Author Topic: How to test a 440 out of the car?  (Read 3166 times)

Offline challenged72

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How to test a 440 out of the car?
« on: February 15, 2012 - 08:37:52 PM »
Headed up to PA this weekend to buy a 440/727, I know Ive test started a 318 just laying there before but I cant remember how to do it. He said the engine/trans is complete, has everything but the fan so Id love to drop it in and maybe itll last me a few years of easy cruising unitl I get a nice engine build going. I want to hear it run first as Ive been burned before.

I know to bring a battery, pos and neg cables, run gas to the fuel pump, after that I forget which jumper wires go where and how to get it to lurch back to life. Can someone please fill in the blanks for me  :clueless:




Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2012 - 11:48:44 PM »
power to the coil asssuming it has points , jump power to both terminals on the starter , power & ground to the ign box if it has an ECU & ground to the block

Challenger - You`ll wish You Hadn`t

Offline challenged72

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2012 - 07:42:04 PM »
well, picked it up this morning and the thing looked so clean and its all original that I didnt even bother test starting it because there wasnt a regulator and I wasnt sure how to do it without one. I'll be attempting this and letting you know how it goes in the next few days, thanks!

Offline challenged72

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2012 - 09:41:31 AM »
well, picked it up this morning and the thing looked so clean and its all original that I didnt even bother test starting it because there wasnt a regulator and I wasnt sure how to do it without one. I'll be attempting this and letting you know how it goes in the next few days, thanks!

well, going to get some oil and a filter, gas line etc and I'll be trying it today. Most likely will be posting stupid questions  :2thumbs:

Offline challenged72

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2012 - 02:00:42 PM »
power to the coil asssuming it has points , jump power to both terminals on the starter , power & ground to the ign box if it has an ECU & ground to the block

not working, please help, Im dying to hear this thing run!

Ive got power to both terminals on the starter, it clicks when I jump power to both terminals.

I have power to the + side on the coil. I have the battery grounded to the block, and gas hooked to fuel pump.
Ground from batt to neg side of coil

What am I missing? The starter will click repeatedly and when I touch power to the + side of the coil it sparks a little bit but nothing.

Offline MEK-Dangerfield

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2012 - 03:48:35 PM »

Ground from batt to neg side of coil



That won't work. It still doesn't explain the starter not turning over though.    :clueless:

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Offline challenged72

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2012 - 06:09:56 PM »
well, it clicked and wouldnt turn over, then I just now went out and touched it and it turned briefly and shook the engine/trans but its making my pos. terminal on my battery spark then no power, then I move the pos terminal around and it will have power again

As you can tell, no idea what Im doing but Im willing to learn by being stupid

I'll take the ground off of the coil, what else should I do?

Offline challenged72

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2012 - 08:28:23 PM »
well, it clicked and wouldnt turn over, then I just now went out and touched it and it turned briefly and shook the engine/trans but its making my pos. terminal on my battery spark then no power, then I move the pos terminal around and it will have power again

As you can tell, no idea what Im doing but Im willing to learn by being stupid

I'll take the ground off of the coil, what else should I do?

Ok, so I replaced the wire from battery to starter and now its turning over really well. Now I need to get it to fire, searched like crazy and havent fouind anything, can anyone give me some insight? Thanks

Offline jimynick

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2012 - 09:40:27 PM »
Has it got points or electronic ignition? Be careful here, if that thing fires up on the ground, on it's pan, it's completely possible it would/could roll over and that'll get ugly really quick. We used to attach one jumper to the starter battery lug and snap the other one onto the block, then use a screwdriver to jump the solenoid on the starter (small bolt) to the big lug. Once you sort out if there's points or not, follow CP's advice, but be careful!  :2cents:

Offline challenged72

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2012 - 10:12:24 PM »
Has it got points or electronic ignition? Be careful here, if that thing fires up on the ground, on it's pan, it's completely possible it would/could roll over and that'll get ugly really quick. We used to attach one jumper to the starter battery lug and snap the other one onto the block, then use a screwdriver to jump the solenoid on the starter (small bolt) to the big lug. Once you sort out if there's points or not, follow CP's advice, but be careful!  :2cents:

I have a wooden cradle built for it and its strapped down well

I honestly have no idea how to tell the difference between points and electronic. Im guessing points because the motor is 67 and it seems to be all original. I'm trying to learn about this as I go, Ive only ever worked with fuel injected vehicles before

Offline challenged72

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2012 - 05:35:23 PM »
Heres a pic, can someone help me figure out which it is? I have power to the + side of the coil and nothing is happening when the starter is turning over so I guess that means its electronic correct?

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/585/img20120225131915.jpg/

Offline usraptr

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2012 - 08:22:54 PM »
You have points.  Leave the dist cap when you turn it over briefly and see if the points are sparking to tell whether you're getting juice to them.
1970 Plymouth 'Cuda.  Matching numbers 440 U Code, 4 speed pistol grip, Rallye dash, AM 8 Track, Shaker hood, 15 inch rallye wheels, Dana 60 4.10, Super Track Pak.  One of 134 - 440 "U" coupes codes built in 1970 and one of 100 - 440 Super Track Paks built in 1970.

Restoration pictures at:  http://spanks4thememory.smugmug.com/Cars/70-Cuda/7240639_M24oi#465274575_2MBqW
(Edited 8-1-17)

"usraptr" = United States raptor - bird of prey = United States Bald Eagle.  FYI, somebody else thought of it first so I had to drop the "O" in raptor.

Offline challenged72

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2012 - 04:35:36 PM »
You have points.  Leave the dist cap when you turn it over briefly and see if the points are sparking to tell whether you're getting juice to them.

this is with a power jumper to the + side of the coil while Im jumping it right?

Offline usraptr

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2012 - 05:07:30 PM »
Yes.
1970 Plymouth 'Cuda.  Matching numbers 440 U Code, 4 speed pistol grip, Rallye dash, AM 8 Track, Shaker hood, 15 inch rallye wheels, Dana 60 4.10, Super Track Pak.  One of 134 - 440 "U" coupes codes built in 1970 and one of 100 - 440 Super Track Paks built in 1970.

Restoration pictures at:  http://spanks4thememory.smugmug.com/Cars/70-Cuda/7240639_M24oi#465274575_2MBqW
(Edited 8-1-17)

"usraptr" = United States raptor - bird of prey = United States Bald Eagle.  FYI, somebody else thought of it first so I had to drop the "O" in raptor.

Offline challenged72

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Re: How to test a 440 out of the car?
« Reply #14 on: February 26, 2012 - 08:26:17 PM »
no spark, so Im going to switch coils with a known good one and see what happens, thanks