Tubeviper

I show about 40 when cool and 30 when hot. 15W-40? What an excellent idea!

The truck has always had a blackwater spray effect out of the tailpipe. However, the black smoke was greatly reduced when I put the correct carb on...

I drove my '42 in a convoy to a car show a couple Saturday's ago and learned a couple things: 1) The folks who were behind me in the procession commented later about the smoke my rig was blowing. 2) Under certain combinations of speed and engine load, I heard a noise I took to be rod bearings. OK, so the engine needs to be rebuilt. Until then, I am interested in holding everything together. I read in another topic that 10W-30 was acceptable in these engines but I an see now that its not. When I heard the bearing knock, I had 10W-30 plus a bottle of STP zinc additive. So I am wondering what oil would be good in a WORN 218, 30W is the spec but I was wondering if there would even be permissible to use 40W plus s bottle of Zinc? Thanks!

I wanted to give everyone an update. I procured an NOS MZ-4115. Problem was that it was not an MZ-4115 but it had a different front end. The manual switch mechanism didn't line up. Therefore, I took the front end off my old starter and put it on my new starter. Then I had to rotate the nose about 15 degrees and redrill the bolt holes so switch and lever would line up. Then I got the starter put in. So at this point, I basically have a new starter. What will it do? Nothing.. still dead Then the words of maok came back to me: "Did you confirm that it is the starter that is faulty and not the switch or connections?" The battery cables were really crapilly made and sure enough, I found a high resistance connection. I pulled all of the battery cabling out and replaced it. Starter runs like a champ now...

I have been wondering if I have the factory original or at least the original model transmission in my '42 Dodge WC "Job Rated" pickup. Its a 3-speed but I have found some evidence to suggest perhaps the 4-speed was factory original. How does one determine if the original transmission would have been a 3 or 4-speed? I have the Build Record but it doesn't seem to be much help in this case. What do the Parts Books say should be in my truck and which exact model of transmission would that be? Thanks!.

I pulled my current starter out, cleaned it up and got it working. So I am in the arduous process of putting it back in (the inner mounting bolt is a PAIN!!) While I had it out, I noticed the AutoLite tag was missing but right under where the tag had been there was an "MZ-4062" stamped in the frame. So which vehicle and year does an MZ-4062 go with and can I expect any problems using it on my '42 - 218? Thanks!

The thing is such a trashed piece of oily gunk, I'd like to get a clean new or rebuilt one. There are MAW-4029s on Ebay now. Thank you all!

After much effort, I finally got the starter out to find no plate on it. I have no idea the part number, application, repairabiliy, etc. Whenever I replace a major sub-assembly on my '42, I always try to replace it with the manufacturer's correctly numbered part. However, after putting MAW-4026 in GOOGLE, i was not encouraged. Therefore, a couple questions: 1) Does anyone have or know of a genuine AutoLite MAW-4026 Starter which I could buy? 2) Does MAW-4026 cross to a more available starter? Thanks!

Found it: MAW-4026

Does anyone have the 1942 Assembly / Parts Manual / Build Info which would have the factory starter part number? Thanks!

It does not turn, groan, smoke or do anything at all. My money's with the switch...

Well my foot-operated starter quit the other day and I have some questions: 1) It seems to me that the Dodge starters up until at least 1942 were 6V. Is this correct? 2) Are there 12V foot operated starters available or 3) Should I just be using a 6V starter on my converted 12V system? 4) Should I take the opportunity to convert to a 12V solenoid operated starter? 5) If so, which 12V starter part number will fit my '42? Thanks!

Perfect! Thank you!

I am going to be putting a new fuel pump on me '42 because of concerns over Ethanol, etc However, the lines on both sides of the fuel pump have been messed up in the past. The line which enters the fuel pump is just straight steel from a frame mount and has no rubber hose. The line going to the carb from the fuel pump has been all jacked around. Therefore I was wondering if someone could take a photo of their nice original setup. Or if someone knows of a photo or drawing in a manual, that would be very helpful too. Thanks!

"I run a 6v Flamethrower coil with my Pertronix ignition." Good call, it appears to be the same physical size as my current one and would fit in the firewall nicely But the spec sheet, as do all the Pertronix coil spec sheets say, are to be used with their Ignitor systems only. Q: Why do you think the spark needs warmed up? What do you hope to gain? A: One factor is that I am getting incomplete combustion. Always setting off my CO alarms. "Jumping to conclusions is not half as much exercise as digging for facts." Facts are all that I am interested in. "...do keep in mind as the voltage increase on output so should your spark gap to take full benefit from the higher output" Yes I was thinking about .040" with the new coil "Here is something you may wish to consider. You could go with the appropriate Pertronix Flamethrower coil and see how it performs for you. If after a period of time you decide that want to replace the points with a trigger module you would already be halfway done with the conversion." Exactly what I was thinking... Dave

I have been wanting to "warm up" the spark on my '42 but NOT go with electronic ignition. All I want to do is to put a hotter ignition coil in, but which one? And which 12V coil won't torch my 6V rated points and be firewall mountable? For vehicles such as mine, which have been converted from 6V to 12V, one school of though is to merely place a ballast resistor in series with the coil, thus dropping the 12V to 6V for the coil. This is easier on the points too. But I want to put a 12V coil in and run it with a full 12V. Given the nature of the points, is that such a good idea? Maybe I should first be thinking of replacing the points with an electronic ignition module in the distributor? The distributor is an original configuration Autolite IGS-4203-B1 Thanks

I have ordered some arm rests for my '42 Dodge. The only thing I wonder about , seeing as how the door panels are not drilled for arm rests, is properly positioning them on the door panels. But I would think their mounting hardware would extend through the panel and into the door which then would govern the position. Does anyone have a photo, measurements or comments pertaining to where the arm rests mount? Thanks!

Here's what I am talking about. The door threshold, as seen in the photo, has holes drilled in it as if to mount some form of trim strip. Does anyone have an idea on this? Thanks!

It looks like some kind of threshold trim strips are missing from my '42. can anyone tell me if they existed and what they we're called? Thanks!

Thanks for the help, guys. I am trying to get all of the original and correct assemblies on my truck and have replaced a few (Carburetor, Distributer, etc...) because they were not correct for the model year. Therefore, can anyone tell me what the proper fuel pump is for my '42 is? Thanks!

Lets try that first sentence again.... "I think its only a matter of time until the diaphragm in my Dodge Pickup's 218 fuel pump is destroyed by ethanol"

I think its only a matter of time until the diaphragm in my Dodge Pickup's 218 is destroyed by ethanol. Therefore I would like to buy a new fuel pump, which was made with ethanol resistance in mind. Could someone with a parts manual please let me know what the part number for the proper pump is? Thanks!

I don't care about performance at all. What I am talking about is loosing a fuel pump diaphragm or a valve to ethanol.

We all know that our 'old time' engines are not compatible with many of the modern fuel additives and that in many cases, such engines need "old time" additives such as lead in the fuel and ZDDP in the oil. A guy could go crazy trying to assemble the correct fuel additives and ignoring the bogus ones. Therefore, I must ask - has anyone found a good one-stop shop fuel additive which will give an older engine what it needs and counteract the modern fuel additives which it doesn't need? Thanks!

Well I couldn't find the numbers but I jacked up one rear wheel and got just over 2 revolutions of the drive shaft for one revolution of the tire. Probably 4.11? I'd like to get something a little faster than that in there so I don't have pedestrians passing me when the engine is approaching red line