Hey everybody, I'm a newbie to this forum, and thought I should join and check it out.
I've got a '65 Valiant that I've had for about 7 years and it has never let me down. I have driven it across the U.S. several times, and have never had problems.
I then decided to buy another slant six powered vehicle, and found this truck. It is an '85 Dodge Ram and has no rust and is in great shape! Unfortunately, it won't start, and I have spark at all of the plugs, and I'm getting fuel. The timing is ok, but I haven't checked the compression yet, but I put my thumb over the number one hole and it blew it out.
Any suggestions? I think it might be the computer, but I'm not too sure...

Thanks,

_________________
--Chad
'65 Plymouth Valiant 2dr post
'85 Dodge Ram
'73 Mercury Montego

Does this Truck still have the Lean Burn computer??? If so you may want to convert to HEI. Use the Search function for Lean Burn.
Frank

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Scrapple: Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
73 Duster - Race Car
66 Dart Wagon - DD
178" FED
82 D150
All Slant powered

How long has the truck been setting? Have you pulled the valve cover to make sure all valves are opening/closeing? This wouldn't be the first slant that had frozen/stuck valves from setting for some extended length of time.To my way of thinking if you have fuel/air/spark(how strong?)basic timing and valves moving it should show some signs of life if nothing more than backfire or trying to run.As far as the HEI goes IF you still have the Leanburn ign at a minimum convert it to regular MoPar elec ign ie;dist,ballast,ecu and wiring(if the tailpipe cops permit it in KS).
Good luck

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83 B-150 slant 6,4 speed. 79 B-300 360 pathfinder 4x4. 74 W-300 318 4x4 git-r-done 80 B-100 sl6,4speed

The truck hasn't been sitting for very long. The guy I bought it from claims that it was running about two weeks ago, and the plate had expired in July, so if it was July, only a few months... I haven't pulled the valve cover off, but I do at least know that the first two valves are moving. It does have a computer, and somebody replaced the distributor with a single pick-up, rather than a dual pick-up. It does have spark at all of the plugs, and it is getting gas... I have the timing lined up I think... There are several marks on the pulley, so I'm not sure which one to use... There is a fairly deep cut that looks like it was made from the factory that I'm going to try lining up to, although it is lined up to a white mark on the pulley right now.
Would the computer cause it to not start?

Thanks,

_________________
--Chad
'65 Plymouth Valiant 2dr post
'85 Dodge Ram
'73 Mercury Montego

If you have gas and spark, the next thing you need to confirm is timing. With an engine that you don’t know where it’s been you’ll have to start from scratch.

The white mark doesn’t sound factory. It could’ve been put there by accident, mistake or some other unhelpful reason. Which-ever mark you use, the distributor could still be 360 degrees off.

I would find TDC of #1 piston on the compression stroke (NOT by using the timing mark) and see where the timing mark and rotor button is. If the timing mark is way off you’ll have to figure out why - it could be a jumped timing chain, a slipped or miss-matched harmonic balancer, or a miss-matched timing cover.

Danny

ok, thanks Danny. Will do.

_________________
--Chad
'65 Plymouth Valiant 2dr post
'85 Dodge Ram
'73 Mercury Montego

Just throwing some obvious but often overlooked stuff:
Gas any good?
Distributor cap any good?
Is your rotor on correctly? This happened to me on more than one occasion.
Coil wire? Plug wires?
Valves opening/closing?

If you have lean bum, get rid of it and do the HEI conversion. If the smog cops are like the ones we have here, they won't know the difference between a Mopar and GM part.

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If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

Yup, all that stuff is new... I know the front valves are moving... I will pull the valve cover today and check the rest. I am putting a points-type distributor in today as well and ditching the computer. Nope, the cops here don't know the difference, and there is no inspection... so...

Thanks for the tips guys. I will keep you posted!

_________________
--Chad
'65 Plymouth Valiant 2dr post
'85 Dodge Ram
'73 Mercury Montego

You know, an easier swap which would be better than the points system would be switching to HEI. Points are old and outdated, HEI is much better technology. SlantSixDan has written some great posts about the how and why of the conversion.