So I went to try and startup 73 318 dart and I think I pumped the gas a few too many times and flooded it because it won't start. It started up once, ran weirdly for about 10 seconds and died. Now it's backfiring through the carb after I try to start it, the car ran perfectly when I parked it a few days ago. Is it just flooded? And it's not catching at all, so I don't know what to do.
318 dart won't start!
- Thread starter DartVadar
- Start date
-
Pull a couple of plugs and see if they are wet/fouled.
If you flood the car, contrary to popular belief, it can be started.
Push the gas pedal all the way to the floor and hold it there. Crank the engine over until it starts, then let off the gas as it comes to life. With the gas pedal held to wide open throttle on the floor, it won't pump any more gas into it and also let some of the excess gas evaporate out of the carb.
If you have dirt stuck in your needle and seat, it will have a waterfall of gas coming out of the carb vent on top of the carb.
Are you getting good spark? Check for spark off of the coil and at the plugs. For spark at the coil, pull the coil wire and hold it just off of a good ground (like the intake manifold), have someone crank the engine from the key inside the car and look for spark jumping the gap from the coil wire to the ground. Then I recommend getting a spare spark plug and pulling a wire off any spark plug and installing it on the extra spark plug. Hold the bottom electrode against a good ground (again intake or exhaust manifold will work) and have the helper crank the engine from inside with the key and verify that you are getting a good spark.
If you pass the spark test, then the problem is in your fuel system. Try pouring a little bit of gas down the carburetor from a jar/cup with the throttle held wide open. keep the throttle held open and crank the engine over and see if it will start. This should get it to start.
Push the gas pedal all the way to the floor and hold it there. Crank the engine over until it starts, then let off the gas as it comes to life. With the gas pedal held to wide open throttle on the floor, it won't pump any more gas into it and also let some of the excess gas evaporate out of the carb.
If you have dirt stuck in your needle and seat, it will have a waterfall of gas coming out of the carb vent on top of the carb.
Are you getting good spark? Check for spark off of the coil and at the plugs. For spark at the coil, pull the coil wire and hold it just off of a good ground (like the intake manifold), have someone crank the engine from the key inside the car and look for spark jumping the gap from the coil wire to the ground. Then I recommend getting a spare spark plug and pulling a wire off any spark plug and installing it on the extra spark plug. Hold the bottom electrode against a good ground (again intake or exhaust manifold will work) and have the helper crank the engine from inside with the key and verify that you are getting a good spark.
If you pass the spark test, then the problem is in your fuel system. Try pouring a little bit of gas down the carburetor from a jar/cup with the throttle held wide open. keep the throttle held open and crank the engine over and see if it will start. This should get it to start.
I've pushed the pedal to the floor and tried to start it, it started for a few seconds and died, won't start again. I can't check for spark right now because I don't have a helper, but I assume it has spark because it did just start. And the needle and seat are clean, I'll try putting in some fuel into te carb, and see if that works. I don't want to burn out the starter by cranking it for so long either though.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
1--It is possible that you slipped the timing chain. A couple of quick checks are (refer to factory shop manual)
The closest manual (don't use the wiring diagrams for your '73) is this 72 manual thanks to AbodyJoe:
[ame="http://www.abodyjoe.com/pictures/Misc.%20car%20info/1972%20Plymouth%20Chassis%20Serv%20Man.pdf"]http://www.abodyjoe.com/pictures/Misc.%20car%20info/1972%20Plymouth%20Chassis%20Serv%20Man.pdf[/ame]
Page 9-34
A---estimate the cam timing by the shop manual method above
B--use a timing light while cranking with THE STARTER to see where timing is and whether it moved, assuming you have not changed it
C--You can also get some idea of timing chain condition by using a socket on the crank, watching the rotor, and see how far the crank moves back--forth without moving the rotor. This will give you an idea of chain slop
2--Even though you think you have spark, there may be some problem that is causing a WEAK spark. I like to check spark right at the coil tower with a grounded clip lead and probe / screwdriver. You need to crank the engine USING THE KEY as this changes the electrical setup. In a pinch, you can run a jumper to the coil + terminal You should get at least 3/8 and typically 1/2" nice blue hot spark
3--As stated above, it might be that the needle / seat are stuck or plugged with dirt, and the carb continues to flood. This can be determined by looking down the throat of the carb without pumping the throttle and cranking the engine. If you see a stream of fuel either out of a vent or the venturi boosters, you'sa got problems.
4--Is it possible that you have CONTAMINATED fuel? Maybe some "friend" put something in the tank, AKA water?
There is THREE basic things an engine needs to run
1--Compression, so run a compression test
2--Spark -- a good hot one, and at the right time
3--Fuel -- not too much, not too little, but frankly on a "clean fire" with good spark and plugs, I've test fired and ran engines for several seconds by squirting fuel right down either an open manifold or a carb with no fuel to the carb
Yep. Hooked a battery, my "emergency test ignition" to this and threw some gas down the carb, and you would be absolutely correct, there are no exhaust manifolds!!!
This is my emergency / test ignition.
Inside here is an HEI module, the coil. You hook up ground and battery, (breakerless) distributor and coil, and you have fire
The closest manual (don't use the wiring diagrams for your '73) is this 72 manual thanks to AbodyJoe:
[ame="http://www.abodyjoe.com/pictures/Misc.%20car%20info/1972%20Plymouth%20Chassis%20Serv%20Man.pdf"]http://www.abodyjoe.com/pictures/Misc.%20car%20info/1972%20Plymouth%20Chassis%20Serv%20Man.pdf[/ame]
Page 9-34
A---estimate the cam timing by the shop manual method above
B--use a timing light while cranking with THE STARTER to see where timing is and whether it moved, assuming you have not changed it
C--You can also get some idea of timing chain condition by using a socket on the crank, watching the rotor, and see how far the crank moves back--forth without moving the rotor. This will give you an idea of chain slop
2--Even though you think you have spark, there may be some problem that is causing a WEAK spark. I like to check spark right at the coil tower with a grounded clip lead and probe / screwdriver. You need to crank the engine USING THE KEY as this changes the electrical setup. In a pinch, you can run a jumper to the coil + terminal You should get at least 3/8 and typically 1/2" nice blue hot spark
3--As stated above, it might be that the needle / seat are stuck or plugged with dirt, and the carb continues to flood. This can be determined by looking down the throat of the carb without pumping the throttle and cranking the engine. If you see a stream of fuel either out of a vent or the venturi boosters, you'sa got problems.
4--Is it possible that you have CONTAMINATED fuel? Maybe some "friend" put something in the tank, AKA water?
There is THREE basic things an engine needs to run
1--Compression, so run a compression test
2--Spark -- a good hot one, and at the right time
3--Fuel -- not too much, not too little, but frankly on a "clean fire" with good spark and plugs, I've test fired and ran engines for several seconds by squirting fuel right down either an open manifold or a carb with no fuel to the carb
Yep. Hooked a battery, my "emergency test ignition" to this and threw some gas down the carb, and you would be absolutely correct, there are no exhaust manifolds!!!
This is my emergency / test ignition.
Inside here is an HEI module, the coil. You hook up ground and battery, (breakerless) distributor and coil, and you have fire
First we need to know if you have a full 12 volts to the coil during start and a full 12 volts to the ballast resistor during run. Low power into the ballast resistor equals lower power out. A weak spark can hardly burn away a flood condition. A good spark along with the throttle held open will eventually lean out the cylinders ( the idle speed will slowly catch up to the wide open throttle ).
If you have stock 2 brl and electric choke assist, there will be a white ceramic rectangle shaped thingy attached at one of the coils mounting bolts. That is one of the items that can rob power. I suggest you disconnect it.
If you have stock 2 brl and electric choke assist, there will be a white ceramic rectangle shaped thingy attached at one of the coils mounting bolts. That is one of the items that can rob power. I suggest you disconnect it.
Well I got the car started, I just wiggled some wires, and checked for spark, got a nice shock so I'm gunna say the spark is just fine! I put the plug back in and it started up, lotsa black smoke came out and then it ran fine. Thanks for the help, hopefully this doesn't happen again!
-
