Sick 72 Satellite

[azmopar4262]

I bought a 72 satellite with a 318 about three years ago. Interior restored. All wiring restored. New battery, alternator, plugs, wires and the old points distributor changed to a new electronic one. The previous owner put a 4 barrel manifold and carb on it. It has always spit out black smoke and has no power. We obtained a 2 barrel manifold and 2 barrel carb from a savage yard. Manifold was cleaned and carb rebuilt.

The car still runs like crap. Black smoke and back firing. A friend tried to tune it and set timing, but still it isnt running right. Manual says the distributor has to point to cylinder one at top dead center, but it doesnt.

The distributor shaft does not fit into the gear inside the engine to allow the distrubutor to point to cylinder one. We cant turn the gear.

Can the gear be turned?

Has anyone else run into this with their 318?

Did someone monkey with the gear or camshaft?

Any help would be apprecitated.

Thanks John

 

[Photon440]

I'm not sure what you mean. The gear should turn when you rotate the engine by hand. When your friend set the timing do you know where it was set?

Black smoke means rich, so either the choke is not opening, the float has sunk, the power valve is stuck open or someone put in the wrong jets (not likely with a 2bbl).

It could also mean an air filter that's so dirty that it's acting like a choke. Is the black smoke at all rpms?

 

[69Bee]

This is what I do when I build Mopars. Put a long flat tip screwdriver into the slot in the top of the gear, and turn it CCW while slightly lifting it. Since the smallblock rotor turns the opposite way, you might have to turn the screwdriver CW.

The gear will walk out of the cam, and you can keep turning it until you point relatively close to the #1 cylinder. Accuracy isn't completely important as it is to make sure that the number one wire is close to the rotor so timing can be adjusted.

 

[azmopar4262]

Thanks. The gear rotates when the engine is turned by hand, but at top dead center on cylinde number one, The slot on the gear is out of position. Not in position so number one wire on distributor points toward number one cylinder.

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Thanks 69bee. How far will the gear come away from cam? How far should I let it or not let it walk out of the cam?

 

[69Bee]

Thanks. The gear rotates when the engine is turned by hand, but at top dead center on cylinde number one, The slot on the gear is out of position. Not in position so number one wire on distributor points toward number one cylinder.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks 69bee. How far will the gear come away from cam? How far should I let it or not let it walk out of the cam?

You want it walk completely out of the cam (about 3/4 of an inch) so that you can turn it. The shaft will not disengage from the oil pump, so don't worry about that. The slot should approximately point at cylinder #1. Then drop in the distributor with rotor facing number 1 plug wire, and set timing.

 

[dsd1967]

69bee is correct....but to check position you will have to walk it back down to the home position. When turning it, you will feel it wanting to raise. If you are close, take it one tooth at a time, rotate it back down to the home position and then check alignment. The slot lines up with the rotor, so if the slot on the drive gear is pointing at the number one cylinder, the rotor will also point at the number one cylinder. Make sure your timing mark is on top dead center when you do this. It doesn't matter if you are actually on the number one cylinder power stroke because the alignment will be the same once the crank rotates completely around. If the car doesn't fire right away, then you pull the distributor, rotate the rotor 180 degrees and put it back in. Of course if you can confirm that you are on the power stroke initially (plug ready to fire) that would be better.

 

[daredevil]

IIRC the slot should point at the front drivers intake bolt.