Any advice? It's running too rich in the morning and too lean during the day (damn South Carolina heat). Anyways... how much would converting over to an electric fan help this? The car almost never operates at normal temp, it's almost always in the lower 120's unless I'm in stop-and-go traffic. I'm racking my brain out trying to get my Dart to run consistently.

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"Chrome don't get ya home."
<img src=http://i54.tinypic.com/iznqiu.jpg>
1973 Dodge Dart Custom aka Duh Fart

I just realized how vague that was. I've done the fuel line mod. Carb is a Holley 1920 (rebuilt a year ago). Could a heat shield also be the solution?

_________________
"Chrome don't get ya home."
<img src=http://i54.tinypic.com/iznqiu.jpg>
1973 Dodge Dart Custom aka Duh Fart

An electric fan will not resolve this situation.

A heat shield is definitely a good idea.

Make sure the manifold heat control valve is operating correctly, not stuck or missing.

Add a vapour-return system as described in the fuel line mod article.

What is the year and model of your car? Is the carburetor the original item that you rebuilt, or is it a parts store "remanufactured" unit? How many miles (total) are on the carburetor/on the engine?

What thermostat is installed in the engine?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I'll give the heat shield a try. I've definitely been needing that one. The vapour return as well. I just replaced the intake/exhaust manifold gasket and cleaned YEARS of carbon buildup crap from the heat control valve. The carb is the original (as far as i know) 1920... Not sure about the miles though. I got the car with the speedometer not functioning.

Car is a Dodge Dart Custom. 225 /6 stock.

The thermostat is 180. I replaced the stock 195.
I've been told I should run a 160. Is this true?

Also, but completely unrelated...
I just adjusted the valves for the first time yesterday and set them to spec. The car has had a miss since I got it (almost a surging sound). I was driving on the highway today and gave the car a good rev, it backfired, and all of a sudden it had the smoothest idle I've ever heard it have. (I've had the car for a year now)

Could I have freed a stuck valve?

_________________
"Chrome don't get ya home."
<img src=http://i54.tinypic.com/iznqiu.jpg>
1973 Dodge Dart Custom aka Duh Fart

Unrelated to the problem at hand, but you'll find a vacuum hose running from the carburetor to a device on the passenger side of the firewall, and from there to the distributor. Run a new vacuum hose directly from the carburetor to the distributor, bypassing the device on the firewall. Your driveability, performance, and fuel economy will all improve noticeably.
180 is fine. 195 is stock. 160 is not a wise choice.
Adjusted hot/running? Or cold?
Perhaps!

Tune-up parts and technique suggestions in this thread. Carburetor operation and repair manuals and links to training movies and carb repair/modification threads are posted here for free download -- if your carb didn't get a new float at the last rebuild, it's almost certainly overdue; they absorb fuel and grow heavy.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I checked to see if my car has that hose and I don't believe it does. It's a '73. Did they have it for that year?

I adjusted the valves hot/running. It sounds like a nasty sewing machine.

_________________
"Chrome don't get ya home."
<img src=http://i54.tinypic.com/iznqiu.jpg>
1973 Dodge Dart Custom aka Duh Fart

Yes, that device is present on all '73s. Do you have any hose at all connected to your distributor? If so, where does the other end of it go?

If your engine sounds like a "nasty sewing machine", the valves probably aren't adjusted right.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Valve layout changes at #4 cylinder, #1--#3 Exh then Intake #4--#6 Intake then Exh.

Richard

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Yup, that is a really easy error to make...you get so engrossed in alternating Tens and Twenties that you miss the two Tens in the middle and half the engine gets adjusted backwards (intakes at 0.020", exhausts at 0.010"). The very first valve adjustment I ever did, when I was a teenager, I made this error. The car sounded and ran worse than before. I panicked, certain I'd ruined the engine in my dad's car. Called Doc(tor Dodge) on the phone (pre-internet days!), probably interrupting him, and he immediately knew what I'd done wrong.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I checked again and my distributor vacuum tube is hooked up. Is that the hose you mentioned? (It's ran straight from the carb to distributor, a previous owner must have done this)

How necessary is the air cleaner vacuum tube? I'm missing this... I stopped it with a fitting.

And after firing her up again my valves do sound a little loose. I have too much noise. I'll check them again tomorrow and do the necessary adjustments.

Fingers crossed for freeing a stuck valve.

@ Fopar thank you! I'll make note.

_________________
"Chrome don't get ya home."
<img src=http://i54.tinypic.com/iznqiu.jpg>
1973 Dodge Dart Custom aka Duh Fart

Your thermostatic air cleaner and all its hoses and the stovepipe (from bottom of snorkel to sheetmetal "stove" on exhaust manifold) should be intact and hooked up correctly.

You'll want to get the three books described in this thread as quickly as you can.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I FINALLY got the valves adjusted right and man... Its like a new car! Well... not really new

Definitely gonna get the books, Dan. And get the air cleaner connected to the carb. 'Preciate the help ya'll!

_________________
"Chrome don't get ya home."
<img src=http://i54.tinypic.com/iznqiu.jpg>
1973 Dodge Dart Custom aka Duh Fart

So I've had something strange happen...

I replaced my battery this week (the previous came with the car, had no labels, and the lowest cranking amps possible. Win.) and have had none of the surging/rich conditions I was experiencing before. I haven't touched any of my idle/mixture screws since the last time it chugged and died in traffic.

Could the lack of battery power have caused my choke plate to stick shut, causing an overly rich condition? I have a '73... Electric choke and electric ignition. Any insight would be much appreciated!

_________________
"Chrome don't get ya home."
<img src=http://i54.tinypic.com/iznqiu.jpg>
1973 Dodge Dart Custom aka Duh Fart

No.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Dan, what about a loose spark plug? I'm stumped.

Only variables I can think of is our weather has been 10 degrees cooler the past couple days. But while digging around under the hood, I discovered my #1 cylinder spark plug was loose enough to hand spin out.

_________________
"Chrome don't get ya home."
<img src=http://i54.tinypic.com/iznqiu.jpg>
1973 Dodge Dart Custom aka Duh Fart