Tom Skinner

Adam, Robert is right, if you can endeavor to learn and do a little each day by yourself. Our cars are pretty high maintenance - kinda like a Lady that needs attention. Therefore to, do -it - yourself, will save you an awful lot of money in the long run and bring a whole lot of satisfaction knowing you did it yourself. A Service Manual is a good place to start, they are not hard to find on ebay. From there (Our Flathead Engines) are quite simple straight forward engines to work on. Setting Points, Timing, and Tuning the Carburetor with a Vacumm Gauge is not difficult (about 45 minutes). Changing plugs (15 minutes) and your on your way to being a great mechanic. Of course it helps to have a experienced car club guy/buddy to show you the way the first time. In fact if possible if you can't find a free helper, ask the guy your paying to show you what he is doing (if he's willing) then you will know just how easy it can really be. Tom

Adam, When smoke comes out of my breather after I shut my engine off, its usually because I'm running a little rich and gas seems to be saturating the crankcase. The other part of your question if I have a full gas tank and its real hot out my carb will drip out some (maybe call it boil over) after the heat weight goes back up. If however its cooler out and I only have a half tank of gas it doesn't do it. Maybe your carb bushings are a bit worn? I have had a couple of 1948 Chrysler Royals since 1973 and they always smoked a little out of the breathers and weeped a little gas out the carbs after shutting down the engine. Right now though I have the choke and carb mixture set just right and its not doing either, but that's probably because I have it set a tad lean and the choke and timing are just right. Set your points, time it, then use a vacumm gauge to set the Idle mixture screw. Find your highest vacumm setting - say 20" or so and it should burn pretty clean. Another way to tell if your too rich is remove a spark plug and "read it". Is it dark and sooty? Is it light brown/whiteish brown? Adjust accordingly. I find running my timing about 4-6 Degrees in advance helps.

If Texas275 is right, the Steele rubber won't help.

So far pictures of guys texting. Put down those stupid boxes and grab a wrench and get to work. L.O.L.

Put a couple of 5 Gallon Pails in there to sit on and away you go. L.O.L. Good Luck that's allot of fun your having!

Mopar Al, Bob is right, here are trim rings like his that work. Tom

Those are duster hubcaps. On the Wagon. We used to steal them off Plymouth Dusters in the early 1970's up in the big city U.S.A. (New York) and put them on every 14" wheel we could ride - even my 1967 Pontaic Bonneville. It was like "Close Encounters'" flying saucer caps, haha Gee our old Lasalle ran great .......those were the days..... I actually saw some duster caps on ebay recently just like those - really cool man:cool:

Don, Maybe a loose wire somewhere. I have had this happen to me several times throughout the years. Loose at the ignition coil, ignition switch, starter selenoid. Also one more big BIG thing - the ground. Is everything really grounding? Star Washers will cure this they cut through paint or grim and complete the circuit. Good Luck - electric problems are real frustrating to deal with. Take your time it will become apparent to you soon. Tom

Gents, These "Captains" of Industry (government employees) pretend to work while we pretend to pay them. If you appeal to the fact that you would like to speak to their supervisor to accomplish what it is you seek they will comply. Why you ask? Because they know if they are documented for not helping you in a kind manner, they will be reprimanded at appraisal time and crapped out of a raise. You see that's how government eats their own. If I can hold you down and crap you out of a raise as your supervisor, then I will receive a farthing more. Its kind of like the the little bird in the nest that keeps crapping itself to keep warm. Politely ask to speak to their supervisor and they will jump through hoops of real fire to help you. Remember that the thought for the day is posted on their bulletin board. Until they are reminded of their task - they forget it. Question: Do you know why government employees only get a half hour for lunch? Because if we gave them any longer they would need to be retrained.

John, V.P.W. has them and perhaps Terrill Machine, Inc (254)893-2610 They are specialists in Chrysler Parts out of Texas:) Tom

Karl, I rebuilt my first 251 twice the ten years I owned it, I never replaced the lock washers at the connecting rod nuts. I had no problems, however, conventional wisdom now is to replace with new lock washers when rebuilding. I read this along with replacing head bolts as well during a rebuild. Also to chase the threads in the block with a tap to ensure accurate torqueing. The source was Vintage Power Wagon. wwwvintagepowerwagons.com It seems to me that they are giving good sound advice. They are also selling these parts. as I am older now and a bit more well healed so to speak it would seem smart to me to do those things now. Back in the 70's and 80's when I did my flat head rebuilds though I used grease on the copper head gasket (not copper head gasket spray) used my old lock washers, never chased the threads, used my old head bolts and never had a bit of a problem there. Maybe I was just lucky or maybe all that advice is overkill you decide. Tom Skinner Huntersville, NC

Karl, The 3/8" cap screws/nuts torque at 45-50 ft. lbs. (page 311 Chrysler Service Manual for C28-C40 Automobiles) Tom Skinner Huntersville NC

Karl, I have had several 251 cu. in. rebuilds there is a lock washer for the connecting rod bolt/nut configuration. My Chrysler Service Manual shows them my Chrysler Passenger Parts List shows them as: 9-31-8 page 191 WASHER, Connecting Rod Bolt Lock (S.,.387 I.D. x 17/32" O.D., 5/64"inch thick) (bearing cap) Original Chrysler Part Number 668555 12 each Tom Skinner Huntersville NC

Driverless Cars are all the Bozo's on the phone and texting, tweeting, drivers out there now. I have to drive my antique car on Saturday mornings real early just to avoid the drunks, drug adicts, and otherwise brain dead drivers out there now. They are legion now, a hord of indifferent texting zombies operating automobiles on our roads. I think I'll buy a Hummer and plow thier asses into a ditch somewhere.

Lelshaddai, Sometimes if you run the engine until warm, then turn it off and retorque the head bolts to 65-70 ft lbs. It helps. I changed my plugs and smelled a trace of anti-freeze on them, also when I warmed up the car the tailpipe spit out what seemed to me a bit more condensation than it should have as well as having white smoke during that warm up time. I found my headbolts around #1, and #2 cylinders were "Loose". They torqued down from 40-45lbs to 65lbs and the smell of anti freeze on my plugs went away as well as the white smoke at warm up. quite a few bolts weren't near torqued enough. Remember warm the engine if its a cast iron head and also use the proper torque sequence in your Service Manual. I'm not saying this will fix your compression issues but may somehow be part of a good tune up process that might improve the way your engine runs. Greg may be right and its probably worn rings. Tom

Eddie, I would say the officer filling out the report was a schlepp. He had credible multiple eyewitnesses stating the bus ran the red light and didn't put that on the report? What a d _ _ k Wad. Those government empoloyees stick together. By that I mean Cops & School employees/bus drivers etc. They pretend to work and we pretend to pay them. Nonetheless, go see a laywer and get some letters out. They will ante up once they see you mean business. Probably not until then. Too bad our system doesn't seem to work for honest people anymore. Good Luck! Tom

I did the rubber hose Vacumn Line connect like Don on my 1948 Chrysler. It makes it much easier to tweak the timing with the resistance from the Steel Line gone. The distributor lifts out easy to set points etc.. Just be sure your a Top Dead Center on #1 when you pull it out. Tom

Mikey, "Holly Happy Days" I once had a girl named Holly and that was back in the Happy Days. Happy New year Mike! And many many more! Tom

Don, I know your pretty much done with this thread, but for the benefit of others, I went on ebay and replaced the entire headlights by the pair (new) with S&H included and new bulbs in the housings for $89/pr. So with that being said say against a $29 cleaning which may only last a year or two along with all that sanding and buffing, that is if nothing else gets marred or broke along the way the extra $60 for brand new headlights doesn't seem so bad. The new ones will last another 6-7 years easy. So its six of one or a half dozen of the other. A kit every other year for 6 years will cost around $87, or new headlights and re-install and one and done for around $89 doesn't seem so bad. There is one more consideration, that is if your going to keep your vehicle 6 more years or not. Oh well you asked for Ideas and that was mine. Tom

Great! Good Work. Now you are a Carburator Doctor - as some in the industry call themselves and charge exorbidant rates for services. L.O.L. I hope your back feels better, next time use a helper, or let those timbers be where they may be.

Steve, Glad you posted this, I have haggerty, and a 17 year old that wants to learn how to drive my '48, so I guess he'll have to wait a few more years. Tom

I hope this is true. Just think reducing our dependency on foriegn oil. This could be the start of something big!

jcf-1968, Does it turn with the starter, or no sound? Does it turn with the starter and not catch/start? Sometimes if not loose connections, then it could be a broken wire going to the ignition switch, ammeter, or coil. Those smaller wires around the distributor that go up to the coil can fray or break without being noticable. Then last I would rule on the starter selenoid or starter, because I usually fix all the cheap stuff first before tackling the harder higher dollar stuff. Tom

I finished. It was a 16 hour workfest. The car sits up about 3/4" more in the back and doesn't make noise going over bumps anymore. "What a difference a day makes 24 little hours" The new shocks help as well. I wouldn't do this without help though, it is no cake walk.

Also lots of parts sold on ebay (part cars) you can email the guy and ask him if he'll sell you just those springs as well. I have been very lucky in this regard because then your not bidding against anyone but just making the guy an offer your conforatable with. They are ussually glad to sell more parts this way a bit cheaper than you would realize. Tom