Question about 540 CI Dart Motor

[Xpock182]

Originally Posted by uxojerry

Dart 325 heads would be a normal selection for a 540. With Lemon's headers and a 3.5 inch exhaust, Im thinking your 540 is something more, maybe Dart 345s. A run of the mill 540 is 650hp. A trick 540 is 850hp or so.

There aren't many BBC fans here. Remember you'll make more hp with a plug wire off, than most with a perfect tune, lol.

Could you tell me more about what you are referring to here? Also I am trying to figure out why the car is not cranking up immediately all of the time. It seems that after it sits for a week or so it won't crank.

I took the air filter off and try to crank it but I don't think it's getting gas. However if I pore a small amount of gas directly into the carburetor it cranks right up and runs fine.

I cleaned the fuel filter (it was a mess) cleaned the distributed cap & sprayed carburetor cleaner in both carbs.


Unfortunately the car does not have a fuel pressure gauge. This car sat for about 2 years before I purchased it.

Any advice? Is this a bad fuel pump?? Spark plugs?? Perhaps this car was not built for street gas??


Would love some help.