73 barracuda 440 won't start.

[73plymouth440]

Hi all, i'm new here, but i have come to this site often lately for random help (browsing older threads), finally made my own account. any-who, i recently purchased a 73 barracuda with a 75 motor home 440. i got to drive it for a couple weeks in NY before deciding to buy it and it ran great the entire time, started up every morning without any problem. i finally just got it trailored down to SC and immediately it started acting up. at first it was electrical issues but that was solved with a new alternator. i finally get it running and not even five minutes later it quits on me. so far i have changed the plugs which were badly fouled but really im not sure what else to check. still new at this so thought i would ask the experts. thanks all in advance

 ps, the starter and battery are less than two years old at this point.

[Matt70]

More info would be helpful, what exactly is it doing or not doing? Is it getting fuel? Spark? Air?......

[4Cruizn]

More info would be helpful, what exactly is it doing or not doing? Is it getting fuel? Spark? Air?......

So does it turn over when you turn the key . . . Just crank with nothing?  Have you checked for spark . . I know stupid but you have gas?  Did you get some bad gas?   

[polarbear123]

First thing to check is all your wire connections through fire wall and under dash.

[73440]

Chck the areaaround the alternator where you replaced  it, maybe the wire t the coil is loose.
Are you running points or electronic ignition,?

[73plymouth440]

Sorry for the response time. I am getting power to the plugs, and there was a leak in the fuel line to the carb at the filter, but that's fixed. And had the battery charged and tested at the store. Changed the ballast relay (white box on the firewall, was burned out) and she cranks really well with the fresh battery, she just doesn't seem to want to turn over. Also tried using a different coil. Wondering if maybe the wrong plugs or if too big of a gap maybe preventing it from igniting the fuel? (stupid question?) And yes, I put 3\4 of a tank in before the alternator got changed earlier this week and haven't driven it further than a few miles to base. S

[70chall440]

Everyone here is saying the same thing actually, however you need to do this methodically and forgive me if it seems I am talking down to you, but this is the best way to explain it; a car needs 3 things to run; fire (spark), air, and fuel (actually 4, it needs compression as well for it to run as you would expect). So, here is what you do;

1. Air - no issues unless you have a rag stuffed down the carb or the throttle plates are not opening at all (i.e. choke not working)

2. Fuel - easy to check, take off the air cleaner and work the throttle and see if fuel is squirting in. If not or as a test, splash a little fuel into the carb (just a little like bottle top cap worth or 2). Try and start it, If it fires even a little (where it didn't before, fuel delivery is your problem)

3. Spark, easiest way to check, remove a spark plug wire off of one of the plug, take a old spark plug (doesn't have to be the right one for the car, just anyone will work), connect the wire you took off to the spark plug you are going to use for the test, ground out the bottom (the J shaped metal on the bottom) by holding it to a bolt on the engine or use a lead with clips; turn the car over and watch the spark plug to see if there is a spark jumping across; if not then you have a problem.

So, once you have narrowed down which area is the problem you can then chase it down. Here are some common issues

SPARK RELATED
1. bad coil
2. bad ballast resistor
3. broken or disconnected wires

FUEL RELATED
1. plugged fuel filter
2. bad carb (floats malfunctioning and not set correctly)
3. plugged fuel line

It isn't rocket science or difficult; it is frustrating for sure but if you take your time, check each thing thoroughly and one at a time you will find it. Since the car was running and now isn't, it is something simple. That doesn't mean it will be easy to find, just that when you do it will be a "ah hah" moment. Last thing, do not blindly trust parts store parts; "new" doesn't always mean it works. I have bough coils and ballast resistors brand new and had them be bad.

Good luck

[73plymouth440]

Don't worry, I know when someone is actually talking down to me and I only started really learning about cars a few years ago and lifes been a bit busy so I know I've got a lot to learn. I know the fuel is getting to the carb, and I am pretty certain there is compression (every so often i can see the fuel and air being blown back from the compression). As far as air, my choke isn't even hooked up to anything so that just sits open. I also know that I'm getting power to the plugs after seeing the guy helping me out get shocked trying to see spark. That being said didn't actually see the spark. That's why I asked about the sparkplugs and the gap maybe not being able to set off the fuel.

[70chall440]

The gaps would have to be crazy off for it not to even start, I do not think that is your problem. You will need to check for consistent spark, the guy getting shocked is a good sign there is power going there but it could be inconsistent and thus not firing the car.

On the fuel side, it could be the opposite of not enough, it could be flooding which would have the same net effect. I have had cars which I thought were getting fuel and in fact were not or at least not enough and I have had cars that I thought were not getting enough and ended up being flooded and would not start. You really need to check each condition out specifically to determine what is happening.

Confirm it has consistent spark first. If so, then prime the carb and try it. Do not rely on the fuel pump (could be bad). One or the other should point you in the right direction.

[73plymouth440]

Thanks, I'll see what's what when I wake up tomorrow, see what happens, and post results. Thanks for the help so far.

[70chall440]

Good luck.

[ec_co]

my thought is possible fuel delivery. if it was perfectly OK before being shipped and not after shipping, this could indicate some rusties or something might have come loose in the tank during shipping and may be clogging the fuel line or the tank filter is clogged. just another thought in the hunt

[73plymouth440]

So, replaced the distributor rotor and wires and checked again to see I had no spark. Hoping it wasn't the distributor I started getting into my wiring harness and found a lot of Jerry rigged connections and wires that went nowhere (and had power going to them.  my corporal wanted to check for spark again on a whim so he pulls a wire off, puts a new plug into it and when I crank it, it fired up instantly on just the seven cylinders. Clearly the wiring harness being put together like it is is what was wrong so that's solved, however now that it's running the batter won't charge again and i had the battery tested and know its good, and the starter is barely a week old. Would a wire being grounded out that shouldn't be cause this problem? Or maybe a ground that doesn't have a good connection?

[70chall440]

Yes, of the wire grounded out is hot and pulling power from the alternator (aka a short), however this would most likely cause sparks and/or a lot of smoke... In other words, if it were just a wire being grounded you would know it instantly. More likely is that all of you mishandled/unterminated wires has caused an issue with your charging system. Here are some things to check;

1. the electronic voltage regulator - can cause you fits when there is a problem because there isn't a good what to check it by itself (that I know of). it has to be have a good ground to the body and they were originally put on the firewall with sheet metal screws; you pulling on the wiring could have easily changed that or even pulled the plug off of it. Pickup a new one (must have one anyway as a spare) and give it a try (assuming all of the wiring is connected correctly).

2. the alternator connections; check all of the wires; should be 3 - heavy charge wire (goes to a screw with a nut at the back) and 2 field wires (blue and green I believe). Make sure everything is connected.

3. check the alternator - If the car now runs you should be able to check it on the car (you tube is your friend). Or pull it off and take it to your local parts store and they can test it.

[73plymouth440]

So I got an ohmmeter and the battery is charging. With the car running the battery read 13 And after I shut it down it read 12.4 So there is something draining it after I shut the car down is what I'm thinking...
Also the alternator only has a single spade connector. I was told it's self grounded so the grounding spade connector isn't hooked to anything. The Metter on my dash says it's charging the battery (pretty sure it works correctly but I'm not 100% sure if it does or doesn't