Slant Six Forum
https://slantsix.org/forum/

Engine starts hard, and won't stay running!!!
https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53873		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  davearl46 [ Sat Nov 16, 2013 6:52 am ]
Post subject:  Engine starts hard, and won't stay running!!!
New here, so bear with me!! Just bought a '82 D150 with slant 6 and 4-speed. I don't think the engine is original and it is a hack job on the wiring!! He told me it just wasn't running right, missed, hard to start, ran rough and wouldn't stay running!! He put a kit in carb, new coil, new fuel pump, new distributor, points, condenser, plug wires, plugs, and a new ballast resistor! It runs for a bit, then dies!! So, I buy a new holley 1945, (re-maned), and put it on and the same thing!! Will start and run for a bit, then sounds like it is flooding out! I put a screwdriver in the carb throat to keep the choke open and same thing! Runs for a bit, and then sounds like it is flooding out!! I don't think it's the ballast resistor because it runs after I let off on the key to start, on the run spot!! It seems like it wants to hit on all six sometimes, but most of the time when I get it started, it spits and sputters and run real rough!! Could the distributor gear be stripped for it to run like this or would it even run at all? Thought I would just put a carb on and drive!! Not so!! The wiring is a mess, but all the lights work, heater works and it seems like it should be something simple! All the smog stuff is off and if I could just get the basics on the wiring that would be great! I tried in the manual, but I just don't understand it!! I believe he also said it had a remanufactured head!! Could some pushrods have been bent when installing the head, causing my problems??? Sorry for the long post, but I tried to get you all the info I know about this truck!! Thanks in advance!!!
Author:  ceej [ Sat Nov 16, 2013 7:48 am ]
Post subject: 
Vacuum leaks, poor fuel delivery, ignition-cam timing and valve adjustment.

Welcome to the forum! :D

CJ
Author:  Reed [ Sat Nov 16, 2013 10:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Engine starts hard, and won't stay running!!!
Quote:
Just bought a '82 D150 with slant 6...I don't think the engine is original and it is a hack job on the wiring!!

He told me it just wasn't running right, missed, hard to start, ran rough and wouldn't stay running!! He put a kit in carb, new coil, new fuel pump, new distributor, points, condenser, plug wires, plugs, and a new ballast resistor! It runs for a bit, then dies!! So, I buy a new holley 1945, (re-maned), and put it on and the same thing!!

Will start and run for a bit, then sounds like it is flooding out! I put a screwdriver in the carb throat to keep the choke open and same thing! Runs for a bit, and then sounds like it is flooding out!! I don't think it's the ballast resistor because it runs after I let off on the key to start, on the run spot!! It seems like it wants to hit on all six sometimes, but most of the time when I get it started, it spits and sputters and run real rough!!

Could the distributor gear be stripped for it to run like this or would it even run at all? Thought I would just put a carb on and drive!! Not so!!

The wiring is a mess, but all the lights work, heater works and it seems like it should be something simple! All the smog stuff is off and if I could just get the basics on the wiring that would be great! I tried in the manual, but I just don't understand it!! I believe he also said it had a remanufactured head!!
Hello and welcome. I took the liberty of slightly editing your post and bolding the portions I believe are the most important.

(1) The truck is a 1982. By 1982 there is a good chance the truck was originally built with some sort of "lean-burn" system. If you aren't familiar with Chyrsler's lean-burn system, it came in three versions: a computer controlled carburetor; a computer controlled distributor and ignition system; or a computer controlled carburetor AND ignition system.

(2) The wiring is a mess, all the smog stuff is gone, and the previous owner put in a new distributor, points, and condenser. Chrysler stopped putting points in their vehicle by 1973. It sounds like the previous owner removed a lean burn ignition system and tried to replace it with a points system. This can be a real problem if the previous owner didn't know what he was doing and started just hacking things out of the wiring harness indiscriminately. It would be very helpful to know what the computer originally controlled on your truck and what, if anything, it is still trying to control.

(3) You bought a remanufactured Holley 1945. Remanufactured carburetors are a crap shoot. Quality control is very poor and you can be assured that the carburetor had not been adjusted properly for your truck. Further, it is possible that you purchased a carburetor that is supposed to be computer controlled and is either not receiving the signals from the computer it needs to operate correctly or the computer is no longer receiving the input form the sensors it needs to operate correctly and is therefore not operating the carb correctly.

I recommend you take the remanufactured carburetor off the truck, disassemble it and inspect it. The main thing you are looking for is wires that go into the float bowl. If you have wires that go into the float bowl then the carburetor is computer controlled and will not work on your truck. If you don't have wires going into the float bowl then it is not computer controlled and you may be able to make it work. If you have no wires going into the float bowl, disassemble the carburetor and check that the correct gaskets were used when it was remanufactured and verify that all the settings are correct (float level, choke linkage, etc...)

(4) Since the engine is an 82 it will have hydraulic lifters, if it is the original engine. Hydraulic lifters don't need to have the valves adjusted. However, if the engine has been swapped to a pre-1981 solid lifter motor, then you will need to check the valve lash.


I suspect that your problems are caused by a poorly remanufactured carburetor, a poorly installed points ignition system, possibly misadjusted valves, vacuum hoses not hooked up correctly, vacuum leaks, and possibly that the carburetor is still connected to the computer but the computer is no longer controlling the carb correctly.

You have purchased a real mess and it will be difficult to figure out what is wrong without being bent of the fender of the truck ourselves or at least seeing some pictures of the carburetor and the engine bay. It is entirely possible to remove any lean-burn system form a motor and replace it with parts that will help the engine run better, but it is also possible to do a poor job of removing the systems and cobbling together parts that will barely let the engine run. Unfortunately it sounds like you have a truck in the latter category.

Your best tools are going to be patience and the factory service manual. Look at the sections discussing the various components of the lean burn system (fuel delivery, electrical, emissions controls), see what should have been there originally, see what is there now, and figure out what happened to the truck. Once you know that you can then figure out a plan of attack on getting it running right.
Author:  davearl46 [ Tue Dec 03, 2013 9:30 am ]
Post subject:  Engine starts hard, won't stay running!!!
Sorry for the absence! Computer was down!! Got her purring like a sewing machine!! Turns out p.o. had the wires going to the coil backwards!! About a two hundred dollar mistake!! (Cost of reman carb)!! Anyhoo, thanks a bunch for the help!!!
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC-07:00
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited
https://www.phpbb.com/