1980 Power Wagon starting issues when it gets cold outside....any suggestions where to look

[dsd1967]

My son has a 1980 power wagon, stock 318 with an edelbrock afb type 4bbl carb, auto transmission. The engine is worn out and down on power, but starts easily when it's above 40 degrees and runs fine. When it gets into the low 30's it's a crap shoot if it will start or not. Yesterday it started for him in the evening (he works third shift). When he went to start it in the morning...nothing. We went to his work last evening and tried ether to see if we could get it to light, and it didn't even try to fire. Right now I'm leaning toward an ignition system problem, but haven't even tried to start troubleshooting the issue.

What would be the obvious things to check that could be affected by temperature?

 

[Don Frelier]

Short term get a can of starting fluid.
Make sure the choke closes fully and opens about a 1/4" when it fires.
I've seen a bad 4 pin ballast resistor do this on the start side of the ballast. The exact symptoms

 

[dsd1967]

Thanks Don....I'll get a new ballast resistor today and see if that helps. It's an easy component to replace and a quick check.

 

[sam dupont]

with low compression (worn out motor) spark and fuel are more critical. I would first check the choke function. Then plugs, wires, and cap. In throwing money at parts, ballast resistors aren't expensive.

 

[68-500]

I hope he gets it figured out. I am amazed there is still a 1980 Power Wagon alive in Toledo, and someone is dally driving it!

 

[VANDAN]

In WNY growing up, our winters used to be harsh, year after year. You needed your car tuned up, and I used to carry an extra point set all the time. Could change 'em out in 10 mins, any time of day, or temp. One other thing that was common, was to carry a screwdriver, long enough to Crack the chokes open when it wouldn't fire up. Pull the air cleaner lid off, and install the S/d. Even my wife remembers doing that pretty often...

 

[Don Frelier]

And easy check is pull the coil wire off the distributor, hold/set about a 1/4" away from ground and crank it.
Should be a blue/white spark and crisp.
Yellow or lazy isn't good, nothing would indicate the ballast resistor is likely open.

 

[dsd1967]

He has a manual choke setup on it and that is functioning properly. He said he went through the entire ignition system including, plugs, wires, ballast resistor, distributor, voltage regulator and coil....but with todays electronics supplies....no guarantee that one of those components aren't working properly. The other thing he told me is that it seems like if he pumps the heck out of the carb while trying to start it, it has seemed to have been starting in the colder weather....except that didn't work on Monday. He did rebuild the carb this summer. I told him the first thing to do is to see if the squirters are working properly....although with starter fluid on Monday....it didn't even try to pop or crack a bit...which steers me back to a spark issue.

The truck itself isn't a rot box. It needs floor pans, rear wheel arches, cold use new doors but the frame is really clean. I don't think it was originally from this area. He's been on the lookout for a 78 or older truck with a good front clip so he can get the birdbath hood and round headlight grille.

He went through the axles and brakes and it drives and handles pretty well. We have a 360 that we're collecting parts for and intend to rebuild that motor this summer. The motor is from a build I did in the late 90's and didn't see a lot of miles. Internally balanced and 9:1 compression. It started getting a knock, and it looks like it was getting ready to spin a rod bearing....but didn't, so we're getting the bottom end checked over and he's getting a 340 grind cam and some remanufactured 360 heads. He wants it to be reliable...not radical.

This is the only picture I have of it.

 

[dadsbee]

Battery load tests okay??

 

[QuickBpBp]

I had a similar issue with my 78 360 Power Wagon. My issue was the distributor cap. When it rained hard it would not start and in cold temps with heavy precipitation the cap would get ice it. It was the nature of the beast with that Truck. Multiple brand's of new caps didnt help because it just flowed so much water down the back of hood and firewall THEY never lasted with the distributor right there. It all stopped when I put a shield under the hood across the firewall. Nice and dry and never an issue again. Hopefully it is something easy found...

 

[dsd1967]

Battery load tests okay??

Haven't tested the battery, but last night it was cranking the motor over quite handily....it must not be a gear reduction starter because it darn near sounded like a chevy engine cranking over....not like the traditional mopar starter.