1977 volare stalling problem

so my 69000 mile was delivered and has a few undisclosed problems. Driver seat won't stay upright. Radio no workey. I wouldn't start when it came off the hauler. Battery was toast and seller or shipper pulled the good battery out and did the switcheroo. I noticed from eBay listing that the battery was smaller and the hold down is awol. So in all my cranking it was also really low on gas. Once battery was replaced I had to prime the carb but then it ran decently.
It's a 318 2 barrel. It is idling really high. Guessing 1200-1500rpm. I filled it with fuel and drove it for about 30 minutes. Ran good maybe underpowered tho. Got off highway and on local streets it died while going about 20mph. Pulled over and cranked but no start like starving for fuel. Let it set for 5 minutes and it restarted and drove about a mile then stalled again. Let it sit, restart, got 5 miles then stalled.

A few thoughts. I sucked crud from my tank into the fuel filter and it clogs then settles out and I can restart. Maybe got past the filter and messed up the carb which means it's running lean and rpms are related to lean condition? Lastly, it has brand new locking non vented gas cap. Could it be a vacuum pulled from the tank?

Probably start by checking for vacuum leak and change fuel filter. Ideas So?

 

Don't quote me on this, but I think they stopped using vented fuel caps in 1974 for smog regulations, definitely by 1977 they where on there.
I'd say with the idle problems it could be a vacuum leak, bad accelerator pump, maybe an ignition problem (check dist cap, rotor, wires, plugs) could even be ignition timing is off...
I'd even go out on a limb and say, battery (right size?) or alternator may not even be working correctly...
Can't figure much more than that, sorry.

 

Good luck on the car . There is a couple of forums for you car. The one I liked is https://www.forfmjbodiesonly.com/classicmopar/. When I had my 77 Lebaron I was there a lot. Now not so much. Because Chrysler did different things back then you probably should get a factory service manual for the car and don't be fast to get rid of the lean burn.
Mike

 

The fast idling speed, does that go away once the car is fully warmed? It should be on the fast idle cam at first startup, then pull down to curb idle when you rev the engine after 30-60 seconds. Once the choke is fully opened and the carb is on the low idle, does the engine feel like it's struggling for fuel? Or does the engine quit as if someone threw an on-off switch? If you take some close-up pics of the carb, and see if the carb has an identifying tag, I can look it up in my Chilton books for the carb specs. So, You need to figure out if it dies from lack of fuel or if the ignition quits working due to the engine heat and a bad component.
Take the air cleaner lid off so you can get access to the carb throat. Now's a good time to check/replace the air filter. Anyway, put a can of starting fluid in the car next to the driver's seat, then start and drive the car. When it quits, quickly hop out and shoot starting fluid into the carb throat, then crank the engine. If it fires off or attempts to catch and start, it's not getting fuel. If it does not, then look at the ignition.

 

I will try the starting fluid trick. I wa thinking fuel but really the only indication it quits is I see idiot light come on, no lugging light running out of gas.

Also been looking at grounds and the chassis ground from neg terminal to fender felt crispy so I pealed off insulation and it's broke and fried looking. Not sure if this would cause the dead in flight problem but easily changed.

The high idle is constant. Butterfly is wide open. Will see if choke is operable. Car came from sea level 80 degree days to 4600 elev and 40's. Seems like vacuum leak

Thanks will let you know

 

If the choke butterfly's open when hot, check the high idle cam and linkages; it's possible something's come undone, but otherwise I would say it's either a vacuum leak or somebody cranked the idle stop screw in as far as they could. Do you have pics of the carb?

 

Update
Choke linkage was apart so hooked back up and will test today.
Is this the lean burn model I've read about? The air cleaner housing has a box that says "carb" and "dist" with a nipple fitting but no hose

Can anyone decode the last picture?

 

just straight electronic ignition, a lean burn equipped vehicle will have a large electronic module attached to the air breather with good sized wiring bundle going to it. I'd do a few checks and throw on a new coil while I was at it just in case the old coil was over heating and kicking out. The vacuum advance hose should be routed through there, somebody bypassed it probably while looking for a problem and didn't bother to reconnect it.

There are two other things I would replace, the ignition ballast which is on the fire wall. It's a rectangular piece of ceramic with 4 terminals on it (I can't remember how many times they've gone on me so I always kept a new one in the glove box), I'd also replace the ignition module if it's still original.

 

Definitely replace the ignition module and ballast if either don't look recent. That carb looks newish, though, so I'm wondering why the linkage would have a problem. Also, they used a 'divorced' choke thermostat, which is bolted to the intake. Make sure the power wire actually has power and is properly connected.

 

The linkage to the butterfly slipped out. On most carbs I've seen a pin to keep this from happening. I'm pretty sure that solved the idling issue. The whole engine compartment is tidy but will check the ignition module. I have a 440 Plymouth voyager van and replaced the ballast resister on it. Thanks for the great advice. Hope to solve the cut off issue and get the seat to stay upright so I can enjoy these 70 degree days

 

My brother's '75 Cordoba kept the driver's seat up with a plastic bucket....

 

My brother drove a cement truck around a yard once and the entire seat was just a homer bucket...

 

No update yet but will let you know tomorrow. Matt

 

So it seems like I have at least one problem identified. The choke thermostat was disconnected at the linkage to the butterfly. Hooked it up and the butterfly is closed. Won't start. Used starting fluid fires up but runs like crap. Won't stay running. Disconnect choke linkage so butterfly now hanging open but there is nothing in any linkage that will open or close it. Car runs but idles fast in neutral and lacks accelleration. Fast idle screw on back of carb was touching cam but again the linkage doesn't go to anything that appears to do anything. Big patch of soot from running rich in driveway.

 

It's likely the plugs are fuel-fouled. Pull the plugs, shoot each one with a full shot of starting fluid (to dissolve the gasoline in the ceramic) then allow to air dry. Hook the rod back to the choke butterfly. With cleaned plugs and the choke plate working, it should start and run better, initially. Make sure that wire to the choke thermostat (on the intake) has battery voltage when the engine is running, and that the area the choke t-stat sits on gets hot from the exhaust. Also, the side pic of the carb looks like the dashpot (the round gizzy on the bracket) doesn't have a vacuum hose hooked to it. There should be a vacuum diagram underhood showing where the source vacuum for it is. It and the choke t-stat are supposed to work in conjunction to open the choke butterfly and pull the engine off high idle as it warms up.