G749 Projects

[USMC 00-08]

What did you use to get the paint stripper residue off?

[forestry4evr]

What did you use to get the paint stripper residue off?

I don't recall the type of detergent I used...what ever was recommended by the stripper manufacturer. I also pressure washed the areas with clear water and then toweled dry. Paint prep was facilitated by a light media blasting over clean metal.

[USMC 00-08]

I think the paint stripper will be the way to go. Looks like I have a lot of work ahead of me.

Thank you for the advice!

[USMC 00-08]

I just did a carburetor rebuild on my truck and need to do the adjustments. My tach/dwell meter is for a 12v system. Where can I find a tach/dwell meter for 24 volt systems? I do have the military test adapter kit.

[USMC 00-08]

Here is my first attempt at making a video of my truck. Lots still to do on the truck but I am getting closer to where I want it to be. Looks like painting will have to wait until next year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYMiR2DT7Fo

If any of you see or hear anything wrong with the truck, please let me know. Having said that, I know some parts are missing and the temperature gauge is not correct. I put that in for now to see a little more accurately how she is running. The original military gauge shows the temperature a lot lower than what it is.

[forestry4evr]

Your project looks and sounds good. The front end bobs along when at speed similar to my 41 Chevy. At 50 mph it seems like it is coming apart, the engine sounds much happier at 45 mph. Did the hydramatic down shift when you were climbing the hill, if so I didn't really hear it?

Thanks for sharing.

[USMC 00-08]

Thank you. I prefer to keep the truck in the 40-45 mph range when driving. The engine doesn't seem like it is screaming at that speed. The truck will do about 58-60 mph.

This truck has been sitting for several months while I worked out some issues with it. It seems like it rides rougher after sitting as if the tires get flat spots on them and is a little more sluggish than when I regularly drive it. I have some like new 1100x20s to put on and will do so when I take the wheels off to paint the truck. Hopefully that will help some.

The transmission did downshift while going up the hill. It was in 3rd gear. There are some steeper hills out here where it will shift into 2nd while climbing. A lot of people say these trucks shift really hard, but this one up shifts and downshifts very smoothly in high range. The only hard shift I get is when going from 2nd to 3rd in low range.

I just watched the video of you driving your truck last night. It is really neat!!!

[Joe Gopan]

The G-749 back in it's youth would outrun a 1953 Chevrolet Powerglide up to 50MPH. One thing unique about the G-749 transmission is that it has a "reverse shift blocker valve" as the Army envisioned drivers the would attempt to shift into reverse at speed. It is supposed to prevent the transmission from being damaged when shifted into reverse while traveling forward. I tried one out to see what happens, when shifted into reverse at 5 MPH, it was as if the truck hit a brick wall.
During the Automatic Transmission training period, students would be given a ride in the M-135/M-211 and asked to identify the clutch and band application sequence as the transmission shifted thru the 4 speeds.

[USMC 00-08]

I have been replacing hoses on this truck little by little and finally got to the upper and lower radiator hoses. I noticed that the inside of these hoses have a thin coat of rust on them as does the inside of the radiator. Not thick barnacle looking stuff, but more of a muddy type consistency. When it dries, you can scrape it off with a fingernail.

About a year ago, I did drain and refill the cooling system since I had just purchased the truck and wanted to make sure things were right. The coolant then looked clear and green. I cleaned out the transmission oil cooler and there was an inch to an inch and a half of sludge in it that is much the same consistency of what I see coating the radiator and inside of the hoses. I did notice that after I cleaned out the oil cooler, the engine temperature raised about 5 degrees from what it had been.

The coolant I drained out this year is clear green fluid with no visible rust in it and I have had no issues with the truck overheating. It runs at about 190-205 degrees. Had I not pulled the hoses and seen the rust looking stuff, I would have guessed everything was clean by the looks of the antifreeze. Should I flush the cooling system to get rid of this rust or leave alone and just refill? Would a flush cause me unwanted problems?

What should I do?

[Joe Gopan]

Best to flush the coolant every 3-5 years. Even though it may look fresh and green, the permanent antifreeze begins to go acidic after 3 years or so.

[USMC 00-08]

What should I use to flush the rust out?

[USMC 00-08]

I guess I should be more specific in my question. Should I put any kind of chemical flush into the coolant system to remove the rust?

[USMC 00-08]

Ben Dover....I read somewhere on here where you said you knew of a way to adjust the G749 Transmission shift linkages without the special tools listed in the TM. I cannot find the thread where I thought I read that, so maybe I am wrong.

If you do know how to do this, can you tell me how? One of my trucks need these adjustments but I do not have all the special tools.

[Joe Gopan]

Best to purchase the maintenance tips manual by Bob Kettler, it's very inexpensive and well worth the investment. Portrayal press has it.

[USMC 00-08]

I have it. It doesn't say how to adjust the transmission linkage.