Issues with 74 Dart

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cuda_conv

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Springfield, MO
I bought this 225 /6 car in July and have worked out most of the issues except I have two major issues that I can't seem to get fixed. This is my first /6 car and I have never had these kind of issues on any v8.

1. Will not idle correctly. I have the idle set for 1.5k to 1.8k just to keep is from dying when I put it in gear. Most of the time it still dies. Timing is TDC. Rebuilt the 1945 carb.

2. It will not start in the start position but only when you move back to run. I have replaced everything that might be causing the problem.
I have checked the wiring and everything seems correct. I have the proper voltage on the coil (+10.8 min) in start. I get coil spark when turning over the engine.

I have changed the following.
New distributor (old one was really sloppy).
New ignition switch
New ballast resistor
New ECU.
Complete tune up. (Cap/Rotor/plugs/wires)

Thank you in advance.
 
First of all, welcome to the groug. Now, just from what I have found on my ride. It not wanting to idle. Sounds like a vacumm leak. The starting issue. I have foind on both my old Dodge vehicles that the ballast was the problem. May have cracked when installing, but even the new ones may not work. Try changing it again.

Good lucj and again, welcome..
 
my first thought also is vacuum, intake esp or your rebuilt carb, get it running and spray some localized areas w ballastol and see if idle drops when u go around intake and carburetor.
still sounds like your ignition switch is bad also, did it do it w your old one?
 
Dying when shifting from P or N into R or D is usually symptomatic of a lean idle, as is having to rev the engine. My 69 Dart slant was like that for years until I finally got a good rebuilt Holley 1920 carb (~4th I tried). It also liked excessive advance at idle.

I don't quite understand the "only when you move back to run". That can happen if you aren't getting IGN2 powered while cranking, which happened to me when I wired only IGN1 to my new electronic ignition. It would fire as I released the key (IGN1 gets power only in "run" I found). However, you say you verified that you do get spark while cranking. Perhaps it is a weaker spark when cranking. Is is possible it is mis-wired so that the ballast is active in "start" and bypassed in "run"? I hope the problem isn't in your key switch since those are a pain to change in a 1974.
 
57dodged100 said:
1974 was the only year for the seat belt interlock which might explain your start problem. Have you checked that? See link below.

http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17482
Click to expand...

This is not a cure all, but is not likely the OP's problem. When the seat belt system fails, the car simply will not crank.

The BEST way to bypass the thing is to find the reset box under the hood, and cut the two yellowish wires going to it and splice them together, here:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=1969624169

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=14304

So far as the OP's starting problem, since he's replaced the ballast, it MIGHT be a bad connection either at the ignition switch or in the bulkhead connector.

There's a separate contact in your ignition switch which is the ONLY source of ignition power in "start." This wire comes off that contact (Mopar calls it IGN2) goes through the bulkhead connector, and to the coil + side of the ballast resistor

So far as idle, this could very well be a vacuum lean, or carburetor problems. However, TDC IS NO PLACE to set timing. I'd bump the timing up AT LEAST to 5--8* BTC
 
Starting problem:
I am getting the added voltage on Ign2 in start to the + coil. So switch/wiring/ballast should be good.
When I changed the ignition switch it was working the same way (No change).
I have tied the two yellow wires together on the Interlock relay. (No change).
I changed the Ballast resistor for a third time with no change)
Could a bad pick up coil in the distributor cause this problem?

Idle problem:
The idle mixture screw adjustment works like this:
One direction (Rich) does not increase idle.
The other direction will cause idle to decrease and die is not careful.

Thanks for the suggestions.
 
cuda_conv said:
Could a bad pick up coil in the distributor cause this problem?.
Click to expand...

Yes. Do a general inspection of ignition.

Remove ECU clean the mounting flange and firewall and install with star lock washers. Same for regulator. Both MUST be grounded

Remove the ECU connector, the ballast connectors, and the dist connector, and inspect for damage/ corrosion. "Work" them in/ out several times to scrub clean and remove oxidation, and feel for tightness of fit.

Check the reluctor/ pickup or strike damage, rust and debri. Set the pickup gap with a brass feeler to .008" (inches not metric) You could buy brass feeler at O' Really

Check dist. for shaft play.

Get yourself a spark gap type spark tester so next time it fails you can jump out and check right there

cuda_conv said:
idle problem:
The idle mixture screw adjustment works like this:
One direction (Rich) does not increase idle.
The other direction will cause idle to decrease and die is not careful.
Click to expand...

This could be somewhat normal on some carbs.........newer smog carbs especially don't have much idle mixture range. But it ALSO could be, if you can't get a good idle, that the idle circuits in the carb are partially plugged, or that you have a vacuum leak somewhere.
 
The car finally got so bad that I couldn't get it started at all and it set at my work for 3 days. I finally decided that the problem had to be with the new distributor that I put on in Sept. The pickup coil resistance was only 230 ohms.

I replaced the distributor with a warranty replacement. This pickup coil resistance was 444 ohms. Low and behold the engine was really racing. I had to reset the idle WAY down from where it was running.

So I have fixed the idle problem with a new distributor.

I still can't get it to start correctly.

Thanks for the advice.

Ron
 
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