318 Poly idling question

Not to diss ya....but and I use the term but loosely......adjust the valves before trying any weird science.......just makes good sense to start at the bottom and work your way to the top,with todays gas,yesterdays valve seats....dont ya think for a second that you should start with a simple valve adjustment?....actually do all that science stuff first.......ya still gotta adjust the valves and in reality....why do anything until the valve lash is set?????? I rest my case :stop:
P.S. sinking valves is common on older engines due to lack of lead in fuel,when a valve sinks...it makes the lash to tight which holds the valve open which causes the symptoms he described.I hate to be a jerk but the ignition system on a car that old is pretty much tried and true with 45 or so years of experience to its credit, the fact that it runs at all atests to its reliability and the fact that when it gets hot it don't run pretty much paints the picture that the valves need to be adjusted.......I could be wrong ya know......won't be the first time but (theres that word but again) still need the valves adjusted no matter what anyone says.............Wagg's
You sure? I'm not. On pre-1970 (California) Pre-1971 (Federal/Canada) Mopar passenger cars, there's no vented fuel cap; they have fuel tank vents. I think, but am not certain, that the same is true for Mopar trucks.



Nope. Coils can be failing, not just "good" or "dead". If one winding shorts to one adjacent winding, coil output drops a little. If two windings short to two adjacent windings, coil output drops a little more. If three windings...



Maybe. Could also be other factors. A failing coil is possible but I would say but not too likely in this case. Easy diagnostic is to get a hair dryer or incandescent droplight and use it to heat up the coil with the engine cold, before trying to start it. Once the coil's about as warm as it gets from 5 minutes of engine operation, try and start the truck. If no go, replace the coil.

Fuel supply problems within or outside the carburetor are more likely. Sounds to me as if there's trash in the fuel tank and/or in the fuel filter. Engine starts from cold, fuel flow pulls trash against screen on end of fuel pickup pipe in tank and/or against walls of fuel filter element. Eventually enough trash builds up to block flow. Engine stalls and won't restart. Fuel flow stops, trash is no longer forced against screen/element by flow, drifts away from screen/element. Engine will start again. Lather, rinse, repeat. Next time the engine stalls and won't restart, try filling up the carburetor bowl by spraying carb cleaner in through the angled bowl vent tube that protrudes into the carburetor throat. Give it a good long spray; you want the bowl up to its normal fuel level -- might take 30 seconds or more depending on what carburetor is installed. Then go hit the key. If the engine will start, you've got a fuel supply problem.