68 dodge charger cant get it to get up and go.

[chezhed]

Hey,
I have a 68 dodge charger w/383 motor, it has a rv cam,1"7/8 primary hooker headers, in line edelbrock 6.5 lb. fuel pump, new pug wires,plugs,distributor,1406 edelbrock carb, painless wiring harness all items new. Motor is new w/2300 miles and trans is a 727 TCI 3 sp auto on colum. Having trouble with launching: idle-5000rpms seems to stumble like its starving for gas or timing at 3500-4000rpms in 1st gear. have tried every combination of jets,springs,rods in the carb. getting 15 lbs of manifold vac. at idle with no change, tried advancing timing from 6degrees to 20+ with no luck. Have had 3 different distributers on it including electronic, 5 different mechanical and electric fuel pumps, it has a new gas tank and sending unit, new fuel lines and filter. Tachs out fine if I start at 2500-3000rpms when moving but not from a stand still. But it does have a stock iron intake manifold with the four holes under carb. Any advice? Intake leaks possible?

 

[FatJack]

Could it be a bad torque convertor??

 

[70rr-brian]

Hey,
I have a 68 dodge charger w/383 motor, it has a rv cam,1"7/8 primary hooker headers, in line edelbrock 6.5 lb. fuel pump, new pug wires,plugs,distributor,1406 edelbrock carb, painless wiring harness all items new. Motor is new w/2300 miles and trans is a 727 TCI 3 sp auto on colum. Having trouble with launching: idle-5000rpms seems to stumble like its starving for gas or timing at 3500-4000rpms in 1st gear. have tried every combination of jets,springs,rods in the carb. getting 15 lbs of manifold vac. at idle with no change, tried advancing timing from 6degrees to 20+ with no luck. Have had 3 different distributers on it including electronic, 5 different mechanical and electric fuel pumps, it has a new gas tank and sending unit, new fuel lines and filter. Tachs out fine if I start at 2500-3000rpms when moving but not from a stand still. But it does have a stock iron intake manifold with the four holes under carb. Any advice? Intake leaks possible?

Did you try setting the timing BTDC? A good place to start would be about 10-15 degrees BTDC. If it is still puking out at higher rpms you might want to look at whatever advance you have. If it is vacuum advance on a mopar electronic distributer that can be adjusted by inserting an allen wrench (dont recall the exact size) inside the the hole where the vacuum hose hooks up to the distibuter. If it is mechanical advance try about 35 degrees BTDC at 5k RPM.

 

[Meep-Meep]

Have you done a compression or leak down check?

 

[chezhed]

yes have had 2 holly 600 carbs and 2 600 edelbrock carbs on it with every jet and spring/rod combination and nothing seems to work. Have 1"7/8ths primarys hooker headers long tubes, tried 2 coils a normal and a accell high spark no luck, have 2"1/2 in exhaust with flowmaster 40s no cats. have the fuel pump (edelbrock 6.5 lb electric pump wired into ignition new voltage regulator, have tried to wire it like painless diagram says will run different but wont charge have a externaly reg. dual field alt., also found that most of the system is grounded at contacts with key off alt. fields volt reg. terminals and ballast resister contacts. Is this correct when the key is off? I'm leaning towards a electrical issue but not sure...any and all suggestions will be tried to fix this problem.

also just installed a weiand alum. intake 0-6500 stock height.

 

[chezhed]

ran PERFECT in the rain no issues what so ever temp stayed at about 165 going to try a seperate trans cooler instead of being on the radiator. possible trans fluid getting to hot and not letting it go like it should????

 

[70rr-brian]

ran PERFECT in the rain no issues what so ever temp stayed at about 165 going to try a seperate trans cooler instead of being on the radiator. possible trans fluid getting to hot and not letting it go like it should????

You mention it running cooler in the rain implying it runs a lot hotter normally. If this is true you failed to mention that in previous post. Perhaps it would be helpful to know how hot does it normally run?

A common cause and effect to overheating is an engine running too lean. Have you pulled the plugs out and inspected them to confirm this?

Could also be a defective/obstructed fuel filter. You mentioned it was new but new doesn't guarantee its functionality.

 

[chezhed]

yes it normally runs about 180-200 and its new and have checked it multiple times, plugs look good not white or any other type of build up. lean? maybe but hard to tell when it runs like crap all the time(have had all types of springs and jet combinations in the carb, called edelbrock almost 50 times trying something different every time including takeing the hood off and driving it no luck,checkedthe voltage on the ballast resistor, ignition, fuel pump while driving all seem to go up or stay the same over 12 volts. Has a 160 thermostat in it now and a new champion 4 row radiator with an electric fan on front and flex fan on back. still gets hot on hot days at idle over 210 at times of idle. should the thermostat be taken out for this issue? or will the trans cooler help keep the radiator cooler?


will be trying a trans cooler wendsday

thanks for your response sorry about info...