What Are You Doing To/With Your Car Today?

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missing linc said:
I resisted the urge to burn my piece of **** to the ground again today, it just doesn't run right, will wind right up without a problem in neutral, full throttle blips open the secondaries fine, but take it on the road and it's a complete slug. It has 4.10 gears in the rear end but it won't even break the tires under any circumstance. Getting really frustrating, I took out the MSD distributor that came with the car, put in a known good stocker, same story. I have good fuel pressure, (mechanical pump, 6 psi), fuel line is clear, new tank and sending unit, new 650 AVS2 carb. 360/727 with a mild cam and TTi headers, had the near exact combo in a Dart years ago except that one had crappy smogger heads and it was a screamer, even with a stock cast iron intake and thermoquad.
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Did you check your plugs, compression and how old are the plug wires? Pull the intake and check the lobes? Check the pushrods, are they bent? Valve springs, stuck open valve(s)? Did someone do an LS swap when you weren't looking? Had to ask... :poke:

edit:
just thought of this, did the timing chain slip a tooth?
 
missing linc said:
I resisted the urge to burn my piece of **** to the ground again today, it just doesn't run right, will wind right up without a problem in neutral, full throttle blips open the secondaries fine, but take it on the road and it's a complete slug. It has 4.10 gears in the rear end but it won't even break the tires under any circumstance. Getting really frustrating, I took out the MSD distributor that came with the car, put in a known good stocker, same story. I have good fuel pressure, (mechanical pump, 6 psi), fuel line is clear, new tank and sending unit, new 650 AVS2 carb. 360/727 with a mild cam and TTi headers, had the near exact combo in a Dart years ago except that one had crappy smogger heads and it was a screamer, even with a stock cast iron intake and thermoquad.
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could it be transmission related? or the kickdown linkage? other than that timing advance? Just guesses. I am not too familiar with MSD I rum MP electronic distributor
 
Plugs, wires, cam, lifters and timing chain are new, pushrods were all straight when installed, no vacuum leaks, compression is not great at 125 psi cranking, but is even. Cam break in went well, the engine idles fine, similar rumble to the last 360 I had with the same cam. I am going to try more timing adjustments, my balancer ring seems to have slipped as the mark is well off, and I will also look more closely at the linkage. The biggest problem I see is that I am trying to make a bunch of unknown pieces play well together while at the same time trying to undo all of the previous owners screw ups, and there are a lot of screw ups.I have been pulling wrenches for nearly 45 years, both professionally and as a hobby, have never encountered a problem like this before. Thanks for your help and replies.
 
missing linc said:
Plugs, wires, cam, lifters and timing chain are new, pushrods were all straight when installed, no vacuum leaks, compression is not great at 125 psi cranking, but is even. Cam break in went well, the engine idles fine, similar rumble to the last 360 I had with the same cam. I am going to try more timing adjustments, my balancer ring seems to have slipped as the mark is well off, and I will also look more closely at the linkage. The biggest problem I see is that I am trying to make a bunch of unknown pieces play well together while at the same time trying to undo all of the previous owners screw ups, and there are a lot of screw ups.I have been pulling wrenches for nearly 45 years, both professionally and as a hobby, have never encountered a problem like this before. Thanks for your help and replies.
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Try putting a vaccum guage on it that helps when the balancer timing marks dont line up. You can time it usuing vacuum reading. OR should I say you can tell if timing is off..
 
Dartswinger70 said:
Try putting a vaccum guage on it that helps when the balancer timing marks dont line up. You can time it usuing vacuum reading. OR should I say you can tell if timing is off..
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Yeah, I have tried that last year, with the MSD distributor still in it. I swapped out that distributor for a stock Chrysler one as I don't know if anything had been modified on it. I will try the vacuum gauge again, may be working on it again today, see how the day progresses.
 
missing linc said:
Yeah, I have tried that last year, with the MSD distributor still in it. I swapped out that distributor for a stock Chrysler one as I don't know if anything had been modified on it. I will try the vacuum gauge again, may be working on it again today, see how the day progresses.
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I pulled this from google, but it sounds right going by memory. And I am getting old LOL! anyway you do this for a quick timing when your damper mark has slid and a timing light wont work. This is better than "timing by ear". I had seen some peoples timing by ear that was way off. LOL!
Get a vacuum tester and put it inline with manifold vacuum. Advance the distributor until you get the maximum amount of vacuum reading on the gauge. Then turn the distributor back exactly 1 degree on the vacuum gauge. Tighten everything down and adjust your idle if necessary.
 
Dartswinger70 said:
I pulled this from google, but it sounds right going by memory. And I am getting old LOL! anyway you do this for a quick timing when your damper mark has slid and a timing light wont work. This is better than "timing by ear". I had seen some peoples timing by ear that was way off. LOL!
Get a vacuum tester and put it inline with manifold vacuum. Advance the distributor until you get the maximum amount of vacuum reading on the gauge. Then turn the distributor back exactly 1 degree on the vacuum gauge. Tighten everything down and adjust your idle if necessary.
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I will give that a shot, thanks, have not tried that.
 
My '62 Valiant, that has 10-inch rear drum brakes off a Roadrunner I think, decided that it needs lubb. (That's how a real redneck says "love".) The left rear wheel cylinder started to leak, and of course I've got to do the right side, too. I can't really complain too badly because those wheel cylinders are 18 years old. O'Reilly's had 2 of them in stock, praise the lord even though I'm an atheist. The only real question is whether this will turn into another "mission creep" job, where I wind up having to fix a bunch of other stuff, too. The joys of owning a bunch of old cars! I have had to go to O'Reilly's for something or other every day for the last 5 days!
 
missing linc said:
I will give that a shot, thanks, have not tried that.
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Yeah read up on it. At the best you'll see how much vacuum you are pulling, if it is at 12 in HG and you can get 18 out of it for example, you'll know timing is off.

Another thing that takes more time is finding TDC marking dampler wit a paint marker and setting timing with a light. I have also encountered an issue where if you set timing by the specs in an old Chilton manual it wont run as good. Best to go with a standard number like 10 BTDC at idle for example and then dial in total timing.
 
Got my steering box and starter out and installed the compressor back on its brackets. That let me get rid of my lifting rig, so now I have good access all around the engine block so I can clean and paint. When looking at my reference pic for the compressor brackets, you can see how much grunge there was everywhere, and yes those are acorn shells.

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Finally got the block painted, and most of the engine together, now to plumb it into the run stand...will post a first start video...soon.

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you think so?? It's not popular with the restoration crowd, or the car show guys, and it's not a very fast racer.

I built it to look like what teenagers did to those cars when I was about 8-12 years old. (late 70's) Its funny what you get in your head eh? I like working on it for relaxation and I love driving the wheels off of it (which makes the first part pretty fortunate)

thanks
 
like_A_pike said:
you think so?? It's not popular with the restoration crowd, or the car show guys, and it's not a very fast racer.

I built it to look like what teenagers did to those cars when I was about 8-12 years old. (late 70's) Its funny what you get in your head eh? I like working on it for relaxation and I love driving the wheels off of it (which makes the first part pretty fortunate)

thanks
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Here's what a 20 something did to one back in the 80's. Before I sold it it had Cragars on the front and custom widened 15X10 Cragars on the back.

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like_A_pike said:
you think so?? It's not popular with the restoration crowd, or the car show guys, and it's not a very fast racer.

I built it to look like what teenagers did to those cars when I was about 8-12 years old. (late 70's) Its funny what you get in your head eh? I like working on it for relaxation and I love driving the wheels off of it (which makes the first part pretty fortunate)

thanks
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Oh man really?! I would think that baby would always draw a crowd! It is done exactly how I would love to have done it. I am going for the same type of look with my 72 440 swinger, cragars with a slight rake etc. I just love the 70's day two look so much. Like all the "older kids" had when I was a little kid. Lol
 
340mike said:
Oh man really?! I would think that baby would always draw a crowd! It is done exactly how I would love to have done it. I am going for the same type of look with my 72 440 swinger, cragars with a slight rake etc. I just love the 70's day two look so much. Like all the "older kids" had when I was a little kid. Lol
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im trying to resist putting louvers and shackles on it lol!!! it gets plenty of attention at the gas station.
 
Not doing much to it yet. Gotta swap the gas tank and sending unit though. Hopefully this weekend get that done. Otherwise just had to pull it outta the garage and let the 440 run a while.

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I've had a '71 340 in it since 2012. I had it long blocked in 2020 and last weekend was the first long ride with the new set up "quasi-tuned". Still hunting down bugs but I think it's close! I've had the same 904 in there since I bought the car in Tacoma in 2011. I added a Frank Lupo 9.5 TC at some point. That orange pre-dates me as well.

wicked nice Dart BTW. Mine'll be green in the next life I think!
 
like_A_pike said:
I've had a '71 340 in it since 2012. I had it long blocked in 2020 and last weekend was the first long ride with the new set up "quasi-tuned". Still hunting down bugs but I think it's close! I've had the same 904 in there since I bought the car in Tacoma in 2011. I added a Frank Lupo 9.5 TC at some point. That orange pre-dates me as well.

wicked nice Dart BTW. Mine'll be green in the next life I think!
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Thank you! It is a fun car with the 440 in it! 340 is a great engine, i've had 6-7 assorted A bodies with that engine in there. One of the best engines ever.
 
like_A_pike said:
you think so?? It's not popular with the restoration crowd, or the car show guys, and it's not a very fast racer.

I built it to look like what teenagers did to those cars when I was about 8-12 years old. (late 70's) Its funny what you get in your head eh? I like working on it for relaxation and I love driving the wheels off of it (which makes the first part pretty fortunate)

thanks
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I'll stop to check out an A Barracuda any day! I glance at the E body cars mostly, unless they really stand out.
 
like_A_pike said:
you think so?? It's not popular with the restoration crowd, or the car show guys, and it's not a very fast racer.

I built it to look like what teenagers did to those cars when I was about 8-12 years old. (late 70's) Its funny what you get in your head eh? I like working on it for relaxation and I love driving the wheels off of it (which makes the first part pretty fortunate)

thanks
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"Driving the wheels off of it" is what its all about! Smiles per gallon. Every fall our club enjoys a couple fall color tours (usually about 250 miles round trip).

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I pulled it out of the garage today, was gonna take it on the first drive of the year

Checked the tire pressure, fluid levels

I was just about to take off when I noticed a puddle...looks like the timing cover gasket popped a leak

So, I guess I'm not doing anything to it

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