1949 desoto questions

[ozzie1949]

Well I went to look at a 1947 fleetline the other day. And found a 49 desoto in amazing shape. So after a short thought I passed on the fleetline and brought the desoto home. I have been learning real quick that these things are not as simply as a old 216. I have rebuilt the carb. (never knew about a dashpot). Now I am on the other side of the engine replacing some bad wiring and trying to figure out how to get this thing started. The engine turns freely but it seems that there just isn't enough umph from the starter. I have tried bypassing the switch that didn't do it. My question is what are my options with starters and solenoids. Company/catalog anything. Also, I have the manual but the wiring diagram is not that easy to figure out. What is the box next to the voltage regulator? (what wires go to those) Also, beside the battery is another wiring dohicky that is not listed on the diagram.

[aero3113]

Welcome to the forum! Do you have the correct size battery cables installed? Also check or add a ground strap.

Edited April 28, 2011 by aero3113

[Niel Hoback]

Ah,,, 49 DeSoto. good memories. I think the box next to your VR is the horn relay and the other is a relay for the Gyro-matic? Or do I have them backwards. Or totally wrong. It's been 40 years since I had one of those.

If that red cable in your picture is the cable fron the starter relay to the starter, that may be your cranking problem. It looks to be for a 12 volt system and will not carry the amps required for your starter. Change all the cables to 0 or 00 gauge wire.

You made the right choice between a Fleetline and a real car.

[ozzie1949]

I never even thought about a ground strap, I will put one of those asap. Here is some pics of the old girl. With a few suprises ripped off the back cover and found the orginal seat without a tear in it.

Edited April 28, 2011 by ozzie1949

[PatS....]

Welcome to the forum.

Very nice DeSoto...I like the visor alot.

[PatS....]

Ah,,, 49 DeSoto. good memories. I think the box next to your VR is the horn relay and the other is a relay for the Gyro-matic? Or do I have them backwards. Or totally wrong. It's been 40 years since I had one of those.

I think sometime in the 49 run the relay was eliminated. If there is one it should be on a bracket to the air cleaner.

[desoto1939]

Ozzie,

Welcome to the club. You made a good selection on the Desoto. I have a 39 Desoto for over 25 years. Contact me I have a lot of literatire regarding electric parts and componenets and several Miller tool catalogs that I have scanned and now have them on CD's.

Where do you live.

rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Joe Flanagan]

Boy, the body looks identical to my 49 Plymouth Special Deluxe. The box to the left of the voltage regulator is the horn relay. I found the wiring diagram for my model (P-18) in the back of the manual and used a yellow highlighter to trace out the wires related to the starting/ignition system. As others have said, the battery cables for these 6-volt systems are fat, 0 to 00 gauge, I think. First time I saw one I refused to believe it was correct.

You might want to go through it and make sure all your connections are clean and tight.

[PatS....]

You also should have a ground strap from the body to the frame...the body is mounted on rubber insulators.

[Fluid drive]

Another big welcome to the forum!

The guys have given you several excellent suggestions; if you make sure you are getting full current to the starter and it does not perform properly you may have to remove /reconditon it. Turning the armature and installing new brushes can make a huge difference. Oily commutator bars and even mud dobber nests in many of the starters I have seen were not helpful in allowing the unit to function properly.

A friend of mine lost his transportation back in 1976. We found out about a 49 DeSoto that had been sitting in a woman's driveway for several years. She had passed away and the car was to be placed in an estate auction. The attorney agreed to accept my friends offer to buy the car before the auction. We decided to pull the car home and had only gone about a half mile when my friend let out the clutch and it started. That was a one of the most comfortable cars I have ever been around.

Fluid Drive

[ozzie1949]

Thank you for the welcome. I have used a lot of the advice, and the engine is turning over faster now and even shaking the car a little bit. Still have not had it started again. I am chasing down every wire that could be a short (all of them). Does anyone have a pic of the carb side of the engine? There is a spring on the pass. manifold that is stretched and broken (anyone knows where this goes). By the way I am from Tulsa Oklahoma since someone asked. Where is the best place to chase after market parts?

[Young Ed]

Have you checked the little wire in the distributor?

[wayfarer]

After-market parts such as ...?

Disc brakes kits ... www.rustyhope.com

dual carb intake & split exhaust... George Asche ... 814.354.2621

Tell us what you have planned.

[BobT-47P15]

Hi Ozzie..........welcome...........I live in Joplin and go to Tulsa to visit a

friend of ours from time to time. Eventually we might want to trade phone

numbers and maybe addresses.

We were there in our old Plymouth in 2007 when they dug up the 57

buried Belvedere

.

Bob

[ozzie1949]

Sounds great Bob.

I have totally traced and replaced any bad wire. Problem is it still won't start. I am getting gas, in my opinion plenty of spark, and the engine seems to be spinning fast enough, but still not even the slightest bit of fire. My next guess is timing. One thing it seems the coil is getting really hot for the short of amount of time cranking any ideas?

[Andydodge]

Looks like a nice car,there is a wire inside the distributor that can easily break/short out....check that it's o/k and/or replace.... I'd replace the plug leads, check/reset/clean/replace the points, hot coil could be a shot condenser thats either inside or attached to the distributor, clean/replace the rotor button & dissy cap, if its got spark then I'd throw fuel down the carby, wind it over with the aircleaner off and get a friend to use his hand to choke it..........ain't old cars fun...............lol...........andyd

[P-12 Tommy]

Ozzie, Welcome to the best Mopar flathead site on the planet. More pics please.

Tom

[ozzie1949]

There is a spring on my exhaust manifold that is stretched and broken. The Desoto book lacks a lot of info. Any idea where this might go..

[Joe Flanagan]

It might go to the throttle linkage. That's the only spring I can think of that would be in that area.

[BobT-47P15]

There usually is a return spring on the throttle linkage of these old

flatheads.......but normally found on the driver's side of the engine,

as far as I know. Sometimes it hooks to the brace attached to the

air cleaner. Other times in other places.

[Don Coatney]

There is a spring on my exhaust manifold that is stretched and broken. The Desoto book lacks a lot of info. Any idea where this might go..

Is it the heat riser spring?

[ptwothree]

Try a shot of starting fluid in the carb. If it trys to start, you've got a fuel problem. If not, it's electrical. Check for voltage at the coil, if good, check voltage at dizzy. Could be an internal short before the points or a bad condenser, cracked cap.

Also, check any rubber hoses in the fuel line and replace if you find cracks.

Have fun and welcome aboard!!

[ozzie1949]

Finally got the engine to idle. PO had the dist. totally wrong. She idles like a champ (for right now). Next project is fuel tank, it is currently out of the car and in the process of clean up. I will start rewiring transmission this weekend. Thanks for everyones help getting her started.

[Andy Molyneux]

Hi Ozzie. Nice to see your pics of your desoto. I have owned a 49 Desoto for over 10 years over here in the UK. If you send me your email address I will try and send you a wiring diagram that I spent hours recreating with some sort of colour code which you can print out. My car has the late 49 S13 interior (Custom). I have had many problems over the years mainly with the tip toe gearbox and with the car being 6 volt. If it wasn't for the solenoid on the transmission I would have changed to 12 volt years ago. The car is in the work shop this week having a new fuel pump and tune up ready for the new season. A good place for you to get parts would be www.oldmoparts.com or Kanter autos. Please find attached some photos. All the best from Andy

[PatS....]

I have had many problems over the years mainly with the tip toe gearbox and with the car being 6 volt. If it wasn't for the solenoid on the transmission I would have changed to 12 volt years ago.

Andy

Your DeSoto is a beauty!

If you look at the wiring diagram for the M6 you'll see that the power runs off the coil. On a 12 volt car, there is a balast resistor required before the coil to step down to 6 volts for the ignition. Changing to 12 volts would not affect the transmission electrics at all because they run from the coil wich would still be 6 volts. I don't think it matters whether it's positive or negative "earth".