"Hurricane" Engine Specs and Photos

F-head 134 cu.in. (2.2 liter) 4-Cylinder Engine

One of the cars that put the roar in the Roaring 20's was John North Willys' 1926 Overland Whippet with its new 4-cylinder engine, which later became the basis of the "Go-Devil" engine used in the jeeps of World War II. The similar but taller "Hurricane" F-head engine, which Willys began putting in its larger vehicles in 1949, had its intake valves in the head rather than the engine block. The first 1/4-ton Jeep big enough for the new engine was the military M-38A1 in 1951. The first civilian Universal Jeep with the Hurricane engine was the new "high-hood" 1953 CJ-3B.

Seen here with an early F-head is Willys-Overland chief engineer Delmar G. "Barney" Roos, who played an important role in the development of both the Hurricane and its predecessor the Go-Devil.

Maintenance Part Numbers

• Rotor cap: Prestolite IAT 1041
• Ignition points: Standard AL 4556P or #AL4556XP (the difference between P and XP is the quality.)
• Points: NAPA CS725A or CS709
• Condenser: NAPA AL 869 or AL 868 (with wire or with copper strap)
• Cap: NAPA AL70
• Rotor: NAPA AL69
• Fan belt: Dayco 22425.
• Oil Filter: Fram C-3P. Wix 51010 or NAPA 1010 or 1006 (1011 is same filter with 2 different size gaskets.) 1980's Mercedes-Benz diesels used the same filter.
• Sparkplugs: Autolite A7, AC Delco 45 or Champion J-8. Note: Current Autolite replacement number is 295. A current Champion 841 (J8C) is suitable. AC has discontinued the 45 plug but hardware stores in small towns may still have stock from the 70's. Modern resistor-type plugs don't perform well on older engines.
• 6-volt Battery: Auto-Lite 1M-100, 100 AmpHour (H 8 5/8" x W 7" x L 8 23/32")
• 12-volt Battery: Auto-Lite 11-HS, 50 AmpHour (H 9 7/32" x W 6 25/32" x L 10 15/64")

Specifications

• Spark plug gap: 0.030 in. (0.762 mm)
• Spark plug torque: 25-33 lbs. ft. (34-44 Nm)
• Firing order: 1-3-4-2
• Distributor rotation: Counterclockwise
• Point gap: 0.020 in. (Prestolite)
• Dwell angle: 42 degrees
• Ignition timing: 5 degrees BTDC
   
  
• Bore and stroke :3 1/8 in. x 4 3/8 in. (79.37 mm x 111.12 mm)
• SAE Horsepower: 15.63
• Weight: 470 lbs. with fluids (Jeep Bible, Granville King)
• Max. Horsepower: 72 @ 4000 R.P.M. (71 @ 4000 R.P.M. on military M606's)
• Torque: 114 lbs. ft. (15.7 kg-m) @ 2000 R.P.M. (111 lbs. ft. @ 2200 R.P.M. on military M606's)
• Compression pressure: 120-130 psi (8.4-9.2 kg-cm2)
• Compression ratio: 6.9:1 (7.4:1 high altitude option).
   
  
• Valves: 2-in. intake valves in head, exhaust valves in block.
• Valve clearances:
     Intake: 0.018 in.
     Exhaust: 0.016 in.
• Idle speed:
    YF-938-SD carburetor: 600 rpm
    YF-4002-S carburetor: 650-700 rpm
    YF-4366-S, YF-4941-S, or YF-6115-S:
       IAY-4401A distributor: 650-700 rpm
       IAY-4401B distributor: 700-750 rpm

Surviving examples suggest the engines were painted black, often with an orange sealant coat underneath. Further information on paint is welcome.
 

Publications Including Further Specs

• F4-134 Engine Specifications (100K GIF) is the complete specs from the Kaiser Jeep Universal Service Manual (1965)
• Willys Service Standards, 1952-54 Models for engine specs and tolerances.
• Willys Four: A.E.A. Adjustment Standards, 1960 for tuneup part numbers and standards.
• Chek-Chart Willys 4 Service Instructions for maintenance and lubrication specs.

Engine Numbers

The F-134 engine number (beginning with the prefix 4J for original CJ-3B engines) is found on the water pump boss (20K GIF) on the front of the block. Letters following the engine number indicate odd-sized parts:

• A: 0.010" undersized main and connecting rod bearings
• B: 0.010" oversized cylinder bore
• AB: both of the above
• C: 0.002" undersized piston pin
• D: 0.010" undersized main bearing journals
• E: 0.010" undersized connecting rod bearing journals

Engine Photos on The CJ3B Page

Here are direct links to some of the more detailed F-head photos on this website. For more information on a particular owner's Jeep below, use the Search page, or look on Jeep CJ-3B Owners and Photos. The chromed engine shown here belongs to Marcel Vila's 1955 CJ-3B in Spain.

• Doug Anderson's '60 (left)
• Doug Anderson's '60 (right)
• Miguel Onofre's '55 (front)
• Miguel Onofre's '55 (left side without manifold)
• John Ittel's '53 (right side)
• Pat Mcintyre's rebuilt '59 in orange (right side)
• Pat Mcintyre's rebuilt '59 (left rear)
• Kim Boehm's restored '61 (left side)
• Kim Boehm's restored '61 (right side)
• Keith Hepper's rebuilt '54 (right side)
• Keith Hepper's rebuilt '54 (left side)
• Rankine Roth's '60 (left)
• Rankine Roth's '60 (right)
• Rankine Roth's '60 (right without radiator)
• Brett Chitwood's '64 (right)
• Brett Chitwood's '64 (left)
• Randy Merritt's '62 (front)
• Adam Charnok's '63 (left)
• Adam Charnok's '63 (right)
• Steve Chabot's '59 (left)
• Richard Laflamme's '53 (left)
• William Mentz's '62 (front)
• Derek Redmond's '59 (left)
• Derek Redmond's '59 (right)
• Derek Redmond's '59 (front)
• Clint Spaar's '54 (right)
• Turkish Jeep (left)
• Turkish Jeep (right)
• Piet Versleijen's '56 (restored, left)
• Piet Versleijen's '56 (restored, right)
• Piet Versleijen's '56 (original, left)
• Piet Versleijen's '56 (original, right)
• Tony Yuma's '58 (right)
• Josh Kamunen's '54 (Clifford headers)
• Mike Perry's '59 CJ-5 (Solex carb)
• Jack Ahlberg's '54 Complete Engine (left)
• Dan Bever '62 CJ-5 Complete Engine (left)
• Dan Bever '62 CJ-5 Complete Engine (right)
• Eric Lawson's photos of an F-head Engine Rebuild
• Rus Curtis' photos of 1955 CJ-3B Details

From Willys literature:

• Side Illustration (left) (from Facts for Service Stations, 1953)
• Side Cutaway View
• Front Cutaway View
• Internal Parts, Exploded View
• External Parts, Exploded View (all from CJ-3B Parts Illustrations)

Thanks to Wes K., oldtime, Bruce Agan and all the photographers, including Jim Allen, Tom Edwards and Tony Phillipson. -- Derek Redmond

See also my cartoon of the Arrival of the F-heads.

For more engine information on The CJ3B Page, see F4-134 Engine Horsepower and Torque and lots of pages of Tech Tips including the F-head Engine Rebuild.

Elsewhere on the web, see Dane R. Marley's detail pictures of an F-Head from an M-38A1 as he disassembles it.

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