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1987 Ram D150 Custom

7K views 17 replies 2 participants last post by  jedoud 
#1 ·
The truck starts and runs fine for a few minutes and then quits, like it ran out of gas. New fuel pump, and carb is getting fuel, so I am thinking maybe a rebuild or a new carb. Is this anything that could be fixed, like a jet, or a float issue that would be simple to fix or part of a carb kit. I have rebuilt Holley carbs before, so no bid deal to build another if that is what it takes.

Also anyone know where I can get a carb kit for the single barrel Holley.
 
#3 ·
After putting in fresh fuel and trying to run it for a few minutes the choke does seem to be sticking a bit. The truck just recently had a tune up, but I am pretty sure they didn't change the ceramic.

I should have really thought of that, my father used to have a Monarch and we used to carry at least one spare ceramic in the glove box.

When working on it what I found is that it sounds like it is getting too much fuel, and if I leave it for a few minutes I can go out and it will start right back up again. This is why I suspected the carb, as I thought maybe the float might be sticking or not working properly, but maybe that would be the same if the choke were sticking open as well.

I think I need to do some more work on it, and see. It starts hard, until it has started, then it will restart rather easy if I wait a few minutes. I do not remember having to always pump the gas on my fathers car when it was running properly, and that was about the same age, although that had the 318 in it.

So just to re-cap, new fuel pump, new fuel filter, recent oil change, hasn't been run in a while before I got it, so the fuel was old, but I have put in fresh gas, and now I can not get to the end of the driveway before it stalls out, like it has run out of gas. I can keep it going if I feather the fuel and it is in park or neutral, but if it is in gear I can not keep it going. Choke seems to be sticking, but it will kick down if I give it lots of throttle a couple of times.

I am going to be working on it for the next few days, and I will buy a ceramic, and try that, as well as some choke cleaner, see if that will loosen up the choke some.

At the end of the day, if it does seem like the carb needs rebuilding, it would not be all that big of a deal, as the single barrel Holley is a pretty easy carb to rebuild, just a little harder than a Makuni.

I just hope the cost of the ceramic is not too prohibitive, I seem to remember they were about $70.00 back in the 80's, but I think I have seen them for less on Rock Auto. If it is quite a bit more I may have to wait until after Friday to buy the ceramic.
 
#5 ·
Ignition control box, is that a silver box on the firewall that has two wires running to it? I tried to find a ceramic on the firewall, there wasn't one. So I am assuming that the ICB is the silver box on the firewall that has the two wires going to it.

On another Dodge forum someone talked about the choke being a related issue, and that it could be adjusted. I tried to play a little with the screw while it was running, but as it kicked down it stalled and now I will have to wait until it cools off again to get it started.

It seems to start with one or two pumps of the throttle when it is cold, but it won't start once it has run a minute or two. It also revs up instead of kicking down like it should, so I am wondering if that is perhaps the choke pod, or a vacuum issue. I need a vacuum diagram as there are a few vacuum lines that are just left open, and a couple of vacuum ports that are open and I do not know which vacuum lines go to which ports.

I think I really need to make a run to a junk yard and pick up some basic things like some hoses. My air cleaner is missing several hoses, and I need to figure out where they go. I do not think these are critical, but I wonder how critical that may be. I would think that I should be able to get the truck to run and even if it needs a new filter, and some of the vacuum issues, as long as it stays running. It did run, so it should run again, with an adjustment or two, at least well enough to get to the salvage yard where I can get some parts.
 
#7 ·
I am going to return the ceramic (resistor) as this model appears to not have one, which is really weird, as I too thought all the carb models had them. It also has the lean burn computer behind the battery, and a ICM on the firewall, so it may be a mid model year model and they didn't change over all the parts.

I live up in Northern New York, so it may also be a Canadian model which may be part of the problem, although it does not have KPH on the dash, so not likely I guess.

I am going to definitely change it over to points, and get rid of that computer control, just more crap to go wrong for no good reason. Having been a computer tech for 20 some odd years, I know that computers can just fail for unknown reasons, so I really do not want them controlling my truck. I swear my next truck is going to be made before 1972, so I do not have to work around all these issues, if I can find one that still runs.

Ordered the carb kit, and going to try that, as I worked on the truck today and figured out that as long as the truck was cold and I had the choke full on it would start fairly easily, and run on full choke until it kicked down, and then I can keep it running by holding the throttle open a little. I can also start it when warm with carb cleaner, but it will not idle when warm, or go into gear unless I rev the engine and slam the shifter into gear. Then I can go a few feet, but I have to be standing into the throttle. I am thinking that the previous driver ran it out of gas one too many times and it has some dirt in the needle, so a good rebuild at least of the top of the carb will most likely sort it out. It runs quite well on carb cleaner, so unless I plan on running it on cam2, I guess I should try to clean up the carb.

Thank you for all your help so far, it has been invaluable to me. I am sure that once I get it figured out it will be one of those really how could I have missed that issues, but I really hope it is the carb, as I really need to get this done before snow really starts to fly.
 
#8 · (Edited)
2-wired silver box sounds like the voltage regulator. The ceramic is easy enough to ID. The ignition control box has a 5-wire connector in the shape of a round connector that's been squashed and is not so round any more. While you're at it, why not go for a 318 carb. Check the base gasket sizing, not sure if it's the same, but if it is, why not? Hyper Pak sixes had up to 500cfm 4V carbs.
Are you sure that's a carb and not a Holley throttle body injector? They appeared in 1987, but not on the Slant 6, it was the 3.9 V6.
 
#9 ·
Yea, sure is a carb, Holley 1945, and I rebuilt it this afternoon after work, bolted it back on and the truck started up and promptly blew the alt belt, but it ran. It runs a little rough yet, but I had been playing with the fast idle screw a bit before the rebuild to see if I could get it running, so it will need a little adjustment once I get the belt fixed.

I definitely think you are right about the voltage regulator, and I have not found the ICM, but I think that is not necessary at this time. Later I am going to convert to points and dump the lean burn. If I do need to replace the caarb I will definitely look into the 318 option, as I am half considering an engine swap if the slant 6 starts to go south on me.

As before thanks a lot for the help, it has been invaluable, and as I get to know the Dodge better, I like it more everyday. I really didn't want to drive it this winter, being in New York and the levels of salt they use around here, but for now it is all I got. This spring I am going to look around for a SUV, because the wife really wants one, and the D150 will never see another winter.

I am going to post some pictures soon.

If I run into any other issues I at least know where I can come, and who I can ask to find some answers.

Thank you Gen1Dak, very much. :)
 
#10 ·
Well finally got back to the truck, and made some adjustments, but still not running right.

It does not idle right, it is surging, and reving. I can get on the gas in park or neutral and it does okay, but then tries to quit as it comes back to idle. When I try to put it into gear it slams into gear, and as long as I get right on it, it runs, but if I let off, it tries to stall.

I ran out of daylight, so just trying to bounce this around. I am thinking that maybe it is related to ignition now, or vacuum, but I really can not figure it out right now. Will appreciate any suggestions.
 
#11 ·
Yeah, sounds like a vacuum issue, and I hate to say it, but despite having rebuilt the carb, it could easily still be the problem. Those idle mix screws can become corroded within the threads (not visible). Even on the later non-adjustable carbs, that's a weak spot, and you'll never get that fixed. It's in the casting. If, being a slant six, it managed to be shipped with an adjustable idle mix screw-equipped carb, get it running and fiddle with the screw. Does it act differently? It should. If it doesn't, it's toast. I've had the 2V carbs where one side worked, and the other side would screw through the full range and the engine never even noticed. Here's what I do. Isolate the carb. What I mean is, armed with multiple plugs and caps, remove all vacuum lines from the carb. Have only the lines connected that are required for the ignition if yours has a line from the carb to the distributor. I think, being lean burn, yours won't have that, but I do believe there's one going to the lean burn computer. Make sure it's a good line. If it improves, you know at least some of your issue is in the vacuum system. If it doesn't, you can be pretty sure the carb is toast. I'm afraid you won't get a good runner til you ditch the lean burn. While maligned, it was an amazing feat of engineering, but it's nearly 30 years old. I mean, we are talking 1970's technology here. It's bound to be fried as well.
 
#12 ·
Will definitely have to ditch the lean burn, but vacuum advance distributor is just a little out of my wallet at the moment. So I will try the isolate the carb thing, see if at least the carb is good. It was filled right up with charcoal, so I installed a filter on the vacuum line from the canister, and rebuilt the carb again. That did seem to help for at least the high idle, and the choke pull off is working.

It seems it is dropping too far on the high idle cam, so I am going to try bending the high idle cam control arm, and see if that doesn't help some.

If all else fails I will definitely look for a two barrel holley that will fit the manifold, maybe in a juckyard and rebuild that. I really think it just needs to get running well enough to start driving it to work out at least some of the kinks. These cars do not do well sitting, and this one sat for about a year, so it just needs some driving to get it working as it should.

I do not have a timing light any more, so I can't check that, and I do not know if you can adjust it by ear the way you could the older seventies trucks. I may get a cheap tach and hook that up so I can at least check that.

My next build will definitely be a 70's Ram Charger because the wife wants an SUV, so we can carry the grandchildren around and four wheel up here in northern NY would definitely be a plus, though not necessary.

Thank you again Gen1dak for all the help.
 
#13 ·
Never dealt with Lean Burn, but did a little digging, and you wouldn't have the typical electronic ignition box on the firewall....it's all in the Lean Burn box. I was thinkin' it was an add-on to the basic system, but I see now it's not. Anyway, you can't go wrong with a big ole RC. Simple, rock solid, dependable. Will run forever with basic maintenance.
 
#14 ·
Well, been on work detail for a few days, so got back to it today. Checked at the vacuum system, and with some switching of lines eliminated some potential issues, connected the choke directly to the manifold vacuum, rather than the egr booster.

Then I started checking lines while the truck was running, and found that when I sprayed the lines there was no rpm change, so that seemed to eliminate the vacuum leak issue. However I did find a leak, at the manifold. Apparently there is a leak where the manifold and carburetor meet.

I re-torqued the bolts once more, and there is still a leak, so how is that solved short of replacing the manifold? Is it possible to use RTV sealant until I can afford to change the manifold. If I do change the manifold, I will most likely go for a two barrel even though I will lose the mileage. That and the vacuum dizzy to take out the lean burn, will be future projects, right now I need to figure out if I can get this truck running and earning a few dollars before I go spending another two hundred on it.
 
#15 ·
So you're thinking you have a leaking carburetor base gasket? That's just a couple bucks. While RTV sealant is great stuff, in uncured form, it'll fill in any vacuum passages in the base of the carb, so I would only use it to form a seal between a base gasket and the intake manifold, not the carb. If you can get the base gasket off in one piece (I have had to do this) flip the gasket and use RTV to seal to the gasket to the manifold. The side that had been on the manifold is smooth and flat, so it'll seal nicely to the carb base and with no RTV on that side, your passages will stay clear..
 
#16 ·
While you are right about the cost of the base gasket, it is the base of the carb that is leaking, and the nearest parts store is about a two hour walk from here. I have put a very thin layer of rtv on the gasket, and cut it so it should not get in any of the passages, I hope, just so I can get to the parts store, buy a new base gasket, and some gasket material so I can make a thin flexible gasket for the carb.

I hope that will fix it until I can locate and afford a new manifold and 2 barrel carb.
 
#18 ·
Well, bought some gasket material, and that fixed the leak on the base of the carb, but it still will not run when warm. As long as I hold the throttle open just a little it will run fine, so it is running too lean I guess.

I can not adjust the idle mixture screw on this Holley 1945 carb, they capped it over at the factory, thank you EPA right. So my next move looks to be to drill out the cap on the carb and get access to the idle mixture screw. If I do that I hope to rich it out a little and therefore at least get it to run. My other thought was to adjust the throttle cable so that it was at the place where it runs right.

I am about as frustrated with this truck as I can be at this point. I really think it will be a great truck once I get rid of that stupid lean burn computer and use HEI or some other dizzy. I have gone through all the vacuum that is on here, eliminate what I can, to isolate the basic system that is needed to run. I might try to adjust the dizzy a little if I could at least get the dam truck to idle at least a little.

I have no tools to check rpm, vacuum, or timing, they all got stolen a while back when we moved from our old farm to the this new one, so I am making do the best I can with a few cheap sets of tools I was able to barter for.

I really like the truck, or am trying to, as the body is in really good shape, and it is a slant 6, which I had in an old 72 plymouth "whale" (a former fed car), and my dad had in his dodge dart. I am just perplexed with this truck, and I think it has a lot to do with the fact that it is a 1987, so it was at the end of the vehicles that you can work on, and the beginning of the vehicles that need a mechanic with a set of diagnostic tools.

I remember my first car was a 1972 Pontiac LeMans with a 400 big block and a Rochester carb, which I promptly threw away and replaced with an aftermarket (edelbrock) intake and a holley 600 cfm double. That thing I could tune by ear and get it close enough to make it run too well. It didn't take long and I was buying tires for it on a regular basis. I tweaked it too often and it used serious amounts of gas, but gas was only $.55 a gallon so it really didn't matter.

Sorry for going off there a moment, but I am just really frustrated with this truck, and I just need it to run so I can get to work with it, rather than having to get rides that cost me more than gas would even if this truck didn't get good gas mileage. If anyone can think of any reason I shouldn't drill out that factory cap on the idle mixture screw, or anything else that might get this thing running that would be appreciated. I really can not throw any more money at it at the moment, at least until it starts making me some money.

Thanks again Gen1dak, your advice has been excellent, really appreciate it.
 
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