Won't Start need advice, Please read....

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williaml

williaml

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I am perplexed to say the least. My Dodge Dart when I took it out this spring was missing and bucking and wouldn’t stay running. I am figured it might be the carb so I bought a rebuilt carb and thought that would solve my problem. I couldn’t be more incorrect. This is what I have done so far before even attempting to start the car I replaced the fuel filter. The car tries to start and I can smell exhaust but if it does start it is only for a second or two. I took off the fuel line and turned over the engine and the carb is receiving gas as I saw the stream of fuel, even pouring fresh gas down the carb the car still won’t remaining running. My next thought was spark I took off the spark plug farthest away from the distributor and it was getting spark. Does anyone have any ideas? Could the timing chain have jumped? It is a rebuilt engine 3 years ago and probably has 200 miles on it since the rebuild. Other than what I have mentioned I have no idea and would hope someone could point me in the right direction….

Thanks for reading and commenting.
 
This is important. How well did it run when you put it up for the season, and did anyone mess with it while it was garaged? there is more info needed but start there.
 
Do you have a timing light? If so, pop it on, see where the balancer timing marks line up when lighting... Does the crankcase oil on the dipstick, smell more like fuel,than oil? After that, I would do a compression/leakdown test (s). Tool rental is free, from O'Reallys/ Autobone stores. What do the spark plugs look like?
 
The car doesn't get much time on the road when I put it away for the winter it seemed okay, I'm the only one who has access to the garage so it wasn't tampered with. I removed the spark plugs, again, seemed okay I cleaned them with fuel cleaner and reinstalled them. When I get home tonight I will remove each spark plug to make sure all are getting spark.

Again THANK You for your pointers.
 
If you get a chance, check battery voltage guy.... Look for 12.2 minimum ,not running.
 
Thinking of reasons they die while sitting... Pull the coil wire off the coil and look for oil leaking there. Assuming the original points ignition with simple single ballast resistor. Pull the 2 connectors off it and use any piece of sheet metal to mimic a male male space connector to jumper those 2 together. I once broke off a piece of hose clamp to get this connection and to the parts store for a new resistor.
 
A properly built engine with 200 miles should not have any timing chain or other mechanical issues. You may just need fresh fuel. Spark is one thing, but a good spark is another. I would begin to look for damaged, worn, aged, disconnected, etc., vacuum hoses as the next thing.
 
williaml said:
but I see whereas I'm getting spark at the spark plug.
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I wont read that as argumentative. Someone else can chime in and explain intermittent or total lack of spark from different key positions, etc., etc... Good luck with it
 
RedFish Please do not take my comments as argumentative I just thought if I was getting spark it would or should fire. If I came off as being argumentative I'm so sorry...
 
It's all good. You cant get a single no doubt about it answer to this kind of question.
Best you can hope for are suggestions based on the knowledge and/or experiences of others.
 
williaml said:
RedFish Please do not take my comments as argumentative I just thought if I was getting spark it would or should fire. If I came off as being argumentative I'm so sorry...
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People that do this kind of stuff all the time and are very good at it sometimes get annoyed when a person who has very little experience with it counters a suggestion they give.
It's not all your fault, or his but just the way it is sometimes.
I wouldn't worry about it too much, as he is probably just not in the mood for it this morning.

Suggestions can be a little overwhelming sometimes, so just try to do as they ask and report back what you find.

The timing light suggestion from 73Abodee (Lance) is a very good start.
This way we know if the engine fires the plugs and when, then we can try to figure out what is going on.

Along with the timing light suggestion, I would remove the ignition box and make SURE it has a good clean ground to the body.

From the description of how it ran before it got parked I would also be very suspicious of plug wires and spark plug condition. (pull one as already suggested) and post a picture of it if you can.
 
Take the cap off and look for any moisture or carbon tracking. If the points are even a little dirty or have some oil on them the engine will act like you describe.
 
I will check tonight again, from my recollection the plug didn't seem overly wet. I might replace the plugs just to ensure no issues there. I will also check out the color of the spark. I thought it was blue/ yellowish.
 
It's easy to jump to conclusions. This is a 65? It does / does not have original breaker points ignition? Converted to Pertronix? Or Mopar breakerless?

"Color of spark." Easy to get led off the trail here BECAUSE of resistor plug wires, which often turn a nice blue spark at the coil, to a perfectly acceptable yellow spark at the plugs.

Therefore CHECK the spark right at the coil. HOW? You MUST crank the engine USING THE KEY. This is because of the coil resistor (ballast) bypass circuit. "Rig" a test gap right at the coil and see what you have there. Should be a nice pop, blue spark, at least 3/8" long, typically more. Use WIRE to check, not resistance (radio supression) wire

Examine the cap and rotor for moisture, other deposits, debri, metallic, etc and DAMAGE. Pull the rotor and examine it and the cap for CARBON tracking

We've already mentioned wet, oil fouled plugs.

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I would check compression "just because." Does the starter "sound" normal? Often you can tell if an engine is down on compression just by listening.

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Carb......maybe it's "completely flooding." That is, maybe needle / seat stuck open or has dirt and is flooding engine with fuel. Again.......check the plugs carefully. If you have a rubber fuel line connector, try disconnecting the fuel line and plugging it off. You should be able to see fuel flooding over into the carb. Look down the throat with a light, and crank the engine. You can do this easily by jumpering a screwdriver across the two largest exposed terminals on your starter relay. BE SURE!!!! it is "out of gear" before doing so.
 
Make sure the rotor does not have a burn spot right in the center just below the contact. Usually can see best from bottom.
 
Jo- the rotor had a round spot I thought it was a carbon deposit. it was on the piece that is about 1.5" ling. What does that mean? is the rotor the issue?
 
williaml said:
Jo- the rotor had a round spot I thought it was a carbon deposit. it was on the piece that is about 1.5" ling. What does that mean? is the rotor the issue?
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The round spot on the rotor strap is from the button on the inside of the cap (normal)

What is meant is to take the rotor off and closely look inside it, and at the top of the shaft it goes on.
Every once in awhile the spark will work it's way right through the center of the rotor to ground. (the shaft)
Then the spark does not go to the plugs any longer, but just jumps to ground through the rotor.

Usually the dead giveaway is very small burn marks on the top edge of the shaft.
 

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First off thank you to all who have tried to point me in the right direction.

UPDATE:

I changed the plugs last night as well still not starting. I sprayed starting fluid into the carb and turned over the engine. it sound like it wanted to start but didn't. I looked behind the car and saw a pocket of exhaust. The exhaust would mean to me something is firing. Since we live in a rural area it is hard for me to have someone come over and turn the key while I check for spark. I will update more when I can get a buddy to come over and help me.
 
Following this thread since I'm having a hard time getting my project 318 to start although it did...and ran for a while...its just very reluctant to come back to me :(
 
Teeth & Tires said:
Following this thread since I'm having a hard time getting my project 318 to start although it did...and ran for a while...its just very reluctant to come back to me :(
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You would be best off,starting your own dedicated thread T & T... Would get a lot more attention, and not confuse your situation with this one....
 
possible your fuel is bad? might be that the fresh fuel you pour into the carb burns off then when the fuel from the tank kicks back in it's problematic. good luck though
 
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