Hello, I'm having troubles with my 68 dodge dart with a stock 3.7 slant 6, carter single barrel carb. The other day i got it running after messing around with the carb, I was able to take it around the block and when I let the engine cool down, it wouldn't start back up. I checked the plugs and timing then I set the points by using the old matchbook method and it seem to start a little better but it still sputters and sometimes if I'm lucky I can get it to rev up a little bit. I do plan on buying a double barrel carb conversion kit with the 2 barrel into 1 barrel adapter and I'm also wondering if a 32/36 or a 38/38 would work? Thanks
you might be better off leaving the one barrel carb, since it will work properly with the intake manifold you have. How about doing some troubleshooting, to figure out what's wrong with it, before you start making modifications? Does it have fresh fuel? or was there old gas in the tank? Is the fuel pump working? sometimes they work for a short time then quit, on a car that's been sitting a long time. Do you have a dwell meter so you can check the point adjustment? The condenser and points condition might be iffy, also.
Spend $15 and Rebuild the Carb. Carb problems mimic ignition problems. Needles and seats, and tiny air Passages plugged will drive you nuts. With this engine you are at the Basics Suck Bang Blow. It doesn't get any simpler.
I echo what squirrel and Chiss said. I also detect a vacuum leak. Good luck Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
X3 on what's been advised. The old "leanin' motor" was pretty bulletproof back in its day and it shouldn't take much to get it running good again.
You left out the "Squeeze" cycle. Ya got's to have some SQUEEZE in there... The slant sixes used a nylon distributor gear. It's not unusual for them to be badly worn and cause ignition problems. Unless, of course, it's a fuel problem.
and we all know that 90% of carburetor problems were caused by the ignition system. (at least it was that way before gasahol)
I font have a dwell meter and the car been sitting for about a month or so Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Use a good feeler gauge and set your points. If the points are old there are a multitude of problems that could be your problem and a 4 dollar set of points is a simple cure. Make sure that you are using a good condenser, the condenser wire sometimes gets corroded under the insulation, not good. They are also cheap. Look at the rotor and cap to see if they are too damned corroded to pass a decent spark. Make sure that all your terminals on the coil are clean and seated. @ClayMart mentioned the distributer gear. its a 5 minute job to pull the distributer and check. Make it easy on yourself, roll it around 'til the rotor is pointing at number one and take a pencil and mark the distributer housing so that you can drop it back in where it came out. Make sure that your plug wires are good. If not find a good set. That's a starting place for you I suppose.
Where do you even get match books anymore? Ever since the advent of electronic ignition match books seemed to have gone away........
I always carry a match book, you can still get them in the right liquor/tobacco stores. Hell I even carry one on my bike and its electronic, just an old habit.
Hi BIGRED16 "I checked the plugs and timing " How did you do that ? ============ Early in the troubleshooting process I really like to use a tester like this to confirm the spark is strong while cranking. https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/w.../N3389B/large/10051080_atc_ac664_pri_larg.jpg It answers questions about the general condition of the points, condenser, coil etc in one whack. If the timing light shows it's sparking at the right time, and I can get a good spark across a few of the used plugs, I start thinking about basic, free tests for the fuel system.
I checked the timing by have cylinder 1 on TDC and checked the rotor placement and with the spark plugs, i didnt use a spark tester, ill have to pick one of them up tonight and I forgot to check the distributor cap last night . When I dump fuel into the carb it doesn't really do anything Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Pull the coil wire and spin it over. If sparks don't come out of your coil tower you have an ignition problem.
I'll check that out when I get on lunch and report back Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The ignition coil sparks and when I was inspecting the cap, in the center where that little rod is that suppose to contact the rotor is pushed all the way up, isn't suppose to be sticking down further? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
That's what I thought so I went ahead and order one along with a rotor Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Good idea. That is where the power from the coil to you plug wires happens. Seems like a real pain now but you'll get it sorted out.
Hopefully I can it it running tonight, the new cap doesn't have a spring in it for that peg but it sticks out further Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Not all of them had a spring. I have been known to spoing the little tab on the rotor out a little bit if your rotor has one that may help a little bit.
Hook a timing light to no 1 and check the timing. Then hook the timing light to the companion cylinder to no 1. Check the timing mark again. If they are different, you have a worn distributor. A timing mark that jumps around is also an indicator Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Had a Ford 240 that I just recollected , Done pretty much the same thing you explaining. Drove me Damn crazy, it was a nylon bushing in the Dissy housing. Shaft was Eliptical when spinning instead of round. After I bought all new parts and trouble shooted for a couple of Days, my knuckle got up against the shaft and I felt it move.
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