Plymouth Factory Service Manuals... something odd.

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mvh

mvh

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I am looking at the 1967 and 1968 Plymouth factory service manuals sitting side-by-side on my shelf, and I just noticed that the 1967 manual is over 1/2 thicker than the 1968 manual. This seemed particularly weird because the 1967 manual does not include Barracuda, which was issued as a separate supplement (maybe 40 pages). That would make me expect that the 1968 manual would have more pages than the 1967 version, not less. So my question is, what is missing from the 1968 manual compared to the 1967 manual, that it seems to have roughly 150 fewer pages?
 
Not to be a smart *** here, but if you both a 67, and a 68 manual, why can't you compare the pages of the two, and find out what's the difference between the two of them?
 
I could, but before doing a page-by-page comparison, I thought I'd ask if some resident expert already knew the answer. I did note that the chapters seemed to be identical, so it's not like they left out a whole section.

Possible answers based on Mopar general knowledge:
– there were fewer models in '68
– there were fewer engine options in '68
etc... (BTW, I don't think either of these are true, but ??)
 
Is it possible it's simply a difference in paper? Don't know. More importantly, there ARE errors. I don't remember all, but a couple:

Some years, the rocker shaft bolts which are 5/16 bolts, are improperly listed at 3/8 torque values. You can twist them off

Also, a few years right in that area, a couple of wires are crossed up in the bulkhead connector listing. You can easily figure it out. I believe it involves the green/ red horn wire, and the yellow start wire
 
At one time everything was crammed into one manual, sheet metal, electrical etc. Then later on they separated it into 2 manuals, one big one and second one much smaller. I have 71 manual and smaller one has sheet metal and the 75 manual the smaller one has electrical. My 2005 Ram has 10 books for the manual and cost $400 back then.
 
Mine, both original, 67 1-1/2" - 68 1-1/4"

The 67 Manual has 928
The 68 Manual has 968

The body section is actually 10 pages less in the 68

The 68 Air Conditioning section is 16 pages more
The 68 Steering section is 14 pages more
The 68 Electrical section is 8 pages more
The 68 Fuel section is 6 pages more
The 68 Accessories section is 6 pages more
The 68 Wheels section is 2 pages more
The 68 Exhaust section is 2 pages more
The 68 Clutch section is 2 pages more

The 67 Body section is 10 pages more
The 67 Engine section is 4 pages more
The 67 Brakes section is 2 pages more


Alan
 
Tell you an INCREDIBLY annoying story

When I was converting the 4WD Cummins, I wanted more info on procedures for tear down/ assembly of the NV-4500 5 speed. So I realized that GM uses them too, and went in and got out the very expensive, and very heavy GMC manuals, and looked up the NV-4500. Yup, removal, do this, do that, etc etc, and then came to the part about actually getting inside the 4500. NADA!!! NONO!!! DOH-DOH!!! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in the huge heavy expensive GMC manual about working on that transmission!!! I WAS PISSED!!
 
Interesting that the 68 manual has more pages but is slimmer. I guess that means they printed it on thinner paper to save money. I'm also wondering if one of my manuals is a reprint (not a recent Faxon reprint, but not a first edition).

It seems especially weird that the 67 body section has 10 more pages when it doesn't include Barracuda at all — all of the Barracuda body drawings are unique, so you would think that the 68 would have to have more pages.

I was going to check this out myself, but I'm not surprised Alan got there first.
 
Keep in mind that the 67 and 68 Plymouth service manuals cover all Plymouths those years and all options, different engines, carbs etc.


Alan
 
Yes, of course. The 67 covers Valiant, Satellite, Fury but not Barracuda. The 68 covers all 4, so the body section should have more pages, right? In terms of engines and options, I am not sure which year would cover more items. They added the 340 in 1968, so that's one more engine... they dropped the 273 but added the 318 — that's a wash. I should actually look at the books, but I'm supposed to be working...<LOL>
 
My '62 manual doesn't show tapered axles.... which is really odd.
 
mvh said:
Yes, of course. The 67 covers Valiant, Satellite, Fury but not Barracuda. The 68 covers all 4, so the body section should have more pages, right? In terms of engines and options, I am not sure which year would cover more items. They added the 340 in 1968, so that's one more engine... they dropped the 273 but added the 318 — that's a wash. I should actually look at the books, but I'm supposed to be working...<LOL>
Click to expand...
There's a lot of overlap. All small blocks are covered in the same section, with somewhat sparse notes for the differences. Even the 440-6 only has a special section on the triple carbs, and the engine section you have to dig to find any of the special stuff. And they don't mention stuff like part numbers, or EG differences in rods, etc.
 
mvh said:
Yes, of course. The 67 covers Valiant, Satellite, Fury but not Barracuda. The 68 covers all 4, so the body section should have more pages, right? In terms of engines and options, I am not sure which year would cover more items. They added the 340 in 1968, so that's one more engine... they dropped the 273 but added the 318 — that's a wash. I should actually look at the books, but I'm supposed to be working...<LOL>
Click to expand...
Max...I know you know this, but '68 still had the 273.....:)
 
Much of the service manual is pretty generic, there isn't a separate section for 273 and 318, just small block. If one drawing/procedure can apply to more than one application it will.

I didn't look that much but the 16 new pages in the AC section were all about the new ATC (Automatic Temperature Control) in the Fury.

In 67 the power lock/window wiring diagram was in the body, in 68 in the electrical that is one page less in the body and one more in the electrical.
In 68 an additional power steering pump was added, most of the additional 14 pages in that section.


Alan
 
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