bacelaw

Steady 6.35 with engine off, with both meters, so the battery and meter are good to go...I just can't get a steady reading with the engine running, it jumps from 9 to 19 volts which seems strange. Dash ampmeter also jumps, especially when car is cold - seems to stabilize when hot. My concern is that the regulator isn't working and will overcharge the battery.

When I put the meter on the appropriate setting, I get a reading jumping from 9 to 19 rapidly.

I agree, I've used two multimeters and both show the same...it actually fluctuates all over the place but generally pegs at 1800 or more.

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Hi all: 41 wagon, 6v positive system all original. While running, when I test battery voltage, I get 1,000 (yes, one thousand) volts... I've used 2 different multimeters. This can't be normal right?

Hi all: does anyone have a picture of the trim (escutcheons) around interior door handles on a woodie wagon? I know on the sedans, there's a spring inside the door cards that pushes the trim tight against the door handle. But on the woodie's, the door cards are wood - so there's no place for the spring to hold the trim tight against the handle. Is there some sort of gasket or something on the woodie wagons? Thanks!

Thanks Tom. I don't ever plan on driving the wagon in cold weather, so I'm not concerned with the flapper being functional. I just don't want it to restrict the exhaust flow... I'll try to work it free with the carb removed.

Hey everyone: I adjusted rear brakes, because they were dragging, and advanced the timing a few degrees before TDC - she now rolls better, and has much more pickup. I think that was most of my low power issue...Once I added some advance, the vacuum test was steady at 18in. or so. It didn't slowly creep down, so I don't think the muffler or exhaust is restricted. But, I did find that the heat riser is completely seized, probably in the closed position. If I remove the carb, can that flapper be removed from above the exhaust manifold? Or, do I need to buy a new manifold?

I had a feeling vacuum gauge could show restricted exhaust. Thanks everyone! I have a full day to test all these issues and I'll report back.

Hi all: this is really great stuff; the motor is stock, 55k miles or so. Tomorrow I'm going to check all your suggestions. I had no idea there was a heat riser between the manifolds - I'll check to make sure that functions. I'll use the minor adjustment bolts on all four brakes and make sure there's no drag at all on the shoes, and push her out of the garage. I'll check the points plate, and also that I'm getting full throttle with the pedal - all great ideas. I'll definitely advance the timing a bit more than TDC. How do I tell if I have an exhaust restriction in the muffler? Other than smacking the muffler with a hammer, is there another way to determine if it's restricted? Vacuum gauge?

It's not that easy to push... I've adjusted the rear brakes and the rear wheels spin in the air but not that freely. I thought I had rear brakes adjusted well, but should they spin really easily with no brake drag at all?

Hi all: thanks to everyone here I have my 41 Woody stopping well with no brake leaks. She starts immediately, runs smooth, but I have to floor the gas pedal up a moderate hill. I'm not looking to drag race, and I get it - she's an 80 year old heavy wood vehicle. But I can't get her comfortably over 40mph without absolutely mashing the gas pedal, and hill climbing is the same. Timing is at TDC. Points are new. Carb is new. Gas is fresh. Compression test checks out okay. I won't be offended if the response is - that's normal. Any thoughts? Thank you!

Do you drill the backing plate to widen the holes to make that wheel cylinder fit, or are you saying the holes/ears on the wheel cylinders need expanding?

Amazing..@dpollo do you mean that the backing plate holes need to be drilled? This is the adapter I've used on my '41 on the rear brakes, curious if this is the one everyone uses https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/american-grease-stick-co.-brass-adapter-3-8-24-inverted-to-7-16-24-inverted-blf-22c/22190061-p?product_channel=local&store=7989&adtype=pla_with_promotion&product_channel=local&store_code=7989&gclid=Cj0KCQiAofieBhDXARIsAHTTldoS3AjNqrhsGTxL2_0RWuxFFKa9gP8rL2WR6Xi8VCr-jDZ7HdG5YCQaAnKAEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thanks for everyone's help - for future forum searchers, here's what worked for me. The rear brake lines on my '41 wagon are 1/4" tubing. The inverted flare/double flare fittings are all 7/16-24, both out of the rear axle block and going to the rear wheel cylinders. However, the rear wheel cylinders have 3/8-24 female threads in them (for a 3/16" tubing) - you need a brass adapter at each rear wheel cylinder so the larger 1/4" tubing will plug into them. Advanced Auto, and probably all the parts stores sell an adapter that has 3/8-24 flare male on one end and 7/16-24 female on the other end to accept the brake line. We didn't even need a copper washer at the wheel cylinders, because the adapter bottoms out nicely and tightly. After some test driving, we could always add a copper washer if the brass isn't sealing at the wheel cylinder. I eventually got nicop lines as @Tired iron suggested. The nicop lines are crazy easy to work with, easy to bend, easy to flare, and are forgiving -even if the flare isn't perfect the material will mash together and seal. Thanks!

@vintage6t. That's exactly what I was looking for - that brass fitting bottoms-out in the wheel cylinder and doesn't appear to need any copper washer or anything. Thanks!

@Los_Control I'm with you 100%. I promised the previous owner that we would drive the wagon. I plan to drive it all Summer, daily if possible - the next owner can restore it to perfection. While I'm here, I'll drive it. The rear brakes had a terrible mix of fittings that never worked properly. So, I was trying to sort out what's correct and what's not. Apparently in '41 Plymouths had 1/4" brake lines in the rear. The rear wheel cylinders don't accept a 7/16-24 flare, so an adapter is required. The adapter is actually in the '41 parts book. The adapter either has 1/4" pipe threads going into the wheel cylinder or 3/16-24 male flares, and it allows a 7/26-24 flare fitting to attach. Thanks for everyone's help. I'll update once it's all put together

Most people are telling me that brass fitting is correct...thanks. No one yet knows the size, I think it may be 1/4" pipe threads into the cylinder and the brake fitting may be a 7/16-24 flare...when/if I figure it out I'll post results in case anyone else is stuck redoing a hodge podge of brake lines. This forum is great.

Thanks Chris..so the brass is required? It looks like 1/4 male pipe thread to a female flare fitting...I just dont know the size of the flare fitting and whether these brass are even available. Thanks!

I'm still struggling to find the proper setup. My rear wheel cylinders have a brass fitting in them (pic attached). I'm trying to find out if this is correct, and if it is, what threads/fittings are needed to button this up....or, if in the rear the brake lines can go directly into the cylinder without this brass on my '41 Plymouth. Fitting size and thread count has me dizzy 20230119_100212.heic

Thanks so much. Yes, the wagon has 10" drums. My problem is someone mixed metric and sae fittings in the rear and it's a mess. That Tee fitting looks like mine, but mine now has damaged threads. Any idea where to find one?

Hi all: new to the forum and working on my new-to-me 41 Plymouth Woody Wagon. I've searched through the archives, but here's my problem - Someone previously monkeyed up our rear brake lines. Does anyone know the flare/fitting size into the rear wheel cylinders? I know the front are different, what size fittings are those? I think they are both inverted flares, or should be. Also, the rear axle tee block that doubles as a vent for the axle - anyone have a picture of what it should look like? Thanks in advance!