340 turns over, got spark, won’t fire and run

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121gigawatts

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hey fellas, got a 69 GTS. 1971 340 4 speed. Bought it nearly a year ago. It ran when I initially got it. In August, Took it on the road once to get some gas. LOTS of hesitation when I accelerated, stalled out as soon as I pulled in the garage. Fixed a clutch linkage issue and took it around the block. More hesitation and it stalled in the garage again. It’s sat ever since. It wouldn’t idle when I tried to set the timing back in November. It’s sat over the winter and now it won’t start. Messed with it this weekend, wasn’t getting spark to #1 (lots of carbon). Filed the points cleaned plug and got spark. Ran for a second until the moment I let up on the clutch (I was in neutral). As of now the ****** won’t start. Another thing I should mention, the original TQ is leaking pretty bad on the front passenger corner dripping over the manifold. Sorry for the long post, it’s all a mess. Any incite from you guys would be much appreciated!!
 
Can you describe how you are testing spark? If it is to pull a plug, hook up the plug wire, and check for spark across the plug gap in open air, that is in no way a good test.

What did you set the points gap to?
 
Can you describe how you are testing spark? If it is to pull a plug, hook up the plug wire, and check for spark across the plug gap in open air, that is in no way a good test.

What did you set the points gap to?
My old man is helping me. he made a gap from the plug to a screw driver grounded on the engine block. I turned the key and he said we had spark. We haven’t set the points gap.
 
"he original TQ is leaking pretty bad on the front passenger corner dripping over the manifold."

First thing you need to do is rebuilt that fire hazard!
 
Set the gap then check them with a dwell meter to make sure they are right. Any chance you put a new condenser in it before this started happening? The new ones suck.
 
hey fellas, got a 69 GTS. 1971 340 4 speed. Bought it nearly a year ago. It ran when I initially got it. In August, Took it on the road once to get some gas. LOTS of hesitation when I accelerated, stalled out as soon as I pulled in the garage. Fixed a clutch linkage issue and took it around the block. More hesitation and it stalled in the garage again. It’s sat ever since. It wouldn’t idle when I tried to set the timing back in November. It’s sat over the winter and now it won’t start. Messed with it this weekend, wasn’t getting spark to #1 (lots of carbon). Filed the points cleaned plug and got spark. Ran for a second until the moment I let up on the clutch (I was in neutral). As of now the ****** won’t start. Another thing I should mention, the original TQ is leaking pretty bad on the front passenger corner dripping over the manifold. Sorry for the long post, it’s all a mess. Any incite from you guys would be much appreciated!!
How old is the fuel?
Had one here recent that we could not get to run until we replaced a half a tank of one year old fuel.
The fuel we get now is junk, if smells the least bit funny is gone bad. You can dump as much snake oil in it as you want it won't help.
Good luck, let us know how you do.
 
Bel
"he original TQ is leaking pretty bad on the front passenger corner dripping over the manifold."

First thing you need to do is rebuilt that fire hazard!
Last summer we (me and my dad) took it apart and replaced the gaskets hoping that would fix it. I think I’m gonna get a 670 street avenger.
 
How old is the fuel?
Had one here recent that we could not get to run until we replaced a half a tank of one year old fuel.
The fuel we get now is junk, if smells the least bit funny is gone bad. You can dump as much snake oil in it as you want it won't help.
Good luck, let us know how you do.
It’s got a full tank of year old gas.
 
Ooops... that is bad juju.... siphon some of it out and if it looks like reeeealy yellow dog pee, then you ought to get it all out. It'll smell skunky too. And if it has the typical ethanol in the fuel, then that will absorb water, turn into a gummy substance, and clog you carb big time.

Modern FI engines can often fire on old gas when older carbed engines with weaker spark systems cannot, so your older Dart is gonna need a regular diet of fresh clean fuel. And try to use non-ethanol gas when you get ready let it set for a while, or at least use a fuel stabilizer additive.

My old man is helping me. he made a gap from the plug to a screw driver grounded on the engine block. I turned the key and he said we had spark. We haven’t set the points gap.
OK, it ought to be able to jump at least 1/4" with a blue spark in open air. If the gap set up for test in open air is really small, then that does not make a good test. It takes only a few thousand volt spark to jump a small gap in open air but that low voltage spark won't have a prayer of jumping the spark plug gap in a compressed fuel-air mixture. (Normal spark voltage from this type of system exceeds 20,000 volts.)
 
Check the rotor & spark timing, just in case the chain jumped. Usually they just fall off. :lol:
 
Bel

Last summer we (me and my dad) took it apart and replaced the gaskets hoping that would fix it. I think I’m gonna get a 670 street avenger.
There’s your fix, sounds like a possible flooding issue?

Jake
 
First things first,
You NEED to fix that fuel leak before something bad happens. I remember warning a guy that was trying to start his car at a convenience store that his carb was leaking around the butterfly shaft and that he shouldn't be trying to start it. I just walked into the store when he came running in saying he needed a fire extinguisher. Hated to tell him "I warned you". Get the leak fixed then check for spark.
 
hey fellas, got a 69 GTS. 1971 340 4 speed. Bought it nearly a year ago. It ran when I initially got it. In August, Took it on the road once to get some gas. LOTS of hesitation when I accelerated, stalled out as soon as I pulled in the garage. Fixed a clutch linkage issue and took it around the block. More hesitation and it stalled in the garage again. It’s sat ever since. It wouldn’t idle when I tried to set the timing back in November. It’s sat over the winter and now it won’t start. Messed with it this weekend, wasn’t getting spark to #1 (lots of carbon). Filed the points cleaned plug and got spark. Ran for a second until the moment I let up on the clutch (I was in neutral). As of now the ****** won’t start. Another thing I should mention, the original TQ is leaking pretty bad on the front passenger corner dripping over the manifold. Sorry for the long post, it’s all a mess. Any incite from you guys would be much appreciated!!
 
My old man is helping me. he made a gap from the plug to a screw driver grounded on the engine block. I turned the key and he said we had spark. We haven’t set the points gap.

You've not set the points, nor do you know where they are set and you expect it to run? That's not gonna happen. Get a dwell meter and set the points to 28*-32* and it should fire off if everything else is good.
 
Modern FI engines can often fire on old gas when older carbed engines with weaker spark systems cannot, so your older Dart is gonna need a regular diet of fresh clean fuel. And try to use non-ethanol gas when you get ready let it set for a while, or at least use a fuel stabilizer additive.

Drain the gas . My 98 Chevy S-10 gets all my old gas and runs good. Engine adjusts itself to burn right.
You said as of now it won't start. Try a small squirt of Starting fluid down the secondaries and see if it fires off , if it does then fuel may be suspect. Fix leak in carb first one backfire and problem solved No more car !
 
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