Non-Starter - now a starter and appears to be a runner!

[Guy]

Stu, you have to get your timing right first. Once the timing is set you can then start to adjust throttle blades to get the correct idle then adjust carb for best manifold vacuum. I agree with Dave 14deg sounds too low I would have thought about 18 btdc, yes each engine is different and some like more timing than others what you may find that you have to limit the curve in the dizzy to get the correct total timing.

just my

[db]

Thanks chaps,
Ok, i'll get me a vac gauge.
All I can think that might have changed the way it runs recently is that I evened up the 2 idle mixture screws in the side of the carb.
I think 1 was maybe ¼ or 1/8th of a turn set differently to the other, so set them both the same. 1.5 turns out i think (from all the way in).
So maybe 1 is a little leaner than it was. I know they're sensitive but i didn't think it was that sensitive?
I'll go out 1/8 turn each side (at a time) and see if that helps. And then i'll see what the timing is. Think it was 14 BTDC from memory.
Stu.

Yes, they're very sensitive- 1/8 turn at a time will make a difference. However if something else is wrong they may make no difference. EG timing wrong, air leak, float levels wrong, etc.
I was going through much the same with mine. Keep following the advice on here and keep trying- eventually you will stumble across the problem!
I had leaks within the carb, bad timing, float needle seals leaking, my regulator started overfuelling for no apparent reason...

Have a look through the few pages of my Belve thread that deal with trying to get it running, you may learn from my mistakes before you make them

[Stu Twin]

Been a while since posting on this, a mixture of xmas / cold garage / apathy & ineptitude.
Well i got a Vac gauge and we managed get a reading for manifold vacuum at idle. Seems rather low at 10" but with a bit of a cam (0.484" and 1.6 rockers) it may be ok? Not sure about the duration. Initial timing set at 18 deg btdc. Mixture screws set at 1.5 turns out, which is where it seems happiest.
Starts, warms up & idles ok now so quite happy but was unable to go for a test drive at kept cutting out when put into gear. Couldn't believe it was the converter or trans issue as that's all rebuilt.
Turned out to be the Neutral Safety Switch on the fritz. I disconnected the wire from the starter relay, tucked it up out of the way and i've (temporarily) ran a wire from that terminal to earth. Not a permanent fix but at least it doesn't die when shifted into gear.
Just need it to stop raining.....

So if anyone has got one of the 'up to 68' single pin type neutral safety switches for sale?
I have got one of the '68 up' 3 pin type which can be used (electrically) but i've read that they're different dimensionally when fitted as the actuator in the trans doesn't reach the pin (or clashes). I will take out the single pin one and have a measure.

[Guy]

Sound like your getting there Stu

[Stu Twin]

Well, i was half right about the NSS. it wasn't actually the switch at fault but the shifter mechanism being out of adjustment. Just good enough to physically select PRND but with the engine running, and a gear selected it cut out - presumably because it was earthing the starter relay? still not sure why TBH.
Any road up, we discovered why it wasn't going into 2nd or 1st. The internal part of the repro stock shifter arm had bent. The bit that goes up & down through the 'gates'. Presumably when someone had tried to shift without using the pushbutton correctly. It had already been stiffened before we got the car back on the road as it bent just from setting up in the garage. Chinese tat.
See pic.
Once straightened, installed and reset we were able to get all gears, and the NSS doesn't appear to causing any problems. Gives continuity when it should ie Park & Neutral, so that's saved £50 or so.

[RobTwin]

..... Presumably when someone had tried to shift without using the pushbutton correctly.....

Neither of us, I hasten to add

Yes, a satisfying day, on Sunday, for a change! Next step - a road test to see if the carb & kickdown are adjusted to ballpark parameters. If it stops raining during daylight hours, at a weekend

After all this chasing round trying to cure successive little problems, I'd almost forgotten that, around last October, we were trying to get the kickdown adjusted correctly so we could start tuning the carb. Then the latest round of starting problems reared their ugly head. Hopefully that's behind us now.

Oops , that's jinxed it!

[Charger]

select PRND but with the engine running, and a gear selected it cut out - presumably because it was earthing the starter relay? still not sure why

that’s odd, can understand it preventing the car from starting, which is what it is supposed to do in P or N, but not stopping the motor when it is already running!!

[RobTwin]

Following on from a temporary visit to Anton's thread, where we touched on the possibility of a leaky brake booster being a possible vacuum leak and cause of it cutting out............ well that wasn't the problem

Still got a 'wheezy' booster, when you press the brake pedal, so that still needs attention, but it's not that that's causing it to cut out.

As our already low engine vacuum has dropped from 10" at around 900rpm to about 6 at 900, we continued looking where else we might be losing vacuum.

Stu had noticed that the pcv valve in the pass side valve cover wasn't as snug a fit as it could have been, so we disconnected the hose and screwed a hex head screw in the end and secured it with a hose clip.
Upping the idle to 1000 or 1050, we got back to 10", and tried to run it again.

To our amazement, it only worked! That is to say, in the garage, with foot firmly on brake, it didn't cut out going thru all the gears.

So with a clear sky and another hour of daylight, we braved the open road and tried the same route where it had previously cut out under braking and on restarting, and for whatever reason, we seemed to have fixed it! For now, at least

Vacuum's still low. We still haven't delved into the power valve / accelerator pump side of things, and we're not sure yet if the secondaries are opening as they should (tho we got a nice throaty noise on full throttle, with little or no hesitation ) so there's still some carb tuning and timing to be done.

We got that pcv valve from Jack's Auto Parts along with a few other bits like the breather cap. We've already had to get them to replace the breather cap as the springy clip that holds it in the valve cover came away after a couple of months, so we're wondering if the pcv valve could be sub-standard too?

Although, we did refit the hose to the pvc after the road test and we didn't get any cutting out problems. Maybe the valve was sticking shut but by taking it out and blowing/sucking it to check its operation has cured it?

[morgan]

Aw chaps thats really good news. Thats what drives me nuts - all these little things that have to be just right. It always seemed to happen to me whereas everywhere I looked people are roaring about in mopars with no issues at all...

Very pleased for you - I hate it when the car is doing something dumb and I cant work out why.

I have a little cough. Nothing huge, just a little stutter or hesitation when getting on the throttle. A momentary die/dip before coming on strong. I know I should try and understand what is happening but I am at a loss really. Maybe this thread will inspire....

Anyway. Enough ! Well done

[MilesnMiles]

Morgan, seperate thread, maybe? Check the accelerator pump is acting correctly. Fuel should squirt without delay when you open the throttle.