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258 problems

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SpiritDL1983 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SpiritDL1983 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 258 problems
    Posted: Oct/18/2014 at 4:00pm
i have a 1983 amc spirit DL with the 258 
starts and dies when key is let to go run position but sometimes itll start just fine, idle for a few minutes at the most and die then wont start again, i dont have emission test and never will where i live 
the exhaust was cut off and doesnt have the cats or muffler anymore, the hoses that were attached to that are as good as gone and some smaller hoses are disconnected or gone and i have no idea how the vacuum setup works
can someone help me out? i need this car to drive to school and get me to work and if it doesnt run soon ill have to sell or scrap it  
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purple72Gremlin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote purple72Gremlin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/18/2014 at 7:31pm
You starting another thread will not get the car fixed faster.
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SpiritDL1983 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SpiritDL1983 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/19/2014 at 11:53am
well if its not fixed soon, its going to the neighbors scrap yard, i dont have time or money for it anymore and it already stained up the driveway and killed the grass 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote purple72Gremlin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/19/2014 at 10:36pm
Originally posted by SpiritDL1983 SpiritDL1983 wrote:

well if its not fixed soon, its going to the neighbors scrap yard, i dont have time or money for it anymore and it already stained up the driveway and killed the grass 
you may be better off to get a newer car.
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rocklandrambler View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rocklandrambler Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/20/2014 at 2:12am
John, while the '83 Spirit is basically "old skool" technology you maybe too young and inexperienced to tackle this on your own. The forum members can offer suggestions but if you don't know how to implement them then everyone is wasting their time. If you can't find someone local to assist you then it may be for the best that you let the car go and get something else that's reliable for your purpose. Try to sell it first before scrapping it if you can.
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1974 Hornet X (new)
1975 Gremlin X (new)
1964 Classic 660 Cross Country
1965 American 440-H
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carnuck View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote carnuck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/24/2014 at 1:24am
Get a Chev HEI dist (like I said in the other thread) That should make it run.
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TH_Gremlin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TH_Gremlin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/25/2014 at 7:18pm
Sorry your little Spirit is giving you troubles.  Unfortunately, those symptoms could be caused from any number of things.  Fouled spark-plugs, old crusty plug wires, a vacuum leak, a bad gasket somewhere, clogged filter, cracked distributor cap, your timing might be out of whack, your carburetor could be gummed up... the list goes on and on. 

I know this doesn't help, but I've been chasing issues out of a 258 (off and on) since February, and just now have it driving like I want it to.  It's definitely a labor of love  :/

TH_Gremlin
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SpiritDL1983 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SpiritDL1983 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/30/2014 at 5:26pm
thanks guys, shes ready to go by Saturday, im more of a chevy guy anyway, 350 small blocks are like legos to me. it was a bit of an impulse buy because it looked different lol 
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FSJunkie View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FSJunkie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/30/2014 at 9:06pm
Welcome to 1980's cars. They have complex electronic and vacuum engine control systems that directly affect how the engine runs. If everything in the complex system works properly and as it should, they run perfectly. If even one little thing goes wrong or if someone who doesn't know what they're doing fiddles around with stuff, the engine won't even run sometimes.

Chevy 350's are no different. Many of them came from the factory just as complicated, and sometimes even more so. Just the vast majority of 350's have been modified to get rid of this complexity and turn them into the primitive...erm...simple engines most people are used to working on.

Your issue isn't that the AMC engine is different from the Chevy 350, but that the AMC is stock and the Chevys you're used to were not.

If you can diagnose a Chevy 350 you can transfer those skills to that AMC six easily.

Same basic technology.

Edited by FSJunkie - Oct/30/2014 at 9:28pm
1955 Packard
1966 Marlin
1972 Wagoneer
1973 Ambassador
1977 Hornet
1982 Concord D/L
1984 Eagle Limited
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purple72Gremlin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote purple72Gremlin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Oct/30/2014 at 9:14pm
Originally posted by FSJunkie FSJunkie wrote:

If you can diagnose a Chevy 350 you can transfer those skills to that AMC six easily.

Same basic technology.
pretty much the truth.   I have a 350 chevy on a stand in my garage.   Ive fooled with both SBCs,and AMC 6s.     If you couldnt get the 6 to run, I dont see how you could get the 350 to run either.   They both are old school, and distributors, carburators.....simple.....
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