GTfastbacker

We have now test driven our new old Dodge 300mls. (41 D19 3-speed power shift) I have the following problem when changing gears: The gears change very easily thanks to the power shift. However, it is almost impossible to change from 1 to 2 without the gears scratching slightly. It doesn't matter whether you use the clutch twice or pause for 2-5 seconds. It almost always scratches slightly. It is exactly the same when you downshift from 3 to 2. Intermediate clutch, intermediate gas, long pause, the same problem. Sometimes it works, but usually not. I also have the impression that the travel of the gear lever for 2nd gear is quite short and sometimes 2nd gear jumps out, especially when downshifting. Before I rip apart the whole power shift mechanism or open the gearbox, here is a question for the specialists: where should I best start looking? Thank you Joe PS: sorry for my sometimes stupid quest. I habe to learn a lot 😊

Hi Greg, the car came from CA and spend his last 20 Years in Kansas. We bought it there last Summer. Its in very nice condition and we drove this week 300mls without any issues. It gets 18mls from a Gallon. Oilpressure us near 60psi with 20w50. Temperature at 160 deg. we got the ole tube radio working with a home made AM transmitter and iPhone, so we can let Frank Sinatra sing nasally through the tin can. Periodic correct Low Fi

Hello there, Now that our D19 Coupe is finally registered and insured in Germany, we can soon do the first test drives at weekend. (1941 Dodge Business Coupe D19, bone stock, P18 engine) To understand whether our car is running properly, I would like to ask for some empirical data: Top speed under normal conditions (please not down hill Pikes Hill with a tailwind 😉 and strong solar winds from the back) Normal travel speed on the highway/interstate Normal average fuel consumption Normal oil consumption I have already noticed that the performance cannot be compared to our 427 Ford, but I would like to understand how little is normal. Thank you so much Joe

Thanks for the tip about Andy Beerbaum. He has the hose I needed but shipping it to Germany would have taken too long. Luckily I found a company that offers custom-made products online in Germany. The hose arrived today and fits perfectly but looked terribly modern. So I pulled out a few tricks and made an "old" hose out of it. It’s not perfect but I think I can live with that. Cheers Joe .

So here is the solution to the mystery: I think my car has the wrong starter. Unfortunately I can't check because I don't have an original D19 starter to compare it to and my starter no longer has any numbers. When everything is set correctly, i.e. the pinion is fully extended and the switch is operated, the pedal travel is 2 1/2" too short. So there is a huge gap between the pedal and the lever on the starter. My predecessor obviously simply turned the switch out too far, which led to the pinion being completely misaligned. I completely overhauled the starter, adjusted it correctly and attached an adapter for the missing 2 1/2" to the bottom of the pedal. If I ever get a correct starter, I can remove it without leaving any traces. Joe

it is not yet finished. That's why 😉

After i had success and got the starter working again i found a broken hose so now the car spills engine oil arround. The ole Dodge is nearly 100% original stock so i am looking for a idea how to replace this hose with stock appearance. Its the flex hose for oil pressure gauge near steering column inside engine compartment . seams to be bras, not stainless steel. 3/8“ to 3/8“ female, 5 Inch long Thank you do much Joe .

I'm afraid they didn't prevail because they were once again german over engineered .... lol

Who knows. That will probably always remain a miracle. On the other hand, my starter was put together by an apprentice. PS. i had to search for a imperial ruler… lol

Luckily, I met two gentlemen a while ago who each have an old Dodge. And as luck would have it, they both have a spare starter, which they lent me to try out. After I had all three starters lying next to each other on the operating table, it was clear that the ring gear (R) on my starter was only just engaging. I compared all the components and found that someone had set the adjustable switch (thread) completely wrong and had fixed it with some kind of glue. The other starters could be adjusted, but mine couldn't. So I repaired it and my starter now works just as the Dodge Bros. intended it to. Joe

Hello Joe, as I wrote above, the starter works, but the pinion doesn't move far enough. Today I looked at 2 other Dodge starters at a friend's house, and it's different there. The pinion moves out fully. This evening I'll measure the distances between the flange and the ring and check how far the pinion moves into the ring. Surprisingly, my starter has a longer housing at the front than the other starters I have to check here. My suspicion is probably correct, the wrong parts were put together for my starter. I can post some pictures to show later. Thank you Joe

i kept the 6V pos. Ground System. Only the light bulbs i changed to LED. There is warm white available so the appearance is near factory. Joe

I think there is a difference between the starter working well and it not engaging the gear. Before the post I wrote yesterday (thanks for the tip, I will keep the topic together in the future) I of course dismantled the starter and checked the components. There is only very little wear, the parts are clean, move freely and nothing is broken. The freewheel works. What is not right is the path of the pinion on the shaft. It moves too short. Geometrically it is not possible to do otherwise, I have made a few attempts. The switch is fixed in the position. The starter was probably only minimally engaged and now it was not engaging. We have not driven the car since it came from Kansas, we have only started it a few times in the garage to make adjustments. I am convinced that parts here don't belong together. Please excuse me for first asking the crowd of experts whether there are any special features on this car. This Dodge is new territory for me. I have been working on other models for over 40 years, especially the Ford FE. Over the years I've probably had 30 starters on the operating table for an overhaul. However, there was never a foot starter. Thank you Joe

Gentlemen, can someone please send me photos of an original D19/P18 starter? I have the following problem with our new D19 (with a P18 engine in it): The starter is not working properly and is not engaging. So I took it out today and found that the pedal lever travel is limited by the switch on the starter. In the fully depressed end position, however, the pinion is still about 3/4" away from the fully extended end point. This means that it does not run properly in the ring. Either I have the wrong starter in the car or the starter was put together from a collection of the wrong parts, what I rather suspect. I have to find out. Thank you so much Joe .

so how can i be sure it’s the whole P18 engine and not only the P18 block with the D19 attachments? There is no car arround to compare.

it’s a foot starter. I spend many hours in maintenance on the electric. I would say it isn’t the problem. It sounds like a mechanical issue.

How many teeth does a P18 starter ring have? Thank you Joe

these are good news. Thank you !!!

unfortunately not. There is no data plate on it. Just the starter.

Gentlemen, Starter quit working today, the carshows are everywhere but the ole Gal will not work anymore ... It's a 6V pos. ground Car, 6V works fine but the starter. Everything worked perfectly until yesterday. This morning there was an additional "clunk" noise when starting, the starter kept disengaging. After starting it 3 times the starter runs idle without engaging. I think the pinion or the movement of the pinion is a problem? Is this a common Dodge starter problem? Is there an easy fix for this, because the car is in Germany and parts are not easy to buy here. where can I source a replacement starter and starter ring for a D19 with a P18 engine in it? Tried Rockauto but nu success. Thank you Joe .

Today I took a closer Look at the Engine Number of my 41 D19 Business Coupe. I was surprised to see a P18 stamped into the Block. What's the technical difference between these two engines? Thank you Joe

only with stupid questions 🤣

41 Dodge Business Coupe located near Leipzig Joe

I try to imagine how brake fluid would splatter over the paint if the vehicle had an underfloor brake cylinder. All the images that come to mind are comic-style. Sorry, that's probably because of my vivid imagination. Joe

i’ll try to go that way. I missplaced my PHD in rocket sience but my NYC taxi driver permit is still valid. So what can go wrong? Thank you for the motivation to do it by myself! Joe