Hello all. I am new to this board. I have recently acquired a 1965 Dodge D100 stepside (Utiline) with a 225 slant 6. Pretty good condition overall and runs MUCH better after a valve adjustment! Which was my first experience of adjusting valves while the engine was running. WOW is that easier!
Anyway, been mostly a V8 guy my whole life but the slant 6 has demanded respect from me and after having one for almost a month I see why.
My main issue is that my oil dip stick tube was broken when I bought the truck. The tube is still there but broken at the block. I can still get the stick in and out with some manipulation but I am concerned about it's accuracy and about "stuff" getting in my oil.
Is there a good place to get a dip stick replacement? I think my tube and stick are stock but I am not sure. What was the stock dip stick length for a 65 225 truck slant 6?
Also I was considering the 2bbl intake swap... Will I "have" to get headers or is the stock exhaust manifold flow good enough? I have no intention of racing this thing or hot rodding it. My trans has the granny 1st and no syncros (or they are all dead) so shifting is a slow and if timed perfectly has zero grindage. lol
I basically want to get the best mileage and torque I can out of it. Yes it is a truck and yes I will pull crap around in it but most of it's time will be spent being my daily driver.
OH and my gas gauge does not work... is there a good way to test if it is the sender or the gauge?
OH AND the P.O. swapped the stock rear out for 2.70 gears. Makes toting large loads a little tricky but keeps me at 2150 RPM at 65mph. Should be decent for gas... BUT my speedo and odometer are ALL messed up. The odometer is .3 miles off... meaning if I travel 1 mile on the Odometer I have REALLY traveled 1.3 miles. Any way to correct this?
OK OK THAT is enough questions for now! Any help would be loved!!! I love this truck and wanna have it for some time. I think with my mechanic experience and some slant 6 guru's help I think I will be good.

-Marc

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1965 D100 225 slant 6, NP435 Utiline.

You can get driven gears for the speedo cable with different numbers of teeth to adjust the speedo. For the dipstick, I have replaced the tube with a piece of steel fuel line. I still had the old one so I pulled the stub of the old one out by screwing a large screw into it and pulling with a crowbar, then I took a piece of fuel line the same o.d. as the tube and about 2" longer, put a bolt in one end that just slipped in, and used it as a driving cap. When I had driven it in about 3/4", I cut it off the same length as the old tube plus as much of the stub as was sticking out. That should keep your dipstick accurate. Original exhaust manifold should be OK if it isn't cracked or warped. The fuel gauge can be tested by pulling the sender and swinging the arm up and down, however the sender NEEDS to be grounded to work while testing or while in service. I'll bet you'll find the float is eaten up.

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Dave

1977 d-200 crew cab ex-army pickup wants it's /6 back
1962 Valiant 2 door, 170, three on the tree
1972 d-100 parts truck
80 volare wagon now a parts car

Woo… mc_ryan, welcome aboard.

One of the first items you need to get is a copy of the Factory Service Manual. These are available at several places on the net in book or CD, and it will be your best tool in the box.

Can’t help with the dip stick, but someone will chime in soon.

Adding a Super Six two barrel manifold & carburetor will wake up that old slant, and yes you can keep your existing exhaust manifold. However you may want to increase the size of your exhaust system. Use the search function for different ideas as to what to use.

Most 60’s era transmissions had unsynchronized low gears, second on up should have synchronizers. Slow well timed shifts, and double clutching maybe necessary with your transmission due to excessive wear, or low, improper gear oil. There is a selection of speedometer gears based on rearend ratio & tire size available, and are easily swapped out. The “Transmission & Rearendâ€￾ page would be the best place to continue these discussions.

To test your gas gage, unplug the wire at the tank’s sending unit, and ground it. Have someone observe the gage, if working it will slowly drift to full. For more information on this subject, check that old search function. The “gas gage not workingâ€￾ topic has been well discussed on the “Electricalâ€￾ page.

Bill

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC