Merle Coggins

Pilot-House engine/oil pan with dipstick tube attached...

That would make it a 5 speed. Definitely not a standard Dodge light truck trans. Can you get pics of the trans itself for identification? If you truck has the original 3 speed it would have this shift pattern; R. 2. ——N—— 1. 3. If it has an original 4 speed, it wouldn’t have synchros, and would have the following shift pattern; 1. 3. ——— N ——— 2. 4. R.

I'm not familiar with that name. Maybe back up and get a general overall picture of the apparatus. It's difficult to tell what it is by that closeup.

That sounds like the 4 speed trans. 1st is a Granny Low, stump puller gear. Normal driving only uses 2nd - 4th.

Find an older Signal Stat 900. Maybe search eBay...

The price listed on that web site is $345.00

Can you get a close up of the logo, stamping, on the end? I've never seen anything like that. Are the tubes open all the way into the base unit? Is there anything else connected to it, outside or inside the firewall?

Yes, likely just carbon build up in the hole. Poke through with an awl, or similar. Also, the “bolt” you refer to is an 1/8” pipe plug.

If you’ve been moving the distributor around have you taken the time to static time it with a test light? You may be close, but off enough that it won’t start. Get the timing dialed in and try it again. Also... I remember the first time I fired up my engine, I had everything right, even double checked everything, but it wouldn’t fire. I finally cracked the throttle open a little and it jumped to life. Turns out that my idle circuit wasn’t providing enough fuel to start. Once I got that sorted out all was good.

The first service truck that I had, when I became a field service technician, was an ‘86 GMC 3500 with a 454, 4 speed, and 70 gallon LP tank in the back. It ran on gasoline or LP. On LP it would run really smooth, but didn’t have as much power. However, you could lug it down quite low without the chugging that you’d get on gasoline. In the winter months you needed to remember to switch back to gasoline before parking it for the night. If it was too cold in the morning the LP regulator couldn’t provide enough LP gas for the engine to start. Once started on gasoline, and warmed up, it could be switched back to LP. Engine coolant ran through the LP regulator to keep it from freezing. And in regards to your carbon comment, you are right. It burns much cleaner, but spark plug life was much shorter. They seemed to deteriorate quicker.

And yet it was only a few winters ago there was a “shortage” that caused the price to sky rocket, and people were being rationed. I called “BS” at the time, but it really didn’t effect me directly.

Yes, the air filter should clamp down tight against the carburetor. Are you missing the gasket? There should be a rubber gasket at the carb flange to aid in the sealing. Without it you probably won’t be able to tighten down the clamp enough to be tight against the flange.

Keep in mind... This likely being an Austrailian built truck our minor model year changes may not apply. I’ve noticed that with the B-series trucks. The Aussie trucks are a bit different and they carried the cab design an extra year to two, from what I’ve seen in pictures.

How do you figure that? There’s a seal that separates the coolant from the bushing. Coolant shouldn’t get out and lube shouldn’t get in. The grease should just lubricate the bushing and seal.

Interesting... It would be an easy enough test. Put a spring, or bungee, on the starter arm to ensure it’s staying up and go for a drive.

Both are good guys that I’m happy to call “Friend”.

The ‘fresh air’ side of a vacuum pump is pushing air out. It wouldn’t need a filter. If anything, your filter acts as a muffler and keeps unwanted critters from crawling into the pump when it’s not in use.

Welding in shorts and flip-flops??? Yikes!! ? The stock rear axle may be a little light if you are going to push a fair amount of HP through it. I don’t know what you have available in NZ, but here, on this side of the big puddle, Jeep Cherokee axles seem to be a good fit.

Yes, Machine screws. Seems that I remember that they are 10-32. I know some areas in the cab use 12-32, which are harder to find, but I don’t believe the gauge screws are that large.

Yes, the hole to the right of the throttle pedal link is for the speedo cable. The cowl vent drain hose goes back through the firewall.

The B1 and B2 trucks park the wipers to the outside. B3 and B4 trucks moved the wiper pivots outboard more and park the wipers to the inside.

I've had Pertronics ignition on my truck for a couple years now and no issues. Even completed a 1900 mile round trip to TN with it last month without a hitch. I haven't seen a significant difference in performance over the points, but I also know I don't have to check and adjust it periodically.

I had my cab sitting on a couple of furniture dollies so that I could roll it around the shop. Also used some 12"X12" blocking to lift it up to a better work height.

If I were you I’d quit messing around trying to clean out the inside of the distribution tube and I’d be working on pulling it out to replace it with a new one. The purpose of it is to evenly distribute coolant flow down the length of the block, including a certain amount of coolant flow focused on the valve areas. It’s very unlikely you’ll be able to get it cleaned out by hammering a piece of steel into it, without damaging it. It tapers down at it gets towards the rear of the block. Best to focus on getting it extracted and then clean out the block passage to that a new one will slide right back in.

Why do you need to replace it? Could it just be rebuilt? It looks like a Carter B&B. There is a number on that diagonal rib. Hard to see in your picture, but it looks like DG...