MarcDeSoto

I have several old carbs in my shop. One of them is from a 48 Dodge parts car I used to have. I need to get rid of that one. And I have a couple of extra 48 DeSoto carbs.

A while ago I put in my old water pump and it had a leak out of the weep hole. So I ordered a new water pump that looks pretty well made and its permanently sealed with lube. Now I'm going through my carburetor that I rebuilt 40 years ago. I work slow. I thought I better at least service it first. I bought a carb kit online, which came with new gaskets, float bowl needle, and accelerator plunger. The leather rings on my accelerator plunger and dashpot plunger were both hardened after 40 years. I have another good accelerator plunger with good leather and I thought I could take the ring off of it and put it on the dashpot, but no soap. I found out the these leather rings are permanently attached on the bottom. So I ordered a new dashpot for cars with Fluid Drive from Ebay for $26. The carburetor kit I bought did not come with a new dashpot, but that kit only cost about $20. If you are new to these carburetors it might be confusing which one is the accelerator and which one is the dashpot, so I put some pics below. The first pic is the accelerator and the second smaller pic is the dashpot.

Maybe also consider bracing the crankshaft with some sturdy small boxes or foam like they put in many boxes you see today within a sturdy box. The boxes will allow some give if it's dropped. Make a box with sturdy handles on the sides. Workers are more likely to drop or toss a heavy box without handles.

I was wrong. The thermostat I bought from Ebay, the old Napa 155, also did not fit after all! I finally had to buy one from AB and finally, it did fit.

Here's Keith's video on adjusting the tappet clearances hot. From what I read, you can do a cold adjustment on the exhaust and intake valves of .014". Then when the engine is hot, you adjust the exhaust valves to .010" and the intake valves to .008". So you will need some feeler stock of .010 and .008 to do the exhaust and intake valves.

Adjusting the tappets hot is the tuneup job many mechanics preferred to skip. Here's how to do it on a flathead six.

So to be clear, do you want the drum or the brake band that goes around it? The part no. for the drum is 683 003. The part no. for the band is 870 500.

You are in luck because Chrysler made a filmstrip and booklet in 1948 that covers the brake shoe adjustment. https://mymopar.com/mtsc-1948-volume-1-9-if-the-shoe-fits/

It's tough to find all kinds of linkage parts including clutch and transmission linkage. Parts sellers usually don't carry them, so you have to go the used junk car route usually.

That state agent is insane. He has all the paperwork and the engine block. I'd say get another agent or ask for the supervisor.

Am I missing something here? Just get the engine number from the side of the block!

That striped broadcloth looks just like my 48 DeSoto upholstery. But it looks brand new! How can that be as they don't make that style anymore?

I don't like your choice of colors as I prefer original looking woodgrain, but maybe your goal is for something totally different.

I put my fuel filter, which is a modern all steel unit sold at NAPA, between the fuel pump and the carburetor. I just bend the line out a ways to get it away from the exhaust manifold.

Also, be aware that MyMopar.com has the old dealer mechanic filmstrips and booklets that taught the dealer mechanics how to service your car. https://mymopar.com/mtsc-1949-volume-2-12-how-to-service-the-hydraulically-operated-transmission/

Is that cute green house yours, or an old gas station?

Since posting this shift linkage question, I realized that most of you don't know too much about the subject. Plus it's hard to put into words without pictures. So I found that looking at the filmstrip that I posted above, and even better, reading the booklet starting at about page 17 explains shift linkage very well. https://www.mymopar.com/downloads/mtsc/018.pdf

Played around with the linkages today, and now the stick shift is horizontal where it's supposed to be, and the stick shift can go in and out. Still have to find the right spring for the gearshift selector crossover.

I'm not having any problem with the cluth linkage. Fixed that and I do have the special overcenter spring tool C-705. I disconnected the shift linkage at the bottom and put the stick shift at the horizontal position. Now I have to figure out how to get everything in alignment.

Another thing I noticed is my shift lever is supposed to be able to be put horizontal, but mine is at a 45 deg angle. Something must be badly misaligned! A 1949 MTSC filmstrip has some info on shifter linkage starting at about 8 1/2 minutes into the film. https://mymopar.com/mtsc-1949-volume-2-6-transmission-fundamentals/

I fixed my clutch linkage and now I'm having some problems with my shift linkage. I can move the shift lever up and down and shift gears that way, but you are supposed to be able to pull the shift lever towards you and away from you for reverse, I think. Am I right? Anyway, I can't get the long Gearshift Selector rod to move. Does anyone have a clue? see video

First of all, I can't find the gearshift selector crossover spring that goes on the gearshift crossover plate. The Parts Book describes the spring as being 5/8 O.D., 3 1/2" long, with 24 coils. Is this spring supposed to be stiff or weak? It's hard to find a spring that fits because the left side of the spring has to have about 1/4" gap to fit around an iron flange. I had to pull one side of this spring to make it fit, but it made the spring weak. And out of curiosity, does anyone know what this spring does?

I found a rebuilt pump for $45 on Ebay. It says they were rebuilt about 7 to 10 years ago. https://www.ebay.com/itm/125415056376?hash=item1d3351e3f8:g:4m4AAOSwX1diljj~&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoL1JygdNhg9mA9Xdog5vl%2F8IfNhApwmMuxKiC9XZoicue58wqEHbIOGWD8sZAOYa3p0iYwx6LY%2BJOVcfW3x2dc3EO2KDHLu8bDoZkXjfMVHTh5On%2FkLd9POCkkDxZ9MQlOJUALZylhXFSnV6Ndx%2FUdWpYE2Ynoy5iuK1i%2B19wQewmvbNhouIuq5y94%2B9Zwx8vahCWdArv9T%2BNyjIBHaQl88%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR9b01bzaYA

Sure, I'm becoming kind of an expert on putting an S-11 DeSoto together, but I'm not finished yet. If you don't have the Parts Book for the S-11, get one. It has lots of blow ups showing you where things go. It also tells you size of bolts and nuts that go where. One thing I did was go through my cans of unmarked nuts and bolts and size them with a nut and bolt gauge. You can buy them at HD for about $2. Also buy a cheap tap and die kit at HF as it has a thread gauge. So I put all the 5/16 bolts in one can and labeled it, all the 3/8 bolts in another can, etc. It's much easier than going through all of your cans of bolts to find the right size. I also separated the machine bolts that go on the engine and trans, etc, from the sheet metal bolts that fasten the sheet metal parts like fenders. The sheet metal bolts have an indentation on the head. Also read through some of my threads. There's a lot of expert advice there on certain subjects. Good luck. You can also send me a message if you get stuck. Marc.

Hey, I never thought of that! I'll do that when I start my 48 DeSoto, which will be very soon.