sleroy

New rebuild. .30 over, new everything and crank redone. Will not turn over 1800 rpms in neutral or in gear. It did the same thing last season but I thought it was because the motor was worn out. The motor had low compression, worn cylinder walls, bad rod and mains. I think the torque converter or the trans itself is bad but not sure. Any Ideas? Timing is set at 5btd and the advance works, new carb.

Oldsmaniac

What does the engine do at 1800? Stall, missfire,? Maybe your tach is bad? More info needed.

oldcutlass

So what your saying is you can lean under the hood with the engine running and move the throttle all the way open by hand, but your tach only reads 1800 rpm and stops?

sleroy

It runs fine but just wont turn rpms above 1800. Even when driving it has no power on take off and if you hit a hill it just wont go. It wont stall or misfire. The carb is a 650 edelbrock.

sleroy

Yes oldcutlass. The dwell meter shows the same rpms. the dwell is set a 30 and the timing is correct. I put the distributor pointed and #1 and wired it up. It starts and idles fine but no power. Cant get any power out of the motor and because its new I am looking at the trans but not sure.

Oldsmaniac

Have you tried advancing the timing some? Your timing mark may be off due to balancer slip...

oldcutlass

That was not my question. If you open the the throttle by hand with the engine running, in park or neutral, it will not go over 1800?

No misfires, any strange sounds? What distributor are you running?

citcapp

Just and odd thought that happened to my brothers car several years ago. The muffler material collapsed inside the muffler and effectively restricted the exhaust so the motor would not rev because of the blockage. Never know

sleroy

yes it will not go above 1800 rpm, no misfires or strange sounds. The distributor is original with new points. It also has a new balancer. This motor should turn alot more than 1800 in neutral and drive. Like I said earlier it did this last season before the rebuild.

sleroy

The mufflers are new, we replaced them last year and the tail pipes to the tips. I am thinking if I unbolt the converter from the flexplate and push it back a little that would eliminate the trans?

oldcutlass

Is the coil wired right, neg to distributor and does the postive have a good connection? With the trans in park or neutral, it basically removes it. The engine requires air fuel and spark to operate. You are running out of something that is restricting it from going higher.

Is your oil pressure and temp ok? Does your temp go up fast as you try to accelerate? Is there still a heat riser in the exhaust?

sleroy

I am sure its wired correctly, it wouldn't run if it was wasn't right? The heat riser has been removed. I wonder if the coil is bad. I want to run an HEI distributor anyway so I may just get one and see what happens.

sleroy

What about the external condenser on the coil, does it go to the positive or negative side of the coil?

oldcutlass

If the coil was wired backwards it may cut down on power output, simple to check. Are your temps and oil pressure normal? Cars have run forever on points distributors, so yours should also.

When you assembled the engine, did you align the timing gears correctly for cam timing?

sleroy

The temps are good and the oil psi is good. The engine was rebuilt by a local machine shop so I am sure its right since its having the same issue as before the rebuild. What is the correct wiring for the coil. I am a 20 year Ford tech so points and external coils throw me for a loop.

oldcutlass

The resistor wire should be tanish to your "+" side. It's really not complicated.

oldcutlass

When you set your timing was it done with your vacuum advance disconnected.

Tuneup specs:

http://www.tpocr.com/olds1.html

sleroy

Thanks for the diagram. The timing was set with advance disconnected to 5btdc. I will check tomorrow for the wiring and have a new coil to go on. What about the condenser on the coil? is it supposed to be there and why?

oldcutlass

The one on the coil is for noise filtering to your radio, same as the one on the voltage regulator. They can be removed and replaced down the road if necessary.

sleroy

Thanks i will check tomorrow. The resistor wire from the bulk head, do you know what the resistance of the wire should be

BILL DEMMER

just a thought... you got a new balancer for a 425, not a 455, right?


bill

Kennybill

Same problem as before rebuild. Maybe not getting enough fuel. Partially plugged/kinked line. Are you using the same fuel pump? I'd hookup an auxiliary fuel delivery to the tank side of the fuel pump first to eliminate the tank. Good luck, Ken

aliensatemybuick

I know you saw "new everything", but did you re-use the camshaft? If so any chance the lobes are badly worn? Even if its new, maybe you can pull a valve cover and see if the rockers move much when its running.

MDchanic

You said you'd replaced the tailpipes and mufflers.

How about the engine pipes?

Sure sounds like an exhaust restriction to me.

Easy enough to check on a newly installed engine - Unbolt the engine pipes from the manifolds and let 'er rip.

- Eric

442rocketdave

If you have any pranksters around your neighborhood it could be the old potato, dont laugh I have seen it many times over the years even from so called friends!! But seriously x2 on MDchanic!!

joe_padavano

Time for some basic troubleshooting. This sounds like a classic plugged catalyst, except that you don't have a cat on that car. Again, check for a restricted exhaust. Do your stock manifolds have a heat riser? Is it possibly stuck closed? If not, then temporarily unbolt the head pipes from the manifolds and try it. This will confirm or eliminate exhaust blockage as a problem.

Next, unbolt the converter from the flexplate and push it back. This eliminates the trans as a problem.

Next, get a fuel pressure gauge on the carb inlet.

Verify that the ignition system and especially the coil are in good shape (new done not always equal good).

Verify the carb isn't plugged internally with crud and is operating properly.

Finally, run a compression test, though if the problem occurred before the rebuilt, I'm guessing it's not internal. The wiped cam lobe is a good idea, however. Also verify that the timing chain is installed correctly.

1970-W30

If it was my car, first I'd drop the head pipes off the exhaust manifolds. If that doesn't help, I would check the fuel pressure (around 5psi)and volume of the fuel. Those are the two are the primary suspects........

Erinyes

Any resolution on this?

oldcutlass

x2?

sleroy

@ oldcutlass, Thanks for the diagram. It led me in the right direction. I checked the voltage to the coil while running and found the resistance wire was bad and only supplying 6 volts to the coil. I ran a new wire to the coil and put a Mopar Ballast resistor in line on the firewall and wallah she runs like a scalded dog. I also had to run a new line to the fuse panel from the ignition to power up the key on side. All better now, Thanks