'50 Dodge B-2 Series Stepside Truck Repairs

[FlashBuddy]

I'm not clear on the 6v diode.

 My understanding is that the fuel sender transmits resistance, not voltage. FWIW my DCM guage is still working, though a lot short in the tank. I think it gives me a 4 gallon reserve.

[ggdad1951]

should be no reason to drop the tank, you should be able to take it out the access hole?

[Andrew50]

Did someone say access hole?   Gotta check that out. 

[ggdad1951]

3 hours ago, Andrew50 said:

Did someone say access hole?   Gotta check that out. 

 

yes, should be a removable plug on the floor of the cab.

[Merle Coggins]

27 minutes ago, ggdad1951 said:

 

yes, should be a removable plug on the floor of the cab.

 

... under the seat

[ggdad1951]

4 hours ago, Merle Coggins said:

 

... under the seat

...it's round

[Andrew50]

On 7/16/2018 at 10:44 AM, ggdad1951 said:

 

yes, should be a removable plug on the floor of the cab.

 

On 7/16/2018 at 11:12 AM, Merle Coggins said:

 

... under the seat

 

On 7/16/2018 at 3:27 PM, ggdad1951 said:

...it's round

Well this truck's access port is offset from the fuel sender unit by about 1/2 of the diameter.  It did allow me to reach with multi-meter but I was hoping for a larger opening.

 

I dropped the tank and determined a few things.

 

The tank is filled to about 5" to a possible 12" overall  depth including the reduced width area.  Ten gallons in  an 18 gallon tank should register about 1/2 full, I think.  The sending unit was preset to extend to 1" above the bottom of the tank, not to the bottom.  This is to have some reserve gasoline.

The sweep of the sending unit correctly reads 0 to 90 ohms.  Wiring the sending unit to the gauge outside the tank revealed the gauge reads 1/2 full when the sending unit is at about 3/4 travel.  The upper 75% of the gauge needle travel occurs in the upper 1/3 travel of the sending unit.  Meaning; it starts out slow and accelerates as it nears the full mark. 

 

So, I extended the sending unit float to down below the floor of the tank and reassembled.  Now my gauge reads 1/4 tank with the 1/2 tank of fuel when before it read just above empty. I am confident it will still show empty with some gallons of fuel remaining.  I  think this is the best I can do.

Edited July 17, 2018 by Andrew50

[ggdad1951]

16 hours ago, Andrew50 said:

 

 

Well this truck's access port is offset from the fuel sender unit by about 1/2 of the diameter.  It did allow me to reach with multi-meter but I was hoping for a larger opening.

 

I dropped the tank and determined a few things.

 

The tank is filled to about 5" to a possible 12" overall  depth including the reduced width area.  Ten gallons in  an 18 gallon tank should register about 1/2 full, I think.  The sending unit was preset to extend to 1" above the bottom of the tank, not to the bottom.  This is to have some reserve gasoline.

The sweep of the sending unit correctly reads 0 to 90 ohms.  Wiring the sending unit to the gauge outside the tank revealed the gauge reads 1/2 full when the sending unit is at about 3/4 travel.  The upper 75% of the gauge needle travel occurs in the upper 1/3 travel of the sending unit.  Meaning; it starts out slow and accelerates as it nears the full mark. 

 

So, I extended the sending unit float to down below the floor of the tank and reassembled.  Now my gauge reads 1/4 tank with the 1/2 tank of fuel when before it read just above empty. I am confident it will still show empty with some gallons of fuel remaining.  I  think this is the best I can do.

 

the access hole SHOUld allow you to remove and replace the sending unit without dropping the tank.  I know I have done so in FEF.  Not lined up perfect, but enough to get things swapped.

[Andrew50]

21 minutes ago, ggdad1951 said:

 

the access hole SHOUld allow you to remove and replace the sending unit without dropping the tank.  I know I have done so in FEF.  Not lined up perfect, but enough to get things swapped.

 

I could see that happening.  Thanks.

[Andrew50]

Adjusting the valves should be fun.  What size feeler gauge for intake and exhaust?

 

 

Edited July 18, 2018 by Andrew50

[Merle Coggins]

The HOT clearance should be 0.010" on the intakes and 0.014" on the exhaust valves.

 

After I made that video I realized that I should have left one loose too. When one is loose there is a very noticeable "tick-tick-tick" that disappears when the feeler gauge is inserted. Maybe the next time I do a valve adjustment I'll remake it with more detail. It seems to get a lot of play.

[FlashBuddy]

Hey Merle, c'mon over here. We'll use my truck and make a new video

[Merle Coggins]

2 hours ago, FlashBuddy said:

Hey Merle, c'mon over here. We'll use my truck and make a new video

 

LOL. I'd love to. Colorado is a great place to visit. Unfortunately my vacation time for this year is already booked up.

[JBNeal]

Ya don't have a bout of flu comin' on?  *COUGH* SICK DAYS *COUGH* 4 DAY WEEKEND *COUGH* ?

[Andrew50]

About 20 years ago I got to explore  the Denver area extending to Castle Rock and Colorado Springs.  I went to hike a place named Blue Lake that was above Boulder.  Colorado is a beautiful part of our country.

 

Anyway, I learned the valves should be .008 intake and .010 exhaust in a Google search and on page two of this thread.  I tried setting while idling but found engaging both wrenches concurrently while taking an oil shower was quite the challenge.  So with the engine warm I bumped it over to set each valve.  Now you say .010 & .014 hot.  Are you sure this isn't a cold engine specification.  I hope I don't have to do this again.  Those valves were overall too loose and now the engine is much quieter.  So quiet I can now hear what I believe the water pump bearing rattling.  ?

 

Another thing;  The idle speed was over 1k RPM.  I set it down to about 600 which further quietened the engine.  I put the timing light on plug 6 but had difficulty reading the timing mark.  Now that I have cleaned it and photographed it is the center mark with D | C TDC zero?

 

Edited July 19, 2018 by Andrew50

[Merle Coggins]

My B2 shop manual gives the specs of .010” and .014” hot. Maybe the .008” & .010” are for a car to make them more quiet. 

 

Also, on your timing marks... Now that you’ve found it, get one of the little bottles of white touch up paint, or a paint pen from a craft store, to mark the TDC mark. That will make it easier to see under the timing light. 

 

[JBNeal]

...or ya could "borrow" a yeller crayon from one of the lippy neighbor kids to mark TDC

 

I thought the .008 and .010 settings were done initially when the engine was cold so that it would be close at operating temperature...?

Edited July 19, 2018 by JBNeal

[Reg Evans]

1 hour ago, Andrew50 said:

  I put the timing light on plug 6 but had difficulty reading the timing mark.  Now that I have cleaned it and photographed it is the center mark with D | C TDC zero?

 

 

The timing light is suppose to be set on #1

[Don Coatney]

18 minutes ago, Reg Evans said:

 

The timing light is suppose to be set on #1

 

The timing light will blink the same on both #1 and #6. If you want to really brighten the light up connect it to the coil wire. It will read every time the coil fires for all cylinders but the strobe will allow you to clearly see the mark on the damper and correctly set the timing. Try it and report your results. 

[Andrew50]

I actually set these valves on the loose side of .008 and .010.  I am hearing no clicking and don't feel like now going through them again.  In reading my B2B shop manual in the engine section I see the valve train covered but not the valve setting specs.   I am pleased with how much quieter the engine became.

 

On every vehicle I ever timed the light connected to plug wire #1.  I read this vehicle to connect to #6 and thought that odd from the git-go.  I do have the paint pen and will put it to use.  Wonder why the timing tab is directly at the 12 o'clock position where one cannot directly view it?  Will check timing again but I think it is pretty close.

[Merle Coggins]

The last chapter in your shop manual is Lubrication and Specifications. There are several pages of specifications, including the valve clearances.

 

I don't know why they say to use #6. Either 1 or 6 will give you the same reading. And as Don said, if you use the coil wire it's even easier to see because the timing light flashes for every cylinder and it tends to light up the area more.

[FlashBuddy]

What happened to using a vacuum gauge? I've seen it reccomended here and elsewhere, especially for older engines.

http://automotivemileposts.com/garage/v2n8.html

[5027 steve]

I'm to a point of installation of my rear shocks and found something so simple (if I would have taken a picture) that I'm confused (easy to do) ...most shocks I have ever installed had cup washers on each side of the shock bushings..the new shocks (Napa) didn't come with any and I don't remember the truck having them well at least they are not in my 5gal pail of parts I removed...do I simple put the shocks on with no washers ???? Thanks Steve

[FlashBuddy]

I recommend using washers. I checked Ace Hardware and couldn’ find any so I visited the local junk yard and scooped up a couple. I don’t see any problem with using flat washers. The shock mounting stud I recently purchased from Speedway Motors came with flat washers.

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Universal-Tube-Shock-Mount-Stud-Bolt,5485.html

Edited October 12, 2018 by FlashBuddy

[BobB]

On 5/9/2018 at 11:55 AM, Andrew50 said:

I'll check out the Baldwin JC405 filter.  It does state to us "JC" filter and gasket on the lid.

Today I dropped the fuel tank and removed the fuel sending unit.  I plan to replace both.  Is there a specific fuel sending unit I should use with the 6-to-12 converted system?

I'll keep an eye open for a horn.  Is there any way to rebuild them for 12 volt application?

 

My original horn, made for 6V, works just fine on my12V system. Just two cautions: keep it to short blasts (if you’re prone to laying on it hard you may want to add a voltage reducing resistor) AND it will be plenty loud run on 12V (careful when testing it in close quarters).

Bob