So here is the deal, maybe you all can help. I have spent 3 days pissing in the wind trying to get this thing to run. I have a 1972 dart. I just purchased a rebuilt 318, as mine was junk. engine was 90% redone. new rings, bearings, 100% head job, new oil pump.ect, ect . got the engine in the car a few days ago. tried to start. no go. engine turns over (all be it very hard.) I have the electronic ignition, and I have spark, but the distributor buzzes. I pulled #1 plug (front drivers side) and set to tdc compression stroke. checked rotor and was in the correct position. while doing this I put the cap back on, and the dist. started buzzing. the #1 plug was arching a constant arch about 1.5 inches to the exhaust manifold. like a welder. so I figured it was bad. removed the dist, and installed an old points type. no more buzzing, and I had spark. checked and I have fuel. still no go. still engine is turning very hard, like it is out of time or something. I have been through 3 dist, 2 carbs, new cap, wires, ect. I now have the electronic dist back in, and still have the buzzing. and will still weld if I want to. so I go back out, after searching this site, and triple check the timing and fuel, and I hear something new. like a hissing noise from the passenger side head, while the engine is turning over. I remove the valve cover to make sure all the rockers are moving and they are, but the noise is louder now. cant tell if it is from the intake (holley street dominator) or the head. it sounds like the cyl are bleeding off compression as it the exhaust valves are not opening (thought this could explain the hard to turn over part.) but the rockers, pushrods, and valves are moving. can anyone help me figure this mess out...starting to wish I still was building my chebby.:spiderma: also what would cause the welding distributor? the hissing noise? Hard to turn over? and most of all why wont this thing start. thanks all
another no start issue!!!! (more than a little frustrated)
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BJR Racing
Well-Known Member
Sounds like the engine is too tight, if it's that hard to turn over.
Does the distributor send spark to the plugs when the engine is rotated? Or does it just buzz reguardless of where or what the position is rotor is in?
Have you check the air gap at the pickup? Is it hitting?
The bleed off of compression is normal. The ign. control box may be bad, just a thought.
Does the distributor send spark to the plugs when the engine is rotated? Or does it just buzz reguardless of where or what the position is rotor is in?
Have you check the air gap at the pickup? Is it hitting?
The bleed off of compression is normal. The ign. control box may be bad, just a thought.
dgc333
Well-Known Member
constant spark is an indication of a bad control module.
I would stick with your points distributor until you get the engine no start sorted out.
I can't recall which direction the rotor turns but rotate the distributor about 10 degrees in the opposite direction the rotor turns. This will advance the timing and should make the engine start easier.
if the engine was rebuilt you will aslo have to consider that the timing chain was not installed correctly and the cam timing is off by a tooth or two.
I would stick with your points distributor until you get the engine no start sorted out.
I can't recall which direction the rotor turns but rotate the distributor about 10 degrees in the opposite direction the rotor turns. This will advance the timing and should make the engine start easier.
if the engine was rebuilt you will aslo have to consider that the timing chain was not installed correctly and the cam timing is off by a tooth or two.
ramcharger
Dismember
Since you're a chevy guy, I'm thinkin' you're 180 degrees off. Ford and Chevy smallblocks have the cam and crank dots at 6 and 12 O' clock at tdc on the compression stroke of the # 1 cyl. Not so with the small block mopar. #1 cyl will be on the compression stroke when both dots are at 12 o'clock. Just put your point style distributor in for now (one problem at a time), Make sure #1 is on the compression stroke at TDC, drop in your oil pump drive gear and make sure the rotor is pointing to the # 1 spark plug wire terminal (or a little before).
Not sure what the arc welder ignition thing as all about. If you find out, let me know. I want to hook up an ignition to my garage doorknobs to keep the rif-raf out. :smile:
Not sure what the arc welder ignition thing as all about. If you find out, let me know. I want to hook up an ignition to my garage doorknobs to keep the rif-raf out. :smile:
Ok well we got it running finally. I changed to a new points distrubutor. new coil, a larger battery. dropped a bit of oil in each cyl. and off it went. I found that I need a much smaller carb. I have an 850 eldebrock. guess it is to much. here is a new question. I did not have a know good oil pressure sending unit here, so I pulled the old manual guage out of the chevy Nova, and installed in the dodge. I fired it up, and at idle it shows now oil pressure. as I rev it up it goes to 30ish warm at about 2000. this is exactly what the guage was doing in the chevy...the 400 chevy is a brand new motor all the way around, nothing left in it stock. fired it up the first time and had the same reading. I have not run it since as I bought this dodge and have not looked at the nova in months. now I install the guage in the Dart and the guage is doing the same thing. I was kinda pissed so I just let the Dart idle for about 1.5 hours. no heat, no noise, everything looks good. the guage was a cheap thing from napa. how long can an engine run with no oil pressure? I would have thought something would have gave up by now. reved it up a bunch, still no noise. Man this car is kicking my arse. then again if the guage is bad, that will make me happy with the other engine. cant believe that 2 engines, 1 built by me and 1 by a prefessional, would read the same on the guage. BTW oil level is good. there is no iron in the oil, but we both used white assembly grease in the engine. I am running 10w-30 oil in both, but am going to run Mobil Delvac 15w40 as soon as it is time to change the oil. BTW thanks all for the help, that thing really sounds good even with the stock single exhaust.
ramcharger
Dismember
If you're reunning hydraulic lifters and you don't hear 'em clacking to death at idle, you must have oil pressure. I'd borrow/buy a professional quality oil pressure tester/gauge before I ran it anymore though...
dustertogo
Well-Known Member
As ramcharger said, you would have known by now if you actually had 0 oil pressure. If the gauge was reading the same way in the Nova, then I think it would be safe to say that the gauge is bad. Spend a few $$ on a quality gauge and then see what you have.
going to order one from summit right now. pulled one of the valve covers off to find that I have oil comming from the rockers. think I need pressure for that. running baldwin filters on both cars. are these ok filters. will have a pic of the engine bay as soon as I clean it up (painted engine bay white, not so good now) thank you all
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