to a rubber tube and put it in elevated place if incase you are going to be in water for prolonged duration. So the water won't get into the differential assy.

I have no idea about the military markings you are asking in here.


Once again please remember this is Trammway aka. Siva not Arka

I don't have ex airforce 3B it is Arka. I have got a civilian 3B supplied to Tamilnadu Govt.

Dude, the NDMS is always noisy on the tarmac road due to air bubbles it create though the engine is silent. See the noise in idling condition and get it checked with a petrol jeep mechanic who may give you some valuable inputs.

If you are in Chennai, bring it to me will bench mark with my Jeep, he he he though mine is not fully ready though.

Great, post them on..

sorry buddy, to mistake the name, really bad onmy part:deadhorse

siva, i did check the things u pointed out , i have a papertype air filter, the speedometer i will take off today and check.
the sound i concentrated on yesterday , is not from the engine per se but a two whines which come, one increases with the speed and if i let the jeep be in neutral and roll along at that speed the whine disappears , does it mean that the gear box is the culprit?
also the second one is a cyclical low frequency sound that increases with the rpm,,i think that would be something from the wheel assembly?
also if i pull or push the jeep while in neutral it takes a lot of effort , so where all do i have to get the greasing and oiling done??

this jeep is taking a big patience test ...lol...enjoying it completely , very unlike what i am used to with my cars , just walk in the service station explain the prob and off to work , in the evening its back all shiny and fault rectified....

but this is more fun , it creates a bonding with my jeep, each time i cross it in the parking garage i look at it , see for leaks , dream of my evening ride ..hahahaha

i am in noida, near delhi, so coming over to chennai will take some timelol:

i was comparing the noise to expected jeep noise:)

The below could be heard even in neutral.

1. Worn out or loose fan / alternator belt - The sound will be ki ki kikki kiki... and increases with engine revving up and shuts up some times or continues the pattern of this sound may not be always same.

2. Clutch release bearing noise - This will have some effects if you press and release the clutch pedal, if this sound is not arrested or increases when you give some slow or speed clutch pressing access please ignore.



There are few more areas to look into this case, you may also consider the above sound reason tests to this query too. Again please note all these diagnosis may be false as we really can't simulate the sound with words and you need some one to look at the problem.

1. Worn out clutch plates or ply wheel which gives sound as improper seating causes friction

2. This may be related to the 2nd part of the same query, the wheel break drum. If you feel heavy and unable to move the vehicle then it could be a jammed breaks. Put the jeep into jack and try rotating the wheels by hand in neutral, that will give you some idea if any wheel break drum is jammed. Same could be reason for the noise.

3. Also check your loose nuts along the line with exhaust pipe they do create low frequency noise.

4. The bonnet hooks, try lubricating them and see.

5. If you are referring an humming sound like hhhhmmmmmmmmmmuuummmm then it could be your worn out gearbox.

6. Check the noise by pressing the clutch pedal, if the sound arrested while you press the clutch pedal there is some reason to look at the gearbox.



Uummmh! shows you have not learnt the philosophy before buying the Jeep. Here it is "Jeeps are never made, they are built", that says it all.

All the best dude..Hope to see your jeep's under body, under bonnet and dashboard pictures.

If the Carburettor ( Assuming its a Solex 134 C ) is tuned properly, serviced and an electronic fuel pump is installed, ( Nissan 118NE Fuel pump is the best for Cj3B ) then in the morning pull the choke, feed a bit of fuel with two or three pedal pumps and the Jeep should purr like a cat.

If not check the carburettor settings and the fuel pump.

Also ensure the distributor is properly installed at a 45 deg. angle and the spark plug gap is correct, get the distributor, cb point also set properly.

guys , fresh set of issues:

1. when taking a turn the jeep is very unstable and sort of glides out eratically....is it expected?

2. the jeep backfires every few minutes and till i do not rev up before a gear change the engine starts having hiccups and loses power for a few seconds.

3. where do i mount the jerrycan , as already the spare tyre mounted on the left aspect of the tail gate with the sviwel mechanism

4. i got a bug shield yesterday, how do i mount it?
could anyone put up some pictures showing it.

i think this is enough for today.

frsh ride tomorrow, so new issues tomorrow...:)