New member, new to sweptlines: 66 D200

[gofargogo]

I was visiting a friend at work last week, and spotted this dodge sitting out in back. Turns out it belongs to a guy who works with him and he wanted to sell, but it had been sitting for a while and didn't want to start the last time he checked. He told me $500, and I could wait to decide until we got it started. So yesterday I went back down and brought a new battery and a bunch of tools. I changed the oil and fuel filter, and did what I could to clean the carb with it still installed. With a little fresh gas and a new battery, it started up and eventually settled into a nice idle. Took it for a short drive, and everything important seemed to work, so I bought it. I need to clean out the tank, and the steering is really loose, but overall it seems pretty sound.

[Worden18]

Excellent buy for that price

I had a 66 D200 about 15 years ago, but it was a stepside and had a slant six. Good little trucks.

Congrats on the purchase

[soopernaut]

That looks pretty good for $500.

[Hobcobble]

You got a heck of a deal for the money!
John

[Txas2step]

Great truck, great price!

[wally426ci]

Great deal, welcome to the site!

[olypopper]

That's my trucks twin!!!!

[gofargogo]

Thanks for the warm welcome! I've had a couple of challenges with the truck so far, and now I'm trying to make a list of all the issues so I can research them and chase down solutions. I'll post it here, for the record, and if you guys have any tips for common problems, I'm all ears.


- Fast idle cam doesn't engage via the pedal.
- Big exhaust leak on the passenger side
- Heavy gas and exhaust smell in cab
- tank gauge works occasionally
- temp gauge worked on day 1, now maxes out 30 seconds after engine is started
- Steering is pretty vague (kingpins? Steering box?). I haven't jacked it up yet to check which it could be.
- Radio doesn't work
- Heater cable is really stiff/defrost vent hose is cracked and broken
- Passenger side mirror is floppy on its post
- emergency flashers don't work (other interior lights may not work, don't know yet.)
- horn doesn't work
- tank pressurized when the sun came out yesterday and pushed a bunch of fuel out the tank pick up (the rubber hose wasn't sealing) and spilled fuel all over the cab floor, soaking the sound-deadening tar and seat belts.
- door catch (starwheel) is worn, and every fourth or fifth closure, it won't latch or rotate the starwheel to a fresh tang unless rotated by hand.
- Speedo cable is detached, may not work correctly (PO removed it because 'it made a hell of a racket')
- Something that sounds like belt whine (belt just replaced, no change in sound) may be coming from water pump.
- Sounds like it needs a valve adjustment.


I've ordered a new water pump, thermostat, petronix, vented gas cap and FSM. Hopefully I'll be able to knock out a bunch of work once the rains stop next week.

[olypopper]

Check out my survivor thread. I'm gutting my 66 D200 and am gonna make it new again. If I could afford fuel injection I would. Does your truck have a Stromberg carb?

[gofargogo]

I can't afford FI, but it would be nice. It's a carter bbd.

[slick]

*Fast Idle cam-check the spring/thermostat that has the rod connected to it from the intake. Might be stuck or just need adjusting.
*Exhaust leak-pretty self explanotary. exhaust manifold gaskets or collector gaskets, maybe heat risers in the manifolds?
*I think your gas smell in the cab and tank pressurizing is all related. Possibly need a new gas cap that is vented?
*Tank gauge- might need to pull the sending unit out and clean it up.
*Steering-check the steering box first, might just need adjusting. Jack up the front end and wiggle the wheels top to bottom and side to side. Check for looseness in the king pins and tie rod ends. Try greasing the entire front end as well, it might help.
*Stiff heater cable might be your heater valve. The one cable opens and closes flow of water to the heater core and is most likely rusted in place. Might need a replacement or might be able to use penetrating liquid and free it up.
*Check all of your grounds, if it's been sitting a while your grounds are probably rusty. These trucks are notorious for having grounding issues and alot of the electrical problems usually start with bad grounds.

Just throwing out ideas I'm no expert!

Nice truck, I'm digging it!

[Jims68]

You've bought a Very Nice truck and looks like it was worth $500 even if it didn't run!! I like your user name too!

[gofargogo]

Ha! My username is a coincidence. I had a dog named Fargo that used to run laps around my house and we'd cheer him on by yelling "Go Fargo! Go!" Now that I've learned about Fargo trucks in Canada I really want to swap the badging over on my truck.

[wally426ci]

Fast idle cam doesn't engage via the pedal. Check to see if the manifold spring is linked up to the passenger side of carb
- Big exhaust leak on the passenger side
- Heavy gas and exhaust smell in cab probably the sending unit gasket in the cab. Check your rubber hoses at the hard lines as well and the gas cap as Slick mentioned
- tank gauge works occasionally
- temp gauge worked on day 1, now maxes out 30 seconds after engine is started you may want to pull the gauge assembly (remove the speedo cable once you get it pulled out a little) and check to see if your wiring is ok. If so, I would think that maybe the voltage limiter inside the fuel gauge fried. You could set-up an external voltage limiter instead. For now you could disconnect and check temp with a thermometer in the rad
- Steering is pretty vague (kingpins? Steering box?). I haven't jacked it up yet to check which it could be. talk to bud thorp (powerwagon54) for a box rebuild and then do kingpins, tie-rods, and spring eye bushings/u-bolts
- Radio doesn't work check fuses
- Heater cable is really stiff/defrost vent hose is cracked and broken remove and lube. valve is located inside your heater box if you reach in from passenger side (floor area - door into heater box)
- Passenger side mirror is floppy on its post no easy fix without breaking the glass (ball hinge loose probably)
- emergency flashers don't work (other interior lights may not work, don't know yet.)
- horn doesn't work horn button inside wheel or turn signal switch maybe? could also have wiring swapped at firewall
- tank pressurized when the sun came out yesterday and pushed a bunch of fuel out the tank pick up (the rubber hose wasn't sealing) and spilled fuel all over the cab floor, soaking the sound-deadening tar and seat belts. need a vented cap
- door catch (starwheel) is worn, and every fourth or fifth closure, it won't latch or rotate the starwheel to a fresh tang unless rotated by hand. lube?
- Speedo cable is detached, may not work correctly (PO removed it because 'it made a hell of a racket') you cab run lube down through them to remedy
- Something that sounds like belt whine (belt just replaced, no change in sound) may be coming from water pump. alternator?
- Sounds like it needs a valve adjustment. run some sea foam or rislone through it possibly