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1971 Plymouth Satellite

Oppose.o

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Local time
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Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
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Location
Tennessee
Hello, I am 14 and have a 1971 plymouth sattelite project car. It has a 318, but I don't know where to get started on it.
 
I bought my first car at 15 and it did not run. Nobody in my family had enough mechanical experience to help me with it. An old retired mechanic walked me through diagnosing the car and I paid him something like $5 and hour. It was the best start into this hobby I could have gotten.

See if you can find a mentor in your family, on your street, or even a local car club. People are more than willing to help out if you ask.
 
Pics might help.
 
Welcome from NY.
Calling @moparedtn
Here's a quick list of priorities:

1. Make sure the brakes are good. (stopping is more important than starting)
2. Make sure the suspension/steering is good. (Kind of like #1 above)
3. Now you can work on getting it to run well and sound cool.

Keep us posted.
 
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welcome to FBBO youngblood

I'd highly suggest getting an FSM (Factory Service Manual)
year (1971) & make specific (Plymouth)
they are a wealth of information

"Fill your library before you fill your garage"
is a great adage to live by

also websites like
www.AllPar.com
www.MyMoPar.com (especially the tools section)
both have some great detailed information

be patient, be polite/respectful, listen & learn

many members here will give you a wealth of help/knowledge
if you're willing to listen

make sure to include as much pertinent information
engine size year make model part working on or description etc.
when you ask questions on here
use the specific forum section too
usually, anything you want or are having trouble with
somebody has been thru before
that way far less back & forth, when dealing with a specific problem

good luck with your 71 Sattelite project
 
Pics might help.

IMG_20210121_170027248.jpg IMG_20210121_170015634.jpg IMG_20210121_170011509.jpg IMG_20210121_170013576.jpg IMG_20210121_170017841.jpg IMG_20210121_170020770.jpg IMG_20210121_170027248.jpg IMG_20210121_165654753.jpg IMG_20210121_165647704.jpg IMG_20210121_165636218.jpg
 
Welcome and were are you in Tennessee?
 
Nice! Looks like a good car to start with. I would get it running, do a tune up, new plugs, wires, cap & rotor, fuel and oil filter, etc.
 
Happy to help get some new blood into Mopars and just got done putting together a 72 green satellite.

Also plan on this costing more than expected, do you plan on keeping this car and modifying it? Also assuming not much mechanic experience.

Assuming you can move the crank by hand, if frozen hard and soaking in oil does not free up, that is another long story.

Totally drain gas tank and fuel line, use alcohol free gas (used normal gas before on projects that sit and by time i got to starting, gas had turned bad from sitting too long). I had to replace tank and did lines in 3/8s as mine were corroded and leaking.

Replace fuel pump right off, newer gas and time are bad on rubber and metal, and there will be junk in old lines that will clog carb.

From quick look at pics the carb might be initial problem, would be worth it to buy new manifold and carb instead of trying to make stock stuff work. Replacing the manifold would also let you look inside the motor to see if oil is coked up from heat or poor maintenance.

then Throw a battery on it and spray starting fluid down carb to see if you got spark. Would be worth it to replace like in video to save time and aggravation trying to make crusty old parts work.

Another common failure point is the ammeter gauge, info out there on how to bypass ammeter.

Expect to get discouraged, it will be worth it later when you got a huge smile during the first test drives.

 
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Hello, I am 14 and have a 1971 plymouth sattelite project car. It has a 318, but I don't know where to get started on it.
Welcome aboard. I bought my first car when I was 14 also. It was a 69 Charger. It was 383 Bronze with Tan interior and a tan alligator top bucket seat console car...
 
I agree with the post (#10) about general rehab.

I'd make an assessment and written list.

Things I see off the bat-

#1 get rid of those 40 year old bias ply tires.
(unless the time to get running and driving is very long- tires theses days don't age well, but you still need something to roll it around on that holds air)

#2 you need a carburetor. Is the original present? Those Carter BBD 2 barrels are pretty bullet-proof.
Wonder why it was removed?

#3 Check the oil. is there water or is it white and milky? If it is that's bad news. If not, plan on putting in new.

#4 check the water. is it milky? Is there any? Put some in and see about borrowing or renting a pressure tester.

#5 take out the spark plugs and see if they are black or smell like gas, or are burnt.
While they are out, get a big socket and breaker bar and try to turn the crank.
Borrow or rent a compression tester (might find one to buy for about $20)
Budget for new plugs and possibly wires.

#6 check the trans fluid. does it smell or look burnt?

#7 I'd budget on a new master cylinder. Does it work? Also budget on new shoes and soft lines. Maybe wheel cylinders.

#8 put in a battery and see if you have 12v at the coil. Plan on new points and condenser and consider converting to electronic, later. Buy a $10 spark checker and see if you have spark after setting the points (procedures in the downloadable manual on mymopar.com) I use a matchbook, but technically a feeler gauge. That gauge will be handy to check the spark pulg gaps, too.

#9 check the rear axle differential fluid. Most times this is fine. But check.

There's tons more, but that a get started list.
 
Looks like a great starting point.
 
Welcome from Missouri!!
 
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