DLK Posted September 28, 2014 Report Posted September 28, 2014 I went with the local Plymouth Club chapter to see the foliage in the Duluth MN area yesterday. We had perfect weather! My 50 Wayfarer ran a lot better with a new vacuum advance. Until installing that last week it was running very poorly with no power and a lot of hesitation with a rebuilt engine. However two serious issues cropped up on the drive. First my oil pressure at idle is way too low for a rebuilt engine. After driving any length and warming it up the pressure drops to 5-10 pounds at idle but is over 40 once you get above about 1000 rpm. Someone in the club told me there is some kind of spring that controls oil from the oil filter going back to the crankcase that probably needs replacing. Some of you flathead experts must know what he is talking about - I don't. Second as I neared home from the 350 mile drive I started hearing screeching from the left rear wheel when applying the brakes. I only went a few blocks after that started before the brake pedal almost went to the floor and I lost about 90% of my braking. Since it was evening and shops in the area were closed I limped into a nearby brake shop parking lot. When I looked under the back of the car it appeared there was smoke coming out of the left rear brake drum and it was very hot. The car had a complete brake overhaul with new wheel cylinders and master cylinder just 1500 miles ago. The car is going to sit there until Monday morning (unless some idiot steals it) but I am trying to answer my wife's question whether this is a minor or major issue. Is this likely to be a bad wheel bearing causing the brakes to get too hot? Any guesses before I get the (bad?) news Monday? I sure love taking this car touring like this - people notice it since it is not common to see one like it. But it sure keeps taking a big bite out of my bank account. One of the attached pictures is of a 62 Dodge Polara 500 we saw in a garage in Moose Lake. What a beautiful car and I assume pretty rare too. 1 Quote
Young Ed Posted September 28, 2014 Report Posted September 28, 2014 Dave I sent you this in a PM but I suspect you lost the shoe return spring for that wheel. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted September 28, 2014 Report Posted September 28, 2014 that 62 Polara is the exact color and trim of the one I bought....wish mine was that nice already Quote
TodFitch Posted September 28, 2014 Report Posted September 28, 2014 As suggested by some of your fellow tourists, the oil pressure relief valve is likely not working. Might be a broken spring. Might be the piston is stuck. Shouldn't be a big issue to fix it. With respect to the brakes, Young Ed's guess sounds reasonable but you won't know until for sure until the drum is pulled. Quote
Grdpa's 50 Dodge Posted September 28, 2014 Report Posted September 28, 2014 Eds suggestion to check spring is correct in every way. you didnt say exactly what was done when brakes were redone,,,new wheel cly? new brake hoses? If old they MAY be swelled inside and not allow pressure release. Chances of wheel bearing over heating the brakes are not so good,,,look at brake components first Quote
DLK Posted September 29, 2014 Author Report Posted September 29, 2014 ... Thanks for the illustration. I am going up to the brake shop this morning to arrange for pulling that rear drum and seeing what is inside. Is it just me or do others feel the brakes were the Achilles heel on these Mopars of our vintage? Two wheel cylinders per wheel in front, rear drums that are near impossible to remove they are a real headache to work on. Quote
DLK Posted September 29, 2014 Author Report Posted September 29, 2014 Eds suggestion to check spring is correct in every way. you didnt say exactly what was done when brakes were redone,,,new wheel cly? new brake hoses? If old they MAY be swelled inside and not allow pressure release. Chances of wheel bearing over heating the brakes are not so good,,,look at brake components first They did new wheel cylinders and hoses but surprisingly told me the shoes had plenty of wear left in them. I can only imagine what those left rear brake shoes look like now. I just hope they didn't ruin the drum. Quote
meadowbrook Posted October 2, 2014 Report Posted October 2, 2014 Based on the illustration on the oil plunger, am I to understand that the only time oil flows through the filter is when the plunger is unseated, thus is bleeding excess pressure? So at idle when hot or when oil pressure is below 40, there is no oil filtration? Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.