Moparchat - Home of MOPAR enthusiasts worldwide!



Go Back   Moparchat - Home of MOPAR enthusiasts worldwide! > Technical Forums > Performance Talk

Click here to search for Mopar cars and parts for sale.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 07-09-2002, 11:54 PM
Tarrbabe Tarrbabe is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Cumberland Plateau
Posts: 1,972
Cry Cordoba still won't run

Well I finally started working on the Doba again. 81 with 318, 2bbl. I've had a miss in it that started a few days after I put in a new timing chain, put a kit in the carb. and re-did the heads. Today I started with the basics and pulled the plugs. They were a nightmare. Black soot except the extreme tips which were a beautiful tan. I'm going to check the compression tomorrow but checked the plugs and they were gapped at .030. Wrong! The label under the hood says to gap at .048. I regapped and tried it again. Runs better but now backfires thru the carb and still has the miss.
Other that the compression check, does anyone have ideas? It still has the lean burn on it. The miss is on the drivers side of engine as you can hear it thru the dual exh. I put the duals on it because I had lost power. Didn't help. Finally decided I had a blown head gasket and pulled everything. Still no power!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 07-10-2002, 01:02 AM
Doug Wilson Doug Wilson is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Sheridan, Oregon
Age: 79
Posts: 2,510
Default

Do you have to run the lean burn? Mother MOPAR makes a kit to get rid of it that's not real expensive.

The different colors on you plugs may be: 1) a stuck or improperly operating choke or 2) heeat range of plugs to cold.

Also, other basics - dist. cap for cracks or carbon tracks. Plug wires, check vacuum advance mechanism to see if it's sticking or inoperative...vacuum leaks, check the install of the new timing chain.

Looks like you may have your summer activities set up!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 07-10-2002, 01:03 AM
Doug Wilson Doug Wilson is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Sheridan, Oregon
Age: 79
Posts: 2,510
Default

That should read "heat range".
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-10-2002, 02:26 AM
1972roadrunner's Avatar
1972roadrunner 1972roadrunner is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Garden City, Kansas
Age: 38
Posts: 1,919
Default

another slip of the finger doug? can't wait to see what rumblefish has to say hehehe
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-10-2002, 09:04 AM
Hammer 74's Avatar
Hammer 74 Hammer 74 is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Arlington Hts, IL
Age: 56
Posts: 548
Default

What sort of carb kit did you install? The problem sounds like too much fuel or not enough spark. Is your timing set to spec? Look down the carb while the motor is idleing and see if fuel is gushing out. Could be flooding. Also check the resistance of the plug wires. Too much and not enough spark to the plugs. You should be using a champion 11 or 12 equivalent plug that is on the warmer side. Hope this helps.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 07-10-2002, 11:30 AM
beepbeepsrule beepbeepsrule is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Argyle, TX
Age: 70
Posts: 965
Default

If this is still a stock setup then my story may have some merit. I bought a 1981 318 Cordoba in 1983 and right in the dealer's lot the thing loaded up and flooded real bad to where they had to unhook a rather large hose from the back of the carb going somewhere, sorry I can't be more specific. It was a long time ago and those cars had all kinds of emission hook-ups. The hose removal was a last resort for them because I was ready to tear up the papers and walk by then. The car always ran great, got 27 mpg on the road, tended to ping like crazy under a light load. I even pulled a boat with it all summer for one season. I did not know exactly what they did until I was ready to trade again and was poking around under the hood and saw what the actual "fix" was. Soon after all this my brother began working at that dealership and one time I was just there bs'ing so I talked to the mechanic that fixed my car the day I bought it. He said that was the fix for the loading up and that they had done that to several of those types of cars! Just my experience, good luck on getting it fixed!!! I like those cars.....
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 07-10-2002, 01:18 PM
Doug Wilson Doug Wilson is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Sheridan, Oregon
Age: 79
Posts: 2,510
Default

Like the guy who always has an excuse for losing the race... "Wouldn't hook", "fouled a plug", etc. - My keyboard must be gettin' sticky, or... got a bad connector somewhere!!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-10-2002, 02:07 PM
beepbeepsrule beepbeepsrule is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Argyle, TX
Age: 70
Posts: 965
Default

Sometimes I get a short between the seat and the keyboard.....
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 07-10-2002, 02:08 PM
Doug Wilson Doug Wilson is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Sheridan, Oregon
Age: 79
Posts: 2,510
Default

That can happen!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 07-10-2002, 02:26 PM
1972roadrunner's Avatar
1972roadrunner 1972roadrunner is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Garden City, Kansas
Age: 38
Posts: 1,919
Default

hahahaha! y'all are funny! hehe...

i don't wanna know what your doin to get the keyboard "sticky"...:lolup"
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 07-10-2002, 05:42 PM
Tarrbabe Tarrbabe is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Cumberland Plateau
Posts: 1,972
Help Cordoba still won't run

Whe I replaced timming chain I triple checked to be sure it was right. The carb kit came from Advanced Auto Parts and I replaced rotor and dist. cap at the same time. The spark plugs are Autolite in the proper heat range and I have replaced them at the rebuild and after that again.
The dist. don't have a vacume pod on it and the timing is set at 16 degrees as the decal under the hood states. I have used WD-40 to check for vacume leaks and find none.
I know where a Thermo-quad and intake are and may get that if my compression checks out okay.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 07-10-2002, 05:59 PM
rumblefish360's Avatar
rumblefish360 rumblefish360 is offline
Moparchat Bronze member
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: C
Age: 57
Posts: 11,120
Default

The vacumm advance on the distributor is important to mileage and a well running car. I would get this item. When your car jumps 4mpg, you'll know why.
You'll also like the T-Q set up.
Re check the wires to make sure there are no brakes in them and that there fully on the plug tip and cap.
The leanburn system should be dumped! Tell the system..."Your FIRED!" and replace it with the orange box at a min. The MSD or an equal is better. That should cure the miss fire blues.
It worked like a gem on the '79 Magnum.

Quote:
i don't wanna know what your doin to get the keyboard "sticky".
Anwer....Coffee. Lots of it.
Quote:
another slip of the finger doug? can't wait to see what rumblefish has to say
I have grown to look foward to Doug's , &


Something wrong with the poke smilie????
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 07-10-2002, 06:40 PM
1972roadrunner's Avatar
1972roadrunner 1972roadrunner is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Garden City, Kansas
Age: 38
Posts: 1,919
Default

hehe...your like my dad Robert..."must have COFFEE!!! COFFEE!!"

hehe, i'll be sure to check my messages before i submit...

yeah, same with the "pimp" "pee" and some others... whoever assigned the smilies didn't do a good job because the face will show if there is any ": p" without the space... ee: see...none of them work....
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 07-10-2002, 08:20 PM
69fish 69fish is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 53
Default

if my car was backfiring through the carb and i had just done all the stuff you had done, I would suspect that some of the plug wires were crossed.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 07-11-2002, 12:14 AM
Doug Wilson Doug Wilson is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Sheridan, Oregon
Age: 79
Posts: 2,510
Default

That, too!

Get rid of the lean burn.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 07-11-2002, 12:23 AM
Bigfoot Bigfoot is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Edmonton/Alberta
Posts: 178
Default

As 69Fish just said. Make sure all the wires are in the correct places. Make sure that the lean burn vacuum hose that comes out of the aircleaner mounted computer is in the correct position. This was the problem with mine. The mother-in-law gave me a Diplomat because she had had enough of it and all it did was backfire under load and about 8 miles to the gallon. I looked at the emissions sticker and sure enough her mechanic had the vacuum going to the wrong place. No more backfiring and the mileage jumped to 15 mpg. It ran that way for about 2 months and I replaced the leanburn junk with a setup from the wreckers for 20 bucks. Mileage jumped to 19 mpg and power, what a difference. If you don't have emissions tests then do it, if you do then talk to somebody that has converted to see what has to be done to pass.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 07-11-2002, 12:44 AM
vernvesco vernvesco is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: anaheim, ca.
Age: 67
Posts: 82
Default

If you have a OZ-Sensor in the (drivers side) exhausts manifold, - Replace it. The Tempt-Sensor is also Important and will cause a rich conition if bad. A leaking vacuum hose (with all the smog equipt) will cause a rich condition.

If all else falls I have a 81 318 TQ conversion package designed to replace the 81-82 fuel injection. Kit has 81 manifold, TQ, Air Cleaner with computer, short wire harness. I would rebuild the TQ and quarantee it. $125.00 takes it all. Shipping by UPS ground from zip 92806. I'm told as long as your air cleaner has the two wire connectors on the bottom this will hook up. Package is totally complete, has springs, linkage, thermostat even the egr parts, and all the vacuum hoses, etc.

Vern.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 07-11-2002, 12:50 PM
Doug Wilson Doug Wilson is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Sheridan, Oregon
Age: 79
Posts: 2,510
Default

That sounds like a great deal from Vern - if you have to keep the lean burn. Rebuilt carb also!

I'm tempted tpo buy it just in case I might need it someday.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 07-11-2002, 11:35 PM
Tarrbabe Tarrbabe is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Cumberland Plateau
Posts: 1,972
Thumbs up Cordoba is running better but......

Thanks everyone!!! The car is finally running better even though it still has a miss. Now it will idle even if roughly.

Rumblefish, I plan to change the dist. as soon as I can find the Ign. 1 and Ign 2 wires from the block on the firewall. I have a ignition box and the Mopar wireing kit and will switch over from the Lean Burn. Everyone seems to think the lean-burn is a bastard, and it can be but I ran it for years with my 340 in my Volare and never had a problem and got 19.5 mpg on the highway.

Vernvesco, thanks for the offer, that sounds sweet but I'm discarding the Lean-burn. No sniff test here and as I understand, the goverment okayed the use of the old style ign. because the Lean-burn didn't work and even made emissions worse in many cases.

Bigfoot, thanks big time. My vacume line to the computer was hooked up but you made me check everything. The other end of the vacume hose was unhooked behind the carb. I almost didn't see it while looking straight at it
Now the car will idle at about 900 rpm's but seems to want to load up below that. It will idle in gear now at about 750 rpm. I rechecked the timing now that I am at a closer rpm and my timing is at 10 degrees instead of 16. Ill change that tomorrow. The plugs are a little better but the carb is still a problem
I did the compression check and one cyl. was 128, and the others were all between 115 and 119.
Thanks everyone again, I'm closer but not there yet.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 07-12-2002, 01:34 AM
Bigfoot Bigfoot is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Edmonton/Alberta
Posts: 178
Default

Ok, your getting there. Next lets talk about your carb. I looked over your posts and either I missed it or you forgot to mention what kind of carb it is. `Do you have a vacuum gauge? It looks like you have a rpm meter and that will do for the next step. Adjust your timing back to your proper base setting which you said was 16 deg btdc. Tighten up the bolt and then do the idle mixture setup with the idle speed. Set your idle speed to about 650-700 rpm, make sure your fast idle screw isn't interfering and nothing is binding on the throttle linkage. Turn the car off and turn both idle mixture screws in (clockwise in most cases)till they just seat, no force at all ,just stop and that's it. Now back them out to 1 1/2 turns ccw. Next start your car and you want to have your rpm meter hooked up and vacuum if you have one to a manifold source. Turn one of the screws out another 1/4 of a turn ccw, then the other. Your rpm's should start to rise. Try another 1/4 turn on each screw, always try and keep each side the same amount of turns out. Your rpm's should rise again. Keep doing this and peridically adjust your idle screw down to about the 700 rpm, if you let it go, the rpm's might come out of the idle phase and start to switch over to the primary phase. Keep adjusting the screws ccw until you get to a point that the rpm's are not increasing (and at the highest manifold vacuum if you have a vacuum gauge)any longer and stop. Turn the screws back in CW about 1/8th of a turn and that's it. Now set your idle to what ever you want 650-700 somewhere in there. Most settings for idle mixture screws on a two barrel are about 2 1/2 turns out, somewhere in there. Once we have that taken care of then we can talk about the vacuum advance setup after you ditch the Lean Burn stuff. PS Some carbs have standard screws, some have 3/32 allen headed screws, some are sealed over and you have to pry the ends off to get at them and some even have plastic screws and are basically useless.
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 07-12-2002, 01:50 AM
Bigfoot Bigfoot is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Edmonton/Alberta
Posts: 178
Default

Forgot to mention the compression issue. 128 as a high and 115 as a low are Ok, not great but useable. The manual says that the top and bottom should be no more than 20% diff. and your at about 10%. Did you do the oil test as you were doing the compression to see if you have a ring problem? I reringed my 318 two years ago and at that time the compression was 160 all the way around. Now it's at 140 as of two weeks ago all the way around. Dodge small blocks can last a long time even as low as 100 compression. My fathers 360 work truck just broke 600,000 miles last winter, never touched anything internal, just the usual water pump and starters and electrical and that's it. He has it loaded with 2 1/2 tons of tools and you should see his leaf springs, I think he has added 5 to the stack. The only reason he didn't go for a 3/4 ton was the extra height he would have to lift and it wouldn't fit in his garage. He bought it new in 1976 when I was in 9th grade. And now my son drives it once in a while. Amazing truck.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 07-12-2002, 09:06 PM
Tarrbabe Tarrbabe is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Cumberland Plateau
Posts: 1,972
Thumbs up Cordoba will run but still rough

Getting better! Engine now has much better power but still not up to snuff. Took the carb off and raised the float level and found one fuel tube with trash in it. Re-set the timing because I have cut a new groove in the balancer at 16 degrees to allow quick check. Problem now seems to be ingition. When started cold, the engine runs smooth and then rough in 1/2 second intervals. This slowly changes to a rough run by time the engine is warm. This is not a engine shaking rough, but you can planly hear it in the exhaust. Engine still has a miss under power on the road but not like before.
Any ideas anyone? I'm just guessing about the computer doing the crazy idle. [B]
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 07-12-2002, 11:52 PM
Bigfoot Bigfoot is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Edmonton/Alberta
Posts: 178
Default

Does the roughness continue as soon as you start to accelerate? If it does then the problem is in the carb not getting fuel metered out correctly or your igniton is bad. If it doesn't then your idle mixture screws are set differently or there is a problem with your idle circuit, dirty passage etc. What carb do you have?
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 07-13-2002, 01:21 AM
Doug Wilson Doug Wilson is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Sheridan, Oregon
Age: 79
Posts: 2,510
Default

Burned valve??
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 07-13-2002, 10:48 AM
cudacarl cudacarl is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Boynton Beach/FL
Age: 56
Posts: 320
Default

I bought a 78 magnum about 12 years ago and is still going with 246k without a total rebuild. It was a 360 2bbl lean burn. The "Sparkomatic" was gone when i bought it and replaced with a points distributer. I always had a miss on acceleration from a dead stop. I replaced the timing chain, rebuilt heads, put in electronic ignition and headers. It still had the miss. I had some spare parts from my 340 cuda. I put on a 340 edelbrock torker and a edelbrock 600 cfm carb also new lifters. After that no more miss or hesitation and i got pretty decent gas mileage too. I'd put the electronic on it but i think you will still have that miss until you upgrade the carb and intake. good luck
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 07-13-2002, 02:40 PM
Doug Wilson Doug Wilson is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Sheridan, Oregon
Age: 79
Posts: 2,510
Default

I moved here from Del Ray Beach about 15 years ago. Still hot and muggy??
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 07-13-2002, 06:58 PM
Tarrbabe Tarrbabe is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Cumberland Plateau
Posts: 1,972
Gripe Cordoba still won't run right.......

Yes the miss is there while under power. At 50 mph, kicking it down feels like a dead miss. If it ever stops raining I'll work on it some more (Grage is full of junk).
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 07-13-2002, 11:56 PM
Doug Wilson Doug Wilson is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Sheridan, Oregon
Age: 79
Posts: 2,510
Default

Tarrbabe - my garage and HOUSE are full of junk. What I need is a nice big fire!
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 07-14-2002, 01:55 AM
Tarrbabe Tarrbabe is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Cumberland Plateau
Posts: 1,972
Default Cordoba still won't run right.........

I don't think it's a burnt valve with the compression so close on the cyl's.
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 07-14-2002, 07:54 AM
cudacarl cudacarl is offline
Inactive User
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Boynton Beach/FL
Age: 56
Posts: 320
Default

Yes doug still gets hot & muggy from time to time. I'm originally from N.Y. and it gets hot and muggy there too. Down here it's easier to escape it. I have a pool at the house and 10 minutes from the beach so it's a definite improvement. Your lucky you don't have to deal with I95 anymore they're expanding the lanes through palm beach and its a total nightmare. I won't take my 'cuda on it it's too risky. You need a 4x4 to drive on it like off-roading. Another thing to think about tarrbabe is if you take the cordoba on long drives your better off with out that sparkomatic because if it goes bad on you your not going to find another one easily. The Electronic ECU is avaiable by Standard at any good auto parts store. I keep one in the trunk along with a ballast resistor just in case. The carb switch was like night and day in the magnum. Plugs always have a perfect color to them after the ignition & carb upgrade. My uncle had a '78 dodge apache motor home with a 360 2bbl. It had the electronic ignition from the factory and it had the same hesitation as the magnum. He just used it a couple of years and sold it.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
cordoba pics cordoba-lee mopar7x Circle Track Chat 4 06-26-2006 03:20 AM
Cordoba or 300 toyolet23 Rear Wheel Drive - Vehicles Wanted 8 07-09-2005 12:31 AM
'82 Cordoba, $400 PaulH Rear Wheel Drive - Vehicles For Sale 0 06-23-2003 12:04 AM
82 cordoba in AZ, $750 Bill55AZ Rear Wheel Drive - Vehicles For Sale 1 10-24-2002 02:30 PM
'82 Cordoba PaulH Rear Wheel Drive - Vehicles For Sale 1 06-27-2000 04:29 AM




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:08 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
. . . . .