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New member, tune-up questions
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Author:  qsd-dan [ Sat Apr 21, 2007 6:18 pm ]
Post subject:  New member, tune-up questions
New the forum but not to slant 6's. I had a mint 73 dart swinger with 48,000 miles from 92-99. It was garaged its entire life until my grandfather (the original owner) moved in with us (1992). It was just too nice to be sitting outside so I sold it to a gentleman who keeps it garaged and drives it on weekends.

Anyway, one of my grandfather friends (my mom’s side of the family) has a 73 dodge D100 with 73,200 original miles that he thought about selling. After I showed interest in it, he decided to give it to me when he passes (he's 86 and shouldn't be driving, but that's another story). Anyway it hasn't had a tune up in god knows how many decades. You know how old people are; they don't fix anything until it completely breaks.

Here's what I'm thinking.

1) Valve adjustment (never been done and noisy). Which valve cover gasket should I get? I remember having better luck with the rubber ones on the dart.

2) Plugs. What is recommended? I've read something about NGK's.

3) Distributor cap and rotor. What brand(s) are recommended? I have a set of original mopar wires for it. Those should be fine I assume.

4) Charcoal canister filter. I bet it has never been changed.......if it's still there at all.

5) Clean and re-oil the breather element.

6) New PCV valve. What brand?

7) New thermostat and coolant change. What temp thermostat is recommended? I remember using a 195F in the dart and it was too hot for the summer months. The 180F seems to work best all around. Any brand better than the other? Probably should change ALL coolant hoses, they look original.

8) Fuel filter and rubber lines (since they're currently leaking). I read somewhere about staying away from the glass style fuel filters. Any info?

9) New vacuum hoses

10) Eventually rebuild the carb. It has the 1920 Holley on it, fond memories of rebuilding that thing on the dart. What brand rebuild kit is recommended?

Anything else?

The D100 is a three speed column shift manual trans. First and second gears sound like they're about to explode. Those 73,000 miles are mostly 1st and 2nd gear driving since it was town driven 99% of the time in Reno NV. Anybody know about how much $$$ it would cost to rebuild it? The clutch is original and the pressure plate is getting weak so it's new clutch time anyway. What brand clutch is recommended? Thanks in advance.


Dan
Author:  SlantSixDan [ Sat Apr 21, 2007 7:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New member, tune-up questions
Quote:
Valve adjustment
For sure. The valve adjustment procedure is here. Truck specs were 0.012" intake and 0.024" exhaust, which is a little looser than the car specs of 0.010" and 0.020". Same engine, same cam, so your call. And yep, you'll probably have better success with the rubber gasket, Fel-Pro № VS-126280R rather than the cork, though Fel-Pro say they have "improved the design" of their cork gasket. I don't know about that; the rubber ones work well for me.
Quote:
Spark plugs. What is recommended? I've read something about NGK's.
The old standby brands (Champion and Autolite) can't be recommended any more; quality has just plummeted. For the '60-'74 cylinder head, use NGK № ZFR5N (single plug, or money-saving 4-pack). Remove the metal ring washer before installing each plug if you're using a '63-'74 head. If you've got a '60-'62 head, leave the metal ring washer in place. See here for details on the ring washer issue.

You'll want new spark plug tube seals, too. B45384 will get you a spark plug tube seal at NAPA (you'll need to order six). Or, you can get a set of six as Fel-Pro № ES12794.

For '75-up cylinder heads that use the smaller "peanut" taper-seat spark plugs without plug tubes, use NGK UR5 (linked plug is correct, pic is generic, though, so don't panic).
Quote:
Distributor cap and rotor. What brand(s) are recommended?
In the past, the advice was "A Standard-Bluestreak CH-410X cap and a NAPA Echlin long-tip rotor № MO-3000 are the top picks. Don't use an Echlin cap; they're usually ground off-centre and the rotor can hang and lock up the distributor. The MO-3000 rotor has a contact end that's longer by 0.060", which lets you open up the spark plug gaps a little (try 0.040" rather than spec 0.035"). That information is out of date. Some of it is still factually correct, but see this thread for the problems and solutions with the caps and rotors available today. It's a long thread, but worth reading the whole thing.

Your Mopar wires will be fine for the time being; eventually you'll want to replace them with premium ones from Magnecor, especially if you do the HEI upgrade.

The filter on the charcoal canister is probably (over)due for replacement, and the crankcase breather and its gasket probably want replacement (you might get away with cleaning the original breather).

PCV valve: see here.
Quote:
New thermostat and coolant change. What temp thermostat is recommended?
180°—read this to understand why this is the basic recommendation and understand what goes into deciding whether to pick something different. If you can get a Stant SuperStat (№ 45358 boxed or № 65358 carded), that's the preferred item.
Quote:
Fuel filter and rubber lines (since they're currently leaking). I read somewhere about staying away from the glass style fuel filters. Any info?
Yeah, the idea of breakable glass (or meltable plastic, for that matter) holding gasoline in the engine bay kinda makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. You may want to do the fuel line mod. Cracked, stiffened, oil-soaked or split vacuum hoses can be replaced, but you needn't replace good ones.
Quote:
Eventually rebuild the carb. It has the 1920 Holley on it, fond memories of rebuilding that thing on the dart. What brand rebuild kit is recommended?
Rebuild kit, buy from http://www.daytonaparts.com . Second-preference kits would be Walker or Standard-Hygrade. Float gauges, see here. Throttle shaft/bushing wear and rebuild info, see here and here. Carburetor operation and repair manuals and links to training movies and carb repair/modification threads are posted here for free download.

Make sure the manifold heat control valve is working correctly, not stuck (they're often stuck). Freeing up the valve calls for a special solvent, that is this stuff. Despite its generic-sounding name, it is not at all like any other penetrant; do not substitute.

Other stuff: as soon as you can, get the three books listed in this thread. And take a look at this post.
Author:  Jeffc [ Sat Apr 21, 2007 8:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
On the 3 speed, going to be hard to find most of the parts since not many parts are made anymore....you may want to think about a 4 speed np435
23 spline imput shaft trans, that would be a bolt-in and cut a
hole in the floor for the shifter.....
If you want, call Dennis at http://wildcatmopars.com/
he knows more about 3 speed
manule trans than anyone I know....
Author:  qsd-dan [ Sun Apr 22, 2007 5:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
Great info, thanks fellas!! I'll be heading up to Reno on Monday to work on the D100. I pretty much remember all of the tools I need except the size of the crankshaft bolt to adjust the valves. Anyone happen to remember the size?
Author:  qsd-dan [ Sun Apr 22, 2007 6:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
On the 3 speed, going to be hard to find most of the parts since not many parts are made anymore....you may want to think about a 4 speed np435 23 spline imput shaft trans, that would be a bolt-in and cut a
hole in the floor for the shifter.....
If you want, call Dennis at http://wildcatmopars.com/
he knows more about 3 speed
manule trans than anyone I know....
Interesting. So when you say bolt-in, does that mean absolutely no modifications (except the shifter hole) ie modification on the cross member, driveshaft, clutch and z-bar, bell housing and whatever else I forgot?

I was looking at some np435's on eBay and they all seem to have granny low. I was hoping to get something along the line of an 833 non-od without granny low. Is this possible? Thanks in advance, this place is great!!



Dan
Author:  Doc [ Mon Apr 23, 2007 9:19 am ]
Post subject: 
The 833 4-speed with a 3.09 first gear is the lowest 1st gear ratio you will find for that transmission.
DD
Author:  '74 Sport [ Mon Apr 23, 2007 10:02 am ]
Post subject: 
Here's a thread answering the crankshaft bolt question...

http://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php ... pener+bolt

Good luck with the project,
Jerry
Author:  jangell4444 [ Sun Apr 29, 2018 2:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: New member, tune-up questions
Dan! whats the best type of fuel filter for my 63 dodge dart 225?!
thanks :)
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