55 Fargo

Same to you Plymy Timmy, now hold on, I be living in a "British Colony" still, no Independence for Me....

Unless a valve is sticking in a guide, once the engine is hot. Started engine today, went for a very short drive no sounds, just s slight lifter tick tick, that is always present. Could this be hot over atomized fuel condition, allowing a lean condition in cyls 1&2 and 5&6........??????

looks good nothing wrong with enamel paint jobs, did you ad a hardener too?

Hey you Mopar Lovers, drove the old truck all over tonight, stopped to take a few pics on the river, near Sugar Island, just north of town (Selkirk Manitoba)

Hey all, a bit of an update. Tonight went out driving, drove her up to 60-65 mph on the highway, and even had to pass a Guy in an old beater 1 ton. Okay once I get home shut off engine, temp gauge rise to about 185, engine was running at 170 the entire drive about 20 miles worth, so not hot. I go to start engine, and that noise either a tick or knock is there, disappears as engine temp cools a bit while running. I did not hear this noise the entire time driving. I am using Castrol GTX 10W40 oil, and will be changing it tomorrow. I have no clue what this sound is, but it don't sound like lifter ticking. I never hear this ona cold engine, only on a hot engine after restarting it.....

Sales Rep's name was Gary, and He was not overly enthusiastic..

They might be nice guys, but they were not much help to me today, and they got no sale over the phone. I asked for windshield rubber and back window rubber for my 1955 C series truck. The phone rep told me to identify it in there universal rubber section. Great help, NOT, I don't have this rubber out, and the window rubber they have, some are very close in style and shape. You would think a company would have a part number spec to identify there weatherstrip rubber off the roll. Not impressed...sorry

Yes there was, for Dodge and Fargo pickup trucks, and a lot of farm and industrial equipment. I do not know if they used the 251 or 228 in the Dodge and Plymouth cars from 1955-59. PM Bill Watson, he is the resident expert on this topic. 251, 3.55 gears in the rear end and that old car will be flyin down the Trans Canada Hwy...

D 54 25 inch Canadian engine is most likely a 228, or maybe a 251. Bill W can ID this for sure. This engine could have very well been a swap in, or even bought as a rebuilt unit from either Piston Ring or Prairie Reman in Winnipeg. These 2 companies had these engines as a staple item for many years....

Thanx all for the replies. I will say this, use any oil, or additives you deem necessary for your engine(s). Whatever product makes you the most comfortable, is the one you should use. I do not currently believe these engines require any high level amounts of ZDDP, as per some scientific analysis. If anyone has emperical data to support the need for added ZDDP for our low rpm, lighter valve spring engines., I would sure be interested. I firmly believe that clean oil, correct viscosity, and a full crankcase is what is key....

The Pennsylvania Crude Myth -- This myth is based on a misapplication of truth. In 1859, the first commercially successful oil well was drilled in Titusville, Pennsylvania. A myth got started before World War II claiming that the only good oils were those made from pure Pennsylvania crude oil. At the time, only minimal refining was used to make engine oil from crude oil. Under these refining conditions, Pennsylvania crude oil made better engine oil than Texas crude or California crude. Today, with modern refining methods, almost any crude can be made into good engine oil. Other engine oil myths are based on the notion that the new and the unfamiliar are somehow "bad." The Detergent Oil Myth -- The next myth to appear is that modern detergent engine oils are bad for older engines. This one got started after World War II, when the government no longer needed all of the available detergent oil for the war effort, and detergent oil hit the market as “heavy-duty” oil. Many pre-war cars had been driven way past their normal life, their engines were full of sludge and deposits, and the piston rings were completely worn out. Massive piston deposits were the only thing standing between merely high oil consumption and horrendous oil consumption. After a thorough purge by the new detergent oil, increased oil consumption was a possible consequence. If detergent oils had been available to the public during the war, preventing the massive deposit buildup from occurring in the first place, this myth never would have started. Amazingly, there are still a few people today, 60 years later, who believe that they need to use non-detergent oil in their older cars. Apparently, it takes many years for an oil myth to die. The Synthetic Oil Myth -- Then there is the myth that new engine break-in will not occur with synthetic oils. This one was apparently started by an aircraft engine manufacturer who put out a bulletin that said so. The fact is that Mobil 1 synthetic oil has been the factory-fill for many thousands of engines. Clearly, they have broken in quite well, and that should put this one to rest. The Starburst Oil Myth -- The latest myth promoted by the antique and collector car press says that new Starburst/ API SM engine oils (called Starburst for the shape of the symbol on the container) are bad for older engines because the amount of anti-wear additive in them has been reduced. The anti-wear additive being discussed is zinc dithiophosphate (ZDP). Before debunking this myth, we need to look at the history of ZDP usage. For over 60 years, ZDP has been used as an additive in engine oils to provide wear protection and oxidation stability. ZDP was first added to engine oil to control copper/lead bearing corrosion. Oils with a phosphorus level in the 0.03% range passed a corrosion test introduced in 1942. In the mid-1950s, when the use of high-lift camshafts increased the potential for scuffing and wear, the phosphorus level contributed by ZDP was increased to the 0.08% range. In addition, the industry developed a battery of oil tests (called sequences), two of which were valve-train scuffing and wear tests. A higher level of ZDP was good for flat-tappet valve-train scuffing and wear, but it turned out that more was not better. Although break-in scuffing was reduced by using more phosphorus, longer-term wear increased when phosphorus rose above 0.14%. And, at about 0.20% phosphorus, the ZDP started attacking the grain boundaries in the iron, resulting in camshaft spalling. By the 1970s, increased antioxidancy was needed to protect the oil in high-load engines, which otherwise could thicken to a point where the engine could no longer pump it. Because ZDP was an inexpensive and effective antioxidant, it was used to place the phosphorus level in the 0.10% range. However, phosphorus is a poison for exhaust catalysts. So, ZDP levels have been reduced over the last 10-15 years. It's now down to a maximum of 0.08% for Starburst oils. This was supported by the introduction of modern ashless antioxidants that contain no phosphorus. Enough history. Let's get back to the myth that Starburst oils are no good for older engines. The argument put forth is that while these oils work perfectly well in modern, gasoline engines equipped with roller camshafts, they will cause catastrophic wear in older engines equipped with flat-tappet camshafts. The facts say otherwise. Backward compatability was of great importance when the Starburst oil standards were developed by a group of experts from the OEMs, oil companies, and oil additive companies. In addition, multiple oil and additive companies ran no-harm tests on older engines with the new oils; and no problems were uncovered. The new Starburst specification contains two valve-train wear tests. All Starburst oil formulations must pass these two tests. - Sequence IVA tests for camshaft scuffing and wear using a single overhead camshaft engine with slider finger (not roller) followers. - Sequence IIIG evaluates cam and lifter wear using a V6 engine with a flat-tappet system, similar to those used in the 1980s. Those who hold onto the myth are ignoring the fact that the new Starburst oils contain about the same percentage of ZDP as the oils that solved the camshaft scuffing and wear issues back in the 1950s. (True, they do contain less ZDP than the oils that solved the oil thickening issues in the 1960s, but that's because they now contain high levels of ashless antioxidants not commercially available in the 1960s.) Despite the pains taken in developing special flat-tappet camshaft wear tests that these new oils must pass and the fact that the ZDP level of these new oils is comparable to the level found necessary to protect flat-tappet camshafts in the past, there will still be those who want to believe the myth that new oils will wear out older engines. Like other myths before it, history teaches us that it will probably take 60 or 70 years for this one to die also. Special thanks to GM's Techlink - Thanks to Bob Olree – GM Powertrain Fuels and Lubricants Group

This may be a worthwhile read for what it's worth. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1049812

Thanx Guys, what me "worry". RobertKB, do you still run 20w50 oil in your engines? I know 4mula uses 30 weight COOP Oil, wonder if the castrol 10w30 gets a bit too thin when hot with this older engine....

After searching this question on this forum and and on the WWW, have decided to present the ? My 55 Fargo engine, decent even compression, good oil pressure, 50-55 psi at speed, 40 psi idle cold, 30-35 psi at idle hot engine. Engine temp usually runs in the 170 range. After a drive, or after starting a hot engine, I have engine noise like a loose/ticking lifter, it disappears as soon as the engine revs up, it is somewhat intermittent. I have tried to pin point, with the usual diagnostics, pulling a plug wire on each cyl, and listening to the engine. Does anyone have any ideas, what would cause engine noise at idle, on a warm/hot engine? I have no noises accelerating , when engine is pulling a load....

Glad it worked out for you Don...........

Don't worry about adding ZDDP, just buy a quality diesel oil like Rotalla 15W40. These low RPM, valve spring tension is not too high. Buy a quality oil as mentioned, You Be Fine..

Any engine in run in the last 50 years most likely had some type of detergent oil. I have heard so many "oil soap operas" , hell most of these old engines should have been plugged up with all this modern oil, needing "castor oil" to get all of the bung out. Having said all of this, it is in my opinion, that dropping the oil pan is a good service maintenance, in these old engines. But the notion they are all going to plug after using modern oil that is detergent oil, the same oil that has been most likely used for 50 years is getting old and laughable. Any oil today, including the re-refined oil is most likely superior to anything in the 40s and 50s, will include the 60s and 70s too. Hey buy and use the oil that gives you the most comfort, and add a little MVO, STP, or Rislone. I like a little Lucas thrown in for good measure, none of it will hurt, well maybe the wallet......LOL

Ship it to Mikes Parcel Service at Pembina ND, then go pick it up, and bring into Manitoba. Mikes charges about $5 for handling, and shipping from any point in the USA will bea lot cheaper, than bringing it into Canada.

Sorry to hear about this, hope your donor hood works out for you....

JBWeld, and pop rivets good to go. Pull the wheel, get your donor flywheel machined, install and good to go another several miles..

UPDATE; REPAIR Completed Hey you Guys, had to go to a Furd truck forum,( shame shame) to get the inside scoop on the shifter repair for this trans. The trans is a Warner T 98 or T18 or some derivative of either. The repair procedure is this, unthread shifter top loader tower cap, pull out shifter, replace special 1/4 inch that goes through a hole in the threaded shifter tower, and holds stick in place. I was able to salvage some of the roll pin, then added some 1/4 inch rod to hold it in tight, this will have to be replaced with a correct itme soon. The shifter is nice and tight, and has less play then ever before. the best part it is an easy repair compared to the New Process SM 420 or 435 trans, where the top loader must come off to repair. The pics...

True enough Bob, been in there before, all was pretty good, new gear lube then too. The guy that broke this, must have reefed on this shifter, what a pi$$ off...

Have to figure what the fix is, or find another top loader...thanx Bob

Trans shift tower, unthreads, without taking toploader out. The spring and retainer cup are under there. It felt like the shifter would lift right out, but I did not pull it out. Does this help in anyway to ID this sucker...

Hi all, would anyone be able to identify this trans, manufacturer modl number , etc. I do know it's not a New Process model SM 420. This is a synchro trans , possibly a Borg and Warner T98....thanx