Engine lacks power

[The_Handier_Man1]

From: Liv42dayOK  (Original Message)
Sent: 3/4/2003 12:59 AM

Ok, I'm anything but a motorhead.  Basic repairs, replacements and adjustments I can do but, when it comes to technoautocarbmanifoldgear stuff, well...that one word sums it up.  So I'm going to unleash the monster here.  My '74 (not the74' one) Indian, dodge 440 (stock) (60k miles) runs smooth but it seems dog tired on the road.  Cruise speed in 45 - 50 with no umph, and it just crawls up hills.  I don't expect NASCAR performance but, I'm pretty sure it should be easy to cruise with empty water tanks, no baggage load, no generator or heater, at 50 - 55 and maintain 45 on an average hill (or am I dreaming).  If not, could I get some real basic direction to improve the performance and go from there.  I read all the good stuff you put out but, honestly, after the 5th or 6th ratio, compression analysis, or other intense motor speak, I go back to re-spooling my fishing reels.  I enjoy the inside and the view from the inside of my rig; I leave what's under it to the pros.  However, I like to have some inkling as to what I'm getting into B4 hand so I don't waste a lot of valuable $ that could be spent enjoying it.  (I do have the original manual: that's how I taught myself to do a lot of stuff on my other cars but, the engine is out of my league)  Thanx - Sob



From: nvdesertrat0775
Sent: 3/4/2003 2:03 AM

Sob, my best advice to you would be to take it to an RV shop and get the problem analyzed. It might be as simple as the wrong spark plugs, or the distributor could be a little off... it's impossible to really guess. You don't need to have the work done there, if you don't want to, but you could spend a lot more with the 'replacing to find what's wrong' system and still not get it.
It does sound to me as if you should have more power, but I have the 318 engine so maybe someone with a 440 could give you a better answer about that.
In time, you'll pick up enough 'lore' to be more independant about repairs, but do it at your own pace. Believe me...you'll have a lot of chances to learn!

And welcome to the Gang!

Da Rat 



From: james
Sent: 3/4/2003 6:13 AM

I have a 74 that screams, I would suggest a tune up, test the coil, inspect and test the spark plug wires(rule of thumb no more than 1,000ohm resistance per inch of length) et to 10 inch plug wire should be less than 10,000...
Runs smooth, lacks power. Check your compression, (guage cost very little and you can do it during your tune up) Are you getting plently of gas to the engine? Is your exhaust open?
Enjoy your experience
James    Muledaze@aol.com



From: denison
Sent: 3/4/2003 6:42 AM

  Even looking at your plugs - they should be clean and almost without color, just a light beige effect.   Are the carburetor secondary throats opening?   It would run like you say if they were stuck shut, or if they were vacuum operated and the vacuum diaphragm had a hole in it.  Make sure it doesn't have a governor plate under the carburetor, as some rental units might have had.    Yours would have electronic ignition, but I think it still has the mechanical centrifugal advance inside the distributor.  To check this, remove the distributor cap, and twist the rotor.  It should rotate maybe 10 or 15 dgrees in one direction and spring freely back.  Musn't be sticky.  At the top of the distributor shaft but with the rotor pulled off you should see a little felt wick, and it should be given a drop or two of light oil - like 3 in 1.        Have you checked there isn't a mouse nest in the air cleaner?          denison



From: Colin
Sent: 3/4/2003 3:29 PM

Don't sell yourself short on doing engine work. The things you need to do are all pretty basic, although the work can be intimidating at first. I agree you should get into it gradually. Take advantage of the help you can get here and also from old-timer mechanics and countermen in your area. Your shop manual should also have a troubleshooting section. One of the first things I started with was a compression and leak-down test. It will tell you what kind of work lies ahead, either a more complicated engine problem or easier problems like carburation, ignition, etc. Let us know what you find 



From: Dave1210
Sent: 3/4/2003 7:33 PM

I am "seconding" all the replies. Check the normal tune up stuff as well as the seeing if the secondaries on the carb are opening. When I first got mine I nursed it home due to overheating, fixed the cooling system, then took it out on the freeway. It was a dog (55 on the flat ground tops), after about 5 miles my friend wanted to drive it, so we traded and after a few minutes he began pushing and wiggling the throttle cable w/ his foot, all of a sudden the engine came to life and we could easily climb grades and run as fast as we wanted. We later adjusted the throttle cable and this solved the dogness.