73 Satellite Sebring

[Nacho-RT74]

I have had similar random no starting situations. In my case was the distribuitor pigtail wire/plug. Had couple of times shaked this and started up. Replaced the full dist pickup assemby and got it fixed. Pickup coil was really good but not the pigtail. So I saved it as spare to replace the wiring pigtail later.

You can unplug ECU and test the pickup coil wires at ECU plug. The regular reading should be 250-290 ohms but anything between 150-900 is good. This will test the dist plug at the same time.

 

[YY1]

That issue (pickup coil wire) has bit me three times.

I'm starting to think it's an undocumented "common issue".

 

[Nacho-RT74]

the wire inside the cover is tooo thin. Easy to break inside. And replacement pickups terminals inside the rubber mold use to be somehow loosen too.

 

[Rustydustydoc]

Okay guys I tried that, and nothing. BUT I found the issue and I am stumped at what to do. I pulled the cap off to try a different mag ( trying anything at this point ) and nothing. I took cap off and noticed the distributor did not move. I crank it with the cap off and its not moving at all. I pulled the distributor out and I cant turn that part inside the gear with a screw driver like I could with a chevy motor. I put my phone there to video what it was doing while cranking, the cam is rotating and turning the gear but not the center part where the distributor slides into. What could cause this??

 

[Rustydustydoc]

Pretty sure oil pumped is locked up. I cannot turn it at all with a screw driver

 

[RussT Plymouths]

It's not a Chevy with the gear on the distributor shaft. Your Plymouth has the oil pump drive shaft connected to the distributor gear. That's why you can't turn it with a screwdriver. You can pull this out and check it, just remember how it goes as this is where you time the distributor. It will be difficult to pull out mostly because old oil gets baked on the shaft, goes back in much easier after you clean it.

https://www.manciniracing.com/mopeninmag.html (see for picture).

Do you still have the original distributor or did you trade it in? I would check to see that the shafts are the same length coming out of the bottom. The distributor shaft needs to engage in the slot, is the new distributor housing fully seating down on the block?

 

[Rustydustydoc]

It's not a Chevy with the gear on the distributor shaft. Your Plymouth has the oil pump drive shaft connected to the distributor gear. That's why you can't turn it with a screwdriver. You can pull this out and check it, just remember how it goes as this is where you time the distributor. It will be difficult to pull out mostly because old oil gets baked on the shaft, goes back in much easier after you clean it.

https://www.manciniracing.com/mopeninmag.html (see for picture).

Do you still have the original distributor or did you trade it in? I would check to see that the shafts are the same length coming out of the bottom. The distributor shaft needs to engage in the slot, is the new distributor housing fully seating down on the block?

I wish I could post the video I took, I believe theres a pin that connects the gear to the rod right? the video shows the gear spinning with the cam but no the rod. I figured if the pin was broke the rod should turn freely? or maybe im wrong. The distributors are the same length

 

[RussT Plymouths]

It wont turn that easy. You need to get it out and check it, and get a long hex to make sure you can turn the oil pump. Make sure the long hex is all one piece so it can't come apart down low. Mopar Performance sold oil pump priming shafts years ago, don't know if its still available, I use mine often. I've seen pics of shop made versions on this site that look good.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

If the gear is spining but not the internal rod you can get couple of fails at the same time.

First, oil pump stuck. That could make the gear got broken the pin what makes the gear locked to the rod to spin together.

The oil pump stuck could not be the reason, but just stress on the pin between gear and rod to get it broken. Is not common to happen, but the oil pump must be checked.

You didn't say if you have small block or big block. This is small block. Gear is the same but upsided down for big block.

I only have seen this happening once on a friends car in around 20 years I'm playing with Mopars, which are the pics I posted


To check if oil pump is stuck you could try to spin the rod with a screw driver and should move. Sure dragging due the oil into the pump, but still should spin.

 

[Rustydustydoc]

If the gear is spining but not the internal rod you can get couple of fails at the same time.

First, oil pump stuck. That could make the gear got broken the pin what makes the gear locked to the rod to spin together.

The oil pump stuck could not be the reason, but just stress on the pin between gear and rod to get it broken. Is not common to happen, but the oil pump must be checked.

You didn't say if you have small block or big block. This is small block. Gear is the same but upsided down for big block.

View attachment 946456 View attachment 946457


View attachment 946458

I only have seen this happening once on a friends car in around 20 years I'm playing with Mopars, which are the pics I posted


To check if oil pump is stuck you could try to spin the rod with a screw driver and should move. Sure dragging due the oil into the pump, but still should spin.

I cannot get the rod to turn at all. I've had the screw driver in it with a wrench on the screw driver and cannot turn it in anyway. She locked solid

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Oil pump got stuck, that broken the gear pin.

If BB, is easy, oil pump is outside the block just right at a side of the steering box

if SB, will need to drop the oil pan to reach it

 

[Rustydustydoc]

Can I do it with the motor still in the car?

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Both BB and SB, yes... however SB get the tipical tricks to remove the oil pan while engine is on car... Of course BB is WAAAAY easier. You can reach it from the front of the engine just like changing the oil filter because the oil filter is threated straight to the pump. 4 9/16" ( maybe 1/2" ? can't recall ) bolts keeps it attached to the block

 

[RussT Plymouths]

The original 318 in my '73 also locked up the oil pump, but didn't sheer the pin so also locked cam and crank. Oil pump was full of steel shavings. I found that the timing chain had been grinding on a steel plate.

 

[Rustydustydoc]

Well looks like ill be pulling the motor sometime in the future. I would really like to get a BB but not sure if i'll have the funds right now. There is a 383 for sale near me that is guaranteed to run for 850 OBO. My cousin has a 318 fresh short block with cam and all for 500. I could probably just pull this motor and see why it did what it did too.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

changing from SB to BB takes to change the transmission too. K member is also diff between SB and BB since 73 because the engine mounts location, but mount adapters are available at schumacher services ( engine-swaps.com ). There is a small diff on inner passenger side fender, but you can live with it too.

 

[Rustydustydoc]

Well looks like I'm staying with a 318 then lol. I just want to cruise!

 

[barbee6043]

Schumacher is NO MORE as far as I know. Rad, engine, K member, trans. etc. the list gets long

 

[YY1]

Makes a 5.9 Magnum swap much more appealing, especially when you consider a 245 NET HP stock 5.9 is the same power as a 73 400 and almost as much as the 73 440.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Schumacher is NO MORE as far as I know. Rad, engine, K member, trans. etc. the list gets long

Radiator is a change on any brand. Since he is a Chebbbbby guy ( LOL ) maybe he could still don't know about the difference on K member. In fact some Mopar guys doesn't know either this difference on 73 and lates.

I already told about transmission.

Wiring is obvious, same as exhaust system. I'm talking about the not so obvious. Also recomended bigger T bars, but not mandatory thought, not at least as a main part of the change

K member change is not needed anymore getting the mount "adaptors"... or actually mounts made for the conversion.

https://www.engine-swaps.com/Pages/ProductsYear/73UP.html