1919 dodge touring

[jerry1centmi]

I have a dodge touring that I have owned for 45 years and one would think that you would get to know your car in that length of time. I haven't run it much in the last few years and earlier this spring it had a valve hang up and I used mystery oil on it and it freed up. I ran it the other day and it ran terrable so I removed the carb. with the intention of cleaning it. The carb. is about as primitave as they come but the car will not run at all now. I know that I didn't lose any parts as I dismatled it on a news paper. I have an electric fuel pump on it and it fills the bowl but none of the gas gets sucked into the engine. I think that the lower choke portion is assembled right as it raises and lowers the plunger. Anyone have any ideas that might help me. As a side line I ran a compression check and it is very low as between 45 and 50 lbs. with oil on the pistons. I am getting spark.

[hchris]

Have you tried priming the cylinders with fuel?

Cant remember if the 19 has priming cups, if not remove the plugs

& tip a thimble of fuel into each cylinder refit the plugs & see if

it fires, you have enough compression there to make it run. If it

kicks over then its back to sorting out the carb.

Chris H

[nearchoclatetown]

I agree, '19 should have primer cups. It sounds like you may have put the linkage for the enrichener back on the wrong spline. That would make it too rich or lean to run. Does the metering valve move freely?

[Guest leadfoot]

Hi Jerry -

I have an early '23 DB. You probably have several problems. First, take the carb back off and apart and soak it in a pail of carb cleaner for a few days. Use compressed air to blow through the jet passages at the carb bottom. When you put it together again make sure that the metering stalk in the center moves freely, that the float works (your electric pump puts more gas pressure than this system is designed for), and that you have a fresh gasket in the center and at the block. Just my opinion -a working vacuum tank is much better than an electric fuel pump on these early cars.

Before you put the carb on use a bright flashlight to look at the in-block fuel gallery (where the carb fits on the block). Often stale gas residue builds up in the gallery from a rich fuel mix and fouls a correct fuel mixture. You may need to swab out the gallery with carb cleaner soaked rags and paper towels hooked to a coat hanger or other sturdy wire device.

Next, make sure that the heater box on the other side of the engine is properly set for the weather conditions and that the air transit tube is tight through the block into the carb intake.

Next, if you have "oil" on the pistons it may be carbon buildup moistened by a rich fuel mixture. If it is oil you have worn rings. In any case, you should pop the valve cover off and set all the tappets correctly. I also would take off the head and clean the pistons, valve heads, and the head itself of the buildup - plus resurface the valves with compound so that they seal better. And either clean the plugs or replace them. After you've done the valves check the compression again - it should be around 80 PSI, but even 60 will work OK with this low compression engine. When you put the head back on use a fresh gasket and torque the nuts in a radial pattern, center to ends, to at least 60#.

Now the old rule of thumb - "90% of all carburetion problems are electrical." Keep that in mind. BTW, I assume that you have a '19 Owner's Manual and the reprint Mechanic's Manual. They really help in working with DBs.

[Jan Arnett]

Let me second what has already been said. Get rid of the fuel pump and get the vacuum tank working. From the way you have described it the fuel pump is going directly into the carb and it will overwelm it. Even at low compression the engine will run if you you a good fuel system. You said you have spark but how good of a spark. If it is weak nothing you do will get the car started. If it is weak it probably is one of four things. Poor wiring , bad coil, bad points or bad condensor. Do you have a snap to the spark and it looks blue or is it yellow and no sound to it. If you prime the engine and have a good spark it will start. while you are at it check the coil and rotor to make sure the connections are clean. Let us know how things are going.

[jerry1centmi]

Thanks for the help fellows. I had the gear on the choke set wrong and it fired right up. The electric fuel pump was on the car when I bought it and has never let me down. I use to drive this car a thousand mile a year but I now have a lot of antique tractors that I take to shows and tractor pulls. My old moline has brought home over eighty trophys. I also have a 64 bird convert. and a model A & T. Ford. Thanks for the help. Jerry