I finally got some help so we can make the necessary adjustments to the carb, timing, and kickdown on my 73 Charger 400-4BBL. I initially had some problems getting the engine to first start up after the rebuild. Because of everything being fresh I guess. I first had a group 24 battery that last a few series of cranks and then go dead and in need of a charge. So I figured maybe the battery wasn't powerful enough. So I went to the biggest I could find, which was actually the OEM size, 27. It has 850CCA and 1025CA. I did get it started and started several time before we went for the adjustments today. So it's been sitting disconnected in the garage for about 1-2 months. I started it a few weeks ago for about 5 mins. We started it up once today and got the timing right and shut it back down. Then couldn't get it to start back up because the battery was dead. It gave us a few series of cranks and that was it. Now during those 1-2 months I did have it hooked for 5-10 mins a few times while I was diagnosing the ignition switch problem and seat belt relay. Which turned out to be an incorrectly adjusted shifter linkage. So that may have worn down the battery a little. But still it seems I should get more cranking out of these batteries. Could the motor have too much compression being so tight? It's a 76 400-4bbl Carter, .040 over Flat-Tops, OE rods, cast 73 crank, 73 HP exhaust manifolds, 73 400 iron intake non-egr, Accurate LTD dual exhaust, w/ stock replacement Speed Pro Cam w/ .458/.460 lift part #CS-661. Everything's sealed up, no leaks except a seepage at the trans gasket I have to fix again, but when we had it running a few times it sounded mean. I'm definitely wise enough to know you can't go by the sound of the exhaust on how powerful the engine is. But this one seems like it maybe a little over stock form. I talked to one guy, but he's not a veteran mechanic but he said the OEM replacement starter may be drawing too much amps to start it because the motor is so high compression. I don't actually know the compression. All I know is that it is .040 over and the heads were rebuilt 3-angle valve job, and probably resurfaced. I trusted the guys work so didn't ask questions. That's all his shop does. So this time I recharged both batteries so we should be able to get everything straightened out. But do I need a lightweight high torque starter? The aftermarket reman starters offer an HD OEM Reman Chrysler starter, but I don't know what makes it HD.
