1965 Dodge Dart GT Restoration

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DazedGoose

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Hey.

I recently purchased a 1965 Dodge Dart GT Slant 6. It's my first car I have ever bought. It had been sitting for while before I bought it and definitely needs a tune up. I'm just looking for some tips on the engine & what to look out for or what to replace first.

Thanks.
 
look for dirty fuel (as i have), may need to replace fuel filter and or tank
buy a service manual on ebay, it will tell you what maintance to do and how, just read from beginning...
 
Please ad a picture of your car. What's the plan for it? Anyway good luck with your project. Let us know if you need any help with it.
 
I would NOT use a Haynes unless a Factory Service Manual FSM is NOT available. The FSM contains a wealth of Correct knowledge on your car.
Frank
 
So I tuned her up & everything. I recently changed the distributor cap, rotor, & spark plug wires. Now she won't start. :/
I've been troubleshooting for a week & still can't get her to turn over. I've also replaced the ignition coil, ballast resistor, battery & battery cables.
 
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The right fender is from another year/model but I have the chrome sitting in my garage. I have some big plans for this car after I get back from BCT. XD
 
So I tuned her up & everything. I recently changed the distributor cap, rotor, & spark plug wires. Now she won't start. :/
I've been troubleshooting for a week & still can't get her to turn over. I've also replaced the ignition coil, ballast resistor, battery & battery cables.


oh no! sucks, only advice i can give is maybe try and replace the old piece one by one and see if you can get her to work again. trace where its failing... are you getting sparks? (i'm not car smart so, i may be all wrong/ hopeful someone will correct me if so and then i'll learn...)


Is it best to change those pieces one by one, checking that it works after each change?

anyway, good luck
 
Oh, so you're the one that bought that car. It was on our local Craig's list for a while. Welcome to FABO! Some of my parts may be on that car! Did you change the points and condenser? That's usually a trouble area and likely no-start candidate. You say it won't crank...as in, the engine doesn't turn over by the starter? Or, it turns over but won't fire?
 
Thanks for the tips & the welcome. XD
I was going to change the points when I changed the cap & rotor but there were no points & it doesn't look like an electronic distributor.?
The engine cranks but it won't start.
 
Good thing it turns over. If it turns over but fails to start, the problem is either ignition or fuel.

Pull a spark plug from the engine, reconnect head into boot. Take a jumper wire and connect to block and tip of spark plug. While a helper tries to start the car, see if any spark is jumping from the electrode to the tip. If you see a spark, the ignition is working. No spark, there's an ignition problem.

If you're getting spark, but still no start, try removing the air filter housing and spray starting fluid (WD-40 works, too) into the throat of the carburetor while a helper tries to start the car. If the car tries to start, then the problem is probably fuel delivery. Do not put any part of your body over the throat of the carburetor while your helper is trying to start the car. The possiblilty of a backfire exists. I learned through a painful experience, don't repeat my mistake.

Once you get the car running, bring it up to operating temperature then shut it down. Change the fluids and filters, especially if you don't know anything about the history of the car.

FSM and Parts Manual are available on CD, usually as Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) files. They are good investments. I like Haynes manuals photo illustrations. However, the have critical facts wrong. Not all of them, but enough that I'm leery of relying solely on them. Haynes, for instance, perpetrate the myth that A-body UBJs are press fit, when they are, in fact, screwed in.

Good luck with your Dart. Keep a journal in the Member Restoration pages if you like.
 
Sweet. I will test the fuel delivery first. The previous owner said the fuel sending unit had a leak so I had a feeling that could be the source of the problem.
& I purchased a CD version of the service manual on eBay & have already put it to good use when changing the brakes.
Thanks for the tips & I will update in the morning.
 
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