• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

1970 383 in 1969 Charger Not Running Right

Yes when the engine is cold adjust choke and fast idle.
Idle adjustment when hot. Just a 1/4 turn at a time. Typical start point is 1-1/2 to 2 turns out from all the way in. But if you are already running just start turning the idle in until it starts to stumble and then come back out while watching the vacuum gauge to verify best adjustments.

Your choke in the summer is about bit under or 1/4” gap. That differs with engine though. You must be close.

Adjust your carb, take it for a ride , shut it down and take some plugs out to see how your adjustments are doing. If you have a good running engine the plugs should be tan colored. Your exhaust you reflect your plugs being tan colored. Not black and caked with carbon. Put your hand up to the exhaust and feel for a smooth pulse or popping misfire.

If you can read plugs you can do a lot of diagnosis. There’s lot of materials out there about how to read plugs. They tell you quite a bit of what’s going on inside your engine.
Thank you! It does misfire at the exhaust, one can hear and feel it. I just put new plugs in it because we added a brand new carburetor. The plug wires, coil, carburetor, plugs, alternator, fuel lines, fuel filter, voltage regulator on the firewall, ballast resistor as well as a cap and rotor button (has electronic ignition conversion and no points). I am new to timing, I may have the timing all wrong too.
 
Thank you! It does misfire at the exhaust, one can hear and feel it. I just put new plugs in it because we added a brand new carburetor. The plug wires, coil, carburetor, plugs, alternator, fuel lines, fuel filter, voltage regulator on the firewall, ballast resistor as well as a cap and rotor button (has electronic ignition conversion and no points). I am new to timing, I may have the timing all wrong too.

As a rule the cylinder cast most forward on a Chrysler is number one. The 383 you know is on the front driver side.

If you have a vacuum advance canister on your distributor pull the hose off the canister plug it with a pencil or something.

Loosen your distributor clamp enough to just be able to rotate the distributor. Not too loose.
Get your engine running and with the timing light pickup on number one plug wire shine the flashing light down on the front balancer and adjust your timing. Make sure you know the year of the engine and correct specs. These cars have had many engine swaps and don’t necessarily have the original 69 engine.

Retighten the distributor clamp and recheck your timing. Make sure it didn’t move.

After you finish put your vacuum advance hose back on the distributor. Drive the car and just see how it reacts. Too much timing you will get pinging. Eventually you will find the sweet spot for your engine.

Typically timing is around TDC or 5 degrees BTDC.
5 BTDC has worked for me in the past. Poor gas will affect that.

If you get everything right with the carb and timing you should be able to shut down the engine and restart the engine with a quick touch of the starter.

Have at it
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top