'55 R-122 rehab


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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 1437

Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 6:32 am

Location: Minnesota

Post Tue Jan 10, 2023 8:33 am

Re: '55 R-122 rehab

Good looking pics Jake, your almost finished.
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 741

Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2013 12:58 am

Location: Central IL

Post Tue Jan 17, 2023 8:02 am

Re: '55 R-122 rehab

Thanks Kevin. I am nearing the “home stretch” for this group of projects.
'55 IH R-122- BG265 w/TBI fuel injection
'64 Porsche 356 C
'68 and '73 BMW 2002s
‘14 VW Passat SE TSI
3 Vintage Sears garden tractors ('66-'74)
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 741

Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2013 12:58 am

Location: Central IL

Post Tue Jan 17, 2023 8:32 pm

Re: '55 R-122 rehab

This past weekend was exciting. I spent some time to wire up the GM steering column in the truck and get the horn button functioning. I set the toe and set the length of the drag link. I went through all of the systems and double checked everything. It was time to go for a test drive. The first one was brief- just around the lot that surrounds the shop. Then after letting the truck run for a bit (no leaks) I climbed back in it and went for a 6 mile run around the section that the shop is on. The steering felt heavy (something binding in the steering column) and the brake pedal has way too little trace before the brakes (which are amazing) are at full application.

I’ve managed to take the steering column apart and found a spacer ring that (per the horn button instructions) was causing the column to bind. After removing the spacer the steering is light and free.

The master cylinder at the time of the test drive was a 34mm GM unit from a 2004 Tahoe. I traded that one out for a 31mm unit also used in a 2004 Tahoe. I haven’t had a chance to test drive the truck w the new MC. I’ll do that in the next few days after I get a replacement electric fan switch.

So far I’m really pleased with the improvements to the truck. I’m excited to get things more dialed in and start daily driving again.
'55 IH R-122- BG265 w/TBI fuel injection
'64 Porsche 356 C
'68 and '73 BMW 2002s
‘14 VW Passat SE TSI
3 Vintage Sears garden tractors ('66-'74)
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 343

Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:57 pm

Location: Plano, TX

Post Fri Jan 20, 2023 11:41 am

Re: '55 R-122 rehab

Congrats! An awesome feeling to be on the road again, i'm sure
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 741

Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2013 12:58 am

Location: Central IL

Post Sat Feb 04, 2023 8:42 am

Re: '55 R-122 rehab

82789C2C-05F8-4536-B49A-C11CCF3C5C38.jpeg
Custom aluminum adapter bezel for 2” old air vents in dash of 55 IH R-122


I started working on installing the old air hurricane system in the truck a few weeks ago. I had to force the truck into service this past Monday as we needed to move my MIL into a care facility. The truck isn’t ready for prime time. I did learn some things:

1) Painless wiring fan thermo switches do not get my vote. The one I installed in the truck actuated the fan control relay 4 times and died. Nice that I installed a manual switch under the dash. Realizing 200*f on the gauge in a drive thru at 17*f outside didn’t make me happy. Info only- Gauge runs 170*f while the truck is moving; Sensor is in the Water pump housing; 185* t stat.

2) 1 finger power steering and hydro boosted brakes require a guitar string tight 1/2” width V-belt if you don’t want it talking back when it’s cold outside. My first corrective measure will
Be to reduce the pressure and flow from the PS pump. Hoping reduced effort will bring steering back to a heavier feel, reduce the assist some on the brakes, and allow me to slack off on the belt some. It may be that I will have to convert to serp belt sooner than later. Time will tell.

3) The hurricane while having an amazing amount of airflow doesn’t seem up to the task of providing adequate heat in the cab as it stands. I want to return the truck to daily driver status, but Luke warm air when it’s 5*f isn’t going to cut it. The windows stay clear which is a huge improvement over the old IH heater, but my feet/legs go numb driving. I’m going to try to insulate the cab better in hopes that warmer air in will get warmer air out.

4) cold start/cool running timing/fuel maps need some real work. It sounds like a Harley when it’s warming up on a 0*f-20*f morning. Once the engine switches to warmer
Maps at about 100*f coolant temps it settles into a sensible/quiet idle.

5)I’ve always known it, but there is basically no dry storage in this truck. Time to
Make a tonneau cover for it. It was really aggravating to try to deal w/ anything beyond me and my 6yo son in the snow.
Last edited by VWJake on Sat Feb 04, 2023 9:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
'55 IH R-122- BG265 w/TBI fuel injection
'64 Porsche 356 C
'68 and '73 BMW 2002s
‘14 VW Passat SE TSI
3 Vintage Sears garden tractors ('66-'74)

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 1437

Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 6:32 am

Location: Minnesota

Post Sat Feb 04, 2023 8:53 am

Re: '55 R-122 rehab

Thanks for the update, sorry to here about the care facility thing.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 5170

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:28 pm

Location: Lyman, IA

Post Sun Feb 05, 2023 9:58 am

Re: '55 R-122 rehab

170 deg in the returning coolant (in other words at the waterpump) is correct for 180 at the outlet. 10 deg drop is what is looked for. But that is for a system with shutters or a vehicle standing still with no fan operating.
Some of that can be the bypass mixing with the return. Many automotive leave the return open all the time. Some block the return as the stat opens. You need to re locate the temp sender to near the outlet/thermostat to really know what is going on.
Also confirm that the return line from the heater to the waterpump goes to the suction side of the water pump and not the pressure side. It would give very little flow and lead to the heat problem you are experiencing. A quick way to check is on a cold day with the heater running the two line should be about the same temp, if one is much cooler, you have a flow problem in the heater, either plugged core or hoses run wrong.
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 741

Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2013 12:58 am

Location: Central IL

Post Wed Feb 08, 2023 7:38 am

Re: '55 R-122 rehab

I opened the hood of the truck yesterday to swap out the fan switch as this morning I need to load up my welder and head to my sons school. The athletic director found a crack in one of the fold up bleachers on the stage.

Anyway… what struck me was that the fitting for the heater core return to the water pump is radial to the shaft of the pump. I expected it to be tangential. I can’t see into the pump, but I’ll assume the impeller is a twisted vane.

I’ll check coolant temps today when I get back to the shop.
'55 IH R-122- BG265 w/TBI fuel injection
'64 Porsche 356 C
'68 and '73 BMW 2002s
‘14 VW Passat SE TSI
3 Vintage Sears garden tractors ('66-'74)

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 5170

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:28 pm

Location: Lyman, IA

Post Wed Feb 08, 2023 10:39 am

Re: '55 R-122 rehab

I don't think any conclusions can be drawn from how the port is angled. You need to see where it ends up inside the pump, suction or discharge side of the impeller.
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 741

Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2013 12:58 am

Location: Central IL

Post Sat Aug 05, 2023 8:47 am

Re: '55 R-122 rehab

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Some things followed me home this past week.

‘06 6.0L Powerstroke, ‘05 5R110W trans/transfer case, and an ‘05 F250 roller… I’m not committed to this yet, but it sure seems probable that this will be the next stage of life for my R122
'55 IH R-122- BG265 w/TBI fuel injection
'64 Porsche 356 C
'68 and '73 BMW 2002s
‘14 VW Passat SE TSI
3 Vintage Sears garden tractors ('66-'74)
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