Hello,
This is my first post to this forum and am looking forward to being able to be involved in the various discussions. I hope I have posted to the correct area, if not, please accept my apologizes and direct me to the correct forum.
I need a little help concerning a 1977 Dodge D150 pickup 225 cc. starting issues. If I don't start my truck after a couple of day it won't start, it cranks, gets gas but won't turn over. As soon as I give it a shot of starter fluid it starts right up. Once it starts I can drive it all day and have no issues. I have been told it could be the battery but it checks out fine and also have been told it may be the fuel pump but if it was the fuel pump wouldn't i not smell gas? One final point which may or may not be an issue but the truck sits uphill on our street, (someone suggested to me that may be an issue and is causing me a fuel problem).
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Larry

 

Welcome, First gen section is here. Might want to have a look at the carb and see if the choke is working. If so possible accelerator pump leak.

 

Gonna move this to the First Gen Ram section for ya. Welcome to DF!

 

How long since it's been tuned up? Your truck needs plugs, cap and rotor every 30,000 miles. A big improvement over pre-electronic ignition engines that needed points, plugs and condenser every Spring and Fall. You could have a carburetor issue or you may have a pin hole in a rubber line that let's the fuel drain back. It could also be the accelerator pump or float in the carb., but I'd like to see how old your plugs and cap and rotor are. Pop the two clips off the cap and look inside. If it has aluminum electrodes and they are nasty, that may be your problem. Your truck starting with starting fluid makes me think you have a weak spark. If the inside is worn on the cap, get a new cap and rotor with brass electrodes if possible, copper electrodes otherwise along with a matching rotor. I'd slap some new plugs in there too. While it may not be a problem now, I'd replace the ballast resistor on the firewall as a matter of course just in case. Keep the old one wrapped up in a towel as a backup as those things like to fail.

 

Thanks for the inputs, I will start checking out the spark plugs, rotor and cap along with the accelerator pump. An employee at Autozone said to check the fuel filter and change it if it is clogged. First, I have to unfreeze a front right brake caliper.This truck sits a lot and I think the water rushing along the curb has rusted up the caliper.

 

Humidity in the air can cause the caliper to seize. If money isn't tight, I'd replace them both. If it is, wait until the other one starts to give you trouble. Check the flex hoses for cracks while you're at it. I doubt a filter will keep it from starting while letting it run. It's routine maintenance but I don't think it's your problem.

 

You say it "won't turn over" yet you say that it cranks. They're the exact same thing, I never understood where the mistaken relationship between "firing" and trying to actually run, and "turning over". If it cranks it turns over, has NO bearing on whether it attempts to fire or not.
Just because it "turns over" does NOT mean it will neccessarily start.

 

No, replace them both now!!it makes no sense to run with a hung up caliper until the other one fails. At best you're gonna burn up the pads on that side, at worst the extra heat will ruin the rotor, along with heat up the grease in the front wheel bearings (that dust cap isn't oil right) and cook the bearings then you're looking for a spindle .Or the truck plain just won't move. Some of those trucks used a plastic (phenolic) caliper piston that just sucked then. Some trucks did still use a steel piston caliper, and those were coated, the chrome coating peeled and the piston rusted, and seized. From heating up and cooling down brake parts draw moisture within the fluid. Moisture= water. Water + cast iron (caliper housing)+maybe a steel piston= rust. And the seals within harden with age, dust boots split and more those calipers have become very cheap to buy, many parts stores aren't even collecting the core charge on that particular caliper any more.

 

Rereading my post, I see I didn't make myself clear. I meant for the bad caliper to be replaced. Just to wait for the other one if money was tight. I'm glad you caught that. I'm going to whack my head over that one.