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1971 Charger SE In Reno, Nevada

Researcher

Researcher

Well-Known Member
Local time
1:51 AM
Joined
Aug 7, 2020
Messages
53
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28
Location
Reno, Nevada
Finally made an account and am excited to continue my 71 SE project. I was able to pick one up thanks to the gracious people of California. Car is in awesome shape with the only rust so far being the battery tray. Doesnt get much easier than that. One dent and a trailer hitch in the back. The original owner used to tow his boat to the lake with this thing.

I have to get it to start though and it just wont. Ive considered lighting it on fire. Normally I can get these old motors to fire pretty easily. I guess I just have to dive deeper into it. Now for some pictures. Everyone loves that.
 
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Researcher said:
Finally made an account and am excited to continue my 71 SE project. I was able to pick one up thanks to the gracious people of California. Car is in awesome shape with the only rust so far being the battery tray. Doesnt get much easier than that. One dent and a trailer hitch in the back. The original owner used to tow his boat to the lake on this thing.

I have to get it to start though and it just wont. Ive considered lighting it on fire. Normally I can get these old motors to fire pretty easily. I guess I just have to dive deeper into it. Now for some pictures. Everyone loves that.
Click to expand...
What engine is in it? Will it turn over with the starter, just won't light? Does it get spark, fuel??
 
diesel_lv said:
What engine is in it? Will it turn over with the starter, just won't light? Does it get spark, fuel??
Click to expand...

It has a 383 I was told it runs but you know what those stories are worth sometimes. It does look like it has new plug wires, cap and rotor. It does have spark and I have just been putting some fuel down the carb. It sounds close but wont fire up. So I pulled a spark plug and absolutely disgusting. I changed them all.
6D831D5C-3119-489A-B728-83EA6D971C34.jpeg
 
Still wont start though so I checked timing using a not so precise method. I pulled plug one and bumped the motor till I felt max compression on my thumb then I checked to see where the rotor was pointing and its pointing at number 1 and the order is correct.
 
Researcher said:
It does look like it has new plug wires, cap and rotor. It does have spark and I have just been putting some fuel down the carb. It sounds close but wont fire up. So I pulled a spark plug and absolutely disgusting. I changed them all. View attachment 993407
Click to expand...

Well with that being said, looks can be deceiving! If the wires, cap & rotor appear new, I'm sure that they are as old and nasty as those plugs. I say do a complete tune up and double check all tune up specs, and try again. Good Luck from a fellow Renoite!
 
Welcome from a fellow SE owner!
 
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69a100 said:
Well with that being said, looks can be deceiving! If the wires, cap & rotor appear new, I'm sure that they are as old and nasty as those plugs. I say do a complete tune up and double check all tune up specs, and try again. Good Luck from a fellow Renoite!
Click to expand...
Ya I was hoping to get lucky but maybe not. Im pretty excited about this project but I told myself I couldnt get started on it till I sold my 73 charger which I did last week so now I can focus a little more on this one.
 
From your vids, I'd say you need some more gas for it to fire. Your battery sounds tired or I forgot how slow those old starters really are! A number of questions need some answers.
When's the last time this car was out and about, and how long has it sat?
Sitting long time = nasty gas that burns crappy if at all.
How many miles on vehicle? It may not be getting enough gas due to a short fuel pump push rod.
All tune up arts and tuning settings as mentioned.
You are close to it firing. Good Luck
 
just spitballing here

it sounds like it's trying to fire
possibly ****/debris in the fuel system, carb or bad fuel pump etc.
did you pull the distributor cap ? check inside there too

maybe use a small bottle & pour a "little" gas directly down the carb
or into the vent hole, to fill the float bowl some, it may light off
if a bunch of other possible stuff isn't bad

did you check & see if it had "good" spark ?
weak coil ?
or look down the carb ? see if it's squirting gas

I'd give it a good 24hr+ trickle charge
so it has a good full battery charge

good luck

welcome to FBBO, from NorCal Sierras
 
Last edited:
Welcome from Michigan, the Motor City! Sounds like she needs fuel to fire up to me. 440'
 
69a100 said:
From your vids, I'd say you need some more gas for it to fire. Your battery sounds tired or I forgot how slow those old starters really are! A number of questions need some answers.
When's the last time this car was out and about, and how long has it sat?
Sitting long time = nasty gas that burns crappy if at all.
How many miles on vehicle? It may not be getting enough gas due to a short fuel pump push rod.
All tune up arts and tuning settings as mentioned.
You are close to it firing. Good Luck
Click to expand...

I also thought low battery, I was using my battery from my datsun 510 after all. I also pulled my jeep around and jumped it. Much better crank when doing that. So I’m gonna buy a real battery too. I did remove the starter and supposedly it checked out at autozone. They tested it a few times.

No idea how long it sat. Ive had it two years now and hasnt started in my ownership. Guy I bought it from got his girlfriend pregnant right after buying it and basically flipped it. He got it from an estate sale of a divorced lady and she got it in the divorce. At least thats what the paperwork I have says. I have the dealer papers from when he bought it used in 73 and the title is from like 1975. Really old papers but fun to see and read. Looks like he paid $3 for registration. Looks like she got it in 1984. The guy I got it from got it in 2016.
 
Budnicks said:
just spitballing here

it sounds like it's trying to fire
possibly ****/debris in the fuel system, carb or bad fuel pump etc.
did you pull the distributor cap ? check inside there too

maybe use a small bottle & pour a "little" gas directly down the carb
or into the vent hole, to fill the float bowl some, it may light off
if a bunch of other possible stuff isn't bad

did you check & see if it had "good" spark ?
weak coil ?
or look down the carb ? see if it's squirting gas

I'd give it a good 24hr+ trickle charge
so it has a good full battery charge

good luck

welcome to FBBO, from NorCal Sierras
Click to expand...

Under the distributor cap looks good. I’ll take some pictures when I get home though. Im not an expert. I usually hook an external gas tank up and bypass all the nasty who knows what stuff in the actual fuel tank and lines. I go external gas tank to mechanical pump, to carb. The pump works but unknown what the carb is like. Ive poored gas into the carb with no luck so far. Close but no cigar yet. Keep the ideas coming. I have a few things I wanna check already. I want to get this car fired before my main project comes back from my sheet metal guy.
 
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