Sam Buchanan

Kinda...sorta. The switch needs to be attached to solid body structure and I don't know where you could do that and still reach it from the driver's seat. In Fords the switch is located behind a trim panel on the interior side of the body. Maybe on the firewall up under the dash somewhere?? I'm still pondering this.....if that thing trips when it isn't supposed to it won't be wired into the car. ?

The Carter electric fuel pump I installed last year to replace the mechanical pump has worked flawlessly. However, every few months someone on the forum will mention how I will burn to a crisp if an accident disables me without disabling the pump. I've always considered this a very unlikely scenario (the ignition key turns off the pump) but the recent discussion about using an oil pressure switch with an electric pump prompted me to revisit this topic. I don't like the oil pressure switch solution because it interrupts the normal operation of the pump. But an inertia switch is totally transparent unless a hard jolt causes it to trip. But how hard a jolt would it take? The internet is full of reports of false trips in Fords that use the switch, often triggered by potholes or out-of-balance tires. I don't like the idea of a single-point failure in the fuel pump circuit leaving me powerless in traffic......but there is a safety aspect. I decided to get a Ford inertia switch and see if it is a good option on the P15. But......before I commit to trusting a FORD (!) part to keep me from getting rear-ended when the pump dies unexpectedly I decided to road test the switch for a few weeks to see if false trips are a problem. I soldered leads to the three terminals and mounted the switch to the firewall where it could be easily reached if it needed to be reset . The center terminal is POWER, one terminal is PUMP and the other is for a lamp to indicate a trip. I wired one side of a test lamp to the power lead, the other side of the lamp to the battery, and the TRIP lead to ground. This way the lamp will only illuminate if a trip occurs. I'll drive the car for awhile and check to see if the lamp comes on. If it doesn't trip during routine ops I'll feel more comfortable with wiring the switch into the pump circuit. A hard rap of the firewall with a screwdriver handle will trip the switch and turn on the lamp as seen in this photo, the switch is at the arrow:

Your car is really clean! Is that UV joint boot torn?

Yep, change out that store-brand 10W-30 every year or so......whether it needs it or not........... ? Our inexpensive oils are far superior to what was available when our cars were new.

Or just use the puller and have a hub off in 3-4 minutes....... ?

Red Line MTF is a replacement for GL1 and won't degrade the brass stuff.

The nuts were that loose the first time I removed the drums on my car, too. You might recheck torque after a few dozen miles have accumulated on the brake job, I was able to torque mine another notch or two. The high torque maintains the friction fit on the axle taper so the key won't be carrying the load and wear or fail. If you are certain all the bolts are out of the backing plate, persuade it a bit with a hammer and block of wood.....let it know who's boss...... ? After you have worked on your car awhile, you will start thinking like a '40's engineer and the (simple) design will make more sense and you will come to appreciate how clever those guys were with getting maximum return with minimum technology. I love driving my car because it carries me back to 1948 and the thing is so........mechanical.

You will definitely need a puller to remove the rear drum and it can still be some work if they are really stuck. But this puller is about as good as you can get if you don't have the original tools: https://www.ebay.com/itm/251169591646?hash=item3a7adfd15e Yes, use the axle nut to seat the drum on the taper. I tighten the nut until the 24" breaker bar starts flexing then stop at the next slot for the cotter key. The service manual calls for minimum of 142 ft/lbs on the axle nuts.....you do have a manual, right?

My comments above were for a manual transmission where the old manuals called for a heavy gear oil (GL-1 80W). A well-regarded high-zinc engine oil that I found when looking for such for the VW Beetle (flat tappets) is Valvoline VR1 Racing oil: https://www.amazon.com/Valvoline-10W-30-VR1-Racing-Motor/dp/B00DJ4FMK2 But I run Walmart's store-brand 10W-30 in my P15's 218.....I don't want it to develop an attitude........ ?

From the looks of the terminals on that relay you need to take every connection you can reach apart and clean the terminals.....those terminals look like trouble that will never end until refreshed. A maroon Scotchbrite is good for removing corrosion from terminals and a bag of new screws, washers and nuts will finish off the job. Sounds like you have a power problem near the battery, ammeter or headlight switch that is interrupting voltage to all the accessories. Have a copy of the schematic close as you start at the battery and work your way through the system. Use a hi-lighter to mark each lead on the schematic that is successfully traced. At some point you are going to find an 'uh-oh'.......and you will be on your way to restoring power to your car.

Hey....don't show a lack of respect for the Bug! ? My '74 Standard has been never been driven in rain (post restoration).

This is the one you want for a manual transmission, it replaces GL-1 80W that was spec'ed in the old manuals: https://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-Transmission-Transaxle-Lubricant/dp/B000CPCBEG

If you have a manual transmission with a clutch: I use 75W-90 GL-4 in the diff of my P15. I started out with the same in the trans but the 1st to 2nd shift was crunchy until the trans got hot. It seems the modern lubricants are too "slippery" to allow the 'mature' synchronizers to function as designed. I changed trans oil to Redline 70/80W MTL and the transmission now shifts smoothly at all temps. This is a case where more friction is better and the Redline won't degrade the brass synchronizers. The Redline costs more than the stuff off the shelf at Autozone but it should outlast me. Two quarts will fill the transmission and leave plenty for any topoffs needed in years to come.

The alternator is a great upgrade. It keeps the battery at full voltage at idle even with everything turned on. I installed a single-wire alternator so no external regulator is needed.

Looks good to me.......very close to what I see with the alternator in the P15.

Wow....making me even more convinced I made a good decision with my fuel pump......

Yep, mechanically capture the pin.....nice solution. I suggested to another member a driiled pin with a washer and cotter pin on each end.

If you open eBay and search "brake drum puller" the puller mentioned will appear in the first page of results....very easy to find.

That's a great line! ?

You have reason to appreciate the thread on distributors......but the last time thrashingcows (that is a cool screen name...) was on this forum was April 11, 2016. His post is seven years old, would be interesting to know how the distributor conversion has stood the test of time. Responding to an old thread is known in the internet universe as "necroposting". However, archived threads certainly have value as a research resource. ?

As long as no fluid has leaked and no cylinders have corroded the brakes should work as well as they did last fall. If the pedal gets low this summer you will need to manually adjust the brakes. I'm assuming you have a service manual for your car.............. Here is a good article in the 'Technical' section of our forum: https://p15-d24.com/page/p15d24/tech/brakes.html/

text deleted...irrelevant.

Make sure you have the brake shoes adjusted all the way in toward the hub.

If the pin backs out again (maybe it won't) the electric pump will push fuel through the mechanical pump in an emergency without having to replumb the lines. Just flip the switch. I have the same setup on the VW for priming the carbs after the car has been sitting for a few weeks.

Keith, what diameter is that pin? If it is a common size (1/4, 5/16, etc) why not make a pin from a grade 8 bolt shank, leave it long enough to protrude 3/8" on each end, drill both ends and secure it with a couple of washers and cotter pins. Don't think I would trust JB Weld to secure a single-point-of-failure that leaves you with a dead car (on a dark night in freezing rain in a notoriously bad neighborhood.....).