The 383 still won't fire once!!!!

[SteveSS]

I've posted before but still no solution. It's a 1969 Charger with the original 383. We had the brakes worked on after a long time of not driving it. Picked up the car and drove it for about 20 minutes. It ran great. 15 minutes on the highway it started sputtering. We pull off and put in a bunch of new gas. It was backfiring and losing power the rest of the way home. One weird fact was for about 2 blocks it ran good and then went back to backfiring stalling. Go it home and started tinkering.

Lots of people said it was the points and condenser. Changed those along with a new coil. No firing, not even once which applies to all the next fixes. The mobile mechanic could trace the spark down through the spark plug wire. I thought maybe we fouled the plugs really bad. Tried new plugs, poured gas in the carb. Plugs got wet.

Switched to timing. It was really hard to see but the mobile mechanic set it to 12 degrees TDC. Nothing. Grasping for answers he said it could be a low battery. We are using a charge box that hits the battery 150 v each time. Then the battery cranks the engine for about 20 seconds then dies down.

The wiring at the bulkhead looks pretty hinky but if the spark plugs are getting spark shouldn't it be okay? It Hasn't fired one time.

Here is the bulkhead wiring. I don't know what that little white jump wire is for. We didn't put it there. Do you see anything we should check?

 

[furious70]

You have spark to the spark plugs then?
How much if any did you change the timing? Did you mark so it could go back to where it was when it last ran?
Does this engine still have the original timing chain and nylon gear?

 

[hunt2elk]

What's the deal with the white wire at the bulkhead connector? Your mechanic has a spark on each plug wire?

 

[mr. b]

i would check the timing chain sounds like it may have jumped

 

[Billccm]

Take 12v directly to the coil and see if you get good spark.

 

[Moparnocar]

I've posted before but still no solution. It's a 1969 Charger with the original 383. We had the brakes worked on after a long time of not driving it. Picked up the car and drove it for about 20 minutes. It ran great. 15 minutes on the highway it started sputtering. We pull off and put in a bunch of new gas. It was backfiring and losing power the rest of the way home. One weird fact was for about 2 blocks it ran good and then went back to backfiring stalling. Go it home and started tinkering.

Lots of people said it was the points and condenser. Changed those along with a new coil. No firing, not even once which applies to all the next fixes. The mobile mechanic could trace the spark down through the spark plug wire. I thought maybe we fouled the plugs really bad. Tried new plugs, poured gas in the carb. Plugs got wet.

Switched to timing. It was really hard to see but the mobile mechanic set it to 12 degrees TDC. Nothing. Grasping for answers he said it could be a low battery. We are using a charge box that hits the battery 150 v each time. Then the battery cranks the engine for about 20 seconds then dies down.

The wiring at the bulkhead looks pretty hinky but if the spark plugs are getting spark shouldn't it be okay? It Hasn't fired one time.

Here is the bulkhead wiring. I don't know what that little white jump wire is for. We didn't put it there. Do you see anything we should check?


View attachment 1258232 View attachment 1258231

Definitely figure out what that wire is through a wiring diagram ,that's a fire waiting to happen.

So the way I understand it, you do have spark? Because your symptoms sure point to running out of fuel or fuel issue.

Unhook the line at the carburetor and crank on it. You should have a good amount of fuel squirting out of that hose and volume is important too. I don't remember what the volume is on a big block mopar, I'm sure you can look up how much it should spit out after a few seconds.

Possible bad pump, fuel filter, or the sock in the back has a rusted hole or plugged up

That of course if I'm understanding your post correctly about having spark

 

[Moparnocar]

And obviously have a larger cup or mason jar under the fuel line so you don't spray it all over the engine and start a fire ,have a fire extinguisher ready at all times

 

[mtcatrider]

Just wondering if that white wire was put in because the fusible link wire burned. I had that happen on our 70 Superbee, it wouldn't start and I found the ignition switch came apart and shorted inside on the steering column. I don't rhino the Chargers switch is in the column but the wiring there doesn't look good.

 

[Don Frelier]

It could still be bad gas (water in the gas).
Pump some out of the fuel pump and put it in clear jar.
If it's easy to take the top off the carb (like a carter) I would do that and see what's in there.
If theres water in the bottom you'll see it right away.
If the gas is good then back to basics:
Assuming cap and rotor and ignition parts are set up correctly then...

1. Compression test on all 8
2. Check TDC on the balancer vs #1 Piston on the compression stroke and note rotor position.
(nearly or just passed #1 tower should do it)
3. Spark is blue-white and crisp?
4. With a fully charged battery check for spark in Start and run position of the ignition with a loose plug at a good ground.
A jumper cable works pretty nicely here.

If all this is good and timing is anywhere close it should fire.

 

[SteveSS]

As far as gas I'm pouring a few ounces of fresh gas down the carb. Also trying starting fluid.

 

[Don Frelier]

Yes but you still have fuel in the carb correct?
A few ounces is quite a bit. A few tablespoons is more like it if you're getting fuel from the carb then you'll flood it

 

[SteveSS]

We haven't checked each plug/wire but more than 2. Agreed the wiring doesn't look good. The switch is in the dash. Was the mechanic right about the compression stroke? I hope so. Remember it was running but barely when we parked it.

 

[Sam69sat]

Your battery only cranks for 20 seconds before dying down? I watched my hard headed father work on getting his tractor started for DAYS due to a weak battery. He swore it was the timing. Then it was the carburetor. Finally got a decent battery that would crank for more than 15 seconds and it fired right up.

 

[dadsbee]

Only 10 other cars to steal a battery from and using a jump box...

 

[Fran Blacker]

Like Billccm's post 12v direct to coil if it fires you have a wiring issue. Those bare wires!

 

[BB BELLA]

I'd pull the covers, crank it over and watch the rockers for travel and possibly bent rods! I had a 383 that was run hard/hot and parked with no problem. bent 12 rods when refired and it still ran, not well though!

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Verify spark one last time with an extra spark plug touching a good ground on its threads while cranking. If you have spark for sure..... and you have gas for sure (gas in carb & starting fluid), then you have three possibilities
1. Very flooded. Remove all the spark plugs & let it set overnight. Reinstall plugs and try again 2-3 times.
2. You're WAY out of timing. Mark where you're at now at least (if you can't put it back where it was before the mobile mechanic moved the distributor) Turn it a good 10-15 degrees either way while cranking and see if it acts like it wants to start. If no, put it back where it was.
3. Your plastic gear timing chain jumped a tooth. Turn the motor over by the crankshaft bolt and line up the timing marks at top dead center. Lift distributor cap & see if the rotor is pointing towards the #1 plug (or exactly opposite....if so, I'd turn the motor by hand again one more revolution to top dead center again). If you "jumped timing" with a worn out timing chain, the rotor won't be pointing at the #1 cylinder.

 

[Demonic]

Your battery only cranks for 20 seconds before dying down? I watched my hard headed father work on getting his tractor started for DAYS due to a weak battery. He swore it was the timing. Then it was the carburetor. Finally got a decent battery that would crank for more than 15 seconds and it fired right up.

This. I've had the same issue with some Mopars. Battery shouldn't die after just 20 min.

 

[Don Frelier]

20 min would be very impressive!

 

[Wietse]

OP did not confirm the carb fuel bowls are full all the time.
Could be a bad pump (or pump push rod) and the manual adding of fuel sounds a little excessive and the spark plugs could be soaking wet all the time.
Just get another good battery and use that for the time being, let it charge when not in use.

Stay focused on air/fuel/spark as that is all what it needs, regardless of wiring quality. (but you need to sort that out later for sure)