Things go from bad to worse (and just when they were looking up)

[O_Knut]

So the car left me stranded this afternoon, smoke rising from the carb. Let it sit called a couple mechanic buds (none of whom could agree on what’s wrong) but the one I think is the most correct said it seems I may have a valve leak. This is causing the engine to overheat, the rough and odd running at times, and the odd lack of power. The car won’t start, and is being towed tomorrow to be fixed. I. WILL. NOT. QUIT. (Even tho everyone wants me to sell)

 

[71FuryGC]

Good luck tracing the cause of the smoke. At least it didn't have flames! Stick with it and you'll prevail!

 

[1970FuryConv]

So the car left me stranded this afternoon, smoke rising from the carb. Let it sit called a couple mechanic buds (none of whom could agree on what’s wrong) but the one I think is the most correct said it seems I may have a valve leak. This is causing the engine to overheat, the rough and odd running at times, and the odd lack of power. The car won’t start, and is being towed tomorrow to be fixed. I. WILL. NOT. QUIT. (Even tho everyone wants me to sell)

View attachment 560591

I would 1st check the timing chain. Our cars came from the factory with nylon teeth on the cam gear/sprocket for the timing chain. Those teeth wear and break off. You can put a 1.25 inch socket with breaker bar on the crankshaft bolt at the center of the crankshaft pulley on the front of the engine. If you pull off the distributor cap, someone can watch the movement of the rotor. Turn the crank clockwise until the rotor moves. Then turn it counterclockwise until the rotor moves. If there is more than 15° of crank rotation counterclockwise before the rotor moves, you may need to change the timing chain and gears.

If timing chain is not a problem, I would check the distributor next. Put the leads on normally and see if you're getting a steady spark at cylinder number 1 when someone uses the key to turn the engine over. If the timing chain and gears are okay and you're not getting a steady spark, you maybe starting to have a problem with your distributor. Of course, the spark plug electrodes could be dirty. Or the spark plug wires could be very old and have a lot of resistance.

I like your "I will not create quit" attitude! That's the beginning of a great mechanic.

 

[O_Knut]

I would 1st check the timing chain. Our cars came from the factory with nylon teeth on the cam gear/sprocket for the timing chain. Those teeth wear and break off. You can put a 1.25 inch socket with breaker bar on the crankshaft bolt at the center of the crankshaft pulley on the front of the engine. If you pull off the distributor cap, someone can watch the movement of the rotor. Turn the crank clockwise until the rotor moves. Then turn it counterclockwise until the rotor moves. If there is more than 15° of crank rotation counterclockwise before the rotor moves, you may need to change the timing chain and gears.

If timing chain is not a problem, I would check the distributor next. Put the leads on normally and see if you're getting a steady spark at cylinder number 1 when someone uses the key to turn the engine over. If the timing chain and gears are okay and you're not getting a steady spark, you maybe starting to have a problem with your distributor. Of course, the spark plug electrodes could be dirty. Or the spark plug wires could be very old and have a lot of resistance.

I like your "I will not create quit" attitude! That's the beginning of a great mechanic.

Thank you, even though I’m bringing it to a shop to have the problem and any others properly diagnosed (why wait for me to discover em, I’ll let them point the problems out and then go from there)

 

[thethee]

No offense, but I'd take the advice of the FCBO guru's over what some shop says, any day of the week. Unless you don't have the time you're probably better off diagnosing it yourself.

But maybe that's just because everytime I brought any car to a shop, I always get this nagging feeling they're trying to play me. Suddenly everything is wrong with it and MUST be replaced, you know?

 

[ricks_RR]

my question is what year is it and size motor next how many miles on it .
did you just buy it if not has it ran good in the pass as you were driving it .

 

[O_Knut]

my question is what year is it and size motor next how many miles on it .
did you just buy it if not has it ran good in the pass as you were driving it .

It was a daily driver, I bought it w over 120,000 on the bodu but 40,000 on engine 60,000 on transmission from rebuild or visa versa. It sat because insurance was a pain about legalizing it tho I’d drive it to keep fluids movinf. It got registered this week and only likes to start when it’s cold

 

[O_Knut]

No offense, but I'd take the advice of the FCBO guru's over what some shop says, any day of the week. Unless you don't have the time you're probably better off diagnosing it yourself.

But maybe that's just because everytime I brought any car to a shop, I always get this nagging feeling they're trying to play me. Suddenly everything is wrong with it and MUST be replaced, you know?

I don’t have the time and need it to run perfectly, and this shop is a close family friend who sold my dads first car back when they were a dealer (gold 1970 Pontiac Catalina) they love classic cars and especially mine. They’re cool and their work speaks for themselves. The only shop I fully trust w my car, as their main expertise is classics and they run a locally famous classic car show (falls village car show, Dennis gage did an episode on it (you can see me in the background of his episode))

 

[GOLDMYN]

first thing, compression check?

 

[Loadrunner]

compression check

All the spark plugs , wires, caps and rotors in the world won't fix lack of compression or a burned exhaust valve in a cylinder.

So compression check #1.

If it passes a compression check, a simple tune up, plugs, wires if they're junky no name wires, cap and rotor if the parts are defective or inferior.

Change fuel filter, if you don't know when it was last changed, air filter if inferior or dirty.

Make sure the gas cap is the proper one for the system.

If you have Chrsyler electronic ignition, drive around with a VOM in your car, and get a distributor pickup coil reading when hot and refusing to start, probably wayyyyy out of specs.

 

[thethee]

I don’t have the time and need it to run perfectly, and this shop is a close family friend who sold my dads first car back when they were a dealer (gold 1970 Pontiac Catalina) they love classic cars and especially mine. They’re cool and their work speaks for themselves. The only shop I fully trust w my car, as their main expertise is classics and they run a locally famous classic car show (falls village car show, Dennis gage did an episode on it (you can see me in the background of his episode))

Now that sounds like a proper shop! Mind dropping a name? As I can imagine other members in your area could be interested.

As for your diagnosis, agree on the points already given, compression and timing. Good luck!

 

[ricks_RR]

i hope they can fix it for you with out taking your wallet . i do all my own work on these cars sometimes it easy and sometimes not if you are not mechanically inclined then they can be a pain . i enjoy trouble shooting them because it is easier then the new **** . good luck and hope you can enjoy driving soon

 

[O_Knut]

Now that sounds like a proper shop! Mind dropping a name? As I can imagine other members in your area could be interested.

As for your diagnosis, agree on the points already given, compression and timing. Good luck!

Jacob’s garage. They were a Pontiac dealer, then became a car garage in the early 70’s. Stationed right next to the world famous lime rock park and with the proper setup in town, they host the semi known falls village car show.

 

[O_Knut]

i hope they can fix it for you with out taking your wallet . i do all my own work on these cars sometimes it easy and sometimes not if you are not mechanically inclined then they can be a pain . i enjoy trouble shooting them because it is easier then the new **** . good luck and hope you can enjoy driving soon

Same, worst case if it’s too costly my schools mechanic class may be interested (didn’t know class was a thing until after I dropped my car off it’s a small class they do big work)

 

[O_Knut]

Jacob’s garage. They were a Pontiac dealer, then became a car garage in the early 70’s. Stationed right next to the world famous lime rock park and with the proper setup in town, they host the semi known falls village car show.

To further prove how much I trust these guys work, our family 9 times outa 10 brings all our cars to their shop, their shop isn’t even in our town and it’s rather out of the way but again it’s worth it, and they’ve been doing this a long time and love a classic car. Let’s just hope they love a classic c body (their Gm boys by heart but do work on all classic makes, there was a 65 mustang in their lot this morning when I pulled up) also. They have a rather small shop compared to the other local guys, but again they do a terrific job.

 

[ricks_RR]

trade schools like that stuff good thinking

 

[backyardmechanic]

So the car left me stranded this afternoon, smoke rising from the carb. Let it sit called a couple mechanic buds (none of whom could agree on what’s wrong) but the one I think is the most correct said it seems I may have a valve leak. This is causing the engine to overheat, the rough and odd running at times, and the odd lack of power. The car won’t start, and is being towed tomorrow to be fixed. I. WILL. NOT. QUIT. (Even tho everyone wants me to sell)

Suggest you do a compression test on your engine and check timing mark on crank with timing light possible timing chain stretched and jump teeth on sprocket a few tooth on on camshaft. Good luck

 

[O_Knut]

Well new news! After talking with the mechanic it was after all just a corroded coil, infact he said he checked the engine and everything in the engine seemed pretty sound, just that bad coil. But the transmission, he worries may either need a new filter or need a new transmission all together, as he noted it seems hesitant to slip into gear and he almost couldn’t back the car up. I trust his word, and will first check to see if it’s just a filter, as I was told the transmission had a rebuild and was only on 40 or 60 thousand miles. But I’m not worried if it needs a new transmission, because even though the big block mopar engines are hard to find, I know guys who are struggling to sell 727s

 

[ricks_RR]

the tranny can be rebuilt very easy . dont need to get a new one

 

[1970FuryConv]

Well new news! After talking with the mechanic it was after all just a corroded coil, infact he said he checked the engine and everything in the engine seemed pretty sound, just that bad coil. But the transmission, he worries may either need a new filter or need a new transmission all together, as he noted it seems hesitant to slip into gear and he almost couldn’t back the car up. I trust his word, and will first check to see if it’s just a filter, as I was told the transmission had a rebuild and was only on 40 or 60 thousand miles. But I’m not worried if it needs a new transmission, because even though the big block mopar engines are hard to find, I know guys who are struggling to sell 727s

Ditto, have the reliable tech rebuild your 727.
Great investment. Then you know what you've got.