49 ply original motor/tranny.. what to do to make it running for a long time

[tankwilson]

I have a 49 plymouth.... choptop, bagged, and kustom all the way. Still have the original drive train. Probably have put around 2000 miles on it in the past year or two.

Question. What do i need to do to keep the original drive trail running strong and for a long time??? Upgrades??? or just change oil and drive it???

Thanks

Matt Wilson

King Pin Customs

www.myspace.com/kingpincustoms

[Norm's Coupe]

Matt,

Was going to look at your car pictures. However, when your page came up my anti virus program told me it blocked an intrusion of an Internet Worm coming from that site. Anyone attempting to look at that page should have some type of protection before clicking on the link. Because of that I didn't look at all your pictures but the one I saw looked good. Nice car.

[tankwilson]

Sorry Norm,

Right now i drive it almost daily. Change oil every 2000 miles, use cheap non detergent 30w and that is about it. Any advise to making these old mills run for a long time??? Upgrades, maintenance schedule??

Thanks

[Norm's Coupe]

No real advise for making it run longer. Just keep up the everyday normal maintenance and don't hot rod it, or push it too hard and it should last a long time. 30 weight oil is ok. I use 10w 30w Detergent oil in mine, however my engine was dipped and cleaned when I rebuilt it. Since you have not done that I'd stick with the non detergent oil. If you live in a cold climate you may want to switch over to 20 weight during the winter for easier starting.

[central52]

Curious, why not use detergent oil in an old engine that hasn't been rebuilt? What harm can it do? Ed P.

[Norm's Coupe]

Curious, why not use detergent oil in an old engine that hasn't been rebuilt? What harm can it do? Ed P.

Ed, if the engine is old it probably has a lot of crud built up inside it from years of using non detergent oil. If you switch over to detergent oil after that it will start to break up the built up crud. Some of that may not dissolve completely and become stuck in the oiler holes of the bearings, etc. Outside of that possibility there is nothing wrong with switching.

[claybill]

tank...go with dual carbs and dual ex...you will be impressed. and its not expensive. i switched to detergent..cleaner engine...but change it 2000 mi a few times then 3000. i also use slick 50 once in awhile...i think it works..

i am going to do the front shok re-location this winter.

i have dual carbs and it pulls like a train..uphills the same as level...surprises people!

bill aka claybill

[claybill]

tank i checked out your 'web' didnt get any pics of cars..just the pick up and all your friends!!!!! love it.

i will be going to pella to look at that spitfire installation ina few days.

claybill

[tankwilson]

Where do i pickup a dual intake. I have 2 carbs. All ready have dual exhaust. What about plaining the head for a little more compression? Worth it or too much work?

Thanks

matt

[Norm's Coupe]

Tank,

A lot of the guys have picked up dual intakes from various places. I think you should make another post on the regular portion of the forum (the P15-D24 Forum link from the index page). You'll get more responses from that section than you will the Tech section. More people look at that.

[1949P17BC]

Tank, I too have a 49 Business Coupe, with period specific modifications. Dual Carters, dual exhaust, tri angle valve job, new valve springs, cut the head .70M, rings and bearings If you just want to do a low budget upgrade my monewy would go to pull the head, valve job, new springs cut the head. drop the pan and get any crud out, run detergent and change it a bunch.

[tankwilson]

can i do the vavles and springs without pulling the motor??

[62rebelP23]

from what i've read you can do almost everything but turn and polish the crank with the engine in the car! maybe that's a stretch, but that's pretty much how Chrysler engineered 'em, to be easy for their techs to work on.