tm9-759 m4a3
TRANSCRIPT
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T
9-7
59
W R EP
RTMENT
TECHNIC
AL
MA
NUAL
ME
DIUM
TANK M
4A3
AUGUS
T 4
1942
WJTH
Y
5 2
0 0 R
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T 9-759
TECHN ICAL M
ANUAL
WAR
DEPA RTME
N T
No .
9-759
W a
sh ing ton Augus t 4 9 4
MEDIU
M TAN
K M4A
3
Prepared u
nder the direc
tion of
the Chi
ef
of Ordnance
with the cooperatio
n of the Ford
Motor Company)
CONTENTS
Paragraphs Pages
SECT ION
I:
Introduction ......
............................. .
.... 1 3 2
II:
Description
and
ta
bulated data........ ..
4 5 3 7
III: Ope
rating instructions and
controls.. 6 11 8 2
2
IV:
Lubrication
........
.............................
...12 16 2 3 2 7
V: Inspecti
ons
.............
...........................1
722
28 33
VI: Power
unit an
d
access
ories...............23
37
34
54
VII:
R
eferences
.........
.............................
....38 40 55
IN D EX
..........
.............................
.............................
........ 56 62
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EDIUM TANK M4A3
SectionI
INTRODUCTION
Pa
ragraph
Purpose and
scope...............................................
.. .........................
Co
ntent and arrangement
of
the
manual................................
.... 2
References
...................................................
.. ................................. 3
1 PURPOSE A
ND
SCOPE
TM 9-75
9
dated August
4 , 1942 ,
is
intended to
serve
tempo
rarily
(pending
the
publication
of
a
revision
now in
preparation
which
will
be wider
in
scope) to give infor
mation and guidanc
e
to
the
personnel
o
f
the
using arms
cha
rged
with
the
operation and maintenance
of
this
materiel.
2 CONTENT
AND
AR
RANGEMENT
OF THE
MANUAL
Sections I through
V contain inform
ation
chiefly for
the
gui
dance
of
o
perating personn
el.
Section
V I contains information
intended
chiefly
for the
guidance
of
personnel doing
maintenance
work.
3
REFEREN ES
Section VII
lists all Standard
Nom
enclature Lists,
Technical
Manuals, and othe
r publications for the
material
describe
d herein.
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4 5
Sec
tion
DESCRIPTION AND
TABULATED DATA
Pa
ragraph
Descrip
tion ............................
....................... .................................
4
Tabulated
data.......................
......................................................... 5
4 . DESCRIPTIO
N figs. and 2).
a. The medium tank
M 4 A3 is an armored, ful
l track-lay
ing
vehicle, p
owered by a 500 hp Ford tank engine which is
an eight
cylinder, liqui
d coo
led,
V
type
engine designed
specifically
for
tanks.
The
engine
is
located
in
the
rear
of
the
hull.
The
operator
steers
the
vehicle
by
means
of two levers located
in the front end
ofthe
hull. The
v
ehicle
ha
s five forwar
d
speeds and
one
reverse.
The
tank is wired
for
radio in
stallation, and
for
an interpho
ne
system
with
in
the tank
.
b. The turret armo
r
front is 3
inches
thick,
sides
are
2
inches
thick, and
rear is 2
in
ches thick.
The
top
of the turret is inch
thick. The armor
on the sides of
the
hull is ' />
inches thick
and
th
e
front
slope
is
2
inches
thick.
c.
The
turret can be rotated th
rough
360 degrees
by a hydraulic
system or by hand.
The
turret
platform rotates with th
e
turret.
d.
A
n auxiliary electrical generating system, con
sisting of a
generating set
powered by
a o
ne-cylinder two-cycle gasoline
engine,
char
ges the
batteries
when
the
engine g
enerator is
not
operating.
5 T BUL TED
DATA
a. General
Weight without armam
ent,
fuel
or
cr
ew 59560
Ib
Gro
und
clear
ance .....
...................... ......._..........................
..........17%-in.
Tread cen
ter
to
center of tracks)..
..........................................__._..83-in
.
Width
over-all ....................................
............................................103-in.
Length
over-all ..........................
................................................232i/
2
-in.
Height
over-all ................
..........................................................
111%-in.
b
Engine
Ford tank engine
Rated
horsepow er.......................................__..__..._...........500
at
2600
rpm
Number
of cylinders (60 V)..........
........................................................8
Weight of
engine, w/accessories...................................
...............1470
Ib
c
rmament
1 gun, 75-mm
,
M 3
combination turret mount)
1
gun, machine,
cal. .30, M 1 9 1 9 A 4 combinat
ion
turret m
ount)
gun,
machine,
cal.
.3 0
,
M 1
919A4
flexible ball mount
in
fron
t
plate
)
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DIUM TA
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A
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DESCRIPTION AND TABULATED DATA
0
JC
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O
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V
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TM 9-759
MED
IUM TANK
M4A3
gun, machine, cal. .50
M 2,H
.B .
(f
lexiblerace
mount on
turret
hatch)
gun,
submachine,
cal.
.45
Thompson,
Model
1928A1
(carriedon brackets within
tank)
moun
t,
trip
od, machi
ne gu
n,
M1928A1,
cal. .30 M2
d.
Prote
cted vision. Protecte
d
vision is provided
for the driver
and
crew by
the
use of s
teel shutters (op
en and
shut
type) at
vision
s
lots, and by indirect
vision
devices called periscopes. T
here are
five
periscopes on
the
M 4 A 3
tank. Theperiscop
es for the assistant
driver
and
the
gunn
er are tele
scope eq
uipped. The
re
maining
three
pe
ri
scopes are of
the plain visio
n
type.
e. Seats. Adjustable
, padded, chair-type
seats, equip
ped with
sa
fety
belts,
are provided
for
driver,
assistant drive
r, and gunner.
Round, padded seats, eq
uipped
w
ith
safety
belts
and of
the snap
down
type, ar
e
pro
vided for
the loader and tank
commander.
f. Protective
Padding.
Partsof
the interiorare p
added
with
sponge rubber
,
to
protect
the tank
c
rew
from
injury.
g. Communication
[SCR 245
sending
and
receiving
(1) Radio....
.....
..,) Voice
15-25 mile
s
[Code 30-45
miles
(2) Telephone
.....................
...................... ........
..................... Intra
-tank
h
Armor
thickness
Hull, front
slope................2
-in. Botto
m,
front.........
...........1-in.
Rear
.....
...I'/a-in.
Bottom, rear .
...:...............i/.j-in.
Side
s
....................
..........11/2-hi.
Turret, fro
nt......................3-
in.
Top .. .
-in.
Sid es and r
ear....................2-i
n.
Top
............
........................1-in
.
R
ear
.........................
...........2-in.
i. T
urret.
Cast
armor plate......
..............................
. . . .360 trave
rse
j. Fuel
and
oil
Full
capacit
y
.................
..............................
..............................
. . . . .174 gal
Number
of
miles
without
refueling..........
..
C ross
country
110
miles
iHighway
155 miles
Octane rating
offuel.....
..............................
.................. . . . . . . .80
or higher
Eng
ine
oil capacit
y............................
..........................
.................32 qts
Lubrican
ts......................
..........................
......See
L
ubrication Chart
k
Per
formance
M
aximumsustained
speed
on
ha
rd
ro
ad.........................
...........26 mph
Exp
ected cross-country
speeds for various t
errains... ....4 to
26 mph
Maximum allowa
ble engine
speed...........
..............................
...2800
rpm
Minimu
mengine idlin
g speed
.............................
.......................500 rpm
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DESCRIPTION AND
TABULATED
DA
TA
M
aximum grade
ascending ability
27
Maximum
grade descending a
bility
27
Maximum
width ofditch tank
will
cr
oss...............................72-in.
Maximum vertical
obstacle
such
as a
wall, that
the tank
will
climb over........-...
..........................
..18-in.
Maximum fording
depth
(at slowe
st forward speed)...........
.......36-in.
1 Crew
5 men
m. Tracks .-..........
.-...................................rubber block
or steel
Track
shoe
width......................................
.............................16-in.
Track pitch ....
........................................
....................... 6-in.
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MEDIUM
TANK M4A3
Section
III
OPERATING
INSTRUCTIONS
AND
CONTROLS
Paragraph
General information on controls................................................ 6
Prestarting
inspection
.................................................................. 7
Starting
instructions
.................................................................... 8
Engine test .................................................................................... 9
Operating
the vehicle...................................................................
10
Stopping
the
engine......................................................................
11
6
GENER L INFORM TION ON
CONTROLS
f i g s . 3 nd 4 .
a. Spark control.
The
spark control is entirely automatic and
requires no attention by the
operator of
the vehicle.
b.
Throttle controls.
A foot throttle pedal
is located
on the
floor
in
front of the driver's
seat, convenient to
the driver's
right foot.
In
conjunction with
the
foot pedal, a hand-operated throttle is
pro
vided,
which
is
bracket
mounted to
the
differential
case
above the
foot
throttle.
c.
Steering
levers Two
steering levers
are mounted
on the
floor
of the vehicle, in front
of
the driver's seat. To steer the vehicle,
pull
the steering lever on the side toward which it is desired to turn.
Pulling back
either
one
of the
levers slows down
the
track
on that
side,
while the the speed
of
the other track is increased. Thus
the
vehicle turns
with
power on
both
tracks at all
times
(fig. 3).
d. Brakes
1)
Service
brakes.
Pulling
back
simultaneously
on
both
steering
levers slows down or stops
the
vehicle, depending on
the
effort
applied.
(2) Parking
brake. The parking
brake
lever is located on the
right
side of the
driver,
at rear
of
the
transmission. It
is
a trans
mission typ brake, and should never be used for any purpose other
than
parking. Always
be sure
parking
brake is released before
moving the tank.
e.
Clutch.
The
clutch
pedal
is
located
on
the
floor in
front
of
driver's
seat,
convenient to the driver's left foot. To permit shifting
of gears,
the
clutch is disengaged by
depressing
the clutch pedal.
f
Utility
outlet
Two
utility outlets are provided at the top of
the
instrument panel that permit
plugging
in trouble light, wind
shield wiper, etc.
g. Light
switches. The
knob on the
instrument panel
marked
LIGHTS
controls
the service lights
and
the
blackout
driving
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OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
AND CONTROLS
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MEDIUM TANK M4A3
lights. A spring-operated safety button prevents the
knob
from
being accidentally pulled out beyond the
blackout position.
To
release,
push
button in with
thumb,
at the same time
continuing
outward pull
on
knob with first
and
second fingers. The switch has
three
positions (besides OFF ), controlling
lights
as
follows:
Light Switch Position
Lights
Operating
Blackout1st position Blackout headlights
Blackout
taillights
Blackout stop
light
Service2nd
position
Service headlights
Service taillight
Service stop
light
Stop light3rd
position Service
stop
light
Location
Top of right and
left headlights
Lower section right
and left
taillights
Upper
section
right
hand taillight
Right and left
headlights
Upper
section left
hand
taillight
Upper
section
left
hand
taillight
Upper
section left
hand taillight
h. Blackout
driving light switch.
The blackout
driving
light may
be used
to
supply
illumination
for
driving when
the
service driving
lights might
reveal the
position
of
the tank. First,
remove both
service headlights from their sockets
at
the
front of the tank.
Then
insert
the
blackout
driving
light in
the left front
lamp
socket. With
the master light
switch
pulled
out
to
first
position,
pull
out
on
black
out driving light
switch
button
to turn
on
driving
light. The black
out headlight, taillights, and stop light
will
also
be on
with switches
in
this position. CAUTION:
Under battle conditions
the
blackout
driving light
should be
used intermittently and only
when
absolutely
necessary
for
safe vision.
i.
Starter switch. Directly beneath the blackout drive switch a
starter button is provided.
When
pushed
in
this button
completes
circuit
through the
starter
switch
solenoid
closing
the
starting
motor
circuit, causing
the
starter
to crank the engine.
j.
Primer. A priming pump
is
provided and
located
to the
left of
the
starter button. To operate
the
primer,
the
button is pulled out
and
pushed back in. This causes a
quantity
of gasoline
to be forced
directly into the
intake manifold for cold weather starting. The
priming
pump is
used
in
place of the conventional choke. Ordinarily
it
will not
be
necessary
to use
the primer except
during
cold
weather.
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OPER
ATING INSTRUCTIO
NS AND
CO
NTROLS
Excessive
pr
iming
of
the
engine will cause flooding
and
failure
to
start,
and the excess gasolin
e
w
ill wash
the oil from the
cylinder
walls wit
h the result that the
cylinder will not
be
properly lubricated
until the
engine
oil
starts
circulating.
k. Ignitio
n swi
tch. The Ford tank
engine
uses two 4-c
ylinder
Bos
ch magnetos
which are controlled by
a 4-position switch in the
center
of
the
instrument panel at the
top. When the switc
h
lev
er
is
to
the le
ft,
bo
th magnetos are
on. When the switch
lever
is at the
posit
ion
marked L t
he
le
ft hand magneto on
ly
is
on, and the e
ngine
would
be running on
the left hand four cylinders. Left
or right
are
used
with referenc
e to the engine
as viewed
fro
m the rear of the
tank.
When
the
ignition switch lever
is
at
the
position
marked R
the
right
hand magneto is
on
and
th
e engine
will
run on the
four
cylinders
on
the
right
hand bank only.
1
Fue
l
cut-out.
To
the left of
the ignition swit
ch
a
spring loaded
toggle switch is provided w
hich
operates the
carburetor
dega
sser
electricall
y.
When stopping the
engine alw
ays
pull
this toggle
switch to the right
and
hold
in this
position
until the
engine stops
before
turning
off the
ignition. This shuts off the
fuel
from the idle
fuel supply
wells
in
the carburetor.
This
will
prevent
loading
up
of
thecarburetor in case the
engine is tobe restarte
d
while
still hot.
m. Circuit
bre
akers. Six circuit break
er buttons are
pr
ovided in
the upper left
hand
corner
of
the
instrument
panel,
which
control
the
six circuit breakers whi
ch take the
place
of the conventional
fuses.
In
each
instance
when
these
circuits
are
overloaded,
the
circ
uit
bre
aker will
open.
The circuit
involved is then
cl
osed merely
by
pressing the corre
ct
button.
The
circui
ts controlled by these
six
buttons are
as
follows
(fig.
4):
(h)
Right
hand utility outlet circu
it
(j)
Left hand utility outle
t circuit
(k) Blackout drive switch circuit
(1) Siren circu
it
(m) Fuel cut-off and
hull
lamps circuits
(n)
Circuit
for panellights,
fuel gage,
water temperature
, low
p
ressure light,
oil level gage, voltmeter, and transmis
sion oil tem
perature gag
e.
n.
Clock. Directly beneath the
six circuit
breake
r buttons an
8-day clock is
provided. A reset and
rewindi
ng
kno
b is located at the
bo
ttom of
the dial.
o.
Compartment
light rhe
ostat. To
the
left
of
the clock
a
5-posi-
tion
rheostat is provided which
controls
th
e brilliance
of
the
panel
light
s.
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MEDIUM TANK M4A3
p.
Voltmeter.
To the rightof
the
clock
a voltmeter
ha
vinga
range
from 16 to 3
2 volts is provided. When t
he
batter
y master
switch
is off,
th
e voltmeter will read at
the lower end of the
scale.
When
the master
switch
is
on,
the
voltmeter
should
read
battery
voltage
(approximately 24
volts). If reading
i
s low with the engine
not running and no electrical
energy is being
used, the batteries
are
low
in charge and should be recha
rged. At
normal
operating
speeds
during normal
ambient temperatures, t
he
voltage
should not exceed
30
volts.
f
the
reading
is greater th
an this, the gen
erator regulator
is
not properly
limiting the voltage, and
should be replaced; other
wise
the
generator will
burn
out. T
his voltmeter likewise
reads
while
the
auxiliary
generating unit
is
charging
the battery,
at
which
time
the voltage shou
ld
not exceed
30 v
olts.
q.
Ammeter. To
the
righ
t of the
voltmeter
an amme
ter
is pro
vided with a
range
of
100
ampere
discharge to
100
ampere charge.
f
during
normal operation whe
n little cur
rent is
being
u
sed,
the
ammeter consistently indicates discharge ei
ther the generator regu
lator is not func
tioning
properly
or the generator itself is at
fault.
In either case th
e
battery
is not being charged
and will
quickly
di
s
charge. These
units should receive immediate attention to
p
revent
f
ailure during
operati
on. Even with
no electrical
energy
being
used
the
amm
eter
should
never go
above 50 amperes
(plus
or
charge)
100
ampere
s on tanks hav
ing
two
generators). If the am
meter
indicates more
than
5
0
ampere charge,
100 amperes on tanks h
av
i
ng
two ge
nerators) the current limiting u
nit
in
the generator regu
lator
is
at fault and
the regulator should be rep
laced; otherwise the
generator will
burn out during operation.
r.
Oil
temperature gage. To the right o
f
the
am
meter
an oil
temperature
gage
having
a
range
of
from
100
to
325
degrees
indi
cates thetemperature
of the oil in the
transmission.
s. Tachometer. The
tachometer
is located
on
the right hand
side
of the
instrument
panel
to the
left of the transmis
sion
oil
tempera
ture gage.
T
he throttle stop screw on
the
carbu
retor
should be so
a
djusted that
the engine should idle at
500 rpm
after
warm-up.
The maximum
speed
of the engine
is governed by a flyba
ll
type
governor
located
at
the rear of
the right
hand cylinder
head. This
governor
is
set
to
limit
the
engine
speed
to
2650
rpm
under
full
load
with wide
open
throttle
10-i
nch
vacuum).
If during operation
under full load
it
is possible to
run
the eng
ine
at
speeds abov
e
2
650
rpm
,
or if
the
gov
ernor limits
the speed
at
some
point
below
2650
rpm, the ordnance
maintenance personnel
will be notif
ied.
If the
go
vernor
is
set
too
lo w
it
will be imposs
ible
to
get maximum
speed
and
power from
the vehicle; on the
oth
er
hand
if the governor
is set
toohigh, damage to
the
eng
ine and
other
working
parts
c
ould
result.
1 4
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M
9 759
6
OPERATIN
G
INSTR
UCTIONS
AND CONTROL
S
t.
Oil
pressure gage. An
engine
oil pressure
gage
is
located
directly beneath the
tachometer. At n
ormal temperatures
the oil
pressure
should
be
between
60
and
80
pounds.
If
during operation
th
e oil pre
ssure suddenly
drops o
ff,
imm
ediately stop the
engine.
This f
ault may be due to
low
o
il lev
el.
If
oil p
ressure drops
off
slo wly
,
it
may be due to
a change
in
the
viscosity
o
f the oil du
eto overh
eat
ing.
Check engine temperatur
e.
u. Low oil pressure
signals.
To
the
rig
ht
of the oil pr
essure g
age
a
r
ed jewel
type light is
provided th
at
signals
the
driver
when the
oil pressu
redrops
below eight pounds.
v.
Oil
level
gage.
A
n
oil
level
gage located between
the
speedom
eter and
theoil pressure ga
ge indica
tes
whe
ther sufficient
oil
is
carried in the oil
pa
n sump.
A s long as
t
he oil l
evel gage is in the
green
sector, the oil level is satis
factory. Wh
en the reading
drops
to
the
r
ed sector, oil should
be added to
bring
t
he
reading up to the
right
h
and side
of the
green
sect
or.
w
. Speedom
eter. The
speedometer is
located
in
the
center
of
the
instrum
ent panel at the bott
om, and is equipped
with
a
trip mil
eage
reset at
thebo
ttom
of the instrum
ent panel.
x.
Engine
te
mperature
gage. The en
gine tempe
raturegage
is
located to th
e
le
ft
of th
e
speedometer and is
calibrated from
100
to
260 degrees. The
cooling system
on the M 4A3 tank
is
sealed
and not
Ope
nto atm
ospheric pressure,
with
the
result
that
boiling point
of
the
coolant and
conseque
ntly overheating
actually does not occ
ur
until a tempe
rature
of
approximately 230 de
grees is
re
ached. In
norm
al
operati
on under maximum pow
er on
a level hard
surface
the
engine t
emperature should not
be greate
r
than 90
degrees
ab
ove
atmospheric temperature.
y.
Fuel
level gage
and selector sw
itch. In the lower left
hand
corner
of
theinstrum
ent
panel
a
sele
ctor switchand
f
uel level
gage,
permit
the
che
cking of the
fuel level in t
he
two
sponson fuel
tanks.
The
selector switch has
three positions
L (left), Off
, and R
(right).
With the
selector switch in th
e Off position t
he fuel level
gage willread E (e
mpty).
With
the
selector
switch in the left
p
osition the fuel
level g
age
w
ill indica
te
the lev
el
of
the fuel in the
left
hand
sponson
tank. With the
selector switch
in
the R
position
the
f
uel
level
g
age
w
ill
indicate the lev
el
of th
e
fuel
in the rig
ht
ha
nd
spon
son
tank.
z. Batter
y master
switch
(fig.
5).
A battery
mas
ter switch
is
located
approxim
ately
30 inc
hes to the
rear
of
the driver's
seat and
und
erneath th
e
turret
basket floor.
To
open or
cl
ose
th
is switch, it
is
necess
ary
to
raise
t
he knob
approxima
tely Vii-inch and
turn.
When this
switch
is
open
all electrical
p
ower is
shut of
f at the
battery
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P
D
F
g
e
e
S
c
a
V
e
w
o
m
D
v
s
S
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TM 9 75
9
O
PER
ATIN
G IN
STRU
CTI
ONS
ND
CON
TRO
LS
Fig
ure
G
ear S
hift
l v
rPos
ition
s
(wi
th th
e e
xcep
tion
of
th
e
pow
er
used
by the
radio
w
hich
is c
on
tro
lled
b
ya se
para
te radio
m
aste
r sw
itch
). If
in do
ubt a
s
to w
het
her
theb
tte
ry m
aster
s
witc
h ison,
the
follo
wing
can
se
rve a
s a
guid
e.
Wh
enth
eb
ttery
ma
ster
s
witc
h is off
,
the eng
ine
tem
pera
ture
gag
e
w
ill re
ad
Fu
ll
Sca
le 2
60d
eg.)
an
d t
he oil lev
el
gag
e wi
ll re
ad
t
the
bottom
of
the
red
sector.
When
the
bttery
master
switch
is
on,
th
eengi
ne te
mpe
ratu
rega
ge
w
ill ind
icate
the
tem
per
ature
of
t
he
coo
lant
in the
engin
e,
o
rif
its
tem
pera
ture
is
belo
w
100 deg
rees
it
wi
ll indic
ate
100
d
egre
es, and
t
he
oil
le
vel gag
ewi
llin
dica
te
th
e
o
il
le ve
l a
nd
shou
ld
b
e i
n
the
g
reen
se
ctor
.
aa
. G
ear
shif
ting
fig
. 6)
(1
)
Desc
ripti
on.
Sh
iftin
gof
gea
rs
in
the
tra
nsm
issio
n
for
spee
d
cha
nge
s is a
cco
mpli
shed
by the
gear
sh
ift lev
er,
loca
ted
on
the
lef
t
sideof
thetransmission,
to
the
right
of
the
driver.
Thepositions
of
th
e gear
sh
ift le
verfo
r
the
va
rious
spe
eds
are sh
own
in
f
igure
6.
The
gear
sh
ift le
ver i
s eq
uipp
edw
ith
a latch
whic
h pre
vent
sa
ccide
ntal
s
hifti
ng
into
first
s
peed
or
rev
erse
. Th
e
latch
mus
tbe re
leas
ed
by
p
ress
ing
do
wn t
he bu
ttonon
top
of
the leve
r be
fore
s
hifti
ngint
o
firs
t
sp
eed
o
r
reve
rse.
(
2) Op
erati
on.
W
hen
it
is desi
red
tos
hift
tolo
wor r
ever
se,
the
fo
llow
ing p
roce
dure
w
ill m
ake
the s
hift
pos
sible
wit
hout
the c
lash-
17
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59
6-9
MEDI
UM TANK M4A3
ing of gears which
usually results.
From neutral move
the
gear
shift lever
as though
to shift
into third
ge
ar. Maintain
press
ure in
this
direction
long
enough
to
stop
the
propeller
shaft
and
then, with
the clutch sti
ll
held
out, s
hift
smartly
into lo
w or reverse.
If
w
hen
shifting
to any of
the
hig
her speeds there is
araking o
f gears,go
back
to
neutral
and, s
till
holding
the clutch
out,
start
the sh
ift
ove
r.
Bef
orethe
engine is
started
follow
proce
dure
outlined
under pre-
starting
inspection
in
Section
V.
Bef
ore attemp
ting to start
the
engine,
familiari
ze
y
ourself with
all of the
various in
struments and c
ontrols, as outlined in
para
graph
6; make sure
thatthe
fu
nction of each control
is thor
oughly
u
nderstood
an
d that
the
signific
ance of the
r
eadings o
n the various
instruments
isappreciated
.
a
. Open
gasoline
shut-off valves which are
located in the
left
side of
the fighting
co
mpartment (fig.
7). If the fuel tanks
are
f
ull,
runf
rom right tanks for 3
0
min
utes
to
pr
ovide
e
xpansion spac
e for
the
f
uel
b
efore opening
valves on
left
fuel
tank.
b. Close ba
ttery maste
r
switch.
c.
P
ut
gear
shift lever
in
neutral.
d. Pull hand
throttle out ab
out
'^.-
inch.
e.
In
cold
weather
prime the engine three
to
nine
quick pulls on
t
he primer, depending
on out
side
te
mperature.
f
. Dep
ress clu
tch
peda
l.
g. Turn
magneto
switch to both
position.
h. Pre
ss
starter
butto
n.
i. En
gine
sho
uldstart readily.
a. As
soon asthe engine
starts check oil pres
sure. Stop
engine
if the oil pressure
is not indicated
in 30
secon
ds.
b.
Check
the
operation
of
instruments
and
switches
while
the
en
gineis idling. Idle
e
ngine
until en
gine temperature
gage reads
above 100
degrees.
c. When
eng
ine is suffic
iently warm set
hand
throttle
to
800rpm.
Run
the engine
on each
magneto and compare ea
ch
ta
chometer
rea
d
in
g with
the reading w
hen
both magne
tos
were
used.
When either
mag
netoshows a drop
to
less than
400 rpm,
the cause
sho
uld be
inve
stigated.
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OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS AND CONTROLS
V
0
5 ?
N
V
0
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MEDIUM TANK
M4A3
d. Push hand throttle in, (Carburetor
stop screws sh
ould
be
set
to
idle the engine at
500
rpm
after
warming
up.)
Never idle
the
engine
at
le ss
than
500
rpm.
e.
Never
lug engine
below
1000
rpm at
wide open thrott
le.
Shif
t
to
a lower gear.
f. Che
ck oil
pressure
and
temperature frequently.
Before
attempting to drive the
vehicle the
prospective
driver
should be thoroughly
familiar
with
all t
he instruments
and
the
significance of
their
readings.
One
must
also know
the
function
and operation
of
t
he
con
trolsin the compartment.
Review of para
graph 5 will be helpful. The limitations
of vehicle and engine
are
covered under p
aragraph
4 :
a Operating
instructions. With the driver
in the
driv
er's seat,
the
eng
ine
at idli
ng speed, and all instruments
showing
norma
l read
ings, the drive
r
may
now
operate
the
vehicle.
(1) Release the parking
brake. This is im
portant.
(2) Disengage
the clutch
by
pressing clutch
pedal down to the
floor
and
holding it down.
(3) Move the gear shift lever
into second gear,
for
normal opera
tion
.
F
irst gear will be
used only when shifting
vehicle
i
n
buildings
or
over obstacle
s.
(4) Gradually release the
clut
ch pedal, at
the
sam
e
time depress
ing
the
foot
throttle. Ex
cept
when u
nder fire, do not move the
vehicle in or
out
of close
qu
arters without
the
aid
of
personne
l
out
side
of the vehicle
servin
g as a
guide.
(5)
When the
vehicle
has
started
and
is
moving with engine
speed of 1200
rpm,
release th
e
foot th
rottle,
depress
the
clutch
again, and
move the gear
shif
t lever into
the third gear position.
Release the clutch and again depress
the throttle to
pick up
the
load of the
vehicle.
(6) Repeat
the
above procedure until
the
highest
ge
ar is
re
ached
which will
enable the vehicle to
proceed
at
the
desi
redspeed without
causing
the engineto labor. D
o
not ride
the clutch. The
driver's
left
foot
must
be
completely removed
from
the
clutch pedal
while
drivi
ng, to
avoid
unneces
sary
wear
and burning out the clu
tch.
(7) To place the
vehicle in reverse gear a complete stop m
ust
be
made,
the
throttle
closed until
the
tachometer rea
ds
500
rpm (lowest
i
dling
speed).
Depress the
clu
tch
pedal
and
move the gear shift
lever
to t
he
reverse positio
n (f ig. 6). Backing the
vehicle
s
hould
never
be
attempted un
less
an observer
is stationed in front to guide
the
dri
ver.
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TM
9 75
9
1
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
AND CONTROLS
(8)
To steer the vehicle
pull back the
right hand
steering
lever
to
make a right turn or the left
hand
lever fo
r a left
tur
n. This
actionbrakes
the
track
on
the
inside
of
the
turn
and
speeds
up
the
outside track.
The driver
should anticip
ate each
turn and be
re
ady
to
apply more
power a
s it is needed to compensate for the
braking
effort. T
he hands
shoul
d be, free of the steering leve
r when not
actually
steering the
ta
nk.
(9)
To stop the vehicle,
release the
throttle and
pull bac
k on
both steering
levers
at
the same time. Dep
ress
the
clutch pedal
when the vehicle
has
slowed
down to approximately two to
five
miles
per
hour, depending upon which gear
is
being
e
mployed before
stop
ping. Set
th
e h
and
throttle fo
r
a tachometer
reading of 500 rpm
for the duration of the halt.
(10)
The tachomet
er, the oil temperature gage,
and
the
oil
press
ure gage
gi
ve the most satisfactory ind
ications of the
engine's
performance.
Should
the indications
of
any of
th
ese instruments
appear to be irregular, the engine
should be
sto
pped, and the cause
investigated.
(1)
A towing
shackle is mounted on each
corner of
t
he hull of
t
he vehi
cle about
20 in
ches
from
the gro
und. Two of
these
shackles are mounted
in front and two in
the rear.
These
shackles provide a quick metho
d
of
attaching either the towin
g
bar
or
cab
les.
(2)
If there
are
tracks
on
the
vehicle
to
be towed,
always disconnect
th
e prope
ller
shaft
at the
tra
nsmission companion
flange
and
leave
the
vehicle
in
fifth gear. This
procedure insures
a
dequate
circulation
of the tr
ansmission oi
l
while the vehicle
is in
motion. If the tracks
are removed before towin
g the
vehicle,
this
precaution
is not necessary
. In
towing there are
sev
eral precautions
that the driver
must
take to
avoid trouble or
unnecessary delay.
Changes of directi
on
are
always
to
be
mad
e
by
a ser
ies
of slight
turns so
th
at the
vehicle
being towed
is
as nearly as
possible directly
behind
the
one doing the towing or tr
acking. This will prevent
the cable fro
m
contacting the track, which might
ruin
both
the cable
and
the
track
blocks.
Soft
muddy g
round is to be
avoide
d, since the
tracks may slip on such
a surface
.
If
it is
ne
cessary to cross a muddy
a
rea,
the driver
should
be careful
to
straighten ou
t
both vehicles
before enteri
ng
it,
as it is
more difficult
to
pull
a
tank
at an angle
than
when
following
in t
ow. Grousers may
be install
ed
as require
d.
The maxi
mum
speed wh
en towing should
be
not more than
12 miles
per
hour and then only
with an
operator
for steering and braking
the
towed vehicle. N
OTE: Except in cas
es
where
a short hitch
21
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TM 9 759
MEDIUM TANK
M4A3
is absolutelynecessarya
towing
cable
will not
be
co
upled
to
another
vehicle by other
than the
thimbled
e
yes provided
at
both ends.
Doubling
the
cable
causes
sharp
bends
in
the
wire rope
which
will
cause
rap
id
failure
of the
strands and will
leave the
cable
extremely
dangerous
to
handle. When a
short
hitch
is desired, the
two eyes
of the cable are a
ttached to
the
towing
vehicle. The cable with
leads
is then passe
d
thr
ough both shackles of the
towed
vehicle. This provides
an
arrangement ha
ving
a
minimum of bend
ing action and mov
ement
at
the
shackles, and furnishes
clearance
between cable and tracks.
(3) If
no operator
is
availab
le to steer the disabled
vehicle one cable
will
facilitate tr
acking of
the
tow
ed
vehicle. Care
must be
taken on turning,
not to
get the cable tangle
d up with the
track of either vehicle.
After
completing
a
run, the en
gine must
be allowed
to
operate
at
500 rpm
for two
minutes
to
as
sure a
gradual
and uniform coolin
g
of the
val
ves
and
other
various engineparts.
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TM 9 759
Section IV
LUBRICAT
ION
Paragraph
General...................................
......................................................... 12
Lubrication
guide
..........
..............................................................
..
13
Points to
be
lubricated
by
ordnance mainten
ance personnel.... 14
Reports and records
..........................................................
......... 15
Lubrica
tion guide notes..-.....................-.........
.......................... 16
The following
lubricationinstructions for
medium
tank
M 4 A3
are
p
ublished for th
e
information
and guidance of all
concerned,
a
nd
supersede all previous instruct
ions. Materiel
must
be
lubricated
in accordance
w
ith th
e latest instructions contained
in
Technical
Manuals an
d/or Ordnance Field Service Bu
lletins.
(fi
gs. 8 and 9).
Lubrication
instructions for all points
to
be
servicedare shown
in War Dep
artment Lubrication Guide No.
104,
which specifies the
types
of
lubricants required
and
the intervals
at
which
they
are
to be applied.
The following lubrication instructions con
tain the
same
informati
on
as
the guide.
Guides
from wh
ich data are repro
du
ced are
10
x15
in.
laminated charts which
are
pa
rt of the accessory
equipment
of each piece
of
materi
el.
MAINTE
NAN
CE
Remove and
repack
generator bearings
with
GREASE,
ball
and
ro
ller bearing, once
each
year.
If lubrication instructions
are closely followed, proper
lubricants used, and satisfactory results are not
obtained, a report
will
b
e
made
to the ordnance o
fficer responsible for
the maintenance
of
the mate
riel.
A complete
record of
lubrication servicing will
be
kept for
the
materiel.
Additional
lubrication
and service instructionson individual
units
and parts:
1. FITTINGS
Clean before
applying
lubricant. Lubricate
bogie
wheels, idler an
d track
support
rollers, tachometer and
spe
edometer
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TM 9
759
6
MEDIU
M TANK
M
4A3
L ubricant nterv a
l
nterval
e
L u
br icant
Differentia
l andfinal drive
drain plu
gs
NOTE:
ee
e
ve rse Side
for other
type
construction
)
T
ransmission drain
ptug
R e a c h ed f r o m
u n d e r
h u l l )
N o t e
S E R V I C E D
R O M E N G I N E
C O M P
R T M E N T
f
S
E R V I C E D R O M
F I G H T I N G
C O M
P R T M E N T
NOTE
: e e Re ve r s e
S i d e
fo r
o t h e r t y p e
c o
n s t r u c t i o n
S E R V I C E D R O M
E N G I N E
C O M P R T M E
N T
KEY
TABLE
OF
C
APACITIES WITH RE
COMMENDA
TIONS
AT TEM
PERATURES
S
HOWN
RA
P
D
7 4
Figu
re 8 ub
rication
Chart
on
P
ower
Driv
e
U
nits
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TM
9 759
16
LUBRIC
ATION
TANK.
ME
DIUM
M
4A3
G
SUSPEN
SIO N
SYSTEM
Interval
Lubricant
CAUTION
-Lubricate
inal
drain
p u
ifferen
tial drain
plug
ransmiss
ion
drain plu
g
O E
TU RR ET
SUP
PO R T B EA
RING
T R A N
SMISSIO N
D
IF FERENT
IA L A N D
F I N A L
D
RIVES
G
O H
KE Y
-
LUBRIC
ANTS
INT
ERVALS
R A P D
7
43
Figu
re
Lubrica
tion h
art
on Suspe
nsion
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TM 9-759
16
MEDIUM TANK
M4A3
adapters
until
grease overflows
relief valve. Lubricate
other
fittings
until
new
grease is forced from
the
bearing, unless
otherwise
speci
fied. CAUTION:
Lubricate suspension points after washing
tank.
2.
INTERVALS The
intervals
indicated
at points
on
Lubrica
tion
Guide
are
for normal service. For extreme conditions of speed,
heat, water, mud, snow, rough roads, dust,
etc.,
reduce interval on
guide
by 1 3 or /a. or
more if conditions warrant.
3.
AIR CLEANERS
Proper maintenance of air cleaners is
essential
to prolonged engine life.
Drain,
clean and refill with OIL,
engine,
crankcase grade,
daily, when
operating
on
dirt roads
or
cross
country; every 250 miles when operating on paved roads or during
wet
weather.
Depending
on
operating
conditions, remove
air
clean
ers
and wash all parts every 100 to 500 miles. Inspect air
outlet
rubber hose connections for leaks and make sure pipes
are
in aline-
ment.
Replace
connections
if
there
is evidence
of wear
or
deteriora
tion. CAUTION: Keep all air pipe connections tight.
4. CRANKCASE Check
oil level
daily, add oil
if necessary.
Drain every
500 miles or
50
hours
when
operating on dirt
roads
or
cross
country;
every
1000
miles
when
operating on paved
roads
or
during
wet
weather.
Drain
only when engine
is
hot.
Refill
to
FULL
mark on bayonet gage, located on rear of engine on left side. Run
engine
a few
minutes and recheck level. CAUTION: Be
sure
pres
sure gage indicates oil
is
circulating.
5.
GEAR CASES On some assemblies, the
transmission,
dif
ferential and final
drives
are combined in one unit. These
are
filled
through transmission filler only and drained through transmission
and final
drive
drain plug
holes. Other assemblies use 3-piece units,
filled
through transmission filler and
each
final drive
filler
plug
hole
and
drained
through
transmission,
differential
and
final
drive
drain
plug
holes. Check
level
daily,
add
oil
if necessary.
Check
with
tank
on level ground.
Make
visual inspection for leakage weekly. Report
leakage to ordnance maintenance personnel. Drain, flush and refill
at end
of
first
250
miles;
thereafter
as indicated at points on
Lubri
cation Guide. When
draining, drain immediately after operation.
To
flush
cases,
fill to proper level
with
OIL, engine,
SAE
10. Operate
tank slowly
in low
gear for
several minutes and
redrain.
Fill
gear
cases
with
OIL,
engine,
grade
specified
in
table
of
capacities and
recommendations. CAUTION: Fill single piece unit to mark on
bayonet gage
with fill cap
resting on top
of fill
pipe.
Fill
3-piece
unit to
1 inch
below
final
drive fill plug
holes
and to mark on trans
mission bayonet gage. Clean transmission filler
strainer every
3000
miles.
CAUTION: Do not remove strainer when
filling.
6 . AUXILIARY
GENERATOR
Two-cycled
air
cooled
engine,
mounted
on
turret floor, rear,
is
lubricated by OIL, engine, with fuel.
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TM 9759
16
LUBR
ICATION
Mix
thoroughly
%
pi
nt OIL,
engine,
SA
E 30, with eac
h gallon of
gasolin
e
befo
re
pouring
into
tank.
CAUTION: D o
not pour gasol
ine
and o
il
separately
into tank. Ke
ep fu
el
strain
er
clea
n. Magne
to
Every
200 hours
,
lubricate
m
agneto cam
follower by oiling
felt
with
o
neor two drop
s OIL, engine, SAE
30 .
7
. FUEL F
ILTER
Open d
rain cock daily
to
remove sedime
nt
and water.
Every
1000 miles, remov
e element and
wash in fuel o
r
S
OLVENT, dry-c
leaning.
8. UNIV
ERSAL
JOINTS A N D SLIP JO
INT
Remove t
unnel
shi
eld sections over
u
niversal
joints a
nd
slip
joint at ends of t
unnel
shield. Lubricate
unive
rsal joints
through
fitti
ngs
with GREAS
E,
general
purpose, seasonal
grad
e,
u
ntil
greas
e ove
rflows at relief
v
alve. To
lubr
icate slipjoint,
rem
ove plug and in
sert fitting. Apply
GREASE
, general
purpose, seasonal
grade, until grease
is
for
ced
fr
om end
ofsp
line. CAUTION:
After
lubricat
ing, r
emove
fitt
ing
and replaceplug.
9. OIL FILT
ER
The
oil filter is
of the self-turnin
g type
and
is
lo
cated
in
t
he engin
e
crank
case. Remove filter
fromcrankcase
ev
ery
1000
miles, d
rain sedim
ent from hou
sing and
rein
stall.
10.
HYDRAULIC
OIL
TANK
Located
on
side
of
turret.
Check
level
every
2 5 0 miles by
means of glasslevel gage.
A dd OIL,
hy
drau
lic,
if nece
ssary. Drain, flush
and refill
every six
months.
Capacity 12 qu
arts.
11.
OIL C A N PO
INTS Lubricate
m
achine
gu
n mount ba
ll
socket, door
an
d
shield
hinges, peep hole p
rotector slides,
door
latches,
lever bushings,
control rod
pins and clevises
with OIL,
engine,
S
AE 30 ,
ev
ery2
50
miles.
12.
POINTS
REQUIRING
NO
LUBRICATION
Water
pump,
clutch
pilot
be
aring,
clutch yoke bearing,
clutch
rele
ase bearing,
fan
hubs, bogie wheel
suspens
ion linkage, final d
rive
sproc
ket
b
earings.
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TM
9759
M
EDIUM
TA
NK M4A3
Sectio
n V
INSP TIONS
Paragra
ph
Purpos
e ...
.......... ..
.......... .
........... .
........... .
........... .
........
........... .
..... 17
P
restar
ting i
nspecti
on .. .........
............
.. ..........
.. ..........
.. .........
...... 18
I
nspecti
on
du
ring
op
eration.
...........
............
...........
............
...........
19
Ins
pection
at t
he
halt.....
............
...........
............
...........
............
..... 20
Inspe
ction after
opera
tion......
...........
............
....... .
...........
......... 21
Periodic ins
pection
........
.........
....
...
.....
.............
22
a. To
ins
ure mech
anical
efficie
ncy it is
nece
ssarytha
t tank
s b
e
system
atically
inspe
cted at in
terval
s in order
that
defec
ts
may
b
e
discov
ered
and corre
cted
befor
e
they
res
ult in
ser
ious damag
e
b. Cr
acks
that
d
evelop
in
c
asting
s or othe
r meta
l parts
m
ay often
be de
tected
thro
ugh the
medi
um
of dust
and
oil depo
sits
upon the
com
pletion
of the
run.
c
. Sugge
stions
tow
ard c
hange
s
in
desig
n promp
ted
by
chronic
f
ailure
or m
alfunct
ion ofa
unitor
grou
p of
units; pert
inent
chan
ges
in insp
ection or
mai
ntenan
ce
m
ethod
s;
and chang
es
involv
ing
s
afety,
ef f
ic iency
e
conomy
and
com
fort
sh
ould be fo
rwarde
d to the
O
ffice
of the
Chie
f of O rd
nance thro
ugh p
roper
chann
els at th
e tim
e they
de
velop.
Su
ch act
ion is
en
courage
d in
order
tha
t oth
er orga
niza
ti
ons
may pro
fit thereb
y.
18 .
Th
e tank ha
s a
crew
of fi
ve m
en and it
is e
ssentia
l
th
at
all me
n
be
utiliz
ed in
insp
ection of
the ta
nk under
th
e
d
irection
of
the tank
com
mand
er. T
he ins
pection
should
co
ver the vehi
cle
as
w
ell as
th
e
engine.
urin
g a
ll inspect
ions as a
first o
peratio
n e
levate the
gun
so th
at it wi
ll
n
ot hu
rt an
yone
who ma
y h
appen to
have
their
head
out
of
th
e fro
nt
h
atches
at the
sam
e
time som
eone else
travers
es
the
turre
t.
a.
Elevat
e the 7
5-mmgu
n.
b.
Look
at
the ground
unde
r the
t
ank fo
r
oil and fue
l leaks
.
c.
Check
that all
pione
er to ols a
re presen
t.
d.
Chec
k genera
l condi
tion
of spr
ockets
bogie
s
spr
ings
guid
es
gudgeo
ns tr
ack supp
orting
rollers and
idle
rs.
e. C
heck the
track
fo
r
wear tightn
ess
and t
ension
and e
nd con
nect
ions for
wear.
f. Ch
eck for tig
htness
an
d w
ear
of
wedge
s and wed
ge
n
uts.
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TM
9 759
18 20
INSPECTIONS
g
Check
fo
r loose air horn
connections from the carb
uretors
to
air cleaners.
h. Check
fuel
level, fill
if
necessa
ry.
i.
Check
radio
antenna
for
breaks.
j. Check transmission
oil
level with
bayonet gage
on right side
of transmis
sion, fill if necessary.
D o
not
overfill, otherwise
over
heating w
ill result.
k.
Chec
k
for
oil
and
fuel
leaks on floor of fighting
compartment.
1 Check for presence and condition
of fire extingui
shers,
and
tank
tools.
m. C
heck
instrum
ent
panel
and see that voltmeter
reads
16 with
battery switch
open
and
otherinstrumen
ts
ind
icate normal shu
t-off
readings.
n. Check that
steering levers, clutch
pedal
and
gear shift lever
operate
freely and over
the
full range.
o. Close battery switch and watch
the ammeter and
voltme
ter.
The
voltmeter should read 24
or more
volts. If ammeter shows
excess
ive
discharg
e,
open the
battery switch
immediately.
p.
Check
to
see
that
fuel
valves
are
open.
q. Check
light
s
and siren.
r.
Check
operation
of
turret
and
locking
mechanism.
s. Check traverse and elevation of
vehicle s weapons.
t.
Check to see that ammunition,
flags,
field equipment and ra
tio
ns
if
carried, are properly
loaded.
a.
During operati
on the driver will be on
the
alert
to detect
abnormal functioning
of the engine. H e should
be trained
to
detect
unusual
engin
e sounds or
noises. H e should glance frequently
at
the
instrument
panel
gages
to
see
if
the
engine
is
functioning
prop
erly. An unsteady
oil
gage
needle indicates low
oil
pressure,
provided
that
engine
spee
d
is
fairly constant.
The
driver should
notice continuously
the amount of
f
ree
p
lay or clearance of
the
clutch
pedal which should
be at least
tw o
inches. The steering
mech
anism m
ust be checked for:
cl
earance before
engagement,
i
n
tensity of pull required for
braking, etc.
b.
Only under
exceptional circumstances will a tank
be operated
after
indications
of
trouble
have been observed. W hen
in
doubt,
the
engine
will be stopped, and
assistance
o
btained Inspection dur
i
ng ope
ration
applies
to the ent
ire vehicle and
should
be emphasized
throughout the
d
riving instruc
tion
perio
d.
a
.
At each
halt the
o
perator will make a c
areful
inspection
of
the tank
to
determine it
s
ge
neral mechanical
condition.
Minor
de -
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TM 9-759
MEDIUM
TANK
M4A3
fects
detected
during
the
march,
together with defects discovered
at the
halt, will
be
corrected
before resuming the
march.
If the
defects cannot be corrected during the
halt,
proper
disposition
of
the
vehicle
will
be
made
so
that
unnecessary
delay
may
be
avoided
and a
major failure prevented.
b. A suitable general
routine
is as follows:
(1)
Elevate the 75-mm
gun.
(2) B y
means
of
the
ignition
switch,
cut
out
in
turn each bank
of cylinders to make sure all cylinders are firing. Allow the engine
to
run
a short time on both
magnetos at
idling speed
(500
rpm).
Listen for unusual noises.
(3) Walk
around
the
vehicle looking
carefully
for
fuel or
oil
leaks.
(4)
Examine tracks for adjustment and for
worn,
loose, broken
or missing
parts.
(5) Inspect hull
and
fittings for missing, worn, or loose parts.
(6)
Feel
steering
brake housings and gear case for evidence of
overheating.
If
abnormally hot,
check level
or lubricant and if
necessary
correct steering brake band adjustment.
(7)
Inspect the lights, if traveling at night with lights.
(8) Check
the amount
of
fuel
in
the
tank.
(9) Wipe
all
windshield
and
vision devices.
Do
not
use
an
oily
or dirty cloth.
At the conclusion of each day's operation, the tank
commander
should cause an inspection to
be made,
similar to
that
made
at halts
but
more
thorough
and
detailed.
The
inspection should be followed
by preventative maintenance. If
defects cannot
be corrected, they
should
be
reported
promptly
to
the
chief
of section
or
other
desig
nated
individual. The
following
points
should be
covered:
a.
Elevate the
75-mm gun.
b.
Examine the tracks
and
bogies.
c.
Check
track tension.
d. Inspect idler track support rollers.
e.
Examine
the
drive
sprockets
for worn or broken
teeth.
f. Examine the track shoe
units
for unserviceable units.
g. Check transmission oil level.
h. Check,
clean and
refill
air
cleaners
during extremely
dusty
operations.
i.
Clean crankcase breather.
j.
Inspect lights, siren and windshield wipers.
Check
for
loss
or
damage
of accessories.
k. Inspect the sighting
and
vision devices for
breakage.
1
Inspect guns
and mounts
for defective performance.
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TM
9 759
INSPECTIONS
m. Inspect guns, sigh
ting
equipment
,
and
acces
sories
and
deter
mine
tha
t
covers
are
properly install
ed.
n. Ins
pect ammunition and sighti
ng
compar
tments
for cleanli
ness
and
o
rderly arrangement.
o
.
Reple
nish ammunition, engine
oil and
luel. A lw
ays to u
ch the
nozzle of
the
gasoline
hose
to the
hull o
f the tank
befor
e
removin
g
gas tank
cap to
eliminate possibility
of
a
static charge of electricity
in
either
the
tank or
the gasoline truck from ca
using an explosion
and fire
w he
n cap is removed from gas tanks.
Don't fill the fuel
tanks all the way;
leave air space of approximately
three gallons
in
each tank
for
fuel
expansion.
p.
For
continuous
operation
in
hot
weather,
battery
water must
be
replenished
about twice a week.
Chec
k
and
clean
battery
and
compartment by
r
emoval of
battery weekly.
q.
Drain and
clean
all
floors through spring
loaded
valves pro
vided, being sure
to
remove a
ny
accumulationfrom
the engine com
partmentthis
is
im
portant to eliminate fire hazard
.
r.
Check the operation of
the full flow oil filters. Reverse
the
manual turning nut on
the rotating spindle at th
e
hydrau
lic motor
housing
cover
and
crank
the
engine. The
manual
turning nut
will
rotate if
the filter is
ope
rative.
s.
Inspect all con
trol
linkag
e
to
locate loose
or
b
roken parts.
t. Inspect electrical wiring
for
loo
se connections.
u.
Check
to
see that th
e
fuel shut-off valve
s are closed.
v. Check to see that t
he
battery switch
is open.
a.
After
250
miles of
operation.
This
check
is
made
without
re
moving the
engine from
vehicle.
(Check for leaks, etc., will be made
with
engine
c
ompartment
open and
eng
ine running.)
Make
routine
dany inspection and
the following:
(1)
Elevate
the 75-mm
gun.
(2)
Inspection
for
oil
leaks at
oil pan.
(3) Check
gas
oline
and
oil
lines for
breaks, lo
ose connections,
and
chafing.
Check level of fuel in carbur
etor float
bowl.
Make ex
ternal
inspection
of
rigid
and
flexible
lines
having
sharp
bends
or
kinks.
(4)
R
emove
the
bolt passing
through the fuel
filter and remove
and clean thebowl
and
filter
element.
If
excessive water or dirt
is
observed, drain
and
clea
n fuel
tanks.
(5)
Service air cleaner, do not
overfill
with
oil. Check all air
induction pipes
and airhorn for leaks.
Check carburetor flange
gasket.
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TM 9
759
MED
IUM TAN
K
M
4A3
6)
Ch
eck
an
d
adjust all contr
ol linkage
for
w
ear, free
operatio
n
and
miss
ing
cotte
r
pins. Seethat
full
tr
avel
of con
trols is obtain
ed.
Th
is applie
s
to a
ll contr
ols of the
vehicle.
7) Check all flex
ible
conduits fo
r
b
reaks and
worn sectio
ns.
8) Tighte
n all en
gine
m
ounting
bo
lts .
9)
Check
bog
ie, gudgeon
nuts, wed
ges,
wedge
nuts
, cotter
pins
and lock wire
for tightness
or br
oken and
missingpa
rts.
10
) Check
propeller shaft
fla
nge
nuts
for
tig
htness.
11) C
heck engine
for exc
essive roughness
.
12)
Check
suspension for
track tensio
n b
ogie
wheel
tires,
volute
springs
and prese
nce
o
f
fore
ign materi
al.
13) Change
engine oi
l.
1
4) Che
ck
oil le
vel in
transmis
sion.
15
) Service ba
ttery.
1
6) Che
ck solen
oids
for
ope
ration.
17)
Check
all
accessorie
s
for
s
ecurity
and operatio
n.
18) Road
test for
proper
operation.
19)
Inspect fuel
pump and
,
i
f leaking
notify or
dnance perso
nnel.
b.
After
1000
miles
o
f operation.
D
aily and
2
50
m ile check will
be repeate
d and the
fo l
lowing in addition:
1
)
Eleva
te
75-mm gun.
2)
Remove
engine
and place
on inspect
ion
sta
nd
and clean wi
th
SOLVEN
T, cleaning.
3) Disa
ssemblec
lutch inspect
plat
es
lubricat
e
clutch hub,
spin
dle a
nd
throw-
out
bearings
.
4) Check
clutch thro
w-out bear
ing f
or wear and
flat spots on
races
.
5)
Check all exhaust
pipe
s for cracks
burned out
spots a
nd rust.
6)
Chec
k
intake
manifo
ld gaskets a
nd secure nuts
for tightne
ss.
7
) Rem
ove
radiat
ors,
clean all dirt
in
air
passag
es drain
and
flush
out inside, comp
letely
rem
oving flushingmateri
al.
8)
Change all spark
plugs. Ch
eck new plu
gs. NOTE
: Do
not
install spark
plugs until
all
other
top cylinder w
ork has
been
com
ple ted.
9) Chec
k flywheel
cap screws
for tightness and
p
resence
of
locking wire.
10)
Inspect
magneto
breake
r
and
re
setpoint
s to 0.014
to 0.016
inch u
sing feeler
gage
. Check p
oints for pitting
.
I
f points sh
ow
ash c
oloredburning
, have
cond
ensers check
ed.
11
) Inspectca
rburetor for
float bo
wl fuel le
vel.
12) Inspect sta
rter
and
g
enerator
and
brushes, commut
ator
and
ge
neral internal
appea
rance.
If
brushe
s need
replacing o
r if other
rep
airs are
ind
icated repl
ace
starter
or gene
rator.
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TM
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22
INSP
E TIONS
13) Check all
nuts
securing
engine accessories,
fan
and shroud
,
support
brac
kets, etc.,
for tightness.
14) Check throttle
rod
at clevi
ses for
loose
jam nuts and cracks
at
w elds.
15)
Check
foot accele
rator
to
make sure both
carb
uretors
are
wide open w
hen
foot throttle
comes against stop.
16) Check air
horn
rubber connectio
ns for restricted passages.
17) Clean magnetic
plugs in transmission and check magnetic
ability.
18) Che
ck transmission oil.
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TM
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23
MEDIUM
TANK M4A3
Se
ction
VI
POWER
UNIT
AND
ACCESSORIES
Paragraph
General
description and da
ta...................................................
23
Engine trouble
sh
ooting............................................
.................
24
M
agnetos .............................
.......................-..
. 25
Spark
plugs
.............
................................ ...
... 26
Fuel pump
.
...........................................................
.......................... 27
Carburetors
.............................. ........................
..................... 28
Air
cleaners
................................................
29
Governor ..........................
.................................................... .
... 30
Valve
mechanism .......................................
...................................
31
M anifo lds ..................
..........................................................
.......... 32
Engine replacement
..........I...................................
....................... . 33
Starti
ng motor ...........
...........................................................
........
34
Generator...........................
.. ........................................................
.. . 35
Oil pump
.........................................................
...............................
36
Oil
filter
..........................................................................................
37
(figs. 10, 11, 12,
and
13).
a. A 60 degree
V 8-cylinder,
4-cycle, valve
in the
h
ead,
liquid
cooled Ford tank engine
is used. The cylinder
block and
c
rankcase
are a
single
casting
of alu
minum witho
il
hardened steel dry type
sleeves in
cylinder
bor
es. The
water jackets extend the
full
length
of
cylinders
which
tends
to
speed up
the
warming
of
the
engine
oil
in
cold weather
and to
cool
th
e oil
after normal oper
ating tempera
tures
are reached. Four overhead
camshafts are
used,
one
exhaust
and one
intake for
ea
ch bank of cylinders. There
are
tw o
exhaus
t
and
two intake
valves
in each cylinder.
b. The engine is mo
unted at therear of th
e
tank and supported
by four bracket
s,
the tw
o
fro
nt brackets are
m
ounted
on the
bulk
head
in
the
t
ank
body;
the two rear brackets are mounted
on the
floor
of
the
tank;
rubber
mounting
is
used
between
the
brackets
and
the
e
ngine.
c. Two
four
cylinder
magnetos are
used. These are located at
the rear of
the
engine,
one mounted at each end of
a
cross
shaft
driven
by spiral gears. The
water
pump
is driven from
the
end of
the crankshaft.
The
two pusher type f
ans are
d
riven by
double
belts from accessory
drives located on the
wall
of
the
tank
. The
generator
is
driven by theopposite
end
of the fan accessory
shaft.
34
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P
O
W
ER
UN
IT
A
N
D
A
CC
ES
S
OR
IE
S
T
M
9-
75
9
2
3