38plymouth

I bought wheel cylinders from him years ago and when I installed them one was leaking bad. I called him to see about getting it replaced. He told me in a not so nice way that there was no way it was leaking since it was brand new. I must have imagined all the brake fluid dripping out of it onto the floor. I went to napa and bought a hone and rebuild kit and fixed it. I will never buy another part from him even if it's half the price of the competition.

Well I think I got it tonight. I swapped the plug wires for a used set I had in the garage and that seemed to help. I'm going to pick up a new set soon and put them on. I also tore the carb apart because I found a few vacuum leaks by spraying carb cleaner on it when running. I found the little rubber gasket in the step up valve tangled in the spring so the valve wasn't working right. I also found some of the gaskets didn't fit real well and I had two different leaks. I used a little gasket sealer and the old gaskets and got it sealed up. It definitely runs better now and I road tested it and got the timing close. I really need new wires to fix it right, the used ones are not that great either. Thanks for all of the tips and ideas. I never would have figured out the step up valve problem.

I did some more searching and now I'm wondering if the pcv system I added to the car is causing the stumble. I read a few threads where others experienced a vacuum leak caused by the pcv that causes a lean condition at midrange. I will test this new theory out tonight and at least eliminate it as a possible cause.

I checked the wires last night and didn't see any sparks. Both wires inside the distributer look great but I suppose I could replace them to be sure. The plate seems to move freely and I checked the vacuum advance with a vacuum tester and that seems fine.

I pulled the top of the carb and the step up valve seems fine. I also pulled the carb and the hole lines up with the gasket. I pulled the distributor and replaced the points and condensor. The ones from napa listed for 35-38 were wrong. The 39 and up worked. No change. I still have the same problem. When the engine is running at approx. 1500 rpm's it pops out of both tailpipes. I tried pulling the plug wires one at a time with rubber handled pliers and leather gloves and I got shocked when I tried pulling the first one so I gave up that idea. Should that have happened? The wires are around 8-9 years old but I've only driven it a few thousand miles. I'm also wondering about a lean condition. I think this started around the same time I put the aluminum head on. The plugs are a dirty brown to off white color. I tried closing the choke a little and it might have helped a little bit. It could be wishful thinking though. I'm very frustrated now.

I will check this out. Thank you.

I checked this also and it seems ok. I plan to replace the wire when I pull the distributer out. I'm starting to wonder about the carb now. I rebuilt it last year and I think the problem started last year. I was messing with the mixture screw and I think the problem got a little better. I'm going to adjust the carb a little more when I get time.

I checked the plugs and they look great, they have maybe 1,000 miles on them. I'm hoping it's just the points.

I'm having an issue with my engine. When it's idling in neutral and I rev the engine it starts breaking up at about half throttle. If I hold the engine at that speed it runs rough. It runs well at low speed and if I punch it seems to run well. It's only in the midrange. I don't really notice it when driving but it does seem underpowered lately. I rebuilt the carb last year and I tried adjusting it and it has no effect. I also checked the wire in the distributer and that seems fine, I put shrink tubing over it just to be sure. I'm thinking of trying the points and condenser since I have never changed them. I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts. The engine is stock except for a split exhaust manifold with duals and an aluminum fenton head.

I tried to send you a PM the other day but your in box said it was full. I decided to stay home and put the car back together, I would have been depressed at a carshow. I think I know who the guy with the 49 is, I'm not sure about the 50 though. I finished the car tonight and took it for a drive. Everything worked great and the clutch works better than it ever did. The bad news is the damn rear seal still leaks, maybe worse than before. They should have never designed it that way.

I finally got a chance to put the car back together on Sunday morning. Tonight I'm hoping to finish it and try it out. I have to fill the transmission with gear oil and put oil back in the engine. Is there any type of break in for a new clutch? I adjusted the pedal freeplay like it said in the book so hopefully it will be ready to go.

I'm halfway throught the rear seal and I had to give up for the night before I torched the car. I have never struggled so much with any project before. The engineer who invented the rear seal components should have been fired. My car had no rope seal in the top or bottom so they definately needed to be replaced. I didn't realize how much needed to be unbolted to drop the crank a little bit. A little isn't really enough but I finally managed to fish the seal in with a wire but it got hung up about 95% of the way in. It's going to have to stay because there is no moving it now. It's as close as it's going to get without taking the crank out. Now I'm really struggling with the two half moon shaped pieces that bolt above and below the crank. I managed to get two bolts in the bottom and only one in the top. I need to turn the crank to get the other bolts in and I can barely get my fingers in there to try to turn them. Did I say I hated the engineer who invented this foolish setup? I will never do a rear seal again, I'd rather add oil once a week for the rest of my life.

I just ordered mine from Rochester clutch and brake in Rochester NY. I didn't get it yet so I can't comment on quality. They had better prices than Andy B and they have been building them for 60 or 70 years. Check their website, I called and emailed and they were great to deal with.

I called napa and as usual no luck. I bought one from them last April but now he's not sure of the part number and it will take at least a week to get it. I took a chance and called autozone after looking on their website. They show the parts but it says they are special order. I spoke to the 20 year old counter girl and she looked up the parts like a pro and they will have them for me tomorrow, $9.99 for the pan gasket and $21.99 for the rear seal.

This is great info, I don't even check my local napa any more because all of the good parts guys left. The new guys won't look up anything unless it's in the computer and my car isn't. I bought an oil pan gasket from them last year but I had to supply the part number in order to get it. I don't have the number anymore, by any chance does anyone know the napa number for the oil pan gasket too? I could have both parts tomorrow if I call them today.

I shipped my parts to Rochester Clutch and Brake yesterday. I'm hoping to have the new stuff back next week. I'm getting ready to do the rear seal and oil pan gasket while I'm waiting.

While looking at Bernbaums site I see the oil pan gasket and the rear oil seal kit. But I also found "oil seal front pan package" what is this thing? I know I didn't change this last year when I put a new oil pan gasket on.

I lowered the rear of my 38 3/4 of an inch by using 3 1/4 pieces of flat steel that was the same size as the springs. I didn't even need new "U" bolts. My springs are under the axle though.

Since I have my transmission, clutch and flywheel out I figured I should replace my leaking rear seal. My car is a 1938, what seals do I need to buy and who should I buy them from? I would rather not buy from Bernbaum if possible.

I just found this place http://www.rochesterclutch.com/ about an hour away from me. This is the price quote they gave me. Does it sound about right? I like the fact that they are pretty close to me and they seem to have alot of experience. "just an estimate, in case you have special stuff, and your core is rebuildable,..your looking at, pressure plate 75 to 85 dollars, unless you have a spcl, or want your core done, then additional... disc 65 to 75 throwout 30 to 65 depending on which one cut flywheel, 40

I did have chattering when I would first start driving the car. Once things warmed up it went away. Just to be safe I'm going to make some calls to see if anyone around me can resurface the flywheel. The clutch components aren't expensive so I figure it would be smarter to put in new parts now so I don't have to take it all apart again.

How do you know if one needs to be resurfaced? Mine is perfectly smooth and didn't get gouged at all. The disc still had plenty of lining left so it didn't get to the rivets. On closer inspection it doesn't look like oil got on the disc at all. I'm still planning to replace them though.

I measured the pilot bushing and the shaft on the trans. and it looks like the bushing isn't worn at all so I'm not going to replace it. I also found the rear of the oil pan loose and the bolts behind he flywheel loose. I tightened them and the leaks at the back of the engine seemed to stop. I sanded the flywheel and got that back in. I think my trans. gaskets will be in the mail today. I need to make a few calls to order the clutch pressure plate and throwout bearing. I also sanded a little surface rust off the foorboards and treated them with rust treatment and repainted them. I'm getting there slowly but surely, thank you for all of the help.

I got the trans, clutch, pressure plate, flywheel and throwout bearing out yesterday. The flywheel is a tight fit and I think it will be frustrating to put back in. The throwout bearing tight so I'm not sure that it was the problem. I didn't get the pilot bearing out yet. Are there any tricks to getting it out? Do I need to buy a special puller?

I'm ordering the trans. gaskets on ebay too. Thanks for the link.