74 dart 318 questions

[ColeTrickle74]

Hello, first time poster here. 8) I have a recently rebuilt 318, thats all stock besides the cam, exhaust, carb, and air cleaner. I bought the car with the cam already in it, so I'm not sure what I have exactly. I took apart the whole front of the motor hoping a number was stamped on the end of the cam, but no luck. The carb is a AFB carter 4 barrel, I think 600cfm, part no is: 9605s. It idles alright once its warm, It sounds real good but I can smell the gas. Is this normal for having a big cam? Or is the carb to big or maybe needs smaller jets? Also, what exhaust manifold should I go with the 4 barrel 600cfm? Any help would be great, because I don't really know what I'm doing yet.

 

[BblockAbody]

We really need more of a discription of what the engine is doing. Such as
does the engine lope or load up when its cold? Is the choke opening fully? My gut reaction is that you may have an internal leak in the carb maybe idle circuit dribbling. :dontknow:

 

[ColeTrickle74]

It hasn't seen cold yet, I just got it maybe a month ago, and its mid July. It runs perfectly fine, but I can smell gas once in awhile when I'm starting it up. I don't know how to check if the choke is opening fully either, sorry

 

[BblockAbody]

When I said cold, I mean the engine temperature not the weather. 8) If the car is running fine otherwise then I would guess you have a fuel leak somewhere. To check the choke take the air cleaner off and look at the top of the carb there should be a plate on top that blocks some of the airflow into the carb when the engine is cold. An automatic choke, if it is working properly, should rotate and stand on its end this would fully open the top of the carb as the engine temperature comes up. Of course a manual choke should do the same when you push the knob in. while you got the air cleaner off look for fuel leaks around the carb, mainly the fuel inlet and the top of the accelerator pump. Check your fuel pump and fuel lines too I've seen em leak when the engine is cold and stop or slow way down as things warm up. Hope this helps.

 

[ColeTrickle74]

Hah! Alright, sorry about that, I just got home so I'll check it out when it cools down a little. I'll post what I find out. Thanks for helping me out :cheers:

 

[ColeTrickle74]

I couldn't figure the choke out, but theres no fuel anywhere from what I can see.

 

[BblockAbody]

Hrmmm.... When exactly is it that you can smell the gas fumes? Cold engine at Idle?, Warm engine at Idle? After you shut it down?. I'll be heading out to my local race track today, so I will not be around this weekend. But i'll check the forums Monday. Talk to ya then.

 

[66dartgt]

My guess is you are smelling gas after the engine is hot, it sits, and then you want to restart it ? Let us know what your conditions are.

A couple of ideas:

If that's the case - do you have a carb bowl vent hooked up to the charcoal canister (a 74 should have one located under the hood on the front passenger side core support) These trap the fumes from the tank and the carb when the engine and or the ambient temperature is high. If they aren't hooked up then the fumes will collect under the hood and you can then smell gas.

The other thing that might be happening is some fuel percolation, under the same conditions, engine hot restart, the fuel literally boils in the carb and vaporizes causing the stink. If you arent running a carb insulator (1/4" thick composite gasket) - that might help.

 

[ColeTrickle74]

The car sat in my garage for about a week. I was starting it everyday and once in awhile I would smell some fumes. I haven't smelled any for the past week as I've been driving it to work everyday. It runs fine, it has a little oil leak, which looks to be coming from the passenger side valve cover and it over heats randomly, but thats about it.:dontknow:

On another note, I just bought new marker lenses for the quarters and fenders. I have those fasteners you screw onto the plastic stubs on the backs of the lenses. I'm missing two, anyone know what those would be called? The studs don't have any threads, these kinda make a grove into them once you snug them down.