Help!!!!

[BROUGHAM]

I need some help guys.

I have a '73 charger. I cant get it to run worth a crap. Idles poorly, kinda like a cold engine. It accelerates (revs up good) but will not hold a steady RPM. It pops and cracks out the exhaust. Sounds like a vacuum leak right? Cant find it. New intake, thermoquad, cap ,rotor, distributor,ballast,plugs,wires. Thinking of trying a points type distributor to eliminate any electronic issues.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

 

[69 Runner]

Yep. Does sound like a vacuum leak. IF the heads have been milled before, or if the block has been decked, there is a possibility the intake isn't sealing to the heads across the bottom.

If it's a used intake IT may have been cut at some point. I have run in to that before. Didn't contact the heads across the bottom.

 

[Pistol Pete]

Power brakes perhaps ?

 

[BROUGHAM]

Thanks Guys, I'll check on those things!

 

[Meep-Meep]

Try disconnecting your vacuum advance. It's possible you are getting way too much at cruise RPM. If that solves it then get an adjustable one or limit the one you have by putting a stop screw in the arm or something. Check the manual for the advance settings. I'm guessing 40 deg or so with vac at 2200 RPM. Total W/O vac should still be around 36-38.

I suppose another possibility could be a voltage issue to the coil brought on by a bad connection in the primary circuit or a bad box. Good idea to use the points type to cross check.

 

[BROUGHAM]

I have put another box on it no change. un hooked the vacuum advance and it doesnt make a diference. I have put a differnet coil on it. I have not tried a points dist. yet. Also the brake booster is not leaking and the intake is fitting good. I took out the no.1 plug and brought the piston to TDC compression. I put a scribe in the hole so I could feel the piston stop moving. i then looked at the ballancer and the timing marks. I would think is should be on ZERO no matter what. It is not, it is way past probably 15 degrees or so after according to the pointer. This doenst make much since to me but I think I am on to something. I havent torn into it yet.

 

[69 Runner]

Assuming #1 is at TDC and the timing mark is at something other than 15* there one of two things going on. One, the outer ring on the balancer has shifted (which can happen with old balancers) so whatever you THINK you have your timing set at is completely wrong OR the cam has been retimed by using an offset crank key (instead of using the buttons for the cam) and THAT has thrown the balancer off....which still means whatever you think you have your timing set at is wrong.

Try resetting your timing to 15* LESS than you have it and see what happens

 

[BROUGHAM]

Thanks!
Hopefully I'll have some time to check it out some more this weekend. The car was kind of a basket case. The trans and gas tank were in the trunk, zero hardware so it has been kinda like a puzzle. Rebuilt trans with parts from mancini and A&A. Flushed the lines and sealed and intalled the tank. Removed the bigs and littles aluminum slots and installed some police wheels with ralley centers and new tires. I dont think this thing has been on the road for about 20 years. I'm dying to have something to cruise in.

Thanks for the input guys.

 

[Meep-Meep]

Kind of going off 69's reply here.....you can static time it and get real close. Do what you did by finding TDC compression for #1 and adjust the distributor until the points just open (or the reluctor just passes the mag pickup). You need to be fairly accurate in finding TDC so have someone hold and watch the scribe while you rock the crank back and forth.

I doubt you can get 15 deg error from offset keys so more likely the outer ring shifted or you were not right at TDC the first time.

 

[BROUGHAM]

Hey guys, tried all suggestions to no avail. pulled the front of the motor appart. Timing chain was fine. Think the ring on the ballance must have slipped. Pulled the cam out and found one very slight flat spot on it. Also I believe I found the problem for the popping. All of the valve springs seem exrememly loose. you can turn the springs along with the locks and retainers. I ordered a new cam and headers and having the heads checked out. Hopefully I'll get to drive it soon.

 

[69 Runner]

Yeah. If you can rotate your valve springs then you might have been floating them. And that's not such a good thing:no:

 

[ram250098]

I gotta tell ya I had a crfappy weekend which my help you out here. I headed out to a show early Sat morn and all was fine until about 45 mins in the car started to backfire and sputter. I started heading home and it got worse. It got to the point where it wouldn't move. The car started and idled fine but when gas was applied it would bog out. I figured fuel problem. I changed the filter the day before so that was not it. I checked the mech fuel pump and found some gas leaking from the top of it. Everything pointed to fuel problem. After awhile it wouldn't start unless I pumped it many times then bogged again. I found a new fuel pump and installed on the side of the road and all seemed fine until I hit the gas again. Figured dirt in the carb. After many hours of trying I smelled a faint hint of hot wires. I giggled the harness under the dash all she fired right up and ran great.
The problem was where the fuse block attaches to the firewall connector had over time pinched an ignition wire and was not getting the constant voltage needed to run the car.
So even when you think your 100% sure of the problem...guess what..you could still be wrong LOL
AL

 

[BROUGHAM]

I'll keep that in mind. Thanks. I changed the valve springs this weekend. found three different lengths of springs installed. We will see how it does when I get it back together. Has anyone put headers on a B-body. have you had to move the shifter linkage up out of the way?