83pickle Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 So I am about a week late in posting my issue... Here is the story. I was idling talking with my ex when my car died. I knew my tank was almost dry, but thought I had more to get myself home. Once it died, I got my gas tank and put what little I had in the tank. It didn't start and thought I needed more. So I came back with more gas and filled to about a 1/4 tank. No dice. Poured some gas down the carb and started up fine, then died. I did this twice. So I thought the filter clogged. Towed it home and changed the filter. No dice again. GD was passing through and was kind enough to stop by and take a look. I have all the basics: air, spark, fuel (fuel filter wasn't the issue but nice to have a new one). Then we discovered that I had no oil on the dipstick. I recently started taking 80 mile trips every weekend so I didn't think about my oil consumption changing. So now it falls to what we think is a compression issue. I picked up a compression tester yesterday and a bottle of Lucas Oil. I have had great success with it when I had my 4runner. So I hope to try putting a tiny bit in the spark plug hole and see if that will help with the compression. if that doesn't work, I am going to use the compression tester. Anyone have any thoughts? Mainly tips on doing a compression test? It seems pretty straight forward. What sort of numbers should I be looking for? P.S. Apologies for the back story. I could never learn to summarize... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 fuel pump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 24, 2011 Share Posted December 24, 2011 I think normal compression should be between 160 to 185 pounds. From what you say it seems to me there is a fuel problem. You stated that pouring some gas into the intake made the engine run. Try spraying some starter fluid into the intake and see if the engine runs. If it does then there is a fuel problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 EA81 vehicles have 2 Fuel filters. One filter is near the pump, under the car. One is actually a fuel separator, under the hood. Most people do not know there are 2. but now they know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Rear filter was changed. Front is not clogged. Fuel pump is working - he took it loose from the carb and cranked it to check for fuel delivery. Adequate fuel was delivered. The engine won't start but will almost catch. Pouring fuel down the primary with the choke propped open and the throttle to the floor doesn't seem to help. Plugs are not fouled and gap is correct. They are newer NGK's. Wires have seen better days but after a cleaning and tightening they seem to be delivering spark to the plugs - checked with a paper clip. Coil checks out good on a meter. Module is pulsing correctly on a test light check. Nice hot blue spark at the coil wire. I verified ignition timing is at or around 8. He tells me compression is around 150 to 180. At this point I told him to get a proper can of starting fluid, new plug wires and a cap/rotor. My feeling is that it's part fuel delivery and part ignition. It stubbornly refuses to fire up even when it seemingly has everything it needs to do so. Sadly the car is 30+ miles from my shop and in a cold apartment parking lot.... not ideal diagnostic conditions. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 have you ruled out that when he ran it out, he might have pumped junk into the carb and blocked something? Pretty sure the filter would have caught the crud first...but that sounds like a possible thing. carb cleaner? It was running good and starting good til the time he ran it out of gas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 It was running good and starting good til the time he ran it out of gas? Yep. And it's important to point out that he doesn't have hard evidence that it actually ran out of gas. Only that it was low enough that this *might* have happend. It could be something else and it could be a combination of that and something else failing. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idasho Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Have you checked the muffler tip for a banana? If the timing is correct, coil checks out, and plugs are getting spark, then the problem is carb/fuel related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Sounds neglected, you said no oil on the dipstick. well, sounds like nobody cared for this. sure you want to go further? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayoteq Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 When I encountered this problem, it was after I had fooled with the fuel cutoff valve in front of the stock Hitachi carb. Taking the piston out removed the stalling issue. Fuel runon is not an issue so far until I get a new one.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newsoobdude Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 Sounds like my issue, wonder what it could be as I'm going nuts and am out of ideas. Will be watching to see what becomes of the situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 Sounds like my issue, wonder what it could be as I'm going nuts and am out of ideas. Will be watching to see what becomes of the situation. Do you get any action when you spray some starter fluid into the intake and try to start the engine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newsoobdude Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 Do you get any action when you spray some starter fluid into the intake and try to start the engine? Yep, she runs. Turns out it was the rear filter and fuel pump. Have to adjust the idle but will do that after I burn some gas through her first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 Glad to hear you found the trouble. You might want to check the carburator also for debris that is causing the bad idle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83pickle Posted December 26, 2011 Author Share Posted December 26, 2011 Sounds neglected, you said no oil on the dipstick.well, sounds like nobody cared for this. sure you want to go further? I learned my lesson long ago when I had my first truck, never put a drop of oil in it and snapped a connecting rod through the side of the block. I never thought of checking more frequently when I started driving longer trips. It seemed to consume more oil than I thought. The parts store called to let me know NGK wires plus a cap and rotor are in, so I am off to swap those puppies out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83pickle Posted December 26, 2011 Author Share Posted December 26, 2011 Stupid parts counter guy gave me the wrong rotor! I called back and another guy noticed two other part numbers. I should have noticed it was wrong when I was putting the new one on, it was stiff. I didn't think anything of it since the other one was stiff coming off. Now the new one is stuck on there. I might have to start cutting it with a knife. Plus the wire set has the coil way to short. This is frustrating when I can't get out there on a whim. So looks like I have to wait till tomorrow to try it when I can get a new rotor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 They gave you a wire set for an EA82. Make sure you order for an 83 or 84 and it helps to look up the NGK part number off their web site, etc before you go to the store. There are three types of distributors for 83/84 - nippon, hitachi, and the hitachi turbo distributor. You probably need the Hitachi as that's what came with the 4WD's but it's always possible that someone swapped in a nippon unit from the junk yard, etc so double check the brand on your disty. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83pickle Posted December 27, 2011 Author Share Posted December 27, 2011 They gave you a wire set for an EA82. Make sure you order for an 83 or 84 and it helps to look up the NGK part number off their web site, etc before you go to the store. There are three types of distributors for 83/84 - nippon, hitachi, and the hitachi turbo distributor. You probably need the Hitachi as that's what came with the 4WD's but it's always possible that someone swapped in a nippon unit from the junk yard, etc so double check the brand on your disty. GD I suspected the case with the plug wires and the rotor. I confirmed the new part number for the rotor and will look up the # for the wires. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83pickle Posted December 27, 2011 Author Share Posted December 27, 2011 I suspected the case with the plug wires and the rotor. I confirmed the new part number for the rotor and will look up the # for the wires. Thanks. Hrm. I did get the correct box. Just checked NGK site. So unless the wires were switched some how... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83pickle Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 Cap, rotor, and wires did it. I think also the rear fuel filter played a part too. It was smoking like crazy from the oil in the heads thinking it was a compression issue. I even have to turn down the idle screw since the engine is idling at 2.5k. Thanks for all the help. GD, I owe you a beer or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.