Duster starting problems

[myduster]

Hello from Finland to You all Moparfreaks out there, let's see if You can help me . I did a crazy thing, I bought a 1975 Duster Custom on e-bay and had a good friend, living in Oregon to take care of to have it shipped to Finland. The car arrived 4 weeks ago , I was amazed to drive around with it, everything worked just find. Two weeks ago I went down to my lokal food store,parked the car, 10 minutes later I was back at the car, turned the ignition swith and the car did not start. Out of gas, I thought and filled the tank from a spare canister I had , about 3 gallons. Tried again to start, no start.Towed it back home , one half mile trip. I was sure the fuel pump was gone, removed it, put a hose on the inlet and tried it . It worked as a new pump. Put it back , turned the engine for about one minute, no fuel in the carb. Took out a sparkplug, turned the engine, no spark. Until today I have renewed the ign. module ( 4 pin ), ign. coil, ballast resistor and checked thru all ignition components by the book, no spark and no fuel. What in the world happened to the car during the 10 minutes when I was in the store. I'm totally confused. The question is, this car had a 4 pin ign. module and double ballast resistor and the electrical chart in the book shows that if the ballast resistor is the double type, then the ign. module must have 5 pins, otherwise
the lower part of the ballast resistor will not have a connection to the ign, module. My lokal USA car parts store said that I can use either 4 or 5 pin modules. Is it so that if the car has single ballast resistor, I can use a 5 pin module but not the other way i.e. 4 pin module with double ballast resistor.
I have also opened all connectors on the firewall and sprayed gallons of contact spray in them .
I,m looking forward to hear Your ideas on how to solve the problems and get my car out on the street again.
The car has 318 CID engine, aut. trans, aircond.
Rune

[Century Cp Guru]

Check the Magnetic Pickup in Dist, and The Reluctor , you can use either a 4pin or 5 pin Ecu with no balast or wiring Changes.the Fuel Tank Sending unit has a Sock or fliter on it but usually they are only a problem under load, Have you but a New engine Fuel filter on.

[LA360Dart]

Hello myduster;

You say carb had no fuel but pump is pumping. I would get fuel to carb first, may be a bad strainer in tank. Then re-check fuel pump and lines for cracks on inlet side of pump. Once fuel gets to carb then need to check ignition system for spark if no spark when cranking. Unplug the pick up coil should be between 375-425 ohms if not close to that change it will make weak spark. Check the balast resistor for resistance. If that checks out then probally a bad module replace it you should have spark. Also try starting in neutral if starts might be a neutral saftey switch.

hope this helps

Denny

[JVMopar]

The ECU grounds through the case to the body so don't forget to check that the bolts and tight and surface where the case meets the body is clean.

Make sure you have power to the coil + side. Could be a faulty ballast, ignition switch, dist. pickup, or bad ECU. I know you just replaced it but it wouldn't be the first time I've seen a bad new part.

[ply6369]

You Say You Removed Fuel Pump To Check It,have You Disconected The Gas Line From The Carb And Cranked Mtr To See If Pump Is Pumping Fuel To Carb?

[cudabob496]

http://www.moparaction.com/tech/archive/roadside.html

[cudabob496]

http://www.moparaction.com/Tech/index.html

[myduster]

Well it seems that this is not the right forum for getting help. I'll give You something more to wonder about. Tha Haynes book says that when I check thru all components involved in the ignition system, the ignition switch is to be shut of. Test no 1: check for batt. voltage on cavity no 2 of the ECU connector. Shows zero volts with ign. off and 11,53 V w/ ign. on. Test no 2 : check cavity no 1. Same result. To me this is OK because I can't belive that current is on to the ECU when ignition is of. Is the Haynes book wrong. I have also checked the resistance of the pick-up coil, it shows 443 ohms on my ohmmeter and the book says 150 to 900 ohms. I have checked the distr. cap, it's new and NO cracks or other signs of any damage, same goes for the rotor. I have checked the coil, all readings OK. Poured some gas into the carb and turned the engine for about one minute, did not start. Have also checked the wirings between the components for continuity and all was good. How do I know witch one is the primary side and witch on is the auxilliary side of the ballast resistor. When I compare to the picture in the Haynes book I notice that the one in my car is mounted 180 degrees turned .( mine is mounted so that the end with the open slot is pointing to the drivers side of the car and the connector with the bridgewire is at the end with the open slot)
I was also thinking of removig the ignition switch but cannot find out how to
do it, probably Do I have to dismantle half of the car first.
All ideas welcomed.
Thanks
Rune

[chirorod]

Rune,
You must first do the basic checks. Check compression. Check for spark by taking one plug wire loose and use phillips screwdriver to see if spark jumps to ground. Check fuel pressure and volume. There are so many possible things than can go wrong that it's best to begin with basics. Let us know what the test results are and how you tested and then we can advise further. Remember, compression, spark, and fuel. Good luck.
Chirorod.

[jelsr]

Separate the dist lead (two wire connector), ign switch on, touch the bare side of the dist lead (dist end) to bare metal while holding the dist end of the coil wire next to the valve cover, or any clean metal. You should get blue sparks from the coil wire when you scratch the bare connector lead on bare metal. This checks the entire ign system except for the pick up coil. If this is confusing try (takes 2 people) holding the dist end of the coil wire approx 1/4 to 3/8 from bare metal and have a pal turn the ign switch on and off. Every time it is shut off you should get 1 spark.

[myduster]

Thanks, folks for Your efforts to help. I think that the problem is localised.
When I crank the engine from the starter relay it rotates very easily like there was no compression and THE DISTRIBUTOR IS NOT ROTATING at all. I have had it removed and checked and the axle is OK. I cannot hear any knockings from inside of the motor like for example pistons hammering the valves or so. Is the timing chain broken or what has happened. Have never heard about broken timing chains in old V8 engines. Should the valves clear the pistons in these engines, 1975 318 CID.
Am I having big troubles now.
Rune

[chirorod]

by distr not rotating, do you mean the shaft and rotor are not turning? therefore, there is no spark. the camshaft turns the distributor shaft. this indicates either the distributor pulled up, which is very unlikely, or that the timing chain and/or gears are broken. I saw an overhaul job where the man used no oil and snapped the camshaft. also saw a broken cam one other time. strongest possibility is the timing chain. good luck
chirorod

[bbeckwith]

Myduster,

318s have a habit of wearing out a timing chain by 80 or 90 thousand miles, at which time they can jump a tooth or two, or as in what may be your case, break the chain completely, which is what yours sounds like. with the cam not moving, you wont have valves creating compression so that will probably explain why it sounds like little to no compression. If you can see that the intermediate gear does not rotate when the motor is turning over, you have a broken chain, or possibly a cam. I have seen cams break into 4 pieces before, but that's another story some other time. I will venture to guess if you pull the crank damper, and the chain cover, you'll find a broken chain, or possibly broken vinyl teeth off the gears. If you do, a new double roller chain will be good for another 90 k.