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78 Dodge d150 318 automatic is not staying running now

R

Rude Robert

Active Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
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Location
S. California New home in Keene, Tx
I replaced the fuel pump as it had 30,000 miles on it and I went from a enclosed metal barrel type filter to a clear plastic one as I didn't need to get a chromed one and that is all the store had at the time. It started right up and ran I didn't have to pump the gas pedal like I have been for about a year now and it stayed running. I had a little gas leak at the pump as hose connects at the bottom and I stopped the leak and again started up. So the valve covers were a little oily so I wiped those down and tightened up the valve bolts up a bit and it wouldn't start. Even with starting fluid I wasn't even trying to, it turned over fine but would not even try like it was no spark. I had a cracked voltage regulator plug so I replaced both of those since the store had them in, it made no change. I replaced the old resistor with the old one that I replaced just because I had it, no change. I tried to test the coil and it seemed like maybe the om numbers were not that good so I replaced it and there was no change. I waited 34 hours basically as I had stuff to do and then as i was checking to see if there was power to the coil while my wife turned the key it started up, she said she didn't even pump it to get fuel. I drove it to work and in the parking lot it died, would not kick over even with starting fluid and hours later the tow company came and to try and make it easier on the tow guy i tried to start it to move it in a better position and it started so I quickly moved it and then it started to cut out. I don't think if I put the fuel pump in wrong it would have ran for 34 miles to work? I know that I pointed the fuel pump down to and I believed I even felt that slide under the cam I believe and there was no force taken to put the bolts of the fuel pump other then a slight up movement of the pump to align the pump, bolts and holes. I don't know if perhaps my new fuel filter is too big as it doesn't fill up with fuel and I am thinking of buying a smaller fancy one, as I am looking at it, the fuel seems like it may be possible to suck what air that may be in the new filter if that would even be possible. Any suggestions thank you.
 
Don't buy the glass or plastic filters with the replaceable filter element and if you do don't even try replacing the filter element just though it away replace the whole thing. To many of these have developed leaks. Hot engines and fuel leaks equal loss of vehicle.
As in any component replacement you need to know why it is being replaced. If the coil is not getting voltage, there is no reason to replace the coil. Find out why there is no voltage. Same with the fuel pump that was replaced. After 30000 miles it would have been a good idea to have simply replaced the fuel filter with another factor type filter. But if it starts and runs ok and them not it is likely electrical. Check the battery cable ends plus cables well and check the wire resistance before simply buying more parts.
What you are doing is what gets most into big trouble. Buy some test equipment and learn to use it. You have already spent enough money to buy most of what you need.
 
Okay thank you I will replace the filter is it basically at the frame rail, it is in between the tank line and the fuel pump. I am just looking at some stuff to try and trouble shoot it. On Friday my oldest grand daughter wanted to spend the weekend with us(probably because grandma likes to spoil them lol) anyways, I woke up and installed the filter at 0600 in the morning just to see if the truck would run and to check out the filter and how much fuel would be in there. The truck started up pretty quickly and I kept is running for about 25 minutes. It would stay idling for about 15 to 20 seconds until it would drop in rmp so slow that it would stall out if I let it. When it would do this, i would just give it gas and it would still run. Once I turned it off though, it would not start. Being that I knew I didn't have much time this weekend to work on it, I looked at the carburetor and there is some fuel signs like perhaps it is flooding with too much fuel coming out somewhere north of where the fuel is pipe into the carburetor. Perhaps the carb may be the issue? I have some tools thing is I have never been able to grasp how to test electrical fully. I can find broken wires and stuff like that, but to test resistance this I don't fully understand. I watched a video on how to test the coil with a multimeter and it is one reason why I just replaced it, the readings didn't seem as strong as what it should have been and since I took it off, I just bought another one. To lessen my issues of a problem. I will be off tomorrow as I am not feeling very well, so I will try and work on it some more in hopes to narrow it down. I noticed also that there is a slight about of gas coming out of the rod that connects to the throttle, so when I am in the engine compartment and I am with my hand giving it some gas on the opposite side where the "rod" goes through the whole carburetor it will seep a little gas. I replaced the carburetor probably 8 years ago or so and I bought it from an auto parts store. I think it probably a reason why too, as seems to be leaking some fuel now but nothing from what I can tell is leaking enough to get on the intake manifold. 7Mopar, what wire resistance should I be looking at? Thanks again for all the suggestions
 
Is this a California emissions spec. truck or lean burn or simple Chrysler ECU equipped? I would assume it is equipped with the Holly BBD carb. Knowing how it's equipped will help and being you are in California it has to be one of the 3 above.
 
Yes it was a California truck, although I was a government vehicle it has a intake manifold that I was told not to get rid of. I was pulled over by the EPA no joke right before I pulled into work and after keeping me on the side of the road for 45 minutes I remember what the Lady that sold me her aging brother's truck had said to me when I bought it. Her brother bought it from a program that sold off old federal vehicles, so when I told the EPA guy this he went back through all of his stuff and told me that the reason it was missing a smog part was it was a federal vehicle and then he showed me the Manifold spot where I can put on the part and said no matter what i do, keep the manifold. I am now out living in Texas.
 
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Here are the pictures of the carburetor, I went out to start it and it started still with no issues. I kept it running and when I let of of the gas pedal, it would stay running then kick down in rpm and start to stall. Then I would give it gas and it would come back to life. On the 3rd picture you can see were the gas is dripping where the shank/bar goes all the way through. I am starting to think that the carburetor is having too many leaks. I would try and spray wd 40 around the carb but I have no one for the last 3 weekends to help keep it running while I shoot some spray around to see if the idle goes up any. I have been Texas now for a year and the carburetor was working great and when I drove from Cali to Texas it was none stop other then the gas stations. My fuel gauge doesn't work and hasn't for like 15 years so I just keep track of how much I drive and fill it up. Now coming across to Texas I stopped about every150 miles or so for fuel and then back to driving I went. It took about 30 hours and and had no issues at all. Looks though with all the leaks it may be part of the cause, anyways.
 
I have a 1980 factory manual and will see what can be found. Don't think much will be found in a Chilton or Hayes.
 
Thank you, I have owned the truck for about 26 years and I have replaced the carburetor probably about 3 or 4 times. I them them from the parts store and the really haven't been too expensive. I need my wife to help me to check but correct me if I am wrong. If I someone keeping it running and I spray wd40 around the carburetor and the idle goes up it means that it is sucking air and this would be the issue in part for the truck dying? I know this can be done too for the intake manifold to see if you gasket is damaged too correct? Thank you for your feed back. Since I am relocated to Texas I don't have any friends like I use to and bounce ideas off, Robert
 
Sounds like you have more than one issue. If it won't start at times while spraying starting fluid in it that would suggest no spark.. possibly fowled plugs (flooded), trying to stall while running however sounds like a tuning issue. I don't see those leaks being the problem however dirt could have made it's way into the carb while replacing the filter? There's several things that could cause these issues so it's not a bad idea to just go through the list, confirm ignition timing, check idle mixture screws, idle speed screw, proper choke adjustment (once the motor warms it will drop the idle speed), check for vacuum leaks.

Unfortunately intermittent starting issues are a PITA to troubleshoot, you almost have to wait until it refuses to start before you can even start tracking it down. Something you could try is attaching a meter to the coil feed wire and mounting it where you can see it that way whenever it does it again you can instantly see if there's voltage?
 
Okay thank you for your suggestions, this week I am working 6 days and the following weekend is a four day for me, but my sister is flew in, so I will be with her. I will try and do little test here and there. FYi the truck always starts when it is cold, it is after it dies then it will not start, until time passes. If the is a flooding issue, would the starting fluid at least bring it to life? I will double check the chock too, as I don't dare start it with out the air cleaner on just in case i have a fire I have no one to turn it off. Again thanks for the suggestions I will check everything out and I will recheck the spark too, maybe I didn't do it correctly. I seen someone on youtube with a spark plug holder that you can clip on a ground and watch the spark so maybe I didn't do it correctly in the first place, as it starts right up when it is cold, thank you again, Robert
 
Hello, yesterday was Sunday and I managed to have a bit of time on my only day off and have the wife keep the truck running for me while I looked over a few thing. It was sitting for 2 weeks or so and with a few pumps of the gas pedal the truck started up. It was acting up as it has been so I was looking at the carburetor and I know that it was dry as I looked at it before I started it. Part of me was maybe thinking that maybe the float had a small leak somewhere and was possibly stilling some gas out? I noticed that it seem wet on the throat of the carb as I had already removed the top of the carburetor filter, so I removed it. By this time my wife was having trouble keeping the idle steady and finally she let it die and that was it as usual. I couldn't get it started. Fuel was dripping in some areas and others there were a lot of wet areas that would sweat as soon as I wiped the fuel away. Finally I am seeing it drop and sweat fuel everywhere basically. I know our fuel is bad on gaskets so I went to Kragen lol, where I always buy my parts from and ordered a new carburetor. On way or another I need to relace it. I asked the guy behind the counter if he could look back and see when I last bought one and he went back to 2005 and he had no listing on it. Not sure when Kragens changed their name but there was nothing in their system. I called the store in California where I bought it from and same thing they didn't know either. So its been a long time lol. Now I have a "new" carburetor to put on and I was hoping that I could replace it on Saturday but I have to work another 6 days due to being short handed. Just to give you an update on where I am at with this. Now on vacuum leaks if the carburetor was leaking like a sift I would assume that this too can be considered a vacuum leak in of it self correct? Thanks again for your help and suggestions, Robert
 
Update, I put the carburetor on today and the truck is running and I am able to turn it off and restart it. If it isn't raining tomorrow I will try at start it again. It wasn't starting at first then, I turned in the the jets then backed both out one turn. Then I was able to start it and keep it running for like 20 minutes. I turned it off a couple of times and it restarted. I need to adjust it though. I am thinking about changing out the distributor as I really not sure if the plastic gear on the end should be trusted. When I had the engine rebuilt I bought it new and I didn't get the cheapest and it came with good reviews but there was on that had a steel gear in it too. Any suggestions on this?
 
I am confused about the distributor, I can't say I have seen one with a plastic gear. The reluctor in the distributor should be metal
 
On a 318 there shouldn't be a gear. The gear is on the oil pump shaft which has a slot in the topand the dizzy shaft inserts into the slot.
At least on every one I've pulled.
The plastic gear is found on the 225 dizzy.
 
ok thanks I may have been a picture that I remember a gear. I went and adjusted some things finally on the carb and the truck will start up and idle although it's a bit high as I am still trying to make some adjustments as it is a new carb. Once it gets warmed up It turns off. After about 3 minutes maybe not even that long I can start it up then it stops after some time, if I am just letting it idle. It does seem that I may be a electrical issue as it was suggested here before. I sure can't find it yet. I just don't know what the symptoms of a failing distributor may be? I kind of know if the distributor cap gets water on it and cracks as i have had that happen on this truck when i first bought it, but I could still drive it. I just don't have the electrical knowledge to test certain failing parts, but I have replaced some things that I know that were old anyways. If the the distributor was failing what would the issues be? Thank you for the help
 
When the engine quits, try to restart it, if it won't you need to see what is missing. I would bet it doesn't have spark. If it restarts let it run until it quits and then be ready to check for spark.
 
I replaced the Ignition module and it now the truck stays running. I will need to adjust the carb better but it is running for now at least. 6 years ago i had an issue where i could fined anything and I basically bought a few parts and that was one of them. I returned it as I found out if i remember that it was a voltage regulator but i don't recall but I returned that part. I really don't know how old that part was but I put a standard brand in there and the one in there was select, the house brand. Thanks for the help once i fully get everything adjusted i hope next weekend if the weather hold out, I will give another report, best regards Robert
 
Rude Robert said:
ok thanks I may have been a picture that I remember a gear. I went and adjusted some things finally on the carb and the truck will start up and idle although it's a bit high as I am still trying to make some adjustments as it is a new carb. Once it gets warmed up It turns off. After about 3 minutes maybe not even that long I can start it up then it stops after some time, if I am just letting it idle. It does seem that I may be a electrical issue as it was suggested here before. I sure can't find it yet. I just don't know what the symptoms of a failing distributor may be? I kind of know if the distributor cap gets water on it and cracks as i have had that happen on this truck when i first bought it, but I could still drive it. I just don't have the electrical knowledge to test certain failing parts, but I have replaced some things that I know that were old anyways. If the the distributor was failing what would the issues be? Thank you for the help
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Check the pickup coil and also the ecu. Stalling when hot then no restart when it is hot is textbook. Check and see if you havespark when it fails again hot then also when it cools down.
 
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