On a warm winter Wednesday in July several Dipsticks met at the Dodge to do some work on the motor – it was only meant to be a couple of hours but….
Some Dodgers worked on cleaning ages old dust and oil from the interior, others CRC’d rusted-on nuts and bolts, while other hardy souls ventured underneath the Dodge-on-trailer to first drain the oil, then remove the sump to look at the Big Ends😊 First impressions were not good with water coming out of the sump, but this was not as bad as it might have been and oil eventually came out into the collection pan.
After much persuasion the sump was removed, and the engine could be examined. It became apparent that at least one big end bearing was quite worn which would have created quite a knock when the engine last ran. Good news was that the motor was the (stronger) five-bearing unit which was only produced for a limited time before changing to a six-cylinder motor.
It was then decided that the head should be removed, which turned out to be a mammoth job as the head had probably not been removed for 50 years at least. As the head metal was relatively thin (unlike the solid modern heads) it was impossible to remove without doing some damage. Once off it was easy to remove the piston with the damaged bearing and see that the bearings are shell-type bearings and should be replaceable. The pistons, rings and bores looked OK so news was mixed – some good, some not so good. A bit of a clean-up and everyone retired after a job well done!
Thanks to Chief Mechanic Mike, helpers Richard, Dave, Mark and Ben, Raima for interior work and Malcolm for cake and burgers😊
And here's some information about Dodge Brothers Cars, taken from the Uralla Times NSW. Enjoy the read!
Uralla Times NSW, Thursday 13th January 1927
DODGE BROTHERS CARS NOW HAVE 5 BEARING CRANKSHAFT and Other improvements.
A recent survey of cars discloses the fact that Dodge Brothers Car has been improved in many vital respects. These improvements include a five-bearing crankshaft,1 air cleaner, two-unit six-volt electrical equipment and new steering assemblies. In addition, all models have new type choke control and ignition switch, and the closed models are fitted with an improved door lock. In line with this manufacturer's policy of 'constant improvement but no yearly models' these improvements have been incorporated in production without change in model.
Increased smoothness and reduced rate of wear are secured with the new five-bearing crankshaft which is machined all over and has approximately one-third more main bearing area than the former three -bearing design. The new shaft is approximately ten pounds heavier and the section of the cheeks is larger, giving greater stiffness. Connecting rods are interchangeable with those used on the three-bearing engine.
The air cleaner is a United and is mounted on the forward end of a cast jacket secured to the side of the exhaust manifold. Each end of this jacket is connected by a pipe to the cross tube leading to the carburetor on the opposite side of the engine and passing between cylinders two and three. A valve is located just below the cleaner so that the entering air may be passed through the jacket or sent direct to the carburetor as operating conditions demand.
OBTAINS QUIETER OPERATION: North East two unit six volt electrical equipment has replaced the single unit 12 volt system formerly employed. This change is said to have been made primarily to secure quieter operation at the higher average engine operating speeds encountered at the present time. The generator has third brush control and is strap-mounted in a saddle cast on the side of the crankcase in substantially the same position formerly occupied by the distributor coil assembly.
The generator is driven at crankshaft speed through two flexible couplings from the rear end of the pump-shaft. Drive for the distributor, which is mounted on the right at the front of the engine, is through helical gears from the pump-shaft while the coil is now mounted on top of the cylinder head at its forward end. The starting motor is mounted on the flywheel housing at the left of the engine.
Improvements in the steering assembly include the adoption of a worm and sector type of gear with 10 to 1 reduction in place of the former worm and wheel design with 8 (?) to 1 ratio. The steering shaft is now a seamless steel tube of slightly larger diameter than the solid shaft formerly employed, giving increased strength and rigidity. Use of the tubular shaft permits removal of the spark and throttle rods from their former position thus improving appearance and eliminating noise. Spark and throttle levers are now of the conventional short lever type mounted above the wheel and are made of aluminium.
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IGNITION SWITCH HAS WHITE FACE: The new ignition switch has a white face with the various positions lettered in black. No lock is provided on this switch as transmission locks have been regular equipment for some time past. In the choke control formerly used, spring pressure acting against grooves or notches in the plunger was employed while in the new design friction is depended upon to hold the plunger in the desired position, thus eliminating noise from this source. Outside of the use of white instead of black dials on the instruments, there are no other changes in the instrument board.
We would advise our readers who may be visiting Sydney that a full range of these improved models are on view in the spacious Showrooms of Standardised Motors Limited at 252-6 Castlereagh Street, Sydney, or further particulars may be obtained from the Local Dealer here.
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