Help !!! New engine will not start ?

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jimmer

jimmer

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Got the 340 in my Cuda together last night .

When we tried to fire it all it did was crank and spit a little ?

Firsrt I had a pert tonic coil on the coil was hot to the touch .

Tried the stock coil I had on the car prior .

Checked timing 3 times ? It is right on and has 32 degrees total advance .

One thing that seems odd is when you turn the key off it seems to want to start , it spits and has more of a starting sound ?

Has anyone ever had this problem ?

Any ideas on what to try ?
 
Check to make sure engine is grounded.Spitting?Leads me to no spark.Check for bad connections also.
 
Both ignition hots going to ignition box? The start and run lines need to be connected on ignition boxes like MSD's, etc.

If it has spark in start mode, I advance timing until it fires, get it up on break in rpm, then set timing at 32-36 and let it go.

Hard to say without being there to assess what your issue may be.
 
I have spark

I have fuel

I was wondering about ignition switch ?

Or maybe solonoid ?

Or brain box for electronic ignition ?

Car ran and everything worked when parked 3 years ago ?

Thanks for the replies !
 
what distributor and ignition box are you using?
 
Make sure to verify the firing order and that you're not 180 out with the rotor.........
 
Have done both 3 times just to be sure .

I'm thinking some sort of short or electric problem ?
 
jimmer said:
Have done both 3 times just to be sure .

I'm thinking some sort of short or electric problem ?
Click to expand...

Yes it sounds like a short at the ignition switch. Sometimes they get loose and lose ground which will cause that problem!
 
Kick back can also be caused by being 180 degrees out on the distributor. Make sure your rotor is pointing at number 1 cylinder when number 1 is firing compression stroke!
 
My car was doing the "wanting to start when you let the key go" it was the reluctor gap in the distributor. It was a new dizzy too
 
Run a hot lead directly from battery to coil and try it then. Could be ignition switch also check ground like suggested in previous comment.
 
Thanks for all the replies !! I will check grounds and try another distributor .

Man I am bummed I will share the inside on this strory .

So if anyone remembers when I first joined the story about my parents ordering a 1970 moulin rouge Road Runner and how I came home from the hospital in it when I was born ?

Well my Dad passed away on the 7th of May .

I have so many irons in the fire cars have been on the back burner .

My Dad bought me the 72 340 4speed Cuda I have and told me to think of it as an early inheritance . I am hurting and missing him !!!

My goal was to have the car running for his memorial on June 1st .

I have had so much help from a couple of friends and there has been obstacle after obstacle .
I'm hoping I can meet the goal !!

I don't normally share this stuff here .

I need prayers for all things !!

Last God did give me the most wonderful gift !!

Two days before my Dad passed he wanted to pray with me and said Jesus I am ready to come home if you are ready to take me God !!

I prayed with my Dad over the phone several years Pryor and he asked Jesus Christ into his heart !!

So this is bitter sweet !

Thank you to all my A body brothers and sisters God Bless !!

My Dad's name is John Thomas Mc Adams and there is a memorial with a picture of him in front of his 30 Ford model A .

If anyone is interested you can read a little about him there .

He still had a 70 360 4 Speed duster ,
A 63 Plymouth Sport Fury BB ,
A 70 383 4speed Road Runner
A 68 Baracuda notchback 318
A 73 sunroof duster sb 4speed
And his model A.

Thanks again
Jim
 
jimmer said:
Thanks for all the replies !! I will check grounds and try another distributor .

Man I am bummed I will share the inside on this strory .

So if anyone remembers when I first joined the story about my parents ordering a 1970 moulin rouge Road Runner and how I came home from the hospital in it when I was born ?

Well my Dad passed away on the 7th of May .

I have so many irons in the fire cars have been on the back burner .

My Dad bought me the 72 340 4speed Cuda I have and told me to think of it as an early inheritance . I am hurting and missing him !!!

My goal was to have the car running for his memorial on June 1st .

I have had so much help from a couple of friends and there has been obstacle after obstacle .
I'm hoping I can meet the goal !!

I don't normally share this stuff here .

I need prayers for all things !!

Last God did give me the most wonderful gift !!

Two days before my Dad passed he wanted to pray with me and said Jesus I am ready to come home if you are ready to take me God !!

I prayed with my Dad over the phone several years Pryor and he asked Jesus Christ into his heart !!

So this is bitter sweet !

Thank you to all my A body brothers and sisters God Bless !!

My Dad's name is John Thomas Mc Adams and there is a memorial with a picture of him in front of his 30 Ford model A .

If anyone is interested you can read a little about him there .

He still had a 70 360 4 Speed duster ,
A 63 Plymouth Sport Fury BB ,
A 70 383 4speed Road Runner
A 68 Baracuda notchback 318
A 73 sunroof duster sb 4speed
And his model A.

Thanks again
Jim
Click to expand...

kewl story, don't worry you'll figure it out..........probably be running today!!
higgs
 
I tried different distributor and cleansing contacts no luck ? I think I will try grounds next .
Thanks for the replies !
 
The ignition box grounds out through the body. Did you paint the engine bay? If so, or even if not, make sure that the body is making electrical contact with the ignition box.

Take a test light or multimeter set to continuity and test from the negative on the battery to the chrome on the ignition box, and test from the negative on the battery to the engine block. The ignition box, the body and the engine have to all be grounded for the grounds to be set up correctly.

EDIT: I removed the ignition wire instructions. Dont do that yet. Do you have a ballast resistor hooked up?

If the ballast resistor is good, I THINK you should read contunity across it. You can unplug both sides of the resistor and check through it for contunity. If it is open and doesnt read something besides LO or the reading doesnt change on the meter, the resistor is probably bad.

Mopar ignitions have a reduced voltage going to the coil when running. The voltage is reduced through the ballast resistor. Normally when the resistor is bad it would want to fire until you let off the starter, but anything is possible.

Sorry for the multiple edits, its been awhile.
 
I don't mean to sound insulting, as I don't know "what you know"

1--Check the spark, with a critical eye. Crank the engine using the key, or else hook a jumper wire direct from battery to coil + and with a grounded clip held near the top of the coil tower, you should get a nice hot snappy spark

2--You say you've checked the timing, but it is not clear to me that you "actually have." There are ONLY TWO ways to tell if the distributor is on no1 compression.

A--If the valve covers are off, bring the marks up to where you want initial timing, IE 15BTC or whatever, NOT TDC. If both no6 valves are closed, put the dist. in with rotor pointing to the no6 plug tower, if no1 valves are both closed, put the dist in point to no1. Make CERTAIN the valves are closed, and not on "split overlap."

B--The other way is to remove the no1 plug, stick your finger in, and bump the engine until you just start to feel compression. Then bring the marks up to 15BTC or whatever, and install the dist.

3--Fuel--Has the car been sitting for awhile? It just might be that you have stale fuel. Check the plugs that they are not fouled, and try some KNOWN fresh fuel or starting fluid down the carb throat

4--Sounds like this is a new build--does the engine actually have compression? Any chance the valves are not closing, IE not adjusted, or pushrods too long?
 
67Dart273 said:
3--Fuel--Has the car been sitting for awhile? It just might be that you have stale fuel. Check the plugs that they are not fouled, and try some KNOWN fresh fuel or starting fluid down the carb throat
Click to expand...

Pump fuel is really swill these days......I wouldn't trust it sitting two months , let alone two years. Hopefully the problem gets solved and you can represent.
Heartfelt condolences. Many have been through this and there are no magic words to stop the hurt. Time helps some , but after three years I still miss the old boy. Cherish the good memories for the magic they were.
 
I checked top dead center 3 times and made sure it was on the exhaust stroke .

I changed distributors today.
Cleaned contacts on battery and solonoid.
I also put a new ground on that was in better shape then the old one .

It has 4 gallons of fresh super 92 and the tank was very low if not dry .

I will add another 5 gallons .
Try another ballast and check a few other suggestions.

I did not check compression this is a new motor .
I will test the cr later .

I think it is electrical some how related to ignition or key switch ?

I had a 72 duster 17 years or so that did the same thing ?
It would run sometimes and it would start when you went to shut it off ?

I ended up taking the motor out helped a friend put it in a dart and it worked fine .

I never found out the problem and sold the car later ?

Thanks for the replies .
 
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