Will a 1941 dodge engine fit in a 1940 Dodge

[JULIO1940]

Hello, I have a 1940 Dodge 4 doorn sedan D14 with a Spitfire engine and two one barrel carburators with split exhaust. It never ran when I bought it because the guy said the engine had a really bad knock. I don't know anything about it except that it is not original. I found a completely rebuilt 1941 Dodge D19 engine with a fluid drive transmission that a guy wants to sell.It came out of a 1941 Dodge coupe. My question is, will this fit in my car? Can I use my old tranny or do I have to use the 1941 tranny. How do I know if my car has a fluid drive tranny or not! Will this engine fit in my car without any problems? Is the 1941 Dodge fluid drive tranny better than the 1940 dodge tranny? HELP JULIO

Edited August 1, 2009 by JULIO1940

[greg g]

you need to do a bit of measuring, Chrysler made 2 blocks for flat 6 engine, a 25 inch long block for Chrysler and deSoto, and 23 1/2 inch block for Dodge and Plymouth, unless your car was made in Canada where the 25 inch block was standard for all marques. If your car has a Spitfire labled head it is likely a chrysler or desoto block at 25 iches long.

You car might have some modifications to it to accomodate the longer engine. So measure your in car engine and measure the available engine. If they are the same length, then the exhange will be a bolt in. If its a long block vs a short block some things might need to be adressed but its certainly doable. the fluid drive and transmissions are likely the same unless along with the engine the trans in your car is the semi automatic from the chrysler or deSoto. Look above the generator on the block there is a flat Boss in the casting with a number stamped into it. Post that number and we can tell which engine you have in your car. Also take a look at the passenger side of the ransmission and check to see if there are any drumshaped assemblies with wiring going to them.

like this

[JULIO1940]

Great !thanks so much for the help. I figured it would take a Zen Master to know this stuff! You are correct my car has a long block in it because someone had told me that someone made some modifications to put in this bigger engine. The radiator looks like it was pushed forward a bit. A buddy of mine wanted to do a half overhaul on the spitfire engine without removing the engine. He said it is alot of work pulling the engine out, it would be easier to do it while the engine is in the car. I was a little nervous about this, because some one told me that chances are high that the engine could still fail later unless I did a complete overhaul. So it looks like I would be going from a long block (Spitfire) to a short block (1941 Dodge). How much power would I be loosing by going back to the short block. Would it be that noticeable? Which engine would be better in the long run. I'm not looking to hotrod it. I just want to be able to take vets out to lunch or dinner in a dependable car. I will try to get the measurements and all the other info tomorrow from both engines. I thought I would be better off with the rebuilt for $1200.00 versus doing a half overhaul on the spitfire engine for $500.00 or so dollars.

[Don Coatney]

Why not start your spitfire engine, listen to it, and make an assement on what it would cost to repair it? It could be as simple as a wrist pin causing the knock. If compression is good in all cylinders and the engine holds good oil pressure you could possibly make repairs to this engine for less than five hundred bucks.

Can you post pictures of the spitfire engine (espically the manifolds). If the spitfire engine is trash you could sell the dual manifolds to help fund your replacement engine.

Where are you located?

[greg g]

as Don mentioned keeping the long block is probably a good option. the dodge originally had a 218 egine in 40 rated at around 90 hp. The stock big block assuming it a 251, had 115 or so, so you would be giving up 25 or more HP depeding on what else might have been done to the Chrysler motor. I changed my plymouth from a 218 to a 230 engine and the difference is quite noticable.

So do a basic evaluation of the engine. A compression test is easy and will give you a good indication of where you stand even if the engine wont start. For the purposes of the test you can use a 12v battery to crank the starter, just make sure everything else electical is turned off. If you don;t know how to do a compression test, just use a search engine, and you will probably get several site that will give you a step by step procedure. Be aware that your car is set up for POSITIVE ground.

[james curl]

If someone went to all of the trouble of installing a modified Chrysler long block in a Dodge they might also have converted it to 12 volt negative ground, so check to see what battery is installed in the car and which post goes to the starter solenoid. The modified Chrysler long block engine is more desirable than the Dodge short block engine because for the greater displacement and horsepower.

[tinlizzy]

I'm looking for used dual intake and exhaust set up for 25"block if you decide to go a different way.

Lee

[Don Coatney]

[Niel Hoback]

Don, thanks for that last posting about how to do a compression test. It's wonderful how facts can correct an old practice that never was right evn thought it seemed so. Just call me "Sixty-six and still learning".

[claybill]

KEEP THE LONGBLOCK! it is the simplest, and since it is already installed KEEP IT! it is a great engine with the duals etc...everyone is dreaming for that set-up!! it is also the large displacemnet. keep it. work it out!!!

or take it out and send it to me!!!!!

claybill

[JULIO1940]

Thanks to everyone for all the help! I finally decided to try to do a compression test. The only reason I did not do it before is because the previous owner said it was knocking really bad. Hopefully this week I can get to it. I did talk to a old guy who overhauls flatheads from my town here in South San Francisco. He pretty much said that I was better off overhauling the Spitfire because it has more power. He did say that those flatheads will run forever. I wasn't going to get rid of the Spitfire. I was just gonna overhaul it later on. The old guy told me that the smaller engine did not have a whole lot of power anyway. I also found out that the overhauled engine I was gonna buy (which is probably a 218) was overhauled about 8 to 10 years ago and had never been run! So I was taking a big chance . He did say I was pretty lucky that somebody put that Spitfire in my car! He also said that $1200.00 seemed a little steep for the 218 since it could be 10 years ago since it was overhauled. There are no receipts either. He said if it was $500.00 that might be better but I'm still taking a chance. Also there could be rust inside the engine depending where it was stored. He said I should save my money so I could do a full overhaul on the Spitfire it would be worth it! If anyone is interested in the 218 motor I can send you the info of the seller. I will post a pic of my car when I figure out how to do it! The guy that owns the 218 originally bought it off somebody to put it in his WW2 command car but it did not fit. Recently he did find an engine out of an ambulance that will fit! On another note does anybody out there have a speedometer for a 1940 Dodge. THANKS JULIO