Engine won't shut off with switch and other question.

[13bravo]

I have a Baifield M274A5 converted to 4WS, and an electric starter, no alternator.
I know what the problem is but don't know what the piece is called or what it actually looks like. The piece that threads into the magneto and hooks to the ignition wire is missing from the mag. Actually the wire was severed next to the bed cover over the engine.
Can someone tell me the correct name of the piece and where it can be bought at?

The hour meter on the magneto says it has 0111 hours on it. It's going to be a fun project getting it back to almost military condition.

I am also wondering about the data plate where the serial number would be. The data plate is there, but I find no serial number or date stamped into it. Any ideas on this?
I can get some pictures of it tomorrow.

Thanks for any help.

 

[6x6guy]

Pictures would help. Here are the phone numbers of two experts who sell mule parts, Dave Kelone of militarymules.com 309-696-7080 and John Emery of Emery mule supplys 262-567-5606.

 

[Charlie]

It's not an ignition wire, it's a ground wire. To kill the magneto, you have to ground it. The ground wire connects to a condenser that is held in the mag cap by two screws. Unless you are lucky enough to find an origonal condenser, the only ones available now are from the magneto on the generator set engines and require the hole in the cap to be reamed out. There is a rebuild kit on e-bay that has the condenser.

You will have to remove the magneto to replace the condenser, so you need to read the manuals about how to time the magneto.

Here's what should be filled in on your data plate. If it's blank, then it's probably a reproduction that was never stamped. Do you still have the registration numbers painted on the side of the bed? If so, I may be able to help, I have a large mule serial number database.

Would also invite you to visit http://g503.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=79

 

[13bravo]

Sadly no painted registration numbers remain. I know I called it an ignition wire, but yes I know it actually is a ground wire, just the manuals don't really show a good picture of how the wire connected to the mag itself, and I have actually just joined the G503 forums. I've found some very useful information on both sites.
It actually runs very well, so what you are saying is that the ground wire needs to hook to the condenser. I'll get some pictures of what looks to be missing in a little bit. I'm going to end up replacing the whole rail system as they cut the rails off almost all the way to the front and put a different system that is much taller on it instead. Needs some work, but I think that is half the fun of it for me.
Thanks for the info.

 

[13bravo]

Okay bear with me, I haven't used photobucket in a while, but here are some pictures.


**** removed photobucket links as the system automatically limits new members from posting outside links ****

 

[Charlie]

The ground wire connected to the original magneto condenser using a rubber Packard connector. The hour meter also connected to the ground wire using a Packard "Y" connector.

 

[13bravo]

Thank you those pictures help an extreme amount. The rubber Packard connector is missing on mine, and the magneto breather(?) hole is just open. I have seen pictures from the manuals showing it plugged with a pipe plug, but where should it go to if the line is hooked up to it?
This particular mule has a mechanical hour meter on the governor, hence my extreme confusion.
Thanks again for the info and pictures.

 

[Charlie]

Are you sure your mule is an A5? The A2's were the only mule with a mechanical hour meter, and they are also 4WS. Is your bed magnesium and does it have the steering changeover hatch to the right of the driver's seat?

The magneto should have a vent line that runs to an elbow on top of the air cleaner housing.

BTW, you can use a few drops of venigar to test your deck, no reaction, it's aluminum, if you get a reaction, it's magnesium.

 

[13bravo]

Right now I'm not sure of anything on this mule. Since the data plate may be a replaced one I'm not sure of anything. It has the steering hatch but the hatch itself has no real way to secure it to the deck. I'll try again to put some pictures up. The last pics said I had to get permission before they were allowed on.

 

[13bravo]

Here's a couple more pictures.

 

[Charlie]

That is definitely a magnesium deck, and the hole for the steering looks correct, the cover looks like it was cut from a piece of deck, which is not unusual, those steering covers are almost impossible to find. The data plate is installed with pop rivets, which is incorrect, and since the plate is not stamped, I feel certain that it is a reproduction plate. The engine cover with the three holes looks like an earlier M274 cover. I think you have an M274A2 (my favorite), but there are a few things you need to check. As you probably know, the M274 was upgraded from the 4-cylinder to the 2-cylinder and became the M274A3, and the M274A1 was also upgraded with the 2-cylinder and became the M274A4. The M274/M274A3 did not have the extra holes in the bed to adjust the seat back, and I can see the extra holes in your bed, so it's not that. When the M274A1 was converted to the A4, the extra muffler on the right side was removed and it left 4 holes in the bed. Also, the 2-cylinder engine is taller than the 4-cylinder, so the bed had to be raised up. Look to see if there are 2" spacer blocks between the bed mounts and the frame tubes right in front of the engine. If it does turn out to be an A2, John Emery has the correct data plates for it.

That's fairly common for the Douglas connector to be broken off the condenser, all you can do is replace the condenser, and all you will probably find is the type with the screw terminal. You'll have to use a Dremel tool to open the hole in the cover up a little so it will fit. John Emery might have to original condensers, but I don't think so.

 

[Warthog]

Charlie, thank you for posting the links to the pictures but please edit your posts and post the pictures here. That will help in the future in case someone decides to delete the pictures on the other sites. When that happens the thread becomes useless.

 

[Charlie]

I can't figure out how to post photos and edit photos on this board, sorry. I'll just go back to where I came from.

 

[13bravo]

Well I think it has the 2" spacers, but to make sure here are some pictures.


Adding pictures is a little strange if you're used to doing through something like photobucket, but it does get a bit easier. You have to go the advanced reply route, then go to the manage attachments to add pictures.

 

[Charlie]

Yes, that is the correct spacer. Your mule is an M274A1 that has been converted into an M274A4 by the installation of the AO-42 2-cylinder engine kit. The conversion was done by Kaiser Jeep Corp. under contract No. DA-33-0190-ORD-4051 sometime in 1964/65. If you are interested, I have a brand new, never stamped, reproduction M274A4 data plate. PM for details if interested.

 

[The Auto Shop teacher]

I read up on the link on the differences of the 4A053 and the 2A042 engines and the gov rates the 4 cyl at 17HP, and the 2 cyl at only 10. I know the numbers are conservative, and they geared the 2 cyl mules down to make up for the HP loss and slow the mules down. My question is how noticeable is the horsepower and speed of the 4cyl to the 2cyl? I assume folks out there have driven both.