My Slant won't run!

[Ray Bell]

A few months ago I purchased a D100 with a slant in it...

Obviously I bought this by remote control, over the net, not seeing or hearing it at the time of purchase. It hasn't been a perfect deal, but I believe I can recover it.

The only real problem is that the slant won't run. I had a keen sort of a Mopar guy look at it today for me (I don't arrive in the US until Wednesday) and he reported as follows:

I tried starting it up with starting fluid, and with gas from a can I brought. It would fire but not run. I checked the spark plugs and cleaned them, they were sooty, probably from someone trying a bunch to make it run by pouring gas in. That didn't help though. The distributor cap appears to be new, and the wires nearly so. I put about 2 gallons of gas in the truck to make sure it wasn't too low for the fuel to pick up.

I climbed up in the engine compartment and noticed someone else had done that at some point and bent the dipstick tube pretty bad. I got it mostly straightened back out. Next I checked the fuel pump by disconnecting the line at the carb and it pumped out fine. The gas wasn't fresh but wasn't the worst I've smelled, I thought it would probably be OK.

Pouring a bit more gas in the carb, at this point I was able to get it to run for about 10-20 seconds at a time at a very low idle, and would not take throttle. Looking down into the throat, I could see that the accelerator pump wasn't hitting any shot of fuel. I knew what I had to do so finally just went ahead and field-disassembled the carb on the manifold.

This carb is a parts store rebuilt one and looked pretty clean inside and out. The linkage was boogered up quite a bit though and hooked together wrong.

The first thing I noticed inside was that the accelerator pump wasn't seated down in its bore, but was hung up so that it wasn't moving fully. Next, the power jet was nearly completely unscrewed.

This is a one-barrel model which didn't look quite like any carb I'd messed with before...it had twin floats for one thing. It also had an oil-bath air cleaner which is a real oddity for a '76. Anyway the main jet has a spring-loaded needle to turn it into a poor-man's power jet so to speak, which needle is operated by a plunger let into the top cover. The plunger seemed to be moving freely.

Just visually, the float level seemed ok. The odd part was that there was a decent level of fuel in the carb. I reassembled the carb, seating the power jet, and the accelerator pump, and then was able to straighten out all the linkage and verify that the choke pull off now worked properly, as it had been jammed up. However, there was no improvement in the running of the engine.

Because the truck would idle for several seconds whenever I'd pour some fuel in, I don't think it is bad compression in the cylinders, nor a spark issue. On the carb, I'm not sure where else you can go with that except for a full rebuild with forced air cleaning of the passages, etc. I thought about taking the needle out of that power jet, but then I'm sure it would be way too rich. Or, another rebuilt carb but those are expensive and I've found can be junk even when you first put them on. It seemed pretty clear to me that someone has tried to mess around inside that carb without knowing what they were doing at all.

However! There is something else to consider...that the timing chain may have jumped time. That would account for the very slow idle, the inability to take throttle, if it has jumped one or two teeth. I don't know of any way to check that short of pulling down the front of the engine, water pump off etc, or of course using a cam checker kit with dial gauge etc on the valve train. The good side of that is that a slant six isn't all that hard a job to check and change the chain and sprockets.

The bad side is that you are hoping to driving this truck right away when you get here. I don't know if that is going to be possible. I'm presuming that you are experienced yourself in such things and can do that job as well as I can if you decide to go there.

Frankly it makes sense, given that someone has obviously tried a lot to make it run without success, with the evidence I saw that the rebuilt carb was installed, then it has been taken apart also. It might be worth trying to advance and/or retard the distributor some to see if that makes a difference, if it does that would again be a good sign of a jumped chain.

Any further ideas?

[JVMopar]

I would check the obvious things first. Carb squirting fuel when pumped, spark, spark plug condition. Compression test wouldn't be a bad idea either. The valves could be gummed up and not closing, not really a simple fix for that either, maybe pull the valve cover and try soaking the valve stems with carb cleaner and turning it over. Some cleaner may get past the seals and loosen them up.

The oil bath air cleaner is odd. Check and see if the distributor is a points unit. May have been a transplant and they couldn't get it to run either, and that's why they sold it.

My guess is the valves aren't sealing for one reason or another.

Depending on how redneck you want to be I guess, another idea would be to put air into the cylinder remove the rockers, Then take the valve spring off, chuck the valve stem in your drill and spin it to try and reseat the valve, take the rust off if nothing else. Would be a good idea to remove the seal and put some carb cleaner down the stem too. I guess it depends on what your going to be using the truck for. But if it was just a beater with a heater type of deal I would try it. Not really much to loose, a little time. I wouldn't even put the valve cover back on till I had it running.

[chirorod]

I think your guy is on the right track in that the carb is probably the issue. I haven't seen a carb with a spring loaded main, so that is puzzling. Maybe someone else on the forum knows of that. Or maybe he is seeing the metering rod apparatus, which might be jammed. It sounds like that carb is a mess. The idle circuit probably is plugged up. Maybe the main as well. Since it runs on gas down the throat we know the engine runs. It's just dying because the carb isn't feeding it. The bowl is full, so gas is not being pulled from carb, which tallies with blocked passages or with the metering rod not pulling up. Baling wire through the passages and getting the metering rod taken care of might get it going.
I wouldn't go with any exotic measures at this point. Probably the carb.
Good thing you are not bringing your own truck, as it would have to run upside down.

[Ray Bell]

The carb, he mentions, is like it's a recent rebuild... but all wrong inside...

The seller told me he'd put a new rebuilt carb on it, so that tallies. He also fiddled with it, so that tallies.

I might see if I can bring a known carby with me on the 'plane.

I don't think it will be valves not sealing as it surely wouldn't run at idle like that, the 'jumped a tooth or two' theory has to be checked, my helper will buy me a timing set (that I can return if not required) in case that's right.

Basically I have to get this rig on the road in one day, or at most two days, when I get there and it's planned to do about 7000 miles in it.

[Rich Kinsley]

I imagine you are starting from Calif????? I can't help you much out there except I do have a cousin, Kent, who is a car whiz in Lakewood, Calif just south of LA. If you run into problems and are out of options or wanting help I can see if he is near you and can step up to the plate. He's retired too.

Of course Dodger and I among others are in the Omaha, Nebraska area in the middle of the USA. We would gladly help and Dodger can be a big help. Even if you don't have problems and would like to stop in for a visit it would be great.

You can call my cell at 402-708-3424 or home at 402-891-1263 The cell is most likely to catch me. Good luck. Rich Kinsley

[Ray Bell]

Rich, it's in Bloomington Indiana... I am flying into Indianapolis and my son will take me to Bloomington.

The truck will now be towed out to the home of the guy who's checked it out, I will have full use of all his tools and workshop there, though I may well be working on my own.

Once it's running we do a loop the the east coast, then cross back over to head west and ultimately ship the pickup out of Long Beach. Loaded.

[Ray Bell]

This is the carby, as pictured when I bought the truck...

Does anyone know what sort of carby it is?

[chirorod]

I can't help with type of carb, as I haven't seen a single chimney for a long time, but I had a thought which I should have had originally. Sounds like the metering rod is or was jammed. That would mean it's bent and is jamming the main jet, not allowing any fuel through it. Maybe the metering rod can be straightened enough to work. Most likely it will have to be replaced. Once they are bent they are done. The main jet might also be damaged, which would mean it would run rich once the metering rod is taken care of.
I think carb possibilities were holley, bbd, or carter.

[Rich Kinsley]

I searched e-bay and I am pretty sure it's a Holley Model 1945. The 6145 was the lean burn version. Looks like rebuilts are available around $180. I think you can get them from O'Reilley's and Autozone. If they have them there are probably others who have them too.

[440roadrunner]

!!!MAN!!! This seems like a very ambitious project to jump right in and drive thousands of miles.

I believe all Holley carbs of this nature have a LIST number stamped in the carb somewhere. You should be able to buy a kit, but frankly after reading the seller's description, I'd find another carb.

Also, his description of the fuel is troubleing. He talks as if he knows nothing of the past history of this truck? Why not? Is he a flipper? I'd be wanting to drain that tank, PERIOD. If it doesn't smell TOO bad, and you can get what's there in cans, you can always add a couple gallons to a nearly full tank of fresh and get rid of it eventually.

Maybe the seller has use for it as cleaning solvent, whatever.

You can get some idea of timing chain condition simply by moving the crank ccw/ cw and watching for movement of the distribuotr rotor.

I wish you a lot of luck on this one. You could not pay me enough money to try this escapade.

[Rich Kinsley]

Originally Posted by 440roadrunner

!!!MAN!!! This seems like a very ambitious project to jump right in and drive thousands of miles.

I wish you a lot of luck on this one. You could not pay me enough money to try this escapade.

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Oh where's your sense of adventure :-) Besides our man Ray is a whiz of a mechanic. I know he'll git 'er dun !!!

[Ray Bell]

We've done about 1400 miles now and tomorrow I believe we'll get it running even better...

The timing was way out, but even so it fired pretty easily when I changed the carby. 10mpg was no real prize, however, it's up to 12 now, but the carby will get some attention with a view to improving this further.

[chirorod]

Glad to hear you got it going. I know you were counting on that truck.

[Rich Kinsley]

I hope your journey is progressing satisfactorily. Have fun.

[chirorod]

Got to meet the gentleman in question, and he is a gentleman. And his wife is a wonderful woman. He got the Ram running, which I got to see, and is in process of touring the USA and giving a speech. Of course, he is plundering all of the 8 3/4's and taking them all back to Australia.

[Ray Bell]

Fred, normally I am given to refuting any suggestion that I am a gentleman...

However, I found you to be a level-headed person and I am thus inclined to believe you caught me on a good day!

I hope your haircut went well.

If there's anyone who can tell me how to improve on 12mpg from my slant, I am listening closely!

[JVMopar]

Less right foot = better MPG

I can get 15 mpg out of my 3/4 ton with a 400 if I keep it down to around 50 mph and have a light right foot. That's empty of course, 10 pulling a loaded trailer.

Advance the timing out till you hear it ping then back it down 2 degrees. Vac advance hooked up, EGR working.

5w30 oil as long as you have good pressure when it's hot with what ever oil is in it now.

[Ray Bell]

We have 14° advance at a fast idle, I believe the problem is in the carburettor...

The distributor, plugs and leads seem good.

It cannot be driven without putting the boot into it, on the Interstates I try to stick between 55 and 60, but 65 if I need to keep to a schedule.

[chirorod]

Ray,
It's tough to get mileage out of a truck, until you get up into the current stuff. But 12 seems low. Did you check compression? Probably don't a have a tester with you. If you were to swing back this way, we could easily do that. Especially if I know you're coming. Does that have hydraulic lifters? If mechanical, a valve adjust might be in order. We could do that,too. I suppose you're already in Colorado or New Mexico by now, though. Even though plugs look ok, new ones might make a heck of difference.
Got the desperately needed haircut. The guy just fired up his lawnmower and made a couple of passes.

[Rich Kinsley]

I know this is stupid but there doesn't happen to be any fuel leaks??? Something under pressure when running????

OK, stupid but in keeping with KISS

[chirorod]

Not at all stupid, certainly a possibility.