38plymouth

I tore the pump apart and besides the diaphragm feeling slightly dry everything looks fine. The fuel lines were dry and brittle so I'm replacing them. If it wasn't the lines I'm not sure what it was. It was dumping a lot of fuel. Any thoughts on where to buy a rebuild kit?

Quick edit... I couldn't take it and canceled my plans and went out and pulled the pump. I might have found two things wrong, there is a very short piece of fuel line that goes to the frame and it was loose on the frame side I can't imagine that fuel was spraying up onto the pump to pour off of it but I guess it's possible. I also found where the pump lever is there is a spring inside and each end of the spring looks like it has a little metal cup one of the metal cups was not on the spring and was just floating around inside. I don't see any other sign of where leak would come from. What is the deal with these pumps should I just buy a new replacement or a rebuild kit?

I was just getting ready to take my 38 Plymouth for a drive and was letting it warm up in the garage. I revved the engine a bit and I heard what sounded like a leaf getting sucked through the radiator fan. A few minutes later I back out of the garage and I saw a huge pile gas in the garage and it followed me out into the driveway. I got it all cleaned up and push the car back in the garage and started it quickly and I can see fuel dumping from the fuel pump either around where the pump bolts together with about six bolts or above that. It's dumping so much I'm surprised the car ran. Any thoughts on what might have went wrong? I don't have time to look at it again today and I did take it apart last year to clean out some Gunk sucked up from the fuel tank. It has been working fine ever since. I'm pretty sure I replaced all the rubber lines last year as well as I recall they were cracking pretty bad.

It is on the lid in a groove and it looks like a pain to get out.

Getting ready to replace the seal on my trunk lid. I will have the lid off and it is getting repainted before putting the new seal back in. Any tips to make the job easier? I'm figuring a heat gun and some scrapers. This seal is old and possibly the original.

I would like to have the factory rubber on my running boards replaced or maybe buy new running boards if that isnt possible. Has anyone found a company that can do this correctly? I found 2 companies on Ebay that advertise new vulcanized boards but they have no reviews and their pictures are pretty crappy. My boards are very solid but the rubber is cracked. I did email a company in Canada that vulcanized the boards for other days to see if they can do mine.

Check your plug wires at the cap. I had a bad miss once that drove me crazy, it was caused by the plug wire working itself out of the cap. The rubber part was still on the cap but the wire itself popped out of the socket and I couldn't see it by looking. I changed to a different set of wires that locked into the cap better.

Thank you all, I'm stopping at the auto parts store tomorrow for brake cleaner and cable lube.

So I only need to unscrew the cable at the speedo and not at the transmission? I was thinking that I needed to pull the whole thing out of the car.

That was quick, thank you.

1938 plymouth p6, coming home from a car show today and the speedometer started to jump from 40 to 50. It kept bouncing up and down about 10-15 mph over what I think was the correct speed limit. Any thoughts on where I should look first? The car is mostly stock, transmission is stock.

Strange, I cant upload anymore photos. Obviously there are a few things that aren't original anymore like the split exhaust, air filter and head bolt covers.

Here are a couple more quick pictures, apparently my tablet doesn't have a flash so it doesn't come out that great. Let me know if there's anything specific you want to see.

This is how my low mileage original 1938 plymouth looks in that area. My horn relay isn't on the fender and doesn't look like that.

I went through this a year or 2 ago with my 38 4 door. I got mine from napa and used the original shock dimensions and found an almost perfect fit. They work great so far. I looked and cant find the thread I had on here with the part number. Maybe someone smarter than me can find the old thread, it seems like anything older than a year is gone. Edit.....I found it, napa part # 94050, from a 1985 ram charger. I had to use the stock bushings and cut the new bushings out.

That was it. I carefully reassembled the carb this morning and didn't find anything wrong until I took a look inside the seat for the needle. There was a little piece of trash stuck in there. I'm happy to say she's running great now. I just returned from a test drive. Actually I can't remember it ever running better. I used to have to keep the choke half closed in order for it to run well, not anymore!

That is exactly what im dealing with.

I havent done it in the 25 years i have owned it. Its an original low mileage car so i doubt it. Its definitely flooding at idle and i just dont have time to work on it anymore tonight. Back at it tomorrow morning.

I did that and got nothing dirty from the line. The tank was pretty clean too. The grey goo was only in the fuel pump, filter and carb. Now I think its running rich, I have black smoke coming from the exhaust and fuel dripping from the throttle shaft. Never had that issue before.

Sometimes you just have to wonder what you have done to anger the car gods. After finding the plugged orifice in my carburetor last night it wouls finally idle good. I didn't want to leave it running long because I still had one year old gas and some grey goo in the fuel. This morning I drained all the old fuel and then put in a gallon of lacquer thinner and shook the hell out of the car a bunch of times. I then drained that and everything was nice and clean. I filled it with fresh non-ethanol gas and the fuel pump wouldn't pump the fuel. I pulled the fuel pump and it was filled with grey goo. I cleaned that all up nice and primed it with fuel and got the car running again. It was running good for a minute and then started idling rough again and I figured something plugged from a bit of old fuel. I tore the carb down again and put it back together got it running again and now fuel is pouring out of the throttle shaft. At this point the carburetor is stripped down for the 12th time and is soaking in lacquer thinner until tomorrow. If that doesn't work I'm buying a new carburetor. Looks like I might miss the car show Saturday. I love old cars.

I found it. Thank God now I can sleep tonight. We have been out of town all day at a food show and this has just been driving me crazy as soon as we got home I was right back at it and tore the carb down one more time. I was determined to make sure every orifice was spotless. This time I noticed the idle orifice tube seemed to be slightly plugged. I had to use a very small sewing needle to punch through it then it cleaned right up with carb cleaner. I put the carb back on crossed my fingers and it started up and idled beautiful. I do still have a slight leak at the throttle shaft but I can live with it for now. The next couple days I get to drain the old fuel and clean the tank with something and get new ethanol free fuel in it. Thank you all. Oh and it appears the hole is supposed to be open. The car simply will not run with it plugged. I sent a picture to Mikes carburetor parts get his opinion so maybe I'll hear back tomorrow. But she's running great now.

C6J1, almost positive this hole has been open since i have the car. I have never removed anything from that spot and have rebuilt the carb several times over the last 25 years.

Actually I am anning in doing that, I need to pick up some fittings. The fuel bowl is always fill when I pull the top off. I don't see how it can be a fuel issue or a vacuum leak.

If I put my finger over that whole it dies. Plus the whole has been open for at least 25 years. Mikes carburetor parts thinks I either have a massive vacuum leak or a low fuel pressure. I guess my next step is to pull the fuel pump out and completely drain and clean the tank. There is no sign of a serious vacuum leak.

That hole has been open for the 25 years I have owned the car. Never noticed an issue with it though.