My 1976 project thread

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

dodge dude94

Millennial Boomer
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Posts
27,745
Reaction score
6,426
Location
East Texas
Ram Year
1998 Ram 1500
Engine
5.9 Magnum
Figured the guys might be getting irritated by my posting questions and opinions in the lounge. lol


Here is my newest issue: what sounds like a misfire only on the left bank.

I haven't confirmed this theory yet, but I will tomorrow and that is since I have the dizzy hooked up to full manifold vacuum, it's raising the idle and causing that side to miss for some reason. I can't hear the "putt putt" of the exhaust when the truck is in gear, with full vacuum, but I can in park or neutral. I'm going to change it to ported vacuum tomorrow.

Here are what the plugs look like:

Plug no. 1:
Plug1_zps75314459.jpg

Plug. no. 3:
3_zpsa709ca6d.jpg

Plug no. 5:
5_zps4d6cdfaa.jpg

Plug no. 7:
7_zpsc02f5538.jpg

Plug no. 2:
Plug2_zps52525922.jpg

Plug no. 4:
4_zpsaf8278b1.jpg

Plug no. 6:
6_zps06b53af6.jpg

Plug no. 8:
8_zpsef018677.jpg


They don't look too bad, but the carbon patterns are weird.

Any thoughts? Obviously the left bank plugs are first.
 

PCA4208

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Posts
2,654
Reaction score
579
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Check to see if there is an exhaust leak on that side. That could be the sound you're describing. Also you don't want the distributor to full vacuum. Find where a ported manifold vacuum on the carb is, and attach it to that.
 
OP
OP
dodge dude94

dodge dude94

Millennial Boomer
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Posts
27,745
Reaction score
6,426
Location
East Texas
Ram Year
1998 Ram 1500
Engine
5.9 Magnum
I hear the putting noise from the tailpipe, not the header or down pipe. As for the full manifold, it almost seems to run better....I dunno, maybe that's the elevated idle doing it. Either way I'm putting it back onto the ported.

Thoughts on the plugs?
 

PCA4208

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Posts
2,654
Reaction score
579
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I don't think they look too bad, maybe a bit oily at the bottom. From a chart I have it looks like carbon deposits. It could be bad fuel, or just gunky carb maybe. Try running a cleaner like a Lucas fuel additive through it.

Which side was the leak? Passenger or driver?
 
OP
OP
dodge dude94

dodge dude94

Millennial Boomer
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Posts
27,745
Reaction score
6,426
Location
East Texas
Ram Year
1998 Ram 1500
Engine
5.9 Magnum
I didn't think they looked that bad either. I just don't understand how they're kinda random in their patterns. I will admit they are a cooler heat range than stock as I had thought I had a 440, so I got plugs spec'd for a 440, which are like 2 heat ranges cooler than the 400. Oh well. lol

Carb is okay, accelerator squirters are working fairly good. Engine has good power, slight bog off idle but doesn't miss under acceleration. Just at this high idle.


What leak?
 

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,416
Reaction score
3,180
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
they don't look too bad. probably wouldn't hurt to replace them. have you checked the cap and rotor?
 

PCA4208

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Posts
2,654
Reaction score
579
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Sorry. I meant the tick. which side was it coming from

And definitely get the right heat range plugs for the engine. That was one of the fixes for carbon deposit plugs on the chart. Do that and make sure the Plug wires are good.
 
OP
OP
dodge dude94

dodge dude94

Millennial Boomer
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Posts
27,745
Reaction score
6,426
Location
East Texas
Ram Year
1998 Ram 1500
Engine
5.9 Magnum
Cap/rotor, wires and plugs are all new. New as in I replaced it all in the last 400 miles. lol

I put in Champion RJ12YC which are spec'd for 77-78 400s and all 440s. 74-76 are supposed to have RJ14YC.

The sound is coming off the left bank. Conveniently where I'm getting smoke from. And I know about getting the right heat range....but I don't understand why 77-8 trucks had a cooler plug.
 

PCA4208

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Posts
2,654
Reaction score
579
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I'd put my money on the emissions that was put in place during that time. I know your engine doesn't have any emissions stuff, but it did at one point. Is the smoke white or bluish?
 
OP
OP
dodge dude94

dodge dude94

Millennial Boomer
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Posts
27,745
Reaction score
6,426
Location
East Texas
Ram Year
1998 Ram 1500
Engine
5.9 Magnum
I'd put my money on the emissions that was put in place during that time. I know your engine doesn't have any emissions stuff, but it did at one point. Is the smoke white or bluish?

Only a cat nearest I can figure. :D

But usually with increased emissions standards the plug heat range goes up, not down. Plus side is I don't get any ping, but maybe that's because I have the carb fattened a little bit. :insane:

Bluish. The smoke has re-appeared, used to do it when we got it if it hadn't been driven for a little while. That indicates to me valve guide seals. I'll be driving it tomorrow to see if it goes away, I have a feeling it will.
 

PCA4208

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Posts
2,654
Reaction score
579
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Its burning oil then. I'd bet the misfire is due to the A/F ratio messing up due to the oil in the cylinder. You might want to pull the valve cover and check the valve seals. They should just be umbrella type seals, but I don't know big blocks.
 
OP
OP
dodge dude94

dodge dude94

Millennial Boomer
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Posts
27,745
Reaction score
6,426
Location
East Texas
Ram Year
1998 Ram 1500
Engine
5.9 Magnum
Its burning oil then. I'd bet the misfire is due to the A/F ratio messing up due to the oil in the cylinder. You might want to pull the valve cover and check the valve seals. They should just be umbrella type seals, but I don't know big blocks.

The valve covers will be pulled in the near future. Dad and I were going to do it together, but he's been busy painting a sign. lol

What should I be looking for? I do have a Haynes manual, so I'm not completely in the dark, but these old trucks are hard to find info for, especially big blocks.
 

PCA4208

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Posts
2,654
Reaction score
579
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
Well if you pull the valve cover, get a small flashlight and try to see the valve seal through the springs. They're just rubber, and can crack over time.

But also the plugs don't look oily at all.. so if you cant tell that valve seals are bad. The piston rings may be at fault, or worse a head gasket.

I'm kinda at a loss on this one. You may want to track down your local MOPAR guru and ask him too. It couldn't hurt.
 
OP
OP
dodge dude94

dodge dude94

Millennial Boomer
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Posts
27,745
Reaction score
6,426
Location
East Texas
Ram Year
1998 Ram 1500
Engine
5.9 Magnum
Well if you pull the valve cover, get a small flashlight and try to see the valve seal through the springs. They're just rubber, and can crack over time.

But also the plugs don't look oily at all.. so if you cant tell that valve seals are bad. The piston rings may be at fault, or worse a head gasket.

I'm kinda at a loss on this one. You may want to track down your local MOPAR guru and ask him too. It couldn't hurt.

IIRC the valve stem seals will only leak down over a period of time, but it's the valve guides that leak all the time. So I'm thinking that if the valve stem seals are a problem on that head that would be why the plugs have very little oil on them as rings would cause oil fouling as well. And I would think that with the rings most of the rings would be equally worn, but not the case with the heads. Engine only has 82,5xx k mi on it. lol

What is the usual procedure for replacing the seals? Before I dig through my Haynes. lol

We do, or at least did, have Mopar guru in the area, but I dunno if he is still doing his shop stuff. Got a job as the auto tech teacher at the community college....
 

PCA4208

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Posts
2,654
Reaction score
579
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
See thats why I'm not sure whats exactly going on then. It acts like its burning oil, but the plugs don't give signs of burning oil. If rings were at fault, then plugs would still be oily.

If you do find that valve seals are at fault. You'll need to remove each of the 16 valve springs with a special remover, remove the old seal, install a new one, then reinstall the springs and retainers. there are numerous videos on you tube showing it being done. It'll take a while though, maybe about 3-4 hours while leaning on the fender haha. I got some pretty bad bruises on my stomach from putting on my headers. But that took 3 days of work.
 
OP
OP
dodge dude94

dodge dude94

Millennial Boomer
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Posts
27,745
Reaction score
6,426
Location
East Texas
Ram Year
1998 Ram 1500
Engine
5.9 Magnum
See thats why I'm not sure whats exactly going on then. It acts like its burning oil, but the plugs don't give signs of burning oil. If rings were at fault, then plugs would still be oily.

If you do find that valve seals are at fault. You'll need to remove each of the 16 valve springs with a special remover, remove the old seal, install a new one, then reinstall the springs and retainers. there are numerous videos on you tube showing it being done. It'll take a while though, maybe about 3-4 hours while leaning on the fender haha. I got some pretty bad bruises on my stomach from putting on my headers. But that took 3 days of work.

Oh God..lol

I guess I'll know when I pull the covers. Was thinking about checking torque on the rockers too. Thoughts?
 

crazzywolfie

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2013
Posts
16,416
Reaction score
3,180
Location
under the truck
Ram Year
81 93
Engine
5.2
torque on the rockers? i don't know about the big blocks but the LA small blocks use non adjustable rockers on 1 bar. i would guess the big blocks have a similar setup.
 

PCA4208

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 27, 2012
Posts
2,654
Reaction score
579
Location
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ram Year
2017
Engine
Hemi 5.7
EDIT!! Scratch what i said completely. Big block rockers are mounted on an arm just like small block.I just did a google search and it confired it. No adjustments whatsoever on them, but check the torque on the rocker arm shaft at least.

Like i said, literally go to youtube and look up videos for changing valve springs. Thats how i figure out how to do a bunch of engine work. Once I see it, I can do it pretty well. Except for headers haha, those were a pain in my ass, literally, from laying on concrete under the truck haha.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
dodge dude94

dodge dude94

Millennial Boomer
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Posts
27,745
Reaction score
6,426
Location
East Texas
Ram Year
1998 Ram 1500
Engine
5.9 Magnum
torque on the rockers? i don't know about the big blocks but the LA small blocks use non adjustable rockers on 1 bar. i would guess the big blocks have a similar setup.
That's what I think too.
EDIT!! Scratch what i said completely. Big block rockers are mounted on an arm just like small block.I just did a google search and it confired it. No adjustments whatsoever on them, but check the torque on the rocker arm shaft at least.

Like i said, literally go to youtube and look up videos for changing valve springs. Thats how i figure out how to do a bunch of engine work. Once I see it, I can do it pretty well. Except for headers haha, those were a pain in my ass, literally, from laying on concrete under the truck haha.
So the bolts that hold the shaft to the head? Correct?

I can try looking on youtube, but finding info for dodge big blocks is like pulling teeth. lol


*EDIT*

GOT IT! Now that i see how they're attached I understand.
 
Top