What did you do today?

[Blue Chips 843]

I did some more work on the full-flow oil filtration conversion on my Dodge M37's engine. I decided to slightly revise the external filter plumbing---just some minor adjustments to get a better fit.

 

(BTW, just as an explanatory note, the way the original bypass filtration worked in the old MoPar flathead six in my Dodge M37, only a small percentage of the oil was diverted through the filter; the bulk of the oil was delivered to the bearings, etc., with no filtration whatsoever. Eventually, all of the oil would pass through the filter, but if there was any dirt/debris in the oil, it would typically loop through the system many times before it all got filtered out. The later versions of this engine went to a full-flow system, so that all of the oil is filtered before it reaches the bearings. The original bypass filter media was very fine and could trap very small particles, but I think that a modern spin-on oil filter in a full-flow system should do a very adequate job of filtering, while eliminating the possibility of major damage/wear from any larger particles.)

 

First, I bored the NPT end of a male 1/4" NPT-to-JIC AN-8 adapter so that the NPT end has the same ID as the JIC end of the adapter, and also matches the standard (almost 3/8") ID of the 1/4" schedule 40 pipe. This will still allow me to maintain that full inside diameter all the way from the oil pump to the filter and back.

 

 

I turned down part of the hex area of a 1/4" female NPT-to-JIC AN-8 adapter to provide more clearance from an adjacent adapter:

 

 

The net effect of the adapter changes will be to lower everything just enough to allow me to pull the valve compartment cover straight out, without having to maneuver it over the tubing, and it will also move the tubing a little farther away from the exhaust manifold. Here's a loose/dry fit-up just to get a general idea of how the fittings should work with each other:

 

 

I'm about halfway through reassembling the transmission, which I'm totally rebuilding, but I'm waiting for a snap ring to arrive. It can be a little frustrating to get hung up by such a seemingly minor part, but the groove width and diameter are kind of unusual, so 'standard' inch sizes wouldn't work properly. I finally found a metric heavy-duty retaining ring that should be a good fit, both in terms of diameter and thickness.

 

I'm also still in the process of making a couple of upgrades to the engine valves and connecting rods, beyond what the machine shop did for me. More on that later.

 

 

Edited Monday at 04:15 PM by Blue Chips

[Handy Don 17,392]

Over the last several days I’ve been moving trailer loads of wood chips to cover our now-sunlit hillside. Goal is to prevent an explosion of weed growth on an un-mowable slope left by the arborists when we removed a bunch of invasive Norway Maple trees .

I carved out a temporary level “notch” in the hillside to park the tractor and loaded trailer on the trips up the hill. I need the tire chains for traction (visible tracks in the pic) and I keep the mower deck and front weights mounted for extra confidence. (The trailer attaches to the below-rear-axle standard drawbar--also good.)

Going down, I walk the empty trailer and drive the tractor in 1st with my foot holding the clutch pedal up firmly.

Progress has been slow and exhausting so I’ll be hiring some workers to help me finish it off. 

Edited Tuesday at 04:37 PM by Handy Don

[CasaytheMann 257]

On 9/21/2026 at 4:37 AM, ebinmaine said:

 

Got pics? 

I'll post some tomorrow. I was too busy changing out the upper radiator hose on the wife's 2013 Dodge Dart. What a chore!

Edited Wednesday at 02:09 AM by CasaytheMann

[ebinmaine 80,485]

My excavator company owner called this morning. They are getting done with a job a little sooner than they thought and he wants to try to send his operator over to our place soon. Maybe next week. 

I was hoping to be there so I can help cut some trees but at least this way we should be able to get the flat spot for the new metal camper storage building all set up.

 

Here's a couple pics of the approximate new building location from the house front.  

The red tape stripe is the CLOSE side to the road. We've marked that stripe 80 feet from centerline.  75 ft is minimum. 

The new building will be to the left of the red tape.  The new flat spot will be approximately 24 feet square.  Obviously several loads of good fill will be added. 

 

 

 

 

Orange X trees will be removed. 

Any trees with a RED tape are 99% NO touch. 

BLUE tape is: leave if possible but no worries if they're in the way.

There are several other trees in other yard areas marked as such.  

 

  

[CasaytheMann 257]

Here's the pics I promised. 

[ebinmaine 80,485]

5 minutes ago, CasaytheMann said:

Here's the

 

Like the real bike stand!

[CasaytheMann 257]

Lol. It's the cheapest one on Amazon.

[8ntruck 9,254]

I remade a chipboard/melamine shelf into a narrower shelf to fit between the Murphy bed and wall at the lake house.  This will be the 3rd or 4th life for that shelving unit.

[Beap52 2,446]

Spent the day with a  friend after he asked me if I could sit with  him while his wife went to work.  Marty fell 2 1/2 years ago on a construction site pretty much destroying both of his ankles.  He had (what seems like his umpteenth surgery) this week and his wife wanted someone to keep an eye on him. He is hoping one more surgery will patch him up as best as he will ever be sometime early next year. 

 

Interesting that a fellow learns about another fellow if you have six hours of just sitting and talking. 

[ebinmaine 80,485]

19 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

3rd or 4th life for that shelving unit.

 

Nicely done.  Trina would be happy with you.  

[953 nut 68,915]

59 minutes ago, Beap52 said:

could sit with  him

May God bless you for your loving care for a friend.             

[CasaytheMann 257]

I've almost finished the wife's bicycle. Just waiting on parts for the rear brakes.

Edited 19 hours ago by CasaytheMann

[Ed Kennell 47,166]

Mountain Man breakfast this AM.   Eggs, deer scrapple, home fries and onions.

[ebinmaine 80,485]

I rolled my left ankle at work yesterday so I'm spending the weekend with it off the ground. 

 

😬

[SylvanLakeWH 32,342]

25 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I rolled my left ankle at work yesterday so I'm spending the weekend with it off the ground. 

 

😬

That sucks...  Take it easy!!!

 

Make sure BBT gets all your work done... 

[ebinmaine 80,485]

25 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

That sucks...  Take it easy!!!

 

Make sure BBT gets all your work done... 

 

 

She already did.

And she also drove all the way to my mom's house to help throw her an 80th birthday party 🎈