318 issues

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SirDan

SirDan

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So heres the deal. My engine starts and runs but with the timing set to factory specs it will just backfire out the carb once you hit on the gas. if you adjust the timing by "feel" the car does good down low but then starts pining and loses power higher up in the rpm range.

the engine:
73 318 stock, estimated at least 140 thousand on it
Carburator has been rebuilt
new plugs cap and rotor
new timing chain

I thought it was the timing chain so i changed that and it changed nothing. Im really pissed i wasted my weekend. any help would be GREATLY appreciated.
 
What do your plugs look like when running it at stock timing? You may have carb issues. Is the cam and top end in good shape? Also is this happening while driving or in park?
 
Just pulled the plugs. 3456 plugs looked fine. 1278 plugs were allitle black. i compression tested the motor and the lowest it had was 110 and the highest it had was 130. pulled the valve covers and nothing is a miss there. cranked her over and the cam seemed like it was still in good working order.

around the factory timing settings in park it just pops out the carb as you rev it. throw it in gear it does it worse.
 
it does sound like a timing chain.... "estimated at least 140,000" could be more miles than that, not an uncommon issue with that many miles...

DOH, read the end of the original post... sorry, did not see you just installed the timing chain.
 
Firing order, vacuum leak(s), if you're still running with points, dwell the distubutor under a slight acceleration and see what it throws the reading to. Sometimes we overlook the obvious... Has happened to me and others that won't admit to it...LOL
 
Did you double check the firing order. It is real easy to get the 5 and 7 wires crossed.
 
70aarcuda said:
is the carb acelerator pump squirting gas as soon as it is moved????
Click to expand...

Exactly what I was thinking. No gas squirting out during that intail opening will cause a lean condition and a major or total shot missing will cause a stall.
 
firing order or a cap with carbon tracking possibly condensation.
 
Your distributer is possibly 180 out.
A engine with the distributer 180 out will run and start,but will do everthing you described.
If it ran fine before and you never pulled the distributer out then it's not the distributer.
Check to make sure the firing order is going the right way and also in the corect order.
 
just popped into my head.... you replaced the timing chain, my buds ramcharger was off a tooth and it popped and missed out the carb. possibly off a tooth on the chain...
 
rumblefish360 said:
Exactly what I was thinking. No gas squirting out during that intail opening will cause a lean condition and a major or total shot missing will cause a stall.
Click to expand...

yes but that would only be for a few seconds wouldent it? with my condition its not like i can hold on the gas for a minute and it will crap out then run it just pops and pops and pops out the carb.

also before i did the timing chain i tried the distributer 180 out (dident run) then i tried it a tooth off and i dont belive it ran a tooth off. cant recall. for ***** and giggles ill check to make sure its where it needs to be.

Rumblefish dident you have a few ballast resistors go? i think i might have read a post saying that somewhere. if you did what happened? im starting to think that its something with the coil or ballast resistor or the other components that controll the spark on the firewall. dunno where else to look. how can i check the accelorator pump? it looked to be in working order when i rebuilt the carburator but its worth checking.

you know im starting to think this car is cursed. first the brakes wont work right after every component being replaced, now i cant sort this issue out.:thumbdow:
 
points or electronic distributor?

Had a points distributor years ago that had a worn bushing. The side to side play of the rotor caused the point gap to be inconsistent, ran like crap under load, especially in the top end.

Pop the cap and wiggle the shaft to see if there is any side to side play.
 
Go out at night in the dark, and run it. while looking under the hood, you will be able to see any arching between wires and from the cap. A light water mist will help.

If you are really brave, wet your hand and feel around the cap & wires. If there is arching, you will definately find it this way. (probably break your elbow when you pull your arm away and hit the underside of the hood)
 
SirDan said:
its electronic. cap and rotor are brand spankin new also.
Click to expand...
I had a dist pickup mess up like that on me before. and that was even a Lean Burn which didn't pivot/advance.(advance was in the "computer") Could have a wire making/breaking in there. especially since yours will have both mech and vacuum advancee.
 
im assuming the distributer pickup is in the distributer? i swapped the distributer for one that was a known running one 20 years ago. it was kept inside for 20 years btw.
 
It's possible that your timing advance is not working in your distributor. If it is jammed and not properly advancing the timing with higher engine speed, it can do strange things. Pull the cap and make sure the weights are free and the shaft will rotate to advance.
 
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