Monday I was on my way to get groceries when the duster just quit running. It would crank but not start had gas no time to check anything else had to get to work soon towed home. So this morning I checked for spark and have it and yes gas when pump carb. It cranks over but gives no indication that it wants to start. I'm lost what do I look at now.

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my first 6 1973 Plymouth Duster

Did you check spark at the plugs or at the coil wire? You can still have cap/rotor issues if sparks at the coil

Ok; So he has gas, has air, and has spark, but does he have spark at the proper time?

Roger

Ditto. I would check the integrity of the plastic gear on the bottom of the distributor. First pop the distributor cap and make sure the rotor is turning when th emotor cranks. If the rotor turns, verify base timing (time the motor from scratch assuming the distributor is out of time). Next, check timing chain slack by turning the crank over one full revolution and stop at TDC, then turn it the opposite direction and watch the timing mark to determine how many degree of crank movement occur before the rotor starts to move.

Tell us your results.

Start-Run Relay??

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"Louise", a 1976 Dart Custom project, (now sadly reverted to being just an "organ donor" to our other project Darts.)

The distributor shaft has to be turning, otherwise there would be zero spark. If the reluctor wasn't sweeping past the magnet to create the wave (or opening/closing points) there would be no spark.

I have seen the distributor gear "partially" fail. Where the shaft still will turn, but get out of time. Similar to a timing chain jumping. Set the engine with #1 piston at TDC . Zero on the timing marks, and see if the rotor points at either #1 or #6 terminal on the dist cap. If not, either the gear is bad or the timing chain jumped.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Well even though the last couple of days work has gotten me home at 3am this morning I pulled the #1 plug and at TDC the rotor was between terminals. Tuesday when I started checking things it did have spark from the cap to plug that's when I thought what Charrlie had suggested about the gear also Reed I did do the timing chain check and got 5% of slack would that be accurate if my dist gear is messed up?

Thanks everyone for your help and any suggestions on what brand gear I should buy?

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my first 6 1973 Plymouth Duster

I pulled the Dist. and the gear is fine I put Dist. back in 1 tooth back engine now wants to start but will not run. Could the timing chain jumped enough to create this problem? Engine has roughly 100 k on it.

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my first 6 1973 Plymouth Duster

Remove the hold down bolt and have a friend crank the engine while you slowly rotate the distributor. First rotate it counterclockwise and if that doesn't work go clockwise. Try and get it running.

Had you done anything with the distributor before the engine just quit on you? Is it possible that the distributor hold-down bolt was not tightened enough and the distributor rotated while the car was driving?

What do you mean by 5% of slack? Do you mean 5 degrees? 5 degrees of slack on the crank before the cam starts turning suggests your timing chain is starting to get worn, but it should still be serviceable.

Hi Reed,

I tried rotating the dist. with ing. on and using a remote starter switch. At full clockwise it would act like it wanted to start but would not stay running turning it clockwise did nothing.

I did a tune up 2 weeks ago cap, rotor, plugs and valve adjustment. I did not have to adjust timing.

And yes I do mean 5 degrees

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my first 6 1973 Plymouth Duster

Remove the distibutor holdown bolt so you have more movement at the distributor and try starting it again while you rotate the distributor.

Bolt was out when trying to start.

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my first 6 1973 Plymouth Duster

Ah. So rotating the distributor did not make it start and did not chage the way the engine turned over? I.E. over-advancing the timing will make the engine harder to crank over.

If the engine did not start and did not become harder to crank as the distributor was rotated counterclockwise, then either the plugs aren't firing or you have a compression problem on ALL cylinders. If you have verified that you truly do have spark then it is time to pull the valve cover and make sure all the valves are moving when you crank the engine and then pull the timing cover and inspect the timing chain and gears. You might have jumped a tooth.

I do have spark and it does try to start when Dist. all the way counter clockwise and a little harder to crank when rotating dist. clockwise with no indication of wanting to start. I have not checked compression with a gauge but rotating by hand with fan I know I have compression. I think it jumped a tooth but would that make it just quit running without any indication of anything going wrong? Like I said I was just driving along about 45mph when I realized it just wasn't running any more no sputter or anything.

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my first 6 1973 Plymouth Duster