Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RustyDuster]
#1924421
10/02/15 08:15 PM
10/02/15 08:15 PM
|
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,848 Memphis
HemiRick
master
|
master
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,848
Memphis
|
is the distrib clamp bolt tight? I cant think of anything besides this that would let the timing change.
Take care, Rick 68 Coronet R/T 440 & 68 Charger 528 Hemi,and 5 Challengers! 6 cyl, 318, 360, 383, 451
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: HemiRick]
#1924428
10/02/15 08:37 PM
10/02/15 08:37 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
is the distrib clamp bolt tight? I cant think of anything besides this that would let the timing change. I just checked it to be sure and it's tight..
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RustyDuster]
#1924517
10/02/15 10:37 PM
10/02/15 10:37 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
|
Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
|
it won't start again until I have reset the timing. Once it is reset, it starts right up.
-The air gap for the distributor is in spec Electronic ign conversion or are you meanin point gap?. If point gap next time (actually with either one) BEFORE you crank it see what the gap is & you might pull (& GROUND) the coil wire & crank it & see what the timing light shows for initial. Any possibiblity it ain't a timing issue & something else is causing this (heat soak etc). I would go over the dist innards from head to toe tho.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: shorthorse]
#1925325
10/04/15 01:04 AM
10/04/15 01:04 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
Is there any consistency in the amount of timing that is off? Not that I can detect
Is it retarded or advanced? The factory specification for 1968 is 10 degrees advanced. When the timing shifts after operation, it appears to be retarded. Because I have to advance it to put it back to spec.
Do you have to reset the timing no matter if the car is cold or still hot/warm? The timing only shifts after it has been in operation, so warm.
Last, have you ever checked the timing before you shut it off? I haven't tried that yet.
Last edited by RustyDuster; 10/04/15 01:06 AM.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1925328
10/04/15 01:05 AM
10/04/15 01:05 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
it won't start again until I have reset the timing. Once it is reset, it starts right up.
-The air gap for the distributor is in spec Electronic ign conversion or are you meanin point gap?. If point gap next time (actually with either one) BEFORE you crank it see what the gap is & you might pull (& GROUND) the coil wire & crank it & see what the timing light shows for initial. Any possibiblity it ain't a timing issue & something else is causing this (heat soak etc). I would go over the dist innards from head to toe tho. The car is electronic ignition. I've changed the cap and ordered a new distributor, hopefully this will help.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RustyDuster]
#1925431
10/04/15 09:50 AM
10/04/15 09:50 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,924 ohio
ruderunner
master
|
master
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,924
ohio
|
Vacuum disconnected when setting timing?
Angry white pureblood male
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RustyDuster]
#1925606
10/04/15 02:49 PM
10/04/15 02:49 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889 up yours
Supercuda
About to go away
|
About to go away
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
|
gear on the distributor? There is no gear on a small block distributor, nor a big block for that matter. There is one on the slant 6 though.
If the gear on the intermediate shaft was loose, which is where the gear that drives the distributor is actually located, then the oil pump would be failing too. Has the OP seen oil pressure issues?
They say there are no such thing as a stupid question. They say there is always the exception that proves the rule. Don't be the exception.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RustyDuster]
#1925615
10/04/15 02:59 PM
10/04/15 02:59 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
|
Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
|
this deal ain't makin any sense, we're missing something here. I cant wait till we get to the bottom of whats going on
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RustyDuster]
#1925646
10/04/15 04:09 PM
10/04/15 04:09 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889 up yours
Supercuda
About to go away
|
About to go away
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 14,889
up yours
|
Good point, bolt could be bottoming out before the clamp tightens down on the distributor.
Other thing that's been floating in my head, and it's way out there, is a broken distributor shaft inside the housing.
They say there are no such thing as a stupid question. They say there is always the exception that proves the rule. Don't be the exception.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: ruderunner]
#1925770
10/04/15 08:59 PM
10/04/15 08:59 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
Vacuum disconnected when setting timing? The vacuum is blocked when setting timing, so yes.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: moparborn]
#1925771
10/04/15 09:00 PM
10/04/15 09:00 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
Check the gear on the distributor,is it tight? It is tight.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: moparborn]
#1925773
10/04/15 09:01 PM
10/04/15 09:01 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
If the shaft was broken I would bet it would be a whole lot worse,under acceleration or high rpm the timing would probably slip beyond runable. I agree, it would be undriveable if the shaft were broken.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: SIKPUP]
#1925774
10/04/15 09:01 PM
10/04/15 09:01 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
Does your timing chain have all steel gears ? or the plastic coated ones ? The gears are all steel, no plastic.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: BigBlockMopar]
#1925779
10/04/15 09:05 PM
10/04/15 09:05 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
I've seen this happen once on a car where the intermediate shaft gear and the gear teeth on the cam were almost totally worn away.
Pull the distributor and look at the tang. Also pull the intermediate shaft and check for wear.
The gear looks OK from what I can tell just removing the distributor. I have not had the opportunity to remove the intermediate shaft as that would require removing the cylinder head. This will probably be my next step if replacing the distributor doesn't remedy the issue.
Last edited by RustyDuster; 10/04/15 09:08 PM.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: moparborn]
#1925785
10/04/15 09:10 PM
10/04/15 09:10 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
I stand corrected. I should have stated distributor drive gear. "it appears to be retarded. Because I have to advance it to put it back to spec. This is with a timing light?How does it run when you start it with corrected timing and how long? Distributor bolt is tight but is the distributor itself tight? I do set the timing with a timing light. It runs fine when the timing has been newly set. Once completing a short drive, maybe fifteen or twenty minutes, I stop the car and it will not restart. This is when I discover that the timing is again off. It does not do this every time, however.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RustyDuster]
#1925820
10/04/15 10:17 PM
10/04/15 10:17 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
|
Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
|
Once completing a short drive, maybe fifteen or twenty minutes, I stop the car and it will not restart. This is when I discover that the timing is again off. It does not do this every time, however. How far off & which way? same amt each time when it does do it?
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: dogdays]
#1926483
10/05/15 07:37 PM
10/05/15 07:37 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 75,089 A Banana Republic near you.
JohnRR
I Win
|
I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 75,089
A Banana Republic near you.
|
My thoughts too. The only place where something like this would be likely to happen is in the mechanical advance mechanism.
R. X3, there is no way what is happening is happening unless the distributor clamp is loose A friend had this issue, the part inside of the distributor that is supposed to MOVE was stuck. OP , take off the distributor cap and grab the rotor and turn it , it should move fairly easy a small amount and then spring back when you let go.
running up my post count some more .
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: JohnRR]
#1926716
10/06/15 12:23 AM
10/06/15 12:23 AM
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
|
Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
|
take off the distributor cap and grab the rotor and turn it , it should move fairly easy a small amount and then spring back when you let go. Agreed, twist it CW/let loose/see if it retracts all the way. Then as needed open it up & good visual inside
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1927326
10/06/15 09:53 PM
10/06/15 09:53 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
take off the distributor cap and grab the rotor and turn it , it should move fairly easy a small amount and then spring back when you let go. Agreed, twist it CW/let loose/see if it retracts all the way. Then as needed open it up & good visual inside I did this and it moved fairly easily and sprung back into position when released.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: dan9]
#1927327
10/06/15 09:55 PM
10/06/15 09:55 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
Have you determined if the distributor housing is itself moving under the clamp after your drive? It appears that the distributor housing is secure when the bolt is tight. I have changed the rotor and cap. Tomorrow the new distributor will arrive and I will update the thread when I have completed this and tested it. I did drive the car today and upon running, stopping, and restarting the timing did not shift this time. However, as I said earlier it is sporadic.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RustyDuster]
#1927409
10/06/15 11:51 PM
10/06/15 11:51 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
|
Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
|
with it being hit or miss it'll take some time to see if the new dist takes care of it. If desired send the old one to me & I'll figure out what was wrong with it & if you want it back just pay the shipping. On the new one you might note: what springs are in it, the # on the plate and the # on the can arm (& what the orig one had). EDIT when the timing does shift, how much and which way ???
Last edited by RapidRobert; 10/06/15 11:57 PM.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1927419
10/07/15 12:03 AM
10/07/15 12:03 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
with it being hit or miss it'll take some time to see if the new dist takes care of it. If desired send the old one to me & I'll figure out what was wrong with it & if you want it back just pay the shipping. On the new one you might note: what springs are in it, the # on the plate and the # on the can arm (& what the orig one had). EDIT when the timing does shift, how much and which way ??? When the timing shifts, I have to advance it to put it back in spec; so it is retarding when it shifts. At this point, I honestly couldn't say that it shifts an exact amount each time consistently, only that it is sufficient to prevent the car from starting.
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RustyDuster]
#1927462
10/07/15 12:46 AM
10/07/15 12:46 AM
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
|
Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
|
Ok so on the occaision when it wont start you turn the dist a slight bit CCW then it starts & then when it starts & you check it with your light & the marks are where they were before? (Marks the same as the last time you checked/reset it?)
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: moparjim79]
#1927477
10/07/15 01:16 AM
10/07/15 01:16 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,634 Freeport IL USA
poorboy
I Live Here
|
I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,634
Freeport IL USA
|
Also, every time I set the timing, it had to be set ahead, because once you tightened the clamp on the dist down, the timing mark would move. Actually watched it happen while friend tightened bolt. Did you guys miss this one? Sounds to me like either the dist has surface depressions where the hold down sits, or something isn't as flat as its suppose to be. As he tightens the hold down, its pulling the dist back to where someone really cranked the hold down to. I had a 360 one time where the block at the distributor was not cut flat. Every time you set the timing, and tightened the clamp, it would return to the original setting. I ended up replacing the dist, the hold down bracket, and making a soft shim for under the dist! Even after that, the idea the timing is retarding itself enough for the motor not to start is something I'm having a hard time dealing with. I suspect there has to be a timing chain issue. I've dealt with that before as well, but that is a story for another time. Gene
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: poorboy]
#1927490
10/07/15 01:46 AM
10/07/15 01:46 AM
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
|
Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
|
Did you guys miss this one? Gene I did! I was wondering what kind of voodoo we was dealing with
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: poorboy]
#1927623
10/07/15 11:38 AM
10/07/15 11:38 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 75,089 A Banana Republic near you.
JohnRR
I Win
|
I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 75,089
A Banana Republic near you.
|
Also, every time I set the timing, it had to be set ahead, because once you tightened the clamp on the dist down, the timing mark would move. Actually watched it happen while friend tightened bolt. Did you guys miss this one? Sounds to me like either the dist has surface depressions where the hold down sits, or something isn't as flat as its suppose to be. As he tightens the hold down, its pulling the dist back to where someone really cranked the hold down to. I had a 360 one time where the block at the distributor was not cut flat. Every time you set the timing, and tightened the clamp, it would return to the original setting. I ended up replacing the dist, the hold down bracket, and making a soft shim for under the dist! Even after that, the idea the timing is retarding itself enough for the motor not to start is something I'm having a hard time dealing with. I suspect there has to be a timing chain issue. I've dealt with that before as well, but that is a story for another time. Gene I saw that but it was somewhat confusing to me. Why would someone set timing, lock down the distributor, see that it moved and leave it like that ... assuming he even checked it afterwards? He did say he changed the chain a couple years ago in the original post ... or did you miss that ??? ... so unless he put a crappy chinese piece of junk in there, or has driven 100k miles in that last 2 years, then the chain may not be the issue ... but stranger things have happened.
running up my post count some more .
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: JohnRR]
#1928168
10/08/15 03:11 AM
10/08/15 03:11 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,634 Freeport IL USA
poorboy
I Live Here
|
I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,634
Freeport IL USA
|
Also, every time I set the timing, it had to be set ahead, because once you tightened the clamp on the dist down, the timing mark would move. Actually watched it happen while friend tightened bolt. Did you guys miss this one? Sounds to me like either the dist has surface depressions where the hold down sits, or something isn't as flat as its suppose to be. As he tightens the hold down, its pulling the dist back to where someone really cranked the hold down to. I had a 360 one time where the block at the distributor was not cut flat. Every time you set the timing, and tightened the clamp, it would return to the original setting. I ended up replacing the dist, the hold down bracket, and making a soft shim for under the dist! Even after that, the idea the timing is retarding itself enough for the motor not to start is something I'm having a hard time dealing with. I suspect there has to be a timing chain issue. I've dealt with that before as well, but that is a story for another time. Gene I saw that but it was somewhat confusing to me. Why would someone set timing, lock down the distributor, see that it moved and leave it like that ... assuming he even checked it afterwards? He did say he changed the chain a couple years ago in the original post ... or did you miss that ??? ... so unless he put a crappy chinese piece of junk in there, or has driven 100k miles in that last 2 years, then the chain may not be the issue ... but stranger things have happened. I saw that. I can think of very few things that can retard the timing on a running motor enough that it won't start, short of a timing chain. Guess that brings up the point that the issue might not be ignition timing at all. Maybe he has a defective lead between the dist & the coil and the act of moving the dist is moving stuff just enough its making connections again. I suggest he look at the wiring where it enters the dist and be sure its not shorting to ground at the connection. A different dist would cure that issue. When it won't start, does he have a spark? The issue may not even be ignition related at all but could be a low oil pressure issue that cranking the motor is temporarily solving. Gene
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: poorboy]
#1928362
10/08/15 02:17 PM
10/08/15 02:17 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
|
Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
|
Rusty don't even think about vacating without informing us what it ends up being!
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1928536
10/08/15 07:06 PM
10/08/15 07:06 PM
|
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338 SoCal
RustyDuster
OP
enthusiast
|
OP
enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 338
SoCal
|
Rusty don't even think about vacating without informing us what it ends up being! Ha Ha! As soon as I get more info, I will be posting in the thread, don't worry! -RD
|
|
|
Re: 318 Duster won't keep timing
[Re: RustyDuster]
#1928597
10/08/15 09:00 PM
10/08/15 09:00 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,069 Irving, TX
feets
Senior Management
|
Senior Management
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,069
Irving, TX
|
Have you checked to see if the guts of the distributor are loose? We know the shaft is working. You need to check the pickup coil.
Also, clamp that thing down and don't let it move when you tighten it.
We are brothers and sisters doing time on the planet for better or worse. I'll take the better, if you don't mind. - Stu Harmon
|
|
|
|
|