Starting issue...

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Cope said:
Grab the distributor and twist it, is it loose at all?

Is the cap loose?

Is the rotor burnt? Is the cap new? Even new ones can be crap. The distance between the terminals and rotor is off on some.

The reluctor can be rusty?


If so , turn it till it pops out the carb and back it down.
If not, start at the points, then the resistor, then the box, and the distributor.

I went threw 3 new, non rebuilt mopar SB distributors before I threw them all in the trash and went MSD pro billet.

Everyone says the mopar ignition system is great and it is, until it's not and you gotta chase gremlins in old junk and new overseas garbage...
Click to expand...
It's a cheap azz Chinese ebay "ready to run" electronic distributor ...
I do have a new cap and rotor I keep in the trunk for it....maybe I should try that FIRST. The distributor is tight and I really doubt it moved.....

Cope said:
Its retarded, advance will blow fire out the carb and burn your eyebrows off.
Click to expand...

Lol....thanks!
You guys are all awesome!

Jeff
 
MrJLR said:
Money is a little tight at the moment (Christmas and all), and I don't want a POS .....maybe I can try to borrow one but I'd like to work it out "close" in the mean time. ....

Jeff
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Certainly you have neighbors that are car guys!
 
The problem is something "moved".

What moved you may never know.
Yes you can get it close and get it to run but I see a new distributor in your future.
 
Cope said:
The problem is something "moved".

What moved you may never know.
Yes you can get it close and get it to run but I see a new distributor in your future.
Click to expand...
Probably. ....
But I'll dig in tomorrow (time allowing) and focus on the ignition. ...
I'll update this good, bad or indifferent!

Jeff
 
When you get a new distributor, throw the lightest springs in it. (You can thank me later)

Get all the adavanc in right now.

Buy a decent digital timing light, we all know you cant time a mopar with a standard light...

Yeah off set timing tape but that's 1970s BS, I'd rather see the real mark.

My old 318 with God knows how many miles was a screaming demon, until I washed gas down her throat.
 
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MrJLR said:
It's a cheap Chinese ebay "ready to run" electronic distributor ...

Jeff
Click to expand...
I'm betting this here is your problem.

…… unless your carb accelerator pump quit pumping the right amount of gas. But you'd know this when you drove it.
 
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Ok....new cap and rotor. ..no dice...
Advanced the timing, retarded the timing. ..no dice.
Got it to start by pumping the crap out of it....

Need a new distributor?

Recommendations? $300 MAX.....less would be great...


Jeff
 
$230 from Summit
Summit Racing® Ready-to-Run Billet Distributors SUM-850028

What do you think?

SUM-850028_xl.jpg



Jeff

View attachment 1715268700
 
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MrJLR said:
Ok....new cap and rotor. ..no dice...
Advanced the timing, retarded the timing. ..no dice.
Got it to start by pumping the crap out of it....

Need a new distributor?

Recommendations? $300 MAX.....less would be great...


Jeff
Click to expand...

MrJLR said:
$230 from Summit
Summit Racing® Ready-to-Run Billet Distributors SUM-850028

What do you think?

View attachment 1715268765


Jeff

View attachment 1715268700
Click to expand...

Send your distributor to @halifaxhops (Ray)

He has a Sun distributor machine and can taylor a curve for your engine... He will also send you a chart with the curve...

I've had a few of them done by him and he does great work.... :thumbsup:


Here's Eddie's 69 340 Dart that Ray did the distributor for... I wasn't brake torquing, just punching it from idle and it will roast the tires on a mild 340 with a Holley 600 vacuum secondary carb... It idles at 800 RPM... The third run, it came off so hard and I had to let out of it early so I didn't loose control...

We installed the distributor in it and bumped it in 2° increments until we found the sweet spot....

 
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Or see if Ray has something you can use. If the RTR module is junk, you're better off with points with or w/o a pertronic.
If you're open to the idea of seperate, then a electronic chrysler one with an external HEI module is another relatively low buck route. All of these electronics are subject to somewhat similar gamble - the aftermarket stuff doesn't need to meet the quality assurance program of a big auto manufacturer. :(
Some is just much worse than others in that its consistant
garbage from start to finish. :rolleyes:
Here's a good thread with some names to avoid!!!
cheap HEI distributors
 
Cope said:
When you get a new distributor, throw the lightest springs in it. (You can thank me later)

Get all the adavanc in right now.

Buy a decent digital timing light, we all know you cant time a mopar with a standard light...

Yeah off set timing tape but that's 1970s BS, I'd rather see the real mark.

My old 318 with God knows how many miles was a screaming demon, until I washed gas down her throat.
Click to expand...
Hey, keep it down! I wouldnt want my 40 something year old sears timing light to hear that....might not like it. Yeah, back when "digit" was a reference to a finger or something.....
 
MrJLR said:
I have to crank and crank and crank the starter - opened the hood and a strong smell of gas.
It eventually does start and runs great!

318 with an Edelbrock 1407

Stuck float or ????
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From first post...

Jeff
 
Another thing I noticed is on the failed starting attempts, I get a puff of "white" from the carb....probably fuel....

?????


Jeff
 
MrJLR said:
Another thing I noticed is on the failed starting attempts, I get a puff of "white" from the carb....probably fuel....
?????
Jeff
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Depends on the temperature humidity - but in general if something puffs out the carb I suspect igniting too early.
 
Mattax said:
Depends on the temperature humidity - but in general if something puffs out the carb I suspect igniting too early.
Click to expand...
I'm really leaning towards my timing being way off.....
I gotta figure this out. ....
Bur eventually it will start and seems to run good.....weird! ?


Jeff
 
MrJLR said:
I'm really leaning towards my timing being way off.....
I gotta figure this out. ....
But eventually it will start and seems to run good.....weird! ?
Jeff
Click to expand...
Less timing usually starts easier.
Once its runnng it whatever the idle speed is, it might be fine. Lets say it 18*. At 50-100 rpm starting , it might have some trouble starting even though 18* at 800 it runs fine, or at least OK.
Take as an example the DC/MP tach drive distributors has over 20 degrees in the initial advance. When it is set at 35* at 2000 rpm, its around 33* at 1000 rpm, and 13* or less at cranking rpms. That makes for easy starting on a race car.

A fairly stock 318 like initial timing somewhere between 5* and 12*BTC to start easily.
Out of gear, it will seem to idle better with more advance beause there is no load and it can be lean.
Try not to get fooled by that.
With a slight more radical cam, initial between 12 and 16* will probably be where it likes it (develops most power) at idle speeds 650- 750 rpm.
 
I dont think its timing. I think its a no spark condition. Timing off it would kick back or back fire. It would show signs of a spark. Spinning over the same all the time with a random start up is a very weak or no spark deal. Check for spark in both run and start positions. Will it start with a hot wire? I had a car that would not start unless I leaned on the orange box every morning. Yeah, I did the ground thing on it. Never changed that box though, I can be a stubborn *** at times.... . Make sure that battery is fully charged. If that helps you might have a bad connection in the ignition. But, check for spark. Check it at the plug. Needs to be steady as the motor turns over. You will get it right.
 
Ok...doing some research and some thinking about this.
As I understand it, there are 2 spark conditions.
1 when cranking, and another in the "run" position.

My symptoms seem to be no spark when cranking, but spark when I let off. That's why if I'm REALLY careful, I can get it to catch and run after several tries.

Would this be a symptom of a bad starter relay or????

Jeff
 
No,

No spark when cranking is ignition power related, maybe a bad ignition switch. But don’t jump to conclusions! You need to test it. If the starter is engaging then test for power at the ballast and coil (if you still have a ballast) on crank and so forth. On a “stock” car 12v is applied to coil bypassing the ballast at crank then something less when dropped to run. The something less depends on ballast resistance and temp and more. Sounds like you are shot gunning your issue without much thought.
 
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By the way my car sits sometimes a month at a time. When it is fairly warm the fuel evaporates pretty quickly and it takes a little cranking to get fuel up to the carb for fire.
 
1969383S said:
By the way my car sits sometimes a month at a time. When it is fairly warm the fuel evaporates pretty quickly and it takes a little cranking to get fuel up to the carb for fire.
Click to expand...
This occurs even moments after running....
No ballast resistor.
I'll check for voltage at the coil when cranking....

Jeff
 
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