Help With Battery And Charging Info.. And More

[Rebar1968]

Hello I Am Brand New To The Site And My 1949 Fargo that I Picked u just earlier today,,, it was not running but was told it turned over by hand, as the person I got it from had no history on it just  a buy and flip guy... so after finally getting it into my garage, and empting all the old and extra stuff from it I decided to tackle the task of getting it going, when I picked it up I seen the carb was off and no dist cap so and looks like the original owner was removing the hood and rad for some reason .. so before i  got to involved I wanted to get it to crank .. now I used a 12 volt battery  and after a bit of wiggling and wife stepping on the starter rod she cranked over and I think at a good time as it shot a bit of old rain water out of the carb hole.. 

 

now heres where I as the questions I'm sure we all have can I use the 12 volt battery with out hurting the truck, as I believer its 6 volt from the factory, can I just add a ballast resistor to the coil do I need to just get a 6 volt battery, I and trying to get it to run before investing to much money incase theres a problem I am not planning on doing much to it other then the needed make it safe stuff, and leave it just ugly and old to putt around in I would love t  make a crazy rat rod   but  in good with leaving her as is.. and info would be helpful on this truck I have googled stuff and find more pics then info 

 

thanks in advance for any info or direction to making this bad boy run, I know I will be reaching out more as the shifter pedal doesn't move and theres no brake pressure but running is the first thing on the plate

 

Gino 

[Brent B3B]

Welcome rebar1968. That will be a fun project.

Rain water out the carb hole? if it was mine,  I would take off the tappet covers off and make sure all the valves move before I got to far. 

sorry, not much help on the 12v question, I'd buy a 6v.......... but that is just me 

[greg g]

You can use 12 volt without hurting the starter or the ignition switch.  A ballast resister wouldn't hurt anything but for just plunking with getting running you don't need to worry about it the factory system is grounded positive.  If you got it to spin with the starter that's a good sign.  In preparation for starting,I would pull the spark plugs,put a shot of oil down each one before doing a lot of cranking. These like to get a couple of stuck valves when they sit so you need to do a compression test to see what's up internally.  Also get a shop manual, repops are available on eBay and other sources.  Learn how to set the static timing so you can get the distributer set for basic timing and firing order.  Then assess your fuel system to see if the pump works and provides sufficient flow, then you probably want to rebuild your carb, get new tune up parts, check out the distributer.  Vintage Power Wagons will probably have what you need.  Order tune up parts by distbuter number.  That will be on a tag on the side of the dist body.  It will start with IGS, IAT or similar followed by three or four digits, have that handy when you buy or order cap rotor, points condenser.  Your spark plug wires probably need replacing also, lots of folks are happy with the universal wires from Tractor Supply, Farm and fleet or similar.  These are simple and reliable engines, a good understanding of basic systems will set you on the right path.

[Rebar1968]

thanks for the replies will pull the plugs tomorrow and then on to the fuel and ignition, once I get it fired and it seems to run ok I will move on to the larger repairs 

 

[greg g]

If you leave the plugs out it will spin up quicker.  You should get a chance to see if it builds oil pressure before you give a serious attempt at starting.

[Rebar1968]

so I cleaned the distributor and got the number its a IAT 4004A , But when I look up the cap it says it doesn't fit I tried a couple years before and after showing the IAT  but still says it does not fit ,,maybe the dist has been changed doesn't look like it I have a parts guy on it now hoping to fine something I don't have one to even just screw around with trying 

 

[Don Coatney]

[Bryan]

Don't put any high detergent oil in it unless you pull the oil pan and clean it out.  Stirs up settled crud. An oil pan gasket won't cost too much.  Plus change filter.

[Bryan]

If you do a search within this forum (upper right side of site) with words -> 12V conversion starter -  there is plenty of info. Pro vs Con and how to do it.

[johnsartain]

When I bought my distributor cap and rotor at O'reilly's It wasn't a problem but they did need the number off of the distributor to get the right one. For my model year they listed three distributor types. Mine was the IAD distributor. there was also an IAY and an IAO. 

 

The information I found on your distributor list it for a 1947 WD15 truck with a 237 CI motor. Standard Motor Products part number AL 138 is supposed to fit that distributor. Rockauto carries it for $8.38, Rotor AL 151 for 6.10 , points  AL 4556 PT for 4.58, and condenser  AL111T  for 3.07. 

I'm not sure but it's possible that the distributor from the 1947 engine could fit most any of the other L6 dodge engines as ling as it fits the hole and the slot in the oil pump, that's the only real concern besides timing. 

 

[Blue]

8 hours ago, Don Coatney said:

Is this a Dodge specific manual or just general. I have the shop manual that leaves a lot of information holes. Any thoughts on a good manual?

[Rebar1968]

thank you   for all the great info I really appreciate it I was looking up my Model and its FNI-08,

so John as long as I order the stuff for the IAT Dist it should all work, AL 138 is what I found also , just seems like its harder to find here in my area in Ontario, but I will just order it from rock auto and then its done   thanks again

 

[Rebar1968]

I Read on a different post about decoding a SN, well it turns out mines a 1950, according to the vin I have not received the ownership to see what it states, but in the 1950 listing I do see the IAT Dist.. 

 

did manage to get it cranked over some more, oil pressure at the guage, and was trying to prime the carb, and could not get it to flow, I stuck a hose in a gas can and it was good, so I back tracked and this was the fitting out of the tank   and a good 10 inches in the tank as I was shoving a coat hanger in there ,, still no fuel coming out of the tank looks like I will address that later once I know it will run 

[johnsartain]

I wound up having to go with a new tank. After cleaning the crud out of mine, it was swiss cheese, holes everywhere. It held gas till I cleaned it out. What came out of it was like asphalt.

[Rebar1968]

were you able to locate a new tank or did you have to go used, mine is out now but is also finished, nothing left of the sender in the tank either,, I may try to get a southern one shipped to me , see whats available and the prices