The plot thickens

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VonCramp

VonCramp

Well-Known Member
Joined
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My 340 was recently running beautifully. The next morning it wouldn't start at all. What I thought was a bad distributor is looking more like a bad timing gear. Just for the heck of it I checked the timing and went ahead and set it at 10* before tdc. I cranked her over and nothing. So, I moved the distributor a good 40* degrees or so and she kinda' fired almost starting. I got out the timing light and decided to see if it was jumping around. At first I couldn't even find it. I moved the light over to the passenger side. the timing mark was flashing way over by the passenger motor mount. It wasn't jumping around. Just way the heck on the wrong side. Any thoughts on how this could happen? I almost forgot to mention that when the motor quit running I pulled the distributor out of frustration and stabbed it back in later that day. Did I stab it 180 out? I sure in the hell don't know!
 
Am I wrong or is this like your 4th "timing" thread?? LOL Sorry but it seems like you have threads all over the place with the same issue. It might be frustrating and take a while, but you will get better results with one thread....more members are apt to help you as well
 
The reason I am posting a new thread is because I am doing this on my damn phone. I am having a hard time navigating around this site. I do not have Internet access at my home. So, I am sorry I didn't satisfy the forum police by posting on my old thread. If I frustrate you, then don't reply. I also was hoping for some fresh input from other members. When your car doesn't run and you are stressed out you also do not take the time to think about how/where you are posting.
 
Distributor was my very first suspect. I just don't understand how it would make the motor fire so far out of time. It is an hei style I got off of eBay. Why would it run one day and the next day the timing mark is way out of time???
 
I aint the forum police but your sarcasm is noted, and I am only trying to help and give advice by suggesting to keeping the same problem to 1 thread, but I am not the only one to give that advice to you. I will agree tho that using your phone would be frustrating as ****, but if you are using it why use it to start another thread instead of your orig one?? Good luck
 
I didn't post on my old thread because I honestly don't even know where they are at. I would post on the old one if I knew how to find them. This sight is hard enough to navigate on a computer. On my IPhone it is very difficult. I have a brand new Mopar Performance style distributor I can install. I just really hate adding five more wires to the engine compartment.
 
If you pulled the dist, then you could have got it out 180 degree. But if it is HEI dist then something could be wrong with it. Compare shaft to a good mopar dist to be sure that length is correct. If shaft is too short then it could jump out of slot in gear. Also if housing was not down fully in bore it could have jumped also.
If you have good dist, start by getting #1 cyl to TDC then the rotor should be pointing to the #1 spark plug. If not then you will have to index the dist gear to get the slot lined up.
 
you have a 69 barracuda...on a 69 model the timing marks on the balancer and timing chain cover is on the passenger side....have you changed anything?

another thing...does the slot on the bottom your distributor line up with the rotor cap...mopars do...

but msd and Chinese models the rotor is off 90 degrees..
 
VonCramp said:
Distributor was my very first suspect. I just don't understand how it would make the motor fire so far out of time. It is an hei style I got off of eBay. Why would it run one day and the next day the timing mark is way out of time???
Click to expand...

My Jeep came with one of those POS distributors when I bought it. Did the same thing you are suffering through. No matter what I did I couldn't get it to stay in time long enough to make it to the end of the driveway. It's running fine now that I have switched to a STOCK electronic ignition. I suppose having 4 fewer wires to lug around does make your car easier to push......
 
scope it off #2, are you seeing line under tab now? You are out of whack or your balancer has spun. You need to get it to #1 TDC. pull plug, put finger over hole and wait until hard puff while you are bumping it, then stick a straight coathanger in there and turn crank with wrench to find TDC or as close as you can tell. The timing mark should be very close to 0 on tab. Now look under cap: you can either pull distributor and rotate it 180 to get you to point to #1, or just rewire cap to reflect rotor pointing to #1 tower. If the damper is no where close to TDC, then it has spun and you need to mark the hub, and start looking for a balancer as yours could come apart. I got one (neutral balance) if you need one. I feel your pain doing this through a phone.. try a blackberry, it is dreadful.
 
70aarcuda said:
you have a 69 barracuda...on a 69 model the timing marks on the balancer and timing chain cover is on the passenger side....have you changed anything?

another thing...does the slot on the bottom your distributor line up with the rotor cap...mopars do...

but msd and Chinese models the rotor is off 90 degrees..
Click to expand...
My motor is a 72 340. The timing tab is on driver's side. Is that correct? The distributor is the Chinese HEI. I am sorry but I am confused by the rotor cap and slot you mentioned.
 
grumpuscreature said:
My Jeep came with one of those POS distributors when I bought it. Did the same thing you are suffering through. No matter what I did I couldn't get it to stay in time long enough to make it to the end of the driveway. It's running fine now that I have switched to a STOCK electronic ignition. I suppose having 4 fewer wires to lug around does make your car easier to push......
Click to expand...
Ha ha!!! Too true! I will convert to the new distributor tomorrow! Did it take you long to figure out the problem? So far I have diagnosed ten other suspects! I really hope it is just the distributor! Thanks for replying!
 
3406pk said:
If you pulled the dist, then you could have got it out 180 degree. But if it is HEI dist then something could be wrong with it. Compare shaft to a good mopar dist to be sure that length is correct. If shaft is too short then it could jump out of slot in gear. Also if housing was not down fully in bore it could have jumped also.
If you have good dist, start by getting #1 cyl to TDC then the rotor should be pointing to the #1 spark plug. If not then you will have to index the dist gear to get the slot lined up.
Click to expand...
When I installed the HEI it pointed at number five cylinder at top dead center. It ran great for about two or three hours off and on. I shut her off and the next day I cranked her and nothing. Had spark and fuel. Just wouldn't run at all. When I timed the motor tonight I set it 10 before tdc. I hooked the timing light up and the mark was flashing all the way on passenger side. So confused.
 
pishta said:
scope it off #2, are you seeing line under tab now? You are out of whack or your balancer has spun. You need to get it to #1 TDC. pull plug, put finger over hole and wait until hard puff while you are bumping it, then stick a straight coathanger in there and turn crank with wrench to find TDC or as close as you can tell. The timing mark should be very close to 0 on tab. Now look under cap: you can either pull distributor and rotate it 180 to get you to point to #1, or just rewire cap to reflect rotor pointing to #1 tower. If the damper is no where close to TDC, then it has spun and you need to mark the hub, and start looking for a balancer as yours could come apart. I got one (neutral balance) if you need one. I feel your pain doing this through a phone.. try a blackberry, it is dreadful.
Click to expand...
I do not know if mine is neutral. It is a 72 340. That is about all I can tell you. Thanks for your reply. If it is my Ballancer and yours will work on mine I will gladly purchase yours. Thanks again!!!
 
VonGrump you don't seem to understand how a forum works. You see, it's not a very good idea to insult or alienate the very ones whom you are looking to for help.

The reason you should keep your posts altogether is so that it will be organized in such a way that members that have not seen your earlier posts will be able to read everybody else's responses. It would make it more informative and useful for others searching this forum.

This place is an awesome resource. Here we have knowledgeable experts, with first hand information, that are willing to take the time to help a fellow member. And lots of us on here are using iPhones, or whatever, to post on the forum. It's not that big of a deal.

I hope you get the answers you need to fix the problem, but please try to be a little more civil, you will be glad in the long run. BTW, if I'm not mistaken, 4spdragtop was sincerely trying to offer help / suggestions. You got your back up for no reason.

Stay cool, man!
 
pishta said:
scope it off #2, are you seeing line under tab now? You are out of whack or your balancer has spun. You need to get it to #1 tdc. Pull plug, put finger over hole and wait until hard puff while you are bumping it, then stick a straight coathanger in there and turn crank with wrench to find tdc or as close as you can tell. The timing mark should be very close to 0 on tab. Now look under cap: You can either pull distributor and rotate it 180 to get you to point to #1, or just rewire cap to reflect rotor pointing to #1 tower. If the damper is no where close to tdc, then it has spun and you need to mark the hub, and start looking for a balancer as yours could come apart. I got one (neutral balance) if you need one. I feel your pain doing this through a phone.. Try a blackberry, it is dreadful.
Click to expand...

x2
 
Just for the heck of it check your rotor button. I had a jeep laid up for a month trying to find why it would not start and in the end it was the rotor button. Pull it off and make sure it is not cracked and slipping . On my jeep the rotor button was turning with no cap on so I assumed it was ok. A buddy of mine pulled the rotor button off and handed it to me to show me the crack- boy did I feel dumb!! Put a new rotor button on and it ran like a champ.
 
bighammer said:
VonGrump you don't seem to understand how a forum works. You see, it's not a very good idea to insult or alienate the very ones whom you are looking to for help.

The reason you should keep your posts altogether is so that it will be organized in such a way that members that have not seen your earlier posts will be able to read everybody else's responses. It would make it more informative and useful for others searching this forum.

This place is an awesome resource. Here we have knowledgeable experts, with first hand information, that are willing to take the time to help a fellow member. And lots of us on here are using iPhones, or whatever, to post on the forum. It's not that big of a deal.

I hope you get the answers you need to fix the problem, but please try to be a little more civil, you will be glad in the long run. BTW, if I'm not mistaken, 4spdragtop was sincerely trying to offer help / suggestions. You got your back up for no reason.

Stay cool, man!
Click to expand...

Thanks BH, I am not the 1st person to tell him/her to keep the threads/problems condensed into 1 thread. I was new here once too, but I did take/heed the advice...He/she mentioned that it "might" be a bad timing gear...well there is no "might" it either is or it isnt...I had timing issues/problems but I listened to the advice given to me and the problem was solved...the other person who advised to keep it into 1 thread is a person I consider an electrical/electronic guru on here.....

Get ridda that HEI(for now anyway) and start with a stock dizzy and get it to approx 10* before TDC on COMPRESSION...then go from there
 
4spdragtop said:
Thanks BH, I am not the 1st person to tell him/her to keep the threads/problems condensed into 1 thread. I was new here once too, but I did take/heed the advice...He/she mentioned that it "might" be a bad timing gear...well there is no "might" it either is or it isnt...I had timing issues/problems but I listened to the advice given to me and the problem was solved...the other person who advised to keep it into 1 thread is a person I consider an electrical/electronic guru on here.....

Get ridda that HEI(for now anyway) and start with a stock dizzy and get it to approx 10* before TDC on COMPRESSION...then go from there
Click to expand...
Yea, I was grumpy. I have a crazy mystery gremlin that I can't seem to sort out. When I said "might be the timing gear" I meant it could be one of two things, not that it might be bad. I haven't ruled it out yet. The mark stayed steady as a rock when I put the timing light on it. It was just way over on the other side of the car by the passenger side mount. That is where the timing chain theory came from. I can't help but think that if Mopar had better electronic ignition systems I wouldn't be where I am at with this POS HEI. When I first converted the motor to factory Mopar electronic ignition years ago I recall seeing all of those melted boxes in the derelict Mopars. So, I have been avoiding putting one in my freshly painted engine compartment.
 
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