47heaven

Thanks for the informational links, but they didn't tell me where I could get one. Any ideas where the tool is sold or if anyone here has one they could sell?

Hey all...I have a friend with a 1947 Dodge business coupe and he emailed me asking if I knew where to get this brake gauge tool he needs for his brakes. I've never seen one and wouldn't know where to find one, as well. So I figured that the gurus or someone on here would know more about itand where to find one, if possible. Hope everyone is doing well. Hope to be back on here posting again real soon. Looks like I need to catch up on some postings, too. Take care, Darin

...but the light socket assembly was shot and I couldn't find one on Ebay, so I rigged an accessory light into the ornament assembly it lit up pretty nice, but since the plastic was pretty clear, it didn't aluminate through out the whole thing, so I installed another in thye assembly and now it shines like a beacon at night.

You never heard of "doscs?" Man, where have you been?

Sorry Don...I posted that late. I meant the shoe, not the disk...I'm so used to saying doscs because of my newer car.

I took the car back to the mechanic and told him that they forgot to bleed the brakes. With a puzzled expression, he told me that they never opened the brakes up...just scored the pads and turned the disks. We put it up on a hoist and the problem seems to be coming from the master cylinder. There is a small leak coming from where the rubber boot is in the front, from what we can see. When we opened up the top of MC, it was half full. The thing is that I had the thing rebuilt a year and a half ago. How long should a rebuild MC last? I don't believe they resleeved it, but I will ask when I take it back to brake place tomorrow. Anyway, the mechanic adjusted the brakes, and it's stopping fine without having to pump them, but I know that they are not fixed, yet.

What I think happened, Don, is that he has a new mechanic that he had work on it because I didn't have this problem with the last guy he had do it, but I will ask him about having the tool you mentioned. Thanks.

Thanks, Joel. I had a feeling that might be it.

Yesterday, I got the car back from the mechanic after he had to resurface the back drums and sand the shoes a bit, due to glazing (they were squeeling real bad). Anyway, as I drove the car off, I noticed that the brakes just weren't feeling right...kind of spongy and weren't stopping as quick as they had before. I didn't take it right back because I had to get home and park it so I could get to my meeting on time. This morning, I took it out again and it still had the same spongy/fading feeling. I had to pump the brakes two or three times to get some decent pressure back in the brake pedal. The pedal doesn't go to the floor when I step on it, but it just doesn't feel solid like it did. I can't take it back until Monday, but I'd like to maybe get an idea what may be causing this and if it's safe to drive in this condition.

Tim...I got what you said, but I haven't been able to test it yet. Does Edelbrock make that gasket for our kind of carbs or would it matter since mine isn't aluminum?

I think I already mentioned that I don't see a spill over or any wet gas outside the carb. So it must be puddling inside.

Ha Ha...sorry, but I don't release that gas in my car. I simply pull over, get out and walk around until I'm out of gas. So I guess that rules out the obvious.

I was talking to my uncle on the internet the other day and he told me this, "You are suffering from bleed down in your carburator. The needle and seat are not shuting off the fuel in the bowl and there is too much fuel pressure. Sounds like something wrong in the fuel system and that is exactly what is happening to make your engine flood. Probably the fuel pump puts more pressure that it needs." So, it sound like exactly like what you guys are telling me. Should I just go to the electric pump instead? The carb I have is a good one, Norm (normspeed) can atest to that.

Frank...I don't have the model number of the carb, but's the one that goes on a 1949 Dodge 230 engine w/auto choke (though the auto choke is disconnected). It is a Carter, believe

I'm confused Norm...I thought you moved already?

Been hot here in So. Cal...muggy too.

Thanks Tim. It's over 100 today, so I'll wait until it cools down to try that test.

You know...that might be it because I notice that it was sticking a while back. Didn't even give it a thought. I'll check it out tomorrow when there is light. Thanks, Bob!

Have another problem I need you Mopar techs to diagnos for me. Problem: Lately, for some reason, after I stop and park the P15 for a while, whether it be to go eat or go to the store, I notice that when I get back in to start it, I can smell gas and the engine will turn over, but won't get any ignition unless I pump the pedal a couple times (sort of how it would act if it were flooded). It then sputters from a slow sputtering to faster sputtering until the engine runs normally. I even get a couple backfires right after when I rev it. I checked to see if gas is leaking out of the carb, but don't see any trace of any wet gas, like with the older carb. Again, it won't do this when I first start the car up, but after driving for a while, it will happen, and more commonly than before. Any ideas?

Thanks, Greg. I copied this and am taking it to the mechanic so we can go over it. I'll let you know what comes of it.

Damn, Norm. I had in the back of my mind that you were leaving in September. I guess I missed your departure. You still have the same cell # right? Let me know what your new is when you get it. Glad to hear that all but 75 miles went well for you. Take care. Darin

Don, point well taken, but I wouldn't call it bastardization, but more of a practical modification, while still keeping to the original, classic look. Again, go back and read my post before "sending me to my room." I said that if it was somthing they wanted to do, that was fine, but it's not something I would do. Again...my opinon. Again, why spend all that money trying to customizing a classic car when it comes out looking like this in the long run? Chrysler has done it for you already...save a few bucks and save a classic.

I've noticed lately that my P15 tends to have some great pick up when staring off in 1st and also in 2nd, but after I shift into 3rd it tends to bogg down and lose some of the power it had in 1st and 2nd. After about a half a minute it starts to regain it's power again. The car is not in overdrive when this happens. Is this normal or could this be a sign of a problem, as I feel it is.

JD...I guess I'm guilty of being in the "narrow-minded group" because I don't find these customs at all appealing. Sometimes they are so distrorted after being so hacked up that you can't even tell what kind of car it was afterwards, as seen on the expression on the faces of the people in this pic, I noticed..he he he: As I have said before, the customization of our Plymouths and Dodges, as well as any other classic car, is nothing but a bastardization of a great American piece of history and puts the cars at a point of no return. They do nothing for me and I get a depressed feeling when I see them. Kind of like how some people here mentioned how they cringed while watching the Plymouths get ruined in the movie "Christine." Again, it's all a matter of opinion and not so much a "clique." I know I speak for some others on here who probably choose not to express the same feelings I do for fear of angering some of the members, but that's the neat thing about opinions...you can take them or leave them. Just because someone farts doesn't mean it smells good. I know there are some on here that have customized their Mopars, and that's fine because it's their choice...just not a choice that I would make. Again, I'm merely giving my opinion and may make me seem as kind of classic car snob, but I don't think having a freedom of choice and opinion is being narrow-minded. Now, the light blue DeSoto above would get my attention all day.

Man, Norm...I know exactly the kind of shop you went to. God knows I tried to save a buck before and go to shops that were all in Spanish. As I told you before, I learned the hard way you that get what you pay for. I decided that when I was going to take my car in to have the motor rebuilt that it was going to have to be an older guy, American, and spoke English...not to mention had experience with inline 6 ingines. I took my car to Speedway muffler in Upland because they were highly recommended, and after seeing the work I understood why. They were a bit pricey because a lot of the high end guys go there. Evidently, the guys who did the work were Mexican, didn't speak hardly any English, but did one hell of a job! The owner was Armenian. Usually, I am leary of foriegn-owned places, due to the bad luck I have had with so many of them, but those guys I can recommend.