Vapor lock and flooding on 383

[70bigblockdodge]

I'll throw this out there because of price. Pace performance (a sponsor here) has drop in distributors for around $80. The problem with a Petronix or a drop in is replacement parts, I know they do not fail very often but if your luck is like mine the one time you stay late somewhere or caught in a downpour that's when something quits. A Mopar ECU we all have 2-3 extras so carriing one is not a big deal. The petronix for a extra you basically need another kit. For the one PACE sells the replacement module is like $12 and small to fit in glovebox. When I get frustrated with my points in the Charger this will be the one I try.
So for around a $100 you have brand spanking new dist and a spare ECU not bad.

 

[Ripinator]

Wondering if I should just het a new fuel pump, points and condenser and be done with it. They're all original as far as I know...

Big Box Auto down the street has a pump for $30.

Just go to Rockauto and order everything you need from there. Get the Standard BlueStreak points, a Carter fuel pump, a set of Autolite AP85 plugs and a quality plug wire set. You can probably re-use your original Chrysler condenser or get another from RockAuto (not sure as to whether their condensers are Chinese). and keep it in the glove compartment as a spare. I installed all of the above-described parts on my '66 300, and the car was totally transformed.

 

[OneEyed]

Installed new points last night and did an oil change, not yet fired it up though. I will pull air horn off today and check floats and needle valves. Ill also try and check to see what jets and springs are in there.

 

[OneEyed]

So the floats are supposed to be at 7/16" with the air horn upside down, mine were at almost 9/16".

Does that mean anything?

 

[detmatt]

Not sure if that's quite enough to starve the engine of fuel but you should see some improvement from setting them right.

 

[OneEyed]

I got the needle things out and they say 7547 on them and the step up springs are bare metal, no color at all and measure about 1.25".

 

[OneEyed]

Primary jet says 120-398 on each.

 

[OneEyed]

According to the 1406 owners manual, these are the stock needles and primary jets. Not sure on the springs though.

 

[Big_John]

You really need to do one thing at a time.... Like work on the ignition system and make sure that is squared away before you tear into something else. Doing everything at once is how you turn a running car into a non-running car that you can't figure out what you might have done wrong.

I especially note this because you said you haven't "fired it up yet". That tells me that you haven't checked/reset the timing after changing the points.

Please take this as constructive criticism. I know you haven't done some of this stuff and folks have given good suggestions for possible problems. The difficult part of that is sifting through those suggestions and applying them in some sort of logical order. Your issue could be just one thing or it could be a combination of many things. Either way, for you to learn and have a good running car at the same time, you have to focus on one thing at a time.

There isn't a single one of here that has had any significant time with a wrench in their hand that hasn't made a mistake and had to retrace their steps. I've done way more than my share. The trick is to not get out too many steps ahead of yourself and make new problems.

 

[OneEyed]

I know, I'm terrible sometimes. I get a day in the garage and go a little overboard....

 

[OneEyed]

Since my springs aren't colored does that mean they are the Plain 8"Hg? And I need the yellows? Or does that paint wear off? I got the floats adjusted better. Jets and needles are the correct stock size.

I'll hopefully get it back together today and see how it runs before I go any further.

 

[1970cat]

 

[rapidtrans]

I'm pulling the pump rod out of the Monaco this weekend Matt. I think it's the cause of the hard starting and bogging at w.o.t. I talked to the previous owner at Carlisle that installed the new pump but did check rod for wear. I never would have thought of it myself if not for this site.

Removed pump rod this weekend. Thing slid right out after removing hex plug. Rod shows some wear at the cam end around the edges and measures 3 3/16".
As long as it's out i'm installing a new one. Do i buy the bronze tip or the steel model? Summit has both.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Steel.

 

[OneEyed]

For anyone that has the 1406 with electric choke, can you tell me where the choke is set in reference to the hash marks? Or will it very much from car to car?

 

[OneEyed]

I checked the timing tonight according to FSM. At idle in nuetral, It's at 5* Above with vacuum advance disconnected. And right on 0* with it connected.

 

[detmatt]

When you say above to you mean before or after?

 

[detmatt]

Removed pump rod this weekend. Thing slid right out after removing hex plug. Rod shows some wear at the cam end around the edges and measures 3 3/16".
As long as it's out i'm installing a new one. Do i buy the bronze tip or the steel model? Summit has both.

So yours was only about a 32nd worn but I think once they start wearing maybe they go quick. I now carry a spare in the tool box but I did buy the bronze tipped one.

 

[OneEyed]

When you say above to you mean before or after?

After.

 

[detmatt]

If anything a Mopar big block loves advance, at no point in the timing process should you be firing after tdc. You should set your Initial timing at idle with the advance hose off and the port plugged at about 12 degrees before tdc and iirc you shouldn't have any difference at idle with or without the vacuum advance hooked up. When you increase the rpms to north of 2200 or so you should have over 30 degrees of total advance. This is ballpark as I didn't review what cam you have.