Royhldn Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Posted October 17, 2014 Checked voltage at the gauge it's good. Would it be worth it to remove the sending unit and attempt to clean it? Not familiar with how these work. Quote
Don Coatney Posted October 17, 2014 Report Posted October 17, 2014 Checked voltage at the gauge it's good. Would it be worth it to remove the sending unit and attempt to clean it? Not familiar with how these work. Where exactly did you check voltage? Does your gauge look anything like the one I have pictured below? And once again what does your service manual have to say about this gauge? Quote
Merle Coggins Posted October 17, 2014 Report Posted October 17, 2014 What Don is trying to tell you is that the original gauge is mechanical, there is no electric to it except for the back lights. There would be a tube leading from the back of the gauge through the firewall and screwed into the head of your engine. If you have an electric gauge it is not OEM and we have no idea what it is. Merle 2 Quote
pflaming Posted October 17, 2014 Report Posted October 17, 2014 IF you have an original temp gauge, carefully remove it, and carefully PROTECT that 'spring' wrapped tube. Use an off marked gauge til you are done, then put in the OE. That tube is very fragile. Quote
48Dodger Posted October 17, 2014 Report Posted October 17, 2014 If you're using a sensor for the water temp.....check your ground strap from the engine to the cab. The electric temps usally run on a single wire. 48D Quote
jeffsunzeri Posted October 17, 2014 Report Posted October 17, 2014 Your bed is from an earlier Dodge (maybe Plymouth or Fargo) pickup. The lower rear portion of the fenders have been cut, and the tailgate modified as well. It is likely from a 1946/47 as the earlier ones were narrower and would not have fit well. Thank goodness it's not Chivvy. Quote
Royhldn Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Posted October 17, 2014 OK my mistake the voltage reading was at the gas gauge, it's also not working. Sounds like removing the temp sending unit can be done and cleaning might help, right? Also should I be able to downshift without alot of gear grinding? I've got a 4 speed transmission, thx for your help! Quote
Merle Coggins Posted October 17, 2014 Report Posted October 17, 2014 What model truck do you have? Your 4 speed may be a spur gear type with no syncros. This means you need to learn the art of double clutching, both on upshifts and downshifts. Quote
Royhldn Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Posted October 17, 2014 Good to know about the fenders I'm going to try and restore them but that's way down the list right now. Quote
Don Coatney Posted October 17, 2014 Report Posted October 17, 2014 Once again I must ask if you have read your service manual? If you don't have one I strongly suggest you get one. Quote
Royhldn Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Posted October 17, 2014 Don, I have a service manual guess I was looking for first hand experience. Sometimes that's better than the written word. Quote
Royhldn Posted October 17, 2014 Author Report Posted October 17, 2014 Merle, I've got a 51' b3b not at all sure if the tranny is original to the truck. This is my first old truck so I'm in the learning and discovery mode. I took it out on the road for the first time yesterday upshifting wasn't too bad but down shifting was a different story. Quote
Brent B3B Posted October 17, 2014 Report Posted October 17, 2014 Once again I must ask if you have read your service manual? If you don't have one I strongly suggest you get one. hey Don your signature right now is "Einstein said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" wonder if the same applies for asking the same question Quote
B1B Keven Posted October 17, 2014 Report Posted October 17, 2014 Be careful removing the gland nut and bulb from the head. Spray it with PB Blaster or Kroil for a few days prior to removal. If you smell ether during removal, you've broken the small tube and it will need to be rebuilt. I happen to know someone that can do that. Take the wires off of one side of the fuel gauge. Using a multimeter, take an ohm reading across the two posts. It should read between 25 and 35 ohms. Roberts sells new sending units if needed. Quote
Jeff Balazs Posted October 17, 2014 Report Posted October 17, 2014 One of the more complicated aspects of getting to know your truck is understanding just how much of it is stock or unaltered and what if any modifications have been made to it over the years. There are 4 readily available printed sources to help with this. The Workshop manual, the Parts manual, Don Bunns B series Trucks book and the Chrysler Industrial engine manual. All of these are very useful and in my opinion every Pilothouse owner would benefit from owning them. Because our trucks are 60+ years old few are truly bone stock and many have modifications or alternative components installed in them. Getting familiar with what is in these books ( and comparing it to what you actually have) helps make the whole experience much more productive. Sure you can chose to "wing it" but all this is going to do is slow you down and increase the potential of costly errors. If nothing else these books will help you ask the right questions. Jeff 2 Quote
Royhldn Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Posted October 18, 2014 Jeff thx for the info I have all but don bunn's book I'll check the library or buy it on the net Quote
kenaroo2002 Posted October 18, 2014 Report Posted October 18, 2014 good luck on your truck! Nice to see someone else from Missouri. I am located in Kansas city north. Quote
HanksB3B Posted October 18, 2014 Report Posted October 18, 2014 (edited) Edited by reason of Tod (provided the link post 45 below). http://www.ply33.com/Repair/tempgauge Pretty sure it's not for the faint of heart. (I was convinced I'd either anesthetize myself and never wake up, or blow myself up with the same result) A NOS temperture gauge was in my opinion the hardest part on the entire truck to find, so ask yourself "Are you feeling Lucky"? I'd definately go the Keven Route on this one. I traded/donated my old non-working one with Kevenfor something else, knowing that for the good of the herd it was important to see that it got into the correct hands. Hank Edited October 20, 2014 by HanksB3B 1 Quote
Jeff Balazs Posted October 18, 2014 Report Posted October 18, 2014 You are welcome. I think you will enjoy the Bunn book. It is not a manual but offers a good overview of the entire Pilothouse production. Has a lot of useful information that you don't see highlighted anywhere else. Lot's of charts and specification notes. I found a good read of this really helped me understand what to look for in the other manuals. As an example the section on the chassis explains the differences in the various models. I have talked with some owners who seem to think that there is little or no difference between the components used on a 1/2 ton - 3/4 ton or even a 1 ton. That is simply not true.This book along with the parts manuals and the frame drawings can help you understand what specific parts should be present and avoid the pitfalls of false assumptions. Jeff Quote
TodFitch Posted October 20, 2014 Report Posted October 20, 2014 Don't know who contributed this fix-it document but for sure it's not for the faint of heart. (I was convinced I'd either anesthetize myself and never wake up, or blow myself up with the same result) If a link was provided to the original web site instead, then people would also be able to click on the thumbnail images to get full sized pictures. http://www.ply33.com/Repair/tempgauge By the way, that page is one of the more linked to ones on my web site. Quote
Royhldn Posted October 24, 2014 Author Report Posted October 24, 2014 I've been steadily working on Bully, completed rewiring the entire truck, rebuilt the carb found out I had a leaky float so I managed to fix it with some solder, repaired holes in the floor panels with new metal. So progress is being made. I have a question, I have a split exhaust manifold so I've got dual exhaust, sounds pretty good by the way. Is that an option that the dealers installed or did it come from the factory? Quote
pflaming Posted October 24, 2014 Report Posted October 24, 2014 1. I too, send old non working gauges to Keven, he does a fantastic job restoring them. 2. I certainly am no authority on stock manifodls but I'm of the opinion they came as a DIY option. Quote
Royhldn Posted October 30, 2014 Author Report Posted October 30, 2014 I can't seem to get the hang of double clutching on the down shift. Truck shifts fine when I up shift but I have a real problem on the down shift. I adjusted the free play on the clutch pedal to the point where I had to press the clutch in to start the motor. Is it possible that i might be trying to down shift at too high a speed? Or am I looking at a tranny rebuild? Quote
Royhldn Posted October 31, 2014 Author Report Posted October 31, 2014 what type of brake fluid should I be using? Don't know what type is in there currently. Quote
TodFitch Posted October 31, 2014 Report Posted October 31, 2014 I can't seem to get the hang of double clutching on the down shift. Truck shifts fine when I up shift but I have a real problem on the down shift. I adjusted the free play on the clutch pedal to the point where I had to press the clutch in to start the motor. Is it possible that i might be trying to down shift at too high a speed? Or am I looking at a tranny rebuild? The faster you are going the harder downshift double clutching is. At least that is my experience. I don't understand your comment about adjusting the clutch pedal to the point where you have to press the clutch to start the motor. . . what type of brake fluid should I be using? Don't know what type is in there currently. Originally it would have had conventional brake fluid which is basically DOT3. Some previous owner may have converted to DOT5. When relatively new, DOT5 fluid might still show purple dye. DOT3 and DOT5 smell different but I don't know how to describe the smells. DOT3 acts as a paint remover while DOT5 does not. Quote
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