JackBennett wrote:
Hi Doug. I do appreciate the help and information both you, and the other forum members have provided. And I do take the advice and suggestions very seriously. In the first photo you will see that I have restored the car to a state where I can, at least, roll it on its own wheels. When I bought the car it was a ongoing, body-off, restoration, which was began by one person in the mid 1960’s, and abandoned by a third person in the early 1990’s. When the car was trailered to my home last October it was little more than a frame, with a bucket and partially assembled engine setting loosely on it. The restoration of the body parts had began, but they had never been reassembled to see if they still mated with the adjoining body parts. I have been in the process of loosely reassembling these parts to see how much more hammering, shaping, welding, cutting and fabrication I need to do prior to preparing the body for painting. The car had no steering gear, the brakes and drive train are there, but have never been connected, and the car had no electrical or fuel supply system whatsoever. I bought the car solely as a hobby, and there is no great hurry, after all, it is already nearly 100 years old, to get it drivable. Being a mode of mobility, the engine does have about the same level of importance as the steering and brakes, and simply having a clutch pedal to push is helpful to the cause of restoring the car to some state of mobility. This car is my project, and I have no desire to have anyone else feel they have either the right or responsibility to dictate my work schedule on it simply because I had to ask for their help. In recognition of the fact that I have disassembled the engine, including the water pump and starter-generator drive system to methodically eliminate anything which is adding friction to the starting motor, or may break when I do tow start the car, says a lot about the level of trust I have in the advice offered so for. I now have restored the car to a point I do have a clutch to press, a electrical system to fire the plugs, and a instrument panel with a oil pressure gauge to ensure I’m not cooking the engine if it does start......when I do pull it. I am working alone and, considering that I too suspect the clutch, or transmission, as the sticky culprit, you will note that I have rigged a carpenters clamp to the clutch pedal so that I may hold it depressed while I hand crank the engine. And, in regards to the draining of the 1500W gear lube, and addition of the 90/145 WT gear lube.......perhaps, if they had a product as easily handled, with the enhanced lubrication qualities modern gear lube has over their 1923 vintage 1500W lube, maybe they would have used it too. Looking to hear from you in the future, and I do appreciate your information and advice.....but being 78 years old myself, and having a 100 year old project car to work on, I just may be a little tardy in taking it......Thanks again.
Jack
A few days ago I had a friend tow my 1923 Dodge Roadster behind his pickup, and we did manage to get it started. The engine was really rough but smoothed out and ran really good for about five minutes. However, the oil pressure gauge never came up past zero, so I shut it down and towed it back home. For the first few hours the engine would crank over by the starter, try to start, but never did.
Today I wired another starter switch into the battery circuit and extended it like a remote starter by the fender. Now, if I connect a jumper across the remote start switch and, while the starter attempts to start the engine, I can use the crank, along with the starter, to crank the engine. But, It will not start, or continue to run with more than 3 spark plugs installed. It seems as though the compression, which measures 47+- 1 pound between cylinders is just to much for the starter to handle.
I am continuing to pump Oil/Marvel Mystery oil into the cylinders as the engine is spun, by the starter, with all plugs out.I hope this frees up the stuck rings or whatever is causing the problem with it refusing to turn against compression. I think the oil pressure problem may be solved by reseating the ball in the oil return check valve, which appears to have been stuck open. I’m not sure what advice would be helpful in this case, but I’d like to hear from some old (more experienced) DB cars with this problem.
Jack