340 camshaft break-in. Well.....almost

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daves66valiant

daves66valiant

68 Dart 340/727:66 Signet Vert 340/5spd: 68 D100
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Tried to get the 340 engine camshaft broken in yesterday but no dice. As you see in the video, our final conclusion was a bad fuel pump. Won’t have a new one until tomorrow. Thing that sucks is this was a brand new stock Carter fuel pump. Sucker was bone dry when I pulled it out. I believe the diaphragm is toast even though it’s new.



We @JohnnyDart troubleshot every possible Ignition, Air, and Fuel scenario. It sounded healthy before the carb bowls emptied. Hopefully just a minor hiccup.

Meanwhile we did find the 727 inspection cover was rubbing the flex plate. Found where it was hitting. Debate now is whether or not to put it back on. I’ll only drive the car on nice days anyways.
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Was the gas cap off?
Sometimes they clog or aren't the correct vented type.
Other thing that can happen is the pickup tube on the sender gets clogged full of old gas gum...or a rodent or leaves from an open fill neck.
Try the fuel can with hose up under k member to fuel pump trick. Maybe the pump isn't bad?

Purists might cringe... but you could trim the cover with tin snips.
 
We took gas cap off just in case.
Brand new everything.
New gas tank, sender, new stainless fuel lines etc

Running hose to gas can was my next option but we called it quits for that day after a number of attempts. If new fuel pump doesn’t solve the problem I’ll try the can. Plus I may see if I can siphon gas from the fuel line going to the gas tank first.
 
I had to trim and hammer the raised parts out of my inspection plate. Sucks about the fuel pump I have a parts-store one on my car but just ordered a Carter pump as a back-up, I guess we'll see if it works... it's hard to find stock replacement pumps that aren't crap anymore and it's a bit frustrating the next step up is almost 10 times the price (HP mech fuel pump). I'm going to add a small electric pump to my Duster at some point.
 
I've ran without the inspection cover for years and years... never an issue
 
I always run a electric pump when breaking in a cam, 1) because less crank time, you want it to fire right off.
2) engine stopping from lack of fuel, Had the same problem years ago the pump was pumping just not enough to keep it running at 2200 - 2500 RPM
 
Would be nice if I had an electric setup just for break-ins but it’s seldom I break in a cam. This is my 3rd one over the years.

Would one of those inline universal pumps work?
 
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MopaR&D said:
Even going off-road or driving in heavy rain or snow? That's what I worry about because I drive my Duster anywhere anytime lol
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mine are driven on paved roads. If your dirt biking, snowmobiling and gravel hauling with it, put the cover on... LOL
 
318willrun said:
mine are driven on paved roads. If your dirt biking, snowmobiling and gravel hauling with it, put the cover on... LOL
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We have lots of gravel on the roads that gets used for traction in snow and the dirt has a decent amount of sand and rocks in it. Drifting around in snow and dirt in an old RWD car is addictive too lol
 
MopaR&D said:
We have lots of gravel on the roads that gets used for traction in snow and the dirt has a decent amount of sand and rocks in it. Drifting around in snow and dirt in an old RWD car is addictive too lol
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Hey man.... I used to live in Wellington :)
 
MopaR&D said:
Oh shoot I think you mentioned that before... lol in that case then yeah you know exactly what I'm talking about
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yeah, well out here we have lots of salt rocks on the road for traction all winter.... you can hear it munch'n on the cars at night - chomp chomp chomp.... Not driven in that slop... not no time soon no how!~
 
Did you make sure to install the fuel pump eccentric on the cam?

I ask because I've forgotten to install it in the past... Seems like a "duh" thing to do, but I've done it lol
 
Never know but I have a camera scope and I’m going to take a look when I get home. You can feel it hitting what feels like the eccentric when installing the pump.
 
Is there fuel at the pump? Line charged with fuel?

Lines not crossed up?
 
crackedback said:
Is there fuel at the pump? Line charged with fuel?
Click to expand...

Nope zip zero zilch. That's the problem I think. No vacuum created to pull fuel from the tank. The diaphragm or check valves in the pump are f'd. I haven't tried connecting a fuel hose to a Jerry can yet to the fuel pump. This would rule out the fuel line to the gas tank and the new sending unit. I'll use my video laryngoscope to make sure there is an eccentric when I get home.
 
I’ve also seen people hook up the fuel pump backwards, that’ll also not pull fuel from the tank
 
I had troubles with the cover plate rubbing. Trimmed, then hammer shaped it, kept being a problem. I tossed it, no problems. In fact, I had my trans built by John at Cope Racing Trans. and he’s the one who told me to leave it off, said he never uses them. According to him the main reason for them is to prevent snow/ice build up and having your flex plate freeze up over night.
 
I would put the cover back on. It would keep road dirt from building up on the converter seal.
 
That sucks. I just ordered one of those Carter fuel pumps hope I dont have a problem with mine!
I wouldn't keep cranking on a new engine for sure.
 
New pump installed. Fuel line to pump primed with a little air pressure in tank. Can hear and feel pressure coming out of this pump. We’ll see.

Reset initial timing (appears to be 15-16* at the moment) cap and rotor checked and oriented to #1. Reluctor pick up gapped to .008” Will try to check spark as well.

Still need to fill carb bowl and get the rest of my **** in order to bust this thing off. Maybe tomorrow or Sunday
 
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