Labrauer

Norm I once had an engine (218) that all three spark plug holes got full of water after filling the radiator and starting the engine. Didn't see the water until I started the engine. The gasket under the thermostat housing was leaking. I tried to tighten the bolts down but got to the point that I thought I was going to break them off. Still was leaking so I took the housing off installed a new gasket but this time I put some permertex gasket sealer on top and bottom of the gasket and never had a leak since. If that isn't your case I would look at a leaking radiator upper hose or the radiator it self. Check to see it the radiator cap has the gasket on it also.

The video that DJ194950 reply is a great video of door adjustment for these old cars and trucks. I enjoyed watching.

To fix the problem to get the car started I took the plugs out and hooked up a wire with an alligator clip on one end to hook to the starter relay on the middle bolt and then put my finger over the spark plug hole on # 1 cylinder. Took the other end of the wire and touched the positive side of the starter relay and bump the engine over till I felt the pressure come from spark plug hole. Was close enough to TDC that I was able to turn the engine over by hand to exactly TDC. Took the distributor out just far enough to turn the shaft so it would line up again with the oil pump spline. That put the rotor on the distributor right at 7 oclock. Tightened the distributor back up hook up the wires to proper holes on the cap and woohoo turned the key and started right up. Looked at the oil pressure gauge and it came up quickly to around 40 to 45 PSI at idle with all the other gauges working fine too. Have yet to adjust the valves according to the book at running temp but I will do that tomorrow and re-torque the head bolts after that. Went out twice today and cranked up very fast running just fine as can be except for a little tappet noise that will be addressed in the morning. Now to address the R10 overdrive situation being 6 volt and the car is 12 volt. Thanks to all the great people that have chimed in for their knowledge and experience it is greatly appreciated.

Yes there is You have to remove the inside door panel and there are three bolts on each hinge that can be loosen. Pull the door back and re tighten the bolts. You have to be careful to make sure the door lock assembly is not to far out of adjustment other wise the door will drag on the door pillar. there are three bolts per hinge inside the door that provide door hinge adjustment.

Thanks people for all the help. The car is running with all the lights working as they should with no back fire. It is easy to start when the key is turned. I am so happy for all the great knowledge I get from this forum and the people that give it to me. Now I have to tackle the R10 transmission that is installed but is 6 volt. I am assuming I have to put in a 12 volt to 6 volt voltage reducer for the solenoid and the governor or how should this be addressed? Appreciate all the help as always

I went back and checked my run and I did put my finger on the #1 spark plug hole and it seems that I am out 180% on the distributor how it got that way I have no idea. Stranger things have happened. Now how do I get it back to correct? Thanks as always

Okay guys thanks for all the help on the fuse box power and the lights. Thanks to you all I have everything working but in my way of all this stuff of rewiring with a 12 volt harness that I didn't realize was for a 12 volt system I made a change in the power system. In looking for some 6 volt stuff in the auto parts houses (Napa, Auto Zone, Oreilly, Santa Fe auto parts, and Advanced auto parts) around here in south Texas is like finding a 20K piece of gold in your front yard. I know I can order parts from the internet but it takes time to get them and it usually involves shipping cost. So with that said I have changed to a 12 volt one wire alternator on the car. I know many won't approve and I'll probable get a lot of slack in doing so but that's the way I chose to go. So with that said I have a question on why the engine will not start. I have checked that #6 piston is in the top position from the plug hole on the head and have looked at the distributor to see if the rotor is facing the #6 wire to the plug. All is fine so I turned the engine by hand to the TDC on the crank pulley and checked the rotor again and it is in the 7 o'clock position which is the #1 plug. I checked for spark from the plug to the plug wire and it has spark but no cranking, checked to see if it was getting gas and it is. When trying to start it backfires through the carb which I would think tells me it's out of time but how can it be with the procedure I did? Before the engine was installed in the car I checked the valves for their clearance according to the book. Anyone have any suggestions on how stupid I am or what can be wrong. As always thanks for the help in advance.

Well Wiggo' I am starting with no old wires in the car as usual I messed up when I decided to redo the wires and let some young folks rip the wires out. I regret doing that now but that was then and this is now me feeling the pain and frustration of the new wiring harness. Here's what I have done so far on the car in which it is 1948 P-15 by the way. I have purchased a new Ignition Switch #70702B with 4 connections, new Headlight switch #70701, New turn signal switch #6020, and a new starter button. All have been installed on the car. ?The signal switch was wire up according to the kwik wire book instructions. The ignition switch also was wired by the book, the headlight was wired by the book but still there is nothing working except for the headlights but no instrument lights, dome light, dimmer switch and indicator high beam light, electric fuel pump that runs off a toggle switch. The fuel gauge and fuel sending unit seems to be working. I have not hooked up the starter button yet. When I hook up the battery and look at the signal switch the red center glass glows a faint light but when I flip the handle down or up the light goes out and nothing blinks at all. The horns are not working but when I push the horn ring I hear a click sound in the fuse box at the built in horn relay, I will try what you have down for me to change and see if it helps. I have my fingers crossed that it does. Thanks for the reply and help

Thanks Dave72dt /That is what I thought but was not sure.

Robin is the overdrive a R7 or a R10? I think I might have a wiring diagram for the R7 shift rite on the shift knob somewhere here on the computer if you need it.

Robin is the overdrive a R7 or a R10? I think I might have a wiring diagram for the R7 shift rite on the shift knob somewhere here on the computer if you need it.

Wiggo Look in the download files there are wiring diagrams for the 48 Plymouth and others.

Thanks for all the helpful replies guys I now have power to the fuse box. I have power to the fuse box and the head lights and dome light except the dome light will not turn off without disconnecting the battery cable. Those three things are working but nothing else. Tomorrow I am going to take my wiring book out and go through each and every wire to make sure it is going to the right place out of the fuse box. I thought we (my son and I ) hooked everything up by the book but apparently we did something wrong or didn't hook up wires right. I have one more question to ask you guys and that is there is a pink wire # 20 14Ga. that comes from the fuse box and says to connect to the positive lug on the coil. I don't know if this way is for a positive ground hookup or a negative ground hook up out of the book. I have a hard time reading and understanding these instructions and diagrams. Anybody know? Thanks again.

I have some pictures of the starter, and solenoid

Thanks for the information guys I am willing to try anything from suggestions to get the car running again

I purchased a wiring harness from Kwik wiring and put it in my 48 Plymouth but now I can't get any power to anything on the car. My car is 6 volt positive ground and I have also added a single wire 6 volt alternator with a built in regulator. I called the alternator guys and they told me how to wire it up by passing the old regulator on the car. The # 15 red 10 Ga. wire runs from the fuse panel to the alternator battery lug on the alternator. The #16 10Ga. wire runs from the fuse panel to the starter battery lug on my starter solenoid with a Maxi fuse installed on this wire. My battery cables from the battery are hooked up with the positive to the engine block and negative to the other side of the solenoid opposite of the starter lug. There is a third lug on the solenoid in the center that nothing is hooked up to and I don't know if anything goes there or not. I've got 6.4 amps in the battery so I know it's good. I have no power to the ignition switch nor to any of the fuses on the fuse box with the key on and flipping the switch on the fuse box that kills the power to the coil. Can anyone think of a reason I am not getting power? I have also e-mailed kwik wiring for some answer. If no response tomorrow I will call them on the phone. Sincerely, Larry Brauer

Well guys we are on a role here tonight I have learned another difference in the dipsticks. On my 48 P15 engine I have the one with the cup in fact both of my 48 cars has the same stick all though the one engine I got from Paul it seems that the stick hits the bottom of the pan just before it covers the end of the dipstick tube. I had no idea that there was such a difference in the length of the two. So which one is the right one to use?

I am chiming in here also in saying the one on my 48 P15 is also just the on and off one. I could never figure out why anyone would want to cut the dash lights completely out and why they even put a switch in like that. I never knew it was supposed to work as Don says who knows maybe it was changed out before I got the car by the owner before me. On my light switch there was a way you could turn the knob like it would dim the dash lights but it never worked either. I have since changed the light switch but it only turns the lights in the dash and head lights on or off. Oh well we learn something new every day here on the forum.

As far as removing the gas tank you need to disconnect the wires to the gas sending unit or take it completely out first and be sure to take the filler hose off the fill tube. In my P15 there are two bolt heads in the trunk one on each side toward the trunk lid opening that are I think 11/16 or maybe 3/4 that are attached to the straps that hold the tank up. You will need a floor jack to hold the tank up while you unscrew them. After you remove them you will see that they are a female threaded nut that are about two inches in length. The tank should come out when the straps are all the way down. Oh yes don't forget to disconnect the fuel line too.

Those battery holders are out of site they must be made of some kind of precious metal or something. Can't see spending that kind of money just to hide a battery. By the way Paul I would like to see that hand crank maybe that's the way I should go.

I was looking into getting one of those batteries too but of the price I haven't pulled the hammer just yet. If and when I do I would like to find the battery holder that would make it look like it has a full size battery in the car. Any one know of one anywhere that will fit the 6 volt Optima and look like the original battery holder?

I would like to have done the leather one too but haven't been able to find them. I once had a pattern of one but don't know what I did with it

Sometime we figure out ways to help us do difficult things some easier. https://www.classiccarrestorationclub.com/video/how-to-rebuild-a-ball-and-trunnion-drive-shaft-008786/

Can someone tell me where this brass fitting goes on the 218 flathead