1936 Dodge D2 Sedan

[Guest termic]

I just bought this car and generally speaking I don't know much but I have a pretty good mechanical aptitude.  If someone could give me some specifics on the mechanics, I would appreciate it.

 

Please forgive if I do not know anything.

 

1) I want to replace/insert new oil filter.  I have a tube with fitting running into the top of the container (left side of engine) and then one back out of the bottom.  Should I unscrew the fitting and then force the top portion off or dies it screw it off?  Is there like a lid or does a bigger portion come off.

 

P.S. I have seen many people talking about the correct oil to use for old car, weight, etc.  However, I found that you are suppose to use oil specifically designed for classic cars which has much higher zinc which is better for the engine.  In fact, the mfgrs claim regular oil will ultimately damage a classic engine.  I bought: http://www.classiccarmotoroil.com/   if anyone is interested.   I also heard that Lucas makes a classic car oil, much higher in zinc as well.  Also, something about the detergents in newer oils not good for old cars.

 

2) Is there any special brake fluid I should use for this car?  I think I found the brake fluid container, kind of elongated with square bolt on top.

 

3) Does this car require any special anti-freeze mixture?

 

4) I couldn't get any gas out of the tank with a siphon.  However, I looked under the car at the gas tank and there appears to be a plug just you have for motor oil right in the middle of the tank.  Is that possible?  I would not think an attachment would run through the tank.  Anybody know about this?

 

5) Ok, here goes probably a really dumb question.  I have stick shift of course.  Does this car have transmission fluid or some kind of fluid for the gears.

 

I found this ad which appears to be the same paint color of my car but faded of course.

 

Any help would be appreciated.  I am taking my time so I can restore this car to original condition without causing any damage.

[keiser31]

Great cars! I used to own a touring sedan with sidemounts. #1- I would have to see a photo of the filter that you mention in order to assist you about it. I used 30wt, non-detergent oil in the crankcase. #2- I used DOT3 in the brakes. #3- I used regular 50/50 antifreeze, but others may suggest something else. #4- You have a drain plug on the fuel tank. BE CAREFUL IF YOU REMOVE IT AS IT WILL BE RUSTY. #5- I used 90wt gear oil in the transmission, but others may suggest using some other wt. 

You will want to scroll down to the "Dodge and Dodge Brothers" section of the forum below the "General" section for more help. Please post some photos of your fine ride.

Welcome to the forum.

John

Edited August 22, 2015 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[Guest termic]

 

 

Thanks for the info.  I will see if other have opinion but that was helpful.

 

Here is photo of mine.

[keiser31]

Cool car. One of the first things that I would do to your '36 is to somehow attach a wire or connection to your crank hole cover at the bottom of the grille. You will be DEVASTATED if you lose it because they are VERY RARE and COSTLY to replace.

[TerryB]

Get a shop manual and owners manual for your car. You will need it if you are new to this era of automobiles. eBay is a good place to look for one. I had a 1937 Dodge 1/2 ton for many years and the shop manual was a key item to have.

Enjoy your new toy!

Terry

[auburnseeker]

There is a good chance the oil filter maybe a sealed can and you replace the entire unit. (they are available for 20.00-40.00)  Later they came along with the ones that just used replaceable elements. as Keiser31 mentioned we would need to see a photo of it. 

[Guest termic]

Thanks for your help.

I will order the shop manual.  I already had owners manual but it is not that detailed.

 

 

Here are photos of oil filter and I assume brake fluid.

[Guest]

That is a sealed can type oil filter. They were used on other Chrysler products. Plymouths used them up into the fifties. As a previous poster has said they are available.  I see them on e-bay all the time.  It would probably be good value to get canister type filter from a later model as cartridges are a lot cheaper.

Edited August 23, 2015 by Guest (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

The brake fluid reservoir is your master cylinder.  From the looks of it you will need to get a kit and rebuild it if it's not too badly pitted.  On the front of it is your brake light switch.  I would plan on pulling all the wheel cylinders as well and doing them.  If it's like my 36 Chrysler was the front cylinders are available new,  the rears weren't and i had to rebuild the originals.  If you take them apart and they are seized,  they may still be good.  The brake fluid over time melts the rubber cups to the cylinder walls and it takes some real persuasion to get them apart.  When you pull the rear wheels you will need a special puller.  They are available on ebay for around 75.00  sometimes cheaper.  You need to use the puller otherwise you will ruin the drums. (there are discussions and pictures of them on some threads in the mopar section of this site. )

Whenever I rebuild my brakes and replace everything I use Silicone Dot5 brake fluid and have for 20 years.  It costs more but doesn't cause all the corrosion problems that regular fluid does. 

Good luck.  

[Rusty_OToole]

There were 3 available filter setups 1) No filter at all 2) replaceable filter 3) cartridge filter. You have #2. When it is full you throw away the whole thing and buy a new filter. They have not been made for years but they do turn up from time to time.

 

The filter is a bolt on accessory, you could replace it with 3) and just put in a new cartridge from time to time (every 5000 miles).

 

For your engine you don't need any special oil. Any good name brand oil will be fine. There are certain cars that need special oil, yours is not one of them.

 

Just use regular dot 3 brake fluid. Carefully clean off the top before you remove it, you don't want dirt falling into the cylinder.

 

Since it is an open system it is a good idea to change the fluid every 2 years. Just bleed out the system until fresh fluid comes out. This gets rid of old, darkened, contaminated fluid and prevents corrosion in the system.

 

Any good name brand antifreeze is fine. Your water pump may have a grease nipple on it. If so, do not use regular grease. Use water pump grease or if you can't get it, use the blue grease they use in outboard motor bottom ends. It only takes a small amount like 1/2 pump at every oil change.

 

The transmission has a drain plug on the bottom and a fill plug on the side about half way up. Both are pipe plugs that screw in, take out the fill plug, stick your finger in, if you touch oil it is full. If not, top it up. Oil should be drained and refilled every 10000 miles, Likewise the rear axle. Off hand I don't know what kind of oil but you should be able to find out on the net if you do a search.

 

I wouldn't disturb the gas tank plug. After all these years it is likely rusted in or stuck. You could try taking it out with moderate force, if it does not budge, leave it. I would be afraid of damaging the tank.

 

Cars of that age require a LOT more regular service, like oil changes, grease jobs and tuneups. Fortunately most of the work is easy and cheap and can be done at home. Suggest you get a factory repair manual and owner's manual and go by that.

 

For a start you should grease the chassis every 1000 miles. There are 20 to 30 grease nipples from the front axle to the back axle. Put the car up on stands and grease them all until fresh grease comes out. Except the ones near the brakes, go easy on them (back axle and handbrake on trans). You will need a scraper,  wire brush and rag to find some of the grease nipples.

 

In its day your car was one of the best engineered and most reliable models on the road, if you maintain it by the book it should still give good service.

[Rusty_OToole]

If the car has been out of service it is a good idea to take off the oil pan and clean out any sludge, be sure the oil pump screen is clean. Then you can use modern detergent oil.

 

An alternative to the oil filter is to buy a Frantz filter. They are rather expensive new but they use an ordinary roll of toilet tissue to provide depth filtration which is what your car calls for. They have been proven on all kinds of vehicles for over 50 years.

 

You could also get the cartridge type filter. They look like the one you have but with a removable lid with a bolt in the middle. They have a replaceable cartridge inside. Be sure you get the right cartridge, the fine filtration type, not the coarse full flow type the modern cars use.

[nickelroadster]

Any oil that you get wil be superior to what was available when the car was new.  You don't reallly need zinc in the oil until the 1950s and sixties.  I would plan on going through the entire brake system all at one time rather than trying to do it piecemeal. You will also want to inspect the fuel system fully.  Check closely for rusty fuel and  brake lines as these may need to be replaced.  You want your brakes to work first time every time, not just 99% of the time. As Rusty says these old cars require a lot of maintanance lbut that is half the fun of having one.

[Guest termic]

Thank you for your help.  I will review everything suggested.  Very helpful.

[auburnseeker]

I still suggest the silicone fluid for brakes.  Then you don't need to flush them out every couple of years plus it doesn't eat the paint off everything and make all your new cylinders look rusty and old in a couple of years.   It's your choice though.  

  I use 90 weight gear oil in the rear end and tranny of the cars I have done like yours and never had a problem.   I think the only problem would be if you were driving it at -30 then it might shift hard but I'm pretty sure you probably won't be driving it in those conditions.   If it's been sitting a long time,  I would just drain out the tranny and rear and refill them.  

[JACK M]

I still suggest the silicone fluid for brakes.  Then you don't need to flush them out every couple of years plus it doesn't eat the paint off everything and make all your new cylinders look rusty and old in a couple of years.   It's your choice though.  

  I use 90 weight gear oil in the rear end and tranny of the cars I have done like yours and never had a problem.   I think the only problem would be if you were driving it at -30 then it might shift hard but I'm pretty sure you probably won't be driving it in those conditions.   If it's been sitting a long time,  I would just drain out the tranny and rear and refill them.  

 

Only if you have first performed a COMPLETE brake job.

[auburnseeker]

All the cars I recently did got a full job.  On a couple of cars I did years ago and still run I actually only rebuilt the master on one and nothing on the other but a flush and fill and never had a problem.   Everything I do now a days gets a full job as everything usually needs to be freshened anyways and the old corrosive fluid rusted every cylinder to some degree. 

  Has anyone actually personally experienced a problem with silicone fluid or is it all second hand info. 

[Guest bkazmer]

Is that a copper line coming out of the master cylinder?  If so you need to replace it with steel or stainless steel.  Copper is not suitable for keeping you alive.

 

I'm not sure for your year, but I had a 41 Mopar long ago and it had stepped brake cylinders (different bores). I found this out the hard way trying to remove the wheel cylinder parts.  It also had reverse thread lugs on one side.

[keiser31]

Yes...left threads on the left side lugnuts and right threads on the right side lugnuts.

[Guest termic]

I will check but I don't think it is copper.  You are probably seeing the red battery cable stuck up there.

 

Thanks

[Guest termic]

Yea I know about the lug nuts, now.  I think it took me a week to figure that out.  I thought I broke a the bolt when it started turning what I thought was the opposite direction.

 

Told you I don't know nothing.

[Guest bkazmer]

laughing with you - and then you see the "L" in the middle of the head

[keiser31]

Yea I know about the lug nuts, now.  I think it took me a week to figure that out.  I thought I broke a the bolt when it started turning what I thought was the opposite direction.

 

Told you I don't know nothing.

That's what we're here for....

[auburnseeker]

The fuel and brake lines on Mopars from that era were actually copper plated steel. (must have been a way to help keep them from rusting)  I would check it with a magnet or scratch test it.  You will know quickly either way. All the lines on my 36 Chrysler convertible were copper plated steel when you cleaned the crud off. 

I'm pretty sure you have stepped wheel cylinders as someone mentioned so be sure if you have to drive the pistons out you are working from the smaller bore driving the piston through the larger bore.  Mine were stuck pretty darn hard but I used an old king pin and drove them out.  Surprisingly the bores were quite nice.

Edited August 24, 2015 by auburnseeker (see edit history)