19 replies to this topic

[syphon]

I have a problem with my car. I want to relay the symptoms to you, and hopefully can get a good answer on whether I should have my carb rebuilt or just new plugs.

The car runs like crap when it is cold. It's a pain in the rump roast to warm it up 15 minutes every morning, but I've come to expect it. Once it gets warm it runs fine... almost.

After the car is warm... it will drive fine for about 15-20 minutes when suddenly it will start to act like the engine is cold. This is the best way I can describe it. The car will sputter from a stop, and it feels like it's all bogged down at a certain RPM. If I floor it, the car will sputter and then catch on and zoom off (just as if it were cold).

During its "cold" phase, the idle will also drop from its normal 900rpm to about 500, and it always sounds like it is about to die.

This "cold" phase will usually last about 10 minutes. It happens regardless of operating temp (hell, the first time I noticed it, I had been on the freeway for about 15 minutes). Most days it happens well after the car has warmed up and been running for a good while.

One item of note... is that this always happens when I shut my car off for a few minutes and then start it back up. Say for instance, I've been driving around all day and stop at the store. The car is turned off for maybe 8 minutes total, but when I start it back up again it's almost guaranteed to do this for a few minutes.




Now my some-what ignorant diagnosis tells me that my carb is acting up. Whether due to the colder weather, or age, it's starting to act up. Seems like all I need is a carb rebuild and everything would be great.

I would have already done this, but I have another thing I want to run past you guys to see if this is the problem.

About a month ago, my car stripped a spark plug hole and shot the plug out. I had Smart Service in Ballinger, WA helicoil the threads, and they repaired it admirably.

I just want to know if you guys think i could have a bad plug. I'm pretty sure they just re-used my old plug, which could have been damaged when it shot out. I'm sure they'd check to make sure it was gapped alright, but could the problems I'm describing be caused by a bad Spark Plug?

What do you guys think it could be, Carb or Plug?



EDIT: Forgot to mention that it's an '85 GL Wagon with a carbed EA82.

[Nug]

My S-10 had exactly the symtoms you are describing. I rebuilt the carb and most of it went away. But the throttle shaft bores are so worn, that it is incapable of idling correctly.

check for throttle shaft play.

[Subarutex]

::cough:: WEBER ::cough::

Seriously though, I think its a carb issue. Brought about by sitting for that time before you were able to get it fixed.

[syphon]

It didn't even sit for a month... maybe 3 weeks at the most.

Hell, the t-bird sat for longer than that, and you saw me fire that thing right up :-)

[NV Zeno]

There could be something as simple as a loose plug wire or possibly a spark plug is coming loose from the head.

[GeneralDisorder]

Change all your fuel filters if you haven't already. Change your plugs too if you suspect them - very cheap.

If that doesn't do it - time for a Weber.

GD

[v8vega215]

Im not a carb expert by far, but I would have to say that it is mostlikly to be the carb because that happens to my brat when I have the original carb on, when I swap the one off the spare engin the problem whent away.

spark plugs are cheap so I would replace those while I was in there too.

[v8vega215]

forgot to mention that the fuel pump can also cause these complaints, or if your alternator is weak it can cause the fuel pump to cut out.

[Scrub2k]

My Honda Does the Same Exact Thing, Cept its FI not carbed so after christmas is done with im gonna change the plugs and wires and see what kinda of difference that makes, im hoping that this will fix it

[Subafreak]

Kinda bring back memories, I destroyed a perfectlly, um, rotted out BRAT becouse of a fuel filter problem. I felt like such a dumb rump roast, I drove around for a month without being able to go over 50mph becouse I hade a pluged F.F. in my BRAT. I had just changed them about a month earlier so I never suspected them as being bad, but a friggen rock had gotten through and was plugging the exit port on the F.F. But I also got sick of trying to make my 81 Wagon not run like a POS, so thats why I swaped in an EA82T. Seams like probly a carb issue, I would go for the Weber route if I were you, uless you feel up to an engine swap?

[syphon]

a Weber or an Engine both exceed the amount of money I'm willing to pay for this car... well, at least as long as the existing things arent broken.

I guess I'll put in new plugs... check the fuel filter... and see how it goes from there.

How hard is it to rebuild a carb? Can I even get a rebuild kit for my existing one?

[Scrub2k]

As long as you have a basic mechanical ability a carb is pretty simple to rebuild, ive seen discussion of rebuild kits for the hitachis but i never read if there are actually any kits, have you thought about getting another carb from the J/Y and putting that on and seeing if they makes a difference, and then if that helps you have two carbs and you can rebuild one and still have a car.

[GeneralDisorder]

Rebuild kits are availible from NAPA ~$25. Beware of the hitachi tho - many people have trouble rebuilding these carbs - others say they aren't that bad. I'm guessing there must be a couple tricks of the trade - wish I knew em.

You can get a Weber in need of a rebuild for about $50 or less on ebay - rebuilt and jet kit for another $50, and the adaptor is about $35 - $40 - so it's not as expensive as all that really.

GD

[TomRhere]

Moosens had some rebuild kits a while back. May want to PM him and check on availability.

[Subafreak]

I could take the top of the carb off my 77 Brat and clean out the crap in it with a leatherman at a mud bog in 5mins. I had to do it about every 1/2hour.

[the sucker king]

syphon- i have almost an identical problem and i'm 99.9 % sure it's the carb. i've done the filter, pump, plugs, alt, dist cap, wires
how's this sound: after driving a good while and running fine, you park it and go into the store. you come out, it starts fine, you start to drive, and at the first stop light when you go it wants to die, like it's not getting any fuel. sound familiar? it's got to be the carb i say. someone was selling a used weber for $50 in the marketplace this week! i got one from edrach a couple weeks ago for $75. the rebuild kit cost me $25, the adapter plate will be another $35. AND the weber is easier to work with than the hitachi (if that's what you got)

however on a side note just to be sure check your charging system?!
i had a voltage regulator go bad once and since the fuel pump runs off of the alternator, it was causing me funky problems that felt like fuel starvation.

[syphon]

The voltage is fine... a steady 13 volts at all times (even when I have my music up loud).

I considered it could have been the draw off the alternator from my amp, but it happens even with the music off.

Whenever my car is sputtering like this, and idling at 500rpm or so, the voltage is low (at like, 8) but I think that's just due to the low RPM, because when I rev it, it jumps back up to 13 volts.

[Ma-fia]

I agree with GD -- Hitachi carbs may be trouble. You may get lucky and it will work, and you may not. The mechanic I know says that the result doesn't have anything to do with the level of mechanical abilities of the rebuilder in Hitachi case -- when they go bad, they just go bad.
I wasn't lucky at all: rebuilt my carb twice, had 3 carburetors to choose the best looking parts from, wasted TONS of cleaner, and it still wouldn't work (flooded no matter what).
Rebuild kit is freely available though...

[torxxx]

My 86 GL is havin the same problems. I suspect its both the carb and the plug/wires combo. I'm goin to Napa tommorow and I'll let you know what the results are after I change all the cheaper stuff. If that doesnt do it, I'm gettin weber..

Screw the EPA and the state of Alaska and their goddamn I/M tests.

[Partsman]

Be sure and bring in the OE# off the carb to get the right kit - NAPA lists two kits!

Partsman
88 GL wagon 5spd D/R