273 won't start regularly

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sas73

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I am a novice at engines, and I have a problem with my 67 Barracuda's 273. It has worked fine, always starting with the manual choke closed, and recently I took my daughter for a ride and after stopping at the grocery store for 45 minutes, it wouldn't restart. The first time I tried to restart it in the parking lot, I got one or two combustions and then nothing, just the engine turning over. After towing it home, I checked the following:

1. Fuel-
filter and line not clogged(disconnected fuel line at carburetor and saw gas squirt out of fuel line when I turned the engine over)
fuel flows into carburator. (After trying to start it, stepping on the gas causes gas to squirt into the carb.)

2. Fire-
checked plugs to 1 and 2 cylinders and spark present

3. Timing-
set harmonic balancer at timing mark and 1 was at TDC, as far as I could tell with a feeler placed through the removed spark plug. Also, rotor was lined up with contact for 1st cylinder on the cap.

So I tried pouring a little gas into the carburetor and starting it, but nothing happened. Ran out of time, so I stopped for the day.

A few days later, I took off the distributor cap, disconnected the fuel line again just to look at things again, put things back together, put a little gas in the carb, and it started after a single loud backfire type noise and I ran it for 20 minutes smoothly. I then turned the engine off, and tried to restart it- again one or two combustions but then nothing, except I ran the battery down and the started started turning over slowly, so I stopped for the night.

Today, I switched the battery to a fresh one, and it started (didn't pour any gas into the carburetor). Again, after running for a few minutes, I turned it off and tried to restart it but nothing.

Again, I am learning as I go, but any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. What should I do next? Please bear with me since I am a novice at this type of stuff, but very motivated to learn.
 
Have you checked the timing with a timing light? I've never used the method you mention for checking the timing on an engine. I wonder if it matters. Points or electronic ignition?

I recently had a similar problem with my 273. Car would not start regularly, ended up having to replace the fuel pump.

I did have a problem with my carburetor about 5 years ago. Car would start fine, but after driving it to the store and parking it, it would refuse to start. The problem ended up being too much fuel in the carburetor due to a bad float (hole in one of them).
 
I have tried both with and without the choke open on restarts with equally poor results.

I do not have an electronic ignition. Here are some photos of my distributor. Points look clean as far as I can tell. The one photo has a screwdriver holding the points apart.

As far as vapor lock goes, I understand the concept, and I just tried to start the car again after letting it sit for 6 hours, and nothing fired.

For the carburetor float sticking, I don't know how much gasoline should be coming in when the accelerator is depressed, but it seems like alot, I can see the fuel squirting across the carb like it is coming out of a water bottle like a football player would squirt through his facemask. This is only when I manually pull on the gas pedal cable, though.

distributor1.jpg


distributor2.jpg
 
Which carburetor do you have? How much fuel is in the bowls when you take the top of the carb off? Do you have a timing light?
 
It is a 2 barrell, it says "Carter 2299", but there is no ID tag on it. Looking at the service manual, it looks like a BBD series (1 1/4"), if that makes sense to you.

I took the top off and there is about 7/8 of an inch of gas in the float chamber. In the attached photo, the second picture shows a screwdriver that is touching the bottom of the chamber that I marked. The lines are 1/4" increments, and the top line is 1 1/4" from the tip, so the level is between 3/4 and 1"

I don't have a timing light, but NAPA opens in 6 hours and I can get one then.

carb1.jpg


carb2.jpg
 
try hooking up a length of wire from the batt. to the coil pos. and see if it starts up. when you say you put gas directly down the carb. it makes me think its an electrical issue. be careful you don't leave it on too long and your gonna have to disconnect it in order for the car to shut off if it starts.
 
I would pull a couple of plugs after a no-start condition and examine them.
 
Pulled plugs 3 and 8, photos attached. There seemed to be some oily gas on 8, but 3 was drier with a little oily residue. Photos attached.

Then I replaced the plugs and ran a wire from battery to (+) end of coil and tried to start - nothing different. No fire.

plug3.jpg


plug8.jpg
 
sas73 said:
Pulled plugs 3 and 8, photos attached. There seemed to be some oily gas on 8, but 3 was drier with a little oily residue. Photos attached.

Then I replaced the plugs and ran a wire from battery to (+) end of coil and tried to start - nothing different. No fire.
Click to expand...

Did you replaced the plugs with new ones? I've never had any luck cleaning gas fouled plugs. I will assume they fouled from the no start condition otherwise a carb rebuild is in order.
Check the coil. Had this problem on my sons 273. It would work then fail.
http://www.mymopar.com/coiltest.htm
Also, check the distributor shaft for play.
 
Hey good one warwagons! I never thought to check the coil,but I too had a cracked coil that sometimes would not allow a start. Eventually it failed entirely.

You can dry the plugs off with a propane torch. Just dont hold them whilst you do this.:angryfir:

Looks like your engine is running rich judging from the nice fluffy carbon deposits. Could be from a weak coil as well,as the engine may not be getting a hot enough spark to completely ignite the mix.
 
Oh and the gas you see squirting in the carb is from the accelerator pump so we know thats working,lol!

It could be a sinking float as well. Brass floats develope pinholes over time,usually in the soldered areas.

Do you have an electric fuel pump? I have seen them fail on hot days,only to work again when it cools down.
 
Try another coil first.
Through the ignition switch wirring you get 12 volts in the start position and something like 7 to 9 volts in the run position. If the contacts in that switch or the bulkhead connecter are bad and heating up you'll have similar symptoms too.
 
Busy morning. Got new spark plugs, ohmmeter, and timing light.

Resistance across coil was 1.9 ohms across coils (higher than 0.75-0.81 recommended) and 9500 from center to side (slightly lower than recommended)

Also checked for play in the rotor, photo is attached. I superimposed lines showing about 15 degrees of angular play.

Timing photo is below that one. I put some chalk on the wheel around the mark, so that is why it is white. Sorry I couldn't get a better focus on the camera.

Ironically, before doing anything at all, my wife started it 3 times in a row. I think I'll switch out the coil anyways, so I'll see if that makes it start more reliably.

I think the spark looked a bit weak, but I'm not sure exactly how strong a normal one should look.

I'll let you know when I change the coil and plugs if the spark is better.

distributor3.jpg


timing1.jpg
 
how old are the points and condenser? they should be replaced about once a year, electronic ignition conversion is a good idea unless you are attached to using points
 
I put in a new coil and replaced all the spark plugs. It has been starting well all day, and with the new coil and plugs, it starts quicker than it ever has since I got it this summer. It used to turn over for a second or two before it would fire, but now it is instantaneous. Also, I checked the spark with the new coil and plugs and it seems a bit stronger.

I don't have an electric fuel pump, but it seems that I always had fuel flowing into the carburetor, so I'm thinking it is doing OK.

I don't know how old the points and condenser are, since I just got the car recently, but I think I now have a project for next weekend- maybe putting in an electric ignition conversion or at least replacing the points and condenser. Thanks!

Should I be concerned about the amount of play in the rotor? I think the tip of the rotor moves about the distance of the width of the tip when I push it left and right. It was shown in the pictures in one of my previous posts.

I'd like to thank everyone that has given me suggestions and input so far.
 
Glad it's back on the road!
I would not worry about the distributor unless it has alot of side to side movement. See pic

distributor3.jpg
 
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