Ok so here's what happened. One day, I drove home from work and the car was fine. I got home and went inside for about 20 minutes and then got back in the car to go visit my girlfriend. I already have hard starting issues when the car sits warm, I haven't done the fuel line mod to combat fuel percolating. The car was harder to start than usual and it started, ran terribly slow for a whole two revolutions and died on me. As I hit the starter again I noticed a plume of white smoke rising from under the hood, the engine caught and started and ran rough like it usual does when the fuel percolates, so I thought nothing of it and went on my way. Going down the road, I noticed when I was cruising with the throttle shut, and then I pressed the gas it would stumble like it's about to run out of gas. The car drove fine otherwise, until I got to my girlfriends house. I had to roll down her driveway in neutral and feather the throttle to keep it running, then it died finally.

So here's the specs.

1970 Dart, 225 Stock with factory electronic ignition conversion and NGK ZF5RN plugs, auto trans.


Here's what I've done and found.
I replaced the spark plugs which seemed to have ash deposits. #5 was very nasty
Replaced the wires after one of the crimps on the wire came off on the plug tip during removal
Replaced the cap and rotor, signs of arcing was present in the old cap as well as engine oil residue
I have verified that the timing is at 10BTDC, the mechanical advance is working as well as the vaccum advance.
The carb was loose on the intake, new gasket and proper torque.
Checked for vaccum leaks and leaky vaccum lines, none were found
Found the positive wire on the ign. coil was loose, just to insure no corrosion happened from the loose connection, I took sandpaper to the ring terminal and nut before putting the wire on and tightening it.
The fuel pump has been checked, it seems to be a little weak but there is clearly defined spurts just like the manual says there should be. Oil doesn't smell like gas.
No oil in coolant or coolant in oil, no white smoke out the exhaust.
The valves were adjusted ~2-3 months ago .010" intake, .020" exhaust.
I found the spring in the PCV to be broken causing the valve to rattle. Blocked off PCV vaccum hose with a bolt and test drove the car, no change. Will replace PCV tommorrow.
Also, the fuel filter was replaced 5 weeks prior after running out of gas


The most confusing symptom so far has been the fact that any changes I make or any adjustments made make the card idle better... Untill I test drive it and then we are back to square one. When I found and fixed the loose carb, I had the car Idling great save for a slight skip, I test drove it and only .1 mile up the road it was idling like $#!+ again.

I bought a GP Sorrenson carb kit and I'm gonna pull the carb and redbuild it this weekend. Anyone got ANY other ideas? I'm on this one.

Oh and tonight, when I found and blocked the PCV line, it idled better but still skipped, I test drove it and .2 mile down the road, it was idling bad. Came back home and it died in my driveway.

I noticed during the testdrive though, a new symptom, a slight loss of power. I'm also noticing the exhaust seems kind of.... Noisy.

It does sound like a carb problem, loose jet causing rich fuel
mixture. If you remove the plugs again and check the
reading and it smells like gas and fouled up then problem is
really carb.