My hood leaks.

[1949plymouthdeluxe]

Yes. I know that sounds stupid. I've owned the car for 2 months. Where I live it doesn't rain for 6 months of the year. And so every so often I hose the dust off the car. Every time I do so the spark plugs holes get filled with water and the engine gets wet.  I was like- what the hell? Why? Well, yesterday I saw why: The hood is split into 2 pieces and the chrome trim in the middle I assume must have had some rubber gasket under it. Whoever repainted it didn't apply a new one. So I will need to remove the trim, which appears to be crimped into place underneath and install some sort of seal. Either that or use some kind of liquid sealant. Just seeing what you guys did for yours.

[Young Ed]

You need that putty stuff that Dad called dumdum. Not sure if that's it's actual name. 

[1949plymouthdeluxe]

Putty stuff huh? Do you just cram the stuff into the seam and then attach the chrome?

[Plymouthy Adams]

get this at your local paint and body supply store.... comes in precut lengths...easy to use...never hardens, one box will do a good number of normal car rebuilds.  A favorite for installing trim and filling in around the holes for the clips/nutted retainers.    This is a link to 3M brand, good stuff.

 

3M 08578 1 Foot Strip Calk, Black, 60 per Box | eBay

[GrumpyJim]

42 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

You need that putty stuff that Dad called dumdum. Not sure if that's it's actual name. 

Strip Calk

[Ivan_B]

I am also known to use Permatex #2 for all sorts of trim sealing applications

[Plymouthy Adams]

Permatex #2 is a product I used as a kid and excellent gasket dope.....but would not put this on a painted surface.  Not saying it damages paint, just awful stuff to remove is all.  

[1949plymouthdeluxe]

Great! In fact I have some of that stuff in the garage already. I actually forgot I owned it until now. I would assume you install and then press the trim through it.

[Ivan_B]

23 minutes ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

Not saying it damages paint, just awful stuff to remove is all. 

Yes, that's the point, it sticks well and does not dry...  😅

Edited September 6 by Ivan_B

[hep2jive]

Mine leaks too. You can put tin foil over the motor if it's going to be outside so it doesn't get wet. That's how they were when new. Design flaw. Can't wait for the 50 model year. GOOD SERVICE KEEPS THEM GREAT 

[Ivan_B]

54 minutes ago, 1949plymouthdeluxe said:

I'm just glad I got them out.

Use graphite/copper and never have this issue again 😉

[1949plymouthdeluxe]

You better believe that I put anti-seize all over those plugs. In fact I do that with anything that tends to get hot or it might eventually need to get work free. All I can say is that that PB blaster stuff really does work. I let it soak on the plugs for about a week and they came out pretty easily.

[Happy 46R]

On sealing the hood I used the dum dum putty and applied it extra thick where the penetrations are for the tabs on the chrome. I was really careful to put even pressure on the whole length of the chrome so it didn't kink and when you take the chrome off the tabs have a tendancy to slide inside the chrome track so if you can mark where they go, marker dot or something simple, so when you put it back on you know where the holes are. You also need to unbolt the hood ornament to get clearance for the chrome strip to lift up so I used the dum dum putty under it and making a circle of it around those mounting holes so I didn't get the putty on the bolt threads. About a 20 minute project. Have fun with it.

Dave

[Frank Gooz]

My 1950 Dodge coronet’s hood is the same two piece. It is in the body shop know but i intend to seam seal what i can and use dumdum were the trim fit the hood.

[P15-D24]

Nobody mentioned the everydry kits? 

[1949plymouthdeluxe]

Well, 

I meant to work on the car today but I wound up instead spending the entire day recoating the insides of my gutters on the house. And after getting "flex seal" all over myself and clothes  I figured I didn't really want to do any more gooey crap-application today.

 

But I did put the car into the garage for the first time. The other car is my 1955 Mercury which is damned near 20 ft long. I was amazed at how much room I have with this little plymouth. That'll give me lots of room to get in there and fix whatever problem is happening with the hood. And plus when I  jack it up in the garage it'll be a lot cleaner easier versus out in the street

[Plymouthy Adams]

8 hours ago, P15-D24 said:

Nobody mentioned the everydry kits? 

we had a similar thread about mid August that the ever-dry kits were mentioned along with sealing a hood split.  While they did protect the electrical for getting wet, they did not prevent water in the head cup for the plugs.  Being thin, not normally kept clean and painted against corrosion, these ever dry kits turned into broken plug nightmares later after sitting outside idle for years on end.  

 

 

 

Edited September 9 by Plymouthy Adams

[Kilgore47]

I'll do the dum dum thing on the hood one day.  But for now I don't have a wet plug problem.  Don't drive the 47 P15 in the rain.  Haven't fixed the wind shield wiper motor yet.  Still on the list to be done.

[1949plymouthdeluxe]

I fixed it. Not hard at all. Just unbolted the hood ornament and straightened the tabs holding the chrome down. Filled the seam with clear Lexel, used some rubber mastik for the bolt holes around the hood ornament. No more leaks.