I finally had to admit defeat...

MoparDan

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The Cherry Bomb is off the road likely for a while. She's felt weak and bogged down lately which I'd thought was a bad fuel filter...new fuel filter (and thanks to the fuel line breaking off and new fuel pump also) still not right, retired mechanic neighbor who put the pump in says he hears something wrong in the bottom end, no it can't be, 227k miles can't be much on a 318! I fired her up and heard almost nothing but slight lifter tick, so I drove her all that day and she's just not right, I pop the hood and yup, I can hear it too now its faint but there, I drive almost home, then realizing this will probably my last time for a while I drive around the block for a few more minutes, Van Halen's 5150 song blasting from the tape deck, just thinking about all the memories these past 11-12 years, then backed her in to her usual spot next to the trailer. We have another car now so we can still get around, but this will be the first time since the middle of July 2010, that it won't be an M-body, just doesn't feel right...the plan right now is just figure whats needed to bring back to life, not just engine wise, but all the other things needed too...I think I'll start a thread called Cherry Bomb Resurrection, but for now at least she's safe parked in her spot. 227,497 miles, the last 140k or so was mine, not bad for a $1,500. car!
 

AMC Diplomat

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Marvel mystery oil the engine, Berryman B12 the carb. Do you have any smoke in the exhaust? How about metal in the oil filter pleats or in the tray when changing the oil? My money is on the carb making it run like crap. Especially if it's still lean burn.
 

Camtron

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Ghetto rebuild! Just slap new gaskets, lifters, bottom end bearings, new vacuum lines and a carb. Bet you get it to 350k miles. You may also be able to score a running 5.2/5.9magnum for pretty cheap. There’s plenty of them out there just waiting to be loved.
 

MoparDan

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Thanks for the responses, I'll try the oil and carb cleaner first and see what happens (she's just about at the 3,000 mark anyway) I replaced all the vacuum hoses afew years ago, but I'll check them it can't hurt, then go from there.
 

M_Body_Coupe

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...retired mechanic neighbor who put the pump in says he hears something wrong in the bottom end... I fired her up and heard almost nothing but slight lifter tick...I pop the hood and yup, I can hear it too now its faint but there...
So precisely what are you and your neighbour hearing?

Are we talking here the tell-tale bottom-end tick?

If it is the bottom end, you can somewhat troubleshoot the rod vs main by pulling the wires off of each plug (one at a time though) to see if the shut-down cylinder is contributing to the noise you're hearing.

If none of the cylinders (having been removed from the combustion stage) have caused the noise to change, you are probably looking at main bearing issue, otherwise it would be the rod on that particular cylinder.
 

MoparDan

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So precisely what are you and your neighbour hearing?

Are we talking here the tell-tale bottom-end tick?
The sound was definitely towards the front of the engine. I tried to start the engine today, but it died almost instantly, started again same thing, the gauge is on empty so I'll need to get some gas before I can give more detailed info on the noise
 

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Does it sound like chain slap like from a worn timing chain?
 

MoparDan

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Update: we've got the engine running. We'd thought she was out of gas, nope, the carb filter was clogged with dirt no fuel could get through! Which brings up the question how did it get there? Idle is decent, but no perfect, we haven't moved her at all, but reved the engine: feels strong up to a certain point once you get the pedal a little more then half way then the engine starts getting weak, feels like it's choking and gets worse the further you push the pedal down. My mechanic neighbor believes one of two things either a fuel line has rusted though and too much is getting though (I think that's what he said) or the cats are clogged (which is what he thinks)
 

MoparDan

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Replaced the 1/4 extension, so at least the trunk floor won't get soaked

Broken
FB_IMG_1683589358407.jpgFixed, ended up with a Crimson Red one, The Cherry Bomb's original color FB_IMG_1683589345663.jpg
 

Aspen500

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If the filter was plugged, more than likely so is the sock on the pickup tube in the tank. The tank irself has to have dirt in it also, or it's rusted and particles of rust are coming off.

Easy way to verify the cats are or aren't plugged, disconnect them at the manifolds and give it a try. OK, "easy" is a relative term depending on how hard it is to get at the bolts, and how rusty they are.

90% of the time, dirt gets in the tank when it's filled up. It's in the fuel when it comes out the nozzle, even though the fuel goes through a filter, but those filters only filter diwn to a certain micron.
 
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AMC Diplomat

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After poking around for quarter panel fillers and seeing what a pain it is to buy driver side ones, I went and bought a passenger and a driver's side. The part hoarding has begun.

I run a double fuel filter. I picked up 10 NOS mopar filters dirt cheap and I run one with a plastic see through filter after it. You can also try to smother the carb while opening the throttle to make it run rich to try and blow any crud out. A bad idea if its backfiring though. I did this early on when I got the car and some whiskey colored crap came out.

This is entirely speculation, but based on my limited lean burn experience so far, if it's dying and bogging as the throttle opens my guess would be the computer isn't advancing the spark for the distributor.

Or the accelerator pump in the carb is bad and you're not getting a good spray of fuel. I don't know, I'm just a random person on the interwebs
 

MoparDan

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Easy way to verify the cats are or aren't plugged, disconnect them at the manifolds and give it a try. OK, "easy" is a relative term depending on how hard it is to get at the bolts, and how rusty they are.
I made an appointment at a garage I trust to check the cats, they can't do it until June though, I just started the engine up for the first time in maybe a week and fires right up as usual, so at least there's that
 

MoparDan

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It's time to start figuring out what parts The Cherry Bomb needs, I might as well start pricing things while I'm waiting for the exhaust test. I know we need a new fuel tank for sure, and the lines I'm sure need to be replaced, any other ideas?
 
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