M38A1 Ignition system question

[Comox Air Force Museum]

Casey, you might also want to check your distributor cap. M38A1's are notorious for cracking if the screws are overtightened holding the inner bakelite cap in. That might explain the wet plug.
Rob

[SteveJ]

Also you might want to check the ignition harness. Sometimes when they are unscrewed they bind up and twist off the wire.
Ive always run the resin filter in the tank of my M38 and have had no problems. but changing it or cleaning it as the TM describes would a good idea. The carb has only basic idle air adjust but the idle circuit is sensitive to contamination also a diaphragm may be perforated. If all else fails you might want to do a carb kid. Midwest military has a good one.

[rob love]

In your first post you asked about decent prices for the spark plugs. Depending where you buy them from they can be very expensive. One of the modern replacement numbers for the old plugs is Autolite 2243 for the old AR5S, and 2245 for the old AR7S. Rock auto lists both the 2243 and the 2245 for $6.63 each. That compares very favorably with the $15 plus that many dealers list them at.

The 2243 is the colder plug, the 2245 is hot. Engine condition along with type of usage would dictate which plug to use.

[Casey B]

Awsome advice ! thanks guys i have a sunny day all day to work on it and the wife is away at a course so freedom as well! thanks again. we'll seeLOL

[Casey B]

Took the carb apart yes lots of red dust rust dust that is but flushed the lines and put the in line filter in before the pum and it caugh a little rust not much ...so cleaned the carb and it all looked pretty good so took a chance and it fired right up and ran really well!...for about 2 mins LOL! Ordered a rebuild kit and some plugs for it. I figure there is a hole in the diapham and when it builds up pressure when you step on the gas that's it it floods out and runs rough and rich...so I wait a week while it wants to rain...?
Might have to get a top for it soon?