stevelegel

Last fall, I drove the 1970 from my workshop (where it languished up on the hoist for 10 years while I raised family etc.) It coughed, and stalled, and ran rich, but it ran. Before winter I had the paint done, and front suspension redone, drove it back to my shop where I spent the winter reassembling trim and interior. However I was not able to resolve the engine performance issue. I assumed the carb was clogged with gas gone bad.

A more knowledgable friend, well meaning, took a look for me. Said my points were shot, and maybe the plug wires were hooked up wrong. That seemed odd, because 10 years ago it ran great, smooth, not smelly, no stalling, no backfiring. So I changed the points, and got out the manual, and eventually rerouted ALL 8 plug wires.

then it did not run at all!!!

Tonight I paid a mechainic to make a house call to my shop. He solved the mystery. He used a pipe wrench to turn the crankshft to timing mark, then opend the distributor and found the rotor pointing opposite of number one spark plug wire routing. The distributor had been installed 180 degrees wrong. I can't remember if I did it, or the engine rebuilder, and it ran well then, probably because at the time I (we, whomever) figured out that the plug wiring firing order had to be the reverse image of the manual. Which is what we did tonight. Engine starts, runs rough, not smokey, but real rich. On pedal to the metal test, a big clod of grass clippings blew out the exhaust pipe. My guess is a bird got into the building while the car was covered and on the hoist and set up a nest inside the muffler where I could not see it, and then I put the rectangular exhaust tips on after installing the rear valence. Car runs better now that it breathes out the back end too!

We pulled the plugs and decided to replace them. Also I had been advised to install Accel 10 mm wires. They are bulky and awkward and not really long enough on # 7 and 8, so I'll buy a new set of plugs and a stock set of replacement wires, and install those. Then the mechaninc will come back and we'll try adjust carb settings and timing. I've only been adding two gallons of gas at a time (still that's 7 bucks) and the carb seems to run better with each infusion of clean gas. I think I might add a couple cans of gumout to see if it clears the small ports inside the carb, short of overhaul.

Remaining finishing touches are new vinyl top, install polished rear deck and lower winshield trim and lower rocker panels. Original AC will be a next year project.

I am very excited to drive it.
Steve

lear4406

Great news, man I live for trouble shooting What type of carb are you running? Possibly a Carter AVS or AFB. Nice to hear another Challenger hits the streets and in full dress I'd love to see some pictures if you can post some. Have fun man and be safe.

stevelegel

Car is originally a 440. The car had been drag raced hard, and something bad happened along the way. The top of the passenger front shock tower was ripped through and the shock could be pushed up into the engine compartment. There was a bigger than hairline crack in the passenger front framerail. The rear pinion snubber had blown through the sheet metal under the back seat, the driver's rear shock was missing as the top sheet metal attachment had been ripped off from the unibody and the driver side rear axle was broken.

Some power eh? Power gone astray....

The replacement engine is a 440, from a 1972 Dodge motor home. Does not sound as glamorous as maybe from a Dodge police car, but a 440. On overhaul, it is bored .30 over and it runs its original stock Holley 4 bbl.
Steve

DK challenger

I i were you i would just go ahead and buy a new Holley carb.

lear4406

Holleys are not too hard to work on. They have idle screws in the side of the front metering block. They are notorious for blown power valves. That would describe how yours is running. Also adjust the float level. Just take the sight bolt out of the side and gas should just barely come out. Do both front and back. Then I would adjust the idle screws. They should adjust to a nice tune. The power valve is accessed in the back bowl. Remove the four bolts that hold the rear bowl on. Take the bottom bolt off first and catch the fuel. Then remove the bowl. The power valve is unbolted using an adjustable wrench. Then just replace and bolt the bowl back on. Also use a little petrolium jelly on the fuel tube "O" rings when pushing the bowl back on. I'm assuming its a 600 vac. sec? If you buy a power valve I'd just buy a carb kit. That way if you break a gasket you could replace it. Good luck and let me know how it works out. If you have any questions I'm here.