1973 Dodge Dart Sport won’t run right or stay running

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1973Kathleen

1973Kathleen

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Hello, I have a 1973 Dodge Dart Sport with the 318 and 904. I was driving down the road a few weeks ago and my axle bearings went out. After I replaced those I went to test the car out. The car wouldn’t stay running. You’d drive down the road and it would just die and when you try and give it gas it would sputter. I replaced plug wires, coils, check the spark plugs they are good, The Ballast Resistor though is really hot on the bottom but warm on the top. It’s weird because I just replaced that what could be wrong with the car?
 
You replaced everything that was good. Problems like this you have to eliminate step by step. Check spark when it dies. Check to see if there is gas in the carburetor. Could be a clogged fuel filter or a weak fuel pump. Have you had car long or just got it? Do you have a clear fuel filter? If not put one on to eliminate fuel problems which is what it sounds like. Filter should be at least half full and you can tell if there is S---t in the tank and clogging things up. Good luck and let us know what the demon was your problem.
 
Check the points gap. With miles accumulated, the rubbing block wears to the point [ pardon the pun...] where the points do not open.
 
Bewy said:
Check the points gap. With miles accumulated, the rubbing block wears to the point [ pardon the pun...] where the points do not open.
Click to expand...
Points? On a 73 model? My vote is a fuel issue.
 
if it starts and runs, but doesn't run right it's likely fuel related.

i had a fuel pump just give up the ghost while sitting a few weeks while repairing a head. car otherwise drive fine and dandy before the repair. got everything buttoned up and she wouldn't stay running, checked the carb and it was bone dry.

also had one recently that the fuel pump was playing up on. was working well enough to start and idle, drive at reasonable street speeds; but as soon as you leaned on it or got a sustained run of more than 50mph she'd just lay right down.

considering you've seemingly gone thru the ignition part of it, i'd focus on fuel and fuel delivery.
 
What ignition ECU? I had an Orange box that would would overheat while driving and would just kill the motor. Roll a few feet and you could start the car again and drive on. Those ECO cases need grounded too, a lot of people miss that.

I've read where the tank not venting can cause a similar problem. When it dies, pull over and pop the cap. If it difficult to remove or makes a vacuum suck sound then you know its not venting.
 
It seems to be getting fuel my filter is always 90% full. I’m not sure if that’s good judging that the one guy said only half. I recently replaced the fuel system except the fuel lines back in early 2023. It ran perfectly until I put a four barrel on it and it was starving for gas which was caused by a kinked rubber line at my gas tank. I have the orange four prong replacement ignition module and it doesn’t seem to be overheated
 
So after putting on 4 barrel carb problem showed up. What carb? was it new or laying around for several years? I said fuel filter should at least be half full and that way you know you have fuel to the carb. So it sounds more like a carb problem now.
 
Wild idea I'll throw out. You didn't somehow smash the fuel line when jacking up to fix the axle bearings? I could see where a restricted line could show good filter filling when stationary but starve under load.
 
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