Re: IML: 73 440 Timing Chain

[randalpark@xxxxxxx]

Actually on '67 & '68 Imperials, the timing chain frequently skipped at 
almost exactly 100,000 miles.

I don't know about '73, but it may not have been much better. This was 
due to an unfortunate choice of sub standard timing gears. The sound 
deadening deteriorated from the teeth prematurely, allowing the chain 
to loosen up and finally skip time. The chances of this was further 
increased during the early 1970s when fuels were being changed, and 
some of the late '60s cars needing a tune up would diesel after they 
were shut off. Some '70s cars did this from the time they were new, due 
to poorly developed/maintained emission controls choking the engines 
with carbon. Overheating can cause the same thing. When dieseling, the 
engine doesn't necessarily turn in the direction intended, and often 
first one direction and then the other, thus taking up the slack in the 
chain and skipping the gear teeth.

An easy way to tell if your car needs a timing chain is to open the 
distributor, crank the engine by hand, and see if there is a delay in 
the movement of the rotor. It should move in unison with the rest of 
the engine. If there is a delay, replace the timing chain, or it will 
eventually leave you sitting someplace. This job doesn't warrant having 
the entire engine rebuilt, unless it also needs other work. Most other 
aspects of the 440 were still in pretty good shape at that mileage, 
depending of course on the maintenance, although valve recession seems 
to also be a problem around that mileage with today's unleaded fuels.

Remember, back then, when those cars were new, the American Public 
still considered any car w/100,000 miles was finished and worthless. 
That WAS the magic number to buy a new car.

Paul W.

-----Original Message-----
From: imperial67@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 7:55 PM
Subject: Re: IML: 73 440 Timing Chain

When I bought my '67 in 1989, the first thing I did was tune it up to 
get it
ready for California's Smog Check, still required on cars of that 
vintage.
Five of the eight plugs had been fitted with anti-foulers, and the whole
premise bothered me, like seeing five band-aids on someone.

I put in fresh plugs - Champions like it came with - and found myself
replacing fouled plugs quite frequently, even though it passed Smog 
within a
week of my tuneup. It also idled poorly, ran hot up hills and pinged a 
lot.

Then an old-timer mechanic (who also had a '67 Imperial) said "never use
Champions. I only use Autolites." And so I tried them. I will use 
nothing
else in all my vintage Mopars, of which I have four (and long-timers on 
this
list have seen me on this soapbox before). They cured the pinging, the 
hot
running and the fouling. I'd recommend you try them first if you're not
already running Autolites.

I can see no reason to undergo an entire engine rebuild for two minor 
issues
like this. Replace the rear main seal if its gets annoyingly bad (it's 
not
cheap, so a pan or cardboard box on the garage floor might be a more
practical solution for quite a while) and try the new plugs. A timing 
chain
should last far more than 101,000 miles.

Just my $0.02, but from personal experience!

Chris in LA
67 Crown (440 V8)
78 NYB Salon (400 V8)
72 Dodge Charger SE (318 V8)
63 Dodge Dart (170 /6)

On 1/26/07 7:26 PM, Tim Durrer at tdkd99@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

> List,
>
> I am debating whether to have the timing chain and
> sprockets replaced on my 73 440 with 101,000 miles, or
> rebuild the entire engine. I am oil fouling the number
> 6 plug causing an annoying miss and I have a slight
> leak in the rear main oil seal. When I had the valve
> covers off, the engine appeared to have had spotty oil
> changes over the years judging by the amount of sludge
> on the heads. The prevous owner had the valve seals
> replaced a number of years ago, but, not the timing
> chain. I get a pretty big puff of blue to white smoke
> at start up.
>
> I can't afford the whole rebuild job until next year
> and I would like to drive the car occasionally in the
> mean time. My question is: How much more $$$ will it
> add to the overhaul if the engine jumps time between
> now and then? According to the archives, there was
> much discussion over whether or not the 440 was an
> interference engine. (I think it is).
>
> Also, has anyone ever used those spark plug non
> foulers that attach to your spark plugs on a 440
> before? Did they work?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Tim Durrer
> 73 LeBaron Blue Sky
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