What the Heck!

I've got, according to the Title a 1976 Dodge PowerWagon 3/4 ton 4x4 with, according to the owner a 4bbl 318. First question is, did the 76 PowerWagons com with an optional 318 4bbl, because when i go to a parts store and they bring up the engine listings for a 76, there is no 4bbl 318 option. It has a stock chrysler manifold, so it has to be stock but i don't think the 76 dodges come with a 4bbl carb.

Second question: When i bought the truck the person started it up for me and drove it around, the only thing wrong was that it was hard to start and you had to keep the choke down to keep it running. He told me that it had a bad intake manifold gasket and it was sucking to much air. I bought the truck and towed it home, i decided i would change the intake manifold gasket along with the plugs and wires and oil. After i did all this i put it in time and tried to start it, it would not start, it would turn over fine but it sounded like it wasn't getting spark. So checked the spark coming from the coil and there was none. I checked the cap and it was all burnt and crappy, so i replaced the cap and just to be safe i also replaced the coil. I put it all back together and tried to start it and it still sounded like it was either out of time or no spark. I checked it again, geting goodspark from the coil, distributor and plugs and wires. So after trying to put it back into time again and continuing to try and start it i lost spark and gas. So i took my distributor to one of my buddys, who is a Mopar Guru, and he completly rebuilt the inside for me. I checked the Mechanical Fuel pump and found that it was worn so I went and bought a new one and stuck on it. Trying to start it again i got some backfire and it started once and then died. Then it started acting like it did before. I checked spark, good spark, then I checked gas, wasn't getting any gas, found out that the Carb. was bad. Replaced the carb with a new one, Now I have Gas, Spark and air, but it still sounds like it is out of time, and I've redone the time a hundered million times and it still acts like it is out of time. Can sombody tell me what the Heck is going on, i don't understand how it could run fine one day and then when i replace the parts and have air fuel and spark it still will not run. Firing order according to my buddy, because i do not have a manual, is 18436572, I've tried setting it turning the wires 180 and it still will not run, does anybody have any suggestions or can point me in the right direction, because i am so confused, i guess i don't work on enough dodges to know.

To know if you have a 318 or 360 just watch the balancer when it's running. The 318 one will look like it is out of whack. The 360 one while running will look like it is "true" or without wobble.

I would suggest that you replace the little porcalin block on the firewall. These are common failure points and will cause misfire/stalling/sputtering/failure to start. They are usually only like 2-5 bucks at local parts store. You may also have a bad balancer. They will spin on the rubber part and will no longer be correct for setting timing. I would try to turn the dist. while cranking on the motor to see if you can get it to start that way. Turn it till it cranks hard then start backing timing out till she goes. Once running back it off more till the idle starts to drop off. That should be close enough to run it. I set mine that way and it was about 5 degrees.
Other way to do it is to remove the valve cover on the #1 cylinder side of motor and turn it till the intake just starts to open. Then check to see if your rotor is pointing to the #1 hole. If it dosen't your dist. gear has gotten turned. Use a large straight screwdriver to work it up out of place to turn it.

Little porcelin block=Ballast Reisistor.

You may have the distributor in 180 out. A Mopar distributor can be put in two ways. Right on or 180 out. Like the previous post...bring the engine up to TDC no. 1 cyl. on compression stroke. The rotor should be pointing right at no. 1 cyl. on cap.

Yeah, i've done that a hundred million times and it still does the same thing. It sounds like it's out of time, i can turn the Dist. while its cranking and it still does the same thing. Sometimes i get some flames shooting out of the Headers and some flames shooting out of the Carb. but nothing more. It does'nt even sound like it wants to start. I'll try buying the Voltage Regulater, I think thats what your talking about on the Firewall, and see what happens. I just don't understand how it can have air, fuel and spark and retime it and it still doesn't act like it wants to start.

By the way is it possible that the timing chain might have jumped or threw a tooth or something. I haven't torn into it that much, but is it possible?

It's quite possible. You'll have to bring the engine up to TDC on no. 1 cyl. Make sure the timing marks line up with the zero on the timing tab. Look at the distributor rotor..it should be pointing right at no. 1 on the cap. If it isn't it's possible the chain has jumped a tooth or two. You may want to also look at the position of the distributor drive gear down in the block. You'll need to remove the distributor. Take a look at the lower right picture. This how the gear should look w/ no. 1 at TDC on compression stroke. Click on image for a larger size.

Oh, BTW, you don't want a voltage regulator, you want a ballast resistor. Replacing it won't hurt anything, but I don't think it's your problem.

I tried today to turn the dist. Drive gear today with a Screw driver but the thing will not turn, what would cause it not to turn? Do i have to remove something else besides the Dist. to make it turn?

Its possible the timing chain went south. It can happen instantly, and you will pull your hair out trying to start it. or there is so much slack in the chain the motor is not getting a stable timing spot. You can easily check your timing chain slack by removing your distributor cap, leaving the rotor button on, and using a socket on your harmonic balancer bolt. Turn the bolt one direction to set the rotor, and make note of it's postion, then turn the harmonic balancer the other direction, and see how far it moves before the rotor actually moves. If it is enough to miss a terminal on the distributor cap, then the slack in the chain is to great. I'm not sure if the motor is a stock truck motor, or not, a car 318 has a nylon gear that shreds into a gazilloin pieces. However, most truck motors used a steel gear set, and usually the chain just becomes overly stretched.

The distributor drive gear is driven by the camshaft, so you can't just turn it with a screwdriver. You have to lift the gear slightly so the cam-to-dist. drive gears disengage. Besides unless this gear was disturbed or if it's twisted, there really wouldn't be any need to mess with it. The distributor drive gear also drives the oil pump.

Be patient, we'll figure this out. There's only a few things that the problem could be.

If the prob is not the Ballast, I'm thinking timing chain jumped, lets not forget he could have a Vavle hanging up

when i rebuilt my 400, it had some kind of plastic, rubber, nylon type material over the gears that was all chipped and broken around the teeth and in some spots were completly gone. maybe this happened to yours allowing the chain to jump teeth therefore causing the problems.

Brooks

If it does end up being your timing chain, I recommend a good double-roller chain. You can also add Mopar's new timing chain tensione that replaces the camshaft thrust plate. It keeps constant tension on the chain for more accurate timing. It works similar to a timing belt tensioner.

oh the fireing order you posted is right.

A timing chain tensioner? ohh, Ill have to keep that in mind when I rebuild my 360.

I finally figured out what the Heck is wrong with my truck. I pulled off the Timing cover and checked the chain and gears and the gears were fine but the timing chain was really loose, so it jumped about three or four teeth to make it not run. Thanks for all the Help guys, I apprieciate it a lot.

Later

Having the timing chain jump a tooth is REAL possible, as I've had it happen to me. Used to have a 72' Duster with a 340 in it and that's exactly what happened. Ran great one day and the next, wouldn't even start.
Replaced the old one with double roller cain and gears.

Ain't these trucks fun?

I had a '79 D-200 w/360 in it and I went home for lunch one day and when I tried to go back to work, the damn thing woulnd't start....Problem? timing chain said "I've had enough of this" and decided to sit dack and sip some corona's or something...The up side is that I convinced the wife to let me replace the engine w/ a new one. I went w/ a 360 again and moded it out a little this time. (it lay's about 30 ft. of rubber in first and about 6 more on the 1-2 shift!!!)(oh, this is at 7200 ft above sea-level)