Keith-wc42

I will check for that John, thanks for your reply.

It has the heat shield Gordon. While it may look ugly, there is plenty of room to run a longer line which avoids the manifold more. Obviously though, it's still going to run above the head where it goes into the carb. I will try insulating it first and maybe changing that line from the pump to the carb. It always starts right on the button and runs fine at first and it seems to me that the thing that gets it running again after it dies is the passing of time....cooling down maybe. How they got by in the desert though in WWII makes me wonder.

Thanks for your reply Richard. The fuel lines are already copper. The line from the pump to the carb runs closer to the manifold than I would like. I may try either changing this line or at least insulating it first then before doing anything else. My Dad was a hose fitter for many years and still was when he passed away, so there is a good chance the hoses are fine.

Went out in a convoy on Sunday in the WC42. Had the common fuel starvation problem. On my way to the randevou point, probably 10 minutes of driving i had a couple of misfires while going around a roundabout, then a little further on the engine quit. It started again no problems. Around 15 minutes into driving in the convoy, it misfired a few time before cutting out again, this time it wouldn't start. We ended up doing all sorrts of tests and found the ignition system was good. It seemed to me that after trying many things to get it going, then only thing that actually did make it go was the passing of time since it quit. It run again for a while, but was misfiring and backfiring before it happened again. this time we managed to break the screw on the fuel pump bail (where the screw clips onto the wire frame), so we towed it to a safe location and left it there while i went as a passenger in a command car. We went back to the Dodge at the end of the day with another screw for the fuel pump bail (Im still looking for a new one as this spare screw is very scruffy). I drove quite a long way home without problems. It was around 7:30pm so even though it was still warm outside, it was much cooler than it was during the day. Im thinking of changing the fuel lines, starting from the tank to the filter first, cleaning the filter and changing the filter element and then see how things go. I would like to take the tank off, but its pretty full and im thinking about avoiding this for now. We ended up having the same problem with the command car in the convoy and two jeeps. It was a very hot day. Any tips on what i should try? I was thinking of making a new copper fuel line from the pump to the carb....making it longer so i can run it further away from any heat sources.

Thanks. I will be painting it up next year. A nice coat of paint has been a long time coming. Other than a few touched up areas where body repairs have been done, its still the same as when my Dad got it 31 years ago, as seen here in this 1990 photo.

I took the Dodge out yesterday and the oil pressure when fully warmed up is better than when i was using 15/40. It drops from a shade under 40 at idle to around 28psi at idle when fully warmed up....always climbing back close to 40 with any revs Temperature was always just slightly over 140 the whole time and i was in rush hour traffic on a hot day. It was much nicer setting off in 2nd gear. One more thing i've learned is that Dodge is good for going to Tesco in, as i have an excuse to wait in the vehicle while my wife does the shopping. Here are a couple of photos in Tesco car park....

Thanks Gordon.

I got a couple of cans of Halfords Classics 20/50 today. I didn't know it was green....hmm. Anyway, i warmed the engine, raised the front end a little and dranied it. When the oil had finished draining i poured a fair bit of my remaining 15/40 through with the sump plug still off, just to help flush out any crud that might have started to build in the sump again. I removed the filter housing (NOT by the bracket using the head bolts) to tip out the oil, as i had nothing that would fit under the drain plug. Filled the sump to the full line on the stick, but this time i didn't put all that much oil in the filter housing....the reason being that last time i filled the housing, i ended up having to drain out extra oil after running the engine for a minute. Cranked the engine around with the handle, but with the plugs in i only gave it a few turns. Started it up and the oil pressure immediately went to just below 40. I only let it tick over for about 20 seconds or so, as i knew it would need topping up. On checking the level on the dip stick, it was on the bottom line, possibly even a shade below it! So i finished off the first can and got it close to full. On removing the screw cap on the second can of oil, i noticed the plastic seal had a hole punched in it. I wasn't happy with this, but really wanted to finish the job so i went to lever the plastic seal off. The seal cap pretty much fell off as soon as i touched it...the plastic seal cap on the first can was quite hard to remove. So i didn't use this second can and im taking it back to Halfords tomorrow. I think its a store return and the oil could have been through someones engine for all i know. So with the oil level a little lower than i would like, i didn't drive it, i just started it and let it tick over for a couple of minutes. I suppose my last question is really looking for reassurance..... Do you think it will be ok after it running for 20 seconds or so when the oil level dropped to minimum, maybe even a fraction below due to the oil filter housing taking it?....Its just that I let it drain for a long time until the sump stopped dripping. The oil pressure was just a little under 40 for the whole 20 seconds or so it was running though.

I offered the sill up against the Dodge this evening. I'll probably just find someone who can repair the original sill, as it isnt that bad and only minor rust that a quick sandblasting will sort out.

Fantastic work Pete.

I'm looking for somewhere around the North West of England that can fabricate a steel rear sill for my Dodge. I have the original one that needs replacing that can be used as a pattern. As you can see in the photo of the original sill, it has a curve to its length, so its not just a simple straight sill. Can anyone recommend someone who can reproduce this?

Forgot to ask, before i change the oil again, should i get the same oil as I put in it a couple of weeks ago which was G-Force 15/40 Mineral oil, or get another type?

Thanks Tony. Do you reccomend letting th engine idle after each long or longish run, or only if the pressure has droped really low?

I will do that Pete, thanks.

Very interesting Pete. Im not letting my son read that though....he has already said why don't i put a diesel engine it it! Thanks both of you for your help and helping my Dad too. Im sure i will be pestering you both again before too long. Here is the engine now after a head repaint.

That's music to my ears...thanks for that. Driving it will be so much nicer without using that 1st gear. Last time I drove this before my Dad passed away was around 20 years ago, so it's a bit new to me....done all my driving in his jeep. My Dad probably put no more than 100 miles on it after he rebuilt the engine back in 1991, so I never got much chance to drive the Dodge. I'm looking forward to my next convoy more now!

Rather off topic, but on the subject of driving it cautiously, to me when driving it is that the only time the engine is put under any stress is when setting off. First gear is so short and when you need to get going like at a roundabout or junction, you want it rolling and going so it's not almost come to a stop by the time you get it into 2nd. I've read that a lot of people set off in 2nd, but what is best really long term? I would have thought that would take its toll on the clutch.

Thank you Gordon and Pete for your help. Pete...thanks for your kind words. Im really enjoying the Dodge. Because it means so much to me i think that enjoyment is marred a little bit due to being extra worried about doing something wrong, but im sure my confidence will grow with time. I will change the oil again soon. Im not sure whether to stick with 15/40 or to try 20/50 again like my Dad put in it. The logical thing to do is to stick with the 15/40, as where im getting 40psi, my Dad was getting around 30psi. The 15/40 just seems a little thin on the dip stick to me though. I've been told by a few people that the oil pressure is spot on, but i didn't realize that was for a worn engine. Do you know what sort of pressure it would have from the factory?

Hello, im panelvan's. (Mikes) son. my Dad sadly passed away earlier this year. I now own the Dodge and recovered it from my Dads works with the head off the engine. I fitted the new head gasket and put 15/40 mineral oil in it. Ive been driving the Dodge a fair bit and been to a show in it which was quite far in busy traffic on a hot day and everything has been fine. The temperature gets upto a little over 140 and stays there. The oil pressure is 40 on start up and drops to 20 when its fully warmed up, but as soon as its given any revs the oil pressure goes upto 40 again. How do these readings sound and what would be the ideal oil pressure for this engine while at revs and at tick over?

Has anyone in the north west of England got a steering wheel puler that i can borrow for a short time? I'm putting a new steering box on my 1/2 ton Dodge panel van, but i can't get the steering wheel off. I'm a member of the MVT and will collect it and bring it back within a few days if anyone can help. Thanks, Keith.

Thanks. Im using 15/40 mineral oil.

My son and I took the WC42 to our first show today. Having just finished fitting a new head gasket, today was its first real test. Oil pressure was spot on throughout and temperature was slightly over 140 the whole time, so im very pleased.

Both seats are the same. You can see here in this photo that the brackets on the passenger seat could just unscrew and the drivers seat "track" mounts could be put in place of them. Same with the strip that runs down the center of the drivers seat (the strip with the notches in it for position adjustment).

I've found a photo of the drivers seat adjustable seat mechanism now amongst my Dads photos. Its just a simple rod that passes through the floor mounts. The rod has a cog on each end which fit within those tracks at each side of the seat bottom. You would tilt the seat forward/up to move the rod into the desired notch in the center of the seat bottom. To be honest i don't like the look of it safety wise so i will have the passenger seat mounts copied and use those.

Happy with the running boards now.