Question #1
just picked up a 73 duster. it was previously used as a drag car. now that i am driving it on the street, it is smoking like crazy, and having a hard time at idle. however, at high RPM there is no smoke and runs like a champ. also getting blowby out the vent on the valve cover. could this be caused by too much fuel/air into it? runnin a 750 edelbrock on a 340 with a pretty agressive cam.

Question #2

it has a 4 speed, and twice now the car wont go into Reverse, 1st or 2nd. the only gears i got are 3rd and 4th. the guy i got it from came down and messed with the linkage under the car and it was fine, but the issue came back. running a cable clutch.

i dont consider myself a master mechanic, but im not a total neub when it comes to automechanics, but these issues are bothering me. any help would be great!!!

 

For question 1- What color is the smoke?

For question 2-Does the transmission go through the gears stopped and idleing? could be a misadjusted or worn clutch, worn shift collar or synchro, hard to tell with out looking. Check free travel in clutch pedal, see if there is any. Maybe call that guy you got it from again and this time ask him exactly whats going on with the linkage.

 

Question #2 - with what you said about the PO going under the car and messing with the linkage, it sounds like either worn bushing and bad adjustment. Call him back about it.

 

not really sure if this the same issue but a friend has a cuda with what sounds like the same problem he had huge jets in the carb and his floats were loweredrebuilt the carb with smaller jets adjusted the floats and she runs like a top like i said dont know if this is the same issue but at least this will give you something to check out good luck

 

smoke is dark and smells like unburnt fuel. PO told me i should tone the cam down and put smaller jets in carb, i shoulda listened but want the power, ya know? just need to figure out stupid tranny issues pretty much...

 

Have you tried playing with the fuel/air mixture screws? A 750 is pretty large for a well built 340 in my opinion. I would try a 650.

 

I agree with Tim. I like 650. I run a Holley 650 DP on my 440 and it runs just fine

 

ya i thought personally a 750 was a little overkill but who am i being 26 to argue with a 63 year old 55 year moparhead? haha

 

Being a drag car, the 750 would work great. But were you are driving it around at lower RPMs, you need smaller jets in your current carb or a small carb. Nothing to argue about that, just logic.

 

Can you get any info on the cam from the P.O.?

 

yes i can i know him personally i just keep forgetting to ask, i work midnights. i checked the oil before i went into work and i dont smell any gas at all making me think the rings are fine. before i bought the car, the PO told me to change the jets out on the carb and to put a smaller cam in it, but since i like power i said no, but like i stated before i probably shoulda listened. i got a 650 holley from a friend im going to put on it friday hoping that will eliminate those issues...

 

Hey, you said smoke coming out of the valve cover vent.
Does it have a PCV?
If it does have a PCV, have you checked the compression on the cylinders?
Sounds like worn rings or valves.

I bet this 73 didn't come with that A-833.
What type of shifter does it have now?
Syncrho's go out when they are bashed (drag)
Tell us what the shifter type is.......

 

ya did some more lookin into it, sounds like im gonna do a ring job on it. i figured out the shifting, no problem there. has a Hurst shifter.

 

Just courious but did you do a compression check, and if so did you do it wet and dry?

 

Try a leakdown test too.

 

no i didnt i plan on tryin that out in the next couple of days to see what i get. workin 7 days a week midnights is a pain to play with the toys!!!

 

I also recommend this test just forgot to mention it :-(

As far as your work schedule, been there, done that. I do feel for you bro.

 

ya this sleep schedule is killing me, got about 5 hours today, 4 some yesterday. its just honestly hard to sleep when i know i need to work on my new toy, it KILLS me to know that its just sitting there helpless at the moment! oh well after my 2 week AT with the army i should have it done by then...

 

" its just honestly hard to sleep when i know i need to work on my new toy, it KILLS me to know that its just sitting there helpless at the moment!..."

I know what you mean. I some times do repairs in my sleep just thinking about what I was going to do that day when I woke up.

I had a Hurst shifter in a 71 Challenger that had the A-833 4 speed.
The sychros were bad for 1st to 2nd because it would pop out of gear when I let off the accelerator and had a hard time getting it into 2nd.

If the car was used for strip, I bet the linkage is already set up correctly unless someone adjusted something or the tranny is needing rebuild.
There are places that can rebuild you Hurst shifter but, the car will be down until you get it back.
But, you said you got that figured out so...cool!!! One less problem.

As far as the motor, if your compression check comes back with a low cylinder or 2, you can remove the pcv and plug the vacuum line from the carb. directly into the top of the valve cover. That will help with the blow by smoke. It's not the correct fix but, will get you by until you can repair the engine. And it will run a lot crappy.

I don't think carbs can create blow by.

Good luck man!!!

 

no i didnt think the carb would cause blowby, i was just hoping that with a 750 and an agressive cam behind it maybe it was just getting too much fuel. i believe the correct term is denial, haha! besides the point, im just going to drop the tranny, a good friend of mine actually has an extra one that works fine, put that in it for now and tear down the one that is in it now and see whats up. i plan on going up tuesday morning and running a compression test to see where we are at, just going to hope for the best, but im pretty sure i will be doing a ring job on the car. not that worried, all i need to do is supply my friends with a case of Budweiser and we will have everything done with it in a days time , wouldnt be the first time we had an engine in out and done and back in in a days time!!!

 

if i had 2 down cylinders on the same bank, would that cause blowby? again not tryin to sound like a total neub but just tryin to deny the fact i have to take the engine out and do new rings, haha thanks!!!

 

There's exactly what ya wanna do.

 

going to do tests tomorrow after work. i did a healthy tuneup today and i literally cut all the smoke down by at LEAST 50%. there is barely anything at idle, and from first to second nothing and third and 4th just a little bit. lookin like good news to me, but still gonna test everything tomorrow!!!

 

Yes. A wet/dry compresson check would verify this.
Didn't you say this car was used on the strip?

 

yes it was. it was also stored in a garage for the last 4 years also. upon further inspection, my edelbrock is leaking bad, right down into the intake. previous owner keeps telling me that i need to take the giant jets off of it and put smaller ones in. also keeps sayin about cam, but im going to wait til winter to do the cam, going to try and order some jets today or tomorrow and get a rebuild kit for the carb as well...

 

after doing some deeper looking into my car, i noticed that i had no PCV valve what so ever. SO, after running a breather hose to the air cleaner, the car does not smoke anymore, no signs of blowby or anything. i just find it hard to believe something so small would be such a pain in the.......

 

We are glad that you were able to find and fix the problem.

 

i appreciate all the help and support everyone here gave me, now i cant wait til i get it inspected and drive around! 2 more days haha!!!

 

A great example of testing and diagnosis, vs throwing parts at a problem! Enjoy buddy!