Practically Clueless Newbie Needs Help Getting His Dart Up and Running

find a "runner" on craigslist and drop it in. Take yours apart and find out what makes it "tick" (literally and figuratively) Could just be a bad valve or worn seat. I took a 100k slant down to pistons and it didnt even have a ridge in the cylinder, the one it had was only carbon and I just wiped it out with a brillo pad. exhaust seats on old slants are prone to sink as they were not hardened for unleaded fuel. Shop work is expensive and the slant is a very forgiving motor. Guys with money or purists will advise a professional rebuild but I was there with you once (making 3.35/hr) and I was scraping for gas money let alone parts: I got away with reusing head gaskets! A valve job might be the minimum you want to do professionally. Maybe under $100 walking it in depending on where you live. Good luck.