Broke down on the side of the Road today

[Cuda Cody]

Timing, right?  It's firing, but not at the right time?  Thus it fires back up through the cab?

Fireball shot up thru carb yesterday. 

[Topcat]

Timing, right?  It's firing, but not at the right time?  Thus it fires back up through the cab?

Fireball shot up thru carb yesterday. 

How in the heck could timing change?   

This engine has less than 3,000 miles on it.

The distributor is locked down like Fort Knox.
I made sure of  it when I bolted it down.

I used my Craftman Distributor wrench and  bolted it down correctly.

Additionally I added Ed Reherberg weight problem solver that is supposed to help any dwell variation.

Now take a look at this!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOPAR-Electronic-Ignition-Problem-Solver-Distributor-RELUCTOR-440-340-Hemi-426-/322539600016?hash=item4b18dbb890:g:xqUAAOSwBahVGW~j&vxp=mtr

[Cuda Cody]

I'm just talking out loud here...  It's hard to know for sure without being there to help.  But maybe it's the timing is all I'm saying.  How else would fire come out the carb?  Could the distributor frame be bolted down fine, but something inside moved?   

Timing, right?  It's firing, but not at the right time?  Thus it fires back up through the cab?

Fireball shot up thru carb yesterday. 

How in the heck could timing change?   

This engine has less than 3,000 miles on it.

The distributor is locked down like Fort Knox.
I made sure of  it when I bolted it down.

I used my Craftman Distributor wrench and  bolted it down correctly.

Additionally I added Ed Reherberg weight problem solver that is supposed to help any dwell variation.

Now take a look at this!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOPAR-Electronic-Ignition-Problem-Solver-Distributor-RELUCTOR-440-340-Hemi-426-/322539600016?hash=item4b18dbb890:g:xqUAAOSwBahVGW~j&vxp=mtr

[RUNCHARGER]

Hmm: It sounds like timing off all right. I would check to make sure reluctor gap is .008 and maybe check static timing on it. Make sure the pickup screw didn't loosen off. It was running good and that it wasn't, something moved perhaps.

[Topcat]

Hmm: It sounds like timing off all right. I would check to make sure reluctor gap is .008 and maybe check static timing on it. Make sure the pickup screw didn't loosen off. It was running good and that it wasn't, something moved perhaps.

I plan to go back to basics.

Imstall the dual point and see what happens. Check initial on it and advanced.

This might be a while since I have a business trip 3rd week of June till I can get back on it.

[7212Mopar]

Broken distributor gear missing a tooth?

[RUNCHARGER]

Jeez: I hate being away from a car when they are broken.

[MoparLeo]

Remember that when diagnosing a problem that you never assume anything. Always start with the basics. Throwing parts at a problem is never the way to go. A four stroke engine needs, air, fuel, compression,  correct spark timing. You don't really need any parts to check these items. I learned a lesson long ago when I changed the oil on the wifes' car one day at the shop I was working at.  Lowered the car down and no start. Tried all kinds of things off and on for 2 days. Finally went back to basics.   Now this was a newer car with coil packs, no distributor. I just assumed that timing was right.  Pulled the valve cover and cranked the engine.....Timing chain had jumped.  Another example, 72 Challenger with a 340. Engine just died one day. Would not restart. Checked all the basics...no fuel. Replaced fuel pump, still no fuel.  Removed pump, looked in the hole on timing cover where the pump went,  had the wife crank the engine..eccentric was not moving. Ultimate problem.... The woodruff key on the cam somehow came loose and eccentric just flopped around. Just to show the point that you should always check the basics before you start to make your problem more complicated than it really is.  Does the engine crank hard against the 22 degrees of initial timing?  That's a lot of advance.

[Cuda Cody]

   very curious to hear what you find was the problem.

[mopar jack]

I'm just talking out loud here...  It's hard to know for sure without being there to help.  But maybe it's the timing is all I'm saying.  How else would fire come out the carb?  flat cam lobe or bent push rod/flat lifter, been there.

[Topcat]

Last week it was over 100 degrees out on the week-end.
I declined to try and work on it because of that.

I just returned from Dallas so there's another delay.

Hopefully next week-end I can look into it again. 

[Topcat]

PROBLEM FOUND!

Distributor advance spring broke.

This swept the rotor into the next firing order. 25 degrees.

Good news is I had a spare distributor shaft from the crappy knock off Asian distributor I bought from the first initial break in.

I have the FBO advance plate and springs on that one.

http://www.4secondsflat.com/Mopar%20Mechanical%20timing%20limiter%20plate.htm
This will go into my current distributor and that should fix everything.

Set it at 20 degrees initial with a total at 32.

The advance spring was broken on both ends. Like it had been stretched past it's metal limitations.

After that, I should be good to go!

Who would a thought it was just a little spring?

[Topcat]

Here is a picture showing with both clocked exactly the same direction showing where the rotor would be pointing.

[Cuda Cody]

That's fantastic news.  . So glad to hear it was that easy.

[RUNCHARGER]

Thanks for letting us know. Kind of funny it quit. Also I would have thought it would have started even with 32 degrees advance.