cant get new engine running after a drive

[1968_Charger]

ok guys,

heres my problem. i just put a 440 in place of my 383. i drove it to a gas station and it drove great for a while. plenty of power and no issues. then all of a sudden the car died. now i cant get it running. it will crank and if i pump the accelerator then it fires. sometimes it will idle for a few seconds and then dies again. sometimes it will idle and i can rev it a few times then it dies. and when it is running it sounds normal.  if it sits a while and i try to start it, it will run for a few seconds then it dies. if i try to start it right after it dies, it will not start at all unless i pump it a few times. then it just seems to burn off the gas from me pumping it and die   

the carb is the same holley 650 street avenger i had on the 383 and it ran great. i also have electronic ignition and it was on the old motor also. i though maybe it was bad gas but i drained the tank and put fresh gas in it and it still does the same. i tried another coil and it still acts the same.

i cant figure it out because it ran several times at idle perfect in the driveway for a long time, timing was set and it fired right up everytime i started it before taking it out. and the first several miles it ran great then all of a sudden it did this.

please help me out on this one! im stumped.

[Cooter]

Check Fuel pump output. (Could be fuel pump pushrod worn)
After that, Try and see if Float level is correct in carb.
Also, You say Electronic Ingition.....Chrysler? if so, let cool off and try again. If does it again, might be the Ign. box.

[1968_Charger]

i have a see through filter between the pump and the carb and it stays full, so i figured the pump was good. its a brand new one. i tried adjusting the floats and it didnt make any difference. it is mopar orange box electronic ignition and if i let it sit it does run longer but still not for very long maybe 10 seconds.

would the fuel pump have worked properly for a few miles then just went bad?

[johnnyseville]

Check the pickup, had a similar problem once, ran then shut off when warm, started again after cooling off, then same again.  Replaced it and all was fine, maybe

[1968_Charger]

pickup? in distributor? how do i check it?

[green69rt]

Did you try putting a little gas in the carb while its runnung or when it starts to die?  Maybe use a squirt bottle.    If it keeps running as you squirt the gas in then you know the problem is in the fuel system, if not then you have at least eliminated those.  Watch out for blow back and don't dump too much in.

[green69rt]

Oh, I forgot to ask, does you Holley have that brass filter on the inlet?  Check it out, or just remove it to see if it cures the problem.

[lisiecki1]

How long was the carb out of service before it went on this new motor?  Was it a one day thing, or was it months?

[RECHRGD]

Check the pick- up filter (sock) in the gas tank.  If it's clogged, it can do that......

[1968_Charger]

 Thanks for all the replies. It looks like the pickup in the distributor is the problem. I tried a friends good distributor and my car ran fine. I believe my problem is solved! Thanks again guys

[green69rt]

Thanks for all the replies. It looks like the pickup in the distributor is the problem. I tried a friends good distributor and my car ran fine. I believe my problem is solved! Thanks again guys

So, how did you figure it out?  Easy or just a straight swap?

[1968_Charger]

Just swapped the distributors and it ran fine. Ill know for sure when I put mine back in tomorrow with the new pickup. Oh and the screens on the carb inlets were fine. I checked them when I tore it down.

[ACUDANUT]

It may run OKAY.  But a 440 needs a 750 holley. 

[Cooter]

It may run OKAY.  But a 440 needs a 750 holley. 

Not always. CFM formula on a basically stock 440 only needs like 670 CFM....Engine might have a 750 Holley on it, but only uses what it needs. Kinda like running the Accel "Super Coil" with it's avertised 90K volts when the car only uses 20K volts to perform properly.

[1968_Charger]

Ill see how the carb does. Don't really want to replace it right now if I don't have to. I understand its on the minimal side of what a 440 needs but my 440 is basically a stock 69 440

[johnnyseville]

Don't rush on the carb, bigger is not always better, you get to a point of bogging down.  Smaller carbs, but not too small, give chrisper throttle response through increased air flow velocity, that is best for the street.  Now at WOT, that is another story.

[Cooter]

 Now at WOT, that is another story.

Average Car guy spends about 8% Of his driving time @ WOT. Not worth it IMO.

[ACUDANUT]

I had close to that problem. The Electronic box went bad.

[1968_Charger]

Well i put my dist. Back in with the new pickup. Seems fixed