Hello again. I'm here with another neophyte question:

Where is the date code stamped on my 1949 288 engine? Search as I might, I cannot find any posts indicating WHERE to look for it.

Thanks for your help.

You just need a CR 15620 from NAPA. That is a transmission rear seal for Ultramatics '51-'56. These are thinner than original, so if you really like,, you can stack two.

A pinion seal seals-------the pinion , on the rear axle.

Definitely sounds like you need a better ground connection. I did run supplemental ground from my sending unit to the frame of the car. Here are a couple of pictures of the ground I had before replacing my sending unit. I used the same connection with the new sending unit, but forgot to take pictures.

I did some clean up work today.

First, I made a second attempt with the wrinkle paint on the heater. I wasn’t satisfied with how it came out the first time and stripped it all the way back down and started over. It looks much better this time. I found that the key is to lay down a lot of paint.




Then, I removed more of the undercoating on the front section of the frame, everything I could get to. That was messy work. After that I coated everything I could reach with rust encapsulator paint. Here are some before and after pictures.

Carla Caribbean as we have started calling her is doing a good job of bringing kids to play dates, swimming lessons and bringing me to the beer distributor. The starter is behaving better after a clean up, but will still get attended to soon. Re-doing the rear axle seals at the wheel bearings has now increased in priority. I found oil on the passenger rear wheel.
I did this job on the clipper years ago. Are the bearings the same?
Race: 26830
Bearing:26878 from timken?
I have a 4:10 rear axle so am not sure if the caribbean is senior or junior Status in this respect.

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Run a supplemental ground wire from one of the screws on the top of the sender to a known good ground point on the car.

Sometime the tank doesn't have a good ground because of paint and those anti-squeak strips. I've always run a supplemental ground. It's just an easy CYA.

All the above. That looks like a 56 axle and once the brake shoes are retracted and away from the drum by making sure the emergency brake is fully released and then using a brake tool or brake spoon to turn the star adjusting wheel so the shoes are completely moved away from the drum it should be free. Do check at each of the studs to make sure there are no spring retaining rings grabbing the studs that are sort of recessed into the stud holes or possibly thin flat pieces of metal sort of like a speed nut on the outside of the drum. Either of those could be pushed over a stud and is retaining the drum to the axle flange. Otherwise it should be free and just pull off unless rust and dust could have caused it to be sticking on the axle at the center hole or the stud holes.

Here is a photo from the 55-6 service manual 56 axle supplement showing what the axle looks like without the drum. If you don't have a manual it can be downloaded from the literature archive.

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There are definitely those who know more, but I believe that is not a cap, but the end of your rear axle. The drum would have a clearance hole in its centre to clear it. I suspect that you simply pull from the rear edge of the drum and that will result in its removal. Make sure the adjustment hardware has the shoes retracted as far in from the drum as possible to enable ease of removal too. Also check that the emergency/parking brake fully releases so you are not fighting shoe contact. Worse case you could use a puller if it's really stuck, but I have found a heavy persuader (hammer) will free up most drums by hitting them on the outside of the shoe contact ring (perimeter).
I would wait for confirmation from others on this, but based on GM/Ford cars I have worked on from this era I expect that this will be the case.
Good luck,
Bob J.

I have tried searching the forums, but not sure what words to use.
I am trying to open my rear brake drum. This is probably a dumb question, but how do I remove the center cap (yellow part in the attached picture).
The cap has three holes in it, with one in the middle. I created a tool which fits the three holes, and I tried to twist but it doesn't budge. Am I missing something?

Thanks,

John

The seal I have doesn't seem to be staying in place. I nocked it into place using a pipe and hammer. It feels like it bottoms out, so that it is flush against the ring holding the bearing. But after driving, it slides out, and the transmission fluid drips out. Does anyone have the dimensions of the seal? It seems that some people call it a pinion seal, and others call it the trans. shaft seal.