1954 d50-241 hemi with 3 speed o/d trans

Discussion of the Early Dodge / DeSoto HEMIs.

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JOHN/B
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Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:26 pm
Location: ROCKMART,GA

1954 d50-241 hemi with 3 speed o/d trans

Post by JOHN/B »

1954 DODGE 241 HEMI with 3 speed o/d trans.I bought this set up and im wondering how will the trans hold up for towing?Im wanting to use this in a 59 Dodge panel wagon im restoring,and want the option of towing with it.I know the HP, 140 is not something to brag about and the panel has a 4:10 rear.I got a hot rod cam with it (thats all i know about the cam,no paper work inside box) found a 4bbl intake and bought a tubing bender to play with and make headers.I need at least 225 HP(want more) for towing is this posible with out spending a ton of money.I feel im asking alot out of this combo.I didnt ck out the specks and was told it was a 331 so im stuck.Do i find a bigger Hemi to do what i want to do?Im thinking yes,any sugestions?Im aware i goofed,was out of state when i found it and didnt have any info with me.Thanks for any advice in advance. JB
Any day above ground is a good day.
George
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Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:12 pm
Location: Fl

241

Post by George »

Don't know about your tranny. Cam... I'd send it some where to have it checked. Your comp. ratio is 7.1 or 7.5 either way too big a cam would be a real problem, assuming it still has stock pistons.
JOHN/B
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:26 pm
Location: ROCKMART,GA

241 HEMI W 3SPEED O/D TRANS

Post by JOHN/B »

Thanks George,pistons are stock.Any sug on where to send cam,its the only one i got,it was made from the stock core i quess.IS doubling the HP out of the question to 280,or spend the money on a 352/392 ?Im not willing to go turbo or blower on this motor unless the investment would pay off.Thanks again JB
Any day above ground is a good day.
George
Posts: 694
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:12 pm
Location: Fl

241

Post by George »

They're all expensive. What are you towing? there is only so much power you can get out of 241 inches. Custom pistons will get you what ever comp. you want. I'd go for 9.5-10.25 range. Most of the big cam co. can read/regrind the cam. Bob Walker at Hot Heads can give good advise on them, I think he has new Dodge cams now. He can tell you how much overbore,realistic H.P. est., ect. www.hothemiheads.com
JOHN/B
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Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:26 pm
Location: ROCKMART,GA

241 HEMI/3 SP 0/D

Post by JOHN/B »

Thanks again George,i have some old tractors i tow,some times cars ect.Im building a nice 1959 panel wagon and want to be able to use it for towing.Im thinking of saving the 241 for maybe a ??? I have a 440 and will proubly use it untill i find a larger Hemi.I will get the cam checked,that is a must for the future build.Thanks again George and thanks to mopar norm for the site.
Any day above ground is a good day.
George
Posts: 694
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:12 pm
Location: Fl

241

Post by George »

The 440 is great for towing & a good power to $ ratio. It beats the hemis in that area,comes up short in the ooh & aah dept. Some think the 241 should only be used in T buckets, but even a mildly built 241 will easily out perform a Ford flathead, & think of all the cars a flathead looks at home in!
Don Nicklason
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Location: Roseburg, OR

Re: 241 HEMI/3 SP 0/D

Post by Don Nicklason »

Any Stick Shift O/D Tranny can be safely towed as long as you lock out the O/D so the output shaft with the low/reverse sliding gear will rotate & pickup the gear oil.
55 Red Ram Powered 30 A Roadster
JOHN/B
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:26 pm
Location: ROCKMART,GA

Post by JOHN/B »

Thanks guys, i like the ooooo,aaaaaahhh part.But i truly think im spitting in the wind,unless i put 2/241 s back to front of another,would be wonderfull but i wouldnt know how, to be honest.The trans is very heavy for its size,from that i knew it had to have big solid parts inside.I ask for some parts on hot heads for my 241,pushrods im still in need of.Some guy told me in a nut shell it was a pc of junk,didnt say junk,but went all around the word though, for the street and towing and said it was only good for the salt flats,something like that.,and offered me $20.00 for it.I didnt sell, id make a realy cool mail box out of it first.
Any day above ground is a good day.
JOHN/B
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:26 pm
Location: ROCKMART,GA

Post by JOHN/B »

I want to thank Scott m for the site and the others involved.I got the mopar sites mixed up,sorry guys.
Any day above ground is a good day.
George
Posts: 694
Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:12 pm
Location: Fl

241

Post by George »

Always someone willing to take the junk off your hands! if you don't like the tranny the adaptors for the short tail 54-58 Chr. hemi fit the Dodge. A wide variety of Chr. & GM trannys both stick & A/T can be used!
Don Nicklason
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Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 10:49 am
Location: Roseburg, OR

241 w/ 3 spd. OD Tranny

Post by Don Nicklason »

OH OH I miss read your question.
Yes you can safely tow "Rigs" with it. That 241 don't have enough beans in the can to hurt that tranny.
The original stock cam was the perfect one. I broke out my 54 to 63 Chiltons Auto manual.
The 241 put out 220 ft/lbs torque @ 2000 rpm. That's like an RV grind that range from 1600 to 2500 rpm depending on what kind of motor it may be.
That 4:10 butt gear is perfect for towing out of OD. In OD you have somewhere around 3:70 over all ratio.
Too bad you don't have the spec's of the grind on that cam. If it's racy, your torque band is going to be too high r's to do any towing.
Putting synthectic gear oil in the rear & tranny will be a big help in heat/friction drop. There is three ways to best keep the motor temp normal.
1- put a smaller pulley on the water pump to increase coolant flow & fan speed.
2- put a real air mover fan on it.
(both of those robs power off the motor, & still could give problems with hard pull towing)
3- put a HD 4 core radiator in it.
If I were doing it, I'd e-mail Bob Walker rlwalker@InfoAve.Net
That's Hot Heads Racing & Research
I sent my 270 cam back to him last May & had a 3/4 grind put on it.
He might could swap for a stock cam.
55 Red Ram Powered 30 A Roadster
JOHN/B
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:26 pm
Location: ROCKMART,GA

Post by JOHN/B »

Thanks Don, ok,synthectic gear oil. I dont understand oil enough to understand that.How can gear oil be thick like 90 or 150 weight, and add synthectic "stuff" and it still be thick enough to do the job required?Im thinking it has to stay thick to hold on to and stay on the gears,and if its slick it wont hold on to the gears.Kind of like putting automatic trans fluid in a std trans or rear end. It would reduce friction,but how long would it last and how about the axel bearings?To be honest i think im stuck in a box here. JB
Any day above ground is a good day.
Don Nicklason
Posts: 46
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 10:49 am
Location: Roseburg, OR

Synthectic Gear Oil

Post by Don Nicklason »

You drain all the the gear oil. Go to auto parts store & buy it, there is two grades, nine bucks & change a qt, & other is about 2.5 to 3 times higher, which is what the racers use. I use the nine bucks plus in my rigs.
If you go on internet yahoo search, type in synthectic oil, you will find info about it.
55 Red Ram Powered 30 A Roadster
JOHN/B
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 11:26 pm
Location: ROCKMART,GA

Post by JOHN/B »

Thanks again Don,i will ck it out about the oil and the address you left me for the cam.Would love to see pics of your hot rod.Do you have pics on the web?I read the way i wrote my last reply and it sounded like id buy the synthectic stuff and add to it.I ment the oil co.would add to it. I wrote that wrong.Iwas wondering how it worked,but il read about it on my yahoo search. :oops: :oops:
Any day above ground is a good day.
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