1974 Dodge B300 1 ton Van is stalling

[Vexxed Boy]

Van has a V8 360
Carb is not stock and unfortunatly about all I can tell is what the sticker says...Carter High Performance ABS.

Cold - Van stars then stalls after a few seconds usually, sometimes immediatly. Try to restart and will stall immediatly. If I stick my finger in the choke to keep it open a bit, will start and idle rough. I pushed what I think my haynes manual says is a cam idle position thing down a notch or two and can get it to idle without stalling. When at this state it idles fine and I can lightly rev the engine, if I press the gas pedal to far it will stall out. Havn't even attempted to drive it.

I basically got it from a buddy I was trying to help out so I licensed it so it was legal but he bailed and I want to use it for camping and road trips. It ran fine before but it had some issues so I took the engine cover/bonnet off althou I didn't think the seats moved so I kinda had to wrench it outa there. thinking maybe I snagged something and did something that is causing it to not function right anymore. Unfortunatly My Haynes book only shows what carbs came stock with it and this isn't stock...suppose to be a 2-bbl of some kind and I think this is a 2-bbl just have no further info on it and well...I know nothing about carbs so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[Dodgevanman]

Look around the engine and see if any wires were pulled off of anything.


The Carter ABS is a 4bbl. carburetor...basically the same as an Edelbrock carb. nowadays. Sounds like the choke and fast idle adjustments are out. Does the carb. have an electric choke?

[Vexxed Boy]

Was a bit incorrect...
Carb:
Carter AFB Competition Series
8867 stamped onto the carb
7W8506 stamped on the choke

Edlebrock Intake

Also something intersting that might help. If I turn and hold the key in the START position it runs great, revs great and sounds great both cold or warm, In the RUN position even if I do tinker with it to get it to idle will stall out if I push the gas pedal in to far, and when warm I can't even breath on the pedal or it will stall. Not sure why it would run perfectly in the START position and not in the RUN position. Thats about all I can test on that as I don't want to hold the key in the START position too long as I don't want to burn up my starter because I am sure it is still enganged when the key is in the START position.

I don't know if it has an electronic choke as this isn't the stock carberator so it isn't in my book and I know nothing about carbs. If inside the van and facing the carb everything looks pretty mechanical on it exept for a round black thing (about 2 1/2" in diameter) on the passanger side...has a wire leading to the coil and one leading to the frame of the carb (probably a ground). Thats about it.

[Dodgevanman]

The round black "thing" is the choke diaphram.

Your problem sounds like the ballast resistor going bad. Here's a picture of what is looks like. Get a new one and keep a spare in the glove box.

[Vexxed Boy]

Dual Ballast resistor checked out ok on both primary and secondary.
Coil, Starter, Alternator, Ignition Switch and Starter Relay all checked out fine as well.

[Dodgevanman]

Wouldn't hurt to at least try a new one. Don't have anything to lose. What kind of shape is the wiring too and from the ballast resistor?

[Vexxed Boy]

Bought a new ballast resitor, NO change. wiring to and from are fine.

[Dodgevanman]

Hmmmm strange. In the start position the ballast resistor is by-passed and voltage is suppled to the coil. After the vehicle starts and the key is back in run position the ballast resistor is back in the loop. It's is odd that the van is running fine while in the start position but bad in run position.

I would start going through the ignition wiring...get a wiring schematic and start tracing wires. There is also a bulkhead connector where the wires go through the firewall. I would check all the connectors for corrosion or evidence of shorts or burning.

You mentioned that it ran fine until you took the engine cover off...did you find any wires disconnected? Also, just for the heck of it disconnect that choke wire off of the coil and see if it improves.

[SPs 77 Dodge]

Dodgevanman has a point, try running the pos wire to the electric choke from a different switched hot wire. Mine goes into the wiring harness, not to the coil.