[Fourtrail]

Assuming the 4cyl F-Head in that early CJ-5, new points and a good carb clean and it should fire right up and run. Even better if you have a V-6 though. As for brakes, Walck's has everything you will need for the brake system. Not that you won't get good info here, but you may also want to join http://earlycj5.com/xf_cj5/index.php as they are specific to the early short fendered CJ-5's. Good luck with your project, they are fun simple rides.

https://walcks4wd.com/Brake-System_c_1328.html

 

[Fourtrail]

Just took from fresh pictures. Definitely must more dusty now. I'm really having a hard time decoding the VIN as well. I get the "Open Body Universal CJ-5" part but not the last six digits. I can't find any table that corresponds with it.

8305 gives you the cj5 model, the last 6 is the sequential serial number. You can verify the year from that number from the link below. Serial number shows as 1965. And yes, the vin plate was attached to the firewall with regular screws in that year range.

https://jeepwillysworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Vehicle_Indentification.pdf

 

[Fourtrail]

Ok, for the points/condenser, just order a new set rather than mess with what you have. There should be a tag on the distributor with the brand and model on it, you will need to make sure that you order the right set of points. Once you pull the cap and rotor, the plate that the points are mounted on removes after you take out the two screws that hold down the catch/latch for the cap. Once you have the screws out, the plate will lift out of the distributor. There are 2 screws in the points, one holds them in place, the other is a cammed head that adjusts the gap. Do not turn the one that is in the oval slot on the points (gap adjustment), just take loose the other screw and the lift the points off of the pivot pin. The new set of points should be close enough to drop back onto the plate and put the holding screw in and get the engine to fire up, you can fine tune the point gap later. the 'ground' wire from the coil connects to the points and spark occurs when the points open. make sure the you also replace the condenser, this absorbs the extra voltage when the points open and close to llimit the spark between the points as they open and close to extend the life of the point contact surface. if the condenser is bad, it can short directly to ground and the points will never charge the coil to get a spark.




pertronix is a good conversion, but I would hold off until you get the rest of the wiring straightened out and make sure that the motor runs.

 

[Fourtrail]

The distributor on the F-head has a flat drive and timing limited adjustment so as long as the oil pump gears are timed correctly to the cam you should be close on the timing. so #1 can really only be in 2 positions with that distributor. no being 'teeth off' when you put in the distributor.

 

[Fourtrail]

#1 on the one picture that you have of your distributor looks to be more about 4:30 or 5 o'clock. if the distributor has been out, #1 could either be there, or where #4 is (10:30-11 o'clock). As I said though, this is as long as the oil pump gears haven't been out and the distributor drive in the wrong place.

 

[Fourtrail]

Thanks for that. At least I have somewhere to start. If I don't have any luck in that position I'll just rotate the wires 90 degrees until I find it.

This is the distributor drive, so unless someone has had the oil pump gears off, it can really only go in one way.

 

[Fourtrail]

Glad you got it fired up, those old f-heads are hard to kill and like to wake back up after long slumbers

Alternator swap on those is fairly easy. https://vintageautogarage.com/willy...t-fits-134-l-and-f-head-4-cyl-engines-bktwja/

uses gm/delco 10si or what can be ordered as the common gm '1-wire' alternator

and this pulley will allow you to keep the factory 5/8" wide belt. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/GM-Alternator-5-8-Inch-Wide-Alternator-Belt-Pulley-Plain,1868.html

 

[Fourtrail]

Wow. And I thought I had cleanup to do!

E-brake cables are like unicorns these days. Also, if you can, figure out the length of cable you will need; there are several different lengths for the main cable from the pedal to the connection with the junction/spreader.

Good luck!

The E-brake is mounted to the back of the transfercase, not inside the rear drums like the more modern Jeeps. There should be a ratcheting pull lever mounted to the bottom of the dash that releases with a 1/4 turn of the handle. When i used the E-brake on my early '5, I used a twist lock throttle cable from a medium/heavy duty truck application from the local NAPA. Mine also was missing the handle and cable.

 

[Fourtrail]

I had planned on reusing the oil bath engine air filter but I had no idea how integrated it all is. Just the center metal element is about $100, and I'm not interested in all that at the moment. I already have the air horn and connecting hose, so I'll grab a Spectre filter from O'Reillys and hook it up with a tube in the center. I bought the air horn from Kaiser Willys and am not too impressed with the quality. The horn itself is decent but the clamp was garbage. FORTUNATELY I came across the old clamp when cleaning out the back, so I cleaned up the thread on the screw with a 1/4-20 die and reused it. MUCH better fit.

Just clean the metal element out with diesel fuel or kerosene. There is no reason to try and pull apart the oil bath air cleaner to replace the metal element unless it has rusted to nothing. The metal element is just there to catch the big stuff before the air passes through the oil sump at the bottom of the air cleaner.

 

[Fourtrail]

Good to hear that you are driving around and enjoying it. I have that same spacer on the alternator on my F-head... lol

 

[Fourtrail]

On a separate note, I still have a pretty significant oil leak around my rear axle yoke. I replaced the seal again and it didn't improve anything. There's not a wear line on the yoke shaft either. It slides in and rotates smoothly and feels like there's plenty of contact. Suggestions?

Sounds like you are having venting issues and keep blowing out the seal. Early housings have a vent in the cover, it does not look like your rear cover has a vent built in.

So next is to check the housing as the end of the run of the tapered housings had a small vent hole on the back side of one of the tubes. It stayed this way until they went to the vent bolt at the brake line T in the later housings.

 

[Fourtrail]

Might be leaking between the splines of the pinion and the yoke splines. Some will paint the yoke splines with liquid ptfe pipe thread sealant before sliding the yoke on and it should seal that part up and keep you from getting leaks if the main seal is good and it was still leaking.

 

[Fourtrail]

Rebuild the YF, from what I have seen of your work in this thread, you have no reason to be scared to do it, I think I did the first rebuild on mine at 17 y.o. They are dead simple, just make sure you get all of the parts back in their original location. Set the idle mixture 1-1/2 turns out to start and then make your fine tuning. You may want to pull the valve cover and sideplate and watch to see if you have a sticky valve that is contributing to your misfires and backfires. Wouldn't hurt to run the valve/rocker clearances to make sure everything is opening and closing as it should.